Bill's POV

I have had emotional trauma before that I didn't really expect for Pine Tree get to me. I thought that I would have hardened after all these years - immune to it. Well, I was wrong.

"Bill?" Pine Tree asked when he pulled away from the hug. "Why are you all wet?"

I dropped my gaze to the side. "I dumped a bucket of water over my head."

Pine Tree let a small and confused smile grow on his face. "Pft, why?"

"I don't know..." I face palmed.

"Is that why your...um..." He gestured to me shirtless with my pants loosely hanging from my body.

I looked down at myself. "Oh, yeah, I was changing."

Pine Tree tried to smile while looking up at me, but I could see the force in it. He was doing it for my sake. He was quiet for a moment before he suddenly tensed up, his face flushing red.

I narrowed my eye, wondering what he had just thought of, but I didn't bother prying. I snapped my fingers, letting a new white undershirt appear with new pants. I awkwardly slipped my pants off and put the dry ones on and shrugged the undershirt and began buttoning up.

"I promised that I'd explain to Shooting Star what happened. But I can't tell her what really happened." I informed Pine Tree.

He tapped his chin. "Well... Let's say you kissed me in front of my parents, that embarrassed me, I got mad and we had a fight. We can just leave out the other...details." He cleared throat. "Anyways... We still have to hang out with Mabel. We promised."

"You really care for her." I commented, feeling my wet hair.

He nodded. "She's my sister, my twin, why wouldn't I?"

"I never had a sibling..." I said thoughtfully.

"You could always make one." He shrugged and chuckled.

"Let's pretend your my sibling." I said and smiled.

He got a sickening look on his face. "No, that's disgusting."

"Why?" I cocked my head to the side.

"Because you are pretending to date me, Bill." He said bluntly.

I waited for him to continue. "And...?"

"And that's it." He finished. "You don't have relationships with your sibling." He shivered at that.

"Oh." I said dumbfounded. I didn't know that. I twirled my hand and made a bow tie appear so I could tie it around my neck, enjoying its familiar comfort. "Let's go before Shooting Star gets suspicious."

He nodded and walked out of the room.

I, for some reason,
noticed how his parents weren't in their room. I grew nervous, wondering where they were. They had to be somewhere in the house.

Shooting Star was sitting on the couch, anxiously tapping her foot and she looked up, eyes wide and stood up. "Guys what happened? Mom and Dad just stormed out of the house like they were on a murder mission."

"It's a long story." I sighed and sat down with Pine Tree. "Do you wanna...explain?" I asked him carefully.

Awkwardness settled over Pine Tree, but he nodded anyways. "Well... Mom and Dad were being rude about us being together and saying bad things so..." He cleared his throat. "Bill got pissed and kissed me and then they were horrified and I was humiliated so I got angry at Bill for doing that..." He trailed off, obviously not comfortable about talking about this.

"I was angry at them! I'm sorry! They were ashamed of their own son! That's not right!" I took a deep breath, controlling my temper.

Shooting Star rubbed her arm. "I didn't know they thought that..."

I did my best to take deep breaths. "Look, we promised to hang out with you after dinner and that is what we shall do." I wanted to get off this topic.

"Do you know where Mom and Dad went?" Pine Tree asked, ignoring my statement.

Shooting Star shrugged. "I don't know, but they stormed out like mad. They were headed somewhere in a hurry."

Pine Tree and I exchanged a worried glance, wondering where they had gone and soon after I had kissed Pine Tree and scolded his father.

"You don't think that they are doing something about you, do you?" Shooting Star asked me carefully.

I clasped my hands together and looked down, examining my white undershirt since I hadn't bothered to make a coat. "Well, your dad - Keith - seems to hate me. I wouldn't be surprised, honestly."

Shooting Star grimaced. "They can't be that awful. Maybe they were just overreacting a bit and went out for a breather..."

We both highly doubted it and cast her an unsure glance.

"Can we hang out now? So my parents don't come home and lay down their punishment?" She chuckled a little at that last part.

I smiled, silently thanking her for changing the subject. "Yes! Let's play the game of performing a dare or telling a truth." I clapped my hands together happily.

Shooting Star laughed. "You mean truth or dare?"

I nodded. "Yeeup."

Pine Tree sighed, almost exasperated. "That game is for little girls."

I butted his shoulder with my fist playfully. "Oh, come on, we are all little girls inside. Be honest."

He smiled lightly and exhaled softly. "Ok, ok, we can do it. But let's go in my room so no one just walks in on me doing this stupid game."

I laughed. Even now, he still managed the wanting to uphold a reputation. I was sure I had pretty much shattered it when I made him pretend to be gay in front of his whole family, friends, and including some beach strangers. "What are we waiting for?! Let's commence this game of humiliation!"

"He obviously gets the basic point of the game." Shooting Star whispered jokingly to her brother and I saw him shoot her a glare, but amusement sparked in his eyes anyways.

Shooting Star went in and I hurriedly directed Pine Tree in, shutting the door being me promptly. Like a five-year-old, I leaped onto his bed and let myself bounce on it momentarily. "Ok, how do we start this game?" I asked, smiling like a dork.

"Well," Shooting Star said as she crawled onto the bed and sat down, "someone would start off and would ask another 'truth or dare' and depending if they chose truth or a dare you either dare them to do something or making them tell you something truthful about yourself."

Pine Tree hopped onto his bed and sat down next to me. "Ok, who is first?"

"ME!" His twin exclaimed brightly. "Dipper! Truth or dare?"

"Uh, t-truth." He stammered nervously.

"Aw, booooo." Shooting Star complained and waved her hand. "Kay - besides Bill - is there anyone you've kissed, and if so, who?"

Pine Tree shook his head, a smile on his face that said he knew his sister would ask that question. Maybe they had a twin ESP of some type. "No..." He answered.

She looked disappointed, obviously wanting more gossip and details. Teenage girls were all like that. "It's your turn Dip-Dot."

"Ok, Bill, truth or dare." He smirked at me.

"Dare." I said with full confidence.

Pine Tree looked around as if the surrounding objects would help produce an idea. "I dare you...to..." He seemed slightly panicked like he didn't know what to do, "um, lick the floor."

Shooting Star cringed but stilled booed at Pine Tree like that was a horrible dare.

I scoffed. "Oh that's easy, it's not as filthy as your mouth."

Shooting Star burst out laughing while Pine Tree flushed pink and his hand shot to his mouth, touching his lips lightly.

"Th-that's not true!" He shrieked, embarrassed.

I chuckled and slid by him, dropping onto the floor. Hmm, I wonder what it did taste like? I guess I was going to find out now. I leaned over drug my tongue across the carpet. The absolute revolting taste and feeling sent me shooting up in shock. I gagged and let my tongue hang out, saliva dripping out of my mouth. "EW! Wha thu hewl?" I meant to say "what the hell" but with my tongue hanging out, it came out sounding strange.

They were both cracking up on the bed.

"Tha isth dithguting!" I exclaimed, spitting on the floor and wiping out my tongue.

Shooting Star finally caught her breath and sat up, shaking Pine Tree back to reality. "Oh God, that was funny."

Pine Tree's eyes were dancing with laughter. "Ok, come back on up. It's your turn."

I sat next to him, purposely bumping harshly into him. "Kay, Dipper." I hissed. "Dare or dare?"

"Bill it's-"

"I dare you to lick the bottom of your shoe!" I crossed my arms.

"What?! No!" He exclaimed. "I choose truth!"

"Just do it, Brother!" She ordered him. "It'll be funny!"

"But even I don't know where my shoes has been!" He protested.

I reached down, snatched a shoe, and held it up for him. "Here, just do it. I licked the floor so you can lick a shoe. Shoes walk all over floors. We're equal."

He glared at me, obviously not convinced. "Fine." He angrily took his shoe and lifted it by his lips, disgust clearly written on his face. "Don't be jealous that this shoe is getting more action from me than you ever will, Bill."

Caught off guard, my face flushed bright red and I felt flustered. "I-I- excuse me?!" It wasn't like I was offended, just he never usually had the guts to say stuff like that.

He smirked at me, blatantly pleased, and turned back to the shoe-bottom. Slowly, he stuck out his tongue, squeezing his eyes shut. After a moments hesitation his forced himself to lick it. As soon as his tongue made contact he threw the shoe away, gagging and making disgusted noises. "MY GOD!" He spit and wiped his tongue like I had done. "That's not right."

I chuckled and cleared my throat. "Ok, your turn."

He obviously wanted revenge on me, but he knew that he had to pick on his sister a little bit. "Mabel, truth or dare?"

She thought for a moment. "Hmmm...."

"I won't make you lick anything." He laughed quietly.

"Ok, dare, then." She crossed her arms over her chest, prepared.

A mischevious light filled his eyes. "Ok, I dare-" He broke off as if he heard something. "Oh man..." He sighed angrily.

"What?" I leaned close, eye wide.

"I heard my parents pull up. Bill, stay in here for a second." Before Pine Tree could reach the door, I heard the door open. There were two voices: Keith and Vanessa... and then there were three more...

"Pine Tree wait." I ordered him quietly. "They're back," I glanced at his closed door, holding my breath, "and they brought company."