Bill's POV

Well, I guess I was going to go shopping with Ford. I never would have guessed that this was how the day was going to end up. The walk there was incredibly awkward, if I do say so myself, but I didn't bother showing my discomfort. Ford wasn't really the person I wanted to spend time alone with, but I guess I did need some time alone with him after all these years of being separated. Over thirty, to be exact. I couldn't help but still love his company.

We entered the store and I dragged him over to the suit aisle and began skimming the racks.

"Bill," Ford started off uncomfortably, "I really don't think a suit is necessary..."

I scoffed, proceeding to search. Shopping wasn't really my thing, but hey, I did have a great sense of style. "Please, Fordsy, if you're going to a fancy dinner, you need a nice suit. It's also a birthday dinner."

Ford brought a hand up and rubbed the back of his neck. I knew his place was down in a basement or a lab, running experiments and saving the world, leaping into the unknown with the supernatural submerging him... "I don't know, maybe I could just go in my sweater. It's...formal..."

I shot him a confused, yet equally amused, look. "Sixer, leave this to me. I'll make you look good."

Ford's gaze turned hard with embarrassment and he awkwardly glanced down at his six-fingered hands. "God..." he whispered. "Fine. I guess... Whatever you say, Bill."

After a moment of searching, I found a red tie, a black coat, matching pants and a white undershirt. "Perfect, Poindexter!" I shoved it to him. "Now go put it on and come out so I can look at you."

"You can drop this whole girly act, I'm not stupid." He muttered disrespectfully and I rolled my eye in turn.

"Oh, whatever, Brainiac. Just put it on."

Ford let out a heavy sigh and went to the dressing room to change.

I leaned up against the clothes rack, waiting for him to come out. I found it so easy to talk to Ford and hang around with him - especially after so much time of being his partner - and it made me have major nostalgia about the "good ol' days". Oh well. Ford had ruined my life enough times and it wasn't like I was fighting for his friendship. I wanted Pine Tree's friendship.

Ford emerged from the changing room and his ears were red as he fiddled with the suit, obviously not comfortable. "B-Bill, I don't th-think it's...it's...um..."

I chuckled. "Aw, come on, Smart-Guy, you look 'cute' as Shooting Star would say."

Ford flushed and then grew angry that he had gotten so easily embarrassed. "Bill, stop it."

I went up to him, fixing his tie and glanced up at him. It was so weird having him be so tall... "No. Looks perfect, IQ. Let's buy it."

Ford looked like he was about to throw a fit.

"What is it, Pal? It's just a suit." I laughed lightly and crossed my arms. "I wear one everyday."

Ford didn't respond and returned to the dressing room to take the suit off.

Sometimes Ford was so awkward yet somewhat adorable. What? Stop looking at me like that, reader. Yes, I know, I gotta go repair the fourth wall now... Sorry '=about that. It's easy to fix it with a little magic, yah know? Ahem... anyways...

Ford came back out with the suit slung on his arm. "Kay, Bill, you made me try on the suit. Let's just get home now."

I narrowed my eye. "Stanford, relax. It's not like we are in a huge hurry. Besides, I need to check up on Pine Tree when I get back... I usually never leave him for so long..." My thoughts began to wander off.

Ford's gaze turned questioning and he exhaled softly. "Bill, be honest, why do you like Dipper?" We both walked up to the cash register.

I swallowed, thinking carefully about how to respond. "I just do, Ford, give it a break."

Ford set the suit on the counter for the tags to be scanned. "I understand that, but why? You hated him and he hated you and then, suddenly, you two are dating. You're a trillion years old and he knows that - and a demon for that matter! - it makes no sense!"

The cashier was giving me a very very strange and baffled look.

"Who cares. I- it doesn't matter." I glanced away, rapidly growing uncomfortable.

Ford cleared his throat. "Have you two...um...?"

I turned my head back towards him, my eyes wide. "Have we what?"

The cashier didn't say a word, like she was listening as well, expectantly.

Ford grew flustered and looked away. "N-never mind..."

An unsettling feeling rested in the pit of my stomach. My gosh... He better not be thinking what I think he's thinking, or I am going to have to set him straight.

We took Ford's suit, leaving the cashier in the dark, and came out of the store.

"Have you two kissed?" He finally asked, like the cashier had made him reluctant to ask.

I gave him a look the opposite of amused. "Of course, Sixer."

A sick look crossed his face.

"What?!" I spat, actually offended for some odd reason. "What's with the face?"

"It's just... I don't know... I guess I assumed it was all an act." Ford fixed his gaze up ahead.

"If we're together you have to assume these types of things. It's not so awful, yah know?" I could feel myself growing more and more irritated by all his questions.

Ford sighed deeply. "I just can't wrap my head around it. You? And him? Together? I didn't really take him for being that type of person."

I growled low in my throat. "Ford. Shut up."

And he did, but I could feel his questions burning threw my skull. All these thoughts and images that plagued his mine. I wanted him to stop thinking,  but it was clearly bugging him. No wonder he kept asking me stuff. I tried to be nice and playful, but all I seemed capable of doing was embarrassing him even further or making him even more mad. Nothing seemed to soothe him. It offended me. I did like Pine Tree... Just... I was so close to being done with everything and I would soon be able to close off my plans, but part of me felt... sad.

Ford looked over at me, clearly wanting to speak, but then thought better of it.

"Sixer, it's fine. Your nephew is fine. You can stop being so bothered by it, ok? I get it that I make you paranoid." I said quite dramatically.

His eyes were so full of question and anger and it was almost like I wasn't looking at Stanford at all. It was like looking at a stranger. I couldn't recognize him. If only he could just remember.

By the time we finally got home, the awkward silence felt normal and we just accepted it.

Ford reopened the door to the house and when he walked in, he set the card up on the counter and held onto the suit reluctantly.

Just then, the door to Pine Tree's room opened up and he came racing out. He was only wearing his black pants and an unbuttoned white undershirt. "Hey! You guys didn't take too long. I swore that Ford would have killed you by now, Bill." Slight disappointment was detected in his voice, but he laughed.

"Yeah, I'm good with clothes." I sighed and shoved Ford away. "Go get dressed, Fordsy."

Ford rolled his eyes and went to change in the guest room.

I turned to Pine Tree. "What are you wearing to the birthday dinner?" I asked, examining his chest.

Pine Tree shot me an uneasy glare and crossed his arms, exhaling. "Just a suit and tie, Bill. It's obvious."

I chuckled. "What color tie? We gotta match."

Pine Tree seemed annoyed, but I saw faint laughter in his eyes whether he liked it or not. "Blue."

I nodded. "You have to finish dressing now. Go, go."

Pine Tree wasn't as stone-like as Ford was. He seemed to smile a little easier around me than Sixer could. I guess Pine Tree had finally adjusted to me. It only took practically an eternity. He reentered his room to finish getting ready.

I decided to wait by Ford's door while I watched Pine Tree's.

Ford opened up the bedroom and stepped out.

I turned around and smiled. "You look good, Fordsy."

Ford grumbled to himself, mumbling about how suits weren't appropriate for battling and some junk like that.

I fixed his tie once again. "Just brush your hair out and the ladies'll be all over yah."

He chuckled, glancing away, embarrassed. "Whatever you say." He walked away and over to the bathroom to do as I told him to.

Pine Tree came out of his room next with a slight panicked look on his face while he fiddled with his tie and I couldn't help but see the uncanny resemblance between him and Ford. "Ugh, God, Bill do you know how to work a tie?"

I laughed and strolled up to him and reminded myself of how much taller I was than Pine Tree. That was one difference that the Pines boys had for a moment. "You Pines' have to learn to dress sophisticated. You can't even put on a tie."

Pine Tree scoffed as I fixed him up. "I don't care for fancy attire."

"Who cares..." I breathed. When I finished his tie, I raised my gaze up so he met my gaze. Only then did I realize how damn cute he looked. I felt my stomach drop as soon as I thought that and I shoved him away lightly, taking two steps backward. "I-I...um... Yeah..."

Pine Tree looked dumbfounded at why I was suddenly stammering. "What?"

I shook my head. "Blue is the color, right?" I interrupted myself and snapped my fingers, my bow-tie altering its color to match Pine Tree's. "There. Perfect. We're all ready to go."

I think Pine Tree could sense that something odd had just gone through my head...

EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE ok I'm done.