Bill Cipher's Little 'Friend' - Gravity Falls (Platonic Bill x Child Reader)

Chapter 14 - Odd (Golf) Balls

Grunkle Stan, after putting down the ruined pancakes, which were probably ruined to begin with, walked over to the other side of the couch to look at what Mabel was rambling about.

I did the same. In one swift movement, I jumped up from the ground and ran over, jumping up on the couch, and pushing Dipper against the armrest.

"The Gravity Falls Gossiper accepted my article about summer fashion tips for squirrels. My picture is going to be in the newspaper! Check it!" She smirked, looking away and shutting her eyes in triumph as she let the newspaper unroll in front of us.

Dipper shifted his body to face the newspaper, and Grunkle Stan leaned up against the back of the couch. We all had smiles plastered on our faces, sharing in Mabel's excitement. Dipper eagerly shoved some cereal into his mouth while silently reading the newspaper, while Grunkle Stan took a different approach. Grunkle Stan began reading aloud the headline on the front cover, which should be Mabel's article.

"'Pacifica Northwest declares V-necks the look of the season.' What am I looking at here?" Grunkle Stan furrowed his eyebrows gradually as he read it out loud, eventually frowning in confusion as he finished.

Dipper paused his chewing, looking at the page with a blank look.

I frowned, mostly in confusion, like my uncle. I thought that Mabel had made the front page, as that was what she showed us, and never implied it was not the front.

Mabel's smile tightened as she opened her eyes, her expression straining from the once glow of dopamine.

In an instant, that strained expression shifted to one of shock and betrayal, "Wha-wha-what?" she exclaimed. She quickly pulled back the newspaper, shifting it around so she could read it herself.

Shown clearly on the front page was a picture of Pacifica Northwest, and although the picture was shades of gray, you could frame the amount of makeup smeared over her face. The photo gave her a snarky look, like she was rubbing salt into Mabel's wound, knowing she would see this. The column of the front page, "Greatest Thing of the Summer" had the first article headlined in large, bold font "Pacifica Northwest" and then underneath written "Declares "V-Neck" the Look of the Season".

We all huddled in to look at the newspaper, all of us now frowning with looks of distress, annoyance, and disappointment going around.

"Looks like someone bought their way to the front page," Dipper said in a sarcastic, annoyed tone.

Grunkle Stan narrowed his eyes at the article cover, "Is it legal for a child to wear that much make-up?" he commented in disgust.

Mabel looked the most defeated, having the one thing she had been looking forward to unraveling and being outshined by someone she deemed a rich spoiled brat. "Ugh, Pacifica. She always ruins everything," Mabel mumbled, looking away and hanging her head low.

Dipper instantly felt bad, putting a comforting hand on her shoulder, "Aww, cheer up, Mabel. I mean, no one even reads newspapers anymore." He smiled, trying to reassure her.

I also felt bad. Very bad. I just watched one of my favorite people go from having an over-the-moon mood to being down in the dumps. I wrapped my arms around her neck for a hug, squeezing tight, but not so that I might choke her but rather to comfort her, nestling my little face into her sweater.

Despite Dipper's best attempts at convincing Mabel that no one reads newspapers anyway, Soos suddenly shouted from inside the gift shop, "DUDES!" Soos burst through the old, poorly crafted wood plank door with a giant smile, "V-neck season is upon us! Who wants to help me get ahead of the fashion curve? I'm taking it one step further, with the W-neck!" Soos pulled out a sharpie and drew a 'W' on his forest-green question mark Mystery Shack shirt's collar. "Must. Follow. Newspaper." he took out kiddie scissors, struggling to cut a 'W' into the neck of his shirt.