Chapter Text
Before the incident, Mabel Pines would've given anything to meet a vampire. Anything, even her blood. But, as it happened, now the only reason she wanted to meet a vampire was to yell at it for what happened to her brother.
She was at a friend's house when it happened. They were playing with dolls and drawing out backgrounds for their stories when her friend's parents got a call for Mabel to come to the hospital right away. Her twin, Dipper Pines, was found unconscious and pale in the park by himself, with some kind of puncture wound on his neck. Now, she had read enough novels to know what that meant, and when she visited him in the hospital he had a bandage around his neck and all the curtains were drawn at his request.
His parents left the room to talk to the doctor, leaving Dipper and Mabel alone in the room. He turned to look at her, and she gasped softly at the strange expression he had. “Dipper?” She approached the bed. “Are you...okay?”
“Hungry.” He admitted, looking at his hands.
“I can call the nurse.” Mabel stood up.
He nodded. “Thanks.”
Mabel started for the door when she heard a sound behind her and looked to see Dipper stepping out of bed. “Dipper, you shouldn't be moving!”
“Mabel...” He stepped towards her.
She frowned and walked closer. “Dipper, what's wrong?”
He took her wrist and pulled her closer to him. “I won't take too much...I'm just so hungry...sorry.” He moved his mouth to Mabel's neck and parted his lips. Mabel, stunned by the moment, gasped as she realized what he was doing and held onto him as he bit down.
“Ngh! D-Dipper...be careful...” She said, her painted nails digging into his arms.
They stayed like that for a bit, and then he slowly and carefully pulled his teeth out before releasing her. Mabel promptly went to where they kept the medical supplies for the nurses and got out bandages. Dipper helped her wrap her neck and then looked at the door worriedly.
“They'll ask questions...” He looked at her guiltily.
“I have a turtleneck sweater in my bag.” Mabel went to her bag and pulled it out.
“Mabel...it's almost summer.” Dipper sighed.
“So? I can knit one without sleeves. Besides, it's pretty cold today.” Mabel pulled her sweater on and smiled. “See? Out of sight, out of mind.” She gestured to her concealed neck.
He nodded, using wipes to clean up his mouth before climbing back into bed.
"Do you know who attacked you?” Mabel asked.
“No...I thought vampires only came out at night?” Dipper sighed.
“Did he sparkle?” Mabel asked.
Dipper gave her a tired look. “No, he didn't sparkle. He wore a hooded jacket, though.”
“I guess you'll have to do that.” Mabel nodded. “And pants might be a good idea, too.”
He grimaced. “Just in time for summer...”
“Well, you wanna go find the vampire that attacked you and tell him his timing stinks?” Mabel put her hands on her hips.
“You're...really lively for having just been drained of blood.” Dipper commented.
Mabel shrugged. “I got plenty of energy! Besides, it's no more than what I would've given if I donated to the blood bank.”
The doctor came in with their parents then and checked on him. “Well, you seem to be looking a lot better! Still, I'd like you to stay in bed a bit longer, so we can make sure you'll be okay.” The doctor turned to the door, where a couple police officers had entered. “Officers?”
“We just want to ask him about his attacker.” One of them assured him, and then he walked over to Dipper's bed and sat in the bedside chair. “Son, you've been through a pretty rough ordeal. Do you think you can help us prevent this from happening to anyone else?”
“The guy was in a hooded sweater...I didn't see his face.” Dipper looked at them. “He was a teenager, I think. Wore all black, and had really quiet shoes.”
“That's not much to go off of.” The officer looked discouraged.
“I'm sorry.” Dipper looked at his hands in his lap. “That's all I know.”
“Well, we'll set up patrol around that area.” The officer stood up and headed for the door. “Thank you, and I hope you get better soon. We'll find this sicko, don't worry.”
Mr. Pines walked out with them while Mrs. Pines approached the bed. “Dipper? How are you feeling?” To her relief, the boy had only been bitten by his attacker, and nothing else – seriously, what a sicko.
“I'm feeling better.” Dipper nodded. “Though...it was really scary. I don't know if I'll be able to sleep for a while.”
–
As it turned out, Dipper wasn't able to sleep at all. He kept tossing and turning, trying to sleep, but it never came. His body didn't seem to want or need it, but he was getting a gnawing hunger. He looked around and then slipped out of his bed. The IV had been removed, but he was still kept there for observation. But, he needed food. No, not food. Blood. He needed blood.
He passed by the nurse station silently, his steps soundless – so much for it being the shoes that kept him from detecting his attacker. He made his way to the stairs and down to the ground level. Strangely, no one stopped him. It was...unnerving. He caught a nurse looking in a hand-mirror to adjust her contacts and stopped short. He should be seeing himself standing behind her...why wasn't he? He shivered and walked on.
When he got outside, he looked around in confusion. Why was the traffic so oddly slow? As if to test his theory, he walked across the active street, easily dodging car after car until he was across. It was strange, and exhilarating.
“You seem to be adapting well.”
Dipper gasped and turned to see his attacked watching him. “You!”
“Nice scrubs, kid. Your powers have started to work, it looks like.” The vampire approached him. “I didn't mean to change you, you fought back and it was...unusual. Did you know you had sharp teeth even before you changed? Cut right into my hand.”
Dipper slowly nodded, recalling the metallic taste of the vampire's blood. “So...why are you here?”
“Accident or not, I changed you.” The vampire shrugged. “The least I could do is help you out a bit by giving advice. You don't want to kill humans, right?”
Dipper nodded.
“Thought so. Listen, if you lick the wound after you're done, the wound will stop bleeding. Don't ask me why, my Sire wasn't nice enough to stick around and give me tips.” The vampire stopped in front of him. “You look pretty hungry. Let's find you some food.” He wrapped his arm around Dipper and led him along.
“Who are you, anyway?” Dipper asked.
“Name's Robbie Valentino. I'm from a town called Gravity Falls.” The vampire looked at him. “You?”
“Dipper Pines.” Dipper nodded.
“Sorry about jumping you. I went too long without feeding, and animals are a piss-poor substitute.” Robbie shook his head. “Anyways, you may have noticed that the world is slowed down. Actually, we're just moving faster. Way faster.”
“Is there a cure?” Dipper asked.
“If there was, I wouldn't be a vampire still.” Robbie shook his head. “But, I am looking into one.”
“Okay.” Dipper nodded.
“I gotta tell ya, this whole thing stinks. I'm part of a band, but we don't show up on camera or in mirrors! Which means I gotta avoid cameras and mirrors, or put on makeup and foundation.” Robbie held up a gloved hand. “I used to wear fingerless gloves, but not anymore! I tell ya, my Sire was a dick!”
Dipper nodded, feeling a bit dizzy. “Uhm...are we almost there?”
“Almost. You gotta be careful choosing your target, you could get someone who does drugs, or has AIDS.” Robbie shuddered.
They stopped in front of a building and Robbie went to the window and looked in. “Okay...looks like they're asleep. Normally we'd go to the park, but there's cops everywhere.” He looked at Dipper. “Think you can be seductive?”
“I'm sixteen.” Dipper frowned.
“That's no reason to not be able to seduce someone, but alright. Wait here.” Robbie slipped into an open window, leaving Dipper outside to wait. A bit later, he came out with a bashful girl.
“We just need you to give a tiny bit, just like at the blood bank.” Robbie cooed as they approached Dipper.
“Well, I don't want this sweet boy to starve.” The girl pulled up a sports band from her wrist. “Go ahead, sweetheart.”
Dipper swallowed nervously and moved closer, taking her wrist in his hands. He took in her scent and then parted his lips, clamping onto her wrist and digging his teeth in. She moaned softly and leaned against Robbie, closing her eyes.
After he drank his fill, he licked her wrist and she pulled her band over it to conceal it, the wound clean of blood.
“Thanks, doll.” Robbie kissed her cheek. “See you later.”
She giggled and went back in, Robbie rejoining Dipper. “Let's get you back to the hospital.”
“Who was that?” Dipper asked as they headed back.
“Someone I met shortly after I became a vampire. She's crazy into the occult.” Robbie said as they dodged cars again. “Anyways, I gotta get back to Gravity Falls soon. Good luck, kid.”
Dipper nodded, turning to watch him go. Then he went in, returning to his room.