A sharp pain to Normans head instantly brought him from his sleep and he quickly unwrapped himself from the tangle mess he and Dipper had created during the night. He stood up and slowly staggered towards the door holding his head in his hand, wincing hard from the pressure. Fumbling for the door handle, he slowly opened Dipper's bedroom door and barely made it to the bathroom. Turning on the cold tap, Norman rinsed his face off trying to soothe his throbbing skull.
He look at himself in the mirror, his face dripping in the reflection. When he thought about it, Norman knew that he really didn't deserve it, the starvation. But whenever Norman tried to eat, he just couldn't keep it down and he would throw it up. All of this was obviously taking its toll on him and he knew he had to try as hard as he could to try and eat something, anything. Norman took deep breathes in attempt to calm his stomach, but inevitably he found himself lurching over the toilet. Norman rinsed his mouth out, coughing and spitting up anything caught in his throat and he felt his body growing weak. If there was anything that Norman regretted the most in his life, apart from what happened back home, was the habit he grew of not eating. He liked the taste of food, but whenever he was lucky enough not to throw up it was only because he ate in very small portions.
Norman sank down beside the bathroom door with one knee up, breathing deep and slow to try and ease the pain. A knock on the door followed by a "Norman?" Made him stand up and slowly open the door. Courtney stood there, her hands wrapped around herself inside her purple night gown, concern plastered on her tired face. Norman staggered over to her and Courtney led him over to the kitchen, wrapping her arm around his shoulders as they stumbled. Courtney pulled out a chair and Norman sat down, putting his elbows on the table and his head in his hands. Courtney say next to him, rubbing his back as he quietly cried.
"You did again, didn't you?" Courtney said softly, "You threw up again."
Norman just nodded.
Courtney sighed and leaned back in her chair. There was silence for a while, before Courtney clear her throat.
"Um, do you think you could eat something now? Even something small?" She said with a croaky voice.
"Um, maybe just toast. I don't know." Norman replied, rubbing his head.
"Well I'll make you some toast and a glass of water, but I might need to wake Mabel up to try and find things in here." Courtney said looking at Norman, knowing he wouldn't like that.
"They can't know, not yet at least." He said slowly rubbing his eyes.
Courtney rubbed her neck before pulling out the bread and butter and putting the bread in the toaster. The both of them hoped that nobody would wake up, both Dipper and Mabel slept upstairs so they wouldn't hear them, but their parents slept on the bottom floor right near the kitchen. Norman looked up when a plate with a piece of toast and a glass of water. He looked up at Courtney as she sat back next to him. Norman slowly nibbled at the edge of the toast and Courtney threw a Panadol packet on the table.
"Have two of those, it'll help the headaches."
Norman slowly finished his piece of toast before taking the two tablets, his body growing weaker as they sat in silence. A short while later, Courtney stood up patting Norman on the shoulder urging him to go back to bed and she helped him get back up the stairs. Norman staggered into Dippers room, taking the mattress on the floor and he rolled onto his side, lying still and in pain before eventually falling asleep.
Dipper woke up first the next morning to find Norman lying on top of his duvet on the mattress beside his bed, completely motionless. Dipper lay in silence for about half an hour before deciding to wake him up for breakfast. Dipper gently got down beside Norman and carefully shook his shoulders to try and wake him up. Norman slowly blinked his eyes open before sitting up. Dipper stood back up and walked over to his desk picking up his phone.
"Morning, sorry I just thought I'd wake you because we're going to be eating breakfast soon." Dipper said.
"Yeah thanks." Norman said standing up, he felt a lot better after resting last night.
"Do you want to take a shower now or after breakfast?" Dipper asked.
"Oh I'll have one after."
"Alright, I think we're eating pancakes, you don't mind?" Dipper asked as he opened his bedroom door.
"Nah that's good, love pancakes."
The two boys made their way out the bedroom and to the bathroom. Norman splashed water on his face waking him up and getting any sleep out of his eyes before they made it to the dining area. Norman walked a little closer and felt a slight panic jump through his body when he noticed the crumb covered plate, empty glass and packet of Panadol was still sitting on the table from that night. Dipper walked up to it, slightly confused but he put them away and Norman was glad he didn't ask about it. They could hear the sound of a frying pan and went into the kitchen to see Mrs. Pines pouring the pancake mix onto the pan.
"Good morning boys!" She said in a sing song voice. "How's you sleep?"
"Good, we went to bed a bit later than usual. We watched a couple movies." Dipper said while Norman remained silent.
"Are the girls up?" Mrs. Pines said as she flipped the pancake.
"I think so, I heard some noise as I walked past but they haven't come out yet." Norman said.
"Well sit down at the table boys, I'll bring down a stake of them and you can start eating." Mrs. Pines said.
The two boys took their seats at the table and as Mrs. Pines brought them the plate of ten stacked pancakes covered in syrup, Dipper was the first to grab five off the top and begin eating away. Norman took two pancakes and started eating them slowly with a knife and fork. The sound of talking came down from the stairs as Mabel and Courtney walked down in their pink and purple matching night gowns and they walked into the kitchen. The two sat opposite the boys and each took some pancakes off the ever growing stack of pancakes in the middle of the table.
Once Norman and Dipper had finished eating, they both headed back upstairs for showers. Dipper gave Norman a towel and Norman went into the bathroom to take his shower first and Dipper stayed in the lounge room with the girls. Mabel and Courtney were getting along really well and Mabel even seemed a little less snappy when Courtney was around, according to Dipper. They were talking a bit more when Mabel looked up and called her Mom.
"Yes Mabel?" Mrs. Pines said walking back through the lounge room carrying a box of books in her arms.
"Where's Dad gone? Is he back at work again?" Mabel said leaning over the back of the sofa.
"Yeah, he's actually going to be staying there in a hotel all week, he's still trying to find work here though." Mrs. Pines said, half distracted with putting her books in the right order on the bookshelf before leaving the room.
"Where does your dad work?" Courtney asked. Mabel turned to her to explain when Dipper who was sitting on the sofa beside theirs cut her off.
"He works in California. He worked their when we used to live there, but since we've moved here he hasn't been able to find work here and can't quit his current job." Dipper explained. Mabel just nodded.
"Oh okay, well why did you move here?" Courtney asked.
"Oh well Mabel and I were here one summer visiting family, when something really serious happened and our Parents had to move here. Dad still hasn't found work here so he sometimes has to go back, he's only here a couple days of the week." Dipper said.
"Oh, what happen that made your parents move here?" Courtney asked.
Dipper was caught off guard, he didn't have a response and began to panic. He couldn't tell her the truth. It must have been obvious that he was struggling for words, because Courtney began to talk again.
"It's okay, sorry I shouldn't have asked that how rude of me." Courtney apologised.
"No, you're alright. Just family issues I guess." Dipper replied, hoping there were no follow up questions.
Just as he said this, Norman walked into the room. His hair still damp from his shower, but somehow it managed to defy gravity which was ironic considering where they lived. Norman sat down and Dipper got up and began climbing the stairs to the bathroom. Dipper grabbed his towel that was hanging over the door, started the hot water and let the mirror steam before getting in. He took a long shower, if he had waited any longer he would have used up the hot water from both tanks.
They four stayed there all day, mucking around and having fun, planning to stay and have a movie marathon before the new neighbours went back home the next morning. Dipper went upstairs to retrieve his phone and he came back to find that the group had migrated to the other room and he joined the on the floor as Mabel fumbled over the TV remotes and put on a movie. Dipper knew straight away it wasn't a horror movie, she hated them. And he didn't blame her either. The first movie had the four in stitches, Norman and Dipper sharing teary eyed glances as they held their stomachs and covered their mouths to muffle the laughing. The sky began to darken and they turned on the lights to see. Courtney asked to choose the second movie and after about five minutes of talking, Courtney pulled out a DVD from the rack and put it in the DVD player before shutting off the lights leaving them in a cinema like environment.
"What movie is it?" Norman asked.
"Just wait, you'll see." Courtney said.
After the first few minutes of introduction, the title of the movie appeared in white lacy handwriting as soft piano music set the scene.
"Oh my god I love this movie!" Mabel screamed at Courtney. "It's so cute and sad and, have you seen it?"
"Yes oh my god, it's my favourite movie!" Courtney said as she sat back down with Mabel.
"Quick, pass the tissue box over there I'm going to cry." Mabel said, pointing over on the coffee table.
Norman glanced at Dipper and the two boys knew they weren't going to enjoy this movie very much. They stared at the TV screen in absolute boredom as they male character ran after the girl, turning her around and professing his eternal love for her as he placed his hand on her face. Dipper looked down from the screen at his sister sitting just in front of him and the site of two sobbing girls rubbing tissues into their eyes made him wonder if it was he that was under sensitive or them that were too sensitive. Dipper flinched when he felt something touch his shoulder and he turned to see that Norman had fallen asleep and his head happened to rest beside him. Not wanting to wake him and make things awkward for Norman, he left him there hoping he might move later in his sleep and wouldn't have to embarrass himself waking up to him snuggle up to him for a second time in one day. Dipper looked back to the movie, paying mild attention to the movie and as his consciousness began to fade, he felt his body fall softly hitting the carpet. Naturally since Norman had been resting on his shoulder, he fell also and landed right beside him before rolling under Dipper's outstretched arm. Soon both of there were completely passed out, not even the screams of a thousand people would wake them up now and they were out to the world. Mabel happened to turn around to see this undeniably cute sight as the two boys unknowingly snuggled on the floor. Mabel tapped Courtney's arm and pointed over her shoulder and they both gasped and giggled to each other at the funny situation. The movie was over and the girls decided to leave the two alone in there and they went upstairs to Mabel's bedroom.
"I had no idea Dipper was gay, wow!" Mabel said to Courtney.
"Well I know Norman is, he's out to all of us. Maybe Dipper is too, I'll ask Norman privately when we go home, but it could have just been an accident." Courtney said.
"Yeah, I'll ask Dipper tomorrow."
They stayed up in their beds sharing gossip and doing the things a girl does when sleeping over. Meanwhile, Dipper woke up and seemingly as he did, Norman sat up as well. The two boys looked at each other, both expecting the situation to be awkward, but in the end they just laughed because it was pretty funny finding themselves like that for a second time.
"Well we might as well get married if we keep doing this." Dipper laughed.
"I already know where the Honeymoon will be!" Norman joked back.
"Well let's get to bed then huh?" Dipper said as they both stood up and headed up the stairs to Dipper's bedroom and rolling into their separate beds before falling asleep.
The next morning after the four got themselves ready, Norman and Courtney thanked everyone for being such lovely hosts and for welcoming them to town before the headed off back for home. Mabel and Dipper naturally went back to their own routine of not communicating very much and the house was quiet again. Dipper lay in his bed with his laptop on his raised knees, reading another Bigfoot article. For some reason not having Norman there to talk to made Dipper feel… Lonely.
He was brought from his concentration when he heard the sound of distant crying. He immediately left his bedroom just as Mabel had done the same thing.
"Can you hear that too?" Mabel said.
"Yeah, it sounds like… Mom?" Dipper said before the two twins rushed through the hallway and down the steps to find their mother holding her face as she softly cried in her bedroom, the door slightly open.
"Mom, mom what's wrong!?" The twins said almost at the same time. Mrs. Pines nearly jumped at the sudden intrusion, and she quickly wiped her eyes and sat up from her bed.
"You guys are making friends so easily. It's so easy making friends as a kid. But as a parent you can't have time to make friends, especially now we live in this dump of a place." She began to sob again. "I mean I knew people back in Piedmont, but here I'm so alone!"
The twins quickly huddled next to their mom in effort to comfort her.
"And now your fathers gone back to work and with you two up in your bedrooms, the house gets so quiet and I have no one to talk to. All I do is cook and clean, I just want to be able to have fun for once and spend time with friends. But I don't have any here!"
"I know its hard mom, maybe you and Sandra could be friends? She seems nice." Dipper tried to reassure her, but he knew it was useless. He genuinely felt bad for his mother and he blamed all her sadness on himself.
"I know dipper, but Sandra will have the same problem! We'll be two shy mothers trying to become best friends and all I can see happening is the occasional hello when we cross paths and that's it. I don't even think I would be any better if Uncle Stan were sti-"
"Mom, don't talk about him. Please." Dipper said, his mood suddenly dropping to cold and barely responsive. Mrs. Pines wiped her nose.
"I know, I'm sorry."
"Mom, I honestly don't know what to do." Mabel said.
"Well I'd be much happier if you two talked with each other more than just when you have to! I'd at least like to live in a house that doesn't feel empty every day." Mrs. Pines said.
"Well, Dipper and I are going to go talk right now,"
Just as the two left, the phone began to ring and Mrs. Pines picked it up. As the twins grew further away from their mother, they heard a faint "Oh, hello Sandra" and knew that she should be fine for now.
"Dipper, I've been meaning to ask you something anyway." Mabel said.
"Yeah, what?" Dipper said.
"After that, it might be a bad time to say it."
"No it's okay, what is it?" Dipper sat down on the sofa and Mabel sat beside him with her legs crossed.
"Well, last night during the movie, you and Norman had fallen asleep next to each other, you were sort of spooning." Mabel said.
"Shit… You saw that?" Dipper said nervously.
"Yeah. I guess what I'm trying to say is, that if you're gay I'm completely fine with it. If that was just a coincidence then I'll forget about it. But Norman IS gay and I was just wondering."
There was a silence.
"I… I don't think I'm gay, I mean I could be, but nothing has really stood out yet." Dipper said awkwardly playing with his shirt sleeve.
"Okay, well just letting you know that Norman is gay and if he starts showing signs that he likes you, and you know that you aren't interested I don't want you leading him on. You've got to tell him straight away, don't break his heart." Mabel said. Dipper sat in silence.
"He's very soft natured and is likely to not give his trust up easily, but if he gives it to you and you break his heart he'll be crushed. Don't do that to him." Mabel continued.
"I couldn't do that, he's my friend after all. He's a great guy, fun to be around," Dipper said. "Honestly, lately I have been wondering if I was gay. The first night Norman and I actually slept in the same bed after he fell asleep during a movie we watched. I could have easily got out and slept on the mattress, but I stayed there next to him."
"It's okay to be confused, If you ever need to talk about don't be scared to come see me. I'm not always mean." Mabel laughed a little.
"Thanks, I don't think I am though, I'm still attracted to girls at the moment."
Soon after Dipper lay in bed, wide awake. His thoughts racing through every thought he had, every feeling he noticed and every action he made around Norman. Everything to him seemed like normal, friend to friend type of behaviour and he didn't want to dwell on it any longer, so he rolled on his side and plugged his headphones in until he fell asleep.
Dipper woke to the sounds of something hard hitting the window. He quickly got out of bed, parted his curtains just to have a rock hit the glass inches from his face. Looking past the crack it left, he saw a tall figure standing close to the tree line, its eyes glowing in the back porch light, its body as wide as a queen size mattress, its teeth long and sharp. The creature let out a scream that could make a grown man cry before it stormed off into the forest.
The monster was back.