-----
I plopped my lazy *ss down on the couch in Norman's office while I listened to the albino himself converse happily with everyone. An unintentional frown tugged at my lips as Norman talked about demons and I could feel the hate that surrounded him, albeit barely visible in his face, obscured by his childish smile.
As Norman continued to speak I felt the shift between his happy, light-hearted self to his cold emperor self whenever he spoke about the dark parts of his plan. As I watched him interact with them I felt my heart squeeze as I came to reality- 'of course one day of relaxation hadn't cured over a year of trauma, idiot. It was worth hoping, though...'
I stayed quiet while Norman finished explaining the situation, despite the sick feeling that arose in my stomach, which only worsened when I watched Emma fake her smiles while praising Norman's plan of eradicating the demons. It was quite obvious that the only one who really noticed the ginger's discomfort besides me was Ray, both of us watching Emma's reaction to Norman's plan with a suspicious side-eye.
"Well then!" Norman finalized with a clap. "We can take it easy for now and discuss the details later. You must be very tired, no? Let's focus on resting for now." I raised my eyebrow as he spoke about taking a break. 'I practically had to kidnap you to make you take a break yesterday. Get off your high horse, hmm?' Despite my thoughts I found myself yawning as I listened to the albino's relaxing tone of voice. He should do ASMR. Wait. I held my chin with a hum, as I stood in deep thought. 'Would he actually be really good at that?? Wait, hold on.... w h y does 'Norman doing ASMR' actually feel like a good idea...? ...Am I high...?'
"Everyone's leavin-" Ray began to notify me before I hushed him, placing a finger to his lips.
"Shush, child. I'm experiencing a revelation." I tried to quiet him as I considered making a living off of Norman ASMR in the human world, but to my dismay, Ray only stayed quiet for a moment- the moment he processed my words for.
"Child-!?" He huffed angrily, a vein popping out of his forehead. "Listen here, brat-"
"I'm eleven so shut the f*ck up." I sassed, quoting the fine, as I was unfortunately broken away from my train of thought. I then remembered that Ray wouldn't get the reference and paled. 'Oh sh*t.' "Uhhhhh I got to goo-!!" I exclaimed, running from the room to catch up to the train of children as they exited Norman's office.
I caught up to the children just as Norman took notice of the younger children's worried glances. I hid nearby and watched the dialogue between them.
"What's the matter?" Norman asked the small children, coming to an adorable childish crouch in front of the pipsqueaks. My heart squeezed and I tried not to make a noise- although against my will a small squeak left my lips. 'He looks like such a sweet older brother!' I fangirled to myself, on the inside, thankfully. I felt my eyes begin to water as I watched him before I smacked my face, sniffing all of my tears back in. 'Goddammit Y/N!!' I yelled at myself, likely making quite the frightening face to avoid crying. 'NO ONE LIKES A DEHYDRATED B*TCH.'
"Norman...here you are the...boss, right?" Jemima asked, snapping me back out of my thoughts. Despite the adorable little girl's voice being small, it carried throughout the room well, everyone turning their attention to her conversation with Norman. "Hayato talked about it... 'The boss feels like a god', he said... And we saw how everyone was amazed... You're an incredible person- the boss of this incredible hideout... and now you're Minerva, right?" The girl confirmed with large wet eyes. I saw as what Jemima was about to ask lit up in Norman's face, his lightbulb going off as his eyes widened. "Then what should we call you?" Jemima finished, her own worry spreading throughout the room in kind. "Mister Minerva? Or Boss?"
Norman cupped his chin and tilted his head. "Hmm... I see what you mean... When dealing with a lot of people it can be useful to be "boss"... And for Hayato and his friends I am William Minerva..." I watched as Jemima's face-a long with many others' fell. I took now as my chance to leave my cover, walking slowly over to where Norman was addressing the little children, along with the whole room.
"However, I'm really just Norman." The albino finished with a wide smile. "No matter how much has changed... or how much taller I've grown... Even if I become taller than the Gracefield house!" I snorted at the thought of a bright red Clifford Norman waving from above our old home. Cursed images, those were. "At the end of the day, I'm still that same old Norman that you know so well."
"Really, really?!" Jemima asked, her face lighting up, the flowers of moe moe practically visible.
"Yes, of course!!" Norman exclaimed, sparkles and roses practically surrounding his smiling face. "Come! Come here!" He called out, channeling his inner prince, reaching out with his arms.
"Nor-" Jemima began, running up to him. Several other littles ran to the princely figure of an albino as he held his arms wide, and I practically watched in slow motion as they tackled into the albino knocked him straight to the ground.
Anna, who was fascinated by the medicine stock in the shelter, and arrived in the room late, led in by Hayato, who witnessed Norman's tumble- or the five children's murder attempt- just as they opened the door.
"Oh. Hey, Anna. It's been awhile." Norman said nonchalantly, Anna covering her mouth as she began to cry at the sight of her long-lost sibling. I covered my mouth to stop my laughing, completely disconnected from the atmosphere that surrounded me. 'T-that princely move-' I closed my eyes as another bout of laughter overtook me. 'Followed immediately by being tackled to the ground- I can't-' I continued shaking in laughter, gaining quite the ab workout, might I add.
Hayato soon left to bring Norman's share of food to where we were eating so all us 'old friends' could eat together, and the children, relaxed now that their stress of what to call Norman was relieved by the albino himself, began to stream out until only the two look-alikes, Norman and I, remained.
I'd long since calmed down from my laughter and was now staring into space, an aloof expression resting on it per usual.
"Do you think I've changed?" Norman asked and I turned to him once he spoke, catching sight of his unreadable expression as he stared into open space.
I hummed to myself. "Depends. I'd say you've acquired several different...how to put it...personas...? Although you're still the same on the inside, I guess." Norman continued staring into space blankly while I continued. "I'd say what changed.. are people's expectations of you- not you yourself."
Norman made a small noise as he cleared his throat. "Interesting point of view." He sighed and turned to me, raising an eyebrow. "Are you sure you're 11 years old?"
I sputtered with a snort. "When you were eleven, you were plotting escape from imminent doom, utilizing Ray and his crippling depression- cross-examining every-single-person in Gracefield, and single-handedly ensuring everyone could escape, even after you 'died'."
Norman laughed lightly, beginning to walk to the kitchen, while I trailed behind him. "That's true, I suppose."
We all sat at the dinner table, me beside Emma, and across from Norman, Poppy sitting on my other side.
"Go ahead, everyone!" Norman exclaimed with his commercial sweet smile. "Eat as much as you want!"
"Is it really alright-" Emma began to ask if there was enough food for everyone before I interrupted.
"The meal's on Norman, right? Then we can eat as much as we want!! Put it on his tab!!" I yelled, pumping my fist in the air.
There was only a moment of silence before everyone repeated the chant 'Put it on his tab'- despite having no idea what it means- and then dug into their delicious food.
We ate for a surprisingly little time, considering how long we were supposed to chat in here, before the kids suddenly exclaimed "GAME TOURNAMENT!!" I cringed nervously. 'Ahahahaha kiddos wait please no-'
"Uhhh didn't we do one of those just recently?" I asked, sweat sliding down my face.
Poppy grinned. "But your friend Norman wasn't here for that~~" She elbowed me in the arm.
Another bead of sweat rolled down my face. 'BUT THIS TIME RAY WILL ACTUALLY TRY AND NORMAN IS SCARY AND-' I sobbed to myself on the inside but there was no stopping them now. I pulled out a pen and napkin and began writing on it.
"What are you doing?" Ray asked from across the table.
I grinned. "Oh, just writing my obituary."
---
I groaned, banging my head into the floor. Maybe if I lost some more braincells they'd leave me alone. Please. Unsurprisingly, both Norman and Ray had kicked my *Ss in basically everything, save for Uno, which I managed to come first in- although mostly because Emma somehow managed to get all of the +4 cards and used them mercilessly on both Ray and Norman who sat on either side of her.
And now, my energy was sapped as I lay on the floor beside Ray's bed, channeling my inner- and outer- sloth. 'I just wanna go to bed-'
"I don't want to go to bed yet~~~" Emma huffed, as she took a seat beside me and began rubbing my back.
Seeing where her convo was likely going I shot up from my horizontal position. "AHAHAHAAHHA YEAH NO LET'S GO TO BED NOW GOOD NIGHT-!!" I spun on my heels to escape through the door but was stopped by the ginger, her hand gripping suddenly onto the bottom of my sweater.
"Y/N wanting to go to bed early? Are you sick?" Norman asked, raising an eyebrow and crossing his arms as he sat down on Ray's bed.
"Yes, I'm very much sick, so I should go to bed early- " I coughed into my arm and sniffled, the sick act likely being horrible, as I desperately tried to escape from Emma's grasp to run away before she could suggest my worst nightmare.
"OH!" Emma exclaimed, to my dismay. "I know just the thing!!" She went to let go of my sweater-and I went to bolt, causing Emma to raise her eyebrow. She turned to Ray with a sly smile. "Hold." She ordered the ravenhead, handing the end of my sweater to him and then dashing to her bed.
I stood awkwardly, Ray still clutching half-heartedly unto the end of my sweater, preventing my escape, before speaking. "You going to let go?" I asked, raising my eyebrow.
Ray hummed. "I considered it, but seeing as you'll hightail it to the washroom and lock yourself in, I decided against it."
I puffed out my cheeks with a sigh. "Fine. I won't leave then. You can let go now." I sat down beside the ravenhead on the ground, giving up on my escape, as Emma ran back with my worst nightmare, and Norman reentered as well after grabbing his own things.
"Let's have a rematch!!" Emma cheered, holding up the thing I feared most- or the object of it- a chessboard.
I frowned as Ray didn't disapprove the plan. "Originally you told Emma to put the board away and go to bed." I whined.
Ray shrugged. "Originally you weren't here." I frowned and crossed my arms, but he had a point- as blatantly obvious and bland as I was.
Norman looked between the two of us, his eyebrows raised, before it seemed like another light-bulb went off in his brain and he looked to Emma suddenly, his eyes wide, who grinned and nodded, whispering something in his ear.
They snickered together for a moment, revealing their true inner gremlin, before unpacking the chess sets. "Then, let's begin!" Emma exclaimed. "Norman got the spare chessboard from Gilda too! So I'll play Norman first while Y/N plays Ray first... and then I'll play Y/N while Ray plays Norman... and then we'll switch once more!"
I cringed. "Ahahahah." I chuckled lightly. 'Best for last. At least we're delaying my funeral, though.' But I still had to try and escape one last time- "Last time Ray and I played it lasted like 6 hours-" I began, but Ray sighed, cutting me off.
"Don't worry." He smirked cockily. "I'll be sure to beat you faster this time."
I pursed my lips with a frown, my competitive spirit beginning to overtake my nervousness. 'Stand down, Y/N, stand the f*ck down, please.' My conciseness begged. "I thought we agreed it was a tie?"
Ray shrugged. "We'll have to find out for sure this time." He smiled once again, beginning to set up his pieces. "Not like the result will be any different." He implied that he was the one who won last time with a nonchalant smile.
I rolled my eyes, trying everything I could to avoid doing something stupid again, setting up my side of the chessboard. "Okay then." My face then melted into a small smile despite myself. "I'm sure the result will be the same, considering I beat you last time too." 'Y/N Y/N Y/N SHUT THE F*CK UP PLEASE- MISS GIRL, WHERE IS THIS CONFIDENCE COMING FROM?!-' I screamed on the inside.
"Hohh? Wanna bet?" Ray raised his eyebrow.
I grinned. "You're on. Cookie rights?"
Ray shrugged. "I was thinking if you lose we start a swear jar." I paled significantly at his suggestion but relented.
Emma laughed nervously, looking between the ravenhead and I. "We'll put a time-limit of 2 hours on the game, then. If you come to a draw,, then... nothing happens?"
I shrugged. "Works for me."
-----
Both Ray and I groaned as Emma's timer went off, signalling the end of our game. "A draw again-" Emma and Norman laughed at our inconvenience. 'At least they didn't start a swear jar, though- yet, at least...'
Emma and I then played our game and I managed to beat her within the hour mark, winning over a week of cookie rights. And then the match I was dreading came up as Norman, with a scary-sweet smile that oozed confidence, sat across from me and began silently setting up his pieces.
I felt my nervousness come back as I watched him, calm and serene as can be, after wrecking poor Emma and beating Ray- although Ray was supposedly better than Norman at strategy, the albino's brain was just too big.
"Then, want to make a bet?" Norman smiled sweetly.
I laughed, a shaky, nervous, noise. "I don't think that's a good idea-"
Norman raised an eyebrow. "Scared?" He taunted.
I laughed. "AHAH YES??!" Norman snorted.
"Brave enough to take a picnic in demon-territory but can't handle a simple game of chess?"
I frowned. "That's differe-"
"YOU DID WHAT!!?" Emma and Ray exclaimed in unison, pausing in their match as they overheard our conversation.
I blinked with a smile, a bead of sweat rolling down my face. "Whyamievensurprised-" Ray groaned with a face-palm, before moving one of his pieces. "Checkmate." He stated plainly.
"EHHH??! WHEN DID YOU-" Emma exclaimed, looking about frantically. "And Norman and Y/N haven't even started-?!" She looked to us in shock. I cussed internally. You just had to bring it up again, hmm?
And soon we began, to my dismay, my hands trembling slightly as I lifted and placed my pieces one-by-one.
I'd never played chess against a pro- but I assumed this is what it felt like. Norman was boxing me in slowly, the paths he was taking and his plan unreadable, slowly destroying any plans or efforts in standing up for myself, reading me like an open book and cutting off all hopes of escape- all while wearing a sweet smile.
"Checkmate." And then it was over, Norman finally managing to beat me mere minutes before Emma's timer went off.
I groaned and leaned back onto the side of Ray's bed, trying to calm my frantically beating heart. "You guys are going to give me a heart attack early." I murmured in the dark room.
"Oi, says you." Ray scoffed. "Have you seen the dumb life-threatening things you do on a daily basis???"
Norman stifled a snort while Emma second the ravenhead. "Yeah, yeah! Like the rope thing!" She whisper-shouted.
I laughed lightly. "Fair enough, fair enough." I let out a large yawn and the others followed suit.
"The rope thing?" Norman asked, raising an eyebrow.
I smiled. "Oh, nothing." I looked back at the chessboard and another bead of sweat drifted down my face. "I think playing against Norman gave me ptsd." I murmured.
Emma laughed. "Was it that bad?"
I blinked twice. "Girl, have you seen his face when he plays chess-?!!" I exclaimed, pointing to Norman, who still wore his scary-sweet smile.
Norman's smile deepened and the intense aura intensified, a shiver going down my back.
"SEE-?!!" I yelled, gesturing at the albino once more.
"I have no idea what you're talking about." Ray shrugged sarcastically.
"Oiii~" I whined as Norman's scary aura intensified once more.
Suddenly, Emma busted out into laughter, trying to keep it quiet in the room full of sleeping children. Norman, Ray, and I soon followed suit, laughing until there was nothing left to laugh about.
We sat in a comfortable silence, staring up at the ceiling, as we began to slowly drift off, sleep engulfing us slowly.
"Oh!" Emma murmured quietly in her half asleep state.
"What's up?" I hummed tiredly with a yawn, rubbing my eyes. Although I didn't hear what the ginger said after that, as sleep now had me in its clutches, falling into a peaceful rest.