A Changed Friend and a New Friend || Parapines ||

Crushing

Norman's parents decided he needed to get out of the house this summer and try to earn money. Norman was not too fond of the idea, but they gave him no choice. He asked them where they'd be sending him and they told him Gravity Falls, Oregon. He's never heard of that place. He never remembered seeing anything like that in school or maps. They told him they always got pamphlets in the mail about a place called the Mystery Shack in the town. A tourist attraction that he could volunteer for. They had already called and asked if he could stay and work. He never liked new people and none of his friends from here could go with him so who's gonna believe him when he says he can see dead people? He was packed and ready to leave.

He looked around and realized why his parents chose this place. It was relaxing and the air was fresh. And, of course, everywhere he goes there's gonna be ghosts all around with different stories, but there were more than he thought. The most were lumberjacks. He asked around for the Mystery Shack and he eventually found his way. He looked at it in awe. He guessed that the people that worked here lived here as well. Maybe the place he'd be staying would be the place he worked. It was simple. He stepped up on the porch. It creaked under his feet. "How longs this place been here?" He asked himself. He saw an antique car in the driveway so he knew someone was here. He knocked on the door. A wrinkly old man opened the door. He was in his underwear.
Man: "Who are you?"
Norman: "I'm Norman. I'm here for the summer job."
Man: "Oh. You're the boy I've been expecting. Come on in. We're not working today, but we are tomorrow."
Norman: "Sir, I didn't catch your name."
Man: "It's Mr. Pines. Mr. Stanley Pines. My great niece and nephew are upstairs with their new pal Bill. They might be able to offer a place to sleep. I'm greedy."
Norman: "Okay? What are your great niece and nephew's names?"
Mr. Pines: "Mabel and Dipper. They call me Stan. Gruncle Stan."
He took the pun.
Norman: "Okay. Thank you."
Stan: "Don't forget about Waddles the pig."
He was a little weirded out but went upstairs anyway. He knocked on the door. A girl around his age with brown wavy hair opened the door. She wore a sweater with a shooting star on it, a headband, and a short skirt. She was the only girl Mr. Pines mentioned so he guessed this was Mabel.
Girl: "Um...Who are you?"
He realized she had braces.
Norman: "I'm Norman. I'm here for the summer job."
Girl: "Oh! You're the one Gruncle Stan was talking about! Hi. I'm Mabel."
She offered a handshake and he took it. She didn't let go because she pulled him in the room with a jerk. She pointed to boy version of herself sitting on the floor. He wore a blue and white hat with a blue pine tree on the front, a casual t-shirt with a navy blue bubble vest without ruffles, and khaki shorts. He had tennie shoes with knee high socks. He was clearly her twin.
"That's my twin brother, Dipper."
Then she pointed to a boy sitting next to Dipper with blonde hair that was dyed black at the neck and freckles. He wore a yellow sweater with a black bow tie and black shorts. He also had tennie shoes with knee high socks.
"And that's Bill."
Bill and Dipper just said hey. Then she pointed at the pig sleeping on one of the two beds. It was surprisingly cute. And fat.
"And that's Waddles."
Norman: "Hi. Do you guys know where I could sleep?"
Dipper: "Not really."
Mabel: "Nope."
He just sat his backpack by the doorway. He thought if he was gonna be here all summer, might as well make some friends. He sat on the floor with them.
Norman: "I'm new here. You guys mind lecturing me?"

Dipper took the liberty to tell him about their adventures they had last year. While Norman took it all in he imagined everything and it felt like he was reading a book. He was so star struck by their stories. They talked about all the times they dealt with Bill and defeated him and how he was a triangular, all powerful, space demon. Dipper smoothed it over by telling how he resurrected him and made him a part of the family. But everything about this town that they described was better than anything he'd imagined. Especially the story about the zombies. That was his favorite. He almost screamed in excitement when he heard the word. Bill didn't look comfortable when they talked about what he did. He could see that Bill had so much regret that he still has yet to get over. Norman was just staring in awe. Then he thought that if these people and this town were prone to supernatural happenings then maybe they'd believe his secret. When they finished the story about Weirdmageddon and when he told them how awesome it was, he decided to tell them.
Norman: "Hey, guys? Since I know now that everything about this town is supernatural and everyone knows about it then maybe my secret won't be hard for you to believe."
Dipper: "What secret?"
Mabel: "Tell us."
Norman: "Don't freak out, but.....I can see and talk to spirits."
Mabel: "Whaaaaattt??!!"
Dipper: "No way. That's awesome! Hey! Maybe when we give you a tour of the town you can tour us on how many ghosts there are!"
Mabel: "Oh my gosh, yes! That'd be so fun!"
Norman: "..sure, I guess."
Norman just looked at Dipper, who he thought had the most perfect smile in the world.
Dipper: "Hey, man, there's nothing wrong with being a little weird. I'll show you something."
Dipper took off his hat and lifted his hair from his forehead which revealed a birthmark shaped exactly like The Big Dipper.
Norman: "Oh wow. Is that how you got your name?"
Dipper: "Actually, Dipper's a nickname. My name is a secret that only four people in this world know about."
Mabel: "Wait, four? I thought it was just Mom, Dad, and me."
Dipper: "I told Great-Uncle Ford."
Mabel: "You did?! Oh my gosh, Dipper! You didn't tell me that."
Dipper: "Well, I didn't think it was a big deal."
Mabel: "Bro. It's the one secret that you swore to tell no one. That's serious trust if you told Gruncle Ford."
Norman: "If you don't mind me asking, can I know, too?"
Bill: "Yeah, Dipper, I don't even know and we're supposed to be brothers."
Dipper: "Heh. Sorry Bill. It hasn't really crossed my mind lately."
Mabel: "Come one, Dipper, tell them!"
Dipper: "Well, we don't even know Norman all that well and I don't want anyone to accidentally call me by that name and let the whole world know."
Mabel: "But Norman told us his secret."
Bill: "Come on, Dip. It can't be that bad. I promise to keep it a secret as long as I live."
Bill glared at Norman as if waiting for him to give the same response.
Norman: "Me too. I don't judge. And I'm the freak who talk to ghosts."
Dipper gave a faint smile and laughed a little. Why did his heart just jump? Dipper took a breath and sighed.
Dipper: "Okay. Promise?"
He looked at both Norman and Bill. They both said "Promise."
Dipper: "Okay..................Mason."
Bill: "Mason."
Norman: "Its a great name. Why are you so ashamed?"
Dipper lowered his head.
Dipper: "I don't know..."
Norman just wanted to lift his head back up and tell him it was the greatest name ever. But he couldn't.
Mabel: "Aw, Dipper!"
She hugged him. Bill joined in. "Oh god," he thought. His heart raced as he leaned into the hug. Why was he feeling like this? When they disbanded Bill said something.
Bill: "Dipper, there's nothing to be ashamed of. It's a great name. Just as Norman said."
Dipper: "Yeah. That's what everyone says when they find out things like this."
Mabel: "That's because it's true."
Norman: "Yeah. There're lots of guys named Mason in the world. If it was a bad name, no one would name their child that."
Bill: "Norman's right. If anyone thought the name was bad or stupid, there wouldn't be very many Mason's in the world. But there are."
Mabel: "See Dipper? No one hates the name but you."
Dipper: "I guess you're right."
Norman was holding back from trying to hug him again. What's going on? Why does he feel like this?
Mabel: "Well! I guess it's time for the tour. Come on everyone."
While they got up Norman tried to figure out this feeling. He felt butterflies. But that meant crush. On who? He felt it when he saw Dipper smile. When he hugged him. Oh no. It can't be. Does he have a crush on Dipper?

When Dipper, Mabel, and Bill showed them around town he kept up with the number of spirits they came across. He thought this town was a bit of a hillbilly place. No one used cellphones except for the teenagers while the adults stuck to their telephones. But you couldn't beat the fresh air. But all the creatures that Dipper and Mabel met were even better. And he was introduced to them. Except the dangerous ones. They reached the shack again.
Norman: "68."
Dipper: "Huh?"
Norman: "68 ghosts in town. And 23 outside the shack."
Dipper: "Your gift is SO cool! Ugh! I've been waiting for someone like you!"
Dipper put his arm around him. Norman smiled awkwardly and blushed. Mabel gasped.
Mabel: "Let's have a movie night to celebrate Norman's arrival!"
Dipper: "That's an awesome idea!"
Bill: "I've probably already seen it."
Dipper and Mabel both said "Shut up, Bill!" Then they all laughed. Norman looked at Dipper's smile again. He had too many butterflies and he thought his heart was going to burst if he didn't stop looking. But he couldn't think. He wanted to stare forever. That moment he knew. He has fallen in love with Dipper Pines.

They decided to watch an old, classic horror. The Shining. None of them were alive to see it when it came out so why not? They decided to watch it when Stan went to bed. They watched it on Norman's phone since no one else had one. They propped it up on the floor and they all sat in the dark staring at the phone. Norman sat beside Dipper and Mabel sat beside Bill.
It was 30 minutes into the movie and it was just getting good. By some instinct, Norman clutched Dipper's hand. Dipper turned his head to him, smiled, and whispered.
Dipper: "You're such a girl."
Norman let go smiling awkwardly with his face looking like a strawberry. The butterflies fluttered like crazy. Norman didn't know if he could ever build up the courage to tell him. Maybe he could talk to Mabel. She was a very nonjudgmental person who would help anyone who would ask for it. Through the rest of the movie he stayed silent and shot a few glances at Dipper from time to time. When the movie was over they all stretched and yawned.
Mabel: "Oh no! I just realized we spent the whole day without finding a place for you to sleep, Norman!"
Dipper: "It's fine. He can sleep in Gruncle Stan's chair tonight. We'll find it tomorrow. Gruncle Ford will be back tomorrow so maybe he'll be able to tell us. Since he was here when this place was built."
Norman remembered them talking about him when they shared their adventures. Stan's twin. The smarter, more scientific one. Stanford. Or Ford. The one Dipper fully trusted to share his real name with. Even though they spent more time with Stanley. Norman basically knew everything about them already and he just met them. He has yet to tell them his story.
"Will you be okay with that?"
Norman: "Oh. Yeah. It's fine."
Dipper: "Cool. Alright, well...see you tomorrow."
Norman: "Okay."
Mabel: "Goodnight, Norman!"
Norman: "Goodnight."
He waved as Mabel and Dipper went upstairs. He saw Bill go a different direction.
"Hey, where are you going?"
Bill: "Oh. I sleep on the roof."
Norman: "Really?"
Bill: "Yeah. Sleeping under the stars and fresh air isn't so bad."
Norman: "Alright. Well, Goodnight."
Bill: "Night."
Bill left. Norman took his phone off the floor and sat in the chair. It was really comfy. He propped the recliner up, thought about Dipper, and closed his eyes.