Slasher X Reader | Book 1

18. Norman X Reader

       ✨Requested by Kinishinai-Chan✨
                               • • • • •

  The door to the Bates house slammed shut, echoing throughout the silent halls. You let out a huff, leaning your back against the door and running a hand through your hair. Today had been rough. First, your car broke down on the way to work. One expensive trip to the mechanics had made you late and your boss was, of course, waiting to let you hear all about it. A heavy workload plus a nagging boss made for a very stressful day. You half expected something else to go wrong with your car as you drove home.

  Your nerves were seriously frayed and all you wanted to do was rest. You wandered in the living room of the old house, spotting the phonograph on the far side. Music would help to soothe your frazzled mind, you thought, so you rifled through the records before settling on an album full of slow, romantic songs. It was one of your favourites.

  You set the record on the phonograph before plopping down on the couch. Soon, the record found its groove and the soft, sweet melodies filled the quiet room. You let out a sigh, already feeling a little more relaxed.

  You heard the front door open and turned to see Norman entering the house. You realized that, in your quest for some peace, you had completely forgotten to even say hi to Norman down at the motel before going up to the house.

  Hands stuffed in his pockets, Norman wandered into the living room, eyebrows knit with worry. He was quite in tune with all your routines, so of course, he already knew something was wrong.

  "Are you okay?" He asked tentatively.

  You shrugged. "Just tired, is all."

  He nodded, rocking back and forth on his heels. "Hard day?"

  You let out a humourless chuckle. "Like you wouldn't believe."

  A pause.

"I'm sorry," he said softly.

You waved a hand. "Not your fault."

"I know."

A silence fell between the two of you. The record continued to play, one melody ending before another soon began. Norman slowly edged closer to you until he was right beside you. He held out a hand.

"Dance with me," he said.

You gazed up at him, perplexed. "What?"

"C'mon, dance with me," he repeated. "Maybe it'll help you relax."

You smiled to yourself, taking Norman's outstretched hand and rising to your feet. He led you to the centre of the living room, spinning to face you.

  "I warn you, I'm not that good of a dancer," you told him.

  "Mother taught me when I was young. It's not hard," he responded. "Here, let me show you."

  He took your free hand, placing it on his shoulder. "Your hand goes here..." He then placed his free hand gently on your waist, leaving your other hand still entwined with his. "And mine goes here..." he continued, softer than before.

  You smiled up at him. He was so cute when he was bashful. "And now what?" You asked, helping him along.

  "And now..." he trailed off as he began to lead you in a sweet, slow dance.

  It took you a moment or two to get the rhythm down, but once you got it, the two of you were perfectly in sync. You waltzed in a slow circle around the living room, letting the music take you away to your own private little world. Staring up into Norman's sparkling eyes, it really felt like you and him were the only ones on earth.

  As one song ended and another began, you rested your head against Norman's chest, bringing him closer to you. You could hear the faint echo of his heartbeat, a steady, comforting sound.

  "Do you want to stop?" Norman asked, wondering if you were growing tired.

  You shook your head against his chest. "No," you said. "I love this. Thank you for doing this."

  You heard Norman stutter incoherently, unsure how to accept such affectionate words. You smiled. You could just imagine how bright of a red his face had turned. 

  "W-Well, uh..." He nervously cleared his throat. "I'm just... I-I'm glad it helped," he stammered.

  You chuckled softly, looking up at him. Sure enough, Norman was blushing hard. You giggled again, pecking him lightly on the lips.

"I love you," you said. "You know that, right?"

"I know," he replied softly as he held you close. He tried to hide his face in your neck as much as he could despite your height differences.

You had your suspicions that Mother was a big factor in fuelling Norman's insecurities. You knew she could talk to him without fully coming out, so you wondered what she whispered to him when he was alone. Probably nothing too positive, you figured. That was probably why Norman never felt like he was good enough for you. You made sure to often remind him just how much he meant to you. He deserved it.

You reached up to play with the hair at the nape of his neck as the two of you continued to sway in time with the soft music floating out of the phonograph. Time felt like it didn't even exist. All you focused on was the sound of Norman's heartbeat under your ear, the feeling of his arms around you, holding you in a secure embrace. The slow, gentle dance lulled you into a soothing calm, where the only thing you felt anymore was the love you felt for Norman. Your bad day was all but forgotten.

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so this one is a lil shorter than my usual chapters but i thought this was just such a perfect place for it to end x3

so i hope y'all liked it! i thought it turned out real cute

norman is such a sweetie to write☺️

leave some feedback if you liked it! i love hearing from y'all💕💕