Chapter Text
“No running!” some teacher hollered to Normal, who had just left class.
“Sorry ma’am,” He yelled back as he stopped at his locker. His hands were shaking as he tried to unlock it, after three attempts he finally got it open. In one motion he tossed the books he was holding into the locker while taking his bag out. He slammed the locker shut and started to walk towards the front of the school, where his friends would be. As he walked, as fast as he could without getting in trouble, he thought about what had happened earlier in the day.
“Hello, my dear Normal.” a voice from the center of the stage spoke as the door behind Normal shut.
“Hey, sorry I’m late Mr. Anderson keeped us back to finish his power point.” Normal shouted as he jogged up to the stage to eat lunch with Hermie. The other teens had the next lunch so it was just Normal and Hermie, and neither of them were the most popular so it was just easier to eat in the auditorium. Sometimes other theater kids would be in here but most days it was just the two of them.
“It’s quite okay, you can throw away whatever weird vegan food you dad packed today,” Hermie spoke as Normal got closer. “I ordered a pizza for us.”
“Oh you didn't have to do that Hermie, but thank you!” Normally they would just sit on the floor or on prop chairs while they ate, but today Hermie had laid out a quilted blanket. Hermie had also lit a bunch of candles that circled the blanket. Normal sat down across from Hermie, the pizza box and a two liter of soda between them.
“So, how are you doing today, Normal?” Hermie asked, as he reached into his backpack.
“Well I’m doing okay, I have so much homework though.” He answered. Watching as Hermie pulled out two wine glasses from his backpack. “Oh that's fancy.” Normal ratched out to grab out to take one of the glasses. Hermie pulled the glass away from Normal's hand.
“Please Normal, let me.” Hermie said as he grabbed the bottle of soda. Placing the glass on the ground to use both hands to try and open the soda. Normal sat and watched Hermie struggle with the soda for about forty seconds before he started to feel bad.
“Could you open this?” Hermie muttered, handing Normal the soda while looking down. He took the bottle and easily twisted the top of it before offing it back to Hermie. “My Normal, how could I forget how strong you are?” He exclaimed before grabbing the soda back. Carefully Hermie filled the two wine glasses and recapped the bottle, before placing it back to the side.
He picked up the glasses and extended a hand to Normal. Normal grabbed the glass and took a drink.
“Thanks Hermie! What's all this for?” He asked. Hermie opened the pizza box to revile. Normal began to blush as he noticed that the pizza was heart shaped.
“Do you remember what tomorrow is, Normal?” Hermie inquired, as he sipped from his glass. Normal thought for a few moments before remembering what tomorrow was.
“Oh yeah it’s your birthday,” Normal responded before being cut off by Hermie.
“And?” He asked before reaching for a slice of pizza. Normal sat there looking puzzled, trying to figure out what Hermie was talking about as he also took a piece of pizza.
“Saturday?” Normal guessed.
“Yes and?” Hermie continued. His weird theater kid smile grew as Normal tried to figure out what else tomorrow was. They sat in silence for a bit before Hermie decided to stop torturing Normal and tell him. “Tomorrow is the day after our anniversary, and our first date. If you’ll let it be.”
Normal sat there stunned for a moment, before Hermie pulled a single rose out of his bag. He leaned forward and extended his hand to give him the rose.
“Are you asking me out? I mean yes, yes of course. I uhh, I really like you.” Normal stammered out as he grabbed the rose. His face now deeply red.
“Good, I already have a reservation for us at Sonic’s Jr” Hermie stated. The rest of lunch was normal, except for how flustered Normal was the whole time.
Normal snapped back to the present as he ran up to Link, Scary, and Taylor who had been talking on the front steps of the school.
“GUYS!” Normal shouted almost collapsing as he gasped for air. “HERMIEASKEDMEOUTANDWEREGOINGTOSONICSTOMMOROWANDITSHISBIRTHDAYTOMMORWAND-”
“Whoa Norm, slow down.” Link interrupted.Link and Taylor, who had been sitting, stood up and the three of them all picked up their bags. Normal took a few breaths as the other teens stared at him, waiting for him to repeat whatever he had just said. The four of them began walking as Normal started talking.
“Hermie asked me out on a date at lunch and we're going to sonics tomorrow, and tomorrow is his birthday. He asked me on a date on his BIRTHDAY oh my god. He gave me a rose and he ordered pizza for us to eat, and the pizza was HEART shaped!” Normal keeped babbling on about Hermie and what happened at lunch as the other three teens wisped to each other. Link and Scary groaned as they both handed Taylor twenty dollars.
“Ew you can stop now we get it Norm.” Scary grumbled as she rolled her eyes.
“Scary don’t be mean nor-”
“HELL YEAH NORMAL! I knew you could do it " Taylor yelled, cutting his boyfriend off.
“Thank you Taylor,” Normal said, making a point to turn to Taylor and say it only to him.
“Sorry, I’m happy for you Norm.” Link said before looking over to Scary. She groaned for longer than necessary to get her point across.
“Good job Normal, you're dating a joker kinney now.” Her half-assed attempt to be nice really touched Normal.
“Awww thank you guyssss!” Normal said in response to all of them, putting a hand over his heart as he said it.
A car honked from the parking lot in front of them. “Got to go guys,” Link said, running over to his dad’s minivan.
“What do people even do on dates?” Normal exclaimed as he started to bite his nails, “Like what do I say to him?”
“Haven't you two basically been going on lunch dates for months now?” Scary asked before walking off to get into her stepdad's car.
“HAVE WE BEEN GOING ON DATES?” Normal shrieked at Scary, who was already in the car and fighting with her stepdad.
“As Anime Captain Jack Sparrowonce said in the 2034 anime remake of all of the Pirates of the Caribbean movies, “and so, win fair lady's heart, you'll have to do it alone, mate.”” Taylor said while posing with his cane, “You see Normal, people like it when you’re yourself, so just do that and it’ll be fine” He had put an arm around Normals shoulder and was gestring with is cane and other hand.
“But myself is weird and gross. What if I scare him away and he leaves on our first date?” Normal started before Taylor also left him running to hs moms car.
“MOMMY, I MISSED YOU! I MAKE YOU A GIFT IN ARO TODAY! LOOK IT'S THE CHARACTER YOU VOICE IN FAST AND FURIOUS 69 THE REMAKE THE MUSICAL THE MUPPETS REMAKE THE ANIME!” Taylor exclaimed as he ran away from Normal. Normal was left to sit alone and wait for his dad in silence as he worried about the next day.
🔥TAYLOR🔥: We have to help him
Lincoln: How though? hes only nerves because its a ‘date’
Lincoln: If Hermie hadn't called it a date he’d be fine
🔥TAYLOR🔥: What if we go on the date with him?
scary ☠️: id rather give my stepdad a hug then go on a date with either of those dweebs
🔥TAYLOR🔥: not like WITH them well go…….secretly
Lincoln: Or we can leave them alone and just send Normal words of encouragement before hand?
🔥TAYLOR🔥: Nooooooo we have to pull on some wacky hijinks during the b-plot
scary ☠️: ill go but only to laugh at them
🔥TAYLOR🔥: thats 2 come on link we need 3 to pull off the wacky hijinks :( pleaseeeee
Lincoln: Or we can be normal people?? And not???
scary ☠️: i am NOT NORMAL im DIFFERENT and NOT LIKE ANYBODY ELSE
🔥TAYLOR🔥: 😢If you loved me you’d go on norms date with me
Lincoln: Fine
🔥TAYLOR🔥: YAYYYY
scary ☠️: cant wait to ruin normals date
Lincoln: NO
scary ☠️: cant wait to help normals date
“Well hello, Normal” Hermie called out as Normal entered Sonic’s Jr. Normal hands were clammy, he tried to wipe them on his pants but they were already sweaty again. Sonic’s Jr was the same as Sonic’s only the Sonic mascot's nipples were censored by small black lines and they didn't serve alcohol. He saw an oddly tall person for the corner of his eye, ignoring it and shaking it off as anxiety he began walking to the table Hermie was at. The restaurant was really quiet, which only made Normals anxiety worse. Every step he took he felt like someone was going to kick him out, or get onto him for being too loud. Looking back up to wear Hermie was sitting, only a few feet away now, calmed him down a bit. Hermie was wearing a purple and green plaid sweater vest and had both of his elbows on the table, using his hands to prop his head up as he looked at Normal. Right before Normal got to the other chair at their table Hermie jumped up and pulled his chair out for him, bowing as he did.
“Oh, Thanks Hermie!” He squealed out, probilby to loudly, his voice cracking. Normal sat in his seat and before he could do anything else, Hermie put his hands on the back of the chair and tried to push him in as well. It took Norm a second to realize what Hermie was trying to do. Normal stood up just a bit so most of his weight wasn't on the chair so Hermie could be a gentle man, even if he had the physical strength of a pigeon. Hermie quickly walked back to his seat and ratched across the table to grab Normales hand.
“So, Normal, how have you been doing?” Hermie inquired with a dreamy tone to his voice. Normal looked up to Hermies face, the first thing he noticed was that Hermie had put on eyeliner. Normal had seen Hermie in eyeliner before, he would wear it to all of his performances and other big events, did Hermie consider this a big event? The second thing Normal noticed was that Hermie’s eyes were now yellow instead of their normal brown color. Hermes physical appearance would change slightly every now and then. He’d be a little taller one day then shorter the next, his hair would change colors and lengths almost daily, his entire outfit would change between classes sometime. Normal and long stopped questions how the older boy did it, he assumed it either had something to do with his non-euclidean heritage or theater kid abilities. Normal keeped staring into his eyes and notes there were little flakes of gold throughout them. Hermie cleared his throat, a small barely noticeable noise, but enough to bring Normal back to earth. After realizing he had forgotten to answer his question, Normal quickly began stammering out a sentence.
“Oh yeah,sorry, I’m goo-”
“Drinks? DRINKS?” A sonic employee cut him off. If Normal and Hermie were paying more attention they would have noticed there were two legs poking out of each leg hole, and the small pieces of visible skin between the arms and gloves of the mascot were two very different shades. But they weren't paying that much attention so they just ordered as normal.
“A large chocolate milkshake,” Hermie said looking back over to Normal, “with two straws.” He made sure to pause for a bit of dramatic flare before saying two. Now interlocking his fingers with Normal’s.
“Okay it’ll be right out GOT IT” The mascot responded as it wattled away. Normal and Hermie were looking at each other, not the mascot. Hermie put his head in the palm of his hand and leaned forward, now only a few inches away from Normal.
“Happy birthday Hermie, I got you a gift.” He said pulling away from Hermie, and letting goof his hand. Reaching into his pocket to grab a small box before handing it to Hermie. The box was light blue and had a red bow wrapped around it, and a small tag on it that read “Happy sweet 16th To: Hermie” Hermie examend it for a moment, and before opening it spoke.
“My dear Normal, you being here was the best present you could have given me.” Smiling at his own words as he looked back and forth from Normal and the gift he was unwrapping. After removing the ribbon and sliding the top of the box off he had to unfold a bit of tissue paper to see the gift underneath. As he slowly opened the gift Normal became more and more excited, by the end he was shaking in his seat as he waited for Hermie to realize what it was. Hermes' eyes grew wide in excitement as he read the piece of paper that was in the box, before taking it out to notice there were three identical pieces of paper.
“YOU GOT ME TICKETS TO BATMAN VILLAINS AU THE MUSICAL THE ANIME THE THEATER REMAKE THE SEQUEL???” Hermie screamed, which the other patrench of the restaurant didn't seem to third about.
“Well they were on sale and I was able to get three seats next to each oth-” Hermie jumped across the table to hug Normal, cutting him off. They had hugged before, but this felt different? Normal felt his face heating up, he felt like electricity flowing from where Hermie’s arms and face were touching him on his neck and shoulders. Normal snapped out of it after a moment and quickly hugged him back, but all he could think about was how warm the side of his neck felt with Hermies face pushed into it felt. They stayed like that for no more than five seconds, mainly because Hermie was on top of the table and he didn't want to get them kicked out. When Hermie got back into his seat, Normal began studying his face. His eyes were now a very light shade of amber, almost orange, his mouth was wide open in a smile, and there were a couple tears running down his face. Normal looked up from him for a second and saw…..a three foot tall menu? With six….eye holes? Just as he saw it the menu fell and something ran across the ground into the kitchen, by the time he saw it and looked it was already gone. His thoughts and confusion was interrupted by Hermie.
“Are you going too?” He asked as he started carefully putting the tickets back into the box and rewrapping it.
“I mean if you want me to, I'll go,” Normal started. “ Not that I don’t want to go, but they're yours so you can bring whoever you want. You don't have to bring me just because I bought them.” Normal continued. Fidgeting with his hands as he talked.
“Of course I want you to go, you could be the Harly Quinn to my Poison Ivy.” Hermie put forth. Normal thought about the two of them, and the costumes Hermie had mentioned for less then a second before immediately trying to think of literally anything else. His face turning the brightest shade of red humanly, or elvishly, possible. He tried to respond, but his head stopped working so instead of words coming out of his mouth, his mouth just moved as if to speak. After almost a full ten seconds his torture was ender, by the weirdly walking Sonic mascot walking over to there table with there milkshack.
“Here's your milkshankMIlkCHAKE” The ‘Mascot’ said, it’s three foot erect penis bouncing as it walked up. Awkwardly placing the glass on the table, a bit of it spilling, as it then began reaching for the straws. It took about a minute before it finally got both straws into the glass. “What would you like to eat tonight? ACTUALLY we only have ow stop it spaghetti right now.” It exclaimed before quickly turning around and immediately falling to the ground. Before Hermie and Normal could get up and help the mascot, someone with a pot on their head rushed out of the kitchen and started dragging the mascot away as it wiggled. Hermie and Normal looked back up to each other in sync, with the same look of extreme confusion on their faces.
“Well I hope you like spaghetti then,” Hermie expressed in a very confused tone. Before reaching to adjust their milkshake,so it would now be in the center of the table. At the same time Normal grabbed a handful of napkins to wipe up the spilled milkshake on the table.
“I hope they're okay,” Normal started as he cleaned there table, “It can get really hot in those costumes,” He leaned over to throw away the napkins in the trash can sitting next to them, and when he sat back up Hermie was now much closer to him. Holding one of the straws between his fingers, very close to his mouth, leaning forward to bring his head to the glass instead of bringing the glass to his head. Looking at him Normal realized that Hermie wanted him to lean in so they could both drink from their milkshake. For the third time tonight Normal looked into his paramore's eyes and saw that they were now a light shade of red, almost pink. He swallowed his anxieties and leaned over close enough to drink their milkshake, breaking eye contact with Hermie and looking down to his lips instead. There fourheads almost touching Hermie brough the straw to his mouth, Normal following in suit. Normal had never noticed the small scar on Hermies top lip, he could barely see it being his close up.
“Where'd you get that scar?” Normal asked, pointing to his own top lip as he asked. “If you feel comfortable talking about it of course you don’t have to tell me.” He quickly stammered out after finishing his last sentence, pulling away just a few inches from where he was. Hermie smiled and laughed a bit, more of a nostril exhale than a laugh but it was enough for Normal to let out the breath he hadn't realized he was holding.
“I ran into the corner of a coffee table when I was a kid, it’s also how I lost my first tooth.” The thespian chuckled out, before taking another sip from his straw. “I was a dumb kid.”
“I’m pretty sure all kids are dumb, I mean I was a REALLY dumb kid. I used to call my uncle my dad all the time till I was like eight.” Normal said, then foreword his brows and looked down at the table for a moment before continuing, “Actually there is a chance that I was right.”
“GETTY GETTY YOUR SPAGHETTI” Hermie and Normal both looked up to see the strange chef? They think? With a pot on their head came out of the kitchen holding a large pot of spaghetti, tailing behind them was the waddling mascot who was holding a handful of forks and a plate. “GHETTI FOR THE BOYFRIEND” The chef said in a horrible italian accent. Hands shot out as Normal grabbed the milkshake to move it out of the way because the Sonic’s mascot slammed the plate down without looking to see where it was going. As soon as the plate hit the table the hand holding the many forks began digging into the spaghetti pot. The plate was useless considering how much spaghetti was going everywhere BUT the plate. The two of them froze in place and could do nothing but watch as this happened in front of them. No more than three minutes later the Sonic finally stopped and dropped all the forks into the center of the plate. The chef then dropped the whole pot, that was still half full, into the trash can and reached into their apron to grab? A block of cheese? Before reaching into the mouth of Sonic to pull out a cheese grater? “TELL-A ME WHEN!” the fake italian chef yelled, being muffled from the pot over there head.
“What the fuck,” Normal heard Hermie whisper from across the table. They made eye contact as the chef(?) keeped grating cheese. Normal took note that Hermies eyes were now a dull grey. Simultaneously they looked down to see there were a few straw noodles in their milkshake. Hermie was the first to stand up, keeping his eyes on the chef and mascot as if they were wild animals. Slowly he made his way around the table to Normal's side and pulled him up from his seat. Normal quietly stood up when he felt Hermies hand on his shoulder, the two of them being as silent as possible as to not alert the chef or mascot that couldn't see in their current conditions. The boys slowly backed out of the restaurant not looking away from the scene in front of them till they were only a few feet from the door. Both of them turning and sprinting for it, it was now dusk outside and the two of them just picked a random direction to run in together. Hermie reached over and grabbed Norms hand, interlocking their fingers together as they continued to run. Normal looked down at their hands in shock, which caused him to stumble. Causing him to instinctively squeezed Hermies hand as he keeped running, they slowed down a bit as Normal caught his balance but they didn't stop running. Even after regaining control of his feet and no longer being at risk of falling, Normal didn't stop squeezing Hermies hand. It being late afternoon early night there weren't many people on the street, they had only past one group of guys who were smoking at the corner, so eventually about 5 blocks from Sonic’s Jr they came to a stop. Hermie sat against a wall next to the sidewalk and panted to catch his breath, Normal sat next to him and began to laugh.
“What was THAT?” He half shouted in between gasps for breath and laughter. “Did you get some drama kids to do that or something?” Normal continued. His cheeks and ribs hurt from the running and how hard he was laughing and smiling. Trying to talk, catch your breath, and laugh at the same time didn't make it easy to breathe, which made him lean onto Hermie for support. Placing his forehead onto Hermies shoulder.
“NO I don’t know who those people are,” Hermie gasped out before also bursting out in laughter, “Maybe it was their last day or something?” He turned his head to look at Normal resting his head on his shoulder. About five minutes passed before either of them said anything, five minutes of laughing together. Normal began to sit up, but he froze as he saw that Hermie had been looking at him. He began to blush and smile up at his new boyfriend. Hermie bright a hand up to hold Normals face as they continued to stare at each other. Normal saw that Hermies eyes were once again light red almost pink. Without thinking about it Normal leaned in and pressed his lips to Hermies.
“Kittens got claws,” Here quipped after pulling away, before falling back into their kiss.
It may not have been the best first date ever, but all things considered both Normal and Hermie thought it ended pretty well.