Turn Me On

  Norman hit the drum a final time as the last of Mabel's words faded out. Mabel replaced the mic back to its stand. She had hauled her little recluses to "Friday Night Karaoke" at a café not far from the shack. She had forced Dipper to sing an old &NDRA song with her, but so far all efforts to crack Norman's shell had been fruitless. She had, although, convinced him to play the drums for her as she sang her all time favorite "Of an Undeterminable Name".
  Mabel looked over at the wall clock above the restrooms- 9:45. There was time for one more song before the 10 minute walk home to the Mystery Shack.
  A mischievous grin grew on Mabel's face.
  She knelt down next to the machine and flipped through the songs. "No. No. No. Nuh-uh... No way... No."Then her eyes came to rest on one particular song...
  Mabel dashed back to the corner where Norman was trying to squeeze out from behind the drumset. She grabbed his arm and proceeded to drag him up the stage.
  "No, no- I don't sing... Mabel-Mabel!" Norman attempted to protest. But Mabel had already plopped him in front of the microphone and punched the start button, and was sitting with Dipper at their front table.
  "Oh god..." Norman's heart dropped as music began to play on the speakers. His eyes were glued to the screen on the machine, waiting for the lyrics to scroll in- and trying to forget about the crowd of people drinking tea and eating pastas in front of him.
  Norman, head down, took a deep breath and let his voice roll out.
  "Doctor, doctor, need ya back home wi'me babe...
Doctor doctor, where ya at... gimme somethin.
I need your love, need your love, need your lovin.
Ya got that kinda medicine that keeps me goin..."
  Dipper was watching his boyfriend from the table, a smile creeping up his face. Norman's voice wasn't half bad.
  Norm slowly raised his head, eyes still on the screen, and loosened up a little bit. This wasn't so bad.
  "My body needs a hero, come an save me.
Somethin tells me you know how to save me.
I been feeling real low, oh I need you, to come an rescue me..."
  Norman wasn't tensed up anymore. He allowed himself to enjoy the experience. He closed his eyes... and vocalized.
  "Oh-oooh, oh-oooh, oh-oooh, oh-aaaahh..."
  An odd feeling rose in Dipper's chest as Norman's voice got lower and lower.
  "Make me come alive, come on an turn me on!
Touch me, save my life, come on an turn me on!
I'm too young to die, come on an turn me on!
Turn me on, turn me on, turn me on, turn me on-on!
Make me come alive, come on an turn me on!
Touch me, save my life, come on an turn me on!
I'm too young to die, come on an turn me on!
Turn me on, turn me on, turn me on, turn me on, turn me on..."
  Dipper was watching, listening intently. Norman  wasn't just enjoying himself now- he was putting on a show.
  "Oh ya make it- make it right. My temperature is super high.."
  Norman looked right at Dipper, unblinking-
  "If I scream, if I cry.."
  -Dipper went red.
  "It's only cause I feel alive!
My body needs a hero, come an save me.
Somethin tells me you know how to save me.
I been feeling real low, oh I need you, to come an rescue me...
Oh-oooh, oh-oooh, oh-oooh, oh-aaaahh..."
  Norman ripped the mic of the stand-
  "Make me come alive, come on an turn me on!
Touch me, save my life, come on an turn me on!
I'm too young to die, come on an turn me on!
Turn me on, turn me on, turn me on, turn me on-on!"
  Norman had by now grabbed the attention of absolutely everyone in the café, and most of them were clapping to the beat.
  "Make me come alive, come on an turn me on!
Touch me, save my life, come on an turn me on!
I'm too young to die, come on an turn me on!
Turn me on, turn me on, turn me on, turn me on, turn me on..."
  Norm put the microphone back on the stand as the music slowed down, closing his eyes and holding his face close to it.
  "You've got my life in the palm of your hand...
Come an save me now,
I know ya ca-an..."
  Then Norman ripped the mic off the stand, still holding it close, and did something Dipper would never have anticipated.
  "D-d-d-d-d-don't let me die young
I just want my mouth on your tounge
I just want you to be my docta
We can get it crackin' like a chiropracta."
  If Dipper wasn't red enough already, he definitely was now. Norman's ice blue eyes, half closed, almost predatory, stared into Dipper's dark ones on that last line.
  "I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I... Hum-na-na-na-num-
I know you can sa-a-ave me...
An make me feel alive!
Make me come alive, come on an turn me on!
Touch me, save my life, come on an turn me on!
I'm too young to die, come on an turn me on!
Turn me on, turn me on, turn me on, turn me on, turn me on."
  Norman tilted his head back for a big finish.
  "Make me come alive-"


  The café was silent for several moments.
  Then- Mabel stood, and led the patrons in wild applause. A few girls in the front went especially nuts.
  Dipper, snapped out of his spell, shot out of his chair and charged up the steps to the stage, almost knocking Norman over with a forceful kiss.
About half of the patrons immediately stopped clapping, and the girls in front trudged disappointedly back to their tables. But, some older women in the back and a couple of spirits whooped, and someone wolf-whistled.
  Neither man even noticed as they met Mabel at the door and slipped out into the cool night for the short walk home.