"Dwicky, someone's moving in across the street." The slim, green teenager said to the older man standing behind him. He was excitedly looking out of the kitchen window, watching the moving van pull up into the driveway.
"Hmm, that house is a dump. I don't want you talking to anyone who would live in that house." The man said, eyeing the younger boy's supple backside. He didn't like that his son was ignoring him. "Zim!" Dwicky said sharply.
The younger boy jumped in surprised, turning around quickly. "Yes?"
Dwicky ran his hand possessively up Zim's neck. "It's time for some father-son bonding."
Zim looked back through the window one last time forlornly, then obediently followed Dwicky down the stairs to the basement.
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The next morning Zim opened up the garage door and bright sunlight flooded in, making him squint. He raised the kickstand on his bike and walked it down the driveway. Dwicky had told him to go to the store to get a few things. He slung the large grocery sack over his shoulder and mounted the bike.
Just when Zim was about to kick off from the sidewalk he noticed a man across the street. He was tall and pale and struggling to move some large piece of furniture out of the moving van. Zim eyed his black hair and clothes and decided he looked cool, for an old guy.
"Need some help?" Zim called.
The man looked up and wiped a hand across his forehead. "That'd be great!"
Zim walked his bike across the street and dropped it and the grocery sack onto the front lawn. He walked up to the man and immediately introduced himself. "I'm Zim." He said gracelessly.
"Hi Zim, I'm Dib." The man answered. "He's so little." Dib thought to himself. "Probably 5'3" at the most. So cute!"
"I live across the street." Zim pointed to his house lamely.
"I figured; you just came from there." Dib laughed kindly, immediately noticing Zim's discomfort and deducing that the boy is a little shy. "Do you think you could help me move my couch?"
"Ya." Zim felt relieved to have something to break the awkwardness of this first meeting. Zim hopped into the van and easily pulled the couch out and lowered it to the ground. He dusted off his gloved hands and then noticed that Dib was gawking at him.
"What?" He asked, puzzled.
"You just moved it all by yourself, that thing weighs a ton!" Dib remarked.
"Oh, I'm stronger than I look." Zim said, suddenly feeling self-conscious.
"I noticed." Dib laughed and crouched down to lift up one side of the couch. Zim liked that this man is quick to smile, and that his eyes are sunflower brown. Zim picked up the other end of the couch and together they carried it into Dib's new house.
"The place really is a dump." Zim thought, looking around. The walls, floors, ceiling; everything was filthy. The kitchen was covered in grime and the cabinets were falling from the walls. There were also no doors on any of the rooms. Zim shuddered to think how nasty the bathrooms must be.
"It'll take some fixing up." Dib said, a sheepish smile on his face.
"I noticed." Zim echoed what Dib had said a few minutes ago. Dib laughed at this and Zim cracked a tiny smile. "Do you have kids to help you?"
"Nope, it's just me." Dib answered.
"You're not married?" Zim asked, looking at him again. Dib just shook his head in reply. "I can help you . . . if you want." Zim said hurridly.
"That's very nice of you." Dib said and walked into the grimy kitchen. "Would you like a drink or something? I have bottled water in the fridge." Dib offered.
Zim looked over at the ominous fridge, it was covered in filth. "No thanks, I can't drink water." He said without thinking.
"You can't drink water?" Dib asked.
Zim's suddenly realized he had let a secret slip, if Dwicky found out he would kill him. "I have to go!" He said and quickly dashed back outside.
"Wait!" Dib ran after him. When he made it outside he looked back and forth, seeing no sign of the youth. He finally noticed that Zim was already almost out of sight down the street on his bike. "How did he get down there so fast?" Dib asked himself out loud, a very old habit. "I didn't get a chance to thank him."
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When Zim returned home with a full sack he made sure that he didn't even look across the street. He could hear that Dib was still moving his furniture but he ignored it completely. Zim walked his bike up the driveway and saw that Dwicky was standing there to greet him.
"Let me see." Dwicky said. Zim opened the bag to let him scrutinize what he had bought. Dwicky nodded and held out his hand for the credit card. "Good." He said when Zim handed the plastic card over. They started to walk back into the house together.
"Hey, Zim!"
They stopped then turned around when Dib called. He was running across the street towards them.
"I didn't get a chance to thank you for helping me move my couch earlier. Here, I got you a soda." Zim slowly reached out to accept the frosty can, keeping his eyes away from Dwicky.
"You made my kid help you move your shit?" Dwicky said rudely. Zim immediately pulled his hand back down to his side.
"What? No . . . " Dib noticed that Zim looked apprehensive, so he told a little white lie. "I asked for his help. He's a great kid."
"I know he is that's why I don't like him associating with strangers. If you want help with something ask me." Dwicky took the soda from Dib's hand and opened it while he walked back toward the house. "Come on, SON!" He called back then took a swig.
Zim looked up at Dib, who was still standing there with his hand out as if he was holding the soda.
"You're nice Dib." Zim said quietly, then ran after Dwicky into his house.