Bill was tempted to kick the kid out. But, only because what he was telling him, was making him want to care. It was easy, as a cab driver, to listen with one ear to your passengers troubles, then drop them off and turn back around to not caring. It was easy to forget, easy to nod comfortingly to people you didn't care about. But, this kid, this teen named Dib and this other guy named Zim, was threatening that lovely feeling of detachment.
Yep, he should pull over now and throw Dib, his tuxedo clad self, to the side of the dusty road and get back to his boring life filled with cigarettes and long nights of chauffeuring stupid people about.
Bill kept driving.
"What did you do? Did you follow his plan?" The question was out of his mouth, out of his hands and in the air before he could stop himself.
Dib scoffed, amber eyes glued to the window, looking out at the passing landscape but not seeing any of it. "I had to didn't I? To get to those stupid chemicals, I had to follow the crazy bastard's directions to a 't'. " Licking his lips, Dib took a large gulp from his water bottle, mouth suddenly dry.
"I got dressed in the tuxedo I found lying on the ground. I assumed it was the one I'd worn at ," It took a another swig of water and much gritting of the teeth to say the next few words, "our wedding, then went down stairs to the check-in desk. Using my charm," Sarcasm rolled of Dib's tongue, "and a few hundred bucks, I found out where Julio, the alien with the chemicals was staying and his plans for the night. Zim had told me to stay down stairs, and wait while he put on his brilliant disguise. I was skeptical of its brilliance, I told him. That only earned me a sharp smack to the back of my head. I was standing in the middle of the stupid check in room, waiting at the bottom of the stairs for the moronic alien to get his ass down there so I could tell him all I'd found…" Dib laid his head in his hands and sighed, the sigh of an eighty year old man. "Let's just say that the night before had given Zim some ideas. Horrible ideas about females and dresses and ugh…"
Dib was hitting his head numerous times on the corner of the wall out of pure boredom. Soon he would graduate to more suicidal tendencies if Zim didn't hurry.
"Oh, Dib-Monkey…Zim needs your opinion on my disguise." Sighing, and turning slowly Dib's eyes widened to two times their size with absolute horror. Zim was standing at the very top of the stairs, with a huge grin on his smug face. Black hair, cut short swung in front of a contact disguised eye, heavy with brilliant smoky shadow. But, what really had Dib wanting to faint and never wake up again, was the skin tight, blood red dress the invader had on. It was sleeveless, and didn't catch on any curves that were nonexistent on Zim's skinny body. But it sure showed off, short and formed legs.
Zim seemed to enjoy immensely Dib's reaction. It wasn't that he liked wearing the dress. In fact if he'd had his choice Dib would be the one clad in a pink tutu, but it only made sense that he be the one to act as the female. One, Zim was a better actor by far. Just look at all the people he'd fooled over the years and two, well the Dib was way to masculine and gross. Sadly, the irken had been mistaken for a girl in the past. So with much disgust he'd transformed himself into a very amazing impression of a female earth monkey. It was quite easy to do actually.
"Z-zim…what. ?"
"Shut up and lets go."
Bill raised an eyebrow and glanced back in the review mirror at Dib, feeling a bit relived that the boy seemed to be recovering from whatever hang over he'd had earlier.
"So uh, he dressed in girl clothes…? Why?"
Dib let out a puff of air, tuffs of his inky hair floating before falling back down with hesitancy. "Because…Julio obviously loved the ladies, he was around them all night and Zim decided to use that weakness for his own gain." The cabbie nodded, eyes wide and decided to just let it go.
The road was getting ever more treacherous, Dib noticed, the lights still visible if you squinted. Rain drops began to trickle against the window with little taps. Fantastic. The transmission would be even harder to get out with the poor weather.
The pain in his chest was increasing as they got closer to his destination, as he talked more of the night.
"We went into the room where people were dancing and partying. It was dark, lights flashing, the smell of smoke and alcohol heavy in the air…"
Dib kept sputtering, trying to keep Zim in all his feminine glory in sight, even as he maneuvered through the crowd of thrashing, writhing bodies. The tremendous beat of the bass made his teeth rattle, and after almost loosing the irken, a hand shot out to grip Zim's arm.
The teen heard a little squeak come from the Invader, and he followed the disguised eyes to find Julio on the other side of the room, hands filled with drinks and he was drooling all over some poor women, who didn't really seem to mind.
Dib frowned, when he looked over the girl and his mind took in that she was attractive, yet there was no physical response from his body. Yet, when he looked over at Zim, green skin so vibrant in the neon lights, the small figure…
He shook of the weirdness of that thought and grabbed Zim's hips. The Irken screeched and glared, hands raised to smack the boy.
"Zim. Stop. We have to act natural. Come on…just dance."
Dib attempted to do so, frowning when the Irken just stood there, eyes wide and confused.
"Zim does not know how to do this dancing thing of which you speak."
Oh, shit. This was going to be harder than he expected. Sighing, Dib glanced around to see if anyone had noticed them yet. To his shock, several men were ogling Zim with blatant invitation in their eyes, probably assuming he was a girl.
Something sparked in Dib's stomach, a kind of slow burning ignition. Seething, he turned Zim away from their prying eyes and tried to explain dancing to an alien.
"Here…just listen to the beat, and move your hips to it. You'll catch on. Watch everyone else." Dib hoped Zim didn't do EXACTLY what everyone else was doing since it was mostly just dry humping.
He shuddered and watched Zim's eyes narrow in contemplation, tongue sticking out, as he danced very awkwardly and unnatural. It was sort of painful to watch. Okay…new tactic.
A song came on that he was semi familiar with. The beat was easy and fast. Moving his own body to the music, a idea popped into his head. Either it would blow their cover or salvage what little they had.
With a deep breath, Dib kicked out, hoping beyond hope that Zim caught it.
In fact, in the corner of his eye, the Irken noticed the kick, jumping and dodging just in time. He scowled, baring his teeth at the human and wondering what the hell he thought he was doing. The music was too loud, it hurt his antenna under the stupid itchy wig. His temper rose and with that he punched forward, aiming for the stink-boy's face, hoping to do some serious damage.
Dib grinned victoriously, jumping out of the way, and doing a smooth attempt at a back hand. Zim stepped out of the way, grabbing the hand. He yanked and the human snapped forward their faces only a few centimeters away.
Dib snatched his free hand around Zim's wrist and spun the boy backwards.
The irken began to recognize a pattern. It was a simple thing they always fell into when they fought. Punch, dodge, kick, dodge.
Together they 'fought'. The swift movements, so fast and flowing together easily. The same way their conversations did. Back and forth, no one winning. It was their version of dancing and one they both understood.
Ebbing into one another, the twirling confusion of colors all around them. Zim's breath hitched up into his throat, as he smiled when Dib did a brilliant counter attack that he'd learned from yours truly.
Dib realized…he was having fun. People had stepped out of their way, admiring the way they seemed to know each other's next move. As if it was choreographed.
The song came to a close, and Dib laughed, pulling Zim's arm backward to press the alien against him, before trying to throw him to the ground. The alien expected this and claws curled into the boy's tuxedo, keeping him suspended. It was as if he'd been dipped.
Their eyes connected, collided in one moment when it was all too clear. Their very souls were intertwined, thoughts in sync. Nothing could ever re create a partnership like they had. Enemies too evenly matched, that the war had become about the entertainment. That it could be mistaken for a primitive form of dancing.
The room burst, echoing with applause, drunken cheers. Zim scrambled away from the human who almost dropped the irken.
Zim of course soaked up the attention, bowing at the praise. Dib was tempted to shrink back into the shadows, wishing that the ground would swallow him up.
There was some commotion, a parting of the seas and Julio stepped out from the crowd.
"That was magnificent." Shiny teeth were visible in the black light of the club. Zim felt his skin crawl a little. He could feel those beady eyes all over him, mentally undressing him. Raising his chin, he smirked back.
"Thank you." Dib himself, already hated the bastard. NOT because he was jealous of the way Zim seemed to be accepting, the hand offered. Not jealous when Julio leaned, lips brushing over the alien's wrist.
"Is this your boyfriend?" Julio indicated Dib with as distracted tilting of his chin. Zim looked over at Dib, disguised eyes narrowing on the human. Now would be the time when he could just say no and go get those chemicals himself.
"He's…my ma-husband." He raised the hand, flashing the shiny class ring. Dib's mouth almost dropped with surprise, before he nodded and took a step closer to Zim.
The alien wouldn't admit how it made him feel just a little bit less…threatened and grossed out.
"Well," Julio was obviously disappointed but still, his eyes seemed to devour the disguised female, plans to steal away the prize before him from the lanky, skinny boy. It couldn't be that hard. Especially with the lure of money and alcohol. Fame and power. Women on this planet seemed to flock towards that. Why wouldn't this one be any different? "why don't you two come join me for dinner up in my suite later? I would be honored to have such fine dancers in my company. You can tell me about where you trained and maybe we can strike a deal…"
Dib wished suddenly that he was anywhere but here, but here was their goal so close. What choice did he have? Together they nodded. Him with less certainty, Zim with enthusiasm that made him wonder if the Irken was more insane than he'd first thought.
"Why not now?" Zim said, eyes half lidded, smiling seductively at the alien before him. Irk, he hoped he was doing this right. If not then the TV Gir forced him to watch was useless.
Dib's hands clenched, and he bit his tongue. The sweet symphony of Zim's voice directed at that…stupid, rich ass was more than he could take. The lure of the chemicals..of this mission finally ebbing done…they could go home…"Yes, why not now?"
Julio was pleased, a hand went to Zim's waist. "Sounds wonderful. Follow me if you will." He motioned for the two to start edging through the heavy crowd. "Why don't you tell me your names…?"
Dib hated that guy even more now…the raw burning was so great, he could almost taste the Jaolk's death. It leaked into every word he was saying to Bill, infesting the story like poison. The thing responsible for the pain tonight…responsible for the death of his husband.