Love is Weird, But It Makes You Feel All Warm and Tingly Inside!!
By: Kichara Chapter 8: The Nice People of the Mosh Pit
Man, I'm on a roll here! I've been looking forward to writing this chapter for a while now, so hopefully it'll come out as good as I'd hoped. Ohhh, how I've looked forward to this chapter.I cannot even be PERCIEVED just how greatly I have looked forward to it. I like cheese and Jhonen Vasquez is pretty damned hot. And I'm gonna kill Nickelodeon. Oooo, ooo, guess what I found out! Jhonen-sama does some voices in the show; he's Brian, OldKid, Zim's computer and other's! *cackles maniacally until she's suddenly attacked by a vicious gerbil who's after her precious biscuits*
Sweet cheezits, that intro made noooo sense at all.
*~*~*~ Zim's eyes darted over to the clock, checking it, then over to the small mirror in the kitchen. He finger-combed his uneven bangs and adjusted his black shirt nervously. This was something so different from anything he'd done with Dib before. To be truthful, he hadn't done anything like this with ANYONE before. Maybe that was why he was having trouble breathing and he was terribly fidgety.
Gir, who was sitting on the table, grinned suddenly. "Dib got me tacos!" He exclaimed in a high-pitched tone, grabbing a hold of his legs and twirling around on his rear end, giggling madly.
"Yes, Gir, I know." His master half-growled, irritated. It had been the highlight of the robot's life for the past two days and he was more than happy to share the bit of information. Repeatedly.
The doorbell rang and Zim rushed to go open the door, nervously fixing his shirt again before doing so. What he saw was enough to make him laugh until he cried and throw his arms around Dib in an affectionate hug, all at the same time.
The human was dressed in a black, almost Renaissance-style shirt, loose sleeved and laced up across the chest over a long V-neck whose intent was to expose the chest. Which Dib obviously didn't get. The strings had been pulled all the way, closing up the gap and making the shirt look unbearably tight, with it all tied into a big bow at the top.
Zim laughed. Dib blushed and in an attempt to hide his embarrassment, snapped, "What's so funny?"
The alien beckoned him into the house, closing the door after him. "You did it wrong." He explained with a chuckle, reaching up and untying the bow, claw-like hands reaching down to loosen the strings tied across the gap over Dib's chest.
The human forced himself to stifle the gasp he released as Zim's hands brushed against his chest and he decided it was best to keep his breath held while the other fixed his shirt, loosening it around the waist and tying the strings properly. As he stepped back to look Dib over the boy let out a protest, "But you can see my chest!"
Zim laughed again, a gentle thing thick with affection. "That's how it's supposed to be, Dib. Didn't you think it was awfully tight on you?"
"Um, well, yeah.But I really don't know too much about this sorta stuff." He rubbed the back of his head subconsciously.
"Let's get going." Zim smiled and reopened the door, letting Dib walk out first and then following him. "So, you don't know much about this sort of thing.What sort of music do you like, Dib?" He asked as they turned out onto the sidewalk.
Dib shrugged in response. "You know, I'm really not into too much of any music. I listen to a little bit of everything, but not all that much."
"Nothing?" He casually slid his hands into his pockets, fixing Dib with a quizzical gaze.
"Nope, not really."
Zim grinned, "Perhaps that will change tonight." They got to the bus stop and leaned up against the brick wall behind it together.
He shrugged and smiled, loving the way Zim's face lit up when he did the same.
"You ate right?" The alien asked, turning slightly to look at Dib.
"Mm-hmm." The human answered, looking down thoughtfully at the ground. Zim's eyes scanned appreciatively over the other's slender figure. Even if Dib had gotten the shirt wrong, at first, he'd done a damned good job at picking out his pants, which were black and clung to his slim legs and waist, and he looked quite good now. He wore his usual black boots, which topped off the outfit perfectly.
The bus pulled up with a loud screech then and the boys stepped inside, paying the fare and heading towards to back to take up an empty seat there, Dib at the window. Several minutes passed in comfortable silence before Zim broke it, wanting some conversation with his friend. "Dib-human."
The boy in question turned from where he'd been thoughtfully gazing out the window. "Huh?"
"Mmm." The green-skinned boy squirmed, trying to think of something to say. "Thank you, for the tickets. I think we're going to have a good time tonight."
Dib smiled in response. "It was just a stroke of good luck, that's all. I'm glad it worked out." He paused, pushing his glasses up his nose. "Do you do this a lot?"
"Do what?"
"Go out to concerts. I mean, I know how much you like hard stuff and music and everything; I was just wondering how much you do it."
"I go often; I like concerts. But I've never gone with someone else; I think it'll make it into a much more enjoyable experience than it already is."
The boy shrugged slightly, "Thanks, I bet it'll be great." Dib looked back out the window, then up at the front of the bus, where there was a screen displaying the next stop. "Only a few more stops." He remarked, watching as Zim nodded in response. The comfortable silence took over again and Dib took the opportunity to look over his companion.
Zim looked stunning, dressed in a pair of tight black pants and a simple black wifebeater that hugged his toned torso. The outfit was finished off with a silver studded leather belt, a spiked necklace, fighter's gloves and Zim's combat boots. Dib leaned back against the seat. Yep, quite nice. So very different from how he'd been when he'd first arrived on Earth. In more than one way.
"Eh?" Zim quirked a brow, noticing Dib's intent gaze. "What is it?"
Dib looked up to meet his eyes. "I was just thinking about how much you've changed since you first arrived on this planet."
"How's that?"
"Well, you're a lot more mature, for one."
"So are you." The alien pointed out, tapping Dib's shoulder.
"Plus, you managed to get rid of that ego the size of a small planet. It's nice to not have every sentence that comes out of your mouth be a compliment to yourself. It certainly makes it easier to be around you."
Zim smiled, a bit of sadness creeping into the expression. "That sort of faded over the years, it had a lot to do with me maturing. But I guess it stopped altogether when the Tallest's told me what a loser I am."
Dib blinked, reaching out to touch Zim's hand. "You're not a loser! At least.I don't think so." He noticed his hand's position and blushed. He pulled it back and went back to looking out the window, mostly trying to hide his crimson face.
Zim noticed, however, and stared in wide-eyed curiosity for a long moment before directing his attention to the front of the bus.
About twenty minutes later, the bus pulled up to the arena and the two exited, walking alongside each other. They gave their tickets to the person at the turnstile as they went in, who ripped them in half and handed their remains to Dib. The boy pocketed them and let Zim lead him to stand off to the side and out of the walkway.
The building was already starting to fill up with people, a great mass of glittering silver and colors. Pitch black, bright orange, dark purple, and so much more; Dib's head swiveled back and forth as he took it all in. Leather and glitter; vivid dyed T-shirts with childish cartoons printed across the front; Jeans deliberately sliced open and held together with safety pins; feather boas and tin purses handing off of girls and a few choice male's shoulders. Black nail polish and eye shadow, short skirts and high boots. And for how anti-social people like this usually seemed to be, the place was a great bustle of excitement, laughter and conversation, playful screeching and yowling filling the air.
"Wow." Zim looked over at Dib's face, with was a mixture of awe and surprise.
"What is it?"
"There's so many people here, and they're all, I dunno.just unique, I guess is the word for it." Dib twisted, trying to take it all in. "You've gotta have respect for people that aren't afraid to be different." He said with a little smile as he watched a couple walk by arm and arm, the girl's hair more eccentric than her boyfriend's. "And they seem so different than you usually see them. You know, like in school, people like this are always so reserved."
Zim shrugged. "In a place like this, everybody has similar tastes, ideas, hopes even. It makes it easy to be open and interact with those around you. It's a sort of bonding experience, I suppose." He smiled. "Ready to head inside?" He spread out his hand to one of the entrances to the main part of the arena and Dib nodded in response, following Zim closely through the throng of people to the open doors.
The arena was dark, the only lights really coming from little lights lined along the floor and the stage, lit up with purple and blue illuminations. The seats were already starting to fill up, and the huge room was filled with voices that rose up, echoing against the high dome of a ceiling.
"Where are our seats?" Zim asked, turning to his friend.
The human carefully pulled the ticket stubs out of his pocket, finding it a bit difficult since the pants were so tight. He looked them over. "Um, 316 and 317."
"Good, that's near the bottom. It'll make things easier." The Irken said, leading Dib down the staircase.
"Huh? Make what easier?" Dib asked, taking the spot next to his companion as they descended.
"In places like this, "Zim indicated the arena around them, "There's a designated place for the moshing and what-not."
The young man raised an eyebrow. "What-not?"
"Dancing, crowd surfing, you'll see." Zim said with a dismissive wave, turning his attention back down to the floor around the stage. "Anyway, it makes it harder to get down there, as only people with special tickets can be part of it. I always try to get them whenever it's in an arena or something, but if not, I'll just sneak down."
"Why?"
"That's the best place to be. Don't worry, I'll show you." Zim smiled warmly and Dib's stomach did a flip in response and he nodded. They went to go sit in their seats and were quiet, Dib busy watching everyone around them and Zim busy watching Dib, which he found to be much more interesting. Seven o'clock rolled around fast enough. The doors shut, blocking off the little beacons of light they'd been letting in. A great hush ran through the immense building, full with people now, as the lights went out on the stage as well. Then the sound of an electric guitar ripped through the silence and darkness.
Screams filled the air and the stage lights came back on in response to the disruption, artificial sunbeams of varying colors slicing through the darkness and speeding over the stage, which was now complete with the band. The song started up immediately; no big intro, no dramatic pause, just the powerful sound of the air being ruptured apart by the beat of drums, screeching of guitars and the low, throaty voice of the main singer, a slender young man dressed in black, with untidy moss green hair.
Dib was in rapture, eyes wide and mouth slightly open in awe as he took it all in. He'd never seen anything like this before. Not to say it was bad, or good even. It was just.incredible. A touch on his shoulder woke him up from his half-dream state and he looked to the source into Zim's blue eyes, lit up with a smile. He stood up, taking Dib's hand to lead him out of the aisle. The young man gasped, a sound that went unheard to even his own ears, as it was merely a ripple in the crashing waves of the audio ocean that they were swimming in. Zim let go of his hand to motion for the other to follow him in the dark. They walked down to the bottom row, which was about seven or eight feet above the floor, which was now full with writhing bodies.
The Irken leaned over, talking into Dib's ear. "Follow me, I'll catch you." He said simply, then looked around to see if anyone of importance was watching and once sure of that, slipped over the rail and neatly landed on the floor. Dib bit his lip, looking around quickly. He put full faith into Zim as he tossed his legs over the rail and pushed himself off. Strong hands wrapped around his waist before he hit the floor and the boy forgot to breathe as Zim carefully lowered him down, keeping his hands on Dib to make sure he was steady on his feet. "Alright?" He half-shouted over the music.
Dib nodded, although he didn't want Zim's hands to leave him. They stood on the outskirts of the massive crowd, against the wall where no one was. Zim looked into Dib's eyes and leaned close with a smile. The song ended and the only sounds for the moments were those of the screaming fans. The band took the opportunity to talk now, introducing the members and talking to the arena's attendants. "When the music starts up again, follow me into the crowd, alright?"
The human turned his amber eyes to the great crush of people before them, subdued for the moment as they listened to the one's on stage. His brows furrowed together in worry as he remembered how they'd looked 30 seconds before: a great mob pressed against each other, bodies close as they danced, moving, and slamming into each other in the mosh pit. Zim saw the look and leaned closer. "Don't worry. If you do, you won't have fun. I'll take care of you." Like he'd be able to argue when the object of his affections said that, especially when his eyes looked so warm and he was smiling so brightly, close enough that Dib could feel his warm breath.
"Alright."
As if on cue, the music started up again, a viscous knife cutting through the semi-quiet atmosphere. Zim's hand returned to Dib's, tightly grasping it as he led the teen into the massive throng of people. Pushed against dancing and thrashing bodies, the human shrank back slightly. Then Zim's hand tugged on his, and he remembered what his companion had said. A smile lifted Dib's lips and he let himself really listen to the music, letting himself become a part of it, his body moving almost on it's own along with the noise.
Zim noticed and smiled, happy that Dib had finally relaxed enough to actually have fun. Bodies pressed against his own and he was a part of it all again: the music, the screams, the people. It had only taken one trip to his first concert, about a year or so ago, to realize it was a way to.belong, something he'd wanted quite badly. The Irken had developed a great love for it all, becoming part of one big being where names weren't important, only personalities. Only here could he truly forget his problems, only here had he felt that he belonged somewhere. Somewhat daring, he turned to face Dib, dancing along with him, eyes half-lidded as he sang/screamed along with the music.
God, what a rush. Zim turned to him, hand still holding his own, and danced with him, hips and hands moving in time to the powerful music as he sang to it. How long they moved like that, Dib had no way of knowing. Time had no meaning there in that rush. But then Zim's hand tightened on his own for attention and Dib looked to see him motioning for his friend to follow him again.
They moved among the sea of joyful screams and writhing organisms towards. the mosh pit. The green-skinned youth looked back at his paler companion. Dib's eyes were wide as he watched the heaving mob that made it up smash into each other. Zim bowed over until he was speaking into the other's ear. "The only thing you have to be concerned about really is your feet, which is fine since your wearing boots. Don't worry about a thing, they'll pick you right up if you fall do. Just try it!" He proceeded forward, not waiting for a response.
Zim let go off his hand as they entered the pit and Dib watched as he collided purposely with another person, who smashed back into him. The human continued to watch, concerned, but then he saw Zim's face, mouth wide in a grin as he laughed and sang, pounding against the others. A body pushed against Dib's own then, doing a thorough job of getting him into the pit. The human caught a glimpse of green and he saw Zim again, not too far away and battering his shoulder against a young woman with short pink hair, who was laughing and pushing back against the other with the same amount of enthusiasm.
Again, someone collided with Dib's slender body and he was thrown off balance, falling to the floor. Immediately, hands were on him and he was pulled to his feet and then they were gone before he could even identify who they belonged to. And the sudden realization came to him that it didn't matter, as everyone would pick you up if you fell, as Zim had said. Feeling more secure and wanting to try it out like he'd been instructed to, he hurtled against a person, who pushed Dib back. He laughed as he was pushed away by someone unintentionally crashed into, putting force into his gait as he was sent to crash into someone else.
The extraordinary feeling of time standing still yet moving at the speed of light came back as Dib went through the mosh pit, smashing into the other's there, sometimes intentionally and sometimes not. He'd fallen several times, getting immediately picked up after, and throughout the whole experience he was having trouble remembering when he hadn't been laughing, feeling the surge of adrenaline course through his veins. He continued to see Zim, as they all seemed to more or less rotate in the moshing process, but hadn't gotten to speak to him yet.
All at once, the music suddenly sounded very far away. Dib blinked, shaking his head as everything went fuzzy for a second, and he had trouble staying on his feet. His knees buckled as his surroundings began to resemble a static-filled TV screen, and a great feeling of dizziness washed over him. Then he felt a strong pair of arms wrap around him, his name being called out. "Dib! Dib, are you alright?!"
As the flecks of black and white slowly began to fade, Dib slowly came to the realization that the arms were still around him, and then that he was moving. He closed his eyes, the sounds around him more vibrations than anything else in his ears. Then he opened them. He was on the outskirts of the crowd again; side pressed against the wall and Zim was directly in front of him, eyes wide with concern. The alien's arms were still around him and Dib relished in the feeling as his head cleared. He leaned forward to say something, grateful for Zim's help. Then suddenly realized how very, very close they were. Close enough to.
Kiss.
Dry, soft lips against his own, gently pressing against him.
Zim suddenly pulled back, shocked at what the rush of adrenaline had pushed him into doing. "I- I'm sorry, Dib. I didn't mean to." 'Oh Gods, it's all over now. Why the hell did I have to go and do that? Now I've not only lost the only friend I ever had, but he'd going to hate my guts, all over again.' The alien's thoughts were a whirlwind of thought as he desperately tried to apologize.
His frantic attempts to express his regret were suddenly cut off as Dib closed the distance between them, his mouth capturing Zim's.
The kiss was the most incredible thing he'd ever experienced before, Zim realized as he felt Dib's soft mouth tenderly move against his own, the other's arms snaking around him. It was precious, chaste, and the alien wrapped his arms totally around the human in a strong hold, relishing the moment. Then they broke off, and their eyes met. Dib smiled.
Zim's lips perked slightly, then pulled back into a full-fledged grin. He hugged Dib fiercely, smile growing even more as the embrace was returned. He could feel his insides twist in happiness.
They finally let go, and Zim leaned forward to speak into Dib's ear, purposely letting his lips gently graze it as he asked, "Ready to take on the crowd again?"
Dib's golden eyes shone with excitement as he nodded and took Zim's hand, motioning for the Irken to lead the way. He did so, a laugh escaping his lips as they moved back into the crowd. They traveled through the throng of people, relishing in the feeling of each other's hand, the tight feeling in their chests and dizziness in their heads. Zim pulled Dib close to talk again. "Trust me?" He called out in the question that had been brought up all night.
Zim's only answer was a bright grin and nod. Laughing, he suddenly wrapped his arms around Dib, one hand behind the boy's back and the other under his rear end. He boosted Dib up and the young man felt himself being almost thrown up, Zim letting go. He gasped and then there were hands under him, pushing him along as voices below howled, laughed, sang. The young man laughed at the experience of absolute freedom, feeling as though he were floating.
Hands grabbed at him and Zim felt himself being pushed up to the top of the crowd. He cackled joyfully at the sensation, eyes on the domed ceiling above as the music rang in his head and the feeling of hands pressed against him as he was passed along. A movement at his side caught his eye and he saw Dib, the boy's slender frame being thrown lightly across the great organism known as the crowd. He was laughing, tears trickling down his face from doing it too much. The starry eyes caught Zim's and the human reached out his hand for the Irken's as they neared each other.
Masculine hands in a strong grip, Dib felt Zim's fingers tighten around his hand and he squeezed back, not letting go as they continued to move over the people below, never separating, to finally reach the stage. Zim felt someone grab at him and help lower him to the ground and he reached out to help Dib down. The young man melted into the other's embrace, wrapping his arms around him in both affection and the need to steady himself after the crowd-surfing experience.
Dib looked up to see they were right at the stage, Untitled's singer so close he could have touched him. The singer threw back his head and howled; a loud crack sounded off, and confetti fell from the ceiling. Tiny pieces of glossy square paper, it fluttered down in flashes of red and silver through the dark. And in the midst of this rain, Zim and Dib leaned close, lips touching each other in a tender kiss as the artificial rose petals fell down to land in their ebony hair.
*** The bus ride home was quiet, as there was barely any passengers on at that time of night. Zim and Dib hadn't let their hands be separated until they got on the vehicle and took a seat in the back again. Dib's eyes slowly slid shut from exhaustion of the night's events, helped to sleep by the constant drone of the bus and the comforting feeling and warmth of Zim next to him.
Zim, who was sitting by the window, delighted in Dib's body pressed against his own, his own mind deep in thought over everything that had happened. Soft flesh and a light weight caused the Irken look down to see Dib's hand over his own. The boy's head had long ago titled against the alien's shoulder in slumber and Zim's face warmed in a gentle smile as he looked down at the perfect mixture of pink and green.
*~*~*~ Oh, you loved this, didn't you? I know I did! Finally some physical contact! YAY, now the fun REALLY starts!! *cackles but if mindful of her surrounding lest she once again be attacked by horrible rodents with the intent to steal her pastries* See, I wasn't going to keep them all away from each other the whole story (Happy, Hitari?) Okay, maybe I'm sounding a bit conceited, but I'll bet plenty of people are happy. And yes, I was so happy to get this written. Up until 3:13 in the morning with only Disturbed and a brain freezy to keep me company as I holed myself up in my room.
I've been working on a pic for this chapter and will hopefully have it out soon. ^^ Please review and not only will I love you forever I'll.make you pancakes! PAAAANCAAAKES!!!!!!!!!!! *giggles and cuddles with Zim and Dib plushies* (Which I don't really have. DO they even make Dib one's? Cause if not, I shall have to make my own. Don't underestimate it, Lindsey made me a Legolas one. So I get to sleep with the pretty elf every night, take that Hitari! MWAHAHAHAHAAAAA!!!!!!!!) Hey, do I get that cake with Tasuki and Chichiri strippers in it now? Kichara made a goooood chapter (You can correct me if I'm wrong, I just loved this so much.) (Even more than Cheezits. GASP!)Until next time.Ekki ekki ekki p'tang zoop boing mmrmmm!!!
P.S. I expect a lot of reviews from this! At least twenty before I put out the next chapter (Or one reaaaaally good one.) I need to know if everyone else loved this as much as I do. *tosses out index cards and Tickle-Me Hellmo's*
P.P.S I'll be starting up a Mailing List for when I put up new stuff, so if you wanna be on it, just e-mail me at kicharachan@hotmail.com, with Mailing List in the title.
P.P.P.S. I've gotten a good amount of Dib/Zim artwork done, the only problem is I can't get it sent to the wonderful Niko to put up on her webpage. I'll hopefully get it all worked out soon and will write that in when I do. Pleasant something, organisms.
By: Kichara Chapter 8: The Nice People of the Mosh Pit
Man, I'm on a roll here! I've been looking forward to writing this chapter for a while now, so hopefully it'll come out as good as I'd hoped. Ohhh, how I've looked forward to this chapter.I cannot even be PERCIEVED just how greatly I have looked forward to it. I like cheese and Jhonen Vasquez is pretty damned hot. And I'm gonna kill Nickelodeon. Oooo, ooo, guess what I found out! Jhonen-sama does some voices in the show; he's Brian, OldKid, Zim's computer and other's! *cackles maniacally until she's suddenly attacked by a vicious gerbil who's after her precious biscuits*
Sweet cheezits, that intro made noooo sense at all.
*~*~*~ Zim's eyes darted over to the clock, checking it, then over to the small mirror in the kitchen. He finger-combed his uneven bangs and adjusted his black shirt nervously. This was something so different from anything he'd done with Dib before. To be truthful, he hadn't done anything like this with ANYONE before. Maybe that was why he was having trouble breathing and he was terribly fidgety.
Gir, who was sitting on the table, grinned suddenly. "Dib got me tacos!" He exclaimed in a high-pitched tone, grabbing a hold of his legs and twirling around on his rear end, giggling madly.
"Yes, Gir, I know." His master half-growled, irritated. It had been the highlight of the robot's life for the past two days and he was more than happy to share the bit of information. Repeatedly.
The doorbell rang and Zim rushed to go open the door, nervously fixing his shirt again before doing so. What he saw was enough to make him laugh until he cried and throw his arms around Dib in an affectionate hug, all at the same time.
The human was dressed in a black, almost Renaissance-style shirt, loose sleeved and laced up across the chest over a long V-neck whose intent was to expose the chest. Which Dib obviously didn't get. The strings had been pulled all the way, closing up the gap and making the shirt look unbearably tight, with it all tied into a big bow at the top.
Zim laughed. Dib blushed and in an attempt to hide his embarrassment, snapped, "What's so funny?"
The alien beckoned him into the house, closing the door after him. "You did it wrong." He explained with a chuckle, reaching up and untying the bow, claw-like hands reaching down to loosen the strings tied across the gap over Dib's chest.
The human forced himself to stifle the gasp he released as Zim's hands brushed against his chest and he decided it was best to keep his breath held while the other fixed his shirt, loosening it around the waist and tying the strings properly. As he stepped back to look Dib over the boy let out a protest, "But you can see my chest!"
Zim laughed again, a gentle thing thick with affection. "That's how it's supposed to be, Dib. Didn't you think it was awfully tight on you?"
"Um, well, yeah.But I really don't know too much about this sorta stuff." He rubbed the back of his head subconsciously.
"Let's get going." Zim smiled and reopened the door, letting Dib walk out first and then following him. "So, you don't know much about this sort of thing.What sort of music do you like, Dib?" He asked as they turned out onto the sidewalk.
Dib shrugged in response. "You know, I'm really not into too much of any music. I listen to a little bit of everything, but not all that much."
"Nothing?" He casually slid his hands into his pockets, fixing Dib with a quizzical gaze.
"Nope, not really."
Zim grinned, "Perhaps that will change tonight." They got to the bus stop and leaned up against the brick wall behind it together.
He shrugged and smiled, loving the way Zim's face lit up when he did the same.
"You ate right?" The alien asked, turning slightly to look at Dib.
"Mm-hmm." The human answered, looking down thoughtfully at the ground. Zim's eyes scanned appreciatively over the other's slender figure. Even if Dib had gotten the shirt wrong, at first, he'd done a damned good job at picking out his pants, which were black and clung to his slim legs and waist, and he looked quite good now. He wore his usual black boots, which topped off the outfit perfectly.
The bus pulled up with a loud screech then and the boys stepped inside, paying the fare and heading towards to back to take up an empty seat there, Dib at the window. Several minutes passed in comfortable silence before Zim broke it, wanting some conversation with his friend. "Dib-human."
The boy in question turned from where he'd been thoughtfully gazing out the window. "Huh?"
"Mmm." The green-skinned boy squirmed, trying to think of something to say. "Thank you, for the tickets. I think we're going to have a good time tonight."
Dib smiled in response. "It was just a stroke of good luck, that's all. I'm glad it worked out." He paused, pushing his glasses up his nose. "Do you do this a lot?"
"Do what?"
"Go out to concerts. I mean, I know how much you like hard stuff and music and everything; I was just wondering how much you do it."
"I go often; I like concerts. But I've never gone with someone else; I think it'll make it into a much more enjoyable experience than it already is."
The boy shrugged slightly, "Thanks, I bet it'll be great." Dib looked back out the window, then up at the front of the bus, where there was a screen displaying the next stop. "Only a few more stops." He remarked, watching as Zim nodded in response. The comfortable silence took over again and Dib took the opportunity to look over his companion.
Zim looked stunning, dressed in a pair of tight black pants and a simple black wifebeater that hugged his toned torso. The outfit was finished off with a silver studded leather belt, a spiked necklace, fighter's gloves and Zim's combat boots. Dib leaned back against the seat. Yep, quite nice. So very different from how he'd been when he'd first arrived on Earth. In more than one way.
"Eh?" Zim quirked a brow, noticing Dib's intent gaze. "What is it?"
Dib looked up to meet his eyes. "I was just thinking about how much you've changed since you first arrived on this planet."
"How's that?"
"Well, you're a lot more mature, for one."
"So are you." The alien pointed out, tapping Dib's shoulder.
"Plus, you managed to get rid of that ego the size of a small planet. It's nice to not have every sentence that comes out of your mouth be a compliment to yourself. It certainly makes it easier to be around you."
Zim smiled, a bit of sadness creeping into the expression. "That sort of faded over the years, it had a lot to do with me maturing. But I guess it stopped altogether when the Tallest's told me what a loser I am."
Dib blinked, reaching out to touch Zim's hand. "You're not a loser! At least.I don't think so." He noticed his hand's position and blushed. He pulled it back and went back to looking out the window, mostly trying to hide his crimson face.
Zim noticed, however, and stared in wide-eyed curiosity for a long moment before directing his attention to the front of the bus.
About twenty minutes later, the bus pulled up to the arena and the two exited, walking alongside each other. They gave their tickets to the person at the turnstile as they went in, who ripped them in half and handed their remains to Dib. The boy pocketed them and let Zim lead him to stand off to the side and out of the walkway.
The building was already starting to fill up with people, a great mass of glittering silver and colors. Pitch black, bright orange, dark purple, and so much more; Dib's head swiveled back and forth as he took it all in. Leather and glitter; vivid dyed T-shirts with childish cartoons printed across the front; Jeans deliberately sliced open and held together with safety pins; feather boas and tin purses handing off of girls and a few choice male's shoulders. Black nail polish and eye shadow, short skirts and high boots. And for how anti-social people like this usually seemed to be, the place was a great bustle of excitement, laughter and conversation, playful screeching and yowling filling the air.
"Wow." Zim looked over at Dib's face, with was a mixture of awe and surprise.
"What is it?"
"There's so many people here, and they're all, I dunno.just unique, I guess is the word for it." Dib twisted, trying to take it all in. "You've gotta have respect for people that aren't afraid to be different." He said with a little smile as he watched a couple walk by arm and arm, the girl's hair more eccentric than her boyfriend's. "And they seem so different than you usually see them. You know, like in school, people like this are always so reserved."
Zim shrugged. "In a place like this, everybody has similar tastes, ideas, hopes even. It makes it easy to be open and interact with those around you. It's a sort of bonding experience, I suppose." He smiled. "Ready to head inside?" He spread out his hand to one of the entrances to the main part of the arena and Dib nodded in response, following Zim closely through the throng of people to the open doors.
The arena was dark, the only lights really coming from little lights lined along the floor and the stage, lit up with purple and blue illuminations. The seats were already starting to fill up, and the huge room was filled with voices that rose up, echoing against the high dome of a ceiling.
"Where are our seats?" Zim asked, turning to his friend.
The human carefully pulled the ticket stubs out of his pocket, finding it a bit difficult since the pants were so tight. He looked them over. "Um, 316 and 317."
"Good, that's near the bottom. It'll make things easier." The Irken said, leading Dib down the staircase.
"Huh? Make what easier?" Dib asked, taking the spot next to his companion as they descended.
"In places like this, "Zim indicated the arena around them, "There's a designated place for the moshing and what-not."
The young man raised an eyebrow. "What-not?"
"Dancing, crowd surfing, you'll see." Zim said with a dismissive wave, turning his attention back down to the floor around the stage. "Anyway, it makes it harder to get down there, as only people with special tickets can be part of it. I always try to get them whenever it's in an arena or something, but if not, I'll just sneak down."
"Why?"
"That's the best place to be. Don't worry, I'll show you." Zim smiled warmly and Dib's stomach did a flip in response and he nodded. They went to go sit in their seats and were quiet, Dib busy watching everyone around them and Zim busy watching Dib, which he found to be much more interesting. Seven o'clock rolled around fast enough. The doors shut, blocking off the little beacons of light they'd been letting in. A great hush ran through the immense building, full with people now, as the lights went out on the stage as well. Then the sound of an electric guitar ripped through the silence and darkness.
Screams filled the air and the stage lights came back on in response to the disruption, artificial sunbeams of varying colors slicing through the darkness and speeding over the stage, which was now complete with the band. The song started up immediately; no big intro, no dramatic pause, just the powerful sound of the air being ruptured apart by the beat of drums, screeching of guitars and the low, throaty voice of the main singer, a slender young man dressed in black, with untidy moss green hair.
Dib was in rapture, eyes wide and mouth slightly open in awe as he took it all in. He'd never seen anything like this before. Not to say it was bad, or good even. It was just.incredible. A touch on his shoulder woke him up from his half-dream state and he looked to the source into Zim's blue eyes, lit up with a smile. He stood up, taking Dib's hand to lead him out of the aisle. The young man gasped, a sound that went unheard to even his own ears, as it was merely a ripple in the crashing waves of the audio ocean that they were swimming in. Zim let go of his hand to motion for the other to follow him in the dark. They walked down to the bottom row, which was about seven or eight feet above the floor, which was now full with writhing bodies.
The Irken leaned over, talking into Dib's ear. "Follow me, I'll catch you." He said simply, then looked around to see if anyone of importance was watching and once sure of that, slipped over the rail and neatly landed on the floor. Dib bit his lip, looking around quickly. He put full faith into Zim as he tossed his legs over the rail and pushed himself off. Strong hands wrapped around his waist before he hit the floor and the boy forgot to breathe as Zim carefully lowered him down, keeping his hands on Dib to make sure he was steady on his feet. "Alright?" He half-shouted over the music.
Dib nodded, although he didn't want Zim's hands to leave him. They stood on the outskirts of the massive crowd, against the wall where no one was. Zim looked into Dib's eyes and leaned close with a smile. The song ended and the only sounds for the moments were those of the screaming fans. The band took the opportunity to talk now, introducing the members and talking to the arena's attendants. "When the music starts up again, follow me into the crowd, alright?"
The human turned his amber eyes to the great crush of people before them, subdued for the moment as they listened to the one's on stage. His brows furrowed together in worry as he remembered how they'd looked 30 seconds before: a great mob pressed against each other, bodies close as they danced, moving, and slamming into each other in the mosh pit. Zim saw the look and leaned closer. "Don't worry. If you do, you won't have fun. I'll take care of you." Like he'd be able to argue when the object of his affections said that, especially when his eyes looked so warm and he was smiling so brightly, close enough that Dib could feel his warm breath.
"Alright."
As if on cue, the music started up again, a viscous knife cutting through the semi-quiet atmosphere. Zim's hand returned to Dib's, tightly grasping it as he led the teen into the massive throng of people. Pushed against dancing and thrashing bodies, the human shrank back slightly. Then Zim's hand tugged on his, and he remembered what his companion had said. A smile lifted Dib's lips and he let himself really listen to the music, letting himself become a part of it, his body moving almost on it's own along with the noise.
Zim noticed and smiled, happy that Dib had finally relaxed enough to actually have fun. Bodies pressed against his own and he was a part of it all again: the music, the screams, the people. It had only taken one trip to his first concert, about a year or so ago, to realize it was a way to.belong, something he'd wanted quite badly. The Irken had developed a great love for it all, becoming part of one big being where names weren't important, only personalities. Only here could he truly forget his problems, only here had he felt that he belonged somewhere. Somewhat daring, he turned to face Dib, dancing along with him, eyes half-lidded as he sang/screamed along with the music.
God, what a rush. Zim turned to him, hand still holding his own, and danced with him, hips and hands moving in time to the powerful music as he sang to it. How long they moved like that, Dib had no way of knowing. Time had no meaning there in that rush. But then Zim's hand tightened on his own for attention and Dib looked to see him motioning for his friend to follow him again.
They moved among the sea of joyful screams and writhing organisms towards. the mosh pit. The green-skinned youth looked back at his paler companion. Dib's eyes were wide as he watched the heaving mob that made it up smash into each other. Zim bowed over until he was speaking into the other's ear. "The only thing you have to be concerned about really is your feet, which is fine since your wearing boots. Don't worry about a thing, they'll pick you right up if you fall do. Just try it!" He proceeded forward, not waiting for a response.
Zim let go off his hand as they entered the pit and Dib watched as he collided purposely with another person, who smashed back into him. The human continued to watch, concerned, but then he saw Zim's face, mouth wide in a grin as he laughed and sang, pounding against the others. A body pushed against Dib's own then, doing a thorough job of getting him into the pit. The human caught a glimpse of green and he saw Zim again, not too far away and battering his shoulder against a young woman with short pink hair, who was laughing and pushing back against the other with the same amount of enthusiasm.
Again, someone collided with Dib's slender body and he was thrown off balance, falling to the floor. Immediately, hands were on him and he was pulled to his feet and then they were gone before he could even identify who they belonged to. And the sudden realization came to him that it didn't matter, as everyone would pick you up if you fell, as Zim had said. Feeling more secure and wanting to try it out like he'd been instructed to, he hurtled against a person, who pushed Dib back. He laughed as he was pushed away by someone unintentionally crashed into, putting force into his gait as he was sent to crash into someone else.
The extraordinary feeling of time standing still yet moving at the speed of light came back as Dib went through the mosh pit, smashing into the other's there, sometimes intentionally and sometimes not. He'd fallen several times, getting immediately picked up after, and throughout the whole experience he was having trouble remembering when he hadn't been laughing, feeling the surge of adrenaline course through his veins. He continued to see Zim, as they all seemed to more or less rotate in the moshing process, but hadn't gotten to speak to him yet.
All at once, the music suddenly sounded very far away. Dib blinked, shaking his head as everything went fuzzy for a second, and he had trouble staying on his feet. His knees buckled as his surroundings began to resemble a static-filled TV screen, and a great feeling of dizziness washed over him. Then he felt a strong pair of arms wrap around him, his name being called out. "Dib! Dib, are you alright?!"
As the flecks of black and white slowly began to fade, Dib slowly came to the realization that the arms were still around him, and then that he was moving. He closed his eyes, the sounds around him more vibrations than anything else in his ears. Then he opened them. He was on the outskirts of the crowd again; side pressed against the wall and Zim was directly in front of him, eyes wide with concern. The alien's arms were still around him and Dib relished in the feeling as his head cleared. He leaned forward to say something, grateful for Zim's help. Then suddenly realized how very, very close they were. Close enough to.
Kiss.
Dry, soft lips against his own, gently pressing against him.
Zim suddenly pulled back, shocked at what the rush of adrenaline had pushed him into doing. "I- I'm sorry, Dib. I didn't mean to." 'Oh Gods, it's all over now. Why the hell did I have to go and do that? Now I've not only lost the only friend I ever had, but he'd going to hate my guts, all over again.' The alien's thoughts were a whirlwind of thought as he desperately tried to apologize.
His frantic attempts to express his regret were suddenly cut off as Dib closed the distance between them, his mouth capturing Zim's.
The kiss was the most incredible thing he'd ever experienced before, Zim realized as he felt Dib's soft mouth tenderly move against his own, the other's arms snaking around him. It was precious, chaste, and the alien wrapped his arms totally around the human in a strong hold, relishing the moment. Then they broke off, and their eyes met. Dib smiled.
Zim's lips perked slightly, then pulled back into a full-fledged grin. He hugged Dib fiercely, smile growing even more as the embrace was returned. He could feel his insides twist in happiness.
They finally let go, and Zim leaned forward to speak into Dib's ear, purposely letting his lips gently graze it as he asked, "Ready to take on the crowd again?"
Dib's golden eyes shone with excitement as he nodded and took Zim's hand, motioning for the Irken to lead the way. He did so, a laugh escaping his lips as they moved back into the crowd. They traveled through the throng of people, relishing in the feeling of each other's hand, the tight feeling in their chests and dizziness in their heads. Zim pulled Dib close to talk again. "Trust me?" He called out in the question that had been brought up all night.
Zim's only answer was a bright grin and nod. Laughing, he suddenly wrapped his arms around Dib, one hand behind the boy's back and the other under his rear end. He boosted Dib up and the young man felt himself being almost thrown up, Zim letting go. He gasped and then there were hands under him, pushing him along as voices below howled, laughed, sang. The young man laughed at the experience of absolute freedom, feeling as though he were floating.
Hands grabbed at him and Zim felt himself being pushed up to the top of the crowd. He cackled joyfully at the sensation, eyes on the domed ceiling above as the music rang in his head and the feeling of hands pressed against him as he was passed along. A movement at his side caught his eye and he saw Dib, the boy's slender frame being thrown lightly across the great organism known as the crowd. He was laughing, tears trickling down his face from doing it too much. The starry eyes caught Zim's and the human reached out his hand for the Irken's as they neared each other.
Masculine hands in a strong grip, Dib felt Zim's fingers tighten around his hand and he squeezed back, not letting go as they continued to move over the people below, never separating, to finally reach the stage. Zim felt someone grab at him and help lower him to the ground and he reached out to help Dib down. The young man melted into the other's embrace, wrapping his arms around him in both affection and the need to steady himself after the crowd-surfing experience.
Dib looked up to see they were right at the stage, Untitled's singer so close he could have touched him. The singer threw back his head and howled; a loud crack sounded off, and confetti fell from the ceiling. Tiny pieces of glossy square paper, it fluttered down in flashes of red and silver through the dark. And in the midst of this rain, Zim and Dib leaned close, lips touching each other in a tender kiss as the artificial rose petals fell down to land in their ebony hair.
*** The bus ride home was quiet, as there was barely any passengers on at that time of night. Zim and Dib hadn't let their hands be separated until they got on the vehicle and took a seat in the back again. Dib's eyes slowly slid shut from exhaustion of the night's events, helped to sleep by the constant drone of the bus and the comforting feeling and warmth of Zim next to him.
Zim, who was sitting by the window, delighted in Dib's body pressed against his own, his own mind deep in thought over everything that had happened. Soft flesh and a light weight caused the Irken look down to see Dib's hand over his own. The boy's head had long ago titled against the alien's shoulder in slumber and Zim's face warmed in a gentle smile as he looked down at the perfect mixture of pink and green.
*~*~*~ Oh, you loved this, didn't you? I know I did! Finally some physical contact! YAY, now the fun REALLY starts!! *cackles but if mindful of her surrounding lest she once again be attacked by horrible rodents with the intent to steal her pastries* See, I wasn't going to keep them all away from each other the whole story (Happy, Hitari?) Okay, maybe I'm sounding a bit conceited, but I'll bet plenty of people are happy. And yes, I was so happy to get this written. Up until 3:13 in the morning with only Disturbed and a brain freezy to keep me company as I holed myself up in my room.
I've been working on a pic for this chapter and will hopefully have it out soon. ^^ Please review and not only will I love you forever I'll.make you pancakes! PAAAANCAAAKES!!!!!!!!!!! *giggles and cuddles with Zim and Dib plushies* (Which I don't really have. DO they even make Dib one's? Cause if not, I shall have to make my own. Don't underestimate it, Lindsey made me a Legolas one. So I get to sleep with the pretty elf every night, take that Hitari! MWAHAHAHAHAAAAA!!!!!!!!) Hey, do I get that cake with Tasuki and Chichiri strippers in it now? Kichara made a goooood chapter (You can correct me if I'm wrong, I just loved this so much.) (Even more than Cheezits. GASP!)Until next time.Ekki ekki ekki p'tang zoop boing mmrmmm!!!
P.S. I expect a lot of reviews from this! At least twenty before I put out the next chapter (Or one reaaaaally good one.) I need to know if everyone else loved this as much as I do. *tosses out index cards and Tickle-Me Hellmo's*
P.P.S I'll be starting up a Mailing List for when I put up new stuff, so if you wanna be on it, just e-mail me at kicharachan@hotmail.com, with Mailing List in the title.
P.P.P.S. I've gotten a good amount of Dib/Zim artwork done, the only problem is I can't get it sent to the wonderful Niko to put up on her webpage. I'll hopefully get it all worked out soon and will write that in when I do. Pleasant something, organisms.