Sorry these chapters keep taking so long. I know they shouldn't since all I'm really doing is revising, but things keep coming up that make it hard to concentrate on fan fiction.
My reasoning this month was that I was doing NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month, for those unfamiliar it's a challenge to write a 50k work novel in the month of November) I won it and am ready to get back to fixing this story. :) I hope to finish with this soon so that I can get to work on Under My Skin and start on revising my novel, so hopefully I'll be able to start updating much faster.
For those of you familiar with the original version of this story you may notice a big chunk missing from this chapter. There was a scene here that, while nice and fan-servicey, I felt just didn't fit neither in this chapter nor at this point in Dib and Zim's relationship, especially now that I've gone and made Zim (I hope) more in character than before. I hope that, in the end, this adds something more to this story than has been taken away. Thank you, as always for reading and all feedback is appreciated and welcome.
Once Dib came back both he and Zim were peering inside a large cardboard box that seemed to be filled to the brim with photographs. Dib pulled out a stack and said, "I'm not sure how legal it is, exactly, but I have cameras stationed all throughout the city, looking at the sky in case any more of YOU show up." At the 'you' Dib gave an almost violent point at Zim. "I kept and printed some of the pictures that I most liked."
"I… see," Zim said, though didn't really seem to understand how this had anything to do with Irk until he saw a picture of the Earth sky as the sun was setting. He pointed to it and said, "All except for the clouds that looks a lot like Irk."
"I've got another one," Dib said, looking through the pile he was holding until he found a picture of the sky during twilight, cloudless and a mixture of pink and orange. "Here."
Zim took the picture, staring nostalgically at the sky that reminded him of one that he was once not allowed to see.
"You can keep that if you want." Dib said, tapping the picture. "I've got loads like it."
Zim looked at the photo for a while, almost putting it in his pak before remembering that he couldn't get into it and instead just set it on the table. He stared at it for a while, getting lost in his memories of his planet.
"What would you do," Zim asked, gaining Dib's attention. "If you could no longer reach your people?"
Dib thought about that a moment, thinking of the loneliness he'd feel if there were no other humans beside him, how lonely he DID feel, being the only one who could fight against Zim.
"I'd feel like crap." The human answered finally. "But I wouldn't give up. I'd find a way to get back to them."
"If only I could." Zim said, staring angrily at the photo on the table.
"Why not?" Dib asked, feeling a momentary concern for the alien. "If you want to go home then you should go. Earth likes being here anyway… spinning normally." He didn't know why he was saying this, and knew his words would kick him in the balls later.
"I can't!" Zim snapped, glaring at the human before him. "I'm an invader! I can't just leave my planet! Besides, it would take me six Earth years just to get to Irk, two to get to the Massive where they have recently moved!"
Dib's face twitched momentarily into a look of concern. They weren't just out of reach, they LEFT Zim there.
"Well, in a way I'm kind of relieved," Dib said after a moment.
"What? What do you mean, Dib-stink?" Zim asked, crossing his arms.
"My life would be boring if I didn't have you here to torture," Dib said with an almost sweet smile. Then he heard what he'd said in the back of him mind and mentally kicked himself, "I mean, you know, not like tha- I just mean…."
"I know what you mean, human." Zim said, seeming to have calmed down and waved a dismissive hand. "It has been… fun… on occasion."
"You mean with me screwing everything up for you?" Dib asked with a small smirk.
"No, I mean with me turning you into bologna!" Zim said with a cackle.
Dib laughed along with Zim, saying, "It has been fun, huh?"
"Yes," Zim said before frowning, "Except for the bleeding. Did not like the bleeding."
"No, maybe not." Dib said with a shrug. "But the rain was."
Zim frowned more and lightly punched Dib in the arm.
Dib grabbed the fist and, quick as lightening, pulled Zim close, lightly elbowing him in the ribs in a pretend retaliation.
Zim gave Dib an offended look but played along, reaching with his free hand to wrap his claws around Dib's neck and lightly knee the human.
Dib smirked and shoved Zim down and off of him. The alien landing on his back on the couch with an 'oof' doing his best not to laugh or look at all like he was having fun.
Dib noticed this and an idea came to mind. "Zim, don't laugh." He said before pouncing on the alien and tickling him.
"Ah! Stop!" Zim gasped, unable to help the laughter that poured from his mouth as he tried to push the human off. "N-no! Zim demands you stop thi-this! Stop at ONCE!"
"Never!" Dib laughed, trying to make it sound menacing.
Zim felt the human's skin touch that of his midriff as he shirt rode up from the squirming. He jumped, although he couldn't help but laugh still, and kicked out, narrowly missing Dib's groin.
The human stopped, asking with wide 'narrowly avoided getting kicked in the balls' eyes, "Zim, are you okay?"
"Fine," Zim said quickly, glaring, his sides still tingling from the tickle.
"No, you're not," Dib said once he calmed down, sounding much like a parent scolding a child.
"I said I'm fine," Zim snapped, crawling out from under the human.
Dib was quiet for a moment before asking, "Does your issue with touch have to do with why you're emo?"
"I'm not emo!" Zim shouted, hands clenching into fists, ready for a REAL fight.
"Fine, you're not emo." Dib said with a roll of his eyes. "But you're a HUGE jerk."
"Shush! Zim is superior in all ways!" Zim yelled, reverting back to his usual technique of dodging when he couldn't think of good comebacks.
"Whatever," Dib said as he got up and grabbed his cell phone. "I'm going to call that planner."
Zim watched Dib tensely and with narrowed eyes. Stupid human.
"Yeah, yes, thank you." Zim's antennae twitched as he heard Dib talking on the phone. "Yes ma'am. Dib Membrane, and my fiance's name is Zimma…. When is the earliest you have…? Nothing earlier? Alright, that'd be fine then, thank you."
Dib turned to Zim and announced, "She'll be meeting us here tomorrow at two."
"I can't wait," Zim said, sounding unimpressed.
Dib rolled his eyes, saying, "You could try and plan it on your own if you want, but if I remember correctly you were opposed to that idea."
Zim simply stuck his tongue out before standing from the couch, announcing. "I'm going to make myself something to eat and take it upstairs so I don't have to look at YOU while trying to digest."
"Thank goodness I found a woman with a stunning personality." Dib said sarcastically, which made Zim hiss at him before disappearing into the kitchen.