A Place to Call Home
Story By: inuyashacat13
Summary: After failing for years, The Tallest finally get bored of Zim's meek attempts and decide to take over the Earth for themselves, just for the entertainment. Zim, devastated, begins to question if he ever had a purpose. As for Dib, he's just trying to convince poor Zim, who's has been his longtime friend AND rival, that there's still a purpose for him out there. Like, oh I don't know, saving the world? ZADR. May become Mpreg (but I might just be messing with you xD)
Warning: Contains M/M, some angst, slight romance, drama, some bad words, some suggestive themes, etc.
Disclaimer: I don't own Invader Zim, if I did, I'd shove it down nickelodeon's throats until they finally decided to continue it :3
Chapter Nine: Birthday
A/N: hello everyone 8D yay! I've got almost 70 views in just over a week :3 mostly from the same people, but that just makes me feel specially-er xD cause they don't get tired of it ;3 haha, ok, that's all I have to say for now!
To 1337kitsune: lol, as did I as I was writing it, and, you're welcome 8D xD And I'll read it on my day off ;) if I read it at night I won't be able to focus as well D: thanks again, and good, cause here it is^^
To UberSasukeFan: thank you and yay! Gir love! 8D
To Invader Ang: lol, thanks? Uh…I don't know… yes…BEAVER! XD
To Mio-Chan's Return: Uwahh! He's trying!, really! Stop hitting him with yer shoee! D8 oh wait, you stopped…why am I still rambling? *Eats shoe and continues to write…* XD circus 8)
To Darkdagers: thank you, I'm glad :3
To MoonToy: thanks soo much!^^
To snickers-03: Yes, yes he does! And thank youuuu :D
To genderless-but strait: I'm glad 8D though technically, it's not Gir centric…it just has LOTS of him compared to other fics 8) thanks :D
To Danny Anime Girl: Thank you soooo much 8D the main thing I want to be is a writer, so that means a lot to me^^ Thank you again! And hearts to youuu tooo!
To Ebony311: more like waltzed out, then snuck, really x3 haha, thank you so much :3 your expectations make me happeh 8)
(I knew everyone's user name this time xD)
I give all who've read, reviewed, and/or favorited this story so far my love and this chapter!~
Dib had gotten up early on a Saturday and had just gotten the mail, when his eyes came across a certain letter. It was from the swollen eyeball, and looked pretty official. Dib quickly opened it, and a little message played from a card that came in the envelope.
"Happy Birthday Agent Moth Man," It began, "We know you've been pretty busy researching that…alien…but we decided to message you so we could say happy birthday!...this message will self-destruct in five seconds."
Dib quickly flicked the message and envelope several feet away where it hit the neighbor's car and exploded, which caused all the cars in the neighborhood to start setting off their car alarms. Dib whistled and walked away as nonchalantly as he could before diving into his house and pretending he hadn't just woken up the entire neighborhood.
Dib laughed suddenly as he looked to his doorway and saw Zim standing there with a sour expression on his face.
"You set all those alarms off…DIDN'T YOU DIB!" Zim yelled as he stomped up to Dib.
"Maybe…" Dib replied, before beginning to laugh again.
"STOP LAUGHING!" Zim shrieked, before Dib pulled him into his arms and immediately silenced him. Zim hated how the stupid Dib human could do that to him, and tried to pull away.
"Wha-What was that about anyway?" Zim asked as he tried to back away from Dib's grasp.
"Just a birthday card from the Swollen Eyeball Association," Dib replied as he let Zim go and took his hands instead of completely holding him.
"Birthday?" Zim questioned, while gripping onto Dib's hands subconsciously.
"Yeah, I think I told you about it before…it's basically when humans celebrate surviving another year," Dib explained with a laugh as he walked to living room and sat down, bringing Zim onto his lap.
"That's stupid," Zim stated as he leaned his head back onto Dib's shoulder.
"Yeah, but most people like celebrating them, it's usually a pretty big deal," Dib responded, while wondering briefly how long he and Zim had been doing small things like what they were doing now.
"Do you think it's a big deal?" Zim asked as he turned around and looked into Dib's eyes inquisitively. Dib shrugged.
"Not really, but…my dad always comes home for it …so…that part's kind of nice…" Dib replied as he ruffled his hand teasingly through Zim's hair. The room went quiet for a minute.
"Don't you have a birthday?" Dib asked after minute, causing Zim to nearly be caught off guard.
"Of course not," Zim immediately replied, "We IRKENS don't need to breed or, whatever you humans do, we are simply made artificially."
"Don't you ever feel sad that you don't have parents?" Zim was caught off guard by this question.
"O-of COURSE NOT!" Zim yelled in response, "I've always been fine fending for myself without parents to love me!" Dib raised an eyebrow.
"Then who took care of you when you were younger?"
"ZIM took CARE of HIMSELF!"
"Didn't you ever feel sad or lonely about that?"
"Irkens aren't supposed to FEEL!"
"But…you do."
"S-so, that doesn't mean I ever felt lonely when no one was ever by my side…o-or sad when everyone picked on me…" Zim slowly felt his words losing their harshness as he realized his life had always been lonely and dark… until…Dib decided to be his friend.
"Y-you won't ever make me stand alone again, will you?" Zim whispered after he'd become quiet for a couple minutes.
"Of course not, stop being ridiculous," Dib said in response, after flicking Zim gently on the head, "So don't get to thinking I'm going to hurt you or abandon you." Zim tried to keep himself from letting too many emotions out, but eventually gave up and hugged Dib tight.
"Good, because then, Dib-Worm, I'd have to kill you," Zim said with a huff as he finally let go, Dib laughed lightly.
"I'd deserve it."
"You would, stupid human."
Before their lovely conversation could continue, Gir suddenly burst into the room with a giant plate full of waffles.
"HAPPY BIRTHDAY DIB!" Gir yelled before setting the waffles down and jumping onto Dib, who sighed.
"Thanks Gir," Dib said as Zim tried to pry Gir off, he already knew his birthday would turn out chaotic…
It was afternoon now, and Zim was following Dib around town. They'd been kicked out of Dib's house so Gaz, and other humans could decorate for what they called a, "Birthday Party." It annoyed him…but Dib was all dressed up again, with a white dress shirt, contacts instead of glasses, and black dress pants…and that, for some reason, made him somewhat less annoyed. Zim wasn't only annoyed though…he was beginning to get bored.
"Dib! I command you amuse me!" Zim exclaimed suddenly as he stopped in his tacks and halted Dib, who had been holding his hand, with him.
Dib laughed at the outburst, before leaning his face over Zim's. "And how do you want me to amuse you," Dib asked suggestively as Zim tried to keep his face from blushing.
"…I-I don't know," Zim replied, quickly trying to turn his face away but failing when Dib caught it in his hand.
"I think you do," Dib stated with a smirk, before grabbing Zim's face with both hands and leaning down to kiss Zim, who quickly responded. Dib didn't even care that they were in the middle of a public area, screw other people's thoughts! All he cared about at the moment was "amusing" Zim.
The afternoon seemed to fly by, and Dib was now in front of his doorstep, with Zim clinging onto his arm.
"I don't see why all those humans from Skool have to be here," Zim said as Dib let out a sigh.
"I told you, Zim, Gaz invited them so our dad wouldn't think I was as crazy and antisocial," Dib replied, grabbing for his doorknob.
"But you're both."
"Shut up."
"HAPPY BIRTHDAY!" tons of people yelled as Dib opened his door to reveal a whole house of people he'd rather not be at a party with, Zim hid behind Dib as Dib dragged him with inside his house.
"I don't want to be with all these humans! I've changed my mind! I don't want to go to your party!" Zim whispered harshly as he desperately tried to go back through the door, Dib wouldn't budge.
"I'm not being stuck here ALONE! I won't speak to you if you leave!" Dib whispered as a reply quickly, Zim's angry expression immediately faded.
"But you said you wouldn't leave me alone! No matter what!" Zim responded, looking the slightest bit hurt.
"You wouldn't be alone if I was there, but just not talking," Dib replied smugly, causing Zim to glare.
"Fine!" Zim finally whispered, before they both stopped their conspicuous whispering and looked up to all the people there.
"Thanks everyone!" Dib voiced with a fake smile, while Zim held onto Dib and didn't let go, afraid if he did one of the humans from Skool would bully him.
"Son!" Dib suddenly heard from his kitchen, causing everyone to look.
"Dad!" Dib yelled as he quickly ran to his father who was actually in the flesh, Zim still refused to let go of Dib even as Dib hugged his father.
"How've you been, Son?" Dib's father asked as he backed off and took a good look at his son, and the friend who was clinging to him.
"I've been okay," Dib replied with laugh, before smiling at his dad.
"Isn't he that alien kid you used to always go on about?" Dib's father, professor Membrane, suddenly asked, pointing to Zim, who glared.
"I'm not an alien," Zim stated bitterly, while looking up to glare at Dib.
"Haha! Of course you're not! I know that, Dib would just always act as if you were!" Professor Membrane responded as he patted Zim's head. Dib didn't really know what to think about where his dad was going with this.
"So, you're keeping my son happy, I presume?" Professor Membrane asked after he stopped patting Zim's head.
"Um…I guess…" Zim replied, confused by the question.
"Then that's all that matters!" Professor Membrane announced with a laugh, rubbing Dib's head now.
"D-Dad? What are you saying?" Dib suddenly asked, having a feeling what his dad was trying to do now.
"I'm saying I approve your relationship! As long as it doesn't affect my career at all, it's fine!" Professor Membrane exclaimed happily, Dib nearly died as everyone suddenly began to stare at him, and Gaz began to laugh.
"Relationship?" Zim whispered to Dib, confused once again.
"Dad…it's… not like that," Dib finally said after taking a minute to recover.
"Oh?" Professor Membrane inquired, "then what are you two?"
"Friends," Dib stated simply. However, Gaz took that as an opportunity to embarrass her brother more and stated, "Yeah, They're friends with benefits."
"Hmm…so they have that kind of relationship," Professor Membrane mused to himself, while Dib nearly died then and there.
"N-no DAD! REALLY! We're only FRIENDS!" Dib yelled flustered, as everyone continued to stare and Gaz mocked him with her eyes.
"So when you two kissed you didn't mean it!" somebody suddenly yelled, "How cruel!" people began to yell. "You're awful!" "He's only using Zim!" "Kill him!"
"N-no," Dib began to try to explain, "I like him we're just…not together…" Dib nearly blacked out as finished his statement, after realizing he'd just told EVERYONE he liked Zim.
Zim really didn't know what was going on, but he didn't like how all the meat bags we're gaping at Dib. "STOP!" Zim finally yelled as the humans looked as if they were going to begin yelling at Dib again. Everyone immediately then turned to Zim, who then regretted speaking up.
"I have NO IDEA what you all are going on about…but…this is DIB'S BIRTHDAY, which is apparently important, and you yelling at him doesn't seem very…appropriate…" Zim exclaimed once everyone's attention was on him, "Besides, we're NOT in any type of relationship…even though I…I uh… like Dib too…sort of…" The room seemed to go completely silent after that, until Dib began to laugh.
"I-I never thought you'd stand up for me," Dib said as he continued to laugh, laughing more when Zim began to blush.
"Fine! Laugh earth boy but I was just trying to help the situation-" Zim began before Dib grabbed Zim into his arms, cutting off his words.
"I was laughing because I was happy, not because I was mocking you," Dib stated as he looked Zim in the eyes, he then looked around briefly at all the now-shocked-faces, and proceeded to shock them ever more by kissing Zim passionately on the lips. Zim wondered briefly if the humans were going to explode or something before deciding not to care, and kissing Dib back.
Everyone except Professor Membrane and Gaz seemed stunned at Dib's actions, Gaz just didn't care…while Professor Membrane…
"You do what your heart tells you to do, Son!" Professor Membrane yelled out happily to Dib, as Dib didn't pay any attention to anything except Zim, "I'm proud of you!"
Gir smiled as he sat under the night sky, beside Dib and Zim on Dib's back porch. Dib had given him a BIG piece of cake, which he was thoroughly enjoying, while he glanced at Dib and Zim. He wondered briefly why they were sitting outside instead of inside where all the other people were, but he didn't focus on the thought for too long once he spotted a moth.
"Butterfly! I'll catch you!" Gir yelled as he gently set his plate down, and then ran off after the insect.
"That's a MOTH, Gir!" Gir heard Zim yelling, though he paid it no heed, and continued to chase the moth.
"Thanks again, for helping me out earlier," Dib said as Zim rested his head on Dib's shoulder.
"Yeah, yeah," Zim huffed, while briefly checking to make sure Gir hadn't wandered off too far.
"You aren't going to come up with some crazy excuse for why you helped me this time?" Dib asked astonished.
"Nah, I don't have one," Zim replied simply, enjoying the relaxing atmosphere.
"So you're not going to try and say you told everyone you liked me for some ridiculous reason?"
"I-I said that?" Zim suddenly panicked, "I…uh…I mean…no…I won't deny that…"
Dib smiled before saying, "I'm glad."
"Does this mean we're in some kind of earth relationship now?"
"If you want to be."
"…I guess that wouldn't be a terrible…thing…"
"Are you saying yes?"
"…yes…"
Dib then took the opportunity to hug Zim into himself, which Zim skittishly responded to.
"So what exactly are we then, Dib-Worm?"
"Um…I don't know…a couple, maybe?"
"Hmm, I have a question?"
"Yes?"
"What's "friends with benefits?"
Dib swore to kill his sister that night, however, other than that, he couldn't remember having a better birthday.
END A/N: I got distracted writing this twice from kuroshitsuji and then animal crossing xD anyway, I finally finished it, yay me! xD so Dib's and Zim's relationship is finally going somewhere…sort of xD lol, and Gir is still calling things the wrong names :3 lol, I LOVE Dib's dad xD but it's sad that he puts his work before his children ok, hope you all enjoyed! Reviews make my day! Favorites and Watches make me smile! Views are precious! And Constructive criticism is fine, if reasonable, but flames will be shunned! I love you all for reading this! :D
~Kitty