Summary:A little wholesome fun at Gaz's birthday party on NYE
Author's Note:Haiii everyone! I hope you're all having a fantastic year so far! Even though it's been super busy, I am finally ready to post this final chapter and tie a pretty bow on this story which means the whole world to me _! There aren't really any trigger warnings, they all go to the party and have a decent time. It's a pretty calm chapter. I just hope you enjoyed this rollercoaster of a story! If you made it this far, I truly truly appreciate you! You're an absolutely wonderful and beautiful person! Thank you so much! As always, any thoughts or comments are greatly appreciated! This chapter is from Dib's perspective and it is named because of the NYE party they attend and generally signifying their new beginning. Closing this chapter of their lives, if you will _! I hope you enjoy it!
~~~~~~~~~~~Chapter 47-Auld Lang Syne~~~~~~~~~~~~
I'm standing before the bathroom mirror, taking in my reflection and the black suit. It has a crisp white shirt underneath and a black bow tie, everything tucked in place with precision. It's a little different from my usual attire, of course, I mean I do enjoy being a bit less... well… I've never really been into this kind of stuffy fashion. But this is Gaz's eighteenth birthday party and I feel like it's important to look the part. Dad went to a lot of trouble planning it at a big fancy venue and everything.
I'm still fixing my hair when Zim walks into the bathroom and freezes in his tracks, locking eyes with me through the mirror.
He stands frozen in front of the bathroom door, his eyes wide. He's wearing a black suit as well, the only difference being that his bow tie is bright pink. I don't even have to ask him to know it is definitely not a comfortable outfit for him. I can see his internal cringe through his reflection in the mirror.
He looks at me and then down at his own attire.
"You look… nice…" Zim says through gritted teeth.
I can't help but laugh a bit at his obvious discomfort. "And you look… like an Irken wearing clothes that are entirely too constricting."
He narrows his eyes at me and fidgets with the bow tie. "This thing's choking me. How do you humans wear these?"
I shake my head with laughter as I walk over and help him loosen the bow tie a little. "You'll have to suffer through the discomfort. This is a fancy-shmancy party, remember?"
Zim lets out a strangled sigh as I readjust the tie, making it a little more comfortable. "Remind me again why we're going to this party? You know Zim doesn't do well in social situations…"
I chuckle as I finish straightening up Zim's bow tie. "It's Gaz's eighteenth birthday party, Spacebug. It's a milestone. I'm sure you can suffer through a couple of hours of human interaction. Plus, I'll be there with you."
Zim huffs out a breath and shakes his head. The idea of spending hours surrounded by a bunch of noisy, obnoxious humans is likely pretty far down on his list of things to do. But, I grab his hand and give it a light squeeze. "Come on, it'll be fun! There will be music, cake, and even some fireworks once the ball drops."
Zim makes a face at the mention of fireworks. Humans setting off explosives for "fun" is still something he's a little unused to.
"Okay Spaceboy. So which one of us is driving?"
Zim scoffs. "Well, I don't feel like hearing you nag about every little stop sign. So you drive."
I did promise to work on my backseat driving but some things should be nonnegotiable, right?
It's a complete hassle making sure Tak, GIR, MiMi and Minimoose are all ready and piled into the car before we can leave for the party but once we hit the road, it's thankfully pretty smooth sailing.
Once I pull the car up to the rather upscale venue, I take in dozens of expensive cars and limos parked outfront. We can hear music booming through the doors, and there are plenty of lights and cameras everywhere. I know dad wanted to spread the word but this turn out is a lot more intense than I expected… Maybe Gaz's gaming streams are really taking off these days.
As we get out of the car, I can see Gir excitedly hopping in place in his suit with a red bow tie to match Zim's.
"Okay, guys remember, you have to behave tonight." I look at Zim and then at Gir.
Zim rolls his eyes and sighs. "Yes, yes, we won't kill the human guests…here."
Gir chimes in, "Yeah, we pwomise!"
We all walk up to the venue and head inside. The atmosphere immediately changes once we enter. The halls are crowded with various people. It's a mix of Gaz's internet fans, friends, and family. The music is loud and the lights are colorful. I can't help but feel more than a little out of my element here.
The main room is adorned in various shades of black and purple with twinkling lights and streamers criss-crossing the ceiling. There are long black tables draped in purple. Each table has a centerpiece of several purple and black balloons. On the tables is a variety of cuisines themed in black and purple. Everything has been decorated to show technology and video games, including a display of a black and purple cake, a game console and a TV monitor showing video game characters. The walls feature large video game decorations, including banners of various video game characters in black and purple. Don't ask me who any of them are because I have no idea. There is also a backdrop set up for photos, as well as a dance floor area. There is also a designated corner area set up for games and gaming stations, including consoles and multiplayer games. The atmosphere is full of energy and excitement as guests dance and chat among each other, all while toasting and celebrating both Gaz and the incoming New Year in a unique and special themed party.
Once I've taken in the full grandiosity of the party, I notice Zim looking around with an uneasy expression on his face. He really doesn't want to be here.
As we walk through the crowded halls, I can't help but notice how quiet Tak is being. It's not like her to be so reserved in her behavior. She's usually making dry and sarcastic remarks or trying to rile Zim up, much to all of our detriment.
I glance over at her a couple of times before I finally break the silence. "You okay, Tak?"
She seems to snap out of her trance for a moment, eyes darting around.
"I should be wearing my invader uniform… And this human disguise is uncomfortable." She replies.
"Psh. Welcome to my world." Zim retorts.
"And… This gift giving… What if Gaz hates it?" Tak continues, ignoring Zim.
I can hear the hint of anxiety in Tak's voice, the uncharacteristic uncertainty making her sound almost vulnerable. I can understand her fear of rejection. I feel it all the time. Still, it catches me by surprise coming from her.
"She'll love the gift, Tak. Gaz may not outwardly show it, but she appreciates you a lot more than you think she does." I offer a supportive smile.
Zim chimes in, his teasing evident in his voice. "Or she'll just throw it in the trash. She's as emotionless as a computer."
I roll my eyes and tut. "Gaz's lack of emotional reaction to things doesn't automatically make her uncaring. In fact, it's quite the opposite. She's very passionate about the people and things she loves. She's just… not so good at expressing it in a typical way."
"Yeah, yeah, whatever." Zim grumbles.
I give him a small glare, but silently pleading with him to be nice as we continue to make our way through the venue.
As we progress deeper into the party, the noise around us increases exponentially. There are cameras and people staring everywhere. It's so overwhelming for me, I can only imagine how it's affecting Zim and Tak.
I finally spy Gaz in the middle of the crowds of people. She's wearing a long, black, fitted dress, chatting and laughing with some friends. I know for a fact that Gaz would rather be at home playing video games and reading comics, but she's trying to at least put on a good attitude, pretending to enjoy herself at her own party. If not for anyone else, for dad since he insisted on throwing this party.
When she finally notices us, I can see the smallest flicker of relief flash through her eyes. She waves us over, then excuses herself from her friends. She walks over to us with a small, almost invisible hint of a smile on her face.
"Hey. You guys finally made it."
I smile back at her. Despite her typical outwardly stoic demeanor, I can see the tension she's carrying on her shoulders, her exhaustion, and her slight anxiety. I can tell this whole thing is a lot more uncomfortable for her than she's willing to let on.
"Of course we did. We wouldn't miss your birthday bash for the world. You look great by the way."
Gaz looks down at her dress and narrows her eyes. "Dad made me wear this. It's dumb. And I don't know half the people here. What's the point?"
Zim speaks up at that. "You and I have that in common."
I shake my head, speaking reassuringly. "Gaz, you know dad. He just wants you to make new connections. Maybe meet a nice fellow."
Gaz makes a face like she just sucked on a lemon. "Ugh, Dad's just hoping I'll bring some 'nice young man' home to meet the family. Not gonna happen anytime soon."
She suddenly notices Tak standing awkwardly with the gift. Her deep purple fitted gown with a long slit up the side sparkling with the flashing lights as she holds onto the gift she brought. Gaz arches an eyebrow suspiciously.
"Uh… Tak? Did you… get me a gift?" She asks, a mix of surprise and skepticism in her voice.
"Yes. I… I made a point to." Tak replies in her usual emotionless tone. She holds the gift up for Gaz to see.
Gaz hesitates for a moment, clearly stunned by Tak's words. I can see her try not to let her emotions get the best of her.
"Uh… thanks?" Gaz takes the present from Tak and looks at it for a long moment before lifting it up. "Should I open it now or…?"
Tak stands silently for a moment then responds. "It is your birthday. You may open the gift now."
Gaz looks at Tak again, seemingly thrown off by her polite mannerisms. Gaz awkwardly tears at the wrapping on the gift. It's obvious she's still processing the moment and honestly, I can't blame her.
She pulls the lid off of the box, and her eyes widen. Gaz silently looks down at the gift. She doesn't say anything for a long moment, her jaw hanging slack.
Tak clears her throat, pulling on the hem of her dress. "It is a custom built gaming computer. You mentioned wanting to upgrade your streaming equipment for gaming."
Gaz is clearly at a loss for words. It's hard for me to tell what exactly she's feeling. Surprise? Awe? Maybe even touched? It's hard to know with Gaz. She usually doesn't wear her emotions on her sleeves.
She finally looks up at Tak.
"Where… did you get the money to buy this thing?"
Tak's expression doesn't waiver. "I do have some access to funds when the need arises. Plus, I put a lot of time and hard work into building the computer. From scratch. I'm no stranger to technology, you know." She glances down at MiMi in her little lavender cupcake dress.
Gaz stares at Tak, the shock of getting such a well thought out gift from her finally setting in. She's still silent for a moment. Finally, she speaks.
"Wow… Um… Thank you, Tak. I… I didn't think you even liked me after how competitive I got during that one game night." she laughs a bit.
Zim chimes in, a note of humor in his voice. "The night you wiped the floor with her at that combat game and then taunted her? I thought Tak was going to blow a gasket."
Tak scoffs and rolls her eyes, unamused. "Please. I was merely annoyed. There was no 'blowing a gasket'. It's not like I'm unstable. Some of us can keep our emotions in check, Zim."
Gaz looks at Tak, clearly trying to determine if she's being genuine or just trying to save face.
Zim snickers and opens his mouth to speak, but before he can say anything I quickly cut him off.
"Now, now guys, let's be nice. This is Gaz's birthday. No fighting." I say, making sure to look directly at Zim and send him a look that basically says 'shut it'.
Zim lifts his hands to his chest in an innocent 'who me?' gesture. "I'm making no comments… that is unless a certain someone brings it back up…" He says, his eyes glancing at Tak.
I let out a frustrated sigh and pinch the bridge of my nose. "Zim…" I say in a warning tone.
Gaz shakes her head and laughs a bit, clearly amused by the usual bickering. If we've got anything in common at this moment, I think she's secretly happy to have the tension broken.
Gaz raises her voice to cut in. "Okay, well… this is… pretty heavy so I'm going to put it with the rest of my gifts to be transported home later tonight… Thanks again Tak…"
Tak nods. "You're welcome." She says in her usual militant manner.
It's always interesting to watch them interact. They are both so competitive, prideful, and stubborn. But I can tell they at least kind of appreciate each other.
Gaz looks down at the computer, then back up at Tak.
"Just… don't expect anything in return. I don't do birthday gifts." Gaz says matter-of-factly.
"No, she doesn't." I confirm. "I know this from experience."
Gaz gives me a death glare. "Oh, be quiet, Dib. I got you that new lab equipment you wanted for Christmas this year." She huffs.
Zim suddenly speaks up immediately "Let's not bring up Christmas gifts…"
Gaz arches an eyebrow his way.
"Why? Something you don't want to be reminded about?" She asks, feigning innocence.
"Shut up. I didn't know what it was. I don't want to hear about it ever again…." He grumbles.
Gaz barks out a laugh. "Oh, no way, Zim. There is no way I'm ever letting you forget that for as long as you're alive. That's comedy gold."
He groans. "Yes, but when I was informed of my error, I replaced your gift with a very nicely put together collection of expensive knives. You should be grateful."
Gaz laughs. "Oh, I'm so grateful. Knives? You really know how to flatter a girl, huh, Zim?"
"Thank you!" Zim says with a triumphant grin, completely oblivious to the sarcasm.
Gaz looks at Zim, deadpan expression, as if debating with herself whether or not to correct him or just let him go on. Finally, she rolls her eyes. "Yeah, you're welcome, Spaceboy".
"So" Tak starts. "What are we required to do here at this day of birth celebration?"
Gaz sighs like she's bored. "You're just supposed to… drink champagne and eat fancy food. Listen to shitty music. Pretend to like the people you're talking to. Smile. I don't care."
Zim snorts. "Sounds… awful boring. Humans and your pointless social rituals."
"Yeah, yeah, Alien boy. You're 'too cool' for pointless parties and you have 'better things to do'. We know. Let's not forget the pointless ritual you proposed to Dib literally a week ago." Gaz chides and Zim's eyes widen.
"Hey. It's not… pointless. It was the epitome of romancey." Zim grumbles as his face flushes teal.
Gaz laughs. "I'm just teasing you."
Zim crosses his arms and huffs. "Yeah, yeah, human humor, oh so humorous."
Gaz rolls her eyes. "I'm hilarious. You're just too much of a space brain to get it."
Before he has a chance to respond, I drape my arm around Zim's waist. "Well don't let us keep you, Gaz. Enjoy your party. We'll be around." Gaz shoots me a look in response. No doubt she wants to go back to ignoring all the people at this party. I suspect she'd much rather be home playing video games or eating microwave burritos than being at her own party.
"Yeah, okay." She replies. "See you guys around. Enjoy the free food and booze."
Zim groans. "I'll try not to barf from the sheer amount of humans around. Have fun, flesh bag."
Gaz tosses Zim a middle finger over her shoulder. "Bye, space doofus."
He rolls his eyes and sticks his tongue out at the back of her head but otherwise doesn't comment anymore. As we wander away from Gaz's area of the venue, Zim speaks up.
"Zim is so glad that's over. I can't stand all the mindless chit chat."
"It's a party. 'Mindless chit chat' in human-speak is called 'being sociable'."
He throws an arm up dramatically. "But it's so boring. Having to pretend to like someone you met two seconds ago that you'll never see again? Why don't humans spend parties doing fun things they actually want to do?"
Zim's disdain for human social life would be obvious to anyone within earshot if it weren't for the music. I just shake my head and smile a bit, I mean he can have his moment if he needs to. It's still pretty entertaining to witness his clear lack of understanding of basic human functions from a social aspect.
"Parties should strictly be for drinking, singing, and trading significant information. Instead you humans waste time talking about the weather." He continues, oblivious to my distracted staring at him before I interrupt his monologue.
"Zim, that's not what parties are for… and we do a lot of that stuff at parties too, if you didn't notice."
Zim shakes his head adamantly. "All I've seen is a whole lot of boring nothing. But you can't argue that I'd throw a much cooler party. The best party in the universe."
"Yeah?" I ask. "Maybe we should start planning an engagement party of some sort, then…"
His eyes widen as it seems the thought flipped on a light switch for him. "Engagement party! Oh, I could throw the most amazing and memorable and incredible party ever! I'd make humans and Irkens the world over jealous of the epicness of this party. It would be the talk of the intergalactic community for decades to come!" He starts laughing loudly and excitedly, clearly thrilled with the idea.
I shouldn't be surprised. Of course he'd get carried away and want to plan everything down to the smallest details.
I'm nodding along to any of his rambling suggestions as we continue to make our way through the party when I notice Tak, sitting off to the side on some chairs by the wall. She's not talking to anyone or drinking anything, just sitting there staring into space.
I'm already doing the best I can to make sure Zim and I are comfortable here but I still feel a twinge of sympathy for her. She genuinely seems like the most introverted out of the three of us lately. Plus, knowing just some bits and pieces of her background, she probably doesn't have a lot of experience with these types of events.
"Hey, I'm gonna go say hi to Tak for a minute."
"Fine, fine. I will come with you."
I begin to make my way over to Tak with Zim in tow.
As we approach her, she looks up and doesn't look particularly thrilled to have two people disturbing her solitude.
"I have scoped out the venue and observed the attendees. I haven't detected any danger and I've sent a status report to Skoodge." She says the second we're within earshot.
I bite back a laugh at how formal and straight-to-the-point she is.
"So… I see you're enjoying the party?" I say in a sarcastic tone.
Tak quirks an eyebrow and gives me a flat look. "Yes. It's truly the most exhilarating phenomenon I've had the privilege of experiencing."
"Why are you sitting over here all alone?" I ask, ignoring that.
She looks away and lets out a breath. "Because people make small talk and ask boring questions that I have no interest in answering. I'm much happier just sitting here, watching and listening in silence."
Ah. So I've basically got another grumpy, dissatisfied Irken on my hands. Great.
I nod. "Yeah, social interaction isn't really your thing, is it?"
"No, it isn't. Why waste time and energy talking to people who bore you to tears when you could be doing something worthwhile, like monitoring the enemy?" Tak says bluntly.
Zim rolls his eyes. "Oh, come on. You can't honestly tell me this isn't *way* more interesting than sitting in the Massive and staring at a screen."
Zim gestures around us to prove his point. I squint at him but choose to only note his hypocrisy mentally. Obviously he just doesn't want to agree with her since he's a brat.
Tak makes a face at him. "Honestly, even sitting around staring at a wall waiting for something to happen is more interesting. You do realize that parties like this one are just pointless wastes of energy and time?"
He scoffs. "You are the most uptight person I have ever met. You need to loosen up a little. I think all that monitoring is messing with your brain and giving you a big, bad dose of paranoia."
Tak looks at Zim with a mix of disdain and surprise. "First of all, I'm not paranoid to be wary and vigilant at all times. Secondly, my brain works just fine, thank you. I am perfectly capable of comprehending this world properly."
Zim opens his mouth to respond, but I can already tell their little back and forth conversation is going to turn into an argument, so I quickly cut in.
"Okay, okay, guys. Let's not do this."
Tak turns her attention back to me. "I wasn't arguing. I was merely stating a rebuttal to the 'uptight and paranoid' insinuation that someone had the nerve to say to me while my whole purpose being here is to protect the two of you."
"I know, I know… But seriously, you shouldn't be stuck sitting all alone in the corner like a little gremlin. Take a break from the monitoring and try to enjoy yourself a bit. Have a drink or something." I say with a half-hearted chuckle. "Don't let that fancy dress go to waste"
Tak huffs as she glances down at her dress. "Yes, I am not particularly happy that I was forced to buy this thing for the sake of 'fitting in.' If it weren't for that factor, I'd be quite fine in my work attire."
"Excuse me?" The three of us are surprised to hear someone not only close enough to get our attention, but to tap Zim on the shoulder as well. I swear, the way he looks at his shoulder like it's just been contaminated with sewage is priceless.
"Um…Yes?" He asks, giving her a quizzical look.
"Your… your suit is really nice… especially the bow tie… Do you wanna dance with me?"
Zim's eyes widen at the girl's unusual, random request. He actually looks speechless for a moment.
"I… um…"
He looks at me for help. I have to stop myself because I realize this is a perfect opportunity for him to practice less-combative interactions.
Zim looks thoughtful for an unnaturally long moment, one that I'm surprised this girl waited out, before he turns back to her and sputters a bit.
"Um, that is true and very nice of you to say, but I am not very fond of dancing. At least, not dancing with… uh… with other people that aren't my future life mate." He grips my arm tightly and she looks a bit surprised. "Oh! I had no idea… Um…" she turns to Tak. "What about you?" she asks, timidly.
Tak looks at the girl with an eyebrow raised. "… Me? You… You want to dance… with me?"
The girl nods. "Yes! Your dress is so beautiful and it looks so good on you…"
Tak lets out a sigh. "Oh, gee, I am overjoyed by your kind compliments on an outfit I had no choice in picking out." Tak says back.
"Um… I-I just thought maybe you'd like to dance…?" the girl asks hopefully. "Please?"
"And I'm saying no," Tak says bluntly. "Dancing is very low on my list of things I enjoy doing. Besides, I find your request to 'dance' a foolish and idiotic one. I am here to keep an eye on the people attending. That means not 'dancing.'"
"People watching, hm?" The girl thinks for a moment before responding. "You know, you could keep a better eye on the crowd from the dance floor… and use dancing with me as a cover"
Tak quirks an eyebrow. "Hmmm… I suppose that does sound like a logical plan." She finally stands up and looks down at the girl. "Very well. We may dance together. But remember, I am doing this purely for the sake of completing my mission with ease."
The girl nods excitedly. "Okay! C-can I grab your hand and lead you to the dance floor?"
Tak eyes her carefully before nodding. "Yes, you may lead me."
The girl does a little happy hop and reaches up to grab Tak's hand. She begins to lead Tak over to the dance floor.
As the girl leads her away, Zim lets out a relieved sound. "Wow, that girl is very determined and pushy, huh?"
I chuckle a bit. "More like just a shameless flirt."
Zim huffs. "Hmph. She's quite bold, trying to dance with Tak of all people. She's so cold and distant and grumpy all the time."
"Zim, you're one to talk. Half the time you're the one being cold, distant, grumpy, and threatening to annihilate all of humanity."
"That is completely different! Humans always give me a hard time. But my point is that Tak is so uptight. She's an anxious control freak with no fun bone in her body."
I put a hand on Zim's shoulder. "Hey now, cut her some slack. There's a lot more to her than you're making her out to be. Tak isn't all business. She's just a little… socially inept. That's all. I mean… you were pretty similar before you and I got together."
He rolls his eyes. "Yeah, well, I guess I had just the smallest itty bitty amount of help with some of my… quirks."
I chuckle a little and wrap an arm around his shoulders. "Yes, you did." I press a kiss to the top of Zim's head, which prompts a happy purr. He turns his head to look at me. "Hey, do you think we should dance too now that we don't have Tak to keep an eye on anymore?"
I smile and nod. "Definitely."
As we come up to the dance floor, I turn to Zim and face him, pulling him close. Warm purple and white lights twinkling above us.
"You know, I think you look really handsome in that suit," I say in a half-playful tone.
Zim chuckles and raises a hand to my cheek. "And I think you look absolutely stunning in yours. I knew you'd look amazing all dressed up for a big fancy party. Especially now that you've stopped chopping off all your fur."
I smile and lean into his touch. After a few moments of silent swaying, I begin to speak.
"Hmm, do you think Tak's being tortured by that girl yet?" I ask in a playful tone.
Zim lets out a snicker. "Yeah, probably. I can't even picture Tak dancing to be completely honest. She's so awkward and anti-social. It's almost comical to imagine her attempting something like that."
"I'm honestly proud of her for even agreeing to go out there in the first place. Even if she'll be grumbling and complaining later." I say back and Zim hums.
"You know… Zim is not accustomed to having human females approach me. It hasn't happened since high school." Zim says thoughtfully, looking at the girl who had initially asked him to dance as she dances with Tak.
I nod in understanding, my gaze flickering between Zim, Tak, and the girl.
"She's pretty." I say softly. "But you've never exactly been the most… approachable guy… No offense, of course."
"None taken. Any human approaching me is sorely mistaken. Remember when you first expressed romantic interest in me?" Zim grins mischievously.
A small smile plays on my lips as I recall that memory. "Oh. I could never forget that. I've still got the scars to prove it. And now look. You're much more clingy than I am."
"…shut up" Zim mumbles, a faint blue blush dusting his cheeks.
"Awwww, you're blushing." I tease him further, reaching up to pinch his cheek affectionately but he swats my hand away.
"No, I am not. It's just… it's… hot in this giant room full of flashing lights and dancing meat bags." He insists.
"Uh huh. Sure it is." As Zim continues trying to come up with an excuse, I remember signs pointing towards the balcony and get an idea.
"Hey, you wanna take a break and get some air? There's a balcony upstairs we could go to."
"Yes, Zim could go for a break."
"Alright, let's get out of here for a bit." I say, making our way up the steps and out. Once we reach the balcony, I take a deep breath, enjoying the slight chill in the air and the privacy of having some space to ourselves. I lean against the railing and look down at the expansive decorated lawn below us. "It's nice being up here away from the noise of the party."
Zim leans beside me. "You just wanted an excuse to stare at the moon."
"How dare you accuse me of such a thing." I can't help but laugh, tilting my head to look upwards. "But… alright, you got me."
Zim looks up at the night sky as well, the music muffled downstairs. I study his profile in the soft glow of the moonlight, taking in the features I've grown so familiar with over the years. I reach out and gently thread my fingers through Zim's, enjoying the comfortable silence between us.
"This is the calm before the storm, isn't it..?" I ask, turning back to the sky and thinking about Zim's decision to return to Irk and confront the Tallests.
Zims reply is firm and immediate "Don't think about that right now."
I nod, reluctantly forcing the thought aside and sighing. "You're right. I just can't help but worry about what's to come."
"What's to come is exactly as planned. Zim isn't worried. Therefore, you shouldn't be either." he replies confidently.
I do my best to allow Zim's unwaveringly confident attitude to rub off on me. "Alright, alright. I'll try not to worry too much." My expression turns teasing as I lean against him. "But I still have every right to worry about you, you know. You tend to get into trouble pretty often."
Zim scoffs. "Obviously. Look who I'm engaged to."
"Hey, don't even start with that. You're just as reckless as I am, if not more so."
Zim shrugs. "If you say so."
I roll my eyes, a smile still tugging at the corners of my lips. "Oh, I say so alright. I've seen all of the stunts you've pulled over the years. I've got my fair share of gray hairs because of you."
"I'm well acquainted with the fuzz on top of your head and none of it is colored gray." Zim replies haughtily.
I reach up to pat my head, pretending to check for gray hairs. "Alright fine, maybe not quite yet. But give it a few more years of dealing with you and I'll be completely gray."
Just then, the glass door slides open and I turn to see who has come out onto the balcony with us.
"I told you they'd be up here." Gaz says to Tak, shutting the door behind them.
"To what do we owe the pleasure?" I ask them.
"You both know better than to run off like that." Tak replies and Gaz rolls her eyes, pulling out a chair and sitting down.
I raise an eyebrow at Tak's lecturing tone. "Hey, we were just getting some fresh air. We haven't exactly been hiding."
"Yes but you should have let me know where you'd be." Tak insists.
Zim sighs "It was ten minutes, maximum. You're such a lapdog for Skoodge."
"We're fine, Tak. Really." I turn to Gaz, trying to change the subject. "So... how's the party going down there? Still crowded and loud, I assume."
"Oh yeah it's still… a lot." Gaz replies. "What happened to your girlfriend?" She asks Tak.
"I don't know what you're talking about." Tak shrugs.
I raise an eyebrow doubtfully at her denial.
"Oh, come on. The girl you were dancing with earlier. She was all over you, and now she's gone. You expect me to believe you have no idea where she went?" Gaz continues and Tak huffs.
"Fine. She offered to retrieve us drinks and I accepted."
Zim blinks. "So… she's looking for you right now, then?"
"Probably." Tak shrugs again.
"Great. Now you've got some random girl wandering around the party, trying to find you." I shake my head. "You didn't think to get her name, did you?"
Tak is about to reply but Gaz interjects.
"it's Tia. Her name is Tia."
I nod. "Alright, so her name is Tia. Hopefully she won't wander around too long searching for-."
Just as I finish speaking, the glass door clicks open again, and Tia's cheerful voice cuts through the air.
"Tak! There you are! I was looking for you everywhere."
Tak groans but Tia remains oblivious and I stifle a smile exchanging a glance with Gaz, both of us silently amused by the situation. Tia makes her way over to Tak, her bright smile not faltering despite the fact that Tak didn't exactly seem thrilled to see her. She hands her a champagne flute.
"I got you that drink you wanted." She says, her gaze flickering between Tak and Gaz before finally settling on Zim and I.
"Oh, hello there." She says politely, clearly noticing us for the first time.
"We already met." Zim says back. Tia's eyes widen in realization, her smile faltering for a moment before quickly returning.
"Oh, right. I remember now. Um… sorry about that." She turns her attention to Tak, her gaze softening. "I didn't realize you were hanging out with your… friends."
I remain silent, watching the interaction unfold, while Gaz observes from her seat, her usual bored expression fixed on her face. I'd be trying much harder to break the ice but admittedly, I've done more than enough buffering and mediation for the night. The silence stretches for a beat longer before Tia speaks up again.
"Um, if I may ask... why are you all up here instead of joining the party downstairs?"
Everyone speaks at once trying to offer some kind of excuse.
"Too many humans in one room." Zim replies.
"I'm ready to go to bed." Gaz shrugs
"I just needed some fresh air" I say back.
Tia blinks, clearly taken aback by the barrage of responses and Tak's silence. "Oh… um, I see." She gazes at us uncertainly, her cheeks tinted pink as it seems she realizes she might be intruding. "Sorry, I didn't mean to bother you all. I just..." She trails off, her gaze shifting to Tak and lingering there.
Gaz suddenly perks up, obviously feigning enthusiasm as she stands. "No apology necessary. She's all yours." she says to Tia, shoving Tak her way.
Tak stumbles slightly. "Wha-Gaz, what are you doing?"
Tia catches Tak's arm, steadying her with a nervous laugh.
"It's almost midnight! We should head inside for the countdown." Gaz replies, ushering both Tia and Tak back through the balcony doors.
As the door closes behind them, Zim and I are left alone on the balcony once again, with the muffled music and laughter still faintly audible from inside.
I turn to Zim, bemused. "Well, that was certainly something."
Zim stifles a chuckle, clearly amused by Tak's predicament. "I can't say I feel bad for her. She's always so uptight. It's about time someone knocked her ego down a few notches."
I nudge him gently, "You're one to talk, Mr. Arrogant."
"Should we also go back inside for this 'countdown'?" Zim asks
I ponder the question for a moment, then shake my head. "Nah. I think we've had enough socializing for one night. Besides, I kinda like it up here." I lean against the railing again, taking in the peaceful night atmosphere.
"Zim finally understands what you mean when you complain about your social battery."
I laugh softly, nodding in agreement. "Yep, exactly. Extroverted activities like these tend to drain my social battery real quick. I'm an introvert at heart."
I turn to Zim, a teasing smile on my face. "But I bet you thrive in these environments, don't you? You're never afraid to cause a scene."
"It's… a very nuanced situation…" Zim replies. "Being surrounded by humans is… unsettling for me… but… being surrounded by Irkens… also isn't ideal given my experiences… so no… I would say Zim does not enjoy crowds…"
"Ah, I see. It's a lose-lose situation for you either way." I rest my head on his shoulder. "Well, lucky for us, we have this balcony all to ourselves then." As we stand there in comfortable silence, I glance down at my communicator at the time, suddenly remember something.
"Hey, Zim. It's almost midnight. There's um… well it's… You know what people usually… do on New Year's Eve, right?" I start stuttering the words out as I can hear people downstairs counting down, my heart thumping with every second.
Zim continues watching me sputter and I think he's just enjoying seeing me get worked up as usual. I take a deep breath, trying to compose myself as the countdown continues to echo from the party.
"I mean… it's a New Year's tradition, you know? But if you aren't comfortable with it, that's completely fine. I just-"
The countdown reaches one, interrupting my nervous rambling as we can hear the sound of party favors being blown, fireworks exploding, and people screaming. Zim pulls me by my tie, bringing our lips together the same moment the fireworks begin to light up the sky. I gasp in surprise but quickly melt into him, my heart racing at the sudden gesture. The fireworks continue to explode overhead, the vibrant colors casting a flickering glow on our faces as we remain locked in our own personal bliss. It's a moment suspended in time, filled with tenderness and love.
We part momentarily and I finally find some words. "So you let me try to explain it to you even though you already knew."
Zim grins sharply, still gripping my tie.
"And YOU brought in the new earth year Dib-ranting" He chides.
A mixture of embarrassment and amusement washes over me. "I-I… well, you caught me there." I let out a small huff, trying to regain even half of my composure. "Alright, fine. So maybe I was rambling excessively. I just thought you might not want to-"
My attempt at a rebuttal is cut off again as another set of explosions paint the sky. We look over the balcony at the fireworks and the crown watching out on the lawn.
"Does this mean we can go home now?" Zim asks, a hint of exhaustion in his voice.
I cast a final look at the festivities below before nodding in agreement. "Yeah, I think we've had enough fun for one night. Let's find Gaz and dad, say good night, wrap up some cake, load up the car and then we can all head home." I gently take Zim's hand and squeeze it, feeling a sense of relief at the thought of retiring to the quiet comfort of our own home.