As Long As I've Got You

*Insert Chapter Name Here*

The next day at skool was unlike any Dib had ever endured through. Today was devoid of yelling at Zim about how he was going to stop him or sitting alone at the lunch table or even being called crazy. In fact, nobody spoke to Dib other than Zim. People were suspecting something from the... Incident... The day before. Not to mention how both had disappeared after that. To add to it, they were scared half to death of Zim now. Not that any of it mattered to Dib. Dib had one class with Zim, and that was art. Dib wasn't a very good artist and Zim never really did anything in that class anyway, so it didn't matter if he was a good artist or not. Except for today. There was a competition for who could make the best posters for the upcoming skool dance and the award was 500 monies. Funny how the skool had enough monies to pay kids to do their dirty work but not enough to buy decent cafeteria food. Oh well. Dib urged Zim to do it with him, since you could partner up with another. At first Zim had disagreed until Dib told him they would split the monies and Zim could buy pounds of sugary foods. They sat down to work, pencils in hand and paper set on the tables. "So, we want to make it so that people will want to come." Said Dib. "So we offer them free gold legs?" Said Zim. "Wha- no! We can't make a promise we can't keep!" Said Dib. "Well why not?" Said Zim. "Cause... That's just not good!" Said Dib. "Good..." Zim repeated, remembering the conversation he'd had the day before. Dib slowly nodded. "Mm hm..." "Alright fine." Said Zim. He gave up a bit too easily for Dib's comfort, but oh well. "No, we just have to make the picture look apealing. That'll be difficult though, considering my drawing abilities..." Said Dib. "Ha. The Dib is awful at everything." Said Zim. "I am not!" Protested Dib. "Are too!" Argued Zim. "Oh yeah? Then why do you like me?" Said Dib. Zim's smile dropped. "Shut up." He said. "Wha- why?" Said Dib. "I said shut up!" Said Zim. "Not until you tell me why!" Said Dib defiantly. "Because I'm not supposed to 'like' anybody! Very few of us have relationships or any type of emotional attachment to any living being and it's considered shameful and weak to have any attachments. Are you happy now?" Said Zim, eyes shining with tears that threatened to escape despite his obvious anger. Zim turned his head to the table and let the hair of his wig sweep over his eyes. "Oh." Was the first thing Dib managed to squeeze out of his mouth. He placed his hand in Zim's head and pet it. "I don't think you're weak, if that's any consolation. You were always a formidable foe, in my eyes." Said Dib in attempts to comfort the small irken. Zim flopped over and leaned on Dib's shoulder. "I know I'm not weak. It's just not fun to be an outcast." Said Zim, his voice shaky. He pulled away and tried to subtly while away the tears. "I know what you mean." Mumbled Dib. "You? An outcast? You're a hero to these people!" Said Zim. "You really don't pay any attention do you?" Said Dib. Zim growled. "These people don't know that I even saved them! They don't care! Didn't you see Torque beating me up in the hallways? They hate me. Nobody really likes me, they call me crazy, and I'm basically the only smart human on the face of the earth! Not an outcast, ha ha." Said Dib. His voice was surprisingly light and joking, like he had long since been accustomed to this fate. "Well I don't hate you." Said Zim. "And if it makes you feel any better, the tallests told me nobody liked me, but obviously they were wrong." Said Zim. "That's supposed to help how?" Said Dib. "Because just cause someone says that no one likes you doesn't mean they're right." Said Zim. To justify his point, he gave Dib a hug. "See, I like you. Once again, you were wrong and yet again, Zim was right!" Said Zim, smiling. "Alright, mighty Zim, you were right. Now can we get back to work?" Said Dib. "Yes, yes we can." Said Zim, picking up his pencil. The couple joked with each other as they "worked" for the rest of the period, although there was very little work being done, and more of the joking part. Dib did however, discover that Zim was one of the best artists he'd ever seen, showing Dib up with his amazing sketches. Zim of course, took this as another opportunity to laugh in Dib's face. Not that Dib minded any more. They exited the class and parted ways for their next ones, none of which they had with each other. There were two periods left in the day, and both were very uneventful for both the boys, other than the usual rambling of the teachers, none of which made any sense to either of them, and then both asking either stupid or reasonable questions about what the teachers said. Everyday of their lives. After skool the majority of students climbed from the windows, and a few of the less dangerous people used the front doors. Dib was one of them, and of course Zim had to show off by jumping from the windows in a backflip and landing on his feet. "Ha! Zim has done better than you all!" Shouted Zim triumphantly. No one payed him any attention and continued to meet up with friends and walk to the buses. "Hello? ZIM DEMANDS YOUR ATTENTION!" Zim shouted, waving his arms in the air. Dib chuckled as he walked by, taking Zim by the hand. "Come on, space boy." Said Dib. They walked by the skool in each other's hands for a minute before Zim led them around to the back of the skool. "What're we doing here?" Said Dib. "You'll see." Said Zim, smirking. Dib shrugged and they came to a stop. Zim let Dib's hand go and reached into his PAK, pulling out a strange can. Upon closer inspection, Dib noticed it was a can of spray paint. Zim pushed down on the button and moved his hand slowly across the wall, pulling the can with it. When Zim finished his gloves were covered in the pink paint. "There!" He said, marveling at his work. He had written "Zim+Dib4ever" on the wall. Dib had no idea where he learned that kind of stuff, let alone English. Nevertheless he smiled and wrapped his arm around Zim, pulling his in close. "I love it." He said. "More than you love me?" Said Zim. "No way. I could never love something more than you." Said Dib. "I knew that! Zim is too loveable." Said Zim. He stood on his toes to reach Dib's mouth and planted a kiss on it. Just then Gretchen was walking by and and caught sight of the display Zim and Dib were making. "No! He was miiine!" She whined. Dib, hearing, broke the kiss and looked to Gretchen, blushing slightly. "Oh, hi Gretchen." Said Dib, well aware that Gretchen had a crush on him. "Hi Dib." Said Gretchen, sounding a little heart broken. "Go away, pig smelly! Can't you see we're busy?" Said Zim. To justify this, he planted another kiss on Dib's lips. Gretchen pulled out her phone and snapped a picture. Dib broke the kiss and looked to her again. "What was that for?" He said. "I'm posting this on Robin! Everyone will know now!" She said. And with that she was off, crying just a bit. "As if I care." Mumbled Dib under his breath. Dib turned back to the irken. "Anyway..." He began, but lacked anything else to say. "I'm going home. Come if you wish, but be warned. GIR is home." Said Zim. Dib shrugged. "I'll put up with him. How bad can he be?" He said. "Oh, you'll see." Said Zim. Zim took Dib's hand and led him to his base, both laughing and having a generally good time, like the one they never thought they'd ever have.