As Long As I've Got You

Bullies

The next day at skool was like all the rest, Dib walked to his locker, knowing it was his by the notes taped to it, and opened it up. He took what he needed for the first class and slammed it shut, revealing Torque leaning up against the locker next to his. The first few times he'd done this, Dib was taken aback, but by now he was used to it. "Hey, what's up crazy?" Said Torque. Some girls walking by giggled. It wasn't even very funny. Torque's insulting abilities didn't matter though, it was all in the muscle. Dib had the bruises to prove it. "Let's get this over with." Said Dib with a sigh. "You know, I liked it better when you put up a fight. Ah well. Beating you up is beating you up, and it's pretty fun either way." Said Torque. Dib had long since learned that fighting back was useless and would only get him more injury than otherwise. So he just let it happen. It felt so wrong, letting Torque hurt him, but what else could he do? Nothing. Zim however, thought he needed to do something. Torque threw a punch to Dib's face, but when the punch struck, it wasn't on Dib's face. Zim had rushed in and taken the hit for him. The crowd that gathered to watch gasped at Zim's sudden act of bravery. Plus, no one had ever seen Zim do anything for anyone else, especially Dib of all people. Zim stumbled back and Dib caught him, holding him as if they'd just done the trust fall. Zim pulled himself free and stood up. Despite the pink blood leaking from his lower lip, he spoke with extreme confidence. "Nobody hurts Dib except me! If you want to hurt him, you'll have to go through me first!" Torque raised an eyebrow. "Is that so? And what makes you think you can protect him?" Zim was quite the scrawny teenager, and from him a death threat meant little. At least for those who didn't know what he was capable of. Zim ran up to torque, accepting the challenge, and threw a punch to his face. Torque stumbled back, his nose heavily spewing blood. Zim swung his leg out and hit Torque in the stomach. Torque fell on his bottom and his little posse swarmed him to pull his off his feet. Torque scowled at Zim as he got to his feet. He spit some blood from his mouth, and it landed on Zim's shoe. Torque turned and walked away. And it was that day that the skool learned never to mess with Zim, nor Dib, because you're sure to get one hell of a beating. Dib stood astounded behind Zim. No one had ever stood up for him, much less take a beating for him. "Zim... I... Wow." He said, failing to say more. "Speak wooooooords from your breathing hole." Said Zim. "I- thank you." Zim took surprise to Dib's gratitude. "It was nothing." Said Zim, waving his hand. "Was to something! Your lip is bleeding!" Protested Dib. "Mm? Oh yes, so it is." Said Zim, prodding at his lip. "Come here, stupid." Said Dib, pulling Zim by his arm to the bathroom. A couple girls nearby went "Oooh!" "Perverts." Mumbled Dub under his breath as he blushed. Zim looked to the girls and to blushed, knowing by now what they meant. Zim had become considerably smart over the years, both about the planet and just in general. Once inside Dib took some toilet paper from one of the stalls and began to run it under water. He pulled it up to Zim and it was dangerously close to his face before Zim pushed him away. "What are you doing?" He exclaimed. Man, this probably sounded bad to anyone outside. "Just cleaning your lip." And that probably made it sound worse. "With that? You know water burns me!" Said Zim. "Oh, right. I hope the blood hasn't dried yet then, or we won't be able to clean it now." Said Dib as he retrieved a dry piece of toilet paper. He padded at Zim's face as Zim squirmed about. Unfortunately the blood was a bit dry by now, and Dib couldn't manage to get it all off. Dib frowned. "Wait... I have one more idea..." Dib spit on the toilet paper and brought it up to Zim's face. Zim squirmed a bit before realizing that the spit didn't burn and allowed Dib to clean the blood off his face. Once he finished, Zim spit on the floor. "Ew! You got your filthy spit in my mouth." "Zim! You do realize this conversation is so misleading to anyone that's listening, right?" Said Dib. "I- oh... OH!" Said Zim, realizing what it sounded like they were doing. Dib facepalmed. "Uuuuuuugh do I have to go out there?" "No." "It was a rhetorical question- wait what?" Said Dib, removing his face from his hand. "We could skip." Said Zim, shrugging. "Are you sure? Cause the teachers might get mad-" Zim cut Dib off. "Oh please. These filthy humans don't care about anything. Some civilization you've got here." Said Zim, waving his hand. "That's true. But how do we get out without leaving the bathroom?" Said Dib. Zim pointed to the air vent. "I can't fit through there! Besides, that's a lot of hassle just to leave without being seen." Said Dib. "Fine. We'll just wait for skool to end." Said Zim, crossing his arms. "Oooooor we could just wait for the bell to ring, cause I doubt anyone will still be in the hallways." Said Dib. "Mm fine. But next time we use my plan." Said Zim. "Ok, whatever you say." Said Dib, rolling his eyes. "Yes! Obey me!" Said Zim. He climbed on top of one of the dirty sinks to seem taller. Dib took him under the shoulders and brought him back down. "Wow, you're light!" Said Dib, placing a struggling Zim on the ground. "Hey! Just cause I'm small doesn't mean you can treat me like a pet!" Said Zim. The bell rang from outside. "Oh yes I can. Later tater." Said Dib, walking out of the bathroom. A second later he walked back in. "I forgot my backpack." He said, picking it up off the floor. "Later invader." He said, hand on the door. "I'm not an invader." Dib stopped in his tracks. "You're not?" He said turning back. "Nope. I never was. It was all a lie. So, I won't be trying to take over the world anymore." Said Zim, plain and simple. "Oh. I- I'm sorry about that." Said Dib awkwardly. "It's ok. Not your fault. Besides, I'm still amazing without a mission. And... It's kinda nice to be able to live freely. Sorta." Said Zim. "Sorta? What do you mean?" Said Dib, turning completely. "None of your business. You humans, always sticking your filthy noses in other's lives." Said Zim, though he sounded a bit choked up. "Zim, I can't help you unless you tell me." Said Dib. "I don't need your help." Said Zim stubbornly as he turned away. "Why do you want to help me anyway?" Dib sighed. It would have been ok to tell him, right? Zim wasn't trying to take over the world now, and they shared the same feelings, so why not? He minus well admit it. "Zim, I really want you to be ok. I- I like you. Like, like like. As in, love like." Said Dib. Zim turned, his eyes wide. "You- you do?" Dib nodded. " I never... I never thought you'd share those feelings..." Whispered Zim. "Well... I do." Said Dib, awkwardly rubbing his arm. "And... I guess... We can..." Zim said slowly. "Do this?" Dib pulled Zim in and kissed him. Right then. In that moment Dib didn't even care that Zim was a guy. He always knew he was gay actually. He once liked Torque before he started being a bully. They pulled apart and Zim rested his head on Dib's chest, still hugging him. "Yeah. That." He said. "Are we going to go, then?" Said Dib. Zim let go. "Yeah. Let's go."