Memory Burns
folder
+G through L › Invader Zim › AU/AR-Alternate Universe-Alternate Reality
Rating:
Adult +
Chapters:
9
Views:
3,386
Reviews:
8
Recommended:
0
Currently Reading:
1
Category:
+G through L › Invader Zim › AU/AR-Alternate Universe-Alternate Reality
Rating:
Adult +
Chapters:
9
Views:
3,386
Reviews:
8
Recommended:
0
Currently Reading:
1
Disclaimer:
I do not own Invader Zim, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.
Chapter 7
A/N: Yeah, this is really late. I suck.
Gaz looked up from her diary when she heard a sharp rap at the door. The book was locked and hidden away in an instant.
"Who is it?"
"Bloaty's Pizza Delivery."
Gaz walked up to the door, not opening it, one of her eyes twitching.
"If this is a trick, I would like to inform you that I have the forces of Unending Excruciating Pain at my disposal."
"C'mon Gaz, it's me!" She opened the door and Dib was standing there in the afternoon sun, a hot Bloaty's box in his right hand. "Hey." He grinned.
"I hope you have a good reason for entering my personal space." She stood aside to let him in, taking the box as he went. She went to the kitchen to find some plates.
"Well, actually I wanted to thank you for helping me out with my arm…and…for putting up with my general douchebaggery." Gaz snorted, then returned with tableware and they sat down on the living room couch to munch.
"No different than usual. This pizza, while delicious, is unwarranted." Suddenly she flashed a sly grin. "So...how's Zim?"
"He's fine." Dib said non-chalantly. If she wanted to get a rise out of him, she'd have to do better than that.
"Things getting serious yet?" He nodded, unfazed.
"I'm moving in with him." See if she can handle THAT. Gaz's left eyebrow slowly raised.
"So you're taking it in the ass, I hear." One of Dib's eyes bulged as a hunk of bread and cheeze lodged itself too close to his windpipe.
"Ack...HURK!" He punched his chest and swallowed as the food finally found the right channel. Eyes watering, he looked at Gaz. "Jesus! Zim...TOLD you?" Gaz's grin curled evilly.
"Have more faith in your boy-toy. I was guessing." She took another bite of her pizza while Dib felt all the blood in his body rush to his face. After all these years, he still wasn’t used to her tricks. Finishing her slice with another huge bite, she slung the crust back into the box, propping up her feet (donning nail-bunny slippers) and reclining back. "I suppose I should be happy. You're in a stable, healthy relationship with your former enemy, an egomaniac green alien hell bent on conquering/destroying earth and all living things that crawl upon it. Good to know you picked a winner." Dib rolled his eyes.
"You know as well as I do he's not into that anymore." Dib chuckled. "I know it's nuts..I can't help how I feel about him. Despite my better judgment, I've come to rely on him. Maybe it is all some massive crazy plan...but I guess that's what everything is all about. Opening yourself up to vulnerabilities...trusting someone else...you could get hurt." He looked at her. "But the payoff is priceless." Gaz looked at him, eyebrow still cocked, but no retort was offered.
"Um..." Dib rubbed the back of his neck nervously, throwing away his own half-eaten slice. "Anyway, I wanted to come here, and there was actually something specific I wanted to talk about..." He turned to her, trying to look at her straight on. "Gaz." He reached out, touched her hand. "I've stopped drinking."
She took her hand away, shrugging. "You say that now."
"I mean it now. It was getting out of hand and I..." He sighed, hand-combing his hair. "I don't think I should take my life so lightly after everything that's happened. I like to think…Dad wouldn't have wanted it that way."
She was silent, as was her wont. Most of his "conversations" with her were pretty one-sided. Dib felt himself becoming flustered.
"Um…so I was also thinking we should do more things together. You know, sibling type things, for fun. I mean, I guess I want to make the most of the relationships that I have…and stuff?" He slumped a bit. Any of this getting through sis?
She still was looking away, and there was a long pause.
Then,
"It was my fault."
Dib looked at her. "What was?"
She sighed. "Dad. The reason why he didn't tell us. He was…upset with me. I told him I was no longer interested in continuing my scientific education and wanted to take up computer studies instead. He was furious."
"Gaz…" Dib reached out.
"NO!" She whirled around. "I knew he would be upset. I let him down and now I'm…I'm..."
"Being punished." Dib finished. Gaz looked up at him. After a moment, she nodded.
"You know…" Dib looked around. Suddenly everything seemed lighter. Colors were brighter. He looked outside and noticed it was a nice sunny fall day. "You're not going to believe this but…I know exactly how you feel."
Gaz looked up from her diary when she heard a sharp rap at the door. The book was locked and hidden away in an instant.
"Who is it?"
"Bloaty's Pizza Delivery."
Gaz walked up to the door, not opening it, one of her eyes twitching.
"If this is a trick, I would like to inform you that I have the forces of Unending Excruciating Pain at my disposal."
"C'mon Gaz, it's me!" She opened the door and Dib was standing there in the afternoon sun, a hot Bloaty's box in his right hand. "Hey." He grinned.
"I hope you have a good reason for entering my personal space." She stood aside to let him in, taking the box as he went. She went to the kitchen to find some plates.
"Well, actually I wanted to thank you for helping me out with my arm…and…for putting up with my general douchebaggery." Gaz snorted, then returned with tableware and they sat down on the living room couch to munch.
"No different than usual. This pizza, while delicious, is unwarranted." Suddenly she flashed a sly grin. "So...how's Zim?"
"He's fine." Dib said non-chalantly. If she wanted to get a rise out of him, she'd have to do better than that.
"Things getting serious yet?" He nodded, unfazed.
"I'm moving in with him." See if she can handle THAT. Gaz's left eyebrow slowly raised.
"So you're taking it in the ass, I hear." One of Dib's eyes bulged as a hunk of bread and cheeze lodged itself too close to his windpipe.
"Ack...HURK!" He punched his chest and swallowed as the food finally found the right channel. Eyes watering, he looked at Gaz. "Jesus! Zim...TOLD you?" Gaz's grin curled evilly.
"Have more faith in your boy-toy. I was guessing." She took another bite of her pizza while Dib felt all the blood in his body rush to his face. After all these years, he still wasn’t used to her tricks. Finishing her slice with another huge bite, she slung the crust back into the box, propping up her feet (donning nail-bunny slippers) and reclining back. "I suppose I should be happy. You're in a stable, healthy relationship with your former enemy, an egomaniac green alien hell bent on conquering/destroying earth and all living things that crawl upon it. Good to know you picked a winner." Dib rolled his eyes.
"You know as well as I do he's not into that anymore." Dib chuckled. "I know it's nuts..I can't help how I feel about him. Despite my better judgment, I've come to rely on him. Maybe it is all some massive crazy plan...but I guess that's what everything is all about. Opening yourself up to vulnerabilities...trusting someone else...you could get hurt." He looked at her. "But the payoff is priceless." Gaz looked at him, eyebrow still cocked, but no retort was offered.
"Um..." Dib rubbed the back of his neck nervously, throwing away his own half-eaten slice. "Anyway, I wanted to come here, and there was actually something specific I wanted to talk about..." He turned to her, trying to look at her straight on. "Gaz." He reached out, touched her hand. "I've stopped drinking."
She took her hand away, shrugging. "You say that now."
"I mean it now. It was getting out of hand and I..." He sighed, hand-combing his hair. "I don't think I should take my life so lightly after everything that's happened. I like to think…Dad wouldn't have wanted it that way."
She was silent, as was her wont. Most of his "conversations" with her were pretty one-sided. Dib felt himself becoming flustered.
"Um…so I was also thinking we should do more things together. You know, sibling type things, for fun. I mean, I guess I want to make the most of the relationships that I have…and stuff?" He slumped a bit. Any of this getting through sis?
She still was looking away, and there was a long pause.
Then,
"It was my fault."
Dib looked at her. "What was?"
She sighed. "Dad. The reason why he didn't tell us. He was…upset with me. I told him I was no longer interested in continuing my scientific education and wanted to take up computer studies instead. He was furious."
"Gaz…" Dib reached out.
"NO!" She whirled around. "I knew he would be upset. I let him down and now I'm…I'm..."
"Being punished." Dib finished. Gaz looked up at him. After a moment, she nodded.
"You know…" Dib looked around. Suddenly everything seemed lighter. Colors were brighter. He looked outside and noticed it was a nice sunny fall day. "You're not going to believe this but…I know exactly how you feel."