Squid was on the floor, clutching his head. The look on his face was complete surprise. It allowed vulnerability to seep into his eyes; a vulnerability that Zigzag had never seen before. It scared the hell out of him, quite frankly. He stooped and gave Squid a hand, pulling him onto his feet. Squid, recovering, made a growling noise and jumped out of Zigzag's grasp as if he were contaminated.

PRETENDFANFICTIONDOTNETLETSYOUPUTSTARSHERE

'Yeah, and what does it seem like?'

'What do you mean 'what does it seem like?' I thought there was nothing to it. A helping hand.'

'Well, maybe I felt bad because he looked so sad.'

'Well, maybe you did.'

'Why did he jump away like that? I mean...there's nothing wrong with a helping hand.'

'Sounds like to me your boyfriend is a little pissy.'

"HE'S NOT MY BOYFRIEND!!" Zigzag's internal dialogue was suddenly external. Caveman, the only other guy in the tent, raised his eyebrows but continued to read the latest letter from his mother. He was afraid to ask. Zigzag sighed, leaning forward and running his fingers through the mess that was his hair. He didn't remember dinner at all, or going back to the tent after it was over. That's what happens when you keep talking to yourself, hopefully in your head, all through the evening. He usually wasn't the type to fret over the other guys. He let them do their own thing and maybe they'd let him do his...the crazy, talking to yourself, watching a broken TV, checking the cots for wires thing. But lately his thoughts were tuned in to the 24/7 Squid Channel. "I've got to do something about this. I can't take it."

"Er...Zigzag? Are you OK buddy?" Caveman asked, sounding terrified and putting his letter in the pocket of his jump suit.

"Yeah, the channel's all mixed up," Zigzag mumbled, nodding at Caveman as if that straightened things out quite nicely.

"It happens," a voice said from the tent opening as Squid walked in, already stripping down to his boxers. Both Caveman and Zigzag looked at him, surprised. "Whatsa matter? Having a private conversation or what? Well, get a room that's not this one. I'm going to bed," he grumbled.

Caveman blushed and Zigzag wrinkled his nose. 'As if I'd be interested in Caveman.'

"What? No, we weren't having a private conversation. I was just...Well, Zigzag was just...Never mind. You get some sleep. I think I'll go check up on the pool game," Caveman exited gracelessly, half falling down the tent steps.

"Yeah, you do that," Squid agreed, rolling over in his cot to face Zigzag. "Aren't you missing your shows?"

"What? No...CSI doesn't come on this Thursday. There's a special on the Easter Bunny..."

"Ah. Gotcha," Squid seemed to have trouble deciding whether or not exactly he wanted a blanket over him or not. Eventually he settled on letting it lay across his feet. Zigzag had his doubts whether the other boy had heard his spiel about the Easter Bunny or not, but it didn't really matter. His brain was reeling again, the 24/7 Squid Channel was so much more interesting when Squid was in the vicinity. Well, most of the time. His imagination could come up with some very entertaining stuff. Not suitable for children of young ages. Parental guidance suggested. "...and then he said that it was stupid to even bother, what with Mr. Sir circling the building like a buzzard."

Zigzag nodded enthusiastically, having no idea in hell what he had just missed.

"...are you sure you're alright, man?" Squid was asking. Zig had tuned out again. Not good. It had always been trouble for him at school when he'd tuned out like that. Gave people the impression that he was plotting their demise. But surely Squid knew better. "...it's like you're not even in there half the time." Damn it. Zoning out again.

'Must not zone out. Must not zone out. Must not zone out. Must not zone out.'

And then there was skin pressed against skin. Squid has his hands on Zigzag's shoulders, peering down into the blonde's eyes. Concerned.

"Must not zone out..." Zigzag mumbled, snapping out of it at the contact of skin. All of a sudden his thoughts were gone and he was just looking back at Squid, unable to take his eyes away from the set staring back at him.

"Should I call Mom?" Squid was asking, moving his hands away. Zigzag grabbed his wrists, holding the hands in place on his shoulders. Squid jumped a little, but didn't fight his grip. "What's wrong with you?"

'Well, I can't keep myself from thinking that your eyes are the most perfect things I've ever looked at in my whole life. And that you have got to be an amazing kisser, with lips like that...and I can't believe this. Argh...' Zigzag was frozen in spot, and it seemed to be catching because Squid didn't move either. "I'm thinking about your lips."

"What?" Squid didn't jump back, didn't scream like a banshee and run out of the tent yelling about rape. He just stood there, hands still on Zigzag's shoulders, looking kissable.

"Are you alright?" Zigzag asked. Squid looked dazed for a second and let go of Zigzag, plopping down next to him on the cot.

"You're the one who's acting weird. Weirder than normal."

"When Mr. Sir shoved you. You wouldn't let me touch you. Are you alright?"

Squid looked confused for a second, and then met Zigzag's eyes again. "Is that what's freaking you out? You think I'm mad at you or something. I was..." what was it that Zigzag had said. 'I'm thinking about your lips.' Well, that summed it up. It was difficult to let someone touch you if you couldn't help but think about how the light was hitting their hair and the way their hands felt on your arms, strong, supportive...

Squid hardly cared anymore. A grin passed over his too-often-grim features and he touched Zigzag's cheek, pushing a wild strand of hair out of his face.

"I was thinking about your lips."

Zigzag smiled, moving closer to Squid and closing in the few inches between them. Their noses barely brushed as their lips met, the tough-guy act was all bled out with one meeting of their lips. No force at all in that one perfect moment. Two sets of chapped lips, working the other pair over. Perfect.

Author's Note:

I don't write slash. I never have. I've never wanted to. Those of you who have read my other stories know this (Hi again!) and those of you who haven't should be glad that you don't know this (hello!) But you try going FOUR YEARS between viewings of Holes and see if your writing evolves. This time I watched it and I couldn't stop saying, "Ahhh, sexual innuendo!" every five seconds. This is why they don't let people like me watch Disney movies. Anyway, my writing got slashy because the sexual innuendos got obvious.

Dedication:

I want to thank my lovely enabler,Forest E. Halliwell, for watching so many Disney movies with slash-y glee that she made me do the same.

Also, SquiddlyGurl, who was once as in love with Squid as I was with Zigzag. (Sorry for this, darling.)

And Ashlyn (futuremrsdepp at fictionpress), who watched the commentary of this DVD with me 600 times.

Disclaimer:

I do not own Holes. If this story looks like another one you've read before...well, OK. I've only ever read a couple of slash fics in my life and they were much cuter.