The singing lizards Chapter 6, a holes fanfic

Chapter 6

It didn't take them too long to reach the mountain but it was getting later and later and they had hardly any food or water left, by helping each other up they were making progress but were doing so slowly. By now it was sunset.

"Guys! Up there, we gotta stop, it's getting darker and we won't be able to climb in the dark" X-ray yelled to his tent-mates. Just above them, there was a small cave. They all agreed and it took them less than ten minutes to climb up there.

Break .

"So" Zigzag started conversationally once they were all settled down in front of a makeshift fire eating sunflower seeds. "What do we do now?"

"Sleep? We gotta walk again tomorrow, you know" X-ray suggested with a shrug, Squid sighed got up and walked to the edge and everyone fanned out as the outside of the cave was a fairly big area. Zigzag walked over to Squid and put a hand on his shoulder but the younger boy immediately shrugged it off.

"Squid-" Zigzag tried but was interrupted.

"Zig, I'm sorry, okay? I need to figure out what's going on with me, It's just- I- You know, things are weird right now and I need to figure my brain out. I just..." He sighed and Zigzag put his hand on Squids shoulder again.

"Its okay, Squid, I know you just need time but whatever's going on in that head of yours, I'm here for you, okay? Just come to me when you're ready." Zigzag stared at him affectionately before the soft piano music began to play. Squid turned to him fully to hear what he wanted to say.

When the rain is blowing in your face

And the whole world is on your case

I could offer you a warm embrace

To make you feel my love

Strangely the words were making Squid feel happy and safe and comforted, it ignited some kind of feeling in him to hear that he was loved by Zigzag.

When the evening shadows and the stars appear

And there is no one there to dry your tears

I could hold you for a million years

To make you feel my love

It was almost making him afraid, he wasn't used to this feeling, and the way Zigzag was looking at him, no, he definitely wasn't used to that.

I know you haven't made your mind up yet

But I would never do you wrong

I've known it from the moment that we met

No doubt in my mind where you belong

I mean, he was basically confessing his love to Squid, he was terribly afraid of when the song would end, he didn't know what to say. He didn't know if he felt the same or not, he just wouldn't know what to say.

I'd go hungry; I'd go black and blue

I'd go crawling down the avenue

No there's nothing I wouldn't do

To make you feel my love

Thinking about it, Zigzag had always made him happy, they were best friends, they had told each other pretty much everything...This was making his head hurt...and maybe his heart too.

But the way Zigzag was looking at him...it felt like someone was reaching into his ribcage and squeezing his heart, hard. But it didn't hurt, it made him feel...well, he wasn't sure what.

The storms are raging on the rolling sea

And on the highway of regret

Though the winds of change are blowing wild and free

You ain't seen nothing like me yet

He still needed to figure things out, but he felt like he had realised something, his feelings for zigzag were not entirely platonic, there was something else there.

Squid gulped as he sang the last part, it was crunch time, he needed to say something.

I could make you happy, make your dreams come true

Nothing that I wouldn't do, go to the ends of the earth for you

To make you feel my love

When the song came to an end Squid still didn't know what to do or say.

His problem was fixed in matter of seconds, however, as Zigzag leant forwards without thinking and pressed his lips against Squids. Squid, also without thinking, let his eyes slide shut and pressed back, hands pressing against Zigzags chest, he could feel Zigzag winding his arms around his waist. However within seconds this moment was over as they broke apart and Squid hurried away from the space without another word, eyes cast downwards. Zigzag, left behind, slapped himself as hard as he could in the forehead. "You friggin' idiot!"

Break .

Stanley was standing alone, deep in thought, looking into the blackness of the night sky; the only light around was the few sticks of burning wood otherwise known as their pathetic excuse for a fire.

"Hey" Zero came up behind him, startling him "you okay?"

"Umm…yeah, listen Zero, remember a while ago we were having that reading lesson and you said you wanted to tell me something, what was it?" Zero's caste his eyes downwards and cleared his throat. "I, Ummm, I was gunna, Ummm..." He trailed off, he was determined to say it tonight...or so he thought until now when he began to chicken out.

"Zero." This caused Zero to lift his head up, they locked eyes for a moment, and in that moment there was a connection between the two boys in which neither of the two boys could possibly deny what they were feeling.

"Zero, I'm really confused, I thought we were getting closer and suddenly you're ignoring me. Can you just tell me what you were gunna say?" He sounded quiet. He was genuinely hurt that Zero didn't trust him. He felt like his feelings for Zero would explode out of him at any second.

"I can't" He said lowly. Stanley started to ask but was interrupted, "why n-"

"Because I can't!" It came out harsher than he had meant it to.

"Zero please-" He started desperately but he stopped when he heard the music begin to play he groaned, knowing exactly what kind of song he would be singing. He even surprised himself at the thing he blurted out next.

I THINK I LOVE YOU!

I'm sleeping
And right in the middle of a good dream
From all at once I wake up
From something that keeps knocking at my brain
Before I go insane
I hold my pillow to my head
And spring up in my bed
Screaming out the words I dread ...
"I think I love you!"

Well, Zero was shocked to say the least, of all the songs, this was NOT what he was expecting to hear. But it was good, after all, he felt the same way.

This morning, I woke up with this feeling
I didn't know how to deal with
and so I just decided to myself
I'd hide it to myself
and never talk about it
and did not go and shout it
when you walked into the room ...
"I think I love you!"

The trouble was that he was afraid; they would have to keep it secret because of everyone else, they would never let it go.

I think I love you
so what am I so afraid of?
I'm afraid that I'm not sure of
A love there is no cure for
I think I love you
isn't that what life is made of?
Though it worries me to say
I've never felt this way

At least he wasn't the only one who was afraid. He wasn't quite sure what he would say once the song was over, how did he tell him he felt the same way? He was scared as this was all new to him but this was great, he felt the same way as Stanley did.

Believe me
You really don't have to worry
I only want to make you happy
And if you say
Hey, go away, I will
But I think better still
I'd better stay around and love you
Do you think I have a case?
Let me ask you to your face
Do you think you love me?

He supposed you couldn't really plan for this type of thing; maybe he would just have to wing it.

And with that the song ended, leaving Zero standing there feeling much shyer than before, and that had already been a lot.

"Stanley" the younger started quietly "When I ran out, I sang this love song…and it was about you" Stanley raised his eyebrows.

"You mean-" Zero nodded "Oh. Ummm, this changes a lot of things, huh?" Zero nodded again before saying, "What happens now?" Stanley smiled before saying,

"How about we start with this?"

And with that Stanley leant forward and pressed his lips against Zero's. Zero wasn't too sure what to do about this so he figured it was best to let Stanley take the lead. He closed his eyes and pressed back, putting his hands on his chest, feeling Stanley wrap his arms around his waist. Stanley deepened the kiss for a moment before they both pulled away. They rested their foreheads together, grinning like fools at each other.

"Ummm...wow, okay then" Stanley started, clearing his throat.

"So..." Zero answered with, "Where does this leave us? Like together or..." He trailed off and Stanley, still smiling, said, "If you wanna be?" And Zero decided to wrap his arms around Stanley, nodding, "So we're together now..." They were too wrapped up in each other to notice someone coming round the corner, when Zigzag appeared, looking for somewhere to mope over his own stupidity, they jumped apart from each other.

"Ummm, Zigzag, this is-" Stanley tried to explain but was interrupted,

"Dude. Seriously. You should know I'm cool with this kinda thing, did you not see me singing to Squid about how 'he's my everything'?" The two boys suddenly felt sheepish.

"Ummm, right yeah, of course" Stanley said back

"But you still won't tell the others, right? I'm not sure the others feel the same way" Zigzag tried not to look too taken aback when Zero spoke, this was, after all, the most he'd ever heard him say.

"Course not" He paused, "You know, it's actually kinda nice to hear you speak" He offered them both a kind smile before disappearing.

Break .

Fin.