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Description
          It was actually pretty quiet today.  Zak was keeping the screams down to a dull roar, the Monsters weren't acting up, and the shadows were keeping to the corners.  Nikki could relax and read his magazine in peace.

          Though he couldn't enjoy it as much as he would have liked to, given that he was reading a Cosmo.  It was something Zak had brought back for him.  The boy tried, you had to give him that much.

          He was flipping through an article about "10 Perfect Date Ideas" when Zak came up stairs from the basement.

          "Nikki!" the lanky teen called out happily.  Nikki chose not to respond and kept reading.  Zak, wanting some recognition, flopped down next to the blue haired boy and poked him.

          "What are you doing?"

          "Reading obviously."

          Zak glared at Nikki and poked him again, "I know that, I meant what are you reading?"

          Nikki let the other boy look over at the magazine in his hands.  Zak glanced at it, confused.

          "'Dates'?  Aren't those a type of fruit?"  Nikki could have slapped him.  He put the magazine down and turned toward the teen.  It seems he was going to have to explain it to him.

          "A date is...when you go out with someone you really like."  Zak looked at the former raver with a smile.

          "Could we date?"

          Nikki stared at the other boy in shock.  He couldn't be serious...could he?

          "Have you ever...been on a date?"  Zak shook his head.

          "You know dating is usually done by guys with their girlfriends, right?"

          "You said that dating is going out with someone you like.  I like you, so lets go out."

          Oh crap, Zak had him there.  What do you say to that?  Nikki opened his mouth to reject the idea but stopped when he saw the lanky teens face.  He looked so hopeful, like a puppy wanting to be taken for a ride.  You can't exactly say no to a face like that.

          "I..I guess we could-" he was so weak, "but you know that would involve you taking me outside right?"

          Zak nodded excited, and jumped up from the couch.  Grabbing Nikki by the hand, he started to drag the other boy toward the door.  Maybe, this could work to his advantage.  With some luck Nikki could get away from the raven haired psycho when they went out.  With a smile, Nikki allowed Zak to lead him out the door.  This'll be easy.

:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:

          Or not.

          Any hope Nikki had before of getting away was quashed when he discovered that Zak refused to let go of his hand.  He had a killer grip, no pun intended.  Oh well, he could at least enjoy the time he had out before he was shut up inside again.  Zak seemed to be enjoying himself.

          The lanky teen couldn't believe he had actually talked Nikki into doing this with him.  He usually never wanted to anything with him.  He would make sure they had fun today.  He opened his mouth to saying to speak, but then something caught his eye.  Something shiny.

          "Alright Zak, where do you wa-AAAH!!" Nikki yelped as he was dragged over to the display window for a video game store.  The other boys face looked as though it was glued to the glass.

          "What's that?"  Right, Nikki thought exasperated, he's never played one of these before.

          "It's called a video game.  You play it on the TV.  They're pretty fun if you're bored with nothing better to do."  He laughed a little as the lanky freak marveled at the colorful violence on the screens of the stores consoles.

          "Come on, let's-"

          "NIKKI!!!"  Both teens jumped at the shrill shout behind them.  Nikk turned to see who had called his name and blanched.  There, rushing toward them, were his friends.  The two he had been with the night Zak had snatched him from the club.  The raven haired boy looked nervous as the strangers ran over to them.

          One of them, a girl with vibrant purple hair and a ton of beads jumped on Nikki and hugged him.  The other, a guy with bone white spiked hair and glasses just smiled.

          "Where have you been?!" the girl shouted, making Nikki wince in pain, "Your parents have been calling and calling wondering where you are!"

          "Nice to see you again Nadine.  I've....uh, been staying with my friend Zak."

          Nadine looked at the two, then down at their clasped hands and grinned.

          "'Friend' huh?" She giggled and started to poke at Zak's skinny frame.  He looked frightened.  "Jojo, get a look at him!  He's so cute!"  The spiky haired one, Jojo rolled his eyes and came closer to Nikki.

          "Where'd you find this one?"  The blue haired teen flushed out of shame, knowing full well that Zak had heard his friend's comment.  He squeezed Zak's hand and tried to smile.

          "We, uh, met at the club-"

          "And you went home with him that night and never came back.  Moving a little fast aren't we, Nik?"

          The three started to talk more, about hang-outs and other friends; Zak didn't really know what was going on.  All he had wanted was a nice date with Nikki.  Was that really so much to ask for?  He tried to say something to them, but was automatically shushed by the beaded girl.

          Nikki glanced over and noticed how upset Zak looked.  It was the same look you could find on an abandoned kitten left in the rain.  A look of absolute rejection.  It broke Nikki's heart.  He had two choices: he could ditch Zak right here and leave with his friends, or he could stay with the other boy.  Sighing, he realized what had to be done.

          "I...got to go guys."  The two looked shocked.  They tried to convince him to come back home-at least to get his things-but Nikki just shook his head.  As he walked away he felt a twinge of sadness; there went his one chance to get things back to normal.  Then he felt a tug on his hand.  He looked up and saw Zak smiling at him sweetly.  Well, at least he was happy.

:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:

          That entire day had turned out to be pretty eventful.  Running into his old friends, Zak discovering video games(and kicking Nikki's butt in all of them), Zak had even stopped and got a small fry for them to share.  It was...nice.

          The two walked in the door and Zak finally released their hands.  Nikki flopped down on the couch, looking worn out, but mellow.  Zak started to fidget.

          "Hey Nikki," he asked nervously, looking down at the other boy, "what do most people do after dates?"

          The former raver hummed as he thought about it.  "Usually the couple would kiss.  Why?"  Zak said nothing.  All of a sudden the lanky teen was straddling his waist, an innocent look in his eyes.  Nikki's face burned red as the others face came closer to his.  Zak gave the other boy a quick, sweet peck on the nose and smiled at him.

          "We should do this more often."  He jumped off Nikki's lap and bid him good night before heading to the basement.  Nikki fell over and buried his face into the cushions.  He really needed to learn when to keep his mouth shut.

Description
          It was actually pretty quiet today.  Zak was keeping the screams down to a dull roar, the Monsters weren't acting up, and the shadows were keeping to the corners.  Nikki could relax and read his magazine in peace.

          Though he couldn't enjoy it as much as he would have liked to, given that he was reading a Cosmo.  It was something Zak had brought back for him.  The boy tried, you had to give him that much.

          He was flipping through an article about "10 Perfect Date Ideas" when Zak came up stairs from the basement.

          "Nikki!" the lanky teen called out happily.  Nikki chose not to respond and kept reading.  Zak, wanting some recognition, flopped down next to the blue haired boy and poked him.

          "What are you doing?"

          "Reading obviously."

          Zak glared at Nikki and poked him again, "I know that, I meant what are you reading?"

          Nikki let the other boy look over at the magazine in his hands.  Zak glanced at it, confused.

          "'Dates'?  Aren't those a type of fruit?"  Nikki could have slapped him.  He put the magazine down and turned toward the teen.  It seems he was going to have to explain it to him.

          "A date is...when you go out with someone you really like."  Zak looked at the former raver with a smile.

          "Could we date?"

          Nikki stared at the other boy in shock.  He couldn't be serious...could he?

          "Have you ever...been on a date?"  Zak shook his head.

          "You know dating is usually done by guys with their girlfriends, right?"

          "You said that dating is going out with someone you like.  I like you, so lets go out."

          Oh crap, Zak had him there.  What do you say to that?  Nikki opened his mouth to reject the idea but stopped when he saw the lanky teens face.  He looked so hopeful, like a puppy wanting to be taken for a ride.  You can't exactly say no to a face like that.

          "I..I guess we could-" he was so weak, "but you know that would involve you taking me outside right?"

          Zak nodded excited, and jumped up from the couch.  Grabbing Nikki by the hand, he started to drag the other boy toward the door.  Maybe, this could work to his advantage.  With some luck Nikki could get away from the raven haired psycho when they went out.  With a smile, Nikki allowed Zak to lead him out the door.  This'll be easy.

:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:

          Or not.

          Any hope Nikki had before of getting away was quashed when he discovered that Zak refused to let go of his hand.  He had a killer grip, no pun intended.  Oh well, he could at least enjoy the time he had out before he was shut up inside again.  Zak seemed to be enjoying himself.

          The lanky teen couldn't believe he had actually talked Nikki into doing this with him.  He usually never wanted to anything with him.  He would make sure they had fun today.  He opened his mouth to saying to speak, but then something caught his eye.  Something shiny.

          "Alright Zak, where do you wa-AAAH!!" Nikki yelped as he was dragged over to the display window for a video game store.  The other boys face looked as though it was glued to the glass.

          "What's that?"  Right, Nikki thought exasperated, he's never played one of these before.

          "It's called a video game.  You play it on the TV.  They're pretty fun if you're bored with nothing better to do."  He laughed a little as the lanky freak marveled at the colorful violence on the screens of the stores consoles.

          "Come on, let's-"

          "NIKKI!!!"  Both teens jumped at the shrill shout behind them.  Nikk turned to see who had called his name and blanched.  There, rushing toward them, were his friends.  The two he had been with the night Zak had snatched him from the club.  The raven haired boy looked nervous as the strangers ran over to them.

          One of them, a girl with vibrant purple hair and a ton of beads jumped on Nikki and hugged him.  The other, a guy with bone white spiked hair and glasses just smiled.

          "Where have you been?!" the girl shouted, making Nikki wince in pain, "Your parents have been calling and calling wondering where you are!"

          "Nice to see you again Nadine.  I've....uh, been staying with my friend Zak."

          Nadine looked at the two, then down at their clasped hands and grinned.

          "'Friend' huh?" She giggled and started to poke at Zak's skinny frame.  He looked frightened.  "Jojo, get a look at him!  He's so cute!"  The spiky haired one, Jojo rolled his eyes and came closer to Nikki.

          "Where'd you find this one?"  The blue haired teen flushed out of shame, knowing full well that Zak had heard his friend's comment.  He squeezed Zak's hand and tried to smile.

          "We, uh, met at the club-"

          "And you went home with him that night and never came back.  Moving a little fast aren't we, Nik?"

          The three started to talk more, about hang-outs and other friends; Zak didn't really know what was going on.  All he had wanted was a nice date with Nikki.  Was that really so much to ask for?  He tried to say something to them, but was automatically shushed by the beaded girl.

          Nikki glanced over and noticed how upset Zak looked.  It was the same look you could find on an abandoned kitten left in the rain.  A look of absolute rejection.  It broke Nikki's heart.  He had two choices: he could ditch Zak right here and leave with his friends, or he could stay with the other boy.  Sighing, he realized what had to be done.

          "I...got to go guys."  The two looked shocked.  They tried to convince him to come back home-at least to get his things-but Nikki just shook his head.  As he walked away he felt a twinge of sadness; there went his one chance to get things back to normal.  Then he felt a tug on his hand.  He looked up and saw Zak smiling at him sweetly.  Well, at least he was happy.

:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:

          That entire day had turned out to be pretty eventful.  Running into his old friends, Zak discovering video games(and kicking Nikki's butt in all of them), Zak had even stopped and got a small fry for them to share.  It was...nice.

          The two walked in the door and Zak finally released their hands.  Nikki flopped down on the couch, looking worn out, but mellow.  Zak started to fidget.

          "Hey Nikki," he asked nervously, looking down at the other boy, "what do most people do after dates?"

          The former raver hummed as he thought about it.  "Usually the couple would kiss.  Why?"  Zak said nothing.  All of a sudden the lanky teen was straddling his waist, an innocent look in his eyes.  Nikki's face burned red as the others face came closer to his.  Zak gave the other boy a quick, sweet peck on the nose and smiled at him.

          "We should do this more often."  He jumped off Nikki's lap and bid him good night before heading to the basement.  Nikki fell over and buried his face into the cushions.  He really needed to learn when to keep his mouth shut.