A/N: Hey, guys! I'm back again with another Invader Zim fanfic, centered around GIR. This hit me last night, so I wrote it this morning, unable to sleep. I hope you like it. :3
Alone
It wasn't often Gir was home alone during summer vacation, as his master had taken him with the majority of the time. But today was different. He'd gone to get groceries since they were out of the human essentials, and wouldn't be back for a bit.
So he helped himself to some television and watched it for thirty minutes. Wait… thirty minutes? it shouldn't take that long.
The tiny robot turned off the television, looking a little worried. M..maybe it was a lot of groceries. Master did forget to keep up this time.
Another thirty minutes passed, and the cyan robot began to shiver. What was this feeling? he'd never felt this way before. This day was when he was introduced to loneliness, and he didn't like it. Even if he barely liked serving his master.
Wait, where'd that thought come from? he asked himself, rubbing his temples. He loveded his master. There were times when Zim would give him treats.
Like a dog. And he was stupid.
"Ah!" he realized the thoughts were coming from his own scrambled mind, and knew there was no hiding from it. All he could do was scream, "No! no, get away!"
But I'm what you're supposed to be.
"I hated being you!" he shrieked, running around the house and into the bathroom. He found a mirror, but teary, cyan eyes weren't what he found. No. He was greeted with cold, red eyes hungry for knowledge and violence. "No!"
Stop denying it. I'm you. You're not supposed to be so stupid.
It was his duty mode voice, and the figure in the mirror was actually talking, his mouth moving along with the thought.
"You will never be me…" he clenched a fist, tempted to destroy the mirror, but master would be mad.
All he does is hold us back. Can't you see it? can't you hear my screams deep inside you?
Oh.. so that was it.
But he lied, shaking his head and still staring at his twisted reflection, "No…"
Gir, we both know you're lying. I am you, the reflection gave off a wicked grin.
"Stop!" he shouted and ran out of the bathroom, tears streaming down his face. And he ran straight into his master, almost knocking the groceries out of his claws.
"Hey!" that one word nearly chased away the thoughts. "Gir! you almost made me drop all this!"
See how mean and awful he is to you? to us? you could break free…
The little unit ignored the voice, hiccuping and looking up at his master through blurry optics. The little green alien noticed, his sour expression draining away into sympathy. "Gir?"
"M..mastah.." he warbled, sniffling. "Thoughts.. won't leave.."
Zim nodded like he understood it all, and set the bags down and patted the robot on the head. It wasn't enough.
He does not understand the pain we're in. He does not understand you, or anything. Don't bother.
The robot shook his head, beating at it. The alien caught his little arms, stopping him, and Gir stared almost blankly, tears running over, like he wasn't sure what to make of this.
Zim just about flinched, but he knelt and brought his companion into a hug. The defective SIR unit's optics widened, the tears raining down faster. He heard his master whisper that it was okay, that he was here. He wasn't the only one who had to face his thoughts alone sometimes.
And finally, the voice and its pressure faded away. Gir felt relief, and hugged back, sniffling, "Missed you…"
"Next time, you're coming with me. I'm never leaving you alone again."
Never alone again. That was something he loved to hear…
END
A/N: So... cough how was that? I tend to portray GIR as a little more competent than he usually is, and actually somewhat good, other than what Jhonen intended him to be. It also wasn't meant to be dark at first, just fluff about what he does when he's offscreen, but then I visited the tropes for IZ and his character page and my thoughts ran with it. There aren't enough Gir stories on his own anyway, let alone serious ones. So I hope you liked it, and please review! I'll see you tomorrow with Chapter Two of The Sleepwalker. Cya!