Zim's laughter, loudly cascading around him, was like a bitter slap in the face. Did Zim really think he wanted to be here? Asking his mortal enemy for help? Finally he stopped.

"That's a good one. Help you? Why should I help you?"

Dib's prick of embarrassment quickly flashed to anger. "Hey, I helped you when we were transforming into giant bolognas!"

"You're making it up!"

"Look! It's my sister! She's—"

"Forget it, Dib. Gnomes! Away with him!" Dib struggled to no use as the disguised robots dragged him back up the walk way. He wasn't allowed to be surprised by this.

"I'm going to destroy you all, Dib. Today. I've got it all set up," Zim said.

"Uh-huh. That's nice, Zim." Dib added more to himself, "can't be worse than what my sister's gonna do."

"I've loaded GIR full of explosive monkeys and I'm about to—"

"That's great, Zim. Maybe you can tell me about it later. I gotta go."

Dib really shouldn't keep his sister waiting. He turned to walk back to the Membrane labs, barely listening to Zim's crazy robot. "I got monkeys in me!"

"Fool! Be gone with you!" Zim came back inside wondering what could have possibly brought Dib to his doorstep. What could have possibly been so horrific it would lead Dib to pass up listening to one of his ingenious plans? He almost felt insulted.

"Stupid human!" Then it hit him. Dib had once been so untrusting when he needed to use his telescope. Nevermind when they were transforming into giant bolognas. They both needed a cure then. But Dib full of his human ignorance couldn't understand that confirming the planet jackers' presence meant the fate of his entire precious planet!

"Dib! Wait, Dib!" Zim ran down the sidewalk a quarter of a block to catch up with the dirt-child. "I want to take you up on your offer."

"My offer?" Dib raised an eyebrow.

"Yes, yes! Whatever it is you humans call it. A favour?"

They were the only two in the entire city with worthy enough technology to keep up with their constant battles and constant inconveniences. Zim had needed his telescope, his labs, and chances were he'd need them again. He would never fall into the filthy human's debt. But having Dib in his debt... this made Zim feel like he had a definite power over Dib. Like the threat of ending up on an alien autopsy table was obsolete.

"What kind of favour?" cautioned Dib.

"You know, you'll owe me something later as I see fit."

Dib hesitated. Owing Zim? It did not sound in the least bit pleasing. In fact it could be dangerous. What would Zim have him do? His mind wandered to what would await him if he couldn't help Gaz. He gave a sigh of finality, held out his hand, and took Zim's gloved one.

"Deal."

"Yes! Victory!" The maniacal laughter began again. Dib rolled his eyes and began the short walk back to the Irken's base.

"Don't touch anything!" Zim repeated. He was now pacing in the living room after listening to the necessary details. He did not dare to let his enemy any further inside.

Dib waited patiently. He rocked back and forth on his feet, trying to look as innocent as possible. Daringly he sat on the couch.

"Computer! Run a search for finding the Shadowhog!" Zim casually sat next to Dib, who quickly looked away.

Dib felt safe. There. Next to Zim on the couch. Here he was safe from the wrath of his sister, and he was convinced Zim's computer would find the solution to lift the curse in a matter of minutes.

Dib leaned back from his tense position as he made himself feel more at home, his back actually resting on the couch.

He even felt safe from Zim. He was in his debt. Zim would never let anything happen to him without harvesting that precious jewel first. And Zim, Dib was convinced, would never actually harvest that gem always certain a better use for it would pop up in the future.

"What do you look so smug about?" Zim jeered.

"What? Nothing."

Dib looked way too comfortable, and it was starting to annoy Zim.

This is so natural, Dib thought. Zim and Dib. Dib and Zim. Sitting next to each other on that couch. No ulterior motives. Nothing tense hanging in the air between them.

How much easier it would be to actually have moments like these! If they were to be allies— dare he think it? Maybe even friends. Dib would have someone to talk to, other than his apathetic sister. Zim would— well Zim would have more resources. More equipment... someone to tell him everything he could possibly want to know about the Earth. Everything he didn't know he wanted to know. So what? He'd have one less person to destroy? One person who instead could actually help him... give him the things Irkens weren't supposed to need.

Suddenly Dib felt balmy. It all made so much sense. Why couldn't Zim see it? His insides pounded for him to say something. Something simple. "Isn't this nice?" That's all he'd have to say, yet he could not bring himself to say it. Did he over-analyse the ability to talk altogether?

"Zim."

It was barely above a whisper, his voice hinted with a croak.

Zim's antenna, beneath his wig, pricked at the soft sound of his name. Dib was leaning forward now. His elbows rested on his knees, his head lowered.

He had to say it. Had to say something. He could not believe it. He parted his lips, and finding his voice to work again...

"Don't we work better when we work together."

Zim sprang from the couch as if he had been sitting on hot coals.

Dib looked up. Unfazed. His amber eyes riddled with such longing and desperation.

They were interrupted by the sound of a printer. Zim hurried to the other side of the room. He ripped paper out of the base's shoot from under a table. "There's a place called Mystical Hill on the outskirts of town." Zim said, his voice curt.

"Zim—" whispered Dib.

"You'll need to find another spelldrive." He shoved the papers onto Dib who had made his way towards the centre of the room.

They held eyes only for a moment, but Dib could see the rage quickly filling Zim. He almost ran to the door, knowing to leave before he would be prompted. The door was shut hard with such a finalizing click it reverberated through Dib's mind.

How could he be so stupid? If only the computer had been a second faster. If only he had hesitated for half a second longer. Was Zim's reaction really only for those simple words? Those undeniable simple words?

Dib's computer informed him of a call from the Swollen Eyeball, and he was snapped back into reality. He'd leave those thoughts for another day. Travelling away from Zim's base he'd take this call, and find that his secret society would have the spelldrive needed to take the curse off of his sister.

Thanks for reading! This is my fourth written, second published fan fiction. It has less hints of ZaDr than I wanted, but I kept it in the description because of the whole "give him the things Irkens weren't supposed to need" thing. It could mean friendship. It could mean something bigger. I just MIGHT make this a two-shot, and show what Zim was thinking through all this. I don't own the characters. Reviews are welcome!