Ruby gaze behind blue contacts watched the lithe form pass from the shadows. Today he would notice him again. Today, HE would be victorious in this social struggle of broken hearts.
Black boots quietly tapped on the linoleum of the skool hall as the trembling form followed the boy that walked by. Dark black hair bounced in a side pony-tail, his bangs brushed to the side with small wisps of hair left to frame his face. Jagged teeth gently bit his serpentine tongue to hold back tears. The last thing he needed was his thick eyeliner running after he finally got it to look right. He received many odd looks, but he didn't give a damn. His short black skirt flowed gently with each step he took as he turned into their class, taking his seat.
'Stay calm, Zim. Don't lose your cool. He'll notice you today, he will. You made sure you looked perfect. Perfect for him. Absolutely perfect, no flaw to be found. He won't reject you. He won't.' That message played through his mind endlessly as his trembling claws held the pencil to take notes.
The teacher drawled on about the planets historic war of…something-or-other. He didn't care to learn about anything but the boy sitting three seats ahead of him, that scythe-like lock sitting atop his crown as usual. The rims of the boy's ears were pierced several times and, if you were looking at the front of him, his lip also dawned a piercing. The shirt he wore proudly stated "Tenacious" on the back and was a depressing blue.
The boy usually wore a trench coat, but ever since he'd left it at Zim's house that night he hasn't worn one since. At first he said he just kept forgetting, but once Dib refused Zim, it was to "detach" himself from his "childhood follies". Namely the Irken that adored him so. The boy just couldn't understand why Dib thought that way. Everything had been going fine for years between the two of them.
Half-way through his conquest of Earth, his Tallest had unplugged his enthusiasm by finally revealing the reasoning behind sending the Invader to Earth. He was simply a hairball in their throat so they sent him away. Once this information had finally leaked out to him, finally hit him full force that he would never leave Earth no matter what he accomplished, his sights refocused on his rival. He could remember the day he confessed oh-so clearly…
Dib stood there, his eyes hardened in threat, his grip tight around the baseball bat at his side. Zim, undisguised, just stood there and stared blankly. He had called Dib out, stating he had a MIGHTY message for the big-headed human.
"I love you." Zim stood there, watching Dib as the words left his own mouth, dancing off his serpentine tongue. He watched Dib's expression go from hardened hate to horrified shock to utter confusion and just laughed. "Yes, Dib. I love you. I have always loved you. I just hated you for fucking up my mission." He snorted at that. "I'm sorry. My game. As it turns out, my Tallest never meant for me to take the Earth over. Isn't that great Dib? You've one."
Black boots led the Irken face to face with Dib and, if he had a nose, theirs would be touching. Dib only stared as the Irken's voice dropped to a low husky growl.
"Are you shocked? Are you amazed? Relieved that I lost? Disappointed that our games will no longer ensue? Do you hate me now? Did you ever hate me?" Zim leaned in further so he could whisper directly in the boy's ear. "Are you going to kill me?"
Dib's eyes widened as he glanced over at Zim, the bat in his hand dropping to the pavement.
"No…" came his meek reply…
Zim could remember it as if it were yesterday. That night was spent fumbling between wanting to touch and the instinct to kill each other. It took about a month for the need to spread each other's blood all over the room to subside and they were finally free to explore each other satisfactorily.
A placated sigh escaped
his lips as he wallowed in that revere. He could still feel the
sensation of his pale skin writhing beneath his clawed tips. The loud
bell woke him from his daydream and he stared wantonly at the clock.
It was time for lunch and time for him to snatch his Dib back, no
matter the costs.
He quietly and gingerly approached the tall
boy, breathing evenly as he tried to calm his nerves. The teen was
laughing with his friends and the sight panged the Irken, but he
would ignore it for the sake of his mission. He stood behind the teen
and smiled, putting on his best female voice.
"Dib." The boy didn't recognize the voice because no harsh insults came from his mouth as he turned to smile at the small girl in front of him. That's when amber eyes recognized the green skin and a disgusted smirk came to his face.
"Well hello Zim." He leaned over to stare face to face with the Irken, inspecting every aspect of his newest disguise. It was very convincing, despite the face that the Irken still had no nose or ears and possessed green skin. "What brings you here today?" The Irken's face lit up as he realized that Dib had used his name in a non-threatening, non-insulting way. He faltered on words.
"Not a lot. I wanted to say hi." He smiled brightly, gazing up into the boy's gaze. He wasn't aware that Dib's pale fingers had reached out and grabbed a cup of water that was nearby. "So how are you?" Zim couldn't figure out a better conversation and kicked himself mentally. Finally he had the Dib's attention and that's all he could think of?
"Great, thanks. And you?" He slowly began to raise his arm over the Irken, making it seem like he was about to pull him into a tight embrace, the cup of water slowly beginning to tip.
"Fine thank you. Do you want to do anything this Saturday…?" Zim's eyes widened in pain as the cup of water was dumped on his small form and howled in pain, running from the room to find a towel or something. Tears welled up in his eyes as he heard Dib's cruel laughter. So that's how it is, Dib? That's the game you want to play…?FINE!
The Irken didn't stop running until he reached his home, throwing the disguise onto the couch and heading to his lab. If Dib wanted to play dirty, they could play dirty. He'd pull out every non-lethal trick he knew. He'd get Dib if it killed him. He cackled as he began to design a new disguise.
