How long does it take to realize that what you are doing literally means nothing to anyone but you? A week? A minute after you started? I think it took me at least…15 years; a long time, right? Haha, yeah. I guess realizing I was the only one who recognized aliens were real and among us should have been a hint. I thought I could at least open someone's eyes, just once, to what was going on around them. I guess the only important thing is I have followed my dreams and have made a fortune doing so.
"Son, has the organ re-grown?" I snap out of my thoughts at the sound of my dad's voice, I must have been staring off into space again.
"It has re-grown fully, and seems to be sentient." The said organ was trying to slowly climb the walls of its case in a futile attempt to escape. Silly organ, there is no escape here.
"Interesting…maybe if we gave it another dose of liquid uranium and a smaller dose of citric acid it could even grow into another being!" My father's voice is excited and forward; he loves his "real" science so much. I guess I do too, sometimes.
"I think I will take my lunch now, I'll come back with a new organ to begin the test again." I write down a few notes on the moving organ, and then begin to strip of my lab attire.
"Very well son, you are still growing! It is important to keep up your strength when you are dealing with real science!" I nod and walk out of the lab.
The facility we work in together takes up a large portion of downtown, it is made up of testing facilities, TV studios, office space, and even living quarters. Tourists come from all over to see the great MembraneTower. I work here every day with my dad, I disproved and proved some paranormal happenings, but for the most part I work with my father to improve the world we live in today. Fun.
"Dib! Dib! Dib!"
"What's it like to be so rich?"
"Who are you seeing now? Dib!"
Maybe I shouldn't have left for lunch…I should have know the media would be here to barrage me with questions. I smile and tell them I'm just out to lunch and can't be too long.
Thankfully I am tall and can quickly outrun them with long strides. I walk around the building into the parking garage, I nod to a man leaning against a fancy black sports car while I get into a pretty average car. I follow the man out of the garage, he turns left and I turn right. As usual the media follows him while I'm left to drive on my own without any bothers…or stalkers.
My car speeds down the street, I head towards my home outside of the city into a suburb and away from my fans. Well, this is my second home, I don't really own it; but I live in it. This is the place where I stop being a celebrity and start being a husband and a dad. A family my father would rather not know about, a family I don't like anyone to think about or even know about. My first home is in the heart of the city, a girl I pay to look like my girlfriend lives there comfortably, I visit on the weekends and tell her friends I usually end up sleeping at the office. That isn't my home at all, that is a lie everyone is happy to know about.
I pull up to my happy home, a simple split level home, it is an odd light green with blue trim. Inside is my family, I love coming home and seeing my kids and hugging them. I shut off the car, with a happy sigh I get out slamming the door shut, I walk up to the front door and unlock it. Almost instantly after opening the door do my kids latch onto my legs and greet me with their happy laughter and questions about my day at work so far. I laugh and struggle to walk through my living room, I smile and look around.
"Where's mommy?" Their faces light up at the mention of mom and redirect me to the basement. I peel off my kids and hug them and tell them to go play upstairs. They comply and chase each other to their rooms. I hope they never change…they will, but I hope they stay cute and happy for a little while longer.
"You down here?" I poke my head through the door way leading down to the basement; I hear grunts and angry murmurs, must be doing laundry. I walk down the stairs to see my spouse wearing a hazmat suit, wet laundry strung around the room, and bubbles coating the floor.
"What happened?!" I make my way through the bubbles towards the hazmat suit; it's hard not to laugh at the situation.
"What happened is that this piece of human technology is a complete failure, stupid baby technology!" Zim's green face turns a dark color with frustration; I smile gently and take the wet laundry from his hands.
"I'll take care of this, haha, what did you do?" I hang up the wet clothes, behind me Zim begins taking off the hazmat suit, he's careful to not step in any puddles or stand under any dripping clothes.
"I put the soap in, and then the small ones started goofing around upstairs, then I put the soap in, and then ran the 'machine'." Zim immediately recognized his mistake, with a scowl he stared at me.
"Don't say anything…I swear on Irk, if you say anything." My face began to turn red and holding my laugh was difficult. The more intently he stared the funnier it became. He saw me struggling and stomped towards me, I leaned away form his face but it was no use. I cracked up, laughing so hard I had to lean against the broken washer still spewing bubbles.
"Laugh now, Dib-worm, but just wait until later. I will surely have my revenge." I regained my composure and apologized, I pulled him into my arms for a gentle hug. I tower over Zim; he only stands at five feet while I am six foot two. To be honest, Zim may be taller than even his tallest, but we don't talk about them anymore.
"Aw, it's okay Zim. I just came by for lunch, check up on you." I kissed the top of his head. He still wore his disguise, but now it was slightly modified. His uniform was replaced with a simple pink t-shirt of the same color as his uniform, he kept his black jeans and tall boots, but now his gloves went up to his elbow. I guess I hadn't changed much either, at work I look exactly like my dad, but outside I usually just wear blue or black t-shirts with the same pants as Zim. I could never get rid of my boots, so helpful in the lab and in the woods, I usually only wear my trench coat when I go out or on the weekends.
Zim has been put in charge of the kids most of the time, so he dresses them. Obviously we didn't birth them, but adopted instead. It was odd for Zim at first, but he quickly adjusted to being 'mom' and began having lots of fun dressing them every morning. He dresses them for school in similar uniforms to his Irken uniform, but now that it is summer he has picked simple dresses for our daughter Miz and a combination of striped shirts and kaki shorts for our son Bid. They both have bright pink eyes, but Miz has curly black hair while Bid has short brown hair. They may not look much like both of us, but they are so loving and adorable. It's cute to watch them play with Zim, he hates to be called mommy but his temperament softens with the kids and they could call him anything and he wouldn't care. Unfortunately that grace does not extend to me, he playfully hits me when I call him 'mommy' or 'love muffin.' His reactions always make me laugh, but he is still stubborn and has to do extra research to understand most of his children's needs. Which is fine, I have to do the same…but we make it work. Like all new parents we are still learning everyday.
"What do you want for lunch then?" Zim tugged at my arm to lead me back upstairs away from the wet mess of the washing machine.
"Have you made anything for the kids?" We walk into the kitchen that is just to the left of the basement stair way, papers of drawings and small toys cover the table and parts of the counters.
"We had sandwiches and waffles not too long ago; I think there might be some left?" Zim left me to peer into the microwave for leftovers; he smiled and pulled out a plate with four waffles. I sat on a bar stool and cleared a space on the counter for my plate. Zim brought me the food and I quickly began to eat, I had caught a glimpse of my watch and saw that it was almost time for me to get back to work and I still had to grab that extra organ.
"Slow down, you'll choke on your food. Stupid huuman…" Zim leaned against the counter and watched me, he had something on his mind but he didn't say anything.
"Something you want to talk about?" I finished my food and walked my plate to the sink. Zim sighed and took my seat for himself.
"Why do you keep your family a secret?" My breath caught in my throat. I turn to him and his face is a rock, no emotion and no movement.
"Well…this isn't the family I know he wants me to have…he likes Miranda, and he likes my life the way I've told him it is." That was not the answer he wanted, his face turned into an angry frown. Oh geez…
"Dib, you are 27 earth years. How long are you going to wait? We've been together almost ten years, Miz and Bid are six. I don't think your lies are going to help any." Zim crossed his arms, and I frowned. I would love to tell my dad, but when I tell him he'll tell everyone. Or I could lose my job and be ignored forever. That doesn't really seem that bad, but savings only go so far, and I need work to feel like I'm accomplishing something. Zim can't work, well, won't work. So, keeping this a secret would be good for a little while longer.
"Zim, I know how old I am, and I know all the statistics. I just don't want any attention brought to us. Media can be so mean, and the last thing I want is for people to start showing up at our kids' school, or people to stalk us every where. It'd be annoying." Same excuse as always, Zim's face told me he was tired of hearing about the media. I don't want someone smart to watch me and my family and realize Zim is an alien. That would be terrible for all of us.
"Fine, Dib-worm, go on back to work and continue to lie. We will be here, doing private things, in our private home, privately away from everyone else. Are you going to be home this weekend?" Zim practically growled at me, as he talked he had moved to me and stared up at me with a hard frown.
"N-no, I won't…I have some events to go to…" I swallowed hard, though Zim and I had a mutual relationship, it didn't stop him from hurting me when he got angry. After years of fighting as kids I'm pretty use to his claws on my skin, but as the attacks become less frequent they begin to hurt more and more.
"Have fun with Mearanda." He spit out her name with his odd accent, and then let out a low growl from his throat. Zim is very unhappy.
"I'll go say bye to the kids; I'll be home at five thirty." I scooted to the side and walked briskly upstairs where I could hear Miz and Bid laughing. Though I didn't turn around, I knew Zim was staring me down. I know for a fact that Zim hates sharing anything of his with anyone, and unfortunately that makes him to be the most jealous person…alien…being I have ever met.
After saying goodbye to the kids I walk out of the house with my head down and duck into my car quickly, hopefully Zim isn't standing-Oh geez…he is staring at me through the living room window. As long as I don't make eye contact it's okay…I'll back out and be okay.
This story is a bit rough, I hope that you will enjoy it and give me feedback to better improve my writing and the story itself. Um...well, it's fanfiction...um, ZaDr stuff...I guess Miranda will be an OC (?) but she isn't really...mm...she isn't a character that I want to keep for too long or whatever. This story is a little odd, I suppose, but just stick around for more updates and we can get through this together! :D