Ch. 2: First Kiss

Gaz mentally sighed as the time ticked by. She could have been anywhere but there. And she would be, if it weren't for Dib and Zim. She took out her Game Slave and started playing. Zim was starting to tap his fingers on his desk, wondering what show Gir was watching. Zim did find comfort in knowing that the house computer would keep him in track, and keep the house safe.

Dib was even starting to get bored, despite the fact that the alien he was still trying to show was inhuman to his classmates was sitting just beyond his sister. It had only been half an hour. An hour and a half still remained before they were able to leave. Gaz looked at Zim out of the corner of her eyes and started to think about something Dib had said. She waited until Dib felt it was safe enough to put his MP3 player on and let the music fill his ears.

"Why DON'T you eat anything?" Gaz asked. Zim looked at her.

"Hm?" he asked.

"I've NEVER seen you eat anything. Not a thing. What? Irkens don't eat or something?" Gaz asked. Saving her game and shutting it off.

"I eat in the morning, and then when I return home. I'm am simply not hungry durning the schoool hours," Zim said. Gaz raised an eyebrow.

"Handy," she said. Zim didn't respond. Gaz started feeling weird sitting so close to him. She squirmed a bit in her seat and held back a sigh. "Why do you always wear the pak?"

"It's useful. All Irkens wear them, all the time," Zim said.

"That's dumb."

"They hold a lot of important information!"

"So? They're so small."

"Size doesn't matter when it comes to the pak. It's very complicated technology."

"Like your base? It looked complicated, but I bet I could figure it out," Gaz said. Zim glared at her.

"Doubtful," Zim said. It was Gaz's turn to glare. She took out her ipod and listened to music until the end of the detention session. When the teacher came in and said they could go, Gaz took out her headphones and set the ipod on the desk after rolling the cord around the ipod, and left if there as she gathered her things.

She and Dib left without a word to Zim. Dib had glared at Zim as they left, and the teacher left the room as they neared. Zim sighed and looked over to where Gaz had sat. She had left her ipod.

'She left it,' Zim thought. He picked up the ipod and put it in his pack. He looked out the window, the car that always picked Dib and Gaz up that their father sent was already pulling away. Zim pondered whether Gaz would figure out he had picked it up, and then had a thought. 'Maybe I can use this to my advantage...'

It was night when Gaz headed up to her room for that night. It was only eight, but she was used to listening to the music on her ipod for two hours at least before falling asleep. When Gaz searched her pockets and then her back pack and didn't find her ipod; she realized she had left if behind. Gaz cursed and stomped down the stairs. Not even in her pjs yet.

"What's up?" Dib asked, watching Mysterious Mysteries on the flat screen in their living room.

"I forgot something at the school. I'll be back later. Tell dad where I am if he somehow makes if back before me," Gaz said. Dib agreed, like their dad would be home. He was at work, he was always at work, it seemed.

Gaz walked angrily down the streets, her feet taking her subconsciously to Zim's house. When she neared it, she noticed that it was glowing slightly like it always did. Most of the house was made up of the living room, but she had noticed when she had entered it as a child that there was also the kitchen. She knew for a fact there was more to it underground, much more. and some in the attic. She didn't quite get why Zim had chosen that design, he had crappy drawing skills, maybe. She couldn't be sure. But she did know he had her ipod. It had been wise not to tell Dib where she had really been going, he'd have freaked.

Gaz walked up to the front door. The gnomes didn't move, they didn't even turn. Was he expecting her? Probably. He may have acted like an idiot sometimes but she knew he had to be smart to run the base and use the Irken tech. Not to mention the spaceships. But then again, she could operate those too. But she was smarter than most humans. Her teachers had often suggested bumping her up a few grades, into college. Despite the fact she was still just a freshman. She had always refused. She couldn't leave Dib and Zim fighting without someone who knew them as much as she did, they'd probably destroy the city.

Gaz sighed and partially turned from the door as she inched her hand to the doorbell. She groaned as she actually creaked an eye open to see her own finger press the bell. She took it off almost immediately, hearing the dull bell ring throughout the house. She figured she should have just busted in like she used to, but she wasn't peeved enough. Her foot started tapping as she waited. Zim must have been in the deeper part of the base. Three minutes passed before the door opened. Gaz turned and saw Zim in his disguise, looking at her.

Gaz fought a blush. This was the first time she had seen him in that lighting. He looked... handsome. Gir was even in his dog outfit. Gaz glared down at him as he started to get loud, he shut up and skipped to the kitchen.

"That uniform you wear is kinda stupid," she said. It was the only thing she could think of. Gaz slapped herself in the face mentally. 'IDIOT!' she thought.

"Says the grumpy Goth," Zim said. Gaz looked up at him, she had heard some kind of happiness in his voice.

"Whatever," she said, pushing him aside. She walked four steps before she heard Zim shut the door. She turned swiftly and saw Zim leaning against it, his head bowed. Gaz held her fists to her side. Zim tilted his head just enough to look at her.

"Don't think I can't fight my way out," she said. "I just want the ipod."

"...You can calm down. I'm not planning on capturing you," Zim said. He stood straight and started to walk past her as she relaxed. He paused for a second beside her. "Not anymore," he said. And then quickly kept walking. Gaz stared after him. And slowly inched toward the door. But Zim had only gone into the kitchen. He came back out and tossed the ipod to Gaz. She caught it and looked at it. A tiny Irken symbol was on the back. Gaz turned in her hands, examining it. Nothing else was different except for a small lens on the top.

"What'd you do to it?" she asked.

"Improved it. It keeps a charge longer, holds more songs... has a small laser," Zim mumbled.

"Laser? What kind?"

"I couldn't help it. I'm a weapons expert. It's only a small caliber. Couldn't do more than leave a second degree burn on someone."

"Oh. Bummer. ...what else?"

"Nothing else."

"Liar," Gaz said. But she pocketed the ipod anyway. She'd check it out at the house. She had looked into it with her father's special X-ray machine before, curious as to how it looked on the inside. If there was something other than the laser, she'd know.

"Fine, don't take my word for it," Zim said, and crossed his arms. Gaz shifted her weight on either leg for some time as the silence grew. Gir had disappeared, and there was nothing in the background to cause much sound.

"... ...Thank you," Gaz managed out. She wouldn't look at him. She didn't hear Zim speak, but did hear him get closer. She figured he'd get closer to the door to show her out... or kick her out was most likely. Instead, he stopped in front of her. Gaz looked up. She saw the red of his shirt. She slowly glanced up. Zim was just looking down at her, smiling with his eyes partially closed. "...What?" Gaz asked, irritated.

"Your eyes," he said.

"What about them?" Gaz asked, making a move to put some distance between them. Zim lightly grabbed her wrist.

"They're... nice," he said. Gaz blushed, and looked down so he wouldn't see. When she felt it leave she looked back up.

"They're only amber. Basically just a really light brown," she said, still a little flustered.

"You're blushing," Zim said. Gaz glared at him. "You're too pale to hide it."

"Shut up," she said. Zim sounded like he chuckled and took a step toward her, leaving only enough distance to let a very small magazine rest between them. Gaz stood frozen, her heart was thudding against her ribs. She was having trouble breathing. She'd never been so close to someone unless she was beating them. But this was different.

"You know... we aren't so different. Aside from the difference in species, anyway," she heard Zim whisper. Gaz grumbled in response, unable to make any other sound. "Have you ever thought of... doing more than just beating up other humans?"

"O-ofcourse. They're all stupid. Hell with 'em," Gaz said. Whispering the last part out of spite. Zim's smile grew, but Gaz didn't see.

"Think you can really use Irk tech?" he asked. Gaz's head shot up. But she never did figure out for herself whether or not she thought that was ever a mistake. Personally, she always leaned more toward something she'd always be thankful for.

Gaz's lips touched Zim's. His eyes were closed, and Gaz closed hers shortly after. Enjoying the feeling swelling in her chest. Zim lightly wrapped his arms around her petite waist, and Gaz gently rested the tips of her fingers and palms on his chest.