Hello everyone! Well, here is the second chapter. I am going to take my sweet time before jumping to the… You know… those parts. I'll put up a warning when I do.
Spork and Zim are my favorite pairing, but ZADR has a little place in my heart too. Come on, it was the first pairing after all!
Anyway…
WARNINGS: Um… a hint of emo-ness? But doesn't every fanfiction have that now a day?
XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxX
Zim hurried around the house level, making sure everything was neat and tidy. He had even used one of his precious sick days, just in case the former Tallest came in the middle of the day. "There goes my perfect attendance…I'm sure that horrible Dib would be ecstatic at the thought of me being sick." He said to himself bitterly.
Finally, after throwing away the last of the half eaten rubber pig, Zim flopped onto the couch. Gir walked into the room, holding his blanket. Zim watched the robot fold the blanket neatly into a triangle, and ate the whole thing as if it were only an oversized nacho.
"WOOOOoooEEEEeeeee!" Gir screamed insanely as he rolled onto the floor.
Zim sighed. "Go put on your puppy suit." He ordered. Then added, "Obey me!"
Gir ran out the room happily. Zim knew how much that thing loved it when he pretended he was the same Master that he first met at the great assigning. Zim liked that old Zim better too, but now… He didn't seem at all real at all anymore. It is as the old Zim just packed up his bags and left. Like he told the new Zim, "I the mighty ZIM do now wish to live the defective lifestyle. I shall go and RAIN DOOM on Earth. You stay here and be the defective one for me. I have a better life to live!"
Zim shuddered. If only that were true, then he could just go out, haul that Irkens butt back here and force him to…
BUZZZZZZZZ!
"The door!" Zim jumped to his feet to answer it. Maybe it was Spork, maybe he came as early as he had expected.
But no, it was only Dib.
"Zim, you gross insect." He said, leaning down. "You don't seem very sick to me… Are you up to something?"
There was almost a smile on Zim's face. How he wished the Dib was right, but then, in a way he was. "No Dib-Monster, nothing is up."
Dib glared at him and poked Zim's forehead. "Liar."
Zim slapped away the hand quickly. He hated how the human would rub his height into his face like that. Zim was forced to illegally enhance his height, but he never grew over four feet, eleven inches. Where as Dib was already pushing six feet. "I tell the truth human! I just needed rest!"
"Oh, Zim got tired of reading so many books? Or are you going to go back to your old, idiot self?" Dib sneered. But as much as that insulted Zim, he never failed to sense the hint of hope at the end of the question.
Zim slowly closed the door. "Unless Mr. Right asked you to bring my homework, I suggest that you leave. My gnomes still work."
As proof, the bulging eyes of the lawn Gnomes began to glow. This made Dib a little nervous, and quickly shoved the folder filled with worksheets and a textbook into the green boys hands. "Take it. But I'll be back later."
Watching the boy walk away, Zim felt a little guilt. Ever since he had stopped trying to rule the world and began to learn about it, Dib's life was hell. His father was pushing him even harder at home to study science. It just became a huge academic competition between the both of them. But Zim just couldn't help it. The formulas and experiments in the field of Earth Science was all children's play to the eyes of an Irken.
Zim attempted to stop interacting with Dib altogether when he saw Dib walked into the room with a broken arm. Since then, Zim always tried to keep his grades a secret from him, but Professor Membrane always found out.
"I should move to another school…" Zim mused before shutting the door.
XxXxXxXxXxXxX
"Sir, the Spork fellow is calling." The Computer informed Zim. It was at least two hours after the Dib visited.
Zim looked up at the Monkey Picture. He never bothered with changing the image. "Well? Answer it!" He snapped.
The monkey disappeared and Spork's face appeared. Zim had the urge to smile, but didn't know why.
"Zim, could you send me the location of your base?" He asked. Zim winced at the scratchiness of the voice, it sounded rusted. He desperately needed something Irken to drink.
"Sure." He said. Zim quickly told the computer to send Spork the location of his base, and didn't bother with being polite about it. But that was fine, the computer was used to that by now.
Within half an hour, Zim heard the satisfying 'thump' of an Irken ship in his back yard. Zim smoothed out the front of his shirt before going out- a simple red button up with a black undershirt.
"Gir, you stay here." Zim quickly ordered. The last thing he wanted was to traumatize a starving ex-Tallest. Going outside, he was surprised to find that Spork was using a run-down, battered and beaten van-v00t. It wasn't even in circulation anymore, and only the poorest of the poor would drive around this model.
The tall figure stumbling out of the cockpit didn't look much better. Spork's clothes were just as thin and torn as Zim remembered it, but there was also a lack of boots and his Pak was blinking red. That was a sign of starvation and that the Pak was undercharged. Zim was forced to catch him as Spork nearly collapsed under his own weight.
"Hello…" Spork said weakly.
Zim raised an 'eyebrow'. This guy looked like he was going to drop dead any moment and he says 'hello?'
"There is lots of food inside the base Tallest Spork." Zim said, helping him into the base. He opened his mouth to say more, or even snap at him for burdening himself with the pressure of hiding a felon in his own base. But taking one look at Spork's half lidded eyes quickly expelled any thoughts of speaking against him.
His eyes were enough to stun any man for a few seconds of silence. Those electric yellow eyes that could cut though walls…
Taking a deep breath, he helped Spork into the kitchen and into a seat. On the table was a wonderful assortment of Irken snacks, imported soda from Foodcourtia and lots of Cheetos and Twinkies.
Zim half expected Spork to dive right into the sugary mess and stuff himself silly. But instead he just stared at the meal, with a mournful expression.
Upset and frustrated, Zim gather the nerve to yell at his Taller. "Hey! You come to MY base, and now the food isn't good enough for you?"
Spork shook his head, never taking his eyes off the donuts and cookies. "I just had a horrifying thought. What if this is like that story, The Merge?"
'What a stupid thought' Zim thought to himself, rolling his eyes. "That's just a dumb old story space travelers tell to each other. The food will not turn to ash." He snapped.
"But I could be dead! I already look the part!" Spork sounded panicked. He looked around the room, as if the Grim Reaper was going to take him away from this dream world any second.
It was a little more then Zim could handle at the moment so he grabbed a Twinkie and shoved it into Sporks mouth. "Does that taste like ash?"
After a second of chewing, Spork shook his head 'no' and quietly went on with eating.
XxXxX
Spork was busy charging his Pak in the lower levels when the doorbell rang again. Sighing, Zim shoved the rest of the candy wrappers and empty boxes into a trash bag and tossed it to the side of the room.
Buzzzzz! Buzzzzz! BUZZZZZZZ!
"Alright! Alright! Wait for Zim already!" Zim yelled out. He paused for second and chuckled. It's been a while since he spoke in third person.
When he opened the door, there was Dib again with his hands at his hips. "Well, what is it?" He asked.
"Huh?" Zim looked up at the boy. His outfit hasn't changed much, save for the t-shirt. Dib had taken a liking to a white button-up rather then his neutral smiley face shirt.
Dib poked Zim in the forehead again. "Your plan! Whatever it is that you are scheming!"
Zim frowned at the human and shook his head. "Those days are well over and you know it. Now leave."
There was a moment where the two just glared at each other, but it was Dib who finally looked away. He began to stare at chipping green paint, and allowed his arms to fall down to his sides. "Zim… Couldn't you at least…"
But the door closed on his face. Zim knew the question Dib was going to ask. And the answer is always no.
XxXxX
Zim watched Spork secretly from plain sight as he explored his new surroundings. Long, ungloved fingers danced harmlessly across the dusty surface of old 'last years model' Irken technology. The familiar colors of red and black seemed to soften the expression of the Ex-Tallest.
"When will you be leaving?" Zim asked suddenly. Spork jolted to a stop, as if Zim had actually flipped his off switch somehow.
He looks at Zim with those friendly, sad eyes. Those sharp yellow eyes that could cut down walls…
"In a week or so. I need to repair my v00t van first. It's in terrible condition." He said softly. His voice sounded so much better, it was deep and soothing. It was the kind of voice you beg to hear, to read a long book out loud.
Zim looked away, feeling guilty. It wasn't everyday he met an Irken that didn't want to kill him, or even showed his a little respect. Not that he deserved any of course, thanks to his selfish and horrid reputation. "There is a bed down the hall. You can sleep there."
Spork seemed to freeze over. "Would it be alright… if the little robot stayed in the room with me?" He asked feebly.
"What?" Zim raised an eyebrow, shocked at the question. Somebody was willing to spend unnecessary time with Gir? Maybe Spork got hit in the head a few too many times in the head with meteors. "No, I am afraid you can't. Gir… he is very special. He isn't built like the other Sir units and can't function well. The computer has to lock him down now in a special vault to make sure he get repaired and recharged properly."
"Oh. I'm sorry." Spork was quick to apologize. Had he no pride?
"Don't be… he is getting old anyway." Zim muttered, with a hit of bitterness. "You wouldn't want him in the room anyway, the little psycho snores. Why did you ask anyways?"
There was a flash of light blush on Spork's face, from embarrassment. "I… I heard too many stories. When you travel for a long time, you have to depend on luck a lot."
Zim caught himself before he made the mistake of laughing out loud. Spork didn't notice and went on.
"They say if you ever leave the travelers path, and return home, you'll die. It's a stupid, idiotic myth, and I made that clear to the man who told me the tall tale! But after so many years… I just don't think I can make it though the night alone." Spork felt ashamed of himself for allowing himself to believe in such nonsense.
And Zim was about to tell Spork the same thing. He wanted to yell, 'You idiot! First the food and now sleep? Go to bed or get out of my base, v00t or no v00t!'
"I'll share the room with you."
They both looked at each other, stunned at the suggestion. Zim hardly was able to keep himself from hitting himself for saying such a stupid thing. But there the suggestion was, hanging in the air like a ripe apple waiting to be plucked.
A thin shy smile appeared on Spork's face. "That sounds nice. I would like that very much.