My body was being jerked and something kept moving against my face. To keep my warm and comfy position, I began to hold the moving object still while muttering 'stop moving' into the squishy fabric. I felt the fleshy object clench and make a quick lunge forward with a grunt then I recognized it as Zim.
My eyes tried to open but I was being suffocated by...Zim's stomach! I grabbed and pulled at Zim's back. I was only half awake but everything around me was moving violently. Gir's historical screams became much louder as my senses were awakening. Suddenly I rolled onto the floor of the voot cruiser. It all happened so fast I couldn't react.
"Ah!" I uttered before hitting the cold floor.
Just as quickly as the first jolt of action from the ship, another move was yanking the ship to the right. I sled down the hard floor to have my ass in contact with the wall; it didn't help that the blanket was of a silky material.
I looked up where Zim was sitting, he was upside down since my head was against the floor. Zim was furiously fighting through whatever the hell it is that was causing such a commotion.
"Zim! What the hell is going on!" I had to yell over the rumbling sound that shook the entire voot cruiser and Gir.
"I'll explain later!" Zim yelled back. He had a tight hold on the main touchscreen that now had semi-circles at the sides, like a steering wheel.
I held my stomach for all the vicious rattling and shaking of the cruiser was making me sick. I looked out the giant front window and my eyes went as wide as the giant rocks that were aiming themselves at the tiny ship we were in.
"Are those asteroids!" I screamed this time. Zim just made another displeased grunt and turned to dodge the giant rock. Gir hung onto the back of the couch while his screaming just added to the terrible experience.
Apparently Zim didn't dodge the asteroid too well because there was a loud bang against the wall near me. It rocked us a bit and Zim hissed. I was going to be sick if we didn't stop soon. I made an attempt at climbing onto the couch but after I got to a certain height -which wasn't high- I dropped back down. The floor made me feel less nauseous, not by much though.
"I'm going to be sick!" screaming wasn't going to help either. I was terrified by this point. What if we died somehow? The asteroids could puncture a hole in the voot cruiser and instantly suck out all the air! I needed air!
"Hang in there! We're almost-" Zim was interrupted by an abrupt hit against the ship. I heard Zim cry out in shock then a hard thud, soon followed by a cry of pain. The sound of Gir's yells were stopped by the sound of a metal mass hitting against metal. I wanted to see what happened but the cruiser was plummeting down out of control.
My forearms were heavily pressed against the mini wall that attached the couch to the floor. I was glued to the bottom of the couch as the voot cruiser flipped a couple times. That definitely didn't help my nausea.
About a minute later the voot cruiser settled and was still. No one move. My eyes were clenched shut so hard it almost hurt to open them again. I was afraid that if I moved, the ship would go crazy again.
I slowly moved my hand up to the surface of the couch and waited a bit until I lifted myself. I sat up but regretted it immediately. I held my stomach as vomit spewed out of my mouth and onto the blanket that was tangled with my legs. As if there was a plunger harshly pumping the inside of my stomach, I puked and my body began to shake uncontrollably. I didn't want to describe what the horrid mess looked like. I quickly turned my head away and plugged my nose. I didn't puke a lot, almost never and I bet Zim was going to kill me for this.
I bunched the fabric up in a ball, making sure the foul liquid stayed in the middle. I tossed the thing to the back corner. I heard Gir's tiny metal feet manoeuvre around the back of the cruiser.
"Gir?" I said in a faint voice. Then I saw Gir whip an arm over the top of the couch and pull himself up. The robot looked at me with those giant blue eyes. His eyes looked down onto the couch and there lay Zim, seemingly lifeless. I got onto my knees to get a better view of the alien's face and gasped as there was a gash on the left side of Zim's skull. It was leaking a fluid down his face; it was green and I assumed it was blood, Irken blood.
I panicked.
"Zim! ZIM!" I yelled as I made my way to the other end of the couch to look at Zim right-side up. I sat on the couch next to Zim's hip and took Zim's head in my hands to examine the cut up close. It looked deep...could Zim be unconscious right now! or...is he bleeding to death! There isn't that much blood I assured myself.
"Gir, get a cloth or something!" I commanded still looking at Zim. "And don't get the blanket!" I added quickly.
"You can't tell me what to do!" Girl yelled. I gave the idiotic robot a furious look.
"Do you want to help Zim or what!" I yelled back. He giggled and pulled a used napkin out of his head and thrust it in my face. I slapped his hand away.
"Are you kidding me!" I spat out. I looked back at Zim, more blood leaving the wound. I tugged off my trench coat and balled it in my hands like I did the blanket and lightly pressed it against Zim's bloody head. Gir watched in what seemed to be amazement since he made an 'ooooh' noise.
I held my coat there for a bit then damped the trail of green blood. Once I did that I rearranged the fabric for a fresh side and pressed it against Zim's cut again.
My heart was racing as I placed my forehead on Zim's. I didn't know why I did that but it was comforting, for me anyways. I could feel Zim breathing so I was relieved.
"Is master ok?" Gir asked in a child-like voice.
I took a deep breath. "Yeah."
We stayed like that for quite some time. I could honestly say that time stood still then. There was no indication of analog or digital time in space. Gir was perched on top of the couch looking ahead, the voot cruiser's jets weren't operating and me and Zim lying here, mouth inches away from each other. Then a sound pierced the silence. A groan; from Zim.
I was going to remove my forehead from Zim but something stopped me. Zim's hand somehow found the back of my head before I lifted it out of his reach. My wide honey eyes stared into half-closed magenta ones.
"Zim...?" I whispered. There was no need to talk loud since we were so damn close.
"You were so close to Zim...and yet you didn't make a move." Zim whispered back.
Before I could process what Zim said, Gir screamed "Hi master!"
Zim groaned for the 100th time and removed his hand from my head and we both sat up. He grumbled a hi back and Gir was content with that. I kept my hand on my jacket against Zim's head.
"W-what do you mean by that?" I asked once Zim was looking at me again.
"Are you that dumb human?" Zim let a weak moan pass his lips and he placed his hand on mine that was holding the coat. "you could have easily slipped a smooch on Zim back here. " he said smirking as he looked down at the couch.
Words got caught in my throat. Did Zim want me to kiss him! What made absolutely no sense.
"Your head is gushing blood and you think I'd take advantage of you, or anyone for that matter!" I said in an offended voice. I probably seemed mad to Zim and maybe I was. How could that alien tell me that Irken invaders can't love and then go and ask me why I never kissed him while he was knocked out!
"Take advantage? That's a little much don't you think?" Zim said, gaving me his trademark look. One eye wide, one half closed. I looked down, a little embarrassed.
"Well...yeah, I guess. But we're friends...friends don't...kiss." I told him. Shouldn't he know that?
"Oh? They don't?" Zim said in a bit of confusion.
I looked up at Zim to see a genuine confused look on his face. He really didn't know that! "No!" I said and laughed a bit to shake off the awkwardness I was feeling. "I mean...they can...but we aren't that kind of friendship." I gave him a nervous grin. I didn't want Zim to continue this conversation so I changed the subject. "So uh, about your head..."
Zim looked at me intensely as if to say 'you're hiding something' but he let it go.
"My head is fine..." He squeezed my hand and I slipped it out. "Is this your jacket thing, Dib?" he asked as he claimed it.
"Yeah...I didn't know what else to use." I shrugged my shoulders.
Zim didn't say anything for a bit so again came that silence.
"What is that smell!" Zim randomly yelled. I looked at the alien as if he was insane. I sniffed the air a little. I felt my stomach turn. The blanket.
"Uh...yeah...remember when I said I was going to get sick...?"
Zim whipped his head at me, shocked. "Did you...?" I nodded shamefully and pointed to the crumpled blanket in the corner just as shamefully.
Zim reluctantly followed my finger. "You induced your repulsive stomach dumpings of dookey on MY superior blanket!" he yelled.
"What was I supposed to do! Once you need to vomit, you have no choice but to vomit!" I said throwing my hands in the air.
Zim looked back me and yelled "Never say that word around Zim! It's disgusting!" That irritated me for some reason.
"Oh come on, you've thrown up before so don't give me shit for doing it too!" there I go, swearing again.
"Urgh, I can't breathe in there, we must dispose of it! Now!" No one budged. I know I have to do it because Zim was hurt and I didn't want him to do anything right now.
"How do I get rid of it then?" I finally asked, slowly getting up off the couch and Zim sighed.
"Gir, open the fuel chamber..." Zim said and Gir saluted Zim with red eyes and hopped off the couch.
Zim was sitting with his feet on the floor and staring out in space, still holding the jacket. He seemed to notice something.
"Hey..." he said in recognition. "We're not moving..."
I face palmed. "Way to state the obvious Zim." I think I sounded pissed but Zim was sort of pissing me off with all his mixed messages. And I wanted to go home...
I thought Zim would glare at me for my attitude or yell at me like usual but he didn't. Instead he gave me a sort of hopeless look, that's how I interpreted it anyways. It was definitely a sad look since it made me feel like a jerk a little.
"DOOONE!" Gir screamed unnecessarily, breaking the moment me and Zim was having. I was a little grateful for Gir's interruption and I averted my eyes and headed towards Gir. My eyes went a little wide as there was now a hole in the floor, followed by a tube leading straight down into darkness...fuel chamber I thought.
"We're burning it..." I asked no one in particular. That can't be good for the ship...
"No...just putting it in there to get rid of it..." Zim mumbled. I had to strain my ears to hear him. Was Zim upset? Why is he upset? Was it my attitude or did he really want a kiss? Just thinking about touching those jade lips with my own sent chills up my spine.
In order to distract myself I walked to the blanket and carefully made away with it. After I pushed it into the hole I looked at Gir who stared back. He burst into tears in memory of the poor blanket.
I sat back down beside Zim and I made sure I sat as close as possible to him. He was getting the voot cruiser running again I suppose since he was playing around with the touchscreen. The machine was humming and I could hear gears turning. I looked at Zim, who was engrossed in the screen, and the alien was still holding my jacket to his head. I didn't know why I found it amusing. I slightly regretted not kissing Zim but was that only because he seemed upset? Suddenly I did something beyond my comprehension.
"Why is it that very time your sad or upset I want to kiss you?" The second I finished saying that, my hands shot up to my mouth as if it would fix the problem I had just created for myself. I felt my face get extremely hot. I wasn't supposed to say that...it slipped out! I ruined everything I tried so hard to protect and hide.
Zim looked at me, his face a mix of shock and confusion. "What?" he said in a rather soft voice. I froze with my hands still over my mouth.
"Nothing!" I said as my hands muttered my response.
"You said you wanted to kiss Zim." Zim said leaning in as I leaned back, shaking my head. I was far from embarrassed at this point.
"Don't shake your head at me! You did!" Zim yelled at me and I couldn't tell if Zim was angry or excited.
"So what if I did." I said through my hands, giving Zim a sort of daring look.
Zim gave me a stern look and said "then do it." he kept his eyes locked on mine and my arms dropped from my mouth to the couch. My mind was blank. I wasn't even trying to process what Zim just said. It was quite clear to me that Zim wants me to kiss him.
I lifted my hand to place it over the hand Zim used to hold the jacket in place and Zim didn't flinch. I leaned forward and got really close to those alien lips but made no contact. I could feel Zim's breath against my lips and his eye lids slipped half shut and I smirked a little. That was all the evidence I added. To know I had some effect on Zim as he did me. Now to make my finishing blow...
"We should take care of your injury."
Changing the subject.
And with that I got up and asked Gir to show me where the first aid kit was. Gir walk to the side of the wall and pointed to a drawer like compartment. I looked back at Zim to see his eyes wide and the skin on his face was five shades darker. The alien looked speechless.
I walked over to the cabinet Gir referred to and opened it to find some weird tube, which I assumed was some sort of Irken ointment, and a box of really childish looking Band-Aids. I took out the items I needed and made my way back to Zim, who seemed to be fuming. I gave him my biggest grin and sat down where I was before. I then poured the objects onto the space between us. There wasn't much of a space so most of it went on my leg.
"Zim did not ask for you to treat his injuries, human-filth monkey." Zim finally said. He called me longer names when he was mad or unimpressed, like he was now.
"I know." I said unscrewing the cap of the tube I brought. "But I can't kiss you while you're bleeding out of your head." I said casually.
"Why not!" Zim sounded like he was yelling and whining at the same time as he raised his free arm in the air out of frustration. It was adorable to see him act like that. He did it a lot when I wouldn't share my candy with him.
I looked at him and smiled. "Because, I said so." I got a 'hmph' for a response and for some reason the sound was heartwarming. I squeezed the tube a little to examine the gel that oozed out when Zim spoke again.
"Will Zim get one after." he asked looking away from me as I looked from the clear pink gel to him.
"You're not going to let this go are you?" I asked, smirking a little. I'm not sure why I was happy that Zim was still stressing about my refusal to kiss him.
Zim looked at me again. "Let it go? You're the one who is too scared to make lip contact with Zim!" he argued.
"Scared? I'm not scared!" I argued back. I wasn't sure if I actually was or not but being scared to kiss Zim just didn't seem like the reason. I pulled down his arm to take a look at the cut on Zim's head. Zim resisted a little but let me see.
"Then why?" he asked while I examined his head. I was leaning over him a little.
"I already told you why..." I looked down at the tube I had in my hand and asked Zim "Is this what I use?"
Zim looked at the item. "Wasn't there another tube in there?" I thought for a moment.
"No." I said and Zim cringed. "What?" I said.
"This is the painful one..."
"It's also the only one to use..."
"But it's the painful one!"
"I have to apply something Zim!"
"Not this one!"
"There is no other one!"
We stared at each other, both of us holding onto the 'painful' ointment. We sighed at the same time while I took the jacket and wiped the remaining blood from Zim's face. I was about to ask if it really was his blood but that would have been a stupid thing to ask.
Finally I said "I'll just put a Band-Aid on, ok?" Zim nodded. I went for the box of Band-Aids and opened it. As soon as it was opened, Zim snatched the box from my hands.
"Hey!" I said more in shock then anger.
"I wanna pick the Band-Aid." he said rummaging through the box. He had his tongue sticking out the side of his mouth, like he was concentrating really hard on the perfect Band-Aid. Again he was being adorable.
Once the Band-Aid was picked, by Zim, he handed it to me. I took it from his hand and opened it. It was yellow. The same honey yellow as...my eyes. I looked at Zim and he looked at me back, there was no expression on his face.
"What?" he asked.
"...nothing." I didn't want to dwell on it with him, he probably didn't realize the colour was close to my eye colour. I placed the Band-Aid on Zim's wound and it was done. I smiled at my finished work and Zim lifted his hand to feel the new object on his head. He rubbed it a little then looked at me.
"I suppose I owe you a thank you." I didn't expect the offer but took it anyways.
"Sure I guess. It's no big deal." I shrugged. Then my cheeks turned red at what I said next.
"Do I still owe you a kiss?"
