Curiosity
The next day Zim struggled to concentrate during class, but no matter how hard he tried, he just couldn't shake the thoughts of Tak from his head. The way she had looked at him, the way she had captivated him. He had never felt quite so powerless in his life.
He tugged on the corners of his wig and hunched over his desk in misery. He hated this feeling, whatever it was. It was like some greater, internal force had taken over and was gnawing at him to spend more time with her. He had hoped that by returning to school it would have made things easier by putting some distance between them, but he couldn't have been more wrong. All it had done was increase his desire to be near her and it confused him. He knew he shouldn't care, but he did. He knew he should leave her to inevitable fate, but couldn't. All he could do was wallow in misery while his head and his heart pitted themselves against one another in a struggle for dominance.
Eventually lunch hour rolled around and as usual, Zim sat across Dib in the school cafeteria. Unlike the human boy who scarfed down his sandwich like a wild animal, Zim merely poked at his with a fork. It was nothing new really. He had never eaten any of the food before and today was no exception. Besides, the two of them had been sitting together for quite some time now and the other students seemed to have finally grown to accept it as the new norm.
Dib, however, watched his former enemy with curious eyes. He had spent far too long obsessing over Zim's actions to carelessly overlook the obvious chemistry between the two Irkens. The incident from the previous day hadn't gone unnoticed by the young paranormal investigator and he was sure it could only mean one thing. Swallowing a mouthful of peas, he forcefully slammed his spoon down on the table and stood up.
"Okay, what's going on between you too?" he asked as if questioning a murder suspect.
Zim looked up at the boy, somewhat confused by the sudden outburst. "What are you talking about Dib-stink?"
With a skeptical glare, Dib leaned in a bit further. "Don't play dumb with me Zim. You know what I'm talking about. Admit it. They way you were looking at Tak the other day. It doesn't take a genius to figure out you're in love with her."
Zim blinked a few times in utter confusion. Love? Had the boy gone completely insane? Other than the literal definition of the term, it had never once crossed his mind. His species wasn't exactly well known for displaying such affection, ESPECIALLY the higher elite. His kind were spawned in test tubes and from birth were taught one thing and one thing only; to obey the Tallest and play their part in the bigger role of universal conquest. There was simply no time for such foolishness.
"You saw nothing Earth monkey! Tak merely required assistance and I was the only one around who could have provided it. Nothing more."
Dib shot him another skeptical look. "Uh huh. Sure Zim. And was that before or after she had you frozen inches from her face?"
Zim felt his cheeks flush a deeper green. "I uh..."
"That's what I thought." Not needing an answer, Dib slowly relaxed his posture and sat back down. "Look Zim, I'm not saying there's anything WRONG with falling for someone. It's just that with Tak, well...she IS trying to kill you. Haven't you even considered the possibility that it might be some kind of trick?"
Zim's expression narrowed. "Idiotic fool! Of course I know it's a trick! Besides, unlike your pathetic species, my people aren't so weak as to allow AFFECTION to dictate our every move. Now if you don't mind, I am simply trying to stomach this horrible human FILTH your kind so eagerly shoves down their revolting food pipes every day."
"Oh please," said Dib, rolling his eyes. "You can try and deny it all you want Zim, but you definitely have a thing for her. And if my species is so weak, then why do you constantly hang around me every day at school? Huh? I thought you said you were going to try and destroy me once the science project was over, but so far you haven't done so much as come up with a single new insult."
Zim glared at him. "I already told you pathetic stink beast, I've lost interest in destroying your stupid little planet for the time being."
"Exactly!" Dib exclaimed, pointing an exaggerated finger at him. "You lost interest the moment Tak showed up! At first I was suspicious that you may be planning to trick me again, but once I saw that look you gave her, I knew everything I needed to know."
Zim scowled and slammed his fist down on the table. "You understand nothing bothersome dirt worm! What could you possibly know about the interactions between my people!?"
"Well...You're Irken. She's Irken. I mean come on Zim. You can't think I'm that stupid."
"OF COURSE YOU'RE STUPID! Why else would you be asking such idiotic questions!?"
Dib opened his mouth to respond with a snappy comeback, but then drew back. "You know what Zim, you're right," he said, calmly sitting himself back down on the bench. "So by all means, explain it to me then. What makes your people so different from mine?"
Realizing the human was baiting him into a corner, Zim crossed his arms and turned away from the table. The truth was, he didn't know much about it either. The only interactions he had ever experienced with females had strictly been professional or work related. They had been his commanding officers, his classmates, fellow invaders, customers, and most recently, assassins. Never once had he considered a romantic relationship with any of them. It just wasn't heard of in Irken society.
He continued to remain silent as the boy stared him down. Part of him wanted to deter the conversation by spilling the beans about his mission, about how his life was a joke and his leaders dumped him. It was possible out of all people, Dib might understand. He was smarter than the average human and it may even be nice to have someone to talk to about it other than Tak. But Dib was still a human, and a human with many dangerous resources behind him. Giving his enemy that kind of information could be the very opportunity the boy was looking for.
But before he could dwell on it further, a group of kids unexpectedly rushed them from a nearby table. "Hey you're Dib right?" asked the chunkiest one of the group. He was a shorter than Dib and appeared to be in a grade below. Zim took a moment to study the child from head to toe. He was dressed in a yellow T-shirt with a gaming logo, cargo shorts, and bright red sneakers. In a funny way, he thought the boy reminded him a little of Skoodge.
"Uh, yeah." Dib answered suspiciously. Being that his hobbies usually consisted of chasing vampires and snapping pictures of Bigfoot, he had never really been comfortable with large groups of people surrounding him. Usually it resulted in painful, physical altercations. Or at the very least, insults.
But to his surprise, the giddy kid simply held out a permanent marker in front of him along with a photo. "Could I get your autograph?" he asked, practically bouncing in excitement.
Dib stared at the pen presented before him. "Uh, sure I guess." Feeling slightly out of place, he quickly grabbed it and signed the picture. When he was done, he handed everything back to its original owner.
The boy took a moment to appreciate the value of the photo and then grinned from ear to ear. "Oh man! Thank you so much!"
Dib watched curiously as the eccentric child bounced back to his table to show off his newfound treasure to the rest of his friends."Huh, I guess I didn't realize our science project was going to be that big a hit," he said with a light smile on his face. He turned back around, only to find an empty place where Zim had been.
"Zim?" he questioned, glancing around the cafeteria. To his surprise, the Irken was nowhere to be found. That's odd, he thought. Why would he leave all of a sudden? He then noticed Gaz approach and take her usual seat next to him. "Gaz! Have you seen Zim? He was just here a moment ago."
Gaz wrinkled her face in annoyance. "Last I saw, he was sneaking out the back way," she answered bitterly.
Taking a moment to consider why Zim would leave so suddenly, Dib brought a hand to his chin. "He's been acting so weird lately. Weirder than usual."
"You mean weirder than you?" Gaz jabbed back without looking up at him. She always wondered why her brother insisted on dragging her into every altercation when it came to Zim. Couldn't he see that she had better things to do?
Dib shot her a scornful look. "I know what I saw the other day Gaz! He can't try and talk his way out of this one. I'm going to find out what he's hiding and I when I do, I'm going to make him tell me."
Gaz ignored him and began shoveling food into her mouth as she started up her Gameslave. She couldn't care less what those two idiots were up to.
Returning to his base, Zim forcefully slammed the door behind him. "Who does that sniveling little worm monkey think he is? Zim? In love with Tak? PREPOSTEROUS!"
Taking a few steps inside, he looked over at Gir who was on the couch fully absorbed in some sappy, daytime soap opera. Zim's eye twitched in vexation at the absolute mess surrounding the little robot. Dozens of empty yogurt containers were scattered all around along with a collection of empty, buttery popcorn buckets, wrinkled snack wrappers, and for no apparent reason, a single uneaten fried chicken leg in the middle of the floor.
Too agitated to worry about the mess, Zim chose to ignore his minion and continue on toward the elevator. He nearly made it to the end of the living room when a line of dialogue from the show caught his attention.
"I love you Caroline. Please don't leave."
His antennae parked up and he turned to face the TV screen. There it was again. Love. That dreadful four letter word that the Dib-human was talking about. The humans seemed to throw it around frequently enough. What did it mean to them exactly?
It suddenly occurred to him that despite two years on Earth, he had never actually observed what true affection between two Earthlings really looked like. His only experience had ironically been with Tak who had turned out to be Irken as well, which had been miserable in of itself. But the meaning of love as a bond between the humans still eluded him. Now might be the perfect time to clear things up.
Making up his mind, Zim cleared a section of the garbage ridden couch and took a seat. On screen was a desperate, but good looking human male talking to another well-groomed human female. The man was down on one knee and holding out a tiny bluish-purple box in the palm of his hand. The box seemed to carry some significance, because the female gasped when she saw it. He opened it up and inside was a shiny metal ring with a diamond on it.
The girl spoke softly, "Derrick, is that really-?"
The man nodded. "Please Caroline, don't go. Stay here, with me."
The human female stared down at him with a sad expression and sullenly shook her head. "But Derrick, I have to," she stated dramatically. "This is promotion is a big opportunity and I will never have another chance like it."
The man's face fell. "But...I love you. Please stay."
The woman's eyes teared up and not able to take it any longer, she turned around and sprinted away. The camera slowly panned out and the credits began to roll.
Zim nearly jumped out of his skin when Gir's ear-piercingly loud wail filled the room. The little robot had tears streaming down his eyes and was wiping them away with some tissues he magically dispensed from the top of his head.
Ignoring his companion, Zim brought a hand to his chin. Hmmm. Perhaps observing this silly program in the meantime may help fill me in on what real human affection is. Tak should still be recovering in the medical bay for the next few hours. That should give me enough time to finish a few episodes. Then maybe I can understand what the Dib was referring to.
After an hour and half of watching, Zim soon found himself fully absorbed in the show. Of course, he had always been prone to binge watching when he was supposed to be doing other things, but this time it actually served a purpose. From what he could determine so far, the humans seemed to still be in touch with their primitive mating rituals. Unlike his species, they had a natural ability to bond with one another. Sure Irkens were known to have allies or even friends, but human interaction was much more...intimate from what he could tell. There seemed to be some hidden force that drew them close to one another. So much so that they usually ended up sharing the rest of their lives together or even starting a family.
But that is nothing like my situation! Zim shouted mentally. Tak is only utilizing my base for her own personal gain! She's not living here out of choice! And the amount of time we spend together is minuscule compared to these two pathetic fools. How could the Dib human make such a nonsensical accusation?
By the time the third episode rolled around, the man who had been left behind finally made it to the far-off country where the woman had taken up her new job. He spent weeks searching for her, and by using his knowledge of her workplace, finally managed to catch her one day. Then, when they noticed one another, they reunited for a long, drawn out, romantic kiss.
Zim tilted his head as he observed the two characters locked together in emotional bliss. What a strange ritual, he thought to himself. What was the point of it exactly? To greet one another after a long time apart? Words worked perfectly fine for that. And the humans didn't seem to need it for anything else, so why was it so important?
It was all too confusing. He had vaguely heard of such an act before, but it was rare and he had only seen it in a handful of other species. Still, it had to mean something important to them. Why else would it be so heavily emphasized in their television broadcast?
With the episode over and questions burning, he hopped down from the couch to switch the TV over to the communications network. As expected, Gir did not take it well. The little robot began shrieking immediately and started running around the room like the end of the world was upon them.
"Gir! Enough!" Zim barked, ignoring his minion's objections. "And clean up your mess! You can watch more of the show once this place is picked up."
"But I NEED to know what happens!" Gir wined desperately. "I need to know BAD!" He immediately latched onto his master and continued to let the waterworks continue to flow. "Derrick loves her so much! That man just loves her so much!"
Using a hefty amount of strength, Zim managed to shove the little robot off of him. "No! You can watch the rest of the show later! Right now I have an important call I need to make."
Gir's face lit up. "And then we can eat pie?" he said excitedly.
Zim stared at him blankly. After so many years spent together, he still sometimes failed to understand what went on in the tiny SIR unit's head. "Um...sure Gir. Just get this place cleaned up first."
"BLUUUUUEEEEEberry pie?"
"Yes, yes! Blueberry pie! Now go!"
Switching to a state of joy, Gir squealed in excitement and used his leg jets to fly around the room. Zim let out a sigh as he proceeded to make the call. "Computer! Connect me with Inquisitous the Observer!"
A series of beeps were heard, but no connection was established. "Sir, it appears that Inquisitous has blocked all communications from Earth. Apparently a particular human annoyed him by calling everyday with questions."
Zim growled. Curse you Dib. "Alright fine! Then connect me to prisoner 777!"
The computer did as it was commanded and a connection to the infamous Vort prison was successfully established. On screen appeared a depressed, very tired Vortian prisoner. He let out a long, drawn out sigh. "Ugh, what do you want from me now Zim?"
Zim cleared his throat. "Prisoner 777. It just so happens I have an important task you can help me with. I need you to look into the history of Irken reproduction for me. Not the hatching facilities everyone already knows about, but how it used to be carried out traditionally in the past."
There was a long, silent pause. "Uh, that's a rather...unusual request sir. And quite a personal one at that. Might I ask why you have such a sudden interest in it?"
"Hey, I'm the one asking the questions here!" shouted Zim. "Now tell me! What do you know?"
The tiny Vortian shifted uncomfortably in his cell. "Well, to be honest, that information is pretty much unknown to everyone in existence now. Have you tried contacting the Inquisitorians? I'm sure they have it written down somewhere."
Zim recoiled in frustration. "I am unable to get through to Inquisitous at the moment," he grumbled. Then an idea hit him. "Wait a minute! YOU can contact them for me!"
The Vortian's posture deflated. "Why do you always call me with such trivial tasks?" he groaned.
Zim's eyes narrowed and he threw a pointed finger toward the monitor. "YOU will find out what they know and report it back to Zim or this time I really WILL erase your children from existence! Do you hear me prisoner!?"
The stubby alien sighed. "Alright. I'll see what I can do. But don't blame me if I can't find anything. That information is likely to be long lost by now and it will be difficult to convince my supervisor why I need to make the call."
Zim slammed his fist against the monitor. "Just find out whatever you can and report back to me as soon as possible!"
The transmission ended and no more than a few seconds later, a banging on the door demanded his attention. "Ugh, what now," Zim groaned, leaving Gir to happily reclaim his precious television. Putting his disguise back into place, he opened up the door only to find a rather annoyed Dib standing in his doorway.
"You ditched me you jerk!" the boy spat angrily.
Zim shrugged in indifference. "So?"
Dib stared back at him blankly. "So? You can't just-" He paused. Come to think of it, Zim did have a good point. While they weren't trying to kill each other anymore, that still didn't make them friends. And technically Zim didn't even HAVE to go to school, being an alien and all. If he really wanted to, he could walk out whenever he pleased.
"Uh, what I mean is," said Dib, trying to correct his earlier statement. "What was so important that you had to rush home right away?"
Before Zim could formulate an answer, Gir popped up between them in his dog costume. "We've been watching Caroline!" he squealed happily before bringing his arms in to hug himself.
Dib stared back at Zim in disbelief. "Seriously? Your left school to watch some sappy daytime soap drama?"
"It was for research!" Zim shouted back defensively, shoving Gir out of sight behind him.
Dib's eyelids fell halfway to an unconvinced gaze. "Uh huh. Sure Zim. Research on what? Finding out ways to show Tak how much you love her?"
Zim blushed faintly. "No! I was using the show as a means to determine what the term means in your species' context."
"My species context?" asked Dib confused. "What? You mean like dating?"
Zim threw his arms up in frustration. "What is it with you humans? Why must you have so many words to describe something you claim is so simple? Love? Dating? Kissing? It all confuses Zim!"
Dib could only stare at the bemused Irken while he had his minor meltdown. Was he serious? Did his species really not know what love was? It didn't make any sense. Zim obviously felt SOMETHING for Tak. If he had the potential to feel attraction, why was he so incapable of understanding it? It was obvious he was at least interested in her. Why was it so difficult for him to accept it?
"Geez. It's really not that complicated Zim," Dib explained halfheartedly. "Dating is when two people spend time together to see if they like each other or have anything in common. Love is more like the deep connection they have between them once they get to know each other. Doesn't your species have anything like that?"
"No."
"No?" Dib cocked his head in confusion. "Then how do you...uh...well you know?"
Zim gave him a funny look. "How do I what?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.
Suddenly feeling a bit awkward about where the conversation was going, Dib decided to drop the subject. "Nevermind...Look, it's obvious you're at least interested in Tak. If want her to like you back, then you're going to have to try and be nice to her. Get her a gift or something or ask her to go with you somewhere. You know, stuff like that."
"Those are nothing more than foolish HUMAN tactics," spat Zim, turning his head away.
"Hey it's better than what you've got," countered Dib. "Which, from the sounds of it, is absolutely nothing!"
Zim paused a moment to think on the matter. "Well I SUPPOSE she could assist me with improving the Voot Cruiser. It has been acting strange lately and her knowledge of ship building HAS proven to be rather impressive." He rubbed the edge of his chin. "Hmmm. You seem to know an awful lot about this topic Dib-human" he stated skeptically. "Why is it that YOU aren't constantly surrounded by a flock of human females?"
Dib gave him a disgruntled look. "That's not exactly how human dating works Zim," he stated, feeling a bit insulted. It was no secret that he wasn't exactly Mr. Popular with the ladies at his school, but he hadn't really minded since none of them took any of his interests seriously anyway. Secretly though, he had always kind of hoped he would one day run into someone who shared his passion with the paranormal. Unfortunately, those girls seemed to be in very, VERY short supply.
Zim paced back and forth thinking on the matter. He liked the human's suggestion of getting Tak a gift, but not so much the thought of what would happen to him if she hated it. It would have to be something meaningful, something she would find useful. Something she couldn't throw back into his face. But what? "Are you positive these techniques will work?" he asked, unsure if taking a human's advice was really the best course of action.
Dib shrugged sarcastically. "How should I know Zim? I've never dated a girl before, remember?"
The statement seemed to fly right over the Irken's head because the next thing Dib knew, Zim was once again lost in deep thought. Dib sighed and looked over his rival with pity. The alien was obviously struggling with the situation and while he himself may not have had any experience with dating, he still knew what it felt like to want to impress someone. For a long time, he had wanted nothing more than for his dad to finally accept his interest in the paranormal and recognize his talents. And despite all the torment that his younger sister gave him, he still came running to her aid when she had gotten the curse of the hog demon. Of course, he had been the one to cast it on her, but that was besides the point.
But Zim on the other hand, had no one. Other than Gir, he was the only one of his kind alone on a foreign planet with hardly anyone to talk to and a young boy who was adamant on exposing him to the world just to prove a point. It would only make sense that Zim would fall for Tak so quickly once she showed even the slightest hint of interest in him. The only problem was, Tak hated him. And she had made it abundantly clear that she had purposely set out to kill him. That tended to complicate things.
But if by some miracle Zim DID manage to win her over, Dib thought hopefully, then maybe he would no longer try and take over Earth! Maybe he and Tak would leave and start a life together somewhere else. She already stated that she has no interest in this planet. Maybe this is just the distraction Zim needs!
Then his mind shifted gears to a darker, more unpleasant possibility. On the other hand, if Tak decided to take over Earth, there would be no stopping them. I may be able to handle ONE alien trying to take over the world, but two? Tak alone was a handful. But if she is on his side...
Dib shook his head to clear the unpleasant thoughts from his mind No. It's too valuable a chance to pass up. Besides, I might even be able keep her ship if I play my cards right! Gotta stay positive!
"You know Zim, I'm no expert. But if you want, I think I can help you out."
Curious about his counterpart's sudden shift to optimism, Zim opened one eye suspiciously. "And how do you intend to accomplish that human?"
Dib twiddled his thumbs together nervously. "Well, actually I haven't come up with any ideas right now, but if you filled me in a little more about your species courtship rituals then I MIGHT be able to help."
Zim stared back at the boy in silence. Dib could have sworn he heard a hawk cry out overhead.
"BE GONE WITH YOU HUMAN!" Zim shouted, throwing his arms up in frustration. "You do nothing but waste Zim's valuable time standing here with your THOUGHT things! Until you have USEFUL information to tell me, I wish to sort out these meddlesome endeavors on my own!"
He slammed the door in front of him, leaving Dib standing alone on the porch. "Fine Zim!" the boy shouted, raising a fist against the closed door. "Just don't come crying to me when Tak goes and rips your head off because you were too stupid to listen! Oh and don't forget to meet me at my Dad's lab again tomorrow. We've got another invention he wants us to take a look at."
Zim ignored him and waited for him to leave. "Meddlesome dirt child." When he finally heard Dib's footsteps fade away, he looked around the room trying to remember what it was he had planned on doing next.
There was still the rest of the show that Gir was watching, but that no longer held his interest. With both distractions gone, the thoughts of Tak began to invade his mind again. He had liked the idea of asking her to help with his ship. With her skills and salvaging background, she could add some serious upgrades to his interface. But she'd never agree to it, he thought sourly. Not unless...
His antennae perked up.
Unless she gets something in return!
Getting an idea, he quickly dashed down to the storage unit where his medical stash was still hidden away. Placing his hand against the bioscanner, the hidden hatch hissed open revealing his valuable cache inside. Let's see. Which one did she need? he thought to himself as he rummaged through the pile. This one? Yes, it will be good for healing. And this one should help with the pain. After collecting more than a dozen bottles in his arms, he hurried back to the elevator and carried them back up to the medical bay.
When he entered the room, he was relieved to find Tak still resting peacefully on the recovery bed. Quietly, he approached the countertop next to her and set down his armful of supplies. After making sure none of them would topple over, he took a step back to study her expression.
Her eyes were closed and on her face, she wore a slight frown. Her skin, while still slightly pale, was much healthier than before and it even though her muscles were relaxed, it looked like some of her strength had returned. She no longer appeared to be in any pain, but based on how severe the infection had been, it would still be some time before she made a full recovery.
He glanced down at the area where the plasma wound had gotten infected and winced. Part of him hated that it was caused because of him. Of course, if he hadn't fired the gun when he did, he probably wouldn't even be standing here now to contemplate it. Still, it didn't make him feel any better about it.
He thought back to the moment of finding her hunched over in pain. Unlike the time in the rain, he hadn't wanted her to die. It was odd really. Countless other Irkens had met their fate in front of him and he couldn't have cared less, let alone given it a second thought. But something about seeing her suffering made him feel different. Even before she touched him on the chin, he had started to feel strange around her. At first he suspected it was guilt, that her constant accusations of him ruining her life had finally started to sink in. But even after saving her life a second time, those feelings had not gone away. They only intensified.
He looked down at the area where the bandages met her uniform. The wound looked to be making steady progress healing, but was still wrapped in the same layer he had applied earlier. He reached down to remove them, but hesitated. Should I really be examining her while she's unconscious? he asked himself. He wasn't sure. He hadn't asked permission before, but back then the circumstances were quite different. This time, her life wasn't in immediate danger and she wasn't in overwhelming pain.
Disregarding his better judgement, he decided to hunch down and very lightly, pinch the edges of the bandages. When she didn't wake, he breathed a sigh of relief. He only managed to lift the gauze a few inches before he suddenly felt the grasping power of her claws tightly clench around his neck.
"I thought I made it clear never to touch me again!" she snarled, squeezing him harder.
Zim struggled to pull himself free, but despite Tak's weakened state, she still had an iron grip. He wasn't in any severe danger considering he could still use his spider legs to escape, but with the lack of oxygen clouding his mind all he could think to do was point toward the medication. "I...for...you," he choked, desperately trying to pry himself loose.
Disgusted that he had allowed himself to get so close to her, Tak only tightened her grip on him. "What?" she questioned angrily.
"I...brought...medicines...for you," he said hoarsely, using the last of his breath to get the final words out.
Puzzled by his uncharacteristic generosity, she decided to release him. He fell to the ground and coughed violently while rubbing his neck from the firm contact. Ignoring him, Tak glanced over at the collection of containers that had now been scattered around the floor. Curious, she picked one of the nearby bottles up and studied it closely. "What kind of fool do you take me for?" She asked, shooting him a glowering expression.
Zim stared at her inquiringly. "Eh?"
"You have obviously tampered with these medical supplies. Only an imbecile would be stupid enough to use them!" Without warning, she forcefully chucked the small bottle at him, causing it to lightly ricochet off his forehead.
Recovering from the impact, Zim swatted at the air briefly and glared back at her. He couldn't help but feel insulted at her accusation. Granted, she did have reason to be suspicious. After all, she WAS a direct threat to him and helping someone out wasn't exactly in his nature.
"I have done nothing to them Tak beast!" he shouted back defensively. "They are a gift and I, ZIM, have chosen to give them to you to show my...um...generous hospitality."
"Hospitality?" Tak repeated, unconvinced. "And what is it you're after in exchange I wonder? Don't tell me this is your way of begging me not to kill you? If it is, then it's a rather pathetic attempt."
Zim's eyes narrowed. "Zim begs for nothing! Although..." He tapped an index claw against the side of his head casually while avoiding eye contact. "I could use some help on installing some upgrades to my ship. I was...rather impressed with your technological skills and wouldn't object to having you assist me improve the Voot."
Tak stared at him bewildered as a hush fell between them. Had he lost his mind!? How dare he demand her help to fix up his broken down heap of garbage! She had to admit though, it was a little flattering hearing him flat out admit her skills outclassed his own. Of course she had always KNOWN it to be the case, but it held a lot more merit coming directly from him. ESPECIALLY from someone like him.
Tak carefully and calmly set the medicine bottle back on the nearby counter. "While your offer is...unexpected, I would NEVER agree to help you Zim. Not after everything you've done to me. And besides, in case you have forgotten, the Tallest grounded you here on this miserable little planet. Upgrading your ship would only enhance your abilities of getting away and we both now I can't allow that."
Zim couldn't help but feel a bit disappointed by her rejection. Searching for a way to salvage the situation, he struggled to come up with another offer. "Then...maybe some assistance helping you venture throughout the base will change your mind! You still need to clean your PAK's circuits from Gir's honey, yes? I can help you to the workstation!"
Tak opened her mouth to protest, but before she could refuse, Zim pressed a button on a nearby control pad. The bed she was resting on suddenly tilted vertically, forcing her to slide off and onto the cold floor. The sudden drop was enough to catch her by surprise, and she did her best to stand up straight while her legs made contact with the solid surface. Using an ample amount of strength, she tried to catch her balance as she wobbled, but it was no use. She was still far too weak and her muscles were not ready to fully support her weight on their own. Felling gravity shift beneath her, she instinctively threw her arms out to lesson the impact of her impending fall.
Realizing his mistake, Zim quickly leapt in her path to stop her. Taking a step backward, he struggled to counter her weight as she crashed into him. He felt her arms push against his chest while her claws latched onto his shoulders and his arms wrapped around her waist to prevent her from falling further. When all was said and done, they stared face to face like two ice skaters who had just just completed a fancy duet.
Tak felt her pulse beat rapidly at the closeness of his proximity. Her immediate instinct was to shove him away followed by a very serious death threat, but unfortunately her body was too stunned to come up with such a response. She had become paralyzed, and her mind was far too shocked to formulate any rational thought. She tried moving her limbs, but they were frozen in place. Even her facial muscles betrayed her and her jaw hung open and loose. Her face flushed with embarrassment. She could feel his alien equivalent of a heart beat rapidly against her own and the temperature in the room seemed to have increased by just a few degrees.
Sensing the tension in the air, Zim awkwardly, but carefully, set her back upright on the ground. He took a step back and cleared his throat. "I um..." He struggled to finish the thought, but didn't know exactly what it was he wanted to say.
Tak looked back at him with an unreadable expression. She wasn't quite sure what to think of it either. She had never felt a rush quite like that before and it certainly wasn't just from the brief moment of free fall. It shouldn't mean anything, she shrugged mentally. It was just my survival training kicking in, that's all. Disregarding it as nothing more than the after-effects of an adrenaline rush, she finally came to her senses and forcefully shoved him away.
"Get your filthy hands off me," she demanded venomously. "What gives you the right to examine me like one of your dreadful Earth experiments?"
"You were going to need to change out those bandages sometime," he explained casually.
Tak stared daggers into him. "And when the time comes, I will handle it myself!"
Zim glared back at her. "I was only trying to offer my assistance!"
"Then enable my Pak and let me do it on my own!"
"You dare command Zim in his own base!"
"I will say whatever I want to if it will get you to leave me alone!"
"Nonsense!" Before she could dwell on it further, he held out his hand to properly offer his assistance.
She looked at it skeptically. "Is this some kind of joke?"
Zim straightened his body to stand more erect. "I assure you, there are no jokes. Only the help of ZIM!"
Eying him skeptically, she decided to go ahead and let him assist her. Swallowing her pride, she reached out and took his hand in hers. To her surprise, he knelt down and pulled her arm across his shoulders, transferring most of her weight onto him. Tak felt her face go red as he pulled her closer into him, but she didn't object. He then let go of her hand, allowing it to drape carelessly across his shoulders. He took a few steps forward, expecting her to fall into unison. She latched onto his shoulder and did the same. Carefully, he carried her step by step out of the medical bay.
Tak stole a glance at Zim as he helped her limp though the halls of the base. Why was he doing this? she wondered. For Irk's sake, she was trying to kill him! What benefit would he possibly gain from helping me recover?
Then a thought struck her.
Perhaps her plan had worked too well. Like some of the male Irkens she had seduced in the past, he must have taken a liking to her relatively quickly. Such weak minded fools, she thought to herself. It was nothing new for her to take advantage of them to get what she wanted. Unlike Zim's privileged elite, she had been born into a different world, a lower one where relationships between Irkens wasn't that uncommon. It wasn't a total secret, but it WAS highly frowned upon. If one of their kind put love before work, they would have to dismiss their career entirely and settle for being branded as a defective. Only a fool would sacrifice their future for something so meaningless.
But yet, here she was catching herself sneaking a peak at the so called imbecile she was determined to kill. Despite his lack of intelligence, he wasn't very bad looking. And his behavior of late had even almost kind, in his own bizarre, twisted way. Perhaps it wouldn't hurt to have him cater to her every need. At the very least it would be entertaining.
Conflicted with her own thoughts, she shook her head and brought her eyes forward to stare straight ahead as they walked through the base. And what about that request? she thought carefully. She pictured what it would be like, the two of them working side by side on the Voot. To her surprise, the idea didn't repulse her. It actually sounded kind of nice. Any opportunity to finally show off her skills did make her feel a bit giddy inside. No else had ever really taken notice, nor acknowledged it. Not until now.
She shoved the thoughts away as they reached the entrance of the lab. Once she was at the workbench, he ducked down and swiftly slid her arm off his shoulder. She found it somewhat disappointing when he pulled away and left her to stand on her own. The space where once was suddenly felt cold and empty. Not to mention, without him helping her, it would be rather difficult to move around on her own.
Her face must have communicated her thoughts because the next thing she knew, Zim had ordered MiniMoose over to assist her.
Squeak! The little moose floated over to his master.
"Minimoose!" Zim shouted, raising a claw to the air. "Tak requires assistance while she makes repairs to her PAK. I have other matters I need to attend to! Do not leave her side until she is finished."
Squeak.
The little moose did as its master commanded and floated beside Tak at the repair table. Ignoring the minion, Tak watched as Zim disappeared to the opposite end of the lab without another word. It was an odd feeling that filled her as she watched him go. Part of her had an urge to call out to him and ask him to help her with the repairs. The other part of her, however, wanted to shoot herself in the head for even thinking of such a thing. This was Zim after all. He was the same little selfish, mindless, egotistical maniac that had destroyed her entire life in the blink of an eye and she had sworn she would not lose sight of that.
But still, something about his demeanor had her intrigued. His behavior, while still eccentric, seemed almost gentlemanly toward her. Perhaps in his own way, he really was trying to help her. "Good," she muttered to herself, forcing thought of her head. "If I continue to seduce him, he won't even see the attack coming. It's perfect."
She allowed Minimoose to assist her while she carefully disconnected her PAK. Without even asking the little henchman briefly left her side, only to return with the exact tool she needed to work.
Squeak.
The little moose presented the tool out to her with his antlers. She looked down and apprehensively took it from the floating minion. "Uh, thanks."
Squeak.
She opened her PAK and began to get to work, only to have the thoughts of Zim's latest actions still twirling in her mind.
Author's Note: Oh my god. I cannot stress enough how much trouble this chapter gave me. I must have rewritten it six or seven times before I felt it was good enough to let off the leash. And even then, there are still probably a bunch of errors that I will have to go back and correct. Oh well.
To get more in depth, I wanted to make it feel believable that Zim and Tak are starting to feel something toward one another, but are so resistant to it. With Irken society being the way it is, I can imagine it would be almost taboo for them to give into their emotions, even if it's more than obvious they like each other. I also wanted to include a backstory for Tak since she really wasn't given much of one in the show. It would only make sense that the reason she was so motivated to work hard, was to climb out of her mediocre, lessor status in society.
As for Zim, we all know he is WAY too incompetent to be an invader. Either he has gotten INSANELY lucky all his life, or it's possible he could have been gifted with invader DNA and was just thrown into invader training from the start. It may go against what some fans think, but I like the idea of him being sheltered and unfamiliar with Irken courtship. I also can't imagine an entire species, even though they've lost the ability to reproduce traditionally, would be able to fully abandon their instincts completely. Nature has a way of ingraining those things.
Anyway, hope you guys liked this one! If there's a segment in here that I used in a previous chapter please let me know. I could have sworn I already included the bit about Zim wanted to tell Dib about his mission, but maybe I've just been writing too long. Also for some reason, the horizontal lines don't seem to be showing up in my chapters, so I apologize for that. Till Next time!
