"Sleeper Agent"

'Chapter Twenty-Nine'

If Dib thought that things might get better over time, he was soon proven quite wrong.

The interaction with the repair shop owner played out much like the one Zim had with the bartender—that is to say, badly. Fierce snarling erupted in the air the moment Zim had entered the building, again in a language that was nowhere near English, as he pointed and made demands to the three aliens they found inside.

The largest of them—presumably the one in charge—answered the Irken with gruff noises of his own, and the entire episode stretched on for what might have felt like a life-time as the two verbally battled over what was hopefully the matter of the Voot's repair and not something trivial.

With Zim as irritated as he was, all one could do was hope as much.

If at any point Dib tried to intercede, Zim gave him a harsh bark to be silent, or mind his business. He had no desire to draw attention to the human when enough had been paid to the teen as it was. Plus, the Dib-monkey would hardly be a help, seeing as he couldn't understand the conversation.

Although, body language was a universal one, and it was obvious from Zim's that he was not saying the kindest, most well-thought-out statements. And from the look the owner was giving them, this was probably true.

It was a wonder the owner even supplied the materials after the seeming verbal assault the two had participated in. But, somehow or another Zim had managed to gain what he thought he needed and the two had headed back to the Irken's cruiser.

Dib's mood hadn't been the best before, but after the whole repair-shop incident and Zim constantly snapping at him, he was nearing his breaking point. His patience only stretched so far, and everything was just weighing too heavily on his young mind; there was just too much stress to deal with.

Currently the tall teenager was leaned up against the wall, his amber eyes staring down at Zim's figure as he messed with this and that – there had been some internal damage, as Dib had predicted, though Zim hadn't seemed pleased when Dib had said 'I told you so.'

However, all this waiting around was grating on his nerves. He felt hungry and tired and pissed off and he was sick of being around Zim.

"How much longer is this going to take?" Dib finally asked, his tone a little sharper than usual; but he had been standing around for at least an hour now, not to mention the time it took in the repair shop and all the other time wasted on petty arguments about nothing that got them from there to here.

Zim didn't respond well to Dib's snap, slamming the strange metal mechanism he'd been previously using onto the ground with a harsh clank. He stood up to his full height, still leaving him a few inches under Dib as he glared venomously. "Zim said to stop talking," He spat, but it was tense, quiet—lacking his usual bravado in exchange for an intensity normally lost in his louder exclamations. "Your pestering will not make the repairs happen faster."

There was a moment's pause as the Irken turned his gaze away from Dib, glowering in the direction of the buildings far from their ship's parking space. His antennae remained stiff against his head, quivering just barely against the tense pose they seemed locked in, reflecting his irritation.

Finally he seemed resolved on whatever he was thinking about, trudging towards the cluster of stores. "Come, Dib-filth."

Dib's posture remained tense, his arms folded over his chest, not intimidated in the least by Zim's irritated display. He frowned to the Irken's words, the intensity of his tone was not lost on the human though that didn't keep Dib from countering, "I don't think you even know what you're doing, you've been working on it forever now." He exaggerated, merely sick of standing around and watching Zim get more and more frustrated since it was obvious they either really didn't know the actual problem, or the tools he was using were inaccurate – though Dib didn't care much for reasoning at the moment, almost wanting to push Zim's buttons just because the alien had been snapping at him all day.

However, Dib was surprised when Zim had finally directed his attention back to the make-shift town. Zim's posture and tense expression were tell-tale signs that something was stewing in Zim's head though Dib wasn't entirely sure what. Though, once the alien called him along he didn't waste time following – curious as to where exactly they were headed now.

Dib's counter had not been lost on Zim, and as they walked he bared his teeth, whipping his head around to snarl at Dib. "Zim knows far more than what your empty head of largeness could ever comprehend!" The reply was hardly much more than their usual banter, but once again, body language spoke more than the words pouring from their mouths. The way Zim face contorted darkly spoke for itself. "It would take centuries for you to do what I'll complete in a few Earth hours. So cease your idiotic complaints."

They approached the buildings, finally trudging past the outskirts of the development and entering along the main alleys with the store-fronts in clear view. Zim stopped in front of one of them, not far from the bar they'd entered earlier—he took a quick second to read the alien letters on a sign before reaching towards the door. "If you are going to do nothing but be useless and whine, then you can do it here in a rest facility," He said, watching as the door slid into the wall to allow them entrance. "FAR away from Zim and the Voot."

Dib could feel the tension building; the heavy air attempting to coax one of them into a melt-down. Zim's snarling words and over-all hostile behavior was definitely rubbing Dib the wrong way; his fists clenched to his sides as he tried to keep enough composure to keep himself from just jumping Zim and attacking him.

However, as they approached the hotel Dib had brushed Zim's comments aside; thinking this was probably the best plan the invader had all day.

Even though Zim was just trying to get rid of him so he could keep working, Dib didn't entirely care. He'd rather have some distance from the alien and he was definitely in the mood for some rest.

As they stepped into the hotel the bell above the door alerted the inn keeper to their presence. The alien looked more human-like than the things Dib had seen in the bar; having an almost hour-glass figure that was draped in silks of liquid silver that contrasted against the black of her skin. She had a mess of curled white horns that haloed her oval face and large yellow almond-shaped eyes that followed their every move.

In a gentle whispering tone she gestured for Zim and Dib to approach; but the Irken hadn't cared for such a cordial display, stomping the entire way to the desk before he decapitated her friendly behavior with his harsh Irken words.

Dib had watched the entire display with a frown, starting to feel the bite of irritation once again – assuming Zim might get them thrown out instead of a room. Though, to his surprise the female had thrust a key in Zim's direction after monies had been exchanged; her hand gesturing in an aggravated movement towards the hall where their room was probably located.

Dib wasted no time following after the Irken, barely offering a glance back to the inn keeper that didn't seem interested in looking at them anymore than had been necessary. The hallway was thin, just barely enough room for the two of them to walk side by side as they reached the end of the hall where Zim had abruptly stopped and opened the door.

He attempted to set the characters on the door to memory just in case he might forget before he stepped inside just as Zim slammed the door. The room was tiny, but good enough; there was a single round bed in the center of the room, though aside from that there was no furniture. A room off to the right Dib assumed was a bathroom, though he didn't care yet to inspect it.

He stepped over to the bed and sat down; the mattress groaning under his weight but the softness of it almost seemed to wash away all the upset he had experience earlier. He definitely wanted to just crash for a while, but he seemed to finally remember Dwicky and the fact that his food supplies were waiting for him.

A snack before bed sounded great right now.

"Hey," He started, his amber eyes falling on the Irken, "I'm going to go see Dwicky," He reluctantly got off the bed, "Can I have a key so I can get in when I come back?" Dib asked, though it seemed more like a statement than a question; not requesting, because he didn't want to give Zim room to refuse.

Zim had been glancing over at the bathing room when Dib spoke, antennae twitching over the lack of cleanliness he saw there. The moment Dwicky's name came from the human's lips, however, Zim's full attention shot directly to the raven-haired teen.

"What?" He hissed, his almost permanent frown stretching down into a fierce scowl, displaying his pink-tinted teeth. "You are not going anywhere Dib-stink. Zim bought this room for you to stay in, and you will remain here until I return." He gripped the keys tighter in his hand, not intending to let them go. "This is no place for a stupid human to go wandering around!"

Not with how all of the scum-filth of the station seemed to regard Dib, anyhow. Zim's scowl worsened, lines etching his face with the countenance of utter loathing. He could feel their eyes on the boy, looking him over, studying him, thinking things that Zim would not allow them to think. If Dib went out by himself, or even worse, with the Dwicky-beast…

Zim didn't trust the other human. He saw how he looked at Dib—how he smiled at him. All full of happiness and glee and…and wanting. He wanted what was Zim's.

The thought only sent Zim further into his unyielding behavior. Dib was Zim's enemy, Zim's human, Zim's…it didn't matter what. He belonged to Zim, as property at the very least. And with the eyes and hands of this establishment so interested in him; it could have all been in Zim's head, but he was beyond considering that. Just batting an eyelid in the human's direction counted as a threat.

And the naïve worm-baby wanted to go wandering alone like a smeet among hungry Blorch rats.

Whether Zim was actually concerned for Dib, or whether he was just being controlling like he usually was, Dib didn't care to discern.

He was sick of Zim barking at him, telling him what he could and couldn't do; he had given Zim all the patience he could give and now he just didn't care anymore. Fatigue, hunger, and stress was weighing too heavily on Dib for him to really think beyond letting his own irritation spring to the surface; he had enough.

"I'm not going to be caged up here." Dib said flatly, eyeing Zim's hostile expression but not seeming to be intimidated in the least by the Irken; taking Zim's heated words and shoving them aside as if they didn't matter at all. "You don't own me." He said, lifting his chin in the usual show of a challenge; his words hurting himself more than he thought he'd probably hurt Zim.

Dib ignored how much he wanted Zim's possessive display to mean something; knowing that Zim was just being himself and exerting his usual dominance. Zim hadn't shown him any interest since the battle with Keef, and slowly but surely, Dib was coming to terms with the idea that Zim just didn't want him anymore.

Though, depressive thoughts had no place here; not now.

"Whether you give me a key or not doesn't matter," He said with the same defiant tenor to his voice, "I'm going out, and if I can't get in here, I'll find somewhere else to go." He said easily, though the bluff didn't hold too much merit; where else would he go without Zim?

Though, Dib wasn't going to back down from his threat, he wasn't going to come crawling back to the Irken if the alien threw him out, he had too much pride for that.

Zim growled, antennae flattening stiffly against his head. "You will do no such thing!" He continued to stand in front of the door, blocking any potential exit unless Dib wanted claws to accompany it. "Zim said you will stay here, and that is what you will do!" He glared, though it was almost tired. "Foolish, idiotic monkey-thing—why must you always be so stupidly stubborn and…and pig-worm-ish? Just do as Zim says, for once!"

"For once?" Dib scoffed, remaining a foot or so from the alien, "I've been listening to you all day!" He threw his hands up in exasperation, "I'm going to go get my supplies and go wherever the hell else I want." He snapped, eyeing Zim with a glare.

He knew Zim was attempting to be a blockade, standing in front of the door with a posture that suggested he'd attack if provoked. But, Dib decided to take a chance; he wasn't going to bend to Zim.

Dib moved to push Zim aside – his hands gripping the Irken's shoulders just long enough to shove the smaller creature away from the door, "I'm leaving." Dib stated, lingering in place for a mere moment before he reached for the handle of the door.

Zim let out a hiss, reaching up to tear Dib's hands away from him, only enough to swat away their presence. His eyes widened with a mix of what could have been surprise, but there was no mistaking the inferno of rage that boiled there as well.

"Do not TOUCH ZIM!" He yelled, smacking Dib's hand away from the handle and pushing himself into the doorway, whipping the door open so hard it almost came off the hinges. He turned to face Dib, his face flushed as he finally seemed to snap in his frustration. "You want to leave? Fine! FINE! What does it matter to Zim what a STUPID, IGNORANT, BIG-HEADED WORM-BABY decides to do? Huh? HUH? It means NOTHING!"

With a furious scream he threw one of the keys at Dib, just barely missing his forehead as it sailed with painful speed into the empty room. "Go get yourself killed, decapitated by some space trash and thrown out the airlock! See if Zim cares!" With one last enraged glare the Irken wheeled away from Dib and stomped off, marching with terrifying speed towards the end of the hallway, disappearing from view around the corner.

Dib stood in the wake of Zim's verbal assault; feeling as if he had just survived a hurricane. He ran his fingers through his hair – took a deep breath, and pushed whatever he might've been feeling towards the situation aside.

Stupid Zim. Stupid everything.

Dib picked up the card key, glad the thing hadn't embedded in his face as Zim had intended. He pocketed the key as he exited the room, letting the door 'click' softly shut behind him as he strode down the hall intent on leaving the entire complex behind him.

A/N:

Angel-chan and I have been able to RP a bit, so I have some chapters backed up. Not a whole lot, but a few, so updates won't be as frequent as before, but I now have a few more chapters to dish out.

I hope you are enjoying our story so far~ Dib and Zim finally had their blow-up that had been stewing for a while now. We still love hearing from all of you, so we do hope you decide to leave a review. Thanks!