Author's note: this is my first ZADR fic, so wish me luck. If anyone has any critiques or ideas please let me know! I have a rough idea of a plotline but I'm also open to changes. There's not a lot of romance in this first part, I'm trying to set the stage. But don't worry, I'll throw something in the next chapters. Enjoy!
"They ruined me."
Zim was alone, but he spoke the words anyway. The cool air of his underground lab seemed to echo his voice, carrying it through the empty halls and corridors of his supposed temporary home. He was alone, he was always alone, the duty of an invader was to constantly be a foreigner. Zim never minded loneliness, the best company he could ask for was himself. For once though, he wanted something to hear him in this moment. Experience what he was going through. Explain it to him. Comfort him.
Playing on his computer screen, flashing vibrantly with the power only Irken voltage could provide, was credits to a video entitled "Enter the Florpus."
Dib had and hadn't changed since middle school. Physically, he was a new man. Hormones made him shoot up like a tree in ninth grade, meaning Dib now towered over Zim at 6'4". Fortunately for Zim, Dib's body hardly filled out to accommodate the lanky proportions. Most of the time Dib looked bony and awkward in his t-shirts, wide glasses, and combat boots. In terms of his personality, little had changed. He was still irritatingly full of energy. After 6 years on Earth, Zim had grown accustomed the Dib's hyperbolic seriousness over 'saving the world' and 'eradicating aliens from Earth.' The rants and ravings never stopped, and Zim always made sure to stay one step ahead. Stay careful and cautious.
Dib approached Zim before school started. More accurately he was stumbling over to Zim, tripping over his own feet. Every third step he lost his balance and extended his arms out to stabilize his disproportionate frame. It took Dib about twice as long as it normally would've to reach Zim, who was sitting on a bench watching people flock into school.
The first thing Zim noticed about Dib was the smell. It was overpowering, acidic, burning his eyes. Zim knew about human alcohol, but he'd never thought to drink it. He knew how stupid it made you, and the only reason humans drank it was because they were a stupid, waste of space species. Poisoning their bodies for a short term high. Dib was not the type Zim thought would drink. The bloodshot eyes and flush in his cheeks proved otherwise. And if Dib's appearance didn't confirm the suspicion, the flask in his hand did. He took two more steps towards Zim before unceremoniously unpocketing a USB drive.
"Dib-beast? Drinking? I didn't think you could get any more pathetic. But you are a filthy fucking human, so I'm not too surprised." Zim puffed out his chest, proud. If there was one thing Zim enjoyed about his extended stay on Earth, it was that he learned how to cut to Dib's core in a matter of sentences. However he couldn't take all the credit: a lot of what he knew came from how Gaz talked to Dib. This was exciting though, a drunk Dib would be much easier to provoke. Zim was hoping that Dib's sloppiness might even cost him his glasses or a scheme he was brewing to destroy the Irken race.
"Woow Zimmy, that's ba nyew one. Yoju know, yyou never, snever ever cease tto amauze me." Dibs breath reeked and his words slurred together. There was a slight shake in his hand as he uncapped his flask, taking a long swig. Zim paused.
"Dib-monkey?" This was weird. Dib never took Zim's jabs in stride. He also never revealed what he was holding to Zim. There was a reason for the trench coats; the massive pockets allowed Dib to hide his weaponry and warfare tactics from Zim's prying eyes. The fact that Dib took something from his pocket out in front of Zim like it was nothing was a red flag. This was sorely missing Dib's massive lecture explaining exactly how he would liquify Zim's guts or blast water all over his base. And why was he drinking poison? Dib noticed Zim's scrunched up, displeased expression and burst out laughing.
"Oeh Zim. Zmm, Zsim, Zim. Weircd name yoiu got tohere by the wcya. Tthree letters longg? Shoultn'd your cspecies eb more complicated fthan that, liekk. Give yodu a npame with meanying? Or at laets length." A genuine smile curled Dib's lip before fading almost immediately. "Tohey iddn't give you anythingo, huh? That'fs why ryou're on Earth."
Zim crossed his arms over his chest defensively. Something about this Dib was wrong. Unnatural even. It made Zim half expect the real Dib to pop out of a bush somewhere. Maybe this was a robot or something. It had to be. Zim couldn't be convinced this was Dib Membrane. Dib Membranes didn't speak in dead tones when monologuing. Or reach for a second drink after finishing speeches.
Without warning, Dib grabbed Zim's gloved wrists and pinned his arms behind his back. The grip Dib had was iron clad, flexing so hard that his nails cut into Zim's skin. Zim screamed, frantically wriggling. He kicked repeatedly at Dib's shins, but it made no difference. Dib was too big for Zim to overpower him. And he couldn't risk activating his PAC around this many people. This was Dib's turf. Because Zim didn't anticipate Dib being ballsy enough to execute a public attack, he was going to suffer.
'Calm yourself. You're an invader. You can kill him later, just get out of this now.' Zim controlled his breathing from ragged pants to deep inhales. He needed to regained his composure before making demands. "What are you doing?! Let go of Zim, you—"
"Shiut up. God you'vre so loupd," With that, Dib pried open Zim's clenched fingers and pressed the USB drive into his hand. Instantly Dib released Zim, pulling back as if he'd touched acid. "Wwatch iwt."
Blood pumped loudly through Zim's veins. Dib overtook him with force to what, give him a human artifact? He publicly shamed Zim to release him? Aburuptly, Zim twisted around and threw the USB on the ground, shrieking. He gasped in a breath ready to give Dib a piece of his mind before stopping abruptly. Because despite Zim's tantrum, Dib's eyes were dull. A film of grey clouded them, his glasses magnifying the lifelessness. The sclera surrounding his irises was littered with little red veins. He had no expression, no curve in his lips or twitch of his nose. He looked dead, a corpse soaked in alcohol. Yet Zim couldn't keep denying it; this was Dib. The same Dib with bright and furious righteous. The kid that singlehandedly made Zim intent on destroying puny Earth even more than his mission did. Looking at his worst enemy reduced to a drunk cadaver finally forced Zim to question the source of Dib's misery.
Down on the pavement was the USB drive. It was a bit scratched up, but mostly intact. Upon closer inspection, Zim saw his name scribbled on the drive. Followed by a crude sketching of a small green alien with bulging red eyes and a goofy evil grin.