A sharp tapping broke through Zim's already shot concentration. It had been two weeks since he'd moved the Dib to his space station. He kept all of the hyperbolic technology up there instead of at his main base and it was that technology he needed to speed up the human's recovery. For two weeks the Irken had paced back and forth in front of the containment tube, fearing that something would go horribly wrong and Dib would die. The massive cylinder that reached the ceiling that once served as a way for the Irken to hold Dib captive until he could figure out a good way to kill him now doubled as a way for the alien menace to save the boy. His pacing slowed as he remembered the smug satisfaction he had gotten from that one capture. Ah, memories.
More tapping sounded; irritated now. Zim stopped in front of the tube and wiped away a layer of condensation that had formed over the surface. What he saw inside made him grin. A fully awake and very bored looking Dib stared straight at him, fingers still rapping against the glass. Zim pressed his face to the glass and stuck his tongue out at Dib, who in response made a rather rude hand gesture. The green alien's grin widened. The human, on the other hand, glared. A rush of bubbles escaped the air mask that was secured around his nose and mouth, in what Zim assumed was a string of human obscenities.
"You don't wake up pretty, do you Dib?" he sneered, hiding his relief that the boy has actually woken up at all. All he got in response was another stream of bubbles and further narrowing of Dib's amber coloured eyes. Geez, he thought to himself as he began to initiate the emptying sequence, he could at least be grateful he's even alive. Granted, Zim wasn't sure that he himself would be too thrilled to wake up in what was once considered a prison. He hit the last code into the computer and watched as the thick pink liquid drained out of the tube. Dib tried to stand when his feet finally touched the ground, but after two weeks of inactivity, his legs gave out and he landed on the floor. Zim chuckled and pressed the release button that slid the tube into the ceiling. Amber eyes shot daggers at him when he leaned over to press the release on the air mask as well. The minute it was removed Dib grabbed the front of Zim's shirt and pulled him down into the remaining pink residue for a breathtaking kiss. After a moment the human pulled away, a playful smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. "Jerk."
Zim stared at him for the briefest of moments then responded with a very snobbish "Well at least I don't have bad breath. You know, I was going to help you up but now I think I'll just-" He was half standing when he was again tugged down to meet Dib's mouth. When they broke apart for the second time both were smiling. The irken helped Dib to his feet and tossed him the equivalent of a space blanket when he noticed the shivers that swept over the human's body. The black pants Dib wore that were soaked from the fluid hung low on his hips, clinging to his legs as he walked over to where Zim was. They hadn't recovered his shirt either, so his torso was fully exposed and his feet bare. The Irken forced himself to look away. Way too tempting he thought, fingers itching to trace the scars that riddled the human boy's chest and waist. Zim swallowed hard and moved to stand in front of the window that gave a spectacular view of Earth.
A startled noise escaped Zim when Dib wrapped his arms around the alien from behind and buried his face into the soft green skin on his neck. He felt the vibrations against his skin when Dib murmured, but didn't understand what he said until the human lifted his head and repeated himself. "Don't insult me by thanking me for saving you, Dib. I didn't do it so you'd "owe me" or anything." He stepped away from his once arch nemesis and turned to face him, his expression grim.
"So tell me. How much do you care about your father?"
At 11:30 pm, two days after Dib awoke; Professor Membrane stepped out of his labs and walked towards his car, thinking about the experiment he had running at his home. He didn't make it that far. A terrifying shadow extended on metal appendages and with glittering red eyes stopped him before he could reach the automobile. Membrane backed up as the figure moved closer towards him, feeling a slight edge of panic. All he could see were the ends of the sharp metal legs when they came in contact with light from a streetlamp. Then the creature moved into full light and the man realized who it was. He stopped in his retreat and straightened. Underestimating Zim, he walked past him, completely sure that the "green freak" could do nothing to harm him. He was, after all, the Professor Membrane. Zim's eyes narrowed into slits as he watched the scientist dismiss him with a condescending glance. His spider legs lowered him to the ground as he waited for the moment when the Professor would turn to face him. There! An appendage shot out and with its sharp metal end, impaled Membrane through the right shoulder, pinning him to the car. Blood seeped around the edges of the wound and using a second leg, the Irken pinned the left shoulder to the car in the same fashion. When his face was inches from Professor Membrane's he let his face split into a deranged, bloodthirsty, smile and he tore the goggles off. His cold eyes never left Membrane's panicked ones, not even when he slid the edge of the needle into the man's neck, rendering him unconscious. He'd been needing anew specimen to torture.