Behind The Tube Glass
By alien freak And Xmimi89eR
story may contain gore/blood/violence/strong language
rating: T
ZaDr/ZaDf
he's falling!! *screams*
English is my second language, my apologies if there are any mistakes.
disclaimer: I do not own Invader Zim.
ATTEMPT TO BREAKE PROTOCOL: 663:-5
RULE 32: NO DOUBT.
TAKING ACITON.
999999
It was Friday, family night, as usual, he and Gaz would go to that smelly restaurant to order cheese pizza.
As he drove from the company, he couldn't get his thoughts away of what happened yesterday:
he remembers waking up feeling someone else close to him, if he wasn't used to waking up in the main room chair with an alien in his lap, he would have freaked out. Opening one eye then the other, he fixed his glasses to focus his gaze; the first thing he felt was his stomach as it turned. The small irken was asleep in his lap, holding tightly at his hoodie, his cheeks rested in the boy's chest, one antenna awkwardly beside Dib's neck and the other hanged almost flatly against his head, feeling the alien chest rose up and down as he slept, the sweater he was wearing against Dib's hoodie made their bodies warm, this made him want to go back to their small nap.
He looked at his watch to find it was 1:24 P.M, they slept for almost five hours; were they that tired?
Tired...
Right, five hours ago he discovered he was poisoned, that he was dying slowly, and probably won't make it to his next birthday which was in the next few months,
He frowned slightly, wanting to slap himself for ruining his calm moment, can't he enjoy some peace? A small TINY facts that there was someone who CARED about him; and that 'someone' was asleep in his lap on the cold floor, hugging him- too close.
He shook his head slightly and tried to stay in this comfort a little longer, absorbing the blank irken's face, seeing his long antenna twitch. He couldn't help the hand that sneaked to grab the edge of the sensitive antenna, touching it as light as possible, just like a ghost touch.
Zim's eyes snapped open and he jerked his head back before realizing that something was holding him in place, he was about to panic when he heard the human low whisper, "it's me, calm down,"
He blinked his big eyes towards the shining glass of the boy's glasses, seeing a smile on the other pale face.
Sleeping might save power but it doesn't recharge it.
He calmed again at the light touch on his antenna, it keeps sending weird sensations down his spine, but it was calming, he can't lie.
A small voice screamed at him for letting a filthy alien, a human, touch his antenna, it kept arguing with him, making him uncomfortable,
He hesitated as he drew a lazy hand to grab the human one, taking it off gently, "don't touch them..." he murmured, frowning as the sensation start to leave his body slowly.
"Why not? You seem calm when I do it," he kept smiling, raising an eyebrow.
"Just-... not now," he looked to the side, he hated those whispers and screams he gets with the program,
A slight shook made his breath caught up in his throat, almost moaning in pain as one loud voice screamed bloody murder at him because he thought of hating them, hating the program which was, of course, the control brains themselves,
How could he think like that? He didn't hate them! It was just too painful to hear them that's all—
Another shook made him hold tight in the hoodie's fabric, his chin touching his chest, eyes squeezed shut, chewing the inside of his mouth, they would keep sending electric shocks to his body every time he thinks like that.
"Zim...?" Came a hesitated voice,
The program voices stopped, no more electric shocks invaded his body, he looked at the boy, not knowing what to say.
"You dozed out, are you okay?"
"I'm the one that should ask YOU this," he narrowed his eyes slightly, frowning sadly.
"I'm fine," he looked around, "thanks to you," he chuckled, without thinking, not even a little, he leaned down his back to give a small kiss on the smooth cheek of the irken.
His mind was a little out of it when he drew back, smiling sweetly.
Zim on the other hand, was staring at him with wide ruby eyes, the same sensation he had from his antenna came back, leaving him confused and rather disappointed when it didn't last long.
His cheeks were hot he could feel it, a thin barrier blocked whatever sound of his program that wanted to sneak to his head, still staring at the boy's cheerful face, his gaze traveled to his cheek, with more hesitation than needed, he lifted his knees to hold him up, and just like how the human did it, he pressed his lips in the pale cheek and gave an awkward kiss that was too close to the boy's lips rather than his cheek.
Dib almost choked in the air when he felt the sudden action, his face was probably a tomato, and he wouldn't be surprised if his nose starts bleeding.
Butterflies were eating his insides.
Before letting Dib see the embarrassing excuse like this 'blush ' thing, he starts standing on his sleepy legs, putting a hand on his bandages and the other in front of the human face, "we still have a lot to work on," he said pointing with his head at the table, "first, let's see this whole 'poison' situation."
Dib gladly took the hand and stood up, if his stomach wasn't full of butterflies he would've frowned at the mention of his problem. He was a little disappointed that they had to leave that spot, but also was grateful because that moment was awkward.
He smiled, "sure,"
Dib felt his face go hot for a second, holding the steer wheel tighter, he already had two things to tell his sister, and he had no idea how to start.
He arrived at her doorway, this time she was still inside the house, so Dib beeped his car's horn, after a second, he saw the door open but nobody came out (this was his sister's sign on saying: 'I'm coming.')
He rolled his eyes slightly, taking a look at his surroundings, a small dizziness attacked his version all of the sudden, making black and white dots appear on his sight, he tried taking a deep breath, then rested his head on the steer wheel, not realizing that his head was pressed against the horn, making a loud noise of beeping car, his mind was out of place at that moment.
"Hey!" He heard someone open the passenger door and shove a bunch on his shoulder,
His head snapped and looked towards who the hell it could be, sighing, he narrowed his eyes when it was just Gaz.
"Jeez, you look AWFUL," She commented, not waiting for an answer, she spoke again, "And where's your trench coat?"
Right, he completely forgot about this, he needs a lie now! "It's in the washing machine, I forgot to dry it out," that was better than saying he saved an alien and his clothes were sucked in blood.
Gaz eyed him for a moment, narrowing her eyes, she didn't seem like she swallowed the lie, but then she just shrugged and looked back at her game.
"Isn't this an old vision?" He changed the subject, starting at the gameslave in her hands,
"Decided to replay them, kinda bored, so yeah." She replied not taking her gaze off the screen,
Now this was his sister, he laughed and shook his head as he drove.
999999
He waited till their pizza arrive, putting what he want to say together so he won't sound crazy.
The tired-looking waiter came with their order, placed it on the table, gave Gaz a second long look then left. Dib rose an eyebrow at the weird stare his sister got before he burst into laughter, "you sound crazier than before, Dib." Gaz Said as she took a bite from her pizza.
"Did you see the way he was looking at you?" He leaned to give Gaz a look, smirking.
"You know I don't care."
Dib chuckled before grabbing his soda, he bit his lips, looking from left to right as he gathered his strength, "hey Gaz," he called, taking this as easy as possible.
"What?"
"They're two things I want to say..." he cracked a melted smile on his face, playing with his hands.
Gaz rose her stare from the game to him, then paused it when she saw the look on her brother's face, she gave him ALMOST her full attention, "yeah?"
Still biting his abused lips, he tried to look her in the face, "well, the first thing isn't that important so I'll start with it..."
The girl's eyebrows frowned, she waited for him to continue and after what felt like forever, he took a deep breath,
"I think I might be... um... falling," he laughed nervously.
"Falling?"
Dib looked away, swallowed, finding interest in looking at the table instead of his sister, "falling... in love..."
Gaz chocked in her soda, she stared at him, waiting to see if this was a joke, but her brother's face and the blush said he wasn't, "so you like someone?" She asked trying to understand, this was Dib, her brother, the one that showed little to no interest in love.
"Yes," he nodded fast,
"Do you think they like you back?"
For some reason, he didn't know if he should be grateful for the use of 'they' instead of 'she'
How would Gaz react if this 'they' was an alien?...
But he did appreciate it.
"I dunno, they do seem nice, but I just- I dunno,"
"Are you two friends?"
"Yeah,"
"Huh," she leaned back, grabbing a new pizza, swallowed, then drank from her soda before speaking again, "you should tell them, idiot."
"I c- can't do that!" He snapped looking at everything but Gaz, "we're working on something, and I truly don't wanna ruin that," he could imagine how awkward their situation might get if he said something stupid like that, he doesn't even know if irkens can love.
"So they work with you in the company, interesting." She smirked.
Dib decided to leave the conversation hanging as he grabbed a pizza, eating so very slow, when he saw that Gaz had finished her fries and was eating the last pizza, he decided to tell her the second thing.
"Alright that was first, now second is important- very important," he narrowed his eyes and frowned his eyebrows, looking much paler than before,
Shoving the last bite in her mouth, she drank her soda to swallow, "uh-huh,"
Dib waited patiently as she finished. When her attention was focused on him, he adjusted his glasses, grabbing the table when felt his stomach turn in dizziness, he looked at her with a serious face, "Gaz, I discovered something..."
His tone made her pay much attention, "and that is...?"
"...I'm poisoned,"
She blinked at him before laughing, holding her empty can, after a moment when her brother didn't seem like saying anything, she stopped frozen in her spot, she searched his eyes to see if this was just a lie or a prank, but no, this was Dib, someone who didn't have time for pranks and never bothered to make ones; besides, he won't lie about something like that, "You're serious??"
Dib couldn't hold her gaze, "I've been having the same headaches Dad was having, at first I thought it was just from work and all that but-..." he drew some random shapes on the table with his shaky finger,
"But then I start getting dizzy all the time, no medicine helped with the headaches or nausea, and also..." he grabbed his phone to show her the weird message,
"I got this message days ago, I wouldn't have thought too much about it, but then I decided to analyze the coffee I keep buying. It was poisoned, not only that, but it seemed handy-made, whatever the virus was, it was unknown. It affects the brain, 'frying' it to say the least."
He gazed back at his sister who was staring blankly at him,
"So you got poisoned from a coffee shop, why don't you just call the police and go to the hospital...??" She said, her voice more like a whisper.
"I wish it was that easy..." he got out some of his papers, "I got those from the hospital Dad was in, I hacked in. They show that he had the same unknown electricity in his brain cells."
Gaz was frozen in place, she looked like she can't breathe, "you're telling that you're dying, yet don't want to get the cops involved?!" She snapped.
A tiny voice in his head asked the same question, but then again, he remembered the irken.
They made a truce, Dib would help him out and the alien won't tell on earth; telling the cops about a possible murder scene would get him in a lot of things, and the police will send their investigators to the company, including his labs, which the irken was in.
If that happened, then there are two possibilities: one, the irken would be trapped, locked deep in cold labs to be studied, then he will end up in area51 museum; this would somehow break Dib's heart, and he'll never forgive himself. Two, Zim would manage somehow to run away, somehow get out of the planet, tell his leaders, and just like that earth would be destroyed, and humanity will get enslaved if not killed; and all that would be his fault, and he'll never forgive himself.
"Gaz, please, I need you to understand, I don't want the cops to be involved, at ALL." He reasoned, "I know what I'm doing, it's important, so very important, I just want you to be save,"
His little sister bit the inside of her cheek, digging her nails in the table, "what's very important?..."
"It's just for our safety, okay? Please I need you to be with my side here, I'm okay, really, no need to worry. I just don't want you to tell ANYBODY about this," he studied her face, looking for anything rather than the shock and the 'no way' expression she was making.
He tried cracking a smile, "could you promise?"
Gaz closed her hanging mouth, narrowing her eyes, "do I look like a five-year-old kid?"
Dib laughed, "just this one," he moved his hand towards her, trying to look innocent.
She rolled her eyes, sighing, "ugh, fine, I promise!" She snatched his hand, pulling him close to her face, "but if I noticed anything wrong with you, I won't hesitate to call the hospital."
"Alright, deal."
She let him go, sitting back on her chair, shoved the remaining of Dib's fries in her mouth, chewed them harshly before standing again, "you owe me a new headphone."
Dib smiled, standing with her, "we'll buy you one now,"
They both walked to his car, already heading to the mall in the cold night.
999999
Zim gazed at his hands as he moved his legs back and forth, laying across on the chair with Gir on his chest, he kept flipping his hands, then slowly moving them to touch his cheeks.
Just the small thought of what humans call a 'kiss' made his insides twist. This comfort he felt was weird. Humans and their confusing acts, hugging, kissing, comforting, feeling; it was too new and weird to him, and he knew that his people didn't have such things, not only because he never saw, heard, or learned about it; but also because the program in his PAK keeps yelling at him every time he hugs, cry, kiss, or even FEEL a thing.
Feelings are illegal. They're forbidden in irk, all irkens know this; including him.
But the small fact that his PAK was broken, fried, made the voices so very little. He could barely hear them, but they did have some left control over his body. If his mind went a little too far, they would electrify him; shook his insides, his spine to be exact.
Though, he never understood why this was forbidden. All this was new to him, well, not exactly new. In the first attack with the meekrob, his PAK got damaged which made the program sound far away, it also made his spooch feel things he didn't know he was capable of feeling.
Sadness, fear, doubt. Those were the first things he felt.
He was upset when he invaded a small planet in OID one, the planet was peaceful, it people were so little, so small and so unaware, unprepared. It didn't take him long to invade it, it was too easy actually. But something about it wasn't in place, he was so confused when his spooch was flipping at the noise of the little people running around in horror. On any other day, with any other irken, these screams and cries would be like music to him or her.
But at that moment, he wasn't happy, but rather something else, something hurt. He scanned his body for any injuries but found nothing, he wasn't physically hurt, but mentally.
Upset and maybe even afraid. It wasn't what an irken is supposed to feel.
This thought scared him, and the feeling of being scared made the matter worst.
After that invasion, a small voice of his thoughts kept whispering doubts. Doubts about if this was right, if this what he was supposed to do, if those people really deserved this even though they did nothing.
He never told anyone this, noway. What if he was broken, what if that meekrob attack ruined his PAK, what if he was a defect...?
There were a lot of what-ifs.
Zim sighed, trying to get those thoughts away, he held his cheeks a little tighter. A small sensation was confused with that 'kiss'. It was too foreign, but yet he kinda didn't mind it, and he can't deny it since he did the same thing. Dib kissed his cheek and he returned the kiss. It was funny how humans could change colors.
But he can too now, right?
He did feel some heat on his face that time, and when he did he looked away as if knowing there was a 'blush' on his cheeks.
He never heard of an irken who can blush, but can he though?
How weird was it that he wanted the same sensation again?
Zim rolled his eyes, already hearing the voices as they start talking; how annoying.
Now that he thought about it, now that this idea had stuck in his head; the voices will stick and burn his spine all night, how great, and he was the one that wanted some sleep; he had a lot to do tomorrow anyway: he'll have to fix his ship and help the human who's now probably dying.
A so little whisper said that he cared; but the program yelling covered it completely, making it sound like nothing but a background noise, something you can't make out.
"Agh..." Zim hissed, shutting his eyes, it was already late and he needed sleep or whatever humans called it. After all, he did care.
END O CHAPTER SEVENTEEN!
AF: another chapter YAY!! We're trying to gather everything in place before we start the new chapters. This will not increase the time, the chapters will be uploaded when finished, we just wanted to see if everything is right because some good plot is coming! I'm so excited!!
This was alien freak, signing off.
