A Place to Call Home
Story By: inuyashacat13
Summary: After failing for years, The Tallest finally get bored of Zim's meek attempts and decide to take over the Earth for themselves, just for the entertainment. Zim, devastated, begins to question if he ever had a purpose. As for Dib, he's just trying to convince poor Zim, who's has been his longtime friend AND rival, that there's still a purpose for him out there. Like, oh I don't know, saving the world? ZADR. May become Mpreg (but I might just be messing with you xD)
Warning: Contains M/M, some angst, slight romance, drama, some bad words, some suggestive themes, etc.
Disclaimer: I don't own Invader Zim, if I did, I'd shove it down nickelodeon's throats until they finally decided to continue it :3
Chapter One: The Message
A/N: Ahh, fuck my life =w= I've been sick for days and I can't go to another room without getting sick at least I can write more now(but I still feel like shit =w= oh well! This is for your sakes! I must continue!) lol, Thanks so much for everyone who's read this so far! I even got 3 reviews , 2 favorites, and some who alerted themselves to it x3 You guys made my day a lot better so far^^
To Galaxina-the-Seedrian: thanks so much for reviewing!...And reading it, even though you don't like guy/guy relationships (which is fine by me :3) Lol, you have good observing skillz ;) I don't like him being over-powered by Zim either =w= lol, thanks again xD
To Leahisasuperhero: thanks so much^^ I try :3
To Darkdagers: Thanks! :D here ya go ;) xD I saw your review RIGHT before I submitted this :3
I give all who've read, reviewed, and/or favorited this story so far my love and this chapter!~
Zim had been sleeping soundly on his floor when his computer started setting off an irritable sound, signaling an incoming transmission from The Almighty Tallest of Plant Irken. Zim quickly stood up before they could come in contact, straitening his antennas and brushing off his clothes before he gave his computer an "okay!" The Tallest, Red and Purple, we're laughing once Zim got through to them. They always seemed to be laughing for some reason…
"Zim…" Red began in the most serious tone he could muster, before breaking down in laughter. Purple attempted to cover for Red but only managed to start laughing as well. Zim irritably watched his higher ups for a minute before coughing impatiently. Immediately they became more serious.
"A-As I was saying," Red continued, still fighting against laughs, "You're-Pfftt s-services, are no longer needed by the*ahahahaha…ehem* Irken Empire." Zim stood still for a minute before beginning to laugh himself.
"Very funny guys," Zim announced after a minute in an irritated tone, "Now tell me what you really wanted to." Red and Purple exchanged a glance before sighing and sobering themselves up.
"Zim, you're not an invader, you've never been one-" Red started before being interrupted by Zim.
"What are you saying? I've been invading Earth for years!" Zim yelled, crossing his arms self-righteously.
"Well, that's a point right there Zim," Red exclaimed with sigh, "Have you made any progress at ALL?"
"W-Well I've been working on…" Zim began before letting his voice drop. Red and Purple laughed in mockery as Zim looked down in shame.
"What a STUPID come-back!" Red roared as he once again began to laugh.
"Y-Yeah, as expected from a DEFECT!" Purple howled back, trying to not fall over from laughter.
"D-Defect?" Zim questioned suddenly, causing the laughter to stop once again.
"That's right," Red replied with a malevolent smirk, "You're a DEFECT." Zim's eyes widened, before they narrowed and he glared.
"Who are you and what are your plans for mocking The Tallest?" Zim yelled at the screen in front of him, Red and Purple just grimaced.
"Zim, cut the accusations, it's really not that hard to process." Red deadpanned, getting bored as he waited for Zim to finally realize what he'd never been able to. Zim didn't want to give up his argument, but his mouth had stopped working for some reason. The tallest couldn't really be like this? Could they?
Red laughed as Zim stayed frozen in his position, mouth still open but trembling. "Red! I think we broke him!" Purple joked in mockery, relishing in the way Zim was slowly breaking down inside. Zim once again tried to yell or something, but his voice was failing him, why?
"There, there, Zim" Red soothed in mocking tone, "We're not going to destroy you…yet… We're going to let you choose what you do next."
Words still failed Zim.
"Though you can't come home, no, from this moment on you're OFFICIALLY banished," Red announced with a laugh, "You can keep your faulty equipment though, we don't need it, especially that defective SIR unit…"
Zim's ear rung and he swore the room was starting to swirl around him.
"Though you may want to get off Earth soon, we plan to destroy and enslave it within the next few weeks, or maybe months. It's not that important to us, we just…oh screw it, we just like to crush you dreams!"
The Tallest then began to laugh, though to Zim it seemed to get farther and farther away. T-They can't be telling the truth, Zim thought as fell to his knees, I'm the ALMIGTHY ZIM…t-this has to be a mistake! Or a dream! Or maybe Dib's just messing with my mind! Zim continued to lie to himself until he fell to the ground, surrounded by denial he never wanted to face. He felt his eyes falter before he was thrown into darkness.
The Tallest laughed at the scene in front of them, really, Zim was too naive.
"We should've done this a long time ago," Red said as he ended the transmission to Zim.
"Yeah!" Purple replied. "It was way more entertaining to watch him suffer than fail at everything!"
"Heh, stupid defect, I wonder if he'll ever really grasp his situation."
"I doubt it, he's just. so. Stupid!"
"Yeah…"
"So when do we attack Earth?"
"Mmm, I don't know, when we feel like it, I guess."
"Do you think Zim will stay? Oh, I HOPE he does, I can just imagine the torment on his face as his own empire destroys him!"
"Indeed."
Dib was relaxing in his room when something slammed through his window, Dib sighed. Before Dib even got the chance to move, Gir was frantically running around his bed.
"Dib! I think Zim is DEAD!" Gir cried, jumping into Dib's lap. Dib would've been more worried had Gir been a more dependable source, but decided he'd check on Zim anyway, if he didn't Gir would start screaming… Gir quickly beckoned him to follow, even though they were most likely just heading to Zim's house. Dib sighed again. There went his peaceful evening…
Dib was taken out of his thoughts when he realized Gir wasn't in front of him anymore. "Gir?" Dib yelled, scanning the area for the little green annoyance. He soon saw him chasing an ice cream truck.
"Wait Ice Cream!" Gir yelled as he tried to catch up with all his might, "I love youuuu!" Dib face palmed but decided he'd check up on Zim anyway, but it wasn't as if he was actually worried, he just…had nothing better to do! Dib quickly hurried to Zim's house and was surprised to find the door wide open. Gir always leaves the door open but why didn't he shut it? Or get his computer to? Dib wondered as stepped into Zim's house. He was greeted with silence.
"Zim?" Dib called as he walked around, getting no reply. "I'm going to steal your technology!" Dib yelled in an attempt to lure Zim out, but to no avail. Not finding Zim anywhere upstairs, Dib went down the toilet in Zim's kitchen to Zim's lab. "Zim?" Dib called as he walked off of the lift, looking around frantically. Not a minute went by before Dib spotted Zim sprawled across his floor.
"Zim!" Dib yelled rushing up to the alien, there was no response. Quickly Dib held him up in his arms and shook him, Zim didn't respond at first but after a minute, he began to groan.
"You're okay!" Dib announced as Zim looked at him strangely. He'd been so relieved he didn't even realize he'd been hugging Zim against himself.
"Are you coming on to me or something?" Zim asked, causing Dib to freeze and realize he'd been hugging Zim, his friend/rival.
"W-What?" Dib stuttered as he backed away, "Of course not! Do you even know what that means?"
"Well, earthlings tend to tell each other they look "good" and you said I was "okay" and then hugged me so…" Zim began to explain before Dib cut him off.
"I didn't me it like that! I had just been worried about you…" Dib started before trailing off when he realized what he was saying.
Instead of responding to the obvious, Zim managed to unbalance Dib even more by asking, "So you think that I, THE ALMIGHTY ZIM, don't look good?"
"What? N-no I mean, what? You're a guy! And my friend! We don't tell each we look good!" Dib exasperated.
"So, if I said you look good, you wouldn't respond?" Zim asked, determined to get to the bottom of whatever he was thinking.
"Well, no, It'd be rude if I didn't say something back-" Dib began before being interrupted by an outburst.
"Then I ,ZIM, am letting this pathetic meat-puppet know… that he looks good," Zim announced, ending it rather dully.
"Uh…I think you look good too…I guess," Dib replied, vowing in his head to never let his sister know of this exchange.
"That's nice of you Dib, but flattery will get you no where!" Zim responded in all seriousness, Dib swore part of his brain just died, he was getting a headache.
"Anyway…" Dib began after a couple minutes, "Why were you passed out on the floor?" Zim looked confused for a minute before his eyes widened and Dib swore they darkened for a second.
"I wasn't passed out on the floor," Zim scoffed, and Dib nearly lost it.
"Yes, you were!"
"Nu-Uh!"
"Then what were you doing? Sleeping in a comatose-like state?"
"SILENCE! I don't have to tell YOU anything!"
Dib was finally losing his patience. "Listen ZIM, I know something's the matter!" Dib yelled, towering over Zim, who didn't flinch a bit.
"Nothing's wrong with me!" Zim yelled, as Dib grabbed his shoulders, "Just let me go!"
"Not until you tell me what's wrong, Zim! You can trust me! we're friends, aren't we?" Dib exasperated.
Zim's eyes only hardened as he brushed Dib's hands off of him, "Listen EARTH boy," Zim began in an emotionless tone, "I don't know what's going through that STUPID head of yours, but Zim trusts NO ONE and doesn't rely on ANYONE, which means, he has no FRIENDS."
Dib didn't think Zim could be so cold… though he knew there was no getting through to him today, maybe the next day… Zim watched uninterestedly as Dib began to walk away. "You may think you don't need anyone," Dib said as he walked to a lift, "But I'm still here for you if you change your mind." With that, Dib was gone, leaving Zim all alone.
It wasn't too long after Dib left that Zim began to feel lonely, though he refused to think it was because he'd rather be with Dib then be alone. Zim sighed, The Tallest seemed so serious, but maybe Zim could redeem himself…Yes! That's exactly what he'd do, he'd redeem himself by taking over the Earth before-… Zim's thoughts halted as his sight caught a picture of Dib and him that Gir had randomly taken and taped onto the wall. Zim shook his head.
He wasn't actually thinking of the enemy, was he? Well…maybe he didn't have to destroy Dib, though if he destroyed his sister or father he'd probably take avenge…Though Dib also seemed to like the insipid human race for some reason… So, basically…No matter what he did to try and take over the world, Dib would despise him… However, he probably already despises me, Zim pondered, yeah cause' we're enemies…and stuff…Zim really wasn't sure what to do.
"I'm still here for you if you change your mind," Echoed through Zim's mind as he slumped against a wall. "N-No, I can't trust him!" Zim yelled to himself as he held his head between his palms, "He's just a lying Meat-Bag! ZIM does not NEED such hindrances!" Zim repeated that to himself over and over again, but it just wouldn't sink in. Zim folded into himself as he felt his denial of the world finally starting to dissolve. NO, Zim screamed in his mind, I am ZIM, I don't need ANYONE.
END A/N: Yes, I don't believe in*poof* and then their flaws are suddenly GONE. It'll take time for Zim to realize the lies he's been telling himself all along :P Though he's not always going to be this set in stone either, this was just the beginning, lol, I love Gir, and he never appears in ZADR fics as much, so I love having random things with him happen :D Lol, Zim and Gir are pretty in character, but Dib may not seem like it as much(only cause nothing crazy has happened yet for him to freak out =w=) but don't worry, he's still a paranoid freak, he just doesn't really consider Zim a threat anymore :P ok, hope you all enjoyed this chapter! Reviews make my day! Favorites and Watches make me smile! Views are precious! And Constructive criticism is fine, if reasonable, but flames will be shunned! I love you all for reading this! :D
~Kitty