Hahaha! This chapter is so cute! I've allways been a fan of those close friendships that love to tease each other, and that comes into this chapter. Sorry I'll stop the spoilers. I was kind of stuck after the last chapter trying to figure out how to move the story along faster than my other story. I hope I did a good job.
Let me know what you think!
During lunch the next day Zim noticed that Dib and Kam seemed to be ignoring one another. They had both sat on at the table near Zim but they didn't actually look at each other. Zim didn't really care why they were upset with each other but it made lunchening so quiet his antennae began to itch.
Curious where the purple-hair-demon-sister was Zim looked around and saw her sitting at a table in the corner holding hands with some male-dressed-like-death-earth-stink. The fear that he and Dib felt for her usually broke up any disagreements making him almost wish she were here now.
While he usually preferred to avoid acting like a human, standard earthling friendship protocol dictated that when two friends seem to be fighting, the friendship-units not in the argument should ask why.
"So are you two fighting?"
Dib looked up surprised. "Well uhh…"
"No we're not." Kam was picking at her tray of greenish-grey slop with a disinterested look.
"Well ok then."Zim continued eating his porsckin sandwich.
Zim assumed Dib had been the cause of the argument and Kam didn't really care for anyone to know she was upset so, when she began talking to Dib again, Zim decided it no longer mattered. Things got better as the foodening progressed. The three talked about yesterday's experiments, Dib told a story about blowing up his first lab, and Zim commented that he had been doing repairs on his house all night. This was a mistake.
"Do you live alone? Can't your parents do the repairs?" Kam asked with some concern in her voice.
"Yes I live alone." Great now I'll actually have to disable the Robo-parents when I get home… more work. "I am not a weak earth smeet… I MEAN BABY!...(shifty eyes from Zim) I can take care of myself." Dib raised an eyebrow at Zim, but just shrugged and began inspecting his carton of milk for any peculiar smell.
"Never said you couldn't." Kam was also looking for the expiration date on her carton. "If you want I could help you out with repairs. It sounds like you got a lot of machinery at your house. I could probably help out so you don't have to work all night."
Dib did a kind of spit take and began excitedly waving his hand in the air. Zim sighed as he knew this meant the earth-filth wanted to come along as well. He barely wanted Dib touching his Irken tech, but Dib at least already knew what he really was, and had also worked with Tak's ship in the past. Kam didn't know any of this. He couldn't exactly show her the robo-parents and say they needed new programing.
"NO! I mean… No thank you friends. I can manage repairs to my shelter-unit on my own." Zim smiled trying to look capable.
"Ok then."
After school Kam had to head home right away to help her mom with some stuff. Dib walked with Zim to his base. Zim said he would allow Dib to come over and keep GIR occupied while he worked; as long as it was kept secret from Kam.
"Why don't you just tell her?" Dib had said this a couple times already during the walk and Zim was getting sick of hearing it.
"Because earth-stink. My identity as an Irken was always supposed to be a secret. I simply had the misfortune of meeting you when I was lacking in knowledge of human interfacing."
"But you know she's not stupid. She'll figure it out eventually."
"Unlike you Kam is more accepting of possibilities that I am simply a poor mutated earth-worm-baby with a skin condition and… What?" Zim decided he would have to create a weapon that disabled the smiling centers of the human brain.
"You just called her Kam."
"Well that is her name."
"Yes but you never call anyone by their name. You say stuff like earth-stink or call them a monkey."
"What is your point earth-stink?"
"It's so obvious you like her."
"No I don't."
"Yes you do."
"No I don't."
"Yes you do."
"URGH! You never quit do you?"
"Sorry but this is just too funny. The great Invader Zim is in Love with a human." Dib was smiling with a complete confidence of victory.
Zim just gritted his teeth, mumbled some things about Dib's giant head having too many ideas, and kept walking.
"So are you afraid she will be scared away if you tell her?" This time Dib's voice didn't have a mocking tone. If Zim didn't know better he might have thought Dib sounded concerned.
As they arrived at Zim's base, Zim said, "I assure you it is nothing of the sort. Now I have much work to do and I would enjoy it more if I did not have to listen to you the whole time. So away with you earth-monkey, BEGONE FROM ZIM!" And with that Zim ran in and slammed the door.
Once he was sure Dib had gone, Zim discarded his disguise and turned to address the house.
"Computer! I need you to gather some information for me." He needed to know more if he was going to debunk the Dib-stink's comments. "Find out what 'Love' is."
