Zim paced about Dib's room. "What would she mean by that, worm baby? You humans and your confusing words infuriate me!"
Dib shrugged. "How should I know? Gaz means what she says quite literally most of the time. Just because I grew up around her doesn't mean I understand her." He turned his eyes to the computer screen. The alien going in circles was beginning to make him dizzy.
"This is stupid."
"I've been hearing that a lot lately," came the dry reply. "She said it nearly a week ago. Why are you obsessing over it?"
"Gaz would not say such a thing if it were not significant somehow. She is a strong dirt-child. Admitting to weakness is a rare feat from her." Zim sat down.
"Have you tried asking her?"
"No! I am not that much of a fool! She would surely invent some new way to make me suffer. That has become one of her favorite pastimes lately."
Dib snickered. "Well at least that's gone back to normal. It was weird how you two weren't at each other's throats for something. Even if half the time it's all in fun."
The alien eyed the human disdainfully. "The same could be said about your head being so large."
"That doesn't even make sense!" he protested.
"I must go home now." Zim left without another word.
Gir was nowhere to be found at the base, resulting in near silence. Good. Zim needed to think in peace anyway.
What did the Gaz-human have to fear from him? He had not made any threats on her life in quite a while, and the ones he made of her body were of no consequence. She was a formidable fighter against him. And they had no emotional attachments to one another.
At least from her side.
He sneered in disgust. These pathetic human emotions were beginning to get the better of him. He feared he was beginning to care for the human female more than he should.
This had been developing for some time, of course, but did it really matter? No! He would never allow himself to stoop so low as to actually act on such emotions. The thought was inconceivable.
Still, sometimes it was fun to imagine what it would be like to really be with her. What would happen if they weren't just playing a big game of pretend?
Such thoughts were dangerous to entertain and he discarded it quickly to the recycling bin of his brain.
He was straying from the original topic: why did Gaz fear him?
Stupid, stubborn worm baby female! Even when he wasn't around her she plagued his mind. Gah! Pathetic. Really pathetic.
One more week and the charade would be over. Maybe that was what she was worried about? Did she think he would force her to continue this farce of a relationship? That must be it!
A frown settled over his features as he stopped in mid-step. He hadn't noticed that he had been pacing, but the realization was overruled by a more pressing one: she was afraid that he would think she was serious in her affections. That must be it. There was no other explanation for her odd change in behavior. Her sudden, if not chillingly familiar, withdrawal from society. That was why she had been avoiding him for the past two days.
Well, never fear, Gaz! I'll set you straight after graduation, he decided silently. Perhaps there was some way he could ease her mind a bit before then…
Gaz stared at the note sitting in her lap. That bastard. Who the hell did he think he was?
Hello, my fake affection-monkey! It is I, ZIM! You have been acting oddly and I wanted to assure you that I know it is all fake. You have nothing to fear. I shall not keep you prisoner after I have graduated with the rest of my year.
It has been a pleasure doing business with you.
Signed, the all mighty, wonderful god-like Irken, INVADER ZIM!
The nerve. She crumpled the sheet of paper into a ball and threw it in the trash can on her way out of art class. Business. Everything he had done for her had been because he saw it as a business contract.
What about her birthday party? And the pictures? And playing video games and watching horror movies and laughing at all the stupid people in their approximate vicinity?
Had it meant nothing to him that she had let him in more than anyone else in her entire life?
She wondered briefly if it had all been a ploy so that he could get some experience with human emotions without running the risk of being too hurt.
She was angry. No. She was livid. She felt a twinge of satisfaction as everyone cleared a path for her, no matter where her body moved. Good. She was still able to infect everyone around her with fear. It was a comfort to know she hadn't lost her touch.
Gaz was beginning to get the distinct impression that she would be reverting back to her old ways in the not-so-far future.
The creepy girl was unsure of what disturbed her more: the fact that she had been used in such an intimately exquisite way or that she welcomed her impending regression so readily.
Zim would come to rue the day he toyed with her in such a carefree manner.
