A/N: Hey everyone! It's been a while! I hope everyone has been safe during all of this craziness. My writer's block is finally leaving me alone and now, I'll be doing what I can on posting these chapters/edit a few of the previous ones.I have set a deadline that seems reasonable-ish? I think this book will have a sequel when I get to that point. Anyways, happy holidays! Enjoy this next chapter! : )
...//... Zim's POV ...//...
Today Dib-hooman and I were in the base, working in my lab...
I have been instructing Dib-stink on working with the several upgrades that the base needed. I had made sure that we had separate workstations. I've seen how Dibs desk station looked at his home base and... Zim doesn't need all that clutter in MY station.
With the several empty poop cans and the takeout bags that he hasn't gotten around to throwing out... Zim just shutters at the thought of how many germs are roaming on Dib-hooman's home base work desk. Then mixed into all of that are the several pages of disorganized papers as if he's trying to link crime scenes from those mystery films he likes watching with Y/N...
I shook my head when my thoughts lingered on Y/N longer than necessary. Zim needs to focus on work... Besides, she's supposed to be distracting to the hoomans! Not to Zim!
As Zim continued to try and focus on my work. My workspace was also darker than Dib's. Zim being an all-mighty and powerful Irken, I don't require a lot of light to work on the projects. Besides, too much light starts to hurt Zim's eyes after a while. And with Dib's beacon of a desk, it's plenty of light in the room for me.
However, even with the abundant amount of lighting in the room, the atmosphere had been... Tense to say the least. It's been about a month since Dib and Gaz confronted me about Y/N and the... feelings that they assumed that Zim has been having...
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After Y/N had closed her locker and began headed to the land transportation. Dib had me pulled to the side to have the conversation he and his sister-unit wanted. I didn't wish to leave Y/N alone however, "Y/N, your sibling-units have asked to speak with Zim. Zim will be there soon."
The sad look on her face remained as Y/N nodded simply letting Zim go...
"Zim..." Gaz spoke firmly as we were at the side of the school building.
And yes, I know their name but, she has always been Dib's sister to me. Nothing more. She had no connection to me really... I looked at her confused by her actions. She was looking like she had all those months ago. Before we discovered their family, that was thought to be dead, was actually alive and somewhat well. It was the same but, it seemed to have an even darker aura than before as she leaned against the wall.
"Has... Has Zim done something to make you silly hoomans upset?"
"You're about to..." Dib shook his head and had quite the venomous glare.
I began to feel nervous. Not because of being confronted but, Y/N was by herself. She shouldn't be alone while she's feeling the way that she was.
I looked at them, wanting to get this done quickly, "Well, tell Zim what he's done... Zim doubts it's something he can't fix."
"A little hard for you to fix how you feel." Gaz sighed no longer holding the dark and threatening glare.
"How I feel?" I questioned. Why, on this miserable planet called Earth, are we talking about feelings? Isn't that a human thing??
Dib looked irritated as he just furrowed his brows and pinched the bridge of his nose. His glare changed from venomous to simply frustrated. Before he could speak Gaz asked, calmly, "We want to know your intentions with Y/N."
"Intentions? Zim's only intention is to do as my tallest say! ... And Protecting Y/N is one of his commands."
Zim started out strong with the words and defending myself quite nicely... However, the more I thought about it... the more Zim realized, I was starting to enjoy being around her. Enjoying the thought of Zim being alone with her... But, they didn't have to know any of that.
"Really? To us it seems you might like her." Gaz says calmly.
"Like her? Well..." I started to think a bit deeper into the meaning of liking her... However, without realizing it, I had been thinking out loud, "Zim does enjoy talking with Y/N after a sparing lesson. Her 'nightmares' have been lessened but... When they do occur, I'm more than willing to sacrifice my own precious sleep for her to rest peacefully..." I had been contemplating what they could be meaning. However...
"Zim! You can't be this dense!" Dib exploded at me, "Do you remember what you said to me while we had been setting up for Y/N's party?"
I felt my face begin to flush, remembering such an embarrassing outburst, "Z-Zim doesn't know what you're talking about Dib-stink!"
I meant for it to sound threatening and have him not say anything in front of his sister-unit. Of course, I sounded like a dirt-child whining to their parental unit to not embarrass them. And that probably pushed him to go and blurt out what I had shouted that very night.
"Do the words, 'Because she deserves nothing less.' Ring any bells?"
The look on his sister's face was in shock as I stood there silently as Dib-stink kept poking at me. Wanting answers. Answers that I simply didn't have.
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I sighed softly, shaking my head feeling my face fluster at the memories that were filling my mind of that day.
Because she deserves nothing less...
That statement was true... To Zim, Y/N did deserve nothing less. And the party was more of an experiment to Zim. I wanted to see if I could get her to smile... Like she did with everyone else. But that experiment was an even higher success than Zim originally thought would have happened... She hadn't hugged anyone that wasn't in her family-unit. She did however hug me...
Was I considered a sibling unit towards her? Or something else...?
As the memories of both incidents filled my mind... I was focused on the 'feelings' I had both times. The warmth, the nervousness, the feeling of my chest tightening when I was trying to hide it. I had been so... vulnerable.
I scoffed mentally as I thought about the most recent vulnerable situation. Zim should have known that Dib-hooman would remembered those silly little words all that time ago... The fact that he would use such a personal thought that I had wished to keep to myself. My forehead hit the desk making a louder sound than intended.
"Zim?"
I shot up and tried to seem like I was just looking up from the work that was on the desk. When I turned to look over at who was speaking to me... Dib standing behind me with a few items that I had him work on. I had been making him work on things to help me out safeguard the house.
However, that was more of an excuse so he wouldn't talk to Zim or try to push the subject on Y/N any further. The fact that the device he had been working on was needed for the bases' new updates for its defense system, was a bonus.
I nodded, "Ah, took you long enough Dib-stink."
"Those are what I was waiting for..." I took the items from his hands carefully as to not break them.
I knew that I, the all-mighty Zim, was a skillful liar and Dib-stink wouldn't catch on... Zim had also wanted him, 'out of my hair' as the stoopid hoomans saying goes. I feel it fit in this situation when a CERTAIN SOMEONE is being obnoxious. I started working with the items he had handed me, connecting them to a bigger device.
The Dib-hooman sighed and leaned against the Zim'sdesk. Bumping my arm as I was working. Ugh, he's going to make such a mess andI didn't want to mess up any of my work. I paused a moment as I moved furtheraway from him trying to keep everything organized.
Zim was glad that Y/N wouldn't be down here this afternoon. It mostly had to do with me making sure that Y/N started to clean her space. Especially since I had been dealing with her kicking off her blankets when she sleeps.
(I don't know about you guys but... I thrash about in my sleep if I have the bed to myself...)
"Zim," His words were calm yet had a bit of bite. The way he spoke made me stop my train of thought and look back up at him.
"What? You should be making more of these... The base needs at least 20 more." I sighed working through several the updates and installing them into the system.
He shook his head, "you still didn't give Gaz and I a straight answer. What are your intentions with Y/N?"
He was right.
Zim hadn't spoken to them about the 'emotions' that I may or may not have carried. If Zim does carry such emotions, there was no telling what his Tallest Red would do to me. I knew that I was going to have to keep up this... Facade. One that told Dib and Gaz that I didn't find any joy in watching over Y/N.
And I mean why would I? I'm simply making sure that she's safe from harm... That no one finds out that she's an Irken/human hybrid... That no one ever makes her lose her smile.
"The only intentions that I have," I stopped working and looked up at him, trying to stay calm from the thoughts I was having, "Is to protect her, as my Tallest has ordered. Zim has told you and your sister-unit sev-..."
"Zim." He interrupted me. "The truth would be nice, NOT all of these...excuses."
This made me jump slightly as his voice had risen. It had been a while since I've heard him almost shout at me as if accusing me of something. He continued, "That's not what you've been really wanting to say. Has it?"
"What do you wish for me to say Dib?" I sighed pinching where my brow line would have been. I didn't have time for this, I needed to have the base ready and the legs would be arriving soon. That was going to be a whole other intense task.
"What's really on your mind." He sighs softly. As if already tired of this argument as well as the tension the room carried.
I sighed and placing the upgrades down on the desk. I slowly leaned back into the chair I had been sitting in. I honestly felt like we were on one of those shows Gir and Y/N had been watching lately. Two people working on a case of some kind or in a lab trying to find answers to a mystery of sorts and being in the scene right before they find out the answers.
"I'm telling you... I'm watching over Y/N because of my Tallest orders..." I was having issues getting those words out. It felt odd feeling this way.
It was like I, the all-mighty Zim, I once was, was no longer occupying the room. It was as if I was being filled by some other feelings that Zim usually didn't feel. "IF you were right about Zim, which you are severely incorrect earth-baby, my tallest would have Zim exterminated on the spot..."
That caused the room to grow silent and Dib to shift slight as if uncomfortable of the thought of being killed. That felt a little better, putting Dib-hooman in his place, even if it was only slightly.
"So... you're not admitting that you like her, romantically, because you're afraid?" He had this smirk that made me want to punch it off of his face.
Ha! I, The Almighty And Powerful Zim? Afraid?! How dare this pitiful sack of meat accuse Zim having fear of something?! I practically threw the chair to the ground as I stood abruptly, "Afraid?! You take that back!"
"I won't!" he spits back with a smirk that made Zim's Irken blood boil, "You know what, I think you're, dare I say it, terrified!"
I growled at him, "You take that back you Hooman meat-sack!"
"No." He mocked me.
He was provoking me! Oh, this hooman was going to regret his words. Afraid? Terrified!? HA! Those words are foreign to EVERY invader. So stoopid to share these hooman emotions. I'll show him...
"Fine! Perhaps I do enjoy being around Y/N!" I shouted at him, "She's smart and interesting! Happy?! Is that what you wanted to hear?!"
There was a long moment silence as I had realized what I had done.
I shouted like I did at the birthday party. Dib-stink had pushed me into telling him how I really felt. And he had the most smug smirk on his stoopid earth-baby having face, "You know what? I am bit happier that you're telling me the truth Zim." He crosses his arms in front of his chest.
"How can you tell that Zim would be telling the truth?" I growled, furious and hiding my surprise.
"You're a lot quieter when you lie." He says becoming even more smug if that's even possible. He then walks back to his seat to finish some of the other things that I had listed that needed to be done.
Damn... It appears he can see through my ingenious lies.
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All that time has been wasted but, I finally had the computer start to install the new system.
The hardware had to be manually installed as it was very delicate and needed keen attention. And due to the fact that the computer likes to SASS ZIM! I had to make sure that it was properly taken care of and not lazily done.
Of course, Things would have gone a lot faster if Dib had not been interrogating me when his work had been done. Not to mention that NOW he knew how see through the all mighty Zim's skillful lying. But, even if Dib-stink did know the truth, it's not as if I would act on these, 'feelings'.
I made it clear that I wouldn't do anything. I may... enjoy my mission. But that was what every Irken did! Any mission assigned to us by either of the tallest, was a privilege! And to watch over My tallest Red's secret smeet, was the greatest honor.
It was as if Dib's big head thought that I had planned to destroy the only way I could gain the Tallests' favor in this mission!
It has nothing to do with Zim fearing anything. NOT that I fear anything!
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The security system was slowly updating when the last piece of hardware had been installed. Just as the screen on computer read, 25/100%, the legs had arrived...
I had Dib unpack them with gloves on. They were going into Y/N pak, they need to stay sterile. I looked them over, they were sleek, a darker metal, as if mined from a meteor. The joints were decorated with F/C tinted metal with 360-degree movement. A wonderful upgrade for her.
"They look different..." He says looking at them as he places them on the table to be checked out.
"They are for Y/N... so of course they are different. They're designed for her by my Tallest Red's specifications... This installment will be tricky." I told him.
The last part was more to myself while examining the specks of the legs. After I examined the legs, making sure that they were properly packaged with no damage, I placed them back in the box. I placed them in an enclosed space and sterilized by the computer. I had, of course, received sass for it at first but, when I told the computer that they were for Y/N, there had been no more sass or argument, just work getting done.
So, it listens when Y/N is involved but, not in any way, shape, or form in helping the almighty Zim... I will handle that another time. For now, Zim had to get them to an operational operating room.
Dib looked, worried, "What's going to be difficult?"
I sighed softly as I started cleaning up a lab room that had originally been made to operate on Dib when we were strictly enemies. He looked surprised about the room and looked around.
"None of you Hoomans know how to put legs into a pak... Zim is the only one who know how to." I thought of different ways that this could work but, no one else could do this but me. I was the only one with the know-how on installing these.
"How do you know how to do that?" He asked as he put the used gloves into the garbage
"Zim has done this before...To previous Irkens. Normally, it would be because someone did something STOOPID and cause accidents in the labs." I sighed shaking my head of the memories of the Irkens that would mess up. "Many Irkens would need their limbs replaced or their paks fixed if they survived whatever they had done."
This was of course before I was involved with impending doom one. If I would be honest with myself; I really had missed my lab work. Even when I was fixing limbs or doing several upgrades to the Tallests' weaponry. I felt like I could work on all sorts of destructive weapons for other invasions.
"What's the difference from then, and now?"
I chuckled slightly, "Normally when I was fixing these 'proud Irkens' soilders, I would shout at them to shut up as berate them for acting like newly born smeets with their crying. It's the equivalent to your hoomans' 'suck it up.' motto."
"Why?" He looked bewildered. "Why not-"
"What? Knock them out? Because you need to be awake for the process..." I gave him a serious look after clearing off an operating table, "Think about it? What dreams do warriors have when they are in physical pain? Or have traumatizing memories?"
He seemed to be getting the picture as I continued, "If she was asleep and her nightmares activated while I was working on reattaching her legs. Zim knows that Y/N would never consciously do this but, there is a chance that could get Zim killed by any of her attached legs reacting to the dream as self-defense."
Y/N was who I would be working on... and the fact that I would be hearing her cry out in pain, begging for it to stop... I looked away from Dib as I didn't like that idea.
I also didn't like the idea of her muscles reacting without her being awake and in some assemblance of control. The other scenario that played in my head would be, she falls asleep, the legs spasm and knock me out, leaving her pak open to the world, in the middle of surgery. This would damage the pak and cause all sorts of infection.
This was a VERY sensitive and tricky process indeed.
As I just informed Dib about this... I knew that I would have to inform the others about it as well.
I had assumed that Y/N's female parental unit knows about it but, hasn't told her as to make sure she is calm when the procedure happens. I don't wish to start the process until the security system has been thoroughly installed. And according to the computer it wouldn't be done until later on this evening.
This was going to be an, interesting conversation...