When Sanity Is Lost: A ZaDr/Zim x Dib fanfic AU

Psycotic Break

Dib stood up and backhanded Zim, who blinked in confusion. "You're a fucking psycho, Zim." Dib hissed. Zim's expression changed from stunned to his signature sadistic grin. "And your point is?" Dib finally couldn't handle the smell anymore and grabbed the helmet, catching Zim off guard.

Zim reached over and grabbed Dib's wrists, yanking his harms away from the helmet. "What the heck do you think you're doing?!" Zim screeched angrily. "I'm suffocating, that's what! and I have you to thank for it!" Dib yelled. Zim scoffed and radioed back to the mothership. Not long after a Pod arrived and he shoved Dib in. "Get him out of here."

Zim watched the Pod return to the mothership before looking down at Gir. He bend down and picked him up, wiping the blood off of his eye lens. "Gir, I'm still upset with you. However, I'd like your opinion." Gir gave a salute, red eyes returning to blue. "I will answer to the best of my ability, sir."

Dib was quick to get out of the pod once they had arrived, taking his helmet off and gasping for fresh air. "Ugh, I need a shower." He sighed. The Irken pilot looked up at him without much of an expression. He glanced over and waited for the Irken to walk off or something, but they didn't. "Uh... you can go." He said after a moment. The Irken gave a salute and walked off, leaving Dib alone in the hangar. He sat down and leaned up against a Pod.

For the longest time, he waited in silence, watching Irkens come and go from the bay. He was becoming bored without Zim's company, but he slapped himself. "No, I'm supposed to be mad at him." He rose to his feet, remembering the ship he had taken to get here. Dib had no clue if he could navigate home, as he had no clue where this planet was even located, or how far from earth it was.

He hurried around, looking over all the ships. When he finally found it, he was quick to discover that the vehicle in question was locked. He tried to pry the door open, but it wouldn't budge. "Damn..." He sighed.

He began to take off the rest of the suit, wiping off his face on the inside of it before discarding it where he was. He walked into the ship and began maneuvering through the halls.

He thought he was lost again until the familiar voice of Mek called out to him. He looked down where Mek stood out of breath. He reached down to pat the Irken's head but suddenly stopped and jumped back, letting out a horrified scream, which startled Mek.

-Dib's POV-

I looked intently at my hands. I could have sworn I saw blood on my hand just now. I examined my hands while Mek looked upon me with worry.

"S-sorry about that. I don't mean to scare you." I apologized. Mek told me not to worry, but it was much too late for that.

I looked down the hallway to see blood spattering the walls and floor. I tried to blink the obvious illusion away but the sudden screaming that wormed its way back into my head made my head spin.

I fell to the floor and tried to cover my ears, hoping to stop the sounds of agony.

The screams began morphing after a few moments, to the twisted laughs of that skin puppet. I gagged and nearly vomited again, and my heart began pounding rapidly in my chest.

I swear.. the next time I see Zim...

-No one's POV-

Zim sighed heavily and looked upon the large mass of bodies piled on top of one another. He chuckled and licked the blood off of his spear, but his smile faded moments after. He glanced down at Gir and nodded.

Gir saluted and called a Pod down. The rest of the Irken Armada began to return to the mothership as well. Zim climb inside and watched as the pilot stiffened nervously. He sat down and Gir hopped on his lap. He cuddled the small bot as the pod began to take off towards the mothership.

He looked down at the surface of the planet, watching large explosions rend the chunk of rock into dust. He smiled, bemused at the sight before him, but he once again became a blank slate as he thought about his conversation with Gir.

He subconsciously began to scratch at his chest again, blood seeping through his uniform as he continued the harsh motion. His expression then changed to irritation, and he scoffed, catching both Gir and his Pilot's attention.

"Master, about our conversation earlier-" Gir began, only for Zim to interrupt. "Not now. Silence." He snapped. Gir nodded and glumly watched the explosions until the pod had arrived and boarded the mothership.

Zim was quick to exit the craft, hurrying out of the bay and down to the command deck. His mood was seeping through his outer shell, and any Irken that crossed his path cowered and gave him a wider girth than they normally would.

He burst into the room, looking around until his eyes fell on his chair, or rather, who was in it. Dib lay asleep in the chair and looked like a total mess.

Zim relaxed upon seeing him, and quickly approached, scooping him up and walking back out in a fluid motion. He brought Dib to his chamber and sat him down on the bed, fumbling with the blanket to try and cover him.

He had researched human beds but it seemed he still had much to learn. He stood beside the bed and stared at Dib for a moment before becoming lost in thought.

Dib had woken up with all the commotion but kept his eyes closed. He wasn't quite sure what was happening but he did know that Zim had suddenly started tucking him in.

"Maybe I should just kill you and be done with it," Zim said suddenly, making Dib tense up. Zim's sudden fit of laughter didn't do the situation justice.

"We are in a constant loop, Dib. I'm only saying this because you can't hear me. I'll make you suffer, I'll make you cry. Your face earlier, the horror and disgust- it was lovely to watch." Zim mumbled, caressing Dib's cheek before taking his glasses off and setting them on the nightstand.

Zim started coughing again, bringing up more blood. Some dropped to the floor, and he just watched it. Not long after he wiped his mouth and leaned down, kissing Dib on the forehead before quickly walking out.

Once the door shut Dib's eyes shot open and he sat up. Zim kissed him so... sweetly. He blushed and smiled, touching his forehead where he had been kissed.

He recalled Zim's cough, which made him worry. Sliding out of the bed he grabbed his glasses and put them on. He just happened to look down, seeing the few drops of blood. His eyes widened as the memories came flooding back again.

He trembled and eventually laid back down, curling up and covering himself with the blanket for comfort. The scene kept replaying in his head over and over, the screams, the seeming of flesh tearing, all the blood.

Dib grabbed fistfuls of his hair and yelled out in terror, his screams and cries slowly stopping only to become... laughter.

He could understand why he had started laughing, but it was difficult to stop once he had begun. Then something clicked. He knew it shouldn't, but it made sense. The terror, the blood...

He punched himself, trying to snap out of it. The pain made his cheek ache, but the feeling remained. He took his glasses off and set them aside, freeing up his face as he smacked himself over and over again.

When he felt calm, which he figured took at least over an hour, he laid down and fell fast asleep.