ZaDR Oneshots (Invader Zim)

How To Live PT ???

Zeek stood in the large main floor of the Institution watching the people grab dancing partners and gliding across the floor. He could almost see the fancy dresses, and fancy suits of his people from his past happily dancing with each other across the ballroom floor. He felt small and insignificant. A tiny child lost in a sea of strange adults all alone. Completely and utterly alone, forgotten, unloved, and his existence pointless.

Pushing the feelings away he hands his drink to the butler and takes center stage. His eyes burning with strange determination as he imagines himself dancing with his first love Apollo. It's hard for him to keep the mental image of the golden eyed commander that he relied on during his solider days in mind.

He can still see the burning anger in those golden eyes when he told him he was leaving the army. The pain and betrayal too. They were not very understanding eyes. They made him feel like even more like the trash that he knew he was. Switching things up he goes for imaging himself dancing with King Brain if he was human.

A hard thing to imagine, but Zeek managed it. Zeek has to adapt a lot to King's very stiff, very traditional and by the book approach, but they manage. Their dance is a strange one. There isn't really any emotions behind the dance. Just a kinda of formal obligation from both sides. Maybe a professional and morbid curiosity?

At some point Zeek shoved that imagine away too. Can he just not simply dance by himself in peace! He needs no imagines of a partner! He has himself! With a frustrated sighed Zeek imagined himself alone on a stage and tried to dance again to an unseen crowd as if he's part of the Galactic Theater. It felt hard. As if he's afraid of messing up. Too much attention him made him nervous and too self aware.

Zeek came to a stop and just sighed in frustration hating that he can't just enjoy himself in this event. He smelt something familiar and he turned towards the sound of footsteps.

"Uh... hello. May... I... have this dance?" The tall and bulky looking man in a white lab coat that covered his nose and mouth asked as he offered his gloved hand.

Zeek blinked and nodded smiling softly. The dance was awkward as they both were trying to figure out, who's leading who and what dance they are supposed to do. Zeek narrowed his eyes at his own feet in frustration. His eyes snapped up to look his dance partner in  the face and stare intensely into his blue lensed goggles.

"Dancing is like fighting. I pull. You push! I give! You take!" Zeek tells Professor and started to lead him into an Irken style dance.

"I'm a man of peace though!" Professor apologizes and Zeek snorted and laughed happily at that.

"I am too, but that doesn't mean I won't stand up and fight for what I believe in and protect those who can't themselves." Zeek smiled offering his hand to the scientist once more.

"Yes I understand." Professor nodded and they began to dance.

It was a dance like no other and Zeek felt his frustrations just melt away as for the first time since he's been on this planet he found joy and happiness. It was like his inner kid was finally getting to do something fun for once. Nothing was expected of him! There was no one watching them. It was just them just having fun.

Zeek felt way to giddy and safe around this human he barely knew. His guard was almost instantly gone and he felt himself want to just whole heartedly trusting this stranger. It than occurred to him, who this man was.

"Oh! I just realized! It's you! The one from the beach!" Zeek looked at the man feeling flustered and shy now.

"Yes! It wasn't easy to find you! But I've been looking for you since that day to repay you!" Professor explained.

"You don't need to repay me. I didn't save you for any kind of reward or anything. I saved you, because... well... you needed to be saved." Zeek admitted as they continued to swirl and zoom across the dance floor together.

"Well... I need to repay you! Or else I won't be able to live with myself!" Professor explains.

"Haha. I guess if it's that important to you. I won't refuse." Zeek smiled feeling like he's on cloud nine.

"Great! You talked about applying to work for the labs. I'd like to personally hire you!" Professor explained, "In fact you're already hired!" He explained.

Maybe it's all that sugary soda he drank, but Zeek just smiled and nodded, "Yes! Yes! A thousand times yes! I'd love to work for you!"

"That's great!" Professor smiled.

They slowly came to a stop and Zeek heard people clapping and looked around to see that the others were impressed by their little dance, "That was a very interesting and fun dance. What kinda of dance was that?" Professor asked Zeek, but realized he probably shouldn't be do Irken style dancing among humans.

"Freestyle? I dunno. I just did what felt right." Zeek shyly grimaced.

"It was amazing!" Professor looks like he might be on cloud nine too.

"Oh uh... I need to talk to Big D about my transfer." Zeek realized.

"No need. I sent him a message. We have personal history!" Professor explained.

"Oh... okay." Zeek looked away.

"He can be mad at me all he wants. I don't care. This is too important to budge on!" Professor explained.

"Well... I still need to get my stuff... and move to Dayton... and..." Zeek added.

"I got that covered too! I've already ordered someone to head to your address and get your stuff. You'll be staying with me until I can find you a more suitable place to stay at." Professor explained.

Zeek stared at Professor and realized one very important thing about this man that he saved. Not only is this human his life partner. But Professor... is going to be one of those life partners that Zeek is going to butt heads with.

Zeek just smiled as his eye twitched a bit, "I see. How thoughtful of you."

"I know! I know!" Professor smiled looking happy.

Zeek sighed, "Seems like you my dear Professor are going to have to learn some harsh lessons about asking permission, before just doing whatever you want. And why you shouldn't just do these things to begin with. Oh well. You pull. And I push. And Irken. Push hard. Hopefully you can handle it." Zeek thinks humming softly.