I'm Not Crazy (ZaDR)

4

“Zim? Zim? What the hell’s wrong with you!?” Dib shouted, shaking Zim.

Zim stood up quickly, causing Dib to fall. “Get away, Earth-scum!”

“What? You just fell on the floor crying, what the hell Zim?” Dib stood up and wiped off his pants. 

Zim swallowed and sat down in one of the chairs at the table Dib had been eating at moments ago. “Zim is not sorry.”

Dib stared at him. “Did you just-- never mind. Also, what was that all about anyway?”

Zim shook his head. “Nothing.”

“I’m sorry I told you to--”

“I can’t go back to my planet.” Zim finally said.

Dib sat down in a chair beside Zim. “I didn’t mean it.”

“You did.”

“Zim--”

“You don’t want me here. Nobody wants me around. I just mess everything up for everyone.”

“No, Zim. That’s not what I meant.” 

Zim stood up. “I’m sorry I bothered you.”

“Zim, sit down--”

The sound of the door shutting behind Zim cut Dib off.

-- Two Days Later --

There was knocking on the door again.

“Zim, get out of there! You can’t stay inside forever!” Dib’s voice could be heard from outside. 

Zim turned to look at him through the small circle window beside his door. Dib was looking right at him. His face was covered in burn scars and it looked like the ahoge that used to be prominent on his head looked like it had been cut short, the tip sizzled.

Zim looked over to his guard gnomes, which he had placed to shoot lasers at anyone who tried to walk too close to Zim’s base. They had stopped shooting at Dib a long time ago. It’s a wonder as to how he’s still alive. 

Zim sunk deeper into the barrier of blankets he had created on his couch to protect himself. He could still hear Dib, but it was much more muffled now. 

“Zim, let me in.” Dib shouted through the window.

Zim shook his head. “Why do you care? I thought I ‘wasn’t real’.”

Dib sighed. But it did make him think. Why did he care? He’d skipped work for the past two days. It’s not like he had to be there, but his interview yesterday went terribly. He couldn’t stop worrying about Zim.

Dib knocked on the window again. When Zim didn’t answer, he knocked harder. He kept knocking harder and harder until the glass shattered and his hand was bleeding.

Dib climbed through the window and was immediately stopped by two robotic tubes. They grabbed him by his arms, holding him in place.

“Zim, tell your stupid house to let me go!” Dib said.

Zim sighed, and the tubes retracted back into the ceiling. Zim poked his head out of his blankets to look at Dib.

Dib rubbed the back of his neck. “I’m going to be honest, I had a speech ready… like two days ago. I didn’t think I’d ever get in.”

Zim didn’t respond.

“So, anyway. I don’t know what you were on about back then… but I do want you here.” Dib said.

“You don’t even think I’m real.” Zim muttered.

“Do you think you’re real?” Dib asked.

“Of course I’m real!” Zim jumped up out of his blanket prison and walked over to Dib. “I’m Zim, Invader Zim!” Then he paused. “Or, I was.”

Dib gasped, which caused Zim to give him a confused look. Zim had been his old self just then, maybe it was only for a few seconds… but it’s an improvement. In science, sometimes you just have to be patient. Like with Dib’s experiments, he was going to have to be patient with Zim.

“You still can be--” Dib started. But Zim fell to the floor.

“I was never an invader. Or, I was. Then I messed it up. I was a horrible invader. I can’t even conquer Earth.” 

Dib swallowed. He had made less progress than he’d thought. “I’m sure you can. You’ve just gotta keep trying. Remember that one time you almost turned me into Bologna? That was pretty close.”

Zim sighed. “I also turned myself into Bologna.”

Dib cleared his throat. “And you turned back.”

“You also turned back.”

“...So? Remember when you… uh…” Dib tried to think of another time where Zim had almost beaten him, but there weren’t that many. “When you almost ruined Christmas?”

“I’m not the Grinch, Dib.” Zim said.

Dib sighed. He didn’t even call him Dib-stink. Had he stopped that before? Also… how does he know what the Grinch is? Dib shook his head. That wasn’t important now. 

“Well, it doesn't matter. You almost killed every human on the planet that day.” Dib said.

Zim smiled. “I did.”

“If I wasn’t there to stop you, you probably would have.” Dib said.

“I would have.” Zim stood over Dib, and pointed at him dramatically. “And when I do it again, you won’t stop me!”

Dib grabbed Zim by the wrist. “I’ll always stop you.” Then pulled Zim to the floor, and he landed face first.

Zim sat up and pushed Dib over, who was laughing. 

Dib sat up after finally catching his breath. They locked eyes for a moment, and they both felt their faces heat up.

“Well, since you seem to be back to normal I’m going to leave!” Dib announced, standing up quickly.

Zim waved at him as he left and watched as the door shut behind him.

“Bye Dib-stink! I’ll--” Zim began, but was interrupted by Dib’s yelps, accompanied by the sounds of lasers. “I guess they do still work.” Zim mumbled to himself.

He turned to the kitchen, to the toilet he used to get to his underground base.