Barriers

chapter 5

Narrator's pov*

"Red? Red! Red, please, wake up!"

Red's head was throbbing when he heard Purple's voice. He reluctantly opened his eyes, his vision blurred. Blinking a few times, Puple finally came into view and Red vaugely recognized the ceiling of their room. The look of fright on his friend's face was unmistakable. Red wanted to comfort him, but felt like he needed to grasp his bearings first. "Wh...what happened?"

Purple's shoulders dropped a bit, showing he was at least a little comforted by the fact Red was awake and talking, but his violet eyes were still full of conern and he didn't budge from his spot beside Red for an instant. "You...you just...gave out! In the hall...I had to drag you here before anyone saw...I didn't want them to think things..." Purple left it unsaid, but Red knew what he meant. It was not normal for an Irken to just suddenly drop unless something has shocked or jolted their PAK. And even then, the Irken would immediately be re-activated. Red knew he wasn't defective but...he didn't need the instructor's asking things...

Slowly he sat up, holding his head. "Th-thanks...No one saw?"

"No...I tried not to be loud, too...in case more were in their rooms..."

"Thanks, Pur," Red offered a small smile, still not feeling well. It didn't help that he remembered exactly why he gave out. Images of Zim and Spork in the hall earlier...Red blanched. He couldn't believe what he had seen...

Purple watched, noting the change in Red's behavior and knowing the cause of it. "So...what are you going to do?"

"I don't know," Red answered honestly. "I didn't think Spork would be here...or that he'd work so quickly..." he turned to Purple, defeat hinted in his posture. "I guess that I should...step things up..."

"I've been telling you that, if you recall," Purple huffed, now sitting cross legged as Red now was, expect Purple crossed his arms over his chest. He watched Red silently for a moment before he continued. "Red, I need to know. Do you actually care or not?"

Red went wide eyed, appalled that Pur would say such a thing. "Of course I do!"

"Red, I'm serious. Do you want Zim or do you just want someone to have so you're not alone?" Purple had his reason for asking these things. It wasn't because he didn't believe that Red cared about the Smaller. It wasn't even because he thought Red was having doubts. Purple just knew Red's competetive streak. He knew that if he set this up like Red would loose something for good, then Red would get that flame back again. All Purple wanted was to see his friend happy...and if the destructive Irken made Red happy...then Purple would do everything to make sure they wound up together.

"I want Zim!" Red confirmed, his eyes determined. "Of course I want Zim! I've wanted him for years!" Red felt his blood quicken and his PAK whirl. As Purple predicted, Red was snapped into his competetive mode. "I know I need to find a way to get Zim's attention. I know this...I'm barely visible in his life," Red hummed in thought, looking towards the comforter as he became lost in thought.

Purple let a small smile grace his lips as he watched. "Spork is already dining with him before the next night-cycle," Purple reminded his partner, nudging things along. "How far are you in your training? Could you afford to leave early?"

"I'm ahead of everyone by more than enough...I'm sure the instructor's won't mind..."

"I'm sure Zim would love some attention paid to his project he's working on," Purple encouraged. "If you left early, you could see him working on it. Zim does respond well to praise,"