A long way

chapter 4

"L...Lover?" Dib blanched. "You're his lover?"

Spork paid Dib's shock no mind. "My dear Zim..." He smiled serenely. "It's been so long since I've seen him...We didn't exactly leave on good terms,"

"Did you have a fight or something?" Dib questioned, his voice quiet. In all of his years trailing Zim, he never mentioned having a lover.

"Not exactly," Spork hummed. "He's gotten taller...How long has he been here?"

"A few years?" Dib looked to his dad, silently pleading for help. Membrane was so lost that he could offer nothing more than a shrug as he looked on. "Um...So...Where have you been? I mean if you're his lover, then why weren't you with him?"

"I had a near-death experience...And I was unable to return to him sooner," Spork sighed. Again, he leaned close to Zim, speaking in Irken. "Zim...Please wake up. I've waited so long to see you..."

Zim groaned, making all eyes turn to him. Running a hand over his face, Zim sighed, trying to remember where he was and what happened. The last thing he knew, he was walking with Dib and then he saw...No, that's impossible...He's dead... Reluctantly, Zim opened his eyes, his vision blurred for a moment as yellow overtook his vision, a serene smile greeting him, smooth fingers rubbing against him soothingly. Is this a dream? It feels so real...

The Irken looking down at him smiled wider, golden eyes sparkling. "My dear Zim...You woke up for me,"

"...S...Spork..." The name came out of Zim in a breathless tone. He didn't recognize his own voice. What a nice dream...

"Zim! Thank god you're okay!"

...Dib? Zim looked past Spork, seeing Dib standing there with a relieved look on his face. Zim looked at him in bewilderment. "Dib? Why are you here?"

"I brought you to my dad's lab. Remember?"

"Your father's..." Zim's eyes widened as he looked back to Spork. It's not a-! "Oh, Irk..." He slumped, feeling lightheaded again, Spork's hands catching him before he could settle back against the odd table.

"Zim! Stay with me, alright?" Spork voice was calm but stern, making Zim force himself to stay in reality. When he looked up again, Spork sighed. "Zim...May I take those contacts out?" Zim, unable to speak, simply nodded, trying not to flinch when Spork pulled the contacts out one at a time, his movements careful. "There...You always did have beautiful eyes,"

Zim blushed a light blue, surprising Dib, who never knew Irkens could blush. "S-Spork...How...? I saw you die..."

"Nearly die," Spork corrected. "I'm sorry I was gone so long. It took forever for me to find you,"

"Over seventy years," Zim commented. His tone wasn't bitter or hateful. It was soft and unsure. "I...I missed you,"

"I missed you, too," Spork reached to hold Zim's hand, tempted to remove the glove to do so but deciding against it. "And you made your dream of being an Invader come true. I'm so proud of you," Zim flinched visibly at the words, tensing up. Immediately he looked away and pulled his hand from Spork's grasp, earning an odd look from all the occupants in the room. As Zim sat up and grabbed his wig, Spork frowned. "Zim? What's wrong?" Without saying a word, Zim leapt off the table and ran out as fast as he could, leaving Spork shocked, frozen in place.