The Almighty Error.

Sector Eighteen.

Dibs' Perspective.

It had been hours since the brief altercation Zim and I had, but he was still somewhat bitter about it while we continued with more work on the ship. The fact Zim could drag this out as long as he had been was starting to be both surprising and annoying.

"Pass me the blorge screwer."

"The what?"

"Ergh... the object that looks like a human wrench."

I pass it to him, doing my part by explaining Zim through the schematics and sitting near where he was working to keep passing him tools as needed. This was his ship after all and of course didn't want my hands to ruin something. At least he trusted me with giving him the tools and being in charge of the updated blueprints which held different upgrades since Zims' change of heart.

I'm still left completely baffled that my suspicions about this being a trap was never in the back of my mind. I genuinely started to trust Zim and come to find out he was using me? But why? I haven't done much to help him anyways. But now I'm starting to wonder if all the things we did that made me feel like we were becoming closer was nothing but a lie for Zim. The dance, saving me from Taks' ship, the normal friendly conversations.. I even felt like I was starting to possibly have feelings for the alien? But I'd never admit to them anyways. This is Zim after all, and I probably wouldn't feel comfortable enough trusting him with how I felt.

Watching Zim lay underneath the ship tightening some bolts, I turn to my computer and admire the redesigned Irken ship blueprints to clear my thoughts.

"Give me the pulley arsal."

"English, please."

"Ugh! The pliers, Dib-Stink!"

"You know," I roll my eyes, taking the wrench from Zim's palm and replacing it with pliers. "If you would just quit being grumpy about the whole antenna thing, maybe I'd do better at guessing what the hell you want!"

"Sh—Shut up! You don't know what you're meddling with when it comes to Irken biology!" He hissed at me slightly, gagging seconds later as he worked underneath the ship.

I push my computer off of my lap and lean over on my side to see Zim underneath, raising a brow. "Yeah, about that. How is it that your Irken weakness is getting your antennas grabbed? I mean—bacteria-filled water is one thing, but then those on top of it?"

"I'm—not explaining this to you!" He seemed bashful about the topic.

I keep staring at him while laying on my side, now light-heartedly laughing at the way he was acting. "I'll find out one way or another. Is it your biggest weakness? Because rain water burns your skin, but touching your antennas made you completely frozen and—"

He looks at me briefly with the coldest glare that made me stop talking to let out a genuine laugh, watching as he turned back to what he was doing without answering. A PAK leg emerges from under the ship and gently pushes me further away, proving that he was possibly embarrassed now.

For awhile, we both didn't talk after that. I return to looking through the blueprints on my computer, while Zim kept working from underneath.

•••

"Dib-brain, what colors should the Voot be?" He asks while coming out from underneath the ship, breaking the long silence. "I was thinking green and blue."

I look away from my computer and smile at him but while raising a brow. "Why those two colors? And why repaint the ship anyways?"

"I'm done being associated with the Irken Army, therefore I want to dispose of their colors. Secondly, each pigment will represent the two of us. Blue.. seems more suitable for you. It also blends nicely with green~"