The Almighty Error.

Sector Fifteen.

Zims' Perspective.

"Zim?"

My mind swirled endlessly from the thoughts going through it, unable to be able to really focus.

"Zim, what's wrong?"

I force myself to snap out of it and stare ahead, finally making the eye contact I've been avoiding. The Dib smiles at me, and I have to quickly look away again.

'I can't possibly be feeling guilt.' I thought to myself, avoiding to answer the human seated across from me. 'I serve the Irken empire, and we don't acknowledge lower life forms and their feelings! So why do I care that I'm lying to—Dib?!'

I can feel his eyes are still locked on me, which is only intensifying these feelings.

"I'm fine, Dib-Stupid! Stop staring, already!"

"So wait, you can stare at me when I'm completely naked, but I can't stare at you from across the table?"

"Shut up!" I throw my fork at him but with hardly any force due to my PAK weakening my body, so it didn't even hit him.

He grabs the fork and twirls it in between his excessive number of fingers, brows furrowing at me. "I think you avoiding sleep is making you...not make any sense. Which is saying a lot."

"I don't care! L—Leave!" I go to stand again but this time being slower and more careful, glaring at the Dib. Admitting to these feelings of guilt that have started to arise was not going to happen.

I walk over and try pulling Dib out of the chair, growling a little when he wouldn't budge.

"If you leave, I will go to sleep! Alright?! Now go!"

"You better, Zim. We can't really focus on work if you're acting like this!" He finally stands up and starts walking to the front door compliantly. "And don't forget what I said. After we save Earth and take down your leaders, they'll have to respect you for your hard work. And if they don't? You still have mine." After those last words, he left my base.

The moment the door shut, I fall onto the floor and grit together my teeth, feeling tears form. "What's happening to me?! No! Stop—feeling—guilty!!" I hiss at myself, starting to pull and yank on my antennas to turn my tears of guilt into one's of pain. "Stop it! You're an invader, and the Dib is nothing to you! Just an accessory!!"

My eyes still continue to produce the shameful liquid that trickle down my cheeks. I do my best to ignore them as I stand up slowly.

"..I will not sleep...Zim isn't weak."

After that, some time passes since the Dib left. I've returned down to my lab to attempt to get some work done, but to no avail. Both my Pak and my wound keep hindering my ability to do anything, but I still refuse to sleep.

So I've just been sitting. Staring. Thinking.

My guilt must've been another form of stress, just like everything else going wrong with me. There was no way that I, an Irken soldier, could feel bad for lying to a human and deceiving their trust.

But that human is one I've known for years. He has become part of my daily routines. Without him, I'd be nothing right now.

"Grrrr...stop it!"

My personal arguments ceases when I hear a familiar ringing sound. It was the human communicator device.