Break Days ( Dib X Zim) [ Invader Zim ] ( bxb )

Chapter 10 - Take Control

Zim headed out of the cafe and grabbed Dib's hand. Dib stopped, but didn't look behind him. Zim sighed and hugged his arm, making Dib's face tingle.

"...Look... It's not an easy thing to just let go..." Zim said, "Just like your suspicion of me... You'll never fully trust me..."

"Because you're trying to take over the world-"

"Take over the world THIS, take over the world THAT! As if I didn't hear you the first time!" Zim said, "My planet is built on this. You're lucky to have all of this free time! To do whatever you wish when you want to. To not have to be a slave 24/7 to a planet controlled by a computer-"

"You are blind if you think we don't suffer here!" Dib yelled back, "What possibly makes you think we are free here?? We're not free! This world hasn't been free in a long time! Our leaders are just as horrible!"

A hobo took interest in the sudden fight that just appeared in front of him. He looked up from his sandwich.

Dib walked up to Zim angrily, "Do you see how dirty our hometown is?? They care about their own agendas as well!"

Zim gave Dib a look, "....So why does me taking over the world bother you so much?" Zim asked, "... If you already hate your leaders here, what difference does it make with me in charge?..."

"IT DOESN'T!" Dib said, "I'm just used to this! I don't know what you'll fully bring! I'm used to this oppression! Not yours!"

A sudden cloud of hopelessness rested over Dib's head. Zim made Dib face him, placing his hands on his face. He then removed them.

"I...see..." Zim said quietly, "...I wish I didn't need to be an invader anymore... but I do... I'm sorry, Dib... That's just our worth back home."

"Well I didn't base your worth on how well you can harm others, Zim..."

"... Yes you did actually..." Zim said.

Dib went into silence. Zim folded his hands, "The only reason why you've ever took an interest in me is because you were afraid of what I could do..." Zim started, "And you're pretty much the most I've talked to anyone... and to a sick degree, that's a job well done..."

Zim walked closer to him. Dib stayed in place and looked him in the eyes.

"Irkens don't have parents to give them attention... We're from a machine... Once we're born, we are soldiers as soon as we stand up... What importance does my life have if they could just clone me?..."

Dib saw a familiar smile on Zim's face. His heart softened, knowing that it was his sad smile. He knew that he could trust him in these moments and his guilt slowly flooded in.

"Despite this, the attention of being a dangerous invader is ingrained in us," Zim said, "So in a weird way, your attention felt good... I guess that's what started my liking toward you... You actually thought I was fully capable of my mission... or really something in general..."

"....So what happened?..." Dib asked.

Zim looked away from him,".....I was dangerous toward the wrong people..." Zim sat down on a nearby bench.

"...What makes you think you're not being dangerous toward the wrong people now?..." Dib asked.

"...I don't... That's my problem..." Zim said, "That's why I was made. To take over worlds. I'm no different from the other invaders in that regard. We invade... Once we do that, we do the same somewhere else. It's in our minds... We like this..."

Dib sat down next to him and scooted closer,"No you don't..." Dib said, "You just have to because you believe that it's good for you..."

"Well explain yourself then, Dib..." Zim said, "Why are you so obsessed with saving this place?... You have told me countless times and you've shown that you hated this world... You barely want to live here. Don't lie..."

Dib's heart began to race back up. He hated his answer.

"You have no reason to save this place..."

"To prove to my father that my studies in the paranormal are justified!" Dib said, "My whole life, he brushed me off because I wasn't interested in "real" science!"

"Oh okay, so saving the world will get your father's respect, despite not really wanting to save this place?!" Zim asked.

"YES."

"Okay! Me taking over the earth will get my Tallest's respect!"

They both fell silent. A few snowflakes started fluttering down.

"....But what if it doesn't?..." Zim asked himself.

"....What if things remain the same?..." Dib asked himself, ".... It's not like they were really watching the progress..."

"....."

Zim teared up and crossed his arms tightly. He sniffled loudly and tugged his hat down over his face. Dib had a heavy heart looking at Zim. He placed a hand on his knee.

"Zim..."

Zim quieted himself down. He didn't look at Dib. He just remained silent.

"...I want to be a paranormal investigator... but maybe I'll try not to see the paranormal as an enemy... You want to be a leader.... Maybe you can still do that, but not destroy the planet... Is that a good compromise?..." He asked gently.

Zim raised his hat a little and wiped his eyes,"I don't want to think about what I want to be in the future right now..."

"Well you need to..."

"Dib, I said no!"

"This is going to continue if you don't act on what you want in life!" Dib said, "I've been there! I'm there right now!"

Dib grabbed his hands while Zim snarled stubbornly, "Do what you want! You are not on Irk anymore, and you haven't been on Irk in a long time! You can do more now! This world is tough, but you can't work by Irken rules anymore! So just-"

Zim pressed his lips against Dibs. He held there for a few seconds before he let go, then sat in shame. Dib was frozen in his spot. He then looked over toward Zim. Something was oddly special about what he did. Not only did he have feelings for Zim, but the fact that Zim knew that one of the Earth's biggest expressions of love was kissing, and he used this on him, brought him some optimistic thoughts.

Dib faced Zim's face toward him, to which Zim immediately kissed him again. Dib wrapped his arms around Zim and hugged him tightly. Zim smiled a little from the feeling of Dib's toasty hug returning. There was an odd sense of security from just being held. He broke the kiss and rested his head on Dib's shoulder. Dib held him there. His eyes were heavier.

"...Please be patient with me with this..." Zim said, "The need for power doesn't just go away overnight... I just found out I was useless yesterday..."

"You're not useless..."

"Thanks, but I know the truth..." Zim said.

"You know that you're in charge of that, right?" Dib asked, "Now that you don't have their meaning, you can have your own..."

"That's oddly optimistic coming from you, Dib... Are you okay?"

Dib chuckled slightly. Zim gave a sad smile.

"Tell me what useless is..." Dib said.

"You tell me... You always call yourself useless..."

".... I guess the use of useless really is just... greatly disappointed..." Dib admitted, "I'm disappointed at myself constantly..."

"Why?" Zim asked, "You seem relatively driven..."

Dib paused before answering,"....We... have no excuses anymore..." Dib said. He couldn't give a proper response.

"You're correct..." Zim said with a nod. He leaned against Dib and smiled warmly. They then stood up and headed down the road. Zim grabbed his hand, which Dib held tightly.