When Sanity Is Lost: A ZaDr/Zim x Dib fanfic AU

A Dance

Zim sat in the dark chamber, the silence near deafening. His headache was easing up, but now the pain in his chest grew worse. as did the blood he continued to cough up now and then. He calculated a great number of things in his head, running through the near-infinite possibilities. 

Wiping more blood from his mouth he leaned back and rested on the bed. "Something is wrong. Very wrong..." He was silent for a moment before maniacal laughter filled the room.

Dib paused in his search after he thought he had heard Zim. "Zim? Are you here?" He called out. He frowned after being greeted with silence. He sighed and gave up his search. If Zim didn't want to be found, then it was useless to try.

Dib made his way to the control room and walked in, seeing Gir sitting on the floor next to Zim's chair. His eye had been fixed, and he was all cleaned up. "Gir, Zim is-" 

"Not doing well," Gir said quickly, standing up. Dib was becoming annoyed with being interrupted mid-sentence but nodded. Gir approached and ushered Dib out of the command room. The two sat in the hallway and for a moment, were silent. "I'm trying to figure out what went wrong with reconnecting his PAK to his old body," Gir said suddenly, breaking the silence.

Dib whipped his head to face Gir, eyes wide. 

"He wished to be left alone, though I would have preferred to be with him." Gir sighed. Dib stood up. "I want you to take me to him, Gir. We should be brainstorming together to help him!" He shouted. 

Footsteps at the end of the right hall gather the human and the bot's attention. "Master, you're up," Gir said in relief, standing quickly. Dib was not far behind, eyes wide and studying the Irken the now stood calm and composed at the end of the hall.

"How's the cleaning up of the planet coming along, Gir?" Zim said with a steady voice, approaching the two. Gir saluted to his Tallest. "Most of the fires have been put out, sir." Dib took a step towards Zim, but the Irken was quick to sidestep him and stand in front of Gir. "Very well. Get the Armada turned around and let us go kill something before I get bored."

Dib felt strange staring at the back of Zim. His entire demeanor has done another 180, and he wasn't sure whether to be concerned or not. He supposed Zim was still in the mindset to kill things, but the way he seemed to carry himself now...

"Dib-Stink!" Zim said with a raised voice, startling him. Dib then realized Zim was facing him now, and Gir was long gone. "I've called you a few times already, what has you so preoccupied?"

"Uh, nothing," Dib said halfheartedly. He expected Zim to pry, but the Irken just scoffed and walked into the command room. Dib sheepishly followed, not wanting to stand alone in the hall. Zim sat on his throne, posture relaxed. He smiled when Dib met his eyes, and he patted his lap.

Dib felt his face go hot and he looked away. He glanced back only to see Zim's smile had changed to an irritated scowl. 

-Dib's POV-

I sighed and approached the chair, Zim grabbing my waist and spinning me around, sitting me on his lap, and keeping an arm around me to keep me from going anywhere.

"Zim, is this nececcary?" I found myself stammering when I saw the other Irkens looking and whispering in their chairs. "It is, and you had better not try to get away." Zim's tone was serious, but then lightened up towards the end, and he hugged me. I could feel his breath on the back of my neck, and then a sharp pain that shot down my spine.

"OW-!" I yelped, discovering Zim had bitten my neck. He licked some of the blood up with his tongue, but I could see some trickling down my collarbone. I wanted to get up right then, and Zim must have known, as his grip on me tightened.