You're My Mystery •Dib Membrane x Reader•

22. Pain

~♡~

Days grew colder for you. Not because of the weather because despite wearing various layers of clothing, your heart and body didn't feel any warmth. You weren't sure why the tears were streaming down your eyes anymore, like an endless waterfall. 

Zim tried to comprehend the emotions you were displaying and despair clearly expressed on your soft features. He observed these empty stares you'd given for a while. The bags under your dull (eye color) eyes, pale skin, messy hair, etc. You looked utterly tragic, similar to one who's lost a battle they never knew they were in. Yet the intense gazes you delivered to anyone who came near you was maddening akin to a burning asteroid. 

To put it simply, you were a beautiful mess. 

After class you gathered your things in a quick pace and walked out of the classroom without a second glance to anyone. None of the other students dared to bother you as your intimidating aura was bigger than it was when you first came. Not even Dib nor Tak. 

Except for a few others. Those few weren't afraid of you, although one chose not to approach as she didn't think it was the right time. 

You pushed past the doors of the building and sat down at an empty table, far from everyone's chatter and business. Break 
was your escape away from all the pesky peers you unfortunately shared an education with. That was your time to bask in the lonesome world of your own. 

Poke

You gasped when a hand poked your cheek. Your head turned to the side, eyes narrowed harshly at the culprit. Zim stared at you with an innocent smile. His finger slowly reached out to poke you again, but before he could, you slapped it away. 

"What do you want?" Your raspy voice surprised him. It must've been from your constant nights of crying.

"Well…" His eyes dart around trying to think of anything to say. "This is my spot and I demand you to tell me why is it that you are spreading your negative germs here?" Zim asked nonchalantly.

"I'll leave." You whispered and stood up. 

Though, Zim grasped your hand just as you were about to walk away. His cheeks dusted in a lighter color as he realized his own actions. You were different from other humans and it was a headache to understand why your sudden sadness bothered him. 

"No, you already infected it. Anyway, there's no need to have a sullen face." He released your hand and sat beside you. 

Is this his own way of trying to befriend me? 

~☆~

"Why aren't you wearing your disguise?" You asked nervously.

"Because my senses are more heightened." His eyes stayed forwards. "And you're my ally now."

"Master says pretty girl is smart." Gir giggled. 

You glanced over to Zim and he stayed quiet, but there was a stoic expression on his face. 

~☆~

A breathy laugh escaped your chapped lips. I guess it is. But why?

You unknowingly blushed, looking at Zim. This alien was really working on trying to make friends. 

"What is funny?" He questioned. 

"This. You being here with me." You closed your eyes and laughed again. 

"I don't get it." Zim raised a brow, confused at your responses. To him, your way of communicating was confusing. But also calming. He was already used to your closed off personality. This calming side of you was something else. 

You shifted your gaze to the sky and reopened your eyes. "Neither do I." 

~♡~

"Do you still have those unsettling and sickening sensations in those human organs of yours?" Zim asked, glancing at you through his contacts. 

"No. I don't really feel anything nowadays." You admitted, kicking a pebble that had previously been in your way on the sidewalk. 

"Hmm." Zim hummed. He tapped his chin in thought and looked down at his boots.

She has a bored tone that matches the empty stare in her eyes. Could be she is experiencing some type of pain? 

Zim brought his head up to lock eyes with you. He cleared his throat and opened his mouth to speak, but a stinging pain on his arm forced him to yell out instead. He felt another, this time on his cheek. 

He gets hurt from water? 

Your eyes widened seeing the steam rise from Zim's skin. Immediately, you snapped out of your melancholy state. Your eyes spotted an empty alleyway so in a rapid pace, you rip off your jacket and held it up above Zim's body to shield him from anymore of the sky's drops of water. 

His eyes were closed unable to see what was going on. Suddenly, his body was moving fast and all he heard was the sound of footsteps. He felt his hand being held by another that didn't belong to him. Then everything stopped. 

"We should be fine here." He heard your soft voice say to him. 

Zim opened his eyes. He was fine. His body wasn't being burnt anymore. He looked across from him to see you sitting down, panting from having to run and protect him at the same time while only having your usual hoodie. It finally came to him that you had saved him. 

A human. The Irkens would laugh-

Who cares about them anymore. They never cared for me. Zim bitterly thought. He dismissed any existing thoughts or memories consisting of his estranged species and focused his attention on you. 
Even in your time of despair, you still cared for others. 

"Thank you." He muttered. 

"Don't mention it." You waved him off. "Besides, the smell of burning flesh is really disturbing...and allies help each other, don't they?" 

Zim straightened his back against the wall of the alleyway. He remembered the disgusting scene of Tak and Dib and your disheartened eyes staring at them. It was obvious why you reacted in such a depressing way. And the way Dib responded hurt worse. 

The wounds were still fresh. You couldn't see them on your body, but inside the scars were replaced with new ones. And there were no band aids that could help those recoveries. Zim glared at his visible burn. 

"Yeah they do." He answered. 

~♡~

This was mostly in Zim's perspective which is why it doesn't show much the reader is heartbroken, but we do see/read how she's still processing.

But in the next chapter we will see your perspective again.