Mission Failed Successfully (Invader Zim - Ari x Zim)

Chapter 8

Zim was looking at the workers who were more than good at repairing the ship. He and Ari could never work at such speed. Ari was mostly giving orders and helping, she asked Zim to just not get in the way. But he wanted to help too. His amazingness could be so useful. He even secretly tried to help, but Ari'd catch him and keep a close eye on him for the rest of the day, so he eventually just gave up.
The ship was getting it's finishing touches, Ari predicted it would take a week to fully finish it. She'd continue her mission and then she'll tell the Tallest about her feelings. She was afraid to, but it was important.

Dib sat down on his chair and looked at his computer again. Zim's been in his house for two months. Dib thinks it's because Ari's still there. He's been theorizing and analyzing, and from what he knew, he's assumed Ari's actually irken too. It was really obvious now that he looks back. Her clothes, PAK, the way she talked. It was a bit different from Zim and Tak, but it was still quite similar. But it still doesn't explain why she's on Earth. Is she here to help Zim with his evil plan? Or because she's trying to stop Zim by befriending him and then finding his weakness? Either way, she's evil. Dib's sure of it. He's sure she didn't just appear one day for no reason.

A week goes by and the ship looks as good as ever. The backup was already gone and Ari was still in her room, cleaning up after herself. She left her door open, and so Zim just walked into the room.
„Ehem, Ari. When are you gonna leave?" he asked and went over to her. Ari looked over at Zim.
„Well, I can leave right now, but since I'm so nice, I'm cleaning up after myself." Ari said jokingly and nudged Zim's shoulder.
„The amazing Ziim can help, you know - I bet you have no idea where this, uhh...SCREWDRIVER belongs." Zim pointed out.
„Oor, you can just say you want to help." Ari said and picked the screwdriver up, placing it in a box where she previously found it.
„Zim doesn't want to help! I know you're just too incapable to understand my genius organisation skills." Zim said...well, more like yelled. He put his hands on his hips and smiled proudly. Ari felt butterflies in her stomach and she smiled dreamily. She immediately turned around with a blush so that her back would face Zim.
„Sure, but I actually just finished, so I guess I'll have to go." Ari said and left the room. Zim quickly followed. Ari went to the room the ship was in.
„But, Ari..." Zim held Ari's wrist. Ari turned around with a questioning look. „Uh..." He looked around the room and quickly grabbed a random thing. He wanted to say something seemingly important, but he shrugged it off. „You're forgetting your goggles. What a stupid...thing." Zim said quickly, giving Ari not even her's goggles and letting go of her wrist. Ari looked at him with an even more confused look.
„Um, Zim, is there something you want to tell me or--?" Ari asked in an almost ridiculous tone with a little laugh at the end. Zim really liked her little laughs and he blushed a bit.
„No! Zim doesn't have anything to say to youu!" Zim denied and crossed his arms with a huff. He closed his eyes like a stubborn little smeet and turned his head around. Ari sighed and shook her head.
„...Zim, I still squintz you, you know." Ari hugged Zim's side. „ And I know when you need to hear shit like that." She said gently as she booped Zim's nose as a joke and snickered. Zim blushed with wide eyes just to close them and turn his head around even more. Ari didn't mind it at all, since she knew he was just playing hard to get.
„And, well...what if we kissed right now?" Ari said with a deep, some irkens would say "sexy" voice, and Zim immediately turned around with the biggest dark green blush. Ari laughed and pushed the male irken away. She laughed for a solid five minutes as Zim simply stood there with a big blush. He'd start yelling, but his heart part of his squeedlyspooch was beating so fast he could feel it in his antennae. His face and claws felt hot and his stomach hurt. Between Ari's gasps trying to breathe, she tried to say „YOU SHOULD SEE YOUR FACE!!", but that just grew into more laughter. Zim eventually got enough and with an angry expression punched Ari in the shoulder. Ari looked over at him, tears of joy from laughter in her eyes, and started laughing even more since Zim looked so angry. She crunched down and wrapped her hands around her stomach, since it hurt from so much laughing. Zim just stared at her, even angrier now, but eventually started snickering a bit too.
„Dang it, your stupid laughs are contagious, you bug!" Zim screeched as Ari's laugh started to fade away.
„Irk, you're so funny when you're angry, Zim." Ari said and leaned against him. Zim didn't say anything.
„Fine, I'll stop now." Ari said as little snickers still left her mouth. Zim only looked at her with his magenta eyes, not really believing her.
„Well, if that was that. You should probably go then." Ari stood up on her own and cleared her throat.
„You still owe me a kiss though." She said as Zim blushed again. But this time, he was prepared. Without another word, he eagerly smashed his lips on Ari's. Ari's eyes widened a bit as she realized she actually liked it. She eventually closed her eyes with a blush and blindly searched for and held Zim's small claws. She felt butterflies in her stomach again. Zim didn't know what he was doing, he just did what he thought kissing was. He actually liked it too and when he felt Ari's warm claws, he blushed even more and squeezed her claws a bit in return. After they parted, they looked at each other, clearly surprised. Ari half-lidded her eyes and smiled the warmest smile ever, only to kiss Zim once more. She kinda jumped up when she did, and Zim barely didn't fall over, but he quickly adjusted to it. The second kiss was a bit shorter, and when they parted, Ari laughed and happily picked Zim up, only to spin him around as they both laughed, Zim a bit more awkwardly. After she landed him back on the floor, they held each other in their arms and laughed, looking at each other.
„Zim, I-I think you're the first Irken I ever actually liked this way, i-it's crazy! All these emotions and they're all amazing!" Ari confessed and Zim's antennae perked up. „I feel like I'm my happiest self with you!"
„You haven't felt this way with the Tallest? Aren't they your parents?" Zim questioned, squinting his eyes in suspicion.
„Dads? Oh I'm always happy and affectionate with them, but unlike you I don't want to kiss them and I don't feel nervous about breaking your TV." Ari explained with a laugh and Zim wanted to ask about the TV, but Ari continued. „And Ali...well, I looked up to her as a smeet. I suppose I even liked her and I guess it was painfully obvious..." Ari laughed and Zim felt a little jealousy. Ari felt it and looked him in the eyes. „That was like, a decade ago, don't worry. Then, I learned she kinda lied to me, but no matter, she was still really cool and we remained friends. I always felt happy with her, but you know, it gets old...after countless parties where I got blackout drunk...I maybe, kinda felt weird about spending time with her. But I still like her! She's my best friend." Ari was a bit too emotional about her whole speech. It felt sentimental. Zim just patted her on the back and Ari zoned out, remembering all her time with Ali. She laughed a few times. After a bit, she zoned back in and looked at Zim like he was a ghost.
„Irk, I'm sorry, I got a bit carried away." Ari apologized as she appearantly wiped a few little tears. Zim smiled at the sight and then looked at her ship.
„Uhh, s-sure...bug. Also about that important mission." Zim said, looking at Ari, who stayed calm.
„Sure, I'm already leaving you alone, you roach." Ari laughed and patted Zim on the head, as if messing with hair he didn't have. Zim groaned in annoyance.

Ari got in her ship, surprisingly, her SIR unit actually survived being eaten by GIR who then died of loneliness. She looked at it, feeling a little sorry, but then shook her head and looked over at Zim.
„I'll call you when I can." Ari informed the Irken. He nodded and smiled that dreamy smile Ari loved.
„Well, see you around this filthy planet, bug!" Zim said and waved Ari goodbye. She smiled at him with a warm smile and Zim blushed. He loved her so much. And she loved him back.

Ari finally flew out of the Earth's atmosphere and her smile slowly faded and turned into a frown. With the fresh memory of Zim in her mind, she started crying. Tears streamed down her face and she let them, hoping there won't be much. She will miss Zim a lot. She knew why she was crying, and it didn't help she had a mission ahead of her. She should've kissed Zim one last time, to make sure he won't miss her too...but it's too late now.
„Oh, what am I doing...I'm acting like he died." Ari scolded herself and calmed down. She sped up her ship. She wanted to do her mission quickly and well, like she always did.

Ari landed on the planet, but unfortunately, she couldn't remember anything she normally did on missions. Almost like all her Invader training knowledge and experience were just gone. To her surprise, her only thought was Zim. She panicked.
„U-uh...Calm down...If I just finish it, then I can go back to Zim. I won't completely screw up my mission."

She completely screwed up her mission.
Not only has she forgot her disguise multiple times, but she also hasn't learned anything about the planet at all. The planet's resident quickly realised she was an Irken Invader and she was forced to leave.

She failed.

The Tallest will be furious.