ZADR Orange Chapter 008

        Staring at the bit of sleeve being offered to him for several long moments, Dib seemed to hesitate before finally taking it from the other to wrap tightly around his wounded arm. "This should be good enough for now. I-I just hope it doesn't begin to bleed through at any point." he said before finally looking back up at Zim. "Th-Thank you..." he thanked the other, a small blush gracing his face.

        Smiling back at the boy, Zim moved in to kiss him on the forehead, pulling back after a moment or two. "Don't mention it..." he smiled wide at the other before lifting his gaze up to the ceiling to have a look around. "We have to find a way to get you out of here...Then I have to find the Tallest." he said, searching for some safe way to smuggle Dib out of there.

        Eyes widening at those words, Dib burst out in disbelief at what the other had just said. "What?! I came all the way up here to get you! You can't face them alone!" he exclaimed, determined not to leave without Zim with him.

        "I can't take you with me! What if something happened?!"

        "I'd rather something happen to me than have to go on living knowing something happened to you! I wouldn't live either way, Zim! I can't lose you again..."

        "But you never lost me..." Zim moved in to hug him close again.

        Clinging to the Irken's front again, Dib could only press his forehead to the others chest for comfort. "But I nearly DID lose you, and I never want to take that chance again..." he breathed out shakily, just needing that closeness he had nearly lost.

        Expression growing softer now, Zim held him close, running his hands up the others back. "Dib...I'll be okay." he tried to reassure the other, stroking the area where his hair would be gently.

        But Dib could only shake his head at those words, clinging tighter, closer to the other. "I'm not letting you go alone. Th-They're already expecting me to bring them nachos. If I'm caught trying to leave then nothing good will come about in the end." he said, sticking with his resolve to stay with Zim.

        "N-Nachos? Who asked for nachos? Red's too busy trying to find me to eat."

        Pulling back to look at Zim, Dib brought up a hand to try and describe the Irken that had stopped him. "I-It was a really tall, purple-eyed one. I bumped into him shortly after boarding. He wasn't happy that no one was greeting him, so he sent me here to the kitchen to get him some nachos. Th-That's when I ran into you." he told the other, hoping his description would be enough to give Zim an idea of who he was talking about.

        "Purple?!" Zim jumped up. "Then there's hope! Come on!" "he grabbed Dib by the arm. "If Purple's here, he might be able to stop Red!" he said excitedly, heading for the door then stopping himself. "But I need a disguise...They're all looking for me...I'd be dead before I could get to him..." he looked back at Dib. "Uhh...I mean...If I'm taking you with me...WAIT!" he sent Dib an evil grin. "You can turn me in!" he pointed at Dib, his grin growing even wider.

        Taking a few steps back, Dib instantly looked about the place before bringing his gaze back to land on Zim. "Wh-What?! Turn you in?! I don't want to turn you in! Wh-What would happen to you?! A-And what if they find out it's me?! I-I wouldn't even know what to say when I got there!" he tried to convince Zim to come up with some other plan he could use to get to his leaders.

        But Zim merely continued to smile, closing in on his human to place quick kiss on his lips. "I'll tell you what to do. Just walk behind me and act like you know what you're doing. Then, when we get to the Tallest, leave it all to me." he whispered into the others ear, pulling his hands behind his back and having his PAK make a loose bond around them. "Oh, and you might want to get those nachos too." he said, turning to look back at Dib with a smirk.

        "B-But what if they ask me something?! What should I say then?! I don't want to say something that's going to get us in trouble! I nearly got caught earlier because I didn't even know where the kitchen was on board this ship!"

        Zim, however, just leaned into Dib. "Calm down, Dib! The first thing that is going to get you caught is your panicking!" he brushed his lips against Dib's. "Now, just put on an evil grin or some sort of angry face...And then just growl at anyone who confronts you. If you do it just right, no one should though. You are rather tall, after all..." he smiled, eyelids falling half lidded as he eyed Dib up and down.

        Still quite nervous about doing this, Dib pressed his forehead to Zim's before nodding his head slowly in agreement, trying to calm himself down enough to get in character. Then, getting to work on figuring out how to make the nachos for the Tallest, he finally returned to stand right behind Zim, doing his best not to look too nervous as he took one of Zim's hands in his own to squeeze gently before taking in a deep breath and gulping. "Alright...I'm ready..."he said, willing his voice not to shake.

        Nodding his head back at the other in response, Zim then started to lead Dib towards the bridge where he knew the Tallests were, many Irkens standing back and staring, sending Zim glares as Dib 'led' him. Thankfully, no one intervened as it seemed Dib had it taken care of, none of them really wanting to get close to Zim anyways.

        But Dib couldn't help but shake slightly, unnerved by all the staring eyes, really hoping none of them could see it as he did his best to keep his head held high and posture straight, all the while pretending to have Zim bound when in reality he was merely clinging to Zim's hand with one hand and holding the nachos in his other, allowing the other to lead him.

        Noticing this himself, Zim leaned back to whisper in his ear reassuringly. "Stay calm. We're almost there." he said as he led Dib the last little bit of the way then stopped right outside the door to the bridge."Now knock on the door and tell them you caught me..." he said in a low voice so no one else could hear him.

        Doing as he was told, Dib slowly stepped forward to knock on the door.

        That's when he heard Red yelling from inside. "This better be good!" he sounded angry.

        Flinching back at the tone of his voice, Dib finally called through the door to Zim's leader. "I-I caught Zim, sir. I found him in the kitchen while preparing some nachos to bring here." he said before everything grew silent for a few moments.

        "Really? GOOD! Bring him in!"

        Hesitating momentarily, Dib slowly reached forward for the door before pushing it open and walking in with Zim to have a look around.

        Lounging on a couch in the corner of the room, Tallest Purple laid sprawled out with his arms crossed, still a bit pouty that he hadn't been greeted properly, before lifting his head just to have his antennae perking at the sight of the nachos. "Oooh! My nachos!" he was up in a flash and over by Dib's side, taking the dish to start digging in happily, not once noticing Zim.

        Head bowed, Zim lifted his gaze up to look at Purple. "Hello, my Tallest." his voice came out quiet, respectful.

        "Eh? Zim? What are you doing here?" Purple asked before looking at Red. "What is he doing here?" he pointed at Zim, blinking confusedly at his co-ruler.

        Tallest Red merely waved that question off with a hand. "Oh, you know, Purple. Just being a nuisance, as always. He tried to pass off as a successful invader when in fact he hadn't even managed to take over that planet he's been on for the past...What was it? 5 years now? Anyways, you know the one. The one with that large headed human he's always blabbering on about." he said, brushing Purple's question off as though it were nothing.

        "Oh..." Purple then shrugged. "Alright then." he returned to enjoying his nachos, plopping himself back down onto the couch he had been on earlier.

        "My Tallest, wait!" Zim spoke up so as to catch the others attention again, pleading with the more understanding and manipulative Purple to listen.

        "What, Zim?"

        "You can't destroy the Earth! I'll do anything if you don't destroy it! I'll leave the Empire! I'll never bug you again! I'll live in exile for all eternity! But please..."

        "Hmmm? Destroy the Earth? I never said anything about destroying the Earth." Purple said, then looking back over at Red. "What nonsense is he talking about now, Red?" he asked, just knowing the other had something to do with this.

        "Uhh...Well, I figured, you know. Why not?"

        But Purple only glared back at him. "Wasn't that planet a reserve?" he said, knowing they had talked about it before.

        "Uhh...Was it? I didn't think it was..."

        "You just wanted Dib and I to suffer!"

        "Dib? Who's Dib? This is beginning to sound like some kind of alien soap opera."

        "He's that big headed human I just told you about. That's just what Zim calls him."

        Looking back at Red, his expression not particularly happy, Purple merely narrowed his eyes on his partner. "Well, either way, I don't want that planet destroyed. It has really good snacks! Zim sent me some once!" he said, knowing that despite Red being the more authoritative of the two of them, he was the one who always got his way, mainly because Red rarely ever told him no and would never think of contradicting his mate. "I want to speak with Zim alone." he said, then making his way to the entrance of his and Red's room, waiting for Zim to follow him.

        Nodding at Dib to let him go, Zim pulled his hands free of the fake bonds and followed behind Pur into the room to talk.