Chapter Text
*
Zim stares down at the glass in pure confusion.
“What is this?”
“It’s the antidote. To the love potion I gave you.” Dib admits. He stuffs his hands into his pockets. “You… you’re not actually in love with me. I just… I thought it would be a good idea. It wasn’t. Please just drink that, so we can forget this ever happened.”
Zim stares at it for a few more seconds before looking up at Dib. “You… what?”
“Okay, I bought a love potion. I honestly didn't think it would work, since ninety-nine percent of the stuff I buy doesn't. This one somehow did. I figured if I used it on you, you’d be too focused on your feelings for me to even think about taking over the planet. It worked, but it, uh… it worked a little too well.”
He scoffs. “Are you trying to tell me that my feelings for you aren’t real?”
“Well, I, uh… yeah. That’s exactly what I’m telling you. Please just take the antidote so we can go back to normal.”
“I think I know my own feelings better than you do.”
“Except you don’t, because I used a love potion on you. That’s literally the only reason you think you care about me. So please, just do what I’m telling you to do.”
Zim scoffs again, and then stares down at the glass once more. Dib can practically see the gears turning in Zim’s head as he tries to process everything Dib is saying. Of course, Zim would vehemently deny that he doesn’t have control over his own thoughts and feelings. Why would he willingly admit to his own feelings being out of his control?
Plus, it probably does feel real to him. Regardless, it isn’t real, and Dib knows it.
It was strange, having someone care about him. The way Zim tried to talk him into taking revenge on every human on Earth was a bit intense, but thinking back on all the things he said…
Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad, joining the evil side. After all, what has being good ever gotten him? Everyone hates him and bullies him ruthlessly. Nobody has ever once thanked him for saving the planet or believed anything he said. His own family thinks he’s crazy and overreacting.
Maybe he’ll finally win if he just teams up with Zim. Together, they would be unstoppable. Everyone on Earth would have to believe him when Zim reveals his true intentions and Dib constructs the ultimate machine to enslave every last one of…
Dib frantically forces those thoughts away. The last thing he wants to do is betray his own kind. He’s devoted his entire life to investigating the paranormal and hunting the supernatural. If he turns to the dark side and joins the mysterious evil forces, then his entire life’s work will have been for nothing.
Though honestly, lately, he’s felt like he identifies more with the monsters than with the humans. Perhaps the reason he’s so obsessed with the supernatural isn’t because he wants to discover and hunt it down, but rather because he wishes he was something else.
Then, the sound of shattering glass snaps Dib out of his thoughts.
Dib blinks back to reality. Zim had thrown the glass down onto the floor. It had smashed, sending shards and sparkly dust everywhere. The liquid itself had formed a strange blue puddle on the ground. Dib stares at the carnage for only a second before turning his shocked expression onto Zim.
Zim himself is glaring directly into Dib’s soul.
“You dare try to claim that all of Zim’s feelings for you are lies!?” Zim hisses. “You ungrateful little human!”
*