Disclaimer: IZ is not mine. Duh. I praise and adore Jhonen.

!!WARNING!! This is a ZaDr pairing. Simple as that. You don't like it, don't fucking read it. Please don't flame like you have anything better to do.

Summary: Dib doesn't remember when exactly he got sick of it but the things that happened after that little fact were worth it.

Other notes: This is my first fanfic and my first ZaDr, please be nice or, at least, criticize constructively.

SOFTLY STOLEN

I don't remember when I realized it wasn't worth it anymore. I was sick of trying to prove the world, my dad, and, unexpectedly, myself. It was all empty trying to force people to see the obvious. I suppose I can thank Gaz. She taught me all those things years ago.

All I remember is the feeling. Fire, burning through every cell in my body, giving my life purpose every. Single. Day. When middle skool was suddenly upon us, people started to realize. Realize how I was even crazier than before, that is.

Me? I gained knowledge in the seventh grade. The knowledge that it was useless. Futile. What was the point? Only I had the eyes to see. Of course, I took a good peek at my own brain, too. It shocked me to see that I was sick of it. I hated every moment of every fight I had. So, I stopped. Apathy embraced me like my own mother.

So, What about Zim?, you ask. In the seventh and eighth grade, he went practically insane. He tried to figure out my non-existent plan, spied on me, goaded me, tried to fight with me, and tried to surprise me. One day, as he slipped truth serum into my lunch, I broke.

"You're not going to find anything, Zim!" I screamed. His fake pale, lavender eyes widened in shock but quickly narrowed into suspicion.

"You've been telling Zim that for eight dirty Earth months, filthy Dib-worm. Zim does not BE-LIEVE YOOOUU!!" He shook a fist in the air.

I ground my teeth together, trying to keep in mind that everyone was staring at us. Tears of anger rose in my eyes and I blinked furiously. Zim hissed at the sight of water.

"Let it go, Zim. Let go. Like me. It isn't worth it anymore. Find another protector of Earth." Even though anger blossomed in my chest, I was calm. Peaceful. I had actually let go.

…Or so I thought.