Swollen Years

Note: Yeah, I wrote this chapter, and my computer didn't save it, after I told it to. -_- I was going to re-write , but I'm lazy. I just decided to type this up again since I'm wide awake, and theres nothing else for me to do. Lol.

And yay, 100 hits. I know, it's not a lot, but still. Yay!

~*Chapter 6*~

What Nathan said about the labs being big was right. It was enormous! It surprised Tak that Nathan knew all the pathways and routes in the lab. They mostly walked in silence, and every very minutes they would talk about something random.

"You know Nathan, all these rooms are only lab rooms. Isn't there something here that isn't a lab room?"

Nathan put his finger on his chin and began to think. "Yeah, there's some prison holes for creatures and subjects to be put and guarded. Like where you were."

It was at that point that Tak noticed Nathan wasn't holding her hand again. "Oh, is that all? I find that pathetic then.."

Nathan smiled. "Are you hungry Tak? I mean, hungry for some decent food, besides the shit they give you?"

Now that Nathan mentioned it, she was. Only once when she was kept in her prison hole was she given food. It was very small, and un-appetizing. An apple, or some other fruit, stale bread, and some juice. After 2 weeks, Tak got sick of it. Her Irken stomach wanted chips, over-sweet soda, and extremely greasy and sugar-coated doughnuts. She missed it all. "Yeah, I'm up for it. I want snacks, lots and LOTS of snacks, got it?"

Nathan grabbed her by the wrists and began to drag her down the halls again.

"HEY HEY, DON'T TOUCH ME FILTHY HUMAN!" Tak began to squirm in his grasp, and try to wiggle free.

"You didn't seem to mind when I held your hand! Make up your freakin' mind! Do you want me to touch you or no?!"

Tak insantly stopped yelling and squirming. He had a point. Why should she act up when he grabbed her wrists, when she didn't when he held her hand. She didn't say anything and allowed Nathan to drag her.

They walked in silence again for about 3 minutes. Tak completely forgot about him holding her wrist, she didn't even seem to mind now. "Hey Nathan, where are we going?"

"Where else? There's a cafeteria on the west side of the labs, and im dying to eat something!" He began to drag her faster now. "I can't wait for those delicous snacks waiting for us!"

Tak suddenly started smiling. He was just like her- only wanted the snacks. "What snacks are there? Chips? Soda?" She gasped. "DOUGHNUTS?!"

Nathan's smile stretched wide across his face. He had sharp pearly teeth too. "Yes, yes, YES! And more! There's Doritos, popcorn, and TWINKIES!" Now he was just getting overjoyed.

Tak turned her head a little in confusion. "Twinkies?" It somewhat amused her that such a treat would be named something so silly.

The human's smile never fanished. "You don't know what a Twinkie is? Impossible!! They're sooo delicous. They're like puffy golden crust with delicous cream in it!" He began to lick his lips. Why would such a deicious treat that had sweet cream in it be named something so stupid? Oh, yeah. It's a human treat, of COURSE it's named something stupid!

Now Tak seemed excited. "Sounds good." She yanked her hand out of his grip. " Screw walking, c'mon lets go! My Irken stomach can't wait forever for this shit!"

And with that, they began to run down the halls. Both of them could taste the delicous flavors of snacks in their mouths. Both of them were lciking their lips. They bumped into a few scientists in the way, having the scientists scream at Nathan for letting the Irken loose, but they didn't give half a shit.

Finally, they could see the cafeteria entrance. Both of them weren't out of breathe, it was funny, really. They were junkies who ate only jnk foods, and they seemed athletic. Strange indeed.

Tak began to feel like a hole was in her stomach. She could hear a huge croud inside it. What will thye do once they see she's not in her tube, or prison hole? She began to slow down, terrified expression on her face. Nathan stopped to look at her, and smiled.

"Tak, I'm not going to let them do anything. Don't be a pussy. Hell, those humans in there can kiss my ass if they start bitching about it."

Tak gulped and started to walk beside him. "Hope you know what you're doing."

Nathan shrugged.

You expect me to feel safe if you don't know what you're doing?!

Tak held her breathe as they walked in. She suddenly noticed she was so close to Nathan, that they're shoulders were touching. Was she really that terrified?

To her surprise, nothing happened. The humans didn't yell, stop talking, or anything. Sure, some humans shot a quick glare at them, but they then resumed to their conversations.

The cafeteria was large, as if it could hold about 500 people in it. Nathan poked Tak's shoulder to get her attention. "The snacks are over there!" He lead her to the snack bar area.

Tak felt like she was in heaven.

There were tons of chips, and sugary snacks! Some popcorn bags that needed to be microwaved, and there was a soda machine right next to it! As she admired the huge wave of snacks in front of her, she noticed her main thought- Doughnuts!

As she grabbed the doughnuts, she saw Nathan helping himself with tons of soda, and a goldish colored snack on his tray. Trays! Tak looked left to right, and say a huge pile of trays. Now she could pile snacks onto it. She, like Nathan, began to pile snack after snack onto their trays.

For once in these stinkin' labs, Tak was happy.

She looked at Nathan like he was a hero, the only person that was treating her like on of his own. He didn't treat her like a creature that should be tested on, and she appreciated it.

"We can go sit over there!" said Nathan. When Tak finally understood where he was pointed at, she began to follow him. As she walked along side of him, she didn't pay any attention to the people around her, to see if they would suddenly attack them. She only looked down at her huge mount of snacks. She could've swore she was drooling.

The second they sat down, they both began to dig in. They shoved chips in their mouths, and slurped down their sodas. Tak was mainly feasting on her doughnuts. She felt like she was back at home again before Zim ruined her life.. she was admired, and ate as many snacks as her heart desired. She was living the life. It felt like old times to her now.

She then saw Nathan enjoying the goldish-colored snack. "What is that?!"

Nathan stared at her, then the snack in his hand. He gulped down his mouthful of snack in his mouth, and said, "Twinkies. I mostly like the cream filling inside it. Wonan try it?"

Tak shook her head. It was small, and didn't seem to make Tak want to eat it. "I'll pass."
Nathan shrugged. "I'm good with that! Now they're ALL MINE!" He began to eat his Twinkies again.

The Irk stared at him for a second. Nathan was a strange human indeed.. He acted Irken, but also seemed human.. he was like a mix of the two species. He showed her respect, but sometimes got on her nerves like any other human. He treated her like an Irken, and acted like one, but he was human..

No, something was wrong with this. It was too strange, it was too confusing, it was too...

Delightful.

"Nathan.."

"Hm?" He couldn't speak, really. His mouth was full of snacks and treats.

"Who, or what exactly are you?!"