I AM HUMAN YES

The three of them sat down to eat their meal, Dib as the eldest providing them all with heaping portions. Even Zim, whom he knew probably wouldn’t provide himself a warm meal, under the impression that he didn’t actually need to eat at all.

Zim glanced over to his frenemy and gave him a wide grin, kicking his feet slightly. Zim didn't have a very big stomach so he wasn't able to eat all of it of course, but he was quick to praise himself for doing such a good job. He sat up straight and pushed away his plate.

Dib was shaking with indignation, all the worry and emotion that had threatened to overwhelm him when he had thought Zim was dying coming back redoubled.

Zim's nose wrinkled. He didn't understand what was going on. He saw the shaking though, so he got up and walked over, hugging him with one arm and resting a hand on his forehead with his lips pressed into a thin line.

Zim being the pickiest eater of those who would be eating, Dib let him choose all the ingredients before throwing them onto the skillet and letting them summer for a while, tossing as necessary.

He watched it as he had been asked to, standing beside him and watching the sauce to make sure it doesn’t burn. He saw Dib’s clenching and thought for a moment.

“Just a migraine. I’ll be fine.” Zim’s loud (LOUD) voice made him wince again, throwing together the ingredients in measured proportions.

Zim was being almost uncharacteristically positive about everything that was going on. Dib wondered whether or not it was supposed to be to his benefit. Either way, it was kind of nice to be appreciated, headache or no.

He heard his command and took it as a dangerous mission. And he was all about those. He grinned, nodding and handing Dib the dishes so he could go and get Gaz from her room.

Gaz only took one look at him and shrugged, shutting off her game to hide it in the pocket of her skirt.

Zim was down their first, walking at a borderline jog pace. He sat at the table, happily picking his spot first and giving Dib an almost stupid smile. He was having fun, not that he'd admit it but his face sure did. Irken or not, at his core he loved to be in situations that reminded him what having a human family had been like. Eating dinner together, talking. He never really got that anymore, so he craved it.

Dib couldn’t help a small, surprised squeak as his legs were knocked out from under him and he was bombarded with a pillow attack.

He grit his teeth when something in his PAK snapped, and caused him to jolt a little. He could just tell something was wrong with his PAK by the way it gave in a certain place. He started to squirm. His body was still weak from earlier but he put his might into it.

Dib’s eyes widened in tact with Zim’s, both of them having heard the audible crack that the PAK on his back made.

“…Zim?”

Zim lay on the floor, breathing so slowly one might not even notice he was breathing. He didn’t move at all until he had the PAK in contact with him. Once there, he sat up straight and held the straps on his shoulders tightly. His eyes widened and after a moment, his eyes narrowed.

…As if nothing happened, Zim popped up, accusing him of trying to kill him.

He stopped, looking down at him with curiosity. He didn't understand. He tilted his head and dropped his 'weapon', letting it fall. What was Dib even talking about?

“One more question.” Dib’s clawed hand hovered over the release, pondering quickly on how to make his last question a good one.

He stared for a long moment, before he sighed and nodded. "Fine. But not here. We go to the base of Zim or you contact the tallest with your own inferior software."

Zim being the pickiest eater of those who would be eating, Dib let him choose all the ingredients before throwing them onto the skillet and letting them summer for a while, tossing as necessary.

He watched it as he had been asked to, standing beside him and watching the sauce to make sure it doesn’t burn. He saw Dib’s clenching and thought for a moment.

“Just a migraine. I’ll be fine.” Zim’s loud (LOUD) voice made him wince again, throwing together the ingredients in measured proportions.

Zim was being almost uncharacteristically positive about everything that was going on. Dib wondered whether or not it was supposed to be to his benefit. Either way, it was kind of nice to be appreciated, headache or no.

He heard his command and took it as a dangerous mission. And he was all about those. He grinned, nodding and handing Dib the dishes so he could go and get Gaz from her room.

Dib couldn’t help a small, surprised squeak as his legs were knocked out from under him and he was bombarded with a pillow attack.

He grit his teeth when something in his PAK snapped, and caused him to jolt a little. He could just tell something was wrong with his PAK by the way it gave in a certain place. He started to squirm. His body was still weak from earlier but he put his might into it.

Dib’s eyes widened in tact with Zim’s, both of them having heard the audible crack that the PAK on his back made.

“…Zim?”

Zim lay on the floor, breathing so slowly one might not even notice he was breathing. He didn't move at all until he had the PAK in contact with him. Once there, he sat up straight and held the straps on his shoulders tightly. His eyes widened and after a moment, his eyes narrowed.

“What Tallest sent you here?” Dib’s questions were carefully aimed to get to the core of the matter.

He proudly reported, “Tallest Red and Tallest Purple of course. I’ve never heard of your Tallest Membrane. And no, I haven’t lost track of time, stupid.”

There… had never been… a Tallest Red… or Purple.

He took the tone as respect and his stance became more proud- holding himself as if he were of a higher rank. And in his mind he was higher.

Yes, it certainly seemed so…

“…No. That’s not right at all.” In Irken. Of course.

His lips curled back in a show of hostility. "Why should I have to prove myself to you?!' He snapped, giving him a shove and then trying to walk past him. He stomped over to the door and stabbed at it with a metallic leg.

Zim being the pickiest eater of those who would be eating, Dib let him choose all the ingredients before throwing them onto the skillet and letting them summer for a while, tossing as necessary.

He watched it as he had been asked to, standing beside him and watching the sauce to make sure it doesn’t burn. He saw Dib’s clenching and thought for a moment.

“Just a migraine. I’ll be fine.” Zim’s loud (LOUD) voice made him wince again, throwing together the ingredients in measured proportions.

Dib couldn’t help a small, surprised squeak as his legs were knocked out from under him and he was bombarded with a pillow attack.

He grit his teeth when something in his PAK snapped, and caused him to jolt a little. He could just tell something was wrong with his PAK by the way it gave in a certain place. He started to squirm. His body was still weak from earlier but he put his might into it.

Dib’s eyes widened in tact with Zim’s, both of them having heard the audible crack that the PAK on his back made.

Dib couldn’t help a small, surprised squeak as his legs were knocked out from under him and he was bombarded with a pillow attack.

He grit his teeth when something in his PAK snapped, and caused him to jolt a little. He could just tell something was wrong with his PAK by the way it gave in a certain place. He started to squirm. His body was still weak from earlier but he put his might into it.

Zim being the pickiest eater of those who would be eating, Dib let him choose all the ingredients before throwing them onto the skillet and letting them summer for a while, tossing as necessary.

He watched it as he had been asked to, standing beside him and watching the sauce to make sure it doesn't burn. He saw Dib's clenching and thought for a moment.

“What Tallest sent you here?” Dib’s questions were carefully aimed to get to the core of the matter.

He proudly reported, “Tallest Red and Tallest Purple of course. I’ve never heard of your Tallest Membrane. And no, I haven’t lost track of time, stupid.”

There… had never been… a Tallest Red… or Purple.

He took the tone as respect and his stance became more proud- holding himself as if he were of a higher rank. And in his mind he was higher.

Yes, it certainly seemed so…

“Get off,” Dib protested weakly, poking the small self-proclaimed alien a few times before resigning himself to his fate- trapped underneath Zim for the time being.

He stopped his whistling for a moment. “Pah, you should feel honored to lie underneath the mighty body of ZIM.” He said simply, and then gave a gentle Pat to his face with the pillow. He shifted to be more on him, yawning and whistling a few more times, then grinning widely.

“You’re a creep,” Dib responded, grabbing the pillow and retaliating.

Zim sensed the hint of playfulness and only got up to snag the bed pillow to hit him with. He was sitting on his tummy now, grinning a devious grin at him.

“…Did you forget who won round one?” Dib turned his face to the side, taking a hit before he retaliated again, pushing the smaller teen backwards and disentangling himself from kicking legs.

He snarled playfully, pushing the knee out and then batting him with a pillow. He chuckled as he pounced at him again, grinning widely and raising the pillow high so he could hit him again.

“Yeah, sure…”

He was taking it as a list of things to grab, and as Dib spoke Zim went around the kitchen picking things off the shelves and setting them on the counter before going to get another thing and soon he had everything listed in one area on a counter.

“…Oh.” When he opened his eyes, Zim had already gathered the required items, ready to go.

“What Tallest sent you here?” Dib’s questions were carefully aimed to get to the core of the matter.

He proudly reported, “Tallest Red and Tallest Purple of course. I’ve never heard of your Tallest Membrane. And no, I haven’t lost track of time, stupid.”

There… had never been… a Tallest Red… or Purple.

He took the tone as respect and his stance became more proud- holding himself as if he were of a higher rank. And in his mind he was higher.

“Get off,” Dib protested weakly, poking the small self-proclaimed alien a few times before resigning himself to his fate- trapped underneath Zim for the time being.

He stopped his whistling for a moment. “Pah, you should feel honored to lie underneath the mighty body of ZIM.” He said simply, and then gave a gentle Pat to his face with the pillow. He shifted to be more on him, yawning and whistling a few more times, then grinning widely.

“You’re a creep,” Dib responded, grabbing the pillow and retaliating.

Zim sensed the hint of playfulness and only got up to snag the bed pillow to hit him with. He was sitting on his tummy now, grinning a devious grin at him.