membranes-strange-creation

[membranes-strange-creation]

Dib stayed awake a while longer...but eventually he fell asleep too.

membranes-strange-creation​:

the-nightmare-is-smol​:

“… eh.”

Finally, Zim moved to settle on the bed.

So Dib moved to lie down…

Zim soon wound up tucked against his side, still desiring attention and proximity despite the stress Dib had caused him minutes before.

[membranes-strange-creation]

And Dib caressed his antennae like usual...

membranes-strange-creation​:

the-nightmare-is-smol​:

“… eh.”

Finally, Zim moved to settle on the bed.

So Dib moved to lie down…

Zim soon wound up tucked against his side, still desiring attention and proximity despite the stress Dib had caused him minutes before.

[membranes-strange-creation]

So Dib moved to lie down...

membranes-strange-creation​:

the-nightmare-is-smol​:

Zim’s lip curled a bit… though most of the agitation had gone by now.

“She does not respect Zim.”

So why should he respect her?

“You’re wrong, Zim. She does respect you. She told me that you wouldn’t want to give her a nanoPAK and that I shouldn’t even bother asking. She appreciates everything you’ve done to help me. What you don’t seem to understand is how much she’s helped me, as well. Without her, I probably wouldn’t be here right now.”

Zim hesitated, his antennae quirking slightly.

… She said that…?

[membranes-strange-creation]

"That's all," Dib said again.

membranes-strange-creation​:

the-nightmare-is-smol​:

Zim’s lip curled a bit… though most of the agitation had gone by now.

“She does not respect Zim.”

So why should he respect her?

“You’re wrong, Zim. She does respect you. She told me that you wouldn’t want to give her a nanoPAK and that I shouldn’t even bother asking. She appreciates everything you’ve done to help me. What you don’t seem to understand is how much she’s helped me, as well. Without her, I probably wouldn’t be here right now.”

Zim hesitated, his antennae quirking slightly.

… She said that…?

[membranes-strange-creation]

"That's all," said Dib. "You don't have to do anything for her. But please don't lump her in with every other idiot on this planet."

membranes-strange-creation​:

the-nightmare-is-smol​:

Zim’s lip curled a bit… though most of the agitation had gone by now.

“She does not respect Zim.”

So why should he respect her?

“You’re wrong, Zim. She does respect you. She told me that you wouldn’t want to give her a nanoPAK and that I shouldn’t even bother asking. She appreciates everything you’ve done to help me. What you don’t seem to understand is how much she’s helped me, as well. Without her, I probably wouldn’t be here right now.”

Zim hesitated, his antennae quirking slightly.

… She said that…?

[membranes-strange-creation]

"Before you and I were ever on good terms, she's the one who kept me from suicide. She's been there to support me more times than I can count. Like I said, you don't have to like her, but I think you can at least respect her for that..."

membranes-strange-creation​:

the-nightmare-is-smol​:

Zim’s lip curled a bit… though most of the agitation had gone by now.

“She does not respect Zim.”

So why should he respect her?

“You’re wrong, Zim. She does respect you. She told me that you wouldn’t want to give her a nanoPAK and that I shouldn’t even bother asking. She appreciates everything you’ve done to help me. What you don’t seem to understand is how much she’s helped me, as well. Without her, I probably wouldn’t be here right now.”

Zim hesitated, his antennae quirking slightly.

… She said that…?

[membranes-strange-creation]

"You're wrong, Zim. She does respect you. She told me that you wouldn't want to give her a nanoPAK and that I shouldn't even bother asking. She appreciates everything you've done to help me. What you don't seem to understand is how much she's helped me, as well. Without her, I probably wouldn't be here right now."

membranes-strange-creation​:

the-nightmare-is-smol​:

That may have been the end of it for him… but apparently, this line of questioning had sent Zim into a fretting, fuming spiral.

He couldn’t calm down and stand still. Not that easily, anyway…

Dib finished changing into his pajamas, then sat down on the edge of the bed.

“Zim. Come here.”

Zim paused briefly, still wary and upset… but soon enough, he stepped closer.

[membranes-strange-creation]

"However." Dib raised his finger. "I don't think it's fair of you to compare her to my father or to other humans. I'm not saying this because I'm trying to convince you to do something you're not comfortable with. I'm saying it because I know you don't like her — and you don't have to — but I'd prefer it if you could at least respect her."

membranes-strange-creation​:

the-nightmare-is-smol​:

That may have been the end of it for him… but apparently, this line of questioning had sent Zim into a fretting, fuming spiral.

He couldn’t calm down and stand still. Not that easily, anyway…

Dib finished changing into his pajamas, then sat down on the edge of the bed.

“Zim. Come here.”

Zim paused briefly, still wary and upset… but soon enough, he stepped closer.

[membranes-strange-creation]

"I would also never ask you to provide that technology to just anyone. Gaz is...special. But she's not even sure if she wants to live that long. And if she does want to, then fine. She can use my dad's serum."

membranes-strange-creation​:

the-nightmare-is-smol​:

That may have been the end of it for him… but apparently, this line of questioning had sent Zim into a fretting, fuming spiral.

He couldn’t calm down and stand still. Not that easily, anyway…

Dib finished changing into his pajamas, then sat down on the edge of the bed.

“Zim. Come here.”

Zim paused briefly, still wary and upset… but soon enough, he stepped closer.

[membranes-strange-creation]

"It's okay," said Dib patiently. "You said no, and that's fine. I respect your answer."

membranes-strange-creation​:

the-nightmare-is-smol​:

That may have been the end of it for him… but apparently, this line of questioning had sent Zim into a fretting, fuming spiral.

He couldn’t calm down and stand still. Not that easily, anyway…

Dib finished changing into his pajamas, then sat down on the edge of the bed.

“Zim. Come here.”

Zim paused briefly, still wary and upset… but soon enough, he stepped closer.

[membranes-strange-creation]

Dib finished changing into his pajamas, then sat down on the edge of the bed.

"Zim. Come here."

membranes-strange-creation​:

the-nightmare-is-smol​:

He looked a bit confused at that… but…

“… I’m listening.”

Dib took a deep breath and touched the small device on his neck.

“Now that you’ve made this…would you do it again? I mean, I’m not telling you to drop everything and start cranking out another one,” he added quickly. “I appreciate all the hard work and time it took you to create this. I’m asking more in a…hypothetical sense. Would you ever be willing to make another…?”

Zim’s eyes widened a little at the very suggestion.

“… Why would I do that?”

Thonda had a PAK. Skoodge and Hudge had PAKs. Gir was a robot. And now, Dib had his own…

There was no one else to fret over.

[membranes-strange-creation]

"It's fine, Zim," said Dib, still calmly. "I completely understand. You don't have to do it. I was just asking if you'd be willing, and you said no, so that's that. End of story."

membranes-strange-creation​:

the-nightmare-is-smol​:

He looked a bit confused at that… but…

“… I’m listening.”

Dib took a deep breath and touched the small device on his neck.

“Now that you’ve made this…would you do it again? I mean, I’m not telling you to drop everything and start cranking out another one,” he added quickly. “I appreciate all the hard work and time it took you to create this. I’m asking more in a…hypothetical sense. Would you ever be willing to make another…?”

Zim’s eyes widened a little at the very suggestion.

“… Why would I do that?”

Thonda had a PAK. Skoodge and Hudge had PAKs. Gir was a robot. And now, Dib had his own…

There was no one else to fret over.

[membranes-strange-creation]

"Okay," said Dib calmly. "Don't worry about it, then."

membranes-strange-creation​:

the-nightmare-is-smol​:

He looked a bit confused at that… but…

“… I’m listening.”

Dib took a deep breath and touched the small device on his neck.

“Now that you’ve made this…would you do it again? I mean, I’m not telling you to drop everything and start cranking out another one,” he added quickly. “I appreciate all the hard work and time it took you to create this. I’m asking more in a…hypothetical sense. Would you ever be willing to make another…?”

Zim’s eyes widened a little at the very suggestion.

“… Why would I do that?”

Thonda had a PAK. Skoodge and Hudge had PAKs. Gir was a robot. And now, Dib had his own…

There was no one else to fret over.

[membranes-strange-creation]

Well...time to take the plunge. And if Zim said no, Dib wouldn't blame him.

"For my sister. I know you don't care for her, but I do. She's someone I'd like to have around for as long as possible..."

membranes-strange-creation​:

the-nightmare-is-smol​:

He looked a bit confused at that… but…

“… I’m listening.”

Dib took a deep breath and touched the small device on his neck.

“Now that you’ve made this…would you do it again? I mean, I’m not telling you to drop everything and start cranking out another one,” he added quickly. “I appreciate all the hard work and time it took you to create this. I’m asking more in a…hypothetical sense. Would you ever be willing to make another…?”

Zim’s eyes widened a little at the very suggestion.

“… Why would I do that?”

Thonda had a PAK. Skoodge and Hudge had PAKs. Gir was a robot. And now, Dib had his own…

There was no one else to fret over.

[membranes-strange-creation]

Dib took a deep breath and touched the small device on his neck.

"Now that you've made this...would you do it again? I mean, I'm not telling you to drop everything and start cranking out another one," he added quickly. "I appreciate all the hard work and time it took you to create this. I'm asking more in a...hypothetical sense. Would you ever be willing to make another...?"

membranes-strange-creation​:

the-nightmare-is-smol​:

By that point, Zim had cleaned both her and Gir off and gotten her into her pajamas.

All ready for bed…

And Dib went through the usual routine of reading them a story, then tucked Thonda in and shooed Gir out of the room…

Gir whined a little… but eventually obliged, trotting off towards his own room.

That left just him and Zim…

[membranes-strange-creation]

"No," said Dib immediately. "I brought it up, and it's your choice to make. I know better than to keep nagging you about it."

If he kept pestering Zim, that would make him even less likely to do it — he'd figured that out by nowz

"I have a different question."

membranes-strange-creation​:

the-nightmare-is-smol​:

By that point, Zim had cleaned both her and Gir off and gotten her into her pajamas.

All ready for bed…

And Dib went through the usual routine of reading them a story, then tucked Thonda in and shooed Gir out of the room…

Gir whined a little… but eventually obliged, trotting off towards his own room.

That left just him and Zim…

[membranes-strange-creation]

"I wanted to ask you something. Since, you know, now it seems like the nanoPAK is working..."

membranes-strange-creation​:

the-nightmare-is-smol​:

By that point, Zim had cleaned both her and Gir off and gotten her into her pajamas.

All ready for bed…

And Dib went through the usual routine of reading them a story, then tucked Thonda in and shooed Gir out of the room…

Gir whined a little… but eventually obliged, trotting off towards his own room.

That left just him and Zim…