A/N: Since I'm updating in bulk tonight, I won't be including an author's note every single chapter. HOWEVER, I DO want to point out in this chapter that if you guys have the time to check out my profile, you will find not only a link to the preview image Sass made BUT an additional link to an animation yoyoballkay made and posted over on DA from a scene in this very chapter. I highly recommend you guys go check it out. It's just absolutely the most awesome piece of fanart we've ever received for an RP and definitely worth the watch. Really nicely animated and actually looks like it could have come straight from the show. Seriously. It's like every ZADR fangirl's dream animation. I wouldn't even be pointing it out if it weren't THAT awesome. So please go check it out, you guys, and send yoyoballkay your love and support for putting so much work into such an awesome animation. I promise. You won't be disappointed. X3

Dib Is Sick Chapter 7: Affection

Zim: Sassafrass002

Dib: Me

Beta: Invader-Ara

Warnings: EXTREME OOCness!

Rating: M for later chapters

Disclaimer: We do not own Invader Zim, nor any of the characters from it. We do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Rubbing his eyes, Zim pouted at Dib. "Like what? Zim has nothing else." he said, not knowing what he'd do with himself were he ever to give up invading.

"Have you ever considered that maybe you could be an even better scientist than my dad? With all your knowledge about Irken technology, getting into a career in some field of science would be easy for you."

"Heh...Yeah, well...I am pretty amazing." Zim smiled to himself before his expression grew sad again. "But...If you're not going to fight Zim anymore..." he crawled nearer to Dib."What will you do with yourself?" he asked, knowing capturing him had been the human's one main goal in all the time he'd been on Earth.

Dib smiled weakly. "Just because I'm not fighting you doesn't mean I can't continue studying the paranormal." he said, having been studying other phenomena long before Zim even arrived on Earth.

"Heh...Yeah. You and your paranormal stuff." Zim smiled back at Dib briefly before fiddling with the bed covers. "Still...You got to admit. It has been pretty fun. All the INSANE things that have happened to us in the past." he said with an almost nostalgic smile on his face.

Dib nodded his head a little. "Yeah..." he said before his face fell a bit again."Will we still see each other at least?" he then asked, glancing up at Zim momentarily.

"Of course!" Zim nodded and smiled at Dib reassuringly. "I wouldn't have it any other way, Dib-stink." he said before doubt and concern suddenly began to creep into his mind, causing him to lose his smile again.

Dib noticed that Zim had lost his smile. "Wh-What's wrong?" he asked in a somewhat shaky voice.

"Huh...? N-Nothing. Nothing is wrong." Zim waved his hands and smiled weakly. "See. Zim is fine." he looked back at the covers and fiddled with them again when his smile faded a second time.

Dib frowned at Zim. "Liar..." he said, able to read the other's facial expressions.

"Well...Okay..." Zim sighed. "I don't know if I could ever adjust to this planet, Dib." he looked up at him sadly. "There are so many things about it that I still don't understand." he said, not sure he could ever live his life like a normal human did.

"Like what?"

"Like everything." Zim hugged himself. "Humans in general, all the norms in this weird society...Even things like the food here...It's all so different from Irk." he said, missing his home planet.

Feeling horrible now, Dib's face fell. "You're home sick, aren't you? But...You can't go back home unless you take over THIS planet..." he held his stomach as he now felt sick to it. "...And I'm the one person preventing you from doing any of that..." his voice began to shake unsteadily again.

Zim looked up, surprised. "N-No! No! It's not like that, Dib! If anything, you were the only thing that motivated Zim to carry out his mission because you truly believed Zim could do it...But I just...don't want to so much now...Yes, Zim is...home sick...But maybe you could show me a few things about this planet...And maybe when you get better, Zim can show you some of the AMAZING things of MY home planet...I may even let you see my entire base." he smiled at Dib.

"R-Really? You would let me see your base? Even after everything I've done to you in the past?" Dib looked away with a small frown on his face. "But it's still not fair that you can't go home..." he said, feeling guilty again.

Zim's expression saddened. "Yeah...But my leaders...They...They probably sent me here in hope that I'd die or something anyway...I don't even know if they'd let Zim go home...I've already been banished once and told I am of no use to the armada for having a faulty PAK... which is clearly a filthy lie." he looked down and frowned.

"I...I didn't know...But they're wrong! You're not useless! If anything, you're probably one of the most dedicated beings I've ever known, and smartest, and...and...nicest too, at least when you choose to be..." Dib blushed a bit and looked away shyly.

Zim smiled wide at Dib. "You're not so bad yourself, Dib-stink." he leaned in close and quickly gave Dib a lick to the side of his face, pulling away a moment later to look to the side, blushing and smiling.

Bringing a hand up to hold his cheek, Dib flushed a deep, deep red color before blinking wide eyes at Zim, not knowing how to respond. "Wh-What was that for?" he asked, not sure what to make of the other's actions.

"THAT, Dib, is how IRKENS show affection." Zim nodded. "And Zim doesn't do that to just anyone." he folded his arms and smiled at Dib, still blushing a little.

"O-Oh...Well, I...Th-Thank you..." Dib smiled a bit while playing around with and looking down at the blankets. Glancing up at Zim a few times with his eyes, he then leaned forward to place a quick kiss on the other's cheek before looking away shyly again, smiling and blushing even more.

Feeling his face heat up some more, Zim touched his cheek curiously. "Uh...Th-Thank you...Zim...Zim liked that." he looked at Dib and rubbed his arm nervously. "S-So...Are you feeling any better?" he asked, quickly changing the subject.

Dib blinked up at Zim. "Ummm...Y-You're welcome...And, yes...I-I think I'm feeling just a bit better..." he smiled a bit.

Zim smiled weakly. "Good. Zim is glad." he said before looking down at the covers, an unspoken awkwardness passing between them.

A/N: And there you have it for Chapter 7. =3 Chapters 8 and 9 with be posted without any further author's notes to get in your guys' ways. So we hope you enjoy the rest of what we post tonight, and we look forward to hearing back from you guys over the next few chapters to come. ^^