My Only The Only One

Chapter 13

In the end it didn't Zim long to recover from surgery. A tiny incision was made, no more than an inch long and using two tiny tools Nils repaired the rupture. He was able to go back to his room right away and Dib was more than happy to make sure he had everything he needed.

While he was in surgery Karen and the kids had cleaned up his room so he could just relax for the next two days.

Zim hated relaxing. It was like trying to catch lightening in a jar. He felt itchy, like little bugs were moving under his skin and he wanted to get up and DO something. But Dib and Karen and their kids were hovering like body guards and refusing to let him out of bed unless he had to use the bathroom.

"How do you want to do this?" Dib asked the morning of Zim's second day of bed rest.

"Do what?" Zim asked, looking at Dib wearily. The human had had a complete turn-around in the attitude department after learning he had a son.

"Tell Lix...." Dib said, leaning back against the head board of the bed, like Zim was doing. Zim figured it was a sort of intimidation tactic mixed with a comforting presence. Intimidation, because Dib was so much taller than Zim was now. Comforting, because he was so close and smiling so gently.

"Oh," Zim said, frowning. "Is there a best way to tell him? Or do all of them pretty much suck the same? I dunno how one is supposed to gently break this kind of news. 'I'm sorry Lix for lying to you all these years. You're half human and we're your parents.' Yes, he'll be completely forgiving." Zim sighed.

"Don't think about it like that." Dib said, shaking his head. "You act like we're telling him we got rid of his favorite pet or something. It's a good thing. He's gaining parents, not loosing anything."

"But I LIED to him!" Zim said, covering his face in his hands as though that would help him fuse into the wall.

"And he'll forgive you once he understands the circumstances. I did." Dib pointed out, taking ZIm's hands in his own, removing them from the other's face.

Zim gave an exhasperated sigh and nodded. "I hope you're right."

Dib smiled, a kind of affectionate but amused smile.

"Are you scared?" He asked.

"What!?" Zim asked, giving Dib a glare. "How dare you insinuate that I'm-!"

"SCARED!" Dib shouted, laughed a little and poking Zim's face where his nose would be to stall any arguments from Zim. "You're scared because you think he'll hate you."

Zim pouted, asking, "So what? It's a legitimate concern!"

"Yes, but still. It's so out of character." Dib said, pulling Zim close. "I'll let you blame it on the drugs if you break down while we tell Lix if we do it now."

"I'm NOT going to break down." Zim said, crossing his arms and pretending to be mad at Dib. Truth is he loved it. Dib was being antagonistic and yet sweet at the same time and he loved how Dib could pull it off. "But fine, just in case."

"Great, during lunch then?" Dib asked, seeming excited.

"Fine," Zim said again, sighing once more and leaning against Dib.

Lunch came and Hollin insisted that she take this opportunity to teach Lix to cook some. Karen supervised them closely as they made some little pizzas.

Zim stared at his pizza for a while, looking as though he was about to be sick.

"What's wrong?" Lix asked, putting a hand on Zim's arm. "Do you not like pizza? Do you not feel good?"