" Zim, you need to talk to me sometime."

" Zim, don't be upset with me."

" You're breaking my squeedlyspooch."

[M/N] stared at the closed lab door, he can hear Zim tinkering behind it. The small zaps and small electronic arms working with Zim. Zim has been locked up behind the main lab door since yesterday night, and it was now the afternoon. Much to his surprise, Zim had left very early this morning for school. [M/N] couldn't make him a sugary breakfast or anything for lunch.

The second that Zim came home from school, the Irken bolted off into his Lab. " I have to go to work now.." The taller Irken said softly, hoping that Zim would heard him. [M/N] didn't expect him to be this upset with him. He felt kind of bad getting the job now. Pressing a button on his watch, he went from Irken to Human in seconds. This time wearing a black button up shirt and a grey sweater over it. Nothing else changed but the shirt. " I made you dinner, if you're hungry." [M/N] bends down and placed a plate of three chocolate chip cookies beside the door with a cold cup of chocolate milk by the door.

[M/N] touched the door briefly before slowly walking towards the platform to be taken up on. Once on the first floor, he pats GIR's head. The cute little robot was watching tv and eating the rest of the chocolate chip cookies happily. " BYE GRANDPA!" The robot screeches before stuffing more cookies into his mouth.

[M/N] smiles before sensing the change of weather making him sigh, he grabs the umbrella from the closet by the door. It was a big yellow one he had seen at the store. Rain hurt him, he ducked into a store and bought a yellow umbrella when he saw a human female use it to cover herself from the rain. [M/N] walked with the yellow umbrella covering him from the water, his eyes lowered as he walked towards the Membrane household.

Zim and [M/N] never really fought before, of course there was some spats when it came to training or when Zim acted out more in public where other Irk leaders and generals were around. [M/N] had spar with Zim many times as well, but never really intended his all to hurt the smaller Irken. They never fought.

This is basically one of their first fights, and he hoped [M/N] would forgive him soon.

[M/N] was at the membrane house, he closed his umbrella once he was on the porch and placed it in the umbrella holder outside. He was on time, as usual. He knocks and the door opens to Dib. " [M/N]!"

" Hello to you as well, Dib." [M/N] enters once Dib moved back, he shuts the door behind him. " How was school today?" Dib falters a bit but kept smiling.

" W-Well..I had this amazing idea for a project for English class, but the book I needed for it was taken. The guy doesn't even read! He only wanted it because I did! Now, I don't have a book for the project and it's due next month." Dib said, the bully took the book he wanted, a Sherlock Holmes book. The only thing that made his day was when kids poked fun at Zim for wanting to read a book that was meant for children. Ms.bitters dismissed Zim the idea of reading the book and shoved one into the green aliens hands.

" Do you need help with the project?" [M/N] asked, his attention on the human young man. " Or perhaps help picking out a book?"

" A-Actually.." Dib stutters, anxiety going through him and [M/N] could smell it. " Uh..C-Can.."

" He wants to go to the library with you. Dad said he can't go unless you go with him." Gaz said as she walked down the stairs, she was dressed for the weather. Over her clothes was a purple rain coat and a hood covered her hair. " Here dummy." Gaz throws a dark blue rain coat at Dib's face. Dib snatched it off and grumbled as he puts it on. " what's wrong?" Gaz asked as she looked up to [M/N].

" What do you mean?" [M/N] asked as he tilts his head to the girl, " I'm okay." He wasn't his squeedlyspooch was hurting, Something equivalent of a human heart.

Gaz stared at him with her squinted eyes, a hard stare before looking back at her game. " Whatever." She walks to the door and waited beside it as she played her game.

Dib stared at his sister in confusion, [M/N] looked fine, well Dib couldn't perceive as much like his sister. " Can we go?" Dib asked as he zipped his jacket already, " We won't take long."

[M/N] shakes his head with a smile, " That's Fine. I don't mind, maybe it's good for you kids to get out for a bit." [M/N] goes to the door and opens it, " Do you both mind leading? I haven explored town much."

" Sure!" Dib said as he flips the hood on his head and shivered as the wind hit him when they gather outside. " Just follow us." Dib said as he walked ahead, the water not hitting him at all thanks to the rain coat he had on, [M/N] walked behind the two kids with the umbrella over him. Gaz kept playing despite the rain hitting her game.

[M/N] made sure to keep an eye on them, as they walked. His mind drifted back to Zim, he wondered if there was way to show that he loved him. To show him, that [M/N] was never going to leave him alone or abandon him like others have.  Show him that [M/N] loved him more than anything.

Love

There is no word for love in the Irken language, that word was meant for defects. Studying up on other alien cultures, [M/N] picked up on the word, and what it stand for. This was before he was almighty tallest [M/N], he was a small Irken skeet who was chosen to work as an explore first to see what planets had to offer for the massive and for Irk. He learned languages, explored new places and enjoyed the people there even if he knew the people would've died sooner or inslaved as soon as he left the planet. Love, it was so foreign and it rolled off his tongue. That word made him feel all tingly inside and made him want to throw up but he liked the tingly parts. Then soon after a few decades, he began to slowly grow taller and taller, which made the control brains switch him from explorer to skeet caretaker since both positions as rulers of Irk were occupied by almighty Red and Purple.

He loved all the sweets that were hatched, and acted his duty with them all. Made sure they were fed, dressed, taught and cleaned before sending them off to what ever academy they were assigned. [M/N] knew they didn't like him, for one that he was tall so they had to respect him and for the second reason was that he babied them. He had watched lots of fathers and mothers babied their own young and found it a much better approached then the harsh treatments that Irk forced caretakers to act upon smeets. They hated it, the way he treated them. Like babies.

He almost gave up on his way until one whole batch of capsules open up one day, around twenty smeets born and brought to life. [M/N] welcomed them all happily as his employees began leading them out. To get dressed and washed of course, [M/N] was cleaning the goo from the floor, offering a hand with the mess when he heard one pod broke open, then the zapping of a PAK. [M/N] turns to see one more Smeet, he was quite small and very cute. Being able to see him, the smeet walked over to [M/N], wobbling here and there but managed to get to him. " Hello young one, welcome to life! Aren't you a cute one!" [M/N] was beaming at the small smeet. " I am almighty tallest [M/N]!"

" Hi! I love you!" [M/N]'s yellow eyes widen as he heard the young Smeet declare his love to him so openly and instantly. The Smeet grasped onto his leg and hugged it, purring against his leg. [M/N] stared at it and his squeedlyspooch was making that weird feeling again, like when he knew the word love. Was this love? Why did it feel so good to feel this way? Most of the smeets were annoyed when he greeted them and pat their heads, this was new. " You love me?" The Smeet asked, his pink eyes staring up at him hopefully. Without any hesitation, [M/N] dropped the mop and picked the Smeet up and cooed at him. His yellow eyes staring down at the little one, cuddling him against his chest.

This Smeet was a defective, Irkens don't love, care or adore. They were going to delete him. [M/N] thought as he held the Smeet closer, he felt instincts. Some instinct, then they can delete me too, they can't hurt him. As long as I am alive, they can't hurt him.

" I love you very much~" [M/N] cooed as he leans down a bit connecting their foreheads, [M/N] purring to the little one and he  did it back, his purrs small. " Hm~ usually control brains assign names. But I don't want you to get a stupid name." The taller Irken hummed, the second he would name the Smeet, the second they'll be connected forever. He shouldn't be doing this, this Smeet would have to leave him soon to be some great invader, or medic or scientist. He shouldn't name him, but he didn't care. He wanted to feel this love forever.

" How about Zim? My little Smeet, my little Zim."

" WATCH OUT!" Dib and Gaz scream as they yanked [M/N] towards them, the umbrella on the floor. A truck was speeding down the road, both kids saw it and they hurried. They turn to see their babysitter in some daydream like state, both reached out to grab him.  They liked him, his company was calming to them. Plus, they didn't really want their dad to find someone else that could probably murder them. " YOU HAVE TO BE MORE CAREFUL!" Dib scolded as he picked up [M/N]'s umbrella and hands it over to the shaking adult. Dib was shaking a bit too, almost watching his babysitter being murdered right in front of him. " Gaz was right, What's with you today?"

" Uh...Uh..." [M/N] stammers as he held the umbrella like his life depended on it. " Just some stuff going on at home." He gulped and stood up, some rain had  his neck and he could smell it burning a bit, it sizzles but he ignore it.

" Is it your kid?"
" is he in trouble?"
" Did He do something bad?" Dib asked, his tone filled with worry.

" Dib, stop being a creep, we're here." Gaz said and dib stopped his questions before looking to Gaz. She pointed behind her with her thumb. The library was a large place and made out of stone with two stone lines near the doorway. " Hurry up. I want to get home before the bloaty show come on." Dib hurries inside when he heard Gaz's harsh tone. [M/N] walked up the stairs and closed the umbrella.

" Everything is going to work out between you two," Gaz said as she unsquints her eye to look at [M/N]. " You and Zim."

[M/N] freezes as he held onto the door handle. His human hands grasping the handle, and they were slowly turning white. " How..?"

" I saw you open the door when Zim was getting in, he ran so fast that almost knocked you down." Gaz said, she paused her game and shoved it into her pocket. " Are you here to take over the world or..?"

" I'm here for Zim and for something else that has nothing to do with earth, more of a vacation." [M/N] said softly, " Zim was sent here because he wanted to show himself off as an Invader. It annoyed them so much, our leaders, they sent him here. I came because I would miss him and I wanted a break. Does your father and brother know?"

" Do you want them to know?" Gaz asked, as her amber eye narrows at the taller alien, " I won't tell as long as you keep watching us. I rather have you then some bucket of bolts." She said before entering the library and [M/N] follows after her, he was very amazed that she figured him out so easily and in a calm way as well. [M/N] thought humans would freak out if they saw something that nobody could explain.

" Do you want any books?" Gaz asked she enters some aisles, [M/N] walks behind her, eyes wide as he looked at the many books. The sizes, the colors, the smells of the people and the books. They look so wonderful and everything so brand new. She noticed how he looked and asked, she wouldn't mind, it was her father's library card anyway. " I can put some other books on our dad's card."

" Yes, I mean, please." [M/N] said as he moved his finger against the hard books. " Just a few to entertain myself with." 

" Go nuts." Gaz said as she picked up a book that was thick and big bold letters on the cover reads; GAME EASTER EGGS AND CODES.

[M/N] walked into another aisles, going into each one. Many colors, red, blue, purple, black and everything else. He stops when the white cover caught his eye. [M/N] picks the book out and saw the funny looking man on it with red makeup flowing down his eyes. The cover looked cooler and the name, IT.

" Seems like a great book." [M/N] mutters as he holds the book against his chest, his eyes glancing around for another book to take with him to read. He kept walking, in and out aisles before a rather small book that was red and had a child on a broom. " Ah, this looks like a good book as well." He picks up Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone.

"[M/N]?" The said male perked and turns behind him to see Dib holding a book against his chest. Gaz holding her's under her arm as she played on her game. " We're ready to go."

" Alright, we should scan theses books and go home, we wouldn't want to get hurt again."

.  .  .

After a hot dinner and helping with two sets of homework, the kids went right to bed. [M/N] tucked them in and stayed downstairs. It wasn't, 10 yet. He sat on the couch as he reads, his eyes glossy but not because of the book, it was the thought of himself dying.

Dying alone and cold while Zim stayed here on earth. 

[M/N] perked up as he heard the door open, the rain had stopped so he could hear the person. [M/N] wipes his eyes and closed the book, he turns to see the actual professor, not some hologram or flying panel. " Welcome home." The Professor tense and turns to see the sitter on the couch.

" Oh, I didn't expect you to be here." The Professor chuckles, a bit embarrassed. " How were my children?" He asked as [M/N] smiles as he stood up, holding the two books he had in his arms. 

" Perfect, we went to the library and got Dib his books. They were perfect." [M/N] said calmly, he rubs his wrist against his eyes. They were a bit red and irritated. " I should be going home.."

" Is something troubling you?" Professor Membrane asked, his goggles glaring thanks to the light, [M/N] could've sworn that he saw the color of the scientist eyes. " You were crying."

" I-I'm okay." [M/N] said as he looked at the professor, a gentle and kind smile on his lips. He didn't want to bother him with his own problems.

" Nonsense!" The Professor began leading the sitter into the kitchen, [M/N] lets him. He didn't want to argue with his new employer. " Foodie-o! Two cups of hot tea! Peppermint!" The robot in the corner perked up and buzzed to life, a bright light emitting from within the microwave chest. The robot rushed over to the two, [M/N] sat in front of the Professor. " Two hot cups of peppermint tea!" The robot said as he placed one in front of the two before rushing to the fridge and comes back with cold milk and sugar. 

" Thank you, that will be all!" The Professor dismissed the robot chef, the robot rolls to his corner and shuts down. " Now, what's the matter? You show obvious signs that you are deeply upset."

[M/N] stared at the tea then to the sugar and milk, he doesn't answer at first as he poured some milk into his tea and then four spoonfuls of sugar, stirring it and hoped the cold and sweet would help him keep the liquid down.

" Nothing much, me and my...son are just going through some things." [M/N] said as he looked at his tea cup, lightly touching the cup and stared down at the light brown liquid. " He is just growing up and having a tantrum that I am away. He locked me out of his room before I left.. he didn't even wait for me to make breakfast or even collect his lunch.."

" How old is your son?" Professor Membrane asked, his voice soft. 

" He's 12 years old." [M/N] smiles as he stared down at the cup, he was actually around 160 years old but had the same height of as a young preteen  child. Dib was 12 so it made sense.

" I see. Usually around this time, teenagers and pre-teens would usual rather be alone then spend their time with their parents. They take this time to he themselves, and do their own things. It is also the time where their hormones' would go wild which would involved them to have their mood sings and at times, their angry for a minute and happy in a next." [M/N] listened. " He just wants to be by himself, but I can assure you that he will feel better in a little while. He will revert back to themselves."

" You're very smart." [M/N] blurted out before he covering his mouth, " You are very smart but very smart on the subject as well, I didn't think that you were dumb or anything of course!"

" Well, I actually studied on the topic." [M/N] heard the amusement in the Professor's tone. That made him blush pink on his human cheeks. " I actually have a book, I see no harm giving it to you." [M/N] turns to see the Professor leave the kitchen and he quickly dumps the tea into the plant in front of him. He moved his hand back as he watched the Professor walk in holding a medium size blue book in his hands. Something sticking out.

" Here you go!" Professor Membrane hands the book towards the adult, " I have it because Dib was going through it a couple weeks back. He goes in and out of mood swings but he is semi-sane." He was polite, " Give it back when your done, I don't need it right of now."

[M/N] smiles as he takes it, touching the cover before holding it against his chest like the other ones. " Thank you Professor. You are a kind human." [M/N] freezes up, not meaning to say it in that way at all.

" You are a kind human as well." Professor smiles but the other couldn't see because of the high-collared cowl. " Your husband or wife is very lucky."

" I do not have a husband or wife." [M/N] said, a little grin on his lips, " But thank you for the compliment."

" I see." The Professor was quiet, " I shall see you tomorrow." His heart beating, news like that made him feel hot and felt weightless. He didn't like it. The man was babysitting his children, and he moved here but he also had his own child! He was too busy, and too busy himself with his work.

.  .  .

[M/N] sat on the couch, the blinds closed and GIR resting on his lap, the little robot was nuzzling his lap. He was out of his human disguise, he had clean any messes that GIR has made. The only thing that made him happy at all was that the cookies he had set up for Zim was gone with the plate.

" Okay, chapter one." [M/N] mutters as he flips to the page, his yellow eyes narrow on the words that his PAK was translating into his mind.

1. Don't feel rejected by their newfound independence.

It's appropriate for kids this age to start turning away from their parents and relying more and more on friends, but parents can take their pre-teen's withdrawal as rejection. "All too often parents personalize some of the distance that occurs and misinterpret it as a willful refusal or maybe ," says Catherine Steiner-Adair, a Harvard psychologist, schools consultant, and author of The Big Disconnect.

Beware of trying to force information out of a resistant tween. "This is a time when children really start to have secrets from us," says Dr. Steiner-Adair, "and parents who have a low tolerance for that transition — they want to know everything — can alienate their children by being too inquisitive."

" Alright Dr. Steiner-Adair." [M/N] held the book close to his chest, his antennas down and his yellow orbs on the floor. " I trust you. I trust you..."