Being Human

Seven - Zim POV

My heart was beating so hard that I was sure it'd break through my chest. I started feeling nervous (I hate feeling nervous) the moment I spotted Dib in the cafeteria. There he was, sitting with a male and female I didn't know, laughing with them as if they were old friends. There was something about the male and female, something familiar to me, and something foreign. They weren't human, that much I knew. Their disguises were so much better than mine, though. I don't think they expected anyone to realize what they were. Then again, I didn't want anyone, especially the Dib-beast, to recognize me for what I was, either. And then, just for a moment, Dib and I locked eyes. The joy of realizing he didn't know me was short lived by the fact I hadn't been fully prepared to see him right away. I didn't know what to do except look away and pray he didn't come over. I thought the gods hated me when they made me a defective, but they really showed their hatred when I felt a presence behind me and Desmond said, "Yo." as if he were greeting an old friend.

And then he was crouching there between Desmond and me, no recognition in his eyes whatsoever, introducing himself. Then he looked me straight in the eyes. I smiled, both from the thought that it was appropriate and from the fact he didn't recognize me at all. My disguise worked! I sobered after that if only because I'd have to tell Gaz and I'd owe her something big. And she'd make me deliver, too.

"So," Dib said, focusing on me. "Where are you from?"

"All over." I responded. "My parents are ambassadors, so we moved around a lot." Dib's gaze darkened for a moment. I wondered if he was reminded of his own home life, one where he was ignored by his father unless his father deemed it time for 'family'. "What about you?"

Dib smiled a little. "About three hours away, actually."

I nodded, pretending like I didn't have a clue. In actuality, I wanted to smack the Dib-monkey across the face and yell that his brain must be suffocating from all the space in that overly-large head of his, but I bit my tongue. Literally. This wasn't about the satisfaction of a single moment in time, but the satisfaction of proving to Dib I had been only a few feet away.

"What are you studying?" Dib asked me.

"Huh?"

He smiled as if he knew I'd been daydreaming. It took all my willpower not to blush in embarrassment. "What are you studying?" he asked again.

"Oh. Physics, mostly." I replied. He looked surprised. I reveled in that. 

"And you?" He asked Desmond, turning to face him.

"Me? Music." Desmond replied with a grin.

Dib blinked. "Music?"

"Got a problem with that, Dib?"

"No, no. Just… Just is surprising."

"I suppose, if your ego is about as big as your head."

I snorted, trying not to laugh. The look on Dib's face was priceless. Only I had ever told him his head was big, but there was Desmond, smiling way too innocently, delivering the same insult.

"My head is not big." Dib retorted, suddenly standing. 

Desmond just kept smiling. "Well, that's your opinion."

Dib scowled. I wanted to laugh so badly. Finally Dib turned to me and smiled. "I guess I'll see you in class."

"Yeah, sure. If I can fit in the room with your head."

Dib scowled at that and stormed off, apparently done trying to make friends with us. Desmond didn't bother to hold back his laughter. I couldn't help but smile. Even if Dib didn't recognize me, I could still make fun of him with my usual insults. It was almost too good to be true. And because I realized that, I knew I had to control myself. If I screwed up and gave away too much, disguise or no disguise, Dib would know me immediately.

"Touchy, isn't he?" Desmond said as we watched Dib sit back down with the two he'd been with before.

I just smiled. "I guess he's the type who prefers to make fun of others and then gets pissed if you make fun of him."

"Yeah, well, he can suck it up and deal with it." Desmond sat back in his chair and poked at his food with his fork. Then he looked at me and smiled. "But he is kind of cute, isn't he?"

I nearly choked on my orange juice. "Cute? Him? Are you insane?"

"Maybe. But I have a feeling he won't even consider batting for the other team. Despite those biceps, I'm sure he's just another geek."

I wanted to narrow my eyes but I just couldn't. The way Desmond's mind worked constantly amazed me. So I settled for smiling at him and saying, "Is it your goal to get punched before the day is over?"

Desmond shrugged. "My mother says I have a filter problem. I don't always think about what I should say, and whether I should say it."

"Oh."

"So it makes life interesting."

"Gives you more enemies than friends."

Desmond grinned. "But that's what makes life interesting, don't you think?"

I didn't know how to respond. I had many enemies and few I could actually call 'friend' and mean it. I had Gaz. I had GIR. Now I had Desmond. Not that he knew what I actually was, and if he did, he'd probably run screaming. But my life, what little of it I had lived, had been filled making enemies no matter what I did or where I went. My own kind thought I was a misfit and sent me into exile. I was listed as an enemy to the whole Irken Armada. Kill on sight. I looked down at my tray and the salad there. Desmond was watching me; I could feel his gaze was concerned. But I also felt he didn't know how to ask if I was all right, and didn't know if I wanted him to ask.

"Let's get out of here." Desmond said at last. "We still have to get our books and explore our classrooms."

"Yeah." I got up after he did and moved after him. I couldn't help one last glance toward Dib, then shivered when he met my gaze with a cold stare. Those black eyes were depthless.