Work Text:
The time was 1:24. A time Dib Membrane was all too well acquainted with. To Dib, the time was still rather early considering his insomnia struck him every God-damn night. On most days, Dib would be lucky to get at least four or three hours of sleep a day counting naps.
Yes, he had been prescribed medication. Wanna know what happened the next month? He ran out. He recalls asking and reminding his Dad multiple times for a renewal, but it never happened.
Despite the fact that he’s confined to his room for the next few hours, he’s learned to enjoy it. There’s no one there to bother him, and it’s as quiet as ever. Best of all, no idiotic aliens. He was free to browse forums and play Minecraft to his hearts content! It’s paradise. Minus the fact that he nearly passes out every other skool period.
As of right now, he was lazily tapping and clicking the mouse of his computer looking for something to do or look into. Chip-Chan? No . Changing Faces of Belmez? Hmm... . As he was about to click on a page he heard a loud clang from his window.
Dib visibly froze for a few moments before going back to his work. Ok. So, according to this article there’s about thr-
CLANG
Dib rose a brow before making his way over to the window. He looked down to see a rather familiar annoyed looking alien with an armful of rocks.
Dib sighed to himself. You have GOT to be kidding me. The boy unlatched the window locks before pulling it open and making eye contact with the alien below.
“What the hell do you w-,” he felt a pebble hit the side of his gigantic head.
“DIIIIIIB,” interrupted, “YOUR PATHETIC WINDOW WAS LOCKED.”
Dib looked down confused, “Yeah, and?”
“‘ AND.’” Zim mocked, “I couldn’t get IN you STUPID HU-“
“ SHHHHH! JUST SHUT, UP. Do you want to wake up everyone in the neighborhood?!” Dib whisper yelled.
Zim was already climbing up the side of the house with his pak legs before getting to the boys window and welcoming himself inside.
Dib frowned at the newly found arrival, shut the window, and crossed his arms. “Ok, so why are you in my house a 1 o'clock in the fucking morning?!”
Zim rolled his eyes making a small gesture to the window. Outside the glass was a downpour of rain. Dib stared in awe, “How?! I was just outside the window-“
“We Irkens are better than your species filthy DIB,” Zim said exploring the paranormal investigator’s room, “We know when these things are about to occur.”
Dib let out a puff of annoyance before taking a seat at his desk again. The best thing to do would be to ignore him, Dib thought.
Zim looked at the boys many trinkets and posters coating his room. They were all the same from when he was twelve. Now being fourteen, most kids would have thought he would have grown out of this by now. They were wrong.
The alien took off his disguise, stuffing it into his pak and silently going to stand beside Dib’s desk chair. He tilted his head and looked from the human’s bloodshot eyes to the mattress choked in star covers.
“Why… are you not sleeping like the other filthy humans?” Zim asked genuinely curious.
Dib side glanced the alien before turning it back over to the screen, “It’s complicated. It’s not supposed to happen.”
Zim frowned at the human, “Are you a defect?”
Dib turned to the alien, “What?! No. That’s-that’s not how humans work.”
Zim nodded his head.
“I just have trouble doing some things an average person would be able to do easily. That’s all.”
Zim scoffed to himself, for Dib had basically said the definition of a defect. Dib continued to sluggishly scroll through the website as Zim curiosity watched from behind.
“Do you sleep at all?” Dib asked.
Zim let out something resembling a chuckle, “HA! us Irkens don’t have time for this ‘sleep’ you primitive humans do. We can go MONTHS without rest!”
Dib rolled his eyes again and let out an annoyed “mhm,” at the narcissistic alien. Dib desperately wanted to kick the alien back outside and watch his skin curl and burn in the rain, but a part of him kept him from that option. There were two things that could happen in that situation. One, Zim would end up killing him. And two, both of them would cause a commotion and wake up his sister. Basically, both ways Dib would end up dead.
Dib grabbed a nearby pencil and notebook to write down facts and theories he could pick up from his research. He was about to start writing when he sensed Zim was still behind him.
Dib clawed at his face and turned his chair to face Zim, “Don’t you have anything better to do?!”
Zim gave an awkward shrug.
Dib crossed his arms, “Well, what do you usually do? Like, you know… to keep you busy?”
“Well, I usually spend my time wisely, unlike you Dib-stink. I plot night and day on how to destroy you AND your filthy planet.” Zim paused and tapped his foot, “but… when the glorious Zim takes a ‘break’, I watch TV with Gir.”
“That’s it.” Dib said before grabbing his phone and shutting down his computer. He waltzed over to his bed and flopped onto his stomach hastily typing something into his phone. “You know Mysterious Mysteries, right?”
Zim, now removed from his disguise, rolled his eyes in disgust. “Ah yes, that disgusting human show I got dragged into?”
Dib smirked, “Yep.” He moved over to the other side of the bed and motioned for the Irken to join him. Zim was, of course, hesitant. He eyed Dib suspiciously before getting comfortably perched next to the human.
Dib pulled his blankets over the two of them and placed a pillow below his chest and elbows. “Get ready to binge watch, Space boy!”
At first their time together was awkward and stand offish, but as time passed they actually began to enjoy each others company. Not that either of them would admit it. After sometime they even began bouncing theories off of each other and critiquing the show.
It had only been about two hours until…
“Ha! That fool! Does that STUPID human really think it’s the squirrel doing that?!” Zim smirked at his comment and turned to Dib expectantly.
He was surprised to find his enemy unresponsive, and on further investigation, his eye lids were closed. ‘ Ugh. He must be doing that pitiful Earth habit like the rest of the humans.’
Despite his new found discovery, he still couldn’t figure out why he’d leave Zim alone. This was Dib’s base. Dib new he was a threat, so why would Dib leave him with his tools and experiments?
The Irken turned back to the boy, poking his face to make sure he had fully fallen asleep. With more silence, the alien decided to examine his enemy. He’s never really seen Dib up close. Well… up close while they weren’t trying to kill each other.
Zim’s eyes scattered from detail to detail on Dib’s face. He examined everything from his skin to his lips to his closed eyes. The Dib he was looking at now was anything but the Dib he knew. The boy’s usual scowl was now replaced with one of pure tranquility and peace.
Zim furred his metaphorical brow and made his way up to Dib’s ‘head fur’ as Zim called it. He didn’t want to admit it, but he liked Dib’s hair. It separated him from other stupid humans. Well… other than his Dad.
Speaking of Dib’s hair, the Irken has always been curious about how it felt. Would it be soft or stringy?
Zim considered touching it just to answer his questions. He just had to pray to Irk Dib wouldn’t wake up. He raises a hesitant claw and placed it on the humans head.
It was soft! Very actually. Zim really wanted to start petting it and playing around with but backed off when Dib shifted in his sleep.
With Dibs new position, he was now on his back. His arm now protruded out hitting Zim in the jaw. The Irken silently cursed to himself and thankfully stopped himself from punching the human right back. It wasn’t Dib’s fault his species was programmed with this stupid function.
He glanced at the human’s hand before examining it as well. He made contact with Dib’s arm and nearly melted into the warmth. Were humans really always this warm?!
He followed Dib’s arm up to his chest. He silently placed his head on the boys chest feeling a silent thump accompanied by small breaths. His eyes grew heavy with a sudden urge to rest with Dib. Which was… odd for him. He was about to drift off before letting out a quick purr.
Zim nearly flipped himself off the bed. His head flew up and his eyes were wide with a mixture of shock, fear and embarrassment. He swiftly rolled off the bed and took cover from between the bed and the floor.
He wearily glanced back up at the human. To the Irken’s relief, the Dib was still sleeping silently.
Zim still considered that as too close of an encounter. He wondered if this was Dib’s plan all along, but denied it.
After awhile of thinking, Zim hastily decided to make a dash for the window. He clicked it open and was thankful to see the horrible acid weather had passed. He gave a side glance to Dib before hastily using his Pak legs to climb down.
Note to himself; keep distance from Dib.