Nightmares on earth had been a common thing.

Dib was in such close contact with the occult and supernatural that it permuted every waking moment of his life. And eventually his sleeping ones. But, it held none of the usual fascination and determination he usually felt. Instead it was usually filled with humiliation, viscous black ooze, creatures with way too many teeth...and voices that never stopped screaming.

Dib had managed to forget about them, what with the whole leaving earth and flying around in space thing. Maybe it was the excitement, but the dreams hadn't reared their ugly faces for at least a few weeks.

Waking up from a nightmare was probably almost worst than the dream itself. Sweaty and hard to breathe, like the void itself was eating him alive. Echos of screaming,cloistering dots winked before his vision and all he could think was 'I don't want to be alone'.

Even while awake, the cold darkness surrounded him and he felt like he was all alone in the universe. But, it wasn't true. There was someone else. There had to be.

Without even thinking, he felt unable to, Dib threw away the covers and shuffled out of his tiny room and into the hall to the room across from his. Socks sheltered his feet from the cold floor but only barely. He hesitated only momentarily before pressing a hand against the door. His body heat activated it, swooshing open to reveal an almost matching room to his own. The only difference being the lack of clutter (Dib tended to collect a ridiculous amount of stuff, souvenirs and trophies from past expeditions).

Always on high alert, Zim was already sitting up, still fully uniformed. The irken had been lying down but it was obvious he hadn't been sleeping. Or whatever it was irkens did (even years later, Dib wasn't sure he fully understood the recharging/sleeping paradox). Big berry pink eyes, glowed slightly in the dim room.

"What is it?" Zim demanded. "Are you...?" He looked unsure, scanning the human. Years later, Zim's ability to read the human had improved vastly.

Dib ran a hand through his hair and nodded. His throat felt dry and a steady pulse stayed in his ears. "I um,"

Zim suddenly remembered the late nights, sitting in parked cars avoiding sleep and drinking coffee. He hadn't really understood then. And now he understood, less. But... "The nightmares. You still have them?"

Dib nodded jerkily, trying to swallow. His head was still in a fog. Nothing felt real. "Can I uh, just chill here for a while?" His own voice sounded far away and unfamiliar.

"Yes, if that will help you." Zim was already lying back down. He watched the human stumble inside and...wearily sit down on the floor. The cold floor.

Zim sat back up again. "What are you doing?"

Dib craned his neck to looked behind him. "Huh? You said it was okay."

"I did. So, why are you on the ground? It's freezing and hard and unless you meant 'chill' literally, I suggest you get up here instead."

Dib blinked slowly. "But...that's your bed. I can just..." He gestured shakily to the rest of the empty room, feeling awkward and slightly calmer but his body was still tense. "Besides, wouldn't that be weird?"

Zim narrowed his eyes, confused. He spent a lot of time confused around Dib. The rest of the time was spent angry. "What? Why?"

Dib didn't know if he wanted to really try to explain himself. He wasn't sure if he was feeling up to a late night lesson on human culture. "Right. Fine."

Satisfied, Zim moved over until there was room. Their beds weren't huge. But, they also weren't tiny cots either. Dib shuffled until he laid down on the bed and felt instantly better. It was soft, warm and there was a slight dip beside him where Zim was.

The irken took the huge comforter and tossed half of it over the human, covering up his face on accident. Or maybe on purpose. Who knows? Dib sputtered and shoved it back down, mustering up a bit of energy to glower at the alien who gave him a look like 'what?'

They had plenty of space between them and despite how weird it should've been...it wasn't. Dib had never shared a bed with anyone had a reason or desire to. He watched the darkness above him wax and wane and figured that maybe this was why people in the past had slept in packs. You knew someone else was there to watch your back.

As the tenseness in his body dispersed, the chill and panic left him and all that remained was a bone deep tiredness. He should get up and go back to his own room. But, the idea was so unappealing. It meant moving and cold and returning to the origin of his nightmare. So, he stayed and hoped Zim didn't mind.

Zim watched the human's demeanor slowly change from utter panic and fear to a calmness and finally to sleep. Contented, he turned over his side and tried to rest his own body. It had been a few weeks since his last full shut down. Might as well.

Several hours later Dib awoke and slipped out of the room as quietly as possible.

Later when they met again to discuss their next trip for supplies,he watched Zim carefully for any signs of irritability or curiosity or...anything. Would he be upset that he had stayed in his room all night? Or confused? Would he ask about his nightmares again? But, Zim said nothing.

Maybe he'd forgotten or was so self absorbed he hadn't thought about it again. Dib doubted it was to avoid anything awkward or touchy since that never seemed to matter to Zim. But, he was grateful none the less and followed the alien's lead in not discussing it.

And when his nightmares awoke him again a few days later, the cycle repeated. And again. And again. Sometimes he would go months without another one, and other times it happened several nights in a row.

And each time he would shakily approach the irken who wasn't always in his room. Sometimes the two of them sat at the cockpit and talked about earth or irk or other stupid stuff until Dib felt calmer. But, when Zim was in his room, he would automatically make room for the human, eyes wide and unquestioning.

Dib's gratefulness ran bone deep but, he never said thank you and Zim never made it out to be an act of his good will that required any gratitude.

And if sometimes they woke up closer together than they had been prior to falling asleep then that was just because it was cold and the body heat of another creature, a familiar presence was appealing to their unconscious forms.

And if sometimes Dib didn't immediately jump out of the bed as soon as he woke up that was just because it was always freaking freezing and he wanted to prolong leaving the warmth as soon as possible.

And if sometimes he caught himself watching the irken as he 'slept', then that was because he still didn't understand how irkens rested/recharged/slept and up close observation was ideal.

And if sometimes they did shift in the night to be so close that they were intertwined and close...and if sometimes Dib didn't rush to untangle himself when he realized it...that was just because he didn't want to disturb the irken in any way.

If they didn't talk about how Dib slept in Zim's bed to starve off nightmares, they especially didn't talk about any of that other stuff. It was unimportant in the long run.