"Sleeper Agent"

'Chapter Twenty'

It had been an hour or so and Dib was getting a little bored.

Zim didn't let him work on the weapon, not that it would matter anyway since he didn't know the first thing about it, but still. He had been interested at first in watching the Irken work but now it wasn't as engrossing. Hunger played a part in his lack of concentration but Zim was adamant that he couldn't go anywhere.

However, after enough whining the Irken had allowed him exactly five minutes to get upstairs then back down to the lab(which didn't give him much time since the elevator itself took up most the minutes); though Dib took what he could get and had made it back with a few seconds to spare.

Though, once his food ran out and his exploration of the lab wasn't enjoyable anymore he had once again bothered Zim for something to do. He knew he probably shouldn't be bothering the Irken so much, but he was naturally over-active and too much time in one spot made him restless. He just couldn't help being jittery and he definitely needed something to occupy his mind.

Dib had then asked if it was possible to take a shower or bath or whatever Zim had available just to kill some time(granted if the facilities were actually down in the lab). Though, in a stroke of luck, they were and reluctantly Zim had pointed him in the right direction.

It was relatively safe; so that was probably why Zim allowed it. The door actually needed Zim's code to be opened so once Dib was locked inside the bathroom there wasn't a way to get back out. Dib wasn't entirely concerned if only because Zim was the one with the weapons at his disposal and Dib was now locked in a vent-free room which meant no cracks for Keef to slip through if he did pop up unannounced.

The room was small, nothing memorable about it. The tub was large and round, could probably fit three or more people comfortably. The shower was off in the corner and only emitted paste(so Zim said, but he didn't care to check it himself) and the tub taps didn't have water.

Despite his inhibitions to be bathing in alien cleansing gel he had stripped himself of his clothing and filled the tub with that curious pink ooze. Throwing caution to the wind Dib lowered himself into the substance that resembled jello and actually found it far from unpleasant. The goo was just the perfect temperature and molded so well against his naked body it almost suffocated him in its comfort.

He decided to just let the worries and pains of the day melt in that moment; letting himself be taken away to another place entirely as he let his muscles unwind and his body relax. He sighed softly to himself as he sunk down; his head leaned back on the large tub's edge, his eyes drifting closed. He was barely aware enough to take off his glasses before he let himself start to be swayed by the sticky ooze.

Dib wasn't entirely aware when his consciousness started to fade into a blissful sleep.

Click. Click. Skriiiiit—click—cli-click… POP.

"Ahh-HA!" With a triumphant cry Zim straightened his back and stood tall, rotating the finished vaporizing weapon in his hands and admiring the beauty of his handiwork. "Excellent. Everything assembled just perfectly…not that I was expecting failure, what with my level of intelligence. Victory for Zim~!"

The Irken grinned cynically to himself, watching the way the light glinted off the shiny metal firearm. He was tempted to test-fire it, if only to witness the diameter of the vaporization ray, but doing so would probably be more of a burden than a benefit, considering the effects of said firearm's blast. He really didn't need to waste time repairing any damages done to his base because of it.

This didn't damper any of Zim's current satisfaction though—he was certain that the gun would fire precisely as it was designed to. No one this side of the galaxy was better at weapon designs than Zim, after all. Zim smiled and admired for a few moments more before placing the gun gingerly back on the table.

He was normally not so cautious with his creations—or anything else, for that matter—but knowing just how volatile the weapon was; he felt no need tempting chance. This was his key to survival now. Any opportunity he had of eliminating Keef required him to use that firearm, the only thing the invader was sure would actually work against the Synak.

Zim's brow furrowed a bit with remembering the yellow alien, recalling that he was without Dib in the same area that still made him uneasy. His eyes darted a bit around, glancing at every suspicious shadow and listening for any sign of life beyond himself.

Nothing answered his observations, just as he had hoped. Zim released a breath he'd been unconsciously holding, looking back at his newly-developed weapons on the flat metal tabletop.

He didn't feel nearly as agitated by his location as he had been a day or so prior, but there was always discontent. His new guns gave reassurance that he could defend himself, and he'd been so busy with working on them that he hadn't realized how choking the silence of the base seemed all of a sudden.

It had only just hit him when he realized that Dib was still absent from his company.

Zim chose not to ponder the matter of his nervousness relating to Dib being gone. Instead he dismissed excessive thought and stalked away from his computers, heading in the direction of the spare cleansing facility.

How long had it been since he left the human in there? Probably not too long, by Irken standards, but he had to wonder just how annoyed the worm-baby was to be trapped in that room with no way out. Not that he cared about the Dib-thing's emotional state, but he could certainly imagine the big-headed boy's frustration at being unable to leave. It was as amusing as it was pitiable.

After a few short turns down dark, narrow corridors, Zim approached the sliding door to the cleansing room, one gloved hand immediately outstretched to punch his security code into the digital keypad adjacent to the entrance. With the last button curtly stabbed by Zim's claw the locking mechanism beeped twice, then chimed lightly as the thick metal door slid open with a gentle hiss, revealing the small, plain room and the human it housed.

"Dib-beast," Zim announced, stepping inside as the door closed behind him, "Zim has arrived to collect your whiny head of sme—"

He stopped short when he noticed Dib, still in the tub and immersed up to his neck in the pink cleansing goo. His head was propped against the rim of the bathing unit, eyes closed and pitiful sight-devices folded and sitting on the floor by his discarded clothes. There was no immediate reply to the invader's statement—nothing to indicate that the boy was conscious and aware.

"Hmph, stupid human—the bathing unit is no place for a rest cycle," Zim chided aloud, though his voice quieted considerably from what it had been previously. After a moment's stare he shook his head and approached the tub, gazing down at the oblivious face of his former nemesis. Zim had his features drip with irritation, but the tiniest bit of a smirk taunted his frown at how easily the human could let his guard down. It was moments like these that made him wonder what kind of a threat he ever saw in the supposed 'savior of Earth'.

Zim listened to the boy's breathing, taking note of the smooth, even exhales through slightly parted lips. The Irken knelt down beside Dib, now eye level with him as he brought up a gloved hand and poked the human's strange smelling organ right on the tip, watching his talon indent the soft, yielding flesh. "Arise now, Dib-let, or else Zim will consider leaving you in here and forget to come back.

Dib hadn't been aware of his surroundings at all; the hiss of the door or the sound of Zim's boots on the metal floor, neither his voice as he had called to him. Dib was pleasantly oblivious in his dreamless world as the lulling waves of pink gel continued to caress his flesh in a pleasing manner.

However, the sharp talon to his nose definitely got his attention and he woke almost in an instant – scaring himself as a strangled noise buried itself in his throat as he floundered in the cleansing tub.

It took him a whole minute to understand where he was and what had just happened but once he did he sunk back into the tub; feeling a little self conscious as the nearly see-through pink ooze wouldn't hide much of anything. He turned his eyes back on the invader as he brought his knees to his chest, hiding in the corner of the tub, "You're finished?" It would be obvious Zim was, he probably wouldn't have gotten him if he wasn't, "Um, okay, I'll get out, could you…" Dib paused a moment before he gestured for Zim to go elsewhere.

Sure, they had seen each other naked before; but Dib still wasn't the most confident creature in his gangly pale body and doubted it would look much better coming out of a tub he had been sitting in for hours.

Zim raised an eye-ridge at Dib's startled awakening. The corners of his mouth twisted down with the human's vague signal to turn his attention away, more puzzled by the request than angered by it. His thoughts rotated along the same path as Dib's: they'd seen each other unclothed already, so there wasn't much to hide in that respect. Zim didn't see what the teen was trying to avoid. So stupid and human.

Also he had no concern for Dib's modesty or lack of confidence. "Could Zim do what? Do not think you can tell me where my eyes can and cannot go, dirt smelly." Despite his words the Irken begrudgingly complied and turned to face the doorway, resting his back against the edge of the tub. If it got the boy out of the room faster then he would deal with obeying Dib's wishes.

He crossed his arms against his chest, expressing his annoyance in an almost-pout that he would never admit to wearing. "I fail to see the point in this. Zim has witnessed your filthy meat-sack before, Dib-smell. This is no different." And it was Zim's to look at if he wanted to, when he wanted to, no matter what the desires were of the owner of the body in question.

"Yeah, yeah." Dib murmured half-heartedly to Zim's remarks, waiting until the Irken had finally turned his back on him.

He knew it was kind of stupid but, it was still sort of weird between them.

Dib was glad that Zim decided to comply; even if he had done it while complaining. In all honesty he hadn't expected the invader to obey, so he was pleasantly surprised.

Dib finally stood up and found that the liquid didn't cling to his body like he once thought – his skin almost feeling instantly dry which was strange in itself. Stranger still that he felt so refreshed yet he hadn't needed to do much of anything aside from submerged himself in the ooze.

Huh.

Though, his thoughts were still sluggish and even though he felt curious to experiment further with the goo he decided the real task at hand was to get dressed so they could retreat upstairs and plot Keef's demise.

Dib didn't think they'd go out and try and find Keef; the red-head was bound to come to them sooner or later, but perhaps working up a game plan or something would be effective. They had the weapons, sure, but they didn't have the full battle strategy.

But, then again, they didn't entirely know where or when the battle would take place. Freezing and exploding was sort of all they had in their back pocket and Dib didn't think there was much more to say on it.

Ugh.

There he went over-thinking again.

Dib waded to the edge of the tub away from Zim, reaching out to grab at his clothing before he stepped out of the bath and started to tug them on. It was a good thing his skin instantly dried because he didn't have a towel or anything else – having not really thought about when going into the cleansing chamber.

Once all his clothing was in place he rounded into Zim's vision and groped the ground for his glasses. Vision back at full he looked to the alien, "That cleansing stuff is weird." He said absently, his tone slightly husky due to the fatigue that still had him in its clutches, "What is it made out of?" He seemed to be full of questions for Zim today, but normally the Irken wasn't complacent enough to ask about anything out of the ordinary in his house; so Dib was merely taking advantage of the rare opportunity.

Zim saw that Dib was finished clothing himself and got to his feet, listening to the teen's relaxed inquiries.

"Nothing your planet harbors, obviously." The invader retorted, straightening his magenta tunic. "So it would not matter if I explained it or not, which Zim isn't." Not that he really could explain it to Dib anyways, since he knew little about the stuff. He may have been a genius, but that didn't mean he knew every component that made up generic cleansing fluid. He was an Invader, for Tallest's sake! He required knowledge on conquest, not hygiene!

His attention was drawn to the pink cleansing goo now that it was mentioned, and Zim walked over to where the levers were to control the bathing facility's contraptions. Finding the one that would empty the tub Zim flicked the switch, and was instantly rewarded with the sound of fluid draining out of the unit and into the pipes beneath the room.

"And your human ways of cleaning are far more abnormal," Zim commented off-handedly, walking back towards Dib. "What kind of species bathes themselves in lethal, polluted acid? The scent variety of your cleansing chalks is also pathetically primitive. No wonder you earth-monkeys look and smell so horrid all the time."

"It's not lethal to humans." Dib pointed out, eyeing the Irken as he walked back over; the lazy sound of the drain creating a jarring gurgling sound in the settling silence around them. Dib frowned slightly to the Irken, "I don't look and smell horrible." Dib said in his own defense, deciding not to speak for the whole human population mainly because there were a good number of un-washed ugly people out there.

Dib was about to open his mouth again, ready for an argument with the Irken; about to say things about their more intimate behavior and how Zim couldn't possibly think he was ugly or smelly because the Irken was a germaphobe and wouldn't have let him near him to begin with had that been the case – but he wisely shut it again, deciding against forcing the alien to go into his usual defensive rants and further spoil whatever evening they might end up having.

"Let's just go." Dib said almost in an irritated huff; annoyed with his own thought process than the invader himself as he tucked his hands in his pockets and made a move towards the door.

Zim followed and moved himself ahead of Dib, getting to the keypad that mirrored its counterpart on the outside of the room. He quickly typed in his security code once more so that Dib couldn't see and memorize it, for when things went back to normal and the human would be attempting to sneak through his defenses as usual.

If things ever could go back to 'normal' after all that had happened.

"That is for Zim to decide." The Irken said in response to Dib's comment on his appearance. The locking mechanism beeped like last time, followed by the similar hiss of the door sliding open. He sauntered quickly out of the small facility, assuming Dib would keep a similar pace, fatigue or not. "You have had your moments. Dib-let. Like when you transformed into a meat product, which was certainly hideous on many sensory levels. Or when Zim sent rubber pig toys into your past to kill you. No living being should have witnessed that kind of disfiguration, even with eyes as amazing and resilient as my own." Zim shuddered in recollection, but he tapped a finger to his chin in continued thought nonetheless. "And then there was the time whe…."

Dib couldn't curb his long-time habit of attempting to spy when he could; having tried to peer over the Irken's shoulder but Zim had obscured the keypad in such a manner it was impossible to view without drawing too much attention to himself; so instead he turned his eyes away towards a dark corner of the lab.

He stared hard at the shadows as if expecting them to move – still slightly paranoid Keef might be on the prowl but as Zim turned back to him and they started towards the elevator that bit of fear subsided.

He was going to let Zim's remark about him deciding whether he was smelly or ugly had Zim not decided to continue to prove his own stupid point.

Again with the Dib-let.

Dib frowned, still un-used to the name but not entirely against it. It just felt a little too intimate, but then again, that wasn't really a bad thing; which was mainly the reason why he didn't protest to the name.

Before Zim could bring up another bad memory from their past he cut in, "You forget you too turned into a sausage," Dib murmured, "Also, it's your fault I became horridly disfigured." He pointed out as they finally stepped into the elevator; the chute humming to life as it started to transport them up towards the bedroom.

"Besides," Dib started, turning his honey-brown eyes on the Irken that he shared the small enclosed space with, "That was all in the past, it doesn't matter now." He said easily, moving just a little closer to the invader, not popping his personal bubble but getting pretty damn close to doing so. He leaned over the smaller male, close to his antennae, letting his lips brush over the tip of it, "I think you like how I look and smell just fine," Dib said in a tone a little lower than usual, a slight grin perking his lips before he pointedly licked Zim's feeler in an almost playful gesture, "If last night mattered at all…" He trailed, the elevator doors opening in that same moment and granting them passage into the long hall that led to the bedroom.

Zim didn't have a chance to bicker against the human's counterarguments when Dib slipped close and unexpectedly teased his feelers, sending a sharp shudder down the Irken's spine and make the very tip of his toes curl. He stifled a gasp, but he was unable to quell the little flush that formed in answer.

"Th…The Dib-human merely assumes a-as much…" The minor breathy tone in Zim's retort unfortunately killed most of the snobbish reply. When the lift doors parted the green alien went for the outside corridor, recognizing where such actions as Dib's were heading. His gait was slower and less steady that before, his body still regrettably distracted from that last moment. "You only think it, naive dirt child—you cannot know it for a fact…"

Dib felt rather accomplished to get such a response out of Zim – ignoring his snobbish words since they didn't hold much merit when they came in that breathy tone. Dib followed right after the Irken the moment Zim stepped into the hall, noticing his slower gait.

Dib's confidence had boosted somewhat, still finding it so addicting to get the invader to act so un-like his commanding self. However, as Zim continued his dialogue he noticed that his words were a little stronger than before.

"I don't think it," He said despite himself, moving up behind the invader as they breeched the doors into Zim's room, "I know." He said almost in a challenging tone.

However, he didn't make any further moves towards Zim – instead just moving over to the bed. Wordlessly he took off his boots and jacket before he unbuckled his belt and tugged that off as well. Without stripping further he moved up the bed and took a place against the large silk pillows before he let his eyes fall back on the invader, "Besides," Dib smirked in confidence, "If it wasn't true, I'd like you to prove me wrong." He lifted his chin almost in defiance; basically having challenged Zim to try and not fall to his charm once the alien walked himself over to the bed.

Zim raised an eye-ridge at Dib's haughty words as he followed him into the room. The door slid shut behind them, no longer noticed. Tch—arrogant little worm-baby, thinking he was so great. All certain and sure of his puny earth-monkey self.

Such rebellious thoughts failed to cool the lavender flush on his cheeks, regardless of how much Zim scowled at the human. The feel of smooth lips still tingled along his stalks, a ghosting reminder that his body was certainly at odds with his mind on this particular matter. He watched as the boy discarded some of his clothes and then positioned himself on the bed, smirking the kind of conceited smirk that Zim was more familiar with on his own features.

Prove him wrong? The Irken's antennae perked at the issue of a challenge, whether Dib meant for it to be or not.

He dare think that Zim was incapable of not wanting him? Red eyes narrowed dangerously as he placed his hands at his hips, head tilted up just as defiantly as Dib's was, though Zim was certain he'd perfected the look decades before the human even existed.

A sneer formed on his chartreuse lips. "You wish to test the validity of my words?" He said. "Fine, human! Zim will let you know just how mistaken you are." If only to rid the dirt-child of his damn overconfident look. It didn't matter to Zim if the legitimacy of last night's affairs was in question—he recognized the boy's challenge to him, and with that unbearable smirk on the teen's visage, the Irken had no desire to concede in the face of the Dib-smell's false sense of superiority.

With a snobbish jerk of his chin the green invader walked around to his side of the bed and gingerly sat down, gloved hands reaching down to yank off his boots and arrange them properly on the ground. Once that was settled he scooted up against a pillow and leaned back, clawed toes wiggling freely in the air as the corners of his lips curled upward in supremacy. "There, Dib-beast," He announced, eyes looking pointedly away from the teen. "Do you see? I am successfully ignoring your hideous meat sack and its collection of stink-aromas. Are you ready to declare Zim victorious yet?"

Dib kept his grin as Zim sat down on the bed wiggling his toes, drawing Dib's attention to the strange Irken feet a moment before he let his eyes drift back to Zim's profile. He took notice of the red eyes as they were pointedly cast in another direction, as well as the lingering hint of lavender on his high green cheeks.

Dib scooted closer to the invader, melting into his personal space as he wrapped an arm around Zim's waist and forced the smaller male to lean into his chest. It was in these moments that Dib's confidence swelled, heat rushing fast through his veins as he leaned over his little captive and ran his lips up a single antennae.

He parted his lips just enough to let his tongue ghost against the rubbery stalk, his honey-brown eyes half-lidded as he looked down to Zim, "Ignoring me now?" He murmured in a low almost sensual tone before he swept the tip of Zim's antennae in his mouth and sucked; in the same moment his hands ran under the fabric of the alien's shirt, splaying across Zim's taut belly.

Zim had kept his gaze from Dib in his attempt at disregarding him, but had felt the mattress shift Dib as the human quickly approached. Without even a chance to confront Dib he was being scooped up, a lithe earth-monkey arm around his torso and the undeniable sensation of Dib's mouth ceasing in its chatter to envelop and lavish one of the Irken's feelers.

A throaty sound was out of his mouth before he could restrain himself.

Zim was definitely fighting a losing battle…but only if those weak little noises he made could be considered a form of resistance.

"Y… y-yesss…," Zim managed to retort, unwillingly arching his back against Dib's body with the hard suck on the tip of a stalk. The introduction of hands against his naked flesh only managed to distract his thoughts even more, the muscles quivering a bit beneath the warm, nimble fingers. Previously wide eyes fluttered to near closed without Zim's notice as his attentions obviously elsewhere. "Z-Ziiim iss—aah—ignoring you c-completely…dumb huuuman--nnnha…"

Dib's fingers swept along Zim's hips, dipping under his waistline as he ran his nails along the curve of Zim's thighs. "Oh really?" Dib smirked just slightly, running his lips down Zim's stalk before he nipped pointedly at the base of the antennae; groaning despite himself as he felt Zim arch back into him. "It doesn't sound like it…" He breathed hotly against Zim's feeler.

He shifted his weight, leaning up against the headboard as he forced Zim more firmly between his legs. He turned his attentions away from Zim's feelers as he trailed towards the alien's neck.

Greedy lips tongue and teeth sucked and bit at the exposed chartreuse flesh just above the Irken's high collar. Dib's eyes finally slipped shut as a needy feral moan bubbled up from his throat, intentions becoming obvious as his fingers finally ghosted across Zim's sensitive self.

"W-well Zim is!" The Irken retorted breathlessly, letting out a surprised chirp at the keen nibble against the bottom of the feeler. At this point, though, Zim was anything BUT ignoring Dib, his receptive antennae bombarded with the blissfully chaotic signals Dib's mouth created in the invader's body. His thoughts were getting fuzzier and fuzzier with each nip and suck, awareness drawn to the heated skin beneath his clothes and how Dib's hands only made it worse.

Zim half-willingly suppressed a moan when said hands decided to wreak pleasant havoc on the 'other' bodily center of mind-numbing sensation. "D-Diiiib." He groaned, finally closing his eyes, hoping to block out some of the experience and gain control. Unfortunately the lack of sight made Zim's other senses even more aware of his surroundings, slipping him further from his original goal.

"Y-Yo-You're cheeeeaaaaating…" He whined, wanting to remind Dib that they were only talking about looks and smells that Zim found horrid and obviously NOTHING about touching which apparently made ALL the difference; He wanted to, if not for being able to lose focus as dull human teeth grazed the skin of his jade-toned neck. The rest of his form followed suit by pressing weakly into Dib's grasp, the light friction making it known how evidently fast Zim's body surrendered before his mind would.

Zim might've blanched at the apparent eagerness present below his belt, had he not been occupied by attempting not to move, not to expose his sensitive throat anymore than it was, still trying hard to actually ignore Dib and win.

…he wasn't ever going to win.

Dib enjoyed the way Zim said his name, feeling a shudder of anticipation roll down his spine as he gripped the invader a little more firmly. He sucked pointedly on the captured patch of skin on the alien's neck; enjoying the silky smooth texture against his tongue.

"Cheating?" Dib murmured, finally drawing his attention away from Zim's neck as he leaned back against the backboard of the bed, letting his hands slip out from Zim's pants; fingers caressing up his sides a moment, dragging the fabric of his shirt with his wandering fingers before he dropped contact completely.

"Mm," Dib made an almost thoughtful noise, as if actually contemplating what Zim brought up.

He was still in control of his mind and body, not too far gone into the haze of lust to forget the original plan. Dib did enjoy a good game, and he and Zim hadn't had a usual 'battle' in quite some time.

Besides, Dib was rather confident he would win this fight, so what would it matter if he drew it out just a little more?

After all, he was technically cheating and the victory would be so much better if Zim fell of his own accord.

"Maybe I am." He finally admitted, his legs still drawn up on either side of the alien; the Irken still resting nearly in his lap, but he had broke contact long enough so that Zim could gain his scattered wits – though he did find those gasping breaths very enticing and he almost just wanted to touch, bite, kiss, and feel all over again but he refrained.

Dib knew their original fight was about looks and smell and he'd win, even if he wasn't able to use his previous senses.

It'd be easy.

Zim was already in that needy state of mind, it should be a piece of cake to play him just a little further to get the desired effect.

Dib took off his shirt in a single moment and tossed the discarded object off the side of the bed. He didn't think he'd have to undress further; knowing his own scarred torso did a number on Zim for some reason(not that he was complaining). "Fine, fair fight." Dib said, grinning just a little as he leaned back, putting some space between them, none of him touching the alien anymore but he was still slightly engulfing him. "No more cheating." He said, letting the rules set back in place.

A/N:

This chapter had a little bit more going on, but at the same time, nothing too exciting I guess? We're just working on building Zim and Dib's relationship, and the introspective(as seen in previous chapters) does need to happen to understand the full scope of emotions going on inside of them. Also, their little intimate moments are also important to show just how badly they affect each other even if mentally they both are a little reserved in actually speaking such things aloud.

Anyhow! Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter and would be so kind as to leave us a review. Next chapter will be up next Saturday. Thanks for reading.