Oh. That makes sense. Obviously, Zim never saw a belt before. It was clear for Dib how awkward it must be for Zim to ask for help, alone from the way he was saying it. Really forced. "O-Okay. That's no problem. Ya' know, it's no big deal, when you didn't use a belt before. You really don't have to be embarrassed."

Still, Dib was thinking it was kinda cute that the great Zim didn't know how to handle a belt. But saying THAT out aloud would a very stupid idea. "S-So, you want me to come in?" Probably he would have to. And slowly a blush was forming on the pale human skin.

Zim thought about the question for around a minute or two. He had just expected Dib to explain how to use the belt, but that probably wouldn't work. So, it'd probably be best if the human did just come in and showed him how to do it. Zim had another go at trying to work the belt, before sighing.

He was starting to hate Earth jeans. He really was. Without answering, the Irken just unlocked and opened the door and waited for the human to come in, whilst having one last try at the accursed belt.

A click and the small door opened, revealing a heavily blushing and annoyed Zim, fumbling with the belt and grunting stuff under his breath. Wordless, the boy entered the cabinet and closed the door. Like expected it was really narrow there. Cramped like sardines in a can. The closeness of Zim along with the imminent task made Dib nervous.

He sat on the bench by the mirror. "S-So, let me show you how t-to do this...umm... yeah." Dib grabbed Zim's hands and put them aside before lifting the pants up a bit too. "F-First you need to hoist up the jeans more to your h-hips." He did as he told; grabbing Zim's hips and moved the pants back and forth a bit, until it sat nice on Zim's...butt and everything.

Dib's hands were trembling, and he wasn't able to hide that very well. "Then... the zipper." He buttoned up the button and then zippered the zipper. Weird. All the while Zim was standing before Zim and watched his fingers closely. Dib avoided his gaze, being busy with...down there. 'Zim got really nice curves. He looks so... handsome in these pants.' His Tomato-Face returned.

"A-And finally, the belt...look." He made the procedure slowly and three times. So, after a minute or so he was done and stood up. "T-There. Look at you, I-I think you look... v-very nice in these black jeans. It fits like a second skin, yes?" He stepped aside and got behind Zim. Albeit being so nervous, he couldn't help but smile at the reflection.

The closeness between the two of them made the Irken feel rather uncomfortable. He knew that these rooms were made for just one person, so two was defiantly a struggle. All the while that Dib was showing him, he noticed that the human seemed to be quite nervous... His hands were shaking and his face was flushed pure red. Odd... He knew that the boy got nervous in these kinds of situations, but he had only asked for help. Nothing wrong with that, right? Oh well.

For the time being, Zim carried on watching how to work the jeans and belt. Dib made it look so easy. But then again, it probably was for a human who had done it most of their life... Now he really felt like an idiot. But there was one thing he didn't understand. Why did humans need to go through all that hassle to create and to use such things, when normal trousers were easier and quicker? Humans... Zim rolled his eyes before returning to watching.

He tried to memorize how to use the belt-thingy, and it was quite simple now that he knew how. Why hadn't he guessed that in the first place? Oh well, he knew now. Once the human had finished showing him, they both turned to look in the mirror. He looked down at the jeans, then back to the reflection. They looked odd, but right at the same time. A small smile crept onto the Irken's face when he saw Dib smiling also. "Yeah, they're pretty cool… Well, except from the stupid belt," he admitted; half joking about the belt, but also half serious.

"Yea, pretty cool..." Dib said a bit absently and lifted his hand to... grab the wig on Zim's head and slowly removed it. Immediately, the two antennas sprung up. He didn't really know what he was doing and quickly the nervousness from before turned into a playful kind of curiosity. Suddenly, the tightness of the chamber was a good feeling, now it felt kinda...intimate.

He watched his fingers as two of them pinched the base of one of the black stalks and carefully grazed his nails along its length. The boy's other hand was wiggling for a moment and before Dib could prevent it, this hand was already on Zim's left side and rubbed it, feeling the nice curves. Dib's eyes fell half-lidded and he mumbled content noises. "Hmm... Zim. My Irken, my Special Friend..."

When Zim felt a weight leave his head, he immediately looked up at the reflection and saw that his wig was gone... His eyes widened. He quickly scanned the floor in the mirror's reflection trying to see if it had fallen off, but to his surprise, he saw that Dib had taken it. He was just about to turn around and take the wig back, but suddenly he felt the human's fingers on his antenna. It didn't help that the human was using his nails this time either.

The Irken felt a spark go down his spine, and his brain go numb. Dib had not long explained that friends didn't do this, so why was he repeating what had explained exactly not to do? But then he felt another hand, but on his side this time. Zim felt his knees start to weaken, and it was becoming quite a struggle to keep balanced.

He noticed Zim's reaction to his doings... and he really liked it. He saw that the other's legs (now wrapped up in the neat black jeans...) were trembling, so he sneaked his left hand around Zim's waist and lifted the whole Irken up for a second, before he put him down on the bench and sat very close beside him, his other hand still exploring that alluring feeler.

When he spoke, his voice was different. Much softer and confident. Rather unlike Dib. "I just can't get enough of these precious things on your head, Zimmy... So delicate and nice to feel. Heh. I bet you can say the same about my fingers up there, right?" He pinched the tip with two fingers and rubbed it afterwards. Was the boy still in his right mind...but what WAS is 'right' mind? It seemed that he was weird either way.

Feeling much like nothing more than a rag doll, Zim couldn't do much more than let out a surprised yelp when he was picked up from the ground for a moment. The tone of voice that the other used when speaking made the Irken blush slightly, but he didn't understand why. It just happened. And the blush increased when he felt the tip of his antenna being messed with AND when the nickname became involved...

He wanted to speak, to protest, but when he tried, all that came out of his mouth was random unintelligible noises. So he just gave up. Sometimes he really hated his antennae... Especially when Dib messed with them like he was now. His eyes half-lidded and he leant against the human slightly.

It was weird though, since Zim didn't want the human to touch his antennae to start with, but when Dib did, he didn't want him to stop... He looked towards the human, trying to answer his question without speaking.

Zim looked weird with just the contacts on. Something like... half Irken and half human, apart from wearing Earth jeans and his usual uniform top. Weird, but in a good way. Eventually, Dib's gaze met Zim's, both half closed.

Obviously, the Irken wanted to say something to him. Instead, there was a mix of squeaky and mewling sounds coming from those green lips. It always amazed Dib how sensitive these antennas were, regarding Zim's slumped position and the noises he made. They made Dib so...giddy again.

Fed by this and out of a strange urge, the boy pressed Zim close to his body and dropped his pink human lips to Zim's green ones, until they were just one or two inches apart, while watching his Irken closely and concentrating on his un-human breathing.

All the while, Zim was wondering how it all came to this. One minute they were shopping, the next their faces were inches apart... It kind of scared him. He knew it was basically his fault since he couldn't work a stupid Earth belt... But, how come it didn't feel... wrong? It actually felt sort of right.

But one word kept coming back into the Irken's mind; something that the human had said before. Mates. They weren't mates, so why were they even in this situation to begin with...? But, he couldn't protest or anything, since his limbs felt like jelly and he couldn't even manage one word... But then again, he also didn't want to either. Both of them, Zim and Dib, had enjoyed this sort of thing before the whole 'mates' thing came into being. Like before, back at the base.

It was then that the Irken realized what the boy was thinking of doing. He felt like his squeedly-spooch was being tied in knots. He couldn't do much, but wait, so that's what he did, blushing even more.

Neither of them seemed to notice they were still in a public place, because inside this cabinet it didn't feel all too public... which was good! Dib just felt overly hot and like it all happened in slow-motion. Indeed, it was the case. Zim's face was so dark green now. Like a frog or a full-bloomed spring-tree.

Dib simply closed his eyes, leaned forward and gave Zim's lips a swift lick. 'Yummy...' he thought and pressed his own lips now onto Zim's and kept licking them. And with every lick of his curious tongue, his two fingers gave Zim's antenna a small scratch. The other hand kept the Irken in place (half on Dib's lap now), slipped under the uniform and began slowly massaging the fine hips there.

When the Irken saw Dib close his eyes, he knew something was about to happen, and surely enough, it did. Zim's eyes widened immediately when he felt the other's tongue make its way across his own lips. And when the human pushed their lips together, Zim began to feel, not only his face, but his entire body heat up slightly. He tried to remember what the human had called it before. Kissing. Yeah, it was called kissing. They were kissing again! But, this time, he human kept... licking his lips... And when he felt the other's hand keep scratching his antenna, be could feel himself begin to purr again.

Zim shut his own eyes now, from embarrassment and from pleasure. If there was one thing the Irken did not want to be doing now, was purring... It was a public place, and the human knew what the purring meant. It meant you are happy to be with the other.

Zim was becoming slightly scared of what was going on, but nearly all thoughts vanished when he felt Dib's hand massage his sides; to which, he grabbed a fistful of the human's shirt and held onto it. He didn't know why, but he just felt like he needed to.

There was this...taste again. The taste of Zim. And like a kid (or Zim) likes candy, Dib couldn't get enough of that flavour, now that he was able to get it. It was a mildly sweet with a metallic hint in it. Not like blood but more subtle, more...mysterious. Hard to describe. But it was addicting.

And when he heard that purring again, vibrating along Zim's lips... It was driving him crazy. He didn't know there it suddenly came from. Such desire or curiosity. Why did he started it in the first place with taking that wig off? It didn't mattered for him in this moment. Dib just wanted to be with Zim. And feel that precious green skin...

He parted their lips and took some shaky breaths, staring half-lidden at Zim. "Z-Zim, you taste nice." Was all he said and licked his lips.

It was scaring the Irken how he was actually... enjoying what was going on. If this was a few days ago, this moment wouldn't have even been thought of, or at least thought of and vomiting followed soon after. But here they were... And Zim hated it how his brain instantly turned to mush when this type of situation popped up. How he allowed it to happen... It was so unlike himself. And that thought frightened him even more.

He opened his eyes in time to see that the human had backed away, but only slightly; and he could still feel Dib's saliva on his own lips. It was burning slightly from the water in it, but only very slightly. He didn't like the feel, so he used his own tongue to get it off. And the gaze that the human was doing made him feel quite uneasy as well.

Dib was enjoying it too, he could tell. He tried to say something again, but as guessed, it came out as just a few mumbles. 'Curse this human,' Zim thought to himself, blushing even more at the statement Dib had just said.

When he saw Zim's alien tongue coming out of its cave, Dib smugly smiled at him. Did he tasted something too; his human lips? That idea didn't really help to get the normal shy Dib back. Quite the opposite... That tongue; he always saw it for a second or so. He wanted to feel that ridged snake again, like on his nipple back at the base... Yeah, that would be oh so very exiting.

"Heh. Why so speechless, Zim? Was it that good? For me, it was. So let's get that stuff paid and then back to the base, what do ya' think? Just keep the jeans on. I like it." Both of his hands made their way down and petted the other's thighs with the new jeans Zim was wearing.

After some time of...feeling, he grabbed Zim's old stretchy uniform pants (he was sitting on them the whole time) and held them up for a few seconds, mustering it. Putting the pants onto his lap, he was still smiling like a goof.

Once the other boy had spoken, Zim's mind soon returned to its full working order; well, after a few shakes of his own head that is. He soon snatched his wig back from the human and shoved it on his head.

Once it was back on, he turned his attention back to Dib. "Y-You said friends didn't do that! Yet you do it again. Why? And Zim couldn't talk because of your insistent poking," he whined, glaring slightly and pointing an accusing finger at the boy. He tensed slightly when he felt the other's hands on his legs.

No way was the scene that had just happened going to repeat; so, he quickly stood up and walked to the other side of the changing room and unlocked the door. He wasn't going to admit that he had sort of liked it, no way. He didn't know much about human affection, but he knew that admitting something like that was a big deal in human terms. So, he was just going to keep that fact quiet, for now at least.

Once the door was open, he turned to face Dib and waited for him to follow.

First, snapping out of his fogged mind, Zim's words were that thing, which brought him back to the reality, totally away from his weird dreams of a attractive and curious Zim. All the while, he just looked at the finger before his nose. It made 'click' in his head and the only thing remaining from the 'other' Dib was the blush on his face.

After that, he saw the open door and in this moment he just realized, they were still in the shop. In a very public place. It made him even more embarrassed. Slowly sitting up, he got to Zim's side and mumbled stuff. "I-It was just another...spell. Yeah, it feels like a spell now. A bad one. You're right. Friends...friends don't do this. S-So that means...-" A deep sigh later: "-we are not friends." Dib bowed his head, ashamed and angry at himself.

"And sorry for the poking. It... felt nice, but I guess it just annoys you. I can't pull myself up, I see that now. Sorry..." He passed by Zim and thereby passed a mirror. Now he saw he was still wearing his blue antenna-hat and holding Zim's pants in his left hand. It didn't look so funny like 10 minutes ago or so. Back when he and Zim were smiling at the mirror, wearing the hats and soon laughing their asses off. Now it looked kinda ridiculous he thought, but kept the hat on.

Frowning, he quickly turned away from his damn reflection. Why was he doing that...again!? Making-out with Zim..and grabbing him and speaking in such a... seducing voice! He couldn't trust his stupid brain anymore. Dib was sure it would happen again, when he was indeed staying at the base for the next days. But he certainly didn't intend to make Zim even more uncomfortable. Hell, now he was even scared that he will make a fatal move, when he was in this...this desperate, wanting state of mind. He gritted his teeth, blocking away that pictures again. They brought a nice, tingling feeling, but... it wasn't right! Zim was already mad at him, so better not trying to touch him again, it would brake important things. Their friendship.

Dib's amber eyes were a bit wet now, but he swiftly blinked it away and grabbed the other's red hat and the shirt from a nearby table. He suddenly just wanted to get out of here, back to breath some fresh air. Too many humans. The boy turned to Zim. "Let's go."

Zim listened and watched Dib do his little speech... And he looked rather depressed. The Irken's previous anger quickly vanished and was replaced with worry... What did he mean 'we are not friends'...? Didn't he want to be friends anymore? He continued to watch the boy, and when he turned around, he could see that his eyes were filling up with water. 'Oh Irk,' were Zim's first thoughts.

He couldn't help but feel like this was party his fault too. If he had just stopped the human in the first place, nothing would be happening right now. The last two words the human spoke sounded horribly defeated. Like all life had been drained from him. But, he followed him anyway.

Zim mentally cursed himself. If he had only known how to use a stupid Earth belt! He clenched his fists slightly. He seemed to be the one who always created the moments in the first place. 'Stupid, stupid, stupid...' he kept repeating in his head. But looking up towards Dib, he could see that his friend needed reassuring now more than ever. He walked behind him slightly, he didn't want to upset him anymore.

"I'm sorry too... I'm always the one who makes the moment awkward anyway..." He admitted, trying to see the human's face, but couldn't from where he was standing. So, Zim just sighed and sped up so he was now walking next to Dib. "And if you say it's a 'spell', then you can't help it," he tried.

He really wasn't good at this reassuring stuff.

"A-And for what it's worth, I... kind of l-liked it..." He said, carefully through so not to make it sound too weird. There were some more people around the shop than there were before. Not by many, just one or two.

There was a female teenager staring at Dib, confused and slightly amused. Zim noticed this and moved sides so he was on Dib's other side. When they passed, he growled and glared at her, which seemed to do the trick to get the miserable human to move along.

Zim smiled to himself, then moved so he was behind Dib again. He left out another sigh... He REALLY wasn't good at this emotional stuff...

Dib stared blankly ahead, his mind a mess. Despite all the surrounding sounds of shopping people and grumpy children, the tripping sound of Zim's following feet was the only thing he really sensed. That and his regretful words. Dib knew how hard it was for Zim to say such stuff, especially with all the humans around.

The small Irken was walking this way and that, on one side, behind him and then the other side. He really wanted to stay by Dib's side it seemed. But it was all HIS fault, not Zim's!

Growling slightly he stopped in his tracks. "Quit your apologizing, Zim! Please... it's surely NOT your fault. No way!" He yelled, before realizing where they were, so his voice got quieter. "You just asked for help to get that belt on and I... I used this fact to get my will. To let my brain control me, or rather, my 'other' side. My foolish side. The bad side... I-I abused your request to...oh god... to grope you. Hell, it could have even led to worse things." His anger and frustration made his face bright red again; no it least the thought of 'worse things'...

"S-So it's TOTALLY my fault. I can't PULL MYSELF TOGETHER." He got dizzy and made his way to the register on this floor. "But still... he liked it..." The confused boy mumbled under his breath. Those few words from Zim just fed some other bad thoughts again. The 'bad', the 'other' side of Dib.

Hearing the yell made Zim stop in his tracks also. He didn't expect the human to yell like that, and so sudden. Well, he couldn't blame him. He seemed to have two personalities... One his normal one, and the other... well, you know. "Okay..." Was all Zim could say, before deciding it'd be better if he just shut up completely. That way, he couldn't create any more awkward situations, or upset Dib anymore.

He sighed before slowing down his walking speed so he was behind the human, but more space between them. He looked down at the floor and watched his feet move across the floor, and seeing the human's shoes come into view every now and then. The human was wrong though, it was also his fault. You can't have a problem between two people and just one person is the issue. Both people have to have created an equal issue. But, Zim didn't feel like this was the moment to say it, since it probably wouldn't help...

He lifted his left hand and started fiddling with his right sleeve. Suddenly he wanted Dib's hand back in his own... But that'd make things A LOT worse than it was already... worse indeed. Zim sighed and looked to the side, watching the different people go by...

Reaching the line of three customers at the register, suddenly an important thing came into Dib's mind. He stopped behind the last on the row and turned to Zim. The Irken was looking at his boots with shaking hands. Right... the hand-holding. He should ... but he couldn't bring himself to reach out his own one.

"Next one please". He heard the cashier and quickly he spoke: "Zim, I-I forgot something. Wait...". he cornered Zim and searched for the price label. Nothing. So he got behind the Irken, lifted his shirt and saw a little cord hanging out from Zim's... butt.

Dib's face flared up and quickly snatched the cord and yanked off the small piece of paper. Before him again, he just stuttered, showing the label. "F-Found it." With that, he turned around again and waited to pay and get out of the mall.