Zim heard the door click closed as the human left. His lekku twitching at the sound. He changed quickly as usual, not liking the feel of the cool air on his skin. The computer had provided him with several sets of pyjamas. Zim had taken the first off the pile not really too bothered about finding ones he particularly liked. These ones weren't bad but they'd offer barely any protection against the cool air. It was only cold because Zim wasn't used to wearing any less than his uniform anyway. He'd most likely get used to it.
The pyjamas were a shorts and t-shirt combo. The shorts a plain dark purple, the shirt dark blue decorated with stars and a moon. Zim left his gloves off, shoving them and his boots into the cupboard. Maybe it was time to ditch the gloves? That would mean dealing with Dib's questioning... no doubt the teen would go crazy over the fact he wasn't wearing them now anyway. Zim sighed, sitting on the edge of his bed and waiting for Dib to return. Today had been quite stressful with all the odd looks the girls were giving him. He still hadn't deciphered what they'd meant...
Gir burst into the bathroom, finding Dib inside, hands full of clothes. The teen looked odd when not in his usual outfit. Gir watched amber eyes widen at his appearance. Was Mary happy to see him? Gir squealed happily as Mary's face reddened. Why was the big-headed boy turning red? Was he sick? Would he explode?
"Weee!" Gir jumped grabbing hold of the big-head's arm. "PLAY WID ME!" He pleaded, ignoring the way the teen flinched at his pitch.
"Errr, i'm kind of busy..." Gir felt tears burn his eyes. Mary wouldn't play with him. He pouted, catching sight of another robot over the teen's shoulder. Gir cocked his head, flashing red.
"INTRUDER!" He cried, firing several rounds at the robot, shattering what was in fact the mirror. It was just his reflection. Gir returned to blue, dropping off the shocked teens arm and settling down on the floor, giggling at his own blunder. He'd mistaken his reflection for an intruder. Pale feet carefully edged round him and Gir watched Dib sneak away with the bundle of clothes in his arms. Mary was probably going back to playing with his Master... Gir smiled, following the teen out of the room. He didn't dare go into his Master's room but instead he went to his own. Gir slipped inside, closing the door behind him. He couldn't let his friend escape.
"Oink!" The pig greeted him and Gir grinned happily, petting it fondly on it's head.
"I luvs u piggy." He cooed as the pig nuzzled against his hand for food. Hopefully his Master wouldn't come in here and find the pig else Gir knew Zim would get rid off it. His Master didn't like real pigs. Gir eyed the plushies covering his walls. Maybe Master would like one of them instead? The pig nuzzled him again and Gir pulled some food from inside his head to feed it. "Wanna play piggy?" He asked and since the pig only grunted in response, Gir took it as a yes.
Zim heard the door click open, head following the sound and watching a red faced Dib enter his room. The human dropped the clothes he'd been wearing onto his bag. Zim flicked a lekku in questioning before remembering Dib wouldn't understand.
"Why are you red?" He asked instead. Amber eyes settled on him and Zim watched the colour start to fade.
"Gir." Zim nodded. Gir had intruded again? Most likely. The little Sir unit was never one to understand 'personal space'.
"Okay." He didn't need any further explanation. It didn't matter anyway. Zim looked the teen over. He looked odd without his usual outfit. The dark colours now replaced by a pair of dark blue shorts and bright orange t-shirt adorned with a cartoony ghost picture. The human stepped closer and Zim dropped his gaze. Going to bed with... sleeping next to your ex-enemy was a strange concept. Dib seemed to agree since his steps were very hesitant. The teen stopped in front of him and Zim shifted to allow him to sit. He could feel Dib's eyes on him, observing his new outfit and the now exposed claws. Zim could almost hear Dib's brain screaming at the teen to observe and document the new discoveries. The teen remained silent and still though. The silence was unnerving so Zim held up the hand closest to Dib, palm upwards. "Go ahead." At his consent, pale hands instantly grabbed his.
"Seriously?" Zim nodded. "Oh wow!" He let Dib fiddle with his hand, half-listening to the teen's blurted out thought process. Hadn't he gotten that under control yet? "Only two fingers... One thumb... Pale due to lack of sun exposure..." Zim turned catching a twisted expression on Dib's face as the teens thumb gently ran over one of his claws. "Sharp claws." Amber eyes met his and Zim was relieved to see Dib smile at him. "Your skin's soft." Zim ignored the teasing, glad the topic had been switched.
"I don't take my gloves off much." Dib's hand squeezed his gently and Zim let his gaze drop to their hands. His own hand seemed so much smaller when compared to the human's. His hand was released and Zim caught Dib's pleading expression. Observing his hands wasn't enough for the curious teen. In silence, Zim lifted his feet onto the bed, nudging Dib's knee with the closest one. Dib probably wouldn't stop until he'd examined everything he could see. Dib gripped his ankle, resting Zim's foot on his lap and Zim watched the teen inspect it. To him it was just a foot but to Dib it was still alien.
"Only two toes... more sharp claws..." Zim sighed, his foot wasn't even as big as Dib's hand either. Amber eyes tuned to him. "How do you balance or write like this?" He shrugged in reply.
"Never knew any different. I was born like this, remember? To me, it's weird how you can do anything with so many fingers getting in the way. Why do you need so many toes anyway?" Dib had let go of his foot so Zim moved it back beside the other, arms looping round his knees to keep the legs in place as he rested his head on top of them.
"Makes sense." The human shifted backwards on the bed, pulling his own feet into view. "We need ours for balance. We have so many since we evolved from primates." Zim dropped one of hands onto Dib's nearest foot.
"Leftovers from evolution, huh?" The toes were odd, like stubby fingers and the nails like the ones on Dib's hands were blunt. Too short to be any good for a fight. Zim removed his hand quickly, feet weren't known to be very clean though this human's seemed to be. He could feel Dib's eyes watching each of his movements. If the human got to observe then so would he. He held out his hand, finding Dib understood the silent question, pale hand instantly dropping onto his.
"It's only fair." Zim nodded, running his thumb over the palm of Dib's hand and along the teen's fingers, careful not to cut him as he did. He let go immediately after. He wasn't too interested in the human race but he'd never ignore a chance to learn something new. The human's hands weren't new to him, he'd seen them before many times. He'd also experimented on a few humans since his arrival so he knew a fair bit about them. Dib however knew next to nothing about Irkens, except speculation so Zim let him continue. He calmly waited as Dib cupped his cheek. "Your eyes are cool." Zim smiled gently, looking back into Dib's eyes, amber magnified by his lenses. The human's hands roaming his face. Zim felt Dib's thumb run over his lips parting them slightly. Dib wanted to see his teeth? Would Dib try to touch his lekku? Zim lowered his lekku, trying to keep them from Dib's grasp. The human seemed too busy to realise the move, carefully running his thumb over serrated zip-like teeth. Zim could feel Dib trying to grab at his tongue so he closed his mouth, barely giving Dib enough time to pull his hand away. He didn't want to end up tasting Dib. That was something he could do without.
"No touchy." He ordered as the human's gaze shifted to his lekku, now perched up straight to show Zim meant business. Zim narrowed his eyes, repeating himself. "No touchy. My lekku are sensitive." Dib blinked at him.
"Lekku?" Zim sighed, flicking one forwards.
"They're called lekku but you hyumans call them antenna." He pulled the lekku back as Dib made a grab for it. The human huffed as he missed his target, flopping back onto the bed.
"Cheat." Zim smirked, wondering why Dib was sneakily grabbing a pillow. Why would the human have to hide reaching for a pillow? What did he plan to do with it? The answer came quickly and Zim toppled off the bed, overbalanced by the force of a pillow to his face. Years of falling made him instinctively roll, remaining uninjured. Zim scowled, grabbing the pillow off the floor and moving back over to the bed.
"I'm not in the mood." He whined, sitting down again. "It's bed time. We can fight some other time." With a sigh, Dib flopped down again, admitting defeat at the moment.
"I'll get you." Zim shook his head at Dib's stubbornness, watching Dib climb beneath the blankets. "You getting in?" Zim crawled over, it seemed they were done 'investigating' for the day.
"What time do we need to get up?" He let Dib pull the blankets over him finding it warmer beneath the blankets and with the human's body heat beside him.
"Half six-ish?" Seemed as good a time as any. Zim nodded.
"Computer?"
*Yes?* Came the bored reply.
"Set the alarm for half six."
*Better yet, i'll send Gir to wake you.* Apparently the computer was annoyed for some reason. Zim grimaced at the thought of being woken by Gir. The computer was likely to do it as well even if he said not to. Zim sighed, having no choice but to hope he woke up earlier than the 'alarm'.
"Fine." He conceded, shifting slightly closer to Dib.
*Shall I turn off the lights?* Zim hummed, darkness settling over them, his eyes instantly adjusting to the low light.
Silence settled briefly before Zim broke it by whispering. "We forgot to make the water cure..." Dib shifted, rolling to face him.
"I guess i'll have to come over tomorrow too."
"Continue the sleepover?" The human nodded.
"Sure." Zim smiled before remembering they had Skool in the morning. He'd have to deal with all the odd attention again.
"Dib?" He froze as the word left his mouth. Where was the insult or at least a randomly added word? Even though he wasn't allowed to add stuff anymore, Zim thought it'd take a long time for him to settle into calling Dib by his name. He eyed the human, finding no difference in his expression. Zim swallowed nervously, carrying on with his question. Dib would probably know the answer and as his friend he'd tell him the truth... right?