What If They Meet Differently?

Chapter 9: Gift

A couple of hours later, Zim had something in odd wrapping paper. He happily skipped to Dibs room and creaked open the door, peering inside. Dib laid in the bed, asleep to help himself heal. He had his jacket and shoes off, only in his socks, pants, and shirt. To Zim was an odd sight, only more strange as Zim saw dib with no glasses. Without them, Zim could see Dibs face clearly. He was frozen by side, watching his chest go up and down, as he slept calmly and peacefully. He didn't want to disturb his sleep, though he got pulled into it when Dib turned in his sleep and grabbed Zim's wrist. Zim panicked but had to stay quiet, in fear of waking up Dib. cheeks began to grow slowly warmer and warmer the longer Dib held onto him. His grip was strong yet... caring. Zim didn't want to admit his enjoyment of it, though once Dibs eyed open Zim felt himself begin to hold his breath. Zim looked as Dib looked up at him with his big blue eyes. "Zim? What are you..." He then noticed how they were in fact, holding hands. Dib quickly woke up as his eyes went wide, then sat up quick "W-Wha- Z-Zim why are you holding my hand?" Zim had his face quickly grow a cute shade of purple "T-The great Zim did not do this on purpose! The earth boy g-grabbed Zim's hand in his sleep." Dib felt his cheeks go bright red "S-shit I'm so sorry Zim!! I... wait... what do you have in your other hand?" Zim looked down at the odd-shaped gift in purple and green wrapping paper "Oooh! R-Right! This is what I was originally up here for" Dib sat up and put on his busted glasses. "You... made me a gift?" Zim tilted his head, not understanding what gifts are "gift?" Dib looked into his eyes then giggled "A gift is an object given to someone who is a friend, family member, or lover. Though why did you make me something?" Zim gulped and looked away "You... were as humans called it sad so... take it" He held it out to Dib, who happily took it and opened it. Inside was a odd set of clips, that he wasn't sure what they were "Um... thanks but... what are these?" Zim smiled and pulled Dib out of bed "let me show you!!"

They both head to the back yard once Dib put on his shoes, still not wearing his coat. Once out there Zim got the clips and got eye level with Dib, help from his spider legs from his pac. He attached it to each side of his glasses, for a screen to pop up. "Huh? Zim, what is this?" Zim smirks as he gets back on the grass. "It's a training program. On Irk this is the program our warriors use to practice fighting. There are different settings for different species. That is set at the lowest level, and set to human." Dib was shocked as he turned to Zim "Wha... why though?" Zim smirked "Because you're a good fighter. I saw that today, you just need good training. So with the help of these, you will. Plus I can help. It'll teach me more about the human body. As you train it'll get harder and hard to stay along with where you are in the training. So it won't be easy." Dib was silent before he leaned down to give Zim a big hug, picking him off the ground. Zis face went completely purple as Dib spun him around laughing "Haha! Zim this is the best gift ever!!" Once put down Zim threw his clawed hands up to hide his bright purple face. Dib giggled sitting down to be eye level with him. "Hehe sorry, I know your race doesn't really do physical affection" Zim looked to him quick then gulped, before saying "R-Right totally why. I-I'm still new to this human affection" Dib smirked as he stood up "So... how do we start" Zim smiled and clicked a button on one of the clips. The green screen showed up as it said some words on it, in Irk "uh..." Zim groaned "Dang it right... I'll have to tell you what it says and help you with form" Dib froze up a little as all that went through his head was 'form?" though just as quick he felt Zims clawed hands shifting his stance "W-What are you-" "Helping earth boy" Dib gulped and let Zim move his feet, straighten his back, turn his hips which caused Dib to blush, and pose his arms. When doing so they were eye level as Zim posed his arms. Dib watched Zim focus hard on the stance. Once done Zim stood next to him, quickly and easily, getting into the same stance. Zim looked up to him as he grew a smirk "You know you should be staring at the screen instead of me. I know I'm the great Zim but you need to focus" Dib blushed and looked forward quick, giving off a nervous chuckle. The program began and they both began to do it. Zim didn't need the screen, the training program was almost a part of his blood at this point, He knew every move and step of the program. Dib couldn't help but find this impressive, never meeting someone strong yet focused, and smart to add. Normally smart and strong to mix, so it catches Dibs eye instantly.

Once finished practicing Zim was a little worn out, while Dib laid on the grass panting, covered in sweet "Jesus Christ... Is this what it feels like to almost die?" Zim chuckled sitting next to dib "No, you'll live. Your body is just not used to such labor like this." Dib groaned laying there, as he looked up at the stars. Zim laid back and looked up as well. It was silent between the two as they star gazed. Dib looked to Zim out of the corner of his eyes "Hey Zim... where... where would you planet be?" Zim turned to him surprised "huh? Why do you want to know?" Dib shrugs with a soft smile "don't know... just curious about a planet that makes such smart and strong warriors. I bet it's incredible" Zim smiled as he looked up at the sky. "It was... it's sadly not there anymore so my species lives from planet to planet." Dib looked to him surprised "O-Oooh! I'm sorry about that" Zim looked to him confused "Why are you sorry? You didn't blow it up" Dib chuckled rubbing the back of his head "I know but it was still your home just like the earth is mine. I don't know what I'd do if something happened to my home." This made Zim feel an odd feeling in his chest. Sad feeling that tightened his chest, and turned his stomach. Zim was new to feelings as they don't do that on Irk, most humans would call the feeling Guilt. Zim didn't understand the feeling, so he pushed it to the side trying to ignore it. "Well... if it was still here.... It is there a couple of galaxies away" He said pointing at a direction in the stars. Dib smiled big "Awesome! So what's your favorite planet you've been to?" Zim smiled finding Dibs questions to be rather interesting. There is food courta, the planet of the flying worms, the test planet for the Irks new weapons. So many choices to think of. Zim turned to give an answer but stopped. He was face to face with Dib, looking into his blue eyes, having the starry sky lighting his face. Zim stumbled a little as he thought "I... I-I would have to say Earth so far" Dib looked to him curiously with a smirk. "Really? What's so special about this little old planet?" Zim felt his cheeks go a light shade of purple "W-Well um... you don't have so many wild beasts out here like most planets. Though you do have the random wild humans running about" Dib chuckled thinking of the bully from today running around like a wild dog. "Hehe plus you humans yourselves are very carefree. In a lot of planets, the rules are rather strict. Here it's not. You can wear and say whatever you want. Do as you please and not have to worry about others... It's nothing like that on Irk..." Dib turned to see Zim looking down in though. Dib looked to him worried then moved over to pet his head. Zim lifted his head, about to complain but... just this one time he'd let the human do this. "So... what is it like on Irk?" Zim looked to Dib out of the corner of his eyes then down as he thought. There was no one here to stop him or yell at him. He could honestly say how he felt... But he's never done that so why now?! Dib could see an inner battle within Zims head, so he decided to calm the green boy down "Hey, hey, Zim" He turned to Dib seeing the boy give a gentle smile "If you don't feel comfortable telling me it's okay" This somehow made Zim feel worse, now it seemed like Zim didn't trust the earth boy. Zim quickly touched the hand on his shoulder "N-No no I..." He looked down then back to him "My... kind doesn't show affection, you know this. They don't... really do any emotions actually. So to talk about... how I feel on things are VERY new to me" Dib smiled then giggled patting his head, his smile brighter than all the stars "Don't force yourself. When you're ready to talk, I'll listen okay? You'd do the same for me right?" Zim looked to Dib... not use to such a relationship with another creature "I... I-I would"