zadr comforts

Potente Byrd MæmesYesterday at 8:10 PM
Dib is so. sick. of his dad. For most of his life, Professor Membrane was hardly home, they almost never talked, and when they did, his dad was often dismissive- even disdainful. Sure, he had some sort of fatherly affection for Dib, even if sometimes it seemed like, in his absorption in science, he forgot he was a father at all, but he had little love for his son's deviations from scientific norms and never hesitated to let Dib know, even calling him insane. Just like everyone else.

However, things have changed for the better lately, with his Dad apparently realizing he's been missing out on most of his children's childhood, and he's made a point to be home more often, to spend more time with them. And that's great! Unfortunately, it also comes with more of his Professor Membrane's disrespect for Dib's paranormal hobbies, always trying to urge Dib into Real Science and push him away from Bigfoot and Mothman and Aliens. He never tries to understand. He doesn't even just try to be patient, he's barely tolerant at best, and only with the firm belief Dib will grow out of it *eventually*.

It's a little suffocating. And even if Dib knows his father loves him, what's the point if he doesn't also have his father's respect?

Things... might have come to a head over it tonight. Sure, they argue lightly about it sometimes, when Dib tries to insist to his dad something paranormal is real and his dad dismisses it, but usually it doesn't last long before one or both of them finds an excuse to change the subject or leave. But that didn't happen this time. This time, Dib wasn't having it- but neither was Professor Membrane. Over Dib trying to foist on him some photographs he'd taken with Zim on a recent cryptid hunt- pictures he thought were *really good*- once again, his father found some excuse to claim they MUST be fake, but that he was very impressed by Dib and his friend's skills at making such a realistic fake- but Dib, insulted, continued to insist, and his dad grew impatient.

It got heated. They both said some things. Professor Membrane expressed further disdain for his son clinging to these hobbies, and implied some doubts about his son's sanity. Dib didn't take it well, unable to fit it in the bottle he usually corks up his hurt at these disagreements in. He blew up, and said some very angry things about his dad. He was sent to his room and grounded. He milled about for a while, angrily worked on his laptop, before eventually going to bed, and... and...


And he couldn't sleep. And he couldn't stand being in that house anymore. He was grounded, but he doubted his dad would notice if he snuck out his window, boots and jacket hastily pulled on before he tumbled out into the snow... And a little while later, Zim's house receives a frantic knock on the door, very late at night, from a boy with unbrushed hair, with a jacket over nothing but pajamas and no socks under his boots, shivering on the doorstep.

"Zim??" He calls, and he remembers Irkens supposedly don't sleep, so he really hopes Zim notices he's here before he freezes, "Can I come in, please??"

itsAlanaYesterday at 8:16 PM
It's a couple of very long minutes before Zim appears and opens the door; he's not wearing his disguise, and is still holding some gadget he must have been working on down in his lab, and his antenna lay back flat against his head at the blast of cold he lets in when the door opens.

"... Dib?" Zim says, a little confused, and steps back to let Dib into his house. "Zim didn't think we were hunting for cryptids tonight?" Because why else would Dib be at his door so late...?

Potente Byrd MæmesYesterday at 8:20 PM
Dib is very very much not dressed for cryptid hunting, and definitely wasn't even dressed for the walk from his house to Zim's. He rushes inside the moment Zim lets him, shivering, teeth chattering and breath shuddering. Sure, his pajamas include long sleeves and pants, and sure, they're winter pajamas made of printed flannel (there's little alien heads on them!), but that's not nearly enough to protect him from the snowy cold, even with his jacket and boots.

"I'm not h-here to hunt c-cryptids," Dib says through his shivers as he tries to warm up in Zim's house, rubbing his arms, "I c-couldn't sleep in that house. I just... didn't wanna be there anymore! I couldn't!"

Does Zim notice the redness around Dib's eyes, how his eyes are bloodshot and wet, how his cheeks are shining with slightly frosted moisture?

itsAlanaYesterday at 8:26 PM
Zim is... definitely not concerned??? But he does look at Dib, and says, "Computer! Raise the temperature in here!" and tosses his gadget onto the couch, so he can reach out to cup Dib's cold, cold cheeks in his gloved hands. "Dib-friend," he says, and his green brow is furrowed, and his head tips to the side as he's filled with... some kind of emotion... he's not sure what it is, but he's definitely feeling it. "... did you want to stay in Zim's base tonight? Understandable! It's magnificent."

Potente Byrd MæmesYesterday at 8:31 PM
Dib is still shivering when Zim touches his face, albeit for slightly different reasons than temperature. "...Please?" He asks, in response to Zim's question, his eyes getting wetter, "I don't wanna go home tonight."

He sniffs, a bit loudly, his brow furrowed heavily with anger and hurt. He lifts a hand to rub at his eyes under his glasses, but he's not crying!!! He definitely did not cry on his pillow, and he definitely didn't cry a little on the walk over here.

Zim! The Dib is... very upset about something!

itsAlanaYesterday at 8:38 PM
Zim??? Doesn't know what to do?? with tears????? excuse him Dib what are you doing???

Tentatively, he follows Dib's scrubbing hand with a thumb brushing under Dib's eye. "You're... leaking a little," he says, and there's. maybe. worry. in his voice. "... do you... wish to tell Zim about it?"

Potente Byrd MæmesYesterday at 8:43 PM
"No I'm not!" Dib whines, his voice cracking, crossing his arms tight around himself. But his eyes are definitely still wet and bloodshot, the skin around them puffy, frost on his cheeks that's not just from snow... He's quiet a moment, just snuffling, before he says, voice low, "I just... I'm just... *so*. SICK. of my dad!"

itsAlanaYesterday at 8:47 PM
Zim's brow, if anything, gets even more furrowed, and his voice unsoftens, and he demands, "What did your parent do?" Tell Zim about it so he can exact revenge! -- but in a second-- "Wait, tell me when we're in the lab, I have your favorite space snacks. They'll make the Dib feel better!" His hands drop, and he grabs Dib's wrist, and tugs him to the nearest elevator. (He will not let go on the ride down.)

Potente Byrd MæmesYesterday at 8:49 PM
Dib snuffles loudly, and feels a little warmer, not just from the increased heat in the base... Zim's got his favorite alien snacks, is holding his wrist, is letting him stay. Supposedly Zim doesn't let go of Dib's wrist the whole ride down the elevator, but what if... Dib's the one who slips his hand up into Zim's grasp?

itsAlanaYesterday at 8:56 PM
Well then! Zim will hold that instead! Maybe (because Dib is upset, and it's making Zim FEEL WEIRD, and he DOESN'T LIKE IT MUCH but also can't bear to let Dib keep being upset-- because, uh, mission, yeah, Dib is a valuable asset to his mission--) he'll even slide his claws between Dib's fingers. One claw to either side of his middle finger, his thumb tucked between Dib's thumb and index, and Dib's poor pinky left out of the hand-holding entirely. It'll have to live with this injustice because Zim doesn't have enough fingers to get it involved.

Potente Byrd MæmesYesterday at 8:58 PM
Dib doesn't mind. That Zim's hand is in his at all, their fingers intertwined, is enough for him, and warmth is spreading rapidly through his body, chasing away the shivers and the frost. As they reach the bottom of the elevator, though, Dib starts to mutter, "I got into an argument with dad again..."

itsAlanaYesterday at 9:04 PM
Zim's fingers squeeze his, and he says, "About the things you find?" as he pulls Dib out into the lab, towards the Irken two-person-couch (he refuses to use the earth term "loveseat" for it, that's dumb) he'd had the computer make after a couple weeks on earth. They take a step or two, and then Zim bursts out, anger in his voice, "He's so stupid! And dumb! You know what you're talking about, he just doesn't like it! What kind of scientist is that?"

Potente Byrd MæmesYesterday at 9:06 PM
Dib nods, letting him be led to the couch- only for Zim to burst out in anger before Dib even has a chance to continue. It's a little startling! And... really touching, actually, and Dib's heart flutters a little in his chest. "I know!! I basically told him that- I was trying to show him the pictures from our last hunt, but he was pointing out everything he thought was fake about them, STILL! And I just.. blew up!"

itsAlanaYesterday at 9:11 PM
"But-- they're not fake!" Zim objects, and PAKs up onto the couch, still holding Dib's hand as he plops his butt down. "I saw the same creature you did, Dib, and Irken eyes are VERY good. What you took pictures of was real!"

Frankly, Zim doesn't understand why the weirder Earth wildlife is so disbelieved; Bigfoot was no more unusual to him than a zebra would be.

Potente Byrd MæmesYesterday at 9:17 PM
"I know!!" Dib's raising his voice now as he's pulled onto the couch, sitting by Zim and frowning hard and gesturing wildly, angrily, with his free hand. "But he wouldn't listen! He refuses to believe ANY of my proof, he always has SOME 'reasonable scientific explanation'!"

Dib's impression of his father is really terrible, where did that weird accent come from?

"So I blew up- I told him he wasn't as great a scientist as he thinks he is if he refuses to ever consider evidence outside his tiny perspective, and he started getting mad at me for it, and started scolding my hobbies, and implying I'm crazy again. Crazy! UGH!!"

itsAlanaYesterday at 9:22 PM
"*Your dad think's I'm a human,*" Zim says, deeply offended on Dib's behalf, "and YOU'RE the crazy one? HE'S the foremost scientist on this little dirtball? Ugh! He's so... so... he's bad at braining! He doesn't deserve to think he's so great and smart when he's so stupid and dumb!"

Potente Byrd MæmesYesterday at 9:27 PM
"Yeah, well, he DOES do the best science with all the best inventions, so he lets it get to his head! Maybe everyone's right about my head being big, and I get it from HIM..." Dib growls, clenching his fist, before letting it go. And then he sighs, and bumps his shoulder against Zim's, and says, "You know, it's one thing when everyone else in the world thinks I'm crazy... I mean, it sucks! It sucks a lot! But... it's *nothing* compared to your *dad* thinking it, too. And I told him that! I told him... I told him I wished, just once, he'd have my back..."

He glowers down at his lap. "Do you know what he said to me, Zim? You wanna know what he said??" He doesn't wait for Zim to respond before he spits, "He said, 'wishing isn't very scientific, son!'"

itsAlanaYesterday at 9:29 PM
"Well!" Zim says, offended, "Who needs a dad, anyways! I don't have a dad and I'm doing great!" The robots upstairs do Not count. "How do you un-have a dad? We should do that right now. Or... in the morning? But the Dib doesn't need a dad that doesn't do what dad humans are supposed to."

Potente Byrd MæmesYesterday at 9:34 PM
Dib lets Zim prattle on about un-having a dad, and he tries to chuckle along with it, but... his heart's not in it. The anger is starting to fade now that he's vented it out, and all that's left is the sad. The hurt. "I just," He says, his voice getting a little thick, "I just wish my dad would respect me, even a little. Despite everything, I've always really looked up to him, and I just- I just-"

Dib's eyes are getting shiny and wet again, his throat feeling tight. He doesn't finish whatever that sentence wanted to be, and instead says, "You know, he used to consider having me institutionalized for being so crazy?? At least he just thinks I'm only a little crazy now. I should be grateful, right? That h-he's being more patient?"

Dib's voice is cracking all over the place now, tears finally breaching, spilling over, trailing down his cheeks, past his glasses. His breath starts to hitch, and his hand squeezes tight around Zim's.

itsAlanaYesterday at 9:46 PM
OH NO THE DIB IS DEFINITELY LEAKING NOW??? A LOT??? OH NO???

Zim, panicking, turns towards Dib even more than he already was, until he's practically kneeling on the loveseat and can wipe at Dib's face with a worried hand. "But he's still hurting you!" Zim says, distressed, "the Dib is still in pain! And he's not doing it to train you, or make you stronger, or... or... or anything." He leans in closer, antenna pressed back hard and trembling, his own bright eyes looking a little too shiny. "Dib-friend, he's not good enough to be your dad..."

Potente Byrd MæmesYesterday at 9:48 PM
Dib makes a few little noises as Zim descends on him, fretting over him, wiping at his wet cheeks. "But," Dib chokes, starting to sound really stuffy, "But I *want* him to be..!"

Is it okay if Dib suddenly reaches out, throwing his arms around Zim to pull himself in close to his alien friend? Is it okay if Dib buries his face against Zim's shoulder? Is it okay if he finally lets the dam break, and openly starts to sob messily against Zim's tunic? Because that's what he does.

itsAlanaYesterday at 9:55 PM
NO IT'S NOT BECAUSE ZIM'S ENTIRE TORSO FEELS WEIRD NOW, AND HE FEELS AWFUL AND MAD AND SAD AND LIKE DIB'S HURTING IS HURTING HIM TOO--

Zim trembles a little in Dib's arms, uncertain of how to reciprocate-- no, not *how*, just *if he should*, he's an invader and he doesn't give hugs-- this is just a. a moment to deepen his hold over the Dib. That's why he's holding the back of Dib's giant head with one hand and his skinny body with the opposite arm, and just... holds onto him.

This is awful! He feels awful! He-- Dib wants his dad to approve SO much, and his dad doesn't even try! Or well he does a little but not hard ENOUGH. Zim hates the Membrane patriarch VERY MUCH right now.

But... Dib would be sad if his dad was murdered, probably. So Zim will backburner that plan, and focus, right now, on keeping Dib close as he snots up Zim's poor Invader uniform.

Potente Byrd MæmesYesterday at 10:11 PM
Dib at least appreciates Zim's efforts at comfort, at holding him close while he cries, dumping out that entire bottle of pent up frustration and hurt with his father that he's probably been collecting all twelve years of his young life.

He might cry for quite a while, in fact. Occasionally it starts to die down, down to just snuffles and whimpers, gathering his breath again... Until the next wave hits, and he'll choke and squeeze Zim before letting out more wracking sobs that shake his whole body.

Eventually, though, after many, many long minutes- he cried for a *while*, maybe even at least a straight half hour with only breathing breaks between- it starts to slow again, and this time, no more waves follow... Just Dib breathing a little hard, struggling to catch his breath, sniffling loudly and coughing, voice having long since gone hoarse.

itsAlanaYesterday at 10:16 PM
Zim stays the entire time, only shifting a little-- at one point GIR wanders in, and starts yelling something about squirrels, and Zim hisses at him, "GIR, shh! Dib is upset!" and GIR goes "ooooOOOoo" and climbs onto the couch behind Dib, stubby robot arms spread to hug him from behind and joining Zim in the Dibcuddling.

The robot gets bored and wanders off after like twelve seconds but it's the thought that counts.

When the sobbing finally seems to truly be subsiding, Zim's grip on Dib relaxes a little, and he leans back, worry clear on his face. "... does the Dib-friend feel better now?" he asks, nervous that the answer is going to be no.

Potente Byrd MæmesYesterday at 10:18 PM
Dib lets Zim pull back, his own grip going loose. He sits back, to rub at his face, pushing his glasses up onto his hair as he tries to wipe his eyes. "Kind of?" He rasps, and sniffs loudly, "Mostly I just... feel tired. And dried out."

itsAlanaYesterday at 10:22 PM
"Do you require hydration?" Zim asks, but before Dib can answer, tells the computer, "Computer, fetch me a water bottle for the Dib! And his favorite snacks!"

And then, after a moment and a nervous glance around (like anyone could be watching, or cared), Zim edges in close and puts an arm around Dib. "And you can sleep down here," he offers. "Zim is willing to allow you to bask in the glorious presence of my lab!"

Potente Byrd MæmesYesterday at 10:24 PM
Dib nods, even though Zim takes care of it before he can even answer- and then Zim's arm is around him, offering to let him stay the night down here, amongst the machines and technology and Zim's work. It should probably be a terrible place to sleep, but... Dib actually smiles, a little, and says, stuffily, "I'd like that... thanks."

itsAlanaYesterday at 10:35 PM
Zim sees Dib's smile, and the aching inside his gut eases a little, and he sighs relief, antenna still pressed back in a pretty stressed-looking way but no longer trembling with anguish. "Okay. Good."

Then a bottle of water and packet of Space Cookies drops in his lap from above, and he jumps a little-- "The stuff," the computer announces, belated and bored, and Zim grumbles a little even as he opens the water for Dib, and presses it into his hand. "Drink," he orders, "replenish your liquids, you leaked a lot of them. Zim will procure you a cozy place to rest!"

Potente Byrd MæmesYesterday at 10:42 PM
"Okay, okay, I'm drinking!" Dib says, and takes a drink- a BIG drink, it ends up being, and he's got half the bottle downed in one go. Yikes! Crying makes you thirsty! When he stops to take a breath, he promptly hiccups- and then again- aaaand now he just has hiccups. Great! Oh well, at least he has snacks...

Dib sinks into the definitely-not-a-loveseat cushions, hiccuping between munches of snack and sips of water, his eyes feeling both wet and dry at the same time and extremely heavy. Jeeze... he's tired. He's still sad, but the tired really sucks it out.

itsAlanaYesterday at 10:54 PM
Zim waits to make sure Dib actually does start drinking before scurrying off on his PAKlegs. Scoot scoot scoot! He's gonna cannibalize the couch upstairs, and order his computer around a little, and dig around in his storerooms and in the corners of the lab where GIR's things tend to get left, and Dib will get to enjoy watching Zim basically construct a bed-cocoon thing across the room from the loveseat, where the cables and pipes have grudgingly shifted to make a gently curved little pocket for Zim to line with cushions and pillows and a giant bright purple blanket printed with donuts.

Hopefully Dib appreciates all this!!! Because Zim doesn't usually keep a bed around!!!

Potente Byrd MæmesYesterday at 10:57 PM
Dib... kinda... enjoys watching Zim construct some kind of... pillow blanket nest? It's weirdly interesting, like watching an insect create a burrow. But also touching, because Zim is doing this for *him*... He certainly appreciates it, though he says, "I hope GIR doesn't get too (hic!) upset you stole the co-(hic!)-ouch cushions..."

But he does wiggle off the loveseat and wander over when the water and snacks are depleted, so he can admire it for a moment. And then he turns to Zim... and pulls him into a hug.

itsAlanaYesterday at 11:06 PM
"He probably won't notice," Zim says, with unjustified confidence, and looks at Dib with his antenna perked up a bit. "Will it do-- ah!"

He is... hug????? "Dib-friend?" he mumbles, uncertainly, "are you gonna leak on me again?" because that's what happened during the last hug, a lot. "My tunic's not even dry yet..."

Potente Byrd MæmesYesterday at 11:08 PM
"No, I'm okay! I just..." Dib pulls away, and offers an awkward, tired smile, which doesn't look too great on his ruddy post-cry face. But it's a real smile, small as it is. "I just... thanks, Zim. All of this, everything, it... it means a lot."

itsAlanaYesterday at 11:12 PM
Zim squirms a little, uncomfortable, shy-- blushing?-- and mumbles, "Well... Dib is Zim's friend," BECAUSE, HE'S USING DIB, AND THE APPEAL OF FRIENDSHIP IS A VERY EFFECTIVE WAY TO MANIPULATE HIM, YES, and anyways Zim is gonna grab and hold Dib's hand again, which is a lot more comfortable for him than hugging. Zim holds things in his hands every day!

"... you should sleep. It's late for humans."

Potente Byrd MæmesYesterday at 11:17 PM
Dib smiles wider, squeezing Zim's hand. "Yeah. You're my friend too, Zim. But I wanted to thank you anyways." And then Zim gets one more hug regardless! It's a brief squeeze before Dib pulls away, to shed his coat and boots and climb up into the nest, take off his glasses and set them aside (if not in the nest then on some conveniently-within-arm's-reach surface), crawl under the blankets, and curl up.

He's facing out into the lab, which should probably make it more difficult to sleep, but he's pretty exhausted, and maybe... he wants to fall asleep... while watching Zim work...?

itsAlanaYesterday at 11:19 PM
Zim will vanish for another few moments, to reclaim the gadget he'd had in hand when he'd first opened the door to Dib, and then he'll settle at a console near enough that he can keep an eye on Dib as he works; perhaps Dib will be lulled to sleep by the sound of Zim muttering to himself, the brush of metal against metal, the low hum of electricity around him? Or perhaps he needs no lulling, and will just fucking pass out in a second.

Potente Byrd MæmesYesterday at 11:23 PM
Dib sleepily watches Zim work for a while- even if, to his bare eyes, Zim is just a vaguely green and magenta blob in a blurry purple room with blurry lights. It's weirdly soothing, just watching Zim move and work in the lab, hearing him mutter, the sound of his little footsteps on the smooth tiled floor, the clinking of his tools and machines, the electrical hum all around...

It doesn't take long for Dib to fall asleep, but long enough for him to enjoy taking all that in, before his eyes can't stay open any longer. And then Dib is fast asleep, curled up with the blanket pulled up to his nose, breathing easily and face relaxed.

itsAlanaYesterday at 11:30 PM
Zim works for a while, the gadget taking shape, but... but eventually, he's less keeping an eye on Dib and more just watching him sleep, worry and other such un-Irken emotions twisting in his gut. How can the Dib's father not see how smart and wonderful his son is??? How can Zim help Dib? How can he make Dib not be sad anymore...?

He can't focus like this, and, with a sigh, he takes up a tablet instead of his tools, and scoots to sit on the edge of the cocoon of cozy warmth, so he can read something while also watching Dib... but it looks so cozy in there, maybe Dib wouldn't mind if Zim sat near enough to him to slip his legs under the blanket...

Dib might wake up with an alien that doesn't need to sleep totally asleep and curled so his head is pressed to Dib's chest and his ungloved claws are curled in Dib's shirt, antenna twitching a couple inches in front of Dib's nose as Zim dreams.

Potente Byrd MæmesYesterday at 11:38 PM
Muscle memory, or something like it, has Dib waking up at the usual morning time he'd get up to eat breakfast and get ready for school... Only to find that he's not in his bed, not in his house. He's still in that cozy nest Zim made him, in Zim's underground lab, and with- with Zim curled up against him??

The previous night rushes back to him all at once, and his heart hurts at how miserable he felt, and still kinda feels... but then it's soothed, warming over, at the thought of how kind Zim was, letting him stay, commiserating with him about his dad, holding him while he cried, getting him fed and watered and a soft place to sleep close by so Dib wouldn't feel alone...

And now he's here, with Dib, warm and cozy against him. Dib gently wraps his arms around Zim, leaning in to nuzzle against the top of Zim's head. Zim is... a good friend. A really, really good friend. Dib likes him so, so much- likes him more than anything. Maybe even more than the opportunity to meet Mothman. That thought is a little shocking, and he jolts a little, but no, it's true, he likes Zim so, so much! He's endearingly weird, he's funny, he's intelligent but still kinda dumb but in a way that Dib appreciates, he Gets Dib in ways no one else even TRIES to do, he believes him and even accompanies him in his hobbies that everyone else, even his dad, calls him crazy for-

Dib suddenly has the powerful urge to kiss the green skin brushed against his lips. His heart pounds in his chest, and his breath goes a little short, and... and... and he does. He presses a soft little smooch to the top of Zim's head, and immediately melts with a feeling like, despite everything, despite all the worries needling in the back of his head and all the insecurities that are bound to crop up about this, that everything is gonna be okay. Because... he loves Zim.