ALRIGHT! To make up for how long it's taking us to get Under My Skin up and readable the great creators ourselves have decided to bless you all with a awsome NEW story until we can get the other one done.

This, my friends will not have a regular update schedule because it's being cleaned mostly by TSI and since she's the one doing it what she says goes! NO QUESTIONS!

Rated T because the Almighty Smallest said so.

The locker room buzzed with conversation while junior and senior teen males talked about how game went today, undressing and dressing again in their more casual clothes. Dib smiled to himself as he'd peak over every once in a while at exposed green skin a few lockers away. It hadn't been a great day for Zim; this time in PE they played basketball; something that the vertically challenged Zim couldn't get the hang of, but that didn't mean Zim wasn't adorable the whole time pouting.

Zim pulled his black and red striped shirt on, over his head, happy to be out of his gym clothes and out of P.E. He looked over at Dib, flashing the human a quick smile before opening his locker and grabbing his school things.

A locker door slammed and Dib fixed the straps on his backpack before walking over to Zim. He lightly nudged him. "You're so short," the human teased, grinning sweetly at his Irken.

"No; you're simply too tall." Zim said, giving Dib an unamused look, fixing his own, custom made back pack on over his flashed a toothy grin at the other. "That's me, alright!" He puffed his chest out and pounding with a fist to show how tough he was.

Zim rolled his eyes, playfully pretending to be annoyed with Dib and saying with a sarcastic tone of voice, "Manly aren't you?""In every way!" The human winked at Zim, giving him a light, joking nudge of the elbow as they marched out of the locker rooms slowly.

The alien followed Dib with his eyes for a moment, pouting, before trailing after the human, catching up quickly and pinching Dib's side.

A squeal was sounded and Dib grabbed his side, pouting at Zim as they walked onward to the double doors outside. "I'm going to see if Dad will let me spend the night over at your house..." He randomly spoke.

Zim covered his mouth with a green hand to smother his laughter at Dib's 'manly' display before nodding and saying, "Ok, and hurry. Gir will be gone for the night, so we'd have the base all to ourselves."

Grinning, Dib nodded back. "Sure."Life was wonderful for Dib Membrane in Hi Skool. Zim and Dib had been dating secretly for four months, and nobody suspected a thing from the two friends. Nobody called the human a big-headed crazy boy anymore, not that it mattered. With Zim, Dib felt on top of the world. Yes, life was great for the young Membrane's son.

Giving Dib a smile Zim laced his claws behind him, satisfying the need to hold the human's hands until they were out of public. Both thought it would be for the better that they kept their relationship secret, for now, give them a chance to both appear as normal as possible before announcing they were gay.

They made their way to Dib's house first. Letting go of Zim's hand, Dib backtracked towards the house. "Just wait here for a minute- I'll go ask Dad."Zim nodded and stood patiently on the sidewalk. Waiting was fine with Zim. Dib's house made him nervous what with the scientific father, demonic sister, and Dib's and Zim's pasts together. He didn't think the human would pull anything, but there was always the chance he forgot to remove some kind of alien hunting equipment.

"Dad," Dib called, walking through the house and looking about. "Dad?" He climbed downstairs, calling Membrane's fatherly title out loud once more until he found the man in his white trench coat at a table.

He walked up to him. "Hey Dad?"

Sparks flew and the room lit up with whatever it was the scientist was working on before he turned around, just enough to catch sight of Dib standing there and ask, "What is it, Son? Do you not see that I am busy?"

Dib tensed slightly. "I was wondering if I could spend the night at my friend's house tonight." He stated his business frankly.

"I'm sorry son but NO going out for you tonight." Membrane said, wagging a finger at his son.

"But why?" Dib asked frustrated, knowing his alone time with Zim with no Gir was limited.

"You've been spending a lot of time out lately, son. Your grades are starting to slip." The scientist said before turning, showing his son his back in a signal that the conversation was over.

"But DAD!" Dib protested, bending over the side of the table to try to see his father's face. "We haven't hung out a lot lately! He's my best friend!"

"No can do." Membrane said, standing up straight and crossing his arms, attempting to loom over Dib in a fatherly manner. When he was sure the point had reached his teenage son he picked up whatever it was he had been working on, something to do with a gerbil, and handed it to Dib, saying, "Now here, you can make up for your dropping grade by helping me out, here. I need the lab cleaned up but am too busy to do it myself."

Dib panted. "But this isn't fair! He's waiting outside right now! Am I just suppose to STAY in here!" He fidgeted anxiously, holding the gerbil device tightly.

"Oh I'm sure he won't be out there waiting that long, now put that up and get started on the lab." Membrane said as he went over to another work table, clearly stating what he

thought of any person who would hang out with his son. "Then maybe when we're both done, we can all go out to eat, you, me, and you sister."

"I don't WANT to, though," Dib argued back with a stomp of his foot. "You and Gaz go eat; I'll stay here."

"Now Dib, when was the last time we did something as a family?" Membrane asked, leaning against the work table. "Now stop making such a fuss, see your friends another time, tonight you're helping me in the lab and going out to eat with us."

Dib angrily shoved the device back to his father. "Forget it." He turned his back on Membrane and began stomping back into the living room.

Membrane grunted in annoyance, putting the device on the table and following his son. Putting a hand on Dib's shoulder he stated factually, "You asked me if you could go over to a friend's house tonight. I told you no. You're staying here tonight and that's final, now get to work."

The teen glared in front of himself. "I'm going to my room then. I'm not going to clean your mess." He yanked his shoulder away and continued onward up the stairs.

An annoyed sound made its way from the scientist's throat and he turned to throw himself back into his work. Dib such an insane, emotionally unstable boy. It was so hard for Membrane to imagine that that angsty teen came from a test tube with HIS DNA.

Dib made his way up to his room, cursing the whole time. Membrane was hardly a father at all when it counted. He sat on his bed, sighing. Dib peered out the window, opening it up and poking his head out to try to see the alien. Said alien was looking around a little, appearing bored out of his mind before he let out a sigh and began walking home. It didn't seem Dib was coming back out, but it didn't really matter, he had homework tonight anyway, not that he was going to do it anyway.

"ZIM!" Dib called out, waving his arm out, hoping to catch the Irken's attention. He sighed when he noticed his walking continuing.

"Stupid Dad!" He pulled himself back into his room, folding his arms and feeling extremely peeved.

The next day Zim tapped his pencil against his paper anxiously as he stared at the closed door to the classroom, waiting for Dib to walk through so he could get an explanation for yesterday. His foot soon joining his pencil's motions as the minutes slowly dragged on.

The room slowly filled with people, leaving Zim more and more anxious until finally his black-haired target entered the room. "Zim," Dib quickly made his way to Zim's desk, "I'm sorry about yesterday-"

"What happened?" The alien asked quickly, sitting up straight in his chair as he waited for an answer.

"Uh... Dad was being stupid." The human stated flatly. "He wouldn't let me go out and do anything because of grades, and he wouldn't let me go out and tell you. He was being an ass." He frowned.

"Good," Zim sighed, before he could catching himself. "I mean- not good but, you know..."

A frown covered Dib's face at the thought of what Zim could be thinking. The teacher, however, Mr. Paine came in, shooing the students to their seats.

Zim watched Dib move to his seat before turning back to face the front of the classroom so as not to provoke the wrath of a high school teacher.

All throughout class glances kept being exchanged between the two before Dib scribbled in messy handwriting 'I'm sorry' that he folded and passed over to Zim.

Zim read the note a scribbled in his own messy penmanship, 'Its alright, it wasn't your fault' before refolding it and passing it back.

Dib read it back with a small smile and under it he wrote in a slightly girlier style than he'd ever normally write in and put 'I love you!' Passing it once again back.

Unfolding the note, Zim couldn't help but smile and shake his head. He wrote his message with a few teasing glances t Dib before finally passing it back. The note read, 'Prove it...'

'I will if you want to skip next period.' Dib drew a smiley face, passing it back will showing Zim a full smirk.

Zim rolled his eyes. If he wanted to... he HATED history! 'Of COURSE I want to!' Zim wrote before crumbling the paper up and, making sure the teacher wasn't paying attention, launched the paper ball at Dib's head.

Dib unraveled the paper, read it and had to cover his mouth to keep from laughing at the enthusiasm written down.

'You, me, the gym after class! Don't be late! I'll probably walk you, anyway.' Another smiley face drawn down and- perfect. He tossed it back at Zim eagerly.

'It's a date' Zim wrote, adding a tiny heart at the end and tossing the ball back, giving Dib a smile before going back to pretending to write down notes.

Dib grinned brightly before ripping the note in multiple sections quietly and sticking it in his backpack's front pocket before mimicking Zim's actions.

Zim's eyes couldn't help but cut to the clock every few minutes, making the time they spent in that class only seem longer than normal, but finally, as the skool bell rang out, it was over and Zim quickly packed his things away.

The human pulled his backpack to his shoulders before going back over to his Zim. "Well, friend! Time to go on to CLASS!"

"Indeed," Zim said, grinning at Dib. "Lead the way, PAL."

Dib grinned back toothily, walking on out of the classroom, Zim closely following. This game of secret was so much fun. Just how long would it take for someone to really find out? It itched him and excited him at the same time as scared him so bad.

The alien followed excitedly, passing his history class room and continuing on with Dib, not really caring if anyone saw or not that he was skipping. He did it all the time anyway.

They entered the empty gym and Dib directed him behind the indoor bleachers. He couldn't help the small snickers coming out of him as they walked down deep in there. "This, I hope, will make up for the alone time we didn't get."

"It better," Zim said with a teasing smirk. "Or I'm going to have to FORCE alone time on you."

"You know, with a threat like that, it kind of makes me want to." Dib laughed, stopping to place a hand on the side of Zim's cheek, moving in close but making no move to kiss.

"Don't EVEN think about it," Zim said, leaning closer to meet Dib in the middle.

Dib grinned. "Don't give me such wonderful threats then." He graced his hand down Zim's hip lightly.

"Who said the alone time would be wonderful?" Zim asked, grinning back and wrapping his arms around Dib's back.

"Well, I don't know, Mr. Irken. Are you planning torture? If so, what kind?" He smirked, tilting his head slightly to prepare a kiss.

"The most gruesome kind you could ever think of." The alien said quietly, mimicking Dib's actions, his eye lids sliding to half mast.

Dib lightly 'heh'ed, closing the gap between the two, letting their lips meet.

Zim pressed into the kiss eagerly. After a moment he pulled back just enough to talk, saying, "You have no idea how much kissing you have to make up for." Before pressing their lips together once more.

Dib and Zim held their hands laced together happily, Zim resting comfortably on Dib's chest when the bell rang. "I think we have to go now..." Dib mumbled, debating on whether or not he really wanted to get up.

"No we don't, you're delusional." Zim said, clearly not wanting to get up himself.

Dib groaned, not shifting in his position one bit. "We'll fail because of this, you know... just lying here like this..."

"What's the point of succeeding?" Zim asked, knowing the answer already but just trying to get Dib not to move.

"Something about being successful in life." Dib answered back lazily, running a hand up Zim's back comfortingly.

A small hum escaped Zim's throat. He knew Dib was right. They had to get up. "But I dun wanna..."

"If you get up, Zim, and help me get up, then I promise I'll kiss you're cheek in front of everyone in the cafeteria briefly." Dib smirked, thinking that would be rather fun and daring.

Zim perking up, sitting up to look at Dib curiously from behind fake eyes. "Really?"

Dib grinned up at Zim from his position on the floor. "Would I lie to you?" He thought over his words. "...at a moment like this?"

Zim seemed skeptical, narrowing one eye in his trade mark look of consideration before sighing and standing up. "You promise?" He asked, waiting for an answer before he would help Dib up.

"Sure! Of course, everyone might have to look away somehow first, and I'm probably going to lie through my teeth about it." the human laugh, propping his back up.

Zim pouted but helped Dib up anyway. "How about a kiss right now?"

"We're going to be late," Dib grinned, not honestly caring as he quickly took Zim into a sweet kiss, fluttering his eyes shut as he did so.

Zim smiled into the kiss, running his claws lightly over Dib's cheek tenderly.

Dib smiled and had to pull from the kiss. Taking the Irken's hand, he directed him outward, only remembering vaguely that none should see them holding hands.

Zim stared at the hands for a bit. He didn't really care one way or the other about the humans seeing them as a couple, but holding hands like this was nice. He liked to hold Dib's hand. It just seemed that much more meaningful in public.

Skool let out, and with the occasional new rumor about Dib and Zim (thanks to Dib successfully kissing Zim on the cheek in front of all), the two walked onward home. "Today went nice." Dib commented, thinking back to all of the boring lectures and make out sessions.

"Yeah it was," Zim said, stretching his arms above his head for a moment. When there were less people around, Dib snaked his hand down to capture Zim's claws, rather liking this whole 'public' thing.

Zim's head rested on Dib's shoulder and his claws tightened around Dib's fingers. "This is nice," He commented.

"Yeah," Dib sighed happily back, the side of his own head now on the top of Zim's.

Zim groaned a little when he saw Dib's house coming up on the left. He always hated leaving Dib here to finish his walk home, alone.

Dib stopped in front of his yard, letting go of Zim's hand, but staring at him even longer. After a while of debating within himself and deciding he was safe, he bent towards the alien, capturing him in his arms in a deep hug. "I love you, Zim."

Zim hugged back, nuzzling Dib's shoulder slightly, replying, "I love you, too, Dib-stink. And don't you forget it."

Dib smiled at that, pulling away slowly to stare into Zim's eyes before slowly going in to give him a meaningful kiss, his arms still plastered around Zim's sides.

Zim kissed back, sighing they kiss broke Zim smiled and said, "You've made up for last night."

A relieved smile stretched on Dib's lips. "Why's that?" He asked, not comfortable yet with letting go of Zim.

"All of the exhibiting." Zim teased, referring to Dib's public displays of affection.

Dib blushed a little, finding his eyes to the floor and his foot rubbed up against the concrete. "Yeah, well... I felt like it, okay?" He smiled lightly. "It's getting bothersome to hide and... more than just a little uncomfortable."

"I know," Zim said, placing a kiss on Dib's cheek. "Thanks you."

The human smiled at his alien boyfriend before giving him one last hug before he started back tracking towards the house. "Bye, Zim..."

"Bye," Zim said, waving before making his way to his own house, his smile never falling from his face.

Dib went into his house, closing the door behind him with a sigh as he leaned and slid down it. His eyes were shut with today's lovely memories of what had happened. Perhaps going public was the right move?

"Welcome home son!" Membrane greeted from the door way into the kitchen. "How was school?"

Dib's heart jumped when he realized his father was right there and he scattered to his feet, holding onto the door as if he was dizzy. "It was great!" He said, rather breathlessly. "And at home?"

"Great as well!" Membrane said, walking over to his son and putting his hands on the teen's shoulders. "Could I ask you a favor?"

Dib looked at his shoulder and then at his father. "Sure... Uh, what is it?"

"There was this project I was asked by a few of my co-workers and President Man himself to do." Membrane said, motioning as if he were giving a collage lecture. "But it requires two people to do it."

"Okay." Dib said, sounding slightly intrigued by this. "What is it exactly?" He asked, curiosity making the best of him.

"It's a cloning project." Membrane said, putting one arm over his son's shoulders and motioning for Dib to walk with him to the lab.

Their feet clicked and clacked the floor as they stepped into the almost dungeon like atmospheric room. "That's awesome, Dad! Do you think you can do it?"

"Of course I can!" Membrane announced. "I am a man of science; when I put my mind to it I can accomplish anything!"

Dib grinned; slightly proud of his father for this if he had to be proud of him for anything. "So, why do you need my help?"

"I told you. It takes two people to clone a person. And since you are MY clone I figured this would be good for you." Membrane said, shrugging slightly.

Dib's grin grew even wider. "That's great! Just tell me what to do, okay?" He asked, eager to get started.

"I'll be walking you through it step-by-step." Membrane said, obviously happy that his son would be aiding him.

"Great! So! Uh, do I need to do anything right now?" Dib asked, looking around to examine any machinery that could possibly be in there for this very reason.

"Nope," Membrane said, leading his son through the lab. "Today I'm just going to give you the grand tour."

Dib sighed in content. Today rocked! He looked left and right as his father lead him.

It took about an hour to finish the tour, showing Dib this and that, all the machinery that would be used in the ungodly process of cloning a human.

"Dad," Dib began. "Why do they need you to clone some one? You already cloned yourself to make me. What would be different?"

"These people are rich," Membrane said, stopping in front of the refrigerator. "They just want to fine tune the process so they can have themselves cloned so their legacy may continue on with someone they deem worthy enough to continue it. It's basically their way of living forever."

He opened the icebox and pulled out a test tube filled with blood and said, "This will be the blood we will be cloning from."

Dib stared at it, trying to be interested in the simple red blood. "Okay."

"And I will be needing to take a sample of your own blood," Membrane continued, putting the blood back into the refrigerator. "for safety reasons."

"No problem. Do you need them right now?" Dib asked, walking over to a stretcher like table and plopping down on it.

"Now would be perfect." Membrane said, walking over to where his son was, picking up the needed objects on the way. Tying a piece of elastic around Dib's upper arm, Membrane got a needle ready. He felt around for Dib's veins and, finding a good one, stuck him, draining the teen's blood into two separate tubes.

Dib made a small noise, uncomfortable by feeling the long needle go through his skin and tissue, hitting the vain, but he finally let out a sigh when it pulled out, and he looked at his own red blood.

Membrane put a piece of cotton over the spot he stuck the needle in, pulled off the elastic, and put a cute, sparkly band-aid over the a hand on his son's shoulders once more he said in a relatively friendly manner, "Let's go get some juice."

"Okay!" He said excitedly, noting all of this extra attention his father was giving him. He hopped off of the table and hyperly hopped in front of his parental figure.

"Calm down or you'll collapse." Membrane said, putting his hands on his son's shoulders.

Together they made their way up the stairs and into the kitchen where the scientist sat Dib down at the table and gave him a glass of orange juice and some super toast to help raise his blood sugar.

"Thanks, Dad, for doing this with me." Dib smiled before taking the toast to his lips and taking little bites at a time before a sip from the orange juice.

"You were my first choice." Membrane said, sitting across from Dib at the table. "Then I thought about asking Gaz, but remembered she doesn't share my love of science or my incredibly large brain like YOU do!"

"Wow, Dad, do you really mean it?" Dib's heart swelled up with this new somewhat confirmation that Dad loved him more than Gaz.

"Of course!" Membrane said, seeming quite excited himself. "You have school off tomorrow, right?"

"Uh... No, I have school... Can... Can I skip?" Dib asked excitedly before remembering that would cut out on his Zim time, and then he grew solemn again.

"Of course not!" Membrane laughed as if Dib had said something funny. "You still need to pull your grades up. But once you do that you can skip all you want if you can keep them at an acceptable level."

Dib blinked at his dad. "Why did you think it was a day off?"

"Oh you know I've been working in the lab for the past few days. I can't keep track of time in there." Membrane replied, motioning to the lab.

Dib pouted. "You're always in your lab..." He said quietly. "And then you try to make up for it by taking Gaz and me out to eat..."

Membrane sighed. This was a song he'd heard many times before. "I know, and I'm sorry. I'll try to cut my hours shorter if you would like. It's just so easy to get lost in the science of it all."

"Yeah, I know..." Dib looked down, dwindling with the bread before taking more bites into it.

"Feel better?" Membrane asked as he watched Dib eat with interest.

Dib sipped on some of his orange juice, nodding a little. "Yeah, but you know... Now I'm getting a little tired..."

"Alright," Membrane said, standing up and looking at his watch. "Why don't you go ahead and go to bed then? I still have a few things to finish up in the lab before we start to cloning project, so I'll be up if you need me."

"Okay, thanks..." Dib slipped out of his seat, taking the plate and putting it to the sink. He noted as he began his trek up stairs that it was only four in the afternoon, but, today had been long, and wonderful, and full, so it didn't bother him one bit to just go to bed and sleep away.

Zim/Membrane: Me

Dib: Smallest Invader