Another hobbyswap oneshot! Also on Ao3!
@sanseru
Professor Membrane awoke to a knocking at his door. Blinking awake, Membrane fumbles around for his goggles. After finding them and nearly knocking them to the ground, he holds them to his face. Purple looks back at him from his doorway. The alien comfortably leans against the doorway with a mischievous smile.
"Food's ready. You should get up." Purple walks to the bed and sits as Membrane puts his goggles on properly.
"Why--," Membrane asks as he stifles a yawn. "--are you in my house?"
"Cause I wanna." Purple sticks his tongue out in a smile. His distinctly alien tongue, Membrane notes.
Membrane pushes his cowlick out of his face. "Are you here to observe the average morning of a human household to incorporate into your next scheme? Is it different compared to alien families?" Membrane sits up properly as he continues to ask his barrage of questions. "Your species doesn't sleep if I remember correctly. Does your species even have the concept of mornings?"
Purple folds in arm in a pout. "Maybe I am, but I am definitely a normal human worm maybe."
"You won't answer my questions?" Membrane slumps.
"You always have so many questions."
"You won't?"
"I didn't say that." Purple leans himself across Membrane's lap. "What's in it for me?"
"I--uh," Membrane stumbles, his brain still short-circuited from the sudden display of intimacy. "I could answer any questions you have?" Membrane says lamely.
Purple looks up at him. "My questions?"
Membrane chastises himself internally. Out of all the things, he had to offer something as lame as that.
"How did you lose your arms?"
"I--What?" Membrane looks down at the alien. "My arms?"
"Yeah." Purple grabs Membrane's robotic hand and laces their fingers. Membrane can help but wish he had more feeling in his prosthetic. "How'd you lose them?"
"I came across a nest of baby kraken when I was 13." Purple traces his free hand over Membrane's arm as he speaks. "Apparently, the children can be just as deadly as the adults."
Purple nods thoughtfully. "Red had a similar accident during invader training. He would have lost his leg to that wumpus if I hadn't pulled him out."
"A wumpus?" Membrane sits up straighter in excitement. "What a wumpus?"
"It's this little furry thing with big teeth and little legs. But what about a kraken? What's a kraken?"
"Krakens are a type of giant squid. Through mysterious means, they are able to grow larger than human ships."
"Wow. You were really stupid as a kid," Purple says smiling.
Membrane just hums in response, and decides not to bring up the fact that he still does that type of stuff. No need to give the alien a reason to look down on him.
"Irkens don't have families." Purple says suddenly. "We are born ready to serve the Irken Empire in whatever role the Control Brains have chosen for us."
Membrane gawks at the sudden information coming from Purple. "What--"
"You're the one that asked," Purple interrupts. "About alien mornings and breakfast. So--" Purple continues as he gets up and sits in my lap. "Being an awesome, super elite invader my whole life, I wouldn't know about lesser Irkens, but invaders don't have a set meal schedule. We are trained to effortlessly adapt to the planet we are assigned."
Membrane doesn't speak and instead nods mutely. He tries to focus on Purple's words but finds himself distracted looking up at the alien’s face. No nose. No ears. Green skin. Purple leans against him. Membrane enjoys the feeling. Purple’s skin is smooth, Membrane notes.
“Hey! Are you even listening?” Purple shouts. “And why is your face so red? I didn’t know humans could change color.” Purple removes the hand that was holding Membrane’s hand and cups Membrane’s face.
Membrane is saying something. He’s sure of it. Something about human biology. Or maybe he’s giving an excuse. Something to hide his embarrassment. Anything to distract him from the body sitting on him and the claws cupping his face. The feeling of Purple leaning into him to study his face. Purple’s fingers trailing up and down his face. The shifting of hips as Purple leans into his space.
Purple smiles as Membrane rambles on. Their breath mingles as Purple closes the space between them.
A kiss. Barely a peck on the lips. But it's enough to stop whatever tangent Membrane was going on about.
"Don't tell Red,--" Purple says without pulling away. Their mouths still brushing up against each other. "--I don't want him knowing I got ahead of him for once." Membrane sits there, frozen and flushed, as Purple gets up and walks out. "And come downstairs already! The waffles are getting cold."