A/n: This took so long to finish because I just kept adding and adding onto it so now it's ten times as long as it should be. But it was really fun to write!

He's smaller than me, going just barely to my hips. I like his height, don't get me wrong. I love the way he can use my coat as a cloak if he wants to or to using my shirt without anything underneath or having to leap up into my arms to kiss me or fitting perfectly against me even though he likes to claw me in his sleep sometimes.

He's ignorant, but I love that too. I like how child-like he is in curiousity or how he keeps asking me to explain. He's stubborn. But I still love that he won't just blindly listen to me. He's arrogant. But I love it when he has enough confidence for both of us. He's loud. But I'd rather have that than bedroom whispers. He's violent, but I can be too. He's my match, my rival, my soulmate, my best friend.

This one time, I lost him while we were in QueasyMart and it was really hard to find him.

At least I was prepared to have five kids in a shopping mart with me.

Turned out the dumbass was hiding in the candy aisle because of course he was. Why the hell can't he just ask me before running off somewhere? Is it so hard to say 'Hey, I'm going to go find the fun dip'? I can't be worried about him like that! What if someone figures it out or he gets wet or he touches meat or something like that?

The time I hurt him during...intimacy. That one...I've never, ever forgiven myself for that. It's so hard to not know your lover's body as well as you should. Especially if he doesn't know either. He trusted me and he wouldn't even tell me that he was hurt. He just...let me hurt him! It was so stupid of me to think that I could…

...I'm sorry, Zim.

The human is so sweet, so loyal, so...warm...if only he had better confidence.

But Zim has the solution.

You see, the general population of Earth-especially our former classmates- find me very appealing to their inferior eyes. I just simply flirt with Dib-beast when they look at me like that. I can feel the jealousy pouring from them, as I do mate things with him such as 'holding'. Not only does it prove Zim is the best, but he can feel the smugness from his human. I can feel when Dib gets greedy, pulling me closer to him for yet another kiss. In fact, I feel the same way about Dib.

Especially if that stupid Glitchen is around.

Then it is very fun to do this. How close I can get to him in those moments, how much I can kiss him, how much I love him in those moments. The idea of how content he is to be with Zim and only Zim is most pleasing. He is mine, I am his.

Now if only he would figure out Zim wants him, too.

He's very handsome, you know. Only the best mate for me, so I expect that his beauty is very apparent. Especially in his coat, which he really should clean. Or when he is all out of breath and tired from our sparing. Mmmm...the only time I get to see his body without his stupid coat being in the way...unless it is dark. I believe Earth females would call it...eye candies, yes? He will not let me see sometimes, though.

Sometimes I must convince him otherwise.

He does not like to eat or sleep. Not like a normal human, at least, from my understanding. He will forget to simply do these daily things, to take care of himself while taking care of all of us. He cannot sleep without me, which I do not understand because when he was small he had a toy of Zim that he hugged almost constantly while he was sleeping. I remember standing there as I watched him sleep from my cameras, wondering why he kept mumbling my name.

Can you feel my eyes worry over you, Dib?

He's so loud.

...I love it. I don't like when it's quiet because then it feels like there's this static in my ears. That might be one of the reasons I talk to myself a lot. He's always humming or talking or whistling or making some weird little sound. It does get very irritating at times but I really don't care. I could just put my head in his lap all day to listen to him if time allows it. It reminds me that we've forgiven each other for everything.

Now if I could only forgive myself for all of the bad things.

Yes, he did hurt me the first night. But I just didn't want to stop the bliss I felt with him. Irkens do not feel bliss, they feel anger and pain and war. And to have him there with me, in my arms, kissing me, smiling, wanting to be close despite know that I…

-
"Dib...I am defective. You know that, yes?"

"Um...yeah. Of course I do."

"...I l-...lo-..."

"Huh?"

"I...Zim is not...perfect. He likes to be best, he doesn't listen, he likes to disobey and destroy and hurt...and yet you still...love him. Despite all of this…"

"Well, yeah. I mean...Dib is a loser with zero confidence, a terrible self-image, and no idea how to apologize. He forgets things and...he hurts things, too."

"Dib is a cute loser. The human is handsome, amazing and the best time Zim's ever had in the 'sack' as humans say."

"I'm the only one you've ever had. And you're the only one I've ever had."

"True."

"...Zim is perfect, flawless. Who makes his mate happy just by chattering or boasting or disobeying or is not defective and if anyone tells him otherwise I will destroy them."

"Hmm...take me to bed, Dib."

"Can I have fun when we get there?"

"Don't make me ban you to the couch, Dib-Mate. I really would rather a strong, handsome male to keep me warm in my nest."

"Yes, My Queen."