A/N: Should have written this the night it went up. This is a one-shot, not a multi-chapter story. Sorry for accidentally misleading people.
Dib had been tired lately.
It wasn't regular tired, either, like when he'd forget to sleep and Zim would purr at him until he fell into soothing blackness. When it was something like that, Zim would just sit there watching a frail chest move under the covers.
Hour by hour, he watched that chest.
Day by day, Zim watched him grow.
Week by week, their bond got stronger.
Month by month, they took more steps.
Year by year...
He watched hair grow long, gray. He watched as breathing became more labored. He watched as skin became wrinkly.
He watched.
And watched.
And watched.
Now here he was, watching again as his precious one couldn't even get up from the bed. Zim held the large, five fingered hand close while tracing the lines left there from years and years of abuse.
"Dib? Dib...Zim needs you to get up now."
No response.
"Do yo-you know what day it is today? It is the day Zim came here! So...so stop moping, Dib-creature! C'mon...get up..."
He clutched the hand close, hoping that he would feel the pulse get stronger instead of weaker.
Slower...
Slower still...
"No."
Stop.
"Dib!"
Zim clutched the hand to his face, rubbing his lekku against the skin there. Memorizing every fault, detail, inch of hands that caressed him through years and years. The tears would never, ever stop now.
"Spaceboy?"
Zim gasped, looking at the prone body he held by the hand.
"Behind you, idiot."
Zim turned to see his beloved standing there, smiling in that subtle, sad way he had. His hair had returned to the shiny black color that Zim remembered, his skin now back to the scared, tan skin of a youth.
"Dib? Is that really you?"
The alien reached out to the boy, yelping when his hand went clear through him. Dib gave him another smile, this time as tears started running down his cheeks.
"I guess so, Spaceboy. God, I don't want to even say it but I'm..."
"You are...what?" Zim's lekku slicked down, not liking the sound of what Dib was starting to say.
"I'm here to say...goodbye, Spaceboy. Heh..."
The laugh was fake, more of a sob. In fact, it started a gasping asthma attack full of sobs despite there being nothing to breathe from anymore. Zim's eyes widened, attempting to purr in Dib's ear but almost falling through the other boy instead.
So he was forced to watch.
"Zim...does not wish to say goodbye to Dib."
"I-I...don't wan-..."
"So maybe...Zim will come with you."
Dib looked up at that. Zim's eyes were serious, glinting in the weak bedroom light.
"Huh?"
"I'll go with you," Zim shrugged, a second nature of some sort leading him to grasp his mate's hand. "Even if I have to walk among stinking humans."
"You mean...wow. Mom was-," Dib's eyes shined a little brighter. "Mom was right about you."
"Ma-om?"
"I saw her bef-... nevermind. Just...are you sure about this?"
"Yes, yes, Zim is sure," He was so sure he didn't even notice that their hands were no longer phasing through each other. "Come along, Dib."
Zim tugged Dib onward, feeling light as his lover embraced him, "Let us hurt nevermore..."