A/N: Ugh...I'm really sorry, you guys. I've kept you waiting much longer than I meant to for this chapter and, to put things simply, I didn't even really bother to edit this one like I usually do before posting. So I'm sorry if this post seems like complete shit to you guys. It certainly does seem that way to me. In fact, a lot of my most recent posts for this story seem like shit to me, even the ones I've actually taken the time to edit. To make a long story short though, I've been having some anxiety as of late in regards to my writing. Not just for this story but for ALL my written works. Perhaps it's just the inner critic inside me being exceptionally harsh on myself, but I really do question why some of you even bother reading the shit I put out there.

No, I'm not giving up on ZO or any of my other written works as they stand. If anything, I guess I'm just dealing with quite a bit of pent of stress at the moment. I really DID want to edit this chapter before posting, but when I tried to, I nearly had an anxiety attack when reading over it. I know I'll probably regret uploading it later, but I really don't want to keep you guys waiting any longer for this chapter. My plan was to get three more chapters posted by Friday before taking my next hiatus. I've kind of had a lot on my plate as of late though.

Sometime later this year, I'm hoping to start working full-time at my current job, which means even less time will be available for writing. I'm also dealing with some stress regarding my artwork and my lack of improvement in recent years. And, to top it all off, what little free time I do have nowadays, I find myself using to sleep most times. I don't know why, but I've just been so incredibly tired recently, even when I get full nights of sleep. It's like I'll wake up completely refreshed only to crash a few short hours later. Makes being productive rather difficult. :(.

In any case, here's my next update for now. Will probably upload the other two chapters sometime either today or tomorrow. I'm thinking that trying to edit them is only going to up my anxiety levels, so sorry if the last two updates before my next hiatus are shit too. I really just want to get them uploaded though and not have to worry about it any longer. I'm thinking my OCDness has something to do with my recent lack of enthusiasm and I'm hoping that over my next hiatus, I'll be able to work out the source of all these issues so I can better focus on this story. I really DO want to continue writing it (and continue work on a few other IZ-themed written work). But it's like I'm just blocked at the moment. I can't focus and need to work out a schedule for myself that will help with keeping me productive (because not being productive is NOT an option at this point. It only makes me feel worse that I can't seem to function at the moment).

Sorry for the rant, you guys. I'm heading to the spa later tonight so hopefully that might give me the peace of mind I need to move forward (as well as work out any kinks in my back and knees that I get as a result of working at my current job.)

ZADR Orange Chapter 174

Warnings: Extreme OOCness

Rating: M for later chapters

Disclaimer: We do not own Invader Zim, nor any of the characters from it. We do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Zim: Notgonnadie

Dib: Me

Enjoy. =3

Letting out a small whine at Zim's words, Dib lifted his gaze to stare the other straight in the eyes. "And I want you to touch me because you want to...I already know you're not going to force yourself on me...I just don't want you to hesitate to come to me if you want to..." he said, staring the Irken straight on as a show of how serious he was.

Smiling at those words, Zim kissed Dib again before finally agreeing. "Okay. I love you." he said just beneath his breath as he slid his arms around him and rubbed his sides gently.

Breathing in sharply as Zim's hands traveled down his sides, Dib otherwise didn't protest as he merely bit down on his bottom lip and tried to concentrate on the feeling of Zim's fingers tracing themselves along his skin, feeling him in a way they hadn't for a long time now.

Purring steadily as he allowed his hands to explore Dib's body completely, Zim stoked his soft and slightly scarred skin, tracing along some of the deeper scratches.

"Mmm...Z-Zim..." Dib's antennae twitched.

Zim smiled and kissed him again. "All mine~" he cooed out before rolling himself up on top of Dib slightly.

Closing his eyes again after a moment, Dib hummed out a soft sigh. "...Yes...I'm yours...And nobody else's..." he pressed himself against Zim's body, wanting that contact despite everything that had happened.

Wrapping himself around Dib tightly, Zim continued to purr just a little bit louder now.

Feeling one of the smeets kick happily at the warmth that seemed to encompass his body from the contact, Dib reached out to take hold of Zim's hand so he could lead it to the kicking. "Okay...I'm yours AND theirs...But nobody else's..." he said, nuzzling into Zim's neck affectionately.

Feeling the flutter of movement and small kicks from the smeets, Zim smiled wide and rubbed Dib's belly gently.

"I think they're happy you're back..." Dib spoke in a small whisper.

Grinning even more at those words, Zim nuzzled his belly gently. "Is it true? Did you miss me?" he said in a small coo to the kicking smeets.

Dib felt yet another flutter of movement ripple beneath his belly in response, right where Zim was nuzzling him. "...They missed having their daddy here to comfort them..." he closed his eyes tiredly, yawning a bit. "...And so did I..." he said, gazing back at Zim through half-lidded eyes.

Yawning a little himself, Zim smiled back at Dib warmly. "Let's get some sleep, Dib. We can do more in the morning, okay?" he promised, able to see that the hybrid was fading fast now.

Already dozing off on him as he found some sort of comfort in the Irken's closeness, Dib was by this point way ahead of Zim as his head nodded back and forth sleepily.

Zim laughed a little and kissed him. "Sleep tight, Dib~" he whispered softly against the other's antennae.

A small purr permeating from his chest, Dib's antennae twitched slightly at the soft words being spoken to him, brushing past Zim's own as he finally slipped out of consciousness completely.

Closing his eyes and falling asleep soon after, Zim's antennae rubbed against Dib's before falling back to rest against his head comfortably.

QQQQQ

Sleeping for the next several hours peacefully, it wasn't until around 1:00 in the morning that Dib finally began to come to again, needing to pee. "Mmmm..." he blinked his eyes open slowly, the room almost pitch black now save for the light from the moon and stars outside. Zim was curled around him, causing him to shift uncomfortably as he tried to pull away so he could make his way to the bathroom.

Feeling the other shift, Zim tightened his grip on Dib momentarily, not wanting to lose him.

Letting out a small 'eep' and then whine when Zim grabbed him back to him, Dib writhed about helplessly as he tried to pull away without waking Zim up.

Oblivious to Dib's turmoil, Zim merely purred and nuzzled him close.

Squirming all over the place now as he gave up on trying to not wake Zim up, Dib struggled to pull away. "Ziiiim…." he whined, kicking out his legs a bit and trying to claw his way out of Zim's grasp by the bed sheets. "Your children are going to be flattened pancakes by the end of this pregnancy if you DON'T...LET...GO!" he arched his back in an attempt to slip free.

Whimpering as Dib tried to move away again, Zim held on tighter still.

Dib squeaked when Zim tightened his hold on him. "Z-Zim! Please...Do we have to go through this every time I need to use the bathroom?" he wriggled about in Zim's arms.

Sighing in his sleep and snoring a little, Zim then started to drool on him just a bit.

As Zim's drool began to soak through into the shirt he was wearing, Dib made a slightly disgusted face. "Meh..." he stuck out his tongue.

Zim snorted and giggled a little in his sleep.

In an attempt to escape the drool, Dib resorted to trying to push Zim's face away from his arm.

"Nnn~" Zim clung to him tighter.

"Stooop..." Dib flailed helplessly at Zim. "Nooo...Moooore...Drooool..." he whined helplessly, struggling as hard as he could now.

Waking up when Dib's flailing managed to beam him upside the head, Zim squeaked in surprise, letting go of him quickly.

Finally free, Dib scurried away to the opposite side of the bed where he pulled his legs up under himself to sit back up and look back at Zim. "About damn time. My bladder was about to burst." he said before quickly hopping off the bed to make his way into the dark hallway and across to the bathroom.

Zim merely stared confused at the spot where Dib had just been. "Huh?" he tilted his head to one side slightly, still in a bit of a daze from having just been woken up so suddenly.

Holding his stomach where Zim had been squeezing him, Dib returned a few minutes later to the bedroom with a relieved sigh. "Jesus Christ, Zim...Could you have squeezed me any tighter in your sleep..." he said before crawling back into the bed next to him.

Zim looked at him confused. "What happened?" he asked, still a little lost as he hadn't realized what he'd unintentionally been doing to the other in his sleep.

"My bladder happened, that's what. Every time I need to use the bathroom at night, you squeeze the living hell out of me in your sleep when I try to move away. You're just lucky the smeets aren't resting RIGHT on it at the moment." Dib held his lower abdomen as he went to lie down on one side and curl up.

Zim sighed. "I'm sorry, Dib…" he nuzzled him and snuggled up close again.

Finding Zim's chest when he moved in close again, Dib rested a cheek to it comfortably. "...It could be worse...But I'm having a harder time going to the bathroom the bigger my stomach gets. I can't seem to really see past it anymore..." he poked the large bulge in his stomach.

Zim giggled at that information. "Are you worried you'll miss?" he teased playfully.

Dib flushed a bright red at those words. "That's not funny!" he flailed at the Irken again, trying to push away from him, though Zim just laughed and held on to him.

Zim then kissed him. "I'll help you if you'd like. All you have to do is ask." he said with a slight hint of amusement evident in his voice.

A/N: And there you have it for Chapter 174. Until next time~