From that moment on Zim was careful not to take Dib for granted. Not that he had before, but he became very conscious of every little thing Dib did for him. He wouldn't always say thank you, but he was always thankful, and usually showed it with an extra kiss or some other sort of affectionate gesture.

Despite the humans not actually being able to do anything about Zim they showed their distrust and hatred more than ever. Leaving notes for him to find and throwing insults whenever they were feeling brave. In fact, Zim almost tore up the letter he found waiting for him on the floor of their room until he saw the official seal of what was known as The Membrane Council, stamped very officially on the front.

He opened it and read the very short message inside. It said simply:

Irken Zim, your trial will be held tomorrow at noon. Come to Conference Room A. The Membrane Council.

Zim shivered. A trial. He was being put on trial again?

He crumbled up the letter and threw it onto the bed, bolting for the door when he ran into someone just outside of it.

"Hey, watch it." The human growled, sneering at Zim, but the irken ignored it, standing and bolting for the docking bay. He had to get out, he had to get away!

"Zim! Zim!" Dib called, catching his lover dashing down the hallway franticly and quickly followed.

Zim wouldn't stop; he almost made it before Dib's much longer legs allowed the human to catch him, grabbing his arms and yanking him to a standstill. The force of the pulling caused them both to fall back, Dib on his butt and Zim in his lap.

"I can't stay here!" Zim immediately burst out, struggling to get out of the human's grip. "They want to kill me! They'll erase me!"

"Zim, Zim calm down, what are you talking about?" Dib asked, holding fastly to his irken.

"I got a note! Your father is going to put me on trial because no one wants me here and I got into a fight! They were just waiting for that to happen so they could rip my pak off!" Zim blubbered, eyes wide with fear.

"You won't be killed for fighting, Zim." Dib said gently, moving one of his hands to the irkens face to try and make him focus. "Plus, you have me on your side, there's no way they'll be able to do anything to you."

"Damn right they won't!" Zim yelled. "Because I'm getting off this thing before they can!"

"You can't just run away." Dib said, looking unimpressed. "Plus, what about me?"

"You can come too!" Zim said with a wide smile, desperate to avoid the trial. "You'll love space Dib!"

Dib sighed, standing once Zim was done struggling and pulling the irken into a tight hug. "Zim," He said. "I hate to say this but there's no where we can go. Most of space is ruled by Irk and you're a wanted criminal to the empire. Please, it won't be that bad. With me by your side you'll get a slap on the wrist at the most."

Zim's breathing picked up but he nodded. "You promise you'll be there?" He clung to Dib as he gasped out his words. "Promise promise? Cross your heart and all that?"

Dib nodded, smiling at Zim's childlike worry. "I promise. Now come on, let's get some lunch and work out a good defense." He said, pulling back and holding Zim's hand as he led the irken back to their room.

Noon the next day found Dib and Zim in a conference room, facing a panel of five people, one of which was Membrane, sitting in the middle in a very elaborate chair, obviously playing the role of the judge.

"Do we all know why we're here?" The man to Membrane's right asked, looking at the irken, unimpressed by the calm way he sat there.

"Because I got into a fight?" Zim asked, feeling much like he was back in high school.

"Actually," Membrane said, surprising everyone. That was why they thought they were there. "I'm concerned about this relationship of your's Dib.

Dib sighed. He'd known this was coming, he just didn't think his father would pull something like this.

"I know you don't like it." He said. "But honestly I don't care. I like Zim, he likes me, that's all there is to it."

"Son, you know that's not WHY I'm concerned." Membrane said. Zim turned to Dib curiously, if it wasn't that Zim was an irken then what was it? Membrane continued, "You know I expect grandchildren from you. Zim is a male."

"Why are you doing this here, Dad?" Dib asked, giving his father a small glare. "Why couldn't you just talk to me about it? Why go through this whole trial charade?"

"Because I really needed to get your attention." Membrane pointed out. "I know how good you teenagers are at tuning us parents out. But not this time, think of the damage you're doing."

"Damage?" Dib asked, shaking his head. "Damage! I'd be doing more damage if I DID have a kid! All of those orphaned children!"

"You can't just adopt an heir!" Membrane insisted. "First off, none of them would be anywhere as brilliant as you! Second ,you won't be nearly as attached to them as you would be a real son!"

"Dad! I don't even want to adopt!" Dib shook his head. "I don't want kids yet, if at all, why are we even talking about this!?"

"Dib, I want you to end this silly relationship now!" Membrane commanded.

Dib stood, taking Zim's hand and pulling the confused irken up with him. "This conversation is over! The relationship is not ending! You don't make these choices for me!" And with that he left the room, pulling Zim with him.

They hurried off to the bedroom, neither saying a word, Dib's head reeling and Zim not wanting to agitate Dib further by pestering him with questions.

The moment they enter Dib had his lips on Zim's pressing him up against the wall by the door. He couldn't help it. He was needy for Zim, needy for the foreign way his skin felt and for that alien voice. He was needy for Zim to need him.

And Zim did. He was kissing back, one arm around Dib's shoulders, the other tugging on the hem of the human's shirt.

Dib pulled away from the kiss just as quickly as it started, staring into Zim's liquid ruby eyes, asking, "Can I have you?"

Zim looked confused at that question for a moment before it dawned on him. Dib didn't want a fight this time. He'd just fought with his dad and didn't want to fight Zim, but he did want to top, to be the one giving, to release his frustrations.

"Y-yeah," Zim relented, sighing and leaning forward to give the human's skin a lick. "You can have me."

Months past and the fighting only seemed to get worse. Anytime Dib had to interact with his father the subject was brought up and they always left each other on a sour note. Zim, in an attempt to be supportive, stayed out of the mess altogether, only mentioning anything about it when Dib needed reassurance.

"You don't need a kid." He would say, leaning against Dib's back and cuddling. "You have me, I'm immature enough to warrant taking care of." Or "I would worry for any grandchild of Membrane's. You came out all right but that's only because you have me!" Or "You're perfect Dib, because Zim is perfect and likes you. Just don't let him get to you because the only person whose opinion matters is Zim's!"

He also ended up beneath Dib during sex a lot, which tended to get much more rough and wild, not that Zim complained, it rather thrilled him, actually, he just wished Dib wouldn't use that as a way of venting.

"Dib," Zim moaned, cuddling up to the human in the middle of the night, sweating and hot. "Dib." He gave the human a small shove, trying to wake him up.

"Mmm, hm, what?" Dib mumbled turning over and just barley squinting his eyes open. "Nn, why are you wet?"

"I don't feel good." Zim groaned, attaching himself to the human rather needily.

This had Dib bolting up right in an instant. Zim was sick? Did irkens even get sick!? What could he do, the doctors didn't know anything about irken illness! "What do you mean?"

Zim kicked the covers off a little, trying to get cool. "My head hurts... and my stomach."

"Is there anything I can get you?" Dib asked, putting a hand to Zim's forehead. Irkens were naturally hotter than humans because of their paks, but this was bad, even for Zim.

"S-something sweet?" Zim asked, peering up at Dib lazily. "I think it might be low blood sugar."

"This is what happens when irkens' blood sugar gets low?" Dib asked, almost breathing a sigh of relief. Zim nodded and Dib smiled, saying, "Yes, yes I'll go get you something sweet." And with that he was up and rushing to get a piece of cake and soda or something just as unhealthy for humans.

Zim was right. He instantly felt better after eating sugary snacks, his fever vanishing and his head and stomach settling how they were supposed to. He snuggled Dib, a smile on his face. "Thanks."

Dib beamed, petting Zim's antennae back and kissing the top of his head. "I have to keep you around, I like you too much."

"Too much, really?" Zim teased, nibbling on Dib's neck a little.

"No, no, I take that back. WAY too much. It's almost unhealthy how much I like you."

Zim scoffed. "And I say you don't like me enough."

"Oh yeah?" Dib asked, smirking.

"Yeah." Zim said, looking up at Dib. "I don't believe you like me as much as you say you do."

"I say I do." Dib said, kissing Zim's cheek.

Zim smirked. "Prove it."