" Ugh! I don't want to wear this."

" Suck it up Dib, it's picture day."

" Well I don't want to suck it up!"

[M/N] sighs as he combs Dib's hair a bit, making the cowlick tuck back a bit which bothered Dib a lot since he hated his cowlick being pulled back and pushed down by gel. The two smaller Membranes were wearing nicer clothes that Mateo thought would make the two nicer for their pictures. Dib a nice set of clothes, white button up shirt, black vest, fennel bowtie and dark pants, he still wore his black boots. Gaz wore a dark purple dress that matched her hair, black flats and matching tights under the dress with black pearls around her neck. She looked beautiful and Dib looked nice, for once.

" You can undo it once your picture is done, little smeet." [M/N] said poking Dib's nose with the brush, Dib rubs his nose with a grin, " Now come on, the bus wi-" There were several honks outside and [M/N] opens the door just as the kids raced outside with their bags and lunches. They waved as [M/N] waved back with a smile. Once the door closed, [M/N] began cleaning up the mess the kids had made before they left. He picked up their empty cereal bowls and began washing them with warm water and soap only to stop when Foodie-o beeps and looked to the robot.

" Sorry to disturb you Sir," The food robot said, rolling over and opens the microwave showing a brown bag. " but my Master, Membrane, he had left his lunch in a hurry early this morning. I'm sure he could get a lunch at his place of work but he tends to forget." Foodie-o fretted at the idea of his master not eating at all. [M/N] only nods his head agreeing, and takes the brown bag. " Don't worry, I'll take it too him, he must be famished by now."

[M/N] held it as he moved outside, locking the door before hailing a cab that came up, " Membrane Labs, down town." The driver grunts before beginning the long drive there. [M/N] smiling despite something twisting in his gut, he shook the feeling off but his squeedlyspooch felt weird, warm and dizzy but he tried to ignore the feeling. [M/N] watched as they passed cars, trees, buildings and such before arriving. Holding the lunch, he paid the driver and made his way inside. The guards let him through, he had been here a few times to drop off dinner or come visit him when Mateo wasn't doing something dangerous.

[M/N] pressed the button and he went up, humming along with the music. Once he was on Mateo's floor, he began walking out and noticed the looks of shock and sadness the co-workers displayed around [M/N]. He didn't understand really, maybe Mateo was in a horrible mood?

Thank the Almighty Tallest that [M/N] brought him lunch now.

[M/N] opens the door and his smile falters, inside was a woman with purple hair that reminded him so much of Gaz, she had pale skin and her head was kinda big too. They break apart from the hug and Mateo looked down at her with the type of admiration and love that the man shown [M/N]. He knew it, he could feel it burn down his neck. [M/N] didn't like it.

" Mateo, Dear." Both looked towards [M/N] and Mateo retracted his hands away from her waist and one on the woman's shoulder, her eyes gleam with some sort of emotion that made [M/N]'s PAK burn. Everything burned. " You've forgotten your lunch at home. I just wanted to bring it for you so that you wouldn't starve." [M/N] walked towards the taller human, eyeing the woman, she looked so much like Gaz it hurts, especially the color of her bright yellow shirt. Showed too much boobs. " Who are you?" [M/N] asked after shoving the brown bag into Mateo's chest.

" Oh, where are my manners-" She began and [M/N] shrugs, " No clue." She kept her smile and offered her hand to [M/N]. " I'm Paulene Gomez, I'm Gaz's mother." She said, practically purring out her title to [M/N] who felt annoyance grow on him fast. " I'm a good friend of Mateo's as well, we did go to high school and all, I was the head cheerleader and Student president." [M/N] kept staring at her to say something that will picked his interest, " Who are you?" She asked, blue eyes gleaming.

" [M/N] [L/N]," The Tallest said, arms crossed and stared at her. No smile on his lips or happy gleam in his usual [E/C] eyes. " Mateo's boyfriend-lover."

"Ah, I see," She said glancing at Mateo who tugged at his collar a bit when her gaze landed on him. " Well, I've finally came home to realize my career in the arts can be on hold for something more important." Her eyes gazed locked with [M/N] who waited, though he didn't like the sound of that not at all. " I'm ready to be a mother to my daughter and my step-son."

That took the breath out of his squeedlyspooch, this woman was his replacement, this woman who never talked or called the human smeets was here to replace him. This couldn't be, she couldn't and [M/N] didn't want to be replaced by her. The kids won't allow her, they couldn't.

" Well, Maybe we could work something out." Mateo said, rubbing his neck as he noticed the male was frozen in shock. They would need to talk, about this. " It was nice seeing you here Paulene."

" It has been, Mateo." She said, gently taking his hand in hers and gave it a squeeze. His heart fluttering a bit, " Call me okay? I want to see my baby and get to know Dib." She said and pressed a kiss to Mateo's gloved one, a bit of purple lipstick on it. Usually he would wipe something like that off but he couldn't. " Late, nice meeting you." Her shoulders brushed against [M/N]'s who stared at her leave, hips swaying. Once the door was closed, [M/N] looked at Mateo, lost.


" [M/-"
" Am I being replaced? Did I do something wrong?" [M/N] quickly cut of Mateo, as he looked at him, eyes wide and lost. He didn't know what he did and wanted to know. " I swear, I thought I did everything perfectly, is it because that one time I accidentally asked the waiter for ice water instead of wine? Or I hit your foot that one time with my foot?"

" [M/N] calm down," Mateo tried to sooth the other, rubbing his back a bit. " You're not being replaced, if anything you're being promoted."

" What? I don't want it, I want to be with the children." [M/N] quickly disagreed, he didn't want to be promoted and be taken away to watch other children than his own. " please don't send me away."

" Honey," Mateo soothed and gently lifted [M/N]'s chin up and the Irken stopped his panicked rambling and stared into the other's amber eyes. " You're not going anywhere, I'm not separating you from The children. if anything, I want you around them more, I want you to stay close to them and myself." Mateo said, and [M/N] felt his cheeks burn, " don't panic anymore, I wouldn't dream of separating you from my kids."

" But, I thought she wanted to be their mother.." [M/N] said, lump in his throat becoming unbearable. " She wants them now."

" She should've want Gaz then, she lost her chance." Mateo said, pressing a clothed kiss against [M/N]'s temple, [M/N] chuckled thinking the action was cute. " Until the law says, I won't let her take my kids or see them unless they are comfortable." Mateo may have loved Paulene when they were younger, but he couldn't let her walk over him, all he needed was a hug and let her talk, then he knew she wanted something, Money perhaps?


" Good, Good," [M/N] said as he stared into those amber orbs he adored. " I love your kids, they are mine now."

" They're yours?" Mateo asked, teasing as [M/N] nods his head stubbornly, a pout on his lips. " You're so cute, honey."

" I'm serious." [M/N] said, as he stared upwards at Mateo, gently tugging his hand off his chin and waited. " The promotion then?"

" Ah, Yes-" Mateo said as he pulled [M/N]'s hands in his own, " I would like you to move in with me." [M/N] blinked a bit, staring at the other with wide eyes again, mouth parted. " Ah, shock, well you see, I would like for you and Zim to move in with us, I understand if it may seem forward but I just feel better that I have you around more In my house without worrying that your family will find you. You talk about they're neglect on you and Zim, but I also want you around because..well..I'm a man of science and my beliefs are the core of my bod-"

" I love you too." [M/N] could tell what the other was trying to explain, he knew this had to be love. He loved Mateo, " and I would need to discuss with Zim about it but I believe we will both benefit if I were to move in as you say."

" Yes, I would-wait," Mateo stumbled and couldn't help but grin a bit from under his cowl. " You're really something, do you know that?"

" Is It something good?" [M/N] asked, as he tugged Mateo's cowl down towards him.

" Something very good," Mateo said as he undid the two buttons off his cowl to reveal his mouth. " We're gonna make out?"

" Yes, yes, on the desk."

" Alright."

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

" I am sorry My Tallest, the brain cream isn't working, it was suppose to be soaked through his gloves." Hera said, as she watched from the vent as both her Tallest and the tall human pressed their lips, watching with wide eyes. " Perhaps-"

" Silence." Red said, he was somewhere dark. " We gave you one job, one job to bring home [M/N], broken hearted so I could fix him. We've give you enough time and-"

" My Tallest-"

" SHUT UP!" Red snarled, voice echoing but it didn't make the couple stop. " You failed, you lost. Now I have to clean up your mess." Hera antennas went down and she watched him, " Go back to the massive and prepare for work as a drone, you're a hurried Invader, you're dismissed." Hera watched as her leader disappear in a flash and snarled, punching the metal wall as she left.

Red sighs, rubbing his skull and looked at the dirty red hair that his PAK made for him, His pale five finger hands looked weird too. He exited the alleyway and walked in the direction of Zim's base, his PAK tracking it. " It's time to come home yellow, I've been at the alter for far too long."