I think I need to blame myself for this one, because insanity is a fucked-up love of mine.

Inspired by Take Hold of My Spinning World and its 'sequel' Where you and I Collide by Hearts of Eternity. However, it's in the Transformers/Beast Wars fandom, so, unless you know the G1 'verse well, it will make no sense to you. Even then, she played with their backgrounds. (Decepticon Jazz is awesome.)

…line-break…

Insanity was a dear friend by now, something that had been there for as long as he could remember, a comfortable presence that blurred time and space and all else. It was that inner voice that drove him to ruin, to destroy.

Zim's world spun faster than most others, a multifaceted whirl of color and sound. Never slowing, never calming, just endless madness.

He was so much sharper, quicker, cleverer, better than everyone else

Then, he came.

A pitiful human child became Zim's focus; he was someone who wasn't afraid of the Irken. The human challenged him, didn't back down, and always had a trick up his sleeve. He paid attention to Zim, and they were all that mattered to the other.

It mattered not to Zim that this undiluted attention was hatred, all he cared about was that it belonged to him and him alone.

They grew older, the child matured, and their game got all the more deadly.

The Irken Empire knew Zim became more and more dangerous with each passing month.

Zim was an unstoppable tempest, impossible to contain or control.

Dib was an immovable barricade, resilient to any hit aimed in his direction.

One night, while the city slept around them, they collided.

…line-break…

It wasn't what one would expect, it didn't begin as a fight to the death, or even a fight between the two enemies. No, it was Dib getting beat up by two classmates.

They were dead before they hit the ground.

A pair of ruby eyes appeared before Dib, and a voice hissed, "You're at my mercy, human, and half-way to being broken. In an hour, you will no longer be a hindrance."

"Are you kill me?" the teen growled back.

"No. No, but soon you won't dare to cross me again."

"Go ahead and try, bastard."

Flesh was shredded and blood spilled that night, and Dib made no attempt to hide his agony. But. Every time Zim paused, he said, "Nice fucking try."

After the the third taunt, Zim hesitated. Why... Why was he seeing the world with a sharp clarity? Why weren't details blurred and bleeding into each other?

He left Dib barely alive and still strong-spirited, puzzling over this strange occurrence. Now that he though back, Zim realized that his mind cleared when around the human. The challenge the boy posed was all-encompassing, and new.

The Irken visited Dib in the hospital the next day. "You," Zim stated, "are like nothing I've ever encountered. I'm offering a... truce."

"Ya know, Zim, I think we can manage that. But, I have to ask... Why?"

"You slow it down."