Set at the end of "Cupid Sandiego." I realized while watching "Curses, Foiled Again" what a cute couple these two would make, though I shipped Zack/Maria. But after writing this, I really, really ship this pairing.
Zack stood off to the side of the dancefloor, trying not to let his obvious lack of a date take the self-assured smile off of his face. He was beginning to lose the fight when he felt a tap on his shoulder. He spun around to face a dark-skinned girl in yellow with a smile somehow both bashful and mischievous.
"Aileen!" he exclaimed. "I didn't realize you were at the conference."
"I just got here," she explained. "My family had a picnic yesterday."
"Oh," Zack replied lamely. Then, as it became clear that Aileen had nothing to add, he added awkwardly, "Do … you want to dance?"
She smiled back. "Why not?"
As they moved onto the floor to the sound of a Whitney Houston song, Zack caught Ivy's eye across the room. As she smirked, Zack knew exactly what she was thinking. Real smooth, little bro, her voice said sarcastically in his head.
He quickly forgot it, however, as he and Aileen spent the next three songs dancing together, even though they spoke little. As they left the floor and walked toward the punch table, Aileen spoke up. "So, what do you think of my dress?" she asked awkwardly, as if trying to make small talk but not knowing where to begin.
"I – well, I think it – I –" Zack stammered, almost unaware of why he was having trouble forming a sentence. His hand holding the ladle shook, splashing punch onto the floor.
"You're no better with punch than you are with making poi, are you?" Aileen asked with a joyful laugh.
"Hey, it's not my fault that I couldn't mash the kalo right! I was having bad luck!" Zack protested.
Aileen shook her head and giggled. "Ivy and Tatyanna tell me you're not that skilled with pop cans, either," she teased.
Zack blushed. "Well, maybe I'm kinda clumsy sometimes," he admitted.
"It's part of your charm," Aileen assured him.
Now he blushed even harder. "You think I have charm?"
"Lots," she replied with a small blush.
"Well, uh, thanks," Zack murmured. The two stood silent, drinking their punch for a moment, before Zack piped up again. "I think your dress is pretty," he said. "And hey, so are you," he added in his best nonchalant air.
Aileen grinned. "Thanks, Zack. I'm glad you think so."
Zack dropped his now-empty cup into a nearby wastebasket. "So, uh, do you want to dance again?" he suggested meekly.
"Or we could just talk," Aileen responded, a trace of shyness entering her normally confident tone.
"Oh. That'd be nice too," Zack said.
"We can always dance later," Aileen assured him.
Zack nodded dumbly. "Oh, yeah, that'd be good."
Aileen chuckled. "It sure would."