A/N: Slightly AU, set after the series.

005. friends

You said it would be better if we just stayed friends.

There may be a fine line between like and love, but sometimes it's more like a thread. Zim had himself convinced that he knew Dib inside and out, after all they had been after each other for years on end. But now, the Irken was starting to feel he was after the human boy in a completely different kind of way. They had each gotten older, they had each matured in their own ways. It was almost routine to be chasing after each other and then just stop short of actually doing any harm.

It just happened to be one day they were in this sort of situation when Dib finally stopped and looked at him.

"Why do we even bother any more? We both know we don't actually want to do this any longer. It's been ten years, Zim."

Zim looked at him and shrugged in a resigned sort of manner. "You're right, as usual, Dib-worm. It has been ten of your Earth years, and here we still are, fighting and yet neither of us ever win. It is pointless, logically. But in all honesty, I feel I'd have nothing else to do without you around."

"I've known that all along. After all, I feel the same way." Dib looked almost sad. "I just thought we might be able to do something more productive with our time. Or at least, something better than this."

"Like what exactly?"

"I don't know. Discover supernatural things, hack government websites, go to concerts, watch movies, play video games. I dunno. Whichever sounds fun to you."

"Fun ... fun, hm? Well, they all sound rather amusing, though some seem to have little usefulness in them to my mission. But maybe we mightaswell try to do something else."

It was from that point on that they had something of friendship. Yet, when Zim returned home, he spent most of his nights attempting to figure out what the odd sensations were that he seemed to get around Dib when they having 'fun' together. Logically, he couldn't piece together a good solution, and figured it was just a chemical reaction taking place from too much time spent on Earth, among all the humans and their impossible ideas of romance and love.

One night, he awoke and found that he had fallen asleep on the sofa next to Dib. They had been watching a movie. Now nothing was on the screen but static. Zim looked over and found the boy curled up against him. Looking down, he had the irresistible urge to press his lips to Dib's. Shaking his head gently, he thought maybe he could just ignore it, but the emotion just grew stronger as he gazed down at his friend.

He shifted very quietly and leaned over, kissing Dib gently. The boy didn't awake though. Zim pulled away and let his head drop against the sofa's soft back. He couldn't even figure out why he had done that, but he was glad Dib hadn't woken up. And he hated to admit it, but he liked the feeling of being so close to the boy, it made him feel something he hadn't before. As time went on, he found he longed to relive that one fleeting moment of inner peace again.

Zim thought he knew Dib well enough to predict his answer scientifically, so he didn't hesitate in talking the situation over with him. He rationally explained his newfound emotions and admitted to kissing Dib and wanting to again. But it turned out he was all wrong. Dib turned pale, he seemed nervous and upset. Instead, he simply said: "I think it would be better if we just stayed friends."

The human boy left that day. And Zim did see him again, but not in the way he wanted and never again in the way it had been. They simply said hello and then went on their different ways. Soon the Irken stopped bothering to come out of his house. He was left alone, curled up on his sofa. He hated love. He hated friendship. What was wrong with these humans and why did they seem to cause this pain to each other over and over? It just didn't seem worth it. The only thought that kept going through his mind was one sentence.

Tell me then, what kind of friends never talk?