Zim felt...different after the festival.

Nothing about his form had changed (unfortunately), and everyone else seemed to be acting the same, but...something was different inside of him. His thoughts felt weird.

Whenever he tried to come up with schemes to dominate the land, he found himself instead wanting to research with Dib. And before he would know it, his feet would take him to the human, and hours would pass without him even realizing it.

Plus, whenever Dib laughed or smiled or became excited or passionate about something, it made all of Zim's insides flutter. And he couldn't blame the cotton candy—several days had passed since the festival, more than enough for an illness caused by it to have worn off.

His solution? Find more ways to insult the Dib or deride his activities.

…of course, then Dib would counter with insults of his own, and the two of them would start bantering. Which also led to that fluttering feeling in Zim's guts.

"Zim? Zim!" Dib said. Zim blinked, bringing his focus back to the present. He and the Membranes were eating an early dinner of pizza—Gaz with meat lovers', and Dib and Zim with cheese, while Gir munched on breadsticks coated with sauce. A dessert pizza was waiting off to the side.

"What now, worm?" Zim sneered, stealing a slice off of Dib's plate. He had been so focused on trying to find the source of his symptoms that he had blocked out the human's voice.

Dib gave him an annoyed look and grabbed another slice of pizza from the box. "I was saying it looks like you'll have the house to yourself for a few hours tonight."

"Eh?" His antennae perked up.

"I'm going to the arcade for the Vampire Piggy Slayer Competition," Gaz said. "Taking everyone else out won't take long, but it still gives me an excuse to check out what games they have around here."

"And I'm going to rent a rowboat and tour the bayou nearby," Dib said. "So…try not to burn the house down while we're out."

"You cannot tell Zim what to do!" Still, the gears in his head began to turn. The humans were leaving him alone in their unguarded abode…

Finally! Zim grinned wickedly, though he quickly took a bite out of his pizza to hide it. With the Gaz-human and Dib-human both gone, he could execute one of his brilliant plans, and neither would be able to stop him!

...though he couldn't immediately think of which plan he should use.

Actually, it had been so long since he worked on his plans that none of them truly felt feasible.

Perhaps he could watch a movie with Gir? It would send the little crab over the moon if he joined him, but…Zim scowled. If he heard any more Dizney songs, he might finally explode in frustration.

He grumbled quietly to himself as he polished off his pizza. Dib apparently heard him. "Something wrong?"

"Other than your large head? No," Zim responded. "I'm just, eh…plotting which of my many schemes to work on while your stupid human eyes aren't peering at me."

"Mhmm." Dib took a piece of the dessert pizza. "Just as long as your scheming doesn't lead to you burning down the house. Or the town."

"You still cannot tell Zim what to do!" Zim snatched the dessert out of his hand. Dib rolled his eyes and grabbed another.

They finished eating, and once the dishes were cleaned and the leftovers were put away, both of the humans left the house. Zim stared at the front door for a few moments, playing with the hem of his shirt, before huffing and turning on his heel, marching to the bathroom.

"Now that they're gone, we can finally get some work done here, Gir!" he said, gesturing to the wall full of drawings.

"Yes!" Gir climbed up the wall, pulled a drawing out of his can, and slapped it against the wall. The paper was extremely crumpled…and it featured a drawing of Zim and Dib sitting at a table with hearts surrounding them. "How are you gonna ask Mary out on a date?"

Zim screeched, tearing the drawing off the wall and crumpling it up once again. "I told you to burn this, Gir! Before the humans see it and get any wrong ideas!" He tossed the wadded-up ball of paper at the crab.

Gir just shoved it back into his shell. "Aww…but you really, really like Mary, Master! And you'd be cute together!"

Zim growled, closing his eyes and rubbing at his temples. "Telling you about my mysterious symptoms was a mistake."

"No, it wasn't! I know exactly what caused 'em!"

Zim growled again, a little louder. "Your assessment is completely incorrect!" He sighed, then waved the crab off. "Just…go watch TV until I call for you."

"Okay!" Gir happily scuttled off and into the living room. Zim huffed, turning to look back at all of his brilliant schemes. He could at least gather the resources for some of them…

But none of them seemed appealing to focus on. He tapped his foot, antennae twitching. Whenever he felt stuck like this over the past few weeks, he would go bother Dib. That usually got his creative spark back.

…though it took him a while to actually get back to plotting.

Still, he left the bathroom with a sigh. "Ugh, curse that Dib, leaving me alone to be frustrated with my stalled plans!" he complained, pacing behind the couch. "And Gaz, too, I suppose. Yes, curse both of them for leaving me alone!"

"I'm here, Master!"

Zim reached over the couch to pat the top of Gir's head. "Yes, you are, Gir. Still, curse them for leaving us alone here!"

"…Mary's probably not far away," Gir said slyly.

Zim huffed and continued to pace. "What does it matter? He'd rather float in a pathetic human vessel than learn about the greatness of the Merken Empire. Let him drift and get lost—justice for leaving Zim behind!"

The room was silent, aside from the show Gir had chosen to watch. Zim's antennae twitched, and he clenched and unclenched his fists a few times as he paced faster and faster.

It wasn't long before he growing frustration reached a fever pitch, and he let out a wordless scream, throwing his hands up into the air.

"That's it, I'm going to go after him!" Zim declared, quickly throwing on his disguise and rushing out the front door. "Gir, don't expose yourself to humans."

"Yes, Master!" he chirped. "Hurry to your boyfriend!"

Zim slammed the front door with more force than what was probably necessary, clicking a few angry things to himself in his native tongue. Why did Gir insist on such ridiculous things!?

Dib couldn't help but sigh in relief after he had left the house. He took his time walking to the bayou, staring out at the ocean.

Ever since the festival, things felt slightly different between him and Zim. They both acted the same—still researching together, often insulting each other or bantering—but the merken had been spending more time with him. That made a warm, light feeling settle in Dib's stomach.

Sometimes he noticed Zim staring at him, too, without even seeming to realize what he was doing. The attention made him confused, and a little flustered, but...good.

It couldn't have just been due to his realization that he enjoyed Zim's company, could it?

At least he had the rest of his walk alone to mull over the situation. He already had a couple of hypotheses to consider—

Rapid footsteps from behind made him pause, glancing over his shoulder. To his surprise, Zim was jogging after him, grumbling and huffing about feet all the way. As soon as he spotted Dib, his disguised eyes gleamed in determination, and he moved a little faster.

Zim skidded to a halt, slamming into his side. Dib wobbled on his feet, but managed to keep his balance, and placed his hands on Zim's shoulders to keep him from falling over, too.

"Zim? What's wrong?" he asked. "…wait…you didn't actually set the house on fire, did you?" He didn't see any smoke in the air, but that didn't exactly soothe his worries.

"Nothing so serious, Dib-thing," Zim responded, reaching up and brushing Dib's hands off of his shoulders. Dib ignored the tingling sensation the skin-on-skin contact caused. "I've simply decided to grace your little trip with my presence."

"…you got bored by yourself, didn't you?"

Zim scowled, then huffed and nodded. "Let Zim accompany you. I demand it."

Dib sighed, slicking back his cowlick. He had been hoping for a little time alone to figure out what was going on between him and Zim…but he wouldn't deny that it might be fun to be around Zim for this trip, too. And there was nothing stopping him from thinking about the latest weirdness while Zim was around.

"Alright, you can come," he decided. Zim beamed up at him, and trailed behind him as Dib headed to the bayou. It didn't take too long for them to arrive, or for Dib to rent a rowboat big enough for the two of them.

"Ready?" Dib asked as they carried the boat to the water's edge. Zim warily eyed the water. "It's brackish water, but not technically the ocean."

He noted with interest that Zim relaxed slightly. Hmm. "Zim is always ready, human."

"Okay. Just don't complain about it if you end up being bored," Dib scolded as he shoved the boat into the water.

Zim scoffed, quickly hopping into the boat and making himself comfortable. "Please. Zim isn't some smeet that constantly needs entertainment."

Dib rolled his eyes and rowed them out into the bayou.

"This is boring. I'm bored," Zim complained.

Dib suppressed a sigh, though he did roll his eyes. They hadn't even been out on the water very long—no more than half an hour. He had rowed them to one of the deeper parts of the bayou. The water was calm and emerald green, and muddy banks full of marsh grass and willow trees weren't far from them. Fireflies flitted in the still air.

"You know...most people don't get the chance to spend time in a place like this," he said, pausing and looking around. They were the only ones out...perhaps because of how expensive boat rentals were. "It's...special. Almost magical, even."

Zim snorted, staring out across the water. "Ugh. I can't believe you humans find a place like this special." He gestured around them. "I mean, look at this! So flat and calm and boring."

"It's peaceful!" Dib argued. "And it's close to the ocean, don't you like that?"

Zim grimaced. "Peaceful is boring," he declared. "And there's nothing exciting about the ocean, or this, when I can't really swim in it." Before Dib could ask about what that meant, he added, "Why are we out here again, mud-boy?"

"To relax, and also maybe find a river nymph," Dib said. "I know it's not technically a river, but I feel pretty good about our chances!"

The merken snorted. "Please. If those existed, merkens would be the first to find them. You're searching for nothing."

"Well, you didn't have to come, did you?" Dib countered.

"And stay in that boring, empty dirt hovel? Ugh, no!"

"Whatever!" Dib huffed and continued to row. "Look, just keep quiet unless you see or hear something, okay?" He began to scan the water.

Zim huffed and pouted as he glared at the Dib. Why bother searching for a fake cryptid when a far superior merken was sitting just across from him? He was tempted to start making noise just to irritate the human.

"There you see him. Sitting there across the way. He don't got a lot to say, but there's something about him…"

Zim's antennae twitched under his wig. "What was that?"

"Hmm?" Dib turned to him and raised an eyebrow. "What?"

"And you don't know why, but you're dying to try. You want to kiss the boy…"

"That!" Zim said. The voice was soft, but he could still clearly hear it.

Dib huffed, giving him an annoyed look. "Zim, I don't hear anything. Just…let me know if something actually happens, okay?"

"Yes, you want him. Look at him, you know you do."

Zim snorted and rolled his eyes as Dib continued to scan the water. If the human insisted on being deaf, so be it.

"Possible he wants you, too. There's one way to ask him…"

Wait a moment. He recognized that voice. His antennae kept twitching, and he turned in the boat, peering down into the water.

Gir was paddling along in their wake, positively beaming at him. He opened his mouth to sing, "It don't take a word, not a single word! Go on and kiss the boy…"

"Hush, Gir!" Zim hissed under his breath, pressing a finger to his lips. Gir's grin only widened, and his quiet singing grew just a little louder.

"Sha la la la la la, my oh my! Look like the boy too shy, ain't gonna kiss the boy!"

Zim huffed, rolling his eyes and turning away, antennae flattening against his skull to try and ignore the noise. Ugh, now he recognized it from one of those Dizney movies Gir had gotten so attached to.

"Sha la la la la la, ain't that sad? Ain't it a shame? Too bad, he gonna miss the boy…"

Wait, this song…Zim coughed, feeling heat rise in his face. He recalled this song, the lyrics encouraging the two humans in the boat to kiss. Why, why would Gir chose to sing it, and right now of all times!?

"Now's your moment. Floating in a blue lagoon."

Dib's brow furrowed, and he tilted his head. "Is that…singing?"

"Boy you better do it soon, no time will be better."

Zim grimaced. Just great, now/the human heard it. "I hear nothing," he lied, a snide edge to his voice.

"He don't say a word, and he won't say a word, until you kiss the boy…"

Dib narrowed his eyes. "…is your face blue?" Zim growled and lowered his face, trying to hide his growing blush.

"Sha la la la la la, don't be scared, you got the mood prepared! Go on and kiss the boy!"

"Silence, Gir!" Zim hissed under his breath. Dib was tilting his head and listening more closely to the singing…and his eyes widened when he recognized the song. Oh, no.

"Sha la la la la la, don't stop now! Don't try to hide it how you want to kiss the boy!"

Dib's face was starting to turn red. "Wha…who…?"

"Gir," Zim petulantly mumbled, nodding to the wake behind them.

"Sha la la la la la, float along! And listen to the song! The song say kiss the boy!"

Dib's face was now completely red, and Zim's was almost fully blue. Dib quickly let go of the oars to try and hide his face in his hands.

"Sha la la la la la, the music play! Do what the music say! You got to kiss the boy."

Zim cackled at Dib's reaction. There was a human word for how he looked when he was flustered…what was it again?

"You've got to kiss the boy."

Ah, right…cute. He'd probably grow even cuter if Zim listened to the song and kissed him…

Zim's face turned a brighter blue. Where had…when did he…why did he think that!?

"You want to kiss the boy."

"No, I don't," he mumbled under his breath. Liar, another part of him hissed.

"You've gotta kiss the boy."

Zim suddenly stood up, making the boat wobble. "Wha…? Zim?" Dib asked, finally looking up.

"Silence," Zim growled, placing his hands on Dib's shoulders. It seemed there was only one way to get Gir (and that other tiny part of him) to shut up.

"Go on and kiss the boy…"

Dib was staring at him with wide eyes, his face still fully red. Zim's hands trembled on his shoulders, and his tongue quickly flicked out to moisten his dry lips. He knew instinctively what he had to do, his whole body screaming out for him to do it, do it, do it!

He lunged forward, slamming his lips against Dib's.

"Mmph!" The human's eyes widened in surprise, his face turning a brighter red as he let go of the oars. Zim felt a rush of pride…and then, for a split second, the pull of gravity.

His sudden movement, combining with Dib flinching back in surprise, caused the boat to flip over on the two of them, sending them both splashing into the water.

Zim began to trash and flail, pushing Dib away from him and smacking against the boat that was now over his head. The muscles of his neck twitched as he tried to use gills that refused to open.

Then, an arm suddenly wrapped itself around his chest, pulling him out from under the boat and then to the surface. Zim gasped for air once he had breached it, glancing down at his torso. He followed the pale arm back to the human it belonged to—Dib, who seemed equal parts flustered, confused, and annoyed.

"What was that about?" he asked, shaking his head and causing droplets ftom his hair to spray everywhere.

"…this land-form is terrible for swimming!" Zim declared. "If I was my true self, I would have been the one to pull you out. Again."

"Okay, but what about…before," Dib said. His face was turning redder. "The, uh, what you did before knocking over the boat. That."

Zim felt his face grow warmer. He averted his eyes and saw that Gir was perched on their overturned boat, bouncing up and down in excitement as he watched the two of them. "I tripped," he quickly lied. "That's all. Nothing more."

Gir let out a loud, painful screech of displeasure. Dib grimaced, and Zim's antennae flattened back. "GIR! Stop that!" Zim snapped.

"Noooo!" Gir cried. "Tell him! Tell him! Tell him!" He continued to repeat this ad nauseam, voice growing louder and higher in pitch.

"Just say what he wants to hear so he'll stop, Zim!" Dib yelled over his shouting.

"Fine! FINE!" Zim snapped. "Zim attempted to perform the human kissing with the Dib! Now SILENCE, Gir!"

"Okay!" Gir chirped, sticking his tongue out and becoming silent. Both Dib and Zim sighed in relief.

Dib adjusted his hold on Zim and paddled over to the boat, sighing as he leaned against it. Zim crawled on top, sitting next to Gir. "We're going to have to push this to shore before we can flip it the right way, I think?"

"What do you mean 'we', Dib-servant?" Zim sneered, tucking his legs close. Dib scowled up at him.

"Ugh. You try to kiss me, and you still want to act like a jerk?" he said. He began to push the boat to the bank.

"…I only said that I made that attempt to appease Gir," Zim lied. "You have no proof that wasn't the case."

Dib clicked his tongue. "Well. If you're not interested, I guess that means I…" His face started to turn red, and he looked away. "I won't try to kiss you when we're on land again."

Zim's eyes widened, and his antennae nearly flung off his wig as they tried to perk erect. "…you want to kiss Zim?"

"I never said that," Dib said. His face was still flushed, but his smile was extremely smug. "Just that since you aren't interested, I won't."

"But…if you would kiss Zim, that means you want to!"

"Maybe. But since I won't, I guess neither of us will ever know."

Zim growled to himself, reaching under his wig to grip at his antennae in frustration. "Zim demands you do the kissing!"

Dib stopped swimming, leaning against the boat and glaring up at him. "I don't think you're in a good position to demand anything right now," he stated. "I could just leave you out here on the boat."

Zim glared. "Don't you dare, human."

"And honestly, Zim…all you have to do is admit what you were doing on the boat, and I might kiss you."

Zim scowled, turning away and stroking his chin. Dib slowly continued to push the boat forward until he beached it on the muddy bank. "There," he said, climbing out of the water. "Now, do you have anything to say, Zim?"

Zim knew that admitting what he wanted to do would be exposing a form of weakness, a desire. Yet…he had wanted to kiss the human. And a part of him still very much wanted to, that brief moment not enough to sate his curiosity.

"…Gir goaded me with his singing and made me wanted to kiss you," he finally said. "And so, I made an attempt." He hopped off the boat and stood in front of Dib, cleaning his neck up. "Well?"

"You're sure you want this?" Dib asked, a teasing lilt to his voice.

Zim growled, grabbing the human's shirt and pulling. "GIVE! GIVE TO ZIM!"

"Alright, fine!" With that, Dib quickly bent down and pressed his lips against the merken's. Zim's eyes widened, his grip on the human's shirt slowly loosening.

The human's lips were rough and cracked, scratching against his own, but they were also soft and warm. It filled his body with a tingling sensation, making something in his chest twist pleasantly as warmth spread through his body.

As for Dib…the merken's lips were soft and smooth, though not in the way he expected human lips to be soft. It felt like they were covered in fine scales. Behind those lips, he could feel the indents of his sharp fangs. Kissing Zim thrilled him, sending excited shivers through his body.

Neither noticed the tiny pulse of pink light at Zim's chest.

Dib slowly pulled away, smirking when he saw Zim's slack-jawed expression. "Happy now?"

"…disgusting," Zim declared. "Do it again."

"Once we get the boat back in the water," Dib said, shooing Gir off of it and straining to lift up the boat. Zim watched for a few seconds before approaching, grabbing the edge of the boat, and easily flipping it upright.

"There!" he said, finishing by pushing the boat back into the water. Dib quickly placed a foot in it before it could drift far away. He held a hand out to Zim, hoisting him up and into the boat before stepping in himself. Gir climbed in alongside them.

"Well…I think finding a river nymph here is kind of a bust," Dib sighed as he took the oars.

"Zim could have told you that. Zim did tell you that."

"And it's getting late, so we should probably head back." He began to row back to the mouth of the bayou. Zim shifted, sliding over until he was leaning against the human's side.

He pressed his weight against Dib, leaning his head into the crook of his neck and looking up at him expectantly. Dib glanced down and smiled. "You still want something?"

"Yes," Zim said, grabbing his collar and yanking him down, bringing the human's lips onto his own. This kiss lasted longer than the first two, and they both dared to press a little closer to each other.

It would be a while until they arrived at the beach house…since this wouldn't be the last time they stole a kiss from the other along the way.

Meanwhile, deep, deep in the ocean, farther than any human had ever been, a large crystal orb flashed with a pink light, Zim briefly appearing on its surface, drawing close to the blurry image of a human.

The small group of merkens in charge of watching it began to murmur amongst each other. "Should we tell the Tallest?" one asked. Just as quickly as it appeared, the image vanished, and the orb was blank.

Still, with even the smallest hint of Zim…they continued to debate on how soon the Tallest should be told of the phenomenon.