A/N: Hey, you guys. Sorry for the delay in getting this next chapter up. I'm doing surprisingly much better now though. Recently started working full-time at my job, which means updates may be slow in nature for a while, not that that's anything new. Considering they were already slow to begin with, I guess that's not much of an excuse for my inactivity. XD Either way, I'll try to keep up a semi-regular update schedule from now on. At least one new chapter a month, if not more. May not be what you all want to hear from me, but at least it's something.

As slow as this story may be coming along, I do intend to finish it. So please bear with me in the meantime. A chapter a month should be able to hold you all over until I get back into the swing of things. And, of course, this isn't my only available ZADR story worth reading. Sass and I are still working slowly but surely on "Dib Is Sick" (We updated chapter 86 a week or so back for those who didn't notice), and my story with The5000livi, "Cabin Fever," is in full swing with slightly longer, more in-character chapters than what you may be used to reading from me. So please feel free to check those works out also.

Sorry once again for the slow updatage, but that's about the amount I can manage at the moment between other creative projects and work. Will be sure to let you guys know if this changes anytime in the near future. :) Please enjoy this chapter update in the meantime. ^^

ZADR Orange Chapter 178

Warnings: Extreme OOCness

Rating: M for later chapters

Disclaimer: We do not own Invader Zim, nor any of the characters from it. We do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Zim: Notgonnadie

Dib: Me

Enjoy. =3

The next morning, Dib didn't wake up until close to noon, the sun shining in through the window his only wake-up call. He blinked his eyes open once, and then a second time, before sitting himself up slowly. Zim was gone, having gotten up at least two hours before him. Figuring the other had just decided to let him sleep in, he slowly pushed himself up from the bed and pulled on his clothes from the night before. Heading for the stairs that would take him down to the kitchen, he then heard a few voices as he approached, Zim's among them. He entered the kitchen where Rose and Lily had a laptop set up at the table in front of the Irken. They stood behind the chair Zim was sitting at, pointing at the screen as they discussed something he assumed had to do with preparations for the wedding, Kira and Blaze meanwhile sitting across from them, enjoying their breakfasts.

"Are you sure THAT is the best option?"

"Well, this is a small wedding. And having it there would allow you and Dib time to visit the place and see how you like it. But it's ultimately up to you. I'm only suggesting it because of how close to home it is. You could have a wedding set up there in only a few months, and I know how badly you want to have it before the smeets arrive. It's really a beautiful spot though. And you wouldn't have to worry about decorations too much. It's small enough that it doesn't need that many."

"Hmmm…I guess it depends on what Dib wants."

Standing back in the doorway unnoticed as they continued to discuss where they wanted to have the wedding, Dib jumped a bit when someone bumped into him from behind.

"Hey!" Stella looked up from the game she had been playing. "Don't just stand in the middle of the doorway like that!" she shuffled past Dib moodily, looking more than a little bit tired.

Standing back out of her way as she continued her way into the kitchen, Dib then glared slightly at her backside. "Why don't YOU watch where you're going?" his antennae fell back, not in the mood for her attitude.

"Well, maybe if you and your little boyfriend had kept it down last night, I would have!" Stella shot back her own glare before making her way over to take a seat at the kitchen table to eat her own late breakfast.

Not having realized anybody had been able to hear them last night, Dib instantly blushed at those words.

Zim looked up at the ruckus. "Ah, Dib! Good morning, love." he smiled wide when he saw his hybrid hovering by the entrance to the kitchen.

Fidgeting in his spot a bit now, Dib shifted his flustered gaze back to Zim when the Irken addressed him from his spot at the table. "M-Morning..." he replied back before then shifting his gaze back and forth between Rose and Lily, who were both smiling back at him. He blushed even more, dropping his gaze back down to his feet shyly.

Zim pulled up a chair next to him. "Come on, you can help." he patted the seat next to him insistently.

"H-Help?" Dib repeated back the word, making his way hesitantly into the kitchen to take a seat at the table next to Zim. "H-Help with what?" he then asked, looking at the laptop, which had a number of pictures pulled up of different locations, indoor and out, that weddings could take place in.

"Wedding preparations."

"B-But I...I don't really..." Dib looked to Rose for help. If there was one thing he knew absolutely nothing about, this was it.

Rose just smiled at him, able to read his expression clearly but not wanting to take this part of the wedding preparations away from him.

Smiling at Dib's obvious nervousness, Zim nuzzled him. "Whatever you want is fine with Zim." he said in a soft voice just barely above a whisper, wanting their wedding to be nothing short of perfect for the other.

Dib just shrunk down in his seat a bit as he stared at the abundance of pictures on the screen. This was worse than shopping for clothes with Rose. He had no idea what he wanted out of this. Anything would be fine really, just so long as he was with Zim.

"I figured something small would be just perfect for you two. What do you think, Dib?"

"O-Okay..." Dib nodded his head sheepishly when Rose finally spoke up, just to give him a tiny push in the right direction. Rose had a point though. He really didn't want something too big. If anything, he wanted only those closest to them to attend, though he was doubtful as to whether he could convince his sister to come.

Zim nodded at that suggestion and clicked off several larger sites.

"I was just showing Zim this one site that I think would be perfect for the both of you. It's small, perfect for a wedding, close to home, and really easy to book." Rose pointed at the one spot she had been showing Zim before he came in. "And the place is already beautiful. So we wouldn't need to do too much in the way of decorating. But it's up to you and Zim." she said, not wanting to push on the subject too much so as to make either of them feel like they had to go along with her suggestion alone.

Looking over the place Rose was pointing to, a rather beautiful and peaceful-looking flower garden, Dib tried to imagine them having it there. "W-Well, what do you think of it?" he asked, looking over at Zim.

Not wanting to admit how much he liked the flowers, Zim merely shrugged. "Zim is fine with whatever you want." he said again, determined to keep this purely Dib's choice.

Nodding his head slowly, Dib looked back at the picture. "I-It's really nice...I think...I think it would make for a really nice place to hold the ceremony...B-But I want you to like it too." he stared back at Zim expectantly, wanting to hear the other's input about it first before making any final decisions.

Rose leaned in forward again. "Just think about it, Zim. We could get Dib a really nice dress to wear, perhaps one that would match the flowers in this picture. Wouldn't you like to see Dib come down the aisle with a matching dress to go along with these?" she pointed to an area that showcased several lovely white and pink roses.

Blushing at those words, Zim looked away momentarily. "It's nice." he said quickly so as not to give any indication as to how much he actually liked it.

Dib's face fell a bit at the lack of enthusiasm in Zim's voice. "You...You don't really like it, do you?" his antennas drooped unintentionally, having thought Zim would be a little more excited about planning this. But overall, he seemed more distant than anything, like he had been back when they had been picking out new clothes for him. "Would you rather we just did this at your base?" he then asked, thinking maybe somewhere less public would be better for such an occasion.

"What?! NO! I like it!" Zim blushed and sighed, glancing at the two females and Dib before returning his gaze back to the floor. "Zim loves flowers..." he forced out between grit teeth, half-expecting them all to break out into laughter at such an embarrassing confession.

"I just...don't want to be the only one planning this...I want you to like whatever we decide to do too. Not leave it all up to me. B-Because...This isn't just my wedding...This is OUR wedding..." Dib blushed himself but otherwise kept his gaze focused on Zim completely.

"I like it, Dib…I think we should do it there."

"A-And would you like that I match the location? O-Or did you have something different in mind for what you'd like to see me wearing?" Dib kept his gaze fixed on his lap as he fidgeted in his seat slightly, Rose's earlier comment having caught his interest now as he tried to imagine himself in such a wedding dress.

A/N: And there you have it for Chapter 178. Until next time~