Once Zim had finally calmed, only keening mildly on the park bench where Dib had set him, the human had gone off to buy him a coffee. He could tell something was definately bothering the Irken, but he just assumed it was his new flood of feelings. The fact that Zim hadn't said a word had set him on edge, though. Zim had only responded to him with a quick nod or a hand gesture. The contsant screams had become a sort of accompaniment to the Irkens prescense. As obnoxious as it seemed, it was sorely missed, like part of Zim was missing. Quickly paying for the iced mocha, Dib walked back to the bench to see Zim with his knees drawn up to his chin, staring up up into the sky. He handed Zim the drink, who took it deflt, giving him a quick nod of appreciation. Concern was etched onto Dib's features as he sat beside him.

"Zim..." he began, "listen, you're probably confused and stuff but... you seem really really upset. Is something wrong?" Turning to face him he was shocked by Zims expression; he almost looked pained. He sighed softly and rested his head on the boy's shoulder, letting his eyes fall shut. "Zim, something's wrong," he said, this time being forceful. The only response he got was Zim leaning on him more, making no noise.

"Zim, tell me what's going on," he ordered, taking the alien's chin into his hand lifting it up so that Zim was forced to look into his eyes. The alien simply stared at him in a half-lidden gaze before letting his contacts hide behind his green eyelids. His breathing was quiet and reserved, mouth barely open to let the air in. It was almost a comatose state, and Dib was starting to get scared now. "Zim, please, say something!" he begged.

"I don't want to talk about it..." came the worn voice. Zim's lids were still shut, as though he didn't want to see.

Dib frowned. It wasn't exactly what he wanted to hear, but it was better than nothing. "Later then?" he asked. Zim hesitated, then nodded. "So what do you want to do now?" he inquired. He let go of his grip on the alien's chin, and Zim once again thunked against his shoulder. Dib sat in silence for a bit, accepting that as the answer. If Zim needed support then that was what he would give. He felt the Irken take a sip of his mocha and quietly sit up.

"Lets... do something fun," he answered. Dib gave him a concerned and slightly confused look. "I want to make new memories," he sighed. "Something to erase our old ones. I don't want to remember the fights we had..." '...when I'm gone.' he added in his mind. "I only want to remember happy things. This planet has so many happy things."

Dib gave him another concerned look, slightly shocked at the request. "Um... okay. Like what?" he asked, wishing more and more that he knew what was on the Irken's mind. Zim sat up a little straiter at this.

"Well," Zim smirked slightly, his mood lightening, "I think we should go shopping..." He playfully flicked the end of Dib's nose. "Because you need new glasses. I see how ill-fitting the ones you currently have are."

Dib went cross eyed trying to follow Zim's finger as it flicked him. "Oh? You really think that's a good idea?" he asked, looking up at the Irken.

"Yes, yes I do," he answered, taking another sip of his mocha and clicking his tounge in approval as the taste.

"Well alright then. Let's go. Right now." Dib stood bravely, looking eagerly to Zim.

"If you really wanna ride Gir that bad," he smirked. Dib immediately sat, looking slightly scared. "But you know there's the bus... ah, no. Not the bus. The bus is hideously scary. With a clown." Zim hissed, narrowing his eyes at an invisible enamy.

"What about a taxi?" Dib suggested.

"No," Zim immediately shot the idea down, "too suspicious. Truency is a crime, if I'm not mistaken." Dib looked down at his shoes, defeated. Zim took another sip of mocha, slurping loudly.

"But you know," he said suddenly, "I have to get you back for carrying me out of there." A devious grin was sent Dib's way, causing him to lean back just a little bit.

"W- what do you mean?" he asked, half fascinated, half terrified.

"I have to carry you somewhere now," he smirked. Eyes widening, Dib scooted back just a bit farther.

"Um, no, thats... ZIM PUT ME DOWN!" he screeched, being carried away on Zims shoulder once again. As he tried to struggle, Zim tighetened his grip on the boy's waist, causing his to squeal uncomfortably. "Zim... really..." he mumbled, earning himself another harsh squeeze to the middle. "...fine," he squeaked out, giving up for fear of having the alien crush any vital organs. The grip immediately slackened so that Dib could breath semi-normally, but he was still unhappy at having Zim's arm around his middle and being forced to be carried down the street for goodness knows how long. He crossed his arms and frowned behind Zims back, then reached for something to steady himself on when he began bouncing to Zim's step as he walked. His hand clutched Zim's wig and the alien stoped, intaking a sharp breath.

"Dib... hand... ooh..." he said, clenching his eyes shut and slowly tensing and releasing a fist with his free hand. The boy blinked. The last sound Zim had made was almost a moan. Gingerly moving his hand away, Zim released his breath in a slow hiss and shivered. "Don't. Touch. That's an Irkens primary sensory organ, it's very... receptive," he ordered.

"Oh, sorry," Dib said, fascination tickling at the front of his mind. He was tempted to disobey the order to see if it gained him the same reastion, but he knew better than to do that. So for the rest of the walk he simply rested on the Irkens shoulder, at some point deciding to allow his neck to relax and staring at the ground. "You know..." he mumbled, "we shouldn't let this turn into a habit..."

"Oh, I think you like it." The smirk was visible in his voice as he moved his hand too low for Dib's comfort once again and gave him a light pat on the bottom.

Dib's jaw nearly dragged on the ground. He stayed confounded for a bit before finally coming up with a counter attack. "Oh, I think you're having much more fun than I am," he responded, squirming slightly. "Feeling me up..." he muttered under his breath.

Zim only gave a devious grin that the boy couldn't see and then slyly gave him a squeeze, enticing a startled squeak from his lips. Dib stayed quiet for the entire rest of the trip, the pink tint in his face not fully leaving until his feet were safely on the ground again and he was stading in front of the mall, Zim momentarily distracted by a random pot of flowers.

"Shall we, then?" Dib asked, turning to the green boy beside him. Bending over the flower pot and not hearing him, Zim moved both hands up in front of his to tinker with something. Dib walked up behind him casually, placing his hands on ZIm's hips. "Hey, c'mon," he prompted, "are you going or not?"

Zim stood up strait abruptly. Two small bumps, almost unnoticable, shifting under Zim's wig told Dib that he was startled. The alien didn't say anything, but instead stood there stiffly in front of him, in a state of mild shock. "Zim, are we going inside or not?" he asked again, smiling gently, a bit amused by the Irken's jumpyness.

Zim suddenly turned around and stared at the boy from close range. Almost jumping back from the sudden movement, Dib pulled his hands back to his sides. "W- what is it?" he asked. Zim just gazed at him with wide eyes. For the longest time, Dib stood there, unable to move, captivated by the fake irises in the aliens skull. Then Zim surprised him by lifting a closed hand.

"Here," he said, opening it. A flower laid inside, delecately left in tact. He took it between two fingers and weaved it into the boy's hair gently, no readable expression on his face.

Dib knew he was blushing. "Um, thanks..." he blinked, unsure of what to do. "But um... I think..." he took the alien's hand, which was still fiddling with his hair, and with the other hand plucked the flower from it's perch. "I think it'd look better on you..." he whispered, placing it in Zim's wig, tying the stem carefully in to the fake, wiry hair. As sweet a gesture as it was, he really didn't want a flower in his hair all day, and he wasn't lieing, it looked natural on the alien.

It was Zim's turn to blush. A light cerulean settled onto his cheeks. "Thanks," he smiled lightly, quietly. He lifted a gloved claw to gently pet the boys hand. Dib coughed, smiling and looking away.

"So then," he hesitated, unsure of whether or not he should pull away from Zim's gentle affections. "Um, should we go in? Do you even... have money?" He took the Irkens hand and lowered it, dropping it at his side. A smirk was his answer.

"Of course, Dib-thing. You give me no credit. For I have found..." he reached dramamtically to his back pocket, giving him a large smile all the while, "...A MAGIC MONEY CARD!" He pulled out a rectangular grey piece of plastic, that glinted slightly in the morning rays, and held it up with great flair, a triumphant victory grin on his face.

"A... credit card?" asked Dib. Zim gave him a flat look for killing the dramatic reveal.

"Yes. A "credit card", if you must." He waved his free hand dismissively.

"You realize you have to pay for that eventually?" he asked.

"Oh?" Zim asked in mild surprise. Studying it for a bit, he shrugged his shoulders apathetically. "It's not 'eventually' yet," he answered.

"Yeah, but things could change sooner than you think," Dib pointed out. There was a pause, and Zim blinked, looking almost taken aback.

Zim suddenly frowned and slumped, feeling all the joy drain out of him. He didn't even bother with a retort. Brushing beside Dib he walked into the large automatic doors, listening to them open with a metalic wooshing. Motioning with a half-hearted wave for Dib to follow, he walked in, and Dib, utterly bewildered by the sudden change in additude, complied.

'There's definately something up with him...' he thought to himself, biting the inside of his cheek and walking in close behind him. He tapped the alien on the shoulder, only to find that when he turned around he was rubbing his eyes, despite the lack of obvious tears. "I'm sorry," Dib heard himself say, wrapping his arms around the alien in a gesture of comfort. "Whatever I said I take it back."

Zim nodded, smiled, returned the hug gratefully, and walked on.