There's Something Inside Your Head (Invader ZiM AU)

Monster Hunting In The Shadows With You

"Ah, can't, my parents will want me home."

"Yeah, my dad won't care. So just me.." he huffed.

"Hey, be glad I'm here now! They don't like the paranormal stuff, 'think Imma be insane. Like you!"

"Hey! I'm only a little insane!"

"Yeah, a little."

Dib laughed. "Heh, Lookat that! You've stopped shaking!"

Carrie thought for a second, then grinned. "I guess I got distracted." She poked him. "Your fault."

He blushed, poking back at the tall girl. "Think we can search for monsters now..?"

She giggled. "Of course."

"...Y'know, I don't mind hangin' around in total darkness here.."

" 's that so?"

"Because we're both here! Which I've already made clear. And it is clear because we're both kinda here... this isn't working out."

"Silly.." Carrie looked around, pointing her flashlight towards the ground. "Oh shit! There's a trail here!"

"A trail? Of what?" Dib looked at her stream of light. "Footprints and drag lines!" And yes, there were footprints and drag lines. "Do we follow them?"

"Of course!" She gripped his hand tight, following the paths. "So... ideas? We can look at the size of the footprints to see if they could be anything other than human.."

Dib did his best to avoid stepping directly into the footprints. "Well, much too big to be ZiM, so he's out of the idea entirely. However, they do look like bootprints. We should take pictures in case we can pair them up with anyone's..." Dib fumbles around his pockets, trying to get his phone out.

"Yeah, like people are gonna let us just look at the bottoms of their shoes," Carrie laughed.

"Hey, you never know!" With flash on, Dib snapped the picture. "Got it. How long do you think these go for?"

Carrie continued walking, aiming her light straight ahead. "Only one way to find out!"

After a good while of walking and occasionally distracted conversation, they were still following the tracks. They'd often stop for a second to just talk, but they mostly got way too invested in what they are saying. They didn't even realize when they were coming to the end of the line.

"...the only bad boy introduced type person I could ever be interested in."

"I'm sorry, but I stand by Angel being superior, no matter how dramatic he is."

"But enemies to lovers is the superior trope!"

"You get how difficult it is to fall in love with your enemy?"

"Exactly! Proving my point about Spike." Carrie tugs on Dib's collar. "And.. long black coat is always a plus."

Dib blushed a tiny bit. "Well! Uh! Y'know, I—...hey, how long have we been walking for?"

Carrie looked around. "Oh. Shit. We haven't really been paying attention, huh... well, to get back, we can just follow the footsteps backwards, right?"

"I guess, but how much further do they go..?" Dib squinted, trying to see in the further dark better.

"Not far enough yet, I guess," Carrie sighed, spinning her ring.

Dib chewed his cheek. "...it's not all bad. I've been having a lot of fun with you here!"

Carrie's eyes lit up. "Yeah.. me too! With you, I mean." She kicks some of the dirt. "You're my first boyfriend, y'know."