"Mistake?! Mistake?! What, what was your mistake? Tell Zim. Tell him--me," Zim was growling when the smoke cleared. "You lied to me!!"
"Zim, please! Calm down! I just--" Dib desperately tried to get his dearly departed quiet. "It's just a misunderstanding!!"
"A misunderstanding?!"
"A grave misunderstanding!"
"I'd like to understand, then!"
"Then listen!" Dib's hands went to his face, head falling back. "I just wanted to see my sister!" He couldn't keep his feelings closeted any more.
"Well, what does she have that I don't?! I could've come with you!" Zim was starting to tear up.
"I-I don't know..! Living... my family... I love her... my family wouldn't even understand..."
"And why am I wearing her wedding band?! Why didn't you have your own?!" Zim's rotted mind was rushing around, trying to find at least the smallest bit of validation.
"Because she was to be married tomorrow!"
"Dib-thing, you're talking as if you don't care for me..!"
"Well, maybe I didn't want to marry you! That was the mistake!"
The room went deathly quiet.
Dib said it.
"It was a mistake." Dib's breath was shaky, but he now managed to keep himself composed for the most part. He didn't want to break the stopper heart any further.
Tears were silently streaming down Zim's decaying face. "No... there must've been something to make you want t--..."
There was another bit of silence.
Dib took another shaky breath, trying to carefully pick his words. "Zim, I'm sorry... but the truth is, I never intended to marry you." He paused. "I was in the forest, narrating, talking to myself, and... this happened. But..! Think of it as a good thing! We have no chemistry here... You can find someone else..!"
Zim's head looked like it were about to fall off. Again. "You were someone else..." he stormed off, crying. Poor Zim; he's had this happen too many times.
Zim didn't look back; he ran up the stairs, picking up his wilted bouquet, and sitting down on the coffin couch. He plucked at some of the blackened petals, mumbling to himself. His dead brain was reeling as if blood still flowed through. Too many feelings happened this past day: confusion, happiness, excitement, love, heartbreak... it all came past way too fast.
"Zim, if I may?" The literal voice in his head spoke up.
"Mh..." Zim only grunted in response.
"You believe you love this boy."
"I do!" He turned defensive, hitting the side of his head to knock Nailbunny's head out of his own.
"You believe. You haven't known him for very long, and never even gave him a chance to explain himself."
"There was nothing for him to explain..." Zim huffed, crossing his arms and wiping a tear.
"I would accuse you of a missing mind, but I was just laying in it. More than anything, dear, you've been getting ahead of yourself. Perhaps you should let him to the surface... I understand this isn't easy for you, but--"
"Who cares about that? I say Zimmie should fight the young lady. Show this 'Dib' person who he's really missing." A new voice could be heard from below.
"Sickness? I--" Bunny was cut off.
"Besides! What does she have that you don't? Air? A beating heart? Pathetic; he should really lower his standards." A small, pointy doll-looking thing climbed up on the couch. "I mean, you've got... ... a wonderful personality."
Zim looked at it, confused. "How... long have you been there?" He sniffled.
"I've been around."
"You shouldn't be," the bunny head turned to face it. "Can't you see I'm trying to help him?"
"And? So am I! I'm trying to show him the right way!"
"How is this helping him? He must be nice to the frightened boy, not scare him off any more!"
"I think he should try to keep him; kill him, if he must!"
Zim gasped. "I would never..!"
"Really, now?" Sickness looked at him with its screwed eyes.
"Well, I..." Zim thought for a second, sniffling more.
Bunny huffed. "There will be no killing... it isn't a nice thing to do, you know."
"You're no fun." Sickness turned away. "I'm just saying! He may have to... living is only temporary, you know. His time may come soon. And, who knows, maybe the girl will first."
Zim's eye still pricked with tears, but none fell anymore. He wiped it, putting his hand where his heart should be. "While it's not beating... it feels broken. A strange thing, yes?"
"You two are very dramatic." Sickness jumped off the couch.
"Hey, I..." Zim sighed, despite not needing air. "...well, I hope the Dib sister is happy with that woman..."
"That's it..! You're calming down a bit," Bunny congratulated.
"I just don't know why he's making such a big deal out of everything..." he laid his head in his hand. "It's only marriage..."
"I still think there should be a fight!" Sickness turned back. "What can that whispy little brat do that you can't do back tenfold?"
Zim picked Bunny up by the ears, placing him down on the ground to let himself lay across the couch. He sniffled again.

(TBC next part: "The Unexpected")