Author's Note: Fifth fan-iversary!
Simple Sentiment
It was rather large for a pendant; light-colored, shiny; the inner features of the moth shape carved out akin to a cookie cutter. It was familiar, and laying a hand on her chest she easily realized why. It was similar in style to the skull-shaped ornament of her own necklace.
This was it? A well-hidden drawer in the bedroom wall—and this was all Dib had stashed in it?
'I've never seen him wear this,' she took the acrylic moth from the drawer and took a closer look. 'Ugh. Then again, maybe that's not such a surprise.' Gaz held it up to the light and scoffed.
"It's almost as dorky as that trench coat he's always weari—" she began aloud, before considering something else. She remembered how dearly he valued that jacket of his; so much that he was always wearing it, in any weather. Why then had she never seen him wearing—or at least carrying in a pocket—this particular trinket? It certainly seemed important to him—being the only item in a secret compartment she had never known of…But then again, maybe that was it. It would not be harmed there, whether Dib was on a "spy mission" at Zim's house or Zim was stumbling through another attempt at ransacking the Membrane house.
No sooner than she finished the thought did the front door open and slam downstairs. It startled her at first, but when she heard her brother's voice call out to her, she became enraged. She had been uncharacteristically alarmed by the idea of someone suddenly entering the home, and the fact that it turned out to only be him turned her face bright red.
She clenched her fist around the pendant and smiled sadistically. If gaming time had to be cut short, she might as well enjoy a little practical joke. Quickly she shut the wall compartment, replaced the pillow on the bed, and left the room exactly as she had found it—minus one thing of course. She snuck back into her own room with barely a few seconds to spare before Dib entered the upper hallway.
"Gaz, you home?" He called as she stashed the pendant under her headboard and stepped nonchalantly back into the hall.
"Yeah, I'm here," she said sullenly, trying to hide her ill-gotten excitement. "Have you seen any double-As?"
"On the store shelves," Dib smiled, but immediately frowned and quickened his pace to his room. Gaz was not quite one to take a joke.
"If I knew you needed any, I would've picked some up," he offered.
"Whatever," she giggled—more specifically, a stifled giggle managed to escape her. Knob in hand, Dib turned from his door and looked at her questioningly. She made certain to respond with a scowl—an expression more fitting to her—and crossed her arms.
"Did you at least get any soda?" The girl inquired expectantly. "We are out, you know, and Dad's next grocery shopping day is not until next week."
"Um…no." The boy unfortunately could not hide his failure to meet Gaz's demands. But little did he know that his wrathful sibling had a more entertaining matter to attend to than throwing a tantrum.
"Okay." She shrugged and headed back to the living room. Should her brother set foot in her lair against years of previous forbidding, she trusted that her security bots would deal with him. Her treasure would be safe.
Pleased that her old batteries had charged up a bit more power, Gaz reclined on the couch and raced to the next checkpoint. However, she left the volume down so that she could listen to the upper floor. She did not like waiting for things she wanted, but this would be well worth it.
It was Level 14 when the frantic footsteps were heard on the stairs.
"Gaz! Gaz?" The elder sibling appeared. "Have you seen, um, part of a necklace lying around?"
Facing away, she could not help the secret smile creeping onto her face. "No…why?"