Grave Misunderstandings. [ZaDr/TaGr] (Invader ZiM AU) (wip)

Back At The Mansion

"I wonder where that boy's gone off to..." It was late at night at Miyuki's mansion, and she and Membrane were standing around the reading room only a bit worried.
"He doesn't run off very often--though, when he does, it's from his insanity episodes." Membrane went to sit down in a pretty pearled chair near the couch Tak and Gaz laid on.
"'Insanity episodes'? Have you thought of getting into contact with an asylum?" Miyuki turned to face him.
"No no, I believe there's still hope for him... Besides--he will be back soon..."
"But what about the wedding tomorrow?"
"Can't we just have it without him?" Gaz groaned, looking up from her partner's hold. "He'll probably just screw things up again."
"Language, daughter," Membrane sighed. "Perhaps...but! He is your brother. We should still give him just a little longer..."
Gaz exhaled, turning back to Tak.
"Wanna go up to my room?" Tak whispered.
"Yes." Gaz sat up.
"We will be upstairs, and I will still be showing Gazlene around more of the house. Yell for us if you need us." Tak stood up, taking Gaz by the hand.
"Alright, dear," Membrane and Miyuki replied in their own way.
The two engaged glided up the stairs, swiftly going down the hall to Tak's room. Once they were in, Tak ran to slam and lock his wardrobe before Gaz could see. "So..!" He started. "...tomorrow, we..."
Gaz smiled, nodding. "Yeah, we..." she sighed. "Honestly, I feel pretty relieved--lucky, even--that you ended up being the one I get married to."
Tak turned a bit to the side, chewing his cheek. "Well...if you knew the full of it, you wouldn't think you were so lucky..."
Gaz laughed a bit. "How strange could it be? My brother is interested in the paranormal. Our dad... doesn't care for that. At all."
"None of it?"
"No monsters, no magic, only science. He also doesn't have much interest in religion either..."
Tak's tensed shoulders loosened up a bit. "So... if something were to, say, go against some religion... would it affect him?"
Gaz thought for a moment. "I don't know. I wouldn't think so..."
Tak sighed, leaning back against the bed. "Human minds are so difficult..."
"Tell me about it," Gaz huffed. "I prefer the escapes from the real people..."
"Books?"
"No, reading takes too long. I like to come up with games to play; it's usually by myself, since all of the other children were always scared of me."
"Well, I'm certainly intimidated by you," Tak laughed for a brief second. "What kind of games?"
Gaz smiled. "Games where I win. I can pretend to fight things, build things, solve things..." she paused, leaning in a little. "And...a secret?"
Tak nodded.
"...I used to sometimes go monster hunting with Dib. I would always act like I didn't want to be there, but... I liked listening to him talk. It seemed to make him happy, and that's the kind of thing he needs right now--even if he does make me want to tighten my clothes and suffocate at times. Besides... the monsters gave me ideas for my games." Gaz's pale face wore a touch of color after this confession, not knowing whether to turn away or to stay in her position.
"Well, that's very sweet of you to say..." Tak fiddled with his sleeve. "And easier to admit than any other secret..."
"Hey, I just admitted that I care for my brother. That was pretty damn hard."
"Yes, I would probably have difficulty telling my brothers my true feelings of them..."
"Woah, you have brothers? More than one?"
"I'm the youngest sibling of the family... they're all already married, and your family was informed of a rich family with many sons, and that's how you ended up with me." Tak leaned back. "And now I'm relieved they weren't aware of just how many sons there were in total..."
Gaz was a bit confused, but nodded.
The room was an uncomfortable quiet for a good while, until Tak's sigh was the only thing heard. "Gaz? Gazlene..?"
"Gaz."
"Gaz," Tak's voice was a more genuinely serious tone. "I have shown you deception. I am not who I appear to be, and I must reveal to you the truth--I love you, and I don't want to give you a rude awakening on our wedding night..." his hands went to his suit. "But...uh. You mustn't tell anyone of what I've shown you here."
Gaz nodded.
Tak removed his outer suit carefully, now moving to unbutton his shirt. He paused once or twice to think, wondering if this was the right thing to do. Eventually, he got the shirt off--revealing to be wearing a closely looped corset and impossibly tight bandages bound at the chest.
Gaz's eyes went wide, and Tak looked away.
"Tak..."
Tak immediately re-buttoned her shirt and pulled the suit back.
Gaz let out a small, confused laugh. "You're a woman..."
"Yes."
"...I don't know how I didn't see this... now that I know, it's much easier to tell." There was some silence, before Gaz turned Tak's head back to face her. "...maybe it's because I knew it wouldn't have mattered." She gave a soft smile.
Tak was a bit more shocked than Gaz was. "Really..?"
Gaz nodded. "In fact..." they took hands. "I think I prefer it this way, anyway."
Tak was grinning and they both leaned in a bit, giggling. She planted a kiss on the shorter girl's head, wrapping an arm around her shoulder. "Well then, we're definitely lucky."
"Gazlene! Tak!" One of the (older) adults called from downstairs. "Someone's here!"
The girls froze, holding a bit tighter. "Parents call at the best times..." Tak moved up slightly, keeping her hold on Gaz.
"When don't they?" Gaz backed a bit, removing every misplaced fold from Tak's suit. "Better answer."
The two walked into the hall, pacing towards the stairs; Tak allowed Gaz to go down first. At the bottom they were met with a new look--the face of a tall, stick man they had never seen before. "Pardon my sudden intrusion, but I couldn't help but happen to hear of a small...incident hours ago? You lost a son in town?"
"Yes, my lunatic son is always doing things like... have you found him?" Membrane didn't sound that enthused.
"Unfortunately, I had the opportunity of running into this kind fellow," he pulled the town crier in from the doorway. "Excuse me, sir, would you mind telling them exactly what you told me?"
The crier, hence the title, cried out: "BROTHER OF LOCAL BRIDE RUINS WEDDING REHEARSAL; IMMEDIATELY RUNS OFF INTO THE NIGHT SHROUDED FOREST WITH MYSTERIOUS FIGURE AFTER AN EXCHANGE IN INTIMACY. HE IS POSSIBLY NEVER TO BE SEEN AGAIN. And now, the weather. TONIGHT CALLS FO--" his mouth was covered by the man's hand.
"...right."
Membrane and Miyuki posed there, not moving even barely. Tak winced at the yelling, and Gaz wasn't having any of it.
"Dib? In an 'exchange in intimacy'? With a 'mysterious figure'? You've got the wrong house, fool." She paused. "Who even are you?"
"I don't know, daughter... your brother does have an interest in mysterious figures..."
"But he's not one to run off with a sudden stranger. He's learned his lesson."
"He sure has..."
"So?" Miyuki stepped in finally. "Is the boy coming back?.."
"Oh, I'm now quite certain--"
"But, what if he doesn't? What if the boy is unable to come to the wedding?" The tall man wore a frown about as real as Tak's flat chest. "You would be in need of a... filler guest, would you not? I mean, the wedding is..?"
"Tomorrow," Gaz mumbled.
"What are we to do, Dr. Membrane?" Miyuki resisted the urge to worriedly fiddle with her deep blue dress skirt.
"I'm unsure, for once. But! He is sure to come back... if he's here by tomorrow, the wedding will go as planned. If not... the young lad will be in big trouble..!"
Gaz facepalmed.
"The wedding will go as planned, anyway..." Miyuki sat on the couch.
"I could go look for the boy," the man stepped a bit closer. "Of course, with the time we have, I can't go very far."
"You would do that?" The doctor looked down at him.
"Why, of course! I would just love to help this beautiful family..." he bowed towards Gaz, who was looking more irritated. Though somehow, she knew that irritation wouldn't be going away for a while.