Best Birthday Present Ever?
Chapter Four
Gene, the inter-species breeder?!
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Disclaimer: You know exactly what I'm gonna say. Outlaw Star isn't mine, but Haruka and the Ctuans are. Please, don't steal from me and please don't sue! This chapter is loaded with Jim angst! Wai! By the way, Gene fangirls (Yes, I am among you!), please don't kill me! Ja ne. Love ya!

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Jim drew his blankets up around himself. Because the ship was being repaired, they had had to stay in a motel. Everything smelled faintly of mildew, and it made him feel sick. Even with that, all that was on his mind was Haruka, and the kiss.
Why... did she kiss me? What was it all about?
 He shivered, and pulled the blankets tighter. Along with being damp, it was drafty. He didn't notice enough to care, though.
Why would she, of all people, kiss me? What is it about me that she likes? What do I have that she wants? For that matter, why would anybody want to kiss me? I'm not special, am I?
"Jim, you asleep?" Gene whispered from the bed on the other side of the room.
"Who can sleep in a place like this?" he sarcastically asked.
"I know! It feels like my nose is gonna fall off!" the red-haired outlaw complained.
"Well, it's all we can afford right now. Tomorrow, you have to check out the breeding program center or we'll go completely broke!"
Even in the dark, Jim could see the grin on Gene's face. An almost hysterical giggle could be heard throughout the building.
"Be quiet, you idiot! We're gonna get in trouble!"
"Sorry. I just can't help it! Doing something so fun and getting a discount because of it! I'm such a lucky guy!"
"And we're all real happy for you."

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The next morning, a very tired Jim walked down to the cheap little cafe where they had been eating the past few days. Aisha, Haruka, Melfina, and Suzuka were all sitting around a table, but Gene was nowhere to be found.
"Where's the idiot?"
"You mean Gene?" Haruka questioned.
Jim blushed and nodded.
"He went to check out the breeding center. I had to threaten to rip off his head and feed it to a wild animal to get him to tell them I entered him," she replied cynically.
"I'd like to see you do it... and help!" Aisha cheerfully chimed in.
"Wouldn't we all..." Jim muttered under his breath.
He grabbed a bowl of rice, wolfed it down, and ran in the directing Haruka had gestured to when speaking. He hoped he could get there in time to see Gene humiliate himself! This would be priceless! He thanked the gods he had remembered to bring his camera.
When he got there, the daughters of the older women all eyed him in a way he didn't like. As soon as he saw Gene, his jaw almost broke the floor as it dropped in surprise. Women were hanging all over his friend, and it didn't even seem like he was paying them!
"Hmm? Oh, hi, Jim! I wouldn't happen to be dead and in heaven, would I?"
The girls around him giggled.
"Gene... how many women have you bred with so far?" Jim inquired, in shock, an eyebrow raised.
"I, Gene Starwind, inter-species breeder, have helped the continuation of the species with fourteen women so far today!" he proudly declared.
"Gene Starwind, inter-species breeder?" Jim yelled, almost laughing in his disbelief.
"Hey! Gene-sama happens to be a wonderful man!" one of the bimbos said angrily.
"In more ways than one," another one announced.
All the girls broke into another fit of giggling. Gene blushed and rubbed the back of his head. Jim visibly sweatdropped. Bakas...
 "Well, hurry up and repopulate their species. I have work to do," Jim said, right before he ran off.

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Jim sat down at the table for lunch. It was just him and Haruka. The others were at the breeding center, talking to Gene, and the cafe was almost completely empty because of where Gene was. Jim knew his red-haired friend was the happiest man in the known Universe at that moment. Yet, he couldn't be happy for him at the time; he had his own problems to worry about: Haruka was bound to notice that he was blushing, and the others (Aisha and Gene, at least) would tease him horribly if they knew.
"Jim-chan, you've barely touched your food," she commented.
"Hn," he replied noncommittally.
"You're not still upset about the scene at the bath, are you? You humans are such shy creatures! You get embarrassed over the least little things!" she laughed.
The tint in his face deepened.
She sobered suddenly.
"Listen, Jim... That kiss wasn't meaningless."
Those words got his attention, and his eyes widened.
"What do you mean?"
She smiled. "I like you. You're the first guy to visit this planet that's had the balls to face me after he found out I was a girl!"
To have the balls... He disliked that term, as he found it slightly embarrassing.
"You know..." she continued. "You're the first guy I've ever kissed. How 'bout you?"
"Nani? I've never kissed a guy!" he said indignantly.
"I mean, am I your first kiss?"
He blushed further. "Hai..."
She reached over and took his hand. "We should do it again sometime!" she cheerfully told him.
His face earned a new Universal record: the record for deepest shade of red.
"H... Hai..."
She kissed him on the cheek, and he broke his own record.

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"Think we should tell him we saw the whole thing?" Aisha whispered to the others as they spied on their young friend from behind a pillar.
"Are you kidding? He's kill us!" Gene said scornfully.
"I think it's cute!" Melfina added.
"We shouldn't be spying on him. It's dishonest," Suzuka muttered.
None of them moved an inch.

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Jim blinked. "Hey, Haruka, do you get the feeling we're being watched?"
She nodded.
"Guys, you can come out. We know you're there!" he called to them.
The bio-android, the CtarlCtarl, the assassin, and the pilot fell in surprise.