Title: Er... should I keep the one I have? I can't think of anything better.
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: Swearing! the a-word and *gasp* the f-word!! (it's blanked-only say it in your head if you are mature enough to take it!^.^;)
Premise: If you want a lot of angst and don't care about the story, just wait. You'll like the next two chapters :)
A/N: I think that a little angst'll start up this chapter... watch for it, it's coming! ^.^ *gasp* YAY! Flashbacks!!
~~~~~~
In the few weeks after being hired by Jim and Gene, both Asahi's friendship with them and her curiousity about the scar had grown. She spent much time helping Melfina with chores, groceries and cooking, and had for a while been debating whether or not she should ask her about the mark. Finally, in mid August, she simply couldn't stand it anymore. As the weather almost imperceptibly cooled, she sat down to lunch with Mel after coming in to work for the day.
"Where's Jim?" Asahi wasn't sure if he would like the subject to be brought up, no matter how cheerful and lighthearted he seemed. The memory would probably be a painful one, but Asahi had no idea how much so.
"He's out for the afternoon with Gene. They caught a lead on a pretty big bounty, so Jim decided he should go along. Gene isn't so reckless as he used to be, but you can tell he's still cocky." Melfina smiled as she spoke of him, unwittingly letting know that she was hopeless head over heels for him, and he for her. She turned her head towards the window and rested her chin upon her folded hands.
"I see." Asahi paused and looked at her hands, folded on her lap. She twiddled her thumbs. "Ah..." Melfina turned her soft gaze from the window to the girl. There was a feeling of deep intuition from her, and for a moment Asahi thought that she had already betrayed her question to this perceptive woman.
"I was..." She took a deep breath. Although she felt like she had known these people for a long time, and although she was treated more like a friend who helped out than an employee, she knew that she had only been hired a few weeks ago. She felt she was prying, but she was so curious. "When I first met Jim, I noticed a scar on his chest, and... on his back." She meant to ask where they had come from, but she felt she couldn't go on. Melfina smiled slightly, sadly.
"I know what you're talking about. It's alright, it was several years ago. Three, I believe, when he was twelve. It was... very bad, but wounds heal. Both the physical and the inner. You don't have to feel like you're prying." She sat back and looked up at the ceiling as quietly Asahi sighed in relief. "I don't know all of it firsthand. You'd have to ask Jim or Gene, for I never got the full story. I can, however, tell you how it began. Jim and Gene used to argue quite a bit, and quite... spiritedly, you might say. After our initial budget-breaking venture into space -which I will have to tell you about some other time, when we have many free hours- their confrontations began to worsen. I wish I could say that I had done nothing to help these along, but that would be lying. Our... relationship was just beginning to assert itself back then, and we may have spent more time out than was necessary. It might not have happened if not for that, but it's too late to change it, and by now we have come out none the worse for it." She quieted as Asahi leaned forward, intrigued. Melfina took a sip of her tea. The pause was so long that Asahi began to think that that was all, but it was far from over.
"I remember the day very well. It was not too far a date from this one, in the late summer. It had rained the night before and looked as if it might again. There was an electricity in the air, a tension. It was a bad fight, and I did nothing to stop it. I never did; they always resolved it themselves as best as could be expected. Ah... I wish I'd stopped them, but I suppose there was nothing I could have done." She paused again, and what she said next seemed almost to be off the topic. "Jim had gotten very little sleep the night before that day- for many nights."
~~~~~~
Twelve year-old Jim Hawking ran a hand through his dark blonde hair. He obviously needed it cut, but there was just no time or money. He laughed inwardly as he rubbed his eyes, as if enough friction would erase the darkness under them. That was sad. No money for a 5-woolong haircut. He left his hands on his face, propping his head up that his tired eyes might stare a little longer at the computer. Oh, God, it didn't matter. He couldn't see what the hell it said through his blurry vision anyways. Where was his aniki? Oh that's right- he was still asleep after clubbing or checking out bars or whatever the f--- he and Melfina got up to. Jim had still been awake when the idiot had stumbled in, half-supported by Melfina at 4.30 a.m. Melfina... he couldn't understand why she didn't do anything about it. She definitely wasn't happy with what he did, though she obviously loved him. Why couldn't she just talk to him? Whenever Jim tried to, they just got into another fight. It was so pointless.
Jim felt himself beginning to give up on finances and as he slowly and unconsciously let his head sink down to the keyboard. There were too many holes in the math and it didn't add up. Obviously the cause of it was his aniki, but the "man" refused to take responsibility. Suzuka was never around to talk or beat some sense into either of them; she was off on a personal expedition, and would probably not return for another week. Aisha was almost as bad as Gene, when she was around, but at least she showed she cared about Jim, even if that didn't much help her behavior. The genius's already muddled thoughts began to melt into the nonsense that fills the mind just before dozing off. Too tired to fight it, he relaxed into it. He needed a nap, at least. He deserved one.
He was almost asleep when Gene decided to wake up.
~~~~~~
A/N: Ok, if you didn't like the first, second, or this chapter because there wasn't enough (as in about none) angst, then just stick around for the fourth. There is a fight coming. A big fight. A HUGE fight. A MELEE, like you see on SS Bros. (well, maybe not that big). Really, though, I've been planning this out for a while- it'll be good!...Bad. Angry. Er... REVIEW! Please! It's the only food source I have! One nacho for every review- salsa included if it's signed! I'm hungry, people!
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: Swearing! the a-word and *gasp* the f-word!! (it's blanked-only say it in your head if you are mature enough to take it!^.^;)
Premise: If you want a lot of angst and don't care about the story, just wait. You'll like the next two chapters :)
A/N: I think that a little angst'll start up this chapter... watch for it, it's coming! ^.^ *gasp* YAY! Flashbacks!!
~~~~~~
In the few weeks after being hired by Jim and Gene, both Asahi's friendship with them and her curiousity about the scar had grown. She spent much time helping Melfina with chores, groceries and cooking, and had for a while been debating whether or not she should ask her about the mark. Finally, in mid August, she simply couldn't stand it anymore. As the weather almost imperceptibly cooled, she sat down to lunch with Mel after coming in to work for the day.
"Where's Jim?" Asahi wasn't sure if he would like the subject to be brought up, no matter how cheerful and lighthearted he seemed. The memory would probably be a painful one, but Asahi had no idea how much so.
"He's out for the afternoon with Gene. They caught a lead on a pretty big bounty, so Jim decided he should go along. Gene isn't so reckless as he used to be, but you can tell he's still cocky." Melfina smiled as she spoke of him, unwittingly letting know that she was hopeless head over heels for him, and he for her. She turned her head towards the window and rested her chin upon her folded hands.
"I see." Asahi paused and looked at her hands, folded on her lap. She twiddled her thumbs. "Ah..." Melfina turned her soft gaze from the window to the girl. There was a feeling of deep intuition from her, and for a moment Asahi thought that she had already betrayed her question to this perceptive woman.
"I was..." She took a deep breath. Although she felt like she had known these people for a long time, and although she was treated more like a friend who helped out than an employee, she knew that she had only been hired a few weeks ago. She felt she was prying, but she was so curious. "When I first met Jim, I noticed a scar on his chest, and... on his back." She meant to ask where they had come from, but she felt she couldn't go on. Melfina smiled slightly, sadly.
"I know what you're talking about. It's alright, it was several years ago. Three, I believe, when he was twelve. It was... very bad, but wounds heal. Both the physical and the inner. You don't have to feel like you're prying." She sat back and looked up at the ceiling as quietly Asahi sighed in relief. "I don't know all of it firsthand. You'd have to ask Jim or Gene, for I never got the full story. I can, however, tell you how it began. Jim and Gene used to argue quite a bit, and quite... spiritedly, you might say. After our initial budget-breaking venture into space -which I will have to tell you about some other time, when we have many free hours- their confrontations began to worsen. I wish I could say that I had done nothing to help these along, but that would be lying. Our... relationship was just beginning to assert itself back then, and we may have spent more time out than was necessary. It might not have happened if not for that, but it's too late to change it, and by now we have come out none the worse for it." She quieted as Asahi leaned forward, intrigued. Melfina took a sip of her tea. The pause was so long that Asahi began to think that that was all, but it was far from over.
"I remember the day very well. It was not too far a date from this one, in the late summer. It had rained the night before and looked as if it might again. There was an electricity in the air, a tension. It was a bad fight, and I did nothing to stop it. I never did; they always resolved it themselves as best as could be expected. Ah... I wish I'd stopped them, but I suppose there was nothing I could have done." She paused again, and what she said next seemed almost to be off the topic. "Jim had gotten very little sleep the night before that day- for many nights."
~~~~~~
Twelve year-old Jim Hawking ran a hand through his dark blonde hair. He obviously needed it cut, but there was just no time or money. He laughed inwardly as he rubbed his eyes, as if enough friction would erase the darkness under them. That was sad. No money for a 5-woolong haircut. He left his hands on his face, propping his head up that his tired eyes might stare a little longer at the computer. Oh, God, it didn't matter. He couldn't see what the hell it said through his blurry vision anyways. Where was his aniki? Oh that's right- he was still asleep after clubbing or checking out bars or whatever the f--- he and Melfina got up to. Jim had still been awake when the idiot had stumbled in, half-supported by Melfina at 4.30 a.m. Melfina... he couldn't understand why she didn't do anything about it. She definitely wasn't happy with what he did, though she obviously loved him. Why couldn't she just talk to him? Whenever Jim tried to, they just got into another fight. It was so pointless.
Jim felt himself beginning to give up on finances and as he slowly and unconsciously let his head sink down to the keyboard. There were too many holes in the math and it didn't add up. Obviously the cause of it was his aniki, but the "man" refused to take responsibility. Suzuka was never around to talk or beat some sense into either of them; she was off on a personal expedition, and would probably not return for another week. Aisha was almost as bad as Gene, when she was around, but at least she showed she cared about Jim, even if that didn't much help her behavior. The genius's already muddled thoughts began to melt into the nonsense that fills the mind just before dozing off. Too tired to fight it, he relaxed into it. He needed a nap, at least. He deserved one.
He was almost asleep when Gene decided to wake up.
~~~~~~
A/N: Ok, if you didn't like the first, second, or this chapter because there wasn't enough (as in about none) angst, then just stick around for the fourth. There is a fight coming. A big fight. A HUGE fight. A MELEE, like you see on SS Bros. (well, maybe not that big). Really, though, I've been planning this out for a while- it'll be good!...Bad. Angry. Er... REVIEW! Please! It's the only food source I have! One nacho for every review- salsa included if it's signed! I'm hungry, people!