----------
Disclaimer: If you're even reading this, than you obviously have no brain.
A/N: I'm so freakin' surprised that people actually reviewed on this fic! I wrote it out of nowhere, and I already have 3 reviews!!! *Does a little dance* Okay, maybe it's getting to my head, but...well, I also write A LOT of Cowboy Bebop fanfics and half of those have been on here for like months and haven't gotten ANY reviews. Oh well, different strokes for different folks.
Review Responses:
The One and Only, Julia: Thank you so much for being my first reviewer! When I write, I try to make using correct sentence structure and good grammar an essential. The whole reason I even continued on with the second chapter is because of your review. ARIGATO!!!
Edward-Kirika: I know what you mean with the doe-thing, but...Ah, screw it. I don't have an excuse. As soon as I get the chance, I'll go back and replace "doe-like" with another adjective like "innocent" or something. Thanks for your review and your advice! I tried to make this chapter much longer, just for you!!!
Lilmelfina64: You'll find out soon enough, m'dear. *Wink-wink, nudge- nudge.* I'm sorry that I can't tell you, but I don't wanna ruin it!!! Please be patient with me! Thanks!
--------
Prince Charming: Chapter Two
--------
"Damn it, Mel, what's gotten into you?" Gene demanded, getting angry.
"I...I'm not really sure, Gene," she replied a little weakly, clutching her stomach with one hand and her forehead with the other. "I...feel...strange..."
Melfina felt a little more relieved as Gene's face softened slightly. He reached forward again, but this time more slowly, and clasped his hand around the bicep of her left hand, drawing her hand away from her forehead.
"Well, I don't care what you say, you don't look well, and you're going to get some rest," he commanded resolutely, gently but firmly leading her from the room.
This time Melfina didn't object. She actually did feel quite exhausted. And she wasn't about to get Gene angry again. When he was angry he tended to do things he'd end up regretting.
As they walked down the hall towards the room in which Mel had been staying, Gene's hand slid from the top of her arm down to her wrist. Eventually he ended up holding her hand.
This wasn't the first time they'd been in contact as such. It'd happened plenty of times in the past, but never before had Melfina felt so flushed when their skin touched. Gene's hand was warm as it held hers, and was large enough to cover hers entirely.
After about a minute or so, Melfina glanced up at Gene to see if there was anything similar to his reaction painted on his face, but he had seemed perfectly oblivious to the strange sensation he was causing her.
Again, she felt sick.
------------
They soon arrived at Mel's temporary room.
Gene pulled her forward until she was standing beside him and threw open the door. Without so much as a "by-your-leave" he switched on the light and walked right in. Melfina blinked twice and then followed him inside.
"Alright, Melfina," said Gene in a serious tone of voice, turning to face her. "I'm going to come and check on you every once in a while and I better see you lying in that bed!"
Gene mentally winced at his words. He sounded like her mother for God's sake!
"Unless, of course, you gotta...well...you know..."
"Use the bathroom?"
Gene blushed a red that challenged the crimson of his hair.
"Uhhh...yeah..." he faded away and a short uncomfortable silence settled between the two of them.
"Anyway," Gene blurted, trying desperately to rid himself of the discomfort of the moment. "I swear that I'll be back in here to check on you! I'll be sending Jim at different intervals, too, so don't even think you can get away with doing something other than resting."
Melfina gave a hesitant, unsure nod, avoiding Gene's eyes like the plague.
"Alright. I'll get some rest."
"You promise?" Gene asked, surprising even himself. 'Whoa, where did that come from?' he wondered.
Melfina looked up, startled at his insistence. "Um...yes, I promise."
A look of relief flashed through his eyes and then cheerful indifference took its usual place on his face.
"Good, then, it's settled. Sleep well."
Then he was gone and Melfina was left to herself.
-----------
After a full night's sleep and consistent visits once from Gene and then from Jim, Melfina felt one hundred percent better.
She rose the next morning with a loud, wide yawn just as a sharp rap sounded from outside.
Melfina subconsciously held her breath, praying that it wasn't Gene. What if the same thing as last night happened again this morning?
"Mel?"
She let the breath go.
Jim.
"Just a second, Jim," Melfina responded, flipping back the comforter and throwing her legs over the side of the bed. She opened the door to a bright smile from the young boy.
"Mornin'," he greeted, giving her a little wave and grinning.
"Good morning," she responded, also smiling.
"Are you feeling any better?"
"Much better, thanks to you and Gene."
"Aw, it was nothing. Besides, Gene did all of the work. He even got up before noon this morning."
Although she had never been one to show her surprise in great amounts, Mel's jaw almost dropped. Gene? Awake? BEFORE noon?
Wait a minute! If Gene had awoken BEFORE noon, then what time...
"Oh, no, Jim! What time is it?"
Jim's eyes grew thoughtful. "Oh, around two o'clock, I'd say."
"Oh, dear! That means that the grocery store is already closed. They close at one on Sunday."
The look on her face made Jim feel sad too. "Hey, Mel, don't feel bad! Aisha made another C'tarl C'tarl dish!"
Jim practically winced as he remembered the last time Aisha had decided to make them C'tarl C'tarl food.
(A/N: LOL! Remember when Gene faced off against the first Pirate? And they all got hurt but they were okay because of that food that Aisha made? Hahahahaha!!!!)
Melfina, too, looked quite uncomfortable. "Erm...Jim...Do you suppose that's the best idea?"
He looked down the left hall to establish that Aisha was no where around and then checked to the right.
"Actually, I was thinking that maybe we could go out and sneak some REAL f- "
SMACK!
"What in the HECK is THAT supposed to mean, Jim Hawking!" came a loud, scratchy, catty voice. "Are you saying that the cuisine of the mighty C'tarl C'tarl isn't REAL food?!"
Jim almost screamed. "Where the hell did YOU come from Aisha?!"
The tall, silver-haired woman glared imperiously at him.
"Well, I was downstairs and I heard my name so I rushed up here to find out what was going on!"
As if to prove her point, her large silver cat ear twitched.
Jim sweatdropped and opened his mouth to say something.
"Come on, Mel!" exclaimed Aisha carelessly, interrupting him. "Let's go get you some food!"
Melfina gave Jim a despairing look and practically pleaded with her eyes for help, but Jim was at a loss.
He gave her an apologetic half-bow as Aisha dragged her down the hall from her room, not even giving her the chance to change out of her night clothes.
---------
"Hey MEL!" called Gene happily as Aisha appeared, the before mentioned girl not far behind. "Come and get some of the food Aisha made, it's GREAT!"
At this Aisha grinned and laughed smugly, beginning a long rave about how her cooking skills were considered the best out of any other C'tarl woman on her home planet – blah, blah, blah.
Unbeknownst to her, the rest of them were zoning her out like they always did when she felt the urge to begin a long-winded appraisal of herself.
Melfina purposely took the seat between Aisha and Suzuka, trying her best to avoid contact with Gene.
Gene, however, didn't seem to notice and continued on cheerfully with his meal.
Aisha immediately began scooping vast quantities of food onto her plate, all the while explaining what the different dishes were – but she was talking much too quickly for Melfina to follow everything she said, and only caught a few words or phrases every now and then.
"Fish!....It's delicious....love it!...Try some of....made it myself....!"
"So, Melfina...Are you feeling any better this morning?" he asked, cutting mercifully into the endless droning that was Aisha. He stuffed a piece of what LOOKED like meat into his mouth and waited for her answer.
Melfina thought for a moment before replying with, "Yes, much better. I'm sorry my behavior was strange yesterday, Gene."
Gene swallowed and just grinned at her before stuffing more of the meat- like stuff into his mouth.
Melfina managed to give a small, forced smile before it disappeared completely as another stream of pain hit her in the stomach. Her pupils dilated slightly as more and more waves of anguish seemingly consumed her from the inside.
What was wrong with her? Was she truly sick? Or...was it something else? She couldn't just run away again. Then everyone would just be all the more suspicious.
Tentatively, Melfina reached towards what looked like a piece of fruit and lifted it to her mouth. An immense feeling of disgust began radiating from her stomach, but she commanded herself to ignore it and pushed the fruit through her partly opened lips.
For a moment, Melfina tasted what seemed very much like the artificial peach flavoring they used on a slushie she'd once eaten, but then the nausea overcame her and she was forced to spit the fruit back into her napkin.
She glanced around the table to see if anyone had noticed her actions. At first it seemed that no one had seen her, but then her eyes locked with Suzuka's and Melfina knew that the assassin had witnessed it all. The other woman's eyes held a look of slightly concealed worry and concern.
Melfina gave her a soft, unconvincing smile. Suzuka continued to give her knowing glances until Mel couldn't take it anymore.
She silently rose to her feet and almost immediately everyone grew silent.
"I think I'm going to get dressed and go for a walk."
"Well, hey Mel, give me a second, and I'll get read-"
Melfina gave her head a little shake, interrupting Jim's offer. "I'd...I think I'd rather like to go alone, Jim."
Without another word, she walked away from the table and up the stairs to her room.
"-ready," finished Jim, staring after her.
Although he concealed his concern much more easily than Jim, Gene was also throwing looks up the stair towards the hall that Melfina had disappeared down.
He was growing slowly but surely more concerned for her.
'What's wrong, anyway?' he thought. 'What's wrong with Melfina?'
--------------------
Bum-bum-BUM!!! What will happen next? Hmm? I really really really like advice and reviews. They are nice. See, reviews make me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. Read&Review and I will be happy and therefore will write and then everyone will be happy and then you'll write more reviews, and then I'll be happy again. It's a continuing cycle.
Ja ne.
Disclaimer: If you're even reading this, than you obviously have no brain.
A/N: I'm so freakin' surprised that people actually reviewed on this fic! I wrote it out of nowhere, and I already have 3 reviews!!! *Does a little dance* Okay, maybe it's getting to my head, but...well, I also write A LOT of Cowboy Bebop fanfics and half of those have been on here for like months and haven't gotten ANY reviews. Oh well, different strokes for different folks.
Review Responses:
The One and Only, Julia: Thank you so much for being my first reviewer! When I write, I try to make using correct sentence structure and good grammar an essential. The whole reason I even continued on with the second chapter is because of your review. ARIGATO!!!
Edward-Kirika: I know what you mean with the doe-thing, but...Ah, screw it. I don't have an excuse. As soon as I get the chance, I'll go back and replace "doe-like" with another adjective like "innocent" or something. Thanks for your review and your advice! I tried to make this chapter much longer, just for you!!!
Lilmelfina64: You'll find out soon enough, m'dear. *Wink-wink, nudge- nudge.* I'm sorry that I can't tell you, but I don't wanna ruin it!!! Please be patient with me! Thanks!
--------
Prince Charming: Chapter Two
--------
"Damn it, Mel, what's gotten into you?" Gene demanded, getting angry.
"I...I'm not really sure, Gene," she replied a little weakly, clutching her stomach with one hand and her forehead with the other. "I...feel...strange..."
Melfina felt a little more relieved as Gene's face softened slightly. He reached forward again, but this time more slowly, and clasped his hand around the bicep of her left hand, drawing her hand away from her forehead.
"Well, I don't care what you say, you don't look well, and you're going to get some rest," he commanded resolutely, gently but firmly leading her from the room.
This time Melfina didn't object. She actually did feel quite exhausted. And she wasn't about to get Gene angry again. When he was angry he tended to do things he'd end up regretting.
As they walked down the hall towards the room in which Mel had been staying, Gene's hand slid from the top of her arm down to her wrist. Eventually he ended up holding her hand.
This wasn't the first time they'd been in contact as such. It'd happened plenty of times in the past, but never before had Melfina felt so flushed when their skin touched. Gene's hand was warm as it held hers, and was large enough to cover hers entirely.
After about a minute or so, Melfina glanced up at Gene to see if there was anything similar to his reaction painted on his face, but he had seemed perfectly oblivious to the strange sensation he was causing her.
Again, she felt sick.
------------
They soon arrived at Mel's temporary room.
Gene pulled her forward until she was standing beside him and threw open the door. Without so much as a "by-your-leave" he switched on the light and walked right in. Melfina blinked twice and then followed him inside.
"Alright, Melfina," said Gene in a serious tone of voice, turning to face her. "I'm going to come and check on you every once in a while and I better see you lying in that bed!"
Gene mentally winced at his words. He sounded like her mother for God's sake!
"Unless, of course, you gotta...well...you know..."
"Use the bathroom?"
Gene blushed a red that challenged the crimson of his hair.
"Uhhh...yeah..." he faded away and a short uncomfortable silence settled between the two of them.
"Anyway," Gene blurted, trying desperately to rid himself of the discomfort of the moment. "I swear that I'll be back in here to check on you! I'll be sending Jim at different intervals, too, so don't even think you can get away with doing something other than resting."
Melfina gave a hesitant, unsure nod, avoiding Gene's eyes like the plague.
"Alright. I'll get some rest."
"You promise?" Gene asked, surprising even himself. 'Whoa, where did that come from?' he wondered.
Melfina looked up, startled at his insistence. "Um...yes, I promise."
A look of relief flashed through his eyes and then cheerful indifference took its usual place on his face.
"Good, then, it's settled. Sleep well."
Then he was gone and Melfina was left to herself.
-----------
After a full night's sleep and consistent visits once from Gene and then from Jim, Melfina felt one hundred percent better.
She rose the next morning with a loud, wide yawn just as a sharp rap sounded from outside.
Melfina subconsciously held her breath, praying that it wasn't Gene. What if the same thing as last night happened again this morning?
"Mel?"
She let the breath go.
Jim.
"Just a second, Jim," Melfina responded, flipping back the comforter and throwing her legs over the side of the bed. She opened the door to a bright smile from the young boy.
"Mornin'," he greeted, giving her a little wave and grinning.
"Good morning," she responded, also smiling.
"Are you feeling any better?"
"Much better, thanks to you and Gene."
"Aw, it was nothing. Besides, Gene did all of the work. He even got up before noon this morning."
Although she had never been one to show her surprise in great amounts, Mel's jaw almost dropped. Gene? Awake? BEFORE noon?
Wait a minute! If Gene had awoken BEFORE noon, then what time...
"Oh, no, Jim! What time is it?"
Jim's eyes grew thoughtful. "Oh, around two o'clock, I'd say."
"Oh, dear! That means that the grocery store is already closed. They close at one on Sunday."
The look on her face made Jim feel sad too. "Hey, Mel, don't feel bad! Aisha made another C'tarl C'tarl dish!"
Jim practically winced as he remembered the last time Aisha had decided to make them C'tarl C'tarl food.
(A/N: LOL! Remember when Gene faced off against the first Pirate? And they all got hurt but they were okay because of that food that Aisha made? Hahahahaha!!!!)
Melfina, too, looked quite uncomfortable. "Erm...Jim...Do you suppose that's the best idea?"
He looked down the left hall to establish that Aisha was no where around and then checked to the right.
"Actually, I was thinking that maybe we could go out and sneak some REAL f- "
SMACK!
"What in the HECK is THAT supposed to mean, Jim Hawking!" came a loud, scratchy, catty voice. "Are you saying that the cuisine of the mighty C'tarl C'tarl isn't REAL food?!"
Jim almost screamed. "Where the hell did YOU come from Aisha?!"
The tall, silver-haired woman glared imperiously at him.
"Well, I was downstairs and I heard my name so I rushed up here to find out what was going on!"
As if to prove her point, her large silver cat ear twitched.
Jim sweatdropped and opened his mouth to say something.
"Come on, Mel!" exclaimed Aisha carelessly, interrupting him. "Let's go get you some food!"
Melfina gave Jim a despairing look and practically pleaded with her eyes for help, but Jim was at a loss.
He gave her an apologetic half-bow as Aisha dragged her down the hall from her room, not even giving her the chance to change out of her night clothes.
---------
"Hey MEL!" called Gene happily as Aisha appeared, the before mentioned girl not far behind. "Come and get some of the food Aisha made, it's GREAT!"
At this Aisha grinned and laughed smugly, beginning a long rave about how her cooking skills were considered the best out of any other C'tarl woman on her home planet – blah, blah, blah.
Unbeknownst to her, the rest of them were zoning her out like they always did when she felt the urge to begin a long-winded appraisal of herself.
Melfina purposely took the seat between Aisha and Suzuka, trying her best to avoid contact with Gene.
Gene, however, didn't seem to notice and continued on cheerfully with his meal.
Aisha immediately began scooping vast quantities of food onto her plate, all the while explaining what the different dishes were – but she was talking much too quickly for Melfina to follow everything she said, and only caught a few words or phrases every now and then.
"Fish!....It's delicious....love it!...Try some of....made it myself....!"
"So, Melfina...Are you feeling any better this morning?" he asked, cutting mercifully into the endless droning that was Aisha. He stuffed a piece of what LOOKED like meat into his mouth and waited for her answer.
Melfina thought for a moment before replying with, "Yes, much better. I'm sorry my behavior was strange yesterday, Gene."
Gene swallowed and just grinned at her before stuffing more of the meat- like stuff into his mouth.
Melfina managed to give a small, forced smile before it disappeared completely as another stream of pain hit her in the stomach. Her pupils dilated slightly as more and more waves of anguish seemingly consumed her from the inside.
What was wrong with her? Was she truly sick? Or...was it something else? She couldn't just run away again. Then everyone would just be all the more suspicious.
Tentatively, Melfina reached towards what looked like a piece of fruit and lifted it to her mouth. An immense feeling of disgust began radiating from her stomach, but she commanded herself to ignore it and pushed the fruit through her partly opened lips.
For a moment, Melfina tasted what seemed very much like the artificial peach flavoring they used on a slushie she'd once eaten, but then the nausea overcame her and she was forced to spit the fruit back into her napkin.
She glanced around the table to see if anyone had noticed her actions. At first it seemed that no one had seen her, but then her eyes locked with Suzuka's and Melfina knew that the assassin had witnessed it all. The other woman's eyes held a look of slightly concealed worry and concern.
Melfina gave her a soft, unconvincing smile. Suzuka continued to give her knowing glances until Mel couldn't take it anymore.
She silently rose to her feet and almost immediately everyone grew silent.
"I think I'm going to get dressed and go for a walk."
"Well, hey Mel, give me a second, and I'll get read-"
Melfina gave her head a little shake, interrupting Jim's offer. "I'd...I think I'd rather like to go alone, Jim."
Without another word, she walked away from the table and up the stairs to her room.
"-ready," finished Jim, staring after her.
Although he concealed his concern much more easily than Jim, Gene was also throwing looks up the stair towards the hall that Melfina had disappeared down.
He was growing slowly but surely more concerned for her.
'What's wrong, anyway?' he thought. 'What's wrong with Melfina?'
--------------------
Bum-bum-BUM!!! What will happen next? Hmm? I really really really like advice and reviews. They are nice. See, reviews make me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. Read&Review and I will be happy and therefore will write and then everyone will be happy and then you'll write more reviews, and then I'll be happy again. It's a continuing cycle.
Ja ne.