Outlaw Star: Forgotten Dreams 8- A Deeper Understanding

I'm really sorry I haven't been on lately, but you know with school starting and all... Speaking of, when did you all take geometry in high school? How do they get off giving it to me as a freshman? I've had it two days and I'm completely lost... ;.; Yeah, they decided to move me from algebra to geometry last Friday. I got switched out of gym and put into piano, which isn't HORRIBLE, but I actually liked my gym class and I can already play keyboard. And now Mackenzie (my best friend! .) wants me to try out for freshman cheerleading with her tomorrow... By the way, I know you've been reading, Max! REVIEW, I SAY! Oh, ah lurve yew...

So, continuing with the story... Last time Jimmy-Boy cracked down and did some research. As it turns out, his father was allegedly working with the government to put a stop to the Kei Pirates and other associated criminals, but according to Mrs. Narita, Jim's father's partner's wife (oo;;), he was working with them and double-crossed them, thus resulting in Narita Noboru's death.

I want to thank everyone who's been reviewing! You're almost making it all worthwhile! .

--

Jim was sitting on his bed, hair dirty and matted, clad in only a faded brown T-shirt and his boxers, staring intently, or stubbornly, at the smudged screen of his laptop.

The redhead, Gene waltzed by without a shirt, brushing his teeth in an exhausted hypnotic state, then backtracked to look again at the boy. He sighed through the minty foam in his mouth and pulled the red toothbrush out.

"Kid, how long have you been staring at that page?" he asked; though it came out more as a gargle than anything else.

"Twenty-five hours, eight minutes, and nine seconds," Jim replied quickly, automatically, without straying his eyes. "Ten seconds... Eleven seconds... Twelve seconds... Thirteen-"

"Exactly?" sighed Gene, running a large hand through his hair exasperatedly.

Jim paused only to toss a look over his should at the man and mutter, "What do you think?" with an added eye roll.

"Okay, kid. I'm shutting this thing off. I think you're becoming obsessed," Gene cautiously said, edging to the laptop and reaching for the switch. Suddenly, he felt Jim's small, soft hand draped over his own large, rough, textured one. He raised his questioning sparkling blue eyes to meet large, pleading, sleep-deprived deep chestnut ones.

"This is the only lead I have."

Slowly Gene removed his hand and Jim turned back to the screen. Gene sat down beside the boy and read over his shoulder.

"Kei Pirates?" he asked, glancing down at Jim.

"I think those are the guys who killed my parents and brother," Jim replied solemnly. Gene didn't say another word about it. He, too, had lost his family at a young age and knew what it felt like to be alone. True, he still had many questions about Jim's past, some of which the blond himself couldn't answer, but he thought best not to pester. After all-

He understood.

Of course, not from Jim's point of view. From the eleven-year-old's perspective, Gene Starwind had no idea what Jim was going through. Sure, Jim had lost his family at a much earlier age than Gene had, along with his own memory, but over all, Jim felt fortunate.

Jim had never felt fortunate for anything in his entire life. In all his years at the orphanage, he felt deprived and forgotten. But now Jim had someone in his life. He had someone to point him in a direction- be it good or malicious.

He had Gene.

Jim felt lucky to have someone like Gene there for him, though he wouldn't ever dare admit it. Sometimes it even felt like Jim was the one taking care of Gene when he came home drunk and with a sore head or with some nameless girl he would forget by morning.

But he would never forget Jim.

Sure they had more than their fair share of quarrels, but Jim had finally come to actually trust Gene, as Gene did Jim.

And to the point of yesterday- Jim still couldn't get off his now seemingly feeble mind that Gene had referred to the old musty apartment as "home".

"Welcome home."

That was the first time either had thought of it that way or even mentioned such a warm thought to one-another.

For such a long time Jim had considered the orphanage his home. Or, rather, his boundary or limits. Now he actually had a loving (well, close enough) place to reside. One at which he felt needed and respected, even a little.

Jim had learned that respect wasn't a right, but a privilege. It was something to be earned, not given. And after a bullet wound, a plane crash, and countless take-out pizzas, Jim had respect for Gene. Not a lot, but enough. And Jim had definitely earned his respect for the immature eighteen-year-old. Gene had to admit; the kid was tough.

Jim's dull brown eyes were focused blandly at the screen. He noticed the red button flickering on and off, signaling the battery was about to run out. The boy sighed and closed his eyes, falling back lazily onto the tiny twin bed. His nose twitched, and then he sneezed.

Gene glanced down at Jim and muttered, "Gazunheit."

"No... It's bless you," Jim corrected playfully. "Say it. Say 'bless you'."

"Why should I? Don't they mean the same thing?"

"Well, yeah, but people used to think that when you sneeze, your soul escapes. They'd say 'bless you' so you could be blessed regain it," explained Jim.

"Who told you that?" Gene asked, glaring down at the child. Jim shrugged his bony shoulders.

"I just picked it up."

"Whoever told you that was a nut, kid..."

Jim thought deeply. Who told him that...?

--"Achoo!"

"Do you have allergies, Aniki?"

"I think I'm allergic to you, Jimmy."

"Hey! That's not nice!"

"Yeah, but it's funny! Naw, I'm just playing with you. Besides, you didn't say 'bless you'."

"Um... I'm sorry...?"

"You should be. What if my soul escapes and never comes back?"

"Huh?"

"Come on, you've never heard? ... Well, people say that when you sneeze your soul gets out. To bring it back, someone has to say 'bless you' and it'll come flying back!"

"Really?"

"Sure."

"I don't want your soul to get out and not come back."

"I don't either."

"Okay. Bless you, Aniki."--

Jim's serious face twisted into a forced grin when he noticed Gene was staring at him. He pretended to chuckle slightly and hoped it sounded convincing.

"Yeah... It is pretty stupid, isn't it...?" he asked, purposely diverting his eyes from Gene dark blue gaze.

"Hey, come on, kid. Get dressed and we'll go for Chinese tonight," Gene said, ruffling Jim's dirty blond hair and rising from the bed.

"Oh boy. Not the usual delivery pizza," Jim said, mock enthusiastically.

"Hey. I make buttered toast," said Gene sternly, pointing a large finger at Jim from the doorway, then heading off to finish brushing his teeth and attempt to find a hopefully clean shirt. Jim rolled his eyes and smiled, continuing to do the same.

Since neither had done a load of laundry nor washed dishes in their life, they went to the cleaners about once every two weeks to do a few loads of laundry and only used plastic cups and paper plates and plastic silverware. Jim chuckled at how petty his living arrangements seemed. Then again, it was better than Solitary Confinement at the orphanage.

Jim silently blessed Gene under his breath. Sure, he was arrogant, self-centered, immature, and perverted, but there were several likeable qualities Jim saw in him.

Once he remembers what they are, he'll tell you.

"Hey, kid. Hurry up. I'm feeling nice tonight, so you can pick any restaurant you want as long as we can eat there for under fifty bucks," Gene said, poking his head back in the door, grinning widely. Jim smiled innocently to himself.

Yes, he was fortunate to have someone like Gene there for him, because Gene understood.

--

So, how was that? I think that was possibly the corniest fan fic chapter ever written and recorded in the annals of history...

Either way, next time there'll be more action, I promise you. I'm just feeling very lazy because I'm exhausted from cheerleading practice. Don't laugh. They work us REALLY hard...

So I caught a VERY large garden spider yesterday and brought her to school today in a jar to show my biology teacher. I named her Sasha after my best friend's older sister. They have a LOT IN COMMON, Actually- they're both cheerleaders, they're both in college, they're both black... Yeah, so her name is Sasha Nizzle and I set her free when I got home earlier. ;;

DUDE, I'VE BEEN HOME ALONE SINCE 6:00 AND IT'S 8:16 AND I'LL BE HOME ALONE UNTIL 9:00!! It's very rare at my house for no one to be home, but the whole family went to my older sister's volley ball game and they left me here... ::cries::

Okay, I'm done