Author's Note Death to writer's block. I think going brain dead from a bad cold helped me get over it though, so it's all good. This chapter went through two versions before I was happy with it, so hopefully it was for the best. It can't all be on Fred's side, after all...

Also. I forgot with the last two chapters that I wanted to do short intros about each theme and what they have to do with my chapters. (Yeah I stole the idea from Outlaw Star; but I can do it too if I want, dammit!)So if you care to see, the intros have been added - and hopefully I'll remember after this from now on. x.x

Look Over Here

The gift of sight; one of the five basic and essential senses bestowed upon all creatures human, alien, and android alike. While some have the delicate sense taken from them and others are born or created without it, those blessed with it rarely ever truly see what they are meant to. Often it is only after losing such a sense that anyone can really appreciate it. But hope remains for those blinded by what is in front of their eyes in the form of a catalyst, great or small - a perhaps fated event that bypasses the eyes and awakens the part of the mind that can truly see.

- - -

"…Are you absolutely sure about this, Jim?" Gene gave the young computer whiz a dubious glower.

"Of course I am, Aniki. Unlike some people, I actually make sure my tipoffs come from legit sources before running off with hundreds of wong worth of equipment on my back," the lively blond boy said, his tone turning scolding.

Gene only narrowed his eyes further in suspicion. "…You really know how to hold a grudge, you know that?"

Jim gritted his teeth, then let out a hmph! and crossed his arms over his chest. "It's not a grudge if you do it every time, you idiot!"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Gene grunted. "Anyway, what would anything worth more than a round of drinks at the bar be doing lying around way out here in the middle of nowhere? Where are we?"

Jim let out a long-suffering sigh. "I've already told you three times, Aniki; we're not in the middle of nowhere, we're out in this asteroid belt looking for a priceless treasure for our customer."

"Who loses something so priceless in the middle of a freaking asteroid belt! That's all I wanna know!" Gene griped, tapping his fingers impatiently on the controls of the Outlaw Star.

"What do you care, as long the pay is good?" Jim muttered, checking their coordinates with the information provided by the customer.

Gene couldn't think of an answer to that aside from admitting to his own stubborn laziness, and he really didn't feel like giving Jim another win today. So, he changed the subject. "Who is this 'legit source' you insist on bragging about, anyway?"

Whatever answer the redheaded spaceship captain expected out of his little genius, it was most definitely not the monstrously smug and derisive look that crossed his face. Gene could only gawp openly, utterly baffled at the reaction. "You should know better than me, Aniki," the boy said smoothly. "I'd have thought communication would be more open between you and your boyfriend."

Gene blinked bemusedly for a second before his mind made the connection back to Fred Luo. Quite suddenly Jim was sporting a large and painful lump on his head, while Gene huffed in his captain's seat. Even Melfina, who had been a little distant lately, let out a giggle.

In spite of the new hurt, Jim was quite undeterred. "I don't know why you take your frustrations out on me, Aniki. You're not even in a position to deny there's something going on between you and Fred."

"There ISN'T anything going on!" Gene yelled. "And if there is, it's all on that guy's side."

"Yeah, right," Jim scoffed, crossing his arms over his chest. "I saw you two kissing; we all did."

"That was all him!" Gene insisted, banging his fist on the control panel in front of him. "I never wanted anything like that, and I definitely never asked for flowers from him either!"

"Oh…? I'd forgotten about the flowers. Strange that you remember though, Aniki."

"Shut up! Let's hurry up and get this stupid job over with - and keep it up if you feel like getting tossed into deep space and floating back home!"

"Yeah, yeah…"

------

"…I still don't see why both of us need to be here."

"Really, Gene…the customer feels more comfortable with me here, and she wants to thank you personally for finding her precious family heirloom."

"She's not even a babe, Fred! I just want to get this over with already. What if I miss some really big job offer while I'm wasting time here with that old hag?"

"Do it for me?"

Gene spluttered, thrown off-guard by the sudden change of pace in his argument with the dark-haired merchant. "Wha--! W-why would I do anything for you!" he hissed, glancing around fervently to make sure no one was within earshot.

"Because if you don't, she's not going to feel comfortable giving you any of her money," Fred replied, not missing a beat.

"What? What do you mean by that?"

"I mean she's very careful with her money. It took many years to develop the trust she places in the Luo family now."

"You mean she's a cheap old bitch."

"Be that as it may, you don't have much choice in the matter now, do you?" Fred pointed out with a smile.

"This is ridiculous!" Gene cried, forgetting all about keeping their conversation low-key. "This is blackmail! Is this why you sent Jim home ahead of me, you bastard? You put me in this position! I don't have to dance to whatever beat you and that hag decide to--!"

He was suddenly silenced mid-tirade by Fred's warm lips clamped over his own. He was too surprised to do more than widen his eyes as they met the smoldering black ones of the other man. Jim's words flashed through Gene's mind, and he felt the blood rushing to his face.

Fred pulled away and turned around, collecting a few papers from the desk behind him. "As much as I regret giving you any further hardships, I would appreciate you keeping your shouting to a minimal level for the sake of my customers, Gene."

Gene was thrown off by the distant tone in Fred's voice, borderline disappointed by finding it there - not that he would ever admit that to anyone, least of all himself. But it had never been there before, not even after those old 'jokes' of Fred's, back before he had crossed the line into kisses. It was more effective at making the pilot nervous than any advance the other man could make. Needless to say, it was a quiet Gene that finally met with the customer alongside Fred.

Throughout the polite conversation over tea that followed, Gene found himself trying to catch the merchant's gaze several times. It was only after the third attempt that he realized what he was doing, even if he couldn't see why. Perhaps it was because it was the first time he could recall Fred not doing the same, or perhaps he was trying to indirectly test the waters to see if the dark-haired man was angry with him.

Either way, Gene could only wonder why he found himself remembering the way those charcoal eyes had seemed to burn into his - and why he was trying to get them to do it again.