Outlaw Star Fan Fiction ❯ Outlaw Star: Growing Pains ❯ A Cut Above ( Chapter 2 )

Author's Notes (9-3-2004): Every chapter from this one forward will be in its original context from around the time I began to write. Furthermore, there could possibly be half-ass editing and so forth from when I attempted to improve these things, which means you'll see something that's properly done, but then scroll down and find three people speaking within one paragraph. There WILL be hideous mistakes in punctuation, formatting, and what some have said to be too many … "sound effects." I'm uploading these all for one of my oldest readers, who's probably been my most vocal supporter and who also doesn't seem to mind the hideous look of these old chapters. Looking back at it, I can at least tell I've improved somewhat, and I hope you, the readers, can see that too.

"What time is it?" and "What do I have to do today?" They were two questions that normally ruled Jim's young life. Today, as in right now, they held absolutely no place in his world-a world that didn't expand beyond the bronze flesh and messy silver hair on top of him. It was almost surreal, Jim noticed. He'd never wake up and stay still because something always had to be done, which meant time was of the utmost importance. However, Jim had been awake, he speculated, for at least two hours just listening to Aisha breathe. Her breathing came out in strong gasps, almost like she was struggling for air. The small smile she wore, however, let him know otherwise. It was also interesting how her body didn't seem to get dramatically heavy without her consciously holding its weight.

Hey, a guy starts to notice things like that after lying on concrete for awhile.

*Thump* *Thump* *Thump*

A sound Jim knew well. It was the sound of Gene's boots thudding across the floor in the other room, signaling that he was awake.

Why? Jim thought, noting it usually took a little less than an organized air raid to wake the man in even the most important of instances.

*Thump* *Thump* *Thump*

Gene was obviously biding his time waiting to have the first crack at the new couple. Jim knew he was going to be poked, prodded, and blatantly interrogated once he left the garage.

*Thump* *Thump* *Thump*

Jim ground his teeth, silently wishing that his immature comrade would at least give them the respect of coming out on their own time. "Childish jackass," Jim muttered, trying to hold his tone in check for the sleeping woman on top of him.

"Who," Aisha asked, unconsciously digging her nails into Jim's chest while stretching.

"Listen and you tell me." He pointed at the door leading into the living quarters. Aisha raised one of her ears and tipped it towards the door.

*Thump* *Thump* *Thump*

Her ear fell back to her shoulder, and they both sighed.

"You have to come out some time," Gene laughed under his breath.

"How long do you think he'll stay out there?" Aisha asked, as she realized their current state of dress-outfits of nothing more than dried bodily fluids and various scratches adorning Jim's chest and back-would be hard to cover.

"Don't know, but I hope he isn't listening to us right now." On the other side of the door, Gene placed his ear to the door in an attempt to hear what made Jim raise his voice. Aisha watched Jim's left hand slide toward a discarded wrench. He held a finger to his lips, and then threw it at the door.

A muffled shout of "Goddamn it" could be heard for at least two blocks.

The couple shared a laugh as Gene continued to curse in pain, his ears having been inches away from the door when the wrench slammed into it.

"You know, an adult would let them have their privacy," Suzuka said with a sardonic coldness, which never hinted at her real amusement.

"Do you ever go home?" Gene shouted at her, temporarily forgetting his plot for revenge, and trying to make the ringing in his head stop.

"And miss you making a fool out of yourself at every turn?" She pretended to be taken aback by such a preposterous idea. "I think not." Suzuka laughed with that serious air that made him feel every bit as foolish as she claimed.

Sensing the battle was lost, Gene said, "Whatever. If Mel asks, tell her I went to see Fred about some weapons for the ship. If Jim asks, tell him this isn't over." He walked through the front door still clutching his right ear, and muttering something about installing an intercom.

Meanwhile, in the garage, the outrageous laughter had died down to a few hollow chuckles. Eventually, they found themselves in that awkward silence that they thought had passed. Aisha sat up slightly, using an elbow for support on his chest to get a feel for where Jim's thoughts were. His eyes were in the there and now, clear and focused, and with no outward signs of regret.

"Ssss," Jim hissed, stung as Aisha ran her nails across the welts on his chest. "Who knew you marked your property so painfully?"

"Well, I can't have somebody else wandering in and mucking up what's mine, can I?" She stiffened up, because that sounded possessive… very possessive. Even so, Aisha had to admit that sounded nice. Hers-Jim was her property, as much as she would be his. Looking back in his eyes, Aisha found the same things she did the last time: focus, clarity, and no regret. It was startling in a sense. Here she was, ass completely out with a 19-year-old, and he had more going on in his eyes than most men twice his age. He had always been like that, though…

"What do you want to do today?" Jim found himself asking in lieu of her incessant staring.

"I'll let you know in a minute," she replied, but a hint of a smile betrayed her. "It's kinda hard to think when a good chunk of my brain's been fucked out."

Jim laughed, adding, "I suppose I can try to knock the leftovers loose, too." To this, Aisha let out one long, scintillating purr, as she lowered her head to his chest and began to kiss his ripped skin.

"Later," she whispered, "I think it's time we hit the showers."

"And how do we get to the shower?" Jim asked, pointing to the shredded pieces of clothing lying around the garage.

Jim surveyed the room in search of something they could put on just incase someone was waiting to surprise them inside. He sighed at this oversight on his part, "Not one clipboard or anything?" He thought stepping up his efforts to find something.

Jim paced back and forth through the garage looking for anything that could be used to cover them; Aisha just bided her time watching his naked form move back and forth by her. He stopped and leaned against his car, "AHA!" He said, before spinning around reaching for something in the car. Aisha smiled as his butt wiggled in the air. Moments later he produced two grimy floor mats. "Eh, I guess they'll have to do." He said handing one to her. Aisha's smile drooped at a new realization, "Now how do I cover these?" She said playfully swaying her breasts; his head followed the bronze spheres in absent-minded delight. Aisha giggled as he slapped a hand to his head to stop the involuntary shaking. "You enjoy making me stupid don't you?" He said with a grin. She didn't speak only gave a coy smile. "As for them I could always do this." Jim twirled her around until her back rested against his chest, his forearm blocking her bare breasts.

Her nipples instinctively hardened and she ground herself back against him. Her effort was rewarded with a heated poke from his hardened member against her rear. "Okay, now I see this can't work." He said fighting an animalistic urge of his own. "Why not?" She said with another grind of the hips against him. "Because we won't make it past the kitchen." Jim said through clenched teeth. "The kitchen? From the feel of this..." She let her hand encase his hardness, "We won't make it to the door." She gave him a few decisive jerks to emphasize her point. "Rrrr! Oh, I think I can make it. The question is, can you?" Jim once again spoke in a low voice through shut teeth. He let his hand slide across her chest, allowing the hair from his forearm to tickle and stimulate her nipples even further.

He heard her breathing hang up as he drug his arm excruciatingly slow across her right nipple. Feeling his point was proven he removed the arm and spun her around to face him. "Now the other way I was thinking you could cover "them" is like this." Jim let his floor mat fall to the ground and began to play with her hair. "A little like this, and a little like that. Tada!" He announced as he finished positioning her hair in front of each one of her breasts. She eyed his work, "Nice." She commented. Jim smirked and knelt to scoop up his mat, "I'll see you later." He said inches away from her sex. Aisha missed the connotation at first but soon smiled widely as she realized who "you" was. Jim walked to the door and eased it open to see if he could see or hear anyone. "Coast is clear." He said in a loud whisper, Aisha sauntered over mat in place as he held the door open for her. They tip toed into the kitchen and paused to see if they could hear anyone, Jim turned to face Aisha seeing as she could obviously hear a lot better than he could. Aisha motioned her head signaling she heard no one.

Feeling a little more at ease, they walked rather than tiptoed, "Well isn't this cute." They both jumped and faced the voice, Aisha's body blocking the majority of Jim's from view. They both smiled like two kids caught doing something they weren't supposed to. "Hehe, I thought you said no one was here." Jim said through his smile. "I know, but you know how *she* is." Aisha said without moving her lips. Suzuka stood in the slight shadow the outcropping that the stairs above cast. "Get going you two. Be thankful I wasn't Gene or this would have been weird." The former assassin said sweetly. The couple only nodded and stepped in unison still facing her towards the stairs. As they hauled ass up the stairs, they heard Suzuka call to them again. "I suggest you two find a way curb the volume, I don't think we can all listen to another night of that." She said out of their view still in the shadows. "You heard us!" Aisha said a little too shocked for Jim and Suzuka's collective conscious. "Half of Sentinel heard us... and I think I'll try to reach the other half in a little while." Jim said the last part directly into one of her ears.

Aisha's mat hit the floor, forgetting her previous statement in anticipation of Jim's self-imposed challenge. His lips curled into a smile as he heard a small whimper-like purr leave her throat. He let his mat drop to the floor and pressed his erection against her rear, it was lightly wedged between her ass as he spoke, "Are you going to stand out here all day?" It was in a deeper voice, a voice that seemed to vibrate all her points in unison. "You know I can still hear you two." Suzuka said, wondering if they'd actually have sex right in front, or rather, right above her. Aisha seemed to wake back up with this revelation and for the time being restrained her desire. "Let's go!" She said pulling lightly on Jim's arm. "And you know you'll still be able to hear us." Jim said, his lustful tone still in place. The former assassin slightly shook from the tone and it suddenly felt very warm. *Boom* The bathroom door slammed shut breaking her from her trance. She shook her head to dismiss the thoughts trying to form.

Meanwhile upstairs, two people weren't making any such efforts. Aisha had all but drug Jim to the bathroom, not like he was struggling to get away mind you, she just ran faster. She let him go long enough to turn and lock the door, however Jim had other plans. No sooner did she release his wrist had Jim pressed himself against her again. He felt her body shiver against him, it sent of rush of excitement through him knowing he did that to her. Jim lowered his mouth to her neck kissing ever so lightly, "Hmm. Hmm." Were the only sounds Aisha could come up with as she felt his arm slide slowly around her waist pulling her hips against him harder. "Jim?" She said in a soft, strangled whisper. He barely heard it as he continued to lick and kiss on her neck. "Yeah?" Another small tremor shook her frame as the heat from his breath washed across her skin.

"Touch me." She said turning her head slightly to look back at him. Jim didn't verbally answer; he simply rested his lips over hers. He allowed her some space, although not enough to break the kiss, to turn around to face him. He leaned into the kiss further making her lean against the wall. Jim's erection brushed against her, causing her to moan deeply into his mouth and she began to stand on her tiptoes. Aisha let her left leg curl around him slightly; Jim stooped allowing her to get both of them around him. Their kiss never losing its pace, Aisha now rested against the wall, the heat from Jim's erection mixing with the heat from her own sex caused them both to moan.

He eased forward letting only the tip penetrate, Aisha's hands both slammed into his backside in attempt to bring him completely into her. "Mmmrrm." He moaned deeply at the slight tingling, he bent at the knees again and this time pushed all his weight into his thrust, completely falling into the woman. He slightly opened an eye and saw her ears standing on edge he softly chuckled. Aisha slowly arched out of the kiss, in need of both air and lustful dizziness. Her low moans found their way into the outside world as he slowly drove into her; he thoroughly remembered the pace from the night before, and from Aisha's slow grunts he knew he remembered right. "Jim, YES! HARDER!" She panted, with her eventual release building. Jim brought himself almost completely out of her before slamming back in using his legs for extra strength. The bathroom door shook loudly under his gyration. "GOD! FUCK ME! JIM! AAAAAARGH FUCK ME!" Aisha screamed. The intensity of the scream made Suzuka shake. She sat alone except for her tea listening to the on goings upstairs. She didn't remember listening as intensely the night before, but right now, she was riveted and for some reason, she didn't understand why. "AH! AH! JIM! FUCK! JIIIIIIIIIIM!" The C'tarl-C'tarl warrior shrieked, as her first orgasm began, her hands tangled in his hair, while he simply continued his onslaught. "UH! DAMN! OH FUCK! AISHAAAAAA!" The young outlaw screamed with a tight jaw as he emptied himself into her, his gigantic thrusts never ceasing.

*BOOM* *BOOM* *Thump* *Thump* ... *Thump*

Suzuka listened as they finally ended and found she was out of breath. "Snap out of it Twilight! Damn it get up and leave!" She commanded herself mentally. Standing firmly Suzuka scanned the room for her personal effects and slowly gathered them. Meanwhile back in the bathroom, the spent couple rested their heads on each other's shoulder panting for air. "I... told... you... I... could... make it past the kitchen." Jim said to Aisha slowly regaining his breath. "Yeah... but you finished before we made it to the shower." Aisha said raising off of his shoulder to look at him. "Hmmm, see, you just keep assuming I'm through." Jim said. "You do know what they say about people who assume too much don't you?" He said looking at her with a small smile. "No, what?" She said with a look of slight confusion. "If you assume too much, you'll make an ass out of yourself." Jim said laughing. Aisha lightly pulled his hair to show her appreciation of the joke. "Ow! It is a nice ass, a really, really, nice ass." He said as he ran his hand over her butt slowly. "Mmmm, you're lucky I'm in a good mood or I'd beat you up for that." She gasped out as his hands played with her highly sensitized skin.

"Then I guess I better make sure to keep you happy." Jim said removing her from the door and backing across the floor into the walk in shower. "You better." She said smiling brightly. "Have I let you down yet?" Jim said feeling a slight pang of anxiety in wait of her response. "Hmm?" She said placing a finger on her chin looking off from his face. "I said *Jump* Have I *Jump* Let You *Jump* Down Yet? *Jump* *Jump* " Jim said making his reacquired hardness jump inside of her. His question was answered as her eyes slowly lidded over and her insides began to grow inflamed around him. "Didn't think so, water on." Jim said activating the computer-controlled shower. It was a cool invention; the shower was programmed to set the water temperature to the user's voice. The hot water hit them both causing a relaxing sigh to permeate the room. "Now what?" Aisha said into his ear, slightly nibbling his earlobe. "Oh, I don't know, but I'll think of "something"." Jim said slowly beginning to thrust into her. She released his ear and placed her arms around his neck, as Jim pushed into her. Suzuka on the other hand was frantically seeking her sword. "Oh god where is it?" She thought, as her hastened retreat was brought to an abrupt stop in face of this dilemma. "It's in my room..." The words slowly hung up as she heard a new thud coming from the bathroom. Add to this her room was on the other side of the bathroom and you get one agitated lady assassin.

Jim once again had Aisha against the wall, steam and hot water making their already hot session that much hotter. "FASTER! COME ON! PLEASE JIM! AAAAAHOHFUCKME!" Aisha once again was soaring, Jim planting himself in and out of her as if expecting to find something buried in her. "God she's beautiful wet." He thought looking at her white locks plastered to her breasts and face. As was the case the last time, he was virtually numb. Jim maneuvered his way down to her breasts keeping his thrusting in motion as best that he could. "YES! RIGHT THERE!" Aisha barked at him as he held her right nipple between his teeth slowly moving his lower jaw left to right twisting the nipple slightly. Aisha's hands struggled to get a grip on his back, but the torment she was being subjected to left her limbs Jell-O-like. Jim felt confident enough she would be fully held by the wall, so he let his other hand creep slowly over her left breast.

His strong kneading worked to heighten her passion into another home stretch of pleasure. "YES! OHRIGHTTHERERIGHTHERE! A-EK!" Aisha's whole body tightened, Jim looked up at her, her mouth was a gape and her pupils were narrow slits. "Aisha?" Jim said slightly worried, her expression looked like frozen fear. He rose completely to a standing position, the slight movement within her reanimated Aisha. "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRGH!" She screamed, in pure animalism and orgasmic euphoria. "Mission complete, hehe." Jim mused to himself about his little personal bet/promise, hearing her almost deafening scream. She continued to writhe uncontrollably, no hint of her humanity existed. Jim watched her eyes float back into her head as her muscles loosened, allowing the orgasm to sink completely in.

"Uh oh!" Jim thought feeling her close tightly around his manhood; Aisha pushed her hips forward before slamming back against the wall, chipping a few tiles along the way. "OOOOW!" Jim screamed once again as he felt her claws shred the flesh on his back, once again a very nice trade off in his eyes. "Uh huh! Huh! Oh! Mmmm! Ssss! Oh god I love you!" Aisha said as she wilted against him, the aftershocks of her orgasm still shaking her frame.

Jim didn't exactly know where to go with the love comment, so in face of extreme seriousness his ideal way of handling it arose, he laughed. "HaHaHaHa! Was I that good?" Jim said as his mind began to speak as well. "Not the silly laughing, not now. Fuck!" He thought as he managed to repress enough of it to mildly giggle. Aisha was still panting, but something about his laughter seemed off. After a few minutes she regained enough strength to raise off his shoulder, he visibly winced in pain as her claws came free of his new scratches. Her head came to rest against the warm tile of the shower, Jim looked at her face blanketed by her hair slightly and couldn't stop a smile, one unhampered by nervous laughter, from crossing his features. "Hehe, here let me get that for you." Aisha sighed a little at how comforting he sounded... even though he was basically in the middle of sex. Jim brushed the wet strands of hair from her eyes and the look she wore was a familiar one, "She's upset." He thought. "I wonder if he heard me?" Aisha thought unconsciously gnawing her bottom lip. His thoughts on her previous statement faded as a more solemn thought slipped into place. "I didn't hurt you or anything did I?" He rambled it off subconsciously grabbing her shoulders. Aisha saw a chance to leave her confession/sex addled byproduct in the past and ran with it. "No silly, you couldn't hurt me... not like that anyway." She said plastering a huge grin on her face.

"But I will hurt you if you don't finish." Aisha said, trying her best to clamp down over his ever-hard member, she waited to see if he'd bite, he did as his smile reappeared as his lips sank closer to her face. Once again, it started with a kiss, despite their predicament below the belt their kisses seemed to block out everything else. And despite Jim's frazzled senses his overbearing mind began to drift. "This has got to be love. At least for me anyway... do the C'tarl even get to experience love? I know the rule about sympathy, but she's never once mentioned anything about love or something that emotional. But then why did she say it? So she could A: Love me. Or B: Think of me as a dildo with a body. Well if she doesn't love me who cares..." Jim opened one of his eyes and looked at her face, her lust contorted features enhancing her cute factor ten fold. His eyes shut quickly as his answer presented itself. "I'll care."

Taking an approach Gene seemed to perfect, Jim threw himself completely on the table, no plan and no back up, just the moment. His lips left hers momentarily as he spoke. "I love you too..." Aisha's eyes flew open to see if she heard right, but Jim on the other hand didn't want to hear the response, he thrust into her before she had time to shoot him down. Teenage pessimism made her choice for her... in his eyes. "If I'm a dildo, I'm going to at least be the best one she's ever had!" He screamed mentally. Aisha tried to answer but his sudden tempo change put her back into the lower end of the mental gene pool.

"YES! OOOH! OOH!" Her heightened sensitivity once again working in his favor. Jim pounded away at her like a man possessed. He felt her legs squeezing around his ass, but he didn't care. The longer this lasted the longer she couldn't reject him. "Jim! JIM! OH FUCK YES!" He felt the familiar pain as she shredded more of his back, instead of vertical; she scratched horizontal leading away from his spine. He bit his lip to ignore the pain and her new tightness. Jim just continued his sexual melee bringing Aisha over the edge time after time, over and over again. Each orgasm ended with her claws ripping a part of his body. "AH! FUCK!" Jim screamed as her claws tore down the sides of his arms, Aisha was too occupied with her orgasmic frenzy to notice what she was doing to him, and that he was bleeding profusely from several of the wounds. The hot water washed most of the blood away, so she would have missed it anyway if she had opened her eyes.

"I'M GONNA COME! OH! OH!" Aisha screams were nearing that fever pitch again and Jim took notice if he didn't do something quick she was going to start clawing over her still fresh claw marks. "Not yet you don't." He said physically pulling her iron grip off his body. "Let the wall be the scratching post, cause I'm running out of skin." He thought spinning her to face the wall. Aisha's hands met the wet wall and frantically searched for something to hold on to, a "conveniently" placed towel rack was her salvation. This position of course seemed to be Jim's sweet spot so to speak.

In his haste to be rid of her scratching, he put her in the one position that brought his desensitized member back to life and it was coming to life quickly. "SHIT! NO! AAAH! OH SHIT! NOT NOW! NOT YEEEEEEEAAAAAHT! AAAH! AAAH!" Jim screamed picking up his pace trying to fuck through his orgasm. Aisha felt his hands grip her shoulders as his pace intensified, the sound of him slapping against her wet behind as well as the feeling he and the hot sprays of sperm shooting into her, sent her into another soundless orgasm. "AH! A-EK!" Jim felt her body tighten around him and felt her muscles harden under her silken skin as he continued to flow inside her, his pain, her warmth, and the hot water all seeming to keep his orgasm at its thick white hot peak. Fatigue finally caught up with Jim as he collapsed against her still rigid frame. He heard a guttural moan rumbling inside her, "AAAAAARRRRGH! JIIIIIIIIARRRRRGHMMM!" Aisha's body heaved under him as she rode the orgasmic downpour as best she could.

Jim couldn't move he just lay slightly sprawled on her back as her head whipped back and forth, he heard the sound of tile being torn and other damage being caused by her more primal half but dismissed it. They both loudly panted as Aisha used her own strength to put the pair upright. Jim's dick finally softened enough to slide out of her, making both shudder as the contact from their over stimulated sexes broke. Jim was too exhausted to flee from his self-imposed rejection, so he just held onto her shoulders and rested his skull on her back. "Oh... I definitely... love you Jim Hawking. Hehehe." Aisha said looking over her shoulder at the equally drained Jim. He lifted his head at hearing this, he wanted to almost believe he didn't hear it, but her smile cemented he had. "And I love you too... Aisha Clan-Clan." He said pulling himself the rest of the way up, via her shoulders. Aisha turned around, her features all seemed to glow to the man, and she hugged him fiercely. "AAH!" A scream escaped his lips seeing as everywhere her arms touched he was scratched.

Aisha backed off slightly; the water temperature had died down enough as to not produce as much steam, needless to say, Aisha didn't like the looks... and smells of things. "Jim?" She said calmly. "Yeah?" He said just as contently. "Why do I smell blood?" Her tone still existed on the light side, so he saw no reason not to stay there as well. "Kitty thought I was her scratching post I suppose, hehe." Jim said holding her at a slight distance. Aisha forced him to release her, "WHAT THE HELL!" Aisha screamed in her usual gravely voice. Jim stood there, his entire upper body; save his face and neck were covered in scratches of varying degrees. Aisha grabbed his shoulders, "SSS!" He hissed through the pain as she grabbed more raw flesh to spin him around. The image was the same if not worse, his back was crossed in very recent slashes. Aisha looked at her nails and saw his blood and parts of his flesh under them. She felt ill... she'd killed people in more gruesome ways and ate shortly after, but this, this was making her physically sick.

"Aisha?" Jim said wondering why she was so quiet. He turned around and now it was his turn to be shocked, she stood silently looking at her hands, tears of sadness staining her shower moist face. "What's wrong?" He asked trying to hug her, she put a hand against his chest and when he winced, she cried harder. "Look at yourself! Look at what I did to you, I'm some kind of monster!" She screamed at him. Monster... a term Gene often used to describe her, Jim didn't know why but the urge to kick the shit out of his partner seemed to well up inside of him. He once again tried to hold her, instinctively her hand once again shot to his chest, he bit his lip as he pushed it off and encircled her in his arms. "You aren't a monster, besides it just a few scratches, I may be the computer guy but I think I'm tough enough to take this." Jim said kissing her on top of her head. Aisha simply whimpered as he held her tighter in conjunction with the noise.

"Besides, you at least made a cool pattern." He said softly laughing, he heard her laugh a little as well and felt better, except for the persistent pain of the scratches. Aisha sighed, as the warmth of his body seemed to shoo all her problems away even her guilt about ripping him to ribbons. "Aisha?" Jim said trying not to show his visible pain. "Yeah, Jim?" Aisha said unconsciously rubbing her face against his chest. "Could you help me to my room? I don't think I can walk." Jim strained to say in light of the new calm. Aisha's ear perked up as she pulled away from him to look at him; he wore a slight smile. "Don't look so worried, I'll be fine." He said reassuring her, Aisha simply nodded and adjusted herself to fit under his arm. "Water off." Aisha said as she helped her fatigued boyfriend out of the shower. "Wait, towels, we need towels." Jim said pointing for the bathroom closet, Aisha simply adjusted course, and snagged a few. "I think I can stand on my own, put yours on." He raggedly said through hisses of pain.

Aisha again did as told and wrapped herself up. She realized he probably wouldn't be able to so the same, so she simply threw a towel around him as well. She silently opened the bathroom door while looking down; her first step into the cooled hall made her skin goose pimple. "Ah, so there's the happy..." They both groaned as they heard Gene's voice. "Not now Gene." Aisha said cutting his little barb short. "Oh and why not? I see Mr. Hawking here is..." Gene trailed off, as he looked at his friend a little closer. Jim was slumped over and bleeding? "What did you do to him?" Gene said running from his place by the stairs. "Hehe, a little accident, nothing major." Jim said, trying not to lead on to the true pain he was feeling. "Nothing major my ass! You've got more cuts than I do!" Gene said looking over all the markings angrily. His glance then shot to Aisha and his look was anything but friendly. "Did she do this to you?"

Jim couldn't see the look on Gene's face and from his tone of voice, he didn't sound all that upset, so Jim answered with proud a "Yes." Gene's teeth slowly ground back and forth as he looked at her. "Damn it Aisha he isn't one of you animal people! You can't just..." Gene stopped as Jim's dilapidated form straightened out, his face etched in one could say anger. Aisha felt his weight coming off her shoulder and was a little stunned, seeing as he needed her to basically carry him a few seconds ago. Jim finally stood to his original height; Gene didn't really know what to make of it so he stayed quiet. The younger outlaw made no calculations or plans; he just went on instinct. "I am going to say this one time, do not call her an animal, or a monster, or even "that funny cat girl" it's Aisha... and if you can't call her that ALL the time shut the fuck up and don't say anything to her. Do you understand me?"

Ordinarily Jim knew he probably couldn't take Gene in a fight, but at that moment the only thing that replayed in his mind was the memory of Aisha calling herself a monster and that anger was enough to beat the hell out of the man before him. To say this was a new side of Jim was an understatement, Aisha and Gene both looked at him in amazement and confusion. Gene's mouth hung slightly open as his head managed to nod his response. "Good, now with that settled I can go rest." Jim said it purposely changing his demeanor on a dime. He turned and took Aisha's hand locking their fingers and brought it to his mouth kissing it lightly, "Let's go." His kiss and his words were both done looking at Gene to erase what little doubt he may have had. The man could only stare in amazement as they walked off into Jim's room and shut the door.

"Ah, so someone is finally growing up." Gene said slightly smirking at his friend's show of courage. "Who do you mean, Jim or you?" Gene's shoulders arched with her words, "Damn it! Can you at least walk like a normal person? Bad enough you're always here, but the lurking is creeping me out." Gene said turning to look at the former assassin. Suzuka lightly smiled at his weak insult and decided to go to her room for her sword now that the banshee trials were over. As she passed Gene, he suddenly put an arm out in front of her blocking her path. She gave him a side ways glance not bothering to turn her head. Gene turned instead to look at her; she felt a strange tingle as his blocking hand made its way toward her face.

"You know," He said undoing her headband and hair ties, allowing her jet-black hair to frame her porcelain face. "You look a lot better without them." Gene held the aforementioned items out so she could take them. She was stunned; not just stunned she wasn't breathing. Her hand shakily retrieved the items he held before her. "Th... Th... Thank you." She gasped out. "No problem, I just figured "Hey, she's not an assassin anymore. So why keep your hair like one?" Sorry for not asking to make the changes and all." Gene said with innocence in his voice that seemed to pull at her. Suzuka never felt anything for the man, other than hostility. He was just a guy she would get even with for defeating her. Maybe it was listening to Aisha and Jim for the past four hours. Maybe it was the fact she hadn't been with a man in years, or maybe it was he was just so damn cute, but Suzuka's dormant emotions surged as she grabbed the man kissing him full on the mouth. Gene fell back against the wall as his hands instinctively circled her waist.