Orenji no Taiyou

[Haruko Lawson]

Haruko cocked his head slightly. He could honestly say that he had never eaten that particular combintation of foods before. So he couldn't say whether or not he would mind eating it. So he nodded slightly, shrugging a little and grinning.

"I suppose so," he chuckled. Then he slid into a chair slowly as if it might burn him before looking back up at Jesimae. "I haven't had it all together like that before. Actually, I've never had orange juice. So, I will be trying something new today."

Haruko felt kind of stupid saying that he had never drank orange juice as it was a common drink. But he had been raised on Japanese, Chinese, and Korean breakfast foods, which normally didn't include orange juice. His breakfast drink of choice was usually Green Tea, but he was actually looking forward to trying something else for once.

[Jesimae Lawson]

Jesimae glanced over her shoulder at him and smiled. She had just learned something new about Haru, aside from the fact that perhaps everyone last night had jumped ahead of themselves because so far all Haru was doing was being nice, and Jesimae could safely say she liked him.

"Really?" She said with a smile as she broke a few eggs into a pan she had buttered . The sizzling sound let her know it was time to throw the freshly cracked yolks into the pan. She heard it sizzle louder and she grinned, grabbing a spoon after searching through the drawers and poking at them. She walked away and grabbed a few slices of bread and stuck them on a cookie sheet where she had already turned the stove on. She was surprised how quickly the oven had heated for hers at home took forever!

"It is really, really good! Well, my tastes my differ from yours so I guess I cannot honestly say anything." She laughed as she put the slices into the over and closed the door, grabbing the spoon and beginning to scramble them. She looked over her shoulder as she stood there tossing the fluffy yellow yolks around in the black pan.

"So, how old are you Haru?" Jesimae wanted to get to know this Lawson brother the correct way after all she met Jiro and Taro under very odd circumstances, and although their meeting was fairly awkwards as well this could at least become normal.

[Haruko Lawson]

Haruko watched with interest as she cooked the food. She did it in such a funny manner. He had always been taught a certain way to cook the food, and watching her do it in a quick bouncing manner made him smile a little bit. He leaned his elbows on the table and twirled a peice of hair around his finger.

"I'm twenty-six, feel like seventeen, and look like a hundred and two," he chuckled, running his fingers through his hair and realizing that he needed to brush it. Making do with a string he kept tied around his wrist, he pulled his hair back into a high ponytail and opening his eyes, rubbing at them to get the sleep from them. He sniffed the air and his stomach answered with a very annoyed growl.

"So...if you don't mind my asking, how did you and my brother meet? Or actually, both little brothers."

[Jesimae Lawson]

Jesimae let out a laugh at his answer. She rolled her eyes and looked over at him, stopping her pushing and poking at the eggs to answer him.

"Please! You look more like 16 if you ask me!" She glanced back at the eggs stopping for a breif moment to check on the toast seeing it was turning brown. She glanced back at the eggs and continued to scramble them. When she heard Haru ask her how she met Jiro and Taro she let out another laugh.

"Very oddly. Actually, Jiro saved my life. Both saved my life." She turned the stove off and grabbed a small hand towel and pulled the eggs onto a cool unused burner and walked over to the cabinets, guessing at which one to look in. She smiled when the first cabinet had a few clean plates. She took out two and laid them side by side, grabbing her spoon and scooping several times and putting the fluffy yellow mass onto each plate in an even amount.

She sat it down and walked to the stove and opened the door feeling the heat pour out. "I was looking for my brother, who recently passed away much to my approval, as horrible as that sounds." Jesimae grabbed the cookie sheet and sat it onto of the stove, making sure not to knock off the black frying pan to her right.

"A man was looking for me, trying to kill me to be more specific because of my brother. Jiro stopped him from killing me and he took me here, where I then met Taro. Deacallion, the man who was after me, kidnappes Jiro and we went after him." Jesimae paused again to pour a little butter on top of the fresh crisp brown toast. She laid two pieces on Haru's plate then on her own, abandoing it for a moment to grab two cups and the bottle of orange juice she had laid out a moment before.

"Luckily," She continued. "We got Jiro, Decallion was killed, my brother was killed, and now...things just fell into place." She turned around and placed a plate in front of Haru along with a tall cup of orange juice. She grabbed a fork and sat it beside his hand and smiled.

"Tell me what you think!"

[Haruko Lawson]

Looking down at the eggs, toast, and orange juice, Haruko's stomach once again protested the way it was being treated. He picked up the fork, trying to remember how he had been taught to hold it. But it had been so long ago, and he had done nothing but eat with chop sticks since, that he was sure one of his fingers was out of place.

Ignoring it anyway, he scooped up some of the eggs and placed them on one of the peices of toast and then putting the fork back down. He picked the toast up and took a small bite, chewing thoughtfully for a moment before picking up the glass and taking a drink of the orange juice. He smiled at the taste of the liquid, nodding at Jesimae.

"Oishii..." he muttered to himself before bowing slightly to her. "This is very good! I have never eaten anything like this before. I really like this."

[Jesimae Lawson]

Jesimae held her breath, praying to God he'd like it after all she felt as if her nerves were exposed at that moment. Nobody had ever tasted her cooking before aside from herself and she was afraid he'd spit it out and go gag somewhere. She clutched the back of the chair as she studied his face, for a moment she opted to get chopsticks even though she didn't know if he could eat eggs so well with them. Luckily he got the hang of the fork and he was quick to eat the things she placed in front of him.

When he looked up at her she swore he was going to vomit on her, especially when he muttered something in Japanese. He bowed at her and told her he liked it and she let out a sigh of relief.

"Thank God!" She said laughing as she grabbed her chest and turned and grabbed her own plate. "For a moment I thought you were going to hate it!" She took a seat and looked down at him.

"You are the first person to ever taste something I made myself, consider yourself privileged!" She smiled as she took a seat and grabbed her own fork and dug in. She chewed and swallowed and looked up at him.

So far she was getting along with Haru very well, at least she thought so. He seemed completely different than last night, a little bit more relaxed but she wasn't sure how relaxed he was, after all he had been locked up in a dark room all night. She suddenly felt guilty, for someone so nice it was a crime to have done that. Jesimae made an agreement to herself, Taro was not going to be doing that again anymore.

"You wouldn't lie to me, would you?" She asked with a smile as she drank a bit of her own orange juice. She sat it down and let out a sigh, happy to taste something other than noodles. She looked up at Haru again and continued to eat and speak. "I'm sorry about last night. Taro locking you in a darkened room without any way to use the bathroom, hell you probably didn't have a cover to sleep under did you?"

[Haruko Lawson]

Haruko continued to eat listening to her speak, enjoying the sound of someone's voice other than his own, or someone yelling at him. For a moment he didn't answer as his mouth was full and he didn't want to speak with food in there.

Once he had swallowed and taken a drink he sat back from the bent postition he had been in and stretched, smiling at her. He scratched his cheek as if thinking about what she had asked him. He shook his head.

"No, actually I prefer darker places to lighter ones, and the bed was only hard. I have a heat regulator in my electronic motherboard that keeps me from over heating or getting too cold. So, even if there hadn't been a blanket, I probably would have slept reasonably comfortably," he explained, tapping his temple next to his bionic eye to pop open the panel and reveal a bit of the electronic panels there. He smiled a little when he shut it.

"Sorry, that probably freaked you out. That's not exactly a breakfast table thing to do is it," he said, bowing slightly to her. "Gomen."

[Jesimae Lawson]

Jesimae was enjoying this morning far too much, she knew. But Haru was too likeable! If she was comfortable enough she'd honestly give him a big hug just for her own desire since he was that adorable. She was so happy to know him already after such a short period of time, it had actually been a while since she had a conversation without too much drama, not to say that she, Taro and Jiro's conversation's were dramatic...they just seemed to be evolved from drama.

She smiled as she waved a hand at him, surprised she knew what "gomen" meant. "That is okay, it did bother me last night since I was not expecting it." She took another bite and chewed a moment of silence finally taking over the table, but not for long, the questions piling up in her mind taking over.

"So, your face isn't real? Or is it just that particular side? And how did you get a bionic eye?" Jesimae stopped herself before continuing.

"Sorry if I am asking too many questions, I am just very interested in knowing you." She felt her cheeks get a little red from such brutal honesty, but they were going to be family right? She smiled and looked up at him.

[Haruko Lawson]

Haruko chuckled when she apologized and waved it away, crossing his legs and pulling out his pack of cigarettes, always enjoying one after he ate. He pulled one out with his teeth and lit it, taking a puff and turning away from Jesimae, blowing it towards the door, waving away the smoke, not wanting to bother Jesimae with it. He held it under the table to stifle the smoke as he looked back over at her.

"Don't worry, you'll find that I am a talker," he said, smiling. Then he shook his head. "My face is real, but my left side on my skull there is a mother board connected to my brain and eye. It allows me to read someone. So, for instance, I can tell your blood type, height, weight and usually, I can even identify the person. My mother board can tap into wireless sources, which is why I know your name is Jesimae Phoenix and your brother was Jabari."

He paused a moment, thinking about his eye a moment, then he looked back at her and leaned against the table.

"As for how I got it, I was actually blind for a few years of my life, then when I got a replacement eye in the left side, it somehow knocked my nerves and my sight returned in my right eye. Otherwise, I'd have two of these bionic bitches," he laughed. Then he shrugged. "Its not so bad. I can see things and do things others can't."

[Jesimae Lawson]

Jesimae wanted a cigarette so bad, she was dying! It had been so long since she had touched one and she didn't know why she hadn't bothered to pick up a pack. When he began to describe his facial structure, or his skull really, she began to understand and was no longer disturbed by his odd habits of touching his temple and showing metal skull.

When he said her name her heart jumped, she knew it must've been great to be able to tell things about people ahead of time before one made a mistake of talking to them. But the moment he said her brother's name...her heart sank. Jesimae tried to let it fall over her as she listened to him continue to speak.

Jesimae laughed when he was finished. She ate the last bit of her eggs and leaned back, her stomach never feeling so full. She glanced across the table at Haru and smiled.

"I'm glad you can at least see correctly out of one eye." She let out a grunt as she stood up and grabbed her plate glancing down at Haru. "Are you done? Do you want anything else? Breakfast is my specialty!" She laughed lightly she knew how to make one other thing for breakfast, but she doubted Taro would have any muffin mix around.

[Haruko Lawson]

Haruko shook his head as he stood, up along with her, reaching to take his plate but she took it first. He took another drag from his cigarette and blew out the smoke, glancing around him. He saw an ash tray across on one of the counters and put the cigarette out, dropping it in and then walking through the kitchen, waving his hands to try and clear his smoke.

"God awful habit, smoking," he muttered. Then he looked back over at her. "Actually, I can see normally out of both eyes if I prefer, I just have always found it handy to keep it in scan mode. Which is pretty much like seeing normally, except there is a red tint to everything."

He paused a moment before taking a deep breath and letting it out. He glanced at Jesimae, then down at the ring on her finger. He didn't want to be so nosey, but he had to know. After that display of all but smacking her around, Haruko wondered why they were engaged. He looked at Jesimae.

"Can I ask...what lead you and Taro together?" he askes, his voice timid. He hoped she wouldn't mind the question.

[Jesimae Lawson]

Jesimae watched him try to rid the kitchen of smoke and for a moment she was about to ask him for one, but opted not to. She sat their plates into the sink and washed them off learning more about Haruko Lawson every second.

She was glad to hear he could see normally and for a moment she actually wondered why she was so glad to know this man after twenty minutes of entertainment and being alone with him. It slightly frightened her, but she knew this was just simple chit chat...right?

Jesimae heard Haru ask her about Taro. Immediately she glanced at her finger. She loved Taro, but for some reason his question made her think long and hard. By the time she had an answer the silence had already taken a hold of them and the dishes were sitting in the drain to dry. She turned around and looked over at him as she wiped her hands off on a towel.

"Well...I dunno really. When he was helping me with Deacallion we were preparing to figure out a way to kill him since he was now after Jiro...we kissed and I guess it just sorta happened." Jesimae twisted to ring on her finger suddenly becoming nervous. She loved Taro more than words could say...but she honestly didn't like the feeling of being afraid of him. Last night was something she hoped never would happen again.

"How about you...how did you and Orange get together, and don't tell me you two didn't have a thing because the tension in that room last night was suffocating!"

[Haruko Lawson]

Haruko put a hand on his head and sucked a breath in through his teeth when he heard her ask about Orange. His and her story was a complicated one, and he wasn't sure if Jesimae wanted the long or the short of it. He turned and wrinkled his nose at her, thinking hard about it.

"Well..." he said. He didn't want to poison his name even more now that he had made friends with Jesimae. "Well, Orange and I met...God...she was a hired companion. Or that's what we liked to call them. They were prostitutes. And...one night I just invited her to stay the whole night instead of leaving. I think I even paid her extra to do so. I dunno how it happened, but it did. That's the nut shell version," he chuckled, shaking his head. "Orange was part of the reason that Mr. Lawson stayed away for a long time. After she left, he kind of got out of control. Leading me to where I am standing now."

Haruko smiled at Jesimae, tugging at a piece of hair that had come loose from his ponytail. She was probably going to think even worse of him now.

[Jesimae Lawson]

Jesimae watched him finding their story interesting. So Orange used to be a hooker. She shook her head and smiled seeing a sudden nervous action of Haru tugging at his hair.

"That is interesting, I never knew Orange used to be a prostitute. When you two were...together...did she still do it? I mean, still sleep around?" She didn't know why she was asking, but it was just her curiousness.

Jesimae loved how open Haru was, it seemed if she had a question he'd easily supply an answer...sadly Taro had a problem doing that and it caused problems in the beginning. She wished he could've been a little bit more like Jiro and Haru, able to share more.

[Haruko Lawson]

Haruko sighed, looking down at his feet. She had asked a question he had asked himself more time than he could possibly count. He shook his head, lacing his fingers together behind his head and taking a deep, deep breath, blowing it out through his nose and licking his lips.

"You know, I wish I could answer that," he said quietly. "I never really knew. Between us working different jobs and the small time losses I would get from not being Haruko, but Mr. Lawson, I could never really put a finger on where she was all times. And I never wanted to, I just never knew if she actually devoted all of herself to me, or whether I was just one of several," he said shrugging.

"Mine and Orange's relationship was rocky to say the least, you know, with her job, my job, my split personality. It just was a concoction for disaster. Don't ask me how we made it work for as long as we did."

[Jesimae Lawson]

Jesimae nodded in response to his truthfulness, she didn't know why but she was kind of glad they didn't stay together not because she would have never fallen in love with Jiro but because....Jesimae sneered in her mind, she didn't like the way she was thinking.

"Well at least it worked for a little while, huh? Better to have loved and lost than to have never loved at all....is that what they say?" Jesimae didn't know why she was being so philosophical about this, but she was. She wondered if perhaps Orange was going to stay with Jiro or try and rekindle the flame with Haruko. Either way it didn't seem to put the tension at ease.

If Orange stayed with Jiro, no matter how Haru would deny it, he'd probably be a little envious at times for he would remember things they used to do together. Then, on the other hand, if she chose Haru Jiro would probably never want to see her again and it would cause major tension between brothers. If Jesimae could have her way she'd honestly say 'To Hell with Orange!'

"I'm not an expert on relationships, here, but perhaps it was for the best. For some reason Orange just doesn't seem your type."

[Haruko Lawson]

For some reason, that statement didn't exactly strike Haruko as a caring one. He didn't know if it was the look in her eyes when she had said it, or maybe it was the way she had said it. Or maybe it was just Haruko's imagination. But any way his mind sliced it, Mr. Lawson wasn't happy with the way she had said it.

He tilted his head back as if trying to stop a nose bleed, and he shut his bionic eye, knowing it would flicker blue slightly. He took a deep breath, negotiating with Mr. Lawson in his mind, though his instinct was to speak out loud, he was aware that that would freak Jesimae out even more.

When he had finally subdued his other half, he opened his eye again and looked back at Jesimae, smiling wearily. He shook his head and licked his suddenly dry lips. That had struck some fear into him.

"Sorry about that," he said, not knowing if she would know what he was talking about. He nodded. "And maybe you're right. Maybe we aren't right for each other. In fact, Haruko is inclined to believe you." He smiled and chuckled.

[Jesimae Lawson]

Jesimae frowned when she watched him lean back for a moment. She didn't know why he did it but it became pretty obvious it must've been the other part of Haruko. When he looked back at her she felt a little bit at ease for his eye was not blue, but the very comforting brown. But when he talked in the third person...she began to become weary.

"Did...did I overstep my bounds? I'm sorry I am sure you and Orange were perfect together." Jesimae let out a frustrated sigh, she knew she had offended him and after repeating it to herself she knew it was the wrong thing to say.

"Sorry, Haru. It isn't any of my concern." Jesimae drew in a sigh and suddenly felt uncomfortable but she quickly asked him questions to keep the conversation nice. "So what made you decided to become a bounty hunter, if that is what you are?" She enjoyed the company of another person with same line of work, it had been a while since she was actually able to discuss it.

[Haruko Lawson]

Haruko shook his head at her taking another deep breath and smiling, then swallowing. He smiled again. He could tell he had kind of freaked her out, but really what she had just witnessed was child's play to what happened when Mr. Lawson was really upset about something.

"Don't worry about it. Mr. Lawson gets bothered by everyone, it really was an honest remark and one I agree with," he said with another grin, hoping to reassure her. Then he thought about her other question. Bounty hunter. He smiled a little and leaned down on the table, looking back up at Jesimae.

"Well," he said. "That kind of stems from when I ran off from home when Taro was born, or actually, he was Jiro then. But I lived with a man who trained me for the Chinese mafia, and then I got into Korean gangs and when I got...run off from there, the logical choice to me was bounty hunter. I mean, Mr. Lawson was well suited for the job, and it was money, so we couldn't complain--er..." he paused. "I couldn't complain," he corrected.

[Jesimae Lawson]

Jesimae walked over to the table and took a seat and looked at him with a smile. "Haru," She said in a sigh. "You are by far the most interesting person I have ever met in my entire life." She laughed and leaned on her elbows.

"I mean that in a very positive...happy...way!" She laughed again hoping not to tick him, or really Mr. Lawson, off. She ran a hand over her messy hair, realizing she must look like crap. Jesimae glanced at the table and tried to run her fingers through her tangled hair before looking back up at him slightly embarassed.

"Sorry, I didn't realize how ratty my hair is or how awful I probably look!" She let out a sigh not really happy that she gave a rip about what Haru thought about her.

"Yeah, the money is nice. Matter of fact I used to be a bounty hunter back in the day."

[Haruko Lawson]

Haruko smiled, looking over at her. She actually didn't look all that horrible. In fact now that he came to it, she probably was the prettiest morning person he had ever seen. Or at least the prettiest morning woman. He reached over and just undid a piece of her hair that had lopped up.

"There. Actually, you look fine," he said smiling. Then he went back to the subject, shrugging his shoulders. "I couldn't tell you that much about it actually. I am always out if it when the kills actually occur, so if you wanted to talk about it, it would have to be with Mr. Lawson, and that's not even happening," he chuckled, leaning his chin on his hand and looking at her. He bit his lip.

"I'm going to ask a really strange question," he said, looking at his hands. "I hope you won't think I'm some sort of freak, although...well, nevermind," he said, not wanting to go down that road. Then he looked back up. "But anyway...what's it like? I mean, to have one personality? One person inside of you?"

[Jesimae Lawson]

Jesimae wasn't expecting Haru to do that and the moment she realized he did her heart almost stopped. She was silent for a moment, why had he done that? When he began to compliment her she held her breath and felt her body temperature rise. Perhaps she had become too comfortable with Haruko, too comfortable sharing things, just too damn comfortable. But she was enjoying it far too much.

Jesimae tried to act normal but she couldn't, this was killing her. She finally realized, after a moment too long thinking about it, that she found Haru to be kinda....kawaii.

She listened to him speak about Mr. Lawson and she laughed along with him, enjoying the way it sounded far too much for it seemed like it came from deep within, like he meant it. That didn't make sense to her and she sure wasn't about to compliment him for he'd take it probably the wrong way...flirting. Which technically it was.

Jesimae was about to laugh and tell him he was crazy, but when he asked her what it felt like to have one personality...she suddenly felt empathetic and she had never wanted to give anyone a hug more than that moment. She gave him a serious look, a look that seemed hurt or sad simply because she couldn't imagine what he was going through and somehow she wished she was just to help him out.

"Well..." She started as she took a deep breath in and leaned back. "My mind is quiet, accept my conscience. I talk to myself in my mind, in the open...it isn't all hunky dorey, after all your mind is never at rest." Jesimae leaned forward again and looked at him with slit eyes. "Does that make sense at all?"

[Jesimae Lawson]

EDIT

[Haruko Lawson]

Haruko chuckled a little bit. It didn't make sense. Becuase his mind was never quiet, not in the sense he figured she meant. He had never been without the whispering of Mr. Lawson in his mind, or having a conversation with his reflection. He smiled a little bit and leaned back, shaking his.

"Not really," he chuckled. "But I wish it did." He shrugged. "I have never had a moment to be just by myself. You know? When you sit in your room and you think and you consider life? I've never been able to do that. I am always talking to Mr. Lawson, or he is always talking to me."

He paused a moment, finally paying attention to what his other half was saying so that he could give Jesimae an example.

Don't pretend like you like being just Haruko. I know you don't. You're too weak to be anything but that whimpering kid in the coner of the boxing ring.

Haruko shook his head and looked back fully at Jesimae, smiling a little bit and putting a hand on his forehead.

"He's talking about me, now. Somtimes, he's so loud he wakes me up at night. And right now, I can't figure out why you can't hear him, because he is speaking as loud as you are to me. As if he were a third person in this conversation," he said, still smiling. "And that's what freaks people out. I talk to myself in the complete sense of the word." He paused a moment, then laughed.

"Wow, sorry for the pity party, and sideshow freak!" he laughed.

[Jesimae Lawson]

Jesimae sat back and crossed her arms as she watched him with slit eyes, studying his behavior when all of a sudden he went quiet. She saw the look on his face and she suddenly recognized something in his eyes and her heart skipped a beat. She watched carefully and for a moment she was going to tell him that he was speaking to him, but he was quick to tell her. She shook her head, surprised by that for she honestly couldn't experience or somehow understand that feeling, but yet she did just so she could tell him she understood.

"No, no." She said in response to his sudden shift in feelings. She uncrossed her arms and leaned forward and grabbed his hand, not truly realizing the sudden intimateaction she committed.

"You're not a freak." She made sure that she was loud and brutally honest. "I can see this is probably very hard on you and your mental stability and probably your emotional and physcial well being. He can go away and I don't mean by ignoring it because that just...probably makes it worse. There is medication, you know." Jesimae bit her lower lip as she looked at him, shocked that she was actually angry at him for thinking he was a freak.

"Mr. Lawson can get bitchy if he wants to whenever he hears me say that, but it is the truth, Haruko. You can get rid of him the only question is...are you willing to let him go? Could you make it without hearing him twenty four, seven."

[Haruko Lawson]

Don't let her say that, Haruko. Don't take it from her. She is just a woman. She has no rule over you! You are letting her control you!

Haruko fought the urge to answer him, fought it like he had never done it before. He didn't quite feel out of control, but he knew if he answered, it might get out of control. He shook his head, his eyes locked onto Jesimae's searching them for something that would keep him rooted in this world.

You weak traitor! Let me take care of her! Let me show her who she is dealing with! We're a Lawson. Show her!

"Shut up!" Haruko exclaimed, blinking several times in succession. He shook his head. "I don't want to talk to you."

But you have to, idiot. You have to deal with me. Are you just going to put me away with medication, like this bitch wants?!

"You have no right to call her that. I don't want to talk to you," Haruko repeated, standing up and taking two steps away from Jesimae. He saw the blue light of his eye flicker and he clamped his teeth down hard. He shook his head.

You can't put me away with medicine. You wouldn't know what to do with yourself if that happened. You're just stupid.

"I will do what I will with you. You have no bearing on my life..." Haruko said. He squeezed his eyes shut. "Go away. I don't want to talk to you!" he exclaimed. He opened his eyes and stumbled towards the door. He had to be put somewhere while he had a window. He knew he was slipping. His eye was half blue, half brown. He looked over his shoulder at Jesimae.

"Put me back in that room. Lock the door, don't let me out no matter what you hear, no matter what Mr. Lawson says to you," he said, stumbling out and towards the room he had slept in the night before. He hated it when his morning started out this way.

[Jesimae Lawson]

Jesimae watched him struggle and when she saw his eye flash blue she almost jumped across the room.

"Put me back in that room. Lock the door, don't let me out no matter what you hear, no matter what Mr. Lawson says to you." Jesimae watched him stumble out of the room, she knew it was her fault but she was just trying to tell Haru! Help him! She jumped up and jogged after him.

"You have to fight him, Haru!" She had never felt so odd in her life. She was screaming at Haruko to do something he probably had done a million times and her causing his morning to go to hell...she wanted to shoot herself in the foot. "Haruko, I don't want to lock you up! You are still a human being for God Sakes!" She watched him stumble forward muttering to himself as he walked quickly.

She knew her yelling would probably wake people up but she wanted to make sure Haru heard her. If nobody else in that apartment liked Haru she was going to be sure he knew that she was for him, liked him, wanted to help him in any way possible. An hour in the morning with Haru made her realize what a person he truly was and she wasn't about to lose that to some....other...thing! She watched Haru fall onto the bed, obviously being tortured.

"I cannot seclude you like an animal!" Jesimae was getting too passionate about this whole thing, despite knowing him for an hour it was long enough to let her know she was willing to do whatever it took to try and get that man some help.

[Haruko Lawson]

Haruko's insides were being ripped apart with the pain that Mr. Lawson always cause if Haru was fighting him as badly as he was now. His chest was heaving, his brain felt like jelly. He roared as he flew back at Jesimae and grabbed her by the shirt, looking her straight in the eyes, as the blue began to slowly cralw its way across his eye. He had some sanity still there, but it was slipping fast. His face was so close to Jesimae's as he gasped for breath that thier noses touched.

"But that is what I am!" he screamed, throwing her to the floor as he gripped his head and steam hissed from the panel on the side ofhis head. He looked at Jesimae through his arms. "Lock the door! Don't come in here!"

A stab of pain shot through the back of his neck and head, going down his spine and crawling through his tail bone and legs. It was amazing the pain Mr. Lawson was inflicting today. It was hardly ever this bad. All he wanted, was to see Jesimae lock the door behind her as she left.

"Just get the hell out of here!" he yelled, feeling her presence there still.

[Jesimae Lawson]

Jesimae fell to the floor hard, she felt her head hit the hard surface and for a moment she was lost, she was dizzy and she didn't know what was going on or where she was. She heard Haru scream at her to get out, but she was confused. She slowly crawled up off the floor, slowly, and being unstable on her feet. She remembered him telling her to lock the door but nothing else. Jesimae walked out, frowning. What the hell was going on? She closed the door and locked it, hearing Haru screaming inside. Jesimae stepped away from the door like it was poisonous, but when she turned around she grabbed her head.

Without a single thought more her world went black and she felt her eyes roll in the back of her head. Her body went limp and she collapsed to the floor, the only sound she remembering was that of the metal key being bounced on the floor.

[Jiro Lawson]

Jiro wasn't sure if he was the first to hear the screams, but he knew he was the first to react. He pulled himself out of the warm bed and stumbled to his bedroom door, pulling on pants on the way there. He didn't know what the racket was, but he was going to put a stop to it. It was disturbing his sleep.

But when he emerged from his warm room to the cooler living room, pulling on a shirt, and saw Jesimae lying in the floor in front of the door in which secured Haruko Lawson, and the most god-awful sounds coming from that room, Jiro knew something had gone very, seriously wrong.

Jiro ran over, getting to his knees and sliding an arm under Jesimae's neck, lifting her head off of the floor. He quickly put his lips next to hers, glad to feel breath on them. So she wasn't in a too serious condition. But something had gone bad, but what exaclty, Jiro wouldn't know until Jesimae came to.

He heard a bang on the door and he jumped, looking over at it, then back down at Jesimae. He shook her slightly.

"Jesimae?" he said. "Jesimae! Come on, sweety! Open your eyes, tell me what happened," he coaxed, hoping to bring her out of her stupor. Though he didn't know why or how she had been knocked out, so he didn't know how long it would take for her to be roused.

[Orange Diren]

"If there is a.....mother....f-ing God in this world!" Orange didn't know what the hell was going on, but after Jiro had gotten up she then realized there were noises coming from the living room. She muttered to herself as she walked out into the cold living room, not even caring to put on a pair of pants to cover up her skimpy underwear, after all it was too early in the morning for rough sex.

"What the hell is going on out here?" Orange groaned as she rubbed her eyes and glanced around. "Jiro?!" Orange saw Jiro on the floor a moment later shaking Jesimae's limp body. She jogged over to him her feet slapping against the floor. She sat down next to Jiro and grabbed Jesimae's limp hand.

"What happened!?" She asked in a panicked voice, glancing at Jesimae's face then up to Jiro's. She flinched and fell forward, almost on top of Jesimae when she heard a loud crash and bang coming from the bedroom door behind her. She looked over her shoulder and saw the door being shaken, what the hell was wrong with Haruko?

"Mr. Lawson..." She said wearily as she looked down at Jesimae. She jumped up and ran over to Taro. "How can one man sleep so God damn heavy!" She shook Taro several times, but he did not budge.

"Taro!" She said to him, hearing Haru in the back both screaming and running into the door, Jiro calling out for Jesimae to wake up, and now she was yelling at Taro. Suddenly she slapped his cheek as hard as she could. "Wake up, you son of a bitch!" She turned around and walked over to the door where Jesimae still laid in Jiro's arms.

[Taro Lawson]

Taro had heard the noises vaguely in his dream. But he had been sleeping too deeply to realize that they were actually happening, until Orange came over and forcibly threw him off the couch. Or at least, that's what it felt like she had done.

Taro was never a happy camper in the morning. Never. He had to at least get down a cup or two of coffee, before he was ready t face the day. However, the scene he woke up to as an unhappy camper, just made him that much more unhappy.

Jesimae was lying on the floor seemingly knocked out. Orange and Jiro were both crouched beside her, trying to arouse her, and there were the worst noises in the world coming from Haruko's room. Taro got up from the couch, pushing his hair back over his shoulders and running over to Jesimae, sitting down beside is brother and taking Jiro's place. He looked at each of them.

Both of them looked about as much in the know as he. So, apparantly, Jesimae knew something they did not, because she was the one lying lifeless on the floor and they were running around like chickens with thier heads cut off. Taro gently shook Jesimae, not that it would help.

"Kanojyo? Baby doll, wake up," he said to her, loud enough that he thought she might wake up. "Jesimae, come on baby girl." He cooed before looking up at Jiro and Orange.

"What the hell happened?" he asked, more like a question agreeing with the looks on thier faces, than he was actually asking them.

[Orange Diren]

Orange looked over her shoulder at the door and around the floor for the key. She frowned and when her eyes laid upon it she nearly jumped on top of it. She grabbed it and walked over to the door and looked at Jiro and then to Taro, then to the poor lifeless Jesimae whose body was like a rag doll.

"Take her away from the door! I am going to go in and see just what the hell happened."

[Haruko Lawson]

Haruko did his best, he really had. But there was nothing he could do, nothing he could say, scream, or throw that would make Mr. Lawson calm down. Haruko had been fighting it, fighting it so hard it was hurting. But he couldn't anymore. He couldn't do it.

Haruko collapsed on the floor and curled up, his only defensive position from something that couldn't even touch his body. The attacks from the inside. He shook his head, as slowly the blue took over his eye and his mind was taken over by Mr. Lawson, who was ready to tear someone apart.

"I'm sorry..." he whispered as he finally, finally, drifted to sleep.

Mr. Lawson was not happy. Of course, he rarely was, but right now, he was really not happy. He pulled himself from the floor and listened as someone unlocked the door. Oh, goody. Prey. He slid away from the door to the wall, taking on a stance that Haruko might have been in, lighting up a cigarette and leaning his head against the wall, closing his eyes. Whoever was coming in, would not be able to see the eye, the only dead give away.

[Orange Diren]

Orange looked over her shoulder as she walked in quickly, she had handled Haruko in his tantrums before, but she wasn't truly secure in what she was actually going to do, after all he said Mr. Lawson was worse now. She told Taro to hold the key and if anything were to happen she'd yell for either one of them. She turned around and saw Haru smoking a cigarette, looking as if nothing had happened.

The room was in shambles, but nothing too disturbing after all there hadn't been much in there to begin with. The light under the doorway enabled her to see enough and tell where Haru was, what he was doing, and how he was standing. The bright tip of the cigarette lit up his face and she saw his eyes were closed.

"What the hell did you do to Jesimae, Haru!?" Orange stayed near the door just in case, but if this wasn't Haru she was speaking with she needed to be prepared for something...anything. "What the hell did you do!?"

[Haruko Lawson]

Mr. Lawson laughed. A deep throaty laugh, one he knew Orange would know right away not to belong to Haru. But he didn't care. He had been able to play with Orange in a long time. They were overdue. He turned and looked at her, opening his eyes, the bright blue light almost illuminating the entire room. He looked at her and smiled wide.

"Well, Orange. My, my, my, how we've grown. You came in so fast last I just, I didn't even get a chance to say hello," Mr. Lawson purred. He chuckled again. "Its pathetic what Haruko has become isn't it? Revolting actually is the word I was searching for. But either way is fine."

He leaned off of the wall and took a few steps towards her. He laughed a little and raised his eyebrows, gasping as if he had just thought of something.

"Well, here's an idea. Let's just give Haruko a token of my appreciation," he growled. He raised the cigarette to his cheek underneath his right eye and pressed the tip to it, putting the cigarette out against his skin. He flicked the rest of the cigarette away as blood slowly began to trickle down his face. "Poor darling will have a boo-boo when he wakes up. Maybe you can lick his wounds, Orange." He put a hand to his mouth. "Oh, wait a minute. You prefer things a little bit more south to lick, don't you? My mistake."

[Orange Diren]

Orange watched the repulsive scene knowing right away that whatever happened to Jesimae it was Mr. Lawson's fault. She watched the blood fall to the floor and she couldn't help but feel sick to her stomach. The eye shined brightly, so bright it blinded her. She swallowed the fear down in her stomach and watched him.

"Well if you had anything to lick..." Orange knew this was probably going to be a losing battle but it was worth a shot. "Do you feel like a big boy now? Bullying up on someone? You are a pathetic piece of work, I'll tell you that. I guess it makes you feel better to take advantage of Haru?"

Orange moved away from the door and closer towards Mr. Lawson, that blue eye lighting the way. "What did he do to you this time?"

[Haruko Lawson]

Mr. Lawson laughed again, shaking his head. He reached up and touched the freely bleeding wound. He got blood on his finger and slowly drew it down his tongue, never taking his eyes off Orange. He cleaned the blood from his finger and licked his lips, watching as she moved closer.

"You still have that wit, I see, bravo," he said, touching his forehead as if he were tipping a hat. He shifted his weight from one foot to the next. He nodded. "And yes, it does make me feel special to take advantage of Haruko. I have fun tormenting him, making him suffer, letting him feel intense agony. It makes me happy," he said. He walked towards the door a little bit, still watching Orange.

"But, my dear Orange, I have nothing to discuss with you. You are not the object of my obsession," he smiled at her, wide, grinning maniacally. "I'll bet that comes as a surprise. You've always been Haruko's squeeze, haven't you. And suddenly, your blowing a seventeen year old," he tutted his tongue against the roof of his mouth. "Now isn't that a step down for you, Ms. Diren?"

[Orange Diren]

Orange stood still watching him walk over to her as he spoke, his voice never seeming so dark and so deep in all her life. She knew that this was just a personality and without Haru there wouldn't be a Mr. Lawson and she was quick to make that point to him.

"You know you wouldn't even exist without Haru. It is just a shame that he is allowing you to take advantage of him. And it is kinda hard to step down when you have nothing to base it on."

[Haruko Lawson]

Mr. Lawson wagged a finger at her as he got to the door. He took the edge of it and opened it slightly. He kept watching her as he felt sunlight fall on his face from the room beyond. He shook his head and he slowly stepped out and spotted Jiro, Taro, and Jesimae over on the couch. He couldn't tell if Jesimae was still knocked out or not, but it didn't matter much. He looked back at Orange.

"You know, there are a couple of reasons Haruko doesn't love you anymore," he said slowly, his voice deep. "He can't even answer a simple question like, 'When you two were together, did Orange stil sleep around?'. That is pretty sad. And you were wondering if he still loved you. I don't think he ever loved you as much as you thought he did. You were never worth it. You always have been and will continue to be..." he paused for a chuckle, glancing at Taro. "The slut in the front row."

[Orange Diren]

Orange watched him carefully, for some reason she was unable to take her eyes off of him like he were some marvelous creature. His words were harsh and it literally hit her in the stomach and she wasn't able to truly breathe. When he looked away she took the initiative. She grabbed the knife she had gotten out of her bedroom after Taro and Jiro objected her going in. She jumped onto Haru's back and held the knife at his throat.

"I swear to God, Haru, if you don't try to get back to the light I will slit your throat so god damn fast! I know you can hear me in there!"

[Haruko Lawson]

Mr. Lawson shook his head as he felt the cold knife touch his throat. He reached up and touched it, tutting against the roof of his mouth again. He glanced up over his shoulder to look at her and he took a deep breath and sighed it out as if he were bored.

"Well, I'm waiting Orange. Slit my throat if you want to. Haruko is too deep into a sleep that he is thoroughly enjoying to hear you, or your sad pleas for him to come back to you. I'm what you've got, Orange, and that will just have to do right?" he chuckled. And then suddenly, something clenched his throat, like an invisible hand was choking him and he gasped for breath.

Haruko had not in fact been in the sleep Mr. Lawson thought he was. He had done as his counterpart had always done. Sat and waited for the opportune moment. And if there was any, this was it.

"Wrong, bitch," Haruko purred from his throat. His body began to spasm and he reached around him, grabbing Orange and pulling her off of him, backing away and tearing at his clothes and hair, writhing with the agony, and yet laughing with the triumph. It wasn't taking quite as much of Haruko's strength to get Mr. Lawson to go back away as it had to try and keep him from coming forth. Mostly because Mr. Lawson was surprised, and when you're surprised, you're vulnerable.

Haruko cried out as another stabbing pain shot from his feet to the back of his head and steam hissed out of his temple again, his bionic eye rolling in its socket several times before finally settling back into place, safe, and sound, and brown. Haruko dropped to his knees on the floor, his hands in fists, the blood dripping steadily from his cheek. He was breathing heavily, trying to get the breath back that he had lost fighting off Mr. Lawson.

After a moment, he was able to look up. His stomach had stopped jerking and he no longer felt as if he were going to faint and vomit at the same time. He worked his mouth cautiously, chewing on air and trying to swallow past the tears crawling up his throat. It hurt so bad. He couldn't feel anything but the pain. The fear and the pain. He slowly turned his head as tears barely glazed his eyes. He smiled at Orange.

"Maybe you should have just cut my throat," he murmured hoarsely. "You should have just done it."

[Orange Diren]

Orange had never seen such a change in all her life, the fear that she felt, the inability to do something, the urge to help him...she just wanted to stab him in the throat then herself too. She watched him fight and for a moment she swore he wasn't going to be back to normal ever again btu when she saw him drop to floor she literally dropped too.

She was panting as if she had done all the hard work but in reality she couldn't breathe for herheart was trying to stop on her. She dropped the knife and looked down at him, leaning her head back slightly as she watched him smile in a sadistic way that she couldn't help but love.

Orange walked over to him and sat down in front of him, looking at the cheek that was red and drenching in blood dispite it being a farely small wound. "Baka." She said lowly as she looked at the wound then at Haru. She put her hand on his warm neck and pulled him to her shoulder. She hugged him in relief, hugged him because this was the last time she'd ever deal with this again.

"I thought..." She said in airy pants. "I almost lost you, Haru."

[Haruko Lawson]

Haruko jerked away from her, not in the mood to be babied, r loved or cuddled, or have any physical contact with anyone. He wanted to go die. He wanted to swallow a bullet and have it all over with. He didn't know why he didn't just shoot himself. It would have been relatively painless, and quick, and he would no longer have to listen to Mr. Lawson again. Ever.

"If you'd have ever paid attention, that wasn't the first time you almost lost me, Diren," he snapped, the anger not directed at her, but at himself. He was so angry that this had to happen. All of this over a stupid mention of medication. All of the pain the fear. Over someone who just wanted to help. Someone who just wanted to see him normal, happy...

Jesimae.

He looked up at Orange, the dragged himself to his feet and barely got to the door collapsing there, his head out just enough so that he could see Jiro, and Taro and Jesimae. He made a noise against the floor before saying anything.

"Is she going to be alright? How badly did I hurt her?" he asked. He didn't expect anyone to answer his question, so he sufficed to lie there and just watch until she actually came to and could tell him herself that she was alright.

[Orange Diren]

Orange watched him move slowly towards the door. His actions hurt her more than anything, so much for being a friend. She watched him collapse and although she wanted to help him she felt slightly happy that he was there. She stood up and walked over to where she dropped the knife she picked it up and walked him and looked down.

"Fine, Haru. You want to live in pity for the rest of your life fine by me. If you are so willing to die here's the god damn knife." She rolled the handle on her fingertips and threw it to the ground, watching it stick into the floor and wiggle violently. "Have at it." She pushed by him with her legs and walked into the bedroom where she was quick to slam the door.

[Jesimae Lawson]

She had been having such a good dream, a dream that took her back to her past when everything was happy, everything was perfect, everything was....not real. She felt a stabbing in her head and suddenly she heard noises. She swore it was Orange, but she couldn't have been sure for she didn't even know what was going on.

She slowly frowned and opened her eyes seeing the ceiling in a blurred manner. She blinked a few times trying to bite back the pain she felt. She squeezed her eyes closed as she rolled her head to the right and lifted her left hand to her forehead. What had happened? Why was her head hurting so bad? Why did she feel as if she had fallen to the ground?

"Damn." She said to herself as she felt her head spin. She opened her eyes and saw the back of the couch and she rolled her head back to the left to see Taro looking off to the dark doorway. Jesimae blinked a few more times and slowly moved.

"What...why I am so dizzy?"

[Haruko Lawson]

Haruko heard her speak, that was all he cared about, all he needed to hear. He pushed himself from the ground and grabbed the knife Orange had dropped. He put it against his chest and drew it downwards, leaving a long cut, that began to bleed almost immediately. He walked to the door in which Orange had gone into and stuck the knife into the door, his blood staining the edge of it. He looked back at the others in the room. He shook his head.

"Maybe Orange is right. Maybe I do live in pity. Maybe I do wallow in sorrow. But if I really killed myself, she'd hate herself forever," he paused and looked down at his bloody hands. Then he looked back up. "I can't do anymore damage here than I have already done. I thought maybe I had him under control. I thought I could forge a bond between my little brothers, I thought...I thought Orange might still need me." He sighed. "I was wrong on all accounts," he blinked once then twice and shook his head. "I am going to go to my ship, get my supplies ready, see a doctor. Then I am going to go see my father, and make sure he at least sees one son before he dies. You'll never have to worry about me ever bothering you again. I failed to get the bounty, I forfeit."

Turning his back on them, he didn't know what he expected them to do or say. Maybe he thought Orange was going to come out of the room and tell him she still wanted him to at least be around. But that all passed a long time ago. He just wanted to go ahead and see a doctor. Whether or not Mr. Lawson would allow him to do this or not was yet to be seen.

[Jesimae Lawson]

Jesimae heard Haru talk and suddenly it all came falshing back to her, the nice breakfast, conversation, then her stupid remark that should have never been made. Jesimae frowned and moved to sit up seeing Haru's back turned. She glanced at Taro and then to Jiro and to the door where the knife stuck out. She didn't care what he did, after all she figured she deserved to be pushed to the ground for yelling at him like a heathen.

"Is it my fault?" She asked through the gritted teeth. She prayed that this was her fault, she didn't want anyone to be blaming Haru for the incident that had obviously gone to hell the moment her body decided to crash on her.

[Haruko Lawson]

Haruko didn't know if she was talking to him or if she was talking to Taro and Jiro, or if she was just asking generally, but he turned to look at her and he saw she was looking at him. So he assumed that the question was directed at him. He smiled a little and shook his head.

"No, Jesimae. This is not your fault. This is the fault of years of stupidity," he said, quietly. No one here was at fault for anything that had happened just now. It was his fault. His fault for never listening to anyone who had told him to take the pills he was given. His fault for letting himself slip so easily. His fault for coming here in the first place...

Orange's fault, for making him love her so damn much.

He shook his head, clearing them of these thoughts. He needed to go get parts for his ship, get back to Tatooine, do something about himself. And standing around here was not getting any of this done.

[Orange Diren]

Orange had been listening through the thin door. She was pouting and she suddenly felt guilty for acting stupid and saying something she didn't mean, but he just...made her so mad! She loved him beyond reason and it was killing her to think that he didn't love, never had.

She was driving herself insane, Haru insane, and probably Jiro as well. She wasn't normally this bitchy or hormonal or anything like this. She was just a strong tom boy who loved to play with engines and mechanical work. She had gotten her coveralls on and shoes by the time she heard Haru telling Jesimae it wasn't her fault. For some reason she just wanted to walk out there and smack his face because she loved him so much and the only way she knew how to show it was trying to help him. Why couldn't he see that?

Orange pulled the small bag of clothes on her shoulder, techically the clothes consisted of another tank top and socks. She walked across the bedroom and pulled the door open slowly, glancing at the floor at first then raising her eyes to everyone else in the room.

She stared at Jiro and Taro for what felt like the longest time, but it wasn't as long as it was when she looked at Haru and his bloody face. She shrugged her shoulder and sighed.

"I don't care how bad you hate me, Haru, but I mean it...I'll follow you wherever you go until the day you die because I don't want to lose you anymore than I already have."

[Jiro Lawson]

Jiro had been watching the whole chain of events in his normal passive manner, and in any other situation he would probably have stood right next to brother in the decision he made, which Jiro strongly guessed Taro would choose to stay here. But Jiro couldn't do that. Not only had he found and older brother he didn't know he had, but his father was alive. He couldn't not meet his father in better times.

Jiro wanted to badly to turn, smack Taro, then walk over and smack Orange, and then smack Jesimae, respectively. He knew obviously Jesimae had said something to set Haruko off, though her smack would have been just more of a 'Please don't do that again' tap. Orange. He just wanted to smack her face off for all these wierd love triangle issues she had going on with him and Haruko. It was either he or his brother, there was no inbetween and it seemed to Jiro that she was trying to make one. And Taro. Taro was just being a bitch.

Standing up and glancing at Taro, Jiro walked across the room to stand next to Orange. He waited for a moment before explaining himself. He just wanted to exchange a gaze with Haruko for a moment. Then he went to Haruko, having to look up at him, and he took his face in his hands and kissed him, then took his hand and held it.

"I know that you've had some issues here while in our presence, but," he paused, glancing over at Taro, then back. "I am your little brother, and no matter what issues you have, I'm going to go with you to make sure we don't lose each other again. I'm coming too, Kyoudai," He muttered stepping back once to stand next to Orange, though not wanting to look at her at all, afraid the urge to smack her would overcome him. He nodded. "Daisuki."

[Orange Diren]

Orange knew that she was creating problems that honestly shouldn't be there. But she had more years with Haru, she loved Haru deeply, but she was also wondering if perhaps she was confusing the love with friendship. She had wanted to be with Jiro and she still did, but she somehow couldn't find the urge to detach herself from Haruko so easily. She had lost him and she had paid attention, she just never wanted to truly admit that perhaps it was over and that he, in fact, never did love her at all. At least with Jiro it wasn't a guessing game.

[Jesimae Lawson]

Jesimae watched the scene unfolding, this was a mess everything seemed to be out of control or dysfunctional and all she wanted to do was straighten things out, most noteably what was going on between Jiro, Haru, and her. Who was she in love with for it was truly becoming annoying.

She glanced at Taro and was waiting for him to say something, but he never did. Jesimae thought he might've been angry or in shock or inner conflict as to what was going to happen and what he was going to say. Jesimae glanced back over at Haruko and sighed.

"I think it would be best if you all went..." She glanced over at Taro slowly hoping he'd catch her drift that perhaps he needed to at least grant his father's last dying wish, even if he knew he didn't owe it to him. After all people changed throught their lives and one could only hope that man had.

[Taro Lawson]

Taro wasn't believing this, while at the same time he had not believed anything more in his entire life. He hated what his father had done. But had was the key word Jesimae and Jiro had been trying to make him see. He understood it had been a long time ago, but people didn't just change. So...he had to see. Had to make sure that his father at least understood that what he had done was wrong. No one was forcing Taro to love his father. No one wanted to force him to. But it was his place to at least see the old man.

He looked down at the ground, rubbing his forehead and then looking over at Jesimae. He searched her eyes for a moment. There something there that he had never seen before. Whether it was conflict inside of her, or just her mirroring his own feelings he couldn't tell which, but he didn't like that feeling of not being sure what she was thinking that moment. He glanced away and to Haruko and his little brother and took a deep breath.

"Then I suppose we should get ready to leave," he said, hearing the words as if someone elese were speaking them. He looked at Jesimae and held out his hand. "Do you want to come with me?" he paused. "You are welcome to inhabit here until we get back...if that's what you want..."

[Jesimae Lawson]

Jesimae watched Taro look away to see Jiro and Haruko before he took a deep breath. When he had finally said something that Jesimae was dying to hear she wanted to jump for joy. Taro wasn't going to regret his decision, she was positive...kinda. She watched him hold out his hand and give her the proposition to stay or go and she was almost surprised he asked it for she thought by now he'd at least know she wanted to go wherever he did.

"Of course I want to go, but only as long as you want me to." Jesimae smiled at him as she looked over at Haru, Jiro, and Jesimae.

[Jesimae Lawson]

EDIT

[Taro Lawson]

Taro nodded and turned looking at Haruko and nodding to him. He sighed a little bit before putting a hand on his hip and digging in his pocket for a cigarette. He lit one and took a drag blowing the smoke out through his nose. He licked his lips and he saluted Haruko.

"Looks like you got your brothers, and freinds going along with you," he said nodding, then looking over a Jesimae. He shook his head turning and walking towards his room, motioning to Jiro. "We'd better go repack everything."

[Jesimae Lawson]

Jesimae watched surprised by his actions. She figured he wasn't too pleased with his own decision, but either way Jesimae was extremely happy. She slowly moved off the couch and stood up, the ache and dizziness still controlling her brain. She rubbed her forehead as if it were going to do anything, but all it did was make it worse.

She sighed out and walked towards the bedroom and finding Taro rummaging around. Jesimae stood in the doorway a moment contemplating on asking him whether or not he truly wanted to go but felt she'd be invading his space. Surely if he didn't want to see his dying father he wouldn't go because everyone else was heading that way, right?

[Taro Lawson]

Taro was trying hard not to pay attention to the woman standing in the doorway. He wasn't in much of a mood to talk, and yet, talk was all he wanted to do. There were things he wanted to ask her. But he knew she would probably get mad if he asked some of the things he was thinking.

He rolled shirts, pants and other items and put them into a big black duffel bag that laid on the bed. He was also putting guns inside, just in case. He went to his closet to see if there was anything in there that he needed. As he reached up to get a gun wrapped in cloth, his knee knocked the panel in the wall, and the panel fell off. Taro looked down.

"Damn," he muttered, kneeling down and picking up the panel. He looked up and saw the box of drugs. For a moment, he merely stared at it. Then slowly, as if his hand were moving independently of his mind, he reached into the box and slid out a bag of white powder, and a small straw. Staring at it a moment, then looking over his shoulder to make sure Jesimae couldn't see him, he unwrapped the gun from the cloth, and then rolled the bag of powder around the straw. He slid them into the barrel of the gun and wrapped it back in its cloth. Taro replaced the panel and stood, tucking the gun under his arm.

He felt bad about it as he walked out to his bag and put the wrapped gun into it. He shoved another shirt in on top of it, and zipped the bag up, hoisting it onto his shoulder. He turned and glanced at Jesimae, but couldn't meet her eyes, afraid she would know what he had just done, so he pretended to fix the strap on his bag.

[Jesimae Lawson]

Jesimae saw him moving quickly. She wanted to walk over to him and stop him and stare deep into his eyes and see what was wrong for something was obviously bothering him. But because of the way he acted last night and how it frightened her so bad, she knew to not even mention anything.

She saw him stop for a moment in his closet then muttered a curse. He moved quickly and glanced over his shoulder at her, his action seeming very odd as if he didn't want her to to see something. Jesimae stood in the same place and continued to watch, afraid that at any moment he was going to blow up and tell her to stop looking at him and to stay there.

Jesimae looked at the floor and hear him walk over to his bed and zip up his duffel bag. She was hesitant to grab her own that had not been unpacked for she figured she might go to her apartment for a while just to sort a few things out, but she hadn't been able to either tell Taro or get the courage to just go.

"I don't know if I should go." Jesimae muttered out loud not honestly meaning to speak her thoughts. She felt uncomfortable as it was, her head hurt like something awful, and she could sense Taro wasn't in the mood to have her talk to him and he probably didn't want to deal with her at the moment. She walked into the bedroom and took a seat on the bed and rubbed her temples, the pain suddenly deciding to subside.

[Taro Lawson]

Taro glanced at her as she sat on the bed. He set his bag down and turned walking to her. He got to his knees in front of her and took her hands. Looking up at her, and taking a deep breath, not wanting to say what he knew he might have to.

"You don't have to come if you don't feel comfortable doing so," he paused. "For whatever reason." He studied her face a moment before continuing. She looked as of some conflict were going on behind her eyes. Taro couldn't help but feel his hear ache at the thought that she might not be right there with him. But he wasn't going to tell her this. He wanted her to do as she pleased. He thought maybe she wanted to have space, and time, to consider everything that had happened.

He bit his lip so hard he tasted the sharp taste of blood on his tongue and winced slightly at the pain, but he didn't move. He looked down at her hand and picked up her left hand. And as his heart ripped up inside of his chest, he spoke what he had been afraid of saying. He tapped her engagement ring.

"If you want me to hold onto this for you, you can sort things out alone, if that is what you want, or need," he muttered to her, hoping with all his might she would say no. "If you think you don't want to come, then I want you to stay."

[Jesimae Lawson]

Jesimae dropped her hand and looked at Taro sit in front of her. When he touched her ring she frowned and looked up at him to hear him ask if she wanted him to keep it. Her heart nearly broke at the thought, was he having second thoughts? Jesimae jerked her hand out of his own and held it to her chest while cupping it with the other as if to protect it from him.

"No!" She said lowly almost afraid that he'd honestly want it back. "No, I don't need to "sort things out" what would give you that impression? And I want to come with you I just don't know if you want me to." Jesimae bit her lower lip as she looked at him.

"I'm afraid you are having second thoughts." She said honestly as she let out a sigh, dropping her hand and looked at the ring. She had already gotten used to it and to take it off would literally make her feel naked. "You aren't...are you?" She looked up at him with a concerned look. She didn't want to ask him but after last night she somehow felt that perhaps he was wishing to escape from her, go as far away as possible.

[Taro Lawson]

Taro collapsed backwards onto the floor, the breath he had been holding sighing out of his lungs in a big breath. He leaned back on his hands breathing freely for the first time in twenty minutes. He chuckled a little, though he was afraid Jesimae was going to take it as he making light of it, so he quickly quieted and looked back up at her. He moved back to his previous position and leaned on the bed in between her legs wrapping his arms around her waist and resting his head on her stomach.

"I have never had a second thought. You are who I want to spend my life with, no questions asked," he said. Then he leaned back and looked at her, reaching up and touching her face. "I want you to come with me. I wouldn't have survived this far without you, and I never intended to survive the rest without you either."

[Jesimae Lawson]

Jesimae let out a sigh when she heard him reassure her. She didn't want to be odd or make him think he had some crazy woman, but she was not good with relationships, never had been. She had one previous relationship that ended in ruins and it was deep dark fear that the one she loved would leave.

Jesimae felt incredibly happy to hear him tell her he wasn't having second thoughts and that he wanted her to come. She smiled lowly and touched his face.

"Thank God. Since last night," Jesimae paused for a moment and bit her lip. "I've been wondering." She touched his face with her other hand as well and bent down and kissed him feeling as if she hadn't in a very long time.

"I'm sorry if I am acting weird." She stated against his lips then slightly moving back to look at him in the eyes. "I just...sometimes Taro I'll need to be reasurred and I know that sounds weird, but I'm scared."

[Taro Lawson]

Taro nodded to her, moving up to sit next to her. He put his arms around her and kissed her neck, not knowing how exactly they shared the same fear, but happy for some reason that they did. He kissed her ear gently and then leaned back smiling at her.

"I'm sorry for the way I treated you last night," he shook his head, disappointed in himself. "There was no excuse. I don't handle stress well. And, god, if I ever make you feel like I am having second thoughts, or don't want to be with you, just punch me. I'd rather have bruised face than to force you to go through this guessing game," he said with a smile.

[Jesimae Lawson]

Jesimae loved to feel his lips against her skin it made her feel so much better as if this were some weird spiritual healing process for her. She nodded and looked at him.

"It's okay." She said as she touched his face. "I don't think anyone was on their best behavior last night. But on a serious note, Taro, when Haru...er Mr. Lawson did that I almost had a heart attack. The thought of losing you...I don't think I could ever live without you."

[Taro Lawson]

Taro remembered the ay it had felt to be pinned under the manic face and larger weight that was Mr. Lawson. Taro shivered just at the fear he had gotten in the pit of his stomach when he had seen Jesimae tied up in the corner like an animal. He couldn't imagine what Mr. Lawson had been planning in that head of his. He couldn't exaclty blame Haruko now, as he had seen the difference between the two. But it still frightened him slightly to be around Haruko. He didn't know how Jiro had gone up to him and loved on him so easily. Taro thought that if Jiro had been in his position the night precious, he would have been a little more hesitant.

"I know, Kanojyo," he whispered. "You don't know how frightened I was when I saw he had you drugged and and tied up. I think it was that feeling of being helpess that got to you and I," he said, leaning over and kissing her gently. "But that is over, and I will no longer put any of us into that position. I am truly sorry for what happened last night."

[Jesimae Lawson]

Jesimae kissed him a little longer after he apologized again for something he couldn't control, not really. She ran her hand down his face and moved back and smiled.

"I love you, Taro." She gave him one more peck and stood up and walked over to the closet and bent down and grabbed the small bag she had left unpacked. She felt it catch on something and she glanced at the wall to see a small piece of the wall move. She frowned and bent down and moved the panel back to its original spot.

She walked out of the closet and closed the door behind her. Why did Taro have a piece of the wall cut out and a small little cubby hole like hers back at the apartment. She wasn't about to say anything about it to him for she knew it wasn't any of her business despite the fact that he was her fiancé.

"I don't have anything to pack. Whenever you all are ready to go I am ready to follow." She smiled at him as she walked to his side and ran a hand through his hair the thought of Taro telling her he still loved her and that she was the only one he wanted to be with was still vivid in her mind.

[Taro Lawson]

Taro noticed her bend down while in the closet and for two heart stopping seconds, he was afraid she was going to topen the panel and look inside and see his dirty little secrets. And then they would no longer be secrets. His mind strayed back to the drugs in his bag. He didn't like to snort, it hurt far too much, and showed even more. But he knew that if he used his liquids and syringes there would be the pin prink, and pill popping made too much noise as he bottle of pills was likely to get jarred while in his bag and rattle around.

When he saw her stand without incident and walk out with her stuff, he breathed a sigh of releif. He stood, making sure his bag was zipped securely just in case the bag of powder and straw worked its way out of the gun barrel. For a moment, he contemplated putting it back, but instead opted to get more, just in case.

He walked back to the closet, this time making sure Jesimae was out of the line of sight before opening the panel and reaching in, getting several bags of powder and stuffing them into his bag. As he flipped the light off in his closet and walked back out to her, he felt the largest pang of guilt he had ever felt before. He was clean...right?

[Jesimae Lawson]

Jesimae frowned as she tied her shoes hearing Taro rummage through his closet for something. When she turned around she saw him walking back over to her and she smiled. Something was slightly different about his appearance, he was a bit red in the face as if he were embarassed or had done something guilty. She allowed it to pass and she grabbed his hand.

"Lets go see if the three of them are ready to go, huh?" Jesimae let it go after squeezing it and walking out to see Orange continuously look at Jiro then to Haru as if she were arguing with herself mentally over what she was going to do, or choose. Jesimae wished she'd hurry up and straighten out her priorities for she could tell Jiro wasn't in the mood to play around when it came to love...if they loved each other at all.

"Are you all ready...or actually Haru are you ready?"

[Haruko Lawson]

Haruko had not been able to bring it all in, not really. His brain was still trying to tell him that he was alone, and yet Orange had agreed to go with him. Surprise number ichi. Then Jiro had agreed to go with him, and even kissed him and called him brother. Surprise number ni. And finally, Taro and Jesimae had said they would come. Shock of the century.

Haruko was still trying to figure out what was going on when he heard Jesimae ask him if he was ready to go. Haruko took a moment to answer. As all of his life was on his ship, he didn't have anything to get, but it still took him a moment to answer. He looked up at her, his hand slowly touching the wound under his eye that was still raw and messy, but beginning to dry. He nodded slightly.

"It's all on The Lawson Rule," he muttered, quietly, blinking at her as if she and everyone standing around him were a dream.

[Jesimae Lawson]

Jesimae frowned and walked closer to him and slightly reached her hand up to touch his face, stopping a few inches from the wound she hadn't seen before. She bit her lower lip and dropped her hand and looked away, what exactly happened? SHe remembered his pushing her away, but everything else was lost. She couldn't help but feel the irony of it all.

Earlier that morning he had told her he had lost time and couldn't remember certain things and now she was able to understand what he meant, slightly. She backed away from him and looked at everyone and noded. Whenever they were heading for the door she'd be right behind them.

[Orange Diren]

Orange watched the two interact for a moment and suddenly she felt a bit jealous of Jesimae, but only for a second. It was obvious these two had bonded in some way, she just wished she knew how they were suddenly best friends all of a sudden because it was easy to see that Jesimae was more worried about Haruko than herself. After all after being knocked out you'd think she'd want to stay as far away from him as possible.

"Well," She stated as she slid off the arm of the couch her shoulder bag falling to her side as she glanced at everyone. "What was this about parts for your ship, Haru?" Orange moved her eyes directly to him and sighed.

[Haruko Lawson]

Haruko looked up at his ship as they arrived at the ship yard he had landed in in the HWANG District. He looked it over. It had several grease spots on its black hull, though no one else would probably be able to see them, he could. He turned to one of the teenagers that took care of the ships. He waved at him and called over to him in Korean.

"You cleaned this thing, right, kid?" he asked. The boy jogged over and ran a hand through his hair, glancing up at him.

"You're Mr. Lawson, right?" the boy asked, responding in Korean. Haruko nodded, though reluctantly. Then the boy nodded back. "Yeah, we cleaned it twice."

"Okay, good boy," he waved the kid away, then turned back to Jesimae, Taro, Jiro, and Orange behind him, and motioned to the large, sleek black ship behind him, 'The Lawson Rule' emblazoned in shock white on its side. He smiled at them.

"Meet my girl...the only girl that's ever been loyal," he said, turning back to it and punching a pressure plate on the side, the hatch hissing open in steam. He glanced over his shoulder. "Welcome in."

[Orange Diren]

Orange clenched his jaw after she heard him say that about his ship. For some reason a silly comment like that wouldn't bother her but this time it actually did, it felt directed at her. Orange brushed by Haru after everyone began to ascend the ramp into the ship in one nice line.

Orange wondered why he hated her so much yet he had told her he'd get together with her if she actually told him she broke things off with Jiro. She was half wanting to see if he actually would, but knew it was a bad idea to lie about something like that as if she were test driving a ship.

She watched her shoes as she walked up into the ship the familiar scent hitting her like a ton of bricks. To be consumed by that again would honestly be heavenly. She heard Jesimae make a comment on how it looked nothing like a regular ship and Orange remembered how Haru liked his things homey.

[Haruko Lawson]

Haruko watched them go into the ship, and brought out his comlink, dialing in a number as he watched everyone look about them. He smiled at Jiro who seemed particularly awed by the large poster of Psycho le Cemu that was hanging on the wall. The kid must have been a collector to be that interested. When he heard a beep on his comlink, he turned his attention back to it.

"Wilcox, you there?" he asked. There was a shifting sound then the voice of his parts supplier on the other end.

"Hi, what can be done for you?" Ren Wilcox asked, his voice sounding as if he were slightly distracted. Haruko glanced about him before answering.

"Look, there's been a change of plans and I have to take off sooner than expected. I was wondering if there was any way you'd like to take a trip to Tatooine with me and install the parts on the way there," he said. There was a pause, then a sound as if Ren were wiping his comlink off with a cloth.

"Yeah, sounds fine. Gimme a few minutes to get down there with my stuff. Is ten minutes alright?"

"Yeah, should be fine, thanks, Will," Haruko said.

"No problem. See you in ten," and then there was another beep and the line was broken. Haruko put the comlink back into his jacket and looked around at everyone.

"We have about ten minutes. We're waiting for another passenger to get here, then we are going to be off." He paused. "Feel free to explore anything, and when my friend gets here, I'll just show you all to your quarters as a unit."

[Orange Diren]

Orange was slightly distracted her mind still focusing on the odd behavior Haru was having whenever it came to her and their past. She wasn't too appreciative of the way he had been acting and when she heard Mr. Lawson tell her she had never been that important to him she was now feeling the effects it caused. To think that Haru kept her around for sex...to say the least it broke her already shattered heart.

She forced her thoughts to Jiro and how much she honestly loved him and how she was glad she was staying with him, but she wasn't so sure anymore as to whether or not he still wanted to be with her for the look he had given her back at the apartment...

"I never understood Psycho le Cemu. I enjoy visual kei, but I could never get into them that much." She was speaking the truth and trying to act normal instead of being so dramatic. She glanced at Jiro and smiled, wondering if he heard her or even cared.

[Jiro Lawson]

Jiro glanced at her over his shoulder as he continued to lean towards the poster and inspect it. He had always been a huge fan of Psycho, but thier old CD's were very difficult to find, and Jiro only had three or four of them. He looked at her and sighed.

"I love them. Can barely find them anymore, but what I've got I love," he said smiling at her. "Always did like them better than either Due'le Quartz or Pierrot."

[Orange Diren]

Orange gasped.

"Due'le Quartz is my wet dream!" She gve him a playful punch and laughed. "I always loved Miyabi, he was so awesome! I am so glad that Miyavi broke away from them and started his own career." She looked around not really remembering the last time she had been aboard his ship. She had been on it twice, but she didn't really remember much about it since she was just helping him out with unclogging some pipes.

Orange walked away from Jiro and began to explore on her own. She wondered who his friend was and how they met. After all she figured he stayed on Tatooine most of his life and didn't make many friends on other planets. Then againg a lot of time had passed and his habits could have changed.

"Dir en Grey, what do you think about them, Jiro-kun?"

[Jiro Lawson]

Jiro shrugged, dropping his bag and flopping down on the floor to fish out a pakage of snacks he had brought with him. He had not eaten and was starving his right leg off. He popped open the bag and took a sniff before getting a small handful of the Japanese snacks and beginning to eat.

"They are okay, I suppose. Didn't like their sound so much, but they were hot," he said absentmindedly as he looked at the back of the package to see what all kinds of foods were in this mix. Then he looked back up and at her. "I loved them like a crazy person for about two months right after I got out of jail, but I think it was mostly because my boyfriend liked them. What about you? Do you like them?"

[Orange Diren]

Orange looked over at him and suddenly her jaw dropped wide open. Did he say they were hot? He was in jail? HE HAD A BOYFRIEND? Orange couldn't breathe, couldn't speak, couldn't do anything except watch him eat and look at her.

"Huh?" Orange was finally able to say, well actually sigh. Her mouth still hung open but brow furrowed with confusion. She felt everything they had talked about before pile into her mind. The closeness between he and Taro...the way they touched...interracted...

"Oh Jiro." Orange said in a low whisper barely moving her mouth. She felt her shoulder go limp and the bag fell to the floor in a hard thump. "Jiro..." She said again feeling her eyes sting with water and her heart finally crumble. Whatever she had left of a heart that was.

She ran a hand over her forehead and she glanced at the floor keeping the palm of her hand in place. When she looked back up at him she quickly walked away down the hall, not caring where she was going or what she was doing. Jiro had just told her three things she had never heard before in her life and all of them told her that she couldn't be with a man who....who....

"Bisexual." She cried to herself in a whimper as she lifted her free hand and grabbed the necklace around her neck and quickly pulling it forward hearing the band snap. She dropped it quickly and heard it clank lowly on the ground. She needed to go pray, she needed to talk to God, she needed guidance, she needed...someone else.

[Jiro Lawson]

Jiro knew immediately that he had said something wrong. He ran the things he had just said over in his mind. Nothing seemed out of place. What would have gotten her so upset? Dropping his food back into his bag he jogged after her retreating form, looking down on the ground to see the necklace he had given her lying on the floor lifeless. He grabbed it up and sped up to catch up with her. He took her shoulder to stop her.

"Orenji?" he said. He looked down at the necklace in his hands, then at her, then back at the necklace. For a moment he tried to think maybe he was very dense and should know what was wrong, but he honestly didn't. He looked back up at her. "I've said something...again...right?"

[Orange Diren]

Orange pushed him away from her as she turned around.

"Oh...just a little." She said with furious anger. "You knew how I felt about two men...touching....intimately....and yet that whole god damn time we were discussing the relationship you had with Taro you failed to mention this boyfriend! How could you look...touch...be with another man, Jiro!? That is disgusting! I cannot imagine why one would be attracted to the other sex! Sexually attracted!" Orange hiccuped a sob, no tears honestly falling yet but they were filling up her eyes as quickly as they could.

"You also failed to mention you spent a little time in jail, but that is nothing...NOTHING compared to screwing another man!" She put a hand over her mouth and tried to calm down, but she couldn't. Jiro was a fag! Jiro slept with men! Jiro was....something she thought he wasn't.

[Jiro Lawson]

Jiro stepped backwards at her outburst, his necklace slipping from his grasp and hitting the floor, the Buddha slipping out of the bag and onto the floor. He stared at her a moment. He had to take a deep breath to keep his temper, which was short, from rearing its ugly head. He blinkeda couple of times, hoping in the next second she would calm down so he could explain to her.

"Orange," he said so quietly that he almost didn't hear himself. "I was in jail because I got caught stealing, which was what I did for a living. My brother bailed me and my cell mate out. But my brother didn't stick around, and I had to go looking for him. I knew my cell mate was head over heels for me, so I secured his help by becoming his boyfriend," he said, slowly, pronouncing everythign carefully so that she was sure to get every word. He took a deep breath and swallowed back the lump suddenly forming in his throat.

"And if you try to go back to me and my brother and the way we touch each other, that is strictly domestic," he said, hoping to nip that argument in the bud. He wrinkled his nose, suddenly disgusted by the fact that she might think he and his brother were sexually involved. Then he sighed.

"I have a spotty past, and yes, when I was a companion I slept with anything and everything that gave me enough money," he said, once again slowly just in case she missed something. "I am sure you can understand being in the hooker situation and needing money. I don't begrudge you your past," he said, dangerously, picking up his Buddha and holding it in front of her face. "Don't begrudge me mine." He threw the statue down onto the floor, hard enough to crack it in half. If Jiro had been half in mind, he would have realized that was the worst thing he could have done. But he was a little angry and slightly hurt that she always jumped to these amazing conclusions. He leaned back slightly quelling his temper and feeling the blood in his face lower a little, clearing his head.

"I'm sorry," he said, motioning to the statue, knowing that being mean and harsh was not going to get anything solved. "I didn't mean to get angry."

[Orange Diren]

Orange watched him with open eyes she was breathing heavily through her nose and she was clutchingher fists. She wasn't going back to Taro and Jiro, that was water under the bridge for all she cared, but this....this was something her mind wasn't willing to think of, sort out, come to good conclusions. She was unable to accept this. She felt the tears flow out of her eyes and listened to him talk about her begrdging his past, thsi wasn't about prostitution this was about a boyfriend.

Orange let out another sob as she stepped towards him and she came two seconds away from slapping his face due to the anger she felt towards him, due to the hurt she was feeling. She looked down for a moment and then back up to him.

"I can't." She hiccuped as she put her left hand over her mouth trying to stop the sobs. "I can't accept this. I want to go pray, pray to my God." Orange turned around and began to walk away but she stopped halfway. She slowly turned around and dropped her hand and pointed in the direction of the hatch.

"Was it him?" She asked sadly. "Was it the guy in the NIHONGO district?"

[Jiro Lawson]

Jiro shook his head, turning around and walking in the opposite direction. He loved her yes, loved her more that he had ever loved anyone. But he was beginning to think that maybe he wasn't exactly all the person she had thought he was. It wouldn't surprise him if she stopped seeing him at all.

When he heard her ask that question, he stopped, looking down at the floor as tears of absolute pure hate for Ren Wilcox springing into his eyes. He turned around stiffly as they escaped his eyes and he stared daggers at Orange. He waved a hand at her.

"Go pray to your god. Maybe he'll have that answer for you..." he said, though the anger was lost for the sadness. "Go tell him you're sorry. I am sure you are about to make Haruko a very happy man." And he turned and escaped away from her, finding a door and turning into it, not even caring where it led. All he cared about, was going and being by himself, and crying.

[Orange Diren]

Orange continued to cry. When she heard his spiteful words she stood there for a moment and quickly ran after him. She pulled opened the door he had managed to escpae in and she saw him walking away quickly.

"I asked you a question, Jiro Lawson! I want you to at least give me one truthful answer!"

[Jiro Lawson]

Jiro spun around his anger finally getting the better of him. He filled his lungs with air and let her have all of his anger.

"Everything I have ever told you has been truth! And not once, ONCE, have you believed me, or trusted me, or even just taken my word for it! You gave up Haruko in that kitchen to stay with me Orange, because I had assumed it was love! But people who love one another don't always beleive the other to be a liar!" he screamed, running out of breath. He heaved for a moment before continuing. "Would it make you happy to say that it was Ren?! Would that make you feel like you finally achieved something?! Well, then for God's sake, let's boast Orange Diren's ego a little bit!" he cried through the tears that were now flowing. "Yes, Orange! It was Ren Wilcox! Yes, he was my boyfriend, yes I slept with him, and yes, I cared about him! But never in a romantic way! Ren was my best friend, I would have done anything for him, but he also loved me very deeply! I knew he would help me find my brother no matter what, but I didn't want to be left alone, so I made sure he stayed by keeping him with me as my boyfriend!"

Jiro heaved a few seconds, trying to get his breath back from yelling so hard and crying at the same time, something he hadn't done in years. When he got his breath back, he stared at her for a moment before continuing with a hoarse voice, so quietly, he didn't know if she would hear. But at this point, he didn't care.

"I'm sorry, Orange. I'm sorry that I don't live up to expectations. I'm sorry that I have hurt you, I never meant to. I never wanted anything from you but just the assurance that you loved me," he said slowly. "And now that I know that you..." never did, he finished in his mind, but didn't say it. He just turned again and bega to walk, this time slower, more deliberately, not as if he were running away, but as if he were trying to face it.

[Orange Diren]

Orange watched him scream at her with such anger and such passion. She was holding her breath the whole time, her heart beating so quick she swore it was going to explode inside of her. She couldn't breathe, she was crying, she was so hot she felt like she were on fire and everything Jiro said to her killed her a little bit more.

Before she knew it she had taken off her shoe and hurled it at him as hard as she could. She watched it hit his back then fall the floor. It was now her turn to scream, her turn to make her point.

"I gave you my love blindly!" She screamed through the tears that flowed endlessly. "Not once did I not trust you! The only time I didn't know whether or not things were true was when you and your brother kissed and became too touchy. I found out you two loved each other immensely and you can thank your god damn brother! He and I had a knife fight over you! I told him I loved you more than anything and that meant allowing you two to love one another! I did not want to hurt you in any way!" She gasped for a breath but was too consumed with anger that she continued.

"I love you so much that I was willing to let your love prosper! You two could still be yourselves without every once having to stop and think about what others thought. That was something I did for you! Whatever I thought about you and Taro went out the god damn window!" Orange panted and stood there listening to the silence, her own screams hurting her ears. She waited a long time before she began to speak again, this time not so loud or hysterical.

"I love you so much, Jiro. You should have told me you two slept together! Had I not found out by a comment made over a poster I would have handled this much better! And I wouldn't be standing here throwing shoes at you and screaming like a lunatic!"

[Jiro Lawson]

Jiro stood there taking her words as she had taken his. He shook his head when silence fell again. Jiro turned to her and looked at her. He longed to rewind time and not to have said anything about anything. It would have made things so much easier if he learned to shut up about things.

"Orange, if I had thought you would have this bad of a problem, you can rest assured I would have explained under better situations," he said, quietly, his voice no longer wrought with anger. It was low, and caring and gentle. He shook his head. "I've never loved anyone before, not truly. But with you everything is different. Everything is in color now, and I can actually feel. I never would have kept something from you if I had thought it was so important. But this means so little to mean, Ren and whatever we had back then. That means absolutely zero to me. If I knew...god...I would have given you my damn life history if I had known it would mean so much to you." He paused running a hand down his face, and then bending over picking up her shoe and looking at it. He looked back at her.

"I love you, Orange and nobody can change it, nothing can make me love anyone else," he said, holding the shoe as if it were his last link to her. "I'm so deeply sorry. I know the hurt I have probably just caused you is more than is necessary. I'm sorry...I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry..." he said, feeling the only way to convey to her, was to repeat it. Over and over and over. But he knew it wouldn't help. Somehow, in Jiro's life, 'I'm sorry' never helped.

[Orange Diren]

Orange cried long and hard as she heard him gently speak. When he said he loved her...all hell broke lose and she was no longer capable of being mad. He repeated his apologies several times and somehow she just wanted to tell him to stop.

"Jiro..." She said lowly. Before anything else could be said she ran towards him and threw her arms around his neck and cried so hard she swore her body was being drained. "I love you, still after this. I want you to know that my love runs so deep for you that I am willing to yell and throw things and still love you, if not more." She squeezed praying to God that he wasn't going to push her away and tell her it was too late. She spoke fast in case that moment was coming.

"Please, I lost someone so important to me once before and I don't want to make the mistake of losing you, either! I just want to love you! I want to know you! Jiro, please, still tell me you love me because I still love you."

[Jiro Lawson]

For a moment, Jiro didn't react to her words or movements. He merely stood there limp in her arms, his mouth open slightly. Of all the woman he could have fallen in love with, he fell in love with an emotionally dysfunctional one. Jiro smiled slightly. Though he would much rather have a dysfunctional Orange Diren, than a normal anyone else.

Dropping her shoe, he wrapped his arms around her, the tears that had been flowing from hate and anger, now slowing and finally stopping as he leaned into her, and gently stroked her head and neck with his hand, thanking his lucky stars that this had ended like this. Or at least, that for now, she still wanted him.

"I want to stay with you, Orenji, I love you with all my heart and I never want to yell at you again...I never want to this again," he whispered, kissing her cheek. "Aishiteru."

[Orange Diren]

Orange sighed feeling relieved for the first time when she heard him say he loved her. She felt the tears slowly subside but she was still upset over what had just taken place.

"Aishiteru." She said back to him continuing to squeeze him tightly. She didn't know what she would have donen if this was the final good bye and final argument.

[Jesimae Lawson]

Jesimae looked at Taro when she heard Jiro and Orange duking it out in a closed room. She wanted to ask Taro to go see what was going on, but knew that it was none of her concern. She felt a bit nervous for what they were arguing about for she had been within hearing distance of what had started the argument.

Before Jesimae could finally muster up the courage to ask him, but a familiar voice drew her attention away. it was Haruko speaking to his supplier. She turned and looked down the hatch to see a familiar face.

"Taro?" Jesimae said looking over at him. "Is that the man from the Nihongo district, Ren something?"

[Ren Wilcox]

Ren made his way through the street towards the ship yard where he knew Haruko was. He had never really been in this district bit he opted not to ever come back. It was dismal and dirty and everyone watched his as if he would steal the candy from thier children.

He picked up his pace, using his long legs to carry him to 'The Lawson Rule' and up the ramp. When he entered, he took in all that there was to see. He saw the man and woman he had seen the day before from the NIHONGO District with Jiro. He also saw Haruko rummaging through a bag. He smiled, leaning over and getting Haruko's attention.

"We can get going whenever," he said, securing his bag over his shoulder and smiling turning to the woman and man near them. He nodded slightly. "Hi...I think we met yesterday?" Ren said, and then noticed that someone was coming out of a room down the hall from them. He couldn't tell who it was from here, but he figured they were other passengers.

[Orange Diren]

Orange was slightly feeling better as she walked down the hall with Jiro right beside her. She had continued to tell him how much she loved him, how sorry she was to have overreacted, and how she hoped to put that argument in the past. She was feeling so sure of herself she almost cracked a smile and the moment her lips started to curl she looked up to see Jesimae smiling at a tall young man.

When he turned Orange stopped dead in her tracks. Her heart skipped a beat and the face angered her. She glanced over at Jiro and frowned feeling very confused as to what he was doing there. She didn't want to see Ren Wilcox, if she remembered his name correctly, and she definitely didn't want Jiro around him period.

She knew that if you were reunited with someone you loved after a long period of time..chances were that they'd try to rekindle the flame and have what they once shared.

"Jiro?" She said lowly looking at him with worried eyes. "What is he doing here?"

[Ren Wilcox]

Ren was surprised to see Jiro and when he did, he took a step back and then smiled. He walked over to Jiro and put a hand on his shoulder.

"Well, looks like we're in the same boat, once again, lover," he chuckled. He was surprised to see him there, but when he looked over to the girl he was with, she had a look on her face that shot daggers through Ren. He smiled at her, nodding his head. Then he looked back at Jiro and leaned over, giving him a quick kiss on the cheek. "I have to go unpack and go see if these parts are going to work in this thing." He nodded and slid past the girl, afraid to touch her, afraid she would spit venom at him.

"I'll catch you later, lover," he said, smiling wide and waving slightly. Then he turned and gave the girl a smile as well. "Maybe we'll get to have a longer conversation later. See you." And he turned and made his way down the hall, feeling the girl's eyes burning into his back. He bit his lip. He wasn't sure exactly what he had done to her, but somehow, he thought it might have something to do with Jiro.

[Orange Diren]

Orange stared at him and tried to remain calm but she couldn't. Being around him after hving such a wild argument with Jiro that literally revolved around him.

"Do...will you need any help installing some parts for the ship?" She didn't know why she asked but she was trying her 83624278best to get along and let Jiro know that she was willing to move on and make friends.

"I would love to help."

[Ren Wilcox]

Ren stopped and turned, surprised at the sudden change in her attitude. He pressed the button for the lift to take him down to the engine room as Haruko strode by him with the man, woman, and after a moment, Jiro, in tow, telling them that they were about to take off and to go to thier rooms. Ren stepped onto the lift and stuck his head out, looking at the woman in the hall. He grinned.

"Yeah, I could use some help," he said, holding the door open and waiting for her to come down the hall and join him. He couldn't exactly remember if she had been there the day before, so he introduced himself again. "I'm Ren Wilcox, by the way. Can't remember if I introduced myself yesterday," he chuckled, and then smiled wider. "I don't think I got your name either."

[Orange Diren]

Orange swallowed down the fear in her stomach. She didn't like Ren, but she loved Jiro enough to understand they were friends and was at least trying to make an effort to be nice.

"Hai, we met before. Orenji Diren." She held out her hand for him to take and smiled although it was false. She didn't realize she had used the nickname Jiro called her by but for some reason it gave her a certain satisfaction that Jiro had named her.

"I'm a head mechanic maybe two heads will be better than one!"

[Ren Wilcox]

Ren smiled as she stepped onto the lift with her and he punched the coordinance for the engine room. The lift was as slow as it could be and Ren had to put his bag of tools down as it was cramping his shoulder. He didn't say anything for a moment then he turned and looked at her. He put a hand on his forehead and laughed.

"Okay, this is really unprofessional," he chuckled a moment before continuing. "But, I was just wondering...are you and Jiro a couple? I'm sorry, if that is nosey. And you don't have to answer, I just haven't seen Jiro in a long time and I have been wondering how he is getting along."

[Orange Diren]

Orange looked away over to Ren and frowned but not in a way that wasn't honestly meant to be mean. She quickly tried to realize that he was being nice and was wanting to see how his old "friend" had been doing.

"Jiro and I...yeah we are together." She said with a kind smile.

[Ren Wilcox]

Ren could not help but be a little disappointed at this news, but he was also happy to hear it because it meant Jiro had moved on, something that Ren had never found the guts to do. He nodded his head at her and leaned against the wall of the lift andstuck his hands in his pockets.

"I'm really happy to hear that," he said. And he was, but he thought that he if he got the chance to, he would definately kiss Jiro again, not to separate Jiro and Orange but just to remember what he had walked away from. He grinned at her. "I thought with the way he was the last time I saw him, he would never be normal again."

He laughed as the lift opened and he picked up his bag. He looked at Orange, and pressed her shoulder in an action that he hoped told her he was genuinely happy.

"I am really glad to hear you two have hit it in the head," he said, then wandered off of the lift and glanced around. There was a small board hung on the wall with Japanese written on it and arrows pointing in different directions. He sighed, leaning back slightly on his heels and drawing off of the Japanese Haruko had taught him. "It appears to be this way," he said, pointing to his left. He glanced over his shoulder and winked at Orange. "If we're wandering around in a latrine, we'll know my Japanese skills aren't quite up to par." He grinned, licking his lips, and began down the hall in the direction that he had indicated.

[Ren Wilcox]

EDIT

[Orange Diren]

Orange grinned at him and walked behind him closely. She wiped the smile off her face the moment he began to walk in front of her.

"So how do you know my baby?" Orange already knew the answer to that question but she was wanting to at least see if he'd be honest. She was trying her best to be nice and appease Jiro, after all she loved him and all his faults so she could at least try to play nice for the time being.

"I've never seen two men act so happy to see one another. How long has it been since you have been with Jiro?" She was sure that was a dead dgiveaway that she knew they had some sort of past together but she didn't care. She wanted Ren to give her insights as to how close they really were.

[Ren Wilcox]

Ren tilted his head and fell back to walk with her so that he could speak to her eye-to-eye as it was the way he preferred to speak to anyone. He thought about her question. Obviously, she knew about he and Jiro and thier past together, so that speed bump was over with. So, now it didn't bother him to give her any information she wanted.

"He and I know each other..." he paused, putting a hand to his forehead. "From jail. I hope he has told you that..." he paused a moment before continuing. "It has been around a year since we separated. He and I were together far longer than I think I suspected and, its half the reason I left," he laughed a little. "I'm surprised he still wants to have anything to do with me, let alone be so happy to see me."

He looked over at her. He smiled, knowing this question might make her angry, but he was really interested to hear about them.

"So, have you guys really embedded yourselves in the relationship? I know that Jiro can be slightly passive and submissive, but also fail to mention big issues, causing strife," he laughed, having the memories flowing back to him making him feel happy, yet sad all at the same time.

[Orange Diren]

Orange looked at Ren a bit surprised that he was able to say they were in jail together. Orange felt a little bit of anger rise when she heard him begin to tell her things she was just now seeming to find out. That was something she knew was going to happen when falling in love with someone so quickly and not alllowing a relationship to blossom correctly. She wasn't about to tell Ren how short a time they had been together since she didn't feel like having him compare and contrast what they had.

"Yes," Orange answered to his question "He has told me about spending time in jail. "He and I are very much in love." Orange stretched the truth slightly. She was very much in love with Jiro but lately they've been having...problems so to speak. Much like todays incidents before Ren had arrived.

[Ren Wilcox]

Ren nodded, smiling a little. There was something a bit off here. She wasn't being unfriendly to him, but she wasn't exactly being warm and fuzzy either. Not that Ren minded if she didn't care much for him, as he was her boyfriend's old flame. But he got the impression she was slightly using him to find things out about Jiro that maybe Jiro either didn't want to tell her, or just hadn't told her yet.

Ren went silent as they went to a door and he pushed through, hearing the engines. Haruko had already started them for they were roaring amazingly, and Ren loved that sound. It made him feel safe, although he was less safe here than probably anywhere on the ship.

He wandered in and saw his parts were lying obidiently near to the engine pit. He smiled and made his way over, dropping his bag of tools on the ground and shedding his jacket as he was already beginning to bead slightly with sweat just from the heat of the engines. He knelt down next to his bag and unzipped it, bringing out several tools and then scanning his parts. He needed to first install the engine cooling valve.

Sighing, Ren fished out a rolled red bandana from his bag, wrapping it around his head under his hari to absorb his sweat. He glanced over his shoulder, and grinned slightly.

"I'm sorry if I am about to make you uncomfortable. But I don't want this shirt soaked. Sorry, Dire," he said, laughing slightly. He took the hem of his wife beater and pulled it off, putting it on his bag and tightening his belt to secure his slightly drooping pants in place. Then he bent over and pulled up the large valve, turning and hopping down into the engine pit, and looking up at Orange.

"You're welcome to either stay up yonder and talk to me, I love it when people talk me ear off, or you can come down in here. Either way is fine," Ren called over the engine, smiling up at her.

[Orange Diren]

Orange's eyes scanned Ren's shimmering body, especially when he took his shirt off. She tugged on her lip ring slightly not caring if she wascaught, after all she was still allowed to look.

"I figured if you needed any help, I could be some assitance. But if you want I can continue to talk to you." She smiled at him and tightened the sleeves around her waist and walked over towards him and smiled.

"Tell me, how long did you two stay together? Sorry if this is odd, I am just wanting to hear your side of the story, but if it is a bad memory then...forget I asked!"

[Ren Wilcox]

Ren crouched down and observed the screws in the previous engine valve. For a moment he didn't answer as he began to unscrew it and look at the stripped screws. Once he had gotten the first two screws out, he dropped down on his backside to sit straddling the engine. He could also comfortably look up at Orange and talk to her.

"Well...if you are counting in jail, about two years. But only one out," he said, looking back at the screws and beginning to work on them, still talking to her. "After Taro bailed us out...he asked me to be his boyfriend," he called, then he laughed and glanced up at Orange. "Of course, for me that was a dream come true. I'd been into him so deep since the beginning. But, I figured that it was because he needed my help," he chuckled, looking back at his engine and wrench. He shrugged, beginning to work on it again. "I guess I can't begrudge him his past. It's all back then, and we're still friends, Jesus knows its a miracle."

He laughed slightly as he finally dislodged the last bottom screw and stood on the engine rail to begin on the top. He glanced at Orange, taking a second to grab a cloth and wipe off the back of his neck.

"So, how did yu two meet?"

[Orange Diren]

Orange listened contently to him talk watching him carefully taking in the sights. When he wiped the sweat off of his neck she heard him ask her a question. She drew in a deep breath and let it out a moment later as she smiled.

"Well I was working at Tatooine's port and Taro needed a tune up. Jiro and I worked together on a few things and he asked me to stay and work for them. We just hit it off really well." It made her feel warm and fuzzy to remember. She was glad she and Ren were talking about their relationship for she was always happy to remember.

"I am sorry if this is odd, talking about our relatioship with the same man." Orange laughed, actually finding the situation funny for the first time, although she didn't want to have it happen again.

[Ren Wilcox]

Ren laughed a little as he finished with all the screws and the valve dropped with a rusty thud onto the rail. He looked at it satisfied, then grabbed the edge of the engine pit and pulled himself up, laying on the edge and pulling the valve up and away from the other new parts. He stood and took a deep breath, wiping his neck again, and shaking his head.

"No! It's fine," he chuckled. "I think its interesting to see how the two relationships differ." He smiled, reaching into his bag and pulling out a larger towel, wiping down his chest and back, pulling off the bandana and running a hand through the wavy-curly mass of brown hair. He stared down at her and smiled. He shook his head.

"Its funny the ways a person can do things in one relationship and then change for another to adapt to that other person," he chuckled slightly. "The things Jiro does must be different!" he laughed.

[Orange Diren]

Orange couldn't agree more. She would have loved to know what went on in their relationship just to see how different things were now than before. Plus Orange just wanted to know how he looked and perceived the relationship he had with Ren and the one he was currently involved in.

"What kind of things did you two used to do, that is if you don't mind my asking!" Orange smiled at him finding this very interesting. She didn't know why but it was almost like she were trying to compare Jiro's love for her and the love he had for Ren. She knew it wasn't going to be a pretty thing for either her or Ren, but none the less she was desperate to know.

[Ren Wilcox]

Ren paused in his toweling off a moment to consider the things he and Jiro had done together. He had never really thought of it before, so it was difficult to really point out things in particular. But Ren knew that there had been little things Jiro had done that had made Ren crazier for him than he already had been. He leaned on the engine slightly, looking back at Orange, and hooking his thumb in the pocket of his black jeans.

"Well..." he began, still thinking hard. "It's hard to pinpoint exact things he did, you know?" he asked, cocking his head slightly at Orange. He shrugged. "Well, it was things like...an this might be getting a little too personal for you, but, he would wake me up in the middle of the night so that I could tell him he had been having a bad dream. Or...he made it a funny habit of waking me up an hour or two before I had to be up to go to work so that we could just talk."

He shrugged. "I don't know what it was about that. He just always wanted to talk before I went in. He never asked anything life shattering, just whether or not I was happy, or what I had planned that day. I think one time he even forced me to get up to go down the street with him and get ice cream!" Ren laughed out loud, putting a hand over his eyes, to hopefully hide the sadness that was hidden there. He shook his head.

"But I don't think ice cream ever tasted so good, you know?"

[Orange Diren]

Orange listened withe open ears but for some reason she wasnt enjoying this information as much as she figured she would. Jiro had never done anything like that, matter of fact the only thing remotely similar is the fact that he liked to chase away her bad dreams.

She smiled tryig to at least seem happy for Ren and Jiro's relationshi for he had something she didn't. "Sorry, I am afraid I don't. Jiro has yet to wake me up to go get ice cream!" She laughed and shook her head thinking of Jiro doing something like that.

"Jiro is usually the one who chases the bad dreams away from me. He likes to just hold me until I fall asleep. I never slept so good to know he was there behind me, holding me so tight." Orange felt her face grow warm from thinking of him whispering kind things to her.

[Ren Wilcox]

Ren nodded. That sounded like something Jiro would do. Ren smiled as he could remember very clearly a night Jiro had woke him, his body shaking like a leaf, telling him he had had the worst dream, and that he didn't know where his life was going, and he wanted Ren to tell him it was alright. It had frightened Ren to an extreme he had never been to before, to see someone he loved in such emotional pain. Ren regretted, more than anything in his life, leaving Jiro Lawson. It had been the one decision Ren had always wondered whether it had actually been a mistake. He had always wondered what would have happened if he had stuck it out Jiro. Wondered if they might still be together today.

"Yeah," he said, nodding in understanding. "Jiro is one to do that...you know, I don't think he raised his voice to me once? Which seems funny, because he can scream pretty good when he gets going," Ren laughed.

[Orange Diren]

Orange listened with a grin but when he stated raising voices...she wiped the smile off not reallyappreciating the comment on his sexual screaming, after all she had been aware of it.

"You have no idea!" Orange said laughing trying to find a way to get back at him for the comment that probably wasn't meant to <smallfont color={hovercolor}>-Censored-</smallfont> her off. But it was time to stop pretending she actually loved this guy and was truly enjoying his conversation.

"I remember our first time...buddy he didn't want to stop but unfortunately we had to due to tire. Best 8 hours of my life."

[Ren Wilcox]

Ren was surprised by the comment. He had not been straying to that particular area of thier relationship for Orange's sake. And now that she had gone there, and quite spitefully, he realized that this conversation could get ugly in a real hurry. Her comment had bothered him slightly, making him wonder whether or not this girl was actually with Jiro for any other reason than the fact that he could go eight intensely pleasurable hours. She had said they were very much in love. Ren was beginning to doubt that.

He smiled at her almost sneering. He turned, tossing his towel on his bag and jumping back down into the engine pit. He began to move the new valve into place. He was a little bit angry, for nor reason at all.

"Well," he said, still keeping his voice cheerful, although he could clearly hear the edge in his own voice. "Jiro and I, though we did things in bedroom I'd never heard of before, let alone felt, our relationship was built on our friendship and trust of one another," he said, glancing up at her, then back down at his work. "We cared about each other for more reasons than just that, Orange. And maybe you should discuss with Jiro whether you exactly care about him, or just about the eight hours you can use to get yourself off."

[Ren Wilcox]

EDIT

[Orange Diren]

Orange looked over at him and frowned. "Excuse me?" She said hastily not appreciating his sudden bitter remark towards her when all she was doing was making a little comment. She had to defend herself and what she had with Jiro.

"What Jiro and I do is completely based on love, which is more than I can say for you!" She walked over to him more closey and slit her eyes, getting spiteful as the more she spoke.

"You and your little buddies in jail....that is all you did was hook up with the nearest man that looked good! And I bet after a while...the desperations set in and they all started to look good, didn't they?" Orange clenched her jaw and continued to stare at him, too angry to want to talk to him anymore. Why did she hate this guy so much? She tried hard, really hard to like him but all she saw...was nothing she wanted to even talk to anymore.

[Ren Wilcox]

Ren could fight pretty good when he absolutely had to. He could scream and yell and punch and scare people fairly well. If he had to. But he also preferred to avoid confrontations. So he let her anger roll past him and ignored it as he pulled himself up and out of the pit, grabbing another peice and beginning to install it.

Orange got defensive very easily, and Ren wondered how Jiro would be able to take it, as Jiro himself had a short temper, and a rough one when it got going.

It wasn't any of Ren's business, he didn't want to cause any strife between Jiro and Orange, and certainly didn't want Orange to hate him. When he finished screwing in the last screw on the peice, he pulled himself up out of the engine pit and wiped his brow with his tattooed right forearm and pulled his bandana off, tossing it into his bag and zipping the bag up.

"I'm sorry, Orange," he said, touching forehead as if tipping a hat that wasn't there. He pulled the bag up and onto his shoulder. He bowed to her slightly. "You're right. Jail rats take whatever they can get, hence--at least in your opinion--Jiro and I. It's not me place to say whether or not your relationship is based on love. I apologize."

Ren turned away from her, happy to be headed for the cool ship and getting out of this heat. He was sweating slightly. He hoped he had avoided anymore confrontation with Orange, as it was the last thing he wanted, to ruin she and Jiro's relationship. He was just way to hurt to see Jiro had moved on, and much to protective of the Japanese boy.

[Orange Diren]

Orange watched the man leave Good Riddance! she yelled in her mind so happy to be away from him, or him be away from her. She didn't know why she had such a disliking for him but she knew it probably stemmed from the fact that he and Jiro had something in the past.

Sure that was the operative word, past, but for some reason she could tell that Ren wasn't fully over him. Nobody walks up to someone and acts like they had never parted, especially when he had the odd habit of calling him lover. In front of me, too Orange didn't want to cause any problems, but for some reason to get rid of Ren would be a dream come true.

Orange slowly walked behind Ren, allowing him to get far enough ahead where she would be able to have a moment alone. She considered Ren a cancer...to her and Jiro's relationship that is. Ren was the problem at least to her, a very large threat. Hell, the man was gorgeous! He also had a nice body and smile that normally would have made her melt at one time. Ren, in hr mind, was much like cancer and all one would have to do is simply get rid of it. That was what she was going to have to do. Get rid of the threat, the problem, the "cancer" that being Ren Wilcox.

[Ren Wilcox]

Ren knew that he and Orange were not going to get along as long as the silence between he, her, and Jiro continued. Ren needed to go have a sit down with Jiro and talk to him about stuff, and maybe Orange would even want to be present, just so that her mind would be eased that he and Jiro were never happening again.

But he also didn't want to cause anymore friction between he and Orange, or Orange and Jiro, or--this was beginning to be a lot like a love triangle. Something Ren had never been fond of being a participant in. Though it didn't have to be, Orange had just made it so. She had made him the lion trying to hone in on what was rightfully hers. She had made him the bad guy.

Ren rolled his eyes. Maybe that was why Ren had never had any luck with women. They were much to into what belonged to them. If Jiro asked Ren to be his boyfriend again, even though Ren would have been supremely tempted, he would have said no. Because Orange, Ren could tell, loved Jiro far too much, and he was not going to break that all up. He paused in his walked, and then turned, putting a hand on his forehead, looking at Orange.

"Look," he said, squinting one eye, hoping she wouldn't fly into a rage. "I think we started off on the wrong foot, you know, with Jiro being my old boyfriend and now your new boyfriend." He paused a moment. "I really don't want to break you guys up, as much as I'm sure you think I do."

[Orange Diren]

Orange stopped walking and looked up at him to see he had stopped and was talking to her. She listened to what he had to say but in her mind she was already over this. Orange was already to be Miss Happy whenever she was around him in certain company, but when they were alone....

She laughed lightly and walked over to him, glancing at him as she stopped right beside him and smiled.

"Me think you are going to break us up?" She gave him a look from the face to the feet as if she towered over him when he was the taller one. She brushed by him purposely. "Don't flatter yourself, Ren." She stated as she walked out of the engine room and into the hall.

[Ren Wilcox]

And it was on.

Ren didn't care what it took, how many times he had to try, he was going to make sure that he made out with Jiro one more time. Not only just to kiss Jiro, because he wanted to, but to ease that part of his mind that suddenly hated Orange Diren. Even if she didn't know it, didn't see it, he would always know that he made out with Jiro behind her back, while she thought she was as secure as she could be. He glanced over his shoulder and her and snorted a laugh.

"Well, then watch your little boy, Orange, he might not be as easy to keep as you think," he said, loud enough so that it echoed, but he wasn't sure if it had been loud enough for her to hear it. Ren's mind was made up. And when Ren Wilcox wanted something, he got it. Even if he had to do bad things to get it. It was a streak in him that he had never been able to get ride of. Though right this moment, all he cared about was getting back at Orange for that comment.

[Orange Diren]

Orange heard him loud and clear but somehow she continued to walk away. A part of her told her he was ignorant and couldn't get Jiro if he tried...but...there was another part of her...

"Don't let him fool you, Orenji." She said to herself making sure to say the name Jiro called her by for it made her feel more secure. She wasn't going to lie, she felt very threatend by that man so bad that she was tempted to just get off the ship and stay on coruscant, but she wanted to go wherever Jiro went. She loved him so much that the thought of leaving him threw her stomach into a whirl. Even that argument...

Orange shivered, that argument they had shared caused her such agony inside she didn't know if she could even remember a tiny bit of it. She did find it funny, however, to have tossed her shoe at him. She was so happy he didn't throw her out the ship tell her to grow up and go home. Orange clenched her jaw when Ren's face popped into her mind. That smile of his....it was a killer!

If he knew about the fight, if he knew what it was about...he'd probably have such a delight out of it he'd show her up, tell her she was wrong and tell her that he always knew that Jiro had a special place for him somewhere. Orange walked around the ship, slightly getting lost when she found herself in the laundry room rather than the cockpit. She wasn't ready to scream for help, but if she wasn't able to find someone after cutting a few more corners...she was going to start screaming for help.

[Jiro Lawson]

Jiro was lost. This ship was ridiculously huge, much more so than 'The Angry Lady'. And if he didn't the kitchen soon, he was going to have a stroke from lack of food. That argument he had earlier had burnt all of his calories, and now he was ready to ingest as many carbs as he could lay his hands on.

However, saying he was going to go to the kitchen, and actually getting there were two completely different things. He had wandered through several rooms that decidedly weren't anything remotely near to a kitchen, and was soon going to get annoyed and throw a temper trantrum. Jiro smiled at the thought of him throwing a fit because he couldn't get food.

As he walked, he could hear someone moving about in another room and jumped at the chance to maybe find someone who knew thier way around. He jogged to the room and stuck his head into the room, seeing Orange looking rather perturbed.

"Ah! Orenji-chan," he said, a little surprised to see her. "I thought you and Will--er--Ren went to install stuff?"

[Orange Diren]

Orange jumped at the sound of his voice, but she was more than delighted to hear anyones! Even, at that particular moment, if it was Ren's. She turned and smiled brightly, even better that it was Jiro.

"He uh...."finished" early. Is it me or is this ship huge? I've been walking in circles and I was about two seconds away from screaming bloody murder!" She laughed and walked over to him and sighed, so relieved that she wasn't going to curl up in a ball and whither away on Haruko's ship.

"I used to know this ship pretty well, but it is obvious he has gutted this thing to suit his personality throughout the years. God, if you are lost I am going to hurt you! I've been dying to see some form of human life!" She laughed lightly, she was so happy to see his face! She couldn't help but think to herself she'd rather be lost with Jiro than without him.

[Jiro Lawson]

Jiro laughed at her and took her hand, kissing her on the cheek, pulling her close to him, and then beginning to kiss her neck. He wrappedh his arms around her waist.

"Well, maybe this being lost thing isn't so bad," he chuckled, leaning back and grinning at her. He leaned forward and kissed her on the nose, then glanced around them. His stomach roared loudly and he could have sworn he heard it echo off the walls. He groaned, putting a hand on his stomach.

"If I don't get some form of food inside me, I think I will shrivel up and die..." he said, looking over his shoulder out the door, he took her hand and pulled her to the door with him, looking about him and taking a deep breath. "Kitchen...iru no!" he yelled down the hall.

[Orange Diren]

Orange laughed lightly as he walked around calling out for the kitchen. Jiro was so cute! She couldn't be any happier where she was at, lost, searching for the kitchen, while holding his hand. It was silly but it was moments like these that she loved most, she was just afraid to tell him. Would he think she was stupid for enjoying being lost with him? Orange smiled as she looked around and down hallways that looked normal, unlike that corridors with metal flooring and wires sticking out everywhere.

"You aren't mad at me for tossing my shoe at your earlier are you? I know that was a very....psychotic thing to do and I'm sorry. I don't know if I apologized for acting so stupid earlier." She didn't know where that came from or why she was saying it now, perhaps it was because she was slighlty insecure of losing him. If he had an opportunity to get back with Ren...if he was propositioned...Jiro would have that awful memory of her tossing things at him without ever feeling remorseful and he'd probably think she didn't love him or regret doing it and he'd know that Ren would be apologetic and more caring.

Orange was thinking too hard about this Ren taking Jiro thing. If Jiro loved her, there would be no possible way for Ren to butt in.

[Jiro Lawson]

Jiro paused in his search and looked back at her. Ah, yes, the shoe. He had a rather large bruise on his back from that thing, though it really didn't hurt much. He chuckled at the memory, actually, though at the time it was really traumatizing. He turned and looked at her, grinning lopsidedly at her.

"I am not mad at you for chucking the shoe at me," he said, still smiling. Then his smile dropped a little, and his face became a little more somber. "I'm sorry that I didn't sit down and tell you about Ren. It was something I should have thought about and didn't," he said. He took her hand and held in his own, tracing the outside of it absentmindedly with his finger. He looked up at her. He shook his head.

"This is probably something that you don't want to hear right now, but...it has been bothering me since we fought..." he bit his lip slightly, then sighed. "I am not going to lie to you, Orenji. The bond Ren and I had was really strong, and I will admit, he was the first person outside of Brother that ever said they loved me," he looked at her, praying she would just hear him out, let him get this all out. "That had a huge impact on me, Orenji. I give Ren credit for my ability to love someone." He took a deep breath, and then put a hand on her face, smiling a little.

"But I also want you to know, that no matter what Ren and I had back then, it isn't there anymore. At least not for me. He's an amazing friend of mine, and that's all. I love you, Orenji. Nothing can change that," he said, smiling a little. "I just...thought I ought to explain all of that about me and Ren when you and I weren't screaming and throwing things at each other."

[Orange Diren]

Orange loved Jiro's ability to have this effect that somehow calmed her. Whenever he touched her and spoke calmly and lowly it allowed her to process the worst of information. Any other time she'd be crying or screaming telling him he was still in love with Ren, but she was glad to see that she was taking this rather...normally. Then again this wasn't something to freak out over, he was just behing honest, something she admired deeply.

"Arigatou." She said with a low smile, her heart still not so sure whether or not Ren was completely out of his heart and out of his mind in the sense of a romantic relationship. Now, in turn, she was to be honest.

"I love you, Jiro. I am so sorry I overreacted back there when I threw my shoe." She laughed as she glanced away this was much harder to tell him when she wasn't passionate or hateful for romaticism and calmness wasn't much of a regular routine in her life. "I acted like an idiot. I want you to cherish whatever you had with Ren, but when I say that I mean...don't dwell on the past, too much, okay?" She slit her eyes, unsure of if he understood what she was trying to say.

If Jiro loved Ren, she was happy, just as long as it wasn't a love that she had to be afraid of or constantly wory about since she was catching herself worrying too much about someone else. Again she opted to voice what she felt.

"In all honesty, I'm afraid that you are going to try and...maybe not you, okay? Maybe Ren might try and rekindle what you had in the past. I just want to make sure that....you love me and only me. I don't mean to sound possesive or odd...I jsut need that reassurance once and for all. Can you..." Orange paused for a moment and looked up at in his eyes.

"Can you promise me that you will love me and nobody else? In a way that you can only share with me?"

[Jiro Lawson]

Jiro smiled and put his arms around her shoulders, holding her close to him, the swelling of love in his hear threatening the explode it right in his chest. All he wanted to do was hold her and tell her how much he loved her.

"Orenji, I love you like I have never loved anyone before in my life. You have my heart in a way Ren never did and never will. I and Ren share a deep friendship, but you and I share somethine much, much stronger. And no one from my past can ever break what I have found with you, and I don't want them to," he whispered to her. He kissed her gently on the ear, nibbling her ear lobe slightly. "You have my solemn promise that I love you and will always love you in a way that no one can understand or share. You are my everything, Orenji Diren."

[Orange Diren]

Orange smiled as she felt his breath tickle her ear and when he nibbled she shivered. She now knew how much she loved him how she and Haru could never have had such a bond, that this was the one person she needed to live.

"Aishiteru." She whispered to him in his ear, kissing his neck slightly, not noticing she had just kissed the scar that Taro had inflicted on him. She opened her eyes and kissed his jaw and then made her way to his plump delectible mouth.

"Eien, Aishiteru." She didn't know if that made any sense for she wasn't one to construct sentences in Japanese, but if he knew those two words he'd catch her drift. "Although I am enjoying all this "sugar"...I am now starting to realize how hungry I am!" She smiled and put her hands around his waist and kissed him jsut once more.

"Care to join me on a little expidition on trying to find the kitchen!?"

[Jiro Lawson]

Jiro nodded, rubbing his stomach again. He took her hand and began back down the hallway towards the general direction of anything that might resemble a kitchen. They were not having much more luck when they reached the end of the hall and Jiro turned into a door.

This led onto another room that Jiro wasn't sure what the use for it was. He looked around, hoping that maybe something interesting would produce itself. But when nothing did after several minutes, Jiro sniffed at the room and moved through, hoping to stumble upon something, anything.

When they got out of the room, Jiro looked down the hall and saw someone that looked a lot like Haruko standing there, smoking quietly. Jiro nodded to him.

"Let's ask Kyoudai," he said with a grin, glad to see they had found someone.

[Orange Diren]

Orange was having fun being lost, she was one who enjoyed some sort of stability in directions but it was just Jiro's company. When he motioned towards the hall and spoke of a brother...she was slightly relieved that they hadn't somehow been sucked into this black hole on Haru's ship. She felt Jiro tug her hand in the direction of a brother and she followed, gladly.

"Are you sure you aren't so hungry you aren't seeing things?" She joked when she looked down the hallway to see nothing but more walls. She playfully poked Jiro and smiled, looking over at him. "I don't need you to hallucinate on me, Jiro!"

[Haruko Lawson]

Haruko never thought he had been this tired in his life. He had done nothing but sleep since they had taken off hours ago. That medication was playing havoc with his bodily functions, making him constantly hungry, exceedingly fatigued, and with and funny light headed sensation.

He had stepped out into the hall to smoke, hoping it would curb his appetite. He was feeling rather cozy as he leaned against the wall in his red pajama pants and long sleeved sleeping shirt, with the smoke going in and out of his lungs, calming his nerves and senses.

When he heard someone coming down the hall towards him, he turned with a yawn to see who it was. Groggily, he saw that it was Jiro and Orange and they looked rather happy to see him. He stood up and dropped the cigarette, crushing it under his heel and then smiling at the two.

"Konnichiwa, and hello," he said quietly, his voice gruff from sleep. He scratched his head and blinked once or twice. "You two look lost. How can I help?"

[Orange Diren]

Orange laughed lightly seeing his dishelved appearance, but she was so happy to see him any way she could get him.

"We are! I didn't think you'd continuously do things to your ship. I thought I was making it to the cockpit and I found hallways of...more hallways! Then I was discovered by Jiro and now we are both starving and trying to find the kitchen!" Orange spoke quickly, excited beyond all means. She was going to get food! Be with Jiro! Be happy and full at the same time something she was looking foward to too much.

When she was done talking and smiling she realized that poor Haruko looked dead to the world. She frowned slightly, surprised that he was in his pajama's and looking as if he hadn't slept in years. "You feeling okay, Haru? You look so sleepy."

[Haruko Lawson]

Haruko waved a hand in front of his face and yawned going to them and grinning. He looked down the hall, then looked down the other way. For a moment he couldn't remember where he was at. Then it all rushed back. He pointed ahead of him.

"Come on," he said, and began off in that direction. "And don't worry about me. I just started taking so medicine and it is sapping my energy, and about everything else. I think once I have taken it for awhile, I'll be better, but right now...wow...all I want to do is sleep forever," he chuckled, as he opened a door and went through it, leading them straight to the kitchen. He stood and held his hands out. "Welcome to my kitchen. Its rather small, but I like to be wedged in when I cook. I'm a bit screwed up in case you hadn't noticed that by now." He paused. "I can make something if you like, or you can just scrounge about. Either way is kawaii to me."

[Orange Diren]

Orange shook her head, opting to make something herself since Haru looked like the walking dead, no offense to his adorable look in the mornings. She could tell he wasn't himself, perhaps he was but the medicine was slightly taking it all away.

"I'm not a medicine kinda gal, but perhaps you jsut have to get used to it." She walked over to him and touched his back in a friendly manner. "Go back and rest, okay? Want anything!" She smiled, to cook something again would be wonderful to her! She hadn't been able to since....the night before. She allowed her smile to fall slightly not wanting to be over happy.

She glanced at Jiro and shrugged her shoulder. "That is..if you don't mind if I make some english fish and chips?"

[Haruko Lawson]

Haruko was starving his left leg and right pointer finger off, but he had just eaten a little while ago. He had hoped the cigarette would help, but it hadn't. Somehow, he thought it had made things worse. Haruko shook his head, turning and going to the door.

"I don't think I'll sit in for this round. I'll go see if I can't sleep the hunger off," he sighed, smiling grimly. "That's likely. Oyasuminasai." He turned and began down the hall, putting a hand on his head. "I almost think Mr. Lawson was preferrable to this...torture one way, torture the other. I just can't get ahead, can I?" he asked the air, wondering what he had done in lifeto deserve all of this.

[Jiro Lawson]

Jiro watched his brother go and listened to him mutter shaking his head slightly. The poor thing went from chickens to feathers and back again. Jiro thought he used to have it bad. He didn't hold a candle to what Haruko had gone through. He shook his head and looked back at Orange.

"Kyoudai's kitchen is much to cramped for both of us to be moving about...so, if you are cooking, buddy, I am ready to eat," he said with a grin. Jiro never thought he had ever been this hungry in his life. His stomach protesting its treatment again by roaring at him from under the table.

[Orange Diren]

Orange looked away from the door where Haru had just walked out rather slowly and sulkingly. When she heard Jiro's voice she drew her attention back to him and watching him grin not protesting to her cooking. He looked like a child waiting for candy as she sat closed and tight at the table, his hands under the table. She laughed lightly and nodded, clapping her hands togther and turning to the fridge.

"Fish and chips it is, babe!" She knew that newspapers weren't aren't that much anymore and most notably not on a ship. She could manage the fish and putting the chips on a plate. She was glad to find he had freezed some fresh fish, but when she noticed she was going to have to cut the potatos into thin strips herself...she was annoyed but she enjoyed working hard on food for it seemed to taste better.

"Tell me," Orange said as she began to put the food on the counter as things began to warm up on the stove. "Does Haru look...pale to you?" She knew he hadn't seen much of Haruko, but it was obvious to see that he didn't look too well.

[Jiro Lawson]

Jiro sat back and rubbed an eye, muttering slightly to himself in Japanese trying to think of Haruko, even though he had just seen him. He made a noise, not unlike a groan, and then leaned back forward.

"Hai...maybe..." he hissed air through his teeth and held up his hands to show her how much. "Maybe a little. But its hard for me to say. I always thought Kyoudai-ko looked paler than normal. But maybe that is just me and my bad eye sight..." he paused a moment, looking at the door that Haruko had just gone out of, almost like if he watched the door long enough a clearer image of Haruko would appear. He shrugged again.

"Well...maybe a little more pale than normal. Actually, you'd probably have better luck asking Kyoudai-ro than me. He had more contact with him."

[Orange Diren]

Orange nodded as she glanced over her shoulder to see him use his hands but she quickly went back to frying the fish, enjoy the smell as it quickly fried alongside of the potatos. She was a quick worker in the kitchen and she even amazed herself by quickly cutting the potatos and tossing them into the nice sizzling oil. She prayed Jiro wouldn't choke to death on the grease after all most English foods were fried and greasy, but that was how she loved it.

"I guess it is just the medication. He said he was going to sleep it off, so hoepfully he will. Although he didn't tell me to I am going to at least make him a little something to eat and take it to him, whether or not he is in the mood."

Orange quickly fried the fish and potato's and listened to the silence for a moment, cursing a moment later when she was burned by a tiny speck of grease. She shook her arm and quickly turned the temperature down and grabbed a plate nearby, slapping a paper towel over top then pouring some potatos ontop followed by a fish and more potatos. She turned and sat it in front of Jiro and bit her lower lip.

"It's...greasy...very greasy." She handed him a cup of water, not asking what he wanted to drink and wanted to see his response. If he didn't like it she'd be more than happy to make something less...smothering.

[Jiro Lawson]

Jiro stared down at what she laid in front of him. He was officially fascinated. He had never seen food like this before. Taking up the utensils she had set beside him. He touched the fish first, and then stabbed a piece, picking it up and putting it in his mouth, chewing thoughtfully. He smiled wide at Orange.

"Oishii!" he cried, beginning to eat more as now he knew he liked it. He nodded down at the plate as if it were the one who had cooked the good food. Then he looked up at Orange and bowed. "Arigatou, Orenji-chan! Oishii!"

[Orange Diren]

Orange smiled and nodded at him pleased to see he was eating it and not throwing it at her. "Douitashimashite!" She said happily. She turned around and made another plate for herself. She sat down next to Jiro and began to eat.

"Sorry for the greasiness. Us English like to have a little bit of food with our grease." She winked at him and chewed quickly. It wasn't that bad but she could tell the fish wasn't too fresh, it had a frozen taste to it. She wondered how long it had been in the freezer and suddenly she was contemplating on eating the rest. But she was too hungry to say no.

She let out a sigh as she ate a few chips and looked over at Jiro. "Do you think Taro and Jesimae can fend for themselves when it comes to dinner?"

[Jiro Lawson]

Jiro shrugged as his stomach finally stopped screaming and he sat back taking a breath. He had eatend much too fast, but it had been very good. He looked over at her.

"Brother can eat anything if he sets his mind to it," he paused. "And anyway, they'll finally be alone in a big room. I doubt they'll be caring much for food." He said with a wink, clearing his plate off the table. He took it over and washed it. He leaned on the sink, a sudden pain shooting through his chest. "Ouch!" he squeaked. But after a moment it went away and he turned back to Orange.

"Really good, my love. I didn't know you could cook so well," he said, winking and leaning down, nuzzling her neck. He sat back down next to her and scratched the scar up under his ear. It had been bothering him all day and he wished he could ocate a mirror ro see if it had split again. He glanced at Orange. He pointed at the scar. "Is this red or swollen?"

[Orange Diren]

Orange laughed as he stood up and walked over to the sink as she tried to clear her plate. She heard a slight noise come from Jiro but paid no mind to it for it wasn't something to be alarmed. Maybe gas? She leaned back watched him walk back over to her, complimenting her on the food.

Orange felt him nuzzle and she grinned, not able to fully smile due to a mouthful, but when she heard him speak of a scar she glanced over and watched him point. She frowned and wiped her mouth as she swallowed and reached her finger over to it and barely grazed it.

"It is very red, babe, what happened?" She looked away from the odd mark and up to his eyes and then touched his face as if that action were somehow going to stop the pain he was obviously feeling. She moved her hand and ran it through his hair and let it fall down to her side.

[Jiro Lawson]

Jiro shook his head as he scratched it again and again, trying to get it to stop itching. He got annoyed with this thing. It never seemed to heal properly. It still broke open somtimes, but not nearly as much as it used to. He scratched it again, just wanting it to stop itching.

"Its an old scar that never did heal like it should have," he huffed angrily as he scratched it hard again and looked at his hand seeing that he had scratched it raw and it was bleeding a little. "Damn it." He said, getting up and going over to the sink pickng up a towel and pressing it against it. He sighed. "I wish it would stop getting irritated. I think it happens when I get stressed...though I am not sure why..."

[Orange Diren]

Orange got up and walked over to him and putting her hand over his own as if this were some life threatening thing. She poked his side a bit agitated with him.

"Stop scratching it!" She said with a huff. "The more you do it the worse it gets!" She smiled at him after a moment. "You are like a kid sometimes, you know that?" She let out a laugh and gave him a kiss for the hell of it.

"How did you get that scar?" She said nodding her head to the towel he was holding and her hand that cupped his own. "I don't think I've ever noticed it."

[Jiro Lawson]

Jiro glanced down at the floor, taking a deep breath. He filled his cheeks with air as he thought about the time he had gotten the scar. It was a slightly touchy subject for him, thought he didn't mind telling Orange as bad as he would usually feel telling someone.

"Well..." he said quietly. "You can't think ill of my brother for it...but..." Jiro sighed. "My brother, as in, Taro," he said, the name unfamiliar in his mouth. "He was on drugs for a couple years and one evening...I was fussing at him about something and in the process...I knocked his box of drugs over. I spilt everything. Pill bottles, liquids, powders, straws, syringes, the works. Brother went crazy. He was really angry, and really high...and that never goes together well." Jiro paused, the memory getting a little more painful as he had never talked about it much past the fact that he and his brother had gotten into a fight. He shook his head. "Anyway...he grabbed a knife off of our table and he took it to me...I am not sure, and never have been, whether or not he would have actually cut my throat, but he just got me there. Its never healed right because I just let it bleed and bleed, just so that I could stain the carpet in his room," Jiro laughed a little. His idea of revenge had been funny. He rubbed his forehead. "But...sometimes it breaks open for no reason at all, and it bleeds until I do something with it."

[Orange Diren]

Orange watched him very interested in the story. When she found out that Taro had caused the wound she was surprised, but when he told her a little more about the drugs....that gave her a tingle. Anyone who worked at Raoul's was bound to be on something, although she never tried it she had been propositioned many times.

"Hmm," She said lowly as she rubbed Taro's stomach with her free had just to touch him lovingly. "Taro freaked out when he cut my neck. I guess your cut neck had something to do with the way he reacted." Orange let out a sigh and she smiled at him.

"At least you are alive, he is clean, and we are all happy people." She smiled and gave him another kiss. "Stop playing with it, leave it alone!" She smiled at him again and squeezed the hand she held. "It should stop bleeding, as long as you don't willingly allow it to bleed freely!"

[Jiro Lawson]

Jiro smiled at her as he touched the old scar and wrinkled his nose at the twinge of pain that his fingers caused. Suddenly, a thought struck Jiro. He wondered what his father was going to be like. Jiro couldn't remember his father, or mother, not really. He had flashes of them, had flashes of things they had or had not done. But mostly he knew no memories before he and his brother entered the orphanage. He put his elbow on the table and cradled his chin in his hand, looking at Orange thoughtfully. He reached up and touched a lock of her hair, twisting it gently around his finger, enjoying its softness as he thought.

He knew his brother had a deep seeded hatred for thier father, and for whatever he had done to them. But Jiro didn't understand what had been so bad that could make Taro not want to at least see the old man die. Jiro knew his brother had been through things with the man that Jiro couldn't remember, let alone understand. But still. He took a deep breath and smiled at Orange, leaning over and kissing her gently just for the hell of it.

"You promis not to run away if our father's a complete nut case?" he heard himself say. He had been thinking it, but hadn't meant to say it.

[Orange Diren]

Orange grinned when he moved away, she let out a gentle laugh and shrugged her shoulders. "Well," She said as she grabbed his hand and squeezed it. "By the looks of it the three of you are nut cases, but if I can survive through you all I think I can handle your father." She winked at him and let out a sigh.

She wondered why Taro was so hesitant about seeing their father, she wondered if he had done something to them when they were children after all she didn't know that many details on Jiro's past. The only person seh knew extremely well was Haruko, but even he wasn't that willing to talk about family.

"I thought you knew this by now...I'm not going anywhere until you tell me to go."

[Jiro Lawson]

Jiro nodded, running his thumb across her hand and up and down her arm gently, watching it and licking his lips. He looked up and smiled, nodding again.

"I know. But if I were in your place and dealing with the Lawson brothers, I'd be ready to run away if I knew I was going to meet the man who spawned them all," he chuckled, biting his cheek a little and looking up at the cieling slightly. He looked back down at her. "You know, I am really scared to see him. I mean...I have barely more than five or six memories of him at all, and Kyoudai-ro has told me all my life that the man wasn't worth a beer and a wad of spit," Jiro smiled slightly, suddenly finding his brother's words rather amusing. "And I think he wants nothing more than to just see the old man die painfully. I am just scared of what could break out...if not between he and my brother, than between me and him, or him and Kyoudai-ko." Jiro shrugged.

"I think I am reading too much into it," he laughed, kissing her hand and letting his lips linger there a moment before leaning back. "I am glad you aren't going to leave me."

[Orange Diren]

Orange smiled and gave him a kiss. "I could never leave you Jiro, you are too important to me." She let otu a sigh and shook her head.

"Taro probably holds grudges easily. I don't know him too well, but it seems to me he has a good memory." Orange bit her lower lip and let go of Jiro's hand, after giving it a kiss as he done before.

"I figure he is too ill to harm you boys or try and start something. If anything maybe Jesimae is right, maybe he has changed." Orange walked over to the stove and grabbed another plate and put a few pieces of fish and chips onto the paper towel, turning around and looking at the plate thn at Jiro.

"I am going ot take this to Haruko. Hopefully he'll eat at least a bite." She grabbed some utensils and a drink and walked over to Jiro and bent down and kissed him once more, not fully getting over the fact that she wanted to kiss him all the time. "Be right back, babe."

[Haruko Lawson]

Haruko had laid down in the hopes that he would be able to just sleep the rest of the way to Tatooine. However, the annoying nagging of his stomach to eat was keeping him from valuable sleepy time.

Haru turned over onto his right side away from the door and stared huffily out the window of his room into the blackness of space, the stars emitting almost no light at all. Haruko wanted to light up another cigarette, but had neither the means nor willpower to do so. He had accidentally left his pack up in the kitchen and a lighter did him no good at all. So he laid there, contemplating himself and his life, his bionic eye whirring a little as it readjusted to the different lights of the room.

If Haruko could have been granted one thing that moment, it would have been to sleep the rest of his life, right after eating the biggest meal of his life. But he didn't want to eat anymore than he already had. He took a deep breath and sighed through his nose, yawning greatly.

[Orange Diren]

Orange sucked her teeth as she walked to Haru's room, surprised she even remembered where it was located sinc ethikngs had changed so much. She glanced up at a hallway corner and then stopped, looking right and left trying to remember which was it was to his room. She decided to go right happy to see the door which he had been standing at earlier.

She smiled and moved the plate to her left hand where she held the utensils and drink. She was barely hanging on to the items, but she made herself at least make it to Haru's room quick enough to where he could at least grab his drink before it crashed to the floor. She pushed the small panel for the door to open and she was glad he hadn't locked it. Slowly she crept into the dark room and frowned.

"Haru?" She prayed to God he wasn't asleep otherwise he'd probably want to smack her for waking him up. "I brought you something to eat and drink." She walked in and allowed her eyes to adjust. Surprisingly she had seen his bed and his form under the covers. She hissed silently through her teeth and walked over to his side table.

"Haru?" She whispered, just to make sure he was asleep. She sat the drink down followed by the plate and utensils. She smiled and bent down slightly to touch his shoulder. "Eat something, hun, you'll be sorry if you don't."

[Haruko Lawson]

Haruko let out a long annoyed sounding sigh, smiling as he hoped Orange thought he was bothered by her. He flipped over onto his back and put his hands behind his head, looking accusingly over at her.

"What are you doing here?" he said playfully before sitting up and grabbing her wrist, pulling her down to sit in front of him on the bed. He leaned over and hugged her gently before leaning back and then looking over at the food she had brought. "Arigatou...but...I just ate more than I have eaten in my lifetime. I'd rather not eat anymore...I am afraid of adverse effects." He smiled lopsidedly at her. "I appreciate it though."

[Orange Diren]

Orange smiled at him and rubbed his arm kindly. "Some how I think you are starving. Besides I've never known you to turn down food before, Haru." Orange leaned over and grabbed the drink and plate and sat it in front of him, if he wasn't going to eat willingly she'd force feed him just to make herself feel better.

"Is the medicine helping you any?" She wondered how things were going in his mind, if Mr. Lawson had tried to make a break for it and take over Haru. She was afraid all this sleeping was making him weaker than he already was and if a moment presented itself Mr. Lawson might win the sturggle once and for all.

Orange hated being paranoid especially when it came to Haru's mental health, but she was still his friend and cared for him deeply. If anything were to happen to him she'd be lost all over again.

[Haruko Lawson]

Haruko shrugged nonchalantly, throwing the blankets off of him and standing, stretching like a cat and yawning wide. He walked over to his dresser where he grabbed his pack of cigarettes and pulled one out with his teeth. He lit it and took a drag, blowing the smoke at his large window, watching the smoke make a foggy film on it. He turned back around, sticking the cigarette between his teeth and chewing on it slightly. He shook his head.

"God awful habit, this," he said, taking the cigarette out and looking at it. He smacked his face. "I wish I could stop." He looked at Orange and motioned the cigarettes. "As bad as it is, you want one? I dunno if you smoke or not, never took the notion to ask. As bad as it is for me, I love it." He smiled, shrugging and tossing the pack and lighter on the bed next to her. "Help yourself."

[Orange Diren]

Orange looked at the pack, she had never picked up a cigarette in all her life but for some reason she wanted to try it, always had. She shrugged her shoulder, one couldn't hurt could it?

"You never took a notion to ask many things about me, Haru." She stated honestly as she grabbed the pack and looked at it pulling the filtered end out and putting it in between her lips. She quickly grabbed the lighter bringing it up to the naked end, the scent of tobacco smelling surprisingly good to her.

Orange flicked the lighter twice and watched the bright flame pop up. She allowed it to burn her eyes for a moment before she brought the heat to the tip of the cigarette and inhaled. She moved her thumb off the lighter and watched the flame be replaced by the burning tip. She let out the smoke and felt the toxic smoke enter her pink lungs.

She puffed a few times and glanced over at Haru and shrugged. "Not bad." She said as she lifted the cigarette up. "I guess inhaling this doesn't come close to inhaling exhaust of twenty ton ships."

Orange smoked a little bit more before finding an ashtray to flick the ashes off the end. She glanced up at Haru as she sat back down on the bed. "Should I just...toss this out then?" She pointed at the plate of food and frowned slightly.

"I don't want it to sit here and get cold then smell up your room, fish and chips has a tendency to do that!" She grinned slightly as she sucked on the cigarette, the taste exploding in her mouth and causing her to want more. One thing was for certain, she wasn't one to waste things and she was happily enjoying the cigarette.

[Haruko Lawson]

Haruko shrugged to her, as he puffed the very last out of the cigarette, right to the filter, and then exhaled gratefully putting out the cigarette in the ash tray and feeling his nerves calm down slightly. He flopped on the bed in front of Orange, already craving another cigarette. He leaned over, taking the one Orange had and taking a small puff, giving it back to her before picking up the plate. He began to eat it little by litte, sighing in between bites.

"Niether of us asked much about each other to tell the truth," he said, swallowing a bite of fish and looking at her. He shrugged again. "Not that we couldn't love each other regardless of what we knew...but it seems like...oh, nevermind..." he said, suddenly annoyed with his own voice. He muffled it by taking a drink.

[Orange Diren]

Orange was fairly interested in this conversation, it was at least a chance to bond post-Tatooine. She was even enjoying sharing a cigarette with him. She frowned and touched his arm a bit.

"What?" She edged on. "But....it seems like?" She was going to bug him until she knew, Haruko should at least know her well enough to know she hated having things withheld from her.

"We knew enough about each other, but I don't think we knew the parts that really mattered. But finish what you were saying otherwise I'll pinch you!"

[Haruko Lawson]

Haruko shook his head finishing what he wanted of the food and putting the plate and glass back on his bedside stand, picking up the pack of cigarettes and pulling another out lighting and taking a drag, sighing out the smoke gratfully. He tapped off the ashes in the ash tray and cross his legs, leaning his head against the wall and running his hand down his neck, moving his shirt out of the way to scratch his collarbone.

"Jissaini shiru hitsuyou hanai," he laughed, leaning over and kissing her on the forehead, standing again and yawning wide. He pulled up his droopy pants, thinking briefly that these had fit a week ago. He spun on his heel, smiling wide. "Orange...do you remember...that night a long time ago...god...two...and half years ago maybe? Just after we really got together. We stayed up the whole night and just talked..." Haruko shook his head, and looked back out the window. "You probably don't...but you know, I think...that was the night I fell in love with you." He paused. Then shrugged. "I'm sure you don't want to hear my voice anymore...I sure don't."

[Orange Diren]

Orange was surprised by his actions, but when he brought back a memory she had long forgotten it literally felt like Christmas. Her heart filled up with joy, her mind with memories of something she had tried to hold on to, but time had pushed it out of the way. She smiled hearing him tell her that was probably the night he fell in love with her.

"You're wrong, I always want to hear your voice! And I do remember that night!" She sighed and stood up and walked over to him and wrapped her arms around him and hugged him tightly, she drew in a deep breath and let it out slowly.

"That was something I wished you would have done more while I was with you, Haru. You never told me you loved me enough."

[Haruko Lawson]

Haruko shook his head, flicking the cigarette away from him and not caring whether it burnt a hole somewhere. He took her hands from around his waist and turned around, placing them back around him and leaning down, hugging her gently. He breathed into her hair, not being able to help another yawn sneak out.

"I'm sorry, Orange. That has been my biggest fault in every relationship. No one knows how much I cared," he sighed. "How much I care." He let out a breath and held her tighter to him. "Daisuki." He breathed the word out, almost afraid to say it, afraid that it meant he was cementing the fact that they were just friends and that only. But somehow, for some reason, that was alright. Haruko wanted Orange to be happy with his little brother, wanted them to share what he and Orange never could. A proper, sturdy life together. He nodded. "Daisuki." Then he leaned back and looked at her, smiling and placing a finger under her chin, lifting her face.

"You grew up to be much more than I ever expected," he smiled. "I'm glad to see you are much more than just older. You're a woman I am proud to call my friend."

[Orange Diren]

Orange let out a gentle laugh. "I love you very much Haruko, but I hate to say that I cannot give you anything more than my friendship. I love you, God knows I do, but Jiro..." She paused a moment and touched her chest.

"Jiro has my heart." She let out a sigh and she rubbed his cheek and gave him a gentle kiss on the lips. "I'm juist glad I got to love you whether or not it worked out." Orange stepped away from him and looked at the plate glad to see he had eaten some for he was too thin for her liking.

"Haru, somewhere out there si this beautiful person waiting for you. I hope you find her. I just wish it could've been me." She looked over her shoulder and smiled. She grabbed the plate and left the half full glass.

"If you need me, you know where I'll be, hmm?" She turned and walked towards the door. The feeling she had inside of her was too great to explain. She had finally cut off all romantic ties to Haruko and somehow that was okay and she wasn't dying like she thought she was going to.

When she was walking out of his room she couldn't help but feel that she had made a good decision and that Jiro was the one she honestly loved and could literally stay with for eternity.

[Jiro Lawson]

Jiro had gone exploring. His goal was actually to find Ren and talk to him. They hadn't really had a moment to talk together since he came onto the ship, what with the issues he had had with ORange and then Ren had gone to install parts. And Jiro was pretty sure something had gone on between Orange and Ren. But he wanted to sit his old boyfriend down and get the last two years out of him. What he had been doing, who he had seen, what he was doing back on Coruscant.

But Jiro was having an issue finding...anybody on this ship, let alone a specific man who was tiny and hard to find in an esy to navigate place. But Jiro was determined. Even if he had to send out a search party. Maybe he'd meet Orange on the way back from his brother's room and she could help him find him. Either way, Jiro wanted to spend some time with Ren, just themselves, just to say 'hi.'

[Orange Diren]

Orange walked down the hallway holding the empty plate hearing footsteps approaching. Her ears perked and she raised her eyes up to the corner she was about to turn. She smiled and let out a laugh when she almost collided with Jiro who was walking fast and determined.

"You trying to kill me, babe?" She asked as she regained balance of her plate. She let out a sigh and smiled at him as she looked him up and down and shook her head. For one who got lost earlier he sure was booking it to wherever he was wanting to go, or find. Orange shifted her weight to her right leg and titled her head slightly. "Where are you goin' in such a hurry?"

[Jiro Lawson]

Jiro had to regain his balance slightly after running into Orange, but once he had he merely watched her as she spoke. He shrugged at her, glancing around him.

"Well, I was looking for Will, but I am afraid I won't be able to find him in this place," he said, putting his hands in his hair and tugging at it. He was confused and agitated at the large ship and wanted nothing more than to learn it as quickly as possible. He shrugged again. "This ship is ridiculously tricked out, and not even easy to navigate. I dunno why Brother-ko made this all like this."

[Orange Diren]

Orange shrugged her shoulder and nodded back to Haru's door, giving him another glance and her mind wondering why he was looking for Ren, since she had heard Haruko call him that earlier.

"Go ask Haruko where he is staying at. I am going to go clean up the mess I made in the kitchen then go do some laundry. If you need me to wash anything I'll be in the kitchen. If memory serves me correctly the laundry room isn't far away from here."

[Jiro Lawson]

Jiro nodded and continued on his way down the hall. He figured it couldn't hurt for him to continue on his own, instead of having to disturb his brother. But the farther he walked, the more he wondered whether or not he would actually be able to even get back to where he had been before.

But by some stroke of good luck, Jiro stumbled upon a common room at the end of the hall from the living quarters. He was half expecting it to be empty, but when he walked in, he saw the person he had been looking for, perched on the back of one of the couches looking down at a pad of paper and writing on it. Jiro let out a long sigh, and smiled. He was more than happy that he no longer had to search so badly. He walked in slowly.

"Konnichiwa," he said quietly, afraid he was bothering Ren in doing something. "Mind if I join you?"

[Ren Wilcox]

Ren glanced up from his work when he heard Jiro speak and he smiled wide, glad to see the other man. He was getting tired of just sitting there by himself, working endlessly. He nodded, tossing the pad of paper next to him and nodding to the seat next to him. He smiled.

"Yeah, its okay," he said, and watched as Jiro sat down next to him. He patted Jiro's knee and let out a sigh. He had been hoping for a couple minutes alone with Jiro for awhile, so he could ask about he and Orange. And about how they were and whether or not Jiro was really in love with her. He didn't know why, but he was interested in thier relationship, somehow feeling protective of Jiro and what he was doing. "I'm glad you came in here with me."

[Orange Diren]

Orange yawned as she finished up the dishes her hands aching to touch something metallic, rusty, greasy, and blast Malice Mizer. She wasn't becomming accustomed to being clean all the time and she was missing the thick grimey engine grease embedded deep in her fingers. She had worked hard at the Space Port on Coruscant, harder than she had at Tatooine, but she was enjoying it none the less. She just prayed she could find something to fix on Haru's ship before she went insane.

She kept herself busy by cleaning up the entire kitchen even if she hadn't made the mess herself. She didn't realize how Haru had neglected keeping the place clean. She smiled knowing he probably had other things on his mind, no pun intended. Orange tossed the damp rag onto the counter as she made her way out of the kitchen walking towards the sleeping quarters, or bedrooms as Haru probably wanted to call them.

She figured she could do some laundry of hers after all she hadn't been too picky or choosey about what she tossed into her bag back at Jiro and Taro's apartment. She was too busy freaking out over having Haru leave her and actually never come back. She was glad to at least have everything straightened out with Haruko and Jiro, it was less stressful. But, sadly, she was now replacing one love triangle with another, if she would be so bold to call the whole thing with Ren and Jiro that.

They were friends, just like she was with Haru, she knew she shouldn't be so paranoid, but then again she wasn't one who had severe confidence in her appearance considering she had lived amongst the most filthiest animals in the galaxy back at Tatooine's moon. She was afraid she acted just like them anymore considering she now had competition with a beautiful old flame of Jiro's.

"Where is your trust, Orange?" She asked herself as she made her way down a corridor.

[Ren Wilcox]

Ren crossed his legs and leaned down on his knees, thinking for a moment about what he was going to ask Jiro and whether or not Jiro would be receptive to his questions. But he threw away his natural want to walk on egg shells, because he owed Orange a little sneakiness for her cruel treatment earlier.

"So," he began turning to look Jiro straight in the face as he and Jiro had always done with each other. Always truthful. "So, you and Orange are together now. Orange seems to really care about you, huh? I'm glad to see that you have gotten on with your life," he said. Ren laughed heartily, running a hand through his hair. "Like you can't move on."

[Jiro Lawson]

Jiro shook his head, and waved a hand in front of his face, picking up Ren's hand and holding it with his own, and looking up smiling and shaking his head again.

"I don't want to talk about Orange," he said. Then he shrugged. "I came in here to talk to you about you. I want to know how you have been doing, what you have gotten yourself into," Jiro laughed a little. "We might not be boyfriends anymore, but you are still my best friend. So." Jiro smiled wider, and leaned back. "What have you been doing, Will?"

[Orange Diren]

Orange stuffed her hands into her pockets as she walked by a small entrance way. She wasn't paying much attention to whether or not anyone was in there but her sense were piqued when she heard Jiro say her name.

She stopped walking and looked over her left shoulder to glance at the door. She knew easvedropping was wrong, very wrong and distrustful, but she wanted to know why Jiro had mentioned her name. She bit her lower lip then tongued her lip ring as she moved closer to the wall so nobody would see her. So Jiro and Ren wouldn't see her. Somehow thinking of the two alone in a room bugged her, but she was paranoid...she had just thought a moment ago to be less of a homophobe and more trustful of Jiro's decisions, after all he loved her too much to cheat. Right?

[Ren Wilcox]

Ren laughed again and leaned backwards, bringing Jiro's hand to his lips and kissing it gently. He shook his head, and tucked some of his hair behind his ear. He shrugged.

"Well, I left off Coruscant when you and I broke up and went back to Tattooine," he shrugged again, taking a deep breath and letting it out. "Hm...I got engaged, that was really good news at the time. But she um...left me for an old flame," Ren laughed again and sighed. "Can't say as I blame her, I wasn't exactly what she thought I was." He paused. Then he looked up and smiled. "Tell me about you and your life, Angel."

[Jiro Lawson]

"Well," Jiro began, turning to stare at the door and think a moment before beginning. There seemed to have been so much that happened between the time Ren had walked away and now. He moved to get more comfortable. "I went back to live with my brother...and I lived there for awhile...I met Jesimae right after you left. And then we went to Naboo...and on our way back I met Orange. And...I fell in love. And now I'm here," he said, smiling, and shrugging. "My life is not that exciting."

[Orange Diren]

Orange contiuned to listen, praying that nobody was going have to use the bathroom or move the conversation out into the hall for she would be severely busted, and Jiro would probably get mad at her.

Orange hated how nosey she was, but seh couldn't help it! If people weren't so loud when they talked...

Her mind made out where they were sitting, how they were looking at each other, and if there was any bodily touching going on for she wasn't able to see. Her mind was thinking the worst and at any moment they'd start making out with one another. Orange tried to be reasonable and tried to be understanding f their situation, but somehow it wasn't working. A tiny friendly conversation was, in her mind, turning into this big love fest. Still, she continued to listen.

[Ren Wilcox]

Ren smiled at Jiro. He had not gotten any less adorable in the couple years they had not seen each other. In fact, he had gotten, if possible, more attractive. Ren couldn't stop smiling at him. Couldn't help but wonder what it would have been like if they had not drifted apart. He shook his head.

"No, your life is nice to listen to," Ren said. He smiled a little bit, then leaned back and leaned back on his hands, touching Jiro's shoulder. "I missed you, lover. I missed talking to you and seeing your face everyday. I'm glad we can see each other again, Angel. I really am."

[Jiro Lawson]

Jiro smiled back at Ren and suddenly his heart ached to be able to see that smile everyday. He did wish that he and Ren had not fallen out of touch so easily, as Ren was still Jiro's best friend and he hoped that after all of this they could still stay in touch.

"I missed you too, Will," Jiro said, smiling. "I'm sorry I had fallen out from under you so much," Jiro smiled, and then laughed. "We must be getting old, love. We're starting to reminisce."

[Orange Diren]

Orange looked down at her boots, continuing to listen like some spy. She flet slightly guilty when she realized that this conversation was going in the oppostie direction she had intended. She felt stupid and felt like the worst person in the universe. If she was going to be hypocritcal and allow herself to be friends with her ex-boyfriend and not allow Jiro the same pleasure...perhaps they needed to end things.

She hated herself for not trusting Jiro, then again it wasn't Jiro she didn't trust, it was Ren. She didn't know why, she honestly couldn't judge the man since she had only known him for an hour if not less. He was jsut too big of a threat and she didn't know how to tell Jiro that she was extremely jealous of him.

She leaned her head on the wall and decided to listen for a few more minutes before actually going and doing what she had originally planned, if things weren't taking a turn for the worst now she knew it probably wouldn't happen at all.

[Ren Wilcox]

Ren smiled at Jiro, everything inside of him screaming to do what he wanted to so badly. He didn't know how Jiro would react. Didn't even know if he would react at all. But Ren knew that if he was going to do something, he'd better do it now. Or else he would never get a chance to do it again.

Ren lifted a hand and put it on Jiro's shoulder, leaning forward slightly, before taking a deep breath and pressing his mouth to Jiro's keeping his back loose though the fear knot in his stomach was making him shake slightly.

[Jiro Lawson]

At first, Jiro couldn't help himself. He leaned into Ren's kiss, feeling a rush he hadn't felt in two years. But then almost as soon as he had raised his hand to encourage Ren, a flash of Orange's face went through his mind, and he knew that this was so wrong. He loved Orange, and he knew that she was the only one he loved and that Ren was his good, good friend. And nothing more.

He pulled away and pressed on Ren's shoulder slightly, shaking his head and sliding off the couch.

"I have a girlfriend," Jiro muttered to him, standing and making a move to walk away. But not one step and he felt a hand grab his wrist and he was pulled backwards and his knees collided with the couch falling back onto it. He felt Ren's knees straddle his waist and another crash of Ren's lips against his own. Jiro put two hands on his shoulders and pushed him back a little.

"Come on, man," Jiro said, pushing a little harder, but Ren's grip strengthened. "Man, this isn't funny anymore! Let me go!"

[Orange Diren]

Orange knew that this was wrong, before she could even think anymore she turned away from the door and walked towards the bedroom, happy that she had chosen the correct path for once. She loved Jiro and if he found out she had been easvedropping he'd probably be more hurt than mad. She smiled as she thought of Jiro, she loved him far too much to hurt him like that. She was almost down the hall when she heard Jiro's raised voice.

She paused for a moment and lingered until she heard exactly what she needed. Jiro was saying something wasn't funny anymore. Orange turned around and jogged down the hall just to see what she had missed, somehow her happiness fleeing the second she made it back to the door. What the hell was going on inside there?

[Jiro Lawson]

Jiro was now full fledged struggling. It had been cute at first, but Ren was now fumbling with the button and zipper on Jiro's jeans, even though Jiro was pushing on his shoulders, telling him to get off of him. He was trying to kick but his knees were pinned. He writhed underneath Ren, using all of his strength. Ren was smaller than Jiro by definition, but stronger by far, and Jiro could not move him.

"Ren!" Jiro cried. "Stop it! This isn't cute anymore, Ren! You're hurting me, Ren! I swear to God, if don't stop--" But his words were cut off by the force of one of Ren's knees accidentally colliding with his own. "Ouch! Ren quit it! Get the hell off me!"

[Orange Diren]

Orange jogged down the hall to where she heard Jiro getting louder. She didn't remember walking so far away until she was actually trying to see what was going on inside the common room. If Ren was doing something to Jiro that he wasn't receptive to, he was going to get an <smallfont color={hovercolor}>-Censored-</smallfont> kicking from her, despite if he was stronger or if she was the loser of the fight.

She was going to protect what she loved and if that meant getting a few injuries she was more than willing to do so. That sounded a bit sick and twisted but she didn't care. She walked towards the door and listened, if Jiro said one more word that let her think Ren wasn't going to stop whatever it was he was doing she'd go in and stop it herself regaurdless of what she saw.

[Jiro Lawson]

Finally, by the grace of whoever was watching, Jiro caught his ankle in Ren's thigh. He kicked as hard as he could, and Ren's leg went out from under him, causing him to fall to the floor, off of the couch and Jiro. Immediately, Jiro got up, stumbling for the door to get away from Ren. He pulled his shirt back down and looked down momentarily to zip his pants back up and button them. He gulped down several breaths of air as he watched Ren stand, his own breath hard to come by. Jiro shook his head.

"You never forced me, Ren, ever. If I didn't want it, you'd turn over and go back to sleep. You cared about me first always, even when I told you that you didn't need to! What happened to that Ren I knew back then?!" he asked, and even though it was a rhetorical question, Ren took a step forward and scowled.

"Maybe he was lost after he lost you. Maybe he realized what an idiot he was for letting his feelings for a hooker get to out of hand. Maybe he saw that Jiro Lawson was not worth the grief," he said. Jiro shook his head, grabbing the foor frame and swallowing.

"I love you, Ren. I do. You are one of the most important of people to me. You know that Ren, and that is good enough. I love Orange you know that well enough to know I am not going to sleep with you, or do anything with you that would draw me away from her," he paused. "I love you, Ren. But you just crossed the line, that should not have been crossed."

And Jiro turned, going out, his face almost numb from the sadness and anger that coursed through him.

[Orange Diren]

Orange watched Jiro walk the opposite direction not looking back to see she had been standing there the whole time. Somehow, as she stood there and processed what she had just heard a smile crept onto her face, satisfaction never being so gratifying.

She turned and walked into the room to see Ren on the floor, panying like he had just fought the universe by himself. She stood with her arms crossed looking at him as if he were the worst person in the world, and at that moment he was Orange's worst enemy.

"I hope you are happy, Ren? You just gone and done the dumbest thing in your whole life." She walked over to him and stood above him and punched his jaw. She watched him barely move from her hard punch her fist already beginning to hurt. She grabbed his jaw as hard as she could and forced him to make eye contact.

"Don't you ever lay another hand on Jiro no matter how friendly it may be!" She screamed loudly, louder than she was planning on but he infuriated her to no avail. If Jiro wasn't going to sock him a few she was more than happy to.

[Ren Wilcox]

And Ren lost it. He was mad enough as it was, he didn't need to deal with a mouthy bitch. He reached into the back of his pants, the place he always kept a small blaster, just in case, and pulled it out, standing up and ramming the butt of it against her clean, pretty, and inviting jaw and cheekbone. He didn't care if it hurt her or not, he just felt better to have smacked her.

"I didn't care, Orange. I did not care. And you naturally had to get protective, and the funny thing is, if you hadn't been like that, this whole thing could have been avoided," he paused, sneering angrily. "Now, I don't need you right now. Why don't you run along and gather your spoils."

[Orange Diren]

Orange fell back onto her elbows not really expecting to be pistol whipped. She grunted at the pain she felt and the blood that trickled down her cheek where a new gash had been formed.

"Jackass!" She said lowly through the pain. She stood up and wiped away the blood, not really appreciating that sudden hit. "I guess...you need a weapon to fight your battles? And you need to go and hurt Jiro because of something I did? You really are a good one aren't you Ren!?" Orange looked up at him and shook her head disgusted at the man who stood in front of her still holding the blaster.

[Ren Wilcox]

Ren smiled maniacally. He bit his lip so hard that he tasted blood, its sharp metallic flavor turning him on for no good reason. He tossed the blaster down and held out his hands to her, offering her himself.

"You want to fight me, Orange?" he purred to her. "No wonder Jiro likes you so much. You act just like another man. He always did have a soft spot for the cute guys."

[Orange Diren]

Orange laughed at his words. "Then I don't know why he chose you to love, because you sure as hell aren't a man!" She lifted her hands up and beckoned him by waving him over.

"Take your best shot, prick!" She was too excited. For some reason out in space she was able to pick fights well, first it was with Taro now it was with Ren! How lucky she was to have two people so willing to fight her, dispite the outcome. Hopefully, Ren will have the balls to actually finish it.

[Ren Wilcox]

Ren recoiled his hand and brought it forward, aiming for her stomach and happy to feel his fist make contact with her body, no matter where exactly he hit. Ren was not the kind of person to pick fights, or even agree to participate in them, and if he had been given the choice, he probably would have walked away from Orange. He didn't want to fight her, not really. He just wanted her to stop trying to dictate who Jiro was friends with. She was such a control freak, or at least that was how it seemed to him from the short time he had known her. And no one controlled Jiro.

But what Ren thought probably angered him more, was the fact that Jiro was letting himself be dragged around by this girl, letting her control every aspect of his life. And whether or not either one of them wanted to admit that's what was going on, Ren could tell it was.

Somehow, her remark had not bothered him. He had been called a girl his whole life, even Jiro had told him that from time to time. He just kept his mouth shut as he was already fighting her against his will, he didn't want to start a wordplay, it was not his thing to call names.

[Orange Diren]

Orange hated this man with a passion! Sure she didn;t like him for she thought he was attractive and she was very threatened by him, but the moment he laid a hand on Jiro and didn't stop until he had to probably use force...that angered her to no avail.

Ren didn't know what Jiro had suffered, not like she had for the two shared that same experience. If anyone was going to try and do something the other party wasn't willing to do, Orange would be glad to kick butt for it wasn't a good feeling. To think Ren was trying to take advantage of Jiro only infuriated her more, mde her dislike Ren more, made her want to do something painful to him. She wasn't a good fist fighter, so she wasn't exaclty sure what she was doing, but she was almost positive she could manage.

She punched his face once more happy to see she had made a tiny little scratch with her thumb nail. She hated this man and feeling his jaw underneath her hurting fist gratified her.

[Ren Wilcox]

Ren reacted immediately, going down and kicking her legs from under her straddling her and punching her several times back and forth before, standing and backing up, wanting to give her a chance to get up and defend herself, even thought at the position he had had her, he could have easily won this fight, and ended it then.

But Ren knew Orange didn't like him, knew she probably wanted nothing more than his intestines on a silver platter and his head mounted on her wall. And he knew that if he hated her half as much as she hated him, he would want a chance to give her a piece of his mind. So he was going to allow her to beat him up as much as she wanted.

God knew he probably deserved it.

[Orange Diren]

Orange felt the powerful blows and she slowly made her way up off the floor. She wiped the blood that was pouring out of her mouth like a fountain. She spit some out and ran and tackled Ren, falling to the floor together. She put her hands around his neck and squeezed, she bent down and grabbed his cheek in between her teeth and bit as hard as she could. She might not have been the bset fist fighter but she was known to be a biter.

[Ren Wilcox]

Pain exploded through Ren's face as she bit it, and he could do nothing but react. He raised his hands and grabbed two big handfuls of her red hair, jerking her head back away from him and repaying her bite for a bite, biting her neck as hard as he could before balling his knees under her and pushing her off with his feet, getting to his feet.

He pulled his legs back and kicked her as hard as he could in her stomach, his breath getting harder and harder to come by. He backed off then. This was getting uglier and uglier by the moment, and Ren knew it could only end in tears.

[Orange Diren]

Orange gasped for air, the pain that coursed through her body was undeniable and absolutely...it made her feel alive. She coughed violently trying to regain her breath but it was very hard to come by. She squeezed her eyes shut as the tears fell from her eyes, the pain burning all over. She wasn't about to stop now, not after this.

She slowly moved, continuing to cough like she had some sort of illness. She looked at him and shook her head while holding her stomach. She panted as she walked towards him, not caring what else happened. She punched him again, shocked to see he didn't try to at least block it. She then kicked him as hard as she could in the groin, watching him fall to the ground holding his preciousness in his hands. She kicked his jaw and watched him move his hands to his mouth. She slowly walked over to him and put her boot on his neck and began to apply pressure.

The longer she looked at him the more she wanted to find something and kill him. This fight wasn't turning pretty and any moment she was expecting one of them to get some sort of weapon and kill the other.

[Ren Wilcox]

Ren grabbed her ankle with his hands twisting it off of him and hoping that he had at least sprained it, as he had used all the force he had. He rolled onto his stomach and rose up blood dripping from his mouth. He stood for a moment, his eyes ablaze with anger and sadness and regret. This fight was officially ugly. And Ren knew it was his fault and that didn't make him happy and niether did this fight, and Ren was ready to end it.

He used the side of his foot and kicked her face hard, hearing her jaw and his shoe make a sickening thud. Then he kicked her hard in the ribs and placed his own shoe on her chest and pushed down slightly before stepping back away from her and wiping away some of the blood on his face.

[Orange Diren]

Orange knew something had been broken, she felt it deep inside of her and she wasn't able to breathe. She was coughing and for a moment she swore she was coughing up blood. She tried her best to stand up but seh couldn't, the pain in her right side hurting her far too greatly. She gasped and coughed more, the pain that surged through her body felt like needles in her veins, if she had sustained severe injuries she was going to smack herself and tell her she deserved everything. One thing she knew was broken and that was her knuckles.

Orange clenched her jaw and slowly stood up the pain was killing her but she did her best not to show it. She watched Ren wipe blood off of his mouth, but she didn't care if he was tired of fighting she wasn't done yet.

She ran over to him and punched his face and jumped onto his back and wrapped her arms around his neck and tried her best to choke him again. With her right arm around his neck she pulled his hair with her left hand as she squeezed her thights tightly around his waist. She wasn't trying to kill him she just wished he'd black out!

[Ren Wilcox]

Ren staggered with the extra weight on his back. He stumbled about for a moment, the pain shooting through his face from her powerful punches. But after a moment, he reached back and got a hold of her shoulder and pulled her forward over his head. His original intention had been to throw her to the floor and be happy when he heard several ribs break.

But Ren couldn't. For some reason, he couldn't. He just wanted it to be over.

So, instead of letting her go and watching her crash to the floor, he grabbed her around the waist as she was half way to the floor and dropped with her, placing her on the floor instead of throwing her to it. He turned and grabbed his blaster off of the couch, standing and powering it up, turning and pushing it to her forehead.

"This is over, Orange. I don't want to fight you anymore. I don't want to fight over something that doesn't matter," he panted, his voice gruff with blood in his throat.

[Orange Diren]

Orange sat on the floor, leaning on her palms her chest rising and falling violently. She coughed more and spit blood out. She clenched her jaw and grabbed the blaster and held it to her forehead.

"Do it! I dare you!" Provoking him wasn't the best decision she had ever made but at least someone would win the fight that needed to end.

[Ren Wilcox]

Ren shook his head, jerking the blaster away from her hands but still keeping it pointed at her forehead. He wiped blood from his mouth again, and took a deep breath coughing out a litte blood onto his hand.

"If I hated you, Orange, you can bet I would do it," he shook his head. "But I am not going to do it, I won't do it. I won't do it to you or Jiro. I'm sorry that you took a mind to hate me so badly, but if that is the way it is going to be, then you will just have to deal with hating me alive," he said. Then he spat blood and glanced up as he heard someone coming.

[Taro Lawson]

Taro could have sworn he had heard a comotion down the hall from his and Jesimae's room. He hadn't gone out, assuming that Orange and Jiro were working out their problems again. But it was when he had heard Ren and Jiro yelling and then Ren and Orange that he had gotten suspicious.

And when he had heard punches being thrown, or what sounded like that, he had gone out to see what was the matter. He was headed for the door in front of him and he could see two people there, though he couldn't see whom. But as he got closer and closer, he recognized Orange's fire red hair and Ren's slight, toned form above her.

And the distinct color of blood decorating several spots on the floor.

He didn't know what the hell had gone on, but he was ready to just smack people around. Jiro for being too attractive, Orange fore being too possesive, and Ren...well, just because he could smack Ren and get away with it.

He quickened his pace when he was sure he saw a blaster enter the picture. Although once again his eyes were not as good as they could be and he could have been seeing things.

[Jesimae Lawson]

Jesimae jogged after Taro since he had left the room in a hurry his facial expression not really comforting her. She was a suspicious person and enjoyed being nosey. She followred him and when she saw him stop and look into a room she jogged over to him quickly, opting not to call out for him in case she would be interrupting something very important, but when he walked into the room quickly she knew something was going on.

Jesimae ran to the door and suddenly was shocked to see Orange and Ren bloody as hell. Obviously they were having a little...discussion about Jiro. She didn't need to know past events but it was obvious that Orange was the kind of person to fight over Jiro since she had done it once before. It honestly wouldn't surprise her if it was about Jiro.

"What the hell?" She asked in confusion and anger. She wasn't best friends with Orange, but she still didn't like the thought of her getting knocked around by a guy needless to say she'd be on the girls side no matter what.

[Taro Lawson]

Oh, the anger that Taro could have released on the both of them. Orange wouldn't have known what hit her, and Ren would be off this ship so fast it wouldn't have been funny.

But Taro also knew that it was considered manslaughter if you threw someone off of a ship. So he sufficed to kick Ren around a little. Just...a little.

He lurched forward, grabbing the blaster from Ren's hand and shoving him away from Orange before grabbing his shirt and getting into his face, punching him once just to make sure that Ren was paying attention.

"I really don't care if this is about Jiro, which I am sure it is. I really don't care if she killed your dog, or burned your house, or smacked your face, although you really deserved it, you don't touch Orange Diren without either my or Jiro's permission," he growled angrily, dragging him towards the door. "You just don't know how to leave people alone apparently. But just for future reference, messing with Orange is just like messing with me...and, kyoudai, you don't want to mess with me."

Taro threw Ren out the door onto the floor and watched as he stood. He pointed down the hall, still mad as a wet hornet. He growled slightly.

"Now get the hell out of my face and I don't want to see it for days, got it slick?" but Taro didn't wait for an answer and niether did Ren give one. He merely turned and left. Taro shuddered slightly still very angry, and ready to turn and give Orange a peice of his mind.

[Jesimae Lawson]

Jesimae was very empathetic to Orange for the reason that seh was a woman and Jesimae wasn't one for male and female fighting. She heard Taro yelling in the background but wasn't truly paying much attention for she was too concerned for Orange's well being for she looked like she had been drug through hell and high water.

"Are you all right?" She asked her as she bent down in front of her and looked at her face that was bleeding and red and bruising already. She touched it and Orange hissed and slapped her hand. Jesimae let the annoyance pass as she continued to feel the heat resinating.

She could tell she had at least a broke cheek bone, probably more broken bones elsewhere on her body. What the hell happened? And why was Orange so desperate to fight men? Jesimae glanced over her shoulder and saw Taro walking into the room his mouth moving in a way that allowed Jesimae to know he was about to scream.

"Keep your mouth shut!" Jesimae warned not really wanting to hear him yell at her. Orange was hurting, bad, and if he couldn't be empathetic for two seconds he needed to at least wait till she was better. "I think Orange has a few broken bones, Taro."

[Taro Lawson]

Taro shook his head, pushing Jesimae out of the way slightly and crouching down in front of Orange, licking his lips slightly and tapping his teeth together. He looked at her injuries and shook his head at her.

"You are going to be the death of me, little girl," he said shaking his head as he positioned himself next to her, and gently scooped her up into his arms making sure that he didn't hurt any of her probably broken ribs. He knew enough about this ship to know where Haruko had a hospital wing and he wanted to get her there quickly.

Taro moved towards the door, and began walking looking down at her and shaking his head.

"You are just out for Ren's blood, Jiro's neck and my life, aren't you?" he asked, giving her a small smile and a wink.

[Jesimae Lawson]

Jesimae was about to pinch Taro and give him a piece of her mind for pushing her out of the way but when she heard him talk to Orange in a way that wasn’t evil or spiteful she held her tongue. She stood up when she watched Taro pick her up and walk towards where he was going, which she figured it was some place to fix her wounds. Jesimae didn’t think ill of Ren after all she had barely said a word to him since they met, but this little incident didn’t give him good marks in her book. If there was something she hated with a passion it was men who punched on women regaurdless of who started the fight and regaurdless of who did what to whom.

[Orange Diren]

“The only person getting killed here is gonna be me. If you don’t kill me, Taro...Jiro will.” Orange groaned the pain in her side and face growing to new heights now that her body had a moment to register all the injuries she sustained. She now had a moment to think about what had just happened. She was just doing Jiro justice by giving Ren a punch and a warning, but in no way was she expecting a blaster to be brought into the mix. Sure she could’ve stopped the fight by walking away, but being the better person was never really her way of fighting.

“I didn’t think it’d go so far.” She said swallowing the bitter metallic taste of blood. She coughed at the nastiness and heard her stomach disapprove of what was entering it. She swore she had swallowed a pint of blood and any moment she was going to throw it back up. “Ren was doing something to Jiro that he didn’t want. Jiro walked away but I had to at least go in and tell Ren never to do it again.” Orange coughed and moaned the movement not helping her at all. She grabbed her side with her arm and frowned. She didn’t think she had ever felt such tremendous pain or pressure on her chest in her life.

“I guess you don’t care, huh?” She didn’t know if Taro was listening to a word she was saying, but if she didn’t at least state her case he’d probably think ill of her, which she was almost certain he already did. “Call me possesive, psycho, stalker...whatever you please, I consider it protecting him. Nobody is going to do anything against Jiro’s will again. I figured you, of all people, would understand this.”

[Taro Lawson]

Taro looked down at Orang and smiled, shaking his head and looking back up. Orange had a brave streak in her, that was for absolute sure. And Taro couldn't help but admire the fact that she was willing to all but throw her life away for his baby brother.

However, he was not happy that she had taken over Jiro's fight for him. Regardless of what Ren had or had not done to Jiro, Taro knew that Jiro was capable of dealing with his own issues. Taro knew Jiro would not be happy when he found out what had gone down. But Taro also knew that if he had been in her position, he would have done exactly the same thing.

Taro knew Orange was in great pain, and for some funny reason, Taro himself hurt for her. He felt as if he had been the one who had gotten beaten up, rather than Orange. It was funny how much of a brotherly attachment he had formed over Orange in such a short period of time. Taro shook his head.

"I am not going to call you any of that, little girl," he laughed quietly. "I can understand all of what you went through, there is nothing I care about more than prtecting my little brother." He smiled and turned into the hospital room, placing Orange on one of the tables. He pressed a button to initiate the mechanical treatments to begin. He smiled down at her again and touched her nose. "You just need to choose your battles more carefully."

[Orange Diren]

Orange laughed lightly and drew it out into a groan, the pain was horrific. She was one to tolerate it very well, but for some reason this was unbelievable. She looked at Taro and smiled shocked that he actually wasn't smacking her face for good measure to tell her to stop fighting, grow up, and let Jiro be his own person.

"You know," She said in an airy grunt as she allowed the machines to do their work. "I could've sworn you disliked me Taro. But I'm glad you are actually talking to me for being an idiot." She let out another sigh of pain and squeezed her eyes shut for a moment.

"I love Jiro very much and if someone is doing something he doesn't like I want to at least get my two cents in...but I was unfair in my battle with you. I'm sorry, again. But know this...I will not be fighting anymore I don't think my body is up for it anymore." She laughed and shook her head.

"Jiro is going to be furious isn't he?"

[Taro Lawson]

Taro smiled down at her as he glanced around at the machines and made sure that they were all working correctly. He couldn't beleive that she thought he disliked her. He laughed out loud before sitting down on the table next to her.

"I don't dislike you, never have," he chuckled. Then he shook his head. "As for Jiro...he will probably not be extatic and certainly not friendly but..." Taro smiled again and winked down at her. "I'll water it down as much as possible for you so that he only gets about..." he held up his fingers and indicated an inch. "That much of the truth." He smiled again and stood, looking to the door, intent on going and sorting things out with Jiro right now. Then he looked back down at her and smiled wide, leaning down and moving some of her hair out of the way, kissing her forehead. "What do brother's do for thier sisters? Get some rest, I'll talk to Jiro and we'll get this all straightened out, don't worry."

[Orange Diren]

ORange was glowing. It was the first time she had ever had anyone do something so nice for her, especially after fighting them at knife point. When he gave her a kiss on the forehead, as simple as it might have been, she wanted to cry. In all her life she had never once had anyone call her a sister or indicate that they were a "brother". She had been living life in a mans world, in a mans job, amongst...many men. No family to ever teach her right from wrong, nothing to remotely give her the sense of a family bond.

Jiro was the most important thing in her life, but now that she somehow had a newfound "brother" she was more than happy to accept him as a part of her life as well. Already she was enjoying the special treatment she was receiving from Taro, it only made her more excited.

She did as he instructed, wincing in pain as she moved to lay down and allow the bulky machines clean her wounds. She prayed Taro was right, she prayed that he would be able to straighten things out and ease the blow she was bound to receive.

[Jiro Lawson]

Jiro had resided in his and Orange's room for awhile to get back his cool and gain his composure. But it wasn't really helping. At least not much.

All he could do was sit on his bed and ponder what had just happened between he and Ren and what had gone wrong in the whole thing. Jiro didn't know why the streak had appeared in Ren so quickly, without warning, but that was not the Ren Jiro knew. Jiro had to see what provoked him.

Although that was very unlikely.

[Orange Diren]

Orange laid back trying her best to breathe normally, but she had found out that she had two broken ribs from Ren's kicking. Luckily as she listened to the machine's evaluate her condition she found her face wasn't broken in any places.

"I figured I'd have more broken boens than I do." She said to herself since she was now alone in the room. Two broken ribs, a broken knuckle, a bruised spinal cord...that wasn't so bad. She just wished she had some pain killers.

She was sitting in the silence pondering on what Jiro was going to do and say. If he didn't dump her for this she'd be highly surprised, and relieved for she felt the strain on their relationship already. What was he gonna do to her?

[Haruko Lawson]

Haruko had gotten wind of the fight from Ren who had gone past his room swiftly, his lip and nose bleeding, and looking rather perturbed. Haru had stepped outside to take a cigarette and had seen the comotion of Taro carrying Orange off, and curiosity had, naturally, killed the cat.

Haruko had inched his way down the hall, not wanting to disturb the silence that had fallen. He made his way down and towads the hospital room where he saw Taro leaving and heading down another way. Picking up his pace, he jogged in there and saw Orange on one of the tables.

"Orange? What happened?"

[Orange Diren]

Orange jumped and looked over at the doorway to see Haruko inching inside. She let out a disgruntled sigh and rolled her eyes shaking her head.

"Ren and I got into it." She said lowly suddenly realizing how stupid that sounded. "Over Jiro, of course." She knew that Haruko was gonna laugh at her. She just couldn't keep her hands to herself anymore it was annoying everyone she was sure simply because it was also annoying her.

"I was being nosey and I should've left like I intended but...Jiro was telling Ren to 'stop' and I didn't know what was going on but he left in a hurry. I couldn't help msyelf." She looked back over to Haru and smiled.

"I had to give him a piece of my mind. He hit me with a blaster after I punched him and....well...I'm now here."

[Haruko Lawson]

Haruko shook his head and walked over to the table, sitting down next to her, and putting a hand on her leg, smiling down at her and sighing shaking his head.

"You couldn't ever keep your hands to yourself, could you, my love?" he asked, yawning wide and looking her over. He touched a bruise on her face and traced its odd shape, so gently, that he could barely feel her soft skin under his fingers. He leaned over and checked the gauges telling him about her vitals. He looked back up at her. "Well, you really do know that it was probably bound to happen sometime. After all, Jiro is my little brother. So of course he is going to be good looking and worth fighting for." Haru winked at her. "But you better have worked him over, little one." He laughed out loud and then quieted. "Well, if he ever gives you trouble, I think Taro will keep you safe, and you know that you can always trust me, and no matter what, Jiro will keep you safe too."

[Orange Diren]

Orange laughed lightly. "Oh you aren't full of yourself at all now are you?" She smiled and let out a sigh. Grunting slightly as she shifted to get comfortble.

"I bet I didn't even do anything to Ren, I probably gave him a scratch."

[Haruko Lawson]

Haruko laughed out loud and then yawned again, glancing around him once as he did so, as if looking for Ren to walk around the corner and hear them talking bad about him. As much as Orange probably hated the man, Haru liked Ren, liked him a whole lot. There was very little to dislike about Ren. And somehow, though Haruko would not say it, he thought it was probably Orange's fault all of this had happened between she and Ren. After all, Ren had told Haruko after she and he had met that he hoped Jiro and she were happy together and would have given them anything they needed to keep them together.

Maybe it was just the fact that no matter what, Haruko was always going to harbor some bitterness towards Orange for what she had done to him, but any way he turned his head, he couldn't have seen Ren really instigating it.

Haruko could have been wrong. It had happened before.

He turned his head to look back at Orange and a stab of pain for her went through his face at the sight of the bruises on her face and chest and body in general. He leaned forward, lifting her shirt slightly to see the nasty bruises on her chest and side, shaking his head at the odd shape of her rib cage. He snorted.

"There is no way he didn't break your rib, or ribs more likely. He doesn't like confrontations, but damn if he doesn't fight them when they force themselves on him," he sighed out through his nose, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a lighter. "I need a cigarette. I won't smoke it in here, I'll go out so you have clean air to sniff and not my nasty habit. Gross. But I will be back to see you later and I think Taro was planning on coming to see you too. After he had a little chat with Ji-chan about what had happened. Try to sleep at least a little." He waved his hand at her as he left. "Bye, babe."

[Orange Diren]

Orange grinned slightly feeling odd to be the one in need of medical care. She let out a sigh and looked away from Haruko's back as he walked away. She missed him, horribly. She could never actually tell him how much guilt she had felt those many years without him and she knew that there would never be any way to make it up to him.

She drew in a deep breath, hoping to get out a nice sigh but she ended up coughing and grunting at the pain.

"Damn machines..." She groaned to herself. "hurry up and fix me!" She closed her eyes and tried to relax but it was very hard when all she could think of was Ren kicking her butt. She knew it was going to do her no justice what so ever, but she'd feel a little bit better once she apologized for her actions.

Orange wasn't on who enjoyed apologizing but she wanted to make this little fight water under the bridge. If she couldn't be civilized when ever she was in a room with him alone she'd end up in the same position as she was in now. The only way to fix the problem was by apologizing and hoping he'd at least accept it with a grain of salt. If not for her...then for Jiro.

[Jiro Lawson]

Jiro could not have been less happy. He was staring at his brother, staring a hole through him. He was more...disappointed than angry right this very moment. He loved Orange far too much to be exactly mad at her over this, but it did unsettle him a little bit. If she couldn't let him fight a battle this small, what else would she not let him fight? Or what would she get herself into because she was so possessive, or territorial, or what have you.

Jiro pushed past his brother, going out the door, Taro following him closely, jabbering in his ear in their language, telling him all different things in Orange's favor. Jiro appreciated Taro's newfound love for Orange, and would have been willing to encourage it any other time, but right that moment he was slightly at his wits end.

"Look, Jiro, she just loves you, you know? She is just doing what she needs to protect you. She is staking her claim on what is hers," Taro explained quietly as they made their way down the hall, Jiro headed resolutely for the Medroom. Jiro shook his head as once again, Taro repeated this line again and then again, and Jiro squeezed his eyes shut and then turned, his brother running slightly into his chest.

"Number one, I am no one's property, so don't speak like Orange owns me in any way, shape or form. Number two...I am going to see her because she just got the bad end of Ren. Do you really think I am going to go off on her while she is hurt? Now get out of my face..." Jiro paused a moment as if trying to remember something, then turning and beginning down the hall again.

When he reached the medroom, he turned into it, looking over to one of the tables where lights were flashing and a soft beeping caught his attention. He saw Orange lying on the table, and he knew that for a few moments, he would have to push away his frustration and discontent, to just love her.

Walking over slowly and seeing her eyes shut, he got to his knees and gently picked up her hand, kissing it and saying a quick silent prayer to Buddha for her, before shaking his head and looking back up at her.

"Oh, my little girl..." he sighed out almost too quiet to hear. "My dear sweet little girl..."

[Orange Diren]

Orange's eyes fluttered open when she felt and heard Jiro. She frowned and turned her head to see him. She swallowed and looked at him emotionless fear deep inside of her. He was going to kill her, whatever Ren didn't do to her Jiro was going to finish.

"Gomennasai, Jiro-San." She let out a sigh and rolled her head back and she looked up at the ceiling. She closed her eyes and she shook her head. Dysfunctional, that was one word to sum her up. She loved Jiro so much that she was willing to admit her being at fault.

"Don't be mad." She drew in a deep breath then groaned and grabbed her side, feeling Jiro's hand slip out of her own. "I was just defending you...but I guess you are a grown man, huh? No kanojyo needs to be fighting fights."

[Jiro Lawson]

Jiro glanced away from her for a moment before looking back and reaching over, taking her hand from her side and lying it next to her. He reached over flipping a switch on the machine next to her, scanning the Japanese readout and tapping the screen for the options he wanted. When he finished, a thin, clear film slowly made its way over top of Orange, creating a capsule around her. He shook his head down at her and licked his lips once then again swallowing.

"We'll talk about it later, Orange," he said, struggling with her name yet again. "Now isn't the time for you to be discussing anything. Let alone apologizing for it." He paused a moment as he stood and looked down at her, taking a deep breath, and for the first time in a long time, getting a huge nicotine craving. "Aishiteru."

Getting up, he turned, seeing Taro standing at the door still. Jiro walked over, looking at Taro and holding out his hand.

"I need a cigarette," he stated simply. Taro stared at him slightly.

"I didn't think you smoked...?" he said, slowly fishing his lighter and cigarettes from his pocket and slowly holding them out. Jiro snatched them quickly, getting one out with his teeth and lighting it, taking a drag that made his head spin. Then he nodded, patting Taro on the shoulder.

"I do now."

[Orange Diren]

Orange watched him walk away and she swallowed down the sudden urge to hurl. She just felt, as he walked away from her, that he had abandoned her even though she was sure he wasn't. Right? She bit her lower lip and shook her head and she closed her eyes. She brought all of this upon herself.

[Jesimae Lawson]

Jesimae had caught wind of the incident in small doses, mainly from Haruko who was sharing a cigarette with her. She was glad she had found a friend in Haru, she liked him every time she saw him and, surprisingly, she had given him a hug hello and a hug goodbye.

She made her way down the hall still savoring the taste of tobacco on her tongue. She saw Taro and Jiro and suddenly she craved another cigarette especially when she saw Jiro huffing away on one.

"I didn't think you smoked?"

[Jiro Lawson]

Jiro glanced up at Jesimae, his head still slightly dizzy from the nicotine buzz, but his nerves so much more calm he wondered why he had ever given up smoking. He shook his head as he took a large puff, smoking it right down to the filter and leaning on the wall, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath, being sure to get all of the smoke into his lungs. He sighed it all out and squinted one eye, still looking at Jesimae. He shrugged.

"I don't," he said. He dropped the butt on the floor and stepped on it, realizing too late that this wasn't his and Taro's ship, but diregarding it after remembering that he didn't in fact smoke and that he had just gone through something slightly traumatizing. It was excuse enough. He licked his lips. "I gave it up a while ago. About six months before I met you actually." He shrugged, blowing out the excess smke that had lingered in his lungs. Then he waved a hand in front of his face.

"Sorry."

[Jesimae Lawson]

Jesimae grinned and waved her hand in her direction. "Please! Any smoke is nice! I am trying to make up for lost time!" She glanced away over to Taro winked before glancing back to Jiro.

Poor thing must've been under so much stress with Orange's complicated habits. She gave him an empathetic smile and rubbed his shoulder.

"You must be overstressed," This wasn't a fact but an observation she just prayed she wasn't shooting in the dark and he wasn't going to get offended. "After all anyone who resorts to a deeply satisfying, yet deadly object must be under some serious pressure." She sighed out and nodded as she glanced away from him to Taro.

"Is she conked out?"

[Asher Perez]

She had never been so happy to be on solid, er sandy ground! It felt like it had been years since she had seen him but techincally it had only been three months. Asher pulled off her sunglasses and glanced up at the tall brick building and smiled, her heart beating quickly. It felt like Christmas and she was overly excited about seeing them again.

She made her way into the cool building and rushing up the steps to the second floor to the only apartment on that floor. She knocked a few times as she stood in front of the tall heavy door, hearing nothing but the sound of the busy streets outside. She bit her lower lip as she twisted her sunglasses in her hands. She knocked again and then looked over her shoulder at the stairs. Her attention was drawn away from the uneventful staricase to the person behind the door drawing near.

She smiled brightly when she recognized the voice and suddenly the door flew open and she glanced down at the thin boy with the chocolate brown hair and bright blue eyes. She opened her arms and laughed.

"Roman!" She ran into the apartment and took the ten year old boy into her arms and squeezed tightly, happy to feel he was doing the same.

[Haruko Lawson]

Three days later

Haruko had completely and totally come to the conclusion that this was all far too much drama for him and his aready stressed body. All he wanted to do was eat, sleep, smoke, and possibly get in a little time to make sure they were still going where they thought.

As for right now, he had barely emerged from from his room since the Incident had occured. He hadn't really needed to. All his essentials were there: clothes, food synthesizer, shower, bed, cigarettes, lighter, and above all else, hair dye. His roots were showing terribly and he needed to dye his hair before going out anywhere.

He sat up from lying in his bed, yawning and standing, pulling up his checkered pajama pants and securing huge t-shirt around him to keep him warm. He had been freezing the past couple of days and he was hoping that once they got to Tattooine, he would warm up a little.

Making his way to his bathroom, he bent over to look under the sink and saw, with a great swelling of happiness, that he did in fact have the correct color hair dye there. Going through them, he made sure that he had pink, purple, and blue. Others were assorted colors of green, grey, orange, red, and hot blue.

Standing straight again, he looked at himself in the mirror, praying breifly that Jiro and Jiro's lover would resolve thier issues before they got to Tattooine, because the drama was going to increase once they got there.

[Orange Diren]

Orange slowly emerged from the medroom in what felt like years even though it had been three days. Luckily she was feeling better and she thought everything was fixed. She was now fearing the wrath of Jiro Lawson. He had been nice the few times he came in to see her, but she knew she was no longer protected by wounds or pain. She was now vulnerable to new wounds from Jiro.

She made her way to the room where she remembered where they stayed, or were going to stay after all she was iving in the medroom since the day they hopped on that ship. She knocked on the door and held her breath, praying to God Jiro wasn't going to choke her.

"Jiro-San?" She said with a frown. "I...can we talk?" Why did she feel so afraid? So much like a child?

[Jiro Lawson]

Jiro had been lying on the bed on his stomach, writing in a journal he had managed to smuggle onboard, and when he heard Orange at the door, his first instinct was to just stare at the door until she went away. But he got up from the bed, being sure to close his journal and pulling a shirt on over his chest.

He walked to the door and pressed a hand to the pressure plate next to the door. The door slid up to reveal Orange standing there. Jiro looked down at her a moment and the sudden urge to want to smoke came over him again. Ignoring it, he waved her in and shut the door behind her, moving back over to the bed and flopping down, looking over the words he had written in his journal, quickly finishing the tail on a character as it read something completely different without it. He glanced up at Orange and began swing his leg off the side of the bed.

"So, you wanted to talk?"

[Orange Diren]

Orange nodded at him and drew in a deep breath and stuffed her hands into her back pockets and walked over towards him, her face having a slight bruise on it that had yet to heal, something that modern science could not quicken the process.

"Jiro, you know what I am wanting to talk about." She looked at the ground and scuffed her feet, again apologies and admitting she was wrong not easy to come by, but she was at fault and she knew it.

"It wasn't my place to have done what I did to Ren. I've not apologized to him yet but I am going to do so right after I am done speaking with you. I just wanted to tell you..." She looked up at him and she wanted nothing more to just run over to him and kiss him and just have him not be mad at her, but that was probably impossible.

"It won't happen again. Jiro he just made me so mad! I took my anger out on the wrong person because it was your business and I should have just kept walking. You just...didn't do anything!" She was getting herself worked up and she knew Jiro wouldn't take it well. She took a deep breath and calmed herself.

"I don't know what to say in my defense Jiro. If you want...I can go?"

[Jiro Lawson]

Jiro shook his head and stood taking a step towards her as if about to explain, then pausing and putting his hands to his temples, massaging them and sighing deeply. Jiro didn't really think she understood the problem. He looked back up at her.

"Orange," he said, with some difficulty. "This isn't...really about Ren and what you did or did not do to him. This is about you and I and just...the way things are..." he paused. He wanted to discuss this, he really did, but the half of him wanting to discuss was being overcome by the part of him that just wanted to get frustrated and make her leave. He took a deep breath to calm himself. "If something between you and I doesn't change then...I can accept the apology for fighting, but eavesdropping Orange, and assuming things, expecially jumping to conclusions like you do."

Jiro stopped himself. He wasn't going to do this, not here, not now. He knew he would have to make sacrifices for a relationship he felt so strongly about as this one. Orange had a way of doing things that wasn't the way he was used to doing them. He would just have to accept them. He shook his head, something inside of him, deciding to give up on...anything. Looking up he smiled weakly.

"Forget it. Forget all of it. It isn't worth the struggle. You're forgiven," he sighed out in one breath. What else really was she expecting him to do? What was he? "I suppose I owe you an apology for getting so upset about it." He nodded. "Gomenasai." Jiro bowed deeply to her, before standing straight again and brushing his hair away from his face. He just loved this woman too damned much.

[Orange Diren]

Orange looked at Jiro and nodded, the knot in her stomach twisting and turning in a way that made her want to cry. This was a harsh reality that she was going to accept despite not wanting to hear the truth. She loved Jiro far too much to keep all this distrust, paranoia, self consciouosness, and argung going.

"Jiro..." She said with a sigh the knot in her stomach twisting so hard that seh could barely breathe. "I don't want to have to apologize everytime I see you. I love you, but this...this is too much. Perhaps it is me, maybe I am the reason for all these problems." She walked away from him and tried to think about what she was going to say....what were the reprecussions going to be? She rubbed her forehead and drew in a deep breath and turned around and faced him.

"Do you think we jumped into this relationship too early? Do you think that maybe...you'd be better off without me?" She didn't dare want him to say yes, but sometimes the truth hurt. God knew she'd be in pain if he actually wanted to end it all.

[Jesimae Lawson]

EDIT

[Jiro Lawson]

Jiro leaned backwards on the bed, crossing his arms over his chest, and staring at her, studying her face, her body, her hair, everything about her for one moment. Just to take in what he might have missed in the time they had been together. He went over thier conversations, the things they'd laughed about, cried about argued about. Thought about the times he could have sworn if she was away from him then he would literally suffocate and die.

He went over why he loved her in the space of about three seconds. He knew he didn't want to have to say yes to this question, knew that he loved her more desperately than maybe she had ever intended. Maybe this was her way of saying she wanted out, by putting it on him. Whatever the reason was, this was half the reason they were here. Miscommunication, frustration. They were both strong-willed and Jiro couldn't see them not getting into thier spats. Even normal couples did that. But Jiro also didn't want to have to say something and suddenly realize that, oh god, what kind of a fit will Orange have? And he didn't want someone he couldn't talk to, someone who couldn't listen, accept the truth, or his view of it, and be willing to work it out.

He hadn't said in any way that he wanted to separate from her just now. She had automatically assumed that was what he had meant. Hadn't tried to ask him if he wanted to talk about what the problem was, even if she had pushed him for information, it would have been better than the option, or rather, lack thereof, that she had just given him. So his decision...

"Orange, if that is what will make you happiest of all," he said slowly. "I know that you and I have had our rocky spots, and god knows we would have more, that is just the way you and I are built. But we need to trust each other, be able to talk to one another love one another to our full extent, and this misunderstanding that is going on isn't really helping, and I think you would be the first one to agree." Jiro paused to take another deep breath, his body and mind oddly calm, though his heart felt like it was being ripped from his chest and torn apart in front of him. "I...I'm not willing to just throw in the towel because of this. I want to work it all out, but, you have to be willing as well. I can't go half way and expect to meet you there, to see you've only made it twenty percent. I love you with every fiber of my being, and I know that that isn't very much, but it is all I have for you. And I want this to work so badly I can barely see straight, but..." he paused. "If separating yourself from me will make you happiest of all..." but Jiro couldn't finish the thought, couldn't think of what a mess he would be should she walk out of the room with the intention of never coming back. Was wondering where he could find a decent noose, or even some sleeping pills if he had to.

His mind was a tangle, his heart a shattered mirror of what could have possibly been with Orange Diren.

[Orange Diren]

Orange looked at him in silence if not awe. Jiro Lawson had just called her out on something she did regularly...ignore things that were important and assume the worst. Things had happened in her life that simply made it feel impossible that things would work out and she was always assuming that, after a while, bad news and outcomes were repetitive. Her whole life was filled with bad news and horrific events, why should she try the different road? Why couldn't she have good things happen? Why must she always expect the worst?

"God...Jiro..." She walked over to his bed and sat down, putting her head in her hands as she took a moment to think. "I think I'd be most unhappy without you. I love you very much and I can honestly say that I haven't been fuly open and understanding. My life...I expect..." She didn't know why this was so hard! Why wasn't there a switch in her mind to just make her....normal?

"Fine." She said quickly as she looked up at him. "If you are willing to give this one mor try I promise I will not assume the worst, I'll do everything in my power to make this work because I am not ready to end this, not yet." She rubbed her face again and shook her head.

"I never thought that a relationship would be this difficult." She laughed lightly but ended it just as quick as it came out. "Jiro you have my full attention now, whatever problems that need to be solved, lay them out on the table for me at this moment. What do I need to do to make [i]you[/] happy?"

[Jesimae Lawson]

EDIT

[Jiro Lawson]

For one moment Jiro was sure that he was going to have to go drown himself in the bath tub. And he was even ready to go towards the light.

But as the white spots of pain and frustration exploded in his eyes, his mind translated what she had just said, and transmitted all information to his body, somehow bringing the feeling back to his limbs. Jiro looked up from the tiny spot on the floor that he had become good friends with the past few moments.

And then a sinking feeling knotted in his stomach. The way she had said that seemed as if he were so high maintainance that this was all just going to be a big chore for her to keep alive. But Jiro didn't know for absolute sure what she was thinking, and until he did, he would assume she was thinking the best about thier relationship instead of the worst, even though it was doubtful.

He looked over at her, and never thought he had been happier in his life than to see the woman sitting beside him instead of walking away from him. It was a relief. And the sigh that escaped him he couldn't supress. He looked over at her for a moment before answering.

"Orange...if you can just talk to me rationally, or ask me questions if there is something bothering you, I will be happy. I just, I don't want you to wonder about anything, or make sudden assumptions, or jump to conclusions about me. Its true, we jumped into this quicker than anything, but more than anything I believe this is real. We honestly don't know much about each other..." he paused, looking back down at his small bit of floor before looking back at her. He reached up his hand and touched her face, fearing she would not want him to touch her in anyway, but suddenly not caring when he felt her skin under his fingers again after what seemed like eight lifetimes. He put his fingers under her chin and gently turned her face to his.

"If you want to know about me, or about my past, or about something that is just bothering you that maybe you overheard my brother saying, I want you to ask before getting wild ideas. And if you don't want to tell me about your past, its alright. Just as long as you can talk to me about stuff that bothers you, I will be happier than you can imagine," he explained, carefully and quietly, not wanting to overload her curcuits all at once. He smiled a little. "And if I am doing something that makes you unhappy, just tell me. I want to make you happy more than anything else in the world. And I am not willing for some words to run in between you and I."

[Orange Diren]

Orange looked at Jiro and couldn't help but think how much she loved him, how her life would be incomplete without him, how she would go jump off a bridge if they ever separated. She smiled at him and nodded.

"Hai." She said happily. "I will do my best, Jiro, to change to be more patient...to be more understanding." She lifted her hands and put them over his face and leaned in and kissed him gently. "I love you, Jiro. No more fights, misunderstandings, miscommunications...I just want to be with you and I want us to be happy as larks." She winked at him and gave him another kiss.

"We are too dysfunctional to leave one another."

[Jiro Lawson]

And though for some reason this seemed an odd time for humor, Jiro couldn't help but laugh out loud and wrap his arms around her, burying his nose into her hair, thinking nothing but the fact that she was as right as she could possibly be.

Jiro had never had to strain so hard to get a relationship to work. Most times before, the girls just were. They exsisted and he was either aware of them or he wasn't. But now, he had never been more conscious of another human being in his entire life. And he had never loved anyone so much that he would literally go shoot himself for them if they asked him to.

Orange had him completely and totally.

"And I don't want to be dysfunctional with anyone else, you know that Orenji-chan," he whispered in her ear, holding her tight to him and kissing her shoulder. Buddha had blessed him with a woman that loved him enough to stay with him through any issue they had. "Eien aishiteru."

[Orange Diren]

Orange held him tightly and she breathed in a sigh. She had fussed and fought and put too much energy into this whole relationship to actually toss it away now. She loved Jiro so much it was ridiculous and it seemed everytime they had a fight they eventually made up. But for some reason, in the back of her mind, she always felt that the next fight would be the last fight. Any moment he was going to throw in the towel and tell her to leave, tell her that this wasn't what he wanted, and that she was crowding his space.

How many more times could they literally argue and it actually be okay? She knew that there was only so many times that one could say aishiteru after a fight. In Orange's mind she was going to have to keep things calm and she was going to have to analyze things rather than jump to conclusions and try to fix problems that, sometimes, might not even be there. This task was going to be long and hard, but she had Jiro for that was her motivation. To keep the love that they had she was willing to move mountains.

"Aishiteru." She said back to him in a low voice as she closed her eyes and allowed him to hold her. She just wanted to forget what happened, forget the arguments they had had before, and all she wanted was to just be....forever.

[Haruko Lawson]

Oh, how he hated Tattooine. How he hated the sand, and the people and places, and above all else, the food. Haruko had never liked the place, never really figured out why he had settled there, or why in fact his father had even decided to stay there.

But any way, his apartment was here and so was his father and as much as he didn't want to get off the ship, he knew he had to. Knew he had to show his brother's the father they had missed, even if it was the first, last, and only time.

Haruko stood on the surface of the planet, looking around space port, the people, and aliens walking about, the buzz of a thousand different conversations all weighing on his mind and his heart. There was something missing here. Haruko had felt it ever since he and Orange had broken down, and made up, and broken down and made up again. It was a slight empty feeling, one she had once filled, and in her absence, Mr. Lawson had taken the place. And now that they were both gone, Haruko had no one.

It was true, he had Orange still, and he had his brothers. And his brothers meant so much more to him than he had ever thought. But there was still that stinging, that aching right in the center of his heart, and the back of his neck, telling him that there was still something that wasn't right. Something that was slowly, but surely, eating him alive.

Haruko turned to look back in the ship as his little brother emerged, stretching and pulling his hair back into a ponytail. He smiled at him.

"Sou, kokoni watashitachi ha , chiisa i kyoudai iru. Ikani konomu sorewoka?" he asked, putting a hand over his eyes to shield them from the hot sun. Taro made his way down the ramp and stood next to Haru, looking about and licking his lips.

"Hai. Watashi ha Tattooine ni ichido itta kotogaaritada, watashi ga kesshite saido kokoni iru koto won aranai koto wo kangae ta. Watashi ha watashi ga machigatte itakotowo suisoku suru," Taro said shrugging. Haruko laughed.

"Hn. Hai, watashi mo."

[Asher Perez]

"¡Romano, venga comen el desayuno, ahora!" She hated having to call Roman to breakfast it was a habit she swore she had broken before he came to Javier's and he had slowly fallen back into old habits that she was not fond of.

Asher had been preparing for the worst the day she left Coruscant's SPANISH HARLEM District. She wasn't fond of her two surviving brother's, Javier and Jesus, for they reminded her too much of their father.

"Romano!" She yelled again in a deeper Spanish accent as she scooped out a few scrambled eggs onto a plate, along side of applesauce, bacon, toast, and ham. She had poured a large glass of milk for him and to her that was the first indication that Roman was back into the old sleeping habits for he was the one who fixed his breakfast plate.

Asher had been hesitant to come and pick Roman up for she feared Javier would be there to greet her, for their relationship had soured severely the moment they all branched apart after Jorge's death. Their personalities never meshing well for she was more like her mother while the others were more like her father. She never understood why they all hated one another so much, but she wasn't going to argue with them about it for her life was much happier when they weren't in it.

Luckily she was the main caretaker of Roman so his mind would at least be halfway decent and healthy considering he spent three months with his other two brothers.

"Romano!"

"¡Soy despierto! ¡Soy despierto!" The young boy groaned as he walked out of the bedroom running a hand through his hair. She glanced up at him and smiled, at least he was still willing to listen to her unlike the others who felt she was too much of a parent and didn't let him run wild like they were able to do.

"Morning, sunshine. Hurry up and eat before it gets cold. Unlike Javier, I don't allow people to sleep past ten in the morning." Roman laughed as he took a seat.

"Jorge would have let me sleep late!" Roman laughed gently as he salted the food on his plate. Asher continued to grin as she scooped the eggs in the skillet opting to not get a plate.

"Well, Jorge, I am sure, is proud that you at least made an effort to get up." Asher turned and put the skillet into the sink. "When is your brother coming home?"

"He isn't. Javier said he was going to stay with his girlfriend until you...until we left." Asher hated that man simply because he hated her. It was a sad reason, but he had many faults and they reminded her far too much of a child and her father.

"We'll be leaving the day after tomorrow, unless something throws a wrench in our plans." Asher turned and looked down at Roman who was scooping up his breakfast. The poor child looked as if he were starving but she wasn't about to start ragging on Javier for she knew it get around to him sometime and it would start a family feud and she was not up for that considering the last family fued almost ruined her business.

"What are we doing today?" Roman asked as he looked up at her. She shrugged her shoulder and smiled.

"Whatever your heart desires!"