Samurai Champloo Fan Fiction ❯ Because You Need Me ❯ Chapter 4 ( Chapter 4 )
[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]
By: LilyMoonsAlias 
Anime/Manga: Samurai Champloo Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Action / Adventure / Hentai / Romance / Samurai / Angst | Type: Continuation | Uploaded On: 08.15.2006 | Pages: 1 | Words: 1.2K | Visits: 533 | Status: Work In Progress
Anime/Manga: Samurai Champloo Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Action / Adventure / Hentai / Romance / Samurai / Angst | Type: Continuation | Uploaded On: 08.15.2006 | Pages: 1 | Words: 1.2K | Visits: 533 | Status: Work In Progress
Mugen sat on the beach not too far from the place he had almost died. He could still see where his blood stained the rocks. The tanned man wanted to beat his own head against the rocks in an attempt to force his own thoughts into submission. Everything was changing on him, and Mugen wasn't sure he liked all the changes.
What the hell had possessed him to kiss Fuu like that?! The girl had turned to him for reassurance and warmth, hadn't she? What the hell was he to take advantage of that? For that matter, when did he develop a conscience?
Gods, he was confused. Added to that he was as hard as rock and could still taste Fuu on his lips. He closed his eyes but that only brought back a vision of caramel colored eyes looking at him through a haze of passion and wonder. Mugen groaned and lurched up from his seat. Without pausing he stepped off the sand straight into the frigid waters of the ocean. He gasped at the sting of salt water in his wounds but stayed submerged until the freezing temperature cooled his heat.
Jin hesitated at the door to the little house, but Fuu's voice reached out to him. "Come back in, Jin. Are you feeling better.?"
"Much, thanks to you, I am told."
"It was nothing. You two went through a lot to save me."
Silence fell between them like a tangible barrier. Jin was used to being quiet, but he was disturbed to see Fuu so nontalkative. He watched while she put together a morning meal. Her movements were slow but sure even though she kept the swollen side of her face turned from him.
"I'm sorry about your father, Fuu." Jin offered lowly.
"Don't be, Jin. From what the villagers said, he deserved to die. He just didn't get to do it as a samurai, only a sick old man. He probably felt only relief."
Fuu placed a bowl and chopsticks in Jin's hands and sat down across from him with her own. She seemed sad as she looked past Jin to the outside. It looked to her like Mugen wouldn't be back anytime soon. Fuu shrugged off her disappointment and started on her food.
"He will be back later," Jin offered, guessing at her thoughts.
Fuu flushed a bit. "I'm sure he will."
They ate without speaking again. Fuu placed Mugen's portion where it could be easily found and took the used dishes and some clothing to the hot spring for cleaning. Jin followed her for lack of anything better to do. Besides he was concerned about Fuu's continuing listlessness. At the spring Jin noticed that she had dropped her burdens and was on her knees holding herself up with trembling arms. Fuu's shoulders shook with silent sobs.
Jin kneeled beside her and pulled the sobbing woman into his arms. "It's okay to let it out, Fuu."
As if his words were a release Fuu abandoned herself to her grief, wailing aloud with everything she had been holding back for a week. Most of the torrent was incoherent babbling ranging from anger at her father, pent-up fear relating to her kidnapping, her shock from watching her father murdered. Fuu moaned and cried, begging forgiveness for their hurts on her behalf. Her pain and grief bathed his neck and the top of his borrowed gi. Jin awkwardly patted her back. He couldn't believe one small body could hold so many tears. He was a little afraid the raging emotions would tear the small woman apart.
Mugen trudged wearily back from the beach. As he got closer to the spring tortured cries reached his ears. Mugen shivered a bit. The noise didn't sound human, more like an animal shrieking in it's death throes. He rounded the last corner in the path to find Jin on the ground holding a writhing, wailing pink bundle. Twin stabs of jealousy and guilt pierced his ego. Mugen tried to slip back down the path, but Jin had already seen him. He was beckoning urgently to Mugen and mouthed 'Help me.'
Fuu didn't register the transfer from one pair of arms to another. She was too far gone in her miasma of grief to notice anything. She didn't feel gentle calloused hands removing her kimono. She didn't feel herself being slipped into the hot spring and moved to rest between shorts-covered legs. Her head lolled back against a smooth tanned chest, eyes wide-open and staring at nothing.
Mugen washed Fuu with a cake of flowery scented soap. Jin had found it among her belongings and brought it to the spring. He would have assisted, but a single possessive growl from his pirate friend gave him reason to retreat to the house. Fuu made no protest as the soap glided over her skin and was lathered in her hair. She blinked slowly from time to time but didn't make a sound. Because it was like handling a life-size doll Mugen felt no desire at all performing the intimate absolutions. He cleaned her up and mentally catalogued every mark on the fair skin. Each bruise fueled his easily riled temper. However, his touch remained gentle. Washing complete Mugen wrapped the unresponsive body in thick towels and turned back to the house. Fuu's light weight was only a slight strain to his healing left arm.
"We can't stay here, Mugen." Jin said to the man busily inhaling his food.
A grunt. "Figured that."
"Fuu can't stay here, either."
"Know that too." A satisfied belch followed. "Gotta plan?"
Jin fiddled with the end of his ponytail. Mugen raised a split eyebrow at the mannerism. Jin noticed and folded his hands in his lap.
"When the old man returns I'll ask him to help outfit us," Jin said thoughtfully. "Then we return to the mainland....all of us together."
"All of us together, huh?" Mugen questioned.
Jin gestured towards the woman huddled before the fire in her towels. "Fuu still needs protection. She needs us....needs you." His cheeks tinted a faint pink when he continued. "And I guess we need each other until our full strength returns."
The two men talked, both proposing and rejecting various destinations and plans until dusk settled. Preparing for bed Mugen spooned against Fuu's back. He would protect her from the demons in her nightmares. Jin sat facing the only entrance, his remaining short sword in his lap. He watched over his two friends until his eyes closed in weariness.
A/N Too mushy? Naw. I mean, after all, they almost died. Stick with me, people, things are going to start to get interesting once Fuu's personality comes back. VERY interesting. What will it take for Mugen to realize he deserves love? Stay tuned....
What the hell had possessed him to kiss Fuu like that?! The girl had turned to him for reassurance and warmth, hadn't she? What the hell was he to take advantage of that? For that matter, when did he develop a conscience?
Gods, he was confused. Added to that he was as hard as rock and could still taste Fuu on his lips. He closed his eyes but that only brought back a vision of caramel colored eyes looking at him through a haze of passion and wonder. Mugen groaned and lurched up from his seat. Without pausing he stepped off the sand straight into the frigid waters of the ocean. He gasped at the sting of salt water in his wounds but stayed submerged until the freezing temperature cooled his heat.
Jin hesitated at the door to the little house, but Fuu's voice reached out to him. "Come back in, Jin. Are you feeling better.?"
"Much, thanks to you, I am told."
"It was nothing. You two went through a lot to save me."
Silence fell between them like a tangible barrier. Jin was used to being quiet, but he was disturbed to see Fuu so nontalkative. He watched while she put together a morning meal. Her movements were slow but sure even though she kept the swollen side of her face turned from him.
"I'm sorry about your father, Fuu." Jin offered lowly.
"Don't be, Jin. From what the villagers said, he deserved to die. He just didn't get to do it as a samurai, only a sick old man. He probably felt only relief."
Fuu placed a bowl and chopsticks in Jin's hands and sat down across from him with her own. She seemed sad as she looked past Jin to the outside. It looked to her like Mugen wouldn't be back anytime soon. Fuu shrugged off her disappointment and started on her food.
"He will be back later," Jin offered, guessing at her thoughts.
Fuu flushed a bit. "I'm sure he will."
They ate without speaking again. Fuu placed Mugen's portion where it could be easily found and took the used dishes and some clothing to the hot spring for cleaning. Jin followed her for lack of anything better to do. Besides he was concerned about Fuu's continuing listlessness. At the spring Jin noticed that she had dropped her burdens and was on her knees holding herself up with trembling arms. Fuu's shoulders shook with silent sobs.
Jin kneeled beside her and pulled the sobbing woman into his arms. "It's okay to let it out, Fuu."
As if his words were a release Fuu abandoned herself to her grief, wailing aloud with everything she had been holding back for a week. Most of the torrent was incoherent babbling ranging from anger at her father, pent-up fear relating to her kidnapping, her shock from watching her father murdered. Fuu moaned and cried, begging forgiveness for their hurts on her behalf. Her pain and grief bathed his neck and the top of his borrowed gi. Jin awkwardly patted her back. He couldn't believe one small body could hold so many tears. He was a little afraid the raging emotions would tear the small woman apart.
Mugen trudged wearily back from the beach. As he got closer to the spring tortured cries reached his ears. Mugen shivered a bit. The noise didn't sound human, more like an animal shrieking in it's death throes. He rounded the last corner in the path to find Jin on the ground holding a writhing, wailing pink bundle. Twin stabs of jealousy and guilt pierced his ego. Mugen tried to slip back down the path, but Jin had already seen him. He was beckoning urgently to Mugen and mouthed 'Help me.'
Fuu didn't register the transfer from one pair of arms to another. She was too far gone in her miasma of grief to notice anything. She didn't feel gentle calloused hands removing her kimono. She didn't feel herself being slipped into the hot spring and moved to rest between shorts-covered legs. Her head lolled back against a smooth tanned chest, eyes wide-open and staring at nothing.
Mugen washed Fuu with a cake of flowery scented soap. Jin had found it among her belongings and brought it to the spring. He would have assisted, but a single possessive growl from his pirate friend gave him reason to retreat to the house. Fuu made no protest as the soap glided over her skin and was lathered in her hair. She blinked slowly from time to time but didn't make a sound. Because it was like handling a life-size doll Mugen felt no desire at all performing the intimate absolutions. He cleaned her up and mentally catalogued every mark on the fair skin. Each bruise fueled his easily riled temper. However, his touch remained gentle. Washing complete Mugen wrapped the unresponsive body in thick towels and turned back to the house. Fuu's light weight was only a slight strain to his healing left arm.
"We can't stay here, Mugen." Jin said to the man busily inhaling his food.
A grunt. "Figured that."
"Fuu can't stay here, either."
"Know that too." A satisfied belch followed. "Gotta plan?"
Jin fiddled with the end of his ponytail. Mugen raised a split eyebrow at the mannerism. Jin noticed and folded his hands in his lap.
"When the old man returns I'll ask him to help outfit us," Jin said thoughtfully. "Then we return to the mainland....all of us together."
"All of us together, huh?" Mugen questioned.
Jin gestured towards the woman huddled before the fire in her towels. "Fuu still needs protection. She needs us....needs you." His cheeks tinted a faint pink when he continued. "And I guess we need each other until our full strength returns."
The two men talked, both proposing and rejecting various destinations and plans until dusk settled. Preparing for bed Mugen spooned against Fuu's back. He would protect her from the demons in her nightmares. Jin sat facing the only entrance, his remaining short sword in his lap. He watched over his two friends until his eyes closed in weariness.
A/N Too mushy? Naw. I mean, after all, they almost died. Stick with me, people, things are going to start to get interesting once Fuu's personality comes back. VERY interesting. What will it take for Mugen to realize he deserves love? Stay tuned....