Sensual Phrase Fan Fiction / Samurai Champloo Fan Fiction ❯ My Lover's War ❯ My Lover's War ( Chapter 1 )

Disclaimer: I do not own Sensual Phrase. Oh sure, I own my personal copy of all of the books, and am hoping for an anime series that does justice…but Mayu Shinjo is the brainchild who created these wonderful characters and addictive plot lines. This is done for gratis, and as such is only a meager fanfic.

 

My Lover's War

Autumn 2005 Writing Contest

 

Even though it was a beautiful day, the wind was blowing fiercely. Sakuya was having to concentrate on his driving in order to compensate for the change of wind pressure whenever he passed between buildings. So instead of one hand resting on the wheel and the other clamped on Aine's thigh, he had one had resting on the stick-shift and the other clamped tight on the wheel.

 

Aine was sitting beside him, quietly watching as they sped across Tokyo. He had surprised her this morning by coming into the bedroom and telling her she needed to dress for an outing.

 

“Where are we going?” Sleepy caramel-colored eyes looked up at him.

 

He sat down on the bed, leaning over her until their lips barely touched. “It's a surprise.” He kissed the tip of her nose, than left her to get dressed.

 

Sakuya had been back from his three-month stay in America for five days. After rescuing Aine from his blackmailing bastard of a brother, they'd done nothing except, well… Anyways, today was the first day he'd let her leave the apartment unless it was to do something with him or Lucifer. She thought it was wonderful that he was so worried about losing her again; but she really needed some of her freedom back. Even Ralph had let her come and go. Sure she'd had a tail, but it at least felt like she was free.

 

Just as she was about to ask where they were going again, Sakuya whipped the car into a parking spot behind a warehouse with the words “Studio 17A” marked on the door. She looked over at him quizzically, but he was already exiting the vehicle to walk around and open the door for her.

 

He bent in and reached around her to unsnap her seatbelt, his blue eyes sparkling in suspense. A hand trailed up her thigh before he abruptly stood up and offered a hand to help her out. “Are you coming?”

 

She blushed at his double entendre “Uhh…” She took his hand and glared at him as he chuckled before gently extricating her from the Ferrari.

 

Opening the studio door for her, he stood behind it; holding it against the wind so that they could enter without injury. There was a big wooden wall in front of them, with cables strung across the floor like a bed of snakes. Aine had been in enough studios to realize they were behind a background. It wasn't particularly bright back there, but they could see the glare of lights over the top.

 

When Aine stopped, Sakuya turned to look at her. “Come on.” He gently grabbed her hand and led her through the mess of cables on the floor. He kept going around the edge of the background to see what was happening on the other side.

 

Two men were fighting each other. One had on a loose red happi shirt over a gray undershirt, and loose shorts There were blue tattoos around his wrists and ankles, and it was obvious he used a five-fingered comb. He was lunging, his movements as unkempt in nature as himself. The other was tall and lean, dressed in a blue Shinsengumi style kimono. His black hair was pulled back into a tail, and wire rim glasses were propped on the bridge of a very straight nose. He moved with a grace not many fighters exhibited.

 

Both were glaring at each other, discord evident in the shorter man's chocolate colored gleam while serenity and an overall understanding of the rationalities of life gazed back through black eyes. The two men were alternating between rushing and defending, each keeping even with his opponent without gaining the edge. It was very obvious that even though the two were fighting to their true strengths, neither of them was looking to deliver a deathblow.

 

Suddenly a brown-haired girl wearing a pink traditional yukata ran into the middle of the fight. “You BASTARDS! You gave me your word that you wouldn't kill each other until you helped me find the samurai who smells like sunflowers!” Her shrill screaming caused the shorter man to lose his footing, and the taller one likewise became unbalanced in his attempt to not behead his opponent.

 

Realizing their match was over, both men turned to look at the teenager. The impulsive one broke the silence first. “Fuu, you idiot! You could have gotten one of us killed!” He pointed at her with his Han sword for emphasis.

 

“Yes, and it would have been Mugen.” Nodding his head towards the shorter man, Jin slid his gendai back in the saya and turned to pick up the hair tie that had come lose during their struggle.

 

Fuu stomped her foot. “But you promised!” She looked at them sideways, laying on the charm. “Besides, you both said you'd never been to Nagasaki before, and that just happens to be our next stop!” Turning, she started down the road.

 

Mugen and Jin turned to look at each other. “Nagasaki?” Mugen put his blade back in the scabbard on his back and started walking.

 

“I wasn't informed.” Jin straightened the edges of his kimono before heading out after the other two.

 

Suddenly, someone beside Aine yelled. “Cut!…And That's a Wrap!” As if those were magical words, everything became less focused and people started talking. It was again just a production.

 

Figuring out what was going on, Aine suddenly squealed and grabbed Sakuya's arm. “Oh my, oh my! OH MY!! It's Jin Shinamori!” She pointed at the tall blue-kimono wearing man who was standing still while a costume hand removed his blue over-kimono to repair the damages before the next scheduled shoot.

 

Sakuya cut his eyes over to Aine, feeling an unreasonable stab of jealousy. He'd just spent three months of his life working to win her back and now she was lusting after some stupid actor. The more educated side of his brain realized that if she'd stayed loyal to him while living with his brother, she wasn't about to leave him for this man. However, the Neanderthal part told it to hush, and that he had a right to feel jealous.

 

In the midst of their individual thoughts, both of them missed Fuu. When the shoot ended, she'd walked over to Mugen snuggled up beside him. As they stood in each other's embrace, Fuu looked over and saw…she rubbed her eyes. No way. No freaking way.

 

Suddenly she flung Mugen's arm off of her shoulder. Putting her hands together in front of her and jumping lightly, she started yelling in her high-pitched voice. “Holy Cow! It's Sakuya Ookochi from Lucifer! He's here in MY studio!” She started running, her zori sandles clacking across the floor as she rushed to the tall singer. “Hi! I love your music, you are soooo awesome!”

 

Laying on the charm, Sakuya turned and smiled down at Fuu. He missed the shorter man's increasing scowl, or how he'd reached out to grab Fuu before she'd even headed his direction. When Aine turned away with a scowl on her face, Sakuya grinned inwardly. Let her be jealous, she'll understand how I feel now.

 

When Aine turned back and looked at Sakuya, an unconscious pout on her face, Sakuya winked at her. Realizing she'd been gawking at another man, she blushed and shrugged her shoulders to let him know she hadn't tried to make him jealous on purpose. The two of them were so engrossed in their non-verbal conversation, that neither noticed when Mugen finally lost control of his temper.

 

However, Jin was watching everything very carefully. Jin had been picked for this detached character because he had that type of personality. In fact, Shinichiro Watanabe had liked Jin's acting so much in another series that he'd intentionally written this character for Jin. As Jin stood and watched the drama unfold in front of him, he sighed. This can lead to nothing good. Putting down his gendai, he walked over to the coffee pot and poured a cup. While he negligently added sugar and stirred, he watched as Mugen rushed Sakuya.

 

“You bastard, get away from Fuu!” Mugen felt like an enraged bull had taken over his consciousness. He could almost swear that steam was snorting out of his nostrils with every exhale.

 

Sakuya looked up from talking with Fuu in time to step sideways, causing Mugen to smash into a yellow canvas Director's chair, breaking one of the legs off. Jin watched stoically as Mr. Watanabe's favorite chair wobbled before toppling, looking like an off-color Imperial Walker after the Ewoks had wrapped cords around the legs.

 

Mugen stood up, blowing the hair out of his face and squaring his shoulders. “You bastard! Stand still so I can pound you.” Sakuya glared at him, but said nothing.

 

“Now that's real intelligent Mugen!” Fuu was leaning forward and yelling at him, her hands on her waist. When he didn't respond, she snorted in disgust and turned away.

 

Aine was standing with her hands over her mouth in fear for Sakuya when Fuu grabbed her elbow and dragged her over to two more chairs. “Sit. Don't worry, Mugen's mostly harmless.” She turned back to the man trying to kill her pop idol. “He's just a HOTHEAD!”

 

Mugen ignored her latest yelled insult and Aine wondered if their relationship required abuse in order to work. The man in question ran at Sakuya again, this time with his arms loose against his body.

 

Sakuya dodged and aimed a chop at his back. It missed the target when Mugen twisted to avoid the blow, but he did manage to hit a shoulder. “Stop!”

 

Mugen turned to him. “It took seven months to get Fuu to go out with me. And in one fuckin' afternoon, you undo all my work!”

 

Fuu rolled her eyes. “You BAAAKA! I'm not going to leave you for Sakura.” She stood and glared at the man. “Or at least I hadn't planned on it. But now, I'm beginning to think you're not worth the trouble.” She turned her gaze to the singer. “So, what do you think? Game for an affair?”

 

“What?” Both men objected at the same time. Sakuya looked at Aine and Fuu realized she'd foolishly stepped in where she didn't belong. However, Mugen wasn't as intelligent. Shinichiro Watanabe had also designed his character to fit his personality. Mugen had some mad survival skills, but he seriously lacked in the rationality department. That's why the two male characters played off of each other so well. Add in a sprinkle of `girl who trouble finds…' and they were the perfect team.

 

Mugen now had a one-track mind. `Kill the man who is trying to steal my woman.' The little bitty section of his brain labeled `Rationale' looked out at the situation and decided to go to Hong Kong for a vacation. It left a note to check back in a week, than it packed its bag and closed shop.

 

With the loss of that key element, Mugen's animalistic tendencies took over. The primal scream started in the bowels of his soul. By the time it exited his mouth, it had become tantamount to a train's whistle. It roared through his lungs and froze everyone where they stood.

 

After a second, Sakuya held up a hand. Mugen quit howling and waited patiently. Sakuya understood his question perfectly. “Fine. But let me take my shirt off first.” He walked over to Aine, unbuttoning the silk as he approached.

 

Aine thought about how much sexier that motion was when he wasn't getting ready to fight over another woman. When he approached her, shirt held out in one hand, she tilted her head to gaze up at him.

 

“What is it?” His hand lightly grazed her chin, he was concerned about that look.

 

Tears were gathering in her eyes. “Is she really worth getting hurt over?”

 

Sakuya chuckled before bending forward and kissing her hard on the mouth. “Jealousy looks good on you. I'll have to cause it more often.” He brushed the hair back from her face and dug into the pocket of his loose black jeans. Pulling out a coin, he flipped it at her.

 

She looked at it strangely until she understood what he wasn't saying. Tightened her hand around it, she nodded her head at him, giving him permission.

 

Most of the staff had already left, knowing that Mugen was mostly show. However, when Sakuya entered the battle, the stragglers stayed to watch.

 

He stalked back into the `ring' and waited on his opponent. When Mugen turned to look at him, Sakuya stood straight. “No weapons other than our bodies. The first one to give up loses.”

 

Mugen growled. “I never give up.”

 

Sakuya smiled, his blue eyes tightening in determination. “Neither do I.”

 

They bowed to each other, than started their fight. Mugen's mostly Capoeira style against Sakuya's more Tokyo Ghetto. Mugen was everywhere, while Sakuya would strike out like a cobra, straight and swift. The first time Mugen attacked, Sakuya clothe-lined him.

 

As Mugen's feet went out in front of him, Fuu grimaced. “Oh yeah. I ain't getting any tonight.” He landed hard enough to cause the dust to rise off the floor.

 

Mugen stood up and shook himself like a dog before trying the same tactic. The second time, Sakuya moved his upper body backwards like a limbo dancer and grabbed Mugen's out-flung arm as he went by. Catching it, he flipped Mugen, causing him to land hard enough to knock the air out of his lungs.

 

Both girls grimaced. Aine, slightly turned on by her boyfriend's obvious show of agility, whistled lightly under her breath.

 

When Mugen stood up the second time, he whipped around and yelled at the taller man. “Why the hell are you just standing there?!? I'm doing all the work!”

 

Sakuya chuckled nastily. “You told me to stand still so you could wipe my ass on the floor.” He winked. “I was just giving you what you wanted.”

 

Watching those baby blues mock him was the last straw. “Aaarg!” He charged at Sakuya one more time and this time, Sakuya reached out and pushed two fingers into his forehead, snapping his neck back and again putting him on the floor.

 

While they waited for Mugen to stand up, Jin walked over, mostly full cup of coffee in one hand. “Can I join you ladies?” The nodded without looking up from the fight and Jin pulled another chair over. “Don't worry, Mugen's gotten better every time Mr. Ookochi has knocked him to the ground. I believe they are fairly matched.” He sipped his brew as Mugen stood back up, ready to go again.

 

Suddenly the two men were furiously attacking each other. Sakuya brought an elbow up to block a knee kick at the same time he set himself up for a round-house. Mugen dropped to the floor, missing the round-house, and the foot that he was trying to unbalance.

 

As Sakuya lightly landed back on his feet, having jumped to miss Mugen's kick, he cuffed the man on the back of the head, causing him to stand up to avoid another hit. That then set Mugen up to take a blow to the face. However, Sakuya left his middle open during the punch, and Mugen suffered the hit while driving a knee into Sakuya's chest.

 

They broke away from each other, breathing hard. Mugen went to wipe his mouth; and when he did, his hand came back smeared with blood.

 

“First Blood! Mr. Ookochi takes the first point!” Jin shouted gleefully. Fuu turned and glared at him, which was returned with a mocking smirk.

 

As the two men continued to fight, Jin started to see the emergence of a pattern. Leaning closer to Aine, who wasn't paying any attention to her favorite actor, he whispered. “Your boyfriend has modified the Noh form of Aikido hasn't he?”

 

“The Shadow Dance style of Aikido?” Fuu looked at the taller man, watching him duck and weave around Mugen. “That's a very rare art style, reserved for Noh performances.”

 

Aine blinked. “I don't know, but he's awesome!” She watched as Sakuya again knocked Mugen down. It was obvious to her that Mugen was beginning to get tired, but he didn't stop. He kept picking himself up and starting over.

 

Sakuya wasn't getting off Scott-free either. He had two bruises forming on either side of his waist where Mugen had managed to kick him hard enough to cause internal tissue damage. Mugen might not be the best fighter in the world, but he packed a lot of power behind his blows.

 

Jin looked at the girls. “What do you think? Who do you think will win?”

 

Both girls answered without hesitation. “Sakuya.”

 

Jin grinned before cupping his hands over his mouth like a megaphone. “Mugen, the girls both agree that Sakuya is going to kick…your…ass!”

 

Mugen snorted. “Fuck that. You watch yourself pretty boy!” He threw a punch and actually connected with Sakuya's cheek, laying the skin back over the peak of his cheekbone.

 

Sakuya blinked. One second he was paying attention to Jin talk to his girl. The next a great throbbing pain had screamed through his head, reminding him that he was still in the midst of a battle. Wiping his cheek, he noticed blood. “This point is yours.” Looking at the blood on his fingers, he glared at the shorter man. “But it will be the last one.”

 

He'd so badly wanted to pound Ralph into oblivion for even thinking about touching Aine. However, as a businessman, he had to conduct his war over a desk, with net worth as his only weapon. Looking at the man he was fighting, he superimposed Ralph's face and started back in. The ferocity of this new attack startled the three at the table.

 

Sakuya had given up on martial arts and had switched to straight ghetto. He was waiting for Mugen to approach, than he was grabbing him and slamming a fist into whatever was closest. Jin looked over at his friend. It was a good thing they had a week until the next shoot, Mugen was battered black and blue. As it was, he'd have to tell Watanabe that he'd need to write in a mugging to explain the damage. Looking back at Aine, he voiced what Fuu was thinking. “What the hell just happened?”

 

Aine held out a shaking hand, opening the palm. Resting innocently on the flat plane of her hand was an American quarter. He'd found it at the airport when he landed in New York. It had become his focus when he was losing sight of the goal. Every night he would take it out of his pocket and put it on the bedside table to remind himself that everything had a price, and money was Ralph's. The entire time he walked up the hallway to Ralph Grazer's apartment, he'd been rubbing the coin, reminding himself that everything was for sale.

 

He'd kept it and put it on their nightstand and one night she'd asked him what it meant. That's when he told her that he'd never get rid of it until he'd found peace from the wrongs done against his family. Realizing that he was including her in the term `family,' she'd been unable to express her emotions with words. When he'd come over to deliver the shirt and he'd handed it to her, she understood. It was a token, a pledge, and an explanation.

 

Fuu picked up the quarter and looked at it curiously. “So, what does this money have to do with why your boyfriend is trying to kill mine?”

 

Aine blushed. “Don't tell anyone that we're together please! We're not ready for everyone to know yet.”

 

Fuu smiled evilly. “Get me tickets to tomorrow's show, and we'll call it even!” Aine smiled and nodded her head.

 

Jin interrupted them. “You better check out what's going on, this doesn't look good.”

 

They turned to find Mugen and Sakuya rolling on the floor, throwing punches at each other. Too hard-headed to give up, Mugen was getting creamed by a man possessed with misplaced revenge. Suddenly, Sakuya had Mugen pinned to the floor.

 

He was getting ready to start pounding the actor in the face when Aine jumped up and ran over to him. “No!” Throwing herself against his back, her breasts squished as she wrapped her arms tightly around his waist. “I'm okay, please stop!”

 

Sakuya froze mid-swing, realizing Aine was holding him. However, he was still gripped by the specter in his mind. Her whispered `he's not your brother' finally broke him free from the trance. He stood, holding on to Aine's hands so that she came up with him. Letting go, he turned to her, pushing the hair back from her face. “I'm sorry.”

 

A tear gathered in the corner of both eyes. “I was scared for you. I thought you were going to kill him.” Startled, Sakuya let go of Aine and turned back to his opponent.

 

Fuu had rushed over and was kneeling beside the sentient man. Mugen was going to have a shiner in the morning, and one of Sakuya's last punches had split his lip on the other side. Fuu was trying to gently touch his face to see if he had any other injuries, but he kept pushing her hand away. Finally he sat up and turned to her. “Dammit Fuu! Real men can handle a little pain.” He groused as Fuu stood. “Well, you could at least help me up.”

 

Jin walked past him on his way to throw the coffee cup away. “Oh yeah, he whines when he loses too. I forgot about that.” His two co-stars glared at him, but he paid them no attention. Turning back to Sakuya, he grinned. “I had you pegged for a pretty boy. You proved me wrong. Good luck tomorrow.” He walked off the set and out the door.

 

“Tomorrow?” Both men turned to look at their women.

 

Aine laughed nervously and answered first. “Well, I kind of promised Fuu that she could have tickets to the concert because…”

 

Sakuya bent down and glared at her. “I can guess.”

 

“No! It's not like that!” She waved her hands and blushed. “She knows about us, and promised to keep quiet in exchange for…”

 

Sakuya turned to glare at the skinny woman. “Really.” He leaned forward, intimidation written on every plane of his face. “I need to warn you that blackmailing Aine has serious consequences.”

 

Fuu just giggled and waved a hand. “You don't have to worry. I wasn't going to tell anyone. Besides, Mugen and I keep a low public profile for similar reasons.” She smiled brightly. “I wanted tickets, and your girl is just too naive.”

 

Sakuya straightened up and looked at the other man. “So, you coming?”

 

Mugen stiffened up, trying to project outraged male. It almost worked. “An' leave her alone with you if I don't?” Suddenly he chuckled and walked over to the other man. “Just kiddin'. No one's beaten me in a street fight in years. I just got one question…”

 

“Yes?”

 

“Do you sing as good as you fight?”

 

Sakuya felt a grin tug at his lips. “I've been singing a lot longer than I've been fighting. What do you think?”

 

Mugen put an arm around Fuu's waist. “I'm thinkin' that we're goin' to a concert tomorrow.” Fuu's cry of joy almost drowned out the second part. “But only if you make them back stage passes. You fucked my face up man.”

 

That grin finally broke loose and Sakuya chuckled. “It's a deal.” He scribbled a name down on a piece of paper. “Ask for him at the door tomorrow, he's the chief of security. I'll tell him to be expecting you.” Turning to his own girl, he smiled down at her. “You ready little bird?”

 

Aine nodded, her eyes really wide. “Uh huh!”

 

The two couples walked out together, Mugen and Fuu leading the way. Mugen stopped when he reached Sakuya's car and Fuu could almost see the drool. Tugging his arm, she pulled on him until he was standing at the passenger's side door of a bright red Mazda RX-7. Aine and Sakuya didn't stick around to watch them fight over who was going to drive. Sakuya pulled out, revving the engine so that Mugen could at least hear the Ferrari purr since he wasn't going to offer the man a test drive.

 

They were both quiet on the way back, Sakuya trying to come to terms with his new inner peace. At the next red light, he leaned over to Aine. “Do you still have the quarter?” His raspy voice tickled her ear.

 

She clamped her hands tightly together in her lap. “Um…no.” Fuu had taken it from her to examine, and hadn't returned it.

 

He picked up her hands and unwound them, rubbing his thumb in the palm of one small hand. “Good. I don't need it anymore.” Kissing her lightly, he waited until the driver behind him honked before he sat up and started back down the road.