Disclaimer: I do not own Samurai Champloo.

Okay, this will end up turning the characters horribly OOC ( out of character ) but I had to type it up anyway. It's 11:30 PM, so, really, what do you expect? Well, read on. Please?

-

REMIND ME OF THE STARS

-

She shouldn't have expected to get away without him hearing her leave.

He was like that; always alert... he never seemed to relax.

But they, the stars, were shining up there without any worry, without any frustration, without any issue at all. They were just up there, they always shined. Never did they stop, no matter what. And for this, she had always secretly admired them. Of course, this wasn't the only reason why she was so... fascinated by those lights up in the sky, but she had yet to figure out the whole truth of why the stars held such meaning to her.

I mean, after all, they really were just stars. Nothing that special about them... they're always up there. It's the same old stars you see every night, unless, of course, there's some kind of storm or heavy clouds. But she suspected that they were there, even behind the clouds and rain, and she knew she was right. I mean, they were always there. Still, they were just stars. Simple as that.

... Right?

They had no choice but to sparkle brightly in the sky.

They had no choice but to entice a young female with their dazzling shimmer.

What choices do you have when you're a star, anyway?

She couldn't imagine that you had many. I mean, you're stuck there for all eternity.

But, if this was so, why did she question herself? I mean, after all, they really were just stars. ... Right? Now she wasn't so sure...

These were the thoughts, among many others - Will I, we, ever find the Sunflower Samurai? Will Mugen and Jin ever stop fighting, just for once? When will we finally find a decent place to sleep, instead of some old shack? Damn, will I ever fall asleep? - that plagued her mind relentlessly at the moment, on that night.

So she went outside to look at the stars, to find the answers to her questions. She knew it seemed hopelessly romantic, a girl looking at the stars trying to sort out her problems, but that didn't matter to her. She just needed fresh air. She needed to think. She needed to be... alone.

And she was, for at least five minutes. At first she had thought this wasn't enough time to be by herself. But now, later, after it all happened, she knew that this wasn't the case. Silly little old her for thinking so.

So she sat on the grassy ground for five minutes. She pulled her knees to her chest, wrapping her arms around her legs, hugging them to her, and she gently rested her chin on her arms. That done, she looked up. Yes, the stars were there. She had known that they would be. Still, you never did truly know anything until you found it out on your own. They call it "seeing is believing." What would happen if the whole world would stay awake, for just one night, to watch the stars and they simply weren't there?

The world wouldn't be the same, that was all she could guess. In those five minutes she thought. She thought of many different things. Things that often would cross a younger girl's, a teenager's, a feminine mind. Some of the thoughts would cross anyone's mind, male or female.

And then he was there.

"What are you doing out here, Fuu?" His voice was soft, she could her the last lingering effects of sleep slowly drifting away from his voice.

"Sitting, Jin." She had replied, not offering much information.

"I can see that." He had said, stating the obvious.

She heard the rustle of the grass being shifted and moved, he had sat down beside her. She looked at him out of the corner of her eye. His hair was pulled back, as usual, he was silent, as usual... And then she noticed his gaze. He too was looking at the stars.

She briefly wondered what they meant to him.

"I was just thinking," She said, startling the samurai, only slightly, as she talked freely to him. "I wondered what the world would be like with no stars."

"Darker. The moon would be the night's only light."

"I know that much, already. But what about the people? How would they act?"

"... I don't know," He said, after a moments consideration. Another moment was spared as he thought on her question again, "I suppose there would be more hate and confusion in the world. The stars lead people, in many different ways."

"Oh... I agree... it just wouldn't be the same without them up there." She murmured, smiling softly.

She was having a conversation with him. She couldn't believe it. Her heart fluttered briefly. She didn't often have a conversation with the normally silent samurai. She always thought of him as one with few words. She now supposed he might have few words, yes, but many opinions. Everyone has an opinion, he just didn't choose to share his that often.

"Do you think we'll ever find the Sunflower Samurai?" She asked, she needed to hear someone confirm that yes, of course they would find him, verbally besides herself. She needed someone else to tell her. Sometimes telling ones self just isn't enough. The comfort from others is always needed, whether you believe so or not.

"Yes. I believe you'll find him."

"Not just me, you know," She said, reminding him of the help he and Mugen were giving her, "You and Mugen are also helping me. I doubt I would have even gotten here without you two with me, even though you do seem to constantly be fighting each other."

"I think you would have. You're strong in spirit and other such ways. If you really put your mind to it and wanted to find him, you would. And you do."

"Really?" She asked, she had to know. She needed his opinion. She had to know what he thought on this. Did he really think her strong in spirit, and, of course, other such ways? She didn't want her own opinion, she didn't want Mugen's, she wanted his and only his thoughts on the matter.

He didn't answer, but nodded instead.

"Thank you..." She murmured softly. Her words were quiet, quiet like the night was. The stars shined on. The never stopped. They were there when she was born, and they were still there, many years later. That's when she realized it. The stars were always there. They were like a constant force to hold on to. They couldn't possibly ever let you down.

They represented courage, they represented bravery, confidence, silence, comfort, so many other things... And also one other untouchable item.

Love.

"Thank you," She murmured again, "but for everything. Not just for helping me, but for everything."

She knew what the stars meant to her.

"... You're welcome." Came his soft reply.

"Hey... ?" She asked, "Do you mind if I lean against you? I suddenly feel tired..."

"No... go ahead." He encouraged her.

"You know something?" She said, sleepily, "You remind me of the stars, Jin."

He blinked at her words, "And what do you think of the stars, Fuu?"

She yawned, "Courage, bravery, silence, confidence... and..."

He didn't pry, but waited for her to finish her answer. He looked down at her face,

"And... love."

a blush crept across it.

"I know... it sounds really... stupid, but..."

"No. It doesn't. It seems exactly right to me."

"What do you mean...?" She asked, her mind slowly starting to drift off into the realm of sleep.

"Love, Fuu. Love."

"...Jin?" She asked, managing to sound surprised even through her tired state. "You... you... you mean that?"

"Yes." He said, softly resting his own head against hers. "Thank you too, Fuu."

"Don't thank me," She said as she finally surrendered to sleep, "Thank the stars."

And so she slept. She went to the world where she could process what had just been said in the quiet peace of resting. She didn't see him look up at the stars, silently thanking them. She didn't hear him whisper some last few words before staring at the night sky in peace, a contented quietness falling around him while in the shack Mugen snored on, oblivious as to what had just happened without him.

"You remind me of the stars, Fuu."

And so they, the stars, shone on.

-

END

-

I'm practically swimming in the fluff... I know the end, and the middle, and even the beginning, were horribly cheesy and stupid... but I just felt like typing that up. Do you like it? Well, yeah... It's my first Samurai Champloo fiction... it probably sucks. Ah well. I did my best, or so I think.

Have a heart and please review. Thank you.

Edit; 8/15/05 - Okay. So they weren't all that OOC. Mayhaps a little bit on Jin's part, though. But he's too complex to get his real character all down in a three-page drabble-like fiction though, you know? Anyways. I'm here to edit—not to chance the context or anything. I've changed my mind. I like how I wrote this. Problem is, I don't like all the mistakes I found after posting it. It was late, so I hadn't reread it. So now I've fixed the errors. I hope that this made your reading experience even better! On another note—no, I'm sorry, I won't be continuing this. It was meant to be a oneshot, and forever that way it will stay. I might come out with another little JinxFuu fiction later though, so look for that later on. I honestly thank my reviews. I never expected to get 25+ on my first, short, JinxFuu Samurai Champloo fiction. You've really made my day, every time I receive a review for this work. I love you all! Thank you so much!

- Evene