Yay, another one! Alright! This time it is Jin x Fuu. Yup, I said it. I thought my little collection needed one. I had Mugen x Fuu and Jin x other character and then a story with no pairings...so...yeah. You get the point. Enjoy, my little 'This just came to me, I'm not sure how it is going to turn out' fanfiction! Curtain parts

Almost…Just Almost

Fuu concentrated hard on the mark. She stared at it with her brow furrowed and eyes afire.

'I can hit this. I can!' she chanted in her mind every time she missed, 'I'm tired of being so helpless and having Mugen and Jin save me all the time! I can take care of myself. I can!'

She released the arrow and let her hopes rise too much when she saw it going farther then usual this time. It missed.

Fuu threw her head back and groaned, "Why can't I do this?" she asked herself as she brought her fist up and hit her head. She dropped her bow and quiver full of arrows beside her and sat on a nearby rock. She threw her head back again and shaded her eyes from the setting sun, so she could watch the birds in the canopy. Fuu smiled and relaxed a little when she saw a couple of birds start flying in tight circles and then weaving in different directions; obviously playing with each other.

'I need to practice more. I can't just sit and complain to myself and ask why I can't do it. Practice makes the master as the Germans say!' she thought with new determination.

She reached down to pick up her bow and quiver and then stood. She walked to her standing point and adjusted the quiver.

'Hmm, I need to get a strap that fits me properly.' she thought, 'if I was to get good at this, and then my archery could be useful.'

This excited Fuu as she set the arrow in place. Each arrow that she put in place missed.

'I can do this!' she thought angrily when she saw another one miss.

The determination that she had in the beginning was slowly starting to diminish. Her arm was getting weak and her fingers sore. Tears were appearing in her eyes as she shot again and again and kept missing. She reached behind and felt no more arrows left. Fuu let her arm fall and bent her head to gaze at the ground.

"You shouldn't beat yourself up, so much." said a voice behind her, "It isn't all that easy."

Fuu gasped and turned around. After letting her heart calm itself down a bit she asked, "How long have you been watching, Jin?"

With his usual monotone voice he replied, "The whole time. And all the previous days you have been practicing."

She let her head hand in embarrassment, not wanting Jin to see her blush even though it was practically nightfall now.

'I can only imagine what he is thinking,' she thought, closing her eyes.

"Like I said, don't beat yourself up." Jin said firmly, "You seem to get better everyday. Or night." he said waving his hand and looking away.

Fuu sighed, "I hope you mean that…"

"I wouldn't lie to you." Jin said quietly.

She looked up and stared at him with shocked eyes.

'Did I hear him right?'

Fuu followed Jin's gaze as he shifted his eyes to her fingers. She cringed when she saw that they started bleeding a little. She balled her hand into a fist and hit it behind her back, while giving Jin a sheepish smile.

He began to make his way towards her, his face still expressionless. Fuu wanted to step back as he stood directly in front of her. He crowded her as he reached out and touched her arm. Seeing how she didn't flinch or retreat backwards he took it as permission to take it. He tugged slightly and pulled it towards him, when she didn't resist. He trailed his hand down her arm and opened up her still balled fist. Jin carefully pried open her fingers to look at the small cuts.

"I-it's n-nothing really." she stammered.

He seemed to ignore her and started to lead her to the small creek that was very close by. All the while, still holding Fuu's cut hand. He brought her down with him as he knelt down to the creek. Jin slowly lowered her hand to the cold water and as gently as possible, bathed the small wound. It stung Fuu a little, but she didn't care.

'Come on! Stop blushing! Oh, I'm never gong to be able to look him in the eye.'

She glanced at him when he was done washing her cut, but continued to hold her hand. She looked away when she saw him watching her. He tilted his head downwards as if he was trying to catch her eye with a sudden movement. Fuu looked up and held his gaze even though she wanted to look away. But, suddenly, his cold, expressionless face softened. Fuu couldn't believe it and it must've been obvious because he let out a light chuckle.

'Is he drunk?' she asked herself.

They were sitting noticeably close already, but Jin began to lean forward closing the small gap. Fuu couldn't move. Her eyes were wide and still staring into Jin's. Their lips were inches away but then-

"Hey! There you two are! I've been wondering what happened…to…you?" Mugen said from in-between the trees. A sly smile came upon his face, "So what are you two doing, huh?"

Jin stood up tall and answered curtly, "Nothing that concerns you."

"Oh, come on!" Mugen said with a grin, while raising his arms from his sides, "You can tell me!"

Jin said nothing and started to walk back to camp. Mugen watched him go and then diverted his attention to Fuu; the grin returning.

"What happened?" he asked again.

Fuu glared and replied, "Nothing happened."

'Because of you!' she yelled in her mind.

Fuu stood and looked up at him, "Jerk."

"What did I do?"

"Everything!"

"So, something was about to happen…"

"No!"

Mugen nodded and said sarcastically, "Sure."

He walked in the direction they saw Jin go, with his sword behind his neck and his hands gripping it as he struggled not to laugh…too loudly. Fuu was starting to babble about nothing happening.

'You can't convince me Fuu!' Mugen thought.

Jin caught the tail end of Fuu's babble as he saw them reach camp.

"Nothing happened!" she said getting annoyed, "Right Jin?"

She blushed.

Though he didn't show it, inside he was smiling, "Right."

'But something should have happened.'

Author's Note

Hazzah! It is finished! So what did you think? I won't know if you don't reveiw! nods I know it isn't as good as my other works, but hey! What can ya do? Read my other fanfictions also! Thank you very much.

I also hope that none of you mind a Jin x Fuu pairing...I don't mind it...I don't know about all of you. gestures to the empty audience Oh, yeah...

HimmelsDraculina