I own no rights to Samurai Champloo.

Some Nights

The music coming from the building next door was foreign, but seemed natural to the three travelers who were currently preparing to retire in their temporary lodgings. Jin was currently braiding his long, black hair and slightly loosening the ties of his clothing. He was taking first watch tonight: he quickly calculated the most optimal spot in the windowless room and reclined lightly against the wall. After a quick assessment of his space and his weapons, Jin closed his eyes and began to meditate. To any onlooker, he would appear to be asleep, but his companions knew better. Jin was more dangerous in this position than any seemingly drowsing cat in a black nightmare forest. Mugen and Fuu would be safe as they slept.

Mugen. As he removed the majority of his threadbare clothes and meticulously catalogued his surroundings, he listened to the driving beat of the strange, lyrical song drifting through the floorboards of the weatherbeaten shack Fuu had managed to procure with the few ryo that had remained. The regular, rhythmic bass reminded him of sex. He suddenly wished violently for three things: a full belly, a soft bed, and a place where they would all three never again have to worry about their safety. And as he lowered his tired body to the floor, he glanced briefly and possessively at Fuu.

Fuu. As she slowly let her hair down from its typical style, she sighed softly. She thought at that moment, she would have agreed to marry either of her traveling companions at once if either had been able to provide her with a hot bath. But as Fuu shook her head from side to side to release her hair from its binding, what she suddenly desired most of all was a measure of peace for her bodyguards. For herself. And as she listened for a moment to the cadence of the music coming from the neighboring building, she wondered at what peace would mean between the three of them. Her puzzled frown lasted as long as it took for her head to hit the pillow; when she promptly fell asleep.