Chapter Two: There's Still Time to Run

((Mugen))

You're as stiff as a board in my arms. It's like you don't know what you want. Should you stay, and give in to this wonderful new feeling…or should you run? If you want a truthful answer to that question, I think you should run. Staying with me last time never was good for you. You were always getting captured…always getting taken by some bastard.

I never should have helped you in that teahouse that day. I should have never even said anything to that guy who was harassing you. But I couldn't help it…and I couldn't stop it. Fighting is something I do, Fuu. It's what I was born into, and it's what I'll die doing. And I'm not going to stop fighting, not even for you. But let me tell you something. I could have any woman in the world…and I only want you.

It's surprising to you, isn't it? You're standing there like a statue in my arms, gazing into my eyes, and you're wondering what's come over me. Why am I holding you like…like I love you? Well Fuu, I'm asking myself that question, and I can't find the damned answer. If you want love…you might as well run. Because I man who lives like me, has no time for love.

But Fuu…for right now, for just one night, let me…love you. It's something that I've been waiting to do for a long time. But you were always just out of my reach. Or that damn four-eyes was always in my way. So let me hold you like this, in front of everyone. You're even making the geishas jealous.

((Fuu))

I just want to slap you. I want to you let me out of your embrace. I want you to just go back and talk to those geishas. I want you to pretend that I don't exist. But there's this part of me, that doesn't want you to do any of those things. Because I like the way your arms feel around me. I like the way I can feel the rise and fall of your chest. I like the way you're breathing in my ear…on my neck…and I like the way your lips are hovered just inches from mine.

But I don't want a broken heart, Mugen. I don't want to wake up in the morning, and find that you're gone. I don't want to have to walk down the path away from you again, and fight the urged to either go after you, or just fall to my knees and cry. I don't want to think you love me, when you really don't. How could you love me? How could you love anything…anything but sex?

You're looking at me like I'm all that you can see, and you're acting like you don't hear my boss shouting at me to get back to work. And I'm letting you do this. Why am I letting you do this? Why did you have to come back? Why did you have to make me remember? Remember…you said you remembered. You said you didn't want to forget…forget what? The way if felt when I would sit and watch you, and daydream that you liked me? The way that you would look at me when you finally found where some bastard had taken me? What do you remember? Why are you doing this to me?

Now your lips are hovering right on top of mine, and I can feel you breathing, and I can smell you, and even though you don't take a bath…I like how you smell. I've missed how you smell. But I can't let you do this. Not now…not ever. Because as much as I want you to love me…I know you just can't.

((Mugen))

"Fuu…loosen up." Those words are barely audible, just a whisper against your lips. You're eyes are wide and gazing at me like I'm crazy, and I'm sure you're asking yourself what I'm doing. It's not like me to be gentle. "Just…loosen up." I can see that you're not going to. You're eyes glance back toward your boss, some old man, while he calls you and tells you you'd better get back to work. Well, if I wasn't to caught up in you. I'd kill him. Why would anyone one to ruin this moment? I know why…

I'm a bandit, and outlaw. Someone you shouldn't trust, and yet you trusted me with your life. Do you still? I know I should hurry, before I loose your full attention, or before you get so mad at me that you slap me and turn away. I should hurry, and yet I hesitate, because underneath the animal that is Mugen, there is something more calm and caring. There is this part of me that just wants you because I can have you. But then, there is this part of me that doesn't want you, because I know I'll hurt you. And I can't figure out why I can't get passed that fucking thought.

Suddenly my lips are crushing down on yours, because I'm tired of waiting, and of hesitating. I'm tired of wondering if you'll push me away, or if you'll kiss me back. Of course you're kissing me back. As much as I want you to kiss me back, I don't want you to. I want you to push away from me and run back to the safety of the kitchen. I want you to anything but kiss me back. But of course…you're kissing me back.

I should push you away, but God knows I'm not going to push away a woman who is giving in to me. But I should. I'm struggling with this, and you can tell, and I think you like how you see me. Struggling. You've never seen me struggle ever before. You've never seen me weak…at least not weak like this. So I'm pushing you away, and in the toughest voice I can sum up, I'm going to tell you something. "There's still time to run."

((Fuu))

You're telling me to run, but how can I? Finally after all these years of waiting and wishing you've finally kissed me. But yeah, I guess I know I should run. I should turn and walk out of your embrace, which by the way is letting up. I guess you're about to turn back to you're little geisha friends. You still haven't ordered, and now my boss really does seem ticked. "Order." It's just a whispered, but within that word I can hear so much question. Do I want you to order? Did I want that moment to end?

You're smiling at me again and this time when you open you're mouth you say, "I'm not really hungry, or thirsty. Besides I don't have any money anyway." See. I told you. You never have had any money. That was a bad thing to say, because now the geishas are leaving. But you surprise me, because instead of making them try to come back your eyes are still fixed on me…and only me.

"Fuu," you're telling me, "Don't look at me like that." Wow! This is the first time that we've been in the same room and you haven't started calling me names. Wait…how am I looking at you? I can't help it. You're all I can see in the room. So what if you're a big bad boy? So what if I could get hurt being with you? I don't care anymore…just as long as you'll be there to save me in the end…

What am I saying? What do I mean by any of this. "After work," you're saying to me in a soft voice, something I've never heard come out of your mouth before, "I want to talk to you…alone, Fuu." God. You want to talk to me about what? Are you leaving? Is this the end? Should I run? There's still time after all…

Disclaimer – Uh, yea, nothings changed. I still don't own Samurai Champloo (sadly).

There you go! I'm working really hard on Something's Different but I'm just not as motivated as I am for this one! I hope you guys liked this chapter. Five reviews from the SIX I have and I'll continue! ((Hands you a cookie)) I'll see you guys in Chapter Three! I bet you wonder…wonder what he wants to talk to her about? You'll see.