Hello: This chapter is a bit delayed as it happens between chapters 27 and 28 in Warrior's Spirit and Fairy's Heart. I will most likely be posting at least two more shorts that happen between those chapters, one around Roxy and one around Touma and Bloom for certain as I'm working on that right now. Anyone else well I'm up in the air on. If I think that of something than they will get a chapter.

Disclaimer: I don't own the Winx club or Ronin Warriors.

Warning: Minor Language, and mild Sexual talk.

Chapter 2) Breathless beneath the surface

(this takes place between chapters 27 and 28 of the main story.)

With the few skirmishes with the witches, and the headache that was practically every specialist and student fairy Musa had decided that a day away from the campus grounds was a good idea. The last fight they'd had when they'd gone to check on the paint Stormy had managed to catch her in a gust of wind and slam her through a wall. The cuts and scrapes were gone and the bruising was also mostly gone thanks to fairy dust and Seiji's power, but her body was still sore and there was still a bit of dotted bruising on her left arm. The worst part was that they'd learned that the painting they were looking for had been moved, so they couldn't even finish what they wanted to.

As for the specialist, Musa was ready to slap them, and was actually feeling very grateful that Riven wasn't here among them. They'd insult, provoke, and even go as far as physically push some of the ronin around. They would target different people, and while Shin had been a rare target at the beginning until the moment they realised Shin wouldn't fight back. They'd push him around and try and get him to fight and when he didn't they would call him a coward. It bothered her so much! The last time this happened she'd been with Ryo and Kayura just chatting and learning that Ryo loved soccer, or football, well football to most and soccer to some. He was talking about how he loved when the music came on and how the songs really got him pumped and Musa could appreciate that. Their talk though had been stopped by Brandon's loud voice, and it was surprise that no matter how he yelled Shin ever raised his own voice. When Brandon had shoved the water warrior Musa had cut in, with Ryo at her side. She felt guilty because of the sneered comment Brandon gave before Sky and him walked away with some other specialists. He mocked Shin for her coming to his defense, and she hated him for it.

Musa hated that she felt guilty, hated that it was seen as a weakness, and most of all hated that Shin wouldn't just deck the assholes! With a frustrated sigh she picked up a pebble and threw it across the surface of Lake Roccaluce. She watched it skip over the surface four times before it disappeared below the water. She moved closer to the edge and conjured a flute. Sitting down on the grass Musa started to softly play creating a sweet and fast paced tune. She shut her eyes and let her fingers move, and focused on the sound and on her breath. She finished the piece her eyes still closed until a soft thud sounded next to her. Musa looked first to her left and blinked in confusion at the water darken pebble now resting on the grass. Picking it up she looked back towards the lake and saw Shin walking up from the water. He paused to pick up his shirt and a towel before continuing towards her.

"Shin? What are you doing! It's fall and too cold to be swimming!" Musa objected and Shin just laughed. He toweled off his hair before sitting down next to Musa with a smile on his face. He set his shirt down and leaned back on his hands seeming to be perfectly fine with the goose bumps that were raising up on his skin. Staring at him now, knowing what he'd gone through Musa couldn't help but notice the faint scars on his body. When she'd seen him the first time without his shirt she didn't think much about it but now. She couldn't help but notice each jagged and smooth scar. The one's on his sides and front, and the circular ones around his wrist. The more she stared the more she couldn't help but notice how the drops of water rolled down his skin, tracing the definition of his muscles. She wanted to touch, and test how firm his chest and abdomen were. But when her gaze reached the top of his swim trunks Musa forced herself not to glance down. One of the problems with being single was that she found herself wondering about sex with other people now.

"Ryo would agree with you but I don't think it's cold at all." Shin commented as he looked over the lake. "But what are you doing all the way out here?" Shin asked turning his sea green eyes to Musa. Musa couldn't help but flush since she had been staring at him, and even slightly questioning what Shin would look like without any clothes, what he would be like as a lover.

"I uh, I just wanted to get away and have a moment of peace." Musa said placing the flute in her lap. Shin hummed at her response and was even starting to move.

"Well I can leave if you would like? I just came out this way to swim for a bit." He said and as he started to get up to leave Musa reached out and touched his hand.

"You can stay, I mean you, and our friends are fine I just wanted to be out and about without the specialist." Musa said elaborating on why she was here as Shin sat back down. "I mean how they are acting is infuriating! They can't just get away with it." Musa said with aggravation, and gesturing with her hands to vent her frustration but Shin just laughed. "How can you laugh, what they are doing is wrong!"

"Sorry." Shin smiled as he stifled his laughter. It amused him how animated and passionate Musa was.

"They've been going after you the most recently, I just don't' get why you're not mad." Musa huffed and placed her chin in her hand. She didn't bother to look over to Shin as he touched her shoulder.

"I'm sorry it has bothered you." Shin stated gently.

"Can't you just yell at them or do something to make them back off?" Musa asked glancing at Shin now.

"You mean like what Rajura and Anubis have done? Threatening them? Musa that's not me, and it isn't right." Shin stated.

"Just get mad at them! Or do something."

"I am mad, but just because I'm upset doesn't mean I'll throw away my principles and beliefs." Shin snapped his eyes stern nearly glaring before he relaxed and looked away. "Sorry Musa… I don't mean to be short with you. But I'm not going to give into them. I know it's what they want. It's why Shu and Ryo avoid them. Those men, Timothy, Helia, Sky, and especially Brandon want us to come at them. They want us to lose our head so they can continue to say that we are dangerous and shouldn't be here." Shin explained. "It does bother me that they've insulted my friends, pushed them around as much as myself but if I give in I've done more damage then good."

"Shin… I'm sorry. I didn't think about it like that." Musa apologized looking down to the ground. She didn't think about what defending themselves would cause around Alphea. That they could possibly do more harm, just to defend themselves.

"It's okay." Shin said as he wrapped an arm around her shoulders. Musa shivered at the coolness of his skin but let him leave his arm there. "Honestly I asked if there was a lake near by, somewhere I could go to feel at peace. The headmistress of the school cast some day spell that would allow me to come out here."

"So you're here avoiding them too?"

"Not avoiding, but yes I'm here because of them." Shin smiled and Musa offered the smile back. Her eyes drifted back to the scars and she touched Shin's wrist where she could see the scar most clearly.

"I'm sorry." Musa said softly one finger trailing over the slightly discolored and raised skin.

"It's not your fault."

"But they still bother you right?"

"The memories yes, but the scars themselves only ache if I think too much about the past." Shin took back his arm and looked over the scar on his wrist. He'd gotten these ones from thrashing too much, and trying to escape his bonds. Seiji had been there for one of the times these wounds started to bleed after they'd been tortured with lightning. Shin sighed and swallowed back the memories and trembling.

"I shouldn't have brought it up." Musa said after seeing how distant his gaze was.

"Hmm, oh no you're fine Musa. It's just a bad memory." Shin said clenching his fists. "It's also hazy at best, one of the first times I remember Seiji being in the cell with me. I was rather light headed and only vaguely remember talking with him. He told me later I had cut both my wrist so deep he'd been worried about blood lose and me dying chained up a few feet from him and he couldn't do anything about it." Shin stated and Musa felt her gut drop. She understood what Flora knew that she wasn't going to share with the rest of the winx. It was the torture Seiji went through it had to be.

"Did the dynasty give you those wounds then?" Musa asked but she wasn't sure she really wanted to know.

"Well not directly. When they would shock me they'd tighten my bindings so I wouldn't thrash so much, but it didn't stop me it just caused the metal to cut deeper. I also tried to free myself a few times, and even used the pain just to keep myself from losing my mind in that dark silence… It probably doesn't sound all that sane but I…" Shin stopped letting out a shaky breath.

"Shin I'm sorry I shouldn't have brought it up." Musa apologized with an embarrassed flush.

"Musa… If I didn't want to talk about it, then I would have told you so." Shin said with a soft but tired smile.

"Yeah but…" Musa wasn't sure how to tell him that seeing his reaction to talking about the past worried her. She knew nothing of torture but she did understand how something could still hurt you years later.

"Don't worry about it Musa." Shin smiled as he stood up setting the towel down. His gaze was fixed on the water and Musa was doing all she could not to look up. The temptation to look over all of him was to great to risk a glance.

"Are you heading back to Alfea?" Musa asked, still keeping her eyes away. After being in a relationship with Riven as long as she had Musa had explored a physical relationship, unlike Tecna and Flora who'd been a bit more shy on the topic. Shin was as toned as Riven but Musa wondered if his touch would be softer like his voice and personality. She had to stop thinking about this. She didn't want anything long term just a bit to make her feel good, and forget the heartache some more.

"Oh no, I was going to go back in the water…. Do you want to join me?" Shin asked his hand reaching out towards Musa.

"I don't have a bathing suit, and it's cold." Musa pointed out but she took his hand anyways. She let him help her up and let her hand linger over his for a moment. Her gaze was stuck once again on his scars wondering how she could have missed what they stood for back when they were on earth.

"You don't have to come with me." Shin chuckled but as the words left his mouth he felt Musa's hand tighten around his. Shin laughed as Musa held onto his hand as he walked towards the shoreline of the lake. Right as Shin was ankle deep Musa pulled back on him halting him for a moment.

"Wait I should transform so I can breath underwater too." Musa said but Shin shook his head.

"Musa let me show you what it's like for me. Can you trust me to keep you safe? Don't use any of your magic, just trust me." Shin smiled and Musa nodded. She was a little apprehensive as it would be her first time swimming in a long time without magic. No magic to make sure she could breath, or wouldn't be to cold when she got out. No magic at all… Thinking about such a statement Musa realized that maybe she'd been relying on magic to much recently.

"Okay, I trust you." Musa said and hesitantly stepped forward as Shin moved into the water more. As they walked Musa kicked off her shoes and socks so they at least would stay dry. She didn't even have a swimsuit on but she was letting Shin guide her waist deep into the cold water. Her jeans were quickly weighed down by the water, and yet the clothe floated only occasionally brushing her cold legs. She was shivering and already regretting this decision as the water reached her breast line. "Shin-"

"Come on Musa just a little further?" Shin interrupted her a smile on his face as he sunk lower into the water and she followed his lead. It was cold and he wasn't bothered by it at all… Was it really just the armor? As they were trending moving a bit further in Shin took her other hand with his.

"Ready?" He asked and Musa nodded. She took in a deep breath as he pulled her lower, under the surface of the water. Her dark hair fanned out around with no hair tie to keep it in place, it drifted freely in the water. Her eyes opened and stung for a moment but soon she was able to see through the clear water. Shin was in front of her, effortlessly floating with an easy smile on his lips. His fingers laced with hers as he started to swim further down bringing her with him. The shy fish, and other marine life of the lake had all come out, watching them. Some even coming so close that they brushed against Shin and her. It was so weird since Musa had never seen this happen before, but it was because of Shin. The creatures were coming out and investigating Shin, like they knew he was trustworthy.

It wasn't until a bit of kelp slipped under her bellowed jeans that Musa realised how deep they were. Musa turned her gaze up and started trying to swim upwards but Shin caught her hand again. She looked at him, watching the kanji on his forehead flare to life lighting up with a crystal light blue. Within a moment the currents of the water shifted bowing away from the two of them. She watched in amazement at what Shin was doing without his armor. How could he not have magic when the water moved just how he wished it to, leaving the two of them in a bubble of air, and Musa noticed she was standing on the water rather than sand. Water dripped steadily from her hair and clothes, while little droplets ran down her skin. Shin however seemed to be perfectly dry.

She reached out to touch him but with a mischievous smile he pulled out of the protective barrier and was once more floating in the water. Musa couldn't help but smile as he floated watching her. Her dark blue eyes followed Shin as he moved around the barrier he'd created for her. Everything was so peaceful down here, and Musa was starting to understand what he meant by see what I see. The serenity, and the peace that was here right now as the light from the sun glittered down from the surface. Not an ounce of magic just pure nature cool and peaceful. It was beautiful. Flora, and Aisha would have loved this.

"Is this what you see every time?" Musa asked pressing her hand to the barrier. It was cool and wet, but when Shin pressed his hand over hers she could feel his callous hand, like there was nothing between them. His fingers pressed on the barrier breaking through before he gently pulled on her hand, his head nodding for her to come join him again. Musa took a deep breath and as she went to step out of the barrier it collapsed the pressure catching her off guard. The rush of water pressing every way that it couldn't before nearly dragged her around like a doll. She had clung to Shin and he pulled her in close. Her hand was resting on his shaking shoulders and she realized he was laughing at her. Musa turned her gaze from where the barrier had been to Shin and the smile on his face, indicated the sudden collapse might have been his doing. He was playing around with her, and it was actually really nice. Musa couldn't think of a time that Riven goofed around with her, well unless you counted him showing off on a hoverbike with her.

Shin was more aware now of Musa's touch, because of how nervous he was. He found himself thinking of Musa a lot, which provided Shu with plenty to tease him about. Now here in his domain with her in his arms, floating freely away from everything but peace. Her eyes were off to the side like she was nervous about looking at him. Her dark blue hair was wispy around her, in a black cloud contrasting her pale skin. There was a part of him that knew better, but he'd never been drawn to someone as much as Musa. He reached out brushed Musa's wafting hair away from her face, while he placed a quick and chaste kiss on her cheek. Shin wasn't at all surprised by how soft Musa's skin was yet he still could feel a flush on his face as Musa turned her gaze back to him. He didn't give her a moment to pull away not yet, and instead pulled her close bringing her back to the surface of the water.

Musa gasped as they both broke the surface, her hair clinging to her skin. She was in complete shock. Shin had kissed her. As she cleared her hair away from her eyes to look at the ronin warrior of water, she saw the flush on his cheeks, the look on his face that screamed he wasn't sure if he'd gone too far. Too far? It had been a kiss on the cheek! Musa didn't know if she was mad, happy, annoyed, or giddy with surprise. Still it was only fair to repay the shock right. Musa wasn't sure if it was because she did want Shin too, or if it was out of getting him back but she grabbed his shoulder and kissed his lips quickly before making a dash for the shore line. Musa laughed like it was all a game but she was thinking about how warm Shin's lips had been.

Musa trudged as quickly as she could, shivering the whole way as she reached knee deep water. Water was pouring off her clothes, and hair dragging her down even slower. She looked over her shoulder but didn't see Shin. She grinned even more and hurried to get out of the lake. Musa had barely made it two steps before she shrieked at something, or one, grabbing her hand and pulling her down in the shallow water. The water splashed as she ended up falling. The sounds of Shin's laughter and her own mixed with the sloshing of water as she splashed him for his devious trick. As their laughter died down Musa and Shin found that they were both staring at the other.

Acting on the moment, and a shaking bravery Shin reached out once more cupping Musa's face and this time pressed his lips to hers. He wasn't as shy as the first time but he still held back, worried about hurting Musa, or betraying the trust he'd built. The worry and fear drifted away like the roll of the waves when Musa's arms wrapped around his neck. Their tongues brushed together in a brief moment of intimacy, exploring just how far this moment would go. As the kiss broke reality crashed in for Musa. The tenderness, and gentle nature that Shin showed, she… She wasn't ready for yet.

"I… I got to go. See you around Shin." Musa muttered not even sparing him a glance as she hurried from the water grabbing her shoes and socks. She had been pulled in so easily by him, left reeling and breathless. "I'm sorry Shin." Musa whispered as she threw on her sneakers and started to run back towards Alfea.

Shin sighed as he watched Musa leave. He didn't run after her, even though part of him wanted to. He wanted to assure her that he hadn't meant to upset her, but he also knew he should give her some space. Shin stopped only to grabbed his shirt and towel before heading back to the school himself. Yet as he licked his lips he could still taste the sweetness of Musa's kiss.