Fuu woke up, blinking. The rice paper frame on the window hadn't gotten closed all the way, and the new morning sun was streaming in on her face. She closed her eyes, feeling the warmth and enjoying it. Up until yesterday, it had been raining for weeks. Summer was starting, and with it, the reminder of the trip she had made with Mugen and Jin. That had been her summer for change. Well, she thought, I guess this summer is a summer of change too. It's definitely not what I had imagined my summer would be like, but... She rolled over, grabbing the blanket with her. The air was still a little chilly, but it was warming up fast. Yep, he was still here with her. She had been half-afraid that he would freak out again. She still wondered what that was all about. It's not like they hadn't slept in the same room before. She smiled at him. He always slept with his guard completely let down. He was laying on his back with his chest and stomach totally exposed, arms and legs spread wide. He was also snoring like some kind of animal. She sat up, pushing one of his arms off of her, and wrapping herself in the blanket. She saw him shiver in his sleep, then he mumbled something and scratched his head. Geez, he's even nonchalant about being naked and cold in his sleep. She released the blanket from around her body and covered him up. He grunted like a pig after its discovered a new mud hole and rolled on his side. She watched him as he bunched the blanket up in his fists, like he was having to fight someone for the warmth it gave. He's had to fight for everything his whole life. Even this blanket is like a luxury to him. Poor Mugen. She smiled at him and noticed that he looked like a child when he slept. She stayed in bed for awhile, watching his dark eyelashes as they fluttered against his tanned skin. He muttered incoherent words, but as she kept listening, some of them started to make sense. The only thing that was really discernable was the cursing, though. His brow furrowed, and he started getting angry in his sleep. She reached a hand out and slowly stroked his hair, feeling like a mother. He grew quiet and relaxed so much that he started to drool. She wrinkled her nose and stood up. I guess I should make him something to eat. He's probably going to be starving. I wonder how long it's been since he's eaten? Then she remembered something. The gold that he had offered Genji. Where in world had he gotten it? He couldn't have come by it honestly. He probably hadn't done an honest day's worth of work in his whole life. He should try working at the bar like me. Nah, he would probably drink all the merchandise and start hitting on all the girls. In fact, I don't really know of anywhere that he could work without getting into trouble. What is he...twenty-five now? You'd think he'd be able to control himself by now. I guess he'll always be an animal. Oh well. She sighed as she uncovered the fire in the pit. I can't really think too much about what I've gotten myself involved in. There has to be a way I can help him out. She remembered his words last night about needing her. She never thought he would say something like that. He hadn't even drank anything last night. The one glass of sake he had, he'd spit out. I wonder what that was about? Did he actually want to be a better person? The more she thought about it, the more she knew that he would at least want to try. He wasn't a horrible person, she knew that. She was certain that if someone was being tortured, he wouldn't ignore it. He had helped her, and so had Jin. They really were good men. It was just hard to tell unless you knew them well enough. At least, she thought so. Maybe I'm just naive. She frowned to herself. Then she remembered the night before.

It had been...different than she had thought. It was different in a good way though. She had always expected Mugen to go all crazy and dominant on her if they ever got together. But he had been so nice... She recalled his raspy whisper in the dark. 'I'm not hurting you, am I? We can stop if you really want to...' She had just shook her head. He hadn't hurt her, not very much. But she kept thinking that it was so unreal, like this wasn't really happening. This was Mugen. Mugen's body, his voice, his warmth, his scent (thankfully still clean) and his kiss. She had felt the rough hairs on his face when his lips touched her, and it just served to put everything into further perspective. She had never felt anything so real in her whole young life. She knew that she would never forget it, and if they were together like that any other time after this, it would never be the same as this first time was.

Afterward, they had lain together quietly, Mugen with his head on her chest, breathing softly. She stroked his soft hair, thinking he was asleep. Then she heard his voice in the dark.

"Hey." It whispered.

"Yeah?" She was almost asleep herself, so she mumbled the words. He pulled himself up and looked at her closely.

"What is it, Mugen?"

"Are your ears pierced?"

"What? What kind of a question is that?"

"I just wanna know. Are they or not?" She couldn't see his face too well, but his voice was getting impatient. She might as well humor him.

"Yeah, what about it?" She answered, a bit too harshly. She had been tired, and she wanted to go back to sleep. He didn't answer for a second, but she could feel him fidgeting with something. He sort of grunted like he has pulling on something, and then he found her hand with his. She felt something drop into it. It was smooth and hard, like some kind of stone. She couldn't really figure it out. When she didn't say anything, he spoke up.

"It's my earring, dumb broad." He said this softly and sort of laughed in his throat as he said it.

"Mugen...You're giving this to me? I can't..."

"Just shut up and put it in your right ear."

"My right ear? Why does it matter which one?"

"Quit yackin' and just..." He sighed, and his voice was almost a whisper.

"I'm right-handed, get it?" Fuu just shook her head.

"Aw forget it. I'm tired..." He turned over and fumbled with the covers for awhile, but she could tell that he hadn't fallen asleep yet. She tried to think about why it would matter if he was right-handed or not, and then she remembered... His sword. He fought right-handed, and he had given her the right earring. This must mean he wants to protect me...At least, I think that's what he meant by it. I didn't really know he thought too deeply about these things. She scooted closer to him, smiling in the dark. She shook his shoulder gently.

"Eh?" His voice was thick, like he had been on the edge of sleep.

"Thank you, Mugen. I get it now. Your sword arm..."

"Yeah. Took you long enough, stupid." She put her arms around his waist and lay her head on his back.

"Shut up..." She said gently, and she remembered that she had fallen asleep like that. It would have been perfect if he hadn't woken up near dawn, all panicked and nightmare-stricken.

Now she glanced over at him as she made the morning tea. Every once in awhile he would twitch and groan like the shadows of night were coming back. There was a part of her that just wanted to take his slender body in her arms and hold him forever. He was like a dried up plant that she so desperately wanted to water. But too much water would drown him, so she had to be careful.

When she finished the tea and was starting on some rice, she heard him rustling around. He sat up, eyes half-lidded and running a hand through his tangled hair. He blinked, trying to get his bearings. He looked at her, and his eyes widened for a second or two. Then he smiled.

"Damn. I almost forgot…and I didn't recognize you." His dark eyes shifted slightly and focused on the jade stone hanging from her ear. She watched as he almost seemed to blush, but then shook his head like he was clearing it.

"Man, I don't remember the last time I slept so good."

"That was a good night for you? You woke up in the middle of it freaking out and trying to run for the door!" She walked towards him with a cup of tea, and he took it, frowning into the dark liquid.

"Oh yeah…" He looked up at her. "Well if you like having me around then you better get used to that. I've never really done well inside four walls. I guess it's kinda like caging the beast." Fuu laughed.

"A beast, huh? I always thought you were kind of like an animal. That's why I was a little nervous to be with you."

"Hey, you don't have to worry about it. I've never been scary with the ladies."

"Except when you fight one, right?"

"I don't really…except that one time with…" Fuu's thoughts connected with his.

"Sara?" Mugen nodded, his eyes blank. Fuu moved closer to him. She tried to sound extra understanding, like she wasn't jealous at all, but deep down, she was. A little, anyway. Sara was dead now, so it didn't really matter, did it?

"You liked her, didn't you? You seem to like a little bit of mystery in girls. Funny that you're with me now. I have about as much mystery as a…a…mushroom…" Mugen laughed at her.

"Is that the best you can come up with? A mushroom? Mushrooms have a ton of mystery, if you don't know what kind to look for. And anyway, I thought Sara was alright, but she kinda scared the crap out of me. You never saw the way she could fight. I've never seen anything like it. Not even from a man. But she really wasn't my type. I don't like to feel like the girl's gonna kick my ass, even though I act like it…"

"Well, you don't have to worry about me bringing you to your knees…"

"Hey, I didn't say anything about that. That might not be too bad…"

"Mugen, you really are a pervert." She rolled her eyes at him. He just grinned.

"Yeah, I know…" He stared at her with a strange look on her face, and then he suddenly remembered something.

"Hey, did you say that Jin lived around here? Why would he be in Edo?" Fuu closed her eyes, gathering her thoughts.

"Well, it's a little complicated. See, Jin did meet Shino here, and they would probably be somewhere else by now if it wasn't for her husband…"

"Wha? Shino's still married?" Fuu nodded.

"By law she can't really get out of it, although Jin is trying to find a way. They do have a kid together. But they aren't legal yet." Mugen scratched his head, irritably.

"Who cares about legal crap. If they wanna be together, then they should just be together, and let the government rot." Fuu smiled.

"Yeah, I kind of thought the same thing, but you know how traditional Jin can be."

"Sort of like an old man sometimes. So…is he around? I wouldn't mind seeing him again…it's been awhile."

"Yep, he's around. Like I said, they live a few houses down from me. They were going to live somewhere else, but Hanjiro (that's Shino's husband) is still around here, and Jin's sort of protecting Shino. He's not really very scary, but I don't know, they might be staying here for other reasons too." She realized that as she was talking, Mugen was inhaling the rice she had made for him. He must really wanna see Jin. I don't blame him, I guess. The did get kind of close while we traveled. She finished her rice while Mugen threw the rest of his clothes on. They were out the door and down the street before she could even think of making herself presentable.