AN: Thanks for all the reviews, this has been a challenge for me to write but I'm enjoying it. I'm still suprised by the number. There will be two more chapters after this. The next one will be a lime or lemon and the last one will have much action and drama plus a little romance. There may be an epilouge too. The one quote I used in here is from the movie As Good As It Gets. That line is bolded. So naturally I didn't not write that line but used it in this fan fic.

Mugen had gotten away with his crime up to now. Fuu had not yet asked him where he spent the night. That was just how things were between the two of them – an unspoken agreement: Ask no questions and tell no lies. Neither Fuu nor Mugen had expectation monogamy, although more often then not it was Mugen who would see other women. Fuu just wasn't the type of girl to sleep around.

Mugen pretended that he never heard her question. A few days had passed since he had stayed out all night and things were back to normal. Fuu hadn't spent any time in Jin's bed and he had kept her up the past two nights.

"Mugen!" Fuu shouted this time, "I gave you my money to carry on the way here. I need it back."

"Huh? What money?" Mugen tried to play dumb.

Jin sat at the table with Mugen trying not to grin. He enjoyed every moment watching his old rival get in trouble with Fuu. "Fuu's money." Jin commented.

Mugen could have hit Jin. He didn't care if the samurai was sick or not. "Oh, that money…"

Fuu walked up to Mugen holding two large squash. "Do you have it?"

"Well, not exactly. Don't worry, Fuu, I'm going to pay you back. Just give me a few days." Mugen mumbled.

"What?" Fuu hit him hard with the squash.

"Ouch!" Mugen hollered.

"What did you spend it on?" Fuu asked.

"Well..." Mugen replied. He glared at Jin when he heard him snicker.

"You spent it on saki didn't you?" Fuu asked him.

Mugen shook his head no and took a drink from his cup of water.

"Gambling? You gambled with my money?" Fuu demanded from him.

"Hell no. What do you think I am, stupid?" Mugen answered her. The look in her eyes was scaring him. She wouldn't guess what he had really spent the money on or would she?

"You wouldn't have would you? But you did, I can tell by the look in your eyes! You-you-you absolute horror of a human being! You spent my money at a brothel!"

Mugen couldn't lie to her, not Fuu. It was just how things were between the two of them. He shrugged is shoulders as if it didn't matter. "Wait a minute Fuu, it's not what you think. I only meant to spend a little bit but I was---"

Fuu threw a squash at his head and it exploded. Mugen put his arm up to defend himself against Fuu's punches. The girl was so mad her face was turning red. He wouldn't strike her to defend himself, not Fuu. Jin watched the whole exchange with an amused look on his face. After a few minutes of Mugen's beating, Jin got up and pulled Fuu away. She had succeeded in giving Mugen at least one black eye.

Jin led Fuu outside and let her go of her arm. "You do know he can't help it."

"Help what, Jin?"

"Being an ass." He replied.

Fuu grinned in spite of the fact she wanted to murder Mugen. "I don't care what Mugen does, but it was my money. Now I don't have any money and I wanted to go to the market."

"I have enough, Fuu, to buy food and supplies. If you need anything, I could lend you some. Then Mugen can pay me back." Jin couldn't get over how beautiful Fuu had gotten since he saw her last. He wanted to kill Mugen for treating Fuu this way. Bastard only thinks of himself.

"But I don't want to take your money, Jin. Then, you won't have enough." Fuu said.

"It's okay, I received an inheritance five years ago along with this house." I don't have enough time left to spend it myself, he thought.

Fuu smiled, wrapped her arms around Jin's neck and gave him a huge bear hug. "Thank you, Jin. I-I-I." There was an awkward moment when Fuu stared into his eyes. That look, she thought. Fuu had not seen it very often in her life but there was no mistaking it. This was the look that two people gave each other right before they kissed. She got nervous and started to move away from Jin. Fuu wanted this moment to happen but she was scared.

Jin pulled her close to him. He didn't have much time left and he had already wasted too many years. He kissed Fuu softly on lips. He had forgotten how good a kiss felt and how alive lust made him feel. The kiss turned from sweet and gentle to hard and passionate after a few moments. Her lips were so soft and she tasted so sweet. He wanted the moment to last all night. Her body felt so soft, warm, and wonderful next to his.

"Damn, Jin. You don't look like you're very sick to me." Mugen said, his voice dripping with bitterness.

Fuu and Jin stopped kissing and stared at him. How long has he been watching us? Fuu wondered to herself. "That's not anything to kid about."

"Who's kidding?" Mugen asked. He glared at Jin. "Well don't stop on my account. I told you - there's nothing between her and me. She's just the same girl she was on our journey: A flat-chested pain in the ass."

Fuu glared at Mugen. Jin is right, he is an ass, she mused. She started to walk inside but didn't like the look between the two men. Fuu could feel the tension, the hatred, the malice in the air. "Mugen, I think you should go into town to look for a job." Fuu said as she tried to pull Jin back inside the house.

This is not the time for our duel, Mugen thought. He turned and walked away. "Maybe. After I eat I'll go into the village."

Jin's heated glared followed him into the house. It had been so long since he had felt anger at anything else besides his fate. He missed dueling with his sword more than sex. Jin grinned knowing he would get a taste of both soon. Both feelings excited him. Jin had merely existed for so long that he had forgotten what it was like to be truly alive. And it was incredible.

Mugen did as Fuu had requested but his motives were not honorable. He wanted to make sure she slept with him tonight, not the uptight samurai. After what he saw today, Mugen did not want to be forced to listen to their grunts and moans. If anyone was going to make Fuu moan, it would be him.

Mugen couldn't believe his luck when the old man asked him if he was looking for work. Finally, something is going right, he thought. The old man needed someone to split firewood. How much easier could that be? Then, Fuu would be happy and sleeping with him tonight. Things would be as they should. Mugen grinned just thinking about it. They hadn't been together since they left Fuu's house. Damn, it's been over a whole damn week, Mugen realized. He had always seen her at least once a week since they started sleeping together. Tonight things would be back to normal.

The job was harder then he expected it to be. Mugen worked all day in the hot sun chopping firewood. The man's house was across the street from a teahouse. Mugen watched all day long as the pretty ladies and young men as they went into the teahouse. Some of the men left so drunk they could barely walk. Damn, what I wouldn't give for a drink, he thought. Mugen worked until the sun set and hoped he never saw another piece of firewood as long as he lived.

The old man brought Mugen a cup of sake. It was cheap and tasted like shit but Mugen didn't complain and drank it quickly. Damn, I'm still thirsty. The old man gave him his payment, 5 ryo. It wasn't as much as he expected but it would have to do.

Mugen looked at the teahouse as he left the old man's home. He was so exhausted and sore from working all day that he decided to go in. What harm could a few drinks do? Besides he earned the right to at least one cup of sake. Mugen ignored the warnings going off inside his head, telling him to go straight home. Even as he walked in the door, Mugen knew that it was a mistake. But, screwing up was like second nature to him and he did it so well.

Every single time Fuu walked past Jin in the course of her day she felt it. Tension. She wanted to talk to him, say something – anything to break it, but all she thought about when she looked at him, was that kiss. And thinking about it made her blush. Fuu was so confused about her feelings that she didn't know what to do. She felt like she was in the middle of some torrid book.

Fuu knew that she wanted him in all the right way but…there was Mugen. She certainly was not going to be both men's lover at the same time. And she had a feeling Mugen wouldn't take it well if she chose Jin. If she followed her heart though…Jin was the only choice that she could possibly make. Fuu asked herself why had she been avoiding him for most of the day?

Fuu decided that she was just a little bit nervous. It felt so weird to be alone with him. Mugen still wasn't back, so it was just the two of them in the house. She certainly wasn't ready to do anything with him now. At lunchtime, she made some rice and vegetables, enough for three. She wondered where Mugen was, not because she wanted him home. As mad as she was, Fuu didn't care if he stayed away for a whole week. Still, she was worried about him. Fuu cared for him as a friend. No matter who she ended up with she would always care for the other. The bond that was formed on their journey ten years ago would never break. They had simply been through too much together.

Jin sat down at the table. As usual, he did not say much but his eyes stayed on Fuu the whole time. Fuu rambled on about the vegetables, cooking, and rice. Jin nodded and smiled politely but kept on looking at her. When they were done eating, he excused himself from the table and told Fuu he was going for a walk.

"Jin! How are you feeling? You seem to be eating better." Fuu blurted out. She wanted him to ask her to join him.

"I'm feeling better then I was a few weeks ago." Jin explained to her and continued to walk away.

"Jin..." Fuu's voice trailed off. There was so much that she wanted to say but how could she begin?

Jin turned his head and stared into her eyes intensely. "Yes, Fuu?"

The look was too much for Fuu in her current state. "Never mind. Err, I mean, I'm going to make some tea. Would you like a cup when you get back?" She smiled nervously.

Jin nodded his head walked away. Fuu wasn't sure but she thought she saw a very slight smile on his lips. What am I going to do? Fuu wondered to herself. Mugen would want her to do things with him tonight but she just couldn't, not after that kiss.

Mugen made a promise to himself that he wouldn't pick up any other women that night. After what happened he didn't trust them anymore. No, he would have a few more drinks and leave. Maybe if he gave Fuu some money she would forgive him and things between them would be back to normal; whatever that was.

Unfortunately "a few drinks" was not something that Mugen knew the definition of. He had spent half of the money before he realized it. "Damn, she'll never forgive me." He said out loud to no one in particular.

"Do you have women problems? Why not just buy a woman?" A young man sat down next to Mugen.

Mugen laughed at him. "Buy? You couldn't buy this girl. She's different."

The young man filled Mugen's cup with sake from his bottle. "What did you do?"

"What didn't I do? Spent some money I shouldn't have. I got a job today but damn near half my money is gone."

"Well then, I've got your answer to your problem." The man winked at Mugen.

Mugen started to get up. Is this guy trying to buy me? He wondered to himself. "Listen, I don't know what kind of stuff you're into but I'm not. I don't have those kind of tastes."

The man started laughing. "No, no, no, you misunderstood me. I'm not trying to buy sex from you, although if I was looking for a man, you're not bad."

Mugen looked at him cautiously as he sat back down. This guy was just plain weird.

"Listen, I don't even know you."

"Well, let's fix that right now. My name is Saske Yimata. You don't need to trust me. I just wanted to let you in on something."

Mugen sipped his sake and studied Saske. He still didn't know if he should trust him or beat him up. "Okay, tell me and you better not be trying to rip me off or I'll have to kill you. Today has not gone well." Mugen glared at him, just so he would know how serious he was.

Saske gulped as he continued to speak, "Well, it is nothing really. It's just some friends of mine are playing in a Go tournament. If you know how to play, you could win some serious money. That's all, then you could pay back your girl more money then you took. Would she forgive you then?"

Mugen considered Saske's statement. Fuu would be surprised if he brought back twice the amount of money he had taken. He grinned at Saske. "Well, first of all she's not my girl. Now, where is this game?" Mugen rubbed the whiskers trying to decide.

"It's up to you but if you decide to do it, the game is in the back. Just give them my name and they'll let you play. It's a private game." Saske got up and walked to another table and sat down with a few men, leaving Mugen alone to make his decision.

Jin couldn't help but grin as he walked towards a wooded area behind his home. He hadn't felt this way for so long. Shino had been the last one to make him feel so alive. Jin felt bad leaving Fuu alone – she looked so disappointed when he left. But, she wouldn't approve of what he was going to do. Jin was sure she would have told him he was too sick. He was so tired of being treated like a child. His mind was made up and no one, not Fuu, nor Mugen, would change it. Jin was born a samurai and he would die one. First, he needed to practice, for it had been too long since he had held a sword in his hand. Then, he would search for an opponent, someone whose skills matched his own.

As Jin swung his sword, he could feel his strength return to him. He knew now why he had felt so weak before Fuu and Mugen arrived. The sword was his purpose, his meaning, his soul. When he had first gotten sick, the doctor told him to give up his sword to save his strength. Jin had foolishly listened believing the doctor knew best. The doctor could not have known that Jin's sword gave him strength. Even if my sword pushes me closer to death, it is a price I'm willing to pay, Jin thought as he moved his sword through the air to strike invisible opponents.

Although he was out of breath and felt weak, Jin pushed his body to its limits for hours. Success did not come to the weak or lazy and he would be neither. Jin did not rest until his muscles were unable to move and he could barely breathe. Jin felt truly exhilarated from his workout. Never before had pain felt so wonderful.

After he caught his breath, Jin walked down to a stream to get a drink. He laid under a tree and rested. It had been months since he had felt this good. He no longer felt weak and useless. His life had meaning and purpose now. And it wasn't only his decision to pick up his sword. There was Fuu now. Although he liked to think he was above such feelings, Jin could not deny that he liked Fuu picking him over Mugen. Or maybe it was the fact that Mugen would not be happy. Of course it was so much more to it then that. He cared for Fuu, desired her and wanted her to be happy too. She deserved more then what Mugen was willing to give. For the time that he had left on this earth, Jin would make it his duty to give her what she truly deserved.

"So do you want to play another game or have you had enough?" His opponent asked him.

Mugen stared at the Go board in disbelief. He had just lost yet another game. Mugen pulled the remaining money from his pocket. No, that can't be right. He only had three shu.

"Well, c'mon? We have others who want to play. Are you in or not?" The man running the games asked him.

Mugen decided to do right thing for a change. "Nah, no more money. I'm out of here." He walked away from the game knowing that he was disappointing her once again. Weird, he thought, disappointing her bothers me more then knowing I'm not getting laid tonight.

He didn't make home until well after midnight. Mugen fully expected to walk in to the house and hear the sounds of sex coming from Jin's room. Instead he was pleasantly surprised. The only sound he heard was that of Fuu's snoring. She was not in bed with Jin but sleeping alone in the main room. Somehow knowing that the samurai wasn't getting any tonight either made the idea of sleeping alone easier to take.