Wow, its getting harder and harder to keep myself from starting on the sequel to this fic. Its not even so much of a sequel as it is a continuation and final completion of The Electra Complex, because I just don't think TEC is fully complete(even w its own ending) until the end of the sequel which I'm really getting into and I think the fans of this fic will possibly love the continuation more than TEC.
And u kno wut I found weird? I always have exactly 10 more reviews on than I do on Like always exactly 10. I just thought that was kinda bizarre. But I thank everybody for reviewing and encourage ppl 2 do it more. I mean really, why would authors ever submit their fics to fiction sites other than 2 get reviews? Cuz ya notice how authors who get none, stop writing the story a lot of the times. I like 2 think its not so much us fishing for compliments, as it is we just gotta make sure u guys r still reading this crap and paying attention and we're not just typing out our asses for no good reason.
Much luv
The Deni Pie
----------------------------------------------
T h e E l e c t r a C o m p l e x
----------------------------------------------
In the pretend world
We all are very
awake
In the pretend world
We all look sterile and fake
In
this atmosphere
We all could chatter for days
In the pretend
world
We never admit our mistakes
But in the real
world
Were hiding alone and ashamed
And we cant live
while
Because were addicted to pain
You see I cannot feel
this
No matter how you try
In the real world
We cant
deny
In the pretend world
We gaze into empty eyes
We
have to amuse ourselves
With adultery tales and white lies
But
in the real world
Where fools tormented for sport
We just
stitch up our mouths
So we cant admit or retort
You see
I cannot say this
Please don't ask me why
In the real world
We
cant deny
You see I cannot feel this
No matter how you
try
In the real world
We cant deny
You see I cannot say
this
Please don't ask me why
In the real world
We cant
deny
In my pretend world
We all are very awake
In this
atmosphere
We all look starstruck and vague
You see I never
loved you
No matter how you tried
In the real world
There's
no goodbye
'In a Pretend World' – Scarling
----------------------------------------------
This was it. Fuu's breath caught in her throat, all the things she thought she would feel when this time came were in a state of suspended animation. Inhaling deeply she began to approach the man on the hill meditating besides a traditional looking house. He was just as she remembered. Raven hair swept up and tied back, shining like liquid ebony, fair skin covered in customary samurai garb, powerful, broad shoulders melting into the strong arms that once held her so closely. She moved closer until her shadow blocked the sunrays cascading on his face. "K-Kasumi Seizou?" Her voice came out hoarse and childish, making her clear her throat in embarrassment.
The man opened his eyes revealing a pair of majestically dark orbs looking up at her expectantly. "Yes?" He said standing up, the very height of him looming over her as it did when she was a child.
Fuu searched those onyx eyes, scanning for any traces of recognition or remembrance. Her fingers curled into angry fists when she found none. "You don't even recognize me do you, you creep?" She hissed.
He seemed noticeably taken aback by her sudden outburst, quickly regaining himself before addressing her. "I am sorry, you must have me mistaken for someone else."
"Its me! Fuu! I'm not mistaken!" She lashed out, her fists clenching and unclenching with the ever-increasing temptation to find a more violent outlet for her anger.
Looking her over he appeared to be patiently contemplating the best way to deal with her temper. "Gomen nasai, but I do not know you." He said.
"Don't say you don't know me, you jerk, I'm your daughter!" She shouted back. "You left me and my mother without even thinking of us! She's dead now! Did you know that? She's dead and you never knew! You never cared to know!" She screamed, tears coming into her eyes as she pummeled his chest.
Her attacks didn't look like they even fazed him. "You must have me mistaken for someone else." He repeated more firmly. "I do have a daughter, but she is only a little girl."
"Stop saying that!" She sobbed furiously. "Stop acting like you don't know me!"
The door behind him opened but Fuu couldn't see over him to who it was. "Tou-san?" A little voice came from within the doorway.
Fuu abruptly stopped pounding at him, it wasn't doing her any good either way. She sniffled and wiped her nose with her bruised fist. "You started a new family?" Her voice was high from screaming and crying. "My mother used to actually defend you to me when I'd badmouth you." She spat. "But I knew, I knew I was right about you all along."
The older man sighed, looking torn between simply removing her from his land and calmly explaining himself once more. "My condolences for your mother, and I am sorry I am not the man you are searching for; but I am not your father. My apologies, but I must ask you to leave, you are beginning to upset my family."
Her eyes went wide at his casual dismissal of her. Her heart felt like it had stopped beating in her chest when he turned away from her and went to the doorway, stooping down to pick up what looked like a small child. "I AM YOUR FAMILY!" She sobbed but it was as if he didn't hear her. "Don't ignore me!" She shouted, moving up to him only to bump into a wall of nothing. She made a surprised noise at what looked like an invisible wall all around her. Her fingers slid up the un-seeable barrier, settling on the image of her father with another young daughter in his arms. "Don't ignore me." She wept.
"Who was that, tou-san?" The little girl chirped, her back facing Fuu.
"It was no one, little one. Now perhaps you would like to go to market with me?" He suggested running his hand over his daughter's up-kept hair.
The child gasped with delight, eagerly fidgeting out of her father's arms until he settled her gently on the ground. "Can we go now?" She jumped with urgency.
It was then that Fuu got a good look at the little girl as she turned to pull anxiously at her father's hakama. Her tears stopped and her mouth dropped in a startled gasp. It was her.
The man grabbed the girl's hand, tucking his affectionately in his own. "Calm down, Fuu. Your mother might want to go as well."
Fuu awoke in a pool of sweat, bolting up, wheezing heavily and grasping her racing heart. She fought to quell her rapid pulse and heated panting. Her tongue felt dry and heavy in her mouth and she gulped to regain some moisture back to her throat. Slowly her nerves began to settle, her heart faded back into its own beat. She took a deep breath, wanting to push the horrible recent images out of her head.
"You done?"
Her body jumped at the sudden break from the night silence. She twisted to see an exhausted and irate Mugen sitting right next to her. "What?" She puffed.
"Yelling, rolling, moving in your sleep. Are you done? Just curious." He jeered sardonically, his eyes bloodshot from fatigue.
Her hand rose to wipe the sheen of sweat from her brow. "Oh, sorry." She apologized. Why was it so hot all of the sudden?
She lay back down in the grass, eyes on the open sky. The stars looked like they were panting from the heat too. The ruffling sound of shifting grass echoed in her ear as Mugen resumed his own spot on the ground. She tried to forget the dream and think of other things. Jin had once again taken up sleeping accommodations elsewhere but agreed to meet them in the morning. Fuu slid her hand under her neck, fishing out her hair from underneath it and splaying it out on the floor so it couldn't stick to her so irritatingly. Parting her under robes a bit more, she hoped for a cooler breeze to filter through soon. Glancing over at Mugen, she noticed he didn't seem bothered by the heat, or to notice it at all for that matter. Maybe it was just her.
It was as though the further her pregnancy progressed the more abnormal her behavior became. Now she was going through some sort of phase where every nerve in her body appeared to be hyper sensitive to the opposite sex. She wasn't sure whether it was because she was growing quiet self-conscious now that her stomach was ballooning out like crazy or because of her odd shift in hormones. Whatever it was, over the last month she'd been feeling rather…..flirty. The past few villages they'd gone through she'd been very conscious of the abundant male populaces of them. They didn't have to do much, she would simply spy a man or boy she'd taken notice of and the telltale warmth between her legs would automatically turn her into a blushing, giggling, bubbling love idiot.
It'd gotten so blatant that even Mugen had noticed and thoroughly railed at her for it. She'd once gotten desperate enough to let her head accidentally slip onto Jin's shoulder while they were eating. And Mugen bluntly threatened to put her on a leash if she didn't knock it off. It was all very frustrating, more so because no one really knew what was wrong with her or how to fix it. No woman ever mentioned this state of hypersexual sensitivity that accompanied expecting a child. Maybe she was the only one to go through this. Or perhaps it was all in her head and she was going insane.
The same hand that hand parted her robes ever so slightly was now tracing a little circle around her belly button. Could she even have sex anymore? She'd never heard of women or girls in her condition doing such things. Was it possible? Of course various pictures of such came to mind and did nothing to help the growing tingle in her groin. Somewhere down the line her fingers stopped drawing around her belly button and began snaking lower seemingly of their own accord. Just as they reached the place most yearning for touch she regained her head and jerked the mischievous appendage away as if she'd been burned. No! She couldn't do that now. Mugen was right ther-
Mugen was right there. At the mention of him her eyes glanced over at the dozing pirate. He lay on his side facing away from her, his head resting on one arm and the other bent in front of him. She wondered if he would……….No! Fuu yanked her head away, now trying to focus on a random tree. Or anything else that wasn't remotely arousing. There was no way she was starting that again. She remembered how spiteful he had become after they'd stopped sleeping together. She wasn't sure she could go through that all over again. All the hurtful jabs, the aggressive outbursts, the very viciousness he was capable of. It wasn't worth it.
It wasn't worth it to get rid of the insatiable need everything between her hips and knees was screaming at her. So what if she could finally have something sink into her eager heat, have something ram all her wantonness right out of her. Sure it would be positively mind blowing right about now to have rough hands grabbing and snatching at her willing body, to have a rock hard pelvis thrusting her into insanity. But it wasn't worth it. Not worth it one bit. And she would be an absolute moron to think all that nonsense would be worth it.
Fortunately, it just so happened that Fuu's current condition had her in a very moronic kind of mood. Which was why she decided it would be ok to get up and crawl over to him. Because it was her hormones making her do this. Not her.
The grass tickled her knees through her nightclothes as she made her way over to Mugen. Her body froze in hesitation when he was near enough for her to touch. What was she supposed to say?……….what was she thinking? Who in the world would ever have to coerce Mugen into bed? Rolling her eyes at herself she raised a hand to his shoulder but paused at another doubt. Looking down at herself the only thing she could see of herself was her bulging torso. She squirmed unsurely, what if men weren't attracted to women when they were like this? She certainly didn't feel very appealing.
Of course Mugen had never been very picky before. But it couldn't hurt to help her cause a little, she thought, opening her robe a bit more, carefully sliding one edge down her shoulder. With new confidence in her feminine wiles she shook her head clear of her insecurities and she leaned over him, placing one hand in front of him and one at his back to keep her balance. Tucking a stray tassel of hair behind her ear she reached down to whisper to him.
"What the hell are you doing?"
Fuu recoiled in shock as he grumbled at her, eyes still closed and everything about him still looking quite asleep. Her jaw worked for some sort of answer that wouldn't have him mercilessly making fun of her. Unfortunately, there weren't many.
When she didn't respond he lazily slid one eye open, raising an eyebrow at her suggestive clothing arrangement. Was she doing what he thought she was doing? She definitely looked like she was doing what he thought she was doing.
Before he could get the chance to poke fun at her own lapse in judgment she glared at him, taking fistfuls of his haori and yanking him on top of her.
Mugen let himself be pulled before coming to hover above her, resting his weight on all fours. Her robe had slipped down a bit more in their tussling and now revealed more of her newly plump and ripened breasts. His lips twisted into the cocky grin he knew she would personally decapitate her own left leg just to smack off. "You know, I don't think I'm really in the mood tonight." He sniggered, though it was probably hard to take his announcement seriously when his eyes were practically stapled to her chest.
The kink in her jaw was finally popped from falling open so suddenly when she gaped at him. He didn't actually think she was going to beg him, did he? This was beyond unfair! He had the luxury of going to a bordello or picking up the occasional floozy! Whereas she had to take what was available to her because of her current state! Which he put her in! "You're not serious." She deadpanned.
"Like a heart attack." He replied with that same lascivious smirk.
She made a noise of disgust, placing her hands on his chest and shoving him away from her. No amount of pleasure was worth crawling in the dirt for. Especially not in front of him. "Forget it, I changed my mind." She spat, clambering out from under him. She didn't get very far before a familiar set of calloused fingers wrapped themselves around her ankle and dragged her back under him
"Then again," he continued, grabbing her shoulder and pushing her onto her back, "you did wake me up. I think its only fair that you help get me back to sleep." He leered huskily, quickly shrugging out of his haori and undershirt.
Well, it wasn't exactly the retracting statement she wanted to hear, but at least he didn't expect her to coax and plead him into intercourse. And she supposed she could compromise a few of her morals. His hands tugged at the sash to her yukata, fingers slipping between the folds and going straight for the nearest patch of skin. Suddenly it was like her body finally let go of the breath she didn't even know it had been holding.
All at once his hands where everywhere, covering everything, and she swooned at the sensations. He was touching her like it was his last day alive, fingertips searing her sensitive skin, grabbing, claiming, clutching until she couldn't see straight anymore. It was as if her skin was drinking in everything it was neglected. She cringed when we went for her breasts, now too tender to handle so roughly. "Careful." She whimpered, covering his hands with her own, molding and moving them like a puppet master to marionettes; showing him what she could take and what felt the best. He seemed to catch on quickly and she sighed with the careful massage and caresses, nodding her encouragement.
Mugen watched her face, her eyes were closed but now he was sure it wasn't because she was picturing Jin. He almost tore her robes down to her hips, so eager to see more of her, to see what he hadn't in so long. He could actually feel the warmth radiating from between her legs and lowered his hips to press against her. The positioning was a bit awkward with her stomach but that hardly mattered. It was like being picky about a lukewarm stew when you'd been starving for two weeks. "Think they'll stay this way?" He asked, his thumbs running over her stiffened nipples.
Fuu gasped and arched her back into him; perhaps this hypersensitivity had its perks after all. "I don't know." She breathed. "I hope not if it means they'll stay so sore." He lowered his head to her breast, letting his tongue trace her areola and she swore fireworks exploded behind her eyes. Yes, this hypersensitivity definitely had its perks. "Yessss.." She hissed, her arms coming up to hold him to her chest.
A low chuckle vibrated through his throat as she gripped him. Taking her nipple into his mouth be began to suck at her, his other hand moving to massage its neglected twin. He had wondered whether or not she would ever make up with him. He'd told her he wasn't going anywhere before and that she would just have to deal with him. Unfortunately, he didn't know if 'dealing' to her meant barely tolerating his presence for the rest of her life or eventually calling a truce. He was glad it was the latter of the two. They'd never had make up sex before, but he hoped it would become a time-honored ritual after all their spats from now on. She appeared to participate more in this kind of intercourse, then again it could be her weird pregnant persona talking, either way, he still came out the winner.
Her legs opened wider for him, trying to accommodate his larger frame. Her thighs tensed and shook with the need to squeeze something between them. She wanted him to go lower, she wanted him to touch her, but her voice refused to be a willing participant in the act of annexing him from her breasts. She whimpered and mewled at this torture tearing her apart, needing him in two places at once. "Mugen, now." She cried, tugging at his pants.
A thin trickle of something unrecognizable flowed into his mouth, making him pull away in surprise and a little curiosity. His eyes inspected the soft, pale colored orb; his tongue darted over his lips, attempting to find any traces of the strange fluid to examine. Ignoring her pleas for the moment he gripped her breast a little more roughly than she'd taught him.
"Ow!" She squealed, batting at his forearm. "What's the matter with you? That hurts!"
"What's that?" He queried at the odd substance seeping down her nipple.
"I don't know, maybe if you stopped strangling my breast for a second I could see." She gritted out slowly between her teeth.
Mugen let her chest go and sat up to give her enough room. Fuu gave him a final contemptuous look before leaning up on her elbows, her attention darting down where he was staring and sure enough there was an odd opaque liquid sliding down her breast. Her brow furrowed in confusion at the peculiar sight suddenly putting two and two together and making a disgruntled face at the new discovery. "I hope that's not what I think it is." She groaned.
Before she could wipe the offensive substance away, Mugen's hand darted out, swiping some of the liquid on his index finger and promptly popping it into his mouth. "Kinda tastes like milk." He commented.
"Mugen, that's so gross!" She squawked, thoroughly disgusted.
"So that's what it is?" He inquired, reaching down for more when she slapped his hand away.
"Yes, you dummy!" She snapped. "I think that's why they got bigger. I don't have to tell you how women feed babies, do I?" She asked, her face partially going green with the thought.
Mugen snorted in amusement at her discomfort. "Nah, I think I got the picture." He drawled, licking at some of the remaining liquid on his knuckle. "So you're sort of like a human cow?"
Fuu punched his shoulder in outrage, moving to get up and away from him but he refused to budge, gripping her thighs on either side of him to keep her in place. "Then don't touch me if you're so repulsed by this cow!" She growled, pushing at him to get off of her. "I can't help it if this stupid thing you did to me made me fat!" She sniffled.
Firmly pressing her back to the ground he laughed at her, leaning back down to trail his tongue along the milky substance covering her nipple. "I never said you were fat. I said you were like a human cow." He clarified against her chest. "And I've never had a problem with cows." He added more as an afterthought.
As much as Fuu wanted to berate him for his cruel analogies, she couldn't help but relax against his ministrations. She squeaked when he began to suck at the coated nub again, "Quit it, that's gross." She mumbled, finding it hard to sound firm when her muscles and brain felt like mush.
Mugen let the over stimulated bud go, ignoring her yelp at his reprimanding nip to the raw flesh. "You should get used to it. Another month or two and you'll be getting this a lot more." He advised, flicking the rosy pebble with his tongue.
"Don't talk about that now." She murmured. She didn't want to think about what she would and wouldn't be getting in another month or so. The not-so-distant future didn't seem that appealing to her so Fuu tried not to think that far ahead. Besides, there were more concerning matters at hand. Lifting her hips she pressed against him, feeling the familiar hardness pushing back into her. "No more teasing." She almost pleaded.
His fingers snaked down, fully parting her robes and running his hands down her sides before going to the ties to his pants. This would definitely take some inventive maneuvering. But the pirate was nothing if not creative. He would probably have to control himself more this time. She'd complained of soreness in her breasts so she may be sore in other places as well. Plus he didn't want to jostle the kid inside there. Mugen abruptly stopped, his pant strings falling from his hands. There was a kid inside there. "Ah shit." He groaned, falling back to sit on his heels.
Fuu blinked back the passionate glaze fogging her eyes, rising to her elbows confusedly. "What?"
Snarling in agitation, he covered his eyes as if in pain. "I can't do it."
Her eyebrows drew into a perplexed little knot. "What're you talking about? I'm already pregnant, Mugen. You can't make this same mistake twice." She said looking up at him.
"I'm not talking about that!" He uncovered his eyes and looked back down at her, his voice thick with aggravation.
"Then what?" She shot back.
"We can't do this with you knocked up!" He growled, standing up and beginning to pace broodingly.
"What!" She got up and reclined on her knees, watching him go back and forth. "Why not?"
"We don't know what that'll do! How do we know I won't go through its brain and its born with a scrambled head?" He retorted coming to stand in front of her.
"I sure hope it doesn't get your outrageous ego." She mocked.
"I'm not joking, what if I hit a thing in there I'm not supposed to?" He balked.
"I don't care." She replied a little to quickly
"I'm serious, what if I poke out its eye or something!" He hollered raising his arms in exaggeration.
Fuu frowned and steadied herself from pouncing on him right there. She so much as looked at Jin, and he yelled at her. She had a conversation with another man, and he yelled at her. She even discussed anything of the opposite sex within hearing range of him, and he yelled at her. And now she was finally easing his childish jealousy and he was having doubts? "Mugen, I don't care if you poke out its eyes and mine. You're free to go off and have whatever girl you want! Me? I'm stuck here and this is all I get! And I will rip you apart with my bare hands if you take that away from me you selfish jerk!" She growled.
"So guess I won't have to worry about you being an overprotective mother, will I?" He sneered.
"Oh, you-y-Go to hell!" She spat, standing up and yanking her robes over her shoulders as she stomped away from him onto the other side of the clearing.
She knew this had been a mistake! Rotten, lousy good for nothing! Insulting her just because he was having cold feet! Grumbling curses under her breath, Fuu threw herself down into the grass, a little harder than she meant to but she wasn't going to show him that. Why give the low life the satisfaction? She lay on her side keeping her back to him, but she was sure the furious bulging of tension in her shoulders kept her mood well televised. Moron, he was darn right he wouldn't have to worry about her being an overprotective mother! If he was so concerned with her parenting abilities, or lack there of, then he could just raise the little bundle of uterine destruction himself for all she cared!
He could hear her muffled ranting from the other side of the campsite and was tempted to shout back a few slanders of his own. Here he was fighting off his own desires and wants for her well-being and she had the nerve to get pissed off at him! "Bitch." He muttered grimly, irritatedly crossing his arms.
"I heard that!" She hollered.
"You were supposed to!" He shouted back, their voices ringing throughout the forest, sending a few flocks of birds flying from their nests.
When was the last time they'd had sex, anyway? Not that he forgot. It was pretty hard to forget a seen like that. It was a personal battle then and he didn't tend to take many things personally. After she dismissed him he was forced to watch her flaunt herself in front of a competitor he wasn't allowed to kill. He could only take it for so long and seeing her finally attempt to take her relationship with Jin to a more physical level snapped something inside him. He'd wanted to hit her, scare the utter shit out of her; he'd wanted to beat her into submission until she promised to never even look at anyone else. And he tried, no one could say he didn't try, and the only thing he got out of that was a valuable lesson. What good did beating her under his thumb one day do if she was only going to come back the next and try to kill him in his sleep? Sure it let him vent his anger out but it never got the desired lasting result.
Now though, she was coming to him like a normal girl would come to her lover. For the first time she wanted him as a man and not as a temporary Jin stand-in. Mugen paused, his angry tirade taking a not so aggressive turn. What the hell was wrong with him? Fuu was offering him sex and he was turning it down. He snarled, wanting to tear his hair out in frustration. But she was still fucking pregnant! He'd never heard of pregnant women screwing around before! There had to be a reason for that! Lashing out angrily he kicked through a nearby ant pile, sending innocent little ant families careening into the air in a mild explosion of dirt. There had to be a way around this! This was a fuck of truce! To turn this down would be like refusing to sign a peace treaty. It may be ceasefire tonight but it'd be all out war in the morning. Then who knew when he'd be able to get her into bed again!
Who was she kidding? She wasn't going to sleep anytime soon. Fuu was far too angry and tense to go to sleep now; plus in an effort to fake sleep she'd screwed her eyes shut so tight it grew into a headache. It looked like she wouldn't have to pretend to be asleep much longer now that she could hear him walking over to her, the grass crunching underneath his feet. She felt him kneel down behind her and she scooted further away from him, keeping her eyes shut to his presence.
"Knock it off. I'm trying to talk to you." He said, reaching out to grab her shoulder only for her to coldly shrug that same hand off and continue ignoring him.
He scowled at her before gruffly snatching the back of her yukata and dragging her up as she squealed at the invasion.
"Leave me alone! Can't you see I'm trying to sleep?" She had to turn her head to glare at him, still refusing to face him.
"I can help with that." Mugen leered, his arms going around her to pull at her sash.
Fuu frowned and elbowed him. "I don't want to anymore, go away."
"Sure you do," He objected "you're just pissed off right now. But we've done pissed off before." He finally managed to pull her robes down her shoulders despite her struggles.
Exhaling sharply, she allowed herself to give in. She didn't feel much like fighting anymore. "I thought you didn't want to do this while I was pregnant?" She mumbled sourly.
"I didn't say I didn't want to. I said we couldn't." He corrected snaking his fingers down her spine.
"So now we all of the sudden can?" She inquired suspiciously.
"No, but I've got a few ideas." He jeered perversely, massaging her thigh.
A little unease worked into her imagining his 'ideas', but at this point she would've been game for anything. She couldn't take this constant pulsing inside her much longer. She gasped as she felt his tongue slide along the base of her neck. "Wha-what would those be?" She stuttered, finding it hard to form coherent sentences when his touches were so intent on making her stupid.
"Get up, kneel on your knees." He instructed, rising up with her.
Fuu nodded dumbly, feeling his chest bump into her shoulder blades. One arm came to wrap around her, over her breasts, the other continued moving down her back. She swallowed when he caressed the insides of her thighs, occasionally trailing up to trace over her cheeks. It seemed every time he came close to touching that dripping heat between her legs he drew away, his thumb slinking up to draw circles around her tailbone while his fingers played with the silky flesh found there.
Drawing her knees further apart, she encouraged him to stop toying with her, eagerly pushing back to meet him when he came close, and crying out in disappointment when he recoiled once more. Twisting her head she pressed her flushed cheek against his chest, panting helplessly and grasping at his legs behind her. She bit her lip in anticipation when his fingers traced the backs of her knees, creeping up still. And suddenly he jerked up, plunging two fingers into her at once. Fuu's back arched to the point of breaking, her mouth open in a silent 'O'. "ah, Ah! Mugen!" She cried, his digits circling her walls and thrusting into so harshly she bit her tongue. And she was beyond too mindless to care.
A surge of male pride flooded in his chest, and he grinned full of lust as the top of her head touched his chest when she bowed backwards. This way he could easily see her face; watch its endless expressions of fervor as he brought her off. Her muscles began to twitch and clasp around his fingers, her body tensed and her face contorted into a mask of mock-pain. He stiffened when her eyes shot open and met his, her climax plowing through her like tidal wave.
He observed her carefully as she gave a few more shudders and a little cry before falling lax and gasping in his arms. She whimpered when he slowly slid his coated digits out, taking them into his mouth to suck them off.
"That was a definitely a good idea." She panted for air; her head reclined on his chest.
Mugen smirked; reaching down to wipe more of the juices trailing down her thighs. Fuu wearily opened her eyes when he brought the dripping fingers to her lips. She snorted, laughing weakly at his never-ending quest for perversion. "You're so gross." She said, but suckled at the offering nonetheless. She had never tasted herself on anyone before, it was an odd tangy flavor, not good, but not bad either. Taking his cleaned fingers from her mouth he brought her up firmer against him when she began to slouch.
Fuu could feel the stiffness of him bearing against her from behind. She wondered if it was painful for him, to do this to her and not be able to satisfy himself in the process. Her hand idly made patterns on his knees; fingertips moving slowly up his leg. She noticed the further she went the more anxious he became, impatiently waiting for her attention. The aftermath of orgasm still pumped through her veins, making her lightheaded and unfathomably relaxed. Gently tracing up the middle of his pants with her nails she heard his breath catch in his throat, his arms unconsciously gripping her tighter. She felt him throb against her fingertips even through his hakama.
An almost painful grunt tore through him when she finally cupped him through his clothes. He had only just begun to thrust with her ministrations when she suddenly stopped, dragging a noise of protest from him before she turned to face him. He watched her hands move down to the ties to his pants, carefully undoing the strings without tangling them. The ties fell apart evenly and he lifted his hips to let her tug his hakama down to his knees.
She tucked herself under his chin, not yet brave enough to look at him while she did this. Dragging her deft fingers down his torso she gripped him gently, marveling at the peculiar texture. It was like iron wrapped in velvet. He was clutching her hips now, chafed nails digging into her skin. Fuu steeled her nerve and began to move, trying to experiment between speed and grip. "Mugen," She whispered self-consciously, "I don't know how."
Apparently she had no idea how hard it was to bring comprehensive thought to his brain when she still had her fingers wrapped around his cock. "What?" He mumbled, his mind begging her to forget conversation and continue.
"I don't know how to do this." Fuu confessed. "I never did it before."
His eyes opened to glance down at the top of her head. He was sure she hadn't been a virgin when he took her first, but evidently she hadn't done all that much either. A cocky grin turned his lips at the thought that he was a better lover than her first. Closing his hand around hers he began to show her the rhythm he liked and just how to grasp him.
"Like this?" She asked catching on to the motions.
Mugen hissed through his teeth and nodded. "Keep going." He groaned.
Fuu obeyed and slid her hand up his shaft, circling her thumb over the head, spreading the moisture found there over the tip. Listening to his breath she noticed how it became a little less controlled when she gradually tightened her grip as she tapered up. His hips started to move with her and his fingers dug painfully into her skin.
"Faster." He panted, his eyes clenching shut.
She increased her pace hearing him grunt and gasp with every gentle tug. His arms went around her and squeezed uncomfortably, his chin grinding sorely against the top of her head. Her ribs were beginning to hurt with the pressure when he suddenly went rigid, his breathing stilling in his lungs with an unrecognizable wetness splashing onto her stomach and under her chest.
Fuu was stunned by the new occurrence, her fingers going down to examine the goo seeping down her front. Bringing to her face it looked a lot like the moisture Mugen had pulled from her, only more cloudy and opaque. His rapid panting blew at her hair and she could feel his heart trying to slow down in her ear.
"We should clean up before tomorrow." She reminded.
He nodded against her head, still unable to speak quite yet.
----------------------------------------------
At last they were getting closer to Nagasaki. Apparently there were still some decent people out there willing to gift them with an accurate map. Fuu was also nearing her due date and it was growing more apparent. Her belly was now abnormally swollen and it was becoming harder for her to travel long distances at a time. A small sense of dread began to work its way into her heart the nearer they came to their destination and she wasn't sure what to do about it.
"Lets stop, I want to rest." Fuu announced, trying to sit down without tumbling over.
"You're kidding." Mugen turned to look at her but she'd already managed to plop down into the grass.
"My feet hurt and I want to stop." She declared as a matter-of-factly.
"We just stopped an hour ago!"
"And we're doing it again!" Fuu snapped back.
Mugen growled irritatedly at her. "We're about a mile from a good river. Get up, and we'll stop when we get there. At least there we can get some water and catch something to eat."
"Why can't we take a break there too?"
"Because then it will take us longer to get back on the road." He gritted.
"I'm not moving, Mugen. I can't get up and sit down at the drop of a hat anymore, ya know." She replied coolly.
"We know we are on the right track to Nagasaki. A little extra time getting there will not matter now." Jin intervened.
"You sure like to take her side a lot." Mugen spat suspiciously.
"If you want to go so bad then go!" Fuu started. "Go get your water and your fish and I'll meet you up there."
"So you can bitch at me for leaving you here when you get there?"
"If that's how you want to be I won't even want to talk to you later!" She glowered up at him.
"Whatever. You coming or not?" He asked harshly, looking over his shoulder at Jin.
"I will stay. Someone should keep watch over her condition." He said glancing at Mugen condescendingly.
"Fucking liar, you're just saying that because you can't fish." He jeered, pivoting on his heel and continuing on without them.
Fuu stuck her tongue out behind him, watching him go on alone. Of course he didn't get very far before he spat a few choice curses and abruptly turned around. She glared at him, ready to throw an insult or two when he stomped over to her. As it happened, she didn't get the chance before he grabbed her elbow and yanked her up, his other arm bending behind her knees as he hauled her up against him.
"You're such a pain in the ass." He grumbled, carrying her along the road.
She kept quiet, choosing not to say anything and enjoy the ride the best she could. Jin was silent with the rest of them and calmly followed all the way to the river, the only sound being Mugen's under breath ranting.
It wasn't her fault she couldn't travel as well as she used to. She didn't know why he had to constantly hold it over her head. As soon as this thing was out of her she would be fine, it was only a little while longer, he didn't have to make such a big deal out of it. Then again, that was simply how he was. It was Mugen's way or no way. He hated being told what to do and he hated being kept from doing what he wanted to do. He was like a little child, so ready so solve anything and everything with a weapon and a fist. It didn't make for a very good friend or anyone to have a normal relationship with, should she ever want one that is, but it did make for a good protector. She basically had to worry about everything but someone hurting her, well, excluding himself of course. Being by the side of an intellectual person would mean happiness, good conversation, and affection, but being by the side of a strong person meant safety and survival. Too bad at the moment she didn't really have a choice on whose side she wanted to stand by.
It didn't take that long to get to the river as he said. A half hour, maybe an hour, and they arrived at a wide river stretching on for miles. Trees lined the plains around it and she would never say it aloud but it was a much better resting spot. She was glad he didn't simply drop her on the ground like she'd expected, he at least had the decency to drop her legs first and give her a running chance at landing on her feet. Fuu wobbled a bit before regaining her balance. She looked around for comfortable camp space, spying a remote spot not that far from the river itself and strolled over to the nearest tree to sit in the shade.
"I will make the fire." Jin commented coolly.
Mugen chuckled low in his throat at that. "I bet you will." He taunted, walking down alongside the river, ferreting out the best fishing spot.
The samurai tossed him a scathing look, going off to collect kindling for the campfire.
Fuu kicked off her sandals, reclining against the tree and watching the men work. She winced, her hands going to her stomach as the pangs started up again. It felt like a million tiny fists and legs were using her womb as a sparring dummy. Not only that but her back had begun to ache as of late as well.
"It is moving again?"
She glimpsed up at the voice, nodding to Jin as the let the small bundle of twigs and small branches down to the ground. "Do you want some help?" She asked, crawling over to the little woodpile.
Jin gave a negative, already arranging the limps appropriately, stuffing a few leaves in the middle.
Fuu understood. Royally sticking it too Mugen wouldn't feel as good if she had to help him do it. "Maybe I can get some more leaves?" She offered, she understood his need to not let the pirate get the last word but she hated feeling so useless.
"No." He replied patiently.
Sighing disappointedly, she accepted his answer and shifted into a more comfortable sitting position. She watched his skilled fingers expertly begin starting the fire, wood twisting against wood, friction heating between them. "You know, its not that big of a deal that you can't catch a fish." She began.
"What are you going to do after you find the Sunflower Samurai?" Jin questioned, still concentrating on the task at hand.
Her brow furrowed at the abrupt change in topic, silent for moment to re-gather her thoughts. "What?"
"What do you plan to do after you've found your Sunflower Samurai?" He repeated.
"Oh, I heard you. I was just surprised." She said, pondering over his question for a minute. "I don't know. I never gave it that much thought." She confessed.
"Do you plan to stay with Mugen?" He inquired.
"Forever!" Fuu squawked incredulously.
"You do not mean to stay with him then?" It was odd how he could sound like he was talking to you yet still look so concentrated on his work.
"I don't know. Forever is a really long time. I'd never planned to stay with him at all." She admitted.
"I take it these past events have not gone according to your plan."
Fuu propped her chin up on her palm, exhaling in depression. "No. I don't know how all this happened. Well, I do know how it happened…" She blushed embarrassedly. "I don't know. I guess I'm still waiting to wake up and for this all to be some sort of weird dream. Like I'm going to get up one morning and everything will be like it used to, and we'll all go back to normal."
"Then what would you like to do?" He asked, blowing at the little spark slowly incinerating one of the leaves under the timber.
"I want to get the life I should be living back." She muttered bitterly.
Jin paused his preparation of the fire and spared her an expectant glance over his glasses.
"I was supposed to be married into a respectable family, with an honorable husband and a beautiful house. But when they found out that my father left they broke off the betrothal." She explained, remembering how the color had drained from her mother's face when they refused her.
"I suppose your mother would not have approved of Mugen." He remarked, fanning the flames when the dimmed the littlest of bits.
"Whose mother would?" She countered. "But that's not really what its about. My father took something from my family. If he had been a man instead of a little coward I could have had a totally different life. A better one. We probably could have afforded my mother's medicine and she would still be alive to visit me and maybe see her grandchildren someday. He stole that from me, from us, and I don't think I'll ever be satisfied until I take that back." She bit out vehemently.
"If you know what you must do then why are you even trying to find him?"
Fuu looked a little surprised by the question, as though she'd never actually given thought to why it was she was trying to find this man that abandoned her. "I-I have to. I need to. I need to see what is it that he left us for. I need to see what was so much better than us." Her voice had gone soft, the light in her eyes dimming at the thought of coming face to face with what it was he had abandoned his family over. "There were rumors, rumors that there had been another woman…." She professed sadly. Fuu didn't know what she would do if they were true. She didn't know if she could see such a disgrace on her mother's grave and not do anything about it.
The fire was now growing and no longer needed his assistance, but he observed it carefully as it ate away at the rest of the leaves and some of the twigs. "Where does the child inside you and Mugen fit into this plan of yours?"
"Why are you asking all this?" Fuu questioned, not liking the 'on trial' feel the conversation was taking.
"If my questions are out of line, I apologize." He replied.
She sighed, leaning further on her knees. "No, gomen ne, they're not out line. I guess I don't have the answers to them is all."
Jin nodded and spoke no more, instead tossing a few more twigs onto the growing flames.
Tracing her toe idly around in the grass she felt a little guilty for snapping at him like she did. He was simply asking her for answers she didn't have and making her look at herself when she was starting to not like what she saw. She did know where Mugen and this child fit into this plan of hers. They didn't. This whole time she'd been trying to stick to the same agenda as if nothing had changed because she hadn't a clue what to do if it did. "I'm going to go get some water, I know Mugen will forget." She announced, getting to her feet and traipsing towards the river.
The fire was now of decent size and the flames danced and flickered before him. He waited until he was sure she had gone out of sight. "Eavesdropping is not a desirable personality trait." He commented.
"Neither is talking so damn loud the whole forest could hear you." Mugen bit back, stepping out from the woods behind the tree Fuu had been leaning against. He tossed a string of fish at the samurai, the catch landing next to the fire beside him. Cracking a kink out of his shoulder he lazily threw himself down in the spot Fuu'd recently vacated.
Picking up the line, Jin began to remove the newly made lunch. "I suppose you've forgotten the water."
"Go to hell."
"We need a branch to hang this over the fire." He declared, finishing off the rest of the fish and rising up as Fuu was coming back.
She watched him pass her without a word, giving him an odd look before coming back to sit across from the fire. Her tanto knife lay naked, tucked into her obi, while she held what look like the sheath full of water. "Where's Jin going?" She inquired, sipping at her makeshift cup.
Mugen shrugged, crossing his arms lazily behind his head and leaning back against the tree. "How should I know?"
"Want a sip?" Fuu offered, handing over the sheath.
He took it, glimpsing at the sloshing contents inside before taking a swig. Handing it back to her, he wiped away a trickle sliding down his chin.
"Good catch." She remarked, counting out the various sizes of fish.
His eyes went to her as she separated the meals. It was amazing how different she could be with Jin and seemingly turn into another person when she was around him. It made him wonder who she was telling lies to and who was getting the truths. He'd never known she'd been engaged before. And of course she'd never actually planned to stay with him, but that didn't mean she wasn't going to. In his eyes she really didn't have much of a choice and he wasn't about to give her one.
"I think we might reach Nagasaki tomorrow." She started, tracing a finger in the dirt beneath her.
"So?"
"I don't know. We've spent all this time around each other and now that it's coming to an end its like it all went by so fast." She observed, and it did. Now that the end was within her grasp she wasn't so sure she was ready for it or had prepared herself enough.
"You're getting pretty big too." He pointed out, his attention flickering to her stomach.
Fuu glared and threw a fish at his head, but he only dodged it, letting it smack and slide down the tree behind him. "Why do you have to ruin everything by opening your stupid mouth?"
"Think you're due soon?" He asked scanning her irritated form over.
"I don't know. I don't care. Stop being mean."
Mugen glanced over Fuu's head, spying Jin coming back with a few small braches thrown over his shoulder. He snorted and relaxed his eyes shut, he'd gotten the food, they could get off their lazy asses and do the rest.
----------------------------------------------
After much coercing on Fuu's part they all finally agreed to spend the rest of the night near the river. Their bellies were full and it made sleep come that much easier to them. Perhaps not everyone in that case. Fuu replayed the conversation she had with Jin over and over in her head. She wanted to block it out but his words kept repeating in her mind. Finally admitting to herself that sleep wasn't much of an option she decided on walking down the river to collect her thoughts.
Quietly sneaking away in the night she breathed a sigh of relief when neither of her companions noticed her departure. The stars glittered above her head as she watched them. Even though they were nothing but bright specks in the sky to her, it was she who felt small when gazing at the blackness of it. She wished she could be free like them. Be free without all these burdens on her heart.
Her hands worked in an odd way over her stomach. What would her father think when he saw her this way? What would he say? Why did she even care? She spent all this time working towards this, gone through so much; she wasn't going to throw it all away for a little thing like this.
Of course, it wasn't so little now. Jin had never told her what he really thought of the whole situation. She was curious if he knew how big a part he played in it all. But it wasn't his fault. You can't simply point to someone and choose to love them, it doesn't work that way. She kept reminiscing over all the events that led her here, picking them apart, trying to see where it was she messed up, where it was she could have chosen to do different. It could have been when she'd gone after Jin when he left to rescue his brothel woman, it could have been when she snuck out that one night to clear her head, much like she was doing tonight, it could have been when she'd thrown herself at Mugen for the first time. At this point it all mixed and jumbled together in one big hoop and she couldn't tell where one mistake started and another ended.
"What're you doing now?" Came an annoyed and fatigued voice behind her.
Fuu looked over her shoulder seeing a shirtless Mugen trudging tiredly towards her. "Hm? Nothing. Couldn't sleep."
"So you decided the rest of us weren't going to get any either?" He drawled, rubbing the exhaustion from his eyes.
"Jin's not awake, so I guess its only you."
The water sparkled in the moonlight, through the clarity of it she could see fish and tadpoles and other little water creates swimming about. The night was cooler than it was last time and the soft breeze felt good on her neck. Mugen stood beside her, yawning and scratching his back. She didn't know whether he was trying to wake up or go back to sleep.
"C'mon, you can 'not sleep' tomorrow." He said, wrapping his hand around her wrist to drag her back to camp.
She gave a little tug of resistance when he began to pull at her. "Wait, not yet. Lets stay out here a little longer." She objected, observing the fish as they chased the tadpoles and hopped for the water skippers above. She heard him give an aggravated groan but he did let go of her wrist.
They stood there in silence for a little while, one enjoying the night atmosphere and the other preparing to haul the first over his shoulder and lug her back to sleep.
Fuu studied him out of the corner of her eye. He was tired and obviously a little disgruntled by her unannounced absence. She noticed his hair was a shade of black that was a little lighter than Jin's, probably slightly bleached from the sun, and his skin seemed a deeper bronze in the dark. His rough hand rose to scratch at his unshaven jaw, oblivious to her examination. No, he wasn't a handsome man by conventional standards. His skin too dark, his hair too coarse, and his features much too harsh. She supposed a Ryukyu-jin woman would perhaps find him attractive but Fuu was not raised to find such physical characteristics striking.
Then again, Mugen was not built for aesthetics. He was made to fight, survive, and win. He was definitely a man made by nature, a survivor. It was true, the strong did survive and that was more than likely why he was still alive after so many fallouts and brawls. And that kind of power could be appealing to some women.
"Mugen, are you worried?" She asked, feeling along her firm stomach.
" 'bout what?" He slurred sleepily.
"About when this is born."
Mugen looked at her in mid yawn but she was staring at her protruding abdomen with a little sadness and fear. "Why should I be?"
Fuu shrugged, her fingers drawing little patters on her kimono-covered skin. "I don't know. I've never done this before and sometimes I don't think I can." She murmured.
"I already told you-"
"Mugen, that and giving birth are two totally different things!"
He rolled his eyes and rubbed the back of his neck. "Women have been popping out kids for centuries. Its what they're here for. You can do it too."
Her arms anxiously went around her stomach. "And what if I can't?" She asked, looking up at him with wet eyes. "What do we do then?"
What could he say to that? This wasn't some assassin or threat he could promise to protect her from. She was staring up at him begging for him to tell her he'd keep her safe. She was asking him what would they do. And he didn't even know what he would do. Defeat was not something he took lightly, yet this unborn infant was the threatening to beat him and take away everything he'd worked so fucking hard to acquire. And he didn't know if he could take that.
Reaching down, he bent his arm under her knees and lifted her up to carry her back to camp. "Stop asking stupid questions."
----------------------------------------------
So how was that? I though I would tell u that the next chapter is the end of TEC. Hopefully I'll be able to get out the sequel soon enough.
The Deni Pie