Behind the Glass

Awkward Second Beginnings

"Welcome, Mugen. Don't worry about the door," Fuu said, coughing up the dust she inhaled from the door being ripped off the hinges and slammed on the ground.

"Mnh," was all he said as he walked into her room without even looking at her. "Do you have any food?"

"Yes, nice to see you too. That's right, it's been a while. You think I look good? Well, you're not looking too bad yourself. Maybe you could use a shower though..." Her conversation trailed off as she watched Mugen hunt down something to eat. When he found a rice ball she had been saving, he quickly devoured it and still went on searching for more. "Hey!" she yelled at him. He stopped and turned around very quickly as his hand naturally went to his sword. Right then, he saw her for the first time in five years.

A little bit of rice fell out of his mouth which currently drooping to the floor. "Fuu? Or no, wait... Fuu's hot older sister she never told us about, right?" She giggled at that.

"Nice to see you too, Mugen," she said with a little smile on her face. "Although I'd pictured this experience a little less hectic in my head, it's nice all the same. It's cold in here, though. Think you could try to fix up the door?" He was still trying to figure out if she was really Fuu or not when she asked about the door. Once her question registered, he looked at the door frame and smirked.

"Sure, sure." He picked up the door and leaned it into the frame. Feeling it was a job well done, Mugen collapsed on Fuu's futon.

She was glaring at him and he realized how much he hadn't missed that. She sat down beside the futon and looked at him. He looked at her looking at him.

"You haven't changed a bit," she lied. He had a few more scars than the last time she'd seen him (particularly one running from under his temple down to his cheekbone) and his clothes looked like pure rags. And he just seemed different. She couldn't explain it, but maybe he'd matured since they last saw each other? One could only hope.

"Neither have you," he told her the truth. She looked grown up now and he expected that. She was even sort of beautiful... just sort of. But he felt she was the same Fuu she had always been, and just by the way she was looking at him could he tell.

They fell into a short silence, just looking at each other. When the lightning cracked, though, Fuu's trance was broken.

"So, have you heard from Jin? Do you think he'll make it here safely?"

Mugen scoffed. "He'll be fine. Weather is nothing a Samurai can't handle. You know that, Fuu," he told her. He thought it was strange to say her name again after all this time.

"You're probably right. So... how have you been?"

"Alright. You?"

"Good."

"That's good."

"Hey listen, do you want me to run a bath for you so you can freshen up a bit? I bet you're probably tired," Fuu said and rushed off to start the water without waiting for an answer. Mugen was glad she left. Since when did things between them get awkward?

After washing up in the bath for a half hour, Mugen came out and for once, he smelled nice. Fuu had cleaned up his clothes a bit and they were sitting out to dry so Mugen was walking around in robes. She was sitting on her futon, wrapped in her blanket. She set up a futon for him on the other end of the room. He was thankful, but even more than that he was exhausted. Collapsing into the covers, he mumbled a good night.

The wide awake girl on the other side of the room didn't reply.

To be continued...

I know I said it was going to be longer. Usually the chapters will be, but I'm not at my house tonight and I'm rushing so I thought I'd give you a little something to make up for the shortness of the last chapter. Please review. Suggestions, comments and criticism.