Bittersweet Lust

Chapter 2: Don't Fuck With Me

By: Death

Disclaimer: See first chapter.

Reviews = Crack for Writers.

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Mugen's getacaught on a root and he stumbled forward, thrusting his fingers into the ground in order to maintain balance. Fuu shifted oddly on his shoulder and he grunted, jerking her back into position. He pushed himself back onto steady feet and she slept on, soundly and deep.

Mugen smirked to himself, she was so trusting. Too trusting. He lifted his eyes to the odd, probably uncomfortable, curvature of her spine over his shoulder. He quickly swung her down, cradling her against his chest.

Fuu stretched, and her closest hand slid under the material of his gi and through one of the many holes in his white shirt, her fingertips brushing softly against his abdomen. His upper lip twitched in mild annoyance as one of her particularly pointy nails scratched a path along his skin; as if he wasn't marked up enough. She opened her mouth in reply, yawning loudly, the back of her free hand wipingher nose before dangling back towards the ground.

Mugen moved her around a bit, scowling as a cloud blew past and the sun suddenly beat down on them. It was patchy, slinking through the bowing trees and around leaves. Still, the temperature rose a good ten degrees, and sweat blossomed along his collar and temples. He frowned, dirt clouding at his feet as he started running again, dodging and jumping over fallen boughs and large, jutting stones. Within minutes he was parched and he swallowed, scowling. Everything was so fucking dry this time of year. He soared over a large, decomposing tree. Wasn't there a river around somewhere?

Mugen steered off the path, darting around trees and spinning to avoid sharp twigs. Fuu stirred slightly against him and his hold on her tightened, his ears keen and straining. The faint sound of rushing water greeted him and he half-smirked, ducking beneath a low branch. He cut his own path until he reached the bank, gulls squawking at him, startled as they flapped against the current and scrambled into the air.

"Hn," Mugen grunted, laying Fuu on the damp soil before kneeling beside the stream. He stuck his head fully under the water, gulping a drink. The cool sensation pimpled his skin with gooseflesh and he lifted his head up, gasping for air and grinning. He pushed sopping hair off his forehead and held it there as he twined his long fingers in it, turning bored eyes to his companion. He blinked when he noticed the fabric of her kimono was drooping open, betraying a hint of cleavage.

His throat tightened; revealed, but not exposed. It almost made him want to run a finger down the slender, white line of her neck and push the clothing aside- 'what the fuck!?'

Mugen glowered and shoved his head back in the river, mumbling something incoherent as bubbles rose to the surface.

Fuu groaned and sat up, running her fingers back through her up-do and shaking it loose; the sticks tumbled to the ground and rivulets of dark hair fell over her shoulders. She sighed, rubbingher tear-soared eyes before grimacing at the realization of being wet. She sent a sharp glare of distaste at the damp ground before looking around, finding Mugen with his head stuck under in the river. She snorted and crawled over to the bank, cupping her hands and filling them before drinking.

Mugen lifted his head and breathed deeply, dripping hair hanging in his eyes, soaking the collar of his shirt. His gaze shifted to Fuu and he grinned, leaning back.

"Bout time you woke up."

Fuu wiped her face with the back of her arm and looked at him, "How long have I been sleeping?"

"Two days." He rolled his shoulders, cracking his neck, "And you weigh a shittin' ton. Lay off the dumplings, fat-ass."

She glared at him, a slight blush staining her cheeks as she tucked a few strands of damp hair behind her ears, "Whatever."

No explosion. Maybe she was too tired, which he found rather surprising.

Fuu sighed; she had planned on telling him to stick his stupid head in the mud, but didn't feel up to arguing. Her heart sagged in her chest and she lifted her eyes, suddenly pained. 'Two days...'

Mugen scratched his chin, eyes falling fortuitously to the awkward bulge in his gi. Eyebrows furrowed, he reached inside and pulled out the slightly bent scroll. Murmuring to himself, he unrolled it.

Mugen-

Jin's penmanship was slightly jagged, rushed.

Time is short. I would appreciate it if Fuu was as distant from this fight as possible. By now I'm sure I have already asked you to take her and run, which means I'm most likely dead. But just incase, take Fuu to the village Tokohama, just outside of Edo. There is a small, abandoned hut beyond the village boarder. Wait for me there. Give me three weeks. If there is no sign, continue on without me. Protect her.

-Jin

Mugen grunted and folded the parchment up, stuffing it back in his pocket. He crossed his arms and glared at a nearby tree, ignoring Fuu's questioning stare. Tokohama? Fuck, that was three days away! He groaned and reluctantly met Fuu's annoyed gaze, snarling, "What?"

"What did it say?"

Mugen shrugged, cleaning out his ear with his pinky, "I'm 'spose-tah to take you to some village," he snorted, "Four-eyes wants us to wait there for him-"

Fuu looked at him, eyes gleaming with hope, "You mean-"

Mugen cut in, arching his back, "If he lives, he said he'd meet us."

Fuu sat quiet, gathering her hair-sticks and tucking her legs beneath her, folding her hands in her lap. Mugen stood and stretched, popping his sore muscles and bones.

"Well, we ain't gettin' no where this way. Let's go," He grinned, clasping his hands behind his head, "It's gonna be a long ass walk."

"Mugen?"

"Hn?"

"You don't think he survived...do you?"

Silence. Crickets chirped at their heels in the dark, frogs singing off in the distance. The sound of metal geta grinding against dirt was Fuu's only reply and her eyes bore into his back.

"Well?" She pressed, hands resting on her hips. Mugen regarded her coldly over his shoulder. He didn't need another big ass, bipolar tear-fit to deal with like the other night. It was hard enough dealing with her when she was 'normal', for Christ's sake! He turned to face her; Why the fuck did she need him to clarify anyway? She already knew. Did she want him to paint her a fucking picture or something?

"Well what?" he barked.

"You heard me."

His jaw tensed and she looked away, "I just thought that maybe we should go back and-

No way. His eyes narrowed; hadn't she'd heard Jin? "What do you want from me, Fuu?"

His tone was short and her eyes snapped back to him, cold, "I want an answer- Do. You. Think. Jin's. Dead?"

"What does it matter?"

"I want to know."

"You do know."

"But do you think-"

"Who the fuck cares what I think?"

"I do. You know fighting." She sounded like she was begging. Begging him to lie. It made him sick.

"Damnit, Fuu-"

"Come on, Mugen, please? Just tell me. Do you think he is-"

He growled, enraged; of course the bastard was dead! What was she? Blind? Didn't she see all those dojo-bitches? "Yeah, alright!" His eyes flashed, "Christ, Fuu."

She hung her head and hugged herself; she'd known his answer all too well, "And we just left him there...we left him," her glare was tangible through the darkness, "How could you?"

Mugen stared at her, hard. Anger made his blood boil and he advanced on her. How completely original to make him the bad guy, to completely ignore the fact Jin told them to run. She was looking for something to blame; someone to blame. A cloud suddenly snaked over the moon and they were instantly plunged into complete night. And she was blaming him, of course. It was always him. All the fucking time. Jin, the honorable samurai; he, the filthy ingrate. White, black. Love, hate.

His feet stopped not an inch short of her toes, and he lowered his head, his mind spinning with hostile words about her stupid infatuation with the samurai. But she lifted her head and opened that damn mouth of hers before he had the chance, "And you didn't have to say it...like that."

Mugen grinned grimly, almost laughing at her. 'Like that'? So then, she thought he'd changed? That he was different? She thought he was a pansy-ass, goody-two-shoes because of a little journey? Fuck no.

Mugen huffed. Men like him didn't change, couldn't change. You can't take a murdering thief and turn him into a bloody noble. No matter how hard you try, you can't erase 19 embedded years of blood shed and moral-less existence. His true nature would always be there, no matter how much she cried for him or how often he saved her.

"Sorry, baby," sarcasm dripped from each syllable, "But that's how it is." That's how I am.

She glared, hair falling in her eyes, damp from freshly falling rain, "Bullshit."

He frowned; she didn't understand.

"Whatever."

"Why do you do that?" she snapped, stepping forward as he stepped away and jabbing a finger in his chest.

"The fuck are you talkin' about?"

"Whenever we talk - whenever we really talk - you always close yourself off! Why?"

"Because." To protect you, bitch...Buddha knows why.

"That isn't a reason!"

"Fuck if it ain't!"

"Ugh, fine!"

"Fine!"

There was silence as both of them panted for breath, glaring, unseeing, into the dark. The moon slowly crept out from behind the clouds. Mugen was barely a foot from her, eyes narrowed. His hot breath caressed her neck as he glared down at her and she refused to shiver, pressing a hand against him and pushing. He didn't move.

"Jackass."

"Heh."

She frowned, hair gleaming wet in the dark, her eyes large and brown and annoyed. He snorted, turning around and strutting forward. Fuu pursed her lips when he twined his fingers together behind his head.

"Come on," he called gruffly, "Move it."

She started after him, crossing her arms and muttering something incoherent under her breath.

"I'm hungry."

"So?"

"So, do something about it."

"Like what?"

"I don't know. Catch a fish or something."

"With what? My bare hands?"

"Ever heard of spearing?"

There was a pause...and then...

"Eat your fuckin' rat."

"No," Fuu glanced down, watching Momo sleep, cradled in the collar of her kimono.

"Then go hungry."

"Geez, Mugen. Just spear a stupid fish!"

"No time. 'Sides," Mugen grinned, closing his eyes and lifting his face to the sky, "I ain't the one who's hungry."

She glowered at him, "So you're just going to let me starve to death?"

"You ain't starvin'."

"Yes, I am."

Morning doves cooed from their perches and he groaned, "We just started walkin', damnit. We ain't stoppin' now."

Fuu sighed, quickening her pace and catching up to him. He looked down at her with bored eyes, his lower lip pouting in annoyance. She blinked hopefully, and he frowned,

"No."

Updated! 1/29/2010!