Taking Care of You
By the Alternative Source
Disclaimer: I don't own anything when it comes to Samurai Champloo. Except my story of course. Lol.
Summary: Fuu gets seriously injured when she saves Mugen during an attack.
Chapter 8
Previously on Taking Care of You………………
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Jin watched them through his glasses while leaning his head against the wall. Something had definitely changed. If the look in their eyes wasn't evidence enough of that, it was the way that they were acting at that very moment. Smiles or grins apparent on their faces as they catapulted food at each other. Each throwing the food with what seemed such force that it should knock the other over but all it did was bounce off of them.
'They're playing.'
Jin had never seen Mugen like this before but he was willing to let it go if it brought a smile out of the woman that had saved their lives. Fuu.
After a moment his eyes widened in realization.
'She can barely move or support her body weight as it is, so how is she going too bathed later on?"
Jin shook his head. They would have fun. Until they both realized what a mess they had made all around themselves.
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Now on with the story!!!!!
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After fifteen minutes they were done eating. And still hungry. You see most of the food was either:
In their hair.
Spread across their bodies.
Or splattered all over the room.
Fuu couldn't help the smile that was across her face. Mugen was sitting right across from her smirking. Without saying a word he leaned forward and picked a piece of noodle out of her hair.
"You look a mess," he said.
"Look who's talking. You look worse than usual," Fuu replied as she ruffled his hair and watched as various pieces of food fell out.
Mugen snorted. He had been cleaning up recently more than ever because of her and she was making fun of him. They both knew it.
They both turned and looked to the side as they heard some shuffling. Jin was getting to his feet. They both watched him as he walked over to the door silently. When he reached the door he suddenly stopped and spoke.
"Make sure she gets cleaned up."
And then he disappeared through the door without another word. Fuu looked up at Mugen with a slightly nervous glance. It got even worse when Mugen smirked at her and simply shrugged his shoulders.
"I've seen you naked before."
"Yeah…but there'll be washing and…soap."
"Nicely put Fuu," he looked at her and waited for her response. All he got was a blushing Fuu, "Are you nervous?"
'How in the world did he….'
"No. Not nervous at all."
He pointed at her, "Then why are you blushing?"
Sticking her nose up in the air she turned her head away, "I am not blushing."
"Looks like it to me."
"Whatever."
Everything was silent between them for a couple of seconds until Mugen suddenly got to his feet. Fuu laughed as several other pieces of food dropped to the floor. At the sounds of her laughter he looked down at her and raised an eyebrow in question. When he followed her eyes to the location that she was looking at he saw the scraps of food on the ground beneath him.
"Wait until you get up."
"Why?"
"Because you have to take a bath," he stated too calmly. By the look in his eyes he was enjoying this. Fuu wanted to fight back and deny the amount of hesitation about letting Mugen help her wash herself but she couldn't. Sure he had changed her bandages and rubbed the medication into her wounds but….he wanted to help her wash. He didn't need to. But he wanted to.
"I can manage by myself."
"No you can't."
"Yes I can."
Leaning down towards her he said, "No."
"Yes."
"No."
"Yes!"
"No!"
"Yes I can!"
"Well if you can then why don't you get up?" Mugen leaned back up and stood away from her.
This effectively shut Fuu up. Biting her lip she knew he had won. They both knew it.
"Fine," Fuu mumbled.
"What was that?"
"Fine," Fuu said a little louder.
"Still can't understand you girly."
"Fine, okay I said fine. Help me up," Fuu said in defeat with her arms raised. Letting out a laugh he leaned down towards her and wrapped his arms around her waist. Without waiting he lifted her up.
She gave a small grunt as she crashed into his chest. On purpose she bet. Wrapping her arms around his waist she looked up at him. He was looking down at her with amusement in his eyes.
"What?"
"Look down."
Fuu did and she couldn't believe the amount of food on the floor where she just sat. It was more than even what Mugen had.
"I lost?"
"Can't beat the best."
Turning to him she slapped his chest, "Whatever. Wait until I get better. Then we'll see who wins."
Shaking his head he scooped her up in his arms bridal style and started walking to the door. Grabbing some stuff while still holding her he made his way to the door. Closing the door behind him Mugen started making his way to the wash house.
Fuu covered her face in embarrassment at the looks she was receiving from the people that they were passing. She wanted him to just turn around and head back to the safe room but she had to admit that she was rather filthy and that her robe was drenched with all kinds of different sauces and food. Plus Mugen seemed to enjoy carrying her. Which was a surprise to her. They had decided to take it a step at a time and it seems that he was taking the next step by the way that he was holding her. And she didn't mind.
A couple minutes later and several glances from other patrons they had arrived to the bath house. As soon as they entered the bath house a single glance from Mugen made all the other patrons scamper out of the bath house in a hurry. In a couple seconds they were alone.
Gently placing her down on a bench she watched as Mugen laid everything out for them. She watched him and didn't tease him about his changes in attitude towards her. She was afraid that if she pointed it out to him he would stop.
And she was right. Even though Mugen would look at her with a smirking face he was slightly nervous inside. They were taking a different step in their relationship. And they were both slightly nervous about what was going to happen in a couple minutes. Fuu's bath.
Mugen walked towards her after finishing placing their bathing supplies at the edge of the bath. He pulled his shirt over his head and placed it on the bench that she was on.
"What are you doing?" Fuu asked with a nervous glance at his lean and tan chest.
"What does it look like I'm doing? I'm going to take a bath."
"Before me or after me?"
"At the same time?"
Fuu blanched and tightened her robe around her, "What do you mean?"
Taking the band, that was holding her hair up, off he smirked as her hair tumbled down her shoulders and a nervous look entered her eyes, "You can't even walk by yourself so how do you expect to give yourself a bath."
Fuu glared at him, "Why are you always trying to be right?"
"Because I always am."
They both stared at each other for a couple minutes until Fuu realized that she needed this bath. And if Mugen was the only one that was going to help her then so be it. Under one condition….
"Pants on."
"What?"
"The only way that I'm going to take a bath with you is if your pants are on."
"Scared of what you might see?"
Fuu pointed a finger at him, "No. Just don't want you getting any funny ideas."
Mugen ruffled his hair, "Your nagging."
"I'm not," Fuu pulled at the robe that she was wearing and opened the front, "Now help me get out of this."
Mugen walked over to her and hauled her up to her feet, "Demanding wench."
Fuu smiled at his playful tone and tried to keep calm as Mugen helped her take off her robe. In a couple seconds she was standing in front of him with only her underwear on and her wrappings covering her breast. Deciding that she wouldn't show how nervous she was she asked him to help take off her bandages. Nodding his head Mugen removed her bandages and was extra careful around the wound in her shoulder. The wound where the sword had clearly gone through.
When he was done he took a hold of her hands and started backing up towards the bath. Fuu followed him slowly. As soon as Mugen was in the water he moved his hands from hers and took a hold of her waist. Bringing her down into the water Fuu thought that he was simply going to place her in the water but was surprised when he placed her in his lap with her back towards him and sat down.
Without a word he reached over to the bathing supplies. Taking a sponge he wet it and after a hesitant moment he ran it down her back. She leaned towards his touch and he smiled at her action. Gaining more confidence he began running the sponge over her shoulders and down her arms. Relaxing she leaned her back against his chest.
Bringing both arms around her he began rubbed the dirt and grime off of her body. And they both sat together silently. Fuu feeling his large rough hands clean her body and Mugen feeling her soft warm skin under his fingers.
As his hands moved lower he cleaned her neck and her stomach. Fuu smiled as he skipped over her breast and cleaned her stomach. She was so wrapped up in his touch that she didn't notice that he had stopped just before her legs.
"Fuu?"
"Hmmm," she asked with her eyes now closed.
"I'm going to place you on the edge of the bath."
Her eyes flew open, "What? Why?"
He chuckled and spoke into her ear, "Because that's the only way that I'm going to be able to clean your legs."
Fuu blushed, "Ohh."
Hoisting her up, he turned and placed her on the edge of the bath. Taking a step bath he dipped himself in the water and washed his hair out. He also lathered himself up quickly and sunk under water for a second before emerging squeaky clean.
Fuu laughed and pointed at his soaked hair, "You look so…."
"Don't even say it."
"Like a wet rat," Fuu finished while still laughing.
Mugen splashed her with water to shut her up but that just made her laugh harder. But when he approached her and started washing her legs that effectively shut her up. And what made it even worse was that he was watching her. He was watching as the blush slowly creeped up her cheeks. And how she nervously looked at him.
He was enjoying every second of it.
"Nervous?"
"No."
"You sure?" he asked as he cleaned her toes and watched as she squirmed.
"Positive," Fuu said as she caught on to his game. She leaned towards him until her face was a couple inches from his. When he stopped because of the sudden closeness she asked, "Nervous?"
Leaning a little towards her he replied, "No."
'Damn you Mugen.' Fuu thought as he challenged her silently by leaning towards her. She wasn't going to give up.
Moving her leg around his waist she pulled him closer towards her and asked him again, "How about now?"
"Nope," he replied as he settled himself closer to her between her legs, "How about you?"
He placed his hands on either side of her and she could feel his warm breathe against her neck as he asked her.
She shuddered for a second before replying, "No."
He turned his head towards her and leaned towards her until he was about an inch from her face, "You know I'm going to win?"
"Not a chance."
"You sure about that girly?"
"Positive."
Mugen smirked and turned his head towards her neck. She closed her eyes as she felt him kiss her shoulder. When she opened her eyes he was in his previous position with his face a couple inches from hers, "Doesn't look like it to me."
"I hate you," Fuu stated as he leaned towards her.
"I know," he said in a cocky voice as he closed the distance between them and pressed his lips against hers. Fuu was hesitant at first as she felt his warm lips move against hers but when his hand cradled the back of her head and tilted her head into the kiss she lost herself in the kiss.
Pulling him closer to her she moved her lips against his. As she started reacting to his kiss Mugen began to kiss her more passionately. His mouth moved over hers smoothly and she could feel his tongue move over her lips. Opening her mouth without hesitation she felt his tongue against hers. Tilting her head to get a better angle Fuu melted into the kiss.
They suddenly both pulled apart gasping for much needed air. Leaning their foreheads against each other they both took deep mouthfuls of air.
They both looked up at each other when their lungs were properly working and their hearts had calmed down.
"How about now?" Mugen asked.
"Not a chance," Fuu replied and kissed him again.
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Unbeknownst to both of them, someone was watching them as they became lost in each other's kiss.
A little farther down the bath house a door was slightly open. Angered by the sight in front of him, he closed the door and started walking down the hall. The air grew dark and angry around the man as he exited the bathhouse.
'They will pay for what they have done. And I think I'll start with the boy first.'
A smirk appeared on his face as he disappeared into the streets of the bustling town.
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To be continued…..
Author's Note: By far the toughest chapter for me yet. Please tell me what you guys think? Slightly nervous about the kissing scene. Had to make it romantic and totally Mugen/Fuu. So just tell me what you guys think.
And did you like the ending? Who's this mysterious person? And what do they have planned????
I'm evil aren't I? lol.
And remember: REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW, and finally don't forget to REVIEW!!!!