R&R

HEYYYYYYYY! LONG TIME NO SEE! I'm so sorry for the long wait guys. I just got back from Canada Friday and didn't take my computer with me. Also, I was having some serious writer's block and was feeling really... what's the word?... depressed about my writing. I kept feeling like it wasn't good enough but maybe this one will deliver. Who knows?

Anyways I hope you all enjoy and thanks sooooo much for 71 REVIEWS! I would have never predicted that number:)

ENJOY TO YOUR HEART'S CONTENT!

Oneshot 17: Where Were You?

by AshAnime

"Fuu?!"

Using his sword Mugen swiped at the darkness in front of him. Nothing screamed 'suspicious' like a gaping front door and quiet house.

"Fuu?!"

Jin told him to watch her while he went to go meet a friend, but of course Mugen didn't listen. He had spotted a well endowed whore for a very pretty penny earlier in the day and couldn't wait to head to the nearby brothel.

"Fuu quit messin' around!"

Fuu didn't answer and despite their hostility towards each other Mugen was beginning to worry. Taking a tentative step forward, he crossed over the threshold and slowly entered the one bedroom abode the three shared. His dark brown eyes swept his entire surroundings and finally rested on a heap of pink kimono.

"Shit!"

Ruby red blood stained the familiar fabric as the girl beneath it struggled to take a breath.

"Mu- Mu-"

"Shut up!" Mugen demanded, dropping to his knees. "Can't you see you're fucking bleeding all over the place?!"

Fuu's face scrunched in pain as she swallowed. She ignored Mugen's warning and continued talking anyway. "He- He… I tried to stop him and then he… there- there was a knife." Fuu gasped for another breath of air as Mugen unceremoniously lifted her kimono and began tearing at his shirt. He wiped away some of the blood around the wound in her stomach and used the cloth to wrap her torso.

"I said shut up, didn't I?" he grumbled, finally securing a knot in the fabric and dropping her kimono to modestly cover her once again.

"Where were you Mugen?"

He couldn't answer her. For once Mugen simply didn't have anything to say back. Guilt seized his thrumming heart as he leaned back on his heel and helplessly watched Fuu's pale face grimace in pain.

"What do I do?" he mumbled, causing her eyes to slightly open and stare up at him. "What the fuck am I supposed to do now?"

Fuu grabbed Mugen's hand, surprising him and desperately tried to smile. "You're doing great so far Mugen. Now I need you to get Jin and a doctor. A doctor will definitely know what to do."

"Where am I supposed to-"

"Mugen."

The hot tempered pirate immediately shut his mouth and avoided Fuu's gaze. He really didn't have any right questioning her but… a part of him was out right panicking. She told him to go get Jin like it was no big deal when it was the biggest deal in the world. Four eyes would kill him before they even found a doctor.

"I'll be back. Don't go doing anything stupid like moving around and shit."

Fuu nodded once and watched Mugen's lanky form head out the door.

"""""""""""""""""

"Was the brothel enjoyable at least?"

Mugen laid his scruffy head back on their tiny hut's wood paneling, not even hiding his pout. "The guilt trip doesn't work on me four eyes," he spat, defiantly crossing his arms over his chest.

"Watch her. That is all I asked of you, and you couldn't even do that." Jin adjusted his glasses and sighed, the bags under his eyes becoming more apparent.

"I get it. I screwed up. No surprise there."

The two fell into a heavy silence, both consumed by their own thoughts.

"Mugen and… Jin, was it?"

The sulking duo turned to see the doctor emerge from the house, a crease in his forehead but a smile on his mouth.

"Yes," Jin answered, immediately standing. "Is Fuu going to be alright?"

The doctor, a short, bent over man, smiled and nodded once. "Yes, yes. There seems to be no infection of the wound, which is good, but she will need a lot of rest."

"We'll make sure of that," Jin assured him.

"Very good." Mugen ignored the way the doctor's eyes flickered over him accusingly. "Also, besides her physical wounds, Miss Fuu will most likely be… emotionally unstable for a while."

Jin and Mugen shared a look.

"What do you mean by-"

"Well I best be going now. I have a sickly little boy to attend to," the doctor quickly cut in, fiddling with the hem of his blood stained shirt.
"Yeah I'm pretty sure we won't need ya again," Mugen spoke up, causing Jin to turn and glare at him. "What?"

The doctor chuckled nervously and started down the dirt path leading back to town. "Seek me out if there is anymore trouble! Goodbye!"

"Seek me out my ass," Mugen muttered under his breath.

"Enough Mugen. We should be thanking that man," Jin lectured, "if it weren't for him Fuu would be-"

"I know."

Jin sighed. "I'm going in to see her."

"Whatever."

Mugen watched as the stoic samurai stepped inside with a tired shake of the head. Honestly he didn't need his condescending attitude and pity but who was he to complain. He was off with some whore when Fuu was ambushed and stabbed. His calloused hands twitched at his sides as he imagined impaling the bastard.

"The fucking creep didn't even take anything," he grumbled to himself.

"It's not his fault Jin."

Mugen's ears perked up as Fuu's weak voice floated out through the door cracks.

"We should have been here."

There was a long pause and for a second Mugen thought that they were done talking.

"It hurt so much Jin. I kept telling him to stop and he wouldn't."

Mugen couldn't stop the anger bubbling up inside of him. To hear Fuu sound so vulnerable and scared irked him more then he could have ever imagined. The raging pirate could hear the tears plain as day in her voice.

"He told me not to scream and I didn't listen. I'm such an idiot! How could I be so stupid? I-"

"No," Jin protested, voice firm. "You did nothing wrong."

Mugen moved away from the door as gut wrenching sobs hit his ears. All he saw was red as his hand reached for the hilt of his sword. Fuu wasn't just stabbed. She wasn't just shaken up from a bad experience. Some sick fuck took advantage of her.

The bastard was as good as dead.

""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""

"Mugen? Mugen is that you?"

Fuu watched the figure silently make its way over Jin's sleeping form.

"Mugen I know that's you. Where've you been?"

The ryukyu pirate picked up his mat and unceremoniously dropped it next to Fuu's. She quietly watched as he flung his sword to the side and plopped down on his new spot.

"Out," he muttered into the mat, answering her question vaguely.

Fuu smiled softly to herself and tried not move too much as she turned to look at him properly. "Out where?"

He shrugged. "Doing what I do best…"

Fuu frowned. "And what is that?"

"Killing."

She tried to sit up but the pain lancing through her side reminded Fuu that she needed to stay still. "Don't say that Mugen," she whispered, trying to make out his face in the darkness.

"It's the truth."

Fuu sighed. "Who did you kill?"

"He deserved it."

"Who was it Mugen?!"

The twenty year old abruptly sat up and turned to stare down at Fuu. The way he looked at her unnerved her. She felt breakable in his eyes and it had never been that way before. Fuu always knew that Mugen thought of her as a whiny, innocent brat but…
This time he was seeing her differently.

"What is it Mugen?" she whispered as his long fingers gently touched her side. Fuu didn't think Mugen could ever be that gentle.

"I know what he did to you," he whispered back, voice hoarse. "I got rid of 'em."

Fuu's brows scrunched in concern as she observed Mugen's face in the darkness. "What you mean you know what-"

"I know he raped you Fuu."

The samurai's daughter sucked in a breath and didn't know if she had the strength to let it go. "Mugen I-"

"It was easy for ya to tell Jin."

"I didn't want-"

"No hard feelings I guess. I did kill 'em for ya."

Fuu grabbed Mugen's hand and raised it towards her mouth, surprising him. She kissed it once, twice, three times before placing their joined hands at her side. "I never wanted that from you Mugen. You didn't owe me anything."

"I know," he bit out, "but just knowing he…"

Fuu sighed, and for a while it seemed like the cold dark of the night had sucked up all of their words.

"Every time I think about it I get scared all over again."

Mugen laid down on his mat next to Fuu. For the first time ever he was listening to everything she had to say.

"I never want to talk about this again. I just… I want it to all go away, for good. Eventually a guy will come along and make it even easier but… for now… will you help me, Mugen?"

Mugen's coal like gaze lingered on the roof above them as his grip tightened around Fuu's small fingers. For some reason he wanted to hurt this future guy Fuu was talking about. For some reason Mugen didn't want to just be around 'for now'.

"Like hell I'd leave you alone again."

So how was this comeback oneshot? Good? Bad? Ok? Tell me what you think in your reviews! I really had a lot of trouble with Mugen and making sure he wasn't OOC during this oneshot.

Anyways, to those who have mentioned drawing in their reviews please GO FOR IT!:) I would love to see your work.

Well, to sum it all up, It feels good to be back and I have missed your reviews dearly. Thanks oneshot 16 reviewers:

HaruKuro

embrace the darkness within

LillianClassic

fuusunshine

Tanto Storm

and

Kaworu

You are all awesome!

Fuu: I would just like to say that though I was... deflowered... in this oneshot, I still have all my petals in real life and intend to keep it that way until the right guy comes along.

Mugen: Pfft! Like that'll ever happen!

Fuu: Shut up Mugen! No one asked for your opinion.

Mugen: Trust me girly, you're going to be askin' when no one else wants you.

Fuu: *turns bright red and huffs* Come on Jin! I really don't need this today!

Jin: *Looks up from his glasses catalog and obediently follows Fuu out*

Mugen: *SMIRKS* He is totally whipped.