All she knew was warmth and rhythm. She felt perfectly at ease, like she was floating on a warm, salty river. Every muscle in her body was slack.

"No way," his voice penetrated through her.

"Are you asleep, Fuu?" Mugen sounded insulted.

She opened her eyes, and saw that he was staring down at her. Sweat beaded on his brow, and he was panting.

"Wha...?" Her voice came out lazily, and she winced inwardly when she realized that she sounded distant.

Mugen raked a hand through his damp hair and cursed softly. Fuu felt him drawing away from her, and it felt like they were being disconnected. He rolled over on his side, and the few inches of empty air between them felt cold.

"Guess you're bored with me already, huh?" He mumbled into his blankets.

"What? No, Mugen..."

"Whatever. Just tell me when you're not in the mood next time, all right?" He sounded irritated, but mostly casual, like he didn't care either way. But Fuu had been enjoying herself, and she wasn't done with him yet. She slid closer to him, and pressed her body against his back. Then she traced her finger over his shoulder blades, scratching very lightly with her fingernail. Her lips found his neck, and she worked her way down his spine. He shuddered, and she smiled, then slid her hand over the curve of his hip. He grunted with surprise, and she whispered in his ear.

"I wasn't asleep, Mugen, and I'm not done." He sat up with a crooked smile and took her into his lap. Then she felt the same warmth and rhythm that she had been enjoying before, only this time, it intensified into a faster rhythm and a stronger heat. Their bodies pulsed, the pleasure running deep inside. When she felt Mugen's release, he gasped into her hair and pressed his hands so hard into her back that she knew there would be a mark later. When they caught their breath back, he eased back down on the mats with her. The last thing Fuu heard before she drifted off to sleep on his chest was his satisfied whisper.

"You really rock."

The night was still young when Fuu heard a knock on the door and jerked awake. "Who is it?"

"Fuu? It's Suri. I'm sorry about the time, but Chiyo's out of it again, and the bar's like a madhouse. We really need you." Fuu groaned.

"Okay. I'll be there in a sec."

"See you then. I gotta get back. Like I said, it's really crazy tonight."

Great, Fuu thought. She looked at Mugen, who was sleeping under her. He's still asleep after all that yelling? Some samurai warrior he is, she thought. She lightly tapped his cheek, but he just snored on.

"Mugen," She shook him by the shoulder.

"Hmm...? Whasup?" His dark eyes were hooded with sleep, and he smiled at her lazily like he had drank too much.

"Ya wanna go another round?" He ran his hand down her bare back and pulled her close and pressed his lips on hers. She let him, but when he started to open his mouth, she pulled away. "Mugen, I've got to go to work." His eyebrows shot up.

"Eh? But I thought you were off today." His tone was unmistakably disappointed.

"I was, but Suri just came by and-"

"Yeah, okay. I get it. Go on."

She stayed on top of him a moment longer, feeling horrible. She could tell he was upset because he turned his head to the side, and his jaw was clenched. Her hand went to his hair.

"Mugen, I'm really sorry." She whispered. "It's not really my fault, you know. And I wish I didn't have to go."

"Then, don't." He shrugged.

"What do you mean, don't? I have to. It's really busy tonight."

"So what? You weren't supposed to work. Is it your problem that that Chiyo chick is a drunk?"

"Well, no, but... Mugen, it's my responsibility. I work there, and they need me. I can't just abandon them because you want me to st-"

"All right!" Mugen shoved her off of him and rolled over, covering his head with a pillow.

"Get out of here already. I don't give a rat's ass where ya go!" It would have hurt Fuu's feelings if someone else had said it, but she knew Mugen better then that. She grabbed the pillow off his head and hit him in the butt with it. He grunted and left it there. While she was getting dressed, she pondered his reaction. She knew he was being childish because he did care where she went, and he didn't want her to go. When she was fully dressed and lingering at the door, Mugen had rolled over on his back, and was watching her through slit eyes. He was pretty sure that she thought he was asleep. She sighed and opened the door, moonlight spilling onto her milky skin. She paused and looked over at where he lay. Only half of her hair was pinned up, and the part that was loose glistened over her shoulders. She looked so beautiful that Mugen suppressed a groan. His chest felt so full it ached, like when he ate too much. I ate to much Fuu, he thought. She's my heart-food. Then he almost laughed at how stupid that was. That was just it, though. He couldn't find words for this sensation, even if he really tried. Right before the door closed, he heard her voice whisper through the crack. "I love you."

Hours later, Mugen was still awake. He felt like he needed to get outside in the open air and move, scream, run, or even beat something up. Anything but lay there with his thoughts banging against the ceiling, straining to be in the night air, so they could be heard. His head felt so jumbled, he had no idea how to clear it. He didn't want to. Not if it meant taking away Fuu. I love you... He heard it again and again. Her whisper had been like the soft hiss of rain, and it continued to fall relentlessly. He liked the feeling, but it also felt like a slow torture. One that he couldn't help but enjoy. He wondered why it hurt him as well as it felt good. He didn't wonder for long. A small part of him was afraid. He knew that he was falling, and there was no ledge to climb back up on. Why was it so easy for other people to feel this "love" or whatever it was? Why couldn't he just go with it? Because if you lose her, you'll be crushed, right? His inner voice told him. And you can't be crushed, because you're Mugen. You're like a cockroach. Hard to crush. And she's a...flower. A bright sunflower, reaching for the sun. But you're way down here. On the ground. Even though you are hard to crush, you are still a bug. Mugen scorned himself.

"Yeah," he said out loud. "That's it. That's why this kind of sucks. I'm not...good enough. Not for her." His voice turned into a choking rasp, and suddenly he couldn't breathe. He calmed himself down by thinking about her. Her soft skin, her body against him. He remembered the sliding sensation, in and out. Then he swallowed hard, and with a crooked grin on his face, he shoved his hand deep into the blankets. But his skin was so rough, not like hers. All the hot scenes and visions vanished, and he gave up with a sigh. He ached for her. Not just her body, but her. He wasn't sure what love was, but he was pretty sure that it had ensnared him.

When Fuu came home at sunrise, she was surprised to see Mugen staring sleepily up at her. Usually when it was this early, he was snoring like the day would never dawn. He smiled in a languid way and beckoned to her. She sighed, about to tell him that she was way too tired for what he wanted, but when she clambered to the thick mat, he only wrapped his arms around her and pressed her to his body. He let out a long groan of contentment and buried his face into her hair. His muscles relaxed, and before long, she heard the deep and even breathing of sleep. Had he been awake, waiting for her the whole time she'd been working? No way, she thought. Mugen loves to sleep. Then, too tired to think anymore, she smiled and nestled her head deeper against his warm chest.