Author's comments: Not sure if I'll make this a chapter series or not. I might if I get enough positive feedback. IF it becomes chapters it will have lemon, if not, it's a cute little fluffy story for you to DAWW about for now. MuFuuJin

What a Maiden Wants

Fuu twisted through the chocolate brown locks of her hair, braiding it ever so carefully, as the light from a single candle lit the room. She couldn't sleep, and the last thing she was going to do was bother the two idiots in the next room snoring away… she sighed, her big caramel doe eyes searching around the room for something to do.

Obviously, there wasn't really anything to do… they couldn't search for the samurai who smelled of sunflowers if her body guards were exhausted. Also, the small village they'd managed to settle down in Edo was quiet and quaint for a change. Much better than running around the place for their lives, or being mugged by thugs, or Mugen causing trouble, and running off to brothels, or Jin… being… well, Jin!

She rubbed her temples and groaned, just thinking about it gave her a headache.

She then proceeded towards the sliding paper door, opening it as quietly as possible so as not to disturb the guys in the other room and then perched herself carefully on the edge of the railing where their room was. It just so happened to hang over a beautiful valley, with a curving river below, several midnight blossoms curling upwards to the moon as if reaching out for an embrace.

She smiled, "Everything is so beautiful here," she looked up to the moon, "I… I don't want this to end," he let out a huff knowing very well that her statement wasn't possible.

She knew very well that once they'd found the samurai who smelled of sunflowers, Jin and Mugen would go their separate ways, as would she. But… she also knew they'd try to kill each other beforehand. It was a part of their agreement…

That thought alone sent a cold shiver down her spine. She'd grown so attached to the men… it seemed very… unreal for them to die. Then again…. After they'd met the blind woman… Jin had been injured badly… and Mugen… she'd almost watched him be killed right in front of her.

Actually, she honestly had no idea what compelled her to jump in the way of the attack. She knew full well her body wouldn't have been able to block the blow. She and Mugen would have been run through, both dead and gurgling in their own blood…

She silently thanked god that the woman was so… kind hearted enough to not kill him. Dear god she felt so blessed. She'd never chastised them so much than in that moment. She scolded Jin for being so careless and Mugen for looking for a fight. But deep down, she was just scared… the thought of losing people she'd grown so close to hurt her more than anything else. After all, she'd already lost her mother.

Then there was Jin… the way he'd followed that brothel woman around… It hurt her deep down. It made her question, 'Am I enough?' And still she'd come to the same conclusion. She was now a sixteen year old girl, barely in bloom, and lacking in many areas. She just… wished he'd come to her… it's not like she'd…

She blushed and threw the thought from her mind, Jin was a grown man, and surely something of that caliber just wouldn't satisfy him… The downside to being young and beautiful.

She shook the sad thoughts away and looked down again, the flowers were spreading their pollen, and it seemed to glisten in the moonlight. Her eyes lit up with wonder. She noticed a single particle of the pollen fly near and reached out to touch it.

"SAVED YOUR LIFE!" a gravelly voice rumbled, pushing Fuu forward, before pulling her back onto the flooring again.

"IEEE!" she screamed, feeling her stomach lurch with sickness and then anger boil in place of it when she realized whom the culprit was, "MUGEN! YOU JERK!"

The dark chocolate haired man could only laugh, as he felt the puny fists of the younger barrage him with hits. His chocolate orbs were watering badly by the time he'd regained the ability to breath from his laughter.

"What's all the ruckus…?" Jin had appeared in the doorway, a curtain of black hair coating his pale face, his black orbs barely visible.

"Ah, nothin' just showin' Fuu here she shouldn't sit on the edge of the railing," he snickered.

"I can't believe you!" she was shaking with fright, "Oh my- argh!" she huffed stomping away from him.

The two men were silent for a very long time. It was after the realization hit that Fuu wasn't going to come back that Jin had fetched his swords and went to fetch the young woman.

"Where you goin'?" Mugen quirked an eyebrow.

"To retrieve Fuu," he gave a disapproving glare, "You shouldn't have scared her so badly you know…"

Mugen snorted, "Pussy, 'sides what's the big deal? I wouldn't have let her fall," he was being honest, Fuu was his meal ticket. That was besides the fact he actually, kinda, sorta, got used to having the brat around…

"Hmm," Jin shook his head, "Do you think she believes that…?"

"The fuck do you mean by that?" Mugen growled.

"Think on it, I'm getting Fuu," Jin replied, before heading out without another word.

Mugen couldn't understand what was so bad. The hell'd he do wrong? It WAS all just a joke… Why couldn't Fuu see that? He kicked a loose board over the railing, watching as it crashed into the flowers below. Pollen shot up almost immediately, illuminating the sky once more with brilliant snowy colors.

"Fuckin' Casanova had to go retrieve her scrawny ass… she woulda' come back on er' on and apologized for getting' so upset over nothin'!" he growled, still convinced he'd done nothing wrong.

However, after a few moments, he'd managed to cool down and leaned over the railing. He was NOT about to go look for her with Jin. Nope. Fuck that, the brat could rot for all he cared!

'Mugen, I know you're really sick right now… but I promise this'll help…" Fuu's voice chimed in his head.

He shook away the memory, his stomach in knots. That was the time he'd gotten a horrible infection. The doc's had said they didn't even know it this 'monstrous creature' could recover from something so horrible. But Fuu wouldn't give up. She'd gotten fresh wet cloths and put them on his head, changed the infected wraps, got new medications and salves to help the fever and make the pain go away. He didn't remember most of it but… fuck that little bitch had a way of leaving someone all warm an' fuzzy in all the wrong ways! A warrior, a pirate such as himself, shouldn't feel like that unless he was shoved deep into a nice warm, wet…

He stopped himself, last thing he needed was to get riled up. There wasn't a brothel in this town, so he knew those urges would go unchecked. Or… they'd end up being taken out on a whiney brat. That was the LAST thing he wanted to do! Jeeze, he could just imagine how whiney and clingy that little wench would be after something like that.

Actually, if she got laid maybe she wouldn't be so up-tight.

"Heh, tight," he chuckled to himself.

He let out an agitated groan, and grabbed his sword. Time to go look for the stupid bitch…

He started out following the way that Jin had gone. Figured he knew which way she went better than he did. Hell the town was a maze, and he'd only gone to the bar every once in a while to curb at least ONE of his urges.

He spat on the ground, then rubbed his scruffy chin. Where the hell was she…?

"Hey Fuu! You can stop being a whiney bitch and come out already!" No answer.

Granted it was the middle of the night, and he shouldn't have been screaming, it seemed as if the whole town was carelessly asleep. Blissfully unaware of the turmoil that Mugen was now putting himself through. He swore if anything bad happened to her and it wasn't his doing, he'd kill the son of a bitch.

It wasn't long before he'd come across Jin and Fuu sitting alongside one of the ridges to the beautiful gorge below that Mugen let out a breath he'd not realized he'd been holding. A silent smile rode across his face.

He neared the two to chew out Fuu for being so bitchy….!

But he stopped when he saw Fuu's head lean against Jin's shoulder and a gentle arm of Jin's come around to embrace her. Mugen felt something build up in his throat, like the time he'd tried to eat a frog without chewing. He swallowed, but the lump still wouldn't go away. Anger soon taking the spot.

The hell did pretty boy have that he didn't anyway? He was good lookin'! Definitely not as girly lookin', he had skills to match Jin's, was the uh… tall, dark and… there was something else to that description but he couldn't remember… but he was all three!

He felt like if he glared any harder he would burn holes right through the back of Jin's head. He could only wish. Mugen almost said something, but Fuu spoke first.

"Thank you Jin…. I feel a lot better now," she sniffled.

Had… had she been crying…? Mugen felt a small stab in the pit of his stomach, he'd made Fuu cry.

The only time he'd ever done that besides this time was when he'd nearly been killed by the beautiful blind woman. He couldn't really recall her name anymore, but…

Fuu had been so sad. He'd watched her cry and that hurt more than any would the other person had inflicted on him. It made him want to hold her, to make the tears go away. He wanted to pull out his sword and shred apart the demons that made her cry. He wanted to take the blood of the enemies that had tried to hurt her and make them drown in it. He just wanted to kill anything that hurt Fuu…

Especially things that made her cry.

"It's alright Fuu, I've got you," Jin's voice cut more deadly than steel in Mugen's mind.

'Fuu I've got you,' words he wanted to say. But couldn't.

How the hell…? He shook any thoughts of that from his head, tossing his sword to the ground and walking away. Fuu however heard the rattling of his sword, and turned her head to see him walking away.

"Do… you think he came to apologize?" she smiled hopefully, he eyes still puffy and red from crying.

"I highly doubt it… but it was the closest thing for Mugen… he came looking for you," he closed his eyes, "However, judging by his actions, he's stumbled across the wrong idea…. We should correct those thoughts,"

Fuu took a moment to process what Jin had said. He had been their holding her… did Mugen think that… Jin and she was…? A scarlet blush ran across her cheeks and she shooed it away.

"It's alright Jin, I'll go after him, you go ahead and go back to our room, I don't want someone making off with our stuff,"

Jin didn't argue, simply nodded.

He watched as Fuu scampered away. The samurai wouldn't lie. He was jealous of the pirate.

He'd always cherished the way the young woman held herself, how confident she'd be on their travels. But he always was left in wonder at how much the youngling could eat! He found her beautiful, captivating even…

These were the times he'd remember when she'd cared for their wounds. Wrapping new ones, and re-wrapping the old. She'd be so delicate, so precise, and every time she give a soft smile to him, but still scold him at the same time. Still…. It always seemed that she'd chase after Mugen before she would him. He wondered if it was because she held a softer spot in her being for him, despite how childish Mugen would be.

He wanted to be the loyal samurai who swept in and saved the day. He wanted to be the one to hold her tight through the night and whisper things that only lovers hear from one another. Unfortunately, in this era, he wouldn't be able to do so. He could feel the tightness in his chest of not being able to care for her in the any ways she'd managed to care for him.

He'd kill for her, he'd die for her. That was what he'd told himself… what he'd promised himself… He would NEVER die for a lord, but for Fuu…. He'd do anything she asked of him. If he'd dishonored her, he'd take his life in hopes to restore even a piece of her honor.

If anyone came to harm her, they'd suffer an unimaginably painful death. He'd run them through in every non-lethal spot before he'd finish them. But, he would make sure Fuu wasn't around to see it. The young woman had already experienced much death in her lifetime…. He didn't wish for her to see any more…

It wasn't long before Jin returned to the place that they were staying, and looked out at the fields below. So beautiful…. So rare, so unique, just like the young woman they'd come to know. Just like sweet, and blooming Fuu.

As he rested, back against the door, moonlight shining in, a soft smile rode across his face, "The one person whom gave me a purpose… I owe you my life Fuu,"

Once that was established, Fuu made her way towards where Mugen had run off to. But not before picking up his blade. Awkwardly running, she finally managed to catch up with Mugen, whom was standing atop a small waterfall.

She couldn't help but stare in awe. The sight of the slightly damp pirate, his clothes billowing in the wind, that scar running over his right brow, and that rare look of serious determination… she took it all in.

She felt her heart skip a beat at the man plummeted over the side.

"MUGEN!" she screamed, running over to the edge.

Panicking she felt herself shake, her body convulse with sickness.

"Oh god, please no… please…!" she whimpered, praying for several minutes.

"The fuck are you cryin' about?" the drenched man asked.

Fuu dropped the blade, before running over to Mugen and hugging him tightly.

"You jerk, this is the second time you've scared me tonight…!" she cried, letting it all out.

Mugen tensed up, feeling the small arms wrap around him, the shivering of her small frame making that weird lump form in his throat again.

"H-hey! Stop cryin'! I'm not dead yet!" he growled, "Besides, you and Jin seemed to be having a good ol' time over on the other side anyway so why'd you come over here searchin' for me!?"

Fuu tucked her head into the nook of Mugen's chest and arm, "I wanted to clear up confusion…. Why were you so angry in the first place…? I mean, Jin and I aren't together, but…" her word trailed off but Mugen got the jist of it.

"So… you weren't like…. Cuddlin' or anything?" he asked awkwardly, "Not that I give a shit or nothin' just didn't want to ruin the mood for you two if you were. Don't want to cock block Jin if he's getting' laid, then he'd return the favor ya' know?"

Fuu stayed quiet. Just happy that Mugen hadn't done anything stupid… this time anyway.

"Mugen…" Fuu finally sighed.

"Yeah?" Mugen tried to hide his unease. Usually if a chick had hugged him this long they were long since heading to the bedroom to do more than just talk.

"You're such a child…!" she scolded.

"Aww come on! Really!? You think I nearly die and you're gonna bitch me out!?" he mentally smiled, knowing that was her way of saying, 'I'm glad you're okay'.

"Yep, Oh and another thing!" she furrowed her brows looking directly into his eyes.

"What the hell now-" he was cut off as Fuu yanked him down and placed a small kiss on his cheek.

"Tell anyone about that and I'll… I'll… do something horrible!" she threated cheeks blooming rosy.

A wolfish grin crossed over Mugen's face, "Oh yeah? Like what?"

"I… I don't know yet but I'll think of something!" she warned.

The grin never faded, "Whatever you say princess…"

Their arguing ensued almost all the way back to the house they were rooming in for the night. Jin met them outside.

"You two are very loud…," Jin spoke softly.

"Ah, shut it!" Mugen snarled.

Both men drew their swords, and Fuu went in to intervene tripping over a floor board and into Jin.

"Owch!" she hissed.

Both men stopped, glancing at the young woman, "Darn it! Look what you two made me do now!"

Mugen scoffed, and Jin bent down to assist, glancing at the scuff on Fuu's knee. He rubbed the sore part gently, and Fuu felt heat sear her body at the touch. What made things worse was when he bent down and kissed it, earning a glare from Mugen.

"There all better, correct…?" Jin gave a half smile as he helped Fuu up.

"Watch it…!" Mugen couldn't help but bark.

"Watch what? I was merely helping Fuu back up," Jin defended an almost taunting tone to his voice.

Fuu smiled, things hopefully returning back to normal. She wondered what they could possibly be fighting over now…. Idiots.

A light shot across the sky, and all three looked up in time to see a few hundred more streak across. Each watched in awe.

"You know… I've heard from travelers that if you wish on one of these… the wish will come true," Jin spoke up.

"Wow! Really!?" Fuu exclaimed excitedly, "I'm gonna make a wish then!"

"Like anyone believes that…" scoffed Mugen, but despite his words, wished anyway.

They stayed silent the rest of the night, watching the meteor shower and falling asleep. Each one not suspecting that they'd all wished for the same exact thing. Each one never wanting the journey to end, but to continue on forever if it could.