Twelve White Butterflies

Yugao

Author's Note: I'm in a one-shot mood, so I decided to start a collection of Jin/Julia one-chapter stories, each with its own plot and not necessarily in order. Here's number one: Sweet Pain.

Disclaimer: I don't own Tekken, and unless I become a multi-billionaire I never will.

"You don't know what you do to me when you look at me that way."

Julia ducked one of Jin's high kicks, no more than a blur of royal blue with red flames. She countered with a right hook, which he parried. Each move he made was liquid, graceful, and impeccably timed.

He brought her back from her reverie with a thunder god-fist to her gut, sending her back a few paces. She chanced a look at his face, part of it covered by his hood. She caught a glimpse of his brown eyes, set with a glare.

She felt her heart break just a little, but she ignored it.

She had had her heart broken too many times. She knew the feeling well and didn't have to be reminded.

Yet she couldn't help wanting to tell him. You don't know what you do to me when you look at me like that.

Julia countered with a punch, low kick and dropkick combo. He fell to the ground, but before she could feel any sort of triumph he rolled back up and delivered an uppercut, which she deflected easily.

He smirked. She saw this because when he stood back up, his hood fell back. Her breath almost caught in her throat. It was the closest thing to a smile she had seen him wear. … Or perhaps, she had wished to see him wear.

Lightning-fast, Jin grabbed her by the shoulders, lifted her up into the air and threw her back down, face-first. She was too stunned by his speed to immediately get back up.

"Something wrong, Julia?" he said with a grin. It wasn't as pleasant as she would've thought it to be – it wasn't a smile of joy, but a smile of bitterness. For a moment she was tempted to press her face back into the mud and die.

But that wasn't what she was taught to do. That wasn't her intention.

She stood, not only to preserve whatever shreds of pride she had left, but also to continue the fight for her mother, and for her home, Arizona.

"No, nothing's wrong," she answered as she hit his jaw in a forward kick. He staggered just a little, refusing to let the pain show. He was never one to wear his heart on his sleeve… or anywhere visible, for that matter.

Julia turned to her defense to shield herself from his quick attacks. He threw a punch to her right shoulder – her left hand caught his fist just in time. She kicked him around the ankles, but a sidestep saved him from that. In that moment, they were of one mind.

He took the wind out of her with a tackle, forcing her to the ground again as he straddled her, landing lefts and rights to each cheek. Her face's only protection was her hands, bruised and almost broken from his hard blows.

He stood, and she struggled to get up and answer his challenge. Her stomach ached, and one arm rested on it as the other leaned against the ground to give her leverage to stand. Her hair was in disarray, now, and her face flushed with the exercise. She gazed at him, and noticed that he seemed completely unfazed.

She grunted with the effort of pushing herself up on her feet. They were numb and seemed disinterested in helping her win the fight. But she willed them to help her stand. Help me, she told them, Just this one last time.

In a rush of renewed energy, she leapfrogged over Jin and caught him in a head scissors. Perhaps he anticipated it, because he reversed it into a hard slam onto her back. She cringed with the pain on her back, neck, and stomach. Her hands were sore and her arms and legs cramped and numb.

She lay on her back, trying not to cry, though her eyes were already welling up with tears. She heard the referee call it a KO.

"Round 8, Iron Fist Tournament 5," the announcer called out, "Jin Kazama versus Julia Chang. The winner: Jin Kazama!"

So close, she mouthed, so close.

I'm sorry, Mom. I couldn't do it for you.

"Hey," she heard someone whisper.

She opened her eyes, and Jin was there, his face no less surly, but his hand reached out towards her. She was pleasantly surprised by the gesture, and took it. His grip was tight around her hand, squeezing the nearly broken bones more than she would have liked. But he had helped her to her feet.

Julia looked up into his eyes, and there she thought she found a ghost of a smile.

Author's Note: What do you think? Please review, I loved writing this!