Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

He hated that look in her eyes. When her cheeks puffed out and flushed a deep pink. When her eyes would crinkle in the corners and the tears would gather on her bottom lashes. He hated that look. She would stare at him with such emotions and a flash of betrayal seemed to grace her. Like he betrayed her.

And he guess that he did in a way, betray her that is.

She had loved him with everything that she had. She had showed him that innocence that he never could understand, nor could understand to this very day. She nagged him, cried for him, yelled at him, saved him, fought him, cursed at him… she loved him. Loves him.

All she asked was for him to help her find the man that smelt of sunflowers.

And after that, after they found him, she kept to his side. She nagged him, cried for him, yelled at him, saved him, fought him, and cursed at him. And they continued on. He couldn’t be bothered to count the days anymore as they bled from one to the other. Some days standing out more than others—the day was just another one.

They woke up to Fuu mournful sob. Her kimono spotted in a deep red, “that’s blood,” Jin supplied eyes narrowed at the blood mark. His eyebrows creased. Mugen rolled over to take note of the situation, the girl had started sleeping closer to him each night.

Fuu flushed darkly, staring down at her clothing. “It’s a week early,” she voiced softly to herself using her hands to cover the spot. Her attention drifted upwards towards her two companions, and her flush grew darker. “Ehh!?” Her voice broke and her hair stood on end. She shot up from the ground, bowing slightly, “nothing to worry about here, nope nope!” she laughed weakly and quickly left the run down hut that they had come across the night before.

The boys didn’t see her until morning. Her kimono clean and a flush permanently on her cheeks for that whole day.

-

When any woman seemed to take notice of either one of her companions she would find herself in a fit of jealously. And she was jealous, she was jealous that the two of them could leave and not regret it. She was jealous that they didn’t care for her. When she found herself caring for them, so much in fact that just the thought of parting ways sent her stomach into her throat and made her sick.

It once made her lose her appetite.

It made her angry that they could just up and leave her whenever they pleased to find a woman when even the thought of dating a man made her feel guilty and sick. And even when her feelings emerged, that jealously only got worse. Over both of them. Jealously over Jin leaving; how dare he go and enjoy himself when she can’t. Jealously over Mugen; how dare those women sleep with him while she cannot.

It made her sick. It made her sad. It made her angry.

“Oh gross!” she whined shoving him out the door. “You stink of sex and cheap liquor! Go take a bath, you dirt bag!” she yelled. She hated that smell, followed by that swell of tears that would gather at the bottom of her eyes. Just one wrong turn would threaten to spill it, opening the gateways to the snot and the tear stains. She hated that she couldn’t stop it. Hated that it was a natural reaction now. Just like the feeling of relief that she would feel when he sees him again. That swell of her heart that she would feel when she would roll over in the night and end up pressed against his back. The disappointment that she would feel when he would wake up in the morning and not mention that she was hugging him to her.

“H-hey, wait!” she yelled after them one night as they tore down into the red light district, leaving her again at the entrance. She bit her lip, “you assholes!” she shouted the next second when her stomach dropped and clenched. She turned, storming off. She knew by now that she wasn’t going to get anywhere passed those guards, not after those ending remarks. All she could do now was go back to the room and pray that they—that he, would return to her.

For one day, they might not.

Jin had left that night and Mugen stayed behind. “Mugen,” Fuu spoke, her eyes drifting up shyly from the floor. The man was picking his teeth, lounging back as he stared up through the window. Why did you stay behind tonight? She wanted to ask him that. She wanted to fly across the distance between them and throw herself at him. She wanted to tell him to take her now, right there on the floor, in whatever position that he wanted. She lusted for him, and it frightened her. It frightened her just how much she wanted him. How she didn’t want anyone else—not because she hadn’t been with someone; she couldn’t care about anyone else at this point.

She wanted him and his stupid hair, his stupid face, that stupid touch of facial hair, that stupid toned chest, those stupid tattooed arms, and those stupid tattooed legs. She could handle the smell; for someone of his background he could maintain his heath and hygiene. He just didn’t look like it, nor did he seem to partly enjoy it. And for some reason his attitude grew on her, and she found it… endearing, in a way.

She had moved so that she was sitting near his legs, his eyes looking at her as she shifted. She wanted to touch him. To run her hands up his back, over his shoulders, through his hair. But he wouldn’t want her—he’s made it clear since the very first day that they met. He didn’t find her attractive, and wouldn’t even if she were the last girl on this world. Because she was always just going to be a girl to him… never a woman. Fuu leaned over, her forehead touching the fabric of his shirt. She could feel him breath, the rise and fall of his chest. She could feel the muscles of his chest, and the ridges of his ribs.

“I’m in love with you,” she whispered. She felt the large intake of breath, before nothing. He had heard her.

Neither one moved, nor breathed for nearly a whole minute.

“You don’t even know what love is,” he replied, his breath going back to normal.

She felt tear gather in her eyes, before falling onto the fabric of his shirt. Her heart beat heavy in her throat, her mind telling her to run. Run away from this—to not let him see her cry. But she didn’t. She wrapped her arms around her stomach and sobbed loudly. She wanted to throw up, right then and there. She wanted to hurt him—she even wanted to hurt herself. “I do,” she wheezed out between her sobs, her unattractive sobs. You’re the one that doesn’t know what it is, she thought bitterly as she let out a whimper.

Why was it that everything she did was unattractive?

Wasn’t she pretty? Why couldn’t she be pretty enough?

-

He would find himself turning away from her more since that night. Every time she would smile, a hand seemed to grip his heart and squeeze it until his knees went weak and his breath would catch. When she cried; she seemed to cry more since that night… he found find his own would prickle in sympathy. He would scold himself for it—he was not some kid, or woman he had no need to cry. Especially over a flat chested, good-for-nothing little girl!

Although she did develop more of a shape within the last year—he personally enjoyed walking behind her, it had the perfect view of her ass.

He rolled over took in the scent of flowers, girly shit, and skin. His eyes snapped open and he jolted up right, taking the girl who clung to his neck with him. He quickly looked around the room; he was alone with the chick. Shit. “Mugen,” she mumbled rubbing her eyes on shirt, “what’s going on?”

He took hold of both her arms and removed them from around his neck. He left her on the mat and moved to the other side of the room, taking the one that she started off in earlier in the night with him. “Clingy bitch,” he muttered to himself and he settled down tucking an arm under his head. He spared her one glance over his shoulder—she was back to sleeping. He frowned; bitch couldn’t even cling when he wanted her too. Not like he wanted her too though.

He woke up to her shifting in his arms. His leg thrown over hers and his arms holding her to him as they slept. He frowned down at his traitorous limbs; this was not what he pictured that he would wake up to this morning. Fuu clinging to him in her sleep was guaranteed at this point—but him holding onto her like a drowning man to a raft. That scared him.

He didn’t need anyone but himself. He didn’t.

They didn’t talk about it. Not like they would have anyways.

-

They had gathered together enough money for lodgings for the night, and Jin had stayed in. He took note of the tension between his two companions. Each night that he left seemed to only add more—so, in his curiosity, he decided to remain in the room. And within ten minutes he regretted it.

Those two were hopeless.

And Fuu liked to call them the same. Jin shook his head at the two. An idea flickered in his mind. Their bickering was starting to get louder. And they wouldn’t want the neighbouring rooms to start complaining, and then the owner may just throw them out. And there was a way to both shut them up and address this tension between the two.

He may or may not have given Fuu a slight nudge with his foot. Fuu may or may not have toppled into Mugen and sent them sprawling on the floor. And they may or may not be kissing.

No, they were kissing.

Jin silently congratulated himself on a foot well placed.

-

It wasn’t like they planned the rest. It just kinda happened. A kiss here, a kiss there. Waking up in the mornings got a hell of a lot better, their arms and legs tangled together.  Sharing body heat even though it wasn’t necessary. It didn’t stop the feeling in his stomach, and his chest. Didn’t stop her from holding his hand in public during the day. These feelings didn’t stop him from staring down at their intertwined fingers and think, what the fuck?

It didn’t stop her nagging at him. Or crying for him. It didn’t stop her yelling at him, or cursing at him. It didn’t stop her from fighting with him at every turn. These feelings didn’t change that. It didn’t change how she treated him, or how she saw him. She loved him. She loves him. As much as it confused him, he knew that she cared for him.

And he had to admit.

Maybe he loved her too.

Loves.

Maybe he loves her too… just a little? Most likely more.

Definitely more. 

Chapter Text

She stopped, dropping to the grass with a heavy sigh. “I'm done,” Fuu groaned massaging her feet. She blew her hair from her face as her companions turned back to face her. “My feet are killing me,” she moaned clutching at her ankles.

Mugen huffed, “could you not bitch and complain for a minute?” The sun was at it's highest peak, the heat baring down on the trio. They were all tried, hungry, and annoyed. They haven't seen a village, or town at that, for nearly a week. It was safe to say that they were all in need of cozy little shelter and some flavoured food, enough of this sleeping on grass and catching their own food business. Jin joined Fuu to sit in the shade.

Fuu sighed, calming herself down, “just for awhile, please Mugen.” She tucked her side bangs behind her ear, smiling when the scruffy man joined her and Jin in the shade. No wind blew to provide them with relief, but as the minutes trickled on Fuu sighed slipping on her sandals again. “Should we keep going?” She inquired, standing up slowly with a large and tired grin. Her companions grunted their responses and they continued on.

-

They had jumped into the bath water together, his hands brushing against her neck, jaw and into her hair. He pulled on the locks, caressing her scalp as she leaned against his chest with a sigh on her lips. Mugen kissed the ivory skin behind her ear, his stubble tickling her as he pressed little kisses against her skin. “Is this a sorry for being an asshole earlier? 'Cause if so you're forgiven,” she smiled turning to press a kiss to his lips.

“Shut your trap,” he muttered burring his nose against her neck. His hands dropping back into the water, rubbing circles against the skin of her thigh, than hipbone stopping to rest a hand against her stomach. His thumb rubbing soothing circles against the skin, “we should get out.” Fuu shook her head turning on her knees to face him. Mugen leaned away from her as she straddled his waist, “I don't—” his voice cracked as he glanced down to her stomach.

She kissed him, her hands holding either side of his face, “I'll be fine—the baby will be fine too.” She kissed him again, than again, and again. Until he gripped her waist and he was inside her. They had groaned together, not having done this in a long, long while. She buried her hands in his wet mess of hair, her hands gripping at the locks as she panted. “Right there Mugen!” she cried out, throwing her head back. Nails digging into his shoulder as he pushed her hips down in time to meet his thrusts upwards.

-

The baby hated it when she slept on her side, and she hated sleeping on her back—and with her growing belly there was no way that she could sleep on her stomach. This baby was seriously annoying her. First the nausea, then the cravings, and the sleeping positions. Now her feet were soar more often than not, and she couldn't travel without her sandals. At first she was tossed around the idea of making Mugen carry her, but she quickly scrapped that idea when her stomach began to protrude from her body.

She felt so fat now!

The only good thing so far was the increase in breast size—and even then it didn't help her feel any less like a blimp. His fingers twitched in her hair, she really need to get it cut. Maybe after the baby was born she'd cut it back to it's normal length. “Can't sleep?” he mumbled against her cheek. She smiled at him sleepily.

“It's hard to get to sleep sometimes,” she told him rolling slightly to the side. She ran a hand over his naked chest, “I don't know how much longer I could travel like this,” she gestured to her stomach. Any day now Jin would leave, continuing on with his life—leaving Mugen and her alone. She didn't want him to go; they were a team... a trio.

They were her family.

He set a tanned hand on her waist, thumb rubbing over the fabric numbly. “Next town,” he yawned out, eyes closing with each second. The next town was only a day's walk away, a fishing village if the information that they (being Jin and Fuu) had gathered were correct. Almost a city by the sounds of it. A big enough place to find work, to settle down for a bit; Mugen had always been pretty damn decent at fishing. Knew his way around a boat too—years of pirating and all that.

With the promise of the next town, Fuu fell into a light sleep.

-

Mugen panicked when Fuu had suddenly burst out in tears, she was just smiling and laughing moments ago! Both Jin and Mugen froze, food nearly to their mouths to throw the woman who was crying into her food a worried look. “You can have the last one if you really want it,” Mugen's voice strained as he continued to stare at his girl.

Fuu shook her head, sobbing, “why won't I stop crying?” she wailed gathering the attention of other costumers and staff currently in the little shop.

The woman who had dropped off their food returned to their table, her hand resting against Fuu's shoulder. “I'm guessing this is your first pregnancy,” the woman's hair was beginning to grey around the temples. Fuu nodded, wiping at her eyes and cheek with the sleeves of her kimono. The woman ignored the two men still sitting shock still as she sat down beside Fuu. “It's just the hormones, dear. Is this the first time this happened?”

Fuu shook her head, “no, but it was never like this.” Her tears had stopped, much to her companions relief. Just perfect, Fuu thought, now my hormones are acting up!

“How many months left do you have?”

Fuu counted the months passed on her fingers, “I think a little less then three months.” The switch in her emotions from laughing, to crying, to cheerful again confused the two males at the table who slowly continued to eat as the two ladies conversed. Both nodding to each other before the continued their 'mission' in stuffing their gob.

The woman tsked, eyes dropping to Fuu's large (and still growing) stomach, “my husband and I are renting out a little shack down near the harbour. It could use a good fixing, but you seem to have two strapping young lads following you around—put them to work and we'll rent the place out for you,” the woman leaned forward, “I'll even look into helping you find a little bed. The ground is no place for a pregnant woman to sleep.”

Fuu's face lit up, “oh thank you!” she grinned, setting her bowl down and taking the woman into her arms for a large, tight embrace. Maybe I should've gotten pregnant earlier if people were so nice when you were. Would've saved me so many tough nights! Fuu thought in passing.

-

For once Jin visibly panicked, it was just too much blood. How could one body produce that much blood and still be living and cursing!? And why was he here? He had honestly tried to leave—multiple times, often involving taking the route that Mugen was known for too. Violence—the whole pushing his way out of the situation.

It didn't work.

Those women had planted him right back in his little corner along with Mugen to witness the most horrifying (and slightly magical) thing he had, and most likely will ever see. “If I have to see this, so do you,” Mugen had voiced, nose scrunched up and face white.

In the eight months and twenty-six days (or so) that Fuu had been pregnant, the two men were still not prepared for the horror that was happening right now. “YOU SON OF A BITCH!!” both men grimaced at the outcry. “MUGEN, YOU GET YOUR FUCKING ASS OVER HERE I NEED TO SCREAM AT YOU!!”

Jin patted the summed man's shoulder, “be strong,” in another time he might have cracked a small and rare smile. But this was not one of those times—look at all that blood. Is that normal?

“Fuck you, four-eyes,” Mugen hissed back but slowly moved to kneel beside his girl. Fuu's hand latched onto the tattooed wrist and clenched. The man could feel his bone creak under her grasp, and he winced. He wasn't prepared for that—didn't think she had that strength in her.

Jin had zoned out from then, eyes wide and face white—was it just him or was the room beginning to spin? Because the next thing the glasses wearing samurai had heard was, “congratulations, it's a girl!” Jin blinked back into focus, he was sitting on the floor.

Did he really faint?

No.

A samurai doesn't faint.

The elder woman, the one that had rented the place out to them bundled the babe up before handing it to her mother. Fuu's chest was heaving, forehead soaked in sweat as she tried to regain her breath. Mugen was the one who ended up holding the baby first, the ex-pirate's hands had a slight shake in them as he tucked the babe into his arms—Fuu had drilled it into their brains (both of them) on how to properly hold a child (and baby) months ago.

Mugen's eyes were wide; nervous, confused, grateful, shock—bliss. He had never thought about having brats (as he called them) of his own.

Jin couldn't help but let a small smile grace his features—yeah, this was one of those times where one was able to smile about. Those two idiots will do just fine; at least if Jin had anything to do or say about it.