Cinnamon and Jasmine

CHAPTER FIVE
22 May 2005, 9:45AM, SUN.

((Reminder, this is an AU piece to not give much away about the series. I have seen almost all the episodes...It\'s just too good to ruin for anyone else. Heh...Enjoy!))

It took a long time, and even more self degrading to make the tanned man return to the hut. He could already hear the sound of someone struggling. Deciding the ronin was distracted, or nude again, Mugen peeked through the bamboo door.

Jin was now wearing the robe tied around him, covering him like a skirt from it\'s size. He was on his knee\'s trying desperately to pull one of his swords from a pile in the corner.

\"What do you need that for?\" Mugen entered, causing Jin to jump.

//He actually snuck up on me.//
Jin blinked, then frowned. \"I told you to leave me.\"

\"Yeah and a guy a lot bigger than you told me to watch you. Who should I listen to? You\'re right, fuck it, why should I listen to anyone?\" The man turned to leave.

\"W-wait...\" Jin forced himself to say.

\"Huh?\' Mugen raised an eyebrow turning to face the ronin.

\"Please...Just hand them to me. I do not like them so far out of reach.\" Jin kept his eyes focused down on his hands. It was bad enough he was begging, he didn\'t have to see the smug look on the swordsman\'s face.

There was none, however. He was sure that was the most polite thing the ronin had said to him since they met.

\"Sure.\" Mugen quickly grabbed the two black sheathed swords and gently handed them over. Jin continued to keep his eyes down.

\"Thank you. Now, leave.\"

\"Fuck you, your bandages have to be changed again. I can see blood on them from you moving so much.\"

\"Fine. Make it quick, then you leave.\"

\"Whatever...\" Mugen sighed walking to the blue box. Jin crawled to his futon and lay on his stomach.

\"You know, this is the first time I\'ve done this with you awake.\"

\"Please skip the bedside manner. I have a headache.\"

//Yeah I got your headache!//
\"Okay.\"

Silently Mugen knelt beside the ronin and began the now somehow familiar task of changing the wounds. The skin was starting to heal, and the swelling went down, but there was a lot of fresh blood. Once again the man\'s mind returned to when he almost peeked a look, and then got one for free. He smiled holding back a laugh.
//So beautiful...//

Jin closed his eyes and tried to focus on the pain. Yes, pain, there was nothing enjoyable about the pain. Not how soft Mugen\'s hands had become as he used cation. Or how he could hear the other\'s breath clearly.
//Shut up, shut up!//
He bit down on his tongue hard enough to draw blood.

\"Done. Now try not to move around as much. I don\'t give a shit what you do, but you\'re no good to Fu like this.\" Mugen stood up.

\"Right.\"

\"Okay then, I\'ll leave.\" He walked to the door. He was half hoping he would ask him to stay but the ronin said nothing. The dinner bell stopped them both.

\"Guess Ku and Fu are back.\" Mugen smiled before slipping out the door.

- - - - -

\"So, how did today go?\" Ku smiled his usual smile, passing a large plate of cooked fish he had bought in town.

\"I dunno, Jin woke up. He was moving and stuff...mmHm?\" Mugen trailed the end off into a shrug.

\"I see. Do you think he want\'s food?\"

\"How the hell should I know?\" Mugen became impatient, but not impatient enough to stop from grabbing another dumpling.

\"I could bring him some.\" Fu chimed in.

\"That is okay Fu, I will send some with Mugen. I had something else I wanted to give you too.\" Ku reached into his sleeve to find something. Mugen just stared with an eyebrow raised.

\"Do you know what that is old man?!\" Mugen was in shock at the contents of the sleeve.

\"Not too sure, the lady at the herb store said one of it\'s functions was to stop pain. It was all they had.\"
//Keep it up Ku..Heh, heh...//

\"I had to kill a man for some of this...\" Mugen held the two paper wrapped sticks of dried herb, smelling then gingerly.

\"What is that?\" Fu felt left out.

\"It\'s marijuana. I think some Dutch guy started bringing it over, I dunno...\" Mugen stuck the sticks in his coat sleeve. \"So why you giving it to me, Jin I can sorta understand...\"

\"I\'m sure you\'re in some kind of pain from all your work as well. Think of it as a tip for a job well done.\" Ku smiled again.

\"Hell of a tip...\" Mugen stood heading toward the door.

\"Wait, don\'t you want to bring Jin some food?\" Fu added.

\"Don\'t worry, if he does this he\'ll come here for it.\" Mugen smiled leaving.

- - - - -

\"Why did you give them that? What does it do?\" Fu asked, as Ku helped her clear the table.

\"It is mearly to help them lose the barriers that keep them so far apart.\"

\"But why?\"

\"Can you not sense the unseen romance that has played out here since you arrived?\"

\"Uh...No...?\" Fu was really confused now.
//Did I miss something?//

\"Somehow I think they both need each other. Fate brought them together for more than your quest, Miss Fu.\"

\"But if they get all in love, it may affect my quest.\" Fu began to panic, picturing two love sick men, totally distracted.

\"Contrary, I think it will help. If they care about one another, then they will work harder to survive and protect. That\'s better than not caring if one is killed.\" He smiled to reassure her.

\"I guess so. As long as their happy, you\'re right. I don\'t like them pulling swords on each other every five minutes.\"

\"I also think it is best to not speak of it around them. Let them think they are keeping it hid, until they feel comfortable revealing it. If they ever do.\"

\"Yeah. But seriously, who do you think is the girl? Heh...\" Fu had to ask.

\"I\'m not sure if it works like that Miss Fu.\"

\"Then how does it work?\"

Ku blushed. \"I do not think it is this one\'s place to explain that.\"

He sighed as Fu laughed, trying to imagine Jin or Mugen in geisha dress.

- - - - -

\"I thought you said you were going to leave?\" The ronin spoke without opening his eyes. He was now sitting somewhat normally, sword on shoulder.

\"Somehow the idea of sleeping in a stable with horses isn\'t that appealing.\" Mugen took his sandals off and flopped down on his futon.

\"I forgot we\'ve been staying together here...\" Jin opened his eyes and stared at the man in red.

\"Guess what?\"

\"Hmm?\"

\"I got something. I\'m supposed to give you one, but you\'re too damn snooty for it anyway.\" Mugen rolled up into a sitting position, meeting the ronin stare with an evil smile.

\"I don\'t even care in the least.\" Jin looked away.

\"Oh well, more for me. Got a light?\" Mugen stuck both white sticks in his mouth.

\"Yes, it\'s in my carriage, just ask my guardsmen.\"

Mugen laughed. \"Wow, was that an attempt at humor? Close to it...\" He changed his face to a more serious one. \"You know what this is, Fishy?\"

\"I don\'t care.\"
//Why does he keep insisting I look like a fish? Do I?//

\"It\'s weed. Nice little relaxer now and again. Probably help ya forget all about those big gashes on your back.\" Mugen reached for the flint stone used to light the candles and lit one. He leaned his face toward the candle and lit both the sticks, puffing slightly. \"Here, take one...\" He held one out, the other still in mouth.

\"You had it in your mouth, like I\'d touch it now.\" Jin sneered, scrunching his nose in disgust. \"Who knows where it\'s been.\"

\"Oh please, can you stop being such an uptight jackass for one fucking night?!\" Mugen\'s eyes showed frustration.

Jin wasn\'t sure what about the look bothered him, but he took the smoking stick anyway. Wiping it off on the robe before taking a drag himself. \"It taste good at least. Smell\'s horrible.\" He remarked letting the smoke slowly escape his lips.

//Now he really looks like a trout...//
\"How could you say that\'s horrible? Ku must have paid top dollar for this.\"

\"Foolish...\" Jin took another hit. He lied, he liked the smell, and he wasn\'t really that bothered by it being in Mugen\'s mouth.
//What a lucky object...//
Jin stopped himself before a smile formed, coughing instead.

Mugen took another deep drag and blew the smoke out in perfectly formed rings. He smiled when he heard Jin sigh \"Showoff.\"

\"Why not showoff, if you got it, ne?\" The Ryu-kyuian smiled in what Jin found a very seductive manner. \"Oh yeah, Ku said he\'d leave some food out for you. It\'s been a while an all, you should probably eat something.\"

\"You almost sound concerned.\"

\"So what if I am?\"

Jin looked away, hoping he wasn\'t blushing. Trying to change the subject, \"I can walk some now. I\'m going to the kitchen.\" Jin tried to stand using the sword. Before he could try Mugen had his arm and slowly pulled him up.

Jin frowned pulling his arm away. \"I don\'t need your help.\"

\"Yeah but I just wanted to touch you. You are half naked.\" Mugen looked as shocked as Jin at what he said.

Now Jin was sure he was blushing. \"Be quiet.\" He slowly walked away and out of the hut.

\"Damn...\" Mugen sighed taking another hit. He noticed Jin brought his herb with him.
//Maybe he\'s not so uptight...//
The tanned one walked out of the hut not even thinking about the fact he\'d just admitted some of his desire.

END CHAPTER FIVE