Wanderings, VII

by Laura Bryannan

Please Mugen, do sit down.” Well what could I say to that? I sat down. He eyed me in this thoughtful way, and I couldn’t help but fidget. Damn him! “Well, my friend,” he finally said, “we’ve been playing an interesting game for months now. What do you say we take some time to get to know each other better?” Oh no! I took a deep breath, and tried to figure out how to answer him….

Uh…get to know each other better?” I stalled. I felt trapped in the little room that served as his quarters, so close to him and his bed—he had an actual bed built into the hull, not a hammock like the crew—which was practically within arm’s reach. I started getting panicky.

Yes, Mugen. We’re heading north again, as you know, and it will only be a few more months until we reach Ryukyu. So I feel time is short. I’ve noticed your interest and, for a man my age, it’s been very flattering coming from one so young. I’ve appreciated it very much.”

I nodded and looked him in the eye, my heart pounding. “I could say the same,” I admitted. “I’ve been flattered by your interest, and it’s done me a lot of good to have it.”

And yet?” he asked, eyeing me in that you-must-tell-the-truth way he had.

I don’t know,” I began. “I think you’re totally hot, but for some reason I want something more from you than…um…that. It ain’t cuz I don’t want you. Maybe it’s cuz I do want you. I don’t really understand it myself.” That was honestly the best I could figure it, so I hoped it would be enough.

He smiled ruefully. “Ah yes,” he sighed. “I believe I do understand. Such is the curse of middle age. I serve as a surrogate father to more than one person aboard this ship, and perhaps it’s for the best. But a man can dream, eh? It’s been nice to feel so appreciated. Your attention…it’s done me a lot of good to have it, as well.”

I was totally amazed to hear him say such a thing. I would never have believed it in a million years. Me? Do him any good? Just by liking him? I didn’t get it, but it was great to hear. “Can’t we just keep going the way we were?” I asked hopefully. It didn’t seem like he was gonna try to talk me into fucking him, or force me into fucking him, or anything like that. It was kinda beyond my experience, so I needed to be sure.

Yes,” he replied. “Let’s keep going the way we were. I treasure your regard, and don’t want to lose it.” You know, the second he said it I got bummed. Can you believe it? He obviously noticed. “What’s wrong?” he asked.

Uh…I’m not sure. I guess there’s a part of me that’s been waiting for you to force me, and now that you’re not going to….”

He shook his head. “No Mugen. If that’s what you need from me, I cannot give it to you. Being with a man…that’s enough of a sin in the faith of my fathers. To force you…I could not do it. I honestly can’t believe that’s really what you want. But, in any event, I am here. You know my feelings. If you should change your mind before you leave the crew, you know where to find me.”

And with that, he stood up and indicated I was free to go. I had this moment of pure weakness, where it took all my willpower not to throw myself against that massive chest of his. He watched me hesitate with this little smile, but didn’t take advantage of it. The moment passed, and I nodded to him gratefully.

Thanks,” I said, opening the door. I took a deep breath and looked at him once more. “I’ve always been impressed by you. I guess I’m even more so now.” And then I took off before I lost my self-control.

So that’s how it went. I kept waiting for him to start giving me the cold shoulder or something because I turned him down, but he never did. He kept on paying attention to me and I kept on appreciating it. I kept on lusting after him from a distance, and he didn’t make me come any closer. If anything, it got better between us. Now that things were out in the open and I stopped feeling scared he was gonna force me, I stopped tiptoeing around him so much.

The only bad thing was as we spent more time together, Cristo’s attacks got more and more nasty. I kept putting up with it cuz he was the captain’s pet, and cuz I could relate to how he prolly felt. If I’d had someone like Captain Nunes in my life when I was five…. It was weird cuz I was five when my ma died. So I could really relate to how the kid wouldn’t want his lifeline to be hanging with someone else. But finally he went too far. The last attack was the worst, of course.

The fateful day began like any other…almost. I got up and started hearing guffaws and snorts all around me. My brain turned on enough to notice that everyone was looking at me—eyes big, most smiling, but some looking downright apprehensive, like they were thinking, oh shit, what’s he gonna do about this one?

So I got it. Cristo did something to me. I looked down at my clothes and they were OK, so what the fuck? I saw Kuru pointing to his head, and then he ran his hand through his hair. I did the same, and there was none there! I yelled a few choice curses and everyone cracked up. I felt my head and could tell that he’d chopped almost half my hair off to practically nothing. I was totally pissed.

Cristo!” I bellowed. Anyone on the ship coulda heard me. The guys around me were all pointing toward the bow, so off I went. I found him hiding behind Captain Nunes, who took one look at me and cracked up too. I just stood there with my arms crossed, waiting for him to stop. He finally cleared his throat, still grinning.

I believe it’s time for that thrashing I spoke to you about,” he said.

I could see the freaked out look on Cristo’s face when he heard the news and smiled at him wickedly. “Yeah, you’re right. But I want you to do it,” I demanded.

His eyebrows raised and he thought about it for a few seconds, then nodded. “All right. Cristo come here,” he said, and then spoke to him some more in his own language. Cristo wasn’t having any of it, so he grabbed the kid’s arm and dragged him to where he could sit down on a box and haul him over his lap. Cristo was not excited about this idea, of course, and was hollering and carrying on even before the first swat hit his ass.

The captain gave him a dozen wallops—I counted—each smack sounding throughout the ship, drawing more and more of a crowd. Cristo screamed his protests, and I almost felt sorry for him by the time the captain was done. He didn’t go lightly on him, that’s for sure. When it was over, he was bawling and begging my forgiveness. I gave it. No skin off my nose. The damage was already done. Captain Nunes sat there and held him, talking to him quietly, so I left him to it and went to find the barber. I figured there was nothing I could do but chop the rest of it off so it was all the same length.

So that’s what happened. The barber got out his straight edge and shaved my head. It felt really weird, let me tell ya. I felt naked and ugly. My hair, as crazy as it was…well I always liked it. Now I didn’t have any. It really pissed me off. It took a few days before everyone stopped rubbing my head too, which got really old after about the third time. Cristo left me alone after that, though, so I guess it was worth it. And it was really satisfying to watch the captain thrash him, for lots of reasons. I added the scene to my list of jack-off and blowjob fantasies, although sometimes I was the one over the captain’s knee.

Yeah, after a few months I was finally feeling up to whoring again, and since I had money, there was no reason not to. My gut wounds really put me out of business for a while. Cumming was not any fun for way longer than I was happy about. I couldn’t even do it myself without it hurting like a bitch in there. But when things finally healed enough, I’d join the others when we put into port and have some fun. I’d always tell the madam I didn’t care what they looked like, I just wanted the girl or boy who sucked cock the best. I’ve never fucked a whore in my life. Fucking is hard work, and whores ain't worth the effort. I ain’t gonna pay someone to bust my ass servicing ‘em, that’s for sure.

If you take your time and do me right, I’ll tip you real good,” was my standard line. Then I’d lay back, close my eyes and pretend it was Jin doing it, or Fuu, or even Captain Nunes. After one of his attacks, it was satisfying to imagine Cristo on me, the little shit. My lovers did things in my fantasies they would never do in real life, but that’s what fantasies are for, right? If the whore was willing to rim me, I always imagined it was Jin. It was my only complaint about him as a lover. I liked doing it, and I liked getting it back, but he didn’t like doing it so I was screwed. I’d think of that long tongue of his working its way up my ass and my guts would melt. I had to watch it with those fantasies, though, cuz I’d cum too fast sometimes.

I’d imagine Fuu all hot and bothered after I’d been eating her out for a while and I’d plow myself into her from the front, behind, upside down and sideways. I was always fucking her senseless in my fantasies. Sometimes I’d imagine her sitting in front of me, legs spread wide, touching herself while I watched. I was never able to talk her into masturbating in front of me, although I tried more than once. She was a hussy in my fantasies, though, and I had lots of fun thinking about her doing things to me, and to Jin too. It was even hot to think of him doing her. I knew he wasn’t into giving women head, so maybe that’s why I liked to imagine his face between her legs. And, when I was feeling really wicked, I’d think of her in between us both. That was probably the hottest fantasy of all. He’d be up her ass and it would make her so goddamn tight I could hardly move. I’d fuck her and be thrusting against his cock inside, turning us all on at the same time. Man oh man. That was one fantasy I would love to see happen in real life.

Once I had this whore who was really talented at finger fucking…almost as good as Jin. She was doing a nice job on my cock too, making it last a long time, and I found myself thinking about what it would have been like if I’d let the captain fuck me with that huge dick of his.

Put another finger in me,” I told her. She did, and the stretch felt great. Oh yeah, do it, do it, I was saying to him in my head.

Another,” I demanded. She raised her head and looked at me doubtfully. “Come on, do it,” I repeated, so she finally did. She wasn’t a tiny girl, so this time it was painful, but it only added to what was happening in my fantasy. His cock woulda hurt way more than that, I was sure. Anyway, I was so swept away by my thoughts I got a little kooky.

Push bitch,” I told her. I guess no one likes being called a bitch, even a whore, so she really shoved her fingers in there and I screamed, but not just in pain. The whole thing set me off like a firecracker, and I came and came. It was perfect. When I opened my eyes, she was giving me a wary look, like I might slug her or something. I gave her a hunk of extra money on my way out the door and she squealed in delight.

My name’s Yue, sir. Ask for me again,” she called after me. It was too bad we were sailing that night, or I woulda most definitely hunted her down for another go.

So, yeah, after a few months I was feeling mostly myself again, which was good. I had a bunch more scars to show for my troubles, and the ones on my face were prolly never gonna go away. But they were cat-like which I thought was kinda cool, so I didn’t care about them too much. I could always tell when it was gonna rain because my left hand would start aching and bothering me when the weather got iffy. It got messed up pretty bad in that last fight with those asshole brothers, and healed kinda funky. Thank god it wasn’t my right, that’s all I kept thinking to myself.

My time as a crewmember of the Brightness was almost over. Captain Nunes asked if I would consider staying on, but my guts were telling me I couldn’t, so I had to say no. But something interesting happened before we got to Ryukyu. Something kinda weird, but only when I look back on it. I didn’t think anything about it at the time.

We were gambling in port one night and I was having the best luck. One guy I kept beating was out of money but didn’t want to stop, so he offered up his kimono as collateral. Normally I would have told him to go fuck himself, but we were heading north again and it was getting colder and I didn’t have any warm clothes. It was a really cool black one and he was my size, so I decided to take him up on the bet. Well, I won, so he had to pony it up. I stuck it with all my stuff, figuring I’d complete the outfit later.

When we finally put into Ryukyu it was the middle of spring. We’d spent the entire winter in the tropics, and we all looked it compared to the pale skinned crowds at the docks. My skin was way darker than it usually was. The captain called me into his quarters and asked me one more time if I’d stay with the crew as they headed up to Chukchi province in northeastern Muscovy. It was the run they did every year, he said, sailing as far north as they could and then as far south as they could, buying and selling all along the way. I told him no one more time, and he nodded and sighed.

I’ve gotta look for my friends,” I said. “But maybe if I don’t find them…. When will you be back in Ryukyu?”

In approximately five months time,” he replied. “When you get yourself settled somewhere, leave word how you can be reached with the Portmaster, and I’ll send someone to find you. You’ve been an asset to this crew, Mugen, and I’ll be sorry to lose you.” I was sorry to leave him too, that’s for sure, especially since I had no idea whether my guts were right that I’d find Jin and Fuu in Ryukyu or not. We looked at each other in that eensy room of his for a bit and then he obviously steeled himself for something and cleared his throat.

Come and give us a kiss, my boy. Just this once,” he said. I was curious enough to risk it, so I let him gather me up and raised my face to his. Oh god, he was good at it. He tasted strange to me, of the weird stuff he liked to drink and smoke—brandy and coffee and this stuff called tobacco he put in a pipe—but it was still the hottest thing that had happened to me in a really long time, so I just kinda lost it for a while. I could feel that…thing…in his pants pressing against my belly and everything in me screamed to suck it, but I didn’t give in, despite the tightness in my own pants. I just let him kiss me until he finally backed away with another sigh. We were both kinda breathless.

Hmmm, maybe I should have asserted my captain’s rights sooner,” he said, looking so lusty I could barely stay standing.

Uh, maybe you should’ve,” I agreed. Then I shook my head to clear it of all those dangerous thoughts. “Um…thank you for everything. I was like Cristo too,” I told him. “On the streets when I was five after my ma died. No one ever came and rescued me, though. Cristo’s a lucky kid. You kinda rescued me anyway, by how you treated me while I was here. I won’t forget it.”

That seemed to bring him back to himself, and the wild, kinda smoky look in his eyes went away. He pulled me into his arms again and we hugged each other for a moment, then he turned his back to me. “Goodbye, my friend,” he said. “I wish you all the best, and hope we’ll meet again one day.” I nodded, even though he didn’t see me, and took off. Then I gathered my things, said goodbye to the crew, and left the ship.

It was almost June, but it was still pretty cold when I hit the streets of Ryukyu. I found an inn, dumped my stuff, and went looking for some warmer clothes. I bought a pair of black hakama, believe it or not, to go with my new kimono. I even got a juban, wondering at myself for going all Japanese. When I got back to my room I pulled the kimono out of my sack to take a better look at it and got a shock. In the daylight I could see it wasn’t black at all, but very dark blue.

I kinda freaked out for a while. Me? Wear his color? I didn’t have any choice, but it took a few days before I got used to the idea. After a while, though, I really started to like it. Anyway, it was a good thing I spent so much time untying Jin those months we were together, or I would never have known how to get everything on, but I finally managed it. It felt heavy and strange to be wearing so many clothes, but it sure was warm! That, all by itself, made it worth the hassle.

So I spent a few weeks wandering around town, and every day that went by made me more and more convinced I was a stupidass fool for leaving the Brightness. It dawned on me that even if Jin and Fuu were both here, I had no way of ever finding them. Ryukyu was a big city. They could be anywhere. I knew I should have been trying to find a job and stuff, but I just wasn’t up for it. The idea of busting my ass looking for work was too depressing, and I was depressed enough. I decided to try and find somewhere to stay instead, and worry about earning money later.

I ended up taking a room at my favorite brothel. It was cheap, if I didn’t mind the noise, the madam said. I didn’t, and I didn’t mind having company so handy, downhearted as I was. The room was small, but who cared about that? I was there for about a week when I heard some of the girls talking in the next room.

Where ya off to, Dohzu?”

I’m taking class, and my last trick made me late.”

Oh, don’t tell me you’re still trying to learn how to swing a sword around. You’re so weird. If you think you’re gonna find a way out of this business you’re even crazier than I thought. Swords are for men. Your lot in life is to suck and fuck. Deal with it!”

Shut up Haiya! Shinshi will teach anyone, even a girl like me, and it makes me feel good about myself. Besides, I could look at him all day.”

Oh yeah, he’s a looker all right. Gorgeous, I’ll grant you that. But he’s not into women. In all this time he’s never once set foot in any of the local houses. I’ve asked. And he lives with that boy…showed up here with him, right? They say they’re cousins, but who believes that? Get a clue, girl.”

Oh shut up and leave me alone. I’m already late.” And then I heard a door slide shut with a bang and footsteps running down the stairs. I grabbed my sword and decided to follow her. A gorgeous swordsman, huh? Living with a boy. Could be interesting. Did I want to find him if he was with someone else? Yeah, I decided I did. I decided whoever he was with would just have to step aside.

So it was worth checking out. She headed down about three or four blocks and into a slightly better part of town. I could see where she was going before she got there, as there was a small crowd standing around the front yard of a little house. I could see bits and pieces of what they were watching in between their bodies—a score of students doing a form in unison. No one was wearing the right blue, though, so I was bummed. I decided to hang out and watch anyway as I didn’t have anything better to do.

And then I saw him. It was really him—wearing red, of all damn things! I couldn’t fucking believe it. It was a good thing I was standing next to a tree cuz it gave me something to hold on to, but I still lost it anyway, falling to my knees and bawling like a baby. It took a while before I could make myself stop, but when I finally got my shit back together I moved closer and joined the group watching so I could see better.

He was teaching the class, as it turned out. He’d put on some weight, but that just made him look even better than I remembered. His hair was a lot longer, but otherwise he looked like himself, which was like a fucking angel as far as I was concerned. He looked amazing. And it totally cracked me up that we’d switched colors. I scanned the class, but couldn’t tell which one might be the lover the girls at the brothel were talking about. Oh well, it didn’t really matter. The guy was gonna be history anyway.

It was interesting to watch him teach. He was good at it, I could tell. The abilities of his students ranged pretty widely, with the most skilled being a handful of old guys. There was this one old Chinese guy he had co-teaching, he was so good. I was impressed. Didn’t match my skills, but hey, Jin was the only one who could do that. Anyway, when the class was finally over, I was hoping everyone would leave, but they didn’t. Folks kept hanging out talking to each other, asking him questions and stuff. I could see Dohzu standing near him, just staring with this goofy smile on her face. It made me laugh, although I happened to know what a good cocksucker she was, so I was glad he’d never met her professionally. Finally people started to take off, so I thought I’d make a little trouble to see what would happen.

So, who’s the shinshi of this candy-ass dojo anyway?” I called out, keeping my eyes on him, smirking at the gasps and angry murmurs I heard from the people around. His back was to me when I said it, and I saw his body stiffen. Then he jerked around with the most bewildered look on his face I’ve ever seen. He squinted in my direction, and I realized my hair was too short and I wasn’t dressed like he remembered, so I kind of saluted so he could see the tattoos and more gasps went up from the crowd. His mouth opened and he staggered enough that someone near reached out to steady him.

Mugen?” I heard him whisper. Then he dropped his sword with a clatter and strode over, catching me up in this big bear hug. I hugged him back, of course, laughing my ass off. “I don’t believe it, I don’t believe it…” he kept saying. I couldn’t believe it either. He’d been working out, and he smelled good. Then it hit me—it was really him! I didn’t believe it till I got my hands on him. I was feeling like I was gonna start crying again when he pushed me away and, in front of god and everybody, grabbed my face and kissed the shit outta me.

Oh man, it was good. A whole bunch of stuff messing around inside me started to calm down. That he was kissing me right there in front of his students, his neighbors, maybe even his lover…he was telling me a lot by doing it, and it made me feel great. Plus it was just so fucking sweet. Despite the red kimono, he smelled right. He tasted right. I’d actually found him! I couldn’t fucking believe how lucky I was! I wasn’t gonna stop kissing him myself, he was gonna have stop first. Finally, maybe after he started noticing the buzzing gossip around us like I did, he let go of me and we looked at each other. The smile on his face made my knees weak. Then he turned to our audience, still hanging onto me.

Everyone, this is Mugen. My partner. He’s been away for a long time, and I’m very happy to have him back.” He turned to me again, apparently unconcerned about all the open mouths and google eyes on the faces around us, and looked me up and down with a satisfied nod. “It suits you,” he decided. “You look even more amazing than I remember.” He ran his hand through my hair, looking all wistful. It was barely over an inch long by then. “Hmmm,” he said, but didn’t ask anything more. And then, before I even realized what I was doing, I was reaching inside his sleeve for my name on his arm. He did the same to me. When my fingers found it—felt the raised skin of the lines just how mine was—my guts did a flip.

Do you regret it?” he asked.

Never,” I replied.

His eyes got all misty for a moment and then he sighed. “I have to attend to these people. It’s what I do every day. Do you mind?” I was cool with that and told him so. He nodded and turned back to them. Partner, he said. He just came right out and said it to everyone without a second thought. I liked it. I liked it a lot.

I could see one of his students crumpled up in a heap on the ground, shoulders shaking, looking like he was crying, and figured it must be the lover. Tough titties, I thought. Move over puppy dog, big cat’s back in town. I’d see Jin look over at the kid every so often, but it didn’t seem to be in sympathy, which I thought was kinda interesting. In fact, I’d have been willing to bet money he seemed angry with him or something. But who cared? There was only one unanswered question as far as I was concerned. Did he ever bump into Fuu? When the wondering got too much, and he was still jawing away, I wandered over to see what he knew. Ignoring their frowns, I pulled him away from the two guys he was talking to.

So you never found her, huh?” I asked. He looked surprised, which was weird, and then he looked over at puppy dog in a heap and kind of harrumphed, which was weird. He walked over to the kid, still frowning, indicating I should follow.

Mugen, you remember Fukashi, don’t you?”

Fuu…kashi?” I wondered for half a second, then thought maybe I got it. He was pulling puppy dog up by his shoulders and I saw. Absolutely un-fucking-believable! It was her. In boy’s clothes! All red-faced and pitiful, as she’d been crying since I arrived, I realized. He scooped her up and plopped her into my arms. Then the reality of the situation hit me—he wasn’t angry with some kid I didn’t know, he was angry with…Fuu! How long had they been together? Were they lovers? Why was he pissed?

Why don’t you take Fukashi inside and see if you can calm him down a bit?” he said, guiding me in the direction of the house, not giving me a chance to ask him what was going on. “Just save something for me,” he whispered close to my ear, tugging on my earring with his teeth before giving me a shove toward the door. I watched him turn back to the handful of students and neighbors still staring slack-jawed, then walked to the house.

I went inside holding a damp and sobbing Fuu who looked all of fucking twelve years old. She was really cute as a boy, I saw that right away. No wonder something was up with Jin. I wondered whose idea it was and how long she’d been running around like that.

As I stepped inside the first thing I noticed was me! There I was on the mantel over the hearth. I started laughing. It was one of Jin’s drawings, I could tell by the style of it. It felt like a good welcome home, I guess. The place wasn’t big, but it was big enough. There was a hearth on the left hand wall and this bed thing on the right, so I sat down on that with her on my lap. She snuggled her face into my neck and cried her eyes out.

Oh Mugen, oh Mugen…” she kept repeating in between her sobs. She wasn’t crying just cuz she was happy to see me, I could tell that much. There was something else going on. She was really upset about something. I didn’t know what the hell to do about that, though, so I just held her and waited for her to cry herself out. Finally she stopped, blew her nose in her hanky and looked at me.

Hey,” I smiled. I could tell she was gonna start crying again, so kissed her hoping to stop it from happening. It did. She put her arms around my shoulders and we kissed and kissed. She tasted right too. It kinda did me in to realize they were both here. I’d finally found them! It made me so happy I almost started crying again, so I made out with her until we were both feeling more horny than cry-ful. I broke the kiss when I got too curious.

What’s with the boy’s clothes?” I asked. She giggled and told me about her time alone in Nagasaki. I couldn’t fucking believe she lived in Nagasaki all by herself! Then she told me how she met Jin there, the strange coincidence that bumped them into each other, and I thought that was pretty fucking amazing. They’d been living together here in Ryukyu for almost six moths, she told me, and it had been her own choice to continue pretending to be a boy. She said she felt safer that way, and I guess it made sense. I’d just never thought about it before. She tossed out their new family name, and that they were both working for the same man in the business district a few blocks away.

Jin started teaching me how to use my wakazashi in the backyard when we first moved here,” she continued. “But as you can see, it’s turned into that…” She pointed at the front yard. “…every evening. Jin loves it. He’s in his element. It’s a little harder for me.” She looked down and shuddered, then took a deep breath. “I don’t like sharing him,” she whispered, and then everything made sense. She was in love with him, and he was…what? He was something with her…more than he was before. That much was obvious. I decided to see what I could find out.

So…Fukashi. What’s up with you and Jin?” I figured why not just go for it? She looked at me for a second, then buried her face in her hands and started crying again. OK. Definitely something up there. I felt this little twinge of something…maybe jealousy, maybe not. And then he finally walked in. He saw her crying and he looked wary, not sympathetic. OK. I ventured again, “So, I was just asking Fukashi here what’s up with the two of you?”

Ah, I see,” he said. I waited for him to say something more, but he didn’t. Fuu, however, was blowing her nose again and pulling herself together.

Oh, Mugen,” she finally blurted out. “Jin is angry with me because I came onto him last night and if he’d played my stupid game like I wanted him to and then you showed up here today after we’ve been good for so long…well it just about makes me want to kill myself.” And with that, she lay her head on my shoulder and I could feel her sobbing again.

Jin was chuckling, though. I was trying to take in what she said. She came onto him last night. That sounded interesting, but not surprising. Fuu had a crush on him before we split. They’d been good. That sounded very OK, because something was definitely up with Jin. He was pleased with what she’d just said. He wasn’t angry anymore. Then he sat down next to us and confirmed it.

Thank you for being so honest, Fuu,” he said, and she raised her head and faced him for the first time since the three of us got back together. I felt it the second their eyes met. He was into her! He was fucking into her! I was really surprised and a little taken aback. I’d never had to compete for his attention before, and I wasn’t exactly excited about the idea of doing it now, but there it was staring me in the face. The air around us was getting a little tense when he stood up.

Why don’t I head downtown and bring us back something to eat,” he said. “It would give the two of you a chance to…catch up.”

I could tell he didn’t really want to do it, but I took him at his word. I looked at her and grinned. “You wanna fuck?” I asked, only half jokingly.

No way,” she declared, sounding like how I remembered her. “I’m hungry. Let’s all go downtown and get something to eat.” Me and Jin looked at each other. He was rolling his eyes, but smiling. I nodded, smiling back. Seemed like old times. “Come on you two,” she ordered, jumping off my lap and heading toward the door. I moved to follow her and he stepped in behind. Before I got to the door his arms came around me and I felt his teeth biting into my collar bone. Damn it hurt, but you-know-what came to attention right quick. Yeah, it seemed like old times. I finally made it home.

end