Furthermore
by Laura Bryannan

The kid who was definitely mine was born the day after my twenty-sixth birthday, so that was the best present. Fuu let me name him too, so I called him Muso, which is the only name I associate with my ma. I don't know if it was hers, a family name or what, but Fuu and Jin both liked it so that's who he became. He's looked like me from the git-go but now that he's three there's no doubt, considering what a crazyass fool he is—the opposite of his older brothers.

Fuu finally got her girl last year and I always forget what her name is cuz everyone calls her Princess. She's still a baby, and right now she's the spittin' image of Fuu so we may never know for sure who made her. But between you, me and the wall, I'm betting she's mine. She's a feisty little brat who's got every male in our family wrapped around her little finger and is the apple of her mother's eye as well, so who else's can she be?

I bet you wanna know what the hell happened, right?

When me and Captain Nunes returned to his house that first night back in Canton it pissed me off so much to see them together at dinner—Jin all smug and Fuu blushy and demure—I stormed out, sure I should sail north with the Brightness that week. Something in my gut stopped me, though, and it was a good thing. The next day Mother Chan told me that Fuu was still staying with them and that Jin had a place somewhere in town. I was surprised but relieved he hadn't stolen her away into married life yet, and set to spying on them, trying to figure out their scene.

I wasn't seeing what I expected to see, so it was totally confusing. Jin would come over and visit with her for a while some evenings but if they were fucking, I had no idea how they were getting away with it. She spent all her time at work or hanging with the oldest Nunes girl and a few other servers from her job. From what I could tell, Jin seemed barely present in her life, so my piss off at him started to fade. I was crazy horny and missed him something awful, but all that bad shit between us kept me from approaching. It wasn't till Fuu bought the Peach Garden that my desire and curiosity got the better of me and I finally decided to reach out, choosing her first cuz she was always more sane than Jin.

She was super busy in the kitchen when I stepped inside, but took one look at me and cheered, “Mugen, hooray! My dinner cook is sick and couldn't come in tonight. Please help!”

“What's in it for me?” I asked, not hiding my leer.

She gave me a pointed glance...and an onion. “I'll pay you fair and square.” Shoving me toward a large cutting board, she explained, “If you could prep tonight then I can cover for Lei at the stove. Thanks!” Then she zoomed back to work without waiting for my reply. Watching Fuu in the kitchen is something amazing and it was hard to tear my eyes away, but I decided to take her up on her offer and started chopping, still coming to terms with the fact that I'd finally talked to her and who knew? Maybe I'd even get laid tonight, heh, heh!

I wasn't sure what to think when Jin showed up, but he blew me away as always, making me an offer I couldn't refuse—inviting me into their family, whatever the fuck that meant. So I agreed, thinking we were all gonna have a hot time that night, and when they seemed so relieved and happy, I was sure of it. Then Jin split. Huh? Not what I expected, but I wasn't gonna complain about having her all to myself. Unfortunately, there were more surprises to come. When the last pot was scrubbed and the rest of Fuu's staff had gone home, I turned to her, knowing she lived in the apartment above the restaurant. “You gonna invite me upstairs?” I asked, since she didn't seem to be offering.

She smiled but put her hands on her hips. Not a good sign. “You need to work things out with Jin first,” she told me. “You two are either going to come into my bed together, or not at all.”

I laughed, not sure I heard her right. “No shit?”

“No shit,” she replied.

“You ain't been together with him all this time?”

“No, Mugen, we haven't. We've been getting to know each other in different ways and it's been lovely.”

“What other ways are there?”

“Oh, shut up!” she cried, shoving me out the door. “Now go home, please. I'm tired.” I was bummed but it was clear she was serious, so I hit the road. “If you want a job, be here tomorrow morning,” she called after me. “We start prepping for lunch at ten.”

“Yeah, yeah, I'll think about it,” I groused, even though I was flattered and knew for sure I'd show up the next day. But there was one last thing I was worried about, and I caught her before she shut the door. “Hey, you really think he wants to see me again?”

“Of course he does,” she stated, certain. “Don't be stupid! Goodnight.”

I wandered around for a while taking in what she said, even though it seemed hard to believe. I finally decided I had to trust she was right, since the fate of our reunion rested on my shoulders. So I steeled my guts and went to his place, glad to see a light still burning inside, and banged on the door, yelling, “Hey, it's me!”

There was a pause and then I heard that familiar deep voice, “Come in, Mugen,” and got butterflies in my stomach. I opened the door and stepped inside, closing it behind me but going no further. The room was a nice size, with a fire pit in the center. He'd been sitting on a futon on the far side eating his dinner but he set it down and stood as I came in. Seeing him in his juban again brought back a rush of memories and I wanted to throw myself at him, but my pride made me stand there and wait to see what he would do instead, bracing myself for a lecture.

I didn't get one. He walked over, slid one hand behind my head and the other around my waist, pulling me into a kiss. I wasn't gonna argue with that! Pressing his hips into mine and backing me against the door, he attacked my mouth as he wedged one thigh between my own. I could feel him hardening and I was too, given the way he was grinding into my cock.

My arms went round him and it felt really good after hanging onto someone twice my size for so long. I used to hate it that Jin was as scrawny as me, but he wasn't scrawny anymore, not like on our journey or when I left Canton. Four months off the Brightness and he was back to his fighting weight—thin but far from scrawny—and it was like coming home to hold him. Maybe I wasn't hating on myself so much but, for the first time in my life, the idea of being able to put my arms completely around my lover seemed right.

He was kissing me like he hardly ever did, taking over, not letting me in his mouth, and I was having trouble staying on top of things cuz every part of my body was screaming, it's Jin, more, more! We hadn't been making out for three minutes and I had bruises already, a swollen lip cuz his teeth had been busy and my ass cheeks stung where his nails had broken skin. I loved it! Captain Nunes is a talented man in the sack, but he was so fucking careful with me, it got on my nerves. He was too gentle, too...I don't know...too nothing to keep my interest. Jin always knew how to do me right and I wanted it so bad, I was turning into mush way too soon.

He smelled really good but tasted like his dinner, which was bad, cuz everything he ate was always so loaded with ginger it would bring back memories of when he tortured me with it. My knees get wobbly every time I smell the stuff, nowadays, so his scent combined with a ginger-flavored tongue just about did me in. We were getting a sweet rhythm going, and I was so relieved he wasn't making me apologize or talk about whatever the fuck happened between us, I finally let myself relax and get into it. Discovering that Jin was still the seme I knew from before we left Ryukyu was such a goddamn relief, I could hardly contain myself.

I was so horny and he was humping me so right, I almost let go and came in my pants, but he suddenly backed away with a glance that made my guts lurch. “Come,” he said, grabbing me by the waist of my shorts and pulling me toward the futon. He pushed me on my back and yanked them off while I shivered in anticipation, but he didn't untie his juban, so I got concerned when he spread my legs and lowered his head. Was he gonna go down on me?!? Normally that woulda made me happy, but I was too close and didn't want to cum so fast, so I almost grabbed his hair to stop him.

It was good thing I didn't because, holy fucking shit, he went lower. To my total amazement, he grabbed my ass and dove in, lapping so delicate my whole body broke out in goosebumps. He started gentle, exploring everywhere, and when I got used to that he gave me more. Flicking his tongue in ways that made me jump, nipping at my cheeks, swirling all around the entrance before thrusting inside while I sang for him. It was so fucking good!

He'd never done it so long and, damn, it felt great, but it was strange how hard it was to lay there and take it. I kept getting distracted by all these voices yelling, Come on, come on! Fuck me already! I tried to ignore them enough to feel everything—all the things he was saying by loving me like that. I couldn't believe it was happening, that the hand gripping my thigh had blue nenju around the wrist. Jin wanted me back enough to actually kiss my ass! He was setting my spine on fire like he never did, and I was too happy about it to be pissed at him anymore.

When he raised his head his glasses were off, and his face made me catch my breath. He was as beautiful as ever, and I could only stare slack-jawed as he finally shucked his juban. The flash of black on his inner elbow startled me out of my daze and I reached out to touch my name there, carved into his arm. I looked up to see him watching, wearing this tender face that said, yes Mugen, I'm yours. It was a good thing he leaned down and kissed me or I mighta choked up right in front of him.

The most delicious sounds escaped him as he pushed inside me, shuddering sighs and heartfelt moans that matched my own. My hands were all over him, happily remembering his flat, nonexistent ass, the dip of the sword wound in his back, the black silk of his hair so comforting to touch. It was really long now, and I flattered myself to think—since I was always the one who cut it—that he let it grow cuz I wasn't around to trim it for him.

Our bodies missed each other, that was obvious, and we fell into a familiar dance as he fucked me. I wrapped myself around him and held on, letting him do all the work, knowing he wanted to anyway. He rode me fine and sent me soaring higher and higher, his scent surrounding me, his cock so fucking deep in my guts it sent a bolt of lightening through me every time he moved. I took it all in and let him have me how he wanted cuz that's how I wanted it too.

He raised himself up on his elbows and I could feel his eyes on me, so I opened mine, grinning to see a bead of sweat hanging at the end of his nose. He blinked, looking surprised in a way I'd never seen before, and his thrusting skipped a beat. “Damn!” he growled. “I'm going to cum.” He froze and the energy between us hummed and crackled with the interruption.

“Before me?” I crowed. “I can't believe it!” It was unheard of. He'd never lost control like that.

I peeked at him and he was right on the edge, the ecstasy of it all over his face, so when he whispered, “I misjudged the impact of your smile,” the compliment blew me away. I laughed out loud, clutching him tight and pulling him deep. He gasped, shuddering, and pounded me hard as the orgasm exploded through him. I was so close myself I came the second I grabbed my cock, riding his aftershocks, feeling more in tune with him than I could remember ever feeling. It was perfect.

Later I was happily snuggled against his ass, drifting away, when he murmured, “Why aren't you at Fuu's tonight?”

“She kicked me out,” I admitted. “Said we were either gonna come into her bed together or not at all.”

He startled and turned in my arms to look at me intently. “She really said that?”

“Yeah, why are you surprised?”

He chuckled, looking supremely pleased. “I wasn't convinced that either of us were going to be admitted back into her bed, so that's fine news. Thank you for telling me.”

“No fucking way!” Fuu not want us back? Impossible!

“I'm serious, Mugen,” he stated firmly, more awake now. “Fuu's had a chance to start over here. Mother Chan has nurtured her just as her own mother surely would have, and she's blossomed into something completely new. I thought it possible that she might look at us as an uncomfortable reminder of a painful time and want to move on. So yes...fine news indeed!” He grabbed my face and kissed me, then turned on his side, positively beaming.

“Yeah, I guess so,” I agreed, spooning against him again, secretly thinking him insane for doubting Fuu. I drifted off to sleep exhilarated, since future prospects with them both seemed certain. Overnight I'd gone from bummed and pissed at my life and my lovers to feeling like my heart was gonna burst cuz there was too much good stuff coming in.

I fell into a comfy pattern of working with Fuu during the day and making it lewd with Jin every night. It seemed like heaven at first, but I fell back to earth with a thud soon enough.

I realized I wasn't home free after a few days. Me and Jin were hot in the middle of things one night and I reached for his ass, ready to slide a finger inside, when he stopped me. It happened the next night and the night after that before I got it into my thick skull he wasn't gonna let me fuck him. He didn't make a big deal of it, never accusatory or anything, just a gentle no and then he'd move us along to something else.

So it was like, shit, now what? He left it totally up to me, which was really a drag. Of course, it got me thinking, and I decided I musta hurt him that last time the three of us were together. I tried to remember how things went down that night, but my mind was hazy about the details. I had vague memories of maybe moving a little too fast, but I really thought he was into it at the time so there was nothing to be done but ask him. It took me a while to steel my guts, though.

It was only cuz it became too hard to face Fuu at work that I finally got some balls. After a few weeks, she ventured, “So you and Jin are seeing each other again, right?”

“Yeah, it's happening.” I'd spent every night at his place since she sent me there, so I wasn't gonna deny it.

“Jin is so happy, I'm really glad, but....” She peered up at me, blushing furiously. “I thought, since it's been a while, that I'd have seen you both by now. Is there something wrong?”

“Well, kinda.” I didn't know how to talk about the big hairy baboon stinking up the space between Jin and me, but when she got this panicky face, I rushed to clarify. “Hey, it's not about you. There's still some shit between us and I'm kinda working myself up to talking to him about it.”

She looked relieved...and back to her old self. “Well, hurry up and get going!” she ordered. And then, in a smaller voice, she added, “I miss you guys.” Every morning I showed up at work empty handed earned me more frustrated and hurt glances, and that got to me more than my pride and fear of facing him, I guess. Plus, things were starting to feel outta balance between us and, as good as getting laid was, I had to have him soon or I was gonna go nuts.

So finally, one night before we fucked, I spoke up before I lost my nerve. “Um...about that last time we were all together.” He gave me his full attention, but didn't say anything, of course. “I guess I hurt you, huh? I'm sorry. I was kinda drunk and musta misjudged.” I really meant it and I hoped he could see that. He nodded, but seemed to be drifting off into his head the way he always did. I waited, not feeling very patient, when he brought me up short.

“Mugen, when I fuck you do you consider yourself my bitch?”

Oh shit! My guts went cold with dread. Had I called him that? Damn! I wracked my brains, trying to remember, but couldn't. If I'd called him that in front of Fuu, I could finally understand why he was so pissed, and felt sick to my stomach. “It was only cuz I was drunk and stupid,” I hurried to explain. “I don't think of you like that. Fuck. I'm really sorry.”

“You don't even remember, do you?” he asked, sighing.

“Not really,” I admitted. “Maybe if you'd told me after I did it.... Look, Jin, why can't you just punch me out when you're pissed? I asked you what was wrong a hundred times after it happened, but you kept blowing me off. That really sucked, and you promised—more than once—not to do that kinda shit anymore.”

His eyes narrowed for a moment but he sighed again. “I'm a fool, I know, but I was too angry to fight you. That would have involved looking at you and touching you, and I didn't want to do either. I suppose I should take back that promise, as I appear unable to honor it.”

“Nah, don't take it back,” I told him. “You samurai guys are all about striving for stuff, right? Me and Fuu need you to keep working on that one.”

“Fuu...yes.” He looked uncomfortable. “She's becoming impatient.”

I was surprised, never considering she might be bugging him too. “Tell me about it,” I agreed. “You're not working with her every day like me. So are we cool, Jin? Do you accept my apology?”

He looked thoughtful for a moment and replied, “It seemed that night you were moved to show off for Fuu at my expense. Am I correct?”

It was humiliating, but he was right. “Yeah, I guess.”

“Mugen, the three of us together is complicated enough. I suppose some competition between us in inevitable, but if you seek it out just for kicks I don't know if this relationship can survive.” Maybe it looked like I was spacing out on him—which I always did when he talked like that—cuz he frowned and added, “Do that to me again and it's finished between us. Understand?”

“Yeah, Jin. I get it.” His face softened and I decided to move along while the getting looked good. “So are we gonna go...um...visit her tonight, then?”

He smiled and arched a brow. “Yes. It's time.”

Oh yeah! It looked like he was ready to move on too. My whole body sighed in relief.

Did she let us in? Yep, she did. Did he ever let me back in? Yep, he did. But that, my friends, is another story.

to be continued