Disclaimer: Characters not mine, please don’t sue me.

Fuko: Wind Goddess
by Ryoko Zero

Chapter One - Over Due Reunion; Secrets Revealed

Fuko stood with her bandaged left hand on the doorknob, staring at the people who occupied her doorstep, eye as wide as saucers. Sweet God, how do I get myself out of this one? She asked herself, swallowing hard, but not moving otherwise.

“What’s the matter Fuko-chan? Ain’t you gonna let us in?” Recca asked, smiling widely from his position of being wrapped around his companion from behind. The sight of it made her heart sing, but tore it out at the same time.

They look so happy together, she thought, biting her lip to keep the tears at bay. What did I say? I will not interfere, she reminded herself, stepping side and allowing them into her home without a word. She could hear Yanagi giggle as she stumbled over the threshold, trying to pry the black haired man off of her.

“If you’ll excuse me, I’ll slip into something a little less comfortable,” she said, pulling her bed sheet tighter around her, otherwise, naked body.

“Why?” Recca asked, spinning around and giving her a teasing look. “I have no problem with the way you’re dressed now.”

She could see his wide grin, and it made her scowl; she chanced a glance at Yanagi, and saw the other woman blushing.

“I don’t want to scandalize your little Princess.” she retorted, smirking, as the Healer’s blush deepened. With that, she spun on her heel and stalked into her room.

* * * *

As Fuko entered her room, she could hear the bed creak, as it’s sole occupant stirred, and began to awaken. Pausing at the foot of the bed, she smiled down at Mikagami as he opened his tired eyes. “You have to get up now, Tokiya-chan. Recca and Yanagi are here. I’m going to go take a shower; why don’t you make yourself decent and entertain them for a while?” she said, raising an eyebrow at him as he sat up and realized that, not only was he still naked, but there was no sheet covering his scarred and muscular body.

“Not nice.” he grumbled, rubbing the sleep from his eyes.

“Hmmm.” she murmured, shrugging. Glaring playfully, he made a mad grab for the blanket. “Ha ha, not happening.” she said, stepping to the side and watching him fall, face first, onto the floor. Sighing, he gave up.

“What will they think when they see me coming out of your bedroom?” he asked, looking up and smirking at her.

Her happy face suddenly became dark. “Let them think what they will.” she replied, turning toward her bathroom, and flinging the sheet over her shoulder.

“Wait.” he called, getting up, and stopping her with a hand on her shoulder. “I’m sorry; I know how you feel about-”

“It doesn’t matter how I feel! I’ve made up my mind not to interfere, and I’ll stick to that, if only for their sakes.” she said, voice hard and cold; the way it always became when she talked about them.

“I know, and I admire you for that. We’re in the same boat, remember?” Mikagami said, voice rising slightly.

“Isn’t it the bad luck of the world that we end up in love with two people destined to be together?” she asked, without humor. He could feel her tremble for a moment, before she pulled herself back together.

“You take one, I’ll take the other.” he replied, voice just as monotone. He let go of her shoulder and she turned around. Rising herself up on her toes, she kissed him gently.

“What a sad pair we are.” she whispered, before retreating into the shower, leaving him to trace his lips with a finger tip and wipe a tear from his eye.

* * * *

“Look who decided to join us.” was the first thing she heard as she exited her room, hair and skin still slightly damp from her shower. Bracing herself inwardly, she put on her most convincing grin.

“Well, you could have joined me if you wanted to.” she shot back, watching as Recca sputtered; caught in his own tease he tried to shrug it off, but from his sprawled position on the couch, it looked more like he was falling. Yanagi just looked uncomfortable. ‘No, damnit. The last thing I want to do is upset either of them.’ she thought, feeling momentary panic rise in her at having them both in the same room with her, at the same time. She had to learn how to deal with this. “It was a joke, Princess,” she said, making sure not to let any of her attitude enter her voice. That would just scare them off.

“I was just telling them, about how we were going to be heading over to the club.” Tokiya said, seeing the quiet desperation in her eyes. His voice held none of the usual tenderness, of which she had become accustom to hearing, and it stung her a bit. But, she knew that once they were alone again, he would let down his guard again and show her his true, vulnerable self. They were alike in their suffering. He loved one, and she loved the other…

“The club?” she asked, momentarily confused. “Oh! The club!”

“Yeah, you know, the one you work at.” Recca said, rolling his eyes.

“The one you failed to tell us you worked at, when you were speaking to us at all.” Yanagi said, speaking up for the first time. She was looking down at her lap, brown hair falling, like a curtain to hide her face; her voice sounded incredibly said. It made Fuko want to reach out and give the other woman a hug; how she hated to see her friends in any sort of pain, and it cut her deeper that she was responsible. She held herself in check, reminding herself her own promise by squeezing her injured hand.

Recca seemed to lose his humor. “You haven’t talked to me in almost 7 months, Fuko-chan. What happened?” he asked, straightening himself out, and staring at her with a level of intensity she was not used to seeing in the light hearted man’s eyes. She looked away first, trying not to show any emotion. Walking around the couch, she slumped into her favorite chair and stared down at her hands in shame.

“You wouldn’t understand.” she began, but was quickly interrupted.

“What the hell do you mean, I wouldn’t understand?!? I’m your best friend! We’ve known each other forever!” he shouted, standing and stomping over to where she sat. She could feel his glare on her skin, burning her.

“Recca, I love you, but you just wouldn’t understand. This…problem, is beyond even you.” she whispered, taking deep breathes and squeezing her hand harder. The pain was dull and splotchy, it faded quickly. She would have to reopen the wound, if they were going to keep coming around.

“What happened to your hand?” Yanagi asked, raising from the couch, and coming to stand beside her boyfriend.

“Nothing; I cut myself.” Fuko said flatly, pulling her hands into her chest. Both Recca and Yanagi started.

“You had an accident?” he asked, reaching over and lifting her chin, until she looked at them.

“God made a mistake.” she murmured, a tear snaking down her cheek.

“Oh God Fuko, you didn’t try to kill yourself, did you!?” he demanded, pulling her bandaged arm away form her body.

“No.” she replied, trying to break free; he held her tighter. “That would be the cowards way out. You know that Fuko-chan is no coward.” she said, trying to laugh, as another tear slipped from her haunted green eyes.

“Let me see.” Recca said, not bothering to wait for an answer as he unraveled the bandage. He felt a hand on his wrist, stopping him.

“If she doesn’t want to show us, she doesn’t have to.” Yanagi said, looking at Fuko with sympathetic, almost comprehending eyes. It was too much for her, she began to sob.

“Look what you’ve done, you insensitive bastard!” Tokiya growled, shoving Recca away and scooping the distraught woman into his arms.

“What?! God forbid that I, her oldest and best friend worry about her, when she doesn‘t speak to me for half a goddamn year!!” the black haired man yelled, fists clenched, as if ready to strike. Fuko buried her head deeper into the Ensui Master’s chest and tried to stop the raging river of emotion from coursing through her.

“Stop it, both of you! Can’t you see she’s in pain!?! She doesn’t need your fighting on top of her other problems!” Yanagi shouted, stunning the two males, who had never heard her raise her voice to them.

“All I want is my best friend back. Is that so much to ask?” Recca pleaded, kneeling beside the embracing pair, and placing a hand softly on the crying woman’s shoulder. She trembled and he pulled away. “Tell me what’s wrong, I want to help you.”

“My God, you fool! Can’t you see that this is about love?!” Tokiya said, looking at him with wide, unbelieving eyes. Recca was taken aback; behind him, Yanagi gasped.

“You love me Fuko-chan, is that it?” the Flame Master asked, looking at her with a new light.

“No!” both Tokiya and Yanagi said.

“I love you, you damn fool.” he growled, pulling Fuko closer.

“She loves me.” the Healer said, sounding dazed; her usually expressive face was blank. Fuko pushed the longhaired man away and scrambled to her feet.

“How could you?” she whispered, eyes wide and shiny with betrayal. “How could you!” she shouted, covering her mouth, as if she was going to be sick.

“Fuko-chan.” Yanagi whispered. Fuko’s head snapped to her direction. The Healer reached out a hand to her friend, but the Fujin Master only backed away, almost as if she had been burned.

“No.” she whispered, taking a step back, towards the door. “This isn’t happening, this isn’t happening, this isn’t happened.”

“Fuko-chan, please, talk to us.” Recca demanded, confused.

“NO! This is not happening!” she shouted, tears running unchecked from her eyes. “Tokiya, I won’t forgive you for this.” she said, turning momentarily to look onto his sorrowful face. “You, above all people, you who I trusted, who knew what it was like, betrayed me!”

“Fuko, no!” he said, reaching out to her as well, from his position on the floor. He looked to her like he did when they were alone, vulnerable and I pain; raw and open, like a wound. She rubbed salt in it.

“I hope you enjoy screwing him as much as I did.” she turned to Yanagi. “Did you know I had him, 2 years ago? When you were together, no less; I had him. I used him like a tissue, and when I was done, I threw him away.”

“I know.” Yanagi replied, looking more sad then angry; in fact, she was not angry at all. She looked to Fuko with understanding in her eyes. “No matter what you say, you can’t break our friendship. Please don’t try by bringing up the past.” She reached for Fuko again, but the other woman pulled away, stumbling back, before turning and running out of the house.

“Fuko!” the two men yelled after her. The Healer stood, tears in her eyes.

“Oh Fuko, if only you knew.” she whispered, turning away and kneeling beside the devastated Tokiya. “Where would she be?” she asked, cupping the man’s face with her palm.

“The club, Crimson Tears; it’s the only other place she has that she feels safe.” he said numbly, staring at the door where the purple haired woman had run out.

“Then lets go!” Recca said, heading out. A hand on his shoulder stopped him.

“I don’t think she wants to see either of you right now. She feels threatened and betrayed. She probably thinks that you hate her right now.”

“The same for you, Hime.” the Flame Master growled, feeling helpless.

“True, but I think that she will talk to me. Please, just let me try.” she begged, brown eyes dark with fear for her friend. Recca nodded, seeing her expression.

“Please, help her.” Tokiya said, sounding defeated, not daring to look at his two friends.

“I will.”

* * * *

Fuko stared at the empty club from her perch on the edge of the stage. In less then three hours, the place would be open and full, and she would be singing out the pain in her heart. But now, it was empty and dark, almost pitch. Her swollen green eyes had become accustomed to the dark.

In one solitary moment, her life had been destroyed. She could just see the looks on her friends’ faces now, as they talked about her. Tokiya’s would hold a look of sick satisfaction; he had gotten to spill her dirty little secret; he had never quite forgiven her for having Recca when he never could. Recca’s face who be covered in anger, how dare she love his Hime?! She was an insult to mankind. And Yanagi, God, her expression would be the most destroying of all. Her beautiful face would be twisted in fear and disgust. “How could I dishonor them like this?” Fuko whispered, hugging her knees to her chest and sobbing dryly; there were no more tears to cry.

Her head jerk up as she heard the door to the club creak open, and someone talk to Raishi, the bouncer. She heard him grunt something, and a muffled ‘arigato’. Soft footsteps traveled toward her, until their owner entered the main bar/dance floor. There, in front of her, stood her forbidden angel.

“Fuko.”