|| Lupin The Third || Oneshots

Favor (L x J)

"Hey.. Jigen?"

It was near midnight in the midst of the old library, the only lights available being the windows and Jigens lighter.

The old man went isle through isle looking for a certain book. Just has he found it and began flipping though, a familiar clack of shoes echoed within the building. He whips around and not to his surprise, was Lupin.

"Hmmph?"

The two come and go occasionally on their own paths, yet are always bound to be together, making them utterly inseparable. What did surprise Jigen though was Lupins appearance.

He was clearly roughened up by the look of bruises and scratches. The bags under his eyes spoke that he hasn't been sleeping well, if at all. The way he leans against the bookcase seeming strained, hiding most of his body behind it, shows he's probably haven't kept a good diet in check.

No smile yet no anger or frustration. Just tiredness with a tipping sense of depression. Or desperation.

"Lupin?"

"You use to be hired as an assassin occasionally, right?" Lupin asks, straight to the point without any context why.

Assassin? Jigen frowns.
"I'm no longer in that line of work."

"How about being a bodyguard?" Lupin intensively ask, making Jigen bewildered.

"...Sure. Occasionally." He answers. Lupin makes a tired yet relieved sigh.

"Name the price." Lupin says without a care in the world, his tone giving the sense that for whatever price, he will pay.

Jigen furrows his brows and walks over to Lupin, holding his lighter in means to get a better look of the thief.
"Is something the matter Lupin?"

"What? No, I—!"
Lupin steps back and away, as if avoid being seen, yet Jigen can see perfectly how Lupin treats himself when no ones looking, or rather the lack there was of doing so. He couldn't help looking up and down.

Why is he so fucking thin?

And what's wrong with his clothes,
so many cuts and dried blood...

I'd rather not guess about his hygiene..

When Jigens eyes met back at Lupins face, the thief was turned away, seeming ashamed of how he looks now, even in front of his closest partner.

"Doing things by yourself is just harder now."
Lupin mumbles, trying to make it sound like an excuse when in reality, it speaks to be a bigger issue.

"Everyone recognizes me and wearing a mask in the heat nowadays is asking for a heat stroke...
I had a couple... too many close calls... and..."

Lupin sighs again, itching the back of his head and looking down at the ground where he can see the flicker of Jigens lighter.

"I'm burnt out and I need to get my shit together, but someone's always after my head. So..."

"You want me to be your body guard?" Jigen finishes. Lupin flashes a tired hopeful grin to spite his own helpless look.

"Whatever the price, I promise I'll pay!" Lupin promises with more enthusiasm, swinging his arm with a thumbs up. Yet he drops his smile and his arm when Jigen gently pats his shoulder.

"You don't need to hire me." Jigen smiles.

"Consider this... as me doing you a small favor, partner."

Lupin stares briefly, his eyes in wonder as he was not expecting for Jigen to not take advantage of a Lupin-promised payment. He grins again with a short scoff and surprises Jigen with a close embrace.

Jigen flinches his flickering lighter to close, only feeling Lupins slender arms wrap around his torso and the thief's chin resting over his neck and shoulder. Jigen gulps and takes his free hand to run it up and down Lupins back. Lupin closes his eyes, making a comforting breath.

"Thanks, Jigen." Lupin mutters.

"It's no...—!"
Jigen suddenly leans back a little, feeling all of Lupins weight. Just because the thief seems malnourished doesn't make him incredibly light.

"Lupin!"

Jigen is forced to squat down onto his knees with Lupin leaning on top of him. Jigen uses both hands to hold the thief up tightly, seeing as Lupin has gone completely limp.

He must be dead tired to just pass out like this...

Out of the corner of Jigens eye, he saw something in the tall windows move.

In precisely 0.3 seconds, the gunman whips out his magnum and shoots. The window bursts and shatters with the following thud of a body falling to the ground.

He was right about people out for his head. Or maybe that guy was after mine.

Jigen slowly gets up, carrying Lupin with him this time.

He can hear the thief gently snore as the bushes outside rustle with more vermin for him to kill. Jigen readys his weapon with a set plan of how to exit the building.

Come on, Lupin, let's get you home.

...

Lupin musters awake, noticing he's in someone else's bed. The thief takes a quick glance around the room that seems old and abandoned, but well cleaned up enough to temporarily live in. A familiar colored jacket sits on a chair with stitches well sewn in.

He looks down under his blanket to see his tie and jacket has promptly been removed off him. He looks beside him to see the same for Jigen as well.

Jigen.

Lupin moves under the covers to get closer, colliding his face into Jigens chest. It awakens Jigen, yet he knows already it's just the sleepy ol' thief. The gunmen lets a free hand down to patting his partners back.

"Hey, Lupin." Jigen greets, yet Lupin stays curled up and close without looking up to greet back.

"Thanks Jigen."

"Tch. You don't gotta keep thanking me." Jigen chuckles dryly. "Would've been nice if you told me you were being followed though."

Lupin snickers.
"We both live off each other's favors, don't we?"

What makes you say that? Jigen wanted to ask, yet he gave himself a chance to think about.

At the very beginning, their excuse to be by each other's side was an exchange of favors. Whenever Lupin saves Jigen, Jigen sticks around to do the same. The amount of favors each began owing was uncanny, making it that simply being by each other's side without counting the days would be more efficient.
The two accepted that once they've met, they are bounded; as friends, partners, or more.

"Yeah," Jigen sneers with half a smile.
"I guess we do."

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Word count: 1066