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"Goddammit!"
Goemon doesn't flinch as Jigen's hand lands against the table, shaking their mostly empty glasses. It's almost ritual now, no matter where they are in the world. When Fujiko double, or in this spectacular case triple crosses them, they wind up in the closest bar or restaurant to mourn the loss of their rewards. The pattern is common and one Goemon is accustomed to by now. Jigen will gripe and play up his annoyance until he drinks enough to calm down and move on, and Lupin will laugh at him the entire time, if not with his mouth than with the sparkle in his eyes and the tilt of his head. For his part, he sits quietly and drinks one glass of whatever they put in front of him, watching with the kind of fondness one grows for their favorite movie.
"Every time, Lupin, every time!" Jigen continues, pointing at Lupin from across the table, "I'm tired of hearing 'it's the last time' only for her to waltz back in as if she's got nothing to be guilty for!"
It's a familiar argument, one that never goes anywhere beyond a few sentences. Even the way their gunman swigs the last of his scotch and pours himself another is familiar. Lupin only smirks in response, blowing a smoke ring in his direction. It was rare to find an establishment that was open this late and still allowed smoking in the dining room, and both of his companions were taking advantage of that fact.
Goemon sips from his own glass briefly, taking a moment to appreciate the calm atmosphere of the bar they'd wound up in. Calm not because of the decor, but because they were the only patrons. A bored bartender sat behind the bar reading the paper, an old radio above him playing half static half music.
"Don't worry, I've got something better planed for next week!" Lupin finally assures, reaching across the table to pat Jigen on the shoulder. He pulls his hat down further over his eyes and grumbles something while Lupin shares a knowing look with him that makes him smile. It's nights like these that Goemon wonders how different his life would be had he not tried to kill the man he now thinks of as a key part of his life. Sentimentality is not a blessing in their line of work, but these two men have made his life whole in places he never realized he was lacking.
Maybe it was the scotch. Not exactly his drink of choice when Japanese sake was far superior.
The three of them fall into companionable silence, Jigen taking the liberty of refilling all of their glasses again now that his anger has simmered. Goemon let's his eyes fall closed, content to listen to the quiet breathing of his companions, the occasional creak of a chair and the static-filled radio. It's a good few minutes before he opens his eyes again, alerted by a sudden shift in movement from Lupin to his left. He looks strangely giddy, even for him. It's enough for Goemon to quirk an eyebrow at least.
"Hey Jigen, hear that?"
"What? The static? I wish I wasn't."
"No, no, no, behind the static, the song that's playing."
Lupin doesn't wait for an answer before he's calling out to the bartender in whatever the local language is. It might be Portuguese, but languages were never his strong suit. Anything beyond Japanese was difficult for him, as much as he hated admitting it to himself, and he'd been able to get by with a few key phrases here and there. But on the other hand an assassin doesn't need language to find his target, and Lupin and Jigen were well off enough for the three of them. The bartender looks up from his paper as Lupin calls, then turns to the radio. After contemplating the old machine for a few seconds he gives the thing a hard whack and as if by magic the static clears. Jigen turns his face up to look too, enough for Goemon to make out the look in his eyes. Surprise followed by a wistful fondness.
"Damn. How long has it been since we've heard this song?" he says, glancing back at Lupin.
"Too long, I say!" Complete with his trademarked grin Lupin walks to the bar to talk with the bartender a little more. Goemon doesn't miss the flash of money however, obviously some sort of a bribe.
"Is this song of importance?" Goemon asks, turning his full attention to Jigen. Jigen laughs shaking his head and leaning his chin in his hand.
"I guess it is a story you don't know. It was from before we met up. I mean it's not much of a story."
"What are you talking about?" They both looked up as Lupin sauntered back. The music was up a little louder now, and their diligent bartender was nowhere to be seen, "This is the song that played the first time we kissed!"
Goemon couldn't keep the look of surprise off his face. Jigen rolls his eyes even as Lupin maintains his grin.
"That sounds like more than 'not much of a story', Jigen."
"It's not!"
"Jigen, where's your sense of love? Love!," Lupin cuts in, holding up a finger as if he was lecturing him on historical romances. The wide smile on his face gave him away easily though, "The plan was to meet up at a charity event. Not that it was good for much since all of the money was being siphoned off into the underworld, so we figured it would be better in our hands anyway."
Jigen snorts and Goemon leans forward expectantly, his hold on Zantetsuken shifting minutely. He's not one to ask about a man's past, but he must admit that he's intrigued. Their past work doesn't come up often, and it's a good chance to lean about his companions without having to pry to hard.
"It doesn't matter where the money was going. What we were really after was the big ticket item being auctioned off that night."
"It's not important, and we took it all anyway," Lupin cuts in, finally sitting back down with them, "What is important is that I was in a beautiful red dress and Jigen couldn't stop staring at my legs."
The marksman almost choked on his scotch, face flaring up red even under the cover of his hat. Lupin laughs, big a bold in the empty bar and Goemon feels like the world doesn't extend outside of the room, "Well the breasts weren't real so what else were you going to look at? And besides, I have fantastic legs."
"It's true," Goemon says before he can stop himself. Now it's his turn to go red as Jigen and Lupin send him matching smiles. He ducks his head down briefly, lips pursing tight although he knows he can't hide from them. Jigen nudges his foot under the table.
"Exactly! I have wonderful, wonderful legs and Jigen couldn't stop staring. And he didn't look so bad either. Anyway we went under the guise of wealthy newlyweds, on our honey moon even, and Jigen was very convincing in his role."
Lupin wiggles his eyebrows suggestively and Jigen gives him a weary sigh, leaning back in his chair as he nurses the last of his drink, "Our cover story was newlyweds. It would be strange if we weren't affectionate with each other."
"You let out the cutest noise when I pinched your ass."
When Jigen slams his fist on the table this time Goemon isn't expecting it, although he doesn't let how startled he is show. It isn't like a warrior to do so after all. But instead of saying anything Jigen rises to his feet, extending his hand out to the grinning thief. Lupin bats his eyelashes at him, leaning forward slightly as if presenting a full chest that wasn't there, "Jigen dear I thought you'd never ask."
Goemon watches silently as Lupin takes Jigen's hand and let's him lead him to the center of the room. The song was ending, but neither of them seem to mind very much as they start to sway to the music. Jigen's other hand, slightly larger than Lupin's, slides down his side to lay on his waist, fingers bunching in the material of his jacket. Fo his part, Lupin lays his hand daintily on Jigen's shoulder canting his hips forward so the two men were pressed together intimately. After only a few moments of dancing chest-to-chest the song does finish but the they continue, seemingly reliving the past in their minds.
There was a time when a show of intimacy like this would make him feel uncomfortable. Goemon couldn't deny the deep bond that Lupin and Jigen shared with each other, and often times it made him feel like an outsider in their little group. In times when Lupin was off with Fujiko for the night, he'd felt awkward approaching Jigen on his own. But now he could only feel contentment in seeing his two partners so close. Any space he'd held for jealousy or discomfort had been readily dispelled from his body.
As the next song comes on Lupin throws him a look over Jigen's shoulder that sends a shiver up his spine. Though the gaze is still playful, his eyes burn with the kind of intensity that reminds Goemon of how powerful he really is. Without looking away Lupin, tilts his head and kisses up the expanse of Jigen's neck, pausing only to suck his earlobe into his mouth for a moment. He cannot see the look on Jigen's face, but the way his grip tightens on Lupin's waist is a clear indication of the way he feels.
And just like that the moment is gone. The song continues to play but Lupin skips away from Jigen, prancing back to their table. Instead of falling into his own seat however he comes over to Goemon and thumps his two hands heavily onto his shoulders.
"Alright, your turn!"
"Excuse me?"
Goemon can't seem to make any sensible sounds as Lupin pulls him from the chair, slipping Zantetsuken from his grasp with ease and herding him towards Jigen. Jigen straightens his hat from when Lupin had tilted it, catching Goemon's hand in his own before he has time to react. Lupin spins away manically as the older man pulls him in close, laying a gentle hand on his hip. He can imagine the feel of those callused hands running over his skin instead of being seperated by a layer of cloth, yet somehow this is the touch that has blood rushing to his face and coloring his ears.
He's about to pull away and say something about how he isn't meant for dancing when Jigen steps forward, even more in his space than before. They're just as close now as he had been with Lupin a moment ago. Goemon can't help the way his fingers tighten around Jigen's hand.
"You doing alright?" Jigen whispers into his ear. As close as they are he can feel the hairs of his beard against his neck. He feels almost as if he could pinpoint the exact place each of them touch his skin. They sway a bit awkwardly to the music, Goemon not entirely sure of where to put his feet although his partner takes his hesitance in stride.
"Of course," he replies, trying his best to sound indignat, "I simply don't understand the point. It isn't even the same song as before, and I was never a part of this memory."
Jigen laughs, shaking his head and straightening again. With Lupin staring them down like a precious jewel they turn around the floor of the bar, the sound of his sandles against the stone a strange accompaniment to the music coming from the radio. A bit of static is leaking into the melody again but neither he nor Lupin seem to mind anymore.
"It's always the right song," Jigen says eventually, leaning in and pressing their foreheads together. His hat scrunches between them and eventually falls off but he makes no move to retrieve it. Instead he keeps his eyes locked with Goemon's, and he can't look away. The hand on his hip slides up slowly, tracing the muscles of his back, skirting over his neck and into his hair. The gunman cups the back of his head and Goemon can feel the calluses for real this time, proof of the years of work this man has put into his craft.
"It''s always the right song," he says again, softer this time, "for a first kiss."
Jigen closes the distance between their lips, tilting his head and moving his mouth in just the right ways to make him breathless. Goemon's arms wrap around his chest, wrinkling the fabric of his designer suit that smells of stale cigarettes and metal. It's not their first kiss by far, but in this poorly lit bar with it's scratchy music and dirty floor, not a penny to show for their latest heist, celebrating all of the nothing they have together, it's not so bad to pretend that it is.
Lupin wolf whistles behind them. Goemon can't help his smile against Jigen's lips when he hears the snap of a camera going off.