Chapter Text
Two months had passed since Lupin's confrontation with his self-proclaimed mother, two months since the day that left him both physically and emotionally scarred. The witch's body was now reduced to ashes, buried forever underneath the burnt remains of what was once his esteemed family mansion. Lupin had hoped that he could have burned down the memories of her alongside it. But the thief knew all too well that wouldn't be the case.
Fake as they may be, Tomoe's implanted memories still lingered deep within Lupin's head. Memories of a mother he never had. Of a childhood he never knew. Of being loved, not for his status as the illusive Gentleman Thief, but for who he truly was.
In days like these, he couldn't help but wonder, would his friends love him all the same if his name wasn't Arsène Lupin III?
The answer in his mind had always been yes. Jigen, Goemon and Fujiko were the best at their craft, and they always expected nothing short of the best from him as well. Lupin never had an issue with that. After all, he expected no less of them himself. The heists they pulled required skills only they possessed, and mistakes were off the table if they hoped to live to see another day. But his friends had proven their love for him on several occasions each. They'd saved him more times than he could count and they even did it hours after he tried to murder them in cold blood.
Lupin still couldn't shake the thought of how close he was to seriously hurting either Jigen or Goemon. 'Some partner I am...'
"Earth to Lupin, you copy?" Jigen's unmistakable voice snapped him out of his daydreaming. He could feel Jigen staring a hole in his back. "I said dinner's ready. Ya know your ass can try cooking too from time to time," he groaned, as he usually did.
Jigen had been quick to notice that Lupin wasn't his normal self as of late. And he had a pretty good idea of why that was. At first, he was worried that perhaps the whole mind control thing would relapse. Was that even possible? He had no idea, but the thought of Lupin snapping at him like that again was enough to keep him vigilant. It was still hard to believe a mind as fortified as his partner's was able to be hijacked, even if only for a few hours.
On the outside Lupin acted like he normally did. Lazily reading his newspaper, constantly on the lookout for the next big score, his never ending energy always radiating from him and his signature shit-eating grin perpetually plastered on his face. But having spent so many years with the guy, Jigen noticed some minuscule changes in his partner, blink and you missed them. How his eyes seemed to lack that sparkle, or how he'd space out several times a day. Jigen knew better than to question the thief about the issue, he was well aware that Lupin wasn't the type of guy to open up to anyone, not even his best friends. He often wondered if he ever opened up to Fujiko while they were engaged. But that was a question best left unanswered.
"Come on man, cut me some slack," Lupin shot back, folding his newspaper and letting out a loud yawn. "It's not my fault you lost the poker game. And it was about time too! Last week you beat me five times in a row! I swear you must be hiding aces up your-"
"Just shut up and come to the table dammit all!" The guy sure could be insufferable when he wanted to. But while his stupid remarks would usually irritate Jigen, he held on to them like a lifeline as of late, offering him some much needed reassurance that his partner was back. At the end of the day, that was all that really mattered.
"So…" Jigen started as he took off his pink apron and the two men sat down to devour the variety of goods the gunman had prepared. "What's our next target? You spent the entire morning reading that newspaper, found anything worth our while?"
Lupin loosened up his yellow tie, on the verge of drooling his eyes fixated on his soon-to-be empty plate. "Nope, not a thing," he announced unenthusiastically. Suffice it to say Jigen was less than pleased with his response. "Well that's just fucking great," he murmured in between bites.
"Hasn't that broad asked you to steal anything for her yet? I doubt that bitch can go more than a week without begging for something," he added with enough venom to kill them both twice. Calling Fujiko anything remotely insulting should have elicited some sort of reaction from Lupin. But when the bearded man looked up from his plate, he came face to face with the same stupid look he'd been seeing the past few months. The asshole was zoning out again.
Jigen slammed his palms on the table. "Are you even listening to me?" Lupin immediately came crashing back to reality and lazily shook his head. "Yeah yeah, sorry, I've got a bit of a headache is all."
Lupin had no problem with lying, crooks did that all the time. But lying to his friends... that was always particularly unpleasant. "Fujicakes hasn't called me in days, she's probably off doing some work of her own wherever." Jigen was probably onto him, that much he was certain of. Despite that, he didn't expect his partner to ask what was wrong. The two weren't exactly the type to open up to anyone after all, not even themselves. But deep down in his core, Lupin wished that they would. Perhaps it was selfish of him to want that, after all Jigen had proven his loyalty to him time and time again. Maybe if they ever did, Lupin could properly apologize to him, for once in his life.
Jigen had a very hard time believing Lupin's excuses. His tone was different, mellow, unenthusiastic. The gunman could tell Lupin's own mind was troubling him yet again. He considered finally questioning him about it. Finding out what was troubling his friend so deeply. Show him the true extent of his concern.
"Whatever," is what ended up coming out his mouth instead. And Jigen hated himself for it.
After they made light work of their meal, Lupin decided, or was forced to depending on who you ask, do the dishes while Jigen went about cleaning his beloved Magnum, his second partner. This one thankfully required a lot less maintenance it would seem.
Suddenly, a knock on the door alerted both men, who immediately reached for their guns and pointed them towards the source of the sound.
The door swung open and in front of it stood a familiar silhouette, the sound of her heels instantly giving away her identity.
Jigen was not too happy to see her. "Would it kill you to let us know you're coming for once in your miserable life?" Be it as it may, her appearance at the moment was not entirely unwanted, for a change. If there was one person who could help Lupin more than himself and the samurai in his times of need, it had always been her.
"Good to see you too, Jigen," came Fujiko's slightly irritated reply. She was wearing a pair of black heels, gray pants and a loose light blue shirt. But for one Lupin she might as well not have been wearing anything.
"Fujicakes," exclaimed the thief, virtually teleporting in front of her and grabbing her by the waist, bringing their bodies into contact. "What a lovely surprise! Say, you like the hideout?" The new place was indeed a step up from their previous one. It was spacious, had good natural lighting and it even came with a minibar and a fish tank, the inhabitants of which were Jigen's new responsibility in place of the previous hideout's plants. "I think you'll find the bedroom especially to your liking!" His grin reached all the way to his ears and he leaned in mere inches away from her angelic face. "Here let me show you, hehe."
His grin would soon transform into a groan of pain as Fujiko's knee connected with his groin, and the thief collapsed on the floor. 'Typical,' thought Jigen.
Fujiko tossed a groaning Lupin aside and made her way to the couch as if nothing had happened. "Stop being silly Lupin, I'm not in the mood for games. That being said, the hideout is indeed very nice! Good choice lover!"
"Actually, I picked this one," boasted Jigen. His comment was promptly ignored by everyone, much to his dissatisfaction.
"So, mmph God it hurts, what brings you here Fujicakes," asked a mostly recovered Lupin while plopping down next to her and placing his arm behind her head.
"This!" came the response from Fujiko as she grabbed her pink iPad from her bag. "So I was digging around as per usual and I found..."
Lupin's eyes couldn't stay on the iPad for long. Soon enough, they traveled back to her. He knew she was the single most beautiful being on earth, he'd never been so sure of anything in his life. Ever since he first laid eyes on her all those years ago, he knew. He'd vowed there and then, that woman would be his and his only. Her heart was far and beyond the greatest thing he'd ever stolen and something he would treasure for however long he managed to stay alive.
But was there really any space for her within the contents of his heart? When she was kissing him in the rain, trying to bring him back, why didn't he respond? Why did he break her heart? He knew Fujiko would never admit to it, but he could see it in her face. In her uncharacteristically pleading eyes. He convinced himself that the fake memories were at fault, that at the time his mind could only think of his 'mother' and nothing else. But was that true? He'd spent all those years wondering if she really loved him. But despite all the betrayals, she'd proven time and time again that she did, at least when it truly mattered. But why couldn't he keep her when they were in France? Would she still love him if he took off the jacket for good? He felt confused, angry and…
Pain. He felt a lot of pain as Fujiko slapped him across his face with enough force to throw him off the couch.
She all but screamed in his face. "Have you been listening to a single word I've said so far?" If her words weren't enough of a giveaway of her anger, the vein faintly bulging out of her forehead surely was.
"He's been like this all day," added the gunman as Lupin was rubbing his hot red cheek. "Says he's got a headache. I honestly think he could use a good wake up slap in his mug."
'Get your shit together Lupin,' he chastised himself, 'if you keep this up they'll think you're brainwashed again! Or even worse, they might start asking questions.'
Lupin immediately shot up and went to grab his green jacket, a stupid grin forcefully creeping up on his face. "Yeah, stupid headache is all, sorry Fujicakes." Her anger slowly dissipated at his response. "Whatever it is you want us to steal, we're in!"
At the sound of the words, Fujiko's face lit up and she jumped on Lupin, embracing him into a loving hug. "Oh Lupin, I knew I could count on you," she shouted, putting on her cutesy voice.
"We? Who's we? I never agreed to anyth-" started Jigen, but before he could finish Lupin was in his face, shushing him up. "No buts Jigen, just a moment ago you were practically begging for me to find something for us to steal! I'll call Goemon right now and as soon as he arrives we'll get down to business, pronto!"
Jigen was less than thrilled at the idea of working yet again with Fujiko as the odds of maintaining whatever score they stole were essentially reduced to zero. But seeing Lupin act like his usual self was enough of a reward for him.
The scenery was quite reassuring for Fujiko as well. She was well aware of the heavy toll the events in the mansion had on her lover, not to mention the guilt that she had harbored for not helping him sooner, for letting that old witch almost steal him away from her. Hopefully, a classic heist of theirs would snap him out of it for good. At least she prayed it would.
Time heals all. At first, Lupin thought the whole Tomoe situation would be no different. But time was betraying him. The memories would simply not go away. As he was dialing the trusty samurai's phone number, he decided that he should find a solution and fast. The last thing he wanted to do was hurt the people he loved, at least more than he already had.