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Being kissed is one of those uncomfortable things you have to put up with sometimes, Jigen thinks. Like bullet wounds. (Those coincide more then he feels is reasonable.)
Lupin grabs and hugs him like they haven't seen each other in years, even though Jigen was only gone for a week. Good grief, this guy...
After a woman's fished a bullet out of your guts and stitched you up, if she leans in for a kiss it's not like there's a whole lot of room to refuse. So Jigen doesn't. At she's not pushing her tongue into his mouth.
Lupin is insane for many reasons, but his insistence that kisses are something worth the effort of stealing is one that Jigen will absolutely never understand. (Blech.)
Distance is safety. True in sniping, true with people. Professional distance, obviously, but personal space is even more valuable. Keeps people from getting handsy.
After they first meet, Lupin establishes his place inside that bubble as natural before Jigen has even fully thought about it. Lupin's never an intrusion, he's always just... There.
Usually, when people get inside your space, they want things from you. They want to kiss you, and they want you to kiss back. They want their hands all over you. It's always something Jigen doesn't have to give.
The ladybugs crawl in twos on the flowers, and she smiles about them getting married in a church and being together forever, and he knows he has to leave. He can't be her ladybug.
The part of him that never stops listening for danger, that means he can draw the second it comes close, knows he shouldn't let Mine Fujiko anywhere near him. He should not —even silently— acknowledge her as a partner.
He puts her arm over his shoulder and helps her walk to the car to bandage her up anyway.
She leans over to kiss him while he's driving their getaway, and her lips are damp on his face. The lipstick feels like it'll stick to him, and he tries to focus on the road.
Her story about wanting her freedom was a lie, of course. Instead of him and Lupin shooting each other dead, it's her and her accomplices lying at the bottom of the bay.
When he shoots the petals off the rose she gave him, he feels lighter.
Fujiko yelps and grabs onto him, and it honestly doesn't feel too bad. He could wonder why, but, well. The zombies are a bigger concern. This isn't the time.
Their fake honeymoon comes to an end, and he erases his face from the fake passport with one shot.
He hopes she has good luck in America.
Lupin puts new meaning to the word "clingy" with how often he literally hangs off of Jigen's shoulders. Despite that, it never feels demanding.
Once, Jigen wonders if Fujiko ever feels that demand. He actually pays attention the next time Lupin is all over her, watching if...
Fujiko coils around Lupin like a goddamn snake to plant a kiss on his cheek. Yech. Jigen leaves them to their cooing.
She shows him the ring with tears in her eyes. She finally has somebody who can give her all of her dreams; getting married, having a child, teaching piano to her... All things Jigen can't give her. How could he not be happy for her?
Jigen walks in out of the rain, kicks the water off his shoes, and deposits himself sideways on the couch. Goemon is occupying one side, seated cross-legged as usual, so Jigen hikes his legs up so his knees are only just resting against Goemon's side.
Good way to sit for a nap.
Lupin rests his arms on Jigen's head to look over the chair and down at the book he's reading. Ten minutes of silence is enough for Jigen to open his mouth to ask if Lupin finds his westerns that interesting, but closes it when he notices Lupin's snoring. Keh. The guy has no taste in novels.
The four of them collapse on the floor back at the hideout after finally losing the cops. They're covered in soot and reek of seawater. They're all gasping for breath in between the laughter, and as it quiets down, Jigen lets the never-not-odd feeling of safety wash over him. It's nice.
However, he is going to be first to occupy the shower.
