Koyuki Zenigata, ICPO

Lupin gave a snort at being called a creep before he drove off towards home. It was an…odd feeling to call such a place ‘home’, always used to traveling place to place and living in temporary hideouts. 

Home had usually been wherever he and Jigen went, but that seemed so far into the past, and those memories might as well didn’t even belong to him. It wasn’t something he often thought about anymore. He was more or less happy to find somewhere he fit in, even if the situation between him and Koyuki was strange as hell. They had a lot in common in that regard.

Either way, he finally pulled up to the house and honked the car horn, sticking his head out of the window before long. “OI! Y’better be ready in there!” he called, giving a cheeky grin.

Koyuki grinned, pulling her long coat on and leaning out the door. “What, you’re too good to get outta the car? Rude!”

[ Arrest his mouth more???? ] 

He’s a goof, probably. Makes it easier for ‘em to relate. 

[ He chuckled a little. ] 

Long as he’s bein’ good t’Walker, I ain’t got a problem. But you need t’come an’ see me more often.

Oh yeah?

[Koyuki smooched him a little more, fingers tickling through his hair around his ears.]

[ Arrest him too. Made him all warm and tingly when she showed him a little bit of power. ] 

…Fair ‘nuff. As long as he’s bein’ a halfway decent role model. 

I’m th’only dad he needs anyway~ 

[ He liked it that way. But he wouldn’t say as much. Might have gotten a little jealous if Walker was drawn to Lupin more than he was to Charlie. ] 

[She’s going to arrest his mouth there too. With her mouth. Just for a moment.]

[ Dwarf him PLEASE. Made it real easy to get hands at her sides for a few little teasing pinches. ]

Hm. What a nerd.

[ For lack of any insightful input on that whole thing. ]

He bein’ a good stepdad? 

[She gonna squirm, hey. Catch those hands, they’re under arrest.]

“He can come if he wants. Let’s consider this a victory dinner,” Lupin snickered. “We can go together. I’ll be home in a sec.” He could just fly there, he guessed, but his car needed some love. “See ya soon.” 

“Love you, creep,” Koyuki smiled, hanging up. She stretched and padded through the hideout, leaning down to scratch her fat pug’s ears on the way to the kitchen. “Hey, Freckles, Lupin’s taking us out to dinner, you up for it?”

“I told you not to call me that, Mom!” Walker called back, huffing as he leaned against the door to his room. He folded his clawed fingers over his arms and sighed. “Yeah, guess I could go out...”

“It’ll be fun,” she assured him. “When’s the last time we all went out as a family?”

[ Yeah his life is ridiculous. Don’t try to make sense of it. 

He leaned back against the arm of the couch, tugging her right along with him. Little bit clingy, forgive him. ] 

Yeah? What kinda somethin’? 

[She went with him easily enough, completely dwarfing him as she leaned on top of him, smooching his cheek.]

“It’s almost done,” he said, barely hiding the grin in his voice as he closed the door behind him. “I’ll be home tonight, actually. I should be able to finish it up this weekend.” 

She wasn’t the only one missing company. Being able to work on such a large scale project was fun and all, but Lupin had always been a social animal. “Wanna go out for some dinner? It’s not too late, is it?” He asked, checking his watch.

Uh well. He’s more like. A… clone ?? ? ? ? But after we fought more times than was probably entirely necessary… He ain’t so bad. [ Charlie shrugged a little. It was a complex relationship he had with Fritz. But it was definitely better than it had been. ] 

I mean!! It’s a temporary thing! Just a quick trip. Not stayin’ there permanently. Jus’ kinda… scopin’ th’place out. Gettin’ them back into nature an’ all that.

Though, I’m pretty sure there ain’t any wild dragons or anything you would disturb, so you could always come too. It’s jus’… like an extreme version of roughin’ it. Heh. 

[She’s looking pretty incredulous there on the couch. Amused, but incredulous. Still, she thought about it.]

[ His eyebrows raised slightly before getting arms around her and tugging her close. Smooching her cheek. ]

He’d be with me th’whole time. An’ we don’t have to do this right away. Not ‘til you’re at least a little more comfortable with th’idea.

[ He wouldn’t dare put Walker in danger. ]

Uh, well. It’s a little strange but, one day when my brother an’ I were kinda jus’ out for th’day, we got pulled in a direction an’ jus’… ended up makin’ a southward turn an’ ended up there. Realized that it was some kinda… migratory nestin’ thing maybe. An’ I knew it was somewhere I wanted t’bring Walker an’ Liam to, since they might have th’same instinct some day.

[Okay, there were some questions there. Even if those cheek smooches were relaxing her somewhat.]

One... you have a brother? When did this happen? How come I haven’t met him?

And two... you’re going to Fly Away Home our son? Should I make a single person plane and paint it like a flying lizard to go with you?

[ Charlie managed a little smile for her before guiding her over to sit. Get cozy with him for a bit. He didn’t want to just be a stressor. ]

Mmhm. The biggest thing is jus’… bein’ able to find food an’ things. But as long as he’s willin’ t’eat raw, that’s easy enough t’figure out. But we’re apex predators. Nothin’ out there bigger or scarier than us.

[ Trying to be reassuring. ]

Alright, you listen here, Dino Dad...

[She sat with him, keeping hold of his hand and squeezing gently.]

The raw thing won’t be an issue. I’ve seen what he’s willing to put away. Just... you know... Costa Rica’s really far away. And if he doesn’t come back to me...

[She cut off. Quiet. She didn’t want to think about another son being stolen for testing.]

[ Little bit of a wheeze. ]

That’s… alright. We can spend some time practicin’.

It’s a bit of a long trip. Uh. Costa Rica.

Costa Rica!? Well... at... at least he’ll be warm...

[ …He can’t actually tell  if she’s joking or not. Had he- Had he not even told her about… ] 

Er. Uliam is. Mine an’ Devang’s son, yeah. One of two, but only Liam got my whole… lizard bits. I thought… you knew that. Hah.

[ SweaTING. ]

I’d like t’take ‘im for at least a week. We’ll be goin’ on kind of a long trip. 

…Ideally. Is he… good at flyin’? 

Right... Oh, yup, I knew that, definitely. Yup, just... kidding.

[She’d forgotten. Shit. Shiiiit. How the hell does she get away with forgetting about her kid’s half-siblings?]

[ Charlie managed a smile, though it was truthfully a little sad. Glancing down, he kept his hands in hers. Little bit uncertain. ] 

I- Wanted to ask you, actually. 

If maybe he could stay with me for a bit? I’ve got uh - Well, I’ve got someone I want him t’meet an’ I’ve got somewhere I wanna take ‘im. Him an’ Uliam both. Since they’ve got my… 

[ He gestured to himself. ]

All o’ this scaly nonsense. 

Who... who’s Uliam? Another kid?

[She tried to play the tone off as teasing, but there was some guilt that she’d been out of touch with Charlie long enough to miss such things. She trailed her fingers through his hair softly, biting her cheek.]

[ He rolled his eyes, but no he didn’t want to pick a fight just then! Well. Of a sort, anyway. ]

Fine, fine. I won’t argue with you. If you insist. But you’re th’one raisin’ ‘im. Not me.

[ At least not… entirely. ] 

…I miss seein’ him, y’know?

You don’t have to?

[Koyuki took his hands, squeezing softly as she looked down at him.]

[ Charlie sometimes forgot that… Koyuki had been a parent before. And part of him felt a little guilty that he hadn’t really remembered. But he was pleased that at least she was happy with their son. And wasn’t hesitant about it. ]

It’s because you’re exceptional. He gets all o’ that from you, y’know. None from me. He jus’ got th’lizard parts from me.

Oh, blow that right out your ass. Of course he got his exceptional genes from you.

[ Charlie blinked up at Koyuki’s hand. Excuse me. ]

He’s taller than me?????

Why is everyone taller than me??????????

[ Sort of mumbled that last bit to himself, but he eventually breathed out a little sigh and offered her a smile. ]

I’m proud of ‘im. An’ you. Y’ever think you’d be as good of a mother t’him as you are?

[ Took one of her hands and pressed a little kiss to it. ] 

Because you’re a little guy.

[Koyuki grinned, the expression softening slightly at the kiss and question.]