There's Nothing We Can't Steal

“Hm? Oh, yes we can,” Goemon said, getting a suitcase for Kosuke out of the closet. He would not be needing one, as he did not carry much.

“The sewing kit will come in handy,” he said, laying the suitcase on the floor,“ your calligraphy set can also come with us, but we should put the ink in a separate bag, just in case it breaks.”

Kosuke watched her dad and nodded her head in reply. She wouldn’t like having ink all over her stuff. They’d never get it out.

“I will help you,” Goemon said with a smile, standing up. He still held onto her hand, which he used to walk with her up the stairs.

“We will only pack what is necessary,” he said as they ascended the stairs,“ as well as your doll and bamboo sword. Probably a book or two for you to practice your reading.”

Kosuke nodded her head as she walked beside her dad, up the stairs. She knew what clothes to put out with that in mind and would see if her calligrapher kit can go as well since she still had a ways to go before she perfected that.

“Bluffing? I don’t know but I think you’re being dramatic…I doubt you’ll stop caring about Fujiko.” Poor Jigen is probably confused as hell now. 

“Let me see your phone…”

“I’ll never stop caring about her and my friends. They’re a big part of my life and mean too much to me. But that doesn’t mean I can’t love anyone else.”

Upon hearing the request (or was that an order?) Lupin handed it to Zenigata.

“I see,” Goemon said as he smiled down at Kosuke,“ then the both of you will be good company for each other.”

He could see that she was happy about going. Had she not been ready, he would have waited until she was. There was no sense in making her do something that she would not enjoy.

“We will leave tonight,” he said, getting down close to her, taking her hands in his,“ do you want me to help you pack?”

Kosuke wasn’t as sure on that but that was cause she had limited interaction with Flo. However after spending some more time they could become that. She watched her dad bend down to be at her height then nodded her head.

“Lupin was on the phone,” Goemon explained when she came down,“ I was just telling him what happened. I did not wish to upset you by talking about it around you.”

He was always blunt with her. It wasn’t that he couldn’t be, but he felt that he should treat her like a small adult when he could. He wanted her to not feel talked down to.

“But Lupin wants me to go on a heist with him and Jigen,” He explained further, trying to change the subject,“ I cannot leave you alone, so you will be coming with me to New York. Jigen’s daughter, Flo will also be there. Do you remember her? I believe you haven’t seen her since Lupin threw that Easter celebration.”

Kosuke nodded her head as she listened. She remembered Lupin and Jigen who both were nice people to her during the few times she saw them. She also remembered Flo from that one time and how quiet she was.

“She’s the girl that was always drawing.”

“Thanks,” Goemon said, hanging up the phone. He sighed, a bit exhausted with everything that was going on. He didn’t even know how Kosuke would do going to New York.

“Kosuke-chan?” Goemon called, going towards the stairs and looking up towards the bedroom,“ you can come out now.”

Kosuke was practicing calligraphy when she heard the call from her father. She stopped what she was doing and put the ink brush on it’s stand before getting up, brushing off the bottom of her kimono then heading downstairs.

“Is everything alright?”

“We have been homeschooling her,” Goemon said as he heard this. He and his wife had been teaching Kosuke many things since she had been born. She took to everything quickly, like a duck to water. Also, she was very smart for her age.

“You are correct,” he continued, thinking about the situation,“ we would probably fair much better if everything did not remind us of her.”

“Where did you say you were again?”

“New York. I got a lot of heists lined up around here. Place has become more of a goldmine so I’m likely going to be here for while. Right now I’m busy getting things together to find a way to get the Hope Diamond and don’t even start on it’s curse. I’ve heard enough of it from Jigen as is.”

Lupin was never really one for superstitions, unlike his best friends and this included after that incident with the Tutankhamen mask.

“Well if you’d stop being an idiot for once, I wouldn’t act like a nagging wife!”

The master thief frowned when he heard Jigen call out to him and considering how loud that was it’s pretty obvious that Goemon would hear it.

Goemon made sure Kosuke was out of earshot before he spoke to the master thief.

“Yes, it has been a rough few weeks.”

The samurai then spent at least a quarter of an hour explaining what had happened. What he had done. As well, he expressed to Lupin how important it was for him to keep close to Kosuke, as he didn’t want her to feel abandoned.

“I would not know what to do now,” Goemon continued, cracks of worry coming through in his tone,“ should I call a doctor to make sure she is alright? She seems fine but I’m worried I could not tell of something was wrong. My wife was much better at telling those things.”

Lupin frowned when he heard that. This really hadn't been a good year for his gang. First Jigen loses his wife to a police sniper, now Goemon loses his to a rival clan. This made the master thief not want to get married himself. Sure Fujiko could take care of herself but why risk it?

“Sorry to hear of that. Seems you and Jigen get the worst end of this stuff. And from what I’ve heard of her, you’re right on that one. I mean she could figure out when something was up with you despite you not showing it. It takes me and Jigen some time to figure out that something’s bugging you.”

Lupin then thought again on the last thing Goemon said.

“Sounds like Ko’s like you. The whole hiding feelings thing. Given your family history she likely doesn’t want to come off as weak if she shows it. Also sounds like she needs more in her life. Having it just be you and her won’t work all that well with her healing especially since you two are still living in that house, where everything can remind her of her mom.”

He rubbed under his chin as he kept thinking on this.

Looks at him like he is sprouting three heads. 

The only way this makes sense to him is if Lupin is pulling his leg. 

“Alright Lupin…I’ve had enough. I’m calling your bluff right now…you don’t wanna have…sex…with me so what’s your angle? Jigen, Goemon and Fujiko making off with some big heist while you’ve got dumb old pops holed up here in his hotel? Stringing me along until you get the signal that the coast is clear and you can make your escape. Have a good laugh over a fancy dinner later with the whole gang about how you fooled me.”

He stands up and stuffs his hands in his pockets, “’m not gonna fall for it, Lupin. I don’t know what made you think coming at me from this angle would work…kissing me…telling me you love me…I’m not some swooning girl over you, kid, hate to break it to you.” He is a swooning 49 ½ year old man~ 

“I’ll admit that this worked pretty good until now. You’ve kept my attention with it but hey it’s probably time for you to escape anyway. I’ll write it down in your files.” 

Lupin gave a bit of a sigh. He was practically making out with him. Why would he be bluffing when he went that far with this? It wouldn’t make sense. He decided he’d have to bring out the big guns so to speak to get this through Zenigata’s head on how serious he was with it, so he took out his cellphone to access the voice mail then held it up for the inspector to hear.

“Hey Lupin, it’s Jigen. I’m gonna spend some time at the shooting range with Flo and Goemon’s doing sword training with Kosuke and no I don’t know where Fujiko is, don’t care, never will care so stop asking.”

After that finished he put his cellphone away.

Whoa whoa whoa! How far is Lupin gonna go with this?! 

He can’t help it, his cheeks are turning red…followed by his ears and god, is it hot in here?! 

When did he get to the bed?! 

Zenigata realizes he has lost control of this situation and -gasp- he might be wrong about the bluffing?! 

“Lu-Lupin! Hold it, hold it…” takes the hand crawling up his shirt and he holds it by the wrist, “hold it.” Phew…okay…lets take it down a level here. 

Okay. 

“Now, just what the hell are you doing?” As if it weren’t completely obvious by the tongue that was in his mouth a hot minute ago. 

“Well you did say prove it.”

Lupin moved away a bit, remaining on the bed in a sitting position as he losen his tie before running a hand through his hair which made him look a bit more attractive. He was a bit bummed this got stopped as it was getting good.

Too scared?! No one will say Inspector Zenigata is a coward. 

Just what is he supposed to be scared of in this moment though? 

When is Lupin going to turn tail and run or giggle and admit this is all a elaborate ruse to get his attention while Jigen and Goemon or Fujiko make off with some sort of treasure while Zenigata’s attention is kept on Lupin? When’s that gonna happen?

Slick little rat. 

“prove it.”

Oh if there was any words the inspector would regret it be those two. 

Is Lupin calling his bluff now? Err he will show him. 

“Self-proclaimed. I bet you’re a greedy lover in the sack.” This is a weird conversation and the only thing keeping him going is not losing this damn battle he is having with Lupin! He will prevail! 

Oh he was trying to go that route was he? Well this thief was going to show him a thing or two. There’s a reason why he’s a master of seduction.

“Au contraire my old man. I can be very affectionate and can prove it too.”

Lupin then reached up and gently took hold of Zenigata’s tie.

Zenigata is tempted to call his damn bluff. Sexual huh? Yeah right. 

So he reaches over and takes the jaw of the thief and directs his face to look back at him. “Sexual?” He asks in a low tone and narrows his eyes in a predatory manner. 

Lupin took notice to the change in Zenigata when this happened. He...actually looked hot. Ok sure he didn’t really have bad looks to begin with. But this...well it was surprising what can happen when you made slight changes to your voice and face. After taking this in Lupin got a smirk on his face.