Oh my gosh, this chapter had me laughing so hard. xD I couldn't even read it again to check for mistakes. I'm going back to that tea again tomorrow. I'm even weirder off of caffeine than I am on it. -squints to see what I'm writing- Um, I guess that's it for now. And thanks for the reviews, ones who review. :3 -puts glasses back on- :x I can't see worth crap, my eyes suck so bad... Ow, my ear...stupid glasses.


One Life Faltered

by D. Ant

-Eleven-

Two days later Lupin and Fujiko were back to stealing jewelry stores and banks, not because they were bored or because they didn't want their skills to become rusty, but because they were almost broke.
The return to thieving didn't change them much, though.
Lupin was still quiet and drawn into his shell. And he always seemed to have a bottle of strong liquor near him while home.
Fujiko ended up telling Lupin about her dream the night before when both were too drunk to stand. She felt much better getting it out, both of them laughing until they cried afterwards. But even then, something about it still nagged at her.

The two returned the next night, tossing the bags of money they carried on the floor and heading to the liquor cabinet.
They started out drinking to escape their thoughts, but soon found out that once drunk enough they could laugh at anything. And laughing was something they could never seem to do anymore while sober.
They sat together in the living room watching a home shopping channel and laughing hysterically. The phone began to ring as Lupin was making his way back to the liquor cabinet, so he grabbed it while passing.
"What?" he asked.
"Lupin?" Jigen asked, wondering if he got the wrong number.
"He isn't here right now," Lupin said as he laughed, pointing at the woman who came on the television to sell a camera.
"Yeah, obviously," Jigen said. "Why the hell haven't you been answering the phone?"
"I haven't felt like talking?" Lupin said it as if he was guessing on what the correct answer to the question would be.
"You know, when I said get drunk for me, I didn't mean all at once," Jigen sighed.
"Oh! Oh! I have a good one for you! Fujiko...Fujiko had this dream and-"
"No, Lupin!" Fujiko called out as she ran to him, trying to wrestle the phone away. "Don't say it!"
Lupin pressed the speakerphone button as he fought Fujiko off. "You and her made out and loved each other," Lupin said quickly as Fujiko tried to cover his mouth.
"Haha, that's funny, Lupin," Jigen said, unamused. "And take me off speakerphone, damn it."
"You idiot!" Fujiko said as she punched Lupin in the arm and shoulder over and over, her punches not doing much to hurt him.
"You too, huh, Fujiko?" Jigen said with a sigh. He didn't need Goemon to tell him why she was drinking.
"Look," Lupin said, pointing to the TV and laughing once again. "She-she can't..." He burst out laughing, unable to finish his sentence about the woman holding the camera upside down.
Fujiko laughed with him, watching as he fell to the floor holding his stomach, but continuing the laughter.
"It's been great talking to you," Jigen muttered. "Really, it has. But if you're just gonna act like a couple of asses then maybe I should call back later."
"No, wait!" Lupin called out as he tried to stop his laughing. "Don't hang up!"
"One more chance..."
"Goemon said..." Lupin grew serious. "He said you were leaving soon and..."
"A week from Friday," Jigen informed him. "And you would have known sooner had you answered the damn phone."
"Can we see you before you leave?" Lupin asked.
"What would be stopping you?"
"Oh, I don't know. I just thought...maybe..."
"Come to the base a day or two before. We're allowed visitors, you know."
"Yeah, we'll be there, you can count on it."
"I'll see you then," Jigen said with a smile.
"Great," Lupin said before bursting out in laughter again. "She's got the picture...ahahah...she's got it upside down!"
"What an idiot!" Fujiko said as she joined in on the pointing and laughing.
"Bye guys," Jigen said, hanging up and shaking his head. As much as he hated to admit it, their drunk antics amused him somewhat.
He grabbed himself a cigarette and placed it between his lips, walking out of the bar.