Catch Me If You Can
Pt. III
"Why don't we strike a deal then, if you're so uncomfortable with living in the same apartment as a woman."
Lelouch drew himself up at her nonchalant stab, his nostrils flaring, and was about to yank her off of his bed and throw her out of the window if need be, when she sat up and said, "You're looking for her, aren't you? The one who took the legendary Étoile collection, Laverna?"
"How do you-"
"I'll tell you one thing now, Officer Lamperouge, and it's that you can't hide information from a thief. I know how the police have been searching for her to arrest her, just as I know how your mother passed away when you were only 4 years old, stabbed by a jewel thief in front of your very eyes, and that you've never recovered from that traumatic event since. I know everything. And if I don't, I can know everything. Which means that you can take your finger off of the trigger now since you know as well as I do that knowledge is power, and I have plenty of knowledge. Far more than makes you comfortable."
She smirked when she saw him slowly withdraw his hand from his holster. Nodding in the direction of the kitchen table chair, she pleasantly said, "Why don't you take a seat, and then we can discuss the terms of our alliance?"
"You think that I would work together with the likes of you? You must be not only corrupt, but insane as we-"
"Now is that any way to treat someone who knows where your sister lives and has easy access to a gun?"
"Are you threatening to-"
"I don't like to kill, Officer, but I will if I have to. But I'm sure you know that, since you seem to have memorized my criminal files."
Stewing, he sat in his seat and bit his tongue. There was no knowing what the woman would do if he made the wrong move. He clearly didn't know her as well as she knew him, and as she had pointed out, knowledge was power, which he had none of in the current situation. So he sat and waited for her to finish speaking. For the time being, he'd go along with what she said and handcuff her while she slept before dragging her to the station. But for now, he'd simply wait and pretend to listen to what she had to say.
"That's a good boy. So you do have a brain. And here I thought you had nothing but a pretty face."
"What is it that you want from me?"
"A place to hide until things cool down a little. There was a complication at my last... Job, and I need somewhere to lay low before I can head out again."
"You want me, a police officer, to harbor a criminal fugitive? Do you realize that's obstruction of justice? And what, are you going to stay inside all day long? If I do help you-"
"You will help me."
"-then who's to say that my neighbors won't become suspicious?"
"Relax. I've already organized everything. You don't have to worry about what your neighbors."
"And why is that?"
"Because I've already introduced myself."
"You what?"
She yawned and stretched. Lelouch tried not to stare at her exposed middle, and the partially-covered tattoo on her waist.
"Please don't yell, sweetie. I have so much jet-lag from flying in from America. I know you missed me, and I missed you too during the year I was away for work, but there's always tomorrow to play, right?"
He stared at her, dumbfounded, while she lay back down on his bed and pulled his blanket over her.
"Besides, you don't have a choice."
"And why is that?"
"What are you going to do when Suzaku asks about me? Are you going to tell him that I'm really an international jewel thief, instead of your fiancé?"
She had a point. Seeing from the way Suzaku had been absolutely starstruck by the woman, there was no way he wouldn't ask about her again. He'd probably try to meet her a second time too. And there was no way he could find out her true identity - he'd misunderstand, and turn him in for obstruction of justice, for assisting a criminal. But it wasn't as if he could just leave her be. Sooner or later, someone would find out the truth, and then what would happen the-
"If you're still unconvinced, just think about it this way."
He looked up from his clenched fist as she glanced at him over her shoulder.
"Not many men get a chance to sleep in the same bed as me. Looks like tonight's your lucky night."
"I'm sleeping on the floor, thanks."
"Good. Gentlemen sleep on the floor. And you're a gentleman, aren't you, Lelouch Lamperouge?"
He couldn't help but scoff. She thought she knew him, when in reality, she didn't. Not the true him, anyway. Which was the way he wanted to keep it. He didn't need her snooping around, but she seemed to have connections, access to information outlets that an ordinary police officer didn't have access to, and God knew how the commissioner wanted to capture Laverna, the world's most notorious jewel thief.
Lelouch wasn't like Suzaku, who followed the law to the letter. He wasn't a hero, and he wasn't a model citizen. The ends always justified the means to him, and if the means meant housing a criminal, then so be it.
He just hoped that the end would be worth the trouble the means would undoubtedly give him.
Request: Thank you for opening the box again! Could you continue the Batman AU or Catch me if you can?
Request Complete
