Time for a quick update. I thought I would throw this up here before I get swamped again. I have a feeling that once I get chapter 5 up, it's going to slow down for a while. Please review and give constructive criticism!
Lupin III is property of Monkey Punch, Geneon, and TMS…and probably a bunch of other people I have forgotten. Anywho…it's not mine.
Enjoy! Rev
Ch. 3
In the morning, Jigen woke up and smiled. He was determined to get Michelle out of her room today. He wanted to get whatever it was between her and Lupin out in the open and settled. He took a shower and dressed then went down the hall to her room and knocked.
"Michelle, are you awake yet?" he asked, but no one answered. He twisted the doorknob, but it was locked. "Michelle?" he asked, knocking a little louder.
"I-I don't feel well," he heard her reply, quietly. Inside the room, Michelle was still curled up in her sheets with puffy eyes from crying. She wanted to go out there and hug him or just be with him, but she knew it would make Lupin angry.
"You'll feel better once you get breakfast. Now come on!" he said jiggling the doorknob.
"I'm not dressed yet! Maybe I'll come out later!" she yelled.
"You know, there are three accomplished thieves out here. I'm sure at least one of us can pick this lock, if not slice the entire door down," Jigen added.
"Jigen, please!" She could almost feel herself smile. "Why did I find the most thoughtful guy when I can't be with him?"
"I'm coming in there! You've got about a minute or two to get dressed!" he said as he began to mess with the lock. Michelle grabbed her sheets and buried herself in them. She shuddered at the thought of him seeing her without her hair done and makeup on, not to mention the tear stains and puffy eyes. She heard the lock click and the door open and close, and she held her breath. She heard him walk across the room and felt him sit on the bed next to her.
"You know, if you don't feel well, it would probably be better if you were lying down in a normal position with the blanket on top of you rather than suffocating yourself," he said as he tried to pull the sheet off of her, but she wouldn't let go of it. "C'mon Michelle. I swear I won't laugh at you because you're still in your pjs." Michelle quietly snuck her hand out of the sheet and pinched his leg. She tried to pull it back in, but Jigen was faster. "I got you now!" he said, grinning, holding on to her hand and trying to gently pull her out.
"Ji-igen…"she whined as he managed to get the sheet off of her head. She tried to wiggle out of his grasp, but he managed to pin her arms down and look her right in the face.
"Have you been crying?" he asked, suddenly in a serious tone. Michelle tried to wiggle out once more but he held on more tightly. "Please tell me," he said.
"A little," she admitted.
"Anything I can help with?" he asked. Michelle wondered about telling him what Lupin had said the night before. She realized this was probably exactly what Lupin wanted her to avoid, but she couldn't stand to let Jigen down.
"Not really, no. You've already helped plenty without knowing it," she said with a small smile.
"If you say so," he said, leaning in and kissing her on the lips. She smiled as he pulled away and unleashed her arms.
"You need to watch that beard of yours; it's gonna stab my neck one of these days," she joked.
"I'll keep an eye on it," he said with a smile. "So are you going to grace the rest of the house with your presence?" he asked her, moving a strand of hair from her face.
"Maybe in a little while," Michelle said quietly. She controlled her urge to reach up and pull him back down into a lip lock. She had a feeling Lupin would not approve of that. Jigen leaned down and kissed her forehead, and then stood up.
"Well, I'll see you downstairs then," he said as he turned to leave.
)(
Downstairs, the front door opened and Fujiko Mine walked in. She walked into the living room and found the silent samurai sitting on the couch. Since she didn't see anyone else, she decided to try her luck with him.
"Hey Goemon, is Lupin around?" she asked.
"I believe he is upstairs," Goemon said without looking up.
"Where's Jigen?" she said, still looking about.
"Upstairs."
"Ok. Anything special going on today with you guys?" she asked, trying to start a conversation.
"I don't know."
"You're completely useless for a conversation, you know?" Fujiko said, frustrated.
"No, I'm not. I just have no interest in talking to you." Jigen came down the stairs and saw the frustrated woman.
"What are you doing here Fujiko?" he asked as he reached the bottom.
"I thought I'd pay Lupin a visit since I'm in town. I haven't seen him in awhile, you know," she said.
"I know; it's been bliss. Hey Goemon," he said turning to the samurai, "I think I'm going to cook something this morning, any suggestions?"
"Don't catch the kitchen on fire and don't use Kayro syrup instead of vegetable oil if you need to use it," Goemon said with a smile.
"Very funny. I'll go figure something out," Jigen said as he disappeared into the kitchen. Fujiko gave a confused look and then headed up the stairs. "Jigen cooking breakfast? What the hell is going on here?" she thought.
When she reached the top of the stairs, she noticed a girl walking out of the bedroom she was accustomed to occupying when she stayed with Lupin. The girl closed the door and gave Fujiko a look of confusion that Fujiko was giving her.
"Since when does Lupin have another woman staying with him?" Fujiko asked. "What are you doing here?"
"I have every right to stay in this house, whether or not Lupin wants me here," the girl replied.
"Oh really? You know this is his house."
"I know. It's mine too. I just don't use it all that often," she said with a smile.
"What gives you any right to be here?" Fujiko demanded as moved her face only an inch away from the girl's.
"I'm Lupin's sister, bitch," the girl said, and she shoved her way past Fujiko.
"You stupid little, wretch! Where is Lupin?" Fujiko asked.
"Down the hall in his room, slut." Michelle stifled a chuckle and made her way down the stairs without looking back. Fujiko growled and went to Lupin's room.
"Lupin, what the hell is going on here?" she demanded as she opened the door. Lupin sat up in his bed, still somewhat asleep.
"What are you talking about Fujiko? What are you doing here?" he asked.
"I just came by to see you cause I missed you," she said with a smile. "But there is another woman in this house, and I don't think I can handle staying in the same house as her!" Fujiko crossed her arms and plopped down on the bed next to Lupin.
"You met Michelle, huh?" Lupin said, falling back onto his pillow. "I'll have her out of here before too long."
"Why can't you just kick her out?" Fujiko pouted.
"Because she's my sister. And even though I absolutely can't stand her, she does rightfully have partial ownership of this house. Plus if I kick her out, Jigen might get a little upset," Lupin added.
"Jigen? I thought he was a misogynist. What would he care about Michelle?"
"I think he's falling for her. I told Michelle to back off, but I think it was too little too late."
"I'll say. Jigen is cooking downstairs, I'm guessing for her," Fujiko said.
"Jigen is cooking? Oh dear God…It's worse than I thought it was," Lupin said, smacking his head. Fujiko gave him a peck on the forehead once he moved his hand.
"I'll let you get up and get dressed. Why don't we go out for breakfast? There's a nice little café just down the street. You can deal with her later," Fujiko mentioned with a grin. Lupin smiled at her.
"Alright, I know where you're talking about. I'll meet you there in 30 minutes, so long as Jigen doesn't burn down the house," Lupin grinned. Fujiko left and he stretched as he stood up. "I will have to solve my pest problem before too awfully long. Please don't get too pissed off Jigen," Lupin thought.
)(
Jigen stood at the stove with black smoke billowing past him. Goemon walked into the kitchen and looked at the mess Jigen was making.
"Jigen, what is that?" Goemon asked pointing at something black and shriveled up in the skillet. Jigen looked up at the samurai.
"It's bacon. I just cooked it for a little too long. I - SON OF A BITCH!" Jigen yelled as a drop of oil popped out onto his hand. Goemon quickly turned the dial on the stove off and removed the skillet to a cool burner. Jigen moved to find a towel to wipe off his hand.
"Why exactly are you cooking?" Goemon asked as he tried to scrape the charred bacon off of the skillet.
"Well, Michelle said she wasn't feeling good so I thought I'd cook breakfast for her. I mean, it's been years since I've actually cooked, but still, I didn't think it'd be that hard." Jigen was still grasping his hand in pain.
"If Michelle is sick, why don't you tell her to stay in bed and I'll cook her some soup to help her feel better. And, if you want to help, you can clean the kitchen and I'll take it up to her. How's that?" Goemon asked.
"Well, why do you get to take it up to her?" Jigen asked, flinging the towel onto the counter.
"Because I didn't make a huge mess in the kitchen. Go get the girl back in bed," Goemon said as he motioned to the doorway that Michelle was approaching. Jigen raced up to her, hoping she didn't see the disaster.
"What's that smell?" Michelle said as she put her hand onto the doorframe. Jigen put his arm around her shoulder and led her out of the kitchen.
"The smell of desperation…and several years without practice cooking." Michelle gave Jigen a confused look and he shook his head. "Listen, if you're not feeling well, why don't you go back to bed and get some rest. I shouldn't have pushed you so hard to come out. I'd rather have you feeling better than being miserable down here."
"Alright," Michelle said. "Will you visit me up there?" she asked with a smile.
"I have to help Goemon with the cooking. You saw what kind of a mess he made down there with the bacon," Jigen said with a smirk.
"I HEARD THAT!" Goemon yelled from the kitchen.
"Damn, he has a great sense of hearing," Michelle mentioned.
"Yeah, I'll say." Jigen walked her up the stairs and to her room. "Now you get some rest and we'll bring some food up for you. And no working on your laptop or sneaking out to go on missions while you're sick! Alright?" Jigen eyed her. Michelle smiled.
"Of course. As long as I'm better by tonight."
"You're not going out again tonight are you?" Jigen asked.
"It depends on if I get hired for anything. If I see any jobs I'm interested in, I might have to go meet an employer. I'll check my email later in the afternoon, and if I don't see anything, I won't go," she said.
"That sounds fine. I'll see you in a little while," Jigen said and hugged her. Michelle went into her room and lay back down in her bed. By the time Jigen returned to the kitchen, the room was filled with the smell of miso soup cooking. "What do you need me to do, Goemon?" Jigen asked.
"Dishes," he said, without looking up from the pot. "The soup will be ready before too long. I will take it up to her," he stated, pulling a bowl from the cabinet.
"Yeah, yeah, you go up there and enjoy the conversation while I do dishes," Jigen muttered while he plugged the drain and poured soap into the running water. He continued mouthing thing words under his breath.
"Jigen…are you getting jealous?" Goemon asked, after pouring the soup. Jigen dropped the skillet into the water.
"Well…shit," Jigen said. "I guess I kinda am."
"Do you think you're actually falling in love with her?" Goemon froze and faced his friend.
"I don't know. She seems different than all those other women that have betrayed me. Plus, it's like she has the exact sense of humor and the right interests that I would need in a woman."
"Well, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but in case you haven't noticed, she's Lupin's sister. Not to mention that he can't stand her," Goemon stated.
"Lupin just needs to get over himself and hear her out. Things might be just fine between them if he'd do that," Jigen said as he began to scrub.
"I agree. But the time may come when you'd have to choose between Lupin and Michelle, and as a friend, I don't want to see you go through the turmoil of that," Goemon said as he picked up the bowl and turned to leave.
"I understand what you mean, Goemon. I can't believe I'm saying this, but I think she could possibly be the one for me. As long as she doesn't die soon or stab me in the back, I think I could settle down and live happily with her until I die. Try not to repeat that to Michelle or Lupin. I'm not sure how they would take it right now."
"Of course," Goemon said as he left Jigen alone with the dishes. Once he finished them, he went to the office in the house and got online on the computer. He began to hack into some of the contact information sites that allowed people to hire assassins and spies. He clicked on one and sent them an email and smiled.
Upstairs, Goemon knocked on Michelle's door and then entered. He found her sitting up in her bed with her sheets on her, staring off into space. He shut the door behind him and sat on the bed next to her legs.
"I brought you some miso soup. I find that it helps when you're sick," he said as he handed her the bowl.
"Thank you so much," Michelle said as she began to sip at it. "It tastes very good."
"I'm glad you enjoy it and I hope you feel better," Goemon said as he stood up.
"Well, to be honest, I'm not necessarily sick, but I still don't feel well," Michelle stated. Goemon paused and looked at her. "Would you mind if I confide in you?" Michelle asked as she took another sip of her soup and then placed the bowl on her nightstand.
"Of course not," Goemon said, sitting back down and scooting slightly closer to her. "Why did you tell Jigen you were sick?"
"I told him I didn't feel well, not that I was sick. There is a difference. But I told him that because I was trying to keep my distance from him today," she said, bowing her head down.
"Do you not want him around you?" Goemon asked.
"I do! I want to spend as much time with him as possible. I really enjoy his company. But you see, I talked to Lupin last night and he told me to stay away from Jigen and not to lead him on."
"Are you leading him on?" the samurai asked, and almost reached for his sword.
"Of course not! I almost admitted to Lupin that I…I love Jigen." Michelle blushed and took a deep breath. Goemon made no reaction. "It's so wrong, I know. I swore I wouldn't fall in love with anyone as long as I was a spy or an assassin, but it just happened so naturally and it seemed like perfect timing and everything. He's rescued me so many times; he's like a guardian angel or something." Goemon had to stifle a chuckle at the last statement she made.
"Michelle, it seems that this is something that your head will never be able to make sense of; it has to be left to your heart. Would you rather make your brother, Jigen, or yourself happy?" Goemon asked. Michelle ran her fingers through her hair.
"I want everyone to be happy. If I knew that it made both Lupin and Jigen happier that I left, I would be gone in a minute. It's just so painful to think of leaving Jigen."
"I think you're right. You need to stay near Jigen. I don't know how he would handle it if you disappear. I think he has grown far beyond just attached to you," Goemon said with a smile. "But you didn't hear that from me, ok?" Goemon added with a raised eyebrow.
"Right. Thank you so much Goemon!" Michelle said as she leaned forward and hugged him. "I really needed someone to talk to about this," she said as she gave him a peck on the cheek. "Good confidantes are hard to find, you know?"
"Anytime you need someone to talk to, let me know. I'm a good listener," he said, smiling.
"Will do," Michelle said as she picked up her soup and drank it down. When she finished it, she stood up and walked with Goemon to the door. "You're right. This miso soup really does make sick people feel better."
"Well, I haven't seen Lupin this morning, so I think you should come downstairs for awhile," Goemon said as he opened the door for her. "But I swear, if you and Jigen keep up all this sickeningly sweet talk about how much you care for each other, I might become ill."
"I'll make you some soup then," Michelle added with a smile.
)(
"All I ever wanted, all I ever needed, is here in my arms. Words are very unnecessary, they can only do harm"
Michelle walked down the walkway next to the Seine. She pulled her jacket close around her as the breeze began to chill her. The sun had already set and the stars were beginning to appear in the sky. Michelle was beginning to wonder who the mystery employer was. That afternoon, after spending most of the morning talking with Jigen and Goemon, she checked her email and found a job in Paris that would bring in a nice paycheck. Unfortunately, the employer failed to mention their name. They just left an address and a time to meet them if she wanted the job. She was surprised at how easy it was to get Jigen to let her go out tonight. As she approached her destination, she noticed a figure leaning against a building, staring at the water.
"'Bout time you got here," he said.
"Jigen, is that you?" Michelle asked, surprised as he moved into the light.
"Yeah," he said, flinging the butt of his cigarette into the water. He walked over towards her.
"You know you could have just asked me to come down here, you didn't have to make it seem like you were going to hire me for a job," Michelle said with a smile. Jigen pushed his hat back to reveal his eyes.
"Well, I'm sure Lupin would be so disappointed if he knew about this. Plus, how do I know you wouldn't have rejected me? It was a fail-proof plan, something you're not too familiar with, apparently."
"Any particular reason for choosing this as our meeting place?" Michelle asked, obviously overlooking his remark.
"It's dark and secluded, no one is going to follow you back here, and it is one of the most beautiful sights in Paris, in my opinion. Look at the lights of the city, it's beautiful. It reminds me of that Journey song. One of my favorite things to do when we would stay in San Francisco was to go down to the bay at sunrise and watch everything wake up. I wanted you to see the lights here before everything got started again," Jigen explained to her. He leaned against a rail overlooking the water and she stood next to him.
"It's very beautiful." Michelle pulled out a cigarette and then fished out her lighter. By the time she was starting to get frustrated with it, Jigen was holding up his own lighter, already lit.
"Need a light?"
"Thanks," she said as he lit it. She noticed a small smile come across his face. She felt a small flutter inside her stomach and then a sudden guilt. "I probably ought to head on soon."
"You just got here," Jigen said as his smile faded. He turned and placed his hand on her shoulder. "I guess I was a little too hopeful inviting you here," he said pulling out his own cigarette. Jigen started to walk away.
"Wait, I…" Michelle started, placing her hand on his back to stop him. He turned around and looked at her.
"No, I'm dead serious. I expected way too much," he said.
"I think I know what you were expecting, and I want you to know I feel the same way I think you feel. But I have learned that ours is a profession that does not condone affection or attachment. It lands you in so much shit you'll never be able to find your way out," she said. He noticed a form of sincerity in her eyes that showed that she meant what she was saying.
"I'm sorry," Jigen said, having realized he had started something that hit close to home to her. She pulled her jacket close to her as she tossed the butt of her cigarette away. "Come here," Jigen said without thinking and he turned her around and held her in a hug. She rested her head on him and closed her eyes. He began to instinctively stroke her hair. As he felt the strands slip through his fingers he wondered why everything seemed so perfect at this moment. He lifted her chin up with his hand and kissed her lips, hoping to convey the way he felt through the kiss. Michelle wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him back with the same emotion behind it. A few moments later, he held her in a hug once more and positioned his mouth right next to her ear.
"I love you," he whispered, and Michelle felt a tear go down her cheek.
"I love you too."
)(
At home, Lupin stared at the phone before him. Goemon was asleep and Jigen and Michelle had been gone for a while. Fujiko had her own place to stay. Now he just had to convince himself that this was the right thing to do. He knew this would put him on the same level as Michelle. Maybe this was the only way he could forgive her. But would Jigen be able to forgive him? He had already worked out a plan with Fujiko, now this was the final step. Lupin picked up the receiver and dialed the number on the piece of paper that was before him.
"Estin Company. Can I help you?" a male voice asked.
"Let me speak to Mr. Estin. I have something he wants," Lupin stated.
"Mr. Estin doesn't talk to just anybody. What would you have that he wants?" the voice asked.
"The spy, Michelle Lupin."
The other end of the line went silent.
"This is Estin. So you have Michelle, huh?" he asked.
"Yes. How much will you pay me for her?"
"3 million. It's all I have. I'm willing to pay the big bucks for her."
"Sounds good. Do you know where the old Lupin mansion is?"
"Of course. I can meet you there at midnight tomorrow. Is that alright?" Estin asked.
"Sure. I'll make sure she's asleep before you get here. You can take her and do with her as you wish," Lupin said. "I will see you tomorrow night. Don't be late." He hung up the phone, and then held his head in his hands. "Forgive me, Jigen," he thought.
)(
"All I heard was the shout of your brother calling me out, and you ran like a fool to my side."
Jigen held Michelle's hand as he walked her back to the house. He was determined that he was going to end this once and for all. Maybe not tonight, but he would make Lupin see that he loved Michelle and that whatever had happened between them, he could get over it. Jigen noticed as Michelle shivered in the cold. He released her hand and wrapped his arm around her shoulder, pulling her closer to him. She wrapped her arms around his waist as they walked.
"Jigen," she said quietly, trying her best not to ruin the moment.
"What is it, Michelle?" he asked.
"I was just wondering," she said, stalling. "Well, if things don't go well between me and Lupin, what are we going to do?" Jigen remained silent for a moment.
"Well, I guess I'd have to give Lupin an ultimatum. If he can't forgive you, then I don't think I'd be able to forgive him," he stated. Michelle froze and dropped her arms. Jigen looked back at her. "What's the matter?"
"No! You can't do that!" Michelle complained.
"Why not? He needs to learn to grow up."
"But you two have been friends since before you even knew that I existed! Promise me, if things don't work out you will go on with Lupin and not ruin your friendship!"
"Michelle," he said as he wrapped his arms around her again. "You're being a bit ridiculous. We'll cross that bridge when we get to it. As for now, we're going to be happy together until we're forced apart." He squeezed her tightly and wondered why she suddenly brought this up. When they approached the house, Jigen gave her another kiss on the lips before she went inside. Michelle snuck inside first, noticing how dark everything was. She made her way to her room as quietly as she could, and falling asleep as soon as she got into her pajamas and under her sheets. Jigen stayed outside, smoking one last cigarette for the night. He leaned against the wall and smiled as he thought about Michelle. He didn't hear the approaching footsteps while he was lost in thought.
"Have a good evening, Jigen?" Lupin asked as he pulled out his own cigarette.
"Huh? Oh yeah. I just went for a walk around town again," Jigen said, taking a drag from his cigarette.
"You certainly have been seeing a lot of the city the past few nights," Lupin said as a flame flickered before him.
"Paris is a beautiful city," Jigen stated, sarcastically.
"Jigen, I know you're just making excuses to see Michelle. You don't have to pretend that you're doing something else."
"Lupin, are you ok?" Jigen asked with a smirk. "I didn't think you'd handle it so well. Especially if you can't even listen to what she's got to say so you can forgive her already."
"Well, I'm not going to count my chickens before they hatch. Give her a little more time and she'll disappear. You can't keep a girl like her in one place for a long time. She's bound to have to leave for a mission somewhere else, and when that happens, you'll be left in the dust as if you never mattered to her in the first place," Lupin said.
"Geez, you sound like either you know it'll happen or you want it to happen." Jigen dropped the butt of his cigarette and ground it under his shoe. "If she were to have to leave, I'm sure she'd keep in touch or something. I'm almost positive that even if she chose to leave she'd still have something to do with me. Until then I'm going to enjoy what I've got going for me." Jigen turned to go inside.
"Wait, Jigen. Could you do me a favor tomorrow night?" Lupin stopped him.
"Depends. What do you need?"
"Eson is supposed to be getting a shipment in tomorrow night at one of the docks from anywhere between 11 to 1 in the morning. I need someone to keep an eye on them and see if they can pick out what it is he's getting. Goemon will be going with you."
"And where will you be?" Jigen asked.
"At Eson's hideout. Someone's gotta keep an eye on the bastard."
"Alright. I'll be there."
"Good. Thanks Jigen," Lupin said as he put out his cigarette. They both went inside and went to bed.
Songs:
"Enjoy the Silence" by Depeche Mode
"O Valencia!" by The Decemberists