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Cap'. [His nod is equally quiet and calm] So, what did you want to show me?

[Blinks at the phrasing and shakes his head, zipping up. He's edgy since things with Ace.]

Stretches. [Gruff tone.] And have to check your current strength. [Slowly so that Lupin wouldn't breathe extra.]

[He nods at this in understanding, grateful that Smoker has the foresight to zip up. Her assets would be more than distracting for the thief, even when he was on his best behavior.]

I'm not that far gone, Cap'. [He says this while shrugging out of his jacket very carefully. The shoulder holster for his Walther is, amazingly, not clipped on at that moment. Too much hassel, too much work] Whenever you're ready.

[Gruffly -- as much as he can being short and female -- takes Lupin's arm and starts checking it.]

Tsk. I don't think I've ever played physical therapist before. [Usually he does this with a spar. Though with the little kids he doesn't... so it's a little like that.] So the Shift didn't affect you?

Hey~! You're the one who offered! [He's whining out of habit, really, but doesn't mind the attention as a whole. Maybe they can get somewhere productive through this.]

No--the Shift didn't affect me personally. I just saw a few things, watched some really strange 'relationships' pop up. Why do you ask? did it affect you?

[Chokes. Duh. Should have expected the question, but oh gosh, thinking fast now.]

Last year. This year... I can't tell. [Miiight be a little rougher tapping Lupin's legs for reflexes there.]

[And all Smoker is gonna find in his checking is the usual--skinny arms and legs, but pretty damn good reflexes.]

Can't tell? That doesn't bode well!

[Grunts. Which sounds weird as a woman.]

They might have messed with me while I was there, or it was some lingering unresolved... [Lets go so that he doesn't accidentally hurt him and goes to pick up his jitte and demonstrate some starter exercises.]

It's a mess.

[He watches Smoker, confusion evident on his face even as she goes through her exercises.]

Story of my life, Cap'. Did I mention that my girlfriend has betrayed me and even tried to kill me a few times?

...I didn't know we'd be using props.

[Snickers. Somehow, it's reassuring that Lupin's girlfriend is truly as crazy as Zenigata said.]

Yeah, but you are a thief. [Which apparently means you are doomed to shitty relationships in Smoker-speak.]

And you're not using a prop, I am. [Smoker is less flexible. More as a girl than as his male self, but still, rigid strength over dexterity there.] Try this without the jitte. [Since he's teaching Lupin kickboxing anyway.]

If she tries to kill you why do you still sleep with her?

[He mimicks the motions carefully, so as to not jar his still healing injuries, and glances sideways at Smoker with a small frown.]

I may be a thief, but I'm still a man. Fujiko, she--she's a challenge. Tough, strong, smart, and actually very loving if you can coax it out of her.

It's part of our little game. I've done the same to her, though not outright attempted murder on my own or through proxies. We've wrecked jobs for each other, watched each other fail miserably...

But I'd be dead more than a few times over if it weren't for her too.

...why do you want to know?

Just... thinking. [But he's bright fucking red. And still thinking apparently, as he doesn't explain that. Just demonstrates some more, carefully avoiding anything that would move or flex the ribcage.]

...and you're thinking pretty hard, apparently.

[Lupin nods in understanding of this new set and goes through the moves, grateful for Smoker's consideration. He knew it was a good idea to trust his gut instincts on this one!]

I got... last year I was affected by a Shift. I was in love with a pirate, but I never told him, from the Shift he was in love with someone else. [Stands up slowly, setting the jitte aside, and runs through some basic calisthenics.]

This year, same pirate, different circumstances. It could be the Malnosso... or it could be that I try to live without things unfinished and this one and I... [He frowns, it wasn't like he was in love with Portgas during the Shift. Just confused. And the damn smiles. Why were those smiles affecting him so much?] We always have a lot unfinished.

[Calisthenics. He can do that! Listening to Smoker, though, really did cement several similarities with the law dog he was more familiar with. They really did have similar sentiments, overall.

It was why Pops never gave up the chase, even when Lupin pretended to be dead.]

...So you approached him in this hot new body of yours, and got nothing conclusive? I find that a little hard to believe, Cap'.

[Don't mind his brief dog-like shudder.]

I didn't approach him.

[Oh wait... he did...] NOT LIKE THAT! [Normally the tone would be thundering, now it's just cute and squeaky. God damn this voice.] He's the only equal I have in this place. Or my world. I wanted to train....

[Blushing so much and turns his back to Lupin, focusing on showing things even while keeping the spine rigid. Not easy to do from behind.] He's the only god damn pirate with enough guts to talk to me other than Blackbeard.

And he doesn't... I'm certain he's not -- He was just being -- I have a girlfriend. [That came out of nowhere. And did he still? She was sent home and possibly wouldn't remember him. Or care to. Such was the nature of anything in Luceti, wasn't it? What a pain.] Or had. [Slips into his usual grumpy frown, more pouting now than he realizes and turns back.]

[He'd be laughing, but he preferred to not be in pain as he was going through calisthenics. While he made certain to take the obligatory pain relieves (on his own), there was only so far that they could go. They were general ones anyway, and wouldn't cover everything.]

I can't imagine why pirates wouldn't have the guts to talk to you. [He said this dryly, but not without a smile.] I mean, look at me? I'm just a thief, and not a good fighter to boot, and I'm not that scared of you.

So you have a girlfriend. [Have. Present tense. He knows a thing or two about missing girlfriends.] But~, you also have this thing with that pirate. That's gotta be more than a little conflicting for ya.

[Scowls darker, though he's secretly pleased that all the pirates are scared of him :3 Yes. Fear him foolish mortals. For when his army of jitte-wielding badasses take over, they will be the first to go...]

I'm not sure she'd remember me, if they even bring her back. [Lizzie too... Damn he loved that girl. It was like seeing his god-daughter Carol in 10 more years if the girl turned out insanely badass and a dual wielder of swords. Grell had nearly adopted the child temporarily, so long as they were in Luceti together, but she got sent home and then the other. Like he'd told Adele, that was how things tended to happen here.] And it's not a conflict like that. [Eyes narrow, but he's serious, that's the truth.] Last year when the Shift happened, Grell was the only person I ever told. [He didn't even tell his roommate, but Ikki had been dealing with other things.] We got together almost because of it. [Because she'd shown she got it, and was trustworthy. And then understood why he'd been so miserable on his birthday and gotten drunk. And that kiss...]

I don't exactly have a thing for the pirate. [Which was confusing in and of itself.] His brother once told me he doesn't hate me. Like you and Zenigata. Well, I don't hate him. Tch... Like I said. There's always a lot unfinished.

I'm fairly certain it's one-sided though. Not... a crush. [Rolls his eyes and carefully hands Lupin a small weight as he demonstrates the arm building exercises. It was a challenge, not just tailoring a plan to avoid injuring the ribs, but also modifying all his usual regimes to one that wouldn't lose Lupin's dexterity. Complicated.] Perhaps I'm not sure what I want from the brat.

[The addition of the weights was where it grew interesting. He'd avoided lifting things for the most part, and was starting to get back to semi normal before his happy little tumble with Fujiko. It smarted, because all of those muscles in the upper body do interact at one point or another, but it was nothing he couldn't handle.

Just take it easy, is all.]

So what you have is complicated then? I get that. It's part of life, like leaving things unfinished. I don't like leaving things go, but there's always something...

And, just so ya know, even if your girl doesn't remember you immediately doesn't mean that she won't, if she does end up coming back. Sometimes memories unravel over time, or on others they just need a good boost.

Maybe she'd also been so busy that she just didn't have time to remember--and we have nothing but time here. You never know, really. That's why you need to have some faith in your friends.

Same goes with that complicated thing. Maybe you'll figure it out one of these days.

Edited 2012-02-21 05:33 (UTC)

You think so?

[Focuses on checking the balance and Lupin's form, as well as his breathing, as with the ribs, that's going to be the most important part. Though it'd probably be easier without the smoke around, so Smoker backs up and watches intently.]

Hn. It's about my justice. That isn't something that can just be left. Not here when there's a chance.

I know so--my friends, my girlfriend, and myself have all had to deal with madmen fucking with our minds.

[Lupin is a smoker himself, just not on the same level as Jigen and not nearly on level with Smoker. He can handle more than a little, but the distance is appreciated.]

Things that are important to you shouldn't be forgotten just because we're in a cozy little space/time pocket of a cage. Why do you think I'm trying to do what I do? So I can get back to the Game--for Pops too. He always ends up acting like a restless, caged dog during the few times I do end up in prison. This can't be any better for him than it is for me.

...It sounds like something happened in your world that makes your and his game impossible. Permanent capture by someone else?

Restless caged dog, huh? [That sounds awfully familiar.]

He was never my prey to begin with, just got in the way. And correct, the chase can't continue back in our world, and not because he's in prison. So we have mutual hatred of another marine and another pirate.

Tsk. I suppose it's the waste of possibility that gets to me. [While Lupin works on reps, Smoker is going to light up a new cigar.]

[Not prison. That mean...]

So he met the fate that everyone must face eventually, criminal or no. [Dammit--there was another. Another one who might not want his plan to go through, who would effect others around him.

He continues his reps, taking it slow and easy while his thoughts collided against eachother. The repitition in action was helpful in reordering his thinking.]'

Well, maybe it's best not to focus on the wasted possibilities that could have been and think of what we have here. Do what you think is best and right. Do what you can, whatever that is to you.

[Frowns. Smoker seriously doubts that even with his entire world knowing about it, and two-thirds of Luceti knowing as well that Ace really wants to deal with having well... everyone know about it. He's of two minds on this, one that it is just as inevitable and might as well get it out of the way, but two, that it's really not Smoker's place to reveal things Portgas might want kept secret. Pirate or not.] It's a really long story, and nearly an entire war centered around him. So it's complicated.

Right. Well that was the decision I reached when I was kidnapped, only it wound up with the brat and I kissing. [Pounds a fist to her forehead. Nope, hadn't meant to mention that.]

Sounds very complicated! [Though Lupin is a perceptive bastard, he hasn't put every criminal type in Luceti on his 'to-stalk' list. Smoker has no reason to worry about the information leaking if Lupin has no idea who the pirate in question is. Even if Lupin did know, he is nothing if not discreet.

He goes to comment on this, but stops.

Wait.

What?

WHAT???]

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