[zapdragon555]

Jigen wasn't running any sort of charity, but his heart had effectively been captured by the younger man's state. "Don't take this as pity, or nothin'. More like camaraderie... as someone who's had lighter-cooked fish before. Regardless of how much y'know about it... about the shop, I mean, you can use our kitchen. Y'know. At the safehouse."

Lupin raised a brow at his partner, not used to such an outstretched hand of kindness. Still, he knew good and well there was a soft, gooey center somewhere in that feathered, angular body, he just hadn't expected it to come out to a stranger. Lupin grinned and shrugged, winking at Benny with a tilt of his head. "Seconded. Least I can do, propositioning ya like this," Lupin mused, not without a small edge of flirtation in his voice. "Consider it ah... 'buying you dinner, first'?"

[zapdragon555]

Jigen grimaced at the weasel's suggestive tone and slapped him upside the head with a few soft feathers of his wing. "Behave yourself. It's embarrassing. Anyway—the safehouse isn't far from here. If you wanna gather up your little guy there, and your fish... we'll show you the way."

Lupin rubbed the back of his head with a flash of a smile, winking one more time at the red panda before spinning on his heels to peer out of the alleyway. "Though y'know," Lupin mused, still in a playful tone of voice. "We wouldn't wanna show him how to get there, right? That'd make our safehouse pretty un-safe, if you know what I mean."

[zapdragon555]

The crane's brow knitted in a mix of irritation for Lupin's sudden demeanor change, and furthermore, that he was... correct. "Ehh..." Jigen muttered, glancing at Benny, an apologetic look already entering his gaze before Lupin could speak.

"So we'll have to blindfold ya!" Lupin cackled, reaching over to tug at Jigen's tie, making the crane honk a rather undignified noise of surprise.

"Lupin—damnit, let go—"

Lupin's unnaturally quick, dextrous fingers had already loosened the tie and stripped it away from Jigen's neck in a flourish. The crane scowled as Lupin held up the tie and wiggled it back and forth, looking at Benny with a more serious smile.

[zapdragon555]

"Hope you can understand. And I understand if this breaks the deal for ya. But trust, we've got no business hurting you or your pal there. We're looking for a certain item that's supposedly in this pawn shop... real important thing, and it's all a bit time sensitive."

The weasel tossed the limp fabric tie back and forth between his hands, fidgeting as he walked back and forth between the walls of the alleyway. "Our usual third isn't around, so... full transparency, Benny my friend, you're probably the best we can get in this little town." Between his paws, Lupin held up the tie, and with an almost innocently silly grin, held it up to his own eyes and tied it behind his head to blindfold himself, striking a pose. "So, whaddya say?"

[Jaykobell]

Benny felt mixed about Jigen's shift in attitude. He was glad the crane had realized he had been out of place, but part of Benny felt a little bad. It was just...it was pretty usual, wasn't it? Even now.

He had the tendency to run on his emotions, rather than his logic. Someone said something to him, and if he didn't like the sound of it, he didn't take the time to process it. He just got offended right away.

[Jaykobell]

He was just so used to others belittling him, or being condescending, thinking he couldn't take care of himself, or do anything for himself. Thinking he couldn't hold on to a job, thinking he couldn't make it in society, thinking he was a failure. People always came up with their own opinion of him, and it was always negative.

Bullshit. They didn't even know him...so who were those people to say or assume those things about him?

[Jaykobell]

He was grateful, though, for Jigen's apology. And, well, surprisingly, it sounded like it had actually come from a place of caring, despite how it had been delivered. Looking at this dignified crane, Benny found it difficult to believe that he, too, had once been living on the streets, much like Benny right now.

His ears twitched a little sheepishly. "None taken," he assured the crane. He'd reacted a little harshly, but it could be put behind them now.

[Jaykobell]

Plus, it sounded like his blunt answer hadn't deterred the two from asking for his help. He blinked slowly as Lupin told him of the place they were thinking of robbing. "Yeah, I know the place." He'd heard of it almost first thing upon his landing in this place. Fresh off the train, and folks had warned him about that particular shop.

"Folks warned me real fast about it," he added. "Looks rickety, but it's secured like hell."

[Jaykobell]

He didn't know everything about it, but yes, he had heard of the crazy security. You would think that an old man wouldn't be on top of this stuff, but he was on top of it: and terrifyingly so. "Heard some rumors too, not sure if they're true though." Before he added anything, though...

"Could tell you all about it over dinner," he offered, undeterred by Lupin's behavior. He came from a slimy town, this kind of behavior didn't faze him.

[Jaykobell]

He hadn't eaten yet, and he hadn't eaten much the day before. Actually going somewhere with a roof, and a proper kitchen...it really did sound good, right about now.

Granted, the mention of being blindfolded...took him by surprise. "Blindfolded?" he echoed, a little dumbfounded. That was...pretty shady, he had to admit. What did they have to hide, that they had to blindfold him?

Lupin's words didn't sit with Benny all that well, either. They wouldn't gain anything from kidnapping him, but...

[Jaykobell]

Ah, but they...they seemed genuine enough. Benny wasn't sure if he trusted them completely, but his hollow stomach begged him to just go for it. Maybe they were...kinda like spies, and they just couldn't afford to have a stranger know the location of their base. Right. It was a little farfetched, but it soothed Benny's fears a little.

"Uh...alright, fine," he agreed, and he allowed Lupin to slip the tie around his eyes and his head. Before that, he'd made sure to pick up Cookie into his arms, of course.

[Crystal Synthesis Complete]