Chapter Text
It felt like the longest drive of Ruby’s life. And yet, she spent it contentedly enough in Goemon’s arms. The samurai was certainly getting bold; she hadn’t expected him to hold her the entire time. But Ruby didn't mind. His embrace was protective and she felt much safer in his arms, enough that she allowed herself to doze a bit. But every time her head bobbed against him, she swiftly drew it back up, almost afraid to fall asleep for concern that something dreadful might happen the moment she closed her eyes; frightened that if she so much as took her eyes off the three men in the car, they would disappear, their survival only a dream.
When they arrived back at the house, Lupin and Jigen were the first to disembark, both with cigarettes between their teeth. Jigen groaned as he arched his back. His lip was busted and a bruise was cresting over his beardly cheek. Lupin, being Lupin through and through, put his hands on his hips as he faced the river, looking peaceably contemplative, despite all that he’d gone through in the past couple hours. The back of his clothes were positively ravaged, and there were two moons on the horizon that night.
"Bit of a draft out here, huh?" he remarked, with his ass fully exposed.
"Maybe you should consider double-layering your underwear from now on," said Ruby. But despite her teasing words, there wasn't much playfulness to her tone. She sounded subdued and sullen.
"Oooh. That's a thought,” said Lupin, considering the possibilities. “Or maybe some bullet-proof underwear, huh?"
Jigen shook his head. "Keh. Knowing you, you'd still find a way to end up with your end out."
"Har, Har, Jigen. You're funny."
Lupin and Jigen’s back and forth joking showed they hadn’t been irreparably harmed, for which Ruby was grateful. But she still couldn’t help feeling responsible for what had almost happened to them. Maybe they were able to look death in the face and come away laughing, but it didn’t work like that for her.
As the men continued towards the house, they soon realized that Ruby wasn't following. When they turned back, they saw her standing with head lowered and her hair hanging in her face. Her arms were at her sides, trembling.
"RuRu-chan?"
"I-I thought you all were going to die." She spoke in a ragged whisper that was almost stolen by the breeze. "I thought... I thought I was going to lose you... that I'd never see you again." Quickly, she drew a trembling arm across her eyes.
The three men exchanged worried glances. So, Ruby knew what they'd been up against inside the vault. That meant Del Monte truly made good on what he threatened. He’d used them as bait to lure Ruby to him. But just what happened between then and when they’d discovered her and her friends in Zenigata’s patrol car?
“Yeah, it was kinda dicey for a moment,” admitted Jigen, rubbing the back of his neck with a wince.
"I was hesitant to attack with my sword,” said Goemon. “… after last time. And especially after..." His thoughts strayed to the sentience in the beast’s eyes – no, Emma’s eyes – and the way she spoke of her daughter. That poor woman.
Gently, Lupin took Ruby’s shoulders. "I won't lie,” he said softly. “Things got a little iffy. But with that anesthetic I got my hands on and Goemon's keen eye for weak spots, we brought her down."
An anesthetic.
‘So that's what Fujiko meant.’ But Ruby did not voice her thoughts, even if she could tell by the look on Lupin’s face that he wasn’t sharing all the details.
"I'm happy we were able to get out of there.” Lupin spoke with gentle sincerity as his hand moved to her cheek and he gazed into her eyes. “I don't think I'd be content to die in there knowing I didn't get to see you one more time, RuRu-chan," he said as he tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.
And just like that, Ruby burst into tears and threw her arms around him. She hugged him tightly, burying her face in his chest as she cried. "Y-You're never allowed to leave my sight again! Understand?! Never, never, never! Not any of you!"
Jigen averted his gaze, rubbing the back of his neck in a manner that was more self-conscious than self-soothing. Goemon's brow knitted as he again considered the implications. And he wasn’t alone. Lupin realized what it meant that Ruby knew what had occurred in that vault. She had been with Antony. Lupin really hoped that she hadn’t spent too much time alone with that creep. But the more he looked at her, the more he was starting to suspect something most foul had occurred.
"I think I should say the same thing,” he said quietly. “We shouldn't have left you behind. It was a mistake. From now on, we stick together. No matter what." It was very likely that his words were going to come back and bite him in the ass later on. But in this moment, despite what the future might hold, he meant them.
Ruby gave Lupin one more tight squeeze, "Y-Yes. No matter what. It's a promise." When she finally released him, it was with a good deal of reluctance.
She let her gaze sweep over Lupin and then Goemon, both of whom she managed to give a small smile. But gradually, her attention fell to Jigen. Frowning, she gently placed her hands on his cheeks, inspecting his bruises and split lip.
“Eh? What’re you doin?”
"Your face," she whispered. "That monster hit you so hard. When I saw that, for a moment, I was sure that you..." Ruby swallowed the rest of her words. "Will you let me clean it up?"
"C'mon, it's fine. My face is hardly the thing that hurts the most."
"But Jigen! I feel indirectly responsible! Can't you let me take care of it?" Her fingers probed gently at the trail of dried blood on his chin. "Please?" she begged.
"C'mon, kid... I'll be okay.” No matter how appreciative he was for her concern, Jigen really wasn’t that sort that liked getting fussed over. “More importantly, we should focus on you. You got grazed in the arm and..."
It was then Jigen noticed the marks on her neck and shoulders. Suddenly, he took Ruby's face into his hands. He was gentle yet firm as he turned her head one way, then the other, before looking at her straight on.
With almost a growl, he asked, "What did he do to you?"
For a moment, no matter what she might say after, Jigen saw the truth in her eyes. A range of emotions from shock, to fear, to shame flickered across Ruby’s face. Trembling, she took a step back from him.
"I-I'm fine," she said, clamping a hand to the side of her neck and laughing it off. The laugh wasn't natural. It was a nervous, shameful laugh if he'd ever heard one.
Jigen had seen his fair share of women in bad situations. He knew all the signs. And Ruby was showing plenty of them. The range of emotions on her face, the nervous trembling, and the attempt to cover what had happened…
"W-Wouldn't you rather hear how I got away?” she stammered with an awkward, tremulous smile. “That's much more interesting."
"Ruby..." Jigen stated firmly.
Her attempts to play it off were falling completely flat. And the looks on Lupin and Goemon’s face showed it. Their expressions were as transparent as hers. They all saw plain as day what happened to her.
Acutely aware of the way they were all looking at her, Ruby quickly said, “I-I’m gonna get cleaned up and changed. We can talk later, okay?” Without another word, she ran into the house, hugging herself and trying not to give herself away by her tears.
Goemon took a step forward, but Jigen stopped him. "Don't. Not yet. Give her time."
The samurai lowered his gaze. With his hand on Zantetsuken's hilt, he grit his teeth. "Del Monte... I shall see that he pays for all of his crimes. If need be... in his own blood."
~~~
A half hour later, Ruby finally emerged from her given room. She had exchanged her dress for a nightshirt. Her hair was damp, for she'd taken a shower. And if the redness of her skin was any indication, she'd taken a scalding hot shower; a stark contrast from the ice cold one she'd once taken after dreaming of the fire that took her parents.
Lupin, Jigen, and Goemon were gathered in the living room. The gunslinger and Lupin spoke in hushed tones while Goemon sat alone, his brows furrowed in angry concentration. But the quiet talking came to an abrupt halt as Ruby appeared and all three men looked her way. Goemon rose to his feet, but Ruby’s focus was on Lupin alone. Though as she approached him, she could not meet his gaze. The blue dress was folded in her arms. Slowly, she held it out to him.
"Here," she said softly. "I, um, can't wear this anymore."
Lupin gazed upon her with a frown. Those were her words, and yet, of the three dresses Lupin had given her, this one had been her favorite. He lowered his gaze to the blue dress and placed his hand on it, but he did not immediately take it. He lifted his gaze back to Ruby.
"You're sure? You don't want it?"
Ruby hesitated. It pained her to return a gift from Lupin. It was special and the best of the three dresses he’d gifted her. She took some comfort, at least, that she still had the pretty black dress he'd bought her for their date in Milan. But it was little consolation, in this case. Lupin's keen eyes saw the muscles of her throat contract as she swallowed hard, but still wouldn't meet his gaze.
"I-I can't wear it. He saw me in it. He liked me in it. He..."
‘He touched me in it.’
This she didn't say, but the men could easily fill in the blanks. Ruby wasn't ready to elaborate, and they weren't going to press her. But with the way she let it hang in the air, Ruby half-realized that the ambiguity left it up to the three men's imaginations as to how far Antony had gotten with her. But at the moment, she couldn't bring herself to say much else. Though, she wondered for how much longer she could keep the details from them. If she left it as it was, they might think Antony had taken things all the way. But then, if she told them that he'd only touched her, they might think she was silly to be so upset about it, when it could have been a lot worse. She didn't think she could handle that, either.
"Maybe I'll change my mind someday," she offered half-heartedly. "But it's best if you keep it for now." As was often her habit, her hand went to her opposite arm to rub it, only to wince when she clamped down on the makeshift bandage, now soaked through from the shower.
Lupin took the dress from her. But as he did, he gently placed his hand on hers and slowly trailed it up her arm. "Hey,” he said gently. “How about we take a look at that wound, huh? Get it properly bandaged. Jigen?"
"I am kind of the designated field medic of this team, aren't I?"
Ruby swallowed. "I-I'm sure it's not that bad... right?"
“Keh!” Jigen rose from his seat and went to her. " Oh yeah. Sure. Not that bad. It's only a bullet wound. No big deal. Sit down and let me look at it."
"Uh, can we just call it a boo-boo? Bullet wound sounds so... serious."
Jigen gave her a withering look as he motioned her to the dining room table. Reluctantly, Ruby took a seat. She supposed it was stupid to request the seasoned gunslinger call anything a ‘boo-boo.’ Jigen took off his jacket and rolled up his shirt sleeves.
"Oh shit,” said Ruby. “The jacket's coming off. Hey, you're gonna scrub in first. Right, doc?"
“Would you relax? Goemon, grab me some of that alcohol. And Lupin, bring me that little emergency kit from the car, will ya?”
"You betcha!" Lupin hopped off the couch to procure the necessary supplies.
"Can we call it a First Aid kit, please?” Ruby begged, nervous laughter bubbling to the surface. “This... This isn't, like, a real emergency, right?"
"Fine. First Aid. Whatever works for you." Jigen peeled off Goemon's makeshift bandage, and when Lupin returned with the First Aid Kit, the gunslinger got straight to work, cleaning and dressing her wound.
"Ruby,” Lupin began. "How did you end up with Pops? You said it was an interesting story. Tell us about it." Jigen gave Lupin a subtle nod of appreciation as Lupin sought to distract Ruby while he patched her up.
"Um," said Ruby, wincing as Jigen began his work, "I-I texted Zenigata after Antony called me. I sent him the address and begged him to help me. He showed up just in time, too. I'd hate to think of what would have happened if..." She swallowed the rest of her sentence and lowered her gaze, her hair falling into her eyes.
Goemon remained on his feet, maintaining a short distance from them, but his gaze stayed on Ruby. And in his eyes was a mix of anger and concern for the girl. It was only now, after a long-observed silence, that the samurai spoke.
"A very clever plan, Ruby. Making use of the resources available to you – in this case, Zenigata – is a sound strategy against one's enemy. I'm..." He swallowed audibly. "I'm confident that the inspector arrived before..." He winced. "...before Del Monte could..." Goemon couldn't bring himself to finish his thoughts. He clenched his hands into fists, and Ruby could see them trembling.
It was clear Goemon was very upset over what had happened, or what might have happened, or whatever his understanding about what happened was. Seeing him like this made Ruby want to comfort him. But how could she comfort anyone right now, when she, herself, was most in need of comfort; a comfort for which she was too afraid to ask?
“Before he could do worse,” Lupin finished for him. "For once, Pops did good work. Smart thinking, RuRu!"
Ruby offered Lupin an exasperated smile. "I know Zenigata is your nemesis, and a busybody, but he's a good person. Try not to be too mean to him.”
"Oh, sure, sure,” said Lupin with a shrug. “Hehehe! I'm only fooling around."
“Lupin likes Tottsan more than he lets on,” came Jigen’s gruff voice beside Ruby, whose presence she’d been trying desperately to ignore. But at that moment, her eyes drifted to Jigen’s work on her arm.
"OH JIMINY FUCKIN' CRICKET!" That was a mistake. Ruby quickly turned her gaze away and made a hissing sound through her teeth. "Ooooh... It huuurts! That really fucking hurts!!!" she exclaimed, closing her eyes and pounding her feet against the floor.
"Would you hold still, damn it? You think it hurts now? It's gonna sting and itch like a bitch in the morning. Trust me."
"Don't tell me that!"
Jigen was doing what he could to take care of her wound. It was a close shave. The girl was lucky it hadn’t been worse. "There's no doubt about it, kid; there's basically no way you're not going to have a scar here."
"Nooo!" Ruby cried. "That's my favorite arm!" Then, hesitating, she asked hopefully, "Will it be a cool scar?"
Jigen looked at her, then exchanged a glance with Lupin, who immediately piped in with, "Oh! Oh, well, yeah! Of course! Totally badass! I mean, think of it this way; you were in a gun fight and survived! You even blew out the tire of one of the cars! So, I'd say it'll be a reminder of you totally kicking ass! Right, Jigen?"
"Uh... Yeah! Right! It'll make you look like a real tough chick."
"Ya'll are lying, but I appreciate what you're trying to do nonetheless," said Ruby with a soft smile, though she winced as Jigen continued to clean and dress her wound. "T-Tell me there's some painkillers in that kit," she winced through grit teeth. "It really does hurt a lot more than I thought at first."
"Oh, you bet your ass,” said Jigen with a grin. “Nothing but good shit in this kit. We've had to push through worse wounds than this one. Honestly, kid, you're lucky."
Despite all of Lupin and Jigen's attempts to make light of the situation, Goemon simply wasn't feeling it. Del Monte deserved to face vengeance – not just for whatever horrible acts he perpetrated on Ruby and her family, but the crimes against nature that he committed; that woman, Emma, and the child back at the hotel. And who knew how many others? No, there was no way Goemon could find a lighthearted moment in any of this.
Goemon turned away and headed for the door. But why? To simply leave? To go outside and think? To seek out Del Monte on his own and make him pay right then and there? Even Goemon wasn’t entirely certain. But suddenly…
“DON’T LEAVE ME!”
Goemon spun where he stood. Lupin and Jigen flinched. Ruby had half risen from her seat, a look of sheer panic on her too-pale face as her frightened eyes locked upon the samurai’s.
"Y-You can't leave! You can't! You can't! You can't!"
Goemon gazed at Ruby with wide eyes, frozen like an elegant deer ensnared by the headlights of a speeding car. But in this case, those headlights were a pair of tear-filled sapphire eyes. Considering all that had happened to her that day – some of which they still didn't know for certain – Ruby had kept it together surprisingly well. But here, now, was the inevitable meltdown.
"W-We have to stick together," she sobbed, repeating Lupin's words. "P-Please... Y-You can't leave me, G-G-Goemon..."
Even as Goemon stepped away from the door and came toward her, Ruby couldn't seem to calm her breathing, nor the rapid pace of her heart. At first, Goemon had no words. He simply gazed at her. But then, he leaned forward and pressed his forehead against her own.
Softly, he spoke. "I almost thought... I'd never see you again."
"M-Me, too," she rasped. "I-I thought you all were going to die. I thought I'd never... that I'd never..." Ruby hiccoughed and began to cry fully. And in that moment, it all came tumbling out.
In a mess of words that she herself could hardly keep track of, she told them of what Antony had done to her. How he'd wanted the secrets to Stardust, and how he wanted… her. All of her. And of his promise to call off the beast, to let the three of them live, in return for her body. And she'd all but given herself to him when Zenigata showed up.
"A-And the worst part was, when it was over... h-he told us... he told us he didn't even have a way to call the beast off! S-So, I-I could've... I would've let him... all for nothing! He would have had me w-while y-you all were m-m-murdered!"
Lupin’s large hands clenched into fists as every sordid detail came out. Jigen’s unlit cigarette nearly split in half as he grinded his teeth. Antony’s vile hands had dared to touch Ruby’s body. Their suspicions were founded, after all. Those marks on her neck and shoulders were undeniable. And how viciously that man manipulated her! She was willing to do anything to save their lives. And, in a truly sobering and humbling moment, they realized the extent of her love for them. The three thieves meant more to her than her late parents' desires, more than the Stardust itself... even more than her own well-being.
There was some small relief that Antony didn't take her entirely, but that relief was truly minimal. The damage was done. He had forced himself on her; forced her to allow him to do as he pleased, all with the false promise of ensuring the three of them would survive… if not for Zenigata. All three thieves, it seemed, owed Pops a debt of gratitude.
As Ruby buried her face against Goemon's chest and sobbed, Goemon didn’t hesitate to wrap his arms around her and hug her. The three men spoke not a word. What could they possibly say? Instead, as Goemon held her tightly, Lupin stood behind her and placed his hands upon her hips as his lips and nose touched the back of her head.
Still seated at the table with the First Aid Kid and his sleeves rolled up, Jigen struggled to remain calm. There was a part of him, a very big part of him, that wanted desperately to hop into the Fiat and head straight back into Dal Fiume, walk into Del Monte’s home and blow his brains out. But that wouldn’t help anyone right now, least of all Ruby. Instead, uncertain if she would want it, but willing to pull back at a moment’s notice, Jigen reached out and touched her.
He need not have worried. As that single, large, calloused hand came to rest upon her thigh, Ruby did not squirm or pull away. This simple gesture from the gunslinger meant everything. In that moment, Ruby realized that all three of these men were there for her in a way no one else had ever been. And none of them blamed her for what happened to her. It wasn’t her fault.
Perhaps someone else in Ruby’s position would find the simultaneous touch of three men, however innocent, unsettling after the sort of encounter she’d had earlier that evening at the hands of the vilest of men. But for Ruby, the touch of Goemon, Lupin, and Jigen, bit by bit, seemed to be erasing Antony's. They may not be able to erase the marks he left upon her; only time would wash those away. But the lingering sensation, the memory of his lips and hands on her were gradually fading to be replaced by the touch of three people she trusted and loved.
"Magic," she whispered against Goemon's chest.
From his position, Jigen was the only one who could see the softest of relieved smiles on her face, and in some ways, that was more valuable than any treasure could possibly be. Damn this girl. She was making him soft. And yet, surprisingly, Jigen found that it didn't bother him. Not as far as this girl was concerned, at least.
"It's like magic," she murmured, and even as the tears spilled down her cheeks, Goemon and Lupin could hear the smile in her voice. "Like... like it's disappearing." Her hands tightened at Goemon's back, taking fistfuls of his kimono. A sound of soft, relieved laughter bubbled beneath the surface of her despair. "It's like you're all stealing it away."
“So,” said Lupin softly, “There's something we can steal tonight after all..."
Ruby smiled through her tears. How could he say that so seriously, so sweetly, even when it was a joke? No, maybe it wasn't a joke. Not this time. Not to Lupin, nor Goemon, nor even Jigen.
"Please,” she whispered. “Make it go away."
The three thieves knew what they must do.
Together, they worked to steal Antony’s vile touch.
Goemon cupped Ruby’s face in his hands and pressed his lips to her forehead. He then kissed each of her eyelids and, to Ruby’s surprise, he even kissed the very tears off her cheeks. Meanwhile, she felt Lupin’s face press against the back of her head. His hands traveled from her hips, up her back and neck, and into her hair. Gently, he pushed her hair to one side and trailed his lips down behind her ear and along her neck on one side. Ruby trembled, but she did not rebuke him, for she soon realized what he was doing. He was pressing his lips against each one of the marks Antony had left on her, replacing the memory of those lips with his own.
Moved by this meaningful display which was more tender than erotic, more tears traveled down Ruby’s cheeks, only for Goemon to quickly nip them up through his lips, so gently, like a butterfly taking small sips of nectar from a flower. As Goemon conducted such tender ministrations to her face, a second rough and calloused hand joined the first on her thigh. But these dangerous hands did not seek to harm her. Gently, but firmly, the gunslinger’s hands moved up and down Ruby’s bare thighs, down to her knees, then back up again.
The hem of Ruby’s nightshirt stopped just below the curvature of her butt, and it was here Jigen’s hands stopped each time, before descending once more towards her knees. His fingers curled around the back of her thighs, pressing firmly into flesh. He covered every square inch, from the front and back of her thighs to the outer and even inner sides. But he never ventured into the apex where her thighs met her groin. Never did he cross the border into foreign land. But each time he came close, he made Ruby tremble in a way that even Antony could not make her tremble; not with fear, but with the appeal of what ‘could be.’
Lupin’s hands moved down the sides of her neck and to her shoulders. There, they pulled the collar of her oversized T-shirt a little wider. The elastic in the collar of this old shirt had worn out long ago, and with very little effort, Lupin tugged it down below her shoulders. But he exposed no more than her shoulders and collar bones, maintaining her decency. His hands trailed gently along the slopes of her shoulders and around in front, caressing her clavicle. His fingers danced across the swell of her bust, but never dipped inside her shirt, never touched her breasts.
Goemon kissed the tip of her nose and the base of her chin. He trailed his lips along her jawline, up one side, then the other. He kissed her brow, then the corner of her mouth. Meanwhile, Jigen’s hands moved up her hips now and slipped beneath her T-shirt. They traveled up her sides and even her abdomen, gently, lightly. But just as his fingers reached her ribs, he descended once more. Ruby’s most private of places were left untouched.
All their ministrations came from a place of true tenderness. The goal was to wash away the memory of Antony’s vile touch by replacing it with their own, but without breaching an unspoken code of conduct. They would not lay hands anywhere that would disrespect Ruby or traumatize her further. Nothing was overtly sexual. And yet, regardless of anyone’s intentions, there was nevertheless an undeniable erotic quality to it all.
In that moment, Ruby knew if she asked them, they would take her. All of them. Without question. Because in that moment, in spite of their innocent intentions, they were feeling a certain way. And the three thieves knew, in that moment, if they decided to take advantage of the situation, Ruby would allow them, because she was feeling a certain way. But no one asked and no one took. In fact, without even discussing it, everyone knew that when it was over, they would never speak of this moment again.
Lupin’s lips returned to the side of Ruby’s neck, kissing over the marks once more. Simultaneously, Goemon took a handful of her hair and lifted it up as he pressed his lips along the opposite side. Both thieves kissed along either side of her throat, covering all the surface area Antony had dared to defile. And as Lupin’s hands again moved to the front of her shoulders and his fingers spread out across the swell of her bust once more, Jigen’s hands stalled at her hips and Ruby felt his mouth press against her upper abdomen, between her diaphragm and belly button. The sensation of his beard and lips against her skin, combined with the sensations brought by Lupin and Goemon, sent a pleasant heat and a spreading warmth throughout her core.
Ruby’s knees were growing weak. The warmth and safety she felt, intermingled with sensations of involuntary and inevitable arousal, crafted a heavy cocktail of euphoria. With an embarrassing cry and a rapturous shudder, Ruby succumbed to the ecstasy wrought by their ministrations. Adrenaline and cortisol levels peaked and then dropped, and with it, complete and utter exhaustion took hold.
Trembling, Ruby felt as though she were slipping away, but the landing was soft. Three pairs of arms were there to catch her when she collapsed. Her eyes fluttered as she gazed at them through a haze. A part of her feared, now that it was over, that they were most assuredly going to leave. Blearily, she pleaded with them.
"N-No... We have to... stay together... tonight. Don't leave. S-Stay..."
As though she were an autumn leaf or a spring cherry blossom, Ruby drifted along as though carried by a gentle breeze. Only when she felt herself eased gently upon the mattress in the solitary bedroom, did she open her eyes and let out a desperate cry. But Lupin pressed a finger swiftly to her lips as his other hand caressed her hair.
“Shh, shh,” he soothed her. “Everything’s okay. It’s time for you to sleep now, little dove.”
“Stay with me,” she begged, taking his hand in hers and holding it to her heart. “Please stay.” She turned her head upon the pillow to see Goemon and Jigen standing at bedside. “All of you,” she pleaded. “Please.”
Lupin and Goemon exchanged looks. Then, wordlessly, Lupin took off his shirt and tie and Goemon untied his sash and set Zantetsuken aside. Together, both men climbed into bed with Ruby, one on either side of her.
“No one’s going anywhere, RuRu-chan,” Lupin assured her. “We’re all here. Together.”
“J-Jigen!” cried Ruby, bolting up, her eyes wild. “Ji—”
“Easy, kid. Easy. I’m right here.” Jigen was seated on a chair at bedside, leaning back with his feet propped onto the open windowsill. “You’re safe,” he told her. “You have me here between you and the door. Nothin’s gonna come in and hurt you.”
“B-But what about you?” Ruby pressed. “What if…”
Jigen lifted his hat and offered her his most roguish smile. “Then I’ll give a holler, and I know my junior gunslinger will have my back.”
Ruby grinned back. Satisfied, she lowered herself back into bed between Lupin and Goemon. Tilting his hat down over his face, Jigen crossed his arms and made himself comfortable. After the beating he’d taken, the gunslinger was the first to succumb to sleep. Goemon followed shortly after, keeping a protective arm around Ruby.
Lupin stayed awake the longest of all of them. He spoke softly to Ruby as he caressed her cheek. “You’re safe, little dove. No one’s gonna harm you. I’ll never let anyone hurt you again.” But even as he said it, and as much as he intended this to be true, Lupin feared it may be an impossible promise.
Nevertheless, these words held a sort of magic as they cast their spell over Ruby. She managed to give him a sleepy smile before her eyes fluttered and she drifted into slumber. And only then did Lupin allow sleep to take him as well.