Pet Shop Of Horrors Fan Fiction ❯ Sadie, Sadie ❯ Chapter Seven ( Chapter 7 )
Anime/Manga: Pet Shop Of Horrors Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Romance / Hentai / Comedy | Type: Songfic | Uploaded On: 11.17.2005 | Pages: 2 | Words: 7.1K | Visits: 4.2K | Status: Work In Progress
For warnings, disclaimers, etc., see Chapter One.
Chapter Seven
The announcement had spread through the petshop like wildfire. Chris didn't know who'd gotten the news first, or how, but he'd never heard so much cheering and whooping. This had surprised him. He'd never thought that the people-pets had liked his brother. But Pon-chan told him that everyone was happy for the Count's sake, happy that he'd taken a mate at last, because it wasn't natural for a creature to be alone.
"Except, you know, for some of the amoebas and stuff," she added reflectively, and then made a face. "Nobody likes them, though."
As for Chris, he didn't know what to think. He still couldn't believe that Leon wanted to marry the Count. He couldn't believe the Count wanted to marry Leon. The Count complained about Leon all the time, sometimes so much that it was hard to get him to talk about anything else. But when he mentioned this to T-chan, T-chan just rolled his eyes and asked didn't Chris understand anything about people?
Leon finally came out of the Count's room. He looked better than he had earlier in the afternoon; he'd shaved and taken a shower, and somehow, his nice clothes weren't wrinkled anymore. He looked sort of dazed and surprised, and had a dumb smile on his face, like he was sleep-walking through a really fun dream. "You okay, buddy?" he asked.
Chris couldn't think of a good answer. If Leon and the Count really wanted to get married, and stay married, then Chris couldn't think of anything he'd like better, even if it was kinda weird. That meant they could all be together, all the time, really like a family. They might even fight a little less, because Leon wouldn't talk about women anymore, which always made Count D mad. And now Leon had finally seen the shop just like Chris always had, which was so cool. But Chris was worried it wouldn't work out. If Leon and the Count got married, and later realized they didn't want to -- if this was a mistake -- it would be so much worse than if they never got married at all.
Where's Count D? he asked timidly.
"Getting dressed," Leon said. "You need to, too. Go get a quick shower and put on a suit or something. Do you have a suit?"
Chris didn't, but he knew one would be laid out waiting on his bed when he got there, all the same. So he nodded. Ran off and showered. Put on a nice new suit that fit perfectly, and Pon-chan helped him with the tie. Still had all his questions, when he, Pon-chan and T-chan all returned to the front room, where Leon sat on the sofa by himself, twiddling his thumbs and looking anxious. Chris wondered why he wasn't smoking a cigarette.
I'm ready, Chris said.
"Great," Leon said, and his anxious frown went away, replaced with a grin. He reached out and picked up a small gray box from the coffee table, and showed it to Chris before putting it in his pocket. "When we get to the courthouse, you're in charge of this, okay? Don't let me forget. You'll be the ringbearer." Next to Chris, Pon-chan gave a soft, fluttering sigh of joy. T-chan groaned.
Pon-chan and T-chan can come too, right? Chris asked, deciding he'd need his friends to be there.
"If D says so," Leon said. Then he glanced over his shoulder. "You didn't see him back there, did you?" Chris shook his head. Leon scowled, and then shook his head, glancing at T-chan. "Nah… he wouldn't bolt without the sheeptiger…"
"Damn straight," T-chan growled.
Chris had a million questions he wanted to ask, but he didn't know how. So instead he just asked, Where are we going?
"City Hall," Leon said. "Shit, I hope there's not a line. The paper said it stretched all the way around the block when the bill passed." He blanched. "God, those news crews better be gone."
Chris had been to weddings before, with his old family back in New York, but they'd always been in churches, with long boring ceremonies and even longer parties afterward. He'd never heard of a wedding like this before. At least it was something different--was Count D going to wear a big white dress with a veil? Chris closed his eyes and shook his head to make the image go away.
"Oh, man," Leon said, and reached forward, taking his cell phone from where Chris had left it on the coffee table. "I gotta call Jill. She'd kill me if I didn't tell her." He pushed a button on the speed-dial, held the phone up to his ear, and waited. Chris waited too.
"Hey," Leon said after a second. "Yeah, I'm all right. Feeling better, yeah. Still gonna take tomorrow off, though. And, uh…maybe more time. I dunno, I'll have to check. Nah, I said I'm okay. I'll use vacation, I guess… Listen, I'm about to tell you, okay? The thing is, I -- " Leon suddenly paused and hunched his shoulders. "I…listen. Okay. You taken your lunch yet? Good. Can you just meet me at City Hall in, uh, forty-five minutes? I'll explain when you get -- " Leon stopped and his brow wrinkled. "What do you mean you hate City Hall? You're a fucking cop. You…" Then Leon turned red. "Stop saying 'phallic.'" Then Leon turned redder. "Look, will you just show up! Forty-five minutes, okay? If you don't come, you can't be mad at me 'cause you missed it." Then he hung up and rolled his eyes. Then he grinned at Chris. "Twenty bucks says she'll be there."
The Count had taught Chris that gambling was a very stupid thing to do, and besides, he'd never had twenty dollars in his whole life. So he just said, Is she gonna be your best man?
Leon stared at him, and then doubled over laughing. "Oh hell," he said when he'd calmed down. "Yeah, I guess she will." They both heard the light sound of footsteps coming down the hall. It couldn't be anybody but the Count. Leon turned around, still grinning, and said, "Hey, D, did you hear what Chris just said? He…"
Count D stepped into the room and Leon stopped talking. His jaw dropped. So did Chris's.
Chris had always liked Count D's pretty clothes. They were shiny and soft and usually had neat prints of animals or flowers on them, and they always made the Count look special. But now he looked even more special than usual, and Chris wasn't sure why. This outfit wasn't all that different from the others he wore all the time: it was all red silk and gold lace, with a gold dragon embroidered across the front, and the Count had a big ruby pin at his throat to go with it. The Count didn't usually wear that much red, but other than that, it looked almost ordinary, for him.
So Chris couldn't put his finger on why Count D looked a hundred times more beautiful than he did even on a regular day. Maybe it was the look on the Count's face. Chris had never seen it before. He was watching Leon like -- Chris couldn't put his finger on that either -- like he was teasing Leon (but nicely), or wanted Leon to say he liked his clothes (which Leon never did), or was trying to say something to him without speaking out loud (which Chris knew something about, all things considered).
Leon looked as speechless as Chris was, for a second. Even T-chan and Pon-chan seemed impressed. The Count sat down on the sofa next to Leon, his hands folded neatly in his lap. He was the only person Chris had ever seen who sat down like that, without using his hands for balance, or checking to make sure the chair hadn't moved.
"You look…great," Leon said. Count D smiled, a small, almost shy smile, and looked pleased.
"Red is the color of a Chinese wedding."
"Yeah, I know," Leon said. "It's lucky, right? And white's for funerals." Chris and the Count both stared at Leon, who looked mad that they were so surprised. "Hey, I looked it up, all right?" Now he sounded a lot more like himself. He gestured at the ruby pin. "Nice bling you got going on there."
Count D looked startled, and touched the ruby with the tips of his fingers, like he'd forgotten he was wearing it. Then he began to unfasten it. "Hey, no," Leon said quickly, "I didn't mean -- nothing's wrong with it -- "
The Count looked back at Leon with that sweet little smile again, and Leon's mouth snapped shut loud enough that Chris could hear it. "I know," the Count said. "But I think that I shall wear only one jewel today." He took off his little earrings, too, and set them on the coffee table with the pin. Chris knew from experience that nothing bad would happen to them, even if they left the doors unlocked. Nobody ever messed with anything in the Count's shop.
Leon reached down and patted the pocket where he'd put the ring-box. "Right," he said, sounding like he was having trouble breathing. "Right. Okay. You ready to go?"
Chris saw Count D's hands squeeze together really tightly before he said, "Yes. Let us be off." He seemed to notice Chris for the first time, and smiled kindly at him. "You look very dapper, Chris."
"He looks better than I do," Leon said, but he sounded proud of it, and even ruffled Chris's hair again. "He's gonna be our ringbearer."
Is it okay if Pon-chan and T-chan come? Chris asked the Count.
The Count smiled again. Chris felt all his insides start to glow, and he knew his cheeks were turning red, just like Leon's. "I don't see why not." Pon-chan clapped her hands and squealed in delight.
"I'm staying here," T-chan announced. Chris turned around, ready to beg him to come, but T-chan was looking up at the Count. "If you're sure about this," T-chan added, narrowing his eyes.
Count D raised his eyebrows, but didn't look angry. "I am quite sure, Tetsu."
"Great," T-chan muttered, and stomped off towards the kitchen. "I got stuff to do."
The Count still didn't look upset. In fact, he smiled and looked quite pleased. Leon glared at them all, and then he hid his face in his hands. "So, the sheeptiger talks too, right?" he asked. "I might have known."
Everybody talks! Chris said.
"That's what I figured," Leon muttered. "I still don't hear a damn thing." He looked over at the Count, but looked more confused than angry.
The Count tilted his head to the side, still smiling. Chris realized he'd never seen the Count looking this happy before. He smiled all the time, but that wasn't the same thing. Maybe that's why he was so much prettier this afternoon. "You learned to hear your brother speak without words," he offered. "It will not be long before you hear the animals, as well. If you open your ears." He rose from the sofa.
Leon stood up too. "Oh, yeah," he said, "I called Jill. Told her to meet us there. She'd have killed me if I didn't."
"Of course." Chris could have sworn Count D looked nervous for just a second, but then it was gone, replaced by an amused smile. "And her reaction to the news?"
"I sort of didn't tell her," Leon said. "Just told her to meet us at City Hall. Look," he said to the Count's raised eyebrows, "I didn't want to break it over the phone."
"I think," the Count sighed, "that this day promises to be very unusual for everyone concerned." He looked sly as he glanced back at Leon while he rested one hand on Chris's shoulder. "I made a phone call as well, while you showered. I dislike the thought of standing in lines before a district judge. Richard has agreed to marry us himself. Wasn't that kind of him?"
Leon frowned. "Richard?" Then his jaw dropped. "The mayor?!"
Whoah, Chris breathed.
"Yes. But he doesn't have all day, you know, Detective," the Count said, and gestured at the door. Leon headed for it, his mouth still hanging open. Chris, the Count, and Pon-chan followed him. At the door, the Count stopped, and squeezed Chris's shoulder gently. Chris looked up at him.
The Count smiled at him, and the look in his eyes made Chris feel warm all over again. "Do not worry, Chris," he said softly.
And, like always, that was good enough.
Leon had been wondering how, exactly, he'd explain to Jill what was happening. What words he'd use. How he could manage to blame it all on her in the first place.
But when she arrived, it turned out he didn't have to explain anything. She spotted him, Chris, and D all standing together in a corner of the massive foyer, and he watched her taking in all the details: Chris in the suit and hugging the raccoon, himself in a jacket, and D all in red. Plus he and D were standing a lot closer together than they usually did. Leon didn't have an arm around him or anything, because he didn't do that stuff in public, but it was pretty obvious that D was standing…with him, instead of just beside him.
Across the foyer, Jill paused with one foot stepping forward, and her jaw slowly sagged open. D raised his hand and waved at her with the tips of his fingers, smiling politely. Leon took a really deep breath.
Next thing he knew, she was in all their faces. "I've got to be wrong. I'm misinterpreting, right? I'm sorry. I'm thinking crazy thoughts. So, uh, what's up, why are we here?" She was practically panting.
D glanced up at Leon, frowning, with a wait-just-a-damn-minute look on his face. "Didn't you say that she knew?" he asked. "That you were planning to -- to propose?"
Jill's jaw dropped again. Leon could see the dangly thing at the back of her mouth, from this angle. "I -- you -- ?"
"It was your idea," Leon reminded her defensively.
"I was joking!" she gasped, looking back and forth between him and D. Now her face was struggling between shock and pleasure. And a little worry, too. "You…I mean, are you really…God. Oh, my God." Her face split apart in a grin. "I'm sorry. I honestly didn't know. I know I teased you a lot, Leon, but I never guessed for a second that you two were really, uh…" She elbowed Leon hard. "All this time? I can't believe you didn't tell me!"
Leon and D looked at each other, and Leon knew they had just come to the same unspoken agreement: don't even try to explain anything. So Leon just said, "Uh, right. Sorry."
"You must understand, Miss Jill, it is not something one really speaks of in such a way," D said, sounding pious. "Not in my culture."
Leon thought D was treading on risky ground, there -- Jill knew a lot more about other cultures than most people, and when she didn't, she knew how to do her research. But she didn't seem to question him as she clasped her hands together excitedly. "Oh wow. I'm sorry, I know I sound like such a moron, but I can't believe it. Wow." Her eyes widened even more. "Wait, you haven't already done it, have you? I didn't miss it? And damn it, Leon, why didn't you tell me over the phone, I could have brought my camera!"
Oh yeah, a camera. Pictures would be nice. Leon hadn't even thought about that. But D took charge, saying calmly, "You have missed nothing, Miss Jill. Do not worry on that account." He smiled. "And a good memory is the best photo album of all." Leon couldn't stop himself; he reached up and gave D's elbow a quick squeeze, and let his hand linger on the silk. Now that he'd figured out that it was okay to touch D in nice ways, he didn't want to stop. Had to make himself stop, when other people were looking. Like now. All kinds of types passed through L.A.'s City Hall, but all the same, D's fancy outfit was attracting a lot of stares from passers-by, and Leon had never liked being stared at.
D had called up to the mayor's office right after they arrived, and now he said, "Shall we proceed? Richard is expecting us."
"Richard?" Jill asked blankly.
"The mayor," Leon said, unable to keep from grinning. Jill was gonna start catching flies if she kept letting her mouth fall open like that. It was nice to see her more surprised than him, for once.
D led the way into the nearest elevator. As he told Chris which button to press, Jill nudged Leon. He glanced down at her, and saw that worry had momentarily overtaken the glee. She mouthed silently, Are you sure about this?
Leon looked her dead in the eye and nodded firmly. Then she muttered, out loud this time, "I still can't believe you didn't tell me."
She wasn't kidding about that. Once she got over having starry eyes, he was going to have some explaining and apologizing to do. That'd be okay, if she could just hold it until after the…the wedding. Still a concept Leon was having a hard time wrapping his head around, but that's what this was, right? He looked a little guiltily at D, who was watching Leon and Jill with a polite, unreadable expression on his face while he patted Chris's shoulder. The elevator lifted into motion with a little lurch.
A wedding. Leon hated weddings. He'd never been to one where he hadn't wanted to sprint out the door the instant the organ started playing. He couldn't see the point of all that ceremony, when the real problem would be staying together after the party was all over. But what if D disagreed? He was the type who'd be big on ceremony and doing things right, after all.
But he hadn't wanted a big party either, or if he did, he hadn't mentioned it. "Now, before I change my mind"…that's how he'd put it. Yeah. Leon could relate. Maybe they could do something fancy after this was all over, to celebrate.
Thinking along those lines, he stuffed his hands into his pockets and said, elaborately casual, "Hey, D. Think we ought to go on a honeymoon or something?"
Jill fluttered her hand over her heart, and Chris looked even more excited. Leon realized that wherever they went, they'd have to take him too. Oh well -- he was the only thing that kept them from killing each other half the time, so that was probably a good idea. D raised an eyebrow and regarded Leon with a quiet look full of meaning. "Perhaps," he said. "I imagine we will have much to keep us busy at the shop, however."
Leon blinked, and then thought about it: D was right, why should they go anywhere when there were endless rooms full of beaches and mountains, all waiting to be explored? But then Jill gasped next to him, covered her mouth to smother her giggles, and turned to face the elevator wall, waving her hand apologetically. Leon wondered what the hell she thought was so hilarious, and then realized D was turning pink and looking embarrassed. Chris was frowning in confusion. What -- oh, shit. Jill and her dirty mind!
"I…ah…" D tried, "I did not precisely mean…" He looked stricken. Leon shook his head quickly, because what, was D going to explain what he'd really meant instead? D met his eyes, still blushing, and for a second he looked really nervous. He covered it up so fast that it was gone by the time Leon blinked, but that had been more than enough time for Leon to remember what D had confessed last night, before Leon had dozed off: he'd never done it before, with a human or anybody else. And now…
Leon was going to have sex with Count D tonight.
That single thought carried him through the ding of the elevator's arrival at the correct floor, through giving Chris the ring-box (and watching D slip him something too), through the mayor's hearty greetings and congratulations and nudges of "so, wanted to 'arrest' him--eh?" He was marginally more aware when he stood by D, took his arm, and listened to the mayor go through the vows from a little book he had, while Chris stood at attention with his raccoon, Jill, and the mayor's stupid penguin at his side. And when the mayor finally got to the part about "Do you, Leon Orcot, take Count D to be your lawful wedded…uh…" and D helpfully inserted, "Spouse," and the mayor said, "Right, spouse, to have and to hold, forsaking all others, till death do you part," Leon was able to say, clearly, "Yeah." And then, after his brain kicked in a second later, "I do."
He was afraid D'd be mad that he'd fucked up the words, but D just smiled up at him, and Leon had another moment of tuning out everything else in the world -- until D said, clearly and precisely, "I do."
Wow.
Then Chris trotted up to the mayor and handed him the ring-box and something else. Another ring. The mayor looked at the two rings, and then at D and Leon in embarrassed confusion, until D smiled good-naturedly and took the second ring, a plain, thick gold band, from the mayor's palm. "It has been in my family for generations," he said in a low voice, looking Leon steadily in the eye. Leon understood. He was D's family now, and the rest of them could like it or lump it. D took Leon's left hand and, without waiting for any prompting from the mayor, slid the ring right onto his finger. It went on like butter, and Leon could've sworn it grew to fit. "With this ring," D murmured, still looking into Leon's eyes, "I thee wed." He had a wry little smile on his face as he said it, but his eyes were as open and sincere as Leon had ever seen them.
Leon fumbled for his ring, wishing he had something as worthwhile to offer, like an heirloom -- something of his mom's, maybe. But he'd had his measurements correct in the store, and the ring slipped on like it had been made for D. No cheating magic there. D looked astonished and pleased, and when he smiled, he even showed some of his teeth. "With this ring, I thee wed," Leon said, determined to get it right this time, and he even managed not to wince when he heard Jill make a noise that sounded suspiciously like a sob.
He and D stood there just looking at each other like idiots while the mayor intoned, "By the power vested in me by the state of California, I now pronounce you married. You may kiss one another," he added encouragingly. Leon stared at him in horror -- kiss D? In front of other people? -- and he figured, from the convulsive squeezing of his hands, that D felt the same way.
"Or not, if you are so inclined," the mayor said after an awkward couple of seconds.
"Thank you ever so much, Richard," D said graciously, keeping his deathgrip on both of Leon's hands. "You don't know what it means to us."
"Yeah," Leon said. He couldn't kiss D in front of witnesses, but he drew him in a little closer by his hands. D came willingly enough.
"My pleasure, my pleasure," the mayor beamed, offering his hand, so that D and Leon had to let go of each other for a second. "Always ready to help out a friend. That's one of the secrets of being in office, you know -- can't lose touch with the human side of it that made you run in the first place…"
Leon tuned out the political babble as Jill and Chris rushed up to them. "I can't believe you didn't kiss him," Jill complained, but there were dried tear-trails all down her cheeks, and her face was red. Chris was grinning widely, and Pon-chan leaped out of his arms so she could crawl up D's body like an Olympic gymnast, coming to rest on his shoulder and chittering in wild excitement. The penguin just squawked.
D skritched under Pon-chan's chin, and patted the penguin on the head. "Peggy-chan wants her dinner, Richard, and it is nearly time for you to be going home, surely?" he said. "We have taken up more than enough of your day."
"Oh, happy to do it, just happy," the mayor said, and then added plaintively, "you sure you don't want a photo for the newspapers? You're so well-known around the city -- it'd make a great story, all I have to do is put in a phone call -- "
Leon felt his stomach lurch, but all D said was a firm, "No thank you." He glanced over at Leon hesitantly. Leon nodded as hard as he could in agreement. That's all he needed, his fucking wedding on the front page!
"But you guys'll put in an announcement later, right?" Jill asked. "You know -- one of those little sections in the paper -- "
What was up with all these crappy little details he'd never even thought about? Still, that didn't sound completely terrible, and Leon latched onto the alternative with relief. "Yeah. Maybe we could do one of those."
"Oh -- hold on a second," the mayor said, "we can't forget to sign the license. Let me get one of my aides in here to be the second witness…"
Paperwork signed, they thanked the mayor again, and headed down in the elevator. Jill looked at her watch and sighed. "I swore up and down I'd help the chief with the report for the Howell case tonight," she said. "You know, that F.B.I. agent who went postal and disappeared a couple weeks ago, just a few blocks from here? It's due early tomorrow morning. He'd kill me if I skipped out -- but I wish I could take you guys out to dinner or something, to celebrate."
Leon impulsively kissed her cheek. She could really be a great pal, when she put her mind to it. "No worries," he said. "Time enough for that."
"We are simply glad you could be here," D said, his hand seeking out Leon's again. He was holding onto Chris with the other one, so he looked like the middle link in a chain of Orcots. Leon liked it. He couldn't remember ever touching D this much before, and realized that it'd feel weird or wrong to stop. That was dumb -- D wasn't going to vanish into thin air or anything, especially now -- but he squeezed the hand anyway.
"Oh, I wouldn't have missed it," Jill said. "I think it's going to take some time to sink in, though." She laughed, but looked confused. "Some detective…I mean, I really had no idea…I mean, I'd guessed that you two liked each other, obviously, but I had no idea you'd done anything about it…"
Leon had had enough blushing in the last twenty-four hours to last him a lifetime, so he willed his cheeks to stay cool. D cleared his throat and merely said, "Life has a way of surprising us all, Miss Jill." He gave Leon a glare that didn't look nearly as withering as it should have. "Sometimes on a regular basis."
"No kidding," Jill said. She nudged D lightly. "And Leon moves fast. You watch him. Hey…" Her eyes widened. "I haven't gotten any details yet. Who proposed?"
"I did," Leon said, "and that's all the detail you're gonna get." She giggled and looked like she was going to say something suggestive, but then she glanced at Chris and thought better of it. Thank God.
She left them at the front steps of City Hall, with a promise to explain to the chief what had happened. "Turn off your phone, though," she advised Leon. "Unless you want prank calls from the guys all night."
When it was just him, D, Chris, and a raccoon, Leon looked down at D, who was staring off into space, looking thoughtful. "Hey," he said, feeling awkward, "she had a good idea -- you two want to go out for dinner or something?" Because he hadn't eaten all day, and now that he noticed it, he was starving.
Yeah! Chris said, but D shook his head.
"We should return to the shop," he said. Then he smiled again. D had never smiled this much, ever, that Leon had seen. It wasn't the same as his usual little smirk, by a long shot. For one thing, it left Leon's knees feeling like jelly. He hoped D didn't figure that out. "Dinner will be ready there."
"Dinner? Who's gonna -- " Leon closed his eyes. "Tell me the animals don't cook."
"I do wish you would not encourage me to lie to you, Leon," D said, taking Chris's hand and leading him down the sidewalk towards the parking lot. "It might become a very nasty habit."
"D -- "
"Don't worry, Mr. Detective," D said soothingly as Leon caught up with them, "the animals know you do not like fuss. I am sure it will be an understated, tasteful affair."
If this was how the animals reacted to stuff they knew he didn't like, Leon thought sourly, this marriage was already off to a bad start.
He couldn't really get mad, though, since it was pretty obvious the animals weren't doing this for him; they were doing it for D. The "understated, tasteful affair" D had promised wound up being a ten-course banquet with huge tables that seemed to stretch all over the shop, covered with linen, silver plate, candles, and steaming dishes full of stuff Leon had never seen and couldn't pronounce. And the animals sat at the tables as if they really were people, scrounging through the food that seemed perfect for each of them. Dogs snarfed whole silver plates of kibble and meat, while a creepy table full of snakes digested a bunch of mice who seemed to be having a lot less fun than everybody else. Birds of every color dined on seeds and mealworms, rodents ate nuts, and the damn cats just acted finicky about everything. Leon and Chris had steak and jacket potatoes for the main course, and Leon had never tasted anything so perfectly cooked in his life. He'd have been fucking certain he was cracking up, except that Chris was taking it all in stride, like this was something that he saw every day. Hell. It obviously was. Leon started hoping he'd be able to see the animals' human shapes soon, because he was positive this would have to seem a lot less weird, then.
As for D, forget "Count"; he was royalty for the day, no question. Whoever had whipped up the magic feast in less than two hours (Leon suspected the satisfied and fat-looking goat-tiger on D's other side) had gone overboard in making sure D was supplied with an abundance of cakes, candies, and dainties -- even he would never be able to eat it all. Leon kept grabbing his hand underneath the table, just to make sure everything was real. D didn't seem to mind at all, unless he needed both hands to handle an outsized éclair.
A bottle of champagne appeared in front of them. Leon didn't know much about wine, but a few sips told him that this was the good stuff, the hundred-dollar-a-bottle stuff that the real snobs whined about never being able to find. He tried to go easy on it. He'd been to weddings where the groom was slobbering drunk by the first round of toasts, and had always felt kinda sorry for the guy -- had to be hell just getting through the day, and it'd be nice to loosen up and enjoy the party, but damn, you had to be able to perform your duties when night fell, right? Leon didn't think he'd be able to face himself in the morning if he passed out drunk tonight of all nights. This was something he wanted to have memories about -- happy ones, and lots of them.
He glanced sideways at D as he put his wineglass down. D looked pretty happy now, eating sweets, chatting with the animals and Chris, and catching Leon's eye a few times with a little smile. Leon had caught him covertly admiring his ring once or twice already, watching the tiny diamonds catch the dim light of the shop. But he also remembered that nervous look D had given him back in the elevator, and the way he'd lain perfectly still at Leon's side last night, hands folded, body ramrod-stiff. Yeah. Leon was going to need some finesse tonight, for sure, and wine definitely wouldn't help. The last thing D needed was some drunk asshole pawing at him.
Shit, like that wasn't enough to give a guy performance anxiety, on top of the fact that he was going to be doing another guy, and it wasn't like he had a ton of experience in that department. Or any experience, come to that. D wasn't the only one in for a first time tonight. God. Leon just hoped it wouldn't be a total disaster. They'd done okay when they were kissing on the couch…
Perhaps it was a chaste union of souls you had in mind? A platonic partnership?
Damn it. D'd had a point. Leon hadn't known what he'd wanted. Hadn't even known that he hadn't known…just that whatever he wanted had to involve D, somehow, or there was nothing worth wanting anywhere. That still felt true. Everything else would come out of that, right?
He'd long since lost all track of time, but eventually he noticed Chris starting to nod over his ice cream. He elbowed D lightly, tilted his head towards Chris, and D rose to his feet, clapping his hands together. "I believe our revels are drawing to a close," he said. "It is almost midnight -- time for everyone to be in bed." Leon glanced down at his wristwatch: 11:52 pm. How did the guy do that, with no clock in sight? "Mr. Detective and I," D added, "would like to thank you for putting such a wonderful celebration together at the last minute. It means a great deal to us." He looked pointedly at Leon.
Leon stood up and looked around at the sea of animal faces, all of which were staring at him with uncanny attention. Talk about creepy… "Uh, yeah," he said, feeling really stupid about talking to a roomful of animals. "It was great. Thanks a lot."
He was probably imagining it, but he could have sworn the damn things were laughing at him.
Everybody got up and padded, crawled, flew, or oozed from the tables. Chris ran up and gave him a hug. G'night, bro, he said. Are you spending the night again?
"Yeah," Leon said, feeling his face go red in spite of himself.
Are you going to move in now, too? Chris sounded excited about the idea. Are you going to leave your apartment and live here?
"Uh…" Leon glanced at D, who was busy cuddling a lemur and talking to a dog. "I, uh, I dunno. We haven't talked about that yet." Or a million other things, and Leon couldn't manage to think coherently about a single one of them right this second.
That'd be cool, Chris said, before a grumbling sheeptiger began tugging him away by biting his jacket sleeve. If you lived here, I mean. Night, Count! He waved at D.
D looked up then, put the lemur down, and came over to pat Chris's shoulder. "Sleep well, Chris. We will see you tomorrow." Leon tried not to turn even redder at the word 'we.' Or the fact that D hadn't said, 'in the morning.'
Chris ran off with the monster and the raccoon, and looking around, Leon realized he and D were the only ones left in the parlor. How could a hundred animals sneak away so quietly? He heard a 'clink' behind him, and turned around to see D stacking plates.
He put his hand on D's shoulder. D didn't jump, exactly, but he tensed. "Hey, leave that," Leon said, trying as hard as he could not to sound awkward, and failing. "Nobody cleans up their own wedding reception."
"I suppose you are right," D said feebly, without turning around to face him. "The animals would be very cross with me if…" His voice trailed off. "Yes."
Leon would have melted at how nervous he was, if he hadn't been almost as scared himself. As it was, it was just weird to see D getting skittish about something. And if Leon was going to be honest, it would have been a hell of a lot sexier to kiss that smug smirk right off his face… "Nice party, anyhow," he said. "I never saw so much food."
D did turn around then, and to Leon's relief, he looked completely in control of himself. Only the stiff set of his shoulders indicated that he was tense at all. "It was very kind of the pets," he agreed, and smiled the mysterious smirk that Leon was used to. "But it was nothing compared to a true feast of gods and spirits, Detective. You still have so much to see, learn, and experience."
Leon just grunted, and slid his arms around D's waist. D allowed himself to be pulled in, but Leon felt a fine tremor run through him, for just a second. Fear, or thrill? "I ain't the only one," he said. "Am I?"
For a second, D was going to pretend that he had no idea what Leon was talking about. Leon could just tell. But after a second, he dropped his amazing eyes so he could stare at Leon's chin. "You are not," he admitted quietly.
Just once, Leon wished that he didn't suck so bad at being sensitive. "Look, D," he said, trying to find the right words, "I mean, I never…either…with a guy, anyway…"
D's lips curved in a sly little smile. "You shock me, Mr. Detective."
"Yeah. Well." Leon tried a laugh, and it came out sounding awful and anxious. "I mean, I'm just saying -- we'll work it out. Right?" He dared to squeeze D a little tighter around the waist. It was a nice waist: little and slim through the silk, like D might break if you squeezed too hard. All of a sudden, he was talking without meaning to, again, just like he had a couple days ago, when this 'marriage' idea had gotten in his head. "We don't have to do anything," he heard himself saying, then hastily amended it to, "I mean, anything you don't want, you know? I wouldn't -- Christ, it's not like I'm gonna hurt you or anything…"
D met his eyes again, and now he looked astonished. Then amused. "Is that what you think?" he asked, smiling slowly. "That I fear physical pain?"
"No," Leon said at once, hunching his shoulders and feeling stupid. He'd seen D fly onto rooftops and fall out of helicopters with barely a scratch. He wasn't going to be afraid of anything Leon might do to him in bed. What the hell had he been thinking?
D touched his face lightly, all sweet and affectionate; three days ago, Leon would never have dreamed of him like this, and he could barely get his head around it now. "What a wondrous creature you are," he murmured, sounding almost amazed. "You mistake the incidentals, as always -- but you still see to the truth of the matter."
Leon was definitely blushing now, and he didn't like it one bit. "What're you talking about? And don't call me a creature."
"I am sorry." D didn't look remotely sorry. "I only meant that I am afraid, but not for the reasons you suppose." He paused and pressed his lips together for a moment. "When you kissed me…on the sofa…" His brow knitted, and he didn't seem to know what to say next.
Leon tried to do it for him. "You, uh," he said, "you liked it…right?"
"Yes," D said, with a note of finality, as if he'd just explained everything. Apparently he thought he had. Leon was never going to understand him, not in a thousand years.
So he decided to make D put his money where his mouth was, and kissed him. He meant to do it firm, hard, to prove a point (though what point, he had no clue); it wound up being soft and gentle instead. Like he was still afraid of scaring D, or hurting him, in spite of everything they'd just talked about. D's lips were incredibly soft, felt incredibly good, and his mouth was warm. And he felt real nice, just right, pressed up against Leon, starting to breathe faster against him…
Leon was breathing faster too, when they pulled away. D seized one of his hands.
"Follow me," he said, his voice husky, and led the way down the hall.