90s sadness and gay???

[dtective]

[By this point, Leon has lost track of how long he's been searching for Count D. It became an obsession that only grew with time, and now he couldn't keep to one spot anymore. Not while D was still out there. Across cities, across countries, he probably looked insane to everyone around him. But they didn't know the half of it! Sometimes even Leon wasn't sure he understood what he was doing.

Right now wasn't the time to doubt himself, though. He'd hoped that this lead would get him even an inch closer to his goal, but he hadn't counted on spotting him in the streets. It had to be him. He'd seen him turn and look at him, and those eyes—]

Wait! Stop right there!

[He doesn't hold back, shoving his way through the crowded streets and keeping his eyes locked on him. It doesn't work, because of course it doesn't, and his steps slow in his confusion. His heart is beating way too fast, his stomach sinks, and for a moment he's sure he's lost his one chance.

But something catches the corner of his eye, and his instinct tells him to turn. He reaches out, grabbing the first wrist he can and meeting D's eyes with his own.]

...Found you.

Comments

[pruning]

[Okay, that was not the point!! The point was for Chris to go back to the normal world and not think about the pet shop at all! Maybe D... did not make that very clear. He's sitting across the table from Leon but he still leans back like Leon took a swipe at him.

That isn't fair, first of all-- it's not like he set out to hurt Chris. It was for his own good. And as for himself--he can't talk to Chris or he will be on a plane going back to the states before the line is even dead. He's pretty sure that's the inevitable conclusion to that particular phone call, so. No!!]

You may tell him.

[dtective]

How is that going to help?!

[At this point, he's half considering dialing him up and shoving the phone over at D forcefully. Ugh, but if he doesn't answer then Chris will just get his feelings hurt or something... He doesn't want that.]

He might not believe me if I call him myself.

[pruning]

[That would be rude. Can Leon even make heads or tails of D's stupid antique phone? He'd like to see that, despite everything else happening now.]

From Italy? I could have some of the pets make noise in the background. [He wouldn't, but he could.] You can only make so many demands of me in one day, Detective, and marching uninvited into my home is quite enough!

[dtective]

[How heartless... Does he not care about what Chris is feeling?? Any of the time they spent together? No, he can't let his thoughts run in circles like this. That would be making the same mistake as before. He doesn't really know what's going on in D's mind. So maybe he shouldn't assume...?

But that's so fucking hard when he sits there and refuses such a simple thing. Leon slouches and sulks, glancing towards the kitchen as if he's wondering when those stupid tomatoes are going to be done.]

Whatever. [Mature.]

[pruning]

[Is Leon really going to sulk on his couch about this? He shows up out of the blue and demands to be taken in and fed and cared for-- maybe not that last thing, but-- and then he demands D do something that would damage the already precarious balance he's established here, and now he's sulking?

This man. Honestly!]

I don't think you're listening to me! How fortuitous that some things truly never change.

[dtective]

Yeah, some things don't.

[That's his grumbled response, looking back over at D in the middle of his sulking. He kind of wants to go pick up a newspaper or find a TV to turn on to see if there's any news he can understand that might involve D. But... can things really just jump back to normal?

He crosses his arms. Some things don't change... hmmm.]

Like you. Are you seriously going to keep it up like this without saying a word to me? I thought... [Like, he doesn't want to say they were Friends out loud, but like... ??? D, come on.]

[pruning]

[There are plenty of words being said here, Leon, but maybe that's being pedantic. D frowns at him, which he's been doing quite a lot of already, but this frown is fresh and new. He certainly isn't going to say it.]

What would you like me to say? "Welcome back, I'm so elated to see you!" [He scoffs, but even as he does it, it feels too harsh. Elated is laying it on thick, but all things considered, well.]

What is it that you want from me?

[dtective]

No.

[He scowls, waving that off with a hand in the air as he kicks back further. More fidgeting.] But maybe something a little more personal that isn't what do you want would be nice!

[pruning]

[Stop putting your filthy feet everywhere.]

Oh, for-- not thirty minutes ago I told you I've missed you! Would you like it engraved on a plaque?

[dtective]

If you're offering...

[Yes, thanks.] But I'm not talking about that! I mean about what you're going through!

[pruning]

[No, go away. And don't look now as D blinks stupidly at him for a moment - that isn't... a thing people ask him about, generally speaking...]

Well, I am perfectly fine. So there is nothing to discuss.

[shit]

[dtective]

Bullshit.

[Okay, maybe that's a little harsh... But how's he supposed to believe that?? He can either think D is the cold, heartless killer he kept seeing signs of, or he can pay attention to the small things like his care and the bandage on his finger and Wonder. Can someone really be that okay if his father was shot in front of him? He admitted he was angry about that, too... So there must be more emotions.]

What's okay about a guy running across the globe?

[pruning]

[It would be convenient to be cold and heartless right now, instead of the mess D is convinced he's showing. Everything he's thinking is a mess of shouldn't and get away fighting against the exact opposite thoughts, like perhaps Leon being here is what should be happening... He isn't even sure which thoughts are purely his anymore, and which have been overly influenced by Father and Grandfather.

It's no wonder he can't articulate anything but petty annoyance and refusal to speak, but even he can see how it must look from Leon's perspective. To wit,] Speak for yourself. You did come all this way.

[Several times. It's strange, okay.]

[dtective]

Yeah, well—

[...He's got nothing. That's a good point. He closes his eyes as he considers that for a good few moments before letting out his tension with a sigh.]

Fine, I was worried. A little. [It's usually pretty bad when someone sees a family member die and runs off with revenge on the brain, okay? He likes to think D is better than the other ones... But he also wants to be there for him, somehow.]

I mean, maybe it didn't mean as much to you, but we've been through a hell of a lot together.

[pruning]

[That's right, it's a good point!! And that's good reasoning, but D wouldn't admit it even if Leon said it aloud. He's done just fine for himself alone-- look, no large-scale murder plots at all. He's fine!]

We have. [That point he'll concede. As for the other... well, it doesn't sit right with him to leave that assumption as-is, but if he were actually looking for an out from dealing with Leon, this would be it. Surely he'd be left alone if he insisted it all meant very little, despite his fretting and all the other stupid, stupid admissions he's already made-- damn it.

He sighs, looking toward the kitchen and waiting for the egg timer to spare him this. But it hasn't been an entire hour and he's tragically stuck. Feelings are inconvenient and he hates them.]

I had hoped... [he is Not Supposed to do that, oops. Thanks Father.] Hmm.

It never ceases to amaze me how plainly you require everything to be laid out for you. Perhaps if you put more time into exercising your mind over drinking your horrible American beer, this wouldn't be a problem. [This is a great start. It's a complete 180 right after that, because of course it is-] I missed you. I would have preferred to have you come with me, but it was not my decision to make.

[Don't fight him about that, punk.] While I am still... upset with you, I do not particularly miss my father. If you must know, it's quite an uncomfortable position to be in.

[dtective]

[There's a grumbled "hey" at that insult, but aside from that, Leon stays quiet and listens. D's admitting feelings, or something close to it... So, they missed each other? That's a relief to hear, even if thinking of it as a relief makes him instantly want to reject that. He picks up one of D's weird pillows and holds it in his lap, idly messing with the edges as he speaks.]

Yeah, I bet... [Of course that would be uncomfortable. But there's something great in hearing that he wasn't all buddy-buddy with his old man. Not that he's glad he had to die, but that guy was seriously twisted.]

For what it's worth, I am sorry. [Like, he doesn't regret trying to save humanity, but he does regret that someone had to die...]

[pruning]

[Fortunately, D knows Leon well enough to know that apology is not an "I shouldn't have done that" apology. That's obvious. Still, that's almost better to hear-- he wouldn't have believed Leon regretted it that much, and this one is... sort of more personal... He thinks he might be grasping at straws at this point.]

It's worth enough. [Barely. He manages a ghost of a smile, anyway. Somehow.] Grandfather would disagree.

[When you have two family members total and they're both assholes. Struggle.]

[dtective]

Yeah, well he can disagree to my face. Maybe I can give him a few words on how he treats family.

[What kind of grandfather hides as a bat and says nothing during all of that!! Not once!! He could have just changed back at any time? But he left D by himself?? What the fuck. What the fuck??

But at least he's better than D's father had seemed. That tricky little...]

...Anyway. [He should stay off the topic of ranting about D's family, maybe. But then all he does is think back and wonder what would have happened if he hadn't been so sour that D changed his mind about speaking. Hrgh.] The point is, there's no way I'm letting you run off on your own, so if the decision wasn't yours to make to begin with then you can just think of it like that hasn't changed.

[pruning]

[D isn't surprised by Leon's almost-outburst, after all of his actual real outbursts at his family when they were in front of him. It's kind of gratifying in a way he's certain he shouldn't be feeling-- Father disagreeing with Grandfather always seemed inherently wrong in some way, but Leon doing it seems to make Grandfather less... untouchable. If one human man is going to get in his face like that, and take on Father's nasty garden, then it's downright absurd for D to feel--whatever he's feeling over being left alone so efficiently now.

Probably. Maybe he's justifying too many things to himself, but maybe.]

Truly, we are all bound by something. For many that something is fate, and for others, unruly Americans... [He sighs, put-upon, and looks very stricken because he is full of it.]

I should warn you that this is not an easy burden to shoulder.

[Like, he's a pain in the ass... and the rest of the weird stuff.]

[dtective]

No shit. You think I haven't learned that by now?

[He's just saying... He squeezes the pillow between his hands. Honestly, he knew everything he was signing up for the moment he decided to leave. It was everything he'd missed, and every bit of how worse it would be after everything. He's sure he'll almost die a dozen more times, that D will get involved in all sorts of crazy shit, but...

If D's going to be in all of this, Leon wants to be, too.]

[pruning]

This time, I would like to be very sure.

[Of Leon listening to him and not just being ornery in his corner, among other things. He might even get to those other things, but he also might... really, really not.]

However, I would like to ask you... Do you actually speak Italian? We may be here for quite some time.

[dtective]

I know enough!

[He's seen enough movies... But alright, he'll prove it! Uhhh, there was one phrase he remembered that sounded really long and impressive... He doesn't really remember what it means, but that doesn't matter, surely.]

La migrazione dell'anguilla europea è un mistero per la scienza.

[His pronunciation is hideous to top it all off.]

[pruning]

[What

the hell. He's already reconsidering this bizarre arrangement of theirs, thanks a lot Leon.]

I would bore you with the startling truth behind eel migration, but as I'm fairly certain you have no idea what you just said, I will spare you.

[dtective]

What are you going on about? That was definitely something about the mafia...

[Why would he memorize anything other than cool stuff he sees in movies or on menus at restaurants? He forgot where he picked that one up, but whatever!]

I know the only language that matters, anyway. People know a little here and there, and I've gotten by just fine!

[pruning]

[No... stop. D stares at him before he just sighs, resigned to this being a hopeless endeavor. Leon should not be allowed near other languages, he'll ruin them. He's the most American man to ever exist, it's unbelievable.]

And will you continue to get by like that? How are you going to spend your days here? You can't honestly sit on that couch every day, all day.

[Please do not.]