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

[dtective]

No, but if I pick one up somehow, maybe I could be a bodyguard! There's gotta be some guy who needs protection that speaks English.

[These guidelines...] Whatever, I'll figure something out.

[pruning]

[Um, like him?? What happened to keeping him safe from getting killed? Even if it would basically just be D buying him stuff, in that arrangement... hmph!]

For now, I will buy you a pair of jeans. You can't wear the same ones until you find a job.

[dtective]

[Okay, he'll be a bodyguard in exchange for rent. Where's the contract, D, bring it out!!]

Okay. I'm not going to stop you from giving me free clothes. [Score, he guesses.]

[pruning]

[Don't sign a contract, the terms will be horrible...]

You— [did he forget that he JUST COMPLAINED about this?? Leon??] In that case, I do hope you're ready to finally stop wearing those terrible t-shirts every day.

[dtective]

[Shut up, after he realized the struggle is too real, he's willing to sacrifice pride for free pants.]

What's wrong with my t-shirts?

[pruning]

Plenty. [Gaze... they're awful, sorry.] What is so wrong with a nice dress shirt? Even a polo.

[dtective]

Why would I wear stuff like that all the time? It's too stuffy! Besides, I don't want to hear it from a guy who only wears dresses.

[pruning]

They aren't dresses, and you look homeless. [So there.] I am buying you at least one decent shirt.

[dtective]

I'm not wearing anything embarrassing.

[That's all he's saying!! As if he doesn't, every day.]

[pruning]

It isn't embarrassing to look nice.

[This guy... why is he so attached to this moron?? Sigh.]

The tea is going to get cold.

[dtective]

I already look nice.

[Leave him alone?? He gives D a long look daring him to speak against that before he leans to pick up a cup of tea. Fine, sheesh. He was distracted.]

[pruning]

Usually you do. [But right now, the homelessness... D also busies himself with the tea, just to have a convenient thing to pause over while he thinks about this.]

Your haircut is almost fetching.

[dtective]

Shut up!

[Don't call him almost fetching, he doesn't know if he wants to hear fetching by itself or none of that at all!! Asshole. He sips at his tea.] It's easier like this.

[It's good if it looks good, he guesses...]

[pruning]

[Yeah that's right, the gay panic shut ups are what he lives for. Now he can be comfortably amused again instead of trying valiantly not to panic.]

Goodness, it was a compliment! I like it, is that better?

[dtective]

I don't care what you think.

[That is such a lie he can't even say it clearly, not to mention he won't look at D when he says it. Shut up shut up... Leave his gay panic alone.] But that's better than saying it's almost fetching. For a guy so big on manners, you sure are rude.

[Now he looks at D.] But you look exactly the same. Is that part of your whole... family thing, too? You all gotta have the same haircut?

[pruning]

[D raises an eyebrow because he is very convinced Leon does not care what he thinks at all. Definitely does not.] Almost is not not.

[See!! It's fine. But after a pause, as if it's the most obvious thing in the world:] My father had very long hair. And we are not as identical as he and Grandfather like to claim, although I imagine saying so means something to them...

[dtective]

Oh, yeah, he did... [Leon rubs at his head, frowning at the memory of that.] He was wearing a wig to look just like you when I got in the car, and he kept that up for a while... Wasn't your grandpa the one who always looked just like you in pictures, though?

[The idea of them all being exact clones has just stuck with him so much he blocked out long hair...]

[pruning]

[what the fuck dad]

Our eyes are different. [PLEASE... check eyes next time, Leon.] As for Grandfather, yes— although that's also because I don't have pictures of Father.

[dtective]

[So even D is admitting they all look literally the same, at least in photographs. Okay.]

Your eyes... I didn't notice. [Like, he did, actually, but he couldn't put his finger on it. Looking into eyes is embarrassing when it comes to D, somehow.] Well, I could tell it wasn't you after we got there, anyway. So I guess you do have your differences.

[pruning]

[Okay... listen, maybe. Black and white photographs!!]

Thank you. [He means that, though he's a little surprised at himself for how genuine it sounds. Even Father and Grandfather can admit they're not exactly the same, but from Leon... well, it's nice.

But anyway.] I can't believe you were tricked so easily! My father is a terrible actor.

[dtective]

I think it was more wishful thinking at that point. I was just told I was off the case, and then this guy who looks that similar pulls up in a car? I didn't have the time to think about it!

[It took him a little bit because of all of the confusion and shock!! And irritation. A lot of anger there, yes.]

It didn't take me that long to figure it out.

[pruning]

[wishful thinking.....that's gay]

You still put yourself in the middle of it all! Though I haven't been able to figure out what Father's point was, leaving you in that garden... [like, other than self-righteous murder. What if he hadn't come back with the FBI agent? What was the point then, Father??

That's going to make him uncomfortable, though, so instead he'll switch gears a little.] You must tell me what gave him away.

[dtective]

[...................]

No way.

[HE CAN'T... TELL HIM THAT...]

[pruning]

[LEON... he leans in a little. Closer.]

Would you prefer I guess?

[dtective]

[WH... GO AWAY. He leans back and looks nervous, holding his hand up to keep D further. Stop!!]

Y-you can't guess something like that!