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]

[Mmmmkay, so maybe he forgot which way the shop was. It's been one day! He stuck to a complete circle on his walk earlier.]

If you say so. [Not urgent... Then they're just going to stay here?? He turns away because he's weak and can't take it anymore.] At least the weather's nice.

[He realizes he's said this maybe three times now.]

[pruning]

[D is winning... He scoffs at the dumb weather comment being said again, looking back up at some interesting clouds himself. He'll just stay here like this for a while... At some point he points up at a bird flying overhead, names it completely accurately from down here!! and lets his hand drop back to the space between them.

He does not bump Leon's hand on purpose, because he isn't 13 years old. Mostly.]

[dtective]

[Leon comments on how it looks just like some ordinary bird, completely inaccurately, only to end up startled by a simple bump of hands. He has no idea why this makes him hold his breath or glance over silently, but he sure does. His hand is frozen in place but his fingers twitch.

Was that... on purpose...?? No, it's got to be an accident. Why would he do it on purpose?

He's having a crisis.]

[pruning]

[Did Leon just die? Is he lying next to a corpse? D wonders if he should make some other wiseass comment about how unique the bird is, can't Leon tell, it's right there, but apparently bumping hands has destroyed him. Well...

He's already made enough stupid decisions today, so he'll do it again. Bump!!]

[dtective]

[...He did it again. That's definitely on purpose?? He can't BREATHE—]

Why do you keep doing that?

[pruning]

[Why does he have to be this stupid?? What did D do to deserve this? Is this what Father meant, with his parting words...?]

Doing what? [He'll hold hands with himSELF, whatever!]

[dtective]

[He may die here. D is making him feel like he's crazy, but he definitely didn't imagine feeling that twice. So... he at least manages to move his hand and nudge D's right back.]

That.

[pruning]

[What is that?? Did something happen? D has no idea.]

I haven't the slightest idea what you mean.

[dtective]

[What............ Okay, then he'll wait a few silent minutes and then bump D's hand again. Now who's feeling things!!!]

[pruning]

[Oh, well, if he's going to do that thing that never happened again— D has no choice but to put his hand over Leon's. Goodness.]

Stop that.

[dtective]

[Goodbye heart it was nice knowing you.]

You started it!

[At least he doesn't move his hand...]

[pruning]

[Truly they are men of the world...]

Are you certain? I don't recall.

[Lowkey curling his fingers around Leon's hand here, no big deal.]

[dtective]

[But... this is homo...

Okay but really, he pauses for a second at that. Even after everything, it still feels like D is messing with him. Maybe it's because D is always more aware and Leon's left to stumble and trip around like a moron.

Maybe he can be... subtle... He shifts his hand just enough to curl his fingers back lightly.]

Yeah, well, maybe you are finally losing it. It was definitely all on you.

[He can't even look at the sky because he'd see D in his peripheral, so he looks at a tree off to the other side.]

[pruning]

[He can't be subtle about the hand D is holding onto... just saying. D's getting what he wants, though, so he's not going to call him out on that. This is fine.]

Is this another comment about my early senility? I am younger than you, you know.

[Does he know that....surprise!!]

[dtective]

[He's subtle by not talking about it!! See, he's genius. That's definitely subtle. But ah, his age... That actually reminds him of something that FBI agent had said way back then. It's as good a time as any, if he's just going to lie here holding hands with him...]

How old are you, anyway?

[pruning]

[Right now, 13...........]

...Twenty-three. [Maybe? Probably?? When's his birthday he doesn't know.]

[dtective]

You really are younger.

[He says that kind of in a daze, shifting to stare up at the sky instead. They're holding hands. Definitely holding hands here...]

I never thought to ask.

[Is Leon really ok]

[pruning]

[They are certainly holding hands... D looks sideways at him but only for a moment. Is he good...]

Does that bother you? It isn't by much.

[dtective]

No.

[He's... thinking!! Like now, where he slowly turns his head to stare at their hands.] I was just thinking about how I didn't know.

[He doesn't mind holding his hand. It's weird, for sure, his heart hurts and he's not sure if D is messing with him or not, but... He doesn't want to let go, he thinks.]

[pruning]

To be fair, I might not have told you at first.

[Gotta keep up that madame butterfly act, and everything. Even something as simple as his age takes away from the ambiguity, from the ability to leave no traces and go at a moment's notice— Grandfather made these things clear. His age, a birthday; things that could make him more memorable, more... tangible.

Kind of like Leon is holding his hand right now.]

How old did you think I was? [he's curious now...]

[dtective]

I didn't really think about it. You seemed around my age, but you can't exactly tell...

[This is a fairly normal conversation, all things considered, but they're fucking holding hands and no one has brought it up! What's wrong with him! Why can't he say anything about it!

What he can manage is to curl his fingers a little bit more.]

[pruning]

I am going to stop you there before you spoil our afternoon with something wildly tasteless.

[Read: racist. Don't be racist. He's enjoying holding hands and he doesn't want to get up in arms about ignorant comments.

He's also enjoying not talking about holding hands! Leon might be almost racist, but D still shifts his hand to make their hold a little more comfortable. Nice.]

[dtective]

[Normally, he'd have a more indignant reply about how he's not tasteless, asians just look like they're 12 for most of their life and suddenly turn 1000. It's fact!!

But these "facts" aside, he's still watching their hands during that shift. It is more comfortable, and his cheeks flush considerably as he looks away. This could be some new chinese thing he's never heard about, so he's trying not to think about it, but...

It doesn't feel like that. He's not saying anything.]

[pruning]

[No!!! Don't say racist things!! At least D is spared from having to hear them, but he already thought about having to hear them, so it's pointless...

As for the rest of this... display, he's torn. On the one hand, this is ridiculous and one of them will have to say something eventually. On the other, if saying something now breaks whatever barely-held calm Leon has and ruins it, ugh- he'll be so irritated!!

uggghhhhhh]

Am I bothering you?

[dtective]

No.

[Well, at least he says that quickly enough! What is he thinking about here, really? His mind is racing, but there's still this calm feeling on top of everything. Maybe that's why he hasn't shot up and started yelling at him.

But alright, he'll be the one to say it, and he'll try to sound cool about it, too!!]

I didn't think you'd be into holding hands.