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]

[...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.

[pruning]

[Staying calm is important, thanks. D tries not to focus on the way Leon's quick answer makes his heart flutter - all he said was no, for god's sake - but it's difficult now that they're actually acknowledging this.

...That doesn't sound cool at all.]

I'm not sure how many of your assessments of my character I can endure in one day. [They're all dumb. When has he ever been anti-hand??] Shall I say "surprise"?

[dtective]

[LOOK, be nice, at least he's not slapping on any handcuffs.]

Are you trying to come on to me?

[...He went from saying nothing to saying everything so quickly. But he... is convincing himself this is a joke, and this is how he'd normally react while flustered, so maybe muttering it with half-commitment will make things make more sense.]

[pruning]

[

But anyway, D looks at Leon in silence for a beat. A long beat. Is that disbelief in his expression because Leon is so clueless, or because he's clearly not doing anything like that...? It's a mystery.]

Pardon?

[dtective]

[What the fuck IS HE WRONG??? Now everything is worse, thanks D.]

Nothing, nevermind! Just go back to talking about birds or whatever.