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]

[That isn't much better... He'd like to go without the difficult questions entirely, maybe because he's kind of lazy.]

That's... fair.

[He doesn't wanna!! But fine.]

I cannot promise you perfect explanations, however. You will have to understand that before you frustrate both of us.

[dtective]

...As long as you try instead of leaving me hanging.

[He'll still be the usual, grumpy (ex-)detective, but he'll at least try to remind himself that not everything makes sense with D. He also knows now to just believe some of these weird things instead of questioning them, so there's that. It'll work out, probably.]

I guess it'll kinda be like we're partners. [You know... like cops, except... everything's illegal, he's sure of it.]

[pruning]

[It- won't be anything like being buddy cop partners, they should both face that now while they still have the chance. D is already aware of this - and raises an eyebrow slightly at the suggestion - but when will Leon catch up...]

I will do what I can.

[Hmm. Partners, though—] Do you trust me?

[dtective]

[He's very aware. Honestly, the comment was mostly just something to throw out there that they were... together, now. He didn't want to be gay about it, and partners was the best way he could express a closeness where they could depend on each other.

But that question comes up, now, and he has to pause.

He wants to say no, almost. It's habit, he thinks, and a lot of denial. He wants to say that D is suspicious way too often, and that putting his trust in him blindly would lead to bad ends, but the more he thinks about it, the more he realizes he's trusted him for some time now.]

Yeah. [Play it off like it's casual...] Aside from all the running around, anyway. Don't you trust me?

[pruning]

[He's expecting a 'no,' frankly. Whether it's the truth or not, and despite, again, everything that's happened today, he expects Leon to say no. To put that barrier between them and stay here but leave D lonely, still. He'd said he wanted to be the person D can put his trust in— that doesn't necessarily imply that trust goes both ways.

To D's credit, he realizes these expectations are somewhat irrational. Illogical, minimum. Leon wants to stay here... D's made him choose that more than once already, so shouldn't it naturally follow that he trusts him?

He can picture perfectly his father's face, telling him not to trust in humans, but Leon doesn't say no. He blinks, thoughts of his father vanish, and he purses his lips in thought.]

I do believe that was part of what we discussed earlier. [ugh, just say it...] I do.

[dtective]

[Hearing those two words makes him happy. It's a strange feeling in his chest, tense and light at the same time, and the way he's shaking his crossed leg eases up a bit. So he trusts him? Is that a new thing? It has to be.]

Good.

[Now this is just awkward, even when he's tried to make it professional to hide the whole hand holding thing... Is it really? His eyes move back towards D and he finds himself staring. The look on his face is nice, somehow, and his hair always manages to look so soft— he's sitting a lot closer than he normally would be, too. Or is that his imagination?]

[pruning]

[...Good. Well. That's an... assessment. That's something, he supposes. He thinks about that more than a single word merits thinking about, but how can he help himself - he's crossed so many lines here already, and somehow each time, Leon manages to reassure him that it's alright. Even if he isn't doing it on purpose... just saying it's good that D trusts him is reassuring, isn't it? Anyone would think that.

Leon is staring at him again. Stop that, silent staring is already his thing.]

Was there something else...?

[dtective]

[—oh! He'd been so deep in thought that he'd just started looking at his eyes, or the pattern of his dress... shit. Why was he staring?? What kind of mindless...]

Nope! [He says it pretty suddenly, glancing away with a cough as he scratches the side of his cheek. Hmmm, that sure is some interesting wallpaper over there.]

I was just... thinking about that boat. [He does that often enough, this works...]

[pruning]

[Truly, a dumb puppy. D looks at him for another beat before looking away himself, though not as much like an awkward preteen. He settles back into the couch with a short sigh that's more genuinely tired than bothered, for once. It's been quite a day.]

Are you going back on your word about your questions so soon? I will start to feel interrogated before long.

[dtective]

No, I was just thinking!

[Not even about the boat, god damn it. He's going to have this gay crisis for like a month.] I'm done already. You can do whatever your errands were...

[pruning]

[RIP both of them, D won't be able to handle it. It's already kind of too much, having to endure this... He'll definitely take this opportunity to get up and start to move away, to do his mysterious errands.]

Wonderful. Why don't you look though the paper and try to learn some of the words?

[Because that will work. Just keep busy.]

[dtective]

I'm guessing you don't have some magic way to get me to learn Italian.

[That would be too convenient. This is a dumb task he doesn't think will work, but he'll pick up some random phrases and try not to think about how pretty D is. This is a solid enough plan. He leans over to pick it up.]

I guess it's better than nothing.

[pruning]

[If only he had actual mystery plant magic, so many things would be easier.]

If only. [He wanders back over to the couch at this point to pat Leon on the shoulder. Very encouraging.] Good luck, my dear.

[Now he'll actually go off to take care of his mysterious chores. How long will Leon be able to deal with staring at words he doesn't understand?]

[dtective]

[Several hours, at the very least. Leon is genuinely trying to work with what material he has to learn. The next time D peeks, he might see Leon in the center of his frustration, face practically pressed up against the paper.

He can't understand any of this! Even if he tries to match the sentences to the pictures, or the words to the comics...! None of it, none of it makes sense, even with the words that look similar to english!!

His brain is going to fry.]

[pruning]

[Several hours gives D enough time to do all his mystery tasks with time to spare! He only peers in to check on Leon occasionally while he's occupied, otherwise leaving him to get frustrated over Italian in peace.

When he's finally through, D comes back to peer over his shoulder. He seems to be doing well... will he do better or worse when D squeezes his shoulders, because he is.]

How are you doing?

[dtective]

[Leon is so wrapped up in trying to find out if this article is about politics, food or soccer that he about jumps through the roof at the shoulder squeeze.]

What did I say about sneaking up on me?! Sheesh! [Even if D had passed in front of him, he's like this... He's so far gone in his fake Italian knowledge. He looks back at it now, lips curving down further as his fingers crumple the edges.]

I can't figure out a damn thing. Even when I was trying to talk to people earlier to fit in, they all just give me weird looks and start yelling! This is going to take me years...

[pruning]

Would you like my help?

[He's offering, but how good a teacher would he be...? Probably not very. He's already not apologizing for his illicit shoulder-touching.]

[dtective]

[Leon is innocent (stupid) and pure (dumb) so when the suggestion of help comes up, he completely forgets the lack of apology and all other incidents to ease up a tiny bit. He waves the paper between them.]

You'd help? What, with Chinese flash cards or something?

[pruning]

[Oh, he already doesn't want to help...]

And what would that do for you? At least get the language correct, at this point.

[dtective]

[He was trying to make some dumb joke about Chinese methods for learning Italian, but he realizes his mistake now...]

Yeah, yeah. Alright, I could use some help, so hit me with it.

[pruning]

[Maybe he really has flashcards, or just makes some out of regular paper really quick?? This is probably a safe assumption because D is weird and Leon is too dumb to learn a language without colorful pictures. They're not colorful pictures.

In any case, it goes moderately terribly, and eventually D just tosses his shitty torn paper flash cards onto the table between them and stands up. This is.... hopeless...]

Have you learned a single word yet?

[dtective]

Uhh, let's see... There's rosa, viola, bianco...?

[Random colors, in no particular order, and entirely because they are or sound like the names of some women. Probably not even women he knew personally. He gives up after that, grunting in his frustration and running a hand through his hair.]

I don't know about this, D. I've never been any good with languages. [He'll ADMIT IT, okay...]

[pruning]

[Those are just colors... D sighs, mostly pityingly, and moves around behind Leon again. Can he get away with this...??]

Perhaps. Even so... [This, as he settles his hands on his shoulders again with a lighter squeeze. Don't say a word and let him do this.] You are tired, are you not? You've had a very trying time, these past few days.

[dtective]

[Leon is so frustrated with himself... Why is it so hard when apparently everyone else can learn these things no problem? That's the way he's thinking when D counters and he feels the lighter squeezes to his shoulders. This time he doesn't jump out of his seat. Actually, he doesn't even comment... He's just incredibly tense.]

Well, yeah, but that doesn't excuse any of the other times I've tried to learn a language. It hasn't been that trying, anyway... [He mumbles at the end of that latter sentence, and his shoulders ease up the tiniest bit.]

It's going to be like this every time I try.

[pruning]

[D hums, letting Leon settle somewhat before he moves his fingers again, working into a particularly tense spot. He's still listening to Leon's woes about... being dumb, more or less, but most of his focus is on what he's doing with his hands. For whatever reason, he's being allowed to do this...]

The older you become, the more difficult it is to learn a new language. Isn't that how it goes? [He wouldn't know, considering.]

When have you tried to learn a new language before?