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]

So when you get me some new shoes, I'll put them all over the couch.

[He seems proud of himself for that, leaning back into the couch... and a little into D's shoulder.]

[pruning]

No, you won't.

[He says this so matter-of-factly, it's probably not a surprise.]

It's still my couch.

[dtective]

What? That's not fair! If they're completely clean, what's the difference?

[He wanted to do it...] You're already letting me use it as a bed.

[pruning]

You have an attitude about it. [D, what.... Anyway, it's completely different. Letting him sleep there is charity, letting him put his feet on it is decadence. Only D is allowed decadence, here. To prove this, he extends his legs a little, which naturally just happens to lead to him leaning more against Leon in turn.]

I will find you an ottoman.

[dtective]

[To be fair, the reason he wants to put his feet all over the couch is some sort of weird macho man alpha male mentality, so like... it is a weird attitude. D leaning into him is okay, though.]

That's not the same.

[pruning]

[I bet Leon spreads his knees really wide on public transit...]

It's exactly the same. You're even supposed to put your feet on it.

[dtective]

[He definitely does. Don't you get it, D? That's how they're different! You're not supposed to put your shoes on the couch, so he wants to.]

You don't have any room for an ottoman in here! If you're going to go that far, just get me a bed.

[pruning]

[Leon... stop being five years old...]

What kind of ottoman are you imagining? [They're not that big?? Watch him not address the buying a bed issue, that's too much commitment, goodness.]

[dtective]

[They'd move the table?? He likes the table. What if he just uses the table, instead.]

It doesn't matter what kind, they're not the same! Don't go redecorating if you're only going to worry about the couch.

[pruning]

[Don't use the table either!!]

You're so passionate about putting your feet on the furniture... If you remove your shoes, I will allow it.

[But not on the table. And not if those feet stank.]

[dtective]

[He smiles just a tiny bit at that. That's still not the same, but he'll take it. Just not right this second. They're busy leaning against each other. He doesn't want to ruin this careful balance.]

I'll remember that later.

[pruning]

[Oh, good, it would be annoying if he suddenly pulled away to take off his stupid shoes. D rolls his eyes for good measure, but he's satisfied. Enough to sigh, mostly put upon, and casually rest his head on Leon's shoulder...

do not speak of this.....]

That said, do refrain from leaving your shoes wherever you want.

[dtective]

I'm not as much of a slob as you make me out to be.

[A complete lie, honestly, but he believes it. This is filler conversation, though, for how they're moving closer like this. Their hands are still held in a complete grip, they're leaning into one another and now D is resting his head against him.

Leon only glances out of the side of his vision for now.]

[pruning]

[If he weren't trying to make this as natural-seeming as possible, he would sit up to stare at Leon in disbelief. Really?? Really.]

I've been to your apartment. Beer cans everywhere, food left out... you had left a pair of pants on the floor.

[dtective]

I was probably going to wear them again.

[He has a very detailed system. The floor either means he can wear it again, he just washed it, or it needs to be washed.

... Moving on.]

This isn't my house, anyway. I don't think I could get that comfortable at someone else's place... But putting my shoes on the couch would be one step closer.

[pruning]

[That's every possible state of pants. Gross.]

You will have to find some other way to make yourself comfortable, for I am not letting you put shoes on the furniture. Comfort isn't measured by how much of a mess you can make!

[dtective]

Tch. How's a prissy guy like you measure comfort, then?

[Rude... Yes he's a bit rude, but he's still not focused on this conversation.]

[pruning]

[So much rudeness...]

It... [Hmm. This is a nonsense conversation, but he actually Thought about it, ugh.] It isn't measurable by things like, 'How much mess can I make?' or 'How many things do I have?' It simply is.

[God that's so greeting card, but whatever. It's this bullshit argument about shoes not spoiling the hand holding or the rest, okay. And so on.]

[dtective]

[Oh. That's deep and poetic, and actually Leon thinks he understands it. The words set in for a moment, and then he moves his free hand without thinking, brushing fingers lightly through D's hair to see his face a bit better.]

And are you? Comfortable.

[pruning]

[Oh— D blinks, gaze flicking up towards Leon's face without lifting his head. That's a light touch but he's focused on it, now. His stomach twists in a distinctly uncomfortable way, but...]

Yes. ...I was not, before. [Before what?? Up for interpretation.]

[dtective]

[It's strange that his heart skips at every little thing. That look, those words— Leon doesn't pull that hand away even when it stills.]

Before? [The last bit of D's hair slips away from his fingers and now his hand just rests against his own arm, waiting. He doesn't know what he's waiting for, with that question...]

[pruning]

[He's being called out... He supposes he invited this, but it still takes him a moment of quiet thought first before he answers.]

Alone. [There, that's subtly gay... He'll live with it.]

[dtective]

[It's what he wanted to hear, but it's still pretty sad, too. He finds that he doesn't want to think of D when he was alone and running. It doesn't matter now, after all. Not when he's caught up to him. His held hand curls a little more, and the other brushes a few more strands of hair along the side of D's face before he puts it back in his lap.

His expression is soft and thoughtful, but his chest tightens as he thinks about how he'd like to be closer still. Damn it... He was won over completely.]

...Yeah. It's the same with me.

[pruning]

["Crap, I'm totally falling for his charms" - Leon, 1995 and also right now in year X

If Leon keeps touching him like that, he might honestly collapse. Each touch makes his heart jump at the same time those words make him feel like the floor has dropped out beneath him entirely. Every time Leon says something like that, edging closer but not quite, D knows what it is to be happy and still want and want at once.

It's tiring. He looks at the drink he's still holding because it's easier. He sighs, lightly.]

You put me on the spot. [rude....] I told you as much hours ago.

[dtective]

[Maybe it's a little cruel to put him on the spot, like he's saying, but it's killing him here, too. These touches still aren't enough, but if he does any more, he's worried D will pull away.]

Maybe I just like hearing it again. [Look, he's being so daring.]