part two: Subsequent Consequences
Unnh, my head, Leon thinks, Where am I anyway? Who did I go home with?
As his head clears he remembers getting thrown out of his co-worker�s car the night before. (flashback to Leon landing face first in a mud puddle) Unfortunately, that�s all he remembers. He then takes in his surroundings, especially the oriental decor. His clothes have been dried and left hanging up.
Son of a bitch, I�m at the pet shop aren�t I? The count�s never going to let me live this down if it is. He slowly makes his way out of the bed. Oh man, this has got to be the pet shop- the smell of incense is too strong for it to be anywhere else. Not even Buddhist temples are this bad.
He gets dressed and heads downstairs. D is on the phone with someone, but he beams with happiness as soon as he sees Leon.
�Ah, Leon, Jill would like to speak to you. She says it is very important.�
�Thanks.� He takes the phone from D. Boy, is he cheerful this morning. Did I hear him right, or did he just call me by name? Weird. �Hey Jill, what�s up?� *pause* �What do you mean she was drunk? She was supposed to be the designated driver!!� *another pause* �No, I don�t know anything, I barely remember getting tossed out of a car much less anything else!� D, who is standing behind him, visibly deflates. Leon doesn�t see it. �All right, I�ll come in and make a statement.�*pause* �Yes, I�ll come in as soon as I can. Bye.� He slams down the phone.
�I don�t believe this! Hey, D!�
�Hmm?�
�Look, the woman who was supposed to take me home last night wasn�t much more sober than I was, and she apparently got her car twisted into a pretzel. I gotta go down to the station and give the chief a statement.�
�Fine. Go then.�
Huh? Why is he so depressed all of a sudden? Talk about mood swings. �Um, yeah. And thanks for taking me in last night...�
�You are always welcome here, Detective.�
�Well, I�ll see you later then. Bye!� And now he�s back to calling me that! I�m definitely coming back later to figure this one out.
After he leaves D sits down on the couch and covers his face with his hands.
A while later, Leon leaves the chief�s office. So much for not working on New Year�s day. �Hey Jill! You got a minute?�
�For you, Leon, always. What do you need?�
�Look, I need to get something for D. You got any suggestions?�
�But of course...�
Later that afternoon Leon returns to the pet shop, a small box of expensive chocolates in hand. As he walks in he sees D sitting on the couch motionless holding a cup in both hands. The afternoon tea is laid out on the table in front of him, but he seems lost in thought. He doesn�t notice as his friend approaches.
�Hey, it�s not like you to let your tea get cold.�
Startled, D looks up.
�I didn�t expect to see you again so soon, Detective.�
�Well, when one minute you�re in an exceptionally good mood and calling me by my first name and the next you look like you lost one of your pets, it makes me wonder.�
He casually drops the box of chocolates on the table in front of D. The Count�s eyes widen slightly as he recognizes the label, but makes none of his normal exuberant responses. Leon takes a seat on the couch next to him.
�There is nothing for you to worry about Detective. Your manners improve miraculously under the influence of alcohol. .� D gives a small half-smile, but nothing like his normal mischievous one.
Leon takes a seat next to him. �Uh-huh. But that doesn�t explain why you�re so unhappy that I can�t remember anything.� At D�s surprised look he adds, �I got to thinking, and I figured that�s the only thing I said while I was on the phone that it could have been.�
�There is nothing important for you to remember, I assure you.�
�I didn�t pledge my undying love or anything like that?�
�Of course not. Why would you ask?�
�Because I distinctly remember kissing you at least once.�
D turns his head away. �I told you that you would regret it in the morning.�
He starts to stand up. Leon grabs him by the arm and pulls him back down.
�I don�t exactly regret it. I�ll admit, I�m kinda confused, but I�m not disgusted, if that�s what you�re thinking.�
D doesn�t respond. Worried, Leon puts an arm around his shoulders. The count turns and buries his face in his friend�s shoulder. Leon�s mind races. The closeness of the other man feels incredibly good, and he fights the urge to kiss him again. What is this? he thinks, I thought I liked women. And if I�m bi, how come D is the only guy I�ve ever been attracted to? Not that it matters; I�m supposed to be investigating the guy, for crying out loud! I can�t get involved with a suspect, male or female!
He cups a hand under D�s jaw.
D looks up. �Leon?�
�Look, D, I...� Leon pauses, looks into his friend�s eyes for a moment, but loses his resolution. Instead of making a speech about not wanting a conflict of interest, he pulls the count into a tighter embrace, then kisses him, hard.
�Mmmm!� D is ecstatic. This is so much more than he had hoped for. They exchange heated kisses for a couple of minutes.
Leon suddenly pushes himself off of D, and stumbles away from the couch. He is gasping for breath.
�Is something wrong?� D asks.
�Look D, I-I�m really sorry, I..� He stammers.
�Why?�
�It�s just...it�s just that...I�m sorry...I just...I�ve gotta go.� He turns and bolts from the pet shop.
D smiles. �Hmmm.� The most zealous ones are always the most passionate as well. He turns to Q-chan �And here I thought I was back to square one with him,� he says. Q-chan snorts. �Don�t be so skeptical.� D replies, �Walls may be easy to maintain, but once they fall down, they are not so easy to rebuild, after all.�