Petshop of Horrors
Songfic
"Your Love Amazes Me"
By: ShadowDancer

Disclaimers: I don’t own ‘em (wish I did), and I ain’t making money off of ‘em (wish I were). Petshop of Horrors is copyright Urban Vision, Matsuri-sama, and whoever made it in Japan. The song is copyright whoever, sung by John Berry. I don’t own them, either. Go ahead and sue me. You’ll get my family. ( ^_^ ) Enjoy!

Full moons were amazing things. On those nights, when Leon wasn’t working, they’d climb up to the roof of the little Chinatown shop and watch the moon and stars as best they could through the ever-present city fog. It gave the young detective a chance to relax from the day’s work, to relax in the warm embrace of his lover. It also gave him time to reflect back on how this had all started.

"Hello? Is anyone here?" Silence met his call. "Guess nobody’s home." Leon was just about to leave when there was a soft noise, then a beautiful young Asian woman slid out from behind a screen. "Whoa." Leon was taken aback, looking up from her slippered feet to her Chinese gown, from there to her face. One purple eye and one burnt orange one. That startled the detective as well. Usually color differences weren’t that... pronounced. A slight smile graced her lips as Leon’s hormones kicked into high gear. Her? No, that wasn’t quite right...

"I bid you welcome. We have everything you may desire from dogs and cats to fish and insects. We even carry a large selection of reptiles. Now, how may I be of service?"

This was definitely not a girl. Leon blinked as he got control of himself. Still, the man was quite attractive... And as the case wore on, he found himself to be exceedingly attracted to the mysterious young China man. That shook him to the bone. He’d never felt that way toward a man before...

"Heard it’s your birthday." Leon shuffled his feet and held out the box of sweets, waiting for the inevitable spaz attack.

"Oh! Oh, my!" The Count started fanning himself, swaying slightly on his feet. Leon moved to his side and helped him sit. "Sweet white chocolate and strawberry swirl cheesecake! Detective, you are so kind!" Count D was up again, throwing his arms around Leon’s neck in a sudden movement that sent them both tumbling to the floor, wedged between the couch and the low table.

Leon froze with the Count holding onto his neck as the American held both the table and couch to keep from crashing to the floor and getting more hurt. They were so close... He shifted and sat up, which spilled the softly chuckling Count into his lap.

The Chinese man curled his feet under him happily, reaching for the box of chocolate and opening it. His eyes widened as he took out the first layer of chocolate, revealing a diamond and pearl necklace Leon hadn’t known was in there.

"Detective..."

"Look, I gotta go." Leon stood quickly as he flushed, then turned and walked quickly out, leaving an awe-struck Count still sitting on the floor behind him. Jill had found out the Count’s birthday and given him both boxes with a wink. She’d told him that she’d slipped a little something extra in the chocolate box that she thought the Count would like, but Leon had never imagined that it would be a necklace, and certainly not one that expensive. ‘Great,’ he thought, ‘Jill’s playing matchmaker. But how did she know?’

D met him at the door with a welcoming smile, a smile that Leon fantasized was for him and him alone. "You look sad, Detective. Why not have some tea?"

"Yeah, thanks." The young American walked in and looked around, then sat. "Why are you always drinking tea? Don’t you know that milk helps keep your bones and teeth healthy?"

There was a soft chuckle as the Count bent from the waist to set the tray of tea in front of Leon. "Why do you always come at tea time?"

Leon didn’t have an answer because D had turned and bent over again, the fabric of his gown pulling tight across his rear. Leon was spellbound, then bit his inner cheek. Hard. ‘Damn it, snap out of it, Leon! What the hell’s the matter with you? He’s a man, Leon. A man. A very sexy man... Again Leon shook his head. Damn it! No one but the Count did this to him. Leon found it both frustrating and exciting.

"Detective?" He snapped back to reality and flushed when he realized he’d been staring, but D simply smiled and pushed a cup of tea toward his embarrassed guest. "Please, your tea is getting cold."

"Shit. Shit shit shit shit shit." Leon dropped to the couch and held his head in his hands. "Shi-it!"

"What ever is the matter, Detective?" A pale, slender hand rested on his shoulder as the Count settled next to the upset man, a look of concern on his face. "What happened?"

Leon shook his head. "Double homicide-suicide. Man killed his wife and son, then blew his own brains out." He trembled slightly as he stared at the tabletop.

Long, pink-tipped fingers rested under Leon’s chin, gently moving his head to the side. D looked into his eyes before nodding, trailing his hand from Leon’s ear to his jaw and to his other ear. "Tell me. You would not be so distraught if this were a normal case."

The detective looked to the side. "Well..."

"Come up to the roof with me. The sunset is spectacular." With much coaxing, Count D was able to lead Leon to the roof and entice the details out of him as they watched the sunset.

"Not much to tell. Apparently the guy was raping his son, and Wifey walked in on him." He trembled again, disgust making him want to vomit. "So, he blasted her, then his son. Then himself. I got to clean up the crime scene." Leon shuddered again and wrapped his arms around himself, not able to get the image of the bodies, especially the tiny child, out of his mind.

Surprisingly strong arms wrapped around his waist from behind, and the Count rested his cheek against Leon’s broad back. "I’m sorry, Detective."

D slowly turned the conversation to lighter subjects, hands finding and expertly kneading out all the knots in Leon’s back and shoulders. Even after all the tension was gone and Leon was nearly a puddle of goo under his hands, the Chinese man continued to run his hands over his friend’s back as they talked, heads turned toward the glorious sunset.

The next day it rained, but afterward cleared up and left a beautiful rainbow sprawled across the sky. The two men took a walk in the park at the Count’s request, simply enjoying each other’s company.

"The full moon is tonight," D murmured softly in Leon’s ear.

"Wh-what does that have to do with anything?" was the whispered response as Leon panted softly. He’d meant to be in control this evening, but somehow things had gotten out of hand and now here he was, laying on his bed, pinned beneath the gentle weight of Count D.

The other man chuckled softly before dipping his head to lightly kiss Leon’s chest, one hand deftly rubbing over the erect nipples. "It is said that the full moon makes people’s minds unbalanced, makes them more willing to do things they wouldn’t normally do."

"Oh..." Leon shifted and tilted his head back to let D place feather-light kisses on his throat. "I suppose there’s a legend in Asia about this, too." He entangled his hands in ebony locks when D moved downward, tongue flicking out to torment Leon’s chest once again.

"Of course. But I don’t think you want to hear it right now." He moved up again and stretched out beside Leon, one hand running gently over the other man’s body.

"No, I don’t."

"Aa."

"Who was that?"

Leon jumped a bit and turned to face his... boyfriend? They weren’t lovers, but ‘boyfriend’ seemed so... juvenile. Leon wasn’t sure what Count D was to him, exactly. Far more than friends, but not quite lovers. "That? Oh, just Sally. A friend."

They walked back to the pet shop as they talked. "I see. A good friend?"

Leon chuckled as the doors closed behind them. "Jealous?" At D’s slightly huffed look he shook his head. "You’re a far better friend than Sally is, don’t worry."

"I wasn’t worried. Tea?" The Count moved off before Leon could say yea or nay, leaving the detective to sit down by himself. He came back moments later and set the tray on the table a little more forcefully than needed.

Leon shook his head. "Come off it, D. There’s nothing going on." He sighed and hesitantly put his arm around the Count’s shoulders when the Chinese man took his seat next to the American. "Trust me, you’re far more fascinating than anyone else in this world."

Count D relaxed and leaned against Leon, a soft smile on his lips. "I know." He looked up at Leon, eyes neither blinking nor leaving the American’s face.

Finally Leon got it. "Fine, fine. You’re mine. I’m yours. Happy?"

D nodded. "Always."

"Stop that." Leon batted D’s hands away, hunching over his desk a little more as he tried to ignore his amorous lover.

D was undeterred, draping himself over Leon’s back and reading over the man’s shoulder as his delicate hands dodged Leon’s again to wander down the American’s firm stomach. "No. You work too hard, Leon. You must take a break once in a while to keep your energy."

Leon groaned and covered his eyes. "Keep my energy? Why, so you can sap it all away? Stop it!" He wiggled in his seat, a little uncomfortable in a most enticing way.

D laughed softly. "You’ve been working all night, Leon. Since before I came over. Why not spend some time with me, hmm? Get out of this mess you call a home for a bit." Leon made the mistake of looking at his lover and D started to pout, pushing his lower lip out a bit.

The tall man sighed as his resistance crumbled. "Fine, I’m done for now. What do you want?"

D stood. "Some of those apple fritters you have in your refrigerator." He looked at Leon slyly out of the corner of his eye. "And you in those wonderful black silk boxers, feeding them to me."

"Why me..." Leon stood and D took his arm, leading him into the kitchen.

"Then I will help you with your case. Mr. Jimmy Honsin is a customer of mine."

"Really?"

"Yes. And after that, I expect to be paid in full for my service."

"It’s a deal."

"Who is this?"

"What? Put it down; it’s no one."

"She’s a very beautiful no one."

"She’s dead, all right? She’s my mother, and she’s dead. Can we leave it at that, please?"

D gently put the photo back and knelt next to Leon where his lover sat on the bed, only a sheet covering his waist and legs. "Leon, I am sorry. I meant no offense."

The other man crossed his arms over his chest and looked to the side. "Yeah, whatever," he said gruffly. "I know you didn’t. She... I miss her. She’s never coming back, but..."

D was silent, then lay his head on Leon’s thigh. "I know how you feel," he said softly.

"What do you mean?"

* * *

Leon was walking into Chinatown when the storm that had been threatening all day started, dumping water all over the city. Leon was caught in the middle of it and cursed, soaked to the bone in less than a minute. He wandered a bit further before deciding he really didn’t need pneumonia, and took refuge in the overhang of a small shop, wrapping his arms around himself. Damn, it was cold.

"Well, there goes our date," he muttered, wondering how much more soaked he’d get if he kept walking. He weighed the consequences of going to see D and facing the inevitable scolding for getting himself soaked, and the subtly disappointed air D would have about him if Leon didn’t to show up. "Damned if I do, damned if I don’t." Leon sighed and stepped out into the rain. "At least he’ll let me take a shower there. I hope..." He started jogging, and hadn’t gotten far when he spotted a black limousine sitting by the curb. He slowed; he’d seen it before. His suspicions were confirmed as the door opened and Count D stepped out, opening an umbrella and walking toward Leon, holding it over the soaking wet detective. They shared a soft smile.

"D..."

"No."

"Please?"

"No."

"You’re acting like a spoiled child."

D turned away from Leon and crossed his arms over his chest.

"Come on, it’s not that bad."

"I don’t like it."

Leon sighed. "D, please? Just this once?" D was pouting, the taller man could tell. Leon sighed and wrapped his arms around D’s waist. "Come on," he whispered, "it’s not like I’m going to fall in love with her."

"Why are you going to dinner with her, then?"

Leon tilted his head down and rested his forehead in the crook of his lover’s neck. "Because my father wants me to. He says I don’t date enough."

That was the wrong thing to say. D’s whole body went rigid and his voice was icy cold as he responded stiffly, "Oh? And you aren’t dating me? I’m not good enough?"

Leon winced as the Chinese man pulled away and stalked to a corner, taking out some food and opening a cage. "No, that’s not what I meant. D..."

"What did you mean, Detective?"

Shit. He’s calling me Detective. Bad sign, very bad sign! Leon rubbed his face as he tried frantically to think of some way to appease his lover. "What I meant was, well, yes, I’m seeing you, but my father... I don’t think he would like me dating a..."

"A man?" D finally turned back to Leon, eyes blazing with pain and fury. "You’re taking Sally to dinner with you and your father because he wouldn’t understand that you’re dating a man; is that what you’re trying so hard not to say aloud?" The Chinese man’s eyes narrowed. "I wonder what he would think of his eldest son if he knew you were sleeping with that man as well."

"D..."

"Perhaps I can help you solve your dilemma. You don’t have to sleep with that man again!" Was that a shimmer of a tear in D’s eyes as he turned around again? "As a matter of fact, I insist!"

"Damn it, that’s not it!" Leon took a few long strides over to D and turned him around, pressing his lips against the Chinese man’s own. D was unresponsive, lips in a tight line. Leon pulled back and held him close, running his fingers through D’s hair. "Please," he whispered, "don’t be mad at me. I... I care about you, D, really I do. But my father would flip if he found out. I’m not ashamed of you, please don’t think I am. I just..." I... I think I love him. How could he say it? How could he explain his feelings, when he didn’t understand them all himself? Leon had to think about this for a moment. I want him to be happy, he thought, but I don’t want to lose my Dad. Dad’s a good guy at heart, but I know he could never accept that any son of his could be in that sort of relationship. Hell, Leon would never have believed it himself, before he met the Count. The past few visits Leon had paid to his father had been very strained. He’d wanted so badly to be able to open up to his father, to let him know that he’d found someone and wasn’t alone anymore, that he was happy for once in his life, but he hadn’t dared. Leon knew too well what his father’s reaction would be.

~~~

Leon lounged on his bed, reading over his friend’s shoulder as Garrett lay on the floor, reading a girly magazine he’d stolen from his sister. They were laughing at the letters sent in, describing readers’ first kisses, and boasting about which one was the better kisser. The eleven-year-olds had been arguing about it for a while when Leon told Garrett to prove that he was the better kisser, and Garrett tilted his head up, close to Leon’s. They looked at each other for a moment, a little awkward, then Garrett pressed his lips against Leon’s.

~~~

Leon realized that he was going to have to choose. Unless Dad’s magically become more understanding over the years... He could either dutifully remain his father’s son, dating women he didn’t like and getting dumped time and time again, completing the endless cycle of abuse, heartache and sexism as he’d learned it from his old man... or he could have D, and be happy, finally. Leon found that it wasn’t such a hard decision to make, after all. He held D close and gently nuzzled his cheek.

"Dinner’s at six. I’ll pick you up at five-thirty?"

"Leon..." D turned toward him, eyes suddenly apologetic, yet still hurt. "I can present myself as a female... if you wish it."

Leon shook his head and tilted D’s face up, kissing the purple lips gently. "Just be you. That’s all I need."

"You two are cute when you’re trying not to give each other mushy looks." Jill sat on the edge of Leon’s kitchen table and smiled at them both.

Leon glared at her. "Shut up, Jill! I’m not doing anything of the sort!"

"No," D murmured, "you’re just exploring my thigh."

"Gyah!" Leon jerked his hand out of D’s lap and flushed. "Traitor," he muttered.

Jill and D both laughed, then D leaned over and kissed Leon’s very red cheek, taking his lover’s hand and putting it back on his upper thigh. "I never said you could stop, Leon."

Jill doubled over laughing as Leon spluttered.

"Jill! It’s not funny!" He didn’t take his hand back, however, just moved it up and down D’s leg.

"So when are you two getting married?"

"Jill!!!"

Leon swallowed nervously and entered the shop, aiming a kick to the left. He narrowly missed Sakura in her fox form, and she growled at him. He glared at her.

"Back off, bitch. Next time I won’t miss." The red fox slunk off with a parting growl, disappearing in between the cages in the shop. Leon looked around, wiping his forehead. He put his hands in his pockets, but took them out again. Not yet. If he touched it, he’d lose his nerve.

"Leon? Are you all right?" D slid out from behind the screen, a concerned look on his face. "What’s wrong?"

Leon’s heart jumped, skipping a few beats. When he was able to talk he found he’d forgotten all his well-rehearsed lines. "Uhm, hi. Yeah, I, uhh..."

D walked forward and slid his arms around Leon’s waist, smiling up at him. Leon pushed him away gently, and the smile faded into a hurt frown. "Leon? Tell me, please."

"I’m trying to tell you. Hush up for a bit, would you?" Leon winced as D’s face cleared of all emotion. He hadn’t meant to be so harsh. ‘It’s now or never.’ Leon reached into his pocket and pulled out the box, dropping to one knee and opening it, revealing the diamond ring that had taken nearly six months’ worth of paychecks to buy.

"Will you marry me?"

A thousand words could never describe how Leon felt for D; all the money in the world couldn’t let D know how much Leon cared for him. The only way Leon could think of was to ask his Chinese lover’s hand in marriage, and pray that he said yes. D was the only person in Leon’s life that he’d cared so deeply about, and was the only person he couldn’t live without. He bit his lip, looking up at the shocked expression on D’s face as he waited, his heart pounding, to be either accepted or... rejected.

"I love you," he whispered.

~*~ Tsutsugu ~*~