A/N: Here's the revamped version of this story. I beta'd this a few times and changed a few little things. I think it's an easier read now. Because I like the flow and the implied plot that's in this first chapter, I didn't rewrite it, but edited it a bit. If the next few chapters differ in writing style, that is why. I wrote this...oh, almost a year ago or more now...I think.

"...Refined sugar, by some, is called a drug, because in the refining process everything of food value has been removed except the carbohydrates-pure calories, without vitamins, minerals, proteins, fats, enzymes or any of the other elements that make up food."

Sugar is a Drug

Chapter I

It was just supposed to be a normal day, but, then again, when all the cases he investigated led him to Chinatown, his days were anything but normal. The cop sighed in anger as he read through the file that had been waiting for him on his desk. Another homicide. The murder weapon wasn't found, but it seemed as if the victim had been slashed several times by a knife.

"You know," Jill said, "why don't you stop fighting yourself and go ask him." Everyone on the floor know who 'he' was. She paused briefly before adding, "you're tense."

Now why did she have to add that as an afterthought? Leon thought darkly to himself as he forced himself to relax...which wasn't very relaxed. And why the fuck did she have to say it out loud? Angry, Leon grabbed some chocolates out of his desk and stalked angrily out of the office. The other workers just ignored his mood; they were used to it.

And a question comes to mind as Leon stalks down the streets of LA to Chinatown. Why does a male police officer have a drawer full of expensive and exotic chocolates? The answer is simple: Jill emptied out his drawer of files (which now reside in a small filer on the corner of Leon's desk) and filled it with chocolate because she, and the rest of the workers on their floor, got tired of hearing Leon piss and moan, to borrow some of his own words.

His dark mood distracted him and before Leon knew it he found himself at the doors to Count D's petshop. Wary, Leon carefully entered the shop, a little bell announcing his presence. Sure enough, a growl and a blur launched itself at his person. Thinking quickly, something that suddenly struck Leon as it doesn't happen often, Leon sidestepped and the Totetsu, which Leon knows as "the goat thing" almost collided with a wall.

T-chan was about to make a second pass when a smooth voice said into the dim shop, "T-chan, the detective wins this one. Why don't you go tell Chris is brother is here?" The Totetsu just growled, D sending it an amused glance, as it slunk into the back of the shop with Leon's sastified glare, comeplete with matching smirk, following him.

Leon plopped himself down on one of the Count's many sitting couches while the Count busied himself with making tea. He thought he heard D say something about being low on cakes. Which reminded him...

"Hey D." The Count looked up. Leon fished through the many pockets on the inside of his jean jacket, trying to remember where he stashed the chocolates. Finding them just behind his arm, Leon fished out a decent sized package of Lindt assorted chocolate balls. Leon presented them to the Count with a "Here, these are for you."

Suddenly tired, the homicide detective leaned his head back, so he didn't catch the Count's delighted expression.

"Oh Detective!" Count D exclaimed as he clapped his hands and took the chocolate like a kid at Christmas. "This is very expensive Swiss chocolate! I'm surprised you knew about them! Most people don't know about these!" D glided into the kitchen and returned a moment later with the truffle spheres in a dish. "This will compliment the tea I made wonderfully! The scents even blend together nicely..."

The Count looked over at Leon as he made no comment about his actions and rambling like he usually did. The count saw that his detective was fast asleep. Odd, the Count thought. The Count wanted to look into Leon's dreams, just out of curiosity to see if there was anything interesting he could use at his shop, but just then Chris and Pon-chan came bouncing into the room. The noise Chris and the tanuki made effectively waking the slumbering detective.

"Chris!" Leon exclaimed happily as the boy clambered up onto the couch.

Brother! Chris exclaimed happily. I was in the back swimming with Phillip when T-chan came to tell me that you were here!

Leon noticed, after Chris had mentioned swimming, that his hair was wet. "Did you have fun?" Leon smiled as Chris nodded emphatically, effectively showering surprisingly salty water on him. "Good."

Chris blinked. He took a deep breath through his nose, something he often caught T-chan doing. His brain registered a delight that all children love to eat.

Chocolate! Chris exclaimed happily as he grabbed a couple of the truffle balls and fled the room. D smiled and Pon-chan scolded him as she chased after him.

"Don't you eat those all at once!" Leon exclaimed, yawning. "And don't feed any to that raccoon either!" Leon shook his head as he yawned again. "I hope you make sure he brushes his teeth well," Leon said seriously turning his attention on D. "What with you and your fucken sugar addiction."

"Yes, well," D said as his gaze studied the golden haired detective, "at least my drug isn't harmful."

Leon rubbed his eyes. Why was he so fucken tired?? He had gotten 8 hours of sleep the night before, and that was more than he usually got. "D, I need your help with a case." Leon jumped in. He was tired and he didn't want to beat around the bush. "There was a homicide yesterday." Instead of explaining, Leon produced the pictuers and tossed them at D. The man was intelligent enough to figure out the little details anyway. Picking up a white chocolate, Leon popped the ball into his mouth and then proceeded to sip his tea.

Meanwhile, D looked through the pictures. He was particularly caught on the picture of the victim's torso. Eight scratches, four one way, four the other, made an 'X' on his chest. What appeared to be a bite mark had rendered some flesh from the shoulder. D was studying the teath signature on to see if he could identify the animal, for even he couldn't deny that an animal had not done this, when the spluttering and coughing of his guest made him switch his attention. His eyes grew wide as he took in the situation.

Leon had dropped his cup of tea that had, luckily, landed on the tray (he would have hated getting the stain out of the rug if it had fallen on the floor). The detective clutched his throat as he coughed and spluttered. Leon's breathing was sporadic, harsh and heavy; as if he was having trouble breathing. His face was screwed up in pain and concentration.

"Oh my," came unbidden from D's mouth as he leapt into action. Slinging the asphyxiating detective over his shoulders, D hurredly walked to his herb room where he made his teas. Setting Leon in a corner, D hurredly scanned the shelves, cutting boards, knives and pestals. When he found the pestal he usually made tea with, D stuck his finger in it before putting the digit in his mouth.

His eyes narrowed as he tasted an herb that shouldn't have had this effect on the detective; it only should have calmed him down. Looking at the shelves, the Count quickly grabbed the opposite herb, ground it in a clean mortar, and proceeded to shove it down the detective's mouth. Carrying the now unconcious detective back to the main room, the count placed him on a couch before making his way to the phone and pulling out a well loved piece of paper.

Jill was arranging and alphabetizing files and filing them when the phone on her desk rang. Carefully setting down the stack of files, Jill rushed over and answered the phone. A smooth, cultured voice answered back. "Hello, this is Count D."

"Hello Count D," Jill happily replied. "Can I help with something?"

"No, but thank you," came D's voice. "I'm calling because Leon won't be able to come back to work today. I'm afraid he has had an allergic reaction to something in the shop."

"Oh dear," Jill said, a bit worried. "He will be okay, though, right, Count?"

A musical laugh came through the receiver. "Of course he will." Jill could hear the smile in his voice. "He's just sleeping off the antihistamine right now."

Jill assured the Count that she'd smooth everything over before she, reluctantly, made her way to the boss to update him on Leon's health. The employees on the floor below and above him heard his opinion on the matter.

Count D replaced the antique phone on its receiver and puzzled over the Detective's violent reaction. The minute amount of henbane that had been in the tea was intended to relax the drinker. The plant had sleeping and numbing effects. If the drought was too pure or too concentrated, the effects could be fatal. Antidotes were mustard seed or garlic with a sweet white wine. D had quickly mixed all these together before elegantly shoving them down the Detective's throat.

He didn't think that humans were violently allergic to henbane, Chris had had some in tea; even some high end customers, nervous about getting a pet, often drank the same drought. D knew that some animals were allergic to the plant. His mind immediately propagated a list. Pondering over his own detective work as Leon was blissfully unaware of the world, Count D glided into the depths of his shop with a vile of red liquid in his hands.

reposted 26July2007