AU, only slightly. Count D doesn't abandon the shop in this. The only thing I own is the story idea
Count D's pet shop was filled with life. Animals everywhere laughed, played and mingled with everyone. While a great deal of animals lingered in the front room, including some of D's personal collection, most of the animals remained in the back room. Everyone in the shop seemed happy, knowing that they all had a great life and some day a human would come to give them a new home. However there was a few animals that remained unhappy.
For the past month three of Count D's pets remained unhappy. One of the pets was a European badger named Pon. To D she looked like a little blond girl in a Victorian inspired dress. The second animal was a three headed dragon named Honlon. Each had it's own name and it's own personality. Her human form is one body, with long black hair but dragon ears. Because she's one body anyone that sees her human form may think she is bipolar. The last animal was Tetsu the totetsu. To most people he looked like a goat, tiger hybrid. However to D he looked like a grumpy young men with goat horns in his head.
All these three animals had one thing in common. All three of them were upset about the leaving of Chris Orcot. Chris is Leon's younger brother and, unlike Leon, Chris was able to see the true forms of the animals, all up until a month ago. He had been able to see and speak to the animals because of the loss of his voice. To his surprise the animals, along with D and Leon could read his thoughts, which allowed him to talk to them. Yet, once he found his voice, he lost that ability and left the shop to live with his aunt, uncle and cousins again.
Pon was upset because she had really liked Chris. She had liked him to a point of forming a crush on him. She had always shown signs of jealousy whenever Chris showed any signs of interest in any other female animal. Honlon, despite having different personalities, pretty much shared the same reasons to why they were so upset. She, like Pon, had developed feelings for Chris and could also show signs of jealousy. However Honlon also so happened to be Chris's master, having been put under a contract to stop their fighting. Tetsu's reason, however, was far from ether the badger or the three headed dragon.
When T-Chan first saw Chris he felt a dislike for him. The boy looked way too much like Leon for him to like him. However, after threatening to cook and eat Chris, he discovered the boy could see his true form after being kicked in the stomach. Sure the Totetsu was pissed about getting kicked but he also felt a slight respect for the boy. Not only could this boy see his true self but he was brave enough to defend himself against a creature like him. Unlike his older brother, Tetsu actually liked having Chris around.
Sometimes, if he was ordered by the Count, he would complain about having to help Chris with chores. Not that he actually cared though as it gave him something to do. The only think the Totetsu didn't like about Chris was that he would cry over anything. He wanted Chris to act more like a man not only because it was embarrassing but because he was his friend; however the kid was only seven, what could you expect? Tetsu was very protective of Chris, once biting a kid near Christmas when he cut Chris with a piece of glass. Another time the Totetsu took a bullet in attempt to save Chris from being kidnapped.
Chris had been the only human T-Chan could tolerate being around without wanting to eat him. He would sometimes make jokes about eating his arms but that is all they were, jokes. Now that the goat boy was lonely. Having been on his own for most of his life, Tetsu was usually alone. He took to hanging mostly around Count D and Pon. Sometimes he'd hang around other meat eaters but most of the time he avoided them. Most of the felines like to tease him over the fact he was part goat, which would cause a fight to start and someone getting hurt.
However there was another difference between him and the two females. Pon was typically a happy girl and had plenty of friends to hang around with. She was able to hide her true feels well. As for Honlon, she was inclosed in her own room so no one really knew what she felt, well at least T-Chan didn't. Apparently Pon went to visit her every now and then. Count D had tried to cheer Tetsu up many times in the past month yet nothing seemed to work. The boy was stubborn and more grumpy then ever.
"Yo, you home, D?"
From his spot under the couch, Tetsu turned his attention to the voice of Leon Orcot. Ever since the human had stopped him from eating Count D the Totetsu hated him. Because of him he had to give up his human form and was now living at the pet shop. Now that he actually minded now, he loved it at the pet shop and was fed a lot of food. Being a totetsu T-Chan's wish was to eat Leon. However it was obvious that D liked Leon, despite being told to eat him; obviously he was never serious. So, instead Tetsu took to biting the human cop.
"Why, hello my dear detective. It's always a pleasure to see you. Like always you have comes just in times for tea." D greeted the human a small smile on his lips. With his hands in his pockets Leon grunted and sat down on the couch, right above Tetsu.
"As I said before you are the freak that is always drinking tea." Leon grumbled, leaning back in the couch. He, like the three animals, was not happy about Chris going back to his aunt and uncles.
Despite having a hard time raising Chris in his small apartment Leon loved his brother. Chris was all he had left of his mother, besides his aunt. Thankfully, though he had complained about it, D had allowed Chris to live with him half of the time. Although he didn't admit it out loud, Leon was pissed at Count D. Chris had loved his time at the shop and Leon had thought that Count D had grown to like Chris. After all D sure showed concerned when Chris hurt himself doing a erring for him. However the cop hadn't seen one sign of disappointment on the Chinese man. Perhaps he was just good at hiding his feelings or he got over it already. Well Leon wasn't good at hiding his feelings and D noticed in seconds, as did Tetsu.
'I can't blame the idiot for missing the runt. I miss him to.' He thought, resting his chin on his arms. Normally he would have jumped out to bite Leon by now but he wasn't in the mood for that now.
"Leon, don't tell me you are still upset about your brother going back to live with his aunt and uncle. After all it has been a month and Chris wished to return to them." D said, holding the tea lid as he poured the tea into Leon's cup. Leon picked up the cup as Count D sat down with his own cup of tea.
"Why shouldn't I be upset? Chris is my little brother. If I had been older and had better living arrangements I'd probably be the one raising him." Leon grumbled as he took a sip of the tea, luckily this time there was no sugar in it. D's smile softened a bit as he used a spoon to add sugar before string it in.
"You care for your brother dearly, my dear detective. I must admit I am not surprised about your disappointment though. Honlon, Pon and even Tetsu had been sulky for the past month." D admitted, sipping his tea. From under the couch T-Chan glared at the Count for telling Leon that as the cop's feet shifted.
"Speaking of the little goat, where is he? He normally bites me by now." Leon said as he began to search under the many couch pillows. A noticeable smirk forced it's way onto D's face as Tetsu formed a noticeable glare on his face, not that anyone but D was actually looking at him.
'I haven't bitten the idiot lately." T-Chan thought to himself before sighing softly. Perhaps the Totetsu was going soft or something as he couldn't recall why he hadn't attacked the idiot lately.
"Why T-Chan has been under the couch the inter time." D said, amusement in his voice. Admittedly it also came as a surprise when the totetsu hadn't attacked the cop but the Count felt that it would lead to prove something most interesting in the near future.
Tetsu watched as the cop's feet shifted, parting further from each other. In seconds the human's face came into view as he leaned forwards to look under the couch. Instead of leaning forwards to bite his face, T-Chan simply glared and continued to lay on his stomach. Looking at Leon's face made the Totetsu think of older Chris, which was kind of ironic in a sense. When he and the others first saw Chris they thought he was a younger Leon. That was the main reason T-Chan wanted to eat him. But now... perhaps the resemblance between the two was too strong, although the personalities couldn't be more different.
"So there you are, you little monster. What's wrong, Tetsu, don't feel good?" Leon asked in a mocking tone. T-Chan easily detected this and growled warningly.
"If you know what is good for you you'll shut up." He said threateningly, although to Leon it probably just sounded like angry baaing. Leon simply laughed and, guessing the Totetsu wouldn't bite him, reached out his hand to touch him.
T-Chan didn't like the idea of being touched. Not just by Leon but by anyone, even Count D. So, to avoid being touched, Tetsu pushed himself backwards, away from the hand. However the human probably thought he was going to bite, and yanked his hand away. A smirk found it's way onto Tetsu's face and he began to crawl forwards to get out from under the couch.
"Jumpy are we?" He asked, standing and dusting off his pants. Of course Leon, despite learning how to speak to Pon and Q-Chan, hadn't yet learned to understand the baaing of the goat creature.
"You know I don't understand why you always try to eat me but you never even once bit Chris. I'm glad you didn't but I don't understand it." Leon said as he crossed his arms against his chest. T-Chan copied the cops movement though it went unnoticed by him and he rolled his yellow eyes.
Tetsu had many reasons to why he frequently attacked Leon but never attacked Chris. The main reason being that, liking Leon, T-Chan didn't hate Chris. Chris was also a rare case. It wasn't easy for a Totetsu to befriend a human because they'd always want to eat that human. While he made his jokes Chris was nothing more then a good friend to T-Chan. Leon, however, was just an idiot that he wished to eat but didn't because the Count liked him. Yet now, looking over to the cop, T-Chan felt his boy slump. He really did look like a older Chris, it was no wonder why D thought Chris was his son.
"My dear detective, while it might be rare a Totetsu to form a bond with a human it is not unheard of. T-Chan just so happened to choose your brother to befriend. Perhaps he will form another bond in the near future." D spoke out. Both human and goat turned their heads in the direction of the Count, who was eating a lemon tart at the time.
'If he is suggestion I will befriend this idiot cop, Count D has finally gone crazy.' Tetsu thought as he turned his attention back to the cop. Once Leon looked back, the two locked eyes and the Totetsu was able to see the pain and hurt behind the small glare.
"D, if you are suggestion that he will bond with me then you are in... Hey!" He snapped as T-Chan walked over to sit beside him. Of course in the cop's eyes it looked like the animal was jumping on the couch.
"What's wrong, scared?" T-Chan asked teasingly, smirking at Leon as he leaned back into the couch. The detective looked at the creature uneasily as D watched in interest.
"T-Chan?" the Chinese man asked, watching the Totetsu in curiosity. Tetsu rolled his eyes and ignored Count D, he was in no mood to explain himself right now.
"Well it seems I am all out of tarts. Excuse me as I go get more." D stood up to excuse himself. Walking out of the room, the Chinese man case a look behind at the two before he left them alone in the room.
Leon stared at the Totetsu uneasily for the next few minutes. When the creature didn't do anything but lay there the detective began to calm down. This really was something odd, something Leon never would have expected. For reasons he didn't know the Totetsu had hatted him from the first time D showed it to him. However, if the cop actually thought about it, the creature hadn't attacked him shortly after Chris had left.
'Perhaps this little monster really did bond with Chris.' Leon thought as he sighed deeply, slouching in the couch. T-Chan turned his full attention towards the cop and, for reason he didn't quiet understand, placed his hand on his lap.
"Hmm?" Leon asked and looked to see that the Totetsu had his paw on his leg. It didn't look like a sign of attack and, if Leon looked closer, the animal actually looked rather sad.
"You really miss my little bro, don't ya, you little monster?" Leon asked, smiling softly. T-Chan heard the playful tone when he was called a monster and didn't bother to growl.
'Why did I have to bond with the brat? So he could see my true self, so what? So he is the idiot cop's brother, so what? The brat's whining was freaking annoying. Well the brat was brave, I'll give him that. Even though he couldn't tell I am an animal he clearly knew I wasn't human; unless he just thought I was some weird cannibal. Stupid brat.' Tetsu thought as he found himself leaning against Leon's shoulder. Of course in Leon's eyes the small goat thing was laying in his lap rather than against him.
"Should I take that as a yes?" Leon asked as he slowly put his hand on Tetsu's back. Either the cop wasn't think or he didn't care but he began to stroke his hand down the Totetsu's back.
Normally Tetsu would only allow D to touch him in such a way. However for the past month not even the Count was able to cheer him up. He had also denied any offers or advances to being comforted. Perhaps it was to save his pride and perhaps D just didn't share the same feelings. Sure the Chinese man had liked Chris but it had been easier for him to get over. D had always had certain feelings towards humans, he never did like them. As far as Tetsu knew Leon was the first and around one of the very few humans D really liked. It was why the Totetsu didn't kill the cop.
Anyways being comforted by a person with similar feelings felt good. While Leon's feels were more directed to love for the runt, the feelings of missing Chris was the same. This human man, whom T-Chan had wished to eat in the past, understood how he felt. He could hear some of the animals around the room snickering at him but he didn't care. The Totetsu would regain his pride later, maybe kill a few of the pets if given permission.
From behind the curtain D was secretly watching both human and Totetsu. A smile found it's way on his face as he noticed T-Chan allowed himself to be pet. Of course to both him and T-Chan it just looked and felt like having his back rubbed. Count D was glad that the Totetsu, his Totetsu, seemed happy again. However it was a bit surprising that T-Chan was allowing Leon to be the one to comfort him. Perhaps Chris had a good influence on the Totetsu, well in a sense.
'Oh my, it looks like a new bond is starting to form.' D thought, a mysterious smile on his lips. Giving the human and creature one more look he returned to the room to give the two more privacy.