by crystal tiara
Disclaimer: I don't own "Petshop of Horrors"; Matsuri Akino does.
"My dear detective, it truly was thoughtful of you to have invited me out on a night like this," D said in an unusually cheerful tone as Leon drove, now on their way back from the restaurant. "And on your birthday, too!"
Leon scowled. It wasn't even his idea of celebrating his birthday with the Count. As a matter of fact, dinner with the count- and in some fancy restaurant, too- was the last thing on his mind. Fancy restaurants (he preferred fast food) and the Count were two things he hated. Yes, he hated that damn Count D. Every time he saw the Count, there was just something about him that made his blood boil. Maybe it was that self-satisfied smirk on his face, or maybe it was his elusive, mysterious nature (weird was more like it). Either way, D was a freakin' weirdo- at least that was how he felt about him.
"We really should thank Miss Jill for this," D added, with that usual smirk on his face. If D only knew how much Leon wanted to wipe that smug expression of his off his face! He hated it when D teased him like that.
"D, just shut up, will you?" Leon said irritably.
And speaking of Jill... she was the one who had gotten him into this mess in the first place! It wasn't like he was going to invite the Count anyway. D was the last person he wanted to spend his birthday with. But no, Jill had to set him up on a dinner "date" with the Count. It was, as she put it, her birthday present to Leon.
"Well, I think you need something different," she said. "You know, for a change. Besides, it's not like you've had a date in a long time. And it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that you and Count D look good together... and that you like D..." She winked suggestively at this. "So you'd better go and take him out to dinner, and not someone else! You know what they say- seize the opportunity when it's right in front of you!"
Something different, huh? If Jill wanted to give him something creative for a present, she should've gotten him something else! Like... the latest issue of Playboy. Well, that wasn't so creative, either. So perhaps something else... anything but a date! Trust Jill to make a reservation for two at some classy, expensive Italian restaurant, and tell Leon it was her "present" for him.
Leon could have invited someone else. It was, after all, his birthday, and that meant he could do anything he wished to. He could've taken Chris out to dinner, despite the fact that the little boy would look out of place in a fancy restaurant. Or maybe one of his buddies. Or Jill. Or some hot girl he just met, even. Unfortunately for him, no one was up for it, and he had no other choice but to invite D. He didn't know why he even thought of inviting the man; it just came to him, like a compelling urge.
And as much as he couldn't stand that damn weirdo, he just found himself showing up at the petshop with some sweets for the Count and inviting him to dinner. D was hesitant at first, saying that he didn't like going out that often, and complaining about how American food was laden with cholesterol. It took Leon a while to convince D to go, and he even had to assure D that they would not be eating at a fast food restaurant. Leon snorted. What kind of man would fuss over food? As far as he knew, only women made such a big deal about food and their weight.
Thinking about it, though, the night wasn't so bad as it seemed. On the way to the restaurant, they had a few arguments and petty bickering ("I don't know why you humans make such a big fuss over your birthdays," D said, to which Leon shot back, "If you'd stop acting like such a fuckin' prude you'd actually enjoy yourself."), but that was not an uncommon scenario. And the place they had gone to was quite comfortable and well-lit. It had an ambient and romantic atmosphere- no wonder Jill had chosen that place, dammit! The pasta wasn't bad either, although D opted for a salad (Leon hated salad. He referred to it as "rabbit food") and his favorite dessert, tiramisu. Well, at least both of them were quite satisfied with dinner, as much as the golden-haired detective refused to admit it.
"You know, detective," D's sultry voice interrupted his train of thought, "tonight was wonderful. And the tiramisu was simply... heavenly."
Leon said nothing. He looked out the window, pretending not to hear the Count. When he was back to concentrating on his driving, he was surprised to see Count D leaning closer to him, a mischievous grin forming on his face. "Still,"he was leaning even closer now"I wonder why you chose to take me out to dinner, out of all the many other people out there."
A hot flush spread across the detective's cheeks, turning them into a rosy shade of red. "Don't you start getting any ideas about us," he said, slightly huffing. "I simply invited you because no one else was up for the offer."
"Oh? Really now?" D feigned a look of surprise. "I suppose I must be very special to you, hm?"
"Bullshit" Leon was cut off when D pressed his lips against his. It happened just like that, all of a sudden, and he was too shocked to even move away. Oddly, he didn't even bother resisting the kiss. He just went along with it, and surprisingly, D's lips felt incredibly soft and natural (there was no taste of lipstick- and yet how red his lips were!), with the faintest taste of something sweet and sugary. The kiss felt warm... and good, despite the fact that he was being kissed by a man. It was his first time to be kissed by a member of the same sex, and yet here he was, liking it!
"You really should watch your language, Mr. Detective," D tutted, as he pulled away from the kiss, leaving a very bewildered Leon.
What was that all about? Leon thought. Why am I getting so worked up over that weird asshole, anyway? For a while, Leon thought that he was probably losing his sanity, or that D had cast some sort of spell on him.
Still... there was no denying that D did look good. He had the face and the figure of a delicate Chinese doll, and as they were eating earlier, he recalled how D ate with such refinement, that he looked so elegant and well-bred. He would've passed for a real member of royalty. And whenever he would drink tea, he would do so with such grace, like in those tea ceremonies he was always talking about. But aside from his elegance and grace, there was always something else about it- some hints of playfulness and mysteriousness, all rolled into one. D was a walking enigma, but fuck it- there was no denying he did have some attractive qualities to him.
D smiled. "Mr. Detective, if you had only told me about your birthday a little earlier, I would have given you a present."
Leon shrugged it off. "Never mind. I already have my present now."
"Oh? Really?" D arched an eyebrow.
"Yeah..." he muttered, not knowing if he was making any sense, as there was something on his mind right now. He hadn't fully recovered from the shock of that kiss. "Highly... how do you put itah, exquisite. Can't wait to unwrap it."
"You don't say! Well, what's the present, then?"
"You."
Author's Notes: How was it? I hope it's any good; the thought of writing this fic just popped up in my head all of a sudden and I decided to write it. Please review! Please... it'd be very, very much appreciated.