Disclaimer: I never had the chance to own Petshop of Horrors ;;
Warning: Death-fic, and some random cursing.
Pairings: Leon+D; D+Leon
Title: Rest in Pieces
Summary: Chris thinks about all that should have been at his brother, Leon's, funeral.
Authors Note: A little depressing in a happyish sorta way.
It was a warm day. Nice, bright and sunny. The kind you'd expect little children to run about and laugh and play and have just a great time. It was one of those nice spring days where life was suppose to blossom and bloom. Lifted your heart a little bit.
It made me want to jump up and laugh and spin like a child again. But oh, my childhood was far done with. It sorta sadden me. To think that if I was only ten again... I knew exactly where I'd be. I knew exactly where I should have belonged.
I'd be outside with Pon-chan and Tet-chan. We'd be running all over Chinatown...
But not anymore. I had to grow up. I am now a grand total of 37 years old now. I looked up at the sky. My eyes drifting close capturing the bright light shinning on my face.
I could hear some people sniffle. I knew I should be sad, I mean after all, my only real family member really is dead now. Placed in a casket and about to be dropped into the ground. It was suppose to be sad. But I couldn't help but smile somewhat...
My wife squeezed my hand. It was tight. And I looked over at her. She smiled meekly at me, thinking I was smiling out of sadness. See, I've been known to do that. I never cry anymore. See, when I was young I'd cry way to much. I guess I cried myself too much that I just stopped. But really, at this present moment... I didn't feel an ounce of sadness... I mean... seriously.
My older brother was dead. It should be sad. My daughter, Dianna, was crying for her Uncle Leon. And my wife too. And Jill, she was here too. And she was looking at me with strong determined eyes, saying 'I am not gonna fall apart. Not now'. But...
But I didn't feel sorry. No... I couldn't. Because... well... he was out of his misery. My brother never had the chance to marry, see? He lost everything he had in will and wits. Sure, he still stuck to his job. But he never actually did anything productive. He wasn't' the same guy that I had known when I was ten. That glorious year. The best year of my life.
Sure, most of it was lies. But I never cared. I could only think of how much fun I had. Pon-chan and T-chan and the Count and all. Hell I could even remember my brother and the way he and the Count would fight...
I had never seen him look that happy. Even after the Count disappeared. He never was the same man.
My wife shuttered slightly and squeezed my hand again. I looked over at her, and her eyes were watering. I smiled at her again and looked back at the sky.
See, everyone thought that my brother lost it. Hell, even my Mom and Dad put me threw therapy to try to erase what I had gone threw saying it was 'a traumatic dream land with a psycho leading an orchestra of chaos that might effect me later on in life.' Heh, nope. Not a chance in hell it messed me up. In fact, I think it was the best learning I ever did.
See, I learned about the proper way to treat things I don't understand. I learned that I am not the most important animal in the kingdom. And I learned that, shit, I'd be damned before I ever really could understand a damn thing.
My brother wanted to understand what it was those few years that were important. He once told me of the Christmas he spent with the Count. And the insanity of that night. And that he had a type of 'daughter' that was a big lizard. Or that was how he told it.
That was when he was still in the loony bin. See, my mom and dad and his chief and Jill thought that he should be locked up cause he was all screwed up in the head about the loss. See, everyone knew he had fallen in love with the Count, and the Count left him nothing of closure. And it drove him nuts. Insane for a long while. But he got better. Though, I don't think he ever got over it. See, I'm the only one who understood. See, I looked at the Count as... I dunno... another brother? A type of Mother? I can't really describe. But he was someone important.
He was... like... I dunno... someone who taught me the meaning behind every word. See, I didn't understand then what I understood now. And, well... I didn't understand that the Count wanted to spare me. To change me. To make me understand what he was instead of seeing him as something else.
See, my brother, when he was on his death bed told me the story of the Ship in the Sky. He said, 'All I want to do is to earn the chance to be able to fly with him. See, All I want is for him to realize that I don't want to scorn him. See, he was the most important thing to me.. and I wanted to stay on that ship with him and all the animals and to see the world were there were no boundaries. See, he said that humans hadn't earned their right yet, and that he wanted to get that right. I want to see the Count again and sock a good one to him, cause he deserves it. That bastard.'
I remember that. I remember. And I wanted to know what you had to do to earn that right.
Cause in all honestly, I hoped to whatever God there might be out there that my brother earned it. He damn well better have. Otherwise his soul will be doomed to walk unguarded for something that ain't never gonna happen.
"Chris... come on. Its time to go." my wife said to me looking at me with soft eyes. I looked at her, stirred from my thoughts.
I smiled"I need a little bit more time, you know. To say goodbye for good. I'm not to keen on talking to a tombstone that well that says Leon's name yet. So I just want a few more moments." I say to her, hoping not to have my voice crack. she studies me the nods. She is a wonderful woman. We kiss as she grabs Dianna's hand and they walk off. My daughter watching me as they walk onwards up the small hill.
Jill goes over to me and shakes my hand, wishing me the best of wishes. The poor girl... she dabs at her eyes and leaves as well. And then... I'm alone looking at the casket raised above the ground. All except for a priest who is looking at me with a pained expression. And I look at him and smile then thank him and ask if he wouldn't care if I had some time to speak my mind.
See, I wanted to tell my brother that I am not gonna be sad. See, I knew this would be better for him to be dead than to still be haunted by the thoughts of the elusive Count.
I stand and shake my pants a little bit before clearing my throat. I say to the casket"Hey, Leon, I hope ya earned your right, ya know. I never got to say that I hoped to god that you earned it. See, it hurt me a lot to see you in so much pain all the time. 'Cause sometimes, near the end I could see it in your eyes. I hope that you'll see him. And if you do, make sure to take it easy on him and give him a hug for me. And all that. 'Kay? You better."
I smiled again, feeling those damned tears filling my eyes. But I wasn't going to cry. Nope.
And I look up at the sun again, and smile. Its such a nice day. I can remember one day such as this going to the park. See its like those memories, they always were the best. But we were at the park, and I saw the Count sleeping. And it was still one of the most beautiful things I had ever seen. See, he was like an angel or something. He wasn't normal. Not natural. And my brother's breath caught over my head. I could hear it. He was stunned as I was. But he covered. I knew it, cause he couldn't admit what he had then. Nope. Not even with all the jokes that Jill threw at him.
But, it was like this day that we went out. And I could almost see the Count in his flowing robes. I could see him there.
And I blinked, of course. I found myself looking the small grove of trees. And my eyes narrowed slightly and a longing swept over me to go towards the trees. To go and examine the damn things watching over my brother's grave. And of course, I take several steps towards the grove and then I stop.
Because I see him. My eyes widen in shock, of course. Because, well god damn it! He shows up after all these years! The god damn bastard! My breath hitches in my chest, and I am forced to swallow it. Because there he is! The one that tormented my brother for so many years...
I could make out his face from the distance. It was glowing, like always. He glowed like nothing else. It was beautiful. He was still surreal. And I could see his eyes, shinning brightly. Shinning and shimmering. And I could see his cheeks flushed with tracks trailing down them. Wet tracks as his eyes locked on the grave stone. And I felt compelled to yell out at him. To tell him to come over... but I stay quiet. Because... because there's something telling me to just hush and let him grieve.
See, I knew all along when I was ten that the Count never wanted to leave. Those last few days I spent with him he had held my hand for over an hour, us just sitting there and talking while we both petted Tet-chan... and he had this long lost look in his eyes...
See, the Count also loved my brother. And when my brother told me that the Count wasn't a real thing that he was something else, it just made sense. Well, not then at least, but when I got older and was thinking about it. It made sense. Otherwise he would have done something more. Would have done something to keep himself there with my brother.
And I watched the Count cry shinny tears as he stood there. I was posed. Ready to go to him if he needed me too... but I didn't feel I was needed to go. No. Because it wasn't something I could help with.
And then those eyes fell onto me. And I saw that smile he reserved for thins precious.
And then there was these small hands pulling at my jacket, and I turned to look down at the bright yes of my daughter who looked at me with this emotion. And I smiled down at her, then looked back up.
But I knew that he'd be gone. See, he never could show up again in our lives. And I knew that was going to be my last goodbye from the Count.
He had came to say goodbye to my brother.
And maybe, hopefully, and I fucking pray, to take my brother on that Ship in the Sky with him. And put my brother's soul to rest.
Leon
Orcot
1974-2025
Brother, Friend
Protector of the Peace
Please Rest your Restless Soul
Owari...