Under a moonless night's sky a lone man walked. His stride purposeful, knowing exactly where he was going, having taken the same path so many times before. His steps halted in front of a small, but well known, pet shop. He rapped loudly, impatiently, on the locked door.

The proprietor, a man known only as Count D, opened the door. His eyes wide awake, and still in his day clothes.

"Leon, do you have any idea of how late it is?" D spat out.

"Yeah, sorry 'bout this. But I really didn't want to head back to my place right now."

D was shocked into a moment of silence at the rare apology. Quickly adopting a confused look, he ushered the other in. Leon complied and sat himself on the sofa, elbows resting heavily on knees. D moved around making a pot of chamomile tea and finding some almond biscotti.

Setting the tray of refreshments on the coffee table, D sat close to the other man. Handing the blond a cup of the tea, he took one for himself.

Leon stared, contemplatively at the drink that was put in his hand, looking for all reasons as though it contained the answers to the universe. He moved suddenly, chugging down the tea and sat the empty cup back on the table. His arms came up to cradle his face as D sits patiently waiting for Leon to speak.

To the Count's surprise, the first noise out of the cop isn't words, but a small sob. Alarmed the dark haired man lays a hand his friends back, silently asking what's wrong. Leon, not expecting the touch, stiffens and raises his face to meet the others gaze. Seeing the confusion there he straightens and looks at his hands.

"Today, I was after some car jacker He had left the car and I followed on foot. There were a few of us on him. W-we tried to get him to stop without using force, but...He gave no choice, we had to use guns. We planned to only aim for his legs so he would stop, but he was fast and was able to evade them...A bullet strayed, it, it hit a bystander."

Leon stopped there, as another sob racked through his body.

"It, it was only a kid. iGod/i I can still see her face. We don't know who's shot actually hit. It could have been mine. I- I could have fucking ikilled/i someone's kid."

D's arms wrapped soothingly around the officer's shoulders. Leon leaned into the feeling, into the comfort.

"We're supposed to be ihelping/i the public, not killing the innocents. What a car to a child's life? I can't take this job, I only get to see death and suffering while on it."

D began to hum, the tune low, gentle, calming. Slowly the fists that Leon had unknowingly made released themselves. Still breathing heavily from his outburst and the cry that wanted to rip itself free from his chest, Leon was able to be coaxed into laying down, his head in D's lap.

The Asian man ran his fingers soothingly through the other's hair and continued his humming. A few shivers of mental anguish went through Leon's body before he finally fell into a deep, dreamless sleep. D never paused in his ministrations.

/Oh, Leon, you can't beat yourself up for things out of your control./

Very gently D removed Leon's head from his lap, placing a pillow underneath it instead. Standing he took a blanket and draped it around Leon's body. He left the room only to come back in a few moments with a small pot of incense. Lighting the substance he placed it by the tray of forgotten tea.

D looked down at the man sleeping. All of the normal creases he saw on the others face was gone. He really could be much more handsome, if he would only relax a little. Leaning down, D place a soft kiss on Leon's forehead. Running his fingers through the blond locks one last time he murmured, "Sleep deeply, forget you troubles. Dream well, but remember to leave."

His hand brushed lightly against a slightly stubbled cheek. He retreated to the back rooms and ,one could only assume, his own bedroom.

A new day was greeted by a loud groan as happy rays of sunlight hit one man directly in the eye.

"Stupid sun."

"Good morning Officer! How are you today?"

Leon had forgotten where he was and took a moment to collect his thoughts of what happened the night before. It came in blurry flashes that quickly disappeared. Shaking his head Leon looked to D.

"...Good."

"Wonderful. Though you really should shower."

Leon took a discrete sniff of himself, he really did need to get washed up. D informed him that he could use his shower and promptly gave him directions to where it was located. Giving him a grateful look, Leon set off.

Twenty minutes later Leon returned, smelling clean and with a new outfit.

"How did you know my size?"

"Good guess."

"Riiight."

D had just taken care of a customer that came looking for a sheep for his daughter and hung the break sign on the front door. He made another pot of tea and brought out a large chocolate torte with strawberries.

The two sat in a companionable silence for several minutes. When Leon finished his second piece of cake he sat back, fingers laced and cupping his head.

"You know I think this place is starting to effect me. I had a really weird dream last night."

"Oh?"

"Yeah there were a bunch of really weird looking people. I'd never seen any of them before, but they were all familiar. And when they spoke all I could hear was growls and grunts, but I still understood what they were saying. Then you came in."

Leon stopped and blushed.

"And then what happened?"

"You walked up to me and...and ya kissed me...o-on the forehead and told me that you'd be here for me."

Leon seemed to be engrossed in the pattern of the rug and didn't want to remove his eyes, least he missed a curve of swoop of a golden thread.

"Dream me, seems nice."

Leon jerked his head up, "That's all you have to say?"

"No, but it seemed appropriate to make you stop staring at the ground."

The American began to look away again, but D would have none of that. Grabbing the strong chin of the man before him D pulled it back to face him again. Staring into each others eyes for a instant, D moved forward till their faces were centimeters apart. A gentle kiss was laid on Leon's lips.

"I was telling the truth, even if it is just dream me."

Stunned at the show of affection D just gave him Leon sat staring and the shop owner for a few seconds before his brain began to work again.

"Wh-what?"

D smiled at the reaction Leon showed. He picked up a small piece of cake and offered it to the other. Leon paused before slowly opening his mouth to the proffered treat. The Count popped the torte into Leon's mouth and sat back as he waited for him to finish chewing.

Once finished with the sweet Leon looked at D, expectantly, blushing just a little. D carefully removing one of the whole strawberries from the top of the cake placed it half way in his mouth and leaned forward. He held his breath, wondering just how far Leon was willing to take this.

After an excruciating pause Leon moved closer and wrapped his lips around the other end of the fruit. Slowly he pushed his mouth closer to the soft lips before him. The strawberry was soon devoured as it got in the way of their tongues.

A/N: There was a plot here...it was just lost under the fluff.