Heigh-ho dear readers!
Thank you all for the reviews, and for reading. This is, sad as the announcement is, actually the last chapter of 'Terrible Tea'. Please do not kill me – there will be an epilogue, and all of your questions will be answered (at least I hope so. If not, write me, I'll try to answer them).
Anyways, I do hope you'll enjoy the last real chapter. It's a little bit longer, too, because actually I found out writing it that I still had a lot of things to tell you. Have fun and so long, Enaty :-)
Loving
Waking up beside Leon was something D had wanted for many years. And now that he could do it, he nearly wasn't able to believe his luck. He carefully touched Leon's face and bent forward to press a kiss to his lips.
The next thing he knew, strong arms were slung around his waist and he was being drawn to Leon's body. "Morning, D," the blonde said silently. "Had a good night?"
The kami's heart beat so fast he was almost sure it would jump out of his chest. "Yes, thank you," he whispered. Leon loosened one arm and brought his hand to the side of his face, caressing it carefully.
"What was that you were telling me yesterday morning?" he asked and D blushed.
"You – you were awake?!" he stuttered and tried to pull away. Leon nodded.
"Woke sometime, but didn't understand anything. Only got it weren't insults this time."
He was teasing him. Leon was teasing D, and he didn't get angry at once. Love surely was full of surprises.
"I will tell you someday again, Leon," he promised and looked around. "But now we have to get up. We have to move the shop, and I still have to prepare a lot."
"Okay."
Leon didn't loosen his hold on D's body. If anything, he pulled him even closer. D blinked down at him, closed eyes, peaceful face and a smile on his lips. "Leon, we have to stand up," he reminded him.
"I know," was the calm answer. D struggled a little.
"You must let me go if we want to flee my grandfather," he said helplessly, not wanting to try his greater strength against his lover. It wouldn't be fair. And besides, this felt far too good to pry himself loose.
Leon blinked up at him. "Let you go? Nah. Rather not. Who knows if you'll come back?"
D relaxed and laughed softly. "Leon, please. I promise, I won't leave you again. Ever." He sealed his promise with a kiss, which, he suspected, was exactly what the blonde had hoped for. Well, D didn't see any reason to deprive him of it.
Though he had to admit that the desire building in his body was getting rather strong with Leon's mouth on his. And this was not a good time to be doing this.
"Leon!" he mumbled, coming up and gasping for air for a second, before being pulled down for another deep kiss.
"I know," the blonde answered silently. His hand vanished under D's top again and the kami arched into the touch, barely suppressing a moan. He pressed his eyes shut until he saw stars dancing in front of them. "Just a second…"
The sudden knock at the door rescued them before the second could become a minute and the cuddling something much more serious. D jerked up and nearly fell out of the bed in his haste to get to the door. T-chan was standing in front of it, regarding both of them somberly.
"Please don't tell me anything," he said at once, noticing his master's flushed face and the wild look in his eyes. "Just get ready and come get breakfast. As for everything else, I don't want to know."
Leon grinned broadly. "Hope your chamber's next to this room, too," he teased and the totetsu glared at him.
"We will be there in a minute," D cut both short before another fight could start and quickly closed the door again. "Leon, please, can't you stop? You will both have to deal with each other in the future," he pleaded and the blonde looked up from his pile of clothes surprised.
"Whaddya mean? We're fine, Tetsu and me," he said surprised.
D regarded the human for a second, looked at the door and decided he didn't have to understand them. He would be content if they stopped trying to kill each other, and so far, they only bickered. He just hoped it would stay that way.
"Please take durable clothes," he said and opened the door to the bathroom. "We will have to fetch some herbs before we can move the shop, and they are difficult to get."
#
Two hours later they were in one of the shop's many rooms, climbing some mountains that Leon declared were higher than the Himalaya while D tried to make him appreciate the fresh air and the view. On a little plateau the blonde stopped and sat down. "I'm not going any further before I've had a cigarette," he announced. Pon-chan and Ten-chan, who were with them, exchanged weary glances. D froze.
"You are not going to smoke here," he said icily.
Leon's chin set. "You bet I am! I haven't had a cigarette in days, because you were sick. I want one now."
D's mismatched eyes blazed and he shot to Leon, ripping the pack of cigarettes from his hand and throwing it away. "You are not going to smoke in such beautiful places!" he screamed. The blonde was dumbfounded for a second, but not for long. He jumped up, hovering over the smaller kami threateningly. Raccoon and nine-tailed fox exchanged worried looks.
"We should stop them! They are going to quarrel again!" Pon-chan whispered, eyes huge and afraid. Ten-chan shook his head. "No, we shouldn't interfere! They have to work this out on their own," he gave back and firmly held Pon-chan in place.
Leon growled low in his throat. "You will not tell me what I do or not!"
"As long as you are in my shop, I will!" D snapped, furiously blinking back tears of rage. He wouldn't start crying in front of Leon, not because he insisted on his smoking habits.
"Gimme back my cigarettes! I'm telling you once!"
"No! It's a foul habit, it causes cancer and it pollutes the air! I won't!"
D crossed his arms in front of his body stubbornly. Leon lost his temper. "Damn you, I'm twenty-nine years old! I decide what I do or not, not you. Now give them back!"
"You will die one day because you insist on smoking such terrible stuff!" D desperately wished to have something he could throw at Leon's head, but nothing was available. So instead he shoved him.
The next thing he knew, the blonde had lost his balance and fallen over the edge of the little plateau. He stared at the place where Leon had been just moments before. Pon-chan shrieked and pushed Ten-chan away, running to the edge. "Leon!" she called. D was unable to move. It just couldn't be. Leon was not clumsy. He moved with the grace a great lion had, always alert and ready. He couldn't have…
"Dammit, D, you are really getting on my fucking nerves today!"
Leon had been surprised by D's attack. He hadn't seen it coming, and hadn't been prepared, so he himself was even more surprised than the kami when he had suddenly fallen backwards. But fortunately his reflexes were quite good, and he had only fallen two meters before he had managed to grab some grass. The mountain wasn't steep here, he wouldn't have fallen deep anyway.
Now he climbed onto the plateau again and shook his head unbelievingly. Then he saw D's wide eyes. "Don't go at me again, but I think that sickness has left something," he commented dryly. "What on earth did you do that for? Do you want to kill me?!"
D's lips felt cold. "No," he got out and shivered. Leon looked at him apprehensively. Then he put his arm around D's shoulders and led him to a grassy patch where he forced him to sit down.
"D, what on earth is the matter with you? You're acting completely crazy lately, and I don't only mean your sickness. What's the matter with you?"
The kami mumbled something indecipherable. Leon leaned closer. "What?" Now D raised bright eyes at him, gaze so intent that Leon silenced at once.
"I do not want you to die, not now or ever. Not because of lung cancer, nor because some silly human shot you, or because you become old, or because my grandfather finds you here," D said clearly, a hysterical note in his voice. "I want you to live with me, until we are both old and tired."
Leon sat there, staring down into his face, not able to move. Ten-chan tugged Pon-chan away, and they left them alone. The blonde tried to find words, but wasn't able to.
"I thought you couldn't age," he managed at last."
D shook his head, then nodded. "Yes, and no. I cannot age like humans do. But I can grow tired with living. Or I can be killed with much force. Like my father was killed."
Leon flinched, but D was oblivious to his bad conscience. "I might live forever," he said silently. "Perhaps I will. But at the moment, I do not want to live one second longer than you do. And I want to spend as much time with you as I can while I can. You could die and leave me behind any time. I do not want to watch you being sick and dying at a young age."
All the blonde could manage was a little "Oh." His throat was dry and his heart was beating hard. D's mismatched eyes were so bright and desperate. They tore at his heart.
"Well, perhaps I could – smoke once every month," he proposed hesitantly. "Or on my birthday and Christmas. Or Easter."
D's eyes focused on his face, on the present. He chuckled a little, but it was not amused. One hand caressed Leon's face. "Dear Leon," he said softly. "There is so much you do not understand – that you never can understand about me – do not think about it. It is not your concern, but mine. Just stay with me."
Leon caught the hand and kissed the palm. "Why don't you try me?" he asked, not daring to look into the kami's eyes. "I handled a lot of things. Perhaps I can never fully understand you, but I can at least try, can't I? Don't have to know all your secrets, but I bet I can understand more than you think. I mean, I understood the shop… at least a little bit, and the pets, and that stuff…"
There was a long silence. Since Leon had found D again, the kami had never seemed so far away from him. The first few encounters surfaced in his memory. Back then, D had been like this. Mysterious, far away, untouchable. And cold. But now he was only the first three. He wasn't cold anymore, Leon knew that now. Perhaps he had never been, but he had still a lot of time to find that out.
"Try me," he pleaded quietly. "I'm twenty-nine. I'll be alive for a long time still. I can learn."
D put a slim finger under his chin and raised his head. His beautiful eyes searched something in his, earnest and grave. Leon held still and just concentrated on those colours. Violet and gold. Royal colours. They were made for D.
At last the kami let go of his face. "I know you can learn. In contrast to most humans, you are able to adjust and learn quickly," he said quietly. "Very well then. You will give up smoking and I will share my secrets with you."
"Hey, that wasn't part of the deal!" Leon protested, barely suppressing a grin. There he had it. D, always taking each and every chance he got. And now the eyes twinkled mischievously.
"Perhaps your birthday will be a good day to let you have one," D conceded and smiled up at his lover. Instead of an answer, he bent down and kissed D.
They parted some minutes later, breathing fast and unevenly. "We should look for the flower now," D said uncertainly, and a trace of fear crept up in his eyes. Leon watched it.
"You really are afraid of your grandfather, aren't you?" he asked, not letting D go. The kami nodded and hid his face in Leon's shoulder.
"He is so cold sometimes. Since father left him and me – he concentrated only on his revenge and raised me to do so, too. He hates humans so much. And he hates you."
The slender body started to tremble. "I don't want him to kill you," D whispered with a choked voice. "I do not want you to die, Leon!"
Leon looked down on his face, reading something in there that caused him to draw the kami into his arms more tightly. "Don't worry, D," he murmured. "He's not here yet. And when he arrives, we will handle him."
The kami wrapped his arms around the human and held on for dear life. "I don't want to loose you again, Leon," he choked. "I can't. I could not stand to see you killed by grandfather."
Leon stopped the talking by kissing him, hard. D gasped, and for a second, he almost drew back. But the blonde followed, keeping their mouths together, pressing him as close as he could manage at the same time. D felt something in the larger man's trousers and blushed furiously when he realised what it had to be. But even though he was embarrassed, he was not afraid. Not anymore. He wanted this, had wanted it for a very, very long time.
So instead of drawing back, he pressed into Leon's body as well, causing the blonde to gasp silently. He firmly shoved away any thought about his grandfather, which was surprisingly easy. Here, in Leon's arms, nothing seemed to matter much anymore. Only the human, and D gladly let his world shrink, until only he and Leon were in it.
He deepened the kiss, touched Leon's mouth shyly with his tongue and he parted his lips and let him enter. A soft sigh forced its way out of D's throat. Leon heard it and responded by sucking on his tongue gently. D shuddered. Then he moaned and got completely lost in the feelings.
#
Like a dream… it was all like in a dream, one of those he had had since he'd met Leon for the first time, those which would leave him breathless and aching for something he could never have… but now he had it, and it was so much better than any of those dreams had been…
Hands drawing fiery lines over his body, a hungry mouth, demanding everything he had, but he gladly gave it, put himself at Leon's mercy and was only sad he couldn't give more… the moans and little gasps for air, the desperate try to get even closer than they were…
Leon was everywhere, no matter where D turned, but it was not hurting him like it once had been, because now he knew Leon would stay, would be there when he woke in the night, would be there when he needed him, and it still wasn't enough, still wasn't right…
The kami cried out so loud Leon froze, trying to calm his own breath. "D, you're okay?" he asked, voice croaking. He hadn't used it for quite some time now. But his lover didn't look displeased, rather the contrary. He opened his eyes and the blonde again got lost in a mismatched gaze, glazed over with feelings he'd never known D could have.
"Do not stop, Leon. Never ever," he whispered and drew Leon close, placing a soft bite right where shoulder and neck met. Leon hissed. It was getting too much, far too much –
"It doesn't matter," D murmured in his ear, the stream of air causing the blonde to shiver. "It doesn't matter."
And he was right, damn him again, because it didn't matter, because everything that mattered was them, and nothing else, and the fact that they were at last doing what they had longed for for years.
There was no way in heaven, hell or any other place that Leon would ever be able to stop doing that.
And then he stopped thinking and just did what D had asked him to do.
#
The warm body pressed against his was not clothed.
That was the first thing D realised when he woke. Then he got aware that it was dark and cold, and what had woken him was the faint touch of wetness on his skin. For a second he blushed, but then he realised that it had started to drizzle, and that they were in the open with no shelter and not even as much as a blanket.
He jerked up and shook his lover. "Leon, wake up!" he whispered urgently. The blonde stirred, sighed and mumbled something indecipherable. D shook harder. "Leon, we have to get somewhere inside! It's cold and raining, you'll catch your death out here!" he urged and finally Leon opened his eyes tiredly.
"I'm not made of sugar, D. I'll live through some rain. It's you who should be getting somewhere dry," he said dryly.
D considered answering either statement, but decided it was neither the time to tell Leon he was indeed like sugar, though even better, nor the time to start another argument about the kami-don't-get-sick-debate. Instead he grabbed his chemise and trousers and hastily donned them, not caring that they were rumpled. Well, Leon had been rather rough taking them off. Not that D had minded.
"Please hurry up, Leon," he pleaded. "I do not like getting wet." The blonde slipped into jeans and t-shirt, too, but the jacket suddenly was wrapped around D's shoulders. He looked up in surprise, a soft smile gracing his lips. "Thank you, Leon," he said softly.
"Get going," was the only answer and the human led the way down, holding D's hand as he did so. His smile got even brighter. Rude on the outside, but warm and gentle on the inside. Suddenly the kami realised that he was actually glad for that. No one else should see the soft, vulnerable side of his lover. He wanted to keep it to himself, to be the only one who knew him that way.
They hastily climbed down the mountain again, though D debated silently leaving Leon in the dry shop and getting the flower he needed. They had no time for further delay. Grandfather could arrive anytime, and they had lost enough hours, though he certainly not regretted loosing them that way. But still…
The thought trailed off when he saw Leon shudder and hunch his shoulders. "You're cold!" he exclaimed worriedly and wanted to strip off the jacket. But the human's glare stopped him.
"Keep that on, I'm not going to keep watch at your bedside another three days, understood?!"
D wanted to argue, but was cut off by a loud sneeze from Leon. "You are sick, Leon! Why haven't you told me?!" he cried, completely flustered now.
The blonde sniffed and used his sleeve as a handkerchief. "I'm not, stop fussing around."
But D stopped and laid a hand on his forehead, eyes big and worried. "You sure are ill, Leon. You've got fever. Oh my, I should have thought about it – of course you were going to catch my sickness…" he murmured and bit his lip.
The blonde sighed in exasperation. "Yeah, whatever. Let's get somewhere dry and discuss this. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think the rain's getting stronger."
They hurried back down the mountain, but still when they arrived back in the shop, they were wet to the bones. Ten-chan, Pon-chan and T-chan were already waiting for them inside with towels and worried faces. "Where have you been?!" the raccoon cried out at their sight. "Count, really, you're just recovered, what have you been doing out there so long?!"
Tetsu stepped on her food, growling. "I told you, we are not going to find that out!" he hissed and Leon couldn't suppress an amused grin. Then he sneezed again, four times.
"Bless you!" Ten-chan said and laughed. "I recommend a hot bath and a good night's rest. A caring nurse of course should help you feel better, too, but I think the Count will be more than happy to cover that one."
D blushed furiously. "Ten-chan!"
The nine-tailed fox laughed even louder and swished his tails in delight. "Oh, if I'd known it'd only take a trip into the mountains, I'd have made you two go there years ago," he said and evaded the gentle slap his master was trying to give him. "Have a good night, you two! Remember not to overstrain yourselves, recently recovered and sick people should get at least some sleep!"
"I will cook him if you want me to," Tetsu proposed friendly, but the Count just stalked off to his bedroom, dragging Leon along and murmuring some very nasty things in Chinese.
"No, thank you, T-chan, I will find a way to punish him myself," he said icily and the totetsu had problems not to laugh at his master's enraged and embarrassed face. "Now go get me some warm soup, will you be so kind?"
"Sure, gonna be back in a minute. C'mon, little fella," he said good-humouredly and got Pon-chan at the scruff of her neck. "You don't need to help them get dry, Pon."
The bedroom door was slammed shut. Pon-chan turned accusing eyes up at her friend. "You are mean, Tetsu! Why do you have to tease the Count as well?" she accused and pouted.
T-chan shrugged and grinned. "I wasn't teasing him, I was rescuing your innocence," he lectured his friend and took of to the kitchen to avoid getting hit by her.
#
"Is he asleep?"
Ten-chan carefully stepped inside the bedroom and looked at the human in the bed. The Count turned and smiled at him. "Yes, he is," he answered softly, not daring to speak too loud. "I was blind not to see that I had passed my sickness on to him…"
He sighed deeply and the fox patted him sympathetically. "Don't worry, Count, he'll be alright again soon. It's not like he's as sick as you were," he said and crawled onto the bed to look at Leon. "He looks pretty okay to me, not half as bad as you did when you finally gave in."
The kami smiled. "I do hope he will not need as long to recover as I did."
"Yeah, you've got better things to do than nurse him," Ten-chan conceded with sparkling eyes. His master glared.
"I really should silence you," he said icily, but the fox just rolled onto his back and giggled.
"Don't try it, Count. Everyone knows what happens once one's tasted the sweet temptation. With the exception of Pon-chan and the young ones in here, no one will twit you about it," he soothed.
D sighed, and it was both helpless surrender and worry. "Not you, no," he admitted gloomily. His hand sought Leon's and pressed it tightly. Even though asleep, the human held on to it. Ten-chan watched him alert.
"You're still worried about your grandfather?" he asked and jumped from the bed. The kami nodded.
"He will not be happy, Ten-chan. In fact, he is very angry. I can feel it. We have to go soon if we want to evade him. If it's not already too late…"
#
The Japanese coast was within reach now. Though the little batbunny could fly for weeks on end, it heaved a silent sigh of relief. It was not the exhaustion from the journey it was concerned about, it was the time it had needed to come to Japan. Who could tell if it wasn't already too late? Perhaps his grandson had already fled the country to protect his human pet and left no trace of his departure.
Of course it had been Sofu himself who had taught the youngest how to pull the wool over any pursuer's eyes, but that didn't mean it would be easy to track down the couple. He could only hope his grandson had not yet left. And perhaps the situation wasn't as serious as it looked, though that was unlikely.
Well, there was only one way to find out, and he was going to do just that.
#
D felt the presence at once. He got up from the bed, careful not to wake Leon. For some seconds he hesitated, looking down on the sleeping human in obvious pain. At last he brushed away a strand of hair from the blonde's face, bent down and kissed him.
Then he turned and briskly strode into the front room, knowing the waiting would not tolerate any further delay. He smoothed his black hair and sighed softly when he became aware that he was still wearing the western clothes he had changed into after the rain. But now it was too late.
The familiar figure turned when he entered the front room. Golden eyes scrutinized him. D clasped his hands in front of his body and forced a smile on his face. "Grandfather, welcome. To what do I owe the pleasure of your visit?"
Sofu D took his time to answer. At last he sat down, casually flicking away his cloak. "Is it a pleasure, my grandson? I wonder."
"Would you care for some tea, grandfather?" D stayed polite. It wouldn't do to get into a discussion with his grandfather. He'd never been able to win one of those. Sofu always had the better point.
"I'd prefer to have sugar in it," the elder said and stopped the kami's movements. He placed the pot on the stove and turned to face his grandfather.
"I always add sugar to my tea, grandfather. And neither have I forgotten that you like it, too," he stated calmly, already anticipating the next words.
"Oh, your little human pet hasn't made you forswear sugar yet?" Sofu D sounded truly surprised. He inspected his long fingernails interestedly, but D knew that he was watching him even though he didn't even look into his direction. He got back to preparing the tea, talking casually.
"No, grandfather, in fact, Leon is taking quite a delight in providing me with sugar. He never forgets to add it to my tea."
T-chan appeared in the door and strode over to him, sending a glance in Sofu D's direction. "Where's Leon?" he asked silently.
D smiled at him. "He was asleep when grandfather arrived. I would rather that he doesn't know about him," he murmured.
The totetsu nodded and vanished again. D was sure he was setting up watch in front of his bedroom now. And though he knew he could protect Leon as long as he was in the pet shop, he felt better. The fact that even T-chan was on his side in this matter made him sure he was doing the right thing.
He carried the tray over to the table and set it down. Sofu D took his cup and sipped delicately. D watched his movements and wondered if he looked just the same when he sipped his tea. And whether Leon would be as enchanted by his grandfather's delicate movements as he obviously was by D's. He would have to ask his lover one day, though he was pretty sure he already knew the answer. He could almost hear the blonde. Are you freaking crazy, D?! Your grandfather?! That nutcase wouldn't turn me on if he was standing naked in front of me!
He chuckled into his cup. Yes, that would probably Leon's reaction. Still, they were so alike, so similar, his grandfather and he… One day, he would have to ask Leon why he loved him. Why he had chosen to follow him, to search him. But for now, just the fact that he had done so was enough. Everything else could wait.
Sofu D startled him when he started to speak, quite casually. "When did he arrive here?" he asked and sat down the cup. D counted.
"About a week ago. I was sick. I didn't realise he was really here. I thought I was dreaming," he answered.
Golden eyes flashed. "Dreaming. Of a human."
D felt his cheeks burn and he bowed his head to hide them. "I dreamed a lot about the detective, grandfather. Ever since I left him."
Sofu D regarded him with a sad expression on his face. "What has happened to you, my grandson?" he asked silently, question rhetorical. Not even D could deny what had happened. "Why did I not protect you better?"
"You have not failed in protecting me, grandfather. It was my own choice." D wondered if he'd ever had a choice, but it seemed like a good thing to say. But the elder only huffed.
"Your choice? No, it never was your choice. This is madness, grandson. Don't you see that? He will destroy you, piece by piece, corrupt you with his human ways, and in the end, he will leave you to live with the pain. Do you really want that?"
D looked down at his lap. He felt the fury behind his grandfather's calm voice, could even understand it. But how was he supposed to live without Leon, when he knew he was alive, somewhere on this planet?
"I do not care if you approve of him or not, grandfather. I only want to have him here. You taught me to love earth's creatures. He is one of them, no matter what faults he may have," he said quietly.
"Do I really have to watch my grandson make the same mistakes Marquis Alexander made?" Sofu D's voice sounded suddenly old. Old and sad. The younger looked up in surprise and saw golden eyes resting on him, pain obvious in them.
"Grandfather," he started hesitatingly, but as quick as the expression had appeared in Sofu D's eyes, it was gone again. Now there was only cold fury left.
"I do not suppose you will be any more reasonable than he was back when he met Isabelle. Perhaps I should consider myself lucky that you can't simply drink your blood and die when he dies?"
His voice was pure acid. D flinched. "Grandfather, I do not intend to kill myself when Leon dies. But I intend to stay with him. If that means I will die with him one day, I will do so. You know the ways our kind can die. Neither Leon nor I can change them."
Sofu D snorted and waved at him. "Yes, of course. This human. He changed you from the day he stepped into the shop. I should have made him stay away from you from the beginning."
D's cheeks burned. "He has not changed me, grandfather!" he stated hotly. "I am who I am, and I won't forget that just because of him!"
"Oh really? Just look at you. It's sickening. Running around in those – those – unbearable clothes!" Sofu D spat and D cringed.
"I like them," he defended himself weakly. "And it's not as if I'd wear them everyday. I just felt like wearing them today."
His grandfather looked at him unbelievingly. "Why do you even possess such clothes? If they can be called clothes," he added with acid in his voice. "I bet you bought them because your dear Detective wanted you to!"
"Leon would never make me do anything I don't want to do!" D defended his lover. "I wear them because I like them. Sometimes they just feel nice."
"And because he likes them."
That was hard to counter. He'd have to lie if he wanted to tell his grandfather that Leon's comments about his sweet little ass had nothing to do with wearing jeans. But he made those comments anyway, whether D was wearing his cheongsam or jeans. He just knew that his lover liked him in western clothes and he didn't see any reason why he shouldn't let him have that little joy every now and then.
Sofu D shook his head in despair. "I can't believe my grandson fell for a human! And to top it all, this human!" He paced the room and stopped abruptly in front of the younger kami. His eyes pierced D. "If you are not accessible to reason, I will have to command. This will stop immediately. You will tell Leon Orcot to get back to America and stop searching for you. And the moment he leaves the shop, you'll take it somewhere else and forget about him. Do you understand me?!"
D tried to stand tall, but it wasn't easy. His legs felt like pudding and he wished that Leon could be here and back him up. But it seemed that he had to face his grandfather alone. Leon was lying in their bed, blissfully unconscious.
Thinking of the sick human, D took a deep breath and stared his grandfather right in the eye. "I will not," he told him clearly, his voice not even shaking. "He searched for me and he found me. He cared for me when I was ill. I will not send him away, grandfather, no matter what you say or do."
They waged a silent war. At last, Sofu D turned, still fuming. "Don't believe this is the end of it!" he threatened. "I will see to it that this ends!"
With that, he left the pet shop and D collapsed onto a chair, breath ragged and trying to hold back tears. Pon-chan climbed onto his lap and snuggled against him. "Don't worry, Count. What can he do? He cannot touch Leon without hurting you at the same time. He'll get around it in time," she tried to soothe, but D shook his head.
"Grandfather'll find a way, Pon-chan, trust me. He'll find a way to separate us," he said hopelessly and missed the meaningful glance Ten-chan sent T-chan.
#
"Why have you called me, little fox?"
The husky voice woke T-chan from his slumber beside the Count's bedroom door. Even if Q-chan wasn't very likely to try anything while his grandson and Leon were asleep, the pets had decided to keep watch. Without either man knowing about it, because they'd also decided that this was something they could handle among themselves. Or, like T-chan had put it: "They've enough to think and worry about, what with Leon being sick and all. We shouldn't bother the Count with that."
Carefully keeping the impression that he was still asleep, the totetsu cracked open an eye and surveyed his surroundings. Ten-chan was kneeling on the floor, in front of him the hooded figure from the alley. The fox's head was bent. "I am sorry to disturb you, Mistress, but it seems that the eldest Count D is not happy with the situation. He is trying to hurt the human and separate them."
There was a pause. The figure seemed surprised. "I just wanted you to know, Mistress," Ten-chan said apologetically. T-chan waited. He was fully awake now and alert to the last nerve in his body. If she even dared to take one step closer to the door of his master, she would be faced with a very, very angry totetsu. And after he'd killed her, he would find out with whom Ten-chan had dealt.
"It was right of you to inform me, little fox." The husky voice shook him from his silent growling. "I will take care of it, do not worry. If the eldest Count D tries to hurt either of them, I will intervene."
Again Ten-chan bowed. "Thank you, Mistress," he murmured.
"There is no need to thank me. It is a matter of principles," she answered. "But I truly did not expect this to be so difficult."
Ten-chan smiled up at her. "The human and the Count have never been easy to deal with," he said. T-chan felt that the figure was smiling beneath her hood.
"None of the D family has ever been easy to deal with, even for me; and humans are what they are. Do not worry. Neither your master nor the human will be hurt."
With that, she vanished so quickly that the totetsu had to blink twice to realise she wasn't there anymore. Ten-chan turned to him and smiled. "Sorry to have woken you," he said easily.
T-chan rose and growled a little. "You want to explain any of this to me? Who is she? What's she got to do with the Count and Leon? And how should she be able to stop Q-chan?"
The nine-tailed fox chuckled and swished his tails. "So many questions, and unfortunately I can't answer even one of them." He tilted his head to the side and thought. "Well, perhaps one. I can tell you that she's very interested in Leon and the Count staying together. And she'll do a lot to ensure this. Personally I've got no doubt that Q-chan'll find it rather difficult to act against her wishes."
T-chan stared. "I should break your neck for talking in riddles all the time."
His friend laughed out loud. "Think, T-chan, think. I'm not allowed to tell you, but it's not that difficult to guess. Only if you do, keep it to yourself, please. The Count and Leon aren't to know, either."
The totetsu opened his mouth to answer, but closed it again. Coiling up on his pillow, he fell into deep thoughts.
#
D had spent another restless night beside Leon. He had woken shortly after his grandfather had left again, and he had been able to hide his confusion and fear from him, mostly due to the fact that Leon was quite feverish and had soon fallen asleep again. But now he knew what he had to do. He could not stay and wait for grandfather to strike. Even having him at their heels while fleeing was better than staying like a rabbit facing the snake. They still had a chance of loosing him somewhere during their escape however small it might be when faced with someone like Sofu D.
So he ordered T-chan to go fetch some things he still needed to move the shop from a shop round the corner. The owner knew D, far better than the kami appreciated, though of course he had never confirmed any of the man's suspicions. Nevertheless, now that he was going to leave, there was nothing lost if he came to the right conclusions. D and Leon would be far away by then anyway, and he didn't intend to return to Tokyo.
Tetsu grumbled, but left at once. D watched him go relieved and returned to Leon's side. Now they would be able to leave in a matter of hours. Get away from grandfather's wrath and into safety.
#
The man moved far quicker than a human could and Tetsu knew he had not sensed him until now. There could be no doubt as to who his attacker was. But unfortunately a surprised totetsu was no match for a prepared kami like Sofu D.
So when D's grandfather caught him, all he managed was to give him some scratches and one poor bite before his throat was pressed together so tightly he saw dancing colours in front of his eyes. While he gasped for air, Sofu D hurried to the alley on the backside of the shop and hid in a corner. His face was contorted in a mask of fury.
"So, grandson, you want to try me, do you?" he murmured grimly. "Well, we will see who the stronger one of us is."
T-chan struggled desperately and cursed himself for not watching out better. Now he could only hope the Count sensed the trap and was sensible enough to leave.
#
"He should be back since half an hour," D said and glanced at the clock worriedly, though he already knew that his totetsu was late. Pon-chan uncurled on the bed beside Leon and looked at the clock, too.
"Where could he be?" she cried. "He knew we wanted to leave once he came back!"
A horrible thought occurred to D and for a moment, his vision went black. Could it be – would grandfather…?!
"I'll look for him," he said decidedly and stood. Ten-chan, sitting on a pile of cushions, shot up and blocked his way.
"No, Count, don't go! Q-chan might be behind this!" he exclaimed, ignoring the shocked gasp from the raccoon. "If he caught T-chan, he wants to lure you into a trap! I'll go and look for him."
"The Count's grandfather would never hurt T-chan!" Pon-chan cried. "He would not, never, wouldn't he, Count?"
Her eyes were huge and frightened. D bent to her and petted her reassuringly. "Do not worry, Pon-chan," he said calmly. "I will bring T-chan back safely, I promise."
"You won't do anything except stay here at Leon's side!" Ten-chan had lost his casual air and glared at him with thin lips. "I'll go."
The kami straightened and shook his head. "No, Ten-chan, I will go. If you are right and grandfather took him for a trap, he won't show up if you come. Plus, it is me who caused all this. I will not abandon T-chan."
"But what about Leon?" the fox protested.
D looked at the human, still asleep, and his face softened. "If something should happen to me, you will have to protect him. As long as you are in the shop, it will be possible, and if you have to leave the shop, you are better suited to keep him safe than anyone else." A secret smile appeared on his lips. "You are a trickster. As long as you are not confronted directly, you will be able to escape my grandfather."
He left before Ten-chan could utter another word and hurried to the front doors. For a moment he hesitated, but his worry got the better of him. T-chan might be in danger, he could not leave him. Leon was safe inside the shop, and if he had to confront grandfather, it might as well be right now.
He could feel the totetsu's presence once outside, but it was faint and distant. The only thing he was sure of was that he had taken the way through the alley at the backside. Perhaps he had been delayed by something, perhaps the shopkeeper had taken longer to prepare D's order. He should at first check there.
Yes, T-chan had definitely been here, and not too long ago. D cast a glance around, stretched his senses, but he could not feel anything else than totetsu. Well, if there was a trap, he was going to find out. And if grandfather had hidden it, then he could anyway not find it before he was inside.
"Tetsu?" D called and stepped further outside into the small alley, glancing around nervously. Where could the totetsu be?
#
The hand around his throat was tight, and there were little stars dancing in front of T-chan's eyes. But he still fought. He couldn't just give up the fight. He knew what was at stake here, and he didn't want to loose it. He didn't want Leon and D to loose it, and it pissed him off to no extend to be used as bait.
"Keep quiet, little totetsu," a cold voice murmured into his ear.
"Why?" Tetsu managed to get out, though Sofu D had to read it from his lips more than actually hear it. His golden eyes were cold as he smiled down on his captive.
"Why not, Totetsu? Don't tell me you won't be happy when Leon disappears again. You have never liked him either," he said and glanced around the corner to see where D was.
People can change. T-chan held onto that thought to keep the darkness at bay. People can change. I have changed my mind as well. And I won't let you get them, if it's the last thing I do!
He struggled desperately, hoping that Sofu D's attention might have slipped for a moment. But it was no use. The kami just closed his long-nailed fingers more. "Now, you don't want me to break your neck, do you?" he asked sweetly, coldness masked by the false friendliness in his voice. The totetsu couldn't believe it was the same false friendliness his own master had used a long time ago.
"He will not come!" he choked out. The stars exploded behind his eyelids and he thought he was going to faint for sure. But Sofu D wouldn't let him.
"Oh no, my sweet T-chan, not yet. I still need you to call my grandson here," he whispered. "I still need you to distract him, little totetsu. He loves you so much, and is so proud of having you as his pet. You were all he was thinking about for nearly half a year. Aren't you angry Leon took that place in his thoughts? Aren't you envious a mere human took your place in my grandson's heart?"
If Sofu D would just move his other hand within reach. T-chan would gladly bite it off, and he was pretty sure he never would taste anything remotely as good as it.
"Now, my little friend, that's not very kind of you. I am just helping my grandson. What do you think will happen? They are so different, my grandson and this human. All he will do is make him miserable. It is better for him if he forgets him, don't you think so? I'm sure none of you will want to remind him of Leon anymore once he's forgotten him."
Sofu D caressed his head, keeping his hand right out of his reach. T-chan had never felt as frustrated as he felt right now, and he desperately hoped that Ten-chan was correct. That someone with more power than the D family was watching over his master and Leon. Because he for sure had not the slightest clue what he could do to save them. It was as if Q-chan could read his mind and thus keep him from any movement.
"T-chan, where are you?"
He heard D call from the alley and resumed struggling. WTF, as Leon would say now. Perhaps there was a chance he would free himself in time to warn the Count …
"I think my grandson has worried enough about you," Sofu D said casually and gave a nearby bucket a kick. It fell down and made a lot of noise. Tetsu felt like screaming. Only that his throat was pressed together so tightly he could scarcely breathe.
"Tetsu, are you there?"
D's footsteps hurried to the alley. GO AWAY! the totetsu shrieked in his mind. Go away and take Leon with you! Flee as far as you can, Count!
Unfortunately his master didn't hear him. He rounded the corner and stopped dead at the sight in front of him. His face paled even further, and his red lips lost their colour. "Grandfather!" he stammered. "What are you – Tetsu…?"
"I thought you would be more willing to talk to me if I had something to convince you to be reasonable," the eldest D said casually and stroked the totetsu's head with just one, long-nailed finger. "Is this human still in your shop?"
At this D's body stiffened. "Grandfather, I have told you. I do not intend to leave Leon again, neither do I intend to make him leave me," he stated, though his voice quivered. His mismatched eyes were wider than usual. Tetsu could sense his fear. He tried to turn in Sofu D's grip to give his master at least a warning that this was a trap, but he was too strong.
"You are really most stubborn, grandson. What have I done to earn such disobedience?" Sofu D asked tiredly. "I am just doing what is best for you."
D's chin set. "Grandfather, I am old enough to know myself what is good for me. I know what I want, and it is Leon. There is nothing you can do about it."
"You think this human is best for you? And what if this human dies one day? What will you do then, grandson?" the kami inquired.
"He won't die for a long time."
The eldest shook his head and sighed. "Have I raised you so worse that you take on the human custom of not thinking about tomorrow, my grandson? Is he worth giving up all that you are?"
"I have not forgotten who I am, grandfather. But Leon is not my duty. He is my love. It is different with him," D answered, so silently T-chan had to strain to hear him. "I will embrace each day I am able to spend with him."
"And hope for a miracle so that he won't die." Sofu D raised an eyebrow. "You cannot mean to do this. It is madness."
The corners of D's mouth quirked without amusement. "It has been said more than once that our kin is kind of crazy, by various people. I think my own father was good proof that we do have a tendency towards madness."
"So you are determined to do this, yes?"
"I am, grandfather."
The eldest regarded the totetsu in his hand solemnly. "Well, well. Too bad I am too warm-hearted to kill your pet to wake you up. Here, take him back!"
With that, he tossed T-chan at the Count, who took a step back in surprise. The totetsu managed to turn in the air, saw his master's wide eyes and screamed.
"Count, RUN! He wants to get you! It's a trap, it's all a trap!"
Then he met D's body, knocking his master to the ground. Sofu D was quicker than a lightning. He knelt beside his grandson before he could recover from his shock and grabbed his face with both hands, staring into his eyes intently.
"And now, my grandson, I will see that your madness is cured," he said, the cruel smile again on his red lips. The door to the shop burst open. Excited voices could be heard coming closer. T-chan, still dizzy with the lack of air and the sudden impact, made out Leon's and tried to come to his senses again, knowing he had to defend his master.
"Oh, your human is coming to your rescue. How sweet of him. And how foolish." Sofu D's smirk grew really mean. "What could a human possibly do to me? But he can watch what happens to you, grandson. And then I will take care of him."
"Don't touch Leon!" D gasped and feebly tried to fight off his grandfather's hands. But they were vicelike around his face. Golden eyes caught his own, and with terrible fear he realised what his grandfather planned to do. "No! Leave me alone!"
"D! What's happening? Where are you?"
Leon's steps were coming closer. Sofu D looked triumphant. "And now, my grandson, it is your time to forget," he breathed. The gold started to whirl, drawing D into depths so deep he knew he would never be able to come out of again. With all of his strength he fought against the spell, fought against forgetting. But the gold was stronger than he was.
"Forget. Forget!" his grandfather chanted into his ear. D's eyes rolled upwards in an attempt to look away from the gold, but it was there also, waiting for him. There was nowhere to hide from grandfather's wrath. Nowhere.
"D! Get away from him, you asshole!"
Who was that calling? Why did the voice sound so familiar? But the gold lured him, told him not to worry about the voice anymore, or the one the voice belonged to, just to concentrate on it and forget. Forget… drown in that golden sea… so much more beautiful than the blue sea he had once loved to look into…
"NO!" With the greatest effort of his live, D pushed his grandfather away from him, panting hard, tears streaming down his face. "NO!! I won't forget him! Never! Leave!"
The face of his grandfather was torn by rage. He extended his claws again to grab D, but the kami scooted away as good as possible, hauling T-chan with him. "Leave us be!" he yelled. "Else I will – I will kill you, I swear!"
"You will never kill me. I am the one who raised you, who gave you life," Sofu D said coldly and approached him again. D felt someone at his back, a warm body. Leon clutched him from behind, seeking to protect him. The eldest' eyes flickered to him. "Oh, now, this is just ridiculous. Let us end this whole affair in the way it is best for all. I will make you both forget. And if you insist, I will even let your human pet live, grandson. But not with you," he said irritably.
D shook his head and clung to Leon's hand. "Never, grandfather."
Again rage flare in those golden eyes. With just one step, Sofu D was in front of him. "Then I will have to force you," he hissed.
D reacted without thinking. He just extended his arms, pushed as hard as he could, wanting to remove his grandfather from him and Leon.
Next thing he knew, the sky had cracked open. A lightning as blinding as the sun shot down to the earth. It reached the spot to where Sofu D had stumbled, enveloping his body in a flash of pure, hurting light. He screamed.
And then he was gone.
#
"Grandfather?"
It came out as a horrified whisper. D disengaged himself from the human's grasp and crawled towards the black spot where Sofu D had just been.
"Grandfather?"
Then realisation hit. D sank down onto his knees, not sure whether to be glad or to weep. He felt so confused. He held up his hands for inspection. What… how?!
Somewhere in his mind he registered that a lot of the pets had left the shop with Leon to look for him and T-chan and were now stumbling around, too, stunned by the light. He also felt T-chan. The totetsu wasn't hurt. Just angry. And stunned as well.
A sound behind him made him come to his senses at least a little bit. Leon cleared his throat and stared at his lover. "Wow. That was – pretty impressive," he remarked. The pets were still trying to recover from the lightning. The kami crouched on the floor, looking at his hands incredulously.
"D?" the blonde asked and knelt down beside him. "You okay? What's the matter?"
Slowly D looked up at him, eyes confused. "That wasn't me, Leon," he told him blandly. "I am not able to do that."
The human searched Ten-chan's eyes, but the fox shook his head and shrugged. "None of us, either," he said. Leon wrinkled his brow.
"Well, then… I guess you've got some friend up there liking you very much," he suggested. His lover tilted his head to the side.
"None that I knew of," he said hesitatingly. "Grandfather always kept me away from other kami pretty much."
He was still working through what had just happened. But when Leon sneezed beside him, he woke completely at last. "Oh my!" he exclaimed. "Leon! What are you doing out here? You should be in bed!"
Everyone present except the Count rolled their eyes at this. "You're the right one to talk, Count," T-chan voiced what everybody was thinking and his master glared at him.
"Let's get you inside," he said to Leon and slung an arm around his shoulders. "You'll catch your death out here in the rain!"
They disappeared inside the shop, D fussing about Leon and the pets cracking jokes in low voices. Ten-chan was the last to step inside. He paused for a moment, looking up at the sky and smirking. "Bet that was you," he murmured. There was no answer, but he hadn't expected one anyway. "Well, that should ensure their safety, I think. And take good care of Sofu D."
"Ten-chan, you're coming?" Pon-chan called from inside, still giggling at a joke. The nine-tailed fox hurried in and closed the door.
"So, who's in for some games?" he asked and rubbed his hands expectantly. The pets yelled in delight.
He caught T-chan's eye. The totetsu looked thoughtful. Ten-chan winked at him, grinned and formed words with his mouth.
"I told you she'd be on our side."
The totetsu grinned and winked back.