Len: And now, the next chapter!

Rea: For those of you who want to know, yes, Len and I had a good time at the convention, though I missed my DeathNote gathering due to my ride being late and....well, I still feel really bad!

Len: On a different note, we hope you enjoy this chapter.

Chapter Twelve: Delicate

"How does it make me feel, D?" Leon mumbled while typing at his desk the next morning. "Freakin' turned on! Can't even look at the freaking leaf without getting hot! Every time he acts like this..."

"Are you alright, Leon?" Jill asked as she came into the cubicle.

Leon ignored her "Encourage sexual pleasures, sure, but peaceful sleep- yah, right!"

Jill giggled "What did he do?"

Leon looked up at her just to take notice, then looked down. "Our subject was plants." Leon said, typing again. "He gave me this maple leaf- 'the settlers of North America, once placed Maple leaves at the foot of their beds to rid their lovers of demons and encourage sexual pleasure and peaceful sleep. Please place this at the foot of your bed tonight, My Dear Detective, and tell me in the morning just how it makes you feel.'" It was a great imitation.

Jill laughed. "I'll take your afternoon shift."

"Huh? Really?"

"I'm not the one whooing somebody." Jill pointed out.

Leon grinned at her. "Thanks. I'm gonna see just how much I can get away with showing D just how I feel."

"So dirty!" Jill replied.


"Count? Count D? Excuse me? Are you here?"

"Hello, Belle. Are you not satisfied with your purchase?" D came into view and stood beside several funny-looking animals, Totetsu being one. A mysterious smile spread across his purple-painted lips. His robe fell down covering even his ankles and had peacock feathers at the bottom. The top was very plain.

Belle noted his attire. "Why did you have Drogo here?" She brought in the peacock. "What is this about?"

"This is what you wanted, Belle." D replied.

"The contract was rather specific." Belle said bossily. "What are you trying to make me do?"

"Now, now...it wouldn't be a lesson you learned yourself if you just asked for me explain." Belle glared at D. "Belle, how old are you?"

"Twelve." She said immediately.

"Why do you think your father can not see him?" D asked.

"It's some trick you did. Only I can see him, right?"

"There are few who can see Drogo as you do." D confirmed.

"Why doesn't my mom see Colin the way I see Drogo?"

"She has what she needs and what she wants. Her pet was sold to her in order to fulfil her dream of having a dog. Yours was sold to you to fulfil your dream of returning your best friend to life."

"Is that what you sell?" Belle said as if she was all grown up.

D smiled a very real smile now. "Love, Hopes and dreams, yes, of course."

"It was my fault." Belle suddenly said, not sadly, but with a rather large attitude. "You know that, don't you?"

"You feel you don't deserve the pet you own?"

"HE'S NOT A PET!" Belle yelled at D.

He smiled almost cruelly now. "He wasn't, was he, Belle?"

Belle grabbed Drogo's hand and ran from the shop abruptly.

Leon passed her on the street just as he was walking into the shop "Was that the girl who came in the other day?"

"Tell me, Detective. Did you see a boy or a peacock?" D asked.

"A boy. Weird. All the other pets outside the shop I've seen are normal."

"Drogo has been in the shop for some time." D replied. "Some important animals can be seen in their human forms without incense as long as you have been exposed to it and can see the animals inside the shop."

"Drogo's a weird name." Leon said.

"Yes, it means Ghost." D replied.

Leon stared. "The biggest problem I'm having these days is I know WHEN you're trying to tell me something, just not WHAT you're trying to say, D."

D smiled at him. "I wouldn't worry. I'm actually not really talking to you."

He must be talking to the girl about it, then. Leon thought. Which is why she left here crying...

D now placed his arms around Leon's neck again. The detective responded immediately and drove D a little too roughly into the wall. He looked shocked for a brief moment.

"Those Maple leaves don't encourage sleep, D."

"I'm sorry to hear that, Detective. What did it inspire?" D asked.

"I think you know." Leon said, pressing into D so he would get the point.

"I see." D said. "We're off the subject, My Dear Detective."

"I don't want to talk about the subject." Leon said.

"You were the one who suggested we talk about secrets." D responded.

Leon sighed. "I want to talk about sex, D." He explained, but just as D was about to protest, he went on. "But I know. We have to talk about this first."

D fixed some tea and Leon sat down. "Have you had dinner, my dear?" D asked.

"Nope." Leon said, feeling comfortable and spoiled sitting on the couch.

D began cutting fruits and making a meal for his detective.

"I guess we were going to do this by reveling secrets?" Leon said. "Well, I was just acting like I knew you wanted to talk about plants to begin with, for one." He joked.

D practically laughed as he served Leon and sat down. "I figured as much, My Darling Detective."

Leon grew serious. "I guess this is a delicate subject for me."

D leaned in closer. "Honestly, I can't wait to hear your secrets."

"I've liked you for almost half a year before I got up the courage to tell you." Leon admitted slowly. D smirked at him a bit. "After I got over how creepy you are."

"My Dear Detective. What a startling confession. I had waited for you unnecessarily for far too long." D said.

Leon grimaced. "I don't even want to know how long you liked me when I didn't want to be near you unless you were handcuffed."

"Something you still wish to do today." D reminded him.

Leon shrugged "Yah, well. Different reasons." he sighed. "Anyways....on to the real stuff." He was quiet for some time. "Chris is asleep, right?"

"I assure you he won't interrupt. I do hope that what you are going to confess isn't anger with your brother for something that wasn't his fault." D said.

"Well...sort of. It isn't what you think." Leon said "I was angry because I didn't want my mom to have Chris at all. I never blamed him for her death, D. I was almost nineteen when she had him."

"Slightly more logical than you would have been if you would have been younger." D said understandably.

"I'm still weird about dealing with Chris, D. He keeps asking me strange questions like 'am I causing trouble?' and stuff but he's not. I just don't see how I get him to believe me."

"Partly my fault, unfortunately. I'm trying to return him to the ordinary world, but he's acting much like the pets. They don't want to leave here any more than he does..."

"It would help if he didn't see all the animals as humans." Leon complained. "But there's nothing we can do about that. I wish he didn't have to stay with me. It's not him, I'm just really busy."

"I understand." D said, sipping his tea.

"And with all this going on with...us...it's just....so hard."

"It's almost over." D promised. "I know it's been a long time."

"I don't mind this so much." Leon said. "It's forcing me to be sociable with you."

"Relationships are abut give and take, Leon. If you should ever stop talking to me, please be aware that I will immediately draw back whatever physical relationship I have with you."

"That's good." D gave Leon a slightly quizzical look. "Remember I told you I shacked up with a tattoo artist a few years ago."

"Hardly a happy thing to learn." D replied. "But yes."

"Well, she was really sexual. She wanted to give me a tattoo. Kind of her thing, I guess. But anyways, I never talked to her, really. I don't even remember her FIRST name." D shivered. "Yeah, I know, Count. Anyway, she broke it off with me after a few months. I didn't get her reason. She said I never talked to her, but she never tried. I guess I'm just realizing that I need someone a little less reckless than I am and and just as....lonely, I guess."

"I see." D said. "Well, I certainly am the responsible one. And we have been each other's company for almost two years."

"That's all." Leon said all the sudden. "I'm all wiped out of secrets."

"That's it?" D looked slightly pissed.

"Well, D...You have lots of secrets because of what you do. I'm a cop. What do I have to hide?" Leon asked.

D relaxed. "That was far less entertaining than what I'd hoped for. No more small secrets?"

"Those are the ones that tend to be funny." Leon studied D "You haven't kept much from me, right?" he asked.

D looked concerned. "I'll put it this way, My Dear Detective...The one secret I want you to know the most is so fierce...I don't know if I could bring myself to say it."

Leon stood. "I get it. Like I said. Secrets we're comfortable with. If you can't do it...I can wait." D stood and gave Leon another kiss on the cheek.

"You deserve ten kisses by this time, My Dear Detective." He said.

Leon laughed. "I'm gonna go wake Chris up and take him home." he said. "Goodnight D."

"Thank you, Leon. For sharing such delicate information." D said sweetly.

"Yah. I'll be here for yours tomorrow." Leon practically danced into the back rooms.

Q-Chan joined D, sitting on the Count's shoulder. "I'm...not sure if I should tell him Q-Chan." D said, and Q-Chan hugged D's neck. "Will grandfather be disgraced....will...will Leon leave me....I'm so confused!" D collapsed on the couch, full of emotional fatigue. "I'm just too confused..."

Len: Your ending is lame, Rea.

Rea: SHUT UP! Please review! Thank you for continuing reading for so long!