CHAPTER 9
PHANTOM AND ANGEL
PART 19
"Mm-MM! Somethin smells f—abulous!" Leon tried to show his appreciation by being more careful about his language.
D's eyes seemed to twinkle all the brighter when he recognized the detective's efforts and smiled warmly. "T-Chan wants there to be more on you...should the day come that I allow him to eat you."
Leon froze a step away from the table and stared at him for moment. "T-J-S-W" he said finally, and then bent down to scoop T-Chan up in his arms again before sitting down on the seat that the totetsu had kept warm.
T-Chan was so focused on Leon's reaction to the dish he'd made for the human, that he hadn't thought twice about being picked up and put back down…on Leon's shower-heated lap. "Mmmmmm-" he groaned in pleasure.
"Wow." Leon felt an unexpected movement of emotion in his chest and simply stared at the dish while unconsciously working at T-Chan's neck. "Thanks, D." He released T-Chan's neck and picked up the fork to tuck into his breakfast. "Too bad I don't have the time t'really enjoy it."
"Actually, you do," D replied pleasantly. "I called your chief and told him you haven't been sleeping enough to function safely."
Leon's blue eyes blinked into icy alertness. "..and?" The detective's voice was tightly containing an explosion of rage.
D's head tilted to one side slightly, as if the memory of the phone conversation with Leon's chief had been quite interesting. "He said that he'd been suspecting that for the past two days and to tell you that you have the choice of either taking enough time off to rest properly…" he seemed to pause to indulge in a little suspense.
"—or?" Leon's eyes were fixed murderously on his host.
"…or submitting yourself to an examination at the hospital." There was the faintest hint of amusement at the very idea of such a scene.
Leon's fork clattered into his plate as he let it slip out of his fingers to drop his head onto the heel of his hand. "Lovely," he croaked before shutting his eyes in resignation.
For some reason, the lack of Leon's usual string of obscenities when he was angry seemed more disturbing to T-Chan than the expected ranting. Not knowing what else to do, he tried again to soothe the detective by licking at the skin on the inside of the arm that was holding him.
Leon reacted to the sensation with a slight jolt, and looked down to see the warm mound of fur serenely busy with lapping at the inside of his elbow. "You better hope I got all the soap rinsed off me there, dude," he murmured with a renewed warmth in his voice.
T-Chan paused, as if to consider what Leon had said, and pulled his tongue back into his mouth long enough to make sure there actually was no soap on it. Once satisfied, he swished his tale in approval, and went back to work.
After a short sigh, Leon let out a soft chuckle, smiling brightly when an idea emerged into his troubled mind. "Well, since I've got the day off now, can I take T-dude out for a ride?"
Count D's grandson seemed to turn the idea over in his mind. "Hmmm—I suppose that's actually a good idea. Yes, detective. You may take T-Chan out for a ride—after you've taken a nap."
"A WHA—"Leon practically squeeked.
D's eyes seemed to tease and dare argument at the same time. "You wouldn't want T-Chan to experience the trauma of a car accident just because you neglected to take better care of yourself, would you, Leon?"
Leon lowered his gaze to look down at a now-trusting T-Chan with a slight sense of shame. "Uh-no." He swallowed a lump of pride down, determined to keep an unspoken promise that he'd made to his new ally of getting out of the shop for awhile. "Um, how long?"
The pet shop keeper's eyes seemed to ignite with a new fondness, and then examine an invisible schedule in front of them. "I'd say, perhaps four hours should be sufficient."
Leon scrunched his mouth to one side of his face in thought, before agreeing reluctantly. "Okay."
The young totetsu's stomach was unexpectedly doing flip-flops. Leon did not sound like he liked the idea of taking a nap…but was agreeing to it in order to be allowed to take T-Chan out for a ride. Could it really mean that much to this human? He rose, not sure quite what to do at first, but finally decided to reach over the table, get Leon's dropped fork, and hold it out for him.
Leon looked down and completely forgot his indignation. "Are you hungry, T-dude?" He took the fork and speared the biggest chunk of sirloin visible. "Here." He held the piece of meat in front of T-Chan's mouth.
T-Chan reached out (with a forepaw, to Leon's eyes) and pushed the fork-holding hand up towards its owner's mouth.
Leon's brow climbed at the teddy-goat's action, then he smirked. "I get it. Y'want me t'hurry up and eat, so I can get done with my nap and get us out of here for a while, right?"
T-Chan lowered himself back down on Leon's lap with a satisfied swish of his tail and rested his chin on Leon's arm. His stomach still fluttered with repressed excitement that he wasn't about to let anyone see. He closed his eyes and began formulating a plan to make it look like he was training the detective to do his bidding.
Leon chuckled low in his throat, and then let out a grunt of surprise when he popped the first breakfast morsel into his mouth and started chewing. "Unh!" The next sound he made almost sounded like a groan of pain.
T-Chan sat up instantly, unexpectedly worried that something was wrong with the human.
"Leon? What is it? Did you burn your mouth?" D rushed over to the detective.
The totetsu looked down at the plate, confused at the absence of visible heat. "Burned? But, there should've been plenty of time for it to cool…" T-Chan murmured in distress.
"Mm-mm! Vif iv affavuwee awfung," Leon declared around the rather large piece of partially-chewed meat.
An ever familiar smirk returned to the corners of D's mouth. "I take it you were just trying to say, 'This is absolutely awesome.' "
Leon nodded vigorously with a boyish gleam of enthusiasm in his eyes, and simultaneously resumed chewing.
D let out an almost musical chuckle of his own. "We're very glad you think so, isn't that right, T-Chan," he fixed his eyes on T-Chan and reached a hand to stroke the top of the young totetsu's head.
T-Chan sank back down in relief and swished his tail again in satisfaction. "As long as he can get me away from the wailing brats for a few hours, I'm good," he said, trying to seem aloof.
"I want some rice," Pon-Chan announced, feeling a little ignored.
"Of course," D said brightly, and went over to take two bowls from the cupboard over the counter. He spooned a small mound of rice into one bowl, and filled the other to half way with water, then set it on the opposite end of the table from Leon. He turned to scoop Pon-Chan up and set her in front of the bowls so that she could face their guest.
"It looks like it came out just right," the little tanooki affirmed happily.
D smiled warmly, "I hope you'll forgive me, Detective, but I must get to the business of running the shop. Do enjoy your breakfast, though." He touched Leon's back, lightly, before exiting the kitchen.
Leon swallowed, "Thanks," he told his host, before giving Poh-Chan a wink of encouragement, and quickly filling his mouth again. "Mmmmmmmm."
"It would seem that you've picked up quite a bit on the human art of saying little and telling less." Ten-Chan's smug voice commented from right next to the chair.
The kitsune's voice had abruptly brought T-Chan back from his brief ego-trip that he'd been on while listening to the sounds of enjoyment Leon was making as he ate. "Maybe," he replied after a moment of thought. "It's not nearly as useful as what I picked up about the staining affects of food coloring."
Ten-Chan blinked, pupils shrinking in sudden terror. "I think I should go make sure the Count is safe, since you seem to be taking the day off as well." He forced a dazzling smile as he backed out from under the table before turning and rushing out the door that D had disappeared through.
T-Chan unhurriedly opened one eye to confirm that the smartass kitsune had, in fact, left them in peace. "You do that," he murmured sweetly. He closed his one open eye and went back to enjoying the sounds of Leon and Pon-Chan having their breakfast together.