Whee, it's Part 2! Aren't you excited? I am, ^^; I never thought this
story would get even one review. Thanks to all who want to actually read
this, here it goes.
// blah // - thoughts.
* blah * - emphasis.
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The Count brushed aside a few stray cookie crumbs on his sofa and sat down, a cup of tea in hand. He sighed. Business today had been quite good, but he could not help thinking that the Detective was going to pay him another visit. Q-chan squeaked worriedly and settled on D's shoulder.
As D raised the cup to his lips, his door burst open with a crash. One of the hinges came loose and it tilted on an angle. D's eyes widened as he jumped in surprise.
There, in the doorway was Leon, his blue eyes narrowed and looking mad as hell.
"Detective-"
He was interrupted. "Don't even begin to speak, Count. Every time I think you've gone down to your lowest, you sink further!"
D's eyes narrowed slightly at this. He didn't think much of being insulted. "I am sure I don't know what you mean, Dete-"
"What I mean, is that your little pet not only killed a man, but an innocent little girl as well! How can you be so heartless?" Leon demanded.
D's face took on a bored expression. "Detective, as I've said before, all who come into harm from my pets have broken rules of the contract signed." He rose and walked gracefully to the door. He hung a 'Closed' sign on the handle of the un-broken door and tilted the other one to its rightful position.
"The Brandy family broke my contract, and so soon after purchase. Irregardless of who broke it, it was still nullified. We assume no responsibility. So who should you be angry with, Detective?"
"You, Count D. You sold them the bird, you *knew * what it could do!" As Leon raged he grabbed the collar of the fine silk cheongsam, his own eyes glaring into purple and green.
If D was afraid, he gave no notice of it. "Detective, please do not manhandle me. The last time you were angry you nearly wrecked my clothing. I have done no wrong, you know that everything we do here is legal."
"Legal or not, that …thing .. you're hiding back there killed a child! I know it and you know it! How can you not feel guilty?"
"I know much more about my pets than you, Detective. And as I recall, it was not I that lifted that cloth to see the bird. Perhaps the guilt you speak of is directed at yourself?"
The anger in Leon left him like air from a punctured balloon. He ran his free hand through his hair, causing the tie that bound it back to fall to the ground. His blond hair came loose and he gave a defeated sigh.
D extracted himself from the Detective's now-weak grip, and gestured to the couch he had been previously sitting on. "Please, Detective. Sit."
Leon slowly sat down. D sat beside him. "It seems to me, Detective, that guilt has plagued you ever since you remembered breaking the contract between this shop and Mr.Brandy."
Leon shook his head slowly. "It's not just that, D.... It's the little girl. She's dead... all because I lifted that damned cloth.."
The Count gave a small smile. "Perhaps, Detective...But you had no knowledge of my workings, or of my shop, so really you cannot hold yourself accountable for your actions."
Leon turned his face to D. His eyes, once ice-blue with anger, were now softer and sad. "I think I know that deep down I'm not really guilty, but.. it never should have happened. .I mean, I'm a cop.. I see things like this everyday, but.. I've never had a hand in delivering the final blow, you know?"
D nodded and picked up his cup of tea, which had gone cold. He poured two new cups and handed one to Leon. "I understand, Detective... You will eventually come to terms with it, I believe. After all, you said yourself, you deal with this everyday." He placed his pale hand by Leon's. His nails were painted a soft blue. D sipped his tea.
Leon was very confused. He was talking about his feelings to a Chinese man in a dress. The same man that had knowingly sold a monster to a child. A child he had helped to murder. Unknowingly, perhaps, but it did little to comfort Leon as he tried to sort out all of this in his head.
// I couldn't have known…. Damn D! He knew! But maybe he didn't know the contract would be broken. Oh hell, he seems to know everything else that goes on…. //
Count D, meanwhile, sat calmly beside him.
Finally, Leon sighed and looked into a corner of the shop, not meeting the Count's eyes. "D, I'm.. sorry for what I did earlier.. Just....venting anger, I guess..."
D smiled and picked up a chocolate from a plate on the table. "Do not mention it, Detective. Oh, and by the way-"
Leon rolled his eyes and interrupted, "I know, I know.. My tea is getting cold."
D shook his head. "No, Detective, I was going to say that you need to repair my door."
_
End Pt. 2.
^^ Hm..a little short. Not done yet, Pt.3 coming (hopefully) soon. ^_^
-YS.
// blah // - thoughts.
* blah * - emphasis.
_____
The Count brushed aside a few stray cookie crumbs on his sofa and sat down, a cup of tea in hand. He sighed. Business today had been quite good, but he could not help thinking that the Detective was going to pay him another visit. Q-chan squeaked worriedly and settled on D's shoulder.
As D raised the cup to his lips, his door burst open with a crash. One of the hinges came loose and it tilted on an angle. D's eyes widened as he jumped in surprise.
There, in the doorway was Leon, his blue eyes narrowed and looking mad as hell.
"Detective-"
He was interrupted. "Don't even begin to speak, Count. Every time I think you've gone down to your lowest, you sink further!"
D's eyes narrowed slightly at this. He didn't think much of being insulted. "I am sure I don't know what you mean, Dete-"
"What I mean, is that your little pet not only killed a man, but an innocent little girl as well! How can you be so heartless?" Leon demanded.
D's face took on a bored expression. "Detective, as I've said before, all who come into harm from my pets have broken rules of the contract signed." He rose and walked gracefully to the door. He hung a 'Closed' sign on the handle of the un-broken door and tilted the other one to its rightful position.
"The Brandy family broke my contract, and so soon after purchase. Irregardless of who broke it, it was still nullified. We assume no responsibility. So who should you be angry with, Detective?"
"You, Count D. You sold them the bird, you *knew * what it could do!" As Leon raged he grabbed the collar of the fine silk cheongsam, his own eyes glaring into purple and green.
If D was afraid, he gave no notice of it. "Detective, please do not manhandle me. The last time you were angry you nearly wrecked my clothing. I have done no wrong, you know that everything we do here is legal."
"Legal or not, that …thing .. you're hiding back there killed a child! I know it and you know it! How can you not feel guilty?"
"I know much more about my pets than you, Detective. And as I recall, it was not I that lifted that cloth to see the bird. Perhaps the guilt you speak of is directed at yourself?"
The anger in Leon left him like air from a punctured balloon. He ran his free hand through his hair, causing the tie that bound it back to fall to the ground. His blond hair came loose and he gave a defeated sigh.
D extracted himself from the Detective's now-weak grip, and gestured to the couch he had been previously sitting on. "Please, Detective. Sit."
Leon slowly sat down. D sat beside him. "It seems to me, Detective, that guilt has plagued you ever since you remembered breaking the contract between this shop and Mr.Brandy."
Leon shook his head slowly. "It's not just that, D.... It's the little girl. She's dead... all because I lifted that damned cloth.."
The Count gave a small smile. "Perhaps, Detective...But you had no knowledge of my workings, or of my shop, so really you cannot hold yourself accountable for your actions."
Leon turned his face to D. His eyes, once ice-blue with anger, were now softer and sad. "I think I know that deep down I'm not really guilty, but.. it never should have happened. .I mean, I'm a cop.. I see things like this everyday, but.. I've never had a hand in delivering the final blow, you know?"
D nodded and picked up his cup of tea, which had gone cold. He poured two new cups and handed one to Leon. "I understand, Detective... You will eventually come to terms with it, I believe. After all, you said yourself, you deal with this everyday." He placed his pale hand by Leon's. His nails were painted a soft blue. D sipped his tea.
Leon was very confused. He was talking about his feelings to a Chinese man in a dress. The same man that had knowingly sold a monster to a child. A child he had helped to murder. Unknowingly, perhaps, but it did little to comfort Leon as he tried to sort out all of this in his head.
// I couldn't have known…. Damn D! He knew! But maybe he didn't know the contract would be broken. Oh hell, he seems to know everything else that goes on…. //
Count D, meanwhile, sat calmly beside him.
Finally, Leon sighed and looked into a corner of the shop, not meeting the Count's eyes. "D, I'm.. sorry for what I did earlier.. Just....venting anger, I guess..."
D smiled and picked up a chocolate from a plate on the table. "Do not mention it, Detective. Oh, and by the way-"
Leon rolled his eyes and interrupted, "I know, I know.. My tea is getting cold."
D shook his head. "No, Detective, I was going to say that you need to repair my door."
_
End Pt. 2.
^^ Hm..a little short. Not done yet, Pt.3 coming (hopefully) soon. ^_^
-YS.