Preliminary Notes: This story occurs just after the Donor episode in volume 7 of the manga. I would recommend going back to Chapters 2 and 3 to refresh your memory before reading further. The story might make more sense if you do. Again, the R rating is there for a reason. This is a YAOI (Leon x Count D) fic. Just a warning to the homophobic.
Delirium
by spare
Chapter 5: C Sharp B Flat
"Ah, Detective," D breathed. "Whatever am I going to do with you?"
"Just so you know, I'm not exactly hot about this setup, either."
"Yes, of course," he agreed, as Q-chan chirped a similar response from where he hovered just above his right shoulder. One would get the idea, considering the Detective had tried to make a run for it the minute Jill went over to knock at the door. He would have been successful, too, if only he did not trip halfway through the curb and fall flat on his face. Needless to say, Leon had suffered a nasty bump on the head. It was nothing short of a miracle his nose wasn't broken; then again, he already sported a cut on the left side of his face. Goodness knew where that came from.
Leon glared at him, ever suspicious as always, blinked, then looked hurriedly away. Traces of a blush tainted the American's cheeks. "Anyway."
"Yes?"
"I..." Leon cleared his throat. He cast a sideways glance, blushing a deeper red when he noticed the Count was looking back. "Forget it," he finished weakly, turning away.
D stared at the back of his blond head, allowing the slightest hint of a frown to crease his forehead. "If you say so," the pet shop owner finally said, letting it go at the moment. It will not do to argue with the Detective, after all, given his present condition. Even if, he added silently to himself, he was finding it rather difficult not to. The man had a fever running close to 40 degrees Celsius, and could barely walk a few yards without falling down. Besides these, however, Leon was his usual self: uncouth, stubborn and irritating to deal with.
The Count sighed. Why he agreed to Jill's proposal to take the Detective in, he himself did not know. He should have suggested confinement in the hospital. The amenities there would be certainly better than whatever supplies the pet shop could offer. But D had let Jill talk and give him that half-pleading, half-apologetic look that meant she was not taking no for an answer. So Jill drove away ten minutes later, politely refusing his usual offer of tea, and D had Leon tucked in bed -- after much coaxing on his part and cursing on the other's -- under layers of blankets in one of the shop's spare rooms.
And, of course, there was Chris. It would certainly not do to turn the Detective away with his little brother watching. The boy had been understandably concerned over his older brother's condition, and would not leave Leon's side until Tet-chan had to drag him off to eat his dinner. That had been scarcely five minutes ago; D knew the younger Orcot would be back in record time to watch over his sibling, as the child had done in the other times Leon was incapacitated.
D closed his eyes briefly, plum-colored lips pursing into a wry, self-deprecating smile. There were other reasons, too, he had to admit; none of which he wanted to dwell upon too deeply. Introspection is but one of many weaknesses humans indulge in far too often. Whatever other reasons there may be, Leon was now his responsibility.
"No need to be so closed off, Detective. You need to rest," the Count declared, bending down to retrieve the tray of tea he had set down on the low bedside table. Leon's shoulders seemed to tense up at this remark, and he looked back up again at D, blue eyes hazy and unreadable. How strange, indeed. It was usually quite easy to read what went on behind those eyes. It was one thing D found fascinating about the mortal; how one so jaded -- so coarse, and worldly -- could have the pure, untainted eyes of a child. Clearing his throat, he continued, "At any rate, I have prepared this for you." He held out a half-filled teacup to the man, mildly annoyed at the hesitant expression that crossed the Detective's face as he did so. "It is not poisoned, I assure you."
The comment appeared to shake Leon from his uncharacteristic reverie. "I wasn't thinking it was," the blond-haired man replied, sitting up and wresting the cup from D's hands. He took a sip, swallowed, and grimaced. "What the heck is this stuff?"
"Qing ho," the Count promptly returned. "It is very good for fever."
Leon made a face. "It's terrible, is what it is."
D shot him a withering look. Really. The Detective could be so insufferably puerile at times. "I considered mixing a bit of sugar in it," the pet shop owner retorted icily, "but as I recall, you are averse to adding the substance to your drink." Then as a sudden inspiration, he added, "If I were to pour it in with your beer, perhaps--?"
Incredibly, Leon seemed to consider his proposal for a moment. "Yeah, maybe."
Count D stilled his tongue from quipping "I meant that in jest" and merely watched, nodding encouragingly, as the Detective drank the rest of the cup's contents.
"Huh, there we go," Leon murmured when he was done, allowing D to take the now-empty cup from him and return it on the tray. He rubbed his forehead, brows furrowed, and lay back down on the bed. "Anyway, D..."
"Yes?"
"Uh... That is, I..." The Detective appeared to grope for words. The Count watched him patiently. "I--I guess I should thank you," Leon finally declared, studiously avoiding his eyes. He cleared his throat. "For taking me in on short notice. I mean, you're already looking after Chris for me--"
"Detective," D shushed him by clasping one large hand in his. "It is no real bother. Young Christopher is a dear child, and you..." Now it was the Count's turn to hesitate. "While I must admit you are a man sorely lacking in temperance and refinement," at this, Leon had the grace to scowl, "... You... have your uses." D finished at last.
"Christ," Leon snorted, throwing a forearm over his eyes. "S'That the best you can come up with?"
An uncharacteristic tick mark appeared on the Count's temple. "I /was/ trying to cheer you up," he replied. "A rather heroic effort, considering your naturally irascible disposition." Taking a deep breath, he continued, "Regardless, I have already told you that your staying here bears no great issue for me." He squeezed his hand firmly, briefly.
"Yeah, alright," Leon said. Then he continued, voice growing soft, "If... it's cool for you, then... Then it's cool for me." He swallowed, and closed his eyes, yawning. "I... so tired..."
The Count released his hand, smiling down on him gently. "Then sleep," he whispered. "You need all the rest you can get."
"Yeah, I'm... gonna." Another yawn. Leon's eyes stayed shut, voice growing fainter by the moment. "Although I... think... you won't be letting me..." He paused, and this time the Detective gave one big yawn before snuggling deeper into the pillow his head rested upon. A sigh. "Like... in those... other times..."
He was snoring softly by the time D replaced the cup on the bedside table. The Count watched the sleeping man dubiously, wondering at the words Leon had half-mumbled as the mild sedative he had earlier put in the infusion took effect. Something about not letting him... something. And he has done it -- whatever it was -- before? He frowned.
The door to the chamber creaked open, just then, and Chris walked in, Pon-chan and Tet-chan trailing behind.
"Kyu," Q-chan greeted, flying over to perch atop Chris' head.
"Hmph, so the big guy went and fell asleep, eh?" Tet-chan remarked, shrugging.
"I wouldn't mind taking a nap myself," Pon-chan put in. She yawned, patting her stomach contentedly. "I'm so full..."
Chris headed over to where his brother lay sleeping on the bed. /"Is he gonna be okay?/" the boy asked, a worried frown creasing his features.
"He will be," D assured him. "Your brother is a hardy fellow, after all. I'm sure he will be fine in a few days."
"I hope so." Chris nodded, anxiously looking at Leon's sleeping form. Then his gaze fell onto something. "Hey..."
The others stared at him. "What is it, Chris?" Pon-chan inquired.
The boy's frown deepened. /"There's something..."/ He bent over slightly, reaching out to brush something from the space beside Leon's head. /"Here."/ He held out his hand for them to see. The tip of his finger was covered in a yellow, powdery substance.
"Let me see that." Tet-chan grabbed his hand. "Looks like pollen. Count, what do you think?" he asked, turning his gaze to where the pet shop owner stood behind them. "Hey, Count?"
"Count D?"
"Kyu?"
D did not reply; did not even appear to acknowledge their summons. Instead, his mismatched eyes were riveted on something just above the bedpost, above Leon's head. Something only he could see.
x x x
The clock she could see through the glass of the adjoining room read ten minutes after seven in the evening. Jill, having returned to the LAPD station not fifteen minutes before that, leaned against the wall, tapping a foot impatiently against the polished floor. The door in front of her swung open. She sighed, straightened up, and gazed expectantly at the figure that emerged.
"Is this the file you wanted?" a short, bespectacled man in his mid-forties inquired, stepping out of the forensics lab and into the lobby.
Jill accepted the printout eagerly. "Yes. Thanks, Ray."
"Hey, no prob. And I don't really deserve full credit. I just took up where Ike left off," Ray admitted, shrugging. "How'd Orcot take it, by the way? Staying at his 'home away from home'?" he laughed.
Jill bit back a grin, and failed. "Not too well. I'll bet he's simmering right now." She frowned suddenly. "If he hasn't fainted again, that is." Her eyes scanned through the first page of the autopsy report, widening by the time she was done. She gave a low whistle. "Correct me if I'm wrong," she began, "but are you guys saying what I think you're saying in here?" she finished, holding up the sheaf of papers.
Ray nodded gravely. "It's kinda hard to believe, I know," he acceded. "'An as yet unidentified plant propagated itself inside the subject's stomach.' Let's see that hold up in court." He threw up his hands. "Problem is, it's true. The yellow seeds extracted from Renaud's stomach did not match the genetic makeup of any specie we've documented before."
"It's an entirely new specie, then?"
Ray rubbed his chin, frowned, and shook his head. "I wouldn't say that, not exactly. Our plant's more aptly described as an horticultural Frankenstein, if you ask me." Noticing the intrigued expression on Jill's face, he clarified, "It's like someone went and pieced together aspects of several plants. We have a plant who is a cross between a fern and a lily, exudes mildly narcotic toxins targeting the pleasure centers of the brain at irregular intervals -- too erratic to be our good friend Mary Jane, for sure -- and appears to be semi-carnivorous, too. You know what it did to Renaud."
Jill fell silent. Her gaze wandered back to the bottom of the page. She cleared her throat. "And you say the cause of death was--"
"A fatal dose of those toxins acting upon the victim's brain," Ray finished for her.
x x x
There was something tickling the base of his neck; a soft, lingering motion. Leon opened his eyes, not really surprised when odd-colored ones met his, greeting him warmly through a fall of black hair.
D.
"Welcome back, my dear detective," the apparition whispered, plum-colored lips curving up into a teasing smile. "I've missed you. We were so rudely interrupted the last time..." The Count lowered his head, nuzzling Leon's throat, fingers moving upward to thread through the Detective's blond hair. His breath felt cool against Leon's heated skin. "Well then." A slender hand, the one that wasn't occupied with his hair, caressed the top of his thigh, and higher. "Shall we continue where we left off?"
x x x
She watched him. She sat on the bed Leon slept in, leaning against the headboard. She wore a white tunic plaited with green. Golden bangles adorned her arms and ankles.
D sent the others away in his usual calm, unperturbed manner, declaring something along the lines of the lateness of the hour and it being way past Chris' and Pon-chan's bed time. Chris protested, saying he was not feeling sleepy at all, but Tet-chan, reading the look in D's eyes, gruffly told the boy it was time to turn in for the evening. Pon-chan, sleepy-eyed and utterly oblivious, heartily agreed. Q-chan followed them as well, having been given a silent order by the Count to leave them alone. The Valvertinger rabbit seemed to be the only other creature aware of her presence.
She watched their departure, and watched him. She gently combed her tiny fingers through the Detective's hair all the while. Leon slept on; D did not know whether to be relieved or repulsed by this.
"Well," the figure before him finally breathed, when they were gone, "this has been an interesting turn of events." She pressed an index finger over one dimpled cheek thoughtfully. "And here I thought I could evade your sight." A sigh. "But, considering what you are, I guess you would have seen me sooner or later." She spread her arms wide. "So, what do you think, Count? Don't I look good?"
"You look well." Different, but well. Her hair was a lighter shade of green, her once-dusky skin now pallid. But the most startling transformation lay in the color of her eyes. Since the rains have arrived, they should have been a vibrant green. Instead, they were now a deep, muted crimson. "Elna." He bowed. "I must admit, it is something of a surprise to see you here."
She smiled. Even now, it did not reach her eyes. "You've always had a penchant for understating things, Count D."
He gave a small nod. "I suppose so," he replied. He tucked his hands into the sleeves of his robe. The action seemed to amuse her. "If I recall correctly, you passed away fifteen years ago. And yet, here you are."
Elna laughed. "Yes," she declared giddily. "Yes. I am here, aren't I?"
D nodded again, eyes lowered. Then in a careful, quiet voice, he added, "May I inquire as to how this is so?"
She waved her hands dismissively and shook her head. "Oh, we'll get to that," she returned. "What I'm interested in right now is you, Count. How have you been? Your father would always--"
"My father?" He stared at her, alarmed.
"Yes," Elna confirmed, "your father." She sounded as if it should have been obvious. As it perhaps was. She shrugged. "Where else would I have been staying, all these years? At least, until Jackie got me." Elna frowned, suddenly. "But you don't know him, do you?" she went on. "Too bad you can't see him, now. He was an awfully nice person. I bet you would have liked him. Not as much as you like this one," she added, gazing lovingly down at the Detective's sleeping form, "but that couldn't be helped. Could it?"
D's eyes widened. "How do you--"
"I told you already. Your father," she enunciated the last two words slowly, as if speaking to a slow child. She shifted her gaze upwards and went back to leisurely petting Leon's hair. "It's you he only ever talks about. Drove us all crazy." She glanced at him from the corner of her eye. "Nue Ehr ought to have given you an idea."
The Count bowed his head. "Yes, I suppose."
"You 'suppose'." She rolled her eyes. "Really. Anyway, back to the matter at hand. This mortal," she began, indicating the man whose face she caressed with tiny fingers. "You call him Leon, correct?"
"That is his name."
x x x
"Leon..." Count D purred against his shoulder, right at the moment slim, nimble fingers encircled the length of his cock.
Leon gasped, nearly jumping out of the bed at the motion. He was bare there, he realized. He blinked, and did a double take. He was bare everywhere...
And so was D. The Detective groaned, apprehending this, even more when he felt the pet shop owner's hand move in firm, steady strokes.
"I took the liberty of unclothing us both," the Count explained, tilting his head upward to meet his gaze once again. A thumb brushed his lips, parting them. "There were too much in the way for what I have in mind." He pressed a quick kiss over his mouth. "You are not displeased by that, I hope?" he went on, an amused, interested expression on his features as Leon's hips jerked upwards in time with his movements.
"N-no," the Detective managed to choke out. "No, D--"
x x x
Elna laughed. "Leon it is. Yes. Well," she breathed, "I intend to have him for my own. As I did the other one."
At this, D blinked. "Sean Renaud," the Count whispered. "The writer the Detective referred to not two days ago."
Elna nodded eagerly. "The one and the same. But 'Jackie' suits him better, I think."
"It was you, then, who took Renaud's life?"
She waggled deep green eyebrows at him. "In a way. You know how it works, Count." She tilted her head to the side, sighing softly. "It was Renaud who allowed me to his home. He knew I was a plant. Your father told him I was a plant. But he wanted me to be his dead wife." Her gaze lifted, smoky, soulless eyes meeting his. "Diane."
Ah. It all fell into place. "I had suspected as much, once the Detective told me about the circumstances of Jacques Marcel's death," D admitted. He gazed at her steadily. "But I had my doubts. After all, I had believed up to now that you were dead."
"And yet, I'm not," Elna intoned gleefully. "There's the rub." A chuckle escaped her lips. "Jackie was a dreamer. That was why it was all too easy to take him." Her thumb brushed against Leon's lips. "This one's a dreamer, too. His heart is pure, true." She paused, and lifted a free hand to cup her chin. "I bet you wanna know what form I took to have him with me. The one he so desires. Care to guess?"
She stared earnestly into his eyes for a long moment, and made a disappointed sound when he did not answer. "It's you," she replied at last, winking conspirationally. "This one's heart desires you, Count. A lot. And his love tastes absolutely delicious, too..." she continued, licking her lips, "as are other parts of his anatomy."
x x x
"D..."
Was it his own voice that he heard, Leon wondered, somewhere in the haze of his lust and confusion, sounding so lost? So needful? His hands scrabbled free of where he clutched the covers tightly, rising up to touch the flawless expanse of pale skin pressing against his own. "Oh fuck, D..."
"Such a foul mouth," the Count scolded, a half-second before his own mouth descended once again to kiss it. D's tongue played with his, tasted him hungrily, ruthlessly.
Leon moaned into the kiss, closing his eyes, letting it happen. As if on their own accord, his hands traveled downward, caressing D's body with worshipful fingers. He could feel his cock throb between his legs, could feel blood pounding through his ears. He could feel a myriad of other sensations he didn't want to bother describing, not now. Why the heck would it matter having to bring it down to words, anyway? It was D. All D. He'd wanted this, wanted him, for so long. Too long.
"Yes. You do want me," D whispered, breaking the kiss. "You desire me. Don't you, my dear detective?" He proceeded to lick a trail down the side of his neck, over his collarbone. "Say it." Moving down his chest, he flicked his tongue over a flat nipple. Leon shuddered in response. "I want to hear it, Detective. You want me."
"Ah... You--" Leon gasped. He swallowed, and tried again. "I-- want you. D!"
D feathered kisses down his stomach, lingered a moment over Leon's navel, and stopped. "You desire me," he prompted, breathing over the sensitized flesh.
"I desire you!" Leon cried out. "Oh. God!" He arched back against the bed, gritting his teeth as D's mouth continued its progress southward to where his hand still pumped him mercilessly. Trembling fingers threaded through ebony hair, not quite pushing down. A harsh sob escaped his lips as D finally reached his intended destination, replacing his hand with his mouth, swirling that tongue over him, taking him in, and--
Now. It was-- now. D. Leon gave a hoarse shout, eyes snapping open, watching the world implode behind his eyes as he came, body spasming, hips thrust upward in helpless abandon.
x x x
Count D could feel his heart skip a beat. A silly thought, really. He told himself it was not much of a revelation to begin with, what she said. The Detective was... He shook himself from his wayward thoughts. "Elna--"
"I must feed, Count D," she asserted. "I know you have grown rather fond of this particular human, but this is the natural order of things. Surely you would not begrudge me that?"
He stood his ground. "'The natural order of things'," D hollowly echoed her words. "I suppose Father told you that."
"Yes, he did," Elna admitted, a wry smile crossing her features. "He taught us a lot of things, in fact." Her face grew thoughtful. "Your father... he has helped us. Me. It is thanks to him that I continue to live on, rather than wither away in my old body."
D regarded her skeptically. "By feeding on the essence of another?"
"As our kind have done before."
The pet shop owner shook his head. "Your kind has never been--"
"Virulent? Contagious?" She finished for him, laughing harshly. "Yes, by nature we die the moment our host does." The smile resurfaced on her lips. "Now, it is different. Your father made it different."
D looked at her for a long while. "What has he done to you, Elna?" he finally whispered, barely able to restrain himself from balling his hands into fists. Though he knew. He could imagine only too well.
Elna folded her arms. "Oh, a lot of things. Some of them not so pleasant," she admitted, "but the end result more than makes up for any previous discomfort. I am... how should I put it? Virtually immortal." She lowered her head and, as if unable to resist, pressed a kiss on Leon's forehead. D could feel his blood freeze, momentarily, at the action. "I will be merciful, Count," Elna continued, lifting her head. "I will make his last moments of life utter bliss, his death the sweet release it ought to be. Just as I did with the other." She smiled at him engagingly, a hint of apology in her face. "I'm sorry that I'll have to drain him of his life force right here in your shop, though. You should have--"
"No."
She blinked. "What?"
"No," D repeated, voice quiet but firm. The shadows played upon the planes of his face, concealing his eyes from her view. "You will do no such thing, Elna."
x x x
Author's Ramblings: Whew. This chapter is the longest I've written for this story yet, as well as the longest to come out. Why? Because I typed up this chapter and the next practically in the same week. They had to tie together, you see. Also, I'm happy to announce that this fic's almost finished! Whee! I'll publish the next installments as soon as Elana-chan gets done with the beta-read. As we are both weighed down by our respective (cough) academic pursuits, however, it goes without saying that we can't promise anything. Hehe. (Insert sweatdrop here) Sorry.