Weekend Daddy

When Leon arrived the next day in his lunch break, D tried very hard to act as if nothing had happened the evening before. But he couldn't suppress the blush that crept up in his cheeks when T-chan smirked knowingly and nudged Pon-chan's backside. That of course sent the raccoon in a fury, and while Leon was feeding Dana, the kami was busy keeping raccoon and totetsu from killing each other.

When he at last sat down at the table, Dana was nearly finished, though Leon hadn't managed to touch his food yet, due to having to help Dana. "Shall I take her, Detective?" he asked, but the blonde shook his head, not looking at D. He perked up. What was the matter?

"Are you quite alright, Detective?" he inquired, afraid something might have happened, perhaps something in the case of the dead girl.

Leon quickly glanced at him and then cleared his throat. "Yes, nothing's wrong. I just – listen, D, can I talk to you?"

The kami sat down his teacup surprised. "Of course, Detective," he replied, now really worried. Leon hesitated, but then decided to go straight for it.

"Listen, I talked to Jill. And I got the weekend off. So I thought, if you've no objections, that I could take the little missy for two days… if it's alright, I mean, for you, if I take her… perhaps only one day, if two's too many…"

His voice trailed off as he took in the expression on D's face. "You said I should take care of her more often," he reminded the Chinese, but sounded so timid it came out more like a plea. D shook himself and smiled.

"You mean you want to take Dana to your apartment?" he asked, not quite able to believe what he was hearing. Leon nodded and tipped his finger to Dana's nose because the girl was looking up at him questioningly.

"Yeah, that's what I mean. You could have the weekend off, and I could take her. Just like the couples who live separated do. I mean, not that we're a separated couple, just – like they do," he added hastily, blushing.

D used his hair to hide behind. His mind was racing. Yes, he had been angry with Leon because the human acted no different to when Chris had lived at the shop. That was maybe okay for a six-year-old, who understood about work, but not for a small child whom he had promised to take care of.

The question now was if D really wanted to let Dana out of his sight. If he really wanted to trust Leon with his child, or whether his words had just been spoken in anger. He remembered the totetsu's words in the park on that first weekend, and also that he'd pushed the thoughts away quickly, thinking it would resolve itself in time. Now he found that the weeks gone since hadn't done anything to answer the question.

Fortunately the doorbell announced a customer. The kami quickly stood and floated over to greet the newcomer, a woman in her mid-thirties who looked at him with wide eyes. Leon, for once sensing his and Dana's presence might not be welcome, scooped the girl up and vanished into the kitchen. The woman's eyes followed them for a second, but then focused again on D.

"I am here because a friend of mine said I might find what I am looking for here," she said firmly, not completely succeeding in hiding the quiver in her voice.

D's business-smile widened. "Ah yes, I see. We sell all kinds of animals, whatever you want. Do you require something special?"

"I am looking for…"

She leaned forward and whispered something into the kami's ear. His smile became cruel behind her back, and he drew away the curtain to the back of the shop. "If you would follow me to the back room, please," he said and they vanished together.

Leon watched them from behind the curtain to the kitchen, one hand firmly over Dana's mouth. Tetsu at his feet growled angrily, but the blonde didn't care for him. Instead, once they had left the front room, he went inside again, picking up this and that, setting Dana to her feet again when the girl started to wriggle. A glance at the clock told him he would have to leave soon if he didn't want to arrive late at the precinct, but he wanted to wait for D's return.

Besides, he couldn't leave Dana alone, now, could he? Even though the pets could take care of her for those few minutes.

Eventually D appeared again, the woman trailing behind him, a completely enrapt expression on her face and a cage in her hand. By the size Leon would've guessed it was a big bird, but he couldn't be sure. There was a cloak draped over it. D bowed politely as he led her out. "Please do remember the terms of the contract. I wish you much joy with him," he said sweetly. Leon shuddered unwillingly at the words. They came out so false, far too sly.

But the woman smiled back, not aware of what he was hearing in D's voice. "Goodbye, Count, and thank you."

Then her eyes fell on Leon and Dana. "Your friend's got a pretty daughter," she remarked and left.

The kami carefully closed the door behind her, turned and caught Leon's gaze. There was fury blazing in those mismatched eyes. "My friend?" he snarled and stomped to the girl. "My friend has got a beautiful daughter? Humans are so blind!"

He tossed his head back and would have continued to rage on if Leon hadn't stopped him. "Cool down, she just didn't think you'd have a kid. I mean, who would think that? No reason to get all upset. Anyway, what about this weekend?" he said, taking D's mind off the customer and her remark. He blinked twice, then averted his face.

"Well, I guess we could try it," he answered softly. "If you promise to take good care of her, I would be glad to have one weekend to get some kind of order into the shop again. Moving is pretty chaotic."

Leon smiled. "Okay then. I'll pick her up Friday afternoon, okay?" He glanced at the clock. "Gotta go. See you in the evening!"

He left the shop quickly, waving to Dana on his way out, the girl returning it gleefully. D gazed at a spot on the wall and tried to sort out his feelings. Leon had caught him pretty unaware, and he had given in to his request because his mind was still busy with the customer. But did he really feel like he could trust the blonde with Dana?

"D, would you please stop fussing around? I only have her for the weekend. Not even you need so much stuff for two days, and we're not even leaving the city. I can always drop by if we need something."

Leon lingered in the door, waiting to get off with Dana while the kami was still looking around to make sure he hadn't forgotten anything. Judging by the way he was acting, one could've thought Leon was going to take his daughter to the polar circle and not approximately two kilometres south to his own apartment. Consequently the blonde was quite exasperated.

"Listen, if you don't trust me to care for her one weekend, then just spit it, okay? But I recall you complaining that I should spend more time with her," he reminded the kami sternly.

D turned to his detective with an apologetic smile. "I am sorry, Leon. But Dana has never been away from the shop for so long before…"

Leon questioningly looked down at his daughter, sitting on his hip. Dana was holding her plush cat (which had been named 'Kitty' lately, when the girl had picked up the word from a customer. D had been quite – taken aback, to say the least) and watching her fathers with interest. "Go, Leon?" she asked with her little voice. It didn't seem at all as if she would mind being away from the shop for some time.

"Yeah, we're leaving now. Your bàbà just needs time to learn that now you're a young lady and can stay out overnight." Leon grinned at D wickedly. The kami blushed and smoothed out his skirts. He bit back a mean comment and instead accompanied them to Leon's car, waiting in front of the shop.

"Please, Detective, be careful. Don't let her stay up too late, and make sure she eats properly. Not your fast-food, but real food. And keep the windows closed," he pleaded, fearing that Dana would take her chance at jumping from the window. Off lately his daughter had been more than adventurous and bold. Far too bold for D's taste. It was one of the reasons why he was looking forward to having one weekend off while her other father took care of the girl, while at the same time being afraid more than he could say something might happen to his child if he was not there to guard her.

"Bye Tetsu! Bye Pon-chan!" Dana called and waved with her cat. The pets lined up on the steps beside D and watched the girl being seated in the children's seat in the car.

Then Leon turned to D and threaded a hand through his hair awkwardly. "So, D, have a nice weekend, then. If anything happens, I'll give you a call."

"Of course," D hastened to confirm. "I will stay at the shop most of the time anyway."

Hearing himself say that, he blushed again. Gods, Leon was right, for once. He did act like some over-protecting mother.

Firmly telling himself that there was no reason to be worried (had Leon taken those awful pictures of his down? Good gracious, if the human even dared to show them to their daughter, he would feed him to T-chan for sure this time!), D watched him get into the car.

Next thing he knew, he had opened the other door and slipped inside. Leon looked at him nonplussed. "D -" he began, a warning note in his voice. The kami shook his head.

"I am merely coming with you because there is a very good bakery near your flat. I could have some of their éclairs," he said. The blush, instead of dying down, became more furious. The blonde stared, tried to decide whether to start an argument, sighed and drove off. D chose to watch the tourists walking through Chinatown. He'd have looked anywhere at the moment to avoid Leon's eyes.

Leon carried his daughter up to his flat while D followed with the suitcase containing her clothes. "You'll see, sweetie, we'll have a lot of fun this weekend," the blonde told Dana and opened the door. A quick glance around told D that – good for Leon – the pin-up-girls had vanished as if they'd never been there. A little sigh escaped him.

"I'm not that dumb, D. D'you honestly think I would let Dana see my posters?"

Leon's quiet voice made him jump. "No-o, of course not, Leon," he lied, knowing he could tell. Trying to avoid the hurt look on the blonde's face, he went to the bedroom and sat down the suitcase beside the baby-bed.

Now wait a moment, since when…?

"Bought one last week. Jill helped me pick it out. I even got a brand-new one. Dana's going to grow out of it soon, but I hope she'll leave enough pieces that I can sell it again after," Leon said casually and came inside, too. He'd put her on her own feet and Dana was curiously exploring the apartment on her own.

Sometimes he was really glad for the curtain of his hair. Though Leon was the only one who caused him to need to hide, the frequency with which the detective did it made its existence truly necessary.

"I am sorry, Leon. I was – I misjudged you again," he pressed out. The blonde shrugged.

"Yeah, well, happens a lot. Nothing to fuss over, is it?"

"No, I guess not," D said through gritted teeth and forced his smile on his face. "I will be on my way to that bakery then. Have a nice weekend, Detective. Dana, be good and behave, will you?"

The girl's blue-golden eyes had been watching her fathers quite closely. Now she nodded earnestly. "Swear!" she said and held up her hand. Leon's tense expression dissolved into a lopsided grin.

"That's my girl. Don't worry, D, we'll be alright. And she'll be back before you know it."

D bowed his head. "Yes, I guess so. Goodbye." He left the flat and headed straight back to the shop. His stomach felt so corded up that there was no need to stop in the bakery.

The evening passed without events. D sat on his chair, sipped his tea and tried to remember what he had done before there had been a Leon to fill the hours after work, or a Dana to occupy him – well, the whole day, 24 hours on end, 7 days a week. Finally he settled on taking a hot bath and delighting in the knowledge that there was no small girl that would wake up and cry so that he had to leave the bath hurriedly to soothe her. He even went to one of the rooms and took his bath in a hot pool somewhere in the mountains, surrounded by nature and his pets.

But he still couldn't relax. No matter how often he told himself that he could trust Leon, that the human was responsible (at least sometimes) and would take good care of their daughter, he worried still. Dana was such a small kid, she had so different needs than what Leon was used to. Perhaps he ought to have invited Leon for one weekend and supervised him with Dana before he let him take her away…

An exasperated snort right at his ear made him jump. T-chan looked at him with golden eyes. "Count, relax, for god's sake! Leon's not going to kill her. And I'm pretty sure he'll call you if he feels uncertain. Never thought I'd say that, but since that kid arrived, you're behaving worse than he sometimes."

The kami wrinkled his nose at this reprimand from his pet, but then the scene this afternoon popped up in his head again and he sighed, letting his head fall back on the rim of the small pool. Tetsu had a point, as well as Leon. He was just too suspicious, and he really had to take care of that. It couldn't be that Leon tried and tried and all he got for his efforts was an ever-suspicious D who did little less than accuse him flat out of endangering their daughter. He'd criticized and hated that behaviour when Leon had shown it, now he was doing it himself?

Pon-chan climbed into the pool, too, and paddled around in it quite happily. A small smile appeared on D's face as he watched her. She stopped in front of him and tipped her nose to his. "It's okay to be worried, Count. She's your child. But Leon is a good father. Sure, he's still got a lot to learn, but so have you. It's your first child, too," she said earnestly.

D bit back the comment that he, in contrast to Leon, had raised a lot of babies. The remarkable difference was, of course, that they had been animals' babies, while Dana was – well, a hybrid. And he didn't know anything about raising a half-human, half-kami kid. His grandfather couldn't help him, either, and since he had been not too happy when he found out D had moved back to America instead of raising Dana in China like he had suggested, the kami doubted he would be very eager to help, though he would of course if asked to. But if he was honest, he wanted to sort this out on his own.

"It's just –" he sighed. "I don't know if I'm doing everything right. Dana is so complicated sometimes. She's so difficult, so different from what my grandfather told me about raising my father and me," he admitted at last. The pets exchanged a glance. Tetsu eyed the water, decided he, too, could do with a bath and slipped inside to snuggle against the Count.

"I for my share really doubt that you and your father were as easy to raise as he claims," he said, half-closing his eyes as D started to stroke him. "Really, Count, kids are kids and always will be kids. You never know if you've done well until they're grown. Q-chan would probably say that you turned out not so good, and neither did your father. What does that tell us? He probably made a mistake raising you both."

"Now, T-chan, he is my grandfather. He has given me everything I have and has always wished to do what is the best for me," D gently scolded his totetsu, who opened his eyes again to send him a mischievous glance.

"Yeah, and hammered into you to do your duty. Not that I mind," he added quickly, seeing D's brows draw together, "but he's as egoistic as he claims your father is. Was. Don't forget he suggested getting rid of Dana."

D sighed deeply. "It was only a suggestion and he didn't force me to do it," he defended his grandfather. The pets glanced at each other again, thinking the same. But fortunately D was too busy thinking to notice. "I do not want Dana to be subjected to any experiments. She's unique and that's always dangerous among humans. Leon is so naive sometimes. He might let something slip, quite by accident, but nevertheless causing Dana to get harmed."

"Count." Pon-chan made him look into her eyes. They were very serious when she spoke. "Leon loves Dana. He is as well aware of the things humans do to strange people as you are, and he's a detective. He won't let anything happen to Dana, not even over his dead corpse. Don't worry and trust him."

D sighed deeply a last time and reluctantly gave in. He owed the human more than he could ever repay. Perhaps trusting him was a good way to start.

Dana was asleep in her new bed. They'd played the whole evening, and Leon couldn't remember ever having more fun with a kid this small. She was not like usual kids, didn't cry when she got handled a bit roughly, but took delight in testing her strength against Leon's. His neighbours had even come over to object because they made so much noise, rolling and tussling on the floor, but once they'd seen the girl, they'd been too enamoured by her to think of complaining.

Yes, he really had been lucky, considering the fact that he'd never wanted to have a kid at all. At least, he'd not wanted one before he'd found the right woman, and even then, he'd have had to think about it. He couldn't have foreseen that not a woman, not even a human, was going to bear his child…

Leon rolled over on his bed and stared at the ceiling, noticing the lack of the poster there. He'd taken them down yesterday, noticing to his surprise that he didn't even mind taking them down. Perhaps he wouldn't put them on the walls again. Only problem was, now the cracks in the walls were visible. He'd have to ask Jill to help him pick out some now posters, perhaps some with animals. Dana would love them, and D would perhaps be pleased.

Damn. He just couldn't decide whether to be angry at the kami for distrusting him or not. He knew perfectly well that D had been raised to distrust humans. But Leon wasn't the one who'd gotten them into this whole mess. He tried to make the best out of it, but D was constantly pissed by something or the other he did, even more than back when Chris had been in his charge.

That was something to think about. Not the fact that D was concerned more about his own daughter than about Leon's little brother, but the fact that D was responsible for Dana's existence in the first place. Leon had pushed aside that thought since he came to know about his fatherhood, but now it popped up in his mind again. He couldn't remember one thing of that night, he was pretty sure about that. Well, unless those dreams he'd had before travelling to Japan had been an unconscious recollection of it. How had it been, making love with D?

Even though it was dark and she was asleep, Leon felt his cheeks burn. Gods, how could he even think such things when besides him his little daughter slept?! Determined he got up and went to the kitchen, moving as silently as possible, not wanting to wake Dana. He sat down on his couch and surveyed the chaos they'd created while playing. Well, one thing was for sure, D would have had it all cleaned up the second Dana was asleep. That guy was not at all a guy when it came to the kid. He was a freaking mother.

Though that was not a real surprise considering the fact that he had given birth to her. How had that even worked?! D'd been quite tied up about everything concerning the pregnancy. Had he turned female, really female, so that he could give birth, and was ashamed of it?

Leon nearly snorted with laughter imagining D with breasts and the horrified look on his face it would surely create. Not that he hated breasts, but the blonde had always gotten the impression that D was not too fond of them. Though he could imagine he wouldn't look that bad, if the looks of his 'sister' were any indication…

Leaning back on the couch, Leon conjured up a picture in his mind. D, with breasts and a big belly. Lord, he would have to ask him for pictures. Though he doubted any existed, and if, D would surely not show them to Leon. But why not? He'd never understood why some women complained so much about being fat when they were pregnant. It wasn't fat, it was a child. And while Leon hadn't wanted one for himself, the sight of pregnant women had never made him think that they were fat. Truth be told, they even were kind of attractive. Probably had something to do with those animal instincts that told Leon pregnant women were good breeders.

Not that D would be very happy if Leon ever mentioned such in front of him.

He sighed again. The guy had never been easy to handle, but at the moment he was nearly unbearable. Problem was, Leon couldn't bring himself to be angry at him like he had been back when they'd had no kid. He couldn't even bring himself to be angry with D for that. There were things he understood, and while he certainly didn't approve of being used, he understood the desire to sleep with someone, not only because of pure physical needs, but because you liked someone so much you just had to get closer to him or her. And if nothing else sufficed, then humans resorted to sex. Because, honestly, a guy couldn't get any closer to a woman than when he had his thing in her.

Perhaps he should rather feel honoured that D had obviously liked him so much. Still, it was not okay that he'd taken advantage of him that way, though Leon had to admit that there'd been little other choice if he considered his attitude towards the kami back then and…

The thought trailed off as realisation hit the blonde. He sat bolt upright and stared hard at the window, unaware of the city lights outside.

That just could not be true. There was no possible way D could've fallen in love with Leon. That just didn't happen.

Oh, FUCK. Nice job, Orcot, really. That guy takes advantage of you. Of you. Doesn't ring any bells? Well, what about him being all pure and asexual towards others? Never taking a woman up on her word, though he's had god-knows-how-many-offers? Never looking at a guy, either? And what about giving birth to your child and caring for it when grandpa was everything but happy about him being pregnant by a human?

Desperately Leon threaded his hand through his hair and groaned. Oh, lord. Why had he never even considered that D might be in love with him? Though whether he still was, the blonde didn't feel like he could tell. Usually telling what D felt was very difficult, and even though his mask had almost disappeared where it concerned Leon and Dana, he wasn't too sure of what he thought he read in this unearthly beautiful face. He could always be wrong, and considering that D had the power to never let Leon see his daughter again, he preferred to stay on the safe side.

But if he was – if D was still in love with Leon – what was he supposed to do now? Should he try to talk to him about it? Probably D would only get angry again, or embarrassed and angry, and Leon liked neither. Or was that different with D's species? Had he just needed a father for his child, regardless of who the human was? But then, again, why had he chosen Leon?

Yes, why Leon. That was the question he was really interested in. Why him and not someone else? Why at all?

A memory surfaced again, something he'd not thought about for weeks. The kiss D had given him, on the evening he'd told him he was Dana's mother. He'd nearly forgotten that in all the chaos that had resulted out of that confession. D had liked him back when Dana had been conceived. And he'd still liked him in Japan, obviously. But now?

A little sound from his bedroom made him realise that Dana had woken. He quickly stood, but before he had arrived at her bed, she was already standing in it, crying. Big round tears were streaming down her cheeks and she reached for Leon with helpless arms. "Bàbà!"

He hoisted her up on his hip and stroked her back while she grabbed his hair. By now he was getting used to having it torn the whole time.

Promptly their first meeting appeared in his mind. Back then he had wondered how Dana could be so careless with someone like D. Now he knew why and wished he could trade with the girl.

Quickly he concentrated on the task at hand rather than wallowing in self-pity again. "Ssh, honey, what's the matter? Did you have a nightmare? It can't hurt you, I promise," he whispered. Dana sniffled and raised her head to look at him.

"Bàbà?" she said and Leon shook his head, feeling strange.

"No, sweetie, I'm not bàbà. D's bàbà. I'm – "

Why had they never talked about what Dana was going to call Leon, now that he officially was her father? Back in Tokyo, she'd called him Leon. But that just didn't sound right anymore.

"I'm Daddy, Dana," he said firmly and sat down with the girl on his lap. "I don't know if D explained it to you, but I'm your father, too. D's kind of your mother, and I'm your father. It's difficult, but we're your parents."

Dana's tears dried as she thought it over, pecking her head to the side. "D is bàbà. Leon is daddy," she said and the blonde grinned.

"You got it, missy. Good girl. So, what about going back to sleep now? Tomorrow's going to be a long day. I'm gonna take you sight-seeing in the city, and you should be well rested."

"Dana stay with Daddy." She grabbed his t-shirt with her hands. Leon looked at his bed, looked back at Dana's bed and gave in, sighing.

"But only tonight," he limited, before he placed her beside him and watched her go to sleep in a matter of seconds.

And surprisingly, though his mood was still pretty low, the feeling of her small body in his arms had lulled him into sleep soon, too.

A/N: Wow, Leon, you're so quick! The Count might be in love with you, no shit, Sherlock... -.- Seriously, what IS it with those two? ... Yeah, I know. I'm the author. Still. What is it with those two?!

Anyway, thank you for the reviews everybody! I'm happy I could make you laugh. ^^
Still - please remember they have not yet talked about anything serious. I mean, real serious. Just wanted to remind you of that...

So long, Enaty