Vampyra: Thank you, and sorry for the thing with the song in your head... Yes, I'm not that experienced with writing, but if it's getting better it's okay. Just please tell me should it get worse again. I hope this song will not stick in your head, too... ^^'
CD One, Track Four: Something There
"Whoa, what's going on here?" Leon asked, surprised. Everybody in the studio seemed to run around like chickens in a cage. Jill, growling, stomped over and started ranting without greeting him.
"That guy is just so unbelievable!" she spat.
"Who exactly?" the blonde inquired, knowing she could go on like this for hours if she got started once. The woman gesticulated wildly.
"One of the musicians we really need for today's song has broken his arm! What an idiot! Now we're trying to get an exchange, but unfortunately, no one's playing Beauty and the Beast right now, so we can't ask any of the theatres. Mr. Count's already gone again, he knows someone who might be able to do it."
Leon's eyes wandered to the slender figure of D, sitting on the sofa and looking completely lost in the whole madhouse. He started to say something, but his manager cut him off. "Leon, can't you take care of the Count? I really have to get this sorted out. Show him around, or whatever you wanna do."
Jill looked so stressed the blonde conceded. "Yeah, okay. But I'm not supposed to take him on the whole Manhattan-tour, am I?" he asked and his manager shook her head.
"No, just keep him busy for some time. I think I know someone who could do it, too. I'll call you on your cell once I know more, but at the moment, you two are completely superfluous here."
The blonde grinned and held up his hands. "Got the point. Hey, D, you wanna go sight-seeing for a bit?" he called out to the Chinese who looked up in surprise.
"But – what about the recording?" he asked and Leon shrugged.
"Jill's gonna call me when they've got someone else. They don't need us here. So you're coming or not?"
The Chinese hesitated, but then he took his cloak and came to Leon's side who grinned down at him. "You got anywhere you want to go?"
Now he blushed again. "Could we – go to the big park again?" he inquired almost embarrassed. Leon blinked in surprise, then smiled. "Sure."
They set out, the blonde carefully looking out for the Chinese. He seemed somehow misplaced in Manhattan. No wonder, given his traditional clothes. Leon had never seen any Chinese person run around in them. Not to mention the fact that D stopped every few steps to gaze at something with wonder in his eyes. Leon swallowed, and then took D's arm. Mismatched eyes flicked up to him in surprise. He gulped again.
"If we wanna go to the park, we've gotta turn left here," he said and stepped onto the street. D followed trustingly. They made their way to Central Park. Leon led them right in the direction of the lake, to his favourite spot, where he'd met D for the first time. Leon suppressed a chuckle. Talk about Hollywood drama. Or rather, Broadway drama, in this case.
D settled on the big stone, sighed softly and watched the water ripple in the soft breeze. He didn't notice that the blonde was watching him in turn. It was strange, that D had found this spot all on his own. Even more that he liked it just as much as Leon did.
Something about D was familiar to the American. Perhaps something in the way he looked, or smiled, or sang… Something that called out to Leon, to something hidden deep in him…
Leon's cell phone started ringing. He took it off and listened to the one talking, grunted a few times and put it back into his pocket, turning to the young Chinese. "Gotta go. Jill and your father are on their way back to the studio, they've found someone. If they don't get into traffic, they'll be there in twenty minutes with the exchange guy."
D sighed again and took one last look at the lake. Then he wanted to slip down from his place on the stone, but somehow, his Chinese gown got caught on something. He cried out in surprise, lost his balance and met the ground with a thud, having slipped down with his back to the stone.
Leon laughed out loud at D's startled face. But then the young Chinese's lips quivered and the blonde quickly stopped laughing, stomped over and helped him up, roughly cleaning his clothes from twigs and leaves. "There you go. No harm done. You hurt yourself?" he asked kindly.
D moved his arm and shook his head. "I do not think so," he answered hesitantly. "But my elbow…"
"Here, lemme have a look." Leon rolled up the sleeve and whistled, impressed. "Wow, you got yourself a nice bruise there! Let's get back to the studio, they have a first-aid-kit there. I can put a plaster on it." Carefully he rolled the sleeve down again and took D's hand. "Don't worry, we'll have you patched up again in a moment."
D followed with a surprised expression on his face.
Belle: There's something sweet and almost kind
But he was mean and he was coarse and unrefined
And now he's dear, and so unsure
I wonder why I didn't see it there before.
"And there you go, all well again." Leon smiled down on the plaster and then up at D's face. Their eyes met. Unwillingly the blonde gulped.
D smiled down at him. "Thank you very much, Alcott-san."
Leon moved his shoulders awkwardly. "Just call me Leon," he mumbled.
The mismatched eyes widened. "But Alcott-san!" D protested.
"Hey, we're colleagues. I'm on first-name terms with most of the guys around here. Why should it be any different with you?" Leon shrugged again and tried to act as if this was no big deal. D's shy smile widened a bit.
"If you insist, Leon-san," he agreed and the blonde sighed.
"Well, I guess it's the best I'll get, ain't it?" he remarked dryly, got up and returned the first aid kit to its place. "And we should better get ready now, they're gonna come back any minute. You wanna tell your father that you fell?"
Now the young Chinese blushed. "If you wouldn't mind, I'd prefer you not telling him. He is so worried about me the whole time," he said hesitantly.
Leon chuckled. "I bet. No wonder he and Jill like each other so much, they're both mother-hens."
D tilted his head to the side and looked at him questioningly. "Mother-hens?" he asked and Leon explained.
"Well, a mother-hen is the mom of a bunch of chicks. And you know how pissed they can get if you wanna take away the babies…"
The Chinese laughed and looked so pretty Leon couldn't help but stare. God, he was really young. Or at least, he looked really young, 24 or not.
"Well, then we should not worry our respective mother-hens with the tale of our adventure, shall we?" he said with twinkling eyes. Leon nodded foolishly, not even bothering to scold himself for grinning back so stupidly.
Beast: She glanced this way, I thought I saw
And when we touched she didn't shudder at my paw
No, it can't be, I'll just ignore
But then she's never looked at me that way before.
D was all concentrated on their song. Leon, though, kept losing his tune or missing his cue. Jill tapped the glass between them impatiently. "Leon, keep your head clear!" she signalled. Mr. Harris was already looking pissed, too. But it really wasn't Leon's fault. Every time D was done, he cast a quick glance at him, accompanied by an impish smile. No wonder he missed his cue.
Belle: New and a bit alarming
Who'd have ever thought that this could be?
True, that he's not Prince Charming
But there's something in him that I simply didn't see.
D tried not to smile when Leon missed his cue for the fifth time in a row. The blonde started to look uncomfortable and angry, and Father had an impatient crinkle. Jill-san didn't seem too happy either. When the next cue came, D simply stepped on Leon's foot. The blonde startled, opened his mouth and –
– got the cue. The young Chinese smiled brightly at him. Leon grinned back and handed the tune over to D again. He finished the duet part dutifully and took off the earphones. Jill gave them the thumps-up. Even the producer looked soothed again.
The Chinese started to move towards the door, but Leon took his heart in his hands and touched his elbow, making him turn around.
"Hey D, you interested in grabbing a bite to eat this evening after performance?" Leon whispered while all others were gathered around the boxes to listen to the recorded piece and decide which parts they'd have to do again. D blushed. "I'm gonna pick you up at the theatre, okay? Dunno yet when, but as soon as I'm free," Leon added hastily, his blue eyes pleading. Mr. Harris took the microphone.
"Okay, Leon, we'd like you to do it from tact seven again, and then until the end with both."
D smiled shyly, nodded, and concentrated on the work again. This time, Leon didn't miss his cue once.
Lumière: Well, who'd have thought?
Mrs Potts: Well, bless my soul
Cogsworth: Well, who'd have known?
Mrs Potts: Well, who indeed?
Lumière: And who'd have guessed they'd come together on their own?
Mrs Potts: It's so peculiar.
Lumiere and Cogsworth: We'll wait and see
All three: A few days more
There may be something there that wasn't there before
Cogsworth: Perhaps there's something there that wasn't there before
Mrs Potts: There may be something there that wasn't there before.
Jill watched her friend from the outside and saw him whispering something into D's ear. A secret smile flitted across her face. Well, well. It seemed Leon had noticed at last that his new partner was someone very special. And judging by the dreamy smile on D's lips, he wasn't at all averse to the idea. Good, that. Very good.
What do you think about this one? Did you like it or hate it? Write to me, please!