CHAPTER 9

PHANTOM AND ANGEL

PART 18

Only a moment went by, and Leon was feeling all eyes, except the teddy-goat's, in the kitchen on him…and the teddy-goat in his arms. Pretending that he hadn't noticed, Leon strolled back over to the tea cabinet. He had to stop work on T-Chan's back to open the doors on the lower part of the cabinet. While still holding the teddy-goat, he pulled out a black lacquered tray and set it on the countertop, then placed two of the teacups on it that matched the warming teapot. He managed to pull the tray off of the countertop and slide his hand under it, then carry it over to the teapot with T-Chan still held in the other arm.

The sound of a drawer full of metal utensils being opened and searched drew Leon's attention to where Pon-Chan was leaning over the counter. He made it over to her just as she pulled out a small, long-handled measuring—scoop-like thingy for the tea. The detective took it from her with an unsure word of thanks and then looked over at the tea cabinet…where he'd left the tea.

"Kyu-kyu."

"Two?"

Q-Chan made his face seem to fatten cutely as he nodded affirmation.

I will not laugh…I will not laugh…I will put two scoops of tea in the tea pot and NOT freakin laugh. When he lifted the lid to the teapot off, he saw the water still inside of it. He had to put the scoop down to pick up the teapot by the handle and pour the warm water out of it. His hand was back on T-Chan's spine for the short walk back to the tea cabinet to get the canister of Yerba Mate blend. Since T-Chan seemed to be held just fine with his arm from the wrist up, Leon put the canister in the same hand that was wrapped around the teddy-goat so that he could use the other hand to work T-Chan's back on the return trip to the teapot. "Uno—dos…"

T-Chan had his eyes just partially open, and felt the arm around him stiffen, as the fingers on his back left and returned. He heard the very familiar sound of a tea tin being set on the counter when they'd stopped moving, and the slight ring of the tea scoop as it brushed against the counter when it was being picked up. The arm around him flexed slightly again when Leon had to use both hands to open the tea.

The totetsu's ears caught the faint musical sound of the stainless steel scoop being driven into the dry tea plant pieces, and the burst of fragrance from it filled his nose. A hidden smirk twitched at the corner of his mouth when he remembered the one time that he'd served this particular tea blend to Count D's grandson, and the pet shop keeper had become a singular flurry of constant movement and talking for a good couple of hours. An additional tingle went up his spine when Leon's voice counted out in Spanish…with a definite American accent, and then his hair tried to stand on end when the teakettle started to whistle.

"Very nice timing," Leon commented pleasantly. Humming to himself a little, he set the scoop back down on the counter and reached for the noisy kettle. He felt himself relaxing; the idea of successfully making a pot of tea somehow soothed his restless mind.

Pon-Chan's eyes widened in alarm, and her stripes were nearly blurred together when she scurried in front of the teapot and stuck up a hand in warning, "Wait, Leon! You don't pour the water in right after it's boiling!"

Leon halted. Well, so much for successfully making tea. Tension rose up in him again, quickening his heart with an unnecessary adrenalin release. He sighed with the onset of defeat threatening. "Okay-okay. I don't know what you're getting all worked up about, but I'll figure it out." He set the kettle on a spot in the center of the four stove burners.

"Kyu." Q-Chan stated serenely, and laced the tiny fingers of his paws together.

Renewed hope seemed to spark in his expression, and he felt himself relaxing again. "Wait a minute for it to cool down?" Leon stated the unexpected thought that suddenly surfaced in his mind and was starting to wonder if he was still in bed—dreaming.

Q-Chan almost looked a bit pompous when he closed his eyes and nodded his fluffy little head with a pleased expression.

Leon frowned slightly with uncertainty clouding his blue eyes, "Um, okay, then I guess I'll just have to wait for you t'let me know when it's okay t'pour it." He was feeling anxious again, not completely aware that not knowing how to make tea this way was causing him a sense of self-contempt.

Q-Chan looked up into Leon's face for a moment, noting a strange look of pain in the detective's eyes, and then turned to consider the kettle for a moment.

To T-Chan's sudden delight, Leon had resumed purposefully working at the muscles in his neck. The human's fingertips pressed in towards the bone, then released and moved in tight circles before repeating their movement.

"Kyu," Q-Chan alerted after about a minute.

"Cool," Leon responded with relief, and reached for the kettle again, pouring the water carefully into the top of the teapot.

"Damn," T-Chan grumbled softly. His tail twitched faintly with annoyance, but didn't seem to be noticed.

"Oh, I wouldn't be too upset, if I were you," Ten-Chan's voice floated teasingly up to T-Chan's ears from just below him.

T-Chan opened his eyes to find the kitsune smirking up at him smugly. "Says you," he grumbled further discontent.

Ten-Chan merely gave him his signature grin. "Ah, my friend, but just think what kind of affect the caffeine is going to have on his work."

T-Chan's tail-tip twitched with anticipated pleasure. "I like the way you think sometimes." His eyes sparkled dreamily.

"Why, Detective…I had no idea you knew the slightest thing about making tea." Count D's grandson had managed yet again to appear out of nowhere, as if able to materialize right out of thin air. His mismatched eyes glittered above a playful smirk.

For some reason, it hadn't occurred to Leon that D might wake and come into the kitchen to catch him making a mess. His heart began racing, and he suddenly thought of his father. "Uh…I…s-sorry." His face went gray with overwhelming anxiety. "I should've asked before invadin' your kitchen." His heart felt like it would either stop or burst.

"Leon—" Count D's grandson was suddenly frowning with worry that Leon hadn't seen since he'd gotten out of the hospital after nearly being shot to death. In a swift, but ever graceful movement, he'd gone to the table and slid one of the chairs over to Leon, tugging his guest's free arm down to compel him to sit. "Did you even manage to sleep at all last night?" He pressed the palm of one hand gently to Leon's forehead.

Leon felt horribly unbalanced, expecting D to be angry at him for being in his kitchen cooking, but instead, having those strange eyes alert and highly focused on him with genuine concern. It was something he wouldn't admit, even to himself. He squirmed in the chair, trying, unconsciously to hide in it. The strange sensation of relief and gratitude didn't help him feel much steadier either. "Yeah, I slept fine after you put the frogs in the room."

Count D's grandson stilled, and then raised an eyebrow after studying Leon's troubled and exhaustion wracked face, "I'm glad their presence helped you rest, then," he replied almost hesitantly.

"What's wrong?" Leon's gut feeling was going off telling him that something was rattling his host. If he didn't know any better, he would have thought D didn't look like he knew what he was talking about when he mentioned the frogs.

The pause before Count D's grandson chose how to respond was almost imperceptible, almost. "To be honest, Leon, I don't believe you should be going to work today in your condition."

Leon's face flinched into lines of agitation. "I've lost sleep before…and it's not like I'm pregnant," he grumbled.

Fine black eyebrows climbed heavenward, the eyes below them dancing with amusement. "Heaven help us all if you ever are…your normal disposition is challenging enough." He smiled warmly down at his scowling guest and turned to pour the freshly made tea into the waiting cups.

The detective had the strongest urge to stick his tongue out at his host, but settled for a grimace and a slight snort.

"Kyu kyu kyu kyu kyu kyu." Q-Chan piped up enthusiastically.

The smile on Count D's grandson's lips deepened. "Really?" His eyes focused on the liquid filling the cups. With a curious tilt of his head, he leaned over one of them, closed his eyes for a moment, and drew in a deep breath. He turned to smile at Leon appraisingly. "You did quite well for you first time making tea."

Leon was suddenly reminded that he may have crossed a line, even in his book, by making things in D's kitchen without consent.

D watched his guest's face, and noticed a dullness settling in the usually sharp blue eyes. He took one of the filled cups and placed it in the detective's free hand. "Here. You probably actually need this."

"Guys, I think you're gonna have eggs with your rice this morning." Leon smirked, but took an eager sip of the hot liquid.

Count D's grandson was use to T-Chan preparing rice in the morning, but it suddenly occurred to him that with Leon in the kitchen, he couldn't have done that without…raising questions. "Leon, did you make the rice as well."

Leon went gray again, swallowing a lump of dread down. "Uh…I…yeah." His voice was tight with honest contrition, and his eyes downcast. "Sorry." His voice seemed almost meek.

D moved to stand in front of Leon as closely as he could, and boldly reached a hand under the young man's chin to urge it upward. "Leon? What's wrong?"

Wondering eyes were searching his when Leon dared to raise his head and look at D. It was one of those painful-relieving moments. The Count's grandson could word a question that somehow ensnared a troubling thought or feeling that he hadn't been able to single out and identify on his own. "I'm not suppose to…be in the kitchen." He finally managed to turn the feeling into a statement. "I wasn't suppose to get under foot when mom was doing housework."

The hair on one side of D's head draped downward like a wind-touched curtain, and flowed over his jaw-line on the other side like a raven-black stream when he tilted his head. "Even if you wished to help her do the housework?"

Leon nearly flinched back, slight outrage flared in his eyes. "That's when I got told not t'bother her when she was doin' it." His body seemed to sag with shame, and then he sighed heavily, drinking more of his tea with a look of grim resignation.

D nodded with the new understanding. "Then…it is not a matter of housework diminishing your masculinity?"

"Hell no! A grown man oughtta know how t'take care of himself!" He remembered being angry that he hadn't been allowed to learn all the little things his mother did that made it possible to get the housework done so efficiently. He also remembered being ashamed at being angry…with his father. He felt stupid for even getting angry, and felt angry about feeling stupid. Every time he made up his mind to clean up his apartment, he suddenly felt like he should go and do something else, as though someone might show up and disapprove of his activities. It was all like a losing battle, no matter which way he turned.

A new admiration seemed to spark in D's eyes . "You have a strong sense of refraining from doing that which you believe is wrong, despite how strongly you desire to do it anyway. Doesn't it make sense that you would feel uncomfortable doing something that your parents had instructed you not to do?"

It was like a string of related thoughts and feelings had suddenly become untangled for Leon. "Yeah." A new light seemed to glow brightly in his eyes at the revelation.

"You're more than welcome to learn to cook here, Leon, and I'd never turn down any help with the household chores, except for right now." D's hands slid to the hand Leon was holding his cup with and gently pushed up a little closer to the detective's mouth. "You need rest…and to finish your tea." He was smiling now with a sincere kindness that Leon could actually distinguish.

Leon seemed to search the eyes looking into his for reassurance. "You're really not mad?" He nearly held his breath after asking the question.

D's eyes slid closed for a moment, and he shook his head slowly, true warmth in his smile as he looked again into Leon's eyes and answered. "Not at all, my Dear Detective."

Something in Leon's voice reminded T-Chan's instincts of the lost, uncertain sound of his kind's offspring. Being nearly extinct, totetsu parents both took part in nurturing their young. Without thought, the young T-Chan reacted to the sound of Leon's distress. He began licking Leon's forearm in long, unhurried strokes meant to soothe.

The dark brow line climbed again when D's eyes were drawn by T-Chan repetitive movement.

"Hey!" Leon's astonished eyes widened and shot downward to see what was happening to his arm. T-Chan's rough tongue scraping his skin was like an itch on the verge of becoming an unnerving tickle. He was fairly powerless to stop T-Chan's actions. His one hand was holding a cup full of hot tea, and the other was holding his assailant. "What'r y'doin'?"

Count D's grandson brought an elegant hand to his mouth and chuckled softly. "I believe you've been adopted, my dear Detective."

Leon grinned wryly. "Great. Now I got a mother hen…and a kid brother."

T-Chan's eyes snapped open fully in shock, and he froze in mid-lick. For those looking directly at him, being Ten-Chan at that moment, the sight was utterly comical.

Ten-Chan's head dropped between his shoulders, and would sound to Leon as though he were letting out a long series of grunts.

His eyes still fixed on Leon's, D missed the spectacle that T-Chan had made of himself, and assumed Ten-Chan's laughter was at the comment the detective had just made. "Well! I suppose the title of mother hen should be greatly preferable to that of 'were-chicken'.

Leon's only response was to raise an eyebrow and hide his grin behind his teacup while he emptied it.

D smiled and held his hand out for the empty cup. "Would you like some more tea, Detective?"

Thinking a moment before he relinquished the cup, Leon shook his head and unconsciously started on T-Chan's neck again. "Nah. I need t'shower and get my ass back t'work."

The heat from the tea had gone out of the cup and into Leon's fingers, and was soaking out from them into T-Chan's skin. It was a new sensation for him, which he found himself deeply enjoying. "PRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR—". His eyes drifted shut again.

"I'll have breakfast ready for you when you're done, then," D told Leon after a chuckle at T-Chan's expense.

Leon took the announcement to mean that D thought he was capable of standing on his feet again. "Sorry, dude," he told T-Chan as he deposited him on the seat of the chair he was vacating. "I gotta get ready."

T-Chan let out a little moan of disappointment, but remained curled up on the seat of the chair to soak up the heat Leon had left behind. He listened to the sound of Leon's bare feet moving across the kitchen floor and out the corridor.

"T-Chan, would you mind fixing some eggs for Leon, while I go make a quick phonecall. He should be in the shower long enough."

T-Chan lifted his head in slight surprise. "Huh?" The question finally sank in and he blinked, "Uh—yeah, sure. I got it." The corner of his mouth twitched up slightly.

D smiled warmly at the bright expression on the young totetsu's face. "Thank you, my friend." With that, he drifted out of the kitchen in his usual graceful manner.

The young totetsu watched Count D's grandson depart and then frowned in thought. "Hmmm. With the kinda heat that guy cranks out, his metabolism needs somethin' more to burn than just eggs and rice!" In a moment, he became a culinary tornado, yanking things out of cupboards and the refrigerator, chopping, stirring, and cleaning. By the time Leon turned off the water, T-Chan had seared pieces of sirloin in ghee with fresh garlic, sliced green onions and ginger. When the meat had browned, he sprinkled in some soy sauce and red pepper flakes, then tossed in some of the rice. When the rice was well coated, he dumped it all onto a plate and was soon sliding three perfectly cooked sunny-side-up eggs on top of the mixture. His pride wouldn't let him quit until he'd garnished the center of the eggs with a dollop of chili sauce and sliced scallions.

When Count D's grandson returned to the kitchen, his eyes widened with delight. "Why, T-Chan! How thoughtful of you. Our dear Detective should be very pleased."

"Thoughtful-shmotful," T-Chan grumbled theatrically. "If you ever give me permission to eat that bozo, I want there t'be something to actually chew on besides bones." He huffed and then curled onto one of the seats at the table.