Roses and the Detective
by Danae Cassandra

Disclaimer: This fic contains some minor spoilers for the manga Pet Shop of Horrors up through tankoubon/trade paper #6.  Pet Shop of Horrors, including the characters of Count D, Leon Orcot, and all of the others, belong to Akino Matsuri, and no copyright infringement is intended and no profit is gained beyond personal joy.  I wrote this before I realized that Chris already lived at the Pet Shop full time, so that's why he lives with Leon and just spends his days at the Pet Shop in this fic.  "Roses and the Detective" was originally written to satisfy the Sneaky Love Scheme Cancer challenge in the Zodiac Cliche-Fest 2004/2005 at www.kardasi.com.

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“A cup of tea, Detective?” D asked as the door to the pet shop opened to admit Leon Orcot.

“Why not, it’s always tea time here,” Leon replied.  “What sort of dangerous animal did you sell that couple that just left, D?”

 “Merely a kitten, Detective; this shop is not in the market of selling dangerous animals.  I provide love and dreams.” D passed the china cup to his guest.  “It’s Friday night, surely you have something better to do than come and harass me.”

“What would make you think that, D?” Leon sipped his tea.  It was really quite good.

D pursed his lips together.  “Perhaps that Friday is a traditional night for a date.”

Leon sighed, “No one wants to go out with me.  Even Jill has a boyfriend.”

“Really, I hadn’t heard that.  Who is she seeing?”

“An officer named Cowan over in the next district.” Leon sighed again, “There just aren’t any girls who want to go out with me.” 

“Do you really believe that no one wants to be with you, Detective?”

“What was it you told Chris? ‘Get used to being dumped, after all you are an Orcot,’ wasn’t it?  That’s so true.  The last girl I went out with for … oh, what, four dates, before she gave me the ‘lets be friends’ spiel?  I’m just so tired of being alone.  It would be better for Chris, too, if it wasn’t just me looking after him.  Maybe I wouldn’t have to leave him here all day.  I think he’s becoming a little too attached to those pets of yours.”  Leon emptied his cup quickly.  “Pour me some more tea.  I’d ask if you had anything stronger, but the last time you gave me sake, I had a really whacked-out dream.”

D smiled and poured some more tea for both of them.  His two-colored eyes focused on Leon with an intensity that disturbed the detective, even if he was determined not to show it.  “There is love out there for everyone, true love, Detective, a lot more than meaningless sex with badly-proportioned women.”

Leon chuckled.  “Just because you don’t like my posters …”

“They’re perfectly hideous, which is why Chris belongs here, rather than that … apartment …” D spoke the word with great distaste, “of yours.”

“Ah, D, I’m a bachelor.  That’s what a bachelor pad is supposed to look like.”

D glanced around rather obviously.  The pet shop’s front room was beautifully appointed with hanging oriental lamps, painted screens, silk hangings and curtains, along with the comfortable couches and chairs that they sat on.  “I beg to differ.”

“You think this is normal?  This coming from the man in a dress!”

“Cheongsam.”

“Whatever.  It’s still a dress.”  Leon took another long gulp of his tea.  “Still, I’d let you tear down all of my posters and burn all my magazines if I really found something like that.”

“It can be yours, if that is truly what you want, Detective.”

“Of course it is.” Leon was rather puzzled by D’s comment.  “Who wouldn’t want true love?”

D smiled; that enigmatic smile that Leon knew so well.  He rose from his seat and retrieved a small potted plant from among several that adorned the room.  “Here, my dear Detective.  This will make your wish come true.”

“It’s a rose bush, D,” Leon replied, deadpan.  “Don’t tell me I’m supposed to fall in love with a plant.”

“The thorns would suit your prickly attitude, but no.  This is a very rare specimen of the rose, and it will bloom in only a few days.  When it does, you should smell the fragrance.  I assure you it has the sweetest scent of all the varieties of roses.”

“This is some of your wacky stuff, isn’t it?  It will probably eat me alive.”

“Do you really think so little of me, Detective?”  D sounded hurt.  “Besides, I thought you didn’t believe in stuff like that.”

“I don’t.”

“Then either it’s only a rose bush to brighten your apartment, or I’ve told you nothing but the truth whenever I’ve told you about things.  The rose is the flower of love; it will lead you to the one who will love you, truly, exactly as you are.  If I’m right, would it not be worth taking that chance?”

“It’s not gonna die on me like the last one, is it?”

“This is a very hardy and long-lived species, unlike the gattolotto.  Please take it.”

“Oh, alright, D,” Leon caved, as he always did. “What do I do for it?”

“Just keep the soil moist and the pot in a window that receives good sunlight, but not too much of it.  This is a very easy plant to care for, the pot is well-drained and I’ve already fertilized the soil, so it shouldn’t be too much trouble for you.”

“Thanks, D.  Hey, Chris,” Leon called, “are you ready?  Let’s head home, buddy.”

…~…

Leon yawned and stretched out his arms as the morning light streamed through the window over his bed.  He was simply giddy with anticipation.  It was Saturday, just over a week since D had given him that bush, and last night he had seen the buds just beginning to open.  I suppose it’s silly to get this worked up over some flowers. 

He swung his legs over the side of the bed and headed for the bathroom.  Emerging a few moments later wrapped in a towel and shaking some of the water out of his blonde hair, Leon headed straight for the kitchen.  Sitting in the window over the sink was the rose bush.  As Leon added a bit of water to the soil, the bud closest to him opened up to reveal the most beautiful rose.  The petals unfurled and revealed a rose that graduated from the deepest pink on the outer petals to such a pale pink at the center it should almost be white.  It was the loveliest flower that Leon had ever seen. 

And then the scent assaulted him.

It was the truest rose scent, he had ever encountered.  Whenever he bought roses, they always seemed to have no scent, or a very light one that could hardly be noticed.  This one he could smell even without leaning over.

Leon picked up the pot and brought the newly opened flower to his nose.  The scent was wondrous, overwhelming.  It seemed to permeate every pore of his body.  He inhaled deeply, sucking the scent in.  A bit of pollen dusted his nose as he did so, and he gave a small sneeze.  Pollen burst outward from the flower and dusted him over.

I’m probably allergic to it. Leon sat the pot carefully down on the window sill.  I should get D for that.

D … D’s probably having breakfast over at the pet shop right now. I wonder what he eats for breakfast.  Probably pancakes or waffles.  Leon could just see the Chinese man gleefully drowning them in maple syrup, and slicing them up.  D was always so fastidious in his eating habits.  He wouldn’t just shovel them in like Leon did when he went to Waffle House.  D would savor each bite, Leon was certain of that.  He would probably lick the fork to get all the syrup too…

It’s probably just that I haven’t smelled a good rose before.  D wouldn’t give me something I’m allergic to.  I should get him something before I go over this morning.  Something sweet.  I think I saw some Godiva for sale in that coffee shop on the way to the pet shop.  Leon smiled as he thought of D squealing over Godiva chocolates. 

Leon grabbed two bowls out of the dishwasher and filled them with cereal.  I should take D over to Waffle House sometime for breakfast.  Leon could just see him savoring each bite, licking the remains of the maple syrup from his lips.  He grabbed the milk out of the fridge and poured it into the cereal.

“Chris, breakfast!” Leon yelled down the hall.

His kid brother came down the hall and dropped into the other chair.  Leon slid him a bowl of cereal and sat down himself.  I wonder if D ever eats cereal.  He probably gets one of those kids’ cereals, the kind that’s nothing but sugar.  Leon had a vision of D with a big bowl of cookie crisp.  He’d probably have it with chocolate milk.  The thought of D with a chocolate milk mustache caused a strange feeling in Leon’s stomach.

The clink of Chris’ spoon against the bowl brought Leon back to his senses.  Chris had already eaten all of his cereal and was looking at Leon quizzically.  Leon grabbed up his own spoon and wolfed down the entirety of his bowl in moments.  He jumped up and tossed the empty bowls into the sink, where they landed with a clatter. 

Heading for the door, Leon asked, “You ready?”  When Chris didn’t move, Leon looked over his shoulder, “what’s the holdup, bro?”

Chris stared rather pointedly at Leon’s towel.  With a curse, Leon dashed back to his bedroom to slip on some jeans and a t-shirt.

…~…

Chris had no clue what had come over his brother.  Leon was never like this.  It was all he could do to keep up with him as Leon raced down the street toward the car.  Chris was glad it was fixed again and they wouldn’t have to run for the subway.  Leon sped out of the garage, cutting off an oncoming taxi, cussing at other drivers and every light.  It seemed like he could hardly wait to get to the pet shop.

The stop at the coffee shop didn’t surprise Chris.  From his vantage point in the car, he could see Leon grab the largest box of chocolates on the shelf.  Count D’s sweet-tooth was well known to him, as was Leon’s penchant for bringing D some gift of sweets virtually ever day. But it was Leon’s impatience in the line that was new.  Chris could see him sigh with exasperation at the pace it moved, and move restlessly about, looking more agitated than Chris had ever seen him before.

It was a relief to Chris when the familiar red roof of the pet shop came into view, if for nothing else than to get out of the car.  Leon was usually a good driver, but today it was like riding with some kind of demented racer.  What’s wrong with you, big brother? 

…~…

Leon himself was only vaguely aware he wasn’t acting like his normal self.  All he was really aware of was his desire to get to the pet shop and see D.  The urgency of that desire overrode everything else, including the increasingly quieter voice in the back of his mind that whispered the abnormality of his actions.

Leon threw open the door of the pet shop, and strode in.  “D?” He called, and then stopped just inside the door as he saw him. 

D sat in a large chair facing the door, a cup of tea in hand, that infernal goat-thing beside him.  The deep red cheongsam that D wore only accentuated his pale skin.  Blooming white roses adorned the fabric, and the catch at the neck was a single large pearl.  But what really caught Leon’s eye were the sheer sleeves by which he could glimpse the porcelain white skin of D’s arms. 

D is … so … beautiful … Leon stood still, staring at the Count with rapt fascination.  That quiet voice in his head was completely silent.  Why didn’t I notice before?

D smiled and Leon had to remind himself to breathe.  He sat his cup down on the table and regarded the goat-thing beside him.  “T-Chan, please look after Christopher today.  I’ll be … busy … with the Detective all day.”

Leon swallowed heavily. 

T-Chan growled and bared his teeth at Leon, but got up and grabbed Chris by the hand.  Together with several of the other pets they headed for the back of the pet shop. 

“Is that for me?” D rose smoothly from his seat and crossed the short distance to where Leon still stood.  He took the box of chocolates from Leon’s hands and reached over to lock the door and flip the sign to read ‘closed.’  “Why don’t we go into the back as well, Leon?  We can have some … chocolate.”

D turned and headed for the back of the pet shop, the turn flaring the split skirt of his cheongsam.  Those pants are so tight …. Then Leon realized that D wasn’t wearing the customary silk pants under his cheongsam today; that was the pure white of D’s skin.  Stumbling, Leon followed.

They wound up in D’s bedroom.  It was as beautifully decorated as the rest of the pet shop, with screens and silk hangings.  The bed was in the center of the room.  Primarily, the only thing Leon noticed besides D himself was that D had removed all of the birds from the room, because even the cages were absent.  But the oddity of D having a room in the pet shop that had no pets in it was lost on Leon today.

D sat down on the bed and motioned for Leon to sit beside him as he opened the Godiva box.  In a kind of daze, unable to take his eyes off D, Leon did.

“With chocolates like these,” D said, selecting a delectable morsel, “we should share them.  You do like chocolate, don’t you, Leon?”

Leon nodded, mesmerized by the contrast of the dark chocolate against the white skin of D’s hand. 

“Open your mouth; I’ll show you the proper way to share chocolates.”

Leon did as he was told, and D placed the candy on Leon’s tongue.  “Don’t chew, Leon, just let it melt a little.  Now give me one.”

D parted his red lips to reveal a pink tongue.  Leon grabbed a chocolate randomly and placed it there, unable to draw his eyes away from D long enough to look in the box.  D swiped his tongue across the tips of Leon’s fingers as he removed them, then leaned over and kissed the detective fiercely, thrusting his tongue between Leon’s lips, melding and sharing the flavors of the chocolates between them.

Leon moaned and responded eagerly, sliding his own tongue between D’s lips.  He gave in to his desire and slid his hands up the smooth skin of D’s legs that was revealed by the slit of the cheongsam’s skirt.

D purred and broke the kiss, allowing both of them to swallow the chocolate.  D slid the Godiva box to the floor while he ran small nipping kisses across Leon’s jaw to his earlobe, which he drew between his lips and sucked, drawing further moans from Leon.

Leon let go of D and grasped convulsively at the bedclothes as D did wicked things to his ear.  Leon found his jeans had become painfully tight, and moaned louder, half with pleasure, and half in pain as the zipper pressed against his flesh.  It only now dawned on him that in his haste to dress he had forgotten underwear.

“D …” Leon gasped, “please …”

“Oh, Leon,” D purred, “gladly.”  The Count’s long beautifully manicured nails ran lightly over Leon’s chest as he stripped the detective of his shirt.  Leon kicked off his tennis shoes as D carefully pulled the zipper down on his jeans. 

D stroked Leon’s exposed erection with a maddeningly light touch of just the tips of his nails before peeling the jeans off Leon’s legs.  “D … don’t tease me!”

The smile Leon received as an answer was a wicked one, and the Count bent over, slid his tongue out and swiped just the tip of Leon’s cock, licking the pearling pre-cum off.  Leon moaned with frustration, quickly replaced by appreciation as the Count shucked off his cheongsam to kneel above Leon fully nude.

“So … beautiful …” Leon breathed.  The detective sat up.  He ran his hands over D’s chest.  The Count’s skin was heaven, white as porcelain, soft as silk, but hiding surprisingly firm muscles beneath.  Leon’s fingers found D’s nipples, which hardened and flushed a pale pink under his ministrations.

D purred and arched into Leon’s touch, the action pure encouragement to the detective, who gave in to his desires and leaned over to lick and suck a nipple between his lips.  Leon’s hands continued to move over D’s perfect skin, sliding down his sides to his hips and finally to stroke D’s erection.

D’s cock was like the rest of the Count’s body; smooth and elegant, deceptively soft like silk and velvet under Leon’s touch, but with a core like solid steel, hard and unyielding.  It was as beautiful as the rest of D.    Leon was entranced by it, but as he bent toward it, D removed his hands and pushed Leon back onto the bed.

“No, Leon, that’s for later,” D’s words were a dark, whispered promise, and Leon was drowning in the sound of his voice and passion of his gaze.  He reached up and slid his hands across D’s jaw and into the ebony silk of D’s hair, wrapping around the back of his head to pull him down for another kiss.

D responded passionately, entwining his tongue with Leon’s before breaking the kiss to move lower.  He ran his long nails in feather light caress, swirling patterns across Leon’s chest and sides, patterns he followed with lips and tongue.

Reaching Leon’s erection, D again stroked him with a maddeningly light touch as Leon whimpered beneath him.  Taking pity on the detective, D lowered his head, swirling his tongue over the crown, then along the sides of the shaft before taking it into his mouth.

Leon moaned and bucked his hips beneath D’s skilled assault.  The sensation and pleasure of it were indescribable, and the sight of his cock disappearing between the Count’s ruby lips had to be the most erotic thing Leon had ever seen.  The feather-light caress of D’s nails over his sac brought Leon crashing toward orgasm, only to be cut short by a firm pressure at the base of his cock.

“Wh … how … D!” Leon wailed.  The tension in his thighs and buttocks had built to a level almost painful, and were not to be relieved.

“We’re far from done, Leon,” D purred, sliding his hand a fraction lower and slipping one suddenly slick finger inside the detective.

Leon cried out with surprise at the sudden intrusion, but his surprise was quickly replaced by a scream of intense pleasure as D stroked something inside him.

“Oh, it only gets better,” D whispered, withdrawing his finger only long enough to plunge two into Leon’s body, scissoring them apart gently to stretch Leon open.

Leon moaned and arched his hips, rocking into D’s hand.  His barely functioning brain had managed to process what D was doing.  He had never dreamed this was something he desired, but he could hardly wait for D to fuck him.

“D … please, D …” Leon hardly recognized his own voice, low and raspy with passion, the emptiness of his body and the desire for D to fill him was painful.  “Fuck me, D!”

“My pleasure, Leon,” D breathed, his voice equally low, passion making his accent even more exotic.  “It will be easier if you turn over.”

“No!” Leon cried.  “I want to see you.”  He reached up and ran his hand across D’s jaw.  He couldn’t imagine doing this and not looking at D, not gazing up into D’s beautiful mismatched eyes.  He spread his legs farther apart.  “Have to see you …”

D smiled, and it was such a beautiful smile, filled with love, that Count D appeared even more exquisite.  “My Leon …” he purred, removing his fingers and helping Leon bend his knees and pull his legs back.

“Mmmm, so beautiful, my Leon,” D said as he guided his cock to Leon’s opening.

Leon moaned in bliss at the intrusion.  He welcomed D into his body gratefully.  Nothing had ever been as right, as perfect, as the feeling of being joined to D.  It was as if he had waited all of his life for this, as if he had been born for this.  D entered him, filling him completely.  Fully joined with him, D paused and Leon pulled him into a deep kiss as his body adjusted to the feel of D within him.

After the kiss broke, D began to move.  Leon had never imagined anything could feel this incredible.  He’d never experienced a pleasure so intense.  It tingled throughout his body, almost as if D touched every cell he possessed as he fucked him.  It went beyond any dream he’d ever had.  Breathlessly, he begged D for more, to fuck him harder and faster, and then moaned and cried with pleasure as the Count did so. 

And then, D closed his hand around Leon’s cock and pumped.  Up and down.  In and out.  Leon’s seized breath escaped in a scream of pleasure and he came, barely aware as D did the same.

When he did regain his awareness, Leon found himself sprawled naked across Count D’s bed.  His body felt virtually boneless and satiated with the feeling of the most incredible pleasure.  He recalled, with perfect clarity, everything he and D had done together.

I … I never dreamed I … I never act like this …I knew D … I mean, there was that whole thing with Wong ... but I … I’m straight … aren’t I?

Leon managed to turn onto his side and look at D.  The Count lounged elegantly, propped up by a large pillow, delicately licking Leon’s cum from his long fingers.  D’s expression was one of pure bliss, as if he was dining on the finest dessert.  D had never looked more beautiful.

I’m not straight.  But what if ….  Fear seized Leon’s heart.  “D?”

“Yes, Leon?” D replied, softly.

“Please tell me this is real.  Tell me I’m not going to wake up and this will be another dream.”

“This is as real as you wish it to be.  Do you want it to be real?”

“Yes.  God, yes, D, more than anything.”

“Then you can have me, Leon, for I love you.”  D leaned over and kissed Leon passionately.  “Why don’t you and Chris move out of that … apartment … and come live at the Pet Shop?  You’re always here, and I’d love to have you with me.”

… ~ finis ~ …