First Chapter: From the Both Sides

Another valentine's day had arrived. The holiday always made the informant's stomach turn upside down. It was one more of those stupid celebrations where humans exchanged gifts and spent money to show some kind of illusory affection. Like if any kind of affection could be expressed on a material pursue... Disgusting... And yet... Amusing. The way that humans got nervous and anxious about that holiday and what kind of surprises it could bring always caught the informant's attention. Izaya couldn't help but admire the efforts of the young girls working hard on the chocolates they would give to their lovers or objects of desire. Also, the anxiety and competition between the boys in that date was somehow interesting. They liked to compare who was going to receive more gifts from their "secret" admirers and some even prayed to receive at least one. Because receiving nothing on valentines days would mean you weren't loved... BY ANYONE.

Izaya remembered pretty well about valentines days in his high school days. He never worried about receiving anything and never expected to receive anything. Yet... Every single year he received chocolates. Most of them had the names of the admirers so he could thank the persons on the white's day. Which he certainly would not. However, there was always one small package of chocolates that never had the name on it. Every year... Year after year. He used to receive chocolates on elementary school and even before, but the unnamed package just started to appear when he started high school. Somehow it always made the raven wonder who would be that person who admired him and yet hide their identity. He never found out though. No matter who he asked or what he tried. That package simply appeared almost as magic inside his locket. One person that had such effort to hide their identity like that was probably really ashamed of that. Which lead him to the thought the person fell for him, but wanted to keep it a secret. Probably even of himself. A case of denial maybe? Who knows?

The informant kept walking as he recorded about that time and watched the groups of girls with small packages giggling and walking their way to school. It was around 6 a.m. They were probably leaving earlier so they could put the chocolates in the respectives lockets of their admired boys without being seen. Maybe for shyness or to keep things more interesting. He knew that keeping it a mystery could catch the gifted's attention and hold it for some time. Most humans found these kind of things exciting and attractive. Curiosity was, is and will always be a powerful weapon to call people's attention. While they are willing to gather any kind of information, they will keep searching for it and the interest just tend to grow with time. He worked with information. Spreading and collecting information. It was his job. Every day he saw what humans were capable to do just to get the information they needed... Or that they thought they needed.

Izaya knew everything. ALMOST everything... He didn't know who was that secret admirer who always left those chocolates for him. After all those years he didn't find out that. Not like the informant was interested in such things as love. He was over it. Those kind of things were mere human needs and someone so close to God as him would never have such a filthy necessities. However, the fact of not knowing about something, especially when it has something to do with his life, made him feel uncomfortable. Izaya liked to have control of everything and everyone. Not being able to know something about his own life would put him at the same level of a mere mortal. The idea itself was enough to make him lose his good mood. He had to know who it was. It couldn't be left like that. Izaya wasn't going to admit something that could drag him closer to a human level.

"What a convenient coincidence..."

He smirked as he saw the bodyguard walking his way to work. When he was in bad mood, mocking Shizuo always lifted his mood again. Maybe this time he could do more than just mocking. Last valentine's day he didn't find the blonde, but now he could remind him about why he was always alone at this date and put him on his rightful place. Looking at the twisted expression of anger and despair in the ex bartender's face always made the raven's day and he really needed it now. "Shi-zu-chan~" The informant hummed his name as if it was a children's song. "How is your valentine's day going? Did you receive any gift? Maybe a chocolate?" A devious smirk started to grow on his features as he watched Shizuo's expression growing more and more violent and him yelling his name infuriated as always. "My~ my~ Shizu-chan~ This way you will never get a girlfriend, you know? I bet you didn't get a-ny-thing yet, right? Well, it isn't a surprise I might say. Who would be crazy enough to fall in love with a monster like you? Just someone out of their mind would do something like that."

His smirk grew bigger and sinister with each word Shizuo yelled at him. Watching the blonde break like that and snap at him as if he cared was like a dessert after a great dinner. It would please your taste, but as soon as you had enough you had to stop, or you would just get tired of the same taste and maybe get even sick of it. That point was the climax. He could stay and say a little more, but if he kept mocking at Shizuo two reactions would be the most likely to happen. Shizuo would keep cursing on him, what would make him get tired soon. Or the bodyguard would chase him again and he really wasn't in the mood for that game of 'rat and cat' they usually played. He just wanted to cheer his mood a little and get off. So he just added one more comment before the blonde could say anything else. "Shizu-chan is so mean~ I came here to wish him a happy valentine's day and he just keep saying mean things to me..." He faked a hurt expression and innocent tone of voice, that was quickly replaced by his usual smirk and sinister tone of voice. "No wonder nobody loves you... Shi-zu-chan~ A monster like you should be locked inside a cage and threw inside a volcano." That was it. Shizuo exploded and jumped on Izaya ready to punch him for all those words. Izaya laughed madly and dodged the punch without much effort, running right after and disappearing from the blonde's sight not much time after that. It was fun, though it could had taken even more time of his day... And he surely dind't want to waste all of his day with the neanderthal . He kept walking looking for more fun. He would just have to work at night on that day and he wasn't going to spend all day doing nothing.

Not much far from there, was Shizuo. He was already angry thanks to Izaya. "Damn flea... The day barely started and he already ruined it..." He muttered angry as he dropped a street sign all smashed by his attempts to hit the informant. His breath was heavy and his eyebrows frowned. All those words the raven threw on him hurt one hundred time more than being shot by a vending machine on his head or even by a truck. As much as he hated to admit, Izaya's words were true. He was a monster and people were scared of him. Who would be so out of his mind to dare getting close the beast of Ikebukuro? Shizuo sighed lighting one of his cigarettes and taking a deep swallow on it. The smoke filling his lungs and soon leaving it in a strong sigh made his head and soon his body feel lighter. If there was something that could calm him down despise of pudding and milk, those two things were smoking and drinking. Since it was too soon to get drunk and there wasn't any place close he could buy milk or pudding, he decided to smoke. This addiction was one of the few things that kept his sanity somehow. Shizuo never planned on stop. He was too afraid that when he stopped smoking he would lose the rest of control he still had over his anger. It wasn't much, but he needed that for at least don't destroy all city on one of his attacks of fury.

Valentine's days was always a painful celebration for the bodyguard. The loneliness was more evident at that day. Every single year he watched as the girls delivered the chocolates to their lovers and how the boys got excited when they got something. Most likely, he never received a valentine's gift. He used to receive chocolates from Kasuka casually. Probably the younger wanted to make him feel better about the date and eventually he would accept the gift. Even feeling embarrassed, Shizuo appreciated his brother's concernment and decided to don't hurt his feelings refusing it. But yet, no one else ever sent him a valentine's gift or card. On elementary school he used to check his locket every single year in hopes to find something and every single year he got disappointed. As he grew older and "wiser" he started to realized it was useless to look for something that would never happen. That was one year when he found a small package of chocolates on his locket. His heart was about to skip a beat when he saw it. Such a feeling didn't last long though. A few minutes after he had tasted the chocolates, Shizuo was sent to Shinra's house. They had a poison on them that could kill a bull in a fraction of seconds. Surprisingly, or maybe not, they just made Shizuo pass out and have convulsions in the middle of the hallway while he was walking with Shinra. The doctor quickly took the blonde to his house and took care of him until the morning after. Luckily, Shizuo had a hell of a strong body, or else he wouldn't survive. Most likely, it was Izaya's thought. He didn't have to do much to find out. This kind of actions had the signature of the flea on it. Also, the informant couldn't resist the temptation of mocking of Shizuo the day after. It stabbed the blonde right where it hurt the most. His complex of solitude. Even if he wished to have a normal life and to meet someone who would accept and love him and let him do the same, he would never be able to get it for two reasons: 1- No one would be crazy at the point to love a monster like him; 2- Izaya would get in the way and make his life and his lover's life a living hell. He couldn't involve anyone in this mess. It wouldn't be fair to anyone. No one deserved to live like that.

Lost in his memories, the bodyguard didn't notice his boss staring at him from the distance. Tom walked closer waving one hand to the blonde. Shizuo kept his apathetic expression and greeted the tanned man with a monotone "Morning." Tom noticed the bodyguard was quieter than usual, but he knew Shizuo for long run and was pretty aware that if he was quiet like that, it was better to don't bug him. The blonde wasn't a bad person, but it was better to stick to his good side. That meant: Don't bother him by any instance. Those kind of celebrations could bring out odd moods on the bodyguard. Valentines, for instance, would probably bring a quiet and tense atmosphere. Shizuo didn't seem to have good memories from that date and Tom could imagine that. Someone as feared as the blonde probably never got approached in this kind of date. Moreover, he heard about the bad experience with poisoned chocolate Shizuo had. So even if he received something, he would probably most likely not eat it thinking it could be Izaya messing with him again.

A beep was heard coming from the blonde's pocket. He quickly took it off as if expectantly was waiting for it. His face lightened up in seconds reading the content of the message as something that could be mistaken with a smile appeared on his lips. The tanned male noticed and flashed a soft smile to the blonde as he moved one hand to tap the other's shoulder proudly. "So when were you going to tell about her?" A bright tone of red adorned the ex bartender's cheeks as those words were spoken. He looked back to his boss trying to mask the smile he previously let escape. "I don't know what you're talking about." He murmured, glancing to the opposite direction, pretending he was doing his job and watching for any potential danger. Tom didn't insist into the subject. He knew insisting wouldn't make Shizuo speak... Or woul probably destroy his mood.

Shizuo closed his flip mobile and placed inside his pocket, where it belongs. It was more than clear the blonde's mood had lifted up considerably. Which made his boss wonder what kind of message the other received. Perhaps it was really a girl? Or maybe just Kasuka trying to be a caring brother as usual. Well, he wouldn't know unless the other told him, but he couldn't see it coming any soon. More likely he would tell soon or later, but just when he felt secure to do so. Well, he could take his time. Tom was satisfied just to see the other's face a little happier. It wasn't everyday he got to see Shizuo smiling, so it was a little comforting. The day seemed it wouldn't have any more 'intense' moments unless Izaya decided to show up again. Which Tom hoped wouldn't happen.