A/N: I'm not sure what this is, really.

Lets just say that Shizuo and Izaya have an established relationship before this little ficlet happened, okay? This is a one-shot.

xxxx

He could feel the distance between them, the abyss of silence almost tangible to his fingertips.

It started not that long ago, maybe three weeks before now.

He wasn't sure what started it, and that itself pissed him off a bit. He was an informant, for christ sake. He was supposed to understand everything, know every little bit of information that made itself into this city.

But it started with Shizuo not coming to bed before Izaya fell asleep, only to wake up with the opposite side of the bed obviously slept in; But when the informant's pale hand pressed against the rumbled sheet, it was cold to the touch— the house silent and empty other than himself.

He pretended that he didn't notice the cold way the blonde spoke to him, only offering to take Izaya with him to dinners with Celty and Shinra as an after-thought; A second choice.

He pretended it didn't hurt everytime the blonde rejected the informants invitations to come to bed late at night, how the blonde only smiled when he was out of the house; When the brute was out with Tom or even Vorona, or around Dotachin and the van-gang; Even Izaya's sisters got smiles from the blonde.

He often watched the blonde from the shadows of alleyways, assured that Shizuo wouldn't catch his scent like he used to. He was used to it, after all. The two had dated for four years before moving in together, this year marking the fifth year they had been together.

It was funny, somehow. They were still together, and yet they weren't. The distance felt heavy, drowning Izaya mercilessly.

But the informant really was just a coward, and instead of speaking up about his worries; He allowed himself to wallow in his fear of this ending. Of them, ending.

It happened suddenly, later into the night on a summer night. Izaya had been getting ready for bed, the bedroom door closed behind him as he quickly slipped into his heavy grey sweatshirt; Biting back shivers as the cool air of the room caressed his naked flesh.

There was a knocking on the door, startling him slightly before his brows furrowed slightly as he stared at the door in confusion.

"Izaya? Can I come in?"

The familiar voice floored him slightly, and he felt panic well up inside of his chest.

Shizuo never knocked before.

"Y…yes." He murmured loud enough for the blonde to hear him. As the door swung open with a faint click, the informant's arms wrapped themselves around his lithe form as he stared at the blonde; Shizuo staring back with an indifferent expression on his handsome face.

Izaya almost smirked.

It didn't suit the brute at all.

"We need to talk." Shizuo said hesitantly, and Izaya tightened his hold on himself as he felt tears bubble up.

No. Please, no.

"What is it?" He found himself saying, his voice calm and steady despite his inner turmoil.

He knew what was going to happen. How often had he sat and watched the very same conversation happen between young lovers?

Far too often.

"It's just that… I've been thinking…" Shizuo sighed, scratching the back of his neck nervously.

"Don't break your brain, now." Izaya murmured lightly, watching as Shizuo's eyes narrowed slightly. Really, the informant wasn't trying to egg the behemoth on. It was more-so that he felt the need to protect himself with his words, something he was good at.

"Izaya, I-"

"Shizuo, just say what you're going to say." Izaya said emotionlessly, his face blank. "I've noticed, you know. This entire time."

Please, don't leave me. He begged internally, though his mouth said otherwise. He wasn't about to break down and beg, no. He had far too much pride for that.

Shizuo blinked at him, his eyes widening slightly. "The ent-"

"Of course." Izaya smirked, though this was unlike his other smirks. This one was edged with bitterness and undenible pain. "I'm an informant, after all. I notice everything~" He sighed, looking at what was once his. "Just say it, Shizuo. And don't sugar-coat it, it doesn't suit you." He added in a whisper, closing his eyes.

Please. Please, n-

"I want to break up."

And there it was, the words that Izaya could see coming for some time now. The words that he wished he would never have to hear from the blonde, prayed that he wouldn't.

Izaya opened his eyes, looking at Shizuo without emotion; His mask placed firmly in place even as he felt as if his chest was being torn to pieces. "Fine." He said simply, shrugging as if his happiness wasn't shattering around him. "That's fine."

Shizuo stared at him for a long moment before sighing and turning away, quickly walking out of the silent room and closing the door behind him.

Only when the blonde's footsteps receded did the informant allow himself to cry, silently at first with only a few loose tears spilling down his cheeks; Only to allow a dam to be released, causing hysterical sobs to force their ways from his vocal cords.

He didn't even make it back to the bed, insteading opting to curl up into a ball against the door; His eyes and nose burning from the force of his tears.

Outside the door, Shizuo stared at it blankly; Izaya's sobs reaching his ears through the thin wood. He stood there for a long moment, his chest cold and tight with guilt and pain as he listened to the informant break down as only he would; Separated and in private, though other's could hear him all the same.

Shizuo closed his eyes and turned away, picking up his phone off the end table and glancing at it, noticing he had a new text from him.

A small smile found its way onto his lips, his softening slightly.

[ Hey, so what happened? ]

[ He's crying. I feel bad… but it can't be helped. ]

[ Poor Iza-chan~ :C ]

[ Hn. ]

[ But it'll be okay, I promise! :D ]

[ Thanks. ]

[ I love you, Shizuo. ]

Shizuo looked fondly at the LCD screen for a moment before typing a quick message back.

[ I love you too, Psyche. ]

xxxx

A/N: Please read and review.