CEDE
Disclaimer: All wrongs reversed.
-Insert typical warnings of malexmale relationships here. But you probably deduced that from the fic summary already.-
It was as unexpected as unexpected things went.
As the final bell rang, the hallways were filled with the jostling mass of students as they milled out of the school building excited to be finally free from the humdrum of mandatory education. A figure stood, unnoticed by most, isolated from the din of teenage chatter.
Shizuo Heiwajima was left standing by the shoe lockers with only one question in mind.
Why?
He could only stare dumbly at the object in his hand, unsure how to even react to the situation. He scratched his head idly and guiltily pushed the scrap of paper in his pocket. The reason for feeling guilty escaped him completely and he suppressed the need to look around as he did this, feeling a bit paranoid. His skin felt cold and a small shiver ran up and down his arm.
Damnit.
Shizuo bit his lip, already irritated at how the situation was forcing him to think. He was never a creature given to thoughts, relying more on instinct and physical reflexes rather than think and plan ahead. Consequences be damned, but it felt pretty good to just release that energy waiting to burst out.
And because of his inability to exert the minimum amount of control, things such as receiving love letters just didn't happen to him. His reputation for being the least gentle man was bound to scare any, if there are any at all, love potentials. He was pretty sure that with a simple caress, his inhuman strength could possible break a bone or two.
So people stayed away and he was happy with that arrangement. Only those who dared get close to him and who were foolish enough to not know better got hurt. It was the outlet he needed and he was happy with that arrangement too.
And now, this happened and he felt like a sinister crack has appeared, disrupting the natural order of things.
"Arghh" Shizuo rasped out as he made his way out of the school grounds. He didn't like surprises and he most certainly didn't like this novel development at all.
His hand strayed to his pocket in a fleeting touch as he stomped his way home, itching for a fight, a pissed off expression glued on his face.
o0o
Izaya bit down the urge to laugh and settled for a Cheshire grin in his mind instead. He itched to do a little crazy dance but forced himself to stay still.
Excitement flowed through his veins. His heart pumped out adrenaline to various parts of his body and he reveled in glee. He was giddy and he was riding through the high, the thrill.
Anticipation.
Everything was riding on this one bet, this gamble with the beast. Uncertainty clashed with conviction, but calculating the variables and attempting to predict an outcome was the best part of playing such games with chance.
And if people were to argue that there was no such thing as fate, Izaya would only reply that he makes a sport out of writing the outcomes of lives with a combination of impetuousness and cunning that can only define the very existence of Orihara Izaya.
And although there are instances where people do not act as expected, it was all still part of the game. A recreational activity meant only for him to enjoy as puppet master of sorts. He glanced at his cellphone.
It was time.
And as expected – his heart skipped a beat - there stood Shizuo, looking exactly as confused as he wanted him to, plus was that a hint of nervousness he detected in the shifty way the taller boy approached the designated place?
The cat's grin grew.
His heart beat loudly in his ears.
"Oho! What a pleasure to see you, Shizu-chan!"
The singsong voice that greeted him as he turned the corner was enough to make veins pop in his head. Add to that the insufferable smirk that was forever plastered on that blasted face and Shizuo was sent into a frenzy of rage.
"Izaya-kunnn. Do you have a fucking death wish, huhhhhh?"
The hoarse shouts rang through the empty corridor. The crash of an innocent trash bin as it hit the wall echoed was followed by the screeching protest of a metal chair as it was bent out of shape.
"Now, now, Shizu-chan…" Izaya put up his hands in mock surrender. "Calm down and…"
"How the fuck am I supposed to calm down when you're always in my face like you keep doing it on purpose again and again and again." Each word was punctuated by the din and clatter of flying school property.
"Most of the time it's really not in purpose, Shizu-chan." Izaya ducked as another chair whizzed past him barely missing his head by inches.
"I don't know what you mean you little piece of-"
Izaya dared to take one step closer. "Now is the exception though."
Shizuo paused, a classroom door held up in midair.
And he blinked once.
Twice.
And then, a third time.
"Huh?"
'Now that I have your attention," Izaya's eyes seemed to glow in the afternoon sun. He began, "Dear Shizuo Heiwajima."
Bright eyes full of secrets held the other's.
"I like you."
The words echoed hollowly in the otherwise deserted corridor. The vibrations seemed almost tangible and a hint of static hung in the air. The blond's eyes widened as he realized what exactly Izaya was saying. He's gotta be kidding me, right?
"For the longest time, I have liked you, Shizuo."
Shizuo swallowed heavily. His palms started to perspire. The door he held fell with a loud bang, forgotten already.
"I know I'll never have a chance but I thought I should still tell you."
He didn't know when Izaya had gotten so close to him, less than two feet away. For some reason, his feet felt heavy and rooted to the spot. He couldn't get away.
"Please meet me outside your classroom tomorrow at 5 o'clock after school."
The brunet reached out a hand and covered Shizuo's eyes as he leaned up on tiptoe. He whispered low in the blond's ear.
"I'll be waiting for you." Izaya's voice drifted up and around him in a ticklish caress.
It was the breathy whisper that snapped Shizuo out of his daze. He pushed Izaya away and took a retreating step backwards.
His hand reached up unconsciously to cover his face, fighting down a hot flush.
"Shizu-chan?" Izaya was waiting.
"I don't know what fucked up game you have up your sleeve, Izaya, but I'm not playing along with it." His hand curled into a quivering fist.
"Shizu-chan, I- "
"I think you should just leave before I change my mind about the door." The blond still refused to meet Izaya's eyes.
"So I guess that means, it's a no, yes?" There was a slight catch in the shorter boy's voice and Shizuo was unable to stop himself from taking a peek.
The moment of silence that ensured was loud and heavy in their ears.
"There's my answer." Izaya turned away to leave. He raised his hand in an attempt at farewell but thought better of it.
A brief moment later, he was gone.
Shizuo scratched the back of his head, ambivalent feelings stirring up alien emotions in him. He couldn't point out which was which and he was left with a jumbled mass of emotions he couldn't even begin to sort out. Izaya may have left but in his stead was confusion, chaos.
Irritation.
He hated thinking, hated scratching at the surface looking for answers.
He slumped against the wall, eyeing the letter disdainfully, torn between tearing it up and keeping it for just a bit longer. He hated complications. He should just throw the damned thing away.
Izaya's small, departing smile flashed at him, behind his closed eyes.
Ahhh, fuck this!
With that curse, he put the letter back in his pocket.
A/N:
I started a new story and I hope to finish this soon. I'll let my muse kick me around until I do.
Thank you so much for reading! Please let me know what you think about it.