Surprises for Everyone

Disclaimer: I do not own anything.

Mikado was rising above the clouds. His tired body stirred and his drowsy brain faintly registered that his cell phone was vibrating next to the pillow. A hand poked out of the covers and blindly searched for it. The familiar piece of metal felt cold to the touch as Mikado brought it under the covers and gently pried one of his eyes open. The screen lit up the sleepy boy's face under the sheets and blinded him so much he nearly had to shut it. Slowly the words came into focus as he blinked. It took a few seconds longer for the letters and numbers to make any sense.

2:13PM
Missed Calls: Kida Masaomi (5)
New Messages: Kida Masaomi (14)

Returning to his previous position, Mikado sighed contently and closed his eyes again. Nothing important enough that was worth losing more sleep on. He waited for the familiar darkness to cloud over him so he could continue to pretend that his best friend did not exist and the only thing he had to focus on was recovering back to health. The silver rain made soft pitter patter sounds on the window tempting him back to bliss. Trust the dramatic Masaomi to be the only one overreacting.

A sudden roar pierced Mikado's foggy brain and jolted him awake for the second time. Then a flash followed that lit up his whole apartment just as he surfaced from the covers and peeked out at his only window. Mikado managed to catch the last second of the sky splitting in half. It was darker outside. He took his phone to check the time.

5:32PM
Missed Calls: Kida Masaomi (21)
New Messages: Kida Masaomi (54)

Mikado felt the faint urge to roll his eyes at the notifications. When does Masaomi find the time to call and text him was a mystery. But his chest warmed at the thought of his friend not paying attention to class and secretly furiously texting him under the desk because he failed to turn up to school that one day. Mikado sniffed. It was only a cold. He decided out of guilt to read the most recent message.

Ryuugamine Mikado! If you do not reply back in the next 60 seconds, I'll call the police and report you missing! Never mind. I'll personally come over to see you. What will you ever do without me? ME! I'm serious. You have 60 seconds; otherwise I'll think that something awful happened.

Just as Mikado read the last word, the phone vibrated in his hand.

5:33PM
New message: Kida Masaomi

Mikado chuckled and pressed view.

Holy shit! I'm coming over to save you, Mikado! Don't you dare take one step out of your house!

I'd probably do better without you. Mikado quickly typed back a weak reply explaining that there was no need for it and that he'd just waste his precious time coming over to visit a sleeping person. Halfway through texting, a firm knock came from the door. Mikado looked puzzling in the general direction of the sound. It normally would take at least an hour for Mikado himself to come home from school. Or maybe he was hallucinating. It must have been his brain playing tricks on him. It had to be.

The second knock was a little more impatient than the first. Mikado frowned at that. He sat up, pulled the blankets tightly around him and carefully stood, not wanting to tumble back down when the world started spinning. The unpleasant sensation he was feeling reminded him that he was in no condition to entertain his friend. The boy half groaned and half dragged his body wrapped in sheets, concentrating on his steps. Left right left right left. It made walking a little easier on the shape shifting floors. The knocking sounded again and it just added to Mikado's foul mood.

Really he was touched by his persistent friend's actions, but now all he could care about was his hands sweating and his throbbing head pounding in time with the knocking. After what felt like a century, Mikado reached the door and fumbled with the lock for a while until his sluggish brain finally became one with his fingers. He slowly parted the door open and put on his best I-am-annoyed-at-you face to hint at Masaomi that his visit was completely unnecessary and unwelcomed. He flinched at the cold and the sudden blast of wind that nearly blew him over. The fresh smell of rain cleared his nostrils and his head. What greeted him on the other side was what Mikado least expected. Apart from the slight weather chill, a large bouquet of flowers was innocently held out to him.

Mikado froze at the Gerbera Daisies in, what he imagined to be, nearly every single bright, cheerful colour. He did a quick count, there had to be at least twenty of them! A white card placed on the bundle with three simple words written stood out among the flowers: Get well soon. In the corner of Mikado's eye, he saw a familiar jacket rustle against the wind. It then suddenly occurred to Mikado that the person standing before him wasn't Masaomi at all. The person's height was at least a head taller; he could feel eyes from above studying him curiously. The fingers clutching the bouquet were more slender and a simple silver right fit snugly on the index finger. Those signature items were setting off alarm bells.

"Like them?"

Mikado swallowed and looked up.

"What a pleasant surprise, Orihara-san."

Izaya grinned in response knowing full well that Mikado was lying through his teeth. "I heard from Kida-kun that you weren't feeling well."

Mikado smiled at that. "Liars do not have permission to be inside, Orihara-san."

"So mean, Mikado-kun. Are you accusing me of lying? But ara, is that your unique way of inviting me in?"

Mikado studied the other man's usual amused face for a while. Was it too late to slam the door and pretend he did not hear or see anything? It wouldn't be too wise to offend the other, considering who it was in the first place. It wasn't in Mikado's nature to be rude anyway. So he grudgingly, and probably against his better judgment, held the heavy door out wider to allow his new guest in.

Izaya entered, took his time taking off his shoes and placing his black umbrella by the entrance wall. Mikado used that time to observe the man in front of him again. It was strange seeing the man holding red/yellow/orange/pink/light purple/peach flowers for some odd reason, like a black cat who suddenly sported out polka dots. The second thing he noticed was the effect the rain had on Izaya. The tip of Izaya's dark hair on the back was starting to curl and drip with rain droplets, and the back of his jacket was nearly completely drenched.

Izaya held out the flowers again for Mikado to take and the latter noticed then that the flowers were completely dry. The thought of the man shielding the flowers rather than himself from the rain with his umbrella made Mikado's chest tighten. He hated it when he's sick.

The sound of Izaya chuckle drew Mikado's gaze back up. "Has Mikado-kun fallen in love with the flowers?" Mikado made a face and hastily took them, blushing terribly when the smirking Izaya made it obvious that he wasn't actually referring to the flowers.

Mikado couldn't remember what happened in the last twelve minutes. But he found himself suddenly sitting Japanese styled on the tatami, nursing a warm cup of tea, across the table in the presence of one of Ikebukuro's most dangerous men with twenty four flowers (yes, he counted) arranged in a vase neatly between them. Having tea with Orihara Izaya certainly was not on his itinerary that day.

The usual timid Mikado probably would have panicked and his brain might have even judged this seemingly innocent exchange to be dangerous. But he was too busy fighting the urge to lay back down in bed than think logically in this situation. The flowers were pretty. Damn it. Concentrate.

Izaya on the other hand appeared content to just stare at the quiet boy with a playful grin. His cheek casually rested on the back of his hand. Mikado decided the faster this creepy man went off on his merry way, the better.

"Orihara-san, did you go through all the trouble in visiting me to just sit here in silence?"

"What if I did?"

"Then you may leave."

Izaya raised one eyebrow at the bluntness but made no indication of leaving. Mikado realized that the conversation was going nowhere and brought the cup to his lip to take a careful sip.

"Such a cold response. Can't a friend visit you when you're sick?"

Mikado's thoughts instantly went out to Masaomi. Was it too impolite to excuse himself to text Masaomi? No, that wasn't his concern. The problem was that Izaya probably would do it himself and read all his other messages while he was at it. Mikado was too weak right now to fight him off. The man never understood the word 'privacy'.

"We are not friends, Orihara-san." Izaya hummed to agree.

"Perhaps not."

They fell into silence once again and Izaya resumed studying Mikado with attentiveness. Mikado did not return the favor and turned his attention to the green tea in front of him. He did not understand Orihara Izaya. But then again, he doubted anyone dared. This backstabbing, powerful, calculating, mysterious, sneaky, crazy devil. He was…interesting though. Mikado had to admit. Interesting enough for the boy to be just a little fascinated and wanting to know the other more. It probably involved a lot courage, which Mikado did not possess, and a lot of curiosity, which killed the cat.

"Shall we play a game, Mikado-kun?" Izaya leant forward to fold his hands together.

Mikado hesitated. "What game?" He desperately searched for any signs of a hidden trap in the other's eyes.

"Let us play a fundamental get-to-know-the-other-better game to start our beautiful friendship! How about a game of Truth or Dare?" Mikado hated that game. It brought back horrible memories when he was younger and chose dare for the first time.

"Shall I start?" Izaya popped the question, not even waiting for Mikado's agreement to participate or the reply. Mikado added manipulative to that list of negative diction to describe the devil in disguise. Izaya was looking expectantly at the boy and Mikado could not think of a reason to not play.

Mikado picked truth. He always did.

"How are you feeling?"

Harmless question. "Annoyed, irritated and sick." If they were going to play, Mikado might as well express himself clearly how unhappy he was about it. But he noted that Izaya looked oddly pleased. Probably because he was the cause of it all and Izaya always took sick pleasure in other peoples' miseries.

Mikado's turn. Izaya picked truth.

"How did you find out I am sick?" It had been bothering Mikado since the man appeared at his door half soaked and he felt slightly paranoid that there must be a hidden camera somewhere in this room.

Izaya's lips turned into a scowl like he just remembered something unpleasant. "I saw Shizu-chan waiting for the florist to finish tying the ribbons for these flowers" he nodded to the daisies, "around her-"

"You STOLE these?" Mikado had to settle back down on the floor when he realized he had nearly stood up from the shock.

"That's an awfully harsh word. I wouldn't say steal. He forgot it in his frenzy while trying to hunt me down. After losing that annoying man, I took the liberty to go back to that shop and pick up those abandoned flowers. It would have been such a terrible waste otherwise." Mikado massaged the bridge of his nose, suddenly feeling the tension there.

"You still haven't told me how you found out I am sick."

"While that annoying Shizu-chan was threatening and cursing me, he was also blaming me for ruining his perfect plan on giving a certain person a surprise visit." Mikado's features tightened at the thought of not just one of them but two dangerous men in Ikebukuro chasing each other and formulating ideas of turning up in front of his apartment. He closed his eyes in concentration. He told Celty-san yesterday online that he wasn't feeling well. It wasn't hard to imagine now how the blond bartender found out.

He could practically feel Izaya watching his every action across the table like he could feel the warmth of somebody touching his forehead. Wait. Wha-?

Mikado opened his eyes. When did Izaya get so close? The man had his hand placed on Mikado's forehead and he's leaning in closer. Izaya whistled. "You're burning up. You should go lie down."

"I-I'm fine." Mikado batted the hand away and his throat went dry when Izaya just caught his wrist with ease.

His smile was disturbing. "That wasn't a suggestion, Mikado-kun."

Mikado hesitated before he finally nodded dumbly at Izaya's determined expression and low tone. He allowed himself to be guided to the futon by the arm and tucked in like a child. He could feel his whole face go on fire.

Izaya hushed him when Mikado was starting to protest once again. He brought his fingers to Mikado's temple and softly massaged it. Combed his hand through the boy's hair. It felt nice. Mikado's mind became familiarly fuzzy like he's surrounded by a fog and his heavy eyelids refused to stay open. The soothing touch was all he needed for his vision to turn black and allow him to slip away from conscious. Before he completely resigned himself to the darkness, he felt a tender, soft touch of something warm on his lips.

Bang! Wha-? Mikado's eyes fluttered open. He sat up straight and groaned when the abrupt action hurt his head. Kida Masaomi was staring at him with eyes as huge as saucepans, pointing a finger at him in absolute horror. Mikado saw that Masaomi's bag was on the floor besides him; his books and homework sprawled out on the ground. It then hit Mikado that he never got the chance to text back a reply and tell his friend not to come. He let out a sigh when Masaomi started stuttering.

"You, y-y-you,"

"What?" Mikado rubbed his eyes tiredly.

"What the hell are you doing with that maniac?" Masaomi was on the borderline of going hysteric. Mikado glanced down at the casual arm flung across his midsection. His eyes followed the arm to the shoulder and lastly stopped at a peaceful sleeping face beside his pillow. The sleeping man's eyes slowly opened. It took a while for Mikado's brain to register who this disheveled, handsome black head was.

He regretted greatly to not be the one to do it when Masaomi had all the honor of dragging the confused man across the room then carelessly dumping him out of the apartment and slamming the door in his face for good measures. Mikado could hear the heavy footsteps running back to him when the door closed.

"Oh my god! Are you okay? Did he do anything to you? Fuck, you guys were sleeping together! You. With him. Sleeping together!"

"Masaomi, we both have clothes on if that helps erasing your sick imagination." Masaomi was too busy shaking Mikado's shoulders, prodding, poking and asking questions way too inappropriate about his friend's health to hear.

"I came straight here when I heard from Simon that Shizuo unintentionally told Izaya basta-"

"Simon-san? Does everyone in Ikebukuro now know I am sick!?"

The bed sheets rustled quietly as the agitated boy carefully tried to find a more comfortable position for the fifth time that night. The humidity that fell after the rain was suffocating but he was too scared to stand and walk to the window to allow the fresh air in. Mikado silently wondered how the day turned out to be like this. He turned around to face the person next to him. It was extremely difficult when said person had his arms wrapped around the boy's waist. Izaya's face looked so at ease and undisturbed, Mikado felt a small bubble of irritation inside.

Some time after Masaomi left, Izaya had found a way to climb in through his window. So Masaomi's warning that the untrustworthy informant might have plans for a sneak attack in the middle of the night wasn't so far fetched after all. Mikado glared at the untroubled face before him. It was his entire fault he couldn't have a peaceful, quiet day. Mikado let his eyelids fall and listened to the two distinctive even breathing. He didn't mind, he suddenly realized. The day would have been otherwise extremely boring.

Mikado gawked at his phone just as he stepped out of the train. He looked up when he heard Masaomi call out his name and saw him waving at their usual meet up spot before they went to school together. Panicked and stricken, he quickly stuffed his mobile into his blazer pocket and tried with all his might to slow down his increasing heartbeat as he casually made his way towards his friend.

"Feeling better?" Masaomi quirked an eyebrow when Mikado nodded furiously in response.

"What were you looking at on your phone?" The curious blond slung a casual arm around Mikado's shoulder and guided them in the direction of their school.

"No-nothing!"

Masaomi made a doubtful face.

"I-I was just reading all the text messages you sent yesterday."

"Heh…" The unusual large grin Mikado was receiving was making the hair on the back of his neck stand up. Before he could react, Masaomi had snaked his other hand into his pocket and snatched his phone out with little effort.

"What are you doing? Give it back!" His cheeky friend raised his arm higher so Mikado couldn't reach.

"Let's see what we have here~!" Mikado could only watch in dread as Masaomi opened up his home page.

"…" Their footsteps slowly came into a halt. The face his friend made upon seeing the new wallpaper was almost kind of worth it.

"Masaomi...? Masaomi! Masaomi! Are you okay? Can you hear me? Oh my god." Almost.

"Tell me I'm seeing things. Because I might have to go and bleach my eyes."

Mikado shyly glanced at the photo of him sleeping soundly and being kissed lightly on the lips by Izaya. He shook his head sadly. He could hardly believe it himself.

The phone vibrated in Masaomi's hand. His friend didn't miss a beat and pressed view.

Thanks for the kiss and allowing me to stay for the night, Mi-chan~! I believe the next step in our blooming relationship is for one of us to move in with the other. After all, we have passed the friends phase now, haven't we? ;)

Masaomi's high-pitched scream could have woken the dead.

I was sick. Nuff said? I thought it would be amusing if poor Mikado were in the same condition as me. And whenever I think of Mikado, Izaya is always not far off from my mind. Why is it that I can never write anything serious with these two? (but then again I never write anything serious. LOL)

Apparently those flowers are supposed to mean get well soon. And apparently 24 flowers means I think of you 24/7. –shrugs awkwardly- As you have probably figured out by now, I am no master at the flower language and internet is my good friend.

Please help me improve my writing by pointing out mistakes and things I need to improve on. Do you think I went a little overboard with descriptions? O.o It would be eye opening to know what you found was good/bad/stupid/interesting!

Luv ya!

~always BrokenIce and MisleadingSkates~