Hello everyobdy, I did it! I actually managed to write this before the end of Christmas!
Don't worry, second chapter will soon follow, but you will have to give me a few days. It's already weird for me to write this much. Please enjoy and leave a comment.
I don't own neither Durarara or the original Christmas Carol.
[You have to learn the charm of Christmas. Because of that, I'm gonna take you to see the past, current and next Christmas with someone's else eyes.]
"Is that some sort of joke, Courier-san? I'm afraid you've misread the date. Today's December 24, not first of April."
They were sitting in his apartment, bedroom to be precise. Izaya had been going to sleep when Celty suddenly barged in, spouting some nonsense.
[I'm dead serious, Izaya-san. Also, I'm not Celty Sturluson, though I understand where the mistake came from. I'm the spirit of Christmas."
"Right..."
Izaya eyed the headless woman in front of him cautiously. Okay, it did seem pretty unfitting for Celty to be wearing Santa's outfit. And a hat made of shadow. But apart from that, the creature in front of him still seemed to be his doctor friend's fiance.
"You do are aware that I'm not exactly Ebenezer Scrooge, though? I pay my secretary quite well, if you need to know."
[That doesn't change the fact that you are completely oblivious to the general idea of Christmas. Concepts of love, kindness and empathy mean nothing to you.]
"Sorry to break it to you, but I love all people. Even while taking into consideration how charming does the idea of a Coca-cola-themed time-travel sound, I'd rather pass."
[I'm talking about love for individuals here. One that I do not exactly suspect you of being capable of. Oh, and also it's not like you have a choice. So, we should get going.]
Izaya frowned, reading the message written on the green-and-red PDA. However, before he got to voice his objections, countless shadows emerged from woman's neck, forming a cocoon around him.
*DING*
After the sound of tinkling bell sounded out, there was no-one left in the spacious bedroom, the only movement created by the slowly dissipating white-and-red cloud.
*BAM*
"Ouch! That hurt, Spirit-san! Really, if we're already teleporting, couldn't it be on a cushion of some sort? "
Izaya stood up and massaged his butt, on which he had fell, pretty painfully, just before. He looked at the headless woman with condemn.
[You're taking this situation pretty well. No denial and all. I must admit, I'm quite impressed.]
"Why, thanks~. But I think that after dealing with Shizu-chan, Courier-san and other supernatural beings this city has to offer it would be pretty pitiful for me to get surprised so easily."
[Well, seeing that you know the rules, I'll leave you here. Go, watch the scene. You might just learn something new.]
After showing him the message, headless woman spinned around, edges of her Santa dress sparkling and disappeared. Izaya felt like he was about to vomit with a rainbow.
He looked around, trying to recognize his surroundings. He failed miserably. He was standing in a small, cozy living room. There was a brightly decorated Christmas tree in the middle, a bunch of nicely packed presents laying underneath it.
"So, Kichirou, how was your year? Tell us everything, I haven't seen you and Namiko for almost a year!"
"Oh, but there is nothing special to talk about, mom. Life's much more peaceful now, that we moved to the countryside. Though, I must admit, I still miss the city from time to time."
He could hear voices coming from the adjacent room, some of them familiar, but he just couldn't quite put a finger on it.
Izaya approached the source of sound, curiosity taking over his unwillingness to cooperate with Celty's doppelganger.
Considering headless woman's words and what he could remember from Dickens's novel, Izaya already had expectations for what awaited him. His thoughts pointed at a sweet family meeting, humans hiding their dislike for others and boredom behind awfully sweet smiles.
However, what he received instead, was a slap from reality. Sure, the meeting part was right. There was a nice bunch of humans sitting around the table, all of them more or less fake.
Apart from two.
Shizuo and Kasuka Heiwajima.
Two brothers were sitting next to each other, surrounded by people, who, after a moment of consideration seemed to be their relatives. On younger Heiwajima's other side was his girlfriend, Ruri Hijiribe, trying not to look uncomfortable. And failing, Izaya decided, seeing her expression after Kasuka's mother asked her if they were already there in their relationship.
Izaya stared in amazement at Shizuo, who helped the pop singer out, chastening his mother to leave the poor girl alone.
"Just my luck. From all of the citizens of Ikebukuro, I just had to get the beast's family. But sure, let's roll with it. Let's just hope it'll end soon. And then, in the next scene it'll turn out that the main character is Kasuka, or some other lovely, normal human."
Yeah sure.
While he could still hope for the second part, the dinner had already been going on for two hours and while Izaya loved observing his humans in each and every situation, it was Shizuo that made him feel nauseas.
Protozoan acted disgustingly close to a human. He was laughing, probably the only one enjoying the evening. Probably, because even with all his years of experience, Izaya still couldn't make anything of Kasuka.
"And what about you, Shizuo? Have you finally found a girlfriend?"
Oh, that was interesting. Izaya leaned closer, enjoying the blushing bodyguard's suffering.
"N-No, I don't. Don't plan on getting one either."
Well, how boring. Sure, Izaya knew how afraid the blonde was of hurting anyone, but he still had some hopes. After all, that would be such a great blackmail, if the brute got a love interest! At this thought a Cheshire smile found its way to the info broker's mouth and he chuckled maliciously.
"Oh, c'mon Shizuo! You are so handsome, I bet girls kill each other to go out with you. Tell you what, I will do you a favor! A friend of mine is currently mourning over her ex. I'll introduce her to you. I'm sure you will get along in a moment."
Uneasiness filled Izaya as he listened to a busty woman, who he assumed to be Shizuo's cousin. Not knowing what to make out of his feeling, he ultimately decided that it was just him acting as a shepherd, not wanting to see a wolf between his sheep. The flustered blond shook his head.
"Uh, actually it's not like that. I mean, in fact there is someone like that. It's just..."
Discomfort once again crept its way up Izaya's throat. His Shizu-chan actually liked someone? Who were they? No that the raven was envious, or anything. He was a god among humans after all, how could he be envious of some disgusting monster? Even if he was handsome. And kind. And sweet. And...
"It's just that the guy isn't exactly aware of my feelings. And I can't get myself to confess to him."
And gay? Okay, Izaya hasn't seen that one coming. Shizuo's never been in a relationship, not any that the info broker was aware of, at least. There weren't any clues, either, towards his orientation, but the raven always seen him as straight. Just shy.
"So it's like that! C'mon Shizuo, tell us, who is it? I'll have a heart attack if you leave it with such a cliffhanger."
"Yes son, do tell us! I need to know who managed to steal my baby's heart!"
"I agree, nii-san, even I'm curious. Please tell."
Seeing Shizuo rising his hands in defeat, Izaya leaned closer. It seemed that he was gonna get something from this trip, after all.
"Okay, okay, I'll tell. But please, just let it be. It's..."
*DING*
*BAM*
"Oh, you just didn't do that! Do you know, how much time I've wasted looking for something on him?! And now, when I was about to learn something so juicy, you just barge in, ring a bell and teleport me out? That's just cruel, Spirit-san. "
[Coming from you, that's a great compliment. And that's not something I can control. The vision shifts, depending on what will help you the most. In your case, that seems to be this man.]
His gaze following fairy's pointing finger, Izaya turned around. And groaned.
"Oh, you can't be fucking serious. For real? Shizu-chan?"
They were standing in the beast's kitchen, having a perfect view at Shizuo, who sat on a coach in the living room, watching some dumb Christmas show.
[Shouldn't you be happy? After all, you know have a chance to finally learn whatever secret of his you're coveting.]
"Huh, that's not stupid, actually. Thanks, Spirit-san, but I still don't like you. Bring a cushion next time and maybe we'll talk about it. And wait, does that mean that you haven't seen the last scene? Why so?"
[Why would I see it? It wasn't meant for me, but for you. Besides, I still have some work left to do, other than guiding you. And so, bye.]
Once again doing the 'spin and run' trick, Celty's doppelganger disappeared. Izaya sighed, before sitting himself on a coach opposite the blonde. He's been drinking, info broker realized, seeing empty bottles littering the table in front of them.
In his hand the blonde had a phone, at which he kept glancing nervously. Finally, after the few minutes of eyeing the device with an obvious killing intent, he cried out loud and tossed in into a wall.
"Screw this, I can't do it. I can't call him!"
Oh, it seemed like the fortune was on his side! Curiosity nearly spilling from him, Izaya walked towards the neglected cell. The ID that he saw on it caused him to stop dead in tracks. There was just no way...
"Why am I even considering it, anyway? It's not like the flea's gonna suddenly get over his hatred to me and return my feelings. I will be able to call myself lucky if he just ignores me, instead of rubbing it into my face. And I don't even know if he swings that way. Uh, I'm not drunk enough for this."
While Shizuo rummaged through the bottles, Izaya simply stood in place, mortified.
Shizu-chan's crush was... him?
But, shouldn't the blonde be hating him? When did this change?
Finally the raven burst into a fit of abrupt, nearly maniacal laughter.
"Hahahaha! Oh my, you always know how to surprise me, ne Shizu-chan?"
God, that was unexpected. Izaya reached for the bottle of liquor, reminded of the pointlessness of this action only when his hand passed right through it.
"What am I doing, really? Sitting alone on the Christmas Eve, drinking, because Izaya doesn't love me. That's pitiful, even for me. And it's all because Kasuka's filming in Kyouto and rest of the family decided to travel with him."
Huh, that explained why Shizu-chan was alone this year. Izaya slowly back onto the couch and sat down, staring bluntly at the blonde. Not that he could notice, anyway.
Okay, so Shizu-chan apparently loved him.
So what?
He was still a beast, a monster. And Izaya only loved humans.
And so, he didn't care what the ex-bartender felt for him. If anything, he was glad that he didn't fall for some normal human, who he could hurt.
Yes, that was definitely the only reason hidden behind that warm feeling that spread through the raven's chest.
Suddenly, Shizuo raised his head. Izaya frowned, seeing determination filling other's golden eyes.
"This year, I will do it. I will tell Izaya what I feel for him. And if I fail, I'll just have to make sure that he never sees me again. I have whole year, I'll not chicken out. Not this time."
*DING*
*PUFF*
"Look, I appreciate the cushions, but you really need to work on your timing, Spirit-san. It was better than last time, I admit it, but still. I wanted to listen some more."
Izaya got up. He was in the same apartment as before, but this time, instead of a hard floor the headless woman had dropped him onto the couch.
"Spirit-san? Look, I already know how it goes. Right now, I'm supposed to be getting the vision of hell, that will engulf me if I don't get the concept of Christmas. Yeah, yeah. But, look I think a mistake's been made. This place's not hell, it's the beast's apartment. C'mon, it's a mess, but not to that point."
He looked around. There was no-one there except for him. No headless women dressed in disgusting Santa suit. No Shizu-chan.
"Spirit-san?"
The place itself didn't change much. A few furniture were replaced, possibly due to blonde's feats of rage. However other than that, everything was exactly the same as last year.
Apart from the envelope.
A snow-white envelope laying innocently on the now-clean coffee table.
Envelope, which, Izaya suddenly realized, had his name written on it.
He tried to pick it up and, much to his own surprise, succeded. Inside there was a letter. Izaya's eyes widened as he read through it. He felt his knees getting weak and suddenly he was glad that he was already sitting.
'Izaya,
I love you.
And I know that you hate me, but please, do me that one favor and read this letter. I've already done something to make it up to you.
I realized my feelings for you years ago and wanted to confess since than. However, I couldn't do it. I was simply too afraid. And so, a year ago I set myself an ultimatum. I will either tell you what I feel during this year or end all of this. Unfortunately, as you probably already know, I failed.
Don't worry, I'll make it quick, I don't want to take too much of your time. When you're reading this, I'm already dead. I jumped from a skyscpraper, I believe that should do the trick even for me.
See, I told you I would somehow make it up to you. I hope you're happy, you finally have a free pass to Ikebukuro.
Merry Christmas
Always yours,
Shizuo'
No, that couldn't be happening!
Shizu-chan couldn't be dead!
Nononononono...
*DING*
Izaya woke up with a loud gasp, panic rushing trough his veins. He sat up, combing shaking fingers through his hair.
It was just a dream.
One, definitely screwed up, nightmare.
Suddenly, his gaze drifted to the floor. There, with a little card attached to it, laid a furry coat.
Not his furry coat, though. This one was red, its hood modeled similarly to Santa's hat. Oh, there were also little holly attached in few places. Just fucking lovely.
Izaya groaned, reaching to the card covered in neat, unfamiliar writing.
'Merry Christmas!
I've seen you glancing at my dress the whole time, so I thought I should give you one. However, it seems like men aren't exactly supposed to wear dresses in your society, so I prepared this instead.
I hope you enjoyed this little experience!'
Oh fuck.
Yay! That's it for the first part. There will be some nice smutt in the second, but I've never written any before so it'll take a bit. See you!