– slight established relationship (been messing around/been quite civil up to you) ; set in raijin days
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"Don't fall for me."
Izaya's eyes widened, and he had to take a moment to calm himself down, breath hitching before he tipped his head back to swallow the lump in his throat. He was so close—so close to spilling the words he'd kept locked shut behind his lips until he took one look at Shizuo to realize that Shizuo still hadn't got a clue.
And here he was starting to think Shizuo had figured him all out.
"Who do you think I am?" he couldn't hold back a sneer, leaning towards Shizuo whose hand he grasped in his, guiding those strong fingers around his neck. He was provoking Shizuo again. Playing with those fragile feelings that could set off at any moment, clashing against each other and soon air could be cut off from his throat.
Shizuo shouldn't be afraid of his strength around him.
"The only one who can break me is my own self."
Now it was Shizuo's turn to gaze at him with surprise. He couldn't utter a word as Izaya's grin stretched into an almost maniacal one, narrowed crimson slits boring through him and he spoke lightly as though Shizuo never once affected him.
"Only in a dream would I fall for Shizu-chan."
But the heart he tucked deep inside his chest felt like a sinking anchor.
"This isn't Beauty and the Beast."