Izaya puts his head back on the glass when Shizuo's gone. What on Earth had that been about? He doesn't want to think about it. He has too much to think about as it is.
Masaomi calls him. He's not in the mood. He ignores the text that follows too.
A helicopter flies overhead. He watches its progress with disinterest.
His eyes are lidded, the wine dulling him, until he jumps when what sounds like shots are fired. The noise goes through him like an electric shock.
Men are shouting, bawling beneath him. A car alarm is going off. He snatches up his phone and dials without looking.
"What was that? Where are you?"
"I don't know, I just got outside. People are fucking running."
"Come back in. Come back up."
"Yeah, yeah, I am." He sounds vaguely annoyed. This sort of thing has become so common, it's more of a nuisance than an actual threat. Izaya hears the ping of the elevator in the background. "You see anything from up there?"
"No, it's too dark. Probably just another gang war."
"Probably. Not some shit you started?"
"It's not, for once. I try to keep business away from my home life. Hurry up."
"I can't control the fucking elevator, Izaya," he snaps, and hangs up.
He lets himself back in the apartment moments later.
Izaya ignores him, busy staring at a text from Masaomi. He feels like he's waking up after a long, long time, but he only left Masaomi an hour ago, and Shizuo minutes ago.
Please call me.
"Fucking gang wars," Shizuo complains. He drops on to Izaya's couch and turns on the news. He cocks his head, indifferent, to Izaya's side of the conversation.
"You've what? Masaomi. All right. Calm down. Do I have to come and get you? Yes, go to your parents, go right now. It doesn't matter. They won't care, Masaomi, believe me. Do you want me to - OK. Good. Call me when you do."
He throws the phone aside in disgust.
"Some people are so stupid, it makes me want to chew my own hands off."
Shizuo spares him a glance.
"Thought you had nothing to do with it?"
The phone rings again before he can reply. He groans, leans over for it.
"Hi Mom. Yeah, I saw the news. I'm fine. I'm at home. Of course I'm staying inside. I don't know, I can't see anything. There's a helicopter and I can hear sirens, it'll be over soon. Don't worry. Yeah, I will. Love you."
He puts the phone down, looks at the forgotten wine with vague disgust. He already feels hungover, sickly and slow. Hhe leaves it to go and kneel on the couch, dumping his head on Shizuo's shoulder.
Shizuo stiffens, like he doesn't know what he's meant to do with this.
The news drones around them. The sirens get louder, closer.
"I wouldn't want to be your mother," Shizuo tells him, when it becomes clear Izaya isn't going to move or initiate anything further. "The shit you cause."
"Mm."
He keeps his eyes closed as the sirens stop somewhere below them, and the yelling peters out.
Another text comes from Masaomi.
In car with Dad.
Good, he replies. Moron, he almost adds, but it'd be calling the kettle black.
He puts his head back on Shizuo's shoulder and watches the news with one eye, but it's just repeating itself.
"Looks like it is just another gang war," Shizuo comments.
"Yeah." He doesn't move. He struggles to come back to himself. "I should have left you out there."
"Surprised you didn't," he retorts.
"Oh, you know me. Full of surprises."
Shizuo sighs, shifts just slightly so he's more relaxed, more comfortable.
"It's probably fine to go back out now," he remarks.
Izaya takes no notice.
"What's up with you tonight, protozoan?" He feels Shizuo stiffen again. "What made you say what you did?"
"I…I don't know. I just don't like doing this. But, forget it. Forget I said anything."
Now it is Izaya who stiffens.
"Why?"
"It doesn't matter, just forget it."
He snorts.
"I barely lean on you and you change your mind."
"It's not that," he barks. His whole body tenses with it, but Izaya doesn't move off him, and Shizuo doesn't push him away.
"Then stay the night," Izaya hears himself saying. "You said you wanted to sleep here."
"That was just an example. It doesn't have to be right now."
"All right. I'm just saying."
Shizuo changes channel, not really stopping for any of them.
"What's up with you?" he growls again. "Tonight," he adds, in case Izaya thinks he's commenting on his mental state in general. Izaya almost laughs at the hypocrisy.
"I don't know," he mutters. He shifts and stretches his legs out, pressing his sore eyes into Shizuo's shoulder.
Shizuo wisely doesn't pursue it.
He finds some stupid series to watch, and Izaya lets it wash over him with his eyes closed. Shizuo doesn't say anything else, but he doesn't go home.