first of all...I AM VEEEERY SORRY FOR UPDATING BEHIND THE SCHEDULE, I know I promised you guys an update within the week after Chapter 2 was put in but I had a huge dilemma over Chapter 3. As everyone knows, this IS my first SHIZAYA fanfic and I'm still getting myself familiar with the stuffs. Though I've been reading Shizaya fanfics longer than I've read any other anime fanfics I'm still probably threading may way in so I'm soooo thankful for everyone who is giving Lycoris some love and reviews. YOU GUYS ARE AWESOME and thank you for never giving up and checking on Lycoris when you can. I will try my best to update more regularly from here on. BTW for those asking Lycoris is set in a bit close to Meiji period, I always liked Izaya in a kimono or yukata, lol idk probably because Durarara is set in modern era and I've never seen him in a kimono or something like that.
Anyhoooow I send virtual hugs and kisses to everyone who gave Lycoris a fav and follow, as well as everyone who reviewed! Thank you guys, it seriously meant a lot for me since this is my first Shizaya fic. And again, I'm sorry for if it took me too long to update *bows head shamefully* but I do hope you guys like this update aaaaand review pleaaase?
Chapter 3: Scarlet Letter
It was an ordinary morning in the Orihara estate, it was usually quiet with obviously only the brunette residing in the side of the manor. Today as Shizuo was informed is Izaya's lecture day, he was taught geography and history every other day while during the first days of the week Namie facilitates Izaya's lectures with plants and music. Due to Izaya's cooped up personality, the lectures were usually done in the garden, this was said to allow the brunette to breathe fresh air instead of spending the rest of the day inside his room. There was merely the quiet shuffle off the grass, and the murmur of the branches of the cherry tree that stood not far from the gazebo where the three were gathered.
Shizuo was standing behind Izaya who was sitting and was busy reading through the texts of his lecture, an activity was left for him to do which composes of naming every single capital of every towns there was in prefecture. Meanwhile, Namie stood with a fan over her lips as she watches Izaya with hawk's eyes. This were one of the few moments when she can get the snarky little heir to stop moving his hands to make some kind off remark. Oh, how she loved lecture days.
To Izaya's curiosity he found it too quiet, observing the blonde's previous actions, he wasn't really the kind of person who would stay put and be quiet in a single corner, the brunette stopped writing and stole a glance to the man standing behind him. To his shock, Shizuo didn't even notice him looking at him, he was too busy reading through the book Shinra gave him and imitating the hand signs illustrated in them, his eyebrows were furrowed in concentration and his caramel eyes bore on the pages. Izaya couldn't help but found amusement at the sight of the mercenary trying to learn the art of sign languages.
FLAP!
Izaya gasped soundlessly as Namie suddenly smacked the tips of her fan on the table. Frowning, Izaya turned to the woman who raised the fan again and opened it to cover her smirking lips.
"Why don't you go to hell?" Izaya signed to the woman whose eyes widen and removed the fan gaping at the younger male's response. Izaya smirked as he earned the woman's obvious shock and went back to his book.
"Why am I keeping up with you anyway?" Namie muttered.
Izaya chuckled quietly and raised his head again, "Because you're dead meat if not because of me." the raven signed again making Namie narrow her eyes on him.
"You little de—"
Before Namie could finish her word, Shizuo sighed and gave her a warning look before closing the book and putting it back inside his kimono. "Would you mind your words? It is unbecoming of a woman to curse like that." Shizuo said with a stern look.
Izaya's eyes widen as Namie was left speechless, her cheeks dusted in pink with embarrassment. Unable to supress his utter amusement towards Shizuo's ability to shut that stupid mouth, the raven clapped his hands, however his joy was quickly cut when Shizuo glared at him and instead of talking, he raised his hands and made slow gestures.
"Stop it." Izaya blinked as Shizuo successfully made the right signals. "Go back…work."
Izaya couldn't believe it. Shizuo was able to memorize that much already? It was incredible; he thought mercenaries were people who had feeble and weak minds, more muscles than brain. He didn't thought he could actually make it to this point. Izaya couldn't help but to think something is special about this man, more than the color of his hair. Shizuo's caramel eyes stared back at Izaya, no one had ever been brave enough like him. Shizuo was like some kind of unbending wind, it refuses to be bend, to submit to any kind of force, and he never showed fear towards Izaya and his peculiar eyes. Some people found it revolting to look at him in the eyes, some thought it was some kind of omen, but Shizuo looked at them like they were normal pair of eyes.
Shizuo blinked first cutting the eye contact, "Damn, I think I got it wrong." The blonde muttered and reached back into his kimono for the book and turned back to his book flipping through the pages again thinking he got it wrong due to the lack of reaction from the brunette. Unknown to him both the brunette and Namie were staring at him in awe.
Namie was about to say something when the silence was filled with the sounds of feet running. Shizuo tucked the book back and stood straight, the hurried footsteps didn't belong to adults, they might sound heavy but it was due to some kind of excitement and energy that there were, the footsteps were followed by a familiar pattern of walk. Shizuo knew who he might be seeing today with the way Izaya left his book as well and waited subtly to whoever is coming.
From the porch two identical girls appeared coming from the hallways from the other side of the estate. Their eyes were similar to Izaya but they were darker, almost losing its red color. The other of the two had a braided hair while the other had a short chopped hair, and the other was obviously more hyper. The girl with chopped hair wore a long lavender colored kimono that reached down the floor with a yellow detailed obi that was tied in her front, while the other wore a pink kimono that was designed with sakura patterns trailing down the hems paired with a vibrant red hakama.
"Iza-nii!" The girl in the red hakama exclaimed as she practically bounced in her heels dragging the braided girl with her.
Behind them, Shizuo waited for the sight of the man. Izaya's father appeared soon, following the two girls. He was wearing a white kimono with blue water ripple patterns on them, a subtle smile grazing his lips. The man paused and watched the twins ran towards their older brother.
Izaya merely smiled at the two who practically launched themselves at the brunette. The two looked at Izaya almost at the same time with their identical faces.
"Kururi, Mairu, your manners please," Izaya's father's voice resounded as he walked calmly towards the group. "Be nice and introduce yourselves to Hewaijima-san."
Shizuo blinked at the two, he did heard Shinra mentioned Izaya had sisters, but he thought maybe older ones due to the childishness Izaya was exhibiting he thought it would be more plausible that Izaya was getting spoiled by older siblings, and the fact that they were twins didn't help him to digest the information either. The twins turned to Shizuo and stared at him like he was some kind stuffed animal, their eyes were practically sparkling.
"Good morning." Orihara Suichiro greeted with a smile.
Both Shizuo and Namie bowed to the man while Izaya merely stared. With a hand gesture, the heir greeted the man which the man replied with a small nod.
"Hewaijima-san, thank you I heard of your quick response to my son's attack last night."
Shizuo remained bowing as he replied, "It is my duty, those words are wasted on me."
Suichiro laughed, "Oh you sure are humble just like Kishitani-sensei describes you, I could never get use to such sincere humility."
"It is the truth." Shizuo said simply.
"Oh raise your head," Suichiro said which Shizuo complied, "I hope my son is not giving you a hard time?"
Shizuo glanced at Izaya at the corner of his eyes and found the crimson eyes staring at him with anticipation, perhaps waiting for him to complain about how he had been such a difficult to Shizuo. Obviously, if Shizuo admits Izaya's stubbornness and complain to the man, he would be giving Izaya exactly what he wants, and that is not going to happen.
With a fake smile Shizuo managed to pull he shook his head, "Oh, no, he might be a bit rough but it is no problem."
Shizuo saw the way Izaya gaped at him raising an eyebrow. It made him smirk internally.
"That's great!" the man replied, "I was very frightened that after the event last night you might want to leave."
Shizuo fought the urge to smirk, "This job is more forgiving than going out to a war."
"Oh, yes," Suichiro answered. The man looked down with the his children staring at Shizuo in awe which is something new. Usually, when he tries to hire a new attendant for the twin's brother the twins would call the attendant names, prank the poor soul and basically hate the person without a basis. It was almost peculiar to see them interested at someone. "These two are Izaya's sister, they're twins."
Shizuo nodded, twins, yes, that explains the similarities.
Suichiro placed a hand over the head of the girl with braided hair, "This is Mairu, she's younger of the twin," he then placed his other hand over the girl with shorter hair, "and this is Kururi, the eldest of the twin. You both say hi to Hewaijima-san."
The first to speak was the girl with braided hair, while the eldest of the twin practically hid behind the younger of the twins. "My name is Orihara Mairu! And Iza-nii is my brother! I like reading a lot!" the older of the twin raised her head meeting with Shizuo's gaze and muttered something. It was so soft Shizuo only caught her saying a breathily, "Kururi."
"O-Oh, uh, I'm Hewaijima Shizuo, I'm Izaya's new attendant. I used to be a mercenary." Shizuo said and the two kids stared at Shizuo.
Suichiro chuckled, "Well we're working on that, right?" the two nodded and went back to Izaya.
"Is uhm…is Kururi like Izaya?" Shizuo couldn't help but ask. He watched as the younger of the two spread her arms asking Izaya to put her in his lap which the brunette did with a small smile. The older of the two merely stayed beside Izaya clutching in the fabric of his kimono.
"Oh, no." Suichiro replied, "She's just shy, but she can speak alright."
Shizuo couldn't help but look at Kururi, she looked more tamed than her younger sister who was practically bouncing with energy. The blonde's stare didn't seem to go unnoticed as the older of the twins turned to him and stared at him for a moment, before letting go of Izaya's kimono and walking towards Shizuo in her own volition. The sight made everyone except Shizuo and the little girl stop with shock.
Suichiro had never seen his daughter let go of Izaya's kimono and more walk more than a feet away from her younger sibling. The little girl stopped just right beside Shizuo and raised her arms asking for the blonde to lift her up.
"K-Kururi-cha—" Namie called the girl's name in heap of panic, it was improper and unlady-like to ask a man, a grown, older man, who had no blood relation towards the girl to do such.
"Kururi, please don't be difficult to Heiwajima-san." Suichiro said unable to say anything else. There was no harm in it but he didn't want to make the attendant to feel obliged and he might not be well acquainted with children.
"No, its okay." Shizuo said as he picked up the child and practically sat her in his shoulders. The little girl who was usually stoic faced, smiled and giggled quietly. Shizuo smiled as well.
"I-I don't know what came over her I-I swear she's—" Namie tried to explain the child's sudden change in behaviour but she was cut with Suichiro shaking his head.
"It is alright. If Heiwajima-san says it is alright, then it is alright." Suichiro said as he turned and watched his daughter giggled. "It is very unlikely that the twins ever like someone, you must be good with children, yes? I heard from Kishitani-sensei that you have a younger brother, was he their age?"
Shizuo shook his head, the movement made another fits of laughs from the little girl perched on his shoulder, "No, but…I don't know, I just…"
"Gin."
Shizuo heard the breathy word from the little girl as she curiously curled some strands of Shizuo's hair in her little finger. Her eyes were sparkling with curiousity something that made the younger of the two jealous of the attention and suddenly jumped out of Izaya's lap and attached herself in Shizuo's side.
"Me too! Me too!"
Shizuo laughed, "Okay, okay." He said smiling before lowering himself a little and carrying the younger of the twin with his free hand and putting him in his other shoulder, both the two kids started laughing and giggling.
"Father, Shizu-chan's hair is strange!" Mairu squealed.
"Mairu, it is not appropriate to say that." Suichiro reminded the child.
"It's alright, it must be their curiosity, it can't be helped." Shizuo said as he smiled at the two.
Izaya stared at the two, it was really strange to see his sister getting comfortable around someone they've only met once. Usually they are hostile to everyone except him, even their father a difficulty controlling the twins. And the fact that he got Kururi smiling it was almost unbelievable, Kururi was more wary of the twins and she was always quiet, but now she was smiling, giggling like a real child.
"Don't be jealous." Namie whispered.
Turning, Izaya frowned as he saw the dark haired concubine and her smirk. It was irritating, it wasn't as if he is jealous, surely the twins may be friendly and playing nice with Shizuo but that doesn't mean they liked him more than their own brother, right? Unconsciously Izaya furrowed his eyes towards Shizuo.
"Okay, time out, your brother might turn permanently red if we keep making him jealous." Shizuo teased smirking. The twins chuckled.
"Okay!" Mairu cheered raising both her hands in the air.
"I'm not jealous you brute." Izaya signed knowing perfectly that Shizuo didn't understand well yet. Shizuo frowned as he set the twins down making the brunette smirk in triumph.
However a tugged in the sleeves of Shizuo's sleeves called his attention, Kururi made a small gesture to Shizuo to come forward. Shizuo complied, the little girl moved closer to Shizuo and whispered to the blonde. The man chuckled and pulled away after and ruffled the little girl's head, "You know what, we're going to be friends." He said making the little girl smile. Shizuo turned towards Izaya and smirked.
Izaya's felt the air in his throat was trapped as he found the mesmerizing caramel eyes glint with mischievousness. His cheeks burnt at the look the man gave him. He was not used to anyone looking at him like that, especially a commoner like Shizuo.
"What did Kururi say?" Izaya signed to the younger of the twins.
Mairu chuckled and giggled, before making a zipping gesture against her small lips that were stretched into a smile. Izaya frowned and turned to Shizuo, and now his sisters were conspiring against him, with a stranger they met just today. "Are they conspiring against me, they are conspiring against me!" Izaya signed to his father as he stood. His father could almost hear his son exclaiming angrily in his mind, sometimes Izaya acted like their late mother when she was younger. Izaya was always the twins' favourite, the twins had become unconsciously protective of their brother who had fallen in such state.
"They aren't Izaya." Suichiro assured his son but he was only given a huff making the twins and even Shizuo smile.
.
.
.
The usual empty rooms in the East Wing seemed a bit livelier today, Shizuo found that despite Izaya's sharp eyes and words, he was a good brother to his sisters. His red eyes soften they look at them with a gentle glint, it was almost hard to believe that the brunette who is sitting on the floor surrounded with papers filled with childish drawings were the same man he spoke with. His lips were grazed with a small smile as the twins tried to explain their works of art to their older sibling. The room seemed a bit brighter.
"Izaya sees you as a competition against his sisters' attention." Suichiro said quietly to Shizuo. The two stood in a corner of the room watching the room filled quietly. Shizuo turned to the man who had a small smile grazing his lips. "It has been a while since he had shown any other emotion aside from anger and hostility."
"He isnt that bad." Shizuo said truthfully.
Suichiro laughed, "Well aside from Kishitani-sensei, you're a first."
"He's difficult, but not that bad." Shizuo admitted. Izaya was rough, he was difficult to handle, he annoys and somehow manages to get on every single nerve on Shizuo's body, but on the other hand the fact that he had probably seen another human being aside from Shinra, his family and Namie could explain that. He probably didn't like to be treated like a fragile vase or commodity, and that Shizuo understood why he disagrees with Shizuo's stay.
"This is a good sign," the man said in a quiet voice, his eyes were staring at his eldest child, his expression filled with something kind and sad. "one day I wish he would be able to trust others as well, the walls of the estate wouldn't always be able to protect him."
"If the walls couldn't protect him, I will."
The words were quick, sudden, there was no hesitation that it shocked the head of the family. He tore his eyes away from his son and stared right at those caramel colored eyes. They were burning with a warm compassion and youthful determination, none of it rung any alarms in Suichiro's head. As an informant, he was trained to detect the slightest hint of lies, one wrong information could set thousands of wars all over Japan. Shizuo meant his words, with every single fibers of his being.
Suichiro wondered which part of this man is the one who had killed thousands, where is the man that the news called as the monster of Ikebukuro? He didn't see him, he saw a young man with a heart of gold and honors. There were thousand others that deserved that label, but not this man, not Hewaijima Shizuo.
"I didn't made the wrong choice." The man whispered to himself as he turned to look at his son again.
.
.
.
"Kyouko."
A beautiful woman turned to face Suichiro, her long dark locks was tied in a very intricate braid, her thick lashes framed her almond shaped eyes and a very youthful smile spread in her plump lips. "My dear," she greeted the man. Her eyes were dark brown, like the color of the earth and cocoa. She turned towards the boy who was sitting nearby curiously poking at the spider lilies in the corner. "Izaya, your father is here." She called in a sweet voice.
The boy quickly snapped from his task and grinned from ear to ear, he stood and smiled to his father. The ten years old boy stood, he looked so much like his mother in many ways, the smile, the porcelain white skin and nose. However, his hair was the raven black of the Orihara clan, and despite his age which was closing to his teen, Izaya's eyes were still the blood crimson, a characteristic only known to be possessed by children from infancy to the age of five at the most. The crimson eyes were thought to be some kind of mark to the Orihara clan, almost every children born from the family were gifted by the rare eyes and they slowly becomes darker, and darker until they are pitch black by the time before they reach puberty.
"Father!" the little boy smiled widely at the man who gave the boy an appreciative ruffle in his head. Suichiro couldn't be more proud of his son, he was bright and beautiful, so much like his mother.
"Have you been good to your mother?"
"Yes. Mother and I had finished a book today." The boy proudly said.
"That's good to hear, how about you go see the gifts I brought to you in the parlour, your Mother and I have a very important thing to discuss."
Izaya's eyes sparkled at the word 'gifts', he nodded and quickly took off. Kyoko merely chuckled watching her energetic son. The child's curiosity had proven her that she had given birth to a rather bright child, he is very promising.
"Kyoko." Suichiro called his wife who walked towards her spouse, "Should we move to the estate in Edo?"
The woman creased her eyebrows in obvious confusion, "Why would we need to do so?"
Suichiro shook his head cupping the small face in hands, "Izaya is…not normal and I—"
Kyoko pressed a finger in Suichiro's lips inevitably stopping the man's words, "Izaya is special. If we treat him like some kind of monster by running away from people we're no better than the people that slaughtered your family." With a reassuring smile she placed a hand over the man's chest, "There is nothing wrong with him, he is not some bad egg or monster, he is Izaya, he is my son, your son. He's a strong boy, believe in that."
.
.
CLAP!
Shizuo broke out of his trance and turned to look at Suichiro who just clapped, the man was smiling widely which somehow made the blonde feel the hairs in his neck just raised, he was starting to believe that it's a trait of the Oriharas to have such menacingly innocent smile. Their smile is too sweet to simply trust it was innocent.
"I got an idea!" the man said smiling at Shizuo. "I need you to do something for me Hewaijima-san."
Suichiro's smiled turned dark and Shizuo swore he felt himself sweating bullets. For the first time he understood why everyone flinched at the mention of the family's last name, Suichiro's eyes were so black he could feel it devouring him and something about his smile told the blonde he was about to see what hell is like.
"W-What would it be?"
