[ CHAPTER 4 ]
[ THE BIRD & THE WORM ]
Author's note: Flashback time! I promise you things will happen in time, but for now I want to keep some of you on edge and (figuratively speaking) dying for more. If these last chapters haven't done that then, I apologize. If your interest has wavered, then I apologize even further. But, since I am trying to create a proper in-depth story here rather than a context-less kinky one-shot (no offense, of course, I do occasionally read them myself), I need to create some character depth and suspense, and I hope those of you who are still with me can appreciate that. And personally, I think a little teenage Izaya & Shizuo fun is always good to have.
Author's plea: If you have the time then please, please, please (!) leave me a review, because it motivates me to keep on writing and lets me know that my works are being read by someone. So, I hope it's not too much to ask, but please if you can spare the time and effort leave me a quick comment to tell me what you think.
Warning: This fan fic will contain mature yaoi in future, so if you don't like it then don't read it and turn your attention somewhere else.
It was a dreary Monday for the 17-year-old Heiwajima Shizuo. He sat lazily back in his chair while the rest of his peers diligently took notes down as their teacher spoke endlessly on about the American Cold War. His eyes fixated on the grey world outside, the window Shizuo was gazing out of one desk away from him began to become increasingly unclear with the buildup of rain drops on its once clear surface.
The seat that Orihara Izaya was designated to occupy was vacant that day, an occurrence of little import. The boy was probably off somewhere making dubious deals with members of the Yakuza or stabbing passersby in a dark and lonely alleyway, Shizuo thought. A small flare of anger swelled in his chest. The girls in the class didn't even seem to miss him that much when he wasn't there, as since Shizuo arrived in their class they had taken to cautiously gazing at him whenever Izaya was not around to do nothing and look good doing it. Hardly any of them would ever actually approach Izaya, as he was the sort of boy that all their mothers had warned them about. Also, the incidents where the troublemaker had misused his admirer's adoration and willingness were beginning to spread, and no girl wanted to be one of the many girls Izaya freely tossed away without a second thought.
At the end of the school day, the blonde was forced to stay behind in his homeroom classroom in detention. It was the result of throwing the trash can at a "fellow student" and vandalizing school property the previous week. The teacher overseeing his detention advised him to study for the test the next week before excusing himself to go perform some duty in the teacher's lounge. Shizuo ignored the comment, and simply rested his head on his desk, his gaze on the window never relenting.
He then heard the sliding door of the classroom open and shut slowly, and thinking it was the teacher having returned, Shizuo was about to make an effort to pretend like he actually cared about his school career. Then, his eyes fell on the entity that entered the class. It was none other than Orihara Izaya, dressed in a dark and oversized hoodie and skinny leg blue jeans. Shizuo glared at him as he strolled casually over to the teacher's desk. Apparently feeling Shizuo's irate brown eyes on him, Izaya turned to see if his suspicion was right.
"Oh, Shizu-chan!" a leer swiftly sprung onto the dark haired boy's face as he waved nonchalantly at the only other person in the room.
"Fancy seeing you here." Shizuo growled through gritted teeth. Izaya chuckled quietly, standing behind the teacher's desk with his hands resting on its surface.
"I'm guessing you're thinking, 'That bastard should be here instead of me'. Am I right, Shizu-chan?" The blonde exhibited no physical reaction, but his mind was becoming agitated suppressing the need to attack the blithe teenager. The darker haired boy chuckled quietly to himself before sliding his hand down to the first drawer of the desk, wrapping his hand around the handle, watching the movement of his own hand. "The only thing that girl saw was a monstrous blonde Shizuo throwing a trash can at an innocent, weaker Izaya."
"It's unfortunate that she didn't see you leaving a store room shortly after a girl in tears that just went down on you." Izaya's eyes slid up to look at Shizuo again, and they made eye contact. Blistering, excruciating eye contact. Time seemed to slow for a moment as the boys sized each other up, examining the targets of their own hatred. The moment was suddenly over when Izaya's gaze turned back to the desk drawer he had now opened.
"What're you doing?" the blonde asked in a monotonous tone, narrowing his eyes at the suspiciousness of his rival as he sifted through the contents of the drawer.
"I thought I'd make a little money, is all." Said Izaya, his voice dancing about the notes of a high octave whilst closing the top drawer and opening and searching the second.
"Selling what?" Shizuo could not stop his hand from clenching into a tight fist.
"This." The mischievous teenager said proudly as he drew a stapled stack of paper out of the drawer and showed it to Shizuo.
"That's...those are the answers for the test this Friday." The blonde whispered, his eyes narrowing further.
"Yup. This is privileged information, Shizu-chan. And we live in a society where bad grades are almost punishable by death in some households." Izaya flipped the pack over so that the cover faced him, and eyed it smugly. Shizuo released a quiet scoff from his lips.
"And here I thought you actually had something in that head of yours other than plans to screw people over and get blow jobs."
"Oh, no. It's not for me, Shizu-chan. I'm intelligent enough to get good grades without even trying. The same cannot be said for the rest of Raira academy, however. And what's the harm in capitalizing on that?" Izaya closed the desk drawer and began to head towards the classroom door, tucking the pack of papers into his hoodie, before pausing and turning back to smirk at Shizuo. "What, you're not going to stop me?"
"Why should I? If you want to steal and sell test answers then go ahead. The sooner you leave me alone, the better." Izaya sighed and spoke with a disappointed flavor to his whimsical voice.
"I thought you were smarter than that, Shizu-chan. You do realize who the teacher will blame once he comes back into his classroom and finds his test answers gone when there's only one troublemaking student in the room, don't you?" in his lethargic state, it took Shizuo a few seconds before his mind clicked and he realized what Izaya was saying. He stood up abruptly, his chair squeaking along the floor behind him as he managed to move from his table to right in front of Izaya in mere moments. Shizuo then placed his hands on Izaya's shoulders and slammed him into the wall behind him, pinning him in place.
Izaya's cool persona wavered a little at the suddenness of his assault, but quickly returned as he looked up into Shizuo's furious eyes. "Is this the part where I scream 'Rape' at the top of my lungs?" The smaller boy whispered maliciously. The taller gritted his teeth as his eyes widened with frustration, and he pulled his fist back and readied it for a punch. Izaya quickly took advantage of his freed shoulder and grabbed Shizuo's other wrist tightly, twisting it into an impossible angle before leaping around and away from the blonde. Shizuo barely felt the bone fracture, and he spun around only to have a palm slam against his forehead and grab a chunk of his hair. Izaya used his new source of grip to perform a reversal of the position from before, forcing Shizuo backward until he felt the back of his head pound against the blackboard.
The darker haired boy's flickblade had made an appearance in his hand, and was brought promptly to the blonde's throat. The Cheshire grin that was sat comfortably on Izaya's face extended at the corners, as the blade sliced delicately through the skin on Shizuo's throat. The taller man reached a hand toward the smaller man's neck and grasped it firmly. Izaya then leaned his face in so close to Shizuo's that they practically exchanged breaths.
The sound of the sliding door opening, followed by the sound of a briefcase falling to the floor alarmed both the teenage boys, as they turned to see their homeroom class teacher that had returned was staring with his mouth agape, and total shock in his eyes.
···
After attending a short meeting with the headmaster, the boys were both warned that if they caused trouble on the school property again, their expulsion would be strongly considered. They were then both scheduled to detention together for the next two weeks every day after school, and were encouraged to 'work through their differences in a civil and hospitable manner'. The two teenagers headed home in a temper that day, less about getting caught and more for having to serve detention witheach other.
The thought of spending anymore unnecessary time together made both teenagers sick to their stomachs, although Shizuo slightly more. Something about Izaya's constant grotesque smirk and inhumanity made Shizuo's insides squirm, and it made him just want to hurt the boy, to make him regret having ever smiled at all.
It was strange, in retrospect, that the relationship between these two people could have become so distorted in such a peculiar manner. It is often said that the line between love and friendship is blurred and unclear, but what can be said then for the line between obsession and hatred? Is this line just as indistinct, or did the pair simply defy all laws of logic for their relationship to reach the point it did?
