To Shizuo it seems like Delic is trying to commit his appearance, every single little detail of it, to his memory. He awkwardly shifts in place, unsure of what he should say now and thinking that he might've messed up things by being so forward. His eyes wander in the quiet, looking at all of the things he presumes Miss Mari brought from home to make the little boy more comfortable.

"Are you here to take me away?"

Shizuo's eyes snap back, wide. It came out curious instead of fearful.

"No. Not unless… You want me to?"

Delic shakes his head. "I don't know."

Shizuo exhales deeply, shoulders sinking. He's the stranger forcing themselves into another's life, it makes him feel like shit. Worse that it's after a traumatic event. No better than Izaya, Shizuo thinks. Tar pits in his stomach, he doesn't want the kid to associate any negative emotions with him.

"Listen," he starts evenly, taking a large breath. "Whatever it is that you want, I'll comply with. If you never wanna see my face again, for whatever reason, I won't show up again unless you change your mind. If you want me to come back, I'll be here every day til you get out. And then we can go do whatever you want together."

Delic's heart thuds in his ear like a crescendoing drum. With the splints, he can't clench his fingers to relieve some of the pressure building in his chest. His lips press together, rolling inwards to be bitten against one another. He worries that he'll cry, so he has to say something.

"Karaoke."

"Huh?"

"I wanna go do some karaoke." Shizuo releases a burst of breath, the tension in his chest uncoiling. He smiles, small and adoringly.

"Okay. I'll reserve a booth for us on the day you're let go." The petite smile he gets in return slams into him harder than any truck has, the impact stuttering his heart. Shizuo coughs, face dusting pink, just to help right it.

He walks around the bed to bring one of the chairs to the bedside, the plastic bag brushing his leg. "Oh right." The blond pulls out the box as he sits. "This is for you. For, uh, later." Shizuo's eyes catch the splints on Delic's fingers again, picking up on the chipping pink polish adorning his nails. The hospital bed is wearing a blanket from home, a cheerful young girl in a short skirt posing at him. Shizuo blinks, he should learn about his kid's interests.

"Chocolates?"

"Yeah. I only got the six pack, since the nurses get angry when you bring too much sugar to the patients. I'm sorry, I don't know what you like yet."

Delic supplies, "Strawberry Bubble Bop."

"That candy with the strawberry ballerina mascot?"

"Yeah!" Honey brown eyes light up with pep. "They're so good!"

"I've never had any before."

"What?! They've got cream in the center!"

Shizuo laughs breezily at Delic's wide eyed shock, "I'll try some with you next time."

The unpleasant air returns when they both quiet. Familiarity will be a long road to travel and it's not as if they can do much else besides talk to one another while Delic's bedridden, but Shizuo's not the most amazing conversationalist. He fears his worst qualities rearing their heads before the kid's given him much of a chance. But that way of thinking is slightly ridiculous, he realizes, since they're probably the only two around with the same strength problem and children have never been subject to his temper. If anything will frighten the little boy, it'll be how he acts when angry at other people.

"How many times have you been in the hospital?" The blond asks softly.

"First time." Shizuo heaves a relieved sigh. He's arrived at the start, he'll be able to be around and help ease the worst burdens. "I usually just break one or two things at a time and get set home in a cast, but Sensei said I displaced and pulled some junk in my back lifting that beam."

"What made you angry?" Delic's face sours, gaze breaking away from Shizuo's to his hands.

"Some old fart said pop music was brainless, so..." I think I wanted to make him brainless.

"Music must mean a lot to you, huh?"

Delic's expression instantly twists in agitation. "Music is one of the best ways to connect to other people; to tell stories and share emotions! A single song can make an entire room of completely different people experience the same feeling and put them all in someone else's shoes! Even if it's just some repeated chorus over an altered sample, it should give you something! If it makes people happy, then it's not stupid!" Shizuo gazes back, enraptured, as Delic's eyes glow with earnesty as he gushes about his passion.

"I don't really listen to music much," Shizuo admits embarrassingly. "You'll have to recommend me some stuff, okay?"

"Okay! What kind of stuff do you like?"

"Uh..." He rubs the back of his neck with his hand as he ponders what he's even heard in passing. "Probably some Ruri Hijiribe. Maybe some Akira Terao stuff too?"

Delic absentmindedly tries to shift in his excitement, failing to get closer with the brace locking his position. "Have you heard Rain Tears?"

"That's her latest single, right?" The little boy hums an affirmative. "Yeah. I gotta pick up the album still. I've been trying to get into her stuff lately. Wanna tell me where to start?"

"Yes! I mean- I can!" Shizuo smiles softly, scooting his chair closer and leaning forward to give his son more validation from his rapt attention.

Before the nurse arrives to announce that it's bedtime and that he has to leave, Shizuo learns a multitude of things about Delic. He's nine. (Shizuo's missed nine years of his life!) He attends one of those fairly upper-crusty private schools that Shizuo couldn't dream of affording even if he sold one of his kidneys. He speaks English, something Shizuo remembers struggling to learn for a passable grade in high-school. The kid dislikes sports, hating how grimy they makes him feel. Music class is, of course, his favorite and best subject, second best being math. His favorite color is pink and he does paint his nails a bright shade on the regular. The young girl flashing him the peace sign is Sailor Venus and she is, apparently, "the best". Delic wants to get his ears pierced but Miss Mari had, and always has, shut him down on that front. He loves strawberry and peach milk above all other kinds and he likes to sneak milkshake purchases at the fast-food place by his school on his walk home, but he's pretty sure Miss Mari knows anyway. (Honestly, who the hell gives a nine year old a credit card and doesn't check their purchase history?)

Shizuo's never encountered such a feminine little boy. He gets the vibe that Delic's ostracized by his peers, especially when he doesn't mention any friends or classmates that he hangs around with. His heart aches for the sweet kid, excluded from others his age due to his interests and now probably because of his body. Something he inherited from Shizuo, no less. If he has to provide twice as much attention and support for the brunet, he's gonna damn well do so. If Shizuo can prevent any of his own feelings of anxiety, fear, or loneliness from passing down his branch of the family tree, then he'll learn about painting nails and Sailor Moon and whatever else the kid loves that neon-signs him for bullies. He'll be there through it, accepting and supportive every step of the way. (Except for the ear piercing thing.)

Shizuo leans over to soothingly thread his fingers through Delic's oak brown hair, brushing back a few strands of his bangs. His voice is smooth and velvety soft like the chocolate in the box on the bedside table. "I'll be back tomorrow, okay?"

Delic's head shakes minutely, afraid to nod and mess with the tingly sensation in his scalp. His face feels warm. "Okay."

The blond turns back before the tight hallway at the door. "Goodnight, Delic." Said boy's nose crinkles with humor as he fumbles with the foreign sound in his name. Shizuo murmurs admonishing, "I'll get it."

"Goodnight, Shizuo."

His apartment doesn't feel quite as homey when he gets back.