It continues. . .

. . .

Chapter 4: Four Calling Birds

. . .

December forth, and Shizuo was just sitting at home bored. Then his phone rings, startling his little puppy. "Kasuka calling?" He pushed the button to answer his phone. "Hey Kasuka. What's up?"

"Hey Shizuo." His little brother greeted relaxed. "So, I'm going to be in Ikebukuro today, I was kinda hoping we could meet up for lunch or something."

"Sure, I'm not doing much of anything, so I guess we could meet up." Djali pawed at Shizuo's face.

"Great. How about that Russia Sushi place?" The younger brother asked.

"Yeah, that's fine. Is about twelve ok?"

"Yeah, that's fine. I'll see you there." Kasuka hung up leaving his brother alone with his puppy.

Shizuo got out of bed and got showered. He sat at the kitchen table and opened his laptop. He checked the dating site wondering if Sakura was on, but she wasn't. Not really all that concerned, he closed his laptop and turned his attention to his still sleeping puppy.

Djali was given a bath and groomed like the spoiled little dog he was going to become. Shizuo wasn't one to show emotions, so no one knew that he loved dogs. Big or small, Shizuo enjoyed their company. So he bathed his little puppy, brushed him, and then tied a black and white checkered scarf around his neck. "Come on little guy, we're going out for the day."

For once, in regular clothes, gray hoodie sweatshirt, black jeans, and a scarf, Shizuo and Djali were out the door. . .

That morning, Izaya was slow to rise. That was mostly due to his tossing and turning all night last night. Shinra's words kept echoing in his mind. Along with playing images of Shizuo with him in ways that were very intimate and taboo to most societies. And every time, after waking up, he'd try to go back to sleep, those images - those taboo images haunted his sleep. As he rose for his unpeaceful rest, Izaya tried so hard to suppress those images from his mind.

While standing in the shower wetting the warm water pour over his body, Izaya felt very dizzy and light headed. He lifted his hand to his forehead and sighed. Great, he was catching a cold. Feeling very light headed, he shut off the water and dried off and got dressed. He was half way tempted to just go back to sleep, but he had work to do.

Pushing through his drowsy state, Izaya was able to make some tea and rice. After the small breakfast, Izaya was out and about. Sure, going out in the snow wasn't a good idea for his cold, but when there are bills to pay and humans to screw around with, Izaya was there, regardless of his situation. . .

"Ah-Shizuo, you come back!" Simon, the large black, Russian male that worked at the sushi joint greeted Shizuo. "And how is your new friend?" Djali wagged his tail as Simon petted his head.

"He just fine." Shizuo said. "Listen, I'm meeting up with someone here. His name's Yuuhei Hanejima."

"Yuuhei?" Simon scratched his head. "Ah-yes! He's in room over there." Simon pointed to a private room that the small restaurant had. "I help you shortly."

"Ok, thanks." Shizuo entered the back room and joined his brother Kasuka. "Hey."

"Hey. What's with the fur ball?" Kasuka asked as Shizuo sat down at the table with his brother. Djali ran up to Kasuka who scratched behind his ears.

"Just a stray I picked up on the streets. Name's Djali." Shizuo smiled as he watched his little brother play with the Shiba Inu puppy.

Simon gave the young men their sushi, with a side order for the puppy. They thanked Simon and continued with their small talk. "So what brings you back to town?"

"Honestly, I just wanted to see you." Kasuka smiled. "I wasn't going to be around for the holiday season, so I wanted to spend some time with you."

Shizuo was a little touched. "I was hoping to send time with you to, Kasuka."

Kasuka smiled. As they ate their lunch, the brothers made small talk about the new movie Kasuka was starring in. Though he never mentioned it, Shizuo was really proud of his brother. He hadn't inherited his monstrous strength and was still holding his first steady job. Unlike his older brother, Kasuka wasn't really the emotional type. He did love his brother and wanted him stay out of trouble and hopefully settle down.

"Shizuo, have you ever thought about getting married?" Shizuo nearly choked on his tea at his brother's question.

"Where did that come from?" Shizuo coughed.

"Well, it's just that you're getting older and I think it'd be good for you." If it hadn't been Kasuka asking, Shizuo would have told the person 'fuck no', but it was his brother so, he'd let this one slide. "And besides, marriage makes people happy so . . . maybe. . ."

"Well, to tell you the truth," Shizuo stopped for a moment to gather his thoughts. "I was talking to another person about this, and she thinks that I might be in love with another person."

Kasuka's eyes lit up. "Really? Shizuo, that's great! Mind me asking who it is?"

Shizuo just sighed. "Not really sure I should say anything about but I guess if you promise to keep it a secret." Kasuka nodded. He was one to keep his word so Shizuo told him.

"No way! You're serious about that?" Kasuka was shocked. Who'd have thought?

"That's what I said. But the more I thought about it, the more it made sense, so I just accepted it."

"Any idea on how you're going to confess you're love?" Kasuka was really taking this well.

Shizuo just sighed. "Look, I'm clueless on that matter. Besides, I have a reputation to keep."

"Yeah. Heiwejima Shizuo, the most feared man in Ikebukuro and most foul tempered." Shizuo almost blushed and shook his head.

"Exactly. So really, confessing-it's a bit out of the question."

It was Kasuka's turn to sigh. "If you say so. But I defiantly think you should make the first move." His brother winked at him. Shizuo just shook his head.

Izaya wasn't doing so hot. Sure, his slight fever was burning him up, but that was the problem. His fever was getting worse and it was quite the walk back home. He wasn't sure if he was going to make it. So instead of calling for help, he decided to sit down for a moment at the park and try clear the fuzziness of his head. It wasn't long thought before Izaya's fever got the better of him and he passed out. . .

"Izaya?" A voice echoed in his ear. A voice he was all too familiar with.

"Shizu . . . chan. . ." Unable to come up with a snappy remark or comeback and in full knowledge that he was in trouble muttered a whisper. "Help-Shizuo-chan."

Shizuo and Djali were left in the snow with two choices. This was a perfect chance to leave Izaya here to die, which was Shizuo's greatest desire since junior high. So why not leave the flea here? Because that would be the wrong this to do. Or would it be the right thing? Shizuo didn't. He just went with his instincts. He picked up Izaya and took a walk down to a certain doctor's house.

"Shizuo?" Shinra greeted him with a shook of the fever stricken Orihara in his arms. "What the hell?"

"The damn idiot seems to have a really bad fever. And he's being an idiot and walking around in the snow." Shizuo stepped past Shinra and laid Izaya on the sofa. "He's all yours."

"Oh ok." Shinra rushed over to Izaya, pulling out a thermometer to check his temperature.

"One last thing, I was never here. Celty found him and brought him here. Got it?" With the look Shizuo gave him that said want-to-live, Shinra just nodded. And Shizuo and Djali were on their way. . .

With a heavy sigh, Shizuo plopped down on his bed. First he completely ignores Izaya and refuses to get angry with him right in his face. Then he goes out of his way to help Izaya as he's lying in the park with a high fever. What was wrong with him? No, he knew what was wrong, but he wasn't going to do anything about it. He was just going to go to sleep, and hope that the pills Shinra gave him yesterday work and help him sleep.