Title: Glass Kiss
Rating: M (subject to change)
Pairing: Shizuo x Izaya
Disclaimer: I own none of these characters!
THIS STORY CONTAINS MALExMALE RELATIONSHIPS. You have been warned.
Shizuo got up groggily. It took him a few seconds to remember why he was on this ridiculously uncomfortably soft bed facing the peaceful looking face next to him… it took him even longer to register that he wasn't dreaming and that the one next to him wasn't Kasuka, nor was he ten years old.
Right, he came to Izaya's and tried to 'nurse' him back to health. Rather, just put him in bed after towel drying him.
Curse Shinra, in the end he was too busy pulling out bullets from some yakuza gang members and couldn't come over after all. Well, that was probably more important, in retrospect, but it inconvenienced him and the overall experience made Shizuo grouchy.
He quietly got up to at least wash his face. He needed to get back to his place to get dressed into his work clothes. It sucked, but he couldn't take the whole day off just because some flea was an idiot and didn't go home on time.
...Waiting for him. Which Shizuo did NOT feel any guilt about. Nope. None, whatsoever. The flea deserved it, after all the times he had pranked him back over the years they've known each other!
Except there was a possibility that this Izaya clearly had no memory of them being enemies. Except this Izaya might have gotten that said memory loss because Shizuo threw something heavy into his head, causing the said-amnesia. Except this Izaya might actually be a genuinely nice guy who was trying to make amends even though he did not remember doing anything to hurt him but was still taking responsibility for it all.
…
Okay, he needed a cigarette break. Right now.
As he got up, he heard a small groan. Izaya was a really light sleeper.
"Hey, how's your fever?" Although he really needed to get back soon, Shizuo sat down on the bed again to check Izaya's forehead. He placed a hand where the damp towel, now more dry, had slipped down.
"It looks like it's gone down a lot." Shizuo noted, more to himself since Izaya probably couldn't answer.
He watched as the flea blinked open his eyes, then closed them like a sleepy cat.
He waited two seconds.
Sure enough, Izaya jerked up and quickly tried to get up again.
Well, that wasn't too surprising anymore to Shizuo since it happened earlier but Izaya still seemed shocked by the whole experience.
If someone told Shizuo that he'd be doing this, he wouldn't have believed them either.
"Lay down, I'm still here and I'm not going to hurt you, geez. Oh, wait. Is it something else?"
Izaya looked flustered, and Shizuo didn't really get what he was trying to convey. It was easier to understand Celty's body language than Izaya's. But Shizuo had confidence that they could probably communicate even if Izaya couldn't talk. Or maybe if this was a prank, he'd finally give up and actually say something stupid out of frustration, which was one of the reasons why Shizuo just kept talking to him even if Izaya couldn't talk back, just to see if he 'slipped.'
"Anyways, I'll give you another towel for your forehead to cool you down before I go." Shizuo grabbed the small towel and headed back to the bathroom to wet it with cold water. He came back to see Izaya curled in his blanket again. He wasn't naked anymore so why was he trying to hide this time? Or maybe he was cold.
Speaking of hiding…
Shizuo sat down on the bed and poked at the blanket lump.
"Hey, come on. I don't have all day."
Izaya poked his head out, so Shizuo placed his hand on the flea's shoulder and pressed him back on the bed so he could lay flat. Then, he placed the cold towel back on Izaya's forehead.
He watched as Izaya tried to relax as he lied there, sinking into the pillow and closing his eyes. Shizuo rubbed the back of his neck. Izaya reminded him of a cat… a cat who actually trusted him enough to close his eyes.
Back then, Izaya had sharp eyes who boldly stared back at him in challenge, ready to spring and leap if Shizuo took one step too close.
…
Something inside Shizuo jabbed sharply at him, and he didn't quite understand what it was. Was it guilt? Or maybe…
... Well, this whole damn thing started because Izaya wanted forgiveness. Or at least atone for his mistakes. Again, for mistakes which he himself had no recollection of but was taking responsibility for anyway. Shizuo couldn't really fault that. He understood all too well how it felt to wish for forgiveness and not being given it due to the 'damage' he had caused.
"Hey, flea…" Shizuo spoke softly. "Once you feel better, text me. We'll… go out for a coffee or something. And just chat."
That made the cat open his eyes wide in shock and stare at him. Shizuo laughed. Izaya… or at least this Izaya, was very predictable.
"Yeah, I promise. So get better soon and text me, got it? I better get going, although Tom said I don't have to come in… I don't want my senpai getting hurt on the job, you know? Anyways, see ya." Shizuo waved and closed the door behind him before Izaya figured out a way to make him stay even longer.
Izaya got better the next day. However, he didn't text Shizuo. He paced up and down and tried to think of what to write the entire day like a giddy school girl, annoying his secretary with several options to go over what to write. Namie wasn't very helpful.
So a day turned into several days. Then it turned into a week. Izaya still didn't know what to send to Shizuo. [I'm all better now, let's go out for coffee?], sounded too straight forward. Or [Hey Shizuo, how is it going? Want to go out for a coffee?], which sounded alright but still felt lacking.
In the end, Izaya ended up moping and ignoring his work when his phone buzzed, letting him know he got a text message. Izaya was staring at his monitor, trying to finish some work as he reached for his phone and checked the message, thinking it was from the Awakusu-kai or Asuki Group asking him for more information on their latest 'project.'
Izaya jumped and banged his knee against the desk when he realized the text message read that the sender was none other than Heiwajima Shizuo. He rubbed his knee in pain as he quickly touched the screen to read. It said, [Hey, how's your cold?]
The informant starred both in shock and happiness and then flailed around. He quickly typed, deleted, typed, deleted, typed and finally sent [I'm all better! 3 (^▽^)/ ]. Usually, he would have added extra hearts and sparkles, but he told himself to calm the fuck down, he wasn't trying to pretend to be a sixteen-year-old girl online right now.
It felt like a thousand years had passed as he did nothing but keep staring at the phone, checking to see if Shizuo would reply, when he finally got another message. He quickly opened it and it read, [Good. Want to go for coffee?]
Izaya twirled around in his swivel chair happily in celebration. Yes, of course he did! Definitely! Even if the coffee shop was at the end of the Earth or in the Seventh Hell, he would go!
This time, he didn't ponder over what to say. He typed, [Sounds like a good idea.]
Now the ball was in Shizuo's court again. Izaya could pick a place, but he would rather have Shizuo do it. He wasn't sure which part of the city the debt collector was currently in and didn't want to inconvenience him. That and he would rather have Shizuo select a place he himself liked first.
[Great. I'll meet you tomorrow at 1 pm? Sunshine City Coffee shop? ]
Izaya stared at the words in disbelief. Did this mean… Shizuo was allowing him to come back to Ikebukuro? He typed back. [Okay. See you tomorrow.]
Izaya re-read the messages over and over. He even waited to see if Shizuo would reply back. Shizuo didn't, but that didn't matter anymore. He had a date tomorrow and tomorrow couldn't come fast enough for the young immortal.
Izaya took his time getting into the clothes he had decided on wearing the previous night. He didn't wear his usual black but a designer shirt and comfortable black jeans with a different short black jacket, which had a fur trim on the hood only. He decided to put on a stylish leather strap on one wrist. He tried styling his hair too but gave up, brushing it a bit more to make his bangs looked sharp, but that was it. He twirled around in front of his full mirror to make sure everything looked good before he headed out.
'It's just a coffee break with him, keep it together Orihara. The plan should work.' He told himself. But the thing was, it wasn't lost to Izaya that Shizuo hated coffee, but Shizuo knew that Izaya liked coffee and had offered to chat at a coffee shop.
Maybe Shizuo had slowly taken the first step in forgiving him. Izaya really hoped that. At this point, it would be too hard to ask the blond to fall in love with him or even be his friend, but baby steps first. Maybe if Izaya showed how smart he was or what he could offer financially…
But no. Shizuo wasn't the type who cared about anything materialistic. Izaya knew that. He knew that Shizuo was pretty much incorruptible, a man who didn't listen to logic or reason. Whatever Izaya could offer, wealth, power, comfort, anything in this world that people would die to have, Shizuo wouldn't care.
For someone like Izaya, it would be truly hard to try to win his heart over even if he had the knowledge.
Shizuo only cared about the heart. And Izaya knew, he wasn't the best kind of person in the world.
He had thought of several 'battle plans' but he knew that from what his research said, it wouldn't matter. Shizuo seemed to have a knack for seeing through his heart and ruin his plans anyway. He didn't like the idea that he didn't have a 'Plan B' lined up to 'Plan 74H9' or something like that, but for the 'date' itself, he would just try to put his best face forward and hope for the best.
Giving up control wasn't in Izaya's nature but he knew that if he even hoped to have this coffee date be successful, he better not come with some 'winning formula' or think of this as a battle zone, or Shizuo would just see through him. After the 'date,' however, it was another story since he still couldn't give up complete control
With the fluttering heart of a school girl, he opened the door to the coffee shop.
He actually came to the station fifteen minutes early but loitered around to make sure he didn't arrive at the shop 'too' early. He waited until the clock turned exactly 1:00 pm before entering the shop.
Shizuo was waiting for him. Izaya smiled as he saw the blond wave at him. Actually, Izaya had seen Shizuo walk inside the store already before he walked in. He wasn't a stalker, nope, not Izaya.
The informant happily sat down across from Shizuo who had already ordered a strawberry bubble milk tea. He passed the menu to Izaya who took it from him gracefully. He already knew everything on the menu and he also knew what he would normally order, but Izaya pretended to take his time to read the menu again as if it were his first time. When he pointed at the drink he wanted, Shizuo nodded and went to the register to order for him.
Izaya leaned back on the chair and looked outside the window. He loved Ikebukuro. He loved the busy streets and the people. It was good to be back here.
Shizuo came back with the hot drink and Izaya pulled out his wallet to pay for him but the blond waved at him to not bother.
"So, how's it been? You were sick for a long time." Shizuo sipped his drink and asked.
[No, no. I got better earlier. I was just busy.] Izaya typed and showed it to him.
"Liar," Shizuo smirked. "You probably didn't want to sound too earnest."
Right on the money. Shizuo was too hard to fool. Izaya just laughed silently.
The sirens rang outside as four or five police cars rushed through the streets along with a team of ambulances.
"Geez, this city is noisy as ever. That's the third or fourth time already today." Shizuo shook his head. "I was hoping we would have some peace and quiet."
But it was peaceful for Izaya. He was with Shizuo at a coffee shop in Ikebukuro. He was with the man he loved, with the drink he loved, in the city he loved. Nothing in the world could be more blissful.
"Did you hear about the fire?" Izaya could overhear a hushed voice as one gossipy girl walked by them.
"Yeah, I heard it spread to the next building."
"Oh, how scary…"
Ah yes, the booming and bustling city of Ikebukuro. He missed it a lot.
[I've been busy with work.] Izaya replied. Well, that part was true.
"How's your throat?" Shizuo asked, dismissing Izaya and going straight to the point while making 'casual' conversation. Izaya felt cold sweat run down his back. This man… he couldn't help but admire him. He hadn't given up on the possibility that this was all a big set-up.
Izaya sipped at his coffee then flinched at the temperature. Still too hot. He stirred it, breaking up the lovely coffee art. He typed with one finger and turned the phone around so Shizuo could read, [Not really getting any better. We don't have to talk about this. I know you don't believe me and that's fine.]
Shizuo huffed. "My gut tells me you're still lying but alright. Let's drop the subject for now." He sipped his milk tea a bit before he continued. "You mentioned you wanted… me to forgive you."
Izaya nodded. This man truly didn't bother with wasting time did he.
"I was thinking… maybe I'll forgive you."
Izaya blinked. Really? Just like that?
...What made Shizuo change his mind? Izaya was curious but he listened quietly. Sometimes, it was a good thing he couldn't talk. Otherwise, he would be bursting with questions or try to coax the answer out of Shizuo right now and anger him by accident.
"Well, I'll need time of course." Shizuo folded his arms. "And I need to know that you really aren't lying to me. About the amnesia and stuff." Shizuo pointed at his own throat to indicate Izaya's. "But I guess if you keep this facade up for like ten years, it means you really did lose your memory and lost your voice."
Ten years?! It would take that long?! His shock must have shown on his face because Shizuo nodded, "You've been torturing me for at least that long, since high school. Whether you remember it or not."
Oh, right. Th-that was… kind of true. Izaya's face fell. But there was a glimmer of hope. After ten years, maybe they could be friends. After that… well… maybe it could be shorter. If he behaved nicely. Izaya just wanted to spend his time with him while this man was 'alive'. Was it too much to ask? He may be an immortal, but Shizuo wasn't! Time was still ticking even if it had stopped for Izaya.
His calculating face must have also been obvious to Shizuo because the blond growled, "Izaya… I know what you might be thinking. So stop it."
Izaya blinked. There was no way that this man knew that he was an immortal so what the hell did Shizuo think that he was thinking? W-well anyways, Shizuo didn't like it when he planned ahead, so he better stop.
Izaya still wanted to be 'friends' at least. Or find an excuse for them to spend more time together. He was trying not to show his 'thinking face' when…
"Well, you haven't been at Ikebukuro in a while right?" Shizuo interrupted him. Izaya blinked and looked up. He nodded slowly.
"Want to walk around?"
Izaya glowed at the idea. He would love that! He enthusiastically nodded. Shizuo grabbed his own drink and got Izaya a to-go cup to pour in, and they stepped outside.
