Izaya trudged through the busy streets of Ikebukuro, normally bright crimson eyes now a dull red. His coat looked unusually unkempt and even his pitch black hair seemed disheveled. People stared at the informant, confused to see his face twisted into a frown instead of the smirk he always wore. Noticing all the eyes on him, Izaya flipped up his hood in agitation, wishing for once that the attention wasn't focused on him.

"Damn Shiki...making me go out to Ikebukuro for a stupid job. Damn that stupid stupid monster to hell for making me like this in the first place!" Izaya growled to himself, flipping out his phone to look over Shiki's instructions for him. It was simple, just capture a runaway drug dealer who owed the Awakusu-Kai money and deliver him to them. Normally he'd be annoyed that he didn't get better work from his boss.

However, for the past week he'd been waking up from the same recurring dream and had at most gotten two hours of sleep a night. That dumb nightmare where a certain protozoan captured him and they...Izaya stopped his train of though right there.

They were just dreams after all. It wasn't like they would every actually happen.

Obviously.

Then why were they always located somewhere in the back of the informant's mind, constantly reminding him of dream-Shizuo's touch?

No matter, no matter.

Izaya continued onward, paying more attention to his phone than he did to where he was walking. It wasn't like this was the first time he had been distracted by his device, once getting stabbed for paying more attention to the caller rather than his surroundings.

That definitely wasn't a good birthday.

That's why he just barely stopped himself from slamming into a black motorcycle.

Eyes lifting up hesitantly, Izaya flashed a smirk.

"Why hello there, Courier-san." He grinned, shoving his phone back into his coat pocket.

Celty tilted her helmet, her confusion obvious.

[You look awful.] She typed out slowly before showing the informant who in turn, burst out laughing.

"Now, that's not a very nice way to greet someone!" Izaya leaned back against a building wall, finding it much easier to keep focus on the black rider with the extra support. Even now he was still woozy from another terrible night of basically no sleep whatsoever.

[It's true. Are you feeling alright?] Celty asked. Normally she wouldn't care, but seeing as her best friend had a crush on this man she didn't want him in bad health.

Even if he was an asshole.

"Oh, I'm perfectly okay~! I just happen to be here for a job, don't worry I have no intention on causing trouble today. I'll be on my merry way home soon enough." The informant waved her off, placing an easy smile on his face. A small breeze of wind made him shudder and zip up his coat.

When had summer become so chilly?

Whatever, the sooner he got this over with the sooner he could go home and hopefully catch a few winks of sleep.

Ha, like that would happen. Izaya would rather not risk having that crazy dream again. He could go a little while longer without resting. If only his eyes would stop trying to close on their own.

[You don't seem like it. Do you want me to bring you to Shinra's?] The dullahan tried again, 'seeing' the fatigue clinging to the small raven and knowing he was just being stubborn.

"I said I'm fine. Just leave me alone, would you?" Izaya snapped, his patience wearing thin as time pressed on. He didn't know how long he could keep this up when the air started to become colder and black spots started to dance through his line of sight. Before Celty could reply Izaya turned away, intending on going to the job location and finishing it up quickly. Immediately a black wave washed over his eyes and he stumbled slightly.

"Shit..." He muttered, wondering what the hell he did to deserve this when he crashed onto the ground, falling unconscious.

It was warm.

Warmer than he remembered being in his whole life.

Izaya kept his eyes closed despite being pulled into full wakefulness, wanting to stay close to the heat enveloping him whole. Sighing in content, the informant snuggled in closer, burying his face into the warmth.

It was a different smell from the ones his bed covers carried, but not an unpleasant one.

Izaya smiled softly as he realized it was a smoky and musky, two things he would normally despise. However, he found himself enjoying this one immensely and even found himself feeling safe and protected.

The arms wrapped around him held him tighter, but not enough to hurt him-

Wait. Arms?!

Izaya's eyes flew open as he jolted in shock. His head was snuggled in close to a chest while his hands clutched a black vest with a white undershirt tightly.

Oh no.

The informant hesitantly looked up, still praying that this was a dream. It had to be.

Warm brown eyes gazed back down at him as Izaya felt a hand stroke his hair gently.

"I'm glad you're awake. I was really worried when Celty brought you over here." Shizuo hugged the tiny raven protectively.

No. No no no. Wrong. Very wrong. Nope!

"Um, Shizu-chan can you let me go. Now please." Izaya kept his voice as steady as he could, though it was still noticeably shaking.

With fury.

How the hell did he get here?! The last thing he remembered was talking to the courier and then...

The informant groaned, face palming as he recalled passing out right in front of her as well as the "lovely" people of Ikebukuro.

Why was he brought here then?

This clearly wasn't Shinra's house, it was much smaller and messier. Which meant Celty brought him to Shizuo.

That bitch.

Izaya glared up at the protozoan as he realized he had still not been released from his hold.

"I said let go!"

"No can do, sorry. You're pretty sick, Izaya. Shinra said you needed to stay in bed and take it easy for a week or so. You've been unconscious for almost half a day now." Shizuo sighed.

Izaya blinked. So Shinra had looked him over. Then why the hell was he still at Shizuo's house?!

Seeing the smaller man's confusion, Shizuo chuckled.

"I lived closer to where you and Celty were so she brought you over here instead. Then she called Shinra and he came to make sure nothing was too serious. He already had a patient staying at his house so once Celty told him we were getting along now he asked if you could stay here. Obviously I said yes and I've just been keeping you warm ever since they left." The blond explained, rather proud of himself for being trusted with the duty of taking care of the sick and bedridden informant.

Izaya, however, was not feeling so sentimental.

"Since when are we getting along?!" He shrieked, the yelp cut off by an outburst of coughs. Shizuo quickly patted his back, helping him breath more easily. The ex bartender sighed, wondering if Izaya was so out of it that he'd forgotten.

"You know, when you confessed to me in the alley and I decided to give you a chance." He said slowly, trying to remind him.

Izaya felt the need to slam his head into a brick wall. Or better yet, Shizuo's. Provided he doesn't break the damn wall.

"Shizu-chan, I've always known you had a few screws lose but this really takes the cake. I'm not in love-"

The raven froze, losing his train of though as the bodyguard pressed his forehead against his own. W-What was he doing...?

"Dammit, you're still hot as hell. I'll go get you some more medicine. Stay put." Shizuo instructed before getting up. He made sure Izaya was wrapped inside blankets so he wouldn't get cold before leaving.

Izaya stared after him with wide eyes, too shocked to move.

He wouldn't actually have to spend a week with the blond...right?