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…~-~…

Izaya sat on the couch while Shizuo pulled on his clothes and began rummaging through the kitchen, looking for something of adequate nutrition for a starved Izaya.

It had just hit him how hungry he really was, and now that he wasn't focused on his emotions, Izaya was beginning to feel the physical effects of dehydration. His headache was coming back, and he was feeling rather lightheaded. He leaned back on the couch and closed his eyes, trying to will away the lightheadedness with the knowledge that his body only had to endure a few more minutes to get what it needed.

It was then that Izaya heard Shizuo call from the kitchen. "Do you mind if I just make an omelet again? I don't really have much food at the moment."

Izaya opened one eye to see Shizuo's head poking out from the small dividing wall between the kitchen and living room. "Yeah, that sounds good." He responded, turning on his side and closing his eyes again.

"I'll make sure to put less cheese on it."

Izaya let out a small chuckle that Shizuo remembered that little fact when he still seemed to hate him the last time he cooked for Izaya. Honestly, at this point it didn't matter what the food was, as long as he could get something into his system.

Slowly, Izaya drifted off into a light sleep while Shizuo cooked in the kitchen, only to suddenly wake up to Shizuo lightly tapping his shoulder.

"Nngghh…?" Izaya pushed himself back up into a sitting position as Shizuo sat beside him and handed him the plate. The smell alone was enough to make Izaya's stomach rumble, earning a small smile from the blonde next to him.

"Just don't eat too fast, okay?" Shizuo advised.

"Okay, mom." Izaya teased, taking a large bite of omelet.

Shizuo headed back into the kitchen and returned with a glass of water, which Izaya took and drank between bites. He had to admit, Shizuo's cooking wasn't too bad at all. Well, at least his omelets were good. As Izaya continued to eat, he couldn't help but notice Shizuo watching him.

"Normally I'm the one watching people…" He said quietly, looking over at Shizuo.

"I just don't want you to end up passing out again or something."

"I'm fine, Shizu-chan. Really, I just need some rest." Izaya said, taking another bite.

"The last time you said you were fine you collapsed as soon as we got in the door of your apartment." Shizuo pointed out.

"Yeah, well… I was actually sick then." Izaya looked back at his plate and took a few more bites in silence.

When he finished eating, Shizuo took the plate and set it on the coffee table before turning back to Izaya.

"Feel better now?" He asked.

Izaya sat back on the couch and let out a small contented sigh. "Much better, actually." He admitted.

Izaya had to hold back his surprise when Shizuo leaned in and tousled his hair before leaning in and placing a small kiss on the side of his head.

"What was that for?" Izaya asked, trying as hard as he could to keep from blushing. Of course, he failed.

Shizuo smiled at the pink hue that dusted Izaya's cheeks. "I don't know… I just realized that sometimes you're kind of… Kind of cute."

There was a short period of silence before a sudden laughter filled the room coming from Izaya. "Excuse me, Shizu-chan? 'Cute'? You should choose your words a bit more wisely."

"I mean it," Shizuo stated, "I thought that blush was cute."

"I don't blush, Shizu-chan," Izaya said flatly, all humor faded from his voice, "I'm not some little school-girl."

"Okay, okay, fine. I'll just pretend that I didn't see your face turn pink. Oh, wait! There it goes again!"

Izaya desperately tried to hide his face from view as Shizuo spoke, knowing that it was probably a nice shade of red by now. He didn't know what had come over him. He had never blushed like this in his life, and now he couldn't seem to stop. He jumped slightly when Shizuo wrapped his arm around him and pulled him closer.

"Hey, it's not a bad thing, you know?" Shizuo said, rubbing Izaya's upper arm. "I think you're just tired."

"Y-yeah…" Izaya agreed, leaning in closer to Shizuo. Exhaustion was catching up with him considering how little he had slept the past month, and now all he wanted to do was sleep. It was strange to be thinking about sleep while pressed against Shizuo, but he wasn't going to complain. Shizuo was very warm, and being next to him was oddly comforting, especially the way he was lightly rubbing Izaya's arm. The act was so soothing, and Izaya soon found himself unable to keep his eyes open as he drifted off to sleep.

Shizuo turned to look at the man leaning against him. Izaya had fallen asleep leaning against him, and now he was almost too afraid to move lest he wake the exhausted informant. Carefully shifting into a more comfortable position for both of them, Shizuo studied Izaya's face for a few minutes. The smirk that is always present on his face disappeared into a much softer, more relaxed expression while he slept. He almost looked like a completely different person. Every once in a while, his face would grow tense as he shifted in his sleep, making Shizuo wonder if maybe Izaya suffered from nightmares. Shizuo tested that theory by gently rubbing his shoulder every time Izaya shifted in his sleep, and interestingly enough, Izaya seemed to relax much faster when he did so.

'I wonder what types of things Izaya dreams about?' Shizuo found himself thinking. He was immersed in a fairly shady business in the underground world, but he never seemed to be bothered by that. In fact, Izaya seemed to truly love what he did for a living no matter how dangerous it was. So what could possibly haunt Izaya in his dreams? Maybe he'd ask Izaya later, but for now, watching him sleep was beginning to make Shizuo tired as well. With a yawn, Shizuo slipped into a light sleep, holding Izaya in his arms.

…~-~…

Izaya didn't know where he was. The best way to describe it was that he was nowhere. No matter which direction he looked, he couldn't see anything around him. It was all black, but what was strange was that he could still see his own body, meaning it wasn't dark. He was simply standing in a place of "nothingness".

He looked around frantically, trying to find a way out. It was then that he started running. He ran as fast as he could, desperately looking or a way out of this place.

'There's no one here…' He thought, 'Where everybody? Where is anybody?'

He ran and ran until his body couldn't take it anymore, and he fell to the ground hard, gasping for breath. He curled up into a ball on the ground—or rather just a black shape that supported him in the same way that a ground should—and pulled his knees to his chest.

'I'm alone… There's no one here… I'm alone…'

It was then that he felt something odd. There was something warm gently running up and down his arm. He suddenly felt warm and safe. However, when he opened his eyes, the feeling was gone, but he could see someone standing about fifteen meters away. As soon as Izaya looked up, the person began walking away from him.

"Wait!" Izaya called, "Wait, don't leave me here!"

He tried to stand, but his legs wouldn't move. He pulled at them with his hands, trying to force them to move, to do something because the longer he was immobile, the farther away that person became.

"Please! No! Come back!"

Tears welled up in his eyes, further blurring the person walking away. He knew he was letting his mask fall away, but he didn't care because for some unknown reason, he desperately needed that person. He didn't know why, he just did.

Suddenly, Izaya was able to move his legs again. He quickly stood and chased after the disappearing figure ahead of him. He ran, but the heavy feeling in his legs forced him back to the ground. When he looked up again, the person was gone.

"No…" Izaya whispered, frantically looking around in all directions. "No, come back…"

Once again, Izaya curled up on the 'ground' and closed his eyes, feeling utterly hopeless. And that's when he heard it.

"It's okay." A voice above him said, "I'm here."

Izaya's eyes shot open as the warm patch on his arm reappeared. The simple touch brought such a calming feeling to him. He looked up and was finally he was able to see the person.

A blonde man in a bartender uniform.

"Shi-Shizu-chan…?" Izaya whispered.

"It's okay," Shizuo repeated, "You don't have to be afraid anymore. I'm here."

…~-~…

Izaya awoke to find himself wrapped up securely in Shizuo's arms, with said man sleeping soundly with Izaya on top of him. Izaya shuddered slightly remembering his dream. He had had that dream before in the past month, but there was never anyone else there in that place with him, let alone Shizuo being there with him.

Hopefully, that would be the last of those dreams. He wasn't alone anymore, so it's not like his subconscious had anything else to tell him that he didn't already know.

"It's okay. I'm here"

Shizuo was here, holding him. Everything was going to be different between them now than it had over the years…

Eight years…

Eight years of hiding from this man, watching from afar, taunting him just for that bit of recognition…

It was all over. No more hiding, no more loving him from a distance, no more—well, maybe a little bit of taunting… It is fun after all.

Releasing a long breath, Izaya nuzzled closer to Shizuo—if getting closer was even possible—and inhaled the scent of the body wash they had used, along with the faint scent of cigarettes that clung to Shizuo's clothing.

"I love you, Shizu-chan." He whispered into Shizuo's neck.

As if he had heard him, Shizuo's arms tightened around Izaya just enough to relay the message: "I love you, too."

End.*

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*IT'S NOT REALLY THE END. I still have an epilogue for you! :D This is just the end of the actual story! I hope you all enjoyed it!

Was Shizuo actually awake in that last bit? Not even I know that! You decide! XD

THANK YOU ALL FOR READING, and don't forget to review!