Chapter 8: That Damn Flea

Hearing Kyouhei state that he saw Izaya brought a flow of forgotten senses to Shizuo.

His nose tingled as he smelt the inhumane mischief of the flea for the first time in years. Despite being near no sharp objects, Shizuo felt the sting of Izaya's knife slashing against his cheek and the blood dripping down his face. The excitement of the adrenaline of fighting his arch nemesis and receiving fatal injuries returned. It was a time before his dreams were interrupted by wails, and he never realized how much he missed it.

Then the anger of simply being in the presence of Izaya returned. When he randomly saw the informant broker in the streets of Ikebukuro, the first thing he noticed was his sociopathic aura that lingered on every sidewalk he walked along.

The angry pulse in the vein of his forehead was different when he saw Izaya, and Shizuo wished that familiar, vexing rhythm would not come back with a vengeance. As his wish was denied at that very moment, he realized it was stupid to think that Izaya would stay away from Ikebukuro forever.

"Aaah."

Shizuo blinked his eyes several times as he returned to reality. Glancing below him, he saw Rei in a crawling position, one hand holding on to the stitching of his jeans while her other hand held the rattle, which she hit against his thigh. Her lips were slightly curled downward as her eyes blinked with concern.

The bodyguard sighed before lifting Rei onto his lap.

"Sorry, Rei," he whispered.

He stroked her cheek, feigning happiness as he prevented guilt from affecting Rei.

The moment he found that he was going to be a father, and the very next moment where he decided that he would be involved in his child's life, he knew that he had to let go of many of his previous temptations. The fighting, the desire to get angry, and the thrill of being entrapped in the chaos of Ikebukuro could linger within him no more. Shizuo did not want his daughter to live the stressful life he lived. For her, he worked toward the peaceful atmosphere he always dreamed of after he picked up that refrigerator at age ten.

With the simple mention of a new possible encounter with Izaya, those feelings crept up once again, and Shizuo hated that.

"Thanks for telling me that, Kyouhei," spoke Shizuo while he bounced Rei on his thigh. "It was probably better for someone to tell me about Izaya than for me to randomly meet him on the street myself. I'll be more careful for Rei's sake."

Kyouhei's eyes widened in response, seemingly surprised that Shizuo didn't launch the bench behind him into the empty field. Perhaps fatherhood had quelled his anger, he considered.

"No problem man," Kyouhei (verbally) responded. "It was nice seeing you and Rei. She really looks a lot like you. I'll get going so you two can have some quality father-daughter time."

"Nice seeing you too," said Shizuo with a wave.

"Baa, bah," mumbled Rei as she replicated the behavior of her father and too waved her hand. Even as Kyuohei was out of her eyesight, she continued moving her hand back and forth. She stopped when she heard Shizuo laugh, causing her to look up at him with a giggle.

"Glad to see that you're so interactive today," he commented.

Taking her giggles as a definite sign of her calming down, he lifted her off his lap and onto the blanket. Rei wished to remain in the hold of her father and displayed her frustration by whining. Shizuo almost laughed at her scrunched face, always displeased at the simplest of situations.

"Alright Rei," he softly spoke as he moved Rei back onto his lap. "You can continue playing here. I won't be going anywhere."

The infant continued playing with her rattle and plush toys. Shizuo moved her toys to get her to reach with eager eyes. Occasionally she looked up at her father for a few seconds, as if confirming for herself that he was present. He noticed the initial concern gleam in her eyes that quickly shifted to joy when he gave her a smile.

Did she really sense my stress? thought Shizuo. She's never been like this before. Though she does seem to care a lot about me. At least as much as a baby can care.

Rei excitedly turned toward her father, putting a small stuffed bee, grasped between her chubby hands, into his view. Little squeals escaped her body as she showed her toy to Shizuo. No matter what prompted her to do this, Shizuo was elated by her joy.

"That's a cool toy, Rei," he responded.

Leaning his head forward, he nuzzled his nose into her wavy, hazel locks. He tickled her hip, fingers moving in a rhythmic, musical pattern. The bee fell onto the blanket, removed from Rei's grip as she giggled, her entire body moving with the act.

The first few months of parenting for Shizuo involved a multitude of stress and worrying about his paternal abilities. Though he always forgot about the negatives when he saw his daughter's tranquil self, living her life normally. And as she grew and gained control of her motor skills, a personality shined through. Rei was becoming a joyous, stubborn little girl. His favorite moments were when he saw her happy, either at something typical or her being proud of her accomplishments.

This moment was the happiest he had seen her, and Shizuo himself had never been so happy in a long time. It was pure joy between father and daughter.

I won't be happy for every damn second, but I won't let that affect Rei.

Shizuo had a difficult time determining whether Rei was stubborn or confused. She seemed tired fifteen minutes after Kyouhei had left, and when he rocked her in his hold, she appeared more relaxed. But when he put her in the stroller, her mouth released whines in tandem with irritated stretches of her limbs.

Maybe she wanted to remain in her father's hold. Or perhaps she desired for the visit to the park to continue. Shizuo wished she could understand that it was close to dinner, making it necessary for them to return home.

With simple strokes of her cheek, Rei remained calm on the walk home. Shizuo even sacrificed his finger so his daughter could play and chew on it. That damn tooth, seemingly growing at a snail's pace, caused her so much physical agony for the past few days. The droll on his index finger didn't matter to Shizuo as long as Rei could stay away from the pain for a few moments.

She was content during the walk back to the apartment. Her rooting and chewing reflexes were a comfort. Little light hazel eyes looked at Shizuo the entire time; her hands grasped onto his wrist, the hold feebly virile. If Shizuo was not in public, he would cover her face with kisses.

He cringed at the disappointment he felt as Rei whined after he pulled away from his finger once they entered the apartment complex (luckily she was quelled by a few strokes on her soft cheek).

Walking through the halls and searching for the door to his apartment was always uneventful. He thought today would be like any other.

As his hand settled on the door handle, a scent entered his nose. A sudden flow of classy yet dirty unwillingly reached his nostrils, causing his palm to freeze as his fingers trembled against the metal of the handle.

No, it couldn't be.

He couldn't be here.

Shizuo did not get a whiff of malevolence as he strolled through the hall, yet suddenly his senses were overloaded with malignity, somehow both childish and psychotic.

Unwanted blurts of anger were flowing in his veins, their tempestuous pulse making Shizuo panic.

I can't have a freakout now, he thought (his consciousness somehow had a shaky voice). I can't get angry in front of Rei. I never can. She'll be scared and I don't want that to happen. There is a high chance that I would hurt her. I have to get my shit together.

As his fingers stiffened their hold on the door handle, he realized the possible source of the smell. The hall emitted no scent of the Flea, but as he was about to enter his home, the unwanted smell emerged.

Is that bastard in my apartment? Is he in my fucking apartment? That son of a bitch!

Shizuo looked down at Rei, sighing once he noticed that the concerned expression returned to her face. Wide, watery eyes stared at his face while her lips moved back and back, as if prepared to wail.

"You're fine, Rei," said Shizuo as he lifted Rei from her stroller. "A lot is just happening right now. I'll protect you."

There was no point in standing outside the entrance forever. He could comfort Rei all he wanted from his current position, but Izaya would exit eventually. Shizuo knew that he would have to go in.

Face the beast that was Izaya fucking Orihara. And hopefully, it would be the last time.

The flea would learn about Rei, but Shizuo wouldn't let him harm her. How could Izaya hurt Rei if all his power had been gone for years? The chokehold he had over Ikebukuro and its many residents had immediately diminished the moment he left the city. People who were once pieces on his chess set were no longer pawns, and they would certainly fight back if Izaya tried to put them on the board once again.

Rei will be safe, though Shizuo while continuing to look down at his precious daughter, her eyes not gazing away from him. I won't let Izaya hurt her. The feud between us has never involved her. This is a beast that I need to face.

With a simple turn of the door knob, Shizuo entered his apartment, seeing more and more of an incredibly ebony coast, embellished with fur varying from mocha to beige. A head of jet black locks was directed toward the window. Though Shizuo knew his archenemy well, and if his assumptions were correct, then the flea was well aware that the owner of the home had arrived.

"Maybe my skills have wavered more than I thought," said the intruder, his snarky timbre a foul reminder of Shizuo's former life. "I assumed that I had scheduled my visit to your apartment accordingly. I didn't want to scare you or the little one. I knew that my departure from Ikebukuro would make me lose some memento, but never ruin my timing abilities as much as this. Oh, how insecure of me! I forgot to say hello! How rude of me, especially since so much time has passed since our last meeting."

For the first time in two years, Shizuo and Izaya locked eyes. The familiar rhythm of anger from the vein of his forehead returned. His hands, which would normally be clenched from a simple whiff of Izaya's aura, were calm and centered, rubbing the clothed back of his innocent daughter. Control. Shizuo finally had some control.

Izaya's smirk was just as he remembered: mischievous and a hidden sinister ambition in the curve of the one side of his lip. But when his almost red eyes diverted to the infant girl in Shizuo's arms, the other end of his mouth curved, an uncharacteristic warmth entering his face. Shizuo then came upon a realization.

He didn't want to hurt Rei. He was here for Shizuo.

Looking down at Rei, Shizuo noted her curious eyes staring at Izaya. She was seemingly observing his surprisingly friendly grin. Her gaze had her characteristic timidness (toward anyone that wasn't Shizuo) and curiosity, working together in tandem to form a first impression of Izaya.

A whine eventually escaped her pouty lips, lifting her head and settling it deeply into Shizuo's shoulder. She really was his daughter.

"I'm surprised that she didn't throw a table at me," commented Izaya, the roguish flair returning to his body. "I thought she would take after your personality since she looks just like you and all."

"Stop with the quips, Izaya," Shizuo interrupted with a soft yet demanding tone; he was trying his absolute best not to swear. "Why are you here?"

Izaya sighed. "Always so stubborn, Shizu-chan."

The informant stared at Shizuo, waiting for a reaction from his use of the despised nickname. The pulse of his forehead vein increased in tempo, though Shizuo refrained from lashing out. His hands were not tightly clenched but rather gently holding his daughter.

Wholesome for most. Boring for Izaya.

"My client has significant power, so I'll be honest with you. I was ordered to check up on you and the little one. Just a close observation for this instance, then I'd be out of your hair."

"Ordered? Why would anyone wanna watch over my daughter? My infant daughter."

"I'm pretty sure that Tomoko Kutsuki had good reasons for hiring me."

Shizuo felt his heart stop.

He was used to hearing her name, as he thought about how she was doing at least once a day. But hearing that fucker say Tomoko iced his body?

How did Izaya know about her?

"Shizuo? Why are you so surprised? It's only natural that she would be curious about the wellbeing of her baby daddy and daughter. You really are-"

"You're a liar," Shizuo interrupted after finally gathering his thoughts. "You returned to Ikebukuro to mess with me."

Izaya feigned hurtful shock. "You really think I strategically planned for you to impregnate a woman during a one-night-stand and to then wait fifteen months to meet you face-to-face? I thought you would become smarter because of fatherhood. How disappointing."

"You really expect me to believe you after everything you've done?"

Rei suddenly released a whine. Tears were threatening to fall down her cheeks as her lip quivered against her father's sweatshirt. Without hesitation, Shizuo began bouncing her. He didn't care that Izaya was a witness to his softer side and would probably make quips about it, the quelling of his daughter's distress was much more important.

Izaya simply watched the duo, his facial expression the very definition of neutral. After knowing him for a decade, Shizuo thought that he would overly display his boredom. Was he actually taking his job seriously? Well, Izaya did take his work adversely, though he always managed to find some cynical entertainment.

Shizuo knew that the conversation could not continue properly unless Rei was fully calmed. Continuing to rub her back, Shizuo moved further into the living room, his sight focused on the bouncer. He settled Rei into the seat, spinning the toy bar to distract her from him and Izaya. The droplets no longer threaten to fall, as her curious eyes were entertained by the floating toys, ignoring the fact that she had played with them many times before.

A sigh of relief left Shizuo's mouth as he stood up from his kneeling position. Looking behind him, he saw Izaya observing his apartment, which served as a disguise for his patience?

"I have no reason to return to Ikebukuro besides this," Izaya finally answered. "My fun here ended years ago. And besides, things have changed and I haven't been paying attention to them, so playing my games wouldn't be entertaining. I also don't involve infants in my plans. Once children form their own personality, then I welcome them to be a pawn, but Rei isn't at that stage yet."

Izaya was the only person who could combine selflessness and malevolence without effort. Shizuo normally would have scoffed, but the presence of Izaya made him question his reappearance. His demeanor was more relaxed, showing no signs of wanting prod at Shizuo's anger for his own amusement. Even when Izaya simply wanted to speak with him, there was always an obvious, sinister undertone.

Did that mean that he was only fulfilling Tomoko's wishes and nothing else?

"If what you're saying is true, then why did Tomoko contact you of all people," Shizuo asked, his eyes glancing between Izaya and Rei.

"I've been going 'round various cities in Japan for the past few years," responded Izaya with a shrug. "Some of the Yakuza were aware of my work in Ikebukuro, while some were aware of my abilities through whispers of the criminals from the major cities. From her attitude, I assumed that Tomoko was of the latter group."

"You actually met her? She didn't just call on the phone?"

"Tsk, tsk, tsk. You impregnated the daughter of the head of the Kutsuki clan, and yet you are unaware of their many ways of escaping criminal charges? Your ignorance is amazing."

Perhaps Izaya was trying to gauge an angry reaction from Shizuo, though it could have been an effortless quip, a very instinctive action for the information broker.

Shizuo's silence was a signal for Izaya to continue.

"To avoid being observed and caught by Japanese law officials, she wanted to speak to me face to face. We met in an office at the outskirts of Ikebukuro. She was five months pregnant at that point and very caring toward her unborn daughter."

"And she asked you to watch over us?"

"Not exactly. She paid me a hefty sum to erase all connections between her and your relationship with her. Now I thought she was knocked up by some random guy, but I felt surprised for the first time in my life when I found out that you were the father."

"Izaya, how am I supposed to believe that you didn't start planning anything after you found out about that?"

Sigh.

"I considered it, but what could I do from so far away? And once again, I don't play with the lives of babies."

A babble interrupted the exposition. Both men turned toward Rei in her bouncer, reaching for the dangling toys with the glee that only an infant could emit.

"There's no doubt that Rei is the child of you and Tomoko. That hair of hers gives me such nostalgia of our younger days, while those eyes serve as a reminder of my client. She really inherited an equal amount of traits from her parents. She's lucky to not be involved in the criminal life of her maternal family, though she'll miss some excitement, as I'm confident that the Kutsuki clan is clueless about her existence. Actually, your chaotic life will definitely provide her some excitement."

"Are you gonna continue watching us?" Shizuo asked, a bothersome undertone attempting to overtake his tone.

"This was my last job for Tomoko. All I had to do was prevent the Yakuza of Kyoto from discovering you and Rei and finished my work by checking in on you two for a final time. That was all, and honestly, I'm glad it's over. Besides finding out that you were the father, this job has been quite boring."

Izaya walked over to the door, almost in a skipping formation and seemingly encouraged by Shizuo raising his eyebrow in confusion.

"Izaya," Shizuo gritted through his teeth, not wanting to give Izaya the satisfaction that would be provided in his incoming statement. "Thank you, for doing this for Tomoko."

The flea turned his sights away from the door, looking at Shizuo without bothering to hide his astonishment. That dismay did not last as long as Shizuo wanted, however, as Izaya returned to his sly nature.

"Oh Shizu-chan, don't make me blush."

"Goddammit you flea. Just leave, and don't come back."

"You don't have to command me to do something I was already planning on doing."

And with that, Izaya was gone. With the simple shut of the door, the scent of him no longer lingered. Shizuo couldn't even hear his footsteps from outside.

He would never see Izaya again.

But why?

Was Izaya really just there to fulfill the duties of Tomoko? Or did he want to mess with Shizuo for one last time? That would certainly match his character.

Izaya always tried to make each job exciting for him, whether it be part of his larger schemes or a simple one-off. Even if he didn't want to hurt Rei, could he overcome his desires to make the city of Ikebukuro a war-zone due to Shizuo's lack of control?

Unless Izaya was telling the truth. Maybe Ikebukuro had become monotonous. It had succumbed to a level of tedium that Izaya could not cure. And worst of all, the man he could always count on to raise the blood pressure of locals, Shizuo Heiwajima himself, had fallen victim to the disease of boredom.

"He really isn't coming back," Shizuo said to himself with a bright grin. "Good."

He looked down toward his daughter, engrossed in her own little world with the toys dangling above her. His smile grew as he approached her.

"That idiot really considers you boring," he joked as he lifted Rei from the bouncer, earning a squeal of delight from the infant. "Only a jerk like him wouldn't brighten up from that smile of yours."

Shizuo lifted Rei above him, putting his nose against her before lifting her above him once again. His daughter released a multitude of giggles and clapped her hands in delectation.

"Even when you're upset and crying, you are never uninteresting. Izaya must truly not understand joy if he sees you as boring after watching us for a bit. And… it proves that your mother cares about us. You'll never see Izaya again, thankfully. But at least we know that she is providing us safety."

Shizuo shifted his hold of Rei, now holding her against his hip. She leaned her head against him, lifting it up to smile at him.

"Rei, we're gonna be fine. Our lives are going to be amazing. Daddy will make sure of that."