Disclaimer: I don't own Durarara! (only Maemi/Jane)
When preparing dinner was finally complete, Maemi switched on the TV to play something random. It didn't really matter what was on. She usually had the television running just to have something in the background. To tune into whenever there was something interesting on, but most of the time there wasn't which was a shame. The stupid Rom-Coms never appealed to her taste. And especially not the action films got to do with hitmen and assassins. They were just so inaccurate. Being the real deal versus the imagination of a story writer. Well, the playwright could only go so far.
But enough about her opinions, Izaya was about to give his spiel. "Television is an utter waste of time. Why do humans enjoy watching other humans fake their emotions and remember a script? It's completely ludicrous." His hands went up in the air in a shrug as he lips curled into their usual placement. "I much prefer-
"…watching real reactions," Maemi finished as she set the bowl of udon noodle soup in front of him.
"Yes! Exactly!" he happily exclaimed, "Genuine emotions are entertainment."
"That's kind of messed up, Izaya," the brunette lightly mentioned knowing he wouldn't get it through his head even if she tried harder.
"'Messed up', you say?" the male asked. "What's wrong with observing people from a distance?"
"Hmm… to the extent you go to makes it not okay. But if you're into watching people from afar, why are you so close to me right now?" Maemi asked smugly as she finally sat down with the food in front of them.
After the tiniest moment of silence, Izaya let a small laugh out, "Heh? You need to ask that, Jane-chan? I thought you'd know. I've told you once before," he teased.
"Really now?" she asked half-heartedly interested.
"Yep!" he chirped as if he didn't hear the woman's slight apathy.
"Don't let the food get cold," she added in quickly.
"Thanks for the food!" Izaya skipped clapping his hands going straight into slurping up some udon cheerfully. 'Wow. It's scrumptious!' he thought to himself. The male noticed the unknown woman was staring at him expectantly. "Oh. It's because you're an interesting human," he answered.
"What?" Maemi inquired in confusion.
"Hmm?" Izaya used his chopsticks to pop a tempura eggplant piece into his mouth.
"Umm. Thanks, I guess but umm… Is the food okay?" She still hadn't touched her bowl waiting for her guest's, or rather invader's, opinion.
He swallowed, "Very good, Jane-chan!" Izaya admitted cheerily to make it not… weird.
The woman beamed, "Really? That's good," she breathed in relief before picking up her chopsticks and starting to eat her fill. "I don't really know what you like food wise so I was kind of concerned."
"There's no poison, is there?" Izaya couldn't help but say it in those silky tones. However, her reaction wasn't what he expected.
She laughed gently as if not forcing it out, "Oh, shoosh. I knew you were going to say that." Maemi rolled her eyes and shook her head fondly.
"Did you?" the male kept his lips up, though her predictions of his actions somewhat annoyed him.
The woman blew on the steaming udon noodles and slurped them up unbeknown to the raven's hidden feelings. She covered her full mouth, "Eyend oph. (Kind of.)" Maemi took away her hand to take in a rather large sweet potato piece. She was soooo~ hungry!
"How pleasant," Izaya remarked sarcastically.
Chewing she side glanced awkwardly and swallowed, "Sorry, I never really… worried about etiquette at the dinner table."
Izaya let a small chuckle free, "Well for a mass-murderer that only makes sense."
"Lay off with the killing references, buddy," she sighed out and spooned the broth into her mouth. It was slightly sweet with a tang of spice. "Mmm~"
Izaya finally stopped with his teasing, lowering his gaze to the rather large bowl and ate again.
With their stomachs now full, Maemi took the – surprisingly emptied – bowls to the kitchen sink. She'd do the dishwashing tomorrow, not now. Too full~. And just her luck an action-packed hitman movie was starting on the random channel. Izaya made sure to point it out subtly but the woman easily saw his insinuation.
"Want to watch?" he asked, that damn grin still plastered on his face.
"Sure. Let's laugh at how stupid and unrealistic it is," she drawled.
Izaya found himself giving a genuine chuckle again, "Of course. What else would we watch it for?"
Maemi slumped down next to the male on the couch and hummed in agreement. The watch was just as expected. With all the back-flips and shit, just to dodge a punch? No. Just no. The 'assassin' needed to be stealthy. If they're caught, they are obviously not a very good 'assassin'. But anyway, sometimes it happens, if they're caught and have no choice but to enter in combat, he or she would need to conserve their energy. Not waste it on back-flips. You're not there to show off, you're there to kill! Or how the scenes conveniently skipped the clean up afterward. Deposing the body or bodies was always the hardest part. And blood does not shoot out like that!
The raven-haired male gazed at the woman shaking her head in disapproval. "So ridiculous," she'd say every once and awhile. Or, "What an idiot," to the main character.
Maemi noticed how the male to the left of her was laughing silently all the while eyeing her. Well, at least he was having blast, unlike the infuriated woman. She went to grab her phone to check the time needing to save her eyes from the stupidity. 10:38 p.m. "Hey, umm, how are you getting home?"
After gaining control over the epic laughing fit, Izaya asked, "Why? What's the time?"
"10:38, oh, now it's 10:39," she answered more complicatedly than necessary.
'What! Already?' he thought, "Umm… I guess I'm walking," he mused.
"Izaya, you live in Shinjuku. That's an hour on foot. I don't think so, take the train," she demanded.
"Hmm… But Jane-chan~ I don't like trains," he pouted.
Maemi blinked, a thought etching in her mind, "Does that mean you walked here and back three days in a row?" she questioned unbelievingly.
"Yep," he answered simply. The male took the train sometimes but he actually rather enjoyed walking. That way he'd run into more interesting humans!
There were a few moments of silence in Maemi's decision making. "You can sleep here if you want." Izaya raised his eyes to her golden flaked ones. "This couch is a recliner so… I'll just get some blankets for you. Besides, the movie isn't done yet." She left to go get the sheets.
'Stay here?' The thought kind of made Izaya feel uncomfortable. 'Maybe I should leave now before she comes back-'
Maemi dumped the heavy blanket over Izaya's lap, sat down and pulled the right corner over to her as she propped up her feet onto the couch.
'Too late.' The male thought. Why was the woman so welcoming? Was it all a trick? Was she going to slit his throat in his sleep? Or did she genuinely didn't mind him sleeping over? Izaya had never slept anywhere except in his own space. Why was it that he kind of wanted to stay? The male didn't really have anything against train rides. He just said so because he thought he knew he'd be kicked out either way. But he wasn't. The unknown woman was hesitant at first, sure, but she still told him it was okay. But was it? Izaya thought of leaving for the eighth time. His crimson gaze slowly landed on Jane Doe who instantly looked back.
"What? You afraid I'd kill you in your sleep?" she joked.
He smiled in return, "At least we're on the same page."
Maemi opened her mouth and closed it again, but on deciding her words she spoke up, "Izaya, you don't have to be so closed off, you know? If this is too weird you can say so and go if you want." She said this ever so gingerly trying to not make it sound like she was throwing him out.
"I have to admit. This is a wee bit strange," he giggled, "But walking for an hour on a full stomach doesn't sound so appealing." That was true but he could still walk. She'd probably bring up the train again. The girl did want him to leave after all.
"Yeah, I agree. Not to mention, if you start now, the earliest you'll get there will be a quarter to twelve." She stood up again, "You want to get up so we can pull out the recliner?"
He didn't realize he let go of his upturned lips until he smiled again. Izaya followed her movements in removing the small coffee table and seat cushions. The woman made the bed with the blankets only for it to be ruined by both of them as they hopped back on comfortably.
It was bizarre how the woman didn't care at all that they were in the same bed. Maybe she had already experienced it but this was definitely a first for Izaya. He never really paid much attention to umm… the opposite sex in that way. The male didn't even see the appeal. Much less have the desire to… well… 'lust' wasn't really in his vocabulary.
Little did Izaya know, while Maemi watched the advertisements on the television – a promo for adopting pets at the shelter – she was actually hiding a mini heart-attack. The woman tried to distract her racing mind and heart with the little kittens that were especially cute. "Do you like cats?" she asked out of the blue and maybe a bit too loudly.
"Not practically, but I suppose they're better than other pets," Izaya answered gazing at her curiously.
"Hmm," she paused but it was a bad idea, for unwanted thoughts came to her mind, "I just thought you'd fall in that category."
Izaya, blank-faced, blinked lazily.
"Bu-dum-tis!" She giggled.
It was forced out, wasn't it? "That was a really bad pun," he noted, 'Hmm… Strange,' the male mused. He gawked at the woman closely now; she was gripping the blankets rather tightly. 'Is she nervous, after all?' Izaya smirked and laid on his right side facing her directly. Staring at her, he realized she was leaving him all the room on the mattress. The unknown woman was right on the edge. "Jane-chan, you don't have to be so far away," he cooed.
"I… I'm fine." She smiled kindly though Izaya wasn't falling for it.
"What's up? Why are you nervous again?" he chuckled.
Her fake smile washed away, "… Izaya, can you… can you just not get too close?" the girl didn't want to get into her reasons.
"Hmmm?" he gazed at her more intently as he slid closer just to screw with her.
The woman's eyes hardened in shape, "Izaya, don't," she warned darkly.
"Don't what?" he asked pretending to be oblivious to her twitches and flinches.
Maemi backed away, even closer to the edge now. "Go to your side and watch the damn movie," she ordered coldly, though the TV was still playing ads.
Izaya had no intentions to actually do anything; he wasn't even going to poke her. Normally she read him so well, but she didn't see through him this time. And he loved it. "Naww~ But Jane-chan, I'm so cold, maybe we could-"
"I'll go get more blankets then." She quickly stumbled out of the recliner and made her way to the cabinet containing the bedding sheets.
Izaya could have sworn her voice trembled.