The tension and fear that suddenly flowed into the penthouse was suffocating. For several long moments, Izaya's wide red eyes watched his bosses, and they stared right back. This may have gone on for a long while if nothing had stopped it, but Haru seemed to be able to sense the tension, and began to whimper fearfully, pushing his face against Izaya's chest with his hands clutching tightly to Izaya's hoodie.
This instantly pulled the raven's attention away from the two men, as he lifted the baby a bit, placing a hand on his back, and rubbing comfortingly. "Shh.. It's okay, it's okay, they're not gonna hurt us, they're not gonna hurt you," Izaya firmly promised.
Akabayashi wouldn't lie, he was extremely surprised. He'd never heard or seen the supposed heartless and sadistic informant be so gentle, or sound so kind, towards.. Well, anything really! But all of a sudden, Izaya was acting like a doting mother. After comforting the baby, he raised his head and stared at them suspiciously, as a protective aura began to surround him completely. It was actually a little scary to be honest.
After a few more awkward moments of this, Shiki finally declared,"I am responding to your email, you told me to come after the snow melted. At first I was pretty frustrated at this request, but now I realize why you couldn't type it all out. You've obviously been very occupied."
The Awakusu executive could see this easily, not only because he saw the baby, but from the state his informant was actually in. He saw the very visible bags under his eyes, the crazy mop of black hair, and the disheveled grey hood and black sweats. In fact, it even took Izaya a moment to register his words. "Email?" The raven questioned aloud,"Oh.. Oh! Okay! Give me a second, I'll be right there, make yourselves at home."
The raven moved over to where his desk was, pulling a few files out, and then moving back to the kitchen, while the two men crossed over to the couch. When he sat down, Shiki noticed something very interesting.
The strange board game Izaya had created, it was missing, nowhere to be seen. In it's place was many things that belonged to the child, diapers, toys, and some clothes. Hmm.. Having that baby seems to be doing good.. Shiki thought curiously Maybe he'll settle down a bit, and stop doing batshit crazy things, if he has a kid to take care of. Plus, I don't think I've ever seen him smile like that.. Maybe the baby is already doing good for him.
Izaya returned, bottle and baby in hand, and some files under his arm. He frowned, struggling a bit, until Akabayashi walked over to the tired young man. "Here, I'll help you," He said, taking the baby and the bottle, sitting back against the couch.
Izaya watched Akabayashi for a moment, before placing the files on the coffee table, sliding them up to Shiki. Then, he quickly turned. But Akabayashi had sat down next to Shiki, lifting the baby up. "What a handsome little man," He cooed, tickling the baby. Haru giggled, kicking his legs in the air and babbling excitedly.
Akabayashi chuckled, and then lowered the baby to his lap, picking up the bottle. "Hmm.. He seems skinny," He said, looking up at Izaya curiously,"Why is that?"
Izaya sighed, he really didn't think it was any of his business. But Shiki was staring at him as well, which caused Izaya to respond,"I found him a week ago, in a box underneath a blanket. His bruises are almost cleaned up now, but my guess is that someone didn't take very good care of him, and in the end decided to dump him."
Shiki hummed curiously, picking up one of the files and flipping through it. "A noble action, especially for you, Izaya, I never thought you would tie yourself down with something like a child," He replied.
Izaya's face turned slightly red as he sat down, running a hand through his bedhead. "I know, I know.. But I wasn't planning on keeping him at first," He admitted, looking over at the baby. Instantly, a smile came across his face.
"But.. He grew on me," He softly said,"And I don't think I could imagine life without him now. I know that giving him back would just leave him alone in an orphanage. I can't do that, I'm going to keep him, and I am going to raise him right."
Izaya then crossed his arms, and firmly declared,"A-and if you don't like that, then I'm sorry, but I.. I love him, he's my son. I'm going to take care of him no matter what."
Shiki and Akabayashi both had different reactions. Shiki was slightly surprised, but he also seemed to feel pretty calm about the whole thing. Akabayashi, however, was extremely surprised and proud all at once.
It was no secret that the Awakusu-Kai executive loved kids, and he would do anything to make sure they were all safe. It was one of the few lines he never let people cross. He was shocked at fact someone who he used to think was insane actually had the capacity to care for and protect an innocent baby.
As he looked down at the blue eyed baby, he noticed the fading purple spots on the child's face, however, he also saw that the baby's cheeks were filled out a bit, and the healthy skin tone. The man also noticed how, even while being fed by Akabayashi, his eyes were looking at Izaya, and filling with excitement every time he caught sight of the raven. He knew that Izaya was not the cause of Haru's despair, but the author of his happiness.
Flicking his eye at the raven, he realized just how unkempt he looked. His wrinkled grey hoodie and black sweats, the obvious bags under his eyes, and the way his hair stuck out haphazardly in different directions. He was obviously taking this very seriously, and devoting much time and attention to the child. It made Akabayashi very happy, knowing this child was well cared for.
Suddenly, he was seeing the informant broker in a new light.
It seemed Shiki was thinking the same, as he simply shook his head. "Don't worry, I'm not angry," Shiki explained,"In fact, I think you need this child as much as he needs you. You compliment each other, in a strange way."
Izaya's tense figure sighed in relief, shoulder's slumping and steel eyes melting into gentle pools as he said,"Thank you, Shiki-sama."
Shiki merely nodded, before placing a finger on a set of numbers on one paper. "Can you explain to me where you got these numbers from?" He asked, gaining a nod from Izaya as the younger scooted forward to speak.
The next hour consisted of Izaya explaining the information he had about his assigned targets to Shiki, while Akabayashi entertained the baby after feeding and burping him. However, near the end of the meeting, Haru grew restless. Instead of laughing at Akabayashi's childish noises, he started to cry and reach out for Izaya.
Izaya reacted instantly, moving over, and scooping up the child. Haru whimpered loudly, hiding his face in Izaya's chest, his hands fisting the baggy grey fabric. "Sorry," Izaya said, ignoring the surprised looks,"He gets very nervous if I'm not near or holding him after a while."
"Don't apologize, children are always more attached to their parents than others, I was expecting it to happen sooner or later," He said, waving his hand,"Plus, if what you claim is true, I'm sure he's attached to his rescuer."
"I have pictures," Izaya admitted,"I took them just in case.. But I don't like looking at them, they make me mad."
Akabayashi raised his eyebrows, before he smirked. Yes, he was liking Izaya more now, knowing he had the capacity to actually care for someone, especially a child.
Shiki then slapped the last file shut, and picked them up. "I think we're done here for now, good work as always," Shiki said calmly.
"What's my next assignment?" Izaya asked, very used to being hit with more work. His boss was an executive to a crime syndicate, information was a huge priority often.
However, much to his surprise, Shiki simply stood up and walked towards the door. "Take some time off," The executive answered,"I have a feeling you'll be needing it. I'll give you a few months of paid leave, unless anything extremely important appears. How does that sound?"
Izaya merely nodded, and replied,"That sounds good, thank you very much." His shoulders slumped thankfully, he definitely needed time to settle down and create a routine.
Shiki merely nodded, walking out the door. Akabayashi watched him go, before calling out,"I'll catch up with you, Shiki!"
The older man grunted in annoyance, not really caring why he was staying. He probably didn't care, but Akabayashi told him anyways. He listened to the sound of the door closing as he pulled out his phone, looking up to see Izaya staring at him suspiciously, the baby against his chest.
"Is there something you need, Akabayashi-san?" Izaya asked curiously, but nervously at the same time.
The older man hummed, and responded,"I was just thinking of how you'll raise this child, Izaya-san. Single parent adoption isn't exactly allowed here.. How will you get the child into school and give him doctor's appointments without danger of losing him?"
Izaya frowned, looking down at the relaxed child. Akabayashi could see the sadness in his eyes, but also the protective aura that surrounded him. But he didn't allow Izaya to sink into sadness for very long.
"But," The man continued,"I'm sure you know I'll do anything for kids, including making sure they are well cared for. It is obvious to me that you are the best choice for this child, and I have connections everywhere. I'm going to pull a few strings for you, and get you through the system no trouble, Haru will officially, legally be your child."
Izaya's head jerked up, eyes widening. "Eh?" He asked hopefully,"You'd do that for me? But you hate me..?"
Akabayashi frowned slightly, before smiling with a shrug. "Well, it's obvious to me that this child is changing you into a better, more responsible person," He said,"You remind me of myself at your age, I was reckless and ruthless, but then I mellowed as time went on. I'd say it's in part to not only my age, but learning about kids. So, I can't find much reason to want to kill you anymore, when you are obviously a responsible parent." He admitted.
Maybe being a parent will help you stop hurting innocent people as well.. Akayashi thought, but didn't dare voice this aloud.
"Ah, thank you! That would mean so much to me!" Izaya said, flashing a genuine smile so bright it almost blinded Akabayashi's last eye.
Akabayashi cleared his throat, and then held up one calloused finger. "However.. There is one condition," He said, his features melting into something very serious as he leaned forward.
Izaya frowned, leaning back and holding Haru closer. "And.. W-what would that be?" The raven asked suspiciously.
Suddenly, the dangerous features melted away, and Akabayashi cheerfully exclaimed,"It's that I get to be his uncle!"
Izaya blanched in surprise, eyes widening slightly. "Uncle?" He echoed, as Haru turned to face Akabayashi curiously.
"Of course!" Akabayashi exclaimed again,"Who wouldn't want to watch such a sweet child grow, after a surprisingly caring man gave him a second chance at life. I know you'll do your best to raise him, I can already tell he's a good influence on you. I'd like to be able to watch him be nurtured, and be more to him than just his 'father's occasional boss'"
Izaya was a little surprised at first, but he slowly nodded again. He didn't fully trust Akabayashi, but he knew for a fact he would never hurt kids. Plus, the help he was being offered was something he couldn't turn down.
He finally nodded, and Akabayashi smiled widely. All Izaya truly felt was relief, at least he knew his bosses didn't mind Haru.
Izaya then stood up, carrying the baby upstairs to where he had set up an impromptu changing station. He switched the baby into a warm blue onesie, changing from the sweats into his black pants, and tried to make sense of his hair. When he got back downstairs, he realized that Akabayashi was still there, texting on his phone.
"Umm.. I hope you don't mind me leaving, but now that the snow is finally gone, I need to shop for groceries and baby stuff," Izaya explained.
Akabayashi looked up from his phone, and happily replied,"Oh! I'll just tag along, I'll help you pick out the right things, maybe pick up a few books on parenting for you to read."
He looked over, seeing the pale, exhausted Izaya with an annoyed look in his sleepy eyes. "No offense, Akabayashi-san, but I don't think I have much time to read books right now," He ground out tiredly, trying to keep his face serious as Haru's little hands tried to grab at his chin.
"Oh.. True," Akabayashi responded, before shrugging. "Oh well! Let's go get this shopping done!"
His tone was so jovial and excited, Izaya half expected him to suddenly jump up and click his heels together before he walked out of Izaya's apartment.
It was in that moment, Izaya firmly decided. Today is definitely going to be a weird day.
They arrived at a nearby shopping center a while later, thankfully the crowds had gotten a little smaller. Unfortunately, it seemed Haru was a little nervous being outside again, as he clung even tighter to Izaya and whined loudly. So much so, they actually had to stop a few times so the raven could make sure his son was okay.
Once they got to the large shopping center, Akabayashi excused himself as his phone rang. Izaya watched him go, before walking into a connected department store.
"We need to get you some nice clothing, a stroller, and a lot of other stuff," Izaya explained to the baby,"Thankfully, this place delivers. So I can get you a real crib, and give that old one back to Oba-san."
Haru looked up at him, his fingers shoved in his mouth. When he realized Izaya was looking at him, he giggled excitedly, his wet hand escaping from his mouth to grab at Izaya's cheek. It may have disgusted Izaya if he hadn't already been peed on, and vomited on. So, he simply added,"And a pacifier too."
During his exploration of the newborn and toddler section, he realized just how much he adored his newly named son. He was actually a little excited about shopping, and matching colors.
As he held the babbling Haru in one hand, he looked through clothing, chattering,"I think blue, black, and purple are your primary colors, but a lot of colors go with your eyes."
Izaya wouldn't lie, he picked plenty of clothes. He ignored some of the stuff on the list he found, mainly stuff that related to summer wear. Even if the snow was gone, it was still cold. He got some hats, socks, bodysuits, and a few nice blankets.
Moving on, Izaya made a pitstop to get formula, then went to another store and ordered all the furniture for the baby, as well as a few pacifiers, supplies, and toys that Haru showed interest in. (He also bought some parenting books, but Akabayashi wasn't allowed to know that.)
Haru kept pretty calm through the whole trip, mainly because he was being held, and since Izaya was constantly talking to him.
All in all, the trip was very nice and calm. Along the way, Izaya began to realize some stuff. Even though Izaya liked to pretend he knew everything, he had realized how untrue that was. Even now, there were still things Izaya was naive about, especially in this strange new world of parenthood he had suddenly become a part of.
While looking through the baby toys, a few other people ended up in the same area. A woman with a toddler noticed him, and chuckled, noticing how overwhelmed he was at all the products. "Your wife didn't send you with a list?" She asked, in what Izaya guessed was supposed to be a joke.
"Oh, no," Izaya quickly replied, adjusting Haru slightly,"I'm not married or in a relationship, Haru is my adoptive son."
The woman gasped, her eyes widening. "Aww! What a kind thing to do! Where did you adopt him from?" She questioned curiously.
"Um.. Nowhere?" Izaya awkwardly guessed, not used to other humans actively seeking him out with genuine interest,"I found him in a cardboard box before the snow storm.."
Another woman nearby, who actually didn't have a kid with her, gasped,"Oh my! How noble! That was so kind of you!"
Izaya froze in surprise, and replied,"Well, I still don't really understand why I did it myself.."
One more person squealed excitedly, and said,"So modest too! A single, modest family man! So hard to come by these days!"
Before it could get any farther, Akabayashi swooped in to save the unsuspecting Izaya. They then paid for everything they bought, and headed back to the apartment.
When they were there, Akabayashi handed Izaya a packet. Izaya had looked down at it, and noticed the title. 'Adoption Papers' "You got the papers already?" Izaya asked in surprise, causing Akabayashi to grin proudly and nod.
"I can tell you're serious about this, and I told you I have connections. All you have to do is fill everything out, and then Haru is officially yours," The man explained, tapping his cane on the ground.
At the thought, Izaya looked down at the baby fondly. Haru giggled happily, his hand reaching out to Izaya again, leaning more against his chest. "Okay," He said, and grabbed a pen,"Let's do this."
Akabayashi watched Izaya read through everything, and manage to balance the baby at the same time. The thought somehow reminded him of something, as he hummed. "You know," He began,"You'll have to be more careful now, especially around Heiwajima Shizuo."
"I know," Izaya responded,"I'm prepared. I just want what's best for Haru. Plus, I don't have any reason to go to Ikebukuro yet. I've decided to take Haru to a normal doctor, simply because I bet he needs to catch up on shots and other procedures."
Akabayashi nodded, that was very smart. "Well, that's sure going to be fun.. it's good to know you are taking this seriously," He replied.
It was a while before Izaya finished, but it was all worth it to him. Even if it was slightly sketchy, he knew that it was for a good reason. He was the person who cared for Haru, sacrificed sleep, who bonded with him. He would do anything for him, and anything to make sure he stayed with the people who cared for him.
Once he was done, he pushed it towards Akabayashi. The man flipped through them quickly, before nodding. "Alright, I'll get this to my connections," He said, smiling. "Congratulations on becoming a father, Izaya."
He left after that, and Izaya was left with his thoughts. A father.. He knew he had decided on that before, but now it was even more real, and it made Izaya feel such a strange emotion. It was a mix of love, happiness, and relief, he couldn't describe it as one, but he didn't need to.
Izaya hugged the child close, and smiled. "There's no going back for me, Haru, I'm officially your dad," He whispered, rocking gently,"I promise, I'll take care of you no matter what, because I love you so so much."
Haru seemed happy too, and exhausted from a busy day, as he fell asleep right on Izaya's chest. Izaya smiled, rubbing his back for a bit as exhaustion creeped up on him once more.
A little while later, if one were to look in the Orihara apartment, they would see bright colors now overlapping the old dark colors. Though it was small before, it was very obvious now. And Izaya didn't care, because his main goal in life was no longer to mess with humans, or find the afterlife, but to take care of his son.
Upstairs, Haru slept in his brand new crib, wearing a nice long sleeved baby bodysuits. In the bed right next to him, Izaya slept in his clothing, his phone nearby. After that long, exhausting day, they were both thankful to get some rest.
And with the mere thought of the fact that the doctor's appointment was very soon, the raven had a sinking feeling about how that was going to go..
Izaya knew he was going to need as much sleep as he could possibly get.