Crickets chirping.
Air cut by blades.
And his own breath.
When Shizuo woke up, the first thing he saw was a white surface, broken only by a wooden fan spinning around. He realized he lay on a bed, with an incredibly soft mattress. Under his fingertips, the sheets were smooth and smelled of soap and another scent he couldn't quite identify, even though he might already know it. It was a pleasant sensation, being enveloped in a white, soft cocoon, like being wrapped in a cloud. His hands opened to let fingers savor the cotton texture, and inhaled deeply. His sense of smell then noticed that the space around him was filled with the antiseptic stench of disinfectants.
Perhaps the whole room was.
Room?
From the corner of his eye, he caught a glimpse of fluttering spots on a blue setting. He turned his head, and there it was: on the white wall to his left, there was a window. Outside, all he could see were leaves and a clear, blue sky.
A sudden question hit him.
Where is Kasuka?
With a jerk, he sat up. Shizuo realized immediately that his limbs felt numb, and they were trapped in tight spirals of gauze. Pausing to take in his surroundings, he observed that the space around him consisted of a bedroom, a quite big one, painted white, with one window, a wardrobe and two wooden doors, one in the wall in front of him, and one in the right one.
When he turned his head right, Shizuo found he wasn't alone. On the same double bed he had been laying on was a thin, pale man with black hair, fast asleep. His body was covered with gauze and patches, and an I.V. was stuck in his right arm. Even if the man's features were hidden by all those medications, the blonde immediately recognized him.
Fists clenched and his jaw tightened. Why is the fucking flea here?
Before a growl could escape his lips, the door on the right opened, and a bespectacled man entered. He wore a white lab-coat, like the ones Shizuo had seen on doctors in the infirmary at Academy. As one might imagine given his violent habits, he was used to passing a lot of time there.
When the man noticed Shizuo was awake, his grey eyes widened in surprise. Then, he smiled.
"Good morning! I'm glad you're awake," he said in a shrill voice, approaching a Shizuo who was so confused that, for the moment, he forgot that the louse lay defenseless on the same bed.
"I'm Kishitani Shinra, nice to meet you! I'm a doctor, and I'll be taking care of you two until you're all healed. And you are…?" he inquired, extending his right hand and waiting for Shizuo to shake it.
The blonde stared with disbelieving eyes at the man, trying to discern whether the doctor was a figment of his imagination or not. Everything in his head was so blurry, like surreal fragments of a dream just barely beyond his grasp. Shizuo wasn't even sure what happened to make him lose his senses; he remembered flashes of breathtaking landscapes, and an unbearable pain nestled in his heart.
Shizuo couldn't explain to himself where Kasuka was, or why he wasn't in the military camp. And then, why was Izaya there with him? Injured, nonetheless. Dreamlike visions of red eyes and bruised, pale skin filled his mind, but he couldn't unravel the story between those images, as they all seemed incongruent and inconsequential.
Shizuo was pulled from his train of thought when he finally noticed the hand, open in front of him.
"Shizuo..."
"Glad to meet you, Shizuo-kun! I found both of you unconscious, in a field not far from here. You were quite injured, especially your friend. Hmm, let's see... Burns on various portions of his skin, especially on his legs-" the white-clad man began to count on his fingers, big eyes darting up in concentration.
"A gunshot to his knee - he was lucky that the bullet went straight through! - both his wrists sprained, and signs of strangulation on his neck. He'll be fine soon enough, but I was wondering what could have happened..."
The man fell silent, as if he was too focused on formulating hypotheses in his mind to keep talking. Then, grey eyes moved to stare at Shizuo.
"You have minor scratches all over your body along with some rather deep ones on your feet, almost as though you had walked on your bare feet for days. But I daresay you're healing with an impressive speed."
Under the spectacles, the doctor's gaze gleamed with curiosity.
Shizuo was shocked. As the doctor talked, little by little, the links between the fragments of memories had joined in his mind, reminding him of the reason behind every injury on each of them. When reality hit him, he felt his heart sink, so deep it left just void inside his chest.
Kasuka is gone.
It hadn't been just a nightmare, and despite all odds, he was still alive. Once again, he cursed fate for being so merciless. After the desperate wandering, the embrace of anticipated death had tasted so sweet. Shizuo had already felt the guilt seeping out his being alongside his life once before. "Why am I still alive?!" his inner self screamed, before realizing he already knew the answer. In his conscience, Shizuo had convinced himself he wasn't dead by now because death wouldn't be enough to atone. How stupid he had been, he thought; it was far too simple forget his guilt in annihilation.
Shinra's attentive gaze didn't miss the sudden change of expression in the blonde's features, but he didn't ask for an explanation. He just stared at the man in front of him, trying to read something, anything, in those irises to satisfy the curiosity percolating in his brain.
"Don't worry, Shizuo-kun, I don't know what happened, but you can stay here until you feel like it. You two seem pretty close, so I hope you don't mind sharing the same room... You know-" He sighed and, after he turned his head absentmindedly towards those white walls, a sad smile stretched his lips.
But Shizuo didn't, couldn't notice it, as his eyes no longer focused on his surroundings; his attention had turned inward.
"You know, this was my father's house, but now he's travelling around the world for research, and I'm sure he won't be back for who knows how many years. I don't even have the slightest idea where he could be right now, and if he'll find what he is looking for. It's such an uncertain path, the one he decided to follow. Many would say he's spending too much time and money over an old, insubstantial legend. I just hope he succeeds."
Shinra's gaze came back to Shizuo, waiting for a reply. But from his patient's vacant eyes, he realized that the blonde was still too disoriented to keep pace with a conversation. The doctor smiled and gently patted Shizuo's shoulder.
The former soldier jolted, as though he had been awakened from a nightmare, and his eyes focused again on the man in front of him.
Now that he had a better look at Shinra, Shizuo noticed that his round face suggested that the doctor was more or less the same age as he was. But Shizuo swore there was a glimmer of something ancient in those grey eyes, something that made Shinra look way older. The doctor, however, looked away before Shizuo could understand what it was.
"Don't worry about your friend, he'll be fine. I don't know what happened, and you don't have to tell me anything you don't want to, but I would bet my life that you saved his life. With those wounds he couldn't go anywhere, and I'm sure you did your best to save him. Don't torment yourself, just rest."
Shinra would have turned to go away, if Shizuo's hand hadn't tightened around the doctor's forearm. The grip became even firmer, as he uttered out of desperation:
"Do you know something about a massacre of soldiers? It happened - what day is today? How many days did I sleep?"
Shinra's face contorted in pain as soon as he felt that tight grip squeezing his flesh like metal pincers. He was sure not even a man in full health could be gifted with such a strength, much less an injured one. Even with the uncomfortable, vice-like hand clamping on his arm, Shinra couldn't stop himself from being even more curious about Shizuo.
When Shizuo noticed the spasm of pain seeping through Shinra's features, he immediately released his hold.
"I'm sorry," he whispered, mortified, as he lowered his head to hide his face under blond bangs.
Shizuo jolted when he felt the doctor's hand on his shoulder, warm and reassuring.
"I'm fine."
The blonde lifted his head. The bespectacled man smiled gently, like nothing had happened.
"Hmm," the doctor looked up, hand on his chin in concentration."I heard there had been a clash between the armies of two nearby city-states. A sneak attack, they said, so well planned that the losing party had been completely exterminated. Apparently they'd been targeting a pretty important person in the camp - a commandant, perhaps. Or a strategist, I can't quite remember - But I heard there were no survivors. Why do you ask?"
When Shizuo didn't answer and, instead, lowered his gaze once again, the doctor understood his patient wasn't ready to talk about what kind of ghosts haunted him.
"Anyway, you slept for two whole days. But I suggest you to rest a bit more, after you've eaten obviously! You must be hungry; I put you on an I.V. drip, but I'd guess you would enjoy a proper meal!" Shinra chattered, making his way out of the room. "Wait just a little bit, I'm going to prepare you something to eat! I'll be back soon!"
Shizuo's gaze followed the white-clad man until he disappeared over the threshold. The doctor had left the door slightly ajar, so he tilted his head out slightly, trying to figure out what lay beyond the room. To his disappointment, he could only see a wooden floor and the white wall of a hallway.
He heard the man's steps going down a staircase, wood creaking rhythmically under bare feet, and gradually disappearing. Shizuo still focused his whole being in trying to perceive them again. He couldn't define the exact reason why. Perhaps, a part of him hoped the doctor would come back and say he had been wrong, and some soldiers managed to save themselves, or that the enemy had taken some as prisoners of war. Another part of him couldn't stand the weight of silence right now.
Shizuo waited. Some minutes later, he again heard the sound of steps, approaching, along with the clinking of porcelain.
The doctor nudged the door with his foot, and appeared on the threshold carrying a tray with a bowl of steamy, oh-god-smells-delicious soup, a plate with two halves of a sandwich, and a glass of water. The blonde's mouth watered.
"Here I am, Shizuo-kun! I warmed up some soup, I hope you like it, even if it's summer," Shinra chirped, then he carefully put the tray on the blonde's lap.
Shizuo was astonished; everything seemed so appetizing, a wonderful change from the (sometimes literal) slop they had been served in the army. As soon as he grabbed the spoon, the blonde heard the doctor turn to leave the room.
"Be careful, it's hot! Now I have to go, I have a full schedule of patient visits! I'll come back to check on you and your friend soon, but in the meantime feel free to call me if you need something. If I'm not making a house call in the village, I'll be in the clinic attached to my house, next door. Enjoy your meal and rest, Shizuo-kun!" the doctor said, waving his hand.
Shinra was already on the threshold when the man at his back called out, "Wait!"
The doctor stopped, turning his head toward Shizuo.
"Wait, please," Shizuo repeated in a softer tone of voice that fairly dripped embarrassment. "…Thank you."
Shinra giggled. "Oh, it was nothing at all!"
"When I feel better, I'll find a way to repay you!"
"But you don't have to-"
"Please!"
Shinra was baffled. The blond man sounded so desperate, as if it was a matter of life and death. Grey eyes scrutinized him with curiosity, trying to understand the reasons buried under those burning eyes.
"Got it. But, for now, try to rest a bit."
Waving his hand one last time, Shinra took his leave and closed the door at his back.
Once alone, the silence amplified the weight of reality.
Eyes widened in pain as his ribcage constricted his heart and lungs, leaving him unable to breath. Grief melted his thoughts in white noise, so loud that he clenched his fists on his chest. If it was up to him, his nails would surely find a way to scrape off the flesh shielding his heart.
But he couldn't do it.
Once again, he couldn't embrace the nothingness.
This time, it was out of a sense of duty toward the one who had save his life and offered him shelter out of the goodness of his heart. Shizuo refused to burden someone once again. He could let grief and self-loathing overwhelm him only after he had repaid Shinra for his kindness.
It was just a matter of time, after all.
His gaze came back to his worst enemy.
The same went for Izaya. That doctor was so nice to him, and Shizuo didn't want to bother this new man with his personal hatred for the flea. Shizuo couldn't even tell the doctor that he preferred a room to himself, and the further from his nemesis, the better.
He had just to stay strong. Just until his debt was paid.
Shizuo shifted his attention from Izaya to that homemade meal and, for few minutes, he tried to shut out the pain as he enjoyed the delicious food.
As soon as he finished eating, he laid down on the soft bed and a dreamless sleep overcame him.
The next day, Shizuo was already healed. Almost all of the scratches were gone, while thin trails of reddened skin took the place of the deepest cuts.
The mental wounds, however, remained, deep and open and raw.
To soothe those kind of injuries, Shizuo usually enjoyed Kasuka's presence. Or else, he walked. With time, Shizuo had noticed that the physical activity made him feel better - basking in the sun, and absentmindedly put one step after another, shutting his mind in a trance state while the world flowed around him.
Even if he was aware the sorrow wouldn't be alleviated this time, Shizuo couldn't stay all day in bed, face to face with the truth. And face to face with Izaya - still asleep, but Izaya nonetheless.
He decided to get up.
The wooden floor creaked under his weight and it felt warm under his sore feet. His mind immediately made the comparison with the concrete floor in the Military Academy; it was so cold under his bare soles that it had made him wince every winter morning.
Then, awakened after so many years, emerged older memories, reminiscence of the floor in his old home - far away now.
It hurts how much the sensation felt the same.
Warm wood, creaking sounds.
Nostalgia engulfed his whole heart while he recollected long forgotten images of his childhood, so blurry and obscure he wondered if they took place only in his dreams. A room entirely made of dark wood, a dim light seeping through a narrow window. On the floor, a crawling and giggling baby.
Kasuka.
The memory of strong arms and smiling faces were so familiar, and yet buried so deep inside of him he couldn't distinguish their features, just like a jigsaw puzzle he was no longer able to solve.
Shizuo tried to push the memories back, in an effort to not being overwhelmed by pain, while he walked across the distance that separated him from the closest door. He opened it, and discovered there was a small bathroom, almost entirely covered by light blue, glossy tiles.
He entered, catching a glimpse of his own reflection in the mirror. Shizuo found out that the man looking back at him had large, dark circles under his eyes, despite the fact that he had slept for days.
Without hesitation, he opened the shower faucet and began undressing.
Shizuo quickly figured out that he wasn't wearing his own clothes. When he realized that the bespectacled doctor had probably thrown them away, he felt a sting of sorrow. Not for the clothes themselves, but because they were the only things left from his previous life.
His dirty clothes, and the flea.
He frowned. Even thinking about that insect made him furious.
Once naked, he dashed under the warm water jet and mentally blessed the doctor for leaving a bottle of lavender flavored shampoo in the shower basket.
Half an hour later, Shizuo came out from the bathroom with a towel around his hips, to search for clean clothes in the wardrobe. The shadow of a smile appeared on his lips when the blonde realized that the doctor had left him a t-shirt, long sweatpants and a pair of boxers. He grabbed the garments, darting back into the bathroom and dressing quickly. Once he had finished, he exited the room and walked straight to the other door, the one he knew led to the hallway.
He glanced out the window as he passed by, and then froze, hazel eyes widening in astonishment.
Before him lay a hillside entirely covered by tiled roofs. Houses were separated by narrow lanes twisting down the slope until they melted into an infinite expanse of blue, glistening water.
The sea.
Shizuo had seen it in movies and photos, of course, but never with his own eyes, having spent his whole life on the interior of the mainland, first in his native country village, and then in the Military Academy.
Mesmerized by that captivating view, he didn't notice the steps approaching. He jolted when he heard the voice at his back.
"Good morning, Shizuo-kun! Oh sorry, did I scare you?" Shizuo shook his head, but before he could get a word in, Shinra prattled on.
"Mmh, let's see... The t-shirt fits you, but the sweatpants are a bit short," the doctor stated, one hand on his chin. "How do you feel today?"
"Better, thanks."
"I'm glad! Mind if I give a quick look?"
Shizuo shook his head. Shinra smiled, and once his patient sat down, he began checking the other man's wounds. Soon, the smile on the doctor's face changed into an expression of pure astonishment, as he realized his patient was already healed. He was getting better faster than the normal, but such speed was just-
Inexplicable.
Shizuo tensed up the instant he read the sudden transformation in the doctor's features. He had seen a similar expression on the faces of the many doctors and nurses who had visited him in the past, after he'd come in injured from one brawl or another. Shizuo was aware it would be just a matter of seconds before surprise would shift into dread.
However, the feared but expected questions about his monstrous body never came. The bespectacled man quickly returned to his relaxed and smiling self. He even began humming an incomprehensible song.
After what for Shizuo seemed an unbearably long lapse of time, the doctor lifted his head and looked at him through dark brown strands. The former soldier noticed that his smile, despite being so kind, didn't reach far enough to warm up his grey eyes.
"Good, good! Your wounds are healing well! Do you want something to eat for breakfast?"
"No, thanks, I'm not hungry. Um... If it's not a problem, I would like to go out for a walk."
"Go ahead, Shizuo-kun! But I heartily recommend that you not strain your body too much. And let me prepare you some sandwiches, in case you feel like eating something."
The doctor headed out of the room. Shizuo followed him, and before he crossed the threshold, he turned to cast a last glance at the body laying unconscious on the bed. His gesture didn't escape Shinra's attentive eyes, which interpreted it as deep affection and concern.
When Shizuo stepped out of the room, Shinra chuckled.
"Haha sorry, you need a pair of shoes, of course!"
A few minutes later, Shizuo exited from the doctor's house with the only pair of sneakers that didn't constrict his feet too much, along with a shopping bag containing sandwiches and a bottle of water. Shinra was so kind and generous towards him, and he felt he didn't deserve it, at all. So, he decided that his first order of business would be to find a job to repay the man as soon as possible.
When he made the first step out the door, his hand immediately shadowed his eyes from the blinding sun rays. If he was going to be staying here for a while, he really needed a pair of sunglasses. Even if he loved basking in the sun, he hated having an excess of light (though not as much as he hated the flea); it was too painful for his eyes to stand. His heart tightened at the memory of the pair of sunglasses Kasuka had given him for his eighteenth birthday. They were beautiful, with light blue lenses and a thin metallic frame. His little brother must have saved his money for long time to manage to buy such luxurious glasses, so Shizuo treated them as gently as he could, to avoid breaking them involuntarily.
Now, their grotesquely twisted frames rested under layers of soot.
Once Shizuo's sight adjusted, he directed his glance to the small but neat garden around him. Surrounded by a well-groomed flowerbed was a tree with knotty trunk and branches. Its crown of casted a shadow over the expanse of grass lawn, which was divided into two sections by a stone path which curved through the green until it reached a wrought-iron gate. A hedge surrounded the garden, embracing it in a quiet atmosphere.
Shizuo walked along the path and, after he opened the small gate, he came to a downhill road displaying a full overview of the village. A row of houses overlooked one side of the lane, while on the other, there was a railing. Over it, the ground gradually descended, covered by houses and narrow alleys where people walked at a leisurely pace, carrying shopping bags and greeting each other.
The road followed the hillside and, after a hairpin turn, led to the heart of the coastal village. Here, house fronts defined the road width, and the result was so narrow that Shizuo noted it would be impossible for two cars to pass through simultaneously. In some particularly tight parts, it was difficult for even few people to cross it at the same time.
When the passers-by bumped into the blond man, a surprised expression flashes across their faces. They stopped their walk for few moments, following Shizuo's tall frame with their gaze, trying to guess whose relative he was. Then, they continued on, after casting one last glance, disappearing around a corner or crossed the threshold of a wooden door.
Shizuo didn't care, he just kept walking with his hands shoved in the sweatpants' pockets, the shopping bag repeatedly bouncing off his leg with a steady rhythm. He absentmindedly stared at the cobblestone which composed the streets' pavement. Only now and then did Shizuo lift his head to observe how the village's morphology had changed.
Since he had arrived in the village centre, he noticed that not only the streets, but also the houses were different from the ones he had seen previously. Shizuo was used to apartment buildings or, at least, houses with their own garden which separated them from the street, like Shinra's and his childhood home. In this village, ancestors had built their residences with the sides merged together, and then each house had grown up developing its own characteristic, like human beings. There hadn't been attention for the bigger picture, as different colors and number of floors coexisted side by side, giving the village an eccentric look.
The alleys' walls smelled of stones, humidity, and polished wood from the doors. The reigning scent was quite different from the one of concrete and sweat Shizuo linked with the Military Academy. And it was the complete antithesis of the city's smell, composed of the dissonance between smog and a medley of different foods.
Both in appearance and smell, it was like the village belonged to bygone days.
Shizuo moved onward amongst the maze of alleys, and let instinct chose the way in place of a map or directions.
By chance, he arrived in a quiet square, with a tree contained in a flowerbed made with stone bricks. Feeling he needed to rest a bit, Shizuo sat down on the low wall. Habit made him search for his cigarettes, making him realize that the last time he smoked one seemed an eternity ago.
Obviously, he was without them at the very moment he really craved for a smoke.
The sense of irritation due to lack of nicotine had Shizuo drumming his fingers on the stone, so hard that the touch produced small fissure on the surface, along with faint cracking sounds. Luckily for him, there weren't passers-by in sight.
While the blonde drowned in frustration, a fragrance of bread and…cakes? Maybe? that had barely left the oven filled his nostrils, making him drool. Nicotine and sweets were his addictions, and he craved both now.
Since there was nothing Shizuo could do without money, he decided to blow off steam walking. Without hesitation, he turned down a street, refusing to check which shop was the source of the fragrance.
The dissatisfaction, however, didn't disappear as easily as it flowed into irritability. As he stomped on the ground, in a remote part of his mind, Shizuo hoped for a mocking Izaya to appear in front of his eyes, just to let him vent his inner turmoil beating every inch of life out of that lithe body.
While he basked in thoughts of violence, the angry blonde arrived at the end of the lane he was walking through. Beyond a wide asphalt street navigated by both cars and bicycles lay a harbor full of boats. They were all small ones, with the exception of a huge cargo ship. To Shizuo's right, the road ended in a big square where a handful of cars had been parked. To his left, the street ran until his eyes could see, disappearing behind a peninsula far in the distance.
Shizuo was so amazed by such a view he forgot the irritation he felt in his guts.
Around him, people kept on strolling and chatting, while he just stood motionless in the middle of the lane, admiring that multitude of boats rocked slightly by dark ripples. And beyond, there was the biggest expanse of water he had ever seen in his whole life.
Along with the astonishment, however, a deep sense of melancholy overwhelmed him. He hated how strong his emotions had always been. They became overpowering and he could nothing to counteract them. Deep down, he was sure he wasn't strong enough to master them.
Before he was even aware of his own movements, the former soldier began, once again, to put one foot after another. Turning left, he crossed the street and walked along the wide sidewalk between the harbor and the asphalt road.
Even in his absent-minded wandering, he noticed that there were more people here than inside the village. They seemed to enjoy their lives, eating at the small tables of the cafes on the other side of the street, or strolling around. He bumped into a pair of them, but he was too immersed in his trance to excuse himself properly.
As Shizuo kept walking, the harbor gave way to a sandy shore where few people basked in the sun. It was a rather quiet place. Instinctively, he realized he liked it. The street was close, but only infrequent cars passed on it, keeping the spot serene.
Out of curiosity, he decided to go down the sidewalk, to continue his wandering at the water's edge.
Shizuo hissed when sand filled his shoes, sliding under his soles in a warm wave. After he took the sneakers off, he rolled the doctor's sweatpants up to his knees and walked until the water touched his feet. It was a strange sensation, but not unpleasant at all. The cold water soothed his tired feet and the sensation of the sand giving way just slightly under his soles unwound his nerves.
With just the sea to his right and the sand and street to his left, he kept on walking for hours, his mind blank.
The shore didn't seemed to end, and it was totally empty by now, as was the asphalt road. The village had disappeared long ago, giving way to an infinite succession of wooded hills.
It was midafternoon when Shizuo finally felt his stomach rumbling. He remembered the sandwiches, and blessed Shinra for the umpteenth time that day. Once he sat down on the sand, he unwrapped the food and began eating, his gaze fixed on the sea.
As the lunch filled his stomach, a sudden sting of sorrow overwhelmed him.
When Shizuo realized that tears streamed down his cheeks, he was already crying his heart out. It didn't matter how far he went, how many breathtaking landscapes he saw, the sense of guilt and grief for losing Kasuka would never leave him. It would be his burden, and he couldn't release himself to death until he had settled his debt to the doctor.
And then? His mind could envision nothing other than darkness.
Only when he felt that the tears had dried on his skin did Shizuo decide to head back.
When he began to spot houses on the horizon once more, the sun had already set. While to his left the sea was pitch black, to his right the hillside shone with thousands of lights from the houses and lampposts, flickering in the night air like a carpet of fireflies. A cold breeze made him shiver, pulling him from the trance state he fell into after deciding to come back.
Just as he arrived in the village, Shizuo remembered he had forgot to search for a job.
Feeling deeply ashamed, he crossed the wide road that ran along the sea. Then, Shizuo turned down a random street which he thought might lead to the heart of the village. His sense of direction had never been his strong point, and he usually let his instinct guide him, but in this tangled labyrinth he couldn't seem to manage reaching the road which led to Shinra's house.
The wind kept on blowing, cold and salty on his skin. It smelled like the preamble to a storm.
Minutes passed by, and he still hadn't found a way to reach the panoramic street. When Shizuo was on verge of losing his patience, he heard voices, just around the corner – male, he thought. Shizuo heard them laughing, and he thought they were just a group of friends enjoying themselves. It couldn't hurt to ask them for directions.
Then, he heard another voice, pleading for them to stop.
Shizuo sprung in action, without wasting a single second. He ran, until he found himself face to face with the voices' owners.
In a dark corner, a group of about ten drunkards were on verge of beating up one man, smaller than them, with tanned skin and dark brown dreadlocks. Under a pair of glasses, the man's eyes were wide with terror, like he already knew he had no chance of escape. Shizuo noticed that he already had a drunkard's fist curled around his red shirt. The sight was enough for the monster inside Shizuo to wake in all its destructive power. But still, Shizuo held on to the last drop of calmness that indignation hadn't wiped away, and warned the men.
"What the fuck are you doing, hah?!" the blond growled, hands in his pockets and head high. "Ten against one isn't quite fair, you know."
The drunkards replied at first with expressions of shock, then they tottered around him, instable as zombies. Their facial expressions were grotesque, and mocking gazes attempted to threaten Shizuo. One of them approached the blonde so closely that Shizuo could smell the stink of alcohol and sweat. The drunkard was taller than him, and probably double Shizuo's weight.
"Do you want to play the hero, eh?" the man whispered, his face few inches from Shizuo's, who replied only with the twitch of a single eyebrow. He had just arrived in this village, his target was finding a job, and he didn't want to destroy everything out of rage once again.
"Oi fuckboy," another man mocked. "Do you know who you're messing with? We're former prizefighters, you know? In our country, we're the strongest heavyweights for sure! If our matches hadn't been rigged we'll be loaded right now - It was all a fucking conspiracy of those fucking rich brats - Eh, anyway! Now that you know it, do you still wanna play with us so much? We'll beat you up, and then we'll come back to the shortie."
Shizuo kept the faux calmness on his face, hoping for them to walk away and leave the dreadlocked man alone.
"Aaaah, now I get it. He's looking for this," the man close to Shizuo's face uttered, studying the blonde's face. "I bet he craves being beaten up and taken like a dog by ten men."
Shizuo's fists clenched as the man grabbed his chin. A chorus of laughs and whistles rung through the air, stirring up the blood in his veins even more.
"I think I'll spare your pretty face. I'm not even into men, but you're a real beauty, you know," the man added, moving even closer, until he whispered in Shizuo's ears. "Too bad there's only one of you. Just think of all the fun we could have of you had a brother-"
Words flew from his mouth directly onto Shizuo's fist, as though the words had removed the cover of a surprise box hiding a compressed spring. Before the drunkard ever realized it, Shizuo's knuckles collided with his jawbone with the same wrecking power as a steel beam on glass. The man passed out before the pain hit him, before he could see that the blow had thrown his teeth in the air like confetti.
Choked cries (of pain? or was it surprise?) echoed in the silent alleys, barely muffling the sound of fists against flesh and muscles and bones. If a passer-by had walked by that place, he would have counted a total of ten cries, followed by ten loud thumps of bodies collapsing on cobblestone.
When Shizuo came back to his usual self, he was a panting mess. His whole body was bathed in sweat and in blood that wasn't his. As he understood what happened, and recognized the all-too-familiar situation, fear overwhelmed him. Hazel eyes searched among the battered bodies at his feet in desperation, searching for the only one he hoped to have spared.
Shizuo felt immensely relieved when he recognized the dreadlocks man coming toward him, avoiding stepping on the unconscious men on the ground.
The smaller male looked baffled, as though he had just seen something beyond human capabilities. Even so, he composed himself and spoke.
"T-that was close! Thank you. I would have had no chance against them on my own. Usually this is a quiet village, but every now and then, some mariners stop here to refuel their boats. By the way... are you a pro? Good lord, you just knocked out ten massive men in the blink of an eye."
However, the former soldier was still coming to terms with what had happened just few moments before, and he was too shocked to answer. The dreadlocks man noticed that the blonde was not entirely present, so he decided to approach him. He sensed there was something strange in the tall man's behavior, as though he wasn't fully himself while he was brawling, and now he had returned to consciousness.
Once he was closer, he talked again, with the calmest voice he was able to produce.
"It's all okay now. You saved me, I don't know what would have happened to me if you didn't arrived. Thank you so much... By the way, I'm Tanaka Tom. Pleased to meet you." Tom smiled at him, and lifted his right hand.
Shizuo couldn't put his finger on it, but there was something in the man's voice or in his attitude which reassured him. Despite the fact that Tom had witnessed the explosion of the blonde's wrath, there wasn't trace of fear in the man gestures, as his arms were relaxed at his sides and his gaze was direct but gentle - he wasn't afraid to meet Shizuo's eye like some were. Shizuo instinctively realized it was a calmness that could be trusted, crystalline in the absence of repressed aggressiveness.
"Shizuo," he whispered while they shook hands, making certain to drop his surname. "Are you sure you're all right?"
Tom nodded.
"I don't have a scratch. They would have beat me to death if it wasn't for you, Shizuo-kun."
Shizuo blushed. He felt it was a lifetime ago, the last occasion on which his inhuman strength hadn't simply caused destruction, but ended up saving somebody.
Though, and he would never admit it, it had really been just few days.
"How can I ever thank you?"
Not a single doubt fogged the blonde's mind.
"A job – I'd like to find a job!"
A/N: Thanks to my beta, Aira Kay!
