-๑-๑ஜ ๑-Chapter 26: Sleeping time -๑ஜ ๑-๑-
-Izaya´s point of view.-
"Now~! Let´s top sulking around and do something nice," the raven grinned all of a sudden and clapped his hands together. Curious the blond raised an eyebrow as he took the last bite of his meal.
"Something... nice?" he repeated, wondering just what the flea was planning next.
"Well, we are surrounded by books," the raven purred, "Wanna read something?" The blond snorted amused.
"I don't like reading that much."
"Daw, too bad, for me this is heaven." It was then that a sudden sound reached their ears. Loud and disturbing it cut through the silence.
It was a car siren.
They knew why it turned on.
One of the ... things probably slammed into it or jumped on top.
The all too cheerful smile Izaya had worn dropped almost instantly at the noise and his worried eyes glanced to the window. The sun was barely setting, but considering the long shadows it was casting the creatures had all the space they needed to come out already.
"... that night on the tree," Shizuo suddenly mumbled making the raven twist his head anew.
"Before that," he continued while getting up and walking over to the said window. The bookshelf in front of it had already been moved, blocking half the view of the window.
"And yesterday," pushing at one side the shelf creaked in protest as it slowly but surely blocked the rest of the window. Darkness was enveloping the library way too quick and Izaya flicked the lighter on, burning some candles that he had gathered during the day.
"We were pretty damn lucky weren´t we...?" Shizuo finished, looking at Izaya with somewhat worried but also glad eyes- a bitter smile was on his face too. The raven couldn't help but mimic the expression.
They hadn't known about the fast and strong zombies. Maybe they didn't exist yet in the first place but the possibility was unlikely.
"... yeah, guess we escaped death more often than we thought..." the raven agreed, letting his hands curl around one of the white cylindrical candles. He had lit three of them. Giving off enough light to illuminate the room, but not enough to drive away the goose bumps traveling down Izaya's back at the noises from outside that slowly started to get louder.
The siren was still howling, not exactly keeping the creatures away.
A touch to his shoulder made the raven flinch heavily- it was just Shizu-chan though. He hadn't noticed he walked over, his stare just being fixated on the dancing shadows around them.
"Come on, you should lay down, rest up. I will stay awake and keep watch." Izaya trusted Shizu-chan, he really did, but just the prospect of even trying to sleep while these creatures were rummaging through the city almost seemed insane to him.
He knew they were safe inside this library that wasn't even the problem.
They were safe here.
In this small little space. With just one entrance, blocked by the shelf. He knew it was too heavy to be moved by anyone but Shizu-chan, not to mention that the sunlight the next day promised was going to shun away any creatures waiting for them outside.
Maybe he was overlooking something, but his guts told him they were safe here for once. And yet-
Putting the candle he was holding inside a small plate the raven walked over to the couch.
Light flickering, he laid down, feeling comfortable, but yet... anxious. He knew Shizu-chan´s request was the smartest option to take.
He should rest up, let his wounds heal- if just that were such an easy thing to do.
Feeling the couch shift he watched the blond come into the light, making himself comfortable on the couch as well.
Laying on his side he leaned on his elbow to look at the raven.
…
A minute of silence passed and Izaya wondered if maybe the blond was going to talk some more, or ask him anything, but that wasn't the case.
"And now?" Izaya questioned finally, hating the silence that surrounded them.
"Sleep?" the blond suggested again as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.
A snort escaped the raven's lips- Shizu-chan hadn't changed his mind alright.
"You think I can really just sleep like that?"
Here, in this room? When he could very well hear all these creatures rummaging around the city? Hell he didn't even know how many they were- what if they were too many? What if they gathered up on them? What if they got in here? What if-
"You should sleep. I will stay up the night to watch." Sighing heavily the raven let his eyes slip shut for just a second before he aimed a soft glare at the blond.
"You should sleep more too, Shizu-chan. In fact I think you need more rest than I do, so-"
"I will sleep tomorrow morning, how about that? It will be light and you will work on the miracle."
…
Almost pouting the raven turned around with a sigh. Should he argue with the blond? Maybe just wait till the man fell asleep all by himself- yeah that would be a great option to take.
As if he had read the raven´s thoughts the blond sighed as well.
"Come on flea, you seriously need the rest. If you end up overdoing it who will save this freaking planet, hm?" Snorting the raven raised an eyebrow and turned to face the blond once more.
"You seem to have an awful lot of trust in me." Saying it like that- Shizu-chan made it sound as if Izaya already had the cure and tomorrow everything was going to return to normal again. Then again- he didn't dislike that way of thinking. If anything he preferred it over the desperate Shizu-chan he had seen before. Already giving up on finding anything but a way to survive and make life worth living.
"Well, who else is smart like you?" Shizuo commented, making the raven blink surprised.
"Woah, Shizu-chan, careful, that sounded like a compliment just now." A snort followed.
"It was. We both know how smart you are."
…
Okay this was definitely a weird situation right there. Or rather a weird sensation. This was the first time Shizu-chan actually complimented him- not that it was that odd anymore- after everything they had been through there were many more things to be amazed about, but somehow hearing the blond say something like that all of a sudden caught him off guard.
Made him feel… he didn´t know. Made him feel something.
"You know it and still expect me to just sleep when these things could kill us?" he replied quickly, reverting back to the initial topic of their little conversation.
But the blond didn't seem to be in the mood anymore to discuss with the flea, because suddenly there was a pillow shoved right in the raven´s face.
"Come on, just close your eyes. I will watch you until you fall asleep." Shoving the fluffy silencer out of the way the raven put on a mocking expression.
"Creepy hobby you have there Shizu-chan~" Annoying the brute seemed like the best option to take to get what he wanted-
But Shizuo just quirked an eyebrow at the attempted mockery.
"How long are you going to be difficult?"
Too bad Shizu-chan wasn't going to catch the bait this time.
Slipping his eyes shut with a groan the raven decided he would just stick with his first plan. Pretend to sleep until the blond was the one resting peacefully.
Blackness surrounded him- though he was way too aware of all the sounds around him as to even relish in the soothing darkness. It was when he heard another car siren, closer this time, go off that his eyes unwillingly snapped open again.
"No keep them shut. Can't you even follow simple orders?" the blond mumbled, half joking, half serious.
… Izaya had slept in the car. He knew that much, he had been able to sleep there because despite the creatures being there he thought there might only be one or two more- but after he knew just how many were running around outside there was no way he would be able to sleep with closed eyes.
Now that he knew there were more and more of these things his throat just felt constricted at the sole thought.
It was when a palm made its way over to his head, softly patting against his black hair, that he noticed he had been staring at the window.
"Sleep," the blond mumbled quietly.
Shizuo knew Izaya was scared, even if he didn't want to show it and there was no way he was going to admit it if he asked him about it either, but he was.
The way he trembled and almost panicked at the sight of that thing in the pharmacy they visited was burnt way too well into Shizuo's mind.
Izaya was afraid. And that knowledge made him only feel that much more pissed off at all these bastards running around.
For a moment the blond thought Izaya was going to shove his hand away, or ask him what the fuck he was doing- but somehow- Izaya didn't even have an answer to that question. He just felt like it- wanted Izaya to calm down, rest, get well, be happy ahh he didn´t know. Something along those lines.
Having his eyes closed now the raven took in every sound that possibly reached his ears. The knocks from outside, the car siren, but also the crickets starting to do some cricketing.
Back in the old days that kind of noise used to annoy him- there was a reason he was living so high up in an apartment complex after all.
But now, when all the other sounds were doing nothing but make his anxiety grow, he was glad they were there.
Just doing their mating work, trying to be loudest, to be the best to get a chance to multiply.
A sudden noise made him snap out of his thoughts again and his eyes shoot back open-
Where it was... light?
What-?
Confused the raven looked around him, Shizu-chan wasn't next to him on the couch anymore- the bookshelf was already moved away from the window, the sun gleaming in brightly.
Blinking a couple times the raven pushed himself up from the couch, noticing that instead of hurting worse his wounds seemingly had decided to finally do their job and heal a bit as the pain had actually decreased.
"Morning, flea." Snapping his head towards one of the tables he spotted Shizuo there, just chilling on the table and… reading?
It took a few seconds for the confused raven to understand that it really was already morning again-
Disbelieving he looked at the blond, then down his body, the sheets that he had obviously claimed all for himself over the night being tangled between his legs and the familiar warmth spreading from the cheek he had been laying on, on the pillow.
"Did I fall asleep-?" He couldn't believe it-
"I would say instantly too," the blond chuckled, obviously amused by how confused the raven looked. His hair was standing up in all directions and soft patterns of the pillow were visible on his cheek.
"Fucking hell," the raven groaned in disbelief letting himself slump back into the bed. He couldn't believe he seriously fell asleep- if anything he had expected Shizu-chan to nod off on him, but the other way round?
Only soft chuckles reached his ears, approaching the makeshift bed pretty quickly.
"Just proves how tired you were." Letting himself slump back into the cushion the raven hummed, this time not really able to prove the blond wrong. He knew he was right after all.
The tension that had burdened his body had left and the pain he had felt and fatigue had decreased considerably as well. Moreover-
Nothing happened all night long. That meant they really didn´t get in here, right?
Lifting his head to inspect his surroundings he noticed the blond had sat down on the end of the couch. A book was resting in Shizu-chan´s lap, making the flea blink.
"What are you doing there?" A bit confused by the question the blond looked up from his book.
"Me?" he asked, glancing at the book and back to the raven, "Reading?"
"Monsters can read?" the raven snorted actually surprised to see the blond doing something so… civilized. Sure he knew Shizu-han wasn't just strength and violence, but seeing him reading a book docile like this was an entirely different matter after all.
It kind clashed with the image head of the blond.
"Hey I´m not that stupid," the blond complained though he obviously wasn't really annoyed over the little joke. "Besides there wasn't much else to do while you slept."
"Did you read the whole night?" Izaya questioned further, letting his fingers trail through his hair to fix the mess.
"Yep, went over to the window a couple times too to make sure nothing is crawling up on us." The very vivid image of one of the creatures possibly crawling up the wall and coming in through the window made the raven shudder.
"And?" he asked, swallowing dreadful.
"Nothing, they had no idea we are here. Just ran through the streets- I heard one run along the hallway, but it didn't even stop at our room." releasing the breath he didn't realize he had held the raven sat up on the couch.
They were really safe here then, weren't they?
Letting his eyes trail over to the desk he had prepared yesterday he spotted countless of interesting books and chemical equipment.
Feeling the motivation grab him he pushed himself off the couch walking right towards it.
"Then it's your turn to sleep now, Shizu-chan," the raven announced, taking a seat at his makeshift mini laboratory.
The blond almost seemed like he wanted to protest, but as he watched Izaya take his seat at the desk he seemed to realize that he was going to work on the antidote.
"Alright," he shrugged, taking the place Izaya had occupied.
To be honest right now he wasn't tired at all. If anything then he had been at night, but now?
Now he was actually curious what the raven was doing there- he wanted to watch even though it was probably going to be boring and having the flea explain to him what he was doing would probably just end up in confusing him and making him feel like an idiot.
Sleep was probably the best option he had at hand for now.
Rolling on his side, facing away from the flea he sighed before letting his eyes slip shut.
Would Izaya really be able to create the antidote? or some kind of solution? He wondered about it.
If… if he really did, wouldn't everything turn back to normal again? Of course the people that they lost, that died, wouldn´t return back to life, but apart from that-...
Shizuo almost had to smile at the possibility of simply walking through the streets of Ikebukuro again. He wouldn't even mind having to fight, or having to chase the louse out of his city- …
Chase him, huh? He had a feeling he would still chase Izaya, but that kind of chase wouldn't have anywhere near a threatening character anymore.
If anything it would be a game to him like it had always been to Izaya. Sure Izaya would probably pull some bullshit on him to annoy him and he would get mad for sure, but at the end of the day he was pretty sure he wouldn't be able to hate the flea anymore like he used to.
Not after everything that happened.
Hearing some instruments click behind his back the blond turned around to the other side, facing the flea again.
"Ne Izaya," he mumbled as his eyes searched for the all too familiar raven. He had expected the flea to be reading or maybe writing something down, maybe pour some fancy liquid into another fancy bottle making it change colors or some shit like that- he knew that wasn't how science worked but well what was he supposed to expect?
Instead however, Izaya was just sitting there, with his head in his hands.
Almost seemed like he was frustrated.
The pipette he had filled with the zombie´s blood was laying next to him poured into a dish. Gross and dark it was lurking there, grossing Shizuo out a bit, but right now his attention was on Izaya anyway.
"Izaya?"
Lifting his head off the bed he tried to see more of the raven. He looked troubled.
"Did you forget the antidote recipe or something?" he tried, but Izaya didn't reply anything, no the opposite he just kept his head low resting in his palms as he softly shook his head.
Shizuo´s earlier happy mood disappeared as he figured that maybe Izaya had just realized they were never going to be able to create the antidote after all…
… that meant no good old Ikebukuro. No walks, no safety in sight. The blond tried to not show the disappointment and hope he was losing.
"Hey, it's okay you have all the time in the world, you are so smart I bet you will figure something out," the blond tried to assure the raven but he didn't seem all too convinced by his words.
"It's no use Shizu-chan," almost choked the words left the flea´s lips- wait, was the flea crying? Really?
"What, why?" the blond mumbled feeling as though something tugged at his chest as he got up from the couch again.
"I messed up…" the flea was still just hiding his face in his palms, it really tugged at the blond´s heart somewhat. He wasn't used to see Izaya like this. Not when usually it was Izaya that kept his hopes up no matter what.
"Hey it´s gonna be alright, even if you don't find an antidote, I mean, we aren't alone right?" Shizuo tried, hoping that at least with his words he could somehow cheer the raven up again. Izaya lifted his head and the blond smiled, for a second thinking he might have succeeded in cheering the sad flea up- but no.
God no.
The blood in Shizuo's veins froze and all of a sudden his breath got stuck in his throat.
Izaya looked at him.
The dish on the table containing the zombie´s blood- it wasn't the only thing smeared with it.
"Shizu-chan I- I messed up-"
Eyes, eyes were looking at him, clear- very clear but slowly starting to glass over.
White- glassy his eyes were starting to cloud up-
His eyes-
No.
No, no, n-
The blond took a step back stumbling over a couple books placed behind him, the ground hit him hard but he couldn't tear his stare away- this was Izaya.- Izaya couldn't be- it couldn´t-
Panic gripped his throat in a way that rendered him unable to breathe.
Izaya moved, approached him, that grin he always wore taking on a disgusting expression as he grit his teeth, all former familiarity gone. And all of a sudden there was just a growl bubbling from Izaya's throat.
Izaya-
No-
Panic was making the blond freeze up, he couldn't move, he could only stare- Izaya couldn't be- no. Izaya couldn't be one of them- no he just he couldn´t be-
A harsh sting made him blink as his sight started to get blurry-
"Izaya- oi, it's me-" Izaya didn't stop. The blond felt like he was choking.
He was-
A jerk rushed through his body and he shot up from the ground - except-
… what?
He wasn't on the floor anymore…?
Heavy, shuddering gulps of breath were taken, making him swallow hard as he twisted his head- towards the desk.
Where Izaya was sitting.
Izaya-
The normal Izaya. His Izaya, no zombified Izaya, just the good old Izaya seemingly concentrating on whatever he was writing there. And Shizuo wasn't in front of the desk anymore either, no, he was back on the couch.
On the bed- where he had laid down to sleep-
To…
"Fuck-" quietly the word left his lips as he let his fingers comb through his blond hair.
It was a dream-
It had just been a nightmare.
He thought- For a moment he really thought-
Fucking hell-
He swallowed trying to get his mind back on track but somehow he couldn't swallow the lump in the back of his throat. The very familiar sting in his eyes didn't leave either as he could just sit there for a second trying to get his emotions back in control.
"Shizu-chan?" quickly wiping at his eyes he let himself slump back into the bed with a groan, "You woke me up flea," he announced, pressing his face into the pillow to hide anything the raven wasn't supposed to see.
The raven blinked, wondering for a second just what he could have woken the blond up with. He was only writing down the information he gathered and developing a good structured plan on how he was going to work on the procedure of the antidote.
"Seriously? Sorry about that," he apologized, couldn't help but stifle a chuckle though at the way the blond hid in the pillows. It seemed kinda cute, reminded him of his siblings when they didn't want to go to school early in the morning. "I thought you were awake because I saw you move."
Soft movement indicating the shaking of Shizu-chan's head answered the raven, making him figure that Shizu-chan wanted to sleep some more.
Sleep…. Hah..
Trying to chase away the panic he had felt in the dream, Shizuo turned away from the raven, trying to take some deep and slow breaths of air.
It was just a dream. Just a stupid dream.
The blond felt almost nauseous like someone had just turned his guts upside down.
The way too vivid picture of a zombified Izaya was still carved into his mind and the fact that he couldn't say for sure this wouldn't happen at some point was only terrifying him more.
Just imagining that Izaya could be gone, dead, yet alive, just like that, it was literally suffocating him.
Wiping the wet traitors off his face he tried to relax once more, forget what he dreamt, maybe if he fell asleep once more he would dream something nice instead.
He was supposed to sleep after all.
But no matter what he did he just couldn't seem to calm down enough to actually drift off. Maybe it was the anxiety reminding him that something might happen to Izaya while he was sleeping again- just like it did in the hospital- if he hadn't been asleep Izaya wouldn't have gotten attacked. He would have busted the creature´s head in before it would have been able to touch the flea.
But like this… the immense guilt and sheer panic he had felt at that time was carved into his core. And now after dreaming this sort of thing, he doubted he was ever going to sleep again.
And so instead of sleeping he settled on watching Izaya do his thing. He turned around again, facing the flea, who was all too immersed in whatever he was doing there. Izaya didn't even notice the blond was watching him, as he tinkered around with some pipettes.
most of the time he was just writing though, dragging that ink pen he had found across a piece of paper.
Watching the flea like that… it was soothing. He was just doing his work, nothing was rushing them nothing was attacking them, just, it was so peaceful. Way more peaceful than his dream.
Hearing a clicking noise the blond blinked as he watched the raven get up from the desk and stretch himself.
"Now we have to wait," he announced, more to himself than to anyone else as he obviously hadn't yet noticed Shizuo was watching him.
"Wait for what?" the blond questioned, clearing his throat as the words came out a bit raspy. Pausing in his movement the raven glanced over, looking at the man.
"You are awake?"
"Just woke up," Shizuo lied, looking curiously at the desk, "So what are we waiting for?" he repeated his earlier question making the raven grin.
"I´m analyzing the zombie blood first before I´m going to experiment with it. One of the things I´m waiting for is for the DNA to loosen itself off the sample for example." Confused the blond looked at the desk, then back at the raven. The DNA?
"... okay?" the blond mumbled, not really getting what the flea was even doing, but then again he already suspected he wouldn't get shit.
"Anyway that will take a couple hours," the raven informed with a chuckle walking over to the bookshelf.
A few hours?
"And what do we do till then...?"
"Oh no worries, I already have an idea~!"
To be continued~ C:
Lol any ideas what the flea will do? xD I'm really curious ahahaha- guess my people~! xD I´m really curious what your ideas are C: ohohoooh xD
Guest 2: xD dawww thank you 3 Lmao I think this was the longest sentence I ever read xDDDDD gosh xD haha they are both being the emotional uhh pillars for each other C': Yup they are slowly but surely developing a bond C: now if someone suggested to them that they could be a couple that woud start to get things rolling ohohoho xDDD
The next update will be coming out on 21stJuly2017 C: Sorry xD I´m having all my exams and then I´m flying to Bulgaria xD See chu~! C: