It was snowing. Not the usual, puffy and gentle snow, but frosty, wet teardrops. Ikebukuro's streets were all on ice, snow on the bulidings' rooftops. It was near midnight and all of the city was asleep. All except two shapes which were slidding trough an icy street. Izaya and Namie, both carrying full white bags of food and other decorations had went night-shopping, as the devil called it. There were five days before Christmas Eve, and the information broker decided that this year, they were going to call one or two friends and have a small feast. Namie personally took that as the headless rider and Shinra. Even though Izaya disagreed with her, she was going to call his sisters.
Both alone with their thoughts, the two persons kept silent during their walk back home. Walking slowly so they didn't slip on the ice, their dark eyes focused on the ground. After some minutes, Namie would let out a startled yelp, loosing her balance as her foot slipped on some newly-formed ice. Accidently dropping the bag in a nearby path of snow, she would fall right toward Izaya's direction.
The information broker, noticing in the last seconds how his secretry fell toward him, left his bag on the ground. Turning around in lightning speed, the devil would catch the dark-haired scientist's shoulders, moments before she fell on him. Letting a rare, genuine smile slip on his lips as Namie shakily got up, regaining her balance. Letting a hand go of her shoulder, the other one still on the woman, he would rise an questioning eyebrow.
Namie would gulp quietly, turning her head to the bag she had thrown. Nothing seemed to have fallen from it. With the raven's hand still on her shoulder, she would turn around to take the bag. Facing the devil once more, the scientist would focus her dark, brown gaze on the ground.
" Thank you, Izaya. "
She would lift her gaze to look at her boss' gentle smile.
" Anytime. I won't let you fall. "
And with those words, he picked up the white bag he left on the ground, hand brushing against her shoulder as he continued forward like nothing happend. Namie had to take herself a few moments, registering the information broker's words, before picking up her own back and continuing after him.
" Shinra, give me the wine, will you? "
" Celty-san, what were you saying? "
" Onee-san, you aren't going to get drunk, are you?! "
' As I was saying, Namie.. '
" .. Izaya, no. You've drank enough alredy. "
This was the converstation going out on the almost alredy empty table. It was mostly left some wine, beer and some salatte. Namie, suprisingly had pushed herself and done the best dinner Izaya's apartment had ever seen, and will possibly ever see. Now, when all the guests were full, quiet and pleasent converstations were going out. The headless rider and the devil's secretary were strangely talking together, and suprisingly - A ghost of a smile playing on Namie's lips. Mairu and Kururi were near the two women, Mairu leaning, listening to their converstation. Kururi was snuggled into her chair, eyes half-closed, while talking to Shinra. Something about medicals and mythology. Izaya was sitting a little further, saying things only from time to time, keeping himself quiet. The information broker had alredy drank 3/4 of the wine bottle, and a cup of beer. Even the sisters had noticed that their brother was drinking more than usual..
After half an hour, now nearly 23:30, Shinra and Celty said that they should go. The sisters soon followed, leaving Namie and Izaya alone on the table. The information broker was staring blankly at his half-empty cup, his crimson eyes narrowed slightly. Namie was taking the dirty dishes out of the table, leaving only Izaya's. After dropping them into the sink, she would lean on the table. Rising a hand, she would gently brushed his arm with her fingertips. When getting no reaction, Namie would quietly sigh, taking a step backwards. Turning around, she would move up the stairs, toward her bedroom. Turning around for a second, she would turn around toward the information broker, who was still sitting on the table, not giving a care about the world that surrounded him.
" Good night, Izaya. "
When the raven gave no reply, she would simply roll her eyes, entering her bedroom. Hours of no sleep, still not hearing Izaya's footsteps..
" That's it, I am coming in. "
Namie was in bad mood. Not only that she hadn't slept during the night, but the devil wasn't waking up, and he had work to do. No matter it was Christmas. After knocking some time on his door, still getting no answer. Getting more and more grumpy, she would open the wooden door. Only to get a clean bed, with no sleeping sillhouette on it.
Rising a fine eyebrow, the scientist would move away from the door, closing it. And his jacket was missing. After a few moments, a freezing wave would wash her spine as she noticed that the apartment door was open. Sucking in a breath, she would slowly move down the stairs. Her fingers starting to shake and twitch as she reached the open door. Cold, chilly breeze was flying trough it, whispering sencless things in the dark-haired woman's ears, brushing the dark-haired woman's arms with it's cold hands. Her gaze freely wandering around, she would notice the elevator numbers slowly rising.
' 9... 10... 12. '
Maybe..? Maybe he was there. Namie's pretty, dark, chocolate eyes would go wider as she heard the roof-top's trapdoor open. What was the devil thinking? Sudenly, a rush of adrenaline would run trough the scientist's veins as she sprinted up the stairs. Breathing heavily once she reached the last floor, resting a hand on the stone-cold wall. The trapdoor was flung open, gentle, cold snowflakes falling down, making the floor go wet. Huffing, Namie would get up the staircase, right toward the building's flat roof. And that was when she noticed him.
His black, obsidian hair was getting a frosty look from the snowflakes that were caught in it. His hands were left to hang on his body as he stood at the edge of the rooftop. His crimson gaze was hidden from her, but she supposed by his posuture that he was looking down at the snow-covered ground. If you looked closer, you could see that his fingers were shaking, holding his very switch-blade.
" I didn't thought you will come, Namie-chan. "
The dark-haired woman keeping an eye at him as she got closer to him. Now she saw his face. His crimson eyes were bloodshot, pink-tinted tears falling from them, gently caressing his cheeks. His lips were pulled back in a shaky smile, his reddish eyes slowly turning to focus on her. The scientist would rise a questioning eyebrow, bitting the inside of her cheek.
" Don't give me that look. Take it as a Christmas present from me. If I don't die from the fall, the blood-loss would surely cut me off. "
The devil would let a shaky laugh before continuing.
" Do you know why I called my favorite humans that day? I wanted the last people I see in this life to be the ones who rised me the way I am. Specially Shinra. He is the one responsible for the way I am right now. "
Izaya would let a sigh, snapping his gaze back at the ground. Before Namie could say a thing, the raven kept on his speech.
" Anyway, I think it's time for you to get your present, eh? Actually, it's a present for whole Ikebukuro. Shizu-chan won't be happy. "
Another moment of silence. The information broker's eyes snapped back to the pretty scientist before offering a smile. A pure, heart-wrenching smile that shook the woman to her core.
" Goodbye, Namie-chan. "
And with that, he would swiftly turn around, making a step backwards, letting his foot fall into thin air. After this small loop, his whole body would slowly fall down, the wind gushing his coat. His eyes would go wide in confusion as he felt fingers firmly grab his wrist. His mouth would open as he saw the glassy look in his secretary's eyes, her hair falling down. She had kneed down, her another hand desparetly grasping the rooftop's edge.
Izaya's eyes would only spark with emotion as he heard the beautiful scientist's next words.
" I won't let you fall. "
Darkie Shadower 01/08/2016
