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In which the Information Broker Experiences the Morning After and the Debt Collector Attempts to Repay His Debt
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. . . . . . . .
Izaya woke up alone the next morning in a warm bed.
"….."
For once, he was relieved.
It had just been a dream.
Last night, he had said things.
Things he would never, ever say when he was actually conscious.
But it was last night in a dream.
Izaya grinned widely, laughed to himself for even thinking it could have been anything but a dream, slipped off the bed and skipped off through two open doors to the bathroom, pushing open the door –
And abruptly came face to face with a tall blond with his naked chest dripping wet and only a towel around his waist.
"Oh flea. You're awake."
Izaya stared. Shizuo blinked.
"Hey, you –ow."
SLAM
"WHAT THE HELL, FLEA?!"
It took Izaya a few seconds to find his vocal cords to scream back through the door.
"WHAT THE HELL, SHIZU-CHAN?! DON'T' SHOW ME YOUR DISGUSTING NAKED MONSTER BODY FIRST THING IN THE MORNING! WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING HERE ANYWAY?!"
"THE FUCK?! YOU WERE THE ONE WHO PUSHED OPEN THE DOOR! I JUST FINISHED BATHING AND YOU BARGE IN! WHO'S DISRUPTING WHOSE PRIVACY HERE HUH?!""
"WHO SAID YOU COULD USE MY BATHROOM?!"
"ME, SINCE YOU CLUNG TO ME IN BED YESTERDAY NIGHT LIKE A FUCKING FLEA AND I HAD TO GET RID OF YOUR DISGUSTING FLEA GERMS!"
Izaya's face burned, but he didn't relent. He inhaled, then yelled.
"You stay in there! Don't you dare come out until I'm out of this room! My eyes are scarred, scarred, you monster!"
"Tch! What are you, a girl?! Wouldn't be a surprise with that fucking skinny body of yours! Whatever, hurry the fuck up, fucking flea!"
Izaya glared through the door at Shizuo for insulting his masculinity, then strode heavily out of the open door with a growl.
"Oi flea! You out yet?!"
"Yeah!"
Izaya shouted back, then took hold of the doorknob and slammed the door closed. He turned and looked forward with a sigh, only to be met with another surprise.
His door was on the floor.
The door to his apartment was on the floor.
The door to his apartment was on the floor, near his desk.
"….."
Izaya inhaled slowly, then turned and shouted through the bathroom door.
"Heiwajima Shizuo what the hell did you to my DOOR?!"
"SHUT UP! I'LL EXPLAIN LATER!"
"YOU BETTER! YOU OWE ME, YOU MONSTER!"
"TCH! I SAID I'D EXPLAIN LATER, DIDN'T I?!"
"Tch!"
Izaya gave his own scoff, scowling as he leaned against the door, his mind already sorting out the repair cost for his door – in addition to the possibility of reinforcement of a steel enforced structure that could better withstand the monster's inhuman strength.
"This is what I get for bringing a monster home."
"…Not that I had any choice."
Izaya muttered bitterly to himself. He glared at nothing in particular, resenting the monster for ruining his morning.
Unfortunately, his mind chose that moment to remind him of the memory of yesterday night. Of being half-conscious and seeing a Shizuo who still seemed to be drunk and had chosen to stay with him –
Izaya blushed.
Not that he knew he was blushing, to him, his face just felt unusually warm as he was for once unhappy with his perfect memory.
"That idiot protozoan! He tricked me! I thought he was still drunk!"
Izaya said in frustration, for Shizuo had yelled about him clinging to him yesterday night, which meant he couldn't have been still drunk at that time if he remembered such a thing.
"Not that I wanted to say those things – it was just unconscious – I mean, why would I ever want a monster to stay? Makes no sense at all."
Izaya reasoned to himself, even though there was no one but himself who was accusing him of wanting to say the things he had said last night.
"That's right, it was a one time thing, damn monster caught me in my moment of….well my guard down. Because I thought he was still drunk! I mean, I subconsciously thought he was still drunk, because I wasn't actually conscious –"
"FLEA QUIT YAPPING TO YOURSELF I CAN HEAR YOU FROM HERE!"
"S-SHUT UP!"
Izaya yelled the only thing he could think of, embarrassed that he had spoken his thoughts out loud even though he hadn't intended to –
He just didn't expect the monster to be eavesdropping, that's all.
And he was even further embarrassed because Shizuo didn't sound angry like he was supposed to be, he had sounded amused as if he was roaring with laughter at Izaya inside his own head.
Deciding reasoning to himself that he hadn't intended or wanted to say those things he had said, was turning to be counterproductive, Izaya inhaled, counted to five, and let out his breath.
It was no use thinking of the past, now he had to focus on the present –
Which had a monster occupying it.
Izaya fumed silently, resisting the urge to stomp his foot on the ground like a child with a tantrum.
- Tch can't he just go away? Or better yet, die?
But Izaya hated a monster who couldn't die, and so he continued in his annoyance and frustration at the monster occupying his present –
And now his apartment.
Or to be precise, his bathroom.
His bathroom.
Not to mention the monster had used his shower. His shower. The place where he was supposed to get rid of dirt was now polluted with the monster's germs.
And so were his bedsheets.
Izaya scowled in disgust. Now he had to throw away those bedsheets and he couldn't even make the monster do it for it would be missing the point.
- This is so unfair. Why do I have to house a monster?
Izaya pouted unhappily at his frustrating thoughts. He allowed himself to fall back against his bathroom door –
And promptly found himself falling back into empty space.
Eyes widening, Izaya flailed for a moment, before his wrists were caught and he was pulled up against a hard chest.
"Damn flea, what the hell are you doing? If you wanted to fall that much and hit your head you could have just asked nicely. I'd slam your head against the ground, how does that sound hm?"
"It's your fault for opening the door so suddenly."
Izaya spat, turning his head to glare at Shizuo who was grinning in amusement.
"Now let me go, I've had enough of your monster germs."
"…No I don't think I will."
"What?"
Izaya stared. Shizuo was smirking. He pulled Izaya closer to him, until he could feel Shizuo's hard chest against his back.
"I think I like you like this, flea. Hah! So out of control and angry. How does it feel, huh?"
Izaya wanted to strangle Shizuo with his bare hands. But his wrists were captured and he knew he was no match against the monster's strength.
So he settled for glaring and scowling –
"What do you want?"
"Hm? Nothing really."
"If you want nothing then let me go! Right, Now!"
Izaya emphasized his words with a jerk of his wrists which Shizuo had a hold of.
"Nah."
Shizuo replied simply, and Izaya stomped on his foot. Hard.
"….Don't do that again if you don't want me to break your leg."
Shizuo said calmly. Izaya stilled, then sighed in resignation.
"You can't hold me here forever."
Izaya said, trying to reason with the illogical monster who wasn't capable of logic.
"Want to test that out?"
Izaya forced himself not to move at the monster's breath on his ear. He shivered inwardly in disgust at the wet locks of blond hair brushing against his neck.
"I've finally caught you, in your own apartment no less. What makes you think I'm gonna let you go, huh?"
I am getting way too careless.
Izaya was annoyed at himself. But more at Shizuo because the monster's presence was making him lose his control.
He hated the position Shizuo had him in, hated how he was drawn up against the brute's chest and forced to stay there as his wrists were captured in Shizuo's inhuman grip.
He hated being so helpless and powerless. In his own territory, no less.
If there was one thing he could even be glad for was that he only felt something hard against his upper back and not his lower back.
That would have been too mortifying to consider.
Izaya shuddered at the thought, and quickly banished it away.
"Look Shizu-chan, there's no use keeping me here, right? Why don't you let me go, and so we can talk this out like reasonable men?"
"Hmmmm?" Shizuo replied, his breath on Izaya's neck.
Wait.
Neck?
Izaya prided himself on not shrieking like a girl, he merely gave a very manly gasp as Shizuo nuzzled his neck as if he was still drunk.
"Wait. Wait! What are you doing, Shizu-chan?! Didn't I say no nuzzling – wait you aren't even drunk – OW!"
Izaya's cry was because Shizuo had bitten his neck. He gave his most scorching glare towards the blond with sharp teeth.
"What the hell was that for, Shizu-chan?! What are you, a vampire?! What's with your obsession with my neck – don't you hate my smell?!"
"Tch vampire? You're the bloodsucker here, flea. And your neck's sensitive, unlike the rest of you, shitty flea. And if I touch this sensitive part here you get annoyed and less shitty. Maybe even cute."
"Cute? Do you want to die –ngh!"
To Izaya's horror, Shizuo had trailed his tongue over the smooth skin of his neck. Izaya's wrists trembled.
"I said stop it, you monster! Let me go!"
"Shut up. I'm wondering what my drunk self found so interesting about this shitty piece of skin. Tch it's really smooth….though it still belongs to a shitty flea."
"You bastard!"
Izaya didn't think he could be even more horrified until Shizuo made a low sound, a half groan half growl and pulled him closer, his monster teeth scraping against his neck.
"Shut up….you're noisy. Food don't talk."
"Food?! Shizu-chan! My neck isn't food – ah!"
Shizuo didn't seem to be listening to him at all, instead choosing to violate his neck with his mouth and tongue. Izaya bit his lip hard so no weird noises would escape, as he felt his body heat up against his volition.
"You…damn beast!"
"Mmmn….Izaya…"
And then Izaya jolted as his worst fear in the situation came true and he felt something unpleasantly hard poking him. He swallowed a shriek and decided to use his energy to thrash against the monster holding him captive instead, kicking back against the man in a bartender suit.
"Are you crazy, Shizu-chan?! How could you – are you that deprived -?!"
"Don't know what you're talking about, now for the last time shut up, or your neck will start to taste bad."
Heat rushed through Izaya's body. He was beginning to feel weak. In order to not let the situation end up like one of Karisawa Erika's insane scenarios, he inhaled, and with all his might, brought his foot down onto the monster's foot.
There was no gasp of pain from the monster, instead his vision spun and when it was stable again, he realized he had been slammed against the wall as Shizuo pinned him, glaring at him as if he wanted to break all his bones.
"The fuck, flea?! You can't just not piss me off, CAN YOU?!"
"I don't know what you're talking about." Izaya said snidely, though it was somewhat undermined by the breathlessness in his voice. "But now that you seem back to your senses, can you let me go? My wrists really hurt."
"Hell no."
Izaya's face fell, but he soon gathered himself.
"Then, is this how you repay me?"
"Huh?"
"You might not remember, but you caused me a lot of trouble yesterday night, Shizu-chan. Of course, I'm a generous man even to a monster like you, so I'm not demanding anything in compensation. But I would at least like you to not molest me first thing in the morning, don't you think?"
"MOLESTING?! I WASN'T –"
"Is that so. Then tell me, if you licked and sucked and bit a woman's neck, would it be called molesting?"
"….Uh….I guess so? But what does that have to do –"
"Yes yes I'm not a woman, I'm sure even your protozoic brain can comprehend that. The point is, you don't just do such – intimate and sensual things to a person's neck! Especially if they're against it! And no, I don't care how good my neck tastes, you beast! My neck isn't food! So won't you let me go already?!"
Izaya gave his best glare from where he was pinned against the wall.
"Or is this how you repay your debt? Huh, debt collector Heiwajima Shizuo?"
"…..Tch!"
To Izaya's great relief, his wrists were finally released. He kept his gaze on Shizuo's face, ignoring the way Shizuo seemed to be staring at his neck with an almost longing look.
"….Shizu-chan."
"Hmm?"
In case Shizuo would become unpredictable and decide to lunge for his neck again, Izaya snapped his fingers in front of the brute's face.
"Stop staring! It's disgusting. My eyes are up here, you brute."
"Ah yeah…."
Izaya scowled and grabbed his shirt, pulling the neckline up to cover his neck from the monster's hungry gaze. He watched as Shizuo looked for a moment disappointed as if he had been denied a sweet dessert, then finally raised his gaze to meet Izaya's eyes.
"What, flea?"
"Would you kindly move aside you beast, and stop barricading my way?"
"….."
Shizuo tilted his head like a kid still waiting for his candy, but eventually moved out of the way. Izaya sighed as he felt as if he could breathe properly again.
He strode past the man in a bartender suit, speaking tersely.
"I'm going to take a bath. When I'm out you better be gone, monster."
"Can't."
Izaya whirled, but Shizuo was just looking at him with an honest gaze.
"What?"
"I said I can't. I have to repay my debt, don't I?"
"Oh no. You don't have to really."
Izaya said quickly, not wanting the monster in his house for a moment longer. But Shizuo stayed stubborn.
"Shut up. I have to, shitty flea. I'm not like you, even though it's you, I have to make up for causing you trouble. Tch what kind of debt collector would I be if I didn't repay my debt?"
Shizuo snorted at the notion then turned his gaze to Izaya again.
"Go take a shower flea, you stink. I'll prepare breakfast."
And then the man in a bartender suit walked away towards the stairs, and Izaya could do nothing but stare for a while, then turn and walk into his bedroom, closing the door behind him.
"First I have to deal with that brute's morning sexual frustration or should I say deprivation, and now I have to deal with his presence for potentially the whole day."
Izaya said tiredly, leaning his head back against the door. He scowled unhappily at the warmth of his body, as he realized his state.
"Tch. How disgusting. I need a cold shower."
Izaya muttered to himself as he gathered his clothes and towel and headed to the bathroom, glaring as best as he could at the marks the monster had left on his once perfect, unblemished neck.
"Stupid beast."
He spent half an hour washing his neck with his strongest soap in the shower.
...
When Izaya emerged from the bathroom, his hair slightly damp and his pride fixed, he heard Shizuo's voice.
"Oi flea, this guy's here to see you."
Izaya blinked. The man downstairs turned his gaze to him. He seemed to be afraid of the monster of Ikebukuro smoking on his couch.
"….Shizu-chan put that cigarette out, no smoking in my apartment."
Izaya said tersely as he descended the stairs. He had completely forgotten about his appointment – how could he forget? Because the monster was unpredictable as usual and was messing up his head.
Izaya grumbled inwardly at the presence of a monster during his appointment with one of his humans, but he flashed a smile at the human. "Hey. Nozomu-san, right? What can I do for you?"
"I- that is –"
The man's eyes were screaming, 'Why is the man in a bartender suit here?!'
Izaya sighed. Inwardly.
"Oh don't worry, he's harmless," Izaya waved a hand at the silent Shizuo who was staring at the man with his sharp eyes.
"Shizu-chan can you go away? You're scaring my client."
"Tch. Like hell." Shizuo scoffed and Izaya turned to look at the annoyance on his features. "What if he's here to kill you? You're mine to kill."
"….He's a client, Shizu-chan." Izaya was practicing his patience with the illogical monster. "He's not here to kill me."
"Tch guys like him always have some hidden motive."
"…."
Izaya inhaled deeply.
"Nozomu-san, do have a seat."
"R-Right….or actually, I can always come back another time Orihara-san."
"Oh no, please do have a seat."
"….Y-Yes."
Shizuo cocked his head at the information broker who was approaching him.
"What – hey!"
Izaya smiled as he crushed the cigarette between his thumb and forefinger.
"Shizu-chan weren't you supposed to prepare breakfast?"
"What breakfast –"
"'You said, 'Go take a shower flea, you stink. I'll prepare breakfast'. Didn't you?"
"Uh….yeah?"
"So, aren't you supposed to be in the kitchen and not smoking on my couch and scaring my client?"
"Tch, I was about to make breakfast when this guy came in. if you think I'm leaving you've got another thing coming –"
"Shizuo do you want to pay for my broken door?"
"….No?"
Shizuo voiced almost hesitantly at the look in Izaya's eyes.
"Right, then shouldn't you be in the kitchen right this moment? Preparing breakfast?"
"Breakfast can be done later –"
"Shouldn't you?"
"….Fine."
Shizuo said reluctantly. Izaya was acting in a way that made him almost feel apprehensive, so he got up from the couch and made his way to the kitchen, turning his head with one last glare at the terrified human.
"When I finish your damn breakfast flea, that guy better be gone."
"Of course, Shizu-chan."
"….Tch! Stupid guy barging in and disturbing my peace."
With that said, the monster of Ikebukuro lumbered into the kitchen.
- Breakfast? Heiwajima Shizuo? They're a couple?!
- Just what have I gotten myself into?!
The man watched as the information broker turned, then smiled sharply at him, sending a shiver down his spine.
"My apologies for his rudeness. He's such an uncivilized brute, as you can see. His presence was unplanned. But don't worry, you're safe."
Izaya reassured in a tone that didn't seem to match the look in his eyes at all, as he sat down on the couch Shizuo had vacated, dropping the crushed cigarette into the ashtray he reserved for clients. He raised his gaze.
"Nozomu-san?"
"Yes….Orihara-san?"
"As you were saying over the phone, you suspect an employee to be using your company's funds for fraudulent means."
"Yes, that's right…."
Izaya moved to block the man's view of Ikebukuro's monster growling in the kitchen. He smiled politely at the inwardly panicking man.
"Nozomu-san, I would appreciate it if you would pay attention to me."
"Right yes, my apologies…."
- This guy is scary!
- That smile….!
- He's scarier than my wife!
"Could this employee by any chance be Matsumoto Hiroto?"
"How do you know?"
"Why, I have my ways. I'm an information broker after all."
"Right….so as you know, I came for information, I would like you to do a background check on him –"
"Which I've already done. Turns out that Matsumoto-san is part of the Yakuza –"
SLAM
"YAKUZA?!"
The loud yell came from the kitchen, making the man squeak in fright. Izaya could have sworn the floor under his feet had rumbled.
"DAMN FLEA, WHAT YAKUZA? YOU'RE NOT GETTING INTO ANY SHIT WHILE I'M HERE REPAYING MY DEBT – YOU'VE CAUSED ME ENOUGH FUCKING TROUBLE ALREADY!"
"Shizu-chan, I associate with the Yakuza on a daily basis! Now stop eavesdropping you idiotic protozoan Shizuo and quietly prepare breakfast! And I have no idea why you're so concerned all of a sudden but this guy here is not from the Yakuza, if you could even eavesdrop properly, it's his employee who is a member of the Yakuza! And what trouble – you're the one causing me trouble here! Seriously, Heiwajima Shizuo!"
Izaya yelled in frustration in a half-rant, irritated at the interruptions by the unpredictable monster who had ruined his planned session with his client.
"..FINE! BUT I'M NOT SAVING YOUR ASS WHEN YOU GET YOURSELF INTO DEEP SHIT, SHITTY FLEA!"
"FINE! I CAN SAVE MY OWN ASS, AND SINCE WHEN HAVE YOU EVER SAVED MY ASS?! You're always hunting down my ass – not in that way, Nozomu-san!"
"I-I didn't say anything!"
Izaya scowled. Why the hell was that protozoan being so protective all of a sudden? Could it be after effects from his possessive behaviour when he had been drunk last night?
- Shizu-chan is seriously worse than those boyfriends possessive over their girlfriends! And he isn't even drunk now!
- Tch. Just what the hell does that monster think he's doing.
Izaya thought in irritation, unaware that the word 'Yakuza' had reminded Shizuo of the words a certain assassin had said to the man in a bartender suit while the information broker had been asleep.
"Uh, Orihara-san….?"
Izaya blinked himself back to reality. He resisted the urge to press his hand against his forehead.
It was as if he was the one experiencing a hangover.
The information broker inhaled, then replaced the scowl on his face with a genial smile, leaning his chin on his interlocked hands.
"As I was saying, Nozomu-san…."
...
...
"Oi flea, that guy gone?"
"Yes Shizu-chan, or have you suddenly gone blind?"
"Tch thought he might be hiding around somewhere."
Izaya inhaled for patience, and Shizuo spoke.
"By the way, Namie came by earlier."
"Eh?"
Shizuo looked at Izaya who was staring at him. "Your secretary. Namie, right?" He puffed on his cigarette. "She didn't seem surprised to see me. She asked me if I was staying. I told her I was, and she said to tell you she's taking today as a day off. Oh and we talked about stuff."
"….."
Izaya was annoyed. He had completely forgotten about Namie. He hadn't even noticed her lack of presence. He had been too annoyed by the monster in his apartment.
"What did you two talk about?"
Shizuo gave an annoyingly taunting smirk as he drawled, "Wouldn't you like to know."
Izaya twitched. As if Shizuo knew he was annoyed, he continued on, "We talked about you."
"What about me?"
"Guess." Shizuo puffed on his cigarette as he put the plates down.
"Why did you even talk to her anyway."
Izaya muttered, looking away. Shizuo looked at him in bemusement.
"Why else? 'Cause we both think you're a shitty bastard. Namie said she has no choice but to work with you, but she didn't tell me why. Tch, you blackmailed her didn't you?"
"I didn't blackmail her. And as for why, it's none of your business. And Namie? On first name basis already? Nice to know you two bonded over your hatred of me."
Izaya said, for there was no way he was going to tell Shizuo why. Celty was involved after all. He pulled out the chair and sat down.
"Yeah well everyone hates you, nothing surprising there."
"Of course, I'm a horrible person, I deserve to be hated."
"Glad you know, shitty flea."
"Yeah, yeah. Hey you didn't poison my breakfast did you?"
Izaya said, even as he took a bite of egg which was surprisingly not burnt and even good.
"Poison huh, well I might have taken and used the poison Namie offered me."
Izaya choked. He coughed, holding his throat, then glared at Shizuo. "What?! You –"
"Might – turns out I didn't. I didn't take it. I'm not like you, shitty flea." Shizuo said in clear amusement. He grinned, leaning his cheek on his hand. "Man, this is so fun. Your reaction is so amusing. Since when were you so gullible?"
"Since when did you become like me?" Izaya spat, truly wondering when he and Shizuo had switched personalities.
"Don't ever compare me to you." The amusement was replaced by coldness and an eerie sort of calmness.
"…"
Izaya said nothing, he averted his gaze from Shizuo's piercing eyes and ate his breakfast silently.
Shizuo didn't say anything after that, he didn't even ask if his breakfast was good – for it was. Not that Izaya would ever tell Shizuo that. He was almost disappointed nothing in his kitchen was broken so the monster didn't have to pay for the damage for there was no damage.
Which meant that though Shizuo was a brute, he was surprisingly proficient in the kitchen. And painstakingly patient. Probably from practice from having to cook from living alone. Nothing was burnt, everything was just the right taste. Izaya couldn't deny it for it was what the brute's cooking told him.
He wondered if Shizuo had asked Namie what he liked for breakfast, for the brute had served him exactly what he liked.
Izaya raised his gaze, and found Shizuo standing up from his chair. "Where are you going?"
"To put this out," Shizuo pointed at his cigarette, his gaze directed towards the ashtray on the table near the couches. Izaya blinked, and he said, "You don't like it, right? It would be rude of me to smoke at the breakfast table."
Izaya blinked again, watching as Shizuo walked past him.
For once, he didn't make any sarcastic remarks or taunts. Instead, he turned his attention back to consuming his breakfast.
For once, Shizuo hadn't insulted him in a sentence. Or called him a flea.
"…Idiot."
Izaya didn't notice he was smiling as he ate his breakfast.
...
"Hey Shizu-chan."
"What?"
"Don't you have work?"
"Huh?"
"You know, your job."
Izaya said slowly. He had finished breakfast and the silence felt too awkward.
Shizuo blinked, before his eyes lit up with realization.
"Oh that. I already messaged Tom-san, I told him I had a debt to pay. He said I could have the day off."
Shizuo shrugged as if that explained everything, and finished the rest of his breakfast. Izaya noticed it was different from his.
So Shizuo really had asked Namie what he wanted for breakfast. Izaya tried to ignore the little warmth in his heart at the fact.
"Right….Hey Shizu-chan?"
"What is it now?"
"While I appreciate your attempt to repay your debt, you still haven't explained why my door is on the floor."
Izaya said, gesturing towards his door which was nowhere near the doorway.
Shizuo frowned and mumbled through his breakfast. "Aunostunremouretuhsusins."
"….What? What monster language are you speaking now, Shizu-chan?"
"…"
Shizuo swallowed his bread, then spoke again -
"Almost threw the door at assassins."
"Assassins?"
Shizuo gave him an annoyed glance. "And here I thought you were smart," he snorted, "Assassins. You know, people out to kill you?"
Izaya's mind whirled. There had been people out to kill him? The night before? Wait –
"Shizu-chan. You….saved me?"
Shizuo looked away. "Take it as you want." He said, standing up.
He paused. "Actually, take it as me repaying my debt for causing you trouble yesterday, even though it was you who caused me trouble in the first place." He scoffed.
"Right….but why did you have to dismantle my door? The repair cost isn't cheap you know!"
"Shut up, look at the place you stay in, you have lots of money, and I ain't paying for it, you owe me for being your temporary bodyguard anyway."
Shizuo said, but Izaya noticed he had turned his face away. He opened his mouth, and Shizuo continued –
"Curiosity killed the cat, fucking flea. So just shut up and be grateful, will you?!"
"…"
The realization hit Izaya then. That he would have died yesterday had Shizuo not been there. That he would have been killed in his sleep without even knowing. Or that he could have woken up with a knife being stabbed through his chest or a gunshot wound through his heart.
That he would have died – just like that. All for one careless mistake –
With the Italian mafia Boss. He recognized the cause now. He just hadn't thought the man was that powerful, that he would go so far as to have him dead even while he lay in the hospital.
Because no one had tried to assassinate him before, so he had let go of that possibility.
But he had been careless, too careless -
One miscalculation could have cost him his life.
"…Shizu-chan?"
"What flea?"
Shizuo said in annoyance. He had collected the plates and was walking to the kitchen.
"I -"
Izaya cleared his throat awkwardly, as if he was a shy student who had to introduce himself in front of the whole class when in fact he was just facing a man with his back turned to him.
"T-That is…."
"Spit it out, damn it! Why the hell are you acting so weird –"
"I-I just wanted to say thanks, okay?!" Izaya exclaimed, looking away.
"For protecting – no, saving….my life…."
For Izaya feared death which beheld nothingness, and treasured his life, and that was what Shizuo had done.
Saved him from death.
Even if it was the monster, he deserved at least a word of appreciation for his unpredictable stunt.
"…Tch. If that's all you wanted to say why the hell were you stuttering like some confessing schoolgirl?"
Shizuo muttered, still not looking at Izaya. But then he cleared his throat, and spoke slowly.
"Don't….mention it. Flea."
"….Can't you call me by my name for once."
Izaya said, as if he didn't actually expect Shizuo to reply. But the monster had to surprise him again.
"What? Tch fine. You're welcome, Izaya."
"…."
Shizuo had spoken the words formally as if they were strangers, with a tinge of sarcasm. Which was why Izaya didn't know why his face felt warm.
As if Shizuo had eyes on the back of his head, he turned, and blinked.
"…..Izaya, are you blushing?"
"What? Blushing? Why would I be blushing?" Izaya said smoothly, turning his face away. "You have a really weird imagination, Shizu-chan."
"….Anyway since you repaid your debt you can leave after you wash the dishes okay? You've occupied my apartment with your monstrous presence for long enough."
"…Oh no since my monstrous presence is causing you to lose control, I think I'd rather stay."
Izaya snapped his head up to see Shizuo's amused grin.
"I already told Tom-san I was taking the day off after all to repay my debt. Looks like you're stuck with me for a whole day, Izaya."
"….!"
Izaya wished he had Shizuo's strength so that he could throw the table at Shizuo. But he didn't, so had to settle for glaring daggers instead, as Shizuo laughed and continued on his way to the kitchen.
"Tch! So unpredictable."
Izaya scoffed, glaring after the monster and hoping he would break the plates so he could make him pay for the damage.
"This is why I hate him."
...
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When Shizuo says "You're welcome", he's using a formal expression, Douitashimashite (どういたしまして ). This can connote respect from the speaker. Shizuo using it with Izaya's first name instead of his last name Orihara is ironic, since "You're welcome" is said politely and formally, but the use of it with 'Izaya' instead of 'Orihara' is informal, especially without a honorific. Compared to when Shizuo said, "Don't mention it.", 問題ない (mondai nai), it's much more respectful. Mondai nai is something like 'It was no problem/Don't mention it'. It's casual and informal, but can also be seen as the speaker brushing off the gratitude - especially with Shizuo's tone when talking to Izaya.
Izaya was truly grateful towards Shizuo for saving his life, which was why he was down when Shizuo just brushed his gratitude off and called him a flea again. But then Shizuo said "You're welcome." Douitashimashite (どういたしまして ) - and he gets embarrassed because it's the first time Shizuo actually showed him any respect, even if it's slightly sarcastic. Especially as it's Shizuo who always uses informal speech, and rude/offensive speech when with Izaya.
Oh and when Izaya called Shizuo 'Shizuo' instead of the usual 'Shizu-chan' when he was pissed off he's mocking his name, Shizuo means Quiet Man and Shizuo wasn't being very quiet then. So he's essentially asking Shizuo (静雄) to quietly (Shizuka ni 静かに) prepare breakfast. Or just be more quiet since 静かに can also mean "Be quiet." Shizuka is also a common Japanese girl's name, so maybe Izaya is insinuating for Shizuo to be like a 'Shizuka' in preparing breakfast/be more docile? Hmm. I guess it could be seen that way...not that Shizuo will listen to Izaya though. Poor Izaya must really be pissed off to throw three stones at Shizuo with his pun. Of course, this is Shizuo we're talking about and it'd take more than three stones to hurt him.