Blood Promise
The fact of the matter was, Shizuo did care what people thought of him. Not because he was concerned with shit like being popular, hell, even being liked.
No, the reason was simple. If others were suspicious of his feelings for Izaya, then it was only a matter of time before the flea became suspicious, and Shizuo couldn't allow that to happen.
So yeah, maybe it was a shitty thing to do, using Mari to dispel this rumor that he was thirsty for the ass of the school's most sought after male student. But he wasn't a good person, and no matter how much he wanted to be honest, he just couldn't afford to. Not about this.
This situation wasn't ideal, but it was something.
And so the following morning, Shizuo decided to wake with his alarm for once and make it to school before the start of his first class.
He had no idea what class Mari was in and Raijin Academy wasn't small, so he waited near the entrance, perching himself on the steps, itching for a smoke and forcing himself to ignore it.
Crowds of students filtered in through the front gate, each one another pair of curious eyes. He always assumed such glances were because of the shocking blond of his hair, his notoriety as the beast of Raijin. Now, however, it was something else.
The entire school thinks we're fucking.
Shizuo's teeth creaked in their cavity as his jaw tensed, fingers crimping his pant leg as he avoided those accusatory stares. He felt violated in a way, disgusted with the fact that these people passing him by might have envisioned what it looked like for him to be fucking Izaya. Despite it being nothing but pure invention of the student body imagination, this rumor was encroaching one step too many into personal territory. The image of Izaya Orihara naked, spread under him and panting his name was his. The fact that it was now shared with hundreds of others quite simply pissed him off. And if there was one thing a person must never do, it was piss off Shizuo Heiwajima.
The next asshole that dared even peek at him was about to find themselves punted into space.
It was just as Shizuo was about to do just that when he spotted Mari heading towards the entrance, cell phone open and fingers working fastidiously. She was so focused on her phone, that she didn't notice Shizuo standing on the front steps until he called out a gruff, "Hey."
She looked up, brown eyes bewildered. "Heiwajima-kun?"
A few surrounding students lingering around the entrance glanced their way, no doubt curious what the poor girl had done to cull the attention of Raijin's most formidable student. A few even so dared to look at her with pity.
Shizuo growled in disgust, wanting to thrash out at those looking at Mari like she was doomed prey stupid enough to step into the lion's den. As if he'd ever lay a harmful hand on a woman. Fuck them.
"I thought about what you said."
Something brightened in her eyes, and she took an eager step closer, clutching her phone to her chest.
Shizuo never pegged himself as being shy, but damn, he felt it right now. The way she was looking at him all excited, just…
He sighed. "The thing is, I'm still dealing with something."
The light in her eyes dimmed, his words a forecast for rejection.
And although it was just a job, and if he turned her down then the worst that would happen was that Izaya would throw a hissy fit and not pay her anymore, Mari still felt a little let down. "So, it's a no, huh?"
"It's not a no," he refuted. "But it's not a yes."
He really wished he didn't have to do this here, before the watchful eye of the student body, but he needed others to see. He needed a witness to attest to the fact that Shizuo Heiwajima had agreed to go out with a girl. He needed to end this rumor about him and Izaya, and if exploiting this burgeoning relationship with Mari was the only way to do it, then so be it.
"If it's one date, then alright, but I can't promise anything more than that right now."
Pocketing his hands, he waited for her reply. Somehow, he expected her to look way happier about his answer, but instead she was just looking up at him with a sort of studying gaze. It was a look that reminded him of the one Shinra had when he did or said something the guy considered exceptionally interesting. It made him self-conscious.
However, that look, whatever the hell it was about, only lasted for a moment before breaking into a brilliant smile. "Perfect! Here, I'll give you my number, okay?"
After promising he'd contact her sometime during the weekend, Shizuo watched Mari turn to leave for class. It was when she reached the top of the stairs that he called out to her.
"Hey."
She turned, this time her expression curious.
Not wanting anyone else to hear what he had to say, he closed the distance so that only she could hear, his nearness causing her heart to flutter a little.
"Apparently there's this rumor going around about me and—" A flush of red bloomed on his cheeks, and he avoided her gaze, "Izaya, and I want you to know that it's not true, alright?" God fucking help him if he was actually blushing right now.
"Rumor? About what?" Mari observed as that sprinkle of red flowered into patches of wildfire on Shizuo's face.
Like hell he was about to get specific. His words a near vicious sounding growl, Shizuo stormed off into the school, throwing over his shoulder a firm, "Don't worry about it."
Blushing…
That goddamn flea.
Izaya Orihara prided himself on many things. Aside from being granted the looks, wealth, and intelligence that set him leaps and bounds above the rest of mankind, he also held the advantage of knowing things before anyone else. Perhaps it was thanks in part to the vast network of contacts he'd amassed over the years, an assemblage of acquaintances, blood relations, never-were-girlfriends, criminals, friends (although he used that term loosely), and those with the power to get things done.
Knowledge was power, and Izaya Orihara had a wealth of both.
It was an unspoken rule, a personal promise that anything worth knowing, he knew, and he knew before anyone else.
So it was absolutely unacceptable when anything of importance reached him late, especially when said information involved Shizuo Heiwajima.
The problem was that one of the links in his network was obviously in need of some severe improvement.
This was the second strike on Mari's record. One more faux pas, and game over. Izaya could only allow so many missteps from his underlings.
He found her right before her scheduled lunch period, filtering into the hall behind a gaggle of over-perfumed girls wearing too much makeup. The four of them sauntered ahead, purposefully walking with added sway in their hips in an effort to appear enticing, their skirts rolled high above the knee, as if anyone in this damned academy cared to know what their underwear might look like.
It was tacky, which was why it made sense for Mari-chan to involve herself.
Birds of a feather…
Pulling a pencil from the pocket of his jacket, Izaya flung it at Mari's back. It ricocheted off and onto the floor, spinning near her feet. She paused, looking about for whatever had been tossed at her. Almost immediately her eyes met his, and he motioned for her to come to him before stepping into the empty classroom to his right.
"I, um, I'll be right back. You girls go on ahead," she called to her friends, already heading back to her classroom.
"Close the door," Izaya ordered as soon as she entered.
Doing so, Mari leaned back against it, her arms folding across her chest in a sign of impatience. "What is it? I'm hungry, so this better be—"
"Is your phone broken, Mari-chan?"
"What? No, why—"
"Then tell me, ne, why it is that I've just only heard the news of Shizu-chan agreeing to date you minutes ago, after the rest of the school?"
Something dangerous flashed in Izaya's eyes, a threat of punishment should she anger him more. In response, Mari grew defensive. "It's not that big of a deal. I was going to tell you at some point."
Wrong thing to say, apparently. The next thing she knew, Izaya had her pinned to the spot she was standing, his arms bracketing her body against the door.
"It is a big deal," he countered. "I am not paying you to have fun. You have a job to do, and honestly, your performance is subpar."
Exhaling her frustration through pink-glossed lips, she argued, "I got him to go out with me, so I don't know what you're complaining about."
"Then let me enlighten you," he sneered, vindictiveness drenching every syllable. "Shizu-chan only agreed to date you because I intervened after your pathetic attempt the first time. So before you fool yourself into thinking you deserve even an ounce of credit, let me remind you that none of this would've happened without me. However, I can do nothing to help you should and when you slip up again if you do not communicate with me."
Like being punched in the gut, Izaya's words were an instantaneous blow to her ego. "What do you mean you intervened?"
Dropping his arms, Izaya stepped back, afraid he might choke on the cotton-candy stench emanating her person. "I told him the school thought we were fucking."
Disbelief crinkled her brow, and she looked at the beautiful boy before her with an expression akin to disgust. "What?"
Izaya could've rolled his eyes. Sometimes she was so dense, he wondered if she was in fact the protozoan's destined soul mate."Shizu-chan would do anything to dispel such a rumor, ne? And it was my suggestion that if he wanted to save his reputation, and mine, not that he cared, he should date," Izaya directed a slender finger her way, "you."
Pretty, mocha eyes narrowed. "So he's using me?"
Izaya smirked. "Disappointed?"
"No," she lied, not wanting to admit that she felt a little wounded. "But isn't all of this pointless if he doesn't actually like me? This is a waste of time if he's just going to break up with me first."
"Which is why this date of yours is the opportunity to redeem yourself," the raven-haired teen advised.
Mari sighed, feeling a little unconfident, not that she was about to let Izaya know. He'd fire her for sure if he thought she wasn't capable, and she had an inkling that he wouldn't forgive her should she screw up a third time.
The thing was, there seemed to be something different about Shizuo Heiwajima. He wasn't like any of the other guys she'd pursued in the past. It wasn't just his strength, which she had yet to witness firsthand, his hair, his attitude, or any of the other obvious reasons that one might consider him divergent that troubled her. There was something she couldn't identify, but knew existed because her intuition screamed it did. Something that told her that charming him was going to be an impossible task.
Honestly, the entire job was more trouble than she would've liked, but what Izaya was paying her would solidify her status as a grade-A idiot should she quit.
Her only option was to just try harder. Shizuo Heiwajima was a man, after all. All it took was the right combination of giggling, fluttering her lashes, and showing her assets to win him over.
Straightening her shoulders, she answered with a strong, definitive, "Fine."
"Fine?" Izaya repeated, shaking his head. "No, that won't do. Obviously you need guidance. I want you to tell me your plan of action."
The assurance in her posture wilted. "I don't know; we haven't even made concrete plans yet. He just said he'll contact me sometime this weekend."
It was very difficult to not sigh. Izaya knew he needed to rein in his glaring dissatisfaction for the girl less he wanted her to give up the task entirely, but it was proving to be exceedingly difficult and wearing on his patience. He was busy, and he had things to do. How was he supposed to schedule his life around 'sometime this weekend' and 'I don't know'?
Shizu-chan lived in the present. It was imperative that any plans with the beast be made on the spot, and none of the responsibility shucked into his lap. Especially considering how unenthused he already seemed to be about the prospect of dating Mari, Izaya would allege there was very little chance Shizuo would make good on his promise to contact her over the weekend. It was detrimental to give the monster that much time to mull things over. He'd just think up more and more reasons why he shouldn't date the girl, spending hours talking himself out of it.
"Do you think I should send him a mail?" She suggested, taking her phone from her bag.
"No, it's only been a few hours, and contacting him now would just make you appear clingy. I'll handle it."
Mari's ego flared in opposition, sharpening her tongue. "You mean you'll intervene."
Izaya smirked, absolutely unsympathetic to the girl and her situation as he moved towards the door, the barb of his gaze pressuring her to step aside so he could leave. "And let this be the last time. I really do not enjoy having to see Shizu-chan because of your incompetence."
Mari released her relief through a heavy exhale when he was finally gone, wondering just what the hell she'd gotten herself into.
Laid out on the roof of the school, Shizuo Heiwajima blew another stream of smoke towards the sky, enjoying the quiet of his daily smoke break, the hour he was supposed to be in physical ed.
He wasn't sure why the academy didn't get it. It was a bad idea to keep imposing the class on him when he couldn't even participate without causing another student bodily harm. The last straw had been a game of volleyball, which all things considered should've been relatively safe considering the ball was foam (a precaution he'd bet was made just for him). Still, somehow he'd managed to break the nose of some poor kid, all because the heat of competition made him hit the ball a little too hard.
And all that was in addition to the fact that whatever idiot was involved in the creation of student schedules had deemed it permissible to put Izaya-fucking-Orihara in his class.
Not that the flea ever showed up for the class either, probably deeming organized physical exercise and team sports beneath him. Hell, he wouldn't involve himself even if the coach surrendered his whistle and gave him sovereignty over the class.
A small smile quirked Shizuo's mouth as he envisioned the hell that would break loose if he and Izaya ever did decide to show up. Raijin could definitely kiss their sports equipment goodbye, that was for sure.
So lost in his reverie, Shizuo paid no heed to the door opening somewhere behind him. It wasn't until a dark shadow loomed over his form, blocking out the sun and his view of the sky that he looked up to see who had intruded on his personal time.
"You look happy."
"Yeah well, you don't wear glasses cause you can see."
Shinra smiled. "No, but I do wear them to help me see, and I can see that you're in a good mood. Did something happen?" He asked, taking a casual seat next to his friend on the grey concrete.
Crushing his cigarette at his side, Shizuo pulled himself up, rubbing the dirt off the back of his head. "Are you just pretending like you haven't heard the news or do you really not know?"
Thin lips curled in a shrewd grin. "What I've heard is that you're dating some girl, and she's pretty. What I know is that in all the years I've known you, you've never been interested in anyone other than—"
"Well it's true," Shizuo interrupted, not allowing Shinra to finish. "Sort of."
"Sort of?"
"I'm not dating her, just going out with her this weekend. It's different," he explained gruffly, searching his pocket for another cigarette and lighting it, needing something to busy himself with less he wanted Shinra to notice just how uncomfortable he was talking about this.
"Does Izaya know?"
The cigarette nearly bent in half between Shizuo's fingers. "Probably."
"And that doesn't bother you?"
"S'not like it'd make a—" He took a firm drag, filling his lungs with black smoke, exhaling heavily, shaking his head, continuing to avoid Shinra's inquisitive gaze. "I don't give a shit what that bastard knows."
Shinra wasn't sure why Shizuo still tried so hard to keep up this façade of indifference whenever Izaya was brought up between them. It was no secret to Shinra what was really going on in Shizuo's head, although it did make sense considering his character why he'd have difficulty saying any of it aloud.
Baby steps, Shinra reminded himself.
"So she's pretty?" The spectacled teen probed.
The mess of gold hair bobbed as the blond nodded, issuing a smoky, "Yeah, real girly too. It's kinda weird."
"How so?"
Broad shoulders shrugged. "Don't know, just is."
Shinra nodded. "I suppose it would be alien to you considering the lack of female presence in your life."
"My mom is female," Shizuo argued.
"Well, that's different. Would you say your mother is 'girly'?"
Shizuo thought about it. He didn't see his mother much as a result of her work requiring her to travel away from home most days out of the year, same as his father, leaving him to primarily take care and raise Kasuka. But when he did see her, he was never struck by an overwhelming sense of her being girly. She wore minimal makeup and preferred darker clothing, such as navy pantsuits or jeans. She had a very strong presence, nothing like the froufrou atmosphere that seemed to perpetuate his surroundings whenever Mari was around.
"No, but neither is Celty."
An agreeable smile glanced Shinra's face, his eyes staring off, seeing something Shizuo couldn't.
"How are things going with her anyway?"
Bringing up Celty was always a good way to distract Shinra, something Shizuo took advantage of way too often. It seemed to be the only way to get Shinra off his back about Izaya, a topic he would never, even if they'd been friends for a hundred years, be comfortable discussing.
"Oh, you know, wonderful as ever."
"She still not interested?"
That smile saddened marginally, although Shinra tried to hide it behind a short laugh. "Well, give me a few more years and maybe she'll see me as more than a lusty teenage boy."
Shizuo answered with a small laugh of his own. "Good luck."
"It's not me that needs luck, Shizuo," Shinra reminded pointedly, steering the conversation back on track. "My relationship with Celty may not be perfect, but at least I don't have to lie and hide my feelings."
"Don't fuckin' start, Shinra." The blond teen growled, sending his friend a burning look of warning.
"You should at least listen to my advice. I know Izaya. I can help—"
"No," Shizuo ground out, picking himself up, needing to pace and put some distance between them before his anger physically channeled itself at his fragile friend.
"What you're doing isn't healthy, Shizuo," Shinra continued, paying no heed to the volatile teen's warning.
The blond snorted. "Like I give a shit about what's healthy."
"But if you lov—"
The word had barely left the shorter boy's mouth before a firm hand clamped over it, silencing even his breath. Shizuo never laid a hand on him, and if he did, it was only because Shinra had dared to cross a line no one should.
"I don't," Shizuo swore, voice rumbling with unkempt ferocity.
"You don't what?"
Caramel eyes widened, surprise dragging with it the cold sensation of shock through his limbs as that oh-so-familiar voice drifted from over his shoulder.
Turning his face away from Shizuo's palm, Shinra warned, "Right now isn't a great time, Izaya."
Ignoring the shorter teen, Izaya skirted the rigid blond to tuck his hands over Shinra's shoulders, latching on like a child would the pant leg of a parent when frightened, knowing full well that Shizuo would never attempt to harm him as long as Shinra stood between them.
"It's not fair that Shizu-chan gets to have you all to himself for an entire hour. I was lonely," Izaya whined.
"Don't say gross things," Shinra responded, trying to shrug Izaya's hands off to no avail.
"Was Shizu-chan talking about me?" Izaya continued, moving his eyes to his kind-of friend.
"Yes, actually," Shinra answered, honest as ever.
"Shinra," Shizuo rumbled ominously.
"Mean things?"
"Not—"
Once again the bespectacled brunette found himself with that same palm over his mouth, but now sandwiched between Raijin's two most dangerous students and his closest friends, both of whom seemed to have forgotten he existed as their nearness constructed a world wherein only the two of them remained. Really, so rude.
"Really, Shizu-chan? You finally have something interesting happen to you, and you're still moaning about me? Your new little girlfriend is going to get jealous," Izaya commented behind a smirk.
Shit. Leave it to Izaya to be observant as ever. "The hell do you want?" Beneath his palm, Shinra struggled to speak, the words an undecipherable muffle of sound. "If you came to start shit, I'm not in the mood."
"I came to talk to you, ne?" Izaya answered expressly, eyes relaying a purpose. "Preferably alone, if you believe you can behave yourself."
"That's up to you," Shizuo cautioned, heart energized and pounding in response to the invitation. Two days in a row, alone with the flea, and not feeling forced to play chase. He must've done something good to be rewarded like this, even if such encounters made the ache that much worse.
"I can play nice," Izaya promised, eyes glinting mischievously, flashing sharp canines and looking everything but nice. "Can you?"
"Dunno." Shizuo offered a smirk of his own, appearing every bit a charlatan pacifist, a wolf in sheep's clothing. "Guess you'll have to risk it."
"It's not fun unless there's a little risk involved, Shizu-chan."
Simultaneously, the two released their hold on Shinra, who made quick of his escape, understanding he wasn't wanted and wouldn't be acknowledged even if he did stay. When those two saw each other, there was no distracting them.
They could call it what they wanted, hate or whatever, but Shinra recognized it for what it was, even if they didn't.
"Don't forget to use protection," he advised, half way into the exit, shielding himself behind the steel door just in case one of them decided to hurl something his way.
Apparently his comment went right over their heads as Izaya pulled out his flick blade, readying it at his side. "Don't concern yourself, Shinra."
"Not what I meant."
Silence pervaded the roof-turned-arena following the departure of their mediator, perhaps the only person in the world other than Kasuka that could stand between Izaya and Shizuo and not come to inadvertent harm.
"Put the knife away and we'll talk," Shizuo ordered, his voice a throaty entreaty that sent resultant waves of excitement down Izaya's spine.
"Hn, I don't think so."
Tawny eyes tightened under dark lashes. "You said you wanted to talk, Izaya."
"And I do," the raven-haired teen replied, ulterior motive absent from the dulcet tone of his voice. "But I'm not stupid enough to rid myself of protection should you come at me like a rabid dog off his leash."
Only if one were looking closely would they notice the way those words made Shizuo flinch. "Don't trust me, flea?"
"That goes without saying, doesn't it?"
Except it didn't, because Shizuo would never harm a damn hair on Izaya's head unless he felt he had to, and that was only to maintain this game.
"Whatever." Tossing his cigarette to the ground, he snuffed it out beneath the sole of his shoe. "What's this about?"
"I wanted to speak to you about Mari-chan," Izaya began.
"Yeah? What about her?"
"She seems to think you're not interested in her."
The itch of suspicion narrowed hazel eyes. "And how the hell would you know that?"
"Because I spoke to her, of course," Izaya admitted as if sharing the daily forecast, knowing full well such an admission would enrage Shizuo to the point of placing himself in immediate danger.
And like a puppet following the command of its puppeteer, Shizuo's fists curled, knees bending, ready to strike. "You said you wouldn't fuckin' interfere."
Izaya paused, expression that of a devil. "Perhaps you shouldn't trust me either, Shizu-chan. I just need to make sure you're planning on going through with the little deal we made, ne. Mari-chan doesn't have much confidence that you will."
"Don't worry 'bout that."
"But I am. Like I said, I don't want anyone to get the wrong idea about us."
Shizuo's smirk was forced, but hopefully Izaya wouldn't notice. "The only ass pounding they're gonna hear about is the literal kind, flea."
"Is that a threat?"
"It's a promise."
"You know, the best promises, Shizu-chan…" Daring to move closer, drawn to the beast, entranced by the tremor of strength quivering beneath the stretch of bronze skin, Izaya only ceased his advance when he felt that one more step might be his last. Rose-hued irises lifted to meet honey-nectar gold, glowing with the brilliance of an excitement he only ever felt when in the presence of this beautifully deplorable monster. "Are made in blood."
The sting of pain only came after the feel of his shirtsleeve dampening, rivulets of crimson winding a path down his arm, moistening the hand that flew up to defend himself, latching onto Izaya's jacket and using it to fling him onto the ground.
"Fuck!" He cursed under his breath, hissing through the pain. The cut was deep, likely intentional considering this was Izaya and Izaya didn't do anything accidentally.
The black-haired teen groaned as his ass hit hard concrete, a position that lacked the grace he preferred to upkeep during their fights. However, such a position gave him the perfect opportunity to use those long legs of his to his advantage, and swinging his right forward, he managed to knock the towering blond off balance and onto the ground beside him.
Shizuo caught himself on hands and knees, the fall wrecking havoc on his kneecaps, sending tremors of pain up through his thighs, reminding him of the gash on his arm that would likely need stitches. Through the curtain of blond hair he could see the black form of Izaya moving in his peripheral, and Shizuo tensed, sensing danger but unable to detect where his assailant was going to strike. So he reached out, grabbing hold of whatever he could.
Izaya growled in frustration as rough, hot fingers curled into the back of his pants and pulled, dragging him nearer in a position that offered him little chance to break free. "Let go you idiot," he ordered harshly, gripping his knife tightly and slashing blindly behind him, satisfied when he heard the brute hiss.
"Damn it, Izaya, you're gonna fuckin' cut off my arm," Shizuo ground out through perfectly white, clenched teeth as the new slash on his forearm poured red and heavy onto the concrete. With a final tug on Izaya's pants, Shizuo managed to get the louse close enough to reach for that damn knife.
Izaya held it out of reach, grimacing as Shizuo's full weight pressed down on his back, blood soaking his jacket.
"The hell happened to playing nice?" Shizuo asked harshly, pinning Izaya's wrist to the ground with bloodied fingers and searching for the other.
Izaya laughed humorlessly as the blond brute succeeded in restraining his wrists against the pavement, his back twisted and legs outstretched behind him in a position that was so homoerotic, he wondered if Shizuo was trying to be funny.
This was not the first time the two of them had ended up in such a ridiculous position. Most days Izaya preferred simply playing chase, as it usually lasted longer and he came out with almost no bodily damage. But sometimes he was feeling a little frisky, and honestly nothing really got his blood pumping quite like feeling Shizuo's drip against his skin. This was so much more dangerous, and his one true indulgence.
"Nice is boring," Izaya responded, grimacing as his right cheek scraped against the ground, tenderizing his skin.
"You sound like you enjoy this."
Shizuo didn't miss the naughty smile Izaya flashed him, just before the bastard curled his back and pressed his ass against Shizuo's crotch.
"I might."
The asshole knew exactly what he was doing, and had pulled the same stunt enough times to know it would force Shizuo to release him. And the blond did just that as Izaya's ass brushed firmly against him once more, Shizuo relinquishing his hold on both pale wrists to put some distance between them.
Shizuo had barely pulled away before Izaya twisted around, lunging with the finesse of a panther, his momentum managing to force Shizuo onto his back, his head slapping concrete, the air leaving his lungs.
And then a scene from his worst nightmare decided to play itself out in this hell that was reality.
It began with the sharp press of a blade against his jugular, the edge biting into his skin and threatening to draw blood and welcome death should he so dare lift his head.
"Lay a hand on me, and I'll cut your throat, Shizu-chan."
And Shizuo could do nothing but stare, his body tensing and hot as Izaya moved to straddle his hips, his knees tucked up just beneath Shizuo's ribcage, his ass pressing firmly against his crotch.
"Where's your phone?"
"Find it yourself."
Using his free hand, Izaya dug the device out, flipping it open and staring at the screen curiously, a tiny smile curling his lips. "Does Kasuka-kun know how obsessive you are? Having you for an older brother must be traumatic, ne. Let's see…" Holding the phone up and leaning closer to Shizuo, Izaya said, "Say cheese, Shizu-chan."
"The fuck are you doing?" Shizuo asked with a throaty grumble.
"Changing your wallpaper to something decent."
"You're threatening to kill me for that?"
That quietly disparaging look returned to Izaya's face as his eyes met Shizuo's. "I'm going to send Mari-chan a little message."
Really, the flea was so damn insistent that this relationship happen with Mari that he was going through such great lengths…"I said I was gonna go out with her."
"Yes, but I don't trust you," Izaya responded coolly, typing away with his thumb, never letting up on the blade he had pressed to Shizuo's neck. "And this way, I can make sure you go somewhere public. It won't do me any good if you go out and no one sees you, ne. Defeats the purpose."
His phone snapped closed with a resounding click, and Izaya returned it safely to the confines of Shizuo's pant pocket before moving his attention to the blond beneath him.
Animated ruby eyes drank in the vision below him, the beast of Ikebukuro trapped beneath him, victim to his will. Those heated caramel eyes met his, the entirety of that deliciously lethal gaze on him and him alone. There was no one else in the world he could affect like he could Shizu-chan, and nothing he would trade him for.
Having accomplished what he needed to, it was now time to play with his favorite toy.
Relaxing his hips, Izaya exhaled quietly as he settled further onto Shizuo's lap, enjoying the feel of that deceptively destructive frame turning to stone. This was always Shizuo's response to a touch that was non-violent. The brute had no clue how to react, and Izaya enjoyed being witness to his discomfort.
Shizuo's jaw screamed in pain as he clenched it tightly, fighting his body and every nerve and sense to ignore the fact that Izaya was slowly grinding against him.
This was the worst, a scenario wrought by the devil's hand. Shizuo moved his gaze to the sky above, trying to concentrate on the clouds as Izaya leaned further until their stomachs brushed, each inhale accompanying the soft press of that flesh.
"If I didn't hate you so much I think I would let you fuck me." Despite the tease, Izaya's voice betrayed how this situation was affecting him, the usual provoking lilt a deeper, seductive pitch.
A jolt of heat directed itself straight to Shizuo's groin, and he swallowed as his throat convulsed in panic, his instincts not allowing him to forget the knife sliding against his neck, his brain refusing to ignore the beautiful teen straddling his hips.
He had to remember to play along, despite wanting nothing more than to grab hold of those hips and press himself harder against him. Izaya was just teasing him, trying to get a reaction. Shizuo couldn't allow himself to lose control less he wanted to lose everything.
"That's sick," he managed.
"Isn't it?" Izaya purred, rolling his hips back and eliciting a sharp intake of breath from his blond captive. "But bestiality is a little too adventurous, even for me."
"And I don't fuck fleas."
"You don't fuck anyone. Shizu-chan is a cute little virgin, ne?"
"Cute?" Shizuo would've dared a laugh if the action wouldn't bury one inch of blade into his neck. "That's a new one. Thought I was disgusting?"
"You are," Izaya assured smoothly. "But that has nothing to do with aesthetics."
The most Shizuo could risk was a cocked eyebrow. "Are you saying I'm attractive, flea?" His heart began to pick up pace, and it had nothing to do with Izaya's rolling hipbones.
"Like I said," the dark-haired teen murmured, lowering his mouth to Shizuo's ear, "If I didn't hate you, I'd fuck you."
Shit.
Any remaining vestiges of control slipped away the moment those words were whispered into his ear, hot and inviting, a promise even if the flea tried to veil it beneath 'what if'.
"You have three seconds to get the fuck off me, Izaya."
"I don't think you're in any position to threaten me, Shizuo." As a reminder, Izaya pressed his blade harder against his neck, its streamlined edge drawing a razor thin line of blood.
"Three."
Feline eyes narrowed, and Shizuo could almost see him thinking, every thought flickering behind that clever gaze. And then he smirked. "I think you like it."
"Two." Shizuo's fist curled at his side, just as Izaya grinded against him roughly, as if urging him on, daring him to do it.
He didn't want to. He never wanted to harm Izaya if he could help it. The flea was one of the only people that Shizuo trusted himself around, felt somewhat in control of his strength, but that didn't mean Izaya wasn't breakable. He might not be as fragile as Shinra or Kasuka, but he was still human.
Which was why he only planned to shove Izaya off of him. Pushing him around was okay. He never broke anything, and he walked away generally unharmed.
But something in his brain short circuited as Izaya pushed back one more time, his ass nestling and squeezing against Shizuo's covered cock in a way that caused his body to scream with need, igniting a passionate thirst that roused an animalistic greed, sending shocks of heat between his legs.
One more roll of those hips, and Izaya was sure to feel him.
Shizuo panicked.
He saw it before he realized what was happening, before he could stop himself, and by that time it was too late. His fist collided with the right side of Izaya's face, bloodied knuckles imprinting themselves in smooth, porcelain flesh. Something caught in the cavity of his chest as he felt skin and bone collapse against his knuckles, like fine china taking the brunt of a wrecking ball.
The small weight sitting on his hips vanished as Izaya was knocked off by the blow, body flying hard and fast towards the short wall guarding the edge of the roof.
For a split, horror-filled moment Shizuo thought Izaya was going to end up over the wall, a fall he would never survive at five stories with nothing but concrete to catch him. Instead his back hit the barricade with a solid thud, his slender form collapsing onto the ground in a motionless heap of black.
The scrape of metal on stone was the last sound Shizuo heard before the buzzing started, a high-pitched sort of ringing, the bells of dread and concern his personal serenade.
"Oi, flea," he called out, voice thick with obvious worry.
Izaya remained silent and unmoving, and even from where he sat Shizuo could see the mark of crimson on his busted cheekbone.
With legs of lead, he went over to him, kneeling down to inspect the damage, making sure the flea wasn't feigning unconsciousness because that would be a very Izaya-like thing to do.
Using the hand that had put Izaya in this condition, Shizuo gently turned his head to get a better look at the wound, his heart plummeting into his gut that it was bleeding so heavily.
"Shit."
Pocketing the bloodied flick blade, Shizuo scooped Izaya into his arms as gently as possible, feeling all sorts of awkward and half-hoping the flea didn't regain consciousness before they reached the nurse, because he'd surely murder him once and for all. The prince of Raijin being carried like a princess through the halls by his sworn enemy was probably not something Izaya would be thrilled about.
Thankfully there wasn't a person to be seen as classes were in session, and Shizuo made as quick a journey as possible to the nurse with the delicate baggage he was carrying.
Izaya's head lolled against his shoulder, his uninjured temple resting in the crook of Shizuo's neck. Too late did Shizuo realize that his arm was still bleeding in two different places, his blood darkening Izaya's uniform and making the material stiff.
"Sorry, Izaya," he apologized quietly to the unconscious teen, counting on the fact he couldn't hear him, but hoping he might anyway. "I'm an idiot."
The flea felt so tiny like this, despite there being only a few inches difference between them. It was nice, in spite of the circumstances, to get the chance to hold him in this way. He was so damn thin and he weighed next to nothing, but just the knowledge that he was holding Izaya was a weight in and of itself.
The nurse's office just up ahead, Shizuo indulged in one last private moment, turning his face towards Izaya's to brush his mouth against his forehead in an almost-kiss, for one instant entertaining the fantasy that Izaya was his, and he was conscious, and he liked stupid little forehead kisses.
Sighing through unsmiling lips, Shizuo shook his head, wondering if the blood loss could explain his behavior. Next thing he'd be dreaming about holding the flea's hand and tandem bicycling through parks.
Shizuo had been in the nurse's office enough times that he should know the woman's name by now, but somehow he had yet to memorize it. Probably because each time he walked in he wasn't in the healthiest mindset, and wasn't paying much attention to anything other than his pain and anger.
Ms. Nurse was sitting at her desk against the wall when he entered, looking up only when she heard him clear his throat.
Brown eyes widened, nearly bugging out of her head at the grisly sight presented before her.
"Heiwajima-kun, what…"
"I'm fine," he lied, but figuring whatever damage he'd suffered could be patched up quite easily with some ointment and a bandage. "Do you have somewhere I can put him? He got, uh, hurt pretty bad."
"The bed, there," she directed, pointing to the clean bed with folded down white sheets against the opposite wall beneath the window. "But take his jacket off first, if you don't mind."
Placing Izaya on the edge of the bed, Shizuo awkwardly worked the stiff jacket off of him before laying him back, making sure to carefully guide his head onto the pillow.
"What happened?"
"He ran into something," Shizuo lied, not even bothering to sound convincing. "Pretty hard."
"And you?"
He moved his attention to the woman standing at his shoulder. "Huh?"
She gestured to his neck. "You're bleeding."
Touching his neck, he realized that he was cut quite badly, the gash reaching from one side to the other. Seemed like Izaya wasn't lying. God knows how he didn't accidentally kill himself. "I fell."
She nodded, knowing that after all this time she'd not once gotten an honest answer out of him, and she wasn't going to receive one today. "What's his name?"
"Orihara. Orihara Izaya."
"Is he your friend?"
Shizuo looked down at the black-haired teen, a familiar longing in his gut. "No, he's not."
He paused, a huge part of him that gave a shit about Izaya wanting to stay until he regained consciousness. Knowing he couldn't, Shizuo turned away. "If you think he should have someone go home with him, in case his family can't get him or whatever, just contact Kishitani Shinra or Kadota Kyohei. They'll help him out."
Turning to leave, he paused when she called out to him. "I can't let you go back to class like that, Heiwajima-kun."
"I'm not going to class," he replied shortly, continuing on. "Just home."
"But the administration will want to know what—"
"It was my fault, alright?" He sent Izaya one last look, knowing that when the flea woke he'd be beyond pissed.
In all the time he'd known Izaya, for all the fighting they got into, this was the first time he'd put the flea in a hospital bed. And to be quite honest, it shook him to see Izaya hurt like that. Whatever punishment the louse planned to dish out in revenge, Shizuo had no problem accepting it. He'd let Izaya lacerate his entire body if it made that open cut on his cheek fade away.
It really sucked knowing you hurt someone you cared for, breaking the promise you made to yourself that you never would.
But promises were made by people, and Shizuo knew better than anyone that he was not 'people'. He was a monster, a brute, an animal, a rabid dog off his leash.
Maybe it was about time someone tried to put him down.
Author's Note: Thank you to everyone who reviewed/favorited/followed! I appreciate all of the feedback!
~Merry