Izaya rolled on his side and got dressed without a word. A headache loomed ahead and he knew that it would escalate into a migraine. Until now he had not known that sex could be so bad. It angered him greatly. He glanced over his shoulder to the girl who was already texting away. In no time millions would know what had happened. Izaya wondered if his real motivation had been just that. To spite Shizuo.
As petty as it might be, Izaya believed that Shizuo more than deserved it. Which did not explain his plummeting spirits. Izaya tried to shake it off but it would not abate. A feeling of shame that disturbed him greatly.
Day was already breaking. The streets were still empty. Izaya often took strolls in these dead hours of the day when the city belonged to him alone. He took a detour through alleys and cut into avenues. The sun climbed in the sky and little by little activity woke up all around. Izaya was turning a corner when he spotted Shizuo. The odds were somewhat staggering against it but here was Heiwajima Shizuo just exiting a building. A spasm of anger made him livid as he read a sign, 'marriage consultant'. With hands turned into fists Izaya crossed the road.
"Well, well, if it isn't Shizu-chan! What, you're so into marriage that it doesn't matter who you marry?"
Shizuo blinked once.
"Where did you come from?"
"What is it to you anyway?"
Shizuo took a step in his direction and sniffed his hair.
"Perfume, a woman's. Just what were you doing?"
Izaya gloated greatly.
"It doesn't concern you, now does it? Since you broke up with me. I can do whatever you want."
"Izaya…"
He relished in the note of pain in Shizuo's voice.
"Go back to your arranged marriage or whatever, such a lovely national tradition that is! It's right there with severing pinky fingers, harakiri, suicide pilots and other wonderful practices inherited from our ancestors. What should I bring to the ceremony? A juice machine? Can you read the instructions, actually. Oh well, just count me out of the whole thing then. I have better things to do like throwing myself into a meat grinder."
There was something liberating in righteous indignation. Shizuo lit a cigarette and puffed away.
"I'm here on a job. The place owes a lot of money."
Izaya started.
"Whatever. I can still do as I well please."
"Do you feel happy now? Cheating like this?"
Izaya shrugged.
"What should I do, cry a corner and be all sad that you've dumped me? And go all, 'Ah, Shizu-chan doesn't love me! Life isn't worth living! Oh no!'? Well think again, Shizu darling. I can do just fine without you. Just you watch."
"You like this girl?"
"Madly in love!"
"What's her name?"
Izaya giggled.
"Forgot to ask. A cup, it's not a matter of size but shape."
Shizuo slammed a fist against the wall. It left a hole. Izaya jumped back, startled.
"You better leave right now, Izaya. Don't test me."
By the tense posture of Shizuo's shoulders alone Izaya could tell that he meant it. Izaya turned around and walked as fast as he could without actually running away. He only stopped after taking a few subway stations. Izaya felt rather shaky. Almost wobbly at the knees. He held his by now aching head in his hands and sighed deeply. A strange feeling took him over. Something unfamiliar and very uncomfortable. It took him a while to realize that it was the pressure of unshed tears. Izaya did not know the last time he had cried. He forced himself to snap out of it.
Back in his apartment he took a long shower then decided to take a bath instead. He sank in warm soothing water, only his nose about the surface, arms around his legs. Steam filled the large bathroom and he basked in it. Floating away from all care, drifting. Issues dimmed and became very distant. As did his body, the consciousness of a physical entity that belonged to him. The affirmation of the presence of this body that was a part of him was one of the things he enjoyed the most from sex. This was the exact opposite, a disconnect, his mind blurring along with his body.
His troubles were smoothed over and seemed to leave him completely. Izaya fell asleep without even realizing it.