Izaya sauntered away and returned shortly with a credit card and an envelope.
"Here. Details to our joint account are here."
"Joint account…? I don't want any of your money…"
"I know you don't. But if we are married what is mine is yours, what is yours is mine. It's called 'sharing'. I'm sure you are alright with the idea of sharing."
Shizuo sat up as if to better digest this.
"Still, you have much more than I do…"
"Doesn't matter and it's not at all the point. Whatever you do own I can liberally borrow from and vice-versa. It's irrelevant whether I have a lot of money or not. I know very well that you're not after my money so please don't be worried about that."
Shizuo nodded.
"Can I borrow the fur fringe jacket?"
"Oh no, the jacket is off limits!"
"Don't you have a million of those?"
"A few. None of which fit you. But if you want I'd be glad to get you one that does fit your humungous size. As long as you tell no one. It's my trademark, after all."
Shizuo chuckled.
"And you'll wear a bartender's outfit?"
"…no. Sorry, too stylish for that."
"Hmm…I like you better naked anyway."
Shizuo wrapped him in an embrace.
"Oh? Guess you really can't get enough of me."
Shizuo traced fingertips all over Izaya's skin, barely touching.
"I've got to erase the memory of all those women from your body."
"And how are you going to do that?"
Shizuo kissed him deeply.
"I think you know."
"So it's round two?"
"It's what wedding night is all about."
"Hot steamy sex…I'm all for. Because I do expect you to be a most dutiful husband and fulfill such duties."
"Feels to good to be a duty."
Shizuo was playful but he meant it. He wanted to wipe out all traces of infidelity from Izaya's body and above all from his mind. And Shizuo knew precisely how to take Izaya and let the impact of physical pleasure to carry all emotions- from raw need to the glorious comfort of a shared afterglow.
Izaya cuddled against Shizuo, sleepiness flooding his consciousness.
"You're cute and adorable when you're sleepy."
"Hey, Shizu-chan…not yet asleep, you just implied I am not 'cute and adorable' normally. I'm offended…"
"No, you're not."
"…heh. Night."
"Sleep well."
Izaya hid behind Shizuo and peered left and right cautiously.
"What are you doing?"
"These deer are everywhere. I am somewhat apprehensive."
"Deer are cool, you can pet them."
"I had heard that Nara was home of midget deer, I did not know there was an entire army of them."
And indeed they were surrounded by a vast quantity of small furry deer that sat, lay or ran after the visitors in the large temple complex.
"It's a bit like rush hour in Ikebukuro but with deer instead of people."
"And that, Shizu-chan, is somewhat disturbing. No matter how you look at it we are outnumbered here. Our species is most definitely the minority. If the deer were to charge we would be in serious danger."
Shizuo laughed.
"Deer don't charge and they're cute. Let's go see the big Buddha."
"You're still walking in front of me, just in case. We don't even have Gantz suits on and I am in no mood to be stepped on by some monstrous Buddha."
It was dark and solemn inside the temple. Heavy incense thickened the air with the scent of macerated flowers. Izaya found it a bit oppressive and tenebrous. Not even the so called Buddha's nostril, tiny hole into which small people could squirm, could amuse Izaya who could not put on his jeering ways.
Shizuo united his hands and bowed his head. Izaya imitated him for lack of something better to do.
"Shizu-chan, what did you wish for?"
"For us to be together. How about you?"
Izaya had only gone through the motions, this all seemed a bit pointless to him but Shizuo's candor was contagious and its honesty. Izaya could not help but let it reach him.
"Give me a second here."
Izaya adopted the traditional petitioning gestures with actual meaning this time around.
"All done."
"What did you wish for, then?"
"I am not telling you."
"Ah…why not?"
"Because I'm an informant, it's my blood. If you want information, Shizu-chan…then pry it from me."
Shizuo had to laugh.
"And that, Orihara Izaya, is precisely why I love you."
The End