Looking at the minimal reviews, I take it no one is really into KadotaIzaya? QuQ But I really really do like these two (especially since this chapter focuses a lot on the two of them XDD) It is a shame that this fandom is too Shizaya (mnd you, I like Shizaya quite a bit too!) for much of anything else DD:
I don't own.
XXX
Late Spring
XXX
He looked on but never made a move to intervene.
Because he was well aware of the risks involved.
Flipping the page, the door crashed open with a loud resounding bang. The metal frames had hit the two walls on each adjacent side and it echoed against the blue in the sky as the concrete swallowed down the noise.
Dazed by the sun, Kadota looked up at the sudden interruption. Maybe it had been the unlikely heat in his system and the heavy waft of sunshine that was suffocating him but Kadota had easily recognized the intruder by the way the white hot sunlight was drafting through the jet black hair.
He was one of the two that tore apart their school.
Orihara Izaya. He was a famous one.
And he had nasty bruises all over.
Kadota made to turn back to his book but the boy stood beneath the sun with bone white skin and his chest heaved as he caught his breath, he couldn't look away. Kadota hadn't realize the meaning yet but it had been crystal clear.
"Ah."
Orihara Izaya made a light sound of acknowledgment before walking closer upon the realization of another living breathing human being. Kadota caught the red of his eyes as they blinked from malice to amusement, the change hadn't been settled. Unlike the blue of his own uniform, the black was fluttering with the wind and the boy's eyes were twinkling with curiosity.
"What're you reading?"
He lifted the cover.
"It's not bad…"
Kadota nodded because it was an interesting read and he was anticipating the ending almost as much as he looked forward to his alone time. But he did not turn back to the book because the boy had sat down right next to him with a clear intent that he would not be going anywhere.
Turning to face him, Izaya had a grin plastered against his pale cheeks.
"What part are you at?"
"When he just left home."
His eyes gave a glimmer, like rubies in the dark.
Kadota thought that it must have been the sun and the pollen in the air that was finally taking a toll on him. Brushing off his own instincts that spoke louder than any word on a page, he continued to observe.
Orihara Izaya parted his mouth to speak, there was a momentary pause but like his presence, it was flitting. Kadota watched as words fell from between his lips and he listened as he went on to spoil the story until there was nothing left.
That was the first time he came face to face with Orihara Izaya and Kadota Kyouhei failed to forget this encounter.
Standing up, Izaya patted the dirt from his black uniform pants and fished his cell phone from his pocket. The soft vibrates seemed to reverberate around them but he barely glanced at the blinking screen before turning back to face Kadota.
His hand rested on the rusting railings and his expression disappeared in the shadows.
"That's all the story telling for today, Kadota-kun. I'll probably be back though, this is a great spot to hide from Shizu-chan."
The sun was resting right behind him and he seemed to glow a grey outline, white sunlight against the black of his uniform and the shadow he was casting with his entire frame.
Kadota had never seen anyone like him.
Izaya let out a laugh, gave a twirl and hopped down the stairs, leaving him alone, again. He couldn't help but stare after the black silhouette. He wasn't tall but his pitch black hair and blood red eyes made him stand out from the rest of the school. There had to be some kind of charms to him because Kadota Kyouhei had become one of the crowds.
He gave a deep sigh and laid the book to the ground.
There wasn't a word in his mind, there were only a few concerns running through his head: the ending was spoiled, his book was ruined.
And Orihara Izaya knew him by name.
000
He would glance down at the fight from an opened window and it would always be unfolding at a rate that was ten times faster than human speed. A damaging slash, an ominous roar, a school fence, a ruined wall. He turned away from the scene that had captivated everyone else in his class.
They were only in the first year and they had already blown everything out of proportion, especially with ruined school property.
Running a hand through his hair, he sat back down at his seat, fully aware of the real depth within that whirlpool of darkness.
He knew that Izaya was no good. He had seen the nasty tricks, the cruel jokes, the morbid sense of what fun should be. And he knew that the smile meant nothing remotely good.
Because when the pain from Shizuo died down, Izaya would always come to him.
Second period passed by, the windows were still open but the scuffle was no longer on the soccer field.
The bell rang out loud, echoing down each hall. The teacher dismissed the class and Kadota calmly flipped another page to the novel he had been reading. There was an attraction to words on a page that could never compare to anything else in his life, the story hit its climax.
And then everything went downhill from there.
"Kadota-kun."
His name was called out.
"Someone is looking for you."
He reluctantly glanced up to see Izaya waving at him from his classroom door. His anticipation had to wait this time around because expectations always came first for Kadota Kyouhei, especially when it concerned someone else by the name of Orihara Izaya.
Placing his book into his bag, he stood up and made his way to the door. His classmates merely cast him a second glance as he passed them by because he was no one important, just a nice guy who kept to himself.
And he was just fine with it.
Looking down, Izaya was beaming up at him with a wide grin and Kadota could only nod in return. But a strong smell suddenly struck him and he took a step back. He stared hard as Izaya rolled his eyes and then things began to make sense once more.
"You've been to the infirmary already?"
"No, Kyouhei-kun. I got bored and went skinny dipping in a pool of disinfectant." Izaya stared pointedly at the other as they made their way down the hall. Each step sent pain to jolt at each wound but he continued to walk without slowing down his pace. "So walk with me a bit? I want to get this smell off of me."
And neither did his smile dimmed with the pain.
Kadota watched his stiff steps and saw the gauze peeking out from beneath the collar of his shirt. He couldn't stop himself but slow down for the other as they walked down the stairs. "Anything major?"
"Just a twisted ankle and a lot of bruises." Izaya brushed the question off and waved off the hand that tried to steady his steps. "I'm fine."
"You twisted your ankle." He was merely making a statement but he knew the other would take it as a blow to his pride. Kadota didn't try to explain himself, he allowed Izaya to take his words for what he had wanted them to mean because he wanted this to happen and he would be keen on finishing this for himself.
"It's okay." It was hinting on defence, as a counter to his offence. Kadota didn't take it to the heart but Izaya was staring at him hard. He took a few more steps down the flight of stairs before motioning to Izaya's ankle. "Aren't you in pain?"
Izaya's eyes fluttered shut for a fraction of a second as the words left his lips.
"Why do you care?"
Kadota had a hint of a smile on his face. Even though Izaya read a lot, he didn't love the Japanese language like he did. Looking straight at the other, he caught flickers of his own reflection drenched in red and replied.
"Because I like you."
It was almost six months since their first meeting on the school roof but it had only taken him around two to understand the feelings he felt for the other. It had been denial, and then ignorance before realization seeped in. Love was like fate, it had a mind of its own. In love, there was never a choice for him, it was just a matter of do or die. After that it had all been acceptance and nothing else.
Kadota Kyouhei's first love was strangely absent of all kinds of passion and enthusiasm.
But there was never a single shred of regret.
Izaya's eyes held a glimmer of hope.
But his entire body told a different story. He had been upset but the frown stretched into a smile. He was trying to stay calm but his straight stare was an uneasy one.
Kadota saw the hesitation and the skepticism cooking slowly but it was coming to a boil nonetheless. He anticipated a flat rejection and he knew that he wouldn't have mind it in the least because if he was in the other's shoes, he would have surely bolted the other way already.
It was the way the truth was taken in as a joke and the way revelation uncoiled back into a painful strike against the cheek. A confession from a friend was a betrayal in their trust, acceptance would never be the first feeling in line within their conscious mind.
Kadota would never blame the other.
Because he didn't believe in himself to do the same thing.
Izaya let out a small breath, his hope dying with his last syllable.
"You aren't kidding are you?"
Kadota shook his head, his rare smile turning into a bittersweet one.
"I don't joke about… this."
It was directed at himself more than it was for the one he liked. Love wasn't something he could control, no matter how much he would've liked. He tried to ease the situation to make it better for the both of them.
"I am not expecting a reply, Izaya, I just wanted you to know."
Izaya took a step down and Kadota offered him a helping hand at the clear pain that shone through the red stare.
It was blatantly obvious that this was more for themselves than it was for each other. Izaya had his own complications to deal with and Kadota had his own expectations to fulfill. He wanted to be with the world and he wanted to be with one.
They were on two different pages of the same book but neither knew where the other was.
"Kyouhei-kun. I think I owe you this much."
Kadota didn't know what he was referring to but Izaya accepted the hand.
And they both stepped down to the landing of the long winding stairs.
000
Dotachin is what he called him now.
Izaya's inaudible whisper of: I like you too resounded in the depths of what he could remember.
A month ago, Kadota-kun got a reply in return for the heart he had given out. Since then, there was no invitation for anything else. The stepping stone from friends to something more was ignored but he had already found himself intertwined in the other's love life. Kadota-kun was now Dotachin but Izaya was still Izaya. They could have been in love but the changes were nearly unnoticeable.
They were now nearing the end of their first year and they were still together today.
Kadota looked up from his book, just in time to see Izaya walk through the library doors and it had been a blatant attempt to hide from Shizuo. They caught notice of the other's existence and Izaya's split lips curled lightly.
He sauntered over as Kadota offered with a tap at the window. "Shizuo is down there."
Izaya took a seat across from him and Kadota watched as he leaned against the glass to stare out at the blonde with his aggravation clearing a clean path for him across the green soccer field. He breathed a soft sigh of relief. "Thank god, he took the bait."
Kadota couldn't understand but he could see the twisted logic warped into the way genuine happiness surfaced to Izaya's features. He held back so many times, only this time, it was different. Love was controlling and he succumbed.
This was the worst of Kadota Kyouhei at work.
"Why are you doing this?"
He fingered the page to his unfinished book.
It was not just the chase, it was the constant text messages and the oddly quiet phone calls that Izaya would receive. It was the meetings behind the tinted windows of lavish cars with men twice their age (in which Izaya would brush off as his uncle or even uncles at times.)
"Because it's interesting."
Izaya gave a nonchalant shrug with the reply and leaned back against the chair, smile dimming at the direction their conversation was heading. He didn't expect the other to understand; he just never knew Dotachin was the type to interfere.
"That's wrong, Izaya..." Kadota started, he didn't know whether he should continue because he saw his own extents, his boundaries, his strict set of territories on a field of land mines. Only, Orihara Izaya stood across the barb-wire fence, blow switch in hand. His fingers were grim with dirt, he was the one burying the mines along the way. Kadota saw the danger within the play, the pretense in the games and his ideals had finally worn through.
He continued without regret.
"… Its only because without it, you have nothing else."
"Dotachin." He was smiling to the brink of a grin but there wasn't a hint of amusement in his intricate features. "Are you trying to figure me out?"
"No, I'm just trying to make casual conversation."
Kadota turned back to his book with a light wave of his hand. Izaya may be full-fledge human but he knew that his love couldn't change Izaya's ways, ever if he had everything to offer.
The span of silence was solely theirs, it could have been minutes but it was only seconds.
Izaya leaned forward and laid a palm against the page of his book, pale long digits tracing along the words. His eyes were gleaming like blood in the sun and he knew Izaya's limits were expanding for the very worst.
"This is just the beginning, Dotachin. I can't stay like this."
His cell rang and he took the call with a hushed voice.
But Kadota heard the name Izaya greeted the man on the other line, it was those non-existing uncles again.
This time around, Dotachin made no move to interfere. But he couldn't promise to do the same next time around.
000
Four days later, Kadota Kyouhei was formally introduced to Heiwajima Shizuo and Kishitani Shinra.
XXX Kuro
Not all snippets will be understood completely but clarification will come in latter chapters. :)