Recap:

…Shizuo attacked Izaya's lips again while his body pushed him to the bedroom. It was mayhem of mixed feelings. What they were doing wasn't white or black, just a blurry gray. Maybe they were doing this for whole different reasons, or perhaps they were just thinking of excuses to do it. Either way, Shizuo just wanted to wipe that sad face off of Izaya.

They undressed.

They kissed.

They wanted… needed to be so much closer…

•Hanging by a moment•

Flashes of last night were passing through his eyes; the lingering sensation of skin pressing against skin was still printed in his mind, the gentle reminiscence of fingertips tracing the outline of curves and bones still drummed into his flesh, the memory of sounds that he had never heard before haunted his peace, and the yearning of hope for those moments to never shatter ached in his heart.

The rain hadn't stopped at all.

Shizuo looked through his window while re-arranging the shirt over his shoulders. It didn't seem like a normal morning, he sighed. Shizuo felt troubled, in a sense. He wasn't really troubled by his problems. No, what he was worried about were someone else's problems. Izaya's.

The sky was shadowed by a large dark cover engulfing the city, a turbulent omen...

Shizuo didn't actually know what problems Izaya had, or, if he had problems, in reality. But he knew what kind of life Izaya had been living, so part of him wasn't so surprised. However, the fact that that so-called problem had made Izaya make a face like that last night worried him.

With a frown, Shizuo recalled how Izaya wasn't crying, but seemed about to cry. Izaya wasn't shedding tears, but he saw them. He was crying… Humans can cry in different ways other than just tears.

They haven't really spoken since last night. Heck, neither of them had time for sleep. Shizuo was flushed and mildly confused. Mildly confused because only a part of his mind was subtly thinking about that little issue itself. And by issue, he meant to have slept with his enemy, non-friend and eternal rival.

Yeah.

Izaya.

'CalmCalmCalm. Calm. Calm down. Calm down, breathe... Peace,' Shizuo thought, trying to mitigate the anxiousness boiling in his chest.

They did it.

Shizuo could still feel it, he could still see it, he could still hear it−

Shizuo refrained from thinking more because someone had been observing him for a while now. A pair of lidded eyes, a face half covered by white sheets, disheveled black hair adorning the pillows: it was an absolutely endearing sight.

Shizuo didn't quite know how he got on the edge of the bed, or how his hands were immediately caressing the back of the raven's head, or how his body reacted so naturally with him.

But he did.

"Hey..." Shizuo said softly, hovering a bit more over Izaya. His body weighed down onto the mattress.

Izaya wasn't looking at Shizuo anymore. As soon as the blond touched his hair, Izaya closed his eyes, losing his senses into the caress. Izaya gripped the sheets, nuzzling lightly.

Although Shizuo didn't want to disturb the other to some extent, he still had to ask, "Hey… Izaya… I need to talk to you…"

There was no response.

It was more difficult than he had thought, even more so if he was feeling a bit conscious about their situation. Nonetheless, Shizuo tried again, "…um, Izaya where is your cast? I thought you'd use it a week more…?" Open the topic with something simple, Shizuo planned.

The silence was gaining a personality.

There were a few more moments of silence and Shizuo was going to try to ask again, when out of nowhere he was yanked downward. Shizuo was forced to crush the smaller man underneath him with his much larger body.

Izaya had a dead lock with his arms around Shizuo's neck.

It was a wordless request.

"Oi! Wa-wait! I'm pretty heavy, you know? !" Shizuo's face was burning. Izaya just squeezed harder.

Shizuo was quite confused. Nevertheless, he stayed still, with his face burning and his heart racing. The blond was at a loss as to what to do.

"…-terday…" Izaya said, barely sounding like a whisper.

Shizuo moved away and Izaya squeezed in response. "Easy, I'm just…" Shizuo moved in a more comfortable position, "What did you say?" Shizuo asked, like a kindergarten teacher to a three year old kid.

The silence laughed in Shizuo's face.

"…-took it off yesterday…" was another mumble, but Shizuo understood it.

"Oh, was it Shinra?" Shizuo asked.

Izaya's brow pursed, and angrily buried his face in Shizuo's chest. 'It was Tsugaru.' Izaya thought.

Shizuo was mildly confused by the sudden action and the lack of response. "…you didn't tell me wh-Ow! Ow! Ow! What was that for? !" Shizuo complained. "You bit me!"

"Quiet…" Izaya said.

"What? !" Shizuo was frustrated, and the frustration leads to aggression, which leads to misinterpretations, but luckily Shizuo restrained his feelings as he heard Izaya saying, "…please…?"

With that single word, Izaya blew out any traces of Shizuo's thoughts.

•••••

No good. It was no good. Shizuo was struggling mentally. 'I have to go.' Shizuo was really regretting having that strong sense of morals. Though, that sense of morals was only applied when it had to do with his work, related to Tom and his family and friends. That sense of morals was conveniently avoided or mutilated when he was trashing people around the city.

Either way, Shizuo had work to do with Tom-san and couldn't stay with Izaya for any longer.

'Can I ask the day off…?' Shizuo shook his head lightly.

He couldn't, just couldn't. Shizuo sighed in resignation and tried to stand but the dead lock Izaya had around his neck had been stopping him. Thinking for a moment, Shizuo got an idea. Reaching for one of his pillows, Shizuo set it between them, and slowly he detached the arms, setting them around the fortunate piece of fabric.

Shizuo was free and watched with mild disappointment as his spot was easily filled with an inanimate object.

A pillow jealousy had never been heard of before, had it?

Shizuo got ready as fast as he could, doing several things more, like picking up Izaya's clothes and bringing them to the laundry area. When he was ready, he stopped in the doorframe of his room, fidgeting lightly with the thought of saying good-bye to Izaya and to let him know he was going. The mere thought was eating him alive in a sort of gigantic blush. Izaya moved lightly and Shizuo ran to the main door, getting out in record time.

Shizuo ran away from his own home. Shizuo wanted to avoid the awkwardness as much as possible. However, he was well aware that he had to talk. Sooner or later he would have to confront Izaya.

'Yeah, but not right now,' Shizuo thought, slowing down and looking ahead.

•••••

Izaya was in a deep sleep. He was calm, comfortable, content, and very sleepy. The quietness of the room stopped as a familiar ringtone killed the silence.

Izaya stirred and fought to wake up. The rings didn't stop. With an eye open, he spotted his cell phone on the nightstand beside the bed. He reached for it and answered it.

"Yes?" Izaya was far too sleepy to do a proper greeting. As soon as Izaya heard the reply on the other line, he hung up the call harshly.

In the next second, his cell phone was ringing again.

Izaya didn't pick it up but didn't turned it off. After a moment, instead of a call, he received a message.

[We have to talk.]

Izaya texted back with scorn. [No, we don't. In fact, go die in a hole.]

[I'm glad you haven't lost your sense of humor, suddenly disappearing in the night. I was really worried about you, you know?]

Izaya read the text but didn't reply back.

[Orihara-san, we have to talk. I know you are very anxious because of what we had talked about yesterday. But rest assured, I mean no harm to you. However, if you don't listen to me, your ability will probably be a danger for yourself and the ones around you.]

[I'm not anxious. I just want to cut your throat and watch you choke with your own blood. ;P]

[I am sorry, but I cannot fulfill that wish, not for now.]

Izaya frowned at the last words, [What do you mean by 'not for now'?]

[If you want to know about it, come to see me. I promise to answer any questions you have.]

Izaya struggled to write down what he wanted. [I don't want to see you.]

[I'm sorry if I'm making you uncomfortable. But what I am asking is for your own good. Please bear with me a little longer, the faster you learn about your ability, the faster you'll have your life back. I won't trouble you anymore after that. What do you say?]

Izaya was texting his reply when a new message arrived. [Let's make a deal. I'll give you two days to settle your thoughts. After that time, I'll pick you up. You don't need to answer me, I'll be the one calling you. Farewell, honey :)]

After a long time of thinking, Izaya texted back one message with just one word: [Thanks.]

Izaya sighed deeply.

'You let me run away, didn't you? Liar. Saying that I'll have my life back… there's no turning back at this point…' Izaya thought, covering his entire body with a blanket. 'Idiot... I don't want to think about it…' Izaya glared at nothing in particular, grinding his teeth.

He could just leave it like that, right? He was feeling overwhelmed by everything. Besides, he still has two days... In the back of his mind he knew that more things he didn't want to think about were piling and piling.

Izaya growled, gripping the sheets and burying his face in the pillow.

He really didn't want to think about Tsugaru, or what he did with Shizuo last night.

•••••

Tom was contemplative. With an air of solemnity, he watched his employee fidget around with a lightly flushed face. Even though Shizuo had his cigarette in hand, he wasn't smoking. Was this a new phase of Shizuo's? Tom was curious about it; this was the first time Shizuo looked satisfied, worried, confused, annoyed and thoughtful all at the same time. Tom was dying to know who did that to Shizuo, because though he looked full with thoughts, he seemed happy.

"Shizuo, let's go grab a bite," Tom said, leading the way to the Russian Sushi. Shizuo followed him. They got to the restaurant in a few minutes. They were waiting for their order, while outside the sky was falling apart. The rain just worsened with time.

"He looks like a power ranger, I tell you! The strawberry has been degraded! I want the old version, we, fans want it!"

Three new people entered the establishment.

"Eeeh? No, I don't think so. It's more like Claymore. However, we still yet have to know what his new powers are~. Speaking of which, there was a sexual tension between Ichichi and Gin-chan when they were training in the game, wasn't there~?"

"An order of tiramisu! And if you have Alex-san working in the back, send her here please~. How infuriating is that, don't you think, Karisawa-san? That Alex-san is in love with that tagged man? And he doesn't even acknowledge her! Alex-san should be more assertive, like Seira-chan~ I would love to be chopped with her scythe any time~."

"…Yumakicchi, are you ignoring my question?" Erika asked. "I feel like Gil-chan… ufufufu, the new chapter of PH couldn't be more blunt about the love Gil has for Oz~. Though, I would love to see Gil undressing Oz in the middle of the street… No! In any place is fine!" Erika's eyes were shining, while Yumasaki seemed disgusted, Togusa had already taken a seat and Kadota was nowhere to be seen.

Shizuo didn't pay attention to the duo because he was thinking profusely, yet without thinking. It was hard to define the fact that he was thinking about something, yet completely forgetting about it afterward. He was so submerged in his musing, that he didn't notice Kadota until he called his name.

"Shizuo," Kadota wore a hardheaded expression. "I have to talk with you… in private…."

•••••

The rain hit the city, drops covering the buildings, dressing them with transparent wet clothes. Water splashed underneath their shoes as their feet walked ahead to an unknown destination. Shizuo wore a light frown while he followed Kadota.

Kadota stopped lightly and looked around; there weren't many passers-by. He turned around, and with the same serious expression as before, spoke to Shizuo.

"Sorry to have dragged you all the way here, but I didn't want the others to hear this conversation."

Shizuo nodded lightly, the frown still marring his features.

Kadota scratched the back of his head with one hand, while holding his umbrella with the other. "Shizuo… I saw you… yesterday…" Shizuo didn't understand the ambiguity of those words.

With a resigned sigh, Kadota spoke again, "I saw you with Izaya…"

Shizuo stilled subtly. "Oh."

"Yeah…" Both males looked away, embarrassed for different reasons.

"What, what are you doing?" Kadota asked, again, the serious expression placed.

For some reason, Shizuo got defensive. "What do you mean?"

Kadota's brow wrinkled lightly. "You, with Izaya… What are you planning to do to him?"

Shizuo held his umbrella with one hand, while his other hand searched the pack of cigarettes in his pocket. "I don't know what are you saying, Kadota."

It wasn't any of his business.

And he wasn't planning anything, and, things to do, they have already done them. Shizuo shook his head lightly, trying to erase the images that his desires were craving for. He lit the cigarette, taking a drag.

Kadota breathed out, obviously uncomfortable with the situation that he, himself, had created. "Look, I know it shouldn't be any of my business, but you're my friend and also it is Izaya…"

That was questionable in some aspects.

Shizuo nodded lightly, dragging more smoke, filling his lungs with nicotine.

"So… stop whatever you are doing…. That shouldn't be..." Kadota looked straight into Shizuo's eyes. But the shelter which was provided by his blue glasses stopped any kind of interpretation.

Shizuo stood still with the cigarette dying in his mouth.

Many tormenting thoughts were revolving in his mind. For example, the fact he didn't know. He didn't know what he did, he wasn't planning anything, it was made in the spur of the moment. But, what kind of right did Kadota have to say that to him? Just because he was the ex? How much power does that title hold? Exactly, none.

Shizuo was getting annoyed by the fact that some part of him was agreeing with Kadota's words. But he, Shizuo, and Izaya, them−

Shizuo crunched the cigarette under his shoe. "You're right. It is none of your business." He turned around.

Kadota wasn't deterred, though, he knew he was stepping onto mined ground. "You're not even his friend, Shizuo. What are you expecting? It isn't like you all at to-"

"I can ask you the same thing, why are you asking me this?" –ordering me to stop doing something you don't even know about− "What the hell do you want?"

"I don't want you to hurt him," Kadota said simply.

Shizuo wanted to laugh. "Don't you think that's a little late? I've fought with him for years."

Kadota spoke in an even tone, "I didn't mean physically."

The only sound was the drips of water hitting the ground around them.

"Bye, Kadota." Shizuo walked away.

Kadota sighed but said nonetheless, "Think about the consequences…"

•••••

Shizuo was getting better in holding back his anger. However, the street-signs didn't agree with that. The ground was torn apart, concrete shattering into millions of pieces. The metal was crunched under Shizuo's palm as if it were made of paper. Like always, his muscles screamed in pain; like always, some of his bones cracked; like always, that red mist full of wrath blinded his eyes.

He panted, he couldn't breathe, he was suffocating from his feelings, it was always the same…

He growled, smashing his fist downwards, destroying everything in its path, "I don't give a shit about consequences!"

−Just try to cover the sun with a finger…

•••••

As the routine ordered, after the wreckage left, Shizuo felt like scum. His head throbbed with all the hot blood that had rushed up to his head. He almost got a fit back there. He rubbed his temples, trying to mitigate the discomfort, and holding the keys of his apartment, he unlocked the door. He shut it, quite roughly, afterward. He was in a bad mood.

Shizuo needed sugar.

His head was a mess, but was clear enough to know how to make chocolate. Shizuo had just prepared a mug of hot chocolate, trying to forget about everything he'd done in the afternoon, when the next thing he knew was that Izaya was at the doorframe, covered in a blanket and with a glassed gaze looking at him sleepily.

Just like that, Shizuo's routine of self-loathing died.

Shizuo's surprised stare obviously showed the fact that he hadn't expected Izaya to still be there. The thoughts and questions that had been piling in his mind throughout the day threatened to come out and be released, and would have been that way if it wasn't for the fact that his eyes were too occupied devouring Izaya's expression to care about that insignificant problem.

Izaya dragging the blanket over, threw his body unceremoniously onto Shizuo, who, for the wonders of the universe, wasn't holding the mug of hot chocolate.

"W-Whoa!" Shizuo exclaimed when Izaya, on top of the half-tackle, tangled his legs around his, hands wandering over his body, rubbing fabric and skin and finally settling securely around his torso. Izaya buried his face in Shizuo's chest and drifted to sleep in mere seconds.

To say that Shizuo was shocked was an understatement.

The silence only made the scene look more out of place. Only the misfortunate rain provided a little comfort for Shizuo, who was still fully awake. Shizuo could only stare at the thing on top of him.

'Dammit, what am I doing?' Though he asked that in his head, his hands were already traveling down, fingertips already seeking soft flesh.

•••••

It's a wonder… does this mean that one of them finally caved in? Do the heights of ecstasy lie ahead? Or nothing but the depths of despair?

Well, for them the important part was to enjoy the moment.

•To Be Continued•

A/N: I have mentioned the graphic novels of: Bleach, Noblesse, Claymore, Gangsta and Pandora's Heart.

Mehhh, Izaya doesn't blush as much as Shizuo does ~_~ and I said that Ichigo looked like a power ranger because my cousin said it when I showed her the new chapter of the manga and I was WTF? And then :o I can use that *bwahaha* lol.

X3 please, don't hate Dotachin ;A; he's awesome, you can't hate him xD besides even though he doesn't know it, he's helping Shizuo and Izaya LOL.

Izaya is a little jewel :p Kadota knows that and Shizuo is realizing about it slowly XOXO

Can you guess what's Izaya thinking?

PD: Thank you for all your reviews, it helps me, it does ^^. The fun starts now!