"Now, did you say you have ootoro?" Shizuo asked with a smile.

"Why? You want to come?"

"Sure, why not?"

Izaya raised an eyebrow, "You don't even like ootoro!"

"I might as well give it a chance. Maybe it'll surprise me."

"If I didn't know any better, I'd say you're just after spending some time with me."

Shizuo just shrugged, and suddenly his hand on Izaya's wrist was burning. The raven tried to step back, and Shizuo let him go. He took a few steps away from the blonde, and he didn't follow. He was giving him a choice. He offered him friendship and Izaya was free to do whatever he liked with it.

He halted.

"C'mon then," he murmured, looking over his shoulder.

Shizuo's eyes widened, but it was a pleasant kind of surprise. He threw his cigarette to the ground and stepped on it, before stepping forward.

The walk to Izaya's apartment wasn't long. It felt weird for Shizuo to enter it calmly, like a normal human being. Fighting the uncomfortable feeling in his chest, Izaya closed the door behind them.

"Well, I'm home, I guess." He muttered.

"Ootoro is on the table!" Namie yelled from upstairs, her voice muffled.

Izaya waved his hand, as if pointing towards his living room, "Make yourself at home, or whatever."

They sat down on the sofa. Izaya opened the small box laying on the table, and pushed it towards Shizuo.

The blonde took a pair of chopsticks and grabbed one ootoro piece with them. He stopped himself from sighing, and put it in his mouth.

Izaya couldn't control laughter as Shizuo's expression turned into a grimace.

"Is it tasty, Shizu-chan?" he teased, still laughing.

"It's... good. It's good, actually." he said, his mouth still full as he tried to control his expression.

"We're going to have a serious conversation, Izaya. You can't just-" Namie's voice filled the room as he made her way down the stairs. She halted, her eyes wide in shock, as she noticed Shizuo. "What the fuck is going on here?"

Izaya wiped a tear from the corner of his eye, "Shizu-chan here insisted he wanted to try ootoro." He said, as if it explained everything.

Shizuo gulped down, and waved at her.

"I have so many questions-" she shook her head, approaching them, "But more importantly, what the fuck Izaya? Where were you?"

Namie's eyes were piercing holes in his head, and he looked at Shizuo. The blonde was also looking at him, uncertain.

"Why? Would you miss me?" He tried to turn her attention away from the issue, but she just crossed her arms. "I had a meeting with Shiki."

She raised an eyebrow, "And you decided to go there with a suitcase?"

He looked away, "No, that was before I met Shiki."

He didn't have to look at her to know she was hurt. She sighed, "Alright, whatever, I'm just- glad you're back. I'll make you some coffee and head home."

He nodded, his attention turning back to Shizuo, who was looking at his hands on his knees, tense.

"You alright there, Shizu-chan?" he asked before he could stop himself.

The blonde closed his eyes.

"Shizu-chan? Are you dying? Don't die on my couch, please."

"I'm sorry," was the only answer he got.

"I don't want your apology, I want you not to die on my couch." The words escaped his mouth faster than he was able to think them and their implication through. Because, just a few hours earlier he was shouting at the beast to die finally. And now what? What was he even doing? Worrying? For his greatest enemy? For the man that will kill him? Pitiful.

But Shizuo didn't notice the internal struggle he was experiencing. He just sighed.

"I'm not dying on your couch, god damn it." He searched his pockets for cigarettes, lit one up, and took a puff. "I'm trying to make amends."

"Ah, we're back to Hercules stuff."

Shizuo scoffed, "You're never gonna let it go, are you?"

Laughter formed in Izaya's throat, and he tried to swallow it down, but to no avail. With a disgust he noticed that it was honest.

"Nope!" He exclaimed, trying to sound like he's still in control.

Namie's footsteps echoed in the room as she walked over, and put a mug on the table. She looked at Shizuo cautiously, before turning to Izaya.

"I'm going home now." She informed him, "The documents from Akabayashi are on your desk. Oh, and Kadota called, I told him you'd call back." She headed for the door, "And I expect an explanation tomorrow."

Izaya scoffed, "Last time I checked I was your boss, not the other way around."

She snorted and exited the apartment.

He reached out for the mug and took a sip.

"I didn't know you were friends with Kadota." Shizuo said suddenly, with a soft frown.

Izaya gasped, and choked on his coffee. He coughed.

"That's-" another cough stopped him from finishing the sentence. He was glad, actually. Shizu-chan was the last person he wanted to talk to about it. "Well, there's a lot you don't know about me." He said finally, regaining his composure.

Shizuo hummed. "Tell me, then."

"What?" He chuckled nervously, hoping he misunderstood. Hoping Shizuo wasn't really trying to befriend him.

"Everything." The blonde shrugged, "I'd like to get to know you."

"Shizu-chan-" he started, but Shizuo wasn't even listening.

"What's your favorite movie?"

There was a moment of silence, as Izaya was trying to comprehend what was even going on, and Shizuo was waiting patiently for him to answer.

"My favorite movie...? Why do you even-"

"Then maybe favorite book? You seem more of a book person."

"What do you think I am, a five-year-old?"

"C'mon, you must have a favorite book."

He sighed, "One flew over the cuckoo's nest. And I should charge you for that information!"

Shizuo smiled, "Figured you'd be into stuff like that."

"What? You've read it?"

"No," he laughed, "But I've heard about it."

"Wow, so your protozoan brain knows about literature. I'm impressed."

"There's a lot you don't know about me as well."

Izaya raised an eyebrow, "I'm pretty sure I know everything about you."

"Oh? Would you like to bet on it?"

"Sure, what do I get when I win?"

"If you win, flea, I'll do whatever you want me to do."

"Cocky, aren't we Shizu-chan?"

"But if you lose, you'll do what I want."

Izaya smirked, and reached out his hand, "You've got yourself a deal."

Shizuo mirrored his expression, shaking his extended hand.