Hey guys~~ Sorry for not updating for sooooo long~ Been busy with projects and stuffs but I decided to update a chapter before the new year for you guys who follow this fanfic. Hope you guys had a great year like I had. HAPPY NEW YEAR PEOPLE OUT THERE~!

Sincerely, from your beloved Fushi-Sashimi.

I'm dedicating this to senpai who's been such an awesome guide and always being a great person I respect so much.

Enjoy peeps~!

Chapter 8: I Need You Back

"It's so stupid because all I wanted was space and now that I have it, there's this part of me that's achingly lonely, I could die."

IZAYA

Izaya widened his eyes in disbelief. Shizuo admitted to his question? This was definitely something new. Izaya closed his eyes and smiled slightly at his answer. The blond protozoan indeed never failed to amuse Izaya. He was always so damn unpredictable. Shizuo was the only one that made Izaya feel different, which was why he felt so damn empty the past few days. The fact that Shizuo did the unexpected only serves to heighten Izaya's adrenaline. "Oh Shizu-chan, you never fail to surprise me with your protozoan logic. Coming hundreds of miles to see your enemy, surely you haven't started drinking right?"

Izaya's only options were to go along with his fine act and drive the other away. Wait... Did he really want to drive Shizuo away..? No, he didn't. He wanted to be in the other's life. He wanted to anger him, frustrate him. He missed the adrenaline all too much and was he really willing to end it for real? Here was a chance to get things back to what they were but was it worth it? Would those nightmares return to haunt him?

All these questions and not enough answers...

Izaya let out a sigh and walked into his apartment "Just come in, I can't reject a guest can I?" He knew what he was doing was wrong but it didn't really matter anymore. Izaya craved Shizuo's presence and he wasn't abut to give it up easily "Coffee, tea?" Izaya directed the question to the ex-bartender as they entered the apartment, diverting his thoughts from the ones he had earlier.

Its funny how they were so civil right now. He could swear that the door would come off if it was Shizuo at the door. The blond wasted no time in breaking through that thin piece of furniture. He long forgotten how many times he replaced that door already. It almost seemed like a dream that Shizuo was calmly sitting on the couch without the slightest urge of wanting to throw the first furniture he set his eyes on or rather aiming a certain piece of the furniture at the informant. Seeing how this really wasn't a trick just to kill him in the end, Izaya let his guards down and took a sit beside him yet distance himself far enough for precaution.

Izaya was more perplexed than anything. Shizuo couldn't possibly care for his well being. That guy was trying to kill him for the past 8 years and now they were on the couch, talking like they were friends? There was something very wrong with this picture. Why wasn't anything being thrown at him yet? Why wasn't his name screamed out loudly by the ex-bartender? Why weren't they at each other's throat? This was too subtle even for Shizuo

Why was he here...?

"So" Izaya turned to face his arch enemy. "What's the real reason you're here Shizu-chan? I know you're to check up on me but seriously, why are you here Shizu-chan?"

SHIZUO

Protozoan logic? Shizuo's right eye twitched at the male's comment as he glared at the male. Well the man didn't seem to have an attitude adjustment even after all those weeks of having no contact whatsoever with him. Though somehow in the back of his mind, the blond was relieved with that small fact that Izaya hadn't completely given up on him. "Tch, as if I'd waste my time drinking out for no reason.." He let a small smile flashed his face for an instant before reverting back to its usual form. Although their conversation was mostly constructed with mild teasing and banters, Shizuo couldn't help but sense a small nostalgia on his part. Literally, ever since the first time they had met, both of them had spent every single day playing their dangerous game in the city. Even if they weren't busy killing the other due to classes, they would somehow find a way to be in each other's throats in the middle of it all.

He raised a brow at the man in question as he silently walked inside the apartment, his gaze wondering around the surrounding area before snapping his attention back at the other. "Nah, I'm good..." He replied, deciding to sit down at the other's couch as he continued to observe around the male's space.

If there was one thing certain about Shizuo is that the man's a living epitome of various expressions. Whether the man was contented with the afternoon off or pissed as hell from the cramped space during the rush hour in the train, his face would easily convey such emotions. He was the exact opposite of his brother who kept a stoic face. And in the end of the day, his feelings would always get the best of him. His brows furrowed at the informant's series of question. Did he.. really came over all he way from Ikebukuro just because he missed the louse? No, there had to be some other damn reason why he was here! Beating the shit out of the man was already out of the question..and other reasons and excuses his mind conjure up weren't even worth trying.

Was it seriously all out of impulse..? His thoughts seemed to entertained the idea.

'Visiting the person you hated the most after weeks of not seeing each other just because of a stupid conclusion your doctor friend made.' Strange.. but it's true and it worked. He sighed. "Huh.. I should have expected you wouldn't believe me." A hand scratch on the back of his head. "The truth is, I don't know. After all the weeks I've spent my life without you, I thought I'll be happy without those damn nightmares, even peaceful enough to keep my temper low.. but I was dead wrong on the last part. I was easier to set off without having you around and life became.. boring." Another weary sigh came from his lips. "Look, what I'm trying to say is that I need you back. I'd rather have those shitty nightmares any time of the day than spending a damn life living like the undead."

IZAYA

That sounded like a confession and Izaya of all people did not expect that coming from someone that had hated him for the past 8 years. A small yet faint blush coloured Izaya's pale cheeks and he quickly let out a cough in return to compose himself. He had let his guards down the moment he let the brute into his personal space. Something was wrong about this situation. It was starting to get awkward and uncomfortable. Izaya had never felt this out of place nor had he been this speechless before. All he could think about was the last sentence that came from Shizuo's lips. 'I need you back' Nobody had ever said that to him. Somebody actually craved his presence and a sharp pang of pain surged through the informant's chest. What Shizuo said really touched him and it was wrong. So wrong yet deep down, he was overjoyed. Ecstatic even. Someone actually wanted him and thought that his existence was important.

Izaya had always been the one to invade other's personal lives and make a hell out of it. That caused him to be hated by many and he didn't give a damn about it but today, for the first time, he was wanted. Even if it was by his arch enemy, he felt needed. A turmoil of emotions coursed through the male and in moments, beads of saltwater trickled down the informant's cheek. He couldn't help it. He finally put down every wall and every mask he put up to protect himself. He was breaking down before the very man he swore to kill, Shizuo Heiwajima.

Ironic wasn't it? Just four words and he was made to feel emotions he never felt before. Just what about Shizuo Heiwajima made Izaya feel so damn different. Why couldn't he just be like any other human and stop being so unpredictable? This was just so confusing. Just a few weeks away from each other and Izaya had gotten soft? What rubbish. Where was his pride? Dignity? His hatred for the brute..?

Why..? Why..? Why was he even shedding tears..?

SHIZUO

As soon as Shizuo had realized what he had done, his cheeks had instantaneously tainted the same matching hue as the informant's. The fact that he had somehow stated what he wanted to the man with a serious expression wasn't the only thing that shocked him, but also the face the other was showing when he did so.

Just.. why the hell was he looking at him like that? He would've expected the male to laugh or call him a brute with a intelligence of an amoeba, but to have Izaya having a battle with his emotions until he was brought down to tears was something Shizuo didn't expect and as if by instinct, the blond stalked closer until he was a thread away from the man, cupping the male's cheek with his hands as his thumb brushed away his tears. Shizuo had considered to kiss those salty drops away but he desist, knowing that it would add more to the shock that the man was experiencing.

He pulled his hands away the moment the other had ceased his tears, unknowing on what else to say to Izaya. "Uh, sorry about that.." A palm was held up as he rubbed the back of his nape. "I'll just go lead myself out the door if it'll help you out.."'

IZAYA

What Shizuo did the next instant only made him realize that he was actually tearing up. The other's hands were so warm and tender. They were so calming and Izaya found himself wanting to lean into his touch but for God's sake, why were they even having such a heartfelt moment? All those questions he had about his loathe for the other seemed to disappear the moment those warm tender hands cupped his cheek. Negative feelings gave birth to new feelings that Izaya never thought he could feel. A sudden warmth engulfed his body and Izaya found the need to hold onto that warmth before it vanished forever. His hands found its way to hold the other's to stop him from leaving. "No.. Please don't go..."

Izaya was actually showing his pitiful side for once and if Shizuo still walked out in him, Izaya would really kill him this time. It took a lot of courage and effort to take down every wall and mask he had put up to protect himself. For once, he felt like the other could understand how he had feeling all this years and if it wasn't too much, make him stay at least till the sun had set.

"Please stay..." Izaya's voice was barely audible but he seemed desperate now, something he had never been in his life but for once in years, Izaya craved having a companion. Someone like Shizuo whom never judged him for anything he did. He enjoyed having the privilege of being part of Shizuo's life for 8 years. It seemed like Shizuo was the only one who never seemed to throw him away after all the nasty things Izaya had did to him. Even as an arch enemy, Izaya was still happy.

Now, he just wanted the attention of a certain blond that made him feel like he had existence in this world...

SHIZUO

His body had already turned and faced the door the instant Izaya's hand grabbed hold of his own, freezing him from his tracks to leave the place. Did.. Izaya really just told him not to leave? He curved his head to get a quick glance of the male. Really, Shizuo never once thought that the man could display such a genuinely pitiful expression like this one. The other might act in order to subject his clients into giving him whatever he needed, though seeing those eyes told him otherwise. Empty. Lifeless. In need of that 'someone' to escape from the death trap known as life itself; It all somehow showed through those crimson red eyes that were once filled with the thrill and excitement Shizuo were used to seeing. Who would have thought that those past few weeks would make such a difference in their life? To have their soul this barren of the passion they once had until they've resulted to this..

Izaya's voice had pulled him back to their current situation. It was quiet, but not quiet enough for Shizuo to miss that hint of hopelessness behind it. He sighed inaudibly, completely facing the male now as he gave a nod. It wasn't everyday for anyone to see The Great Orihara Izaya removing every wall and mask like this, which only meant how serious the man was asking for his company.

"Alright..." He muttered loud enough for only the informant to hear alone. "I'll.. stay. I'll stay for as long as you think need me to be here."

Izaya: WHY?! Fushi-Sashimi... Must you kill my pride so easily like that -cries a river-

Shizuo: Tch.. What a crybaby.. I can't believe I have to babysit this crybaby

Izaya: Who you calling a crybaby protozoan?

Fushi-Sashimi: -slowly sneaks off- I'll just leave you two alone then...

Izaya & Shizuo: -grabs- We're not done with you yet!

Fushi-Sashimi: Helpppp meeeee...! Please give me your reviews and save me.. I'll die at this rate.. -sobs-