Chapter 10: The Moon has Hidden Beauty

"Thank you."

Izaya traced his lips with his hand letting a small genuine smile form. Showing gratitude was not something anyone would ever dream of hearing from Orihara Izaya. To the people, he was a cold heartless bastard who toyed with the lives of anyone he took interest in. He wanted everything like the greedy man he was. But the sin that ruled above this man; his pride.

He would mess with the lives of humans for both pleasure and experimental reasons. But the only part in a person's life he would not dare or think about crossing was their love life.

Saki had told many, even Masaomi, that Orihara Izaya did not interfere with other's personal love. But even so, the people would believe he would do anything just to be on top. And they were partially right.

Izaya hated to suffer, feel pain more than anything. Shinra knew this because he was the only one Izaya opened up to. He showed his weak spot to a person he could trust, but what if he couldn't trust that man?

It doesn't matter. Shinra was still his friend and he tried everything in his power to make amends. Shinra was a true person he could call a friend.

"I'm sorry... Izaya."

He should apologize. Apologize for the life he's been given. But Izaya found no reason to hate the doctor or needed to. What he needed to hate is what Shinra chose to do.

Hate what he had decided.

The day was still fresh and the sun still danced along the sky. It looked like it was pretty close to sunset. Was it truly the light smiling upon his dirty self, or was it laughing at how dark and disgraceful he was. The sun can mock him for all it wants, for he can never be the same. The night was his bonding. The dark sky hid him from the light, joining him in being only dark. The stars were the shattered pieces of his once luminous beauty and pride. The moon was his core, constantly changing it's faces from being hidden and believed was ugly but showed its full face on the day it believed it should have.

Orihara Izaya was the moon. The sun only illuminated the moon to show its pitiful existence, or perhaps wanted to show the moon has beauty but none could ever see it.

None could see the moon's beauty for it was always in the shadows. Without the sun, the moon would forever stay hidden without the Sun's help. But that's the question that hit his train of thought off course.

If he was the moon, who was his sun?

He never had a sun. He believed he was present as a new moon; always invisible and dark to those of pure eyes. Naked eyes that could only see that of true beauty and pure. The moon had craters, markings, just like Izaya.

A shudder that felt of spider legs trickling down his spine made him pull his arms together, embracing himself.

"That's right, I have no beauty."

"You're nothing but a Used Doll."

That's right...

"Broken Toy."

No beauty whatsoever. Broken toys can be repaired, indeed they can.

But once broken, they cannot be the same as they were before, even if they function the way they used to before. There would always be some sort of malfunction. And when fixing something broken, who knows how long it will take to get it back to a way it can work once again?

Izaya huffed and glanced toward the door way. It was a good time to get comfortable so he might as well stretch his weak legs.

The tint of pink wasn't too visible, but people could tell his fever was slightly present. It didn't hurt to walk around at all, not when you're in a house a Monster is lurking in. Izaya rose from his bedding slightly stumbling over his weak legs but gained composure and headed to the door. He opened it and stepped outside swaying from his light head. Shinra must have been in his room because the lack of noise was present. He peaked his red eyes into the living room fixating on anything he could find. He could only find the headless woman on the couch looking gloomy with her noticeable eerie black smoke streaming to the roof.

Guess she was alone with Shinra in his room. But blond hair was not found around. Did Shizuo leave? What a relief...

Izaya padded slowly into the living room beside the seat Celty was in. She didn't seem fazed until she saw a figure dressed in black beside her. "Good Afternoon, Transporter-san~" He said plopping onto the soft cushion.

[Oh, hi. I'm surprised you got up this late. How are you feeling?]

Izaya gave a puzzled glare. "I'm feeling alright at the moment, though I can still feel my fever."

"Mind I ask what's going on~?"

She moved her fingers along the PDA and lifted it back to his view. [Shizuo went out to meet with Tom to make sure things were alright on his time.]

"And you're sad that a Monster has left? It's more of a relief if you ask me~"

[He's not a Monster! That's beside the point.]

As much as the confusion whirled in his head, it could not compare to the suspicion rising. [Shinra won't tell me what's going on and I'm beginning to get worried.]

[Do you mind if I ask you?]

Orbs that shined of a ruby's widened. The pressure began tugging down his shoulders from the unexpected question that sank into his very being. He knew it would come. He knew. But why did life have to bestow such an unpleasant time to say? Izaya shut all his thoughts out and proceeded with answering.

"It's best if you don't know."

Celty tried to rush her typing with fast fingers that raced like a spider's and her trail of black streaming like a never ending river, but a hand pressed onto her hand.

"He doesn't tell you because he wants to protect you from it."

"And if he told you, he believes you'll hate him for the rest of your time together."

If she had eyes- a face, she would give a concerned face cloaked with melancholy. She was sad. Sad because the one she loved will not trust her. But if Izaya said it will be worse if she found out- but could anyone trust a snake like Orihara?

[And how do I know you're not lying?]

"Really, Transporter-san? We're talking about Shinra. Why would I lie about a dear old pal~?" He chuckled silently. Izaya could see how Celty was at the moment, slumped shoulders and smoke puffing into clouds. He knew Shinra was just leaning on the wall watching them but he just stood there. Celty probably knew too but was too gloomy. "Sometimes I wonder if you're taking my dear Celty away or actually seeking help." Shinra sighed sheepishly with a gentle smile. He walked over to Celty and placed his arm on her shoulder, her smoke blew bigger clouds from the touch.

It was just like this. Celty was the moon. She had hidden mysterious beauty but was outcasted by the eyes of others but her Sun. Her Sun was obviously Shinra. He would shine on her endlessly and show the world her beauty that is everlasting and meant to be seen. So foreign to the eyes of those who believe in only the normal. Something so breathe taking as an urban legend like Celty was sure to capture attention. Her shadows are her night sky and the sun overpowers her disgrace with their love and pity.

But I have no Sun. I am as dark as the newest moon. No one can see me for my pitiful existence. Then here comes that thought...

Exaclty where does Shizuo fit into all of this?

"Hey Izaya, you alright sitting there? You look like you're spacing out there."

"I know you still have a fever so you should probably go get some rest."

Izaya did hear what Shinra said but merely nodded slowly and kept his cloud of thoughts head strong. "Ah geez, sometimes you're totally out of-" Knocking had interrupted him like a brick smashing into a secure wall and busting it down. Not sure if Celty was startled but Izaya instantly turned toward the hallway. "Ah! Coming!" Shinra shouted and ran almost tripping over himself, the clumsy idiot. Celty sighed, or in your case, blew a cloud of black. The squeaking of the door grew as it opened and died down once the door had closed.

"Yo, I'm back."

Oh great. The brute with the brain of a Neanderthal has arrived... he exhaled the mass of air that was blocked in his lungs. Perfect timing...

"What's the flea doing up? Thought he was too busy living in the moment."

Living, huh?

"Can't I stretch my legs for once?"

"And I'm very much alive." His grin grew devilishly across his face. Shizuo grimaced and gave a glare of both anger and disgust. "Whatever." Was all the brute said.

Izaya didn't have time to deal with someone, something, that could give him a bigger migraine. He still had a fever and it wasn't getting any better. Even the light headed feeling was eating away at his conscience, feeling like he was drifting away in the sea and the current drifting him further away him his being.

"Izaya, you're looking pretty pale... Yeah, you should get back into bed." The doctor motioned him towards his resting room but being stubborn he refused to move. "I'm fine. You know I'm not that weak."

Now Shinra was worried. Not only because Shizuo was here, that was the least of his worries at the moment. Izaya is always stubborn and will try to hide under a thick blanket of pride. His facade never wavered, but it was his physical being. Izaya is sick and he knows damn well as Shinra that it will continue to grow worse on a person like Izaya who is skinny and fragile. He didn't look too well, almost like the way he had arrived.

"Do what he says, flea. Plus, you'll be one hell of a burden if you stay." Shizuo growled under his clenched teeth.

Hell of a burden? Already am one.

"I don't need a brute with a single brain cell to tell me I'm a burden,"

"That is if you know what a burden is."

"And I can walk around as long as I want since it's a home and all~"

Judging by the fierce teeth clenching and snarls from the blond, he could guess he was seeing red.

Shizuo stomped over like a moose on a rampage and clenched the collar's hem of Izaya's black long sleeve. Celty was already about to use her shadows and Shinra as on his way to break them up but Shizuo roared his side.

"STOP ACTING LIKE YOU'RE THE SUPERIOR ONE OF US!"

...!?

"You wanna act this way!? Fine!"

"But if you keep acting like the thing you're not, people will treat you the way they truly think of you!"

What is he...?

Treat you the way they think they should...

"Nothing but a Used Doll."

"You deserve this, Orihara!"

"Broken Toy."

"Shizuo stop! He's still weak-!"

"I don't give a fucking damn! This dumbass needs to learn how to understand!"

Izaya felt Shizuo's fists tighten and shake him endlessly. Everything suddenly became deafening as his blood's pressure rushed into his ears and blocked every sound made. He knew Shinra was shouting at Shizuo but couldn't hear him.

He lost himself in his own space, the words flashing and jumbled across.

"Treat you like they should"...

Izaya was like a ragdoll with how the blond was violently shaking him, limp and motionless staring into space with wide eyes.

"Hey! Are you listening to me!?"

"Shizuo stop!"

Just a blur, nothing could be seen but fast moving smudges across his vision. Treated like I'm supposed to...?

"...You're saying I deserved it too...?

Shinra froze like an ice sculpture ready to break in half at any moment. "Huh?" Shizuo whisped out with a sharp tongue. Not sure if the neanderthal heard the raven's quite whisper but the one in the white lab coat who was frozen heard it like it was a stereo blasting. The room blew into deafening silence and it lingered around. Shizuo's fists were still tightened around the black collar but his hands let some of the fabric slip from his fingers.

"You're saying I deserved it, right?"

"I don't blame you..."

...!? What is he talking about? Izaya might have been acting dead with all the shaking before but now he looked completely dead. His eyes had no light and kept an empty gaze. "Hey, louse! What're you getting at?" He raised his voice a little but it had no effect on whatever trapped Izaya. He looked so dead that it felt like Shizuo was being sucked into those pouring dark dead eyes or drowning in a sea of blood. His voice was quite and carried no emotion but a tint of soulless misery.

"I don't blame you..."

"I guess I did deserve it..."

"Hey...!"

Who or what was speaking- that was not the Izaya he knew.

Shinra immediately thawed out of his frozen state and stumbled across the clearing. He pressed his hand on Shizuo's arm having fear gleam in his hazel eyes. "Shizuo stop! Let him go, please!" He pleaded. Shizuo grunted with a small frown tugging at his lips before letting go of the fabric in his hands. Celty was still aiming her shadows with hesitation but firmly while Shinra rushed to grab a hold of Izaya's shoulders.

"Izaya! Are you alright?" He spoke with worry, giving the raven a light shake. His eyes were still unresponsive as much as his whole being.

"Izaya!"

...?

It was all so clear now. The once blurred figures swaying around were now cleared into bright vision that can see better. It took forever him to realize Shinra was in front of him, arms firmly squeezing his shoulders. "Izaya!" The doctor called again. Izaya shook his head and gave the doctor a half lidded glare of somnous confusion.

"Shin...ra...?"

Everything felt hot, burning on him, face flushed and sweat beginning to soak his skin. His head was head above the clouds and couldn't keep the black from forming in his vision. Izaya was almost happy to see Shinra and himself in a safe place but felt the heavy weight of exhaustion hit his being. The feeling was like being swept off his feet and floating away into clouds- his fever was still active and returned the fainting quench.

"Izaya-!" His named rolling off of someone's tongue echoed in his head. It was all he heard after he couldn't feel his weak body any longer, giving out and collapsing forward. For once he had accepted the company of black engulf him into rest.

That's right, I've got it now.

Celty is the moon and Shinra is her bright Sun always shining upon her and showing off her beauty.

I'm the moon that wishes to stay hidden...

And Shizu-chan's the blazing Sun that uncovers my truth...

Hmm... What a disturbing fact. Truly pitiful.

The Moon truly has Hidden Beauty indeed...