Today's the day!
Shizuo
I couldn't remember the last time I had slept to this satisfaction. My body and mind felt rested and untroubled, as it had found a pleasurable balance between a congenial dreamland and reality. I was well aware of my surroundings; the fancy interior of the elaborate room, the unimaginably expensive furniture — including the mattress I was currently occupying — as well as the lush sheets and matching comforter I had bundled myself in. But that was what made it even more of a delusion. The phantasmal sense of tranquility of my surroundings, left me feeling immaculate as I laid there in a daze. Each time it crept up, I denied myself assertiveness in hopes of falling into another palatable unconscious state. I had nearly reached it too, until suddenly, I felt cool air greet my skin and an absence of warm fabric.
As a primal reaction, I quickly tugged the layer of blankets back over me, nestling irritably at the interruption. I relaxed once more, trying to find the peace that had slipped through my fingers, however, the unwelcome breeze came again at the lack of covers. This time I didn't hesitate to pull with more force, but something, or rather someone, came with it.
"Stupid brute!" the familiar voice scolded from on top of me. "I've let you sleep in long enough! If you intend on sleeping any more, you'll miss your own birthday!" There was a sharp flick to my temple before he got off.
I groaned dramatically at the thought, shielding my eyes from the bright, unwelcoming light that burned my retinas as I opened them blearily. I let him resume dragging the rest of the comforter completely off without a fight, acknowledging that there was no sense in arguing this early in the morning. The sudden rush of shivery air had me collapsing into more of a fetal position as I felt the abandonment of my source of protection. He may have won the blankets, but he couldn't force me out of bed.
He sighed impatiently again at my protesting. There was silence for a moment, and I thought he had left, when I suddenly sensed him creep closer, feeling his breathing at too close a range.
"How rude," he jested half-heartedly, "and here, I went through all this trouble for the arrangement of your party...Hasn't anyone told you to be more considerate?"
"Tch." I rolled over, away from the velvety sounding voice in my ear.
"Oh, come now, Shizu-chan," he whispered with a dark undertone as he sat down on the bed next me. "You wouldn't want to miss out on all the fun plans I've made, would you~?."
I tensed when I felt the almost invisible touch of his fingers ghost along the bare skin of my arm, giving me goosebumps. I turned my head to face him grimly, squinting, as my eyes adjusted to the light.
"...What plans?" I asked in a voice, gravelly from sleep.
"Ah, if it weren't for that hideous facial expression, I could have sworn you were excited," he teased playfully, a sudden change in mood. "Very well, curiosity will just have to do." He poked my cheek harshly, prodding the spot as I eyed him in annoyance. He gave me a thoughtful look. "Seriously, it's as if you're waiting for the wrinkles to come...Turn that frown upside down~," he sang happily as he forced the direction of my cheeks upward with his index fingers into a very unpleasant smile. I only glowered at him more as he hummed in amusement to himself before standing up.
Tiredly admitting defeat, I sat up to stretch. I yawned, giving my muscles a chance to wake up as I scratched the back of my head, meeting Izaya's half-lidded gaze as he stood at the foot of my bed.
"Can I help you?" My voice was always raspier in the morning, but today it felt unfamiliar.
"No, no," he dismissed through the air, although there was clearly something more he had to say. He shrugged, folding his arms and smiling mirthfully as if I were clearly a sight to see. "It simply amazes me that you can just lay around on such an important day."
I raised an eyebrow quizzically. "It's just a birthday?" I announced, running my fingers through my bed head, which he kept eyeing.
"Not just any birthday, but your eighteenth birthday!" He corrected me as if there was some other unbeknownst correlation to the event that I was missing.
"I...don't really see your point...?"
He rolled his eyes and uncrossed his arms. "Here, I have something for you."
I caught the small box he lightly tossed to me with both hands and inspected the foreign packaging of the cigarettes he hadn't bothered to wrap.
"It's a foul habit," he sighed, "but these are organic and have no nicotine in them. I figured you might live an extra day or two…" I met his gaze in confusion at the gesture that was obviously awkward for him too. "Just think, you're a year closer to being able to doing that legally," he said hurriedly, to change the subject.
I was perplexed by his sudden act of gratuity, shocked he had gone out of his way to even get me something. Let alone something I'd actually use, though, it wouldn't be long lasting.
My mind quickly tacked down to why, exactly, the flea might do something so out of character. "They're not poison are they...?" I asked suspiciously. "And how did you get these? You're not exactly an adult yourself." The legal age to smoke was twenty, afterall.
"How could you accuse me of such a thing?" he gasped dramatically, clutching a hand over his chest.
I rolled my eyes at the front. "No, seriously, where did these even come from?"
"Just because I'm not as tall and scary enough to pass for twenty like some people," his gaze flickered to me with a cheshire smirk, "I still have my ways~. However, that's not what's important...Silly Shizu-chan is breaking laws already, when he's so close to being an adult...Well, in some countries you already are, I suppose," he said, tapping his chin and he sighed. "Though, as you continue to follow the road of bad decisions, I'm sure cigarettes will be the least of your problems." His grin suddenly widened. "In fact, I'm ninety-nine percent certain that by the time you do reach adulthood, I'll be seeing that foul expression of yours on all the wanted posters as far as the eye can see...Mr. Criminal~."
"You're the supplier here, flea," I scoffed, holding up the blue and red box as pretend evidence to the criminal act. "If I'm going down, I'm taking you with me."
His demeanor changed to playfully muse me once again. "Ah, then I wonder if they'll let us share a cell~? Though, orange does wash me out...Or perhaps, if you play nice, I'll pay your bail?" he chided, and I shook my head. "Anyway, I'm going to breakfast. I trust you can get ready by yourself, ne? Or does the birthday boy perhaps desire an extra hand this morning~?" He leaned in, making a suggestive hand motion with a sly smirk.
"I'll pass, thank you," I said as flatly as I could muster, but there was a definite hint of embarrassment at his offer. "You can go ahead…'Sides, I'm gonna go out for a smoke first, if it's safe, that is," I replied, examining the imported pack once more.
"As safe as smoking will ever be, Shizu-chan," he chimed, waving goodbye. "Enjoy it, for there are plenty more surprises to come~." He winked before shutting the door behind him, leaving me alone in an empty room.
Slightly confused by the extra peppiness in his step, gift giving, and innuendos, I shoved those questions aside and got out of bed. I didn't have time to be lounging around any longer if it meant keeping people waiting.
And so, the morning ritual commenced, as I tried to erase my memory of the flea's awkward gesture that still left the hairs on the back of my neck standing, and the heat in my cheeks remained. I took care of the necessities and dressed myself in a white v-neck, a purple zip-up jacket, and black jeans. Suitable enough for a birthday outfit, I decided, thinking back to how important Izaya was making the day out to be.
Before heading out the door, I grabbed my heavier jacket, stuffing my newly acquired, organic cigarettes into my pocket. I had checked the alarm clock on my way out, and as the louse had said, he actually did let me sleep in. It was 10:45 now. I supposed if he had gone to meet everyone else at our usual breakfast table, they all must have slept in a little too. That thought made me feel a little relieved as I went down the elevator and through the front doors of the lobby to sit under the overhang at the familiar bench by the ashtray. I hadn't had a cigarette before bed last night so I was especially anxious to try the ones Izaya gave me.
Oh, that's right...after 'certain events', smoking had been the last thing on my mind the night before.
The flick of the hot lighter in the crisp morning air warmed my face as I took a long drag. The taste was strong and earthy, but not bad, and better yet, not poison or any other drug, for that matter. The smoke in my lungs heated the chill off my body from the inside, out. The small buzz from not smoking the previous evening woke me up just a little bit more than usual. Running a hand through my hair, I stared blankly at the concrete sidewalk.
Eighteen, huh?
I chuckled under my breath and took another drag.
And you just had your first kiss.
I exhaled, shaking my head at the lame realization.
And with Izaya fucking Orihara.
I closed my eyes, burying my face in my hands, give for the cigarette that stuck out of the corner of my mouth. Flashbacks from the night before were a like a record playing on repeat in my mind.
I kissed him...I actually kissed him...
"I...I kissed Izaya," I whispered to myself, as if finally admitting to the deed. Saying it out loud made me shiver. The feeling was finally sinking in. I didn't...regret it, necessarily, but the thought made me shift uncomfortably in my seat. The fact that I kissed my mortal enemy. Or rather, was my enemy. I had no idea how things stood between us now. Especially now. Nonetheless, the majority of my discomfort wasn't because we used to hate each other. It was because...
"Dammit!" I hissed through my teeth.
I had never really thought about my sexuality. Like really sat down and asked myself: "Am I straight, or gay?" But right now, for some reason, that question was burning like a kindled fire in the back of my mind. It's not like I was against the idea of liking a guy, but come on...IZAYA?! Of all people?!
If someone would have told me a week ago that I was going to start liking the man whose guts I'd hated for the past three years, I'd have sent them to the hospital. But...kissing someone and liking someone were two totally different things, right? Like, I guess I was just curious. Yeah, that's it.
I wasn't going to deny that the flea looked...better than most guys. From time to time I even thought that certain outfits looked very...fitting on him. But last night there was something more. A combination of his all black ensemble maybe? No, he always wore all black...The atmosphere? It was kind of cheesy and romantic...How about how completely innocent he looked as he glowed angelically under the pink lighting? Maybe it was all of the above?
I sighed, crushing the stub of my cigarette that had burned to ash in the sand of the ashtray. As much as I wanted to try another one, smoking Izaya's gift wasn't resolving any part of the mental war my brain was having. I decided to savor the rest of my present and head back inside, seeing as I was already fashionably late to breakfast.
I entered the dining hall and walked towards the long table by the window my friends pushed together every morning to fit us all. When they saw me approaching, I heard snickers and whispers, most undeniably about me.
"Shh! There he is!"
"He's coming!"
"Shut up! Shut up!"
"One, two, three—!"
"HAPPY BIRTHDAY!" they all cheered loudly, out of sync and out of tune.
I couldn't help but smile inwardly at the effort and rub the back of my neck in embarrassment from all the other individuals in the room who looked up from their meals. It sort of made me forget it all. It was the break I needed from all the questions and thinking.
The other students in my class who were also dining around us, wished me a happy birthday as well. I even received a few pats on the back, strangely enough. I wasn't friends with any of them, but I was...popular, in my own way. Or at least, everyone knew me in a somewhat fearful manner. It made me smile nonetheless.
I hung my jacket on the back of my chair and took a seat in front of Erika, with Izaya to my left.
"Ne, finally decided to show up, sleeping beauty?" Izaya chuckled, elbowing me as he got up from the table. I didn't pay him any mind as I bashfully avoided the gazes of my peers.
"Wow, Shizuo, you're a pretty popular guy today!" Shinra said with a smile, pushing up his glasses.
I laughed and shook my head. "Nah, most of them just want to stay on my good side."
"We got you your favorite!" Erika stated happily, pointing to the prepared meal in front of me.
It was a huge stack of waffles, covered in strawberry toppings and whip cream. There was also a bowl of fresh strawberries on the side with ice cream and strawberry syrup.
"Wow," was all I could say as I stared at the colourful, red and pink arrangement of strawberries lined up in a smiley face. It was more than just a little surprising and definitely overwhelming. "You guys didn't have to do all this for me—"
"Well, actually," the brunette leaned in closer as she spoke in a whisper. "When we came down here to meet up with Izaya, it was already prepared." We both looked down at the happy emoticon made of fruit as was beginning to slide around from the heat of the waffles. "He said you looooved strawberries~."
My heart fluttered for no reason at all when she let me in on the secret. I tried to swallow the lump that was forming in my throat that had nothing to do with how sickeningly heartwarming her story was. Not in the least bit. "But...is this even part of the buffet?" I whispered back, confused and slightly embarrassed at the open generosity the man had been showing me this morning.
She shrugged.
"How did he—?"
"Because I know everything, Shizu-chan."
The sudden voice behind me had me nearly leaping out of my skin as he set a tall glass of a creamy pink liquid in front of me and took his seat, sipping his own hot cup of coffee.
"Is...that...?"
"Strawberry milk? Your favourite? Yes. It is," he stated matter-of-factually.
I was either too strangely astounded or too utterly creeped out — or both — that I couldn't even respond immediately. Nonetheless, I felt a blush flush to my cheeks either way.
Eventually I composed myself enough to thank him awkwardly for a second time in the past hour. I ignored the strange facial expressions coming from the girl across from me and tried to eat peacefully. Finally, when she had focused on another conversation with the rest of the table, I turned my attention to the flea who was still quietly sipping at his mug.
"Seriously, how did you...?" I asked quietly not to regain the females attention.
He sighed with a dry smile. "I've known you for three years. Even Shinra has paid enough attention to know about your strawberry fetish — that you don't hide, mind you." He laughed inwardly at his own joke. "You also forget my hobbies include observing people."
Well that much was true, I guess...
"But I like to keep special tabs on you, Shizu-chan," he said clearing his throat, directing his attention to me. He was stirring his coffee aimlessly as he spoke. "I know all about what you like and dislike~."
I paused before my next bite to look him in the eye, only mildly disturbed by the way he wiggled his eyebrows with the lilt in his tone.
"Isn't that more like stalking?"
He chuckled and shook his head, then rested his chin in the hand that wasn't holding his drink. "You've always been more of a...personal interest of mine." He smirked the way he usually did when he was up to something.
I frowned and set down my fork. "'Personal' interest?"
"If you hadn't noticed, you've always been a bit of extra trouble for me." Though, the way he spoke didn't sound anything that resembled a complaint. "Of course, I had to know more about you to push your buttons and get different reactions. It's quite simple."
Just when I was about to reply, our conversation was cut short when Erika spoke up.
"Did you two hear any of that?"
"Of course, Erika, going to the arcade sounds like a fabulous way to spend a birthday." He still kept his eyes locked with mine as he spoke to the voice behind him.
How the hell did he do that anyway?!
"Wouldn't you agree, Shizu-chan?" His eyes narrowed slightly in a challenging way. I couldn't read him all of the sudden so I just nodded in agreement.
After we were dismissed, the two of us went back up to the room for our wallets and I hung my jacket back in the closet. On the way up however, there were countless times where I'd notice the flea watching me from the corner of his eye. When I would catch him, he would just look away and pretend like nothing had happened. He was also standing closer than usual.
"Okay, you're being really weird." I finally spoke up when we were alone back in the room. "Like...more than usual."
He was facing away when he sighed heavily, then turned to me.
"You really have caused a bit of trouble for me, you know" he said monotonously. "I wasn't lying." The sudden change in his mood took me by surprise. Perhaps I shouldn't have said it like that...
I knew we had had it out for each other since we met, but I thought things were fine the past few days. Shouldn't he be feeling the opposite? Now that we were finally getting along and not at each other's throats? It certainly made my life easier.
Then again...last night we were more than just 'getting along'... That, however, was a subject I didn't particularly want to touch with a ten foot pole…
I missed the rest of his tangent about my being a nuisance, always inconveniencing him, etc., and swallowed my pride.
"L-Look...I get it. If it was about last night...I-I don't know what came over me. I just—"
I was silenced by the finger he placed gently against my lips. It was scary, even to me, how easily I allowed him to shut me up.
"You really are incomprehensibly dense," he sighed looking at me with a smile in pity. Before I had a chance to reply, his facial expression relaxed. "You like all things sweet...ne?" he breathed tenderly.
The entirely inapposite question and close proximity threw me off guard. Instead of asking for an elaboration, I raised an eyebrow, uncertain of my own voice and not wanting to disturb the index shushing me.
His garnet eyes looked into mine almost dreamingly. "Sweet things. I thought surely my charm would go over well with you..." Ah, a pun. Through his smile I could tell he looked a little hurt.
Shit.
This whole time he was just trying to be genuinely kind to me...He really must have thought today was an important day, after all the trouble he went through to do these nice things...And here I was, trying to figure out his ulterior motives and being an inconsiderate douchebag.
I tried collecting myself to apologize for such a selfish mistake. "N-No I appreciate it!" I spoke with the pad of his finger moving as my mouth did. "I didn't mean—!"
"It's such a pain in the ass to act this endearing," he sighed, as he brushed his thumb over my lips soothingly. His eyes focused on my mouth as he caressed the skin; their usual mischievous glint returning. "It really cramps my style, you know?" He poked my nose and winked. "Besides, it's so boring when Shizu-chan's not getting flustered over my every move," he teased. "Where's the fun in that, ne?"
I sighed inwardly in relief. Right, this was Izaya we were talking about...He doesn't get discouraged that easily.
It was second nature for me to smirk back at the normalcy. "Heh, yeah, that sinister face of yours really doesn't match up with your attempts at human decency."
"Where are your manners?" he pretended to gasp. "I think my face is quite lovely, actually," he said, stroking the smooth apple of his cheek.
"Of course, you do. That's what they call, 'having an ego'."
He raised an eyebrow and chucked deprecatingly. "I don't know who you're trying to fool here, Shizu-chan. I know you find me attractive too."
I was taken back by his blunt accusation and forgot how to form a proper sentence. "W-What are you even saying?" I laughed brokenly. "I mean, you're-you're a guy!"
That probably wasn't my best comeback…
There was a moment of silence. In that moment, his expression changed completely.
"Heh, how original," he scoffed, demeanor making a one-eighty. "And did that happen to just slip your mind last night or something?" he smirked condescendingly.
Fuck he had to throw me under the bus now, when I finally thought we were going to avoid the topic.
"Sh-Shut up flea! It was the lights or some shit!" I looked away from his predominate gaze, for I knew I'd only feel more ashamed.
"There you go, getting flustered again~," he sneered.
I realized though, that it wasn't just me at fault here.
"You didn't exactly reject me either, now did you?"
"I could have~."
"But you didn't," I said flatly.
"Yes, that would have been rather embarrassing on your behalf, now wouldn't it?"
"Don't change the subject, flea! Admit it. You...did it too!" I stuttered, and I knew my face was tomato red, but like hell if I was gonna back down now.
He broke into sudden laugh. "What exactly is 'it' Shizu-chan? Do you mean our kiss?" Are you actually that prude to not be able to say it out loud?" he said bewilderedly in disbelief.
"..."
"I know exactly what's going on here," he stated, his voice coated in amusement.
"And what would that be?" I asked between my teeth.
"You like me. Don't you? You're so infatuated with me you can't even hide it~!"
I didn't respond with words, my actions spoke for me. I picked him up by the collar in fury. He simply laughed some more.
"Now you pretend to be Mr. Tough-Guy?" he snickered. "The red in your cheeks really makes your eyes sparkle, brute."
"Shut it flea, or my face won't be the only thing you see that's red!"
"Oh my!" he covered his mouth as he not-so-subtly giggled. "Are you suggesting you're blushing elsewhere too, Shizu-chan? Isn't this a little sudden?"
"SHUT UP, YOU FUCKING PERVERT!" I shouted, nearly throwing him against the wall.
"Stop denying it, Shizu-chan! You're in love with me!" he cried gleefully, ignoring my force.
"I SAID, SHUT THE HELL UP!"
"What are you going to do? KISS ME again if I don't?!" he cackled.
"Oh yeah?" I let my grip relax a little bit as my voice lowered. "Two can play at that game."
I shut my eyes and closed in on his face until I stopped just millimeters from his lips. His sharp breath intake rang throughout the otherwise completely silent room.
I smirked and opened my eyes to look into his wide ones, still lingering away from his mouth.
"You wanna talk about denial?" I said in a gravelly voice laced with amusement. "Look in a fucking mirror."
"..."
His eyes were still wide when I dropped him to the ground and turned my back to pick up my wallet and walk out the door. With my hand still on the handle, I brought the other to my chest feeling the loud heartbeat pounding within it.
Shit, I breathed heavily, that was close!