WHOAAAA IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME! Almost a week! The holidays have been super busy! Spending time with the family all weekend, and then having to catch up with my studies. Plus I actually had to write the update! So I hope you enjoy!~
Izaya was slowly going insane. Over the past week, he was having a hard time balancing work with his personal life.
To start, he was stressed and pushed to his limit with the job that Shiki had demanded he finish. Although he said it would take only a week to finish, he knew that he was cutting his time short for his employer.
Whenever Izaya seemed to get close to a lead, it would vanish. He spent most of his time sitting in front of the computer, trying to catch loose ends and get a grip on the information he desperately needed. For once, his job wasn't easy. He had managed to grab a small lead that wouldn't disappear, and had sent the information to Shiki immediately. He had even worked diligently through the holidays to make sure he wouldn't let Shiki down.
Shizuo had tried to make Izaya take a break on Christmas Day, saying he should visit his sisters. Izaya had shooed him away and told him that he had no time for breaks.
Ahh Shizuo. Always trying to think of others. It was annoying to Izaya, knowing that the brute was trying to care about him and suddenly being "buddy-buddy".
Things between him and Shizuo had evolved into anything but simple. Or at least, anything but hateful. Shizuo seemed to have changed after the elevator crash - which was due to a faulty and outdated wiring in the building that put the left half into a power outage.
Not only was Shizuo more bent on trying to bring out that "loving" and "happy" side of Izaya that they both knew as Psyche, he was also letting that "adoring" and "calm" side of Tsugaru out more.
God, it ticked off Izaya so much. Nothing he did pushed the brute's buttons. He tried everything from knocking over his plate of food to tripping him in the hall. Every childish prank seemed to fail, and Izaya was at the end of his rope.
He could always blackmail and frame Shizuo, but what good would that do? It would bring pleasure to Izaya, but the informant wasn't stupid. In Shizuo's condition, he wouldn't make it three days in prison.
So, he ignored the desire to bother Shizuo and focused on the job that was at hand. Somehow trying to make him healthy again.
But it sure was hard to do that when all he did was stare. It made it difficult to do anything with his eyes staring a hole into your back.
Or your hips. Or ass. Or legs.
Dammit, that brute was in no way subtle. If he wanted to stare at a body, he sure knew the way to do it.
At first, Izaya thought that Shizuo was just watching him; the way a cat stares at the wall for no good reason. But after three days, he realized that the brute was definitely watching much more than the way Izaya went about his day.
At first, it was…flattering? Of course, Izaya had people glance his way many times before. He was used to that. But for someone like Shizuo to be paying extra attention was odd. It was…slightly arousing and uncomfortable at the same time.
He tried to ignore it. But it's hard to ignore when you're walking on the streets and you know that the person in front of you is staring at you through the reflections of the store windows.
Ok, he wasn't staring. Shizuo wasn't that bold. But he did glance at him from time to time and would shyly glance away whenever Izaya looked back. He also noticed that his gaze started at his face, but would shift down to his hips - but never lower. Was Shizu-chan really that modest?
Apparently not, because he had caught Shizuo glancing a bit too low for friendly eyes, although it was when Shizuo thought Izaya was noticing. However, Izaya always noticed. He never missed a stray look or a long glance.
Of course…Izaya wasn't innocent either. Shizuo was far less attune to the world around him, and didn't even catch the numerous times Izaya had grazed his eyes over that well sculpted body. For someone who was ill, Shizuo's body build didn't show it. Despite the slightly paler skin, bags under his eyes, and the small loss of muscle definition, the brute looked generally the same as a few months ago. Any random person on the street wouldn't see any difference- he was still strong and capable. Izaya knew better than that, and could see all the subtle differences in his body.
Like the way his posture wasn't exactly the same as it once was. He was very observant of the shape and tone of Shizuo's body; he was also guilty of taking glimpses when no one was looking. How could he not? He practically had a Greek god sitting in his apartment every day. A living Adonis - but maybe that was going too far.
Despite his obvious physical well being, Izaya noticed the small things to one would ever pay attention to. Like how his calm eyes were a shade duller than they used to be, and how his over all body language was much more relaxed. He also noticed the slight increase of laugh lines on his face - not due to age, but because of being ill. And of course, for smiling and laughing a lot more.
God, Shizuo sure was happier than before it seemed. With good reason too. With Izaya no longer in his hair, he had no reason to stress. Bills weren't an issue, since Izaya had started paying for those as well - although he wasn't sure why he was helping Shizuo financially.
Izaya enjoyed the at-ease look Shizuo always had. He missed the angry and short tempered beast, but this was a nice change. Something he could get used to.
One small detail that annoyed him was the fact that Shizuo was ill. That meant routine check-ups from a very flamboyant - at least in Izaya's eyes - doctor. Shinra was checking up on Shizuo at the moment, allowing Izaya some peace from the bickering he and Shizuo have been doing lately. He watched silently from the foot of the stairs, listening to Shinra talk about Shizuo's condition.
"You're doing a lot better! Your breathing doesn't sound as ragged anymore." Shinra praised. The doctor wrapped the stethoscope around his neck and scribbled a few notes as Shizuo buttoned up his shirt again.
"So, I can go back to work?"
Shinra nodded, "I don't see why not. Although, the holidays are just around the corner. He will want to let you have those days off too."
Shizuo groaned, "I just had a few months off. I don't want to have holidays off." He leaned back and crossed his arms as Shinra checked his reflexes - which were doing much better as well.
"I bet Shizu-chan just hates Christmas and wants to be a Scrooge~" Izaya piped in, stepping off the stair case to waltz over. Shizuo rolled his eyes, but kept them glued on Izaya. The raven felt the hairs on his neck stand up. He was giving him those eyes again.
"Actually, that brings up a good point Izaya." Shinra cut in, turning to face the standing brunette.
"Eh?"
"I actually forgot to send out invitations, and Celty is going to kill me for it when I get home! But we're throwing a New Years party. Celty and I would like to see everyone together for the holidays." Shinra explained, a large grin on his face. He turned back to Shizuo, "What do you think?"
Shizuo smiled, "Yeah, sounds fun to me. Although I don't think the flea will want to be around so many people."
Izaya frowned, "Have you forgotten who I am, Shizu-chan? I thrive in social situations." Shizuo leaned on his knees, his eyes narrowing with competition.
"Really now? So you'll be the first one walking around and introducing yourself?"
"Hardly. I like to observe, not participate."
Shinra stood up and clapped his hands, breaking the intense stare down Shizuo and Izaya had. "So you two are coming! Fabulous! I'll see you on the New Years Eve!"
"I never agreed to going, Shinra."
"That's cause you're too chicken to go, louse."
"Are you challenging me?"
"You tell me."
Damn, Shizuo was getting better at this. Who would have thought a stick in the mud like the brute would be the one so willing to try and challenge Izaya. Of course, the constant chases were always a challenge. But this was a new level. Izaya smirked, enjoying this adventurous side of Shizuo, "Alright then. You're on."