Chapter 36: Dance, dance, dance~
Cheering and laughter filled the room as Shinra prepared for another round of silly games.
The smell of freshly cooked meat, alcohol and joy hung in the air as the majority of the present people seemed to enjoy their evening.
Glancing sideways, Shizuo looked at his captain.
He felt like an idiot.
Upon approaching he had noticed Izaya seemed to be in a really good mood. And who ruined it?
Right, he did.
Taking another sip of his wine Izaya had yet to say anything to the new piece of information he had been given.
His expression was unreadable. A soft sigh was all that left his lips as his eyes focused on the wine swirling inside his glass.
He seemed to be in thoughts.
"Are you okay?" The question felt somewhat stupid. After coming over to kill the mood he should rather be apologizing than asking about his feelings.
A soft shrug was given as Izaya set down the glass.
"I know now about his plans. I might have been shocked by the lengths he was willing to go to, but I came to terms with it," he announced, letting the tip of the finger trail along the circle that made up the top of the glass.
Shizuo wasn't quite convinced.
"... you don't look like it though."
A soft frown spread across Izaya's expression as he sighed.
"It's just a little unsettling to see him move for people I care about."
Again the glass was lifted to his lips- and Shizuo- Shizuo had fallen silent.
He couldn't even start to imagine what he would feel like if he were in Izaya's position.
With his sisters threatened to be abandoned, his own life on the line and now having that same threat expand?
A frown forced itself onto Shizuo's forehead. Just what kind of person would act like this? "That bastard's grin always makes me want to bash his face in when I see him."
Izaya snorted amused. "An adequate reaction I would say," another sip was taken as he glanced at Shizuo. "As long as it remains an urge of course."
He didn't even know why he added the last part, but something about the way Shizuo's gaze had hardened caused him to pause.
Even more so as he remained silent-
"Please don't actually punch him in the face." The words rushed quicker from his lips than expected.
Shizuo's eyes flickered back to Izaya.
"What? He deserves it. Imagine his reaction. It's something he wouldn't see coming."
"That's not the issue-" Izaya sighed softly, rubbing his temple. "Who knows what plans he comes up with for revenge."
… revenge huh?
The word tasted bitter to Shizuo's lips as he took a sip of his own glass. Watching Shinra making a fool of himself, most people inside the hall seemed to enjoy themselves, but to Shizuo the act couldn't seem less relevant.
They knew nothing. Of course. Being oblivious wasn't something to be blamed for, and yet Shizuo couldn't quite help but feel disdain towards the cheering crowd.
"You are smart, he failed with all his plans so far and he will continue failing." After all, Izaya was smart enough to distinguish himself from the rest.
His captain merely laughed at the comment. "Wow, you give me a lot of credit."
"Am I wrong?"
"I dunno. Seeing as he is consistently failing…" Hesitation marked Izaya's words with a bitter note as he paused. "He might just kill me personally one of these days."
It was a joke. Obviously.
Shizuo already knew how much his captain divulged in dark humor. But somehow this time it hit home harder than it should.
Blood running cold he couldn't help but feel this massive urge bubbling to the surface.
"I will kill the guy if does as much as approach you." The threat was as serious as it could get as the blond's body had tensed in response.
He was willing to commit murder just to know Izaya was safe. He should be scolding his subordinate for even voicing thoughts against the empire, especially considering there were a few people close enough who might have caught a fragment of their conversation. But instead somehow the action made Izaya feel something he couldn't quite pinpoint.
What was he supposed to do? Call off the only man that was still on his side?
Setting the glass back onto the table he shook his head.
"You wouldn't know when he strikes." It was as far of a compromise as he could meet without entirely ditching his principles.
But instead of understanding a certain amount of stubbornness was what he faced next as Shizuo merely shrugged. "Then I will just stay near you at all times."
A snort followed as Izaya couldn't help but feel somewhat flattered by the attention and care he was willing to show. "What? Are you going to watch me 24/7?"
"If it's necessary."
He was serious.
Why even? Izaya didn't get why the blond was willing to go to such lengths. He had a brother he had to protect. Shozuo had his own deal with the uppers.
It wasn't like he had nothing to lose once he acted out of order.
So what was this obsession of keeping him safe?
Izaya knew Shizuo meant what he said. Those weren't empty words. One word and he would stay true to his suggestion.
Maybe that's why it had such an impact.
Putting the wine aside, Izaya spoke.
"... Shizu-chan. In case he ever gets me good-" Bewildered Shizuo interrupted him. "I won't let that happen."
Closing his eyes, Izaya shook his head.
"No, please listen." Izaya himself didn't know what got into him as he continued with weary lips. Maybe it was the wine, maybe the topic. "My sisters, they live near wall sheena. First district, they go by the same name. I want you to get them out of here."
Shizuo frowned, but finally stopped interrupting his intention. "Out of the wall?"
Izaya smiled a bitter smile. "Out of all walls. I don't know but sometimes I feel like maybe it's safer to survive on the battlefield than here."
Silence befell the two in the midst of voices chattering over warm beer.
It was saddening.
Izaya's siblings- the fact that he was planning ahead even until after his own fucking death. What was wrong with this world that he had to consider such a possibility with no regard to the titans?
It just felt so wrong.
And the way Izaya had somewhat shrunken in his seat only made matters seem worse.
An overwhelming urge to just hug his captain and tell him everything was going to be fine overwhelmed the blond.
But wouldn't that be an empty promise? He could do nothing.
He couldn't get Izaya out of this scheme. He couldn't protect his sisters either. And if worse came to worst he couldn't even prevent Shiko from killing him.
He was powerless.
And painfully aware of it.
Grasping the flea's glass as though it was his own he quickly brought it to his lips as he downed it in one go. "Shizu-chan?"
Cringing at the bitterness, Shizuo complained. "Tastes like shit."
Izaya laughed, not quite sure what he was witnessing as he looked at the displeased frown on Shizuo's expression growing even deeper.
"I promise." He suddenly said, and the smile Izaya had held slipped from his face for a moment.
That was all Shizuo could do for now.
Try to lift at least a part of the burden off Izaya's shoulders.
A gentle, understanding smile replaced the surprise as Izaya nodded. "Thank you."
It was funny, Shizuo knew he had somewhat given Izaya an excuse to sacrifice himself or some shit with his promise, but he couldn't really be mad about it either.
He was asking for security.
And apparently Shizuo accounted for that.
Looking at the brunette making a fool of himself in the midst of the room Shizuo pointed towards him.
"Why not Shinra?" he questioned, and his captain followed his gaze as the doctor dropped from the edge off the table in an all too graceful manner.
Izaya merely shrugged. "I trust you," he mumbled quietly. "Besides, look at that guy. Would you trust him to look after two girls?"
Shizuo snorted. "I would trust him to cook titan stew." That one earned him a heartfelt laughter as Izaya quirked an eyebrow. "That again? Shizu-chan do you have some weird stew fetish I'm unaware of?"
Shizuo shrugged.
"I might, who knows?"
Suddenly the music changed, or rather an actual one appeared as the painful screeching of Shinra trying to play the violin was curtly ended by another soldier grabbing the instrument.
Well led pace and a tune that sent fret moving rushed from the middle of the room and before they knew it half of the room was starting to dance.
Having given up on the instrument he quickly adjusted to his new surroundings as he moved his body instead.
"He really loves to make a fool of himself." Izaya commented as he watched Shinra dancing just as gracefully as expected.
"He is just enjoying himself." Shizuo defended the doctor.
"He can enjoy himself when he is alone. He is a scientist in charge of finding a solution to get rid of the titans. He should be acting like it."
Looking at the old friend once more, Shizuo couldn't help but see a point in Izaya's logic.
"... true he seems carefree."
Actually- too carefree?
Seeing how Izaya was struggling to keep his reputation even while celebrating it struck Shizuo as odd that Shinra could seemingly act like he pleased. "... is he-"
"His boss is someone entirely else," Izaya informed, not even needing the question to know what Shizuo had been about to ask. "That's why he gets to do what he wants. His father is acquainted with the king. So Shinra is basically untouchable."
…heh.
Watching the doctor dance freely Shizuo couldn't help but feel the slightest bit envious. Not for himself, but for Izaya.
Half the room had started to dance in the meantime and Shizuo got up as well.
"Can you dance?" The question was directed at his captain who was sitting tight in his chair.
"It's not an ability needed to be honed to survive."
In other words, he couldn't, right?
He was obviously creating an excuse to not make a fool of himself.
"I can teach you." Shizuo offered and suddenly Izaya found his hand extended towards him. Surprise reflected in his expression as he looked at the blond.
"You know how to dance?"
"Our mother was quite fond of it," Shizuo shrugged nonchalantly, "She would ask our dad out a lot and taught us too, saying something along the lines that we would need it one day." Izaya chuckled.
Alright, that certainly sounded like a lovely mother. A tinge of sadness befell him for a moment as he thought of the reason Shizuo had used past tense when talking about her.
Eyes flickering back up he met his gaze. "She sounds lovely."
"She was," Shizuo smiled, still not taking that hand away as he insisted. "Come on."
"What?"
"Dance," Shizuo smiled, "No one can keep you from that right?"
Izaya snorted.
What a ridiculous idea.
…and yet…
Getting up from his seat he gave an exasperated sigh as he moved over.
"I must really be drunk to even consider this."
Joy lit up his subordinate's expression as he vircled away to create room for his captain.
"Alright so what do we do?" Izaya asked as he stood still, warily eyeing the moves of the people around him.
"Just follow the steps." Executing what seemed easy, Shizuo moved his feet slowly, intentionally missing the rhythm of the music as he wanted Izaya to be able to follow.
An eyebrow was raised and Izaya tried to mirror what Shizuo was doing. It didn't look hard. They were simple steps.
Yet he felt…stiff.
"I feel like an idiot." Izaya declared after just a few seconds as he did nothing close to matching Shizuo's moves. Shizuo merely laughed.
"Yeah you look like one too."
Unknown heat rushed to Izaya's face as he immediately ceased all movement.
"I'm joking, I'm joking-" Shizuo laughed quickly.
Izaya glared playfully as he slowly started moving again. "You better be."
Repeating the steps Shizuo continued trying to teach his captain. It didn't take long. A few minutes at most, until Izaya started to unfreeze and his body moved more gracefully.
A pleased smile spread across his expression and somehow Shizuo couldn't help but feel that it was gorgeous.
In general. Izaya was. With every move he made and every step he took.
Something had to be wrong with him considering how fascinated he was by his captain's mere existence- and yet when his eyes traveled to Izaya's neck all reason was lost.
There was a spot.
Darker than the rest of Izaya's skin.
Shizuo knew what that was and his memory from the time when Izaya showed him that book filled with volcanoes resurfaced from his mind.
Pictures over pictures of Izaya writhing beneath him, of his moans and gasps filled his head.
That dark spot was a kiss mark.
Feeling his head blow empty and his pants grow tight, Shizuo quickly averted his gaze.
"Right, Shizuo?"
to be continued~
Not all hope is lost xD This might still turn into a very…. enjoyable evening C;