Chapter 56: Mate

The force the door was met with to be opened revealed two facts at once as a very surprised and relieved expression met Izaya's and Shizuo's presence.

"Izaya-" Glasses almost falling off his nose, Shinra rubbed a spot on his knee with absentmindedness.

It was quite obvious that the doctor had only just received the news about Izaya having been released for one thing. And the second, he had clearly bumped his knee in the rush he exerted when trying to get to the front door as quickly as possible.

"Yo," Izaya replied shortly- not because he was trying to diminish Shinra's joy, no. But simply because he knew he had been keeping a lot of things from the brunette.

And as much as Shinra knew how secretive Izaya liked to be he still couldn't help but feel like he should have told him at some point.

It was a sign of obvious distrust that he had displayed.

And yet Shinra didn't seem to give a single fuck as his face showed only the brightest smile.

"Come in," he quickly offered, stepping aside to make room for the both of them.

The smell of freshly spilt coffee lingered in the air and a fitting spot on the slightly shifted living room table gave away why.

"Ah just a second, you surprised me, I didn't get to clean that up," Shinra laughed while circling to the kitchen counter. Cupboards were opened and random objects pulled down before he found what he was looking for.

"You wouldn't believe it, I was just thinking about you when you knocked," he laughed and ranted and ranted and ranted.

Shinra was just being Shinra and usually Izaya was fine with that. But right now?

Sitting down on the couch Izaya's hands grasped each other in a weak fold.

"... don't you have any questions?"

There was no use avoiding the topic at hand. Izaya had been held in custody for almost a week due to the suspicion of him being an incubus. He had been shot.

Shizuo had called Shinra to somehow save Izaya's ass.

If there was anything to talk about right now then it definitely wasn't the coffee.

Slowing down in his spur of excitement and hint of solemnity grazed Shinra's expression. A weak smile was given and the paper towel set aside as he leant against the kitchen counter.

"I'm not that stupid," he said slowly, while looking at Izaya and somehow that told Izaya everything that he needed to know. Shinra wasn't mad. No matter how, but he had somehow known that Izaya was an incubus. Had so for a long time Izaya suspected and yet there was not a shred of anger or disappointment to be found in his eyes.

Shinra was just Shinra, and the momentarily tinge of guilt dissipated into its rightful nonexistent place.

"But I didn't know you were one," Shinra continued, feigning something that almost sounded like an offense as he addressed a certain now black haired debt collector in the room.

Izaya snorted, "Me neither."

Though looking back now he could have probably guessed. Knowing through Shinra that incubi had an accelerated ability to heal everything he had witnessed during their fights made sense. Thinking about it, addressing the blond as a monster had been much more on point than he had thought.

A glance was cast towards Izaya and he noticed as he moved his attention back to the doctor in the room.

"So?" Shinra asked, "Why are you here?" The best question of the day.

Shizuo wanted an answer to that as well.

"How cold, there I am visiting my friend and then that," Izaya complained half heartedly and Shinra responded with a laugh.

"Putting me before your sisters? Fat chance in hell that's the order you would go about."

Certainly.

"Sharp," Izaya praised and pushed himself off the couch. "We might be being tailed," he announced, while moving to the window up front. A curtain was moved aside barely as he glanced down onto the road.

The even sun had already set and despite the many lights in the city Izaya could barely make out anything but suspicious shadows on the road.

"By who?"

Izaya didn't need to turn around to hear the sudden increase in caution in Shinra's voice.

"The cops?" Izaya said with a shrug although he wasn't quite sure whether this was actually an official business. Something about that officer Vincent just seemed off. And considering he had already been released only supported the idea that his true goal might not be getting Izaya locked up in prison after all.

Of course that was just speculation, but it was what Izaya felt to be closest to the truth.

"I thought you were released?" Shinra uttered what sounded like a complaint and Izaya couldn't help but laugh. "Me too."

It was funny how Shinra was the one getting offended in Izaya's stead.

"Maybe you are?" Shizuo repeated his earlier conclusion, albeit not with much fervor. But Izaya shook his head. He couldn't blame Shizuo for getting his hopes up. After all, there was a lot that he hadn't told him yet.

"While inside that cell I was pretty clearly threatened by one of the officers. Right before they let me go," he finally uttered and Shinra's and Shizuo's expressions aligned in the depth of their frowns.

Izaya half expected Shizuo to go on a rampage, turn around to bust up the police station or something alike. Instead he remained awfully calm.

Shinra was in fact the first person to speak.

"... then why did they let you go?" he mumbled quietly, spelling out what was lingering in all their heads.

"Right? It's weird." Vincent's intention was a complete riddle to Izaya.

Dealing with Hachiro was one thing, for ratting him out to the police and framing him. Izaya knew how to go about these matters, but with a person he knew nothing about?

"So what are you going to do?" Shizuo asked, and suddenly Izaya realized why Shizu-chan hadn't freaked out upon hearing of the threat. Because he was here. Because he was probably confident that Shizuo himself was more than able to protect Izaya and Izaya capable of escaping that danger for good.

A smile crept along his lips as he couldn't quite deny enjoying the trust that Shizuo seemed to display.

"What I am best at. Find out everything there is about that bastard," he announced, and with that Shinra moved. Izaya's belongings were still split. Some back at the flat, some at the police station. He hadn't really cared to retrieve those as everything was at risk of having been bug infested.

Shinra didn't need to be told twice either as he immediately moved to get his phone and an old laptop placed in his study.

Within seconds Izaya was in his best element.

Talking. Persuasion. Information gathering.

Slithery like an eel his words flew from his lips and right to his various contacts.

Shizuo could only sit there and watch as he waited.

In a moment of attentiveness Shizuo remembered that Izaya hadn't quite eaten anything decent recently and after quietly informing Shinra, the doctor steered into the kitchen before putting a few sandwiches next to the busy raven.

A cup of hot chocolate was served in front of Shizuo's nose as well and he looked at it with slight confusion.

"Except you suddenly like coffee?" Shinra questioned whilst taking a seat next to him.

"No, thank you," he quickly said and grasped the mug. It was a grotesque one really. "I love Celty" was written on its side and from the looks of it Shinra had done the pottery of this piece himself.

Shizuo couldn't help but think it was a miracle it wasn't leaking when he set it on his lips. He couldn't really say why, but somehow it was right then that Shizuo remembered their last interaction.

The phone call after Izaya had been shot, and he paused mid drink and his eyes narrowed.

"Thank you," he uttered, and Shinra seemed quite confused by the repetition of gratitude that he linked to the hot chocolate only.

"What?"

"That call," Shizuo clarified, and his grip on the mug tightened. "When Izaya was shot-" he faded out, but the doctor didn't need to hear the rest to draw a proper connection.

"Ah, don't mention it. I'm glad to see you followed my analogy though," Shinra smiled, and Shizuo mirrored the expression. Shinra had been telling him about the hero of his little story, a reference to Izaya of course, but right now he couldn't help but think that Shinra was the true hero.

"How did you know? That incubi heal this fast?" Shizuo asked next, careful to keep his voice low as Izaya was still talking back and forth with various unknown people and clients.

"I have treated a lot of people. Yakuza, incubi, I don't really see a difference between one shade of shady and another," Shinra shrugged, and somehow that made more sense than Shizuo would have thought. "I suspected he was one," Shinra continued, nodding towards the devil in question, "And I guess he figured I know, but we never really talked about it."

That sounded like Izaya, yeah. He was like a clam. Only hard to be opened, and even harder to find the gap to slighter inside the shell, but definitely not by force. Except you used enough to crush him entirely which wasn't really what Shinra had in mind Shizuo suspected.

"You are coming as a surprise though," Shinra suddenly addressed Shizuo and his expression fell a little, "What about your brother?"

Of course.

Shinra was aware of the fate incubi had to suffer so the question might have been viewed as a little overbearing and nosy. But Shizuo saw no problem in telling Shinra. He had no bad intentions and he didn't think Kasuka would complain.

"Same as Izaya. But he actually found a lover that fits his problem," he revealed, and as expected the expression of worry that the doctor had shown warped to one of relief.

"Hehhh, that sounds amazing," he grinned, and it might have been the mug, maybe his smile, but at that moment Shizuo was just reminded of how much of a romantic Shinra was at heart.

Time passed faster than Shizuo thought in that manner and before the both of them knew it Izaya shut the laptop with a light groan.

The sandwiches were gone and the same went for his stamina it seemed as he rubbed his temples.

"No success?" Shizuo asked, and Izaya shook his head.

"How can a guy that's drugging inmates have a reputation this clean?" he complained aloud, "He is as white as a sheet of paper."

"So you have no idea what he is doing?" Shinra asked, receiving the same gesture along with a sigh. "Not a clue."

"Does it matter?" Shizuo asked, getting up from the couch. "If he tries anything I will just bust his face in."

Izaya snorted. That was just such a typical answer coming from Shizuo. Even Shinra seemed amused as he stifled a laugh.

"Violence is not the answer to everything Shizu-chan," Izaya reminded, but cut down on the sarcasm of the answer, "Also he is still an officer. I wasn't aware you are such a fan of custody cells."

A slight onflight of discomfort grazed Izaya's expression and Shizuo frowned.

"All good?" Shinra asked faster than Shizuo could and the raven nodded.

"Yeah, just a little headache."

"Need a charge?" Shizuo joked and Izaya snorted.

"Alright, I will be outside I guess-" Shinra quickly announced. He had clearly picked up the humor of the conversation and simply decided to add his own with a smug face.

"No need." Izaya sighed and pushed himself up from the chair. "I just need some fresh air."

"Fresh air." Shibra repeated with a raised eyebrow and Izaya shook his head with a snort.

"I'm coming with you," Shizuo announced and completed Shinra's personal comedic sketch as he nodded to himself.

"For the fresh air."

"You are having the time of your life here aren't you?" Izaya commented and Shinra only showed a grin.

"Very much so, yes."

The coat Izaya had previously tossed aside was picked up from the couch and he moved to the door.

"We will be back in a few minutes," he announced and Shinra's amusement only peaked as he called.

"Take your time~!"

This guy, really.

Closing the door behind them the two made their way down the flight of stairs.

Izaya was glad. Genuinely. He had known Shinra for years, but the hesitation he had held onto when it came to reveal his genes had still weighed on his mind.

Having him react this mild and just Shinra-like came as much expected as it was a relief.

Stepping onto the pavement in front of Shinra's apartment Izaya took a deep breath of the night air.

"Are you alright?"

Shizuo had been the one to ask. Following by his side quietly he had been suspiciously timid.

"Yes. Shizuo. I actually am" Izaya assured and threw an amused side glance, "I hope you weren't hoping for something because I'm really just gonna step out for a bit."

A snort followed and Shizuo quickly shook his head.

"Nah, I figured as much."

"Good."

The soft touch of water touching the tip of Izaya's nose brought his attention to the sky. Another drop grazed his cheek dangerously close to his eye and he blinked.

Ah. Rain.

Stepping back towards the building Izaya moved into the safety of the roof's edge.

Quite the amount of time had passed. A clock in the distance told Izaya it was almost midnight and he tilted his head back against the wall.

"... what now?"

Reopening the eyes he had just closed he glanced at Shizuo who had joined him in his rain safe spot. "You were released. Those officers don't have any proof of you being an incubus. So you are free," Shozuo quickly summarized, "Sure that officer might try something, but you will take care of that, right?"

A bit confused, Izaya looked at his partner in crime.

"Of course I will, what do you take me for?" It wasn't like Shizu-chan to just randomly summarize facts.

A question seemed to trip on the verge of his lips and he awkwardly shifted in his stance.

"... so?" Shizuo asked, and his eyes met Izaya's.

It took Izaya a full second if not two to interpret the gaze that seemed so full of care.

Shizuo was talking about the two of them.

How they would continue.

Together.

They never really talked about it, after confessing their feelings.

After fucking the living daylights out of each other, prison had been the next stop on their road.

It has really fucked up the pace.

And yet-

Feeling his chest grow with warmth, Izaya smiled.

He already knew the answer.

Izaya remembered the way he craved Shizuo's presence.

Not to be fucked, but for his company.

Just being by his side.

Yeah- the answer was clear wasn't it?

"... my apartment is huge, you know." Izaya suddenly said and Shizuo was struck with a bit of stupor.

"What?"

"You probably know better than me considering how many times you have been over so far," Izaya continued to elaborate, "It would easily fit two people."

The rain picked up and the soothing noise of ripples forming in gathering pits picked up by the second as Shizuo's lips curled into a smile.

"... are you asking me to move in with you?"

A quick shrug was given and offense feigned as Izaya nodded, "Have you seen your apartment? It looks like crap. The other way round would be a waste of time and space."

Of course.

That's all it was.

Shizuo snorted and somehow he couldn't help but feel like this answer was exactly what he had expected of Izaya.

And suddenly Shizuo moved closer.

One hand on the wall next to Izaya's head the other reached forward to tilt Izaya's chin upwards.

The kiss was sweeter than anything Izaya had ever tasted.

Soft, and filled with warmth.

Leaving off for a second their gazes met and Izaya's fingertips grazed Shizuo's cheek.

"So it's the two of us? Together?" Shizuo asked and Izaya smiled.

"Has it ever been anything else?" Again their lips touched and Izaya could feel Shizuo smile into the kiss.

The sound of rain picked up and Shizuo's hand trailed down to Izaya's shirt.

Quicker than expected Izaya found Shizuo closing the last bit of distance and that touch traveling beneath his shirt.

Goosebumps traveled down Izaya's spine and he gasped into the kiss.

Pushing away unwillingly, he looked at Shizuo with what was supposed to be a scolding.

"Shizu-chan, we are outside."

His eyes were dark black, and Izaya had a feeling his own weren't showing anything less but bright pink.

"... I think Shinra has to go out for a walk after all." Shizuo whispered and Izaya laughed.

"Hey-" he called out with a teasing jab to Shizuo's side.

The moment was just so perfect.

So peaceful.

And suddenly that peace was ripped to violent shreds as a noise cut it into three pieces.

The shot of a gun.

Blood.

And Izaya on the ground.

to be continued~

C: C: C: C: Guess who is coming C: C: C: C: