Chapter 31: Distracted
Was it wise to head for a club when he could catch some very well deserved rest instead? Definitely not. Was it what he wanted? More than anything else.
Colors of orange and brown mixed in the entry hall of Night Salvage and Izaya found himself smiling at the name. A nightly rescue. It really did feel like one, not that he needed to be saved right now, but the idea of moving to a place that was meant to serve not only comfort but also safety seemed awfully calming.
Especially with its very own guardian.
Slipping into the oval lounge, Izaya's eyes quickly circled the masses filling the room. It was quite early. Or earlier than usual at least. Evelyn was rushing by the second he entered and didn't seem to notice his presence at all. A tablet was dancing in her palm and a variety of shiny drinks.
"Thanks for the wait!" she announced as soon as she approached one of the tables and Izaya's eyes circled to a very busy bar.
There he was. Shizuo.
Mixing one cocktail after the other at a speed of lightning it seemed they had assumed their most efficient roles. Evelyn with her petite figure and fast agility was serving the drinks and taking the orders and Shizuo seemed to be the one to handle the creation.
Slipping past a variety of uniquely dressed humans, Izaya moved towards his favorite spot. A guy was sitting in his seat, but as soon as he laid eyes upon Izaya, his attire made of a black blouse that hugged his hips loosely enough to catch eyes all around and the emerald dangling from the far end of his earring, he quickly moved. Izaya wasn't sure whether he did it because of recognition or a sheer motive of trying to look like a gentleman, but either option was fine with him as he slipped into his favourite seat.
A pair of glasses clicked against each other and crimson dyed their insides red before being washed away by tonic. It was when Shizuo reached for a lemon on the side that his eyes finally flickered up to meet Izaya's and he felt his lips curl into a grin. "Yo."
And just for a brief moment Izaya felt the horror of rejection nagging at him from the back of his mind. Why? He didn't know, he just did. But the second the bartender's eyes settled on his face, his usual smile pulled at his lips and the sudden gush of ice left Izaya as quickly as it had arrived.
"Good to see you again."
Safe. That's what this club truly was, as Izaya felt his conscience calm down like a boat docking its anchor in the midst of a dark ocean.
"So you did miss me?" he heard himself asking and Shizuo snorted at the insinuation spread.
"Of course, what else?" And Izaya blinked at the way he phrased his words. They sounded as though he had seen his message after all and curiosity gnawed its way to the surface.
"Why didn't you call?" He expected an excuse. And Shizuo had many to choose from. Being too busy during work hours, not having known what to type. His answer however was none Izaya saw coming as Shizuo merely shrugged.
"I wasn't sure whether it was safe to." It was truthful. Honest to a fault and more accurate than Izaya liked.
Had Shizuo called he wouldn't have picked up as long as Creston was still nearby. That was a fact. And someone knowing that Shizuo was aware who he was dealing with only made him seem that much more attractive.
Shizuo nodded towards the card as their small interaction came to a standstill.
"Which one?" A drink.
He was asking which he should make.
It took Izaya way too long to follow the flow of the question and he quickly cleared his throat as all his mind could come up with was the crimson color he had watched Shizuo mix earlier.
"Something with cherries," he announced and Shizuo crossed his arms for a second of contemplation.
"A midnight tart?" he asked, and Izaya blinked, having never heard the name of the drink before. It sounded more like a desert than a beverage, but he was ready to let himself be surprised. "Sure, why not."
As if having set a well oiled machine into motion, Shizuo's hands moved with a kind of professionalism that spoke of spades of experience. Featuring sweet tart cherries, cherry juice and fresh lime juice mixed with sparkling water, Izaya's eyes followed Shizuo's motions with utmost impression. He was about to kick the conversation off with a question, but this time he was beaten to it as another guest slipped to the bar.
"Bartender, another round, please," he announced and somehow only at that moment did Izaya notice the amount of people gathered at the bar.
How did it always feel as though they were completely alone when the room was bursting with guests?
The club was as busy as it could get and quickly pouring the beverage into a crystal glass Shizuo moved it over, "Just a second, I will be right back," he announced before quickly moving to the fridge for a fresh set of limes.
And somehow Izaya felt his mood elevate even further at the announcement.
There was no need to announce his return, nor to return to his position at all. Shizuo was the bartender of this bar. As far as Izaya was considered, he was a simple guest that he had already tended to. As long as his glass was not empty he had no obligation to interact with him at all. And yet- it felt as though it had become natural for Shizuo to circle back to him.
Feeling the corners of his lips tug upwards Izaya took a sip of his drink.
This was just what he wanted. After their trip to russia and endless amount of negotiations he had craved this kind of peace. This kind of mind easing joy.
Moving slightly in his seat the cover of his wound shifted the slightest bit and Izaya felt a bit of strain on his waist. But it was more than bearable. Comparable to the sensation of sore muscles after a hard day of training, just in places that he had never used before.
"Good evening." Not having seen the guy approach from the side at all, Izaya blinked for a second as he was faced with a stranger. Smile in place, just as his neatly gelled back brown hair he grinned at him with obvious intentions and Izaya rolled his eyes.
"It was good until you arrived."
He could smell an onslaught of musky perfume, used too generously to call pleasant and he turned his back to the guy before pulling out his phone.
Khrushchev didn't write yet it seemed as his inbox stared at him with vast nothingness.
Shaking his head, Izaya held the softest smile on his lips.
She was a wicked woman. Creating a show for Creston just to get to know the bastard. Everything she said seemed to ask for an iron law of equivalent exchange. Having met the bastard with no soul she was probably going to ask for a detailed plan next regarding their interactions, dates, times and locations as well as a list of the people involved in both names as well as background.
All of which was no issue for Izaya to provide. So right now all he had to do was wait for further instructions as he managed Creston's probably biggest deal so far.
Eyes trailing back to the dancefloor he looked towards Shizuo who had joined Evelyn momentarily in her duty of serving the drinks.
Smooth and secure steps maneuvered him through the dancing guests without even breaking a sweat and Izaya found himself quite captivated by the sight.
It should be prohibited to look this good just walking around and serving cocktails.
A lot of women had their eyes on him and his professional attire. He could see them from here. A couple friends probably, taking a break from their dancing as they watched the bartender move around.
Giggles and whispered words of admiration flew from their lips while their eyes followed Shizuo and Izaya somehow found himself thinking about the night before.
About Shizuo's dilemma. And about the way Shizuo acted when his questions dug too far.
Conflicting feelings claimed Izaya as he closed his eyes for a second and sighed.
What was it that he wanted from the bartender?
Did he want to get closer or push him away? Was there even a choice in that question?
"Are you really going to ignore me?" A grumpy noise followed from the side and Izaya noticed with startled clarity that he was in fact still sitting at a bar and not alone either as the guy from earlier had apparently gone on with his ramblings.
He honestly hadn't heard a single word.
Not that he would have missed any.
Raising his finger to his lips he hushed quietly. "Sh, do you hear this annoying noise?" he whispered loud enough for the guy to perceive and his brows dipped into a confused frown. "What?"
And Izaya smiled with the realization of a long lived riddle as his expression lit up.
"Ah. I think it's coming from your mouth."
The insinuation was clear as daylight and even the guy seemed to possess enough brain cells to comprehend his words' meaning. A glare spread across his face for a moment of injured pride, but compared to most others he seemed to have at least a bit of pride left, as all he showed was a smile, and a shrug. "See you later." He announced, and for a second Izaya actually found himself half impressed as the stranger moved away with no insult on his lips.
Izaya truly wondered which part about his attitude said- oh yes please return as soon as you can. But at the end of the day he regained his peace and so he returned to his drink for a short sip.
It was then that a certain bartender finally returned to the bar.
"It's rare for you to appear during rush hour," Shizuo announced, while cleaning away the remnants of the beverages he created.
"I was just looking for some company after a busy day," Izaya shrugged.
"And you chose me?" Shizuo asked, and his lips curled into a smile. Genuine and just so disarming. "I'm honored."
He loved it. This conversation. Its playfulness and hidden hints.
"You better be," Izaya announced, and Shizuo's eyes trailed down.
Obvious and straight as an arrow he was looking at Izaya's body. At his waist in particular, and funnily enough it was the first time someone at this club looked at him like that and Izaya knew it was not in an insinuating way.
"How are you?" Shizuo asked, and Izaya was well aware he was not talking about his mood or his day of work.
Stirring his drink with the spoon that had settled inside the cup he shrugged. "Recovering just as intended."
"Intended by you or your doctor?" Izaya smiled at that, but offered an assuring shrug. "Both?"
"Bartender-" Again a stranger's voice called onto Shizuo's service from afar and Izaya duly noted that arriving earlier than usual had its perks but also its downsides.
"Coming!" Shizuo announced quickly before turning to face Izaya for a brief moment. "Sorry." And somehow that action caused Izaya to laugh. "There is no need to apologize for doing your job."
Shizuo's expression was priceless. It showed recognition, as if he himself had only just realized that Izaya was in fact not his number one priority as the bartender of this club and snorted before quickly moving off.
And Izaya found himself following his presence as he took another sip of his drink.
Shizuo was efficient.
Fast.
Helpful and wearing an ever professional smile.
He could see why he was hired.
Just watching him was mesmerizing in its own way, and somehow Izaya found himself oddly captivated by his presence.
It was when he glanced towards the group of women still watching him with obvious interest that he found himself over curious for a second.
What were Shizuo's tastes?
Did he date women before?
His whole demeanor, act and way of speech would easily get him anyone he desired, so it was not an issue of achievement, but desire.
But somehow… looking at them Izaya couldn't imagine Shizuo with them. Touching a woman, kissing one- Maybe he was into guys?
It was just a spark of an idea. Nothing more than that, and yet Izaya suddenly found himself envisioning a very vivid image of Shizuo fucking someone.
Of what his body had to look like doing so. His eyes. His voice in a context so far from the bar and Izaya felt his own pants grow tight.
Groaning for a second he shook his head and closed his eyes, "Get your mind out of the gutter," he whispered to himself before taking another sip of his midnight tart.
That was a stupid idea.
All over.
Something like that was only going to complicate things.
And so he tried to collect his thoughts and chase the image away as well as the heat coursing his body.
The sensation faded, just as expected, and yet-
Pausing for a second Izaya suddenly felt something off and his thoughts came to a standstill.
The music was still going strongly. Beats traversed the room up and down and the people moved their bodied in time to the rhythm. Chatters and laughter mixed into their very own cocktail of background noise as Izaya detached his mind from his body.
He felt off.
His body was hot, but not horny.
Looking at his hands he tried to listen to his own heartbeat. To his breathing.
He was thirsty.
Full of energy.
Oddly jittery too-
And his eyes narrowed as he recognized the sensations as one welcomed by a very strong coffee, but not at a bar.
The salty guy that had left with much less complaints than expected suddenly popped back into Izaya's mind and he closed his eyes for a second of regret as he pinched the bridge of his nose.
He didn't watch his drink like a goddamn beginner.
to be continued~
Oh my, oh my, this really isn't his week xDDDD
See you next friday everyone~
PS.: University started this week and I kinda got a bit too distracted by the courses xD So I only have two updates for you sorryy 3