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“Izaya.”
Shizuo doesn’t expect Izaya to actually stop for him, but something in his voice must give away that he actually has something to say, and that he’s not just roaring mindlessly. The informant raises an eyebrow, staying a safe distance away as he waits.
“Russia Sushi,” Shizuo says. “We fight like this because we always go at the same time, and it’s never going to fucking work. So how about you take this Friday, I’ll take the next, and we’ll alternate going forward?”
Izaya smirks.
“That’s actually pretty smart, Shizu-chan. Well done.”
“Yeah, yeah. So, are you in? Next Friday I don’t want to see you within a fucking mile of here.”
“Sure,” Izaya says smoothly. “We could even take it further than that. We go to Russia Sushi on other days, after all. We can alternate Fridays, and you can have Mondays, Wednesdays and Sundays, and I’ll have Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.”
“Why should you get Saturdays? You don’t even live here!”
“I’m doing you a favour, Shizu-chan, Saturdays are also super busy,” he says, rolling his eyes. “But fine. You can take Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, I’ll take the latter, and we'll alternate Fridays.”
“Whatever,” Shizuo mumbles. He doesn’t even go that much, but it’s never a bad idea for he and Izaya to avoid each other.
“Well, must dash,” Izaya says, giving him a wide berth as he circles back in the direction of their beloved sushi joint. “Fatty tuna awaits.”
This plan works quite well. Izaya actually sticks to his days, and Shizuo is safe in the knowledge that whenever he goes for Russia Sushi, he’ll go in peace. Unless he craves it on one of Izaya’s days, which is never fun. He knows Izaya doesn't go that much either, but he doesn't want to risk getting caught breaking their pact, as he knows Izaya will make sure he gets his dues.
Shizuo’s quite pleased with himself, until Dennis sniffs something's up and ruins everything.
“Why are you never here with Izaya now?” he demands, with surprising aggression.
Shizuo explains. He’s quite proud of his peace-keeping tactic, but Dennis is already shaking his head.
“This will not do,” he says. “There used to be two of you instead of one. This means we lose custom unnecessarily.”
Shizuo’s heart sinks.
“That's not true - I come here more now that I know I won't run into Izaya, I swear I do. And we were always fighting outside - “
“Not always,” Dennis says. “Once or twice, if you arrive or leave together. Mostly when you're here together you just eat. Eating is good. Eating brings peace.”
“Yeah, eating is cool, but I think Izaya-kun and I enjoy eating much more when we don’t have to be anywhere near each other.”
Dennis ignores this.
“From now, you and Izaya can only eat here if you eat together.”
“What? Together? As in, at the same table?"
“I will tell Izaya tomorrow," Dennis says placidly. "It will be his last meal alone here.”
“But - but what about takeaway? What about eating with my friends?”
“No takeaway. And no eating with friends until you start coming here with Izaya as well.”
Shizuo groans. “All this for one customer? What difference does it make?”
“It’s not just about custom, it’s about peace. It’s important.”
And with that he leaves him alone.
Shizuo looks down at his food that he no longer wants. He looks around for Simon, for moral support, but he is busy outside enticing people in, and he wouldn’t be able to help anyway. Dennis’ word is final.
The expected call from Izaya comes the next evening, and he somehow sounds more amused than mad.
“What do you think of Simon's little ploy?”
“What do you think I think?” Shizuo growls. “I think it’s fucking stupid. What did you say to him?”
“What could I say? I said sure. I need my fatty tuna. Perhaps you shouldn’t have suggested our alternate day thing in the first place.”
“You agreed to it, you said it was a good idea," Shizuo snaps, even though he knows Izaya is just winding him up. "And you can’t be serious.”
“Calm down, Shizu-chan. As always, there’s a way round these things.”
“Like what?”
“Having someone order take away for you, for one.”
“I can’t keep asking my friends to do that. It’d be so rude.”
“Oh, I didn’t mean a friend. I meant paying someone. But yes, whatever works.”
“That’s such a waste of money. And I like eating in there. And don’t you think Simon’s going to catch on when a kid comes in ordering fatty tuna every time?”
“I don’t get it every time,” Izaya protests. “And I don’t see you coming up with any ideas.”
“There aren’t any ideas,” Shizuo sulks. “No more Russia Sushi. Except maybe our birthdays or something, if Dennis is feeling generous.”
“Who’d want to spend their birthday at Russia Sushi,” Izaya says contemptuously. Then he sighs. “We could always give it a shot, Shizu-chan. We’ve eaten together before, when he’s dragged us off the streets.”
“Every Friday? As thrilling as that experience was, it’s not something I’d do voluntarily.”
“Well, you’ll just have to stop complaining, then,” Izaya chirps, and hangs up.
A few weeks go by without Russia Sushi, and Shizuo feels his resolve weakening.
So the next time he sees Izaya, he deliberates long and hard before saying offhandly,
“- you hungry?”
Simon beams when he sees them.
“Finally. I knew you could do it.”
“Calm down, we haven’t even ordered yet,” Izaya says. “Shizu-chan still has time to start throwing things.”
“Be nice, Izaya,” Simon says, before Shizuo can snap. “Or no sushi for either of you.”
They look at the menu morosely when Simon leaves them alone.
“They’re out of fatty tuna,” Izaya wails. “What is the point of anything.”
Shizuo snickers. He'll take whatever small wins he can get.
Izaya finds something else to his satisfaction. Simon takes their order, and leaves them alone, now without even menus to look at.
“How was your day, Shizu-chan?”
“Don’t speak to me.”
“Shizuo,” Izaya says, exasperated. “The sooner we look like we can eat together like adults, the sooner Dennis is going to let go of this whole thing.”
“Fine. My day was all right, how was yours?”
“How interesting. Mine was all right too.”
Another silence descends. Shizuo looks around, and they are the only patrons not having a conversation.
However, service is fast, and they are soon digging into their food.
“How I've missed this,” Izaya says, and Shizuo can't help humming in agreement. It's worth it. Russia Sushi is always worth it.
And so he falls into a habit of texting Izaya whenever he wants sushi, which is often. Izaya texts him too, when he's in town. They manage six “dates” without killing each other, and after that it almost starts to get a little easier. Izaya's barbs are neutral, sometimes even friendly, and they grow comfortable enough to be quiet around each other without it getting awkward.
Shizuo's life is almost starting to feel good again, when he drops his phone in a puddle, and has to pay an extortionate amount for its repair. Not a big deal, only he's dangerously close to running short on his rent, and he's not paid for another two weeks. So, he has to start blowing Izaya off. Not that Russia Sushi is expensive, but it all adds up.
The informant takes this a couple of times, but calls when it's been more than a week.
“Have I upset you, Shizu-chan?” he says, sounding annoyed. “I’m sorry you’re so sensitive, but I really want some fatty tuna, so can you please get over yourself and meet me for sushi?”
“I’m not upset,” he says. “I really haven’t been able to make it. I can go on the 29th.”
“I can’t go on the 29th. What’s so special about the 29th?”
“Nothing. I can go any time after then as well,” Shizuo says quickly. Part of him is surprised that Izaya hasn’t clicked on to it being the end of the month, to payday, but then, Izaya has always operated on a fee-basis, and high fees at that. If Shizuo had his money, he’d eat out every single night.
Izaya presses him on it when he finally is able to make it, weeks later so he hoped Izaya will have forgotten. But naturally Izaya would never forget something that has the potential to make Shizuo uncomfortable.
“Come on, tell me what's been going on with you. That's the whole point in having dinner with someone.”
“It’s not a big deal.”
“So why can’t you tell me if it’s not a big deal?”
“It’s personal.”
“So?” he says. “We know plenty about each other anyway.”
“Would you drop it, Izaya,” he growls. “It’s none of your business.”
That should be the end of it, only he'd paid the cheapest dealers to fix his phone, and now something else has gone wrong with it. He haggles and gets a discount, but still.
And of course, Izaya starts whining all over again because he can't have his precious tuna for the rest of the month.
“Look, it’s the money, OK?” Shizuo snaps eventually. “Something’s come up and I’m a little short this month. So just leave me alone until I get paid.”
“O-oh,” Izaya says slowly. “You should have said, Shizu-chan.”
“Well, I’m saying now, so drop it.”
“I can spot you a few dinners, Shizu-chan,” Izaya says mildly. “It’s not a big deal. I'm the one who wants to go, after all.”
“No.”
“Oh, come on. One or two? And you can buy me some time if you want. It’s not a big deal.”
Shizuo wavers. Russia Sushi really wasn’t a lot of money, especially for someone like Izaya. It's only a big deal if he makes it one. And he does kind of really want to go.
“We have to go at least once before the 29th this time. The 29th is ridiculous,” Izaya is saying. “So let me know, OK?.”
“You should ask Tom for a pay rise, Shizu-chan.”
Izaya says this to him after Shizuo's weakened and met with him for sushi. After all, it isn't that big a deal. If this had been on the table a few months ago, however, Shizuo would have rather starved than have Izaya pay for his dinner. He doesn't want to think about the implications of this, how he'd been getting...not closer, but at least getting used to Izaya, sort of. Doesn't want to think about it at all.
"Shizuo," Izaya says impatiently.
“You don’t just ask someone for a pay-rise, flea.”
“Of course you do. How else do you think people get them?”
Shizuo opens his mouth, but realises he doesn’t know. He assumed people just got them, based on merit, something he had no hope of achieving himself.
“But it’s so rude. It's embarassing.”
“No it’s not. Not if you’re underpaid, and if someone doesn’t want to lose you.”
"I'm not underpaid," he says, although he's pretty sure he is. "And I like working for Tom.”
“Is it him who pays you or the company?"
"The company. I don't think he even knows what I get."
“Well, there you go. That makes it less awkward, and you’ve already got someone on your side. Look, Shizu-chan, let me give you a free piece of advice. If you don’t assert what your worth, it’s never going to be given to you. Barwork was different. The security industry pays well, and you’re quite well known in this district. Anyone in the city would pay quite a lot for your services as a bodyguard. And not just as a bodyguard. Anything in security.”
"So?"
"So, the people paying you know that, and they won't want to lose you to the first chump who offers you double your salary."
“I don't want to move on. I don't want anything violent.”
“Security doesn't have to be violent. Most of them just stand around all day looking scary. Anyway, the point is, if you go to the person paying you and ask for a reasonable payrise based on what you've contributed and because you've been running low on rent through no fault of your own, they’ll gladly cough it up rather than lose you, I promise."
"...I couldn't do that."
"All right, leave out the part about your rent, that's none of their business anyway. But you've been there a while now, it's not like you're still on probation. They know you're what they need."
"Why do you care anyway?" Shizuo says suspiciously, wondering if this is a lazy way of trying to get him fired again. "Fatty tuna mean that much to you?"
"You can't get fired for asking for a payrise," Izaya says, reading his mind. He shrugs. "I used to undercharge a lot because I didn't know any better, until someone took pity on me and told me I should up the price, plus charging hourly as well as an overall fee. That’s how I could afford to move to Shinjuku.”
"Good for you," Shizuo mutters.
"I'm just saying," he says. "You don't ask, you don't get. You should talk to Tom and see what he thinks. If they absolutely love you as a security guard, a security guard in Tokyo, then you shouldn't be living on the edge every month."
"Not every month," he protests, but it's true he has no savings. And he knows that being a bodyguard isn't the same as barwork. It would be nice to be a little more comfortable.
He looks at Izaya uncertainly, unsure if he's taking him for a ride or giving him genuine advice.
“How do I know how much to ask for?"
“Mm, you could Google it. ‘Average bodyguard salary in Tokyo.’ Make sure it is in Tokyo because living expenses are higher, even in Ikebukuro. And I'd ask for a little above the average, personally."
Shizuo says nothing. Perhaps he will ask Tom what he thinks. He has nothing to lose.
Shizuo doesn’t hear from Izaya for some time after that. His last text goes unreplied for a couple of weeks, before Izaya comes back with an apology and they set a date.
When they do finally get together, Shizuo has news.
“I got a pay rise."
Izaya blinks, like he’d forgotten the whole thing. Then he smiles all over his face.
“Congratulations. I do love getting to say I told you so. Was it hard? Did Tom help?"
"It was - OK. Tom couldn't really help, but he was behind me all the way and he convinced me to push for something quite high. They actually offered me higher than I expected without me having to give an actual figure, so...yeah."
He feels himself going red. He hates talking about this kind of stuff.
“Good for you, Shizu-chan,” Izaya says. “But don’t get complacent! You'll be due another rise after a good few years of service, if they don’t offer you one.”
“Yeah,” Shizuo says. He’s too busy getting his head around his current salary to think about future prospects. “I’m thinking of moving. I can afford somewhere much better.”
“Awesome.”
Shizuo looks at Izaya uncertainly, looks at him properly for the first time. Just like that, his life had taken a massive turn for the better, and it was because of Izaya.
"...Thanks, Izaya-kun. I really owe you one."
"Oh, that's all right. I do love giving my opinion."
He puts down his chopsticks, even though he's left half his food.
Shizuo's not sure if he looks tired, or if it’s the poor lighting in here.
“So, what’s going on with you?" Shizuo prompts. "You haven't been around for a while."
"Hmm. Just work."
He doesn't elaborate. He doesn't seem very chatty tonight. It's very un-Izaya-ish.
He thanks Shizuo wryly when he gets the bill, and takes off before he can casually mention another date.
It's again hard to get hold of Izaya for a while. He shouldn't care. He gets Russia Sushi from Tom again to celebrate his new paycheck, and Dennis even lets him eat in with Kasuka when his little brother comes to town ("Special occasion, and you and Izaya-san have been getting on very well").
Kasuka's eyebrows raise when Dennis is gone.
"Have you?"
"Sort of," Shizuo says, blushing. He doesn't really want people picking apart their new-found relationship. He quickly changes the subject.
He's not ready to admit, even to himself, that he'd sort of grown used to their routine, to the banter and the bickering and the occasional gem of advice.
However, when they next get round to meeting, Izaya is grouchy and seems to regret coming. He even stops Shizuo when he tries to pay for them.
"I think we should go back to paying separately, don't you?"
He puts his own money down without waiting for an answer and walks out.
Simon comes over while he's still staring at the notes and trying to figure out why it bothered him so much.
"What happened? That did not look good."
"I have no idea," Shizuo sighs. "I must have done something."
"Perhaps he is just moody," Simon suggests. "He looks very stressed out."
Shizuo's still trying to let it go when Izaya calls him.
"Shizuo. Sorry about the other day. Let's go again on Friday if you're free. My shout."
Shizuo takes a few seconds to process this. He almost thinks it must be someone else.
"...sure," he says eventually.
When they turn up, however, Russia Sushi is closed for 'staff training.' They stare at the sign, bemused, until Izaya starts laughing.
"I didn't think they bothered training their staff. And on a Friday night? I bet it's just some Russian holiday and they're taking the night off."
"Probably. Let's go somewhere else."
They find another restaurant near Sunshine Street, slightly out of the way so it's not too crowded.
"I've had to have dinner with someone else a lot lately," Izaya confides unexpectedly. "It's too much. I hate having my eating habits dictated to me."
Shizuo looks at him in surprise.
"What do you mean, have to? Like a client?"
"No. I don't take my clients out for dinner. It's..." He lowers his voice, and Shizuo witnesses a rare glimpse of vulnerability. "Don't tell anyone, OK, but it's Shiki."
"Shiki the Yakuza guy? What's he having dinner with you for?"
"I don't know, Shizu-chan, that's the problem."
"Well, just ask him."
"I can't just ask him. 'Thanks for another lovely dinner, Shiki-san. By the way, what do you want with me?' "
"Well, not like that, obviously. What does he talk to you about?"
"Just...stuff." Izaya waves his hands in the air to gesticulate the stuff. "It's kind of like a really formal version of our dinners, sans the banter."
"How often do you go?"
"Once, sometimes twice a week. Often on a Friday, annoyingly enough."
"So can't you just say no?"
Izaya looks at him with a mix of exasperation and pity.
"No, Shizuo, I can't just say no. It'd be like saying no the Prime Minister."
"Oh come on, he's not that important," Shizuo says, though he thinks Shiki probably is.
"It's driving me crazy," Izaya says. "I can't even go to the bathroom in case he does something to my drink. That's not his style, but still, I don't trust him. There's no way he's doing this for the pleasure of my company."
"If he wanted to hurt you I think he'd have just done it."
"Yeah. I'm more worried that he's going to ask me something I wouldn't want to do. That's how these Yakuza work, they're as polite as possible. 'I'm going to blackmail you or whatever but I've bought you a 100 fancy dinners so it's fine.' "
"Like what?" Shizuo asks, curious to what Izaya wouldn't want to do, what his limits were.
"I don't know," Izaya grumbles, poking at his food.
Shizuo thinks about it.
"So you get free food in the most amazing restaurants in Tokyo, and all you have to do is have a polite conversation? I'd go for you if I could."
"Mm. It's not that great. The food can be quite rich, and I feel like I have to eat it all or it looks ungrateful."
"That's too far, I don't think you need to do that," Shizuo says. "Maybe Shiki just needs an outside opinion. He's probably surrounded by people who tell him what he wants to hear all the time."
"He never really asks for my opinion though. They're not detailed or intense conversations. It's just...dinner. Then he drives me home."
“Maybe he’s lonely.”
“He’s married.”
“So? Married people can get lonely.”
“Mm. But even if he was, why would he want to spend time with me? I'm probably the worst person for lonely people to spend time with.”
“You’re not that bad,” Shizuo says, chuckling. “If I can have dinner with you once a week without breaking stuff, anyone can.”
“Mmm," Izaya says, without laughing.
Izaya still looks troubled. Shizuo senses he won't be able to suggest something Izaya hadn't thought of himself.
"Maybe he just likes you," Shizuo says eventually.
This apparently is something Izaya hasn't thought of.
"Why would he like me?"
Shizuo finds himself avoiding Izaya's eyes for some reason.
"I don't know. You're smart. You're pretty funny. You're probably actually good company if you reign back the snarks a little bit."
He stops himself from going on.
Izaya remains unconvinced.
"I don't joke around with him, and he's smarter than me."
“Look, Izaya, if it’s that bad then just stop saying yes. Say you’ve got too much work on or something.”
“He kind of knows what work I have on. I have to declare most of it in case there’s a conflict of interest.”
“So say you’ve got other stuff on. Family commitments.”
Izaya doesn't seem to hear him.
"What if it's some sort of...Yakuza etiquette thing I don't know about?"
"Come on. He knows you're not in the Yakuza so he can't expect you to know. Do you trust any of the others enough to talk to them about it?"
"Yes, Kine, he's like my foster parent. But he's been in China and he never answers the phone when he's working on something important. I think this is why I'm getting so wound up. I don't have anyone I can talk to."
Shizuo shrugs.
"Why can you get on with Kine but not with this guy?"
“Because Kine liked me from the start. He didn’t do a sudden inexplicable u-turn and start pampering me out of nowhere.”
“Huh. Maybe he's fallen for you," Shizuo says, only half joking.
“Don’t be ridiculous,” Izaya says, a little too testily. “He’s married, I said.”
“Well, he’s not spending every Friday night with his wife.”
“Let’s talk about something else,” Izaya mutters. He tries to think of something, but draws a blank as this is all he’s been on his mind for the past couple of weeks.
“You could tell him you’re seeing someone,” Shizuo suggests. “He wouldn’t actually check up on you, would he?”
“He might. It’s not worth the risk. I might just come down with a virus for a little while and work from home. Have you found an apartment yet?" he asks suddenly.
"Huh? Oh, no. I've viewed a lot, but I don't want to rush into it. I want it to be perfect."
They're moving on to other things, finishing up their food, when Izaya groans.
"Oh no."
Shizuo follows his gaze, to find Erika and her gang gawking at them through the window.
They charge in and surround them, and Izaya sighs and explains their ultimatum.
"But you're not in Russia Sushi right now," Kadota points out.
"I know, it's closed and I had to talk to him about something."
Erika's eyes shine with delight.
“So Dennis made you go on a date every Friday, and now you do it by yourselves? That’s so cute,” she squeals.
"No," Izaya says exasperated, and Shizuo almost laughs, it's so rare to see Izaya blush.
“So every time you want Russia Sushi, it has to be together?" Walker says now. "How long’s that for?”
Izaya shrugs.
“How long’s a piece of string? I underestimated his sadism. I don’t know if I’m resentful or impressed. Can we talk about something else?”
"Like what? What could be more interesting?"
"It's Izaya-kun's birthday this weekend," Shizuo points out, making them all, especially Izaya, turn to him in surprise.
"It is?" Erika says. "Happy birthday for the weekend, Izaya-san! You should come out with us. We were thinking of hitting the Shinjuku bars."
“Um... I’m not a going-out-for-my-birthday kind of guy,” Izaya says quickly, while Shizuo smirks behind his sake.
“Oh come on, it’ll be fun! You come too, Shizuo.”
Izaya agrees. He doesn’t know why. Perhaps because it was the first time people willingly wanted to socialise with him for a long time. Or perhaps because Shizuo was coming, and they would be spending even more voluntary time together outside of Dennis’ cruel arrangement, and it would be interesting to see how long Shizuo could hold out before he snaps. And if he gets bored, he can walk home.
He's already had a few glasses of sake at the restaurant, and his first drink at the bar hits him. Alcohol always worked the same for him: he'd feel absolutely nothing until about his third or fourth drink, and then it would hit him as suddenly as stepping off a cliff. He smiles lazily as Walker and Erika suddenly become far less annoying, enjoying the crowd and the buzz and the lights.
Kadota and co, who haven't had dinner, go out for street food at some point. Izaya doesn't know where Shizuo's got to, so he goes out for some air.
He finds the other man leaning against the balcony on the terrace, drink in hand, playing with a match but not actually smoking.
"Hi," Izaya says. "They went to get food. Have you given up smoking?"
"I'm trying to. Fresh air always reminds me why it's worth it."
"Uh huh. Fresh air is good."
He leans against the balcony at Shizuo's side, and they drink in companionable silence.
“Why’d you move to Shinjuku?” Shizuo asks suddenly. “You’re not a partying kind of guy.”
“Anonymity,” Izaya answers, swaying slightly. “It’s much more vast than Ikebukuro. And it’s well connected enough for me to get wherever I want.”
"Oh. What are you doing for your birthday?"
"I thought I was doing this," Izaya says, gesturing around them vaguely.
"For your birthday itself, I mean. Tomorrow, isn't it?"
"Mm. I might get out of town and go to an onsen. I do love a good onsen."
"Me too." He checks his watch. "It's after midnight, by the way. Happy birthday,” Shizuo clinks their bottles, which are almost empty.
“Thaaaanks, Shizu-chan.”
Izaya puts his drink down once he's finished it and has to hold on to the railing for a moment, pleasantly tipsy.
His eyes are still closed when Shizuo's arms go round his waist, and a mouth presses against his own.
They’re in front of hundreds of people, but it’s Friday night and they’re only round the corner from the gay bars, and no-one pays them any mind.
Out on the street, stuck in traffic, Shiki watches them out of the shadowed windows of his limo. He almost tells his driver to stop, but thinks better of it and lets the car move away.
"You're drunk," Shizuo says sadly, when he'd been kissing Izaya for who knows how long, because he'd love to do a lot more.
"I'm not."
"You are, Izaya-kun. It's probably because you haven't eaten much."
"Shizuo," Izaya whines, pressing up against him. "Come on. It's my birthday."
"It'll still be your birthday in the morning."
And you might not want this in the morning, he thinks but doesn't say.
He guides Izaya out of the bar and into a cab, giving the driver Izaya's address. They could probably walk it, but he's not familiar with this part of town and Izaya's too drunk to tell him.
"Come up with me," Izaya murmurs when the cab pulls up, nuzzling his neck. "We can just sleep."
This is hard to say no to. Shizuo pays the driver, which takes a while as Izaya won’t let go of his hand, follows the informant up and falls into an easy sleep beside him.
Izaya wakes up a little dry, but pleasantly un-hangover. He's so happy, he even wonders if he's partly still drunk.
Shizuo is pressed up behind him, delightfully warm.
"Happy birthday," he mumbles.
"Thanks." Izaya pauses. He thinks of the onsen, of staying overnight in an inn with massage oil and candles. "You should come to the onsen with me, Shizu-chan. It'll be nice."
"Sure. That'd be really nice."
Izaya's phone rings. He frowns, although it's probably just his parents with birthday wishes, and smiles all over his face when he sees it's Kine.
"I have to take this," he tells Shizuo, squeezing his hand and wriggling free.
Shizuo mumbles something and appears to go back to sleep.
Izaya goes downstairs and takes the phone on the couch, absently finding a blanket to wrap around himself.
"Hello, Kine."
"Happy birthday, Izaya. Many happy returns. I'm sorry I haven't been available lately."
"Oh, that's all right. How's China?"
"Oh - as complicated as ever. I won't bore you with it now. Did you want to talk to me about something? I saw your messages."
"Oh, that... not now, it's not urgent."
"All right. What are you doing today?"
"I'm going to an onsen with - with someone."
"That's nice," Kine says. "You can use my membership if you like. I have access to a private onsen and ryokan suite out west. It can be your birthday present."
"Really?" Izaya says, practically bouncing up and down.
"I'll text you the details. They'll be expecting you."
He opens his presents when Kine hangs up. His parents have sent him a watch, his sisters have given him an shoenen ai manga and a book, keeping up their tradition of a joke present along with something he'll actually like, and Shinra has got him a book. And Shizuo is coming to an onsen with him. He's doing well.
He goes back upstairs to give Shizuo a shake.
"Don't sleep too late, Shizu-chan. We have to get to the onsen."
His phone pings in the background with birthday messages from Kadota, his family, Shinra, Erika. He's apparently more popular than he had been last year.
"Don't take all your phones," Shizuo mumbles.
"I'm not taking all of them, I'm just taking my favourites phone."
"Favourite?"
"Favourites."
"Favourites? Like your favourite people?"
"Come on, Shizu-chan, we have to get the train."
“Hang on. I got you a birthday present.”
“Yeah, right.”
“No, seriously. I was about to give it to you yesterday, but then those guys came." He starts feeling around his clothes. "It's just something stupid. Here."
It's something soft, perhaps a folded scarf. Izaya takes off the packaging and starts spluttering with laughter.
"It's a fish. I get it. It's tuna, fatty tuna."
"I got the fattest one I could find."
Izaya gives him a hug, still laughing.
"This is amazing," Shizuo says, when they're soaking in their private springs after massages. "I feel like I've just been born."
"Mm-hmmm." Izaya says. He slides back, letting his head underwater, forgetting about Shiki and Ikebukuro and even Shizuo, losing himself completely. "What do you want to do for your birthday?" he asks Shizuo, when he re-emerges.
"This."
It's the day after the day after his birthday when it happens. He's back in Ikebukuro, outside a restauarant with Shiki, when the world starts to shake. The sensation is like being inside a snowglobe in the hands of an enthusiastic child.
"Earthquake!" Someone shouts, and everyone else starts screaming.
Someone knocks into him as they race past, sending him to the ground.
Shiki is beside him in an instant, helping him up before others can trample on him.
"Inside, hurry. I have a room in the hotel opposite."
He drags Izaya inside, where the reception is already deserted and a few lamps lay smashed on the floor. He can hear people crying behind their doors.
The elevator is out of order, so they walk the three flights to Shiki's room.
"Stay away from the windows," the other man tells him. "It should pass soon."
"I have to call my sisters," he says, taking out his phone.
"- Mairu, Kuri...yes, are you with someone? Yes, just stay together and do as your teacher says. It'll pass soon. Stay away from the windows and don't panic. Have you got water in your bags? How's your battery? Have you got the portable charger I gave you? OK. Stay in touch. Phone Mom and Dad to let them know you're OK."
Shiki is watching him when he hangs up.
"Sisters," he says, unecessarily.
He hovers uncertainly, not knowing whether to sit down or not. His clothes are dirty from where he'd fallen in the gravel, but he doesn't really want to dust himself off in Shiki's space.
"I think it's over," the other man says.
Izaya says nothing, unsure if he can still feel minute tremors or if it's in his head.
"You can get yourself cleaned up," the other man says, offering him a towel.
Shizuo calls just as he's shutting the bathroom door.
"Are you all right?" he says at once. "My phone signal's just come back. Where are you?"
"I'm in a hotel by Sunshine City. Where are you?"
"I'm in an ice-cream parlour by Russia Sushi. Fuck. Have you seen Shinjuku on the news? A tree went over. Five people are dead."
"Oh, shit," he says.
"Where did you say you are? You're in a hotel?"
"I'm with Shiki."
"What? You're with Shiki in a hotel?"
"For shelter, Shizu-chan," he says soothingly. "I'll be leaving any minute, once we get the all clear."
The line crackles and goes dead. Izaya tries to call him back, but the call won't even ring.
Shiki hands him a bottle of water when he returns.
"I grew up near Mount Ontake," he says. "Even living there, you forget how close disaster can be until it happens."
Izaya nods uncertainly.
"Are you all right?"
"I'm a bit worried about my sisters."
"They'll be fine with their teacher, I'm sure."
They turn on the news and watch in silence.
More trees and a lampost has gone down outside of Raira, making his heart lurch, although his sisters are texting him every 30 seconds so he knows they're OK.
"Don't worry," Shiki tells him, and starts massaging his back with one hand. Izaya has an almost out of body experience, as if he's watching it happen to someone else, as Shiki moves in to kiss him.
“Shiki-san, I'm sorry, but I’m seeing someone.”
“...Are you,” the other man says, as neutral as ever. “For how long?”
“How long?” Izaya repeats, wrong-footed. “Not that long, I suppose. But I’ve known him forever.”
He instantly regrets this. He doesn't want Shiki to figure out who he's seeing, for a variety of reasons.
“Don’t look so worried, Izaya. Do you think I’m about to have someone killed?"
Izaya says nothing.
"Iit's a shame, " he muses. "I may have accidentally made you uncomfortable, and I suppose he made you feel better. I practically pushed you in his arms.”
“No no,” Izaya says awkwardly. “Honestly, it's not like that. We go back a ways. It’s a bit complicated.”
“Is it Heiwajima?”
Izaya feels his face flood and answer for him.
“It’s all right,” Shiki says mildly. “I’m not going to do anything. I just wondered. I suppose it’s a good thing the two of you will no longer shred half the town. Unless you break up, that is.”
Izaya says nothing.
“And you're not going public with this news?”
“Um, not yet. I mean, I don’t know, we’re both very private.”
His phone pings.
“Is that him now?”
“…yes.”
“Is he worried that you’re here with me?”
“…a bit.”
Shiki chuckles.
“I’ll leave you in peace so you can call him then. I'll be downstairs."
Izaya stares at him, but Shiki actually leaves him alone so he can call Shizuo.
“Izaya,” Shizuo blurts. “I…I really freaked out when I saw the news. I just wanted to say – I do worry about you. I like you a lot.”
“I like you too, Shizu-chan," he says, moved. "I'll come to you as soon as I can, OK? Don't worry."