Bound by Fate

An Information Broker Walks into a Bar...

Izaya sat nursing a cup of coffee at a corner table, his interested eyes flitting back and forth between the patrons at the bar. 'I'll never understand why people drink themselves stupid. Don't they know that most of them don't need the addition of alcohol to make ill advised decisions and say moronic things?' he thought with a chuckle, bringing the mug to his lips slowly. After taking a shallow sip, he brought his other hand up to wrap his fingers around the mug. Izaya leaned into his elbows and continued watching the people in front of him.

After a meeting with Shiki, the brunette information broker had decided it was time he got acquainted with this part of the city. With how many times he had ventured into Ikebukuro to meet with the high ranking Akakusu-kai member, he hadn't really seen much in the city to warrant closer study. The people here had seemed just like any other Tokyo ward. It was a little on the smaller side and had a tremendous amount of gang activity per square foot, but all-in-all it seemed pretty standard.

Tonight though, he was just bored enough to duck into the bar Shiki had recommended on many occasions. It was owned and operated by another of the higher ranking members of the Awakusu, but it wasn't really considered a mob hang out. It did attract a tremendous amount of seedy, bottom-of-the-barrel types, but Shiki had told him that this Akabayashi wanted to keep his bar separate from his work with the mob.

"Everyone needs their escape," Izaya murmured to himself before sighing happily. He took another slow sip of his coffee and brought the mug back up in front of his face, his interested ruby eyes practically sparkling with amusement from over the top of the lip of the white ceramic.

His crimson gaze couldn't help but return to the bartender, absently wiping down the neat rows of glassware, his eyes hidden behind a pair of blue tinted sunglasses. 'Boring... pretty but boring.' Izaya sighed as he tore his attention away from the blonde, setting his sights on a particularly drunk idiot in a yellow hoodie. 'So sloppily dressed, too. Does he have any pride in his appearance?'

"You should see my girlfriend, yo. She's so hot. She's in high school, too! It just adds spice to the relationship. That constant danger of being found out..." the drunk was rambling at some poor businessman who had the misfortune of being close enough to talk to. "Yo, friend. Want me to hook you up with one of her friends? High school girls these days are pretty easy."

Izaya held back a peal of laughter, feeling both entertained and disgusted by the man's words. He watched the businessman shift uncomfortably as Izaya noticed his eyes subtly move to the bartender before staring intently into his glass. Izaya couldn't help but follow the man's gaze and look at the blonde again, instantly more interested in the pretty face that was no longer so boring.

The bartender's teeth were clenched in frustration, or maybe anger. Either way, Izaya's eyes stayed glued to the scene that he was hoping he was about to witness as he heard the drunk continue harassing the other patron. "Seriously, yo. I'll give you a number of one of my girl's friends. In return, why don't you and I have another drink. You can treat me for being such a kind hearted individual. I don't see a ring on that finger so I'm sure you'd be more than happy to see just how grown up these girls act..."

"Oi. Pervert. Get the fuck out of my bar," the bartender muttered dangerously quiet. His voice so low that Izaya was pulled forward, leaning in to listen to the low rumbling voice just barely containing his palpable seething rage.

"Who do you think you are, bartender? I'm a paying customer! You can't talk to me like that," the hooligan mumbled under his breath. "I'm having a nice talk with my friend here..."

"He doesn't look like he's your friend," the bartender interrupted, wiping another glass as if the repetitive motion was calming him down. "What it looks like to me is that you are harassing one of my actual paying customers... hoping that if you strong arm him enough he'll pay for your drinks that you have yet to pay me for. Not very original. You really are starting to piss me off."