Touch and Go

The Fifth Visit (and first date)

Shizuo's apartment has an oddly welcoming glow despite the man's cold exterior. Honey walls and bright furniture. A bisexual pride flag hangs proudly from two nails driven into the wall. "I talked to the hospital," the fake blond hangs up, the phone show off in his hand as if to legitimise that statement. "They're fine with you staying over. I said you were tired and traffic is bad. Just as long as we're back by tomorrow afternoon," 

Tomorrow afternoon. Izaya never wants that time to arrive. Being here with Shizuo makes him miss this the ultimate freedom. What he's only had morsels of in the months since becoming paralysed. "How irresponsible of them," he looks up at Shizuo with eyes dripping with fake kindness. Beyond that is random flashes of honest devotion and love like stars within a solar system. Of course Shizuo is too thick to notice. 

"You're bi?" he gestures lazily to the flag. 

"Yeah, Got a problem with that?" Shizuo doesn't know Izaya's sexuality either. But even if he is gay as Shizuo suspects it doesn't mean he won't be biphobic. If he is Shizuo's more than ready to knock some sense into him.

"No need to be so defensive. There's no problem. One of my sisters is bisexual," Izaya smirks. "I tend to notice little things like that in people. That's all," 

"What do you wanna do, anyway?" Shizuo asks awkwardly. He looks around, his house is missing anything entertaining. A graveyard of broken TVs lie in his closet but that's about it. Ones he destroyed in his rages. He's always outside so he never gives a second thought to what someone who sits inside does all day. He barely owns anything not essential. 

"Do you have a computer?" 

"I do, but..." 

"It's broken," Izaya chuckles. 

"Yeah," as an afterthought. "I have a smartphone. I can call Shinra and Celty to come over," 

"Do that, call them. But tell them to meet us at Russia Sushi," 

"That place? Why?" Shizuo wonders how Izaya knows about it. How he knows Simon. There's also the matter of the truly sinister reason he got stabbed. One that certainly wasn't random. Shizuo doesn't like liars and Izaya lied to him about that. 

"You want me to tell you the truth, don't you Shizu~Chan?" he sighs, also looking away. A more fluid movement than Shizuo's but with a guilty shift in his body language. Shizuo likes body language, he likes to see people tremble in fear. "This is the only way I can tell you the truth. You'll find out about me soon enough - I'm simply too scared to tell you myself," he admits. 

"Why?" 

"I'm afraid that if I do then you'll leave me,"

Shizuo frowns. The statement is so irrational he wants to punch it out of existence. First of all, this is a man he's barely just met. How could he be so attached already? The entire point of this encounter was to get to know each other better. In a way they have. But still. Secondly, the thought of anyone not being good enough for him is laughable. He may hate certain things. Certain people. But he remains the most hateful of all. Worthy of nothing but degradation and eternal suffering simply for the suffering he causes others. Even if they deserve it. Nobody can be dependant on Shizuo because Shizuo isn't worth their dependence. 

Nevertheless he acquiesces Izaya's request and they venture forth to Russia Sushi. Simon pauses his loud advertisements on the pavement to greet them. "Ah, Izaya. Nice to see you, long time no see. You come in for Russia sushi?" 

"You know me - I can't stay away from this place," Izaya laughs. "I've been a little incapacitated but I came as soon as I could," 

"Ah yes, I heard," Simon frowns but his smile returns before anyone but Izaya can notice. "Have a good time! Try the cream cheese sushi!"