Shizuo is usually kind to people but it’s funny sometimes because he doesn’t really try to be. I might be wrong about this but he’s not really the type to go out of his way to ask people how they’re doing imo. Like this scene where we find out he totally forgot to thank shinra (who he’s been friends with for a long time) for his help, but he acknowledges that he should, and he does. But even after hearing shinra sound like he was ‘close to tears’ he doesn’t do anything, just says ok bye and hangs up. He doesn’t worry or think about it at all. He’s usually kind but also nonchalant towards most people, except when it’s pretty obvious the situation is bad (like when someone’s about to or has gotten hurt, etc.)
You were not a resident of Ikebukuro, living thirty minutes away over in Namimori, but since your cousin lived there, you often visited the city and stayed for several months at a time. Since you started visiting, you had met the headless rider named Celty, the human with monstrous strength, Shizuo Heiwajima, and even the gentle giant that worked for Russian Sushi, Simon Brezhnev.
Through Shizuo, you had met two other people, one whom you felt strange towards and the other one whom you wanted to kill. Tom Tanaka, the debt collector that Shizuo works for, is the one that you feel strange around. From the very first time you laid eyes on the older man, you were hooked like a cheap drug. You couldn’t understand why, but you actually wanted to get close to him, which is a red flag for anyone that knew you. You would never admit to that, though, and kept those feelings to yourself.
Izaya Orihara, the informant from Shinjuku, was the one you couldn’t stand. He was a manipulative bastard that loved to fuck with people and that pissed you off more than anything. You weren’t as obsessed with killing him as Shizuo was, but you sure had no problem doing so if the situation called for it. You hated the bastard, and everyone knew it.
Now, your cousin was Kyohei Kadota, also known as Dotachin, but you weren’t really anything like him. To those who don’t know you, they’d think you were related to Shizuo from the way you acted and the way you treated each other when you were together. You personally don’t see the resemblance, really, but everyone seems to think that. You didn’t really mind, because you liked Shizuo. He was a cool guy and a good friend, plus it was entertaining to see him chase Izaya through the city.
As the time you spent in Ikebukuro lengthened, your feelings for Tom grew stronger and stronger. You didn’t understand it since you didn’t really know anything about him and he didn’t know about you. Besides, Tom was several years older than yourself.
A sigh passed your lips as you slumped over onto the bar, hand wrapped loosely around the empty glass. The ice shifted inside and you sighed again, closing your eyes as you tried to block out the harsh words that rung out inside your head. It was stupid of you to have listened to that bastard Izaya, but it hit home and you couldn’t stop thinking about it. That only succeeded in pissing you off even more.
‘He won’t ever have feelings for you,’ Izaya’s words echoed through your mind, followed by his laughter. ‘He wants a beautiful partner, someone his own age. You’re too ugly, haha!’
“Aren’t you too young to be in a bar?”
Your eyes snapped open and you looked over at the person that now stood beside you, his arms crossed over his chest; Tom, the last person you wanted to see at that moment. You shrugged in response to his question, looking back to your empty glass as the bartender prepared you another drink. “Doesn’t really matter,”
Tom shook his head before sitting next to you, taking the drink the bartender had just sat in front of you. If it were anyone else, you would have kicked their ass off the stool, but Tom was a person you couldn’t touch. He had a power over you that no one else did. He placed the glass to his lips before addressing you softly. “What’s wrong?”
“What makes you think something is wrong?”
He sent you a pointed look. “You never drink unless something is seriously wrong.”
You scoffed and muttered a curse under your breath as you thought back to the bastard and his stupid comments.
“Izaya again?”
You rubbed your thumb against the outside of the glass, enjoying the feel of the cold against your skin. “Yeah. Ran into him about an hour ago… bastard.”
“And? What did he do this time?” Tom shifted to look at you, resting his chin in the palm of his hand. He seemed genuinely interested, so you figured there’d be no harm in telling him. Of course, you had to alter the story a bit so he wouldn’t learn of your feelings…
“I don’t know how, but he managed to find out about the guy that I’m… interested in. He ran into me on the street and happened to bring it up. I guess my shocked expression amused him or somethin’. He started sayin’… he said that I don’t stand a chance. He said that the guy deserved better than a freak like me.” you scowled bitterly, crossing your arms on the bar. “I knew he was right, and that’s what hit the most. He enjoyed the shit. Glad I could be so fucking amusing.”
For several minutes, Tom said nothing, and you didn’t dare look at him. For all you knew, he was agreeing with what Izaya had said. Finally, Tom spoke up, his voice normal but with a softer edge, which surprised you. Tom wasn’t a mean guy, but he wasn’t exactly kind either. He was… tough, but not strict if that makes any sense. “Since when have you ever listened to what Izaya says?”
“I dunno…” you muttered, thoughtfully, glancing at him. “Guess I agreed with him.”
“That’s a first.” he shook his head before moving his hand to rest on top of your own, a smile on his face. “Izaya can’t say that, and neither can you. The only person that can say that is the guy you like. Give it a chance, you may be surprised.”
You watched him as he set money on the counter for both drinks before exiting the bar. His words seemed to wrap around you like chains that you couldn’t break, but you didn’t want to, either. You liked his words, his voice. It was comforting and warm, and it left you wanting more. At that time, you had no clue that the encounter with Tom that night would be where your life slowly started to shift.
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You growled as your hand shot up onto the bedside table, fumbling around for the buzzing object that felt the need to wake you up so early. The caller ID was quickly forgotten as you flipped it open angrily, pressing it to your ear. You expected it to be the annoying bastard Izaya or one of Kyohei’s friends.
“Oi, you up?” Shizuo’s voice greeted you and you felt your eye twitch.
“I am now, you asshat.” you scoffed, turning over to flop onto your back as you threw an arm over your eyes. “What do ya want?”
“I’m busy today,” he paused and the sound of him taking a drag of his cigarette reached your ears. “Can you take my place with Tom today?”
“Eh?” you blinked up at the ceiling, eyes widening as the words sunk in. “You mean help him with his debt collecting? Be his bodyguard for a day?”
“Yeah. Can you do it?”
You stayed silent, chewing on your bottom lip. If it was for anyone but Tom, you would have told Shizuo to fuck off and then go back to bed, but this was for Tom. Could you really say no? Shizuo must have taken your silence as a bad sign, because he spoke up again, his voice holding an annoyed undertone.
“I’ll buy you a pack of cigarettes if you do.”
“And a Dr Pepper?”
“Yeah, sure, whatever.”
A wide grin spread across your lips. Now you could accept the job without any suspicion; you were getting paid, after all. “Yeah, sure. Where should I meet him and when?”
Muffled voices could be heard before he spoke again. “He said he’ll come and pick you up. Should be there in fifteen.”
You groaned in protest before shutting the phone and throwing it onto the bedside table. You were hoping he’d say an hour or somethin’… it was too early for this. Shaking your head, you pushed yourself out of the bed and started to get ready. By the time you were finishing up by fixing the tie around your neck, a knock resonated through the empty apartment – Kyohei had gone out with Togusa and the others about five minutes after you got off the phone, so it was just you left alone in the apartment. You made sure to grab your keys and cellphone before slipping on your boots and opening the door.
Tom greeted you with a smile and the two of you were off.
Throughout the day, you got that strange prickling feeling on the back of your neck like someone was watching you, but every time you looked around, no one was looking in your direction. It was starting to work your last nerve, mainly because you didn’t know why you were feeling that way. You could have said that it was a side effect of being around Tom for too long, but there was no way that was true. Eventually, you managed to ignore the feeling and continued on with the collections.
While Tom was discussing with one of the guys that owed money, you stood back a few feet to give them their privacy and you couldn’t help but hear the whispers of the passing women who talked about you and Tom as if you were an item. Apparently, they had seen you together for most of the day and had come to the conclusion that you were dating each other. If only that were true.
“Y/N?”
You snapped out of your daydream, shifting your gaze away from the chattering females to the man that had called your name. “Sorry. You finished?”
He nodded and you started toward the next job. “Thank you for filling in for Shizuo, I know it was sudden.”
You shook your head and waved him off before stuffing your hand into your pocket. “It’s not a problem, really.” you wouldn’t say it out loud, but just being together with him was payment enough. It was worth the fact that you lost out on several hours of well-deserved sleep.
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