Archive of Our Own

Shizuo knew it didn’t matter, but he didn’t mean to. How many times in his life had that been the case?

I didn’t mean to destroy the store, it just happened.

I didn’t mean to bust up the street, it just happened.

How many times had Izaya playfully chided him for being too rough? He hadn’t been serious enough in his warnings, letting Shizuo get away with too much for too long. He knew that Izaya was pretty tough compared to what Shizuo had seen in his time, but that didn’t make it okay for Shizuo to get rough wherever he saw fit. It wasn’t right, it wasn’t responsible.

He had been telling Izaya goodbye before he went to work, the other was sitting on the couch, his laptop in front of him, typing away. Shizuo complained and Izaya said something teasingly in return. Shizuo said something snippy back, ready to leave without his farewell kiss when Izaya reached out for him. He leaned in and gave him his kiss anyway. Izaya said something annoying into his ear as they broke apart and Shizuo jumped on top of him. Izaya laughed and laughed and Shizuo remembered thinking he was so weird the way he laughed all the time. He gripped the other’s wrist because he wanted them to sit up so he could really go this time, but then, as he squeezed, he heard a snap followed by a sharp gasp.

He knew it didn’t matter that he didn’t mean to. He still thought about that. He’d hurt the person he loved, and even by accident it was unforgivable.

Izaya wheezed in his inhales to keep himself calm, smiling and trying as hard as he could to placate Shizuo who had run around the apartment like a chicken with their head cut off. His eyes held no anger or resentment, only pain and a mild annoyance.

“I don’t… I don’t think it’s a bad break,” he was saying, “It’s just a little fracture or maybe it’s dislocated.”

“It can’t be…” Shizuo was breathing erratically, “I heard it crack, I…”

“Shhhh it’s okay,” Izaya told him, in that sickeningly sweet voice that he used to be fake to people, yet in this moment Shizuo felt like he was using it exactly as it was intended. “Just pick up the phone and call a taxi. We’ll drive to the hospital.”

“You don’t think we should call Shinra?”

Izaya scoffed. “I’d sooner eat my own shoe. Don’t worry, we won’t tell them what happened.”

“That’s not what I…!” Shizuo started but Izaya buckled over himself, grinning wildly between his ragged breaths like it was all he could do not to cackle from the pure agony he was feeling. “I’ll call a taxi.”

Izaya was so good through the entire ordeal; so… so good. Shizuo forgot sometimes, just how good Izaya could be. He smiled easily through his pain and only complained once or twice about feeling lightheaded. He didn’t blame Shizuo once, which Shizuo knew he wouldn’t, because this was real; a truly bad thing that Shizuo had done to him. It had been an accident, but it was still a real act of violence against him. Maybe that was ultimately Izaya’s own selfish secretiveness that kept him from blaming Shizuo, or maybe he just genuinely didn’t care when bad things happen to him- he always laughed it off. Ultimately, Shizuo didn’t care because he still blamed himself.

They returned home after lunch with Izaya all casted up. It ended up being a little worse than Izaya said- it was a full break but the bone had not been damaged severely nor had it moved from its place- as long as Izaya didn’t jostle it around too much it would be fully healed in twelve weeks; which might have very well sounded like a life sentence to the other since Izaya didn’t like to go without actively working for long. Shizuo held the door open for him as they walked inside before going to the counter to place Izaya’s bottle of painkillers. Izaya made a beeline directly for the couch but before he sat down, he turned to look at Shizuo, who was still a great distance away.

“Are you going to be like this the whole time?” he asked, giving him a sardonic smile which only stirred up Shizuo’s nerves.

“What do you mean like this?” Shizuo grumbled, “I’m just going to stay in the kitchen in case you need anything.”

“Oh I see. Well then, can you bring me some water?”

Shizuo’s face twisted regretfully. “Sure.” He said, and when he brought it over he placed it on the table in front of where Izaya was sitting rather than into Izaya’s outstretched good hand. He didn’t meet the other’s eyes as he turned back towards the kitchen, but Izaya tapped him with his foot. Shizuo froze in place.

“Hey stop that! If I’d kept going I could’ve twisted your knee or worse.”

“Stop being such a baby,” Izaya said seriously, “Come sit with me.”

Shizuo grimaced. “I can’t, I… what if I make it worse?”

He didn’t listen to Izaya’s counterargument, which the other was clearly cocked at the ready for, but Shizuo just stepped around the other’s leg and walked back into the kitchen. He heard Izaya sigh loudly.

“You always make it no fun whenever I get hurt like this. You’re so busy worried that you’re going to make things worse for me that I don’t even get to enjoy your doting on me!”

“Stop making it sound like this happens all the time,” Shizuo snapped, but then feeling guilty he cast his eyes on the floor, “Is there anything I can get for you though?”

Izaya scoffed. “Come sit with me.”

“What for?”

“Hah?” Izaya said loudly to express his annoyance since Shizuo wasn’t looking. “What do you mean ‘what for’? I’ve got an injury and I want physical comfort and premium ass-kissing pronto.”

“I don’t see why I can’t kiss your ass from over here,” Shizuo said, sticking his hands in his pockets and almost absurdly avoiding trailing his eyes in Izaya’s direction. “Unless like… you mean literally.”

“Oh shut up,” Izaya said exasperatedly, “Do I have to get up and chase you around the apartment?”

“Please don’t.” Shizuo said seriously, and when he met the other’s eyes, Izaya was glaring at him. He sighed. “I know you want to pretend like it doesn’t matter and I’m sorry if it’s embarrassing for you and all, but I can’t just… excuse myself, just like that.”

“Who said anything about excusing you?” Izaya asked him boredly. “This is incredibly annoying for me too, you know. Especially since I now have to nurse your bruised ego as well.”

“You don’t have to nurse anything. Just let me stay in here and you tell me what you need.”

“I need you to stop acting like such a baby and come sit with me like I asked you to since this is your fault to begin with.”

“Stop pretending like you’re mad to make me feel better.”

“I wasn’t pretending!” Izaya snapped, and Shizuo met the other’s annoyed glare with a grimace. “Listen, I’m not going to excuse you because that’s what everyone else has always done and that’s how we ended up in this mess in the first place. Clearly you need some accountability. But! That doesn’t necessarily mean I’m mad at you.” He leaned forward casually and lifted his cup of water to his lips, drinking it slowly, thoughtfully. Shizuo stared at him.

“Alright so you’re not mad but you’re holding me accountable. Sure, me too. What can I do for you?”

“Come sit with me already, you bastard.” Izaya said as he lowered his glass from his mouth and giving Shizuo a baleful side eye. Shizuo sighed and walked over to him to sit down next to him. Immediately Izaya sagged against his chest, pressing his cast against Shizuo’s body and tucking his face under Shizuo’s chin. His smile tickled Shizuo’s neck. Shizuo wrapped an arm around the other’s body.

“Will you at least let me apologize?” he asked quietly.

“You may. I don’t want to hear any unnecessary words in your apology though, like ‘I didn’t mean to’ or ‘I have no excuse’. I know already.”

“I’m sorry.” Shizuo said simply.

“Hm. Not forgiven but thank you for apologizing. Try again later.”

“Okay then,” Shizuo said with a snort, then pausing before he added, “So is it hurting you now?”

“Mm, that sounds like an unnecessary question to me.”

“Just answer my question, please?”

“It feels fine,” Izaya said briskly, and he reached out his good arm and grasped Shizuo’s shirt, “Kiss me.”

Shizuo studied his face as Izaya pulled him closer, pressing a hard kiss to the other’s lips in a commanding and authoritative manner. He pushed hard against Shizuo’s mouth, forcefully prying the other’s mouth open in a way that displayed determination. No, I still love you even though you’re stupid and clumsy and you make things way harder for me. It said. Izaya pulled away after half a minute went by and he seemed satisfied by whatever he saw on Shizuo’s face because he tucked himself back into the other’s neck.

“I’m going to take a nap now so don’t you dare move, alright?”

“Sure.”

“Unless you have to use the bathroom, in which case please get away from me.”

Shizuo frowned in thought. “Okay.”

“Or if someone comes knocking. Or…”

“Stop it. I get it alright. I’ll try to cheer up.”

 Izaya smiled even wider against his skin at Shizuo reading accurately into his actions. He leaned into Shizuo’s ear and whispered. “Don’t cheer up too much okay? I’d still like you to take a few orders later.”

The bright blush flooded to Shizuo’s cheeks before he could help it. “Y-You’re an idiot.” He choked halfheartedly. Izaya chuckled into his ear.

“Ah, revenge is so sweet.” He sighed and didn’t speak again for a while as he drifted off into a slight nap, likely from the effects of his painkillers.

Shizuo studied him uneasily and steeled himself for the recovery ahead of him. That’s right, he reminded himself, This isn’t about you. You don’t get to hurt him and then make it all about you.

He rubbed circles absentmindedly into Izaya’s back as the other slept, and Izaya would sometimes make soft satisfied noises in his sleep, like it was soothing to him. This kind of physical comfort came naturally to Shizuo, and Izaya always talked about what a physical being he was.

Physical indeed.

He couldn’t help it. He still felt sick with guilt. As he thought about how guilty, he felt himself pulling Izaya closer to his chest. He didn’t even realize until the other was groaning in his ear that he was squeezing.

“Shizu-chan, not so tight.” He murmured. Instantly he let go.

“S-Sorry! I’m sorry.”

“Mm. I don’t want to go to the chiropractor today as well so try to stop brooding.” Izaya’s eyes were knowing as he lifted his face to reach up and pinch Shizuo’s cheek with his good arm.

“Yeah yeah. Well you don’t have to be sprawled out all over me you know.”

“Maybe not,” Izaya shrugged before he swung his knee over Shizuo’s lap to sit up and hover over Shizuo’s face, “But since I’m going to be out of an arm for a little while I might as well take it easy and enjoy the view a little, right?”

The view. Shizuo’s face heated as he realized what the other meant. “Are you going to flirt with me all day?”

“Yes,” Izaya said grinning, “If I can help it. I’m going to make sure all of your available attention goes on to me and only me. There’s nothing else to do around here in meantime, so I’m going to throw throw myself into something I’m good at, effortlessly.”

“You run your mouth too much.”

“Shizu-chan what’s that on your shirt?” Izaya tapped at Shizuo’s clavicle, looking interestedly. Shizuo, against his better judgment, looked down to where the flea was pointing, only to be flicked on the nose. “Made you look!”

“Ha ha. Now can I get up?”

“To do what? If it’s anything besides taking care of me then the answer is no.”

“We have dishes in the sink that need washing. And do you want Russia Sushi for lunch? I’ll need to call that in.”

“I don’t want sushi,” Izaya pouted, “Let’s make something here, like homemade Oyakudon or some quick hotpot!”

“Since when do you want home cooking?” Shizuo sighed, “Okay, I’ll make something like that.”

“Wait! I’ve decided I do want Russia Sushi, but not right now.” Izaya put a palm over Shizuo’s face, “For now I’d like for you to kiss me roughly on this couch for a good half hour.”

Shizuo sighed.

“And don’t be a bastard about it either.”

He couldn’t help it. He cracked a smile. “You really are determined to control the narrative here, huh?”

“What else do you expect from me? Besides,” his eyes grew serious, “What else is there to say? You apologized. It was an accident. Honestly it’s a wonder it hasn’t happened more.”

“That’s…!”

“Joking. It was a joke.” Shizuo hoped his glare was telling to Izaya just what he thought of his ‘joke’. His hand went up under Shizuo’s chin and squeezed the other’s cheeks. Izaya pressed a peck on the lips to Shizuo’s pucked face before rubbing noses together. He shifted all of a sudden in Shizuo’s lap, grimacing slightly and holding his arm to him. Shizuo immediately sat up.

“Is something wrong?”

“No I… I guess it just… feels a little funny.”

“Funny how?” Shizuo’s voice grew steadily louder which he could tell Izaya did not appreciate.

“Like… I dunno like the bones are scraping together under the skin.” Izaya sighed with discomfort, “I guess he did tell me not to jostle around too much.”

“Well what are you doing then?” Shizuo demanded, “This is no time to be fooling around, you dumbass. We can do this later.”

Gently, he lifted Izaya up out of his lap and set the other out beside him before getting to his feet and making his way towards the kitchen. Izaya seemed a little too preoccupied in trying to breathe normally and seem unaffected that he let it happen. Shizuo hated the way it made his stomach turn. He knew that part of the reason why Izaya wanted to act like everything was normal was for his sake. He hated how he made Izaya feel like he couldn’t express his pain; not that Izaya was all that good at it anyway, but Shizuo got the feeling sometimes that part of his front was to protect Shizuo from knowing just how badly he messed up. Which was incredibly weird considering all the different ways the other like to point out how Shizuo inconvenienced him. He didn’t make any sense, and it pissed Shizuo off how much he loved him anyway.

He watched Izaya carefully from the kitchen as he rinsed off the dishes, watching the other nursing his arm before leaning back against the couch with a soft grunt. He picked up the remote and turned on the TV to some mindless cartoon that told Shizuo everything he needed to know; Izaya wanted to distract himself. He couldn’t see the other’s face very well from this angle, but there was a thin line at his mouth and his eyes were unreadable as he gripped his arm at the elbow.

He wanted to apologize again.

Instead, he picked up the phone and ordered their sushi. He got Izaya extra as a treat and made sure to tell Simon to be as quick about it as he possibly could. When he realized there was nothing else to do in the kitchen he went to the bedroom to fetch their comforter from the bed as well as he and Izaya’s pillows. Izaya really liked the idea of them having a quote unquote ‘sleepover’ in the living room. He claimed it was a playful silly custom that human couples liked to do, but Shizuo always thought it was just Izaya’s childlike side coming out- which Shizuo found adorable. Izaya would probably slit his throat if Shizuo outright told him that though. He didn’t appreciate some of Shizuo’s assessments on his personality.

He placed the comforter over Izaya’s head, which the other responded by wrapping the blanket haphazardly around himself, struggling a bit since he was down one arm.

“Oh. Thank you.”

“Yeah I thought we could do the sleepover thing. I could go buy a bunch of pillows from the store and we can make a pillow fort.”

Izaya laughed softly. “Sounds like fun.”

He came around to look at Izaya’s face and realized how tired he looked now. Deep in thought, he tickled his fingers along the hard cast against his arm and let his annoyance show on his face. Shizuo pet him on the head before he sat down.

“I’m sorry.” He said softly.

“You said that already.”

“Well this time I’m sorry that you have to sit on your hands for the next several weeks.”

Izaya sighed. “It’s fine. I wasn’t working on anything worthwhile.”

“Well I knew that, but still.”

Izaya laughed, unexpectedly. He leaned into Shizuo’s shoulder, who then wrapped an arm around him, a ghost of a smile on his own face. “I hate you. Don’t make fun of the work I do.”

“I wasn’t making fun; I was saying it didn’t matter since all you like to do is mess on people anyway.”

“’Mess on people’” Izaya repeated, pinching Shizuo’s cheek. “You collect money from poor horny people.”

“Alright, so both of our jobs don’t matter.”

“I do work for the Yakuza sometimes you know, Shizu-chan.”

“Yeah, and if it ever became a problem, I’d beat all their faces in. It doesn’t matter.”

“That’s a very bold claim. You saying you would take out the Yakuza if they came after me?”

“Yeah, but I’d probably yell at you the whole time.”

“Ah. I’d prefer it if you didn’t yell at me.” He pressed his cheek into Shizuo’s shoulder and squeezed, a subconscious display of affection that Shizuo didn’t normally think anything of until he realized how sweet it was.

“Any time you cause trouble for me, I get to yell at you. That’s how it works.”

“I never yell at you, you know.” Izaya said, turning to him with his eyes showing more than he let on about what Shizuo was trying to do. Shizuo frowned.

“Well you should. You enjoy making me feel like shit most of the time, so I don’t get why you wouldn’t want to this time.” Shizuo’s eyes turned serious and Izaya’s smile didn’t reach his eyes, looking solemn.

“Oh, I really don’t mind it. I doubt it’ll keep you from doing it again in the future. If it did, then surely your parents or Kasuka or Tom would’ve stopped you by now.”

“That’s…” Shizuo’s mouth was a hard line.

“I think a more fitting punishment,” Izaya said, taking Shizuo’s left hand with his own left on the other side since his right arm was binded. He held his hand to the side comparatively beside it, and Shizuo noted for the thousandth time how different the two were. “Is to make you stay with me to help clean up your mess, don’t you?”

Shizuo exhaled, studying him closely. “Is that what you’re doing? Making me clean up my own mess?”

“You felt bad enough for me to come wrap me up and sit with me, didn’t you?” Izaya grinned. “It looks to me like you’re doing the work for me all yourself.”

Shizuo gaped at him. “You manipulative little shit.”

“I didn’t do anything manipulative. I was just sitting here.”

“Did your arm actually start hurting then? Were you actually over here sulking about your broken arm?”

Izaya smirked at him ominously. “Who knows? Would you even believe me if I said yes?”

Shizuo scowled. “Maybe. But still, even if you did it was because I was being childish right? I’m sorry.”

“Stop apologizing to me so much.” Izaya said, pressing himself to Shizuo. “Wake me up when the food gets here.”

“Sure.”

And even though Shizuo felt he ought to be annoyed, he couldn’t help but admire Izaya’s innate ability to track what he was thinking. The guilt pressing hard into his chest felt a little lighter as he processed Izaya’s words, realized just how well Izaya knew him. It was almost obnoxious really, how well Izaya did know and caught on to his behaviors; then again, Shizuo could probably say that he knew Izaya about as well. He sat there silently pondering this as he waited for their sushi, getting annoyed by the outlandish characters on Izaya’s show but not wanting to change the channel since Izaya was the one watching TV.

There was a hard rap on the door which Shizuo took to mean their food had arrived. He was gentle as he pried himself away but Izaya still lifted his head with his eyes wide open to watch Shizuo trying to discreetly move away from him. Shizuo petted his hair gently as he moved away.

“The food is here. Sit up.”

“Hmm. Bossy.” Izaya remarked.

Simon was at the door smiling at him when he opened up. Shizuo wasn’t really in the mood for his antics.

“Shi-zuo!” he said cheerfully, “Good to see you! You not always home this time of day, no?”

“Hey Simon,” Shizuo said, trying to keep the annoyance out of his voice but feeling his eyebrow twitching all the same, “Me and Izaya are staying home today.”

“Oh, I-zaya is sick?”

“Something like that,” Shizuo handed him the money, and Simon handed him the bag of food, which was larger than Shizuo anticipated it to be. “I’ve gotta take care of him for a little bit.”

A little bit? Who even knew how long it would be before Izaya could go back to working normally? Would it be alright if he went back to work before then?

“Ah yes, good good. It makes me so happy that you two love each other now.”

Shizuo’s face crumpled into something embarrassing. He had half a mind to close the door in Simon’s face so he couldn’t see his reaction but instead he just grumbled under his breath. Yeah, he sure did love him. Loved him enough to crush his bones and make him feel like he can’t even be mad about it.

“Is good to cherish one another and no fight. I tell you this all through teenage years! But, you know now!”

“Uh huh. Thanks Simon.”

“Take good care of I-zaya while he sick. Make sure he stays out of trouble when he gets better.”

“Sure.” Shizuo couldn’t close the door fast enough. When he turned the corner for Izaya to see him, the other had a knowing look that said he heard everything.

“Oh if only Simon knew what he’s really saying to you sometimes.” Izaya chittered as Shizuo put the food out in front of him and started to get everything out. It made sense why there seemed to be more than he ordered because there was. Simon hadn’t said anything about the amount though, so it seemed like he knew what he was doing.

“They gave us a shit ton of free food. I wonder how come.”

“He has a secret sense. Whenever I’m in pain he knows I yearn for spicy tuna. Or maybe he thought there was trouble in paradise since you’re home in the middle of the day and thought lots of sushi would remedy the situation.”

“Hm.”

“Come on quit pouting. We’ve got free food! Simon never gives me handouts, so this is a treat!”

“He never gives you handouts because there’s no need,” Shizuo told him handing him his food, “No matter how much money you spend you’ll find more.”

“Hmmm, well just because I’m resourceful that means I don’t get a little special treatment every now and then? I’ve been a loyal customer for a long time you know. I’ve even tried all those… interesting specials.”

Shizuo grimaced in thought, “The cheese and ketchup sushi?”

“Truly one of the most heinous things I’ve ever eaten,” Izaya remarked, “Although somehow similar to the pizza sushi.”

“Disgusting. I wanna go down to Russia Sushi right now and kick their asses.”

“Simon’s not the one who designs the sushi, it’s that man Denis behind the counter. You shouldn’t insult the chef, Shizu-chan.”

“Whatever. They can’t just put whatever the fuck they want in some rice, roll it up and call it… do you want chopsticks?”

He froze midsentence to see Izaya trying his hardest to pry a piece of sushi from the roll with his good hands while also balancing the takeout tray on his knees. He furrowed his eyebrows in concentration and grabbed a napkin to wipe off his fingers when he finally gave up.

“I guess I ought to eat on the floor, huh?” he said dryly, lifting up his plate and getting to his feet. Shizuo helped him with it and sat down on the floor beside him.

“Want me to feed you?”

“No, go ahead and eat,” Izaya said seriously, “I’ve eaten one-handed in the past. I used to work through most of my meals.”

“Ugh. On purpose?”

“Some people enjoy the work they do, Shizu-chan.”

“Yeah and some people don’t know how to do anything else.”

Izaya shot him a dangerous look. Careful.

Shizuo pressed his knee against Izaya’s and calmly got out his sashimi. This really was a lot of food. He doubted he and Izaya would be able to eat it all. Hell, even if they managed to find a way to preserve the leftovers it was still a meal meant for at least five people.

“This is so booooring,” Izaya complained all of a sudden, and he turned to Shizuo with an annoyed glare. “Change the channel, will you?”

Gladly, Shizuo thought, picking up the remote and settling on an old movie. It was a movie that had come out when he and Izaya were teenagers, so Izaya would likely have lots to say about the old writing and cinematography. Shizuo knew he liked picking things apart like that.

“This is a lot of food,” Izaya muttered after a while, tossing aside his half eaten spicy tuna roll with a huff before leaning on Shizuo’s shoulder out beside him. “I give up. It’s too troublesome to eat.”

“Here just let me feed you,” Shizuo said, holding a piece up to Izaya’s lips, and to his surprise the other took it, chewing listlessly. “We don’t have enough fridge space for all of this.”

“Stupid Simon,” Izaya muttered, “With his stupid gifts. If we wanted this much sushi, we would’ve ordered this much sushi damn it.”

Shizuo snorted as he picked up another piece and held it to Izaya’s mouth. “That’s true.” He agreed easily. Izaya chewed as he looked around at all the food.

“Do you suppose Simon has some sort of otherworldly sense? He’s always going on about how sushi makes everything better. Is he trying to send us some kind of subliminal message to get along if we aren’t already?”

“I think you’re reading too deeply into it,” Shizuo said honestly.

“I’m not,” Izaya insisted, “Simon’s always been difficult to read. Even more difficult than you. If anything I’m not reading into it deeply enough.”

Shizuo shrugged. “It just seems like they gave us extra food since we seemed to be home.”

Izaya frowned. “’Suppose Simon thinks that I’m making life hard for you.” He said quietly. “Just like everyone else seems to think.”

Shizuo eyed him carefully. This was a discussion they’ve had in the past. He picked up another piece of sushi with his chopsticks and pressed it to Izaya’s mouth, which the other took and chewed slowly.

“Let people think whatever they want. Hell, they probably think I beat the shit out of you after you emotionally abuse me.”

Izaya’s smile was not an amused one. “Suppose they do.”

Shizuo watched him carefully. “If they knew I’d broken your wrist over a little bit of teasing though, they’d probably side with you.”

“Stop.”

It went quiet all of a sudden as they both seemed to ponder how the outside world viewed their relationship. From any normal person’s perspective, it was a red flag that Shizuo had broken Izaya’s wrist, but for them it was as common as dropping something on your significant other’s foot. Well, maybe not that common, but it was definitely more likely to happen than with most couples.

“I… hate that about me sometimes,” Shizuo told him, “That I think that I can act like a normal person. That I thought, even for a second, that it would be harmless for me to squeeze your wrist like that.”

Izaya was quiet, letting him speak.

“You’re so right about how little I hold myself accountable, it’s almost hilarious if it wasn’t so sickening,” Shizuo said quietly, and he handed Izaya another piece of sushi. He took it without looking at him. “Nobody’s ever held me accountable, least of all myself. I should know better than to go around acting like I can do as I please. I mean, even a normal person shouldn’t squeeze their lover’s arm for getting on their nerves, right?”

Izaya didn’t say anything, but he tucked his head against Shizuo’s neck and Shizuo could feel the smile pressed against his ear, breathing quietly.

“How eloquent,” he said after a few moments, “Shizu-chan.”

Shizuo sighed against him. “I’m feeling less guilty now, so you don’t have to sugarcoat stuff for me so much. How’s your arm?”

“It’s okay,” Izaya said honestly, “Just a little numb. Maybe it’ll heal quickly if I lay around and do nothing for the next few weeks.”

“Yeah, but we both know you won’t.”

Shizuo set about tidying up their lunch when Izaya was done eating. There were still three sushi rolls left, which Izaya and he both agreed to share at dinner. Neither of them could bear the idea of concocting another idea for food. Shizuo set up their pillow fort, closed the blinds, and turned off all the lights so that the only light came from the TV, and Izaya’s poorly concealed phone. Shizuo took it away as he sat down, and kissed Izaya hard on the mouth to keep him from yelling about it. Izaya seemed dazed as he let go and threw his arms around the other to keep him from leaving.

“You know something? I’m actually kind of proud of you, Shizu-chan,” Izaya said, “Arriving at a conclusion I didn’t even have to deliver myself. I’m impressed. You really are disciplining yourself quite well for me.”

“Oh shut up,” Shizuo sighed, but he let Izaya press a plethora of kisses to his mouth and cheeks all the same. “Is this alright?” he asked, referring to their position with Izaya pressed to him, his broken arm pressed between them.

“Of course. I feel my injury is safest this way,” Izaya announced to him, and then he bit Shizuo’s earlobe and said, “Hey, call me your lover again. You know, like you did earlier when you were being all cocky.”

“Oi!” Shizuo jumped, and Izaya snickered, “What? No.”

“Shizu-chaaaaan, you’re supposed to be bending to my every whim.”

“Not when you ask me like that!”

“Okay then. Please call me your lover again?”

“I,” Shizuo froze, “I… I mean, you’re my lover so.”

“Ah,” Izaya sighed, “That’s right. I’m your lover. You’re mine, even if you do try to squeeze the life out of me.”

Shizuo huffed. “I love you.” He said, as a way of ending the conversation. He turned back to the television.

“I love you too, jerk.” Izaya replied, and comfortably nestled into Shizuo’s chest.