Raise Your Glass [Izaya & Shizuo]

[Izaya Orihara]

A cold breeze blew through the city of Ikebukuro as Izaya stepped out of an alleyway and slipping a folded wad of bills into a pocket inside his jacket. The black fur-trimmed hood ruffled in the wind, threatening to flip upward as it grew stronger, causing a small smile to work it's way onto the raven's lips. He had always preferred the cold weather of winter as opposed to the warmer summers; his body seemed to naturally take to the cold, unaffected by the icy air that would cover the city. It wasn't that the heat of summer was a challenge, but he did attract less attention in a jacket when it was colder out, and sometimes, the less stares he got when on the job, the better.

Turning on his heel, the informant started down the sidewalk with a slight spring to his step. The wad of yen he'd just received bounced off his side with each step he took, giving him a fresh wave of self-pride as he noted just how quickly and smoothly the job had gone. It hadn't been a particularly complicated request; just the gathering of some information, but it had been difficult for Izaya to find, even for an informant as well established and connected as himself. There was little information on the person in particular that his most recent employer had wanted to know about and only a small handful who even knew who the target was. Even with his slight frustration, Izaya had to applaud the man for being able to stay under the radar. However, given that the man traveled a lot it wasn't that surprising. They likely didn't stay in a single location long enough for people really notice they'd been there at all.

Clever. A wise way for a hitman to live. But not clever enough. In the end, Izaya had found what he'd needed and sent the information on his way. While it was disappointing that he hadn't gotten to know this particular human better--who knows how good of a pawn he might have made--he didn't think much of it. There were plenty more pieces on the city of Ikebukuro to place on his chess board. Whining over one of them was a waste of time. Besides, he had enough toys to place with for now. The city was full of entertainment; one man made no difference.

As he made his way through the city, Izaya stopped when he reached a four-way intersection, looking down each road in vague interest. He didn't have any plans for the rest of the night, and returning to his apartment to troll around in the online chatrooms sounded boring. He could do that whenever he pleased. Right now he wanted... fun. His crimson eyes carefully scanned each street, trying to find something interesting when the familiar figure of his "favourite" toy.

A smirk formed on his lips as he crossed the street quickly and slipped his hands into his pockets. It looked like he had found his entertainment for the night after all. Unfortunately, he wasn't in the mood for running around the city that night. His ankle was still recovering from a previous engagement, and he really didn't feel like listening to the rambles of a certain underground doctor when he returned for more treatment. Instead, he'd simply have to rely on his words and play with the other as much as he could without setting off the bomb.

"Good evening, Shizu-chan. You didn't kill anyone today, did you? I heard a few of the yakuza members you collected debts from landed a spot in the hospital. They aren't to happy with you."

[Shizuo // Kururi]

Shizuo hated the cold. Not like he hated pudding, or like he hated Izaya Orihara, but he hated it nonetheless. And he hated it even more when it was in his shitty apartment, the heater broken and his fairly thin bartender outfits doing little to nothing to protect him from the chill. He'd made an effort to endure it, pulling on an over-sized jumper and an extra layer of socks, but just pacing around his apartment in the cold was... well, useless.

So he'd put his sunglasses back on- out of habit more than necessity- and piled up his bedding on the floor for Mutt to sleep on, then pulled on his shoes and headed out, hands shoved into his pockets and chin buried in the high collar of the jumper. Most wouldn't recognize him, with half of his face covered and his uniform covered down to his thighs in an ugly green cable-knit sweater...

But of course Izaya would. Sluggish from the cold, he turned, eyes narrowed at the other behind his blue sunglasses. "Louse. What do you want?" He hunched his shoulders up to protect his ears from the cold. His work day was over- he didn't want to talk about it afterwards, who ever did? He'd deal with the Yakuza when that came.

Right now, he had to deal with Izaya.

[Izaya Orihara]

Of the many people in Ikebukuro, Shizuo was one of the hardest for Izaya to read. It was easy enough for him to fact the act, and sometimes he'd even land himself a lucky guess, but all in all, it was very difficult for him to understand the mind of the ex-bartender. That frustrated him to no end, angered him at times even, yet at the same time, it was just that which fascinated Izaya and kept him coming back for more. Most wouldn't approach a person who claimed that they wanted nothing more than their death, but the game that the blond offered him was just to fun to give up. It was something that only the two of them shared, and he was rather possessive of that which belonged to only him.

However, difficulties aside, it didn't take a genius to know that Shizuo was cold.

In any other situation, Izaya would have laughed. It had taken a decent amount of self-control to keep from doing so, but he still managed to allow a grin to spread across his lips. The cold was nothing as far as he was concerned, but seeing the other react to it so poorly was definitely something to remember. He would have loved to take advantage of the situation, but the dull throbbing in his ankle reminded him that he needed to behave. He wouldn't be able to escape easily like this.

"Cold?" he asked casually, slipping his hands into his pockets as he looked up and down. "I would think that even a protozoan would have enough survival instinct to avoid discomfort and stay warm."

Thinking his words over, they would likely piss the other off. He'd have enough time to react, most likely, as there wasn't anything for him to grab within reaching distance, but that had never stopped the other before. For now, he'd simply have to come up with a plan. Somewhere behind him, he could hear the drunken slurs of a man as he stumbled down the street, giggling insanely while a girl, who Izaya assumed was his girlfriend, tried to urge him to be quiet.

Almost immediately an idea popped into his head, and his smirk grew.

[Shizuo // Kururi]

It was, perhaps, lucky for Izaya that it was so cold, and that the cold made Shizuo so damned tired. Whereas he normally would have tried to rip the other's head off for that statement, he just shrugged, wiggling his fingers in his pockets. "Was there something you wanted, or are you just here to piss me off? Because you don't have to be an asshole to do that, you just have to exist, and your voice is really irritating right now."

He glanced at the couple staggering their way down the street, disapproval in his eyes. He disliked drunkards, or even people who got drunk just for fun- there was no point in it. Indulging in alcohol was one thing- indulging to the point where you were staggering around acting like a total idiot was completely another.

He sighed, turning his attention back to the louse. He really wasn't in the mood to 'play' tonight...

[Izaya Orihara]

The urge to say "just to piss you off" was strong, but Izaya quickly pushed the feeling aside. If he wanted to make this work, he had to behave; to be careful with his actions. After all, with Shizuo, the slightest of slips would end up costing him everything. This was a game he most certainly didn't want to lose.

"I just finished a job," he answered honestly. It wasn't as if what he did was a secret. At least the statement was vague enough that it didn't explain. Being an informant gave him a wide variety of jobs; not all of them were illegal. "My employer ended up paying more generously than I expected. I was on my way to... celebrate."

It was a stupid excuse, but it worked. In a sense, it wasn't really a lie. Playing with his favourite toy--with Shizuo--was a good means of celebration. It always left him in a better mood and the satisfaction that he'd once again put the ex-bartender in just a little more debt. A lot of joy could come from that.

"A drink," he continued, ignoring the couple behind him. "Maybe something... fruity. I haven't decided." He tilted his head to the side, smirking. "Would you like to join me? I'm even in a good emough mood to treat you."

[Shizuo // Kururi]

A job. A job usually meant selling information. Usually very private, hidden information... Normally this would have pissed Shizuo off even more, but it was cold, and late, and he was tired of running through the streets like a madman, wracking up more bills than he could pay off in five lifetimes. At this rate, his hypothetical great-great-great grandchildren would be paying off his debts... That wasn't a comforting thought, not at all.

He almost laughed. Izaya Orihara, the bane of his existence, was inviting him... to have a drink? Not trying to provoke him into attacking, not fucking with his life- as he so often did- but just... inviting him to have a drink. As if they were friends.

Oh, why the hell not? Alcohol had never affected him much, really, and he could use something to warm his fingers and toes... and nose and ears... "Heh. If you're treating... sure." Fingers wiggling in his pockets once more, he rubbed a numb ear against his shoulder. "Lead the way. I'll drink whatever you order."

[Izaya Orihara]

It had gone much easier than expected. He had been fully prepared to convince Shizuo to come with him; to deflect every decline the blond was going to offer. It was almost boring how smoothly things had worked out, but in the end, that was faster. It meant he could get what he wanted that much quicker. Which, ultimately, was better for him.

"This way, Shizu-chan~" Izaya smile was far too sweet, like venomous honey, as he turned to walk away. His hands slipped into the pockets of his jacket and he fingered the blade hidden inside. He didn't plan to use it, but the action helped him think; just a habit more than anything else. Quirky, but it didn't matter. The bar in question he planned to take the other two was small and close, just around the corner. Frequented enough to stay in business by loyal customers, but not so busy that people would notice them and pay any mind.

Which was good; that eliminated complications.

It didn't take long for them to reach the bar, and once inside, Izaya gestured to a table in the corner, hidden by the darker lighting. "Sit there, it's one of the best seats." The smile returned as he turned around, it almost seemed innocent. Innocence and Izaya never went hand in hand. "I'll get something. You... enjoy fruity drinks, correct?" His information on Shizuo was sparse, but useful. "Something sweet, then."

[Shizuo // Kururi]

The walk was quiet, allowing Shizuo to think. He didn't believe that Izaya simply wanted to drink with him- he would probably try to kill him, poison him, get him drunk and get him to spill all of his secrets... something stupid like that. He could handle it, though. He was stronger than Izaya, and very few things actually hurt him.

The fact that very few things got him drunk was helpful, too.

He sat at the shadowed table, unimpressed by the dramatic flair that Izaya tended to add to every little thing. As if the darkness would help anything that he was planning on doing. The blonde used the time to adjust his eyes to the dark, slouching in his seat and bringing his chill fingertips up to breathe on them, attempting to warm them up.

"Yeah. Sweet, sugary. Nothing that tastes too much like alcohol."

[Izaya Orihara]

It was just far too easy. The fact that Shizuo wasn't putting up any sort of fight made the informant want to laugh. He was too trusting, or at least he appeared to be. That was the one thing that made this plan such a risk; the blond was a hard person to read. His actions were unpredictable and random--not to be controlled. Still, it was a risk he was willing to take. So much could be gained from this... but at the same time, it risked everything.

Izaya was well aware his tolerance for alcohol wasn't the best. He'd gotten drunk once before. Just once. Thankfully for him it had been with someone could be trusted--at least to an extent. Everything that had been revealed at that time had been sworn to secrecy. A few "complimentary" jobs on important information with a large sum had been enough to make up for it. If that information were released tonight... No, he wouldn't think about that. It wouldn't happen.

Walking up to the counter, he smiled and ordered two of the strongest drinks he knew the name of. Fortunately for him, they didn't taste strongly of liquor; they were very fruity. A strong taste of strawberry that was very, very sweet. Not at all the sort of thing that the raven would enjoy himself. He couldn't stand things that tasted as if they were laced with a pound of sugar, but sacrifices would have to be made.

After paying, he grabbed the drinks and walked back over to the table, offering the first to Shizuo. "They're safe," he said casually, taking the bench on the other side of the table with a small smile. "Drugging you wouldn't really do me much good. Drugs are such a waste--they confuse people too much."

[Shizuo // Kururi]

"Oh, I'm sure they are," Shizuo said, sitting up slightly and taking the glass. His eyes moved over the other's form, then he took a sip, sighing softly. Oh, god, that tasted really good~ "Even you would get arrested for trying to poison me at a bar. And you're not stupid enough to do that, because you know you'd get caught." After a moment, he leaned back again, fingers around the glass. Cold again, but that was acceptable- the alcohol would start warming him up soon enough.

"So, why am I really here? Why did you invite me? I'm not stupid, no matter what you say. I know you don't want to spend time with me, hell, you probably can't stand my face, the same way I can't stand yours."

[Izaya Orihara]

"Can't I offer a temporary truce as an apology for all I've done to you?" Izaya asked with a far too sweet smile. "I already told you; I just wanted to celebrate a well-paying job. Don't flatter yourself so much. You were just the first person I ran into."

Lifting his glass, the informant took a slow gulp. He wouldn't get away with letting his glass sit on the table for long. Eventually, Shizuo was likely to get suspicious and accuse him of some sort of ulterior motive. As true as the accusation might be, he couldn't afford to lose what he'd started this early on. The prize for victory was just too tempting.

"If you don't want the free drinks..." he shrugged and nodded to the door. "You can leave."

[Shizuo // Kururi]

Shizuo thought for a moment, half-draining his glass in one long pull as he did. When he lowered the glass back to the table, his eyes landed on Izaya, oddly serious. "Bullshit. But that's fine, you're not getting whatever it is you want anyways. If I get free drinks with no chance of you getting what you want? All the better." He smirked, taking another drink. There it was, that slow, warm burn starting in his stomach, creeping throughout his body. He loved alcohol on cold nights... perfect.

[Izaya Orihara]

The alcohol going down his throat burned painfully, making Izaya force back a wince. Alcohol had never been something he enjoyed or saw much point in, thus he rarely partook in anything related save for a few glasses of wine. While he enjoyed bitter tastes, alcohol was one of them he simply couldn't stand or handle. The only reason he was able to keep drinking was the promise of a job well done. After all, Shizuo was still drinking. It couldn't take him too long before he started to slip.

"Think what you want, Shizu-chan," the informant shrugged. "Even I can do nice things for you once in a while. Have a little faith in gestures." As he took another sip, something in the back of his mind urged him to slow down. His glass was already half-empty and the room was starting to feel much warmer than it had before.

[Shizuo // Kururi]

"Lost all my faith that you were a human being with compulsions to do nice things for other people a long time ago, louse." The glass finished, Shizuo set it down, wiggling his fingers. He could feel them again, in the warm-feeling and not frozen-feeling way. Very nice. "But like I said. Whatever. I don't really care."

Well, that wasn't true. He did care, but not in the way he should... he always felt wrong when Izaya wasn't trying to fuck him over. But times like now, when he was obviously scheming and up to something, it felt like... like everything was exactly the way it needed to be.

[Izaya Orihara]

Chuckling, Izaya shrugged in response and gestured vaguely at the bartender to bring another glass of whatever it was he'd gotten Shizuo. Drinks weren't his specialty and he hadn't wasted his time learning which was which. After all, drinking wasn't an activity he partook in often, or at all, really, and there was no point in knowing it. The more alcohol, the quicker someone was going to get drunk. That's all that was important.

Unfortunately for him, that rule didn't apply, as he was fairly screwed on a broad spectrum of alcoholic amounts.

"Drink as much as you like," he said with a faint smile, draining half of what was left in his glass. "Really, you should have more faith, Shizu-chan. Can't we just be friends? Friends drinking... fruity cups of yummy?"