Chapter 1: Homecoming

It was early morning, and the air was crisp with the biting cold. The well renowned informant shivered in his parka trying to ignore the cold as he skipped along the streets of Ikebukoro happily. His lovely humans must have missed him, it had been such a long time since he'd returned. Two years have passed since he last set foot in Ikebukoro, yet it seemed like nothing had changed. The pace was quick amongst the crowds, each individual rushing to go about their days. Some with company others alone, it really seemed as if nothing had changed but that wasn't the truth, so much has changed in the past two years. No one knew that better than Izaya himself.

Two years ago Izaya had decided to go underground for a little while, he told no reason for a few small reasons. One, he thought it would be funny to see what everyone's reaction would be, at least those close to him which honestly wasn't many people. Shinra at least seemed to care, maybe Celty he didn't really know. The other reason was a more private matter and it was simply better to involve only those who needed to be involve. Don't get this wrong, Izaya was no coward and with his trusty switch blade confined in his parka he had no reason to be; he could go par to par with the monster of Ikebukoro with little challenge for crying out loud. No the reason for this departure was much different than what he normally faced on a daily bases, but that didn't matter anymore! He was back and he dearly missed his lovely humans~! He had to share the love~! Especially his monster, it was so boring without playing with his favorite toy. He needed the excitement, the thrill of the adrenaline as he was chased down the streets and through alley ways. He really just needed some normalcy back into his life after everything he went through.

"Izaya! Long time no see! Eat sushi yes? It good for you!" the Russian spokesman said jubilantly shoving a flyer into Izaya's face. Simon did not change much in the last two years if anything he might have built in a little more muscle into his already large form, dwarfing the informant even more.

"Oh I think I will thanks Simon long time no see." The raven winked at Simon playfully and walked inside sitting in one of the corner booths and waited for the server.

Russia sushi still looked the same as always the only difference being that it seemed more people seemed to be in the vicinity than he used to remember attending. He wondered if that meant that the sushi had gotten better over the years of his absence. Lost in his thoughts he never noticed a young boy of about fifteen ask for his order. Being the coy informant that he is, Izaya decided to play a little bit with the boy in front of him throwing lewd comments at the waiter watching as the boy's face redden. The poor boy could only stammer so much before rushing away promising to bring his order over in a short while. The info broker chuckled quietly to himself as he watched him leave, it really was so much fun to mess with people. How he loved doing this.

It was about fifteen minutes later that Izaya received his order, and ate it up his fatty tuna quickly. Practically engulfing each piece loving the taste, Russia sushi had defiantly gotten better at their preparations. He never knew he could miss his fatty tuna so much but with a full stomach he knew it was time to leave. There was still many places to see and many people to meet before he called it a day. With that in mind he paid his tab ad exited the restaurant. However around the same time as Izaya was exiting the restaurant, a tall blond bartender rounded the corner.

"Something stinks…" the blond muttered as he lit his cigarette casually. Things in 'Bukoro have been relatively peaceful, and boring for the debt collector. He wasn't sure what was making him so lethargic lately but he felt…off. Something felt like it was missing but he just simply brushed it off as boredom. The problem the more he did that the more annoyed he got because it only made it more obvious that something was bothering him and he could do nothing about it.

"Shiiiiiiiiizu-chan!"

"Izaya…?" The debt collector froze mid drag, his eyes widening. There was no way he heard that right, that flea had been gone for years now…

Izaya grinned with a glint in his eyes, and approached Shizuo with cat like swiftness. "Miss me Shizu-chan?" he teased as he dared to step right in front of Shizuo.

"You're back." Shizuo said bluntly furrowing his brows as if he couldn't comprehend the sight in front of him. A childish thought past through his mind and before he could reject it, he poked Izaya on the cheek; making Izaya lose his grin and look up in surprise. He poked him again and again, well at least he knew he wasn't going crazy. The flea was really in front of him right now, at this very moment. Why was his boredom slowly going away? Wait. The flea. He was here. Like right in front of him!

"Shizu-chan?" Izaya asked warily confused with the attitude.

Snapping himself out of his trance he began to crack his knuckles, a vein protruding out of his temple, "Fleeeeeeea!" the blonde growled making Izaya laugh and runaway. "Get back here! The fuck you in 'Bukoro! Where the hell did you go off to?!" he yelled grabbing the nearest thing to him, which happened to be a trash can, and threw it at Izaya missing him by an inch.

"Aw you missed me!" the raven cried happily rounding a corner.

"Get back here you flea!" The bartender growled as he chased after him, throwing a vending machine next. The informant dodged it by a hair only managing to get nicked on his side. He ignored the sting and grinned widely at Shizuo.

"Your aim is as terrible as ever!" he snarked at him before disappearing around a corner. Shizuo ran after him but ended up losing him again in the crowd and sighed heavily running a frustrated hand through his blonde locks. He was not expecting any of this on his day off.

After taking three left turns and one right turn Izaya finally emerged from an ally into the busy streets of Ikebukoro. Lifting up his shirt he glanced down and noticed the red stain his pale skin and hissed as he held his hand to the wound. It seemed the vending machine did more damage than he initially thought. Well at least now he had an actual reason for showing up to Shinra's place unannounced. Wincing at the sight of the vibrant blood covering his hand as he pulled away he walked towards the doctor's house, his hand on his middle gain. Luckily he managed to be closer than he thought to the apartment complex and rushed to the door.

"Shinraaaa! Open up! I'm dying!" Izaya whined as he knocked loudly on the underground doctor's door. Damn vending machine he thought as he waited the pain getting worse. The only good thing was that the wound might have stopped bleeding but it still stung. It was all stupid Shizu-chan's fault! The door soon opened and the raven was greeted by a cloud of smoke.

[Izaya is that you? Why are you back all the sudden? You're bleeding!] Celty waved her arms frantically and dragged him inside. And typed furiously on her PDA [How did this happen? Why were you gone so long?] She asked showing the informant who only shrugged and grinned at her.

"Izaya!" Shinra yelled happily and tackled him in a bear hug and rubbing his face into his cheek. "Where have you been? Ah! You're bleeding!" he cried and went back to get his kit to patch him up. He came back with disinfectants, cotton balls, and bandages and soon go to work on fixing him up. Luckily, Izaya didn't need any stiches, but it would need to be bandaged up tight for a while. "You saw Shizuo didn't you?" Shinra accused, only getting a smirk in return.

"I had to go and see my monster!" Izaya laughed cheerily.

Shinra only sighed heavily, "Why do you go after him so much? He wants to kill you!" He cried throwing his arms up in the air and twirling to wrap his arms around the headless rider. "Isn't that right my-oof" he groaned as he was elbowed in the side.

[Stop being stupid!] Celty gestured frantically shoving the PDA in his face and then paused. [I have always wondered why you chase after him so much. But that isn't to important right now. Where were you?] She asked showing the banged up raven the screen.

"Simple. He's fun to mess with even if it is annoying how unpredictable he is." The info broker muttered towards the end. Shizuo always fascinated him ever since he first met him in high school. He only heard the rumors about him but rumors could only keep hold of his interest for so long. He was ecstatic when his weird friend, Shinra, said he'd introduce them. He can still remember the first time he watched the brute fight. It was thrilling, watching the way the blond effortlessly swung away his opponents with the metal rod, his mighty roar rumbling against the buildings walls, his honey eyes fierce with anger. It was all so new to him and he loved it!

"As for why I left…That's a secret." He teased a smirk gracing his features as he readjusted his shirt and jacket.

[That explains absolutely nothing. But I won't ask.] Celty crossed her arm over her chest as she showed both the screen, tapping over fingers against her arm. [Please don't worry us again.] She typed out and showed Izaya quickly before pulling her PDA away. Making the informant feel slightly guilty for not letting them know why he left but he knew it was better that way.

[It islike you're a little boy with crush at the playground though. Annoying the one you like…] Celty quickly shoved the message to his face startling him and looked confused as he saw her shoulder shake in laughter.

"You see it too Celty?! Oh my beautiful Celty is so insightful! Come here s-oof! Ow Celty!" Shinra whined holding his head, half glaring at the woman he loved.

[That wasn't me.] The headless rider said showing him the screen and shrugging her shoulders.

"What the hell are you two talking about?" The information broker asked after striking Shinra, giving them a forced smirk promising pain.

Chuckling nervously, Shinra continued to rub his head, "Well Izaya, you do always talk about him. Calling him your monster, and how much you hate him. And the fact that you do anything to get his attention." He bit his lip fearing his intense stare and quietly took a step back and hid behind the headless woman.

"And?" The info broker growled flicking his switch blade taking a step towards the doctor, not liking where this conversation was heading at all.

[What he's saying Izaya,] Celty flashed her PDA in front of his face, [Is that you act as if you have some feelings for Shizuo…]. Her shoulder shook in laughter as she witnessed the shocked expression of Izaya.

"I-…what? You must be joking!" He held his stomach as giggles erupted past his lips. Tears pricked the corners of his eyes as he fell back on the couch "That's disgusting! Shizu-chan is monster!"

"Don't play it off Izaya, what was the first thing you did when you got here?" Shinra asked grinning widely, knowing the answer.

"Eat at Russia Sushi of course!" The info broker chimed happily making Shinra roll his eyes.

"And then?" He asked

"Have fun with the monster?" Izaya asked feeling uncomfortable when he noticed the bright gleam coming from Shinra's glasses.

"Strange, how you go directly to the person you hate the most when you come back…" Shinra grinned widely scooting closer to Izaya nudging his shoulder. "Why is that Izaya? Huh? Why?"

"Because I've always done it, so why stop now." The info broker grumbled crossing his arms over his chest and scooting away from the insane doctor.

"But you've done it since high school! We aren't kids anymore," he whined "We're 25 now well I am your 24, but that's not the point. We're grown men. Yet you still choose to go out of your way to annoy Shizuo. Why?" Shinra raised a brow at him.

"I'm forever 21 dammit! And I do it 'cuz I'd be bored otherwise." Izaya snapped at him sticking his nose in the air.

"Keep telling yourself that Izaya." Shinra snorted and smiled wide to the headless woman

[Denial is the first step…] The PDA flashed in front both men, one seeing it as amusing the other as an annoyance.

"Oh don't follow whatever your boyfriend says. I'm leaving. You guys are no fun at all." The informer huffed and stormed off annoyed. There was no way Shinra or Celty could be right, it was utterly ridiculous. There was no way he could have feelings for a Neanderthal, he was a god after all. It was completely insulting to even think about. Why would he degrade himself into loving a monster? It's impossible, they aren't even compatible anyways, not that it mattered.

Izaya's thoughts got even more jumbled when he passed through the Sunshine District as he watched the smiling faces of his lovely humans. How was it possible to be so sickenly sweet to each other? Izaya found it down right bizarre. It made no sense. How could one person lose all control of their emotions in the presence of the opposite sex? Err… no that also applies to the same sex as well. It still didn't make sense to him either way. Sure he's had sex before, he does have needs after all, but it still didn't interest him entirely. He didn't get the excitement of sleeping with other people, so he didn't. But why should that matter now? Stupid Shinra and Celty, fucking up his head. He couldn't think straight, why did he always bother Shizu-chan anyways? He says it's for fun but shouldn't that get boring after a while? He always had to have the last laugh, but he just really liked to mess with Shizu-chan, he was so fun!

There couldn't be any of those feelings Celty was talking about. Where would she even get a silly idea like that? He's been messing with him since his first year if high school after all…He would have noticed before then if he had…No. Celty couldn't possibly be insinuating that time could she? It was a joke, it wasn't real!

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Ok so this has been edited cuz I felt like it needed to. I think it sounds better than the original. Flows better I think.

Changed little things did any of you notice? Anyways I hoped you enjoyed!