The boys keep their promise and Simon has a favorite.

After the initial encounter things fell into a predictable if slightly aggravating routine. Every day after school the two boys would make their way to Russian Sushi and spend their pocket money on the fine cuisine. Simon soon felt confident that without fail the boys would be there and likely long after they paid back damages- Izaya in particular seemed to have decided (rightfully so!) that all other Sushi was inferior and would be a lifelong patron. The only question was in how the boys arrived.

Despite Simon's growing suspicion of fondness between to two boys, Russian Sushi was regularly treated to the unmistakable sound of what Dennis had dubbed "The Chase".

"The Chase" would occur every couple of days. Something would happen between the two boys, usually Izaya pulling some kind of juvenile prank or quipping an insult before running off and Shizuo (Simon finally learned his name) would follow. Shouting and flinging random objects all the way.

It was so predictable that once Simon heard Shizuo's still changing voice, he would clear a path for Izaya to come charging through Russian Sushi's doors; Shizuo hot on his heels.

Simon soon found it imperative to position himself so he could remove whatever bit of city infrastructure Shizuo was brandishing before the boy destroyed anything else. Shizuo was always shaking with rage on these days but would surrender the street signs without a fight and opt for fuming at Izaya who would always be armed with one of his self-congratulatory smirks and another insult. This served to enrage Shizuo further and Simon found himself greeting both boys with a calming (if rather patronizing) pat on the head for Shizuo and a light smack upside the the head for Izaya.

Neither boy ever managed to dodge this assault to their fragile egos as they were both far to focused on each other. Though Simon was beginning to think that they simply didn't really mind. Shizuo would visibly deflate as anger whooshed out of him and Izaya no longer flushed with indignation but instead would turn his smirk onto Simon with an increasingly cheeky greeting and request for ootoro.

It had become some bizarre game of tag with Russian Sushi acting as base. Simon's insistence that no shenanigans take place in Russian Sushi had inadvertently given Izaya a place to run too. Something that the aggravating young man was perfectly willing to take advantage of. Simon sometimes wondered if he had in fact made the situation worse. Initially, Simon had sided with Izaya; feeling that Shizuo's attempts at violence were the overreactions of a hormonal teen boy with more testosterone than he knew what to do with. After all the childlike looking boy couldn't be that bad.

Oh how wrong he was.

Izaya, as it turned out, was a mischievous trouble maker that Loki himself would be proud of. And Shizuo was his favorite target. Not a week had gone by since this little arrangement that Shizuo didn't come tearing into Russian Sushi with yet another story of how Izaya had:

-Stolen Shizuo's lunch and replaced it with dog food.

-Loosened the bolts in Shizuo's chair.

-Wrote incorrect notes in Shizuo's books.

-Tattled on Shizuo sleeping in class.

-Told a random girl that Shizuo was stalking them.

-Spread a rumor that Shizuo was a hit man for that Yakuza.

-Ect ect.

Izaya would of course deny all of these claims with the same shit-eating tone that he did the first one. A tone that managed to always convince Simon one hundred percent that Izaya was guilty.

The worst part of it was that Simon found it difficult to stay angry at the boy. Izaya had a way of turning the most obnoxious behavior into the weirdly endearing antics of a little rascal. Much like Shizuo's frightening displays of strength and violence were more like a dog misbehaving rather than a nearly grown man using potentially lethal force.

Simon put this down to their youth and while Shizuo managed to go from Rottweiler nightmare to golden retriever puppy in 0 seconds flat; Izaya just oozed charm. He was witty and curious, and his near worshipful appreciation of Russian Sushi had given Simon a distinct soft spot for little berk.

A soft spot that Simon was convinced Shizuo shared.

Because there were days, when things were peaceful. Days when both boys simply arrived and ate in silence sending each other nervous glances before looking away when the other looked up.

And on those days Shizuo would do that thing. That thing that was almost painful to watch it was so recognizable. Simon remembered doing that thing. Where you want to say something to the pretty girl or cool upperclassman, so you keep opening your mouth only to realize you've got nothing to say. And then berating yourself because everything that comes to mind is sooooo lame even in your own head. And stupid. And you're stupid- a complete idiot and please just kill me now.

It was so obvious Simon wondered how Izaya kept missing that Shizuo was trying to talk to him.

Though granted Izaya was busy doing that other thing. The thing where you are trying to convince everyone especially yourself that you soooo don't care that so and so is sitting next to you. Izaya might have a natural grace about him that was remarkable in such a young man but Izaya had a tendency on these day to get a little…pose-y. He stretched his neck and twirled his chopsticks. He would Lounge this way and Drape that. It was absolutely ridiculous and brought to mind every time Simon had puffed out his chest and lowered his voice in his youth.

Thank heavens Simon wasn't young anymore.

But despite his soft spot for Izaya Simon was finally losing patience with his antics.

It was the second time that week that Shizuo's voice could be heard calling for Izaya's head. Dennis shot Simon an exasperated look and Simon groaned, he really wasn't feeling up to this today.

"This is your fault." Dennis said in Russian.

"I know." Simon groaned back

"You're the one that decided that wrangling two nutcases was a good idea."

"I thought they would chill out after a while, they obviously want to be friends I don't know what Izaya's problem is." Dennis snorted.

"Oh yes that is the sound of two kids who really secretly like each other; not the sound of homicidal loathing at all!"

"They do!" Simon protested "They are just…I don't know...awkward." Dennis gave Simon a look of complete disbelief.

"Well you better get ready before Shizuo 'awkwards' Izaya and our shop into pieces." Simon nodded before going to stand by the door.

True to form Izaya dashed into the restaurant at break neck speed placing his hand on the bar as if it really was the base in tag.

"Safe!" He exclaimed victoriously.

Shizuo was not far behind. The blonde boy came rushing in hauling a trashcan this time that had thankfully lost all of it's garbage at some point.

"IZAYA! YOU ARE SO DEAD!" Shizuo lifted the Trashcan as if to chuck it.

Simon cut Shizuo off by firmly removing it from the boy's grip and placing it outside, when he came back in Shizuo was snarling at Izaya.

"You little snake, what did you do that for!?"

"Whatever could Shizu-chan mean? It's not my fault those upperclassmen attacked you!"

"Calm Shizuo." Simon ordered patting Shizuo's head. Shizuo gave his token growl before actually leaning into Simons massive palm and exhaling.

"See Shizu-chan, Calm." Izaya crooned. Shizuo growled.

"And you!" Simon said walking over and (lightly) smacking Izaya upside the head "Stop starting fight!" Izaya stubbled forward a bit before grinning up at Simon.

"Mr. Brezhnev, Good afternoon, may I have an order of your finest Ootoro?" Simon was ready to launch into a full lecture but stopped suddenly.

"You speak Russian?" Simon was floored. Out of Izaya's mouth was indeed heavily accented but accurate Russian. Dennis had stopped cooking to look up as well.

Izaya's face became positively sunny.

"Did I get it right?" He asked once again in Japanese.

"Your accent is terrible." Dennis said, a bit ironically

Izaya's face fell a bit but he quickly covered it up.

"But was the grammar right?"

"Da" Simon said still perplexed. Izaya glowed.

"How you know Russian?" Simon asked.

Izaya shrugged going over to sit at his usual spot.

"I'm good at languages, English is easy, my Chinese is coming and since I am coming here all the time I thought I would give Russian a go." His tone was decidedly off hand but Simon could hear a slight waver in his voice as if he really wanted this to go over well.

And Dammit it did.

Simmons mood was suddenly infinitely brighter. He went and got the boy's usual order and sat it down for them.

"You come here we teach you more Russian." Simon said cheerily.

"Spasibo" Izaya said a rare genuine smile gracing his features. Sorry Shizuo, Izaya was officially Simon's favorite.

"You learn too." Simon said to Shizuo.

Shizuo shook his head sullenly.

"I'm failing English. I can't go trying to learn Russian too."

"How are you failing English?" Izaya asked incredulously.

"Not all of us are geniuses, flea!" Shizuo snapped resentfully, shame once again coloring his deep voice.

Izaya appraised Shizuo for a minute before suddenly lunging forward and grabbing Shizuo's bag.

"Hey!"

"Mr. Brezhnev, hold him." Izaya instructed once again in Russian. Simon grabbed Shizuo before the boy could yank his bag back. Izaya immediately rifled through it before pulling out a text book and notebook with English lettering.

"Give that back!" Shizuo demanded. Izaya ignored him carefully scanning through the notebook.

"Mm-hmm, yup!" Izaya said after a moment "You're completely lost."

"Shut up!"

"English's verb- subject patterns are backward to ours, and you keep mixing up the gendered pronouns." Izaya said "See here," Izaya placed the notebook on the bar and pointed. " 'He went to the store.' Not 'The store she went.' She is feminine, he is masculine."

Simon eased his grip on Shizuo as the boy leaned forward, suddenly very focused.

"How am I supposed to keep them straight?"

"English uses the masculine as the default. The root form is masculine the adjusted form is feminine. Man- Woman. Male-Female -He-She see?"

"Ok, that makes sense."

"Just be careful of him and her."

"Gotcha."

Both boys were now very absorbed in the impromptu tutoring session, so Simon decided he could ease away.

It went on for a while, with Shizuo occasionally expressing his frustration and Izaya patiently explaining some grammar rule.

"That's stupid!" Shizuo exclaimed.

"It's English- of course it's stupid." Izaya snarked. "Here now you try."

Shizuo was too intent on the paper to see it is, tongue sticking out as he attempted to construct the sentence, but Simon saw it. A gentle smile placed firmly on Izaya's lips.