He smelled like mud. Maybe it was because he fell in some, at least that's how Shizuo understood as Izaya showed up around the corner with a notable scowl on his usual annoying features.

"What the fuck happened to you?"

Izaya snapped his head up, his scowl deepened, he looked in his pocket for his switchblade but let out a groan instead. "Damn it. I don't have time for you, Shizu-chan."

Shizuo sucked in a drag before flicking the cigarette to the ground, he walked closer to Izaya who tilted his head to the side, closing his eyes shut from whatever pain he was feeling. When he opened them, he sucked in a breath at how close Shizuo was to him.

"What. Happened. To. You?" Shizuo asked, not bothering to restrain his rage that simmered under the surface.

A lazy grin pulled at the corner of Izaya's lips, "Are you worried about me, Shizu-chan, how touching."

Shizuo shoved Izaya against the brick wall of the building. They were standing in a dark alley that hid them from the sun, and Shizuo placed his hand against the wall beside Izaya's head, leaning closer.

"Tell me, Izaya."

He gritted his teeth, whatever facade he wanted wouldn't stay on his face. "Some assholes...I don't really understand why this has anything to do with you."

"What assholes?" Shizuo asked.

Izaya sighed, looking smaller as he glanced away from Shizuo. "These assholes in that stupid Yellow Scarves gang, they got the drop on me."

"Who in their right minds get the drop on you, Orihara Izaya?"

Izaya looked up, brow arched, grinning, "I know right, weird. I'm having an off day."

"I'm sure you didn't leave them standing."

"A few were twisted on the ground, but they'll recover in a few weeks or months, depends on how stupid they are," Izaya said, shrugging.

Izaya looked less than himself in front of Shizuo, and usually they were at each other's throats. Anger was their kindling when they were ready to set the entire world on fire. This was more cold, a little uncomfortable, but calm.

They were raw in this instance, and Shizuo wasn't sure how he felt about that. Maybe destroying the world felt better than this, a more natural course of hatred they were always succumbing too.

Izaya was staring at him, brows pinched, a scowl on his lips, "Why are you looking at me like that?"

Shizuo grunts. "Like what?"

Izaya leaned forward, "Like you're going to kiss me."

It was an honest question, he could see that, Izaya didn't mean it to be a joke, or any teasing way. He had this look on his face as if he was concerned by Shizuo more than he should. They never showed concern for each other, it never truly mattered to them.

"I'm not going to kiss you," Shizuo said, about to pull away, but Izaya reached out, grasping the front of his shirt and instead of pulling Shizuo back, he leaned up and kissed him on the mouth.

Shizuo's eyes widened and he didn't know what to do with his hands. He could feel Izaya smiling in the kiss before pulling away.

"Don't get more stupid on me, Shizu-chan, it was just a kiss," Izaya said, wiping his mouth. "Although I do think you need practice, stiffening up like that isn't good for future partners, and I don't mean what's beneath your pants."

Shizuo's mind went blank, and before he knew it, he shoved Izaya against the wall. "Why did you kiss me?"

"I thought maybe it would be funny," Izaya said, gritting his teeth at the sharp pain from being pushed into the wall. "I thought wrong...again...what is up with you and making me seem stupid?"

"Maybe," Shizuo grinned, feeling something unravel inside of him, "you are." And then he kissed Izaya, and this time he felt Izaya stiffen against him. He trailed his hand along Izaya's waist, pulling him closer to him.

He didn't think much about kissing Izaya, but slowly, Izaya began to loosen against him, his fingers curled into Shizuo's shirt, turning his head to the side, and opening his mouth.

Shizuo didn't expect that, but he deepened the kiss anyway. He was more slow, languid at kissing Izaya who softly moaned into his mouth.

And then it was done, Shizuo moved back to catch his breath, and Izaya panted, looking at Shizuo with this sort of awe in his eyes.

"You're good at kissing," he said.

Shizuo shrugged, "I don't usually kiss anyone."

"But you're…" Izaya shook his head. "Holy shit."

Shizuo frowned, he didn't understand why Izaya was so dumbstruck. He was usually spitting out insults at him, but his eyes were wide and surprised at Shizuo. Then he pulled Shizuo closer.

"Kiss me again."

"What?" Shizuo asked, brows pinched together.

"Shut up," Izaya growled, and he pressed their mouths together.

Shizuo holding Izaya against the wall and turning his head to the side, swallowing Izaya's needy moans. His hands at Izaya's waist, holding him still, while Izaya's fingers knotted into the fabric of his shirt at his shoulders, before they trailed to his neck, and into the base of his hair.

After awhile he had to ask himself why he was kissing Orihara Izaya of all people, but his mind was muddled. It wasn't until he moved back, and Izaya stayed against the wall, panting, his fingers reaching out for Shizuo.

"What the hell are we doing?" he asked.

Izaya chuckled, his eyes glazed over. "What the hell do you think we are doing, Shizu-chan? Sometimes I wonder how you get by in life with such a small brain."

Shizuo clenched his teeth. "You're less annoying when I kiss you."

Izaya shrugged, straightening up. "If it's such a problem, kiss me again."

Shizuo frowned, he didn't like that it was practically an invitation, nor that Izaya seemed more needy since they started. "You smell like mud."

Izaya rolled his eyes. "That's what happens when one falls in mud, Shizu-chan."

Shizuo licked his bottom lip and watched Izaya swallow, his eyes watching him intently. He was incredibly observant, and his entire body stayed still before he looked into Shizuo's eyes, a smile spreading across his face.

"Don't leave me in suspense."

Oh, he can be so damn clever.

Shizuo walked over to him and pressed Izaya against the wall again. "This is ridiculous."

Izaya tilted his head back, closing his eyes. "That's what makes this unbelievable, no one will think less of us, I'm sure of that."

"I will."

Izaya opened his eyes. "Who in their right mind cares about what you think?"

"Yeah, I think I do like it better when I kiss you without you opening your stupid mouth."

"You're the one talking."

"This makes us both stupid."

Izaya pulled Shizuo closer, even though they were pressed into each other, "Whatever makes you kiss me, Shizu-chan, I honestly don't care."

And Shizuo kissed him, the kiss consuming whatever rage that simmered inside of them, and even with this compromise, they would still come to hate each other, but there was always something there that would remind them that maybe it wasn't partially true.