Shizuo caressed his cheek.
"Now there's something I did not think I'd hear Orihara Izaya ever say."
"Only goes to show that I am amazing."
They changed into loose fitting kimonos.
"Can I turn off the light?"
This was a question that had gained ominous connections.
"Wait a while. Aha, here it is."
Izaya removed a presence light from a bag and handed it to Shizuo who studied the childish drawings on it with curiosity.
"Your brother did this?"
"Yes. That's Mister Lion Head, in other words you, gobbling up Totoro. The others are supposed to be Mairu and Kururi."
"'Keeps Totoro away. I say so.' Heh. So cute, Tak-chan."
Shizuo found it all exceedingly adorable.
"Very full of himself for someone with such short legs."
Izaya meant it in his typical off-handed way but tears sprang to his eyes unbidden. The sudden impact of bundled emotions caught him by surprise.
"Oy, are you alright?"
"I just- realized that I am happy, that I was lucky to meet people that make my life truly worth living but it's also scary- because that's when bad things happen and…"
Shizuo hugged him tightly.
"I guess there'll always be 'Totoros' but it's nothing we can't handle."
Izaya made a big show of wiping tears away, a smile already playing on his eyes.
"You say that but what about the shoes? Those wooden clogs are quite a challenge!"
Izaya decided that sleeping on top of Shizuo was still the most comfortable way.
"Yeah, those shoes are difficult to handle. Tomorrow we're going to Kiyomizu so be careful not to fall over."
Izaya laughed anew.
"Aye. And we are back to this, I call it 'Spooning Cell 404 style'."
"It's more like you're a kitty."
Izaya yawned and stretched his back in pure feline fashion.
"Nya and all that. Shizu-chan?"
"Yeah?"
"I love you."
"Same here."
"Heh, so you love yourself? So selfish!"
"Don't be an asshole now."
Izaya chuckled.
"I'm not getting you any rings, just so you know."
"Heh…no need. Goodnight."
Izaya snuggled. This sort of words could be spoken freely. Past self-imposed prisons. For they both knew that Cell 404 was more than a place, it could be anything. To break through the walls that encroached around at intervals with the regularity of misfortune it was necessary for Izaya and Shizuo to join efforts. And that they did. Not only through overt challenges to inexorable rules but by doing what they now did: sleep together without worries and thus creating a shared world into which they would both gladly turn 404 into.

The End