Inseparable.

Since Izaya left, Shizuo wasn't in the greatest of moods, not when he found out Izaya took his phone after he left his apartment. Shizuo thought of storming his way to the flea's apartment and getting it back, but he had work. Izaya wasn't going anywhere, he'd probably hide in his bedroom until his hands healed. Shizuo followed Tom down the street, hands stuffed in his pant pockets and glaring at the sidewalk. When it came to threatening people, he had more vigor in him than usual, stemmed by his annoyance at Izaya.

After a few hours, Tom finally broke his silence and gave a wary glance in Shizuo's direction.

"Still worried about Izaya?"

Shizuo grunts, "Why would I be?"

Tom shrugs. "It's the only other reason you'll be in the mood."

"What mood?"

"Angry, homicidal. The usual when concerning Izaya."

He wasn't about to deny it, nor was he going to confirm it either. So he said nothing and glared at the pavement until they moved on. By the evening, Tom finally told him to head off, if anything else pops up, he'll call Shizuo.

Shizuo, sighing in relief, even though there was an anger brimming at the edge as he took off to Shinjuku. He hoped to confront Izaya, make the flea pay for another phone, and possibly leave each other alone for a week or so. He was sure Izaya would agree since his hands were badly injured in his strange drunk attempt and there would be no way he'd be able to annoy Shizuo unless he sent out a hit on him.

The thought fueled his anger and when he arrived at Izaya's apartment building, he stormed to his door and kicked it open.

What he found was unexpected. Izaya sat on his sofa with Shinra, both with cups of tea and looking to be having a pleasant conversation until he burst through.

"Ah, Shizu-chan. Thought I'd see you a lot earlier than six," Izaya said, sounding extremely formal and lacking the bite that carried the rest of Shizuo's impatience.

"What the hell is going on?" He asked, looking at Shinra for a more standard answer he knew he wasn't going to get from Izaya.

Except Shinra looked visibly disturbed, holding a heavy pamphlet in his lap and a red pen. Shizuo realized he was signing a contract of some sort, but Izaya being who he was never did such things unless it was incredibly serious.

Shizuo scowled. "Don't tell me you took what I said earlier seriously."

Izaya narrowed his eyes at him, not looking amused in the least. His hands were still bandaged and from the tension in the room, he wasn't in the mood for games.

"How about you come back in the next thirty minutes and we'll discuss our terms." He didn't even offer a smile as his attention turned back to Shinra who placed the pen down on the pamphlet and reached for his cup of tea.

Shizuo couldn't believe what Izaya said. It was worse than his usual cheeky remarks, it was utter disdain and lack of interest. For some odd reason, it rubbed him the wrong way. He walked over to Shinra, grabbed the back of his collar and pulled him off the couch. The tea cup fell to the floor, spilling and breaking the contents as Shizuo dragged him to the door and pushed him out.

"Come back later." He slammed the door shut and lodging it enough for it to stay closed.

When he turned around, Izaya was glaring at his own cup, his hands placed in his lap and his mouth in firm unhappy frown.

"I was busy making a-"

"I don't give a shit what you were doing, Izaya. You stole my phone."

Izaya rolled his eyes. "And I threw it out the window, what else is new, Shizu-chan."

He didn't like this. He couldn't stand the disregard and the slight pain in his chest that was growing, he wanted to walk over to Izaya and strangle him until he realized what he was doing and why.

"It was just a two weeks, Izaya."

Izaya scoffed, shaking his head as if Shizuo was a child. "It wasn't just that."

Shizuo felt his hands curl into tight fists, but he didn't let his anger control him. He watched as Izaya controlled his own, the temptation to mock and scrutinize was gone, just a firm denial and sensible relinquish of his usual cold hearted antics.

"And what is it because whatever you're doing now, possibly threatening Shinra isn't exactly what you do. Sure you're an asshole to everyone else, but Shinra was always the one that was off limits."

He could see it, the cracking of his facade, the pain so clear in his ash brown eyes that the silence felt so much more violent than whatever Izaya wanted to say.

Shizuo inhaled and walked toward him, making sure he wasn't about to break some barrier Izaya was placing up, hoping he didn't lash out on him. They were friends, inseparable, but now since Shinra's little test with Izaya, everything seemed to crumble beneath them. It was unmistakable why that was but Shizuo didn't want to ask, nor did he know if he should understand it without confirmation.

Izaya turned his head and glared at Shizuo. "You.. don't know how it feels to feel useless. To want something I know I can't have. To know if I take it, it'll be wrong." Looking down at his hands, Shizuo knows that Izaya would run his fingers through his hair and knot them in the strands if they weren't covered in gauze, instead he hides his face.

Whatever anger he felt diminished at Izaya's frustration. "The all knowing and almighty Informant can't even take what he wants. You must finally found some respect in whatever it is." He scoffs at the notion. "But respect hasn't stopped you from destroying lives."

Izaya keeps his face covered, not moving, not even trying to insult Shizuo. Instead of contemplating why that was, he steps closer and asks, "What is it you're afraid of taking?"

Izaya drops his hands into his lap and licks his lip. His eyes are rimmed with tears and they streak down his face, but he doesn't make a sound. His mouth doesn't even tremble, he just stays still, quiet and unmoveable.

"Hate. Shizu-chan, undeniable hate. I lived with it, strived in it, but dealing with it when my feelings have changed, I don't think I could handle it."

There it was, Shizuo's confirmation. He swallowed the lump in his throat, not knowing if Izaya knows what he just said, or if he even cares that Shizuo knows. He shakes his head and stands from the couch, his eyes avoiding Shizuo's as he walks towards him. Small, vulnerable, pitiful, sad, Orihara Izaya.

How could he ever think he could be separate of him. Breaking him down like this to the point of spewing truths as if they were nothing but lies. Izaya could lie to himself, could deny what he wanted, but Shinra was right.

Izaya was clinging to the hate he felt for Shizuo all those years ago, never wanting for one second of ever thinking he could feel something different.

He stopped in front of him, his gauzed hands pressed against his chest and his hair hiding his his face. There was one thing Izaya needed in this moment and that was also confirmation, he just opened his heart, something he wouldn't have done, not when he was like this, it was practically rare.

"I didn't take it as a bad thing, Izaya. It was only a two week and we have jobs, a life and sometimes dealing with that means being separate from each other."

Izaya scoffed. "I'm not a child, Shizu-chan."

And yet here they were. "Quit acting like one then."

"You're making me regret everything I just said," Izaya murmured, looking up at Shizuo with furrowed brows, a look of uncertainty passing over him.

Shizuo smiled, knowing Izaya didn't want to regret it. So instead of actually saying what he should be saying and deciding that action spoke louder than words.

He pulled Izaya in, his hand stroking the side of his neck and pressing his lips down to meet Izaya's. It was simple, experimental, strange and unfamiliar. But it was also nice, comforting and he wanted more.

Izaya's arms wound around him, and he couldn't help smile that Izaya's hands were covered in gauze and that he had no control of the situation. So he pulled back to let Izaya collect himself.

Izaya kept his eyes closed, his head tilted, only to murmur.

"So.. you love me?"

Shizuo smiled and nuzzled the side of Izaya's head, breathing in the scent of his recently washed hair. He kissed behind Izaya's ear and along his jaw line until finally he kissed him again on the lips. Deepening the kiss, Izaya opened his mouth and letting Shizuo inside, he tasted Izaya, felt his tongue that eagerly wrapped around his. Sucking in, he turned his head, and felt Izaya's moan vibrate through their mouths as another tumbled along.

Shizuo tightened his grip around Izaya's waist, feeling his knees buckle from the intensity of their kiss. He pulled back and wrapped him in his arms as he felt Izaya do the same, he knew the bliss went through Izaya as it did him.

Izaya chuckled softly, relaxing against him. "I love you too."

Shizuo grinned and kissed his neck, he knew in this moment he wouldn't want to be separated from Izaya again.

fin.

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authors notes:

This has been going on for some time and needs to end. :/ I wanted this chapter to be longer, but I guess we all don't get what we want.

I know, this chapter is Third Person perspective while the rest is kind of mixed in with first person and third. Confusing, I hate myself, it's my fault since I lose interest in this pairing and then I come back to it a few months later. :/

Anyway, I just want to end some of my long termed stories and this is one of them. :) I did say in a previous chapter this story would take 25-30 chapters, and I do apologize that it won't since this story has taken its toll and I just want it to end.

So thanks for reading, sorry for my terrible updating, and yeah.

Reviews are appreciative. No flames or bashing please.