This story was inspired by LilyJadeth's "Vanity in the Third Degree". For those of you how have read this glorious work of fanfiction, you'll know that the plotlines are completely different, so there will be no spoilers as far as I know. The reason I say that LilyJadeth's work inspired mine is because "Vanity in the Third Degree" sparked my desire to write a story where the chemistry between Izaya and Shizuo is similar to what Izaya and Shizuo have in LilyJadeth's work of fanfiction.

Disclaimer: Durarara! does not belong to me. My writings are purely for fun.

The Drive for Obsession

Chapter 4: Unexpected Calm in the Storm

"You have got to be fucking kidding me."

I giggled at how repulsed Shizu-chan looked. "I most certainly am not, Shizu-chan." A wide grin spread across my face. "My first official request of you is to wear this," I gestured to the outfit that I was holding by its hanger, "to school."

"But," his look of repulsion was quickly turning to one of disbelief, "we're going to school. I need to wear the uniform…"

He was grabbing at straws now, I could tell. Trying to sound as congenial as I can be with Shizu-chan, I somehow prevented myself from laughing at his desperation. "Now that's not true. I haven't worn the school uniform even once this year, and I haven't been reprimanded for it at all. Besides, if you hadn't been playing hooky all last week, you'd know that today is the beginning of the week-long school festival." I pretended not to notice the extremely dirty look the brute gave me upon mentioning his absence. "Everyone will be dressed up. Have a little school spirit, Shizu-chan," I said merrily as I lazily threw the outfit at Shizu-chan.

As I expected, Shizu-chan caught the garments with ease. For a moment he examined the clothing and his eyes narrowed in a clear sign of his disapproval. It was as if the protozoan actually thought he could burn holes into the material if he glared at it hard enough. I couldn't stop myself from laughing at him this time. "Oh come now. You didn't think I would make this easy for you, did you?"

Finally he looked up, directing his glare at me. The look of annoyance was clearly sketched upon his facial features, I can't explain it, but I'm overcome with an absolute sense of joy whenever he really looks at me. I've noticed that he's been focusing his gaze on me more recently, and I love it. He always looks at me with such pure anger and hatred. The genuine passion that dances in his molten-honey eyes is unwavering, and on the inside I'm reveling in the knowledge that right now, at this very moment, I hold this man's complete and undivided attention. Each and every one of these immense feelings emotions that my new pet must be feeling right now is all for me. I crave so much more of this; it's a damn good thing that I have an entire week to satisfy my insatiable appetite.

"No, of course not," Shizu-chan eventually replied. "But what about you? Won't you look out of place if you're not wearing some sort of costume as well?"

My eyes were gleaming with mischief. "Well of course, my dear Shizu-chan." The look he gave me in reaction to my familiarity was positively priceless. I chuckled to myself over the evident discomfort I had caused him. "Don't you worry your pretty blond head one bit about me, I will definitely have a costume as well. We will be preforming a small sketch together after all," I winked at him playfully. "But my costume is a surprise for you this afternoon~."

He simply frowned at my sly remarks. "Tch, if that's the case, why do I have to wear this all day?"

"I have two reasons for you. One," I made a fist with my right hand and lifted up my index finger to signify the number one, "to tease our fellow students and entice them into watching us, and two," I gave up my whimsical demeanor in favor of one that was more serious and hinted at what I had in store for him. I stared at him darkly as I responded. "I told you to do it. You wouldn't break our little deal so early, now would you?"

I could hear a faint growl coming from him as he paused to weigh his options and think of a fitting response. I can only assume that his mind came up blank, because after a few short moments he made an indignant noise and said, "Fine, whatever. Where may I go to change?"

I clapped my hands in mock approval. "Look at you, Shizu-chan! It's not even 7:30 and already we're using proper grammar." I ceased my jeering tone and pointed to the hallway just outside of the kitchen we were currently standing in. "The bathroom is down the hall and it'll be the second door on your right." I waved my right hand in front of him. "Now this is your right side," then I waved my left hand in front of him. "And this is your left side. Don't get too confused now, okay?"

I wonder how much effort it took him to resist the urge to make a rather nasty retort. It was obvious to me that he had an unpleasant remark ready on the tip of his tongue, but somehow he stopped himself. Instead, my temporary servant simply rolled his eyes at me and proceeded to make his way down the hallway to change.

"Remember to mind your manners, Shizu-chan! It's rude to roll your eyes at –"Suddenly I heard the bathroom door slam shut. "—you master." I giggled with glee. If the truth be known, it's probably for the best that he didn't hear that last part just yet. Yes, I want to goad him and get the protozoan riled up, but I don't want him snapping and breaking our little agreement, especially this early in the game. That would be so utterly boring, and so unlike Shizu-chan. That bleach-blond has certainly proven himself to be a prime source of entertainment for me, and after his absence last week he'll have to make it up to me for the hours of boredom I went through without him.

I was still having trouble coming to terms with the fact that perhaps I might have actually missed my monstrous classmate. To have missed Shizu-chan would imply that I held some sort of fondness for him, and the thought of having anything that even resembled a positive emotion for the likes of him made me laugh. No, it's not Shizu-chan that I missed; it's the fun and interesting situations he's provided with his mere presence. I welcome the lack of a monotonous living experience that only Shizu-chan can seem to give me.

But still, I can't prevent myself from questioning the obvious connection between my life's improvement and Shizu-chan's existence. I cannot deny the fact that there is a positive correlation between the two factors, however every good scientist knows that correlation does not mean causation. I can't believe that Shizu-chan is the cause of my happiness, or more accurately, I don't want to believe it.

"Hey, are you even listening to me?"

I immediately snapped my head up in the direction of Shizu-chan's voice. From the tone of his voice I could tell that he was irritated, I suspected that he had been trying to get my attention for at least a minute or two. I couldn't remember hearing the bathroom door opening, let alone the sound of the brute's normally loud footsteps coming down the hall. I was letting myself get distracted.

"Looking good, Shizu-chan~," I said to him in a flirtatious voice. I looked him over from head to toe and back again, and I must say that the view was so much better than the one that I had envisioned.

Standing before me, Shizu-chan was dressed in a perfectly tailored butler outfit. I had the suit specially made just for him, but even I was surprised at how the entire ensemble fit him so well. There was no way Shizu-chan was going to let me get his measurements before this point, so I had to give the tailor I hired estimates on everything. I was incredibly proud of my guesswork. The black trousers he wore buttoned at his waist and the hems on the pant legs rested comfortably on the tops of his black, well-polished dress shoes. The crisp, white dress shirt I got for him fit just right around him and was barely seen under the dark gray vest that hugged his slender torso in all the right ways. I couldn't get over how good that black tailcoat looked on him. The coat tails were the perfect length, and the sleeves were slightly shorter than the sleeves of the dress shirt, which allowed for a centimeter or two of the dress shirt's cuffs to show and graze the tops of snow white gloves that covered his hands. The three sterling silver buttons that ran down each side of the jacket was a nice touch, and the two silver chains of the pocket watch that connected the bottom button on the right to the left side pocket complemented the entire costume wonderfully. The only things that could be considered out of place were Shizu-chan's messy golden locks of hair. I could tell just by looking at his hair that the protozoan must have been in a hurry this morning. His brightly colored hair was still damp, and it looked as if he had combed it in a hurried fashion just to get the tangles out. It was very apparent that Shizu-chan had put no effort into styling his hair whatsoever, but the resulting style (or lack thereof) seemed to fit him perfectly. There was no other way to explain it, his hair may be a mess, but it was Shizu-chan, and I wouldn't have it any other way. There was only one thing missing from the entire picture, and naturally I wasn't going to let it slide.

"I do believe there was a tie included."

"There was." At first I thought he had paused and was going to add to his statement with further explanation. I patiently waited, but I received no answer. It became apparent that he thought that his rudimentary answer should be satisfactory. Obviously it was not.

I tried to hide my agitation over his simple-mindedness and his refusal to be forthcoming with the information I wanted. "Well, where is it?"

His only response would be to take a rolled up ball out of his trouser pocket and let it unravel to reveal the silk tie that he was supposed to be wearing. I suppose I should have seen that one coming.

"And tell me, why aren't you wearing it, my ever faithful manservant?" I could tell that I was beginning to lose my calm demeanor, so I covered it up by poking fun at him.

Rather than growling at me or making an attempt to argue over the title I had given him, Shizu-chan shrugged nonchalantly and responded in a matter-of-fact tone of voice. "This whole thing looks better without it."

"Oh, you think so, do you? Do I really need to remind you that you are not the one who's in charge here?" I knew that my cheery disposition was faltering, but at the moment I really didn't care. I never once expected Shizu-chan to be obedient from the beginning. I knew very well that it would take a lot of coaxing on my part, but even I can only take so much of his noncompliance this early in the morning. "In case you have forgotten already, I'm the one who's in control, and you are here to serve me."

"Yeah, I know." His reply was automatic and curt; it was rather evident that he was hoping that I'd simply drop the subject. Sorry, Shizu-chan, not until I've gotten my way.

"You do?" I don't know why I wasted another minute by giving him time to take it upon himself to do as I had asked, but I did. A small sliver of disappointment began to poke at me, but I refused to let it bother me too much. This entire week was going to be a disastrous failure if I let myself become dismayed by Shizu-chan's less than cooperative attitude. "If we have an understanding, than I suggest that you make this process a little easier on yourself and put on the damn tie immediately!"

Now, it is extremely rare me to swear, ever. I can think of thousand other non-offensive ways to express my distaste for something, so with my extensive vocabulary, there is hardly a need for me to use fowl and often horribly simplistic language. The very few times that I slip up and do curse, it's because I'm beginning to lose control of my emotions, and in this case, it's because my monster doesn't seem to know his place. His apparent lack of comprehension is beyond frustrating, and it's causing me to lose my temper, hence the swear word. I take great care in keeping my emotions in check, to lose even the slightest bit of regulation I have is totally unacceptable. I honestly cannot remember the last time I've shown anyone real emotion, unless the cheerful mood that masks the insincerity and maliciousness of my actions counts as being authentic. Somehow I doubt that though.

To my chagrin, my sudden "outburst" did not go unnoticed. It would seem that Shizu-chan is a bit more attentive than I had previously given him credit for, because from his surprised demeanor it was obvious that he had observed the change in my disposition. Yes, I could safely say the brute was surprised, yet he was unafraid. I gave a mental sigh of relief. If he were to cower because of my little bouts of anger like every other human who has had the terrible misfortune of incurring this side of me, he would be just like everyone else, and not my monster.

Shizu-chan stared at me for a long time, as if he were trying to analyze and figure out this part of me that he had never seen before. I almost laughed hat his futile attempt. I've spent more than ten years honing and perfecting my observation skills; you won't get anything out of me from a mere five minute visual examination. It's pathetic that you're even trying, Shizu-chan. After another lengthy and rather awkward stare off between us, the protozoan finally must have realized that he wasn't going to be able to figure out whatever he wanted to, because his next action was to give me the universal sign that he had given up. Shizu-chan turned his head to the side and aimed his stare at the floor, obviously attempting to avoid my ever watchful gaze. His shoulders became slumped and he sighed with dissatisfaction.

"I can't."

Somewhere along the long the line I became aware of the fact that my eyebrow was twitching due to how annoying I was finding this predicament. Voicing my dismay for this certainly couldn't hurt the situation at this point.

"I'm getting sick and tired of your vague and overly blunt answers, Shizu-chan. I want a real, direct answer, and I want it now. Why can you not put the neck tie on?" My voice was cold, and he would have to be totally dense to not sense that my patience was wearing thin.

Only the most oblivious of people would have missed the faint pink dusting that covered his cheeks. "I don't know how to tie a tie." His response was no louder than a low-pitched mumble, but I could hear him very clearly.

And just like that, the immense irritation that was steadily building up within me was gone. Seriously, that's all this is about? Clearly my poor Shizu-chan thought this was a bigger concern than it really was. He was obviously embarrassed over this, and naturally I chuckled at his expense. As much as I loved to see the anger and hatred that boiled in Shizu-chan's eyes, seeing a completely new emotion that was devoid of wrath entirely was actually sort of refreshing. I have always considered my foe to be "good looking", so to speak, but this was the first time I had ever thought of him as cute. I smirked, knowing that if I played my cards right I would be seeing much more of this brute's cute side this afternoon. "Is that what's the matter then?" I jumped out of the chair was occupying and came over to stand in front of Shizu-chan. "Here, let me help." I reached out for the tie, which was handed to me without any dispute. "Lift your collar up for me."

My new butler visibly tensed up as I advanced, but despite how uncomfortable I knew he was, he continued to avoid looking directly at me as he did as I commanded and allowed me to wrap the piece of silk around neck and tie it properly. "This is nothing to make fun of me for, you know? Plenty of guys our age don't know how to do this." Again his voice was soft as he muttered his sentence.

"I find that a little hard to believe, Shizu-chan. Most young men learn the skill of tying a tie when they enter high school and the tie becomes a part of their school uniforms."

Once again I was ignored. I sighed in mock exasperation. When will Shizu-chan ever learn? The more he tries to ignore me, the more I relentlessly I tease him.

"Could it be that Shizu-chan lacks the brain capacity required to learn how to tie a necktie? Is that why he never wears one to school?" I giggled as I continued to add the last bit to Shizu-chan's butler attire. "And here I thought Shizu-chan just liked the slightly edgy, bad-boy look."

I could finally see the vein in the side of his forehead beginning to pop out. Good, I was getting to him. Seeing a new side of Shizu-chan would always be a treat, but then again there is nothing wrong with the classic. A triumphant smirk pulled at my lips. The anger in his voice was as clear as day when he responded. "Tch, I don't need to explain to you why I don't know how to tie a necktie, or even why I don't like them for that matter."

"Ah, but Shizu-chan," I pulled at the freshly adorned necktie, causing the dear monster to bend over and meet me at eye level. It was impossible for me to miss the sudden look of surprise that flashed through his eyes. "You do have to tell me," I grinned wickedly at him, "if I ask you too, that is." I took ahold of the tie with my other hand and began to idly play with the silk material, and I rid myself of my evil smile and instead I suddenly looked as if I were on the verge of pouting. I broke eye contact with the brute in favor of watching my fingers fumble around with the cloth leash I had for my servant. Sounding as sweet and innocent as I possibly could, I asked, "That is part of your job now, is it not? The good butler does whatever his asked of him, the great butler will do the same without any hesitation, the excellent butler will be forever loyal to his master, and finally, the outstanding butler will not only be loyal, but his devotion to his master will be absolute. The adoration he holds for the one he dedicates his life to will be unyielding, and I daresay, he will love his master and would choose his own death before refusing his master anything, and in this case, he will always provide his master with the whole truth if it is requested of him." At this point, I looked back up and made eye contact with the blond brute. My scarlet-colored eyes locked on to his mocha-colored orbs. "What do you say, Shizu-chan? Be my outstanding butler?"

I would have loved to believe that Shizu-chan's brain was incapable of processing my little speech; however the expression that he was wearing wasn't one of bewilderment. In mere seconds I saw a thousand and one indescribable emotions flash through Shizu-chan's eyes. I hadn't the slightest idea of what he could be thinking or feeling. Was he afraid, was he angry, or was it something else entirely? At that very moment, I realized how little I really knew about my favorite toy. I felt that the look in those eyes, although unreadable, was taunting me with how ignorant I was of someone who I had known for almost two months. If any other human had the lucky (or unlucky) privilege of being deemed worthy of being investigated by me, it would take only a couple weeks maximum for me to learn everything I would ever need to know about him or her. Obviously it was not the case with this monster. I mentally berated myself for how much I've been underestimating him until now. Heh, it looks like I've been going easy on you, Shizu-chan. That ends today.

If there was one thing I got from the longest staring match that we had ever had with each other, it was that he understood that giving me any sort of negative response would lead to a world of unfavorable repercussions for him. Even with my patience wearing then, I kept giving him a hopeful look that portrayed my high expectations of him, while the expression on his face became harder and more irate the longer our eyes were locked on each other's. This brute was so used to everyone cowering away from him with just a simple glare, I was almost offended with the thought that he was still trying to treat me like everyone else. Just when I was about to comment on how futile his efforts were, Shizu-chan broke off the eye contact.

"Fine, I don't like neck ties because it feels like I'm voluntarily putting a noose around my neck and having you put that thing on me does absolutely nothing to lessen my anxiety." Shizu-chan then stood up straight and put the collar of his shirt back down. From the deep breath he took, I could only assume that he was trying to calm himself down. "There, does that answer satisfy you, my lord?" Both sarcasm and venom were dripping from his voice as he gave me a proper title.

A satisfied grin spread across my face. I hadn't been provided with the best answer in the world by any means, knowing this Neanderthal, I could have received much worse. "It'll do for now, Shizu-chan." I clapped my hands together. "Well then, let's be on our way to school, shall we?"

I was surprised when my fellow Raijin student went over to the door and before picking up his own backpack, he picked up my messenger bag, lifting the strap over his head and letting it rest on his left shoulder. Only after my bag was secure on his person did he take hold of his bag and let one of the straps rest on the same shoulder that was holding mine. "Sir, if I may," despite the obvious irritation in his voice, my black-clad assistant was remarkably good at remembering to address me properly. Hmm, my dearest Shizu-chan seemed to be a natural butler. "I recall you mentioning that you had errands to run this morning before school."

Remarkably? No, that doesn't quite cover it. Shizu-chan is extraordinarily good at this role. "Oh Shizu-chan," I exclaim happily as I skip over to him. "Look at you, carrying my things and reminding me of appointments, and I didn't even have to ask!" I reached up and pinched his cheeks, just to see if I could get a rise out of him. "You really will be my outstanding butler, won't you?"

His right eye began to twitch, which was clear evidence of just how much this bothered him. His fisted were clenched together so tightly that I was sure I would soon see blood begin to seep through his alabaster gloves if his nails were sharp enough. Normally he'd be at my throat by now, trying to tear me apart or trying to attack me with some large object that any other human would be a fool to lift on his or her own. It was almost comical to see my brute this way now, trying so hard to keep himself from a futile attempt to thrash me. Already he was putting so much effort into keep up with this arrangement we had, I almost felt bad for poking and prodding at him every chance I got… almost. I have no idea how long it took him to compose himself enough to answer me, nor did I really care. I could have watched Shizu-chan struggle for hours like this.

"Don't go getting any weird ideas about this. The only thing I'm trying to do is cover my bases because there's no telling what you will perceive as a defiant act from me. If you mistake this for anything more it's your fault, not mine." Finally his fists became unclenched and his entire body became less rigid, as if that miniature speech had somehow dissolved all of his anger. "Now, about those errands?"

"Oh right," I shrugged casually. "Actually, I was able to take care of those little side jobs over the weekend." A look of pure annoyance quickly spread across his facial features. "Don't give me that look. I knew you would fret over the costume I so generously made for you in some way, so I purposely gave us the extra time so we wouldn't be late for school. Or," I gave him a devious smirk. "Could it be that you are upset because you feel as though I've cheated you out of spending time out in public with me?" The smirk on my face only grew wider, and I could tell that I had a playful look in my russet eyes. "Don't you worry yourself over that; we have the entire week to be together after all!"

Before he could respond, I skipped past him and went over to the door. "Now remember, we're doing this for a little skit I have planned for us this afternoon. During the day when we're together, we have to stay in character. Always address me with formal titles, do as I ask without any rude commentary, and when you are walking 'with' me, always follow me. That reminds me! After skipping back over to my tall manservant, I reached into my messenger bag and pulled out a folder. In here is a copy of our act." I smiled brightly up at him, pretending to be sincere about my real intentions. "It's not very long, only a couple pages or so. I wrote it myself, Shizu-chan, I'm sure you'll love it." Even though I managed to sound innocent, the evil grin that I couldn't stop myself from displaying would obviously make the already paranoid protozoan think otherwise. Completely disrespecting his personal belongings and space, I unzipped his backpack and slid the folder in before zipping it back up again, aligning the zippers perfectly as though I hadn't disturbed them at all. "I even took the time to highlight your lines. There's no need to thank me, all I ask is that you have your lines memorized by four o'clock this afternoon. Meet me at the back entrance as soon as you get out of your seventh period class". Just for my gratification, I teased him just a little more. "There will be plenty of time for walking side-by-side and handholding later. For now, we need to keep up with appearances. Are we clear on that, Shizu-chan?"

Judging by the glare I received, I don't think that my new servant was amused with my little joke. However, like a good butler should, he refrained from voicing his displeasure, and instead began to follow me out the door. "Crystal clear, sir."

"Perfect!" After locking the door behind us, I went ahead of him and was off on my way to Raijin Academy. Every so often, I would quickly take a glimpse back to make sure my surprisingly obedient Shizu-chan was still following me and hadn't gotten any cute ideas about ditching. Whether or not the thought of bolting ever occurred to him I would not know because the new butler I had in tow was very diligent about my orders, and remained two or three steps behind me during the entire trek to school.

Just as I had anticipated, all eyes were on Shizu-chan and I the moment our fellow students saw my new Victorian era butler following me dutifully into Raijin Academy. It was quite a spectacle actually; I don't think I've seen so many double takes before in my life. As we made our way down the busy hallways towards my locker, the quieter they became. Of course we never reached the point of total silence, the unmistakable sound of several people attempting to whisper to each other all at once rang through my ears like a Christmas carol. Everyone was talking about us, wondering why on earth was Shizu-chan dressed like that, and much more importantly, why was Heiwajima Shizuo following Orihara Izaya around like a loyal dog?

I didn't turn around once to look at my manservant during the walk to my locker. I didn't need to, I knew that the 'whispers' of our classmates would change dramatically if Shizu-chan dared to do something other than follow me around. I could not wait to see the look on his face; it was going to be priceless! Finally, we reached my locker that was located on the south side of the building. I opened the padlock with swiftness and ease before turning around to face him. Whatever jeering comment I had prepared for him died instantly.

"Your belongings, your Highness." His voice held absolutely no emotion and was completely detached. He wore a stoic expression, and his body language gave me no sign of his humiliation. Worst of all, he had removed the strap of my messenger bag from his shoulder and was now presenting it to me, bowing his head as he did so. To say that I was extremely displeased with how things were playing out was a huge understatement. Yes, according to our arrangement the protozoan was supposed to obey me unconditionally, but I expected him to be much more reluctant than he was. A little disobedience would have made things more entertaining, but apparently I was not going to get that kind of satisfaction right now. For a few seconds I contemplated on how I was going to get him back for his mere attempt to beat me at my own game, but then it dawned on me that Shizu-chan most likely wasn't trying anything, there's no way his brain could process such a thing. No, in his mind all he has to do is do everything I tell him to, and his secret is safe. I was beginning to understand just how far my pet would go in order to not jeopardize the situation, and I couldn't help but smile. Good, this is very good; this will come in handy for this afternoon.

"And yet another display of what being an outstanding butler is all about. Thank you, Shizu-chan!" I took my bag away from Shizu-chan and started to take books and other supplies out of it and arrange my locker appropriately. Unfortunately for me, as soon as the bell rang I wouldn't get to pester my favorite toy again until at the festival this afternoon. I needed to squeeze as much teasing into these few precious moments before class as possible. "You know, you're much better at this than I ever would have expected. Perhaps after this week I should hire you to be my personal butler. I'm sure you could use the extra income, ne Shizu-chan?"

"Do you always insist on pushing your luck, sir?" Clearly Shizu-chan was not amused with the idea. His responses obviously were not very 'butler-like', but as long as he concluded with some sort of formal title for me, I'd let it slide.

"But of course! How am I supposed to know what my limits are if I don't test them to see how far I can go?"

"Most people find their limitations to be instinctual." He had returned to a standing position, looking in my direction, but not making direct eye contact with me. How adorable, my brute was trying to reason with me! Too bad he's not the type that would ever make for a good discussion partner.

"Instinctual? Is that right?" Another wicked smile spread across my face, and my tone lost its casual merriment in favor of something darker, knowing that what I was about to say was going to be a personal jab. "Then tell me, where is your instinct when it comes to your physical limitations?"

"I do believe that I said 'most people', your highness. I beg your pardon for pointing out the obvious, but I am not most people."

I honestly laughed at that response. "How very right you are, Shizu-chan. You are my monster, after all!" Whatever emotion flashed through his eyes upon hearing the word 'monster' was completely ignored as I continued discussion. As much as I would have loved to examine whatever I saw further, time was of the essence. "Repeat the orders I have given you for today."

"During the course of the day I am to memorize the lines of a play that is of your own design, and then I am to meet you at the back entrance of the school at 4 o'clock this afternoon. Is there anything else, Master?" His voice was monotone and lacked even a spark of interest, although I could almost see him mentally cringe from the new title he had just given me, and without any prompting from me no less!

If it were even possible, the grin that was plastered on my face became wider. "I have just one more request. In my notes that I have provided for you, I describe your character in great detail and tell how exactly how your character is supposed to act and what emotions your character expresses in specific situations. Make sure you are extremely careful in learning everything about your part so you can accurately portray him as I have envisioned. I fully expect you to do this, and do it well." I stepped forward and took ahold of his chin, making him look directly at me.

"This is an order."

I knew perfectly well that Shizu-chan understood the reference I was making, and more importantly, I knew with absolute certainty that the blond butler knew what I was expecting of him. Finally, for the first time since we arrived at Raijin, I saw a glimmer of anger in those burnt honey eyes. It was good to know that my Shizu-chan was still in there.

Obeying my silent order, Shizu-chan released himself from my grip and dropped down to one knee. He placed his left arm behind his back, and his right hand went over his heart. The words were undoubtedly forced, yet somehow the voice that uttered them was as smooth as silkl, just like it should've been.

"Yes, my lord."

Because I had skipped my gym class last Friday, I made an effort to attend today's class. My class was large enough that skipping a session once in a great while would go unnoticed; however I couldn't make it a habit. As much as I would rather be doing other things that are more worth my while, I refuse to let my dislike for this class result in me earning a poor grade. It just wasn't going to happen.

It was a pleasant surprise when our gym professor let the entire class out a half hour early for the festivities. I suppose the fact that two-thirds of my class happens to be involved with student council in some fashion had something to do with it, but I wasn't going to complain about it. Now I had ample amounts of time to get ready for this afternoon.

Over the weekend I had snuck into the school to hide my costume in one of the vacant gym lockers. I didn't want to risk Shizu-chan getting a glimpse of the ensemble; it wouldn't do to have that little treat spoiled too soon. Since I had the time, I utilized it as best I could and made sure that everything about my outfit was in place. Once everything was complete, I spent a couple minutes indulging my vanity by admiring my reflection in the mirror. I did rather well with creating the costumes for both of our characters, and I was beyond pleased with the results.

The person standing behind the mirror was a completely transformed version of me. My normal attire which consisted of slim fitting and designer label clothing, and never strayed from the colors of black and a burgundy red were replaced with garments that were almost on the total opposite side of the spectrum, as far as clothes go anyway. Now, I was wearing a snow white kimono that was held together by a French pink koshihimo. A hadajuban that matched the color of the koshihimo could be seen just under the part of the kimono that left a small bit of my upper chest exposed. I opted out of wearing of wearing tabi, but I did wear white setta-styled hakimono on my feet. The item that brought the entire ensemble together was the pink and white long-sleeved haori that I wore over the kimono. The sleeves were so long that they covered my hands. I'd definitely have to slide the sleeves up several inches to reveal my hands, which was just what I wanted. The only thing that I didn't change about my appearance was my hair. Just like Shizu-chan's hair, I was confident that my hair style was perfect for the occasion as well.

When I deemed myself ready for action, I packed my things away in the same locker and made my way over to the back entrance of the school, where I had told Shizu-chan to meet me. I just have taken longer to get ready than I thought, because when I got there I found Shizu-chan leaning against a stairwell, obviously waiting from me. Sound I was both with his line of vision and a respectable hearing range.

"Well, how do I look, Shizu-chan?" As I asked this question, I wondered what kind of response I would get out of him. It was a rare instance where I had no idea what to expect.

Upon hearing me call out to him, Shizu-chan stood up and looked at me. Once again I could not decipher the stream of emotions that ran across his features, and his thoughts were more of a mystery to me than ever. A few moments, he finally broke the silence.

"You look…angelic."

I think we were both taken back by those words. A look of horror washed over his features, as if he could hardly believe that such a statement came out of his mouth. I could barely fathom that particular sequence of words myself, especially since they came from Shizu-chan of all people. We stood there for a moment in awkward silence, trying to make sense of the situation. I was temporarily at a loss, trying to collect my thoughts so I could ridicule him and make light of the light situation. This time my confusing brute was quicker than I was at thinking on my feet, for once again he broke the silence.

"That's what the character you wrote for me would say, anyway." He pulled out the script and notes I written for him from his bag. "I mean, if I understood his character correctly that is."

I blinked a couple of times. It took me much longer than it should have to wrap my mind around his words, and suddenly it hit me like a ton of bricks. I immediately jumped at the sudden diversion that Shizu-chan offered me. I didn't want to think that those were really his words, and if he was going to provide me with an alternative explanation, I was going to take it. Maybe I'll think about this situation later, but not now. I will not let him ruin my plans with confusing words and accidental comments.

"Of course, I think you've gotten quite a good grip on the nature of your role. I would expect nothing less of an Orihara butler!" Ignoring the obvious death glare he sent my way, I continued on. "Are you ready for this, my trusty manservant?"

"Tch, I didn't spend all of my study hall and over half of my lunch hour memorizing lines for this god-awful skit for nothing. You realize that in the real world such a thing wouldn't happen, right? Some of what you have written here is historically inaccurate, and not to mention the characters are completely unrealistic! Who acts like that? And another thing, are you sure that it was only two pages long? The way it left off doesn't seem like much of an ending to me."

"It's a conclusion that's meant to be left open to interpretation, not that I would expect you to comprehend any of that. Besides, it's not your job to question me, or the details, is it?"

He sighed heavily. "No, it's not."

I grinned triumphantly. "I didn't think so. Now, just follow my lead."

Finally, I stepped outside into the warm afternoon sunlight. It seemed that today was to be one of those rare, but pleasant autumn days. More and more students stopped whatever festival activity they were partaking in when they noticed Shizu-chan and I walking out. Now that I was kimono-clad, everyone seemed to know that the little surprise I had been hinting at was about to begin. When we were in the dead center of the courtyard, I turned to Shizu-chan; a sinister smile was gracing my lips. "Let's begin, shall we?"

For what must have been the umpteenth time that day, Shizuo closed his eyes and took a deep breath, trying to brace himself for the worst. I highly doubt that any amount of mental preparation will enable him to cope properly with what I have planned, but who knows? Shizu-chan is such an unpredictable monster, he could easily surprise me. When he finally opened my eyes, I was momentarily stunned. His golden colored eyes held nothing but kindness and warmth, and an equally comforting smile graced his lips. This wasn't the Shizu-chan I was used to… no; this wasn't Shizuo, just like I was no longer Izaya. He and I were now two character of my own creation that had been brought to life. Here, standing before me now was my life-long servant, best friend, and the man I was secretly in love with, Shitsuo. His voice was affectionate, tender, and unlike anything I had ever heard before.

"I will be with you forever and always, Sakuraya-sama."

Before I could start to question myself or have doubts about what I had planned to accomplished from all this, I turned away from him, and finally began our act.

"It's a lovely day out, don't you think, Shitsuo?"

Shitsuo nodded in agreement. "It certainly is, Master. It's rather surprising for how late it is in the season." The faithful butler followed his charge through the garden. "It's wonderful to see that all of the flowers in the garden are still in full bloom around us."

"Shitsuo," the young raven giggled. "It's just Sakuraya when we're alone, remember?"

"Ah, yes." The blond smiled fondly at his master. "I shall remember from now on, my lo—Sakuraya." He bowed his head in an apologetic manner. "I promise to get it right as soon as I can."

"You're always so prim and proper," Sakuraya began to tease. "Do you ever stray away from being so formal?"

As always, the faithful servant did not pick up on the teasing, and answered with complete sincerity, the smile completely gone from his face. "No, it is not in my nature to do so."

"I know, I know," the young prince began to pout. "One would think that you could lighten up a little around your best friend, at least every once in a while though."

"Hmm," Shitsuo hummed as if he were deep in thought, considering his dear friend's words carefully. After a brief moment he finally smiled at Sakuraya. "As adorable as your pouting is, the sadness does not suit you."

"Really?" The raven asked as he continued to pout. "What do you think would suit me more then?"

The blond stepped forward and leaned in close to Sakuraya, causing the younger man's heart to skip a beat. "A bright smile would, of course." The loyal servant came even closer and pressed a gloved index finger on both sides of his lord's mouth. "Like this, you see?" Shitsuo proceeded to lift the sides of Sakuraya's mouth, causing the black-haired boy to smile. "Ah, that's much better."

"Shitsuo!" The raven cried out his best and only friend's name through his giggling as he lightly pushed him away. "Now you're just being silly." Sakuraya continued to smile with pure happiness on his own accord. "But it's fun. Will you try to do that more often when it's just the two of us?"

"I will try," Suddenly Shitsuo's voice became somber has he spoke. "No, I will be more open for the small amount of time we have left together, I promise you."

The blond's words although not harsh, spoke the inevitable truth, and the raven's cheerful spirits fell almost instantly. He turned away from his companion, too ashamed to look directly at him. "You know then?"

The butler nodded. "Yes. By mistake I overheard the conversation between your mother and father. You will be leaving tomorrow, Sakuraya. When were you going to tell me?" Not wanting to hurt his closest friend even more, he tried to keep the wretched pain he was now feeling out of his voice.

"I don't know," Sakuraya's voice was barely above a whisper. "I don't know if I ever would have. Every time I attempted to share this horrid news with you, anguish and heartbreak would seize my entire being, and I'd end up crying uncontrollably. And then of course, being the wonderful and kind person you are, would always be there to comfort me, but would never question, never try to force anything out of me."

"I always thought that you would confide in me if—"

Before Shitsuo could finish his thought, his master cut him off. "My dearest friend, I knew exactly what you were thinking." He smiled sadly at his butler. "I know, but in this case, I just couldn't do it. It's not that I didn't want to tell you…" Sakuraya began to ramble on a mix of explanations and apologies to the blond.

"Sakuraya," It was Shitsuo's turn to interrupt. "There is no need to apologize or explain anything to me. I overheard everything from your parents. Your marriage to the princess of the neighboring kingdom will surely help to bring an end to the years of fighting between our people and theirs. Because of you and your fiancé, this tireless war will finally end."

"You feel the same way?" Sakuraya's voice was filled with despair, and it was all too obvious to Shitsuo that he was on the verge of tears. "Me being married off and leaving here forever will make you happy then?"

"May I speak freely on this matter?"

"Of course you can, Shitsuo! I wish you would speak your mind to me all the time."

"Well then," the butler began, "no, I'm not happy about this. I hate the fact that after tomorrow I will never see you again."

This time the raven really did begin to cry. "I hate this too!" Two haori-sleeved hands reached out and took ahold of one gloved hand. "I don't want to do this, Shitsuo. I know this is incredibly selfish of me, but this is my home. I don't want to leave," Sakuraya forced himself to look up at his dearest friend. His teary eyes locked onto Shitsuo's pain-filled ones. "And more importantly, I don't want to leave you."

Shitsuo took his free hand and wiped away the tears that had fallen on Sakuraya's pale face. "Sakuraya, please don't cry. Tears are—"

"Enough!" The raven pulled away from the blond's touch and quickly dried away his own tears. "You just don't get it, do you? I can't leave you! If I go tomorrow, I will be the first person to ever die of a broken heart, I just know it!"

The servant tried to step forward and comfort his master in some way. "Sakuraya—"

Before the Shitsuo could say anything more, Sakuraya silenced him again. "Or worse, you are fully aware of my feelings but refuse to act on your own desires for me because of your strict sense of morality! Even when you try to loosen up, you're still much too formal and proper. I can't take it anymore!" Without a second's hesitation, Sakuraya grabbed ahold of his lifelong crush's necktie and pulled him to eye level. "That all ends now, Shitsuo."

Having just poured his heart out to his one and only true love, Sakuraya then cupped Shitsuo's face with both hands and kissed him for all he was worth. At last, Sakuraya was finally kissing him with all of the desire, passion, and love he had held in his heart for far too long.

Now Shizu-chan would know why I had ended the script where I did. There were a million and ten ways he could react to this public humiliation, the only thing that I knew for certain was that the play would not continue after what I had just done, so there was no point in writing more.

Although he did not kiss back, Shizu-chan's lips remained pressed to mine for what seemed like an eternity. It was like the brute's body had become frozen in place, he didn't move a single muscle, let alone attempt to pull away from me. Ultimately, I was the one to pull away.

At that moment, time seemed to some to a stop. Yet again, I saw that same indescribable look on Shizu-chan's features. He was wide-eyed, which alerted me of his surprise, but that didn't really tell me anything. I'd be worried if he wasn't startled. There was no telling what he was thinking, or what he was going to do. The lack of knowledge tore at me, burning my insides. I couldn't stand it. Damn you, Shizuo! React! Do something! Don't just stand there, it's your move!

In the blink of an eye my wish was granted. Gone was the expression that I loathed so much. Instead, I was staring straight into the eyes of my enraged monster. His eyes were glowing with pure, raw hatred, and it was all directed at me. My body tingled with excitement as he advanced on me.

Ah Shizu-chan, as much I will enjoy this fight that I have very much invited upon myself, I only hope that you are aware that there will be major consequences for this.

All too quickly the brute was in striking range, and I was ready to move. As soon as he raised a fist at me, I would be bolting in the other direction. Adrenaline surged through my veins as I anticipated his next move. I waited, he kept closing in on me, but he never attempted to throw a punch at me. I was screaming at myself to move, do something, get out of the way, do something!

My outraged Shizu-chan was way too close for comfort now, but yet I couldn't move a centimeter. I don't know what kept me in place. The only thing I knew was that I wasn't afraid. Even though I knew what he was capable of, I didn't fear him. No, it was more like I was entranced by him; I couldn't take my eyes off of him.

Before I knew it, Shizu-chan had completely closed in on me. His wonderfully vicious death glare was still locked in on me as he lowered himself a bit to meet me at eye level. At that moment, I saw it. It wasn't all hatred; there was something else in those fiery eyes of his.

Just when I was suspecting that all he was going to do was glare daggers at me, he finally spoke. His voice was low, smooth, yet somehow filled with every ounce of contempt I knew he held for me. It felt like velvet that had been adorned with razor blades was being rubbed against my skin.

"You know, I expected you to embarrass and humiliate me as best as you possibly could. I had expected the relentless torment and shameful situations that you would undoubtedly put me through. I was ready to accept that like the little bitch I've become for you this entire week, but this has crossed the line. I didn't know it was even possible, but you did it! Congratu-fucking-lations, Izaya. You've reached a new all-time low."

His venomous onslaught of words came to an abrupt halt, and he pulled away from me just as quickly, never once laying a hand on me.

"I'm leaving. If you have any special requests for tomorrow, call and leave a message. I will not be answering, your Highness." And without another word, he turned away from me. He gracelessly pushed through the crowd of Raijin students and was gone, leaving me alone, stunned, unable to move or say anything.

What just happened?

A/N: Well, that was a thing… Please give a warm round of applause for our guest stars Shitsuo and Sakuraya! I hope that changing things to third person was okay for their part. I wanted to make you all feel like you were watching (reading) the play set before you, and I felt that Izaya's (and Shizuo's for that matter) internal thoughts would distract from that.

I didn't want to spoil anything earlier, but since I've used some less than subtle references to the show, I'll provide an account stating that I also do not own Kuroshitsuji.

I'd like to thank a very close friend of mine for helping me to have confidence in the decisions made during the course of writing this chapter. My lack of confidence hindered the writing process quite a bit, and I'm sorry for that.

Thank you all so much for reading this work of fanfiction! You all are the best!

As always, reviews are very much appreciated! Thanks again!

~ Stirling Phoenix