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Post by UndergroundGod on Feb 8, 2012 19:13:21 GMT -5
He took a few more slow breaths, trying to pull himself back from the edge of tears, a feeling he was terribly unfamiliar with. He didn't ever let himself get worked up like this, he always stopped such thoughts from being born in his mind before they could affect him like this, but knowing exactly what would happen if Shizuo found those chocolates and found that tag was absolutely terrifying.
Erika said his name softly, then moved around his desk, closer to him, put a hand on his shoulder in such a soft way that that nearly forced the tears out all over again.
Somehow, when she voiced the very hopes he'd so easily dismissed in his own mind, he felt some sort of comfort. The fact that she could pose some hope in such a hopeless situation gave him the tiniest bit of inspiration that maybe it wasn't over. And the fact that she'd be willing to take the blame if Shizuo somehow had found out, all to fix the terrible mistake she'd made.
"You… you didn't know," he managed in reply, excusing her from blame. He could hear that she was upset as well now, that her apology was truly sincere. She was probably the only person in all of Tokyo who would feel bad for upsetting him like this, who could truly mean it when she apologized to him instead of taking the chance to hurt him further.
The way she was tugging on his sleeve made him feel like…she was trying to tug him closer, trying to offer him comfort… But the very idea of that was foreign to Izaya. Not least because he didn't get upset, and was never in a situation where he'd been offered comfort, at least not since he'd been a very small child, and that was nearly twenty years ago now. He'd never been embraced as an adult and certainly not because he was on the verge of tears. He wasn't sure if he wanted something like that… and even if he did know, he wouldn't know how to ask for it.
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unicornhunter
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Post by unicornhunter on Feb 8, 2012 19:34:40 GMT -5
She wasn't sure if he'd appreciate it, but she moved closer and pulled him into a hug regardless. If he didn't want it, he'd push her away and she'd leave it at that.... But she couldn't just sit there and not offer him some form of comfort.
Her right arm was wrapped around his back while her left hand came up to cradle the back of his head, fingers burying themselves in his hair. She put her chin on his shoulder and closed her eyes.
She really thought they were in a secret relationship already.... And now she just might have ruined it all....
But she couldn't think like that! There surely was time to fix things! As long as she believed that, there was still hope!
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Post by UndergroundGod on Feb 8, 2012 19:54:55 GMT -5
He couldn't have known that Erika's next move was to do just what he'd been thinking about. Before he could quite realize what was happening, her arms were moving around him. One lied across his back, while the other circled around him and buried itself in his hair. The embrace was soft, tentative, warm, and for a moment, the pure shock that accompanied the fact that he was being hugged forced the strange desire to cry completely from his mind.
For a second, all he could do was sit there… and try to figure out if he liked this. It was… strange. The only time Izaya was normally close to people was when he instigated the nearness, and it was never for these reasons. He usually used distance for intimidation, but this was nothing like that, this… this was sweet, and comforting. This was Erika offering him comfort for his pain and he… he appreciated that, even if he wasn't quite sure how to show it.
His next movement could only be described as awkward. After all, he knew that the proper response… was to return the hug… but Erika's head was resting softly on his shoulder and he felt that turning to face her was too large a movement, and it would knock her head away, and it seemed like… so much. So instead, he pulled one of his hands away from his face, and he rested it gently on the arm she had around him, gripping it lightly as though holding her in place and keeping her close.
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unicornhunter
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Post by unicornhunter on Feb 8, 2012 20:30:29 GMT -5
They stayed like that for quite some time until Erika gently pulled away. She glanced at her watch, then put both of her hands on Izaya's shoulders.
"I'm going to go see if I can take the note away. If he already found it, I'll just do whatever I can to make him see that it was just a prank on my part. I'll be right back after that, okay?"
She bent down and rummaged in her bag. She handed her valentine's gift for Izaya to him.
"Here. I hope they manage to cheer you up some while I'm gone...."
She hesitated for a moment, then gave him one more hug before getting off the floor and sprinting out of the office and down the stairs, then down the street, all the way back to Shizuo's apartment.
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Post by UndergroundGod on Feb 8, 2012 21:24:50 GMT -5
Every moment that Erika held him like that made him relax a little bit more, until his shaking had settled, and he'd gone a little limp beneath her arms. He felt… safe, protected somehow, and that was an unfamiliar feeling for sure, perhaps even more unfamiliar than the desire to cry. He almost didn't want her to let go of him, because there was a very good chance he might never feel something like this again.
She did eventually, of course, but he got to savor the feeling of being comforted for several long moments before being released. Erika's hands moved to his shoulders and she assured him that she would make everything alright, and all Izaya could do was nod in confirmation. He didn't have very much hope in the situation, but… he felt like he should have hope in Erika, and for now, that was enough. Despite every instinct that told him it was impossible, he wanted to believe that she could fix everything.
Maybe he just needed to believe that.
Her hands moved away from him, going for her bag and pulling something out after a second. The package was pushed into his hands with an encouraging smile and she gave him one last hug before hurrying away from him.
Erika had run out of the office before Izaya even had a chance to offer her a thank you.
His attention only then turned to the box in his hands. It was… it was a little box of cherry cordials, with dark chocolate. Izaya stared at the box for a moment with wide eyes, wondering what sort of psychic abilities had enabled her to pick this out for him… He'd never talked about what little candy he actually liked (he didn't have much of a sweet tooth at all), he was absolutely sure of that, and she'd never asked him about it… Logically, there would have been know way for her to know, but somehow… her gift was perfect.
He set the box on his desk, an impossible smile on his face as he opened the packaging and popped one of the chocolates into his mouth as he hoped that she would return soon with very good news.
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unicornhunter
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Post by unicornhunter on Feb 8, 2012 22:06:18 GMT -5
Erika didn't stop running until she made it to Shizuo's apartment. Once she reached the stairs leading up to his building, she slowed to a stop and doubled over, putting her hands on her knees and panting hard.
Once she caught her breath, she climbed the stairs, one by one.
Okay, hopefully the chocolate was still on the patio. Which would mean that Shizuo wasn't home yet. That would be the most convenient thing....
But of course, they weren't. They weren't anywhere. She couldn't see them, and she was sure that she'd at least hear Shizuo pitching a fit or see things flying through the air if he had seen the note....
So where - ?
She crouched down and skulked towards the window. Stealthily, she peered through the window.
And there Shizuo was. With the chocolates she had left on the doorstep in his hands. So . . . where was . . . ?
Ah ha. There is was. On the counter.
Wait. . . . Did that mean Izaya's feelings were reciprocated!?
She grinned, thinking that was what it was. So, thinking she no longer had anything to worry about, she went back to the front door and knocked three times, a grin making its way back onto her face.
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Post by tossingtrashcans on Feb 9, 2012 18:50:37 GMT -5
Shizuo stared at the empty glass bottle. How could he let it go empty? He sighed as he grabbed it and tossed it into the bin of them. He walked over to the door, pulled on his shoes, grabbed his wallet then opened the door. He was about to step out... but stopped. Shoving his keys into his pocket he bent over and picked them up.
Chocolate.
He shifted the one and sighed. He'd been getting chocolate for a while now. Never marked, justt here for his taking. He poked his head in and set the heart shaped box and other chocolate inside his door then left.
He was on a mission for milk.
Once he returned from the store, milk and smoke in hand, he headed inside. He kicked his shoes off and grinned at the chocolate. Shizuo moved his hand up and placed his sunglass on the stand then grabbed the chocolate and walked through the house.
Once he had his glass of milk and a few bits of chocolate he sat on the couch and took a bite of it. He hummed and flipped on his TV, shifting around.
He had milk and chocolate and the TV and... a knock at the door. He huffed and sat up, setting the milk on his coffee table then walked over to the door. He opened it and popped the piece of chocolate into his mouth.
Shizuo stared, “Can I help you little girl?” He asked.
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unicornhunter
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Post by unicornhunter on Feb 9, 2012 19:15:16 GMT -5
Suddenly, she felt really nervous.
She was about to go into Shizuo Heiwajima's apartment. To retrieve a note. On chocolates. That were sent to him. And he didn't seem to recognize her at all. Even though she knew he had seen her hanging out with Kadota a few times. Er.... Maybe this was going to be harder than she thought.
"Hi! Happy Valentine's Day! Enjoying the chocolate?"
Smiling, she let herself into his apartment.
She didn't want to piss him off. But the note was the priority.
"You do remember me, don't you? I practically live with Dotachin? Oh, maybe you don't know him by that nickname, since - since I came up with it." That was a lie - she knew it was Izaya who thought it up, but she REALLY REALLY didn't want to piss him off right then, or ever... "I'm Erika! Erika Karisawa!"
She held out her hand to him and grinned.
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Post by tossingtrashcans on Feb 9, 2012 20:14:08 GMT -5
Shizuo blinked as he raised his hand up and itched his head. “Look... little girl.” He said already having forgotten her name again. “I'm not buying anything off you. So, if you'd please leave.” He said as he picked her up and set her outside of his door then nodded.
“Have a good, Valentine's Day or whatever. Thanks for the chocolate.” He said then closed the door on her and sighed. He stepped back up into the apartment, and closed the second door then processed down the hall and stopped. There was another knock at his door.
With a heavy sigh he turned around and walked back down the hall, opened the first door then stood there behind his main door.
“Look. I said thanks, I don't really have time for this.” he said, all he wanted to do was get back to his TV show, milk and the sweets. Which he had thanked her for. It was his day off, and he just wanted to enjoy it.
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Post by tossingtrashcans on Feb 12, 2012 14:41:39 GMT -5
Shizuo sighed bringing his hands up to his face. He rubbed his temples and shook his head. It took hi a moment to remember that he hadn't opened the door up again. After he dropped his hands he leaned against the door.
“No. I can't say that I know. There is never a tag with the chocolate that I get. So if you would be so kind as to- what did you just call me?” He said then moved and stared into the door. Almost as if he was staring at Erika.
There was ONE person in all of Ikebukuro that called him that, just ONE person. That ONE person... was NOT standing outside his door. He moved and peeked through the hole then stepped back. Nope, not him. He opened the door then made sure to stand in her way, so she could just waltz right in again.
Shizuo narrowed his eyes at her, “What... was it you called me?” He said between gritted teeth.
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unicornhunter
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Post by unicornhunter on Feb 12, 2012 19:52:37 GMT -5
Erika squeaked and stepped away from the door as Shizuo opened it. She laughed nervously.
"I - I...."
This wasn't good. This wasn't good at all. She could see a vein twitching in his forehead and noted the gritting of teeth. He was getting angry, this was really, really not good....
She took a deep breath, though, and put on a brave face.
She made Izaya cry. She had to make it up to him. She really had screwed up really badly.... If this was going to be her punishment for that, then so be it.
"I called you Shizu-chan. I heard Izayan call you that one day, and I thought it was cute. It's why I call Dotachin Dotachin, too. Izayan comes up with good nicknames for people...." She put her hands at her sides and gave a strong pout. "And I have a job to do, and you can't stop me from doing it! So - so please let me in? It won't take long, I promise! Just a few seconds! Please?"
She turned on the puppy dog eyes and put her hands together, intertwining her fingers together.
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Post by tossingtrashcans on Feb 13, 2012 1:16:42 GMT -5
Shizuo went from angry to really confused faster then anything else. He had no clue what this girl wanted or why she was being to persistent. He sighed,
“Just tell me what you want from inside of my apartment... and I will go and get it for you then bring it back to you.” he said. He really wasn't all the comfortable about having her in his place. For one, he didn't really know her. For two, if she was friends with Izaya, she wasn't to be trusted.
His stance never changed, it was rather wall like standing there in his door frame looking down at her. What kind of fool did she take him for? He waited for her to ramble something off, anything that might be in his place that she just had to have. Honestly, what could have been so important. Course, it had to be the chocolate though. Oh well, he'd just have to give it back to her with a few pieces missing.
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unicornhunter
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Post by unicornhunter on Feb 13, 2012 14:18:37 GMT -5
Erika faltered for a moment. He'd go get it for her? But - but that would mean he'd read it! Right?
Oh, she didn't know what to do!
"Uh . . . w-well. . . ." She looked down and pushed her index finger tips together. Shit.... This was going to hurt. A lot. But . . . maybe she could make it so that only she suffered consequences for it? Maybe he'd leave Izaya alone if she made it clear that Izaya had nothing to do with it? That it was all her idea and her fault?
But how mad would Shizuo get? There was a rumor that Shizuo didn't hurt women, but he always lost it when Izaya was mentioned. What if he made an exception . . . ? Well, she could take care of herself, that was certain, but this was Shizuo Heiwajima, she'd end up in the hospital!
She bit her lip and looked back up.
"I need the packaging of the chocolate you got. There - there's a tag on it that - that I put on there, thinking it - thinking it would be funny.... B-but I realize now that it's not, it's not funny at all, and I want it back before - before you read it and get angry.... I - I promise Izaya has nothing to do with it! He didn't know I did it until I told him, and he told me that that was really really bad, like, even he wouldn't do that, and that's saying something, don't you think? So - so don't get mad at him, okay? It's not his fault...."
She knew she was rambling, but she had to emphasize that. She didn't know what she would do if he did something bad to Izaya and it was all her fault....
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Post by tossingtrashcans on Feb 13, 2012 16:48:57 GMT -5
Shizuo raised an eyebrow as he looked at then nodded. “I ate some.” He said before he moved a little, “Just stay right there and I will go get them.” He said then closed the door then turned around. He walked up into the hallway and into the living room. He grabbed the chocolate off the counter top and looked down as it as he headed back for the hallway.
“Izaya.” He read the tag as he rolled his eyes. He padded his way back to the door then opened it and held out both of them the one open and the ribbon that tied it shut laying on top the other laying on it.
“Here they are.” He said. “Like I said, I ate some from the one.” He really wasn't mad, he though it was a sick joke that she would put Izaya's not on it. Though it never said who it was from before so he stopped looking for a tag years ago.
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