unicornhunter
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How could you fantasize so effortlessly about the men you know in real life!?
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Post by unicornhunter on Feb 13, 2012 18:09:59 GMT -5
Erika waited out on the porch, fidgeting a little. She hoped everything was going to go okay....
She snapped to attention when Shizuo returned and held out both the package she had left and the package that Izaya had left. She blinked at it for a moment. . . . . Oh! That must mean he hadn't seen it!
Grinning, she snatched up the tag, folded it up, and stuck it into her pocket.
"Thank you very much, Shizu-chan!"
Before he could react to that, she ran off, taking the stairs three at a time, almost tripping once she reached the bottom steps. She didn't stop running, even as the momentum caused her to hit the side of the building. She had to get back to Izaya's office and let him know that everything was going to be okay.
She didn't stop running until she reached Izaya's front door. Panting hard, she knocked awkwardly on the door, then rested her forehead against the door and put her hands onto her knees. Oh holy crap, that was a long run....
She toppled over when the door opened.
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Post by UndergroundGod on Feb 13, 2012 20:00:37 GMT -5
Izaya only ate a second chocolate before closing up the box, though he ate both the cadies slowly, savoring them. Two was all it took to cure any craving for the sweets he might have had. He could save the rest for a later day, when a craving actually did hit him. Such a thing was rare, but ultimately inevitable, and he'd be extremely grateful for the chocolates then.
Meanwhile, he thought about how chocolate was supposed to release endorphins and serotonin in the brain, letting one feel happy and relaxed, and hoped it would have some on the same effects on him while he was forced to wait.
He was restless though, and he rocked back and forth for a while… before he got up to flop down on the couch… before he got up to pace for a bit… before he sprawled himself over the loveseat. He was ridiculously on edge, and he tried not to think directly about what exactly what was going on somewhere else in the city.
It was because of this that as soon as he heard the knocks on the door, surely the sound of Erika's return, he was on his feet and at the door in seconds, flinging it open—
And just as quickly, Erika, who must have been leaning against the door, toppled towards him.
His reflexes as quick as ever, he caught her by the shoulders before she could fall to far, helping her regain her balance and upright herself. He tried to keep the anxious look off his face and out of his eyes, but he was so fretful that he wasn't sure if he was succeeding at all. He dreaded knowing just what had occurred at Shizuo's, but he also knew that he needed to find out.
After giving her a few second to catch her breath (she must have run back to him, but… was that a good thing or a bad thing?), his hands remained on her shoulders as he asked quickly, "How'd it go?"
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unicornhunter
Dollars
How could you fantasize so effortlessly about the men you know in real life!?
Posts: 171
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Post by unicornhunter on Feb 13, 2012 22:59:57 GMT -5
Erika was glad that Izaya had caught her and let her catch her breath before she answered him. She straightened up, then felt Izaya's hands on her shoulders.
At the question, she grinned and held up the tag.
"I got it!" Should she tell him exactly how she did it. . . ? Hmmmm. Perhaps. "He had already gotten into the chocolate, but it didn't really seem like he had noticed the tag at all. So I don't think he has any idea what I was talking about when I got there, but I had to tell him something in order for him to let me in." She pouted. "He can be pretty rude sometimes! I mean, it's not like I'm a complete stranger, he's seen me around hanging out with Dotachin! . . . Right?"
She gave Izaya a perplexed look, wondering if she didn't know Shizuo as well as she thought she did. She seemed to have Izaya fairly pegged, though. Well, as pegged as anyone could peg Izaya....
She grinned more.
"So, d'you like the chocolate?"
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Post by UndergroundGod on Feb 14, 2012 1:36:08 GMT -5
Her grin was a relief. Erika often wore her heart on her sleeve and if the event had gone disastrously, he'd have immediately seen it on her face. She would look nervous or sad or guilty. Even if she'd tried to smile through it, the look would have been transparent to Izaya and he could have clearly spotted the anxiety hidden behind the expression.
But no, this smile was carefree, and Izaya felt like he could breath for the first time in nearly an hour. A slight smile cracked onto his lips. He had no trouble believing that Shizuo was rude… well, more like than anything he'd just been blunt, which was all too typical of the older male. Izaya shook his head a little, explained with disbelief at their good fortune, "Shizu-chan means well. He just… doesn't see the need for societal niceties, like normal, civilized people do, so he forgets people and has no tolerance for small talk. He comes off as rough, but it's just his way of cutting to the chase."
He unfortunately realized there was almost a hint of affection in his voice as he explained Shizuo's behavior, though it was too late to stop it now, as the words had already left his mouth. Hiding his embarrassment as how… uncharacteristically emotive he was being, he released his grip on her and turned away, taking a few steps towards the couch to lean against the arm.
Then she asked about the chocolate and he turned back to look at her, sitting against the arm as he grinned a bit wider at her. "If I didn't know better, I'd call you psychic. Those are actually my favorite." Feeling a bit socially stunted when it came to showing genuine gratitude, his gaze automatically averted and his voice lowered as he continued, "Thank you."
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unicornhunter
Dollars
How could you fantasize so effortlessly about the men you know in real life!?
Posts: 171
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Post by unicornhunter on Feb 14, 2012 17:48:46 GMT -5
Erika had trained herself for quite some time to pick up on any hint whatsoever that someone liked someone else. So even though she already knew that Izaya liked Shizuo, it made her smile to hear the hints of it in his voice as he talked about Shizuo.
She still thought they'd make the cutest - and also the most dangerous - couple in all of Ikebukuro - or hell, all of Japan. But she had learned her lesson. She wasn't going to push it or force it upon them. She'd let them come together on their own. Which, now that she thought about it, she should have done in the first place, if she believed in their love so much.
So she quietly let the moment pass without comment, not telling Izaya that hearing it warmed her heart more than eating huge amounts of chocolate ever would.
She was a bit surprised when Izaya said that they were his favorite. But that just made her happier.
"Really!? I just figured that they would be something that someone like you would be like. Granted, you're one of a kind - but since you and Shizu-chan are opposites, it made sense to get the opposite of what I got Shizu-chan! He got peppermint park - probably the sweetest thing I could think of - and cherry cordials just seemed like . . . like the thing that would be opposite it on the chocolate spectrum.... You know?"
She had almost said that it would be the best compliment to the peppermint bark. But . . . that probably wouldn't be a good thing to say right then.
She smiled at the thank-you, though. She wondered how many people heard that from him when he actually meant it.
"You're welcome, Izayan.... Did you get any chocolate from anyone else today?"
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Post by UndergroundGod on Feb 14, 2012 22:20:16 GMT -5
He listened vaguely to her logic on the subject. And she was right about Shizuo having a ridiculous sweet tooth. He dumped sugar in and on everything, Izaya knew that. The chocolates he bought for the man were always extra sweet, milk and white chocolate, caramel or butter cream filled, as opposed to the bitter sweet dark chocolate that Izaya preferred. Izaya could certainly imagine that he would like something like peppermint bark.
A thought began to niggle at his brain though… Erika had successfully managed to get the tag off the chocolates, and though he would have liked to know how she did it, that wasn't the issue. He… he wanted to know what Shizuo would have done… if he had found out.
It was masochistic of him, he was sure. Part of him knew that Shizuo would only react violently. The man would come after him and try to bash his skull in probably. But… another part of him wondered if that was really true. After all, though he knew Shizuo to a certain extent, the man often did things that Izaya didn't expect. Maybe he wouldn't react in the way Izaya expected at all if he were to find out that Izaya had been the one sending those chocolates all these years.
The thought tugged at his heart and tugged down the corner of his mouth for a brief moment before he shook it and focused on what Erika was asking.
"No, I didn't," he replied with a sigh, his eyes trailing back to the small package on his desk, "Unless you count the poisoned chocolate Namie gave me, of course."
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unicornhunter
Dollars
How could you fantasize so effortlessly about the men you know in real life!?
Posts: 171
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Post by unicornhunter on Feb 17, 2012 12:11:43 GMT -5
Erika frowned at the mention of poisoned chocolates. "Namie? Who's that?" She didn't think she knew anyone named Namie.... Unless she was that secretary lady who worked for him?
But it didn't really matter much, she supposed. It was entirely possible that she had heard the woman's name before and just didn't remember. Oh well.
Point was, Izaya deserved something more than that, especially since she did almost give him a heart attack earlier. And the day was still young, and she was going to do things with Walker, Kadota, and Togusa later to celebrate the day. (Valentine's Day usually went like this: she gave them chocolates labeled as though they were from someone other than her - Togusa's was always the most fun to do, because everyone knew it would be absolute crack because Erika only had crack ships for him - then they'd treat themselves to a fun outing or an expensive - for them at least - dinner. It would be on Erika's dime - which, granted, wasn't much - but then the boys would reciprocate trifold on White Day, and it was a lot of fun.
"Do you want to hang out with me, Yumacchi, Dotachin, and Subaru today? It's a surprise what it is, but I promise it will be fun!"
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Post by UndergroundGod on Feb 17, 2012 22:23:39 GMT -5
When Erika questioned who Namie was, Izaya had to think a moment. In all the times Erika had been to his office, had he not introduced the two women? Hmm… he supposed that, usually, as Erika was coming in, Namie was leaving, so they had really only passed each other without ever exchanging introductions, so Erika would probably know who he was talking about if he'd just said that it was his secretary (because he honestly didn't have a better title for the woman).
Before he could explain who Namie was, though, Erika had extended him… an interesting invitation. Izaya didn't know what to make of it.
On one hand, it felt nice to be invited. Over the past few months, Erika had grown closer and closer to him, and despite his desire to express otherwise… he'd slowly begun to return the sentiment. He actually enjoyed hanging out with the girl, which was something that couldn't really be said about people other than Shinra. The fact that he'd somehow seemed to make a friend was continually surprising to him.
But the problem with her invitation was primarily that other people were included. Sure one of those other people was Dotachin, but… Walker and Togusa. Izaya wasn't sure how to feel about that. Izaya didn't… hang out with people after all, and he felt like if he joined them on Erika's offer, the boys in her group would resent her addition.
Everything about the situation seemed off. Izaya wasn't sure he'd be comfortable, and in the effort to seem comfortable, he'd probably just be out of place. He'd be the fifth wheel of their group and he wasn't sure how that would work out at all.
"Thanks," he replied with a light smile (his attempt to seem nonchalant), looking off towards the sky outside the wall of windows, "But I'm not sure all of your friends would be as eager to have me tag along as you are."
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unicornhunter
Dollars
How could you fantasize so effortlessly about the men you know in real life!?
Posts: 171
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Post by unicornhunter on Feb 18, 2012 22:40:08 GMT -5
Erika frowned at Izaya's comment. "Well...."
The thing was - Izaya was right. He might have been friends with Kadota, but Walker and Togusa would still be pretty cautious around Izaya. Most people would. Heck, Erika was until he helped her out.... And Walker didn't really like it when she spent a lot of time with Izaya. She knew he was just concerned, knowing who Izaya was and everything, but. . . .
Her frown deepened, and she hung her head.
"You're right...."
She furrowed her eyebrows, trying to think of something. There had to be something!
She pinched the bridge of her nose, then an idea occurred to her.
"Then how about you and I do something together tomorrow? Whatever sounds fun to you! You pick!"
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Post by UndergroundGod on Feb 19, 2012 20:13:37 GMT -5
His objection immediately gave her pause, reaffirming it. He knew that inviting him along on her outing with her other friends wouldn't go well, and she knew it too. Dotachin might be flexible to the idea… but Togusa and Walker certainly weren't so friendly with him and any time they spent together would be spent in silent suspicion. Izaya didn't want to deal with that, and he didn't want to try and intrude on Erika's day out by causing any unnecessary tension.
She frowned, hung her head, and outright admitted he was right… though there was a thoughtful look on her face as though she hadn't given up just because her one idea had been completely shot down. Izaya figured he shouldn't be surprised by that; Erika wasn't one to give up very easily.
Her next idea occurred to her just a moment later and she suggested… that they hang out tomorrow and do whatever Izaya thought would be fun.
Now Izaya didn't have a problem with the idea, he supposed. He didn't have anything on his schedule that he couldn't move to earlier or later in the day, which was one of the perks of his job, but…
What was he supposed to suggest? What did Izaya do for fun? More specifically, what did Izaya do for fun that could involve another person? He read, occasionally, watched horror movies, surfed the internet… and besides that he worked, either in his actual business affairs… or in his own personal affairs. Izaya hadn't actually… hung out with someone in a long time. Even he and Shinra had been distant for quite some time.
So Izaya was met with the strange circumstance of not having anything in mind. He had no clue what exactly would be an appropriate thing to suggest.
"Dunno," he said looking casually across the room, trying to play off his lack of familiarity with this sort of thing, "What sort of thing did you have in mind?"
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unicornhunter
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How could you fantasize so effortlessly about the men you know in real life!?
Posts: 171
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Post by unicornhunter on Feb 19, 2012 21:24:30 GMT -5
Erika wasn't used to people not knowing what they'd like to do. Walker and she always had something anime or manga related. Togusa had his j-pop. Even Kadota would voice what he'd rather do, even if it was kind of boring in comparison to what she, Walker, and Togusa wanted to do. At least, it was boring in Erika's mind sometimes. But Kadota was always a good sport about it all....
Did Izaya really not have any . . . hobbies or obsessions outside of work? That . . . she didn't understand that.
"Well," she said, leaning on his desk some, "we could go see a movie. Or eat out together. Or . . . do you like shopping? I won't really have the money for it after the outing with the guys, but that doesn't mean I can't go with you and, I dunno, carry your bags or something...."
The more she talked, the lamer she sounded, and she hated that.
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Post by UndergroundGod on Feb 20, 2012 0:08:39 GMT -5
As Erika listed off a few things they could do, Izaya felt a little bit better that he hadn't thought of anything too out of line. The movie had been a consideration, after all, though he didn't really know Erika's taste in movies, so whether they could agree on one or not was another matter entirely. He just hadn't been sure if that was something that would be okay for two… were they friends? He'd never been comfortable using the word for anyone other than Shinra, and occasionally Dotachin, but… he supposed that's what they were. So yeah, he wasn't sure if going to see a movie with Erika would even be okay.
Shopping, though… Izaya hadn't been shopping in a while. For the most part, he wore similar outfits each day, just because he was comfortable, and that was important when you might have to run from a flying vending machine, but… Izaya did need some new pajamas, maybe a new coat, as well (though he'd be looking for one similar to his current coat). He hadn't really thought of that as a social thing though. He supposed, thinking on it, he knew that girls and women got together in groups to browse the mall, but he'd never been part of such an outing. If Erika had suggested it, though, it must be a reasonable idea… or, well… at least not a completely unreasonable idea.
He was a bit disheartened to hear that she wouldn't be able to buy anything if they did go. What fun was that? Izaya didn't want to be the only one to get something new if they went out, but…
It was strange. Izaya was so far removed from the normal concerns of the populace. Whereas other people struggled day to day to pay bills, Izaya never wanted. He had several bank accounts full of money, plus several safes that were packed full of cash; money wasn't even close to an issue for him, and it never stopped him from doing or getting anything he wanted. He never thought about the expense of a meal or clothing or a movie and while he managed his money down to the penny, he was happy to indulge on things.
But Erika wasn't in that sort of position, obviously, and yet… she had still gone out of her way to buy chocolates for friends and others at her own expense…
A very strange feeling washed over Izaya at that point as his eyes turned back to the sheepish look on Erika's face. He… he wanted to do something nice for her. Izaya wasn't always very good at being nice—even when he did something kind, it was often accompanied by sarcastic words meant to disguise the act that he so often considered a sign of weakness. But this time, he actually really wanted to do something to give back to her what she had offered to him, and not just the chocolate, but the way she'd gone out of her way to fix the mistake she'd made, and the way that, when he'd been so irresponsibly vulnerable in front of her, she hadn't taken advantage of that.
He wanted to make her smile.
"Let's meet at Sunshine 60 tomorrow, maybe around three?" he suggested, smiling lightly as he looked back at her. "It's been a while since I've been, so we'll go exploring. I hear they've opened tons of new stores in ALTA, so it'll be fun to look around, yeah?"
The wheels in his head were already turning, but he'd need a little time to prepare.
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unicornhunter
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How could you fantasize so effortlessly about the men you know in real life!?
Posts: 171
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Post by unicornhunter on Feb 20, 2012 16:13:02 GMT -5
Erika blinked for a moment, but then grinned. Yay! Something she said sounded fun to him!
"Okay! I'll see you then!"
She clapped her hands together, her happiness radiating off of her.
"I've gotta go get ready for my outing with Dotachin, Yumacchi, and Subaru. You have a good rest of the day, okay?"
She made a little twirl as she headed for the door, and she gave a small wave as she left the room.
The rest of Erika's day was a lot of fun, treating Kadota, Walker, and Togusa to an outing at the amusement park. Walker and Togusa were completely unashamed at having fun - Walker especially - and while Kadota was more reserved, it was clear that he had a great time too. And Erika could see the gears in his head turning, which made her excited to see what he, Walker, and Togusa would have planned for White Day for her.
But the events of the afternoon/evening didn't make her forget about her outing with Izaya.
The next morning, she got dressed in something a bit more fashionable than what she wore yesterday - it wasn't often Izaya Orihara agreed to hang out with you, after all - put a couple of her brighter-colored clips into her hair, and left a note for the boys so they'd know she hadn't been kidnapped or anything.
She then skipped all the way to Sunshine 60, a grin on her face and her bag pouncing against her hip.
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Post by UndergroundGod on Feb 20, 2012 21:19:37 GMT -5
He couldn't help but grin a bit more at the energy and excitement he could feel seeping off of her as she agreed and then excused herself.
That evening, he made the calls he needed to make, threw around the money he needed to, and finalized his thoughts on the day. Hopefully, everything would go as planned and Erika would like that day he'd set up. Izaya didn't say this very often… but he would be happy as long as she was. His only problem was that he didn't have a lot of experience in trying to make people happy, so hopefully he wouldn't screw up.
Though still tormenting himself with thoughts about what might happen if Shizuo had found out about the chocolate, Izaya actually slept fairly well that night.
After getting some work-related things done in the morning, he showered and prepared himself to go meet Erika. He grabbed a pair of black jeans, but opted for a red tee instead as he threw on his jacket and headed towards Sunshine 60.
Izaya had a habit of leaving early to get places that usually served him well. He never knew when he might run into Shizuo and lose ten minutes, so it was important to try to get somewhere early, just in case he run into any obstacles. This time around though, his journey was uneventful and he ended up showing up at the building almost twenty minutes early—though he didn't mind waiting. He'd rather be early and wait for Erika than get caught up and be late, making Erika wait.
He plopped down on a bench, but he didn't have to wait very long before he saw a cheery Erika skipping down the street towards him. He stood from his seat on the bench to greet her, grinning wide and waving towards her cheerily, his normal childish attitude back in place, though this time it felt a bit more authentic.
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unicornhunter
Dollars
How could you fantasize so effortlessly about the men you know in real life!?
Posts: 171
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Post by unicornhunter on Feb 21, 2012 13:36:44 GMT -5
Erika spotted Izaya, and she waved at him as she hurried over. "Iza-Iza!" Once she was close enough, she threw herself at him, essentially glomping him. They spun around for a moment, and then she let go, grinning at him.
"How're you today? Do you know where you wanna shop? I managed to save a little bit from yesterday, so I can at least buy us lunch."
Normally, she'd try to hang onto his arm, but she figured that her glomping him was her allotted amount of clinging that he would allow. So instead, she allowed him some personal space by skipping back some, her black, flowy skirt bouncing as she did so, moving just enough to show that she was wearing black leggings underneath that cut off at the knee; her shirt was also black, but with a rainbow-colored heart decorating the bust-area, and her hairpins went with the heart.
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