Chapter Text
“IZAAAAAYAAAAAA!”
Izaya froze, completely stunned. He stood just inside of the airport and stared at the blond with an almost vulnerable expression. With all his genius, he could not comprehend why he would show up now of all times. But then, the monster was just being as unpredictable as always. That was exactly why this had to happen.
Shizuo was scowling, but that didn’t help Izazya discern the beast’s intention as he marched forward. Izaya watched his limbs closely for signs of which direction he would need to dodge. Running could mean abandoning his carry-on bag, but there were only snacks and reading material inside anyway, nothing irreplaceable. Shizuo was dangerously close now, killing-range.
“Shizu-chan~! How kind of you to see me off,” Izaya said smoothly. “Say your goodbyes quickly though, or you’ll make me miss my flight.”
“You aren’t catching a damn flight!” Shizuo shouted, harsh enough to make even Izaya shiver internally.
“This isn’t quite the reaction I expected,” Izaya replied coolly, trying to slink towards airport security.
“And what the Hell kind of reaction DID you expect? You say goodbye to everyone except me?!”
“Why would I say goodbye to you?”
“Because-“ Shizuo started furiously, only to be cut brutally short by his own lack of explanation. They were enemies. They hated each other. It made no sense for Izaya to consider his feelings. It made no sense for Shizuo to have feelings about this. “I deserve the chance to kick your ass one more time! After all the shit I've put up from you over the years, I think I deserve it! Don’t you even want to taunt me?!”
“We’ve already done all that.”
“No we haven’t!”
“I waved to you at Russia Sushi two days ago. You threw a mailbox at me and chased me back to Shinjuku.”
“That’s all I get?”
“You wanted more?” Izaya asked with that infuriating smirk and a cocked eyebrow.
“Stop perverting shit, Louse!”
“You implied it. Anyway, if all you wanted was a goodbye then I’ll say it now. Goodbye Shizu-chan, it’s been real.”
Shizuo’s expression melted into one of confusion and uncertainty. Was this really happening? Was Izaya leaving for good? The flea was turning away.
“Wait!” Shizuo bellowed, making a grab for his hoodie and missing.
Izaya turned to face him anyway, from a reasonable distance.
“What now?”
“You can’t just go!”
“And why’s that?”
“You can’t just start all this and leave me to deal with it!”
“All of what?” Izaya asked, deliberately obtuse.
“THIS!” Shizuo shouted, as if volume would explain.
“Our rivalry is as much a nuisance to my life as it is to yours, Shizu-chan. You interfere with my work and play, while I interfere with your pathetic attempts to live a peaceful human life. I’ve found that the only solution to this dilemma is distance.”
“Distance?”
“Yes. You and I putting as much distance between each other as possible.”
“We’d have distance if you just kept your ass in Shinjuku!”
“No, not nearly far enough. You could barge in at any time and accuse me of causing trouble in Ikebukuro.”
“That was just once!”
“Besides, Ikebukuro is far more interesting than Shinjuku, and I don’t think its fair that you get all the fun. If I go to a new city, I can have it all to myself.”
“Then go to the next nearest city! I don’t get what you’re leaving the country for!”
Izaya sighed. He really didn’t have time to wait for Shizuo’s protozoan brain to process all this. He had maybe twenty minutes before they wouldn’t let him board.
“So, wait a minute…I’m the reason you’re leaving,” Shizuo asked, his scowl lessening a little.
“Of course not! As if I’d allow a monster like you to dictate my life choices!” Izaya scoffed.
“Then why!” Shizuo growled.
“I’m not exactly welcome here. Too many enemies to live comfortably anymore. My safety and a dozen other reasons, which I don’t have time to explain, are why I’m going and why so far. In any case, I don’t intend to return.
“Ever?”
“Ever.”
There was a pause, and Izaya’s smirking mask was just that, a mask. But Shizuo’s scowl was contorting in a way that looked strangely….disappointed.
“This is good news,” Izaya helpfully reminded him, in case the beast was just so stupid he had somehow mistaken it for bad.
“Whatever,” Shizuo replied, anger seemingly vanished. “Good riddance, Louse.”
The debt collector turned on his heel and exited the airport, leaving Izaya to marvel after him. Still smirking, he murmured, “Goodbye Shizu-chan.”