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izaya-is-life · 7 years

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What a cat-astrophy ch. 1/?

Also on ao3

Shizaya au where they never met and Shizuo gets a job at a cat cafe and Izaya is a regular customer. Inspired by @allshewhispers <3

Shizuo couldn’t stop staring. The man across the small room wasn’t that extraordinary but he couldn’t seem to tear his eyes away. He had black hair, a fur coat, and tired eyes. The man was seated at one of the small tables in the corner of the room and even the many cats surrounding him didn’t seem to make this man any happier. He was absentmindedly petting a black cat while he read aloud, his soft, smooth voice lulling the cats around him into a peaceful state. Shizuo couldn’t make out many of the words but it seemed to be some romance novel.

Shizuo had only started working at Purrfect Catacombs, a small cat café near his apartment, a week ago but he was already aware that this man was a very regular customer. So much so that the other workers knew him, and what he would order, on sight. Shizuo was a new waiter and he often heard the girl staff whispering and giggling over the other man

“He’s so nice to the cats but he always looks so sad!”

“I heard a rumor that he works for the yakuza!”

“He has the same name as that info-broker but there’s no way that they’re the same person! How unfortunate for such a kind person to be associated with somebody so shady.”

“Ahh the other day he was reading the cutest book to the cats, I had to turn to hide my blush! I wish my boyfriend would read to me.”

And that was just one of the conversations he’d overheard in his short time here. The other men who worked here seemed much less biased.

“I don’t have anything against him… but the girls seem all over him.”

“He is very good with the cats though, even Bixby warmed up to him. That’s talent.”

“I wish he would read different books to the cats, all he reads are romance or those old-timey works, like Shakespeare or something.”

Shizuo hadn’t worked here long enough to have any sort of real opinion on the other man, who apparently was called Izaya. He hadn’t even had any chances to interact with the man yet.

He was startled out of his thoughts by a hand on his shoulder, he looked to his left and one of his co-workers, Chiho Kasuna, smiled.

“Is something wrong Heiwajima-kun?”

Shizuo forced a smile and nodded.

“Ah yeah, I just got a little carried away.”

Chiho nodded

“Were you looking at Orihara-san? He’s reading a new book today! The cats seem to love it.”

Shizuo shrugged his shoulders and looked to the side, uncomfortably.

“I guess I’m just curious about what kind of person he is.”

Chiho bobbed on her feet a few times with a wide smile.

“Ahh why don’t I introduce you two! Orihara-san is really very nice! I’m sure you two will make great friends!”

Shizuo flinched slightly and coughed. He felt awkward under her sudden excitement but… he couldn’t think of any reason not to agree.

“If he won’t mind being interrupted…”

Chiho hummed lightly at that, thinking it over.

“I don’t think he will, when’s your break?”

Shizuo shot a glance at the clock on the east wall.

“In about 10 minutes.”

Chiho nodded, looking determined.

“Mine lasts till then! I’ll have just enough time to introduce you two. Maybe you can find out why he always looks so lonely.”

Shizuo gave Chiho a slightly helpless smile.

“Maybe.”

The ten minutes till his break seemed to crawl by at a snail’s pace as he took orders and brought out food. As he served he got closer to Izaya’s table and could finally here his reading. He’d read a while then make some insightful or sarcastic comment about the book to the cats. Holy shit Izaya was providing commentary on the book for the cats and whoever might be listening. That was honestly the nerdiest thing Shizuo had ever heard of.

He took a couple of orders and casually listened.

“Ahh honestly, if the lack of communication was any worse there wouldn’t be a single line of dialog in the whole book. If he wants to date her he should just say so.”

Out of the corner of his eye Shizuo saw Izaya plant a kiss on the top of a particularly cuddly kitten’s head.

“Of course, he really doesn’t deserve her, you recognize that right Felix? She should give up on him for her friend. Jason is much better for her than Mr. ‘too stupid to recognize when a girl likes him’.

Those long fingers scratched behind the ear of a calico cat perched on his shoulder.

“Misty here is such a lady she’d probably give this idiot a chance. Remember all of you are worth more than that, you are all much better than any humans I’ve ever met.”

Shizuo finally walked away, he wasn’t sure if Izaya’s commentary was adorable or sad but…. it’s not like it was his place to judge. People came to see the cats and Izaya seemed to really love the cats here. (He’s memorized their fucking names, was that cute or creepy???) As long as the man didn’t cause any trouble and stayed respectful of the cats and workers then it didn’t really matter. Shizuo could never really get mad at somebody who clearly loved animals that much anyway.

Finally, his break came and Chiho jogged up to him with a winning smile.

“Ready?”

Shizuo shrugged but nodded.

“I guess.”

Chiho did an excited bob on her toes again and led him over. Izaya stopped reading as they approached and the calico on his shoulders, Misty, gave them a weary blink.

“Can I help you?”

Chiho’s smile turned slightly nervous and Shizuo hunched his shoulders.

“Ahh Orihara-san I don’t mean to disturb you but our newest worker wanted to meet you.”

Izaya gave Shizuo a curious look and set his book aside after carefully marking his place. He held out his hand with a relaxed smile.

“Orihara Izaya, pleasure to make your acquaintance.”

Shizuo shook hands, feeling slightly awkward.

“I’m Heiwajima Shizuo.”

Chiho gave him a thumbs up and scratched behind one of the cat’s ears before going back to work leaving the two men alone. There was a moment of awkward silence before Izaya hummed in amusement.

“You can sit down you know.”

Shizuo blushed slightly and nodded, god he probably looked like an idiot. Izaya shot him a small smile.

“What would you like to know?”

Shizuo resisted the urge to shrug, he hadn’t really thought this through. One of the cats around Izaya crawled into Shizuo’s lap for warmth, purring as Shizuo stroked its fur with gentle hands. He took a calming breath.

“I guess I was just curious since you’re a regular. I see you in here reading to the cats nearly every day.”

Izaya tilted his head, bushing some hair out of his eye.

“Yes, I enjoy coming here. I have a pretty stressful job but when I come here I can relax. I can’t keep an animal at home because my job would keep me away too much.”

Shizuo nodded at that, it made sense.

“Why read to them though?”

Izaya’s smile softened somehow and Shizuo’s heart did a funny flip. Fuck.

“I’ve always enjoyed reading out loud, or maybe I just like sharing my thoughts with something. I had only planned to do it once, for one of the waitresses here but the cats seemed to flock to me when I did. They really enjoy hearing me read so I keep doing it.”

Shizuo held in a smile at that. Fuck, he couldn’t handle how obviously in love with animals Izaya was. He could feel the beginning of a crush starting to form and he crushed it as hard as he could. He didn’t need to ruin this job with heartache.

“I’m glad you enjoy being here, it’s good business for the café after all. What do you do for work?”

Izaya’s smile turned mysterious and he winked.

“Wouldn’t you like to know~”

Shizuo couldn’t help but laugh at that, genuine amusement filling him. He hadn’t expected to enjoy this man’s company.

“So, what? Do you work for the government or something?”

Izaya’s eyes lit with something that Shizuo couldn’t decipher.

“It’s a secret!”

Shizuo leaned in slightly as he remembered the over-heard conversations from earlier this week.

“Are you actually that one information broker?”

Izaya laughed, sweeping a kitten up in his arms.

“Really? You think that an info broker would read to cats every day?”

Shizuo hunched slightly with embarrassment but… that hadn’t been an answer… he took a bet. He looked Izaya dead in the eye and nodded.

“Yeah, I think he would.”

Izaya’s eyes widened and a giddy smile lit up his face. (shitshitshit he was fucked, this was officially a crush)

“Shizu-chan~ You’re the first person who’s ever gotten it right.”

Shizuo almost didn’t register the rest of the sentence through the annoyance at the nickname but then it hit him.

“Don’t call me that… Wait seriously??!!”

Izaya gave him a smirk and rested his cheek on his hand.

“I never lie. You’re the only one who’s ever called me out on it. Don’t spread it around okay? I’d hate for some of my enemies to find this place… it wouldn’t be pleasant.”

Shizuo blinked, dazed at the understatement. Holy shit one of the most feared and hated men in all of Ikebukuro regularly came to read to cats. The reality of it was surreal and Shizuo should be disgusted but… his crush remained. Fuck.

He watched the powerful informant coo over a pure white kitten and wondered what he’d done to deserve this. His peace had been ruined.

#kb17 #my fics #drrr #durarara #au #shizuo heiwajima #izaya orihara #shizaya #cats #cat cafes #fics #writing #what a cat-astrophe #chapter 1

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