I growled at the stranger who joined my friend. But she seemed to not care.
As I've stated before. Of course I trust friend Shinra, and maybe doctor Shinra, but scientist Shinra always kept me on edge, and you never know which Shinra any strangers are here for.
I held my stomach protectively, baking away from the brunette.
"Izaya, calm down, Namiko is just here to observe. She's really interested in this experiment!"
I growled, but allowed the stranger to observe my belly, tears forming in her eyes and a light smile gracing her face.
"I can't believe this is possible!" The woman exclaimed, reaching out to feel, but pulling her hand away when I swatted it.
"Izaya doesn't like touching much..." Shinra explained, though he was probably just trying to spare her from the fact that I simply don't trust her.
"This is wonderful!" Namiko continued to awe at me, seeming so excited I was beginning to feel uncomfortable. "I'm going to be a grandmother!" I lifted an eyebrow. Is this the reason Shinra brought her here? He tended to be less sentimental...
"Oh, do you have a gay son?" I asked, trying not to sound annoyed. I was gay after all, I had no problem with that, I just didn't like Shinra invading my privacy for something the woman could have just looked up online.
"Well, no, he's bisexual... but he's with a male partner right now," she looked to Shinra, and he nodded, though hid behind my couch, causing my confusion to grow. "His name is Shizuo. Heiwajima Shizuo"
I froze, backing up away from the woman - Shizu-chan's mother- Mamouru and Matteru's grandmother... My head spun.
I remember looking her, Heiwajima Namiko, up in high school, just to stalk Shizuo, but I never found a picture or thought of it since graduation.
Memories about the search sophomore year came up, right, she's a librarian, no, she was at the time, but by now she's probably finished college and gotten at least her master's, so she's likely a teacher. She has no history of anger problems, and a squeaky clean record, probably to this day.
Comforted by the information I had about her, I stopped moving backwards, not that I could much more anyway, so close to the wall. I forced my eyes to narrow enough to look natural, or at least less surprised, and looked at her.
She did look a lot like Shizuo, if he'd kept his hair brown. Her eyes were a bit lighter and her eyelashes a bit longer, face more narrow, but they had very similar features.
I had no clue what to say, so I just stood there.
She took this as an opening to get closer, lookingat my stomach as though she could see the babies through my skin without any equipment.
"My... my grand babies are in there..." Namiko whispered, reaching out again, hesitantly. This time, I didn't swat her away.
"If Shizu-chan still wants them..." I didn't mean to say it, but the words left my mouth and tears left my eyes.
Both brunets looked at me.
"Why wouldn't Shizuo want them?"
"Yeah, Izaya. What's going on? Why did you disappear?" Shinra's eye brows moved together with his growing concern.
"Sh-Shizu-chan... he.. kissed someone else..." tears kept leaving my eyes. I felt weak for crying in front of Namiko, but I'm pregnant, who could blame me?? Even without the emotional strain I was in.
"O-oh, Orihara, I'm so sorry! I-"
"It's okay!" I cut her off, "It wasn't anything preventable. He told her that he-he didn't love me and that he only stayed for the boys..."
The tears continued to fall, Shinra got closer, moving his arms around me.
"Izaya..."
"Please, Shinra! Don't tell him!" I was almost hyperventilating, "I don't want him to see me! Just until I know how to face him!"
Shinra nodded, Namiko as well.
"If course, Izaya, but... but how? Shizuo loves you! He was all over you at the baby shower! He wouldn't shit up about you earlier! I-I just... I don't understand..."
A sob left my throat.
"But you'll be okay, even without Shizuo. I don't know how this could happen, but I'm sure it's a misunderstanding. And if it isn't, you can hold your own. You are the strongest man I know, and it's a solid fact that you'd protect those children with your life. Even as a single parent, you'll be fine. They'll be fine. Don't worry. Just rest."
I curled more into Shinra's arms, my best friend helping to soothe my body into sleep.
I wasn't sure what the future held, and I was afraid, but right here, right now, I was relaxed. I had friends. I had children. I had a family. And I didn't need anything else. Anything at all.
.
.
.
Except Shizuo...