Chapter Text
A shriek rang from the courtyard, and Shizuo looked up from his work and groaned. Had Cerberus escaped again? As the ruler of Hades and king of the Dead, Shizuo was stronger than most people, but Cerberus was a big, overgrown puppy. Someone else had to be able to manage him. Sighing, Shizuo opened the door. At least he would have a break from his work, even if it would take time to get back into the swing of it. Oh well, everyone needed a break sometimes, right?
But when he glared at the courtyard, Cerberus was nowhere in sight. In his place was a small crowd of civil servants surrounding the most beautiful man Shizuo had ever seen, and as a God, Shizuo was a fair creature himself. His hair was blacker than the night and contrasted against the white porcelain of his skin. His features were unnatural in their fineness. His lashes were overbearingly thick, and his mouth was a bright, bloody cut of red. Even the ragged coat covering him and his unconscious state did little to dampen the full extent of his visage.
Stranger than his appearance was the rise and fall of his chest. With the exception of the few Gods who called it their home, all of the inhabitants of the Underworld were dead, so how had a living being come here?
“Alright,” Shizuo shouted. “Who is this man?” “He’s not one of ours, so who is he?”
“We don’t know,” A female figure called back, “I just found him here. “
Temper rising, Shizuo clenched his fists. “And none of you thought to summon me? What’s his condition?”
“ I think he’s unconscious,” a man called out. “…. He’s beautiful.”
“I can see he’s unconscious, Shizuo growled.
No matter how irritating they were, he refused to let loose his temper on his own people. Even if they deserved it. Swooping down, he grabbed the unconscious man and carried him roughly into one of the spare bedrooms.
“You better have a good answer for why you’re here when you wake up.”
The stranger said nothing, still grasped in the depths of unconsciousness.
….
After the disturbance, everything went back to normal. He filled and filed his (horrible) paperwork. He went outside, first to return said (horrible) forms on the decisions of the three judges of the Underworld. Celty, Tom, Kadota, and Akabayashi were as solemn-faced as usual and knew nothing about Hades’ unheard-of visitor. The furies and Erica and Walker happened to overhear their conversation and had nothing useful to add.
“Can we torture him? “ Erica asked. “I mean, he’s here even though he’s still alive, that’s got to be a mortal sin, right?”
Shizuo glared at her. “No torturing those that don’t deserve it.”
“We never get to have any fun.” Walker complained.
Consequently, Shizuo set off looking for people who did know something about the Underworld’s “guest.” Ruri, the elegant goddess of witchcraft and magic, knew nothing. Neither did Kasuka, his beloved younger half-brother, the god of sleep. By time he got to Saburo, the boatman of the river Styx, Shizuo had nearly run out of patience.
“Come on, you must know something,” Shizuo grimaced. “How could he have been brought here without traveling over the river?”
Saburo shrugged. “Beats me. But I would have remembered someone who fits that description.”
Tired, Shizuo trudged home. Perhaps his “guest” would be awake by the time he returned.
…..
When Shizuo returned to the palace, the man was still asleep. Annoyed, Shizuo left for the river Styx to find Shinra, messenger of the dead. There he spotted Shinra oncoming with a fresh batch of souls.
“Shizuo,” Shinra yelled. “What brings you here this fine evening?”
Shizuo scowled. “Did you send a man to the Underworld?”
“ Yep. His name’s Izaya. He’s had a rough time and will stay with you for a while.”
“What?” Shizuo growled. “This is the Underworld, Shinra! Once you enter, you can never return! Certainly not a vacation house for people ‘having a rough time!’”
Shinra shrugged. “That’s your problem, not mine. Izaya’s a good guy- ok he’s not a good guy. He’s kind of a bad guy, actually. But he doesn’t deserve to be treated as he has been. Come on, he really needs this chance. He’s in deep trouble now, and you’re his only way out.”
Shizuo scowled in reply.
“Just give him a chance, alright? If he’s that awful, I’ll try to take him somewhere else. Although there is nowhere else, since we’re literally past the ends of the Earth.”
Shizuo sighed. “If you pull this shit on me again-“
“You’ll kill me, I know, I know….” Shinra replied.
….
By the time Shizuo returned, the guest was awake. He smiled at Shizuo, and it felt like something crawled down Shizuo’s skin. Perhaps it was because he preferred sincere terror and disgust to platitudes and fake adorations, even if it wearied him out sometimes. Still, something seemed almost intrinsically threatening, even wrong, with the smile. It made him want to throw up.
“Pleased to make your acquaintance, your majesty,” the figure stated.
Shizuo just stared back. “Right, because everyone’s so eager to come to the land of the dead. Shinra mentioned you’re in some bullshit trouble?
For a second, Shizuo thought he saw something slip. But it might have been his imagination, people like this Izaya guy usually weren’t so easy to catch.
“Unfortunately, yes, your majesty. Fortune has not smiled on me as of late.”
“Well, you can stay here for a little while alright? But this is the Underworld. Don’t expect it to run according to your schedule. “
The man smiled again, and shivers ran down Shizuo’s spine. “I wouldn’t dream of it.”