RYNO IV pointed out to me that Arlua changes her attitude rather abruptly, so I made this little tie-in one-shot to show a bit of her thought process.
The first snippet is her thoughts right after Izaya throws her the cord and she plugs the computer back in. the second part is what's going through her head on the way back to her company.
I realize these aren't as good as they probably could be; I was in a hurry when I wrote them. But hopefully they'll explain Arlua's change of heart.
Disclaimer: I own only Arlua and Natsuki
Stupid! Stupid! Should have just gotten an extra power cord! That reaction wasn't boring at all! Now he'll request me again! Arlua berated herself as she worked. Maybe if I retaliate? I could change his password…maybe he'll decide I'm too much trouble?
It wasn't until she left the building and started back toward her company's building that it occurred to her that Izaya Orihara, crazy as he was, might her small rebellion as interesting rather than troublesome.
Crap.
He might continue to request her just to see how long before he provoked another reaction.
She would never be able to act "boring" enough to get away, she realized. Not if he considered her reactions so much more interesting than the previous techs that he had commented on it.
She would have to find a way to deal with him.
An idea tickled at the back of her mind. He was playing a game. He'd mentioned a "real challenge." So he planned on keeping her around for a while.
Natsuki's words came back to her.
:I was hoping you'd take dealing with him as a challenge."
I'm going to go crazy dealing with him…unless I treat it as a challenge, she realized. Arlua clenched her jaw. Fine. I'll take his stupid challenge. I'll play his game. And I'll beat him. I'll win.
Arlua didn't realize it, but her scowl was changing – not softening, but changing – slowly, step by step, into a predatory grin.