Shizuo POV

I walked down the street, mildly pissed off at the world. It was raining out, and I was lacking any umbrella. I was already soaked to the skin, and the cold air typical of Ikenbukero's winter was biting at me. Tom had let me off early, so I was heading to my apartment, seeing as I had nowhere else to go. Then, I smelled something: A slightly Cat-like smell that was unique, and belonged to a certain information broker. I turned around and ripped a lamp post out of the ground. In front of me stood the flea with his usual annoying smirk plastered on his face.

"IIIIIIIIIZAAAYYYYAAAAAAAAAAAA," I yelled, running after the flea. he ducked my first blow, but he seemed slower and less graceful then usual. My second swing flew passed his head close enough to chop a little bit of his hair off. I heard a sound from the flea. A sneeze. "the flea must be sick," i thought.

"What do you want, Flea?" i asked.

"Nothing. Just to annoy you." the flea ducked another one of me swings. i swung again, and hit the flea on the back of the leg, slicing through his jeans and into flesh. Izaya stopped. it was probably the first time he had ever gotten hurt. He collapsed, and turned over onto his back. he twitched dramatically. "You've killed me. i won't live another moment. i'm going to die" He said pathetically. and then he put on his usual anoying smirk. "Well, Shizu-chan. are you going to—" The flea doubled over in a fit of coughing, a drizzle of blood seeping from the corner of his mouth. I tilted my head in mild ucharacteristic concern. it would be wrong just to kill Izaya when he was in his current state. Instead of doing "the right thing" and helping the Flea, i turned around and resumed my walk to my apartment. The Flea yelled a few creative curses at me as i left.

Izaya POV

(a month later)

i have only been hurt by shizu-chan once. No matter. that had been emmbarasing, but i healed up fine. now when i walk, i only feel a slight twinge with each step.

I collapsed onto my couch after a long day of messing with peoples lives. Namie schoffed at me from her desk.

"Go home, Namie" I motioned fo her to leave. She stood up and left as quickly as possible. what a robot. My cat, Rhyolite jumped onto my lap and made herself at home.

I had found Rhyolite in a box when she was a kitten. in a strange surge of kindness, i hadtaken her home. and now she was my lifeline. she was black, with a wghite spot in the shape of a near perfect star on her shoulder of a bluish gray color. each day i spent hurting people was yaxing, mentally, physically and emotionally. i was falling apart. going insane. i cried myself to sleep. i have atempted suicide, but that is usless. i'll die ties me here, gives me reason to live. Her and Shizu-chan. I say i hate him. but i don't i can't. he's to innocent. oblivios to the horrors of the world. well, there's nothing i can do about that.

I carfully picked Rhyolite up, and placed her on my desk. i put my coat on and left.

looking back, i can ee my mistake easily, and it's so painfully obvious that i cannot believe the extent of my blunder, but moving on...

i lightly closed the door, and turned around. i skipped down the stairs, elevators made me sick, and went through the basement door, coming out in an alley next to my apartment building, and walking beside the street. it was raining, a downpour that was probably making records.i didn't put my hood up, though. i was already soaked to the skin. i walked on, my feet carrying me, my head down. the rain was soothing, and the cold brought me back into the world. my lovely humans where holed up in their homes. i was the only one outd=side, not counting the humans in the cars that rushed by, leaving me feeling like a leaf in the wind, out of control. i crossed the street and kept walking.

i stopped and leaned against a brick wall. i bowed my head and slid down the wall, lost in my self-pitying thoughts.

I must have fallen asleep at some point, not for long though. i woke up to the screech of breakes and the horrified scream of a cat.

I jolted my head up to see a black lump of fur on the ground. the owner of the car got out to inspect the damage and to see wat happend. I stod up and made my way over to him. he was a kid, of about seventeen, probably his first time driving without a coach.

"What happened?" i asked

"I was driving, and then this cat walked across the street, i tried to break, sir, i really did, but..." He leaned down and gave the lump of fur to me. i inspected it. it was dead, and streaked with blood, it's wounds hidden behind a thick swath of black fur.I continued my insppection, and came across a star shaped mark, located on it's shoulder.

"Rhyolite?" I wrapped my arms around her and sobbed. i looked up. the kid was gone, bloody coward. i walked over to the wall and sat down, cradling my cat and sobbing hysterically. I don't know how long i sat there, but eventually, i realised where my horrible, tratorios feet had taken me. Shizu-chan's apartment district.