Hello, NaturesShadows here, bringing you another chapter of reflected. I hope this is alright and I do apologize for the Cliff (It had to be done).

Disclaimer: I do not own this manga/anime. However I own this story, Reflected.

The bike pulled up at the front of the apartment complex. Celty reached down and grabbed at Izaya's arms, gently pulling, trying to persuade him into letting go. He just shook his head against her shoulder blades. As his arms tightened around her thin waist, his face sunk deeper into her back. His shoulders trembled, as he took in gasps of breath. Celty stilled, trying not to disturb him as she felt hot tears leaking though the black fabric of her bikers jumpsuit, to her pale skin.

She waited for the trembling to stop, then she tried to get him to let go again. This time he was more willing, his hands putting up no resistance as she pulled them away from her waist. She then turned to face him. Izaya had his head bowed, looking to the seat of the motorcycle, his eyes barely visible behind the raven bangs. His eyes were slightly puffy and red, as the tears continued to fall slowly down his slightly flushed cheeks. She removed the black leather glove from her right hand, then reached over and gently rubbed her thumb against the tears, trying to wipe them away.

'He looks so vulnerable. It's quite unsettling. I wonder what happened to cause this, Izaya doesn't normally show this side to him. It's kind of cute…'

Once the tears had stopped flowing, she held his wrist as she slid off the bike. Then she reached out her other hand to help him do the same. She then began pushing the bike effortlessly with one hand towards the elevator, while simultaneity leading Izaya with her other. The bike took up most of the room, but it was still a comfortable fit, she pressed the button to her and Shinra's floor. The elevator, lifted off, floating up towards their apartment, with a ding the elevator stopped suspended in mid-air, it dangled on a metal cord. She pushed the bike out, then left it in the middle of the hallway, more absorbed in getting Izaya to Shinra, she wanted to know what was wrong with the information broker and she wanted to know it as soon as possible.

They walked along the hallway, Celty was just about to open the door, when Izaya ripped his wrist from Celty's grip. Then he raised his sleeve to his eyes and began frantically rubbing trying to erase the evidence of his tears. Then he pushed in front of her and opened the door himself. Replacing the fear, sadness and variability with a mask of smug amusement. Celty stood shocked, 'How, how did he do that?'

Celty started to look at Izaya in a whole new way, she saw a person who had suffered, she saw a soul that was hollow; empty inside, and she saw a mask that was keeping the human underneath alive. Without her consent, her arm raised and gripped at Izaya's back, the material trapped between her thumb and fingers. His face turned back to her in shock, his eyes wide as his smile fell from his face.

Right then Shinra popped up, a large smile on his lips as he called "Welcome home Celty, my dear."

Then he looked at Izaya, then he looked to Celty, he could see the worried expression she wore. Shinra's eyebrows rose in confusion, then he glanced back to Izaya and he saw it. Izaya looked horrible, his eyes were red with bloodshot, and his normally pale cheeks were flushed, red raw from the tears he most likely just shed. Shinra could see that Izaya's mask, the mask he had built over the years was beginning to crack. He could, for the first time in forever, see the genuine feelings, expressed on his face. Shinra smiled a small sad smile, then he walked over to the both of them and told them to come in.

Izaya stood still waiting for Celty to remove her hand. When she finally did he walked over to the couch and plopped down, curling up like a child. He lay their staring at the floor. Unlike most days Izaya was silent. Meanwhile Shinra had asked Celty what had happened. She just shook her neck from side to side, then shrugged her shoulders. "Ah, I see so you don't know either… Well I guess I should go talk with him huh?"

Celty nodded, silently watching as Shinra walked to the couch, then she slowly took her leave, retreating to the confines of her bedroom.

Shinra gradually closed in on his destination. He fell to his knees then draped himself over the back of the couch. Looking at Izaya's face with concern, he reached his hand down and flicked some of Izaya's raven locks from his face. Izaya didn't flinch, in fact he leaned into the touch. Izaya and Shinra got along, mainly because of their mutual agreement. Izaya remained staring at the floor, but his eyes shifted when Shinra began talking in a calm and somewhat quite tone, "Do you want something to drink? I can make us some tea."

Izaya bobbed his head, to out of it to respond verbally. He didn't trust his voice at the moment, he felt weak, venerable and although he trusted Shinra, he didn't want to place his burden on his one and only friend.

Shinra strolled to the kitchen, pulled out to mugs, turned on the kettle and waited for the water to boil. Then he grabbed some tea leaves and placed them in a strainer, sitting the utensil in the cup while he poured the boiling hot water into the mug. Repeating the process, he filled both cups, then carried them over to the Informant, who was stilled tucked up on his sofa. He sat down beside his friend, placing the Izaya's mug on the coffee table in front of them. Then proceeded to take small sips from his own. He glanced at Izaya every now and again, waiting for some sign that Izaya was ready to talk. When Izaya's gaze shifted from the floor to the steaming cup of tea, he smiled.

Izaya pushed himself up from the couch and reached for his mug, pulling it to his mouth, he began sipping at the hot liquid. Shinra watched as Izaya's eyes dropped, as he began to relax and unwind. It was then when Shinra decided to speak. "Did something happen?"

Shizuo: When the hell am I gonna be introduced?

Me: Oh that will be soon, my dear. Very soon, in fact, you will be making an appearance next chapter.

Shizuo: Alright then.

Izaya: Yay, I'll have Shizu-chan to cheer me up. XD

Shizuo: Shut up, ya stupid flea.

Me: Anyway, review, favorite, follow, please review, I need to know if this is any good.