Durarara! belongs to Ryohgo Narita.
Heart Sounds: Chapter 4
"-New Voicemail Message-"
-Beep-
"...Hey Tsugaru. We're back home from our trip. Hibiya asked about you, too, except he went on a trip of his own with his...uh...friend. So he says hi, I guess... Anyway... I heard from your godmother Celty that you were forced to go over there. Did Shinra do something weird? He probably did. Just let me know, and I'll beat him to dea-"
There was another voice talking over the familiar voice of his father, the sound of the phone being grabbed, before a more cheerful and calm voice came on instead. There was also a low protest of grumbling from the other male, but it was quiet after that.
"I'm sorry about that. He won't really hurt your godfather... Unless, Shinra DID do something to hurt you. Then I'll handle it."
Tsugaru could practically see the mischievous smile of his other father...or more simply called, his dad.
"Now, back to the main point of this message. If you have time this week, we wanted to have dinner at the usual place...and talk to you about our trip and whatnot..."
Tsugaru sighed, the sound of the phone being taken from his dad's hands as his father, once again, was on.
"I'm serious though. If he pulled something, I'll beat him within an inch of his li-"
"Shizu-chan!"
"...Right. Sorry. Yeah. We'll hopefully see ya later. We love you. Bye..."
There was muffled chuckling, before the phone clicked.
"-Message Ended-"
Tsugaru pressed the 'Off' button, before he sat down with a soft sigh.
His parents...they were back home now... Yet, Tsugaru was already having second thoughts about seeing them immediately.
Well, normally, he'd be fine with meeting up with them right away. They were his parents, after all, and he did care about them. Even if he had preferred solitude, seeing family was another story.
But there was one thing stopping him now from returning the call at the moment.
Psyche.
Ever since that day, when things had changed quite a bit between himself and his android, it had left Tsugaru all the more confused about his own life and his decisions.
He hadn't asked Psyche for something like that again.
He just had everything go on as if it had never happened. As much as he wanted it, however...and how much he craved that...warmth...he had to force himself to refrain.
He knew he could have Psyche as much as he liked...the android couldn't say no. But...Tsugaru's newest mentality was that Psyche was real, therefore, it would be morally wrong to request such a thing.
So now, that aside, he still felt a lingering worry. He was clearly attracted to his android...even overly-attached. And another thing...if he went out with his parents for dinner, he would certainly be taking Psyche with him. He didn't have it in him to leave Psyche all alone back home.
But then...his parents would see that Psyche wasn't a human, and would wonder about their son's sanity.
It was all so...confusing!
Tsugaru placed a hand onto his forehead, slumping forward with a deeper sigh than most he had that day.
He knew he loved his android, and keeping in the obvious behavior and the way he interacted with Psyche would be a dead giveaway.
His dad was an informant, for crying out loud! He'd know in a second that something was up...
...Then his father...with his inhuman strength... He would surely go kill Shinra for turning his son into an android-loving freak.
Then...Psyche...what if he broke down, or needed repairs? What if one day, he just stopped walking, or speaking...and Shinra was dead because of his father, so nothing could be done?! Then everything would crumble, and he'd be all alone again without the love of his life-!...
...Tsugaru shook his head.
Now, he was just over-thinking things.
No.
It didn't have to be like this. He could, perhaps, leave Psyche with Shinra while he went out for dinner. Yes, that could be fine.
Oh, but wait.
Shinra might ask Psyche some questions about his stay with Tsugaru...and Psyche might reveal what exactly had happened.
All of it.
Down to the last detail.
Then...everything Tsugaru had just feared would be set into motion.
Tsugaru couldn't just deny his parents, who wanted to see him. Otherwise, they'd know something was the matter. He never put off seeing them, and he never had any excuses as to why he couldn't, even if he wanted an excuse.
'...What to do...'
Psyche happened to be walking by, then he stopped when he noticed his master. He stepped into the room, pleasantly greeting Tsugaru, as always. "Hello Tsugaru. Is everything alright? You seem a bit upset about something."
Tsugaru jolted, having snapped out of his thoughts. Then, seeing who was in front of him, he just put on his best smile, shaking his head. "I'm alright... I'm just trying to figure out what to do..."
The raven took a seat beside the blond. "What is it that you are trying to figure out?"
There was another deep sigh. "...Uh, well... I told you about my...parents before... They were on a trip, you see. But now they're back, and they want to see me."
Psyche nodded. "That's good to hear. Do you wish to see them?"
Tsugaru looked forward. "...Yeah... But..."
"What is the matter?"
"...I'm just a bit...worried...about bringing you along...uh..."
"Worried?"
"Yes, um... I mean I just...don't want something to happen to you..." Well, it was the truth. Tsugaru was quite protective of Psyche, though he was covering up the real reason. Psyche was completely innocent in all of this, but again, as Tsugaru had feared...he didn't want his parents to get the 'wrong' idea...even though it would actually be the reality.
"I see." Psyche paused. "Then perhaps I could stay here and take care of the house while you go to see your family."
Tsugaru frowned at that. Sure, he had considered that, but... He still felt bad about leaving Psyche all alone. But then again...it wasn't like Psyche would care. He didn't have emotions, so he wouldn't be upset...or even lonely.
That reality hit Tsugaru once more, but he just shook his head to forget about it.
Well...it looked like there was no other choice. So, he simply nodded. "Alright... You can do that. Thank you, Psyche..."
"You're welcome, Tsugaru." The android stood, but remained near the blond male as he dialed his parent's number.
"...Hey dad. I'm free tonight if you two wanted to meet up..."
At the restaurant, Tsugaru sat across from the other pair, trying not to show his discomfort of not having a certain someone by his side.
"So, Tsugaru. Anything new happen since we were away?" Shizuo asked with a...somewhat frightening grin.
Ah, so he was implying the whole 'going over to Shinra's place' situation...ready to stand up and storm over there, if need be. Tsugaru just sipped his tea, which helped him to relax, before he spoke.
"Ah. Just the usual. I did go over to godfather's place, but he was just showing me a few...past experiments..." At least he had the ability of quick thinking, from his dad. A positive trait to have in situations like these.
"Past experiments? He didn't try any of them on you, did he?!" Shizuo looked tense. His husband quickly placed his hand on his shoulder, holding his arm with the other to calm him down.
"I'm sure he didn't do anything, Shizu-chan. He wouldn't dare to do something harmful to our son, you know. Especially because he helped create him..."
Shizuo visibly relaxed. "...Right." He cleared his throat. "Anyway...so. You're fine, then. Good."
He still seemed a bit...irritated about something. Tsugaru looked concerned, and Izaya picked up on the silent staring.
"He's just a bit...well, trying to get used to the fact that your brother is...you know...hanging around...him..."
'Him' being Delic, no doubt.
Though...Tsugaru didn't think he was such a bad guy. Just a bit odd and a big flirt when it came to his older brother...
Which did get somewhat annoying...but they had gone to middle school and high school together, so...Tsugaru was pretty much friends with the guy.
It was more because he was a musician that Shizuo was concerned about his oldest son's well-being.
"You know how those music-types are. The entertainment industry creates them and destroys them all at once."
"Shizu-chan, your brother was in the entertainment industry, and he turned out fine! And his wife..."
Grumble grumble. "...Yeah...Kasuka and Ruri... Fine. Right." He sighed. "But my brother's different! I'm talking about a guy like him doing music like he does, with an image he has. I've heard he's got a reputation with all sorts of no-good people, and I don't want Hibiya turning into that or getting involved..."
Izaya rolled his eyes. "...Okay, that 'reputation' you speak of was created by the fans. We've met him...he's been over to our house practically everyday during the summer and other holidays when they were in school...and I've done some background research on him...because you insisted. He's clean. Besides. You know he's had eyes only for Hibiya since they were kids..."
Shizuo still didn't look relaxed. With a small and dismissive sigh, the raven just kissed his jaw, which seemed to at least have a calming effect on the older blond. He then looked back to his youngest son. "Sorry... Anyway... Do you know what you want to eat yet?"
Tsugaru nodded with a soft smile, watching his parents with gentle eyes. "Yeah..."
He was honestly feeling a bit envious...
Now he was left wishing he had someone he could show off and openly talk about...
Back at Tsugaru's home, Psyche was busy reading a few books. He had become accustomed to such activities, since it meant gaining more information and knowledge to better assist his master.
He set down the book after finishing it, then stood up to go find something else to do. He had a better understanding of what an ordinary human could do, so he tried to find something to occupy his time.
The house didn't need to be cleaned, but even so, Tsugaru had requested that he just relax and stay safely on their property.
Psyche decided to go outside and check on the garden. He did want to make sure that everything was in order, and well, looking at plants and enjoying them was something humans did. Even though Psyche couldn't really 'enjoy' them in the same sense...
Eventually, Psyche ventured to the small temple that Tsugaru also maintained. No one really visited it, so it was more of a place of solitude. Although...even Psyche knew, Tsugaru had always had been alone. At least meditation would be nice in such a place...
Meditation...
That was something humans did, right?
Psyche stepped inside, taking a brief look around. He had actually...never really been inside of this place before.
It was the size of a basic living room, and Psyche could compare it to his creator's living room in his apartment. Thinking back to his creator, Shinra, he also recalled how wary Tsugaru had seemed to be about Psyche going back there at the time he asked if he would be given back.
The android took a seat on a cushion, then he was still.
Ah...was this all this was? Meditating didn't seem entirely useful...maybe it was something only humans could understand...
Humans...
There was a lot that they could do that Psyche couldn't. That was a difference Psyche had always known since day one.
He remembered the books he had been reading...where humans had families. Tsugaru had a family, and he seemed to care very much about them.
There was also something about friendships... Psyche understood that it could be similar to family, in a way.
Even Tsugaru had called what he and Psyche had...a friendship.
Though Psyche also remembered the look on his master's face when he had said it. As if...he were upset about the fact...along with a distinct mumbling regarding what they had done previous to that.
Well, Psyche also understood that what they had done was considered on a higher level than friendship, so that was were he was confused.
So, with that, there had been one more thing that stood out.
Love.
In the stories he read, there almost always was something about love. Regardless if it was family, friendship, or an even deeper bond which was called romance, they all had that one thing in common.
The humans all had this connection, and while Psyche grasped what it was on the surface, he still didn't understand.
He wasn't able to understand...
He couldn't.
He simply couldn't, because he was not a human being.
"I wonder what it would be like to be like them." The android thought aloud. After all, he had adopted several human-like qualities, mostly from what he had observed Tsugaru do, and then went on to apply that knowledge to himself. Tsugaru sometimes spoke out loud, talking to himself when he was in deep thought. So, naturally...
After all, as Shinra had said that if Psyche was treated like a person, he would act as such.
However, the android's eyes flicked to the side, when he noticed something...glowing.
Huh.
That hadn't been happening when he entered the temple, so...
He stood up, walking over to get a look. If it were a possible threat to this place, he had to check it out.
Upon approaching the glowing object, Psyche saw that the light was coming from a box with old Japanese writing on it, in wooden carvings. He carefully opened the lid, peering inside...
...Only to fall backwards as white light suddenly flooded the whole room.
...
...
...
It was quiet...
...
The next moment, Psyche's eyes slowly opened to find that the light had vanished.
...
He slowly sat up.
...
It was...strange... All of this was...strange...
...
Psyche looked down, noticing something rather...distinct.
...
Something was going on.
...
Inside. Amongst every part of his artificial being...
...
Psyche...noticed...something...
...
His rose-colored eyes widened, and he suddenly realized.
His thoughts...his programming...the information he had learned and what he knew...
All of it seemed...different.
He knew it all, yet... He wasn't simply using his database to find the information.
He just...knew...
"...I-..."
He stood up quickly, not looking back as he began running out of the temple towards the house, all the while, seeking out his master.
"...Tsugaru!"