A/N: I don't own Durarara.
4
"So you went through lunch mostly unscathed?"
"Ah, kind of..." Rin pouted and scratched her head. "It still happened..."
It being the fact she still cried, and it felt even more humiliating that she did because he had rejected her lunch at first. She had felt like an idiot for even asking someone like him to share lunch with a wimp like her, but she had been so utterly nervous that it had come out for a lack of anything better to say.
"Rin! Be more optimistic! Only once, right? In a half hour? You know, normally it would have been three or four times you started bawling!" Ayame nodded sagely. "I think this was an excellent course of action to take."
"I still can't believe you made me go out there like that! It was so awkward... I think I - no, I know I just bothered him." Once Ayame's last sentence soaked in, she frowned. "... Excellent course of action?"
"Well, yeah. I don't know Heiwajima that well, but it seems like maybe he could toughen you up a bit." She supplied, then: "So did his hair look as nice as yesterday?"
"A-Ayaaame!" Rin hid her face in her hands. "You're so embarrassing!" A second later, she peeked out between her fingers, "A-and... maybe..."
Her friend pointed a finger at her. "See! Just listen to me, Rin. How could you possibly go wrong by listening to me?"
Rin was sure there are many ways, but she doesn't linger on it because surely, it will take her forever and a day. Instead, she dropped her head down onto her desk, eyes watery at the humiliation and upcoming awkwardness she was sure she would soon be facing - at least, more than so far.
"So? So? How'd it go, Shizuo - oww!" Shinra rubbed the bump he had recieved from his blond companion and frowned. To Shizuo's chagrin, it wasn't enough to keep him from babbling incessantly. "I was just curious! It's not everyday that a girl seeks you out!"
"Shut up, Shinra."
"So what happened? Huh? Did she confess undying love to you this time?"
Shizuo hoped that maybe if he kept breathing in and out deeply, he wouldn't throw his bespectacled friend all the way past the Raijin gates and into some oncoming traffic.
"Have I ever told you you're an idiot?"
"Many times - Ah, but I'm an idiot who knows about love! Firsthand! After all, I do live with my one and only honey, Celty!" Shizuo stared at him with a deadpan look as Shinra started to swoon. "Really, is there anyone better to discuss this with?" Shinra blinked. "Hey, where are you going? Shizuo?"
After Shizuo sped off from the cause of the buzzing in his ears, he breathed a sigh of relief and began to walk home. He would like to get home as soon as possible and call it a good day - he didn't run into Izaya, only got into approximately four fights today (all of which he won... obviously), and so if he could just make it home, it would definitely be a good day.
"Are you all alone, kitty? You're always here by yourself..." Shizuo hears a soft voice coming from the alley he was passing, and he halted out of curiosity because of the familiarity of it. There was a meow in response to the question posed, and Shizuo found himself awkwardly gawking at the scene.
The girl, Kitamura, was in the alley. She was squatting on her heels and reaching out a small hand to pet a scruffy, though fat looking cat behind the ears. "How sad..." Her other hand went up to rub at her eyes. "You p-poor thing..."
The cat just meowed again and rubbed against her legs, and he could hear the purring even from where he's standing. Then the creature seemed to realize they had an audience of one person, and it turned to face Shizuo and let out a loud meow.
Kitamura followed the cat's gaze before she fell back on her rear in surprise. "H-Heiwajima-san!" The cat glanced back at her with a tilted head as she put a hand over her heart and blinked rapidly.
"Ah, sorry. Didn't mean to scare you." Shizuo mumbled before starting to go on his way again.
He spun around on his heel, and then the cat was suddenly up against his legs, weaving in between them. Shizuo stood still; he was surprised that the feline had even approached him. Most creatures tended to steer clear from him – humans and animals alike.
He hesitated petting it, but both Kitamura and the cat were staring at him somewhat expectantly, so he put a hand down and stroked its head softly. He hoped he didn't catch any fleas; one on his hands was enough already.
"D-do you like animals, Heiwajima-san?" Kitamura appeared at his side, still teary eyed and looking down at the feline with a sad frown on her face.
"They're alright," He said.
Rin leaned down when Shizuo stopped petting it and resumed scratching its ears. "I love them, but both of my parents have allergies..." The cat purred again and circled around them, its tail tickling Rin's nose.
"I wish I could take you in... How horrible it must be to be all alone in this big city, with no one to care for you." She started sniffling again, and Shizuo looked at her crouched form warily.
"No food... oh, and what do you do when it rains, kitty?" She sniffed again and her hand shook as she continued to pet it. The cat meowed at them, and Kitamura scooped the animal up in her arms as she stood and clutched it to her chest. The pudgy cat, for one, did not seem to care, and just nuzzled her neck.
Shizuo thought that it was an awfully pathetic looking scene, this crying schoolgirl with a fat cat clinging to her – when a door opens from the alley, a woman in a white apron stepping out.
"Cat! Here, cat..."
The animal leapt out of Kitamura's arms before moseying up to the woman in the doorway. The woman laid down a bowl of water and an entire plate of chicken before patting the cat before noticing the pair standing there.
"Were you worried about this guy?" The woman gestured to the cat now gorging itself on chicken. "If so, don't worry," She said at Kitamura's confused, weepy face. "He keeps the mice out of my restaurant and I take care of him in return. Feel free to come visit him, though!" With that, the woman headed back inside.
"W-well... I guess he's okay, after all?" Kitamura scratched her head before puffing out a breath. "Thank goodness!"
Shizuo shared in her relief; he had been a bit scared that if the cat's caretaker had appeared any longer to appear, he might have volunteered to take the cat before Kitamura flooded the alleyway with tears.
He wasn't even sure why he had stopped in the alley in the first place, really. It's not like we're friends or anything.
It wasn't often that Shizuo was approached by anyone, much less girls, without bad intentions in mind. He wasn't used to someone trying to engage him in conversation – even if the conversation was awkward and usually involved tears – or seek him out, what with his reputation and all.
It wasn't a bad feeling, he thought as Kitamura stared down at her feet. "W-Well, I should probably get going now."
They were back on the street again when Shizuo spoke. "I never said thanks earlier."
"Huh?" She looked up at him, head cocked to the side.
"For lunch. And for washing my handkerchief."
"You don't have to thank me for that, Heiwajima-san!" Kitamura waved her hands around frantically. "L-lunch is better with someone else anyway, isn't it? And you lent me the handkerchief in the first place, so..."
Shizuo shrugged. "Still. Thanks, Kitamura-san."
She mumbled something, poking the tips of her index fingers together.
"Huh?"
"Y-you can call me R-Rin if you want to..." The girl flushed. "Only i-if you want to!"
"Okay. ...Rin, then."
Rin wondered if it was appropriate to like how Shizuo said her name as much as she did. Blushing furiously, she started backing away.
"I-I'll see you around?" Without waiting for an answer, she waved before sprinting down the street – or tried to, as she made it approximately five feet before tripping on a crack in the sidewalk. Before Shizuo could even help her up or ask if she was alright, she'd bounced back to her feet.
He could see the tears in her eyes even from where he was standing.
"I'm okay! G-goodbye!" With that, she was off.
Shizuo watched her run and turn around the corner (where unknown to him she was cursing herself for making a fool out of herself in front of him... again) before going on his way.
What a weird girl.
A/N: Thanks for reading!