Chapter 7


Shinjuku, June 2016

A year sure flew by fast.

Orihara Izaya sat by his desk, staring out of the window and into the sunset, cradling a severed head in his hands. His apartment was quiet - and however just a year back, this silence would have made him cringe and wish for his living space to be shared by someone else, right now, he was glad for it. His little group of evildoers could be a bit overbearing at times, lounging about here constantly. Not to mention, they were not exactly a friendly bunch of people. The informant snickered bitterly to his faint reflection on the window glass.

They didn't even want to have a hotpot with him.

Celty's head was by far the most pleasant company of them all. Not counting Teke, of course, but the cat seemed to smell his master's new company was one that would rather give him a kick than a pet, and hid in Izaya's bedroom whenever they were around. And he didn't seem too fond of the head, either.

The informant took in a slow, deep breath and let it out equally slowly, closing his eyes. He didn't want to think about it, but he grew older over the last year; the circles under his eyes grew almost permanent, and he found himself feeling constantly tired and fed up with what he himself was doing. Not that he let it show, of course; he knew better than that. But Orihara Izaya felt fading, like a candle with too little oxygen around to support a flame.

Maybe it was for the best, that soon enough, everything will end.

Shizuo played with him with more vigor than ever before, ever since Psyche disappeared from the chat, never to reappear again. The informant knew Tsugaru still lurked in the chatroom, even now, even after one year, but he never gave in to the temptation of talking with him again. He had real Shizuo to entertain; and the blond was doing beautifully, making friends, saving princesses - even if yakuza ones - taming wild Russian assassins and making them into his companions, and getting better and better at controlling himself.

The leader of the Dollars, meanwhile, provided never-ending entertainment. He was messing around so much it was quite adorable, really. At least Izaya could have a good laugh out of it.

Soon, the Dollars, Yellow Scarves and Blue Squares, the Beast of Ikebukuro, Celty, all the different Saikas, everyone and everything will come to a sudden culmination. A one-night-only, very special show, if you will. Then, finally, after years of planning, after whole year of relentlessly executing his plans, Izaya will face Shizuo in one, last fight, and lose; and in front of the whole city, he, the dark force behind all the evil happening as of late, will be destroyed and thrown into nothingness.

Izaya's hands trembled lightly, fingers tightening on Celty's hair.

"...Shizu-chan, I'm scared." he whispered into the emptiness of his flat. Old fantasies and yearnings, given flesh with his imagination, answered him back; as did a phantom blond whom he imagined coming to him from behind and wrapping his strong arms gently around him. He would be warm, Izaya thought. Warm, and giving safety and stability to his unstable, cold life.

Don't be scared, Izaya. It will soon be over. You know I'm not a monster; you know I won't kill you.

"...I know. But if you will...? By accident? That will mean everything have gone to waste..."

But we both know this is the risk you are willing to take for me.

It was. Izaya breathed again and opened his eyes, half-expecting to see a smiling expression of his self-proclaimed arch-enemy in the reflection. Shizuo - even the imaginary, non-existent one - was right. He needn't worry. And even if he does end up killed, this will end, one way or the other. In the worst case scenario, he will simply die without making any difference with his life; it wasn't a thought entirely unfamiliar to him. Izaya took a few more, deep breaths and put the head away on its shelf before walking to his bedroom.

He should catch some sleep, until he can and has time for it. He will need to lure Shizuo far enough into the crowd so that they have an audience. Maybe he should send an anonymous tip to that insufferable blond girl who was all over his Shizu-chan recently; if Shizuo won't be able to stop himself from killing, even when Izaya calls him a monster, giving him a chance to shake himself off, Vorona might have a shot at stopping him. By killing the raven herself, most probably.

Ah, well. His own death, at this point, sounded almost like a tempting idea.

Izaya focused on not thinking too much as he was taking the shower, and then climbing on the bed, Teke already curled up and sleeping where he usually was.

I need to remember to tell Namie-san she'll need to take care of Teke if I die.

The cat opened one eye and looked at Izaya quizzically. The raven smiled as he nestled himself on the bed.

"You're right, Teke. That witch would probably poison you. I'll just have you delivered to Shizu-chan, then."


Chatroom, June 2016

- There is nobody in the chat room -

- There is nobody in the chat room -

- There is nobody in the chat room -

- Tsugaru logged in -

Tsugaru: its been more than a year Psyche... I just want you to know, I'm still waiting for you

Tsugaru: I even managed to get myself to type properly just so you can tease me about it

Tsugaru: more or less properly

Tsugaru: Come back Psyche. recently ive been thinking about you and I have some bad feeling about you disappearing like that a year ago.

Tsugaru: Don't do anything stupid k?

- Tsugaru logged out -

- There is nobody in the chat room -

- There is nobody in the chat room -

- There is nobody in the chat room -


Ikebukuro, June 2006

"So, can you introduce me to him?"

"What, now?"

"...isn't now a good moment? He's going to PE where he can run off all pent-up rage, he's not really in a hurry, not mad at anyone?"

"You'll just make him angry before classes. I'll introduce you after PE."

"...well, if you think that's the best time, then be my guest. You know him better than I do. Hey, Shinra?"

"Hm?"

"Don't screw this up for me, okay?"

"Come on, Izaya-kun. How could I screw up something like a simple introduction?"


Ikebukuro, June 2016

"...you look tense."

Shizuo turned his head, tensing up indeed, and then relaxed his shoulders when he noticed Tom approaching. His senpai, and one of the precious few friends he had, seemed tired. For some reason, everyone did lately. Tom sat beside him on the bench and put a pleasantly cold can of cocoa in his hand before leaning back and opening his coffee.

The blond turned his gaze away and stared at the fountain before them, petting a stray cat that found its way towards him just minutes ago and was right now purring like a machine gun under his careful fingers.

"...I guess I am. Sorry about that, Tom-san."

"Don't mention it. So, what's up?"

"...the flea."

"Right." Tom let out a long sigh. In all the years he got to know Shizuo, this was the one aspect of him he could never understand, nor he was sure he wanted to. Izaya seemed to evoke some passionate, ever-lasting hatred in his friend, and he could do little about it. Shizuo really grew as a person over the last year; but he still simply needed to hear Izaya's name to go savage. It was... troubling.

"...what about him?"

"A year since he sneaked his way into my life, the bastard."

...ah. Anniversary talk, as strange as it sounded in relation to Shizuo meeting Izaya for the first time. Hard to believe the blond actually took it onto himself to commit such a date to memory.

"So, uh, how are you two doing?" Tom decided to go for a rather lame joke he knew Shizuo won't get. The blond, however, surprised him yet again, with a different reaction from one he predicted.

"Not good. Something's really wrong with him lately."

"...what?"

"Something's off. He can die for all I care, but something's even more fucked up about him now than usual."

"...well, if you say so."

"I do. Not that I care."

"Right. Well, then let's go back to the office."

"Mhm."


Chatroom, June 2016

- There is nobody in the chat room -

- There is nobody in the chat room -

- There is nobody in the chat room -

- Psyche logged in -

- Tsugaru logged in -

Tsugaru: psyche!

Psyche: Hello, Shizu-chan~~

Psyche: Oh dear, did you not expect me here~~?

Psyche: You know who it is, don't you~~~

Psyche: Tee-hee, I wonder what kind of face Shizu-chan has right now!

Tsugaru: what did you do to psyche

Psyche: Sorry, Shizu-chan~ I'm so very sorry, but I'm afraid your friend is no longer here~~

Tsugaru: youre lying

Tsugaru: im gonna kill you

Psyche: You're welcome to try, Shizu-chan. Go at me with all your hatred, like the monster you are 3 And if you're good, maybe I'll tell you a thing or two about your friend.

Tsugaru: im going to kill you you bastard

Psyche: promises, promises~~

- Psyche logged out -

Tsugaru: bastard!

- Tsugaru logged out -

- There is nobody in the chat room -

- There is nobody in the chat room -

- There is nobody in the chat room -


Ikebukuro, June 2016

"Hey there, Shizu-chan."

"..."

"To think that all that didn't kill you - you really are a monster. Although the fact you protected a human can only be described as comical. I might have mentioned this before, but do you think you can get people to like you if you save them? Oh, wait, do you have special feelings for that girl Vorona? And by the way, are you sure you want to abandon Celty? That woman you let escape, that Kujiragi... want me to tell you how evil she is?"

"...Izaya."

"...what is it?"

"So long."

"...right. Goodbye it is."