A/N: Okaaay...

I was updating this story at school during my free-time on my iPad, Dumb Thing. Since summer is starting this Saturday, updates may become less frequent, since I share a computer with my parents. I say this because my house only has one internet connection at any given time, and it's always on my parents' computer. I'll continue to write, but updates will be fewer compared to what they've been.

Sorry, guys, but my parents are very territorial, and don't like sharing their computer for more than forty-five minutes at a time. When school gets back in, I'll start updating faster, don't worry!

I hope you continue to read when I do update, because I really appreciate your support on this story!

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{Shizuo's POV}

I hadn't told Eidolon.

I hadn't told either of them what had been done with the Paris-offspring.

I hadn't told them about the explosion with the virus.

I don't think either of them knew that I'd had another nightmare last night.

This was grinding me into the ground.

Eidolon had been taken away for training a while ago. I was sitting in the corner, head in my hands. Izaya was watching me. I was waiting for him to do something, because I knew there was something on his mind.

And then it happened.

"You're hiding something from us." Izaya accused.

"Like you aren't." I muttered, but the way I tensed up had to have given me away.

"Shizuo, look me in the eye and tell me what you're hiding!"

I growled at that tone of voice he used, but all the same I looked up. He was standing over me, eyes burning. His fists were clenched so tightly they trembled. Still growling, I stood as well. Izaya was no longer looking down at me.

"I don't have to tell you anything, flea." I hissed.

"If it's regarding Eidolon, you do! You're not telling us something, and that could potentially harm my son!"

An ugly red flame roared into being in my chest.

His son? His son?! His toy, more like!

"Don't call him that!" I yelled.

"What, my son?! It's what he is!"

"No! To you, he's nothing more than another one of your precious humans! I know you, you've practically pushed people off of buildings after messing with their heads! And with that in mind, I don't doubt you'd do the same to Eidolon!" I accused, shoving him a little.

"And you think you're any better than me?! At least I recognize him as a human! You hardly acknowledge him as that!" he retorted.

"I do so!"

"Then tell me! What the hell are you hiding?!"

"You don't need to know!"

"Yes, Shizuo, I do! Tell me what the hell you're hiding!"

"Shut up, you louse!" I yelled, finders knotted in my hair and ready to rip it out. "You don't know anything and you don't need to know anything, so shut the fuck up!"

"No, Shizuo, you're going to tal—"

"Shut up!"

It was his own fault. He should've known better than to stand within my reach.

My hands wrapped around his neck. His hands went to my wrists, clawing at me. I growled, tightening my grip, making him choke and gasp weakly. As his knees gave out, I followed him down, kneeling over him and snarling. His eyes were watering, spilling over as he squeezed them shut and tried to form my name. I tightened my grip further, hearing the door begin to open.

The next second, there was a sharp sting in my neck, so painful my head snapped back. My grip on Izaya loosened, and I fell to the floor. I heard him gasp, saw him sit up briefly before falling back down. My vision was blurring, but I could see Tiger and a large group of guards with their guns aimed at us...

... Dammit...

OOOOooooOOOOooooOOOO

{Eidolon's POV}

It hadn't gone so bad today... But I wasn't giving up. I was upset with Izaya and Shizuo, they were getting the silence-treatment until I wasn't.

But as Rabbit opened up the door to our cell, I saw that it was empty.

"The hell?!" I demanded, spinning around to face her.

"Your parents have been sentenced to solitary confinement until tomorrow evening." she replied flatly, like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"Whaaat?! What the hell for?!" I spat, ducking under the guards and grabbing onto her coat, glaring at her.

"As I wasn't here, I don't know the details, but apparently Shizuo was strangling Izaya, who had provoked him beyond rational thought." she said coolly, smacking my hands away.

"What the fuck where they fighting over that required that?"

That question had actually been more rhetorical, but Rabbit answered anyway:

"You."

The answer shocked me, and I allowed myself to be pushed into the cell, mind blank.

'You.'

Why the hell were they fighting over me?!

Returning to my corner—it was obviously mine from the me-shaped indent in the carpet— I pulled my knees up to my chest and began to mull things over.

... I had known they didn't like each other. Before I'd begun to essentially shun them, they'd told me so... But fighting over me, to such an extent they had to be separated? What on earth had Izaya been saying? What had been the main point of the argument?

... Was it my fault...?

Yes, I decided.

It probably was. I'd been too harsh in ignoring them like that. They hadn't tried to make me small and weak. They'd probably put an awful lot of thought into deciding to make me... well, me. They hadn't anticipated something like what I'd accused them of.

I blinked, hiding my face in my knees.

I was the worst, wasn't I? They had even been... getting along, but then...

My shoulders shook a little as I forced a soft hiccup to stay down. If I let that out, I'd break down crying, and I didn't want to cry in front of these bastards.

I was the worst... This was all my fault...

I squeezed my eyes shut against the tears, trying desperately not to cry. My shoulders were shaking uncontrollably...

What had I done?

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{Izaya's POV}

And I had thought the cell was dull.

At least I had room to move around in there. Seriously, this room was practically a box!

I sat cross-legged on the hard floor, bouncing my knee as a method of entertainment.

It was Shizuo's fault... Why was I being punished when I was the one with bruises? I groaned, leaning my head back against the cold cement wall behind me.

This room was tall enough that I could stand in it without bonking my head, but if Shizuo was in a similar one, there was a chance he might have to stoop over a bit. As for the other dimensions, the wall I was facing was actually a door with a tinted window that was about even with my head when I stood. The other walls were the same size. There were no lights in here, meaning that it was rather dim. However, it was obvious that the walls and floor were gray cement, and rather rough and uneven at that. Uncomfortable and claustrophobic, to sum it up.

I gingerly felt about my neck. It had been a bad idea to stand so close to Shizuo when we were arguing, and I of all people should've known that! Now I was suffering from a neck that I didn't need to see to know that it was covered in black and purple bruises, sharp pain in my head and back if I moved my head too suddenly, and a pain-in-the-ass-small room. Lovely.

It was all Shizuo's fault. With lives on the line that weren't his, he couldn't be keeping secrets! I ground my teeth in frustration, wincing a little as that strained the bruised muscles connecting my jaw to my neck.

Dammit, this was going to be hell to live with...

Seeking some form of entertainment, I allowed my mind to wander and closed my eyes... For some reason, it went back to Shizuo's 'monster.' I hadn't thought anything could scare him, but that nightmare had really shaken him. And with how descriptive he had been with it...

'The right eye had been Kasuka's and the left one Eidolon's. There were stitches across the face, from the right temple, over the bridge of the nose, and to the base of the jaw on the left side. There had been a small branch of stitches leading from the left corner of the lips to the long line. There was blood dribbling from a small split in their lips. The scalp was patchwork, a mix of Kasuka's hair and Eidolon's, and it was almost hard to tell under all the dirt. It was matted and tangled, and I think the sticky parts were cranial fluids that'd leaked out through the stitches. Their skin was sewn together like a patchwork-quilt. In a few areas, the stitches were smeared with blood that I think was theirs. Their hands and clothes were brown with dried blood and dirt. Around their neck was some sort of collar made out of red string— and it was part of the stitching, too! It came out of their right shoulder, fading into black after about ten or so stitches.'

Just imagining it was gruesome.

I sighed, opening my eyes.

Then I yelled with shock, jerking back and slamming my head against the concrete wall. I instantly curled into a ball of agony, tears squeezing their way out the corners of my eyes. That had been a very, very, very, very bad idea... Oh, ow... My head would be ringing for hours, throbbing with pain. Not just from suddenly whipping my head back and antagonizing my neck, but from smashing my skull into the wall.

Finally able to see past the dizzying pain, I peeked out from behind my hands.

... Nothing.

Sighing in relief, I unfurled somewhat.

I thought I had seen that 'monster.' I was letting my imagination run away with me.

Smiling, I wondered absently what would happen if I told Shizuo that I'd seen the abomination from his dream in the halls.

OOOOooooOOOOooooOOOO

{Shizuo's POV}

Damn! Damn! Damn!

I'd kill Izaya for this!

This room was too small for anything! I couldn't even stand in it! I couldn't sit comfortably either!

I growled, beating my fist against the ground. I had worn the skin off ages ago, and I could feel my knuckles bleeding. As I continued smashing my hand into my little red puddle, I felt small droplets splattering onto my thigh, soaking through the white fabric of my pants.

Damn... Damn... Damn... Damn... Damn... Damn...

Each time I mouthed the word, I drove my fist into the floor.

It wasn't my fault!

... Okay, a little.

But I wasn't about to just go telling them what they did with...

Rabbit's cold, uncaring voice echoed in my ears, and I shuddered.

I wouldn't tell them what would happen to Eidolon if we failed. I couldn't.

I stopped with my repetitive action, bringing my sore hand to my mouth and sucking away the crimson drops that welled up on my knuckles. I didn't want them to know. I wasn't going to tell them, for their own sakes... I didn't want them to live like that. Better to believe he'd be 'terminated' like we would.

And I wasn't going to tell them about the virus, either. Tiger had said I checked out. That meant there was no real threat there. I didn't need to tell them.

I sighed, hugging myself tighter.

I was scared.

OOOOooooOOOOooooOOOO

{?'s POV}

"You say he checked out." I said.

"Yes. However, this virus has proven tricky, a level-four type thing. We may need to keep an extra careful eye on the Tokyo group." my assistant nodded. He pushed his tiger-like mask aside a bit, revealing his bright green eyes. "If anything should happen to the group resulting in termination, might I offer up my own head in consolation?" he asked, tilting his head to the side, his bright orange hair falling in his eyes.

"No. You're still a vital part of my plan. When you outlive your usefulness, then you can make such offers. If we're forced to terminate the Tokyo group, give me that copy-cat rabbit." I ordered.

"Yes, as you wish. She has proven very rough with the subjects, and seems to be winding their springs tighter. Removing her from the picture may prove beneficial to the project, and lower these stress-levels. See?"

I took the papers he offered me, flipping quickly through them. "Increasingly high, especially with Tokyo..." I murmured, frowning.

"I believe she is the regular for the Tokyo group."

I nodded thoughtfully. If these stress-levels got any higher, we risked mental breakdowns. Already two of the groups had been punished with solitary confinement. Miami's dominant had proven a little on the need-help side already. I didn't need anyone pushing them and interfering with the project...

I growled. "I think someone's just earned a demotion..." I murmured darkly.

"Hm?"

"Bring me that woman's file. I think you may be taking over her job tonight." I said.