A/N: Here you go, another chapter, Enjoy!

xXx

And there, just a few feet away from them, one ear pressed against her cell phone and one hand in the air as she wiggled her fingers in a 'hello', was Izaya Orihara. She grinned when she saw Shizuo's expression of rage, as she always did, and practically skipped towards them. She spoke into the receiver of her phone as she did so.

"Oh, I'm going to have to call you back now. I just ran into someone. Hahaha! Sure, sure! Okay then, bye-bye." Snap. Izaya's phone flipped shut with a flick of the wrist and she pocketed the device in one fluid motion. Then the woman threw open her arms and grinned, not even a full foot away from the blond. "Shizu-chan!"

"Izaya-"

"How are you?"

"-what are you-

"Are you working?"

"-doing in-"

"Hi, Tom-san!"

"-Ikebukuro?!"

The short haired woman frowned a bit, wagging a finger up at her boyfriend. "Ah, so rude, so rude! Don't you know not to interrupt people when they're in the middle of talking?" She chuckled a bit. "But of course, you're simpleminded, so I guess it can't be helped that manners is a lost cause with you~"

Shizuo's knuckles cracked as he tugged his hands free of the pockets of his slacks. "Izaya…" He threatened.

"Shizuo…" Likewise, Tom did the same. He didn't need Shizuo to go and lose his cool now. And especially not if it was going to end up with him and Izaya playing cat and mouse all over the city. The woman was pregnant, after all. That kind of physical exertion couldn't be good for her condition.

The blond grunted as he acknowledged the warning Tom gave him, but he didn't relax his posture in the slightest.

"So," Izaya continued on as if she didn't seem to notice Shizuo's apparent bloodlust. "What was that you were saying about me? Hm? Haha, my ears were burning all morning, and now I know why!" She said and grinned.

"None of your business, flea!" Shizuo's growl was almost feral. There was a vein throbbing in his temple.

"Oh, but if the topic was about me, I have every right to inquire."

"Well don't!"

"So rude, Shizu-chan!"

"Izaya-san…" Tom began. He addressed the woman since his tugging on Shizuo's sleeve was doing little to no good. "I think you ought to continue as you were."

"Ah, Tom-san." Izaya said, smiling at him as she blatantly ignored his words. "I suppose Shizu-chan told you the good news?" She asked and smiled. For a moment Tom forgot that Shizuo was a great pillar of personified violence right besides him and instead nodded and grinned in response to Izaya's obvious joy.

"Yes, he did. Congratulations."

"Thank you!"

"Izaya!" Okay. Shizuo wasn't taking lightly to being ignored.

"I'm right here, no need for such a tone." The woman sighed and shook her head. "Honestly…" She chuckled then, and placed her hand flat against Shizuo's chest.

Tom, who had a hold of Shizuo's arm, squeezed.

But to the debt collector's surprise, Shizuo didn't react violently. He remained stock still, and his biceps flexed, but he didn't move to shove her or do anything equally as violent.

"Didn't you miss me?" Izaya cooed. Playing around, she pouted.

"I saw you less than three hours ago." Said Shizuo. "I didn't have time to miss you."

"Ah~ So heartless. And to think I came all the way to Ikebukuro to see you, too!" Izaya placed the back of her hand to her forehead in a false swoon.

Under Tom's hand, Shizuo's arm flinched, but he restrained himself for the most part. The only move he made was with his free hand, and that was to grab Izaya's wrist and pull her hand away from her face.

"What the hell are you doing here anyway? You know I don't want you in Ikebukuro!" Shizuo snapped.

"Yes, but-"

Shizuo interrupted before she could finish.

"You need to be at your place resting! Damn flea. Remember, it's not all about you anymore! As long as you're carrying my kid in there, you damn well better take care of yourself! And that means staying the hell out of Ikebukuro, where you could run into trouble!"

It was a relief for Tom to know that he wasn't the only one surprised by this demand. Izaya looked as if she had just been slapped, though that was far from the case. That in itself was strange.

"Shizu-chan…" She muttered, her expression falling a bit and becoming passive.

The blond grunted. His head swiveled, and Tom was suddenly very aware that he was still holding tight to his friend's arm. He released Shizuo when he realized that the position he had adopted could be considered 'clinging'.

"Hey, Tom," Shizuo began. "I'm gonna need an hour off."

The older man considered this silently. He looked for Shizuo to Izaya, then back, and then checked his watch. They had plenty of time. The day was still early. And Shizuo was usually good about showing up on time. If he said he'd be back in an hour, he would be back. There was no doubt. Besides, he wouldn't have asked if he were planning on chasing Izaya out of town. Tom had an idea of what Shizuo wanted to do, and he could see it clearly in the other's eyes. He decided that he would let this one go, and he nodded.

"Sure, Shizuo. But remember, just an hour. We still have a booked schedule for today." He warned. Pleased when Shizuo nodded quickly, Tom smiled. "All right then. I'll meet you at Russia Sushi. You can pick up lunch for yourself on your way to Shinjuku, I'm sure."

As he realized that Tom was on to him, Shizuo slowly broke out into a grin. He nodded his head and chuckled. "Sure."

"Wait." Said Izaya. She finally seemed to have perked back up and she looked between the two men curiously. "Just what are you planning Shizu-chan-!" The honorific she used for the blond turned into somewhat of a squeak as Shizuo suddenly bowed and grabbed her under her legs. She fell back into the arm he had wrapped around her shoulders and with one swift tug, Shizuo had Izaya cradled in his arms. She flailed a bit, cheeks coloring, but otherwise Shizuo seemed to have little trouble with her.

"Shizu-chan! Put me down this instant!" The woman's plight went unnoticed as Shizuo turned back briefly towards his boss.

"I'll see you later, Tom." Shizuo excused himself. "I just need to make sure she gets home safe."

Suppressing a chuckle, Tom nodded and waved a hand. "Go."

A quick nod of the affirmative was all Tom got in reply. Then Shizuo had turned heel and quickly skirted away towards Shinjuku with Izaya squirming in his hold all the while.