Just so you all know, I'm trying to only refer to Saika without being gender specific (which is why Saika is described as "it"). I think I've caught myself every time, but if you notice me drop out of that trend at some point be sure to let me know!

Thanks so much! :D

…~-~…

"Hey, wake up you idiot!"

Izaya groaned at Namie's voice, rolling over on his side in hopes that she'd just go away. But instead, he just got a knee to the back.

"Ouch!" Izaya exclaimed as he rolled back to face his secretary, "That hurt!"

"Suck it up. I've been here for two hours already, and you haven't moved once!"

It was then that Izaya realized that he was still on the couch where he had passed out last night. He quickly looked around the room until his eyes fell on what he had been looking for. Saika stood directly behind Namie, looking down at Izaya with a large grin spread across his face.

"You okay? You're looking a little pale…" Namie followed Izaya's gaze. "What are you looking at?"

"Ah, nothing." Izaya said, quickly realizing that Namie could not see a red-eyed version of him standing behind her. "I was working last night, and I guess I fell asleep on the couch."

"Whatever…" Namie said, turning on her heels back to her desk, "Just get up and get to work."

"I thought the boss was supposed to tell the secretary to get to work, not the other way around!" Izaya sneered. "I'm going to take a shower first."

As Izaya stood and headed upstairs, Saika followed him. Izaya quickly closed the door before Saika could follow him into the bathroom only to turn around to see Saika standing directly in front of him.

Izaya jumped back against the door, startled by the red-eyed man before him.

"Surprised to see me?" Saika said with a small laugh.

"What do you think you're doing?" Izaya asked sternly.

"I might not have a physical form, but if I can have my own body, I might as well take advantage of it."

"Namie can't see you…?"

"No, as of right now, I can only project my image to you."

"'As of right now'?" Izaya repeated.

"As I said last night, I'm getting stronger." Saika stated, "It won't be long before I have a complete tangible form."

Turning away from Saika, Izaya bit his lip as he quickly turned on the hot water in the shower, and threw his clothes to the side. He ignored Saika as he stepped inside, feeling the hot water scald his skin.

He didn't care.

The water burned his skin, but he didn't care. He simply let the pain wake him up as he tried to ignore the fact that there was a demonic entity standing right outside the shower curtain.

When he finished his shower, Izaya brushed past Saika, ignoring the grin still plastered to its face. Izaya didn't pay attention to Saika's staring as he quickly got dressed, and headed back downstairs where Namie was at work.

As he sat in his chair, he could feel Saika standing behind him, but Namie didn't take any notice. Izaya soon got to work as it gradually became easier to ignore Saika staring at him, though it was still uncomfortable.

He was still tired, but not nearly as exhausted as he was when Saika appeared last night. Apparently, it wasn't lying when it said it was getting stronger… But to get that much stronger overnight…

Through his work, Izaya soon found out that there had been another Slasher attack; the victim being none other than Niekawa Shuji.

The rest of the day was spent with Izaya moving back and forth between his laptop on the couch, to his desktop computer by Namie. For the most part, Saika sat on the couch, but sometimes it followed Izaya back to his desk and merely stood behind him, much to Izaya's chagrin.

By the time Namie left for the day, she had already been forced to make dinner for Izaya, and had left looking quite irritated after she finished preparing it.

Izaya took a few bites of the nikujaga, grimacing slightly at the sweetness. He should have known she would make something he didn't like, but luckily, she hadn't made it too sweet.

He continued to pick at the small bowl of rice in front of him as Saika continued to stare at him as it had been doing all day. Izaya had chosen to ignore it, knowing that the more he acknowledged it, the more control it could have over him.

So instead of trying to talk to it, Izaya ate his dinner in silence, and cleaned up before signing in to the chatroom for the night, eager to see what Celty and Mikado had to say about the Slasher incident.

Kanra: Did you hear? The victim of today's slasher attack was apparently writing an article on Tokyo's troubled times for "Tokyo Warrior".

Tanaka Taro: Woah, so he's a journalist?

Setton: Eh? Really?

Kanra: Come on… Have I ever lied to you before?

Setton: Is he alright?

Tanaka Taro: Do you know him, Setton?

Setton: Uh, no. I'm a fan of the article.

Tanaka Taro: Huh, maybe I should read it some time. Anyway, that's pretty scary.

Setton: I wish the police the best of luck.

-Saika has entered the chat-

Kanra: IT'S HEEERRREEE! - \( ' Д ' )/-

Looking up from his computer, Izaya could see Saika sitting at his laptop on the couch with a smile on its face.

"Using my laptop again, I see?" Izaya said, irritation clear in his voice.

Saika did not respond.

Tanaka Taro: Oh?

Setton: Eh?

Saika: I cut.

Kanra: It cut!

Izaya wasn't sure why Saika was telling him this, or why it was saying this in the chatroom in particular.

Saika: Today, I cut.

Kanra: I'm the one who wants to cut you!

Glaring at the form of himself on his laptop, Izaya reiterated what he had said the last time Saika had appeared in the chatroom. But still, Saika was not fazed.

Saika: But, Still, No Good… Strong People, Like…

"Will you just shut up!" Izaya said, raising his voice as his frustration began to appear.

There was still no response from Saika.

Setton: Saika! Good evening!

Kanra: It's no use, Setton, it won't reply to anything we say.

Saika: I have to cut more.

"I mean it, Saika!" Izaya tried again, "Quit it!"

Tanaka Taro: That's rather eerie. Cutting people and all that… With this whole slasher thing…

Damn. Had Mikado already started to figure this out?

Kanra: Hahaha nice.

Izaya tried his best to put on the appearance that he had no idea what was happening.

Saika: Strong people,

Saika: Want to love,

Saika: I found.

Saika: Purpose.

Saika: Love.

Izaya snapped. "IS THIS SUPPOSED TO SCARE ME?" he bellowed, unable to control his anger.

Saika still didn't respond.

Saika: Shizuo.

A small gasp escaped Izaya's lips at the name that had just appeared on his screen. He froze, unable to respond verbally, let alone via chat.

Setton: Eh?

Saika: Heiwajima Shizuo.

Every one of Izaya's muscles grew tense.

Tanaka Taro: Eh? Do you know Shizuo?

Saika: Heiwajima Heiwajima Heiwajima Heiwajima Heiwajima Heiwajima Heiwajima Heiwajima

Saika: Heiwajima Heiwajima Heiwajima Heiwajima Heiwajima Heiwajima Heiwajima Heiwajima Heiwajima Heiwajima Heiwajima Heiwajima Heiwajima Heiwajima Heiwajima Heiwajima

Saika: Shizuo Shizuo Shizuo Shizuo Shizuo Shizuo Shizuo Shizuo Shizuo Shizuo Shizuo Shizuo Shizuo Shizuo Shizuo Shizuo Shizuo Shizuo Shizuo Shizuo Shizuo

Saika: I love you

Saika: Shizuo

Saika: I love you

Saika: I love you I love you I love you.

Saika: Heiwajima Shizuo

Saika: cut love

Saika: Heiwajima

Saika: cut cut

Saika: My mother's wish,

Saika: Shizuo,

Saika: My mother's wish,

Saika: Shizuo,

Saika: I love you.

Saika: Shizuo.

-Saika has left the chatroom-

Kanra: I have to go.

-Kanra has left the chatroom-

It probably seemed suspicious for him to log out so abruptly, but he didn't care. His anger controlled his actions now.

Leaping out of his chair, Izaya charged at Saika, all rational thought gone from his head.

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

Saika laughed as Izaya tried and failed to tackle Saika, his body falling straight through Saika's intangible form.

"What the fuck are you trying to do?" Izaya yelled, standing up from the couch as his entire body shook with rage. "What does Shizuo have to do with anything?"

"Why do you care…?"

"I… I don't! I just want to know why you do!" Izaya clenched his fists.

"I think you do…" Saika teased, "You're quite upset right now, aren't you?"

"Just stay away from him! He has nothing to do with this!"

"On the contrary… I believe he does…"

"What?" Izaya blurted, "How? What could that brute possibly be involved in this?"

"He's strong…" Saika began, "With him under my control, I could gain so much more power… Also… I believe he is your weakness as well…"

"Oh? How so?" Izaya was curious.

"I can't say for sure at the moment, but you are rather possessive of him…"

"'Possessive of him'? Where would you get an idea like that?"

"You never sell information on him… You say that you are the only one who needs to know about him…"

Izaya didn't respond. He didn't know what to say.

"I will take Heiwajima Shizuo under my control. His strength will become my own…

And you can't stop me."

…~-~…

:O