Kyoko couldn't say for certain when things started changing; she didn't want to notice it, didn't want to face it head on, and didn't want it to even be happening.

Maybe it started when Shizuo started texting her; not the regular texting, not the ones that said 'good morning' or 'I love you.' or 'can you pick up milk on your way home?'. Shizuo didn't even contact her that much when they first started dating.

But it didn't seem too long afterward that the texts weren't so familiar and pleasantly routine; they started to ask how she was doing or what she was doing, which were perfectly innocent. There was nothing wrong with wondering what your boy/girlfriend was doing when they were away.

This alone was okay.

Then they started becoming more frequent, sometimes three or four times a day; Kyoko thought it was sweet. Shizuo just missed her. Then there were times where she couldn't answer right away, she was busy, and the texts would come in fives or sixes, asking why she wasn't getting back to him, she was worrying him, was she trying to scare him?

Kyoko would feel slightly guilty; she would apologize and try to joke it off, and Shizuo would be content until later; but it was okay, he was just worried, a bit overprotective, but Kyoko knew Shizuo was just looking out for her. No harm done.

Maybe she could have let that all slide if it wasn't for how Shizuo got when she was talking to other men; she honestly only had a few guy friends who she knew from classes or online; she always got along better with males. Kyoko talked to them about classes, homework, jokes, etc.

"Who are you talking to?" Shizuo would ask carelessly; Kyoko would say who and ignore the way he frowned ever so slightly, the way he took a deeper drag of his cigarette.

He asked if she wouldn't mind not texting on their dates; Kyoko felt abashed, and put away her phone. It was only polite.

Then he would ask her not to text whenever they were together hanging out in his or her apartment; Kyoko agreed without much complaint. Shizuo just wanted her attention, who was she to complain? Besides, their time together was special; she could just contact them later.

"Kyoko, do you have to talk to other guys?" he had asked, his voice a bit quiet, a bit sulky; Kyoko thought it was cute that he was jealous, thought it was flattering that he cared.

"They're just friends." she laughed and snuggled up to him; he just needed her to remind him, that he was her most important person. "I love you silly."

All Shizuo needed was a bit more extra reassurance; Kyoko knew he had his insecurities, knew that well, and she figured all he needed was to know she was loyal, she just needed to prove it to him and eventually, he'd never feel that way again.

Kyoko smiled to herself ruefully. "I shouldn't have to do all that though. I haven't done anything to make him not trust me or feel like I'm not taking our relationship seriously."

She sighed and curled up on her bed; she never realized how difficult this would really be. She was prepared to deal with Shizuo's supernatural strength and temper.

"The problem we're having right now is emotional." Kyoko realized; what she thought was just him being overprotected was budding into controlling, caring into suspicion, and love into obligation. Kyoko didn't know if it was unintentional, but it seemed almost as if Shizuo was trying to make her feel guilty.

"No way." Kyoko said firmly. "He would never manipulate people. That's something Izaya would do, but Shizuo?"

Still, the truth was, Shizuo affection was turning into an overbearing and demanding relationship.

"He wasn't like that before though." Kyoko thought as her eyes stung. "What should I do?"

The sad thing is, the only person she really wanted to talk to about it was the one person she needed space from.

Shizuo was having the same thoughts as he walked with Tom.

"Hey, you sure you're okay?" Tom asked quietly; Shizuo nodded slightly.

"Yeah."

"I know this has been bothering you; you nearly killed that last guy, and he barely said anything." Tom said with a frown. "Come one man, you can talk about it."

Shizuo grunted; he felt so ashamed. It was like he was steadily losing control over himself all over again.

"I was doing better, wasn't I?" he asked no one in particular. "I feel like nothing even matters. It's like I don't even want to try anymore."

Tom sighed sadly. "You were doing better. Can I ask you something?"

"What?"

"Do you think things are going to be okay between the two of you?"

Shizuo frowned sadly. "I don't know."

Tom sighed once more. "Well, are you going to do anything? I saw your apartment, it's a mess. Kasuka's going to get worried if he sees it."

During the two weeks Kyoko had been gone, both Shizuo's mood and environment was slowly deteriorating. The floor of his apartment was covered in empty ramen containers, milk bottles, and snack wrappers. The ashtray by his bed was overflowing and threatened to spread out all over his nightstand.

Shizuo looked down at his wrinkled suit; he usually took such good care of them, even learning how to use a iron just so he could preserve them.

"I know Tom." Shizuo replied. "I thought everything was fine…"

"Maybe for you." Tom said; Shizuo turned to him with a glare.

"What the fuck does that mean?!"

Tom's face held no fear; he looked mildly sad. "Shizuo, when was the last time Kyoko went anywhere without you hounding her with texts or asking what she was doing?"

Shizuo tensed up and lit another cigarette.

"I see how you get when I talk to her, hell, when any guy so much as looks at her." Tom said softly. "It's not healthy man; she looks stressed."

Shizuo inhaled quickly, his fingers twitching around the cigarette.

Tom frowned in concern. "Do you really think I'd make a move on her? Aren't we friends?"

"No." Shizuo growled throwing his cigarette on the ground; he clenched his fists and took deep breaths.

Tom stood his ground. "Don't you trust her?"

"I do dammit!" Shizuo collapsed against a wall and ran his hand through his hair. "I'm fucking scared Tom. I'm a coward and she deserves better, and I'm sure it's only a matter of time until she tells me to hit the fucking road for good and then what the fuck will I do, huh?! What the fuck happens then?!"

Tom watched silently as Shizuo he tried to calm himself down.

"She loves you, give her more credit." Tom smiled lightly. "You're a good person Shizuo. Your only problem is you don't believe in yourself, you know?"

Tom handed Shizuo his glasses; they had fallen off his face as he wiped his eyes.

"Look, if you really love her, then work on your problems together." Tom said simply as Shizuo took back his sunglasses. "Don't sweat the small stuff."

Shizuo chuckled. "I'm a bastard."

"Nah, you're just bad at this stuff." Tom said with a teasing grin as his friend began to relax; it was the best he looked in while. "Just give her some space, try to see things from her point of view."

"She makes me feel human you know." Shizuo said with a small smile. "Like I'm not this rampaging freak. I don't want to lose that."

"You have to use your head to fight this." Tom said. "Come on, let's get something to eat."

Shizuo was grateful that Tom dropped the subject for now; he wanted to calm down and clear his head. It was like he was in a fog and now a bit of clarity was seeping through his mind.

More than anything, he wanted to see Kyoko smile again.