Images flashed through his mind in that one second.

The first, of himself and Tom at the bar, and all the details he'd missed like the lighter tinge of his third daiquiri and the sports scores being broadcast on the television behind the bartender. A second image of Toms hand on his back, patting him reassuringly at the end of his first day working for his senior.

A third image, as he looked on, Kasuka at his side, watching the woman in the bakery clean the windows and open the blinds. Another followed, of himself congratulating Kasuka on getting a major role in the sequel of a hit movie.

A fifth of the demolished school field spanning out in front of him, and turning around to face an ever-smiling Shinra. He gestures to the space beside him and seems to be moving his lips, but there is no sound

A high school dance, colors swirling and pulsating around them, Kadota standing before him with a soda in hand. Shinra pushing his way through the crowd and walking toward them excitedly, his hand is extended out behind him, as if he was pulling someone after himself

Two girls joined to the hip with him was a seventh image. They seemed to be questioning him, but just as before, there was no sound, only silence, and a light weight presses down on his back, but as he tries to turn around, the girls and street disappear, and a lone cat in an empty alleyway stares down the vermillion string curling across the path

there's something about this place

A touch forced him out of his momentary trance. It took his hand, his wrist, and Shizuo found himself touching back. It pulled his body, lax against the night air, bringing his feet back to solid ground. He fell forward limply, but Izaya managed to catch him in a drunken standing position.

The blond's heart raced, hammering away at his chest like a nail, driving further and further; if he'd had any less drinks, it might've been enough to sober him up. Izaya was also trying to catch his breath, wide-eyed and shaking slightly. He struggled to push the blond off and stand more stably, but Shizuo was still leaning on him for support.

what made me do that?

why did I help him?

"Sorry," he muttered. Shizuo dropped his head on Izaya's shoulder, making the informant go rigid. He fingered the flickblade in his pocket, ready to take it out and plunge it into Shizuo's stomach at a moment's notice. But Shizuo didn't make a move to hurt him, or any move at all. His breathing steadied against him.

but I've always wanted to see you die

say something before I slip away again

"You're heavy, Shizu-chan," Izaya quipped bravely. When he got no response, he sighed and took his hand off the blade and around Shizuo's back. "You didn't beat me when I was down, so I'm only returning the favor. But you'd better be grateful."

Izaya managed to push Shizuo up, but the blond swayed unsteadily. The informant scoffed, running a hand back through midnight tresses that blended into the starry backdrop. "You're useless. What am I ever going to do with you, Shizu-chan?"

Shizuo mumbled something he couldn't hear. He was lost in his own thoughts, in those flashbacks. That missing person… it could only have been Izaya. So why, in his time of near-death, did Izaya disappear from his life?

It had seemed…

empty

without him

"This is the only other favor I'm going to do for you. That's it." In aggravation from Shizuo's unusual apathetic attitude, Izaya took his hand and pulled him to the door that led downstairs, trying not to think about how warm the blond's hand was against his own.

Déjà vu is the right hand of Fate.

Humans most often associate with the familiar. No matter how far they travel, how far they stray, they always manage to return to a place they've been before. Déjà vu, whether they know it or not, takes their hand and leads them to these places so that Fate can step in to do its job.

And who knows? Maybe, when one returns to a place they've been a thousand times — maybe they'll notice something they never noticed before.

…Humans are fascinating in that way, aren't they?

"Come on. Shinra's sure to have room for one more guest."

urgh, there was supposed to be strikethrough text but FF . net doesn't support that I guess? darn.