I'm falling behind again! D: I'm having major writer's block with the later chapters, but I'm doing my best to work through it!

…~-~…

Shizuo let out a small grumble as he looked over at the clock to see it was only 3:20 am. Knowing that Izaya was in his home was keeping him from sleeping as well as he normally did. Especially considering the man's mental health was questionable.

And it was the same thought that had him getting up out of bed to go check on the sleeping informant.

Carefully making his way around his apartment, Shizuo avoided the spots on the floor he knew would creak if he were to step on them.

When he finally made it into the room, he paused at what he saw. Izaya was asleep, and it was in that moment that Shizuo realized he'd never seen Izaya sleep before. He was tightly curled up, barely taking up half of the couch with the blanket partly over his head. What struck Shizuo was the calm expression over the usually sinister face. He couldn't help but wonder if Izaya always made that face when he was sleeping. Honestly, if someone were to tell him that the man on his couch wasn't Orihara Izaya, Shizuo would have no problem believing them.

Izaya shifted under the blanket, making Shizuo hold his breath for a moment only to release it when he settled back into place without waking up.

Shizuo soon lost track of how long he'd been staring at Izaya. There was something about the way he slept that made him look much more… normal. Why couldn't he be like this all the time? He'd never known Izaya was capable of being quiet for this long even in his sleep. In fact, Shizuo had often wondered if Izaya even slept at all. He could never picture it in his head, and now here it was in front of him!

However soon enough, Shizuo yawned into the back of his hand and decided it would be best to go back to bed, leaving Izaya to sleep in peace for now.

…~-~…

Saika sat on the unoccupied end of the couch as Izaya slept, watching the informant's even breathing. It had been surprised at how easily Izaya had fallen asleep in a foreign place considering he was never able to do so in the past.

"Ah well…" Saika whispered. The only thing that mattered right now was that Izaya hadn't taken any medication, meaning he was vulnerable to any pain Saika could give him. Saika let Izaya sleep for a few more hours before it decided it was done being nice.

"Wakey-wakey, Izaya!" Saika said, holding his hand out to send the pain sensors in Izaya's brain into overdrive.

But nothing happened.

"What?" Saika exclaimed, jumping to its feet and glaring down at Izaya. "That should have worked!"

Saika tried again, getting closer to Izaya this time.

Izaya didn't even twitch.

Taking its seat on the couch, Saika crossed its arms over its chest. "Well this isn't fair. It would be much easier if I could actually touch him to wake him up… But why isn't it working…?"

It was then that Saika heard a rustling from the room where Shizuo was. Moments later, the blonde was entering the room, looking directly through Saika at Izaya.

"Ah, Shizuo… How I wish I could have gotten your strength…" Saika said aloud. It wasn't like Shizuo could hear its voice anyway. "But what are you doing out here, I wonder…?"

Saika raised a brow when Shizuo merely stood there for a few minutes, looking at Izaya.

"Don't tell me the attraction is mutual!" Saika said looking between Shizuo and Izaya.

No… It doesn't feel like any sort of love from Shizuo's end.

But then why is he here?

After a minute or two, Shizuo sat on the ground and continued to watch Izaya sleep.

"Izaya, why aren't you waking up? You normally wouldn't sleep through something like this…"

And then Saika realized something.

The reason Izaya was sleeping so soundly, and the reason why Saika couldn't wake him…

It was just like the case with Neikawa Haruna…

Izaya's love for Shizuo was protecting him from Saika's power.

Saika had been wrong. Shizuo might be Izaya's weakness, but he was also his strength. The one person capable of giving Izaya the willpower he needs to keep Saika from taking over.

At least when there weren't any other emotions in the way.

Saika recalled the pure fear Izaya had felt when he thought Shizuo was going to be killed as Saika held a gun to his head.

If Saika could somehow kill Shizuo, it would put a severe dent in Izaya's will, and possibly allow Saika to take control.

Not that it wanted to use Izaya's body, but whenever Saika could possess Izaya, it gave him a direct line to Izaya's heart including his fears.

And that made Saika stronger.

But if Izaya learned that he could overpower Saika simply by acting on his love…

That could be problematic…

Izaya didn't seem to realize this of course, but when he did…

"Hopefully I'll have my own body by then…"

And until that happens, Saika would have to try his best to keep Izaya from acting too much on his love.

And maybe find a way to get Shizuo out of the picture in the process.

…~-~…

Izaya woke the next morning to a pale orange light entering the room as the sun began to rise. He blinked his eyes open, quickly remembering where he was and why.

There was currently no sign of Saika, or of Shizuo for that matter as Izaya sat up and switched the space heater off and began folding the blanket.

Carefully, Izaya crept towards Shizuo's room where the door was slightly ajar. He was almost sure he'd heard the door close last night. Maybe Shizuo had gotten up?

When he looked inside, he saw that Shizuo was still in his bed, clearly asleep. Deciding he didn't want to face the man first thing in the morning, Izaya went back into the living room and scrounged around for a piece of paper and a pen.

Leaving the note on top of the folded blanket, Izaya quickly found his clothes from the drier, got dressed, and headed out the door leaving the clothes he'd borrowed folded up next to the blanket.

…~-~…

Shizuo's brow twitched when he realized that the Flea had already left by the time he woke up. Reaching for the note Izaya had left on top of the blanket, Shizuo began walking as he read, expecting some kind of sarcastic "Shizu-chan's apartment smells like cigarettes" comment.

But he didn't find that at all. Shizuo stopped walking dead in his tracks as his eyes scanned over the neatly written note.

Shizu-chan,

I'd like to thank you for trying to help last night, but I'd rather not get you involved in this. Basically what I'm saying here is that we shouldn't make a habit out of what happened last night. It's not natural for us to be kind to each other, although I do appreciate it for the one night only. As strange as it may sound, I'm glad it was you that found me in that alley rather than anyone else.

I'm sorry I can't tell you the details of what's happening with me, but I want you to know that I will deal with it in a timely fashion, and in the mean time, you shouldn't worry about me scheming anything.

Again, thank you for taking me in for the night. I'm sure I'll be seeing you around.

~Izaya

Shizuo read the note through twice, trying to find the part where Izaya wasn't being completely sincere. He found nothing about the note that indicated Izaya was anything other than truly grateful.

Shaking his head, Shizuo threw the note over his shoulder as he finished getting ready to head out for work.