Dose of reality

Shizuo blinked brushing Kasuka's arm from his face. Morning had dawned and a new day had begun. The door creaked open his first visitor since Kasuka entering the room. Taking in the short dress and long hair, the teen flinched back accidentally causing his brother to stir. "Hm? Nii-san."

"Good morning boys, Heiwajima you should be in your own room." Shizuo shuddered clenching his fists. It wasn't the nurse's fault, he knew that. She was only there to help. A hand rested on his shoulder squeezing gently. Kasuka slipped out from underneath the covers, showing the woman a smile he had never seen before.

While his brother led her from the room talking in a low voice, he remained confined in bed fear spreading through every fibre of his body. Damn it. How long would this go on for? How long was he supposed to fear all females? "Fuck. Damn it." From the gap in the door he could see the policeman watching him.

When Kasuka returned it was with a male nurse with short dark hair. Shizuo found himself relaxing, his heart rate slowing back to normal. "Would you like anything to eat?" Taking the folded card his eyes skimmed the list. Selecting a yoghurt the teen handed the menu back. "The doctor will be around shortly. Do you need anything else?"

"I need to use the toilet." Shizuo sighed as his leg was gently lowered. A wheel chair was opened up and placed next to the bed. With Kasuka's help the teen moved into the chair. His fingers trembled at the thought of leaving the room, maybe he should just be done with it and ask the nurse...No. Shaking his head the blond steeled himself.

"Nii-san, are you sure about this?" Kasuka was standing behind him gripping the handles of the chair. Right now he had no choice. If he couldn't bring himself to leave the damn room then how was he supposed to live normally? Shizuo gasped feeling a heavy weight crush him, his lungs ached as he tried to breathe. The wheelchair had only reached the door.

"That's enough." The door slammed shut, the nurse kneeling down in front of him. "Don't push yourself." Shit. Shizuo slammed his fist down on the padded arm of the chair in frustration. "It will take time. You've been through a lot." Like a baby the surprisingly strong nurse lifted him from the chair carrying him back over to the bed. "I'll be back in a minute."

/

Shizuo groaned in irritation pulling the blankets over himself. Like hell he would have his leg elevated again, not when that was there. "I see you're being looked after." The doctor looking after him looked quite young. Kasuka remained at his bedside sitting in the chair ready to intervene if necessary. "Your wounds have been taken care of and your leg has been recasted. I'll be frank with you, there is a chance that you won't be able to walk normally even after it heals."

"With the permission of your parents we have run some other tests, the results should be back soon." Shizuo blinked in confusion glancing at his little brother who looked away. "I've arranged for a therapist to come around and speak to you later today. For now stay in bed and rest. If you need anything just press the button to the side." The doctor left as quickly as he had come.

"Kasuka, what tests was he talking about?" Reaching out to pick up the yoghurt the nurse had left, the teen grimaced putting it back down without opening it, the small picture of a strawberry turned his stomach. Maybe they had some other flavours? Not that he felt hungry anyway.

"Nii,san. They ran some tests to see if you picked anything up from those two." Kasuka's voice was so low he barely heard it. Oh. Izaya didn't look like the type that would sleep around. Hell the raven looked like he had only just found out what love was. Kanra though...Damn it. "I'll go and get you another yoghurt." The awkwardness between them evaporated his younger brother leaving the room.

/

All along he had known the police were just biding their time, the next knock on the door belonging to two separate officers. Seeing that one of them was female his guard immediately went up, body curling in on itself. "We'd like to ask you a few questions." Shizuo shook his head hearing Kanra's voice coming from the woman's mouth.

His fingers shook, a violent tremor taking over as he fumbled for the big red button, thumbing it continuously. "You knew Izaya before the incident at school, didn't you?" Why wasn't anyone coming? His thumb moved faster and faster pressing down desperately.

The door opened the nurse from earlier stood in the doorway. "I'm going to have to ask you to leave." The police looked ready to protest. "Now. Your investigation will have to wait. My patient needs time to recover. Out." Shizuo flinched as the woman stared at him before leaving. "Sorry about that." The nurse was at his side rubbing his back instructing him how to calm down and breath normally.

"...Thanks." Shizuo panted finally able to talk, reading the name tag. "Itoh-san." The police woman had done nothing wrong yet she terrified him just being in the room. The nurse patted his shoulder and smiled.

"Call me Kyoichi. Your brother is in reception talking with you parents. He should be back soon. The both of you need to rest. Try and get some sleep or I could put the tv on for you?" The nurse was kind and helpful making him remember what had happened to the previous nurse that had helped him. The control was placed on the bedside table within reach.

The bright screen lit up, the news coming on. Shizuo flinched turning the channel again and again his panic growing. Eventually Kyoichi reached over delicately taking the control away from him and turning it off. "Maybe that wasn't such a good idea. Are you okay?" Shizuo laughed bitterly dropping his head in his hands. He couldn't even watch tv without getting a panic attack.

/

The nurse stayed with him making sure no one else came into the room until Kasuka came back with his parents. Shizuo knew he needed help but he hadn't known to what extent. "Shizuo." His mother rushed in throwing her arms around him. Automatically he pushed her back, leaning over to vomit violently on the floor. The shaking returned his skin itchy where she had touched.

His mother stared wide eyed up at him from where she was sprawled on the floor. Shizuo stared back in shock. "I-I-" Breaking into a coughing fit, clutching his throat he found it difficult to breath, managing to repeat the steps the nurse had shown him.

"S-Shizuo?" Shizuo looked down at his still trembling hands, not wanting to see the hurt in his mother's eyes.

The woman who had raised him had become like everyone else. "Mother. Nii-san has developed a phobia of women." Shizuo watched Kasuka help her up, his mother was in tears staring at him as she was slowly escorted from the room. Even when she was gone, the teen found his blunt nails scratching at his forearm. This was the damage Kanra had caused.

"Son." Shizuo didn't have any protests his father hugging him tightly. "Don't do that again. From now on you tell me everything. Those sick kids are going to pay." His father's voice cracked, his shoulder becoming damp. Shizuo squeezed back his arms anchoring themselves to the older man. "Are you okay? Did they hurt you?" Question after question. The teen answered with a nod or shake of his head too choked up to speak. "I'm sorry. I let them get you. I've failed as a father."

Shizuo shook his head. It wasn't anyone's fault except his own. He had chosen to go in after Chiyoko. His father fell silent more tears dripping onto his skin. Through blurry eyes he could see his brother standing at the door, holding a slim hand. Closing his eyes he knew he needed help.

/

Even after visiting hours were over his parents refused to leave making sure the doctor and nurse knew it. Kasuka sat outside with his mother, who wanted to be near him even if she couldn't be in the same room. His father remained in the room with him, the bedside table had been cleared off and placed next to the centre of the bed.

In his hands he held five playing cards with simple designs and blue patterned backs. The rest of the desk was on the table, his father sitting on the other side. It was nostalgic reminding him of all those times it had been raining and they couldn't go out and play. Nothing more was said about what happened when he went missing. His father had only mentioned how bored he looked and brought out the playing cards.

Shizuo felt better having his family surrounding him but he knew they would have to leave at some point. "Four of a kind." Placing his hand down, the teen smiled. His father winked placing his own down. Shizuo groaned his smile dropping.

"Straight flush. Better luck next time." His father had never been the type to just let him win. The money was swept from the table and returned to the pocket it came from. "Go again?" His hand slid forward already palming the cards to shuffle. A knock on the door made him jump. It didn't go unnoticed a large hand resting on top of his own and stilling the shaking.

It was only his nurse pushing open the door and waiting for entry. "How are you feeling, Shizuo? Kyoichi circled around the bed picking up the plate with his barely touched lunch. He had managed a few bites, the glass next to it that had been filled with milk was empty. "You didn't eat your lunch?"

Shizuo shrugged. "I didn't feel hungry." His fingers itched to switch the tv on again and see if that really had been Izaya on the news. He wanted to know what was happening but part of him recoiled wanting to bury the entire incident. His hand clenched pulling at the drip feed next to him.

"Hm. Try to eat and drink as much as you can." Kyoichi smiled reassuringly at him. "Your new therapist would like to speak to you. Are you ready?" Shizuo blinked his gaze snapping to the man at the door, his eyes widening in shock. A slim man stepped into the room wearing a dark purple suit, his short hair looked lilac, a silver ring stood out on one hand.

Shizuo could tell that it was a match to his own. His new therapist was no ordinary man. His nurse smiled. "He may not look it but I assure you he's the best we have." Although Kyoichi's words helped, Shizuo felt strangely calm around the man. There was no doubt the ring was a succession ring belonging to the Awakusu-kai. The man caught him staring and winked.

"Shizuo, I'll be outside if you need me." The chair scraped back as his father stood taking the cards from his hand. The nurse followed behind closing the door. The two of them were left alone, Shizuo stared at the man trying to figure out why he was here in the first place. The man with dark eyes that seemed to take on a violet light stared back.

"I'm sure you've recognized the ring on my finger." The man pushed the table out of the way dropping down on the chair one leg crossed over the other. "I've already spoken to Akabayashi-san so I know the gist of what happened. To think of all people the one to break the rules would be Shiki's successor. It's almost laughable." His new therapist sighed waving his hand. "Never mind never mind. Before we start... I am a real therapist and I do have qualifications. I'm twenty three my name is Shintaro and I'm Aozaki's successor."

Shizuo blinked not knowing who Aozaki was. "Judging by the look on your face you don't know who that is. Lets just say your mentor and my mentor have a fierce rivalry. Maybe they like each other, I'm not too sure but it's nothing to do with us so lets be friends. Call me Shin. Now avoiding the fact that you love Izaya, shall we discuss the main cause of the problem?"

"Wait. You don't think I'm brainwashed?" The eccentric man seemed to know everything already. Shizuo couldn't find any reason not to trust him. Shin shrugged picking at his nails.

"Brainwashed, Stockholm syndrome that's what your little brother believes. Izaya was dressing up as Chiyoko, that was who you fell for. I believe you are in love with him and whatever you choose to do is up to you. The main problem now is that you can't leave this room. I'll warn you now it's harsh out there, even if you manage to get over your fear. Dougen-sama and our mentors are currently discussing what should be done. So for now lets talk about the cause of your fear shall we?"