"Alright," Izaya started as he stepped out of his office building, followed by his new colleague, Shizuo. Izaya didn't know why Kine trusted him to watch out for Shizuo, but Izaya had suspicions that he had sent Shizuo to watch out for him. It made more sense, but the thought of that annoyed Izaya even more.

Izaya turned onto the street, holding up his hand in greeting to the woman running the fruit and vegetable stand as they passed. "Good morning, Mrs. Aoi," he said, and she stopped him for a moment and nodded. Izaya turned with a half-grin. "Ah, this is Shizuo Heiwajima. He's my new – apprentice, if you will." Izaya couldn't help chuckling at the growl heard behind him. Shizuo clearly disapproved of this title, but how else could he word it? He refused to acknowledge Shizuo as his partner; the blond probably wouldn't last long with him anyway.

"Oh, I see. That's an odd occurrence for you." Ha. Even the locals thought it was strange for Izaya to work with another. Aoi bowed her head slightly in Shizuo's direction. "Apologies for the comment. I meant no ill-intent. It's nice to meet you, Mr. Heiwajima."

Izaya gave a small smile when Shizuo gave a slight bow in reply. "How's the greenhouse coming along?" Izaya asked, slipping his hands into his jacket pockets.

The woman's face brightened, and she clapped. "Thanks to your reference, it's all finished. No more little thieves."

Izaya chuckled. "That's good. Of course, I bet you will still feed them, right?"

Aoi huffed. "Well, I can't go and let the poor things starve to death, can I." Aoi shook her head when Izaya shrugged, waving them off as they continued.

Shizuo glanced at Izaya with a raised eyebrow. "What was that about?"

Izaya dismissed it with a wave. "Long story." Izaya led Shizuo down the street toward the grocery store. "Anyway. You'll find that our work isn't always something a detective would waste their time with. We're like those who take jobs nobody wants. Kind of like petty cases. People come to us to solve their problems, and they pay us for it. Think of it as freelancing. We don't technically get paid by the government, so we're basically self-employed."

Shizuo tilted his head while shoving his hands in his pants pockets. "Isn't Kine our boss?"

Izaya rolled his eyes. "Only in the sense that it was his idea to setup this little agency. He founded it but wanted me to run it. The only time he pays me – us, is if he himself requests a job."

Shizuo nodded and pulled out a packet of cigarettes, shaking one to pull out between his lips before returning the pack to his shirt pocket. "Gotcha." Shizuo missed the grimaced expression from the raven when he lit the cigarette as they continued. "So, since we're freelancers and self-employed, getting paid by the public and all, is that how we can accept sketchy jobs?"

Izaya chuckled. "If by 'sketchy jobs' you mean people who don't want cops involved or Yakuza groups, shady businessmen, then yes, I suppose so."

Shizuo scoffed and took a drag from his cigarette. They stopped outside the grocery store, and Izaya waited for the blond to finish while keeping a fair distance. "I don't like those sorta groups. They piss me off."

Izaya raised an eyebrow, but he supposed he couldn't blame Shizuo. "I wouldn't worry too much about them. We don't get jobs from those often, so you'll probably hardly have to interact with them at all. If you want, I can do those jobs solo."

Shizuo blinked in surprise, but a suspicious frown soon appeared. "Alright, what gives? You're acting somewhat nice toward me compared to yesterday."

Izaya laughed and shook his head. "I wasn't really acting any differently. You're new, and I'm supposed to teach you. I only offered the solo jobs because I honestly don't think you'd be able to handle it, what with your temper and all." Izaya grinned when Shizuo glared at him. "You broke my door just because I assumed you were a client. If that's all it takes, then I wouldn't allow you to join me anyway." Izaya sighed dramatically. "I can imagine the screwups." Shizuo growled at him, and Izaya smirked. "Oh, is that better?"

Shizuo didn't reply and snapped his cigarette between his fingers before stomping it on the ground. "You're a dick."

Izaya shrugged. "Well, you were complaining two minutes ago about my act of kindness, so I assumed you preferred me that way." Izaya laughed and headed for the grocery store's entrance but turned in time to stop Shizuo from following and handed him money. "Go into the café next door and get some drinks. Ask them for my usual and get whatever you drink."

Shizuo took the money with an annoyed frown. "You know, I don't really feel like you're teaching me anything important. I feel like you're taking advantage of the fact you have someone else to get things for you."

Izaya grinned. "So?"

Shizuo curled his hand around the money. "I'm not your damn slave!"

Izaya rolled his eyes and huffed. "I wasn't serious just now. This neighborhood is close knitted. You'll see these people daily, so I figured it was best to start with them. Introducing yourself is key here, trust me. They'll know your face and will know to look to you for help, which they often do. Of course, our work extends mostly beyond this neighborhood, but these people are those you'll want to get closer acquainted with."

Shizuo looked like he didn't believe him but left for the café without a reply, causing Izaya to click his tongue. "So annoying." Izaya entered the store and smiled politely at the owner. "Good morning, Mr. Fukiama."

The forty-five-year-old man smiled. "Oh, Orihara-san. How was the sushi?"

Izaya nodded. "It was tasty as always."

When Izaya first started as a detective in the neighborhood, he disliked the small-talk and found it incredibly boring, but now he had grown accustomed to it as though it were his daily dose of gossip. Izaya didn't always have a habit of greeting each store owner or resident, but today was an exception, though he always made time for Mrs. Aoi and Fukiama, mainly because they often gave him free fruit and sushi.

Shizuo soon entered the store with a frown of confusion, holding a tray of three drinks as he walked toward Izaya standing at the counter. "I was given a third drink."

Izaya nodded and took the change. "That's right."

Shizuo looked at the drinks. "Who's the third for?"

Izaya grinned. "For Mr. Fukiama, of course." Izaya took the drink from the tray and handed it to the man before taking his own: coffee, black, no sugar. "Thank you."

Fukiama nodded his thanks and took a sip before speaking. "So, who's the new kid?"

Shizuo looked up from his cup. "I'm Shizuo Heiwajima."

Fukiama smiled and lifted his cup. "Nice to meet you. I'm Hiro Fukiama." The man snorted a laugh. "Boy, you must have a lotta patience to work with this one," he joked.

Izaya gave a slight pout. "Ah, that's harsh." The raven then grinned. "But it's no fun if you warn the guy."

Fukiama laughed.

Shizuo glared at Izaya. "I'm standing right here!"

Izaya chuckled and nodded to the man. "Better be going, see ya."

"Cheers for the coffee."

Shizuo followed Izaya outside, sipping on his drink.

Izaya led Shizuo the opposite way and glanced at him. "By the way, what the hell is that?"

Shizuo frowned. "What? It's my drink. It's a caramel crème milkshake with sprinkles."

Izaya scrunched his nose. "So early in the morning?" Shizuo huffed but happily continued sipping his drink. "Something that sugary should not be consumed so casually. On top of that, you smoke. How are you not obese with a heart problem?"

Shizuo narrowed his eyes, not expecting to be interrogated about his health. "Not that I care about your opinion, but what makes you think I drink this often or even smoke that much? I only brought the drink because you were paying."

Izaya blinked in surprise and then laughed. "Huh. That's devious. I underestimated you."

Shizuo gritted his teeth, unsure why the raven frustrated him when he had barely said anything that would cause the need to. "Anyway, before I succumb to the urge to punch you in the face, tell me more about the jobs we get."

Izaya scoffed and continued their pace. "Well, you might find the jobs random and boring at times, but I just call those side-jobs. Either way, we get paid, so it's not all that bad."

Shizuo finished his drink and threw it in the nearest trashcan. "Give me an example." Izaya decided to tell Shizuo the story of the job for Mrs. Aoi yesterday. Even Izaya was surprised to learn that the greenhouse was already finished, but the contractor was his recommendation. "Oh, so that's what that was about." Shizuo grinned. "That explains the three scratches on your face. I thought some woman probably slapped you or something."

Izaya glanced at Shizuo in annoyance. "And why would you assume that?"

Shizuo shrugged in amusement. "Cause you're kind of an asshole."

Izaya clicked his tongue. Shizuo logic, he assumed.

"Gotta admit, the petty jobs surprise me, and I sorta like the sentiment."

Izaya scoffed. "Don't get the wrong idea. I wouldn't be doing this shit if I didn't have to."

Shizuo frowned because from what he had seen so far, with the way Izaya was around the people they had met, nothing about that seemed forced, and he figured the raven probably enjoyed this little lifestyle. Despite this, Shizuo would keep that opinion to himself. After all, he still didn't know what Izaya's former job was. Shizuo followed Izaya toward the pawnshop. He had decided quickly that Izaya was the closed-off type, making him hard to figure out, but Shizuo's instincts warned him not to trust the raven, so he couldn't care less about Izaya's 'true self.' If he even had one. Probably not. "Is it normal to wander around until a job comes up?"

Izaya stopped outside the entrance to the shop. "Not really. It makes sense to show you around a bit first and get you used to the kind of people you'll associate with…."

Shizuo noticed that Izaya's voice had trailed off, and there was a deep frown on his face now. "What's wrong?"

"It's locked."

Shizuo leaned against the wall, facing a betting shop. "So? Maybe the owner just decided not to open today."

Izaya ignored the casual remark and peered inside. "Well, you're not wrong about the opening part, and I think I know why." Izaya stepped to the side. "Take a look."

Shizuo mimicked Izaya's position and curled his hands into fists. "Damn it." The blond turned to Izaya. "Ordinary burglary?"

Izaya glanced in the window. "Perhaps." Izaya stepped to the side and disappeared down the alleyway beside the shop. Shizuo moved to follow with a thoughtful frown. They stopped outside a door at the end of the alley. Izaya knocked, and they waited. Izaya smiled when the door opened to reveal an elderly man in his mid-sixties.

"Oh, Orihara-kun. What can I do for you?"

Izaya raised an eyebrow. "I saw the shop just now. Seems you've had some unwanted visitors."

The man named Chorei Agawa sighed with a shake of his head. "I had hoped no one would pay attention to it. I don't really want a fuss, you know? And I certainly didn't want to bother you, Izaya. I know you're busy." Agawa was the only one who called the raven by his first name, but Izaya didn't mind; in fact, he preferred it. Everyone else in the neighborhood was too formal.

Izaya tilted his head with a soft chuckle. "Why don't you just tell me what happened and let me worry about what I do with my time and if I have enough of it."

Shizuo glanced at Izaya with a slight frown thinking his comment was somewhat blunt and abrupt, but when he turned his attention to the elder, the man was smiling. Huh.

"You're too kind, but really, it's nothing but silly-"

Izaya suddenly frowned and grabbed the Agawa's wrist before he had a chance to hide it. "This isn't nothing." Agawa had three of his fingers bandaged together, and he sighed when Izaya released him.

Shizuo remained quiet, mainly because he wasn't sure if he might say the wrong thing, and what Izaya said a moment ago about not wanting to do this shit if he didn't have to clearly contradicted his feelings presently.

"What happened?" Izaya repeated; the frown was gone and replaced with a stoic expression.

"I opened the shop at 8:30 like I always do. Two lads came in who were maybe in their late teens-"

Shizuo blinked in surprise. "They were just kids?"

The man tilted his head. "I'd say around eighteen. Anyway, they started talking as though they knew me, and saying things like I owed them money, and that their boss isn't happy about late payments."

Izaya gave a thoughtful frown. "If I didn't know better, I'd say they were loan sharks."

The man nodded. "I thought the same thing."

"But you don't associate with loan sharks. You told me that you own the shop and have been able to pay your way since you came out of the army. You've never even taken a loan from the bank."

Agawa shook his head. "That's exactly true. Izaya, I swear to you that I did not know these people, and I'm not in any trouble with loan sharks."

Izaya nodded. "Alright, I believe that. So, I take it you refused to hand over any money?"

"Of course. They said that they'll take the payments another way, and that's when they started smashing the glass cabinets and taking stuff."

"I see."

"Well I don't," Shizuo finally commented, unable to keep silent anymore. "If it's true that you were in the army, then why the hell did you let them get away with this shit? I mean, you said they were just kids, barely adults. I'm guessing they weren't carrying anything more than bats, so why did you let them hassle you like that?"

Izaya's eyes widened slightly, not quite believing that Shizuo actually just said that to not only a good friend of the neighborhood but possibly a potential client too. Idiot. Has he no tact? This might be a problem if he acts this way with all the clients. Izaya glared at Shizuo, but the blond wasn't paying attention for him to give a hint to shut up.

A chuckle from Agawa was heard, and Izaya turned to face him with a readied apology, but the man simply held his hand out for Shizuo to take. "And who might you be, young man?"

Shizuo took the offered hand, and Izaya refrained from making a snarky comment like 'Try not to crush it since he already has three damaged fingers.' "Shizuo Heiwajima. I'm sorry if what I said was out of line, or something."

Izaya mentally scoffed. You think? Truthfully, Izaya was only pissed because Shizuo had the guts to say what he was thinking, but Izaya had learned not to run his mouth too much, even if it were someone he was friendly with. He also owed a lot to this man.

"Don't worry too much, Heiwajima-kun. But in response to your questions, yes, I was in the army, but I don't think that just gives me the right to beat up two kids because I can. I'm also not as young as I used to be, so perhaps if I did defend against them, it might have been more trouble than it was worth if they had friends waiting somewhere. To be honest, I'm not particularly fond of violence."

Izaya sighed. Damn it. You're so annoyingly kind.

Shizuo bowed his head. "I'm sorry again. I don't like violence either, so I understand."

This time, Izaya did scoff loudly. "Could have fooled me," he muttered, and Shizuo glared at him, causing Izaya to momentarily grin before turning to face Agawa. "Will you let me help?"

The man smiled with a slight sigh. "Stubborn as always. Okay, if you insist, but I don't know what you plan to do. I doubt you'll find them now."

Izaya placed his hands in his jacket with a small grin. "We'll see. Besides, this'll be a good first case for my new apprentice." Izaya's grin widened when Shizuo growled at him as they left.

"Would you stop calling me that!"