Izaya couldn't stop the anguish coursing through him as he stood on the roof of Shizuo's apartment complex. He hadn't completely run away. His developed instincts to stay by Shizuo's side were strong, and he couldn't run away even if he wanted to. Even if, right now, he hated Shizuo more than ever before. Somehow, Izaya knew all along that the blond was to blame for his death one way or another. Whether it be by his hand or not, Izaya's death was his fault. All this time, Shizuo knew. Why had he not told him when Izaya first came to him? It was such a crucial piece of information. "Did I really deserve not to know?" Izaya snorted when he realized what kind of question he asked. Shizuo had no obligation to tell him, and if anyone deserved revenge by keeping something like that a secret, it was probably him. Still, it didn't make this situation any less hard. Izaya had been helping Shizuo and getting to know him in a different light for however many days, and now he felt this predicament had unraveled all the hard work.

There were times when Shizuo seemed calmer around him, and Izaya began to have hope for them. Shizuo was supposed to forgive him by the end, but now it seemed like he wasn't the only one.

"Izaya?"

Izaya sighed and straightened with his hands gripping the railing. "Did you know?" Izaya was positive that Aya had known about what happened at the party and couldn't help but feel betrayed.

Aya stood beside him with a solemn expression. "That it was Shizuo who blew your cover? I did, but that has nothing to do with why he was chosen for you."

Izaya nodded. "I know I don't deserve his apology, and even if he somehow knew I was undercover, which I doubt he did, Shizu-chan had no obligation to keep it a secret. I shouldn't be surprised, but I am. I thought he was responsible for my death because he killed me, but for some reason, this is worse."

Aya sighed. Izaya had worked hard, and she hated seeing those efforts get set back. "Please don't give up, Izaya. I know this seems impossible to overcome, but I don't want you to start refusing your task because of it."

Izaya huffed a laugh, but there was no amusement behind it. "Is there ever a time you won't read my mind?"

Aya smiled and laid her hand on his shoulder, causing Izaya to turn and face her. "You have to forgive him."

Izaya clicked his tongue. "Isn't that something. I'm supposed to earn his forgiveness, but he gets a free pass?" A small pout appeared on his face. "That seems a little biased, don't you think?"

Aya rolled her eyes. "Izaya…"

A small smile curled on his lips. "Yeah, I guess you're right. I don't suppose you could bend the rules and tell me how I died?"

Aya sadly shook her head. "No, I'm sorry."

Izaya nodded. "Right, didn't think so. Shizu-chan said he saw me run away, so I guess it wasn't at the auction party." Izaya stretched his arms with sudden newfound hope. "You said I could remember on my own, so I'll just have to wait until the memories come back to me." Aya opened her mouth, but Izaya looked at her with a smile. "But I've come too far to leave Shizu-chan's side now." Izaya laughed. "And it might be fun to see the look on his face when I let him know I forgive him." Aya huffed, but Izaya jumped out of her reach before she could flick him on the forehead. "Haha. I guess even you can be predictable." Izaya skipped to the exit with a grin, and Aya shook her head.

…

Shizuo looked up from the table in the kitchen; he hadn't moved since Izaya left. Surprise etched across his face when he saw the raven standing in the doorway. "Izaya…" Izaya leaned against the wall with his hands behind his back. "I didn't think you were coming back."

Izaya avoided Shizuo's gaze by staring at the floor. "I did some thinking."

Shizuo stood up. "Izaya, blowing your cover was the last thing I wanted, at least not on purpose. I hate your guts, and regardless of how many times I wanted to kill you, being responsible for someone else killing you somehow feels – different… I can't explain it, but I don't like it."

Izaya huffed a laugh. "Ah, so killing me is fine if it's you, but if you're to blame for another committing the murder, it's out of the question?"

Shizuo curled his hands into fists. "Putting it like that sounds even worse." The blond frowned deeply. "I saw you run off, but – I didn't think blowing your cover would get you killed."

Izaya stood straight and stepped closer to Shizuo. "Nothing can be done about it now, so there's no point in dwelling on it. At least, not for you. Relax, Shizuo. Like I said, I did some thinking, and I forgive you. Believe it or not, my spirit guide is more persuasive than I am."

Shizuo's eyes widened, but hearing that angered him for some reason. "What?"

Izaya almost smirked at Shizuo's reaction but held it back. "There was probably another reason they wanted me dead. For a weapons dealer, killing a person for being undercover is a little drastic."

Shizuo gritted his teeth. "No!"

Izaya blinked at the angry response. "It's true, he probably-"

Shizuo slammed his fist against the table. "Who cares about their reasons. I was talking about your forgiveness."

Izaya sighed. "I told you, it doesn't matter. What's the point in holding a grudge now? I'm dead."

Shizuo suddenly gave him a suspicious frown. "Do you think by forgiving me that I'll forgive you?"

Izaya chuckled. "Wouldn't that be too easy? You're the king of grudges, you know. Besides, I think my guide was right. If anyone deserves forgiveness between the two of us, it's probably you. Forgiving you for this one thing, even though it probably wasn't your fault anyway, is a lot easier than you forgiving me for the many things I've done. After all my efforts, I'd like to complete this task earnestly."

Shizuo's frown disappeared, replaced by surprise. "Tsk. Since when do you know words like honesty, modesty, and forgiveness, or even compassion for that matter."

Izaya laughed, not at all offended by the insult. "Oh, they're new, actually. I learned them just recently."

Shizuo huffed but couldn't help chuckling lightly. "You're so weird."

Izaya shrugged. "No news to me."

Shizuo leaned back against the table with his arms folded. "Does this mean I'm still stuck with you?"

Izaya grinned. "Naw, don't be like that, I can tell that you're relieved."

Shizuo bared his teeth and walked into the living room, but Izaya could tell the anger was almost forced.

They still had a long way to go, but Izaya felt there was finally progression. Forgiving Shizuo for his small part in his death was harder than Izaya let on, but it had been the right thing to do.

…

Two weeks later.

Izaya and Shizuo had become accustomed to their situation, and for the most part, Izaya tried his best to keep Shizuo calm while he worked and looked out for him when clients often became violent from desperation. Izaya had even spooked a client into handing over the debt by convincing him that he'd be 'haunted' if he didn't pay. It was a guess on his part that the client believed in curses.

Izaya and Shizuo argued less, and sometimes they forgot they even hated each other.

Sometimes, Izaya forgot he was dead.

"Don't you have work today?" Izaya asked casually from the window of Shizuo's living room. Shizuo was sprawled across the couch with his hands clasped behind his head.

Shizuo cracked one eye briefly and closed it again before replying. "Day off."

Izaya looked at him and shook his head, wondering how Shizuo could be that content with just laying there when he was bored stiff. Then again, Izaya realized that their lifestyles differed drastically, and the raven couldn't blame him for wanting to enjoy some peace from his daily life when his debt collecting caused such hassle. "Ah, I see."

It was times like these that Izaya remembered.

Shizuo opened both eyes when he noticed the disappointment in Izaya's tone. "Why?"

Izaya leaned against the wall by the window to face him. "I was wondering if – ah, never mind. It's not really what I should do."

Shizuo frowned and sat up. "What?"

"It's fine." Izaya shrugged, but Shizuo seemed angrier, so the raven sighed in defeat. "I thought that if I walk around a little, it might help me remember things. Maybe something will trigger my memory. It did before when I saw the auction building. I remembered quite a bit from that."

Shizuo resumed his position. "The key is by the door. Help yourself."

Izaya raised an eyebrow. He should have been surprised by the odd gesture of trust, but Shizuo seemed to have forgotten their situation for a moment. "I can't just leave whenever I want."

Shizuo clicked his tongue. "Well, I'm certainly not going with you. I do like a break sometimes. My life is extremely stressful."

Izaya frowned when something akin to guilt suddenly wrapped around his non-beating heart. He hadn't exactly helped with that, had he? In fact, he was probably the sole reason for Shizuo's chaotic life since the beginning of high school. "I noticed," he replied quietly.

Shizuo closed his eyes again. "Look, you don't have to stay in the apartment. I'm not going anywhere today, so it's not like anything can go wrong in your absence. You've been absent before when you left the restaurant in a sulk, so I know you don't have to stay glued to my side."

Izaya tutted at Shizuo's insinuation that he had 'sulked' and opened his mouth to verify that he had been present the whole time, but he decided against it. Shizuo might get the wrong idea and think he was spying on him. "Maybe I'm just used to your presence." A grin formed on his face when Shizuo scoffed.

"Coming from you, that's not very comforting."

Silence enveloped the room, and Izaya huffed.

Shizuo tensed when Izaya sighed loudly on purpose but tried to ignore him. He heard Izaya shuffle closer and sensed him leaning over the couch. Another sigh came, and Shizuo gritted his teeth. "Go away." Shizuo felt a shift in the couch when Izaya sat down. The drumming of fingers began on the wooden part of the couch's armrest. Shizuo curled his hands into fists when Izaya sighed again, making slight noises with his mouth. "Alright! We'll go out." Shizuo sat up with a glare. "But you damn well better remember something."

Izaya blinked in surprise and then grinned. "I'll try my best!"

Izaya had tried to forget about how he died and solely focus on his task, but the more he did, the more he wanted to know when he thought about it again. Izaya hoped it would become meaningless over time, but even the distractions of Shizuo's daily life wouldn't allow him to let it go. At the very least, Izaya thought he deserved to know the truth. It wasn't like he could get revenge, so the knowledge was merely for closure. I just want to know. It occurred to him that his personality had changed during the time spent with Shizuo and his selfless acts. Before, the curiosity about his death would have been due to his twisted love for humans, wondering which one of them it could have been, excited at the prospect. When Izaya first found out he had died, the reaction to the news wasn't how he imagined it would be. Death could change even someone like Izaya, who fantasized about starting a war to reach Valhalla.

Izaya followed Shizuo down the steps, and as he looked up, a man dressed in a cleaners jumpsuit was mopping the lobby floor.

Izaya froze with a gasp and gripped the handrail.

Shizuo looked back when he heard the noise. "What it is? You remember something already?"

Izaya frowned at the cleaner, but the memory only lasted a split second, and when the cleaner looked up, Izaya didn't recognize him. "I guess not…." Shizuo looked like he didn't believe him, but Izaya shook his head and continued his pace with a grin. "Let's go!"

…

"Anything coming back to you yet?" Shizuo asked as he walked briskly down the busy street with Izaya in step.

Izaya shook his head, smiling when he thought about their 'no talking in public' rule being broken. Shizuo might not have noticed, but Izaya did. It happened a week ago when Izaya followed Shizuo into his preferred grocery store. The two were conversing about the day like Izaya was a colleague, and they'd just finished work for the day. Shizuo didn't seem to care if people heard him or were staring. It was then that Izaya realized that he had forgotten what Shizuo was to him, and for a brief moment, it seemed they were friends. This aggravated Izaya, and he spent two days purposely annoying Shizuo to try and convince himself otherwise. The goal wasn't to gain the blond's friendship, but even annoying him became tiresome because Izaya knew it was forced, brought on by his frustration with something he didn't want.

The following week after became harder to ignore the signs of friendship when Shizuo casually asked him to come to the karaoke bar one evening after work as though Izaya had a choice. Izaya could tell by the expression on Shizuo's face that the blond was annoyed by this gesture, but not just because it was Izaya that he asked. "Sometimes, I forget that you're dead." He had said with slight regret, which Izaya hated to see, so he lightened the mood to stop Shizuo from brooding.

"Sorry, but I'm not ready for another song about me just yet, and I'm not sure I feel up to caring for a drunk Shizu-chan right now either." Izaya had cringed when he realized his slip up and looked at Shizuo with a playful plead.

Shizuo didn't even get angry. "Heh. Actually, I kinda missed it," he had said, and Izaya was left speechless.

Izaya looked at the blue sky and wondered if Shizuo had noticed the changes; heh, maybe, but like himself, he likely refused to allow it. What were they doing outside again?

"Why were you there anyway? Undercover, I mean."

Izaya looked at Shizuo and realized he was trying to help. "It's hard to explain," he replied.

Shizuo narrowed his eyes and gazed ahead. "I'm not that dumb, you know."

Izaya sighed. "That isn't what I was implying. I just meant that if someone found out you knew what I did…." Izaya avoided Shizuo's gaze.

Shizuo shoved his hands in his pockets. "Appreciate that, but how would they find out I know?" Izaya looked at him and saw the grin. Heh. He and Shizuo were enemies, so what possible reason could they have to think that Shizuo would know anything? "Now that that's cleared up go ahead." Izaya shrugged and explained what he remembered about the auction, why he was there, and that the job was for the Awakusu. It was only by invitation that Izaya attended the party upon Tsuda's and, of course, Shiki's request. At the time, Tsuda had no idea, and Shiki wanted him to go to learn more information.

"I see. Then this Tsuda guy might not even be responsible. Like you said, someone like him wouldn't kill a person for being undercover."

Izaya nodded. "That's not to say he didn't do it."

"I get there was another reason, but what other reason could he have?"

Izaya sighed and frowned. "You're not making sense."

Shizuo growled and grasped his head before punching a lamppost beside them. "I know! Just give me a minute to figure out what I wanna say."

Izaya smiled. He had realized that Shizuo wasn't always simple, but his temper sometimes overpowered his logic and stopped him from getting his point across. "The job was for the Awakusu, right?"

"That's right. To find out who stole the weapon."

Shizuo folded his arms. "And it turned out to be Tsuda, which is why you were undercover to find out where it went after the auction."

Izaya nodded. "I don't remember what happened after that, so I don't know if I managed to find out and get the information back to the Awakusu."

"Oh." Shizuo stared at the ground in thought.

Izaya looked casually across the street but frowned when he saw three familiar faces talking to a young girl. "Shizu-chan," he called and left without warning to chase after them as they led the girl into an alley.

Shizuo blinked in shock. "Izaya!" Shizuo quickly followed the raven into the alley, and they stopped once they reached the trio. Shizuo growled in anger, causing them to halt their ministrations to shove the girl in their van. "Bastards! You weren't gonna kidnap that girl, were you, huh!" Shizuo stormed over to the now panicking men, picking up a trashcan on his way and lobbing it at the one seemingly in charge. Shizuo turned and grabbed for the heavyset man trying to run away, and threw him over the van. The smaller one screamed and escaped unharmed, but Shizuo didn't follow. He took a deep breath to calm down and turned with a small smile to the girl on the floor, looking at him with surprise. "You alright?" Shizuo offered his hand to help her up, and she took it gratefully.

The girl bowed. "Thank you so much!"

Shizuo nodded with another smile. "S'alright. Not a problem. Want me to walk you somewhere?"

Izaya watched the exchange in surprise. Shizu-chan isn't the monster I thought he was. Izaya shook his head and walked toward the van.

"I'm okay now, thank you."

Shizuo shrugged. "Alright, but be careful not to get involved with creeps on the internet you don't know in the future."

Izaya flinched at those words. Good advice. Well, at least he couldn't be blamed for this one.

The girl smiled and nodded. "I will. Thank you."

Shizuo walked over to Izaya and leaned against the van's open door. "Didn't expect that of you."

Izaya chuckled. "Neither did I."

"You know you just saved a girl's life, right? And this time, it wasn't even someone you knew."

Izaya shrugged. "Not really, you did all the work, I just-"

A frown instantly formed on Shizuo's face when he saw Izaya's expression. "Izaya? What's the matter? Did you remember something?" Izaya didn't reply, and Shizuo followed his line of sight to a fallen bottle in the van. "What is that?" Shizuo crouched and leaned over to retrieve the capped bottle. "It's chloroform," he stated once he read the label. Shizuo's anger rose. "So, I guess that's how bastards like this capture…." Shizuo gasped when he realized and looked at Izaya. No wonder Izaya was staring so intently at it. "Shit."

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

{Izaya, this is just a piece of friendly advice, but I think it's better if you stay out of sight for a while. For now, we know the weapon is safe. We'll contact you again once we get confirmation that it's back in our possession.}

Izaya chuckled. "I appreciate the concern, Mr Shiki, but I wouldn't worry. Once the weapon is in hand, I'm sure it'll all be over." Izaya disconnected the call as he entered his apartment building.

Izaya saw a man mopping the floor, and before he could question why it wasn't one of the usual cleaners, a strong chemical struck his senses that smelt suspiciously familiar. The man smirked up at him, and Izaya withdrew his flick blade, but his eyesight was already starting to blur, and he quickly became drowsy. Izaya stumbled backward, trying to stay awake long enough to escape.

"We knew there was no way we could knock you out in a fight or get you the normal way," a voice from behind him suddenly said. Izaya turned to focus on the other assailant, but his body felt extremely heavy. You were in trouble the moment you stepped inside the building."

Izaya stumbled forward and tried to swipe his knife at the other man but lost his balance. Izaya's eyes drooped when he lost the ability to stay awake. Damn it…I should have been…more cautious…

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"You were captured?"

Izaya nodded slowly.

They were now back at Shizuo's apartment. Shizuo paced in the living room, seemingly pissed by the new information for reasons Izaya couldn't fathom, and the raven was sitting on the couch, hunched over in thoughtful silence. "By who?"

Izaya shook his head. "I don't know. I don't remember. Tsuda's group, I guess."

Shizuo frowned. "Izaya, I know you've probably thought about this already, but – have you considered that it might not be Tsuda?"

Izaya looked at Shizuo with a frown. "What do you mean?"

Shizuo swiped a hand through his hair. "That it could be someone other than Tsuda's group?"

Izaya huffed. "I understood, but what are implying there? It wouldn't be the Awakusu."

Shizuo curled his hands into fists. "No, not them."

Izaya tilted his head. "Then?"

Shizuo growled in frustration before shaking his head. "I dunno. I'm not as smart as you. If you can't figure it out, then who the hell am I to try."

Izaya frowned and stood up. "Shizu-chan, I can't figure it out because I can't remember, that's the difference. Perhaps some new insight might help me, so I want to know your thoughts."

Shizuo blinked in surprise and then nodded. "Alright, but don't make smartass comments about me not usually being smart if I'm right, got it?"

Izaya laughed. "At this point, I couldn't care less if you were always smarter than me."

Shizuo carefully sat on the table opposite Izaya when the raven reclaimed his seat on the couch. "When you found out information about Tsuda and his group, you originally thought they were another Yakuza clan hell bent on appeasing their ancestors by stealing the weapon for themselves."

Izaya nodded.

Shizuo hesitated with his next words. He felt angry because Izaya couldn't remember, and he hated to be the one to revive those memories. Izaya had shown such distress once a memory returned, be it the high school incident or the chloroform in the van that led to the memory of his capture. "What if you weren't wrong?"

"About what?"

"About there being another clan involved with the weapon." Shizuo leaned forward, elbows on his knees. "I'm only speculating based on what you told me, but what if Tsuda was hired by another clan to steal it from the Awakusu?"

Izaya's eyes widened.

"If this weapon really was an heirloom passed down between clan members, probably ancestors or something, then who's to say that some other clan didn't wanna get their hands on it."

Izaya leaned forward, gripping the couch cushions.

"To piss them off, or – I dunno, maybe some kinda feud…." Shizuo looked up when Izaya hadn't said anything for a while. "Izaya? Are you-" Shizuo frowned and shuffled forward. "I'm sorry, I probably was way off or something."

Izaya shook his head. "No… Shizu-chan. You're right…."

Shizuo couldn't believe it. "I am? All of it?"

Izaya nodded and placed his head in his hands. "I remember now. I discovered the other clan when I escaped the auction party…." Izaya looked at Shizuo with the same distress as before. "That's who captured me."

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

Izaya opened his eyes to a small, off-colored white room with his hands bound behind his back on a metal chair. His head throbbed with a dull ache due to the chemicals he had inhaled. The room consisted of one medium-sized window on the left and a table in the corner. The door to the room was steel and long with a silver frame. Izaya twisted his hands and felt the cool metal against his skin. No escaping these handcuffs, and even if he could, how would he escape the room? No, he just had to wait and see what whoever had captured him wanted.

The door opened, and a muscular man dressed in a dark suit entered the room. The man was tall with short black hair and was middle-aged. He glared down at Izaya when the raven grinned at him. "Hello," Izaya said. "Are you the one I owe thanks to for this hospitality?" They should have gagged him if they didn't want him running his mouth.

"Do you know who we are?"

Izaya raised an eyebrow; that was an odd question. "Who doesn't."

The man leaned down to his eye level. "What kind of stunt did you think you were pulling?"

Izaya tilted his head. "Stunt?"

The man growled and stood straight. "Don't play dumb! I know damn well how smart you are!"

Izaya grinned. "Thank you."

The man curled his hand. "We know you're working with the Awakusu. Did you think you would go unnoticed?"

Izaya chuckled. "Of course." If it weren't for that idiotic brute. "Is that why I'm here? Did you want to strike a deal with me, Mr Shin?" The man gritted his teeth, and Izaya was impressed with his restraint. "Was I not supposed to know your name?"

Shin pulled Izaya close by his shirt. "How much do you really know?"

Izaya smirked when Shin released him. He always loved opportunities to surprise his humans, and he couldn't wait to see the look on Shin's face. "I'm aware that you stole it, that your ancestors believed the Katana belonged to them, and there have been several gang wars over it. The weapon belongs to Awakusu Dougan. His lineage sculptured the sword and mixed their blood into the blade, or so they say. One night, a group of shoguns, appointed by the emperor of Japan, attacked the palace of the Fuijama clan, broke in, and stole the sword. From there, wars over the Katana began until the sword was eventually claimed back by its rightful owner. Over time, the Fuijama clan changed their name to Awakusu, and the sword was passed down to each generation. Now, your clan was created when the emperor fell from power. The clan, Kawasuka, still loyal to the emperor, swore to get the sword back at all costs but could never succeed since they could not risk the fallback due to their lineage.

"Of course, half of the story was merely just a rumor because half of the population refused to believe the emperor would be involved with those types of clans. Even though the feud dates back centuries, it continues to this day. If you ask me, this feud over a mere sword is rather pathetic, but who am I to judge? Had it been some kind of mythical, powerful sword like Saika, I would understand. Anyway, the Kawasuka hired a professional weapons smuggler, Ryouta Tsuda, to steal the sword once they found out the man in possession of it had passed on, and that it was to be imported to the next heir in line, Dougan Awakusu. Tsuda didn't want the weapon for himself, he was just doing the job you hired him for." Izaya smirked. "Lucky me that I found all this out before you came and took me away. Congratulations, by the way, I wasn't expecting such an outdated attack to knock me out. You used chloroform in the form of floor polishes in the lobby, which I must say was a clever manoeuvre, and here we are." Shin could only stare in shock; he was absolutely dumbfounded. "From the expression on your face, it seems my information was accurate. Sometimes I even amaze myself." Izaya laughed. "I don't really know what capturing me achieves since I have no idea where the Katana is hidden. I suspect the Awakusu have it by now."

Shin narrowed his eyes but smirked. "Do you think we're that stupid? We know you told Tsuda about the courier, so we have obviously intercepted that little deal with our own."

Izaya shrugged and sighed. "If you say so," he lilted.

The smirk dropped from Shin's face. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Izaya grinned. "Nothing."

Shin suddenly left the room in concern.

…

Izaya spat blood to the floor with a chuckle despite the bruises and cuts on his face. The Kawasuka had discovered that Tsuda double-crossed them, which meant the Katana remained hidden from their grasp, and only Izaya knew where it was.

"Your interrogation methods are poor." Izaya looked at Shin with a smirk, his darkened eyes making him appear ominous. "I'm somewhat disappointed. Where were you trained? Are you really the Kawasuka's appointed interrogator?" Izaya grunted at the impact of Shin's fist hitting his left eye.

"Like I'm going to tell you that."

Izaya laughed. "It's just a question. I'm only curious. After all, it's not like I'll be released anytime soon, or at all, is it?"

Shin narrowed his eyes but gave in. "I was trained by a third well-known Russian operative, but I've developed my own methods since then."

Izaya's eyes widened in what appeared to be excitement. "Oooo! Maybe I should watch my mouth then, ne?"

Shin grabbed Izaya's shirt. "Are you mocking me!"

Izaya tilted his head. "Do you think I am?"

Shin growled. "Yes!"

Izaya smiled innocently. "Then yes, I am."

…

Izaya winced when he licked over his split lips. The shift on the chair caused his bruises to throb around his abdomen, and he could barely see from his left eye. Bruises decorated his cheeks and jawline, but the raven still found humor in his predicament. "Something tells me that you're methods aren't all that physical, or else I would barely be conscious by now." It was true. Despite the bruises and blood that formed between his cuts, they didn't hurt half as much as they should.

Shin scoffed. "You're very observant, Orihara. Too observant for my taste."

Izaya smiled. "Naw, you're so kind."

Shin curled his hands into fists. "Shut up. It's clear how resilient you are, and since you're obviously not going to talk about where the Katana is, I realized that a guy like you is best dealt with," Shin drew close to Izaya's face. "Psychologically."

Izaya wasn't fazed and continued to smirk. Honestly, what did he have to lose? Shin was too fun to mess with. "Interesting. Call me a masochist, but I'm curious to see what the interrogator of the Kawasuka has to offer in the ways of psychological torture. Threatening the lives of those I know is completely pointless, not to mention cliché." Izaya shrugged. "And not to brag, but I'm rather intelligent, so I would very much like to see what you might call a battle of wits." Just biding my time, but one has to wonder if this might really be a test of my skills. I wonder if I'm capable of getting out of this mess.

Shin laughed. "Not that kind, although the concept is intriguing, but this type of method is one you're probably quite familiar with."

Izaya watched Shin drag the table in front of him and pull out a black-handled knife, and he laughed. "Seriously? Do you know I'm very skilled with knives? You don't think I've practiced five-finger fillet? If that's the best you have, I overestimated you."

Blood splattered across the floor when Shin punched Izaya hard in the face. "Shut the hell up!"

Izaya spat and laughed. "For someone who claims to have psychological torture methods, you seem awfully angry. Not how I imagined a trained interrogator to act. Do you take medication for that to keep you calm? Are you due? If so, feel free to step out and take your meds. I won't judge." Izaya clenched his fists when Shin struck him again and tried his best not to bite his tongue.

Shin moved the blade against Izaya's throat, and the raven stilled. "Don't test me, info broker." Izaya was surprised when Shin unlocked his handcuffs. "I wouldn't try anything if I were you."

Izaya watched Shin suddenly lay a gun on the table. A smirk curled on his lips despite his worry. "Ah, did I go too far? Will you shoot me now?"

Shin looked at him with a grin. "Not me, but you might." Shin turned to the door when it opened, and a battered Tsuda was dragged into the room with another chair and forced to sit opposite Izaya, whose smirk had disappeared.

Izaya swallowed back the fear. If Tsuda is here, does that mean they have the Katana? But if that's true, then they have no more use for us… Izaya refused to believe that was true. This was clearly Shin's torture method to see which one cracked first.

"I'm sure you've heard of the game, Russian roulette." Tsuda looked absolutely terrified. "There is a single bullet in this revolver, and you'll play until one of your brains decorate the room. Whoever wins will be freed. Of course, that depends on how you look at it."

Izaya couldn't stop the fear spreading on his face, and his heart thudded against his chest. "This is unexpected. You know, I'm more use to you alive." Was the information for the Awakusu worth dying over? Izaya figured he must be insane.

Shin smirked. "I know."