Fraternising With the Enemy

Disclaimer: Durarara isn't mine.

"Haven't we already been this way?"

"No."

"But that sign-."

"I know what I'm doing!" Shizuo was puffing heavily on his cigarette and trying not to punch anything.

He had been to Izaya's flat before of course. The last time had been when he had been attacked by the slasher and had gone to attack the informant. It hadn't been him that time but you could never be certain with Izaya.

But because he was feeling kind of flustered at having the Orihara around, Shizuo kept making wrong turns. He was still angry about having Izaya nearby, but he also felt weird since the flea was different from his usual self. The problem Shizuo had was that the streets looked quite alike where they were walking. And because of his short temper, he'd left a few… markers. Like that punched vending machine on the left.

"…Should we call someone?" He turned to scowl at Izaya who quickly looked away. "It was only a suggestion."

"…Dammit!" He pulled out a phone and flicked through his contacts. They answered after only two rings.

"Hell-."

"How do I get to Izaya's? We're lost!"

"Hello to you too Shizuo. It's wonderful to talk to you."

"I fucking mean it Shinra." The doctor meant well but he could not be bothered with pleasantries right now.

"Where are you?" Shizuo glanced around.

"On a street? There's a convenience store… And I think that's a florist-."

"Get to that bookshop just past the convenience store, turn in to the street just after it. Izaya's apartment block is on the third street to the right of that."

"How did you do that?!"

"Because I can see you from here." Shizuo looked across the street. Shinra was waving at him. "I need to go see a patient so I guess I can leave you to it?"

"You can…" Putting the phone down, he marched ahead, Izaya following on quickly.

"…Do you need me to come in with you?" Shizuo turned a questioning glance at Izaya who avoided eye contact. "I mean, I don't remember any of it so is there any need for me to go into… that place?"

"Not really I guess… don't you want to look around your own home?" Shizuo was pretty confused. This had been his suggestion.

"Well… I just don't know." He was reluctant to go in there. Shizuo was slow to read people generally but he had a vague idea in this case. Izaya hadn't wanted to remember anything about himself either. It seemed he was avoiding it and Shizuo couldn't blame him.

Izaya had done a lot of terrible things, with the crap that Shizuo had heard of being only the tip of the iceberg. Possibly Izaya was vaguely aware of this and so did not want to be reminded. But Shizuo was also of the opinion that, amnesia or no, the informant had made his bed and could lay in it.

"You should be picking out your own things."

"Ok…" This hadn't been what he wanted to hear and he could tell the man was dejected. Shizuo quickly forced down any sympathy that he had mistakenly started to feel. It was Izaya Orihara. He may not remember but Shizuo did. And if the guy regained all of his memories, he would no longer be Shizuo's problem. Perfect.

Once they were off of the main street, it became easy to spot Izaya's apartment block. They still hadn't fixed the guard rail from his last visit.

"You have the key?" Wordlessly, Izaya held up a small keychain with a key hanging off of it. Shizuo took it and led him into the building. Izaya lived on the fifth floor and the whole way up in the lift, Izaya was silent. He didn't seem to have recognised any of it but he was nervous.

When they reached the front door, he could almost feel the tension emanating off of him as he put the key in the lock and turned it.

The apartment was exactly what he'd expected. Cold. Clinical, Minimal. Not much of sentimental value. The only things that showed many signs of use were the computer desk and a chess board on the low coffee table. The latter was covered in various pieces from a number of board games and arranged in a mixed up pattern. There was no reason to it at all.

Glancing at Izaya, he could see the man was showing a small amount of relief. Although still anxious, one of the things that had been bothering him had proven not to be a problem. It seemed he hadn't recognised anything like he'd thought he would.

"Any of this look familiar?" He knew the answer already but he still asked.

"No…" Izaya gave a small sigh. "I shouldn't be relieved but…" There was no need to say anymore.

"Want to grab anything?" He shook his head.

"Could you get me some clothes? And maybe if there's any money…"

"Fine." The guy wasn't incapable but it would be quicker this way. And if he left Izaya alone down here a while, he may start looking through things.

The first door he opened proved to be the bedroom and the only room he really needed to bother with. It was just as impersonal as the rest of it with only cupboards and a small table, topped with an alarm clock and lamp, next to a white covered double bed.

Shizuo yanked the wardrobe open, finding rows of shirts and trousers folded neatly, along with a few jackets. The place was so organised that it wasn't hard for him to find a small bag and he soon began stuffing random clothes and shoes into it. It was hard to tell how long Izaya would be staying with him so he just took as much as he could carry.

It was whilst he was packing things, that he noticed a small briefcase at the back of the wardrobe. Now Shizuo was not normally a nosy person. What other people did was their own damn business. But this was the flea and the flea was usually up to no good.

And it was with this in mind that he pulled out the briefcase. It wasn't locked so he flicked the catches up and pulled it open. He'd expected documents of an incriminating nature for blackmail or something equally as sordid; instead he found money. More money than he would make in a year. He slammed the case shut.

Fucking flea. It was just typical that he'd have an obnoxious amount of money lying around. Various explanations passed through his head. It could be blackmail profits, stolen, fake. Or maybe it was an emergency escape fund.

After only a moment's consideration, Shizuo picked it up along with the bag. Izaya had said to grab any money and the man was living with him. This could be his rent for however long he invaded his privacy.

And so he returned to the sitting room area. He'd heard Izaya moving around earlier but now he was sitting on one of the black sofas. Shizuo stopped in his tracks when he saw his face. The man had gone even paler, an expression of horror on his face.

Shizuo followed the direction of his gaze but could see nothing that would cause this kind of reaction. Probably it was something else that he'd seen.

"Oi flea." Izaya jumped and looked up at him with a guilty expression. "I've got everything, let's go."

"R-Right." He seemed twitchy as he stood, glancing around with an air of unease.

"Unless you wanted anything else?"

"No! No… I'll be fine." Definitely strange. Shizuo wasn't going to pry though. It was none of his business and the flea no less. It wasn't until they were in the lift that Izaya spoke again. "What did you get?"

"Clothes, shoes… money."

"Was there much?" Shizuo held up the briefcase. "…There's some in there?"

"More than I earn in a year." Izaya blanched.

"Why did I need that much money?" He put his hand on his head and scowled. He even began muttering to himself. Shizuo couldn't quite catch any of it.

"I plan on taking it for rent."

"Of course." He was suspicious of the way he accepted that so quickly but Izaya didn't seem to have an evil plan of any kind. Something weird had happened to him and it had disturbed him.

As they walked, Shizuo had to keep constant watch over the flea to make sure he didn't get lost. It was a pain in the ass and did not improve his mood. However, the icing on the shit cake that was his life right now came when he witnessed just how hated Izaya was.

They were turning a corner when a man came running at them with a knife. Usually this kind of crap happened to Shizuo frequently, but this time it was Izaya who was the target of the attack.

"My girlfriend killed herself because of you, you piece of shit!" Izaya had little time to react and if Shizuo hadn't grabbed the man and flung him across the street, Izaya would have been dead.

"Is there anyone you haven't pissed off?" He did regret saying this a small amount when he saw how horrified the flea looked.

"…Am I despicable person?"

"The worst." He didn't believe in mincing his words. This was the truth. He had always hated Izaya.

"I see…" He gave a small sad smile. It was strange. Like a kind of acceptance.

"Can we move? I don't want to be waiting around for more people to try to kill you, ok?" Using his strength always upset him.

"Of course."

It was an uncomfortable walk home with Izaya; even more so than that first night. The atmosphere emanating off of him almost had a physical presence. Shizuo didn't want to think about him or show that he cared anyway. Of course he didn't care! But one thought still passed through his mind; 'What are you worrying about so much?'

-Page Break-

He was terrified. That was the only word for it. Thinking back on his memories made him uncomfortable so he had tried to avoid it. But he'd found something in that flat that had hit him hard.

Whilst Shizuo had been getting clothes, Izaya had found himself wandering over towards his desk. He avoided the papers and the computer but his attention had been caught by a cupboard.

There was nothing especially interesting about it. Probably it contained more files. But he'd looked. Had to look. The key had been right there, in his pocket. The door swung open easily, revealing binders and files. Not very interesting.

But he knew that wasn't all. Without much thought he found himself pulling back the folders. Something was back there, something of interest. But when that something was revealed he froze. Sickness rose up at the back of his throat and he felt cold all over.

There was a jar pushed back there with a woman's head inside. Questions swam up around his head but he'd forced it all away. Pushing everything back in, he shut the cupboard again and moved to sit on the sofa.

And ever since he'd been thinking about it. That head. What, why, who? And then the man. He'd made his girlfriend kill herself. Was that head her? Someone else he'd goaded into suicide? Someone he'd outright killed? He couldn't remember anything about Izaya Orihara and right now, he knew he'd be happy to never remember again.

He looked at the back of the tall blonde in front. The man protecting him didn't even like him. No one liked him. What had he done? Izaya knew right then that he couldn't go back to whatever he had been. This was a fresh start. His memories could stay gone. And he would begin a new life with this Shizuo. Maybe, just maybe, he could get this man's forgiveness for whatever he'd done. And then at least that would be one less person who hated him.