Fraternising With the Enemy

Disclaimer: Durarara isn't mine.

Sleep had not come easily that night. Every time Izaya tried to close his eyes, images of the head lurking in his apartment came swimming up from the darkness. Shizuo had probably noticed that Izaya was pre-occupied but hadn't commented on it. This, he knew, was probably to do with how little he cared for Izaya. He was pleased of this though. It was something he didn't want to talk about.

The main dilemma he had was what to do about it. Where he had left it was somewhere anyone could find if they searched hard enough. If that happened, he could be in real trouble. Murder wasn't something he wanted to be charged for, nor accessory to murder. He didn't want to go back there either though. Along with the discomfort involved in handling a severed head, he had no idea of how to dispose of it without being caught.

When he realised that his main feeling was frustration at himself for keeping hold of something like that, he felt sick to his stomach. Izaya didn't know much about himself but he couldn't have been a decent person. No normal person would think like that surely.

After a long and sleepless night, Izaya felt completely drained. He had no idea what to do with himself. Shizuo was sleeping in the front room still and he didn't want to disturb him. The man disliked him enough, he didn't want to make it any worse.

This was his main preoccupation right now. He needed to make it up to Shizuo somehow. Whatever he had done, it was something bad enough for this guy to want him dead. How exactly you could repair that kind of relationship he didn't know.

With no sleep, he'd had plenty of time to think things over. At the moment he had no idea what he could do to help but he knew he was probably at least competent at cleaning. Cooking may be a little harder but still possible. This was something he could do for Shizuo. They had taken the money from his flat but he still wanted to help more.

Shizuo was still sprawled out asleep on the ground when Izaya emerged from his room, fully dressed. He hadn't yet seen Shizuo without a slight scowl and while asleep his brow was still slightly furrowed. It didn't take him long to locate the briefcase (Shizuo hadn't really bothered to hide it) and after taking a small bundle of notes, he slipped out of the door.

-Page Break-

When Shizuo awoke, it was with a start. He'd slept deeply since he was starting to get used to his enemy's presence and so felt more refreshed than he had in days. It was a shame he wasn't going to work.

Before doing anything else, Shizuo went to check on Izaya. He thought the man might still be asleep but the room was empty. As was the bathroom. This caused a bit of an internal conflict. Izaya was a dick; the sooner he was out of his hair the better. But being slightly brain damaged and confused, it probably wasn't good for him to be wandering Ikebukuro alone.

Where is he? The fucking moron! Shizuo paced the small space between the kitchen area and his table. He didn't want to be worrying but if the man was in trouble, no matter how much he deserved it, he would have to help him. It was during his stressing that he heard a click. The front door slowly swung open and Shizuo charged forward, ready to stop this blatant intruder. He only paused when Izaya's face peered round. Having Shizuo's clenched fist just centimetres from his face was a little unsettling.

"Where the hell were you?!" He didn't want him to know he'd been worrying (it had only been a miniscule amount of worrying) but he couldn't help but shout.

"I thought I'd get some breakfast?" He held up a small carrier bag with a nervous smile.

"Why?" Instantly his guard was up. If he'd gotten his memories back, he may be planning on poisoning him.

"Because you're letting me stay so…" He looked down and shuffled his feet a little.

"Tch. Well tell me next time you leave."

"I'm sorry I worried you." Shizuo, who was in the process of lighting up a cigarette, spluttered.

"I wasn't worried! I just don't trust you!"

"Understandable…" Izaya reached into the bag and revealed a box of eggs. "I can make you an omelette?"

"You remember how to?"

"I think so?"

"…Don't make a mess." It'd be nice to have someone cooking for him for a change. His one girlfriend had cooked for him a couple of times but that had been a while ago and the relationship hadn't lasted very long.

Although he allowed Izaya to cook for him, he wasn't going to let his guard down completely. Shizuo sat at the table, watching his every move. Izaya seemed to have expected this as he didn't make any complaints or look awkward at all. Most of his attention seemed to be on what he was doing. It seemed that he was trying to remember how to do this and was doing everything slowly and carefully.

The food didn't come out as badly as expected. In fact, he was surprised that Izaya seemed to be a decent cook and the food tasted pretty good. Shizuo grumbled to himself that of course this dickhead would be good at cooking. He was an arrogant bastard who was apparently good at everything.

"Is it ok?" Izaya was watching him from across the table.

"It's edible." He wouldn't let him know how good it actually was. Izaya seemed to accept this and continued eating his own.

After this, Izaya started tidying up. It was kind of weird to be cleaned up after when you had lived on your own for years and Shizuo watched him awkwardly.

"Why are you cleaning?"

"To help you a little."

"I don't need it." He didn't want housewife Izaya wandering around.

"It's not like I'm doing anything else."

"But…" He desperately tried to think of another excuse. "You've had a head injury."

"I'll probably be fine." When started wiping down the table and was practically leaning down over Shizuo, the former bartender quickly stood up.

"I'm going to get some cigarettes."

"Should I go get them?"

"No! I need the walk." And he had to get away from this unsettlingly nice and helpful Izaya. It creeped him out.

This was the slowest he'd ever been in walking to the shop. Mainly it was nice to be alone. It was on the way back that his phone started buzzing. As expected, it was Tom.

"Yo, Shizuo. How's everything going?"

"What do you think?" He couldn't exactly be normal with Izaya Orihara in his apartment.

"It's not that bad is it? I mean, he's not his usual demented self."

"But he's being a decent human being! Like, offering to cook and clean! It's creeping me out!"

"He's probably just being nice. Don't worry about it."

"Could you come round tonight? I don't want to spend the whole day alone with him." He couldn't handle or deal with that much awkward conversation.

"If you like? Has he remembered anything yet?"

"No. I think that stupid flea is trying not to."

"Why?"

"To piss me off probably."

"I doubt it. He can't remember you."

"He's still probably as much of a jerk as usual." Shizuo couldn't help himself; he could never believe anything good of Izaya.

"I'll be round as soon as possible, ok?"

"Thanks Tom." He hung up the phone and exhaled deeply. He wouldn't have to be alone with this for the night.

Izaya was still cleaning up when Shizuo returned and he gave him a small smile. He almost looked like a normal person.

"Did you get your cigarettes?"

"Obviously." What did he think he'd been doing? He shoved another cancer stick in his mouth and prayed for time to move faster already so Tom would get here.

-Page Break-

"I brought us some mochi and beer." Tom held up a bag and smiled.

"Thanks for this." He wasn't just thanking him for the stuff. Shizuo had been feeling weird all day and hadn't been able to talk to Izaya. It was hard to get angry when someone was being so nice.

"So how's things?" He spoke quietly.

"Weird. He's too nice!" Shizuo glanced back at Izaya who was sitting calmly by the table.

"Too nice?" Tom raised an eyebrow.

"You know what I mean!" Tom smiled and made his way over to Izaya.

"Are you feeling better?"

"A little thanks." The older man sat next to him.

"Want some mochi?"

"Ok." Shizuo just stood and watched this strange scene of domesticity.

"You gonna stand there all night Shizuo?" He glared and sat down opposite them.

"You're Shizuo's friend right?"

"Yep. And his boss. Does he mention me much?"

"A little?"

"Only a little? I'm pretty much all of his social life, along with Shinra."

"I have other friends!"

"Do you?" They were both staring at him.

"…Thanks a lot Tom."

"What have you guys been doing then?"

"We went and got some stuff from Izaya's place."

"Good idea. Anything seem familiar to you?"

"No…" It was hard to tell if he was being quite truthful or not.

"I see…" Tom was staring at him and for a moment, silence persisted. Shizuo had had enough of awkward silences.

"Are we going to open the beer then?"

"Of course." Tom held one out to Izaya, who took it awkwardly.

"So how's work been?" He asked as he snapped open his first can.

"The usual. A few sob stories, a few who actually paid up."

"No one gave you any grief did they?"

"One guy tried but he was a bit useless so it didn't quite work."

"Prick. I'll deal with him when I get back."

"Just don't kill the poor guy."

Izaya sat and watched Shizuo and Tom talking whilst taking small sips from the beer can. Shizuo seemed to forget that he was there and started to relax a little. He even smiled, something that Izaya hadn't seen before.

They were taking for a long time and Izaya simply listened. None of the names were familiar to him (with the exception of Shinra) but he tried. He wasn't interested in what these unknown people were doing, only in finding possible ways to make Shizuo more amiable towards him. The chance to find this out came when Shizuo went to acquire more beers. After much complaining from him about having to always run errands, he left the two of them alone.

"Can I ask you a few things?" He decided to go straight to the point.

"Ok…?"

"…What kinds of things does Shizuo like?"

"Anything specific you want to know?"

"Like food?"

"Well he likes sweet foods. Milkshakes and ice cream sundaes especially."

"I see…"

"…You're interested in getting along with Shizuo then?"

"I don't remember anyone else, and he's letting me stay here."

"…There's no other reason?" Izaya stared blankly.

"No." Tom scrutinised him closely for a while. Eventually he seemed satisfied and leaned back.

"I had to make sure. Because you and Shizuo have a hell of a lot of history."

"I've heard a little…"

"Then you'll know why I'm suspicious." Izaya nodded. "Ok, you've seen Shizuo's strength by now. He can't control it when he gets angry, he's struggled with it since he was a child. Lots of people are scared and avoid him because of that so…. I'm trying to tell you not to hurt him."

"I don't want to." Izaya was aware he had already hurt him.

"Shizuo could easily kick your ass if you did anyway."

"…" Izaya could imagine that. It wasn't a pretty picture. At this point, Shizuo stumbled back in with another bag of beers.

"…Why are you guys staring at me?"

"No reason~." Tom smiled up at him, earning him and Izaya another Shizuo-scowl.