Fraternising With the Enemy

Disclaimer: Durarara isn't mine.

This was certainly a weird group of people wandering around the streets of Ikebukuro, so it was no surprise that the local people were looking puzzled. Seeing Shizuo Heiwajima and Tom Tanaka together was a normal occurrence. It was the addition of Izaya Orihara that confused people. Especially when Izaya was this subdued.

Shizuo did have to go in to work today and after Izaya's panic attack, Shizuo would not risk leaving him behind. So he was awkwardly following on behind his babysitter while Tom tried to focus on his phone.

"I think we're only a few streets away." The last two jobs had gone easily enough since these people had been intimidated enough by the sight of Shizuo to pay up so the mood of the group was decent. Although Tom could sense some tension between the pair he hadn't pried into any of it.

"What's his name again?"

"Takeda. He owes us the lovely sum of three hundred thousand yen and has a bit of an attitude over the phone."

"Great. A shithead." Exactly what Shizuo needed on a day like this. He was too worried about Izaya to deal with this crap.

"Just to try to hold it in, OK? We want his money."

"I know!" Shizuo puffed on the cigarette in an attempt to soothe his nerves. Having Izaya behind him was making it difficult to keep his cool. He was too busy worrying about Izaya slipping away to focus too much on anything else. Tom could see how much Shizuo was clenching his jaw and sighed, resigning himself to the likely outcome.

This Takeda guy lived in a surprisingly nice apartment for someone who owed so much money to a loan shark. It was on the second floor of a decent building at the centre of Ikebukuro. Compared to the usual shit holes they would visit, the hallway was actually clean, the walls weren't losing their paint and the door hadn't been broken down yet.

It was an unusual type of client to be sure, but they had a job to do so the hell with it. Tom tapped on the door with the back of his hand and, as they waited for the door to be answered, he stared at Shizuo.

"What?"

"Just… This is a narrow hallway and Izaya and I are here."

"I know!" Izaya had looked in their direction when his name had been mentioned but for most of the day he had stayed silent. "Oi flea. Stay back." It would be foolish to save a man's life and then accidentally kill him.

"OK…."

"Don't go too far though!" Shizuo wouldn't be as focused on him while this was going on. Izaya was choosing wisely to listen to him and stayed only a couple of metres away.

The door opened and a sleazy looking guy appeared. He wasn't even dressed yet and was wearing trousers and a dressing gown. His black hair lay all over the place and at all angles and Shizuo could feel his eyelid twitching at the annoying facial expression.

"What?" You've got no right to be pissed off you bastard.

"Mr Takeda?"

"So what?" This guy was really asking for a face punching. It was likely he was going to be one of the bad endings.

"We're here about the money you owe. You were supposed to be paying the last instalment a couple of weeks ago."

"So I fell behind. You'll get your money."

"I insist you start paying now."

"Well I can't, so piss off." The man went to slam the door shut as Shizuo jammed his foot into it.

"You don't interrupt Tom you piece of shit." He was going to get so broken.

"Oh. I've heard of you." The man smirked and Shizuo clenched his fist. "You're the stupid lap dog who goes around growling at people."

"Huh?!"

"Shizuo, calm down!" Tom's voice was coming from behind him but the red mist was already descending.

"And it looks like the rumours are true. You're working for the Orihara bastard now." Oh fuck no.

"I'm not working for that sack of shit!"

"Shizuo?" It was Izaya's voice this time but he wasn't turning around.

"No… You're just his babysitter. Seriously, how pathetic. He's an information broker with no memory. How useless is that? And now you've been leashed by him. I didn't know you were that much of a pussy."

"Shizuo-."

"Fucking die!" The Takeda prick wasn't smirking when Shizuo forced him through his own door. Shizuo stood and looked at the man's limp body, breathing heavily in an attempt to calm down. He heard Tom sigh.

"I'll call someone to clean this up." When the anger fully subsided, the guilt would be over-whelming.

But right now he knew that he was still livid. People knew about what had happened to Izaya; word travelled quickly in Ikebukuro. And that he was now looking after him… People were going to keep winding him up about this.

As the rage started to subside, he chanced a glance at Izaya. The flea looked afraid, holding onto his arm and shaking. He was badly hit by this and Shizuo only knew one thing; he had to get away from this situation. But he was thinking clearly enough to ensure that he carried on looking after his charge.

Shizuo started moving and as he passed Izaya, he grabbed him, tossing him over his shoulder. Izaya let out a startled yelp but he didn't resist being carried by him. Clearly he knew what was good for him and there was no conversation as they moved into the streets and started speeding away from the building.

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Assholes. He was getting weird looks with his angry grunting and apparent hostage. He must have looked like King fucking Kong carrying off a woman.

If he allowed himself to break down in public, he might lose Izaya, so he was getting home. It would be annoying if he damaged his own stuff but it would be an issue if Izaya disappeared on him. He didn't think he would run at this point but he couldn't trust a desperate man.

Izaya was suddenly thrown to the ground as they entered the apartment and Shizuo started pacing back and forth. A lot of his anger was dissipating but he still had a lot of pent up frustration. And the guilt of knowing he had given Tom more work to do and left him alone with it all wasn't helping.

Why am I so terrible? Why can't I control myself? Why? Why? Why? He couldn't stop growling and moving, wearing a little pathway in the floorboards.

"Shizuo?" Like an animal he froze, turning to face the man sat on his floor. Izaya had flinched the sudden glare. "Are you OK?" Is he worried about me?

"I'm fine!" He was used to being this way, it always wore off.

"I'm sorry." And here was that confusing phrase again. "I made it worse for you."

"It would've happened anyway." This didn't mean that it wasn't at least a little his fault but Shizuo was not an asshole. And he was trying to be somewhat amiable.

"…He deserved what he got." Izaya was still looking at him. "And you didn't do anything wrong, just your job." He's trying to make me feel better. It was so weird that Shizuo froze.

"You… You don't get it. I've failed Tom again." Why was he telling that to Izaya? He would vent his problems to Celty or to Tom but no one else. Especially someone he didn't trust. "They won't get paid."

"A lot of people know about… This."

"I know. Motherfuckers."

"…I could go home? I mean, I know I can look after myself." Shizuo didn't know how to take that.

"Why?"

"I don't want you to get hurt because of me again."

"Well you can't. Someone could kill you and where I would be then?"

"Better off." It irritated him that he couldn't agree.

"I'll deal with this. At least they're not bringing Kasuka into it." That usually riled him up more than anything else.

"Are you feeling better?"

"…Mostly." Shizuo sat down opposite Izaya and lit up a cigarette. It showed how far they had progressed that they were having civil conversations. And then Shizuo remembered. "You were shaking."

"I guess?" Izaya didn't seem especially affected anymore. "I wasn't afraid or anything. I just keep going odd. Maybe that scenario reminded me of things?"

"Probably." It wasn't like he would know. He was no expert. "You're not gonna have another panic attack thing are you?"

"I don't think so." Shizuo was not dealing with that. "Do you need anything?"

"Like?"

"…Tea? Coffee?"

"…Tea…" He had carried him home so he would get some tea. It sounded fair. And he was trying to be nicer to him. Perhaps they could be acquaintances instead of enemies. Neutral.

-Page Break-

An information broker with no memory. Izaya hadn't been able to quite get over that particular phrase. It had brought up some murky things in that confused brain of his. He wasn't sure where it had come from but the name Shiki had been prominent. A name that made him a little uncomfortable. But it was one he knew well. Where from, he couldn't locate.

It's something… Izaya wasn't sure if he should mention it to Shizuo. But then, Shizuo wasn't in a good way anyway. He was still twitchy from earlier. He'd been so guilt-ridden and been rapidly apologising over the phone to Tom.

Izaya had brought him tea and had been careful to give him space to cool off. But this didn't seem to have helped. But then, Izaya thought to himself, no one usually tried much except for Tom.

It had been an amazing display of power and Izaya had just watched Shizuo shove the guy through the door. But then, no one could blame him for what he had done. The man had goaded him and Shizuo had done his best to restrain his temper; anyone could see that.

"Why did you carry me home?" Shizuo seemed to come out of himself.

"Because I didn't want you disappearing. Dumbass. And I just wanted to get home."

"Ah… I would have followed you."

"Would you?" Their eyes made contact. He knew why he was suspicious and didn't want to trust him.

"Yes. I don't want to make you mad. It would be worse than death." He tried a little smile.

"Too right." Shizuo straightened his back but Izaya could see a small smile forming. Now that was a rare sight. A genuine smile from Shizuo. He liked it though. Shizuo still looked down and he knew that he needed something.

"Shizuo? Can I do anything else?"

"For what?"

"For you." Shizuo looked confused.

"Huh?" OK… What would be good? He didn't know much but he could get an idea from things he assumed he'd picked up from TV or books.

"…You won't get angry?"

"Why?" He was being eyed suspiciously.

"To make it up to you. And to make you feel better?" Shizuo shifted uncomfortably. Clearly he wanted to find some reason to refuse.

"…Fine. But no tricks."

"Of course."

Izaya shuffled closer, Shizuo leaning away a little at the sudden close contact. He seemed unsure of how to react to this. But it was gonna get worse with the next move. Izaya figured he would try it anyway. He put both arms up and grasped Shizuo's shoulders. They were tense, along with Shizuo's face. He looked like he should be annoyed but there was some fear.

Izaya was nervous as he slowly came closer, progressing into a full hug. He was allowed to wrap both arms around the blonde man, even though he could tell Shizuo was not certain about this. He was so tense it was like hugging a board. But then Izaya started rubbing Shizuo's back in small circles. The blonde seemed to loosen up as he carried on. Izaya himself could tell that he wasn't entirely used to being touched since it felt like an unfamiliar sensation.

What am I doing? I don't know…. I guess this is supposed to be what you do in this kind of scenario… But it's Shizuo… No. I don't want to be afraid of him. Other people are. I don't think I should be. It only came to a halt when Shizuo suddenly shoved him away.

"You can stop now." He was glaring a little.

"Sorry… I just knew that might help. Did it?"

"…A little." It was progress.