Izaya opened his eyes slowly, looking up into light brown eyes gazing down at him softly. The raven froze because his body felt different, light, and – wasn't he sick? Yeah, he was sick, feverish, and exhausted, but he didn't feel any of those things now. His heart fluttered ever so slightly from that gaze on him, and his hands reached up to lightly grasp his arms. Izaya opened his mouth to say something, but nothing came out. He wanted to apologize, hold this person close to him, and tell him how much he cared and how much he had missed him.

This person meant so much to him, and he couldn't even tell him. "Shizu-chan…" The moment that name rolled off his tongue, he frowned slightly because recognition became clear then – no, not Shizuo, but someone who looked like him. Izaya's hand lifted to cup the blond's face, and he glanced at it. His hand was more – feminine. Something did finally pass his lips, but he didn't have any control over it, and it was then he realized this wasn't his dream but someone else's memory. "He'll see us together, and he'll be angry." If his assumptions were correct, he was the woman in the old man's photo. Izaya had no control over what happened in these memories, and even though he had grown accustomed to them, it didn't make them any less surprising nor any less terrifying. Izaya could feel her emotions within him, could feel her fear and – and her love. The love she felt for the man standing before her was so strong and real, yet he felt trapped because she belonged to another, and quite literally.

The blond wrapped his arms around him – her, embracing her tightly, stroking her hair. "It'll be alright, I won't let him harm you. Just leave him. He's no good for you."

Her hands came up to grasp his shirt, shaking, tears falling from her face. "I'm so afraid. He won't let me leave, he won't let me ever leave."

A click sounded behind them, drowning out any other noise around. So loud, so – chilling. She turned around when she realized the blond's attention was ahead of them, and her eyes widened at the sight of her husband and handgun poised in their direction. His eyes shone with hatred, and Izaya couldn't stop the fear running through him. The man looked at her with a great deal of passion but was combined with possessiveness. "I love you, my dear Keiko. You belong with me. Til death do us part, right?"

A hand pushed her to one side, and the blond's eyes glared angrily as he raised an arm in front of her protectively. "Leave her alone."

The man grinned, a crazed look caught in his eyes for a moment before softening. "I love her, she's mine, and if I can't have her, no one can!"

The woman's eyes grew wide as she reached her hand out, and a scream tore from her lips. "No, don't!" Raising her hands up, she stood before her loved one, and a bullet tore into her chest. Her mouth opened in a silent cry of pain. Both men were too shocked to react until the blond fell to his knees, cradling her body as she smiled up at him. "I'll protect you, always. I love you."

Izaya gasped loudly and shot up in a sitting position, a hand clutching his chest, gritting his teeth. "Shit…." His body shook, and he could feel his clothes sticking to his skin, his hair was damp, and – something trickled down his cheeks; was he crying? His chest felt tight, and pain ebbed around where he felt the bullet pierce him. Izaya whimpered and fell backward, barely able to hold himself up.

"Izaya?" The raven opened his eyes again at the sound of his name, and he glanced to the side to see Shinra and Kadota knelt beside him, looking incredibly concerned. He shivered when a cold cloth wiped over his face. Shinra spoke again, "What happened? We came to check on you and found you unconsciousz Izaya, we should really call an ambulance."

Kadota was startled when Izaya gripped his wrist and looked up at him with a light smile, a firm hold on his arm. "It's okay. We're here." Izaya had never looked so weak and frightened before. He's really sick. "Izaya, Shinra's right. We have to get you to a hospital."

Izaya shook his head, and another whimper escaped him when that caused his head to throb. "No… it's not… I'm not sick…."

Shinra frowned, dipping the cloth back into the water, and repeated his actions from before. "Izaya, you – you're sick, and you need help. You're getting worse by the minute here."

Izaya smiled at him, but it was only for a few seconds. "No…. crystal, it's the crystal…." He pushed himself to sit up, barely leaning on his elbows, and his two friends both reached out to clasp his shoulders. "The crystal… in my room…. it's making me sick… cursed."

Kadota held Izaya's arm when the raven stubbornly swung his legs over the couch. He shook his head, wondering how his friend could have little care about his health. "What do you mean by that? What crystal?"

Izaya let out a shaky breath. "We got it wrong…. so wrong, the spirit isn't the threat… it's the owner…. he killed his wife because he couldn't stand her being with someone else…. he did everything he could to keep her with him…. and when she died, he sealed her spirit quickly out of fear of what she might do…." Izaya gritted his teeth when dizziness consumed him for a moment, and his hand came up to grasp his head. Shinra and Kadota looked at one another in concern. "I had another dream…. he shot her…. it was supposed to be for the one she loved… but she saved him, and the man told the police that he did it."

"How – how do you know all this? I mean, the dreams sure, but – did you find anything else that would help?"

Izaya looked at Kadota, realizing his hand was still wrapped around the teen's wrist. Izaya gently pulled his hand back, favoring gripping the cushion instead. Despite how sick he was, Izaya explained what he'd found and hoped they believed him because there had been so much doubt in him lately.

Shinra gaped in disbelief. "So, all that rage she had, all that, 'Shizuo is mine.' She was really trying to protect him?" Izaya nodded slightly. "From you?"

"I think she must have been confused. Trapped in that box for thirty years messed with the memories she had. She must have thought I was the man who forced her to stay with him, and tried to kill the one she loved. She thought I was trying to harm Shizuo…." Izaya frowned slightly. Hadn't he called him Shizu-chan earlier? He couldn't even remember; his mind was so clouded.

"She asked if you and he were together before, then got angry and started saying that stuff about Shizuo being hers."

"I'm not sure whether Kimori's emotions might have mixed in with hers. I don't know how spirit possessing really works. She spoke the phrase, 'If I can't have him, no one can.' It was what led me to believe she was the threat, and it threw me off, but I guess it might have been because it was the last thing she heard."

Kadota sighed and moved to sit on the couch; they should really tell Izaya what was happening now, but when he looked at him, his concern for Izaya's health outweighed his concerns for Shizuo. "How do we lift this curse thing that's gotten hold of you?"

Izaya shrugged a little because what he said next sounded so simple. "Smash it."

Shinra blinked in surprise. "That's it, just – smash it?"

Izaya nodded at him, but even he thought that sounded ridiculous. "Yeah… that's it… the curse should lift… though it might take a while for me to return to full strength." Izaya chewed his lip when another thought crossed his mind, which scared him. "I – I might have even noticed it too late…."

Shinra frowned and grasped his wrist, gaining Izaya's full attention. "No! Don't ever talk like that!"

Izaya blinked at him; fear was clear in his friend's voice, and he couldn't help but feel guilty. "Sorry…. I was just – thinking out loud because it's a possibility."

Shinra sighed and let his wrist go, knowing Izaya was right. "So, she latched onto Shizuo to keep him safe, but was it a coincidence that she happened to choose him?"

Izaya chuckled lightly. "You wouldn't believe it but – the person she loved looks a lot like Shizuo …." Talking about him directly caused Izaya to frown. "By the way, where is he?" He looked down at his lap, a slight tinge to his already flushing cheeks, grateful for once he had a fever. "Not that I expected him to – well, never mind. Where is he?" Shinra and Kadota shifted awkwardly when Izaya looked at them, his frown deepening as he directed his question at Shinra, knowing the bespectacled man couldn't lie to him. "Shinra, where is Shizuo?"

Kadota sighed heavily. "Shizuo took the girl to the owner of that store to return the box."

Izaya's eyes widened. "Why?"

"He thought about asking the owner to seal her again or something."

Izaya clenched his fists, anger mixed with worry flooding through him. "Why didn't you stop him! They're both in danger!"

Kadota glared at him, but he could see Izaya was worried. "As far as we knew, it was the spirit that was the threat, not the old man."

Izaya stood up quickly. "I have to stop him…." Shinra caught Izaya when the raven fell against him.

"You're not going anywhere, Izaya! You're in no position to do anything right now!" Kadota was shouting now, but Izaya knew he was just concerned and had every right to be. Izaya didn't even think he could walk on his own anymore. The teen turned to Shinra, a determined look on his face. "You need to find that crystal and smash it before it's too late."

Shinra tilted his head and glanced at Izaya, holding out his palm. "Tell me where your apartment is and give me your key." Izaya looked like he would protest, but he couldn't be stubborn anymore, and if they were to save him and Shizuo, they needed his trust. "Please, Izaya."

Izaya nodded and pulled his key out from his pocket. "It's a small apartment on Gekijo Dori. It's on its own, hidden behind some trees. You should be able to find it. It's opposite a football pitch."

Shinra nodded and took the key from his friend, holding it tightly in his palm. "You'll be alright, Izaya."

Izaya smiled at him. "Maybe…"

Kadota sighed in relief. "I'm gonna see if I can catch up with Shizuo, and I'll give him a call on the way."

Izaya tried to push Shinra off, but he took one step and collapsed. Shinra grasped his body tightly. "I'm coming with you…."

Kadota gritted his teeth, frowning at the sheer stubbornness of his friend. "I said you weren't going anywhere. You'll only make yourself worse, and we might not be able to save you."

Izaya hissed when his legs tried to buckle, but Shinra had a firm grip on him. "Please… Dota-chin… I have to…." Izaya looked at him pleadingly, and Kadota could see how much Shizuo meant to him then and how much he was willing to sacrifice. "It's Shizu-chan… I can't lose him…." Shizu-chan; that name sounded so much better, and it felt such a relief to say.

Kadota was surprised by the blunt confession but slumped in defeat. "Alright, but you can't even walk, so I will carry you, no excuses. You need to save whatever strength you have left to survive, okay?"

Izaya grinned weakly at him. "Deal."

….

Kadota looked over at the passenger seat with grave concern. Izaya was in and out of unconsciousness, barely speaking. Kadota feared they really were too late. He looked ahead at the road again, frowning as he slowed down once he neared the museum. Come on, Shinra, hurry up.

###

Shizuo looked at Kimori – or was it the spirit? Either way, she was calm, and he felt guilty he had brought her here. Didn't she realize why that was? Didn't she recognize the museum?

He thought about it, and she probably wouldn't. Kimori would have, but Shizuo had this feeling the spirit possessing her was more in control now. Her hand linked with his own, smiling happily at him, making him feel even more guilty. He had this feeling that something wasn't right, and he shouldn't have brought her here. Then he remembered how sick Izaya looked in the corridor, and he frowned, clenching his fist. She caused that.

They turned into the gift shop, and Shizuo was thankful it was empty, but that struck him as odd, and suddenly, he realized the entire museum was empty. It couldn't be closed because the doors to the entrance would have been locked. The bad feeling he had was slowly getting worse. Shizuo looked over at the counter; the old man was there, and he appeared to not have noticed them yet. Shizuo felt her hand tighten around his own as they walked toward Roji.

Once they got closer, the old man noticed them, and he smiled kindly and clasped his hands together as he stepped out from behind the counter. "Ah! You're that student from before. Your friend told me about you, and I know you didn't have anything to do with the stolen item. He made that very clear."

Shizuo shifted uncomfortably and shook his head. "Speaking of the stolen item, I think it's only fair you have it back." Shizuo took the box from his bag. "Before I give it to you, I wondered if you knew of some way to seal the spirit back inside like before. Izaya told me the story about the Egyptian merchant and how it was accidentally set free, and now it's – well, it's possessing my girlfriend." It killed him inside to keep referring to Kimori as his girlfriend after what she had done, but Shizuo needed them both to believe he was still ignorant of all this, though he wasn't supposed to admit he knew that a spirit possessed her.

The girl looked at him, and Shizuo couldn't help but worry. She looked – betrayed. Hadn't it been her idea in the first place to return the box? Or had that been Kimori talking for that moment? The spirit might have lost control for a split second.

"I do indeed," the man's voice brought them back to his attention, and he held out his hands. "I will help you. Give me the box, and I'll drive the spirit out of your girlfriend. I won't even notify the police that she stole from me."

Shizuo blinked in surprise; how oddly kind of him. He frowned slightly when he pulled the box out of reach for a moment. "One more thing. If this was so dangerous and you knew there was a vengeful spirit in here, why keep it out in the open for it to be ignorantly taken?"

Roji chuckled, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly. "Izaya might tell you. I'm not as young as I used to be. I didn't even know I had such valuable items in the shop." He tapped the shelf behind him, and Shizuo glanced at the samurai. "Had no idea it was worth that much. Perhaps I've been here too long."

Shizuo relaxed.

"To be honest, I thought my story was nothing but a myth until Izaya came to me and convinced me otherwise. That's why I didn't feel the need to lock it away even though it wasn't for sale. Of course, that could be put down to old age too." Roji laughed lightly and held his hands out again. "I don't know a great deal about the seal, but I'm positive I can help."

Shizuo nodded and held out the box to the old man.

"Don't give him the box!"

All three turned their attention to the doorway of the gift shop. Shizuo tilted his head in confusion, and his hand retracted slightly. "Kadota, what are you doing here? I thought you were with Izaya?" Shizuo stepped forward, expressing concern. "Is he alright?"

Kadota frowned. "No, he's not. He's got a lot worse."

Shizuo's eyes widened. "Where is he?"

"In the car. He was unconscious when I left, but before that, he told me to come and make sure you don't give him that box."

Shizuo looked at the item in his hand and back to Kadota. "Why?"

"Izaya is sick because of a curse from a crystal given to him and it made him ill. The reason Izaya is so sick is because of him." Kadota pointed at the old man, and Shizuo turned to face him with shock. "He gave Izaya the crystal to stop him from finding out the truth, and was probably hoping it would kill him. Shinra went to his apartment to destroy it because Izaya said that by smashing it, it'll lift the curse or something, if-"

Shizuo turned back to face him, anger rising. "If what!"

Kadota frowned in concern. "If it's not too late."

Shizuo felt his chest tighten; too late? What the hell was he saying? Could Izaya – could he die? Shizuo shook his head. No, the raven couldn't die. Suddenly, what Kadota said caught up with him. "The truth about what?"

Before Kadota could reply, the girl stood in front of Shizuo, glaring at Kadota. "I don't care if you want to seal me away! You won't harm him!"

Shizuo blinked in confusion; he was lost now and didn't know what to believe. Kadota walked forward, hands out in front of him. "We don't want to seal you away. We're here to help, and we know the truth. We know what he did to you."

"Who did what?" Shizuo was getting angry and turned to the old man. He didn't know all the details, but his instincts told him all he needed to know about this man. "If he dies, I will kill you." Shizuo gritted his teeth and grabbed hold of the man's shirt. "You bastard, what have you done to him!"

Roji looked at him with fear and shook his head. "I haven't done anything. The spirit is the cause of his illness, not me."

Kadota reached the girl and grabbed her wrist. "We're here to help."

The girl's eyes flashed angrily, and she shoved against him. "No one will harm him!" Shizuo whipped around and ran over to his friend when Kadota was flung into a display shelf.

"Kadota!"

….

Shinra rushed into the apartment; it took him longer than he thought to find the damn place, and he prayed to God he wasn't too late. "Crystal, crystal…. where are you, damn it. Izaya, you could have told me where it-" Shinra's eyes lit up when he saw something glinting in the sunlight. "Yes!" He grabbed the crystal from the window seal and, with all his strength, raised it above his head and threw it to the floor.

The crystal shattered as though it was glass, and fragments scattered across the floor: some small, some large. Shinra just hoped it was enough to stop the curse from taking his friend away from them.

…..

Roji grinned down at the fallen box and laughed as he held it firmly in his grip. He looked at the girl with a manic glint in his eye. "My dear Keiko, it's so good to see you again. We shall be together forever. I won't let you out of my sight again, I promise."

Shizuo looked at Kadota when the teen stood up, and the blond followed suit. "Kadota, what the hell is going on?"

"We have to stop him from using that seal." Kadota quickly explained to Shizuo the real story but wondered if they were too late.

Roji opened the box and swiped his hand through the air. "Shisha no seirei, koko de watashi wa anata o shōkan shi, watashi o odokasu seishin o tojikome, kanojo ga kaku katachi o fūin shimasu." (Holy spirits of the dead, here I summon thee, entrap the spirit that threatens me and seal away the form she portrays.) Roji repeated this several times before he realized it wasn't working. "What is happening! That seal worked before!" He looked at the box and then at the girl. "What have you done to it!" The man tried repeating the same mantra again.

"Na man Kusa na maan basu ah don sin ah ma sa oro ta ra atah ka maan-"

The old man looked behind the woman, and his eyes widened. "You!"

Shizuo and Kadota glanced over, gasping in surprise. A glow of spiritual energy cast around Izaya as he chanted. "Izaya – what the-" Shizuo didn't know what was happening, but whatever Izaya was doing had stopped the seal from working. Izaya's breathing became heavy, and he collapsed to his knees, the glow of his mantra energy disappearing. "Izaya!"

Kadota frowned in annoyance. Shinra might have made it in time, but Izaya was still incredibly weak, and to try something like that while recovering was the most idiotic idea he had been witness to. "Izaya, are you okay?"

Izaya shook his head and looked up at the girl and the old man. She frowned at him and ran toward him. Izaya stumbled to his feet. "I'm not a threat! I know the truth! I'm not going to harm him because I would never do that…. I – I care about him just as much as you…. take a good look. He's not the man you fell for…." The girl stopped in front of him before she swiped a hand across the air. Izaya was knocked off his feet, but he pushed himself up, struggling to move. "Just look…. it's not him…. and - and the man who trapped you and forced you to stay with him is right there. He's the threat, and he took you away from the one you loved…."

The girl froze and slowly turned to look at Shizuo. The blond stared at her, stopping his attempts to get to Izaya. "It's not you…."

Shizuo didn't reply because he didn't want to get her upset when she was so close to Izaya.

"Keiko," Izaya spoke softly as he got to his feet. "I promise…. I will protect him. You don't have to worry anymore…. he's – he's safe now. The one you love is waiting for you, so forget your revenge and be with him…. finally."

Keiko looked at the old man, and her eyes shone with hatred when Roji opened the box again.

Izaya gritted his teeth; he didn't have the strength to perform that mantra again, and it would probably kill him if he tried. Shizuo clenched his fists, wanting nothing more than to smash his fists into that old man's face. He was so angry. He looked at Izaya, wondering if what he had said to Keiko/Kimori was true.

Roji started chanting the seal's words, but before either Izaya or Shizuo could react, a perfectly-placed punch knocked the man off his feet. Both teens stared in surprise. Kadota glared down at Roji, anger flashing in his eyes. "Don't ever mess with my friends. Old man or not, I will beat your ass." He laid eyes on the box and raised his foot above it.

Roji reached out a hand. "No!"

Kadota's foot smashed the box, splitting it in half. "Tsk."

Izaya huffed a laugh and glanced over at Shizuo when he noticed the blond's gaze on him and gave him a brief smile.

Shizuo sighed; damn, he almost lost the flea – he'd never been so terrified.

Their attention was pulled back to the girl. Izaya looked at her when she smiled and said, "Thank you." Izaya looked up toward the ceiling when a dark blue aura lifted from Kimori's body and disappeared. Kimori was left frozen on her feet, and Izaya wondered how she was standing.

Roji stood up quickly. "You can't have her! Keiko is mine, and if I can't have her, no one can!"

Izaya's eyes widened at the sight of a gun. The same one as before. Izaya froze as if consumed by the memories from his dream. He tried to say something and shout that the spirit had left already and only Kimori remained, but he couldn't speak or move his legs. His body was exhausted and – and then –

The sound of the gunshot snapped him out of it. He dashed forward and skidded on his knees in front of Kimori, grasping at Shizuo's shirt. The sound of the blond's name tore from his lips in a cry of anguish, Kadota on the other side of him, reaching for his phone to call an ambulance.

Kimori could only watch in confusion and horror at the sight before her feet.

Tears fell from Izaya's eyes as he pressed his hands to Shizuo's chest. "Don't die…. stay with us…. Shizu-chan…" Izaya screwed his eyes shut. "Shizuo!"

…

Kadota looked up from his seat in the waiting room of Taito hospital, and he smiled lightly when Shinra burst through the door in a panic. "I came as fast as I could. Is he – is Shizuo okay?"

Kadota sighed and swiped his hand through his hair. "Dunno, doctors are working on him, not sure how long it's been."

Shinra slumped; when Kadota had called him and tried to explain what happened, his heart sank, and he feared for his friend's life. How the hell had Shizuo got shot? They were paranormal investigators, not superheroes! What was he thinking? Shinra's eyes scanned the waiting room, and he frowned when he didn't see a certain someone there. "Where's Izaya?" Panic flooded him because Kadota hadn't mentioned him, and he didn't even know if smashing the crystal had even worked. "Kadota…. he's okay, isn't he?" Kadota nodded. "Smashing the crystal worked?" Another nod. Shinra huffed and pulled out his phone because the nodded answers hadn't ceased his panic, and a horrifying thought crossed his mind. If Shizuo had been shot and didn't make it, he feared what Izaya would do. "I'm calling him."

Kadota looked up upon hearing this, stood up, and grabbed Shinra's wrist. "Shinra, he's okay… He will be… after the ambulance came, and the police took our statements, he took off."

Shinra frowned. "Where?"

Kadota smiled. "He went home."

….

Mairu and Kururi giggled hysterically as they chased each other through the hall and upstairs. Kyouko shouted after them to calm down from the bottom of the stairs, hand on her hip. She glanced into the living room, half-annoyed that Shirou hadn't said anything and wasn't helping. She rolled her eyes and was about to continue prepping dinner when the doorbell rang. Sighing, she adjusted her apron and unlocked the door, sliding the bolt across and opening it. A gasp escaped her lips, and she dropped the kitchen utensil.

Izaya looked up at her, chewing his lip, eyes red, and tears clouding his vision. He tried to smile, but his heart wouldn't allow it. He was shocked by Shizuo's accident and didn't know where else to go. "I – I'd like to come home now…."

Kyouko's eyes watered, and she dashed forward. Izaya gasped in surprise when her arms wrapped around him tightly. "Oh, sweetheart, I've missed you so much…."

Izaya wrapped his arms around her and buried his face in her shoulder, sobbing lightly, but he didn't care. "I'm sorry about what I said…. I'm so sorry…."

"Shhh, it's okay. It's okay." She pulled back and wiped his tears with her apron, and she smiled sadly at him. "We heard about Shizuo. Do you know if he'll be okay?"

Izaya hadn't even gone with them in the ambulance, and he didn't even know if Shizuo was alive! Izaya clenched his fists. "I don't know…. I just – I couldn't… see him like that…." Kyouko pulled him in for another hug when she noticed Izaya couldn't stop himself from crying.

"He'll be okay, you'll see…." She turned her head and led Izaya into the living room.

Shirou turned his attention halfway from the television to the doorway. "Who was at the-" his mouth fell open, his attention now fully asserted on the person beside his wife. "door… Izaya, that's you, right?"

Izaya nodded, still shaking slightly, and stepped into the room. "I want to come home…."

Shirou smiled brightly and quickly stood up, his arms rising to embrace Izaya tightly. "We missed you! I'm so happy to see you."

Izaya wrapped one arm around his dad's back, not expecting to be welcomed back so quickly and openly. "I'm sorry."

Shirou shook his head and pulled back, clapping a hand on Izaya's shoulder. "We're the ones who should apologize. We should have told you sooner, but we were just trying to protect you."

Izaya frowned lightly; he still couldn't forget what they said, but he understood why they kept it from him. "I just – I just didn't know where to go…."

Shirou placed his hand on Izaya's head. "You're home, and that's all that matters."

Kyouko smiled and turned for the hall. "I'll call the girls."

Izaya turned around and stopped her. "It's okay, I'll go up and see them."

Mairu and Kururi were in their room, laughing as they jumped up and down on the bed. Izaya stood in the doorway to watch for a minute. He had missed his sisters so much and couldn't help but think they looked slightly older.

"Mairu, we shouldn't touch the floor, it's poison water!" Kururi made a face and pointed to the carpet.

Mairu nodded enthusiastically, happy to play along. "Okay!"

"I guess you need someone to get you across to the other bed then."

The girls immediately stopped jumping on the bed and froze in their movements, looking toward the one who spoke, instantly recognizing their brother's voice. They both hurried off the bed and ran into Izaya's arms. "Iza-nii!"

Izaya bent down and wrapped his arms around them, pulling them close. The twins sobbed against his chest, and Izaya felt his heart clench, guilty for leaving them the way he did. "Shhh, I'm here. It's okay, don't cry…."

"We missed you loads!" Mairu gripped the back of his shirt and tried her best to sit on his knee.

Kururi looked up at him through her tears. "Iza-nii coming home?"

Izaya smiled at her and nodded. "I'm coming home…."

…

Five weeks later.

Shizuo chuckled lightly when he was handed cards, presents, and, oddly enough, flowers. He guessed they were probably from a girl at their school or one of his friend's parents. Shizuo's recovery had been slow, and he had been unconscious for a few weeks since the operation and spent the last two examined and monitored. He rarely had visitors due to the heightened circumstances of his injuries, but his friends had come by when they could. This was the first time he could have full visits, and he was overwhelmed by the happiness that he was okay. The gifts and cards received weren't what he expected, and he couldn't help but feel so grateful. Even though Shinra and Kadota were talking to him as much as possible, there was someone he wanted to see but always seemed absent whenever they dropped by. He glanced over at the table beside the window of his room to a square-shaped box. "Who's that from?" He was sure he'd opened all the gifts.

Shinra smiled slightly, retrieved the item, handed it to Shizuo, and said, "It's from Izaya. He dropped it off about an hour ago."

Shizuo blinked in surprise. "He was here?"

Shinra nodded, his expression solemn. "He didn't want to come in, but told me to give this to you and tell you that he's sorry."

Shizuo frowned, staring at the gift wrapped in plain blue paper. "Could have just said that himself. He's still running away."

Kadota sighed because he understood why Shizuo was pissed. After what had happened, Izaya owed Shizuo a face-to-face apology, and the two seriously needed to talk, but he could also see Izaya's point of view and knew the raven blamed himself. "He'll come around. Just give him time. He was pretty shaken up."

Shizuo didn't want to get angry and just wanted to see him, talk to him, and tell him how glad he was that he was okay. Shizuo took the wrapping between his fingers, tore it off the box, lifted the lid, and peered inside. A small gasp escaped his lips, and his two friends tilted their heads, a questioning gaze on their faces. Shizuo pulled the item out of its box and revealed the Samurai figurine from the museum's gift store. "I can't believe he – how did he know?"

Kadota chuckled. "He probably overheard and saw you look at this one from the field trip. The owner went to jail, but they replaced him."

Shizuo looked at the figurine in awe, his fingers tracing its detail delicately. Izaya.

A knock on the door brought their attention toward it, and Shizuo frowned. She was not who he wanted to see. Kimori stood by the door's entrance, looking at him with a somewhat shameful expression on her face. Shinra and Kadota stood up and allowed the two some privacy. The blond placed the Samurai carefully on his nightstand and glared over at her. "I don't have anything to say to you."

Kimori flinched at his tone. "I just – I know what I did was wrong, and I'm truly sorry-"

"Are you?" Shizuo clenched a fist. "I don't believe a single thing that comes out of your mouth anymore."

Kimori nodded, understanding why he said that. "I just came by to see if you were okay, and – and to thank you for saving me. Izaya explained some things that had happened because I couldn't remember even going to that store with you."

Shizuo looked at her in mild surprise, and some of his anger faded. "Izaya did?"

"He did. He hates my guts, and yet he still wanted to keep me safe. I just wanted to thank you." She turned for the door.

"I had fun too," Shizuo gritted out, but he meant them. Kimori turned to him with surprise. "Before all the shit you pulled, I had fun, and it might have worked out."

Kimori smiled and shook her head. "I know you never stopped caring about him deep down, and he never stopped caring about you either. Whatever happened between you two, I'm sorry for my part in it."

Shizuo snorted, still not believing she really was sorry, and yet – "Izaya wasn't completely innocent in all this. He screwed up first, a lot."

Kimori shrugged. "Anyway, I'm glad you're okay. See you around, Shizuo."

Shizuo nodded, and she left. He glanced over at the Samurai and sighed, hoping Izaya came by soon.

…..

Three weeks later.

Shinra and Kadota were standing by the desks of their homeroom window. It was their first day back after summer vacation, and yet – it would never be the same again. Shinra sighed sadly, chewing his lip while looking at Kadota, who hadn't said anything since they'd arrived. "Should we have gone with him?"

Kadota shook his head. "I don't think he's the type for mushy goodbyes."

"I'm going to miss him."

"We all are."

Izaya stepped into the classroom and quickly located his friends. He looked around the room for the other and frowned when he couldn't see him anywhere. Shrugging, he walked up to the other two with a small grin, and they looked at him with raised eyebrows. "What?" Shinra shook his head, but he frowned slightly, wondering why Izaya could grin like that right now. "Shizu-chan forgot about school starting up?" Kadota and Shinra gaped at him before sharing a concerned glance. Izaya frowned at their silence and began to worry. "You said he recovered, right?"

Kadota nodded, but he had a feeling Izaya didn't know. "He's fine."

Izaya clenched his fist. "Then what aren't you telling me."

Shinra couldn't believe it. He really doesn't know. "Izaya, did he not tell you?"

Izaya's heart sped up. "Tell me what?"

Kadota spoke next, slightly annoyed, knowing Shizuo had tried to contact Izaya several times in the last week to tell him. "Izaya, he's leaving."

Izaya's eyes widened, and he fell back against the desk behind him. "What…?"

"He tried to call you. He's been called home. His brother came to see him and said his father is ill, and he wants Shizuo to take responsibility of the shrine, or something like that."

Izaya's hands shook as they gripped the desk. Shizuo couldn't leave him. Izaya frowned. "When?"

Kadota blinked. "Huh?"

Izaya became angry. "When does he leave!"

Kadota gritted his teeth. "Soon, about half hour I think. He's already at the train station."

Izaya turned to run for the door but was grabbed by Kadota. "Let go! I have to stop him!"

Kadota grabbed him by the shirt and pulled him back. "And say what! Sorry I didn't come to visit, sorry I was such an asshole before, for always hiding away and breaking your heart! For fucksake, Izaya, if you really care about him then you better be prepared to admit it because if you can't deal with this without hiding away all the time then going after him is pointless!"

Izaya's anger disappeared, and he was left feeling small. He clenched his fists. "I'm not – I'm not going to hide away. I don't want him to leave, but – I need to tell him myself. I have to stop him and try. That's all I can do."

Kadota let him go and sighed heavily. "Okay, I'll drive you."

Izaya looked up at him in surprise. "You will?"

"Just don't screw it up."

Izaya grinned. "I won't." He looked over at Shinra, and his grin disappeared and was replaced by guilt. "Shinra… I-"

Shinra stepped in front of him and smiled. "It's okay, Izaya. I'll be okay. I'll move on, but I know that if Shizuo leaves, you won't, so go after him, and forgodsake tell him how you feel, okay?" Izaya nodded and wrapped his arms around his best friend. Shinra smiled sadly unseen and pushed the raven back. "Hurry up."

…..

~ The next train arriving at Ikebukuro station will arrive in ten minutes, please stand clear of the yellow line, and we hope you enjoy your travel. ~

Shizuo looked at his watch and glanced up at the scheduled times. He pulled his phone out and stared at Izaya's number. His thumb hovered over the delete button, something he had debated for the last few hours. He shifted his case onto his other shoulder, standing by the wall as he waited for his train. Shizuo didn't want to leave; he had made progress here, had friends, and fell in love, but he couldn't stay around him knowing how he felt. Shizuo came from a shrine temple, and even despite what his parents had done, it was still his responsibility as their son, wasn't it?

~ The next train arriving at Ikebukuro station will arrive in five minutes, please stand clear of the yellow line, and we hope you enjoy your travel.

Shizuo pushed off the wall, and just as he prepared to wait in line with the other passengers –

"Shizuo!"

Shizuo turned his head and spun around, his eyes widening at the person running toward him. "Izaya?" Izaya ran toward him and stopped abruptly, frowning and breathing heavily. "What the hell are you doing here?"

Izaya grabbed his arm. "Stopping you from making the biggest mistake of your life!"

Shizuo yanked his arm away. "The biggest mistake! You think this is the biggest mistake! You want to know just what that is! The biggest mistake of my life was telling you I loved you!"

Izaya stepped back, clenching his fists, and a sorrowed expression appeared on his face. "You can't leave…."

"Oh, I can't!? You just decide this now? I've tried several times to talk to you. I wanted to tell you! I wanted to get you back, but as usual you didn't want to listen – you hid away, again!"

Izaya bit his lip, frowning up at the blond, eyes glistening. "I know! I know that! I – I can't change any of that now, but I'm here and-"

"It's too fucking late, Izaya! You can't just – I don't know how to deal with you anymore, and it hurts me that I can't help you because I always get angry, and I can't stay with you because you don't know how to accept what I feel." Shizuo's eyes clouded over as the two stared at one another.

"Why are you leaving anyway! Because of me, is that all it is?"

Shizuo clenched his fists. "You're the main reason, and I have a responsibility to my parents."

Izaya glared at him. "Like hell you do! They don't give a shit about you! You're a tool to them! What they did to you was unforgivable, and I can't let you go back to that! You belong here with us. They don't need you. We do – I do…."

Shizuo's anger faded slightly, his fists unclenching. "Izaya, give me one good reason I should stay."

Izaya looked at him and opened his mouth. The words were on the tip of his tongue. "I-" Suddenly, his throat closed, and he couldn't find it in himself to talk anymore. Why was this so hard? Why was it always this hard for him? Izaya knew what he felt now, knew what he wanted to say, but – he just couldn't.

Shizuo sighed and gripped his bag tighter. "Yeah, that's what I thought… goodbye, Izaya."

There was a whoosh of wind whipping past them as the train screeched to a stop.

~ The train has now arrived. Please step carefully when boarding the train and have your ticket ready for inspection upon seating. Enjoy your travel.

Izaya stared in disbelief when Shizuo turned away from him and watched as the blond stepped beside the other passengers. "Shizu-chan…. don't leave." Izaya's vision clouded before clearing as tears fell down his cheeks. "Shizuo!" Shizuo stepped onto the platform, two people away from boarding. Izaya's breathing quickened, and he stared at the ground, willing himself to fucking open his mouth and say something before he really was too late. How could he allow Shizuo to go like this? He wouldn't be coming back and would leave without knowing how he really felt.

Kadota watched from the van but wouldn't intervene because Izaya had to do this himself. He knew how hard it was for him. Izaya was so stubborn and so afraid of letting people in, but Shizuo wasn't just anybody now, and Kadota knew the truth about how he felt. Dammit, Izaya, just say it. Say it!

Izaya frowned; he needed Shizuo with him and wanted him to stay. He cared about him more than anyone before. Shizuo protected him in so many unexplained ways, and Izaya had found his equal. Shizuo balanced him in a completely different way to Shinra. I need him. Izaya looked up and shouted, "Shizu-chan! I love you!"

Whoosh!

Izaya felt like his heart had just ripped out of his chest, taken by the train as it left the station.

He was too late.

Izaya clenched his fists, tears falling down his face, and he wiped them away angrily. He swiftly turned around and ran, leaving Kadota to stare after him.

The teen looked at his friend from the van, his heart aching for him. "Shit."

….

Izaya couldn't face going back to school to Shinra's sympathetic expressions. He had walked around the city for an hour to clear his head and decided to just go home and shamefully cry himself to sleep. His parents were at work by now, and his sisters were at school, so he'd have no interruptions.

Izaya unlocked the door and toed off his shoes, feeling heavy as he ascended the stairs, still wiping away stray tears from his eyes.

He pushed open the door to his bedroom with a sigh and froze.

A choked sob rose in his throat. "Shizu-chan…?" Shizuo smiled at him from the bed. Izaya couldn't quite understand how this was possible. "I thought – I thought you left…."

Shizuo stood up and walked toward him. "I did, but I heard you at the last second. I got on the train and quickly left again out the other side. You didn't see me, so Kadota drove me here. Your mother let me in before she left for work."

Izaya couldn't believe it. Shizuo was standing in front of him and – and he was suddenly unable to move. "You heard me…."

Shizuo nodded and smiled when he pulled Izaya to him. "I did."

"Shizu-chan…. I'm – I'm sorry…. I didn't mean-"

Shizuo pressed his finger to Izaya's lips and replaced it with his own. Izaya gasped against the kiss and wrapped his arms around the blond's neck. The kiss grew deeper, and Izaya kicked the door shut before they stumbled backward and fell onto the bed. They removed their jackets quickly, and Izaya scooted up the bed, pulling Shizuo with him. Shizuo's mouth was on his in a second, his tongue darting out, and Izaya moaned, opening his mouth to allow Shizuo's tongue to massage his own. Shizuo's mouth left him to trail kisses down his neck, his hands coming up under his shirt to caress his stomach and sides. The blond picked at the fabric and gently pulled it over Izaya's head. Izaya grinned up at him and pulled him down for another kiss. Shizuo leaned up and took his own shirt off. Izaya's hands came up and slid over his stomach.

Shizuo's mouth came back to kiss him and gently nipped down Izaya's neck. Izaya let out an appreciative moan when Shizuo's tongue licked over his chest. Shizuo pulled away, and Izaya looked up at him through half-lidded eyes, tilting his head in confusion. "What's wrong, Shizu-chan?"

Shizuo almost blushed when he spoke his next words, but it felt right, so he shouldn't be embarrassed. "I'm ready to – if you want to…."

Izaya smiled knowingly. "Me too." Shizuo leaned down and captured his lips before continuing where he left off, and his tongue pushed against Izaya's nipple and took it in his mouth. Izaya arched when the blond sucked and moved to give the other the same treatment. The raven moaned loudly when he grew hard and felt Shizuo's equally hard member against his leg. Izaya reached for Shizuo's belt and quickly unbuckled it. Shizuo shimmied his legs and kicked off the fabric. "I want to feel you against me, Shizu-chan." His boxers were also removed in haste, smiling at Izaya before proceeding to help with his.

Shizuo removed Izaya's pants and boxers, releasing him from his restrictions. Izaya gasped when he felt Shizuo press himself against him, and his hands came around to clutch at his back. Shizuo kissed his lips, licked his nipples, and then one hand slid down to wrap around Izaya's hard cock. Izaya arched off the bed, moaning loudly at the sudden touch of his sensitive area. "Izaya… I don't really know what I'm doing…."

Izaya chuckled lightly at the bad timing of Shizuo's admittance. "Me either…., but we'll work it out together, okay?"

Shizuo nodded and continued to stroke Izaya at a slow pace, and the raven moaned again, leaning forward to kiss Shizuo's shoulder blade, gently biting and sucking it. He did it again against the crook of his neck, and Shizuo groaned low. Izaya pulled him in and captured his lips before taking Shizuo's other hand. Shizuo watched curiously when Izaya kissed the tips of his two fingers before closing his mouth over them. Shizuo gasped quietly at the sensation. He didn't want to hurt Izaya but knew their first time would be difficult, and the thought of causing him any pain was unnerving. Yet, when he watched Izaya suck on his fingers, producing as much saliva as possible, he couldn't help but tense in excitement. The raven looked so – fucking – hot and just so confident, with absolutely no doubt in his facial expressions. Izaya took the fingers out and gave him a small grin before kissing him.

"I trust you, Shizu-chan. Make me moan in pleasure."

Shizuo's cock throbbed at Izaya's bold words; did he not worry about the pain it might cause? "Damn it, Izaya…." Shizuo breathed a sigh when Izaya lifted his leg up over his shoulder. Shizuo took his coated fingers and brought them to Izaya's entrance.

"One at a time…. okay?"

Shizuo nodded and slid his index finger in first, surprised at the tightness, yet he slid it to his knuckle. Izaya gasped and clutched at Shizuo's shoulders. Shizuo looked at him for any signs of pain as he slid the finger in and out. There were no traces of pain in Izaya's expression, just moans of pleasure. "I'm gonna add a second finger…." Izaya nodded, and Shizuo took that as consent, pulled his index finger back, and slipped in his second. Izaya arched, and a loud moan escaped him. His fingers dug into Shizuo's skin when the blond's own filled him. "Izaya…. are you okay?"

Izaya's breathing wasn't heavy, but he panted and coaxed Shizuo to move his fingers like before. "More…"

Shizuo pushed his fingers in and out, right to the knuckle and back out. He did this several times before opening them and scissoring inside him, widening Izaya's entrance. The raven gasped in pleasure, no cares for his loudness. Shizuo suddenly felt something, and he dared to push against it and curl his fingers slightly.

"Ahh!" Izaya could barely contain his cry of pleasure, and Shizuo was so shocked that he pulled his fingers out.

"Shit, Izaya… are you okay? What the hell was that?"

Izaya panted and managed to huff a laugh. "It's okay…. Shizu-chan… you – you found my G-spot…." Izaya grinned at him, though his face was flush. "Good job…. But if I came, I would have been pissed."

Shizuo blinked in surprise and then laughed, shaking his head. "Idiot."

Izaya smiled and wrapped his legs around Shizuo's waist. "I'm ready… Shizu-chan."

Shizuo frowned, not quite believing that was true. "Are you sure? I don't think that's enough…."

Izaya smirked. "Aren't you suddenly full of yourself."

Shizuo growled down at him, though he was blushing now. "That's not what I meant, Izaya!"

Izaya chuckled and leaned forward to kiss him. "I'll be alright. I'm ready, okay?"

Shizuo still wasn't entirely convinced, but the look Izaya gave him told him not to argue. "You'll tell me if it hurts, right?"

Izaya nodded; he wasn't that stupid. "I promise, now, take me, Shizu-chan…." Shizuo shifted down slightly, took his pre-cummed member in his hand, stroked it a few times, and positioned it at Izaya's entrance. "Don't worry so much. It's okay."

Shizuo pushed the head of his cock inside as gently as he could. Izaya winced and clutched his hands around the sheets underneath him. He let out a small whimper of pain when Shizuo pushed his cock further. Izaya pushed against his shoulder for a moment, and Shizuo stopped immediately, looking up to see Izaya's face somewhat pain-filled. "Izaya?"

Izaya swallowed back his sob and released the breath he held. "S'kay…. just, give me a second… hurts…."

Shizuo frowned at him. "Maybe we should stop."

Izaya shook his head; he'd be damned if he let Shizuo back out now. "No…. I'm okay now, just go slow, okay?"

Shizuo nodded and pushed further in, caressing Izaya's legs and lightly stroking him to take his mind off the pain. When Shizuo entered him fully, he waited until Izaya had adjusted, watching him carefully for signs of discomfort. There was some, but not enough to cause massive concern.

Izaya looked up at him, smiling and beckoning Shizuo forward. He gasped when Shizuo leaned over him and moved inside him the slightest bit. Tears sprang to his eyes, but he didn't voice it. Shizuo kissed him softly and wiped away the raven's tears with his thumb. "I love you…."

Izaya smiled at him, legs keeping him close. "I – I love you too…." Shizuo smiled back and gently thrust inside. Izaya winced for a moment, but Shizuo was gentle and slow. The blond lifted Izaya's leg slightly and pushed inside him again, still slowly, and after a few more thrusts, Izaya's pain ebbed away. "Shizu-chan…. feels good…."

Shizuo grunted and pushed back. "Izaya…. so…. tight…. so good."

Izaya kissed him, and his tongue licked across his lips. Shizuo granted him access and continued to thrust into him. Izaya moved his lips to Shizuo's ear and whispered, "A little faster… make me feel that pleasure again."

Shizuo raised himself upon his palms and thrust his hips, taking Izaya deeper. Izaya cried out in pleasure and pain and fisted the sheets when Shizuo moved faster. "Izaya…. are you – are you okay?"

Izaya bit his lip when Shizuo took him again and again, slowly and then fast, softly and then harder. He couldn't focus, becoming overwhelmed by Shizuo's movements' abrupt changes. "Shit…. fuck…. Ahh!"

Shizuo shifted slightly and pulled out halfway before pushing back inside, and Izaya couldn't stop the cry of pleasure from escaping him when Shizuo hit that same spot from before. It drove him crazy, and he gasped loudly and raked his nails across Shizuo's back when the blond continued to thrust against it. Izaya's mind clouded over, and nothing but pleasure assaulted his body now. "Izaya, I – I think I'm close…."

Izaya gritted his teeth. "Touch me… take me harder…. make me come…. Shizu-chan." Shizuo thrust harder and began to pound into him, hitting that same place repeatedly. He reached down and wrapped his hand around Izaya's cock and stroked him fast. "Yes! Yes…. that's it…Fuck! I can't – I'm going to come – fuck me!"

Shizuo took him hard and pushed himself deeper when he felt tense and – "Izayaaaa!" He came, hard and fast.

Izaya threw his head back and came with the cry of Shizuo's name on his lips.

Panting heavily, the two collapsed against each other.

Izaya winced when Shizuo pulled out and lay to the side of him. He moved to lean against his elbows; damn, he was sore and could barely move. Maybe we overdid it a little. He flinched at the spots of blood decorating the sheet. We probably did. Izaya shrugged because it had been worth it for such a pleasurable experience. Yes, it hurt, but he knew that first times were supposed to. Izaya shifted and lay his head on Shizuo's chest, listening to his heartbeat as it continued to race. "There's a little blood…. but don't worry, it was to be expected. We just got a little carried away, that's all."

Shizuo's arm wrapped around his small frame, tightening his hold. "Are you sure you're okay?"

Izaya nodded, kissing the blond's chest lightly. "I'm sore, but I'm okay…. that was – pretty amazing."

Shizuo chuckled a little. "It was…."

Izaya shifted up slowly to Shizuo's face and captured his lips softly, tears springing to his eyes again as he said, "I love you…. I'm sorry that it took me so long to realize it…."

Shizuo pulled him close and kissed the top of Izaya's forehead. "I'm sorry I almost left you…."

Izaya grinned at him. "Does that mean you're staying?"

Shizuo rolled his eyes. "After what we just did, you think I'm still gonna leave?" Izaya shrugged, and even though he was joking, he buried his face in the crook of Shizuo's neck. Shizuo embraced him tightly, huffing a laugh. "I'm not leaving. I'm staying right here, where I belong."