Hello everyone! This is a story that's been up on FF . Net for a while, but I have finally gotten back to writing it. And I just wanted to let everyone know that I have changed the story a little bit from its original post, so if you read this beforehand, you might want to reread the first couple chapters to know what I have changed.

Thank you and I hope you enjoy it!

Disclaimer: I do not own Durarara or any of its characters.

Chapter 1- Reunion of Sorts

Beeeeeep.

"Your special guest is here, Orihara."

Izaya sighed at the sound of his secretary's bored voice from his desk phone, knowing that he had specifically told Namie to not drop the honorific from his name and to not call Shiki his "special guest" anymore. But, of course, that woman never listened to him.

"Send him in, Namie," Izaya responded before he let go of the intercom button and spun slightly in his desk chair as he waited for Shiki to enter his office.

Shiki was a man Izaya had known since high school and a man that Izaya greatly respected. And despite being from less than honest origins, Shiki was actually the one who got Izaya into law in the first place, and the one who funded Izaya's education. He was also the first man Izaya had ever slept with, and probably the only man Izaya ever came close to actually 'loving', though that had been some years ago. So in many ways, Shiki was a very important person to him although Izaya would never admit that aloud.

The door to his office creaked open then, breaking Izaya from his train of thought as he turned to greet the aforementioned man. "Ahh, Shiki-san," Izaya smiled as he laced his fingers together and propped up his elbows on his desk, "It's been such a long time."

"It's nice to see you too, Orihara-kun," Shiki's mouth curled up slightly in amusement. He casually surveyed his surroundings before choosing the perfect spot to sit that gave him a wide view of most of the room. While Shiki made himself comfortable, Izaya took a moment to look at the man then.

Despite the fact that Shiki was in his forties, the man could pull off being in his late thirties. He appeared sophisticated in his pressed white suit and button down black shirt that was open a few buttons at the top—his gold chain necklace peeking out—but there was also a dangerous air around Shiki that intimidated others. That was how he commanded attention and maintained his position as a higher up executive in the Awakusu-kai group.

Actually, because Shiki was so high up in the order, Izaya was surprised to see him here. It had been almost half a year since Izaya had last seen Shiki because they both were always so busy with their own schedules, and since ever they had mutually broken off their intimate relationship they met with each other even less than before.

So for Shiki to be here there must be something important he wanted to talk about.

"So what brings you to this side of town, Shiki-san?" Izaya asked as he leaned back in his swivel chair, intertwining his fingers together and giving Shiki a friendly smile.

Shiki paused for a moment before he answered, carefully speaking, "I actually came to ask a favor of you."

"Oh?" Izaya arched a brow in curiosity. Shiki was not a man who usually liked asking others for favors since he didn't like to owe others in return. "This is quite surprising. What kind of favor exactly? I have a reputation to uphold after all."

"It's nothing illegal of course," Shiki snorted at him as he rolled his eyes, thinking how silly it would be to ask a lawyer to do something of that sort. Although Izaya definitely did have the skills to bend the law at his will and not get caught. "I just have a friend who is in need of a good divorce lawyer."

"I see, so what's the catch?" Izaya asked straight out, narrowing his eyes in suspicion. If that was really all Shiki wanted, then a phone call would have sufficed.

Shiki's mouth twitched up in a smile, as if he were expecting Izaya to know that wasn't everything to his request. "Well you see, Orihara-kun, this friend of mine can't really…afford to pay your services."

"You mean you want me to take this client for free?" Izaya's tone was just a bit questioning and upset. Orihara Izaya did not do pro bono. There was just no benefit for him to do such a thing.

"Not entirely for free," Shiki reassured him. "My friend is not the type of person who would allow you to do something for him without repaying you. I'm just asking that you be a bit more lenient when it comes to charging him. And I'll pay you the difference, of course."

Izaya pursed his lips in thought, mulling over the idea in his head. While it sucked that he wouldn't be getting paid his usual rate, he wouldn't really make Shiki pay the difference since he actually owed Shiki much more than that. And it was a male client, something Izaya hadn't had in a while. It would be nice to take on a male client for a change. Who knows, this guy might even end up being some eye candy for Izaya to admire before he decided to have a taste. So perhaps doing this one favor for Shiki wouldn't kill him.

"Alright," Izaya sighed in resignation, giving Shiki a teasing smile. "If you're that desperate for my help, I supposed I should help you out this one time, Shiki-san."

"Gracious as always, Orihara-kun," Shiki smirked before he stood up, straightening his suit as he did so. "I'll make sure to inform my friend that you've accepted his case. When are you available to see him?"

"Hmm," Izaya looked over his calendar, "tomorrow morning at 10 will do."

"Good," Shiki nodded in affirmation before he moved to leave. "I'll let him know you'll see him then. Good day, Orihara-kun."

"Until next time, Shiki-san," Izaya gave a small salute, watching the door close behind Shiki. He wondered just what kind of "friend" of Shiki's this was anyway.

Well, guess he would just have to wait and find out then.

Two damn weeks. It had been two weeks since the wedding and the day that damn bastard left him sitting in a hotel room, naked and alone. Two weeks full of anger, confusion and, embarrassingly, sexual frustration for Heiwajima Shizuo.

Although he hadn't liked the way that guy—Izaya—had just suddenly turned cold and upped and left, Shizuo had to admit that he and Izaya had explosive chemistry together. That night had been some of the best sex Shizuo had in a long time, and, admittedly, he actually kind of liked Izaya despite the outward roughness because Izaya was totally his type. Which was a damn shame since the guy apparently didn't want anything else besides a fuck buddy relationship with Shizuo.

Shizuo was just too much of an honest man to be sex friends with someone. He would always want to be more, so there was no point of putting himself in a position where he couldn't be, even if he really wanted the guy.

"I need to get out more," Shizuo sighed to himself as he finished wiping down the glass he was polishing until it shone crystal clear. He placed the glass back in its proper place on the shelves behind the bar, humming in satisfaction as he backed up to admire his handiwork.

"Nice work," a voice sounded off from behind him. "You always take great care of this bar."

"Thank you, Akabayashi-san," Shizuo greeted with a smile as he watched the red-headed man walk up to the bar and sit down on one of the stools there, his hands folded over each other as it gripped the head of his cane. Shizuo then turned back to the bar, seeing all the bottles and glasses as well as the gloss over the cherry wood of the entire bar shine in the light. "Well, this bar is my livelihood so it would be stupid of me to not take care of it."

"Haha, wise words," Akabayashi nodded in agreement as he turned to face Shizuo, resting his arms on the bar.

Shizuo always wondered how Akabayashi got that scar that ran through his left eye, but he figured it was none of his business and that it was better to not pry. His boss would always just be a mysterious, but good, man. But getting back to the fact that Akabayashi was checking in on him at the end of his shift, Shizuo asked, "Did you need something from me, Akabayashi-san?"

"Actually I have something for you," Akabayashi reached into his pocket as he spoke, handing Shizuo a piece of paper with a map drawn on it. "You remember how I said I have a close friend who knows a good divorce lawyer? Well he told me today that his friend is willing to take your case. You have an appointment with him tomorrow morning at 10. There's a map of how to get to his office."

"Really? That's great!" Shizuo sighed with relief as he gratefully took the map from Akabayashi. "I really don't know how else to thank you, Akabayashi-san."

"No need to thank me," Akabayashi smiled at the blonde as he moved to stand up. "You're a good worker, Heiwajima-san. Now why don't you head on home? It's late, and you've worked past your shift as it is already."

"Ah, yes," Shizuo mumbled with a little embarrassment, quickly gathering his stuff. He always took a little more time than necessary cleaning up the bar after the last customer left, but Akabayashi always made sure to pay him extra for any overtime he did, which he appreciated greatly. Money was hard to come by especially since he would now have to be paying this lawyer for his services.

As Shizuo bid goodbye to Akabayashi and headed home, he thought about his current predicament. He was so relieved that Akabayashi's friend was able to convince his lawyer friend to help Shizuo out.

Because this fight was one Shizuo couldn't afford to lose.

Thank you for reading and reviewing!

-Xaleria