Hey you guys! So I'm alive, yeah. Sorry for the late update, but I hope you'll forgive me with this chapter!
There's our favourite underground doctor entering the scene, along with... SOMETHING XD.
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Disclaimer - I do not own Durarara.
CHAPTER 12 – FLASHBACK CONTINUED
For the first few seconds, there was chaos. People on the street scampered off to the sides of the road, in anticipation of being hurt by a big car landing onto their heads. Traffic had halted abruptly, waiting for the car to hit them, bracing themselves for the impact. People on the pavement held their hands over their head, in a perfect stance for defence. From an attack that never came.
Instead, they looked in wonder as the car flew to the side of the road. No kidding, it actually flew. Like, it wobbled a bit in air, like someone was manipulating its motion, and was having difficulty in doing so, but nonetheless there was some blessed soul doing it. And as they looked around with silent prayers in their eyes, the car being gently lowered onto the side of the road, very few noticed the girl with red hair trudging up to the alley where she came from with great effort, ultimately falling unconscious. They did, however notice the blonde brute rush to her side like a concerned friend (boyfriend?) holding her in his arms and checking for her breathing. They wanted to act as good Samaritans and help, but fear of the monster kept them away.
No one noticed the young man in black hair and drooping red eyes skip away from the scene, a sadistic smile on his pale face.
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"Look, young man, I'm sure she'll be okay. I'm a doctor, and I've seen this before – she's fainted from exhaustion. Believe me when I say it isn't really such a big deal – kids nowadays should eat properly, that's all. Take care!"
Saying thus, the doctor brusquely moved past Shizuo towards another patient. Shizuo, on one hand, was relieved – she'd be okay. He let out a long breath which he hadn't realized he'd been holding all that while, and sank onto the hospital chair. He looked at Natasha's pale form on the hospital bed, and true to the doctor's words –could see some colour returning to her cheeks. She's gonna be okay, he repeated the doctor's words in his mind – she's gonna be just fine.
On the other hand, there was guilt. He had caused her to be lying like this in the hospital. True, he hadn't hit her or anything, but he was going to hit Izaya, and she had gotten in the way.
What if she wasn't in the way? What if he was? She was the one who starting running behind Izaya first, and he had started chasing the bastard because he'd pissed him off badly. What if she wanted to talk to him about what she had been rummaging in his bag one week ago?
Once again, Shizuo had screwed up. In his attempt to get back at the flea, he'd hurt the one person who accepted him for what he was, monster and all. He didn't deserve her, not one bit. He thought of leaving. Obviously when she got up, she would not want to meet the person who got her into this predicament in the first place.
He was about to get up, and that moment the door swung open, revealing a young high school student with spiky hair and glasses. Shizuo sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. He'd told him about Natasha's symptoms when she'd collapsed, and it was the young doctor-in-training who'd suggested getting her to a hospital. For the sake of his own sanity, Shizuo had pleaded him not to come, seeing as he was not in any condition to deal with the latter's constant inane chatter, but now the cards had been played.
Natasha chose this moment to starting stirring, and opened her eyes a bit. "Shizuo," she breathed, and with a slight smile, continued, "You're alright."
Shizuo was about to apologize for his actions, when Shinra spoke up. "So you're Tasha-chan! I heard from Shizuo you collapsed at the busy intersection! How are you?" He peered worriedly at her through his glasses.
Natasha tried to recall where she'd seen the overenthusiastic individual. She pictured him in the Raira High school uniform, and remembered – he was Shizuo's friend from the next class, who used to eat lunch with him sometimes. But she also remembered seeing him hang out with Izaya after school one day. She frowned. Just who was this guy?
Shinra realized her confusion, seeing as he had never really introduced himself to her. "Ah! My apologies! My name is Shinra Kishitani. I'm from the next class to yours at Raira, and I'm also a senior like you. Shizuo's friend. I'm also studying medicine to become a doctor, which is why Shizuo called me up about your symptoms. Well, you simply collapsed from exhaustion. Haven't you been eating well? Or are you exerting yourself too hard?" Shinra stated the whole thing in a rather enthusiastic tone, which Natasha appreciated. Well, he's Shizuo's friend. Seems easy enough to talk to too. And judging by his ease at sitting next to a tense Shizuo, who was twitching his eyebrow in annoyance, she realized he wasn't afraid of him either.
"Um, thank you Shinra. I really appreciate it. But I'm fine now." She was lying, and she knew it. Her head was still throbbing, and she still felt weak in her legs. But she couldn't stay in a hospital, she needed to leave as soon as possible, before somebody suspected something, or Yagiri's spies alerted him. Or that bastard had done a clean job, thinking of Izaya.
"No way, Tasha-chan! You need to rest!"
"I appreciate your concern, but I really need to go." Answered Natasha curtly. Shizuo raised an eyebrow in interest. So she was the polite type in general, but had her priorities in life, where she wouldn't let people simply walk over her. She didn't want to stay in the hospital – and Shizuo wasn't dumb. He understood. He recalled all those times wherein when younger, he'd spend days in the hospital, with people in white coming and prodding him with needles and syringes, wanting to know how did his body function, even with so many broken bones. She was the same as him, he realized. She didn't want them to know about her abilities.
Shizuo understood her concern and put a hand on Shinra's shoulder, silencing him with a look. He then nodded at Natasha, and said, "Tell them we're leaving."
Shinra was a bit confused by her insistence to leave earlier, but looking at Shizuo, he saw something he never thought he'd see in the man. Empathy. Like he understood Natasha's condition in a way he hadn't, and probably never would. Shinra decided he'd question him later, but he sure would. For now, he'd just go along with the flow. He smiled at Shizuo, and walked to the door.
"But the payment?! Ah, here, my mother's number –"
"There's no need! When I came I had asked them to bill your treatment on my tab. I'm interning at this hospital as a ward boy, for future experience. Anyway, nice knowing you Tasha-chan! See you!"
"But –"
"Natasha," using her full name since he'd entered, he said, "You're a friend of Shizuo's, and therefore a friend of mine. I'd be happy to help you out this one time, but do try keeping this fainting fits to a minimum!" he said with his trademark grin, and left.
Shizuo glanced at her, and said gruffly, "You're coming?"
"Ah, yeah!"
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"So Shinra didn't come with us?" asked Natasha, wobbling on the crutches the hospital had given her to walk home. Shizuo was walking beside her, purposely taking shorter strides so that she could keep up. He was facing away from her, trying to hide the pink on his cheeks after that brief conversation he'd had with Shinra earlier while Natasha was getting used to her crutches, and it took every ounce of his super strength converted to will power NOT to punch Shinra into the nearest wall.
Ah Shizuo! She's a girl! A very pretty girl! Your to-be girlfriend! Shizuo, I'm so happy I think I'm gonna cry. Very conveniently avoiding Shizuo's glare, he continued, You should definitely walk her home! Oh, and kiss her! You should do that! That's the first girl you've ever spoken to right? And by the looks of it, I don't think you're gonna find anyone else! I know love at first sight, this is what it is! Just like my beloved Celt-
And then Shinra lay there unconscious. Who knew a flick to the forehead could cause so much damage?
Remembering the incident, Shizuo replied, "Nah. Said he had some work to do at the hospital."
"Oh."
The rest of the journey continued in silence. For a while, at least.
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The wind had become fierce, and the sky was overcast with grey clouds. "It's gonna rain," said Shizuo to no one in particular.
"Looks like it."
They continued walking hurriedly. Or at least Shizuo did, Natasha struggled to keep up with her crutches.
Tack tack tack. Came the sound of crutches on the footpath.
When the first drops of rain fell, Shizuo looked to his side to see how Natasha was holding up. He turned to his right to see an empty grey pavement. He looked behind, and realized that in his attempts to take long strides, he'd forgotten she was on crutches and was at least a good hundred feet behind him. He cursed himself for not realizing that sooner. Damn it. She's not in any condition to walk very fast. I'm such an idiot.
He stalked back the remaining distance and stood in front of her. By then, the rain had started falling heavily, and heavy droplets of water were falling on their faces, soaking their hair and clothes.
Shizuo turned around, and knelt down, gesturing with his arms. "Climb on, I'll carry you home. You're in no condition to be walking in this weather."
"HUH? You want me to climb on?" asked Natasha, red-faced. As in a piggyback? She was wearing a skirt, for heaven's sake!
But Shizuo was unperturbed. "Look, you're really in no condition to be walking when it's raining so hard. Your crutches are useless. Might as well carry you home. It'll be no effort for me." He said in his usual gruff manner.
"Umm… okay?"
Saying so, she climbed onto Shizuo's back gingerly, as he hoisted her up. Thankfully her skirt was long enough to not cause an embarrassing scene, and true to his word, it was really no effort on Shizuo's part. The guy could lift cars and signboards, why would he have any issues with lifting her?
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There was silence for a while, and then Shizuo decided to break it.
"So why'd you come to Ikebukuro?"
Natasha raised her head. "Hmm?"
"You know, from Dublin?"
Natasha stayed silent for a while. Shizuo did not speak further, allowing the silence to drag further.
He's been nothing but supportive all this time. He knew what I was, yet stayed by my side the whole time. He could've gone and alerted the authorities, but he didn't. Not to mention, he's the same as me. I'm sure he'll understand if I told him, and I do trust him. It's just…. I don't want to involve him. He's a good person, with a good family.
And even then…. Something calls me from within and wants me to trust him. I want to lay my guard down around him, and behave like any high school girl, who isn't being chased by pharmaceutical companies and the like. I want to be accepted for who I am, as a person, and not simply by my abilities.
Thinking thus, she decided to talk.
"I'm originally from Ireland, you probably already know that. I came to Tokyo after my father died. He was a researcher associated with Yagiri Pharmaceuticals, and was actually working on the mutant genome, wanting to find a cure for my… condition. When he died, the company said that they had collected a lot of data from my father's researches, but wanted to examine me, and my abilities, before they did anything."
"… A cure?" asked Shizuo, confused. He stopped entirely in the middle of the pavement, rain drenching them from head to toe.
"Ummm… Shizuo? You can put me down, it's okay," said Natasha quietly, not understanding why Shizuo had stopped. Not to mention, she was cold, and it was raining cats and dogs, with large puddles being formed on the pavement. The sky was grey, just like her heart.
"You want a cure? For your condition? You're calling it a condition? What the hell is wrong with you?!" Shizuo yelled out the last part involuntarily, clenching his grips on her calves.
Natasha squirmed uncomfortably, and realised he was angry.
"You're fine the way you are! Your condition-" spat Shizuo in a mocking tone – " is what saved those people today! It's nothing to be ashamed of! I mean, I know why you'd rather not have people know about it, since they'd think you're a freak, just like me. But denying it to yourself, that's just STUPID! It's a part of you! And it's why all those people on the street-" he paused, swallowed and continued,"-are still alive."
Natasha stared at the back of his head, wide-eyed. She had always thought of her abilities as something she would be happy to get rid of. Her mother told her so. Yagiri Pharmaceuticals told her so. Everyone around her did, telling her it would be for the best. Now, she had someone, someone like her, telling her otherwise. Telling her that her abilities could be good. Could be used to save people.
Someone telling her that she could be accepted, warts and all.
Overcome by emotion, as tears rolled down her cheeks, she buried her head in his neck.
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Shizuo stilled at her sudden movement, a blush covering his cheeks at her actions. A muffled sob from behind indicates she was crying, although it was difficult to tell, what with the rain pouring incessantly. Shit. Did I just make a girl cry?
Before he could apologize, Natasha spoke up from behind, her voice muffled with the rain and his wet shirt which she had buried her head in.
"Thank you. Thank you so much. For everything."
Shizuo understood. She didn't have to spell it out. Not for him, at least. After all, who would understand the importance of being accepted by somebody better than him?
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They continued in comfortable silence for the rest of the journey, until they reached Natasha's house. "You can drop me of here," she said, referring to her porch.
"Yeah." Said Shizuo, gently setting her down. Once she was down, he turned around to say goodbye, only to pause and stare at her.
Her red hair was half out of its plait, and her clothes were soaked all the way through. Her pale skin had thin film of water all over it. Her eyes were puffy from crying earlier, but they were tears of gratitude.
Shizuo smiled, a rare one, reserved for only those dear to him. He had understood her, her pain, and she had accepted him, with all his strength and temper issues. She held no grudges against him for what had happened earlier, and would refuse to do so.
For the first time in his seventeen years, he thought he could love, and be loved in return by someone who wasn't his family.
Looking at her face, staring into her deep green eyes, he closed his eyes and leaned forward.
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After being set down on the porch, she stood unsteadily, no sure if her feet could still handle her weight. Thankfully, even though she felt some fatigue, she was able to stand on her own. She was soaked through, and shivered a little bit due to the cold. She kept her teeth firmly gritted lest, they start chattering. Her hair had come undone, and was hanging down loosely by her sides.
She looked up to thank Shizuo for dropping her home (literally) when her breath got caught in her throat. He was soaked, his white shirt revealing his musculature from wielding lampposts and cars. His wet blond hair, hanging limp across his forehead. His brown mocha eyes, as they bore deep holes into her own green ones.
And slowly, she saw his eyes close, and his face moved closer to hers.
Deciding not to waste any time thinking, she moved forward and met her lips with his.
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Shizuo's eyes widened momentarily, surprised she had the same thoughts as him. But closed them again, and lost himself in the sensation.
Her lips were surprisingly firm, and moulded themselves perfectly against his. Well it makes sense for her to have had some experience, thought Shizuo absently. It didn't make sense to ruin the moment this way, and he silently thanked the stars that she had left behind whichever fellow she had been with for him. He wasn't her first, but he wondered what it would be like to be her forever.
She tasted like strawberries, he decided, since she reminded him of the taste of his favourite cake. He felt her smooth hands on his cheeks, cupping them, bringing him as close to her as possible, with no room for air in between them. Unsure of what to do with his hands, they initially were on the sides of her face, but then realizing the tangle of hands between them, they travelled down her back and settled on her waist, lifting her slightly so that they could be on a more equal footing. One of her hands then moved and buried itself in his hair, and he followed suit, tangling his fingers into her long red tresses, freeing it from its confines, and removing the plait entirely.
Their lips moved together in harmony, for what seemed like ages, and finally they pulled apart, gasping for air. Natasha, with her hair tousled, chest heaving, eyes half lidded, breathing lightly on Shizuo's lips, while the latter stood, staring wide at her, with his hair sticking out in every direction.
"I…. I should probably go." He said, letting go of her waist.
Natasha was brought back to reality with that statement, and she straightened herself and smoothed out the pleats on her skirt. "Ah, okay. Maybe you should. The rain has stopped for a while, but it won't be this way for long. You should leave while the weather is this way. Here-" she pulled out an umbrella kept out in the stand,"-use this. You can give it back to me on Monday, at school." She was rambling, but couldn't stop.
"…Yeah." Mumbled Shizuo, taking the umbrella handed to him, unable to form a coherent sentence after what had transpired earlier.
Natasha found it immensely endearing, and she smiled reassuringly. "Goodbye," she said, "We'll meet at school."
"Sure."
And she waited on the porch until he left, kissing him a couple more times. He was a novice at this, she thought amusedly. But that's okay. They had time to get used to it.
She waited until he was out on the pavement, and waved him goodbye. And she kept waiting outside on the pavement, a happy smile on her face, the cold weather notwithstanding, until it became dark and her mother came home, bewildered to see her beloved daughter actually smiling. She reprimanded her on staying outside in the cold for so long, but Natasha paid no heed to her.
In a life like hers, such respites were rare. Maybe the fates had decided to be kind to her for once.
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