"Masaomi-kun~"
Masaomi cringed hearing his name from Izaya's lips. The informant looked way too happy with himself.
"What do you want?" He snapped at the bastard.
"There's something I thought you should know."
Masaomi grimaced turning away. "Then I don't want to know."
"Mikado-kun is the leader of Dollars." Izaya happily confessed. Smug bastard.
"I'm hoping you're joking." Masaomi scowled. The truth had already cemented itself inside his gut like a solid weight.
"You don't want to fight your best friend?" Izaya asked curious. It was all just entertainment for him.
Masaomi sighed and faced the man he hated. "It means you've got twenty four hours or less to find Shizuo Heiwajima before he's gone for good."
Izaya frowned. Masaomi watched a slide show of emotions flicker before they were hidden away. "Shizu-chan is a monster." The bastard shrugged.
"And Mikado is a psychopath with abandonment issues, a little too interested in the dark side. You know what they say about the abyss." Masaomi said seriously. "Shizuo-san left dollars. Mikado won't allow that to happen if he's the leader."
"Mikado-kun isn't capable of-
Masaomi laughed bitterly cutting Izaya off. "For an informant you're pretty clueless. I'll be surprised if Shizuo-san isn't missing a finger right now."
"You'd be wrong." The bastard said.
Masaomi stared Izaya in the eye. The same colour reflected what was likely staining his best friend's home. "I came to Ikebukuro to get away from my 'best friend'. I'm still his friend because the alternative is worse. Your pawn was already a queen and you've lost your opponent. Good luck explaining that to Shizuo-san's brother."
Masaomi turned and ran. He'd make a big deal out of Mikado's identity, push the betrayal until his friend let him go. Then he'd get as far as away as he could. He wouldn't end up in a pool of blood.
Masaomi was part right. Mikado was indeed a psychopath, he had indeed tried to take on Shizuo. Blood splattered across the tatami mat but there was no sign of a finger and the blood was too much for one person.
"Ah crap." Masaomi cursed backing out and into someone's chest. The bastard had followed him. Masaomi jumped away past the threshold and into the nightmare of Mikado's home. Apart from the blood, the apartment was minimalistic at best. A futon in the corner, a laptop innocently sitting on top. It was newly lived and normal, if not for the blood and the creepy candid photos pinned to the wall.
Masaomi didn't want to, but his feet guided him firmly away from Izaya and to the wall of stalking. Each one was a picture of a Dollars member, but there were plenty of him, plenty of Shizuo to the point of obsession and a few of Izaya clearly not looking at the camera. The thought of Mikado catching the bastard off guard chilled him.
Masaomi swallowed staring at the biggest image on the wall, a blown up poster. "Shit." The Saki excuse wasn't going to work anymore. Masaomi's stomach twisted knowing how the scene looked. Him and Shizuo standing intimately close, Shizuo's head bowed close to his. From the shot it looked like they were kissing, his hand on Shizuo's stomach.
"You and Shizu-chan?" Izaya asked behind him. Masaomi grit his teeth.
"No. That's not Shizuo."
He knew Izaya was smug and didn't believe him. Too bad. "Shizu-chan has a twin then I suppose?"
Masaomi let those words sink in. "Wait. Wait a minute." He turned and faced Izaya in shock. "You don't know, do you? After everything you and Shizuo have been through, you've never met Him?" Masaomi laughed. "I'm almost tempted to let you stew." But the situation was a little more urgent than that.
"That-" Masaomi pointed to the image "-is Shizuo's warning or choice as he calls it. That is Shizuo's mediator personality, Delic."
"Shizu-chan has a split personality?" Izaya questioned.
Masaomi nodded. "According to Delic, Shizuo freaked out as a kid when he found his strength. Delic says Shizuo pushed everything into holding back, so he didn't hurt anyone. That developed into one personality. Delic is the mediator between the two. After I shot Shizuo...on your orders, Delic came out. He gave me a choice. Walk away or die." Masaomi shrugged. "I listened."
"So-
Masaomi jumped hearing the bathroom door open. Shizuo stepped out but the look in his eyes was softer. "Delic?"
"Ah. You're the one from last time." Delic frowned. "Masao? No, Masaomi-kun. Good thing you're here." Delic said wincing at his bandaged hand. Blood was seeping through. "I'm not sure why I'm here or where I am. I do know Shizuo isn't responding so I need to know everything to get him back out or else you're getting the other one."
Masaomi flinched. Delic's gaze went from him to Izaya. "Haven't met you before. I'm Delic."
Next to him Izaya blinked. "Izaya Orihara."
"You can help too." Delic decided. "I think I might need a doctor for this."
"What do you remember?" Masaomi asked the mediator.
Delic frowned staring at the blood stains. "I was sitting against the wall, hand cut to ribbons. I heard the slam of the door so I guess the culprit ran. I'm guessing they tried cutting my fingers off. That's what it looks like anyway. Not important."
Masaomi blinked. "Not important?"
"No. It'll heal and you'd need industrial equipment to break my bones." Delic shrugged. "Someone did something to Shizuo. Whatever it was has made him hide."
"How long do you have?"
Delic tilted his head. "I don't know. Shizuo is vulnerable right now, I'm only a stand in and currently the dominant one. If I lose focus or get distracted, you'll likely get the trigger happy nightmare. That happens, Shizuo isn't coming out again because the guilt yada yada." Delic sighed. "So first question. Where am I?"
"Mikado Ryugamine's apartment. He's the leader of Dollars. Shizuo quit. Mikado has abandonment issues."
Delic closed his eyes and opened them again. "Never heard of him. Alright. So assuming Ryugamine-kun did this, he's the one that ran. Makes sense. What's this guy's speciality?"
"Speciality?" Masaomi asked.
"Physical? Psychological? As far as I can tell the only injury is the hand. Body feels a bit sluggish though." Delic winced. "Slight headache."
"Psychological but has a habit of lashing out." Masaomi answered blankly.
Delic looked around and spotted the laptop. "Computer geek? What's Dollars?"
"It's a gang created by Mikado-kun on the internet that got out of hand and became real." Izaya spoke. Masaomi almost forgot he was there, he'd been so quiet. Almost.
Delic hummed to himself. "So numbers. Large group. Either their leader is a psychopath or he can't control them well. Possibly a mix of both. Violence against Shizuo only pisses him off, rumours wouldn't do anything. Hurting his brother would bring out the other side automatically. I guess psychological would be the only...way." Delic blinked and paled. "Oh."
Masaomi knew he wouldn't like the question directed at him for whatever thought Delic had come up with. "Is this Ryugamine-kun capable of baser acts?" Baser acts...Masaomi felt sick. He was saved from answering when the door opened.
"Celty!" Delic cried brightening. His arms went around the rider. "It's good to see you. Maybe you can introduce me to your crush this time? But first, do you mind dropping me off at a hospital or a doctors will do."
Masaomi sat rigid outside of Shinra's apartment, Delic's last question plaguing his mind. Baser acts. Pain lashed through him at the thought of Mikado doing something like that. Sitting with his legs dangling through the gaps in the balcony he side eyed Izaya's shoes as the bastard stood next to him.
"Why are you still here?" Masaomi asked.
"I've already been roped into help." Izaya shrugged. "Shinra is dealing with Shizu-chan's wounds and doing a full checkup."
"..."Masaomi sighed. "Delic was talking about ...rape wasn't he?"
"It makes sense. If Shizu-chan is indestructible on the outside, then-"
"I get it." Masaomi interrupted resting his head against the bars. "Fuck."
Masaomi groaned standing up as Delic finally left Shinra's. "You alright?"
Delic shrugged with a small pained smile. "It would seem I was right. You'll have to deal with Ryugamine-kun."
Masaomi hung his head. "Sorry."
Delic waved him away. "Don't worry. It's not the first time." Masaomi's jaw dropped. "Now that I know the problem, I can fix it."
Masaomi watched as Delic turned to Izaya. It was interesting seeing how curious but wary Izaya was and how carefree Delic was. "Celty said you were an informant. Could you find someone for me? I only know his first name is Shiki."
"Why do you want to know where he is?" Izaya asked.
"He's the guy that pulled Shizuo out last time." Delic explained.
"I'll call him."
"Thank you."
Izaya did just that. Masaomi watched him dial, get an answer and pass the phone over. Delic awkwardly held it to his ear with his palm. "Hello, Shiki-san. It's Delic. You helped Shizuo last time. Um it happened again...yeah...okay...yeah...thank you."
Gingerly Delic handed the phone back. "Thanks. He's on his way."
Masaomi nodded. "Do you need anything?"
Delic shook his head. "Shizuo should be soon. Just take care of Ryugamine-kun. Next time it won't be either me or Shizuo that comes out."
Masaomi clenched his fists. "Sure."
Delic smiled. "Thank you. It was nice seeing you again, Masaomi-kun. Thank you for your help Orihara-kun."
Masaomi watched Delic walk away from them, the building and stand by the curb to wait for Shiki. He also noticed Mikado standing on the other side of the road. "Shit."
Masaomi took off running but it was a train wreck waiting to happen. Delic went rigid and then started running. He had a feeling Delic was no longer in control. Given the man's injuries hidden and visible, Mikado was caught within moments and a piercing scream filled the air.
Masaomi flinched hearing the snap of bone. It was effortless. He slowed his steps watching as Mikado was broken piece by piece, screaming helpless as Shizuo's other personality took him apart.
Next to him Izaya whistled, recording the incident. Mikado fell silent, no doubt unconscious from the pain and moments later a limo pulled up. Shizuo or Delic trudged over as an older man climbed out.
"Guess that's Shiki-san?"
"Yes." Izaya said focused on the duo.
Masaomi watched also helpless as Shizuo or Delic spoke with the man, downcast. He couldn't hear the words but the body language was telling. Especially when Shiki pulled out a gun and placed the barrel against Shizuo's temple. "Wha-"
There was no loud noise, not with the silencer on. It was more a low whistle, the spray of blood and Shizuo falling to the ground where he lay and didn't get up.
Next to him, Izaya dropped his phone, hand shaking and eyes wide. Shiki said nothing, climbing back into the limo and driving away. Masaomi ran over to Shizuo but he was already gone.
Shizuo's funeral was a small affair and everyone present had apparently been vetted as per Kasuka's request. It was obvious who arranged the information.
Izaya had gone radio silent and hadn't been seen since Shizuo's death. Masaomi didn't try contacting him or visiting. Anyone could've seen their relationship was complicated.
Mikado was effectively paralysed. Kasuka had paid for the medical bills, before learning the truth thinking Mikado a victim. When Izaya explained the truth, Kasuka had continued paying the bills, planning for the future. Shizuo's brother had said he needed the guy alive to suffer. The last Masaomi had seen of Mikado, the dollars' leader was hooked up to machines and covered in casts.
There was still a number of people at Shizuo's funeral. Freak or monster, the fortissimo of Ikebukuro was part of the town, part of their lives. Already the streets felt too quiet and it felt like a limb was missing. He too was leaving Ikebukuro. He didn't know what would happen or what would fill the power gaps left behind, but it was no longer his problem. Shizuo had been freed from his strength, Izaya had been freed from his rival and now Masaomi was being freed from guilt trips and possessive friends.
End