Author's Note: Thank you for all the response as usual :) Here I am with an update then. It would have been faster if not the flu I caught, though, I felt a little better today and that's the outcome. Hope you'll like it, as usual :). It's way overdue for some Shizu-chan, right? ;D

Sorry for all the 'not so nice words'... Someone just has a bad temper ;P

Radiohead - Bones

"I don't want to be crippled cracked
Shoulders, wrists, knees and back
Ground to dust and ash
Crawling on all fours

Now I can't climb the stairs
Pieces missing everywhere
Prozak painkillers"

He was running, chasing something, someone... He could hear fast, light steps in front of him, mocking him with their effortlessness, while his own were clumsy and heavy. There was not enough light and only a blurry silhouette was all that he could see of his... prey? With every passing meter he felt weaker. There was a dull ache in his head and his lungs gasped for air they were deprived of. He didn't stop, though. He had to run... He didn't know why and what for, it was just a necessity.

Then there was a loud laughing noise that attacked his ears. Rebounding from the walls, it echoed around and crept slowly under his skin and inside his head, not letting him to ignore it. It buzzed and rang like an irritating insect, too small and fast to spot it, but big enough to annoy.

He tried to run faster, to catch up with the source of it and failed constantly. His legs started to be more and more heavy, almost impossible to move, and he could feel frustration building in him faster and faster.

Suddenly, he heard the laugh closing in and focused all of the strength in his body on moving his legs just a fraction faster, when, like a struck of a lightening, a searing pain erupted in his left one, forcing him to stop dead in his tracks. It wasn't fading and he could feel his heart speeding up, a new cover of sweat forming on his already overheated skin. He became fixed to that one spot and was unable to do anything, just breathing harshly. His vision started to blur more with every passing second, eyelids heavy and sticky, and then everything became dark.

He could feel it approaching, now that he was almost helpless, and when it touched him, a low growl emitted from his mouth without his consent. He had to see it, he had to open his eyes even if it killed him! To see it just this once...

And then things started to be blurry again, but the laugh and the buzzing didn't stop and I suddenly knew that what I could hear were voices, human voices, and that before I had to be dreaming, but the anger was still there, lingering in my mind...

"Fuck! Get your ass out of here, now! I don't want to clean anymore mess... Now!" a panicked voice announced. It was faint and my mind was foggy, but I remembered it...

"Now that fate finally smiled at me? Now way, Shinra... It will be so much fun! You see how his heart is speeding already? I bet is because of me... So touching!" the laugh from my dream filled my ears a moment after a second person spoke.

I knew this voice too? So annoying... I wanted it to shut up! And Shinra? I was with Shinra?

"Are you insane? Stop touching him this instant and leave or I..." Yes, it was Shinra...

And touching me? Someone was touching me? Now that I heard it, I realised that indeed, there was something resting on the top of my head. A hand? Whose? I really needed to open my eyes. First a fraction and then... A stream of light slowly entered my eyes, making them water.

"Or you'll what? What if I like touching him? I think I could be a good nurse if I tried... Put some more faith into me, Shinra, ne~? Besides, he is so sweet when his helpless, aren't you, Shizu-chan?" I could sense hot breath near my ear and the hand on my head patted it lightly, but it didn't matter.

The moment I heard my name in that form I knew and what little vision I had filled with red spots, while my heart started to beat faster, muscles tensing.

Flea... FLEA! The fucking flea was here, so close, and touching me and my blood boiled and I wanted to rise my hand to grasp it by the throat and squeeze the air out of it, just to make it shut up and to crash that hand daring to lay on me as if it had a right to be there... I tightened my muscles, ready to attack and shot my right hand blindly up... A loud groan pierced the air and it took me a moment to realise that it was me who made it. A sound of pain and frustration as there wasn't a thin neck under my fingers as I hoped for.

Shinra gasped loudly after that and I could single out his mop of brown hair rushing somewhere to my left side. My eyes were starting to work finally...

"Fl...ea... Fuck...ing flea... Kill!" I managed to utter through my clenched teeth. What that parasite was doing here? He was going to pay! Shinra was going to pay for letting it in!

"Shizu-chan is still the same uncontrollable brute! Ne~, wouldn't Shizu-chan like to see how sweet he looks in a hospital gown? I simply couldn't keep my hands to myself~!" the louse exclaimed with that high, sing-song voice, which made me want to heave...

His hand ruffled my hair for a second and he jumped back just in time to avoid my hand locking on his wrist. He fucking laughed again...!

I started to trash in the bed. I wanted to rest my hands on him and make him squirm! To wipe that self-confident smile I knew was there on his face, Everything else wasn't important, just...

"Shizuo! Shizuo, stop! You're only hurting yourself! I'll make him leave, so just stop trashing. You're hurting your leg and only helping him in having his entertainment... Stop, please!" It was Shinra, trying to calm me and deep inside I understood he was right, though that infuriating laugh...!

"I would like to see you try, Shinra! And why so touchy? They were all compliments... One has to learn being prised someday, why not now?" the louse answered happily.

I couldn't stop another groan at his voice being so close and my incapability to silence it. Now it was my own choice to keep my eyes closed. I didn't want to see him bathing in my defeat. It would kill me not to kill him if it even made any sense...

"Shut your mouth, Izaya! Mother of... Can't you see what you're doing to him? He's already suffering without your help. He pulled the drip out of his hand and now I have to bandage his arm too... Isn't it enough? You said it's no use if he can't reciprocate, so why...?" Shinra asked somewhat bitterly. Was he disappointed with the flea? I knew they were... friends in a way.

I tried to calm my breathing. I could feel my hand throb and warm liquid flow out of it slowly. Blood? Shinra was right again... There was also dull pressure in my head and a much more intense pain in my left leg. I reminded myself dimly that I had it broken and Shinra operated on it. Good... When my head was preoccupied with my injuries I couldn't think about... the flea. Fuck!

"Get the fuck out of here, Izaya!" I let out with a raspy voice and had a coughing fit right away.

"Ahh, the beast has spoken to me! But what is it, Shizu-chan? No usual honorific? Are you already falling for me because of that little bit of flirting on my side? If I knew that you're so easy to win over..." he spilled shit one after another. I wasn't going to hear anymore of it...!

"Get... the fuck... out of... here... NOW!" I almost spat in his direction, finally opening my eyes and letting his figure fill my vision.

He looked so smug... I wanted to scrub the floor with that smiling little shit until he would beg me for mercy and I still wouldn't stop, I was sure...

"Ne~, Shizu-chan, I can sense your hatred towards me evaporating through your skin pores... And here I was the one who helped you from the bottom of my heart... I think you should transfuse his blood again, Shinra, because mine seems to make him go more berserk than usual, ne~? I told you it will end like that and you-" the flea chattered, but I stopped listening after the transfusion bit.

"What... the hell are you taking about, flea?" I wheezed, glaring daggers at him.

"Oi...? I actually lent you some of my precious blood and now it's flowing more or less happily through that barbaric body of yours. Wasn't I exceptionally nice? Shinra haven't told you...? Was it meant to be a secret, Shinra? You didn't tell me I should keep it as one..." false regret audible in his tone.

Transfusion... Blood... Flea... Flea's blood... I could feel myself tense more than I thought humanly possible, an increasing roar in my ears. No... He was trying to piss me off. Just that. He wouldn't even consider it. It was a lie. No! No, no, no... I couldn't think straight. I couldn't think at all... I...

"Out... Izaya, out! Shinra shouted, but it only confirmed...

"Oi, Shinra, his heart rate is going up really fast... Shouldn't it..."

"Out Izaya! Fucking OUT NOW!"

"Tch! Jā ne, Shizu-chan! Have a nice day...!"

"I'm sorry, Shizuo, you had a small panic attack and I had to give you some tranquillizers. You were out of for a while again. I bandaged your hand in the meantime and renewed the drip, so your leg shouldn't be that painful. There is some food if you're hungry also and Celty bought you some strawberry milk. She knows it's your favourite... Should I pour you a glass?" Shinra asked genuinely in a soft tone. He could be a nicest man at times...

"Shinra?"

"Hmm? What is it?"

"I'm sorry... I'm only being a bother and giving you more work. I should hold my temper better..." I apologised quietly.

I had a sore throat after all the shouting and my head hurt more than before. I hated that it was so easy for everyone to play on my nerves and especially the stupid louse. I knew he had kicks from playing me like that and still I couldn't control my anger around him. I was hopeless...

"You shouldn't be sorry, Shizuo. It's my fault for letting him in here in the first place. I know how you two hate each other and that he cares only for his own amusement, so it was something to anticipate and avoid. But he looked so dumbfounded the first moment he saw you that I wanted to believe he would act like an adult for once... Guess I was mistaken... And you know how hard it is to get rid of him... Actually, I'm slightly surprised that he left after I shouted at him..."

"He isn't here now at least... I just... Why did you... the transfusion...?" I looked at Shinra somewhat lost.

Because I still couldn't comprehend how was it even possible. The flea certainly wasn't one to go through the whole process just to have a good deed on his list of accomplishments.

"Well... It was necessary and he was in the right place at the right moment so I asked him to help... It didn't go without a bit of harassment on my side, but he agreed in the end. And you don't have to freak out, really... Your body creates new blood cells on a regular basis after all." he assured.

"Yeah... I guess you did what you had to... I don't think I want to know more about that incident as for now, though... Is there anything else I should know? Hope I didn't had his kidney transplanted or anything...?" I sighed tiredly.

"Actually... There is that thing..." Shinra started uncertainly. I didn't like it the smallest bit...

"What? What is it... Don't you fucking tell me..." I began to tremble at the mere thought of something like that ever happening and...

"No, no... Don't worry! It's nothing like that... You should probably know before he will try to tell you in a less customary way... It's just... he was the one who found you and called for help." Shinra's voice sounded quieter with every next word.

My brain probably stopped working for two or three seconds after that. Then I regained my senses.

"What?" I exclaimed loudly.

"Well... That's the truth... You're not the only one who's in shock, believe me... I know him since our teenage years and it's not his usual behaviour. Not that you should make it your interest now. You owe him nothing, as he should do much more to atone for the dangerous situations he had put you in, than help you this once. Besides, I'm sure he had a hidden motive to do it. I'm quite certain he isn't actually capable of disinterestedness, so it doesn't count as an act of kindness in my opinion."

"That was a nice comforting speech, Shinra... Aren't you his friend, though?" can't blame me for asking... I wouldn't talk about one of my friends like that... and to his enemy of all. Not that I was sticking up for the flea. I still hated the irritating little shit...

"You could say so... But, it's not like I'm blind because of it. We both know our vices, I suppose. No point in hiding the obvious..."

"Guess you're right..." I agreed faintly. I was tired and worn out. All the medications were making me sleepy and unfocused all the time. If I wanted to come to a conclusion of some kind about what I've heard, it wasn't the right time to do it. "About that strawberry milk, Shinra? I would gladly have some if you don't mind..."

"Sure, right away. Wait a second and I'll bring you some. And I'll say Celty you're awake. She'll probably come to visit. She's worried about you constantly. I can't help but envy you... Maybe I should try hurting myself a bit too?" he grinned cheekily and left the room.

Now that I was conscious and alone for that precious moment, I could think about something else than what happened not long ago. And there were many things to consider...

Two days... Two long days passed since the damned earthquake and my accident. And only now was I slowly grasping the seriousness of the situation I had found myself in. It wasn't one of the usual incidents were I was attacked by gang members or cut with one of Izaya's countless knives. I had a fractured leg and it was one hell of a fracture if I took Shinra's word on it. Which I had no reason to doubt... if it was a health problem at least.

I felt the stiffness in my broken leg and I was sure it would hurt like hell if not for the painkillers I was taking. Don't understand me wrong... It wasn't a lie that I had a high pain tolerance, often even not noticing that something happened to a part of my body, but it was mostly during a fight, when I had enough adrenaline in my veins for ten people probably and my anger guiding me, or when I had my head focused on something intently. But now... when I was forced to lie in a bed and there was nothing to catch my attention other than my state, I could feel all the bigger cuts and bruises, not to mention the leg... And to be honest, it's also not that I couldn't feel the pain at all, it's just that I learned to ignore it at some point. If someone had such a bad temper as I, more often ending in a fight than not, then it was the only logical thing to start with... I can not be the sharpest tool in the shed, but my mind isn't full of shit either... In opposite to some of the people I knew...

I lowered my gaze to the leg I knew was now filled with a metal rod, which purpose Shinra managed to explain me more or less when I first woke up and panicked a bit after seeing my leg with the screws and a fucking horrible scar. Yeah... a bit... Who was I kiddin'... I was scared shitless! It was something entirely new and not in a good kind of way... Somewhere along the line I knew I wasn't indestructible, not that it made a difference when all my senses started to rave, but when you went through almost one fourth of your life attacked, beaten and shot and not affected in the long run by it, then the current situation was bound to come as a friggin' shock, right?

That's why I still wasn't sure what it meant to me and how I would exactly proceed... I knew I had Shinra to explain things and help me, he was a doctor and a friend, but it didn't set my uncertainty at rest. I was partially relieved, yet I couldn't stop thinking about it with dread creeping into my mind.

And... there was still the fucking louse... something I couldn't forget about either. I started to think that I would prefer amnesia to what happened, so I could even for a moment be free from the annoying pest... I could still feel his hand on my head, in my hair, and it sent chills down my back. Kono yaro...!