Since Izaya's hospitalization, the rain had started to let up. It was a light drizzle most of the time but occasionally it would stop altogether. The use of an umbrella wasn't necessary for the people of Ikebukuro anymore. That's what Shizuo had thought as he walked home from the place Izaya called home, taking the long route just so he wouldn't have to face Kasuka. He rounded a corner only to have a big fat raindrop splash against his cheek. Shizuo wiped the water away with a questioning look. He turned his gaze back up to the sky as the downpour began. Curses streamed from his mouth as he started to sprint back home as fast as he could. And by the time he got there, Shizuo was drenched.

"You're wet," his brother deadpanned from his seat at the kitchen table. His older brother growled.

"I know that! It started raining like that out of nowhere! The one time I don't have an umbrella!"

He would've continued to rant but the sound of a glass bottle hitting the wooden tabletop cut him off. Kasuka had set a bottle of milk out for him, staring at him expectantly. Shizuo sighed and took the bottle before heading for his room.

It wasn't his fault he got so mad. He could control his anger as well as he could control his strength. And the stress that this whole deal with Izaya was putting on him wasn't helping at all. He figured that any time with Izaya gone would make his life heavenly, but instead he found himself twitching out of anxiety and thinking constantly about that little pest. The best reason for this that he could come up with was that he had nothing to take his frustration out on. At least with Izaya around he could take a swing at someone without being afraid to hurt them. That had to be why he was so tense. What else could it be?

The rain hadn't stopped at all that night, and was still going strong when Shizuo awoke the next morning. There was no alarm, only the sound of huge droplets hitting his window. Shizuo wondered if he was going to be late for school and started panicking. He fell off the bed, struggling to undress and grab his uniform at the same time. Somehow he managed this feat without killing himself and ran to the kitchen in pure desperation. Kasuka was sitting at the table as sullen as ever with a bowl of cereal in front of him. He stared at his older sibling blankly.

"It's Saturday."


Shizuo was still muttering curses as he stormed through the sliding hospital doors. The usual nurses greeted him, only to be ignored.

He hadn't planned on coming here today; his feet had just brought him here of their own accord. They were using a mind of their own when they took him up to the room where Izaya was staying. But when he opened the door to yell at the flea, the room was empty and dark. No one was there. The bed where Izaya had been laying previously was now made up with new sheets, as if he was never even there.

Shizuo was caught off guard by the emptiness. He stayed rooted to the ground and tapped a passing nurse on the shoulder. "Where did Izaya Orihara go?"

The nurse looked at him in utter confusion. "He was checked out yesterday by his father."

That didn't sit with Shizuo very well as he muttered a quick thank you and left the hospital.

Why would Izaya's dad check him out of the hospital when he was in such poor condition? No caring parent would do that to their own child. They would do everything in their power to make sure their baby got better. His own parents spent hours upon hours in the hospital with him whenever he broke a broke and had to be admitted. That's when it truly dawned on him: that man didn't give a flying fuck about Izaya. The way he spoke about the flea yesterday should have made this obvious enough. He showed no concern when told that his son was in the hospital after falling from a three story building.

Shizuo was running full speed towards Izaya's home when he realized this. He may have hated Izaya more than anything in the world, but no one, not even him, deserved to live with someone like that. His sisters didn't seem to care much either. The least Shizuo could do was take him to Shinra's so he could get proper medical care. This was what he had in mind when he banged the knocker on his enemy's door.

Luckily, it was Izaya who answered. There were white bandages poking out from under the collar of his v-neck shirt, and a new purple bruise blossomed across right cheek. Even with his battered body, Izaya's eyes were as intense as ever.

"What do you want, Shizuo?" Izaya hissed.

"You need to go back to the hospital," he blurted out, making Izaya step back slightly. Shizuo was surprised to see the soon-to-be informant so startled, but it was short lived. Izaya was glaring at him in a second.

"I'm fine. Go away."

"You're not fine! You're ribs are broken! And…and what happened to your cheek? Is that fine too?!"

Izaya didn't miss a beat even though his heart was pounding with adrenaline, his head screaming for him to just run, to get away from all of the yelling. He was used to this feeling by now. "Yes."

Shizuo stared at the raven haired boy in disbelief. "What?"

"Yes, it's fine. I didn't know you had hearing problems, Shizu-chan."

"I don't!" Shizuo yelled, his anger getting the best of him as he punched Izaya blindly. He didn't think his knuckles would connect with anything other than the doorframe. Instead, his fist found its mark on Izaya's already injured face. And when he pulled his hand away there was blood coating the backs of his fingers.

Izaya gently touched his new black eye before prodding at his busted open lip. His eyes darkened even more when he had to spit out a thick glob of blood onto the floor. "Why thank you for punching me Shizu-chan. What did I do wrong this time?"

"You…you didn't do anything…" he murmured. Shizuo could tell Izaya was about to gloat but a hand clamped down on his shoulder before he could even open his mouth.

"Who's your friend, Izaya? Ah, you're the kid from yesterday," his father said casually, ignoring the new injuries his son had sustained. "I'm sure you're worried about Izaya but let me assure you that he's fine. Have a nice day."

The door was then slammed in his face, leaving him to stand there stunned all on his own. He stared at the golden numbers while trying to piece together the previous chain of events that brought him to this point. Shizuo almost had things figured out when a dull crash and thud from the other side of the door drew him out of his surprised state. Harsh words were muffled by the wood separating them, but he was more than sure they were aimed at Izaya. Anger coursed through his veins and a fierce urge to go in there overtook him. If he did though, he could be charged with breaking and entering. Izaya's father seemed like the kind of prick that would sue over just about any little thing and still win. That left him with one option.

Shizuo walked home, shoulders slumped and eyes fastened on the ground. The blood had long since been washed from his knuckles by the rain, but his hands still didn't feel clean.


Poor Izaya T^T and Shizu-chan! We know you mean well, but you honestly don't know what the flip you're doing. Silly Shizuo.

I hope this chapter is as intense to read for you as it was for me to write. I was sitting here at the computer like chewing on my nail and thinking 'Deer Lord, save him Shizuo, save him!'

I'm derpy. That's all there is to it.

Gimme some sugar, everybody! Favorite and review!

~Chickadee