Title: Things that change for better or for worse
Chapter 30: The Reason for Change 2
By: Sissy

Disclaimer: DRRR shall never belong to me otherwise there'd be more yaoi.
Warning: Flashback Part Two.

"Print easy come coma easy go period. New line. Define integer…" Mikado spoke cryptically with a smile as he battered the mixture to a smooth feeling. He suddenly stopped and looked thoughtfully at the air. "What else, what else?" He murmured to himself and glanced over to the laptop behind him. "Right! Ah, wait… Delete that…"

While Mikado was battling it out in the kitchen with two things at once, Shizuo sat in his living room alongside his brother, who had shown up out of nowhere. Since the time Mikado handed Shizuo the first cake, he would come often on Saturdays to make new cakes for Shizuo. His excuse, though the same as always, it being Mikado wanted to thank Shizuo, was that he found baking relaxing enough to do his projects.

"It's starting to smell good." Kasuka commented while sipping his tea. Ruri hadn't gone with him that day either since she was busy. Not once did she get the chance to meet Shizuo's secretly famous secret friend. After all, Mikado only came by on Saturdays without mentioning it to anyone and the two never hung out outside so it was obvious it took so long for anyone to realize their relationship.

"Yeah… You going to stay today? You don't have work?" Shizuo asked, flicking his lighter every so often.

"I can stay. Ruri-san likes Mikado-kun's cakes. It's probably because he prepares them on instinct." Kasuka noted how Mikado happily spoke out his codes as a song while continuing the other work around the kitchen.

Shizuo nodded in agreement. "I know he wanted to thank me but now it feels like I'm being used. But since I get out some good cakes out of this, I'm not sure if I should mind it."

"Muffins are done!" Mikado commented from the kitchen and gasped at the laptop. "No, no, don't write that! Ah, delete! No, wait, undo!"

Shizuo smiled at the easy going attitude Mikado had and walked over with Kasuka to try out the food Mikado made for them. After this, the university student would soon go home and fix his coding project.

… … …

"I know you well enough to realize there's something going on. Do you need me to poke holes at your precious Dollars?" Izaya asked with a sly grin, eyeing Mikado as the younger one typed away in his computer.

"Leave sempai alone or I'll throw my underlings at you in your sleep." Aoba threatened as he tried to resume his studies. He had been trying to enter the same program as Mikado so he wanted to ace all his tests, even if they were months away.

"How scary! You've got a scary fan Mikado-kun! So how about you join me for some business lessons? I'm sure it'll satisfy your intellectual curiosity." Izaya offered but his kouhai wasn't listening. "Ignoring me, are you?"

"Ah, that wasn't it!" Mikado suddenly spoke up and groaned at his computer. "Sorry Izaya-san, I'm actually busy right now but if you don't mind, there's some sweets in the fridge so could you serve them to Aoba-kun? You can have some too if you'd like."

Izaya and Aoba eyed the fridge curiously and then turned their attention to Mikado again. "I didn't know you liked sweets Mikado-kun."

"Baking clears my head and sugar helps the brain focus so please pass me some too." Mikado glared at his screen and tried something else in his codes. He was facing a bug he couldn't find so now he had to start from the beginning and look at each section of code individually.

Though he began to pout, Izaya still obeyed and walked over to the fridge for the elusive sweets. "You know, someone I despise very much likes sweet things. You wouldn't happen to…"

"Yes!" Mikado cheered from his spot and smiled at this screen. "I found you! Now I can call Masaomi. You want to go out with us Aoba-kun?"

"Huh? Oh, sure! I'll follow you anywhere sempai!" Aoba grinned and continued with his homework so he could finish quickly.

"Izaya-san, it's those right there." Mikado pointed to the sweets in the fridge with a smile as he dialed the number on his phone. "Oh, Masaomi. I'm done with my homework. Where was it that you wanted us to meet up with you?"

Without getting the information that almost dangled in front of him, Izaya simply grabbed the intended food and brought it to the table. Even he had to admit that it tasted good.

… … …

With drool falling from his mouth, Mikado eyed the surroundings tiredly. He recognized the place but had no idea how he had gotten there in the first place. During his years at the university, nothing had changed between him and Shizuo. Mikado would always visit him on Saturdays and the rest of the week he would hang out with his friends. Exactly like Kasuka described him once, Mikado was Shizuo's secret friend. No one else knew the two knew each other.

"You planning on letting go of my bed? Ryugamine, you're drooling too much." Shizuo bent down to reach Mikado's eye level and the younger one felt embarrassed to be so close.

"S-sorry! I didn't realize…! When did I get here anyways?" Mikado asked confused while looking at the sheets that covered him. He wasn't naked so that wasn't what he was worried about. He just didn't remember how he got there in the first place.

"You knocked on my door all drunk and happy and stole my bed from me. I had to sleep on the couch because of that." Shizuo explained, not noticing Mikado's blush. It was only last year that Mikado started feeling funny around Shizuo yet he never stopped visiting. As much as the pain dulled in his heart, he couldn't stop himself from visiting Shizuo. Being around the blond was soothing for him and had become something of a habit.

After a few seconds, Mikado got out of the bed and bowed to Shizuo. "I'm so sorry Shizuo-san!"

"It's no problem. But what was the celebration about?" Shizuo asked with a grin, sitting down on his bed.

"Oh, that." Mikado smiled joyfully as he remembered the previous night's event. "Remember the codes I was writing last week? I was practicing for an end-of-the-year competition. It was today and I got first place so Masaomi took me out for drinks."

"Congrats, Ryugamine." Shizuo smiled at Mikado with such sincerity that the other felt his heart soar. Mikado had no way of describing that feeling. Not even what he felt for Anri back in high school had come close to his current feeling. Perhaps there was still some alcohol in his system, since Mikado was very weak to it, but the next move he took was one he had regretted instantly and 'till this day.

He had lounged forward to kiss Shizuo. His mind wasn't thinking straight, not when his body moved nor when Shizuo began reciprocating the kiss. Neither of the two knew what was happening, just that they were drowning in it. However, Mikado's thoughts returned to himself and he took a step back in shock. There was definitely regret in his eyes. He wasn't someone to do something like this. He didn't even begin to feel like this until recently. However, two things were certain in his mind. Shizuo didn't seem to mind it at all and Mikado was not strong enough to make Shizuo love him back.

So he tried to run. It was nothing more than a silly mistake but he simply didn't wish for anything more out of Shizuo than his friendship, however secretive it may be. However, Shizuo didn't want Mikado to run.

"Don't walk away!" Shizuo's voice stopped him in his tracks. Mikado felt himself shaking and becoming very small. "That just now… It was something different. Did you have…?"

"No!" Mikado shook his head, a mist beginning to cover his eyes. "I had no intention!"

With those words Mikado tried to run away again but, this time, Shizuo grabbed him by the arm. "I said don't walk away! You can't just ignore what happened! Ryugamine! … Mikado!" After his pause, Shizuo screamed out Mikado's name for the first time, surprising the younger male.

But it was that name that caused Mikado to drop a tear. It meant Shizuo truly thought of him as something closer than friends. "I can't." Taken by surprise, Shizuo let go of the boy and the other ran out of the apartment.

All Mikado wanted to do, from the very beginning, was say his thanks.

… … …

"Look out!" Mikado threw himself to protect her and suffered an injury that would remain with him for the rest of his life.

"Kyaaa!" She screamed both out of surprise and horror at what just happened. "Are you okay?" Calling out to him, she saw Mikado close his eyes from the pain.

He had been rushed to the hospital but the blood kept flowing. It wouldn't stop. "Get a transfusion!" In the distance, Mikado could hear the doctor yell out.

A week later, he finally woke up in a white colored room. His first thought to himself was, "Did he…feel the same way?" But there was no answer that would come to him.

"Alright! You saved my hunny bunny and not many people would dive in front of a psycho to protect someone they barely know so as thanks, I'm gonna grant ya a wish Mikado!" He had declared with a grin and had every intention of seeing his selfish desire become a reality. He had a debt to Mikado now.

"A wish?" Mikado began to think, "There's just one thing…" Almost in a murmur, Mikado looked at him with a serious gaze. "Change me." It was a surprise to the two, really. They had no idea he would ask for something so abstract. "Enough so that I may be strong enough, grown up enough, to face the person I ran away from."

He grinned and placed his arm around his 'hunny bunny's' shoulder. "That's easy. All I got to do is break you. So much you won't even recognize yourself. 'Course, it'll take a while. But are you up for it? Spending your time here, studying and changing yourself?"

And Mikado nodded in response.

To Be Continued…