Aye, sorry for the hold up folks. My phone was taken away and my grades have gotten worse since like back when I uploaded that chapter and went on hiatus for a while. But do not panic, I AM NOT DEAD- I am very much alive! I just can't check my notifications on my phone as usual, so now I have to rely on my hotmail on computer… *Sigh* But hey, I'm back! But I might upload a little slower… Still, enjoy this chapter~!

Chapter 23: Gloomy Yet Alerting Skies

Warnings: Blood, mild language

I Do Not own Durarara!

Everything looked like an average day. The cold wind was slightly forming into warm strokes of wind and the once pale ocean sky was hidden in a large sheet of clouds. The setting felt bored and moody but carried mysteries hidden in the clouds. Afternoon crept up onto the once baby blue morning like a lantern turning on.

Instead of Vorona taking care of all the scum who wouldn't dare set a bill in their hands, Shizuo ended up scaring the life from them. Every single one of them, new and liars.

"I don't have the money!" or some lady saying "My husband has been out working hard for the family, someone robbed us and we're still trying to save up!"

All. Liars. Ever since Vorona appeared everything started unfolding like a hidden map. Briefly, Vorona would deal with them and get it out of them before Shizuo could go on a frenzy and tear down the whole house as the uncontrollable beast that he was. This was pounding against Shizuo's skull like a tumor and if it continued he would have blown a fuse.

"Geez, today is just abnormal." Tom said.

"Agreed."

Tom was leading the way as Vorona stayed behind and paced at Shizuo's side. "Is everything alright, Shizuo-senpai?"

Shizuo turned and gave a bizarre glare, "Peachy. And I told you not to call me your 'senpai' or some 'master'. Just call me by my usual name, got it?"

"Yes senpai." Shizuo let out an annoyed breath as Tom slightly chuckled. As if the streets were just calling them, they just travelled along the sidewalk passing the dull people. Exactly colorless as the sky above. Frost was melting away slowly as the days went by.

The main thing that kept their minds at bay was what they were doing with their lives and their curiosities. Tom being Tom, Vorona suddenly coming back from who knows where and saying everything was alright, and Shizuo trying to be his old self. Trying to be.

If it wasn't for Izaya plaguing his life, he would still be like it. Now the god forsaken man is living with him and it's not showing any good signs- hell, he just witnessed a scene he thought that would never happen again!

Just getting to work might get his mind off of it. It's not the same as it always has.

He wore a mask that spelled of anguish. "Hey Shizuo, you sure you're alright?" He snapped out of his train of thought and focused on Tom who had just spoken. "Y...Yeah. Just not having a good day."

They continued to walk endlessly not keeping track of time until they made it to a bench and sat upon it. "There's an ice cream stand over there. You guys want any?" Tom asked looking at Vorona first. "Regular seems appropriate for me." she said, unamused and emotionless as ever. Tom looked at Shizuo, giving a concerned glare.

Shizuo didn't once open his mouth and seemed lost in his thoughts, eyes looking down at nothing but the hard pavement. The dread-locked man shrugged his shoulders and soon enough took his leave.

His thoughts were scrambled all over and it was like a dog trying to catch all the flying discs being thrown at it. 'Why can't I forget now…?'

"I am positive that I asked earlier, but I wish to know what is wrong."

He heard Vorona's robotic tone perk into his ears. Should he say? He found his gaze slipping over to the Russian beauty instead of the floor, silence and hesitation taking over his body. After what seemed of minutes and watching her wait, he pried his lips open slightly.

"...Somethin's bugging me and I can't seem to get it out of my head."

"Something is bothering Shizuo-senpai?"

"...You can say that…"

The air felt dead and dry as did the people silently walking around. Not many birds were chirping anymore as if they had died too. The place was a ghost town.

"Mind if I ask what is causing the problem?" Her cold ice blue eyes flashed with determination. If a person such as Vorona, who is emotionless and robotic most of the time can get this type of determination, then she truly is a human. "I'd rather not say. It'll just make it worse."

He broke his gaze with her eyes and found Tom talking to the ice cream guy at the stand. "I understand if it is none of my business. But know I am here if you wish to talk." He heard her again.

Slowly, he nodded and a small smile slipped across his lips. But it wasn't enough to get his conscious off of what happened earlier.

He hates Izaya; hates the things he does. So why can't he bring himself to have that same old feeling for him now?

It's like half of his world has just shut off because it realized something so deep; so serious that he would have never expected to happen to Izaya, or a person like him. It made him angry just by thinking about it- No. This was supposed to be a happy day. Not some day to keep worrying about a pest you've always wanted to suffer for lifetime. But even thinking about that makes him feel disgusted. No matter how many times it came into play in his mind, or reminded him what he wanted to do around Izaya,

It still disgusted him.

"Okay, I'm back!" Tom pranced over holding two ice cream cones. "I got you the regular," He said handing Vorona a regular vanilla ice cream cloaked in a creamy white sheen, "and I know which one you like, Shizuo, so here" and handed the blond a delicately light colored filling with bits of pink that looked of strawberry sticking out. (I believe his favorite was either vanilla or strawberry, so…?)

"Thank you." Vorona said as she eyed her cone. Tom had gotten chocolate instead. The man stood next to the bench and leaned onto it, arms supporting his weight. They both seemed to be enjoying their ice cream but… Shizuo just kept staring at his.

A brightly colored flavor with bits of pink and red sticking out of the sides making it luster with a glossy flavour look, but he still didn't look that interested. Shizuo did take some tastes from it and eventually found his appetite, but kept finding himself in a void.

"Hey, Tom." the man looked over at him.

"Where are we going after this?"

After a couple of seconds, Tom stopped licking his desert and gave an honest glare, "We'll just wait until we have more orders. Unless you want to start now?"

"You really don't look like you're in any shape to be working today, so I suggest we do the work later."

He nodded slightly. A day with limited work he could use.

They spent their time just chatting and enjoying their time, not caring whether people talked to them or not, and just had their time.

Suddenly, even if they have or haven't noticed, the park was devoid of life and no one seemed to be around, even the sky stayed a darkening gray that looked abnormal.

"Do not act suspicious," They turned their heads to Vorona, "we are being surrounded."

She didn't need to tell them twice. Tom could tell from a mile away something was bound to happen, and Shizuo could sell their presence. Silent dreads were growing softly but were silenced by the wind's voice.

The many poundings of shoes hitting the pavement drew closer and louder after each step they took.

They all turned into stone awaiting those approaching them.

Seconds.

Minutes.

They remained still for who knows how long until the time was right. They dared to look into each other's eyes, glossing with a striving motivation or flaring with confidence and preparation.

"That's him alright!"

Through the corner of his eye, he found men dressed in all black crowding around him in throngs. "Definitely him."

Soon enough, Shizuo was surrounded by a circle of black.

"Can I help you gentlemen?" Tom butted in stepping in and blocking their way to the blond sitting at the bench. "Yeah you can," one with dark shades and a mask leading up to the bridge of his nose had stepped out, "We'd like your buddy sittin' on the bench there." He pointed.

"And might I ask what you want with him?" One of the throng of men cocked his head and let out a mocking guffaw. "Isn't it obvious old man?" His snicker was of a demon's. Tom was mentally preparing himself. suddenly the sound of the bench squeaking had perked the men's ears. Shizuo stood his ground by Tom, glaring menacingly at them like a tiger ready to attack at any moment,

Vorona on the other hand stood up immediately and followed her senpai's lead, standing by his side as well. Three deadly people they did not want to mess with.

"This little 'bartender' has been doin' some serious shit lately…"

"And we heard he was over here, so."

The man's wicked smile never wavered as he brought his weapon- a metallic rusty pipe in no good shape- up to his shoulders. They tempted to draw near, equipping and unsheathing their weapons slowly. "Listen guys," Tom sighed, "you can either just walk away or endure what's comin' to ya…" his face showing drudgery and annoyance. He knew how this was going to end; he knew how every time it ended.

"Walk away?"

"Ha! Don't give me such a fucking shitty bluff old man!" He ridiculed in such a manner, Tom was worried that both the blonds beside him would act on their own already. He could feel the air shift and the heat of a beast growing from within the man beside him.

"Seriously guys, quit it. I don't want to have this agai-"

A flash of gray flew across the air- a blunt object.

A painful grunt.

The concrete was painted spots of red.

Both golden honey and iced blue eyes widened simultaneously, glaring at the same man crouching to the ground.

"Can it gramps! We ain't fuckin' kids!"

The rock rolled off of the pavement, stained with the blood from Tom's temple. Blood streamed down his face and coated the ground like a waterfall. He was in pain and they all laughed like monsters. Laughed like it was the most funniest thing they had ever laid eyes upon.

Funny because they were feeding off of his weakness.

"Now, if you'll come nicel-" In the speed of light, a fist collided within the man's face sending him flying across the sky like a shooting star. The tumult of men died with the silence, newly sounded explosion blew from behind them where their member flew by, denting a tree and knocking it down.

As if steam was erupting from a volcano or steam engine, the blond monster arose with a menacing look and deadly stance, retracting his red tainted fist. "W-What the hell?"

"...You hurt my friend."

His steps leaving small cracks within the concrete; he was a walking monster.

"...If you hurt him, and you also want to hurt me, right?"

"So that means this is intentional, right?" His voice grew louder and carried a dangerous threatening note; his teeth bared and gritting them like a wild animal; his breathing was abnormal for he was heaving. Even themselves did not know what to call this mutual feeling. Fear? Danger? Confusion? Their main thoughts were 'What are we doing?' 'What is this guy?' 'Am I truly going to die here?'

Whether all of those theories and thoughts applied, they still were going to get something rather unpleasant.

"YOU FUCKING BASTARDS!" He roared like a lion, darting at them full strength and his fist collided within the stomach of one of his enemy's. He flew into another one of his comrades, and before one could move out of the way of the raging beast the nape of his shirt was tugged and thrown across the air.

"Tch- You bastard!" Came a brave coward running at full force slamming his bat down onto the monster's head- shattered into a million pieces. The blond's blue shades flew off in an instant and shattered upon impact with the solid concrete.

Shizuo didn't care if he was bleeding and it stained his clothes and hair- he through a pugnacious blow into the man's rib sending him off to sleep with the others that had fallen onto the floor, anger flaring through his eyes like a laser. Half of the once danger lurking crowd were now fallen and unable to get up. Shizuo tossed, punched, kicked, grabbed and thrown like a fighting machine on a rampage.

They stood no chance. Instead, fear settled into their senses making them realize the whole picture right in front of them; they had no chance. "S-Shit! What is he!?"

Within that thought, men were running away and scrambling like mice. "I'm out of here!"

"He's a monster! A TRUE MONSTER!" They screamed and pleaded as they fled with the speeding wind.

"Tch! That information broker is crazy! Forget this!"

His eyes widened for a small amount of time before they fled. Small specks of black disappearing over the streets' grey flooring.

The sun was not cheering up anyone due to its absence for the clouds had covered it with their blankets. It was truly a gloomy day. "Are you alright?" Shizuo whipped his head around, eyes focusing on his friend and his blood spilling onto the floor. Vorona had been supporting him by placing her hand on his back and asking if he was alright. Shizuo rushed over as fast as he could and crouched down with his two comrades.

"Tom- are you okay?!"

"...Fine. I'm fine." He said weary.

Vorona could not wear a mask this time, for she had actually shown concern in her very blue orbs and eyebrows knitting. "Do not push yourself Tom-senpai. Get yourself medical attention please." Her soft voice spoke, but Tom only shook his head. "I'm fine. It's not that serious, don't get worked over it." He looked up into ex-bartender's eyes, "Don't worry. It's not your fault."

Somehow, he could not believe that. Those men came for him and instead injured Tom. It had to be his fault, right? "...I'm going to find who did this."

"Shizuo, don't-"

"I said I'm going to find who did this." He rose up, not caring for his battered clothes and bloody face. "And I will kill them."

"Vorona, take Tom to an infirmary." he said within looking back. Vorona wanted to acknowledge, but knowing that Tom did not want him or neither of them to do this, she denied. "But Tom-senpai said not to worry. He will be fine and I agree with his statement." She defended him.

"And I said take him to the infirmary. I said I will find the fucker who did it! Did I not?!" He barked back, "But Senp-" And he took off rather harshly. His main objective was to find the bastard responsible for this crime. And just by hearing what the men had said earlier, he had a perfect image in his head.

He ignored all the sorts of attention around him, oblivious and focused on his achieving goal that is striving him into such measures. He did not stop after seconds. He did not stop after 10 minutes of speed walking. He did not care if anyone noticed he was covered in blood and clothes were tattered. He wanted to find the person who placed the hit on him and caused his friend to take the injury instead.

"Hey, long time no see, Shizuo." He heard from his left, but he didn't stop walking. "...Woah man. What happened? Did something severe go down?" His brain told him to keep going, but his legs told a different command and halted right at the time he heard the voice again. He turned over to see Kadota standing there holding grocery bags and not to far off from his van.

"...Yeah yeah, some shit went down." He looked down in annoyance. "Right, I've noticed. Sorry if I'm in your way. I just happened to notice you and then your shape." Kadota replied with a calming smile, one of a wise man's.

"...Tom got hit by a rock by some punk."

"What?" His eyes widened slightly.

"Yeah, and I'm after the punk who offered the hit."

His eyes flared with anger and determination as his goal motivated him. Kadota noticed and took note, but he could not let this slide. He didn't want to believe that it was the same guy that's been pestering the blond since high school, "Well, I don't mean to stand in your way."

"Better go find the bastard quick."

"Damn right I will." And he marched off into a sprint, taking off with the wind speeding right behind him. "Let's just hope that it's not who I think it is…" he mumbled under his breath. Even if the sun was not present, anyone could tell it was beginning to set.

"Ah! Was that Shizu-chan?" He heard Erika shout and turned around. "Yeah, you just missed him."

"Oh No fair! I wanted to ask him so many questions!"

"...Um, I think that should wait. He was definitely not a jolly good mood- no need to mess with him anymore." He sighed as the woman in the black coat frowned and pouted. "I've got to be on Kadota's side on this. Erika, you could cause a huge problem if you went on your Otome Road Fantasies around him." He heard Walker snicker behind her.

"Well it's not my fault! A fujoshi has dreams and fantasies, too, y'know!"

"Yeah yeah, pipe it down guys." Kadota said as he walked back to the van, "Come on, we've got what we need." opening the door and letting them in, and found his seat in the front and took it.

"Okay Saburo, we're ready." He told his friend, him giving a small 'yeah, alright' turning on the engine and pressing his foot upon the pedal, driving off.

Izaya was boredly laying around the place like a log. He had nothing to do. He didn't have his laptop, he didn't really know where anything was, he didn't feel like exploring for he thought he would find something unpleasant to his sights. He was truly bored.

Not even the fact that the blocked sun setting caught his eyes. He just wanted Shizuo home so he could mess with him more.

The only thing he dared to touch was the tv. He continuously turned the channels until a scene to a movie had caught his blood colored eyes. He couldn't feel his fingers for they had froze. It was a simple movie scene of a tragedy happening. A woman was having an argument with a sketchy looking man, he smiled like a devil and through her down onto what seemed like a bed.

He knew what was to happen to that woman. He wanted to turn the channel but his fingers froze and he couldn't feel his body. All he could feel was his eyes widening through it. No matter what the woman in the scene did, the man did not stop and he held her down like a bear, unbuckling his belt. The sound of it twisting Izaya's stomach. It wasn't as bad, but the woman's shrieks and screams were what caught him into a trance of nostalgia.

His memories came flashing back within seconds and he couldn't control his sanity. He immediately found the strength and turned the tv off, holding his arms tightly and having a mortified look in his eyes. Fear, petrified, scared. Izaya couldn't shake the feeling, but he remained still and caught his rapid breaths. Minutes to an hour had passed of him sitting on the couch and recollecting his control and calmness.

Hours had passed.

All he could still remember so clearly was that he found himself in a warm embrace of his mortal enemy's arms, comforting and sweet. It disgusted his mouth but the rushing heat in his cheeks told a different color and tale. He wanted to piss Shizuo off earlier so the blond himself could forget.

But that didn't turn out right, for Shizuo had told him what he was doing in order to end up being straddled and shaken awake. If only he could keep character of being teasing and not act like he was concerned about what he had been doing in his sleep…

He's always unpredictable. Why?

He stuffed his face further within the sofa's cushion trying to block out any other thought. It's been just a couple of hours and yet it felt of an eternity of waiting. He wanted to go back to sleep and feel the same embrace.

"...What the hell am I thinking?"

Izaya didn't like sleep anymore, and for the reason was because he felt vulnerable. He was open to any attacks physically and mentally. He was terrified of his dreams that they would drift into nightmares and send him into a night terror of endless screaming and assaults of fear. An incurable epidemic of fear.

He wanted it to stop. But he only felt it stop when he felt the same warmth of a human.

Who cares. He didn't. He wanted to go back to sleep but his demons haunted him, unabling him to do anything like a disability. Izaya hated it.

Such monsters taking away his happiness.

"IIIZZAAAAAYYYAAAAA!" A loud roar boomed from outside, and the door flew open revealing an angry blond heaving breaths like a wild animal. Izaya rose up immediately and saw his tattered clothes and bloody face, hair stained with streaks of the same rose colored liquid.

"YOU'RE FUCKING DEAD!" Shizuo stomped closer ignoring the ruckus he was making. He tried to grab the raven's wrist but missed as he slid from the side of the blond and gracefully flipped backwards until he landed, facing the blond.

"Did little old me do something wrong?" He dared to say.

Shizuo's eyes were the definition of fury, almost as if he could see red in them. "You know what you FUCKING DID YOU PIECE OF SHIT!" He charged again and tried to throw a punch and missed the fast raven. Izaya was as fast as a cheetah.

"I don't know what you're talking about. Mind telling me?"

The black haired man stood calmly keeping his composure but was surely ready to jump out of the way when confronted by another fist. "You sent them, didn't you!?"

"Sent? Sent who?"

"YOU SENT THOSE BASTARDS AFTER ME!"

Did he send men after him? Izaya only glared with confusion, eyebrows knitting. "How can I send anyone after you? I don't even have my laptop or any equipment to call anyone."

Shizuo drew closer but stopped a chair length from the raven. "Yeah, but 99% of the shit that goes on in this town is always you. And you're the fucking god damned flea, you can contact anyone with ease!" He growled, teeth baring.

"Ah, but Shizu-chan… I did nothing."

Shizuo flew at the raven. Izaya tried to leap backwards, but his back slammed into the wall and his eyes widened as what was coming next. Shizuo pinned his arms onto the wall with a tight grip; so tight that it would definitely bruise his fragile pale wrists.

"L-Let go!" Izaya demanded.

"Not until you apologize!"

"Apologize? I didn't even do anything."

Up close, Shizuo had the smell of the outside mixed with blood and nicotine. "Admit it, flea! You sent those bastards after me! They even hurt Tom!" He yelled into the raven's face, him struggling and trying to get out of the hold.

"I told you- I didn't send anyone, I couldn't have either."

The blond tightened his hold upon the raven's wrists, instantly almost crushing them. If it wasn't for Izaya wincing, he couldn't have noticed he was hurting him. He let it loose just slightly, but the grudge he held never wavered.

"I don't believe you."

He wanted to keep him pinned there, but he could feel fear, little by little, slipping from the raven. He was growing more and more scared, even if he couldn't show it. And then Shizuo remembered.

He was hurting Izaya. Hurting. Scaring… Taking advantage over him…

Shizuo immediately let go of Izaya's wrists, letting them slip into his grasp and be greeted with a glare that he couldn't identify.

"...If it wasn't you, fine. But I still don't believe a shit word you say."

He turned to his side and walked through the hallway, stopping midway. "...You're lucky I care for…"

And suddenly, he just stopped his voice and walked through the door to his room. Guess Izaya was sleeping on the couch then.

Care… for who?