18. Izaya looks like he's about to start laughing all over again, but Taniyama is mortified, confirming his suspicion. Simon looks back and forth between all three of them, pointedly blocking the door to make sure they settle this. How in the world had someone like Taniyama gotten mixed up with that no good, blood-sucking flea of all people? Through one of his sick internet suicide games? No, she's way too level-headed to contemplate taking her life. It occurs to him Mai's psychic abilities may have drawn attention to herself and might have Izaya tracked her down out of curiosity, but then why the living arrangement….
Taniyama drops a seat again and covers her face, but answers, "Yes, actually. Izaya's my roommate."
"Since when do you need a roommate?" Shizuo demands, turning to Izaya. The bastard rented a ridiculously spacious place out in Shinjuku, and had plenty of cash to spare. There was no way he was in a financial crisis big enough to warrant a roommate.
"Since I decided I wanted a pet." Izaya answers almost innocently, and pulls Taniyama into a tight hug, which seems to both sicken and embarrass her. "And what better pet to have than a member of the human race, especially one as rare and exotic as an authentic medium." Shizuo raises an eyebrow as his old classmate and rival strokes Taniyama's hair with as much affection as a toddler with a kitten.
"Get off me, you freak!" The woman shrieks, yanking herself out of his arms and backing away, then turns to yell at Shizuo. "Who I live with is none of your concern. I just needed a place closer to Ikebukuro than where I was living before, and I found from an ad online he had a room available. His apartment was the nicest I'd seen, he said I would only be paying 30,000 yen a month, and there wasn't a lease, so I figured the pros outweighed the cons and took it. Plus, I haven't had to buy my own groceries in two years."
"Why?
She actually gives him a funny look, as though he should've known the answer, but it's Izaya who answers, "Standard protocol dictates you feed your pets, Shizu-chan. What do you think I am? Some kind of monster?"
Taniyama pinches the bridge of her nose and sighs.
-0-0-0-
Author's Notes: Wow, Mai's level of tolerance must be god-like at this point. This is actually salvaged from another fic that didn't pan out. It had to do with Mai looking for a place to live and being 'adopted'/collected by Izaya.
Ghost Hunt is owned by Fuyumi Ono and Shiho Inada.
Durarara! is owned by Ryohgo Narita, Suzuhito Yasuda, and Akiyo Satorigi.