A lot of shit happens in this chapter~ the next chapter will either be the last or second to last... Please enjoy!

Things were odd. I didn't like it at all. Shizu-chan had kissed me, and I had kissed him back. Defiantly not the sort of thing you and the person you hate most should be doing. Now the apartment wasn't as safe as it had been before, and Shizu-chan's thoughts practically stained the air with a horrible smell. He avoided me, but didn't leave me alone. He yelled at me, but stopped himself. I was tired of it.

I had kept to myself in my temporary room as to ovoid his awkward behavior, leaving its confines when I needed to use the bathroom and when he had left for work. Speaking of which, I had just located the leader of The Striped gang. Huh, it was so simple that it unsatisfied me; using one of the phones I had stolen from a higher ranking gang member, I found that the last person he had called was under the name 'Boss' in his contacts. How careless can you be as to make it so obvious who... Ah, was this a set up? Hmm, were they even smart enough for that level of forward planning? They had managed to get me in their van... Of course, My head had been to full of the kiss that had just happened that I hadn't focus on protecting myself.

And there I was again. Losing focus on that thought. Maybe it was better if I stayed at Shinra's... But he had mentioned that his father was staying over that week... Never mind all that. I would be done with this whole mess in less than a week, so I might as well put up with Shizu-chan until then, I flipped the phone over and over in my hand and concentrated my thoughts again. Were they smart enough to rig this phone to take me into a trap? Well, the man I had stollen this phone from had been in the process of buying a whore to shag in some alleyway. And a wad of cash showed obviously out of his back pocket... Why had been in broad daylight to begin with...

A chuckle escaped me and I rubbed my face in my hand "Aha, you almost had me there." I ripped the screen of the phone off and laughed at the poorly hidden listening device. "Bribing that man with such a large amount of money to walk around dressed like one of your men just so you could get me to steal this phone? You must've had something really fun waiting for me, huh~?" The phone started ringing and I put the screen back on so I could answer "Hello~! You must be Mr. Bossman." "Listen here, you piece of shit. I have one of my guys ready to fire on my command to blow your boyfriend's brains out if you don't do exactly what I say."

"'Boyfriend'? Are you sure your information is up to date on that? Because I'm pretty sure I've never had one of those~" "Cut the crap." Disgusting terminology, but I ignored it with a long sigh. I knew he was talking about Shizuo... But what did I care? "By all means, blow his brains out. Splatter the ground with his blood, dance in it if you want. Just make sure to send me a recording of it all." He was silent for a moment, only the sound of a bird chirping in the background. I knew it. He wasn't as prepared to call for the kill as he had wanted to seem "Now, where may it be we can have a little-" but before I could continue, I heard him say "Shoot him." And he hung up.

Oh... They shot Shizu-chan in the head. Of course, that could have also been a bluff... I sat there for a minute before holding the phone up to my mouth "Oh, boo hoo~ whatever shall I do~?" Then I threw it against the wall harshly... Should I call him? See if he really is dead? Why did I have to care? It was just so annoying and tiresome. That's it. The bird... I made my way to the door but hesitated. It really wasn't the safest to go for a stroll. Then again, nor was it the safest to stay in that apartment without its owner there. I might as well head out.

I knew where to find him and it became plainly obvious I was right when a familiar person was there waiting. "I've been waiting for you." I nodded and he stood from his sitting spot in front of the cafe, the caged bird inside singing sorrowfully. The whore he a bought earlier that week hung off his arm, and I didn't have to look to know that there were some of his buddies slowly closing in behind me. "You must be the new boss... I never suspected you to be as careless as to let me pick-pocket you... But that was your plan all along."

The whore lunged at me with a knife but I easily dodged and elbowed her in the back of the neck "And to come with all your thugs and whore before the sun even sets. You really are and idiot, aren't you~?" People in the area started to run away as someone saw one of the men behind me uncover his gun and they screamed "Gun!" Ah, it would seem I brought a switch blade to a gun fight... "This is for getting our former boss killed!" Hm... That had mostly been Shiki, but okay. I was about to jump through the man to my lefts legs and try to get them to accidentally shoot him instead, but everything seemed to stop as everyone in a one mile radius heard the dreadfully familiar yell.

"IIIIIIZZZZAAAAYYYYAAAA!" He was alive... And he was angry at me. At least that hadn't stopped. The very thought of Shizuo being 'sweet' was uncomfortable. The boss guy cursed loudly "I thought you guys killed that bastard!" They weren't paying attention, as they were much too busy being plowed through on Shizu-chan's way to me. And what did he have planned for me? Was it that crossing sign? No, he picked up one of the gang members and threw them at me but I dodged, the gang leader started shooting, killing his own men until the body had landed on top of him. Well well well, this was sure an interesting turn of events.

"Why the hell are you such an asshole!?" Hm? Oh yeah, Shizu-chan was trying to kill me... I wonder what he was going on about. "What's wrong, Shizu-chan~?" He roared and charged me with his fist, I dodged again with a laugh and went to cut him when he suddenly coughed and blood poured out. I stopped running from him, from the corner of my eye a saw the leader reaching for his gun. But before I could throw one my switch blades at him, he had managed to pick it up. Oh well, it's not as though the angle he was shooting was aiming for any vital organs. What I had not planned for was Shizuo stepping in the way of the bullet.

What... What a bastard! Why the hell- calm down. He glared down at my shocked face "Who the hell do you think are? Flea! 'Dance in his blood'!?" How had he... Ah, he got shot, chased after the shooter who told him what I had said... A grin spread across my face and before I could stop myself, I kissed him. When had I stopped hating that jumpy feeling in my stomach? I didn't even care that the sound of an empty gun clicking was still going on. I pulled away and he stared at me surprised "Hold that thought Shizu-chan~" I skipped over to the leader who was struggling to get out from underneath the body. He was too late. I dug my blade into his chest before turning back to a very disturbed looking Shizuo "Who the hell was that?" "It doesn't matter. We need to get you to Shinra's before the police show up."

"Izaya?" I threw one of his hands over my shoulder "Hm?" "Stay with me." That was certainly weird to hear, I laughed "Awe~ Shizu-chan's getting all gushy on me, ew~!" He groaned in pain "Shut the fuck up."

Shinra opened the door with a bright grin that slowly dropped with his shoulders as he took in the sight of us. "Shizuo got hurt again? Maybe you should just stay away from Izaya for while- no offense, Izaya!" Shizuo stood almost straight and huffed, annoyed. "Just take the fucking bullets out." Shinra stepped aside with a pout and we made our way inside "Is your daddy still here~?" He shook his head "Nope! 'Said he had something to do today... Oh, and Izaya?" "What?" He smiled stupidly as he pulled his rubber gloves up his hand "You made out after he got shot, didn't you?" Right. Shizuo's blood was on my lips... Metallic and strangely erotic. He shivered and handed me over a wet rag as he dragged Shizuo down the hall "P-please, don't look like you're enjoying it that much."

It didn't take very long for Shinra to remove the three bullets and patch up the holes... But it was long enough for me to realize how rash I had been. If not for the fact that I had kissed him back the first time, initiating that kiss had made it rather obvious how I felt. We can't win them all, right? I had lost the fight against my feelings. Who knew such a horrible expression as 'love' would be the thing to lower me from my untouchable pedestal. I stood up from the couch, heading for the door but then I remembered his words 'Stay with me'. How annoying... At least I could tease him about it when I got to see him.

As if reading my mind, Shinra came out of his makeshift operating room. "You can go see him now, though, don't let him move around too much. He might rip open his stitches." I nodded and headed down the short hall to the room and walked inside, closing the door behind me. Shizuo was sitting on the edge of the bed and looked surprise to see me "You stayed." With the roll of my eyes I stepped further into the room "You told me to, after all."

"Shizu-chan took a bullet for me~" I teased and he groaned "Well you were just standing there waiting for it. Besides, I can handle a few bullets. It's no big deal..." But it was. Two or three months ago would he have done that? Very unlikely. There was a brief silence between us. suddenly we both lunged at each other and our lips crashed together roughly. I pulled roughly at his bleached hair and straddled his thighs , he hissed and shoved me onto the bed as he threw his head back in pain and I took the chance to attack his exposed neck "Fuck, my thighs bleeding again." "Stop whining." He pulled my chin up so that we were staring at each other... Finally, he said in a wary voice "I think... I'm in love with you- god. Just saying that creeped me out. I need a fucking smoke."

I pouted and bit his bottom harshly , he shoved his tongue into my mouth in returned but I pulled away with a frown "Am I really that bad~?" "Your the worst person I've ever met. That's why your so goddamn lucky anyone even cares about you, Flea." That was harsh, but I shrugged anyway. Just then, Celty opened the door and froze in the doorway, before typing out quickly "[Sorry for the intrusion!]" she hurried out and we sat there for a moment before hearing someone's stomping coming towards us and Shinra rushed in with a whine "I told both not to break open the stitches!"

Shizuo confessed, Izaya gave up on resisting, and the striped gang leader is dead... Things are going to be all good now... Right? You'll have to wait and see~ :p