A/N: Sorry this took me forever to write. I'm blaming it on the fact that I just recently graduated from school. Also, I had awful writer's block. If that doesn't continue, I should be updating more frequently!

As always, thank you and enjoy!

"What will you do now, Shizu-chan?" Asked Izaya, his mouth turned up slightly in an amused smirk. He winced as pain radiated from his shoulder down to his fingertips, but still managed to focus most of his attention on the grimacing man in front of him. Izaya was fascinated by how Shizuo's expression changed as his tiny brain processed this new information. He was angry. He was always angry. However, even Izaya could admit that he was not without morals, at least when it came to innocent people. From his place on the frigid, damp ground, he considered his enemy's options, and knew within seconds what would happen next.

He will be extremely angry because he won't be able to kill me today, Izaya thought, He'll probably punch something. He'll probably yell, and maybe even curse. He'll curse me, himself, the world, and maybe even the poor person rolled up in the carpet…and then he'll call someone. Shinra? Maybe Tom?

Just then, Shizuo let out a guttural scream and punched the wall across from the body. About ten or so bricks were dislodged and fell onto the ground below with a loud clang. He pulled his hand away, and seemed unbothered by the blood that was now streaming from his skin. He glanced at Izaya once more and with clenched teeth, pulled a phone out of his pocket. Izaya let out a short laugh, amused by how predictable this monstrous man truly was.

"Hello?" Said Shizuo into the phone, his voice terse and husky. Izaya could hear an energetic, questioning voice emitting from the receiver. The grin on his face widened.

"I have a situation...It's a person or maybe just a body…What? No!...I can't…Look, I'm across from Ekimae Park in an alley, just send her, okay?"

When Shizuo hung up the phone, Izaya could still hear Shinra's voice prattling on from the other end.

"You didn't mention me. That really hurts, you know!'

"Shut up. You should be thankful that I'm not killin' you today." Izaya watched as Shizuo crossed his arms tightly over his chest.

For once, a silence bloomed between them. Shizuo took out a cigarette, placed it carefully between his lips and lit it. After inhaling deeply, he exhaled and the two of them watched as smoke twisted its way up to the sky. Izaya always hated the stale, dirty smell of cigarette smoke. Even he couldn't be sure if this was because of the smell itself or because the smell reminded him of Shizuo. He let out a loud, dramatic cough, which earned him an angry stare in return. Izaya briefly wondered if Shizuo would change his mind and kill him before Celty arrived. He stared at the cigarette, expecting it to be bent and thrown upon the ground in a fit of rage, but it remained straight, clasped between two of Shizuo's fingers.

"I'm letting you go. Leave."

"I'm pretty sure I'll be needing a doctor for this shoulder of mine," Izaya said, relaxing his head against the wall behind him, "besides, I'm as curious about this as you are."

"I'm not curious, I'm doing the right thing."

"I wouldn't say that calling an underground doctor is doing the right thing, Shizu-chan," he paused, and looked directly into the eyes of his enemy, "the right thing would have been to call the police, right?"

"You bastard," he replied through clenched teeth, "you know why I couldn't have done that."

"Well, I suppose you are a monster, after all. Considering those crimes you've committed—"

Izaya stopped mid sentence, as he watched Shizuo bend his cigarette and crush it under his shoe. He strode over to him and in one fluid motion, picked him off the ground by his collar. As he was slammed into the wall again, Izaya felt his shoulder throb with sheer agony.

"Listen here you flea, if you don't shut up, I'll beat the shit out of you right here and now."

The seriousness in his voice didn't surprise Izaya, but he felt his heart begin to race again. Maybe he should have left when he had the chance, but there were many things that had made him want to stay. One was that the person in the rug had to be related to the graffiti somehow. Also, he was curious. He was always curious about what was going on around him. Although he had an obligation to Shiki to find out what was happening, he also wanted—no—needed to know every detail of his beloved city. Thirdly, he enjoyed egging Shizuo on when it was clear he wouldn't be killed for doing so. As serious as he sounded, Izaya knew that he wouldn't dare kill him in front of Celty.

As if on cue, a black motorbike sped into the alleyway, and stopped just mere feet away from them. Shizuo let go of Izaya's shirt and walked toward the jumpsuit-clad woman who had just dismounted from the bike. Izaya braced himself against the wall, barely able to stand, and watched as she took out her phone, typed something, and showed it to Shizuo. He shook his head in response. Celty transformed her bike into a carriage and used her shadows to place the body inside. She typed something else to Shizuo, and he replied in a quiet mumble before getting into the carriage.

When Celty reluctantly made her way over to Izaya and shoved her phone in his face, there were only two words on the screen:

"Get in."