Heart to heart

It was finally over. Leaving the photo shoot for the last time Shizuo pulled the wig from his head letting his bottle blond locks show. "What are you doing?" Kasuka's manager hissed closing the door and barricading it as if the actor's entire fan base was trying to get in. "Put it back on. Whilst you are still in the building and in view of the paparazzi you will play your part as Yuuhei's double." Letting his head drop the blond sighed in resignation.

His job was to protect his brother's career until he was well enough again. At the moment he didn't know how long that would be. "I know." Clenching his fists Shizuo breathed deep calming himself down. Fixing the wig he knew it was time to leave.

"Hm, you've improved a little. Remember don't show any sign of emotion on your face. Try not to walk around like a street thug. You are impersonating a model and one of the greatest actors in Japan. Do you have any idea what will happen if Yuuhei's fans find out their hero has turned to drugs?" Shizuo let the words wash over him.

It was for Kasuka. Everything depended on him. Responsibility. How he hated that word. There were too many things that had become precious to him and he knew if he wasn't careful he would lose them all. "I'll be careful." Biting his lip Shizuo paused instead biting the inside of his cheek. Right now he couldn't afford to have a single scratch on his body.

"Good. I'll drop you off at the hotel." The hotel a block away from where his brother actually was. Without looking at his reflection Shizuo stood heading for the door. It was hard trying to walk like a model while slouching to make sure the height difference wasn't discovered. Nodding at the people on set the blond followed after Kasuka's manager.

x-x-x

The double life was beginning to get to him. Leaving a message for both Izaya and Kanra that he would be late Shizuo entered the hotel clutching hold of the takeaway boxes. It was all he could manage at such short notice. Kasuka would forgive him, if he even recognized him. Waving at the receptionist, Shizuo took the stairs not wanting to stop for a moment.

Taking a deep breath his forehead rested lightly against the door. It was painful watching the younger brother he had been so proud of fall. He knew Kasuka wouldn't do that shit willingly which meant someone was behind it and when he found them they would suffer. By keeping his lovers in the dark he was only adding tension to their relationship. Apart from the love they had for each other there was nothing to hold them together.

They weren't married, they didn't have kids...There was nothing. As soon as Izaya decided he was bored everything would end. Pushing the key into the lock Shizuo pushed the door open. "Kasuka, I'm back. Sorry I didn't have time to cook you anything, if you're not happy with this I could pay for room service. Kasuka?" The room was empty. Usually his brother would come running to him wanting affection and to know he wasn't alone or he would be curled in a ball shivering in the corner.

"Kasuka?" Dropping the takeaway containers on the table Shizuo began to panic throwing open the bathroom door. "Kasuka!" Slamming the bedroom door back on its hinges every muscle in his body tensed locking him in place. Kasuka wasn't in the room but there was someone else.

"Kasuka-kun isn't here Shizu-chan." Izaya sighed standing up from the edge of the bed. "Did you really think I wouldn't find out? I'm an informant, its my job to know everything. You should have told me-us about this."

"Shizuo, I- I'm sorry." Kanra cried still sitting on the bed. "I didn't know. I thought the worst." Shizuo remained frozen. He hadn't expected Izaya and Kanra to be here. Stupidly he had underestimated them.

"Where is Kasuka?" His brother wasn't sane enough to go outside or be in the company of others. Not to mention if someone actually recognized him.

"Shizu-chan..."

"Where the hell is my brother, Izaya. What did you do to him?" Storming forward his fists curled in Izaya's coat lifting him form the ground.

"Relax, Shizu-chan. Celty took him to Shinra. Its better for a doctor to look after him. You know he's going through withdrawal. This isn't something you should be dealing with on your own. I know you're trying to search for the dealer. You live with two informants and you didn't think to ask?"

Shizuo sighed relaxing his grip on the door. "Its not your problem. I'm dealing with it."

"Shizuo, What are we to you? I thought we were supposed to trust each other and not keep secrets. I thought you were cheating on us." Averting his gaze Shizuo felt guilt eat away at him.

"Kanra, You're all important to me. I didn't want to pass my problems onto you, I didn't want you to worry."

Izaya laughed bitterly. "Well you failed there. We're involved. Kasuka-kun will get help from Shinra and Celty. Now I think we all need to talk. Its not just you that's being attacked." Blinking in confusion Shizuo stepped further into the room leaning back against the wall.

"What do you mean attacked? They hurt Kasuka not me."

"Precisely. This isn't a direct attack, whoever is behind this is going for our weak points in other words those we care about. "Someone tried to kidnap Kururi."

"What?" Shizuo gasped. They had gone out to hurt Izaya too.

"Aoba Kuronuma stopped it and is currently acting as a protector for both of my sisters. At that time Shiki-san approached Kanra. The moment we were distracted he got to her." Both of their gazes turned to the quiet teen on the bed.

"He asked me if I wanted to live with him. He said that I would have the freedom to be who I wanted." Shit that was why his lover had been so upset. Kicking off the wall Shizuo stepped forward crouching down in front of her.

"I'm sorry Kanra, I was so preoccupied with my problems, I failed to notice yours. Know that I would never cheat on you ever. Do you forgive me?"

"Ooh, are you going to beg me for forgiveness too?" Izaya grinned.

"Shut it, flea." Although he was smiling too. All the seriousness had drained from the raven's face.

"Shizuo, There's no need to forgive you. You didn't do anything wrong." Kanra smiled hugging her lover. "I'm sorry I accused you of cheating."

"Who else would love the fortress of Ikebukuro but us?" Izaya smiled curling an arm around Kanra's waist. "So the change of outfit...not that I'm complaining." Shizuo sighed in relief feeling everything drain exhaustion taking over. Slumping forward his hands rested on his lovers' knees.

"Kasuka's manager said I walked like a street thug. I've been doing modelling jobs acting as Kasuka." It was thanks to Izaya and Kanra that he stayed upright.

"I was going to say, lets go home. Do you think you could leave the room?"

"Yeah. Wake me up when it gets here." Shizuo pushed himself up barely managing to get on the bed. Curling into a ball he was out like a light in seconds.

x-x-x

"Are you going to call a cab?" Kanra asked watching her lover sleep. Almost ten minutes had passed and Izaya hadn't made a move.

"No. Shizu-chan needs to sleep. No doubt that manager will keep bugging him. We'll stay here tonight and go back in the morning." Izaya was already stripping off sliding under the covers next to the blond. "Are you coming in?" Nodding her head Kanra took off her clothes leaving her bra and panties on. Both Shizuo and Izaya had been attacked while she hadn't.

"Izaya-nii, am I next? Whoever tried to hurt your family, hasn't tried to hurt mine yet. Am I next or is this my fault?" Sliding under the covers Kanra shuffled closer hugging the sleeping blond. Underneath her fingertips she could feel his heart beating.

"I'm not sure yet. Your life is a new one meaning my family is your family. The closest ones to you would be me and Shizu-chan. The way Shiki-san approached you though at the correct time...Get some sleep Kanra, we'll worry about it in the morning."

"...Okay." Leaning over she gave her lover a kiss moving on to the sleeping blond before settling down and closing her eyes. All doubts had been blown away, the three of them were back on the same page. The next time she saw Shiki she would hopefully have the courage to say that she didn't want to go with him. Shizuo and Izaya were her home.

x-x-x

Izaya was still awake sitting up resting his head on his knee. His two lovers were fast asleep all worry and stress gone from their features. Like this he could see that the protozoan had lost weight, most likely on purpose so he could give a better act as his baby brother. Kasuka was in serious trouble, it would take a lot of will power and help to get him back to his usual self. "Silly Shizu-chan, trying to play the hero by yourself. You know it gets you into trouble."

Kanra looked like she had made a decision. Which he knew would not please Shiki. The teen would choose to stay with them no matter what. Izaya sighed knowing he should probably warn Anri. It was unlikely but the two were friends. He doubted Kanra would be targeted since they had already been. Whoever was behind the attacks was singling them out, trying to demonstrate their power. Again his mind went back to Shiki.

The search for the gun was nothing but a distraction. If he had chosen work over his lovers then they wouldn't all be peacefully sleeping in the same bed. Izaya had chosen his lovers instead and that meant all three of them now knew what was going on. Now they could support each other against the threat. Resting his head on the blond's shoulder his fingers entwined with Kanra's. "Sweet dreams you two."

x-x-x

Anri stayed silent as she stood with Celty. The dullahan and her best friend apart from Mikado had allowed her to come around when she wished. That was the only reason why she was witnessing the illegal doctor struggling to take care one of his patients and not just any patient. It was the fortissimo's brother Kasuka. They had met when the three of them had thrown a house warming party to let everyone know they were living together as lovers.

Back then the actor had taken his brother to one side whilst Mikado had watched with worry. Whatever was said didn't affect anything. Now here he was right in front of her looking pale and shivering violently. A hand rested on her shoulder forcing her to look away. Held out in front of her face was Celty's PDA. Come on, I'll take you home. Please don't tell anyone about this.

Anri nodded pretending that she hadn't seen anything. Keeping secrets was no problem for her. She had her own, then there was Celty's and the fact that Mikado was still alive and living as Kanra. Everything was tightly locked away for the sake of their friendships. No doubt her friend was suffering worrying over the blond.

Leaving the apartment the teen followed after the dullahan. Taking a seat on the motorcycle shadows curled around her head creating a helmet. Wrapping her arms around Celty's slim waist the raven held on as the bike roared to life speeding out into the night.

Sirens pierced the hair blue and red flashing closer. Shaking her head she could feel the tremor against her cheek. Celty hated traffic police. The bike sped up keeping distance. Anri froze hearing a shot ring out. The bike shuddered underneath her the front wheel stopping throwing them into the air.

With nothing to stop her Anri felt herself soar before crashing into the asphalt. Celty wasn't too far away from her the yellow helmet cracked on the ground, the bike had transformed into a jet black horse laying on the ground. Feeling her eyes slip she could feel something damp underneath her head. Trying to reach out to her fallen friend the teen's vision blurred her fingers dropping catching sight of a figure walking towards her.