Awake and alive

"Well that was fun." Izaya drawled sarcastically.

"Be quiet." Shinra ordered bandaging his neck. "The dead don't speak."

"Good thing then or I'd be tearing Celty apart- verbally of course."

The dullahan was leaning against the wall trying to blend into it. Izaya wasn't in the best of moods having his brain rattle around in his skull for a bit. She could have warned him about the impromptu bungee cord wrapped around his ankle. His limbs were sore but his injuries were more psychological compared to what he had inflicted on the teen. That wasn't something he wanted to think about for the moment. Accusingly he shot a tired glare at dullahan.

"You should have told me the moment you found out."

Celty didn't respond. Izaya didn't think she would. Shinra had a tray of sharp pointy objects he wouldn't hesitate to use on him. With a pained shrug he asked his next question.

"You were there the entire time? Skulking around in the shadows." Izaya smirked. "That's quite stalkerish of you. Adding voyeurism to your skill set?"

He was angry. Angry enough to have a go at taking down the woman bathed in shadows. If not for the numbed emptiness in his chest cavity.

"Izaya, my beloved was only helping out a friend. This isn't her fault." Shinra defended Celty like he usually did. "Shizuo has things handled."

"That's where you're wrong." Izaya murmured with certainty. He didn't get to elaborate. Anri walked in looking around warily. She knew she had interrupted.

"The hospital called. Kida-kun has woken up."

"Great." Izaya clapped his hands. "This is just getting better and better. He's lost his memory right?"

Anri gave him a strange look. "No. He's awake and talking. He wants to see you Orihara-san."

Izaya raised a brow hopping up from the sofa. "Does he? I'm afraid I can't. I'm dead at the moment."

"Sorry?"

"Don't be. Terrible way to go. Irony is the worst."

The teen looked further confused. Izaya brushed down Shinra's clothes. They expected him to keep his head down. To keep up the pretence of being dead. To leave everything to the protozoan with a plan. Because the first one had worked out all too well.

Celty decided being a wallflower wasn't for her stepping away to join Anri. The dullahan draped an arm around her drawing her gently from the room.

"You're not going to hurl her across the room?" Izaya called after her.

"Don't be an asshole." Shinra rolled his eyes. "Do you have any other injuries?"

"Apart from my pride? I'm usually the one doing the molesting in the shower." Izaya quipped pacing like a caged animal.

"I was checking you over."

Izaya gasped covering his mouth. "Shinra! Whatever will Celty think?"

"Not that." Shinra looked disgusted.

"You're not my type." Izaya flopped back onto the sofa. "Being dead is boring."

"You were the one that fell off a building."

Izaya closed his eyes crossing his arms over his chest in classic dead fashion. "I was pushed. How does this look?"

"Like you're an idiot. You can't leave."

"Obviously." Izaya said without opening his eyes. "Can't go against doctor's orders. Although technically if I'm dead then you failed."

"Comatose then." Shinra stood over him. Izaya cracked one eye open. "Izaya. This is serious. If Celty hadn't been there..."

"I'd be dead. Which I am now." Izaya shrugged. "You've prepared a room for me?" He sat up regarding his friend. "Don't worry I won't be staying long."

"Moving on?" Shinra asked cracking a smile.

"Shinra. Anyone would think you'd really want me dead."

"No one wants that." Shinra shuddered no longer looking at him. "Last night could have been really bad."

"It was. I think I have whiplash."

"You're being an asshole."

"You're being judgemental." Izaya grinned pulling himself up so his hands rested on his knees. "Why don't you ask what's really bothering you?"

Shinra sighed giving him the once over. "How are you feeling...emotionally?"

Izaya schooled his features giving his friend a solemn look. "Dead."

Shinra shook his head turning away. "You should trust Shizuo."

"Oh I'm not worried." Izaya shrugged feeling the muscles in his shoulders protest.

"Then you won't interfere?" Shinra asked slowly doubting him.

"Not until I need to." Izaya grimaced stretching his aching body across the sofa. "I should do the whole safety suicide thing again."

"Izaya!" Shinra looked horrified.

"It was a joke."

"It better be. Do you need anything?"

Izaya closed his eyes. "I'm dead remember. I don't need anything. You might want to prepare a medical kit. Place it by the front door."

"You're not hurting Celty." Shinra scowled. "Oh. You mean Mikado?"

"If that's what you believe." Izaya turned slowly onto his side feeling pain travel down his back. It would be a range of shades in the coming days.

Shinra winced at his pain. Celty's half assed attempt to save him had caused the worst of the injuries.

"Shizuo is handling things."

"So you keep saying. I won't do anything. I'll stay in the apartment." Izaya could feel Shinra's doubt. "But if anything happens its on you and Celty."

"Trust Shizuo." Shinra repeated leaving him alone. Probably to tell Celty everything was okay.

Izaya sighed cringing in on himself. Trust wasn't the issue. He knew both of his lovers and what each one was capable of. Now that Dual's identity was revealed, Izaya was calm and once again in control. Everything had happened like his ex had predicted and attempted to stop. He wondered if the protozoan realised he had only made things worse. Mikado's hatred had been pointedly directed at him.

x-x-x

Thunk. Thunk.

Shinra came running at the sound, looking first at the wall where his scalpels were and then to glare at him. Izaya responded by throwing another surgical tool. This one bounced off the wall landing somewhere close by.

"My medical equipment isn't your toy." Shinra snatched the tray of remaining implements away. Which he should have done in the first place.

"Give me my knives."

"No. I thought the dead didn't need anything."

"I could be a poltergeist." Izaya shrugged making a mental note to stop doing things that caused him pain. "Is your phone fully charged?"

Shinra gave him a strange look. "You want to speak beyond the grave?" His friend was finally developing a sense of humour. "It's charging now. Celty was playing a game again."

"Make sure you keep it on you." Izaya said flexing his fingers. "Celty too."

The dullahan was seated in the kitchen. Izaya could see her eavesdropping. Now that everything was crystal clear, he thought back to the knives aimed at Mikado's back. He should probably thank her for safeguarding the teen. Then he felt pain coarse through him and decided not to.

"I get that you're worried-"

"I'm not worried. It's not my problem if you and your beloved presume to know my lovers better than I do."

"Exes." Shinra quietly reminded him. Izaya gave him his best smile.

"I'm bored." He whined childishly. Annoying the couple was going to be his new favourite past time. "If you're going to keep me here at least entertain me."

Celty strode out her hands clasped together. Izaya's interest was peaked holding out his hand like a small child awaiting candy. His smile slipped seeing it was a black spherical object. Soft and spongy.

"It's a ball." Izaya sighed squeezing it in his hand. A shadow ball. How boring.

I believe in Shizuo. A message too. Izaya rolled his eyes glancing at the words. He did too. That was why he was waiting for the inevitable. I'm sorry if you got hurt in the fall.

Izaya laughed hurling the ball at the wall. It bounced back landing in his open hand. "If you really want to make it up to me there's something you can do." Moving his hand he beckoned the dullahan closed whispering his evil scheme.

x-x-x

Thud. The ball hit the wall coming back to him. Izaya threw it again briefly pondering if Shinra wanted him to do it. The illegal doctor hadn't stopped him this time.

On the table at his side was a second cold cup of coffee with an untouched sandwich. Celty was hovering around giving him a meaningful look. Well her body language was.

Can we talk? The dullahan finally approached his temporary bed.

"Well I can talk." Izaya pointed out the obvious. "I'm not sure if you can."

You're angry.

"You're a therapist now?"

Izaya! Please?

Thud. Izaya caught the ball, setting his only entertainment for the moment down.

"What do you want to know? You're lucky I don't charge for my services."

Do you hate me and Shinra?

"No."

Do you still love Shizuo and Mikado?

Izaya tensed shrugging it off. "None of your business. Are we done?"

I'm trying to help. Celty bristled. I know Mikado's actions hurt you

Izaya looked away. "They didn't. I was angry before. I panicked. Finding out the truth has cleared things up."

Mikado tried to kill you. You're not angry?

Izaya shrugged wondering why he hadn't reminded himself not to do so any more. "Why would I be? Trying to kill me is a requirement for being with me. Shizu-chan started slacking."

I don't understand. Celty typed thrusting that screen in his path.

Izaya smiled not bothering to dignify her with a response. He went back to throwing the ball at the wall.

x-x-x

Celty's phone buzzed. Izaya looked over expectantly. Shinra did too, giving him a worried look. It wasn't the call. The phone was handed to Anri. The hospital then. Shinra visibly relaxed, shoulders slumping.

"Do you want to talk about it?" His friend asked meeting his eyes. Izaya smirked giving a small shake of his head.

"The day I need you as my therapist is the day we're all in trouble. Stick to sharp pointy things." Izaya waved him away. "I mean it Shinra. Stop asking about my feelings."

Shinra stared at him like a bug. Izaya could feel him trying to work out what to do. As long as it was away from him he didn't mind. The weight of Shinra's gaze was heavy. Izaya closed his eyes laying flat against the sofa. His back protested but he could suck it up.

Shinra wanted to poke and prod at him until he was dissected. Izaya blamed Shingen for that. It looked like his friend had finally got the message. Opening his eyes to slits he could see Celty pulling him away. The two of them vacated the room leaving him blissfully alone.

"Orihara-san." Or not. There was another nuisance waiting in line. Anri clearly wanted his attention standing at the end of the sofa.

"Hm?"

"Kida-kun's injuries. Mikado-kun did them?"

"Yes." Izaya answered simply. "Anything else?"

"No." The teen had already scurried off.

x-x-x

Mikado had slipped. Kanra had become another personality of sorts. The two of them had then become Dual, to fool him. Which had worked. What the blonde has tried to prevent had happened. What he had tried to prevent had happened.

Mikado was with Shiki. The teen had become the yakuza's pawn and that didn't come without its risk. The fortissimo could be sharp at times but dense at others. Both Celty and Shinra insisted that the blonde had everything handled. Why were they so certain? It wasn't just friendship. There was something else. Sitting up sharply Izaya bit back a cry of pain, going in search of Celty.

She was on the balcony resting her arms against the steel railing. Her body was leaning at an angle, curves fluid as ever underneath the black jumpsuit. Izaya let his gaze drop to the slim curve of her lower back. A small smile touched his lips at the thought of giving the dullahan a little push. Just to return the favour.

"Hypocrite." The raven murmured the accusation. "There's only one here that interfered and it's not me. What did you do?"

What he asked me to do.

"Which was?" Izaya demanded. He had a theory. He always had a theory. The answer didn't come from the dullahan but Shinra behind him. Izaya stilled at the knowledge feeling a cold chill spread through his body.

x-x-x

"It looks like you're feeling better." Shinra told the figure at the door. "Come in."

Anri eased the wheelchair forward into the apartment. Masaomi looked haunted. His eyes raised widening as if he'd seen a ghost. Izaya lounged on sofa draped in fluid shadow.

"I-I thought you said that bastard fell off a building?" The blonde accused with a stutter. His eyes never left his. Izaya kept his face impassive.

"He did." Shinra told him sadly.

"Oh." Masaomi continued to stare at him. "So can...anyone else see him?"

Shinra shook his head turning away. "We thought it would be safer for you stay here."

"...right." Izaya didn't need to be a professional to read the tortured features. "So...Izaya really croaked?"

Izaya smirked at the provided entertainment. It would be so easy to string the teen along. He would have done so if not for the more pressing matters. Celty's fault- again. "Your gullibility will get you killed." Izaya sat up dismissing the shadows around him.

"Cockroach." The blonde sneered. "Should've known you wouldn't be dead. He wouldn't-"

"Ah. We'll never know." Izaya shrugged standing tall over the chair. "What do you intend to do?"

"What can I do?" Masaomi snarled glaring at him. "You've dragged him down to your level. I tried to help and he did this. That's not my friend any more. That's a monster of your cultivation."

Izaya inclined his head. "Is that so? I can't take all the credit. His best friend did after all try and kill him first."

"Go to hell." The blonde brought a fist down on the arm of the chair. "You and Shizuo did this. Don't worry I understand perfectly now."

"Do you?" Izaya raised a brow shifting on one foot.

"Yeah. Mikado if that is who he still is, can't be saved. You want him. Take him. I'll be leaving as soon as I can."

"Kida-kun..."

Izaya said nothing. Their friendship couldn't have meant anything if the blonde wasn't running away not once but twice.

Celty stood close to the pair typing on her phone. Everyone stilled as the phone burst to life. The dullahan's helmet rolled off. Izaya took the phone without a word. Pressing it against his ear he could hear uncontrollable sobbing.

"C-Celty-san." Mikado. This was the call Izaya had been waiting on. "Help me. I-I did something bad. He's bleeding. It won't stop and I-I-I didn't mean it. Please! The address is-"

Izaya tensed reciting the address in his mind. It wasn't even a block from the hotel the pair had gotten hitched at. Handing the phone back he grabbed his shoesand the medical kit Shinra had so dutifully laid out, running from the apartment.

Celty caught him before he reached the bottom. It will be faster if I drive us.

Izaya stiffened rubbing at the lump in his throat he couldn't dislodge. They had the address and the transport.

What's wrong? Shizuo will be okay.

Izaya was thankful for the helmet materialising around his head. It was time. Their reunion was long overdue. Swinging a leg over the bike his arms held around Celty's waist.

"Go. Before I change my mind." Izaya pleaded closing his eyes. The motorcycle roared to life speeding towards their destination. Izaya pressed against her back feeling sick. Butterflies swarmed in his stomach. This was it.

x-x-x

Izaya hit the door as Celty rushed to knock. There was no answer. A wave of shadow rammed the door from it's hinges. Izaya forced one foot in front of the other. His gaze gravitated to the teen curled up on the floor covered in blood. At the noise blue eyes looked up seeing Celty.

Mikado screamed recoiling. Izaya smiled wryly. That was right he was supposed to have kicked the bucket. At the sound another figure came to meet them. The fortissimo was clutching his stomach, his right side covered in blood. The blonde looked over to him eyes widening and looking like he had seen a ghost.