The final trial

Their journey had begun with the baptism of fire and it ended under the hail of bullets. A scene of carnage awaited after the noise had died down. Down the hall the door was hanging from its hinges. The plaster walls had been peppered with holes. The floor stained a thick crimson, pooling from the two unmoving bodies on the floor.

The first was a blonde man in late twenties. His white shirt was soaked mainly at the side. His eyes were open and unseeing, a piece of misshapen skin on his forehead indicating the execution style wound on his forehead.

The second was a raven man in his late twenties. The blood was harder to see underneath the black clothes. Overly dark patches clung to the body. His eyes were open staring out at perhaps the only religious belief he'd had. Blood trickled from his mouth.

Mikado was on his knees between them tears streaming down his cheeks. With a trembling hand he brushed their eyelids down giving them the appearance of sleep. A hand clamped down on his shoulder. Not in comfort. Behind him stood the cause for the carnage. The yakuza's suit was as crisp white as ever. Mikado was lifted forced to stand on his own two shaky feet.

One day earlier

Shizuo looked like he was recovering quickly. To Izaya's relief the blonde didn't push him away or slap his hand away when he touched him. He'd even managed to get away with a sneaky kiss here and there.

Mikado didn't seem to mind taking it in turns to watch over the feverish protozoan. It didn't look like he had to worry about suddenly killing them. Hopefully the teen's hatred had dissolved. It was the only way the three of them could be together.

For now Izaya stood back watching the pair reforge their bond. There wouldn't be a need for himself and the protozoan to fix theirs. It had never broken. His old lover had become very predictable. Humming softly he picked up one of the open empty rucksack they would take with them. There would be vending machines in the station for snacks. This time he was leaving Ikebukuro too. His life as an informant was truly over, the future was unknown if not a little scary, sent a thrilling chill of excitement down his spine.

"Izaya, it's your turn." Kanra smiled taking the bag.

"Right. The list of what we need is on the table." Leaving the bag with Mikado, Izaya stepped into the bedroom seeing the blonde sitting up with a bowl of fruit in hand. "Feeling any better, Shizu-chan?"

"Yeah. When are we going?"

"I haven't decided yet." Izaya shrugged taking a seat on the bed. Not the edge like he had been but right next to the blonde. "Maybe when the station first opens or during rush hour. We have to assume our every step is being watched."

"Just make sure you and the kid get out."

"You too, Shizu-chan." Izaya sighed snatching a grape from the bowl. "I don't know how many times more I have to say I'm not leaving either of you."

"You know it doesn't work that way. I'm not important to Shiki. I can take a cab and meet you there."

"No. We go together. I can't have you running away from me."

"It's risky."

"You're worth the risk. It's all or nothing, Shizu-chan."

"Then make sure it's not nothing." Shizuo sighed. Izaya nodded leaning over to place the grape at the blonde's lips.

"I'm not losing either of you." Izaya promised following the small ball of fruit with his tongue. Shizuo didn't bite down so he took that as an okay to continue. "I missed this. I missed you."

"Wasn't exactly a walk in the park for me, flea."

Izaya nodded moving in for another kiss.

x-x-x

"Aren't you going in there?" Kanra asked.

Mikado shook his head.

"I'm sure they'd welcome you."

"I'm not ready yet."

Kanra smiled sadly. "You don't trust them yet?"

"Do you think this plan will work?"

"It has to." Mikado clenched his fist. "If it doesn't we're all in trouble."

"Mikado." Izaya took the bag from him. His cheek was red. "I got kicked out."

Kanra laughed."You're pushing too hard."

"I didn't do that much."

Kanra being Kanra sidled up to the raven placing her hands against his chest. "Why don't you show me and I'll be the judge of that?"

"And how does Mikado feel about that?" Izaya grinned lifting her chin.

Mikado sighed. "Kanra can do as she likes."

For a moment he thinks Izaya is going to kiss them. Instead he shakes his head and ruffles his hair. "When you're ready." The informant smiles.

Mikado nods clenching his fists so they don't find purchase in Izaya's top. He doesn't hate him any more. Not now the misunderstanding has been cleared up. Kanra is more than eager to jump into their old relationship but something is holding him back.

x-x-x

Shizuo sits on the bed watching through the gap in the door. He still has a slight fever but nothing he can't work past. The flea wants him confined to bed and as for Mikado...the teen hasn't been in to see him since they last spoke.

They're leaving Ikebukuro. All three of them. Their destination is Kasuka. He owes it to his little brother to go. Shizuo doesn't know how he's going to explain Izaya yet. Everything in their plan is a work in progress. It's rushed and so many things can go wrong.

This is their last chance for happiness before Shiki moves in to take the kid away. It has to go right or they'll lose everything. His hand tingles where his splayed palm had slapped Izaya. He hates hurting people and Izaya is no different. All he's done is hurt those he cares about.

Celty's pain was justified. Shizuo didn't begrudge her for it. She was his best friend and all he had done was cause her pain by dragging her into his schemes. Too late now he was realising just how out of hand things had become. A little worry had snowballed into an avalanche destroying their bonds.

Izaya had picked himself up, bouncing back like it had never happened. Mikado was on speaking terms with both of them but wary. He had a right to be.

"Shizuo?" Mikado opened the door to check on him. "Are the painkillers wearing off?"

Shizuo shrugged. His side was numb. Pain rarely affected him except for the one in his heart.

"Should I get Izaya?"

"No. I was just thinking." Shizuo shook himself pasting a small smile on his face. "Is the packing done?"

"Izaya has taken over."

"At least nothing will be missed." Izaya was probably going through a checklist.

"I suppose." Those bright blue eyes were staring at him. "Are you sure you're okay?"

"Fine. A bit hungry." Shizuo climbed out of the bed. It would be pointless to ask the teen if he wanted anything. It was just another indicator of their broken trust.

"Oh. I can make it for you."

"You don't have to." Shizuo looked down at the hand around his wrist.

"I want to."

x-x-x

The plan was risky. So much could go wrong. He had seen Shiki at his worse. Who knew what the yakuza was capable of now. He kept those that were useful and discarded those that weren't. Mikado had been deemed useful. He was still young and impressionable.

Shiki had thought Shizu-chan was cool. Whether that still applied now he didn't know. He himself was obsolete. The only one safe was Mikado but then the teen would be in the yakuza's employ. Shiki wouldn't make the same mistake. He had been given the necessary funds and the beginning of his care as an informant.

But he had done so many things that would make Shiki angry if he knew. He had his own way of doing things, his own goals, his own mind. Izaya refused to be manipulated by anyone. He refused to lose anyone.

With the packing done, Izaya took a seat on the sofa. Mikado walked past him carrying a bowl. Izaya watched a curl of steam rise. Seeing where the teen was taking it, he smiled. It was a good sign.

x-x-x

Mikado flushed watching Shizuo eat what he'd made. Without question or suspicion the blonde had taken the bowl with thanks and started eating. Shizuo trusted him. It meant more than he could say, so he stayed silent sitting on the edge of the bed. Kanra smiled inside him happy with the result. Slowly but surely they were moving forward.

"What? You want some?" The blonde asked through a mouthful.

Mikado shook his head. "I'm thinking. Are you worried this won't go right?"

"I'm more concerned about explaining this and Izaya to Kasuka." Shizuo had gone marginally pale holding up his hand. The wedding band glinted. He hadn't taken it off. Mikado looked down at his own one.

"Oh. You don't have to tell him about this." Mikado suggested lowering his head. "You could take the ring off and pretend nothing happened."

"No. It is what it is." Shizuo murmured continuing his meal. "If you want we could get a divorce after the six month mark has passed."

"I-"

"The packing is done." Izaya grinned. "Mm, that looks good. Let me taste, Shizu-chan."

"Get your own,flea. Oi!" Izaya stole the utensil from Shizuo's hand. Mikado watched the raven eat. "I said get your own!"

"Mikado only made enough for you." Izaya sulked. "That's not fair."

"Um, there's plenty left in the pot."

"Great. Then that's where I'll be."

"I'll get it." Mikado leapt to his feet, quickly exiting the room.

x-x-x

Shizuo sighed as the bowl was taken from him. Izaya was a sly flea. Mikado had left them alone avoiding his suggestion about their future. It would be too awkward now to bring it up again. Shizuo hated awkwardness and complications.

"Looks like it's just us, Shizu-chan." Izaya grinned setting the bowl on the small table opposite his side of the bed. To make sure he couldn't reach, the flea took the other side of the bed.

"Looks like." Shizuo growled crossing his arms. He wasn't happy he hadn't heard the answer from Mikado. Nor that his food would go cold. "Not going to try and jump me again?"

"Do you want me to?" Izaya winked. "Mikado doesn't want me to kiss him."

"So you want a substitute?"

"Shizu-chan, you have never been a substitute." Izaya snapped getting in his face. "Never."

"Right."

"You don't believe me?"

"It doesn't matter what I believe, flea." Shizuo sighed."Are we ready to go?"

"Tomorrow morning. We'll take a cab to the station. If it looks like we're being followed, I booked a hotel suite where we can detour. If not we'll go straight ahead."

"I'll leave it to you to keep him safe."

Izaya sighed. "Shizu-chan, don't deviate from the plan. If something does go wrong- no heroics."

"You sound like Celty." Shizuo grumbled.

"She's right. Of course you'd probably recover quicker without being thrown into a wall." Izaya snapped bitterly.

"She didn't hurt me."

x-x-x

So thick headed. Izaya struggled to keep his calm. Trying to get through the protozoan was like a thick stone wall. His old lover was stubborn to a fault. Every time it looked like they were getting somewhere, the blonde would clam up and he would be back at the start.

Dealing with the brute was like a puzzle game. It was a set path that had to be navigated. The correct piece needed to selected to continue. By now the puzzle should have been solved. But Shizu-chan could never truly be solved. Every move was unpredictable. Izaya knew he wouldn't have it any other way.

It was the same with Mikado. They both had their charm. He wouldn't change either one. The people around them had no such thoughts.

"Oi, flea. Stop looking at me like that."

"Like what, Shizu-chan?" Izaya left his thoughts. The blonde had inched further to the edge of the bed eyeing him warily.

"Like you want to eat me."

"Oh. But Shizu-chan, I-"

"Here you go." Mikado walked into the room carrying two bowls. One for himself and one for him. Izaya tried not to scowl as he took it. "Shizuo, did you have enough?"

"No. The flea took it."

"Oh."

x-x-x

The day passed quickly. Izaya helped him make dinner and all three of them ate without worries it had been contaminated. Shizuo had pulled himself out of bed now occupying the sofa. His eyes were closed but the slightest movement would wake him.

Mikado sat watching him whilst Izaya did the dishes. "You should get some sleep." The raven whispered one hand on his shoulder. Mikado noticed Izaya's hands were still warm.

"Did you do the dishes?" He asked just as quietly.

"I dealt with them." Izaya shrugged.

Mikado sighed. "You threw them away, didn't you?"

"We won't need them any more. Anything that's not a necessity, we'll leave behind." Izaya crouched beside the sleeping blonde. "Shizu-chan! Go sleep in the bedroom. You'll aggravate your wound."

"I'll be fine." Shizuo grumbled cracking one eye open. "You two can take the bed." Izaya looked back at him nodding subtly.

Mikado sighed. "Please sleep in the bed. You need to be at your best tomorrow."

Shizuo stared at him before dragging himself from the sofa. Izaya clapped his hands one arm threading through the blonde's.

"Nothing wrong with a little support, Shizu-chan."

"Piss off, flea."

x-x-x

It was hard to sleep sandwiched between the two ravens. Shizuo lay in the middle of the bed with Izaya on his left and Mikado on his right. Izaya's arm was slung haphazardly over his mid section and the teen was laying tense.

Izaya was being a bed hog deciding to sleep like a child. Shizuo didn't know how much longer he could bear Izaya's foot up his butt. Shizuo turned to glare at him but the raven was fast asleep.

The teen was asleep too- despite his rigid form- he was too close to the edge. Shizuo inched closer to Izaya gently guiding Mikado over to him. That of course caused Izaya to shift and treat him like a teddy bear. His own strength was nothing compared to the flea's when he was asleep. Izaya's arms curled around him squeezing him forward against his chest. For a moment Shizuo looked down at his side.

Rolling to face his old lover, Shizuo made sure Izaya kept away from his healing wound. "Mm. Shizu-chan." The raven murmured snuggling into him.

With a sigh he closed his eyes allowing himself to be Izaya's teddy bear for the rest of the night. It was going to be a busy day tomorrow, they needed all the rest they could get.

x-x-x

It was dark when Mikado opened his eyes. His bladder was full begging to be released. Sitting up he could see Izaya and Shizuo curled up with one another. The sight brought a smile to his lips as well as a spike of jealousy. For whom he didn't yet know. It could of course just be a trick of the eye. It was dark and all he could really see were two shapes close together. With a sigh the teen slipped from the bed padding quietly from the room.

"Nervous?" Kanra asked startling him.

"A little. I thought you were asleep."

"I sleep when you sleep and wake when you do."

"Oh. I guess that makes sense. You don't come out much when I'm with Shizuo." Mikado pointed out stepping into the bathroom. Rubbing his eyes he fumbled for the switch.

"The least I'm here the better for you. You know how this all started. We're almost there." Kanra grinned.

"No. For this...relationship...everyone needs to be accepting of you."

"Ooh. You said relationship. Are you planning to get back with them?"

Mikado bit his lip but he couldn't hide anything from his counterpart. Keeping quiet he emptied his bladder and washed his hands.

"You do. Don't you?"

"Does that upset you?"

"Why would it?" Kanra grinned. "You accept me. Izaya accepts me."

"But Shizuo doesn't." Mikado pointed out.

"No. Not yet. But he's talking to you. That's something."

"Maybe." Mikado answered. He doubted the blonde would accept Kanra. "We should put it to one side for now."

"Once you're out of Ikebukuro." Kanra whispered as they stepped into the bedroom. "You know, it's good to take the initiative."

Mikado sighed shaking his head as he climbed back into bed. Izaya had a grip on the covers he was refusing to relinquish. Turning on his side the teen moved so he had some of the covers. He tried not to think about himself pressed against Shizuo's back.

x-x-x

At five the alarm woke them. Izaya smiled as he released the brute from his hold. Mikado was up in a flash, jumping out of the bed. "G-good morning."

Shizuo was the last to get up. Like a bear with a sore head he fought to stay in the bed. "Shizu-chan, get up." Izaya told him. "If you don't I'll do things you wouldn't like."

"Don't you dare, flea." The blonde grumbled sitting up. Izaya reached out to check his temperature. "Don't worry about that. It's gone."

"Then you'll have no problem letting me check."

"I said no. Clear off so I can get changed."

"Are you okay if I make breakfast?"

"Knock yourself out."

x-x-x

Mikado ate. Izaya had made breakfast and the teen found himself eating without any worries. Then again Izaya had never tried to drug him...as far as he knew. It didn't matter. Today was far too important. Izaya wouldn't jeopardise their escape. Shizuo ate too. With a shirt on the wound couldn't be seen.

The teen fidgeted nervously. They had nothing except for their bags and each other. Shiki had the yakuza at his disposal and guns. Heavy weapons of death.

"For a last meal, this isn't bad." Izaya joked. Neither one of them laughed. They were eating too slowly. Mikado realised like him they were stalling. Here inside the apartment they had their safety. No matter how false it was.

x-x-x

Izaya called a cab. In fact he called a dozen cabs. None of them would take them out of Ikebukuro. He'd been given a nonsensical excuse from each one. Shiki had cut off the exit. One of them anyway. They could go anywhere around Ikebukuro just not outside it. He asked the driver to take them to sunshine 60. Given that they were trying to rekindle what they had, Shiki would believe they were simply going on a date.

The protozoan was slow. They had to take the elevator to preserve his strength. Izaya knew better than to say anything. Mikado kept looking around waiting for someone to jump out of them. Through the lobby they crossed the distance through the doors and outside where the cab was waiting. Izaya opened the door shifting the second bag over to his other hand. He climbed in first, followed by Mikado and then the blonde.

"Sunshine 60?" The driver asked. Izaya scanned the front section looking for a phone or anything that looked like a recording device.

"Ah. Change of plans. Take us to the station." Izaya sat back pulling his seatbelt across. The two bags sat in his lap. With a sigh he kept his eyes on the driver, his hand slipping into his old lover's. A small smile touched his mouth when he felt the brute squeeze back.

x-x-x

Something stank. The smell of Izaya's fear blended in with the betrayal he could smell from the driver. As a debt collector he knew how easily people could be enticed. This was no different. He knew Izaya had called every cab firm asking for prices.

Shiki would know too as soon as they left the cab. Next to him Mikado sat quietly hugging his bag. His own one Izaya had taken. Nothing strenuous.

"Flea."

"I know." Izaya answered his warning.

"Anything wrong?" The driver glanced back at them through the mirror.

"No." Izaya answered smoothly. "Is that your picture?"

"This? Yes. My wife and two children."

"Ah. They look like adorable little humans."

Shizuo said nothing. He left the talking to Izaya. He might be slower and still have a little bit of fever but he could still use his strength to stop the driver if it came to it.

x-x-x

Mikado stared at the looming sign of the station front. Both Izaya and Shizuo were acting strange. He was the first one out of the cab, nervous butterflies in his stomach.

Shizuo joined him and Izaya was last after tipping the driver. The two of them watched him drive off. "Right. Let's get going." Izaya grinned lifting the bags onto his shoulder.

The station was empty. Their footsteps echoed as they descended the steps. Shizuo had his head raised like a sniffer hound. Izaya didn't move forward until the blonde gave the go ahead. Mikado followed behind clutching the strap of his bag. It wouldn't be like last time. He reminded himself. This time all three of them were leaving.

Izaya brought their tickets handing him his. "Where's mine?"

"Shizu-chan, no stren-"

"It's a bloody ticket." Shizuo growled.

Izaya laughed. The only sound in the deserted place. It was early. It looked like the station had only just opened. They would be catching the first train.

Mikado slowed as they reached the platform. There it was. Long and empty. The doors slid open with a press of a button. "Let's go." Shizuo grunted nodding towards the door.

Mikado stared at the inside of the carriage. His feet refused to move. Shizuo already had one foot inside. "Mikado, come on." Izaya grinned.

His memory flashed back to that day. Izaya standing on the platform where he was now. Himself trapped inside the carriage helpless as it took him away.

"No." The teen whispered shaking his head.

"Mikado?" Izaya stepped forward teaching for him. Mikado took a shaky step back.

"No. Not again." He shouted trembling.

"Mikado."

"Not again." Turning on his heel. The bag slipped from his shoulder. As it hit the platform, Mikado ran from the station fighting the urge to be sick. Behind him Izaya and Shizuo called out his name.