Grief

Tied

I was right on his tail as he opened the door, my beautiful city peeking behind him as it opened. I skipped with joy as he bent the poor doorknob between his fingers and slurred something heavy with slurs.

With a loud slam, he shut the door on my face, grumbling a string of more curses about my name as he did. Ah, it truly was a shame that I couldn't follow-

Wait.

I blinked, glancing forward at the view in front of me.

Well, this was new.

My body was still half in the door, my head sticking past the threshold I've been trying to reach ever since I first discovered I was stuck here. With a hesitant hand, I reached further out, testing just how much freedom I had gained.

Nothing. There was no pull! No strange black smoke that kept me tied down from leaving like before! A giggle of pure excitement slipped past my lips as I fully stepped past the door.

I was free! Finally, that fresh city polluted Ikebukuro air!

From down the hall, trampling feet halted. "Why the hell are you out here and quit laughing like a maniac!" He twisted his head back towards me and backed up his pace with fury, his hands waving sporadically as he yelled.

"I'd suggest you quit yelling before you're neighbors think you're even more insane. But look!" I couldn't help a little twirl of excitement as I flaunted my newfound freedom.

"You were just complaining that you were stuck in my apartment, so how the hell are you out here?" His tone was a little quieter than before.

I gave a little shrug, "I may be an information broker, or at least I was, but my specialties didn't quite lie in the ghost territory."

"Fine, just now that you can- fucking leave!" His hand pointed out towards Ikebukuro.

My lips curled back at the idea, for once Shizu-chan had suggested something I agreed with.

Finally! My dear humans!

"But of course Shizu-chan! Now that my lovely humans are a possibility," My voice quipped with excitement. I gave him a lazy wave of my hand as I began walking away from him. "This isn't quite a goodbye Shizu-chan, I still hold true to my word-"

I chirped something of a gasp and stumbled in my steps.

I heard Shizu-chan bark out in laughter at the scene, choosing in favor to ignore him, I looked down towards myself. That strange black fog had started to come out in plumes under my shoulder.

It festered and curled, but no matter how much I pulled against it to take another step away from Shizuo, it wouldn't budge.

Of. Fucking. Course.

The brute's laughter still rung loud in the hall as I glared back at him, shoulders slumped and legs straight in defeat. The idiot didn't even realize our situation yet, had he?

My face was set straight as I whipped around and walked back towards Shizu-chan, halting as I stood next to him. His laughter died off as he watched me approach, that familiar expression of annoyance forming on my face as I neared closer.

"Oi- What the hell are you doing? Quit tripping over your feet and leave already." His eye twitched, the hint of a smile on his mouth at his own comment.

"If you weren't paying attention Shizu-chan," I paused to point towards the blatant knot of smoke near my shoulder. "This thing won't allow me. Which means I'll be joining you for work!" My head titled with a smile as I watched realization dawn on him.

"What- hell no! If you are still stuck go back to my apartment! There's no fucking way I'm dealing with your flea-self for a whole day." Shizu-chan snarled something dangerous.

I gave a simple nope in response, popping the "p" with a sinister smile. A string of laughter echoed as the beast let out an exasperated, beyond frustrated sigh.

Perhaps the situation wasn't entirely bad.

I got to observe and enjoy my humans and annoy the monster at the same time!

That long sigh that he gave in return was quite a satisfying victory.

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"Shizuo, are you alright? You seem different than you have for the past months," Tom glanced my way with friendly concern. I gave him a forced smile in return, rubbing the back of my neck as I stared at our client who now lay unconscious in front of us. "I'm not saying I'm not happy to see you more lively- but damn," Tom added.

"Sorry Tom," I couldn't even make up an explanation on my personality flip. For the past months, I've been much quieter, some people even thought my anger issues had actually calmed down because I didn't cause as many fights. Along with Izaya being gone...

But Tom knew better, I knew better.

So for me to do a one-eighty back to how it was- I could understand where his concern was coming from.

Little did Tom know the reason for all this was still floating by my side barking out insane laughter at the man smashed into the ground.

It seemed nobody else could see Izaya but me.

With a quick halt of his giggles, he stopped, mumbling something about being bored of that. Instead, he smiled to look behind us at the crowds walking the streets.

Psychopath.

I forced my eyes to pull back towards Tom, who was now poking our client's shoulder with his foot as a measly attempt to wake him.

My shoulder's relaxed just a bit when I realized that Tom decided to brush the topic aside, obviously seeing I didn't want to explain myself.

"Well, I guess we'll come back to collect money from this guy at a later date. For now, let's head towards the next address." Tom started with a shoulder shrug, closing the broken door behind him as we made our way down the street.

"Ne Shizu-chan, aren't humans so interesting?"

Don't listen.

"Each a completely new individual, different ideals, and life experiences..."

Just ignore him.

We walked through the busy streets of Ikebukuro, I made sure to follow Tom a few steps behind.

"They're all so lovely, each holding their own little devious secrets. Each having their own little special way of breaking and remolding-"

"Would you shut the hell up!?" A whisper tore from my throat. My head whipped back to glare at him as he stopped ranting just to give me that snarky smirk. I pulled my eyes away, took a deep breath, and focused on Tom instead.

Who, of course, had paused. Something strange in his step as he glanced back in my direction with worry stuck on his brows. I gave him my best smile and shuffled to catch up by a few steps.

Rubbing the back of my neck as I veered closer I laughed something awkward and forced, "A bug."

"A bug?" Tom's brow arched at my vague explanation.

I gave him a confirming nod, "A bug." Ripples of laughter left the lips of the phantom at his side.

A bug, but not just any bug. The flea.

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