Finally Caught You, Flea

Tired

Previously:

The ex-bartender stopped a few yards behind the raven.

The raven that was still facing forwards and refusing to turn and look at the other.

"Izaya...."

"......."

"Listen.....Izaya.....about earlier...."

Shizuo didn't know what else to say at the moment. He was wanting the raven to start talking too, only for him to remain silent.

The alleyway was silent, with the exception of quiet pants for breath after their chase.

But that silence was suddenly disrupted.

"Whatever could you be talking about, Shizu-chan?" The raven said, turning around with his eyes closed and a smile on his face.

Shizuo frowned.

...Dammit. Is he really gonna pretend as though nothing had happened?

"You know exactly what I'm talking about, Izaya." The blonde said.

The raven's eyes opened slightly into a narrow glare, and his mouth turned from a false smile to a sneer.

The same kind of sneer that he would use when he was taunting the blonde.

"Oh, but Shizu-chan, I don't think I do. Are you sure that your memory isn't messed up? Poor Shizu-chan~ You're already losing control of your memory at your age, such a pity~"

Shizuo's hand clenched into a fist.

Don't do it. He's just trying to get out of this situation.

He's trying to make you angry.

He's trying to make you lose control.

He's trying to push you away.

Just like before.

I'm not gonna let that happen again.

Shizuo let his hand unclench and relax.

"Listen. I know what you are trying to do, so just quit it." Shizuo said with a calm expression, causing Izaya to frown.

"No you don't, because stupid monsters don't know a damned thing. Brutes like you only know how to throw shit around and get angry. That's all." Izaya seethed out.

"...I was able to piece out why you pushed me away before. I know why you are trying to push me away now." Shizuo responded.

The alleyway went silent once again.

It stayed that way for a few minutes.

Izaya didn't know what to say.

His words have failed him.

He slumped over with a sigh before looking at the debt collector.

Shizuo was startled at the look in the raven's eyes.

Izaya was tired.

Tired from having to push Shizuo away the first time.

Tired from fighting the Orange Ovals.

Tired from seeing Shizuo get shot.

Tired from being told that Shizuo was dead, only for it to be a lie.

Tired from running.

Tired of this conversation.

Izaya was both mentally and physically exhausted.

His emotions had been on a rollercoaster, and he felt completely drained from it.

"Heh....you know what, Shizu-chan? I'm done. You win, I lose. And I really can't bring myself to care at the moment. Right now, I just want to go to sleep for a thousand years until everything is somehow fixed. Hahh, if only life worked that way." Izaya said, staring at Shizuo.

Now it was Shizuo who was at a loss for words.

But staring at the informant's face, seeing this kind of expression. This expression of defeat that he has never seen on Izaya's face in all the years that he has known him, he knew that now wasn't the time for the kind of questions he was wanting to know the answers to.

Shizuo let out a long sigh, walked over, grabbed Izaya's wrist, and started to lead them out of the alleyway.

Izaya let out a confused sound, not understanding what was going on.

Shizuo kept walking forward, not even turning his head in the slightest as he spoke.

"...Sorry. I'm not gonna push you on this. We are going to go to Shinra's to get you patched up, then we are going home."

...Home?

It's been a long time since I could think of a place as home.

The thought unconsciously brought a very slight smile to the raven's lips.

Maybe.....maybe everything will be okay?

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I do not own Durarara!! or any images used.