Winds of change

Confusing reality

The sun began to set in the sky when Shizuo, Tom, and Sakura completed their work for the day.

Shizuo leaned against a lamppost while waiting for Sakura because she had asked him to walk her home. It was a strange request since she had never asked him before, but they had become good friends, and he wasn't about to deny her request. While Shizuo waited for her to finish getting groceries from the store, his mind wandered. He'd gained everything he ever wanted in just a few months, only for his heart to be shattered so quickly.

"Can I have my job back? I just want to forget everything."

Goddamnit, he tried. Shizuo tried so hard to forget all he and Izaya had shared, but it was all fake, and he should keep remembering that because the more he did, the more he could hate him again. Shizuo turned to his left and blinked in surprise - speak of the devil. Izaya ran toward him from a distance. Now was the right time to get back to normal. Shizuo growled and grabbed hold of the first thing he could get his hands on - which happened to be a bench, but before he could rip the object from the ground, Izaya yelled his name. Shizuo stopped and stared at him. Izaya hardly ever announced his presence to him in the past unless he was intentionally trying to provoke him. This didn't look like one of those times. Izaya sounded desperate, and Shizuo strained his hearing to catch what Izaya was trying to tell him.

What was he saying? Something about Sakura? What about her?

"Shizu-chan, you're a target!"

Tsk. Shizuo grew angry. Yeah, a target of your deceitful mind games.

Shizuo frowned when Izaya shouted, "She's an assassin!"

"Who is?" It sure as hell wasn't Sakura.

Before Shizuo could reclaim the bench, Izaya was right before him, and suddenly....

There was a gunshot.

The people surrounding them screamed and scrambled for cover, not knowing where the shot came from.

Shizuo's eyes widened at the form in front of him, and he caught a glimpse of Sakura before she bolted behind the store and disappeared. Reality came crashing down as Shizuo's eyes turned back to the raven, and the blond dared to take a step forward. "Izaya...?" Shizuo gasped when Izaya fell against him. "Izaya!"

Blood splattered from the raven's mouth when he spoke, "Shizu-chan....."

Shizuo gripped onto him tightly. Why was this happening! "Izaya! Why did you do that!" God, after everything that happened...Shizuo was so confused. Why the hell did he save him?

"There's something I have to.... tell you."

No! Not yet. no way was he letting Izaya speak his last words. "Stop talking!" Shizuo turned to the crowd of people. "Call a fricking ambulance!" Shizuo growled; were they all frozen or something? Shizuo grasped Izaya's hand when the raven reached for the wound on his chest.... There was so much blood, and fear struck Shizuo's heart. "Hang on, just hang on, okay?" Hadn't he been ready to kill Izaya five minutes ago? Shizuo wasn't sure he would have gone through with it, but he'd have knocked his lights out for sure.

"I'm sorry... I'm so sorry...."

No! "Shut up! I told you not to talk!" Shizuo tightened his hold on Izaya's fallen body. Izaya wasn't going to die! Shizuo could hear an ambulance in the background. Finally! "They're on their way, Izaya, hold on...." God, please don't die!

Izaya groaned in agony, his hand clutching at his chest as he smiled weakly, eyes drooping. "I love you, Shizu-chan...."

Shizuo's eyes widened when Izaya's hand suddenly dropped, and tears fell down his cheeks. Please God, no....