Forgotten (Book 1 of the Remembrance Series)

Bloody Brawls

   I walked around with Tom, heading to Russian Sushi for lunch. As he does every Tuesday, he was treating me to lunch for not actually killing those who had to pay him still. We sat down inside and ate, exchanging friendly conversation. I ordered a new limited time special they were serving, chocolate strawberry pudding, along with sweet rice cracker for desert, savoring every bite. We left and finished up the job for the day, and luckily I didn't need to beat anyone up.
   My goodmood was new, I had never felt this good for so long, it seemed alien to my nature. Some gave me curious looks as I walked through Ikebukuro smiling, helping anyone out if I think they need it. Maybe this would be a new start. Soon enough, just as I thought I would have a nice day, it all ended. A familiar voice called out, bringing back the detailed nightmare I had last night.
   "Shizu-Chan! How are you?~" Izaya chirped, skipping towards me. I grabbed at a lamp post, the metal screeching and crunching as I tore it from the ground. My arms felt warm, but I ignored it. I put on a mask of anger, but once again all I felt was numb. All of my emotions returning to fake ones.
   "Izaya, what the hell do you think you're doing back in Ikebukuro?! I told you to stay out!" I roared, hurling the lamp post. He easily dodged, like he always does, and ran along it before jumping at me. His flick blade out, he gave a psychotic cackle.
   "Awe, Shizu-Chan, there isn't a law that prevents me from being here is there, ne?" He teased, the blade coming achingly close to my arm- but there was blood, he must have gotten it... I didn't have any bandages on my cuts! Of course, only an idiot like me would forget.
   "Aeah! There should be!" I cawed, pulling my arm as far out of his sight as possible. He must have soon noticed, because before I could do anything to stop him, he managed to worm around me, dodging my fist as I swung towards him. He swung the blade, the fabric of my sleeve tearing to reveal my bloodied arm. Lukily, it was hard to see the multitude of cuts. I grabbed Izaya's shirt collar and threw him, knowing he would land perfectly, like always.
   I ran before he could make his way back to me, heading to the nearest drug store to buy water and bandages.

                                ◇♡◇

   I sat in one of the back alleys, dumping water on my arm. I used my now free hand to rub at the blood, reopening a few cuts. The blood quickly mingled with the water, turning it a sappy pink. I shook my arm as dry as I could before wrapping the bandages around it. I wrapped the other arm as well, even though none of the cuts had started to bleed. Once finished, I hurried to gather the garbage and dumped it in the dumpster. I hurried home, suddenly exhausted, both mentally and physically.

   ~Izaya's POV~

   I watched the beast from behind a box, carefully observing him. He was currently cleaning his wounds, like any animal would, in hiding. How he got them, though, I have no idea. I didn't inflict that many on him, no way. He stood up and discaded his trash, tugging his sleeve together and clipping it shut with small baby pins. He stared emotionless at his work. Now that I thought about it, he never showed a spark of emotion the whole time I had been observing him.
   He walked, almost mechanicaly, out towards the street, and I followed about twenty yards away, keeping quiet as a mouse. Hopefully, the 'cat' wouldn't notice that his little chase had been twisted to the mouse's will. Shizuo made his way through the crowd, and I started to move closer, so I wouldn't lose him. He turned a corner, into a less busy street, but I noticed that many of the people were someone I would rank as 'dangerous,' but also as good clients.
   As I followed Shizuo, a gasp of recognition came up from one of the men here. A few of the harmless civilians were hurying through this street, due to a few of the yellow scarves loitering around. The man who gasped glared at me, and seeing who it was, I quickened my pace. It wasn't that I was afraid, I just didn't want Shizu-Chan to realise I had been following him.
   Someone grabbed my hood, and I let out a small yelp of suprise as a fist connected with my nose. I was dragged towards an alley, the man and his small 'possey' grinning like madmen.
   "This is the little bastard who did it! Time ta' make him pay!" The man growled, bringing my face into the wall. I chuckled despite the bricks grinding against my flesh.
   "All I did was do as I was asked, it's not my fault you cheated. All I did was tell your little lady friend!~" The man seemed appalled by my words, pulling me back and then throwing me into the wall again. I yelled as my vision danced and swayed, black creeping towards the center.
   "If you do what you're asked so easy, then you should have no problem killing yourself." The man hissed, and I sighed. As I started to explain, he punched me in the gut, causing me to double over. I was suddenly on the ground, the other men kicking me as well.
   "What the hell is going on?!" A familiar voice shrieked, and I slowly looked up to see the ex-bartender standing at the mouth of the alley, his features twisted in rage... yet it seemed different. It seemed more real. I chuckled, it all clicking together as he ran forward and punched the man with more strength than I knew he had. The man smashed into the wall behind him, bricks crumbling as a crimson fluid leaked from him.
   I stared in awe and confusion as Shizu-Chan beat them or scared them off... to protect me. I felt my conscious slipping, but I held on just barely. I felt warm arms lift me from the ground, and a puff of warm air on my face,
   "Hang on, my love..." he whispered. He must have thought I had fallen asleep or passed out, and I smiled as a warmth flowed throughout my body as he said that. He ran quickly to some destination, although I couldn't tell where as my mind started to dull, my thoughts uncertain or short. I felt a sudden shift in temperature and realised that I was sitting on a bed, out of his warm embrace. I tried to lift my arms and ask for him to return, but I couldn't move. It hurt to much.
   I thought of Shizu-Chan, and how he never showed his true emotions. What must it be like to wear a mask for all your friends, to lie everyday? Why did he lie, and why was he actually angry when he beat those men up? Why did he fake his anger when he fought with me...? No, why does he fake his anger when he fights with me? Like always, Shizu-Chan, my favourite monster, is still unreadable.

   ~Shinra's POV~

   I watched as Shizuo sat besides Izaya, gently stroking his head. It was just as in middle school, when the two were hopelessly infatuated with each other. I smiled at the thought that Shizuo might be happy again soon. The fact that he had cut himself over it had severly startled me, and I worried for my friends like an overprotective mother, but he convinced me he would never do it again, and that he was going to tell Izaya everything soon. I doubted it, but we could see how things play out.
   As Izaya started to wake, Shizuo said a quick and loving farewell before hurying away. As I had thought, he was still too uncertain about the results to do it.
   "Shinra? How did I get he- eah!" He shrieked and grabbed his elbow, falling back against the bed. I frowned and lightly grasped his arm, checking for any damage. After a few minutes, I determined that his elbow was fractured at the least.
   "Celty found you and brought you back. You'll have to stay here for a few days as your fracture sets, since I do not have any supports or cast mold, and they won't be getting here until next week." I simply stated, and he looked right at me. I shivered under his penetrating gaze, scratching the nape of my neck nervously.
   "Don't lie, it was Shizu-Chan." He sighed and rolled over, slowly falling asleep once more. I sighed. After a moment I went to continue my analysis, and even took a few blood samples, since I've never had such a great chance to do a thorough analysis of Izaya. He didn't even flinch as I inserted the needle into his arm on the third try. I never would of thought him to have rolling veins! I quietly snuck out of the room with exciting plans ahead.

   ~Izaya's POV~

   I wook up, my left arm feeling as if it were burning, while the other, well I was almost certain that one had been tooken to by a hammer and a thousand microscopic nails. I shifted so I could sit up without my arms, doing that creepy scene you see in horror movies as the actor slowly rolls up without using their appendages and throws their head back. I yawned, making it seem even more horrific.
   I slowly stood up, sitting back down as a wave of vertigo washed over me. I tried once more, with slightly more successful results. I made my way to the kitchen, attracting both Celty and Shinra's attention as I tried to get a glass of water without crying in pain. Celty took my glass and filled it for me, typing something in on her PDA.
   'Here you go.' I read, accepting the glass and bowing my head thankfully. I took a sip, the frigid liquid making me seem even more tired somehow.
   'Is there anything else you need?' She asked, and I shook my head, making my way back to the room slowly, like an old man with arthritis.

                                ◇♡◇

   I sat on the couch, flipping through the channels. Shinra ran out of his office and back to a small machine set up in a different room, and then back to his office once more. He had been doing this for hours, and the fact he wasn't tired yet was very surprising. What even had him so excited and energetic in the first place? I decided to settle on a soap opera, nothing else peaking my interest.
   'After the accident, she had a serious brain injury. Kisamo... she's lost all of her memory of you.'
   '... She doesn't remember me at all?'
   I sniffed slightly as the program continued, and suddenly I heard Shinra laughing behind me. There was the flash of a camera, and I leaned my head back, plastering the craziest smirk I could muster onto my face.
   "Shinra-Chan, what did you just do?" I asked, my voice thick with annoyance, yet it cracked due to the lump in my throat from the show. He laughed, waving his hand as if swatting away a stupid thought.
   "Nothing, nothing, just a photo, you know how Celty loves to scrapbook!" He chuckled, and I sighed, too lazy to get up and take the camera away. I went back to watching the show, and soon I was full on snotty crying as Kisamo sat by his wife's bedside. Celty had come in at one point and sat on the couch as well, her shoulders shaking with either sobs or laughter. She held up her PDA.
   'Waaaa, waaaaa!' I read, her mocking message making me frown and huff, curling up. 'Since when did Izaya get emotional over soap operas?'
I thought about the question, and realised she was right. I never cried over one before... I never even felt a connection to my personal life with one. Huh, maybe I'm just moody because of my elbow. Shinra seemed to be intently watching me now, though. I dismissed it easily.