A Way Back Home - ( A Shizaya Fanfic)

Chapter 10: Try

-Izaya Orihara-

1st December

Izaya was currently in a cafe with Erika making casual conversation in the warm building, as the weather outside only got chillier. The usual group she hung out with was a little disbanded at the moment.

Walker had gone abroad for vacation with his family and Togusa had just gotten a part time job so he could get some extra cash for presents as Christmas was coming closer.

Meanwhile Kadota was simply trying to spend more time with the family, so surprisingly enough, Izaya found himself hanging out with Erika a lot, as Shinra and Celty were always busy with their jobs.

"Hey Erika," Izaya had started after he took a sip of his bitter black coffee, "I've been meaning to ask you, on the first day that I came back to Ikebukuro... how did you know that I had arrived?" He ended his question on a curious note.

He had been here for a few days of October and a full month of November, but he couldn't figure out how she found out.

The brunette cocked her head to the side, her cheeks puffed out kind of like a chipmunk's as she had taken another big bite of her strawberry cake.

"I mean, when I first arrived at Ikebukuro, not many people really knew about me moving here- and those who did know weren't exactly spreading the word so... how did you know?"

The ravenette briefly explained himself, still awaiting a response. Erika blinked once before seeming to recall what had happened all those weeks ago.

She abruptly swallowed her half chewed cake before replying, "Well you see Izaya-kun, I had been really suspicious about Shinra and Celty before you actually came," as she talked she took her spoon and dug it into her treat once more.

"They were acting suspicious? How so?" The ravenette asked as his sharp carmine gaze met her softer chocolate brown one.

Erika continued with a small smile. "For starters a few days before you came, I was walking by Shinra's apartment when I saw him lugging a ton of heavy luggage to his place. So I started to wonder if anyone new was going to move in with them, but that sounded unlikely since they're a couple and all."

As she spoke she put her two hands together, as if representing the bond between the underground doctor and the dullahan. Meanwhile Izaya made an 'O' shape with his mouth, as he recalled the chain of events.

His luggage had been sent to Shinra about two days before he actually arrived, as it would have been to difficult to carry it from his previous location all the way to Ikebukuro while being stuck in a wheelchair.

After Erika took another bite of cake she continued, "So I kept an eye on them, but I couldn't find anything out of the ordinary- but just as I was about to give up- BAM," she slammed her hands on the table making it shake a little.

Izaya looked at her, shock etched on his features while he silently appreciated the fact that his coffee cup had been in his hands, and not on the recently slammed table. But Erika continued not bothered by the ravenette's reaction.

"I was just minding my own business when I saw you at the station! At least I thought it was you- all I saw was the back of your head and coat- but I lost sight of you because of all the people!"