Casual Encounters (Durarara!!) *Izaya/OC*

18. There's Always Something

Ritchie had never been as grateful in her life as she was when the month was finally up. She honestly didn't know if the deprival of alcohol had been so hard because she really was that addicted to it or if it was more just wanting something she'd been told she couldn't have.

Either way she didn't really care. She was just glad it was over. Izaya could damn well suck it, thinking she wouldn't be able to do it. She'd certainly proved him wrong!

But for once, exceeding Izaya's expectations wasn't the first thing on her mind. Right now she was a lot more interested in going out, getting extremely wasted and having a damn good time. There was a foil in her plans however - she'd proposed the idea to Sei, but her best friend had had to decline as it was her and Reita's anniversary.

Of all the rotten luck... What were the chances of it falling on the same day that Ritchie had finished this stupid little challenge? Trying hard not to think about the possibility that it could have been planned that way - anniversary dates would hardly be a difficult thing for a notorious information broker to find out after all - she instead concentrated on finding a suitable drinking partner substitute.

Her next immediate thought was Lexi. They'd had fun the last few times they'd hung out. They could even make it another girls' night out if she wanted to, providing that her friends didn't bring that weird Naomi girl again... It wasn't all that uncommon for Ritchie to be disliked by other girls, but she didn't see why she should have to spend time around someone she clearly wasn't going to get on with. Especially when this was her idea.

She gave Lexi a call and her new friend was definitely up for the idea. She said she'd get in touch with Shiori and Ellie as well. Lexi hadn't been overly fond of Naomi either, so she agreed not to extend the invites any further. Ritchie then managed to get hold of a couple of the girls from Sei's university - whom she'd met on previous nights out - and they both said they'd come too. It looked like things were going to plan already.

Well... Almost to plan.

"Only a month without alcohol and you already can't wait to start drinking again," Izaya tutted, shaking his head theatrically as he watched Ritchie gathering her things and getting ready to leave.

Ritchie had learnt a long time ago not to take Izaya's taunts too seriously, but the prideful part of her could never seem to keep from responding. "Quit trying to guilt me. You already said that this wasn't about my health or to try and keep me off alcohol forever. It was a simple challenge to see if I could do it... And I did. It's over now. So you can damn well stay out of it."

Izaya smirked. "Well I suppose there's always next time."

"There most definitely isn't going to be a next time," Ritchie insisted. She didn't care what measures he resorted to. The 'challenge' was done - game over.

"That's what you think," said Izaya teasingly, catching her around the waist as she walked past and attempting to pull her down onto the couch with him where he was currently lounging.

"Quit it, I'm trying to get ready," Ritchie protested, trying to unwind his arms from around her.

"You won't even allow me five minutes with you?" asked Izaya innocently.

Ritchie rolled her eyes. Why didn't he ever instigate things like this normally? It was usually her who pounced on him first. She knew exactly why he was doing it now though - he was trying to get his way yet again and get her to stay with him. Then he'd win yet another round of control between them... Well that totally wasn't happening this time.

But then... She supposed that five minutes couldn't hurt.

Sighing, Ritchie allowed Izaya to pull her down on top of him. She repositioned herself with a leg on either side of him, in her favourite position of straddling his waist. "If you insist."