The Fall of Izaya Orihara

Chapter 3

I woke up in a cold sweat, shivering and gasping for air. I crawled out of my bed, flopping onto the floor with a yelp of pain. I curled into a ball on the carpet, my face contorting with fresh agony. I hadn't felt this much pain in a long time, and knew it would take quite a while to heal. At first when I got stabbed, I couldn't feel much due to the shock, and at Shinra's I'm sure he had me pumped full of painkillers. I whimpered as a heard a knock on my apartment door, unable to get up to open it. I pushed myself under my bed, not wanting to be seen in such a state. Anyone who would be visiting me at such an hour would either be Namie or a various client. Though I'm sure many would take seeing me in such a weakened state as a perfect excuse to kill me.

The knocking grew louder, and I bit my lip, a familiar anxiety bubbling in my chest. I squeezed my eyes shut as my breathe hitched, fear taking over.

Shizuo's POV

I had gone to Shinra's to check on the flea, however Celty informed me that he was already back home in Shinjuku. Now I stood, awkwardly knocking at the door to his apartment. I heard shuffling from inside, but no response reached my ears. I grew annoyed, and slammed open the door, it's hinges screeching at the force. I looked around the tidy apartment, my nose scrunching up as the stench of the man bombarded my nostrils. "Izaya?" I questioned, quietly at first. Most of the apartment was full of dust, making me sneeze.

I searched the house top to bottom, no flea in sight. Eventually I made my way to his bedroom, the door creaking open. I looked around, unsure of where he was. The blanket on the bed were messy, and a few splotches of blood stained the sheets. I was just about to give up and leave, when I saw the familiar hood laying on the floor next to the bed. I grabbed the hoodie and pulled it out from under the bed. Only the flea was still inside the parka. He was shivering and sickly pale, a barely audible whimper escaping his chapped lips.

I had laid the flea back down on the bed, careful as to not hurt him. His face was flushed red and I could tell he was feverish, his normally twinkling eyes dull with pain and exhaustion. A part of me wanted to kill him, as it would be much too easy to with him in such a state. The other part of me wanted to help him, and cradle him in my arms like a kitten. I covered him up with a blanket, and set a wet towel on his forehead to help with his fever.

Izaya's POV

Everything felt fuzzy, other than the sharp pain that would shoot through me with any movement. I felt odd, emotional, and vulnerable. "Why..." I croaked, my own voice unfamiliar to me, it hoarse and frail. Shizu-chan looked confused at this, and tilted his head like a mutt. "Why are you helping me...?" I managed to ask, to exhausted to care if the monster pitied me. He looked even more confused at that, and shrugged his shoulders, "Dunno."

My head spins with pain, and I touch a hand to my face, only now realizing on of my eyes is swollen shut. I also find out there's a bandage covering a good portion of my head. My stomach churns and I gag, covering myself in whatever remains in my stomach. I whimper at this, tears filling my eyes from the pain. "Izaya?" I can hear Shizu-chan's concerned voice reach me, but can't reply as I am soon swept into darkness.