Current time

…

[I don't know which to be more insulted by, Shinra, the assumption that I spoke about love for that monster or that I said those impossible words. I am a coward yes, but not in non-existent feelings.]

Izaya sent the message, but didn't receive a reply. But he smiled and thought about the situation instead.

His memories had come back with the administering of the syringe which Shinra had filled with the counter drug instead of the numbing drug Shizuo had asked for which he had given to his accomplice as a false aphrodisiac.

Even though what had been done to him had surpassed his expectations and scarred even him, everything had proceeded according to his plan, except for the hearts involved –

Both his and Shizuo's.

"What are you doing?"

"Messaging Kishitani-kun."

Izaya said, not lying but not exactly telling the whole truth. He placed his phone down and turned over to look at Shizuo, who wrapped his arms around him and pulled him against his naked chest.

"…Don't talk about another man when you're in bed with me."

"Kishitani-kun has Celty-san, there's no need for you to be jealous, Shizuo."

"Shinra has Celty but I'm not sure if I have you yet. So until I'm sure…I can't help but be jealous."

Shizuo said and Izaya grinned and ruffled Shizuo's sweat-slicked blond hair.

"You're so cute, Shizuo."

Shizuo frowned a little at Izaya not taking him seriously, but shrugged and brushed it away in favor of holding the flea in his arms instead.

Izaya tensed, but soon relaxed and spoke. "Do you remember the story I told you about personal identity?"

"Yeah."

"Memory determines identity right? According to philosopher John Locke."

"…Yeah."

"Last time we were discussing if I was guilty of the crimes of my past self, but what if it was the opposite way around?"

"What do you mean by that?"

Shizuo said, looking at Izaya with his sharp gaze. Izaya smiled wryly and rested his forehead against Shizuo's chest.

"If I regain my memories, but also remember how I was after I lost them, would you consider the me now and me in the past or future the same person, Shizuo?"

"…You would be a different person."

"Is that so."

"You would be a different person," Shizuo said, "Because you wouldn't be you in the past or the you now. The past doesn't equal the future."

"'Cause if you really remember…then I'd also hope you'd remember the time we spent together. And that time just recently when you said you like me."

"...Because I like, maybe even love you."

Izaya was silent to Shizuo's honest confession, but Shizuo only smiled and stroked his glossy black hair, resting his chin on top and closing his eyes.

"Anyway, go to sleep already Izaya. You've had a rough day, I'm sure even fleas need to recuperate."

"…."

Izaya waited until Shizuo's soft breathing filled the room, then smiled a half pleased smile and closed his eyes, murmuring absently to the beating heart of another human –

"You never cease to be unpredictable…do you, Shizu-chan?"

…

…

We were playing a game, weren't we?

Only, it isn't as simple as I first thought.

Did I say I didn't remember?

Oops, I lied.

Even for something like a coin flip, heads or tails isn't the only option.

The coin could land and roll away to somewhere and not be found, or it could land in a crack in the ground, and be stuck between heads and tails.

Or it could be crushed in the hand of the human who defies the rules of the game itself.

Or broken under his foot as he walks past.

There's a lot of unpredictable variables, possibilities like that.

Possibilities even I can't predict.

…

No matter the outcome though, it's still a game.

And games are meant to be fun, aren't they?

Because, even if they don't gamble in money –

Humans always gamble their hearts in games.

I may be a coward, but still, I'll admit –

…

Even I'm not an exception.

And neither is he.

…

…

…

Epilogue

[Izaya has his memories back.]

[I know.]

[What? You know?!]

[Yeah.]

[How?]

[My gut.]

[Right, what are you going to do?]

[What else? My job. I'm supposed to look after him right.]

[And after that? Shiki-san may need him back soon.]

[He can do his dirty work for Shiki-san, but I'm not letting him go so easily.]

[Haha what's with that, you sound like a possessive boyfriend.]

[It's fair game. After all, that flea manipulated me first.]

[And you know that…how?]

['Cause you told me, that's why. You said he has his memories back, so you were in his game too. You tricked me didn't you, Shinra?]

…

The previous day

…

"Oh one more thing."

"What is it…?"

The hospitalized man asked the man in a bartender suit who had stopped on his way to the exit.

"I gave you a drug that would numb Izaya's muscles didn't I?"

"Yeah?"

"That idiot doctor said it would last for a few hours. So the time definitely didn't pass yet…but Izaya could move. And you guys were holding him down before I got there."

"…B-But I swear I didn't change the drug!"

"…."

Shizuo had stilled in the silence, and the man began hesitantly, "H-Heiwajima?"

"…I see. Then…I was tricked."

"What?"

The guy in the hospital bed asked. But the blond man was already walking away, an ominous tone to his voice that made the injured man shiver with wide eyes.

"…So this was his game from the start…."

…

[I won't deny it, but it was Izaya's idea!]

[Whatever. From now on, this is between Izaya and me. Stay out of it Shinra.]

[What do you mean?]

[…I'm not stupid y'know. If you tell Izaya, I will know.]

"Who are you messaging?"

Shizuo looked up from his phone.

"That perverted doctor," he said, closing the phone and sliding it back into his pocket. "Well, he messaged me first."

"Oh that one." Tom said at the memory, then seemed to remember one of earlier.

"Anyway did you find them?"

"Huh?"

"The person you were looking for. You know, that someone important to you who went missing."

"Oh yeah."

"Yeah well, so did they come back?"

"…Yeah."

Shizuo said, and something in his voice made Tom blink, and stare at the strange, chilling grin on the Monster of Ikebukuro's face –

"They're finally back."

…

Owari

…

…

…

I missed a line in Shinra's text message last chapter so sorry 'bout that. Other than that, I had to change Izaya's last line to something more IC sigh 'cause I don't think he would be that honest.

Anyway this is the end. I think splitting it into parts makes it easier to read and gives hints to the twists in the story but I might post it as a oneshot on tumblr for those interested. Yes I know Izaya was supposed to have the upper hand but it just didn't feel right so the epilogue came to mind. Like, a scene after the credits in movies? At least that's how I imagined it. Sorry I love Shizuo too much lol. xD So have the last twist and the end of this short story. Thanks for reading!