Before any of you complain at me, I just want to say that this has been written for a long time. I'm sorry it has taken me so long to upload it but I just wasn't happy with it.

Honestly, I'm still not happy with it... at all.

I'd say this is the end of the story but I can't be sure about that either.

The feelings of helplessness drag me down as I step once more through the darkness. My pace is slow, I've been here before but the light in the sky and Shizuo's voice are gone.

I've already tried lying on the ground and analyzing things but it hasn't made any changes. I just can't sit still but it doesn't matter where I go, everything is dark.

My head feels funny. I raise a hand to my face; the skin feels numb and hard. I feel disconnected from this body.

I'm tired of this, sick of it, I'm done... At least that's what I'd like to say but there is nothing left for me to do but try to get out. I'm done feeling helpless.

A sound from behind me forces me to turn around, startling me since it's the first sound I've heard in what seems likes ages. It sounds like scratching but I still am unable to see anything in the dark.

"Hello," I call out but just as I predicted, no one answers.

The scritching and scratching is getting closer. The sound reminds me of a dog running on a tile floor.

"Who's there?"

Still no reply.

"Coward!" I yell and earn a growl in response.

The sound is coming from behind me so I turn around and my eyes widen as they finally settle on it.

Fire.

It's on fire.

A ball of fire shaped as fox runs passed me so quickly that it knocks me down.

I sit, startled.

What was that?

Will it eat me?

I turn to look at it but it slows its pace as it turns to look back at me.

Overwhelmed by a sudden need to follow it, my feet pull me to stand and I'm off. I run as fast as I can to catch up but he turns and continues to run.

I'm sweating; I can feel it run down my face as I run as fast as I can to catch up this thing.

"Hey!" I yell out to it but it doesn't stop.

A light ahead begins to become visible as this fiery fox heads straight toward it.

"Where are we going?" I ask but as I thought, it still doesn't respond.

"Who are you?"

It looks back at me briefly before quickening its pace towards the light.

I follow, pushing myself as hard as my body will allow. We burst through the light, until I trip over a branch. The fox, losing his fire, continues on into the forest ahead of me. Collecting myself to my feet, I follow once more.

The ground is lit by the full moon hung low in the night sky. The only sound audible is the two of us running through the forest of dead trees.

Still following the red fox, I look at the trees ahead.

Mirrors.

My reflection is showing in thousands of mirrors nailed to the trees. They reflect only my feet as they carry me to the mystery destination but the further I move through this forest of mirrors the higher the mirrors are hung, showing more of my reflection.

The fox runs ahead to a large tree and paws at the ground quickly before sitting beside it. Nailed to the front of the tree is a full size mirror reflecting my full image and for the first time since being here I'm able to see my face.

"A fox?"

My face is hidden behind a kitsune mask.

I'm a fox.

I sit at the tree's base. The fox beside me seems like a shadow unmoving, silent and still.

My mouth moves to speak but I know it won't answer, so I close it.

Raising my knees, I hug them. I know I'm dreaming but it feels like I've been here for years. My hopefulness and normal ambitious nature were faltering before I got here but now? They are completely gone.

I'm cursed, doomed to wander this dream for eternity or so it seems.

I reach a hand out to pet the fox at my side but he dodges before sitting beside me out of arm's reach.

Tugging at the mask, I try to pull it off but it doesn't matter how hard I try it remains on my face all the same.

x.X.x. Shizuo's POV x.X.x

Shinra gives me a weak smile as I once again refuse to leave Izaya's side.

"You know he'd never do this for you, right?" He reminds me but I don't really care. I don't even know where this sudden need to stay by his side even came from.

Saito-san looks at me sternly. "I know how it feels. That patient was my best friend; I found him the same way you found Orihara-san."

How is that supposed to make me feel? Izaya isn't my best friend and he isn't even a friend at all, he is my enemy. The feelings I had for the dream Izaya were a one sided confusion of the difference between reality and dream.

Shinra gives Saito-san a stern glare. "Don't encourage him," he says harshly.

"Izaya's been like this for a week. He's shown no progress and the longer you're around him, the more things are going to change for you but not for him. His mentality will be the same as when he fell into this coma. In other words, Shizuo, he will still hate you even if your feelings have changed or matured."

I know Shinra's right but I can't change myself now. I can't stop myself from worrying. I guess I'll just do what I need to do and stay right here… by Izaya's side.

x.X.x Izaya's POV x.X.x

Sobbing silently, the tears feel distant as they roll down the mask.

I get it.

I'm sly as a fox; my mask has remained impenetrable all these years.

Now look at me.

I'm pathetic.

How human of me.

What am I to do now?

x.X.x. Shizuo's POV x.X.x

"IIIIIIZAAAYYYYYAAAAAA!"

"Yelling at him won't bring him out," Shinra states condescendingly.

"I know but I thought maybe he would remember from that," I sigh.

I've tried everything from sleeping beside him to kissing him like sleeping beauty, nothing has worked. At this point I've almost given up hope completely. Shinra is no help at all. He clearly thinks my new obsession is unhealthy but even though he obviously feels that way, he still tries to give me ideas.

It has almost been a month but it feels like it has been years. I go to work everyday and then come here and sleep in the bed Shinra placed beside Izaya's for me. It's just a small single bed placed about a foot from his, just enough for Shinra to walk between them and get his vitals. I guess saying that I was sleeping beside him was a bit of an overstatement. I haven't actually laid in his bed.

Shinra keeps reminding me that he is in a coma and the best way to bring him out is to have him recognize me or someone. Though, it seems like the person he hates is probably the main reason he wouldn't recognize or want to come out but after a brief conversation with Saito-san, I think I will start trying a new approach.

If I'm right then Saito-san has some thinking to do about his own situation.

x.X.x Izaya's POV x.X.x

I wish there was a way to tell time in here. Even if I could, I doubt it would correspond with real time.

Lying back, I use a root of the tree to support my head as I gaze at the stars above. The dead sakura petals fall around me in waves with the wind. It reminds me of the first dream I had of Shizuo. His body was so warm.

For once, I think I'll admit to myself that I liked it. Dare I say I miss it?

If I allow myself the luxury of human comfort, will I crumble like the human I am?

Humans, I love them all, save for Shizuo's existence but what exactly do I feel for Shizuo?

He is human so if I love all humans then I must love him too. That's a small requirement when using a commitment resounding word such as "all."

I can't love any human more than another but what I feel for humans and what I feel for Shizuo are completely different.

Still, Shizuo isn't human, he's a monster and for that reason I can feel differently than I do about humans, right?

Then, what do I feel for Shizuo?

Flash backs of all the dreams I had play though my head.

So, that was the real Shizuo? The same one that I fought in the street? The same one that frequently visited Shinra's?

I'd already considered all of my crazy symptoms to be something more than like but I love humans. Still, somehow this feeling seems to be more than "like" or the love I have for humans.

So, for Shizuo, I feel something more than love?

Ah, I see.

From behind the trees, the Shadow I'd feared so desperately stepped in front of me.

For once, I do not feel any fear and the first feeling to wash over me is the sigh of relief.

"Took you long enough to come back," I say as his hand reaches out to me.

"Sorry," he replies and I grab his hand.

The light from behind him swallows us whole. Once again, I awake groggily to the sound of steady beeps, my hand still warmly clasped in Shizuo's.

"Good morning, Izaya," he says softly and I can't help but smile.

How I have missed that voice.

"How are you feeling?" he asks and I turn to him, laying my head on his chest. I confirm the steady beats in my ear that accelerate as I settle.

"Perfect," I answer, even though my own sappiness nauseates me.

He smiles as he places a hand on my back tracing soothing circles on my clammy skin.

"It's been two months," he sighs obviously relieved by the fact that I'm awake but also by my reaction to him. He'd obviously spent time thinking about many different things preparing for each situation should anything different from this occur.

"I love you, Izaya." Shizuo states bluntly. Something he'd probably waited to say since I'd gone under.

I scoff inwardly, he's lucky I've already confirmed and faced my feelings otherwise my reaction to any of this would be so much different. I decide to skip the old routine of argument for the sake of my comfort. I don't care how this looks. I don't care about tricking him into thinking I haven't been in my own prison left to think about him the whole time.

I just want to be happy right now.

"I love you, too, Shizuo."I reply, leaning up to place a light kiss on his cheek.

Shizuo waits a few moments before calling Shinra in the room. Shinra rushes to my side happily smiling. "I've… I've got to call Hideki-senpai!" and with that, Shinra rushes out of the room just as quickly as he burst in.

Shinra returns to the room, "Hideki-senpai says he knows you must be exhausted and need some time to relax and pull your thoughts together but he'd like to talk to you as soon as possible!"

I was surprised that Shinra wasn't making any smart remarks about the fact that Shizuo and I are straight up cuddling in bed together as we talk to him. Shizuo must have already confessed his feelings for me to everyone.

"Tell him to come on over. I've been relaxing for, what was it, Shizuo? For weeks? I think I'd like to get up and move around. Honestly, I'd like to be as much of a help as I can for Kai-san. I know what he's going through and Shizuo is the only one who knows how to fix it."

I chuckle as Shizuo's eyes widen, "Me?"

"Yes, you. You saved me, didn't you? What did you do?" The blonde's cheeks light up a fresh tomato red as he look away.

Shinra pipes in, "He's done many things. Most of them are quite embarrassing."

"Hey!" Shizuo yells. "Don't give him clues, now he's going to want to know if he hasn't already figured it out."

"Oh come on, Shizuo! You have to tell me now!" I add, playfully wrestling with Shizuo so that I can look at his blushing face that he keeps trying to hide.

"Hey guys, Hideki-senpai will be here tomorrow so enjoy your day together." Shinra smiles brightly, "I have a make-up date with Celty tonight. She said if I'm not there on time she'll never come back so I'm going to leave two hours early."

"That's so like you," Shizuo adds from beneath a pillow.

Once Shinra leaves the room, the blond bodyguard comes out from beneath the pillow and reveals his face to me. If possible he looks like he is blushing even more than he was before.

"So, Izaya… Maybe we should go on a real date, too."

Suddenly my heart monitor picks up and I curse the thing for not allowing me to hide behind my mask of confidence. I smack a hand to my forehead to hide my eyes as I reply with a sigh, "That sounds good to me."

There may or may not be some small comedic or fluff chapters in the future.