"A little rose...

'Hey, don't worry about it,' he said, dismissing Mary's altruistic concerns with a wave of his hand. He didn't look bothered at all at having taken time out of his day — in fact, you might've even said he looked more cheerful than usual. With that easygoing smile on his face, it was hard to tell. 'I work for myself, so little detours are no big deal. Plus, you got what you wanted, right?'

And with the way he stopped there, tipping his head just-so when he glanced over at the girl… he seemed satisfied, knowing that Mary had found something she wanted. See? He wasn’t that bad of a guy.

'But what about you, Mary-chan?' Tilting forward, Izaya took a look at the next pair of street signs coming up before he gestured Mary closer, taking her down an unknown side street instead. Just like before, this one was deserted, with the hollow sound of far-off conversation dancing around them. 'Being gone this long, don't you think your friends might get worried? You're a sweet girl; I can't see them not caring.' He patted her shoulder sympathetically.

'Anyway,' the man continued, checking over his shoulder, peering into some of the nooks and crannies that the buildings looming over them disguised in shadow. 'This is a shortcut — so we'll be back in no time at all. In the meantime, why don't you…' Weirdly, he trailed off, gait slowing for one moment when he looked behind them again. It was just for a moment, and in the next, he was grinning and ushering his newfound friend along.

'Why don't you tell me about your other friends?' Good suggestion! It would keep her distracted. Izaya drove one of his hands into his pockets, fiddling with something absently. His other hand he draped over Mary's shoulder, like that was the only place it belonged. 'Bet you they're real nice. You think I could meet them sometime? I'd hate not knowing about them.'

It was a strong word, but yeah.

A shortcut sounded fine. It ...looked less fine but Izaya had his unshakable kind tone working magic on her. Like he promised her the beauty of the world through this shortcut. So pushing the tiny nags of doubts aside, she nodded faithfully, letting the man guide her into the less than savory looking side street, abandoned, smelling funny, looking worse and even though the day was bright, still, it gave off a rather shady vibe.

Mary knew she should trust her instincts - her one-quarter medusa instincts are quite good - but the thing was, Izaya's voice managed to lull her instincts into a sense of security that she easily believed in.

And the topic made her face light up with a warm smile.

"My friends!" She quickly covered her mouth at the sudden outburst, her voice echoing through the empty street. Sheepishly, she smiled and continued, "They are wonderful. Like, our leader is a girl who puts up a really strong front for us all but is really kind and cooks well! One of her brothers is a trickster and always teases me..." In a strange way it reminded her of Izaya and she looked at him, who sported a smile that really did remind her of Kano, but Izaya seemed much nicer. "A-and the other brother is a really kind boy! He likes animals and...he...uhm, found me and brought me to meet everyone.

Her smile when mentioning Seto is tender. She probably didn't realize herself and sweetly continued talking. About her other friends, her probably best friend Momo and her brother Shintaro, the cyber girl who now had a real body, or well, her actual body back, and there Mary stumbled over the explanation a little because it sounded very outlandish. But the whole situation was outlandish, her whole existence was, everyone's was at this point. Cute how she worried about that for a moment.

So she continued with the outlandishness, telling her new friend Izaya about her other friends, the android boy, the young boy and girl from the countryside, the boy who drew the most amazing things and was somehow connected to the android boy, and everyone's big sister.

Like any other day. To make sure nothing got broken, nobody took a fall. That none of their members got shocked to an inch within their life from a startle, a prank, or a scare they could have narrowly avoided, if he were just. 

Paying closer attention. 

There was no drab, cloudy overpass to warn him that something was up, in fact today, was the day he’d set that clothesline going all the way across to make careful preparations for their precious guests. 

 A private thought he’d kept to himself the whole morning, this he allowed himself. 

A hidden, secluded little place where the ones enjoying themselves could forget that they were here. of all places, farthest away from home, but removed from the inevitable meets to an end. 

But that’s not all there is to it, when homesickness gets the better of someone, the measure of security starts and ends with who you’re with, how safe they make each other feel, and …Is something after you all this time.

They were grateful, and they were “safe” here. Leading a fuller, happier life than they might’ve. 

Maybe, that was his only hint that something about today was off. 

Seto was merry. A tug to prevent a housemate from getting their whole hand stuck in a jar here, a quick save to another budding casualty there, and. …Things were finally coming together.

Since Seto’s not the type to keep anything but his company to himself, he planned to ‘out’ his small but happy development - sooner than later - before anyone ran into it and asked what it was, which meant. it wouldn’t be a surprise, 

so it …wasn’t really that big of a secret to begin with.

Like that, he can’t contain his excitement when it comes down to the little things, but today started off just a tad different. Maybe that’s where he’d went wrong.

It irritated her? Why did it irritate her? Something about Seto filled her with dread and fear by now. Not by being afraid of him, but something about him seemed to stir emotions, dreams, no, nightmares she hated.

What was the nightmare about again? She couldn't remember, all she knew was, that she hated it, so she...hated Seto?

"I-I sure hope Momo will like it..." She was distracted, not really caring for the flowers in that moment. Her voice sounded distant, careful, her eyes barely could look at Seto. She wanted to leave. Even though she didn't understand why, she wanted to leave but it seemed like everyone else was busy or out of the house. Maybe she should return to her room...

"I dislike you."

What did she just say? Why did she just blurt these words out? Were those really her own words? Did she dislike Seto? It 'felt' like that but she was not sure anymore if those were her real feelings. It felt wrong...

"Why...why do you keep talking to me?" It confused her. "Why...does it bother me? Seto, I am confused. I...I seem to dislike you, but I also feel really sad I feel like that...?"

Help me.

She wanted, somewhere deep deep down in her, she wanted to say it. But the feeling of loathe and dislike swallowed it up and when Mary opened her mouth, all that came out of it was a, "I don't understand...you. Or...m-me."

Mary wasn't herself. She was aware of that. She felt normal but at the same time strange, and that was definitely contradicting.

Well, it wasn’t like it mattered. Now she’d have one more. With a note of finality, Izaya shut the book in his hands, placing it on top of the dusty bookshelf before him and leaving it to the winds of disorganisation. He turned back towards Mary, and with an appraising tilt of the head, a curious smile that made it look like he was considering things… he nodded. ‘You know what?

'I'd like that. Being lonely — not the best thing in the world. And you get me, don't you?' Despite the unease in her face, the rickety confidence the girl was having to summon up, he knew he was right. She knew what he was talking about. 'And I'd like to think I kind of get you. So, you and me? I think we could be pretty good friends.' He clapped his hands together.

And then he advanced, close, closer than Mary probably would’ve liked. He’d come so close he’d backed her up into a large bookcase, shadow cast over them both, making the light in Izaya’s eyes dance strangely. What was he thinking? What was he thinking? Nothing good, clearly, especially when he grinned and he lifted his hand and—

That was it. He was offering her a handshake, a way to seal the deal.

But here was the thing. Mary didn’t know real loneliness, did she? She knew the anguish of waiting for someone who would never come, the dreadful hope and fear when people would come near and then pass by without a word. Sure, she probably knew all that.

But something told him she didn’t know the power it could have — being able to separate yourself from everyone else, lord above them, admire and hate and be admired and hated with nothing touching you. There was real power in that, and Mary would never even know.

So! Friends.

'You and me, Mary,' he said, addressing her plainly.

Though as quick as her smile formed and as quick as the warmth has wrapped around her, something dark and cold pushed the warmth away. Not completely away, it lingered somewhere but it couldn't win against the odd feeling that froze Mary's smile a little. Her eyes showed confusion, a spark of fear even, when Izaya stepped into her personal space.

Not once, not twice, again and again until Mary's back hit the bookshelf behind her, the books digging into her back. Just a little. As reminder she had nowhere to go. And the young man looming over her had a smile Mary couldn't read. Though, he always had a smile Mary couldn't read, she juts always interpreted them somehow. But this time she couldn't even do that. She was like spell-bound, or like a deer caught in the light, unable to look away from the danger.

...danger?

But the tensed, cold, to Mary confusing, weird, almost alarming atmosphere shattered when, with his youthful, jovial voice, Izaya sealed the friendship with his hand offered to her.

Mary ignored the moment her heart had stopped just a while ago. Ignored the odd feeling. She was a little afraid, but way more curious. About this man, about his loneliness and about his world.

With a smile, nodding happily, she took his hand. Her's was tiny, his was lager, but still slender, not rough or really big like a lot of grown men's kind of hand. His fingers looked like it could play a piano really well. Or type a keyboard. It was a pretty hand

"Friends, ...Izaya-san!"

Dropping formalities and respect by a few notches was the actual seal of the deal of friendship. Not the handshake, although that one was a nice touch. But the real change of their relationship was now marked with they way they treated and talked with each other.

Naive. Curious. A century worth of refraining from following her desire to explore the world gave her courage, maybe stupidity to trust a person like Izaya.

The book she was still holding reminded her that she had yet to pay. Mary hadn't even been sure the owner was there but they appeared behind the counter as she approached it and a few minutes later she and Izaya left the dubious treasure box of books.

"Thank you for your help, Izaya-san!" Mary said with a bow and a smile as she inhaled fresh air. She had gotten used to the dusty air inside the shop that she almost forgot how real air tasted like.

It wouldn’t be with the careful prize that doesn’t know right from up. Kano’s picky. And Marry? Leave her alone for a good half hour and some soft hearted individual would pick her up and whisk her away! All, the way.

He has a heart, even if he sometimes acts like it’s a lie.

Even if he startles her when she approaches her out of nowhere on this very evening in this crowded place, with a mask on his face, a mask on a mask maybe, even when his words tease her, Mary is grateful.

“Ka-Kanooooo…!” she whines, a tear almost in her eye but she doesn’t push him away, no matter if she could have or not, she shudders a little at how skillfully Kano invades her personal space, whispers into her ear but all those things are nothing new. They are…like little family things.