Kyandi: Hey, guys!

Kokoro: We're back!

Kyandi: I'm so sorry it took so long to get this chapter done.

Ikari: Her muse has a mind of its own.

Kyandi: Yes, it does!

Kokoro: Kyandi-sama hopes to get back to work on this regularly.

Kyandi: I'm going to try.

Ikari: We'll make sure to give her a nudge now and then.

Kyandi: Yep. Also, sorry that this chapter is a little on the shorter side.

Kokoro: She'll improve that for the next one.

Kyandi: That I will. So, everyone, please enjoy and review.

Ikari: You forgetting something?

Kyandi: OH! Also, I'd really like to thank Thundqh who left the world's sweetest review on this story for me! I was literally in tears, it made me so happy! So, thank you, Thundqh!

Ikari: With that, Kyandi-sama does not own Durarara!

Chapter 15 One in a Million

"Have a nice day and come again!"

It was early afternoon and the day found Kokoro seeing off a customer from behind the counter at Russia Sushi. She waved to the woman as she walked out the door and turned back to folding take-out boxes. It had been almost two weeks since the incident with Izaya, but after Shizuo had complained to Denis and Simon, Denis had confined Kokoro to counter duty, refusing to allow her to run deliveries or be too far out of his sight.

Which was why Kokoro was currently sitting on a stool behind the counter, folding boxes.

She didn't mind it really. If it kept Shizuo calm than she would deal. Though, it also meant that Shizuo was at her house to walk her to work and was there waiting when she got off shift. She had made the mistake, only once, of telling him that he was over reacting and was being far too protective. Shizuo had given her a piece of his mind then, and rather loudly at that. She had simply agreed with him then just so he wouldn't accidentally break anything.

Just remembering the embarrassed way he refused to look her in the eye when he explained that she was his girlfriend and he didn't want another guy, let along the Flea, touching her, put a smile on her face. Shizuo was loud, and lost his temper really quick, but in the end, he was a real sweetheart and he treated her like a queen.

The bell ringing over the door, drew Kokoro out of her thoughts then. Setting aside the box in her hands, Kokoro looked up to greet the customer, smiling when she saw it was Tom.

"Oh! Hey, Tom. Stopping in for lunch?" Kokoro asked.

Tom returned her greeting as he neared the counter, leaning on it as he heaved a sigh. From that sigh alone, Kokoro knew that the morning had been a trying one for Tom. Shizuo had probably lost his temper and destroyed something.

"Yeah, we're here for lunch. Shizuo's been so antsy all morning that I figured coming here and seeing you would calm him down. You always seem to calm him and put him in a good mood." Tom told her, making her smile. "If you haven't taken your lunch break, mind taking it and eating with us?"

Kokoro turned to the little window that looked into the kitchen. Denis was on the other side, cooking away.

"Do you mind if I do?" she asked.

"No, you go ahead. It's about time for your lunch break anyway." he told her, waving her off.

"Thank you!"

Kokoro slid off the stool and removed the apron around her waist. She folded it over the stool before rounding the counter.

"Where is Shizuo?" she asked.

"He'll be here in a second. He stopped to buy some more cigarettes." Tom told her.

Not a moment after he said that, Shizuo appeared in the doorway, mumbling to himself. The mumbling stopped the moment Kokoro appeared before him, greeting him happily. Tom watched with a smile as all the tension in Shizuo's shoulders seemed to melt away and a smile curled the blonde man's lips. Tom joined them just as Kokoro was telling Shizuo that she was joining them for lunch.

"If you're on break, wouldn't you want to go somewhere else?" Shizuo asked.

"No, this place is great. I like the sushi here." Kokoro said. "And I'm not just saying that because I work here and my boss can hear me."

A chuckle sounded from the kitchen as Denis heard this, making Kokoro cast a smile over her shoulder. The three of them found themselves a seat, Kokoro sitting at Shizuo's side, and gave their order. It was only when their sushi sat in front of them that Kokoro turned to Shizuo and Tom.

"So how has the morning been?" she asked.

Shizuo instantly started grumbling something about not being able to kill someone. Kokoro looked at him as he started bouncing a leg and turned her eyes to Tom, raising an eyebrow in questioning. Tom heaved a sigh before answering her.

"We came across Orihara today." Tom remarked.

"Oh! That explains everything." Kokoro leaned to the side, pressing her shoulder against Shizuo's arm. "I'm sorry you had an unpleasant morning."

"It's fine." Shizuo replied gruffly, already calming down.

Tom smiled as he looked between the two. Kokoro, he was sure, was good for Shizuo. Shizuo wanted a normal, peaceful life and, with Kokoro, he might actually be able to have that. Not to mention that Kokoro looked happy as well.

"So have you heard from your sister recently?" Tom asked.

"Actually, she came in earlier today. She's currently working with Orihara-san as part of a deal she made with him to get him to leave me alone. She came in earlier to get them both lunch." Kokoro replied.

"You're sister really will go to all kinds of lengths for you, won't she?" Tom asked.

"Ikari acts like a brat and she can be horribly self centered at times, but she really is a loyal friend and sister. She doesn't like people messing with her friends and family." Kokoro replied.

"But to deal with Orihara?" Tom asked.

"Ikari can handle him. She's far more clever than he gives her credit for." Kokoro assured him. "If he doesn't watch it, he might just find himself out matched."

Shizuo didn't know about all of that. Ikari, he admitted, wasn't as dumb as she acted, and he loathed having to admit that Izaya was smart in any way, but he knew the man could get himself in and out of messes with remarkable ease. And then there was the sly mind of Ikari. The idea of the two of them butting heads, gave Shizuo a headache.

And he already had other worries to concern himself with.

Like keeping his hands to himself until Kokoro's eighteenth birthday.

Since he had started dating Kokoro and had gotten closer to her, his desire to touch her, had grown. So much so, that he had even looked into what, exactly, the age of consent was in Japan. Something he had never thought about before.

Color him surprised when he had found out that it was thirteen.

And, obviously, Kokoro was older than that.

That being said, Shizuo wanted to wait until she was eighteen. He had promised himself that he could keep his hands to himself until then. Now, once she turned eighteen...that was a different matter altogether.

He just had to hold out until then.

-0-0-0-0-

If someone were to ask Ryuketsuno Ikari what one thing she loved more than anything in the entire universe, she would answer that the only thing in the whole universe she loved, was her sister. Ikari had been in a few relationships, some sexual, others to make up for the lonely feeling she got when Kokoro wasn't around. Out of all of them, Ikari hadn't been in love with a single one of them. She had never even gotten to a point where she thought, "Hey, I could eventually love this person".

For Ikari, the little sister she had taken care of their whole lives together, was all the love she could ever need.

Or...so she thought.

Today found Ikari walking the streets of Ikebukuro. Izaya hadn't called her, or messed with her in a few days. Apparently even sadistic little creeps like him had to work now and then. That left Ikari free to do as she pleased. Of course, though, Ikari didn't leave home until she was dressed up in one of her "questionable" outfits. Today's outfit was a pair of shorts that were so tight and short, one could question if they were actually shorts, a skin tight, off-the-shoulder, long sleeved, black crop top that showed too much cleavage, what she deemed ass-kicker boots, and a studded belt.

Of course, in a town like Ikebukuro, her attire didn't go unnoticed. Ikari, ever oblivious to the attention her clothes brought, turned a corner, humming to herself, when someone grabbed her from behind. Ikari instantly jumped into hell-cat-mode and started kicking and clawing. She had heard about the human trafficking that had gone on in the area and she would be damned if she was going to end up as one of those kidnapped and sold.

One or two guys, possibly three, she could handle on her own, but when a four guy entered the struggle, grabbing her ankles to keep her from kicking them, Ikari knew she was in trouble. She twisted, fought to reach the brass knuckles she kept tucked into her garter belt, but couldn't free a single hand in which to do so. When she saw the incoming handkerchief that, no doubt, had chloroform on it, she knew she was screwed big time.

And then she heard the weirdest thing in her life.

Ikari couldn't describe it as anything other than a weeb's war call.

In the next second, the guys gripping her were forced to release her, Ikari landing solidly on her butt. Ikari cursed under her breath at the rough treatment, especially since she had landed right on an old, plastic bottle. Digging it out from under her, she threw it to the side and away from her.

"Hey, are you okay?"

Hearing someone speak to her as they crouched in front of her, Ikari looked up, her eyes locking in on a pair of dark eyes looking back at her. The man crouched in front of her wasn't somewhat average in appearance, not too good looking, but not bad looking either. It was his eyes that Ikari was drawn to, to the soft, kind look and the sweet smile.

"Uh...yeah. I could have done without being dropped on a bottle, but I'll definitely take it over the alternative." Ikari finally replied.

"That's good to hear. Here."

The man held a hand out to her, offering her help up. Ikari thankfully took it, letting him pull her to her feet. Once back on her feet, she dusted off the back of her shorts, turning to see what had become of her would-be captors. She stopped and could only blink when her eyes landed on the young blonde haired boy and black haired girl that were currently pulling out a stack of books, rattling off the different ways they could torture Ikari's attackers that they had learned from the books.

A fourth person, an older guy with long, brown hair, was walking towards Ikari and the man beside her, shaking his head as he threw a creeped out look over his shoulder.

"Should we leave them to their own devices?" he asked as he stopped next to the man that had helped Ikari up.

"Leave them be fore a little bit. Those guys deserve a little annoyance."

So apparently, this was an every day thing.

Ikari could roll with that.

Shoving the two strange teenagers out of her mind, just like their two friends had, Ikari turned to the man who had helped her up.

"Thanks for the help. If they hadn't grabbed me from behind and the numbers had been a little more fair, I would have been able to get away. As it is, I'm grateful for the help." she told them.

"It's not a problem. These guys have been a real problem around here as of late." her helper told her.

"So I've heard. I've only been here a few months and I've already heard all about the human trafficking around here." Ikari replied.

"Yeah. I'm Kadota Kyohei. This is Togusa Saburo." The man who had helped her up, introduced himself before jabbing a thumb at his long haired friend. "Those two are Walker and Erika."

Ikari glanced towards the other two as they continued to drive their captives crazy. Giving her head a shake, she turned her eyes back to Kadota.

"I'm Ryuketsuno Ikari."

"Hey! You're Koko's sister!"

Ikari, Kadota and Saburo turned as Erika suddenly called out. Both she and Walker had decided that Ikari was far more interesting than the men they now had tied up on the dirty alley ground.

"She's told us about you." Walker added.

"Probably all bad." Ikari replied, heaving a sigh as she wrapped her arms around her in embarrassment. "I haven't been the best big sister lately."

"That's not what she told us." Ikari turned her eyes to Kadota, who gave her a smile. "All she's told us is that you're a real fighter."

"Yeah, she told us you could kick some serious ass." Saburo added.

"Not today, I couldn't." Ikari said, throwing a glare towards the men who had attacked her.

"Yeah, well, don't worry about them. Come on." Kadota jerked his head to the side, motioning for Ikari to follow him before saying something low to Saburo. Saburo hurried off towards Erika and Walker while Kadota lead Ikari out of the alley to where a van was parked at the curb. "They'll deal with those guys."

"You sure they'll be alright?" Ikari asked, looking over her shoulder.

"With Erika and Walker? Yeah, they'll be fine."

"That's great to know, but...I wasn't talking about your friends."

Kadota turned to look at Ikari, finding her grinning back at her. Glad to see her joking after her near kidnapping, he smiled back. Turning, he opened the side door of the van and gestured for her to take a seat while he leaned back against a rail lining the sidewalk. Ikari took the seat, peering past Kadota and snorting as Saburo had to pulled Erika and Walker off the guys, the two obviously goofing around.

"So the four of you are my sister's friends?" Ikari asked.

"Yeah. We met her one time when we went into Russia Sushi. She's nice." Kadota replied, twisting to watch his friends as well.

"Yeah, she's always been the nicer of us two. Kokoro's always made friends easily. She would have made more if I hadn't always interfered." Ikari replied, propping an elbow on her knee and dropping her chin into it.

Kadota glanced back at her, noting the almost sad look in the girl's golden eyes. Though he didn't really know her past what Kokoro had told them, he hated seeing her troubled. He never had been a man that could walk past someone in need of help.

"Why interfere?" he asked.

Ikari's eyes darted up to his face, lingering for a moment before darting away once more. He watched as she mouth twisted for a moment, as if she was debating whether or not to answer that question. Finally, as if deciding to throw caution to the wind, she heaved a sigh.

"I don't know. Maybe I was jealous, maybe I was scared. Growing up, it was always Kokoro and I, and when her mom passed away and my mom took her in, I promised I'd always protect her." Ikari replied. Seeing Kadota's confused look and raised eyebrow, she tacked on, "Half sisters. Same dad, different moms. Dad was a cheating scumbag."

"Got it. So, what, were you jealous of how easy she made friends?" he asked.

"A little bit. It wasn't as easy for me to make friends. I was the type that butted in when others were being bullied, and I tended to let my fists do the talking for me if others didn't want to back down. But, no matter what I did or say, Kokoro was always there. I guess, when I saw how easily she got along with others, when I saw others pull her attention from me, I got jealous. I was scared I was going to lose my sister to someone else. And now she has the blond brute, so worst fears confirmed." Ikari replied, grumbling the last sentence.

"Yeah, she said you weren't the biggest fan of her dating Shizuo." Kadota replied with a chuckle. "But he's not a bad guy and he treats her like a precious jewel."

"I've noticed. I was hurt and jealous at first, and I'm still not a hundred percent okay with it, but if it makes her happy and he's good to her, then I'll keep my nose out of it for now on. She really does seem happy and I haven't seen her smile like that in years."

"Sounds like you've come across some kind of enlightening moment." Kadota remarked.

"I suppose. More like I've realized that both she and I have to grow up." Ikari replied, smiling to herself.

"You know what this means, right?" Ikari looked up at him, a questioning look on her face as she blinked back at him. Kadota gave her a smile. "You can go make your own friends now."

Ikari let out a curt laugh, her smile growing just a little bit more. She looked away from him, her eyes shifting to the ground.

"Like I said, I've never been good at make friends. I'm not good at making others like me." she confessed.

"I like you."

Ikari's eyes returned to Kadota's face. She could feel her cheeks beginning to heat and reached up to tuck a loose strand of hair behind her ear to cover the moment of embarrassment. She had to be careful. Those three little words had gotten her in trouble in the past.

"Yeah, well, you don't know me yet." Ikari replied. "I always end up doing something to ruin things."

"Maybe, but with the forewarning, we can work on that." he offered.

Another laugh left Ikari and she leaned against the seat as she covered her face with a hand. For a moment, she merely laughed, unable to open her mouth to say something without feeling the need to laugh once more.

"I can see why you're a friend of my sister. She's always known how to pick the funny ones." Ikari remarked before looking back up at Kadota. "Alright, fine, but, later, don't say I didn't warning you."

"Wouldn't think of it." Kadota promised.

It was then that police arrived, Saburo having called them in order to keep Erika and Walker from doing anything else to the men. An officer took all their statements, promised Ikari they would be in contact if they needed to ask anymore questions, and hauled the men off. Only once they were gone did Ikari heave a sigh, thanking Kadota and his friends once more for their help.

"Do you want a ride home? We can take you." Kadota said, Saburo agreeing from behind him.

"Thanks, but I think I'll walk, make a stop by Russia Sushi and see if my sister is working." Ikari replied.

"Ooo! Let's go there for dinner!" Erika said, Walker agreeing.

"Sounds good to me. What say you...Ikari?"

Ikari stiffened for a moment when Kadota turned his eyes to her. She blinked for a moment before relaxing once more, another sigh slipping through her lips, this one a sigh of amusement.

"Alright, fine. I give in." Ikari said, holding her hands in the air.

Walker and Erika eagerly welcomed Ikari into the back seat with them, even though Kadota offered to give her the front seat. Ikari waved him off, insisting she was just fine. The ride to Russia Sushi was an interesting one, to say the least. Erika and Walker shoved light novel after light novel and manga after manga into her hands, insisting she give the series a try. A few actually caught her interest.

When they arrived at Russia Sushi, they found that Kokoro had worked the early afternoon shift and had already gone home. Kadota invited Ikari to join them for dinner. Ikari agreed, mostly because she couldn't remember the last time someone had invited her to eat with them. Sitting there, watching the four as they joked and talked, Ikari really could see why Kokoro liked them and was friends with them. She found herself laughing more in that one night than she had in a long time.

Kadota insisted they take her home afterward and Ikari let them.

Ikari lived in an apartment complex closer to the center of the city than Kokoro. It was a more up-scale building than Kokoro's and Ikari lived on the fifth floor. Kadota walked Ikari to the lobby doors, Erika and Walker driving Saburo crazy in the van at the curb. Ikari glanced past Kadota, watching as Saburo turned in his seat to yell at the two.

"You have quite the interesting group of friends." Ikari told Kadota.

"Yeah, but they're not so bad."

"Saburo doesn't look like he agrees." Kadota grinned as Ikari pointed this out, the girl turning to look at him. "So, what should I call you? Dotachin, like Erika?"

"I'd prefer you called me Kyohei." replied, despite the smile on his face.

"Alright, then. Well, thank you, Kyohei."

Kadota looked up at her as she smiled back at him.

"What are you thanking me for?" he asked.

"For helping me with those jerks earlier, for inviting me to dinner, taking home, walking me to my door...for agreeing to be my friend. It's been a long time since I've felt like part of a group." Ikari replied.

"Everyone deserves to have a friend." Kadota told her.

"But not everyone is willing to be a friend."

The look in Ikari's eyes, for a moment, looked sad, as if they girl was all too familiar with the feeling of rejection. It reminded him of something Kokoro had told him the one time they had spoken of Ikari.

"Ikari's strong, really strong, and she's pretty much fearless. That being said, I know she struggles. She just doesn't know how to show it. I know she is the way she is with me because I'm the only person who's stuck around and has done so without wanting something from her. A lot of people don't know how sweet she can be because they don't give her a chance. Give her an honest chance and you'll see. She's one in a million."

"We are willing, so don't be a stranger." he told her, making her laugh once again.

"Yeah, sure. I'll keep that in mind." she told him, smiling.

She opened her mouth to say something else when her phone suddenly went off. Holding up a finger, she pulled it from it's hiding place in waist band of her shorts and looked at the screen. A groan escaped her lips and her shoulders sagged.

"Something wrong?" Kadota asked.

"It's just my "boss". I better get inside and call him, find out what it is he wants." Ikari said, heaving a sigh, this one of regret. "I'd like to talk more. Maybe I'll see you around?"

"I can do you one better." Kadota reached out, plucking the phone from her fingers. Ikari raised both brows, curious as he tapped away on the screen. When he handed it back, there was a new contact in her contact list. "There's my number. Give me a call or send me a text and we can hang out again."

"Sounds like a plan. Thanks. Good night, Kyohei." Ikari told him, gripping the phone close.

"Yeah, night."

Ikari stepped inside her building's lobby, watching from there as Kadota returned to the van, climbing in. As the van drove off, Ikari smiled to herself, looking down at the new contact in her phone. Her smile only grew as she turned, giving a happy spin, heading for the elevator.

She was happy to have made a friend, to have made four of them. She couldn't help but feel giddy at the thought. Not even the fact that she now had to deal with Izaya could ruin that for her. She would need to send a message to Kadota, to let him know that it was her number.

First...she had to deal with an annoying pest.

END

Kyandi: Don't you hate it when the person you least want to talk to, always seems to call right when you least want them to?

Ikari: Oh, yeah. He totally killed my mood.

Kokoro: Well, it is Orihara-san.

Kyandi: Good point. It's like that man had a radar that tells him, "Hey, right now would be the best time to call and annoy this person".

Ikari: Scary thing is...he just might.

Kyandi & Kokoro:...My, gods!

Ikari: My sentiment exactly.

Kyandi: Okay, enough of this creepy talk. I'll ended up having nightmares.

Kokoro: Should we move on so you can get started on next week's chapters?

Kyandi: Yes, please.

Kokoro: Everyone, please enjoy and review.

Ikari: We'll return as soon as possible.

Kyandi: Bye-bye!