Izaya stretched himself, eager to find new subjects of his entertainment for the day. Humans had always fascinated him, as they were easy to read, and, much to his advantage, easy to manipulate. As long as one truly desired something, they'd do anything to get it. Whether it was something as simple as money, or power. Love, even. To Izaya, this was utterly pathetic. It disgusted him deeply, but at the same time it interested him. He wasn't sure when exactly, but early on in his life he'd discovered he could get a thrill out of watching people act so...vulnerable.

Nothing compared to the thrill that coursed through Izaya when he could get a reaction out of someone. He was crafty, sneaky, maybe even considered devilishly charming. With that, he could always predict someone's reaction beforehand. That skill assisted him in finding which buttons to press next, in hopes of engaging a larger reaction. But, even for Izaya, that could get boring from time to time.

The only exception, though, was a certain blond-haired, short-tempered man, Shizuo Heiwajima. His reaction always remained the same, but never failed amuse Izaya. They hated each other, hated each other to the core. Even that didn't stop Izaya from poking fun at him every now again. He barely had to even try, just the sight of Izaya could send Shizuo into a blind rage.

"I think," Izaya mumbles to himself, smirking a bit, "I'll see what Shizu-chan is up to today."

**********
Shizuo roamed the streets of Ikebukuro, as he usually did. Nothing specific in mind for this day. Walks around the area helped in allowing him to collect his thoughts, which was good for him, particularly. The slightest irritation sparked his unavoidable response of releasing his brute strength on whoever had disturbed his peace of mind.
He hated violence, and the fact that he couldn't control his hotheaded mannerisms was one thing he loathed about himself.

Soon enough, Shizuo felt that presence, that oh so familiar presence that let him know his day was about to take a turn for the worse.

"Shizu-chaaaan~!" The young informant stood just a few feet away, with that horrible, taunting grin of his clear on his face.

"Christ," Shizuo sighed in pure agitation at the sound of his annoying nickname.

He whipped around in an instant and slid his blue sunglasses off of his face, tucking them away into the chest pocket of his suit. The longer he glared at the informant's Cheshire cat-like grin, the quicker he felt the anger rise up in him.

"Shizu-chan!~" Izaya chirped, "I'm happy I found you! I hope you're in the mood to play today!~"

"Stop fucking calling me that, Izaya," Shizuo growled, "and...what the fuck are you doing in Ikebukuro after I've told you to stay out?!"

"Aw, Shizu-chan, you're not very nice. Don't you know how to give a proper hello? I thought even a monster like you would know how to do something as simple as that, but I guess not," he shrugged.
Izaya felt almost giddy with excitement, knowing the blond beast in front of him would soon enough chase after him.

"I'm really not up for your bullshit today, Izaya. Just fuck off," Shizuo warned. His warning was in vain.

Izaya chuckled out loud, unable to help himself. That chuckle only further provoked Shizuo's rage, which was at this point, unstoppable. His rage channeled into his strength, and within a matter of mere seconds he had uprooted a tree, hoisting it above his head.

Now overflowing with joy at his success, Izaya broke into a sprint down the busy streets of Ikebukuro, Shizuo in pursuit. Their typical game of cat and mouse, no different from any other day. There was no ending to this game, except the one that claimed Izaya as victorious in his escape from his favorite monster.

This, is what Izaya loved more than anything. He loved knowing he could stir up a little trouble with just a few words. To him, it wasn't trouble. It was fun. A lot of fun.