Aghh, you guys are all suddenly thanking me for writing and I don't know what to say. I am passionate about writing, and hearing that people like my work is indescribable. So, thank you guys for your constant encouragement.


~~I wasn't feeling anything, and that was terrifying~~

As he sat on the couch along the windows, Kida watched the people below scurry around to take cover from the rain. He held a full champagne bottle in his hand. He took a large swig, delighting in the way it stung the back of his throat. Placing it on the ground, he lay back and rested his head on the arm of the couch. He closed his eyes and listened to the rain hit the windows; quiet thunder resounded. The teen frowned when he heard a door open. He wasn't in the mood for being criticized. He quickly hid the champagne behind the chair and returned to his previous position.

"Masaomi-kun, I got dinner. Come eat with me. Why are all the lights off?"

Kida groaned as the main light was switched on, and he turned to face the back of the couch. He didn't move when a hand touched his shoulder.

"Is something wrong?"

"No, I just…get sleepy during thunderstorms—they're calming."

"All right. Well, like I said, I got food. Come eat."

"I'm not hungry," the boy mumbled. "I'll eat later."

"Okay, but if—" Izaya cut off abruptly, catching the reflection of an object in the window. He reached around the furniture and grabbed it. Frowning, he returned his hand to the teen's shoulder, pulling the boy to face him. He held the bottle up. "Masaomi-kun, were you planning to drink all of this tonight?"

"No," the teen replied blandly, not moving. "I put that there a few weeks ago and forgot about it."

"Haven't I told you not to lie to me?" He petted the boy's hair, waiting for the truth.

"Haven't I told you to fuck off?" Masaomi swatted the hand away. "I only had one sip. Leave me alone a—"

He hauled the boy into a sitting position and caressed his face. "Why can't you just tell me the truth?"

"Because you'll judge me." He refused to look at the man. When he drank, the older male looked at him with disapproval.

"I don't mean to judge you. I just want to help you," Izaya said softly.

"There's nothing to help with. I'm fine," he responded in an equally quiet voice, staring out the window.

"No, you're not, Masaomi-kun." Izaya took a seat next to him and wrapped his arms around the smaller male. "If you were fine, you wouldn't have finished an entire bottle of vodka in less than a week. I find beer and wine bottles hidden behind books and under furniture. Drinking in moderation is fine, but it's a warning sign that you're hiding it from me, and so much, too." He kissed the teen's head. "Tell me what's wrong."

Kida rested his head on the man's shoulder and placed his hands on the arms around him. "I don't know," he said quietly, his voice revealing that he was holding back tears. "I'm so…sad, all the time, but there's usually no reason for it." He let out a few sobs. "I don't want to feel like this anymore."

"You probably have Depression, the medical condition. I'll bring you to a psychiatrist so we can get you medication."

The teen scooted away, ending all contact. "I'm not going to pay a ridiculous amount of money to tell some stranger about my problems; that's just dumb. I don't need medication—I'm not sick."

"No, you're not physically sick, but—"

Kida clenched his fists and stood up. "I'm sick in the head? Is that what you were going to say? I'm not crazy, so I'm not going to be put on medication that I don't need! I'm sad because I have so much to deal with; I was exaggerating when I said that it was constant with no reason behind it. Don't treat me like I'm insane for sometimes being sad!"

Izaya laced his fingers together and calmly looked at the boy. "Are you finished?"

He became angry again. "Don't even—"

"You're finished. Come sit next to me and listen to what I have to say."

Kida crossed his arms defiantly. "No."

"Masaomi, get over here now. I will not stand for disobedience," he replied, his tone icy, but still controlled.

"I'm not a dog. I don't have to follow your every command," the teen scoffed.

"I will give you one last chance to comply. Otherwise, you will be punished."

Kida rolled his eyes and turned away. "I don't want to deal with this right now. I'm going home."

Izaya stood up and crossed his arms. "Come over here and receive your punishment. Don't make me force you, Masaomi. You have already learned from experience that disobeying until I give you no choice is a route that will involve merciless pain. I will only say this once more. Come here and receive your punishment."

He wanted to leave, to get away from that cold voice and those sinister eyes. But Izaya meant what he'd said. After taking a deep breath, he moved in front of the man and bowed his head.

The informant tilted the boy's chin up. "Do you have something to say to me?"

"I'm sorry, Izaya-san," he said shakily.

"That's a good boy," Izaya said while petting the teen's head, as if he were a pet. "You're here for my help, but I can't do that if you won't listen to my advice. Now turn around and sit."

Masaomi obeyed. He sat cross-legged and anxiously played with his fingers. He removed his shirt when told, and awaited his consequence. He shivered when Izaya kissed his shoulder.

Kida's fingers clutched his knees when cool metal grazed his skin. It trailed down his spine.

Izaya's knife dragged along his back. The tip touched him in some places, but blood wasn't drawn. It finally stopped at the nape of his neck. The side of the blade turned so it was in a position for slicing. He said nothing and held in his whimpers, only permitting a few tears to escape. As he prepared for affliction, the object on his neck was replaced with lips. Arms encircled his waist.

"Izaya-san?"

"Did you believe that I would do it?"

"Yes..."

"Then you have learned your lesson. I'm impressed that you only cried a bit; you didn't beg for mercy. The fear you had of being punished in such a gruesome way was your punishment."

Masaomi let out a sigh of relief.

Izaya turned the boy around so they were face-to-face. "I don't believe asking you to sit next to me was a difficult or unpleasant task. I wasn't going to grope or yell at you; I simply wanted to talk. I'm not as bad of a person as you've made me out to be, Masaomi-kun. Listen to what I have to say and we'll get along swimmingly. You don't have to like me, but you must respect and trust me for this to work. If you don't, you'll end up as you were before. Obey me, and you will be content again, truly."

"I understand," he replied timidly.

"We're going to see a psychiatrist tomorrow. There, we will see whether or not he diagnoses you with Depression. If he does, we'll get you medication; if not, we'll work together on helping you to be happier without antidepressants. The man I'm taking you to see is highly praised for his diagnostic and therapeutic skills."

Kida looked into the man's eyes. We. We'll. Together. Izaya was sending him a clear message that he wasn't alone, and that was a nice feeling. He nodded slowly. "Okay."

Izaya picked up the boy's hand and played with his fingers. "You may tell him anything you please, except…what we do."

"Sex?"

"No. The methods I use to control you are affective, but somewhat immoral, and mostly illegal. I often treat you like a dog, rewarding you when you follow instructions and disciplining you when you act out. Tying you up against your will, briefly taking away one or more of your senses, making you believe that I'll harm you with knives, whips, and medieval torture styles, can put me in an asylum or prison, and no amount of connections could get me out for at least a few weeks. Now, these are unpleasant for you, but you understand that I do those things to help you, correct?"

Masaomi shivered, vividly remembering his punishments. "Yes."

"So, are we in agreement that you will not go into detail about how I help you?"

Kida nodded. "I won't say anything."


"All right," the man said as he checked his notepad, "Kida Masaomi. What brings you in today?"

Izaya answered. "He's been depressed for awhile now. He's expressed that he's sad without reason, and has lost interest in socializing or even going outside."

"Are you his brother? A friend, perhaps? If you aren't his guardian, it might be best for me to talk with Kida-kun alone."

"I'm the closest thing to a guardian figure he has. I watch out for him, though I'm mainly his lover."

Kida, who had previously been slouching on the comfortable chair, bolted upright and glared at the man on the couch next to him. "What the fuck? You aren't my lover!"

"Yes, I am. We regularly have intercourse, and neither of us has been intimate with another person since we first had sex."

He glanced at the doctor, and then returned his angered gaze to the informant. "You can't just tell people that we're lovers," he hissed.

Izaya shrugged. "Why not? We aren't doing anything illegal; I'm not your actual guardian, and you're the legal age of consent in Shinjuku."

"Are you embarrassed about your sexuality, Kida-kun?" the doctor cut in.

Masaomi turned red. "Wh-what? What do you mean? I'm not—I'm completely normal!"

"I never said you're abnormal. I asked if you're embarrassed about sleeping with another male."

"Well… Yeah, kinda." He nervously played with his fingers.

"And why is that?"

"It's nobody's business!"

"Kida-kun, if you want help, you'll have to cooperate. Now, why are you embarrassed?"

"I… I'm afraid of being judged. I want people to like me," he admitted quietly.

"I see." He wrote something on his notepad. "Why do you think you're sad so often?"

"I have a lot of things to be sad about."

"Such as…?"

"Well, I still feel a bit guilty about Saki, my parents hate me, Mikado and Anri forgot about me, I'm a complete failure, and Izaya is just fucking confusing."

"Saki was his previous girlfriend, whom he was unable to save from harm; Mikado and Anri were his best friends from his high school, which he dropped out of; his parents left him to live alone; I'm not exactly sure what the last part means," the informant explained.

"You're speaking of Orihara-san?"

"Yeah, I can't figure him out." He threw his legs over the side of the chair and played with the stress ball handed to him. "I mean, I still don't know the entirety of why he set me up with Saki only to take her away from me—brutally. And now he suddenly wants to help me. I was suspicious at first, but I've ruled out the theory of him using it as a cover solely to get in my pants. He seems to genuinely care about my problems—but he always has a hidden agenda. That one night when he stitched up my wrist, he said that he cares for me, but I don't know what that means for him. As far as I know, his definition of 'care' could be synonymous with 'sadism'. That's one thing I do know; he's definitely a sadist. For sure, and don't even ask how I know. There are actually very few things I know about him. He has two sisters, 'loves humanity' or whatever, works as an information broker, has the hots for me, is just fucking hot in general—and a god in bed, went to my high school, likes ootoro, and is really good at manipulating people. But that's pretty much it."

"Hey, at least you know all of that. I'm a private person, Masaomi-kun. Not many people are aware that my favorite food is ootoro, I'm a skilled sexual partner, and I only want to be with you for the rest of my life."

"Ah, so this is a one-sided relationship, then?"

"You tell me. I have no idea what he's thinking. At this point, I'm not sure if being with me forever consists of getting married or simply not being allowed to fuck anyone else ever. Not that I'd really mind. As much as I hate him, he's a good lay, and I feel…important to be, you know, wanted by him. I see so many girls giggling when he walks by and women hopelessly trying to catch his attention, but he barely looks at them. But he looks at me as if I'm the one he's hopelessly trying to woo. I don't know if I'm just some passing obsession, or the light of his life. Whatever the meaning, I'm wanted by him in this moment, and it feels good."

The doctor looked at Izaya.

"Oh, I'm not going to explain myself. It's no fun if he knows what my feelings are towards him. Besides, I'm entitled to my privacy. Once he tells me that he loves me, I'll explain everything."

"Never going to happen," Kida scoffed.

"All right, we need to get back on track here. If Orihara-san is going to be distracting—"

"I want him to stay," he said, with heaviness to his tone that made the older males raise their eyebrows.

"Let's continue, then. What do you like to do for fun?"

"Party and have sex."

"He used to be fond of manga and television shows, was very social—without alcohol, and hated to be indoors for too long. All of that has changed. I often come home to him staring out the window or asleep on the couch in early afternoon. He's greatly lost his appetite, and will often forget to eat if I don't put food in front of him."

"Are these things true, Kida-kun?"

"Izaya knows me better than anyone else. You might as well be talking only to him; he won't try to cover anything up due to embarrassment or self-consciousness as I would."

"Okay…" He turned to the informant. "Is there anything else I should know?"

"He uses sex and alcohol as coping mechanisms for emotional pain, which I've been steering him away from, he has trouble trusting people—though that's partly my fault—and often doesn't think of the consequences of his actions. He's not as energetic and bubbly as he used to be, and when he is, it's only for a short period of time. That's it."

"Well, Kida-kun, it sounds like you have Depression. I'll start you out on a low dosage of Wellbutrin, and we'll move up from there as needed, all right? I'd like to see you in a month."

Masaomi nodded. "Okay."

The doctor handed Izaya a prescription slip. "Here you go."

Izaya took it, and then Masaomi's hand, and walked towards the door. "Thanks, Doc."


6 weeks later

Izaya turned the key in the lock and entered his apartment. As he walked into the main area, he noticed a pair of shoes in the foyer.

"Masa—" He was unable to finish his sentence due to his loss of breath when a teenager threw himself on the informant, nearly knocking him over.

"Izaya-san!" Kida tightly held onto the man and smiled up. "You've been gone for sooo looong. I've been really bored all alone in here. Now that you're back, we can have lotss of fun!" He spun around and fell onto the couch, giggling.

He's drunk. "Masaomi-kun," he said, his tone light. "I told you not to drink when you're alone." He sat next to the boy's head and watched the teen roll onto his stomach and rise to his elbows.

"I thought I'd get a head start before you came home. I didn't have too much."

"You really shouldn't mix your medication with alcohol."

"I didn't take it today—or the past week. It's not working."

"All right… What did you have?"

"That bottle of wine you brought home the other day." He unsteadily sat up and leaped onto the man's lap.

Izaya raised his eyebrows. "All of it?"

"Nopee! I left half for you. C'mon, Izaya-san, drink!"

Half? Half of the whole bottle? "I'd love to, but I'm meeting a client tomorrow morning, and I don't want to be hung over. It's unprofessional." He placed a supportive hand on the wobbly blond's back.

Masaomi pouted. "You're such a drag. You have all of this booze, but you never drink any of it!"

"Ah, but I don't buy it very often. You're the one who keeps the fridge stocked with expensive alcohol and spirits."

Kida shot him an innocent look. "How could I? I don't have the money for anything other than cheap stuff."

"Do you really think I don't know? When you crash here, you wait until I've fallen asleep, and then take one of my credit cards from my wallet."

Masaomi threw his arms around Izaya's neck and sloppily pecked his lips. "You're so smart, Izaya-san!"

"A conversation about this behavior is overdue, as well as one about not taking your medication. We will discuss it tomorrow afternoon."

Masaomi flopped onto his back and pulled the man on top of him. "Does that mean I get to stay the night?" His fingers skimmed Izaya's side; his eyes burned with passion.

"You're always welcome to sleep over." He bent down and kissed the boy's jawbone.

"If you partied more, you'd be my dream man, Izaya-san."

"Oh yeah?" He licked Kida's ear. "What's the criteria for your perfect man?"

Masaomi shuddered. "H-he has to be taller than me, because I prefer to bottom, and being topped by a shorter guy would just be weird. Along with that, he has to be, like, I can't remember the right word—confident or dominant, or something like that. I like intelligent guys, the ones you can have long, deep conversations with, but he can't be too egotis-something or other. Then, he has to be or have at least three of these: sexy body, pretty eyes, good kisser, athletic, good at oral, low voice, kinky, and a big dick. The last one is a must, though; I don't want to be with someone who can't hit the good places deep inside me. Finally, he has to know how to party. You fit all of that, minus the partying. If only you weren't so prideful and manipulative."

"You must've really thought this over if you can recite it perfectly while completely wasted. Hm, but I wonder… You said that I meet all the other criteria, one of which is oral sex, but I've never gone down on you. Why did you say I am?" He gave Masaomi a wicked smirk.

"Ummm, I don't know." He shrugged. "You're a good kisser, and you're good in bed, in general. I just added the two up."

"Do you want me to demonstrate my abilities?"

"Y-yeah."

Izaya slithered down the boy's body, unzipped his pants, and pulled out his stiff member. He glanced up to see Kida struggling to stay on his elbows. He grasped the teen's hips and pushed so Masaomi ended up leaning against the couch arm. With a wink, he started to pump the erect length.

Masaomi yipped when he experienced a new, strange feeling. He looked down at the man with wide eyes. "Y-you put them in your mouth!"

Izaya moved back. "Does it not feel good?"

Kida thought for a moment. He'd been given blowjobs before, but nobody had ever thought to play with his balls. "No… It feels really good," he breathed. "Keep going." He moaned as his neglected lower parts were taken into a warm mouth and caressed by a slick tongue. He carefully guided the man's face to his prick, wordlessly giving a request.

Izaya rubbed the boy's thigh as he laid wet kisses along the twitching length.

"Hnn, I-Izaya-san, stop teasing," he whined.

After breathing a small chuckle, Izaya swallowed the member to the hilt and bobbed his head. Kida cried out, feeling a slippery tongue and tight throat. "G-gonna come~" His body released the built up heat inside of him, and he trembled, watching as the informant tilted his head back and swallowed the thick liquid.

"So how was I?"

"Fucking…amazing."

Izaya coaxed the boy to raise his hips so he could remove the garments. He poked at Kida's entrance. "Masaomi-kun, will you be angry with me tomorrow if I bed you while you're drunk?"

"I'm not that drunk," he assured. "I-I want you inside of me, Izaya-san."

"Ne, Masaomi-kun, have you been planning this all along?" He sat up and pulled the boy onto his lap.

"Maybee~" he giggled.

Izaya's expression turned serious. "I shouldn't allow this. We should wait until you're sober."

Masaomi pouted. "Don't you want me?" He grabbed Izaya's hand and seductively licked his fingers.

The informant grew harder at the sight of the boy devouring his digits and looking at him lustfully. "You're a skilled temptress, but the answer is still no."

Kida rubbed the older male's crotch and brought the wet fingers to his rear. He leaned forward and kissed the man's neck as he stuck his ass high in the air. "Please? If I'm mad at you tomorrow, it will only be because I can't walk."

Izaya's hand slid up to modestly hold the boy's waist. "I'm not refusing you because I'm fearful of your wrath; I'm refusing you because getting wasted and fucked is exactly what I'm trying to keep you from doing."

"But I'm with you, not some random guy," he persuaded.

"That doesn't make a difference. I'm not having sex with a drunken, slutty teenager." He lifted Masaomi off of his lap and set him on the couch. "Put your clothes on." He stood and walked away.

After a few moments of sitting in shock, he hastily dressed, fumbling with the zipper long enough for Izaya to return and help him. Tea was placed on the table in front of him. "Here, drink this."

Masaomi sniffled, and then blinked until his vision was clear. "I think I should go home now." He abruptly stood up and walked towards the exit.

Izaya caught the boy's arm. "Why are you leaving?"

"I don't want to overstay my welcome. After all, you have more important things to do than hang around with a slut. I'm so stupid…"

"Masaomi—"

Kida turned around, revealing his saddened countenance. "Let me go."

"I can't do that."

"You can stop pretending that I'm someone you could ever want. I'm leaving now."

"I—"

"Let go of me!" he screamed.

Reluctantly, Izaya released the boy's arm and watched him run out of the apartment. He walked over to the windows and looked down at the sidewalk. "Shit. I shouldn't have called him that." After a few minutes, he still hadn't seen Masaomi run out of the building. Confused, he slipped on his coat and left his apartment. After checking the hallway, he quietly descended the stairwell. Once at the bottom, he silently slipped out, making sure the door didn't shut loudly and signal his presence. Masaomi was leaning against the wall, facing the doorway, alternating between looking outside and checking his phone. Concluding that the boy had called someone to pick him up, he hid behind a large plant to spy on Masaomi.

After a few minutes, the door opened and a man stepped into the lobby. He was fairly tall; Masaomi had to nearly crane his neck to greet him. He wore a black, double-breasted suit with a white tie, but it was still obvious that he was well built. His irises were almost as dark as his jet-black hair, which was neatly slicked back.

He appeared to be in his early thirties, but his age wasn't what bothered Izaya the most. The informant recognized him as a chief member of a powerful yakuza gang. They specialized in the human trafficking of female and male teenagers. Masaomi was attractive, good in bed, and within the age range the gang searched for. The boy had no idea whom he was getting involved with.

Masaomi raised his arms and smiled. "Come here. You're too tall." The man obeyed, and Kida touched his face. "I like it when you're clean shaven."

"I shaved down there, too," the man replied in a deep voice.

Masaomi pulled the man down further and kissed him. Izaya's fingernails sank into his palm as he watched someone else touch what belonged to him. How dare some yakuza come into his building and touch his Masaomi.

After a minute, the man straightened up and looked around. "So… Orihara Izaya? He's dangerous, you know. Caused a lot of trouble for my boss a few months back when he threatened to go to the police with some pictures. He's still got that over us. If I sleep with his guy, it might set him off."

Izaya noticed the teen's expression drop slightly. "I don't mean anything to him. He doesn't care who I get with."

"If you're certain… Are you ready to go now?"

"Yeah. Your house?"

"My wife and son are home. Besides, my boss is holding an auction at a nice hotel tonight a few minutes away. I can get a room, free of charge."

"You mean that kind of auction?"

"Yes, why?"

"I should be wary. What if you're only taking me there to sell me off?" he joked.

The man grabbed Kida's ass. "The only reason I'd put you up for auction would be so I could buy you."

Masaomi flinched. "Smooth, as always."

The yakuza laid an arm across the teen's shoulders and walked forward. "Let's go."

As soon as the pair was out of sight, Izaya left his hiding place and leaned against the back wall. "God, he's such an idiot. How could he not see through that lie?" Izaya already had an idea of what was going to happen once Masaomi entered that hotel. He would be taken to a private room, where the man would carry out what he'd been summoned for. After that, however, Masaomi would be drugged and put up for auction. This man valued his gang more than a provocative teenager, and would readily get on his boss' good side by giving him a supple boy for prostitution.

Izaya stared at the ceiling and contemplated. That hotel was swarming with gang members. If Izaya tried to take Masaomi at any point, he'd be hopelessly outnumbered. He couldn't attend the event because, as the man had told Kida, he had blackmailed the gang, and would be kidnapped and tortured. For once, he wondered if this was a situation he couldn't control.


Masaomi lay on his back, trying to catch his breath. "I can't remember why I stopped sleeping with you. Fuck, that was amazing."

"My wife was on to us."

"You should leave her and get with me."

"I would, but people finding out that I left my wife and kid to hook up with a boy barely older than my son would hurt my image."

Kida watched the man leave the bed and get dressed. "Do you have to go to that deal tonight?"

"I do."

"Aw, but I want another round. Don't leave. I'll be bored all alone up here," he whined.

The yakuza grabbed something out of a bag. "You're not going to be bored tonight. In fact, this will be a night that you'll never forget."

"What do you—Hey!" He struggled as he was pinned down and a cloth was held over his face. Before he fainted, he thought about how he should've worked things out with Izaya instead of being brash.

When he came to, he tried to rub his eyes, only to find his hands tied behind him. He was in a cage tall enough for him to sit comfortably, but not high enough to stand in. He called out for help, but a gag muffled his cries. He was chilly, and was horrified when he realized that he was completely naked. He had no time to think up an escape plan, because his ex-lover entered the room and opened his cage.

"Sorry, kid. The sex was great, but we're gonna make a lot of money on you. You're perfect for this, you know? You have no family or friends to notice you've gone missing, you're really hot for a teenager, and you're quite talented in the bedroom." He pulled Masaomi up by his hair and then pushed him forward. "Go down the hallway. If you try to escape, I'll cut off one of your toes. Cooperate, and you'll be fine."

Kida whimpered quietly, and then slowly walked forward. Cheers and clapping got louder as he neared his destination.

"Next up, we have a 17-year-old who is far from a virgin. He'll top or bottom, and is exceptionally skilled in the bedroom. He's feisty, agile, and strong-willed. Let's start the bidding at ¥20,000,000 for the former shōgun of the Yellow Scarves, Kida Masaomi!" He was thrown onto the stage with a force that sent him tumbling to the ground. Rough hands sat him up and held his legs apart, showing the crowd his naked body. He thrashed and made muffled noises, but the hands gripped harder each time, and he soon stopped struggling altogether. He bowed his head and held back tears as men began to yell out rising prices. If he weren't terrified, he'd be flattered by how high people were bidding.

After a minute or two, the room went quiet. It seemed that nobody wanted to match the current price. Just as the announcer was about to end the auction, a deep, loud voice said, "¥1,000,000,000."

Masaomi joined the rest of the crowd in raising his eyebrows and looking for whom the voice belonged to.

"Will anyone go higher?" the announcer asked. Silence. "All right, sold for ¥1,000,000,000 to this fine gentleman. Come claim your prize."

A yakuza member stepped onto the stage and handed the announcer a briefcase. He opened it to reveal a large amount of money, which certainly fit the price. The man walked towards Masaomi, and then looked at the guy holding him down. "Let him go. I can handle him." He brought Kida to his feet and ushered him offstage by holding onto his tied hands. He was guided into a small dressing room, where his hands were untied and his gag was pulled off.

"There are clothes for you on the rack over there. Dress quickly and we'll go."

Kida silently dressed in the jeans and loose sweatshirt, not bothering to try to run past the large man and escape. He turned around to look at his owner when he'd finished. The man wrapped an arm around his waist and led him out of the room and out a back exit. The hand was removed, and he ran towards the alley's opening.

"Aren't you going to thank me for literally saving your ass?"

Masaomi spun around to see a man standing a few feet away from him. He nearly crumbled to the ground in relief when he saw who it was. He lunged forward and fell into open arms. "Izaya-san," he murmured, relieved.

Izaya wrapped an arm around the boy and soothingly petted his hair with his free hand. "It's okay now, Masaomi-kun. You're safe with me."

"Izaya-san," he repeated, his voice a whisper. "Izaya-san. Izaya-san."

"I'm going to take you to my apartment now. Is that okay with you?"

The boy nodded, wiping his face on his sweatshirt and sniffling. The informant held his hand as he paid the man who "bought" Masaomi. Once that was finished, he was guided to the back of a car. Inside, he clung to the man, closing his eyes and listening to the soothing voice tell him that Izaya would always protect him.

After Izaya closed the door to his apartment, he placed the boy on his feet. Masaomi had refused to let go of him, so he'd carried him from the car to his home.

As soon as Kida's feet touched the ground, he threw his arms around Izaya's neck and pulled him into a forceful kiss. The man gently pressed him against the wall in his foyer and slowed the boy's frantic movements so the kiss was controlled and soft, rather than sloppy and erratic. Izaya grabbed one of the hands buried in his hair and held it in his. He idly played with the slim fingers.

Kissing Izaya was a feeling he'd yet to think of how to recreate. Izaya's slow movements and gentle touches calmed him. The informant didn't kiss him often, and he felt it inappropriate to initiate, so he cherished these moments. He never wanted to let go once they started, and he was usually in an embarrassing daze for a few seconds when the man pulled away. He always wanted to bring him back, but was unable to muster up enough nerve—unless, of course, he was drunk.

"As long as we can still kiss like this," Masaomi murmured, "I don't care if we never have sex again."

Izaya smiled against the boy's lips. "I'd prefer to do both."

"Deal," Kida said with a smile.

"Masaomi-kun, about earlier… I shouldn't have said that. I was trying to stop your advances before I gave in, and I knew that labeling you in that way would get you to back off. I'm not the best with emotions, so I didn't understand how greatly it would upset you."

Kida looked up at the informant with big brown eyes. "You really didn't mean it?"

"No, I said that I wouldn't have sex with you because, in that moment, it was exactly what I wanted to do. But I couldn't, because that would be counterproductive. You're difficult to resist, Masaomi-kun, and it takes a great deal of self-control to say no when you're effectively seducing me."

"So, basically, I make you weak," he concluded.

"I wouldn't go that far."

Masaomi closed his eyes and drew the informant closer. "Thank you for saving me, Izaya-san. If you hadn't done that… Wait, how did you know?"

"I was in the lobby when that disgusting yakuza scum came to pick you up. I could tell what his intentions were, and I happen to currently have a guy undercover in that gang—who'd be welcomed into the auction—so I called and told him to buy you." He paused. "You were hooking up with a married man? How old is he, by the way?"

"A few months back, I met his 16-year-old son at a club. When I got to his house, I told him I changed my mind, and then snuck away with his dad. He's 35. For nearly two months, we had sex on and off at random hotels—and even his house when his wife wasn't home. She caught me leaving their house one day and I told her that I was giving him a message from my dad, but I don't think she believed me. It happened again a few days later—she saw me walking out of the bedroom with him… We stopped seeing each other after that."

"So this wasn't a guy you barely knew, then?"

"I knew him. After two weeks, he took me to a high-profile restaurant and told me what he did for a living. He said that he was only involved with the money part, and I figured that, since he didn't even try to hide it, that I was safe. I mean, I actually had feelings for this guy. I know I was just a good lay to him, but I felt a connection."

Masaomi hadn't realized he was being moved until Izaya placed him on his lap on the couch. "Were you in love with him?"

"No, definitely not. I've dated a few guys, but I've never been in love."

Izaya laid the boy down. He bent his head and kissed Kida's neck while his hands explored Masaomi's torso.

Masaomi gently grabbed the informant's hair and pulled him down for a kiss. Izaya turned, and licked his ear instead. Frowning, he swatted away the hands reaching for his pants and moved his head away from the man's mouth.

Izaya rose to his hands, his expression showing his confusion. "Is something wrong?"

"It's just… Why won't you kiss me when we have sex?" he whispered, rubbing his arm in a self-conscious manner. "You deliberately avoid it, moving away when I try to kiss you. We do it at other times, but not when we're intimate."

"That's because I associate sex with unbridled pleasure, and kissing with emotions."

"I don't understand…"

"I consider sex to be an outlet for release. Before we started this affair, I only had sex when my body's urges grew uncomfortable to ignore, and I satisfied that by having sex with people whom I am not attached to in any way. It is raw and dirty and rough. Kissing, on the other hand, is an act of affection. It's a way to soothe worries and connect with someone you enjoy doting on. It is delicate and passionate. The two clash, and that is why I prefer to keep them as separate activities."

Izaya pecked the boy's cheek. "I've never kissed someone I was sexually involved with, so this is a new experience. If it upsets you that I classify them differently, I will make an exception."

This is a trap. Kida wished that Izaya's red eyes weren't so mesmerizing. This was what he wanted, but he couldn't help but think that the informant wished for Masaomi to accept the offer; Izaya wanted Kida to make him do something he was uncomfortable with. Izaya didn't partake in activities unappealing to him, and a teenage sex friend shouldn't be able to make him change his ways. Still, Masaomi wanted this. He didn't see how two people could sleep together without kissing. It felt wrong to him, somehow.

Kida nodded slowly. "Okay." He paused. "If you consider kissing affectionate, and you dislike physical contact, who have you kissed?"

"You'd think I'm a horrible person if I told you."

"I already think you're a horrible person. C'mon, I told you about a guy I dated; tell me."

Izaya sighed. "Teenage girls are emotional, naïve humans. On occasions that I needed to get information or a favor from one of them, some would ask me to make out with them as compensation."

"Um, why would you accept?"

"Because I knew that they would become infatuated with me and freely give me information in the future. Also, I'd only ever done it two or three times in high school, so I wanted to see what humans consider criteria for good kissing. Apart from my high school days, every girl I've kissed has commented on the skill I have with my tongue."

"So… I'm the first guy you've ever made out with?" Masaomi asked, feeling a bit special.

Izaya grinned. "I kissed Shizu-chan as a prank once just after high school. He thought he loved me after that, so he pushed me into an alley about a week later and kissed me until he decided that, just because I'm a good kisser, it didn't mean that he loved me. It was rather amusing, actually. He got red-faced every time he saw me for a month afterwards."

"So… You've had lots of experience…"

"Far less than you. Do you even know how many people you've slept with?"

Masaomi paled and looked away. He knew it was true, but he hated when people even hinted that he was a slut. "No."

Izaya saw the boy's expression and realized that his comment had been insensitive. He bent down and kissed Kida's cheek. "It doesn't matter how many people you've been with; you're with me now."

Masaomi smiled. "You and your corny lines."

"It's interesting that you call them corny, considering that they always get me in your pants."

"That's not because they're good; it's because the way you try is endearing."

"Enough talking. I'm horny."

Kida rolled his eyes. "You know, there's a way to express that without ruining the mood." He pulled the man down and kissed him as he guided Izaya's hands toward his pants. He felt the informant smile against his lips as the clothing from both males was removed. Izaya slid in with little difficulty, and Masaomi grimaced, remembering why he was loose. He returned his attention to the movements of his lips as Izaya gently thrusted in and out, rolling his hips at a casual pace to compliment the way they were kissing.

"Is this too weird for you?"

"It's rather pleasant, actually. I feel…closer to you."

Masaomi nodded. In the past, he would've made fun of the man for such a confession. But he and Izaya had promised that they wouldn't lie to each other about their feelings, so no judgment was dealt out. "Me too."

Izaya kissed along Kida's neck. "This is gratifying. I'm enjoying mixing my lust with my emotions. I've never… This is a new emotion. I don't know what it is."

"It's what I feel every time we sleep together. I've been somewhat emotionally invested in sex with you since the third or fourth time. It's better than being with a random person, right?" He moaned as Izaya angled his hips.

"Yes." Both males groaned, arching their backs and closing their eyes as they finished. Izaya threw their condoms in the trashcan next to the couch, which had recently migrated from its spot beside the extra desk.

Kida put his boxers on and straddled Izaya's thighs as he locked their lips together.

The informant stopped moving. He looked at Masaomi with a confused, slightly scared, expression. "That feeling I got when we were having sex… Does this mean I'm in love with you?"

Kida was taken aback by the confident informant's strange behavior, but he quickly recovered and smiled. "Your feelings aren't any different than before. You feel this way because you've finally allowed yourself to focus on more than how I make you feel physically during an intimate activity. You're comfortable with me; we've been doing this for a while. It's finally clicked that you meant what you said about not wanting to have another sexual partner, which means that you don't have to be cautious about giving me the wrong idea or saying something that could be misinterpreted as romantic. This is how sex is supposed to be—between two people who trust each other, and are as much at ease together as we are apart. This is natural."

"I'm not in love with you," Izaya insisted shakily.

"I wasn't suggesting that you are." Masaomi tilted his head. "Izaya-san, why are you afraid to fall in love?"

"Shut up! I said I don't love you!" He slapped the boy's cheek and roughly shoved him away. Before Kida fell off the couch, he reached out for the smaller male and held him tightly. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."

Masaomi awkwardly patted the man on his back. "It's all right. It's not like this is the first time you've slapped me…"

"There's something wrong with me. I don't want to feel like this." He lowered his forehead onto the boy's shoulder. "I think about you all the time; it hurts me to see you in pain; your smile makes me happy; the thought of losing you… Nobody else can have you." He pushed Kida back and held his face in his hands. "Nobody else is allowed to touch you, or talk to you, or even look at you for too long. You belong to me. I will rip apart limb from limb anyone who stands in the way of you being with only me. Do you understand, Masaomi? You're mine."

Kida shivered at the low growl of Izaya's voice and his wild eyes. He knew that Izaya wanted him to himself, but he never knew how far his possessiveness reached. It wasn't just possessiveness, Masaomi now knew. Izaya was absolutely terrified of his emotions. He was scared of how strongly he felt for Masaomi, and he was afraid that he would be rejected.

"I know I'm yours. I'm yours, Izaya-san, and I always will be."

Izaya moved his hands from Masaomi's head to his waist, slightly calmed. "I won't let go of you... You need me."

"I do need you."

Izaya held Masaomi close. He kissed him with a passion he'd never felt for anyone. He couldn't tell Masaomi how he felt because he didn't know how he felt—he didn't want to find out, fearful that his own emotions would tear him apart. "That was a moment of weakness—a brief occurrence of vulnerability. If you ever speak of this, you'll be sorry."

"Of course, Izaya-san. I'm far too fearful to bring upon your wrath."

"As you should be. It's late, you should go now."

Kida's expression dropped for a moment. He'd expected to be invited to sleep over after such a crazy, emotional night. "Right." After one more peck on the lips, Masaomi hopped off the man's lap and put on his jacket. "I'll see you tomorrow?"

"I'm going to be fairly busy for the next few days. I'll be leaving in the early morning and coming home late at night."

"I really have nothing else to do other than sleep and eat... Do you mind if I hang out here while you're away? I'd just watch movies and play video games."

"Don't you have multiple jobs? You already spend most of your time with me. If you don't get back to them, you'll be fired."

"Well, the hours are pretty flexible, and my bosses like me—" Masaomi suddenly felt that he was unwelcome. "You're right, I should go now… Call me?"

"Mhm."

Masaomi walked towards the door, expecting to be stopped and apologized to. He paused briefly as he placed his hand on the knob, but Izaya didn't grab his shoulder or tell him not to leave. He slipped out of the apartment and silently walked home alone.