Izaya absolutely hated Hachimenroppi at this point in time.

Izaya—the calm, collected, and always in control of himself. No one had ever made him do something he didn't want to do, especially with his mind. Izaya was smart. Izaya was smarter than most people. He was usually the smartest person in the room. Making other people think the way he wants them to think is a specialty of his. And no one could ever do the same back to him. His intelligence and his undying will was what he took the most pride in.

But Hachimenroppi completely destroyed that foundation. And what was even worse, it was unintentional. Roppi probably wasn't even aware he was doing it, which was even more annoying. Because of those pheromones, Izaya was using more of his carnal instinct that he had spent so many years ignoring.

Izaya had been arrogant. He was willing to admit it. He had assumed he was strong enough to ignore the pheromones. He had seemingly forgotten he was dealing with an inhuman ability and not normal physical attraction. He had had a monster with supernatural power over his carnal lust stay within a ten foot radius of him at all times without thinking there would be consequences. He now knows that he was wrong, which was a hard pill to swallow.

Now, after being separated from the mermaid for nearly a month, Izaya was coming to feel the exact opposite for Hachimenroppi. He hated the idea that anyone could get the better of him, especially unintentional. Bitterness would swell in his chest from just the thought of the mermaid-turned-man. So, he decided he wouldn't let that be the case anymore. After all, he was the one who took Roppi from Nanasaki, spent a small fortune on him already to take care of him, and even convinced him to take hydrocodone and move in with him. He couldn't let it stand that he was unable to control himself around him. So, Izaya would have to do something about it.

Which was why he had only been home long enough to sleep, shower, and change clothes. He didn't want to go back on what he had decided on—less he make himself look like a fool—so, as agreed, Roppi would stay in Izaya's house until the hydro's wore off or until the 2,000-by-4,000 tank was finished. But it wasn't safe for Izaya to continue working at the office, especially on days when Namie didn't work and the two would be alone. Roppi's pheromones were still extremely powerful and for all Izaya knew, they would remain as such until Roppi was done with the after effects of birth. If he was human to the extent Izaya understood, once Roppi had his first period after birth that should, theoretically, be the indication that his pheromones had regulated out. Izaya wouldn't be as affected by them anymore, since he didn't seem to be that affected by them before Roppi's birthing. Theoretically, Izaya should be able to be around Roppi without complaint once the pheromones were back to the way they were and Izaya would know they were back to normal if he had to start buying pads and tampons.

But Roppi wasn't human. For all Izaya knew, Roppi didn't even have menstrual cycles because of his hermaphroditic properties. If that was the case, Izaya would have no clue when Roppi's pheromones would be back to normal.

So, the raven had been staying in a hotel until he knew for certain it was safe to return home. Said hotel was owned by the Awakusu-kai so the raven was welcome to stay as long as he wanted—he wasn't staying free of charge, but he wouldn't get booted out of the room eventually either. Izaya was staying in the penthouse for the time being, having most of his clients meet him there or he would go to meet his clients. He would go home to use his own shower and sleep in his own bed, as he hated sleeping in any bed but his own. Then he would wake up before Roppi—who usually slept in till late afternoon—and run over his schedule with Namie, get everything he needed in order so that he wouldn't be left without the files he needed for the task ahead, and leave. Occasionally, he would go back to his place for a moment if he absolutely needed something or Namie demanded he come back for a client.

During those times, Roppi was rarely downstairs. And when he was, they didn't speak. Izaya would ignore him to the utmost of his ability, talking and looking only at Namie. Izaya didn't want to take the risk of being tempted and he was still hating Roppi a little—not for what happened, but for the pheromones that made what happened possible. The feeling seemed to be mutual as Roppi also ignored Izaya and would sooner or later go upstairs to be away from Izaya.

Izaya was okay with that. Even though Roppi being so cold to him hurt him emotionally, he was content with that outcome. He knew the only reason it hurt was because of the pheromones. He had no emotional attachment to Roppi before this and he was for certain that it wouldn't change after this.

It was just about making it pass that point.

Until then, this would be Izaya's lifestyle. He had been living as such for at least three-and-a-half weeks. Namie originally complained about this new development, as she didn't like being alone with Roppi all day nor did she like that she had to make sure every single duck was in a row. Originally, she could find certain information in Izaya's file if they were needed but now she had to make sure every little detail would be at the ready for Izaya even if he didn't need it. She complained about it greatly and Izaya had to promise her a raise to make her content.

Izaya let out a heavy sigh as he looked over surveillance footage again. A particular brunette and blond were spotted on it, getting off the Yamanote line from the Ueno station. The informant smiled slightly. He knew exactly where they were going. The new exhibit at the National Museum of Nature and Science will be opened next week. They were going to be getting a hotel in the area in order to be some of the first to the premiere.

Izaya chuckled. "They're quite predictable, aren't they?"

The raven lost sight of the two on that particular camera so he switched onto a different one. Switching from surveillance camera to surveillance camera, Izaya watched the two walk for less than ten minutes before they walked into a cheap hotel.

Izaya closed out of the camera feed. He knew they wouldn't be going anywhere and he had until next week to finally meet them. If he were to approach them at their hotel, they would more than likely run—or worse. It would be best to wait for the exhibit and have a more 'chance' encounter with multiple witnesses to make sure Izaya didn't get his neck snapped. There was no need to rush.

Izaya checked his phone.

(1) New message

He checked it. His eyes immediately narrowed.

Hachimenroppi

He openly glowered at his screen as bitterness swirled in his gut from just the name. He didn't want to have anything to do with the mermaid right now. But he knew he couldn't ignore it in case it was important.

He opened the message.

[When you coming bak? Hibiyas been pitching a fit for days now.]

Izaya chuckled a little, feeling vindictive that Roppi was struggling a little without him. He opened the text box.

[He's your son. You should be able to discipline him without me.]

Izaya waited.

*PING*

[listen here, asshole, discipline isnt the issue here.]

*PING*

[Hes been crying nonstop, which has started to get your secretrays attention. She tried to get into my room while I was in the bathroom today and I nearly broke her neck for her shit.]

*PING*

[She left right after that.]

'Oh, so that's why she called saying she was on her way over…' Izaya thought, having thought that was a little bit out of place as she didn't say she was bringing files. Just that she was coming to Izaya's hotel.

[You didn't hurt her, did you?] Izaya typed.

Izaya waited.

*PING*

[Course not. Just gave her a scare.]

*PING*

[Are you done being a lil bitch or are you going to keep avoiding me?]

Izaya glowered. He turned the phone screen off and dropped it on the couch cushion.

'You were avoiding me just as much as I was you, hypocrite.'

*PING*

Izaya glowered at his phone.

But before he could check it, there was a knock on the door. Izaya stood from his couch and went to the entrance. He looked through the peephole to see a very disgruntled woman.

Izaya opened the door, smiling at her. "I told you not to go into Roppi-chan's room."

Namie openly glowered at him. "You didn't tell me there would be children in the house."

Izaya moved out of the way of the door so Namie would enter. "I didn't tell you because Roppi-chan didn't want anyone to know."

Namie walked in. Izaya closed the door.

"Well, you should have told me." Namie glared at him. "A baby has been crying for three days straight. Your house guest has been extremely irritable. He'll go to the bathroom just to escape the screaming for a few minutes."

"And you decided out of the goodness of your heart to see if you could help?"

"No. I've been just as annoyed with the screams. I thought if he couldn't get the baby to stop, I could."

"Were you going to medicate it?"

"Of course not!" She looked quite offended by that.

"So, you thought a woman's touch would calm him?"

Namie scowled before looking to the side, a slight blush forming on her cheeks.

Izaya chuckled. "Don't take what Roppi-chan did to heart. He's like a mother bear when it comes to his children."

"Does that have to do with how he came into your life?"

Izaya smiled as vindictiveness for Roppi seeped into his chest. "It's the exact reason Roppi-chan has come into my life. This is the first time his children weren't stolen from him right after birth."

Namie cocked a brow. "What about the mother?"

"He is the mother."

Namie's brow only cocked more as skepticism laced her expression.

"He's a hermaphrodite."

"Hermaphrodite's can't become pregnant." Namie stated with confidence. "They can't develop one complete set of reproductive organs due to their defective birth."

"You and I both know it's not completely impossible for a hermaphrodite to develop a complete reproductive organ."

"Theoretically, a hermaphrodite can develop a complete reproductive organ. But there hasn't been a documented report of any hermaphrodite having such."

"Until now, that is."

Namie glowered. She did not look convinced. She knew there was something more to Roppi than that. But she said nothing as she instead snorted and walked over to the couch. "I refuse to be alone in the house with him anymore. Either get rid of him or come back."

Izaya didn't let Namie see the glower that crossed his face. It was gone as soon as it was there while Namie's back was to him. He then chuckled.

"Well, I'm not getting rid of him yet."

"Then come back."

"It's a little complicated between us, Namie-san."

"I don't care for your lover's spat. You should count your blessings that you actually found someone who likes you."

Izaya jolted. His eyes widened, and a blush crossed his face.

"N-Namie-san! You've misunderstood! Roppi-chan and I aren't anything like...like that!"

Namie looked over her shoulder at him. A smile crept across her lips at the new expression she had never seen on Izaya's face before. She never found Izaya interesting, but she had to admit it was interesting to see him so shaken by someone else's words for once.

"We're not like that." Izaya glowered at her. "Roppi-chan doesn't like me, anyway."

"I'd beg to differ."

Izaya sighed. "I don't think you know Roppi-chan well enough to figure him out."

"I've been around him, by myself, for three weeks." Namie looked at Izaya as if he was stupid. "He's been restless without you there."

"He's always been restless. Cleaning and organizing the house as he sees fit to pass the time. He doesn't have anything better to do."

"He looks excited whenever he hears someone at the door. He gets disappointed when it's not you. When it is you, he has such a huge smile on his face until you look at him."

Izaya felt his heart twist. He knew it was from happiness. But knowing that made Izaya even more sour than he was before.

"Why are you telling me that?" Izaya asked.

"Because you're being childish by running away from him. It's causing problems for everyone involved—including me, who shouldn't be involved with your love life. Face him properly or get rid of him."

Izaya glowered. He walked past her and sat down on the couch.

"Regardless of what you feel for him," Namie said, sitting down in the chair across from him and putting her bag down. "You shouldn't let a random man chase you out of your own house. If you don't want to be around him, then move him here. If you're going to pay for the hotel room and go home to sleep in your own bed then just switch places with him. Roppi and his child can live here."

"No, they can't. It's not safe to have them so far away. If something happens and I'm in Shinjuku—"

"That's doesn't matter if you yourself are in Ikebukuro while he's in Shinjuku."

"No one would be stupid enough to break into Orihara Izaya's house. But a hotel room is easy."

"If you're never there then I don't see why they should be scared."

Izaya glowered yet again.

He then sighed heavily and lied back on the couch. He grabbed his phone to distract himself, turning the screen on.

(1) New Message

Izaya checked it.

Hachimenroppi: [dude, fuk this. were leaving.]

Izaya's eyes widened. He sat up. [What do you mean leaving?]

He waited.

*PING*

[I dont know what you think of me but im not comfortable living in a house where im not welcome. Well go back to the warehouse or ill get a hotel room]

Izaya glared. [With what money?]

*PING*

[Ill figre it out. Dont think I cant figure out how to get money]

Izaya's mind went to the worse place it could go. [So you've been a prostitute before?]

The response back was instantaneous. [Eat shit and die, you worthless cunt]

Izaya's eyes widened to the message. 'I pissed him off.'

[wait, I didn't mean it like that.]

There was no reply.

[Roppi, don't do anything rash. You know it's not safe for you to go out. Your pheromones are on the fritz. You'll be targeted by all types of wolves]

Still no reply.

[Ill come back to the house. You and I should talk. Dont leave.]

Izaya stood.

"You're free to go home." Izaya said to Namie, grabbing his coat.

"You have clients still."

"Cancel them."

Izaya went over to the door and tugged on his shoes.

"They'll be upset." Namie said.

"I don't care right now."

Izaya was out the door without further discussion.

"Roppi!" Izaya called as he stepped into his apartment.

He closed the door without taking off his shoes, stepping over the genkan without a care.

The first thing he noticed was a yellow biker's helmet on black shoulders sitting on the couch.

"Courier-san, what are you doing here?" Izaya asked as he walked over.

On her lap was a sleeping brunette toddler, wrapped in a moist towel. Tsukishima was also on the couch, also wrapped in a moist towel, but he was leaning against Celty instead.

Celty pulled her phone out of her sleeve and began to type.

[Roppi texted me. Asked if I would come and babysit for a while.]

"Why?"

Celty hesitated for a moment. [He said he was going to look for a place to stay but he didn't want to take the babies in case things get dirty.]

"What the hell does that mean?" Izaya glared at the phone.

Celty just shrugged. [You'd have to ask him]

Izaya did not like that. And unbeknownst to the raven, it showed clearly on his face.

"Did he say where he was going?"

Celty shook her head.

Izaya bit his bottom lip in irritancy.

He then turned and pulled out his phone.

"He took his phone, right?" Izaya asked.

Celty nodded.

"Good."

The raven turned to the door.

"I'll be back."

Izaya was out of the apartment once again.

'Don't screw with me, Roppi-chan. I can find anyone if I so desire. And you were stupid enough to take your phone with you.'

Izaya went to a programming on his phone. Said programming allowed him to locate anyone's phone so long as he had the number, no different than the phone company and police could. He typed in the number Izaya had memorized and waited.

His GPS program opened and put a ping in Shinjuku, close to the Eastside Square.

Izaya chuckled as he went into the elevator. As the lift went down, the raven leaned back against the wall and sighed heavily.

'You're lucky you're worth the headache, Roppi-chan.'

Izaya got out of the taxi, stepping onto the sidewalk of the Shinjuku Eastside Square. He pulled out his phone and opened the tracking program. Roppi's ping was still in the square. He zoomed in the map then looked up for distinguishable landmarks. Once he had his bearings about him, he turned and walked towards the ping of Roppi's phone.

Izaya swiveled his way around the crowd without incident. More than a few people recognized him and decided to give him a wide girth of room. Usually that would make Izaya smile but as of right now, the infamous informant couldn't care as his face was buried in his phone. The landmarks on the map showed Izaya was getting closer.

He took pause when he saw the top of a fountain over the heads of the crowd. Immediately, he put two and two together and pocketed his phone. He made his way through the sea of people until he was in the center of the square.

The fountain was huge. All types of people were surrounding it, taking pictures and tossing coins in. Izaya looked around.

He spotted a tuff of red fur on a black coat through the gaps in between the numerous bodies. He honed-in on his target.

The person Izaya was looking for was sitting on the edge of the fountain, his shoes off and on the concrete behind him while he soaked his feet in the water. His back was to Izaya as he walked up, the crowd spreading away to give him room.

"You're either stupid or brave to leave the house while in your condition."

Roppi jolted. He looked over his shoulder, staring up at Izaya with wide red eyes.

"There's easily one hundred men in this crowd alone. You're lucky you weren't jumped in an alley on the way here."

"How the hell did you find me?"

Izaya's eyes widened. "Wait, you can speak? How is that possible?"

"Um…" Roppi adverted his eyes. "It's not like I can find a job without being able to talk. I took some aspirin before I left your place."

"Is that why you're soaking your feet? Because your legs hurt?"

"No, my legs don't hurt. The hydro's are still in effect."

"Will taking two drugs have a negative outcome on your body?"

"Not particularly. The hydro's won't last as long because of the aspirin, and I'm breedable now but I get back the sense I lost without pain so it's not so bad."

Izaya felt his body tense at the notion that Roppi was breedable. A sadistic part of him was happy and excited to hear that but the majority of him was upset.

"So, you went out in public with the ability to be bred by anyone who was strong enough to pin you down."

"No one's strong enough to pin me down."

"Bullshit."

Roppi looked up at him with a glare. Izaya matched the glare with his own.

Roppi then stood. Without putting on his shoes, he stepped out of the fountain and walked past Izaya. The informant followed him with his eyes, staying where he was with his glare still in place. Izaya noticed there were a few people taking videos with their phones, pointing them at Roppi and Izaya. Of course, something like Izaya being openly mad at someone other than Shizuo was going to make the Dollars news board.

Roppi walked over to a bench. Two people were already sitting on it and they looked up at Roppi with confusion.

"Move." The mermaid said with no room for arguing.

The two girls obeyed, scurrying away.

Roppi then looked over his shoulder at Izaya. "You really seem to not understand who the fuck I am, Izaya."

"What's that supposed to mean? You're Roppi-chan, nothing special."

"Nothing special, you say?"

Roppi turned his back to Izaya and grabbed the back of the bench with both hands. He gave a pull. The metal creaked. Izaya's eyes widened as the bolts that kept the bench attached to the ground popped off.

'He really is as strong as Shizu-chan!'

Roppi pulled the bench from the concrete. He lifted it above his head with one hand and turned around to face Izaya.

"Understand, Izaya, that no one can pin me down unless I fucking let them!" Roppi yelled, looking at Izaya with that same glare. "If anyone even tried, they'd be dead before they had time to register I snapped their fucking neck!"

Izaya clenched his teeth as rage fueled into his chest. He stepped up to Roppi and put himself face to face with the monster, their noses so close they nearly touched.

"You say that, Roppi-chan," Izaya snarled. "But when I found you, you were in a padlocked tank getting raped by a man who I could easily kill if I so desired."

Hurt crossed Roppi's expression to Izaya's words.

"You honestly expect me to think you can protect yourself when you have been in captivity for twelve years? Despite your bravado, Roppi-chan, you're weak. And I am for certain you're traumatized. So, go ahead and throw benches and vending machines and street signs like a knock-off Shizu-chan, but I am confident that if anyone were to pin you, you'd freeze. Your mind would go blank and you wouldn't know what to do. No different than a lost rabbit."

Roppi began to shake. The mermaid clenched his teeth tightly, to the point that blood dribbled from Roppi's bottom lip.

"DON'T FUCKING TALK TO ME ABOUT TRAUMA!"

Roppi swung the bench down. Izaya easily dodged to the side, taking a few steps back as the bench bounced off the ground and rolled away. The crowd screamed in shock and quickly backed away from the black-haired Heiwajima Shizuo.

"STOP THINKING THAT I'M AS WEAK AS THE AVERAGE PERSON!" Roppi's glare of hatred he showed to Izaya could definitely rival Shizuo's. It sent a chill of excitement down Izaya's spine. "I'm not like them! Like anyone in this fucking city! I'm not a human! I'm a motherfucking monster! I've lived for hundreds of years! I've hunted with Atalanta! Kissed the Nerieds! Swam with Poseidon! Escaped the jaws of megalodons and watched the kraken sink Atlantis!"

The mermaid stepped up to Izaya. With every word, Izaya was forced to take a step back else Roppi would be within grabbing distance.

"I've seen things that you humans have decided are nothing more than legends! And you want to talk to me about trauma? Nothing any of these pathetic humans could do to me will amount to anything! Twelve years in captivity, you say? Bitch, twelve years feels like a month for something like me! In the blink of a goddamn eye, Nanasaki will be dead from old age! Same for you! You're nothing more than a brief irritation that won't fucking LAST! In a hundred years, no one will even remember Orihara Izaya and I for shit right, would only have a vague memory of your shit-eating grin, since that's your only defining feature!"

Izaya took another step back. His heel pressed against cold stone and his balance was lost. Izaya let out a call of surprise as he fell back, landing in the fountain with a splash. The water wasn't deep enough to force Izaya to swim but his entire groin, his wrists and hands, and his feet were soaked through—not to mention the phones and wallet that were in his coat pockets.

"Don't sit here and talk to me about trauma!" Roppi looked down at Izaya no differently than a man looking down at his inferior. "Like a little shit like Nanasaki could traumatize me. If the only evidence you have to support that is the grief I have over my stolen children, then you're also wrong. I've sired maybe fifty children in my years. I've had so many I can't even remember all their faces. I've seen plenty of them die before they reached adulthood, either by their own stupidity, their inability to develop survival instincts, and even by other males who wanted to breed me—no different than when lions kill off a lionesses cubs so that the mother isn't tied down anymore. I grieve for them and I get over it. In a world of kill or be killed, trauma doesn't have room to blossom and no amount of little shit stains is going to change that."

Roppi leaned down, putting his hands on the edge of the fountain.

"Stop underestimating me."

Izaya glared at Roppi.

Then a grin crossed his lips. Confusion seeped into Roppi's chest before Izaya's hands reached out. Roppi's eyes widened and he back away, but not fast enough as Izaya grabbed Roppi's wrist. With a harsh tug, Izaya pulled Roppi forward. The mermaid fell face first into the fountain, his head submerging under the water.

Roppi quickly lifted himself up. The left side of his body was completely soaked.

"In my opinion, I'm not underestimating you." Izaya said, standing up on his knees. "If you were nearly as much confident as your words suggest, then why are you only now trying to get away from me? I forced you to start living with me and you just grinned and bore it like you had no choice. That's because you didn't have a choice. You're my property now and you know it, despite my attempts to spoil you and your children. You're just a beast who's found a new master."

Roppi's eyes went wide with rage. "YOU DENSE FUCK!"

Roppi slapped his hand against the water, propelling a sizeable amount at the informant to thoroughly douse him. Izaya coughed as water went up his nose.

"You think I would stick around if I didn't enjoy your company?!" Roppi yelled. "I could have eaten you the day you let me out of my restraints! No one would have even known you died! There'd be no body for anyone to find! Even without the hydro's, I could have figured something out! But I didn't! Instead I saved your sad fucking life! You even stop to wonder why that was?!"

Izaya glowered at him. He slammed his hands in the water and splashed Roppi back. "I refuse to act like you did me a favor when you were the one who put my life in danger to begin with!"

"That's not the point!" Roppi splashed Izaya again. "I could have killed you but I didn't! Why is that?!"

"I don't know! Why is that?!" Izaya splashed the mermaid.

Roppi splashed Izaya. "Because I fucking like you, you dense fuck!"

Izaya's eyes widened as his heart skipped a beat. He could hear the blood rush to his head. Happiness, excitement, and sexual desire filled Izaya's system. Those feelings were quickly replaced with rage.

Izaya grabbed Roppi's shoulders and pushed the raven. The mermaid fell back and splashed under the water. The informant waited for Roppi to reemerge.

"Don't treat me like I'm stupid!" Izaya yelled. "You can't tell me that you've liked me since the moment we've met!"

Roppi clenched his teeth. He propelled himself up and pushed Izaya back. Izaya caught himself on his elbows so his head stayed above water.

"And why the fuck not?!" Roppi called back. "You showed me respect and actually seemed to like me back, even before the pheromones got out of hand! Within the two hours we met you already wasted five grand on me!"

"It was twelve grand!"

"Twe—you're so fucking retarded! You spend twelve grand on me like it's fucking paper and you want to tell me you don't like me?! Even have the audacity to tell me I'm not allowed to like you back?!"

Roppi splashed Izaya again.

"You're a dumb fucking bitch, you know that?! For all your talk of being so smart, you're fucking half-bake retarded!"

"Don't make fun of my intelligence!" Izaya splashed Roppi back. "I'm smart enough to know that these feelings aren't my own! Even now, your pheromones are making me think things that I wouldn't normally think!"

"My pheromones are back to normal!"

Izaya's eyes widened. "Wha…"

"They've been normal for the last week!"

Izaya blushed.

"You've been avoiding me because of the pheromones so as of right now, you shouldn't be affected by them! You've cold-turkeyed yourself long enough! You didn't show signs of being heavily affected by them before I gave birth so theoretically, you should be looking at me no differently than how you did before the kids were in the picture! If you still see me as something fuckable then that's on you, not the pheromones!"

Izaya felt his ears begin to burn as his whole face heated up.

He then glared. "You're full of it! Like hell I'd want to mount a monster!" Izaya splashed the mermaid.

"You don't have to mount me to admit you like me!" Roppi splashed back.

"I don't like you!" Izaya splashed.

"You're lying!" Roppi splashed.

"I'm not lying!" Izaya splashed again.

"You're so full of it!" Roppi splashed again.

"You're full of it!" Izaya splashed back.

"You want fucking proof?!" Roppi pushed Izaya before splashing him yet again. "There's a hotel room right around the corner! If I have to rock your world to kick you out of denial then I'll fucking do it!"

"You will not!" Izaya shoved Roppi under the water as embarrassment filled his ears.

He let Roppi go and the mermaid came back up.

"Stop trying to drown me! I'll fucking return the favor!" Roppi splashed Izaya with one hand the then other then both.

"You have gills! You can't drown!" Izaya slammed his hands on the water and splashed the both of them.

"I can in this form, you daft fuck!" Roppi splashed Izaya again. "I don't have them like this!"

"HA! What is that? A mermaid who can drown? That's pathetic!" Izaya splashed Roppi back.

"Why don't you yell that a little louder!" Roppi pushed Izaya under the water momentarily. He continued talking once the informant reemerged. "Why don't you get a megaphone and just drive around the fucking city, you idiot!"

"You're the idiot!" Izaya splashed Roppi.

"Don't call me an idiot!" Roppi splashed him back.

A whistle blowing tore through the air. The two raven's continued to splash each other without a care.

"HEY!"

They looked over.

A motorcycle cop stood before the two, casting the two adults a glare.

"This isn't a swimming pool nor a room! If you two want to argue, be more adult about it! Get out of the fountain!"

Roppi glared at the cop while Izaya felt mortification fill his system. The informant stood and got out of the water. Roppi just watched him go.

"We're very sorry for the commotion." Izaya bowed before the cop.

Izaya looked back to see Roppi not making any form of movement. The informant glared at him and gestured for him to get out. The mermaid growled and glared at Izaya. But he obeyed, standing up. He stood next to Izaya and bowed as well.

"You two shouldn't make a scene in public like this!" the cop yelled. "Regardless of your relationship, this was beyond childish!"

For the next five minutes, the two received a lecture from the police officer, who seemed to be enjoying tearing the two down a peg and giving them advice on their love relationship. Izaya couldn't care less for what he had to say. He was more focused on Roppi, who was glaring at the ground. The cop finished by telling them they were lucky he didn't arrest them. The two apologized and he went on his merry way.

Izaya sighed heavily as he stood upright. Roppi also straightened up, however he then leaned over and pulled all of his hair over his shoulder. He grabbed it all and began ringing the water out of it like one would a towel.

"Come back to the house." Izaya grumbled at Roppi. "You shouldn't have left to begin with."

"What, we just going to gloss over everything we just screamed at each other two seconds ago?" Roppi growled as water poured from his long black locks.

"Roppi."

Roppi let out an inhuman growl. "Whatever, I'm not going back."

The mermaid tossed his hair over his shoulder and grabbed his shirt to wring it out as well.

"You're just being stubborn. We'll have a proper discussion later."

"Don't try and lecture me about stubbornness!" Roppi shook his hands out at Izaya, water flying off his finger tips and splashing Izaya in the face. "You avoid me for three fucking weeks over a little kiss and still want to play the pheromone card. If you don't want to be around me then fucking fine! But don't expect me to stay in a house where I'm not welcome."

"You are welcome! If you weren't, I would have kicked you out."

"So, you decided to kick yourself out?!" Roppi looked up and glared at him. "This is why I call you retarded!"

"Roppi—"

"No, I refuse." Roppi flapped out his shirt. "I'm not playing this game. I have little patient for pussy-footers. Either tell me the truth or fuck off. I'm not giving you another option."

"Don't forget that I own you. You can't leave without my say so."

"You wanna play that card?!" Roppi walked up to Izaya and got in his face. "Fine! Don't forget I saved your fucking life! You belong to me as your life is now mine!"

"Pah—wha—!" Izaya was taken aback.

"If I was your property, I doubt you would take care of me as much as you have. We're equals, as far as I'm concerned, but if you want to pull that shit then fine—two can play that game."

Izaya was openly irritated as he glared at Roppi.

"My statement stands." Roppi turned away from Izaya to grab his shoes. "If you like me then admit it. If you don't want to then fuck off."

"And if I tell you I don't like you?"

"We both know you're lying!" Roppi glared over his shoulder at him. "I like you and it's because I like you than I'm dealing with your shit!"

Roppi faced forward and grabbed his socks out of his boots. Izaya clenched his fists and glared. He stepped up behind Roppi but gave himself enough distance so that, if Roppi turned around, they wouldn't bump into each other.

"How do you like me?" Izaya asked. "Do you like me because I got you away from Nanasaki? Or because I've given you a place to stay?"

"I would let you fuck me, that's how I like you." Roppi pulled on his boots.

"We've only known each other for a little over a month. You can't like me like that."

"Says who?" Roppi refused to look at him as he tied his laces.

Izaya clicked his tongue.

"Whatever, do what you want." Roppi pulled his jeans over the top of his boots and stood upright. "I'll be back for the kids later tonight."

Roppi turned to walk away.

The mermaid was stopped as Izaya grabbed his wrist. Roppi glared at the ground, still refusing to look at him.

"Let go of me before I snap your arm." Roppi grumbled.

"No, you're not listening to me."

"I don't need to listen to you. Everything you're going to say is shit."

"Is that what you've thought of me this entire time?"

"No, I actually liked talking to you, but you can't admit your own feelings so I'm not fucking with that train wreck."

"Would you be satisfied if I admitted it?"

"That's the whole point of this fucking conversation, isn't it?!" Roppi yelled.

Izaya clenched his teeth. He pulled Roppi back. The mermaid's eyes widened as he was turned around to face the informant. Izaya grabbed both of his wrists and held them tight, pulling them up to their chests so that Roppi couldn't easily pull away. The raven was uncomfortably close.

Izaya kissed Roppi. Roppi's eyes widened even more.

'He bites his lips a lot.' Izaya took note to the chapped sensation against his lips but he wouldn't say that aloud.

Izaya wouldn't go too far with this kiss. It was merely a connection of the lips to show affection. But as Izaya separated, that one simple act left the informant crazing for more of his inhuman companion.

"That's not admitting it." Roppi grumbled, a blush marring his white cheeks.

"That's as close as you're going to get."

Roppi glowered.

Izaya stepped back but held onto one of Roppi's wrist. "Let's go home."

Roppi clenched his teeth as well as his hands. He then huffed and looked everywhere but at Izaya. "Fuck you. Fine."

Izaya let out a monosyllabic chuckle and faced forward. He gave Roppi a small tug as they two began to walk.