A/N: Oh my god, I swear, some people are psychic. I would say it's not fair but I'm freaking impressed so… Yep. The body of this chapter was the first thing I wrote so the fact that someone was able to guess where it was going is just mind blowing.

As always, my lovely Betas, Blakeyel1ner and LucyValkyrie both deserve as much credit as I because without them, this story wouldn't exist!

Enjoy!

As bleary eyes opened to a dim, chill living room, Izaya wondered faintly why he was on his couch and not in his bedroom. The clock on the wall informed him that, however he'd ended up in his current state, it was still five in the morning. Lifting a heavy hand to his forehead, the raven took careful count of his surroundings, piecing together the events of yesterday easily but not nearly fast enough for his liking. The gaping holes in his memory were confusing to say the least.

He remembered lying down at the ungodly hour of three in the morning but he couldn't remember falling asleep. He remembered changing out of the clothes he'd worn for the larger part of the day but was struggling to remember why. Slowly sitting up, the informant caught a whiff of cleaning supplies and as he did the muttered words, there are some messes even I wouldn't let Namie-san clean up, drifted through his mind. Nose abruptly wrinkling in distaste, Izaya sighed shortly as that piece of yesterday came back to him. Things had certainly gotten out of hand on the roof last evening…

Letting out a chuckle that held no mirth, the raven recalled the short, heated breaths he'd drawn behind his desk as he gave himself over to thoughts of the beast that seemed to constantly occupy his mind. When ignoring his little problem for hours had failed to solve it, he'd been forced to take care of it himself in a very human manner.

Ugh, Shizu-chan, you're more trouble than you're worth, he thought.

Vaguely, he recalled the hurried shower he'd taken the other day after the incident and how tired he'd been. So tired in fact that after cleaning up his… mess, he'd elected to simply collapse atop the couch rather than lug himself up to his room. Now, waking up with an odd crick in his neck and his hair a muss, Izaya was beginning to regret that decision.

With a cat-like yawn, Izaya pushed to his feet, blinking tired eyes slowly as he walked to his desk and stared at the thick folder full of work he'd neglected to do last night. The action had been quite irresponsible of him and if he'd been one for guilt, he would have been hopelessly mired in the feeling. He'd been far too distracted and altogether exhausted to put any effort into doing something so hopelessly mundane, no matter how much he usually enjoyed its constant, almost comforting presence.

I feel as though I'm forgetting something. The raven thought as he picked up the papers and flipped through them, smirking as pictures of various past targets slipped past his finger. That's right; I called Namie-san to come in early to help me with this.

Having a secretary was a wonderful thing. It allowed him time to dwell on the much more interesting things he had to occupy his time.

Closing the folder once more, Izaya took the last few steps to the bay window he recently had started spending so much of his days standing before. His city hadn't changed a bit, but somewhere on that rooftop, the raven feared he had. Why else would there still be this burning hot flame within him that urged him onward, begging him to find Shizuo and finish what they'd started?

That thought took him by surprise. It made perfect sense that he was unsatisfied, after all, being left like that by the monster, with only his own cold fingers to finish the job he'd never wanted to have in the first place, was quite the anticlimactic ending but starting a new game… Well, it might not turn out quite how he hoped it would.

Combing out the tangles in his hair left from his, quite necessary, shower last night with his fingers, Izaya smiled slightly. There was something so addicting about not being able to absolutely predict what was going to happen next.

Usually the loss of total control would have scared him, considering his entire world revolved around knowing everything about a given situation and being aware of all possible outcomes, but for once, he wasn't afraid. There were too many other emotions battling for dominance to let a little uncertainty get in his way.

And one of them must win, hmm, which one shall I listen too?

He could easily listen to his logical side and leave the game where it was, vaguely finished and at least mildly even but that obviously would never suffice. Just as effortlessly he could chose to obey his curious nature and keep effortlessly toying with the blond, sticking to fleeting moments of stimulating and bruising passion, nothing more, but that too didn't catch his attention and hold it.

For him to be truly satisfied, Izaya realized with a lazy smirk, he'd have to listen to his desire, seek out the beast and finish this game, permanently.

While the fast forming idea sent small bolts of doubt through the informant, he quickly grew accustomed to its insistent pressure. Yes he could forget this far too human game or he could attempt to find satisfaction in small tastes of this intoxicatingly forbidden fruit but he wanted neither. Izaya Orihara wanted resolution and there was only one real way to get it.

He would have to find Shizuo and take what he wanted.

A little nervous at the prospect, Izaya wet his lips and slowly made his way to his bedroom, wondering as he did so if Namie would get too upset if he vanished on her that morning.

Probably would be, knowing her.

But really, what else was he expected to do? When he could still taste Shizuo on his tongue and see the bruises on his wrists? There wasn't much of an option for him, not when he'd already decided what to do. Putting off the inevitable would be stupid and Izaya was anything but.

Yet still, He mused, distractedly switching out the overlarge white pullover he'd worn last night for a short sleeved black tee and his usual coat. I don't exactly have any experience in this field… No matter, he knew enough about what he wanted and how to get it to suffice.

Finally deeming himself fit to go out, Izaya waltzed from his bedroom and leapt upon the banister of the staircase leading down into the foyer, taking this Namie-less opportunity to indulge in some of the childish behavior she frowned upon. As he veritably flew down it -unworried when his feet slid, sending him down faster than expected- the raven let out a gleeful sound and landed at the bottom, pleased. No, Namie would not be happy when she found out he'd left but he could deal with that later.

After all, this was much more important.

Sauntering out of his apartment with nary a care in the world, the raven took the stairs down to the ground floor two at a time, determined to reach the blond before he went off to work –at eight, according to his sources. Not a problem really when Ikebukuro was but a hop, skip and a jump away from his own district.

The early morning air swirled through his hair, dancing around him and egging him on, drawing him forward towards his goal. As he walked, Izaya pondered over why it had taken this long for his volatile relationship with the blond to come to this boiling point? Because, if he was honest with himself, he'd been waiting for this to happen for years. Maybe he'd never consciously put two and two together but what else could the excitement in his blood and fire in his heart every time Shizuo gave chase be?

Lust, clearly, for no other emotion he'd experienced matched it.

Humming softly, Izaya flitted down often tread streets, excitement growing with every step. As he walked the sun began to rise, bathing the relatively quiet town in warm, golden light. It was a good morning, one full of promise. He'd have his fun with Shizuo and be back in time for mid-morning coffee with Namie. She'd pitch her inconsequential fit about his absence and he'd blow her off with his usual pitiful excuses that he pulled off with ease, even if she didn't buy them for a moment. He'd go back to work and this problem would be forgotten.

His plan was foolproof, his knowledge, almost complete, how could this possibly go wro-

Izaya stopped himself at once. Gloating was something to be done after all aspects of the blueprint had been executed, not during. As he drew close to Shizuo's tiny apartment however, Izaya couldn't help but let a thin smirk dance across his features. Perfect, ne Shizu-chan?

Darting closer, the informant examined the building from all sides, loath to just walk through the front door like someone who had nothing to hide. Somewhere, there would be a better way into Shizuo's apartment that didn't involve making himself known. Finding no convenient back door, Izaya finally settled on looking for a window to hoist himself through.

While he did this, a sudden bolt of worry struck him. Sure he was positive he knew what he was doing but what if he was wrong? What if what he was about to do wasn't the right decision after all? I can't be wrong. He pushed aside his second thoughts easily, smiling to himself. Everything has been laid out so wonderfully how could I be? After all, the raven knew what he wanted and he was sure he could tell what the beast wanted as well. They were both grown adults capable of making their own decisions and there was little chance of Shizuo refusing him. How could such an infallible plan fall through?

Variables, there were always so many variables to be taken into consideration. Generally, that would be the place his plotting grew weakest but here, he controlled the conditions and the only thing that could upset this was Shizuo himself, a beast with no more mental capacity than a protozoan. As he at last found the very thing he was looking for, Izaya smirked.

Confirmation I am dealing with an idiot, albeit, a very good looking one. There, before him, was the very way in he'd been looking for.

Silly Shizu-chan, leaving the window open. It only took Izaya a moment to push the screen aside. Maybe he knows no one would dare mess with him so he doesn't bother locking it, Izaya thought with a laugh, and he says I'm full of myself. With the agility of a cat, he jumped up onto the window ledge and slipped through into the small, pathetic room Shizuo probably called his kitchen. The moment his knees met the counter, Izaya grinned widely. Instantly at ease, he dangled his legs over the edge of the countertop and made himself comfortable.

Perfect, now all he had to do was wait. Eventually, the monster would come back –he always did, a creature of habit if there ever was one –and in the meantime…

Izaya laced his fingers together before stretching his arms above his head and yawning, entirely pleased with himself. If Shizuo was going to mess with his mind then he would return the favor more than gladly. Stupid protozoan, Izaya thought snidely. Playing with someone so much smarter than himself as though brute force is the answer. Perhaps someday the beast would learn other methods of persuasion, but until then, Izaya had little doubt in his mind that there would be more thrown vending machines in his future.

Unbidden, the thoughts of yesterday entered Izaya's mind. When he closed his eyes he could almost feel Shizuo's hands, forcefully pinning his thin wrists above his head, bruising them in the process. He could hear the hitch and soft moan in his own voice as his body betrayed him and taste the intoxicating sweetness of Shizuo's mouth as it was pressed against his own chapped lips.

Brushing thin delicate fingers against his lips, Izaya couldn't help but smirk. Of course only a monster would be able to excite him so much and Shizuo was definitely that. Perhaps that was all this was, just misplaced excitement that had gotten a bit out of hand. More than a bit, Izaya amended; grimacing slightly at the memory of the state he'd been in after their little encounter.

Bored with his current train of thought, Izaya let his head fall back as he swung his legs absently, gently thumping the cupboards behind them. Flippantly, he wondered if Shizuo would possibly have the decency to show up, wherever he was. The sun streaming through the window behind him plus the overwhelming scent of monster wafting through the house laid a heavy blanket over the room, making Izaya drowsy. A moment longer like this and he might just fall asleep…

"What the fuck are you doing in my house, flea?"

A/N: I know, I know, it's a cliffhanger but the chapter was starting to get really long so I decided to cut it short.

Also, to the guest that literally said 'I wonder if Izaya will come to Shizuo's apartment' (and anyone else who read my mind), congratulations for being awesome! Again, really fricken impressed.

Next chapter is like 1000 words from done. It's so close but again, this chapter was getting long. Until I finish more, bye bye!