'How is it that you can always get me to spill my guts about these things Nakura?'

Shinozuka had left for work at some point, but he had assured 'Nakura' that his phone had an email service, and so the two had continued to stay in touch even when the other man had been out. Izaya hadn't needed to leave the house since he had last been to Ikebukuro, two days ago when he'd run into Shizuo in the street. He'd simply taken on little jobs that meant he could remain in the comfort of his loft in Shinjuku, sending Namie out for sushi or paperwork if and when it was needed. He was paying her; about time she got off her comfy chair and actually did something for a change.

Izaya wasn't sure when the tone of emails had changed. Izaya also wasn't sure when he had started to include little details about himself in these emails. Only little things, like the fact he had sisters, two of them, twins. Nothing that would leave his emailing partner with any clue to who he really was, but- it made it more believable, and in a game like this, that was key. He suspected it was after Shinozuka had let out that tiny bit of concern for his – rather Nakura's – safety that the conversation had shifted. The emails had taken on the edge of seriousness, and Izaya had delved deeper, pulling and prompting and twisting his charm to coax out delightful little ideas and stories from the man on the other end. He was good at that. He'd always been good at getting what he wanted at the least cost to himself. The man on the other end was certainly giving it his all. His answers were often cryptic, trying not to give too much away to Izaya's probing words; but the fact still stood that this was Izaya's job, this was what he was good at, and it didn't take long for him to twist those replies around until Shinozuka would reveal some little nugget of his life. He worked in debt collection, he had a brother he wasn't close to anymore, he had a fondness for sweet foods and he liked classical music more than the rest. Izaya was glad. There was only so much small talk that he could deal with before he got bored, only so much on the surface that he could fake interest in. It was the details he wanted to know, under the skin things. He wanted to delve into this man's brain, find out what made him tick, what got his blood boiling, what made him break down. Izaya wanted to know it all, he wanted to memorise it, pull it and twist it until this man came buckling down to his knees before him, begging for mercy; mercy which Izaya would never give, not even if the man begging until his throat was hoarse or promised Izaya all the riches in the world. Who needed silly things like that when he was the victor of such a wonderful game?

Yeah, yeah. He'd learnt a lot about this Shinozuka Heikichi, and he guessed that the other man had learnt a little of him too. Surface things, fleeting things, like his love for fatty tuna or the fact that he had a fondness for rough lovers, nothing that mattered, nothing that defined him, nothing like his family. No, the fact he had mentioned his sister's was nothing, the fact he had mentioned his mother and father were just normal was nothing, nothing, nothing. Everyone had family. Even Izaya Orihara, lover of humans was no different. Shinozuka seemed pretty happy with what Izaya had let slip though, as if he had somehow broken past a wall of stone when really Izaya had been the one deciding what the man on the other end got to know or didn't. Shinozuka had no choice about what he told Izaya, because the information broker wouldn't rest until he had every little desire or thought or information about the man's life. Soon enough he wouldn't even need to meet the man, he would be able to form a total mental picture of who he was just by the things he had been told. And then, oh why then the real game could begin. Izaya could finally teach this man the true meaning of love, which it was not worth all it was made out to be, because love was a monster. He would watch this man crumble until the pressure of love, break under its dark, dangerous other side. That was just a fact of humanity, no one made it out alive.

'Magic of course, Shino-chan, magic!
Ah, but I kind of suspected already, you give off this ~vibe~.
Would you like me to give you some tips?
I know all the tricks in the book!'

This was going to be so much more entertaining that Izaya had expected it would be for one little reason that had had him shrieking with delighted laughter around his loft; so loudly that Namie had questioned his sanity before he'd sent her away with the order of getting more ootoro.

Shinozuka Heikichi had never been with anyone before, in any sense of the phrase. Izaya didn't know whether to continue laughing or to pity the poor creature for his lack of experience; he decided on a mix of both.

'What do you mean… vibe?
And… tips? Why do I need tips?
Am I really missing out?'

The information broker could practically see the other man squirming uncomfortably on the other end of the line. That was just how he came across, naïve and so- untested in waters that Izaya was long since used to. It was cute, wasn't it? He felt like a parent, instructing a child on the ways of life, all of those rites of passage like how to use chopsticks or how to ride a bike or why Shizuo Heiwajima was a big, dumb brute. Shinozuka was so innocent to the way that passion worked, the way it could overthrow you in lustful throws and take over you so completely that you just weren't aware of anything else. Izaya had experienced a lot, and what sort of man would he be if he didn't help his dear humanity experience what he had too?

There was a smirk pulling at his lips as he clicked on the little reply button, opening up a fresh email for him to begin. His legs were dangling over the edge of his chair, one of them crossed over the other, and a cup of green tea sat on his desk, steaming delightful toward the ceiling. He knew that Shinozuka would apparently be getting off of work soon, and so what better time than now to impart such wisdom onto the inexperienced little virgin? He could go out to some seedy bar and test it out, and then Izaya could have a heap of fun analysing and playing with all the man's little whimpers about how it wasn't what it was cracked up to be the next time they spoke. Fabulous, just fabulous! All he needed now to make his evening complete would be for Namie to finally return with his sushi, where was the stupid woman anyway?

'I mean a virgin vibe! You're so serious it's hard not to tell Shino-chan!
Ah, you're so cute~ Of course you're missing out – honestly!
After you've felt hot fingers all over you or steaming kisses to your skin~
Or feel someone nibble at your lips or just grind up against you~ Ahh~
Then you can tell me if you think you're missing out or not.

Now come along Shino-chan, I'm going to tell you everything I know.
We're gonna get you laid, even if it kills us~'

Someone so pure didn't stand a chance with Izaya Orihara on the other end. Oh, Shinozuka Heikichi, Izaya mused, just wait until I'm done with you.

Here endeth the lesson.