'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~'

Shizuo Heiwajima twitched. Cute? Him?

He could feel the irritation bubbling up under his skin, forcing the low growl from deep within his chest. His fingers hovered above the off-coloured keys of the keyboard attached to his computer, visibly shaking from the emotion bubbling inside of him. A virgin vibe? Tch, there was no such thing. Was there? Tch. Would he still have the confidence to utter them if he knew that Shizuo Heiwajima was the one he was speaking to? He was annoyed, irritated, at this man's cocky tone, and yet- he could no more hide the pink tinge to his cheeks than he could hide his strength. It was only light, a slight flush of rosy red that coloured his skin. How could this man say such things without any shame, how could he just talk about such intimate things as if they were as public and used as the public subway or a park bench. How could he just say something like that? It wasn't as if Shizuo could just stroll into a bar and have men fall at his feet. It didn't work like that. Nakura seemed to think otherwise. But no, no, the world just didn't work that way. Love wasn't easy; it wasn't, because if it was, would Shizuo still be all alone?

Fighting back the embarrassment and the blush, he was a grown man for crying out loud, he was Shizuo Heiwajima, why the hell was he flustered over something like that? It was sex. That was all, right? That was what they were talking about. It was nothing, it didn't matter, so what if Nakura seemed to find it amusing that he hadn't- so what, it didn't- Shizuo frowned; grabbing at the keyboard, he tapped out a reply, pressing down too hard on keys that were already feeling the pressure.

'You're dreadful, Nak. Why do I even still talk to you?
I get the feeling you're going to give me tips no matter what I say,
Am I right?'

This was like some matter of pride now, some weird notion that Shizuo had that he wouldn't let this man get the better of him. He'd joined this site to have one last bid at finding love, but was this it? He didn't know. It didn't feel like it. If anything this man was one of those friends that everyone has, the one that always has the best jokes yet nobody really likes. He wondered if that was what Nakura was really like, or if this was just him trying something else to find love too. There was something about Nakura that Shizuo couldn't get his head around, though he wondered if this was just how all relationships started. Did all couples hate each other at first; did all couples burn with this infuriating irritation?

Pushing himself away from the desk, Shizuo stretched to his feet, grabbing the box of cigarettes from beside the keyboard. This man would be the death of him. He left the email browser open and running, meaning that he would hear if and when Nakura replied to his message; the profile on the dating website said the other man was online, so he knew it shouldn't be too long. Shizuo wasn't sure if he was glad about that or not, especially after the turn their conversation had taken. He knew it was only a matter of time before one of them brought up the sexual nature of things, though it didn't mean he was ready for it. It was like he had never really matured that way. It was something that Shizuo had never had, no matter how curious he had been about it, but he had never really missed it. How can you miss something you've never had?

It was growing dark out now; the sun was beginning to set. The night was approaching, slipping rapidly in through the tall, lit buildings and streets of the city in order to chase the last of the daylight away. The days moved so quickly now, a strange mix of work and talking to Nakura and sleep, and Shizuo knew that it wouldn't be long before the year itself would be over, and he would be yet another year older, and still alone.

He perched on the windowsill of his apartment, shoving open the window so that the scent of smoke wouldn't linger in the room too long. It was cool outside, and the air nipped at his exposed skin where he had rolled up the sleeves of the pressed, crisp white shirt. Perching the cigarette between rouged lips, his fingers pried out the lighter from the pocket of his trousers to light it up. The kick that came from his first drag proved just the pick me up he needed, just the right clarity of mind that would allow him to calm down, to think. It was always the way, it was always why he never stopped smoking, even when Kasuka had mentioned it in the brief times that the two met around the holidays.

Shizuo was halfway through his cigarette when his computer pinged, signalling a reply from Nakura. It wasn't going to be from anyone else, he had deleted all of the other emails from other men he had received from the site, and there was no one in the city that had his email address other than Kasuka; and his brother had little time to waste with such frivolous things like that. He cast a glance toward the machine, the one that sat on his desk, open and bright, and humming out as it worked. There was that same little email icon at the side of the desktop, flashing around the outside in that same vibrant red, passionate about its job to remind him of his email than ever before. He turned away though, back out of the window to watch the lights twinkle on in the city and cars and people flit from place to place while he finished his cigarette. They were all so busy; they all had so many places to go. So many intertwining lives passed by under his steely gaze, none of them with any knowledge that he was watching them. How many of them knew who he was, how many of them knew what love was?

His computer pinged again, as impatient no doubt as the man on the other end. Shizuo smiled ominously, stubbing out the cigarette in the little ashtray at his side. It time to go and face whatever Nakura had shamelessly replied, and fight another fit of blushes from staining his cheeks; because Shizuo Heiwajima did not blush.

'Why? Because I am a fascinating human, Shino-chan, just like you!
But you're right of course – let me tell you everything I know.
Trust me – you'll be thanking be tomorrow!'

Well, maybe he did just a little bit.