A/N: First of all I'd like to say that all the support I've received has been amazing. Things are getting better and everyone's wonderful words have lifted my spirits considerably. You all make me feel warm and fuzzy on the inside.

As promised, here's a new chapter, I hope it answers some questions (not too many though, I've got eight more chapters to go, I can't reveal everything now!)

And I hope it makes you smile, just a bit.

Enjoy~

Shizuo was having a good day.

He acknowledged that the day wouldn't be good for long, given the universe's habit of fucking with him but for the moment, it was pretty okay. It honestly took very little for Shizuo to decide it was a good day. Today for example, it was nice out, he hadn't lost his temper yet and he had a lit cigarette hanging lazily from his mouth. As an added bonus, his rut was almost over.

That was a fact Shizuo was immensely grateful for. Sure he knew how to keep himself under control while experiencing that uncomfortable rush of hormones but that didn't mean it was easy or particularly pleasant. Especially when every Omega he passed suddenly smelled amazing and his temper soared through the roof. As if that wasn't enough, Izaya, the damned bastard, had been gone for a week, making Shizuo even more irritable than he would have been otherwise.

Unfortunately, no matter how much he wanted to let off a little steam by chasing Izaya, if the flea wasn't around, he was stuck chomping at the bit. Shizuo didn't like hurting people who didn't deserve it. He'd rather lock himself in his apartment for a week than hurt someone unintentionally because his patience snapped.

Izaya was an outlet, he was safe, whatever that was supposed to mean. Shizuo didn't have to feel guilty about hating or hurting him because the flea hated and hurt him back. It really was a perfect solution.

Blowing out a stream of smoke, Shizuo laughed under his breath. It was funny how often the subject of Izaya wormed his way into his mind. Piece of shit though he might be, Shizuo found himself contemplating their relationship -he wasn't sure what else to call it- more often than he should have.

During his few moments of self reflection, Shizuo had come to realize that while he always tried to kill Izaya and claimed to hate him with ever fiber of his being, he didn't really believe it anymore. When they'd first met, Shizuo had absolutely detested Izaya, but now… Well, that was debatable. He was practically obsessed with the flea, got stressed when he wasn't around and actively sought him out, even if the result was just another fight.

And, no matter how many flying objects Shizuo sent hurling Izaya's way, he was fairly certain he'd be devastated if Izaya actually died. In some sort of weird way, he'd become attached to his supposed enemy and he doubted he'd ever fully understand why.

Of course, he'd never admit a word of this aloud, people would probably think he was crazy.

Maybe someday, the two of them would be something other than enemies, but for now, Shizuo was pretty content to try and kill the shitty louse. Thinking about things he had no control over was a waste of time.

But as ever, the flea wouldn't leave him alone. Shizuo snorted irritably and snubbed out the remaining butt of his cigarette before reaching into his pocket for another. To be honest, he really wanted Izaya to show up today. It wasn't that he missed him, even if he didn't hate Izaya, the man seriously pissed him off, but fighting him never failed to make Shizuo's life feel normal, complete in a way that nothing else really did. It was weird, but he wasn't prepared to fight himself over such a tiny detail.

Lighting his fresh cigarette, Shizuo drew in a lungful of nicotine and blew it out slowly. Now that he thought about their last fight, Shizuo couldn't help but recall Izaya's erratic behaviour. The flea had definitely been acting strangely right before he left but Shizuo shrugged it off. It was just another thing he couldn't affect.

Besides, from almost the day that they'd met, Izaya had always acted weird, almost like he needed to make Shizuo hate him. Any time he'd showed the flea any sort of mercy or kindness, Izaya made a point of responding to it with anger and spitefulness. Shizuo would have never accused the man of being afraid of him but Izaya's behavior suggested that he was scared of something.

Shizuo let out a breath and shook his head to clear it. Whatever Izaya's motivations, the blond really didn't care. Or rather, he shouldn't care. Taking a deep, calming breath, the bodyguard leaned back and closed his eyes. He should be enjoying the peace, not stressing about something he couldn't change.

As he inhaled the smoke from his smoldering cigarette, Shizuo caught a whiff of something stronger that brought him up sharp. It was a scent he'd smelled many times before before and it was fucking intoxicating. Bittersweet and teasing, the smell made Shizuo's head feel fuzzy in the weirdest way possible. Taking the cigarette from his mouth, the blond sniffed the air, trying to catch the elusive scent once again. It filled his body, making him growl involuntarily under his breath.

Shizuo wasn't an idiot, he knew the smell came from the pheromones of one particular Omega. To the best of his knowledge he'd never met the Omega yet, but Shizuo would have given quite a lot to do so. Every time he'd caught a whiff of that heady aroma, the ex-bartender couldn't help but wonder if it belonged to his destined mate. Okay, usually he wouldn't have believed none of the shit about soul mates but one breath of this mystery Omega's pheromones and Shizuo started singing a different tune.

Casting about, Shizuo searched the faces of the people around him. Of the ones he could see, most seemed to be either Betas or Alphas and none were the owners of that wonderful smell. Frustrated, Shizuo got to his feet, following his nose. Feh, I must look like a fucking dog, Izaya would have a field day with this.

Logically, Shizuo knew that the Omega, whoever they might be, was probably in heat right now and why an Omega in heat would be just out and about was beyond him but he didn't really care right now. Every time he caught this elusive scent it vanished on him. Maybe it was the fact he was only now finishing his rut and it was affecting his brain but Shizuo was determined to finally solve this mystery that had been irritating him for as long as he could remember.

And just like that, the smell vanished as it was overpowered by a stench he'd know anywhere. Izaya! Shizuo felt his blood boil. A week of the flea just being fucking gone and the moment Shizuo actually wanted Izaya to stay away he showed up, and with him an odor that completely masked the enticing Omega scent he'd been following. Swiveling about to find the shitty louse, Shizuo growled as his eyes landed on a familiar black coat with fur trim and a head of raven hair.

He was probably going to kill the damned flea for this.

"I-ZA-YA!" he growled furiously, stalking towards Izaya like a predator that had just spotted his prey. The informant, who had been almost hugging the wall of the buildings lining the street opposite the park, turned to face him and froze, eyes wide. Shizuo half expected Izaya to bolt with a laugh and a taunting call of Shizu-chan but instead the raven just stared at him, seemingly shellshocked.

"Shizu-chan," even from halfway across the street Shizuo could tell that something was wrong with the flea. Unlike his usual taunting lilt, Izaya's voice was shaky and possibly even nervous. With movements that weren't even close to his typical grace, Izaya dug around in his pocket, probably for a knife, but didn't draw it. "What a surprise."

He didn't sound surprised, he sounded fucking scared, not that Shizuo was willing to care. Izaya's scent permeated the air, only fueling his outrage at the flea's timing. It's like he knows just the time to show up that'll make me the most miserable! On top of that, Shizuo felt his earlier annoyance at Izaya's absence well up once more. With another growl that sent the few pedestrians about on this street fleeing for cover, Shizuo roared, "Where the hell have you been Izaya?"

Izaya took several steps back and the fear in the raven's posture was so painfully evident that Shizuo almost stopped advancing. He could feel his hormones flaring up again and smell his own pheromones in the air around him. Perhaps if he'd been thinking clearly he wouldn't have gone after Izaya but the flea had him so pissed off he could hardly see straight, let alone think. And to think I was actually contemplating whether I don't hate him a moment ago.

Taking another deep breath, Shizuo snorted at Izaya's smell and rumbled, "My afternoon was wonderful until you came along with your goddamned stench!"

"Ah, Shizu-chan, where I do and do not go is none of your concern. As it happens I actually have work today so I don't have the time to play with you right now." Izaya's bullshit might have actually worked if he hadn't been still backpedaling, trying to stay away from Shizuo. The raven was definitely shaken and was obviously trembling.

As Shizuo bent the bike racks out of his way, something about how pathetic Izaya looked made him pause. Honestly, his rival looked like he'd been run over by a bus. There were dark circles under his eyes, his hair looked disheveled and his skin was pasty, unhealthy like he hadn't eaten in days. Narrowing his eyes suspiciously, Shizuo demanded, "What the fuck is wrong with you flea? You look like shit."

"Nothing that concerns you Shizu-chan," Izaya babbled, all the while shrinking back as Shizuo got closer to him. Now that his initial flare of rage had diminished, the blond was feeling increasing amounts of alarm. Clearly something was wrong with Izaya and it pissed him the hell off that the slippery informant would dodge the question. "Besides," Izaya added in what could only be described as a shrill laugh. "Even if I answered, your little amoeba brain probably wouldn't be able to comprehend my words at all."

That fucking does it. Shizuo snapped and punched the wall beside Izaya's head, only narrowly missing the flea's frightened face. "I asked you a goddamned question!" he thundered, his hose only inches from Izaya's. Taking a deep breath, Shizuo continued, at an even louder volume, "And if you're not going to answer it, then I'll fucking-" Suddenly, the blond's senses caught up to him and he was flooded with that tantalizing, arousing scent of Omega pheromones that he had been smelling before Izaya's arrival. Shizuo stopped talking as his head started to pound and he stared at the frozen raven beneath him.

The fuck?

Hardly able to control his actions, Shizuo leaned in closer to where Izaya's scent glands were and inhaled once more, taking in the intoxicating blend of pheromones that were emanating from Izaya.

From Izaya.

The flea, his enemy…

An Omega…

Shizuo jerked back and stared at Izaya as his brain processed this mind blowing information. Izaya Orihara, the bastard he'd been chasing since high school, was an Omega, a male Omega.

And he smelled fucking delicious.

The absolute terror in Izaya's eyes was palpable and Shizuo realized with a jolt of horror that he was the one who had put it there. For the first time ever, the thought that he was hurting the flea made him feel sick to his stomach. "Izaya-" Shizuo started, unsure what he was supposed to even say to this.

The raven, apparently, didn't care either way. Stumbling away from Shizuo, who still had his fist buried in the wall, Izaya called, "Well, bye bye Shizu-chan!" before running away. Whatever he'd been trying to cover up with that pathetic attempt at cheer, Shizuo saw through it at once to the fear in Izaya's eyes.

In that second, there wasn't really a choice. Shizuo pulled his fist from the wall and pounded after him. As the blond ran, his brain continued to short circuit. All this time, Shizuo had fought Izaya because he'd believed somewhere, deep down in the recesses of his mind where rational thought lived, that Izaya was an Alpha or Beta and therefore okay to threaten, chase and sometimes hurt. Him being an Omega changed everything. Unlike some Alphas, Shizuo had been taught at a very young age that Omegas were to be respected and protected. No matter what his instincts made him want to do, Shizuo was to behave properly towards Omegas because, well, they were weaker and it was easy to take advantage of them if you weren't careful.

But Izaya hadn't been weak or delicate or easily hurt. He'd been spiteful and vindictive and violent towards Shizuo from day one, giving no indication whatsoever that he was an Omega. Which meant that Shizuo had been breaking his own self made rule for years without even realizing it. And now he was fucking chasing the flea once again because he desperately needed to talk through this with Izaya.

Considering how fucking weak Izaya had been acting only seconds before, he was managing to keep out of Shizuo's reach fairly well. "Get back here you shitty flea!" Shizuo bellowed, tearing after Izaya, following the trail of pheromones the terrified Omega left in his wake. He almost added I'm going to kill you but he stopped himself because he wasn't actually going to hurt the flea, he was just going to keep him still long enough to ask him some questions.

Namely why he smelled so fucking arousing and why Shizuo was seriously considering fucking Izaya senseless. Goddamnit, I didn't sign up for this shit.

His brain kept scrambling, trying to frantically put the pieces together while Shizuo just tried to focus on catching the bastard at all. Everything he'd ever considered as solid between them had been shattered.

Ahead, Izaya stumbled and Shizuo's heart leapt as he smacked into a wall before scrambling away once more. He was slowing down, which was good for Shizuo but at the same time made the blond feel like a monster. Izaya was an Omega, he shouldn't be hunting Izaya like this, it was wrong.

But he'd done it for years. Nothing made much sense anymore.

Finally, as Izaya ducked into an alley, Shizuo saw his window of opportunity and took it. Putting on a burst of speed, the blond crashed into the alley after Izaya and all but slammed him into the building to their left, pinning the struggling raven to the wall, caging him with his body. The raven panted and whimpered, even as he turned his head away from Shizuo's fiery gaze.

"What the actual fuck flea!" Shizuo growled, using his free hand to grab the flea's chin and make Izaya look him in the eyes. His red eyes were full of anger, fear and something else that made him whine pathetically before hissing and clamping his mouth shut. "What the fuck?"

"Get off of me Shizu-chan, get off," begged the raven, writhing under the blond which was only making the desire to do something he shouldn't stronger. Izaya's eyes rolled in panic and they began to well with tears of terror as pheromones spilled off of him, their heady aroma making Shizuo's vision tunnel till he could only see the damned louse. "P-please, leave me alone."

"You're an Omega!" Shizuo shouted, unable to keep his temper in check. There were too many other things to hold back that took priority. One of Izaya's free hands moved and Shizuo took no time in pinning it above Izaya's head. "You're a fucking Omega. All this fucking time-"

"So what?" Izaya spat, his words ending in a needy moan that only confused Shizuo more. "That gives you no right to treat me this way you dumb beas~ah!" His eyes almost rolled back in his head as Shizuo pressed his body against the flea's, giving into some of his incomprehensible desires and apparently, fulfilling some of Izaya's in the process.

He'd just wanted to shut the little shit up but clearly, he was doing quite a lot more.

Another piece of the puzzle clicked. The bastard's in heat, Shizuo realized, his eyes growing wide as he noted the flush spreading across Izaya's face and the soft moans that kept escaping him. For the blond, who was still rutting and who was practically bathing in Izaya's pheromones, as of then, resisting the natural pull of his instincts was nigh impossible.

"That's why you were gone," Shizuo growled, forcing Izaya's attention back to the matter at hand. "You've been in heat. You still are, aren't you?" Izaya's heavenly scent coupled with the telltale stiffness pressing against Shizuo's leg answered his question for him. Even though he should have been repulsed by Izaya, after all, the flea pissed him off, Shizuo wanted him. He wanted all of him.

For the first time in his life, Shizuo wanted to mate with an Omega and out of all the people it could have been, it was Izaya fucking Orihara.

"I hate you Shizu-chan," Izaya panted, his hips jerking desperately, instinctively, against Shizuo's, forcing the ex-bartender to hold back a moan of his own. Somehow, it had ceased to matter they were in an alley right near the street where anyone could just find them, Shizuo wanted to flip Izaya over and fuck him right then and there. "I hate you, I hate you, I hate you." Tears were leaking from the corners of the raven's eyes but Shizuo couldn't restrain himself, there wasn't anything Izaya could say that would make the beast back off.

As Shizuo bent closer to Izaya's neck, letting his hot breath skitter across the raven's pale skin, the blond had a fleeting moment of clarity in which he wondered what the fuck he was doing and why. Izaya was fucking crying, why couldn't he hold himself back.

Then another wave of Izaya's pheromones hit him and Shizuo realized the answer.

Izaya wasn't just an Omega that happened to be in heat and that's why Shizuo couldn't seem to keep his hands off of him. That explanation just didn't hold water. Over the years Shizuo had encountered plenty of Omegas in heat and while they'd been tempting and had certainly smelled wonderful, none of them had elicited the same reaction as Izaya's heat was at this moment.

No, that's because Izaya's my…

"Mate?" Shizuo breathed aloud, unable to keep the shock and intense disbelief from his voice. Izaya stiffened at the word and suddenly, Shizuo felt a stab of pain through his side that forced him to let go of the flea. One of Izaya's fucking blades was protruding from his side.

Eyes flying back up to the flea, who was a fearful, aroused and crying mess, Shizuo opened his mouth to say something but Izaya cut him off with a frantic tirade. "I don't care if we're soul mates Shizu-chan, I don't care if you think I'm yours. I will never have a mate and I will never let an Alpha control me. Don't you ever touch me again you monster!" With those parting words the complete disaster of an Omega that was Izaya Orihara disappeared down the alleyway, leaving Shizuo leaning against the alley wall, clutching his side and staring at the space Izaya had just occupied in shock.

Soul mates, he thought dimly, staring down at the knife once more, trying to focus on it instead of the trail of pheromones Izaya had left in his wake.

Fuck.

A/N: That's right Shizu-chan, fuck, something you will be doing to Izaya in a few chapters.

Okay, this got a little more heated than I intended but eh, what the heck, you guys'll probably enjoy it so why not?

Not angsty enough? Wait till you see the next chapter. My god, Izaya is such a mess.

Goodbye and until next time!