Shizuo hadn't seen Izaya in Ikebukuro for a while, but that didn't mean he wouldn't take his anger out on others.

Shizuo continued walking through the familiar streets.

He hadn't had a good outlet for his frustration lately, and the absence of Izaya's chaos in the city had left an odd emptiness. His feet moved faster now, as if something was pulling him, dragging him forward. Before he realized it, he was standing in front of a familiar apartment- Izaya's.

He tensed, his fists clenching unconsciously. He didn't like this. Not one bit. His gut told him to turn back, to walk away before the flea sensed him lurking outside. He could go. Leave. Find another way to burn off this boiling frustration. But he couldn't. The itch to break something, to see that smug face just once so he could wipe that smirk off it, was gnawing at him.

Maybe this time I'll finally get rid of him for good, he thought, cracking his knuckles.

Without another moment of hesitation, he stepped forward and raised a fist, pounding on the door with enough force to make it rattle in its frame.

"Oi! Flea!" His voice was low, sharp. "I know you're in there. Open up before I kick this door down and kill you!"

The door remained closed, but a faint shuffle could be heard from inside. That made Shizuo frown and imagine the slim figure of Izaya in front of the door, looking up at him with a grin.

Izaya, sitting in his wheelchair on his desk heard Shizuo's voice and thought to himself

"damnit, what the hell does he want?".

Then he called out to Shizuo "Why should I open the door for you? Do you really think I'm that stupid?"

Shizuo's frown deepened at Izaya's voice. It was as irritating as usual, but there was a hint of something else in it he couldn't place. Maybe it was tiredness. Or pain. Shizuo's eyes darkened at the realization. It could also be fear. A twisted sort of excitement welled up in him at the thought. Maybe the flea's finally gotten old and weak.

He pounded on the door again, harder this time, enough to splinter the wood and shake the room.

"I ain't playing games, you damn flea. Open the door. Now."

Izaya chuckled softly. He knew Shizuo would do it anyway. If he opens the door or not. He leaned back in his seat and enjoyed the situation for the moment.

"Maybe I just want to see you try it. I had a security door installed especially for you. Besides, then I could give a reasonable rating for it~"

Shizuo gritted his teeth, irritation flaring at the smugness in Izaya's voice. The damn flea really wanted to see him struggle.

"Tsk, you think some damn security door is gonna hold me back, huh?"

He backed away from the door, sizing it up. It seemed sturdy enough, but he'd broken through worse. His eyes narrowed as he took another step back and charged forward, slamming his shoulder into the door with all his weight and strength.

Izaya heard a loud thud on the door that made him flinch briefly.

Shizuo grunted as his shoulder collided with the security door, the impact sending a jolt of pain through him. He didn't let it slow him down, though. He took a step back, steadied himself, and charged again, this time using his full force.

The door creaked and groaned, but stubbornly held firm against the force.

Damn it, he thought, the flea wasn't kidding about that security door.

Izaya sighed in relief. The door seems to be held for now. But he should think of a way to get out of his apartment. Without making too much noise and crossing Shizuo's track.

Shizuo paused for a moment, catching his breath. The damn door was holding up better than he anticipated. It was like the flea had been prepared for this. He scowled, his eyes narrowing. The bastard must be planning something.

He took a few steps back again, preparing for another attack, but this time he focused his attention on the handle and lock, looking for any signs of weakness. If the door wouldn't give, maybe he'd find another way inside.

Meanwhile, Izaya moved his wheelchair to the elevator in his apartment.

"Luckily I have carpet, so the wheels don't make any noise...", he thought to himself.

He pushed the button to call for the elevator. The door pushed open with a rattling sound.

"God damn..." Izaya thought.

He moved inside and pushed the button for the highest floor, the rooftop.

The sound of the elevator being called and the rattling of the doors sent a jolt of realization through Shizuo. He suddenly understood what the damn flea was up to.

"That bastard..." he muttered, his eyes narrowing.

Without a second thought, he ran towards the stairs, taking them two at a time. The stairs seemed endless, but he pushed himself, taking them as quickly as possible. The thought of Izaya getting away filled him with a new sort of rage. He wouldn't let the flea escape.

Izaya meanwhile reached the rooftop and waited for a moment.

"What should I do if he decides to come up here? Maybe I just stay quiet and wait for what happens...",

he thought and stayed at the elevator. After a few seconds, the doors closed automatically again.

Shizuo reached the top of the stairs, panting slightly. The rooftop lay before him, silent and seemingly empty. He gritted his teeth, his eyes scanning the area for any sign of the flea.

There was only one place Izaya could have escaped to, but there was no sign of him. Frustration and anger bubbled inside of him. Had the damn flea just...vanished? He didn't believe it. The flea was here, he was sure of it.

He stepped forward, his footsteps slow and calculated, his senses heightened.

Izaya heard a slight panting, and immediately pushed the button back to his apartment.

Shizuo's ears caught the sound of the elevator starting up again. He gritted his teeth, his mind instantly connecting the dots. The damn flea was trying to escape.

He dashed towards the elevator, his footsteps thundering on the rooftop. He knew he was making noise, and he didn't care. All that mattered was catching the flea before it was too late.

But the elevator was already moving, going down, carrying Izaya away.

No.

Shizuo's eyes darkened with frustration. He slammed a fist against the wall, making it shake.

Izaya reached his apartment, heading to the door.

"Crap... The damn door is in the way...",

he thought annoyed as he saw the door on the ground, blocking his way outside.

"This definitely gives a bad rating for this door...",

he thought. He picked up a piece of the door and threw it towards the hallway. Maybe Shizuo thinks he flees through it. He got out of his wheelchair, leaving it behind. then Izaya headed back to the elevator, hiding behind closed doors.

The sound of something being thrown in the apartment caught Shizuo's attention. He tensed, his instincts going on high alert. Was it the flea? Was the bastard trying to escape again?

He rushed towards the door, avoiding the mangled wood as he stepped over it and entered. His eyes immediately darted around, looking for any signs of the flea. But there was nothing. Nothing but the damn wheelchair the flea had left behind.

Shizuo's brow furrowed in confusion. Something didn't feel right.

Where the hell was the flea?

Izaya in the elevator doesn't move an inch and tried just to breath through his nose.

"Crap... Go away... Go the fuck away"

he thought. Luckily he had locked the doors with his key a few minutes earlier. That could give him at least one or two seconds to escape.

Shizuo stood in the empty apartment, anger and irritation coursing through him. He felt like he was being played by the damn flea, that something was off. But he couldn't put his finger on it.

The silence was only broken by his own heavy breathing. He took another step inside, his eyes scanning every corner. The absence of the flea was starting to feel odd, like a silent threat lurking in the shadows.

He knew he had to find the flea, to make him pay for this damn mind game.

Izaya silently pushed the button back to the Rooftop.

Shizuo's eyes narrowed as the elevator started up again. His instincts told him the flea was up to something.

He was done waiting. Done being toyed with. He wouldn't let the damn flea get away this time. He charged towards the elevator, his footsteps booming in the hallway.

"Don't you dare, you damn bastard,"

he growled, his voice echoing through the building.

"God damn... Short tempered as always..."

Izaya thought to himself and grinned slightly. As soon as the elevator reached the rooftop, he slowly walked across the Rooftop to the main elevator.

Shizuo rushed back to the rooftop. His eyes widened. There, on the rooftop, was the damn flea, slowly moving towards the main elevator.

He clenched his fists so tight, his knuckles turned white. The sight of the flea, still trying to escape, sent a fresh wave of anger through him.

"You're not getting away, you bastard,"

he growled, charging after him, his footsteps like thunder on the rooftop. He was closing the gap between them with each step.

Izaya immediately panicked and dashed forward into the elevator, hammering the button for the ground floor.

"Fuck... Fuck... Fuck...",

he cursed to himself.

Shizuo's eyes widened as the elevator doors closed just before him, preventing him from reaching the flea.

Damn it,

he cursed silently. He slammed a fist against the elevator doors, the force causing them to shudder.

He couldn't let the flea escape. He needed to get to the ground floor before the elevator did. He could go down the stairs, but it would take too long.

Think, think…

His mind raced, trying to come up with a way to cut the flea off, to get to him before he could escape the building.

Izaya leaned against the elevator walls, his legs shaking and he felt the pain from his sudden movement.

"Crap... What now..."

Shizuo's mind raced as the elevator started its descent, carrying the flea further and further from his reach. His frustration and anger threatened to boil over, making him want to rip the elevator doors apart with his bare hands.

He forced himself to take a deep breath, to stay calm and focused. He needed to think of a way to catch the flea when he reached the bottom floor.

He had a few seconds, maybe a couple of minutes, to come up with a plan. And he couldn't let the damn flea get away again.

With his heart pounding in his chest, Shizuo ran back to the stairs. Every second ticked by in his mind like an agonizing eternity. He knew the flea would find a way to escape the moment the door opened.

He took the stairs two at a time, his feet slamming against the steps. Each one felt like an endless journey. His frustration and impatience grew with every step. But he didn't slow down. His mind was focused on one thing: stopping the flea before he got away.

Izaya Meanwhile reached the ground floor, leaving the elevator.

"Hiding or fleeing?",

he thought to himself. He watched his surroundings. There are just two places. An old wardrobe and a giant plant...

"Behind the plant? Too evidently... But maybe that could give him a chance if Shizuo searched at the Wardrobe first...",

he thought and hid in the shadows of the plant.

Shizuo rushed down the steps. The sound of his footsteps echoed through the building, announcing his approach like a war drum.

He reached the ground floor, his eyes darting around, searching for any sign of the flea. The lobby was relatively empty, save for a large plant and a wardrobe.

The bastard was hiding somewhere.

Izaya silently watched Shizuo's movements.

Shizuo's eyes scanned the area, his sharp senses on high alert. He moved with caution, every muscle tense as he surveyed the lobby. The plant was suspicious, but the flea could be hiding behind the wardrobe as well.

He approached the plant, his footsteps soft but deliberate. His eyes darted from one hiding spot to the other, a predator stalking its prey.

"Of course he has to look behind the plant first" Izaya thought sarcastically.

Izayas body trembled and acted on autopilot. He jumped up and dashed forward.

"Out of here...",

was the only thing he had in his mind. Izaya kept running towards the exit.

Shizuo's eyes widened as the flea abruptly burst out of the shadows like a bullet.

"Bastard,"

he cursed, immediately giving chase.

He lunged forward with incredible speed, closing the distance between them in a matter of seconds. But the flea was faster, making a dash for the exit.

Shizuo's mind was a blur of frustration. Damn it, he was so close. He pushed his body to its limits, pouring every bit of his strength into his pursuit.

Just in time, the doors slid open and Izaya kept running on autopilot towards the streets and the nearby park.

"Fuck..."

Izaya still running reached the park and ran towards a large group of people. Hopefully Shizuo would lose his track.

Shizuo's eyes widened as the flea rushed out into the streets, weaving through the crowd like a nimble animal. Frustration surged through him.

He sprinted after the flea, every step closing the gap between them. But just as they reached the park, the flea disappeared into the crowd.

Shizuo could feel the anger growing in his chest.

"You won't get away that easily, you bastard,"

he muttered under his breath. He pushed himself through the crowd, his eyes darting around, looking for any sign of the flea.

Izaya noticed a maze who was set up for a few days.

"No one is dumb enough to hide in there. Except me..."

He ran towards the maze and tried to hide himself in the tortuous paths.

Shizuo cursed under his breath as the flea vanished into the maze.

"You little…"

He paused at the entrance of the maze, his eyes flicking around for any sign of movement. The maze was a labyrinth of twists and turns, the perfect place for a coward like the flea to hide.

He gritted his teeth, his anger and frustration growing. He knew the flea was in there, somewhere, trying to escape him. He wouldn't let him.

Shizuo stepped into the maze, his footsteps echoing through the labyrinthine corridors. His eyes darted from one path to the other, searching for any trace of the flea.

The maze was maddeningly silent. The only sound was his own breathing and the occasional rustling of leaves. He had to stay focused, keeping a clear mind even as his temper was at its limit.

He advanced slowly, his steps careful and calculated. He was getting closer, he could feel it. The flea couldn't hide forever.

Izaya leaned against a wall, trying to gather some air. His legs are burning from pain.

"Crap... What am I doing here? Leaving that damn wheelchair behind was one of the dumbest things I could do...",

he silently muttered in his thoughts. He observed the surroundings, still hoping Shizuo would get tired of it and stopped chasing him.

"As if he would do that"

he scolded himself inwardly for the thought.

Shizuo continued through the labyrinth, his anger and frustration growing with each step. The silence of the maze was maddening, but he refused to give up.

He tried to think, trying to guess where the flea would hide. He thought of all the times they had fought in the twisted alleys of the city. All times when the flea hid, evaded and ran away. But this time. He would catch him, no matter what.

He stopped for a second, listening intently. He heard a slight rustling sound, coming from somewhere nearby.

Izaya meanwhile tried to climb onto one of the walls to get a glimpse of Shizuo's location.

Shizuo heard another sound above him and whipped his head up. His eyes narrowed. Was that movement up on the wall?

He focused all of his senses towards that area, trying to figure out if it was the flea or just the wind.

Izaya noticed Shizuo's large body just two rows away and immediately ducked his head.

Shizuo's eyes widened as he spotted a flash of movement from the corner of his eye. It was brief, so quick it might have just been the wind, but he was sure this time. The flea was close, he was sure of it.

He moved closer to the wall, his eyes scanning the area intently.

"I know you're there, you bastard,"

he growled under his breath, his voice a low, ominous rumble.

Izaya silently and slowly walked further, into the opposite direction of where he had spotted Shizuo.

Shizuo's sharp senses picked up on the movement. He could hear the soft footsteps in the direction opposite where he had been. The flea was moving, trying to elude him.

He clenched his fists, his anger flaring.

"You're not getting away that easily!"

he shouted, his voice echoing through the maze.

He immediately changed his course, heading in the direction the sounds had come from. His eyes were fixed on the path in front of him, his mind focused solely on catching the flea.

Izay flinched slightly at Shizuo's shouting. Suddenly he found a dead end. With a trampoline?

"Maybe I can jump out of this maze...",

he thought, crawling onto it and started bouncing. He could see Shizuo in the distance. He bounced again until he was high enough to jump over the wall. He landed roughly on the ground. at least he was out of the labyrinth again...

Shizuo heard the sound of the trampoline from a distance. His eyes widened as he realized what the flea was trying to do.

He broke into a run, pushing himself to his limit, trying to reach the flea before he could escape. But it was too late. He watched helplessly as the flea leaped over the wall and landed on the other side.

He cursed under his breath. Damn it, he was so close again.

With a frustrated growl he yelled after him

"Iiiiiizaaaaaayaaaaaa!!!"

Izaya slowly got up and tried to figure out how to escape again.

Nothing. Crap.

But Shizuo was still in the labyrinth after all. So he had enough time to get away