Izaya's next plan of action was to let Shizuo sweat it out a bit. Izaya would relax in his high-rise apartment for awhile, occupying himself with a few requests he'd been ignoring. Having been surprised twice, Shizuo wouldn't be able to just sit around on park benches anymore. Maybe he'd stalk about the city, taking his anger out on anyone who toed the line. Izaya could later revel in the destruction caused in his name.

Maybe he'd sit in his basement apartment instead, staring at the collar and the blindfold, longing for what Izaya could do to him. His blond hair would be tussled from running his hands through it, and he'd be hard and messy from all his fantasizing. He'd feel ashamed as he jerked off to thoughts of Izaya chaining him to his bed, but he'd still cum harder than he'd ever made himself before. Then, he'd throw the collar across the room, probably breaking something in the process, and he'd crumple the blindfold into his fist. Then he'd smooth it out, retrieve the collar, and continue his wallowing as he refused to admit what he wanted.

It was a beautiful thought, one that had Izaya's blood rushing through his body, warming his limbs before pooling south. He relished the feeling; it was even better than a cup of coffee. Invigorated, he started up his various computers and pulled out his phone to begin his work, but, before he could even pull up so much as a chat room, a knock on the door interrupted his work.

Curious, Izaya thought. He wasn't expecting any visitors, but he always did enjoy a surprise.

He quickly crossed the room to greet his visitor, snatching up a switchblade on his way.

Before he even made it to the door, another knock sounded, more insistent, so Izaya sped up so that he could interrupt the knocking and put his guest off guard.

Instead, as soon as he opened the door, Izaya was the one caught completely off his guard. Shizuo was at the door.

He stared for a moment, taking in the unusually serene face, but wiped the surprise off of his face as soon as the blond head turned to focus on him.

"Shizu-chan! What a surprise! What brings you to my humble abode today? And knocking, too! How civilized of you," he said, recovering himself.

To his even greater shock, Shizuo simply huffed in irritation at the jab and stepped across the threshold, forcing Izaya to take a few steps back lest he be trampled.

"Cut it out, Izaya. We both know why I'm here."

Yes, they did. Izaya glanced down at the man's pockets, looking for any escaped bit of fabric or metal. They both knew, but that didn't mean Izaya wasn't going to keep playing with him anyway.

"Well, whatever do you mean? I can't imagine why a beast such as you would be coming to my apartment in the middle of a workday, when most civilized people are doing their part to keep our society running," he goaded.

Shizuo continued to ignore him. Instead, he casually lit up a cigarette and sauntered over toward Izaya's couch.

Aiming to look casual despite the surreal moment, Izaya plastered a smirk on his face and followed. He casually flung himself into the cushions and looked at Shizuo, waiting.

Under the intensity of his gaze, Shizuo's calm finally began to crack a bit. His leg began to jitter and jiggle, and he had to take a series of deep breaths to calm himself down. Still, his brow didn't furrow, his fists didn't clench. He didn't look angry at all.

"I'm waiting, Shizu-chan," Izaya said, with less of a teasing lilt than he had aimed for.

After a moment of intense study, Shizuo finally began to speak.

"Fine, I came here for a reason after all. No use just sitting around." He took a deep drag of his cigarette and continued. "I was pissed at you, even more than usual. I was going to kill you. I was all set to strangle your skinny neck." Shizuo paused, took another drag. "You're real fucked up, you know? What you did? Stupid fucking flea, always having to ruin everything, anytime I let my guard down a little…" he trailed off, taking a moment for his building rage to subside. "It pissed me off, that you did that. That I liked it. That you knew."

Typical, Izaya thought, the protozoan is so ineloquent that I can't even tell for sure if he's mad because I found out he likes fucking while he's tied up or if he's mad because he likes it when I'm the one he's fucking. Izaya's red eyes glinted as his plastered smile melted into a genuine smirk at the thought.

Shizuo saw the change.

"Quit feeling so fucking proud of yourself. I was pissed off at you, but then I realized you were just as fucked up as I was. I didn't know it was, but you knew it was me."

"Aww, come on, Shizu-chan, you know I just like to have fun. You weren't reading into it too much, I hope? Do you think me so cruel that I can't take pity on a poor tied-up beast who has to be chained up before his master can pet him?"

Izaya's eyes glittered dangerously, in contrast to the light tone he adopted. He curled his hand around the switchblade in his pocket and tensed his body, ready to dodge out of the way. He'd ticked almost all of the boxes on his list of things that pissed Shizuo off (calling him Shizu-chan, calling him a beast, insinuating that he'd never have a normal relationship).

There was a moment of heavy silence as Izaya watched Shizuo's fingers flex dangerously around his cigarette. But, he didn't break it. He didn't growl and leap after Izaya. He didn't pick up the coffee table and throw it. He just took another deep breath, rubbed briefly at his temples, and continued. This was unexpected.

Shizuo turned his head toward the windows so that Izaya could only see the outline of his face framed by his wild, blond hair.

He paused another moment, continuing to use the cigarette as an excuse to delay response.

"It's not like that. It was at first. I was always too scared I'd hurt someone. Then I tried this, and I liked it. It felt good, better than just not being scared about it," he said finally before he turned toward to face Izaya.

"It didn't seem right at first, to like it so much, especially after you—" Shizuo exhaled deeply while he tried to find the right words.

Izaya seized on the hesitation.

"Oh, don't stop there, Shizu-chan, what about me? Why do you think it felt so wrong after you liked it so much with me?" he asked, putting as much emphasis on the last two words as he could before continuing. "You know, I talked to some of your previous partners, and we had some very interesting conversations! Did you know that you hardly ever make a sound during sex? I found that absolutely fascinating! Especially given how much moaning you did under me. Do you remember that Shizu-chan? How much you moaned and writhed when I was the one riding you, touching you? That's quite unusual for you though, of course, you are only a beast, so you can't really help yourself, can you?"

Izaya again saw the anger rise in Shizuo, and felt his heart began to pump faster in anticipation of finally luring him over the edge. Finally, Izaya thought, but then Shizuo just relaxed back into the couch.

"I don't want to fucking think about why I liked it with you. It hurts my head. But I know I'm not a beast just because I do. Lots of people like it, not just me. Kasuka told me it was normal."

Izaya's mind joyfully whirled despite his unsuccessful goading. What wouldn't he give to hear that conversation? That would have to a game for later.

"Well, Shizu-chan, I'm terribly flattered that you would look to me to help you fulfill your desires. It's not everyday a monster like you is able to recognize their superior," Izaya drawled, making sure to wrap his lips around "superior" so that the word hung in the air as a target for Shizuo's rage. Surely this will be it.

Shizuo stood up and took a step toward him. Izaya clasped his hands together in delight.

"Oh, what's the matter, Shizu—"

"Shut up," Shizuo growled, interrupting him, "you always talk too much."

Izaya thought he'd probably go for the coffee table next, but, instead, he pulled out an envelope, stuffed out his cigarette inside, and neatly tucked it away. He passed Izaya entirely, turning his back to him (unacceptable!), then and reached his hands up. Izaya couldn't tell exactly what he was doing, but he figured it out quickly after a moment, when Shizuo dropped his discarded bowtie on the floor and started for the stairs that led up to Izaya's bedroom.

Izaya stared at the crumpled bit of cloth in surprise, momentarily stunned, but Shizuo continued up the steps.

"I hate you," Shizuo continued talking without looking at him directly, "I hate you when your stirring up trouble and making my life difficult and playing your games with everybody, but I also hate violence."

The tie was soon accompanied by a black vest and white button-up shirt, leaving a trail that Izaya soon found himself forced to follow.

He caught up to the blond at the foot of his bed.

"This," Shizuo said, gesturing to himself, Izaya, and the chains hanging above the bed, "this, I don't hate. And, this, I can understand. It makes sense."

He turned back to Izaya as he began to unbuckle his belt and slide his pants down his hips. The action was somewhat at odds with the scowl on his face, but Izaya didn't pay that much mind as his red eyes were drawn to the sudden expanse of flesh before him.

"I don't want to fucking think about it too much. Just do what you did before and maybe I won't feel like I have to kill you every time I see you anymore."

Izaya's eyes narrowed as his gaze snapped back to Shizuo's, and his lips fell into a deep frown. He didn't like that idea, not at all.

Shizuo sighed at the expression.

"For fuck's sake. Celty said you'd be like this. Don't fucking think I'm just going to let you prance about Ikebukuro, causing trouble. Just, sometimes, we might just have to do this—"

Again, the gesture, as if he wasn't willing to just verbalize it, what this was.

Shizuo continued, "Sometimes we could just do this instead of me throwing shit at you until you go away."

Izaya's mouth began to curve upwards as he found a foothold in the conversation. "Oh, Shizu-chan, what do you mean by this exactly," he teased, feigning innocence.

"Shut the fuck up, flea," Shizuo grumbled. He sighed deeply, then reached into his discarded pants and pulled out the red velvet-lined collar Izaya had given him. He shifted the cloth around and fished out the black blindfold as well. He laid the blindfold on the bed. He snapped the collar resolutely around his neck. He quickly surveyed the bed, taking in the variety of restraining devices that Izaya had added to the décor. Without any comment on the subject, he then laid down and reached his arms up toward the separate cuffs that were secured tightly to the wall. With deft motions, he locked each wrist into place and nodded his head at Izaya. "Just fucking do it."

At first, Izaya was absolutely at a loss. Of all the possibilities he entertained, he had not for a moment considered this. Shizuo has completely, irrefutably, and decidedly surprised Izaya. So what did Izaya do now? He grinned. Shizu-chan had genuinely surprised him, and it was an absolute fucking delight that Izaya planned to take full advantage of. He went into action.

Even as Shizuo lay there, bound and collared, he continued scowling at him, brow furrowed, which wouldn't do at all. So, Izaya picked up the blindfold first. He leaped up on the bed nimbly, quickly straddling Shizuo's prone form. It felt just as thrilling as it had the first time. He got an extra shot of excitement from the look on Shizuo's face. The contrast of the angry scowl, the helplessly chained arms, and the fragility of naked skin, all bright and clear in the afternoon sun that streamed through Izaya's windows was quite a pretty picture. They locked eyes as he lifted the blindfold up. He was sure his own eyes were glittering with anticipation. He smoothed the blindfold over and wrapped it three times around the the blond head, tying it securely in the back. He smoothed out the silk so that it clung to Shizuo's face, and, as he did, the furrowed brow smoothed out and the clenched jaw relaxed.

Next, Izaya pulled a chain from the wall down and locked it into place on the collar around Shizuo's neck. He couldn't resist pulling it back roughly, making the metal jerk against Shizuo's throat and causing him to lose a single breath. He tightened the chains that secured his wrists as well, making sure that Shizuo was well and truly fixed in place.

Feeling bold, Izaya planted a light peck on the tip of Shizuo's nose before raising himself up. To his surprise, Shizuo didn't grunt or grumble about the treatment. He just tilted his head up as if asking for more.

Izaya did not concede another kiss, not yet.

The brothel had chained his monster down as best they could, with the metal chains and bars they'd locked around his ankles and thighs, strapping him down to the thin bed they'd used. It had made a pretty sight, but Izaya didn't think he needed all that to keep Shizuo under control. Instead of metal, he tied each of Shizuo's ankles to the metal frame of his bed with soft, sturdy rope.

Izaya leaned back for a moment to admire his work. His monster was splayed across the bed, completely at his mercy. He had been enraptured with Shizuo's candlelit form before, but in the bright midday sun, the blond glowed brightly. He looked astonishingly fragile, lost in Izaya's deep crimson bedding. It was difficult to reconcile the supernatural strength with the lithe figure before him.

The heady rush of power was joyous. Here lay a man that could easily kill Izaya with one hand, but, right now, he was entirely under Izaya's control. He could make him moan and walk away, leaving him wanting. He could pull out a knife and slash into him before he had a chance to react. He could ruin him, take photos and spread them all across the internet, captioned with "Yuuhei Hanejima's older brother" to fill the man with shame and regret. Better still, Shizuo knew that Izaya could do all of those things with ease, and yet, here he was. His beast, tamed into a writhing man.

Izaya's eyes glowed crimson as he contemplated the new game spread before him. Now, it was time to play. He reached into his nightstand and pulled a few items out for his use—items he would have continued to tease Shizuo with around Ikebukuro if he had had to. Instead, he'd tease him with them now.

He popped the lid off of a brand new bottle of lubrication and smoothed it around the toy he had bought especially for Shizuo—a slim, vibrating anal affair that Izaya was quite sure would come at something of a surprise. Without further ado, he kneeled neatly between Shizuo's legs and brushed the tip of the toy against Shizuo's ass.

At the touch, Shizuo inhaled sharply. "Izay—," he began to growl.

"Now, now, Shizu-chan, it's good to try new things! I thought you said I could do what I wanted," Izaya pouted as he withdrew the slim toy, "are you changing your mind so soon?"

He took a moment to answer, and when he did, the reply was the closest thing to a whisper that Izaya had ever heard from him.

"I've never done that before," he said.

Izaya grinned, although, of course, Shizuo couldn't see it.

"Oh, Shizu-chan, you mean I'll be your first! I'm so honored. Of course, it's not going to be right now, you know. Let's just call this a practice test, shall we? It's just a toy, something I think you'll like while I'm riding you."

Izaya reached up to briefly draw the toy across the palm of Shizuo's chained hand, carefully keeping the cord and attached remote separate. He wanted that to be a surprise. Whether it was the presence of a sex toy, Izaya's body suddenly leaning against the length of his own, or just Izaya's forthright words, Shizuo's face was instantly covered in a rosy pink blush.

"Yeah, alright then," Shizuo mumbled.

Izaya laughed and returned to his place between Shizuo's spread legs. He coated the slender toy with lube and pressed it against Shizuo's virginal hole. He gently pressed on it so that only the rounded tip fit itself against the tight ring of muscles, and then he began to circle it around gently, teasing and loosening the entrance. As the rest of Shizuo relaxed into the touch, Izaya grew bolder and pressed the toy further in, shallowly thrusting it in and out until Shizuo quietly moaned and began to lightly thrust back against it. Izaya watched him became lost in the new sensations, then finally pressed the toy boldly forward so that it sat neatly inside. Izaya curled his hand around the base of the toy and nudged Shizuo's perineum with one fingertip. Shizuo rumbled in pleasure.

Part of Izaya had wanted to draw this process out, narrate in explicit detail as he slowly prepared himself while Shizuo got more and more desperate before Izaya finally offered him relief and slid down on his achingly hard cock. But, as he slid his gaze across the flushed body before him and listened to Shizuo's low moans, he found himself wanting to hurry along.

He worked to efficiently prepare himself with one hand, glad that he'd found himself more regularly giving into self-pleasure in the last week. With the other hand, he continued to tease Shizuo with the toy. When he decided he was ready, he straddled Shizuo's hips once more. He leaned forward to draw lips down Shizuo's strong jawline, mouthing at it gently as he did.

"Are you ready, Shizu-chan?"

Lost in anticipation, he nodded in response, then let his head sink back further into the pillows, drawing attention to the collar around his throat. Izaya kissed it as he sunk down slowly onto Shizuo.

Just as before, Izaya felt perfectly filled. He gasped silently at the sensation and focused his attention on Shizuo's reactions. His muscles were coiled tightly and his fingers scrambled for purchase on the mound of pillows beneath him. His teeth were gritted, which, Izaya thought wouldn't do at all.

Izaya reached behind him to flick the switch on the vibrating toy. As soon as the buzzing began, Shizuo moaned, surprised, and reflexively ground down into the soft mattress.

He slid his hands up Shizuo's chest, reverently brushing fingers across the many scars he'd given the man over the course of their relationship and carefully thumbing the hard peaks of Shizuo's nipples. He reached his shoulders and kneaded gently until the muscles there relaxed. Then, Izaya finally began to move his body. He started slowly, sinking down inch by inch before gradually raising himself back up. The shoulder muscles beneath Izaya's hands remained relaxed even while Shizuo continued to desperately shift his hips, moving between the two sources of pleasure.

Izaya continued to stroke and knead as he rode Shizuo. He moved slower than he thought he would, then he usually preferred. Shizuo was trapped in an in-between state—alternating between the pleasure of the vibrator and Izaya's body, the mounting pleasure and the calming effect of Izaya's ministrations. Izaya moved on autopilot as he watched and listened to Shizuo's pleasure.

He continued the steady rhythm of his hips, enjoying as Shizuo's stuttered breath each time Izaya took his hard cock into his body and savoring how his own body responded to the writhing man between his legs. The pent up energy seemed to make the man buzz (well, or it was just the vibrator, Izaya thought).

He smiled at the thought and reached behind him once more to shallowly thrust the toy against Shizuo's prostate as he simultaneously picked up his pace atop Shizuo's cock.

The effect was immediate. The chains attached to the wall groaned ominously as Shizuo responded to the intensified sensations, his unwitting strength pulling on their anchors as he groaned in pleasure.

"Izaya," he moaned, "it's too much, please."

"Shh, shh, Shizu-chan," Izaya soothed him, "let me take care of you."

He continued to thrust the toy in and out for a few more strokes before he granted Shizuo a brief reprieve. Shizuo let go of his strength, letting the chains fall loose once more. When he looked relaxed enough, Izaya grinned devilishly, eyes aglow, and he reached for the toy's remote, turning up the intensity once more.

Shizuo moaned, loud and clear, as his fingers curled into tight fists.

Izaya rubbed a thumb across his lips. Shizuo's gently licked at it and let his mouth fall open in welcome.

"That's good, Shizu-chan, very good," Izaya crooned as he hooked his thumb into Shizuo's mouth, allowing the blond to continue lapping at it.

His hips moved faster now as he raced toward his orgasm. He wanted to see Shizuo cum first, he wanted to feel it. He knew it was close; Izaya could feel his ass clench and unclench spasmodically beneath him, shifting the angle of his thrusts each time. He panted around Izaya's thumb.

"Come on, Shizu-chan. Let me see you let go," he urged in a rough whisper, his voice pitched low.

At his words, the dam finally broke. Shizuo's whole body tensed as he grunted and came hard, shooting his load deep into Izaya's body. Then, he melted back into the bed. His head lolled against the pillows as tried to catch his breath as the onslaught of pleasure continued, driving him quickly into overstimulation. Izaya dazedly scrambled at the toy, turning off the buzzing and pulling it out of Shizuo. The blond continued to mouth at Izaya's thumb as if seeking comfort in his post-orgasmic daze. The sight of his supposed arch-enemy looking so spent and soft threw Izaya over the edge as well, and he painted Shizuo's chest with ribbons of cum.

Uncaring of the mess, Izaya immediately leaned forward, pulling his thumb away and replacing it with his tongue as he plundered Shizuo's open mouth. Izaya wrapped both hands behind his neck, fingers brushing against the body-warmed metal there, and tangled his fingers desperately in blond hair, pulling Shizuo even closer as he insistently claimed his mouth.

Eventually, he pulled away, wondering what had come over him. Slowly, he pulled himself off of Shizuo and reached over to the nightstand to retrieve a towel to clean them up, giving himself a chance to recollect his thoughts and regain his control.

Shizuo laid still, allowing Izaya to go about his work without complaint.

Tossing the cloth aside, Izaya turned around and loosened the ropes that bound Shizuo's ankles. Then he reached up to unclasp the handcuffs around his wrists. He hesitantly reached behind Shizuo's neck to remove the collar. Unsure of what he would find, Izaya then unwound the black blindfold from Shizuo's eyes. Once freed, the blond blinked rapidly, adjusting to the sudden light. He looked completely dazed even as his eyes focused. Izaya caught himself running a hand soothingly through tussled blond hair, which Shizuo leaned into, letting his eyes close sleepily.

For a moment, Izaya felt lost, unsure of his next step. The game had been played, and the chase was complete; he didn't have to make a hasty retreat. What now?

Shizuo answered for him by reaching his arms out and pulling Izaya to lay against him. Keeping an easy hold on Izaya's waist, he then searched around for blankets until he was able to awkwardly shift one around the two of them. Just like that, Izaya found himself securely cuddled, a position he didn't think he'd even been in before.

"I told you, flea, quit thinking and just shut up," Shizuo murmured as he drifted off to sleep without relaxing his hold.

Part of him wanted to struggle away, sneer, and tease, but Izaya hesitated, watching as Shizuo shifted his head to hide his eyes from the sun. Just once, he thought, and he let himself drift off to sleep in Shizuo's arms.