Bound by Fate

Working to Establish Emotional Intimacy...

Izaya shifted almost nervously on his feet as he watched Shizuo practically gape at the view out of his windows. The blonde stood still in the middle of the other man's living room, at a complete loss for words. "So... this is my home," Izaya said dumbly.

"I-I know. I'm sorry," Shizuo said as he turned toward the brunette, sending him a lopsided grin. "I'm just a little intimidated. I knew you made good money but this is... well, I don't think I really knew what to expect." The blonde paused to look out the wall of windows behind him again before turning back to Izaya and chuckling quietly. "This is a very nice place."

"Thank you, Shizu-chan," the brunette said with a wink as he let his coat slide down his arms to set it down on the back of the couch. "Does seeing how well off I am make you want me even more?"

"Why would it?" Shizuo said, his face contorting in confusion.

"You really are different from anyone else, aren't you?" Izaya said, shaking his head and chuckling fondly. "Most other people would see this and instantly try to think of how to manipulate me into taking care of them or buying them things or... just something along those lines." The brunette paused to smile at the man in front of him. "In my experience, people are more attracted to money than almost anything else. It's one of the strongest aphrodisiacs. Especially when that money is paired with power."

"I don't really get all that crap. I mean, I don't see how your money could contribute to what makes me like you as much as I do. I mean, I started to fall for you before I knew about any of this," Shizuo said, waving his hand in the general direction of the plush interior of Izaya's flat. "Plus, you certainly don't act like you have this much money. I mean, you don't pay for a single drink at the bar... and you let me treat you to meals and stuff."

Izaya shrugged before closing the distance between himself and the blonde. "Are you complaining? Should I start paying for everything? Should I refuse free drinks at the bar?" Izaya said with a small smile. "Do you not like taking care of me, Shizu-chan? I must admit, I really enjoy it."

"Of course I'm not complaining. I was just... I like you for who you are, Izaya. Plain and simple," the blonde said with a soft smile. He slipped his hands around Izaya's waist and pulled him into his arms. "I don't intend to stop taking care of you... I don't care about any of this shit. I just care about you."

Izaya bit his lower lip as his heart hammered in his chest. "I care about you too, Shizuo. None of this matters to me either. It's honestly just... a byproduct of my profession. Though, honestly, it is a very comfortable side effect," the brunette said with a chuckle. He sighed and leaned his head on Shizuo's shoulder, his lips resting against the blonde's neck. "You're dangerous, you know that?"

"What do you mean?" Shizuo asked softly, one of his hands travelling up Izaya's back to run his fingers through his ebony tresses. "And I know you don't mean it in the way that other people do."

"You're right. I don't," the brunette said as he leaned back into Shizuo's hand and looked up into his soft mocha gaze. "You're dangerous because you're making me feel comfortable and safe. Two feelings that have never been instigated by someone other than myself in the past." When the blonde didn't respond, Izaya continued. "You give me a sense of security that is terrifying. I'm scared to give in to it because I'm scared that it'll be ripped away."

"Well, I don't intend to leave you. I told you before... I need you. And, at the risk of scaring you further, I really am falling for you. Hard," Shizuo said quietly, gazing into Izaya's nervous crimson eyes. "But I don't intend to stop or back off. My friend told me earlier that I may need to scare you a little. I think what he really meant was to not hide my already scary strong feelings for you in hopes that you'll accept them and maybe even return them."