It's been bothering Celty lately. Shinra's been calling her randomly more often for the past few days. Usually she wouldn't mind since it would simply be him complimenting her about the strangest things or asking for something perverted, and it's not that those are fine- she's just built up quite a resistance to them recently, but the underground doctor seems to have come up with newer, frustration-inducing plays.

They were sitting together on the sofa in their shared apartment flipping through television channels. They would usually watch whatever was airing on the channel with movies but this week in particular had an alien apocalypse theme. Shinra was more than alright with watching that, expecting lots of hugs from a terrified Celty. Of course, the fae had already taken the remote from him and settled on a variety show with the contestants being asked questions. Wrong answers would mean outrageous punishments and right answers would result in harder questions until the contestants got something wrong.

Celty was completely immersed, trying to play along by answering the bizarre questions. They watched in silence up until this point when Shinra spoke,

"Hey Celty?"

Hearing her name called, she peeled her eyes- or smoke sensors in her case- away from the television and looked at her roommate wearing an all too familiar smile she had grown accustomed to.

He's doing this again. I have to keep my guard up.

Steeling herself, she responded,

[What is it?]

"Let's play like them too! You'll be the contestant."

Seeming to have noticed the dullahan's interest in the game show, he said those words.

I have a bad feeling about this.

As Celty thought this, Shinra had already decided to start the game and declared,

"First question!"

He was about to continue but was stopped instantly by a PDA and a panicked dullahan.

[Stop! I didn't agree to this yet!]

Not willing to be pulled into the underground doctor's game, Celty typed this. Shinra deflated like a choild being scolded and looked at her pleadingly, fully expecting her to give in.

Are you a little kid?!

He continued to stare at her and Celty could swear he was about to start crying. Even though she knew he wouldn't. Probably.

He continued staring. All the while maintaining his pouting.

When she couldn't take it anymore, she set her PDA down on the table in front of her and pinched both of his cheeks. He flinched on instinct, this time with real tears were in his eyes. But instead of continuing to pout he laughed looking at her affectionately.

"Celty, that was harsh... but nothing you do could ever make me angry. This is just Celty being tsundere again ehehe- owowow Celty please don't pinch harder my skin is going to tear!"

She released her hold on him and resumed her previous position on the couch.

Watching him rub his cheeks, the fae's shoulders lifted then rested as if giving off a sigh. She took her PDA off the table and started typing,

[Just one question. If I get it right you keep quiet for the rest of the night.]

Upon seeing those words the PDA's screen, the brunette brightened immediately and radiating happiness.

"Then, first question! Or maybe I should say only question? First and last?"

[Just get on with it!]

Chuckling at her message, Shinra pointed to himself, smiled and-

"Celty, do you think I'm cute?"

-said this kind of line.

Is that really a game show question?!

If Celty had been less surprised, she could have pinched him again to make him stop. But when it comes to situations like this, the word calm doesn't seem to register.

And why?! It's embarrassing enough with him telling me but now I have to say that back to him? It would make him really happy if I did but... He's messing with me, isn't he?

"Celty?"

Unaware of the time passing as she thought of what the right move to make would be, she failed to notice how Shinra had leaned in closer and closer to her until this moment.

The dullahan swiftly typed on her PDA and shoved it in his face forcing him to back up.

He did back up, as expected, and adjusted his glasses to read what was written on the small screen.

[No, you're creepy.]

With this said, Celty managed to calm down watching him sit back.

Normally, a reply like this would hurt the person addressed but this was Shinra and the other party was Celty. If anything shocking was to be said, it would be a reply with something positive written. And so seemingly unfazed by her answer, the doctor replied with something even stranger,

"Right? That's exactly what Orihara-kun told me when I asked him too."

Being presented with this new information, the dullahan leaned toward her side showing her confusion.

[... And just why would you be asking Izaya that in the first place?]

"Ah that," a passive look settled on the brunette's face as he spoke. "A younger female recruit for a gang I was visiting yesterday said something along the lines of me being cute. It's really the first time I've been told something like that. Even the girls in high school would openly show disgust even though they never spoke to me. I don't really know why and it's not like that matters. Fear not Celty! I only care about Celty and it doesn't matter to me if Celty calls me disgusting! All I want is to keep being by your sid-"

[Stop talking for a bit.]

She skillfully dodged the incoming hug and continued,

[Is that really the first time you've been called cute?]

This one had some meaning to it, she thought. Seeing as it was different from the other things he started randomly saying this week, she decided to question him. And with no hesitance or shame at all, he answered,

"Of course! I'd never lie to Celty!"

[That's weird...]

"Hm? Why?"

[I've never called you cute even once?]

She could have sworn she said it at least once. It didn't really seem like there was anything left to hide so she let down her guard forgetting about what that sentence implied and asked out of pure confusion.

"No. But you have called me disgusting around one thousand and three hundred times."

She was a little frustrated with herself for being unaware of just how much attention he put into her harsh words. In comparison to him who had always showered her with praise, she had always spoken the opposite of him. He noticed her upset expression yet continued speaking,

"But this is just how Celty expresses her love. Celty doesn't need to call me cute or anything else, I understand what you mean without saying it directly. I've been watching you for all this time after all. You don't have to strain yourself, I'll be able to understand you. You're perfect just as you are, Celty... Ara?"

Shinra stopped talking as soon as Celty leaned into him with a heart of smoke gently rising from her neck. He looked down to his lap and read the words she had typed in before placing it there.

[So you knew my answer even before asking the question. That's unfair, you idiot. But...

...thank you.]

He thought about how cute she was for playing along with his silly games and also just how kind she was.

"Yeah... this is why I love you, Celty."

The variety show they were watching had long since ended but they continued to sit there content in each other's presence. And as if complying to the condition of winning the game, Shinra had not spoken a single word until he woke up the following day on the couch to wake up the sleeping fae hugging him.

Note: Thanks for reading! I can't write well but I just thought there should be more fics of this cute couple... is what I'd like to say but I really am just obsessed with them. Image is from Minidura's 12th chapter if anyone's wondering.