I don't own Durarara! or any of the characters. I'm just a simple fan who loves this couple.
A Face Lit by Fire
Through the near-pitch-black room, a quiet door swung open, then closed again. A down-trodden Celty slid her slippered feet across the hard wood floor, bright helmet hanging in disappointment. It was late and she'd spent the majority of the night out, searching for an object as elusive as she. For the past twenty-some years, she'd combed the streets of Ikebukuro, searching for her head. So many a night, she'd gone from her home to search and so many a night, she'd return, empty-handed. As she quietly walked down the hallway, a faint light glowed to the right of the doorway. As she entered the main room, she looked about; all was quiet besides the faint hum of a computer fan.
She entered the living room, looking for her roommate. It wasn't very hard. But ordinarily, she would've been met with a tight hug and a 'welcome home'. Tonight, the face that would've greeted her, was lain on its side on a piece of furniture. Light brown hair matted under the pillow it lay on as glasses skew from their normal position across nose. Shinra lay there on the couch, fast asleep; drool barely seeping from between his open lips, permeating the upholstery. Had she a face, a smile would've faintly shown on her white skin. Shinra was home and there wasn't anything more she would've wanted. She was content as she stared at the sleeping man before her.
She removed the helmet atop her headless neck, replacing it on the dull coffee table. She watched as the man in front of her slept; his chest grew and shrunk with breath, his eye lids twitching as dreams played in his sight like an old home movie. He suddenly shuddered; a light breeze of cool air ran across his body. Celty reached and slowly unraveled a blanket neatly folded nearby. She pulled the blanket over the sleeping man with care, so as not to wake him. She reached his neck and gingerly let the blanket take its place on his body. Face relaxing, Shinra smiled a faint smile, before readjusting his arm. Had she a face, a small but sincere smile would have just barely appeared across it. She watched the sleeping man, without worry, anxiety, anger. All was peaceful. Shinra's head turned and tensed just so slightly. She was greeted with his bare, gray eyes. A tired smile inched across his face as he slowly roused from his slumber upon the couch.
"Hey Celty", he said. "Did you just get in?" She nodded as he let his head back to the arm rest. "I tried to wait up for you, but I got really tired. You should've seen me trying to stay up. Remind me to never have six cups of coffee. You would've kicked my-". She gently pinched his lips together, and he couldn't help but smile wider. Celty slowly wrapped her hand around soft cheek, feeling the warmth it gave off. After all that had happened in recent past, Shinra had always been there for her. She truly loved him; there was no more doubt in her mind. He was the person that she wanted to spend the rest of his life with. But once he was gone…She never wanted to think about it. What could an immortal being do when its heart is torn out and all it wanted to do is die? She cherished every moment she had with him, and he every moment with her.
[I'm sorry I'm late. You didn't have to wait up for me.] She held the illuminated screen in front of his face as he positioned his glasses atop his nose.
"I wanted to though. You were out looking for your head again, weren't you?" Celty drew her hand away from Shinra's face, turning to stare at the ground just in front of her feet. He placed his hand on her's, now resting on the couch between them. "I wasn't going to say anything like that. I know finding your head is important to you." Shinra sat up and wrapped his arms around Celty's shoulders. He nestled his cheek into the crook of her neck and closed his eyes, content. "I love you how you are. Even without your head." With that, he stood up from the couch and strode across the room and down the hall, to his bed. Even after the occasional nights of sleeping in the same bed, they generally slept in different rooms. It wasn't because of relationship trouble; they just hadn't thought of doing so outside of those few special cases.
Nevertheless, Celty proceeded her normal routine of when she got back to the apartment. She looked about the kitchen, glancing across the dark room. The plates were sitting out drying and the sliver of light was glinting off of the chrome sink faucet. All was as it should be.
Once in her room, she adorned her night wear, smelling of fabric softener and dryer lint. She stopped, staring out through the large window in her room; the city was still a bright and moving metropolis. For some unknown reason, she had an urge to go online. She checked the chatroom, but there was no one else online. It didn't surprise her though: it was really late. Izaya was the only one that was regularly up this late, but whatever he was doing, Celty was glad that he wasn't online. She checked her bookmarked 'alien' sites, but nothing was there that caught her attention. She had one last site to check before she climbed into bed.
She logged into her email, thinking that there would be a few useless ads, or something from Shizuo. She had but one unread email, but no name was present in the sender column. The email that sent it wasn't distinguishable to anyone she knew. How could someone email me? I haven't given it out to that many people. She was initially timid. Shinra had warned about email viruses in the past, but her curiosity got the better of her. She opened it.
I know who you are and, more importantly, what you are. I know you've been looking for something for a long time. I know where it is and who has it. Care to find out?
What do you mean? She typed. It wasn't long before she a response came.
I know you're looking for your head, Celty Sturluson. I can tell you who and where if you want to know.
Why are you helping me?
Do you want to know or not? She thought a moment. What did she have to lose from talking to a complete stranger through email that clearly had enough information to control the situation? But at the same time, she figured that the authorities would've found her if that's what this person wanted. So why wasn't she in some laboratory right now?
I do, but I don't know why you'd tell me.
Because I've had enough of Izaya Orihara. Working for him has been nothing but a pain in my ass. He's a nut job and thinks that your head is some key to a place called Valhalla. I'm just tired of him and I hate that my brother keeps getting involved in his plots. It's disgusting.
Celty knew who it was, but she didn't want to acknowledge that. However, she was still puzzled why Namie would help her like this, let alone at all.
Do you know where it is?
It's in his office, right where he always has it. Do all of humanity a favor and put him out of our misery.
So many questions arose, but no matter how many emails she sent, none would be returned. Fatigue had long since left her body, but now, she wasn't sure when she'd sleep next.
Morning came and Shinra lazed into the kitchen. He was suddenly startled when he saw Celty sitting there, motionless. As he lowered his arms back down to his sides, he strode over to her and placed his hand on her shoulder.
"Rough night" he asked. His sympathetic smile seemed to at least stir her from her trance. She slowly nodded, and picked up her PDA. She slowly typed out her message, hardly able to think through the fatigue. She lazily held the device just over her shoulder so he could read it.
[Someone emailed me last night. They said some shocking things, and even now I don't know what to think of it.] Shinra pulled up a chair next to her and wrap his arms around her thin frame.
"Maybe I can help?"
[They said that they know who I am and where my head is…] Shinra sat up after finishing the text. A concerned look grew across his face as he looked from Celty, to the PDA, and then back to Celty.
"What do you mean?"
[They knew I'm a dullahan, my name, my email, everything. They told me that Izaya has it.] Shinra's face only grew more contorted with a mixture of concern and confused feelings. [This could be the one time I can get my head back. So why am I not racing over there?]
"Maybe you're as afraid as I am. Maybe part of your conscious is holding you back because you don't know if you'll see me again if you get it back." She would've punched him if he wasn't being completely serious. Was that what was holding her back? Would she sacrifice her life with Shinra, all for her head? She'd lived without it for twenty-odd years and been fine without it. Her relationship with Shinra was fantastic and with him, she could forget about the lost memories, the reason for her existence. She existed. And it was amazing. How grand a simple night in watching a movie was. How tender and loving his lips were upon her skin. As she stared into the gray eyes of her companion, he couldn't help but smile a big smile. When she snapped out of her trance and realized she'd been staring for a few minutes, a large cloud burst from her neck. All Shinra could do was chuckle.
"In the end, it's up to you. If you want to go and find your head, then I won't stop you." He looked aside after he finished, thinking about something. It was quiet at the table that morning.
[Do you want to come with me? That way if it is….you know, then at least we can spend a few more seconds together] He read the bright screen through his glasses. He wrapped his arms around her neck and placed his cheek on her collar bone. As he shut his eyes, he whispered, "I think I'd like that more than anything….." She held him in her arms and as they sat there, Shinra noticed her start to faintly shake. It wasn't anger, but tears. As he held her, he couldn't help but know that she was just as afraid as he was.
The gang wars had gotten worse through the past few months. Minor injuries and vandalism had turned to fatalities and rioting. The cops had very little control over any situation, and often became part of the list of injured people that continued to grow. Sunshine still looked like a bustling area of this city, but upon any inspection, the slightest trigger would result in bloodshed. There seemed to be more cops in the area, but they rarely stopped anything before someone got hurt. Ikebukuro was a fuse sitting on a keg of gunpowder. All it needed was a flame to drop upon it.
Shinra sat in the living room, staring out through the wide windows. Celty had gone to take a shower, but Shinra didn't want to joke now. Time continued and the soothing sounds of water hitting the shower floor continued to echo through the almost silent apartment. After an hour or so of the shower running, Shinra began to worry. Had she fallen asleep? Did she fall? His fear got the better of him and in a few seconds, the bathroom door opened as he walked into the steamy room.
"Celty? You there?" He looked through the semi-transparent door, but she was not there, nor was she throwing something at him. He knocked gently on the foggy door, hoping there'd be some response. A barely audible tap seemed to ring through his ears. He opened the door just enough to look in. She sat there, completely dressed, as the water ran over her black biker suit. Her neck was hung down and as Shinra looked closer, he saw she was shaking again. Completely clothed, he crawled into the shower to join her there.
She sat there, motionless besides the shakes. Shinra placed a hand on hers and wrapped his other arm around her shoulder. Immediately, she flung her arms around him and began to shake more violently. "I know….I'm scared too. But you don't have to go through this on your own." She nestled her neck against his as he drew her in closer.
After what felt like a few hours sitting in the shower, Shinra said, "I think we should do something that's more fun. Ya know, just to make ourselves happy. Whaddaya say?" He began to stand up, his clothes sticking to his flesh. As Celty stood up with him, he smiled to her. He put his hand on the door handle, but suddenly he felt her hand on his back. He turned around and saw Celty, staring deep into his eyes. She got right up next to him and rubbed her neck across his lips. She ran her fingers across his eyes and took his hand in hers. She ran it around her neck, his eyes still closed. There was a faint breeze as she continued to guide his hand around her neck. She slowly ran it down her arm, then back up. She took her other hand and took his and wrapped his arms around her bare back. He drew her in closer and he began to kiss her neck as he held his bare companion in his arms.
The tenderness of his warm flesh against hers was tranquil. He held her back as he pulled her as tight against him as he could manage. Her neck simply rest on his shoulder as they stood otherwise motionless. He suddenly stopped and placed his forehead on her shoulder, crying all the more profusely. He muttered something, but it was inaudible to both of them. She held his head against her smooth shoulder.
For an even longer time, they stood together, tightly squeezing each other as close as they could. There were no physical urge to do anything; all that they wanted was to be close to each other. They stood, motionless, as the pouring water attempted to conceal Shinra's tears. Celty looked up and held his face in her warm hand.
"Don't you cry too…" Sometimes she wondered if he could really see her face, hear her voice. She was indeed crying, which only made Shinra want to tighten his grip around her body, arms about her shoulder and lower back. If this was truly their last day together, they'd never forget this instant in their life together. Out of all the experiences they'd shared, none were as simple, yet so bliss, so happy, so passionate. They both hoped with every fiber of their being that this would not be their last memory.
[I don't really know how to prepare for this… I mean….what do you think I should expect? What should I do? Why did it have to be Izaya?]. Evening was turning to night as Celty was paced frantically around the room, Shinra watching her from his standing position, just as tense. [I just need to go over there and do this.]
"Celty, you need to think this through more. This is Izaya we're talking about. He probably has some elaborate scheme, and you'd just be playing right into it…. I just don't want you to get hurt." Shinra gingerly tucked her hand into his, which seemed to calm her down slightly. The erratic undulations of her breathless chest slowed until her shoulders relaxed and she looked up at him. "Better?" She nodded and drew closer to the young man holding her hand. The atmosphere had finally calmed once more.
There was a loud bang that shattered the calm and tensed muscles. Chemicals began to rush to response centers of the brain and stimuli were analyzed. The blare of car alarms rang through the streets and faint smoke began to rise not too far from the window. The flame had finally reached the keg and Celty looked at Shinra. In that instant, they both knew, they both spoke unspoken words and both ran for the front door, and to the black bike awaiting them both in the small garage. Celty looked back at her partner, as if to say 'hold on to me'. He nodded as a pitch black helmet materialized around his skull. She looked to her front and they sped off down the dimming streets of evening.
The bike moved silently through the lit streets of the city. There seemed to be less traffic than there usually was at this time of the evening. Shinra held on to the waist of the as silent driver as she sped down each length of pavement and tilted for each sharp turn around a sudden corner. The air had begun to sound with murmurs, slowly rising to shouts. As they neared Sunshine, the shouts grew louder and the echoes of gunpowder explosions exiting metal cylinders grew more frequent. Car alarms were sounding throughout the fast approaching streets. There was a chance to look across the street from a raised highway, and Celty turned her bike in the direction of the on ramp. She sped up the incline, not sure what she would find. She hoped that it wasn't as bad as it had sounded like.
Smoke was billowing out from cars as spent Molotovs continued to burn through their fuel. Unconscious bodies lay in their spilt blood running from open wounds. Individuals fought individuals with whatever manner of blunt or sharp object they could loot from a fallen body, ally or enemy. The air stank of gasoline fires and gunpowder. Car alarms rang throughout the street. The bright neon signs of Sunshine City gleamed only brighter with the flames engulfing the surrounding. Atop the building, there stood a figure, black against the crisp moon behind him.
Izaya stood, looking over his puppets, smiling his devilish smile. Entwined through his fingers was the light hair of a body-less head. "Look at it! Isn't it amazing?" All of this chaos was brought about by a single idea; an idea that consumed him, influenced his actions. "Open your eyes to this chaos, Valkyrie, and see the world I've made!" His manic laughter rang above the alarms and gunshots and shouts and screams. For so long, he believed that this creature would grant him passage to Valhalla. If this would not coax the eyes to open, there was nothing that could.
He tilted his gaze toward the horizon and spoke. "I've been expecting you to show up for quite some time now Celty. What took you so long? You are the guest of honor at this ceremony."
Her fists tightened as she stood twenty feet from the man. The shadows about her were pulsating and contorting into vicious shapes as she stood where she was. Joints shook violently in anger as the man on the ledge stood so casually, watching over the mayhem below so nonchalantly.
"So after you got here, what exactly were you planning on doing then? Is that why you're standing there? Trying to think of how to get your head back without me voiding your efforts?" Celty knew that she could easily overwhelm him, but uncertainty and anxiety held her where she stood. What did he have planned for when I get to him? Does he have some sort of trap for me that will do something if I get any closer? Why hadn't anything happened yet? She suddenly found herself walking calmly towards the man. What's happening? Her head was beckoning for her, and she was willingly walking forward. She stopped. Izaya looked back, noticing that she'd gotten farther.
"So it seems that you've gotten closer. Good luck getting the rest of the way." He pulled out his switchblade from a small coat pocket and juggled it between his fingers. It wasn't like he could do any irreversible damage with it, let alone to her body. Perhaps it was fear that kept her feet from leaving the ground where they stay. Fear of what might happen to her head with his slightest gesture. Fear of what might happen to her.
Shadows of cement and steel contorted sporadically as timidity battled desire. Slowly inching towards the young man, who had recently turned back to his destruction. He was so apathetic to her presence; sure that she would not act, even with his back turned. He knew the limit of her comfort and knew that she would not edge out of it. He knew that however much she wanted to have her head in hand, she was too concerned with the potential outcomes of her actions, and that made her afraid; afraid of what would happen with the slightest miscalculation. Shadows slowly crept closer to the man on the ledge as he stared out on oblivion.
Finally, the shadows crept up to just behind his heel. Desire was to win the war. As an explosion gently rattled the building they stood on, Izaya laughed oh so psychotically, throwing his arms back, looking up into the blackened skies of night and smoke. As the shadows left the surface and inched towards his body, he stood up straight suddenly, forcing the shadows back to their place on the brick.
She had waited long enough. The shadows burst from the brick and coursed around Izaya's entire body. Every inch of him was tightly bound by the shadowy substance profusely emitting from Celty's body. His face was the only sight of skin from beneath the pitch black straightjacket. With all of his strength, he turned his head to face his captor. He still smiled an awful smile.
"To be honest, I didn't think you had it in you," he said. With that, he struggled once more. She became confused with what he was doing, his muscles trying so to bend the joints. Audible cracks rang through Celty's ears; his bones were breaking. Suddenly, her head began to fall from his grasp, down towards the earth below.
Sensory and response centers communicated. Muscles eased and contracted. She sprinted towards the side of the building. Every fiber of her being was screaming at her 'don't jump'. Foot contacts brick, force applied to forward movement, liftoff.
Time slowed from milliseconds to seconds. Before her was her head, slowly falling to the oblivion below. She reached for it, barely glimpsing the light brown hair. Millimeter by millimeter, she grew closer to grasping it. Meter by meter, she grew closer to asphalt and gasoline. Muscles contracted, pulling fingers shut. She had it.
Without hesitation, she swung around and contracted one last thing. The shadows around Izaya spun around an upright pipe, sticking out of the brick. As she fell, the grip tightened around it, squeezing him against it. She slowed, pulling the shadows even more taunt. Nonexistent muscles contracted as she shut her eyes as the ground approached. All had grown silent as the ground grew closer and closer. A scream echoed throughout the night.
Celty hung above the ground, helmet barely glimpsing the asphalt. She turned over, standing up straight. She looked about at the ceased mayhem; all eyes stared at her. She relieved the shadows as she slowly lifted her other hand. In it was the smooth face and light brown hair that had haunted her dreams for twenty-one years.
Celty sat on the hood of a car near where she would've landed. A familiar presence was closing in on her quickly. Shinra. He hugged her tightly and peppered her black suit with kisses, leaving no inch of her unloved. He took the helmet, placed it on the metal and wrapped his hands around her neck. She'd never seen him this happy before, but that didn't explain something. She pulled out her PDA.
[Why are you crying? Did something happen?] As he wiped the tears from his face and readjusted the glasses fixed on his nose, he said, "I'm just really happy is all."
Another scream broke the calm of their immediate environment. Izaya lay on a stretcher, motionless. Over the other static of noise, Celty heard, '…shattered both humerus, multiple broken ribs…'. He had been her anchor, though it seemed deserving of him to be put to better use than tormenting the other people, doctors examining them as well.
Celty held up the head in her hands and Shinra looked at her, then the head, then back to her. He smiled and had she a face, she would've done the same. They both turned back to looking at the flawless face, lit by the now controlled fires.
"Celty? Can I ask you something, now that everything's sort of settled down?" She nodded. "Now that you have your head, what are you going to do now?"
Follow me on tumblr at .com if you want to read any new stories that I write. They'll be on tumblr before first.