The sun was rising, slowly, and Celty wished she could just push it up into the sky. Last night, they'd received an unexpected (and unwanted) visit from Orihara Izaya, and the woman couldn't help but wonder what had brought him to Shinra's- their- home. Words were exchanged between the informant and the unlicensed doctor- words that chilled the very bones of the Ikebukuro's headless rider- Izaya was being pursued. This fact alone did not scare her, no- it was the implications of this predicament.
Izaya needed a place to stay, and he had come here.

Surely, luck was not on Celty's side. With Izaya as an additional roommate, the first night had been nearly unbearable. Morning light had only brought arguments, and if Celty could sigh, she most certainly would. Since Izaya was still in bed, she had suspected that now would be a good time to talk- apparently, she was wrong. Shinra seemed to be on edge, and such was understandable, however, it didn't fare well for their discussion.

The dullahan woman shifted slightly in her discomfort, searching for the right words to say.

[It's not that I hate him, I just think he's dangerous.]

Shinra considered his lover's words, but couldn't bring himself to dismiss their guest just like that- the thought seemed wrong, evil, regardless of the kind of person Orihara Izaya really was.

"We went to school together, Celty. He wouldn't do anything to hurt me."

Celty typed her message frantically, her anger mounting. As soon as she'd finished, she thrust her PDA into Shinra's face to make sure he could read it clearly.

[Maybe not you, but what about Shizuo? What about the innocent people that he's tricked?]

Shinra let out a long, tired breath, openly struggling to maintain his resolve.

"His…methods- may seem unorthodox, but truly, I…I know him better than anyone else. He does what he does for a reason."

[That reason is only his personal desire to cause destruction, Shinra!]

"No, it's not! It's because he loves humanity…it's nearly impossible to explain, but- I understand it. Just as humanity bores me, he can't get enough."

Celty on the other hand couldn't understand how anyone could interpret the suffering and havoc that Izaya delighted in wreaking upon people as love- she wouldn't try to understand such a thing. It went against her morals, her perception of the human race. It was wrong. He was wrong.

[That's…that's no excuse for him to hurt others! I won't sit back and allow it anymore!]

"That's irrelevant to the situation. Only Izaya can choose what he's going to do, but I can't abandon him, not when he needs me."

[And I can't just ignore what I've seen him do any longer! I won't let someone like him stay here.]

"You forget who you're living with, Celty! I've provided you with a place to stay-"

[That was a deal made twenty years ago! It has nothing to do with this!]

"You can't make the decision to have Orihara-kun leave. I'm sorry."

[It doesn't feel right, Shinra. It'd be better if he found somewhere else to stay, if he remains here he could...]

Celty couldn't bring herself to tell him the rest- what she feared more than anything. In truth, she was terrified that Izaya would put a wedge in between them. That he'd slowly pry them apart. That he would take Shinra away from her. That Izaya Orihara would be her downfall, just because he could be, because he had the means.

[I can't forgive what he's done, and…and I don't know if I can forgive you if this continues!]

Shinra winced, only slightly at her non-spoken words- they hurt him deeply, and the last thing he wanted was for Celty to resent him, but he just couldn't give in. Izaya may be a troublemaker, but Shinra was certain that deep down, he had a heart- had real feelings- but simply refused to show them.

"Then don't. But I won't turn my back on him!"

'So that's it, then…' Celty thought to herself.
Did Shinra care more for Izaya than any other of his friends?
Than her?

[…I never thought you'd choose Izaya over your friends...]

"Izaya is my friend!"

[OVER ME…!]

Celty's PDA quickly disappeared beneath her shadowy sleeve, and she wasted no time in storming off, furious. She didn't even bother giving Shinra a final glance before slamming the door shut behind her, snatching her motorcycle, and speeding away. She was jealous, but Celty would never admit it to Shinra- she needed someone to talk to.

'Shizuo...' She thought in excitement, desperate to meet with her companion. But she knew she'd do well to leave the conversation vague- the mere mention of Izaya's name could set him off.

Why did Izaya have to exist in the first place? And how did he manage to ruin their lives when he'd only been there for a night!?

Riding into the dawn, Celty couldn't help but feel rejected- betrayed. She didn't want to bother Shizuo with her problems, but she knew he'd listen, and she knew he'd make her feel better one way or another- whether it was impressing her with his enormous strength or having her revel in their simple moments together, a visit with Shizuo would be refreshing.

With an echoing whinny, Shooter pulled up to the blonde at the nearest park- he was having a cigarette, sitting calmly on a park bench- alone. It was almost like he was waiting for her…

"Yo."

Celty's shoulders trembled in her silent laughter, and she 'parked' shooter by the side of the bench, joining Shizuo.

Swiftly, her PDA was born from the darkness, and she typed her message at a moderate speed.
[It's good to see you, Shizuo.]

She laughed again as she noticed the slight blush that rose to paint his cheeks, her body shaking with her amusement.

"We see each other all the time, Celty. You feeling okay…?"

Celty meant to respond right away, but she found herself hesitating. She shook her helmet up and down, nodding slowly.

[Shinra and I had a disagreement. It's alright, though. I just needed to get away.]

Shizuo seemed to be torn between sadness and anger- but most of all, he felt sympathy. This wasn't the first time she and Shinra had fought, that he knew- but it seemed to be happening more and more.

"So that's what you're doing out this early- I figured you'd been looking for your head all night or something."

The dullahan's shoulders slumped as she considered the thought, but she was beginning to feel that her life was full enough, even without her own head.

[No, but I wondered the same about you. What are you doing here first thing in the morning?]

Shizuo took a drag from his cigarette, breathing the smoke into the open air.

"Eh, I got tired of being alone. Didn't want to bother Tom at this hour, so I came down to the park. Figured I'd have a smoke and think things over."

[What did you think about?]

Shizuo chuckled darkly.
"Not much. Killing Izaya. Life. Love."

[…Those last two are relevant, I suppose…]

Shizuo laughed loudly, but it was somewhat menacing to the headless woman- Izaya's influence on the blonde was enormous, and Celty prayed that she would not become a victim of his insanity.

[It's not healthy to think of him. Let's talk about something else. Are you still lonely?]

Blinking, Shizuo let his cigarette drop to the ground before crushing it with his shoe- by the time he'd finished, it was nothing more than a burnt and shredded piece of paper.
"Why would I be? You're here, aren't you?"

The dullahan's heart leaped suddenly, and she wished very much that she could smile at him. She settled for the next best thing.

[:)]

Shizuo laughed again, this time it was genuine and kind.

"So, you wanna tell me what happened with Shinra?"
He asked, smiling faintly.

Surprised, Celty jumped- she'd thought Shizuo had forgotten, they'd even changed the subject…

[It's just…]
She began.

[Well I-]
She had much difficulty explaining her situation while leaving out important details- but she continued anyway.

[We had a bit of a power struggle, you could say. I had little choice in the matter.]

"Says who?"

[Shinra, of course.]

"…It was a- ah, never mind. Listen, you can do whatever the hell you want. Shinra can't- and doesn't- control you."

[I know, and he doesn't try to, it's just that…well, maybe I got a big envious.]

Now it was Shizuo's turn to be surprised. Curious, he turned his body to face her direction, his eyes narrowing.

"What are you talking about?"

[Well, you see, I'm scared about the attention he's giving to…other people. I just don't want it to affect our relationship. I'm afraid he'll leave me, Shizuo.]

Despite the tightening in his chest, Shizuo dismissed such a ridiculous thought.

"Not a chance. Shinra's infatuated with you- always has been, always will be. It used to annoy the shit out of me, actually. That was until I understood why."

Celty nearly fell over.
[W-Why…!?]

"Because you're like nothing else in this world. Like a beautiful kind of mystery. Yeah, you're a beautiful mystery…that's why."

It wasn't long before the dullahan's arms were around Shizuo's neck, and she pressed into him in a powerful embrace. Her PDA peeked out from beneath them, a message already written on the screen.

[You're a mystery to me!]

-

Shizuo's smell was unique- a musky scent of sweetness and cigarette smoke. Celty didn't want to let go, but hated to seem weak in front of such a powerful man.
She felt his heart beat against her chest for a few moments before pulling away, feeling slightly embarrassed. Shizuo was silent as she released him and she folded her hands in her lap. The blonde man finally broke the silence by clearing his throat.

"So…you feeling any better?"

[I am, thank you. I shouldn't take my jealousy out on Shinra, it's wrong.]

Shizuo rolled his eyes in mock frustration.
"You shouldn't be jealous in the first place! There's no reason to be, that was my point."

[Oh…right. Well then, I'll work on that.]

The strongest man in Ikebukuro let out a strained breath of air, questioning his own ability to comfort his friend.

"You can't help what you feel, but you can take your mind off of it. How does that sound?"

Standing, Shizuo took Celty's hand and effortlessly dragged her along behind him before she could even respond.

'I wonder where we're going…' The headless woman thought, feeling as Shizuo's hand firmly gripped her own.

"There's a movie I've been wanting to take you to- 'Abduction'. Maybe it'll help with that fear of yours."

Celty trembled, both terrified and pleasantly thrilled; such a movie would surely give her the upper hand when it came to understanding aliens and their horrid ways!

Shizuo finally freed the dullahan's hand, and she hurried to type a message.

[Yes! I'll see it with you, let's hurry!]

And just like that, Celty took the lead, grasping Shizuo's hand and pulling him along with urgency.
They walked briskly, arriving at the theatre just in time. Upon entering, Shizuo, attempting to be as gentleman-like as he could, had offered to pay- but Celty beat him to it. It didn't bother the headless woman- after all, she was aware that her friend was rather short on money, and she probably wanted to see the film more than he did.
It wasn't long until they'd been awarded their tickets, and they hastily found their seats among the families and couples who'd also arrived for the feature.

They took a row towards the front, not uneasy at all about sitting in such close proximity to one another. They did it all the time.
As the movie began, the lights dimmed, and Celty found herself tugging at Shizuo's sleeve.

"You want me to get us some snacks or a drink?"

Celty's helmet shook from side-to-side as she kindly refused; now she searched for Shizuo's hand- the man caught on quickly, and held carefully onto her gloved fingers.

"Relax, it's all right. I think we both know I'd kick any alien's ass that had the balls to even look at you."

The dullahan's dormant heart seemed to flutter, and she let her body unwind, shifting into a more comfortable position.

Did aliens even have balls?
Eh, it didn't matter.

-

The movie itself was hard to focus on when she squeezed his hand tight during any gruesome scene or alien close-up- he even found her squirming adorable, and he chuckled to himself.

Shizuo hadn't been paying much attention in the first place- his priority was to help Celty relax, to have her forget about Shinra, even for just a moment- yet, he wondered…was he just a stand in for the doctor?
But the ex-bartender's worries seemed to melt away as Celty freed her hand, sneaking out her PDA to type a message, careful to cover up the bright light from its screen.

[Did you see that Shizuo!? They probed him! It's just as I thought…!]

Shizuo smiled and acted surprised for the dullahan's sake, nodding his head.

"Creepy stuff."
The thought alone sounded pretty disturbing, he had to admit- but he continued to follow along.

[Aliens truly are evil! Evil and sick!]

Celty let her PDA slip back into the shadows, turning to resume her viewing of 'Abduction', and Shizuo wordlessly took her hand once more, leaning back into his seat.
He wanted to laugh as he watched the smoke escape from Celty's helmet and rise to the ceiling, shrouding the room in even more shadow- thankfully however, no one seemed to notice.

Shizuo continued like this, finding himself watching his headless friend more than the big screen, however- she wasfar more amusing, and he didn't mind at all.

As they sat together calmly, somehow, Shizuo felt the urge to put his arm around Celty's neck- mimicking the couples scattered around the room. He resisted, however, unsure of how she'd react. He was beginning to get a very peculiar feeling…a strange warmth spreading through his chest, and he began to ponder.

As the various thoughts began to float around in the blonde's head, he entertained a few of the nagging strays.

'This seems an awful lot like a date…'

'Is it a date…?'
He didn't know, but he didn't exactly care either- whether he or Celty were on a date or not, he'd made it a goal to help cheer her up. If it took a date to do that, then so be it- Shizuo only hoped he was proper date material…

But even if he wasn't, he was going to try his best, try and make her happy. Because he would never admit it, but he was always happiest when she was.

-

Just an hour or so more of Celty's frightened thrashing and it was official- Abduction was finally over, and the credits began to roll with dramatic music blasting in the background. Oddly enough, to Shizuo it didn't seem like it'd been an eternity- instead, he felt the moment with his special friend had ended rather quickly, and he frowned. Nevertheless, Celty was still glued to her seat, stunned by the cliff-hanger closing and shaking with the aftershocks of the thrill.

"So, what'd you think?"

In a flash, Celty's PDA was in her palm, and she anxiously tapped on the keys.

[It was…it was FANTASTIC!]

Celty threw her hands up into the air, flailing excitedly, and the ex-bartender couldn't help but chuckle.

"I'm glad."

[Thank you, Shizuo. I feel like myself again. It's always nice to get the chance to spend time with you.]

The blonde's cheeks grew hot for a moment at Celty's words, and he thanked the still-dimmed lights for the pleasant darkness.

"Same. I know we're both busy, but I'm here whenever you need me."

The dullahan nodded in agreement, her helmet fixed firmly on her neck.

[I'm here for you too, Shizuo. Anytime, anywhere. Please don't forget.]

Shizuo flashed Celty a brilliant grin, shaking his head.

"I won't. Now let's get outta here."

The headless woman was puzzled, and she scratched the side of her helmet.

[Where to…?]

"My place. Is that alright…?"

Celty hesitated, her hands beginning to shake slightly. What did he have planned at his apartment? Somehow, she couldn't think of anything appropriate, but perhaps she was jumping to conclusions. Between friends, an invite to one's home was a polite gesture, right? Maybe he just wanted to hang out a bit, just…the two of them.

[Alright.]
She couldn't resist Shizuo's bright, brown eyes.

-

The blonde beamed as they exited the movie theater- Celty, on the other hand, was somewhat uncomfortable. She found herself misjudging Shizuo's intentions, but she couldn't find the will to go home…no, she didn't want to, not yet. Shizuo was a good person, and that was a fact- he would never do anything to compromise their friendship, so Celty's fears were decidedly unfounded.
If that were the case, then why was she still worrying?

'All of this…it's been so much like a d-date…'
Celty thought privately, feeling as plumes of smoke escaped from underneath her helmet.
She was embarrassed, but why? She and Shizuo…they were just friends, weren't they?

Celty followed the ex-bartender silently, and they retraced their steps back to the park. The dullahan found her motorcycle right where she left it, and if she could sigh, she would have done so. It was a relief to know that despite her fame in Ikebukuro, there was little ill-intention toward her.

[Hop on.]

It took her less than a second to type- she'd already planned what she was going to say.

"'Kay."
Granted, there wasn't much hopping to be done- Shizuo mounted Celty's bike easily enough, his height making it a simple task, and Celty did the same. Her bike gave a loud and lengthy neigh, plainly excited to see its owner, and they sped off to Shizuo's apartment- Celty knew the way of course.
It certainly wasn't the first time she'd visited, however- it was her first time going there alone. Often, Shinra, Simon, or even Tom would accompany her to the blonde's hideaway, but she'd mainly tagged along.
This was new…exhilarating.

Celty felt a twinge of guilt for being so eager to spend such time alone with her friend, but this was their time together, wasn't it? Celty wanted to enjoy it.
Still, her mind wandered.

She wondered briefly what Shinra was doing, and before she knew it, they'd already arrived. Stopping to dismount, Celty found a secluded place to leave Shooter, and she and Shizuo made their way up the stairs.
Shizuo pulled out a pair of keys from his pocket upon reaching his door, and unlocked it, kindly allowing for Celty to enter first before shutting it behind him.

-

Shizuo threw his keys on top of a nearby dresser before crashing onto his couch- there was only one, and it wasn't terribly big, so Celty sat politely on the floor.

[I know you don't like it very much, but your apartment is actually quite cozy.]

The man rolled his eyes, patting the spot next to him in a gesture for Celty to sit. She obliged after a minute or two, thinking it over- the couch sank in the middle, causing both Shizuo and Celty to lean into each other awkwardly, their shoulders touching.

After they'd settled in, the headless woman began to fidget- she was accustomed to silence, it was true, but usually with Shizuo, silence wasn't something she had to worry about.

"What's making you so nervous?"
Shizuo asked, cocking his head to the side in question. His blonde hair moved with him, sweeping gently across his forehead.

[W-Well, it's just…]

"…Is it Shinra?"
The blonde asked blatantly.

Celty stopped suddenly, her body slumping forward. She truly couldn't hide anything from Shizuo. He was far more observant than he let on, but even so, he was only partially right.

[I-I'm not sure. It's hard not to think about our fight. I feel guilty about hanging out with you. Is that understandable…?]
The dullahan responded, sincerely.
It was true that she felt bad about having fun with Shizuo when Shinra was presumably still at his apartment, sulking. It made her feel like a dishonest person- and she didn't like dishonesty in the slightest. But aside from that, she felt embarrassment- being alone with the ex-bartender excited her, and she was torn between wanting to stay and wanting to return to Shinra.

She wasn't sure what to do.

Shizuo sighed. It was rather light- almost as if he'd been expecting Celty's answer.

"Yeah. I can understand that. Listen, if you want to go home-"

[No!]

Shizuo blinked, surprised, and Celty struggled to redeem herself. She sat up as straight as she could, crossing one leg over the other.

[W-What I meant was…no thanks. I'm okay. I think being away from Shinra might help- we can both blow off some steam this way.]

"Blow off steam, huh? We haven't done anything very strenuous- yet."
Shizuo looked up at the headless woman from behind his dark lashes, his jaw set and serious.

Wh-What is this…? It feels like…like a spell!
Celty shook with embarrassment, trying to hold her arm still for Shizuo to read the message on her PDA.

[Y-Y-Y-Y-Yet!? Sh-Shizuo?!]

Shizuo sat still for a moment, thinking. His face was blank. Suddenly-

"AHAHAHAHA!"

Celty jumped as the bellowing laughter echoed throughout the small room. He slapped Celty's back playfully, but the gesture nearly knocked the dullahan over.

"Ah, that was good. Your reaction…!"
The ex-bartender shook his head in disbelief, smiling.

[Wh-what were you doing!?]

The blonde shrugged nonchalantly.
"I dunno- I've always wanted to try something like that. Act like a heartthrob. Pfft…I'm not cut out for it at all!"

Celty shook her helmet vigorously from side to side.
[That's not true! You just took me by surprise, that's all. I thought you were very attractive.]

Shizuo grunted, his face growing warm, and before he knew it his ears were burning.

[It was really interesting. Can you try again…? B-But lighter on the innuendo this time!]

Shizuo grinned apologetically before relaxing his features once again. He closed his eyes.
When he opened them, they were somehow smoldering, beautiful.

"I want you right now."
His voice was husky, his face smooth and solemn.

Celty nearly hit the ceiling- she was blown away.
When she'd said 'go lighter on the innuendo' she didn't mean throw it out altogether…she mentally sighed.

[D-D-Definitely…you and Kasuka are definitely brothers. S-Surely you could pursue an acting career, if you wanted.]

She was still spinning when Shizuo turned to face her, leaning in closer.

"I'm being serious this time."

'He-He's not acting…? Impossible.'
Celty thought as smoke seeped from underneath her helmet, quickly filling the room.

[You've practiced enough, don't you think…? Come on, let's do something else.]

Shizuo didn't say a word as Celty rose from the couch, searching around for something to do.

Granted, Shizuo didn't have much- she could understand why. Perhaps he'd thought ahead or there'd been a previous incident involving his impossible strength, a touch of rage, and some household items. But she looked anyway, feeling slightly uncomfortable.

Again, her mind wandered to Shinra. She wondered if he was worrying about her.
Absentmindedly she began typing away on her PDA.

[Shinra…I just wanted to let you know that I'm with Shizuo. We're hanging out a bit to get my mind off things. I hope you understand.]

Send.

[I'll see you when I get back.]

She felt a bit silly for texting him again before he'd replied, but she wanted to at least tell him where she's been. That and try to soothe their wounds. But maybe…maybe Shinra wouldn't even text her back at all.

"He respond?"
Shizuo asked, knowing exactly what Celty was doing.

The dullahan took her seat next to her friend once more.
[Not yet. I hope he does.]

Shizuo clicked his tongue.
"Me too. It's hard to see you like this."

He patted Celty's helmet as gently as he could, then rested his hand in between the ears.

"At least act a bit tsundere."

Celty was too shocked to be mad- her shoulders trembled in her silent laughter. She'd never heard Shizuo use that term, but she guessed that her apparent 'tsundere' tendencies with Shinra were quite noticeable, even to him.
She began to relax, sinking deeper into the couch pillows, and closer to Shizuo.

[Thanks for having me.]

"No problem. Can I get you a…strong smelling cup of tea?"

The dullahan laughed again, this time it shook her entire body, but she politely declined, shaking her helmet. Celty appreciated the gesture, however- she let her hand rest on Shizuo's thigh; it was her way of saying 'thanks'. Shizuo stared at her gloved hand, feeling his face heat up again, and he cursed himself.

[I had fun today. It was nice sitting with you in the park, and the movie was great…]
Shizuo smiled, placing his larger, warmer hand on top of Celty's.

"Same here. It was pretty good."

The dullahan hesitated before responding.

[Did it…did it feel like a date to you as well? I thought maybe it could be, but-]

Shizuo's eyes widened, and he grated his teeth a bit. He had hoped to avoid this question, but perhaps it was a date he had taken her on.

"Yeah, I guess. Maybe it was a date, after all."

Shizuo swallowed, looking down.

"Is that bad…?"

Another shake of the helmet.

[It was exciting. I felt like I was a part of things, just like everyone else. I was happy.]
Shizuo shrugged, but even so the blonde's hand tightened around his friend's.

"It's not hard to become a part of this city. It kinda swallows you up, like a whale or somethin'. After that it's near impossible to get out…you okay with that?"

Celty nodded.

[Despite everything, I love Ikebukuro. I want to be a part of what makes it so interesting.]

"Ha! You? You already are. Trust me."

The headless woman turned her helmet to Shizuo's direction, and she reached out to touch his cheek.
Another silent 'thank you' Shizuo had guessed, but then she ran her fingers down to his lips, gently running across them with two cautious fingertips.

"Celty…"

Shizuo grasped her fingers, pulling her in to kiss her palm lovingly before brushing his lips against the back of her hand. His eyes were kind, and Celty couldn't move. She was frozen in place, her hand near Shizuo's hot mouth, watching as he kissed it tenderly. Shivers ran down her spine and Celty's body quivered.

Suddenly Shizuo's strong arms were wrapped around her, and she could tell it took all he had not to squeeze her to death. She hugged him back and reveled in his embrace- he was so warm and welcoming, and somehow she just couldn't pull away.

He was leaning over her on the couch, then he was on top of her, and it all seemed to move so fast, Celty couldn't keep up. She couldn't keep track of what was happening- Shizuo was acting so strange, so different, but she loved it. The many different sides of him, she liked them all- this was one she's rarely been shown to this extent, but Celty couldn't get enough. It seemed so odd to her how such a powerful man, capable of so much destruction could be so loving, so thoughtful and romantic.

The headless woman tensed when Shizuo reached up to remove her helmet, but she let him discard of it on the floor, smoke seeping from her neck and swirling around them. Her lack of resistance was thanks to how comfortable she felt in the arms of this man, how at home she felt even when she wasn't.

He was in between her legs now, and looking down at her with lustful eyes. She could feel the hardness of his erection poking at her core, and she shifted.

Did they really have this much sexual tension between them? Did they desire each other so much?
Shizuo unbuckled his belt and pulled down his pants and Celty lets her shadowy catsuit fade away into the air, feeling herself grow wet. Before she knew it Shizuo had freed himself from his boxers and was pushing into her, slowly.

She squirms, it's painful but it's also erotic- he's so big and she's so tight, he struggles not to take her forcefully right then and there, and instead buries himself calmly within her walls.
He grunts and rocks slowly against her, desperate for some friction, and Celty responds by thrusting up to meet him, adjusting to his girth.

Shizuo moans and he can't control himself anymore, he pulls halfway out before thrusting back in to the hilt, all the way, until he can't go any deeper. He does it again and Celty shudders, he feels so good inside of her and she can't think of anything but him.
It's when he sets a steady pace that she really begins to lose her self-restraint, and she unravels beneath him, spreading her legs further apart on the couch, angling herself so that his pelvis rubs against her clit, so that when he thrusts he brushes against that delicious spot inside of her, making her quake violently. The stimulation of her clit and G-spot simultaneously is enough to make her scream, but she can't- and it's driving her wild.

Her thrashing only encourages Shizuo more, and he drives into her with more passion, feeling as the pleasure builds. In and out, in and out, in and out, like fierce ocean waves crashing into her. Celty's so warm and wet and her toes curl as Shizuo's mixes it up, pounding fast into her one minute and grinding slowly into her the next. Celty wants to gasp as Shizuo lifts one of her legs up into the air for deeper penetration, he rests her ankle on his shoulder and continues to thrust deep inside of her, and Celty just can't take it. She tenses and her back arches and she finally comes, smoke fills the room as it pours from her neck and whirls around in a frenzy. Shizuo pants and he thrusts into her one last time as her walls clamp down onto his cock, orgasm washes over him and he empties himself into Celty, her throbbing, pulsating sex milking him dry.

They both ride out the shockwaves of their passion, it's so blissful and their bodies are glowing and glistening with sweat. They bask in each other's warmth and company, thoughts beginning to become coherent again, and suddenly the guilt kicks in.

Shizuo pulls out and pulls up his boxers and pants, fixes his belt- Celty dresses in the thick shadows strewn across the room, and she's thinking so many things. Shizuo and Celty both wonder the same-

'What if Shinra finds out…?'

They both rise from the couch and the dullahan locates her helmet on Shizuo's apartment floor, but he's the one who picks it up for her and fixes it firmly onto her neck. He doesn't want this to make things awkward between them or ruin their friendship- he wouldn't allow it, and he embraces her strongly from behind.

"I'm sorry…"
He whispers, and Celty wants to sigh.

[It's alright. I wanted to as well.]

Shizuo is relieved, and lets Celty turn around to return his embrace, his bartender's vest bunched up in her hands. The blonde doesn't mind- he buries his face into the crook of her neck and inhales deeply, happy that everything has gone so well. Even now, he feels grateful to have been with Celty in the way he's always wanted, he won't deny it and neither will she. She enjoyed every last bit of it, and it was something she'd never forget.

Celty was feeling very relaxed now, and Shizuo released her.

[Thank you so much…for everything. I'm not worried or jealous anymore, somehow…]

Shizuo laughs.

"Is that right? Well good, I'm glad."

Celty nods sternly and runs her hand down Shizuo's arm.

[I'll see you later, then?]

The ex-bartender had no qualms about this whatsoever.
"Sure thing."

Waving, Celty left the apartment, and quietly sped away on her motorcycle as Shizuo watched from his doorway.

"Shit..."