ooparts

Izaya would like to claim neutrality—that he doesn’t care one way or the other what happens to Shinra; that his value is equal to everyone else’s, alive or dead—but the truth of the matter is that he hasn’t the slightest idea how he would react if Shinra really were to go out that way. And he’s perfectly content never to find out. Besides, in all likelihood Celty wouldn’t let it happen in the first place: she’s a sensible monster. 

As sensible as a monster can be, anyway. 

          “Have you thought about what it’s going to be like when you get old?”          (If he gets old: it’s always a matter of if when it comes to a life of criminal activity; they all know that.)          “As far as we can tell, she doesn’t age. But we do, you have. That’s going to present some challenges someday, don’t you think?”  

It’s a wonder that it hasn’t presented any challenges already. Celty has known Shinra all his life; she can remember the way he spoke before his voice deepened, what he looked like when he was a child. Normally that would give someone pause. At least, it would give a human someone pause. If they were decent.

Izaya often wonders about how it all works, what lies they have to tell themselves and each other for their relationship to flourish the way it does—and with Shinra as a captive audience on this train, he can ask all the questions he likes. 

Shinra wasn't particularly self-conscious about it, but there was some sort of shallowness to the bliss he'd found in his life, after all. He could ramble for days about his adoration for her, the joyous life they shared, the purpose she grants him, but in the end it all boiled down to something so terribly simple: I'm happy with her. Anything else, to him, was fluff. He made a face at it as he thought. Lopsided and scrunched, and underlined with a low hum -- He tried giving a little more thought, dragging his ponderous silence out to a grand 10, perhaps 12 seconds-- but in that woeful time he couldn't manage to think of any answer that would satisfy what his friend had actually asked.

"Will it? .. Why does it matter?"

There simply were no challenges that bothered him. Not really. Optically, they were already strange, and would grow no stranger -- her body was always coated in darkness, thus her lack of wrinkles wouldn't stand out beside him. Emotionally, he could imagine no different than what they've already had throughout his entire life. If anything, would they not only grow closer with time? As he had already been happy, he couldn't possibly imagine becoming less happy. Existentially, they had both known from the day they met that she would outlive him. They'd known that she would one day watch him die. The matter had long since been come to terms with.

The only grievance he could think of was that she might grow bored of him. But in her vast and wondrous lifespan, he was only a blip-- with any luck, this precious time was too short for her to find boredom. His greatest wish could only be that his memory would long outlive his body.

So, no. He couldn't really give an answer that Izaya would like.

"I'll get grey and wrinkly. I can only hope I age in a way that's still attractive to her~"

It doesn't help, of course ; the deceptive simplicity of what he does choose to say.

oh--

happy birthday shinra 💖

fuchi has to think about this one. he doesn't have much of a social life. nor does he have too many hobbies. having a chill birthday is enough to satisfy him. there's no need to go out and do something overwhelming.

"Whaaaat, no way, a celebration like this doesn't come by every day!!"

Even though, deep down, he knew a quiet night in was more Fuchi's cup of tea. The party should reflect the person, yadda yadda, but... come on!