In My Remains

By: AtomicKokoro

Storyline

We all have wrongs we wish to right. When it's too late, our mistakes are passed down to our successor. If we wish to not burden our successor, we try what we can. Shinra becomes Shingen's "successor" and Masaomi tries to right his wrongs before they are passed down to Mikado and Saki. Fates intertwine and impossible wrongs can only be righted by an impossible friendship.

…

Before You Read

It was either JUST Shinra or JUST Masaomi. Then I went, "Am I an idiot? Both!" And this Fanfiction was born.

I am the only person who writes fanfictions where both Shinra and Masaomi play as the main characters and actually meet. Why? Because I can do that and I'm smartical with this sort of stuff.

Also, it was my birthday. (happy face) I'm fifteen now! For anyone who cares... lol

On with the story!

…

Chapter 1

Unusual Silence

Something wasn't right when Celty woke up that morning.

The apartment was too quiet.

Usually, Shinra was up before her. He was either making something to eat or watching television or taking a shower or whining her awake because he was lonely. Making some sort of noise, but that morning was quiet. Maybe he decided to sleep in for once, she told herself. Or maybe he went on an emergency job.

Celty had mornings like those. Sometimes, she didn't wake up until noon. Sometimes, Izaya called Shinra (who would always whine about having to send her off so early) for a job and off she went.

But neither of those seemed...right.

She rubbed the back of her neck, then pushed the blanket of her sleeping bag (she refused to even sleep in the same room as Shinra) and stood. It was a little chilly for her pink pajamas but it passed as a nice sort of cold. The cool that sent shivers down the spine one could easily get addicted to.

Celty left her room and stretched as she walked into the living room. Then, she stopped. Shinra was sitting on the couch. Not leaning back against the cushions, not half-lying with his eyes focused on the screen. Leaned forward, head in hands.

That bad kind of "sitting on the couch". She watched for a moment, hoping that he was just trying to wake up. Did he need more sleep? She hesitated. It was beginning to get awkward. By the time this many seconds passed, Shinra would have noticed her. But he hadn't said a word yet.

[Shinra?] she typed into her PDA, flashing the screen in his direction. He didn't even hear her type on it's screen. Celty shifted her weight and the floorboards creaked with the new pressure. Then, he heard her.

Barely, he looked over his shoulder and gave one, slow nod. "Morning, Celty." She paused and slowly brought her PDA to her side. Shinra looked tired. Maybe he did need more sleep. His voice was slower and quieter than normal. He tried to smile but he looked forward and Celty doubted that thing of a smile stayed on his face.

[What's wrong?] she asked, walking around the couch and sitting beside him. [You seem] She stopped. It was hard to describe what he seemed like this morning. It was so unusual. [upset.]

Shinra nodded and sighed. "Yeah," he replied. "I...am."

Celty paused, trying to read his face. He continued to stare at the ground with his hands folded under his chin. She had a feeling staring at him wasn't going to get her an answer, so she pressed on. [Did something happen?]

"Yeah," Shinra replied without looking at the PDA screen. "I got a call from Emilia this morning. And..." He shifted his weight on the couch and his face was back in his hands. He muttered something into his palms quietly.

Celty, even with her slightly amazing hearing, couldn't even pick up what he said, but his voice cracked and his pitch wavered. [Pardon?] she typed.

He didn't move for a moment, then he ran his fingers through his hair. He sniffed and Celty realized Shinra was crying. It was a funny thing; despite Shinra's hyper, happy personality, he was a "tough cookie", as they said.

Now that Celty thought about it, did he really ever cry? Maybe a few times as a kid from tripping on a scraped knee or of the sorts but pain was something Shinra never let get to him as he grew older (especially since Shizuo had a small tendency to break a few of Shinra's bones and Shinra found himself adjusting to it).

As for matters of the heart, the only thing that ever seemed to bother him was when Celty was upset in some way or if his dad was disappointed in him. A dead animal or pet was usually seen as some sort of science project and fighting with others wasn't exactly something Shinra ever found himself in (the only person he ever seemed to get into arguments with was Celty, strangely enough).

Celty was worried, more or less, as these ideas appeared her thought process. [Shinra? What's wrong? What happened?]

He stared at the wall for a moment. It took Celty a moment to realize that Shinra was trying his hardest to keep himself together. Then, he whimpered, "My dad is gone," and he burst into sobs.

For a few brief seconds, Celty was shocked before she took action and wrapped an arm around Shinra's shoulders as he cried. She wanted to ask how. Why. But she wasn't sure she could bring herself to ask Shinra in his current state (and she didn't; he was already upset enough).

She could only think to do one thing, and that was hold him until he calmed. Whatever happened after that, she hoped she would do it right.

…

Celty couldn't find the right word to describe the relationship between Shinra and his father. It was hard to tell if they hated each other or loved each other. Shingen was a single father in Shinra's third and fourth age. And, of course, they had their up and downs.

It wasn't until after Shingen passed on that Celty realized their relationship as father and son wasn't any different than any other person they would pass on the street.

Shinra dressed up. Talking to him had been a futile attempt the last few days and she doubted Shinra would open up any time soon. Even she was shocked. Shingen wasn't someone who would easily go down (that was where Shinra got it from), and just for it to happen seemed...unusual.

Celty watched Shinra fix his tie in the mirror from the doorway. It was strange to see him in black. He was almost always wearing white, with a cheery smile and a girly giggle. But now he was...almost an entirely different person.

He didn't smile (aside from a sympathy chuckle, but even that was more of a grunt). He didn't hit on Celty (aside from a small side comment about how pretty she was). He was still eating (it must have been drilled into him as a doctor) and he tried to do things to distract himself (it might have made things easier).

There was only one major change that scared Celty; Shinra hadn't worn his lab coat in a few days. He always wore it because he loved his job. He loved it almost as much as he loved Celty, but he had slipped it off and hung it on the closet doorknob. He simply wore a button-up dress shirt and black jeans. He didn't bother with the tie. There was no point in it.

For once, Shinra seemed like a normal person. A normal person who had lost their father and was really depressed about it. Celty came to the conclusion she didn't like Shinra as a normal person. She wanted him back, but it seemed like only time could accomplish something like that.

Shinra stared at his reflection for a moment. They looked so alike, it was actually sort of terrifying. But to look into a mirror and remind yourself of someone you loved who had passed must have been...heart wretching. Celty folded her arms, emitting enough sound for Shinra to realize she was standing there. He turned and blinked. "Oh, hey, Celty," he said. "I was just leaving."

Celty pulled out her PDA, typed something, then flashed the screen. [Maybe I should come, too.]

The doctor thought about it, then shook his head. "No, it's fine," he said. "I'll be fine."

[Are you sure?] she questioned. [You've been acting strange lately.]

Shinra nodded and rested his hand on the dresser. "I'll be fine," he repeated. "Izaya will be there. Besides, you should stay here. If you show up at the funeral, it-" He stopped instantly and swallowed. "Ah, it's okay. You don't need to be there. It's a pretty depressing place. It's not someplace you need to be."

Celty paused for a moment. [Izaya?] she asked. [Why would he be there?]

"He might be a bit...crazy," Celty would have raised an eyebrow (if she had one) at Shinra's choice of words. "but he's still my friend." Celty thought about what to say next, fingers hovering over the PDA, when the doorbell rang. "That would be him." Shinra hurried passed Celty and walked to the door.

He opened it and, he was right. Izaya stood, hands in his pockets, dressed in his normal attire. Shinra tsked at the sight and groaned. "Izaya," he whined. "You couldn't wear something more formal?"

Izaya lifted an eyebrow, as though what Shinra was suggesting was crazy. "He was your dad, not mine." He held a straight face until he realized Shinra was a little hurt. "Ah," Izaya muttered, looking away. "Formal isn't my thing."

Shinra watched Izaya for a moment, almost appearing exhausted. Izaya blinked and frowned a bit until he noticed the courier in the back. "Let's go," Shinra sighed, kicking on some dress shoes he found in the closet and waving goodbye to Celty. "I'll be home soon."

And he shut the door behind him.