DEVIL IN YOUR HEART (denji x fem reader/oc)

Three: Strangers

Denji decided on accompanying her to the library. He thought it was a bit strange that she—a 17 year old—needed books, of all things, to learn necessary life skills at this point in life, but he didn't want to question her circumstances. After all, he used to live like that, too.

The two continued walking together under the moonlight, being extra wary of their surroundings. It was dangerous to be in the dark. They noticed how less frequently they passed by other people, but it became livelier as they inched towards the heart of the city. It was less-run down, so the streetlights weren't broken.

"Do you go to school?" he asked her. Lucy saw that he was wearing a school uniform, which led her to believe that this was why he asked.

She shook her head in response. "I've never gone to school before," she said. "I heard it was fun, though."

His eyes lit up in surprise. He thought she was very dignified, which made him even more confused about her. "If that's the case," he started, "then you should go to my school!"

She smiled at him. "Maybe I will," she replied. "It all depends on whether or not my boss will allow me to."

"Your boss shouldn't have a say in that," Denji commented, stretching his arms upwards and putting them behind his back. "You should go to school if you want."

"Aha..." she chuckled. "Let's just say that I'm a very special case, which is why he chooses if I go to school or not."

"What do you mean by 'special case?'" he asked her. Lucy smiled slyly in response.

"It's a secret."

They both made it to the library and split up from there. Lucy and Denji parted ways at the entrance.

"I guess this is the last time we'll see each other for a while," she said. "I'll catch you another time. Bye, Denji! Thanks for walking me here."

He smiled at her with his jagged teeth and waved back. "You're welcome," he said. "Seeya."

Denji grinned at the fact that a girl allowed him to walk with her. A pretty one. He hadn't felt something like this in a while. As much as he wanted to, Denji decided not to fall for her quite yet. He recalled the times where he fell in love with someone he barely knew, and he does not want to relive those tragic memories. The last thing he wanted was for someone to take advantage of him.

With this, the male thought about the process of what getting a girlfriend would be. Even though he wanted to out himself as Chainsaw Man, Denji was concerned about being taken advantage of again. He wouldn't really mind it to a certain extent, but that will change once it concerns him being the chainsaw devil.

He would first start dating the girl without ever telling her his true identity. After a while of being with her, he would finally tell her the truth. If she ends up using him because of who he is, then he would "take responsibility."

Denji thought about this future with Lucy in mind; mostly because he liked the way she treated him with kindness. He thought back to their conversation on the way to the library and decided to hold it dearly to himself. Even while allowing his unique mindset to show itself, Lucy was not judgemental in any way. She wasn't judgemental like other people were. She accepted it as a part of Denji and treated him like your average person.

And because of that, he's slightly interested in her—outside of her appearance.

Meanwhile, Lucy was at the library checking out five books to help her with daily necessities like cooking. While the librarian was busy scanning her books, Lucy recalled her conversation with Denji and found him interesting. She was intrigued by his "outwards" personality. Humans like this always caught her eye. She thought it would be good to stick around him for a bit, especially since he mentioned that he didn't have a lot of friends. Lucy wanted to help with that.

After getting her books back from the librarian, she started to go back home by foot. The street lights were broken just like they had been earlier. She took advantage of this and looked up at the sky to see if there were any stars. All her worries dissolved whenever she saw those little spots of light in the dark. It reminded Lucy that there were other worlds outside of the ones she resides in. As much as she wanted to explore past these Earth-bound realms, it is only a dream worth dreaming.

At this point, she was about a three-minute walk from home. Her surroundings became more familiar to her the closer she got to her apartment. Lucy started to think about what the rest of her life would be like as a devil hunter. She knew what to expect. Kishibe mentioned once that the types of hunters that devils feared the most were the crazy once. Lucy didn't think she was that crazy, but she knew for sure she was the type devils feared since she didn't have anything to lose.
Besides her home, maybe.

The girl was hesitant to become attached to someone. Unlike her brother, Lucy felt empathy towards humans because—just like her—they were alive. Their hearts beat. They bled the same red blood. She didn't put herself on a higher pedestal than the others. Lucy thought herself to be equal to humans, even if her capabilities and prowess far exceeded theirs. That didn't matter to her. In the end, they all lived in the same world alongside each other. But then again... she didn't care much about saving their lives. She still dislikes humans.

Lucy finally made it home to her apartment. She shifted the key in its lock and opened the door to a welcoming home. The air smelled fresh and everything was tidy just as she had left it. She couldn't wait to adjust to this new lifestyle. Living as a human amongst them was something she's always wanted to do.

She was unsure as to why she desired this so much. There was a growing feeling of longing welling up in her stomach. As much as she hated this feeling, Lucy didn't want to push it away. She wanted to satisfy it, but she doesn't know how. She doesn't even know what she wants. Maybe what Lucy is seeking is humanity within herself. Maybe she just wants to fit in to have a sense of normalcy.

There is no definite answer.

But if there's one thing Lucy knows, it's that she won't stop until she finds it.