the pact (chainsaw man, aki/reader fanfiction)

chapter 2: power struggle

"Hello, Mr. Hayakawa... Aki? Umm, what should I call you?" Your voice is a bit shaky.

"Aki is fine," he replies, keeping it short with you. He had such an air of formality about him it was hard to believe you were on a first-name basis. The way he commanded the room made you a little nervous.

"Okay. I'm [y/n], but... you knew that already. Could you tell me what's in the plans for this afternoon?"

Aki doesn't respond immediately. He twiddles his thumbs and continues to scan your body. Now, you were even more conscious about how the uniform hugged your figure. Your eyes wander to the floor, trying to avoid looking at him directly. You wondered if he could tell exactly how uneasy you were. Why did Makima even leave the two of you alone in the first place?

You never had to report to anyone as a private sector Devil Hunter, so this entire interaction was awkward for you and you weren't too keen on having another person giving you orders—yet another thing you probably would hate about this job.

"I'd like to see how the entire unit works together and assess your strength as a Devil Hunter. I've read a lot on paper, but I want to see for myself. I had to handle a threat this morning, as Makima already informed you, but now you will be going on patrol with Power, Denji, and I," he finally answers you.

You were instantly drawn to Aki. His voice put you in a slight trance. The temperature of your core rises when he speaks and your cheeks get a little rosy. You already know his looks alone will probably serve as a major distraction, and working alongside a team will be a major adjustment because you always flew solo up until now.

"Hmmm... okay," you remark.

He gets up from his seat and walks towards the door, motioning you to follow him. He holds the door open for you and for the first time you notice the shape of his slender fingers. There wasn't a rigid nail in sight or a speck of dirt underneath, unbelievable for a man who had just returned from hunting a Devil. The clear coat atop his nails showed how much detail he took in his appearance. In the seconds you fixate on them, your mind travels to a lewd thought about what else he could do with his hands. You shake yourself out of it and center yourself back on work just as quickly.

God... why is he so beautiful?

You and your new superior meet the rest of your teammates in the lobby of the building and load up in the company sedan parked out front. He takes the driver seat; you take shotgun and Denji and Power ride together in the back. As you ride, Aki rolls the car windows down and lights a cigarette at a stoplight. He holds the cigarette and smokes with one hand and controls the steering wheel with the other. You make small talk with him as the two knuckleheads argue about something pointless in the backseat.

So... he's a smoker? I should have known from the tobacco I smelled on him earlier.

Before long, you arrive at the destination across town. It was a highly populated area—a shopping district. Devils tended to appear in places where there were many people and thus, many overlapping fears. This district was located next to a pond that was a known dwelling for snakes, so it wouldn't be too far-fetched if a Devil showed up while you were on patrol.

You exit the vehicle with the rest of the team and post up on a corner in the shopping district. Power and Denji are at their usual antics, while you take some time to people watch and peruse a few shops nearby. Aki is stoic and on alert when he isn't keeping Power and Denji in line. He gives you a brief background about Public Safety and the division you were in and some of the contrasts with private work. Lighting another cigarette, he also explains that Denji came from private work and the two of you might get along. You couldn't see it but would do your best to make nice with the boy.