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Denji’s words echo in her ears briefly, and Asa blinks once, then twice. Her brain refuses to accept whatever information Denji had given her as her gaze follows his, both of them staring down the eerily silent hallway that seems to run on for miles and miles. The aquarium tanks continue to cast shadows across the floors and walls, bathing them in a soft blue hue as the starfish lie motionless behind the glass walls.
The Famine devil’s words reverberate in Asa’s mind repeatedly until she feels her stomach churn, her breakfast sitting nauseatingly in her belly.
“Wh-what?” Asa finally utters.
Her skin prickles with fear, and she grips the straps of her backpack tightly.
Denji stuffs his hands into the pockets of that hideous jacket he’s wearing, acting like it’s another day at the park and casually tips his head to the side.
“It’s that damn devil again.” He grouses.
Asa barely hears him over the loud thunder of her heartbeat.
She weakly puts one foot after the other, stumbling in her steps. Denji shifts beside her, but doesn’t reach to touch her arms and steady her on her feet.
“Oi.” He calls out, his brows scrunching together. Asa hears his voice as if it’s coming from under water, like she’s drowning in fear. “You okay—“
“Don’t be dumb.” Asa sucks in her bottom lip, narrowing her eyes at his flat stare as she marches ahead, the fish behind the long panes of glass continuing to swim around. “Exit is literally this way!”
Asa expects him to follow her but he doesn’t. Fine. She thinks bitterly. It’s fair because she didn’t follow him either when he ruined her perfect date plan and went on to see those penguins without her. I’ll just get out on my own.
She walks, conscious of every breath she takes, every shadow that shifts across the stark, looming walls. The soles of her feet plant firmly on the floor each time, making sure that she’s there— not in one of her nightmares where there are butchered chicken carcasses scattered around her.
A head of sandy blond locks finally enters her vision.
Asa halts, fists tightening around the straps of her backpack. Her heart drops to her churning stomach, her breath hitching in her throat as she blinks repeatedly in hopes of making sense of the current paradox.
Denji leans against the starfish glass, arms folded over his chest in amusement. Asa’s lips part, a look of utter disbelief on her face.
“What…” she looks back at the infinite hallway she had crossed and her gaze snaps over to his impassive face again. “I just— no way!”
“Told ya.” Denji shrugs reluctantly. His brows furrow when Asa quickly backtracks and he frowns. “The hell are ya doin’—“
Asa bolts back again. Her feet thump against the floor as she runs, her backpack bouncing on her back and her dark pigtails whipping behind her as she sprints forward. Her skinny arms pump by her sides as she darts down the hallway, the same sea creatures peeking at her from behind the clear, thick glass. Octopuses. Seahorses. Sea anemones. Starfish—
Her heels dig into the floor and she comes to a screeching halt.
Denji’s arms are crossed over his chest, his lips downturned. Asa swallows, her bottom lip wobbling. “I’m in the same spot again— this makes no sense?!”
She clasps her pigtails and tugs on them hard, her chest heaving with panic and exertion.
Denji rolls his eyes and Asa promptly points a finger his way, her jaw tight. “Is this some kind of prank?!”
“Why the fuck would I prank ya?” Denji scowls back at her. “Like I said, the fucker’s back from hell again.”
Her mind reels back to the conversation from before— her, Yoru and the Famine Devil. The devil’s ominous words ring in her head, hitting her brain over and over again until Asa braces the glass beside her to steady herself on her feet. The starfish lay behind it, motionless.
She licks her parched lips and stares at Denji, her knees quivering. “What do you mean?”
“I’ve fought this devil before.” He shrugs nonchalantly, hands deep in his pockets. “I kicked its ass for three days till it decided to kill itself.”
“You… killed it?”
“Yeah.” A proud grin tugs Denji’s lips, and he jabs a thumb to his puffed up chest, looking the happiest she has ever seen him.
“S’cause I’m Chainsaw Man!”
Asa stares at him for a heartbeat. Oh, right. She thumps her head against the cold glass, her jaw clenched. I’m stuck with a fucking fan boy.
She’s staring in empty air when bony fingers snap infront of her face. Soft brown eyes blink rapidly, meeting Denji’s amused gaze and Asa squishes her cheek against the aquarium glass, hoping that the coolness touching her face would offer her some relief.
It doesn’t.
“Oi.” Denji frowns, fists set on his hips. “Ya hear what I said?”
Asa remembers her plan— she’s supposed to turn him into a weapon and for that, he has to like her first. They’re stuck in here together and will starve to death if they don’t get out. She gazes at Denji, the blond staring back at her as he crosses his arms and cocks his head to the side.
Asa wonders just why he hasn't fallen for her already.
She has a cute face, doesn’t she? Her mother always said that she was adorable. Her outfit was appealing too even if Yoru hadn’t let her wear the little hair clip. Asa had spent hours in the library to memorize all those facts about sea creatures for this date. After all her effort to win his heart, how was this idiot not falling for her—
The ground beneath their feet shakes.
Asa stands up straighter, her eyes blown wide in alarm. “What was that?”
“‘M thinkin’ ugly’s gonna show its face now,” Denji grumbles, raising his fists near his face as his feet shift for a solid stance.
Asa doesn’t know what he means but when she turns around, her heart leaps to her throat. Behind them, there is a wall of mutilated scarlet flesh. There are multiple grotesque faces sprouting from it, laughing and sneering and snarling— the air smells like the rotting corpse of a rat.
“Chainsaw…” the devil moans in a chorus of different voices that echo across the everlasting hallway. It’s enough to pierce fear deep into the confines of Asa’s heart.
“We won’t let you get away this time…”
She’s seen devils before. Even fought Yuko and almost won— then why. Asa feels the ice in her veins, the way her heart is about to burst out of her chest. Why can’t I move?
Denji’s lips pull back into a snarl as the devil’s infinite eyes snap to Asa. Her throat constricts, her whole body thrumming like her heart when the devil leers at her. Multiple voices speak together.
“Give us the boy.” The faces smile crookedly. “And we will let you out alive.”
Denji spits out a string of expletives, cursing at the mass of disgusting flesh and eyes and faces. But the devil’s focus is on Asa, the way she’s rooted to the spot and is staring at him, struck with cold fear.
“It will be our contract.”
Asa swallows the lump stuck in her throat. She doesn’t dare look at Denji, her hands balled into fists by her sides. Her heart hammers within her ribcage, her body frozen. She wants to get out of here. Who cares what the Famine Devil had said? She had even taken Yoru with her. No one was there to bully Asa into making decisions now. If she could be saved by offering him to the devil…
The words are heavy on her tongue, but she manages to spit them out anyway.
“… no.”
Those numerous eyes slowly blink at her, and she feels Denji pause beside her too. She can feel his stare on her, hot on her face as she swallows, her knees shaking.
“I-I’m not gonna give him to you,” she grits out through chattering teeth, her heartbeat thudding loudly in her ears. “H-He’s not going anywhere!”
He was her target after all.
A look of something unrecognizable flickers across Denji’s face, his brows arching faintly, his teeth sinking into his bottom lip as he quietly stares at her terror-stricken form. She doesn’t catch it as all those horrendous faces scowl at her. The devil screeches, masses of bubbling flesh snapping at them viciously.
“Run!” Denji hisses.
Asa’s feet move on their own. Her dry throat doesn’t even let her scream as she shoots down the hallway, Denji a few inches before her as they run, their feet slamming down on the tiles. The aquarium fish continue to float and watch them from behind the viewing glass as the Eternity Devil snarls, chasing after them with ferocious blows.
When it comes to life threatening events, Asa has always had the worst luck.
Her foot slips.
She isn’t saving a cat this time, there’s no headless chicken in her arms, and her mother or Yoru aren’t there to help her either. Asa hits the ground face first, pain shooting across her face when she hoists herself up on her palms.
Fear grips her heart, and she stares down at the floor with blurry eyes, something warm dripping down her face.
Huh. She realizes she’s crying. I’m going to die.
“Fuck!”
Rough hands clasp her shoulders, tugging her up on her feet. Asa stumbles momentarily before there are arms sliding beneath her back and under the crook of her knees. Her fist digs into the cheap fabric of a pale tee shirt when she’s hoisted up in a pair of arms. Denji hisses out a curse again as he holds her close, chaos erupting behind them.
For someone so scrawny looking, Denji carries her with great ease. Asa doesn’t know how he does it, holding her like she weighs nothing as his shoes slam down on the shiny floors, urging them forward.
“Hold on tight!” He warns.
She squeezes her eyes shut, her head tucking under his chin when he takes a giant leap.
Behind them, the lashing flesh misses his back by a few inches.
Asa doesn’t open her eyes until she feels Denji slow down to a halt.
He looks over his shoulder cautiously before peeking down at the quivering girl in his arms. “You good?”
Her voice is lost somewhere in her throat. Asa nods her head quietly, clutching onto his tee shirt in a white-knuckled grip. Denji carefully sets her down on her feet, grasping her hand with gentle fingers as he plucks at her iron grip on his shirt.
Asa realizes how calloused his hands are. They’re not scarred, but rough and strangely cold.
“Is that.” She leans against the glass tank, rubbing her face wearily. “Thing not coming after us anymore?”
“Probably tryna scare us some more,” Denji muses loudly, casting a glance down the dark hallway.
“Devils feed on fear ‘n shit.”
Asa didn’t know that. She didn’t think she even wanted to know that. Her legs feel like jelly so she decides to sit down, simply slumping against the glass until she’s seated on the floor. Her backpack squeaks behind her.
“We’re going to die,” she mumbles.
Never in her life did she think she would ever miss Yoru, the devil’s spiteful comments and her terrible attitude. Agreeing to Yoru’s plan was the worst decision she had ever made.
Asa nibbles her bottom lip as Denji settles down beside her, a few inches of space between them. He stretches one long leg across the floor and props one hand on his bent knee. Her gaze sweeps over her relaxed pose and the bored look on his face. He looks too calm for someone who was being chased by a devil a few seconds ago.
Denji notices her staring, his head turning her way and Asa pulls her knees to her chest, clasping her arms around them.
“Thank you.” She glances down at his shoes, white sneakers lined with red streaks.
“For not leaving me behind.”
If it had been him in her place, she wouldn’t have done the same. Asa would have ran, leaving him there for the devil. She would’ve never— a scalding pain prickles behind her eyes. She wipes the back of her hand over her closed eyelids, her lips pursing as she sniffles.
Here she was trying to sacrifice him as a weapon and he was saving her from getting killed. She almost chokes out a laugh.
What a fucked up world she lives in.
Asa pretends not to notice the wetness on the back of her hand, settling her palm on the cold floor between them.
“…thanks.” Denji says quietly. His hand lands beside hers, palm down as well. His fingers are long and bony, his wrist is bigger than hers and she can make out some of his veins in the dimly lit blue of the aquarium as he mumbles. “For not accepting that bastard’s contract.”
Asa blinks.
Maybe she wasn’t as much as human trash as she had thought.
“Did you see the penguins?” She asks in the empty quietness around them.
Behind them is an aquarium full of colorful jellyfish, their vibrant hues spilling over the floors and walls in shades of shifting pink, violet, and gold along the soft blue glow of steady water.
Asa would see the vibrant shades on Denji’s face if she were to turn his way. But she stays still in fear that he would catch the tears in her eyes.
“I didn’t.” He huffs, clear annoyance in his tone. “‘Cause someone wanted to look at the damn starfish for thirty fuckin’ minutes.”
She bites the inside of her cheek and mumbles back. “It was supposed to be the perfect date.”
“Perfect—?! Do all your dates call ya Asapedia or somethin’?”
Now that flares up instantly. She whips around to glare at him and finds him looking back at her with sheer amusement, his brows raised and a teasing smirk curling his lips. Asa’s cheeks warm up and she blames it on anger.
“I spent hours in the library to memorize everything about the animals here.” She grumbles, shooting him a withering glare. “I wanted to impress you with all that knowledge!”
“Impress me?” Denji snorts. “With all that twenty minutes of sea anemone shit?”
“Yeah!” Asa fumes, scowling at the ground before she screws her eyes shut and her shoulders slacken. “Ugh, I should’ve never listened to Yoru.”
“Yoru?”
Asa curses her big mouth, hugging her knees tighter. “She’s… my twin sister.”
Denji’s head lolls against the glass with a dull thump. “Right.”
“Look, I'm sorry for getting us into this. I just…” Asa sighs heavily, burying her face in her knees. She presses her forehead against her kneecaps, her voice small and meek.
“I just wanted you to like me.”
A pause follows after that. Silence falls between them until she feels Denji shift, his voice reaching her ears.
“Tell me somethin’ about penguins.”
Asa’s face lifts from her knees, her round eyes snapping to the boy seated beside her. “What?”
“Ya said you read up everything here, right?” Denji inquires and she nods slowly. “Yeah?”
His eyes shine with excitement, and Denji nudges her pinky finger with his own. “Then tell me about penguins.”
Asa stares at him incredulously. She purses her lips, racking her brain for all the information she had crammed for hours in the library before she clears her throat.
“A group of penguins in water is called a raft but on land they’re called a waddle.” She says smoothly, spreading her legs across the floor. “Many male penguins gift female penguins rocks in order to woo them.”
Denji hums, listening closely and Asa feels the weight on her shoulders gradually lifting. “Penguins usually huddle together to protect themselves from predators. But they also do it to keep themselves warm in the cold.”
“For warmth?” There’s a hint of curiosity in Denji’s voice.
“Yeah.” She scoots closer to him and he mimics the movement until they’re pressed arm to shoulder. Asa stares down at his stark white sneakers, a complete contrast to her dark buckled shoes. Her temple leans against his shoulder and she mumbles.
“Why’d you wanna see those penguins that badly anyway?”
“Easy.” Denji grins, his cheek resting atop her head. “‘Cause I’ve never seen ‘em before.”
“Just that?”
“Yeah.” Denji nods to himself, staring down at their feet. “I promised myself that I’m gonna try all sorts of new things from now on.”
Asa quietly stares at the luminescent glow of the jellyfish reflections on the wall across them.
“I’m gonna eat delicious new food, look for new places, get myself a pretty girlfriend and do everything I’ve ever wanted.” Denji continues on, his voice soft with a memory. “I want to live selfishly.”
The last part echoes in her mind, a quiet gentle reminder from a night filled with flesh and blood, her face torn into shreds across the crosswalk. “Why?”
“Whaddya mean why?”
“We’re all just going to die in the end so what's the point?” Asa’s throat doing that funny thing again— where it clogs up with something so thick and bitter that her voice starts to waver. She remembers her mother’s smile when she first wore that new school uniform, Bucky’s cheerful clucks around her classmates and Yuko at her door, a pair of ragged shoes dangling from her hand.
When Asa speaks again, she hopes her voice doesn’t break like the cracks webbing through her heart.
“Doesn’t it make you wanna give up?”
“No, it doesn’t.” Denji answers with pure honesty. “Death doesn’t mean shit. I want to live my life to the fullest. I wanna do all sorts of new shit, just to figure out if I even like it or not. Ya get me?”
“…yeah.” Asa murmurs faintly. “I do.”
“Oi, Asa.” Heat crawls up her neck when Denji says her first name so familiarly. “What’s the newest thing you’ve ever done till now? A thing that really had you worked up and ready to go?”
Asa mulls over his question once and her mouth moves faster than her crowding thoughts.
“I’ve never been on a date till now.” She admits honestly.
Asa clamps her mouth shut, flushing in realization when Denji snorts in faint amusement. “No shit. Even an idiot like me could tell that.”
A scowl graces Asa’s warm face, and she rolls her eyes, leaning her head on his shoulder. “Like you've been on tons of dates before.”
“I totally have.” Denji grins smugly.
She shifts her head away from him, shooting him an unimpressed look. “Really?”
“Yeah!”
“Alright, Mister Hot Shot.” Asa squints her eyes at him, noting the mess of colors shifting across his face. “Tell me what’s a good date like then.”
“Mhm.” Denji raises a hand, counting off his fingers. “It has flowers and hand holding and kissing and se—“
“Kissing?!” Asa flushes brightly at the word.
“Psh.” Denji awards her with an amused look. “Don’t tell me ya’ve never kissed before too?”
“And you have?” Asa sits upright to narrow her eyes at him. Was she mistaken? Was he really not a loser like she had thought he was? Denji falters for a second and she thinks about calling out his bluff when he crosses his legs under him, frowning at her.
“The first girl I kissed,” his lips curl downwards and he rubs the back of his neck, a grim look on his face. “She uh… she vomited in my mouth.”
Asa stares at him, and Denji silently gazes back. It’s like he’s waiting for her to burst into laughter and Asa would have if they were outside right now, giggling over his misfortune. But he had saved her life and she’s never been so close to anyone like this before. The shifting colorful shadows of the jellyfish make him look awfully cute too, highlighting his sharp cheekbones and his fluffy blond hair—
She banishes the traitorous thoughts immediately. “That… must’ve been terrible.”
Denji visibly relaxes on hearing her answer and glances sideways.
“And, uh, the other one kinda bit my whole tongue off.”
Asa’s brows knit together. She can’t tell if he’s joking or not, but his face is grim and he looks a little forlorn so she reaches for the back of his hand and awkwardly pats it. “I’m sorry you had to go through such awful experiences.”
“Eh.” Denji bounces his shoulders, gazing down at her hand as she pats his rough knuckles, her palm too small compared to his. “I’ve always had bad luck when it comes to girls. Like right now, ya nearly got killed ‘cause of me.”
Asa has half a heart to tell him this all is actually her fault. She sighs and peeks up at him, soft brown eyes meeting molten gold.
“If we get out of here,” her fingers tighten over the back of his hand, Denji’s eyes flaring up in surprise when she squeezes his hand once.
“We can go on another proper date.”
A boyish grin tugs Denji’s lips as he snorts, but not unkindly. “What kinda dictionary ya gonna cram for that one?”
Asa smiles back playfully. “We’ll do it your way.”
“Y’sure?”
“Yeah.” She studies his rough hand in her grasp until he rotates his wrist, his palm turning to meet hers. Her fingers knit between his, her touch softer than his calloused skin when she squeezes his hand gently. His fingers remain slotted though hers.
It’s a perfect fit.
“Tell you what.” Asa murmurs over the thud and silence of her heart as she fondly sweeps her thumb over the back of his hard knuckles. “I’ll throw in a proper kiss for you too.”
Denji’s fingers tighten between hers instantly.
“Really?!”
Within seconds, he’s shoved himself into her personal space. Asa nearly tumbles backwards, but his tight grip on her hand keeps her steady.
Her eyes widen in surprise when Denji teeters closer, his aureate eyes shining in unabashed excitement. There’s a rosy blush coloring his cheeks, adding to the shifting aquarium hues on his face. “You’ll kiss me for real?!”
Heat fills Asa’s face as she nods stiffly, her palms all clammy. “Y-yeah, it’s a promise!”
“Hmph.” Denji leans back in place, still holding her hand as he turns towards her fully, his eyes narrowing in doubt. “How do I know you ain’t lyin’?”
“…what?” Asa deadpans.
“All the girls I’ve met in my life so far have always lied to me.” He scrunches his nose, curling his other hand around his chin thoughtfully. “How do I know you’re not playin’ with me too?”
“I would never lie to you.” Asa finds herself protesting, a frown marring her face. “I’m always true to my word.”
“Oh, yeah?” Denji arches a brow unconvincingly.
“Yeah!” Asa scowls.
He sets her with a questioning stare. Asa raises her brows as he turns his head to stare at the floating jellyfish behind the glass. His eyes are like shimmering crystals, bright and golden as he murmurs.
“You’re gonna run off once we get outta here, aren’t ya?”
Asa’s fingers clench harder between his and she sits up on her knees, nearly toppling on top of him. Before she can press her lips to the side of Denji’s cheek in a quick kiss, he moves.
Her lips accidentally meet his, and she freezes as he instantly stills under her.
A hot blush explodes across her face, her eyes widening as Denji stares back at her with silent astonishment. The kiss is brief and awkward— both of them frozen in place, faces hot.
Denji’s startled mouth is warmer than his hands.
Asa rips away first, her face a lovely shade of crimson. She nearly falls back on the floor if he wasn’t holding her palm in a vice grip.
That was my first… Her brain sizzles, and she stares with wide brown eyes, her face warming up even more when Denji traces his pink tongue over his sharp teeth, looking awestruck. That was my first—
“I want another one!”
Denji teeters close to her face again. He clasps her small hand within both of his rough palms and holds it near his chest. She can nearly feel his rapidly drumming heartbeat as he cradles her hand between his. A rosy blush burns his pale cheeks when he looks at her with unhidden determination.
“One more kiss!” He demands before swiftly adding. “Please!”
Asa holds herself back from nodding in answer. “I-I—“
Manic laughter rings through the air, an echo of various voices drowning the entire hallway once more.
“Chainsaw…”
Denji scowls as multiple gleaming eyes snap open farway in the darkness, and Asa ignores the shivers running down her spine as she sits upright. She clasps Denji’s hand over hers, and when he looks back at her, she nods her head with a warm face.
“Once we get out.” She promises.
He awards her with a blindingly bright smile. Her heart pitter patters in her ribcage, warmth spreading through her chest as he gets on his feet, shooting a glare down the hallway where the devil slithers closer with every ticking second, rumbling about eating them alive.
Asa scrambles up as well, reaching for Denji’s wrist. He looks back at her, and she tugs at his arm, frowning. “It’s gonna attack us again. Let’s run—“
“We don’t haveta run anymore.”
Asa stares, dumbfounded when he gently pulls his wrist out of her hold and offers her an impish grin.
“Let’s go to the amusement park for our next date.” Denji reaches into the neckline of his shirt, and tugs at a familiar looking cord, stretching it out from between his collars before he cracks her a toothy grin. “Read up on some cool rollercoaster facts for me, will ya?”
A rumble fills the air— the sound of an engine revving.
Blood splatters across the floor, and Asa stumbles back when silver jagged blades split out from his limbs, his cackles filling the empty air.
Huh. She watches silently, standing under the reflections of the glowing jellyfish as Chainsaw Man snarls, bolting towards the screeching devil lurking in the shadows. Asa leans against the fish tank, heart in her throat as her head thumps against the cold aquarium glass. Shrieks and cackles fill the air around her, and she squeezes her eyes shut.
The world’s really fucked up after all.