Chapter Text
Still starving, reeking and exhausting after three straight days of killing, Denji collapsed back into his bed at Aki's apartment, wanting to just shut his eyes and turn off...maybe forever? That Devil was a complete bitch to fight...and brought out the shithead in others too. Everybody was trying to kill him: Kobeni, Himeno, even Arai cracked eventually...and Power's "exempt" because she's always trying to kill him. The only person in his corner was Aki...and they don't even like each other. Ain't that a joke? Why is he even doing this anyway? There's free food and board...but that's looking less and less important if he's not going to be alive to enjoy it. Wait, there's Makima! He's supposed to be winning her over...he needs to beat the Gun Devil! He's totally strong enough to do that, right? He beat the Eternity Devil pretty much single-handily...you know, Himeno had to keep pulling his ripcord to keep him going. Someone who tried to kill him had to help him...that's sad. Can he really beat the Gun Devil at this level? It's looking like more and more of an impossibility the longer he thinks about it...he wasn't one of the stronger Devil Hunters when he was human, what makes him think he's better because he can sprout chainsaws now? That stuff hurts...is it just him or has life gotten more annoying, even if it's better? He dosed off eventually, wondering if he could really show Pochita his dreams like this...
***
Denji, hi!
Pochita...you're still alive?
Yes! I'm in your heart...like we agreed to!
That's right...we made a contract.
What's wrong? Don't you like your new life?
I do! I'm having the time of my life! I'm eating a ton, I got a nice warm place to sleep...and this place has those fans for the summer!
Ventilation?
Yeah, that! My life is perfect now! I'm even in love now! I think I can get a girlfriend...so I'm happy! Honest!
So you're living your dreams?
That's right! I got everything I want.
You don't need anything else?
...There's one thing I miss.
What's that?
Hugging you while I went to sleep.
Really? Doesn't seem like a lot...
It's what I miss the most...feels like everything now comes with conditions but you and that? That was guaranteed.
Hm...what if we make another contract?
Another one? Can you do that?
Yeah, if both parties agree. We can make a new one and I can talk to you in person!
Really? Let's do that! Right now!
Alright...but I'm going to need to take something with me.
Can't be that important!
***
"Denji's late getting out of bed..." Aki noted as he sat at the counter, Power gulping down a fig smoothie while Meowy ate their food from the bowl.
"Probably pleasuring himself...humans are such insipid perverts!" Power declared with a mouth covered in foodstuff, to Aki's visible disgust. Then, a somewhat gaunt Denji walked out of his room, yawning. "Denji! You smell weird!"
"Morning." Denji tiredly greeted, going into the fridge to gather ingredients.
"You alright? You hardly ate anything after we left yesterday." Aki questioned as he watched Denji take out a tortilla packet and meats.
"Wasn't hungry, just tired." Denji answered as he went to the counter to prepare his meal. "Gonna make a burrito and get ready for work."
"Alright...well, if it's no big deal, Himeno wants to take you and Power out for---" Aki began before he heard a thumping coming from Denji's door, looking towards it. "...The hell is that?"
"Oh, it's just Pochita." Denji casually responded, wrapping his meal in the bread.
"Your...dead dog?" Aki watched as a hulking, seven-foot monstrosity clad in spiky armor with an intestine wrapped around its neck, four non-moving saws at its arms, walked into the room. Power darted up and picked up Aki to stand in front of her, using him as an impromptu shield as she shivered behind him.
"Please...spare Power! And Meowy! These two are a far superior meal!" Power pleaded, Aki's own fear supplanted at his vexation due to the Blood Fiend's shameless cowardice.
"Guys, that's Pochita...my old dog? The Chainsaw Man?" Denji cricked his neck. "I made him come back from my heart."
"Your heart...do you mean literally?" Aki recoiled.
"Yeah, see?" Denji lifted his shirt, showing Aki and Power where his chest was caved in.
"...How are you alive?" Aki asked with a cringe.
"Ħꝋⱳđɏ! Ī'ᵯ Ꝑꝋȼħīⱦⱥ!" A facsimile of Denji's voice with a mechanical reverb came from Pochita's jaws, jostling Aki and Power further. "Đꝋꞥ'ⱦ ⱳꝋɍɍɏ, Đēꞥɉī ꞥꝋ łꝋꞥꞡēɍ ꞥēēđꞩ ⱥ ħēⱥɍⱦ ⱦꝋ łīꝟē. Ⱥꞩ łꝋꞥꞡ ⱥꞩ Ī'ᵯ ⱥłīꝟē, ħē'ꞩ ⱥłīꝟē...Ī ħⱥꝟē ⱥłł ꝋӻ ħīꞩ ᵯⱥɉꝋɍ ꝋɍꞡⱥꞥꞩ."
"All of his---then why are you eating?!" Aki demanded as he saw Denji bite into his microwaved burrito.
Denji shrugged.
"If...if this being is here not to eat us then...then why does it haunt us?" Power asked in trepidation.
"Ⱦꝋ ħᵾꞡ Đēꞥɉī!" Pochita declared as Denji chewed.
"...Huh?" Aki and Power said in disbelief.
***
"...What." Makima asked to no one in her office, watching as the Hero of Hell exited the apartment with a beaming Denji, a confounded Aki and a gobsmacked Power in tow. Her crow's eye blinked...her real one didn't.