Chapter Text
It was cold, your fingertips tingling but you didn’t want to turn back and head home quite yet, reveling in the silence with your head tilted back to gaze at the stars. Continuing your trek around the path surrounding the glittery lake to your left, your eyes catch on someone sitting on a park bench staring down at his shoes, shoulders slumped so low you could mistake him for being completely boneless. Something about the pure angst and sadness burdening this guy tugs you towards him. You silently sit next to him and he barely stirs, just flicking a quick look at you then back down to his shoes.
“Are you okay?” you finally break the silence, a short scoff follows from the boy “Why d’ya care?” you shrug in response “You just look sad, and maybe lonely.” fingers pressed against your lips as you try and warm yourself up “So? You’re a stranger, not my friend.” His voice is weak, as if he wants to fight but doesn’t have the energy. “That doesn’t really matter to me, everyone deserves to have some comfort when they need it.” you take the time to scan over the boy next to you, taking note of his disheveled state, dirt and blood smeared across his face, caked in his hair and all across his clothes. He stays silent for a stretch before sighing “I’m tired.” he finally says, somehow slouching even further “It seems a little deeper than that, am I right?” he nods “I’m in the Public Safety team, Devil Hunter.” Your eyebrows raise “You look so young though?” another nod “I’m 16, I think.” your heart tugs.
Slowly you begin to unravel the story, an extra rough day at work, too many injuries and nobody really caring, was the just of it. Halfway through his story you had unraveled your scarf from around your neck and draped it over his head, tucking it around his neck after noticing him shivering. A soft ‘thank you’ from him as he tucked his cold fingers into the soft fabric. You learned his name - Denji, and about the circumstances that lead him down this path - Debt, Yakuza, Pochita, Desperation.
“If it’s not too creepy, would you like to come with me to my place so you can warm up and eat?” you ask gently, hoping that he would accept so you could both escape the cold without parting. He frowns and looks up at you “Why would you do that for me?” you shrug again, smiling as you stand up and stretch “If you were planning on murdering me you probably would’ve done it by now, so there’s no harm in making sure you go home with a good meal in you to make up for the shit day you’ve had.” you hold out your hand and he only hesitates a moment before grabbing it.
He follows you like a lost puppy, holding your hand tightly the whole way there, making you feel like a big sister that just picked up their kid brother from kindergarten. The thought makes you smile. He finally releases your hand so you can unlock the door, your keychains rattling together much louder than intended and you hope you don’t wake any of your neighbors.
You guide Denji to your couch and promptly tuck three blankets around his shoulders and toss another across his lap “Sit here and warm up, I’ll make some dinner,” your pink cat slippers shuffling across the hardwood floor “Any preferences?” he stares at you blankly “Preferences? Like what I want?” you grin as you open the fridge “Yeah of course, I’ve got loads of ingredients so I could probably make just about anything you want.” popping open the lid of a Root Beer you hand it to Denji “ Could…” he hesitates “Could I have pancakes?” he looks almost embarrassed by his request but you just head back to the kitchen with no questions asked.
Fifteen minutes later you slide a plate with three perfectly fluffy pancakes and a bottle of syrup in front of him before going back to finish cooking the rest of the batter. By the time you’ve finished he has as well, holding his plate out and asking for more, which you happily comply and dish out three more, settling down on the couch next to him to eat your own pancakes. It felt calm and comfortable sharing a meal together, like it was perfectly natural. Denji makes sure to clean up after himself, putting his plate and fork, along with yours, in the sink, and even offers to wash them but you brush it off “Course not, you’re my guest, no chores for you.” teasingly scolding him.
Though you two had been together for almost five hours, he seems reluctant to leave, but your yawns and sleepy eyes make him feel guilty enough that he departs, not without thanking you at least twenty times and promising to repay your kindness. You give him a quick hug as he’s leaving “Feel free to come back whenever you need some food or someone to talk to okay?” and Denji just bobs his head in response, not trusting himself to respond without tears choking him up.