Chapter Text
"I just, really want to be famous, man." Denji lamented, lying down on a couch he was able to buy from off a garage sale just yesterday. The couch had holes, wasn't really all that comfortable, and he was pretty sure it also had bed bugs. But it was still a couch, and it was more comfortable than the floor. "I love being Chainsaw Man, I really do, but everyone loves Chainsaw Man, they don't love Denji. That seems to be a running theme in my life. Nobody ever sees me for me, they all just want my heart. Not in the cool way, either. I mean they literally want my still beating heart in their grimy little hands, ugh."
"Why don't you just tell everyone then?" Nayuta asked, sitting on a new wooden chair with a small cushion on it he bought from the same garage sale. She had a pen and paper in hand, and a pair of glasses that he told her would make her smarter if she wore them. She jotted down some notes, asking the question without looking from from the paper like some kind of child therapist. "Next time you kill a devil, why don't you just let your devil form melt away and show everyone who you really are? That way you can stop moping about it to me every day."
Denji sighed exasperatedly. "I wish it was that simple, Doc," He said, rolling over onto his side to look at his pseudo little sister as she continued to write some things down in her notebook. "That creep Yoshida told me that Public Safety would kill you if I revealed myself though. But really, doesn't the world know that Chainsaw Man is in Japan anyway? All those assassins that hunted me down before knew what I looked like even though they never caught me on camera before, so really, what's the point of holding me back like this?"
"We should kill them." Nayuta prompted, stone faced. "Then you won't have to listen to anybody anymore."
"Nah, no point in that." Denji's head slumped. "If we kill a few old men, some other and worse old men will just come and take their place, then they'd be even harsher on us. I just don't want to prioritize my own dreams of becoming famous over your safety, Nayuta. You're like, the only family I've got left."
"You're my family too." Nayuta looked up at last, smiling brightly as she turned her notebook around so that he could see it's contents. On the notebook was a child-like drawing of him lying down on the couch, and to be honest it was pretty damn good for someone so young - she was barely a year old, as far as he knew - and he was genuinely impressed.
"That looks awesome, Nayuta!" Denji praised her as he sat up on the couch. "That one's going on the fridge."
"Yes!" Nayuta pumped her fist up in the air excitedly. Then she set the drawing aside, and leaned forward with her elbows on her knees as she faced him with that same giddy expression. "But still, I don't know why you think asking me to be your therapist here was a good idea. I'm not even two years old yet. I just look like I'm older because I'm a devil."
"Yeah, I know." Denji sighed again. "I just don't have anyone else to talk to about this. Master Kishibe fucked off somewhere, and everyone else I knew a year ago is either dead or gone to do their own thing. I haven't really made friends at school neither, I just don't mesh well with 'em I guess."
"All you need is me, anyway." Nayuta remarked. "But I know you like it when people like you. So look, I have an idea on how you can get famous without getting me killed by those dickheads."
"You do!?" Denji sat up straighter. "What is it?"
"Simple." Nayuta smiled at him. "Call their bluff."
"Huh?" Denji blinked, confused. "What do you mean?"
"If they kill me, they lose out on another Control Devil." Nayuta pointed out. "One of the things the old man told me was that they'd try to turn me into another monster they can use for their own gain before he gave me to you. So if they do kill me, then they not only lose you as a potential ally forever - or at least I'd hope so, right!?"
"R-Right," Denji gulped nervously and nodded. "I'd never forgive 'em for it."
"The correct answer was that you'd go on a vengeful killing rampage." Nayuta scolded him. "But I'll still give you half a point. Anyway, they will also lose out on ever making me their tool or whatever gross thing they want me to be. That doesn't seem like something they'd want to do, right? Wouldn't they rather somehow pacify you and also get me as well?"
"Yeah… I guess that's true." Denji gave it some thought. "But what if it doesn't work? You don't know how to use your powers like the old one did. If they try to kill you, they'll do it."
"Hey, I can totally defend myself!" Nayuta pouted at him. "I'm not some defenseless kid! I'm a devil!" She reminded him. "So you can stick that insult right up your butt!"
"I wasn't insulting you!" Denji snapped back. "How many people can you control at once?"
Nayuta's face turned red, and she looked away.
"T-That doesn't matter."
"It totally does!" Denji was about to continue, but he shook his head and cut himself off. "So… if we were to try and reveal myself and call their bluff, how do we do that?"
Nayuta's prior embarrassment instantly vanished as she returned her gaze to him, a smug smile appeared again as she went on telling him about her ultimate master plan that she came up with just five minutes ago.
Denji let out a long, steamy breath as he stood in the indentation of a building that shared a remarkably familiar shape to his body. He stared across to the other building on the other side of the block, the massive and wounded form of the Cockroach Devil stared back at him, large globs of blood leaking from it's mouth as he glared at him. With it's several additional hands, the Cockroach Devil picked up a random student that wore the same uniform as the ones from his school, and with another it picked up a car that apparently had a bunch of old geezers in it.
The devil was still saying some words, but Denji wasn't really paying attention. No, instead he was looking toward ground for a familiar black braid which belonged to his pseudo sister. He found her standing not too far from them, in the middle of a crowd running for their lives from the wreckage that was his fight with the devil, and she looked up at them. Nayuta had an umbrella she held over her head, which was covered in blood, and in her other hand she held a cell phone. Where she got a cell phone, he had no damn idea, because he sure as hell couldn't afford one. He'd have to ask her about that later though, because right now he was a little busy. Nayuta was recording him in his big reveal moment, and he had things to do dammit!
"Which will you save, Chainsaw Man?" The Cockroach Devils booming, and cocky (pun intended) voice echoed in his mechanical ears.
"Eh?" Denji looked up, paying attention to his opponent again as he looked up at him. The devil dangled one guy in one hand and that car full of old people in the other. Denji didn't even spare a second glance their way, his gaze instead locking onto a cute little fur ball that looked like a cat, hanging precariously from the edge of the building that the Cockroach Devil was pressed up against.
In one swift motion, Denji threw himself into the air and sliced the devil up into ribbons, making sure to cut off its head as well so it wouldn't come back. The devil, along with all of its hostages, fell to their deaths on the street below as he climbed up the rest of the building and scooped up the cat into his bloody arms.
"There was a cat too, dude." Denji remarked out loud in his own, smug tone.
Either way, someone was going to die. He figured the time he spent trying to save the car full of geezers or the one dude would have just given time for the Cockroach Devil to go and capture and kill other people. So Denji was confident he made the right decision.
Right, he almost forgot. This was going to be his big moment. Denji cleared his throat, and double checked to make sure Nayuta was still recording him, which she was. Good, now it was time for him to do his part!
"To all my amazing fans!" He screamed out over the streets of Japan. "It's time to know your hero for real! See who I really am!"
While still holding the cat, Denji allowed his chainsaw form to melt away. With an excited grin, he looked down to the street where surely all of his fans would be gazing up at him in awe!
The streets were empty.
"Well… shit." Denji sighed, disappointed. "Guess they all ran away before I could show myself. Oh well, there's always next time."
Denji didn't really know who this Yoshida guy that well or for very long, despite him swearing that he did know him from when those assassins came after him. That was over a year ago, though, and it wasn't like they really talked that much back then anyway. He did remember him a little, but he also remembered not really caring about him that much. The biggest thing he remembered him for was threatening him with Nayuta's life if he ever became revealed his true identity, which didn't really do much to endear him to Denji.
He would have just ignored him and gone home with Nayuta, but he was hungry, and the creepy guy said that he was going to pay for the both of them. Nayuta loved ice cream, and so naturally, she made the decision for them by demanding that Yoshida buy them all the ice cream flavors that this cafe had. Nayuta continued to play on her new phone as they made their way to said cafe, which finally gave Denji the opportunity to ask her where the hell she got it.
"Where'd you get that thing?" Denji pointed at the cell phone and asked. "I sure as hell never bought it for you. Did you steal it?"
"No." Nayuta answered suspiciously quickly. "I just found it."
"Uh huh." Denji narrowed his eyes at her. "I sure hope you didn't just stop some random guy on the street and used your powers on him, did you?"
"No." Nayuta's second answer was just as swift coming as the first. "I politely asked for it and he gave it to me."
"While pointing at his head with your finger?"
"Yes- I mean no." Nayuta shook her head. She then rushed to change the topic. "I did the thing though, posted the video online and everything with my new phone."
"You did?" And it worked like a damn charm. "Sweet!"
"It seems you're getting along with your ward, Denji." Yoshida commented, opening and holding the door for Denji and Nayuta to enter the cafe. "That's good. I'm glad that you seem to be in a happier flavor lately."
"Fucking stalker." Denji let out a disgusted groan as he took the seat nearest to the counter. Nayuta pulled up a seat from another table to sit beside him, still playing on her phone as Yoshida sat across from him at the other side of the table. A waitress quickly came, and Denji and Nayuta spent a full two minutes ordering just about everything on the menu. He would have thought Yoshida would have been a little peeved about that since he was the one paying for this suddenly very large order, but he was as relaxed as he always was, simply watching and enjoying the way he and Nayuta interacted as they argued a little over what was the better flavor of ice cream.
Denji only half-paid attention to Yoshida explaining that he was some super secret mysterious organization that totally wasn't an evil one like from a manga. He told him what he and Nayuta both already knew; That he was stalking and keeping an eye on them as part of his job, because apparently he and his organization just wanted him and Nayuta to live a peaceful life.
"Bullshit." Nayuta voiced his thoughts, pointing an accusatory finger at him. "You said you'd kill me if he didn't behave."
"Yes, I did," Yoshida smiled at the young girl. "And I still will, if it means that Denji gets to continue giving you a peaceful life. That's preferable to death, no?"
"Fuck you, stinky." Nayuta stuck her tongue out at him childishly.
Denji usually would have told her off for that, but since it was aimed toward Yoshida he actually found it hilarious, so he just laughed along with her as they pointed at Yoshida and made fun of him together. Somehow through it all, Yoshida just chuckled along with them and took it right on the chin with barely even drop to his shoulders. Really, he was such a creepy guy.
"Look, you two, the point is that I'll get in big trouble if the public finds out that you're Chainsaw Man." Yoshida explained politely. "If you listen to me, I'll let you eat this cake."
He gestured to said cake, which just got placed on their table.
"Deal!" Nayuta snatched the spoons and forks out of Yoshida's hands, and instantly began digging into the cake.
"Hey!" Denji called out, dejected. "What about our deal!?"
"Our deal is already done!" Nayuta said between large mouthfuls of cake. "All we gotta do is wait now! Just be patient, Denji!"
"… What deal are you talking about?" Yoshida asked, eyes narrowed in suspicion.
"Nothing." Denji and Nayuta said at the same time. "Fuck off."
"Hm." Yoshida leaned back in his seat, simply watching the two of them make a mess of the cake he actually sorta wanted to try for himself. "Why do you want to be Chainsaw Man anyway? You don't exactly strike me as an altruist. You don't do it to protect Nayuta, because she's either at home or at school most of the time. So what's your deal?"
"Well, I want to be Chainsaw Man because I want people to find out who I am," Denji said between his own mouthfuls of cake.
"He's a stupid horny idiot," Nayuta jabbed her spoon into his cheek, pushing his face away from her cake. "He just want's girls to like him and he thinks they will if he finds out he's Chainsaw Man. That's why I posted a video of him returning to his human form online like an hour ago."
"Oh." Yoshida nodded his head, rubbing his chin as he leaned back in his seat. It seems he several overestimated Denji, the boy who managed to find a way to permanently kill Miss Makima, by several margins. Honestly, he was just shocked that he-
His eyes slowly widened as he processed just what Nayuta had just said.
"Wait… you did what!?"
As if on cue, several camera crews, reporters, and journalists all rushed into the cafe, and headed right toward their table. They swarmed Denji and Nayuta, cameras pointing at him and a dozen microphones being shoved in his face. Unlike most people, Denji seemed to love the attention.
"Chainsaw Man! Is it true that you're a student at Fourth East High!?"
"Chainsaw Man! Is your real name actually Hayakawa Denji!?
"Chainsaw Man! Chainsaw Man! Chainsaw-"
Denji could see Yoshida staring at him wordlessly from across the table, a deadpan expression on his face.
Too bad Denji didn't care what he thought about this.
"Hah! I told you!" Nayuta boisterously laughed as she rose, crossing her arms victoriously as she stared Yoshida down. "They wouldn't actually go through with their threat to strike me down!"
"Chainsaw Man! Who is this little girl? Are you two perhaps related?" An opportunistic reporter asked swiftly.
"Yeah!" Denji replied instantly to Nayuta's delight. "She's my lil sis!"
A dozen and more questions all blasted off in the next instant, and flashes began to light up the cafe as Denji and Nayuta stood from the table and made some space so they could pose for the cameras.
Yoshida continued to stare at them for several long moments, before he pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed heavily.
"I'm going to be in so much trouble for letting this happen on my official first day…"
Denji returned to his apartment with Nayuta in tow, the two of them almost literally chased in by the paparazzi that followed them all the way back to their home. Far from perturbed, they were actually excited by the fun little chase. Those people were literally crawling over each other just to get a single picture of their backs running away from them. It was actually a little funny, and Denji had to admit that he liked the attention that was suddenly on him.
One of the cute reporter women tried hitting on him too. He might have had a chance to score with her too, but Nayuta was there, and so that wasn't going to happen.
In any case, it had worked!
"Wow, that really worked!" He verbalized. "I didn't think it would work that quickly! Thanks, Nayuta, you're the best!"
"Of course I am!" Nayuta preened at the compliment. "Anything for my big brother. Hehe, I'm glad you let the world know their place! You better not let this fame get the better of you, though, remember who was the first one to ever believe in you!"
"Heh," Denji reached out and pat her head. "Yeah, you're right, it is you. Thanks Nayuta, this really means a lot. Maybe I can finally get a girlfriend now!"
"Hey!" Nayuta pouted at him. "Even if you do get one, remember that you love me about all else! Understand me!?"
"Y-Yes ma'am," Despite his excitement, Denji gulped nervously again, but then he got an idea to pacify her. "I love you thiiiiiisssss much."
He reached out with both hands to grab her sides and tickle her.
"WAIT NO! STOP! STOOOOP! I'M GONNA PEE!" Nayuta screamed between her loud giggles.
Denji kept tickling her for a few minutes until she finally got sick of it and kicked him in the face. It was worth it, though.
Now all he needed to do was commence step two of his made up plan: Just wait for a girlfriend to come to him!
"WE MUST FIND HIM! WE MUST GO FIND HIM NOW!" Yoru practically screamed in Asa's ears. She wasn't physically there to do it, but the War Devil could be very loud in their shared mind when she wanted to be. "WE MUST FIND CHAINSAW AND KILL HIM!"
"Shut up!" Asa snapped back. "He's going to have people around him at all times now! We aren't going to be able to just run up to him and kill him! Not that I even want to anyway, Denji didn't do anything wrong!"
"You don't even know that boy!" Yoru complained. "To hell with our prior plan! To hell with guilt! Take me to chainsaw, and I will turn him into my weapon with just a touch!"
"That's not going to work." Asa reminded her. "Didn't you say you need me to think I own him or something? And even then, I don't think that's going to work either. I doubt he'd even look my way, much less give you the chance to turn him into a weapon."
"Bah!" The spectral form of Yoru spat a spectral glob of saliva to the ground. "The original plan then! We must find this boy, seduce him, and then kill him! If you want your body back, you will work with me for this righteous goal!"
"I-I'm not going to seduce him!" Asa protested. "That's gross! Do you think I'm some kind of slut!?"
"To hell with your sentiments!" Yoru snapped a finger at her. "I am not asking you to have sex with the boy! Just, ALMOST have sex with-"
"NO!" Asa put her foot down. "If you want to do this so badly, we're going to do this my way, okay? That was the original deal anyway."
"UGH!" Yoru stamped her foot like the childish devil she was. "Fine! But be warned, Asa Mitaka, I will not be so patient for long!"
Asa sighed exasperatedly. Looking up from her class work to pinch the bridge of her nose.
Through the corners of her eyes, she saw all her fellow classmates staring at her with a mirage of disturbed and funny looks.
Crap… I was talking to her out loud again, wasn't I?
Not for the first time, she really wished she had her body to herself again.