hii again! hope you’re doing well ^_^ i was wondering if you could do a denji x reader who’s really emotionally mature, like always give out good advice and such, anyways have a good day!! 💕
HIII zoe!!! ofc ml 🥹🥹 here's you go !!
Denji x mature!reader !! .
Denji! who is stupidly obsessed with how calm you are.
Denji swears you have some kind of superpower because you never freak out the way he does. When he gets overwhelmed, spiraling about money or life or whatever Makima just threw at him, you speak so gently it shuts down every storm in his brain. He stares at you like you just performed a miracle. He genuinely thinks you're smarter than every adult he's ever met.
Denji! who goes to you for advice without even realizing he's doing it.
He’ll sit down next to you like "Hey uh… so… what do I do about ___?" and then halfway through the conversation he realizes he's probably just told told his whole life story and trauma-dumped a little. You listen, nod, and give him advice that actually makes sense. Denji takes it like gospel. If YOU say something’s a good idea, it becomes the only idea.
Denji! who gets flustered whenever you compliment him in that calm, serious way.
You’ll say something like "Denji, you’re doing your best. I’m proud of you," and he short-circuits. Stops breathing. Looks away because if he meets your eyes he’ll embarrass himself. He’s used to being yelled at, dismissed, or ignored — not treated like a real person with real feelings.
Denji! who tries to act emotionally mature around you, but it lasts maybe 12 seconds.
He sits all proper, nodding at your advice… then immediately gets distracted by a something on the ceiling. You smack his arm gently and he’s like "RIGHT, RIGHT, I’m listening, babe, I swear." He wants so badly to be on your level, but he’s also literally Denji. He tries, though. For you, he tries so hard.
Denji! who listens to your voice like it’s a safety blanket.
If he’s shaking after a mission, or overstimulated, or too tired to think straight — he’ll sit beside you quietly and let you talk. Doesn’t matter what you talk about. Your voice calms him more than sleep does. Sometimes he falls asleep on you mid-sentence. He denies it every time.
Denji! who adores the way you explain feelings.
You’ll help him figure out things he’s never been taught- why he's angry, why he's sad, why he feels guilty or scared. And he just stares at you, wide-eyed, like you're giving him access to a whole new world. "I didn’t know people thought about stuff like that," he says. And you smile, because you adore teaching him.
Denji! who gets protective when you help other people with advice.
Someone asks you for guidance and he's standing behind you like a guard dog. Completely silent but staring daggers. After they leave, he mumbles "Why'd they have to ask you, huh?" You tell him you’re just good at helping people and he grumbles something jealous but soft.
Denji! who thinks you're the best thing that’s ever happened to him.
Not because you fix him. Not because you’re perfect. But because you treat him like someone worth listening to, worth comforting, worth loving. and he’ll never get over that.
Denji! who melts when you reassure him you’re not going anywhere.
He gets scared sometimes- not that you’ll leave, but that he’ll mess up and make you leave. You hold his face gently and tell him no, you’re staying. Denji crumbles. Definitely hugs you too tight.
Denji! who falls in love with you harder every time you gently pull him back to earth.
You keep him steady, calm, grounded. And he keeps you laughing, alive, unbored.
He thinks it’s the perfect balance.
He thinks you’re his perfect balance.
a/n: sorry for taking so long to write this 😞 I haven't been posting very consistently lately but I'll start posting again !!
Control is Comfort ch26 - Makima x fem Reader (Chainsaw Man)
A chance encounter can change everything, but once you have what you've always wanted, you'll eventually find that isn't all you want.
(Reader is tired of autonomy and sees in Makima a chance to give it up entirely — until that isn't enough anymore.)
Female Reader-Insert | No Use of Y/N for Reader-Insert | Slow Burn | Eventual Smut | POV Second Person | Emotionally Detached Reader | Power Dynamics | Control | Voluntary Submission | Power Imbalance | Fixation | Unhealthy Relationships | Eventual Emotional Intimacy | Makima Being Makima (Chainsaw Man) | But Actually | Amoral Makima | Possessive Makima | Control Devil Behavior | Psychological Drama | Character Study | Makima Would Approve (Or Just Kill Me For Writing This I Guess) | Master/Pet| Makima Gets an Equal Relationship (Eventually) | Eventual Praise Kink
Also posted to AO3: https://archiveofourown.org/works/73963626/chapters/214230121
Also posted on Sunset: https://sunset.femslash.club/works/2424/chapters/3272
Even in the dark, under a soft blanket, your body refused to shut off, and so did your mind. You stared at the ceiling, which you could barely make out with the dimmed lighting that the outside world provided through the window.
You couldn’t sleep. Especially not with Makima right next to you.
She wasn’t close enough that you touched — somehow, your bed was just enough for two people somewhat comfortable — but even so, her presence was undeniable. You had to really listen to pick up on her quiet, flat breathing, but this quiet, rhythmic sound soothed your mind.
If you turned to the left, if you only moved your head, you would face Makima. The distance wasn’t much bigger than it had been earlier on the sofa.
Your body felt too paralyzed for this little movement, though. Concern held you still; worries that you would wake Makima with the slightest shift, the smallest noise.
Even your breath was controlled. It wouldn’t disturb Makima this way, and it allowed you to listen to her breath instead. You couldn’t see it, but you could imagine how her chest was rising with each intake of air, and falling with each release.
Would Makima listen to you sleep, too?
… or was she listening?
You couldn’t tell; and you didn’t dare risk disturbing her slumber. Instead, you allowed the earlier events to creep back into the forefront of your mind.
Nothing else had happened, Makima had been the same as all the weeks before. She took over cleaning the dishes for you — you hadn’t objected, though you wondered if you should have had.
Makima hadn’t brought a change of clothes, so you offered her access to your closet. She had picked one of your big shirts to sleep in.
Even though that didn’t at all suit the image you had of Makima — a loose, oversized shirt wasn’t the neat and perfectly accurate clothing that was Makima’s style — it felt perfectly right.
Like this was nothing but a new side to Makima; one you hadn’t seen before. One you wouldn’t have seen had you not invited her to stay the night. You wondered if anyone else had seen Makima like this — basically off-duty. As close to mask off as Makima was probably capable of.
Somehow, you didn’t like the idea that someone else was also privy to this Makima. It felt as though your stomach grew heavy, like a knot formed inside of you.
“You can’t sleep,” Makima said, pulling you out of the spiraling thoughts.
How she noticed was beyond you — but this was Makima, so you didn’t question it. It seemed normal that she would know.
“Yeah,” you said.
The weight on the mattress shifted slightly, Makima had turned to face you. You finally turned as well; now that you had nothing to worry about anymore, there was no reason not to.
Even in the barely lit room, you could see Makima’s face. You couldn’t make out details all that well, like her expression, but this wasn’t so important right now.
It felt more intimate this way. Hidden instead of in the open, less to observe and interpret.
You didn’t have to see Makima, you knew how she looked right now. Even in your mind, Makima looked as always, perfectly normal — and yet, right now, you seemed to pay attention to her lips for the first time.
Today wasn’t the first time Makima’s lips had made contact with your skin; you had felt them before. But at those times, you hardly registered it as anything different from any other touch. Like a pat on the shoulder, it had been meaningless.
It was different today — different now.
“What are you thinking about?” Makima asked.
Her voice was hushed, as though she tried to keep it from someone who might overhear you. Not that there was anyone; if anyone was watching, it was Makima.
“I’ve been thinking about today,” you told her. “About… well, you. And this— the relationship we have.”
Mere ruminations; nothing that brought you any answers. Nothing concrete that you could’ve told or explained.
“I know. You even asked your friend.” Makima exhaled a little louder than usual — annoyance, maybe frustration shimmered through, though it was subtle enough that you’d miss it if you weren’t focused on listening to her breath. “You never asked me.”
For some reason, your mouth curved into a smile. You wondered if Makima felt something similar to what you felt earlier, when you thought about someone else seeing her like you did.
“I couldn’t ask you,” you told Makima. But the lack of options to contact her wasn’t all. “Asking you would be… I don’t know.”
Even now — should you ask Makima? She was the one who wanted you to figure out the nature of your relationship, something to which you found no answers. Maybe Makima would be willing to at least give you a hint, or explain options.
Not that Rina’s advice did much.
It was a date after all, even though by Rina’s definition, it shouldn’t have been — because by her definition, you didn’t harbor such feelings for Makima. After all, you never once thought that you wanted to kiss her.
Except…
Now that you thought about it, remembered the way her lips felt against your skin earlier today when she just barely missed yours — you wished your lips had touched instead.
Like that one time when she was feeding you onigiri, and made you pick up the food from her mouth directly. That couldn’t have been done without your lips brushing against hers — it was a kiss, one that didn’t register as such.
It didn’t count.
… maybe you were wrong in the belief that you never wanted to kiss Makima. Or you simply hadn’t noticed before.
“Asking you would be difficult,” you finally said.
Dates, you wanted to kiss her — there was no denying that Makima wasn’t the friend of yours she introduced herself as to Rina. She wasn’t your owner anymore either.
What Makima was to you was something more than a friend, someone special.
You finally figured out how you felt about this relationship the two of you shared, and yet… Even when you opened your mouth, you couldn’t utter the word. You couldn’t ask Makima whether this was the more suitable relationship for you.
Because… what if it wasn’t?
If you’re wrong, if your definition of this relationship doesn’t match Makima’s — would she draw away? Was it asking for too much, expecting too much?
It was a risk. No matter what, things would not remain the same once you defined what you had.
Bring up your finally derived conclusion and lose this particular contact that provided you with a stability you’d never known, and couldn’t live without? Or say nothing and never confirm the special nature of your relationship?
You couldn’t know which way it would go, which would be the right decision.
There was no way to truly know in advance, and no way to return to the current status quo afterwards.
This realization was paralyzing. You didn’t want to make this call.
“You’ve always been like this, haven’t you?” Makima said, as though she could sense your inner turmoil. “So perfectly normal and capable. You can follow any order without fail. But… this one little thing — decisions — breaks you down.”
Your hand fisted the sheets beneath you, in an attempt to ground you. You swallowed. Makima had you all figured out — but this wasn’t scary, it was reassuring. She knew, and she didn’t mind.
“Yeah,” you said. “It’s— I’ve always hated decisions. Consequences.”
“It’s strange,” Makima said. Her hand found yours beneath the blanket, and her thumb caressed the back of your hand. You unconsciously loosened your grip. “Strange how such a little thing can break a human completely.”
This was a weakness — one that Makima couldn’t possibly comprehend. Maybe because she was a devil, or because she was the Control Devil specifically. Or simply because she had a confidence and self-assuredness that you lacked.
Makima had little to worry about, she could solve everything. Obtain anything she wanted. There was no doubt about this.
“But this little crack in you has exactly the right shape for me,” Makima said, to your surprise. “In this whole world, there is probably no other human as naturally compatible with me.”
Your weakness was like a hole in yourself, in your capabilities — one that was Makima-shaped. She could fill this weakness of yours; make decisions easier by being with you, and making them for you when you couldn’t.
“I never thought about that,” you said.
It warmed your heart to realize that you weren’t wrong, or not enough — even your flaw was just right for Makima.
Drunk on this little high of finding approval even for your worst trait, you found courage in you that you’d lacked before. Right now, in this exact moment, you felt you could take a risk.
One that now felt worth taking.
“I want you to be my girlfriend,” you said. This was the relationship the two of you lived — so you thought. That was the appropriate definition.
“Surprisingly direct,” Makima said, her voice sounded softer — almost appreciative. Relieved even.
“You wanted me to ‘want’ things, didn’t you?”
This came to mind now, but Makima had asked for your wants a lot — and almost always, you came up empty. And that was always the wrong answer, one that frustrated Makima.
Maybe what you wanted mattered less to Makima than the fact that you expressed desires at all.
“That’s true. I did,” Makima said.
She shuffled closer, and put her hand on your cheek. Before you could wonder, you felt Makima’s lips against yours — warm and soft. The contact was gentle, and chaste. Completely unlike what you’d expect from Makima.
You closed your eyes instinctively, the surroundings didn’t matter in this moment. Only this kiss did.
A warm shudder ran down your spine, making you feel warm and cozy inside. You knew immediately — this felt right. This was where you wanted to be, and what you wanted for longer than you were even aware.
Makima eventually broke the kiss. You had no clue how much time had passed, but it felt as though you had been ripped out of a world that felt like the most genuine home you’d ever known.
“You finally figured it out,” Makima said. She brushed a strand of your hair behind your ear, the touch eliciting a goosebump that you somehow enjoyed. “My girlfriend is such a good girl.”
A fluttering feeling spread throughout your core — there was no sentence you would rather have heard.
OMG omg!! i have a question-- do i need to like pay or anything??? like this is so cool oml! this is what i would really like to see, and also idk if you are fine w multiple prompts in one but here-- can i request NSFW #9, #17 and #16, in one, with denji x fem reader?? sorry if its too much to ask but ur literally such a good writer i cant help it!! thank youuuuu ong
Dinner and Dessert, Part 1
Author: c-o-t-o
Character: Denji x fem reader
CW: 18+ only, sexual content/smut, character aged up, explicit language, pain play, teasing, light bdsm (some CWs apply to other parts)
Misc: ~2.5k words, Part 1. Requested by anon (playing with you under the kotatsu, teasing, and pain play)- I got too into this request and so is going to be much longer than anticipated! Keep an eye out for part 2!
About: You and Denji start teasing each other under the kotatsu after dinner, but it begins to turn into something much more playful.
*Do not remove info or credit from posts when reblogging or sharing!*
Denji was being his rowdy self, as usual. You all managed to make it through a dinner together without Power flinging food across the room or Denji and Aki yelling at her. Denji was, however, very energetic tonight.
Aki was in and out of the living room cleaning up after dinner, while power sat off to the side on some cushions watching TV with Meowy. You and Denji were still under the kotatsu since it was so toasty and warm.
Denji lays straight back and carelessly spreads his legs out under the kotatsu, one of his legs ending up on top of yours. He puts his hands back under his head, grinning wide and sighing contentedly.
“Denji…” you say, hoping he’ll just realize he’s being obnoxious. When he doesn’t pay you any mind, you start shaking your legs to shake him off.
“Denji!” You laugh, although somewhat annoyed that he’s just taking up all this space.
“Whaaattt??” He finally responds, shaking his legs back with a devious grin on his face.
You reach under the kotatsu and try to push his leg off but he pushes back against the force of your hand. Denji makes a “ahh haa” sound to mock you, sticking his tongue out.
This back and forth goes on for a few minutes. You push him, he pushes you back. You slap his leg, and he tries to swat at you from his lying position. Eventually you both start laughing at each other. Denji sits back up and leans his head on his hand. He smiles at you with his cheeks all red. Probably from all the kicking and gyrating he was doing. He reaches under the kotatsu and pinches your leg, and you let out a playful yelp. You reach back under to do the same, pinching him on what you assume to be the top of his thigh. But instead of Denji yelling or getting annoyed, his face begins to redden more, eyes starting to avoid yours.
Confused, you pinch him again, thinking he’ll do something back to you. But this time, he just closes his eyes and exhales through his nose loudly. You lower your face to try and look him in the eyes, but Denji instead turns his face away.
‘Does he… like this? Did he do this wanting me to pinch him back?’ You wonder to yourself. It’s no secret that Denji likes the thrill of pain, but you assumed that was just when he fought. Before you can let your thoughts wander more, you feel Denji grab your hand under the kotatsu, squeezing your fingers. You look at him, his eyes still looking down at the table. With his other arm leaning on the table, his hand covers his mouth, trying to covertly hide his expression and the redness creeping in on his face. Denji puts your hand on his thigh, and you feel his hand on yours. He starts dragging his nails down your skin, making you gasp out loud.
“What happened?” Aki peeks his head out from the kitchen while he does the dishes. Hearing this, Power tilts her head around to look at you and Denji.
“N-nothing! It’s nothing, sorry.” You say with your voice cracking a bit. You glare at Denji who is still trying to cover his mouth, but smirking now. “You…”
You do the same back to Denji, teasing him just the way he did to you. Scratching his thigh didn’t get much of a reaction out of him, though. He does it back to you, but harder this time. You quickly turn to look at him, and all you can see are his eyes looking up at you pleadingly. Your heart skips a beat, understanding now that he wants you to do it harder. When you do, you see Denji’s neck cringe from pleasure. The sight of him getting turned on by you and the small hints of pain in your teasing, inadvertently starts turning you on as well.
The blanket under the tabletop is big and heavy, so nobody notices when either of you start moving around more underneath it. Denji goes back to laying flat on the floor while you lay on your side. You’ve both pulled the blanket up to your necks now, allowing both of you to reach more than just each other’s thighs.
Living with Denji, you two ended up constantly flirting with each other. As boys usually do, Denji’s way of showing it was always to tease you. When it mattered the most, he did protect you and looked out for you. But at home, when he could be his weird self, he loved to tease you. You once came close to kissing him late at night when you both started falling asleep on the couch watching a movie, leaning on each other. But nothing ever came of it, until today. Maybe Denji couldn’t take it anymore.
You gasp quietly to yourself when you feel Denji’s hand move up your arm, making its way up to your chest. He glances over at you to look for a reaction, hesitating. With just your eyes, you scan the room to make sure Aki and Power aren’t paying attention, which they aren’t. You look back at Denji, making tiny nods with your head. His eyes widen in surprise and excitement. Without wasting any more time, Denji’s hand finds its way to your breast, cupping and squeezing it gently at first. He tries to nonchalantly watch you for your reaction.
Denji’s hands are so big and warm that it honestly feels really good. Your eyes close in pleasure and you start letting out small breathy moans through your nose, trying so hard to be quiet. But suddenly, you hear Denji chuckle. It’s so quiet you almost didn’t hear it. But before you open your eyes, you feel Denji’s hand go under your shirt, pinching your nipple with his fingertips.
You grab your mouth to try keeping yourself from making too much noise, not really able to do much of anything with Aki and Power in the same room. Denji, still being Denji, starts teasing you. His fingertips start circling around your hardened nipple, pinching it randomly, trying to get you to gasp out loud. You feel yourself start getting wet. Were you also enjoying the random bits of pain? Denji somehow found a way to make it feel good and not actually hurt.
To retaliate, you lean over and run your hand up Denji’s thigh, hand resting over the crotch of his shorts. His eyes flash open at you, and all you can do is smirk at him. He pinches your nipple again in response.
Your hand knew exactly where to go, because… well frankly, Denji was already incredibly hard before you even touched him. He got that freaking hard just teasing you and feeling you up. You find the seam of his shorts, take a deep breath, and start making your way up them.
You didn’t think your first time feeling him up would be during a situation like this… but damn was it exciting. Nervous and eager to feel Denji, you finally slide your fingers underneath the fabric of his underwear. He was so hot from being so stiff that it warmed your fingers to the touch immediately. Denji was pretty big, and it somewhat takes you by surprise. You drag your fingertips across his skin from the base of him to his tip. There’s already precum pooling at the top. You laugh to yourself and drag the tip of your finger across it, using it to lubricate your fingertip as it circles the head of his cock. Denji throws his head back in pleasure, letting go of your boob. Closing your fingers around him, you start pumping your hand up and down his length, watching his eyes roll back in his head. Once you get a good rhythm going and he starts getting into it… you suddenly let go, making him go crazy from the sudden withdrawl. His knees jerk and hit the kotatsu from inside, making him yell out.
“Okay, what’s going on in there??” Aki asks annoyed, coming out from the kitchen to see what’s going on. For some reason, your immediate response is to close your eyes and pretend you fell asleep under the kotatsu when Aki comes in.
“It’s fine, just go back to your chores,” Denji retorts, trying so hard to play it off. “I just hit my knees, no big deal, it’s fine.” Aki looks down at you, then glares at Denji.
“Be quiet, she’s sleeping. And you should be, too. In fact,” Aki says, turning to look at Power as well, “We should all be going to sleep. We all have work tomorrow morning.”
“Yeah, yeah, got it. I’ll wake her up and tell her to go to bed. Just wanna finish my show.” Denji says, trying to convince Aki and Power to both leave. Which they do, because Aki takes Meowy in an effort to get Power to go back to her room and sleep.
For a few brief moments it’s completely silent. Out of nowhere, you feel something warm near your face. You open your eyes to see Denji hovering above you. He playfully grabs your chin, bringing his mouth to your ear. He licks the shell of your ear, then bites on your earlobe before whispering, “You’re really in for it now.”
Your fate was sealed before you took your first breath...
...
They never loved you..
...
Why would they?
𓂃˖˳·˖ ִֶָ ⋆🌷͙⋆ ִֶָ˖·˳˖𓂃 ִֶָ
It all started with your parents. Both were spoiled rotten brats who never achieved anything they never got along well until...
They saw her.
Every person who did always said the same thing. A beautiful woman dressed in white with dress that perfectly defined all her curves. Hair flowing with the gentle wind she always brought, face so soft that just one look could make all your problems disappear. "She is an angel..." They say hypnotized by her deep blue eyes that reminded them of ocean and that soft melody they would hear when she spoke.. And oh her voice was so heavenly that it could make the strongest devils melt for her. When your parents saw them they couldn't help but submit to her pleases to join the community that she has been taking care of for generations, saying it's a safe space for people exactly like them... The heavenly paradise.. Thats what it's called, a place for everyone looking for gentle care and love. Home to every person who's trying to survive... When they hear it they instantly agreed with eagerness you couldn't imagine they have, a stable place for troublemakers like this? At this point they were the embodiment of pure chaos with the way they lived.. Yet still a simple please from the woman was strong enough to erase the memories of their past, ready to begin...
Their end.
𓂃˖˳·˖ ִֶָ ⋆🌷͙⋆ ִֶָ˖·˳˖𓂃 ִֶָ
First few weeks nothing ordinary has happened.. Your parents were living their best life in the never ending paradise they now called home. Sometimes the woman would come and gather people to pray together.. From the bottom of the stairs with the way the light was shining softly from the sky she looked unreal. "I will guide you all to your happiness" she said with that angelic voice that embraced everyone gathered, it felt like a hug from a mother and that's what they people called her. There were two rules..
I. We pray at the same time everyday
II. Coming out at night without the mothers permission is strictly forbidden
No one knew what exactly happens if you break the second rule but those who can't sleep at night hear a soft, delicate sound that can be described as breaking a poki stick...
𓂃˖˳·˖ ִֶָ ⋆🌷͙⋆ ִֶָ˖·˳˖𓂃 ִֶָ
One night there was a gentle knock on your parents bedroom door followed by a sweet voice "Excuse me.. I'd like you two to come outside with me, I'll be waiting" With those words said your parents jumped right from their beds sprinting to the door of the many dojo they lived in. Opening the front doors they saw her, standing among the flowers moonlight just at the right angle as she turned to them with a smile...
"Congratulations you two.. You'll have your child in 7 months from now on"
The two young people stood in the doorway, their faces pale as their hands began to shake. It didn't take long for the yound woman to collapse on the floor, clinching her stomach tears threatening to fall from her eyes. The man just stood frozen unable to comprehend what he heard because.. "We've never did that before..." He whispered looking at the sobbing woman next to him, hands trembling, pupils shrinking, he could feel his hand raising ready so slap the woman in the face but before he could even yell... His head was cut off. Blood splashed everywhere even on the flowers which now were also gone...? "Where am I?" The terrified woman said before her eyes landed on her so called "husband" she cheated on. She let out a raw, throat hurting scream as she couldn't stop staring at the mans now empty eyes.
"How... Could this happen.. It was never in the rules.."
𓂃˖˳·˖ ִֶָ ⋆🌷͙⋆ ִֶָ˖·˳˖𓂃 ִֶָ
"There are four most important rules here kids!"
The oldest person in the paradise said as she and two newcomers had sat on the floor.
The woman twitched as she heard a laugh.. But not the usual laugh, it was cruel, humiliating as if someone was having fun looking at her in pain... the worst part? The bubbling sound that came with it. Turning around she had to cover her mouth not to puke all over herself, what she saw was like scenes from horror movies. A one singular tree, standing tall among the darkness there wasn't any leaves in sight or the gentle wind that you were always met after coming out on the morning. It wasn't there. Just nothingness and that stench of blood and decomposing corpses.. Ah yes, I forgot to mention the thousands of humans hanging from the tree, they all had one thing in common... Their hearts were ripped off. "Do you see that? Thats what awaits you" the mothers gentle voice reached the woman's ears but the shadow standing behind her was way bigger than the mother.. And.. Why does it have the claws..? Looking up the woman choked on her scream at what she saw... It was.. A monster people would say but she knew better.. It was a devil. It's white body was basically shining in the darkness making it's features more visible. Huge body with broad shoulders and arm that were a size of two whole trucks stacked on each other at the end the hand was decorated with black long claws that could probably make atoms split it two. The worst part about it? The head, the mouth, the eyes everything was just so terrifing. All the woman was thinking about is to escape, a natural, animalistic response to danger. She managed to get up and started running as fast as she possibly could. The devil only laughted at her pathetic ways to escape, getting closer and closer every step she took. Finally sticking out it's hand and grabbing the woman the devil brought her to it's opened mouth full of teeth in different rows. "No! No! Please! Mother! I'll do everything! Just d.. Don't kill me!" The woman screamed in desperation having that bit of hope that she'll be spared. The devils empty eyes met hers as it slightly turned it's head to the side, was it thinking? Maybe.. because moments later it started laughing hysterically as the woman begged through her tears constantly. Suddenly she had fallen on the ground as a sharp claw threatened to slice her neck open. "Listen human I have a deal for you..." It said smiling widely showing it's rows of teeth "O-Of course mother! What is it!" The way the woman said it was so desperate and pathetic the devil couldn't help but laugh...
"I will spare your life mortal.. In exchange I want to own your child and it's soul"
"Deal! It's... It's a deal! I agree mother!"
"Very well human..."
𓂃˖˳·˖ ִֶָ ⋆🌷͙⋆ ִֶָ˖·˳˖𓂃 ִֶָ
7 months later you were born. The first person you saw was the mother... In her humanoid form of course. Your biological mom was already out of the country, in desperate act of running away. But she didn't last long, the nightmares of that one night were torturing her to the point that she hanged herself in her little apartment, she was found two weeks later already decomposing but there was something missing... Her heart. And you, all you really remember is mother kissing your forehead and saying..
"I'll see you when the time comes, my child"
Before everything went black.
𓂃˖˳·˖ ִֶָ ⋆🌷͙⋆ ִֶָ˖·˳˖𓂃 ִֶָ
A young woman was getting ready for work, putting on her suit and grabbing her stuff before heading towards the door, when she opened them she saw....
an asaden reimagining of 2022’s bones and all. 8.3k words, wip. part one of three.
── ⟢
YOUR FATHER, A LONG TIME AGO, SPEAKING TO YOU THROUGH YOUR WALKMAN: I don’t know if you’ll ever listen to this, but if you do, I want you to know that this is your fault. There’s something wrong with you.
I’m not talking about what you did to your mother. Your mom had something wrong with her too and I don’t resent you for putting her out of her misery. I’m talking about what I’m… it’s your fault I’m leaving. You’ve been a pain in the ass since the day you were born— again, I’m not talking about your mom. I wasn’t supposed to deal with you alone. Don’t know how to do it. Never wanted to. All I want is to be filthy fucking rich. I can’t sugarcoat that. I won’t. I don’t give a fuck about anything but that and your mother, and well… ha. Yeah. Money. And you are not easy on the pockets, Denji. Yeah. You’re real fuckin’ expensive. Since the day you were born. The very fuckin’ day.
Chapter Three: The Birth of Venus on Earth [ Masterlist! ]
sypnosis: you died. then got reborn, now faced with two difficult choices- you must choose your fate. meanwhile, denji is comtemplating his love interests'.
P A S T
My brother always tells me there are glowing sea creatures in the deepest part of the ocean.
Ones where if you look at them for too long you'll be hypnotised.
I never believed him.
Although sometimes when the boat rocks gently against the deep blue waves, shining against the moonlight, I stare directly at the seemingly bottomless pit.
And I almost do.
The thought of something so scary lingering in the deepest parts of what I call home is enough to keep me up at night. It makes me clutch my doll harder.
But today the sun is shining brightly above me and those thoughts disappear.
I hear a pleasant hum spilling from my mothers lips— a song she only gets to sing at sea.
If I were to compare my mother to something it would be a pretty siren. Not the kind my father reads to me at night, the seducing creatures that drown passing sailors. I mean the kind that even the ocean would silence itself to hear her hums.
Her voice lulls me to sleep every night, even when there's harsh waves beating against the hull.
Now her fingers are threading through my hair, pulling it into a braid neat enough to survive the harsh winds that surround us. Her hands are soft and warm.
My father stands steady at the wheel, his cheeks sunburned, sunglasses sliding down the bridge of his nose, one hand resting casually on the steering wheel as if nothing in the world could surprise him.
And then there’s my brother, posted at the rail, closest to the edge — always the bold one.
A pair of binoculars in his hands. Searching.
He’s looking for dolphins this time.
“Mom saw one yesterday…” he tells me, eyes narrowed behind the binoculars. “Said it was following the boat, I’m gonna spot it first!”
The idea of dolphins makes my heart lift, something gentle– something cool!
“Go with him.” Mom urges me, voice soft behind me. She’s tying off the end of my braid, fingers lingering for a moment before she lets it go. “You’ll miss them if you stay here, honey.”
I hesitate. My doll’s head is damp against my skin.
“Go on.” She brushes a soft kiss against the crown of my head.
I nod and shuffle to where he stands, posted at the railing like our dad would on his late night stargazing. He doesn’t turn when I arrive—just passes me the binoculars with a grunt and a half-smile.
The water sparkles magically under the harsh sun above us. I squint through the lenses, searching for a flash of grey, a tail or a snout.
“See anything?” He asks, a bit too casually.
“No…”
“Here…”He says, nudging me. “Try leaning over a little more.”
I do, just a tiny—then a shove.
I’m under.
Sudden. Cold. Suffocating.
The air inside my lungs vanishes as the world flips. A scream bubbles in my throat but never makes it out. The sea wraps around me like a cage, tight and choking. The weight of it is heavy. Endless. My doll slips from my grip, slowly lowering into the sea's depths.
My limbs fail pathetically, panic taking over me. I can’t tell which way is up.
I can't breathe.
I CAN'T BREATHE!
The pressure builds up inside my ears. My eyes sting.
I try to scream again.
Please…Someone help me.
Mom— I'm right here…
Brother, pull me up.
It’s not funny anymore…
It rips through my throat like shards of glass. Salt water burns. My chest caves, searching for oxygen that won’t come.
Everything hurts.
Everythings silent.
Until—
A voice .
I hear it inside my head. Muffled. Old.
“My child of salt, did you call for me?”
The voice coils itself in the water, slow and surprisingly gentle, like it's been waiting. Like it knows me.
Then—
Hands. Warm and familiar.
And they drag me up, up, up.
The water's surface splits open and I burst out choking, coughing saltwater, hair sticking to my face. The world looks…blurry?
My brother is there, on his knees on the edge of the rail, face pale, eyes wide.
“You’re okay.” He pants, voice cracked. “You’re okay– I didn’t know– I’m sorry!”
I’m too busy crying to answer, clinging to his shirt, my hair dripping onto the both of us.
He smells like sandalwood and sun and sweat. Like home .
“I always pull you back.” He mutters, I think more to himself than to me. “Always.”
His voice shakes more than mine.
Behind us, I hear Mom shouting, footsteps thundering the deck and Dad is spilling profanities at him. But for just a second, it’s just me and him. Curled together. He holds me tighter than he ever has before.
Something deep beneath the waves snickers.
P R E S E N T
You wake up gasping for air.
Coughing until you're able to take a decent breath of air, spitting sand and water onto the shore. The cool tide keeps touching the tips of your toes, like it didn't just swallow you whole. Everything is fucking cold— your skin, the wind, the water.
It’s barely morning. The sky is a mix of pale purple blending into dull gray.
You're naked.
Body covered in dark bruises—big and ugly ones.
Your wrist—
It's wrong. Bent in an unnatural manner.
What the hell.
And suddenly—
SNAP!
It jerks back into place. The pain is fast and blinding. You scream through clenched teeth.
“Jesus.”
You look up.
A man stands a few feet away, black coat, sharp blue eyes, cigarette hanging between his lips. Smoke curling from his mouth like fog from a gun barrel. Calm. Detached. And a weird ponytail that defied gravity?
His eyes narrow on you, with a look you know all too well.
The kind reserved for devils, or things too close to them.
Revulsion incarnate.
You’ve never seen him before, but you can tell what he is. You recognize that uniform— and somehow that katana strapped onto his back.
“I don’t know what kind of deal you made,” he says, exhaling smoke, “but you’re not human.”
You keep your mouth shut. Throat too raw. You pull your knees up to your chest, feeling exposed in front of him. Trying to keep the miniscule amount of dignity you had left.
Something lands beside you with a wet thud . Clothes.
“You’ve got two choices,” he says flatly, flicking ash into the wind. “Come with us. Public Safety. Or die here, stripped and alone.”
You laugh. Didn’t he just see you heal?
“Fucking kill me.” You croak. “Do it.”
He watches you for a beat. The wind picks up. His phone buzzes in his trousers. He glances at it.
“You want to see him again?” He extends his phone towards you. Showing a grainy screen.
A photo.
A woman with red hair. Smiling.
So creepy.
Her eyes don’t match. They’re too calm. Too knowing. They look more like voids than anything else. Like she watches from across the tide, patiently waiting for you to drown again.
You’ve also never seen her before–but you know her. Somehow.
It's a gut feeling, passed down through the curse that runs through your veins. The Ocean knows too.
Denji is beside her. Who only seems to be wearing a coat and that stupid grin of his. “You stand up.”
Something in your chest caves.
Like the Ocean Devil has reached inside you and pressed a fist right up against your fragile ribs.
For a moment, you think—you won’t see him again. Maybe that’s the price. Maybe that’s what this is. Maybe you're meant to vanish like foam in the tide, and he’s meant to keep going.
Without you.
So you don't move.
He’ll be better off.
“You want him to stay alive? ”
That makes you freeze.
The air shifts.
It’s like something tears through you, raw and deep— like your soul is being dragged backwards.
Just like last night.
Just like when the Ocean Devil pulled you.
It didn’t drag you back to the shore. It didn’t drown you.
It made you go back… for him.
To make sure he stays alive, even if you don’t.
You can still feel it inside your chest—the Ocean Devil—looking around through the cage of your ribs with fingers made of claws and icey-deep coldness. It digs in, wraps itself around the soft, pulsing muscle of your heart, squeezing it tightly.
Like it wants to crush it in its palm until it bursts.
Until your heart stops being yours .
Until you give in. To serve. To obey.
That voice which haunts you.
“My child, go.”
Your fingers curl around the clothes. The fabric clings to your skin, still slick with water and unease. You stand. Legs trembling, head spinning, but you still stand.
Not for yourself.
Not even for the voice.
But for the boy with shark teeth and light in his eyes.
–
Meanwhile…
“From now on, you're in my care, Denji.” Makima turns her head from the car window. Her tone is light on her tongue, almost cheerful.
“I expect ‘yes’ or ‘woof’ for answers. I don’t need a dog who says no.”
Denji shifts in his seat.
His mouth opens. Closes.
“…When you say that”
“Someone in forensics once told me,” Makima throws him a small smile. “that when we get dogs that aren’t helpful, we put them down.”
I thought she was nice.
I kind of liked her.
I had no idea she was scary like this.
Treating me like a damn dog.
Memories flash. Denji’s eyes widen.
Pochita’s dead.
He reaches for the cord without thinking, curling it around his calloused fingers. It's cold against his chest. A heartbeat that doesn’t belong to him anymore.
Pochita died for him.
He became his heart. His second chance.
He wanted him to live like a normal person.
He wanted him to… learn more about the ocean!
That's what he said, right?
And just like that he thinks of you.
You, with sunburned cheeks and odd obsession with the waves. You, who tried to teach him how to fish for a meal. You, who patched him up after a rough day of work. You, always staring out at the water like you were waiting for something to speak back.
And–
God, that amazing bikini. The pink one. (Was he ever gonna get over it? No. Probably not.) The one that barely covered anything.
As if you came to life from one of his tattered lewd magazines.
The way it hugged your breasts—
The way it almost left nothing to the imagination—
The way you didn’t even notice how hot you looked—
It drove him utterly insane.
Would you let him touch your boobs?
It’d never hurt to ask…right?
He would, so very nicely~
“—That applies to your mermaid friend.”
Denji jerks and his stomach grumbles suddenly.
He didn’t say anything out loud? Did he?
But now with Makima…
She promised him food. A warm bed to sleep in.
She was the first girl to ever hug him. It felt..good to him.
And Makima said she liked Denji-type boys!
It felt like true love to him. Or atleast what he thinks love is supposed to be.
She said he was special. That he belonged to her.
And that made his chest swell up with something stupid.
You never said anything like that.
You didn’t promise anything. You didn’t ask anything either.
You gave him food without saying why. You made his stomach flip in weird ways he didn’t understand. Plus, you were smoking hot!
In his head the only con was that you were sorta… odd?
From the get-go, you made it crystal clear you didn't want to live.
You didn't value your life. Your weird relationship with the beach also freaked him out a bit, but hey— he’s not one to judge.
He glances at Makima beside him—so calm, so beautiful, so in control.
