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Entry tags:
home is wherever i'm with you
WHO: Aki, Power & Denji
WHAT: Hayakawa family reunion
WHERE: Aki's room
WHEN: The arrival of new Outsiders
WARNINGS: Blanket warning for Chainsaw Man spoilers and canon-typical references
WHAT: Hayakawa family reunion
WHERE: Aki's room
WHEN: The arrival of new Outsiders
WARNINGS: Blanket warning for Chainsaw Man spoilers and canon-typical references
[ As soon as Aki sees her name, skimming through his implant to check to see if there's anyone (else) he should be concerned about, it feels as if his heart stops for a moment. It doesn't feel real, not after so many months of it just being him and Denji with Makima on the edge of it all, a painful and threatening reminder of what happened to him at home, but...
But it is real.
A quick message is sent off to Denji before he begins to pace, not sure if he should go and find Power and bring her here, or if he ought to try and go out of his way to wait. She'll be able to smell both of them eventually, but he sends her a little message on where his room is as well in the hopes that she gets there faster.
There's a strange anxiety in him, an uncertainty. What does Power remember? What is she expecting? Will she know him as Aki or will she be afraid and see him as the monster he turns into? Will Denji be able to handle this, if she arrives and then goes again? The worries become a little too much for him, and he has to force himself to breathe in and out and relax.
What's the point in panicking? His family is back together again, and he can't wait to see it in front of him properly. ]
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he's not sure - how it will go when he sees her. but, he's not going to give aki another reason to worry. denji pulls himself together, heads over to his room and pushes the door open. as soon as their gaze meets, he raises his hands, keeping his voice steady. ]
... I'm okay. [ he knows aki too much. the guy is probably more worried about denji over himself. before they both get swallowed into their emotions, he had to ask. ] ... do you think it's a glitch? It can happen, right? The system has been acting up.
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With everything that Denji has told him? How is he meant to be calm about it? ]
I think it's her. Even with the system acting up, I was able to start sending a message, and this is the normal time for newcomers.
[ Lifting his hand - the flesh one - he ruffles Denji's hair. ]
Are you ready?
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... Nevermind. The point is, if this is some sort of horrible trick, then Power will slaughter whomever is responsible. Simple. She'll figure things out once she reaches the apartment. The closer she gets to the apartment, the more she can smell Aki on the air, and then, then another scent kicks in, and Power starts running even faster...
Anyway, Denji had better be ready for this, because Power doesn't bother to knock when she arrives; instead, a cylinder of blood punches straight through the doorknob, shattering the lock and flinging the door wide open. Power stands in the entrance, wild-eyed and gasping for breath as she leans against the doorjamb. ]
Are... you...?!
[ Give her a second, she needs to catch her breath! She takes in a deep lungful of air, and her eyes practically light up as the familiar scents hit home. It's them.
She's wasted too much time already. Power lunges forward and flings an arm around each of their shoulders, bringing them in so closely that both Aki and Denji are in serious danger of being impaled on her horns. ]
If this is a trick, I shall kill both of you idiots!
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and then—
a loud crash split the moment apart. the door busted inward, fragments of wood scattering like shattered ice; the force of it sent a tremor through the room. the light flickered, the shadows on the walls distorting into grotesque shapes. before he could figure out what the hell happened, he could feel a heavy weight against him, followed by a familiar scent, and even more familiar voice. that horn is fated to poke him in the damn eye, but he didn't care, he had to look over at aki, as if trying to make sure he's not under a hallucination again; eyes wide open and terrified. he stood frozen, his breath shallow, his pulse hammering in his ears. she was there— right in front of him. alive.
as she held them both, warmth enveloped him, arms tightening around his rigid frame, grounding him in a reality that felt too cruel to be true. his body refused to move, his hands hovering just above her back as his mind screamed— is this real?
his breath hitched. his chest ached. and then, something shattered inside him.
with a strangled breath, he collapsed into the embrace, one arm locking around her, and the other over aki's, with a desperation he hadn’t known he was capable of. his fingers clutched at the fabric of their shirts, as if afraid they'd slip away the moment he let go. ]
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The solid bulk of Power (and her strength, oof) hits him, and Aki is brought close to both her and Denji, wrapping around them and feeling his hands begin to shake. The flesh one wraps around her gently, pulling her close and breathing her in - the usual smells, the ones that remind him of home, even if there's a little sourness from his tears and the grief he had felt not moments before.
It could've been a trick. It could've been something to hurt them again, especially with Makima here, but it isn't. She's back, and they can be a family again, the feelings swelling up inside him and making him feel as if he might shatter into pieces if he isn't careful. All these months of keeping himself together, overcoming his own feelings about his own death, pushing himself further and further into the joy of living...
It's made better by her company.
Gripping at her and Denji both, he breathes out a shuddering sound, trying to keep himself together. ]
It's not a trick, Power. We're both here.
[ He makes a soft noise - maybe a laugh, or a strangled sob. ]
Mind your horns.
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[ The retort is immediate, mumbled somewhere into Aki's shoulder. If he notices his shirt getting wet (and this goes for Denji too), well, Power isn't exactly keeping it together either, but they don't have to talk about it. She is handling this reunion very well, thank you. She is the picture of emotional maturity.
She grabs a fistful of their shirts in each hand, like she's afraid they'll disappear if she lets go, and takes a deep, shuddery breath, breathing in their scents. They're here, they're alive, they smell like home... she hadn't even expected to wake up as herself, with her personality and memories intact. Waking up with her family somehow restored, alive and well and here in her arms, is... ]
I... I don't understand how this is possible. But I don't care!
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eventually, he pulls his head just enough to take a closer look at her. one hand reaches out, desperate, disbelieving, and when his fingers cradle her cheek — he knew it was real. she's here. alive. his family is back. both of them are alive. he didn't bother to wipe away his tears, face terribly flustered because denji had always been the messy type. ]
I ... missed you! We missed you. [ yes, the pain is still there, and he might have a nervous breakdown later, but whatever. he's going to squish both her cheeks now. ] We have a lot to tell you. We can ... we can go buy all the snacks you like now. Aki and I have money. We get paid well. I have savings! Me! We can eat whatever we want!! Anytime.
[ aki, can you see it? can you see the mad sugar rush of two devils that will keep you up many night in the future? yup. ]
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The reality is, though... The flood of happiness he feels is almost overwhelming, as good as the first hit of a cigarette or the rush of adrenaline in the middle of a fight. It's better than any contract he's made with a Devil, and it makes the emotions run through him with a sharp, snapping feeling of the pieces of his heart fusing back together. He'd been happy here, with Denji and Tsurumaru, but adding Power to the equation...
His family is back together again. The burst of joy, the sheer delight that fuels him is obvious through his ring, and he's sure he's going to have to explain things to Tsurumaru later, but for now he's content to enjoy the warmth and sweetness of being able to sink into Denji and Power's embrace and know that they're safe, that he would do anything to make sure that they're taken care of.
His metal hand rises to stroke gently through Power's hair as the other one grips at the back of Denji's neck, and he breathes out. ]
We'll take care of you. You'll be alright here, and I'm sure you'll enjoy fighting the kaiju as well.
[ A shuddering breath comes from his mouth. ]
I'll be rationing the snacks, though.
pretend that aki is also in this icon!
I told you we'd meet again, didn't I? This is just further proof that I am always right! [ And then, because she can't keep the nagging thought from intruding on an otherwise joyous moment... ] ...You didn't die, did you? I know we did, but you weren't supposed to. 'Twould be...
[ At that point, Power feels Aki's fingers combing through her hair, and she's so caught up in the moment that it takes her a second to realize what feels off about the gesture. First of all, the last time she'd seen him properly, Aki only had one hand to do this with, and these new fingers are more solid than his flesh ones had ever been. She twists her head around, not trying to dislodge Aki or Denji's hands, but trying to get a better look at this second arm. ]
Ah...? What is... when did you get another one?! [ ... And after a moment, because she's just realized that this arm is metal and Power is a gremlin at heart: ] ... Denji! Do we have fridge magnets?
he's totally there in their hearts
so he shakes his head. ] ... no. I lived. [ ah, there is a sense of urgency to talk about something important first. when she gets distracted by aki's arm, denji tries to collect himself, freeing one hand to wipe his face clean, smudging the tears all over in a flustered mess. there was a brief, tentative peek in aki's direction before smiling back at her. ] Yeah, yeah ... we will totally get the magnets and stick 'em all over his arm! We will ...
[ uhh. ]
But we need to tell you about ... Makima. You know she's here, right?
[ he glanced at aki, hoping he'd have some plan to ... deal with this. the control devil has been cooperative so far, maybe because of her private deal with denji, but they shouldn't trust her. ]
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In the sourness of everything that happened to Aki, all the wrong choices he made and all the things he had to suffer through, at least there's that. The knowledge that his final wish had been Denji and Power's happiness, and he had failed at that hurdle makes him feel sick, but it's not anything he could've changed. It's nothing he could fix, and all he can do is rely on the here and now to make it better.
As much as he can, at least.
Stroking fingers through their hair, he sighs. ]
Makima-san has done nothing to threaten or harm me so far. She's been polite. If we keep her distance, she won't be any problem.
[ He hopes, at least. And he imagine LILITH is keeping a close eye on her.
Also... ]
You can have one magnet each.
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Power goes still, and begins to feel the bottom falling out of this joyous moment. She's still filled with overwhelming happiness, but... a few hours ago, she'd formed a contract with Denji in a dumpster and disappeared. Then she woke up here, and she's beginning to realize that it has definitely been more than a few hours for Aki and Denji. What else has she missed out on? How long has it been?
After a few moments of thoughtful silence, she speaks up again. ]
... Maybe I can drink enough kaiju blood to return to my blood devil form. Then we might stand a chance against her. Or perhaps we'll get lucky, and one of the kaiju will eat her.
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it didn't surprise him the diplomatic answer that slipped out of aki's mouth; unsure if they should welcome the assumption that makima is harmless now. despite his concerns, it's unlike her to pull the same trick again, considering they're all aware of her endgame. still, he couldn't shake it off — the anxiety of it all. he wanted to warm them, protect them, but everything felt too overwhelming.
he shakes his head, half-scowling. ] Nah, you guys are not fighting her. I asked Aki to do the same thing when he showed up. Just ... promise me you'll stay away from her. Don't believe anything she says. It's all a lie. Deal?
[ it didn't sound like a solid plan, way too simple, but it's all he can come up with as his brain struggles with juggling so many conflicting thoughts. hmm, power consuming all the blood she desires is an interesting thought, though. ] Pretty sure you can't walk around with your real form, but you do get stronger when you drink more blood ...
[ oh, the next mission will be ✨ fun ✨ ]
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[ He's under no illusions about whether Makima is dangerous here. He knows that she is, there are no doubts about it, and Aki doesn't want to do anything that's going to upset that careful balance. So far, Makima has left him alone, has left him to flourish here, and he's happy enough about it.
He feels the urge to warn Tsurumaru about it, but for now... For now, he can be good, he can be careful, and tolerant, despite how frightened he is by it all. ]
If you need blood, you know where you can get it.
[ Is he implying himself or Denji... Who knows? ]
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Deal... as long as you abide by your own promise and stay away from her as well.
[ No running off to play self-sacrificial hero, Denji! Unless she drinks an entire kaiju's worth of blood, she probably won't be able to go full blood devil and try to save you again!
She turns to give Aki an equally grave stare and a nod: ]
I know. Denji, and the kaiju.
[ SORRY DENJI, but you can regenerate, and she has just assumed the kaiju are free game! But... more to the point, it's probably time to ask the question that's started nagging at her. ]
Have you two... been here long?
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as for makima- ] ... I am careful around her. [ staying away completely is not an option, something about keeping a close eye on an enemy and all. he's not trying to be a hero, but he wouldn't underestimate the control devil by not acknowledging that she exists. ]
Just don’t get greedy, alright? I ain’t tryna pass out in the middle of all this kaiju crap.
[ at her last question, he blinked and glanced at aki before shrugging. ] Dunno, kinda lost track. Feels like a lifetime, though. The other outsiders are super chill ... most of them.