(open) new year, new me

[nutkick]

WHO: denji and anyone
WHAT: tdm prompts
WHERE: hot springs, everlight base and hostel.
WHEN: first week of jan
WARNINGS: nudity I guess? will update.




» hot springs (aftermath of brace yourselves, something is coming)

[ it's been a long day of rescuing civilians and damage control. while denji was solely motivated by the average paycheck they've been promised, driven by greed, there was an honest attempt from his side to carry his duties seriously. he may or may not have been the best when it came to protecting the people, since he probably left a few men to fend for themselves while attending to the women and children instead, but with the beauty of teamwork— someone else most likely picked up after him. so those men are probably fine. it's fine. all fine.

he didn't need his chainsaws, really. they weren't instructed to kill but to protect. so he had no reason to bring them out which made the mission a lot more physically draining. perhaps he still held a subconscious anxiety of using them after months of being mentally abused into dismissing that side of him, and with it— that fear followed him into this city. denji is still unaware of it, instead more reassured with the excuse of "it's not worth it". a time will come when he needs chainsaw man, and it's not today.

the water is warm against his skin, soothing all his aching muscles at ease. exhausted, he looks like he might nod off in any second— which is a terrible, terrible idea when you're chilling in water. just saying. ]


» baby it's cold outside ( open to everlight or any visitors to their base)

[ it's cold, freezing, but it's nothing he can't tolerate. after all, having the heart of a devil from literal hell can keep someone warm. he would've gone to bed ages ago if it wasn't for losing the most important survival item for the night, and it's his single blanket. what happened you may ask? he was stupid enough to spill an entire bowl of warm soup all over it. he thought it would be a great idea to curl in bed and enjoy a warm, store-bought cup of vegetable soup— and while in theory, it did sound like a fucking great idea to keep himself cushy if it wasn't for the mishap. there is something about the stench of his now drenched covering that made the idea intolerable to denji, and that says a lot considering he spent his entire childhood living in the streets and dining on actual garbage. how cheap was this soup?!!! it reeks. maybe it was a good thing he didn't feast on it, then.

he grunts, deciding to step out of his room and ask anyone who happened to be awake if they could help him out. there will be no petty crimes among teammates, that's his rule. so, begging it is. ]

» hostel stay (open)

[ ooc; if anyone wants to partner with denji in the next few nights, let me know! i'll be more than happy to write a starter! ]

Comments

[nutkick]

I'm not sleepin' ... [ he muttered under his breath in protest, still unbothered to open his eyes to support his own lie. denji can't help it— he can't remember the last time he felt this relaxed. alas, there is nothing more pathetic than dying that easy, or having your naked body float over the hot springs, and to do all of that in front of another dude too. some might argue otherwise, but denji does have some dignity he wishes to preserve.

with a grunt, he attempts to peer at whoever dares to disturb him. there's a moment of silence, followed by some staring. he shifts a bit before he proceeds to survey the area with the most dumbfounded, puzzled expression his face can assemble. there's a hand on his chest, horrified at the realization— ]

....... did I walk in the girls section?

[ listen, for once, that was not intentional! ]

[saudadist]

This is the mixed bath, looks like.

[ The sign she passed didn't say it was the men's. At least...she doesn't think it did. There was just a door and then the washing area. After watching his face a moment, she can understand why he might be upset. Her response is considerably...let's say, muted compared to how others might react. He's probably expecting her to flip her lid, right? ]

Relax. I don't feel like tossing you out. [ Instead, she eases into the water as if it's no big deal. He's not making a beeline to grab her, so she figures fair's fair. ] You were here first anyway.

[nutkick]

... there was a mixed option? woah, cool.

[ damn, he would've picked it out from the start. as for her reaction, well— since there is an option for both men and women to mingle in their naked glory, surely this girl is here on purpose. whatever panic he had was quick to fade away and denji's shoulders visibly relaxed, drooping lower until he settled into the water again. he tilted his head as he regarded her, and then -slowly- his lips curled up in an easy smile. ]

Hey. I'm Denji.

[ -who is stupid enough to use his actual name and not the fake one. ]

[saudadist]

[ She expected a few things to happen, and she's relieved to see he doesn't lose his mind over this either. Humans can be awfully skittish about these things. Though, she can't recall the last time she's seen a human with teeth like that. ]

You're from the base, huh?

[nutkick]

[ teeth and a black cord sticking out of his chest— other than that, he looks pretty much human. he can't say the same thing about her, though. unlike most people, her unique features didn't rattle him, nor were they worth pointing out.

he's just surprised he's sharing space with another girl. such a scandalous scene that brought a smirk to his face. ]

Yup. Kidnapped and living in the base. No idea what the fuck they expect us to do ... but here we are.

[saudadist]

[ No idea? That gets her eyebrow quirked upward. ]

We're here to fight monsters that threaten the world. Weren't you paying attention?

[ She leans forward a little to get a better look at him. More specifically, the cord sticking out of his chest. She thought it was a weird necklace she just couldn't see very well, but up close...is that sticking out of him?? ]

[nutkick]

Yeah, but why should we listen to some stranger? Sounds like a loooot of work for nothing. I don't know if I wan-

[ oh, she's— getting closer to him. it made him stumble on his words until losing his line of thoughts, falling into silence instead. he really is taking a nice bath with a girl, isn't he? she's pretty, too. clearly not human, but pretty. ]

... Hey. Can I ask you a personal question?

[saudadist]

[ Her leaning doesn't last long. Once she's gotten a good look at his chest, she leans back against the edge of the bath. Yeah...yeah, that's a cord sticking out of his chest. Weird.

But then, who here isn't weird? It's actually a little nice to be surrounded by others who are a bit different than regular humans. Even if they can sometimes be irritating, but she'll still take that over the alternative.

Her eyebrow peeps up, and leans her head on her hand where it rests on the bath wall. ]

Such as...?

[nutkick]

[ in a normal day, denji wouldn't dare to be this bold with a girl he just met, but since he arrived to the hot springs, the second his body touched the water, he felt a — blissful contentment. a breeding ground for his stupidity, really. ]

Would you consider a guy like me as your type?

[ hey, the worst she can say is 'fuck no'. that's not hurtful at all, is it? ]

[saudadist]

[ Even knowing the question was probably going to be weird or funny, she's not prepared. Lucy's visibly startled by how frank he is and doesn't answer right away.

Far more startling to her than the question, however, is her response. The way she doesn't say anything for several unbearably long seconds. The way she stares at him not in disbelief, but rather with her eyes carefully scrutinizing every part of him that she can see. Even leaning toward him a little to get a better look at him through the steam.

As if she's actually considering her answer. ]

...I mean, you are cute.

[nutkick]

[ he keeps the smile, unfazed by how long it took her to give him an answer and he doesn't plan to rush her into it. when she leans closer, he tilts his head as he regards her, curious and maybe a bit playful. when she finally replies, let's say he didn't see it coming— and it's evident from the look on his face. it wasn't a dramatic gasp, but he was certainly mildly startled.

oh, well. maybe now is a good time to give it a try? he honestly doesn't know how this works and he is trying his best to figure it out. ]

Umm ... does that mean you will go out on a date with me?

[saudadist]

[ He's startled and she, in turn, is startled he's so startled. Was he really not expecting that answer? Why? It's not like he's bad-looking or anything. Still, she supposes it's not her usual answer, though he wouldn't know that, would he?

Rather than the "uhhhh" and "what the hell, why?" that would be her usual answers, Lucy's cheeks burn and she turns her head so it's easier to look away. A shyness she usually tries to keep hidden. ]

Where would you take me? If it's somewhere nice...then sure.

[nutkick]

[ he attracts a certain breed; women who want to kill him, but so far he hasn't sensed any animosity from this girl, nor did she give him any reason to be suspicious of her. one might assume denji would learn from past mistakes and be more cautious of a cute girl being too 'nice', and he did, but it didn't mean it will discourage him from trying to be happy. there's more life in his features; his smile remains friendly even if he slips a bit closer so they can discuss this super important conversation better. ]

I'll take you wherever you want. We can watch a movie, then grab dinner, and then maybe go for a walk ... [ seemed typical, nothing special, something he would read in a magazine. ] Or, ... it would be fun if we go karaoke, too. Do you like singing? The last time I went I had the best time of my life.

[ killing people with a baseball bat but— let's not tell her that. ]

[saudadist]

Those all sound really good. [ All those options sound so normal. Things someone like her should have plenty of experience going out and doing. Either with friends or, of course, with a nice guy.

But then, a thought...one that hits her with a sudden wave of greater shyness. ]

What about...the zoo?

[ Somehow, that, that seems too indulgent. Too much. It should be normal, right? But isn't it treading on a memory she'd rather keep safely tucked away? But on the other hand, shouldn't she use the opportunity to make more memories? Happier ones? ]

I haven't been there since I was really little.

[nutkick]

We can go to the zoo. Yeah! Oh, do you think we have an aquarium here? I want to see the penguins, too.

[ planning out their date came out easy like a breeze; he had way too many ideas to be squeezed in one day but that could be an excuse to have more. in contrast to her self-doubt, denji liked her idea more than anything he came up with. it also made him realize he'd never been there before. it will be a new experience for him and maybe something special to her, since- ]

Did you go with your parents or something?

[ assuming she had a normal upbringing because even someone like denji knew his own childhood wasn't the norm. ]

[saudadist]

[ Come to think of it, did the zoo she went to have an aquarium? She can't remember. Maybe not since it would've been the perfect place to hide from the summer heat. She'd have remembered that.

Oh...why are those memories so fuzzy now? Is that just what happens as you get older? Rather than focus on that distressing thought, she shakes her head slowly. ]

No, I went with a friend back then. But maybe I'll remember this better, since it's the second time.

[ Her smile is awkward as she tries not to think about how nice it might've been to go with her parents. Whoever they were. ]

[nutkick]

Let's do it!

[ there were a lot of places he wanted to go but they could start with a trip to the zoo since it seemed like a personal favorite for her. a fond memory from her past, and denji would be more than happy to make it a priority. that's when he realized something— he didn't know her name. if he recalls their conversation earlier, he did introduce himself but she was more reluctant to return the vibe. perhaps he shouldn't push on it, then.

relaxing in the water, he smiled at her. ]

This is somewhat of a date, you know? We're in the hot springs ... chilling together in a super cozy way.

[ naked. he didn't say the word, but yeah. it's not his first time pulling this stunt with a girl, but he hopes he will have a better ending with this one. ]

[saudadist]

[ Is it really that easy to make date plans like this? Maybe she should just...not worry about things more often. Overthinking always makes her miserable, but old habits are practically immortal without the conviction to truly change them. ]

I guess it's not so bad of a date, then.

[ It isn't, if she's being honest with herself. They're just sitting, talking, enjoying the moment. Nothing strange about it unless they want it to get strange. She's glad to be proven wrong, that she can actually talk to someone without messing things up. ]

[nutkick]

Then ... will you tell me your name?

[ he could've made it strange. hell, he's in the mood to make it fucking abnormal, unaware of the effects of the hot springs that are edging him on. however, if he's promised to have an actual date with this girl on another day, denji is careful not to fuck up. he plans to end their first meeting on a good note.

if he's honest, he's been 'cooking' here for a bit and he's getting lightheaded; that might explain the drowsy, drunken smile on his face. ]

[saudadist]

[ Her name?

It's a simple request. Unnervingly simple, even. People here are more concerned with what to call her than anyone else she's ever met. She's still getting used to it. To people caring at all.

With the spring's effects, she doesn't think twice about what to say. She's told other people a mixture of her civilian name or other monikers, but now... ]

It's Kaede.

[nutkick]

[ and he smiled; pleased to finally know her name and denji will make sure to remember it. his first date in this city will be with a girl who seems genuine, pretty, and not a walking red flag like his previous attractions. this is almost too good to be true. ]

Kaede ... [ a pause. ] ... I'll have to ask you to turn around now.

[ his expression turned sheepish, he then gestures at his lower part that happened to be concealed under the water. ]

I need to retreat before I pass out— aaaand it's a little too soon to see me naked.

[saudadist]

[ Will she ever get used to people actually saying her name? The answer's probably "yes," but she sure can't tell right now. It stains her cheeks pink more than him saying "too soon" and, well, the implication of what's hiding under the water to begin with.

Still, she laughs. A short sound, but a laugh nonetheless. ]

Uh, sure.

[ And just for good measure, she turns her head so her face points away from him as she closes her eyes. ]