[Denji x Reze] COUNTRY MICE | a Chainsaw Man Fanfiction

Chapter One: Carefree

"Order up!" Reze chirps from the diner counter. A young child stares up at her, smiling ear to ear, when she spots the large ice cream that Reze has brought out to her. The child gasps, and a grin continues to spread across its wide-eyed face as it snags the sweet away from Reze and runs to their parents. Waiting had been hard, but it was worth it to have sweet moments like this where she could make someone's day. Mostly, it was worth it for the money she was earning to have a life with Denji.

Reze pondered the thought of a normal life when she saw the child's family in the distance. To have loving parents, things to be excited over, a normal life—it was something she never was offered. To be a country mouse: alone with those that matter. Never having to worry about what trouble may be in the world because she, a country mouse, would be unaware of it. Her daydream slips from her; the sight of the tip jar reminds her to ground herself in reality. A quiet, pained sigh escapes her. The days were long and grueling because she cherished the night. She wished her day away so that she could spend time with Denji. Reze dampens a rag, grabs it into her palm, and begins scrubbing the table that the family had just left.

"Reze." A voice calls behind her. Reze mindlessly replies, chirping hm? Before she turns her attention toward the voice of her manager, "Your shift was over an hour ago." He informs her. Reze shrugs,

"I need the money," she told him.

"You've been covering shifts left and right, working overtime... You need to take some time off and go home." Reze side eyes the clock; it was only 6:30...

Go home... She wished she had one to go to. Of course, she always tried to look on the bright side of things. She could be back "home" under the command of her country, but she wouldn't like that either. However, she did like having free will over her life. Reze finally had freedom from her country. Reze didn't have the freedom to do as she pleased because of Makima. Reze knew that taking one of Makima's "pets"- as she dubbed them, would anger her. Seeing that the safety of herself and Denji was of utmost importance, she didn't know how to go about their endeavor.

After taking her half of the tips earned today, the bell of the door rang again. This time, Reze was making her exit from the diner. She walked slowly; she didn't have anywhere to go, so she wasn't in a hurry. Walking in her dirty white tennis shoes, she ran into someone who brightened her face during her dull mood.

"Reze!" A smile twinkled across the girl's face at the voice calling her name, greeting it with a grin and the light of her emerald eyes.

"Hi." She calmly replies, despite her excitement. "Have you been too busy for me?" She asks the boy, now standing parallel to him rather than in front of him. Having him next to her was like standing in the sunlight; he felt so natural on her skin, and she loved to soak him in. She noticed the scuffs that covered his arm as she held onto him and felt secondhand guilt for being the reason he was hurt.

While she was working for money, Denji had been fighting amongst the people who were now seeking him out for reward. Thanks to her. Some nights, Reze didn't see him at all; others, he came to see her beaten and bruised. It irked her that she was part of it.

"Psh, busy saving lives! Protecting the city. No biggie!" He proudly proclaimed Reze chuckled uncomfortably to hide the guilt she felt. "I guess you're saving the city too in some way by giving them yummy food." Reze shrugged,

"I don't owe anyone anything. No need to save them." She clarified to Denji.

"Not even if it makes you feel good about yourself." He poised to her.

"Nuh-uh." Reze countered, "I'm simple; I don't nose into anything else; being with people who need me makes me happy."

"I don't need much." Denji tells her, "But when I'm with you, I feel like I have everything. So, I guess I need you." A blush comes upon Reze's face. She didn't know if he realized it, but through his ditziness, he was quite a romantic guy. "Have you ever been to a carnival?" Reze shook her head. "Me either. Aki was tyna make Makima go with him, so it has to be fun if he wants to go." Reze gives a dry laugh.

"You want to go on a date to the carnival? We're supposed to be saving money."

"Yea... Nah, we'll go for free." Denji proposed.

"Sneak in?" She questioned. "Aren't you supposed to be a hero?"

"Nah, I don't think it's killing anyone if we go to their carnival." Denji pointed out, "So, it's fine in my books."

"Ah..." Reze nodded. It did sound like a fun time, and she did want to get the stress off of her shoulders, but using logic, she had to bring up that: "We're supposed to be keeping a low profile, and if Makima is there with Aki..."

"Please? Please!" He begged like a child. Reze let a hm escape her teeth and thought of the promise of happiness she made him.

"If it'd make you happy." She states this, keeping to her word.

"Aha! Yes!" Denji grinned. "Yes, it'd make me super, totally happy!" He looked like he could jump with joy. A carnival? It was something that she'd only seen in a movie once or twice. Bright lights, games to play, cotton candy... Such a joyful place, she'd assume.

Hand in hand, the pair walked to the carnival. She and Denji talked about how their lives have differed in the past few months. How hers had become so quiet; it was becoming eerie, and how Denji was in the rustle and bustle—just like he enjoyed it. As the carnival grew closer, at the front of the decorated event, a lit-up arrow blinks. In the center, it's text-read.

CARNIVAL-FREE ENTRY

"Ah, Denji!" Reze says, tugging at his shirt sleeve. Denji has a look of confusion on his face. "The carnival; it's free to get in."

"It's good that you saw that!" Denji begins. A similar look of confusion travels through Reze's face. Her eyes blink at the big and obvious lit-up arrow pointing to the entrance of the carnival. At this point, Reze began to think he was acting ignorant. "'Cuz I can't read." Denji finishes his statement. Reze laughs,

"Oh, it's not funny; I just didn't expect you to say that!" She says it between giggles. Reze really did pity that he had not an ounce of education in his life, but she found out these things about him in the most odd of ways.