#he's so sjfheuahba i wanna squish him

[willowser]

i have this image of modern au denji saving you from a terrible date LOL

he works at some high-class restaurant with his tucked shirt and tie—a job that aki got him—waiting tables and occasionally cleaning dishes. and you're there, in a nice dress, on a second date with a man you don't really care for, that is a bit pig-headed about how much money he makes and worries way too much for how people perceive him. he's not bad, but the conversation keeps coming back to him and all his accomplishments and there's little he appreciates about you and suddenly you find yourself excused to use the bathroom.

except you just hide. around the corner, with your back pressed into the wall as you try to summon the motivation to get through the rest of the night. you don't know how you'll do it, really, until this guy is coming out of the kitchen to your left with a tray in his hands and he looks right at you, a little surprised that you're there, and then he smiles and nods. when he returns from dropping off his food, he comes to stand right beside you, leaning against the wall like he's not on the job, and he tells you—

"you look beautiful in that dress."

and you're floored ??? because who even ARE YOU ??? but he's so open and honest 🥺 and even if his face is a lil blushy, he just—says it. no shame. after spending the last hour with a guy you're not sure even remembers your name, it's nice to hear, and he's cute with his pretty, sparkly eyes and crooked smile 🥺

he can tell you're clearly not enjoying yourself, so he just nods to the kitchen at your left. "there's a door to the back, if you wanna ditch."

under normal circumstances, would you bail on your date? no, probably not, wouldn't have the guts, but there's something about this guy and his lil open mouth smile and unabashed goo-goo eyes that has you thinking fuck it. odd that a stranger would give you such a confidence boost, but now you wonder why you're subjecting yourself to some half-ass treatment, why you've been settling for guys like the man at your table.

you can do better than that—probably—and somehow this waiter is reminding you of your worth.

so you do allow him to lead you through the kitchen, and he couldn't care less about his coworkers staring at him, couldn't care less about the strawberry-blonde girl washing dishes that shouts, "denji, get over here and help me!"

you have this brief moment of panic once you get out into the alley that this is a trap you've fallen right into, but he—denji—just stands beside you on the sidewalk, staring down the road like he's watching for a cab.

"i don't—" embarrassingly enough, you're just now noticing how empty-handed you are. "shit, i don't have any of my stuff."

"oh," he shrugs, no problem. "i'll get it, you just find a ride. i don't have a license or else i would—y'know."

it's just so strange, that he's so giving. like he'd go out of his way to help you just because he can. not because he expects any money or for you to sleep with him, he's just—helping because he could. because he thinks you look beautiful in your dress.

he doesn't say anything about your date when he returns, just hands you your phone and jacket and wallet with his same lil smile. and you've got a taxi waiting with the door open and he just stands on the sidewalk with his hands in his pockets, making sure you get in okay, and the final straw is when he says—

"congrats on your job thing, by the way."

job thing, that you told your date about, who didn't even blink at your good news. wherever he was—denji—whatever table he was helping, and he still heard you.

you keep the cab door open, one foot in and—under normal circumstances, would you do this? probably not, wouldn't have the guts, but he's so—

"hey," you say, leaning against the doorframe with a smile that makes his face redder under the streetlamp. "what time is your shift over?"

and this guy—denji—just grins, already tugging at his tie. "whenever you want it to be."