Chapter Text
It had been roughly two months since Denji had moved in to the Kobayashi residence and he finally started settling in, even Tohru had lessened her aggression towards him, it might have been a façade to please Kobayashi, nonetheless it had been a refreshing change of pace to not be constantly threatened by the dragon.
Denji had also been roped into working alongside Tohru at Made by Maid, the local maid café where she was employed. This came with its own set of problems of course, such as having to wear a maid uniform in front of the customers. This was especially embarrassing, but Denji had sacrificed much more in the past so he decided to just grin and bear it for now.
Moreover the Chainsaw Devil was given a specific rule from Kobayashi that he was to not break during any circumstance whilst working there, he was not to use his devil form. She did not want him becoming reliant on force to solve his problems, unfortunately this would be a rather difficult rule to not break.
“Three egg rice's coming up” a short brunette maid calls out, a chef's hat sits on her pigtailed head, identifying her as the cook of the operation, her swift hands make short work of the orders, sliding plates along her counter before they are picked up by Thoru who delivers them with gusto.
“Thankyou masters, I hope you enjoy your meal” Tohru gleefully announces turning to leave but stopping herself before she takes another step, turning back to face the customer, a rather large looking otaku who frequents the café often “oh you did you assume that I had forgotten the incantation, foolish human you will now bear witness to my grand food hex!”.
Tohru bellows her chant cursing the food in the magical language of her world, if the hex was aimed at a human she was sure that they would be greatly harmed but for some reason it simply made this world's food taste better.
“It's always amazing watching you work Tohru, no one here can even compare to your love ritual” A tall blond haired maid praises, causing the dragon maid to blush.
“Eehh thankyou I just hmmm wait where’s Denji, he’s not slacking again is he?” Tohru asks with the sigh of someone who’s given up “honestly I don't know why we still have to put up with him”.
“ He's working in the stores doing some organizing, you know how much he hates working in the front of the store” the blond wavy haired maid responded apathetically “and come on it can't be that bad right?”.
The blond maid had formed a small crush on the completely oblivious Denji, she was much too shy to talk to him let alone ask him on a date, which was probably for the best now that Denji was persisting on chasing Lucoa.
---
Faded yellow walls with wooden beams surrounded the cramped storage room, Denji was slumped leaning on the shelves staring at the bags of coffee, not being able to read well, he started coordinating them by colour, picking up another bag from a nearby box a thought passed into his head.
“Who needs so many types of coffee?” Denji thought, placing another bag onto the shelf, he had simple tastes, the world of expensive coffee was lost on him, he much more preferred sweeter things like juices.
It was true that Denji was here often, he would rather not be gawked at in his uniform, but it wasn't just that, this was one of the few places he could mull over everything that happened to him in peace. His life had changed rather drastically whilst living at Kobayashi's, sure it was a lot more peaceful then being a devil hunter but he missed some of it, his depressed stupor was interrupted by a shadow falling across him.
“You know you've arranged the beans completely wrong” Tohru says, tapping her foot impatiently before grabbing Denji by the arm lifting him slightly from the floor “I'm gonna get someone else to rearrange them, and your gonna come with me and take some orders like your supposed to”.
“Dammit fine ill do it just lemme go before you rip my arm off!” Denji grunts, yanking his arm back, he reluctantly follows Tohru back into the Cafe’s front of house.
“Remember to smile” Tohru taunts, placing her index fingers on each corner of her mouth, miming the company smile, Denji copies her but replaces his index fingers with his middle ones, branding his shark like toothy grin.
---
Thoru and Denji, re-enter the front at the peak of lunch time, maids frantically rush from table to table collecting orders, serving food, reciting the novelty spells, amongst them was the manger herself Yumiko, the silky raven haired, brown eyed beauty could have been from a commercial, though she was obviously in distress, considering her pretty pale face was flustered as she approached the pair.
“Thank god your here, I'm in a real pickle here you know” Yumiko blathers out, you would almost think she was about to cry, her face creasing with every word.
“Why what's the matter?” Tohru asks worriedly, casually patting the manager on the shoulder, Yumiko gestures for them to huddle closer to her.
“Table seven is back” Yumiko shudders, her lips quivering as she speaks “they have causing problems again ever since they got here”.
“Who the hell are table seven?” Denji inquires with a scowl, looking around the café for the problem table he spots three delinquent looking types, they couldn't be a few years older than he was, one of them was smoking whilst the other two were harassing the staff that passed by.
Denji squeezed his hand into a fist, he was pissed but couldn't really tell why, it wasn't chivalry or honour, but something about how they acted so high and mighty while picking on the customers and staff made him see red.
“I’l handle this ok” Tohru declares with a soft smile, gripping Denji’s wrist firmly, having sensed his intent “remember what Kobayashi said about not breaking her one rule”.
Tohru lets him go and makes her way to the problem table, her tail bowing from one side to the other, though she carried a smile of deceit, just like Denji she wanted nothing more than erase these pests from existence, though unlike him she could keep her temper in check if she really had to.
“Yo man is this the crazy chick you were on about” one of the delinquents, a lanky individual with a poorly done tattoo up his cheek, hollers at the bigger guy smoking next to him, possibly the leader of the trio.
“Crazy hot you mean” a shorter thug at the other side of him leer’s “sure the tail and horns are weird but I bet she’s a freak in bed hehehaha”.
“Shut it both of you, you're gonna scare the cutie off” the bigger guy hums, licking his lips at Tohru.
Tohru slammed a set of menus on the table a little bit harder than she expected, she was having to restrain herself from not harming these three as much as she could, “What a hypocrite I am” she thought, she really was no better than Denji when it came to her temper.
“What would you like to order today my masters” Tohru spoke through a heavily strained smile, the burning wrath growing with every word.
“Thats so nice of you Miss , we'll have three parfaits and oh, i want him to bring them” the delinquent leader requests, pointing a crooked finger at Denji, who at the time was sorting out another table “that won't be any trouble for you will it?”
He spoke with no malice but Tohru saw something sinister in the delinquents eyes, she knew exactly what it was because she had shared that same glint in her own years ago, a hunger for violence and chaos.
After handing the order to the cooks, she quickly informed Denji of the tables' less than great intentions, offering to go in his place, he simply shakes his head and smiles.
“Nah I've got this” Denji confidentially announces taking the tray of parfait and walking over to table seven "here's your food”.
“Look at him in a fucking dress hahaha” the lanky one jeers “wait a minute I gotta get a pic”.
“Its a maid uniform but you dumb fucks, but I bet you wouldn't know the difference” Denji growls definitely folding his arms.
“The fuck you say you cross dressing freak” the lanky one jumps out of his chair almost falling backwards he takes out a small blade “say sorry now and I might just go easy on you”.
“No” Denji huffs spitting on his parfait, eying the other two.
“Maybe a finger or a toe will make him say sorry, eh guys” the bigger delinquent claims calmly, brandishing a cleaver from his jacket and slowly getting up.
Before he could act the table he had been sitting at was sliced in two, pushing the three delinquents back causing confusion, when they regained their composure all that stood before them was the hybrid devil Chainsaw Man.
“What the hell are you!?” the big one quivers, dropping his cleaver to the floor.
“hahahar you pissed your pants” Hybrid Denji laughs, waving his chainsaw arms around gleefully, the trio with evident urine stains on their jeans all rush out of the café tripping over themselves, after a moment the adrenaline from his actions wears off and Denji starts to panic, surly everyone else will be terrified of him.
“WHOOOOOOOOOOO” a chorus of applause is belted out by the various staff and customers at Denji’s actions as a bunch of them surround him chanting his name, though Tohru is not amongst them, instead she scowls at him from a distance.
---
Back at their residence after work, Kobayashi sits on the couch sipping from a ceramic cup of tea, in front of her was Denji and Tohru bowing their heads in apology. She was kind of anxious herself, she didn't want to be too hard on him, after hearing what transpired she understood why he had transformed but on other hand there must have been another to resolve the issue right?.
“I'm so so so sorry my love iv tried my best with him but he’s obviously a lost cause” Tohru speaks, her head still lowered in shame.
“Honestly I don't get what the big deal is, I didn't kill anyone” Denji sighs, lifting up his head to meet the tired eyes of Kobayashi “I'm sorry I broke your rule though.”
Kobayashi was taken aback by his “not quite an apology” The statement was technically true, but he had still caused financial damage to the café. Replacing that table wouldn't be cheap.
“Well I guess since no one got hurt” Kobayashi mulls over out loud “though i cant let this slide completely, how about no Netflix for the whole month”.
“WHAT?!, noooooo” Denji wails as he slumps to the floor “theirs so many shows I need to catch up on”.
“I would have made him live outside for the month, but this will do” Tohru chortles “now that that's settled I shall begin to prepare your-I mean everyone's dinner, my love”.
Denji mopes away to his room, leaving Kobayashi with her thoughts “was I too harsh?”.
A knock on the front door interrupts her thoughts, she gets up to answer.
“Il get it” Denji shouts exiting his room, swiftly passing Kobayashi, hoping to see Lucoa on the other side of the door, instead he was greeted by the manager of Maid by Made Yumiko, after a little back and forth he let her in.
Tohru bursts out of the kitchen landing on the floor in front of Yumiko, apologizing on her hands and knees.
“Oh Miss Yumiko I'm so sorry about everything earlier, I've tried my best with him but he’s obviously a lost cause, if you wish to beat him we are completely fine with that”.
“Tohru” Kobayashi sighed in a low tone, reaching for her bag, hoping the check she might have to write won't have too many zero’s “I'm guessing you're here about earlier”.
“I am and I have fantastic news !” Yumiko giddily springs forward, taking out her phone and handing it to Kobayashi, the others crowded around her as she watches it “The video was posted to YouTube, Denji the Chainsaw Maid is internet famous!”.
“Chainsaw Maid!” Denji moans, falling onto the floor in sheer grief “but I'm Chainsaw man”.
Kanna jumps down and starts petting his head in a comforting manner.
“Well the corporation that owns Made by Maid wants to expand and with the video's success they believe a cosplay café is a safe investment” Yumiko explains taking back her phone, before facing Tohru“ and the best thing yet, they want you to be its Manager.
“Manager?, I can’t be a manager, I'm just a maid, I cook, clean and perform but I can’t run the place” Tohru objects, waving her arms in denial.
“Isn't that basically running it?” Denji remarks from the floor, still lying in self pity.
“I think what she means is, she can't do the business side of things” Kobayashi notes.
Yumiko takes out a few papers from a nicely made leather tote bag, before handing them over to each member of the household, even Kanna receives one, the leaflet has some details about the new business such as how many staff will be required, menu items, dress code and pay.
“Already ahead of you on that front, we have hired someone who is perfect for a job working with numbers, plus your all acquainted with her” Yumiko reveals a smartly dressed Elma entering the room who greets everyone with a small bow.
---
After a brief conversation between them, Tohru and Denji reluctantly agree to Yumiko’s idea to work at this new Café, with the help of Elma who works behind the scenes to keep everything in order, the new business is set to open in a few days.
Before the official opening of the establishment Tohru, Elma, Denji and Yumiko went along to the new building to see the new employees. The building had undergone a complete redesign using reinforced materials that made it structurally tough and fireproof, this was to prevent future costs when the inevitable happened.
Walking through the front entrance of the building they were met with a very mixed looking bunch of young women. Several of the women in the new maid uniforms stepped forward offering up their greetings.
To Denji’s surprise two of them stood out to him, Kobeni Higashiyama a brunette who oozed anxiety, and Reze a beautiful girl with aubergine hair from Russia who just so happened to be another hybrid devil.
“Reze!” Denji choked, startled to see his other dead crush "aren't you super dead, I'm sure I killed you”.
“You did a good number on me but I managed to survive” Reze reveals with a soft smile, the same very smile that cut down his defences when they first met “oh and don’t worry I wont be trying to kill you anymore, I couldn't even if I wanted to”.
Their conversation had filled the room with an air of concern which had spread to most of the new hires, this was most evident by Kobeni, who’s shaky legs could give away at any point
“Ok enough talking about murder, it's weird and annoying” Tohru pipes up, cutting their reunion short, knowing that Denji had recognised her from his past and with the very little she knew, she had thought it for the best for now.
“How about some icebreakers for us to get to know each other” Yumiko suggests, before introducing herself and telling them a funny fact about herself.
The group goes round until everyone has done the same, with every fact told, the group feels more and more comfortable finding that a few of them have certain things in common. After roughly thirty minutes Yumiko, Denji and Tohru thank them for coming and tell them the starting date of next week, with a brief good bye they all depart.
---
One week flew by and it was opening day before they knew it. Kobayashi made her way down the street where the café was. The sun belting her with its rays causing her to regret not bringing a hat.
Kanna, the small dragon disguised as a human, tugged at Kobayashi’s arm pulling her forward through the slightly crowded street of the shopping district.
“Come oooon we'll be late” Kanna complains, almost pulling Kobayashi’s arm from its socket.
“Kanna slow down their not going anywhere haha” Kobayashi chuckled, but still steadily speeding up in case her small companion forgot her own strength “then again it looks like it might be a while before we get in”.
Kobayashi stops and picks up Kanna placing her on her shoulders for a better look, they both now see the large line in front of the cafe’s entrance.
---
Kobayashi and Kanna finally enter after waiting a while, they are greeted by one of the new Maids and taken to a table. The interior was very different to what she was used to, with paintings of traditional yokai and pictures of cryptids plastering the walls, it gave a very unorthodox but unique feeling to the establishment.
Then there were the maids themselves, some like the one that had greeted Kobayashi and kanna were wearing Oni masks or other yokai, whilst others had elements from popular anime worked into their uniforms. One or two appeared to have no gimmick at all.
“This definitely an interesting place, I don't think it's my thing though, way too much going on” Kobayashi says before tucking into some food she ordered, she continued to look around while doing so when she met the gaze of Takiya and Fafnir who waved at her.
Reze came over to Takiya and Fafnir placing their food on the table, she then bowed before launching tiny bombs from her fingers they exploded into small fireworks, showering the table with sparks. Takiya clapped enthusiastically over this magical display but Fafnir stared at her unfazed he had seen better after all. Either out of frustration or a need for approval, Reze pulled her choker igniting her head in an explosion, the smoke fades revealing no head, shocking not just Fafnir but everyone in the Café, though after a few more seconds, she waves in front of her head and it reappears. This trick receives a clap from Fafnir.
Kobayashi laughs at this exchange “I wonder where Tohru and Denji are” she thinks to herself before spotting Tohru’s tail, following it up to its owner she notices Tohru is talking to someone near a small stage in the back of the room.
“Now everyone I have a special announcement, we have a show today with our very own Chainsaw maid” Tohru shouts to the customers, before the room darkens and spotlights hit the stage.
The crowd start chanting chainsaw, after a short time, Denji Bursts through the door slicing it open with his chainsaws, this causes Kobeni who is serving someone to fall, spilling their drinks on them. After a mock fight, several customers get photos with him, one fan has to be escorted away for requesting to be carved into.
“He looks real happy up there” Kanna thinks aloud, still munching on a dessert from earlier.
“Yeah he really does,” Kobayashi agrees.