WILL YOU BETRAY HIM? — denji doesn’t like silence anymore. silence is when it gets bad. during the day, he can drown you out with noise, the buzz of the city, his chainsaws revving, people yelling, something always breaking. but at night, when he’s lying on his back staring at the ceiling, that’s when you slip in.

not like a devil. not like a memory he can shove away. just… there.

he’s known obsession before. he’s known manipulation dressed up as affection, makima with her calm voice and impossible expectations. he’s known almost love that exploded in his hands—reze smiling at him like he was worth running away with.

he swore he’d get smarter about his heart. swore he wouldn’t let it get yanked around like a dog on a chain again. he tells himself this is just leftover damage. that his brain is messed up. that he doesn’t know what real feelings are supposed to feel like.

but then he hears your laugh.

not loud. not dramatic. just that soft little burst of sound you made when you couldn’t hold it in. it plays in his head so clearly he can almost see you leaning forward, eyes bright, shoulders shaking.

he presses the heel of his palm against his eyes.

because it’s not fair.

you weren’t cruel. you weren’t hiding teeth behind your smile. you didn’t look at him like he was something to use. It’s stupid. he knows it is. after everything, he should’ve learned. love isn’t gentle. It’s a trick. a setup. a countdown

and that’s what haunts him.

he swallows hard, staring at the dark ceiling.

“…why’s it gotta be you?” it comes out quiet. not angry. not bitter. just wrecked. denji doesn’t believe in ghosts. but if this isn’t one, then why does it feel like you’re still everywhere?