A/N: Hello everyone! To those who don't know me, welcome! To those who do and have stumbled upon this fic, welcome to another CSM fanfic!

This fic was kindly commissioned as a three-part story, with an OC and the fantastic Nail Fiend as the main characters. I enjoyed working on it immensely, so I hope you guys like it, too!

A million thank yous to the person who reached out 3

By the time I wrote this story, the manga of Chainsaw Man was at chapter 171, so forgive any incongruence you might find depending on when you read it. Regardless, it's set somewhere in the future where Nail Fiend no longer works with Katana Man and no manga events are mentioned anywhere.

I will be posting a chapter per day.

Edited by yours truly alone, so pardon any typos you might find.

I look forward to everyone's feedback, but the comments will be up for moderation. I gladly and humbly accept constructive criticism but can live well without mindless hatred or offensive comments.

Nail and Confusion

Part I: Strange Housemates

The rain drizzled down against the windows of the Public Safety building and Hasegawa Kenji followed his boss down the stern corridors, anticipation and anxiety swirling in his chest.

At twenty-five, he was an attractive young man, with tousled black hair and eye-catching, delicate features, even if not striking. His dark brown eyes gave him an air of quiet intensity, though his nonchalant demeanor made him seem unapproachable, mainly because of the silvery piercing that adorned his left eyebrow.

Kenji had just started working for Public Safety, driven by a dire financial situation and a desire to make a difference in a world that seemed to be at the door of damnation. While these two motives went hand in hand, he knew this was no dream job and that the 'heroes' that worked there were mere disposable dogs with nowhere to go and no one who would miss them if they disappeared.

With no family to return to and a past marked by struggles, Kenji found purpose in the idea of protecting others, even if it meant putting his own life at risk.

What else was left to do, anyway? Lonesome, with few studies and without dreams of grandness, Kenji could only keep moving forward and hope for the best as he struggled to survive another week, hopefully, another month.

Kenji's physique wasn't spectacular, and he was not exactly ready to become a Devil Hunter. However, as he'd been told, none of that mattered. As long as he was contracted with a Devil, he'd be provided with all the strength and power he needed to perform his duties, and he'd succeed if he had the will to live.

It wasn't exactly encouraging, but Kenji didn't let it affect him.

His boss, a stern and moody older man with a large belly named Tanaka-san, seemed upset about having to show him around, going through the motions with a short and disinterested speech. He guided Kenji through the building, explaining various protocols and introducing him to key areas as if it pained him so much he wanted to slit his own throat. Kenji tried to take everything in, but his memory was crap and he had a short attention span.

"And this shithole here," Tanaka-san gestured with his thick hand to the inside of a large meeting room, "Is where most of our Devil Hunters gather for briefings with their teams. It's mostly useless, though, unless we're fucked by some unforeseen situation and need emergency meetings."

The young man nodded with his hands inside his pockets, absorbing the information as best as he could but frankly bored by the seemingly endless tour.

He felt a prickling sensation on the back of his neck and looked to the side to see a group of four suited-up individuals approaching. Upon seeing him, they stopped, and their expressions gained a familiar mix of curiosity, amusement, and scorn.

Kenji almost rolled his eyes.

Here we go in three, two, one...

"Hey, pretty boy!" one of them called out, a smirk spreading across his face. "You lost, kid? This ain't a modeling agency."

A woman with a buzz cut and a mischievous grin chimed in, "Nice piercing, sweet cheeks. Did you get that to distract the Devils with your shiny accessory? Trying to look tough?"

This kind of derogatory interaction was not new to Kenji; he'd been mocked for his looks his whole life, which was a strange thing he couldn't understand but something he had grown accustomed to.

Most people complimented and flirted with good-looking men, and yet, Kenji was cursed with this strange reaction from people towards his appearance (which he thought was pretty plain, all things considered). He didn't understand whether people found his face effeminate and wanted to mock him for it, if they genuinely found him attractive and felt the need to be pigs about it, or if they had an instant issue with him for some unfathomable reason.

Of course, he'd been harassed many times already. Regardless, his looks seemed to bring more trouble than good fortune.

"Tanaka-san, you hired him to infiltrate the Red District?" Another man chipped in.

Kenji opened his mouth to retort but quickly closed it. He didn't know these people, how dangerous they were, or even if they were his superiors. The last thing he needed was to get in trouble on his first day, or ever.

Glancing at Tanaka-san, he hoped to be backed up, but the older man seemed uninterested in intervening, mumbling grumpily to himself as he scratched his ear with his pinky.

Another man, older and taller with a jagged scar across his cheek, smirked as he nudged his comrades and took a step towards him, gazing at him with mockingly appreciative eyes. "Give me your number, hot stuff. If you're ass up and face down, I'm sure I won't be able to tell you're a guy."

That was an old one, too, and Kenji had to bite his tongue not to tell the guy to go fuck himself.

Was this behavior acceptable? Tanaka-san seemed more inclined to allow the childish offensiveness to continue, so Kenji crossed his arms over his chest and turned to the group with a defiant stare. Kenji could just walk past them and leave. He couldn't be fired for walking away from provocation, could he?

Before anyone could say anything, though, a shadow fell over the group, and Kenji looked up to see a figure standing, tall and imposing, their presence commanding immediate attention.

Kenji jumped slightly at the sight of the person (thing?) that was unlike anything he had ever seen.

The individual's face was completely split in half. The right half of their face seemed to have been slashed open from the cheekbone upwards, brain matter exposed with large nails stuck to it in a way that had to be excruciatingly painful—perhaps not, since Kenji had read somewhere that some parts of the brain felt no pain.

Their mouth was perfect, though, with a dangerously sweet smile curving its corners, and the nose was also very straight, almost delicate, and slightly perked up. The hair was an unidentifiable color between dark blond and light brown, and the left half of their face was covered by a long fringe that hid their eye (if there even was an eye behind it). The hair on the back of their head reached the top of their shoulders and flared outward.

In his frantic observation of the presence, Kenji didn't know whether to feel terrified or fascinated.

The individual was a Fiend, and Kenji could see the brain.

A Devil had possessed some poor person's body. That was a walking corpse right there.

"Did I hear an unpleasant speech being directed at a rookie?" The Fiend asked; their voice was deceitfully gentle and playful, low yet oddly genderless, and there was such a dark undertone to it that the group of four jumped and turned around.

By doing so, they exposed the rest of the Fiend's body. They had a good figure, slender yet with broad shoulders, and their suit was perfectly composed.

Despite the Fiend's impressive height, Kenji's mind was filled with questions, his eyes glued to the creature, trying to make sense of what he was seeing. He knew he shouldn't be this impressed, but it was all still new to him, and he was confused by the dualities in front of him.

"It was all innocent shits and giggles." Tanaka-san finally spoke with a dismissive gesture of his hand. "Hasegawa here didn't take it personally; right, kid?"

Kenji was going to say that he didn't care either way but was promptly interrupted by the Fiend.

"Oh, my bad, then," they said, with a flourished wave of their hand that was a bit too polished. "How foolish of me to think that someone being told they would look like a woman fucked from behind would be offensive. Humans sure are lenient, heh?" Their head moved slowly as they seemed to look at each of the members of the small group, making them take a step behind. "I would probably be smashing heads if I was spoken to in such a way, but that's just me."

The Fiend released an eccentric laugh as slender hands reached behind their back, pulled two identical hammers, and waved them playfully.

The woman gasped with a mix of affront and fear. "Hey, what's that?"

"Hum, now that I think about it, I do feel some secondhand offense on the rookie's behalf," the Fiend said thoughtfully, scratching their chin with the iron part of one of the hammers. They then pointed the hammer at the woman and turned their head in Kenji's direction, surprising him. "What should we do about this, heh, Hasegawa-kun?"

The Fiend was standing up for him. Why would they do that?

"It was a joke; it was just some teasing!" One of the men in the group quickly explained, raising his hands in a bit of panic. "We do that with every rookie, and we could tell he's new! No need to be aggressive, man!"

"What a stupid welcoming habit! Bad boys need to be punished, darlings; that's the way of the world; otherwise, there is no justice and no order," the Fiend said, tilting their head to the side mockingly. When the smile disappeared from their mouth, the atmosphere seemed to become unmistakably cold. "I am in this world to make sure that order is restored."

"Hey, Nail, cut it out; stop frightening your colleagues," Tanaka-san said, addressing the Fiend with a frown, but even he seemed a little unsure about whether to take the threats seriously or not.

"Ignorance is a sin," the fiend—Nail, as they were called—muttered in all seriousness. "Especially towards such a lovely-looking young man who should be showered with compliments and nothing else."

Another shocking thing came from a Fiend, and much to Kenji's dismay, even though he was so used to this kind of stuff, this time he felt heat rush up to his cheeks for some unknown reason.

"It's fine," Kenji muttered, rubbing the back of his head, torn between feeling flattered, grateful, or just a little bit freaked out, because he had heard that Fiends were dangerous and many could not be trusted as they always acted out of self-interest. "I'm used to it already; I don't know why people feel the need to be assholes, but that's just the way it is."

Even if he could not see the Fiend's eyebrows (did they even have them?), their expression was one of surprise and disbelief, their lips parting as if they couldn't possibly comprehend Kenji's demeanor.

"Off you go, guys; scram," Tanaka-san rudely instructed the other four, taking the chance that Nail was focused on Kenji and ushering them away with his hands. They all but quickly bowed to him and Kenji, mumbled weak apologies, and dispersed. They still threw Nail a sort of hateful glance over their shoulders. Clearing his throat, Tanaka-san turned to Kenji. "I think we're done for the morning, Hasegawa-kun. Meet me at 2 p.m. for your Devil Contract."

Kenji was more than glad that this part was over. "Yeah, sure."

Kenji bowed down and Tanaka-san excused himself to attend to other matters, leaving the young man to deal with the creature.

"You said you were used to it?" The Fiend asked. "Nobody should be used to being harassed, dear."

Looking up at them, Kenji noticed that they were looking at him curiously and wondered how they could see anything if they were missing one eye and the other was covered by hair.

He tried to scrutinize the Fiend's face in search of the eye behind the long fringe, but he thought against it. The exposed brain was gruesome enough; what if the eye was mutilated or out of the socket?

What if there were maggots or some weird shit like that? It was a walking corpse after all.

Stopping himself from shivering, Kenji tried to push these morbid thoughts to the side. There was no smell coming from the Fiend, and they seemed to be healthy and clean, with no sign of decomposition whatsoever.

What a weird thing.

"I know, I'm just saying that it's fine; you don't need to smash anyone's head because of me!" Kenji quickly explained. "But thanks; I appreciate it."

The Fiend didn't seem convinced. "Are you sure? I polished my beautiful hammers this morning, and I'm dying to try them. I can still hit them from here if you want, no problem."

For a second, Kenji considered it, simply because the group of four was already at a considerable distance and he would love to see how accurate the Fiend's aim was, but then admonished himself for it.

Even if the creature sort of creeped him out and he didn't know if he could trust them, Kenji couldn't help but think that they had an interesting style and seemed kind of cool, despite the strange way they behaved and the fact that they used terms of endearment.

"Thanks, but I'd rather have no blood in my hands over such a stupid situation."

The Fiend pouted, and for a moment they seemed completely and strangely genderless.

"How disappointing, but suit yourself," they said with a resigned sigh, elegantly tucking his hammers away in the waist of their trousers. They extended a hand to Kenji. "You can call me Nail."

Immediately, Kenji reached out and grabbed the Fiend's hand before shaking it, a little surprised that it was strong, hot, and astonishingly soft.

Weird…

"I'm Hasegawa Kenji; it's nice to meet you."

"The pleasure is all mine," Nail said, offering him a small, lopsided smile. He released Kenji's hand, took a step back, and offered him a rather theatrical bow. "Unfortunately, I must leave now. I am late for my affairs. Take care, my prince."

As Nail straightened up and shoved his hands inside his pockets, he flashed Kenji another smile filled with sharp teeth that was still oddly charming, albeit freaky.

Despite himself, Kenji couldn't help but blush again because this thing's appearance and their strange interaction were unlike anything he had ever experienced.

As Nail turned and walked away, whistling and with a bit of a flare to his walk as if they were on some kind of runway, Kenji couldn't help but feel a sense of estrangement because he couldn't quite place what he felt. Regardless, he chuckled confusedly because what the fuck had just happened?

What a strange creature, but certainly more interesting than anyone he had ever met in his life.

Maybe, just maybe, this place wasn't as daunting as it seemed.

000

Kenji clutched the slip of paper with his new address against his chest, his quick footsteps echoing down the quiet street as he approached the apartment complex. Night had already fallen, but he had lost track of time training and had completely forgotten that he was supposed to move in with his work partner, which was a blessing considering he had been evicted from his previous place and would have to leave by the end of that week.

Aside from a large backpack and a plastic bag with his shoes, he had nothing else to carry that could make his move troublesome.

Having few possessions had its perks in times like these.

The prospect of moving in with someone was nerve-wracking. He'd already shared a house with a couple of friends before out of sheer necessity and he couldn't say he was a fan, but this was a win-win situation and he couldn't complain. All expenses would be paid by Public Safety; he and his housemate would only need to pay for food and personal purchases.

If things went well, they could find a consensus and share those bills, too.

However, knowing that his new housemate was none other than the Nail Fiend made him feel anxious for reasons he couldn't explain.

Out of everyone that he could've ended up with, fate had partnered him with the same Fiend that had protected his dignity.

As soon as he knew who his partner would be, Kenji had researched everything he could about the Fiend. However, apart from Nail's abilities and the fact that they used to partner with Katana man in the not-so-distant past, there was no additional information about their background, what type of Devil they'd been, or who the person they possessed was.

It had been frankly disappointing. Kenji didn't know the Fiend apart from their short interaction, and he didn't know if they would ever have the type of relationship comfortable enough to allow it.

Scary as they were, Devils and Fiends were highly fascinating, and Nail seemed a hundred times nicer than the Devil Kenji had contracted with (it still gave him chills to think about, and he would rather not think about the price he would pay at all).

But, well, he could be wrong. Fiends were able to mingle with humans, but they still belonged to a much darker place.

The building was well-kept and located in an area one could consider safe.

As Kenji stood in front of the door marked "3B", he took a deep breath, willing his nerves to settle, not knowing why he was so nervous but not willing to allow his body to intimidate him.

He raised his hand and knocked, the sound sharp in the stillness of the hallway. Seconds later, the door quickly swung open, revealing the Nail Fiend.

"Kenji-kun, welcome!" Nail greeted, a seemingly genuine smile on their lips. "Come in! Who would've thought we'd be in this predicament?"

Kenji wasn't as surprised by the warm welcome and straightforward way of addressing him as he was by the Fiend's attire. They were wearing a rainbow-colored t-shirt that was wide yet short, revealing the Fiend's belly and a rather impressive pack of abs. Kenji's dark eyes were immediately and unavoidably drawn to the exposed skin and the rather elegant curves of their hips. They wore large-fitting gray sweatpants, and there were white bunny slippers on their feet.

It was quite the contrast from the individual Kenji had met, and he couldn't for the life of him wrap his mind around the obvious bridge between feminine and masculine that he could see.

Nail cleared their throat and Kenji was startled, his eyes quickly darting up to the Fiend's face, noticing they had stepped aside to allow him entrance inside the apartment. Nail's arms were crossed over their chest, oddly hairless and seemingly as soft as their hands had been. Despite the eccentric attire, there was a classiness about Nail that was very disconcerting.

Unable to help himself, Kenji looked down at the Fiend's throat. There seemed to be an Adam's apple there, and yet the Devil that had possessed that body could've been feminine, perhaps? If such a thing even existed—Kenji had no idea if Devils even had genders. There was so much still to discover about them.

Or maybe even the person the body belonged to was not completely male?

Why the hell am I thinking about this at this time?

"Ah, sorry, hello," he mumbled, blushing from having been caught shamelessly staring before nodding his apologies and carefully walking inside. "Thank you for having me."

Being curious was one of Kenji's best traits and also one of his worst sins because he couldn't help his constant search for answers to questions that not even his brain had formulated yet, which was why he couldn't stop himself from sniffing the air as soon as he walked past Nail just to make sure there was still no trace of any foul scents.

This time, however, Kenji could smell a mixture of scents—flowery bath gel, fruity cream, and a bit of perfume—that was meant to make some sort of statement. What that was, he didn't know.

Regardless, these scents didn't make Kenji feel more at ease.

His new partner smelled amazing.

He had a soft spot for nice-smelling women.

Nail, however, was... whatever.

From the Genkan, Kenji could see the living room, his eyes widening as he took in the pristine condition of the place. The place was spacious and impeccably clean, with minimalist furniture and spotless surfaces. Everything was neatly arranged, from the books on the shelves to the cushions on the sofa. It smelled fresh and clean, as well.

"This is... nice," Kenji said, somewhat taken aback.

"Thank you," Nail replied, closing the door behind them. "I like to keep things in order. If there is a great quality about me and also my only flaw, it is that I'm very particular about neatness."

The Fiend laughed at their small joke before placing a hand on their hip. Now that Kenji noticed, the nails were perfectly manicured. "Take your shoes off, darling. Let me show you around our little piece of heaven."

Kenji quickly did as he was told and followed his new partner.

While Nail led him through the apartment, a dumbfounded Kenji didn't know how to feel, happy that he'd gotten such a nice place to live with someone who cared about their living space but unsure of how he felt about... well, living with someone like Nail, who seemed to be a walking contrast of themselves.

He didn't expect to feel like this at first because his housemate was a Fiend, and not exactly bound by normal rules of behavior, gender, or even sex.

"This is the kitchen," Nail said, gesturing to a sleek, modern space with gleaming countertops and state-of-the-art appliances. "Feel free to use anything you need; I'm sure you didn't get your first paycheck yet. Just remember to clean up afterward."

Kenji nodded, taking in the immaculate surroundings. "Thanks."

They moved on to the bedrooms. Nail opened the door to one of them, revealing a cozy, well-kept room. "This will be your space. I hope it's to your liking."

Kenji set his bag and backpack down and glanced around, appreciating the effort put into making the room welcoming. "It's perfect."

Finally, Nail led him to the bathroom, which was just as spotless as the rest of the apartment. As they walked back to the living room, Kenji's curiosity got the better of him. He stole glances at Nail, trying to piece together the puzzle in his mind.

Noticing his scrutiny, Nail turned to face him. "You seem curious about me, Kenji. Is there something you want to ask?"

Kenji felt his cheeks flush, caught off guard by the directness of the question. "I… no, not really. I mean, we don't know each other yet, so..."

Nail chuckled softly, a sound that was both unsettling and oddly charming. "It's natural to have questions. Fiends aren't exactly common housemates."

Kenji shifted uncomfortably, trying to find the right words. "It's just... I don't know much about Fiends. And you're... well, different from what I expected."

Nail's smile widened. "Different how?"

Kenji swallowed, his throat suddenly feeling dry. "Just different. I guess I thought you'd be more intimidating. But you're quite approachable."

Nail leaned in slightly, their invisible sight seemingly locking onto Kenji's. "I'm glad you think so. It makes living together much easier, don't you think?"

Kenji' nodded, his mind a jumble of thoughts. "Yeah, definitely. Although a human and Fiend living together can be quite a weird concept."

"I suppose so, but it's not like this is a first in Public Safety," Nail said, with a dismissive shrug that was as elegant as everything else about them.

Kenji offered his partner a small smile. "I'm aware."

Nail straightened; their playful demeanor was still present as they clapped their hands once. "I was just making some coffee, dear. You can ask whatever you want if it will make you sleep better at night," they said, voice sweet and again, oddly genderless with a touch of flirtation. "I promise I won't bite. Unless you want me to, of course."

Suddenly choking on his saliva, Kenji coughed a few times, and Nail laughed, the sound echoing through the apartment. "Relax, Kenji-kun. I'm just teasing."

"Ah, right," Kenji said, laughing a bit nervously and wiping his eyes, unsure if he should find this funny or intimidating.

Sitting at the kitchen table with warm cups of freshly brewed coffee in front of them, Kenji found the courage to ask Nail questions or at least a few of them.

Nail explained to Kenji that the body they possessed was indeed dead, but that because it was fresh by the time they had claimed it, they could maintain its health. A Devil inhabiting a body did not bring it back to life but made it function as necessary, which prevented it from decomposing and allowed it to conserve its physiological functions.

Even if the Fiend could not heal the injuries that the body had suffered while dying (thus the reason why Nail's brain was exposed and the nails sticking there had not been plucked out), he could heal and potentially recover from injuries that happened during the possession.

"I could've had surgery to at least make this face look better, but I think it gives me some charisma, don't you think?" Nail asked, sitting on their chair with legs crossed, pointing at their head.

"It's definitely something else," Kenji agreed, looking at the Fiend's exposed brain. "It does take a little bit of getting used to, though."

They had talked enough for him to feel more comfortable. His nervousness had subsided enough for him to feel more confident.

"Well, I can cover it if it makes you feel uncomfortable," Nail said, not taking offense.

"Nah, I wouldn't dream of asking you to do that!" Kenji refused, shaking his head. He hesitated before asking, "But… Do you feel pain at all?"

Nail's smirk was cryptic then. "There is no one, in this world or the others, that cannot feel pain or pleasure, Kenji-kun," they explained, resting their chin on their hand and seemingly looking straight at Kenji. "It's just that we all have different ideas and concepts of what that is. Devils might feel pain differently from humans at times, I suppose. Regardless, if this body is functioning, I can feel everything it feels."

"Right," Kenji muttered with a nod. He felt himself blushing a bit, realizing that he had probably been inappropriate.

It was strange to think that Nail probably spent their days in constant pain, but maybe that was something natural to a Devil.

"I'm sorry for bothering you with this. Thanks for enlightening me," Keji said, bowing his head gratefully. Some questions still bubbled in his mind, but he couldn't dare ask them for the time being.

"Anytime, my prince," Nail said sweetly, and no matter how many times they used terms of casual endearment, Kenji didn't know if he'd ever get used to it. Nail then stretched their arms out over their head. "Care to help me get dinner started and you can tell me a bit about yourself while you're at it?"

"Of course!"

Despite his initial apprehension, Kenji finally felt at ease. Living with a Fiend was going to be an adjustment, but perhaps it wouldn't be as daunting as he had feared.

As they talked and made dinner together, Kenji found himself warming to the idea of this unexpected partnership.

000

Living with Nail was an adjustment, to say the least. The Fiend's neatness and Kenji's natural messiness often led to tension in their shared apartment.

Every morning, Nail would meticulously tidy up the living room, arranging the cushions and dusting the surfaces, while Kenji would stumble into the kitchen, make coffee, get something to eat, and then leave a trail of coffee drops and crumbs in his wake as he carried his breakfast around the place. Nail's mouth would be pressed in a thin line before a sigh would escape their lips as they followed behind, cleaning up Kenji's mess.

"Kenji," Nail would say, their tone deceptively sweet. "Do you mind not leaving the kitchen in such a state? It's hard to focus on work reports when everything is a mess."

Kenji, feeling a mix of guilt and irritation, would mumble an apology. "Sorry, I'll try to be more careful."

Kenji didn't do it on purpose, or at least he didn't think so. Nail was picky, while Kenji didn't care. He would pick up after himself, just not immediately.

There was something about Nail's constant need for perfection that irked him, but this was also probably because, even if he had gotten used to his partner's eccentric choice of domestic outfits, he still couldn't comprehend certain contrasts in the Fiend's personality that constantly baffled him.

Nail didn't like cursing words (even if they did curse sometimes) or being spoken to with nonchalance. They hated injustice but would have a very strong opinion on things, and when someone disagreed, Nail either turned their back on them or argued about it for hours until the other person gave up. No fighting, though; just polite, heated conversation.

Nail loved when someone paid attention to them, was cared for, and deeply enjoyed when Kenji did small things for them, which mostly happened so he could make up for the many things he inadvertently did to piss the Fiend off.

Well, Kenji liked to see Nail happy; it made their relationship run a lot smoother, especially because his partner could sulk and ignore him for days whenever they had some kind of fallout for some random, childish thing.

Regardless, they had gotten along from the start and had good dynamics.

Nail was intelligent and seemingly pondered. When things were well, the two of them had a good time together and were comfortable around each other, and one could even say that, to a certain extent, they had become friends and could trust and rely on each other.

Kenji could proudly say that, although Devil Hunting was extenuating, gruesome, and not as noble as it seemed, he was living a comfortable life that he enjoyed, and he and Nail had a strange yet good balance between them, not to mention that they were a great team.

However, Nail was also a drama queen in the most unexpected moments, prone to strange mood swings. This, again, contrasted heavily with their persona as Devil Hunter, times during which the Fiend was composed and focused, yet terrifying.

Out of fluffy pajamas and inside a suit, Nail was a force to be reckoned with, and Kenji was always amazed, no matter how many missions they went on together. He loved seeing Nail's speed, their strength, and their fearlessness. Nail was oftentimes impulsive, and when this happened, they became mindlessly ruthless to such an extent that it made Kenji question if he was safe around such a creature.

Nevertheless, there was something about Nail in these moments that was unbelievably captivating and Kenji had, much to his dismay, frequently lost his focus just to appreciate it.

It horrified him how lethal and masculine Nail seemed when they were fighting and how much it always made Kenji's blood rush in his veins and his heart beat faster.

And then they'd go home, tired and bloodied, and Nail would bathe and moisturize their body with delicious-smelling creams and wear weird clothes that sometimes seemed as though they were meant to expose what a great body they had.

And, no matter how much Kenji trained or how much he tried not to notice, the Fiend did have a nice body. Rather hairless, but they were all toned legs, tight abs, and firm muscles, sometimes barely hidden by revealing shorts and tops.

The Fiend's body was visibly one of a man's, and yet, there was something obvious about the fact that there was a strong possibility that the person the body belonged to initially was not completely male, or perhaps did not identify as such.

Kenji didn't know how to deal with this concept very well. By now, he was more than used to Nail's quirks and had accepted them, and yet, not understanding the Fiend's overall choice of demeanor confused him.

Or, well, perhaps this had nothing to do with Nail as much as it had to do with Kenji's feelings and subsequent discomfort about it.

Yes, because Kenji's body had certainly grown inclined to enjoy the sight of Nail's, regardless of which persona the Fiend exposed, and this caused him to panic a little bit.

Well, most of the time, Kenji panicked a lot.

It didn't matter whether he was more sexually inclined towards the regular, extravagant version of Nail or their more masculine and fearsome side; it was all the same.

Nail was deviant in all shapes and forms and contradicted what was normal to the human eye, and much to Kenji's despair, that was exactly what captivated him about his friend.

Their society dictated that men should be attracted to women, and everything that steered away from that was considered abnormal. Kenji didn't consider himself a judgmental person, and he didn't have anyone to justify himself to, but he still needed to find some form of coherence in who he was and what he wanted so he could understand himself.

If he thought he ever knew himself, he'd been quite mistaken.

It didn't make sense—he was just into Nail, particularly, or so he thought.

Kenji tried desperately to find excuses for himself because, after all, Nail was one peculiarly sexy androgynous Fiend. It baffled him beyond reason, and he knew this was not Nail's fault but his own, but it was easier to be in denial.

Not to mention, Kenji did find that the exposed brain did have a lot of unwanted charisma.

Perhaps he was losing his mind, or this momentary madness was simply a result of a nonexistent sex life.

Was he that desperate? Was he a homosexual? Perhaps necrophiliac, too, or even somewhat into a strange form of bestiality?

The young man didn't even know what to think of himself or how to cope with any of it, but he was quite probably abnormal, a freak, and not right in the head. There was no other explanation.

However, Kenji's internal conflict wasn't the worst part of this chaotic situation; it was the fact that he was so obvious that it had caused Nail to be aware of it, too.

Fortunately or unfortunately, the consequences of it were beginning to show, and Kenji knew that Nail, blunt as they were, would not sit silently for long.

000

Their cycle of unbalanced co-habitation continued, and their differences in cleanliness became a constant source of friction, even if other things went well.

One evening, after a particularly long and exhausting day, the tension nearly boiled over. Kenji had left his clothes strewn across the living room before showering, too tired to think about anything other than washing the muck and blood from his body, and Nail's patience finally snapped.

"Kenji," Nail said cuttingly, their voice positively pissed and exasperated. The Fiend was waiting for him in the hallway, arms crossed over their chest as Kenji emerged from the bathroom, freshly clean. "How many times do I have to tell you to pick up after yourself? You left your damn clothes everywhere, again."

Kenji bristled, his fatigue and frustration bubbling to the surface, even if he knew that, for Nail to say even the simplest of curse words meant that things could potentially escalate.

"Look, I'm sorry, okay?" he snapped. "I am trying, but I'm not used to living with someone who's so... obsessive about cleanliness all the time! I was going to pick it up; you know I always do!"

Nail pressed their lips tightly together and took a step closer, towering over Kenji, their presence overwhelming. "Obsessive? If I didn't remind you all the time, this place would be a dumpster. I like order, Kenji, something you could learn a thing or two about."

The air crackled with tension as Kenji looked up defiantly, and yet, annoyed as he was, he felt his exhaustion slip away a bit due to the tension he felt at the Fiend's proximity. For a moment, Kenji thought they might come to blows.

Already showered, Nail smelled amazing, as usual, and there was always something rather exciting about it when they stood nose to nose like this, even if Nail was considerably taller.

Getting an instant erection did nothing to improve Kenji's spirits.

"I'm not in the mood, Nail, so if it bothers you so fucking much, you might as well go fuck yourself and leave me alone," Kenji hissed, feeling his neck and cheeks flare up but trying to hide it as he pressed a hand to Nail's chest and tried to push them out of the way.

He was, however, instantly stopped as Nail grabbed his wrist and stepped in front of him to block his path.

Kenji eyed the Fiend with a deep frown, almost losing his strength as he saw that Nail's expression had shifted, a sly smile curving their lips. "You know, Kenji, it's quite endearing how flustered you get when we argue like this."

Kenji's eyes widened as Nail took another step closer, their chests coming into contact in a very obvious and provocative way. "Is there something about me that makes you uncomfortable?" Nail pressed on, voice lowering to a murmur that was grave, masculine, and that made shivers run down Kenji's spine.

Before Kenji could respond, Nail's hand guided Kenji's and slowly made them slip inside their sweatshirt, and for a moment, Kenji's fingers brushed over hard abs that felt rather magnificent to the touch. Kenji's breath caught in his throat, and he quickly snatched his hand away and turned around, his face burning with embarrassment.

"Stop doing that," Kenji hissed, his voice shaky. "It's not funny!"

Without looking back, Kenji stomped down the hallway and into his room.

Nail chuckled, their tone dripping with false sweetness. "Oh, sweetheart, you're so easy to tease," they called out behind him, mocking him. "You better cook me dinner or I won't be talking to you for a week."

Even if he knew that he would abide by the demand anyway, Kenji still slammed the door of his room, just to make a statement. He was too pissed and horrified to be able to think straight.

Why did his situation seem to be getting worse?

TBC...

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