note: this is sfw, but my blog is not. minors do not follow or interact with my other content
content: beamji, fluff, no plot, first kiss
2.5k words
Beamâs life before being captured by the Public Safety Bureau was lost in his memories, nothing but a muddy haze. He couldnât hope to sort through his violent, lonely memories, so Beam was content to live in the present.
What he did remember were things he wished he could forget. Cruel people, terrified of what he was. People who would rather see him starve than allow him a night of shelter. So, Beam did not like most people.
Miss Makima had assigned him to go somewhere with some people. Beam never paid special attention to his assignments and was fine with going, doing his job, and getting paid for delicious food. This job was a fun one, there were plenty of zombies to eat and Beam had free reign of the room. At the Bureau, he wasnât allowed to shift through the walls and attack the people he didnât like.
As Beam exploded from the walls and consumed as many devils as he could, a strangely familiar sound rang out through the air. It was an unwavering, deep revving that made the hairs on his neck stand straight. His ears pricked and a smile stretched on his face once he recognized it.
The Chainsaw was there, so close that Beam could hear him.
After meeting with the Lord Chainsaw face-to-face, Beam was sure that his life had peaked. There he was, surrounded by good food and standing in front of Lord Chainsaw. The strange thing was that Lord Chainsaw was wrapped in the skin of an awkward boy named Denji.
Beam was not sure how to approach Denji.
On one hand, Denji was the vessel of great power. He could destroy Beam so completely that no one would remember him. On the other, would Lord Chainsaw accept him? Denji was different than the entity that was fused with him, he was shockingly human and infinitely difficult to understand.
So, Beam did everything he could to understand Denji.
âLord Chainsaw!â
Beam was carrying an armful of vending machine goods. He wasnât sure what Denji liked, so he took everything.
Denji turned around and his sharp eyes flicked from Beamâs loot and face.
âDidâya steal that?â
Beam grimaced and shrugged. He could tell that if he did admit that he stole, Denji wouldnât be pleased.
âCâmon man, youâre gonna get in trouble, just make sure you donât show anyone.â
Beam shook his head and held out a can of something. He hadnât bothered to even look at the vending machine contents.
âFor you!â
Denji looked down at the extended can with a curious, unreadable expression.
âThanks,â he took it and turned before Beam could say anything else.
Beam began to see less of Denji in the Bureauâs headquarters and ran into him more on assignments. Beam was transferred to a new squad and all he determined was that it meant more work and more strict superiors. The one bright side was getting to work closely with Denji.
âHey! Stop eatinâ that!â
Denji's raspy voice still managed to ring out through the air, though Beam always had exceptionally good hearing.
âBeam,â Denji had run over and was scowling down at Beam.
âItâs already dead, Lord Chainsaw,â Beam said, holding up the devil he had been gnawing on.
Denjiâs face bloomed a bright red and he shot his glare elsewhere. âStop callinâ me that.â
âBut youâre the most supremest Lord Chainsaw,â Beam snorted because how did Denji not understand?
âIâm just Denji.â
âDo not downplay! Youâre the best.â
Beam nodded along with his words and pointed at the pull cord protruding from his skinny chest. âLook! No one else compares.â
Denji looked back down, then at the pull cord. âWhatever,â he muttered and walked briskly away. âIâm Denji, call me that.â
Beam wistfully stared at his retreating back. If it would please Denji to stop addressing him so respectfully, then he would comply.
Beam went back to the Bureau wondering why Denji would allow him to address him so intimately. Using his first name felt exciting as well as nerve-wracking. Beam slept that night soundly because no one had ever allowed him to be so familiar with them.
âLord- Denji!â
Denji looked over and a small, disbelieving smile pulled at his mouth. âNo way.â
âHuh?â
âYou remembered.â
âOf course,â Beam said. How could he forget what Denji had said? He hung onto his every word like they were essential to live.
âShocker,â Denji snorted and regarded Beam with a vaguely interested expression. After a moment he asked, âDo you not like cars?â
Beam blinked at the outside world rushing by so quickly that it blurred. âNo.â
Denji leaned back into his seat and stared at the stained fabric ceiling. They were sandwiched in the back of Kishibeâs sleazy coupe on their way to a job. Beam would normally rather swim or be knocked out and driven, but Denji was there, so he decided to tag along. Consciously.
âI donât like âem either.â
âWhy not?â
Denjiâs mouth warped into a thoughtful frown and his eyebrows furrowed together. Beam enjoyed seeing his wide array of expressions, but he didnât like seeing Denji looking so troubled.
âI never was able to be in a car until now. They make me nervous, I guess,â Denji muttered, his face red like it was something he was hesitant to admit.
âMe too,â Beam offered sincerely. âI like to swim. I like water.â
âI donât like swimming that much.â
Beam frowned. Swimming was very near and dear to his heart, but Denji was more important. He couldnât choose one over the other.
âWhy? It is the bestâŠâ
âI dunno how to swim.â
âItâs easy!â
âWell, duh. Youâre a shark.â
âYeah,â Beam huffed and stared outside. The scenery whisked by faster than his mind could process and he couldnât help but turn away.
âYouâre gonna get sick. Donât hurl on me,â Denji snickered and softly punched Beam in the shoulder.
For some reason, Beamâs face heated to an embarrassing degree and he couldnât bear to look at Denji. He ended up vomiting at their destination.
A few days after that job, Denji approached Beam and very hesitantly asked if heâd like to learn how to drive. He said, with a blush creeping up his neck, that he was tired of being so nervous and just wanted to learn. Beam suspected that he was lying. Of course, Beam agreed. Cars made him uneasy but it would be fine if Denji was at his side.
âDonât get sick again or Iâm kickinâ your ass out,â Denji glowered at Beam, though it lacked its usual bite.
Beam clutched the steering wheel and couldnât wipe the giddy smile off of his face. There he was, sitting shoulder to shoulder with Denji. He couldnât feel nervous if he tried.
âWhich do I?â Beam gestured to the pedals with his foot and Denji sighed.
âThatâs the brake. Thatâs the gas.â
âOh! Okay!â Beam slammed his foot down on the gas and forgot what to do when the car lurched violently forward.
Denji did not let Beam drive after that.
Beam began to follow Denji to his apartment after some of their more difficult assignments. It made him feel better to linger with Denji, even though he felt out of place in the environment that the Hayakawa apartment was. It was a family, something that Beam had a hard time wrapping his head around.
âThis is mine and Powerâs room,â Denji said as he showed Beam around the place. It felt intimate and Beam wondered how he was allowed to see something so important.
âAki?â Beam asked as he looked around the small room.
Denji waved it off. âHeâs got his own room.â
Beam hummed and crouched down to shuffle through Denjiâs belongings. He didnât have much.
âYour things?â
Denji sat next to him and observed as he dug through a pile of Denjiâs clothes.
âYou donât ever wear shirts, why not?â
Beam shrugged and pulled a large hoodie from the pile. It smelled like Denji and the realization made warmth creep up Beamâs neck. He looked over to Denji and tilted his head as Denji looked up from Beamâs chest.
âMaybe you should take that jacket.â
âItâs yours?â
Beam couldnât do that. As much as he wanted to accept, that was Denjiâs hoodie. Beam didnât know how he would react if he was surrounded by Denjiâs scent.
âYou can have it,â Denji insisted and looked away, his voice low like he was trying to seem nonchalant. The red on his cheeks betrayed him.
âThank you,â Beam said so sincerely that Denji couldnât help but look at him again.
âPut it on.â
âMy headâŠâ
Denji acted like he was mad at Beam for having to force his unusually shaped head through the opening, but Beam knew better.
One late night, Beam was walking with Denji.
Jobs that ran late werenât abnormal, but Beam still did not prefer them. The only bright point in his evening was getting to spend time with Denji.
âThat was tough,â Denji sighed and rubbed at his neck. âThat fuckinâ guy⊠I canât believe you got his ass.â
Beam hid his smile and shrugged.
âI dunno why people are so shitty to you, youâre pretty cool.â
Beam stared at the sidewalk. âI donât like people.â
âDo you not like me?â
Beam startled and jerked his head up. âI, uh-â
Denji laughed and threw his arm around Beamâs broad shoulders. Beam was taller, so Denji was forced to pull him down and Beam did his best to not react.
âIâm fuckinâ with you.â
âOh.â
âBut, I donât get it. You really are a cool guy.â
Beam had to muster up every ounce of willpower he had to not grin like a madman. âYouâre a good guy,â he replied.
âWeâre like, the same, donât you think?â
Beam shrugged, but he felt giddy. Denji thought they were the same.
âYouâre my guy for real. Iâm glad I work with you so much.â
Beam let himself smile and Denji saw. He returned it and Beam stumbled as he involuntarily sunk into the sidewalk.
Denji just laughed like it didnât matter at all and dragged Beam out.
âWhatâs it like when youâre, yâknow,â Denji wiggled his fingers as Beam regained footing.
âUnder? Itâs cool,â he explained, thinking of the chill of the substances he could submerge himself in.
âCan you take other people with you?â
Beam grimaced and shook his head. âIt, uh,â he made a chopping motion across Denjiâs chest. âYeah.â
Denji dropped his jaw and cackled. âNo way! Thatâs sick. I mean, sucks too, âcause I wanted you to take me inside of somethinâ.â
Beam smiled and flushed because Denji wanted him to take him somewhere. It was too much to think about in front of Denji, and Beam slept that night wishing that he could take him away.
Beam sat on Denjiâs balcony, dangling his bare legs in the air. He was wearing Denjiâs hoodie as he kicked his feet in the wind. It was a strange feeling, being so high up, but Denji had asked for him to sit out there and of course, who would Beam be if he denied him?
Denji was, as always, so wonderful and pleasing to look at. The setting sun filtered through his coarse hair and illuminated him with a golden glow. The strands gently blew with the breeze and Denji sneezed when one tickled his nose. Beam couldnât take his eyes off of the sight. He wasnât sure why Denji had asked him to come home with him, but Beam was never one to say no to Denji.
âDidâya see Power on your way up here?â
Beam grimaced. He had phased through the flights of stairs to avoid seeing anyone. He shook his head.
Denji snorted. âI guessed not.â
âYou two want anything to eat?â It was Aki, poking his head outside and staring at them indifferently.
Beam didnât particularly like Aki, but he was Denjiâs guardian and superior, so he tolerated him.
âNah, weâll probably go out later,â Denji said, waving him away.
Aki lingered at the threshold and squinted inquisitively at Denji, then Beam. He left before Beam felt tempted to bare his teeth at him.
âYou wanna get somethinâ to eat?â
âSure!â
âWhatâre you thinkinâ?â
âI dunno,â he said and thought, Iâll like wherever you take me.
âUh,â Denji sighed and bumped his head against the railing. âShould we just order somethinâ?â
âOrder!â Beam wasnât ready to leave. It was nice sitting out and letting the sun warm his face.
âOkay, cool.â
Beam stared after Denji as he went inside to convince Aki to order them food. The hoodie was very comfortable and Beam wondered why it had taken him so long to start wearing more clothes.
âHey,â Denji took his place next to Beam again. âItâll get here later.â
Beam hummed and watched as Denji looked at the skyline.
âYou look at me a lot,â he mumbled without turning and Beam was snapped from his blissful staring.
âUh-â
âI donât mind.â
Denji was looking unnaturally thoughtful and the still peace of his face put an ache in Beamâs chest. Denji looked content, as though his life wasnât more turbulent than most high schoolers. Like he wasnât sitting and bumping shoulders with a fiend.
âYou are nice,â Beam blurted.
Denji snorted and shook his head. âI couldâve been better.â
âNo.â
âYeah.â
âYou are the best.â
âYouâre just sayinâ that.â
âNo.â
Denjiâs eyes slid over and landed on Beam. His cheeks were red and if Beam listened hard, he could pick up the angry sound of his heartbeat.
âYou like Chainsaw Man. Not me.â
Beam watched as the corners of Denji's mouth twitched, threatening to turn into a frown.
âI like both of you,â Beam said thoughtfully. âBut, I like Denji more.â
âYou donât know what youâre sayinâ.â
âI do,â Beam insisted and put a hand on Denjiâs shoulder, praying that he would understand everything that Beam couldnât say. âI do.â
Denji startled and his eyes darted between Beamâs face and his hand, squeezing at his shoulder.
âUh,â Denji sputtered before regaining his bearings. âProve it then.â
âHow?â
Denjiâs eyes flicked between Beamâs mouth and where his eyes wouldâve been and Beam instinctively knew. Before Denji could answer, Beam was leaning in, pushing his lips against Denjiâs like he had seen couples do in the street.
Denji pulled away and a nervous smile was spread across his face. Beam regretted it before he noticed the flush covering Denjiâs face.
âYour teeth,â Denji said, touching his lip. It was bleeding.
âAh? Denji, I-â
âIt'll heal,â Denji reassured and awkwardly placed his hands on Beamâs shoulders.
âWe have the same teeth.â
âYeah, Iâll try not to bite you.â
âI wouldnât mind.â
âDonât say stuff like that.â
âI donât know what to do,â Beam admitted.
Denji paused and swallowed hard. Beam found himself very focused on Denjiâs throat.
âWhat do you want?â
Beam knew what he wanted. He couldnât say it, so he showed Denji.
They didnât part until Aki came out to yell that the food had arrived. Beam didnât feel bad in the slightest. He wouldâve done it again in a heartbeat and he could tell that Denji felt the same.
Guys do u know that one meme where there's a girl and like a bodyguard (???) ordering drinks and the waiter give them the wrong drinks so they switch them on the last panel,???????? BECAUSE I C1NT FING IT^