Heyaa! Can ya do a Beni x reader first impression please!
Heya anon!!!! Thank you so much for reaching out to me!! 🥰
So, I just wanna say I have a very over-analytical brain and so any not-super-specific-requests seem to kind of get away from me? So I hope I’m able to answer this satisfactorily for you!!
Beni x Reader - First Impression
Aight so Imma write this as word-vomit cause I really do want to answer this, and I don’t want to get all caught up in my head, SO:
I imagine it’s hard for Beni to be especially impressed by *anyone* honestly, at least until someone catches his attention.
I used to get hung up on the idea that only sheer power would catch Beni’s attention - but the more I think about it, the more I doubt that.
Like yeah, he’s DEFINITELY impressed by sheer power, especially if it’s something that can challenge his own. He likes a good fight, we all know that.
But.... we never really get much of an opportunity to see Benimaru outside of his role as Leader, Trainer, Most-Skilled. The Destroyer King of Asakusa.
But also.... lets be honest, he’s not super in love with the idea of that title. He begrudgingly accepts it because it’s kind of been behooved to him, he’s inherited it, as the most ~pyrokinetically powerful~ of the Asakusa residents, privileged to be trained by Asauka’s Defender himself, Hibachi. He was the chosen one, he AND Konro always knew that - maybe especially Konro. Beni always, always felt that pressure - and when Konro suffered injuries that left him physically incapable of running Asakusa and the Hikeshi - Jesus I can imagine that panic attack.
He’s been put in the HIGHLY unfortunate position of both having TOO much expected of you, and being ~actually~ overly-capable but terrified of your own power and competency. I’ve been there - oh man. It’s ROUGH, and it really does feel like nobody really understands - half the people think you’re underestimating yourself, the other half are jealous, expect too much, and won’t give you a chance no matter what you do.
ANYWAYYYYYYY, sorry I go way off on tangents.
It would definitely depend on *who* the person is that he’s meeting, but in general - he’s not impressed by many people. Personally I think he’s so wrapped up in feeling overwhelmed by everything expected of him and over-analyzing everything in his own head that he’s really not impressed by much of ~anything~. Yeah, strength and power is cool, and if you could knock his ass back and make him feel actual pain it would definitely give him PAUSE - but what would really catch his attention is the little things.
Maybe he sees you interacting with a group of Asakusa orphans, listening and treating them with the same respect you would adults. He knows first-hand what it feels like being one of those young, “futureless” street rats - and to see someone be so nurturing, accepting, respectful. It touches him in ways he was UTTERLY unprepared for.
Maybe he sees you interacting with animals, understanding their feelings without a sound exchanged between the two of you, your kindness and pure intentions translated throughout species.
Maybe he sees you interacting with the beleaguered of his streets, people nobody would ever bother or dare to take a second glance at - the same people he might offer a shot of Sake to share with him, knowing he sees them more thoroughly than most ever will. Sex workers, “drug” dealers, “criminals” - after all, the Hikeshi is literally made up of gang members, criminals, and otherwise thugs who have NO respect for authority, but EVERY respect for a man with morals and a defensible cause, like fighting fires, extinguishing Infernals who were once their friends, and protecting the people they love.
No matter what it is, he sees something special in you that he hasn’t in any outsider in a long time. He knows his people, he’s confident there’s not a single individual among the population of his city that he doesn’t know, hasn’t seen through, inside of, behind, above, and in between. I firmly believe he perceives SO MUCH more than he’d ever let on. He works too hard to protect himself and put up a nonchalant front for me to believe he isn’t actually HYPER aware of his surroundings and all the people inside them.
He feels comfortable, heard, SEEN. I feel like he’s fairly used to people admiring his handsome face or his sweet physique. He’s no stranger to physical attraction and lust. I feel like he likely shares his body pretty freely, especially with the deep understanding he has of his own people - he’d know who’s “safe.” Who’s “fun,” nothing too serious or heavy. He’s always looking for a good time - or a nap. LOL
ANYWAY - I’m so sorry, I get SO sidetracked with these things 😂🤦🏻♀️
TLDR I guess is that Beni is honestly impressed and intrigued by a wide array of things, honestly I think anything you feel especially confident/proficient in, when he sees how skilled you really are he’s gonna just fall all over himself. Despite his otherworldly talents, he’s really a simple man. He has simple needs and wants, and he’s impressed by what catches his eye. I feel confident, if it were in the real world, he would 100% feel the fact that you are a good match for him and he’d be impressed by whatever skill/talent you have to offer, no matter how insignificant you might feel it is. And honestly, to have Beni’s admiration is just the best, most validating feeling in the world, ESPECIALLY knowing he’s not really especially impressed by much at all. I feel like when he finally finds that person who catches his eye - it doesn’t matter how mundane or “Silly” you feel your particular talents/interests are, he’s going to be utterly ~fascinated~; #1. Cause it’s so different from what he’s used to (traditional, edo-period japan, I still have a lot to look up but it’s generally pretty minimalist from what I’ve seen; also brute-strength visa-vie Konro and Hibachi); #2. They’re so genuine. If anybody else said the words they said he’d be sure they were absolutely full of shit, but the more he hears the more he understands what those words, when they’re really meant, actually sound like. You give him a reason to trust.
That really wasn’t TLDR and I am SUPER sorry about that.... but I really wanted to answer your request 🥺 I hope it’s what you were looking for!!! Of course, if you have any more suggestions, comments, complaints, my inbox is ALWAYS open and I am ALWAYS happy to. hear from you guys!!!
