strawberry, cherry vanilla, and key lime for heiiii
fhileshfels thanks you know how much I love him...I’m just gonna get right into it
strawberry: before getting together, how did your F/O realize they had a crush on you? How did they act around you once they realized they were head over heels?
HHIFHSELFHES YOU...YOU WOULD DO THIS...YOU WOULD BRING THIS TO MY DOORSTEP, JUST LIKE THAT, AND CONFRONT ME WITH THIS TOPIC??? THIS TOPIC THAT I LOVE AND LOSE MY MIND ABOUT AND WOULD DIE FOR, THE SUBJECT I’VE ALREADY DEDICATED LIKE 3 FUCKING 4THS OF MY COGNITIVE RESOURCES TO THINKING ABOUT AND DEVELOPING FOR THIS SHIP...not to beat a dead horse, since I know I’ve already talked about this in at least a handful of posts AND threads because I have no concept of self restraint, I will do my best to summarize it short and sweet...which I’m already sure won’t go well and even now as I type this sentence I know I’m still rambling BUT: I am so sucker for love at first sight...even if he didn’t realize that’s what it was, or even if he did, and he just shrugged it off like “well, that’s something I may deal with later, if I deal with it at all, because clearly it’s not going to be a substantial problem I'll have to bother continuing to worry about in the future...” I’m sorry sir but you Cannot escape your fate that easily. But Hei is a good actor...and also decided early on, much like a character like Shirou, that it didn’t matter if he had feelings for me/we had feelings for each other because it was too dangerous/stupid and there’s no way it would end up working out...too bad I’m the type that just!! Won’t leave things alone lol!!! But I don’t think his behavior would overtly change that much. He’d probably do little things to be extra nice/show he cared out of impulse and then he’d internally berate himself like “no!! no you aren’t supposed to do stuff like that you’re leading her on!!” but that’s okay because ultimately we both led each other on right into a relationship fheislfjelsfs TRULY. THE BIGGEST FOOLS.
cherry vanilla: how does your F/O show their affection for you?
hfislhfles much like most of my other f/os...I just really love those small but very significant/meaningful gestures of affection and also lots of physical reassurance lol. And I feel like he would be happy to indulge those expectations/desires. Holding hands even when doing simple things or just like sitting next to each other, exchanging little nuzzles and kisses even just as passive reactions because it comes so naturally to us now. Reminding each other through words and actions that we’re always thinking about each other, or doing little things to show that we put each other first...I know there’s not a lot of specifics there but like, the ~vibes~ are easier for me to think about than the actual acts sometimes, since I feel like the acts themselves can get pretty cheesy/repetitive fhieslhfe like you know, couple stuff tends to be pretty predictable...at least imo, sometimes.
key lime: how would you describe your self-ship’s aesthetic?
This is another question I feel like I’m never really properly equipped to answer hfileshfes but anything to do with space, stars, the night sky...naturally, I associate that kind of stuff with this ship, although to be fair those themes also come with the territory any time Nova’s involved. But it’s even more fitting in this case lol. Also just like, darkness in general, not just because of the anime but because of all the doubt and confusion and secrecy pre-relationship...fog/shadows that obscures both thoughts and feelings. Various shades of darker purples, blues, black. And small lights like candles or starlight that push the darkness back just a bit, just enough that we can huddle around that little light we’ve found, but it turns out we actually just cultivated it together...the little flickering flame of our love and connection to each other :’) now that I’m done embarrassing myself I think that’s a pretty decent answer fhielsjfeslfes
Summary: Visiting a new city through their travels across the universe, Eva, Spirit, and Aikka find themselves caught up in an unexpected scuffle.
*Author’s Note*: This title is super ominous but uhhhhhh. Lol. I........really dropped the ball on this one, and I’m sorry it’s so late ;~; but my SUPER GOOD FRIEND @aepaex had a very special and important birthday this past Tuesday, and I finally finished this gift I was writing for her! I’m sorry it’s a little belated, but I really hope it’s still enjoyable, and I just have to say again HAPPY BELATED BDAY I LOVE YOU SO MUCH!!!
Another day, another new and interesting place to explore. At least, that was Eva’s mindset when she and her entourage arrived at a new destination on a foreign planet. This time the city seemed to be a bustling hub for a variety of aliens to congregate and sell their wares, and Eva was already excited to see what this place had in store for them. Aikka had dropped she and Spirit off so they could head into the main part of the city while he found a place to dock G’dar. Spirit and Aikka were currently still her only two companions on this spontaneous journey, although she knew that in their free time Aikka was busy trying to coordinate meet ups so they could add a few more members to the group. What she didn’t know were the specific details of said plan in terms of where and when and who, but that was alright. Eva enjoyed a certain element of surprise in her travels across the cosmos, and as she strolled through the market stands that lined the streets she perused their wealth of alien wares with glee.
Spirit strolled close behind her, observing both the stands and the crowd around them. The atmosphere seemed unusually dense and chaotic, different from what Spirit had experienced in other crowded locales. Perhaps there was some underlying emotional disruption going on, or something that had happened that left an unpleasant impression on the area and its inhabitants. Spirit couldn’t put his finger on it, but he supposed that as long as nothing dangerous or disruptive happened it wasn’t a big deal. After all, he was here to enjoy whatever this place had to offer as much as Eva and Aikka. He was just as excited to discover what surprises the universe had in store throughout their interplanetary travels. Although he and Aikka had markedly more experience with such a thing than Eva, there were sectors of the universe that they’d both had yet to visit, and visiting with Eva always made things more interesting.
Eva was an experience in and of herself. Being around her enhanced experiences in a completely unique way; without her around, it was like the luster of life dulled just a little. She had helped Spirit start to see many things in new ways, something that he was deeply grateful for. Agreeing to partake in this journey across the galaxy with both Eva and Aikka, Spirit felt like perhaps he finally belonged somewhere.
Of course, he always felt like he had a place as a racer, but he didn’t have an abundance of close friends back on his home planet. Sometimes when he dwelled on the reality of his loneliness, he began to long to make more meaningful connections with other Phils and even other species of aliens in general. Considering how Phils typically looked, acted, and communicated, it was usually hard for them to reach out to species who had never heard of or experienced them firsthand. It was harder still to break down the barrier of misunderstanding and confusion without inducing more of those same feelings or even eliciting fear.
Speaking of fear, the uneasiness in the air only seemed to be growing, and its effects were really starting to weigh on Spirit. Eva didn’t seem to notice as she aimlessly wove through the crowd, holding Spirit’s hand as she chattered on about random things that she noticed or that drew her attention. Spirit thought that he had been doing an alright job of just commenting or replying to her when it felt appropriate to do so since their hands were connected, but as they made it to the center of the small trading area Eva turned around and grasped both of Spirit’s hands firmly.
“Something’s bothering you, what’s going on? You can tell me.”
Spirit was surprised by her sudden bluntness, his focus on trying to analyze the weird feeling inside him disrupted. He panicked a bit, realizing that in his distraction he’d probably let some of his less pleasant feelings bleed into her mind. He apologized quickly before attempting to change the subject, but Eva just tightened her grip on his hands, a frown forming on her lips.
“Don’t lie to me, you don’t have to,” she explained, drawing Spirit to a less crowded section of the square. “I know something’s up, and I don’t like being kept out of the loop. No matter what it is, I can handle it, and you can trust me. We’re in this together now anyway, aren’t we? So fill me in.”
Spirit didn’t necessarily like having to divulge information that might lead to further conflict, but to a point Eva was right. If there was something lurking that Spirit sensed, the courteous thing to do as someone who was invited to join her and the Nourasian Prince on their open ended expedition was to share his thoughts with her. Then again, despite how much Eva thought she knew, and how much she had already been through, there were still limits to where she was permitted to stick her nose. If Spirit could help it, he wouldn’t lead her further down a path to trouble. They’d all already had enough of that for a lifetime. But there was also a familiar presence in the mixture of conflict that Spirit sensed, and that tidbit of information came in strong and fast enough that he didn’t have time to mitigate the transfer of his thoughts.
“Aikka…something involving Aikka?” Eva asked, her expression shifting rapidly from confusion to worry to determination. “He’s in a fight with someone…where is he? What’s going on? When did this start, Spirit, you have to--”
Too many things were happening at once and Spirit yanked his hand away, not sure what course of action he wanted to take next. He was thoroughly disappointed in himself for not exercising more restraint, especially knowing the kind of impusliveness Eva was prone to, but none of that really mattered in the wake of what occurred next. Spirit and Eva’s eyes darted to the sky in unison as two great beetles rose up over the city. Flashes of light from clashing spells shooting from their backs intensified the midday light illuminating the streets. Eva and Spirit stood glued to the spot as they both realized Aikka was locked in some form of unexpected combat with another Nourasian, or at least another alien who happened to be riding the same kind of beast as G’dar and holding off Aikka’s attacks with similar magic.
“Spirit, c’mon, we have to help him!”
Spirit didn’t know what Eva meant, or how she thought they’d be able to do anything from their current position, but as she took his hand and started sprinting through the crowd her thoughts made everything known. Spirit somehow felt that her rash plan would turn out to be an acceptable course of action, and as the two burst forth into a clearing between buildings Spirit followed the lead that Eva had set out for him in his mind. Shifting forms, he morphed into his racing appearance, a large, silent, sleek body that startled and cleared out the rest of the lingering bystanders. Eva clamored onto his back quickly, and as soon as he felt her fingers secure in his fur he took off.
Eva had a small pistol strapped to her waist that was able to fire various types of alien ammunition, from bullets simply meant to stun to those of a more lethal variety. She loaded a flash generating round into the weapon as Spirit sliced through the air, cutting between the two warring aliens to break up their barrage of attacks. Aikka and G’dar staggered back, and Aikka’s eyes grew wide with surprise and relief at the sight of his friends. He knew he’d probably be in big trouble with them later for getting wrapped up in such a scuffle, but there would be plenty of time for explanations later.
“Aikka, get out of here!” Eva called as Spirit curved back around, coming to a stop between the two hovering aliens. He tried to get a good look at Aikka’s opponent and glean anything he could before either of them starting attacking again. “We’re causing too much of a scene, and there are too many civilians around to continue a battle here. Someone’s gonna get hurt if we don’t--”
“You’re the only one who’s gonna be getting hurt!”
Aikka’s opponent launched another magic attack, and Spirit barely reacted quickly enough to guard Eva from being struck. His wing hissed in the wake of the burn the attack inflicted on him, and Eva shot the explosive flash from her gun before placing her hand on Spirit and instructing him to retreat immediately. She gestured a similar signal to Aikka, shooting off a smoke grenade to give them some cover as the trio fled to a more safe, secluded area of the city. Although both G’dar and Spirit were considerably big and hard to miss as they soared across the city, Aikka was able to cast some magic that disguised their trail at least part of the way. As soon as they landed Eva slid off Spirit’s back, waiting for him to return to his bipedal form before both she and Aikka descended upon him to inspect his injury.
“Are you okay, is this going to be alright?” Eva rapidly inquired, her panic evident as Aikka placed a calming hand on her shoulder.
“Calm down, he’s going to be alright. Let me take a look at it, I’m sure it’s nothing some magic and a bandage can’t fix.”
“I thought your magic was offense based?” Eva pointed out as the Prince took Spirit’s arm and examined it. The fur was slightly singed, but nothing major. Although Spirit flinched a bit, the pain wasn’t excruciating, and he knew that Aikka was speaking the truth. A quick medicinal treatment and some rest would have him back to normal in no time; in the meantime Eva was still frazzled and intent on getting as many answers about the situation she could.
“What was all that about?” she interrogated Aikka as he began chanting something over Spirit’s wound, a gentle blue glow appearing and pulsating around it. “Who was that, and why were you fighting, and are they gonna be able to track us, and--”
“It’s going to be alright, Eva,” Aikka reassured, smiling at her softly.
Spirit could feel the pain in his arm starting to ebb, the sensation turning to numbness as Aikka ceased his chanting. He fetched a bandage from his bag and wrapped the wound neatly, and Spirit thanked Aikka with a grateful nod. Although he was relieved to have his wound treated, Spirit was mildly concerned about the ways in which this injury would prevent him from shapeshifting. Hopefully their group would be able to procure some temporary transportation until he was fully recovered, since he wasn’t sure G’dar would do the trick. “It was just an unexpected scuffle. I don’t know who they are, and we might cross paths with them again, but this time I’ll be ready.”
“We’ll all be ready,” Eva added, placing a hand on Spirit’s good arm as she let her feelings of apology and sympathy flow to him. “I’m really sorry both of you got dragged into whatever that was. I think it would be best if we stayed somewhere outside the city tonight.”
Their journey had barely begun, and already the trio was starting to make unknown enemies. Spirit had a hunch, however, that if the assailant had very well been Nourasian, there was a deeper plot brewing beneath the surface. The universe had undoubtedly changed since the events of the Great Race of Oban, and forces beyond comprehension were still at work behind the scenes. Feelings, actions, and paths were all being manipulated to lead the survivors to a new destination, a new fate. Perhaps Aikka’s scuffle and Spirit’s injury were signs of the adversity that would follow them from now on. Either way, Spirit didn’t want himself or his friends to have to face such misfortune. Together, hopefully they would all be able to find a way to avoid such calamity. After all, they’d made it this far.
Summary: Spirit spends some time reflecting on his achievements during his first visit to Earth for the Interplanetary Championship.
*Author’s Note*: I’ve had this drafted for a while, I’m glad I’m finally able to post it! This is kind of a gift fic for my good friend @aepaex, who deserves the world and Oban 2 and so much more. She’s always such an inspiration and a consistent support in my life, I feel like one of the only ways I can give back is to write self indulgent, self reflective Spirit pieces to try and give her more content for her fave. I actually really enjoyed writing this and I hope you enjoy reading it!
(Also available on my Ao3 which is linked in my blog links)
The weather was pleasant, or at least what Spirit was able to interpret as pleasant in the context of this planet. This particular system’s sun shined intermittently between spotty white clouds, casting a warm glow against Spirit’s fur that reminded him of the warm glow that was generated by his telepathy. The gravity and the atmosphere were both things that were going to take a little time to get used to, but that was also something that wasn’t too out of place for him. Being a renowned Star Racer Pilot who had won a fine collection of titles and trophies both on his own planet and in races with others, Spirit was no stranger to visiting other planets and adjusting to a variety of unique environments.
He had slipped away from the entourage he and the Phils’ ambassador, Siru, had been sent off with in order to take some time to observe this new planet on his own and clear his head. Although he may have been used to the routine of visiting other planets and having to adjust to their specific climates and other unique planetary aspects, sometimes it benefitted him to just get away from it all. Spirit liked being a Star Racer, of course, and he liked being a champion as well…but sometimes even those who enjoy a fast paced life need to stop and smell the roses.
He found himself wandering around a grassy field near the Star Racing Track, the one he would be using in a few of his races for the final meets of the first Interplanetary Championship. The idea of holding such an esteemed title made Spirit feel both elated and nervous, not because he didn’t think he could win, but because he didn’t quite know what such a title would do for his reputation. He wasn’t really one to get too caught up in what others thought of him, especially when the rumors could range from outlandishly sappy to devilishly damning, but he was vain enough to not want to be considered a villain. He knew it was common for more verbal and physically expressive species to be not only intimidated by but terrified of the Phils for their less than friendly appearances, although that kind of response was usually only received from species who didn’t share such traits.
The percentage was about fifty-fifty in terms of the types of aliens Spirit had met so far that shared common Phils traits such as being non-verbal, being telepathic, or having muted expressiveness. What surprised him more than anything was how difficult it could be to interact with species that relied so much on being able to read a situation or interpret what your mood or next comment was going to be before you shared it. That kind of observation-based social cohesion wasn’t something completely absent in Phils’ culture, more like something that just didn’t come to mind, or wasn’t a norm in most situations.
Spirit’s focus drifted back to examining the sky; he found it one of the most telling things about a new planet considering the atmosphere affected the color in most cases, even if it was just in miniscule ways. The vegetation and wildlife were other telltale signs, and although there were a handful of things that needed to be agreed upon to support life, the sheer number of possibilities in which life could manifest made Spirit wonder how any planet ended up looking vaguely similar to another.
He thought about how Earth’s grass felt on his feet as he paced through the field, taking in the various other sensory stimuli that presented this world in a way that only he and other Phils could understand. Perhaps he could show someone else what the world looked like through his senses with his telepathy, but even that would have to be processed in a different way than he was used to. He stopped in the middle of the field and sat down, appreciating the breeze that ruffled his fur and gave him a slight reprieve from the sun’s heat.
This was a world so distant and distinct from his own, but Spirit didn’t really feel homesick either. He enjoyed visiting other planets, appreciated their nuances and differences and even the opportunity that his Star Racing gave him to explore them in the first place. While he was a Star Racer first and foremost for the sport of it, for the adrenaline, excitement, and thrill that it brought him, he couldn’t discount how nice perks like getting to traverse the distant reaches of the universe were. He shifted and laid down in the grass, watching as a cloud passed in front of the sun, shielding his eyes and the rest of this field from its harsh beams.
All of this seemed so inconsequential, but these were the pertinent thoughts buzzing about his mind. Spirit was sure most people thought that he lived to race and that was the extent of it, he would have been happy to explain the complexity of his feelings regarding his career as a Star Racer, even if he couldn’t do it in a simple and straightforward way. Sometimes he wished that he had been smart enough to prepare a written series of answers to the questions he got asked most often that he could just hand to people, but he always found himself too busy and realized that he lacked both the utensils and a translator to make such an option viable.
He may have been living in the latter end of the 21st century, but somehow technology still wasn’t able to answer all of the universe’s problems. He figured that was just as well, considering how people used to be appalled that he was a Star Racer who raced not with a separate vehicle, but with his own body. Even though other shape shifting species had started getting wrapped up in the Star Racing craze, the idea that he and others would use his own form as a ship took some a while to adjust to.
Spirit didn’t really care if others thought that way about him, though. It was just how he did things. Sometimes he wished people wouldn’t assume he was a cutthroat who would do whatever it took to win just because he was a good and competitive racer. Spirit was an honorable racer, if not a risky one. He knew audiences sometimes interpreted his last ditch techniques and moves that enabled him to scrape by with a win as nefarious, but that was never Spirit’s intent. He tilted his head up a bit as a small winged Earth creature landed on his arm, something he believed he’d once heard referred to as a butterfly.
It was small and dainty with beautifully colored wings, and for a moment Spirit thought about what he would look like with wings like that. Such an idea seemed mildly preposterous, especially because of how his particular brand of shape shifting worked, but on the flip side he knew it wouldn’t be that hard to dye or paint his fur. Other Phils had done it before, and although it hadn’t struck Spirit’s personal interests at the time, he thought that perhaps he ought to try it just once to see what it was like.
The butterfly fluttered its wings and paced up and down his arm a bit before taking off again, and Spirit listened to the sound of another passing breeze before sitting up. He’d wasted some time daydreaming out here, observing the landscape, letting his mind wander…but he felt that it was worth it. Sometimes his mind got so tangled up in his own thoughts and the thoughts he shared with others that he couldn’t keep track of what needed to go where and what thoughts really belonged to him. Such an effect only overtook him when he started to get overwhelmed by the rapid exchange of multiple thoughts, and in the event that such a jumbled haze clouded his mind, taking time away like this was one of the best cures.
There was a lot for him to consider, but Spirit didn’t like to let worries about the future or regrets of the past bother him. He wanted to live in the moment, to cherish what he had right now, and to push himself to become the best Star Racer he could be. He didn’t know what kind of obstacles might loom ahead, or what type of threats might be chasing him, but that was all the better. As long as he had his racing, and kept his eye on his goals, he was sure his life would continue to be both exhilarating and fulfilling. After all, there wasn’t a much greater prize than that.
Courtesy of myself and @aepaex for helping me think of some of the extra things
Under cut because lots of text
I got inspired with vampire themed stuff yesterday and decided hey, why not make the phantom thieves from P5 because it would be fun? So I did.
The premise for this AU is that a the team came up against a vampiric Shadow that basically cursed them with vampirism that isn’t limited to the cognitive world, so now the phantom thieves have to adjust to being literal creatures of the night.
The thieves aren’t vampires that suck blood but, in lieu of always having to go to Mementos or battle in Palaces, they can just suck out people’s twisted desires! They might not get a treasure out of it but they do get decreased fatigue, slower aging, and a tasty meal.
The desires take the form of a black or sometimes even scarlet liquid that still has to be drained through the typical bite and suck method.
Akira is the type of vampire that all the rumors are about. He’s the swift and mysterious shadow people think they see lurking behind them, stalking them in the night. He’s the most controlled when it comes to only taking the distorted desires and not going overboard.
Ryuji is the one vampire who always forgets he’s a vamp and gets burned by random sunbeams if he isn’t being careful, forgets why he can’t see himself in the mirror, etc. He’s really cautious when he drains people’s desires though because he really values the people he’s helping.
Yusuke is That One Really Dramatic Vampire that takes the draining process way too seriously, but that’s alright because he makes the experience it his own! He’d probably try to enchant his target first and end up making a poem or painting about the experience later (but that’s not a bad thing, he just really gets into the aesthetic of it all!)
Most of the girls are more calculated about their technique except for Futaba, who already doesn’t have a lot of experience dealing with other people. She hasn’t mastered the art of how to accomplish her task in a clean and efficient way, but she never goes overboard enough to cause someone to have a shut down. Typically she’ll just end up being more conspicuous than she means to be and one of the others will come in and wipe the memory of her face away or something. (The thieves are pretty strict about how much they use their mind altering powers, whether they’re the persuasive or forgetful kind, because they don’t want to infringe on people’s autonomy.)
Makoto is probably the most neat and discreet simply because she’s strong and calculating. She can narrow down her target, strike them, and leave them like it never happened in no time flat.
Haru and Anne probably enjoy the thrill of the process a bit more than anyone else, they both like seeing the fear in people’s eyes once they realize they’re being confronted by vamps/phantom thieves (although their targets forget those thoughts soon after, but only if one of the thieves’ faces were seen. They’re okay with being known about/having rumors spread, but they don’t want their identities out there ofc.)
Also they probably still suck desires in their thief outfits because ~aesthetic~ (vampire!Akira in his long black coat and red gloves was actually where this idea started lol.)
Morgana becomes a familiar of sorts, he can still suck blood but he also has a strong bond to Akira that allows him to feed off of the energy that Akira absorbs, so he doesn’t necessarily have to go hunting himself.
The team also have a set of daemons/familiars (their personas) that basically function as distractions or displays of powers when the thieves need it OR when confronting stronger supernatural entities/Shadows (since they still exist and can still be fought.)
Haru grows deadly nightshade and a bunch of other vampire-esque plants but it’s just a coincidence, she grew them before her transformation because a lot of them were pretty and stuff but after the transformation she finds it funny and starts growing a lot more.
As vampires the thieves have the ability to enchant people (i.e. put them under an obedient trance, but only for a short time), wipe small sections of memory (this takes a lot of effort too and doesn’t always go as planned), and they have enhanced speed, strength, and senses.
All of their eyes glow red in the dark, they grow fangs, and their ears become pointed (which is easy to hide behind their hair with most of them, Ryuji just wears a hat or headband sometimes or comes up with an excuse.)
They do get burned by sunlight (I don’t think they’d die if they went out in it, like they can wear a lot of clothes and stuff to avoid getting burned) but it does actually burn/hurts really bad to be out in it. They have greater regenerative abilities but they can still be killed (and it doesn’t have to be by any special weapon) but they would probably survive a couple direct gunshot wounds or a fall from a great height.
As stated before, draining desires actually slows down their aging/increases their lifespan (not sure if they should hit a point of immortality at some point or not.)
They can eat human food, but it all tastes bland and it doesn’t give them any nutrition, but as you know some old habits die hard (I’m looking at you Big Bang Burger.)
They also each gain the ability to shift into a specific animal, I haven’t decided on all of them yet but I was thinking black cat for Akira (he can cruise the town with Morgana lol), Shiba Inu for Ryuji (I’ve seen a lot of comparisons of him to one), and a white fox for Yusuke.
Sometimes instead of draining it all himself (since each of the thieves has to target solo victims and drain them individually) Akira will store the liquefied desires in a container and cook them into coffee or curry for everyone to enjoy (since that’s the only taste they can really experience anymore.)
They also don’t have to sleep but cuddle piles and general resting are still frequent.
@aepaex @realmofxami ABDKBAKDNKSN good replies, apparently some people even get mad when he makes cameos because they're worried he's going to taint or warp the main series with too much disbelief and I'm just like 👀👀👀
Also I think it's important to note 95% of the good DCMK ideas I share/die from are courtesy of @edorazzi and @aepaex and without them I would be nothing
