aoex-shipping-events

[aoex-shipping-events]

JUNE SHIP EVENT - ft. Shura Kirigakure

Presenting our multi-talented, ever-enduring, bombshell of a ninja exorcist, Shura Kirigakure!

Week 1 - Arthur A. Angel

Week 2 - Lena (from the movie!)

Week 3 - Cheng-Long Liu

Week 4 - Mamushi Houjou

Throughout the month of June, participants are encouraged to create fic, art, etc. of some of the key relationships of the Arc Knight. If there is a different ship you want to explore not listed, please feel free to join in anyway and participate throughout the month!

Each week runs from Sunday to Saturday. For more information (prompts, questions), check out this post & the corresponding ao3 collection.

Have fun!

[aoex-shipping-events]

3, 34, 42, 49 pls! For Osceola and Shiro ❤️

Thank you!!! <3 <3 <3

3) Who takes longer getting ready?

On work days, Osceola, absolutely. He keeps his hair in its braid as much as possible, and only washes it on certain washdays, but gelling and styling the rest of his hair takes him quite a while. His regalia also takes a bit to get on and make sure it stays on. I also imagine he has a bit more of an in depth skin/hygiene routine than Shirou. On their days off, it's a tossup. It depends if they're both in casual clothing, or if Shirou's wearing his cassock. If they're both in casual clothing, Osceola usually takes longer to get ready, but if Shirou's wearing his cassock, he usually takes more time.

34) Do they go dates? What are they like?

Yes! Osceola and Shirou go on a lot of small dates. If their breaks line up, they'll go out to get coffee together, or they'll eat lunch together (that Osceola makes) if they're both at the Vatican! When they have the time and the money, which is a fairly rare occurrence, they do like to go on proper dates! They tend to stay pretty close to the Vatican or True Cross Academy Town. Their go to date is going out to eat, because Osceola enjoys trying new foods. They also frequent the True Cross healing baths. They both build up a ton of tension in their bodies, and the hot water is a great way to loosen some of that up. Shirou always books a private bath, so there isn't an issue with Osceola's tattoos (or any weird looks.)

42) What's their favorite feature of their partner?

Well, Shirou is Shirou... and Shirou likes Osceola's ass. Osceola loves Shirou's laugh lines, and will often press kisses to his crow's feet.

49) What do they do when they're away from one another?

Unfortunately, the nature of their work means they often have to spend time apart, so it's a part of of their everyday lives. However, Osceola is the type to keep lots of keepsakes or objects that remind him of Shirou, and scatters them around his house or his office. He'll often wear gifted jewelry when he's out on missions, and he sleeps with a bunch of pillows to make up for the empty space in his bed. Shirou also piles on the pillows, but he can get away with stealing a few of Osceola's spare shirts and keeping them to sleep in.

[aoex-shipping-events]

4, 29, & 43 the OTP asks <3

Thank you!! <3

4) When they can't sleep, what do they do?

Neither Shirou nor Osceola are strangers to nightmares, and they’re both light sleepers out of habit, so they tend to wake each other up often. If neither of them are able to sleep, Osceola will make warm drinks for both of them, and then they’ll usually cozy up on the couch together and read, or watch a movie saved on one of their computers.

29) Who licks the spoon when they're baking brownies?

Definitely Shirou. And only when Osceola isn't looking- he's fastidious about kitchen sanitization. Osceola will occasionally lick the spoon or offer to let Shirou lick the spoon once they've finished filling the pans.

43) What is the first thing that changes when they realize they have feelings for each other?

Already being close friends, I imagine the change between friendship and a romantic relationship would be very gradual for Osceola and Shirou. I think the first thing to change once both parties realize they harbor romantic feelings for each other would be an increase in casual, affectionate touch. Asking each other to hand over perfectly reachable objects just to brush fingers, a supportive hand on the shoulder, sitting closer together and holding hands when nobody’s looking.

[aoex-shipping-events]

This post is inspired by @yukiokumura’s rundown on Lighthaus, which you should really check out!

I absolutely adore Shirou/Osceola as a ship! (And I think you should give them a chance)

Here’s some of my reasoning:

They’re close friends.

They worked together for years, and know each other intimately. They’ve both experienced the best and worst parts of each of other, and have accepted them. Exorcism is a profession where trust is tantamount, and high ranking and as members of the Round Table, they worked together often.

They’re both dedicated single fathers who love their (admittedly difficult) sons. Neither of them are perfect parents, but they both do the best with the situations they’re in, and in the end, they both end up making the ultimate sacrifice for their kids. Osceola was also already an experienced parent by the time Shirou got the twins, and could have been a huge help had Shirou let him in.

They have complementary strengths, both in the field, and emotionally. Osceola is a frontline fighter who fights with his fists, where Shirou is primarily a long range combatant with the use of his firearms, which makes them perfect cover for each other. Emotionally, Osceola is open and empathetic where Shirou is reserved and abrasive. Osceola serves as Shirou’s brakes when he needs them, and pushes him to be more open, and Shirou can make the tough calls.

Because of their opposite natures, they force each other to grow.

They’re both stubborn as all hell.

They’ve both experienced unimaginable pain and grief. Because of that, they’re great supports for each other. To roughly quote a piece I wrote with @marble-wolf “your grief doesn’t frighten me.”

If there’s one thing Osceola’s gained from all his years raising Lewin, it’s patience. Shirou isn’t always the easiest person to get along with, and he’s very set in his ways, and often resorts to previous behavior patterns. Osceola knows this, and he accepts Shirou despite it, as long as Shirou can prove he’s willing to work on himself.

[aoex-shipping-events]

Annual Occasions and Perennial Frustrations

Ship: Shirou/Osceola

CW/TW: Graphic Depictions of Illness, Choking, Grief/Mourning, Past Child Loss, Chronic Illness

The mattress dipped and groaned. Osceola cracked open an eye to see Shirou sprawled out on the bed next to him.

“Hey handsome. How are you feeling?”

“I’ve been better,” Osceola admitted. Speaking irritated the quickly growing seedlings competing for space with the air in his lungs, and he turned to cough into his fist.

“Yeah, well you look like shit. Sound like it too.”

“Shirou!” Osceola huffed.

His partner only shook his head in amusement and leaned closer. Osceola felt a pair of chapped lips press against his forehead and leaned into the kiss.

Shirou’s lips lingered longer against his forehead than strictly necessary for checking his temperature, and Osceola leaned in closer, basking in Shirou’s gentle affection.

With a second, quicker, peck to his forehead, Shirou pulled back, and Osceola stared up adoringly at his partner.

Very few people would ever be lucky enough to see past Shirou’s bite and bluster to witness his compassion, awkward and stunted and stunning. Osceola thought he must be the luckiest man in the world.

“What are you staring at?” Shirou teased, waggling his eyebrows.

Osceola laughed as Shirou bent down and pulled back his lips to check his gums.

“How’s my color?” he asked, pushing himself up against the pillows. “I hope you washed your hands when you got home.”

“Of course I washed them,” Shirou huffed. “I’m not a heathen.” He reached over to dig around in the nightstand. “We’re doing your pulse ox. Have you done a holy water treatment yet today?”

“I haven’t needed it. It’s just a flare up. I can manage.” Osceola hated the way the holy water inhalers seemed to freeze all the air in his lungs, leaving him chilled to the bone. Shirou shot him a disapproving look, and Osceola obediently held out his hand for the pulse oximeter.

Shirou shook his head as he slipped the clip onto Osceola’s finger, and bent down to mockingly kiss the back of Osceola’s hand.

“Shirou!” Osceola scolded as butterflies stirred awake in his chest, “you’re going to skew the reading!”

“Really?” Shirou raised an eyebrow. “Well it’s good to know I still make your heart flutter.”

“Of course you do,” Osceola smiled as he leaned back against the pillows, quickly resetting the pulse oximeter.

The pulse oximeter beeped and Shirou hurriedly stole it from his finger, reading over the numbers with a frown. “I don’t like how low your blood oxygen is. Where did you leave the tanks?”

“They’re in the back of the closet.” Osceola swung his legs off the bed and bent down to rifle through his dresser for his oxygen tube. Shirou turned around holding a tank of oxygen and glared.

“What are you doing out of bed?”

“I’m fine!” Osceola protested.

“Just get back in bed,” Shirou glowered.

Osceola sat back down, maneuvering the tubing in place over his ears. It was routine at this point, although he would need Shirou’s help getting the tape right.

Shirou wheeled the oxygen tank over and quickly connected the tubing, concern and guilt warring on his face. As he stood to grab the medical tape from the drawer, Osceola leaned over the edge of the bed and cupped his partner’s cheek in his palm. With his free hand, he smoothed out the wrinkles between Shirou’s brows.

“I’ll be alright,” Osceola said softly. “This happens every year. The meds do their job well.”

Osceola knew Shirou still blamed himself for infecting him, no matter how many times he argued otherwise. They had both been on the frontlines when the Parasitic Floral Pulmonary Obstruction pandemic had swept through the ranks of the Order. It was easy for Shirou to point a finger at himself due to their proximity, but the truth was that infection had been inevitable. Who and how didn’t matter.

Shirou refused to meet Osceola’s eyes. “That’s not the point,” he grumbled, fidgeting with the tape in his hands. “I wish you would take more time off. Everyone knows how rough this time of year is for you. You could at least get two weeks off.”

“We both know I’d go crazy with that much free time on my hands,” Osceola sighed. The weeks leading up to the anniversary of Tina’s death were a special kind of torture. The guilt and the grief was already suffocating in and of itself- if Osceola let himself dwell on the would have, should have, could have been- he would drive himself to an early grave.

“Besides, I’ve been monitoring my spore count carefully,” Osceola continued. “It’s been practically undetectable before today. I’ve been taking all the proper precautions.”

“I know,” Shirou smiled, squeezing Osceola’s hand before ducking out of his palm to tape the cannula properly in place. “It’s yourself you’re not taking care of.”

Osceola sighed. He couldn’t argue with the truth. “You took tomorrow off?”

Osceola had given up trying to convince Shirou he would be fine on his own years ago. Truthfully, he appreciated the company. He wasn’t sure how he had managed so many years on his own.

“You’re not getting rid of me,” Shirou agreed, as he hopped up onto the bed and slipped himself under Osceola’s arm. “Maybe this year you’ll cough up something I’m not allergic to.”

“It’s been daisies for the past five years,” Osceola grumbled, choking on his sigh. The tissue box landed in his lap, and Osceola squeezed Shirou’s arm gratefully.

He didn’t bother looking at whatever bit of greenery he had spat up, handing the tissue to Shirou to toss in the trash while he swallowed back the bitter taste filling his mouth.

“It’s going to be daisies again. I can feel it.”

“Well then, I guess we’ll both just be miserable,” Shirou set his glasses down on the nightstand. “I’m going to grab you a glass of water. Want anything else?”

“I don’t have much of an appetite,” Osceola admitted.

“Maruta made brownies earlier. I’ll grab you one.” Shirou balanced on his knees to kiss Osceola on the cheek before hopping off the bed. “You just sit there and look pretty. I’ll be right back.”

Osceola didn’t have time to scold Shirou about the potential crumbs he would be bringing into their bed before his partner was out the door.

He sank back into the pillows with a smile as he watched Shirou’s retreating silhouette.

He must have nodded off at some point, because when he opened his eyes again, Shirou was perched on the edge of the bed, a somewhat smushed brownie wrapped in a paper towel in one hand. The chocolate did smell delicious.

“We’re going to get ants,” Osceola warned Shirou, even as he reached for the brownie.

“We’ll be changing the sheets anyways,” Shirou shrugged.

“It’s still warm,” Osceola marveled as he held the brownie in his palm.

“Maruta was keeping them warm in the oven until you woke up. You’re always spoiling us, so it’s only fair.”

Osceola smiled around his mouthful of chocolate. He was touched by the priest’s kind actions. “Are you going to spoil me too?” he teased, reaching for the glass of water on the nightstand.

“Whatever you want,” Shirou cupped Osceola’s face in his hands, leaning upwards to leave a trail of kisses down the bridge of Osceola’s nose.

“Will my husband get in his pajamas early and join me in bed?” Osceola raised an eyebrow.

“Sure thing. Let me just get out of this old thing.” Shirou stepped back from the bed and shook his ass as he lifted up the hem of his cassock. It was a ridiculous sight- the cassock, while built for a certain amount of flexibility in the field, was precisely tailored and heavy, and the material hardly lended itself to draping in any way that looked remotely sexy.

Osceola gave up on trying to stifle his laughter. As he leaned forward, something gave way in his chest, lodging itself firmly in his windpipe. The taste of phlegm and bitter greens filled his mouth as his chest spasmed, and he fought desperately for air. Shirou’s hand came to rest on his back and a tissue was held up to his mouth. Osceola groped blindly for Shirou’s other hand as he exhaled forcefully, spitting up the clot with a final violent cough.

“Don’t make me laugh again.”

“Sorry about that,” Shirou smiled sadly. “I guess I’ll have to save the strip tease for later.”

“You should add some stockings next time,” Osceola teased.

“Now that’s an idea,” Shirou grinned. “I think I’ll just go for boxers and a t-shirt tonight.”

Osceola sunk back into the pillows with a hum, watching shamelessly as his partner changed.

“You should sleep.” Shirou clambered into the bed, pulling the blankets up around them.

“I slept most of the day,” Osceola admitted. “I haven’t seen you all day.”

Shirou propped himself up on his side. “I’m not going anywhere. I’ll still be here tomorrow.”

Osceola stared down at the sea of blankets covering the bed, the wrinkles where the blankets folded to conform to the shape of their bodies creating miniature breaks and swells. Tomorrow felt like a ten ton weight on his chest.

“Have you talked to either of the twins today?” Osceola asked.

The twins were both staying in the dorms at True Cross, Yukio on an academic scholarship and Rin attending as a lottery student. A lottery that had a lot less to do with luck than with blood, Osceola suspected, but it doesn’t change the fact that he couldn’t be prouder of both of them. Still, this would be the first year both of the twins will be gone on the anniversary of Tina’s death. Part of Osceola was glad that they wouldn't be home to watch him struggle, but the house already felt too empty.

“They’re both doing fine,” Shirou nodded. “Although Rin and Moriyama missed your class today.”

Osceola smiled. His son and Shiemi Moriyama were his best students. His only students, technically, since his class at the Cram School was elective, but it didn’t undermine the fact that they were both brilliant students. Rin had a bit of a headstart over Moriyama, given that he had been working in the kitchen with Osceola since Shirou would let him hold a knife, but she was catching up quickly. Shirou had corroborated that her knowledge of medicinal plants and herbs was unmatched amongst the Cram School students, and although her use of said herbs in the kitchen could be somewhat unorthodox at times, Osceola was confident he could steer her in a more culinarily acceptable direction.

“I doubt they’ll be missing me as much tomorrow,” Shirou huffed. “You know the kids would come home if you asked. They worry about you too.”

“I don’t want to worry them,” Osceola sighed. “They should focus on their studies. I wouldn’t want them to fall behind because of me.” He hated the idea of being a burden to his sons. “We’ll all see each other this weekend. I’ll be fine.”

“Well, if you want them to focus, at least send them both a text to know you haven’t kicked the bucket. Just don’t send them a selfie.”

“Do I really look that bad?” Osceola certainly felt like death warmed over, and he didn’t imagine his swollen eyes and messy, sweaty hair did anything to help his appearance.

“I hate to break it to you babe, but oxygen tubes just really aren’t your look.” Shirou reached up to tug on Osceola’s sleeve. “Lay down already, I want to cuddle my husband.”

“You’re not going to tell me about your day?” Osceola teased as he shifted to get comfortable. He felt Shirou’s arms wrap around his chest.

“Not unless you want to hear me complain about Tsubaki leaving his class unattended for his booty calls again,” Shirou murmured into Osceola’s shoulder blades.

“I think you can leave out the details this time.” Osceola wrapped Shirou’s hands in his own, pulling their bodies closer together, till he could feel Shirou’s heartbeat, nearly in sync with his own.

“Good.” Shirou trailed a line of kisses up the back of Osceola’s neck, leaving Osceola’s hair standing on end. “No more work talk.”

“No more work talk,” Osceola agreed, sinking into the pillows, secure in Shirou’s embrace.

Keep reading:

https://archiveofourown.org/works/65627623

[aoex-shipping-events]

MAY SHIP EVENT - ft. Shirou Fujimoto

Presenting the former Paladin and adoptive father of the Okumura twins, Fujimoto Shirou!

Week 1 - Mephesto Pheles

Week 2 - Osceola Redarm

Week 3 - Tatsuma Suguro

Week 4 - Nagatomo Seishirou

Throughout the month of May, participants are encouraged to create fic, art, etc. of some of the key relationships of the Arc Knight. If there is a different ship you want to explore not listed, please feel free to join in anyway and participate throughout the month!

(P.S. If you're looking for Yuri, their week is in January! But don't let that stop you from giving them love now!)

Each week runs from Sunday to Saturday. For more information (prompts, questions), check out this post & the corresponding ao3 collection.

Have fun!

[aoex-shipping-events]

3, 20…. And as for 16 do they go to the beach 🤔if not, what is a preferred outdoor activity

3. Who takes longer getting ready?

Neuhaus. He has a morning ritual that he goes through, though it's not particularly involved. The standard brush hair, brush teeth, put on clothes, and so on. Occasionally that might involve a shower. Lewin rolls out of bed and gets to work unless he's forced into basic hygiene.

20. What do they argue about the most?

When to take a break. Lewin is free with his breaks and his naps. He's not a stranger to an all nighter, but he knows the benefit of a good rest. Neuhaus is more likely to throw himself into his work without stop. Lewin has to put a bit of pressure on to get Neuhaus to settle down. They never full on argue about it, but disagreements arise.

16. Who reminds the other to put on sunscreen before going to the beach (or pool)?

The beach or pool involves water and Lewin is allergic to water. Meanwhile, Neuhaus is allergic to sun.

If they do go outside, it's to a park in the evening hours. Somewhere nice and subdued with the only people around being an elderly couple taking an evening stroll on the nearby sidewalk. They're probably there because Lewin insisted they needed some fresh air and Neuhaus begrudgingly followed (but is thankful for the step away from the stuffy lab for an hour or so).

[aoex-shipping-events]

36, 42, 50 for lighthaus 💙

36. Which one is the secret snuggler?

Lewin is the overt snuggler and will enthusiastically drape himself over Neuhaus at any given moment. Neuhaus is fine with this outcome and will keep Lewin close.

42. What is their favorite feature of their partner?

Already answered!

50. Who gets overwhelmed by small acts of kindness?

Neuhaus. Especially in the beginning of the relationship when they were just getting used to each other. Lewin loves freely and openly and Neuhaus has in a self imposed isolation for months and in mourning for his wife for over a decade and a half. It took a while for them to learn how they fit together but Lewin is impatient and would have made his presence known any moment he could.

[aoex-shipping-events]

10, 42, 49 for lighthaus?

10. Who sets the other’s ringtone to something loud and obnoxious behind their back?

Neither one of them would do this, but Lewin would change Neuhaus' ringtone on his own phone to something loud, cutesy, and obnoxious.

42. What is their favorite feature of their partner?

Lewin likes Neuhaus' hands (the ones attached to his body). He likes watching them when they work. He likes the shape of them. He likes to hold them. He likes the way they feel on him.

Neuhaus likes Lewin's eyes and will take any excuse to brush his hair away just to get a look at them. (But he would never ask Lewin to cut his hair.)

49. What do they do when they’re away from each other?

Neuhaus has his mad scientist work that he's doing for Mephisto. He's either working on the Devil⭐️Punisher, synthesizing the different types of flames, or working on furthering elixir research--without using human experimentation.

Lewin has his own work as an Arch Knight and as a teacher at True Cross that consumes his time.

They're both workaholics when they're not together. Hell, they're workaholics when they're together too, one often helping the other with their work. Usually it's Lewin helping Neuhaus because he finds his experiments interesting.

[aoex-shipping-events]

1, 17, 44 - ship of your choice :)

Lighthaus!

1. Who wakes up first?

This question is completely nebulous because their sleep schedules are both horrific. They're equally able to wake up at noon, 3am, 7am, and 11 at night. That said, Lewin is more likely to go down for a full 8 hours while Igor's average amount of sleep is 3 hours a night with it only being longer if Lewin is stubbornly asleep on top of him.

17. Who carries all the important documents while traveling?

Igor Neuhaus. Lewin packs by vibes and Neuhaus has a checklist.

44. What are their nicknames for each other?

Neuhaus calls him Lewin.

Lewin calls him darling, muffin, dearie, dear, sunshine, honey, Mr Handsy, Patty Cake, Hot stuff, Sexy Professor Neuhaus, and Igor. (This is not a complete list. Lewin is likely to come up with more on the spot.)

[aoex-shipping-events]

To this day, I haven't seen a better ship for Lewin than Igor Neuhaus.

Here are my reasons:

They're freak for freak. Lewin is absolutely here for anything if it's interesting and Neuhaus has work to do.

They're both tamers, in the same but different ways. Neuhaus uses his Nebarius in a mind over matter situation. They follow his orders without question and he has his shortcuts in his tattoos as well. Meanwhile, Lewin has his whole "Let's be friends with demons" mentality combined with his abbreviated summoning techniques!

Neuhaus is eccentric in the mad scientist way and Lewin is eccentric in his demon loving/living for The Big Chase sort of way. Together, they are autistic.

They're both smart as hell and can drift compatible their way through wacky experiments and come up with results in less time than a full team could.

Lewin would make friends with Neuhaus' Nebarius hands and win them over with mud baths which would make Neuhaus mildly annoyed. (But he's also a little won over himself because Lewin is cutely bubbling around his person and is more of a light in his life than he's had in a long time)

If Ryuuji is Lewin's brakes, Neuhaus is his gas pedal. Whatever experiment Lewin wants to run, Neuhaus is there for it because he knows it's gonna be interesting.

Their sleep schedules are mutually horrific.

Lewin would drag Neuhaus out of his lab to eat out and take naps and force Neuhaus to have a healthier lifestyle.

Neuhaus, while being Lewin's keeper: I'm not his keeper. Lewin, while being a nuisance: I'm his keeper!

There's definitely more reasons. Feel free to shoot me an ask. Lighthaus supremacy!

[aoex-shipping-events]

AHAHAH I totally was gonna do something for Lucifer ship month. I didn’t end finishing this one sadly. sharing a fav bit. well. it shares fav with another part. it was really fun n interesting to write this ^^

Saburouta walks further into the dim hallway, door creeking close behind him and further encapsulating him into the dark. There is barely any brightness to make out the place but there's no need. It's a bare hallway. Just him now, and the walls surrounding him. It seems to go on forever. Saburouta knows it doesn't though.

He walks. The echoes of footsteps fill the hallway, keeping him company in the almost-dark.

He reaches the end of the hallway, stepping into another place. A large room that feels exceedingly larger than life too. Just as empty, but more well-lit despite the contining lack of source. Saburouta smiles. He soon comes to a stop at middle, the echoes of his footsteps ceasing. He's in complete silence now.

Just him and this room.

[aoex-shipping-events]

APRIL SHIP EVENT - ft. Lewin Light!

Presenting the Arc Knight known as the Master of Lightning, Lewin Light!

Week 1 - Igor Neuhaus

Week 2 - Arthur A. Angel

Week 3 - Kirigakure Shura

Week 4 - Demons

Throughout the month of April, participants are encouraged to create fic, art, etc. of some of the key relationships of the Arc Knight. If there is a different ship you want to explore not listed, please feel free to join in anyway and participate throughout the month!

Each week runs from Sunday to Saturday. For more information (prompts, questions), check out this post & the corresponding ao3 collection.

Have fun!

[aoex-shipping-events]

Yukio & Lucifer: The Exploitation of a Weak Heart

As the leader of the Illuminati, Lucifer is said to be an incredible charismatic being. This is in part a quality that comes with being a demon, and given his wealth of power and experience, it is no surprise that he's able to successfully worm his way into Yukio's head from their very first meeting, especially given the state Yukio was already in at that time.

Shura takes a moment to warn Yukio about the weakness of his heart early on, but as what would be the ongoing trend in Yukio's life, those who offer any bit of concern for him tend to be from people who voice them too late. At this point in the story, the number of people that he feels able to rely on is basically non-existent, and amidst the growing feeling of isolation that creeps up on him, Lucifer swoops in with promises that shake Yukio.

There are three main points of focus that Lucifer touches on during this meeting: he dangles the truth behind Yukio's birth in front of him, he promises him power--and most notably, he picks on Yukio's biggest scab and calls him weak and in need of saving.

But this is an insult that serves two purposes. Not only is it meant to jab at Yukio's already present insecurities, but Lucifer would later it use it as a method to connect with him.

It is not the first time we see Lucifer state he considers himself weak, so although he is most certainly using this claim as a method of manipulation to make Yukio lower his guard further, it is not without a layer of truth involved. In the coming chapters, we will see Lucifer attempt to continue to reel Yukio in further even after he is already at the heart of his organization.

Given these displays, it is not a stretch to believe that beyond wanting to keep Yukio close due to his connection to Satan, Lucifer truly believed he had found a kindred spirit.

However, for all that he tried to exploit the weakness of Yukio's heart, in the end, it is Yukio himself that ends up gaining the upper hand between them with a display that shocks Lucifer to the very core.

Yukio may consider himself weak and the world he grew up in unjust, but the key difference between these two lies in how they direct the anger nestled in their hearts. Whereas Lucifer is determined to direct his rage against the world as a whole, Yukio only aims that destructive feeling towards himself.

And if he can take down an enemy of the world with him while he's at it, all the better :)

[aoex-shipping-events]

Your thoughts on the dynamic between Rin and Amaimon? The animosity and rivalry that they have for each other is still definitely there, and I think it's very interesting that's it mutually negative.

Rin has matured in his character, but still does not like Amaimon, nor his actions and behavior (which is quite reasonable). He's arguably the more emotionally mature one.

Amaimon, in his own way, has also gone through changes (although with more... duress from Mephisto), and basically has to cope with his hatred for Rin due to Mephisto.

He has his own logic for disliking Rin, but I would definitely argue it is not as... reasonable as Rin disliking Amaimon. Though he probably feels disrespected, he starts the fights with Rin, even if it was on Mephisto's orders. He's still quite intrigued by Rin's power, it seems, when his sword broke.

While Amaimon was impassive but somewhat curious at Rin during the beginning, he has become more volatile regarding Rin. For Rin, it's the opposite.

They have had moments where they have to put aside their feelings and work together, like when breaking Yukio out of True Cross custody, and being in close proximity to each other during the battle against the Illuminati and Satan.

However, they haven't really talked again, despite being in proximity with each other. Also, I think there might be SOME chance for growth in their dynamic with Amaimon now shifting more of his hatred toward Mephisto.

They're both realizing they're pawns in Mephisto games. Mephisto is becoming somewhat more amiable towards Rin, while becoming more dismissive with Amaimon; a swap in treatment compared to early on in the series.

Hi anon, thanks for sending this in!

There is a lot of different points to explore regarding the relationship between Amaimon and Rin. Personally, I am not so sure I would call their dynamic one of mutual rivalry. So far, it has been pretty one-sided on Amaimon's end.

As far as Rin goes, I do not think that he particularly dislikes Amaimon as much as he doesn't regard him as anything other than a potential threat, and one not at the top of his mind at that, given how hard he struggles to remember his name.

I think, in the same way if he were to bump into Shiratori at school, he just has an awareness of, "Oh, great. It's that asshole." But beyond that character judgement, I don't think Rin is the type of person who holds on to a grudge to the point of antagonizing someone (unlike what we have seen Izumo or even Ryuuji do in the past). He has a hot temper and is quick to react--he will throw down as needed without hesitation--but in the end, he would rather not be getting into fights in the first place. I think that explains quite well why he's not bothering to spare him a glance or even talking to him in the latest arc. He's just not currently interested in him, to the point of not even protesting when he left. Perhaps that might change if Amaimon becomes a more an invested ally instead of continuing to want to do his own thing.

From Amaimon's end, there's a bit more to consider. To start with, his personality. Kato recently released a new guidebook, and in it, she notes that he has an aggressive type of personality. We see this as early as chapter 7, when we are shown that in his free time, he's just beating up things in Gehenna. It is because he is prone to aggression (to the point of him bringing the earth to the brink of destruction) that he was sealed in the first place, and that aspect of his personality remains present to this day, as we see him not only constantly picking a fight with Rin, but really going wild when he does. He likes to fight (he has mentioned that he considers it a pastime to alleviate boredom) and doesn't shy away from going on a careless rampage, unmindful of who might get injured in the crossfire or what he might damage, a detail which has Mephisto constantly scolding him for not holding back.

Since Rin is the youngest in their ranks, I can imagine why Amaimon would be extra ticked off at their difference in strength. He went in on their fight thinking he was going to come out on top, and wasn't impressed by him during their first meeting. But things haven't quite turned out that way since then, and he hasn't been able to get the upper hand against Rin, which makes him hold on to this fixation to beat him.

At the end of the day, in Gehenna, power is everything, and although he knows his current place ranks at 7th, I do think he's particularly irked at the thought of Rin outranking him at all. For Mephisto and Lucifer on the other hand, their high place among the ranks of the Ba'al is something so unquestionable that he will show a certain level of respect to them, but not one that necessarily makes him subservient as he's not particularly obedient to Mephisto, but he does listen to him to an extent.

We can see this in particular in the forest arc. After Mephisto allowed him to enter past his wards, he warned him several times not to hurt people, or cause too much destruction, and if he could play by these rules, he could fight Rin if he wanted to. Mephisto most certainly knew which strings he was pulling, giving Amaimon's propensity to fight, but at the end of the day it was Amaimon's choice to take the bait.

For that same reason, I don't think he truly hates Mephisto as the scene where he proclaimed that was framed in the way a child would say the same in the middle of a tantrum. If there is anyone he does hate, I would rather say that's Shemihaza. That being said, to return to the topic of his relationship with Mephisto specifically, I think that all the Demon King's do have a degree of mutual respect for each other regardless of their rank and personal grievances. Sure, Amaimon may feel indebted that Mephisto's efforts panned out in getting him a vessel, but he isn't cowed by the idea of getting chewed out or hurt by Mephisto multiple times.

He's hit Mephisto without hesitation, ignored him, and told him to shut up, despite knowing Mephisto is stronger than him and can retaliate accordingly at his own whim.

When Mephisto set him free at last, it was under certain conditions. Personally, given how their previous interactions have gone, I believe that condition was tied to Amaimon’s ability to stay in school grounds, so he had to compromise. This would be the only way to continue to keep an eye on Rin. I am of the belief that if he chose to, I am sure he could have escaped, knowing Mephisto would have no interest in imprisoning him again if he got away, given that he only did it to cool down his rage. Yet Amaimon continues to linger around time after time because he has vested interested in being around.

With that thought in mind, I don't think he has any skin in the game right now as far if whether he wants to go join Lucifer against Mephisto either. If he's up to anything at the moment, it's seeing how to get himself unsealed, so he might be on the way to El. And given his potential involvement with Shiemi's missing memories, perhaps he might be more allied to the Uzai than we might expect…?

[aoex-shipping-events]

OP, your relationship analysis posts are really good! What are your Ao No Exorcist ships of choice? Are they all necessarily romantic? Would you say you're open to the idea of more obscure, rare-pair ships?

Thank you! I'm glad you like them!

While I wouldn't say I am personally invested in every single ship, at this time I am using this opportunity to explore the relationship dynamics of each character/pairing through these analyses, whether romantic, platonic, or perhaps a secret third thing. I am in fact a fan of rare ships and actively like to participate in creating brand new ship pairings when there is opportunity. I am a firm believer that anything has the potential to be plausible and interesting with the right amount of elbow grease ;) I do have my favs, but fandom is more fun when we give something new a try and continue to connect with each other by encouraging and appreciating creativity :D

[aoex-shipping-events]

SAMAEL & LUCIFER - THE GRAND CHESSGAME

One cannot deny that Lucifer and Mephisto's relationship is one of the driving plots of the entire story so far. We got clued in of this as soon as the Shimane arc reared its head, introducing Lucifer's character--and that only got cemented further as the details that led up to Rin and Yukio's birth came to light.

Even at this point, however, we've only captured a small glimpse of the complex relationships between demons--and how exactly they stand apart from humans.

Given this context, it is fascinating to explore the nature of the relationship between Lucifer and Mephisto. As the two most powerful beings from Gehenna (baring Satan), they regard each other with mutual consideration and respect, even as they stand in opposing sides regarding the future of the world and humanity itself.

Although the last time they stood in front of each other in Assiah, sixteen years ago, Mephisto was complicit in the destruction of Lucifer's last vessel, Lucifer still makes an effort to extend Mephisto an offer to join his organization and its grand ambition.

But he is immediately turned down. Mephisto makes clear how far apart their stances remain and not only does he stand his ground, but we also get a glimpse of a side that he otherwise rarely reveals. A flash of genuine emotion, rooted in contempt. We will see it again shortly after the end of the arc.

From a character who is generally all sly smiles and wise cracks, it is eye-opening to finally get a peek of what was hiding beneath one of his many obfuscating layers. It's enough to give anyone pause and also pushes one to consider the fact that this is indeed the King of Time, a being who has lived through several timelines and who is not just playing a careful role as puppeteer, but also living through those experiences and the consequences of his failures.

Given that Lucifer's end goal involves destroying what Mephisto considers his favorite toy box, it is natural for frustration to breed if Mephisto has yet to find a winning path. At the very least, in the current storyline, although we can still see Lucifer still has the upper hand, it's impossible not to note the various ripples Mephisto has been careful to cultivate to ultimately come out on top (even though this has yet to come to fruition).

The game they play is a match of intellect, determination, and ego itself. The other players involved, at the end of the day, are often merely pawns; in particularly the humans.

But concurrent of the ongoing game, one must also return to Mephisto's words regarding the complex nature of a demon's relationships, for as much as Mephisto wants to win the game between them, he too is a Demon King. Thus despite looking down on the path that Lucifer's madness has led him too, we often see that he is not unsympathetic towards his situation.

That is further emphasized by the way he takes care to always introduce the descent of Lucifer's madness in a way that clearly lays out his circumstances rather than simply villainizing him. Twice we see the care he puts behind the explanation. First, with Lewin and Ryuuji, in clear explicit words, and again with Rin by showing him firsthand the reality they experienced.

To say that he only feels contempt for Lucifer would be inaccurate.

And in kind, we can say the same of Lucifer, for although he must certainly feel a level of contempt in return, rooted in the envy he feels towards Mephisto's powers and his ability to maintain a vessel, the respect he holds for him is just as presently seen in his words. Mephisto, who ranks lower to him in power, who for some years offered him hope by opening up Section 13... and who despite having become his adversary, is someone he considers strong in ways that Lucifer cannot imagine matching up to.