Chapter Text
Spirits didn’t need to eat. Their bodies were entirely made from magic (in a generic sense) and any energy they needed came from that stored magic and the natural aura of their realm.
One year in Fairy Tail and Loke still found new ways to stand out amongst the weirdest of weirdos, despite all his best efforts to blend in. He almost rarely ate food before his banishment; He saw no need for it aside from the occasional banquet celebration. Consuming physical food took magic, and although it provided a feeling of energy in return, it was hardly ever worth the effort. The large dining table was seldom used, only proving useful for large events like their spring and autumn festivals. Meals were a delicacy, not a necessity. They had only recently taken up the human tradition of group dining and most recipes were simple adaptations of human cuisine.
But nothing was more suspicious than not eating to humans. It was the one thing, besides water and oxygen, that humans needed to survive. Unluckily for him, the guild was ever so nosey of his unusual habits, especially his closest friends (whom he regretted getting to know so well sometimes) Gray and Cana. Honestly, he may have made an error when partnering with the ever so perceptive Cana Alborona. She saw through him like no one else could. While Cana grew suspicious, Gray grew concerned. Both voiced their concerns to him sharply without wasting a breath. Nevertheless, Natsu got wind of it, and he and Happy couldn't help but create wild theories about Loke, some of which became absurd and unpleasant rumors around the Guildhall.
He expelled some magic in an effort to seem normal again, slipping into the habit of steadily eating by his second year. The magic it took was largely inconsequential by then to the amount sapped from him every day, moreover he did not use magic for jobs as often now that Cana was his partner. She had enough magic for the both of them and his melee prowess was enough to get by.
Relying on classic hand-to-hand exhausted him however, so regular energy from regular human meals was a much needed boost after a long quest, even though he could still survive without. Loke’s diet nestled into mostly varying forms of meat, after all he was the spirit of the lion. Natsu was very cheerful in his taste and his girlfriends would often call him a carnivore in jest. He couldn't help but snort at those remarks, as they were so close to the truth without ever realizing it. Of course he could eat anything, he wasn’t limited to a real lion’s diet, but he certainly preferred meat over other options. He once shared a raw fish with Happy, before remembering that normal humans couldn’t eat raw foods. People were shocked that day but Happy wistfully had his back enough for them to write it off as another strange quirk.
The more frequently he ate, the more the taste of their foods bothered him. Spirits only cooked for occasions. They tasted out of pure indulgence so every dish was created with the highest quality in mind. If it wasn't pleasurable to eat then there was no benefit to it. Humans, however, cooked for many other reasons. They needed that fuel to survive and sold their goods out of necessity. He realized when in a pinch for money one month how disgusting some dishes could be. He didn't want to experience cheap fair food or inexpensive meat ever again.
But if there was one taste that didn’t change between their worlds it was alcohol. A beverage created by both parties for the sheer enjoyment of the drink. Even the grossest of drinks had some degree of merit to them. With Cana as his partner he quickly grew acquainted with the different types Earthland had to offer. After jobs or late at night the two could often be found drinking their sorrows away together or simply bar hopping for the hell of it. Before his banishment he drank conservatively. He enjoyed the wines unique to the Spirit world and often clinked a glass with Capricorn before his unexpected disappearance. Their magical bodies did not get poisoned from excessive amounts of alcohol the same way a human liver would, but the chemicals were still absorbed into their being and possessed the same neurological downsides that humans faced.
Many times there was nothing more soothing to his pains than sharing a glass with Cana, even if she drank like a two ton man and he stuck to the girliest and wimpiest of beverages. He tried his best to not drink himself too under the table when around her, because he would rather not have his secrets spilled out for the world to hear. He couldn’t trust his stupid brain to withold feelings under such a circumstance so he refused most of the intense drinks Cana preferred. She would often laugh at him for that, declaring him the lightest of lightweights. That reputation only deepened when he was at a loss for energy after long missions together. Refusing to eat vulgar bar food to regain energy, he’d often fall asleep at the guild hall, exhausted from the effort it took to simply exist. Cana joked constantly on his apparent lightweightness and he laughed along to conserve the real reason he was always so tired.
Despite arguably being the most useless sense for an immortal to have, it was the only one to never truly waver. Taste wasn’t something he excelled at in the first place and it was rare for the insides of his mouth to be outwardly exposed to the atmosphere. The only change he felt in his taste buds was when his nose finally caved to a human standard. With a diminished sense of smell, many foods seemed less flavorful and spicy dishes he normally would shy away from became mellow and bland. This did not phase him all too much, as eating was not a major factor in his life. Even in the human world it was an activity he participated in sparsely.