#persona 3 exploit

[rasberryt0rte]

How to cheat in Persona 3 Reload (intended for console players that don't have the time or means to grind money and exp, or simply don't want to)

Tutorial under the cut!!

Disclaimer ; I'm writing this using info from my playthrough bc I didn't find any reaper farming guides on P3R only P5R so my knowledge is limited as someone who isn't good at the game ^-^

Arqa (upper) - Floors 44 to 69 (available on June 14th) needs to be available but you only need to be at floor 62 for the reaper warning to trigger.

Money and exp from the Reaper fight will give you an even easier easy mode that some early players will find useful if they like the Person part of Persona more than fighting (or want to fuse lvl 99s early too).

How to guide ;

Choose 'Easy mode' and you will encounter the Reaper by waiting around floor 62 (let him jump you because he gets 1 turn rather than 4 if it's the other way round) Then all you have to do is press the fast forward button letting your party attack him.

This will be slow, like super slow, my 1st fight took around 2 hours because unlike persona 5 reaper farming you can't use the despair(?) Exploit to kill the reaper after 3 tries.

Personally, I drew the entire time and whenever it said I died I'd click continue then carry on drawing again while my characters got killed over and over.

The exp the reaper gives will go to you and your whole party unless they've died when the kill-shot was dealt, you'll get to lvl 60ish 1st then the increments will lower so to be at lvl 99 it will take maybe 8 reaper kills.

How to increase damage dealt ;

-Once you get to a higher lvl you can use Theurgy attacks which deal large increments of dmg

- I'm waiting till the persona 3 reload+ comes out because the dlc will probs be free then, but if you buy the dlc persona then like P5Royal they'll cost no money and you can equip the lvl 99 at any time which definitely would make it easier to kill the reaper

Any confusion I'll try answer in comments just incase bc idk if I explained it well

[proxythe]

u cant fool ur best friend, kotone

[stealthnoodle]

I fucking

soft-locked myself in Episode Aigis

like a genius

Please enjoy this 30-second despair loop, captured after my grand "fill up everyone's theurgy gauge and hope" strat failed

This is my fault for entering the super boss chamber quite a few levels below the cap and getting cocky after clearing the first two parts of the gauntlet on my first try, but I was expecting at worst to just test this fight out and die. I did not mean to aim for a victory by attrition, only to trap myself in a hell of my own making. And yet.

Anyway, fuck that lion! Fuck that lion. I'll be back later with more levels and a better loadout and they'll be sorry

I can also report that the colosseum fights are still absolutely brutal. I got past Akihiko and Ken on my third try, Junpei and Koromaru on my second, and Yukari and Mitsuru on my fourth. Never underestimate the power of lesbianism

In happier news, Metis's wardrobe is complete:

In unhappier news, look how they un-massacred my boy!

I was looking forward to an HD horrorshow and they gave me glowy butterflies. Let his flesh dissolve you cowards

[theaawalker]

Steps to Write a Cunning Femme Fatale

follow for more tips 💋 || request writing tips 💌

1. Establish Her Persona

Define Her Allure: Craft her as enigmatic, charming, and intelligent. She should draw people in with her charisma and mystique.

Give Her Depth: Avoid clichés by giving her a unique backstory, motivations, or vulnerabilities that shape her actions.

Choose Her Strengths: Highlight skills like manipulation, resourcefulness, or combat abilities that give her an edge.

2. Shape Her Role in the Plot

Decide Her Purpose: Determine if she’s an ally, antagonist, or morally gray character, and how her actions drive the story.

Design Power Dynamics: Show how she wields control or influence over other characters, often exploiting weaknesses.

Weave Intrigue: Keep her intentions ambiguous to maintain tension and mystery.

3. Build Her Relationships

Contrast With Others: Develop relationships that show how she contrasts with or complements other characters (e.g., a vulnerable hero or a rival villain).

Show Complexity: Explore the layers in her interactions, such as her ability to mix truth with deception.

Reveal Gradually: Unfold her true nature over time, leaving both characters and the audience guessing.

4. Create a Striking Appearance

Use Symbolism: Incorporate elements of her look that reflect her personality, like bold colors, sleek outfits, or unique accessories.

Convey Confidence: Show her self-assuredness in the way she moves, speaks, and holds herself.

Highlight Ambiguity: Blend qualities that make her both alluring and dangerous (e.g., a soft smile hiding sharp intent).

5. Show Her in Action

Establish Power Plays: Showcase her intelligence and cunning through strategic actions, manipulations, or daring risks.

Create High Stakes: Put her in situations where she must outwit others or face consequences.

Balance Strength and Vulnerability: Let her excel in some areas while occasionally exposing a flaw or fear to humanize her.

6. Develop a Satisfying Arc

Choose Her Outcome: Decide if she triumphs, meets her downfall, or remains ambiguous at the story’s end.

Reflect Growth or Decline: Show how her actions shape her destiny—whether she evolves, succumbs, or holds her ground.

Tie Back to Themes: Ensure her arc aligns with the overarching themes of the story, like betrayal, love, or revenge.

Examples of Femme Fatales in Stories

1. Film Examples

Phyllis Dietrichson (Double Indemnity): Uses charm and manipulation to pull others into her schemes, embodying the classic femme fatale archetype.

Mal Cobb (Inception): A tragic yet dangerous figure, her motivations blur the lines between reality and illusion.

Nikita (La Femme Nikita): Balances vulnerability and lethal skill, creating a layered and compelling character.

2. Literature Examples

Catherine Tramell (Basic Instinct): A brilliant, enigmatic writer whose intelligence and seduction make her a master manipulator.

Milady de Winter (The Three Musketeers): A cunning and ruthless antagonist, she uses her wits and charm to outmaneuver the heroes.

Amy Dunne (Gone Girl): Subverts the idea of victimhood with her calculated and chilling actions, redefining the femme fatale for modern audiences.

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thank you, i am farkle :)

[rcvcgers]

Rotten Apples ❦.ׂ

chapter eleven: a world without you

masterlist , series masterlist , ao3 link

previous part | next part

oh yeah, i made a spotify playlist for this <3

18+ MINORS DNI

pairing: caleb x non!mc reader

synopsis: caleb desperately searches for you. what he finds leaves him unsettled.

word count: 10.5k words

warnings: please, please, PLEASE read the trigger warnings before proceeding. lightly proofread...it ain't perfect!

author's note: hi! thank you so much for being patient with me! the story is taking a slightly darker turn! it will still focus on their relationship but...this is going to put their relationship to the test

content warning: mentions of death/murder, bodily harm, manipulation, experimentation, exploitation, self loathing, angst, professor lucius is lowkey a sadist

my rotten apples <3 : @militaryapple , @kebarney , @pinkismyfavcolor , @romils , @erisnxxi , @rik0shii , @reni502 , @spacehopper27 , @llamabois , @likesvader , @pandoras-rabbit , @princessfruit , @lukassafespace , @jexireads , @etsuniiru , @tinnyrabbit , @orianakira , @xiaorixx , @beomluvrr , @sanzy4 , @vickykazuya , @blcknebula , @sleepydang , @flamedancer13 , @gojosbedwarmer , @silmeria-lafleur , @ikiru-wa , @animecrazy76 , @fealy , @i-messed-up-big-time , @motheraiya55 , @vvonunie , @1uv4jiya , @yuuuumii , @okumurarinsbabe , @mcdepressed290 , @luleck , @sanzy4 , @lucifers-silhouette , @crazygirl3001 , @april-likes-smut , @kazbrkker , @l1ttlebabyapple , @writersandroses , @kookie-my-little-sunshine , @curryexpress , @earthykitsunesrain , @raining4food , @chaoticbardlady99 , @lemonwithstupidity

want to be added to the taglist? click here!

Seven months and twenty eight days.

It has been seven months and twenty eight days since Caleb let the woman who haunts his every waking thoughts and nightmares slip through his fingers.

He allowed himself to fall from the sky that day, slipping through the clouds as Ever’s plane vanishes from behind, becoming a black speck amongst the birds in the blue sky. The image served as a reminder of his failure to keep you safe, to keep you out of the professor’s hands and away from Ever.

Now, you’re gone and all he is left to do is pick up the remaining pieces of his sanity while trying to find you.

The days pass him by. Days blur into weeks and weeks blur into months. Caleb has become a shell of himself in your absence. All of the color in his life has been drained and his once (somewhat) patient persona as Colonel has become known as an officer to avoid in the headquarters.

Caleb dedicates every single second of his day to finding you. He pokes around the Fleet’s security files, just barley able to grasp onto a lead before the General, most likely puppeted by the Professor, locks him out of the system.

Caleb has become a Colonel that holds no power within the Farspace Fleet. He holds no power in Ever, having been dropped from the Professor’s precious right hand man spot, and he has no power in whenever he goes home, forever forced to stare at the ceiling, trying to think of new ways to get you home.

It is like a ticking time bomb slowly eating away at the seconds of his days. Knowing that you are in the clutches of Ever and Professor Lucius scares him. He is terrified because he knows that the Professor has a sadistic side to him, an unstable hunger for power and evolution that will devour the entire world from around you. Professor Lucius will not stop until his final plan comes to fruition and you, my dear, just happen to be at the center of his plans.

Caleb sighs, closing his eyes. He lays in his bedroom, the weather destroying the outside world as he battles impulsive thoughts of storming into Ever as a one man army, ready to do anything to bring you back into his arms, to smell your perfume, to feel your warmth against his skin…

Your face crosses his thoughts. A small smile spreads across his face, the man instinctively reaching out for your. Your hands are just about to meet, his fingertips just barely grazing yours, before your body is enveloped in smoke, being dragged away into the depths of his mind. Your screams and cries for help twists his stomach, contorting it so all he can feel is nausea. 

A tear slips from Caleb’s eye. His mind is a battlefield and yet his heart remains steady, unable to betray the turmoil that crashed throughout his mind. From the first day they took you, Ever’s surveillance on him has increased. He has felt the whir of the chip inside his body, the person on the other side of the monitor closely looking at his vitals, his heartbeat. He can’t let Ever or the Professor think that he has become unstable with you away, a flight risk that will destroy everything that Professor Lucius has built. He cannot allow them to have a reason to bring him in to, to beat him into submission.

Maybe this has been Professor Lucius’ plan all along. Once Caleb has found someone to fill in the void of his heart and mind, the elderly man planned to rip them away from him, to use them as a pawn in their never ending game of cat and mouse.

Caleb has always been a good soldier when he believes in the orders he is given. Anything outside of what he deems to be right, well, let’s just say that the Professor made sure to erase any part of him that likes to disobey. The Professor has made sure to erase the morals Caleb once held. He has left Caleb with an obedience that a losing dog has towards its owner.

You helped him loosen the collar. Your prescience reminded him of what he is fighting for, his motivation to continue on with his days until he can finally rest. With you gone, his life has no more meaning. Maybe he should give in to the Professor, to allow the older man to consume his mind and body, to contort and twist his limbs into a person — no, a solider — that Caleb cannot recognize in the mirror.

His purple eyes feel heavy. His eyes flutter shut, his body almost succumbing to the disastrous desire of sleep.

Caleb’s body jolts awake. He sits up in bed, shaking away the drowsiness that lingers in his limbs, and slips away from the confines of the sheets. His feet carry him out of the bedroom and into the openness of his apartment. None of the lights are on, just the occasional flash of lightning through the large windows he hasn’t been bothered to shield with curtains.

The thunderstorm outside serves as a reminder for him letting you walk away. He should have never gone inside and left you alone. Caleb knows that you’re a runner, it is one of your fatal flaws that inevitably cut your time together short, and it is a flaw that he will try to bury with love and reassurance once you’re back into his arms. If you’ve fallen to a fate that he’s unable to bring you back from…

Caleb stops once he reaches the kitchen. He hasn’t cleaned since the night you left. Crumbs litter the countertop from his last meal. He sighs, knowing that you would have had some witty comment about him turning you into a housewife whenever you come over, always having to pick up after him. He knows you wouldn’t mean it. He desperately misses the toothy grin that would flash across your face as you swiped the crumbs into your hand and into the nearest trashcan.

A sigh leaves his lips. It hangs in the air, weighing down on his shoulders. The man cleans the crumbs and places his dishes into the sink, not wanting to clean them just yet with the hop that you’ll walk through the door at any moment, wanting to hear how you’d chastise him for being so messy during a time when he needed to be clean the most.

Every now and then, Caleb grabs the perfume you left behind and sprays it inside the rooms, on his pillow, and in all of the places you used to fill in whenever you were at his apartment. The last time he sprayed was a week ago when he could barely bring himself to leave his bed. The notes from your perfume kept him going and it helped him push through the monotonous days.

Should he spray it again? The bottle is almost empty so maybe he should salvage it instead of being selfish. He should spare the leftover drops of perfume, be merciful, and not take out his frustrations and depression on it.

Caleb finds himself on the couch. He sits in your spot, grabbing the pillow that you always hugged to your chest and mimicking your movements, resting his chin against the smooth material of the fabric. He slowly inhales, his body melting into the couch’s cushions, as your familiar and welcoming smell lulls him into sleep.

There’s a knock at the door. Caleb’s head perks up, his purple eyes landing on the dark brown door. A pair of footsteps run from behind, infectious giggles and laughs while Josephine tries to keep up. Caleb looks over his shoulder, watching as Josephine attempts to grab her as she jumps around with damp hair.

“Caleb? Would you be a dear and grab that for me?” Josephine’s voice is light and airy.

It’s everything that Caleb hates. She may not remember what Josephine and her colleagues have done to them, but Caleb does. The boy decides to not fight it, though, and stands from his spot on the brand new couch. He scratches around an old bandage that sits on the inside of his arm, a place where he was frequently poked with needles while in the clutches of Ever.

Caleb navigates the house, weaving through a plethora of opened cardboard boxes. Inside sit brand new items. Clothes, kitchen utensils, shoes, decorations, picture frames…all of which were bought to give off the image that Josephine is a gracious grandmother to her adoptive children.

He cautiously approaches the door, hesitating to grab the doorknob. He hopes that he can get away with the excuse that the people left or that it was some prank, like the ones he saw on the screens when he first left the facility. The boy thinks that the coast is clear when another knock sounds off from the door. He sucks in a breath and opens it up, expecting it to be soldiers from Ever when in actuality it’s…

You.

You stand in front of him, just slightly shorter, with a bright smile on your face and a plate of cookies in hand. Your mother stands behind you, a proud smile on her face as you extend the cookies towards him. Your dress is a navy blue and you have an white ribbon laced into your hair, formed into the perfect bow any girl has. Caleb is unable to breathe, his eyes flickering between the plate of baked goods and your pretty eyes.

“Hi…” your voice is quiet and your demeanor is shy. You take a step forward, the rim of the plate pushing into his personal space. He isn’t complaining, though, and holds out his hands to take the plate from you. “Um...” you turn around and look at your mother, who gives you a thumbs up and a smile. You turn back around and meet his eyes again, making Caleb’s tiny boy heart skip a beat. “Welcome to the neighborhood! My mom and I baked these for you and your family.”

Caleb is unable to say a word. All he can do is nod and smile, warmth spreading through his chest at the kind gesture. He has never experienced this before, to have someone gift him something with no ulterior motives or expectations to receive something back. Just as he’s about to say something, Josephine and her come walking down the hall.

Her laughter grows as she gets closer and Caleb instinctively steps to the side so she and Josephine can come out. The two of them smile down at you, thanking you for the cookies and king gesture all while Caleb just stares. Your eyes move to him every now and then, sharing a small smile with him. Eventually, he returns it, sheepishly looking away as his cheeks warm up.

“It looks like you have a lot on your hands,” your mom speaks up from behind, approaching the door, “would you like me to take them for a bit so you can have some time for yourself?”

“That would be wonderful,” Josephine smiles, a sigh of relief washing over her body.

Caleb looks up at her, his mind already fighting against the idea of leaving the safety of their home, but his gut tells him that it’s okay, that he doesn’t need to forever live in a state of fight or flight. He watches as you, your mother, and her leave the close proximity of the door. He turns his face away, looking back up to Josephine who leans down, placing her hands on his shoulders.

“It’s okay, Caleb,” her voice is tired, weary. She holds the weight of his and her’s worlds on her shoulders, carrying the weight of responsibility and accountability for her previous actions. “You deserve to go be a kid. Go and try to have some fun, okay?”

Josephine gently nudges him towards the trio. Her laughs fill the air, the young boy listening as she lists off her favorite types of sweets and favorite things she has seen since moving here. He sighs, nodding, and turning around. He keeps his eyes on the ground, unable to look away from the dark gray gravel. When he looks up, though, he notices you waiting at the gate for him.

“You’re Caleb, right?” you quietly ask. He nods as he approaches you, a small smile tugging at the corner of his lips. You tell him your name and he instantly memorizes it, loving how sweet the sound of your name is against his ears.

A butterfly flutters overhead. You look up, your smile growing brighter at the sight. You reach a hand out and the insect immediately lands on your tiny hand. Its wings are a bright orange color. It’s reminiscent of a sunset, one that he desperately wishes to see sometime soon.

“Do you…like butterflies?” he asks, finally breaking his silence. The two of you begin to walk in the direction of your house, which sits right next door to his. You ecstatically nod, a quiet laugh leaving your lips.

“My dad likes to say that we’re all caterpillars ready to become butterflies,” your voice is like music to his ears, your words as sweet as you are. The orange butterfly leaps from your hand and takes flight, its orange wings quickly flapping under the afternoon sunlight. You turn to look at him, smiling as the two of you approach the open door of your home. “Everyone deserves a second chance to become something better, don’t you think?”

Caleb nods, wholeheartedly agreeing with you. His heart swells and feels so full with a newfound purpose blossoming inside his body. He’ll become a butterfly, one that is as pretty as the wings that you already wear. He will not let his past define who he is, even if he is just a young kid who has no idea how the world works.

No longer does he love the colors white and gray. Instead, he much prefers blue and orange, the color of your dress and the butterfly that brought you two together.

“Come on,” you take his hand, tugging him towards the door, “let’s play!”

As soon as the two of you step through the door, your appearance changes. The two of you are older now. Eleven years old, to be exact. He finds himself in your backyard, surrounded by thriving greenery of your parents’ garden. A swing set sits in the middle of the lawn and she swings back and forth with the help of another kid, one whose hair is as black as night and his eyes sharing similar shades of the green grass and yellow flowers.

He sits beside you on the red and white blanket, popping an apple slice inside your mouth while you watch Zayne push her on the swing. There’s a small smile on her face, one that he has always found comfort in whenever he needed it the most. He rests his chin on his hand, melting into his own touch at the sight of you. Your eyes move to him, a small blush creeping up onto your cheeks. You look away, pushing your hair behind your ear.

“What are you looking at?” you ask, unable to meet his gaze. He found it so cute, how you always avoided his eyes whenever you caught him staring.

In just a few years, you’ll be boldly challenging him instead of being so shy. He loves the fact that you were able to undergo a third rebirth, shedding your cocoon of shyness and coming into a confident persona that he loves even more.

“Nothing,” he chuckles, leaning in to make your blush deepen even more.

“You’re such a jerk,” you mumble under your breath, earning a hearty laugh from him.

He wishes he can respond to you, to come up with some quirky quip about how cute your blush is or that he wishes that you would sit with him like this for longer. But all good things must come to an end. It’s just a fact of life.

She comes running over and places herself between the two of you, a proud smile on her face while Zayne takes his place at your side. You greet him with a smile and he nods in return, the man never having really changed throughout the years, which makes Caleb feel a tinge of jealousy. 

“Let’s play a game!” She proclaims with a fist in the air. Caleb’s eyes move between you and Zayne, his attention not on her as she begins to list off games that the four of you can play.

“Is there something you would like to play?” Zayne leans in to ask you. Caleb clears his throat, standing from the blanket. Everyone turns to look up at him but his purple eyes remain focused on yours.

“I propose that we play hide and seek,” Caleb smirks, knowing that it is the perfect opportunity to get you away from Zayne. “I can be the first one to find you guys! How does that sound?”

“Hide and seek?” Zayne stands from his spot, arms crossed over his chest while Caleb’s remain on his hips. “We aren’t—”

“It sounds like fun, Caleb,” you comment with a smile, standing and helping her up once you’re done. Zayne quickly shuts up and diverts his gaze, a hint of embarrassment flashing across his face. “Give us a minute to hide?” Caleb immediately nods, one that you return with a confident smile.

Not even a second later, the three of you bolt away and out of the backyard, knowing the set boundaries that your parents set so none of you go too far. Caleb turns around and closes his eyes, beginning to loudly count down from 60.

The closer and closer he gets to the last number, he can feel the summer air turn chilly. The once warm and inviting wind turns cold, slapping across his chapped skin like how one of Josephine’s colleagues would slap him whenever he cried about not wanting to crush metal objects with his mind or didn’t want to drink the bad tasting juice they made him drink before another experiment.

Caleb stops counting. He opens his eyes, seeing that he still remains in your childhood backyard. Everything is dead, though. Decomposed, overtaken by complete and utter decay. Rotten.

He looks down and spots his Colonel uniform on his body. He can’t move, feet cemented into the ground. No matter how hard he tries to fight against it, even trying to use his Evol to move but it doesn’t work. Tears fill his eyes as the familiar feeling of helplessness from his childhood seeps into his body. He cries out for help and looks around to see if someone — anyone — is there to help him.

A pair of hands cover his eyes from behind. He shudders under the touch. The pair of hands become wet from his tears. He closes his eyes, unable to bring himself to stare at the person who graces him with their touch.

He feels like a child all over again. Hopeless, unable to do a god damn thing to fight back against those who have hurt him so much. Caleb lets out a loud sob, his body trembling. The touch over his eyes turns warm, the feeling inviting and familiar. He keeps his eyes closed as a tingling sensation spreads across his face as their small fingers begin to wipe away his tears.

Caleb opens his eyes. Suddenly, he’s eight years old again. You stand in front of him, wearing the same navy blue dress you did when you first met him. You gently caress his face, wiping away his tears. A small, reassuring yet bittersweet smile spreads across your lips. A single tear rolls down your chubby cheek, eyes red from irritation.

“Find me,” you breathe the words out.

“What?” his voice cracks from under the pressure. He closes his eyes and shakes his head, trying to fight away the image of your strained eyes.

When he opens them, he’s seventeen years old. You wear the outfit on the day you told him to leave you alone, a command that he should never have obeyed.

It’s his downfall…being a good soldier.

“Find me,” your voice that was one strong begins to deteriorate. Caleb feels like he’s being suffocated as his body racks over from helpless sobs.

“I can’t!” he cries out, “I’ve done everything I can!” Caleb reaches up to rub his eyes.

You stand before him in the same dress you wore on the night of the Peace Summit’s Gala. The black dress is a sight for sore eyes, something that he wished so many times that you would wear again during the happy and peaceful hours of your newfound relationship. He reaches out for the silk fabric, wishing to feel the material. His white sleeve of his Colonel uniform catches him off guard, unable to bring himself to close the distance.

“Find me, Caleb!” you raise your voice as the rain picks up, drenching your hair and outfit.

From around the corner of the house, Farspace Fleet soldiers appear. Their dark uniforms remain ominous, faces covered with pitch black goggles and the black fabric of their uniform covering the lower half of their face. Their footsteps are loud, the Colonel able to feel each and every vibration from their steps as they grow near. Caleb reaches out for you, desperate to hold on, but your arms are taken by the soldiers.

“Find me, Caleb! I’m going to die here!” you scream over the thunderous wind. Lightning strikes from a distance, the thunder rattling the bones inside of his body. “I don’t want to die! Please!”

The soldiers begin to drag you away from him. You kick and push them way, trying to fight against their forceful grasps. You gasp for air, making Caleb feel even more breathless, the Professor’s hand around his throat slowly tightening, making it impossible to breathe.

“I’m coming!” Caleb cries out, trying to force his feet to move.

He gasps, feeling as the vines from the garden curl around his ankles. The thorns push through the smoothed leather, piercing into his skin. Caleb hisses and reaches down to fight the earth as it begins to swallow him whole. He gasps, looking up as your bloodcurdling screams echo inside his ears, the sounds haunting him as his body is forced beneath the earth. Dirt and mud cover his body. A strike of lighting hits his body, forcing him deeper into the ground.

Caleb’s body jolts awake. He screams out your name. He loses control of his Evol, the living room becoming destroyed within seconds. The picture frames that once hung on the wall have fallen, the glass shattering and scattering across the floor of his living room. The television screen cracks and the ottoman that sits beside his couch flies across the room, landing near the kitchen. Pillows disperse, a few of them shredding from the sheer force and power of his Evol.

His chest rapidly rises and falls, his heart pounding on the inside of his chest, his breathing ragged, unable to fully catch it. He looks around, desperate for something that reminds him of you, to trick himself into thinking that you’re here or that you’ll be back in his arms sometime soon.

He can still hear your screams. Your pleas and cries for help.

Tears run down his face. Caleb doesn’t wipe them away and looks to the side as he tries to get his breathing back under his control.

With once glance to the side, he notices that the sun is out. The storm has passed. The sky is a remarkable shade of blue, one that he would comment on to you to try and get a smile out of you so early in the morning. His heart aches. He stands from the couch, his bare feet avoiding the remnants of shattered glass that lay across the floor.

His Colonel uniform feels heavier than usual. The corners of the metal pins on his chest are unusually sharp when he drags his finger along the edge, the metal cutting into the pad of his thumb. He doesn’t mind the pain. If anything, he deserves it.

Caleb steps through the door, slamming it behind him, leaving behind a wake of destruction that bloomed from his grief over you.

Today, things are going to change. Today, Colonel Caleb Xia is going to find you.

The day has dragged on for longer than it needed to. Caleb remains behind his glass desk, shuffling through random forms and mission reports that he quickly stamps his signature onto. The stack slowly shortens, just like the leash that the Professor has him on.

Whenever he leaves his office, he can feel the eyes of lower ranking soldiers and Adjutants on him. He pays them no mind, simply making the mental note to keep an eye on them just in case they decide to follow him and test his patience.

He wants them to follow him. He wants them to give him a reason to put them in their place, to declare them to be treasonous, to give him a reason to crush them beneath the weight of his Evol. Caleb would do anything to unleash the anger that he feels towards the Professor and Ever. He wants to avenge you for the harm that they have undoubtedly caused you. He wants them to pay with their blood, to break their bones until they are begging for mercy, for him to go easy on them.

Is that something you would want too? Will you also wish for them to pay with their bodies for all of the sins that they have committed?

Caleb’s mind wanders to you whenever he’s alone. He tries to put himself in the mindset of Professor Lucius, wondering where in the world he would tuck you away, where he’d hide you as a punishment against him.

Ever’s main base would be too risky. Caleb has been there one too many times for the Professor’s comfort, having been one of his many soldiers in the army he is slowly building. Holding you hostage in the Farspace Fleet’s administrative building is too risky as well seeing how Caleb knows the place like the back of his hand. There are other Ever bases that you could be held at, places that Caleb has visited as a child. What Caleb neglected to look at, though, are the bases that the Fleet has. A few of which that are placed conveniently close to one of Ever’s laboratories.

Caleb faintly remembers something that Josephine once told him. It was on one of the many nights in her later years, a time in which she was beginning to slowly lose her mind due to constant migraines and trips to the hospital. She was lucid one night, sitting alone in her chair as she slowly knitted a new scary for him to take back to the DAA.

Josephine stared out the window, the metal knitting needles frozen in her hands. It was a particularly cold day in Linkon. Caleb came back to help Josephine out, to shovel the snow in the driveway while she stayed inside on her day off from the Association. Caleb came back inside, hands frozen and his heart chilled by not having seen you at home.

“Caleb,” she called out to him. She barely looked in his direction, her eyes forever trained on the snow that falls from the window. Caleb approached her side, sitting in the old chair that he used to fight with her over who gets to sit in it. She usually won.

“Yes, grandma?” he spoke through gritted teeth, hating the affectionate family name. He only said it for her sake.

“Do you remember that snowy day?” Josephine’s voice is quiet, tired. She finally turns to look at him. “The Professor let the two of you go out and play in the snow as a treat for completing the job.”

The job meaning Ever killing her and forcing him to lift retired fighter jets and rusted train cars. Caleb fractured both arms from the sheer force of his Evol, the weight of the objects shattering his body. He remembers how the Professor called him broken but that it’ll be okay, that he’ll give the poor boy a second chance for her sanity.

“Yes,” he follows her gaze outside the window. Each snowflake is different, that’s a fact you told him when you partnered up for a class project.

“That place…nobody can leave it once they’re inside. You should consider yourself to be lucky.”

An ugly silence falls between them. Josephine reaches out and places her hand on his knee. It doesn’t bring him comfort.

From just outside the window, you cross by with a red scary covering the lower half of your face. You scurry across the frozen sidewalk, laughing after you almost slipped and fell. That brought him the comfort he needed.

What was Josephine trying to tell him? Was there a hint within her words or was she just spewing out crazy talk like she usually did before the house blew up?

Caleb sighs and pinches the bridge of his nose.

He should consider himself lucky to have escaped from that place? Did Josephine not realize that she was the one who brought them there? That she is the reason for their pain and suffering as innocent children caught in a mad man’s crossfire and fucked up plans for the world?

Caleb turns to his computer. The Farspace Fleet’s logo stares back at him, the dark blue hues reminding him of the place he works at, the circumstances that he lives within. The confines of the cage are closing in on him. All he needs is a key to get out and escape so he can break you free too.

He stands from the desk, glancing at the family picture of him, her, and Josephine. His heart twists inside his chest. He should have placed a picture of you on here instead.

Caleb grabs his work laptop, one that he rarely ever uses, and places it inside his bag. He quietly exits his office, feeling no eyes or stares on him, as he begins to formulate a plan. If there is any chance that the place Josephine was speaking about still exists, then he is going to find it. He will do whatever it takes, spend however much money it will require, just so he can bring you back into his arms.

“Where are you going?” a voice says from behind him in the parking garage. Caleb places his bag into the backseat and turns around, shrugging his Colonel’s jacket off of his body. 

“Home,” Caleb’s response is short, cold. His Colonel persona quickly takes over his body, any warmth that was once stowed away and tucked beneath the confines of his skin disappeared. He stares at his Adjutant, Liam’s eyes cold and unresponsive yet there is a hint of desire behind them…a desire to help out his superior officer in his time of need.

“The General will be back today,” Liam’s voice remains monotone, dead. Caleb raises an eyebrow and rolls up his dress shirt’s sleeves. “He’ll want to see you.”

“More like me with him,” the angry comment leaves his lips before he can even think about it. Caleb sucks in a breath. Liam steps forward, a slow nod moving his head.

“Lunch made you sick,” Liam slowly speaks the words. Caleb straightens his posture, narrowing his eyes at the slightly shorter man. “You had to go home to recuperate. To be the best that you can possibly be for the Farspace Fleet.”

“The General will understand,” Caleb nods, confirming Liam’s cover story.

Caleb gets inside his car and closes the door behind him. Without looking at Liam, he drives away, speeding back to his destroyed apartment.

He sits himself down at the desk inside his bedroom. He pushes aside anything that will get in his way and opens up the laptop. He quickly logs in and moves to the Ever security database. It is something he has had access to seven months ago, but was kicked out. Since then, Caleb has been unable to get back inside the database to try and find the corporation’s files on you.

He stares at the log in page. The cursor blinks at him, slowly ticking away with every passing second. It beckons to him, your screams and cries filling his mind. Caleb swears he can hear you from down the hall but pays no attention to it, believing that it is just his mind playing stupid tricks on him. He wouldn’t even be surprised if it was a new aspect of the Toring chip inside his body, a way for the Professor to taunt him while he tirelessly searches for you.

Caleb types in his username and information. He is immediately kicked from the server, the login page staring at him once again. He sighs, leaning back in his chair, and cracks his knuckles. He loosens his tie, tossing it to the side. He glances away from the screen.

If only Josephine were alive to help him find the arctic base. Maybe then would this search finally come to an end, his pain and agony being able to rest with you back in his arms, your skin pressed against his as he protects you from the world, vowing to never let you go ever again.

Wait…Josephine. 

Caleb turns back to the computer. Although it was a little under twenty years ago that Josephine left Ever with her and Caleb tucked away in the back of a car, she still may have access to the company’s mainframe. Holding onto that small sliver of hope that flashes across Caleb’s heart, he slowly types in Josephine’s username, guessing what her password could possibly while trying to remember if she had told him about it in the past.

The damn Toring chip just had to do a number on his memories, didn’t it?

He stares at the small asterisks of the password. It’s long, yes, but everything that he has learned since living with Josephine as her perfect grandson, the spitting image of what a role model should look like before his untimely death. He sucks in a slow and deliberate breath.

The air around him turns stale. Your scent no longer lingers in the air. The rays of the sun leak into the room through hastily closed curtains, the golden light of the decaying day spread across his bedroom floor.

Caleb knows he will only have a few minutes inside the database before they recognize Josephine’s user inside the mainframe. In and out, that’s what needs to be done.

His finger hovers over the keyboard, ready to press the enter button when he hesitates again. He draws his hand back, gnawing at his bottom lip, his teeth digging in harsh enough to pull blood from his body. Caleb looks to the side, his Evol opening up a drawer. Inside sits a USB drive. He quickly inserts it into the computer, opening it up so he can download any and all files that revolve around you before he is kicked out.

His hands tremble, his breathing unsteady. Is he ready for what he’s about to see? How badly has the Professor treated you? Or have you been sitting pretty this whole time ready to be saved at any given moment?

He slowly breathes in, mentally preparing himself for the absolute worst. How will he react to the news that your body is stuffed inside some bag ready to be incinerated at any given moment?

No! He can’t think like that. He can’t afford to.

The man grabs his phone, his wallpaper lighting up. It is a photo of the two of you at your friend’s wedding. You look gorgeous in the bridesmaid dress, while he smugly smiles at your side, your purse strung over his shoulder. He sighs, focusing on the smile you wear. Your hand lays on his chest, head resting against his shoulder.

Caleb wishes he could go back into that moment and steal you away, to lock you away in the tallest building he can find so nobody can ever hurt you ever again. Only he will have the key to the door that you are hidden behind. Only he can move in and out. The rest of the world can politely ask him to see you. He’ll consider it.

He slowly exhales. He clicks the enter key and waits, watching as the database processes the login information. His heart races. His palms are clammy. He rapidly taps his foot against the bedroom floor. The small circle stares at him, his heart hoping that for the love of god it lets him in, getting him one step closer to you.

The screen goes blank. Caleb’s heart stops. The computer screen refreshes and it displays Ever’s database but from Josephine’s security clearance, one of the highest an employee can have. He gasps, fingers attaching to the laptop, and he quickly begins to navigate his way through the security system.

Caleb disregards any files about Viper or any of the other people he works with through Ever. He shifts through newer files, isolating it from the past seven months to narrow his search. Many of the reports are filled with nonsense about new diets for the team that lives on the base while others talk about upcoming research on Evols that Caleb doesn’t pay attention to. That is, until he sees a familiar number.

V-03

Caleb’s body goes numb, his blood cold. He blinks at the numbers, moving closer and closer to the main file source involving the mysterious V-03. He knows his place as X-02, and she is A-01, so who is V-03?

The deeper and deeper he moves inside the project file, the heavier his shoulders become. They begin to slouch, his eyes unable to blink or move away from the screen. Caleb quickly clicks through the folder, downloading anything and everything that he can find. The USB drive keeps up and swallows the files, making untraceable copies that will not be led back to him. He looks at the clock that blinks on the glass panel by his bed.

Three minutes have passed by. He guesses that he has about two or three left before they realize that Josephine, a phantom they killed a year ago, is haunting their security system. 

One folder in particular catches his attention. He doesn’t open it just yet, staring at the label.

Programming

He swallows the lump in his throat and downloads copies of it. His purple eyes move to another folder, quickly repeating the process as it dawns on him that he has finally found you. The file containing documents for V-03 were hidden away, only being accessible through back routes and hyperlinks imbedded into other documents. Professor Lucius is safe, Caleb knows this, and he knows just how precious you are to him. He’s going to keep you as hidden as possible yet keep you in plain sight so that it can torture Caleb with the idea that he could have found you sooner.

Two minutes quickly goes by and Caleb has downloaded everything involving V-03. It’s a long shot thinking that he has found you but with all of the clues and hidden messages with the way many of V-03’s comments have been blacked out only makes him believe that it is you, his heart aching at the thought that the Professor has made you endure the same process he did as a boy.

Caleb quickly logs out of the mainframe once he is done with little under a minute to spare. He removes the USB drive from the laptop and places it on his desk beside his personal computer. He takes the other laptop and uses his Evol to make it float the air. He inserts the USB drive into his computer while the Fleet’s laptop is slowly crushed into a small metal ball, the force of the surrounding gravity replicating the anger that simmers inside Caleb’s chest. The metal ball falls to the ground just as Caleb opens up the files about V-03, staring at the folder’s names.

Programming. Experiments. Evol. Purpose.

Caleb’s mouth goes dry. His mouse hovers over the names, sliding back and forth, unsure which one he should take a look inside first. He sighs and clicks on the folder labeled Purpose, hoping that this is the least worrying of them all.

Inside the folder sits a single document alongside a video. The video’s thumbnail is of Professor Lucius. Caleb sighs, his heart racing inside of his chest, as he clicks the video. It begins to play.

Professor Lucius enters the frame. He sits down and Caleb recognizes the office he is in. He leans closer to the screen as if it is going to transport him inside.

“The purpose of Project V is simple. The Farspace Fleet has given Ever the task of enhancing its soldiers and worker so that every single one of them will be able to fight with whatever threat it is that comes their way. The General has personally requested me to do this,” the Professor sighs, a slight smirk tugging the corner of his lips, “and he even has a participant in mind for the trial period.”

Caleb shudders. He pauses the video as a wave of nausea crashes throughout his body. Caleb suddenly becomes aware of his surroundings. The smell of decay that comes from the kitchen, the way the curtains flow back and forth from the ceiling fan, and the way his leg bounces up and down as anxiety courses throughout his body. He closes his eyes, unable to stare at Professor Lucius, and presses play.

“She’s a spitfire and yet she is one of the most obedient Fleet employees I have ever met. She is strong minded and gets the job done no matter what. I have only met her a handful of times but she has proven to be the perfect mound of clay for me to mold.”

Caleb stands from the desk and rushes away. To hear Professor Lucius talk about you so casually, talking about you as if you are a toy to be played with, makes his skin crawl.

“She will be our lucky V-03, a continuation of the…failed experiments from twenty years ago,” the Professor emphasizes the word ‘failed’ with such disgust and contempt that Caleb knows it was directed at him.

Caleb is the man the Professor hasn’t been able to tame. Caleb is the soldier that disobeys orders. Caleb is the weapon that got away, that fights back against the Toring chip every chance he gets. Caleb is the man who has evaded many of the Professor’s traps. Caleb is the person that Professor Lucius wishes to tame and he is using you as his leverage.

“Experiments will begin shortly. Additionally, she will be the first test subject to receive an all new Toring Chip, one that hands full bodily autonomy to Ever and the Fleet for controlling. It will be controlled through a small tablet. We’ll be able to control her breathing, consciousness, and emotional regulation while the chip is inside her body. Whoever holds her leash is in control.”

Caleb exits the video. His fingers move at a light speed pace, moving into the folder labeled Programming.

The inside of the folder is filled with hours of footage. You sit in the center of the screen. In some thumbnails, you look tired, in other ones tears run down your cheeks, frozen in time as you cry. The last video, though? Your face is completely still and is void of all emotion.

Caleb presses the first video, a sharp pain already striking through his heart.

“Day one of programming,” the Professor’s voice is heard from behind the camera. “V-03 is uncooperative and is unwilling to accept the Toring Chip implant. We will give her one last chance to accept before we turn to…more severe consequences.”

He can hear the amusement in Professor Lucius’ voice. You sit in the center of the frame, strapped down onto a chair. Your eyes dart around the room, hands trembling from beneath the straps. Your eyes well with tears. You begin to shake your head, arms tugging against the restraints that hold you down.

“Please…” you speak out, voice quiet, fear laced throughout your tone, “I-I don’t know what I did or why I’m here but please…don’t hurt me.”

Caleb knows what your plan is. He knows exactly what it is you’re thinking int his moment. He knows that you’re trying to appeal to Professor Lucius’ humanity. The irony here is that while you think the Professor holds humanity, Caleb knows he has none. If you think that he only experiments on adults — as if that makes it humane and acceptable in the first place — what would you think when you inevitably find out that Caleb was just a baby when he was passed off to Ever?

“Will you accept the Toring Chip? Yes or no?”

“What? Why would I?” you audibly laugh, leaning back as much as you can into the metal chair, the same chair that Caleb once at in when he was just four years old. “I’ve seen what it does to people! Why would I want to do something to myself like?”

You were always so opinionated, weren’t you?

“One more chance…because I’m in a good mood.”

“No!” your voice lowers, shaking. One of the scientists in the room nears you. You try your best to wiggle away from him, fighting against the restraints. “NO! Stop! Get off of me! You can’t make me do this!”

Your screams and yells are animalistic. Your appearance is covered by the scientist’s back. Caleb’s breath gets caught in his throat.

“Please stop! Ca—” the video’s audio cuts out. All Caleb can do is watch as your body thrashes around from under the scientist’s grip, a long syringe hangs in their hand, the metal catching the light. The video abruptly ends when you kick the scientist, causing him to topple into the camera. He exits the video and opens up a document, one that has been meticulously blacked out.

Your name is blacked out of the document, erasing any trace of your true identity. To Ever, you are V-03. Nothing more. Nothing less.

Caleb scrolls through the document. His eyes widen at the horror they put you through the first day. He connects the clues through the redactions, his stomach twisting and churning.

Subject will be known as V-03. Her psychological evaluation (REDACTED). V-03 refuses to answer questions about (REDACTED). Professor Lucius stepped in. He informed her of previous experiments. When (REDACTED) is mentioned, (REDACTED) and she (REDACTED). V-03 mostly speaks of the Colonel after this.

Caleb’s breath gets caught in his throat. The Colonel… Why are you trying to save him before you save yourself?

Subject was told that she will have Toring Chip V.3.9 implanted in the base of her neck. Subject refused and became aggressive. Once sedated, subject was told that if she does not cooperate, we will  (REDACTED) and make sure he (REDACTED). Subject agrees.

He moves out of the document, brows furrows at the computer screen. Caleb glances to the side and catches a brief glance of a document that acts as an overview for the new Toring Chip.

Toring Chip V.3.9 will be implanted as the base of the subject’s neck. Toring Chip V.3.9 will not be (REDACTED).  Unlike Toring Chip V.1.3, V.3.9 will not be taken out (REDACTED). Professor Lucius says that this makes the Toring Chip permanent instead of temporary.

An unsettling feeling ferments in the bottom of Caleb’s stomach. He closes his eyes, swallowing the bitter taste that forms across his tongue. It only worsens, though, leaving him trembling. He scrolls to the next video.

You sit in the same chair with dark eye bags under your eyes. Caleb blinks away his tears. He reaches for the screen, the tips of his fingers grazing against the image of your face.

Silent tears flow down your cheeks, eyes completely dissociated as the world moves around you. A man and woman in white lab coats move about the room like they live in it. They laugh and talk about their days, their plans for the night. The man’s wife made a pot roast. The woman plans on watching a movie. You stare into the nothingness of the room, allowing them to move your body and insert various needles into your arms in the same exact spot Caleb’s were located as a kid.

He looks down at his arm, the light and faint scar mocking him. He can’t help but wonder if you’ll have the same scar once he gets you out of there.

Professor Lucius enters the room. You don’t meet his gaze. He sits in his usual chair that is placed across from you. Caleb can see his reflection in the two way mirror that is right behind you. The two scientists shut up and move behind the camera. Caleb memorizes their faces as they pass the camera, making a note to make them pay for their sins as well.

“Good morning, V-03.”

“My name is—” the audio cuts out again.

Caleb is unable to look away, unable to bring himself to breathe as he reads your lips, the way you make for sure the Professor knows your name. Through the reflection, Professor Lucius leans forward. The side of his arm slips into frame. He can’t read the Professor’s lips, but he can continue to read yours.

Caleb? You said you wouldn’t hurt him. You promised!

You jolt forward in the restraints. The Professor’s body shakes, probably laughing at your plight. Tears well in your eyes.

Don’t hurt him…please. He doesn’t deserve it. He doesn’t deserve any of this!

Caleb leans forward, his nose almost touching the screen. Oh, how he wishes that he would have been there to wipe away your tears of agony, to rip you out of the chair and away from the people who are subjecting you to such torturous methods. He clears his throat, pushing away the urge to throw up, and moves to the next document.

It is a scanned copy of Professor Lucius’ notes. His handwriting is barely legible to anyone outside of Ever but Caleb knows the special characteristics of the way he writes, having deciphered many notes from meetings and hidden messages that hid orders behind veiled threats. Caleb scrolls through the file, unable to tears his gaze off of the screen.

V-03 remains uncooperative. The chip has been implanted into her neck but she shows signs of defiance. Threats towards (REDACTED) do not work anymore. Will calling her by her name work? Or do I need to beat her into submission?

V-03 is too much like X-02. If only she were more like A-01, then we would have made more progress.

Caleb closes his eyes. He knows how much you hate being compared to her. He can’t even imagine how you would have reacted if the Professor said these words to your face. Caleb can’t help but wonder if you fought back or accepted his words as the final truth to put you in your coffin.

Moving to the next page, there are pictures of you while you’re asleep. The back of your head has been shaved, just enough space for them to insert the Toring Chip. Caleb memorized the way the stitches were sewn into your skin, the way that the Ever doctors treated you with little care seeing how the stitches were jagged and messy.

Were they taking care of you? Have the stitches been properly taken care of or did you get an infection due to lack of care?

“Good morning, V-03.”

You look tired. You’ve lost all of the extra weight in your face, your cheeks sinking into your skull. You remain dissociated as the Professor sits beside you. He wears a big puffer jacket, his breath prominent in the air, while you’re stuck in a thin hospital gown with wires and tubes connected into your arms. Caleb watches as he takes your hand, brushing the hair out of your face. There are bruises on your arms with one particularly nasty bruise across your cheekbone.

“Are you ready to cooperate?”

You don’t respond. You slowly blink, staring into nothing, eyes glazed over as the Professor straps you down into the chair. He sighs, shaking his head at you. The audio cuts out. Caleb sucks in a breath and reads the Professor’s lips.

X-02 isn’t coming to save you, V-03. He’s a broken weapon. You…you will be our saving grace.

The audio comes back to the video just as the Professor sits back in his chair beside the camera.

“V-03, it was recommended to us by psychologists to undergo the Interlinked Program so we can have your full cooperation before we begin our experimentation,” the Professor sighs. You look away, tears rolling down your eyes.

Caleb’s heart aches. Exhaustion has taken over your body. At this point in the process, which Caleb estimates to be about a month or two in, Ever makes sure that the test subject is mentally hazy, to take advantage of their weaknesses and offer a way out, a saving grace that feels like an oasis in the middle of a never ending desert.

“V-03, if you do this for us, we will make sure that you get a blanket tonight. It’s so cold out, don’t you think? Wouldn’t a blanket be nice to sleep with before your big day?”

“Please don’t hurt me,” your voice trembles through the speakers of the computer. It is just loud enough for the camera’s microphone to pick up. It sends icy daggers through Caleb’s chest.

He should have worked harder to find you. He should have flown after the plane and done what the Professor has taught him to do best: destroy things.

“Look at the screen, V-03. We are going to show you a series of images. I’ll guide you through them. The camera is going to read your body temperature and language. We have full control over your reactions. We know everything. Whenever I say interlinked, you must say it as well. Understand?”

You weakly nod.

A screen illuminates from behind the camera. A man steps into frame, moving behind you with a tool that Caleb knows. It is to adjust the Toring Chip’s functions, to tweak it to fit the soldier they have put inside of. He presses it up against your neck and you shudder, more and more tears rolling down your cheeks as you tug against the restraints.

“Let’s begin,” Professor Lucius states. He clicks a button and your face is covered in various different lights. “I’m going to tell you your baseline. Memorize it. If you don’t, you know the consequences.”

You weakly nod again.

“Your baseline is: Weeping willows decay under the scorching sun with no water to flourish. Repeat it.”

You remain quiet. The Professor sighs and snaps his fingers. A soldier walks into frame with a baton in hand. He slams it into your stomach. You cry out in pain, head rolling back. The soldier grabs your hair and movies it so you look at the screen once again.

“Say it, V-03.”

“Weeping willow decay under the scorching sun with no water to flourish.”

“Good,” Professor Lucius scribbles something into his notebook. “Have you ever been in an institution? Interlinked.”

“Interlinked.”

“A man and woman hold hands. Interlinked.”

“Interlinked.” You gulp. With a wave of the Professor’s hand, the soldier hits you again. You let out a cry, jolting around in your chair to try and get away.

“Whenever an animal is trapped, V-03, it will chew of its own leg to escape. Are you the same? Are you an animal? Interlinked.”

“Interlinked,” you breathe through word out, fear already running through your body.

Caleb closes the video, unable to watch anymore. He is in a trance, his clammy hands slipping along the keypad as he moves over to am untouched folder.

Experimentation.

Caleb sucks in a sharp breath, the chilled air of the room making his lungs tingle, feeling so dead yet so alive. It is the bulkiest folder with thousands of documents as well as hundreds of videos.

You lay on a table completely naked with tubes moving in and out of your body. The camera is set to the side, your appearance hidden behind doctors in lab coats and scrubs. You look to the side, the terror and pain flickering across your eyes as they begin to tear into you.

Caleb remembers this feeling. He remembers being awake for every experiment and modification they made on his body. They numbed him so he wouldn’t be able to move or feel agonizing pain. He could still feel the drag of the scalpel into his skin, the way his flesh was sliced into with such ease as Ever modified his arm.

You look as if you want to scream out, to cry for help. You can’t do any of it. Caleb wishes he were in your place instead. He would undergo hundreds of more experiments if it meant that you wouldn’t have been touched by the Professor’s plans.

He opens up a new video. Professor Lucius sits in the center of the video, sitting inside his office with a look of determination and sadistic satisfaction written on his face. He clears his throat as he settles into his seat, shrugging off his jacket before tossing it away.

“Our mission here at Ever is to push the human race to its fullest potential. We want to make life easier for mankind, wanting it to thrive and flourish with no obstacles in our way. The way I see it, despite all of the technological advances that we have seen in the world, we are still in a Stone Age. With the growing population of Evolvers, I can’t help but think to myself if there is a way to gift the same abilities to normal people. V-03’s DNA sequence is unique. She, like many other people, possess the DNA sequence needed to become and Evolver. It just…needs to wake up.”

To wake up? What is he talking about? Caleb thinks to himself. Chills run down his spine. The place where his Toring Chip sits tingles. His arms vibrate, his Evol having a mind of its own, his bones rattling underneath the flesh and muscles of his arm.

“What happens when we push he human body to brink of death? To stress it out so much that the body is forced to ignite the DNA needed to evolve in real time. V-03 will be the first of her kind if this hypothesis proves to be true.”

Images of you on the medical table flashes through his head. Caleb winces, closing his eyes as he tries to fight off the images of Professor Lucius digging into your chest, grabbing your beating heart into his hand, squeezing it to get you to squeal. Caleb can see the smile on the man’s face, the sadism of his actions giving him immeasurable pleasure as you wither beneath his touch.

The next video begins to play.

“V-03 will undergo beatings and lacerations as the first step of her Evolver process. The Toring Chip will send shocks throughout her body when she is about to pass out to keep her awake to prolong the process.”

The video ends and the next one begins.

You lay on the ground, your sobs curdling Caleb’s blood as soldiers beat you with their batons, kicking you with their metal toed boots. He watches as you tremble, crying out for them to stop — to have mercy on you — but they don’t let up. They continue their kicks before Professor Lucius calls them away like dogs. You shiver. You’re curled up into a ball, protecting your stomach as you cough up blood, face beaten beyond recognition.

“Your baseline, V-03,” the Professor calls out.

“Weeping willow decay under the scorching sun with no water to flourish,” you speak between coughs.

“An animal needs to be beaten into submission. Interlinked.”

“Interlinked.”

The video ends.

“V-03 shows signs of Evolving. Her Evol is special. Health regeneration. We’re going to push further to see just how far we can take it.”

Caleb opens up a file filled with countless photos. He thanks whatever higher power there is for sparing him from hearing your pained cries and begs for them to stop hurting you. Seeing them, though? He wishes he could go blind.

He shuffles through images of you with various wounds. A knife dragging along your arm. A torch being held against the flesh of your stomach, burning you. In another photo, you’re laying on the ground with multiple bloodied spots on your body, presumably where you’ve been shot multiple times.

Caleb can feel the phantom pains of the small metal bullets digging into his skin. His skin burns. His breathing grows heavy as he continues to see what they have done to you.

“V-03 cannot die. We can slice her neck and she will go unconscious, her heart still beats, but her brain activity shows that she is still alive and is…asleep. We cannot figure out where her consciousness goes if it is a dreamlike state or if she is truly just asleep. Her heart is her weak spot. If that stops beating, then she will die. V-03 also shows signs of being able to heal others with her touch. She has Evolved far beyond our expectations.”

Professor Lucius hesitates when he speaks. He rubs his eyes and turns back to the camera. A small smile graces his face. He’s finally reached his victory.

“We plan on showing the General this in a month. A showcase of our progress of the toy he has gifted to us. He deserves to see how we have molded his soldier into something…remarkable. With her DNA, we can figure out how to change the sequences of others. We will help make unstoppable soldiers for the Farspace Fleet and for the world.”

A phone rings from the other room.

Caleb slams the laptop shut. He shudders, body uncontrollably shaking. He pushes away from the desk, tears freely flowing from his eyes while his heart remains still. He exits his bedroom. His motions are calculated and careful. He enters an office that sits just at the end of the hall, a space where the two of you decided to have Fleet business happen whenever either of you brought work home.

Caleb sits in one of the chairs, grabbing the ringing phone, and brings it to his ear.

“Colonel Xia,” Liam’s voice is low from the other end of the call. “Professor Lucius has invited you to an Ever Group meeting as the General’s temporary Adjutant.”

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[guiltyandashamed]

hiii!!! could you do brothers + side characetrs with an mc who is famous on devilgram? like ever since they came to RAD they became super popular online :D thanx!!!!

headcannons: devilgram-famous MC (brothers + side characters)

From the moment you arrived in the Devildom, Devilgram became your outlet. You posted everything, your outfits, your food, funny observations about Devildom life.Your page quickly gained traction. Now you have brand deals, fans, and even the occasional paparazzi moment at RAD.

Lucifer

At first, he brushes it off. "If it doesn't interfere with your academic performance, I have no reason to be concerned."

Then he sees how successful you are—Sponsors reaching out for promotion or looking to get into business with you. He makes sure you aren't getting exploited, are promoting the right people, and maintain a respectable image.

It's helped you elevate yourself professionally, and he respects your hard work ethic when it comes to taking your position seriously.

Slightly more possessive in public when you're approached by admirers. A gentle hand on your back. A subtle glare that makes fans back off without realizing why.

Mammon

Loudly and immediately obsessed.

Starts posting with you constantly. Tries to leverage your fame for duo sponsorship deals “Get rich together, ya know?”

Deep down, he’s insanely proud. Shows your posts to his modeling friends like, “See that? That’s my human.”

But also gets jealous when fans get too flirty in the comments. Starts hearting every comment that mentions your relationship, even if you’re not officially dating.

Obsessed with fan edits of you. Tries to hide that he watches them, but you can see it in the reflection of his sunglasses.

Leviathan

Has an existential crisis. “You’re more popular than I am on Devilgram… you’re living the normie dream…”

Starts watching your follower count rise like it’s a real-time leaderboard. Gets nervous when you surpass his favorite stars.

Softens up when you post a photo of you two gaming together, calling him your “best coach.” You even tag him. He stares at it for hours.

Gets extra shy when fans recognize him in your videos.

Feels somewhat jealous that tons of people admire you, besides him. You comfort him, “All they see is a person on a screen. You get to see the real me,” which makes him smile and nestle a little closer.

Satan

At first: indifferent. “Social media isn’t exactly my scene.”

But once he realizes how cleverly you use your platform, highlighting Devildom culture, normalizing interrealm relations, he’s genuinely impressed.

“You’ve created a kind of social bridge. I respect that."

Gets incredibly flustered when you post a 3-second video of yourself with a cat. The public seems to go crazy over it, he does too.

Gets very defensive if anyone posts rude comments. He’ll never say it out loud, but you once caught him trying to trace a troll’s IP.

Has a folder on his D.D.D. titled “Their Best Posts.” You pretend not to see it.

Asmodeus

He's thrilled. “You’re famous? Oh, we simply must collaborate!”

Loves being seen with you, you're both beautiful, you both have fans, and you both know how to pose for the camera.

He understands attention better than anyone else, and he knows how intoxicating and isolating it can be.

Offers to help you with skincare routines, posing tips, PR strategy, partly because he wants to help, partly to stay close.

He also gets more clingy in private. “They all want you, darling... but you’re mine tonight, right?”

Beelzebub

He doesn’t really understand the whole Devilgram fame thing, but he gets that it makes you happy. That’s all that matters to him.

At RAD, when fans swarm you, he calmly stands between you and the crowd, not to block them entirely, just to make sure you’re safe and not overwhelmed.

He especially likes your food posts. Thinks it's cool that other people like to see food too.

You’re never just a screen persona to him. You’re someone who laughs with him at breakfast, helps him find rare protein bars, and brings him quiet peace in a world full of noise.

“I don’t care how many followers you have. You’re already important.”

Belphegor

Acts like he doesn’t care. “Tch. So what if you’re popular now? That doesn’t mean anything.”

But he watches from the sidelines more than you think. Lurking in the tags. Scrolling when he can’t sleep.

The moment you start getting approached at RAD, his mood dips. He doesn’t like strangers looking at you like they know you.

Despite the sharpness, there's a vulnerability underneath. He’s afraid of being left behind, forgotten in the blur of lights and fans.

He won’t admit it out loud, but he clings harder when you’re alone together. “Don’t let them take you away from here. From me.”

Diavolo

He thinks it’s fantastic. The Devildom needs more human-devil cultural exchange, and you’re a living ambassador.

His support is big-picture. He encourages you to use your platform wisely and offers official RAD sponsorships or protections if needed.

However, when he sees how people crowd around you or speak to you overly familiar, there's a flicker of protectiveness.

“You're doing wonderfully, but remember, you're not obligated to be available to everyone.”

Occasionally invites you for PR events or asks if you’d like to co-host a Devildom-wide livestream. Always gives you the option to say no.

Barbatos

He’s largely neutral outwardly, but very aware behind the scenes. He monitors your online activity and fan interactions like a hawk, purely to assess threats.

Subtly reroutes suspicious or overzealous fans before they get close. You may never know how often he's intervened.

He offers you quiet reminders: “It’s wise to schedule rest periods. Even stardom mustn’t replace self-care.”

Helps you manage time between your obligations and online work. If you have a shoot or sponsorship, he’s already rearranged your RAD schedule to accommodate it.

He doesn't compliment often, but when he does, it’s precise: “You handled that interview well. Controlled, charming, and sincere. Admirable.”

Solomon

Oh, he thinks it's hilarious, and impressive. “Guess I’m not the only famous human in the Devildom anymore.”

Loves to tease you: “Should I start calling you 'Your Influencer Highness'?”

But he also offers practical help. He’s seen what fame can do to people, and he quietly checks in if your confidence falters.

“Fame’s a fun illusion. Just don’t forget who you are when the lights are off.”

When fans push too far, he’s not above sending them a politely cursed message.

Simeon

Supportive in a very grounding way. “Your success is lovely to see, but more lovely is the kindness you still show.”

Watches your rise with a gentle fondness, like a proud mentor or older brother.

Offers advice if you ever feel overwhelmed by the attention.

Helps you sort through fan mail, especially when it becomes too much. Keeps you emotionally anchored.

He makes sure you still have private, sacred spaces where you can just be yourself, with no cameras.

Mephistopheles

Incredibly bitter that you're more popular than the RAD newspaper he runs. “So you take selfies and suddenly you’re Devildom royalty?”

Has tried (unsuccessfully) to get you to guest-write an article for the paper to boost his own traction.

Occasionally shows up in your tagged posts looking way too smug.

While he pretends it’s all business, he gets quietly flustered when fans ship you two.

Thirteen

She's amused by the whole thing. “You? A Devilgram star? Never thought I’d see the day.”

She makes fun of you constantly for being famous, but secretly watches every story.

Teases you like: “Careful, don’t trip over your fanbase on your way to class.”

If you ever feel down because of rude comments or pressure, she’s the first to call it out.

“Want me to rig their phone with exploding hexes? No? Just say the word."

Doesn’t treat you differently and likes that you are still you, despite the fame.

Raphael

Skeptical at first. “Why do so many people need to see what you ate for breakfast?”

Doesn’t understand the appeal of social media, but respects that it makes you happy.

Has to learn to be okay with the attention you get, he's the type to walk just a little closer when fans crowd you, not possessive, just… present.

If you ever express that you're tired of the pressure, he listens seriously and offers calm advice.

“Then take a step back. You’re not obligated to be seen constantly to be real.”

[thequeenkida]

Daredevil: Born Again Eps. 1 + 2 First Thoughts:

1. I didn't like it.

2. I think Foggy is still alive because they cited Brubaker's run as an inspiration for this season. It was also so heavily telegraphed in interviews and marketing that it FEELS like a misdirect-or Marvel has gotten REALLY shitty with keeping things surprising and unexpected.

3. I think they needed to find a way to work around the original scripts which excluded Karen and Foggy without completely rewriting them and this is what they came up with. Doesn't hurt any less.

4. I can't see a world where Matt gives up being Daredevil because of Foggy's supposed death. The Matt I invision would go into overdrive, feeling like he has nothing to lose, completely succumbing to his persona of vegence and retribution. It feels out of character for him to just give up-even with the reason given.

5. These new characters are poor replacements for Karen and Foggy, I want to see THEM, not these people I don't know (I like Kirsten in the comics so I have nothing against her inclusion in theory.)

5. This didn't FEEL like Daredevil. It's not Daredevil without Foggy and Karen. I feel like I'm watching an imitation of the show I loved. The heart and soul are gone and whether or not they comes back is completely up to the writers.

6. Marvel was shitty for using the original cast in marketing only to do what they did with them. Which was A. Ship them to San Francisco and B. "Kill" them. And then they weren't even mentioned in the second episode to my recollection.

I couldn't even give these episodes my full attention. I'm pissed I'll have to wait weeks potentially to find out if Foggy is alive or not. I'm pissed they used the fan's love for these characters to emotionally exploit them and keep us watching. I'm pissed they didn't just give the fans what they wanted from the start so we wouldn't have to deal with this bullshit to work around the original scripts.

I'm not happy.

[lizardkingeliot]

So it's already been discussed to death by myself and many others that the whole rockstar persona Lestat is going to adopt in season 3 will mostly be to take the heat off Louis. I mean... there are other reasons too. Lestat loves attention and playing music. But as with everything else Lestat in this show, Louis will be his number one motivation.

Anyway. I've been thinking a lot about that and how it has the potential to mirror some of Lestat's past behavior on the show. Namely what he does in 1x03 when he calls out Jelly Roll Morton's playing. On the surface, it looks like he's doing it just to be a brat because he's angry with Louis. But as Louis' narration continues he reveals Lestat actually did it to save Louis the embarrassment of Jelly Roll leaving him high and dry.

What's really interesting about that moment is that Lestat does this in the immediate aftermath of being rejected by Louis. Louis says he doesn't want to kill anymore which means he doesn't want to hunt with Lestat anymore which means he's rejecting his vampirism which means he's rejecting Lestat and the life they promised to build together in the church, on the altar...

And Lestat's immediate reaction is to do something that not only gets him attention and allows him to act out a bit but also allows him to Do Something For Louis. Even though he's just been rejected. Even though he's hurt. Probably even because he's so hurt and because he's been rejected. Louis hurting Lestat, in so many ways, only seems to amplify Lestat's feelings for him?? Makes him love Louis even more? Makes him want to do things for Louis even more than he already did???

This quote from 1x03 is his thesis statement tbh:

Which leads me back to Rockstar Lestat. Sponging up the adoration and getting to be Lelio again but really doing it all for Louis. Even though he's not with Louis and they're Totally Just Friends Right Now Guys. Even though Louis has maybe rejected him??? Or at least he perceives it that way? We'll have to wait and see how they play their dynamic when the season starts to be sure. But even if an outright rejection isn't the case...

The book is going to be a factor. Not just what Louis said about Lestat that's on those pages, but what the Talamasca made Daniel edit out. I think it's a definite possibility Lestat is going to come off much less nuanced than he appeared even in season one tbh. And even if he knows about the edits (or if the edits end up not mattering at all) the very idea of Louis sitting down to do an interview that led to their story being exploited in such a way is going to hurt.

And then for his reaction to be putting on this dramatic rock star spectacle that on the surface looks like a shallow bid for attention when in reality it's going to be... Lestat protecting Louis from the vampires who want to skin him alive. Doing everything for Louis. Even when he's hurt. And maybe even because of that...

[tremsing82]

“Lucien did nothing as Feyre was abuse”

Tamlin never abused Feyre. And if you’re referring to the one time he blew up the room with Feyre in it that is not abuse. It’s confirmed canon lore with high fae magic that they can have magical outbursts when emotionally unstable either with a panic attack or with anger. We see both Rhys do this and we see Feyre do this with her attack on Beron at the high lord meeting which she did hurt an innocent person, LoA. Tamlin is suffering from ptsd just like Feyre is, they are just displaying it differently. Feyre is shutting down while Tamlin is going overprotective. And it’s understandable that he is being overprotective. He had to sit for 3 months and watch the woman he loves be tortured and sexually abused and sexually exploited to save him. SAVE HIM. He was powerless for 3 months to help her. THAT’S GONNA EFFECT ANYONE MENTALLY and EMOTIONALLY FOR A WHILE AFTERWARDS.

And now she has what is essentially a slave tattoo on her arm that allows Rhys to own her for 1 week a month. Rhys a known Daemati. Rhys a man who offered his services to Amarantha. Rhys the person who killed multiple people UtM for Amarantha. Rhys who harassed Tamlin and Lucien every chance he got. Rhys who called Feyre human trash and revealed her sexual desires out loud. Rhys who made Feyre sick to her stomach when he raked his nails inside her brain. Rhys who threatened Lucien’s mother and then almost melted Lucien brain when he wouldn’t reveal Feyre’s name to Amarantha. That’s the Rhys Tamlin is trying to protect Feyre from. Let also take into account that Tamlin is the lord of spring court where the wall is located and Amarantha’s boss, the king of Hybern, wants access to that wall to reinstate human slaves. So Tamlin has Rhys, a known to Prythian sadist owning Feyre and King of Hybern wanting to invade his lands, on his enemy list. And Feyre a newly born MADE fae is with him and needs his protection. And now that he has his high lord powers back he can ACTUALLY protect her unlike UtM.

And you’re acting like Lucien locked Feyre in a room and let Tamlin beat the shit out of her as he stood outside it. Lucien who helped Feyre UtM every friggen chance he got even knowing the punishment for doing so. Lucien who argued against both Tamlin and Ianthe to let Feyre train. Lucien who went against orders and took Feyre outside of the manor grounds to the nearest village. Lucien who was the recipient of one of Tamlin’s magical outbursts. Lucien who was running himself ragged trying to help Tamlin against Amarantha remaining beasts roaming spring court lands, rebuilding, evading Ianthe, advocating for Feyre, going to day court to study breaking bargain spells, and reorganizing springs courts army. That’s the Lucien who did nothing for Feyre 🙄🤦‍♀️

And yes Lucien did try to grab Feyre in the night court forest because she was KIDNAPPED. She had not sent any letter or came back to talk to Tamlin, her fiancé. She was with a man (who the readers now know is a “good” person) that has spent 300-500yrs cultivating a sadistic, evil, torturous high lord persona of himself to the other fae of Prythian. Lucien SPENT 3 MONTHS WATCHING THIS MAN DRUG FEYRE AND SEXUALLY EXPLOIT HER!!!! Lucien knows the powers of a Daemati and how they can brainwash and manipulate your thoughts. He has no clue Feyre has fallen in love with Rhys voluntarily. Because Feyre hasn’t reached out to either him or Tamlin in all these months to reassure them of her safety or new growth in her soul as a person. She got better with Rhys but that does not mean Tamlin knew that or Lucien knew that. The readers know that but we need to remove ourselves from the inside knowledge and look at the situation from outsider perspective. And also Feyre saw how desperate Lucien was in this forest. She heard his words and how he stumbled over himself in what he wanted to say. And she thought nothing of his state of mind. Never once thought this is not how my friend acts. Something is wrong. Nope she wanted to scare him and threaten him and gaslight herself into truly believing that he abandoned her. When that was the farthest from the truth.

Acotar book 1-3 is a first person PoV. And when we only get the narrative from one person we have to declare the narrative unreliable. Feyre’s feelings are justified and true, but the actions of everyone around her and what she thinks the people around her are thinking is unreliable. We have to step away from Feyre and see each character from their perspective, from their mental space, and from their trauma induced psychosis.

[brokenengene]

not safe for work {teaser!}

pairing: producer! jay x pop star! fem reader

genre: american music industry au, romance, urban contemporary, coming of age/self-discovery

This content is only for readers 18+

content warnings: cursing, mention of drugs (weed), making out/kissing, explicit sexual content, suggestive content, toxic work environment, exploitation in the music industry, mild objectification, manipulative behavior, mild angst, alcohol usage

soundtrack: baby- madison beer/ toxic- khelani/ sports car- tate mcrae/ nights like this- the kid laroi/ sorrows- bryson tiller/ options- partynextdoor/ change your life- khelani & jhene aiko/ id- keshi/ dear god- tate mcrae/ 4x4- travis scott

teaser: Ever since you were a little girl you dreamed of becoming a star. Since then you've been determined to fiercely carve your way into the industry. After years of shitty gigs and late night rehearsals, you're finally offered a record deal at Dreamscape Records—a dream come true. Your manager is determined to make you a star, no matter the cost.

Jay Park. A young up-and-coming producer has just moved into the city. The company is convinced the two of you together could be music's next biggest hit. But as he helps you craft your debut album, you find it getting harder to follow the script.

Jay is supposed to be your creative partner and nothing more. But before you know it, he's bending you over the soundboard, unraveling you in ways you never imagined.

There's something about him you weren't expecting... he sees straight through the persona that your record label has packaged for you.

Things get messy, fast. The pressures from Dreamscape Records only intensify. Before you know it you're forced to choose between the star that they want you to be, or the version of yourself that Jay is already falling for.

It's not long before you're suffocated between the demands of the industry and your personal desires. You wonder how much you're going to have to lose... just to find yourself.

COMING SOON

note: let me know if you are interested and would like to be added to the taglist! (18+ only!) Feel free to comment or send an ask! This is a little different from my action/dystopian work, but I'm exited to explore more genres with my writing :) It'll have a lot more smut from my previous work but you already know i'll weave a good bit of plot in there as well! Thank you for the support! Stay Tuned!

xoxo Kate <3

[hotvintagepoll]

Propaganda

Suraiya or Suraiya Jamal Sheikh (Vidya)— Suraiya has it all as a blistering hot leading lady - moving from child actress to being acclaimed as a master of her craft as both an actress and a singer. Her eyes are soulful, sultry, with a depth of wisdom to her face that is unmatched. She entranced the leading men of Bollywood as well as Hollywood and deserves a space among the hottest vintage ladies.

Theda Bara (Cleopatra)—One of cinema's first female sex symbols. Nicknamed "The Vamp" due to her looks. The OG Goth Girl. She would be HUGE on Tumblr if she were around today!

This is round 3 of the tournament. All other polls in this bracket can be found here. Please reblog with further support of your beloved hot sexy vintage woman.

[additional propaganda submitted under the cut.]

Suraiya:

Theda Bara:

She was simply nicknamed "The Vamp". Her sex appeal and typecasting was so intense that people actually thought that she lounged around half-naked and seduced men left and right in her free time.

She is one of the most famous and enduring faces in silent film and yet only 6 of her 43 films survived the 1937 Fox Vault Fire! 6! Think about what we could have had!

*Theeee* celluloid blueprint for both goth chicks and sexually-manipulative women--her persona was that of a "vampire", in the sense that would eventually be shortened into "vamp", although in truth she blended both definitions beautifully. Alas, the prints of most of her back-catalogue were lost to a studio fire in 1937, but enough survives to clearly demonstrate the fantasy of enticing danger that she was so kind as to serve us.

my favorite goth icon i want her gender

She's the original Vamp and first film sex symbol! She said: “The vampire that I play is the vengeance of my sex upon its exploiters. You see, I have the face of a vampire, but the heart of a feministe.” Many of her films were banned or severely cut by state and city censorship boards due to her revealing costumes and suggestive acting. She even sued the Chicago Funkhouser censorship board to let her film Cleopatra be shown in theaters. Riots broke out in theaters during showings of her film Kathleen Mavourneen. In contrast to her film persona, her private life was pretty quiet. She grew up in Cincinnati as Theodosia "Theda" Goodman, the Jewish daughter of immigrants, and had one happy marriage that lasted 30+ years until she died at age 69.

[yanderes-galore]

A story that takes place possibly after Act 3 where Rolan, now the master of Ramazith's Tower, takes on an apprentice... and gets too into them.

Added some Tiefling behavior HCs that I like. For example, tail behavior and I LOVE the idea of them purring like cats.

Yandere! Master! Rolan with Apprentice! Darling

Pairing: Romantic

Possible Trigger Warnings: Gender-Neutral Darling, Obsession, Manipulation, Possessive behavior, Violence, Overprotective behavior, Isolation/Imprisonment, Inappropriate work relationship (?), Implied coercion, Rolan's a big cat, Biting, Dubious relationship.

Rolan has always dreamed of this moment.

He always wanted to be a great wizard in Faerûn.

Now, with the help of his friend Tav (despite how he's treated them in the past), he's even got a tower of knowledge!

What else could a wizard want than a place to study, rest, and speak with his siblings?

He's happy to have a home... Plus, now that he's an Archmage...

He gets to have students.

Years after the defeat of the Netherbrain and Tav saved Baldur's Gate, Rolan's been studying and sharing the knowledge of Ramazith's Tower with eager wizards in Baldur's Gate.

This is where he meets you, an eager wizard who reminds him so much of himself years ago.

Granted, you aren't as arrogant as he was/is... but he's been keeping an eye on you.

Sometimes you buy or rent tomes from him, or sometimes he allows you into his library to teach you some spells.

Maybe Rolan originally just assumes you'll be at his tower occasionally to browse or learn.

Then, you do something that goes straight to his ego.

"I was hoping I could be your apprentice, Archmage... You're strong and I wish to strengthen my knowledge in this tower."

You probably were expecting Rolan to say 'No.'

He's busy, he isn't the nicest person at times, he probably isn't taking apprentices—

Then Rolan cuts you off.

"If you're cut out for it, sure. How about you prove yourself to me first...."

You weren't expecting his acceptance, yet eagerly agree to show him what you got.

Rolan accepts your apprenticeship for a few reasons.

One, it inflates his ego that you see his strength and are choosing to learn from him.

Two, he wants to show he can be better than his old master and not exploit his apprentice for devious acts.

Three... Truthfully, Rolan might've had his eyes on you the more you came to his tower.

You're pleasant company... and the thought of having an apprentice of his own... It makes the Tiefling very excited.

However, I doubt Rolan expected to fall for his apprentice.

You're just... great company and you make him feel so soothed.

Even his siblings can tell how Rolan acts around you.

While Rolan usually keeps up an arrogant and stoic persona... His siblings know him enough to study his behavior.

When reading a spellbook or scroll with each other, they see his tail sway and threaten to wrap around your leg or arm.

When teaching you a new spell or he shows off, his tail wags at your praise.

When around you he's trying to suppress his purr... but his siblings can hear the faint rumble in his chest when he's around you.

They can even tell when he's thinking of you while alone, the Archmage purring as he daydreams during his studies.

His siblings tease him, claiming he's falling for his student, which often makes Rolan act out.

H-He's not!

He's just... enjoying your company and presence and... He can't control his damn purr or tail, okay!?

Rolan tries hard to hide his feelings.

He wants to keep it professional, he wants to be a good master for you.

Yet it doesn't help that you now live at the tower with him and his siblings.

Rolan has trouble sleeping knowing you're just a little ways away.

He really does yearn for you some nights... wishing you could share his bed... wishing he could warm you and purr against you...

He wants you to be his.

Being your master, the one you look up to to learn from, soothes his possessive instincts a little...

Yet he fears it won't be enough.

My personal HC for Tieflings is they're possessive due to their infernal blood.

Poor Rolan constantly fights with these instincts....

He loves teaching you, he loves the trust you put in him...

He tells himself he won't exploit you... He won't be like his old master.

But... is it exploitation if he loves you?

He isn't intending to hurt or use you.

He just... He craves your warmth.

Imagine Rolan doing little acts of courtship to try and warm you up to the idea?

He gives you gifts like new enchanted artifacts or spell tomes to learn.

He stays close to you, allowing you to feel his hotter than normal body heat as a Tiefling.

Sometimes his tail does instinctively wrap around your thigh or waist while you're near each other.

You no doubt care about him... So when he comes to you with a blushing face and his tail twitching... you understand.

He's confessing... and you may just accept.

Is the power dynamic unhealthy? A bit....

But Rolan is careful, he sees you more as equals, just wizards who learn and now love together.

Despite bordering on being a tsundere who pretends he isn't in love with you... He's so damn affectionate.

When you go to sleep, Rolan settles behind you with his tail around your waist.

He really is like a large cat, draping himself over you while you sleep, purring away as he holds you tightly.

He may even lick and nibble your shoulder or neck to soothe his possessive instincts, purring and cuddling you.

He's adorable in a way....

He even wants to cuddle against you while you study, he's always looking for spells to impress you.

His siblings support him as long as he isn't harming you.

It's funny... He can go days where he's moody, barking at everyone or being his typical arrogant self.

Then when you're around, his instincts kick in and he's by your side, tail squeezing your waist possessively.

Rolan seems moody if he gets jealous.

He'll be studying at his desk, tail thrashing and flicking as he sees you interact and help another wizard.

Soon enough he calls you over, giving you a book to read before dealing with the other wizard himself.

He may even be a little... aggressive, like he's trying to show the other wizard he's the boss here.

Afterwards Rolan comes back to you, leaning against you to nuzzle you as you read, nibbling to see the dark marks his possessive side adores seeing on you.

It's... cute to a point...

You'll soon notice Rolan's behavior is a bit... out of control.

He rarely lets you leave the tower, not even for errands.

He doesn't let you sleep in your own bed, insisting on you being by his side so he can rub his head against you to scent you.

The purring is cute... But Rolan quickly becomes demanding.

Rolan's infernal blood drives a lot of his actions around you.

He's addicted to your attention, your touch, your scent...

All of you.

Rolan may try to hide his jealousy... but you can tell he's irritated through body language.

His tail does not lie.

He claims letting you leave the tower could get you hurt.

If errands really must be done... He could send his siblings.

He likes alone time with you anyways.

When it comes to the issue of if Rolan would kill... I'd have to say probably not.

Rolan is more likely to keep you in isolation at his tower than kill.

But he will be rough with other wizards in duels.

There's times his possessive instincts make him feel a bit... violent.

But if he is feeling possessive or jealous... He'll just come to you and drag you off to go pay attention to him.

Good luck trying to leave him or call him out on his instincts...

He's stubborn and unwilling to let you go.

If you try to be stubborn yourself and walk out, Rolan is quick to stop you.

His tail moves to trip you... or maybe he summons arcane constructs to block you.

As your master and partner, he knows best.

Wizards typically spend most of their life studying in a tower in solitude.

So why not just learn with him.... you love him, right?

There's ways to soothe him and keep him under control... Usually by giving him attention to calm the possessive blood within him.

Distract him with affection and he's putty in your hands.

Plus, you can probably still walk around Baldur's Gate with him following you.

He probably needs to be out more anyways.

Rolan is manipulative but doesn't think of himself like his master.

Sure, he's trying to keep you in his tower... But he's not using you.

He's loving you... Every kiss, caress, and intimate moment... It's with love.

He doesn't realize he might be overwhelming or too arrogant in thinking you love him so much.

Maybe with his new possessive behavior you want to call things off.

Honestly, if you compared him to his old master, Rolan would snap at you.

He's NOTHING like that liar!

He wants you strong, loved, his....

Rolan wants to give you everything... He wants to keep you all to himself as his apprentice...

Just a master and his apprentice... his love... surrounded by knowledge and wrapped in each other's arms...

What else could a wizard want?

Surely that's better than the freedom you keep claiming he's taking from you?

"This is where you belong... with me! You'll get everything you'll ever want... so long as you be mine and mine alone, my apprentice.... Just... stay with me...!"

[fuctacles]

A tale as old as time

For @subeddieweek Day 7 | M | 2696 | cw: age gap (about 25-30y difference, Eddie's age is not stated, Steve's aligns with canon) | camboy Eddie, transmasc Eddie, kinda sugar daddy Steve?, modern AU, simp Steve, virgin Eddie, chatfic, pre-anything, gray ace Eddie | Ao3 Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Day 5 | Day 6 | Day 7 | Ao3

"Hawkins High '86? How old is this guy?" Eddie asks himself, his eyebrows raised. There is a letterman in front of him, a gift from one of his top subscribers. Hell, his top subscriber. His number-one fan, who was responsible for about half of his revenue.

He's opened a PO box recently, with no little amount of worry about what kind of stuff he might get. He only gave the address to his top subscribers but he knew that the ones with the most money were usually the most unhinged. He went to the post office with his heart in his throat but all he got was a set of lingerie, a toy, and the letterman he was now holding.

He tried not to think about what kind of people would pay for his content. As long as he was making money he didn't care. But now he got a piece of one of them in his hands. Staring back.

1986.

Meaning the guy must be nearing 60. Double Eddie's age. 

He tries to imagine that. An older guy, with wrinkles, maybe a beer belly, a gross old t-shirt, and his hand permanently in his sweats, beating it to his photos. 

It was gross. And in a way, alluring.

Though someone with so much money to spend on a camboy must have a well-paying job. Some rich asshole, exploiting others to do the work for him. That's a more likely scenario. He tries not to think about big, rough hands on him when he puts on the jacket and takes pics for Shar.

He edits them a bit before sending them, knowing the guy will get a kick from seeing him in his jacket. The appeal of wearing your boyfriend's letterman eluded him in high school, but being claimed like that gave him a heady feeling. The fact that the guy could be his father apparently worked for him too. 

He doesn't put his phone away fast enough and sees the message that pops up.

Shar: So hot. You look like every repressed teen jock's dream

Shar: Definitely like mine

Eddie thinks a moment about his response, channeling the persona he takes on for the camera. 

PuppetOfMasters: Would I be your dirty secret?

PuppetOfMasters: Would you fuck me in the locker room behind your girlfriend's back?

Shar: I'd make YOU my girlfriend

Shar: Wait no

Shar: NOT LIKE THAT

Shar: A girlfriend but in a manly way

Eddie snorts.

You're good, he types. I know what you mean, don't worry.

He wouldn't keep around someone who didn't respect him. Besides, he made it clear he's saving for a transition with his Only Fans.

Thank god, Shar types. I respect who you are 

Shar: In fact, I spend so much money on you because of it. 

Eddie rolls onto his other side, his mood souring. One of those trans fetishists, then. That's fine, as long as he's being respectful and paying... Even if it leaves an unpleasant taste in his mouth. 

Ah, a connoisseur! Well, I hope I'm your favorite tranny, then, he jokes. He waits for an answer, but it doesn't come for a long while, so he flips his phone screen down and turns away, hoping for sleep.

A response is waiting for him when he wakes up. 

Shar: I guess it sounded that way, but I'm not that kind of pervert. You're the only trans sex worker I follow, but not the only trans person I've sent money to.

Eddie sauntered to the bathroom, not taking his eyes off his phone. He wonders if continuing the conversation is even the right move. He's talked to one too many guys who thought sending him a dick pick was okay after ten minutes of small talk between a content creator and a fan.

But he's kind of curious. When he has money to spare, he sends some change to other trans folks to help out, because he knows how hard it is from his own experience. But why Shar, a seemingly loaded old guy, would spend his money on queers instead of, let's say, starving children?

PuppetOfMasters: So you're just an ally with cash? Or is there more to it? I'm curious.

He goes through his morning routine, washing his face, and brushing his teeth, not expecting Shar to get back to him any time soon. So he's surprised when he picks his phone back up and a response is waiting.

Shar: Long story short, I hope my father is rolling in his grave while I spend his inheritance on people he hated so much.

That's not what Eddie expected at all. 

PuppetOfMasters: So I'm a means of rebellion against your bigoted dead father? I'll take that. I hate rich assholes

Shar: Me too

They don't talk for the whole day after that, but when Eddie's done running errands and editing in the evening, he looks back at the letterman hanging on the door of his wardrobe. 

How is sending me your letterman an act of rebellion? he asks. Because he's a curious little shit. 

The response comes fast like the guy is glued to his Only Fans chat. Gross. Eddie wonders briefly if he's talking with other sex workers there.

Shar: A souvenir of his precious high school fetishized on a queer ssex worker? He'd die if he hadn't already

So it is a fetish thing! Eddie smiles triumphantly at his phone.

Shar: Okay, fine

Shar: Sticking it to my father is just a bonus for you being really hot. 

Shar: And I do love seeing you in my letterman, I've jerked off to it three times already

Shar: is that what you wanted to hear?

Eddie grins, rolling on his bed.

PuppetOfMasters: Yes 

Shar: So yeah, I'm an old man who peaked in high school, laugh it up

PuppetOfMasters: I'd rather you peaked in me

Shar: Insufferable

Shar: Menace

Shar: Yeah, I'd love that. A man can dream, right?

Eddie bites his lip. How far is too far? The guy seems genuine and after the amount of creeps that's been chatting him up, he thinks his creep radar is quite good. Tentatively, he starts typing.

PuppetOfMasters: I don't know. I think people would like seeing me get railed by an older guy

Shar: An old guy, you mean

Shar: You'd make a video with me?

PuppetOfMasters: I record most of the sex I have, yes

Shar: Huh. I've never seen one before, then

PuppetOfMasters: warm, warmer

Shar: ... There aren't any?

PuppetOfMasters: din ding ding! ya boy is a virgin

Shar: shit

Shar: fuck

Shar: that's so hot

Shar: you'd let me?

PuppetOfMasters: Would I let my best-paying subscriber be my first time on camera? Probably

Not necessarily to be released but he couldn't lose the possibility of such golden content in case it was watchable. 

Shar: I'd better keep my spot then. Just in case.

PuppetOfMasters: No worries, you seem the most trustworthy so far anyway.

But as he types it, a new notification appears. Shar sent him a hefty tip on one of his photos.

PuppetOfMasters: That's really not necessary

PuppetOfMasters: But I hope your father is kicking and screaming in his coffin

Shar: I fucking hope so

----

It takes Eddie another day to google Hawkins High's yearbook photos. He'd thought about it before but didn't want to break the bubble of anonymity between himself and his fan. But the thoughts of big hands on his hips, and beard rubbing against his neck, took root in his brain and were tainting his mind.

Not fully in tune with his body and distrustful of others, Eddie has been single for most of his life. And now his stupid horny brain was drooling at the thought of losing his virginity to a grandpa on the internet. 

Hoping it would help his thoughts calm down, he looks through the photos from the year 1986, in search of a Harrington. And he finds him.

Steve Harrington. Basketball captain and swim team co-captain. His hairdo was magnificent and his smile was self-confident. Eddie would hate him in high school. Should probably hate him now. So he expands his search further, beyond the Hawkins High memory lane.

He finds one single photo on a LinkedIn profile. 

The current Steve Harrington's hair is no less magnificent, just peppered with silver. He wears glasses now, which accentuate the line of his jaw and make his neatly trimmed facial hair pop out. He's wearing a yellow jacket and a white golf, which should be hideous but weirdly, works for him. Eddie doesn't get to see his eyes, unfortunately. The photo looks like a candid photo shoot take-out after someone told him a joke. His head is tilted down, eyes scrunched and lips pulled in a smile, as a bubbling laugh got immortalized on camera.

Eddie shouldn't be finding a sixty-year-old man this endearing. 

PuppetOfMasters: I like your LinkedIn photo

PuppetOfMasters: Well, I hope it's you. 

PuppetOfMasters: Steve, right?

He can't forget about this for the whole day, not as he budgets his income, and especially not when he records a short video jerking off in the shower. He tries not to look at his phone but it's his only one, so he does while trying to budget in a second one, just for sex work. Maybe then he wouldn't be feeling so insane about not getting a response from a stranger who is an old pervert spending loads of money on him. 

He tries to be normal when a chat notification finally pops up. 

Shar: If you saw the golf and yellow jacket photo, that's me

Shar: though please don't make me type my full name in here.

no worries, Eddie types back so fast he should be embarrassed. It's a good photo.

Shar: Thanks. My best friend took it 

PuppetOfMasters: Your friend has a good eye

Shar: I'll let her know

Shar: I'm surprised it took you this long to search me up

Eddie's surprised too. Usually, his curiosity would take over him sooner.

PuppetOfMasters: I tried not to pry. But I had to in case we were gonna meet up one day

Shar: So you were serious?

Shar: I've been wondering if you sweet-talk all your followers like that 

PuppetOfMasters: Only the ones that don't send me dick pics

Shar: I knew holding back would pay off

Eddie snorts at his phone. 

Though I might need one before we meet up, he types. Gotta know what I'm working with

Shar: Right. Of course

Shar: So how would that work?

Eddie hasn't thought about it this far.

PuppetOfMasters: I need to read about OF's policy on collabs. Never had to before, since I work solo. Would probably have to hire you, well, sign a commission/gig contract or something like that. So it's all legal and shit.

Shar, Steve, doesn't answer for a long while, and it might be the end of his devirginizing journey. Well, if the guy doesn't want to make this legal, put his name on some paperwork, then he isn't trustworthy, and that's the end of it.

It's half an hour later and Eddie's bitten all his nails off trying not to follow up with any messages and focus on anything else when an answer finally comes.

Shar: Sorry my friend was bothering me

Shar: this sounds more complicated than I anticipated. So I would be like, a co-creator, then?

PuppetOfMasters: Precisely

Shar: Holy shit okay

Shar: Thought I'd be you know, less involved

Though you could hit it and quit it, huh? Eddie scrunched his nose. What was he getting himself into? Gods.

Shar: If that's what you wanted I'd take it

Eddie shouldn't be blushing over this one. It's like he's throwing the man scraps and he's licking them up.

PuppetOfMasters: Simp

Shar: I am what I am

Shar: With that said, I'm willing to make it work. Do all the paperwork you need

PuppetOfMasters: Doing paperwork just to fuck me? so romantic

Shar: I suck at paperwork so my friend would be doing it anyway

Shar: If that's okay

PuppetOfMasters: I think it's best if someone looks it over, yeah

Eddie hesitates for a moment.

PuppetOfMasters: That friend doesn't happen to be your wife?

Fuck no, comes the immediate response

Shar: I'm perpetually single and she's as gay as they come. 

PuppetOfMasters: Good. Wouldn't want to be the other girl

Shar: If I had the chance you'd be the only one

PuppetOfMasters: Jesus.

Eddie squeezes his legs together unconsciously.

PuppetOfMasters: Stop sweet talking me, I've already agreed to fuck

Shar: But we haven't signed anything yet. Even then, I'll keep sweet-talking you. It's what you deserve. 

For the first time, Eddie thinks he might not survive their meeting. And not because of the possible killer scenario. Thankfully, Steve gets back to business talk.

Shar: How would this work, legal stuff aside? Do you script this?

PuppetOfMasters: Do I look like I script shit?

Shar: I'm not the one with Only Fans

PuppetOfMasters: Fair. I think we could just set up cameras and do whatever we feel like. Then decide together if the footage will be released or not. 

Shar: Sounds reasonable

Shar:When would you want to do this?

When?

Eddie hasn't thought that far. In fact, he felt like he hadn't been thinking for the past couple of days. 

I'm the sole god of my schedule so I'm open to anything, he types evasively.

Shar: I have some time off next month, could fly to wherever you need me

Next month seemed close. Extremely close. Or maybe it wasn't? He never worked with anyone before. Hell, he didn't even have that many friends to meet up with. 

Next month works I guess, he answers despite his nerves.

Shar: Wanna face time before we start the legal work?

His nerves escalate, making his mouth dry. He reminds himself he's done this before, he's on camera all the time. 

PuppetOfMasters: Like, right now?

Shar: Yeah?

PuppetOfMasters: Ok, give me five minutes.

Eddie shoots up, checks himself in the mirror, and finds a good angle for his phone to set up. He lowkey hopes Steve picks up with his dick in the frame so Eddie can block him with a clear conscience and forget about the whole thing. When six minutes from his last message pass, he hits 'call'.

"Hi," Eddie squeaks when the video connects. Steve Harrington's arms are in the frame, crossed on the desk, and toned where he's leaning on them.

"Hi," he greets him with a dazzling smile. 

It is the guy from the photo, so at least he's not being catfished. And he has none of the creepy simp energy Eddie feared. He's just... a guy. It's both a relief and a disappointment. 

"Well?" the guy asks.

"Well, what?" Eddie frowns. 

"Are you disappointed? Am I too old?"

Eddie looks at him properly. His hair is lighter on the sides, but not grey yet, and the video quality doesn't make any wrinkles stand out to him. Maybe some worry lines, crow's feet if he squints. He looks like he keeps in shape, too. Eddie wouldn't call him old. Mature, maybe. A DILF slowly transforming into a Silver Fox. 

"You look fine. Good. You look good. Attractive," Eddie fumbles with his words and barely stops himself from facepalming. This is why he mostly texts.

Steve smirks at him. And holy shit, a dude twice his age smirking at him shouldn't be doing things to his body.

"You sure? You're not gonna block me after we hang up, are you?"

Eddie shakes his head.

"I stand by our plans. You're passing my creep radar so far, but uh..." He scratches his cheek nervously. "I'd like to keep in touch in case, you know. A red flag pops up. I hope you get it."

Steve nods, his expression growing serious.

"Absolutely. We're strangers, after all."

"Yeah." Eddie nods, relieved. It would give him ample time and opportunities to back out.

On the screen, Steve leans more on his arms, closer to the camera. 

"So I think dick assessment is next on the checklist?"

Eddie might not even survive video calls with this guy, after all. 

[ambrosius-art]

Meet Elliot Charles, Gunntech au oc

Meet Elliot Charles, I love pj masks sm!! I still remember the premiere for it, even though I was 5 when it came out lol. creds @elmushterri for the au and thank you for reawakening my pjmasks hyperfixation!! hope you like it!

character description:

Name: Elliot Charles

ethnicity: French/African American

age:15

Height: 5’5 (5’8 in heels)

Gender: Male

Appearance: white long pearly ivory blonde hair, amber blue spotted eyes, dark brown skin, slim, dainty yet fit figure, usually seen wearing slightly glittery eyeshadow with light eyeliner and clear lipgloss, (never goes out without lipgloss)

Family: Elizabeth Charles (mother)

Likes: Singing, higher pitched frequencies, makeup, 

Dislikes: Chocolate (severe chocolate allergy) uncertainty, silence, being alone. 

fears: Uncertainty, Disappointment

Gunntech Implant: Elliot’s Gunntech implant uses Husky dog genes, allowing him greater vocal prowess on another level, and also giving him his Ivory shade of hair. Most of his animal powers are essentially dormant due to his body subconsciously rejecting any activation of said genes, leaving him with only the side effects and needing to used technological gear for missions. Side effects include a Heightened sense of moral obedience, slight adhd, a severe chocolate allergy while also making him easily prone to overstimulation.

Personality and background: Elliot: otherwise known as his stage persona: Ambrosius is a flamboyant confident utter diva of a young man with a stage presence like no other. he is a company owned pop-star personally sponsored by Gunntech as-well as Gunntech acting as his record label. his mother is a politician who owns a manufacturing company for the military. his mother is also the top sponsor of Gunntech so his mother Grayson Gunn know each other on a personal basis. Out with the press he is a complete ray of sunshine, always making sure to be polite and shows a deep care for his fans. He annually donates to charity and attends all Gunntech press meetings. At Gunntech he is a sun part of Team one with Greg, Connor and Amaya.  though out on missions he dosen't really do much and sometimes ends up holding them back. He genuinely tries his best to fight and obey’s Gunntech’s every word out of fear, due to this he lacks a moral backbone and is easily manipulated, (like training a dog in a twisted sense) at the end of the day he still keeps up the act of being dramatic and flamboyant but behind all the Glitz and glamour of his position lies a scared cowardly child fearful of uncertainty and disappointment.

Fun facts: Elliot used to have dark brown hair until his gunntech implant made his hair ivory blonde.

Elliot is highly feminine looking in his face, even without makeup, due to this there has been many controversies over his gender in the media even though he has confirmed being a male 27 times.

Gunntech constantly exploit’s Elliot’s looks, and constantly controls his career since his music alone makes up 27% of Gunntech revenue, such as scripting his interviews, choosing which songs he can sing, hand picking his wardrobe, Ect. they have even threatened Elliot multiple times if he didn’t keep up the act.

Elliot before being sold to Gunntech was diagnosed with moderate asthma and uses his Gunntech gear to compensate during missions.

Elliot is the only child at Gunntech who doesn't visit his parent’s his mother is a strict bitter woman who left Elliot when he was 3, going absolute no contact for the next 12 years, only giving him glances during social events.

When Elliot got his animal genes after the his mother left he became overly attached and emotional, always holding someones hand to ground himself, having a severe fear of being alone. to try and solve this they began locking him up with no contact for several periods of the day and even made him go to certain events unaccompanied, making his fear ten times worse. he still holds people’s hands and Team one has just accepted this habit.

[ella-ashmore]

behold the. ccrpoly Web. theyre all horrible at navigating it but who cares theyre happy anyways

yeah i do think ted's fucked all of his co-workers

[fancy-fangs]

hahaha. ask game. Akechi.

Oh boys, strap in for this journey

How I feel about this character:

He's so fucked up, there's so much wrong with him, I want him so bad

Honestly though, I think especially through The Royal version of Persona 5, Akechi is a super interesting character with so many layers to all of his interactions and scenes. I will not go into a character study now, but I think he is such an interesting choice as an antagonist and especially as the antithesis to Joker. He brings such a cool perspective into the game and your actions as Joker, causing such a different view into the world.

I have so many things I think I could say but I should calm the fuck down

All the people I ship romantically with this character:

Now, and this will be a huge shock, but I do really only ship him with Akira/Ren/Joker/whatever man why can't he have one consistent name. Shuake my beloveds, I put them in a snow globe and shake it around violently

My non-romantic OTP for this character:

I love when him and Ann are besties in fanfics or anything else. Generally him actually becoming friends with (some of) the thieves is always such a joy to see, but the way ppl write him and Ann as friends brings me so much joy. I just think it would work so well, they would get along pls I am begging

Also his relationship to futaba means the world to me, partly as Jokers sister, bc that just makes it so so so much funnier. But also both of them being deeply emotionally constipated but caring about each other in their own freaky ways makes me giggle

My unpopular opinion about this character:

He does not know how to be normal about romance - guys, listen, I say this with all the love and respect in my heart, but this guy doesn't know how the love people and he especially doesn't know how to let himself be loved. He has not experienced a single human relationship where the opposite didn't want to exploit him in some way. He has always been a puppet and a tool to someone. He's not normal about any of that stuff in the slightest. Let him be a freak.

He is also not a housewife, I am begging, he is feral

I know that one's more shuake focused and not specifically about him, but tbh I've also not seen enough of the fandom perception of him outside of fan art and some fics, so I don't have a lot to criticize yet.

One thing I wish would happen/had happened with this character in canon:

I'll be real, I just wish that in the normal P5 ending there was any sort of care for what happened to Akechi? Like if you don't play royal/don't play third semester, he just dies in the engine room and that's it???? He just doesn't get mentioned ever again? Besides in the velvet room where Igor tells Joker he's literally the other side of this coin and his antithesis chosen by the gods and all that like???? Wdym he dies for the phantom thieves, they find out he was manipulated all this time (even more than before) and no one gives a fuck??? Wild. Like at least some dialogue or something

TLDR: I've seen the atrocities hes committed, but I'm ready to accept him as he is, even with with the murder <3