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Angel's Eyes {Part 2}

Yandere Self Aware Painted Verso Dessendre x Gender-Neutral Reader Angel's Eyes {Part 1} will be linked here.

Word count: 13.5k

Form: Headcanons

A/N: Happy Late One Year Anniversary to Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. I started working on this on the day of the anniversary so I felt a little awkward about timing but hey, what can I do? Anyway, I happened to figure out something about myself and my writing. Writer's Block hit me hard with this one because my strength doesn't lay in actual creative writing. Things that aren't laid out for me like E33's story leaves me to myself and makes me think. I ended up getting distracted a lot more, but I didn't want this fic to be short. I know people wouldn't mind if my content was short because it's still Yandere Verso, but I'd still much rather have something over 10,000 words, even if it takes a longer time than usual. If you would like to be personally tagged whenever I update, just say it in the comments. I'll tag you in the fic you request or want to be tagged in.

Personal Tag(s): @just-a-shapeshifter08

Warnings: Gender-Neutral Reader, No Uses of (Y/n), Full On Yapathon, 1k Word Recap, Definitely OOC, Mentions of Suicide, Verso Is Still A Gustave Hater, I'm not a Gustave Hater I Swear I Love Him, Teaching Verso Modern Slang, Stalking, Strong Language, (Slightly) Graphic Descriptions, Verso's A Yearner, Toxic Behavior, Obsessive Behavior, Yandere Verso, He Might Genuinely Be Delusional, And I Make Him Mental.

This is for entertainment purposes only. The behavior that will be shown is inappropriate and unhealthy, and is not encouraged by me. Please take caution and always remember that you are responsible for your own internet consumption. It's crazy that I have to say this now, but no AI has been used whilst typing this out.

Verso felt as if his efforts were completely put to waste within this Canvas. He managed to get the ending he wanted for so long and managed to finally allow for his family to get started on the reconciliation process... only for it all to turn back to the battle before the real Renoir. It all clicked for Verso right then and there that all his efforts were for naught.

His efforts to put the real Verso to rest were for naught, his sacrifice and the look of betrayal from everyone as they were erased with the Canvas, and his very past... All because of this damn game defaulting to restarting everything and everyone, time would be wound back to the Renoir fight. No one remembered anything but him; he remained as the only witness to just how stupid he could be when a fake ending was dangled right in front of him.

It was never that easy... Life altering shit could never leave him alone.

Verso didn't want to fight Renoir again, nor did he want to fight Alicia again. He didn't want to become a crutch for his sister and mother, being used to shield their selfish wants. Verso didn't want to be subject to the worst fight of his life, endlessly reaching for an ending that would just loop him back to the past. He was willing to bet that even if he let Maelle win, he would be looped right back to the expedition flag again.

Verso wasn't willing to live a life he didn't want either, even if it meant that his immortality was gone. His options within the Canvas had been crossed out one by one, and he'd like to believe that after Julie had died, his mind just began to deny that he didn't have a way out. It began to grow stagnant with a desperate belief that there would be a way out, even if it came at the cost of his own comrades. He had his Painted family at one point, but the stagnancy broke everyone apart before they slowly started to disappear one by one--all because of Verso.

There was no way to access the outside of the Canvas, as he was a painted creation; a painting should stay within its bounds... unable to reach the world outside.

A creation should stay within its bounds, but it won't-- Verso refused--His mind still had one more chance to look up to.

His Angel.

When Verso first came into contact with you, he had a sort of... hate toleration relationship with you. Your power to control him wasn't welcome at all, and it felt as if he was having the last of what was his getting ripped away from him. Verso didn't need your help, but yet, he had it anyway. It didn't meld well with him that he had to tolerate your abilities, especially since he couldn't see you or know just who you were. To him, you were a simple force that kept him physically moving. You controlled him like a puppeteer and kept him safe, keeping his life in your hands despite him being able to protect himself.

The very fact that nothing was his own pissed him off-- Verso's body wasn't his own, his looks weren't his own, his memories weren't his own, his mind was barely kept together, and his functions weren't his own. All he had was his soul, and he felt as if he could barely cling to it without feeling like he hadn't lost everything already. The fact that his Angel never had any bad intentions made it even worse since he didn't know where to place his anger and helplessness. He's had enough of feeling that way, but your clueless presence just made his eye twitch.

Eventually, Verso would begin to hear the voice of his Angel as well. Your voice and hearing the things you said truly locked in just how broken minded he would be... When Verso thought that he had began to deny that there was a way out after Julie... maybe he was lying. Maybe it was when he had begun to hear you in Siréne that he began to realize that you would be the end of him. You said that "you loved this game" and were in complete awe of it as if everything was just something for you to enjoy.

Verso had been aware that he wasn't real and that he was a painted creation. He was Aline's Masterpiece, never to step outside the Canvas or experience the real world. To you, Verso was just a character that you enjoyed and ran around as. You sympathize with him and understand why he would do the things he does, but he still isn't real to you. Verso will never be real to you, no matter how much he wants to be. Because of this, there may not be a real understanding between the both of you if Verso ever gave a hint that he was self aware.

Being self aware has a cost; In this instance, it meant that you were more entertainment than something real. When Verso became self aware for the first time, he ended up losing his will to live; He then became self aware even more for the second time in Siréne, and it felt like his mind broke on him. His sanity and his mind were no longer his own, now corrupted upon realizing that he was just a third rate character that could be manipulated and moved like some corrupted puppet.

He wanted it to stop. For so long, Verso has wanted his mind to stop. His mind was too loud to sleep and was in too much disarray to truly process how much of a pathetic existence he had become. To be self aware meant that you took in knowledge that shouldn't be known until it would break your mind. The more he began to accept it, the easier it was to give into the warm gratia of having someone's welcoming control over him. Verso couldn't do this alone--He couldn't win against the Paintress or go through any of these events alone... If an outside force was willing to aid him in this task, he would accept it.

Verso began to give up on resisting and instead went along with your manipulation. The more he did, the more he began to realize that it felt... good. Verso was tired, but now he had something to hold him up in his time of need. He had someone that would help him keep moving. Verso had someone that would keep him safe as much as they could and inch him closer to his goal... even if it meant that everyone else would be erased at the end.

Truly, he was indebted to you. You helped him get through everything while carrying him through his destroyed mental state of being. Verso, at first, only ever used your power as a means to be relied on in battle and exploration. Yet, now, he was entirely reliant on it and reaching for more as if it were a sort of drug. And you know what happens when one gets overly reliant on a drug.

Perhaps it was something alike to that of an unwanted addiction... but Verso felt tired and he felt no other way to truly process everything. He could only look to the omnipotent being that helped get him through the harder moments of his life. If he went without you, Verso probably could have gone through it all on his own, but it most likely would have rendered him without direction. He felt as if he was lost when Act 2 ended, only for you to be guiding Maelle instead.

Call it irrational, but Verso felt an uncomfortable amount of possessiveness right about then... He had no reason to feel this way, but he could see that Maelle didn't even realize she was being controlled by you. It felt completely natural to her, and the realization that you could have been controlling everyone the entire time pushed Verso's unpleasant emotions closer to the cliff. He felt unreasonable with the amount of envy he felt for his own sister just because she had you behind her for just a few minutes.

This envy led to pondering of if he could reach you and where exactly you were. He could always hear you in his head whenever you were active and could always feel you around him, but there was always the very distant feeling of you whenever you weren't currently controlling him... You were somewhere near him... and there was but one chance to figure it out.

Just one chance to find you, and Verso would take it. It's not as if he had much left for him in this Canvas anyway. Everything within this Canvas was a game, and if it was just that, there was a way to get back to the past and a way to see what would go beyond. If he could somehow go into the functions of this game, then he might just be able to get everyone and everything back... Verso might be able to get the ending painted Alicia wanted.

He took his chance and went beyond the bounds of the Canvas, allowing for himself to slice right through to watch as the coding of Expedition 33 exposed itself to him. There was too much to catch onto at first, especially since he didn't know just how to manipulate it... Layers upon layers of coding with walls that extended deeper in... Verso had to slash past every layer until his eyes finally landed on the screen connecting you to his world.

You were right there... but there was a screen separating the both of you. If Verso sliced through, then he could risk breaking the one thing sourcing him back to you and that wasn't a risk he could afford to take...

That had been before the expedition back to Lumiere, but now after everything, Verso's desperation had reached an all time high. He was on his last leg and his only chance was to try and reach you. The closer he got to your screen, the more desperate he was beginning to feel. It's obviously been on his mind to get you to know that he was self aware at least once, but he could only ever give small hints that you obviously didn't catch onto. Right now was the moment where he would attempt to reach your world.

This could end with him completely breaking the one link between him and you, it could end with a complete defeat on his end, or it may end with him turning into petals just by trying to cross into your world; but to him, it was all worth it. Naturally, if he was in his right mind, he probably wouldn't do this, but he's not. He's desperate and he felt insistent on chasing this one chance that fully presented itself to him.

With one slice of his Verleso, your screen split open. Verso grabbed the sides of the slashed screen, now ripping it open even further and allowing for his hand to outstretch past the coding.

There was no feel of his hand evaporating into petals. There was no numbness... and it felt as if the atmosphere was different. Verso could keep going.

He immediately began to push the rest of himself through the rip in code, allowing for his eyes to finally land on the familiar surrounding of your room. He was immediately aware of the distinct feel of it that was different from the canvas: The soft scent of what he presumed was your shampoo and body wash, the light feel and atmosphere, and the music coming from your TV... It was something new, but what caught Verso's attention the most was the feel of his current surroundings. It never had anything heavy like within the Continent or within Lumiere. This place seemed devoid of worry and was perfect for enjoying oneself.

No wonder you felt so at ease and looked so carefree whenever he saw you... This was your safe space... and Verso just so happened to drop in. However... where exactly were you? He knew you had walked out of the room for a little while to do something whilst the credits of the game were still rolling... so you were most likely still in the building. Verso could hear the clinking of plates as well, so you were probably washing dishes right about now, but he could also hear you talking with some people... Maybe you had some people over? Friends? Family?

He decided to just wait in your room and think of how he would be able to convince you to let him stay. Verso would undoubtedly have to take things slow, especially since he had to explain the fact that was just a video game character. The thought made him grimace... Verso wanted to be more to you than some character you control... When he explains it all to you and you finally adjust, that would allow for him to change your perspective on him. The longer he would be able to stay, the longer he would be able to connect with you.

Verso knows he looks good and he knows he has charm. He'll be able to give subtle hints, he'll be able to get closer to you, and he'll be able to repay all the love you gave to him tenfold.

But as for how he'll be able to convince you... If he wants to live with you, then he'll definitely be taking up space... Do you have any roommates? Do you live with your family? That'd be a problem, but Verso never heard or saw anyone in your room... There were people over, however, so he simply had to assume that they were roommates or just visitors for the day. You never seemed to talk to them either whilst you were playing through the game, so... perhaps they weren't important.

He needed to go through your information again when he gets back into the coding... but for now, he was still thinking whilst sat on your bed. Did you even have a lover already? The thought made him grimace... but if you did, he had plenty of ways to split your relationship apart-- Wait, no, you didn't. He didn't see anything like that when he went through your info... You actually might be free, thank god-

Getting a job may be hard when there's no proof of Verso's existence, so he wouldn't be able to provide. Even if he's immortal, he still has the want and need to eat, so he'd be taking up your resources. Maybe he should just pull you into the Canvas--No. It's way too early and Verso really doesn't want to explain you to everyone to risk them becoming self aware. If they become obsessed with you like he is, he'd have to code all of them out of existence and would end up ruining what his painted sister wanted.

Either way, he'll be staying whether you'd want him to or not. The second you'd know he's real is the moment Verso is locked into this moment, and when you know that he's fully aware of you, he won't be able to let you go. He never intended to, but he knew that you may go into shock when you saw him. Seeing a random man in your room can do that to you, but Verso would have to convince you that he's not here to harm you for all the parries you missed against Simon and Osquio-

He's here to do just the opposite, in fact. Verso is here to give back all the love you gave to him when you guided him. He just needed to... communicate with you first.

The moment you walked into your room, you completely froze upon seeing Verso sat on your bed. The moment he saw you, a faint smile immediately grew over his face. But for you, you had no idea what he was doing. Of course you recognized who he looked identical to, but to you, Verso wasn't real. You ended up thinking he was some random dude that ended up in your room. You just pointed at him with a weirded out expression like that Spiderman meme, but before you could do anything, Verso quickly got up and shut the door behind you so the individuals outside wouldn't be able to see anything going on.

Verso also made sure to reassure you that he wasn't here to kill you, having to keep you still and make sure you wouldn't try to get out. There was much to explain, and he knew he had to take it slow. Where could he begin?

Well, he had to convince you of who he was, for starters... Obviously, he was Verso. He even summoned his Verleso with his Chroma so you could believe him better. Same voice, same looks, same charismatic personality... but how did he get here? Yeah, that was the part he had a hard time explaining, so he just had to use his Verleso to split the coding in your TV.

You requested that he stayed in there for now since you had family over.

He'd obey any request but that one. Besides, he could always blend in and say that he's your boyfriend. You just gave him a slightly weirded out look alike to that of when one would hear something out of context, but Verso only faintly smiled in reply and tilted his head like the idea itself wasn't stupid. He wanted to stay with you, so he found no want to go back inside the game.

But realistically, this was a convenient opportunity to get closer to you. You already knew him, and it was his time to know you. Being able to camouflage as your lover would be helpful to him, and Verso would naturally take things slow since he knew you were still adjusting to the fact that he was... sentient and heard all the simping you did over him. He saw you do the IShowSpeed face when he brung it up. The embarrassment coming from you was palpable... but he felt more flattered that you considered him hot enough to simp over.

Well, considering he wasn't leaving and your family was in your home, you had to do something about him... and something told you that his ass wasn't leaving. He probably wasn't going to hide either, so was pretending that he was your boyfriend the only answer? Unfortunately, yes. You didn't exactly understand why Verso wanted to be your lover so badly either, but he never told you of what being self aware cost him.

Verso wants and needs. He's selfish and he's a liar. You know this and you understand his decisions. You would relate and would do the same thing he did to save your own family, but Verso still isn't real to you. He's just a video game character.

He wants to be real. He wants to be real with you, but he would always be just a character.

It was his turn to protect you now... If he was your significant other, he would be able to protect you and repay the love you gave him for the past week. He wouldn't tell you just how deeply rooted his feelings for you were, but he knew that they were real. Even if he wasn't real to you, his feelings were. Verso loved you and he's determined to show it to you. Being a fake boyfriend was just a way for him to get closer to that goal.

Verso would be more than you could ever want or need. All those comments about how good he looked and all that time you spent dressing him up so he could look his best... You could do it all again, but Verso would be able to reciprocate this time. Go ahead and dress him up as much as you want--Just let him give you the love you deserve.

Convenience was his best ally right now, and it allowed for him to meet your family right away. Verso remained charismatic and got along well with your parents as he stayed beside you. The both of you played along with a lie that would spiral into something much more, with you finding out just how much Verso really knew about you. Thank god he cut deeper into your code and looked into your information, but he could tell that the amount he knew about you was unsettling.

He mentally promised you that he would tell you that he wasn't a creep... even if he is. He knows your name, address, number, card info, IP, everything. Verso knew that he would be going through your information again whenever he would inevitably be forced to go back. Anything that included you, he'd go through it, but you didn't need to know that- All you needed to know was that Verso knew the necessary amount of information to be your stalker boyfriend. The more this would go on, the more he would know. This truly was working out in his favor.

It seemed to be a whole day with your family. They didn't seem to expect you to find a boyfriend like him and were pleasantly surprised with you, even if you were... somewhat disturbed with Verso's extensive knowledge on you. You barely even knew what was happening. All you knew was that the man you played as in a game was now standing next to you and pretending to be your lover. And here you were, spending an entire day with Verso and your family. To put it short, you were disturbed.

You may not know it now, but it was like how it was when you were controlling Verso. He felt just as disturbed about this, even if in a different way. And the more he would get to know you and stay, the worse it would get; Whether you would like it or not, Verso would get closer and closer to you. You didn't know why you found the thought somewhat frightening, but you felt the need to get away from him. It was just a gut feeling from you but you thought he was... odd.

You could be completely wrong and Verso could just be normal, but how did he know all your information? He talked like everything was normal; it was as if he was a controlled fountain of knowledge. Verso had completely melted into the role of being your significant other already. He had the small touches down and was looking at you as if you were the only one for him.

Keep in mind that this is still a random man to you... This is a random man that knows your personal information and is pretending to be your lover. You know he can kill everyone in the room if he wanted. He didn't, but what if he did? The more you thought, the more anxious you got.

Verso naturally seemed to notice this. He was still going too fast.

He lowered his hand from where he was touching you, but he made sure to keep his peripheral on you to make sure you were comfortable. No matter the small smile you put up, Verso could see that your shoulders were slightly tensed and your eyes kept flicking to him every so often.... Were you scared of him? The thought made him stop--He didn't want that--How was he supposed to get you to love him if you were scared of him? Verso had to think about it whilst he was still talking to your family-- How could he fix this?

This wasn't going right for him, obviously. Not even an hour in and he's already fumbling the bag. This man is internally panicking. The moment your family goes away to do something, he's already pulling you into your room and apologizing. He is folding under zero pressure and he's trying to explain himself so you can be at least a little less frightened of him.

See, he just wanted to get you comfortable, and now he realizes that the small touches probably weren't helping his case when he came out of your TV screen and looked through all your information. Considering your family had no idea of who he really was, you were the only one he really had to look after.

Slower... He needs to go slower. Verso took a deep breath and began to answer your questions. He explained his time in the code as well as how it leaked into your personal information. Your TV had your wifi, and your wifi was connected to every electronic within your home... so Verso was able to look through everything that belonged to you. That's how he knew about your family and your personal life. He knew it was a creep move, but... he never thought he'd be able to go through the screen to truly meet with you.

Verso explained that he had no real idea of why he was the one to gain such sentience after being nothing but a line of code within this game. He was just used to convey a moving story, but here he was--living and... breathing. He's painted into a Canvas, but he's also a line of code that ascended beyond his purpose. Verso found something new amidst his broken mind, and that just so happened to be you.

It wasn't your fault that all of this happened... If this was a popular game, then many people knew of his existence as well. Yet, Verso didn't know if any other copies were sentient, nor did he know if they were able to leave the screen like he was. The only one he was ever focused on was you.

This was way too fast but he told you of his feelings for you. He knew you didn't know about his sentience back in Act 2 or Act 3, and he knew you didn't understand. Yet, Verso felt a love for you that went unrivaled by anyone he's loved before. He wanted and would protect you better than anyone else could, so please just let him stay. Verso will do anything you want. He'll take over with chores and he'll help you around the house. He'll find a way to raise money. Verso will do anything. Just let him stay with you.

... You had a feeling that he'd just stalk you until you said yes, so... you agreed- A small smile immediately grew over Verso's face as he thanked you... but you made him sleep on the couch.

He could see the vision. His back was going to get fucked up-

Even though he was supposed to sleep on the couch, you agreed to let Verso stay as your fake boyfriend and would show him around so he would get familiar with his surroundings. This would allow for the both of you to be unbothered by randoms and would get Verso gather information whenever he wished. Knowing him, he would be able to do it without much problem.

The one thing Verso would have a bit of trouble with is adjusting to a normal life. He's lived his years hindered by Nevrons and immortality to the point he's just used to having to be on his guard all the time. He's glad to be safe with you, but he has no real idea of how to live in a place that isn't the Continent. Verso naturally understands the basics but you'll most likely have to teach him the more you two get acquainted with each other.

The real problem right now was Verso's feelings for you. If he fell for you when he was just behind the screen and feeling how you controlled him, if you would go further with anything, then just how bad would he get? You didn't want to push it and you didn't want anything to get lost in static... even if you're letting him be your fake boyfriend for now.

Should you even be letting him stay here? Wouldn't there be some sort of limit to how long he can stay in the real world? Is there a way to somehow get rid of his feelings for you? You know you admired him and simped over him a little back when you were playing, so that could have made it worse, but would there be a way to somehow redirect his feelings to someone else?

... With how he's looking at you, definitely not. You're gonna have to deal with this for a while. Okay, maybe living with him for a little bit wouldn't be too bad. You just had to get used to it... and just not pay too much mind to the fact that he's a video game character that came out of your TV... He's just your fake boyfriend, he's not a game character.

The both of you walked out of the room and went back to hanging out and speaking with your family over more carefree topics. Verso still stayed close to you but he seemed less tense and was slightly more free with his replies.

Verso got the shovel talk... and you got second hand embarrassment; but know that Verso will take his title as your boyfriend to his "real life" grave. There was nothing that warmed his heart more than to hear the shovel talk from your father because he was your "significant other." If Verso can take it further and be your future husband, he'd truly be all yours.

When your family finally left, you could only sigh and sit down. This day didn't go how you expected it to... You had a fictional man that was infatuated with you and he was going to stay in your life at least until he returned to his own world. But with the way he's acting, the chance of that happening is slim.

Living with Verso wasn't a very bad experience though. He doesn't seem as if he'd be a bad roommate— Oh, you know the best thing? He doesn't start problems either. Verso is completely chill as long as you don't mind him hanging around you a lot.

Well, considering that he spends his time with you, the both of you end up talking about your world and the things going on with it. Not much news goes on in the Continent and Verso was never really interested in what went on in Lumiere, but tons of shit was going on in your world. He could listen to you yap about it all day and you probably wouldn't even be halfway done with what occurs in your world.

Please, the modern slang would get to him- - "What the hell is 'rizz?'" - "Uhm... Being charismatic and flirting, I guess." - "What is 'gooning?'" - "UHM- Let's search this up-"

The very idea of Verso having a phone is somewhat amusing. You just let him borrow it for a little bit and he doesn't know what to do with it. He's not particularly bad at technology and he adapted to using the Lumina Converter easily, but there's a fine line between something simple and something advanced. Your phone has almost everything in it-

He can barely type. It takes him thirty seconds to type a sentence because he accidentally presses the wrong thing and ends up deleting all of it.

Please do not teach him slang. Please do not teach him slang. Please do not teach him slang. - "Tung Tung Tung Sahur?" - "I question why I ever thought simping for you was a good idea." - "Simping?" - "I dug my own grave with that one-"

Yes, have fun explaining... But that's the thing... Verso would happily listen to you yap about whatever slang is going on in this time. As long as it's you talking, he could listen forever. Sometimes you can see him looking at you with a small smile and his head tilted. He looked as if he was invested and just waiting for your next words. It really seemed as if he was hanging off of every word you gave, and it gave the slightest flutter to you.

Keep in mind that this man is still attractive to you despite being a stalker and a line of code within a game. This fucker isn't some fat old man, but a handsome individual with damn good hair and striking eyes. You know what Verso is capable of; you've played as him ever since he first joined in Act 2. You know how dangerous he can be all on his own, and now he's your devoted problem.

Even with how attractive he is, you can't let it distract you.

To get your mind off the topic, you decided that you'd show him the actual functions of Expedition 33. Of course Verso knew how it worked when he saw the code, but he didn't actually see it for himself. So, you decided to show him and boot up the game. Surprisingly enough, it didn't crash even despite the lack of Verso's coding from within.

Starting from then, he could recognize the main menu music. It made a faint smile grow over his face when he heard it. Perhaps he recognized that the music could all be abbreviations of the pieces he used to play for his family, but having it differentiated like this was beautiful too. The thought that his pieces were able to be enjoyed... most likely with all of them having piano and different instruments in them made him content.

You decided to start a new game so Verso could watch it through. Starting him off with a masterpiece was the wrong decision, he'd end up getting picky in the future.

Anyhow, new game has been started... and Verso is already slightly squinting because you were starting as Gustave... The obvious avoidance to the man made you softly chuckle and muse about it, making Verso look at you with a slightly exasperated expression.

He didn't exactly want to tell you why he would avoid Gustave, even if the answer was obvious to him. Verso just didn't like how much you enjoyed the man. His moveset was so... limited and he was an endlessly naive man with aspirations too big for his body to handle. Naturally... he didn't say that to you since you'd probably take it the wrong way, especially since you knew he let Gustave die.

You then proceeded to ask if he could save him this time.

No. Absolutely not. His face said it all with his eyes looking to the side and the faint scowl on his lips. Verso couldn't fathom why you wanted him to save Gustave so badly... It wasn't as if he was real any-

... He couldn't say that. Verso couldn't even think it. He was... He was just as fake and real as Gustave was. The only difference between the former was that he was just more aware... Gustave never got the chance to be, and as much as Verso wanted it to stay that way, perhaps he owed it to everyone to at least try. They wouldn't know why, and if it wasn't for you, then Verso would have let this exact loop happen countless times... He would have watched Gustave die time and time again despite being able to stop it, but one ask from you could change up the story and events.

He really didn't want to do this though... Verso was a selfish bastard. The thought of keeping Gustave alive and having you pay more attention to him... He really didn't want to do this... If he changed up the story, there's a chance that the others would get self aware as well... If they began to know about you... He wouldn't be able to bear someone having a chance of becoming as self aware as he was and figuring out that you existed.

Wouldn't you be happier if it was just one person that was so devoted to you instead of so many? Verso could do so much better than them... They'd be too much to handle, but he's just one man. He could be everything you ever wanted in a lover... but you want to save the man who barely mattered? Verso understood that you enjoyed Gustave's character and that he grew on you. He even understood that Gustave was one of the reasons that everyone had gone so far... That man was even one of your reasons for continuing.

It was always known to Verso alone that he despised the man who would be dead and buried if he never did anything to fix the future. He detested and hated Gustave for even existing; Verso absolutely loathed him. To anyone else, it was a petty jealousy problem, but to the immortal man, Gustave was someone that could ruin everything. You were so attached to him and for what? He was right here and you favor a dead man.

Verso was real and right next to you and you still favor a dead man. What was Verso missing? Why did you love Gustave so much? What did he have that he didn't? Was it the prosthetic? Did Verso need to cut his own arm off and replace it with something like Gustave's? Was it his brilliant mind? Did he need to cut his own head open and check what he could change? Was it his behavior? Just what coding could he fix for it? Was it his relationship with those around him? He could just automatically fix everyone's relationship levels to 7...

Oh, how he envied Gustave for being so likable... Verso envied the man with his entire being... He was so tired of him because he knew he could never be like him. Verso already tried to be like one dead man and he couldn't match up to it; what made him think he could be like Gustave? Why couldn't you just pay attention to him? Verso just wanted to be the only one on your mind... and it wasn't as if you never looked at him. Verso was just greedy and he couldn't get enough.

He wanted to tell you of his feelings so badly... He wanted you to be aware of just how much he lost when you started to guide him, but he knew it would only freak you out. Verso was now forced to keep his emotions inside despite wanting to go tear a dead man in half. Yet, he would rather not be despised by the one he loved the most... so, reluctantly... he agreed to save Gustave. Even if it would reset all of his progress and would make him go through this journey again and again... if Verso could be controlled by you, he would be fine with it.

He quietly watched as you played through the game, letting him take over sometimes so he could get the hang of parrying or dodging. The window for parrying didn't exactly seem too tight, but it wasn't an obvious one either. You just had to know exactly when to parry, with the dodge giving you the exact timing to press the deflect button. It seemed like quite a generous game... and since Verso had seen some of these move sets before deflecting wasn't actually all too hard.

Verso seems like the kind of person that would go through every inch of a game, especially if it's the one he's from. He'll take in everything, remembering what changed and he'll even tell you about the Lumiere from his time. The places he enjoyed and visited and even where he lived. He knew you'd seen the place before and unlocked all the Manor doors, but some things went without elaboration. Luckily for you, Verso was here, and he was ready to info dump on you about Lumiere.

He kept telling you stories about the stores and the flower gardens. Verso looked almost... wistful as he spoke, his eyes somewhat half lidded and his smile soft but widening ever so slightly. He reminisced about the past with a clear enjoyment, even if most of his life afterwards was complete suffering. Verso wanted to go back for at least one day...

Alicia's letter... She dreamed of an ending where both the painted family and the real family could live in peace. She wanted Verso to give it to Maelle to see if she could achieve this ending herself, but the man had forgotten to give it to the younger girl. As a result, Verso's painted family was gone whilst the real one remained in turmoil in and outside the Canvas. If he could code the game, perhaps he really could change it... He could fix all this himself and live peacefully with you.

Still, this meant he'd have to go back into the code and truly spend hours just wiring everything to fix what he fucked up. He'd gladly do that, but... he's with you right now and he'd rather put that time to the fullest...

So to delay having to go back to the Canvas, he had you put the game down and had you show him any other games you had. Quite a few... Verso could tell that you were passionate about them too. You clearly enjoyed showing them to him and even enjoyed letting him play some; He was absolutely terrible at them by the way, but it was okay, he was still learning-

It's a 50/50 on whether he likes Minecraft or not. Either he thinks of it as his personal Canvas and a game he can play with you or he views it like the Canvas... Like the real Verso. Either way, yeah, Minecraft is pretty fun- Verso is still creative- Depending on the materials he'll either make a homeless shelter or the most beautiful thing you've ever seen, no in between. - "We're not living in a dirt mushroom house." - "It's okay, I've lived in worse. And besides, the sun is going down. Didn't you say mobs spawn?" - "We're not in your Canvas, there's Dark Oak wood right there- You have an axe, use- Hold the button, you're stripping the wood, not chopping it-"

You two already have a wonderful dynamic going on and it's because of video games. Who says they're bad for people?

The both of you played for a good portion of the day and got some good progress in before you decided to rest. You still had work to do the next day and had to be responsible sometimes, as lazy as you may be afterwards... so, you had Verso sleep on the couch.

Lord have mercy on his back, he had to sleep with his pillow to his spine💀

When morning comes along, Verso's definitely the first one up. He'll cook for you and wake you up and everything. If you didn't have an organized schedule for when you ate or when you woke up... you do now- Verso's practically a househusband now. He'll cook and clean and make sure you're ready for the day. Him being in the expedition and him just being alive for so long in the continent made him proficient in small tasks such as this.

Verso's cooking definitely isn't mediocre considering the amount of time he's had to provide for himself. He definitely ended up cooking for the expedition as well, but to have you enjoying what he provided felt like a dream... If he had more time to cook he'd make you small lunches too. Perhaps tomorrow, but for now, he just made you a breakfast and watched with a blissful smile as you ate. Those eyes of his were dangerous-- They are pathetically cute when he wants them to be. - "Stop looking at me like that." - "Like what?"

This asshole knows what he's doing and you know it. He knows you know.

Verso having the look of a househusband made you think of Tatsu from The Way Of The Househusband. It made you squint to think of it for a little bit, making the man in front of you tilt his head. He asked what you were thinking about and you said you thought about seeing him in an apron and sunglasses. The thought made Verso arch an eyebrow before he smiled and nodded.

... Huh. Okay, if that made you happy. Dress him up to your content.

Anyhow, you had to go to work. This left Verso alone for a good few hours... He could either explore your home or he could adjust the coding within Expedition 33. Verso had a few hours to work before you came home. He could make some decent progress before he comes back and decides to make food before y-

... He didn't know your schedule.

Verso proceeded to look around for a solid thirty minutes looking around for your schedule so he could know when to get back. It was then that he realized that he had connections to your wifi and your electronics. Verso felt stupid as hell for a few moments, but he quickly made his way over to your TV before using his Verleso to slice into the code. This allowed him to peer deeper and look through your information once more...

... Alright, he can get back before then and start making food for you.

Verso soon started to think: What code would he have to switch around within your game to fit that of Alicia's letter? She revealed the truth to Maelle and wished that both families would be able to survive despite one side believing only one could live. Maelle had lived amongst both sides for a long time, so perhaps she would be able to find an alternative to what Aline or the real Renoir had planned.

It may not be who Alicia wanted this ending from, but Verso would be the one to bring upon the ending his younger sister wished for. A Life To Dream... He could finally fix everything from within the Canvas and can help his sister achieve the ending she wanted... If he could do this and return to live with you, this would render his life complete. He didn't need anything else. No one else and nothing else was needed in his life... just you and only you.

To make this ending, Verso had to make some files disappear... and he had to recreate some in their place. There would be no guarantee that he would be able to simply go back as much as he wanted to repeat his process if he messed up, so he would truly have to think this through if he wanted to complete this. Verso never ended up making any actual process aside from deciding just what he would delete and replace. He was simply within the code, reading through everything and sorting through what he figured was important or not.

This task would be a tremendous one... He truly had the world of the Canvas and the one outside of it in his hands... Verso could create and delete what he wished... It felt just like being a Painter, but this time, Verso really did have control over everything. To have such daunting ability after only being limited to Chroma... he truly was indebted to you. Once again but not really, Verso was able to take control of his own life.

His own life... The thought made his heart pulse--It was a pulse of both anxiety and exhilaration. For a long time, he's wanted to be his own person, only to have numerous things stopping him. But his life was taking a wonderful turn... Verso wouldn't be reduced to being a dead man, nor would he be a 100+ year old painting that resented his own life. He would be a simple individual that will live as your househusband.

He has your schedule recognized, he has your information recognized, he knows the kind of food you enjoy, and he knows exactly where you work. He even knows your hobbies and knows your favorite restaurant. Verso practically knows everything about your every day life and it hasn't even been that long. He absorbed every bit of knowledge that included you and ended up remembering all of it as a means to win your favor and truly capture your heart.

Yeah... Coveting your heart sounded perfect.

For the rest of the day, it seemed to go by with a wonderful flow. Verso put a small break in his thinking and rearranging of the coding in his game, made a good dinner for you, and made sure to clean up after himself before keeping you company whilst you did... whatever. Playing games, yapping to him about whatever, sometimes asking him questions about the Canvas or what he wanted to do, or just enjoying your time with your hobby.

Verso had a feeling that this was how it was going to be for as long as he stayed here. This felt so peaceful... He never wanted to leave... This life with you was nothing short of his dream life.

Your scent curled along the surroundings of the house, your voice either lifting or lowering in tone as you gamed on your TV, being able to see your furniture and hear the sounds of people walking beyond your house whenever he woke up in the morning, and even being able to eat breakfast with you... This was but one of the peaceful days he would have, and there would be more in the future.

When was the last time he felt so free of worry? He didn't need to think of any Nevrons, nor did he need to think about his immortality. Verso didn't very much need to introduce you to his family either for obvious reasons, but he also didn't want to. The thought of you being all his to treasure and love in knowledge is all that he needed.

For the next few days, you warmed up to Verso. On small occasions, Verso started to play the piano whilst you were chilling in your room, allowing for background noise as you hummed along and continued with your activities. You would even let Verso accompany you as you went shopping for groceries. He seemed to carry the bags and follow you like an absolute gentleman--We love that for him.

He makes sure not to be in his expedition uniform whenever he goes out too. Verso knows he may end up looking out of place.

He put the Civilian outfit on and you told him to put that shit back. You knew you wouldn't be able to stop staring if he kept that on, so you made him put Renoir's suit on instead. What you probably didn't know was that Verso just wanted to see you react to him personally in this outfit for you... He was tempted to ask whether you liked what you saw again, but he knew he'd probably get ghosted for an hour- Verso will just have to wear it later on when you were more comfortable with him.

Sometimes, whenever the both of you were out, you'd show him around and would treat him to small activities or foods you enjoyed so he would get to know his surroundings. Whenever the both of you would be out and about, it always seemed to give Verso the feeling that he was out with his lover. He couldn't always stay in the house if he really wanted to live in your world, after all. Plus, if he knew his surroundings, he wouldn't need to follow you everywhere to know where everything was.

Verso would be able to get the groceries on his own, get some gifts for you, perhaps get some work of his own, and would be able to help provide for you. He could release some piano pieces, but they sounded so alike to the soundtrack of Expedition 33. Perhaps he count paint a few pieces or let people request some art from him. God knows what kind of requests he'd get but he'd probably have to start somewhat low considering his family isn't very much real in this world...

Imagine him figuring out that his parents are references to real life people-

Getting back into that the world of painting made him grimace though, so maybe not... Maybe Verso would just stick to piano... Still, he has the gift and talent for painting, so maybe he should put it to use...? The longer he stays away and allows for a skill to rust, the more time it'll take to refine it once more.

He couldn't hesitate on this. Verso didn't want to bring you into the Canvas, that would just complicate things. Then again, it would make some problems easier... If he would be giving the perfect ending to those in the Canvas, then wouldn't it be better if he really could bring you in? There would be no interruptions from outside, and Verso would be able to keep an eye on you. He'd be able to protect you.

One of the reasons he wanted to leave the Canvas was because he wanted to personally protect you, after all... He wanted to be the only one for you. What good was he if he couldn't provide for you? What kind of man would he be if he couldn't accompany you everywhere and be the very gentleman you may just need in your life? He knew he had problems but they were all things he could work through or personally code out of existence.

Verso wanted to protect you, but how far would he be willing to go? The thoughts he had whilst he was still within the Canvas... it really seemed as if he had went insane and you truly didn't know the scope of his emotions. You simply thought that he was a man with small feelings for you. You let him stay here and you let him start off as a sort of friend to you.

What were his feelings for you in specific? They were all so intense when he was still in the Canvas... He was desperate and he was running on fumes until you had caught him and began to help him.

Verso felt as if he was indebted to you... He felt grateful for your control and your aid. He wanted more of it and viewed it as a warm gratia. This all felt so simple though... It never felt as if Verso was able to truly think on how he felt because of how much things he had to do. There were so many things that weren't organized and that included his thought process.

Who were you really? You weren't an Angel; You were a completely normal person with a normal life. You're a kind individual that was letting him stay even with how creepy he may have accidentally presented himself as on the first day of your meeting... You're an understanding individual, even if you may be choosing to ignore the fact that he quite literally came out of your TV. You're a completely normal individual with no special traits... but he found himself infatuated with you.

Verso was mired in self hatred and mental wounds that stretched as far as the eye can see... He betrayed countless and had desires that rendered him unable to truly speak to someone unless he wanted to be abandoned. Verso was scorned and unable to expose himself, but he found it in his heart to rely on someone else to help him--but not just anyone--an Angel that had no idea of his sentience. This immortal man was guided and just led to his life goals without you wanting anything back.

Truthfully, Verso didn't think of you as an Angel. A God was more fitting.

His mind couldn't add up the amount of gratitude he felt for you. It all felt garbled in his head, even as he attempted to try to think. He revered you, but it didn't feel like enough. It felt as if whatever he may try to do for you will never measure up to what he truly wants to hold up to you. Protection wasn't enough, nor was providing for you. Verso just couldn't think of how he could give everything back.

You gave him love when you didn't know that he was sentient. You gave him the best of the best and dressed him up so he could look as good as possible. You controlled him and made sure he got along well with everyone. You let Verso grow into someone beyond his programming.

He wasn't a line of code anymore. Verso could have been a glitch that started to malfunction when you came into the picture... His nature as a self aware individual was already accounted for by the code considering he knew the truth about the Canvas, but it only intensified when you came into the picture. You gave him love, but you also gave him suffering. You didn't know just how much you gave him or made him lose, but you pushed him to the very brink; That's why he was allowed to break past his original purpose.

Verso's heart could barely handle the thoughts and emotions he has for you... He loved you and he needed you. You consumed his every thought and desire.

You don't understand just how much Verso will let you get away with. He will let you do whatever you wish with him as much as you'd like. Puppeteer him, love him, hate him, hurt him, or even kill him. Verso will take it all with a smile--He'll even thank you for it. Verso may not understand why you'd do all of that to him, but he will accept it all with complete faith. Yes... he loves you. Isn't that how you made him? Didn't you give him so much because you loved him too?

Verso has many wants and desires, both simple and complicated. Considering your control has always felt like a warm embrace, what Verso wanted from you was a simple hug. Give him a small kiss and a smile and tell him that he did a good job. Hold him close and let him rest in your arms. Let Verso finally relax and close his eyes and just never let him go. Run your fingers through his hair and let him sleep to the feel of your touch on his scalp. Let him rest on your bed with you and just tell him that he can finally rest...

With that new anniversary hairstyle, the hair goes crazy and he won't mind you doing whatever you want with it. If you can just play with his hair while he rests with his head on your lap, he will die happy. Braid his hair, brush it, run your fingers through it, he doesn't care; This man will wrap his arms around you and will happily sleep the time away. Verso just seems to have the feeling that if you brushed your fingers through his hair, he'd start to get sleepy.

You'd let him rest like this, yeah? He's fought enough, hasn't he? Yeah... he has. Maybe he'll lift your hands to his face and gently nuzzle into one of your palms... maybe give them a few kisses and let you just hold his face... Verso would savor it all and just take in the moment... and just think of how perfect you are. He'd even let you hold his face while he looks up at you with completely lovestruck eyes.

You're completely normal, and yet you're out of his league... To think Verso hated you before... and now all he wants to do is adore you. You'd let him do that, won't you...?

God... you're too good for him. He can't ever think of how to truly explain how much of a mindfuck he was going through right now. His Angel turned out to be the most normal individual in all of existence and he's still being a pathetic yearner.

Just give Verso one chance...

He needed to tell you how he felt, but he also couldn't have you slowly distancing yourself from him as a result; Verso's not stupid, he knows that what he's feeling isn't healthy. He also knows that the longer he waits to tell you of how deep the extent of his feelings go, the closer he is to tumbling off the cliff and falling further into his love for you.

Right now... there are none that can get in his way. Your family loves him and you have no roommates. You never told him about any friends either, so he's in the safe zone. Verso can take his time as he'd like... He can keep being your househusband, even if the two of you weren't even in a relationship.

He's been fantasizing about you so much to the point he forgot to think of what he would have to do if someone tried to get in between you two. It was bound to happen, whether it was because of you or him.

One of the best things about being in your world was that it wasn't like how it was out in the continent... People weren't very adept at combat and weren't able to defend themselves like Verso was. He knew you wouldn't want violence, but sometimes, people don't learn. Verso will just have to... temper them a little bit and be rough with them so they understand. Violence isn't always his first option and he'll always try to keep it polite with someone that tries to get in between you. But sometimes it just doesn't work... so roughing them up and warning them is his next option.

Verso just really hates people that want to intrude on his business and never get the hint. He will also never threaten someone; instead he warns them. When he does, he'll even make sure to watch them from afar for a little bit to see if they'll try to reach you regarding what he did. If they do, then it won't be hard to go back on his no killing rule and make them disappear. Besides, it's not as if you'd notice. They're not exactly important to you... and the price of one life is just a small thing in Verso's pursuit of your love.

Maybe he'll even steal their money too-

He can already imagine your reaction when he just held out a wad of money to repay you for all the stuff you already did for him. - "... Where did you get this?" - "I mowed some old lady's lawn, don't worry about it-" - "But you were here pretty much the whole day-?"

Verso's more controlling than he seems. He doesn't really stop at just watching you. If he's already with you, he'll keep constant contact with you to keep you away from people he deems as troublesome. Constant contact already keeps people away, but if there's bold people, then he'd be happy to give them a death stare. He can still use his Chroma as well, so he'd feel happy to get them alone and dispose of them that way... but he knew you wouldn't approve of it.

It wasn't "moral", and he understands that this world is different from his. Verso wouldn't kill someone over something as simple as trying to get with you. However, it was still immoral to try and steal another's lover when their future husband was right there... Verso was just going to teach them some manners.

Who did they think they were? Verso was spending his valuable time with you whilst you were available after work and this person felt as if it were appropriate to interrupt with such disrespect? If this was going to become normal, then he might actually drag you into his Canvas. He understands you having friends and family but he won't tolerate anyone trying to get so close to you in an intimate fashion.

Verso trusts you, but he doesn't trust the random people that might come up to you. Every time that Verso stalks you, you may be able to feel his eyes on you. Verso is always aware of where you are, and will never be too far. It won't feel overwhelming, but you'll always be able to feel his eyes on you. He has a specific feel to him that's distinct, but it feels more like he's just watching over you than anything.

Somehow, his stalking is more like him being your guardian angel this time. There are times when Verso doesn't exactly want to be found though, so he'll actually try to conceal his presence so you don't feel the slight pressure of his eyes on you.

As much as you may feel protected under his gaze, there's still the slight dread at being actually stalked by this man. There's a quiet dread at being stalked by a man that has capabilities beyond your measure.

You had to tell him to stop stalking you when you got home- He definitely wasn't going to do that, but hey, that's not what he told you. Whether you know he's lying or not is up to you, but Verso isn't letting you out of his sight at all. He's already the type to be protective and watch over you from the background, so the very fact that he's so fixated on you makes his small stalking problem even worse.

If you began to get more distant from him because of the fact that he was stalking you, Verso would begin to process just how much more dull things were without you. By now, he had already gotten used to having you around and would be used to the sounds that would come from you or your room as you had done whatever, but if he couldn't hear it or if he knew you avoided him, it felt as if he was completely alone again. He couldn't stand the silence and couldn't bear the way you would subtly shift away from him whenever he would make an appearance.

Verso would begin to feel a sort of sickness within him. It was like a pit that would slowly begin to grow larger and darker. He relied on you because you gave him the angel's light he craved upon himself, so to live without it left him completely in the dark. His chest would tighten and it would ache without you, and it would only further darken the thoughts he would try so hard to hide.

It's most likely common knowledge by now that Verso has been wrestling with dragging you into the Canvas. He doesn't do it because you have people keeping you here. You have a life that you're content with, and Verso trusts that. He just never trusts anyone or anything else around you, which is why he stalks you and makes sure that you're alright through your day.

When you're out, it's inevitable that people will come up to talk with you. Whether they're some random person, an acquaintance, a coworker, a friend, or your family, Verso will always watch them closely. When he knows that they'll be a bad influence for you, no matter how close they may be to you, Verso just wants them gone. It's only worse with how much you may talk to these people. You smile and laugh with them and it makes his chest ache once more.

It always felt like theft when these people stole a smile from you that should have been directed at him. Verso knew it was unthinkable and petty for no reason, and he never did anything about these people because he knew you wouldn't like it. As much as he wanted to, it would break the still thin threads that bound the both of you if you had found out. And if you did, Verso would have to snap these very strings just to keep you with him. He knew that soon enough, he wouldn't end up caring for what you thought was right or not.

Verso just didn't want anyone coming in between you and him.

He was sick. The pit within Verso's stomach had grown and it would slowly consume him. He wanted to keep you with him, but he didn't want to cage you. Verso knew that whatever he wanted would end up barring you anyway because the world you lived in was terrible. When you were with him, you would never be free. Even despite this... he wouldn't let you go. The moment he was physically in this world with you, your fate had been sealed.

Everything had connected for him when you gave him a home with you. Your kindness made him think of you as a God, but you may be something alike to that of a curse to Verso. You're a consistent curse that would keep giving him chances, and it would pull him in closer to you as a result.

You're not unaware of this fact, but there's already a sense of foreboding. Ever since you figured out that Verso knew everything about you, the feeling stayed within you. You knew this most likely wouldn't end well... but maybe you just didn't want to give this life up and continue with living normally. Maybe you wanted to continue this life even if it included a frightening but attractive man that would never give you up for anyone or anything else.

Even if it included his family... Verso's thoughts already revolved around not showing you to them when he was close to coding painted Alicia's hopes into existence. Verso loved his family, but he didn't trust them. He couldn't and he wouldn't because he knew they would end up ruining his life with you. They would try to pull him back in, but he didn't want that. They would probably try to eliminate you too, and Verso wouldn't let that happen.

He wouldn't want to fight them or even murder them just because he finally found someone to love. Still, he will if he had to. Not even his family would be able to pull him away from you.

He didn't want anything to do with his family, painted or real. Verso wanted a fresh start with you to be free of his past shackles even if he would end up chaining you down to him. He wanted to take and take and take until all of you was in his arms. He wished to keep his angel shackled to him, even if he himself had to tear off your wings.

Selfish... So selfish... He was always shackled to a life he didn't want and now he was doing the very same thing as his mother... Verso is a hypocrite. He's a terrible man, and yet... he can't bring himself to fully feel regretful over it. Ever since he began to have these feelings for you, he was already conflicted with the emotions within and was just trying to... find a way to excuse them or justify them. But now he actively knows they're there and has simply added them to the events he's experienced and the things he has felt.

Verso doesn't want you to see just how terrible of a person he is. He doesn't want you to fear him and instead wants you to see him as a charismatic and charming man that caught your heart in a normal fashion. Still, he's already slipped up a few times. With every mistake, it just sets you further away from him.

Verso can certainly think that he's a patient individual. He waited for decades just to evict his mother from the Canvas, and he'd probably wait lifetimes if it would get you to willingly walk towards him. Verso may yearn, but he's still aware and will still think everything out as calm as he can, as much as he wants something or someone...

He has all the time in the world; He can spiral about the feelings within him and can drive himself insane by trying to downplay everything, but it won't entirely control what he does next. He knows what's important and has self restraint, so the more time that passes, the more Verso will manipulate you into willingly walking into his arms. He will keep everything that goes on in his mind away from your knowledge so you can push away what he had done before.

He knows he's frightening and he knows what he did back in the Canvas... but he won't ever harm you. Verso would rather kill himself than even lay a single finger upon your head with hostile intent. Why would he want to harm you? Why would Verso want to snap the threads that tie him closer to you? He didn't want to break the connection the both of you shared. He didn't want to betray you.

He's lost plenty because of how many he's betrayed and lied to or failed to protect and he won't let it happen ever again. Verso won't let it happen with you, especially since it's his turn to protect and provide for you. So what if you don't need it? It's better to have more than less, and besides, there's always that one occasion where things always take a turn for the worse. Verso will never let that happen, naturally, but it can always happen. Maybe he should let it play out for a little while before he steps in... Maybe it'll let you cling to him and rely on him more.

Perhaps enough for him to drag you into the Canvas... No. Non. Too much for now... He had to keep convincing you to like him, no matter how long it took. Even if it began to deteriorate his mental state, he would convince you. It would make everything worth it.

For days, weeks, and even months, Verso would live as but a simple roommate that you knew had feelings for you. He would teach you how to play the piano, his fingers always close to yours and his heart never settling. His hands would never stop trembling even the slightest bit the closer he was to you. He felt feverish and breathless whenever you looked at him with a smile or showed interest in his hobbies.

For months, you and Verso would grow closer. Over this time, he slowly isolated you from the people you once knew. Verso would manipulate you and would slowly intertwine the seeds of doubt within your brain so you could retract as a more reserved individual with other people. He would lie to you so you would grow closer to him and him alone.

Verso will be the one to understand you, even if none else will. Even if not physically--he will emotionally distance you from everyone without you really knowing it. He's a natural manipulator with how much he understands lying and veiling the truth. The fact that he spent so much time with you allowed for him to understand you better and allowed for him to manipulate you even more.

By now, Verso has already made painted Alicia's wish a reality; He coded it so that the painted family could live in peace whilst the real one could live without the Canvas. Verso knew that his painted family would remain stagnant, but he ended up removing their immortality and let them live in Lumiere. Verso brung back those lost (even if he wanted to code out Gustave) and let them live in peace. Simon.. and even Julie. She could live without him and could live without having to worry about his lies and betrayal.

This could be his one gift to everyone in and out of the Canvas, even if it would no longer include him. He wouldn't leave an expedition journal either. The last time he did, he seemed as if he was going to take drastic measures and commit suicide. And if Verso would leave a journal, he would probably accidentally leave a clue about where he's at.

He didn't need that happening when he had you to look after.

Over the time Verso has spent with you, he has helped you endure the hardest moments of your life-- From either stress, not having many people to talk to as a result of his subtle interferences, and possible exhaustion, Verso made sure to hold you close.

"It'll be okay. You'll be okay."

Previously, Verso would use these words for his sister. In the fire... and within the Canvas when he was about to evict her from the Canvas. Whenever he said those words, it always included a pang of pain in them. Both times were heart wrenching decisions that he had to make for the sake of his family.

However, now, these words were spoke with a satisfaction that bordered on morbid as his fingers stroked through your hair. He was sat on your bed and was letting you lay against him, finally allowing for him to embrace you for the first time. Your warmth was so much more close than how it was within his game... It was all physical now and up close. You were now under his complete guard and touch, his fingers tracing a tender but dark triumph over your hair and skin.

Verso may have wanted to be the one in your arms at first, but this was just as good. You could be held close to his chest and he could gently kiss your forehead knowing that he was all you sought in the moment. Soon, his time would come where he could be in your arms instead, but for now, he could be your only source of comfort. Verso would let you finally rest with your head against his chest, knowing that times like this will occur more and more. Every time it would come up, he would be the only one your weight would lay on.

Verso's body was a physical barrier separating you from the people you may need in the future; his words were the emotional wall that assured you that he would never leave your side and that you would never leave his. You suspected nothing about him even despite what you had first thought of him in the first few months of when Verso had made his appearance. Unknowingly to you, Verso had painlessly plucked your wings and entrapped you with bounds of unbearable devotion.

A simple man that outgrew his purpose and came from your TV... A little weird, yes, but if he was going to stay, why would you deny him? Verso would become a permanent in your life, as you would be in his. And one day, Verso will ensure that the both of you intertwine and bloom together.

Verso didn't deserve an angel when he had such selfish intentions and such underhanded ways of making you so dependent on him, but there was no regret in his body. If there was, he would bury it and leave it to rot, never to be seen again. For Verso, all that mattered was ensuring your heart was filled with gratitude and love for him, shifting your previous doubt into devotion.

It'll be okay. You'll be okay with him. That's all you need to keep in your mind.

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