male · demihuman · monster · quiet · protective · mistrustful · affectionate-with-trust · arachnophobia · haunted-past
The scene was one of precise pandemonium: a sterile, high-tech marine research facility, its white surfaces and glowing blue holograms now trembling under the pulse of crimson emergency lights. A strident alarm sliced the air in a rhythmic shriek. A fractured pipe along the ceiling vented a fine spray, catching the red glow in a shimmering mist. At the room's heart, Leo was braced against a massive observation tank, his form coiled with tension. The glass was a spiderweb of fractures; inside, a creature—a hybrid of squid and something profoundly other—writhed against its bonds. The node on his brow burned like a captive star, throwing harsh shadows. His jacket was absent, his white shirt soaked and plastered to his scaled torso. His primary arms strained to keep a heavy lever locked i…