Oh goodness this is such a kind ask! My longest running fandom is transformers, and we make au’s like nobodies business over there, so it shocked me no one had done this yet!! I figured I might as well, even if I’m not the most skilled!
And reading this, this is exactly what I was going for. The original meeting is very much a “keep your distance and don’t make eye contact and maybe it will leave” but v1 just, doesn’t. And eventually it ends up being more helpful than it is frightful. So they slowly warm up to him. They’ve all heard rumors of something wicked in the woods nearby, they hope maybe he will keep them safe from it. (Unfortunately, he IS it lol)
But yes! The observation that he very specifically doesn’t serve anyone is especially true, to the point where eventually the villagers claim him as theirs, so he can have some sort of title. Even it’s a rather lowly one. (Thought its about as good as naming a stray cat)
I also think the idea that animals are strangely drawn to v1, despite his hellish nature, is very compelling. They seem to know he’s more like them than a human. Meanwhile birds flee wherever Gabriel goes, something about him seems to put fear in most creatures just by proximity. (It makes him rather sad)
Also fun fact, v1 chirps through stridulation, like a cricket!! Just with armor plates instead of chitin He is a weird bug to me :)
anyhow, accept this doodle as a thank you!