#fh codediving

[autistic-sidestep]

sidestep scar map

here's all the physical scar mentions of step's ive discovered so far that aren't choice dependent! (choice dep scars will be in another post). lemme know if i missed any!

edit: hi people from r/hostedgames o/

edit 2 (nov 8th): added some more i missed!

edit 3 (nov 30th 2024): put these all (excepting the photographs related one because i'm not sure that's ever confirmed in the text itself) on the wiki!

(cw for sh/sui mentions and graphic injury description)

general

"Have you seen me?" You don't bother to hide your sneer. Even with your clothes on, there are enough scars and marks that many people would pay dearly to remove them. (ch 22, argent meetup) Regenerate…the notion is a tempting one; could it work on your tattoos? You've tried cutting and burning, but there's just too much, you'd be scarred and mutilated before you were done, but this…this prototype, could it help you too? (ch 19, etc, regenerator discovery) "What?" A moment's confusion and then—finally—he adds up the dots. His frown deepens, and he looks between your face and your chest, marred by scars and brightly orange tattoos, marking you as other. As not human. "Are you saying that—" (ch 22, flystep apartment scene) "Do you like scars?" you tease, taking one of [Daniel']s hands, tracing it across one on your chest. An ugly one, a remnant from an angry attempt to carve away your tattoos until the drugs couldn't keep the pain at bay any longer. (ch 22, flystep apartment date) It's a slow, circling motion over the small of your back, palm against skin, warm fingers tracing the deep scars you both know are there. And a few that ${he} doesn't. (ch 17, hoots makeout) ${his} hands are running over your skin, over your back. You know ${he}'s tracing scars, the same as you, and having an easier time of it. No fancy hospitals for your body, just your own skills, and no need to make it look pretty. (ch 21, chargestep apartment nsfw)

autopsy (incision) scar(s?)

"I obtained…pictures." He lets out a sigh, rubbing his face. "Classified. Highly classified. I assumed they were from the autopsy." He focuses on you. "Your autopsy." […] "The damage from the fall was horrific…you looked dead. Opened up." (ch 22, steel bar meetup)

legs

You remember that [Psychopathor] fell against the wreckage, and it moved and caused you to scream out loud as it dug into your leg. There's still a scar there somewhere. (ch 2, warehouse fight)

face

"Yeah, things changed. For me." You touch your face without intending to. The thin scars there are the most obvious legacy of your fall, of the window tearing into you like memories. (ch 21, hoots) "I'm not the only one with scars." He rubs the side of his face as he looks at you, and you have to fight not to do the same. You can feel your own face itch with the need to pick at your scars. "Yeah," you admit with a tired sigh. "Looking into the mirror is not fun." For more reasons than one, but you'd be lying if the scars weren't one of them. Bad memories imprinted on your flesh, a reminder of nightmares you can't ever forget. It's interesting, really, the way they see you as another vet. Are you looking out of place enough for that? A helping of scars. The nervous awareness. (ch 22, steel bar meetup)

hands/wrists

"Does it say that the scar on your hand always itches when you're stressed?" (ch 22, flystep apartment date)

"I'm not sure about this," he says, looking down at your scarred hands as if he could read your mind. Soft. Human. He doesn't want to hurt them. (ch 25, post puppet crash step leg rights, chen apartment minddive)

You let Ortega take your hands in [theirs]. Warm. Calloused. Scarred. Just like yours. You can't help but trace the edge of ${his} mods where they break the skin, strangely cool to the touch. (ch 21, trans mc ortega apartment reveal)

You look down at hands so much cleaner than your own. $!{puppet_name} hides all scars. (ch 18, puportega stakeout)

"It feels like they do," you say, scratching one of the scars on your hand a little nervously. "I wish I could tell you, but I can't." […] Your hands are clenched. Hard enough that your knuckles are white. There are a few scars across them, memories of punching things you shouldn't punch. People. Armor. Walls. […] You press two fingers against your wrist, feeling your pulse, feeling the scars. It's a familiar sensation, but instead of the weight pressing against your shields, you feel like a balloon, ready to burst. (ch 17 - finch therapy scene)

arms

tattoo removal attempts

You tried to get rid of them after your first escape. A specialist, suitably coerced. You still have the scar on the inside of your arm where the lasers didn't quite take. Too deep. Something she had never seen before, and she wasn't lying. Almost as if they were regenerating. (ch 15/ch 17, reader regenereveal tag )

You've tried lasers to remove them. You've tried dermabrasion. You even flayed off a piece of your own skin, and while that worked, it left another scar, a deep one. You know it's not possible to do that for your entire body. It's too much surface area; the process would kill you or leave you maimed. Not exactly the life you want. _(ch 15/ch 17, reader regenereveal tag / ch 19, puppet auction)

You tug at your sleeve; it keeps clinging to your sweaty skin. The small hairs on the back of your arm stand on end. The scars are visible now, the ones you made yourself. The ones where you tried to remove them. (chapter 19, argent regene reveal)

"I'm not lying anymore." You very slowly tug your sleeve up, rolling it past the scars, past the places where you tried to obliterate the tattoos, up to where they peek out beneath the fabric. Sharp. Orange. Inhuman. Like you. You look away, regulating your breathing, keeping a straight face as ${mhis} fingertips trace the edges of the design. There's a slight "tsk" at the burn scars that cut them off, no doubt ${mhe} is adding the clues together. […] "I tried to burn parts of them off," you say, […] so ${mhe} doesn't need to ask. "Didn't work too well. Needs third-degree burns, or they'll grow back." "Really?" $!{mhe} bends your arm, and you shift to allow it. "Fascinating." "Flaying works if you cut down to the flesh." Your voice sounds dispassionate even to your own ears, and Dr. Mortum takes a step back with a shocked look on ${mhis} face. "I'd hate to know how you found that out." "Other arm." You tug your sleeve down now that ${mhe}'s stopped touching you. (ch 20, "good" mortum mc reveal at the lab)

Holding your breath, you raise your arm in front of you, watching the pale green hospital robe slip back, revealing the intricate tattoos etched into your skin, broken only by scars. Neon orange. (ch 24, mccrash, revoked legrights)

dog bite

Some [dogs] were kept to guard the perimeter; you got bit once for straying outside. You still have the scar on your arm, a reminder that things that are hurt inevitably turn on each other. (ch 15, 1st boneyard scene)

general arm scars

It's so easy to feel human around ${him}. So easy to ignore the fear. Your sleeves are rolled up to your elbows. Anything more would risk revelations you aren't ready for, but even like this, the scars are enough for conversation. […] *if suitag: The bubbles hide most; you keep them buried deep in the soapy water to make sure ${he} doesn't look. (ch 21, ortega apartment dishes)

sh scars (suitag dep)

The scars on your arms are hidden under your sleeves, and maybe they would be something you could talk about. Something she would expect. A safe revelation of self-harm. *if suitag: Across. Not lengthwise. Your one deal with yourself. Not yet. You have things to finish first." (ch 17, finch therapy scene)

[autistic-sidestep]

    *if ortega_pastflirting       You wish you could drink away your past memories, but that's a lost cause. You're not sure what it will take to chase Ortega from your mind, but you feel like you have tried everything. Maybe you should see if they have a time machine for sale here so you can go back in time and kick younger Sidestep's ass and tell ${chim} not to get involved. Don't kiss back.       *if ortega_flirting_new         As if that would happen. You still can't follow your own advice.

sidestep is so fucking funny

[autistic-sidestep]

re: what I sent @villainsidestep that it was going nuts over

(Possibly) scrapped alternative to the steelsnap/shaken tag scene where he follows after you (or after hbvision revelations) from the public discord I rediscovered in my sticky notes looking for something else <3 edit: this was first put in the public server on 21/3/2019, i got the dates wrong.

21-03-2019 Malin: I just want everyone to know this is notes. Not even a scene

You swing without thinking, a reflex born in frustration and panic. It doesn't connect to Chen's face, he intercepts it halfway, his cybernetic arm moving with inhuman speed. His hand is like a vice around your wrist, if he wanted to he could have crushed your bones. Instead he holds you gently, like a trapped animal.

"You need to stop doing that."

"Let me go."

"I'm serious. I've let someone punch me exactly once, and that was deserved."

"Maybe you deserved this one."

"Then tell me. What did I do?"

"You stopped looking. You heard me and you stopped looking and now nothing is the way it's supposed to be."

"I'm sorry. [lets go.] I wasn't... right at the time. I didn't know what I heard. I didn' -- put things together. Not until later."

"You could have saved me. You're the only one that could have. (Ortega [illegible])"

"I wish I had. Is it still too late?"

"Of course it is. 7 years too late. I waited for you to come, you know that? You. (sentinel if trans). Anyone. I thought you... Maybe you..."

edit: and the original photo that was posted in the server

[autistic-sidestep]

#Because I've started to feel something for him?

You have a sinking feeling that you might be feeling something more for Chen than just friendship. Something you're unsure about and trying to ignore. If there are scales from stupid to stupid, you're somewhere on it for even considering it.

[autistic-sidestep]

couple further additions!

bulky/solidly built bodytype (height is variable between rebirth and retri back before malin established them and gave sidestep height options), stands just a bit less taller than a tall sidestep(?)

short-cropped hair

lots of scars on his face including on his lips, and lots of scar tissue on his body.

got shot by an expanding bullet in the shoulder joint, shoulder blade was replaced

tends to dress plainly with (cargo) shorts and worn military t-shirts in his downtime (shirts tend to be tight fitting and thin from frequent use), which exposes mods/prosthesis, owns a hoodie and a rangers jacket (likely ranger's blue?). struggles with fiddly buttons, unlikely to wear clothing that requires dexterity to put on and take off

not strictly appearance related but he was born in 1979, making him in his early 40s by the time book 1 and 2 happen (2020 and 2021)

frowns/grimaces a lot in the text, may have lines on his face from doing so

prostheses:

work legs are blackish grey/utilitarian, has civilian legs made for running when walking spoon

work hand is the same colour as the arm (blue-black/dark-grey - theres some variation here) with blue accents, right hand joint port has scar tissue around it.

left work hand has exposed joints and is scuffed from spoon's teeth marks since there's no pain sensors in it, no cosmetic overlays

(screenshots where i got them from under the cut)

does anyone happen to have any more notes on chens appearance besides the ones that i have that i could send to my partner to help them draw him

[autistic-sidestep]

steel's shirts are holding on for dear fucking life

[autistic-sidestep]

lying down thinking very hard abt sidestep trying ortega's cooking for the first time, canonically them liking anything ortega makes, that ortega learnt from tia elena that feeding people is the best way to befriend people and that SO many of their fond memories are food-related. (bumped into overdrive with a sugar vice step!) the necessity of needing to eat a lot to maintain their telepathy helps, ofc!

#Sugar—my brain needs the energy.     One drawback of your telepathic powers is that you need a lot of carbohydrates, and sugar is the easiest way to get them. […] the syrupy drinks you were used to back when [you were at the Farm]…

even chen's memory of a happy sidestep involves food

[non(knowssteelsuspects) tacticianstep] [i]So excited about a milkshake. Laughing with Anathema. The almost childish glee with which ${che} delighted in normalcy. In junk food and music. In movies.[/i]

which is why he stocks the fridge for an ally/friendly step

*label steelfridge (steelshelf true) "Raiding the fridge again?" Steel's voice is too soft for being inside the HQ. […] "Yeah, I'm a regular criminal," you joke, not looking back. Your eyes catch that damn shelf again, with your name clearly on it. There are some beers at the back, as well as assorted snacks. All things you've stolen in the past.

this can even be triggered by marcia from the business base

*label businessstart Sometimes, you pretend that this is what ordinary life must be like. Having a job. A daily routine. Surrounded by normal people, thinking unimportant thoughts. It's a nice enough fantasy, easy to indulge in when you sit sharing a meal with Marcia. She's brought a chili today, not as spicy as you're used to, but for a moment, you're having a flashback to another table, to another shared meal. Familiar laughter. A sense of belonging. You shut your eyes hard, and when you open them, it's Marcia's face you see and not Tía Ortega's. "Was it too hot?" Marcia looks concerned, and you realize your eyes have been tearing up. "I'm fine," you lie, hiding your face as you bite down on a piece of bread. "Thanks for sharing." "A meal is meant to be shared," she says, triggering more memories you don't want.

leading onto comforting spaces and memories with elena and ortega, it's definitely true ortega's strongly associated with food - all their meetups tend to revolve around meals

As do snacks. Is that part of what ${he} learned from ${his} mother? Feed people to make them comfortable, and you suppose the alcohol is mostly for ${him}self. (vice = "sugar") $!{he} always lets you steal ${his} snacks.

"Ooh, they have pancakes." "Pancakes." You shake your head. (*if vice = "sugar") Old memories. You used to eat those together.

What else did you have that wouldn't bring back traumatic memories? Clubs without Anathema, karaoke without Sunstream coming to life on the stage? Dinners with Tía Elena?

(retri epilogue, ortega pov)

Food. When in doubt, always go for food. $!{he} learned that trick at a young age, and it has never steered ${him} wrong.

memorial park meetup

[non alcoholic vice step] "You don't have to talk," ${he} assures you. "But what do you say we get a cup of coffee and a bite to eat?" "Coffee…" You almost laugh, because that's how people work, isn't it? When something uncomfortable happens, make sure to eat or drink something. It will make things better.

hoots

Of course ${he}'d pick a spot like this, [if see_shrink] where ${he} knows you would feel safe, especially after what you just went through. [else] the site of many of your escapades. Familiar. Safe.

"You know what Mamá would have said…." $!{he} wags ${his} finger in the air with a serious look on ${his} face. "If it tastes bad, it's good for you." Your voice is a fair approximation of Tía Elena's; you've heard that sentence often enough. For some reason, she had always been very concerned for your health. Intent on not letting you go hungry.

and ofc, the apartment scene

  "I'd like that," you admit. It sounds good; a little privacy is what you need right now. "Been a while since I ate something homemade."     "I think I still remember your favorites," ${he} says with a chuckle. "Wow. It's been ages since we did this."     "Yeah," you look away to hide your smile. "I miss it."     "So do I." For a moment, you think ${he}'s going to say something else, but ${he} doesn't.     "I like your food," you finally admit, a little lower than needed, because you're not sure how ${he} will react.

*if ((wound = "a severely bitten lower lip") or (wound = "a severely bitten lower lip, and a sore shoulder"))   "Are you sure you're going to be okay eating with that lip?" $!{he} touches ${his} own in sympathy.   "I'm not going to starve," you say with a careful smile. "Just don't make it too spicy."   "But I like spice…," ${he} complains.   "Sucks to be you then."   [*if ortega_friendship >= 75] Your smile softens somewhat. "You can always add it last, just to your portion."

"Any requests?" $!{his} voice is light and airy, clearly attempting to strike a lighter mood. "I like everything you make," you say, with a nonchalant shrug. [...]

It feels surprisingly normal sitting in Ortega's kitchen, one leg pulled up on your chair, watching ${him} cook. You helped cut the vegetables, but once the preparations were done, the stove was all [hers/his]. A familiar routine. It used to be what you did back in the day, maybe not every week, but when you had the time. The smell brings back fond memories [...]

"It's been a long time since we did this." Ortega again, breaking the silence that had been building, putting food on your plates. "Yeah," you admit, wishing it didn't smell so good, wishing the smell didn't take you back. […] "Do you like it?" "You're a good cook but such a sucker for compliments," you say, shoving in another mouthful. "I like it." […] You don't know what to feel as you watch ${him} eat, sharing ${his} table, sharing ${his} food. Sharing ${his} home. $!{his} friendship. $!{his} heart.

epilogue (recovering in chen's apartment + dating ortega)

 "Your kitchen really sucks." Not exactly the smartest thing to say, but ${he}'s never been that good with words when ${he}'s stressed. "You know that, right?"   "I know," Wei sighs, with the long-suffering look he has perfected over the years. "And you know it too. You say it every time you cook here."   "$!{he} cooks here?" [...]   "Occasionally." Wei sits down at last, giving Spoon a scratch before the dog pads back to ${name}'s side. "When ${he} feels I've been eating too badly."   "I know your stomach doesn't always agree with food, but occasionally you just need some homemade caldillo." ${ortega_name} turns back to the stove, glad for the opportunity to busy ${his} hands. The closest thing ${he} can get to meditation, that, and the bike. [...] And everything starts with a delicious dinner. Even if ${he} has to be careful with the chili.   $!{he}'s made worse sacrifices.

of course ortega learned it all from tia.

 "Not Ortega?" Steel sounds surprised, which is annoying. Are you that predictable?     "You know Tía Ortega. Dishes get done in that household." You can't help but smile at the memory. Another life. Another world. Did you use to be happy once?

[...]

Once upon a time, [if ortega_former ally] you were a frequent guest at [Elena's] house // [else] you were close. Back when she lived in the city. Invited into her home, at her dinner table. Hugs. Friendly laughter.

[...]

But it would also mean meeting her again. Stepping back into the past, being soft, loved, cared for, and you…you're not the same. Ortega hasn't told her about you for a reason.

i just.... augHHH. food as love.

[autistic-sidestep]

help the recent (small) patch changed the failsafe from Ortega to Charge so you can do this now lmaoooo

[autistic-sidestep]

oh. oh oh im. reading through the puppetstuck chen hospital encounter and. oh my godddd.

*if ((puppet_proof >= 40) and (scrubs)) "Actually, Dr."—a quick look at your badge—"Evans. If you have a moment, I'd like to have a word about one of your patients. I'm Marshal Steel of the Rangers." His eyes shift quickly to the operating theater and back. Now that's interesting, and it would mean getting him away from here.

versus.

*elseif ((not(scrubs)) and ((puppet_proof >= 60) or ((puppet_proof >= 40) and (puppetortega_friendship >= 65)))) "Actually, if you have a moment, I'd like to have a word. I'm Marshal Steel of the Rangers." His eyes don't move from yours. $!{swear}, is he suspecting you? If so, you need to get him away from here fast.

he needs less puppet_proof/suspicion of a puppet w/ scrubs than in plainclothes b/c hes worried about them being taken by the farm again! and doesn't want that to happen on his watch if he's close to them! he let them down once already!

"His eyes shift quickly to the operating theater and back" ONLY occurs with scrubs and >=40 puppet proof! i'm going to scream

[autistic-sidestep]

reading through the cog forums (bookish, cigs and i are working on documenting the fh-related stuff, WHY IS THE FORUM LIKE THAT) and realised from this post here that OH SHIT, the void gets a VERY subtle blink-and-you'll-miss-it mention even in the early parts of rebirth (chapter 3, if you're codediving).

  *selectable_if (not (told_ortega_telepath)) #"All this just reminds me of what I have lost."     [...]     "Trust me," you say, doing your best to look as tired and frustrated as you are beginning to feel. "I wish things were different, but something changed back there. Back when I…"     "Back when you almost died." Steel certainly doesn't beat around the bush.     "No." You shake your head. "Before. When I felt her inside my head, changing…" The memory is making you nauseous for real, and you want to push it down again. But you need to lean into that horror if you will have any hope of convincing Steel.     "Changing how you thought?" There's a new quiet in Steel's voice, a shared, hushed pain that goes beyond your rivalry.     "No. Worse. How I felt." You frown, the nausea growing stronger. "Who…I…" You break off, unable to finish the sentence.     "If you wish to talk to someone about this, we have access to care staff."     The offer is unexpectedly kind coming from him, but you shake your head all the same. "I just want to forget about it." Truth is sometimes your greatest weapon. "Forget about ever connecting to that…"

[autistic-sidestep]

STEELSTEP HANDS COMPILATION

🤌🤌🤌

[autistic-sidestep]

witness me trying to cull the regene related asks down to the useful ones by summarizing any new info i found lol. avoided this one so long cos there were so many of them ;___; list ahoy under the cut

Regenes are given codes and codenames (08 may 2018)

regene rights (09 may 2018)

industrial tattoos (03 june 2018)

blugenes colourrange (16 aug 2018)

regenes get older + organic bodies (20 sept 2018)

cyborg definition (10 nov 2018)

ai minds clarification, genitech can't build minds (11 nov 2018)

regenes have genitals (12 nov 2018)

regene making process (12 nov 2018)

emp shielding AI chips (12 nov 2018)

regene enhanced power classes (15 nov 2018)

regenes have unique faces (21 nov 2018)

periods (25 nov 2018)

regene numbers/nicknames (26 nov 2018)

development in other countries? (27 nov 2018)

regene making process (1-3 years) (03 dec 2018)

reconditioning (13 dec 2018)

organic? transplants patents etc (15 dec 2018)

general regene literacy training, handlers (15 dec 2018)

regene culture nicknames (15 dec 2018)

install regene ai chips in humans? (18 dec 2018)

teenager decant (18 dec 2018)

lifespan? kia too early to test (22 dec 2018)

specific decanting teenage range 14-15 (22 dec 2018)

regene bonding (25 dec 2018)

regene vulcan culture (25 dec 2018)

organic brains but need need ai chip (28 dec 2018)

pain (28 dec 2018)

no chip swapping between regenes (28 dec 2018)

higher calorie intake than humans (boost-related) (7 jan 2019)

regenes can get sick (08 jan 2019)

tattoo design styles are the same, patterns and colours differ (10 jan 2019)

tat barcodes (10 jan 2019)

why not make them identical? (17 jan 2019)

programmed life skills (21 jan 2019)

few hundred regenes (01 feb 2019)

nails eyelashes nails grow (04 feb 2019)

lifespan studies? (11 feb 2019)

viability > "minor imperfections" (16 feb 2019)

hacking/captcha pass (28 march 2019)

lowlight vision regene eyeshine (27 apr 2019)

healing others (more a boost q) (03 may 2019)

regenes have fingerprints/sometimes removed (04 may 2019)

step's batchmates (05 may 2019)

bellybuttons (16 may 2019)

overwhelmed etsy store production (01 jun 2019)

regene book 3 topic (21 jun 2019)

regene death, avo'd (21 jun 2019),

androids? (02 jul 2019)

family units/parent regenes? (15 jul 2019)

sib relationships (any relationships outside teams discouraged) (15 jul 2019)

cuckoos and human mission working (unaware) (15 jul 2019)

cuckoo solo operatives (15 jul 2019)

can have extra organs/limbs (presumably via boosting) (21 jul 2019)

seeded with boost drug in tube stage (01 aug 2019)

ai chips counteract the vegetable brain growth speed issue (01 aug 2019)

cancer, boost drug casualties  (01 aug 2019)

ranger interactions (01 aug 2019)

high maintenance (01 aug 2019)

control mechanisms (15 aug 2019)

rebirth regene team age/older ones trusted on us soil (18 aug 2019)

thought-voids feeling (24 aug 2019)

sex and pronouns (16 sept 2019)

boost-related miscarriage/procedures to prevent procreation (30 sept 2019)

fully compatible w/ human germs/disease (29 oct 2019)

power stacking (30 oct 2019)

training templates (25 nov 2019)

handler knowledge of sibling bonds? (25 nov 2019)

codename designated by handlers (25 nov 2019)

handler favourites (25 nov 2019)

mod augmenting powers (25 nov 2019)

regene:handler ratio (avo'd) (25 nov 2019)

selfawareness/autonomy (25 nov 2019)

reggies. (25 nov 2019)

legal classification (03 dec 2019)

finch giving step psych meds? (avo'd) (05 dec 2019)

10% survival -> 10% useful (1%) (08 dec 2019)

regene power scale? (10 dec 2019)

regene v rangers: step's opinion (10 dec 2019)

friendly regenes characters? (11 dec 2019)

tattoo process (14 dec 2019)

brain chip size (18 dec 2019)

tracking chips (19 dec 2019)

on regene vs human boosts (22 dec 2019)

farm makes all kinds of regenes (27 dec 2019)

some premature aging (30 dec 2020)

double dipping (05 jan 2020)

aiming for more reliable process, some progress but still a crapshoot (06 jan 2020)

bellybuttons (placental organ) birthmarks (20 jan 2020)

power maturity/corrections/ai chip surgical insertion at neck #VERY USEFUL(31 jan 2020)

ai chip can't be removed (or....?) (31 jan 2020)

kill switch standard issue(31 jan 2020)

decanting/training/etc process timeline stages (31 jan 2020)

"supposedly sterile" (04 feb 2020) (contradictory?)

rebirth regene (farm not above doing frankenstein arms but mods easier. um.) (15 feb 2020)

powers important for viability >>> minor "defects" (18 feb 2020)

research centres (20 feb 2020)

tattoo meanings? weren't codified at the time (20 feb 2020)

vaccines for abroad deployment!!! + germ susceptibility (23 feb 2020)

morality is for handlers (28 feb 2020)

regenes sweat (11 apr 2020)

chip reboot (16 apr 2020)

[autistic-sidestep]

just some highlights i was reminded of while in voice

You wonder what she will remember once she woke up. What story will she tell him? But that isn't really your concern anymore, is it?

sidestep, being dragged back to rangers hq by ortega to "help" argent: [clown noises]

Marshal Steel speaks the way he stands, as if he was two seconds from punching you in the face.

surprisingly, not a wholly inaccurate assessment when he's pissed???

    When the door closes, he finally lets out the breath he has been holding. That could have gone worse. He did not punch her, though he thought about it.     It would have felt nice.

[also the fuckign. line in the chentega Haircut blog story]

"Mhm," Chen mumbles, still not looking up. "Hip." Property damage. Could they have minimized the damage? Perhaps. But that missile sure felt nice. He needs to come up with a tactical reason for its use.

chen Does think about punching people. he does things impulsively or for kicks. unpopular opinion but i think chen is almost as nuts as ortega. (i mean cmon. if they've been best friends as long as they have, either they're at least a little alike, or ortega's rubbed off on him.). he's just better at hiding it from other people.

"I can't," Steel interrupts, raised voice overpowering yours. "I'm not doing this again. For once in your miserable life, just talk to me. No bullshit. No lies. Just talk."

chen's at the end of his fuckign tether. hes so tired.

[autistic-sidestep]

Pork, chicken, and fish are the protein replacements, though you gather there are a lot of vegetables in those patties as well. Imitation beef. You know that feeling.

SIDESTEP ITS A FUCKIGN BURGER

[autistic-sidestep]

can't believe i didn't notice this when i first wrote up the food meta. two sidestep neurodivergent/queer sitting pose moments (only two of them. but still)

*label okitchen *page_break Trust Ortega To Manage It feels surprisingly normal sitting in Ortega's kitchen, one leg pulled up on your chair, watching ${him} cook. You helped cut the vegetables, but once the preparations were done, the stove was all *if ortega_gender = "woman"   hers. *else   his. A familiar routine.

*fake_choice   #Turn on the lights, revealing me on top of the pile of money.     With a flick of the remote, you engage the power. There's an audible crackle; you had to rig a portable generator because the wiring was busted. All the lights are out except one, aimed straight at the pile of money, bathing it in light.     *set fanclub %+ 10     *if suit_functional       You're lounging on top of it, one leg dangling, utterly relaxed.       "Welcome, Miss Ochoa," you say with a friendly wave, "hope it wasn't too hard to find?"

[autistic-sidestep]

going on a silly tangent looking up achievement references and then i looked at the text for Shelf Space and now im emo

*achievement a70 visible 10 Shelf Space A token of affection. You've got your own shelf at the Rangers' Headquarters.

HI CHECK HOW HARD I AM CRY! CHEN!!!!