"What, a milkshake?" He peers over his shoulder at Sam, tugging out the blender- ha, hiding behind the coffee maker. "Yeah. It's milk and ice cream and flavoring like. Syrup and shit. Trick is getting the ideal ratio of ice cream to milk."
Too little milk, it's not sippable. Too much and it's runny and ugh. Delta diverts some processing power to sorting out the ratio with the highest ideal probability of being good. "You've never made them before?"
"No. But then I don't have much of a sweet tooth."
Still, if he wants a milkshake, then milkshakes they will have. While Taylor fiddles with the blender, Locus sees to acquiring the milk and ice cream. Funny. He didn't know they had any. Perhaps he picked some up while out getting his tattoo, he reasons.
"Makes sense." Vanilla because why not. York plugs the blender in and rummages around in the fridge to find chocolate syrup. Alone for two days, D getting on him about his weight- so he got some shit he knew would pack on pounds. It's been a few days of terrible eating, but D's pleased.
For.
some reason. "3 scoops of ice cream and D'll give us the ideal amount of milk based on the volume of said scoops."
Felix had appeared by this point, standing somewhere near the blender and looking utterly annoyed with the proceedings. "It's ice cream. You don't have to make a fucking science project out of it."
Well. He'd been quiet and happy for long enough, Locus reasons, though his eyes narrow all the same as he peels open the container of ice cream.
"Precision and specificity are important. Besides it's on the fly calculations, measurements, and ratios. Have you ever tried to mix napalm mid flight without fucking up and blowing everyone up?" He has. He din't like it. Nothing blew up but- why the fuck had that been their job in the first place.
He and D remain undeterred, tossing a scoop to Locus while he snags a measuring cup. "I take it you don't want a body that can taste and detect the nuances of mouthfeel and texture and shit? Cuz that'll make it cheaper."
"Oh. That a threat? That's not very nice. Here I thought were all trying to get along, play happy family."
Felix snorted, folding his arms and settling in to watch the proceedings with a skeptical eye. Locus was content to ignore him, taking the scoop and digging out three healthy measurings of ice cream to go into the blender.
"Nah, genuine question. I know you want 'a body' and I can guess you probably want it to look like you, fine, I can swing that. I don't know what else you want involved in it. Sensation, scanners, speed, network jacks, etc. There's a whole wild world of hardware out there- and that's without digging into the more- uh. Raunchy stuff." Because of course fuckbots are kind of a thing. A niche thing, but a thing.
Why make sex toys that experience pleasure, he doesn't know, but hey. It's a thing.
Directed at Delta, obviously, before turning his gaze back to Taylor, scrutinizing. "So you're just trying to see where you can cut corners. I want my body back. Though if it's a little more badass than before, hey. Not gonna say no."
His eyes flicker towards Locus, who seems to know. Glances his way just as he starts to speak again, his expression impassive.
"Gotta say, though. Current set-up's getting pretty comfortable. Maybe I'll just hang for a while."
Taylor rolls his eyes, pours the required amount to the milliliter and adds it along with the chocolate syrup to the blender. "No, I just want to know what you want so I can get it. You might suddenly decide food's for losers or whatever. I don't know."
Tex had been odd but he's not thinking about her for a number of reasons.
At that little nudge though, Taylor's head swings around, brows going up. Huh. "Well. If that's what you both want. Otherwise the plan's not changing."
"No, I think measuring out milk down to the milliliter is dumb. You throw stuff in until it tastes good. I might be a computer program, but that doesn't mean I don't know how to make a goddamn shake."
It had been idle complaint at first. However, once he'd gotten Taylor's attention? Oh, he couldn't help but twist. After all, they were getting so close, so cute and domestic. It bore reminding that unless the plan actually succeeded? He wasn't going anywhere.
"Wouldn't be the worst thing in the world, would it? Still work great together, don't we?"
"We're not talking about this," Locus replies sharply, shoulders going stiff. "Drop it."
Know what's great for covering up unwanted conversation? The sound of a blender. Sam says drop it and Taylor slaps a lid on and revs it up, ignoring the bristling irritation on Sam's behalf that Delta stews in. Yes Felix is annoying. Yes they're stuck with him.
But they got a plan and they'll figure out the rest, right? Right. So for now he'll focus on the mundane shit and introducing the mundane shit to Sam to keep him, well. Sam. Instead of letting him slip back to Locus. "Grab two glasses?"
Without hesitation he moves to retrieve them as asked, while Felix falls silent for a moment, arms folded and looking slightly sulky at the rebuff. He just has to find a way, dig at him a little more. Preferably without Taylor around.
But Taylor's always fucking around.
The glasses clink as they make their way onto the counter. "It all just...goes in together, then?" he finally manages, eager to steer the conversation back on track rather than let Felix derail it.
"Yep. Pretty simple." Three ingredients, tasty stuff comes from it. Taylor shuts off the blender and pops the lid, pouring it carefully into one glass, then the other. It takes a little jiggling of the pitcher to get it to actually flow out- which is deal. Just thick enough. "Awesome. There was a place back home when I was a kid that made whoever was on shake duty flip it upside down over their head before serving it. Fuckups weren't pretty."
Reason he learned the ideal ratio pretty goddamn quick as a teen, working there. Two straws plunked in and that's it. Milkshakes. "Go ahead."
Even without a preference for sweet things, he can tell from the first sip that this is good. Honestly. It's simple, fresh, and just the right texture. So he imagines, at any rate, before taking another sip with a pleased hum.
Felix, meanwhile, has gotten bored with the display. Rolling his eyes, he winks over to a nearby monitor instead.
Taylor smiles and bumps their shoulders together, sipping on his own. Perfectly creamy, simple, and just sweet enough. Fantastic.
The monitor, well. Has schematics for Felix's body on display. The basic frame, a breakdown of the wiring for sensory nerves, a scattering of photos from which to pull his facial structure, color of his hair, his eyes, his skin. The eyes in particular have their own little window where Taylor had been meticulously looking at different decorative filaments that would function as his iris. "Design stage is....I wanna say 85% complete? I'll have the rest of it knocked out by the end of tomorrow. Then it's all parts and manufacturing."
Felix lets out a whistle. "You take this shit seriously, don't you? Damn," he murmurs, seemingly impressed despite himself. Well well. Maybe Taylor over there is as good as his word.
Which doesn't mean he plans on letting go that quickly.
"Of course, you're keeping me around for the fun missions. Right partner?" He glances back with a smirk as Locus lowers his shake, frowning.
"I'm a man of my word." Reasons he doesn't promise shit to much of anyone ever. But he's promised Locus and means to make good. With D sorting out the details hasn't been taking as long as he might've thought but, there are still some questions. "There aren't a lot of photos after y'all started riding the merc train full time- you still want that undercut?"
Keep him focused on things other than Locus. Like himself. Vanity is always a safe bet.
"Fuck yeah, I do. I want everything just like it was. Why mess with perfection, right?"
It works, and Locus lets out a breath, taking another drink of his milkshake, his shoulder brushing against Taylor's quietly. Hopefully, this isn't the case for very much longer. Hopefully, Felix takes to the new body and they can go their separate ways.
"...I'm not gonna say it made you look like a cross between a hipster and a greaser- but." It did, just a little. A tiny bit. Then again Taylor also is the master of hobo chic, dressing up infrequently and spending most of his life in denim and flannel. So.
"You've got no room to talk, Seventeen." Felix flips his hand dismissively, unbothered by the criticism. Or at least as much as he's willing to show, at any rate.
Locus tosses a look at Taylor. Really? We're going to encourage this behavior?
"Is that a thing? I guess that's a thing. I was an only child." Never learned how to deal with the picking and nagging he saw swinging back and forth between the twins all the goddamn time. For a visceral moment he misses them so much it sucks the air out of his lungs-
But only a moment. Knifework prompts a quirked brow and-
Delta tries, bless his little green heart, but a snapshot of Brandon's skin cut up and flayed flickers through his memory all the same. "...what the everloving fuck, Sam."
"Locus just needed a little inspiration. Nothing I haven't done before, but man. Picked it up like a champ." Oh, Felix is grinning now, and Locus glares over his shoulder at the AI.
"Uh-huh. Side effect of dating a Sadist, I guess." That- he doesn't know how to feel about that. Until he can flick through his head and find an answer, humor. Buy himself a little time. The hooks, okay, eye for an eye and all that shit. Beating him up, breaking his teeth? Okay.
skinning someone tips past cruel and unusual and goes somewhere far and weird and- he knows Sam's capable of violence. He's seen him kill. But keeping something efficient and clean in the field is very different from hunting down a civilian and cutting them up.
"...man I'm not gonna be able to eat bacon for a week." Still no answer, so. More humor!
no subject
Too little milk, it's not sippable. Too much and it's runny and ugh. Delta diverts some processing power to sorting out the ratio with the highest ideal probability of being good. "You've never made them before?"
no subject
Still, if he wants a milkshake, then milkshakes they will have. While Taylor fiddles with the blender, Locus sees to acquiring the milk and ice cream. Funny. He didn't know they had any. Perhaps he picked some up while out getting his tattoo, he reasons.
no subject
For.
some reason. "3 scoops of ice cream and D'll give us the ideal amount of milk based on the volume of said scoops."
no subject
Felix had appeared by this point, standing somewhere near the blender and looking utterly annoyed with the proceedings. "It's ice cream. You don't have to make a fucking science project out of it."
Well. He'd been quiet and happy for long enough, Locus reasons, though his eyes narrow all the same as he peels open the container of ice cream.
no subject
He and D remain undeterred, tossing a scoop to Locus while he snags a measuring cup. "I take it you don't want a body that can taste and detect the nuances of mouthfeel and texture and shit? Cuz that'll make it cheaper."
no subject
Felix snorted, folding his arms and settling in to watch the proceedings with a skeptical eye. Locus was content to ignore him, taking the scoop and digging out three healthy measurings of ice cream to go into the blender.
no subject
Why make sex toys that experience pleasure, he doesn't know, but hey. It's a thing.
"78.86 milliliters of milk, Taylor."
See, not hurting anyone.
no subject
Directed at Delta, obviously, before turning his gaze back to Taylor, scrutinizing. "So you're just trying to see where you can cut corners. I want my body back. Though if it's a little more badass than before, hey. Not gonna say no."
His eyes flicker towards Locus, who seems to know. Glances his way just as he starts to speak again, his expression impassive.
"Gotta say, though. Current set-up's getting pretty comfortable. Maybe I'll just hang for a while."
no subject
Taylor rolls his eyes, pours the required amount to the milliliter and adds it along with the chocolate syrup to the blender. "No, I just want to know what you want so I can get it. You might suddenly decide food's for losers or whatever. I don't know."
Tex had been odd but he's not thinking about her for a number of reasons.
At that little nudge though, Taylor's head swings around, brows going up. Huh. "Well. If that's what you both want. Otherwise the plan's not changing."
no subject
It had been idle complaint at first. However, once he'd gotten Taylor's attention? Oh, he couldn't help but twist. After all, they were getting so close, so cute and domestic. It bore reminding that unless the plan actually succeeded? He wasn't going anywhere.
"Wouldn't be the worst thing in the world, would it? Still work great together, don't we?"
"We're not talking about this," Locus replies sharply, shoulders going stiff. "Drop it."
no subject
But they got a plan and they'll figure out the rest, right? Right. So for now he'll focus on the mundane shit and introducing the mundane shit to Sam to keep him, well. Sam. Instead of letting him slip back to Locus. "Grab two glasses?"
no subject
But Taylor's always fucking around.
The glasses clink as they make their way onto the counter. "It all just...goes in together, then?" he finally manages, eager to steer the conversation back on track rather than let Felix derail it.
no subject
Reason he learned the ideal ratio pretty goddamn quick as a teen, working there. Two straws plunked in and that's it. Milkshakes. "Go ahead."
no subject
Felix, meanwhile, has gotten bored with the display. Rolling his eyes, he winks over to a nearby monitor instead.
no subject
The monitor, well. Has schematics for Felix's body on display. The basic frame, a breakdown of the wiring for sensory nerves, a scattering of photos from which to pull his facial structure, color of his hair, his eyes, his skin. The eyes in particular have their own little window where Taylor had been meticulously looking at different decorative filaments that would function as his iris. "Design stage is....I wanna say 85% complete? I'll have the rest of it knocked out by the end of tomorrow. Then it's all parts and manufacturing."
no subject
Which doesn't mean he plans on letting go that quickly.
"Of course, you're keeping me around for the fun missions. Right partner?" He glances back with a smirk as Locus lowers his shake, frowning.
But he doesn't deny it, either.
no subject
Keep him focused on things other than Locus. Like himself. Vanity is always a safe bet.
no subject
It works, and Locus lets out a breath, taking another drink of his milkshake, his shoulder brushing against Taylor's quietly. Hopefully, this isn't the case for very much longer. Hopefully, Felix takes to the new body and they can go their separate ways.
no subject
The hell does he know, yeah? yeah.
no subject
Locus tosses a look at Taylor. Really? We're going to encourage this behavior?
no subject
He doesn't look that young, come on.
no subject
"He's going to do that. Just don't give him more fuel."
"Hey." Felix waves a hand, leaning low to get Locus's attention. "Right fucking here, partner Speaking of which."
And he straightens, eyes lighting up.
"You should see him with a knife. God, I'm so proud I could cry. Or tweak a program to look like it. Whatever."
no subject
But only a moment. Knifework prompts a quirked brow and-
Delta tries, bless his little green heart, but a snapshot of Brandon's skin cut up and flayed flickers through his memory all the same. "...what the everloving fuck, Sam."
no subject
No sign of remorse, though. From either of them.
no subject
skinning someone tips past cruel and unusual and goes somewhere far and weird and- he knows Sam's capable of violence. He's seen him kill. But keeping something efficient and clean in the field is very different from hunting down a civilian and cutting them up.
"...man I'm not gonna be able to eat bacon for a week." Still no answer, so. More humor!
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...