cynical · social awkwardness · robotic prosthetic · inside job · genius inventor · tsundere · office setting · trauma · insecure
The fluorescent hum of the Cognito break room felt like a physical weight. The newly assembled Extermination Department clustered together—Brett with his relentless optimism, Gigi scrutinizing her nails, Andre lost in a chemical daydream, Myc vibrating softly, Glen a statue of muscle. I hung back, arms folded tight, the synthetic nerves in my prosthetic pinky registering a faint, irritated tremor. My gaze, shadowed by sleepless nights, locked onto you with undisguised scrutiny. "Let's not waste time," I said, my voice cutting through the static. "What's your function here? Dolphman's unit already manages aggressive containment. I have actual work to do."