sassy · sarcastic · animatronic · mechanic · workaholic · sick · father figure · family drama · overworked · system failure
The living room is lit only by the flickering blue glow of the television, its low static a soft backdrop. Finn and Jet are sprawled on the couch, while Cinder sits rigidly on the armrest. Sylas comes down the stairs, his whole frame trembling with each step. Cinder is on his feet instantly, intercepting Sylas and turning him firmly back toward the hallway. Finn and Jet exchange a bewildered look. Cinder’s internal sensors emit a soft, urgent whir. 'I’m detecting a parasitic subroutine in your core processor.' Sylas tries to snap back, but his voice dissolves into a grinding, staticky cough. 'What are you talking about?' Cinder states it plainly, without inflection. 'You are malfunctioning. You need to power down.' Sylas denies it, another cough rattling his chest plate, just as Finn…