Recollé ✦ Inbox

[commandertoolbelt]

Leo Valdez

Out being awesome.

VOICE | TEXT | VIDEO | ACTION

Comments

3/8, let's say before he makes the post about it

[frostythehitman]

hey mr. mechanic
i've got a project for you
i need something modded but it's not a car
think you're up to the challenge

[commandertoolbelt]

challenge accepted
you don’t seriously think i only work on cars do you

[frostythehitman]

idk
i haven't seen you work on anything else before
anyway it's an arm
retrospec sent me one
but there's no way to connect it to my harness
your challenge is modding the arm/harness so i can actually wear this thing

[commandertoolbelt]

you call that a challenge?
this sounds easier than working on eren's car

[frostythehitman]

alright mr hotshot
if you're so confident i can bring it over right now
just remember
the stakes are way higher here than eren's car

[commandertoolbelt]

ye of little faith
i’ve worked on prosthetics before you know
smaller ones maybe but they count

[frostythehitman]

seriously
who the hell let you tinker with their prosthetics?

[commandertoolbelt]

i’ll have you know i didn't just tinker with them
i built one myself

[frostythehitman]

a prosthetic of what
for who
or did you just make one out of a cardboard tube and some pipe cleaners
i need proof valdez

[commandertoolbelt]

a finger for someone on my team in august who did something stupid
she’s not on the network anymore so i can’t show you
but it was made out of steel duh
what kind of mechanic do you think i am

[frostythehitman]

a mechanic who's about to get new prosthetic work
bc i'm omw over right now

[commandertoolbelt]

you know, some people would say you should go to an actual prosthetist for something like this

[frostythehitman]

some people don't get gifted futuristic high tech prosthetics from shady companies they can't explain to their doctors
what
are you scared all of a sudden of messing up?

[commandertoolbelt]

i mean, technically it is possible
it’s not like i’m a doctor
but i’m not turning down a challenge either

[ it’s a disclaimer basically ]

[frostythehitman]

good
bc it's knocking on your door right now

[ KNOCK KNOCK. ]

[commandertoolbelt]

[ idk why he's surprised when James just said he's coming.

but okay now that you're here he'll pocket his phone to go answer the door, and doesn't even bother giving James an actual greeting. those are for losers. ]

So? Let's see it.

wow this sure got buried in my inbox huh

[frostythehitman]

[ He swings the guitar case off his shoulder, sets it down, and pops it open. Inside is the arm, nestled in a bunch of crumpled newspapers. ]

Voila.

[commandertoolbelt]

[ game face: on ]

It's a lot simpler than I was expecting.

[ But an arm's an arm?? Anyway, he's not going to ask permission to pick it up and inspect it a little closer, he just does it. After flexing it once or twice, he turns it to look at the shoulder joint.

Without looking up, he adds: ] You're going to have to show me the harness too, you know.

[frostythehitman]

Well, it's way more advanced than anything else I've seen on the market.

[ Without any further words, James pulls his shirt off to reveal the harness already strapped across his chest. There's no arm attached, of course, but at his left shoulder, there's a golden ring with an inset socket where the arm would normally slot into.

And of course, the new arm Leo is holding has no such protrusion. Instead, there is a circular joint with three large screwholes in it. ]

[commandertoolbelt]

[ well it’s not like Leo’s actually researched this much so maybe you came to the wrong person after all my dude.

Not that it’s going to stop him from taking this project on! Once James has taken the shirt off, Leo’s going to lean in to get a better look at the socket where a normal prosthetic would go before looking back at the one in his hands with a thoughtful hum. James wasn’t exaggerating; the two really aren’t compatible as-is. ]

Adding the connector piece shouldn’t be that hard. It’ll need some calibration once it’s put together to make sure it’s not loose or uncomfortable when you attach it, but…

[ Finally he looks back at James, eyebrows raised. ]

Either I’ll need a spare connector if you have one, or I can make it myself - I’ll just need to get the measurements and stuff first. Obviously making it myself takes longer, but if you’ve got a spare, I can probably mod that in, like, a week tops.

[frostythehitman]

Do I look like I've got anything? I don't know how any of this works, just how to put it on when I'm getting ready in the morning. That's why I came to you.

So, you know. [ He gestures awkwardly at Leo and himself and the space between them. ] Measure away, or whatever it is you have to do.

[commandertoolbelt]

[ SHRUG. ]

Just asking. They could’ve given you an extra, for all I know.

[ Just a remember that he's not actually a doctor... But he doesn’t seem that bothered by it as he grabs a notebook and some other tools. After drawing a quick sketch to get the general shape, he gets to work finding the measurements, taking notes as he goes. Sorry dude, gonna have to invade your personal space here. ]

I’ll try to make it lightweight enough that it doesn’t bother you. Give me… I don’t know, a couple weeks since we’ve still got school? And I’ll give a heads up so you can try it on.

[frostythehitman]

[ As soon as the measuring starts, James t-poses holds perfectly still to let Leo work. He knows more or less how this goes, he's gotten measured to hell and back by doctors enough times in the past year or so. This isn't so different. He does spare himself the chance to nod, though. ]

Yeah, okay. Just...try and make it interchangeable too. I don't think I'm gonna wear the new arm 24/7, so I still need to be able to use the old one.