#tox.

“Doc, don't come at me with that.”

  Clear spring lives in his look, an easy smile close in tow. He shines with the echo of mischief — something from a past life filtering through. Not enough to break through the ease of rapport. As per instructions, he leans back.

Headcanon Questions

There was a point where, even though his parents were encouraging him, and even though the city had its plans for him, going through with all the schooling and the training was optional. Well. Presented as optional. Realistically if he'd said no there probably would have been some series of events that pushed him to changing that answer, but at the time that he made it he didn't know that. Didn't have that pressure. He chose freely, without fear of consequence if he did say no. It's just that he didn't.

Instead he went through with the skips and the specialized education and the training. He gained his skillset, and lost everything else. Being in the program —think boarding school— spared his life, too. And there are days where... it's not so straightforward as wishing it hadn't. But it does hurt. The living.

  He laughs easily, not in the least put out to be pulling faces. Wild doesn’t so directly remind him of his sister, but the teasing strikes a similar chord. Wild and Tech both make his heart ache a little. But it’s a good ache. Tox hooks a finger over the box’s edge to pull it closer and inspect the contents.

“I'm fine, just. . . give me a minute."

  Ah, the catchphrase of the desert. He'd heard it more than any other curse, clipped insult, or claim of cowardice. For anything and everything under the sun - mild sprain? Missing finger? Literal gutting? I'm fine. He doesn't let go of her shoulders.

Character Development Questions

He's been a little divisive in the past admittedly when he was styled a little differently as a character (there was a stronger religious angle and people Did Not Like It), but mostly he's on good terms with people. Being a medic type doesn't hurt, of course, but I think a lot of it comes from him having a really generous, nonjudgmental nature. Pair that nature with a keen eye and a good sense of humor and he often ends up as Advice Guy, one-on-one with people.

In settings where he's strictly the medic to someone and nothing else, he anticipates being who one person or several people are looking to and leaning on for reassurance and steadiness. This means they might be looking for a few different things —someone less warm but more steady, steelish; someone very warm and comforting; someone In Charge— so he's got all of that in a back pocket, so to speak. He takes from experience to know which way to lean, in order to manage the situation. So you could say he's a little more calculating, with impersonal dynamics. Less focused on representing himself so much as meeting needs. Which isn't to say he effaces himself entirely, just it's often easier to control the things he needs to be able to control if he's going along with his patients and the people around them when he can, rather than fighting everyone all the way down.

In close relationships he's actually kind of a pain in the ass (affectionate.) He teases a lot, cracks a lot of jokes, which you won't necessarily see a lot of otherwise. Relaxed Tox is a very sassy Tox. He's also incredibly open handed with gestures of affection in various forms, if the other person is open to them (not that he withholds affection from patients, just that the nature of a comforting gesture is different than an affectionate one). Tech get kisses on the head. Jack and Tox tend to push each other around, light roughhousing style.

@lcfthaunted || Steam Powered Giraffe Prompts

“That girl was meant to fly.” It's murmured to herself, not any particular audience, but is unmistakably about Tech.

  The comment draws a sidelong look from Tox, pulling him away from his task with a questioning tilt to his expression. Then he follows Mazie's line of sight to find Tech. Chattering away, bright eyed, with Colton and her cat opposite. He's too far away to make out any of her words, but her gesturing is wide and only slightly wild, and her audience seemingly enthralled. It's a sight enough to twist his heart, in the same way it brings an easy smile. Yet the statement... surprises him. He's not sure Mazie knows enough to say it. He's not even sure he knows enough, despite the years and the fact he'd sewn the girl back together more times than he liked.