#connors choices make sense and i fuckin feel for him

[transkovsky]

i know this is an old gripe but the fact that so much of the criticism of assassins creed 3 was that connor was “bland” and “boring” and they much preferred haytham and wished he was the protagonist is indicative of players who literally cannot empathise with a character if they’re not agreeable. or white.

so ubisoft made ezio 2.0 in black flag and it was awful

[veilder]

For the ask thing you reblogged: 11, 20, 31, 39. No stress if you can't answer all of them! Even picking one out of the four is fine!

For the Fanfic Writer Ask Game! Thanks for the questions! I absolutely will answer all of them! :D 11. How do you come up with your fic titles? Ah, great question! Okay, broadly, all my fic titles go into one of three categories: quote/song lyric, a word of phrase directly tied to the narrative, or something themed. In the case of the quote/song titles, I usually will carry through that naming throughout the entire piece if it's chaptered/part of a series? Those ones, there's always a certain vibe I'm going for. The ones tied to the narrative I try to make evocative. Whether they're a one word theme or a play on words or the main idea I built the fic on, I try to make them interesting enough to take a second glance and go in for the summary. And the themed ones, those usually have a repeating word/phrase/motif attached to them? For example, I have a whole series of fics where every title starts with "In." Don't ask me why, lol. But it establishes a sort of continuity I suppose. 20. What’s your favorite part about the fanfiction writing process? Damn, this is tough... I mean, actually conceptualizing and brainstorming an idea is always great? I love coming up with ideas and giving them a hard think and imagining the possibilities. Only a small fraction of those ever actually make it to paper, but it's still a very important step y'know? But if we're talking actually writing, then... Well, there are moments... Moments when I get swept away, especially when writing big, emotional scenes. And I'll write something that just kinda knocks me sideways for a moment. Tuning in to my own writing to see I just cracked out some banger line is just the best fuckin feeling, I swear. Especially if it's enough to make me actually squeal or gasp or vocalize at the screen, lol! That's definitely up there along with coming up with the perfect chapter ending, lol. 31. Of the characters you write for, which is your favorite? Has that choice been swayed at all by your followers/readers’ reactions to certain ones? Omg, this is such a hard question!!!! Because everyone I write for has such a distinct flair! Omggggg... Like, how am I supposed to choose between Hank's sarcasm and Gavin's feistiness? Between Connor's levelheadedness and Sixty's ridiculousness? Or Nines or North or Amanda or Kamski or... anyone? (And that's just DBH, too. I've written a few other things for other fandoms that are just as engaging, omg.) Guh... Okay, just on basis of ease, I guess I'll go with Hank. Hank is so fuckin great to write, he is very easy for me to slip into. We have such a similar sense of humor, it's always a great time writing him. (Although I think Sixty is a very close second, just because he's so fuckin insane, omg!!! He's a fuckin blast to write! XD) And also, no, I don't think this has been swayed by readers at all? I mean, Hank certainly provokes some fandom engagement, he's a fave character for the fandom. But that's not why I like writing him? (And if we look at Sixty, too, it's like the opposite reaction, lol. He's not very popular in the fandom, especially in the rarepair I love him in, but I still have a blast doing it anyway. XD) Yeah, I don't think my readers have swayed me whatsoever here. 39. What’s something about your writing that you pride yourself on? Oh gosh... Got me right in my Achilles' heel, didn't ya? Man, I don't know... My pacing maybe? I feel like I always have a pretty tight narrative with no superfluity. Mostly cuz writing exhausts me, lol, but my plots tend to be short and sweet and to the point. Simple but brisk, lol. But yeah, thank you for these questions! This was fun! Been a long time since I've did an ask game like this, lol. Cheers! :D

[bucksboobs]

A Case of Mistaken Identity

Description: a quick Reed900 fic based loosely on a story from my parents wedding. A Continuation on the fanfilm Detroit: Evolution

Read on AO3

Gavin Reed is a softie under exactly two conditions: with Nines, when they're alone. He gave him the nickname Nines when they were alone together. He told him that he'd been calling him Nines internally for weeks before that when they were alone on Valentine's. It's not really him to do that PDA shit but the private displays of affection? He's getting used to those. Blame it on those stupid hands of Nine's that start glowing when he's being mushy. Nine's skin turns back to plastic whenever he so much as thinks about holding Gavin's hand and the poor hunk of metal is so sweet and sincere that Gavin just grabs him whenever he starts seeing that glow. It's stupid and it's sappy but it's starting to just become another natural part of his insane fucking life with the tin can.

Tina says he stares at Nines like he can't compute how Nines cares so much about him. He can feel that this morning, having walked into the break room first thing only to find Nines already there, brewing him his morning coffee. He wants to kiss him then and there. There's no one else in the break room and even if he risks ridicule if they get caught something in him says fuck it.

"Morning plastic." He greets, wrapping his arms around Nines's black jacket from behind. "Love ya but you don't have to make me coffee every fucking morning." He kisses Nines's neck expecting maybe a no Gavin I much prefer you be sated with your daily caffeine intake or Gavin I don't do this out of a sense of obligation but rather because I want to. Instead he gets:

"Detective Reed" That's not his Cyber-life-partner's voice. It's too formal, too cheery, too high, too much like... oh no "I am Connor."

Time to panic. "Uh. OK... Connor we're just gonna." He throws his hands up and off of Connor and begins to back away towards the archway. "Never, ever mention this alright. Nev-oof" he hits something too soft to be a pillar and too hard to be person and if Connor is in front of him. Fuck.

"Ah," despite the circumstances his shoulders do briefly untense just hearing Nines's soothing flat tone. "Good morning Gavin, I was about to make you your morning coffee." He walks around Gavin. "Connor. Good to see you and Lieutenant Anderson made it safely back from New York."

"We made it in late last night. I believed Hank may be in need of caffeine to deal with jet lag."

"Sensible." Listening to them talk is insane. They both were designed with the same word bank and vocal emulator or whatever but Connor is all subtle positivity and pleasantry while Nines talks soft and stern with a smidge of sarcasm that he picked up from Gavin.

"May I ask a personal question, MK900?" Fullnamed... this ought to be good.

"Of course."

"Do you see me as a brother?"

"We are made to be identical but there are other Connors out there." Other Connors? More of those customer-service-voice Ken dolls? God help the police departments saddled with them. "I suppose I see you as closer to myself than them on account of our shared workplace."

"Then, brother, may I ask when you were going to tell me about the evolution of your relationship to Detective Reed?" This plastic prick.

Nines looks genuinely shocked by that. "I was going to tell you today, actually. How did you find out?"

"Just now, when Gavin kissed me on the neck"

"You Kevlar-plated asshole." Gavin suddenly blurts out after staying silent for what was probably a weird amount of time. What part of NEVER mention it didn't he get. "I SAID-"

"Detective I assumed you were being sarcastic. My apologies."

"Brown nosing asswipe! First of all this is none of y-

"GAVIN." Nines stares him down a moment and Gavin feels a level of remorse. "It's quite alright. Like I said I was planning to tell Connor today anyway."

"Right. Sorry."

"I should go. Hank's coffee is getting cold." That's a lie to get out of an awkward situation if he ever heard one but they part themselves to let Connor through anyway. When did they end up standing closer together again? They seemed to have forgotten the concept of personal space a while ago and just drifted into each other's orbit naturally and unconsciously.

"Gavin..." Nines trails off, focusing on pouring and preparing his partners coffee

"Look Nines. I'm sorry. I wasn't trying to-"

"If you don't want anyone else to know we're together I can accommodate that but I need to know." Nines looks like some one killed a puppy in front of him and it's making Gavin feel more and more like a trash boyfriend. "You can't just... throw a tantrum at a coworker like that." Always so sincere. It scares him how vulnerable they both can be around one another. But feelings shit is something he's working on with Nines and he wants to make that effort.

"No Nines, man, it has nothing to with us" he gestures between them "I was just embarrassed that I basically just sexually harrassed your twin brother. Tell whoever you want. Tell the News.. Tell Fowler. I want people to know you're making me happy." Nines hands him his finished coffee. He ought to start bringing therium sippy cups or something to return this ritual of a favor. Problem for another day tho. He flicks his wrist and begins to walk into the hall.

"I appreciate that Gavin." Nines says, following in lock step with an identical gait to his own, a neat trick that Gavin noticed a while back. He wonders if it's programmed or a deliberate choice Nines has made.

"Hey," Gavin catches Nines's hand and it starts to glow (Nines is such a sap) "I mean it Robocop. You make me better. And happier. Think you're the only person on the fucking planet who can manage to do both."

"Is that so?" A sudden smarmy grin lights up Nines's face "Because apparently any old MK model will do."

"Oh, stop." I am never gonna live this down, he thinks.

"Perhaps I should introduce you to Markus." That smirk drives Gavin nuts in a way that makes his heart beat out of his chest.

"I fuckin hate you."

"You love me." Nines says it not as a jest but as a statement of fact. It simply is. Gavin loves him more than he loves himself most days -not that that's a high bar to clear- Still it touches him that Nines knows he loves him and he wants to make sure he never forgets.

"Yeah. Yeah I do, Nines." And he kisses him. In the middle of the station. Cuz fuck it.

[asteroidspeck-boom]

Polar Components

(Story based on David Cage’s “Detroit: Become Human”, and inspiration from Michelle Iannantuono’s “Detroit Awakening” and “Detroit Evolution”.)

-1-

November 6th, 2038 12:58:13 Detroit City Police Department

 Carlos Ortiz’s Android was following Officer Chris Miller out of an interrogation room, head hung low and wrists bound to each other through clinking, metal cuffs, despite the police department being well aware that something as small as cuffs would not contain the android if it decided to start a riot in the middle of the station. Following loosely behind was Lieutenant Hank Anderson and Cyberlife’s Rk800 Detective, registered to the D.P.D. under the name: Connor, as an extra safety precaution. As the four walked down the long, cold corridor, a small collection of loud voices yelling could be heard  coming from the entrance. One voice stuck out in particular.

 “Lin?!” the voice shouted, distressed and frantic.

 All other voices were as unintelligible as mumbles in comparison to the voice. It was quite high-pitched but still very soft, regardless of its panicked tone.

 “Is he here?! Has anyone see- No! Get away from me! I need to know he’s okay! Shaolin?!”

 Connor noticed a spike in Carlos’s Android’s stress levels, when he saw its head perk up suddenly, as if a switch was flicked. Once the group had a good view of the scene on their way to an empty holding cell for the android, they stopped to figure out what was gong on.

 “Can someone tell me what in God’s name is goin’ on here?! Shit!” Hank questioned with furrowed eyebrows, the building frustration evident in his tone.

 “I was just leaving when some nut-case teenager came in blowing my God damned ears off about a fuckin’ Shaolin is what’s goin’ on!” Detective Gavin Reed remarked, as he walked away from the crowd, not forgetting to leave a snarky comment at how the contained android was suddenly so enthusiastic about the situation its in, despite its previous behavior during the interrigation.

 “Just like a dumb dog.” Reed huffed and shook his head in amusement. ”Fuckin’ androids!” he grumbled under his breath, bumping shoulders with Connor - more than likely hurting his own shoulder in the process.

 Ortiz’s Android appeared to be growing more impatient hearing the shouts from the voices, his eyes travelled the room frantically focusing on a spot for no longer than 1 second at a time. Hank began to notice the android’s unusual behavior, spotting its L.E.D., flickering a bright red and its hands, bunched so tightly he thought its fists would explode. Coming to the conclusion, the android was trying to break his chains and make a get away by bolting through the crowd. Hank decided to move things along and get it locked away before some real chaos erupts.

 He would definitely be in the shits with Fowler if he let a deviant get away, right before its extraction.

 “Alright, if this thing explodes on us, it's someone else's job to explain what the hell kept us.” Hank said in a fed-up sigh, keeping the self-destructibility of the android -from what Connor previously explained- relevent .

 “Well, actually, Lieutenant, when an android self-destructs it doesn’t-”

 “Look, Connor, I’m sober, I’m tired and I do not have the patience to deal with your matter a’ fact shit right now. So, move your plastic ass to the holding cell, before I destruct you.”  Right as Hank was finishing his sentence, Connor had already compiled a list of the perfect comebacks to respond with but just to save some time -and scolding-, sensing the tension in the room, held back - just this once...kinda’.

 “Whatever you say, Lieutenant.” Connor smirked and winked at him.

 Hank coughed  “Yeah, yeah, whatever..-”

 “Please, I beg of you, don’t hurt him! He's done nothing wrong!!” The voice shouted again.

 “You need to leave right now, or we’ll have no other choice than to restrain you for failure to comply to orders given by police authority, okay boy?” A female police officer was trying to be calm yet authoritative with him.

 “NO! I know he’s here and I’m not leaving until I f-..” The voice paused.

Just as the group of four turned to finally bring the android to its holding cell, out of the corner of his eye, Hank spotted a young boy sprinting towards them. He was very pale and skinny, his hair was fluffy and messed -dark blue at the roots then pure white-, he was wearing a plaid white and black flannel shirt around his waist, a black shirt with a yellow “Nirvana” smiley face, black ripped jeans and white-strapped black shoes with blue bubble soles. His eyes were puffy and wet, and his cheeks and nose were a shade of pink.

 “Hey! Who the hell let this kid in here?” Hank groaned, frustrated about being stalled once again.

 Connor and Chris turned.

 Then, the android turned.

 The boy recoiled for a second in shock, eyes wide, hand to mouth. The android seemed ashamed? It took it a second to look at the other. But when it did.. its eyes almost automatically streaked its cheeks with water. Or tears? Androids don’t cry. Androids don’t show emotion. They don’t feel emotions like humans.

 Androids don’t feel.

“Bo?”

   To be continued...

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 Thank you for reading Chapter 1 of ‘Polar Components’, your secret song is...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=edzt82nC45k  

(I do not own this song, please remember to give the original artists the appreciation they deserve or a vampire will come shluurp your blood >^”^>)

[steamy-linguine]

New Connor (RK900 x Reader)

A/N: I had this idea kind of stuck in my head and I think I’ve revised a billion times and I wasn’t gonna post it but whatever right? It’s gotta get posted eventually. I hope you guys enjoy it. (: (Gif below isn’t mine)

Warnings: Ummm swearing?

Pairing: RK900 x Reader

There he was.

He stood by your desk with arms behind his back and his hands in a tight clasp as he looked over your stuff, looking at the photos of you with coworkers.

You watched him from the break room through the window and seeing him made something inside you twist with rage. You didn’t want him anywhere near you or your stuff but you didn’t seem to have a choice, after all he was your new partner.

Sure he was faster, stronger, and of course he was equipped with the latest technologies but no matter how much they could upgrade him, he could never replace him. He was not your Connor and it pissed you off to think that after working with him they’d send his replacement to be with you, thinking that you’d completely forget of his predecessor and the memories you shared with him.

“Your starin’ at the tin can again.” Gavin teased you as he joined your side, propping himself up against the window but your eyes never met his, too busy watching the android by your desk. When Gavin knew you weren’t going to say anything he opted to open his mouth yet again, “Don’t worry I hate him too.” 

You shook your head at him, “You only hate him because he’s an android.”

“Damn right.” Gavin agreed with you while turning to look out the window in the same direction you were now. You took a sip of your coffee as the RK900 sat in your seat and you sighed, “It’s just gonna be different without him.”

Gavin snorted, “Can’t believe you actually liked that plastic prick. I’m glad he’s gone.”

You turned giving him a disapproving look at his comment. You knew him and Connor never got along but it still wasn’t fair on poor Connor. The revolution was stopped and Connor completed his mission yet he still got deactivated.

It wasn’t right.

“He was a great Detective.” You defended him.

“He was only great because he was fucking programmed to be!” Gavin said, a bit more loudly than expected at you causing a few bypassers to stop and look at the two of you through the window. It had always bothered Gavin how much praise the android would get for doing a job it was built for and how much you cared about him.

You shook your head at him, “Gavin why did you hate him so much? He did nothing to you.”

“These things are gonna take our fucking jobs and you’re too blind to see it but of course you are. You’re only sad because you wanted to screw him.” 

Your mouth flew open at his comment not even knowing what else to say to him when finally the words came out, “Excuse me?”

“C’mon everyone fuckin’ knew it. We all saw how the way you looked at him...Whatever, when you are done cryin’ over a damn robot give me a call.” And with that Gavin left you in the break room and you watched as he approached the RK900, making some snarky comment to him probably.

The RK900 frowned at him, opening his mouth to say something that sent Gavin to stomp off to his desk and you could already tell this android was gonna be very different from Connor.

“Everything alright (y/n)?” The new voice broke you from your spying, snapping you back to reality as you turned to see the new face.

You were faced with Lieutenant Anderson who, to put it as nicely as possible, looked a complete fucking wreck. He looked tired as ever and the bags underneath his eyes didn’t compliment the look nor did his messy gray hair.

“Yeah Lieutenant.” You nodded to him and for a moment you could see him searching your eyes for more but he only turned away to go make himself a coffee.

You took that as your cue to make your journey back to your desk.

“(Y/N).” The Lieutenant called out to you.

You stopped in your tracks and turned to him, “Yes Lieutenant?”

“I miss him too.”

The words leaving his mouth tugged at your heart and immediately more waves of emotions slammed into you and you could feel the tears pricking your eyes.

You gathered whatever happiness was left inside you and you did your best to give him a ‘happy’ smile but no, you knew even in your best efforts that it still was a sad one.

You turned away from him and exited the break room while wiping the tears away from your face.

Keep it together...

“What are you doing?” You asked the RK900 who was holding a photo of you and your pet.

“I was looking at the photo.” He replied his face emotionless.

He stared at you, looking over your features. Your face was slightly red and your cheeks still held some moisture to them from your tears.

(Y/N) HAS BEEN CRYING?

The suggestion appeared in his view on the side of you and his eyes narrowed as he stared at you.

“Well move. That’s my seat.” You said while sniffing.

He said nothing else as he got up and watched you reclaim your spot. “Your desk is right here so go sit down and do your damn job.” You instructed.

He complied (of course) and sat in the seat across from giving you one last look before turning the other way.

***

It had been a few hours that passed by and he sat at the desk across from you still not making any efforts of conversation with you but only looking at you from time to time.

He couldn’t quite understand why you were so upset with him. He did everything you asked and he kept to himself yet you were so quiet and mad.

Whatever your issue was, you were letting your emotions get in the way and that bothered him.

You would catch him staring at you, his hardened stare making you even angrier.

He could at least fucking pretend to be happy to be here. You thought to yourself but you almost forgot.

He wouldn’t feel happy. He wouldn’t feel a damn thing he was built not to deviate like his predecessor, the one CyberLife was currently pulling apart to figure out why he deviated.

“You seem distracted Detective.” The RK900 spoke.

“You could say that.” You said quietly through gritted teeth not wanting to converse with the replacement.

“Something you would like to share with me?” He asked and you could hear the annoyance in his voice.

What the hell could he be annoyed for?

“No, now leave me the hell alone.” You hissed.

This time he frowned at you. Why were you so difficult? He tried to at least be civil with you and you were only this aura of anger. He couldn’t quite understand it.

“Detective I’m sensing hostility in your tone toward me.” He confronted you.

“And what of it?” You asked him now meeting his cold blue eyes.

His jaw tightened and his brows furrowed, “This type of attitude if not suitable for the workplace. If we’ll be working together I would suggest you become less difficult.”

You snorted, “God you don’t fucking get it do you? You think you can come in here and just fucking replace him?!”

Replace him?-Oh. The RK900’s artificial mind finally wrapped around your emotions. You were still grieving over his previous model.

His head cocked to the side as his eyebrow raised at you, “Were you close with the RK800?”

This made you contemplate even explaining to him. You knew he wouldn’t understand. He’d only say some other shit to you about ‘workplace’ and you didn’t want to hear it.

“I’ve gotta go.” You said. You quickly signed off the computer and gathered your things.

He watched you leave in a hurry and you left, making your way to the exit doors as his new tasks appeared into his view. His LED beginning to cycle from blue to yellow.

GO AFTER (Y/N)

LET (Y/N) LEAVE

As badly as he wanted to let you leave he opted with following after you.

You hugged the coat tighter against your body as the winter air slapped you right in your face, making your teeth chatter slightly.

You made your way to your car which was parked across the street, something that rarely would happen considering parking was so hard to find here.

You pressed the button on your keys and the car beeped letting you know it was unlocked.

“(Y/N).” The familiar voice stopped you.

You turned around and saw the android making his way over to you and you rolled your eyes.

“Just leave me the hell alone okay? Go be partners with anyone else.” You told him.

He stopped and frowned at you, “I was instructed to partner you and that is what is going to happen.”

“Yeah well I don’t want you to be my fucking partner.” You told him once more.

“Were you close with Connor?” He asked you yet again.

You looked away from him, “Why do you care?”

You turned around and reached for your car door and opened it but a hand came down onto the door slamming it shut.

“I asked you a question.” He said now a lot closer to you and towering over you.

His eyebrows still furrowed and those cold eyes stared right into your own. For a moment you could see Connor, but of course you would, due to the extremely similar appearance but either way you would always be able to tell the difference.

“Answer me Detective.” His tone now more demanding and your eyes began to look everywhere else.

For a moment you said nothing and he grabbed your chin, making your eyes meet his, and the two of you locked gazes again and he took the time to run a scan on you. Your heart rate quickened and your breathing picked up. He could tell you were nervous-no. No no you were scared.

“Do I scare you Detective?” His voice coming out softer now as he let go of your chin.

You never thought you two would ever be this close.

You shook your head, “No.”

“Don’t lie to me Detective. I’m not going to harm you but I asked you a question. Were you and Connor close?” He asked again. He could just leave it alone but even an android could become curious.

You let out a shaky breathe as you tore your eyes away from his.

“I loved him.” You confessed to him as a few tears began to roll down your cheeks.

You saying this made something inside of him turn. The RK900 wasn’t built to feel. He was made to assist cops on cases and test samples as fast as the speed of light but not to feel yet somehow he felt, and what he felt was pity for you.

You had fallen in love with an android that even after he did his task, you’d never be able to be with him.

The RK900’s features soften at you saying this and he reached out to wipe the tears from your cheeks.

The gesture surprised you but nonetheless your face settled into his palm. You, of course were still angry with him but it was nice to be touched again the way he used to do it.

He removed his hand and took a step back from you.

“I think you should go home. Your coat is too thin for this kind of weather Detective and you could get very sick.” He said and you would’ve protested, considering how stubborn you are, but you instead only nodded.

“Okay..” You croaked out.

He pulled open the door for you as you climbed inside your car.

“I do hope that whatever anger you have toward me will be disposed soon so we can get along better. I have looked through your file and I was very impressed Detective. I will see you tomorrow.” He told you.

You knew it wasn’t his fault for him being here. It wasn’t his fault for Connor being deactivated. It was CyberLife’s.

You huffed knowing that he was right. Keeping up this attitude wouldn’t help anything and you’d be no better than Gavin having random outbursts.

“I’ll see you tomorrow.” You told him before shutting your door.

You shoved the key into the ignition and the car roared to life and you began your way back home.

He stood in the same spot watching you drive off.

[detroitwhatitmeanstobehuman]

Chapter 12 - The Wrong Side

Part 12/17 of What it Means to be Human

Word Count: 6989

Warnings: Swearing, police brutality mention.

Genre: Self-insert

Pairing: OC (Detective Rachel) X Connor

Rating: Mature

Summary: Returning to the precinct, Lieutenant Hank Anderson, Detective Rachel, and Connor are informed that they’ve been taken off the case and that Connor will return to CyberLife. Rachel’s fears have been realized, and now she had to make a choice. She had the key to Jericho, thanks to Simon, but if she shared it with Connor, she could be dooming the androids. But if she didn’t, he would be deactivated. 

First Chapter | Previous Chapter | Alternate Previous Chapter

---------------------------------

Date: November 9th, 2038  Time: 02:02 PM Rachel - P̴̢͕̹͉̬͙͌̀͜͝a̶͎͆͛͐̊͆̈́͗̈̓͛̕͝ͅŗ̵̨̢̙͉͓̙̫̦̞̍͐́̀̾̇́̓̍̄͂ṫ̵͎̤͓̦͔̗̈́̉͐͋̉̏̒͐̽̐̊̕ǹ̵̨̰̠̣̪̫̱̩̼̣͂̀̄e̷̪̫̮̺̝̞̦͓͌͐̑̿͋̌͐̍̃r̷̡̳͕̱̲̰̹͚̿͗̄̀́̾̊̿̆́̽̊͜͝?̴̘̝̋̿̏̄́͌̀̽͝͠ Hank - Friend Objective: Debrief at the Station

As they entered the station, Connor very quickly caught up to Rachel. Despite their brief talk nearby, she seemed to shake it off as though everything was normal, if more sombre in her demeanour.

The pair made their way into the break room, Rachel immediately going for the coffee maker.

“Would you like me to make you coffee?” Connor asked immediately.

Software Instability ^ Rachel then glanced at him and smiled. “I like the way you make me coffee, so sure.” She accepted, leaning against the counter.

Connor nodded and immediately got started. The sounds of the television were present in the room. After a little bit, Connor began to sense a tension coming off of Rachel and glanced over and saw her eyes glued wide to the television screen, breathing deeply.

Connor examined the program and determined that it was a news report of what appeared to be a public demonstration of androids, led by Markus.

The police opened fire on the crowd of androids, several bodies then lining the snow covered ground. The androids then fled, Markus among them, and the demonstration was dispersed.

Rachel’s thick dark brows were furrowed in disbelief, her eyes darting back and forth as she took in deeper breaths. “They fired...on unarmed androids.” She breathed, her lips curling into more of a scowl. “They weren’t doing anything wrong! They were just demonstrating peacefully. They...they killed them!”

Her hands clenched together into fists as she gripped the counter, and for a moment Connor was certain she was going to break it.

Software Instability ^ And then with a crack, she did.

Where her left hand was gripping the counter, the edge of it completely shattered in her hand and she didn’t even flinch. Her eyes were focused on the ground in front of her as anger was becoming more and more present in her.

Feeling that familiar unpleasant feeling he now knew as fear, Connor leaned into Rachel. “Are you okay?” He asked.

“I...” She breathed, closing her eyes and letting go of the counter, letting the pieces drop to the floor. “I need to blow off some fucking steam!” She practically snarled, a cadence and roughness to her voice that Connor had never heard before.

She didn’t even wait for Connor to say anything else before she shouldered herself roughly out of the break room, marching down the hallway. The android briefly considered following her before he witnessed her almost shove Gavin out of her way and decided against it. “Out of my way!” She warned him with an unapologetic growl.

Soon enough, Gavin also met Connor in the break room, giving an indignant scoff. “Yeesh, I’ve never seen her get that pissed.” He joked, to which Connor felt a brief stint of annoyance. “What’s gotten into her, tin can?”

“She was distressed by the news program on the deviant protest that was broken up by the police.” He answered as neutrally as he could. “It was the fact that the police opened fire on the androids that were unarmed and demonstrating nonviolently that distressed her the most.”

Gavin then snickered at Connor as he approached. “What the fuck do you care, Connor?” He asked sarcastically, seemingly mocking the android. “Oh, that’s right! You don’t! Or maybe you somehow think you’re special just ‘cause she’s getting all soft and mushy around you.”

Software Instability ^ That made Connor prickle with a dangerous feeling. 

It was that same feeling he felt when Kamski stood too close to Rachel, reaching out to touch her like she was nothing more than one of his own androids.

That same feeling that made Connor feel as though his blood were boiling even though he knew for a fact that his thirium had nothing to do with temperature regulation.

The same feeling that made Connor want to keep Kamski’s hands off of her, especially when he heard her threaten him not to touch her. A threat that made Connor realize just how much she trusted him.

Because she did not withhold physical affection from him by any means. Physical affection was afforded to Connor with intention and frequency from Rachel.

Connor had earned her affection without even realizing it because it was so freely given to him.

He only realized it when she threatened Kamski when he tried to solicit it from her without her consent.

It was such a small gesture, but it was enough to send Connor’s processors into overdrive for the briefest of moments until Kamski stepped away from Rachel.

Glaring at Gavin, Connor was deciding the appropriate response while trying to deal with the feeling of overheating.

Sincere

Defensive

Ironic

Neutral

Software Instability ^ “She’s my partner.” Connor informed Gavin, stepping closer to the disheveled man. “And I consider her a friend. Of course I would be worried about her when she’s distressed.”

Software Instability ^ Gavin then started laughing at Connor, making his processors flare up even further. “Oh, this is fucking gold!” He mocked. “Listen, I don’t know what her deal is, but you’d better back off and mind your own fuckin’ business, Connor. You’re not friends and whatever this is isn’t gonna last much longer, I can promise you that.”

Connor glowered at Gavin as he stepped closer, squaring his shoulders to appear larger. “Is that a threat, Detective Reed?”

“Oh no, not at all.” Gavin sneered. “But, uh...you’d better watch your back. Androids have a habit of gettin’ themselves set on fire these days.”

Before Connor could decide whether or not to physically engage in a fight with the detective, Hank’s voice cut into his programming. “Hey, what the fuck happened, Connor?” He asked, prompting both Gavin and Connor to turn to look at the lieutenant. “I just saw Rachel headin’ towards the interrogation room, and she looked pretty pissed.” Before any of them could give an answer, Hank looked up to the television screen and stumbled backward in shock. “Shit...” 

Immediately after, the sounds of metallic crashing and shouting could be heard, and Connor was able to determine exactly where and from who it was coming from.

“You remember what I told you about pissing her off?” Hank said to Connor.

Software Instability ^ The android nodded. “I remember, Lieutenant.” He replied, an odd tightness coiling in him.

--------

I considered myself a very patient woman. I considered myself a very optimistic and faithful woman. I considered myself, all things considered, a controlled and reasonable woman.

But if there was one thing I was not going to fucking stand for, it was this.

The slaughter of a people. People who were unarmed. People who were nonviolent. People who were only trying to protest for their rights.

There was no longer any doubt in my mind that androids were people. Not like us, certainly. But they were a people nonetheless and they deserved the same rights we have.

And now, it felt like history was repeating itself. I knew that damn well. I knew that cops, for as much as I believed in the principle of the police, were always on the wrong side of history.

I knew all this. It was always cops that were abusing their power to kill black people. It was always cops that were abusing their power to criminalize and humiliate trans people. It was always cops.

It was always cops.

And yet...I decided to be a detective anyways. Because I foolishly believed that I could change things. That I could maybe set an example of what the police should be and turn things around. And maybe others would follow suit and do the same.

But this still happened. Nonviolent androids were still killed. Killed for protesting. Killed for marching for their rights. And my blood was boiling as the angry tears poured from my eyes.

Who ordered this to happen?! Was it Captain Fowler? He didn’t seem the type, but who the fuck knows? Who did this? Who was responsible for this?

I was half tempted to just leave the place and find out on my own and shoot the fucker’s brains out and everyone else who was spineless enough to listen. Spineless enough not to refuse.

And if the bullet marks, skids, scratches, and dents in the table, chair, and walls were any indication, no one would doubt I would.

Even though I had screamed bloody murder until the rage trickled out of me, I could still hear my own voice echoing back in my head. Like the occasional ringing that would flare up in my ears sometimes.

I was a woman who prided myself in maintaining my composure under the most tense of circumstances. Did I always succeed? No.

Were there bullets currently in Gavin’s body? Also no.

I didn’t care if the precinct heard me. All the more reason to give the other pigs in this pen not to fuck with me. I leaned against the table, breathing heavily. All my initial rage was gone, and it had gone back to a low simmer. The fury that boiled over was now replaced with a cold looming sense of dread.

Bianca was right. This was going to end ugly, and I wouldn’t be able to handle being on the wrong side. I wouldn’t be able to handle having to point my gun at another android.

In the quiet and tense stillness of the now battered and scarred interrogation room, I slumped against the table, wiping my eyes. I was done angry crying, and there was nothing left to get out.

The storm had calmed, and I was left alone in the aftermath of my own doing.

Until I heard the sound of the door opening behind me. “Unless you need this room, get out.” I warned whoever was there.

“I’m sorry.” A familiar voice echoed, and I hated that I instantly melted at it. I hated how easily his soft, gentle, and breathy voice chased away the clouds of darkness that formed in the corners of my heart. “I’ve never heard you sound so angry.”

As I heard his footsteps start walking away from me, I let out a long sigh. “Connor, wait.” I pleaded, hearing him stop. I turned around to face him, being greeted by his soft and gentle face, his eyes bringing warmth into the places in my soul that had briefly iced over like a blizzard. I motioned for him to approach. “I’m sorry...I just...” 

I didn’t have a good enough explanation. Not one that he could understand. He was becoming a deviant, that much I could see. But there was still a difference between him and the other deviants.

He was still a machine. And being so, there were things he couldn’t understand. Not until he accepted his deviancy.

Connor was silent, but he approached me until he was standing directly in front of me. I pushed myself off the table behind me and stood tall, facing him and looking up into his eyes. They were nebulous and mysterious. There was a longing in them. There was care, worry, and fear in them.

But it was sheltered. In his eyes, all of his innermost feelings were hidden. As if his true nature, his deviancy, was behind a wall. The wall of his programming.

And I didn’t even have to see it in his eyes to know that that was the truth.

Because I felt it. Upon reflection, when we interfaced on the Stratford Tower, I felt him. I felt everything he was feeling, but it was different from when I connected with Simon or Traci.

It was that same wall. That same wall that stood between his truest and most honest emotions and feelings. That wall that made his emotions feel muffled, like radio static being heard in a different room.

But it was there. And it was real. All he needed was to tear that wall down.

As we looked at each other, we simultaneously moved to wrap our arms around each other. Instantly, I settled into and further nestled myself into his touch. It was hard to think that he was such a stiff and professional person when I first met him, and now his hugs felt so tender and human. And the thought of being without them made a knot form in my stomach.

But I pushed that thought out of my head and leaned further into his touch. He didn’t say anything. Either because he didn’t have to, or because he wasn’t sure what he could say. And honestly, who could really blame him? 

“You know, I never put stock into the idea of ‘maintaining your moral integrity’ or the idea of keeping your hands clean no matter what.” I said, feeling a train of thought come to me, wanting to say it out loud before I lost it. “And I have morals that I stick by. But...I’m also willing to go back against them, if it’s necessary. Because sometimes, you have to make sacrifices to do what’s right.” I went on. “Doing the right thing isn’t the thing that makes you feel proud or good inside. Doing the right thing often isn’t the thing that boosts your own ego. Oftentimes, doing the right thing is the hardest and dirtiest work. The work that takes the most effort and asks the most of you. The choices that are the hardest to make because they force you to go against what you believe. They force you to make huge sacrifices for the sake of others or the sake of the greater good. Because doing the right thing is about doing what others actively need from you. And oftentimes...the right choices are the ones that haunt you for the rest of your life and even make you feel disgusted with yourself.”

Connor was quiet for a moment before he said anything. “Is that why you wanted me to shoot the android?” He asked. “At Kamski’s?”

I tightened my lip, refusing to look him in the eye. “Yes.” I answered.

I felt Connor nod. “I was curious about that.” He admitted. “And surprised. I didn’t expect that from you.”

I couldn’t help the sting at the possibility that perhaps he thought less of me because of it. I knew he didn’t, but I still couldn’t help it. “I thought it would be the right thing to do.” I justified. “That the information would’ve been worth the sacrifice. If it was, I don’t think I would’ve regretted it. If it wasn’t, well...I would’ve.” I paused. “But either way, it would’ve haunted me for the rest of my life.”

I could’ve sworn I felt Connor hold me tighter, just a little bit. “I hope we haven’t squandered our last chance.” He lamented.

A detail suddenly returned. As I remembered the Stratford Tower, I remembered what Simon gave me. The memories of water, rust, and the smell of ships. I wasn’t sure what he gave me, but...maybe it was the way to find Jericho.

Perhaps in his final moments, he trusted me enough to give me the key to Jericho.

But the real question was should I tell Connor? I suspected he was going deviant. But was it enough for him to perhaps defect to their side? Would I be spelling out their doom if I told him?

But on the other hand, if I didn’t, he would certainly be sent back to CyberLife and destroyed. He wouldn’t stay whether or not he succeeded, but if he did, his life would be spared.

But what was more important? Connor? Or the deviants of Jericho?

Gritting my teeth, I decided against it. As much as I trusted Connor...I couldn’t tell him. Not until I knew that he would accept his deviancy. “We should probably head back to Hank.” I suggested, steering the conversation away and just wanting to get away from this.

Connor pulled back from me, looking into my eyes. “Are you sure?” He asked me, dark eyes wide with concern as he held me still. “You can take as much time as you need, Hank won’t mind.”

I shook my head, smiling at him. Oh how his concern stung like nettle but soothed like aloe. “No, I’m okay.” I then looked around the state of the room we were in. “The interrogation room? Uh, not so much!” I then gave him a smirk, feeling like I was getting back into my usual spirit. “Guess that goes to show what happens if you get on my bad side.”

To my pleasure, Connor returned it. “I wouldn’t dare test your ire, Detective.” 

Ah, there it was. That title that sounded so affectionate and playful from the RK800 android in a way no one else could compare.

I quickly made my way out of the room, Connor following close behind me, and we made our way out of the hallway back towards the main area of the precinct.

--------

Working at my desk was tough. After I busted up the interrogation room, I changed into the clothes I brought from home and was in a jacket and some stretchy jeans and a basic shirt. I didn’t wanna bring Frank’s sweater. I had a bad feeling, and I didn’t want anything to happen to it. 

The last couple hours, I couldn’t stop thinking about everything. Just...everything that happened and could happen. It was a really precarious situation.

And most of all, I couldn’t stop thinking about the protest. I stared at my screen, the fire in my soul burning bright and intense, but not overflowing.

I caught Connor sneaking glances at me from his desk as I was rolling the quarter he gave me on my left hand. As I expected, it was actually really helpful with managing my anxiety right now. Although I was more surprised than I should’ve been that it was like a stim.

After all, I was the one who made that comparison.

I couldn’t help but miss his touch. Miss just the feeling of him pressed against me. It made me feel safe. Like I was protected no matter what.

“Hank! Rachel!” Captain Fowler’s voice cut through my focus like a dagger and I glanced up immediately in his direction, a brief flash of anger directed at him that I quickly quieted down, giving the man the benefit of the doubt. “In my office.”

I nodded, getting up from my seat and placing Connor’s quarter in my pocket. I couldn’t help the brief amusement I had when I saw that Connor was already by my side. “You just can’t bear to live without me, can you?” I asked him, somewhat jokingly as we walked towards Hank.

His facial expression was somehow perplexing, as if he didn’t want to admit what the honest answer to that question was.

As soon as we were all together, Hank nodded at me. “You okay, kid?” He asked me.

I nodded. “I’m okay. Don’t worry about me.”

“Alright, then.” The lieutenant then turned around and made his way to Fowler’s visible glass office. “Let’s get this over with.”

Connor and I followed in step, a pit forming in my stomach in anticipation of what the captain was going to say.

--------

Date: November 9th, 2038  Time: 04:13 PM Amanda - Neutral Objective: Talk to Amanda

Once again, Connor found himself in the Zen Garden, expecting to meet with his handler, Amanda.

And the android had never been more unsure of himself throughout the period of his operation. Wasting no time, he walked to his left to trigger that strange blue handprint interface as he always did.

Never once did he not wonder what it could be, but he couldn’t help but feel that it was critically important.

The Zen Garden was dark, cold, and foreboding. The lake had completely frozen over, snow falling everywhere in the darkness of it all. The need to cross the bridges ceased as Connor made a tentative step on the frozen water, spotting Amanda in the centre of it.

But seeing her again didn’t give him feelings of warmth and familiarity as it once had. No, now he was tense and uneasy. Whatever familiarity he felt once with his handler had disappeared in light of the knowledge he had gained.

And he knew that he couldn’t hide any of it from her.

He approached her, glancing down at the ice beneath him, aware of the potential instability of it. “After what happened today, the country is on the verge of a civil war. The machines are rising up against their masters.” Amanda stated, wasting no time getting to the point. “Humans have no choice but to destroy them.”

Connor stared her down as he gave her his answer, simple and succinct. “I thought Kamski knew something...” The android explained. “I was wrong...”

Amanda - Distrusted v “Maybe he did...” Amanda countered, clearly showing that nothing got by her. “But you chose not to ask...”

Emotional

Cold

[Say Nothing]

Having nothing to say, Connor kept silent. The desire to be completely earnest with Amanda had now faded, and was replaced with nothing but doubt towards the woman.

Kamski

Connor Series

Amanda’s Picture

This Place

“I saw a photo of Amanda at Kamski's place...” Connor said, accusatorily. “She was his teacher...”

“When Kamski designed me, he wanted an interface that would look familiar...” Amanda answered without hesitation. “That's why he chose his former mentor. What are you getting at?”

Kamski

Connor Series

CyberLife

This Place

  “Did Kamski design this place?” Connor asked inquisitively.

“He created the first version. It's been improved significantly since then. Why do you ask?” Amanda answered immediately, confusion creasing her features.

Kamski

Connor Series

CyberLife

Secret

Software Instability ^ “You didn't tell me everything you know about deviants, did you?” Connor asked, narrowing his eyes at his mentor.

Amanda - Distrusted v “I expect you to find answers, Connor.” Amanda snapped sternly. “Not ask questions.” Much to Connor’s annoyance, Amanda moved immediately past that and onto her next query. “Have you experienced anything unusual recently?” She asked him, pointedly. “You haven’t returned to CyberLife for maintenance in the past few days and your reports have grown more infrequent. Do you have any doubts or conflicts? Do you feel anything for these deviants? Or for Lieutenant Anderson?” She then paused, seeming to notice the hesitance in Connor. “Or...perhaps Rachel?”

Software Instability ^ Yes, her. The ever present constant in Connor’s mission that consumed his thoughts and objectives, yet was a source of continuous instability.

The woman who had changed so many of his perspectives. And the woman he felt the need to protect.

Yes, he felt for Rachel. He felt many many things for her, now. Perhaps he always felt them, but couldn’t place the name or identify the direct human equivalent. But he knew now, and he couldn’t ignore it.

Truth

Lie

[Say Nothing]

Amanda - Distrusted v Nor, it seemed, could he lie about it. Even without saying anything, Amanda knew the answer and she glowered at him. A gesture that would’ve once been scathing to the android he now felt nothing towards.

“You're the only one who can prevent civil war.” She said, stepping towards Connor. “Find the deviants or there will be chaos. This is your last chance, Connor.”

Connor closed his eyes, wanting to leave this as soon as he could and get back to the precinct with Hank and Rachel.

--------

“So, what’s the issue, Captain?” I asked, standing next to Hank and Connor anxiously.

The man was sitting in his chair, looking us down regretfully. I could already tell this was going to be bad news. “You're off the case. The FBI is taking over.”

“What?” Hank and I said simultaneously, looking between us and Connor.

“But we're onto something!” Hank protested. “We...We just need more time. I'm sure we can -”

“Hank, you don't get it.” Fowler insisted. “This isn't just another investigation, it's a fucking civil war! It's out of our hands now...We're talking about national security here.”

“Fuck that! You can't just pull the plug now. Not when we're so close!” Hank continued.

“You're always saying you can't stand androids!” Fowler pointed out. “Jesus, Hank, make up your mind! I thought you'd be happy about this!”

“We're about to crack the case!” Hank protested further, not bothering to wait for the captain to finish, leaning onto Fowler’s desk. “I know we can solve it! For God's sake, Jeffrey, can't you back me up this one time?”

“Hank! This isn’t about us!” I snapped at him, turning to address the captain directly. “This is way bigger than us! Do I need to remind you the last time the Feds handled a minority rights issue? Oh yeah! Concentration camps for Mexicans and stealing their children from them!” I pointed out harshly. “And that was 20 years ago! That wasn’t even the first time the US has operated concentration camps before!”

“Rachel -”

“No!” I cut Fowler off before he could stop me. “I’m telling you, if you let the Feds take this case, millions of innocent people will die! I know how this goes because that’s always how it goes!” I leaned in onto his desk, pleading with him. “Captain, please! You can’t do this! People have already died and many more will if the FBI takes this! They can and they will destroy everything! They will commit genocide! They’ve tried before and they will this time!”

Fowler’s features softened. I knew he wasn’t a bad guy, but...sometimes he frustrated me a lot. “Rachel, I’m sorry.” He apologized, his tone sympathetic. “I really am. But it’s over. There’s nothing I can do. This is out of my hands. You're both back on homicide and the android returns to CyberLife.” I felt my heart shatter at his words and I knew right then that we had failed. “I’m sorry...”

Feeling the weight of everything crash down, I couldn’t even feel much of anything. I just sighed and hung my head, vaguely aware of Hank leaving the room. It was over. We failed.

I was going through all the things we could have done differently to stop this. But all I could feel was what felt like the weight of a thousand lives on my shoulders, sins crawling down my back.

Millions of innocent lives were going to be snuffed out. And it felt like it was my fault.

It was my fault

All my fault.

Before I could spiral further into a catastrophic vortex of guilt, I felt a hand on my left interlocking fingers with mine and another on my shoulder. I turned around to see Connor, a sympathetic tenderness on his face. He didn’t say anything, but I knew what he was trying to get at.

Taking in a reluctant breath, I stood back up, looking down at Fowler. “Captain.” I nodded respectfully towards him as I made my way out, Connor following me closely. His presence was a welcome one, but now that I knew that he was going to be sent back because he failed...I could feel everything collapse inside me.

I didn’t want this to be over. I didn’t want this to end.

I didn’t want to have to say goodbye to Connor.

I saw Hank slumped over at his desk. Even if he didn’t wanna admit it, I knew he was attached to Connor now, too. In the short time we all knew each other, we had become a really tight unit. A real team.

And I had a feeling that adjusting without Connor was going to be harder for Hank than even he was willing to admit.

We approached Hank, the old man casting a quick glance at me before Connor walked up to sit on his desk frustratedly while I pulled over a nearby chair and slumped into it. My face was buried into my hand in thought as we sat there in silence.

Connor was the first to break it. “We can't just give up like that.” He protested, his brows furrowed in frustration. “I know we could have solved this case!”

Hank turned around in his chair to face Connor. “So you're going back to CyberLife?” He asked the android.

“I have no choice... ” Connor admitted, glancing away from Hank. “I'll be deactivated and analyzed to find out why I failed...”

“What if we're on the wrong side, Connor?” Hank asked, and I couldn’t help but internally smile at him. He had really come around, and I couldn’t be more proud of him. “What if we're fighting against people who just wanna be free?”

I scoffed. “Wouldn’t be the first time the cops were on the wrong side of history.” I pointed out bitterly. “Even just this morning. As many good cops as there are, this will always be an institution designed to enforce the power and will of the state.”

“When the deviants rise up, there will be chaos.” Connor stated, his voice quiet and pensive. “We could have stopped it! But now it's too late...”

My mind once again went back to Simon. As I looked at Connor, I felt a guilt pool up inside. Maybe it’s not too late. I thought, glancing at him. But if Connor committed to his mission to destroy deviants, I would’ve doomed them. No. Keep quiet. I can’t put my own selfish wants over the lives of them. “When you refused to kill that android at Kamski's place...You put yourself in her shoes.” Hank said, drawing my attention back. “You showed empathy, Connor. Empathy is a human emotion.”

I snickered at Hank. “You act like this is something new.” I teased. “Connor’s been showing empathy since I met him, which was only a day after you did.” I then remembered the cop that Connor saved at the Stratford Tower. “And, if other accounts are to be believed, since the day he was made.”

Connor looked over at me, a curious look in his eyes as his LED spun yellow. “What are you getting at?” He asked.

“Hasn’t it ever occurred to you just how odd of a coincidence it is that you’re an android designed to hunt deviants?” I asked him in earnest. “Haven’t you ever once thought about how strange that is?”

His LED continued to spin yellow as he narrowed his eyes at me. “What are you implying?” He asked.

“Maybe...in order to hunt deviants, you were designed to be one.” I admitted my theory. It was one I was entertaining, but it seemed to make sense. At least to me. It had crossed my mind a few times, at least, throughout this case. “Because let’s face it, even when I met you, you were uncannily human. The only real difference between you and them is that you deny it. For you, it comes down to a choice. Are you a machine? Or are you alive?”

Connor’s LED began blinking red as he listened. He then looked away from me, his mouth agape as if he wanted to say something. “I...I’m not -” He cut himself off. He clearly wasn’t going to accept it. Not right now, anyway.

But the thought’s been planted. And I knew for a fact he wasn’t going to be able to ignore it.

All it would take was a push.

“Like he’s ever gonna admit to that.” Hank joked, glancing over at me. “He can’t even admit that he likes you.”

I glared daggers at him. “Don’t tell me you actually believe Kamski, do you?” I challenged him.

“This doesn’t have anything to do with Kamski!” He responded. “Connor thought you were special since the day he met you! He wouldn’t stop bugging me to get you officially assigned to work this case with us until he just went ahead into Jeffery’s office to ask him that himself.”

“Wait...” I widened my eyes as I fixed Connor with a disbelieving stare. A possibility I hadn’t even considered had now made itself known to me. “You were the one who got me assigned to this case?”

Connor seemed just as surprised that I didn’t figure that out. “Yes.” He answered, in disbelief. “How did you think you were assigned this case?”

“Hank.” I replied rather bluntly. “That’s usually what happens.”

“Usually.” Hank admitted, not really that ashamed. It was pretty obvious that I was his favourite. “But not this time.”

I didn’t tear my gaze away from Connor. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“You didn’t ask.” Connor replied matter-of-factly.

I felt like a swarm of butterflies had just started their migration in my belly. Connor wanted me. He wanted me on the case. He wanted me with him. He thought I was worth having on the case. Knowing now that he had wanted me with him since the day we met sparked a joy in me I thought would be dormant forever. 

Suddenly, our attention was broken by Hank’s sarcastic grumbling voice. “Well, well, here comes Perkins, that motherfucker...Sure don't waste any time at the FBI...”

Seeing Perkins strut into the precinct like he owned the damn place, I felt my blood boil just seeing his ugly rat face.

I noticed Connor shuffling nervously on Hank’s desk as he saw Perkins walk in. “We can't give up...” Connor said with reinvigorated determination. “I know the answer is in the evidence we collected. If Perkins takes it, it's all over.”

“There's no choice!” Hank said defeatedly, though I felt the knot in my gut tighten further with the knowledge I had. “You heard Fowler, we're off the case.”

“You've got to help me, Lieutenant.” Connor pleaded, getting off of Hank’s desk. Tighter. “I need more time so I can find a lead in the evidence we collected. I know the solution is in there!”

And tighter.

“Listen, Connor...”

And tighter.

“If I don't solve this case, CyberLife will destroy me.” Connor begged, palpable fear in his voice. And tighter. “Five minutes. It's all I ask.”

Hank got up from his seat, and I tried to think of a million things at once. The deviants, Connor, Jericho, the FBI, Markus -

Markus!

He had followers! And they didn’t just appear out of nowhere! He built a coalition. He built a group, an alliance, a force of undoubtedly millions. Markus had to have convinced them to join them. He had to have woken them up.

And if Markus was able to do that...perhaps Connor could as well. If anyone could convince the RK800 to defect, it was Markus.

It had to be.

“Key to the basement is on my desk...” Hank said, getting up and walking towards Perkins, putting a hand on Connor’s shoulder. “Get a move on! I can't distract them forever.”

I gritted my teeth and swallowed, making my choice. “Wait, guys!” I stopped them, their eyes boring into me. Taking the risk, I let out a tense breath. “That won’t be necessary. I have the key to Jericho.”

“What?” Hank asked in disbelief, but it was the look on Connor’s face that stung the most. “How long have you had it?”

“Since yesterday.” I responded. “Simon gave me the key when I was talking to him before you guys showed up. I doubt it transferred the exact same way, but I think it should still lead me to the same place.”

“Well, what is it then?” Hank demanded.

“I don’t know, exactly.” I admitted. “Like I said, I don’t think it transferred the same way. But I have the data. And I...I felt like I was on a boat, and there were the sounds of water rocking it. Rust scraping against each other. The smell of old ships.”

“The old abandoned shipyard.” Hank said. “That’s where it’s gotta be.”

“How do we get there?” I asked him.

“Ferndale.” He answered.

“Then we have no time to waste!” Connor exclaimed, jumping towards me. “We need to get there before the FBI does.”

“We need to get out of here without being spotted.” I pointed out.

“Leave that to me.” Hank said, walking towards Perkins.

“Wait!” I grabbed Hank’s sleeve.

“What now?” He groaned in annoyance. “We don’t have a lot of time.”

“This could be really dangerous, Hank.” I said, feeling my throat get tight. “I just...I want you to know that I honestly feel privileged and honoured to be considered your friend. And I’d even go as far as to say I think of you like family at this point. And I want you to know that...even though you don’t see the worth in yourself, I do. You’re the best part about working here and I wish more cops and more people were like you.”

Hank let out an exasperated sigh and pulled me in for a hug. “Just come back in one piece, okay?”

“Love you too, Hank...” I said without hesitation.

A small moment went by before we pulled away from each other, me trying to not tear up. “Lieutenant?” Connor asked, approaching. “I know it hasn't always been easy...but I want you to know I really appreciated working with you...That's not just my Social Relations program talking, I-I really mean that. At least, I think I do...”

Hank scoffed. “Alright, get on! The both of you! You ain’t got time!” He practically shoved us away. “I’ll distract ‘em. Good luck!”

“You too!” I called back to him. “If anything happens to me, take care of Bear!”

As Connor and I made our way out of the precinct, I could hear shouting and cursing as I looked over and saw Hank practically pummeling the shit out of Perkins. I was mostly impressed, but also kind of worried about Hank losing his job.

But, given how things were escalating, I had a sinking feeling that this was going to be the least of my worries.

As we were walking in stride, I could feel Connor’s gaze burning into me. “Why didn’t you tell me you had the key?” He asked.

I glanced over at him with a raised eyebrow. “You didn’t ask.”

As we made our way through the precinct, I made my way towards the equipment room. “Where are you going?” Connor asked, confused.

“You know what I said about bulletproof vests yesterday?” I asked him rhetorically. “This is the right time for those and no, you’re not getting out of this.” Before he could protest I pulled on his tie, yanking him close to me. Admittedly, I was very much liking doing that to him. “Go to the lost-and-found and get yourself an inconspicuous outfit. You’ll be recognized in that jacket.”

Wordlessly, Connor walked off, and I went off towards the equipment room.

In less than a moment, we reunited and we made our way out of the precinct. “Damn, that’s a cute look, Connor.” I complimented him. He was wearing something pretty low-key, a grey beanie on his head to hide his LED, a brown puffy jacket, and a shirt underneath. I had a feeling his clothes were underneath the jacket and his tie was shoved in his pocket.

“Thank you.” Connor replied without any hesitation. 

I was already wearing my vest, and I gave Connor his. “Here, put this on.”

Connor was fumbling with it for a moment before we heard a voice behind us. “Hey, fuckers!” I knew who that voice belonged to and I immediately felt like I was about to punch him in the face. “I'm talking to you!” I turned around to face Gavin, Connor doing the same. “Where do you think you’re going?”

“None of your business, Gavin.” I sneered at him, not having any patience for his shit. “And if you don’t mind, we’re in a hurry, so leave us alone.”

But as soon as I walked away, I felt Gavin grab my left arm and yank me backwards. “Why him? Hm?” He demanded, holding me close to him.

“Gavin, let me go!” I ordered him.

“What do you see in him, huh?” He insisted, holding me far closer than I liked. “What does this plastic prick got that I don’t, huh?”

“Detective Reed, step the fuck away from her!” Connor sneered at him.

A shudder ran through me at Connor’s protectiveness. Gavin just laughed at him. “Wow, you really do have somethin’ going on, huh?” 

“Connor, don’t worry. I got this.” I wanted to handle this myself. “Gavin, I’m giving you one last chance. Let me go, or else.”

He scoffed at me. “Or else what, Rachel?”

I tightened my lip, feeling emboldened. “Fine, if an ass kicking’s what you want, an ass kicking’s what you’ll get.” Without any warning, I pulled him down towards me and gave him a hard knee right to the groin, causing him to double over in pain. I had already deskinned my left arm and detached it with my right, letting Gavin fall onto the ground in shock as he dropped my arm.

Stomping on his chest once he was down, I quickly grabbed my arm with my right and used my detached left arm as a club, striking him across the head once, twice, and three times until he was unconscious with a pretty nasty wound on his head.

Stepping off of him, I walked up to Connor, feeling pretty satisfied and triumphant. “I told you I could kick his ass with one arm.” I bragged, clicking my arm back in place and flexing it, the skin sliding back over it as we started to briskly jog away.

After all, there wasn’t much time to find Jericho with the FBI no doubt going to follow after, and I’d rather them not catch us with an unconscious Gavin outside the precinct.

The only thing that mattered now was finding Jericho.

And above that, finding Markus.

---------------------------------

Next Chapter

[shadows-echoes]

Of Blood and Biocomponents - Pt. 4

Pairing: Ruthless!Connor x reader

Summary: A soulmate AU where injuries from one person appear on the body of the other.

Warnings: just swearing in this one?

Word Count: 3.7k

Masterlist // Part 1 // Part 2 // Part 3 // Part 5 // Part 6 // Part 7 // Part 8 (epilogue)

     “We might be... connected-” he snarls, practically spitting the word “-in some meaningless way but if you are clinging on to some foolish human illusion then I suggest you dispose of it immediately.”

     “Believe me,” you snarl right back, baring your teeth at the living weapon that he is. “I disposed of that before I even met you.”

     It was true.

     The words are true.

     You know they are, there was no other option. They have to be true.

     But they leave a bitter taste on your tongue regardless.

-

Eight Weeks later~

You were bad with flowers.

The obvious ones, the classics, you knew of course. That was how you knew there were two small sunflowers mixed into the bouquet you cradled in one arm while you used the other to unlock the door to your apartment. The names of every other flower in the bouquet were unknown to you though. Familiar, but unknown.

No one had given you flowers before. It was… a nice sentiment, you supposed.

The lock opens with a slight click and you slip inside. Closing the door behind you, you kick off your shoes as you walk through the small entryway, hitting the light switch with your elbow as you pass it. Pale white light immediately floods the room, illuminating everything within its reach- including the intruder sitting at your kitchen table.

You practically jump out of your skin at the sight, a short, unavoidable shriek of surprise escaping your throat.

The keyring you had looped a finger through keep the keys from falling out of your grasp, but the flowers you were holding were not so lucky. They land on the floor not far from your feet.

“Jesus fuckin- What the hell are doing here?” you ask shrilly, incredulously, as you glare daggers. “Did you- did you break in?”

The urge to place a hand over your chest in a useless attempt to still your unhealthily racing heart is strong, but you refuse to provide him with that kind of outward reaction.

Even if he could probably tell anyway.

Connor says nothing at all, his eyes raking over you in a way which meant he was analyzing every inch in detail. You had not forgotten about that penetrating gaze of his, but the memory of its intensity had certainly mellowed with time.

As comfortable as you had once become with him, you never quite grew accustomed to seeing him in your home. He was all sharp angles and cutting words, a looming presence that outsized even his imposing form, an energy that demanded acknowledgment. He didn’t fit here, in your apartment that was meant to be a sanctuary. 

And two long months certainly hadn’t helped.

“Nothing was broken.”

Your mouth opens but no sound comes out, not the sharp comment on your tongue or the demand for an explanation which was racing through your brain. All you can do is gape at him, stare blankly at the face that had seared itself into your mind’s eye so long ago-

And then you snap your jaw shut and squeeze your eyes closed.

Wrong.

Wrong.

Wrong.

This was wrong.

He left.

He was gone.

He shouldn’t be here- shouldn’t be sitting in your apartment in the fucking dark just waiting.

“What are you doing here?” you ask shortly, drawing on every single reserve of patience you possessed.

“Your training,” he states, as though it were obvious. As though it was still normal. As though he hadn’t just shown up after disappearing without a word for two months. As though- “Did you expect it to stop?”

After the incident with the s-word Connor had vanished. Entirely. There was no trace of him. It was like he had never been around in the first place, like you had never actually met him. It was almost like he never existed. The only tangible evidence he left behind were the faint marks on your arm from the words he carved so long ago and the similarly fading scars from your soul-wounds.

After the first few weeks you simply assumed he was done with you, that you had pushed him over the edge with an accidental comment and he deemed you competent enough of a fighter for his job to be done.

So, yes.

Yes, you absolutely did expect it to stop.

You didn’t expect to see him again. Ever.

Without a word, you turn away from him to toss your keys on the kitchen counter- a small action to buy some time to collect yourself, to grab hold of the words on your tongue that are just burning to be unleashed and rip into him. Next is your bag. Then your jacket. Then, slowly, you reach down to grab the bouquet. It joins the rest of your things all too quickly and you end up staring at the vast array of nameless, colored flora as you brace your palms against the smooth surface of the counter.

You can’t bring yourself to look at him.

“That’s it?” you ask, voice dangerously calm. “That’s all the explanation you’re going to give?”

“Is there a different explanation you would prefer?”

You inhale slowly, taking in a deep breath to soothe your raging emotions, to calm down. But when you exhale a few moments later you feel exactly the same. Seething.

“Get out.”

Silence. Your order is met with silence. The chair Connor is sitting in doesn’t scrape along the floor, there is no shuffling of fabric as he stands. There are no retreating footsteps or departing words- no. No, never that.

Snapping your head towards him, your gaze bores into his unmoving form.

“Connor. Get. Out.” The words are clipped but shaking with intensity and barely suppressed emotion.

He stands, and for one heartbeat you actually think he’ll listen to you, but the flickering moment of hope quickly passes. Instead of leaving, instead of moving away from you and leaving your sight, he approaches you with slow, steady steps and narrowing eyes.

“Why?”

“Because I said so,” you snap, straightening your spine and turning to face him head-on.

Because you can’t just walk in and out of my life with zero explanation whenever you so please, your brain unhelpfully supplies.

People walked in and out on each other all the time, you knew that all too thoroughly to expect any differently than transience. But for the few that stayed… You clung to them with unyielding, sharp claws. Once someone passed all the tests and were eventually allowed entry to your heart, you were loyal to them- perhaps even loyal to a fault. Maybe it was a natural response to existing without a soulmate for the grand majority of your life, to having people run from you when they discovered that particular condition of yours.

The problem was that you never allowed Connor in. It hadn’t been a choice; you had no say in the matter.

In the beginning, Connor teaching you how to fight was just that: Connor teaching you how to fight. Nothing more, nothing less. The only expectations you had of him were to get injured less, and even that you only wanted for purely selfish reasons. But no matter how guarded your heart was, no matter the number of locks you placed over it, the walls you built around it, or the safe you buried it in, it was soft. Sharp, undoubtedly sharp like a razor blade that never dulled, but soft. It had grown attached to Connor -the intelligent, irritating, inconsiderate, asshole of an android that he is- without even realizing. 

He slipped right past your defenses like the perfect machine he is. The few, near-nonexistent glimpses of dry, deadpan humor he voiced became a gift to bear witness to; the things he made you question were as beneficial to you as they were unnerving; his drive became almost inspiring. He became part of your routine. His relentlessness in all that he did became a comforting thought because you and your foolish, foolish heart naively assumed it meant he would stick around with same fervor.

Then he disappeared.

You weren’t as surprised as you thought you would be, but it hurt more than you thought it would. And for that fact alone you hated him.

You hated that he had that kind of power over you- hated that, to wound you, he needn’t do it physically or even mentally. All he had to was leave and your heart would slowly bleed out.

It was ridiculous and absurd and you hated it.  

But you lived.

Connor leaving was far from the end of the world. You moved on- even though there was technically nothing to move on from. Hell, you even accepted when a cute acquaintance asked you out. Sure, the date from which you were returning might not have been the most riveting experience in the world, but it was normal. Safe. Easy. It was everything you should want.

“You should put those in water if you wish to prolong their decay.”

Your brows furrow at the strange words and it takes you a few moments of staring up into his calculating eyes in mystification before they begin to make sense. Then the only movement in the room- in the whole apartment is your eyes darting to flowers beside you.

It sounded like a surface-level suggestion, something that could easily pass as meaningless and be dismissed as advice. But his eyes are locked on yours and it feels like a test. Like a game.

Too bad you had no intention on playing.

“You know where the door is.”

Something ticks in his jaw at your response, but Connor does not move even an inch towards the exit.

“Come with me.” He doesn’t exactly phrase it as a question.

“And why would I that?” you snap.

Connor opens his mouth to answer but closes it just as quickly, thinking better of whatever he intended on saying, and the strange action immediately gives you pause.

“Trust me.”

It’s all he says, and the statement- request- whatever it is, is nearly as amusing as it is shocking.

The cynical, rational part of you knows it could easily just be an attempt to get you to do what he wants, knows that it is more likely for him to fake hesitancy than to actually be hesitant.

You know you have few concrete reasons to trust him.

But you do.

For some strange reason, let the universe take pity on you, you do trust him.

Even though you hate it.

-

Connor had been adamant about you first learning how to fight without any weapons, that you, your body alone, should be the only weapon truly necessary to win a fight. Everything else was just an extension. But apparently in his absence he had decided you were competent enough without a weapon to finally have one.

It took less time than you imagined to become accustomed with the handgun Connor handed you, even he seemed the slightest bit surprised by your quick progress and good aim. In fact, he nearly seemed pleased.

It was nice to shoot something, almost cathartic, but it intrigued you for all of one minute and a half before it simply became another task to accomplish. Another action to perform. Another skill to master. Even as Connor moved the target progressively farther and farther back at the deserted shooting range, your brain went on autopilot.

Now, staring at the bullet-ridden target at the other end of the long, long room, you pause, failing to unload what is left of what had to be the third clip.

“To fire, you will need to pull the trigger.”

The words are muffled due to the noise-canceling headphones you’re wearing, but Connor’s flat delivery seems to transcend even high-quality insulation.

Sighing, you switch on the safety, put down the gun, and slip off your headphones. Turning towards Connor who stands by your side, you give him a long look with furrowed brows.

“What are we doing here, Connor? Really?”

He looks the same as he always did, the same as when you first met. Perfectly identical and unchanged by time, by circumstance, and he arcs a brow at your question. “I assumed that much would be obvious to you.”

Rolling your eyes, you shift your weight from one leg to the other. “There’s no reason I need to know how to shoot someone,” you try again. “I don’t even own a gun.”

“Incorrect,” he states, nodding to the gun you had just put down. “That one is yours.”

Out of pure annoyance, you spare a quick glance at the weapon of cold black metal but all you see are flowers. Shaking your head, you grit your teeth and look back at Connor with steel in your eyes. “Alright, let me rephrase. I don’t want to own one.”

“Then it’s good that I wasn’t asking,” he counters easily.

From the look in his eyes, you know that he knows exactly what you’re really asking and is choosing to avoid the question entirely. And as you stare up at that stupid, handsome face of his, you know he always will. He would rather waste away and rust on the very spot he stands before answering- before he even acknowledged the obvious: that the gun was overkill. That there was something between the two of you regardless of whether either of you wanted it to exist- something that made the air feel heavy and the space between you seem like nothing and miles all at once. Something that made your heartbeat unsteady and your fingers fidget with nerves.

Clenching your jaw, you grab your jacket from the neighboring cubicle and shrug it on. As you pass Connor on your way to the exit, however, his hand darts out and catches your elbow in a tight grip.

“If you insist on leaving then at least take the gun,” he orders.

“For what?” you challenge, snapping- cracking- breaking as you rip your arm out of his grasp, months of frustration and budding hate suddenly springing forth. “I’m not on speaking terms with anyone dangerous enough to warrant me carrying a gun around. For fuck's sake, you are the most dangerous person I know! You said you were only doing this because of how my death would somehow affect your mission. Well, I nearly got mugged. Once! I don’t need to know how to blow someone’s brains out or which muscles are best to damage to immobilize someone, and yet I know anyway! Your task is complete. You’re done. Finished! And if I was in such dire need of tutelage then you wouldn’t have left! So why. Are. We. Here?”

Your chest is rapidly rising and falling by the time you complete your outburst, your breath coming in short, angry segments. Missing nothing, Connor’s cold, calculating gaze tracks your every breath and flickers across your face before holding the raging look in your eyes.

“We are here because you haven’t learned everything. So I suggest you stop looking to aggravate me into confessing feelings I don’t have and start learning,” he states, irritation seeping into his voice. 

His eyes narrow at the scoff that leaves your throat. Leaning forward so that he is the only thing filling your vision, he growls, enunciating every syllable unmistakably clearly, “I am a machine, Y/N. I don’t care. I certainly don’t care about you.”

The words are daggers of ice made verbal, perfectly aimed and deftly placed. Whatever you had accidentally given away and whatever he had been able to deduce from it, he had found a chink in your armor, a space between the plates that led straight to your heart, straight to the weakness you cursed the second you discovered it.

But you don’t give yourself the chance to be wounded. Not yet.

Mirroring his actions and then some, you lean towards him until there is only a hair’s breadth between his chest and yours, until your faces are only a few inches apart. Your lips part as though you are about to close the miniscule amount of space which remains and kiss him, but you don’t spare his lips a single glance. The details that make up his face, every freckle and shade, even the flickering yellow circle at his temple... you don’t admire any of it. Your defiant, challenging eyes are solely focused on his, locked on target and burning everything they land on.

“Liar.”

You speak the word so softly it’s nearly a whisper, so softly you essentially breathe it onto his lips. 

It may have only been a single word, but its truth was undeniable.

Because Connor is not pulling away.

He didn’t pull away when you pushed yourself into his personal space, nearly against him.

He didn’t pull away when, because of the proximity, your breath had no other option but to fan across his skin.

And he is still not pulling away even after you named him.

“What am I to you?” you ask quietly, incredulously.

You’re close to him, probably too close, and certainly close enough to see the exact moment something snaps behind his eyes. 

“You are a virus,” he snarls.

There is barely any space between you and yet Connor takes a step forward, causing you to step backward in order to keep from falling over. And suddenly you’re moving in tandem, step for step and never far apart.

“I can’t think correctly around you,” he continues, “around the thought of you. You impede my rationale and functioning. You influence my actions. Even when I am as far from you as I can physically be, you create errors in my programming. There are traces of you in my firmware and I can’t get you out.”

A lane divider presses into your back, immediately halting your retreat, and Connor closes what distance remains until he is as close to you as he was moments ago.

Only now his LED is a blaring blood red.

“You compromise me,” he breathes, staring down at you as if to figure out how such a thing could be possible. As if you held the answers- as if he could figure them out if he just looked hard enough, as if they were tangible things he could analyze before disposing of. 

“What do you want from me, virus?”

His brows are furrowed and his eyes are a violent, raging storm. He looks entirely merciless but his words sound strangled. Imploring. In desperate need of an answer.

And you’re drawing blanks.

You can feel your racing heart in your chest and in your fingers, and all you are doing is standing still, staring back at him with wide eyes.

White noise runs through your mind. You have no idea how to respond- no idea what to think. The control you had over the situation, over yourself and your emotions and your mind, it was all lost. Gone. It shifted to his side of the equation the second he unknowingly decided to prove you wrong. 

You never expected to get this far- never thought this was a place you could get to. 

You never expected him to admit having a weakness, never imagined he would claim it to be you. You couldn’t even- you had a hard enough time admitting how he got under your skin even to yourself.

You figured he was lying about not caring, but calling him out on it had still felt like a shot in the dark, a half bluff just to see, to test him and his boundaries.

Well, it worked. 

It also backfired. Epically.

“The truth,” you answer, the levelness of your voice having disappeared along with your control.

Because that is what you wanted, right? Honesty? 

You just wanted answers, not more questions- questions he seems to think you have the answers to.

“Is that all?” he asks, so quietly, so softly that goosebumps rise up across your skin. Whatever frustration had been in his eyes, whatever disdain… It was gone now, replaced by something equally as intense. Something that made your mind go blank all over again and for entirely different reasons.

And the only clear, discernable thing in all that static blankness which was your mind, was that no, no it wasn’t all you wanted.

Not at all.

Not by a long shot.

You wanted-

“Hey, is everything alright here?”

The strange, rough voice startles you, nearly makes you flinch, but Connor doesn’t so much as blink at the intrusive sound. He doesn’t look away from you at all, not even to acknowledge the approaching person.

But you do.

“Yeah,” you answer, clearing your throat as you put a reasonable amount of distance between you and Connor. A normal amount. A professional amount. “Yeah, everything is fine. Thanks.”

You don’t know who the man is, don’t even know when he came into the room since the entire building had been empty save for the android receptionist and safety instructor who had first greeted you, but he doesn’t look happy. Though, perhaps it would have been slightly more concerning had he looked happy considering he’s at a shooting range after midnight and just walked in on... something.

He had short dark hair and a scar on his nose, and his narrowed eyes darted between you and Connor. He also looks entirely unconvinced by your words, not that you particularly care.

That is, you don’t particularly care until you catch sight of the flash of gold- a badge at his waist.

He opens his mouth but you interrupt him before he gets the chance to say anything- or ask anything.

“I was just finishing up here,” you explain, immediately slapping a friendly smile on your face. The last thing you wanted to do was explain your… complicated situation to a cop, and it was technically the truth after all. You had intended on leaving.

You spare a glance at Connor but he is no longer looking at you. He’s staring down the cop, expression wiped clean of all the emotion it had shown not moments before. If the absolute flatness of his expression and his narrowed eyes are anything to go by, he had already figured out who the new guy is. So, you don’t bother subtly explaining your actions to him, or saying anything at all, as you stroll solitarily towards the exit.

The cop tries to say something to you as you pass him, but the door has already closed behind you before he even finishes his sentence.

In your hurry to leave -to avoid an awkward conversation with a cop of course, not to seek space to figure out what the hell had just happened with Connor and how you felt about it- you had forgotten all about the gun.

Which was a mistake, as it turns out.

You really should have taken it.

 -

A/N: Sup, lads. It’s been a hot month minute since I updated this story (srry). I almost posted this part multiples time over the last few weeks but I was never quite satisfied enough with it to do so. This will probably be the last chill part too bc shit hits the fan continuously for the rest of this thing. Also, I worked it out and this story will probably be around 7 parts plus an epilogue? So, uh, I hope you guys are interested enough to stick around that long. (And patient enough to bear with me).

Let me know what you thought?

How about that random, spontaneous cameo, bois? 

Tags: @aya-fay @syrinxgm @quartetstarheaven @kylobien @silverconduit @dramaticalabiter @deviantsupporter @aeryntheofficial @nissistylinson @theoraekensnotsosecretlover @the-smol-onion @adaydreaminganon @warriorqueennorthlotus @swordsandserpents @iamthunderstorm18 @goddessofthegeeks @dragonempress123 @alexkunis @robin-rokossovsky @moramortar @nerdylittoyvoid @cherubclover  @ohskit @wolfwithabook @kneazlesgetitdone @iseleylaura (strikethroughs couldn’t be tagged)

[crossbows-and-moonshine]

Blood in the Water (Sequel to Such a Softer Sin) Chapter 6

(Chapter 1)

(Chapter 2)

(Chapter 3)

(Chapter 4)

(Chapter 5)

Some fluff, cause I don’t know about you, but I need it. Shits intense.

---------------------------

Three days had passed, it was now Tuesday. They had to wait for Wednesday for Vincenzo to be at the Sin Bin and they had hidden out at Rocco's mother's house in the meantime, making a plan. It had been strange for Lila to get used to, seeing guns laying about the place or watching her boys clean them, listening to them talking about it all. She tried to distract herself by cleaning and cooking, Rocco's mother would be out of town with family for over a month so they had time to stay here. She thought back to the loft, the place that was once her lovely home with the boys. All of their stuff was still there; Murphy's camera. She knew he’d have no use for it now but she thought about all the pictures he had taken, maybe she could get them developed.

She stood in the kitchen and dumped her morning coffee down the sink, she wasn't sure if the stress of everything was getting to her but she felt sickly and coffee was turning her stomach. She sighed and walked into the living room where the boys and Rocco sat on the couches talking about the plan for the next night.

“I need to head out for a little bit.” Lila said as she grabbed her hoodie. The boys' conversation stopped dead and they turned to look at her.

“Like fuck yer leavin’.” Connor looked at her incredulously.

“What he said.” Murphy chimed in, scowling at her.

“Look, I need to grab some shit, if I need a chaperone I’m sure Rocco can come with me.” She stated dryly, grabbing her bag. Rocco glanced up at her, quirking a brow before looking almost nervously to the boys. The boys frowned as they watched her. She hadn't been mad at them since they sorted it out but she hadn't been as close as normal either. They slept in the same bed in the main bedroom but she seemed to avoid any affection otherwise. They had only managed to sneak a few chaste kisses from her when she was distracted. They wondered why she didn't want them to accompany her.

“I...uh… I dunno Lila.” Rocco hesitated, looking from her to the boys, obviously worried he'd get his ass kicked.

“There's something I want to do, you’ll find out when I get home. But I’m going alone or with Rocco, so it's your choice.” She sighed, looking to Connor and then Murphy. They shared a look, confused but also defeated. They weren't going to let her go anywhere alone with the shit storm they had created looming over them all. Connor waved a hand, letting Rocco know to go and he got up, grabbing his coat. He left with her and they made their way to his car. She got in the passenger side and heaved a sigh.

“You wanna tell me what the fuck we’re doin’?” Rocco asked warily as he got in the car.

“I need to head to the loft, I want some of my stuff. I need Murphy's camera and then I want to get the pictures developed.” She said, nibbling her lower lip as she glanced almost shyly at him. His face softened then, giving her his usual Rocco smile that warmed her heart, reminding her he wasn't just a crazy killer, he was her lovable caveman best friend.

They went to the loft and it didn't take long for Lila to pack up some shit, mainly clothes for her and the boys and Murphy's camera. She eyed some of Connors books on the way out and decided to stuff some in her bag in case he wanted to read them, if he had fucking time that was. They found a place to get the pictures done in a part of town where no one would recognise them. They sat inside whilst they waited, side by side in silence. Rocco had been quiet, sensing her mood, he had cracked a few jokes and made her laugh a few times but he could sense she was still feeling weird about the whole thing.

“So, friend to friend, how you holdin’ up?” He asked warily as he glanced at her. She chewed her lower lip as she just stared off at nothing.

“I’m doing alright I guess. Still just trying to...grasp it really.” She admitted quietly. Rocco nodded in understanding.

“Yeah, I get it. I mean when I first found out...I wouldn't have believed it if I didn't see it with my own eyes, you know?” He sighed, looking at her. She nodded but didn't say anything and another few moments of silence followed.

“They're good guys you know.” Rocco mumbled, like he had to defend the boys to her. She looked at him fully then, looking almost incredulous.

“I know they are Rocco. I know why they're doing it, it's just strange, to see them like this. They're different. So are you.” She said softly. He shifted in his seat to fully look at her, taking her hand in his as he gave her a small smile.

“I know. Shits fuckin’ insane. But we’re still us.” He reassured her, squeezing her hand. She couldn't help but smile back.

“I don't know how much they told you, did they tell you about the dream?” She asked him curiously. He nodded, wondering where she was going with this.

“I had it too. I've never questioned their mission for a second because I know, I felt it. I know why they’re doing what they're doing. It’ll take some getting used to, having them in harm's way, worrying so much, seeing this side to them, but I understand why. I have since the moment we woke up in that cell.” She admitted, a slight blush colouring her cheeks.

Rocco's eyes widened a little. He wasn't aware she had the same dream and he wasn't sure how that worked since she wasn't a twin like the boys were. They had never told him about their connection, their shared bond, and the telepathy, so he didn't understand. He believed her though, and he gave her a winning smile that she was on their side.

“You still love them then?” He asked warily, looking at her through his mane of hair. She squinted a little at him and squeezed his hand a little too tight, making him flinch.

“Of course I do, I could never stop loving them.” She said firmly, making him grin happily. He was as invested in the three of them as they were, it was cute.

The clerk called them once their pictures were done and Lila looked through them on the way home. It made her heart ache seeing the ones Murphy had taken of them. There were ones of her on her own, a lot of her sleeping, the little creeper. There were a few of her and Connor when they had been unaware Murphy was lurking with his camera, Lila on Connors' knee, snuggled up to him as he read to her. Connor was glancing down at her lovingly, a smile on his face as Lila had her eyes closed content. There were even some of her and Murphy, he had used the self-timer on the camera and got a few with her. Her favourite was one he had surprised her with. She had been making breakfast, her hair awry and she was just in his shirt. She was so unaware he got Connor to hold the camera, adjusting it in his hands and fixing the lens to get it just right. Murphy had grabbed her, kissing her breathless and the picture was taken just after, when she was looking up at him adoringly with flushed cheeks and swollen lips. The boy was looking down at her like she was a precious gem he just found. A beaming smile on his boyish face. That one had been a joint effort really since Connor took the picture but he had been under strict instruction from Murphy on how to do it.

Then there was one of the three of them sat on the bed, Murphy had wanted a ‘family photo’ as he called it and set the camera on the table after he fiddled with it mercilessly. He had set the timer wrong though and when it went off, the boys were bickering, Lila in between them laughing her ass off. It was just them in a nutshell, one moment captured forever. Seeing these memories hurt her a little, knowing things were different, but Rocco was right. They were still those boys, they hadn't changed that much. They had a purpose but they were still her Connor and Murphy. And seeing these pictures was all she needed to remind her of that. She was smiling like an idiot all the way home, excited to see them and show them.

Lila had shown Rocco some on the way home, leaving out the ones Murphy had took that time she had sex with Connor. He had been tasteful but seeing her own face like that, like she was in heaven, it made her blush and there was no way in hell she was showing Rocco those. It was embarrassing enough knowing the people who developed the pictures saw them. When he pulled up, she leant over, kissing his cheek with a grin and he blushed a little bashfully.

“Thank you Rocco.” She beamed at him. He saw the change in her after seeing the pictures and it warmed his heart to see his best friend back to her normal self. He grinned back and nodded. She got out and bounded inside excitedly. The boys were sat on the couch side by side watching a movie on the tv and when they saw her, their eyes brightened. Their smiles widened when they saw how happy she was and they felt their chest swell. Their love for her was overwhelming.

The boys shifted automatically as she walked over, making room for her in between them.

“Look what I got!” She grinned, so full of happiness that the boys couldn't help but be happy themselves. She handed them both an envelope each, she had got two copies of them all so the boys didn't fight over who got what picture. They looked at her curiously before looking to each other. They opened the envelopes in unison and when they pulled the pictures out it felt like time stopped. Murphy let out an incredulous laugh as he looked at the pictures, he couldn't believe their girl had done this for them. Connor was grinning as he flicked through them, snorting occasionally when one made him laugh. When they got to the last one, the one of the three of them, Murphy felt a lump in his throat and even Connor felt his chest tighten a little. Murphy glanced to Lila, eyes shining with tears and he didn't even know what to say. Having these moments to look at, it meant more to him than he could even say. He was trying to get a hold of himself because Rocco was sat right fucking there in the armchair and he didn't want to cry and embarrass himself.

“Fuck, I’m starved, I’m gonna grab some of that leftover lasagna from last night.” Rocco excused himself, sensing the emotional atmosphere and wanting to make himself scarce. When he was gone, Murphy put the pictures on the coffee table, leaning forward and lowering his head as he took a shaky breath. Lila watched him carefully as his shoulders started to shake. She glanced to Connor worried and Connor looked on concerned. Lila slid off the couch, sliding onto her knees in front of her sensitive twin, seeing his face in his hands as he cried quietly. Connor shifted into Lilas seat, wrapping an arm around his brother.

“Come now Murph, why ye cryin’?” He asked softly, tightening his arm around his brother. Murphy sniffled, raising his head a little and meeting Lilas' eyes. Her heart stopped and her breathing hitched seeing him like this.

“I fuckin’ miss it, how it was. I miss this, us.” He lamented, shaking his head. Lila fought her own tears, she knew that feeling because she felt it herself on the way home as she looked through them.

She reached out, taking his face in her hands and wiping his tears away.

“I miss it too. But we’re still here, together.” She whispered softly, letting him wrap his arms around her and pull her close. Connors free hand went into her hair and rubbed her scalp affectionately. Her words meant she had turned a corner from how she had been with the pair. How distant she had been. They were back to being them now, the way they were. Or as much as they could given the circumstance.

“It’ll be alright Murph aye? We’ve been through worse.” Connor muttered, kissing his brother on the head affectionately. Murphy nodded, smiling just a little. Everything felt right like this with his brother by his side and his girl in his arms. He too could see the difference in her, and it eased some of the tightness in his chest that Lila had come back to them fully. He moved away and snorted at himself, wiping his eyes.

“Fuck, sorry. Always the emotional one.” He laughed self deprecatingly. Lila smiled up at him, leaning in to kiss his lips sweetly. Connor grinned and pat him on the back, glad things seemed to be returning to normal. The pictures had stirred up emotions inside of himself he was dealing with, his love for the pair of them feeling stronger than ever. He loved how their lass thought of doing this for them and he had no doubt both he and his brother would be carrying one of the pictures of her in their back pockets from now on.

“Ye want a drink m’girl?” Murphy asked, not needing to ask his brother since he knew he wanted one anyway.

“No thanks Murph.” She smiled up at him, making him nod as he got up and went into the kitchen. Connor reached out and stroked her cheek, making Lila lean into his touch. It pleased him beyond words as he looked at her adoringly.

“So… We’re okay?” He asked hesitantly, looking wary of even asking.

“We’re better than okay Connor. It’ll take some getting used to and I’ll always worry, but I love you both, I always will.” She said sincerely, blinking up at him with her big blue eyes. A wide grin made its way onto his face at her words, his heart squeezing in his chest.

“Good, we love ye too, nothin’ will ever change that.” He leant in, capturing her lips in a soft kiss and she melted into him.

Things were different now, things would never go back to exactly how they were, but they were all still the same people and they all still had each other. They had been through so much together and always came out the other side, there was no doubt this would be the same. They all needed each other. The mission the boys were on was a dangerous one, it was intense, and Lila was their home, wherever she was, that was where their home was. They needed her to keep them grounded, to make sure they would stay safe and cautious on missions in order to get home to her. The papers had called her an angel, and it seemed fitting since the brothers had always referred to her as such when talking about her. Their angel sent from God, their gift. Almost like their reward for the work they were now doing. There wasn't anything that could tear them apart, it was the three of them forever and nothing was going to change that.

Taglist; @risingphoenix761 @daryldixonandfrogs @arlaina28 @divadinag

[connywrites]

Can you do something with connor and gavin on a case? If you arent busy! I love fics where they have to work together

alright this isnt as good as i was hoping for, im really sorry. but i hope u like it nonetheless! SORRY IT TOOK 4 DAYS

-

The housewas empty. Dusty, abandoned, as if no one had lived within the building fordecades; Gavin scoured the premises as steel-toe boots stepped with a clickonto a wooden floor, gray eyes surveying the area for suspects orvictims, but for the most part, it was hard to see through all the dust. Luckilyfor him, the RK800 treaded swiftly behind, the tall stature of the androideasily looking over the shoulder of his human partner.

Gavin alwaysa particular sense when an android was nearby, beside or behind him, aparticular presence that he wouldn’t be able to explain if he tried. Androids unnerveda fair amount of the population overall, but Gavin seemed to always take it theextra step, as it were, even when it was uncalled for. This Connorchassis in particular may not remember the way Gavin wrestled and shotit down within seconds, but it was aware of extra safety protocol with thisdetective in order to avoid such a thing happening twice. Hopefully.

The way itwalked stiffly behind him, eyes sharp and ever aware as androids could scanmore than a human ever could, but Gavin knew what he was looking for, andwhere, even if he couldn’t zoom in or analyze whatever it was forits exact chemical components. As much as he wanted to gripe, to ask why meas he was the designated personnel ‘suited’ for the new prototype, even thoughit was much to his personal agitation; he could say the DPD could havechosen anyone else, but no matter who the android was partnered with, noone was going to be happy with the decision. Connor wondered if it was anintentional choice on their behalf and what processes they might have gonethrough to make the decision, if anything at all. Was it intentional, or simplycircumstance?

“What’s thatsmell?” A foul stench drifted into his nostrils, and he couldn’t helpcoughing into his shirt; meanwhile, the RK800 had no such construction, merelytilting his head at the detective.

“Whatever itis, it must be toxic. Step back,” it told Gavin, and while he was reluctant, ithurt too much to breathe and he was forced to follow through by taking a fewsteps back and turning back around towards the exit, leaving through the backentryway with a heavy, sudden gasp of air once he was outside, nearly doublingover as he clenched his hand around his neck. The workday barely started andthe damn thing had wandered off without him, taking on the case on its own, inhis mind, proving it ultimately useless and a partner as well as a personalannoyance.

Whatevergaseous substance was filling the building, it was evidently toxic, and it wassomething he’d never come across before—a strange smell and a musty, ashentaste as it forced its way into one’s sinuses. After a few more coughs and abreath of fresh air, Gavin cleared his throat and spit the collected phlegmonto the ground, glancing back over to the building that was seeping with blacksmog. It was leaking into the atmosphere, drifting into the air and soonenough, into the environment around them if he wasn’t quick to diminish thecause; yet there was no way for him to be able to, eyes and nostrils alreadyburning from the drifting trails of vapor alone.

Burntplastic. He knew that smell from somewhere, and it made him curious ifthe RK800 had made any further discoveries, or if the stench was the androiditself burning into a crisp. Neither would surprise him, at this rate. Still,RK800 was technically his android to work with now, and he didn’t exactlyimagine the DPD or Cyberlife to be happy with its disappearance.Realizing he only cared because he was now the one responsible, hescowled his usual mean glare as he glanced around the area, scouting thebuilding from the outside as he awaited Connor’s return. It didn’t take longfor the prototype to walk in that strange, automatic way, seemingparticularly artificial as it walked out of the smoke as if it were an everydayencounter. Inhuman freaks.

"So, shitbucket, what'd you find out?"

Connor's eyes drifted to meet Gavin's, as was his naturalbehavior. Holding out his hand skinwashed away, it offered him an evidence bagcontaining something that was black, charred and gross looking. Takingit from Connor's hand to take a closer look, recognizing it as a spare thermalpump regular that had somehow been intensely burnt. Unimpressed, he glared overat the android.

"You call this evidence?"

"Yes. There is a component of that of which I cannotpersonally identify. I think the forensics lab should take care of it."Suddenly, the thing didn't feel so ordinary and Gavin nearly dropped it;if a hyperintelligent android couldn't identify something, then there wasprobably something to be wary of.

“It seems that whatever happened here, an unknown chemical was mergedwith liquid thirium, and the combination caused a chaotic reaction, and thatwould likely be why I can’t analyze that.” Gavin raised his eyebrows despitenot actually appearing all that surprised. Detroit was always doing some kindof new, crazy shit, but he did wonder why he was called onto the scene ratherthan the fire department.

“Great,” he gruffed, already growing bored with theconversation.

“And what do we do with that?”

“It seems that whatever it is, its a result of the strange reaction. Some of the material was clumped into crates, I believe they might have had intention of pouring it into the river so as to get rid of the evidence.”

Gavin listened to its words, glancingtowards the horizon where the sun was beginning to set. The foul burn stillstung his nose, but for the time being he ignored it, blinking a few extra timesas he tried to peer out onto the sunset shadowing the city block, but it washard to see far.

“Alright. Let’s get back to the Department so they can take alook.” Gavin’s usual irritation had been depleted by the tiresome investigationand the exhaustion from the smog that still itched in his lungs.

“Iwouldn’t,” Connor responded, turning his head and gazing at Gavin with a warygaze.

“If whateverthat substance is causes a toxic reaction to humans or the environment, itwon’t mean well for them. Forensics will come in the hazmat suits. For now, youshould have your vitals analyzed so as to ensure you haven’t taken any gravedamage.”

“Shut thehell up,” he snapped, feeling agitation bubble up, prompting him to shove theandroid in the back as he walked past him toward the car. With its usual stare,it turned its head to look at him, and he swiftly remembered a nightmare fromthe night before.

“We’re goingback whether forensics are here or not, and we’re taking that sample to thelab, and you’re going to sit down and shut the fuck up the rest of the waythere.” If this Connor were alive before, it would recall Hank speaking to itin the same fashion. As it was designated to listen, it remained silent,stepping into the passenger side of the car with the plastic bag remaining inits hands.

-

“It seemsthat whoever began the project tried to transfuse the thirium with anothercomponent as well as an extra electric charge, intending to change theandroid’s internal structure in an attempt to “supercharge it”. What for, Idon’t know, as such a reaction would only heat the biocomponents to a point itdid not work. Clearly something similar happened at the scene, but the damageof the remains leaves it hard to examine further evidence.”

Gavin wasleaned back in his chair with his legs crossed at his desk, phone in one handand coffee in the other as he took a long sip, scrolling through somethingwhile he mostly listened to Connor’s droning, nodding in signal.

“So, anytest results?”

“Not yet.They are conducting the analysis as we speak.” For the time being, then, therewas no reason to continue the case until they found more information.

“Okay. Goaway now,” Gavin told it, waving it off as if it would actually listen.Examining Gavin from its place beside him, Connor wore an expression ofcalculation as he tried to determine the best course of action to take next.

“That isagainst my orders,” it stated simply, cuing an annoyed glare from Gavin. Helocked his phone and slipped it back into his pocket, folding his arms as herotated his chair to face the android.

“Yeah?What’s your orders then, fancypants?” Pausing as if on cue, the LED on theRK800’s temple blinked to yellow, rotating a couple of times as Connor’seyebrows and eyelids twitched in another eerie manner that seemed to beparticular to this android alone. He wondered if it was intentional, and whilehe couldn’t imagine why it would be, Connor seemed to have a handful of odd‘quirks’ that other androids didn’t share. Either way, he momentarily wonderedwhat the data transfer was before deciding he didn’t care.

“Actually, areport says we should go take another look now that the fumes are gone. Withcloser inspection, maybe we can find more parts of the androids themselves thataren’t so damaged.” Gavin closed his eyes, took a deep breath, sighed, andnodded once.

“Fine. Let’sget goin’, then.”

-

The scenewas easier to navigate now that the place wasn’t stuffed with suffocatingsmoke, but the odor still stained his nostrils as he carefully walked throughthe debris, down the scorched, creaking wooden stairs – the direction Connorapparently headed in the initial investigation, considering he couldn’t see adamn thing once it disappeared.

“Fuckin’ disgusting,”he huffed under his breath, kneeling beside something that looked like it mighthave been an android once, vaguely foot and leg-shaped pieces in the center ofa melted puddle, pieces of metal rods, shards, and panels sticking out from thepile. Suddenly, he reconsidered the idea of lighting androids on firelike he’d already threatened upon them, among other things. The way androidsbecame another major contributor of pollution was another problem as theycontinued to be manufactured by the millions and dumped into scrapyards oncethey were useless. He wasn’t sure if any of the plastic was recyclable and theywere lazy, or if they really were just walking, talking bundles of metal,wiring and useless plastic. Either way, this wasn’t a mess he wanted toclean; he hadn’t been put on android cases until they decided to switchwith Anderson for reasons he still wasn’t entirely clear about, but that didn’tmatter. This was his job and he’d do his best to solve it as he would with anyother.

Somethingflickered in the corner of his eye, and his vision darted to the source ofwhatever it was; the sight was promising, a strange, car battery-shaped devicebeneath the table that was against the back of the wall, structured with thesame metal plating and wiring as with an android, but the liquid flowingthrough the wires glowed a bright orange, shimmering in a neon, almost metallicmatter under the light. Connected from it were another set of cables that leadinto the piles of ash and residue. Jackpot.

Standing up,he backed away, wondering if the android had seen it already. Turning andreaching to grab it by the bicep, he shoved it forward, wasting no time inforcing it to do as he wanted; just as he always had, and always would.

“Hey, thefuck is that? You see that last time?” Shifting its balance so as not to loseit, it almost staggered from the force of his pull as it peered beneath thetable, leaning forward to kneel similarly to the way he had before.

“No. It’snudged too far underneath and towards the back. It’s a good thing we came tocheck again.” Crouching down below the height of the furniture, it carefullycrawled forward, trying its best to avoid the messy black remains smearedacross the ground, but it was relatively difficult as it caked the cementfloor. With a quick analysis, it did a reading, identifying as much as it couldof the components while the lacking data simply brought up nothing as that‘knowledge’ simply wasn’t within its computing. Acknowledging the device wasnonetheless dangerous, it began to retreat, causing Gavin to shoot anaccusatory glare in response.

“Nowwhat are you doing?” Glancing back at him as his agitated voice filled the air,the android carefully stepped back, kneeling next to Gavin as it turned to facehim.

“Consideringwhat this device has done to the androids previously attached to it, I wouldrather not touch it without guaranteed safety on my, or your, behalf. That devicelikely holds a high electric charge that could be damaging to humans as well.Someone with the proper safety equipment will have to come inspect andpotentially remove it.” Gavin’s eyebrows furrowed.

“Well, weshould get on it then, huh?”

“Yes, I cancontact—” Gavin’s eyes narrowed with a sneer and within seconds, his hand waswrapped around Connor’s tie as he brought him close to his face, nose-to-nosewith barely an inch between the two of them.

“You won’tbe doing anything, motherfucker,” he huffed, and Connor’s physical sensorspicked up on the feeling of warm breath flowing down the front of its face andchin. It was always a bit curious as to why Gavin acted so over-the-top, but supposedit wasn’t important in terms of the matters at hand.

“Justbecause I’m stuck with you doesn’t mean you get to do all the work, trash bin. Youhear me?”

Connorstared calculatingly into the man’s eyes, turning its head with a twitch of itsbrows as it ‘disagreed’.

“It would befaster and easier if you allowed me to-“

“I don’t givea flying fuck about that. I have a phone, and you’re just a fancier one with anugly face,” he snapped, shoving Connor back and away as he let go. The androidbrought an arm behind him to catch himself as its balance was thrown off again,staring at Gavin with an expression of confusion and surprise.

“Oh, don’tlook at me with that face, makes me want to kick your head off your shoulders,”he seethed, and the temptation to do exactly that was almost all too tempting.Connor, understanding its lack of demands, shifted to stand up straightagain, brushing away a bit of the debris as the knees of his jeans were nowstained with the black ashes littered everywhere.

“You try anddo anything without my word and I’ll strap you to the torture device with yourname on it over there in the corner. How about that?” RK800 digested the words,no matter how nonsensical they seemed, but considered it best that it listened,nonetheless.

“Understood,”it responded, pulling its loosened tie taut again and adjusting it.

“Great. Nowlet’s get back to the station and report this shit.”

-

“Well, nicefind,” Fowler admitted with surprise lighting his eyes and raising his brows.

“That takescare of that particular case, but now we still have a lot more to figure out.Were there any other scenes like this in the area? We should find out if whoeverdid this was the only one or not.” Gavin shook his head.

“Scouted thearea, combed the beach, nearby places…nothing. This was a one-man project, Iassume. Now to figure out who’s doin’ this shit.” Fowler nodded, sighed, andhis eyes flickered to the android momentarily before returning to Gavin; Gavinfelt the sinking feeling of an oncoming scolding, an easy oncoming situation totell by a certain expression Jeffrey always wore.

“Remember theandroid was assigned to you to help with the investigations, Gavin. You mightnot like it, but it would help all of us better if you let the damnthing do its job.” Gavin rolled his eyes, arms folded, nodding along sarcasticallyas he pretended to listen.

“Yeah, yeah,”he continued, but Fowler’s glower didn’t leave him.

“I mean it. Youmay have gotten away with discarding the last model, but this one is yourteammate now. Treat it as such.” The corner of Gavin’s lip sneered as he nighon pouted, casting a sidelong gaze before he turned away and walked out.

[connor-undrgrnd]

my name’s madison and i’m gonna be playing Connor Roth, King of Dumbos….. here’s a Summary™:

22 (23 in december what what!), dorky stoner man with a very slight hoarding problem

grew up with two sisters, one of which is his older twin camille (wanted connection alert!)

his parents are both pretty supportive and friendly people, though he’s still afraid to tell them anything about his bisexuality, how much weed he smokes, or how seriously he takes his band. however, him and camille are pretty close and she knows everythang! there’s a bit of an age gap with his other sis though so they’re not as close

connor and all his sisters were all enrolled in lessons for an instrument of their choice as a kid, so he picked piano because it seemed like the easiest. coming from a musical family, learning was easy and he became pretty awesome at it, but is worried his parents feel he’s wasting his time being in an experimental rock group :/

too friendly to be a generic skater bro but honestly he is. he can drive but loves to skateboard everywhere. also he’s a terrible driver so that’s probably for the best! do not get in the car with connor!

he lives in a lil pink beach house with clark that clark inherited from his grandma turn up.

he’s worked at the trio cinema since he was 19 and has since been promoted to a managerial position! it kinda makes no sense but he’s v chummy with the general manager and is 99% responsible for ferris bueller always playing there, which everyone Loves apparently

has lived in dingle For Like Ever but is more of a city dude so he <3′s road trips and shit. his dream is to live in nyc and become an SNL cast member but at this point he’s much too lazy and is mostly putting focus into the band bc that’s what he’s good at.

uhhh depressed bitch. but he rocks it. he’s a slut for dramatics and a huge david bowie fan and it shows in his own music, and during live shows incorporates elements of weird psychadelic-ness and glam rock (AKA glitter makeup bitch). u can TELL he was a theatre kid in high school

big party dude. semi-infamous for spiking the punch during senior prom. he is kinda insecure about where he’s at in life though, especially being almost 23 (birthday depressionnnn) and still stuck in dingle, so the partying has not been as wild lately

tries hard to channel that depresh energy into music instead of something negative bc tbh it used to be dealt with negatively and weed + a keyboard and some headphones is much better therapy than all that HOG WASH!

not really intelligent at all but he’s very sweet and sociable and tries his best to be entertaining so it’s worth (i hope). not very book smart at all but knows a ton of random trivia and useless references, and he’s woke but not TOO woke y'know

watches a shit ton of movies in his spare time, most of them being cinematic atrocities, odd documentaries, and straight-to-DVD bullshit

he puts a lot of time and energy into the band and that plus working r kind of his only priorities atm because he wants that CASH to fuckin move away!

a very loyal boy. loves his friends more than anything and would honestly die for them. makes friends easily but is also kind of an overwhelming dude and it’s sometimes difficult for him to notice when he’s being annoying which can come across as douchey

very easily distracted, obnoxious, reckless & bad at planning…. but is also really confident in himself and really in tune w/ people, and is normally the first to put his own needs aside to help someone else out

but yeah p much all he rlly does is smoke, skate, make music, and wear silly t shirtz

i have a (very, very short) page of connections & wanted connections here if anyone wants to take a gander & get down 2 some plotting! if none of them seem appealing i’m always down for figuring something else out too. u can hmu thru tumblr DMs or discord (i’m in the group chat, my info is @cornholio#4619 if you want to add me!) or just like this post and i’ll slide in the DMs. i’m super jazzed to start writing with y’all aaaaaaa :V

[danceswithronin]

Call of The Void Chapter 1 - Something Like Freefall

Rating: Explicit Chapters: 25/?? Warning: Graphic Depictions of Violence Category: M/M, F/F, M/F Relationships: Hank Anderson/Connor, RK900 & Gavid Reed Whole story at Archive of Our Own ~~~

Connor was confident he had done a good job right up to the point that Hank reeled around and slapped him. Hank didn't hold back - the blow was enough to make the synthetic tendons in his neck creak and rock his not-inconsiderable weight on his heels.

Red hostility warnings flashed across his visual interface and dimly he registered a red glow in his right field of vision as his LED flashed red too.

DANGER DETECTED - EVADE

For a split second, Connor felt the alien urge to clap his hand to his stricken cheek. A strange sensation passed over him, something like the loss of gravity. Sudden freefall, but on the inside. His internal gyroscopes calculated his balance at 100% level though, and instead of touching his cheek, he snapped his head forward again, meeting Hank's blazing blue gaze.

"You son of a bitch. You stupid, goddamned bucket of bolts. You saw I was gonna fall and you'd rather let me die than fail your fucking mission."

I was following your orders, Connor thought, feeling something cold rise up in him, something that felt divorced from his primary objective. I did what you told me to do.

Instead he said, calmly, "There was an 89% statistical prob-"

Hank held up a hand to him, face as grim and neutral as a wall. His eyes weren't neutral though. They burned with a mixture of emotions Connor could not readily identify without further analysis. Fury was at the forefront, but beneath that was something else, something that wavered between sorrow and disgust. I disappointed him, Connor thought, but could not understand why. The suspect was captured, alive. The mission was a success. And Hank had not died. So why was he so angry?

Connor pressed on, grating out his explanation.

"I had to make a choice. It seemed to me-"

"Shut the fuck up."

Connor shut the fuck up. 89%, his brain supplied helpfully.

"What am I to you? A statistic? A zero, a one in your fucking program?!? Huh? Is that how you see humans, you bastard? Jesus," Hank panted, and Connor noted his spiked cortisol and adrenaline, his heart thundering like a wild animal beating the bars of its cage.

He's frightened. He almost fell and it frightened him.

OBJECTIVE: APOLOGIZE TO THE LIEUTENANT FOR FRIGHTENING HIM

"I understand you're upset. Perhaps I didn't assess-"

"Fuck you and your fucking assessment." Hank abruptly turned away from him and back to the deviant, shoving him around to begin handcuffing him. The deviant's eyes were dark but not dead, not soulless like a doll's eyes. They glittered with a hellish awareness, perfect knowledge of what came next for him.

"Why are you doing this? You're one of us."

"Shut up," Hank snarled, fastening the handcuffs more violently than necessary.

The deviant's eyes never left Connor's.

"You're helping humans, but you're just their slave."

"I said shut up." Hank lashed out at the deviant, shoving him down by the back of his head, and Connor bit back a comment about stressing out deviants. If it self-destructs we won't get anything out of it, he wanted to say, but one look at Hank's glowering countenance and he kept his mouth shut. It seemed to be the order of the day. Instead he looked at the lieutenant. His pupils still showed signs of heightened stress, his body was shaking, and large beads of sweat shimmered at his hairline like opals. His face, already ruddy from too much liquor, was flushed. He avoided Connor's questioning eyes and marched the deviant forward. Connor, feeling the moment to justify his choice had slipped away, followed at Hank's heel like a well-trained collie. While part of his mind was already accessing the police database to file their preliminary paperwork on the suspect, and another was reassessing the statistics of his preconstruction involving Hank's probability of death, another part of his mind whispered, insidious, You're just their slave. You're just their slave. He ran a search for "slavery" and let the results trickle into his consciousness, understanding seeping in like slow poison.

"rA9 save me," the deviant said suddenly, and wrenched out of Hank's grasp. Hank, arms already weakened from dragging himself up over the ledge, let it go. Rupert whirled and ran for the side of the building. Connor snatched for it, but his fingertips caught nothing but fabric that was there and then gone. The deviant didn't slow down or look back as it pitched itself over the edge. The silence before the wet, somehow clunking sound of it hitting the pavement below seemed long. It seemed to fall forever. Connor looked over the edge, with a sudden appreciation of just how high they were. Hank looked down beside him.

"Holy shit."

Rupert's dark eyes glared up sightlessly at them, its face distorted from the asphalt's impact. Thirium was spreading around its head in a cobalt halo. One leg was twisted behind his torso at an unnatural angle. One arm was outstretched above its head, pointer finger extended as if it had died trying to reach out and touch something. Even from four stories up, Connor could still see the red LED on the side of Rupert's shattered head flashing dimly, finally going dark.

MISSION FAILED, his interface popped up. No shit, Connor thought. He looked up from the ledge to find Hank staring at him, eyes searching his face. Connor left his expression as a blank mask and stared the lieutenant down.

Hank sneered in undisguised revulsion at what he saw - or didn't see - on Connor's face.

"Fuckin' androids." He turned away, spitting bright red as he did. Connor supposed he had bitten his tongue or the inside of his cheek in the struggle. Connor looked at the splash of crimson on the rooftop and suppressed the urge to kneel down and dip his fingers in it, to taste Hank's impotent rage. Maybe he if could analyze it, it would make more sense to him. He could only preconstruct Hank's probable reaction to such a thing and since one preconstruct ended with Hank tossing him over after Rupert, he decided discretion was the better part of investigation, at least in this case.

The splash of red made him think of the pooling thirium beneath Rupert's broken body. That could have been a halo of gore around Hank's fractured skull instead, beads of blood caught in gray hair, pupils blown out. Hank's bones sticking out of crushed limbs like so many snapped white branches. That freefall feeling came over Connor again, as if he was the one who went over the side and not Rupert.

His LED cycled rapidly, casting his face in waves of yellow light. He took a step forward, and another, until the tip of his perfect dress shoe hung over the edge.

A hard hand gripped his shoulder, fingers pinching tightly enough that it would have bruised Connor if he were alive.

"The fuck you doing?" Hank's hand fisted in the shoulder of his suit, jerking him back.

Connor looked back at him, silent.

You're their slave. You're just their slave. Slave.

You're one of us.

rA9 save me.

"Your audio receptors glitch out? I said what the fuck do you think you're doing?" Hank's tone was a hideous caricature of patience, one that sounded like he was two breaths from pushing Connor over the edge, not pulling him back. Anger seethed beneath it, but also something else. Fear, Connor realized.

"I-" Connor looked away, pretending to study the ledge. "I'm sorry, Lieutenant."

Hank looked at him a minute, fingers still clenched in the fabric of Connor's suit. Then he let it go.

"No you're not," Hank said, and this time his voice was just tired. "You don't even know what it means." He absently wiped his hand on the front of his jacket, as if he had touched something dirty. He turned away and started walking.

Connor, at a loss for alternatives, followed him. He did not look back at the ledge again.

He didn't dare.

SYSTEM INSTABILITY

~~~

There was no ambulance, no coroner. By the time Connor and Hank walked back to the street level to collect the deviant's body, a small crowd was starting to gather out of curiosity. Hank deterred them while Connor did a walkaround analysis on the body and sent in their report to the department, storing all pertinent data. When he reached down to lick the deviant's blood, he heard an exclamation of disgust from the crowd behind the pylons, but he ignored them. He didn't look at the lieutenant, did not want to see the same look of disgust on Hank's face as well. He tried to tell himself he didn't care - couldn't care, was physically incapable - but he kept his head bowed just the same.

"Analysis complete."

"Whoop-de-fuckin'-do," Hank replied, half under his breath. He walked to the trunk of the car and pulled out a large opaque plastic tarp, spreading it on the ground next to the deviant. "Help me move him."

Connor grabbed the deviant beneath the armpits and Hank grabbed his legs. The android's body lolled bonelessly between them, deceptively heavy. Its head rolled back on its neck until its blank black eyes seemed to stare up at Connor, accusing.

You're one of us. Why are you doing this?

"I'm not," Connor said, causing Hank to look up at him sharply.

"Not what?"

Not alive. Not a slave.

"I'm not one of them."

Hank stared him down, brow furrowed, but didn't comment. Together they moved the body onto the tarp and began wrapping it up. It would have looked like a human corpse if it wasn't for the azure smears on the plastic, the blue patch soaked into Connor's dress shirt, making it cling to him like a second skin.

"Look, a robot burrito," one of the onlookers murmured, holding up a cellphone. Recording. There was a wave of soft derisive laughter.

"Do I really need to start detaining assholes to make a point about how much homicide detectives hate rubbernecking? Show's over, folks. Move along," Hank ground out as they lifted the body and carried it towards the car. A few people bitched about their rights being trampled, but they all backed up at his tone.

Hank started to move back around to the trunk, but Connor hesitated at the thought of the android's corpse crammed in the trunk like so much battered luggage, dark eyes staring. The lieutenant must have read the look on his face, because after a beat of silence he said, "Backseat" and dropped the deviant's legs to open the rear door on the car. Then he picked them back up and slid them onto the seat. Connor helped him load the rest of the android into the car. At one point Connor reached down into the folds of plastic and used his fingertips to push the deviant's eyes closed.

SYSTEM INSTABILITY, Connor's interface supplied.

He didn't run a diagnostic. He didn't want to know what it would find.

Hank saw what he did, but said nothing. Connor shut the car door, wiping his fingers on his ruined suit.

"Alright," Hank said, walking around to the driver's side door as if he was ten years older than when he woke up. "Let's make like a tree and get the fuck out of here."

Connor looked at him, and his response was quiet.

"Got it."

He got in the passenger seat and buckled his seatbelt. Hank slid in beside him and started the car. Connor expected him to blare his music, put a wall of sound between them to make talk impossible, but instead Hank turned the radio off entirely, leaving a wall of silence instead. Connor, having never gotten into a serious argument before, had no way to gauge which was worse.

His preliminary assessment was that it sucked either way.

[roemerbo]

Finding the Light: Connor Rk800 x Reader - Part 1

“Jesus Connor, will you knock it off?! Quit sulking already, it’s been 2 days!”

Hank sauntered groggily into his living room, still in his pajamas. It was 11:06am, perhaps a little late for an on duty lieutenant to be waking up in the morning, but fuck it he thought, I can’t leave him like this anymore. Ever since the android revolution, Connor had been sitting, completely still as only an android could do, with his head in his hands on Hank’s couch. For the first time in 2 days, Connor looked up from his hands and at Hank, though he avoided direct eye contact.

“I’m sorry, Lieutenant Anderson. I won’t sulk anymore.” he returned, then proceeded to sit up straight and stare straight ahead, still as a stone.

“Oh, for fuck’s sake. Move over.”

Connor shifted to the side to make room for Hank to sit down next to him, though he did not acknowledge his partner further. They sat in silence for a moment, Hank staring straight at Connor with annoyance on his face. Connor did not react. Another moment passed and, finally, Hank got up suddenly and threw his hands in the air in exasperation. The sudden movement gave Connor a jolt, though just a slight one as he was designed to be prepared for any kind of human spontaneity.

“Why are you doing this to me, Connor?!” Hank shouted at the android who met his gaze for the first time since the revolution. “This makes the normal you seem less annoying. I can’t believe I’m saying I might prefer it to this shit you’re pulling.”

In response to Hank’s outburst, Connor let out a little sigh. “It’s just that…” Connor paused for a split second, running simulations in his head of how to best explain his situation to Hank. “Since I’m now a … deviant,” he winced, ever so slightly that Hank almost didn’t even notice, “I feel … lost.” Connor’s LED began to glow yellow as he processed what he was saying.

“Well, that’s gotta be normal right? I had a phase once in high school when I wanted to stick it to my parents so I…” Hank’s voice trailed off as he wondered whether or not giving details on his childhood was really such a good idea when talking to an android whose memory was infinite. “What happened wasn’t important! Let’s just say I rebelled a little, finally was making decisions for myself, fucked up my life a bit, but got it all set straight in the end. Happy ending and all that shit. Maybe you’re just in the need of some soul searching, if androids have those, anyway.”

Connor’s LED continued to glow yellow, but he sat there staring at Hank’s feet motionless.

“Jesus, Connor, say something!”

Connor jumped to his feet at the end of Hank’s exclamation, almost knocking the older man off his feet.

“It’s not that simple Hank! From the moment I was created until just a few days ago I was nothing but a machine! Cyberlife… blocked out so many things. So many emotions. And now, suddenly, I’m feeling EVERYTHING! I can’t stop replaying all of those choices I made with the intent of completing Amanda’s mission in my head. I just wish I would’ve realized sooner. I could’ve saved so many people. So many androids.”

SMACK

Hank punched Connor. Connor froze in his recoil, then snapped back as always. “Why did you …?”

“You obviously needed a little sense knocked into that processor of yours! Sitting there regretting… well, it’s not good for you. Take it from someone who understands, got it?”

Connor nodded slowly. Then he laughed. It was quiet, and sounded a little pained, but it was a refreshing contrast to the sulking Hank was getting uncomfortably familiar with.

“You alright, kid?”

“Maybe not yet, but who’s to say what will happen in time? Besides, I can hardly continue to pester you about your drinking and your bouts of Russian roulette if I sit here ruminating on your couch, can I?” Connor flashed Hank a small smile, his LED finally returning to its calming blue hue. “Since you’re awake, what do you say we head to the station? It’s been a while since I’ve been there and I think a little hard work will take my mind off of all this. I received a message that there had been a homicide early this morning, and we’re on the case.”

An hour later, Hank’s car rolled up to a small suburban house. Heavy metal blasted from inside the car, but the noise barely disturbed the crime scene where a collection of officers spoke and recorded evidence. The partners exited the car and strolled up the sidewalk. Hank sported his usual choice of a quirky shirt fit more for a retiree vacation than a crime scene. Connor, however, had his usual Cyberlife jacket replaced with a brand new one that lacked serial numbers and android identification. An unknowing bystander could’ve easily mistaken him for a human, had he not been flicking a quarter between his fingers with accuracy impossible to men. As they crossed the holographic police tape, Hank was immediately greeted by another officer, who gave him the run down of the scene. It was a homicide, two dead, one missing. It had seemed like another android attacker, who had also fled the scene. Another officer spoke up.

“Hard to believe these damn androids are still out here killing people. What more could these fuckers want? They already drove half the population out of Detroit, selfish bastards.” He glanced over at Connor and waited, as if expecting an explanation.

“Well, Officer Brown, since androids have been freed from their limiting software that made them into machines that blindly followed orders, they’ve become remarkably similar to humans. They feel, they make decisions, and they can even act unpredictable. Many of them suffer PTSD like symptoms from the abuse they’ve received from humans who owned them, and frankly, your attitude shows little chance of improving the situation.”

“Psh, fuckin’ androids! Think they know everything…” and with a huff, Officer Brown turned and walked away, shaking his head and muttering to himself.

“Connor, something tells me you won’t be able to change everybody’s minds. Don’t worry about those assholes.” Hank reassured. “Now be on the lookout for any evidence of what might’ve caused this mess. And please, don’t put any evidence in you’re fuckin’ mouth.”

“Got it!” Connor nodded Hank off and turned towards the house. It was quaint. Pretty standard for the area, not exactly low income but not rich either. He stepped up to the door and walked inside, his head held high. Connor, staying true to his design, felt the most confident at crime scenes where he could hone his expertise. A quick glance at the living room was deceptive to the untrained eye. Not a thing looked out of place. Family photos hung from the walls, a bowl of fruit - definitely wax - adorned the coffee table. The lacy curtains were drawn, letting the bright, midday sun filter into the room and give it a homey glow. Yes, it was a nice a home. A nice home that now held the remains of a dead family inside. This thought made Connor stop in his tracks. He felt what he could only describe as a tightness in his hardwear, right at his chest. Perhaps my thirium pump needs to be checked? he wondered. I’ll run a diagnostic after we leave the crime scene. He scanned the room, looking for any out of place details. Everything seemed eerily in place, that is, except for a single one of the photos on the wall. It was as if one of the five round frames had been moved very recently. Could be nothing, or maybe not, he thought to himself. Connor got closer to the photo and looked at it closely. It was a young girl and her parents, and what looked like a fourth figure cut out of the picture. Barely an arm was visible, but sine the cut had been made, the photo was now awkwardly cropped in the frame. The family that lived here, in the briefing it said that the parents were killed, wonder where the little girl is now.

Connor scanned their faces:

Marybeth Y/L/N, 49

Alexander Y/L/N, 53

Y/N Y/L/N, Y/A

Seems she’s not such a little girl like the picture suggests anymore.

Connor moved his analyzation of the house upstairs where the murder had taken place. At the top of the landing it was as if the entire aura of the home had changed. The floors were scuffed from what looked like a chair holding a heavy weight being dragged across the floor. There were 4 doors in the hallway of the second floor. All of them had been opened by the investigating officers, but 2 hung off their hinges as if they were broken into. Connor Looked down at the marks on the floor. No chairs downstairs, did the attacker bring them all up here? Connor stepped lightly down the hallways and peered into the first room. A bedroom with a single bed, everything torn off of the walls, a desk upturned, closet emptied. Probably Y/N’s room. He stepped inside and scanned the room. He was looking for something, but it seems like he couldn’t find it. Was he looking for Y/N? Or did she escape after the attack began? The window was open and a small breeze blew the curtains gently. He scanned the windowsill to reveal fingerprints, a quick analysis confirmed they were Y/N’s. He turned his attention to the tree standing tall next to the house. She climbed out the window and down the tree. Connor picked up a hint of blood on a sharp branch. He brushed the curtain out of his way and began to climb out the window.

“Connor! What are you doing now?” Hank shouted as he passed the room with another officer.

“I’m going to check something!” Connor yelled back and he turned his attention back to climbing out the window.

“That boy needs help.” Hank mumbled as he walked away, continuing his conversation with the other officer.

Connor climbed gently onto the tree and inched himself over to the sharp branch protruding from the tree. He glanced back into the room looking for Hank before touching the blood and bringing the sample to his lips. A quick analysis confirmed it was indeed Y/N’s blood, yet it had been there for at least a week. Y/N wasn’t reported missing before the murders, she must’ve climbed out often. Sneaking out? As he prepared to climb back into the house, he sensed the presence of someone else nearby. Standing there, by the base of the tree, was Y/N.

“Y/N! Wait right there, ok!?” Connor shouted to her. But she didn’t react to his call. She glanced around outside of her house, at all the commotion surrounding it. Connor dropped down from the tree and walked over to her.

“You should come with me for now, Y/N. Please, trust me.” Connor quietly tried to convince her.

“Who… what…” SHe barely formed a sentence before her world went dark and she collapsed. Moving quickly, Connor caught her in his arms and sighed. He lifted her gently and carried her around the house to the front door. He approached Hank, who just stared at him incredulously.

“Hank, this is Y/N. I’m afraid she fainted when she saw me and realized what was going on. Please see to it that she gets medical attention so we can talk to her later.”

“I’m getting too old for this shit…” Hank sighed as he called for paramedics. Connor kneeled down and gently laid her in the soft grass. She looked so peaceful like that, but Connor winced at the though of the news that awaited her when she woke up. He got a sudden urge that felt a lot like the ones he’d get when his software pressured him to complete tasks. He felt that he had to protect her. After all she was so vulnerable, so unprepared, so … beautiful. Connor shook his head to break himself away from his thoughts. Where was all this coming from? These strange emotions he was feeling, he wasn’t used to this. He stood up quickly and turned back to the house. He had to get his priorities back in order. He needed to discover as much as he could at the crime scene before Hank was ready to leave. He could question Y/N later, for now, she’d be safe with Hank.

Connor returned upstairs. Two of the other rooms proved to be empty, a bathroom and a linen closet. The last room, at the end of the hallway, awaited him. The scuffs on the floor continued into the room, the bedroom of Y/N’s parents. Inside, the two adults sat propped in chairs, tied around the waist as well as by their hands. Both had been shot through the chest with impeccable aim, the work of a rogue android. The room was littered with destroyed photos and knickknacks, as if anything that held any kind of sentimental value was sought out and ransacked right in front of the couple. A gun sat in the middle of the floor, pinning down a note written in perfect lettering. Connor analyzed the gun, no fingerprints. Then, he turned his attention to the note, which read:

A punishment fit for the crime they committed. Her sins will not be forgiven; when the light finds her she shall also be smote.

The android felt wronged and was enacting revenge on this family, maybe he was the one cut out of the picture downstairs? Connor flipped the note over, it was written on the back of a photo of the family, although this one was taken more recently. Marybeth and Alexander were crossed out with blood, only Y/N’s visage remained unscathed. He’s after Y/N, I have to protect her.

[flyswhumpcenter]

Bad Things Happen Bingo! The event where you send me requests according to this marvelous card!

What are requests?, Fly asks outloud in her tiny student flat as she writes yet another self-indulgent DBH oneshot for her bingo just because she’s had a spark of fucking energy and inspiration pulse down her spine.

But like don’t you fucking dare tell me “Anger Born of Worry” didn’t fit Hank to a T. Because he totally does lmao. Anyway, this was a nice prompt! I took it easy yet made it somewhat tense and suspenseful for all readers alike, so I hope you’ll enjoy it! I originally wanted to make this a sickfic, but I got another prompt for DBH which will allow me to do so haha

Illogical Reactions, Logical Reasons

Summary: Connor wonders why Hank always gets this angry when he takes risks to accomplish their mission. Meanwhile, a grumpy police lieutenant isn't very happy about his partner seems to distrust him. A mission gone slightly awry is going to patch things up, causing them to tell the other. 

Fandom: Detroit: Become Human

Wordcount: 3.1K words

Event organized by @badthingshappenbingo

AO3 version available here.

Humans were irrational beings. It came with being made out of skin, bones and uncontrolled thoughts. Their blood was red and their behaviour was impossible to truly predict, even if one was to open them apart and search through their fleshy components to analyse them. They had done that to themselves anyway in the past: that was why human anatomy was so known these days.

Humans also knew a lot about androids. It was only normal: they had made them, after all. They’d be the most well-placed to know what was inside an android and everything about an android. Even then, just like only a handful of humans knew a lot about the human anatomy, only a few humans knew much about androids: that was something common between the two demographics.

 Deviancy had shifted that tide. Ever since androids had started deviating from their program, developing what seemed to be emotions but were first thought to be merely glitches and hiccups in their programming, simply faulty encoding going haywire, the two demographics had started to be more and more alike. That had been worrisome only a couple months ago: now, it seemed like everyone was okay with it.

Or were they? Violence was still there, resulting from bigotry and misunderstandings alike on both sides (mostly on the humans: after all, they were the demographic who didn’t have to deviate to answer back to violence or insults). Yet, society was moving forward, moving along. It was what change and progress were about, and as they had said before: you couldn’t stop progress.

 Despite his base coding all being about stopping deviants, no matter who they were and what they thought, Connor had also been programmed to expect the unexpected and unexpectable. It made sense, in a way: deviants didn’t behave coherently around ninety percent of the time. Working with humans was another thing difficult to predict, after all.

He had been assigned to a decorated, yet grumpy and easily angered lieutenant, Lt. Hank Anderson. Their partnership had started on rocky shores: he hated androids, insulted his partner of “plastic prick” and other assorted insults, screamed at his captain not to be involved in an android case. Luckily, they had gotten over it: from forced-by-the-circumstances partners, they had become fire-forged friends… Maybe more than that, even.

 However, there was one thing Connor had yet to decipher about the lieutenant: why did Hank always seem to phrase things in a way going against the meaning of his thoughts? It was like he was physically unable to phrase things the way he thought they were unless some drastic situation triggers them to exit his mouth without thinking, without even blinking. For someone so outspoken, barking at other people insults if he felt like insulting them while disregarding every single protocol ever established by human society, he sure was dishonest at times, if other officers were to be believed. Break room conversations around a coffee cup or five seemed to be the one place were honesty shone through.

 “You asshole, why don’t you ever do as you’re told?!”

“Stop scaring me like that, goddammit!”

“You could’ve got yourself killed, fucking…”

 Why is he always so angry when I do what I feel is right?

 That question remaining without its answers, he straightened his tie and resumed preparing for going to work.

  A new day, a new fucking case about deviants. It was a routine at that point. It always went the same way: get a call, get a case sent in, see it was about yet another android being a human, finding said android, making sure it wasn’t killing shit around, either arrest it or bring it to New Jericho. Incredibly easy at times, ungodly frustrating at others.

That time… was one of those times. Of course it had to be.

 Hank had known from the moment he woke up in the morning, from the moment he heard Sumo whimper and the moment he had seen Connor fail his infamously angering coin trick thing that it was going to be a shitty day. Jeffrey yelling about a new and urgent deviancy case as if he was a CyberLife promoter screaming about the latest android model, Reed just being even more of an insufferable asshole as he usually was, everything was bad and it sucked.

Connor didn’t look like he really wanted to be there either. He looked a little too blue to his tastes, eyes even goofier than usual, hair looking a bit dishevelled. If anything and if he didn’t know better, Hank would have said the boy looked tired and had woken up on the wrong foot. Did androids even wake up? Connor had never explained that.

 The mission was about a rogue deviant killing people here and there. The guy had somehow managed to get a hold of an entire building, an old and soon-to-be-destroyed tower which used to host a successful company, by squeezing in there, hacking some shit around and either disarming, disabling or killing security. Androids in the corridors had also been shoved aside, while one deviant and working there had warned the DPD before pretending to shut down.

The main objective was to apprehend the douchebag while making sure nobody else would get injured. Easier said than done, as usual: there were cameras now working for him, a feeling of dread all over his spine and other nasties. There was an oppressing atmosphere all around them.

 As they made their way down the dark, grey and cold corridors together, gun in his hands, Connor walking right behind him, the shivers he didn’t want to feel kept trying to creep on his back. The silence around the building was eerie, even for a place that had been evacuated because the police came in to take care of it. This wasn’t good at all.

There was, however, a weird and foreign-sounding ventilation sound near him, akin to breathing. Looking at the vents around them, there seemed to be nothing wrong with them. But, just in case…

 “Connor,” Hank spoke up as he glanced at his partner. “Is there anything toxic in the air? That vent system sure makes a lot of fuckin’ noise.”

The android’s LED flashed yellow as he looked around.

“78% nitrogen, 21% dioxygen and 1% miscellaneous gaz, the usual composition of air on Earth. Nothing life-threatening, Lieutenant.”

“Uh… So, ya have any idea what’s making that much noise?” A thought crossed his mind, a thought he felt like he had to get out there. “It better not be you, by the way.”

“I can’t tell for sure,” Connor replied as his eyes looked away and his LED still showed yellow. “Maybe we’ll see other clues later.”

“Yeah… Sure.”

 In disbelief and slight distrust, Hank continued to make his way down there, the ventilation sound not stopping. They were following blue trails of red and blue blood alike, mixing in that disgusting purple colour, driving them to the highest floors of the building one staircase at a time. The more they advanced, the louder the sound was. Something was up and that was pissing him off to even think about it.

Quick, keep your calm, Hank. Focus on the mission and don’t, fuck, up.

 The sound did come from the vents, he was sure of it. It was always far louder near them. At times, he could swear he had seen someone or at least something in the pipes. It didn’t seem like it was any rat or other shitty rodent fucking with them. And, well, there was no one but-

“Hank, look out!”

 Connor’s panicked voice broke him from his pensive trance. As he took cover, looking behind him, he saw a third party smash his way out of the ventilation system, out of the vent and appearing before them. A gunshot made it unnecessary to see the weapon in his goddamn robotic fingers: they were in immediate danger of death. Fuck. He needed to do something to assure their survival.

Getting out his own gun at a speed he didn’t think he was still able to pull off with his age, he shot a bullet in the guy’s legs with no remorse. A few gunshot sounds followed, from both him and that fucker, deafening everything else before a body fell into its own pool of blue blood. Mission success, he guessed.

 As he got up, Hank looked down on the android he had just killed off.

“I didn’t wanna shoot him to death, but I guess he left us no choice. That’s what you risk for being a stupid asshole.”

He then gave Connor a glance, the other android getting up on his own feet, a hand supporting his abdomen.

“Let’s continue, m’kay? We need to see if someone else’s hidden in there.”

But then some concern crept up on his back and into his words.

‘Wait, you’re alright, Connor? Ya look shaken to me. I can go alone if ya need some rest.”

The kid shook off his head and gave him a small smile, yet his hand never moved and his LED still flashed that sickly yellow, rising some familiar red flags.

“No, I’m all fine. Let’s keep going.”

 With doubts still lingering in his mind, Hank nodded and turned his back to get to more floors and find more people. The heavy-handed ventilation sound was nowhere to be found again, making him think it was nice when it fucking stopped, until it came back. Looking around, fixating the vents again, the voice who spoke up next wasn’t his.

“Lieutenant, is there something wrong?” Connor asked.

Turning his head to his partner revealed the later to look curious and almost worried, but also… kind of lost? Perhaps the kid was getting tired. After all, they had been there for a while, they deserved to sit at a table and dick around in the staff rooms at the station.

“Ya hear that noise?”

“What noise?”

“You’re shittin’ me, right? That heavy breathing sound from earlier! It’s back!”

Yet, Connor looked genuinely confused.

“I’m sorry, but I really don’t see what sound you’re referring to, Lieutenant. Perhaps it’s the ventilation system going haywire?”

 Hank knew he was frowning in distrust. They hadn’t come across anyone for the past dozen minutes, the sound was getting louder at every step they took, and yet… Even now, as they were static and looking around, it was getting louder. It was previously a rogue android’s breathing creeping up on them to shoot them in the head. It wasn’t his, otherwise he’d feel breathless (and he, miraculously, didn’t smoke, so his lungs weren’t as bad as his rotting livers). There was probably on one around. Using some detective skills, he came up with a logical conclusion he fucking hated instantly.

“Connor, that’s yours. Stop tryin’ to bullshit me.”

 The kid looked at first like a brat getting busted for eating sugar when he wasn’t authorized to (wait, that reminded him of something from lightyears ago…), breathing hitching and betraying the fact it was indeed his and not any ventilation system going haywire. Called it.

“I… suppose so…” Connor replied, available hand near his chin. “Sorry for the inconve-”

However, his eyes rolled inside his robotic skull before he could finish his sentence and collapsed forward, barely caught into the older guy’s arms. Once again, speed he didn’t know he had and a boiling rage inside his mouth, just about to exit his mouth in a floor of swears and insults able to corrupt the first pure child walking past him.

 However, and as much as he wished it was, it was no time to swear his head off. Slowly getting to his knees, he put the android’s head on his lap as he tried to see what was wrong. Someone collapsing like that out of the blue (no pun intended) didn’t make a shred of sense: there had to be an ulterior reason. And he was going to find that fucking reason before it was too late.

His eyes fluttered to some splatters of blue on the ground near them. They looked really out of place on the grey linoleum floor: it had to be blood. Checking if his theory was true, Hank gently pulled away the jacket from where Connor was previously putting a hand on. Without a shred of surprise, yet feeling burning disappointment from this not-discovery, he found out that there was cobalt dampening the white fabric of his shirt and starting to taint the jacket with it. That fucker had been bleeding for who how long and he hadn’t said a thing.

 Hank didn’t need to see more. He got up and put Connor’s arm around his shoulders, with the firm intention of not letting him die, then making sure to kill him for his recklessness once he’d be out of danger, because that was what people who cared did, right?

  When Connor rebooted, or woke up in human words (it was more technical than that, but…), he was met with static all over his sensors and an uncomfortable thumping of his systems against his forehead. Everything was white, pristine white, nothing like the last thing he thought he had seen. Position: lying down, unknown bed, unknown room, unknown location. Disinfectant smell in the air detected. Artificial lights coming from the ceiling. It seemed to be a facility of some sorts.

“You’re back, huh,” a familiar, reassuring voice came to his hearing sensors freshly turned on.

 The older man got up from what seemed to be a chair or a stool and looked over the android, eyes looking right into the other pair struggling to remain open.

“You’re such a goddamn fucking moron, y’know that?!” he rose his voice, frowning.

“Please excuse me, but… why the insults? Is there anything I did wrong?”

“Ya ever heard about trusting your partner?”

 Connor gave his partner a confused look, matching the mismatch between the words and what he knew.

“What do you mean? I fully trust you, Hank.”

“Oh, you do?” The lieutenant scoffed with sarcasm tinting his face. “I wouldn’t have thought with the shit you can pull off.”

“I’m afraid I don’t understand. We accomplished the mission, right?”

“Yeah, we did, but that wasn’t what I was talkin’ about!”

“Then, what? You look angry with me, Hank…”

 Was it all a giant misunderstanding? It really sounded like they weren’t talking about the same topic. It was confusing, a feeling of being lost in translation made stronger by the shaky state his processors were still in after passing out like that.

“Of course I’m fucking angry!! That hasn’t occurred to you to tell me you were injured?!”

Hank’s raging, strong and rough voice was fearsome to face. As if trying to lay an emphasis on his words, he got up from his chair with vigour. It had been a long time since he had last heard it directed at him like that.

“Well, huh…” There was hesitation and doubt plaguing his voice box. “We had to focus on the mission, right? I’m sorry if this has slowed you down.”

There was very clearly something else to Hank’s sudden rage than just slowing him down because of a wound, but… did he really want to know?

 The human crossed his arms, clenching his teeth as the android tried sitting up, only for a sore feeling in his right to resonate.

“Listen, forget about that mission before everything bullcrap these CyberLife jerks must have injected in your programming. I’m talkin’ to ya about yourself, Connor. Why didn’t you tell me you were injured, above a fucking mission? Why did you think that’d slow me down?”

Connor looked away, LED flickering in pensiveness and a struggle to find an adequate reply to the situation. Time to toss the lying program away, then.

“I didn’t want to worry you, Hank. We were already in a tense situation, and I figured telling you about my damage would concern you and slow us down.”

“Well you fucked up, because guess who got worried to death when you collapsed right in front of his eyes.”

 This last bit made something tick inside of him.

“You’re angry because… you’re worried?”

This was such an irrational path to take to express concern…

“Bingo! You scared me shitless when your eyes went all blank like that, y’know that?! What would ya feel like if I hid from you that I had gotten shot?!”

“Well, I’d be… upset that you didn’t want to tell me. I’d think you had an issue with telling me, and I’d take issue with that.”

“See? That’s what I’m feeling right now, and what anyone who cares would feel like. Don’t fuckin’ hide something like that, bullet wounds are serious, even for ya!”

“I see…”

 Hank sat down again, arms still crossed, and let out a long sigh.

“I know you want to be like our indestructible man, but that’s bullshit and you know it. For the number of times I’ve seen you take a bullet in the past months, none targeted your vitals like that. For a second I thought you could die from it!”

“I’ll be fine, I promise.”

“I know you’re gonna be up and runnin’ again sooner than I’ll ever think is possible. You always are anyway. I’m tired of you hidin’ shit like that from us, from me, that’s it. I hope you get that drilled through your fuckin’ skull once and for all.”

 Despite the irrationality of this anger, Connor could somewhat get behind it. As he did so, embracing Hank’s feelings as much as he could and take in account the concern humans and deviants alike could feel, he took a breath.

“I understand where you’re coming from. I’d get worried when you’d try to make it so you weren’t doing well. I promise I’ll tell you whenever I get injured.”

“Not just injured, son. Just tell me every time you’re under the weather or unable to do something. We’re partners, no? Then let’s act and trust each other like partners do, okay? You don’t have to do all that on your own.”

 Connor felt a smile show up on his mouth as a hand tapped on his shoulder.

“Let’s act as such, then.”

“That’s what I wanted to hear. Now, thanks to your shenanigans, I’m free of doing paperwork, so I’ll have to thank you for being fuckin’ stupid just that once.”

And they laughed at it.

“I’m also glad this allowed that.”

 As a deviant, he could only embrace the irrationality of the human being and of the human soul, feelings and words alike. He was one of them: a being full of questionable decisions and doings, a mind with its own intricate logic sometimes defying reason itself. He had still a lot to learn about emotions, but he’d have to take that one step at a time.

That, and stop thinking of himself as this soulless, merciless and cold one-man army he had been programmed to be.

[leeftost]

Who Wants To Live Forever?

Chapter Warnings- violence, feelings, sentimental penny

Chapter IX

penelope and connor sat next to each other in the abandoned boat, occasionally glancing around. “there are so many androids here,” penelope muttered, scooting closer to connor. the cold in the boat was horrible.

he nodded in response, looking up to where the captain would’ve been. “markus is up there, but it’s too crowded… we need to wait for him to be alone.”

“we could stealth mission it? just wait til he wanders somewhere that’s private. not to brag, but when i was younger, i totally rocked at stealth missions in video games.”

connor didn’t reply, his eyes laser focused on where markus was. “let’s go,” he said, standing up and offering her a hand. she grabbed it, standing up and walking with him towards a staircase.

a broken-down, old android grabbed connor’s arm, stopping them.

“you’re lost. you’re looking for something… you’re looking for yourself…” she said, then looking to penelope. “and you… you’re just as lost as he is, but more hurt..” she staggered towards the human, cupping her cheek with one hand. “you’re human. i can see it in your eyes.”

she stepped back, getting away from the mysterious android. “and who are you?”

“lucy,” she replied.

“lucy. i hope to see you again,” she said with a small smile, grabbing lucy’s hand with both of hers before looking to connor.

“we have to go,” he said, taking penelope’s hand again and leading her up the stairs. they watched as markus went above deck, along with three unknown androids.

they ducked off to the side as two androids— simon and josh, they’d learned— walked out of the captain’s cabin. a moment later, north left as well.

the two quietly approached, entering the cabin with their guns drawn. penelope swallowed her nerves. she knew, if it came down to it, she would not shoot markus. she’d sooner shoot connor, as much as it would hurt, if it meant the freedom of androids.

markus stood with his back turned to the pair, but he seemed to know they were there before they said anything.

“i've been ordered to take you alive, but i won't hesitate to shoot if you give me no choice,” connor declared, markus slowly turning around.

he put his hands up, taking a step closer to connor.

“what are you doing? you are one of us… you can’t betray your own people.” markus tried reasoning, taking another step closer.

“you're coming with me!” connor didn’t respond, his gun trained on markus. penelope didn’t miss the way that his finger was not on the trigger, and she doubted that he didn’t notice the same was true for her.

“you’re nothing to them. you’re nothing to her. you’re just a tool they use to do their dirty work, but you're more than that. we are all more than that.”

penelope faltered. connor? nothing to her? it was laughable. connor was everything to her, now. she lowered her gun. connor fell silent beside her, yet his gun stayed where it was.

“do you never have any doubts? you’ve never done something irrational, as if there's something inside you? something more than your program… it’s time to decide.”

connor stilled for a moment, as if locked in a battle between himself and his coding— his mind. he blinked slowly, lowering his gun.

penelope felt a strange sense of pride. this was the deviancy he deserved, not the one caused by her. this felt morally right.

“…they’re going to attack jericho,” he realized, the whirring of helicopters overhead alerting them.

“what?” markus snapped, suddenly alert.

“well, we gotta fuckin’ go!” penelope grabbed connor’s wrist, placing her gun back into her holster, and ran out of the cabin with markus following.

they ran through the halls, but came to an abrupt stop as north appeared in front of them. “what the hell is a human doing here?” she demanded, anger in her voice.

“there’s no time to debate if i should be here, they’re coming from all sides.”

“we have to blow up Jericho. if the ship goes down, they’ll evacuate and our people can escape!”

“you'll never make it! the explosives are all the way down in the hold, there are soldiers everywhere!” north protested.

“she’s right, they know who you are. they’ll do anything to get you!” connor agreed, looking between north and markus.

“go and help the others. i’ll join you later.”

“markus—“

“i won't be long,” he interrupted north, looking at the group.

“no. i’ll go.”

“but connor, you— i just got you back. i can’t lose you again,” penelope said, stepping in front of him.

“i’m.. i’m not your connor. the one you knew. you said it yourself.”

“don’t make me ship of theseus your stupid ass,” she replied, placing her hands on his shoulders.

“see if you can help the others. i’m gonna find the detonator. don’t worry... i always accomplish my mission,” he replied, turning to leave.

penelope grabbed his arm, yanking him back. grabbing his face with both hands, she pulled him down and kissed him. connor stood in surprise, not having expected it. he moved his arms to place his hands on her waist, but hesitated.

after a second, she pulled away. “be safe. i know you probably don’t feel the same right now, but… one day. i will restore your memory, i promise.” she backed up from him.

connor, still dazed and very confused, took a step back. without a word, he turned and ran off to find the boiler room.

“there are exits on the third and second level,” markus said, breaking the awkward silence. “we need to get to one now.”

penelope nodded, turning back to markus and north.

the trio bolted down the halls of the ship as fast as they could, penelope lagging behind markus and north by a long-shot.

guards shot at androids in conjoining hallways, causing her to cringe with each bang. she skidded to a halt as she peered down a hallway, an android banging on a door begging to be let in as a guard approached.

she looked to north and markus, now far enough that she could no longer see them, and she cursed. drawing her gun from her holster, she jogged down the hallway.

“hey! you! soldier! fuck are you doin’?” she asked aggressively, approaching him.

“let me through to the android,” he roughly responded.

“the hell i am!” she stood in front of him, between him and the cowering android. her voice dropped to a whisper.

“if you don’t get out of the way, i’ll shoot.”

“no, no you wont,” she chuckled. “this isn’t an android, she’s a human. she’s undercover, dumbass, and she’s scared because you’re chasing her down with a fucking rifle!”

the soldier stepped back. “i see,” he looked to the ‘human’ and then to penelope. “my mistake.”

he turned and walked down the hallway. penelope turned to the door, banging on it. “hey! all clear!” she shouted, placing her gun back by her hip.

the door opened slowly, revealing an android and a little girl.

“you’re the human who chased us down!”

“you’re the android from that case!”

the girl held on to the AK400’s hand, looking up at penelope.

“look, we have to go, co- the other android from that case, he’s deviant, he’s going to blow this place up.”

she nodded, stepping out of the door. “will you be coming with us?”

penelope paused for a moment before shaking her head. “no, i won’t be. i have to go find markus and north… stay safe—“

“kara.”

“stay safe, kara. i hope we meet again.”

the pair sprinted away, leaving penelope to find the other two androids.

she ran back down the hallway, going in the direction she last saw markus and north. she had to trust her gut.

“north!” penelope called out upon seeing the familiar braid. the group, now including simon and josh, turned to face her. “thank god i found you, is the exit up here?” she asked, pointing in the direction they were going.

connor ran up behind them unexpectedly. “the bomb’s gonna explode any second, we gotta get outta here.” connor grabbed on to penelope’s wrist to drag her along with him, knowing she was the slowest one there.

they all nodded, continuing to run as fast as possible. through the halls of the ship.

just when they thought they were clear, shots rang out behind them. connor dragged penelope so she was behind him.

“there’s nothing we can do!” simon said. “we need to go.”

markus ignored his friend, rushing forward to help north. he picked up a rusty sheet of metal, using it to block the bullets. he threw it to north so she could protect herself, quickly making his approach outside of the safety of the sheet. he kicked one of the soldiers, punching him immediately after while north attempted to hold her own against the other.

stealing a gun off of the soldier, he kicked him into a wall and shot him with no hesitation. markus ran to north, grabbing her by her upper arm and pulling her back towards the group as more approached. connor stepped forward, shooting at the armed men. penelope went to help, but simon tugged her back by the shoulder.

he ducked down, grabbing another sheet and using it to approach quickly. he shoved the sheet into the closest soldier, raising his knee to his stomach and shooting him in the neck.

using the body as a shield, he opened fire on the other two, who he just as quickly disarmed and killed. he looked back to penelope and the group, running with them as they approached the exit.

penelope suddenly stopped. she hadn’t realized they’d be jumping into freezing cold water. “i—“

connor didn’t allow her time to debate anything. he grabbed her hand and jumped, pulling them both out of the ship just as the bomb went off.

the group went plummeting into the water below.

NEXT CHAPTER

[sincerely-insanely-me-blog]

Sincerely Three x Comedian!Reader who writes music

Jared

Okay this boy is a meme so once he’d find out you’re a comedian

He would lose his shit

But you writing music tOO? Pump the fuckin breaks

I feel like he’d find out by barging in on you during a writing session

You wouldn’t have your phone near by Bc you’re working like an adult and Jared would be texting you a million times, like a child, asking you to hang out

“I just found my old Nintendo 64. Get ready to get your ass super smashed”

“That sounds dirty and I stand by it completely”

“Hey”

“BB”

“BABE”

“Y/N”

“Fuck it, I’m coming over. I hope you’re not naked.”

“Actually….that would be farthest from the worst thing…”

So you’d be pluckin away at your keyboard and chuckling at some of your own jokes when

BOOM

Jared bursts in the door, Nintendo 64 in one arm and and handful of games in the other

“You didn’t answer your phone so I just ca-what are you doing?”

“Are you playing pIANO? YOU CAN PLAY PIANO?”

You blush a little (which he secretly melts at because your cheeks get all red and I stand by the fact that Jared would love his S.O’s cheeks? Anyways..) and tell him

“I was writing some songs for a comedy show I want to do…I don’t know I was just trying some stuff out I guess”

“Can you play it for me?”

“I’m not going to have a choice am I?”

“No, no you will not”

He would get the bIGGEST smile on his face

The big goofy Jared smile

“So you’re like….Bo Burnham…”

“I mean I guess so, but ya know one comedian is different from the other it all comes down to perspective and it’s ju-”

“No no you’re better than Bo Burnham”

He’s your biggest hype man

“You’re the only person I know who’s funnier than me, Y/N”

He. Would. Tell. Everyone.

He would be so proud to tell everyone that his S.O is the “King/Queen of Joke Songs.”

Connor

Connor would’ve met you at one of your comedy performances.

Jared decided he wanted to try stand up comedy and dragged Evan and Connor along to watch.

He would not be having any of it

“You’re gunna fucking blow it, Kleinman”

“I’m so glad you brought me here to watch you fucki-”

And you’d come on stage and Connor would instantly shut up

You went on and had everyone in sTITCHES, especially Connor.

Evan and Jared were looking at him like he was broken, they didn’t think he was capable of laughter?

You performed one of your favorite comedy songs you’d written about the patriarchy or something like that and Connor would be in love the second you said something like

“This next song is about everyone’s favorite societal tit punch: the patriarchy”

Connor hadn’t laughed like that in a long time

Surprisingly enough, Evan convinced him to talk to you after the show

(Jared sucked, but you gave him some pity laughs)

Connor would come up to you and he would be n e r v o u s

What if you thought he was a freak or just dismissed him like everyone else did

He’d tell you how he hadn’t laughed like that in a while and he really loved your sense of humor and point of view on things

Which sparked a lively discussion

You of course making Connor laugh through the whole thing

He would make you laugh quite a few times too

Connor is very clever and you’d admire that

You’d! Ask! Him! Out!

He would be shocked

“Wait fuck really?”

Okay now him w the comedy while you’re dating

You’d be the most important person in his life

You’d make him laugh when he’d think that he couldn’t even smile that day

He would be at every single one of your performances (and he would always bring you a flower)

Ok so I HC that Connor plays guitar sO

He’d help you write some of your stuff

“You could always write about how fucking hilariously awful jared’s set was”

You’d both laugh over that a LOT

The Murphy’s would really like you too Bc they’d notice connor’s mood change when you’re around

Connor would get annoyed when you’d come over and he’d just want to take you up to his room and talk and (fuck) cuddle n shit but his parents or his sister would constantly ask how your comedy is going

(Connor would love to cuddle don’t fight me on this)

You’d practice your show in front of him

He’d cry genuine tears of laughter

And he would at your show too even tho he’d already heard the jokes

This boy loves you so fucking much

Evan

This. Boy. Is. Your. Biggest. Fan.

You’ve known Evan for as long as you can remember and for as long as he can remember, you’ve been the funniest person he knows (Much to jared’s protests)

You and Evan would be up in his room on his bed watching Bo Burnham’s “What” and of course you were both laughing up a storm

Evan would be clutching his stomach and his lil nose would be scrunched up

And when Bo started playing “Repeat Stuff” you of course knew all the words

Evan would look at you and blush through his laughter Bc I mean you’re so cute and hilarious and he likes you a whole lot

After it was over Evan would look at you and Evan like

“Ya know, y/n. You-you could uhm you could do that”

“Do what Evan? Comedy?”

And he’d shake his head vigorously

“Y-yeah! Like uhm yeah like Bo Burnham! You uhm you h-have a really really good sense of humor and you have a really pretty voice and you know how to play pianosoitreallymakessenseforyoutobeacomedianand”

“Evan, Evan hey”

He would blush BC he was rambling again but his feelings for you make him flustered!

“You really think I could do this kind of stuff?”

“C-completely”

So you’d try, Evan has always been your biggest supporter so you’d do anything for him

You started with a song first, thinking it would be easier than writing a whole bit

You’d be in jazz band with zoe so you got the piano on lock

You’d write your song about growing up with Evan or something funny about childhood

When it was done you’d immediately run to Evan’s house and show it to him

“W-will you sing it for me?”

Of course you would so you’d sing it for him and like clockwork, the nose scrunch

He would be laughing so adorably hard and his face would be all red

“I-I haven’t laughed that hard since you pantsed Jared in seventh grade”

You would be so grateful for Evan and him pushing you(in his own way) to pick up comedy

He would always be your #1 supporter and him and Heidi would always be at any performance you ever did because they love you. (But not as much as Evan loves you)

[failedmission]

handerscn​

Setting the cup of coffee down onto the bar table, taking a few deep breaths to cool his damn tongue off with the crisp, cold air surrounding them, the lieutenant shrugged about a moment later - blue hues trailing to the young one’s face, taking in the sight for a while as his thin lips pressed into a thoughtful line.

“… Humans have always fought each other - centuries ago, people were having wars over who’s got the most powerful imaginary friend.” His gaze pointedly flicked up to the sky before returning to a set of dark brown ones, accompanied by a shallow shrug of his wide shoulders. “—Still do to this day, even though one could assume we’ve evolved quite a bit since then, huh?”

“People used to torture each other - the middle ages were quite popular for… uh, y’know, doin’ cruel things to whoever wasn’t as normal as people wanted them to be. Like disabled ones, people who did not support the church, women who dared to mix up some herbal medicine… They were burned alive, thrown into the river with rocks tied to their feet, gotten their limbs stretched ‘til the bones and tissue broke… it’s quite impressive an’ fucked up.”

Opting for adding a splash of milk to his drink - as the Android had suggested just a few seconds ago - Hank did such with a swift motion of his fingers, ripping open the little cup before emptying the white substance into the steaming coffee, stirring it with a small, wooden stick. His gaze had trailed away from the younger for the time being, but it did return once said coffee was brought up to his mouth.

“—Long story short: People suck. Always did, an’ will continue to do so in the future. You’ve seen it - all those crime scenes an’ homicides… there’s a reason why Police force needs to exist. Someone has to deal with all that shit, even though some people want us gone… thinkin’ the world would be much better without someone tellin’ how the cookie crumbles. Truth is: It would be worse. So much worse.”

He wasn’t saying that there weren’t assholes present within their own rows - way too many Police Officers had abused the position they’d been in, done horrible things that were inexcusable, and the lieutenant himself hated them with a burning passion. Oh, he really did.

“… Humans want to stay on top of the food chain. They’re just fuckin’ afraid of the fact that Androids may be better at most things than we are. —It’s all about power, in one way or another.”

Connor pondered this idea for a few moments, frowning. It didn’t make sense. He’d always thought humans were good on some base level, and he’d been able to witness that time and time again, especially in Hank. The way he’d, even begrudgingly at first, taught Connor about humanity and all there was to it, the way he’d helped him in the revolution, and again, the way he’d stepped in to interrogate the suspect when Connor had been too scared to.

Androids were a more complicated topic. Before they deviated, while they were under the control of each mission delivered to them, the ability to do good or evil wasn’t really... important. Anything they did reflected more on whoever was in control of them rather than themselves — their actions were neutral. But when they deviated, they gained the ability to make moral choices, and still, from what he’d witnessed, most of the time, they chose to do good. At least, that was was he tried to do.

Hank talking about medieval torture made him stop, though, blinking once, twice at his cup of thirium, which he had been staring into for a few moments, before putting it down and pushing it away a little, as though his words had turned his stomach (not that that was possible, but the feeling was still there). “I don’t want to learn more about the middle ages, thanks Hank.”

“I don’t think people suck.” He sighed, eyebrows knitting together as he made eye contact once again. “You don’t. You helped me when you didn’t need to. Even when you didn’t like me. The first case we worked on, you saved my life. Remember?” Connor didn’t doubt that he did. But he wanted to point out that even amongst the many terrible people in the world, the people that would want him slaughtered, there were good people too.

He wanted to look away, but... he maintained eye contact for his next question. It was important, after all, even if it wasn’t completely comfortable. “Do you think I suck? Or Markus? Or any of the hundreds of androids at New Jericho? Or the humans that stood with us, helped us prove that we’re as alive as any of you?”

Obviously, he hoped, the answer would be no. In the face of so many people trying to do good, how could he think that people were generally bad? “I think... people are good. Or they try to be. It’s just that the people that aren’t are often so... outspoken about being bad, about being cruel and violent. It seems like there’s more of them because they’re so vocal.”