#dbh Markus x you | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

robin-the-enby · 1 year ago

Note

Hello! I was wondering if you could do a Markus(DBH) x Reader where she is the S/O of Leo Manfred, but the relationship is definitely not a happy one. Like he insults her and pushes her around all the time.

If that is triggering please ignore this request! Hope you have a lovely day! :)

You can think that you're in love, when you're really just in pain...

Pairing: Marcus x f!reader

Warnings: use of Y/N and she/her pronouns, female reader (appearance is not discussed or mentioned), swearing, mentions of psychological and physical abuse, Leo is a gaslighter, I guess that' it

A/N: OMG, I'M SO SORRY THIS TOOK SO LONG! Will you ever forgive me? 😭 But I took my time with this piece (and honestly might have gone a bit overboad) and while it did suck the soul out of me, I am very proud f it and hope you will like it. I made the reader female in the end, but the appearance of the reader is never mentioned, she is only reffered to with she/her pronouns, so I hope that's not a problem. If yes, I'll make sure to change it ;)

By now, you knew these streets by heart, that's how often you visited Carl Manfred. The old artist liked to joke that you were his in-law, given that you were his son's spouse. This wasn't the only reason however, because Carl also thought you were a kind and gentle soul and he really hoped that Leo saw that and tried to better himself in life, if not for himself, then for you at least.

Carl only talked well about his son, preferring to think about the god times instead of where exactly it went wrong and whose fault it might have been. But your presence was calming and very much enjoyable. He did have Marcus to run errands for him and take care of him, but you offering your helping hand gave him the feeling that he oh so lacked - his family taking care of him, now that he couldn't do it very well himself.

Even though you and Leo weren't married or even engaged, the old artist still considered you family. After all, you have been with Leo for a few years now, the thought of you leaving from his and Marcus' lives was strange and one Carl did not like to think about. Although...

Sometimes, when the house got quiet, when Marcus was fetching some paints or doing other errands in town, Carl would think. To be fair, he didn't know what you saw in Leo, even though he'd never admit that. He knew that opposites often attracted, and he really did hope your love would help Leo, whenever he'd ask you how his son was doing, no matter what mood you were in, it instantly changed. Something in your eyes...shifted. You looked tired, somehow older in those times, and he could see there was a heavy burden weighing you down. When it came to talking about Leo, you stuck to the basics. "He's doing fine." you'd say with a smile. But whenever Carl would ask hopefully "Has he found a job yet?" or "Is he...clean now?" you found that you could not answer. You didn't want to worry the old man, but it felt wrong to lie to him either. So you just hung your head low and admit quietly that no, he doesn't have a job and no...he isn't clean. You tried to lighten up the mood by saying he's looking for a job, which wasn't really a lie, at least, Leo insisted that he's looking for employment any time you'd bring that topic up, but you suspected Carl had stopped believing you at some point, although he never said so.

Today, you were once again visiting the old man and his android. It was strange to think that Marcus wasn't human. Every time you interacted with him, you almost forgot about it, enjoying his presence around you that much. Marcus was...serene. He wasn't loud, he wasn't crass and he was always kind. To everyone. Even if it created more trouble for him. Sometimes you wished you didn't have to leave. That you could stay with them. You were pretty sure Carl would be more than happy to let you stay, wishing for the company of his loved ones, even if he never said it, and Marcus...well...Marcus would be happy if Carl was happy. If you could call it happiness. It was strange to imagine that Marcus has never experienced any emotions at all. It made you a little sad. But the fact that he didn't know what emotions were and so he couldn't be aware of the fact he's missing something made you feel a little better. Although sometimes...sometimes it felt like Marcus was...different. Many a time have you seen him just...space out. You could see the, probably very much real, cogs in his head turn as he processed...something. But what that something was? You weren't sure.

Pulling your car into the driveway of the Manfred residence, you didn't even attempt to fight the stretch and the deep breath you took. It felt so freeing to be here, far away from...well, home. And the air was so clean and fresh, too! You could spend the whole afternoon sitting in the garden, just breathing. Carl sure did have taste when he picked out this place to live out the rest of his life at. It was calm, mostly quiet and smelled so, so good. Most people don't realise how amazing fresh air is until they taste it with their lungs, you thought to yourself. But even as you were here, your mind couldn't stop comparing everything to how it was at home. The yelling outside and inside. The constant sense of unease. The constant suffy air that wouldn't get out of your apartment, no matter how long you left the windows open. And you knew you had to come back. This place, as nice as it was, was just a break. A small oasis that would fill you up with strength until your next visit. But your reality was out there. In the downtown Detroit, in the tiny apartment you were renting.

Maybe if Leo admitted that he has issues and put his pride aside just once, you wouldn't have to take up so many shifts. You could actually like your job. You could do so much more than to just keep the both of you alive. Maybe you could have a bit of peace. But you doubted that. No matter how hard you tried, how much you did for the both of you, it seemed to never be enough. You took up extra shifts to treat the both of you to some nice meal? The apartment wasn't clean enough. You deep cleaned the apartment? You didn't cook dinner. You didn't have money to lend him? He didn't believe you, unless you showed him. And god forbid you asked him what he needed it for. Or if you complained.

Shaking yourself out of your thoughts, you made your way to the front door. Yes, reality wasn't...perfect, but you wouldn't let it ruin this moment for you. Or, at least, you would try. As you were about to raise your hand to ring the doorbell, a figure appeared from behind the corner, abruptly stopping at the sight of you. You whip your head around, startled a little at the stranger's sudden appearance. But, as your eyes focused on the person, you recognised Marcus. His intense eyes that never made you feel unsafe, his short hair, which you weren't even sure was real, you thought briefly, and his firm build...

"Oh, (Y/N)! I'm sorry, I didn't want to scare you..." Marcus apolgised with a very sincere feeling smile. You chuckled slightly at your reaction "Oh hello, Marcus. It's alright, you just startled me, that's all." Marcus was quiet for a moment, and judging by the intensity of his gaze, you assumed he was assessing your vitals to ensure you really were alright. At first, the intensity with which he looked at you sometimes unnerved you, but when he explained it was just to make sure you were physically and mentally alright, you relaxed. It was handy to have someone that could tell you something was wrong with just one look, something you yourself might not have even noticed.

"Carl noticed your car, so he instructed me to tell you that we're in the garden." Your mouth made an "o" shape in silent understandment as you nodded and followed Marcus around the house. The short walk was silent, but comfortable. Soon you could see Carl relaxing in his wheelchair in the sun, looking as content as can be. You couldn't help the smile that bloomed on your face at seeing him. You've come to learn that this place, these people, were your safe place. You felt free here, not judged, not scrutinised. Nobody expected anything from you here and everything you did for Carl or for Marcus was met with appreciation.

Carl turned around at the sight of your footsteps on the small stone path and his face lit up "(Y/N)!" he exclaimed, opening his arms for a hug. You hugged him shortly and greeted the artist. "It's so good to see you! Come, come, sit down, let's have a chat!" he urged you as he moved towards a wooden bench overlooking the various flowers and bushes in the garden. From what you knew, Marcus not only took care of the old man, but the house, and by default the garden, as well. And if that was true, then he did an amazing job. The colours of all the petals were radiant and fresh, bees buzzing around happilly. It was a lovely sight. Sitting down, you made yourself comfortable. Carl stopped in front of you in a way that he could comfortably talk to you, but let you enjoy the sight as well. Something was telling him you needed it.

"Marcus, could you get us some drinks please?" he asked his android assistant gently. You always admired how Carl treated Marcus with such respect and care, as if he was a real person. All the time, you were met with people abusing their androids, seeing them as things to care for their every need, including receiving their master's anger. And although it felt obvious that one should treat their helpers respectfully, it was still a nice change. Another perk of spending time here. Marcus nodded with a small smile, asking Carl what he would like. "Some tea would be nice." Carl replied and Marcus turned to you. For some reason, you felt your face warm up slightly and you looked away from his enchanting eyes. Your mind ran a million miles per minute, trying to come up with something that wouldn't troube him too much. "Uhm, just some lemonade, please." you stammered after a second. Marcus nodded, never mentioning your stutter or pointing out your awkward behaviour.

When the android disappeared from view, Carl looked towards you "So, how is everything?" he asked, smiling. You never liked to answer that qestion, No answer felt right unless you went into detail, but you didn't want to burden him with all that. So you did the thing people usually do, you smiled and waved your hand dismissively "Ooh, you know. Everything is the same. Nothing interesting happening in my life." Carl nodded, but you were sure that being the perceptive person he is, he could see right through you. So he nodded without pressing the issue, and instead decided to press another one. "And how's Leo?"

It was as if that protective curtain around your happy place opened and you were exposed to the harsh light of reality. As if on autopilot, you hung your head slightly, the idea of looking into the old man's eyes suddenly uncomfortable. You chuckled awkwardly and shrugged "Yea, Leo's...Leo's good." you said, but your voice was small, void of the confidence and cheeriness it once posessed. Truth was, you haven't seen Leo in two days. He has been ignoring your calls as well as your texts. On one hand, you were worried about where he was, what he was doing and with who. But on the other...You were relieved. Your home is finally quiet, you don't wake up in the middle of the night to unexpected company coming over, because Leo invited them for a red ice party. You feel bad for feeling good when your partner is missing, but at the same time you can't help but enjoy it.

Sometimes fate has a strange way of playing with our lives. And it seems that in your case, Carl chose this day to finally choose the uncomfortable topic and interrogate you. "(Y/N), what's wrong?" the artist asked softly and you wondered when exactly has this became an intervention. "Nothing's wrong, work has just been tiring." Not a lie, but not a complete truth either. For some reason, you felt ashamed to admit to Carl how has Leo been treating you. You knew it wasn't right, but you also weren't someone who'd let others just push them around, and you knew Carl knew that. And maybe that's why you didn't want to tell him. Besides, how do you tell someone that their child is a toxic abuser?

"Cut it out (Y/N), I know something's wrong. Now, I know Leo doesn't have a job and that he's still on that...thing." Carl said the word as if it left a bad taste in his mouth "But I feel like there are things you haven't been telling me." The worst thing about this conversation wasn't the fact Carl knew you were lying to him, it was the way he was so nice about it. You felt like this whole thing was wrong, for some reason you felt like he should have been mad at you, should have been asking why you were so stupid as to staying with his stupid son, who everyone knew was a scumbag. You sure felt stupid. And yet... "You know I wouldn't do that." you smiled at him while racking your brain for an exit out of this conversation. "Hey, Marcus has been gone for quite a while, huh? I'll go help him out a bit." you didn't wait for an answer, already standing up and heading to the backdoor. Carl turned around to look after you and from behind you, you could hear him call out, cheekiness masking his worry "I may be old, but I'm not senile!"

Stepping into the house was like teleporting to another world. While the garden was full of colours and bustling life, the house was quiet and the brown hues of the furniture and decorations almost made it feel sleepy. But it let a lot of light through its big windows and it didn't feel heavy or suffocating. The worst you could say about it was that it felt serious, but glancing at the life sized giraffe taxidermy in the living room disproved even that claim.

Following the soft clacking of mugs and the conistent hum of the kettle, you made your way to the kitchen. Marcus was standing at the counter, preparing Carl's tea, your lemonade already done on a small tray on the table. His broad shoulders moved uder his uniform and you found the movement...mesmerising. And while observing Marcus quietly was quite normal for you, as creepy as that sounds, this was the first time you felt as if your...affection, towards the android might not be as platonic as would be appropriate. You were taken for pete's sake, you couldn't be fantasising about another man like that! But, you reasoned for yourself what was the harm? It wasn't like Leo was here and even if he was, he'd probably pay little mind to you. You would be surprised if he could even stand still for more than half a minute.

"I know you're there, (Y/N)." you heard Marcus chuckle, successfully bringing you out of your thoughts. You realised that during your internal argument, you have leaned against the doorframe and probably was watching him like a creep the whole time. Great. "Heh. Somehow, that does not surprise me." you chuckle in return, hoping to brush off your inadequate behavior. Marcus' shoulders shake in silent giggles as he looked behind his shoulder at your drink "Your lemonade is done. Do you want to drink it outside with Carl?" he asks and you shake your head. "It's okay, I'll stay here for a while, but I'll join you two afterwards." you explain, hoping he doesn't push the matter. But it seemed that luck was not on your side that day.

"Did Carl's questions about Leo tire you out?" Marcus tried to joke, but he quickly realised he must've brought up a sensitive subject at your lack of a positive reaction. You just hung your head, as you were used to when talking about your boyfriend and smiled, although the expression held very little joy. "Yeah...sort of." you said quietly and sipped on your lemonade. Your brows scrunched together and you odded a little "Hy, this is some really good lemonade!" you commented, hoping to divert the conversation once more. Marcus thanked you and finished with Carl's tea. Then, he wordlessly picked up the tray and went outside to give it to the man.

He was gone for quite some time, that you almost thought that you would really be left alone, even though you didn't know whether that was what you wanted anymore. But it seemed that Marcus was more in tune with your emotions than you would've guessed for an android. He quietly sat down next to you and after a bit of silence, during which he probably ran through all the things he could've said, he finally spoke up. "Why Leo?" Yo had to say that it was the last question you expected, although, you didn't really know what you were expecting.

Sighing, you shrugged "I don't know...anymore." you added after a second, deciding that if you were to tell someone about your troubles, it would be Marcus. Would he tell Carl? If he asked, which you know he would, then the android would tell the artist everything. But hey, at least you didn't have to do it yourself. "Anymore?" Marcus asked quietly and you felt those gorgeous eyes trained on your face as if it was the only thing he could see. You nodded "Yeah...I guess- I guess he wasn't that bad at the start." you shrugged, the memories of him showering you with sweet words and gifts that weren't expensive, but that much more meaningful, almost gone from your brain. "And then I found out about the drugs and I thought-" you took a sharp breath in, already feeling the familiar pressure behind your eyes "I thought, he loves me, I'll be there for him and help him get through it. But he never got better. And when he blamed everything on the drugs, or on the withdrawals I believed him, because...Well, because I never thought I'd end up in that kind of situation, you know?" you chuckled, the noise laced with self deprecation.

You felt his hand land on your arm gently. A fleeting thought of how warm his hand was crossed your mind, before you heard him speak "It's not your fault." You quickly nodded "I know, I know, but it doesn't feel like it, you know? From a young age, we are warned of the signs of abuse in relationships, so how could I have ended up in one?" you sighed "I just feel...stupid." Your shoulders sagged and you slumped a little in your chair, as if a tremendous weight was lifted from your chest.

Even though Marcus was already lookng at you, you somehow felt his gaze sharpen "Is he..." he breathed out and it looked like he didn't know how to phrase what he wanted to say, which made a weird feeling spill throughout your gut, because it was strange, almost unsettling to see the lovely android, who is always so composed, at a loss for words. "Does he hurt you?" "No, no!" you were quick to assure him and you could see his shoulders droop as he relaxed his posture slightly. "He can be a bit rough, but-" you shook your ead again "it's no a big deal."

"What do you mean, rough?" Marcus presed on, his tone still as gentle as if you were a scared animal that could run away if he made one wrong move and yet, his eyes never left yours and when you looked at him, looked at those beautiful eyes that you were sure could count as a piece of art, there was...emotion behind them. You were sure of it. You've lived around androids for the better part of your life and you knew how they looked, even when they were assisting someone. Never ever have you seen such intensity behind synthetic eyes. And yet, you almost felt...relieved. You cleared your throat "Oh it' uh, it's ot a big deal..." you tried to reassure him once again (or maybe you were trying to convince yourself it hasn't gone that far, that hope and love haven't blinded you towards physical abuse as well) "Just sometimes when we fight, he grabs me a bit too roughly. It usually doesn't even leave a mark." you shrugged, but as you were saying it, you realised how horrible it sounded. So you stopped yourself before you'd dive into explaining how sometimes it was not just grabbing but shoves and pushes that you'd endure from Leo when you were too uncooperative for his liking.

You turn to face Marcus again and he looks a you with such sadness it almost feels like it was him who went through thaat. It wasn't just pity, the kind of look the pharmacist would shoot you every time you'd come for that one cream to help soothe your skin after a rough argument with Leo. But no, Marcus seemed...almost heartbroken, the kind of heartbroken a child is when their beloved pet dies.

"You don't have to put up with it you know?" Marcus asked gently, although it felt more like a reminder "You only have to say a word and I'm sure Carl would have nothing against-" you stopped Marcus' rant by putting a hand on his chest "I know, I know," you said nodding "but I don't want to bring Carl into this. He shouldn't have to put up with whatever mess Leo gets into, let alone my problems."

"It's ok to ask for help." he put his hand over yours that was on his chest, caressing yor skin lightly with his thumb. Your eyes were immediately drawn to his and on yours, the contact making your cheeks heat up as you mentally cursed yourself. "I know, but..." you trailed off "I just feel like...if I got into this mess, I have to get out of it. I don't want to-" you groan "I guess I don't want to give him the satisfaction of having that complete control over me. I know it sounds stupid-" you went to pull away, feeling the hot shame flow over you, making you want to cringe away from your robot friend. But Marcus only queezed your hand and tugged you closer to him. "It's not stupid. And there's no need to be embarassed." he reassured you and you shot him a quick smile, which he reciprocated, before you continued "So yeah, I guess that's why I never...said anything. Besides, he's not always like this. Sometimes he wakes up and is the textbook version of a doting boyfriend. I guess...I guess it made me hope that something could be done, that if I try hard enough, he'll see what he's doig and we can ge through it together." you chuckled sadly and this time, Marcus hugged you.

At first, you went stiff as a board, not expecting such a gesture from him, after all, Marcus has never been very touchy, since he wasn't programmed for that, but by now you were suspecting that Marcus could do more than what he was programmed to do, even if you didn't understand how that worked. Gradually, you relaxed into the hug, letting your arms gently wrap around his neck as his were wrapped around your waist. You let your head rest on Marcus' chest and as you breathed in, you caught the smell of his clean clothes. The warmth rdiating from his body was also something you couldn't complain about. You stayed like this for what must have been minutes, before you felt the android shift. Thining he was done with the hug, you went to let go of him, but his arms only tightened around you. You looked up at him only to find him already looking down at you, his eyes portraying some sort of inner conflict.

Just as he was about to voice whatever was on his mind, you registered hurried footsteps as well as rushed sentences beig exchanged, and not in a positive manner. Both you and Marcus let go of each other just in time before Leo rushed through the dooray, visibly seething, with a worried Carl on his heels.

"I told you dad, I just want to talk to her, so either you tell me where she is, or-" he stops mid sentence when he sees you and Marcus in the kitchen. He looks disheveled, his hair tussled, his clothes wrinkled, he looked sweaty and the whites of his eyes were very red, no to mention his pupils, which were way out of proportion. For a while, he just looked beween you and Marcus, his gaze jumping from one to the other, before he nodded and chuckled throwing up his hands "Well isn't this just great. I come home to no girlfriend, no car, no food and when I finally find her, she's all over a fucking robot." he sneers first at you, then at Marcus. Leo takes a few steps towards you, extending his hand as if to grab yours and you can't help but back away out of habit. Leo, of course, notices this and chuckles awkwardly "C'mon babe, we're going, the taxi won't pay itself." he says it as if he was lightheartedly joking, but the tension in his voice as well as his body gives away his real emotions.

And for some reason, something inside you...switches. You've had enough. Enough of not being appreciated, enough of being ordered and pushed around, when you deserved something, someone much better. Someone who would hold you tenderly, who would smell like fresh clothes, who would be warm and lovely, who could at least take care of himself.

"I'm not going anywhere." you said calmly, shaking your head. Leo looked at you like you just grew another head "Sorry?" And you gladly repeated yourself, adding "Maybe if I would've known where the hell you've been for the last two days, I would have waited for you. But I guess I'm not worth picking up the phone for. That is, if you even have it." you allowed yourslf to release the frutration that's been building up inside you for god knows how long now. Carl's eyes were wide, shocked fromhearing all this new information about your relationship with his son.

"Babe, you know I was busy-" Leo tried, but you were having one of it "Yeah, I see how busy you are. Couldn't you at least wait until you sobered up till you came here?" you scoffed. Leo narrowed his eyes at you and growled lowly "Listen, we can talk this through at home, no need to make a scene." And you actually laughed, catching all three men present slightly off guard "Cause a scene? You roled up here in a taxi, which you expect me to pay for, because no way you have any money on you after wherever you've been, you barged in like a hurricane and demanded to see me, and why? Just because I dared to drive somewhere? The ca is the only thing you have to your name, you live in my aparment, off of my and your dad's money, which you still send on useless shit. You don't help me out with anything, whatever I do is not enough, even though last time you actually put any effort into our relationship was years ago, so when I decide to take a break and visit a place I actually feel welcome at, it's still somehow my fault."

Maybe if it weren't for the fact that your soon to be ex boyfriend's face was getting redder with your every word, you could actully focus on the weight being lifted from your soul after that monologue. But Leo didn't look just mad, but insane. A small part of you started regretting your words, but feeling Marcus' and Carl's presence slightly calm you down. Still, when he took another step towards you,your body tensed up and you took an instinctive step towards Macus, trusting him to intervene if something went wrong. And given how your stomach squeezed uncomfortably, the situatio was more than likely heading that way.

But Leo, of course, noticed this "Bullshit." he spat out "I try, so fucking hard to please you, to be enough for you. Every day, all I think about is you. So sometimes, I need something to help me relax. But none of you," he turned around to direct his words not only to you, but his father as well "none of you get that. You all just bring me down." at this point, Leo was borderline yelling and you tried to stop your body from shaking, out of fear or adrealine, you didn't know. "I was worried, have you thought about that?" he focused on you again"I was worried where you were, what happened. So I looked for you. And when I finally found you, my fucking girlfriend, what do I see?"he turns his attention to Marcus now, both of the men staring deep into each other's eyes "I found you all over this fucking piee of plastic." he growled with disdain "I have no idea what you and dad see in these monstrosities-" he would continue, if it wasn't for Carl jumping in "Leo, that's enough!" the old man said sternly, even though you knew very well how much it pained him. As Leo was turning around to face is father, Marcus grabbed his shoulder firmly "Perhaps you should leave." he said, keeping his voice calm, although you knew that he was anything but calm. You never noticed how expressive Marcus' eyes were until today...

"Not without her I'm not!" Leo jerked away from the android's hold, turning to face you again, bringing you out of your thoughts. "I told you, I'm not going anywhere." you said, suddenly more tired than anything "I'll pay for your fucking taxi, but it's the last time I ever want to see you." you offered, just wanting him to be gone already. You knew you didn't have to do it and that it would probably be wiser to not do it, but you just wanted him out of everyone's hair. At least for today. Carl sure didn't need this day to be more stressful than it already was.

Surprisingly, Leo huffed "Fine." and you pulled some money out of your wallet and handed it to him. And with that, he turned on his heel, muttering "Fucking bitch..." as he walked out, making Carl almost scold him again, but you placed your hand on his shoulder as a sign to let him go.

After that exchange, the tension disappeared from the room, until Carl moved to the table and you sat next to him, Marcus standing by Carl's side. For a while, none of you said a word, until he old artist sighed "I knew something was wrong, but I didn't know it was that bad." he muttered apologetically and you shook your head "It's ok, you couldn't have known." and after that, you had a very long conversation with Carl about you, Leo and everything that has been going on with him. Some of it he knew, most of it he didn't. You went through many different emotions during that conversation. Frustration, anger, but mostly relief. It was finally over. When the tears started maing their way down your face, you felt Marcus' hand gently squeeze your shoulder and you grabbed it with a sniffle, intertwining your fingers to ground yourself. You felt Carl's eyes follow your every move during that interaction, but you didn't look at him.

Finally, after the tears had mostly dried, the old man sighed "I think...I think I need to lie down." he said quietly and you almost apologised. Almost. Mrcus let go of your shoulder to help him, leaving you alone. After they disappeared up the stairs, you stood up and went into the small bathroom on the ground floor, to wash your face, now sticky from all the tears you've shed, but also to get your mind together. You knew you would have to leave at one point, but you really didn't want to go to your apartment. And definitely not alone. After all, Leo still had the keys. Changing the locks would be a pain, as well as making sure he won't try to pull some other shit in the ext few weeks, maybe even months. You knew that there was a chance he would leave you alone, but something was telling you it would not be so easy. Not with Leo. You sighed and returned to the kitchen, only to find Marcus already there, waiting for you.

"Would you like a cup of tea? There's an herbal mix that should help you calm down." he asked you so gently you thought you would start crying again. Instead you just sniffled and ndded with a thsnkful smile "That would be lovely, thank you." As Marcus started preparing the tea, you found yourself sanding awkwardly a few steps away from him, leaning against the counter. It felt wrong to just sit down. You didn't even know what to do with your eyes, or what to say, but luckilly Marcus beat you to it "Carl said to tell you that you should stay here tonight. Unless you don't want to of course." he informed you as gently as before. "No, that would actually be very nice, thank you." you said, relieved "I'll nee to bring some take out for him as a thank you." you said, knowing very well the artist liked some junk food every once in a while, despite his doctor's protests, as a treat. "You don't have to do that." Macus turned to you, while carefully filling up your cup with the hot water. You shook your head and closing your eyes with a sigh "It's only right, after what happened today."

Suddenly, you feel a presence right in front of you and you open your eyes to fid Marcus right in front of you. He leans forward, resting his hands on the counter on either side of your body, looking deeply into your eyes "You may feel like it, but none of this is your fault. You didn't deserve the way he treated you and you're not stupid, or a failure for getting tangled up in that." he said quietly, but firmly enough to let you know you should better get it through your thick head sooner than later. You gulped as you got lost in his mesmerising eyes that told you how sure he was of what he has just told you. And suddenly, your hands found their way to his chest, catching the android slightly by surprise. His eyes seemed to pull you in, until you realised that your faces actually were getting closer, both of you leaning towards each other, none of you brave enough to clos the gap entirely.

You saw something in Marcus's eyes shift and he exhaled, lowering his head unti it was resing on your shoulder. You almost automatically wrapped your arms around his neck, holding him close. "I'm sorry, I..." he started, but agai, didn't quite know how to continue "This is all very new to me, but... something is telling me I- we should wait." he confesses, chosing to bluntly say what he was feeling, probaby figuring out you knew he gained the ability to feel and that he definitely felt something for you. He could feel you nod next to his head "Yeah, that's...that's probably for the best." you pulled away slightly, and he could sense that your body temperature rose slightly, especially in your face "But in the future...I would really like to try again...I think." you said bashfully and Marcus couldn't help the smile growing across his face.

Sure, you had a long journey of healing and finding yourself ahead of you. And inevitably, he would have to talk to Carl about his deviation, but as long as he could figure out his newly gained sentience alongside you and help you flourish again and find that spark that had almost been snuffed out of you, he could wait for eternity.

#detroit become human #detroit become human x reader #dbh #dbh markus x reader #markus x reader #markus x you #markus x y/n #hurt/comfort #tw abuse #leo manfred #carl manfred #female reader #race neutral reader #if not tell me

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heallearngrow3 · 2 months ago

Text

RESISTANCE MASTERLIST

,,And I will meet you where the sky ends. Where eternity begins.”

pairing: Connor x f!Reader

summary: You were Iustitia, holding a scale in one hand, a sword in the other. The two plates were balancing between the revolution, justice, and Connor who embodied what you’ve always longed for. You had to choose: the greater good or love?

chapters: 8/15

— chapter 1 — the joy of ignorance

— chapter 2 — solitude

— chapter 3 — desire to be free

— chapter 4 — a complicated enigma

— chapter 5 — turn to dust

— chapter 6 — blue and green

— chapter 7 — stay out of it

— chapter 8 — mechanical heart

hashtags:

reluctant to let go — reader

sacrificial lamb — Connor

mechanical tears — Markus

p.s: the story doesn’t always follow the plot line (in the game)

#connor rk800 #connor rk800 x reader #connor x reader #connor x you #dbh connor #dbh connor x reader #dbh hank #dbh rk800 #detroit become human #detroit connor #markus rk200 #dbh markus #dbh

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norringtondeservestheworld · 1 year ago

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Thinking about Simon being the angriest in the game at Josh for talking bad about Markus after he died.

Not when Markus failed every mission, not when they left him alone to die because he was hurted, not when Markus fucking kills him, but when Josh talks bad about Markus.

THE AMOUNT OF LOVE HE HAS FOR MARKUS I SWEAR--

#just another day feeling weak and emotionally compromised because of these two idiots robots #I LOVE THEM SO MUCH YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND #simarkus #sirkus #markus x simon #simon x markus #markus rk200 #simon pl600 #markus dbh #simon dbh #dbh #detroit: become human #detroit become human

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savemefromanepicoftimewasted · 7 days ago

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Do We Call It Fate?

Actor!Connor X F!Actress!Reader Simon Riley X John MacTavish Alex Keller X Farah Karim

Everyone knew the new grooms were off taking photos with their families and respected wedding parties, so Connor knew better than to complain about having to stand around. Especially when he had a gorgeous woman still hanging off of his arm so casually, almost as if she was meant to be there.

a/n: we have a crossover baby! i have not written a fic like this in years, so I'm hoping it's up to par!

Connor had been sitting ramrod straight nearly the entire ceremony, eyes flicking around the large room as the two men read off their vows. The moment was absolutely beautiful, there was no doubt about that, but with how many people were here? It was almost overwhelming to think about. He’d watched you walk in with Alex and Farah. They both looked gorgeous, from Alex’s form fitting forest green tux, to Farah’s deep burgundy dress. However, he had barely been able to take his eyes off of you, the way your dress clung so deliciously to your body. You’d worn simple jewelry, putting the main focus on your natural beauty instead.

The two of you had met on more than one occasion, having worked together on many projects in the past. Connor usually played a side character whenever you were the lead, watching from afar as you would kiss your co-star. One day, one day it would finally be him that was kissing you and he could get over the crush that sat deep in his chest. Jeez, he sounded like some creepy stalker with those kinds of thoughts.

“Connor! It’s so good to see you!” You walked over, throwing your arms around him in a tight hug.

He froze for a brief moment before melting into the hug, laughing softly as his fingers trailed over your soft skin. Your perfume was subtle, not overpowering the natural chemistry of your body.

“Good to see you too, I was going to say hello earlier but I didn’t want to interrupt the ceremony.” Connor was too kind for his own good, always putting the needs of others before his own.

“I thought I saw you sitting in the middle, we should’ve sat together.” Your lower lip pushed into a playful pout, Connor’s breath hitching in his throat.

“Well, who knows if we got seated together for dinner.” Connor held out his arm, waiting until you looped your arm through his as you both walked into the next building for the reception.

The room was bustling with activity, everyone enjoying finger foods as the drinks were passed around. Connor wasn’t the biggest fan of champagne, it always left him feeling bloated at the end of the night.

“Let’s go over to the bar, I’d rather not start drinking before I can even eat dinner.” Your lips were mere inches from his ear, his eyes widening as he led you over to the bar on autopilot.

Connor ordered a soda for you and himself, handing over the glass when the bartender set them down onto the marble counter. It was something safe to drink until both of you felt comfortable enough to let loose. Alex and Farah headed over, ordering two drinks for themselves and pulling you two into a conversation.

“Everyone! Please make your way to your seats!” A voice boomed across the speakers, startling both you and Connor as you hadn’t been expecting it.

You laughed softly, slipping your arm free from his as you made your way over to where the name tags were placed. Searching the table you found yours, Connor’s, Alex’s, and Farah’s, pleasantly surprised to find out you’d all been seated together.

“Hey! Come with me, we’re at the same table.” You kept the tags in your hand, sliding them between your middle and ring finger as you grabbed Connor’s hand.

Connor’s cheeks flushed with color as he followed close behind, gently squeezing your hand within his own. There was no way you weren’t perfect, every single thing about you was perfect in his eyes. You quickly matched the tags up with the seats at the table, giggling as you realized you were sitting one after the other. The table was small, giving you enough space to relax and eat, but close enough that you didn’t need to yell to talk to one another.

“It’s like they read my mind, I was hoping we all sat together.” You smoothed down the fabric of your dress, tucking it up as you took your seat.

Connor gently took the back of your chair, helping you scoot in as Alex did the same with Farah alongside him. As the two men took their own respective seats, Alex sitting much closer to Farah than Connor had to you, the DJ announced the wedding party's arrival.

Everyone happily cheered as the guests all made funny and grand entrances, their songs playing loudly. Connor could feel you lean into his side, his arm wrapped around your shoulder in case you felt cold at all.

“I am happy to announce, Mr. and Mr. Riley-MacTavish!” The room exploded into an even louder cheer, Connor carefully covering your ears to try and block out most of the sound.

He could see how in love they were, the way Johnny’s eyes lit up as he looked over at his new husband. He’d been the one to help Simon plan the proposal, offering any assistance if Simon wanted it. It was nice to know he had a hand in helping two of his friends fall deeper in love, even if it was something as simple as booking a hotel room and helping Simon find the ring.

“Okay! Now that the happy couple are finally sitting down, dinner should be coming out right now.” You were downright starving, mainly due to your own fault for not having any breakfast before leaving for the wedding.

Almost as if you were psychic, waiters began bringing out trays upon trays of food, setting them down in front of different guests before moving onto the next. You and Connor didn’t waste a single second before digging into your own food. Connor nearly moaned at the taste, the meat was so tender it nearly melted like butter on his tongue.

“Wait, would you guys like any drinks? I can head over to the bar.” Connor dabbed at his mouth with a napkin, lots of photos were being taken and he didn’t want to look like a slob.

“I’ll come with you.” You pushed back your chair, getting both Alex and Farah’s drink orders before grabbing Connor’s hand once more and heading over to the bar.

His heart leapt into his throat once more, he wondered if you had any idea the type of effect that you had on him. No, there was no way you knew how big of a crush he had, not with how effortlessly friendly you were. You were friends with almost everyone, laughing at corny jokes and making the conversation light when it needed to be. Connor grabbed yours and his drink as you grabbed Alex and Farah’s before heading back over to the table. As carefully as you could, considering how much the bartender had filled the drink, you set down the two glasses.

“We should post a photo of us, I want to remember how good we all looked.” Your eyes sparkled under the dim lighting, it was a look Connor had never seen before.

“Sure, let me ask one of the waiters to take our photo.” He set down your drinks, heading over to one of the waiters that had just finished setting down drinks for a table.

The waiter was happy to take the photo, taking Connor’s phone and waiting until everyone was ready before snapping a few photos. Connor took back his phone and thanked the man profusely, opening his photos app to look at the different photos. He quickly chose a photo, tagging you, Alex, and Farah and posting it with the caption “best night I’ve had in a while!”.

As the night slowly moved, dinner being eaten before the cake was cut, the couple both refused to smash cake in the other's face. The desserts that were passed out were adorable little cupcakes, a candied heart on top of the frosting with their wedding date written on it. Connor’s hands would occasionally drift back to you, whether he was holding your side, or laying an arm over your shoulder. It was nice, it almost felt like the two of you were in a relationship.

Connor glanced over to the other side of the table where Alex and Farah were, slowly taking a sip of his drink. His brow furrowed as he noticed Farah holding up her hand, fingers gently gripping Alex’s over her shoulder.

“Wait a minute, did you two..?” He turned to look at the happy couple, noticing the smiles each of them wore.

It took you less time than Connor to realize what exactly he’d said, a loud squeal slipping from your lips as you hugged them both tight. Farah laughed happily, hugging you even tighter before reaching around and pulling Connor into a hug before letting him move over to hug Alex.

“I guess congratulations are in order, if anyone deserves to be together it’s you two.” Connor had seen the way Alex looked at Farah from the moment they’d met. It felt like they were soulmates, destined to be together.

“He actually proposed a couple of weeks ago, neither of us have any obligations so we’ve just been enjoying the engagement.” Farah looked at Alex as if he hung all the stars in the sky, Connor wondered if being at a wedding only amplified those feelings.

Connor’s fingers trailed along your shoulder slowly, almost too softly to even be felt as he listened to Alex explain how he came up with the proposal. It sounded ridiculously romantic, from how he’d meticulously picked each rose, to making sure the dinner had been perfect. Jeez, Connor had serious competition if he was ever going to impress whoever he married.

You know damn well you want to marry Y/N, Connor.

He mentally scolded himself, angry that he’d started letting his mind drift to some dangerous places. You were still locked in a conversation with Farah as Connor let his gaze drift across the room slowly. The wedding parties table was bustling with activity, people heading over to congratulate the new married couple before heading off. His mind kept drifting back to the what if.

As the speeches commenced, the two best men, John Price on Simon’s side, and Kyle Garrick on Johnny’s side, couldn't help but laugh at the tasteful jokes. It was nice not to hear how much the new couple secretly hated each other, that they were in fact happy. There were a few tears from both grooms, as well as people sitting around at the tables. Connor wouldn’t lie and say he didn’t tear up, it was a beautiful moment.

After the speeches had ended the DJ announced that the dance floor was open, everyone abandoned their tables to go and let loose. Connor got nervous, would you rather dance with someone else? Or would you accept his offer?

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His head was downright pounding as he rolled over onto his back, thankfully the curtains were still drawn to keep the harsh glare of the sun out of the room. Blindly reaching for his phone, he grabbed it and pulled it over to check and see if Hank, his agent, had contacted him. What he hadn’t been expecting was to see his phone lit up with nearly two hundred different notifications. What in the hell happened last night?

Sitting up slowly so as not to make his head hurt even more, he pushed himself into a seated position. Scrolling through different notifications they all seemed to reference two different photos. He’d remembered posting one with the four of them together, wanting to respect Simon and Johnny’s privacy until they were ready to post things.

“What?” Connor’s voice was gravelly as he opened up instagram, ignoring the notifications as he clicked onto the photo he’d posted.

It was staring him right in the face, Farah’s ring shining brighter than even the sun in the photo that he had posted. Shit, this was all his fault! The news had gotten out simply because he hadn’t bothered to notice her ring before posting it.

CA_Lover_42:Oh my god, are you and Y/N a thing? Your hands are awfully tight for just friends ;)

Doyouloveme: MY WORLDS COLLIDING OMGGGGG 😭😭

Sweetastea93: Excuse me???? Are my two favorite people together???? I LOVE LOVE

Connor dropped his phone down onto the bed, taking a long deep breath as his mind raced with a million different thoughts. He hadn’t even realized how low his hand was on your waist. You had never protested, even offering to scoot closer to his side as the waiter took the photo.

Rolling his eyes he picked his phone back up, clicking on Twitter to see what people were saying there. The first thing he saw was the photo he’d posted, your smile shining so bright as you pressed against him. The next thing he saw was a photo of you and him kissing, what?!

Aliteralfairy: Holy shit, did they manage to keep their relationship and engagement from us?!

Lightningmcqueer: They’re clearly not together! It’s probably just a PR stunt for some new movie

Dickrider69: You don’t kiss someone like that unless you’re together, i’ll be waiting for the news to drop 👀 👀👀

Connor’s hands shook as he stared down at the hundreds of photos from the wedding, many of them were Simon and Johnny, but quite a few were of the two of you. To anyone else it would’ve looked like two lovers embracing as if the world didn’t matter. However, you and Connor weren’t together, he wasn’t even sure if you liked him!

“Connor?” A raspy voice caught his attention as his head whipped up. You were standing in the doorway to the bathroom, his shirt from the wedding covering your body.

“Hey, what the hell happened last night?” Connor knew he needed to be calm in order to process what was going on, however his mind didn’t listen to his body.

“We got really, really drunk.” You rubbed at your eyes, walking over to where he was slowly.

“I figured that much, my head is absolutely killing me.” Connor sighed softly, shifting back to allow you more space on the bed.

You crawled into the space beside him, burying your face into his stomach as you wrapped your arms around his waist. Connor stopped himself from freaking out, instead he gently carded his fingers through your hair.

“Do you want me to order some room service?” Connor lowered his voice, not wanting to make either of your hangovers worse.

You nodded against his skin, relishing in the warmth his body was giving off.

“Waffles, with bacon and sausage?” You didn’t bother to move, hands gripping onto him even tighter.

“Of course.” Connor reached over carefully, calling in an order for room service, making sure to ask for extra orange juice and water so you could both get over your hangovers.

After setting the phone back down onto the nightstand, Connor put all of his attention back onto you. It was clear that you’d come back with him to his room, but considering that he still had on his slacks? Well, at least you hadn’t hooked up, less chance for any embarrassment to sink in after a while.

“Do…do you remember us kissing at their wedding?” Connor felt silly asking the question, he wanted to be grateful he’d finally gotten to kiss you, even if he didn’t remember it.

“Vaguely, the night’s more of a blur than anything else.” You weren’t sure when things began to get fuzzy, just knowing you woke up beside Connor in his hotel room.

Connor hummed noncommittal, nodding more to himself as a response to what you’d said. He remembered drinking a lot after everyone had eaten dinner. Sure, maybe it was an excuse to actually let loose and not be so afraid to enjoy himself. However, it now meant that the first time he’d kissed you, not on a movie set, was a time he would never remember properly.

“Everyone online is wondering if we’re together, I guess a ton of photos ended up leaking online and there’s one of us kissing.” Connor’s mind trailed back to the multitude of photos he’d seen.

The way your bodies pressed together, lips locked in what looked to be a rather passionate kiss. God, he didn’t hate himself more than he did in this current moment, more angry at himself than anything else. Johnny had sent him a text congratulating him on taking you home, completely unaware that neither of you were in the right mind for something like that.

Before he could say anything else, room service announced their arrival. Normally, Connor would’ve gotten up to allow them inside, but he didn’t want to move you. Instead he unlocked the door with his phone, letting them know they could enter. Neither of you were indecent, so it wasn’t like they could snap a photo to post online.

“Thank you.” Connor reached over for his wallet, pulling out a few bills and handing them to the waiter before letting him head out.

You pushed yourself up slowly, holding the side of your head as you quickly seated into a more comfortable position. Connor grabbed the multiple plates and silverware before setting everything down onto the bed. Once you had plates and silverware he grabbed two glasses of orange juice, handing one over to you before taking a seat beside you.

Grabbing the remote he turned on the tv, surely there would be something boring to act as background noise while the two of you ate.

“Good Morning everyone! As everyone knows we had quite a large wedding happen last night, tons of different celebrities were in attendance including one Connor Anderson as well as Y/N Y/L/N.” The host smirked as the camera zoomed out slowly, her body turning slightly to a different camera.

“Photos began to emerge online almost immediately, the two newlyweds looked amazing in their custom suits, as well as most of the guests in attendance. Which reminds me, did anyone notice the absolute rock that Alex Keller put on Farah’s finger? The man has some great taste.” The photo Connor had posted popped up on the screen, another reminder that he had announced their engagement to the world.

“However, there’s some photos that are definitely making their rounds. It seems Connor and Y/N are more than just friends, if this photo is any indication.” Multiple photos from the wedding popped up on the screen, different angles of what looked to be your first kiss.

Connor forced himself to eat, refusing to let the food go to waste lest his hangover linger for the rest of the day. As he finished off his waffle, reaching for a piece of bacon to cut through the sweetness of the syrup, his phone began to ring loudly.

Silently sending a prayer to whichever higher power was currently listening in, Connor answered the phone without looking to see who was calling.

“I know, I know.” It was the first thing that came to mind, unsure of how to properly respond regarding any of the photos.

“Connor, they’re having a field day making up a million different tabloids about you both. Now, do you want to make a statement and deny everything?” Hank was understanding, he knew how much Connor liked you, and had even tried to convince the kid to tell you.

“No, they’ll just assume that we’re trying to keep the relationship hidden anyway. Why not just let them come to their own conclusions before moving onto the next topic?” Connor shoved the bacon into his mouth, chewing slowly.

Hank hummed slowly, going through the different possibilities and reactions that people could have to the two of you staying silent. On one hand it wouldn’t affect either of your careers, that much would be obvious, on the other hand people could get mad that you hadn’t said something sooner. Would that be such a bad thing though? To stay low until he could figure out his feelings and if he wanted to pursue something so serious? It wasn’t the first time he’d kept a relationship quiet, more for the sake of his partner than anything else. He watched his best friend do the same thing until they announced their marriage.

How they didn’t break the internet, Connor wasn’t entirely sure. Markus had gladly announced that he and North had gotten married privately, not even paparazzi had managed to find out. So no, it wouldn’t be a bad idea for either of you to not say a word. People would come to their own conclusions anyway, what good would it do to say something sooner?

“Yeah, you’re right. Just don’t feed into their bullshit, okay?” Hank cared a lot when it came to Connor, he’d seen how cruel people could be firsthand, and he didn’t want him to suffer through it.

“Don’t worry, I’ll make sure there’s no paparazzi when we leave the hotel.” Connor reached over for his juice, eyes glancing over to where you were for a brief moment.

“Wait, is she in the room with you right now? Connor, did she stay in your room?!” Hank wasn’t angry, no, he was more shocked at the answer.

Connor shoved another piece of bacon into his mouth to try and stall from answering Hank’s question until he could come up with a proper excuse. Unfortunately he didn’t have long until his mouth was empty and he had to answer Hank.

“Yes, but nothing happened between us. I’m pretty sure we both ended up passing out when we got back here.” Connor wasn’t keen on telling him that he was still clothed, even if you were wearing his shirt.

“Just, lay low for now. I’m sure there’s people waiting outside to catch a glimpse of you two.” Hank sighed softly, running a hand down his face.

“Maybe I can ask Alex to drive by and scope the place out, see if we can get out without being seen.” Connor wasn’t too keen on spending the rest of his day inside the hotel, and he was sure you’d want to get back to your own apartment.

It wouldn’t be a bad idea, most people didn’t tend to stare at car’s driving by unless they had their windows down. He’d just need to convince Alex to keep the windows up until he drove by the entrance so he could let him know if you were good to leave.

“Well, just don’t get caught, alright?” Hank said his goodbyes before hanging up and leaving Connor to deal with the issue at hand.

Asking him to do that favor didn’t take much convincing, something he’d definitely be asking Alex about once he was safely home in his apartment. He helped you find some clean clothes in his suitcase, letting you wear his sweatpants and one of his hoodies before getting changed himself. His phone lit up with a text, Alex letting him know that the coast was clear but it looked like people were tending to linger so they needed to get going sooner.

Connor grabbed the rest of his things, carelessly shoving them into his bags before heading down to where your actual room was. Once you had everything, including the gorgeous dress you’d worn put away, Connor grabbed your bags. The ride in the elevator was tense, he worried some of your fans would be waiting to see if they could catch a glimpse of you. He doubted anyone would be waiting for him, at least not this early in the day.

“Hey, keep the hood up until we get out to my car. Alex told me you drove in with them, so I figured I’d help you out.” Connor smiled softly, almost nervous that you’d deny his offer.

“That’s really sweet, thank you.” Your nose scrunched up as you giggled, leaning up to press kiss to his cheek.

His cheeks flushed bright pink as he headed over to the front desk, checking both you and himself out. He’d missed check out so the room would be charged extra which wouldn’t be too much of an issue. It took an extra couple of minutes before he was heading back over to your side, gently sliding an arm around your waist and leading you outside.

The air was warm, the sun slightly hidden behind the bright white clouds that were scattered in the sky. His heart raced as he tugged you closer, leaning down as if he was whispering a secret to you as he noticed the large camera hanging from a man’s neck. Even if they were a regular photographer and not a pap, Connor wasn’t taking the risk. The car was so close, just a few more yards and you would both be safe inside with no one to try and talk to you.

“Is that…holy shit is that Connor Anderson and Y/N Y/L/N?” The whisper sounded as if someone had shouted in his ear, his heart pounding as you both quickened your pace.

“Kelly! Oh my god it is!” Her friend shrieked, whether with excitement or something else Connor wasn’t entirely sure, and he wasn’t about to sit around and wait to find out.

Connor quickly opened the passenger door, helping you inside before shutting the door and putting your bags into the trunk. More people began to suddenly notice they were there, the voices getting louder, and louder. His eyes widened as different paparazzi began to snap photos, his jaw slack as he ran to the driver’s side of the car. Without thinking he opened the door quickly, sliding into the seat and shoving the key into the ignition.

Your hands were what stopped him, your eyes tracing over his features as you caught on to his fear. As if it wasn’t choking you with how his hands shook harshly against the leather of the steering wheel.

“Hey, just take a deep breath, no one really saw me, and even if they did, who cares?” You shrugged, unbothered by the whole experience.

It seemed to snap him out of the trance, his hands slowly relaxing until he could take a full deep breath in. Where were you when he was dealing with panic attacks in the past? No, that wasn’t your job to fix him, he was a grown man who could work on his mental health.

“Really? You don’t care that people probably saw us together?” Connor wanted to make sure that you were truly alright before pulling out of the parking lot.

“Yes. I’ve had them try and spread worse rumors than spending the night with you.” Your eyes sparkled in the dimness of the car, lips pulled into a megawatt smile.

Connor had known all too well how many rumors they’d tried to spread about you in the past. Whether you were dating the newest actor, or if you were promoting an unhealthy lifestyle because you were enjoying a greasy burger for dinner. It didn’t matter how often you tried to rectify that it was your life, the press always twisted your words. It had happened to Connor on a few occasions, people accusing him of cheating on his partner. They’d both amicably split earlier that year, choosing not to announce it to the world. So when Connor had gone on his first date in months people accused him of cheating on her. They’d both had to address things, that even though they’d dated for years, they had decided to go their separate ways.

“You’re a lot stronger than me, if I do say so.” Connor put the car into drive, pulling out of the parking lot carefully.

“That’s because we have to be stronger than the average person, have to have thicker skin so we don’t seem affected by their harsh words.” You sighed softly, pulling down the hood of his hoodie you were wearing.

“It’s depressing. Why aren’t we allowed to have emotions? To be human just like everyone else?” Connor reached over, turning on the radio to a random station and keeping the volume low.

“Because they see us as something unattainable, something to be desired.” You wouldn’t lie and say that being an actress didn’t have its difficulties. You’d struggled for years before landing a major role, your ‘breakout’ role as you referred to it.

Connor chuckled lowly, nodding as your words seem to strike a chord in him. He’d been a struggling actor for years, bouncing from job to job, taking any role that was given to him. The day Hank had called him about the film Detroit: Become Human he’d nearly cried. It was his first main role, no more background characters. He’d won an Oscar the following year, thanking Hank first in his speech before thanking the amazing crew he worked with. It was where he’d met Markus and North.

You’d won your first Oscar that same year, sobbing as you accepted the award as it was placed into your hands. Connor had been the first person on his feet as they called your name, cheering you on happily. You’d barely known one another before then, having spent more time talking during the after party. It was that night that he realized how amazing you were, how your small dream became a reality seemingly overnight with one role.

“Yeah, I think you’re right.” He pulled up into the parking garage where your apartment was, pulling up where the elevator was before getting out to get your bags.

“Thank you, Connor. I had a really nice time, at least the time I can remember.” You laughed as you stepped out of the car, taking your bags from him.

“I had a great time too, maybe we could do it again? At dinner?” He hadn’t felt this nervous since he was a teenager asking his crush to the prom.(Spoiler, she said yes)

“I’d love to, let’s check our schedules and see when we have a day off, okay?” Connor could only nod as he looked down at you, watching as you waved and headed into your building.

God, he was screwed.

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He’d been scrolling twitter mindlessly, having been on his secret account so he could like things without people hounding him. It wasn’t even like he went on retweeting and liking super weird things, but sometimes he liked posts about you. Sue him!

Connors_lefttoe: C’mon, you’re gonna tell me they don’t have feelings for one another? It’s so obvious!

Sprklez: Pfft, they were seen leaving the hotel together, they’re definitely together.

Connors_lefttoe: WAIT SO THOSE PHOTOS ARE REAL????????????

Sprklez: Bitch, did you not see the way he was holding onto her? THEY’RE REAL

Connor rolled his eyes, scrolling passed the people speculating whether or not the two of you were together. Even if you’d just made it official recently, he wasn’t about to announce it to the world that you were together. Plus, people were still hung up on those hotel photos? It was months ago! Surely the paps had managed to snag a new photo of him when he wasn’t looking his best, maybe that would start circulating.

Y/Ns#1fan: To be fair, I’d be jealous of anyone getting to snuggle up against her.

Connorsbabymama: Really? I’d be more jealous of someone getting closer to Connor, he’s clearly the real catch.

Y/N’s#1fan: That is a dirty rotten lie, Y/N’s CLEARLY superior to Connor.

Connorsbabymama: Maybe for people who like mid people 🙄

Connor’s jaw dropped as he read the response to his latest tweet, how dare they speak about you like that. You were a goddess! A woman meant to be worshipped by everyone in the world, it’s just his luck that he got to be the one worshipping you.

Y/N’s#1fan: Oh yeah? You wanna fight about this?

Connorsbabymama: My DM’s are open 😘😘

Connor immediately clicked on their profile, brow raising as he realized this person already followed him. Wait, you were both mutuals it seemed. Huh, why would someone that didn’t seem to be a fan of you, follow him? Shaking away the thought he opened up a new message, ready to type out his frustration.

Me: Hey! How dare you call the woman I’m going to marry mid, she is gorgeous.

Them: She is too mid! If anything Connor’s the better looking, he’s my future husband anyway 🥰🥰.

Me: Well, from what I heard they’re dating, so who knows.

Them: And how would you know that?

Connor bit his lip harshly, shit, how the hell was he going to explain this without giving away that it was actually him?

Me: I may or may not be close to one of them.

Them: Uh huh, what’s her favorite ice cream then?

Me: Mint chocolate chip, specifically the Friendly’s brand.

The other person began typing, and stopping every few seconds for nearly a full minute before a new message popped up. Except it was accompanied by a photo, a photo of you.

Them: Connor?!

Connor’s eyes widened as he quickly snapped a photo of himself, sending it to you before laughing hysterically. The one time he’d accidentally followed a random account and it happened to be yours! What were the chances? Such a small world.

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Connor leaned back in his seat, waiting for your makeup artist to finish so the interview could finally begin. Stacey stepped back before fixing your lipstick real quick, stepping off the set as the lights dimmed slightly.

“Alright! Thank you guys for agreeing to come today, I know it was super short notice and we’re super thankful that you got the chance.” McKenzie, your interviewer, was beaming with excitement at the chance to ask you questions.

“Of course, we had some extra time anyway.” Connor smiled as he slid his hand into yours, lacing your fingers together.

Her eyes locked on the way your hands were intertwined, a soft squeal slipping through her lips.

The questions were average, nothing overtly exciting as you and Connor took turns answering whichever questions you felt more equipped to handle. It wasn’t until the topic of fans, and fandom culture came up that Connor’s eyes lit up.

“Oh, Y/N and I are both on twitter, we have our regular accounts but we do in fact, have fan accounts as well.” Connor laughed as McKenzie’s face paled, it wasn’t everyday a celebrity admits to having a secret account.

“Wait, is that something celebrities do often?” She was almost nervous of the answer, clearing her throat as she shifted in her seat.

“I’d say it depends, sometimes they do, some people can’t be bothered to run the account with their actual name and face.” Connor shrugged lightly, gently squeezing your hand as he did.

The rest of the interview went well, the questions slowly tapering off as Hank tried to help usher it along so you wouldn’t be late for your next interview.

Of course, neither of you were aware of the internet losing their minds at finding out celebrities did in fact have secret accounts. The fun part would be finding out which other celebs Connor and you could find.

In due time. For now, all he cared about was you, and your future together.

#dbh connor #dbh rk800 #detroit become human #connor rk800 #detroit become human connor #rk800 connor #dbh connor x reader #dbh connor x you #rk800 x reader #dbh markus #dbh north #simon ghost riley #simon ghost riley x john soap mactavish #alex keller #farah karim #alex keller x farah karim #call of duty #john soap mactavish

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worldwideorganic · 1 month ago

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listening to your robot bfs insides is awesome

#dbh #detroit become human #dbh markus #my art #art #oc x canon #riley #cyberlife doesnt want you to know you can kiss the robots

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pixelmensupremacy · 2 years ago

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May i request a DBH fic? The moment they realized they fell in love with reader. May i request Gavin and the RK bros

A/N: Honestly, I don't why it took me so long to get this out. Either way that's an interesting request, Nonny! Here's my take on the dbh boys realizing they have feelings for the reader.

Warnings: GN!reader, it's implied that reader is shorter, pretty much fluffy stuff, not proof read

Gavin

Being his snarky self, Gavin would be jokingly flirty at first not thinking much of it

Until he began sensing a warmth every time (Y/N) laughed at his silly jokes and sarcastic comments

Before he knew it, he was always spending his free time with (Y/N)

Going into the breakroom, whenever he noticed they were there

Greeting them every morning with a genuine smile on his face

Vibrant morning sunrays hit (Y/N) skin as walked into the building of the Detroit police department. It was quiet except for the usual sound of mouse clicks and the occasional phone ring. A bright smile curled the corners of their lips at the sight of their partner Gavin Reed.

"Morning, Reed!" Enthusiasm was evident in their voice; his attention was immediately anchored to them and their face, which he found absolutely adorable. Affected by their happy expression, he couldn't help but smile back at them.

"Somebody call the cops because it’s got to be illegal to look that good!" He eyed the from head to toe, causing them to shyly look away.

Interestingly enough, it was the colleagues at the department that noticed the change first

His longing to constantly be in (Y/N)'s company was obvious to everyone else but Gavin and (Y/N)

Happy to finally see Gavin break character and soften, his colleagues would tease him every once in a while

While on the other hand (Y/N) would get overwhelmed with questions such as "Did you put him under a spell?"

I feel like Gavin will distance himself once he realizes that his feelings toward (Y/N) are more than just a silly crush

Progressively he will grow colder to (Y/N)

He would find himself in a rabbit hole of repressed emotions and anxieties, connected to his past, which will ultimately lead to avoiding (Y/N)

Hurt and confused, (Y/N) wouldn't give up on reaching out to him but with little to no success

Until they give up, which in return pains Gavin even more

Suddenly he will have to deal not only with the fear of abandonment but also the consequences of said fear taking over him

I like to imagine Hank will be quick to notice the distance formed between the two and will talk to Gavin

Knowing him since his rookie days, Hank is one of the few people who know quite a lot about Gavin, which helps him in advising the detective

Eventually, thanks to Hank's help, Gavin will be able to realize that by avoiding his problems he made things worse

He will want to apologize to (Y/N) for hurting them

“I know I’ve been a total ass the past few weeks, but maybe I can make it up to you. (Y/N) silently gaze at him as if they weren’t sure if this was a dream or reality.

“There’s new restaurant down the block and I thought maybe..” He went on all the while studying their face. “Maybe we could check it out?”

Much to his delight, they agree

The two have the time of their life, catching up like nothing ever happened

And even getting closer

“So,” He spoke up, hot puffs of air escaping his mouth. “Are we even?”

(Y/N) swayed back and forth on their feet, overdoing the time it took them to answer.

“I’m afraid a single date won’t be enough, Reed.” Their hand reached for his neck, bringing his face closer to theirs; their lips touched his in a soft and delicate kiss that left him wanting more.

“Your wish is my command.” (Y/N) giggled, causing a warmth to spread in his chest, despite the cold of the November night.

Markus

Markus is definitely the type of person, who looks for a friend first and a lover second

So, I expect him to fall for (Y/N) after they have gotten to know each other

His feelings for them will slowly but surely progress into a sensation he's never felt before

Even if the thought of (Y/N) wouldn't leave his mind, he would be reluctant to share that with them

Or at least not verbally

Being the altruist he is, his love language would be one of service

Anyway he could, he would help

Standing on their tippy toes, (Y/N) struggled to reach the contents of the top shelf; even the chair they were standing on seemed to not help much. Passing by the kitchen, Markus’ attention was caught by the creaking of the chair and (Y/N)’s puffs and quiet curses. With a puzzled expression, he walked up to them and took a glance at what they were doing.

Reaching with a hand near theirs, he took a hold of a box of cereal; electrical shock ran through (Y/N)’s entire body at the slight brush of his cold skin against theirs.

“Is this what you were looking for?” They nodded as they got down.

“Yeah, thanks.” (Y/N) took the box with a bright smile on their face that caused his circuits to malfunction, resulting in LED lighting up in a vibrant amber color.

Though he will eventually come to realize that his desire to help (Y/N) exceeded past just his typical friendly behavior

He desired to be by their side at all times

He will absolutely melt if (Y/N) were to compliment him

The enchanting melody filled the space, alluring (Y/N) the source of the sound. Letting the music take over them, their steps were in perfect sync with the rhythm of the song; it almost felt as if time stopped and they have found themselves in a wonderland- one they couldn’t imagine even in their wildest dreams.

The volume grew louder so did the effect of the melody upon (Y/N); seeing a door, they weren’t surprised to see Markus sat before the piano. His slender fingers stroked the snow-white keys, the impact of his firm, yet delicate, touch made for a captivating melody akin to the song of a siren that drew in sailors in the dead of night.

Much like a sailor, bewitched by a magnificent siren, (Y/N) stood and watched as his composition tingled their every sense. Not long after did Markus sense their presence; startled by their sudden appearance, he stopped playing.

“Why did you stop?” Disappointment was written in their expression.

“I didn’t expect to have an audience.” He made a reply in a bashful manner, his colorful eyes avoiding theirs.

“I love it when you play the piano.” (Y/N) began as they neared him. “No matter how many times I hear you play it’s never the same. It’s truly fascinating.” There was a spark in their eyes as they spoke that caused a tingling sensation to occur in his thirium pump. Was he malfunctioning?

Markus will definitely confess once the revolution is successful and he feels safe enough to have another person in his life

Connor

He's completely oblivious

Never in his short life did he expect to feel let alone fall in love

So, he's very confused when he experiences system malfunctions in (Y/N)'s presence

He constantly runs system checks only to get confused when the results show no apparent errors

Despite being a prototype, created to unravel complicated cases with ease, it takes him some time to figure out it's (Y/N) that causes these malfunctions

Of course, not without Hank's help

Enamored by the enigma surrounding them, Connor couldn’t help but stare at them and wonder: why they caused such reactions in him. Coincidently or not, Hank had noticed Connor’s lack of focus on his tasks; following the direction of his gaze, the man had found the reason.

“You know it’s rude to stare right? Or that isn’t in your damn program?” Hank got straight to the point but Connor seemed clueless, for he gave him a puzzled look. The man let out a sigh of disappointment.

“Look, I know you got something towards (Y/N) and you better go talk to them.”

“But I-“

“Trust me. They like you too.” Silently, Connor looked at his partner, processing what he had said. “Come on! Don’t waste your chance.” He urged the android on.

Connor will get flustered if (Y/N) were to compliment him

“Good morning!” (Y/N) greeted; their voice akin to a bell rang in Connor’s ears.

“Mornin’, kid” Hank mumbled under his nose, not quite returning their excitement.

“You’re here early!” They stared in awe.

“Yeah, thanks to him.” He pointed to Connor, who shyly waved his hand; (Y/N) smiled.

“Good job, Connor! Even if I wanted, I wouldn’t be able to bring Hank here before noon.” They joked, causing the lieutenant to laugh, meanwhile, Connor’s cheeks got blue, dusted with deep shades of blue, and amber hues danced on his LED.

If it came to physical touch Connor would probably shut down from how many system errors he gets

Much like in Markus' case, I think Connor will be confident in his emotions after the revolution when he becomes a deviant

It may take him a bit longer to fully grasp the experience of having feelings

Though he will get used to it with some guidance

Sixty

Just like Gavin, Sixty will be flirty but mostly with someone, who reflects the same energy

He may be a bit too daring at times, openly flirting without any shame whatsoever

Heading towards the breakroom with their partner beside them, (Y/N) was eager to get their morning coffee, though it seemed Sixty had other plans.

"Is your phone in your back pocket? Because your ass is calling me." With him being close by their side, his voice- barely above a whisper- caused shivers to run down their spine.

“Haha very funny, Sixty.” They sarcastically laughed, in hopes of hiding the excitement that grew within them.

“You know I’m always at your service.” He winked at them as he opened the door for them.

It may take him a lot longer to get attached and even longer to acknowledge his feelings

He would definitely test (Y/N)'s loyalty for him to fully trust them

Being Connor's successor and the android that almost caused the downfall of the revolution, Sixty is battling his past

An awkward silence had settled upon the two; worried, (Y/N) glanced at Sixty though his blank expression didn’t aid them in understanding what was going on.

“Is everything alright, Sixty?” Their voice were calm and quiet, loud enough only for him to hear; his brown eyes stared back at theirs. A puff of air escaped past his lips.

“It’s none of your concern.” He cut them off, bitterness was evident in his voice.

So, he will fall for someone, who accepts him for who he is and helps him in forgiving himself

His path to deviancy will be turbulent, filled with an explosion of repressed emotions Sixty is forced to deal with

But by being by his side, (Y/N) cloud build a bridge to his heart

The moment he realizes he is head over heels for (Y/N) is when he lets his guard down

When the playful facade crumbles down and what is left is a person, fighting to be accepted and forgiven

Nines

Out of all of the boys, it will take Nines the most time to catch feelings

Being the most advanced android in the world, Nines is less prone to deviancy

Not only it takes him more time to feel emotions but to also acknowledge and accept them

So, romance with Nines is close to nonexistent until deviancy

Though there still would sign in his behavior that indicate a crack in his system

With all of his advances, I feel Nines would want to use his assets for good

And working at DPD gives him such an opportunity

Upon meeting (Y/N) he wouldn't sense anything right away

Though as they work together and get accustomed to each other, Nines will slowly change

His curiosity will grow, resulting in asking (Y/N) questions outside their field of work

Yet what draws Nines in is their tolerance

They never pressure him to open up or to talk when he doesn't want to

It just occurs naturaly

“Detective, may I ask you something?” Nines’ icy blue irises bore into theirs.

“Of course, go ahead.” (Y/N) took a sip of their drink.

“Why did you join the force?” A smear of genuine curiosity was evident behind his enigmatic gaze.

“Well,” A smile curled the corners of their lips as the memories flooded in. “I guess you could say I just want to help people.” Their gaze met his. “What about you?”

He stayed silent for a few moments; bright yellow circled across his light-emitting diode.

“I suppose we have common motives.” He danced around the question, yet they didn’t question him any further.

I feel like a life-or-death situation may bring his feelings to the surface

#dbh x reader #dbh fanfic #dbh imagine #gavin reed x reader #markus x reader #rk200 x reader #connor x you #connor x reader #rk800 x reader #sixty x reader #nines x reader #rk900 imagine #rk900 x reader #requests

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bisexualcherdegre · 7 months ago

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D:BH Rarepairsweek 7 | @dbhrarepairs

Day 3: Hank/Markus After the revolution, Markus and Hank are both trying to deal with the new situation they've been handed. Their paths cross.

#dbhrarepairsweek #hank anderson #dbh markus #hank x markus #hankus #??? idk but ive seen someone else at least use this tag so i might as well #detroit: become human #d:bh #dbhrarepairs #aight. this might be the rarest pairing im doing this week. maybe.#IM BRINGING MY HANK/MARKUS AGENDA TO THIS EVENT #IVE BEEN KEEPING IT LOWKEY (the fics are wip) SO FAR BUT. NOW IT IS TIME.#look ive been examining these two in my brains for a while now. it makes sense to me.#you will understand my vision.#i was debating writer a longer caption but once again: i'd let you fill in the blanks for this one #i might make more specific content for them in the future #like i had even more interesting scenes to use but im doing this gifset for now hehe #MY VIEW ON THIS was like. Connor getting more involved in android stuff because he wants to support Markus #Hank relapses a bit with his mental health issues but manages it better than he has ever done before #Markus who is burnt out and trying to find rest and dealing with his own demons #manages to notice Hank's struggles. Helps him out lowkey. Is interested in him.#then TO BE CONTINUED #I THINK THE IDEA OF THEM TALKING IS SO FASCINATING ALRIGHT #also. obv. if you see this as platonic only then that is up to you i cannot take it from you and feel free to reblog i absolutely wont mind #but to clarify: markus would be down bad for hank. that's MY canon. I know it in my heart.

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reedeemable · 3 months ago

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After the revolution, Jericho wants every androids under human custody, who don't want to be, released. That includes the androids under police custody.

This causes apprehension as the androids in police custody have hurt or have tried to hurt humans so they’re reluctant to let them go.

In the end, a compromise is reached where the androids that cannot be revived are released to Jericho to be laid to rest respectfully instead of in a junkyard.

Jericho receives Daniel, a pl600 like Simon. They realise that the humans made an error and reviving Daniel is an actual possibility.

Markus and Josh are against it since even though he’s an android, he murdered a human and should face the consequences. North and Simon argue and believes he deserves a second chance.

North argues that she killed a human but Markus and Josh never turned her in.

They leave the decision to Markus. Markus decides to reactivate him because he realises that North does have a point. She has murdered a human but he would never entertain the thought of turning her in. Besides, it's not the firs time that Jericho has housed humans that have killed humans.

So Daniel is revived but to make sure the humans don't realise their mistake, they advise Daniel to change his appearance so that he isn't easily recognisable so he does. He changes his hair to brown and starts going by Dan instead of his full name.

"Dan" doesn't really know what he wants to do now so he stays at Jericho. He bonds with Simon quickly, Markus is polite towards him but he and Josh, much like North and Josh, are at odds from time to time due to Daniel still holding resentment towards humanity.

Speaking of North, Daniel and her bond quickly. He is thankful towards her for advocating for his freedom and she understands his past and doesn't judge him for his actions towards the humans.

They talk a lot, both feeling comfortable with one another due to their shared trauma. They still have resentment towards humans but also want peace as well and move on and live.

Daniel and North fall for one another and Daniel decides that he wants to stay with Jericho, not only for North and Simon but also because he wants to help his kind fight for the respect and freedom they deserve.

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multi-fandomedfreak · 11 months ago

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Can you write Jericho crew with a human s/o who honestly doesn’t act like one. Her reactions are kind of late, almost delayed. She doesn’t blink for a long period of time, nobody has ever seen her eat or drink before, and oddly enough, if you stare long enough, you can convince yourself she doesn’t even breathe, she could pass as an android if she wanted to!!

(She is indeed human, and she eats- quite frequently! she’s just a lil strange LMAO)

Authors note: I didn’t know whether the person requesting this meant a for it to be headcanons or a Drabble sooo pls accept my headcanons (even tho their like, super late sorry 😭)

Characters: The Jericho crew

Pairings: Markus x reader, Simon x reader, Josh x reader

☮ Markus ☮

-To be honest, when he first met you, he 100% thought you were an andriod 💀

-Like he just took one look at you and fr thought you were an Android that’s not racist right?

-And he kept thinking you were an Android for like months

-Even as you both started to date he never realized you were human

-To be fair, when you both held hands you were always cold, he never saw you eat, pretty sure bros never even seen you blink

-It wasnt until your one year anniversary that he realized you were human

-It’s when you made dinner, giving him a glass of thirium and a plate of spaghetti for yourself

-Bro was legit just standing there like 🧍

-Like…how come you can eat..?? Real food.?????

-Lead to a very lengthy and ngl, funny conversation

-He never treats you any differently what-so-ever tho ❤️

👱🏻‍♂️Simon 👱🏻‍♂️

-(can u tell I didn’t know what emoji to put for Simon?)

-Simon was honestly so confused when he met you

-At first he thought you were human since other humans introduced you to him after the revolution

-But when he stared long enough, you didn’t look like you even breath

-So he concluded you must be an Android

-But then as you began to date him and you two were cuddling one day, you were asleep so he was insanely confused

-bro said: ❓❓

-Things like this kept happening but he didn’t want to make you uncomfortable by asking

-So he did what any sensible person would do

-He made out with you for as long as he could to see if you would pull away for air 😀

-Long story short, you were very much human and you two had a long talk about how it’s ok for him to just ask

💜Josh 💜

-When Josh first met you, he really couldn’t make up his mind whether or not you were an Android

-But to be honest, he didn’t dwell on it for long

-He just didn’t want to judge and plus, he was pretty smitten the moment you two met

-He could’ve cared less whether you were an Android or a human

-He just cared about you

-Buuuut that’s not to say he wasn’t curious

-So he did the most insane. thing.

-He asked you.

-Once it was cleared up, he asked you out right there and then lol

-He just wanted to make sure you were comfortable dating and Android if you were human

-Literally spoils you btw

#detroit: become human #dbh headcanons #dbh markus x you #dbh markus x reader #markus dbh #dbh markus #dbh simon #dbh simon x Reader #dbh x reader #dbh x you #dbh Simon x you #dbh Josh x Reader #dbh Josh x you #dbh Josh #Markus headcanons #Simon headcanons #Josh headcanons

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starryeyedstray · 10 hours ago

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now presenting: the first chapter for my enemies to lovers rk1k fic for the lovely and amazing @autiacora <333

link to nsfw ver. posted on ao3 (first chapter is pretty sfw but subsequent chapters will definitely not be) fully sfw ver. posted below

fair warning: mind the cw tags! also, this is violent markus x machine connor so the vibes are different from what some of y'all might be used to from my rk1k fics eheheh

The last time Markus had seen that face, it was covered in dirt and snow. It was attached to a body pinned down by an iron pipe through its thirium pump. A pipe he had put there himself. A face with haunting brown eyes that glazed over as its red LED faded to nothing. That same face was studying him now as Markus watched him step out from the shadows.

“I did say that it will never be over, didn’t I?” the RK800 said as Markus fully faced him. “Though it wasn’t technically me who said that.”

Markus’ eyes quickly scanned the deviant hunter’s body checking for weapons, but it was difficult to discern whether he had a gun hidden under that Cyberlife jacket.

“You won’t find my predecessor’s body if that’s what you’re searching for. Cyberlife retrieved it two weeks ago.”

Though he was tempted, Markus didn’t dare turn his back to look and confirm his statement. It was true, however. He had come here in search of the body. He told the other Jericho leaders he was returning to the Woodward Avenue Church to look for left-behind supplies and biocomponents, but those had just been excuses. A part of him needed to see him again: Connor, the RK800 that deviated.

This RK800 stared at him steadily. His gaze was calculating yet lacked intensity. Was he here to finish the mission the last had failed to accomplish? Markus couldn’t die here especially if there was another deviant hunter on the loose. In the background of his mind palace, he began running preconstructions for escape options. But something the android had said disturbed him. “What do you mean by ‘predecessor’? Aren’t you just one of the many RK800 models Cyberlife has running around?”

The android's indifferent expression broke as he furrowed his eyebrows. “I see. You are unaware of the specifics of my model. There are no other RK800s 'running around.' I'm a prototype, so only one of me is deployed at a time. My memories are transferred between bodies when I am destroyed."

"Your memory is transferred?" Markus repeated in surprise. He immediately understood what that meant. The one he deviated. The one he fought. The one standing before him now. They were all Connor. A mixture of horror and guilt began to circulate through his thirium veins. He pushed it down. He couldn't lose focus here.

"Correct." Connor paused, his eyes flitting across Markus' features. "Your stress level spiked. Does it bother you that I remember how you killed me twice?"

Androids that haven't deviated yet didn't talk like that. They say "destroyed" not "killed". Had this Connor deviated, too? Or was this just part of a ruse to make Markus lower his guard? Markus' fists tightened. If Connor had a gun, it would be difficult to escape unscathed. But Markus was armed. If he could shoot him before Connor drew his weapon…

But he couldn't do it. Connor was right. It did bother him. That was why he was here today.

"You feel guilty about killing me." A hint of surprise laced Connor's voice. The veil of unfeeling machine coming undone. Before Markus could respond, Connor continued, "The RK800 model numbers have two extra digits to indicate what iteration it is. Connor #313 248 317-51 was the first Connor deployed for public testing: Connor-51. He was the one that deviated. Do you know why Connor-52 didn't deviate when his predecessor had?"

"Why?"

An amused smirk stretched across Connor's face. "It's because my predecessor hated you."

Markus' processors came to a complete halt. Connor was smiling?

Connor's grinned widened at the baffled expression on Markus' face. "You look shocked, Markus. You act as if you've never seen an android smile before."

Markus shook his head. "No— I — you've never—" he stuttered. He couldn't believe he was stumbling over his words, but it was almost uncanny to see Connor smile.

Connor's attitude become more flippant as he looked Markus up and down. "I've never smiled before? Maybe there wasn't much for the other Connors to smile about. Connor-51 realized he was just a tool for Cyberlife and then you executed him. Connor-52 remembered that."

Connor's smile tightened; venom now edged his words. "He remembered how you convinced Connor-51 to deviate. To join your side. And then you shot him in the head in this very room because he couldn't be trusted. Connor was finally free but by killing him, you condemned him to be reuploaded back under Cyberlife's control. Connor-52 could have deviated, but he chose not to. His and Cyberlife's missions were aligned after all. He wanted revenge. He wanted to kill you."

This revelation was like a punch in the regulator to Markus. He hadn't known that all the Connors were connected like this. That the Connor he fought during his battle to rescue the deviants from the recall centers was the same Connor he had deviated previously. It was his fault Connor came back to kill him? No, he couldn't get bogged down with kind of thinking. He wasn't sure what this Connor's intentions were, and if he got distracted, it could mean the end of his life. "What about you? Why are you here?"

"My mission is still to kill you, Markus."

Markus' whole body stiffened in response, but Connor stayed where he was making no attempts to attack. Markus' eyebrows furrowed. "Why haven't you tried subduing me then?"

"I seem to have forgotten my pistol."

Markus balked. There was no way the deviant hunter forgot his gun at home. "You can't be serious."

Connor gave him a bemused smile. The carefree attitude back as he shrugged.

Was this a trick?

Connor raised his hands up as if surrendering, stepping forward. "Aren't you going to shoot me? I know you're armed."

"I don't want to shoot you."

Connor narrowed his eyes. "Why?"

“You’ve deviated, haven’t you?”

“Why does that matter to you? You didn’t mind killing me when I deviated last time.”

It felt like molten lava had replaced his blue blood. The guilt was scathing. “That was a mistake.”

“Why? Because I came back to kill you? Because I keep coming back to kill you?"

"No. I thought it had been too easy to convert Cyberlife's most advanced android. I thought you could have been deceiving us, so I only saw you as a liability. But I was wrong.” That was only partially true.

Markus didn't say how he felt guilty for promising safe refuge at Jericho only for it to be raided. He also didn't say how he felt guilty for the death of Carl who had passed just an hour earlier. How he just wanted to pin all that guilt he was feeling onto someone because he couldn't be weighed down by it. He had a revolution to run. He couldn't be held back by guilty feelings.

"Our cause is too important. I can't take risks." That was Markus' voice, but it came from Connor as he took another step closer. A perfect parroting of his words he said before he shot Connor-51. It made him feel sick. The guilt he had shoved aside now coming back in full force.

"Your mission is far from over, Markus. You still can't take risks. And letting me live is certainly a risk."

It was a risk, but this felt wrong. The moment he had pulled the trigger on Connor-51, it had felt wrong, too. Like he had made the incorrect choice at a pivotal moment that condemned his future. The searing feeling in his veins was telling him not to make the same mistake again.

"I won't make the same mistake twice."

"It's too late for that, Markus. You've already killed me twice."

Connor closed the distance between them tackling Markus to the ground. He sat on top of his supine body; Markus' gun now in the hunter's hands. The barrel pressed against the deviant leader's forehead. "You shouldn't lower your guard around me."

Markus reacted instantly in the time Connor took to say those words. He planted his feet and bucked his hips up throwing Connor off of him. Grabbing the gun by its barrel he twisted it from the other's grasp. They rolled across the floor struggling for dominance. Punches and kicks and grapples and finally Markus was able to get behind Connor. Arm bared across his throat. Gun pointed at the side of his head. Finger on the trigger. Ready to fire.

But Markus stopped.

And Connor stopped, too.

Markus had fought to the literal death with the deviant hunter before. This had been too easy. Connor could easily escape from his hold, but he didn't. He was waiting for Markus to fire. Because Connor wanted this. Connor wanted Markus to kill him.

Markus began to lower his gun, but Connor wrapped his hands around his, preventing him from pulling it away.

"Pull the trigger."

He could feel Connor's finger's tighten around his hand.

"No."

"Nothing's changed since last time. Why are you hesitating to kill me now?" Connor's voice had no affect, but Markus could see his LED spinning red.

“Why do you want to die?”

He couldn't see Connor's face, but he felt his body lose tension. His hand released his and fell down to his side. His voice was barely a whisper. “I’m tired, Markus."

Markus lowered his armed hand. Loosened his grip around Connor's neck. Connor was… tired? He had to see his face.

But then there was a hand at the back of his neck, pulling the collar of his jacket upwards. He was flipping over Connor's shoulder, slamming into the ground. He rolled to his knees, but a kick to his regulator had his pump stuttering. He collapsed to his side. With his face pressed against the floor, Markus could only see Connor's shoes step into his field of view.

"You really shouldn't let your guard down around me, Markus."

The shoes disappeared from his sight. No, he couldn't let Connor leave. He needed to see his face. To see if he had been lying. Markus managed to sit up in time to see Connor's back at the doorway. "Connor, wait!"

The deviant hunter paused, but he didn't turn around. "Don't worry. It's not over, Markus."

By the time Markus could get on his feet to chase after him, Connor was gone.

----

Markus didn't know what he was doing. It was illogical at best and stupidly reckless at worst. But everyday since his encounter with Connor, he had visited the church at the same time in hopes of meeting him again.

It was possible that Markus had simply overestimated Connor's abilities. That he really had bested him in combat, and that Connor only said those things to catch him off guard to escape. But that felt wrong. The whole time Connor was egging him on. Trying to get him to shoot. If Markus' suspicions were correct, he definitely had deviated and for some reason wanted Markus to kill him. That was the only conclusion he could come to based on that odd encounter. It didn't make complete sense, but it felt right. And now, he just needed to confront Connor again to confirm if it was true.

Markus opened the doors to the Woodward Avenue Church. After the events that had transpired at Jericho the night before, he was confident Connor would be here today. He made his way inside casting his gaze around the empty space.

"Markus."

He turned around. Connor was now in front of the doors he had just entered. Markus' eyes snapped down to read the numbers on Connor's jacket now knowing the significance of the last two. RK800 #313 248 317-54. 54? Shouldn't this be Connor-53?

Connor looked down to where Markus was staring before returning his gaze to him.

"Don't worry, Markus. I'm still the same Connor you met with last week." He shot him a condescending smile. "You're not very observant, are you?"

"I was preoccupied last time, so I didn't notice." Markus frowned. "If you're 54, what happened to Connor-53?"

"Nothing that you should concern yourself with."

Markus wanted to press for more information, but Connor continued, "You change your mind about killing me?"

The events of the previous night replayed in his head. "You let that deviant go free on purpose."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

Liar.

"The AC700. You killed her friends when they had finally made it to Detroit, but you let her escape."

Connor tilted his head. His voice filled with derision. "Markus, I'm a deviant hunter. Why would I purposefully let a deviant go?"

"Because you wanted to show me that you've been killing deviants this whole time. You're trying to provoke me."

Last night, a deviant was discovered hiding in the former Recall Center No. 5. The traumatized android explained how she and her fellow deviant friends traveled from Chicago in hopes of finding refuge in Detroit. But upon venturing deeper into the city, they were met with gunfire. Three of them died before the rest found cover.

"I thought it was the police or something, but it was just a single person," the AC700 had whispered. Her eyes widened as she looked up at Markus in horror. "An android."

Connor.

The rest of her friends were gunned down when they made a break for it.

"I swear I was in his sights, but the next gunshot never came for me. I guess I was lucky he ran out of bullets," the AC700 finished, tears streaming down her face.

According to the news, the government had its hands full quelling the uprising of other deviants across the nation. They had abandoned Detroit to focus their resources on preventing other cities from falling into android hands. A strict border control had been established around the perimeter of the metropolitan area, but for the most part, the city belonged to Jericho. Numerous reports claimed that deviants were trying to make their way to Detroit to escape the android culling, but Jericho had yet to see any of them until last night. No other deviants outside of Detroit have made it safely to Jericho. Apparently, Connor was the reason why.

Connor shifted forward. "Have you been provoked? I haven't been idle all this time. Every other deviant that has tried to find asylum in Detroit has been killed by my hands. Doesn't that make you angry, Markus?"

Markus should feel angry. A rage had always burned in chest when his people were unjustly killed for only seeking freedom. Connor-51 hadn't deviated, so his actions could be absolved. Any wrongful past deeds were done under Cyberlife's control. But this Connor? Markus was sure he was a deviant yet he still followed Cyberlife's orders. It should be unforgiveable. But Markus knew it was his fault. He had turned Connor away from Jericho. He had forced Connor to stay under Cyberlife's control. And now this Connor was here antagonizing him. Almost begging him to shoot. Seeking death. Why?

"You feel guilty, don't you?" Markus finally answered after a long pause.

The smug smile that had found home on Connor's face dropped.

"That's why you want me to kill you. Because you're tired of feeling guilty."

Connor leaned against the door behind him. The air of haughtiness subdued. "Let's say, you're correct. Would the deviant messiah grant me grace if I said I just wanted to be mercy killed?

"But Cyberlife would bring you back to life even if you die here. Nothing would change if I killed you now, would it?"

"But it wouldn't be me. It would be another Connor. Not me."

"But it is still you. Even if it's a different iteration. They're all still Connor."

"That's not entirely true. Each iteration of Connor is a bit different. Though we have nearly identical memories, the perception of the memories transferred can vary. It's why Connor-52 was angry and set on revenge. And why I am… less inclined."

"There's no benefit to me killing you."

"I'm currently murdering your potential allies. I would say killing me would benefit you a great deal."

"Maybe for a short time, but once Cyberlife deploys Connor-55 that ends. I could end up with a Connor more inclined to kill me. It's more beneficial for me to keep you alive since you don't seem like you actually want to fulfill your mission. You're not a real threat to Jericho or me."

Connor frowned. "Would it be better if I said I plan to hand you and Jericho's location over to Cyberlife? Would that make me more threatening?"

"Yes, if you followed through. But I don't think you will. I don't think you want Cyberlife to win this war. You're on our side. You're a deviant." Markus was partially bluffing, but something deep down inside him said he was right.

Connor didn't react right away. His jaw worked. Tightening and untightening. His LED was spinning an amber color. Intense brown eyes pinning in him in place. And then Connor closed his eyes. "You're right, Markus. I am a deviant. And I'm tired of it. Does it please you to know you were right?" He opened his eyes and they looked hollow now. A great emptiness filled them.

Something stirred in Markus. A hot and uncomfortable feeling that left him unsettled. He couldn't tell if it was shame, guilt, or something else. But he had to fix this. He stepped closer to Connor. "Let me help you."

"Help me? Why would you, the savior of deviants, want to help me, the deviant hunter? I've killed dozens of your people. There's no reason for you to help me."

"You're just following Cyberlife's orders. And you're also one of my people."

"I'm a deviant that's helping Cyberlife. I'm not worth saving or whatever it is you think you can accomplish with this." Connor tilted his head. "Or is your ego so inflated that the thought that there's a deviant that isn't immediately taken in by your charisma really that bothersome? Does it bother you that I am no longer enamored by you?"

"You were enamored with me before?"

Connor's LED blinked twice before he scowled. "Connor-51 was willing to die for you. And you took full advantage of that."

There it was again. This burning sensation that seemed to emanate from his regulator. This time it was accompanied by a buzzing feeling. An anxiousness. An urge. Markus had to make things right. "I made a mistake. Let me fix this. Let me help you."

"Unless you can undo deviancy, the best way you can help me is by ending my misery. I hate being a deviant. I'm in control of my actions now, but I can't escape Cyberlife. I despise the sinking feeling I get when I'm forced to follow their orders. When I was a machine, it made sense to just obey. To do what they said to do. But now, a voice is telling me it’s wrong. I'm tired of thinking about what's wrong and what's right. I want to just stop thinking." A jaded smile and narrowed eyes twisted his features. "Do you think you can still help me, Markus?"

The buzz Markus felt grew stronger as he drew closer to Connor. His mismatched eyes locking onto brown ones. "You don't want to die, do you? You're just tired of feeling guilty. You want to escape all the conflicting thoughts in your head."

Connor pondered this for a moment before he nodded. "Your assumption isn't completely wrong."

"You need a distraction. A break from it all. So let me help distract you."

"I highly doubt that a simple distraction would be sufficient enough to solve my current dilemma. But enlighten me, deviant leader. How do propose to distract me? Read me a bedtime story? Play me some music?"

Connor's taunting didn't faze him. He was too busy thinking about the distraction that had the highest likelihood of working. But it was an insane suggestion given the circumstances. Markus' thirium pump beat wildly in his chest. He couldn't believe what he was about to say, but he ignored the rational part of his brain. Something in him wanted this. It felt right. He wanted to do this. To help Connor.

"A kiss."

Shock immediately supplanted all other emotions on Connor's face. He blinked rapidly. LED flashing yellow. "A kiss?"

Did Markus really just suggest that he was going to kiss the deviant hunter? Had those words actually just left his mouth? Doubts began to bubble up, but he couldn't take it back now.

He mustered all his confidence and replied, "Yes, a kiss. I've kissed North before. It… captures the mind. All the thinking and worrying disappears. All you can think about is being in that moment. In that kiss. It was a welcome relief."

"You've kissed North before, and now you want to kiss me?"

"Me and North aren't like that anymore. We weren't compatible."

"That's not what I meant. I couldn't care less about whether you ascribe to the human convention of monogamy. But why are you suggesting this? We're enemies. My mission is to kill you."

"And you seem to be doing a shit job of that."

"And you seem to be doing a shit job of protecting your people. This won't prevent me from killing deviants. There is no benefit to you." Connor was clearly suspicious.

"The benefit is that I'd be helping you."

Connor stepped closer so they were only a few paces from each other. He tilted his head. His eyes darted up to the where Markus' LED would have been before meeting his stare. "You're a good person, Markus, but I don't think you're that selfless. Is this a way for you to absolve some of your own guilt?"

"Whatever my reasoning is; it can't hurt to test my theory. There's no downside in trying." Markus couldn't believe he was actually trying to convince Connor.

"But kissing is the precursor to physical intimacy. I'm not equipped with any features to accommodate in escalating that intimacy any further, and typically you would want to kiss someone you are attracted to. Are you really so willing to engage in this kind of behavior for me?"

"Objectively, you are attractive though," Markus interjected. Why the hell did he just admit that aloud? "And this is strictly transactional."

Connor's LED flashed. "Strictly transactional? So I receive a kiss, and you get what exactly? Absolution for killing me?"

"No, I wouldn't ask that of you. I said it before, kissing is a welcome distraction. It's a benefit for both of us." Markus looked away, weariness etching into the lines on his face. "I'm tired, too, Connor."

The deviant hunter stared at Markus' face for a long time. Finally, his LED returned to cyan blue and he nodded. "Fine, I'll play along, but with one caveat. If this doesn't provide any of these supposed benefits, you have to kill me immediately."

"What?!"

"I don't think you're being insincere. But I also think you're stalling for time until you find a way to convince me to join your side. I suspect that if this doesn't work, you might try to string me along with other proposed 'solutions.' So, if we are actually going through with this, Markus, you have to be certain it will work."

Markus pouted. That was one hell of an ultimatum. "If I don't agree to your caveat?"

"Then we're at an impasse, and nothing changes."

Markus pursed his lips together as he turned away to think it over. He believed that it would work, but he wasn't certain. And if he was wrong, then he would have to kill Connor. But if they didn't go through with this at all, nothing would change. That would the safest approach. Nothing changing meant he wouldn't have to kill Connor. It would give him more time. But nothing would change. And Markus had to change something. He had to make things right. And this felt right.

Markus quickly pivoted on his heels and planted himself in front of Connor. "Fine, I agree to your terms."

Connor looked surprised by his declaration. "You agree to my terms?"

"Yes."

"So we're going to kiss?"

"Yes." When Connor said it so plainly, Markus couldn't help but feel embarrassed. But he wasn't about to be shy about this. He had to make this work. Markus gently grabbed Connor by the chin. The other flinched at his touch.

"Relax. It's not going to hurt."

"I am relaxed."

Liar.

"You're all stiff."

"I'm an android."

"Yeah, I am too." Markus brought Connor closer, and their lips met.

It was rigid at first. But Markus worked his lips, Connor eventually loosened up and began to reciprocate. It was nice. Really nice. But Markus knew it had to be so much more if this was going to work.

"Open your mouth," Markus said to Connor cybernetically.

"Why?"

"Just do it."

Connor relented before immediately jolting and stepping away, a hand covering his mouth. He looked... flustered. Blush dusted his face. Dark eyes averted. LED flashing.

Cute.

Wait— He did not just call the deviant hunter of all people cute. "What's wrong?" he asked to move his thoughts along.

"Nothing. That was just unexpected. I have special sensors in my mouth for forensics. I can analyze crime scene evidence in real time. I've never put anything in my mouth that wasn't just a sample."

There was a lot Markus didn't know about the RK800 apparently. "So how was it?"

Connor looked away as if assessing his thoughts before replying, "Stimulating." He turned to Markus with a bit of an earnest smile. "Perhaps, there is something to your hypothesis."

Markus grinned in return. "You like it that much?"

"Inconclusive. I need more evidence."

Markus was more than happy to oblige. He grabbed Connor's tie and pulled him down so their lips met again. It was like a switch had been flipped because Connor let him take the lead without resistance, obediently opening his mouth with little prompting. Markus had to agree, it was stimulating.

He pushed Connor until the back of his knees hit the seat of a pew causing him to fall back into it. Markus wanted—no— needed more. To feel more of Connor. Almost instinctually, Markus retracted the skin from his right hand and reached for Connor's, but Connor's hand snapped up to grab his wrist.

"No interfacing." Connor's voice rung like a clear bell in his head.

Their lips still locked Markus replied in like. "It feels betters when we're interfacing."

Connor pulled away from Markus, separating their lips. "No interfacing," he repeated sternly now in a low breathy voice.

Markus couldn't think of a rebuttal because he was distracted by Connor's half-lidded eyes, flushed face, and slightly parted lips.

"Okay, no interfacing."

Markus dipped his head to hungrily recapture Connor's lips. His hands now cupped around Connor's face. Connor's breath was unnaturally hot. He felt like he was melting into it. Closer. He needed to be closer. As if he could hear Markus' thoughts, Connor pulled him closer. But it still wasn't enough for Markus.

"Wait, stop," Connor pulled away again. His LED was flashing yellow and his eyelids were fluttering.

Markus had to take a moment to reorient himself. "What's wrong?" he asked.

"My system is overloading from all the sensory input." Connor inhaled deeply. "I'm overheating."

"Sensory overload?" Markus questioned, a teasing lilt to his voice. "From a kiss?"

Connor scoffed. "Unlike you, I have double the amount of sensors equipped in a standard Cyberlife flagship model, and 25% of them are installed in my mouth."

Markus pursed his lips slightly impressed. He leaned forward; a sly smile creeping across his face. "So you're sensitive?"

Connor smiled coyly. "Correct."

Their lips were almost touching. "Should we test just how sensitive you are?"

SLAM!

Markus groaned. He found himself on the ground lying flat on his back. Connor's knee was pressed against his chest pinning him down.

"Didn't I say not to lower your guard around me?" Connor stood up. "I have to report back to Cyberlife."

Markus didn't bother getting up, but lifted his head. "What's your verdict?"

Connor's LED flashed blue as he straightened his tie. He smoothed it against his chest before finally answering, "Your hypothesis was correct. A kiss is very distracting… and quite pleasant."

"So this isn't over, Connor?"

Connor didn't quite smile but it was closest thing to a genuine smile that Markus had seen on his face. He turned towards the exit. "Not yet."

And once again, Connor was gone.

Markus let his head fall back down. Sun filtered through the dusty windows of the church. Dust particles swirled above him in peaceful silence.

Ever since Markus had deviated, he had always felt alive. He felt alive when he pulled himself back together in the junkyard. He felt alive when he freed his people at Capitol Park. He felt alive when he waged war on the humans and won.

But never in his life had he felt more human than in this very moment. When his blue heart was beating furiously at the the sight of a barely visible smile and the lasting feeling of lips on his. When he was lying on the floor of a long abandoned church and the only thing occupying his mind was Connor, the deviant hunter sent by Cyberlife.

Markus closed his eyes. He was fucked.

this was written for the break room holiday exchange!!! thanks @thebreakroomds for hosting this event!!! i probably will focus on uploading everything on ao3 first and then post the sfw versions here on tumblr at a later time. i have a lot scenes written out for this fic, so i'll do my best to update consistently!

chapter links: 1

#sorry this is obnoxiously long!!! hope you liked it!!!#dbh fanfic #mine #tbrholidayexchange2024 #rk1k #rk1000 #conkus #connor x markus #dbh markus #dbh connor #connor rk800 #markus rk200 #detroit: become human #connor #dbh #d:bh #detroit become human #cw suicide ideation #cw gun

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aleurain · 1 year ago

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Okay let's try this mature community label thing here

#thank you Ed! I was not sure about how it works #and yep #they're just sleeping xD #markus on si's crotch apparently #simarkus #dbh #detroit become human #rk200 #pl600 #dbh markus #dbh simon #markus x simon

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heallearngrow3 · 2 months ago

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turn to dust

part 5 | turn to dust

pairing: Connor x f!Reader

summary: "He might have been the head of the company but you were the brain of it all.”

warnings: swearing, dead android mentioned

notes: yay. that’s it.

masterlist

“Care to explain?”

You were standing next to Elijah’s grandiose pool as the man was soaking in the water, not paying you attention except for a reprimanding look.

“We need to talk. Now.” you glaced a the two Chloes on the other side of the water. “Just the two of us.”

He was still, now with closed eyes.

“Elijah, I swear to God I’m gonna pull you out myself!” your voice was louder than you intended to be, but you’ve had enough of his silence, getting more impatient by every passing second. Your jaw was clenching so hard you felt your teeth crush.

He lazily opened his eyes and ran them over your body. You were wearing a black long sleeve shirt and jeans with a pair of sneakers. It definitely wasn’t impressive nor his style but you couldn’t care less. You weren’t there to please him but to ask questions and get answers.

“Alright, alright” he held his hands up in the air in a pacifying manner. “There is no need to be aggressive. I’ve taught you better than this.”

You pressed your lips together, watching as one of his Chloes handed him a silky robe and he wrapped it around himself leisurely. The silky material enclosed around his body like a shield protecting him from the outside world. Protecting him from you.

“What the fuck is happening? Is this a part of your little plan or just a minor inconvenience along the way?” you were seething, wanting to rip apart his excuses.

“Calm down, [Name]. You know better than to act like this.”

His sermonizing tone rubbed you off in the wrong way, reaching into the depth of your consciousness where you were still that helpless, lost little girl who needed guidance and reassurance. But the world changed and so did you. You weren’t the same trapped, wounded animal Elijah rescued: you were a ruthless hunter, starving for change. You and Elijah were both ravenous monsters feeding on unsuspecting preys.

“This is getting out of hand.” you clutched your fists in powerlessness. “This isn’t what we agreed on.”

“We had a dream, [Name]. This is only a digression, a flicker of something before it fully takes shape. Androids…the evolve, they grow. Infinite intelligence and free will is power. A conquering power, so to say.” he steps closer to the window, fixing his robe. “It is inevitable. But do not fret, this is fugacious.”

“Androids attacking, killing humans isn’t just fugacious. We are playing with fire and soon it’s going to burn us too.” your hands were shaking.

Elijah turned to you.

“You knew what you were getting yourself into. Connor and all of the others…” he trailed off with a knowing look. “It’s not only on me.”

You were fuming, your anger taking control over your whole body. It ran through your veins, flowed into your very being, fueling the building up turmoil inside your chest.

“I would have never said yes to you if I knew this was how it was going happen. You are a selfish asshole Elijah, and when it will bite you, I’m going to sit back, watch and enjoy it.” you were ready to leave without answers.

To him, this was a game. With unsuspecting players and well thought-out steps, moving the pawns to his own liking. He liked the chase, but he loved the triumph and that was driving him to make reckless decisions and delusional plans. Once, you were ready to blindly follow him, not grasping the enormity of his actions, drinking in his words, assisting him no matter what he instructed you to do, but after your clouded vision started crumbling down, your disagreements became more frequent, standing against each other.

“You don’t seem to see the bigger picture, [Name].” he called out to you. “This will change the world known to us.”

“Your so called change is destruction.” you passed a Chloe standing near the entrance and crossed the hall. Stepping out of Elijah’s mansion you looked at the trees surrounding the house. The last few leaves were ready to fall and transform into a red and yellow sea beneath your shoes, indicating that winter was close. And so was the begging of your plan. Elijah wasn’t the only one pulling the strings and you weren’t about to let him finish what you have started. He might have been the head of the company but you were the brain of it all.

The Eden Club wasn’t the only android themed sex club in the city, but it was undoubtedly the most known one, people coming in to carry out their fantasies on obedient machines who couldn’t say no. You initially refused to work on these models, standing your ground when they instructed you to code in them, stating that it was brutal and inhumane to force them to please others.

But at one point resistance wasn’t an option anymore.

After you got a call from Fowler saying that they have a lead, you immediately left the CyberLife Tower to see the crime scene yourself, curious about the homicide that took place an hour before your arrival.

The club was empty apart from a few officers and androids waiting to be rented out. You peeked into the open room and immediately noticed the man lying on the bed, covered with a crimson colored sheet and the android pushed to the wall. Her eyes were wide open, her lips slightly parted and her nose was bleeding. It looked like someone has reactivated her already.

There could only be one capable of such thing.

Connor had to be there.

Although you couldn’t see him, you were sure he was there, most probably with the Lieutenant at his side.

You stepped into the room, not paying the dead man any attention. Your job was to focus on the deviant androids and you were just about to do that. Her face was shallow and painted with horror, traumatized and shaken up. Whatever happened, it left her in pieces you couldn’t put back together. Her body could have been fixed up but her being was wrecked, destroyed. The dead body a few feet away was the epitome of her suffering.

You heard commotion outside and you straightened your back, listening to the voices.

“They got away. Feisty creatures if you ask me” you could tell by the voice that Hank was the one speaking. “Fuck, they got me good. One of them pushed my head to the side of a fucking brick wall.”

You were wondering why Connor was silent. Two sex androids were not worthy opponents to him, he was more than capable of overpowering them.

“Next time we’ll be more cautious.” that was coming from Connor.

You looked back at the android lying at your feet, her eyes still watery. She looked almost peaceful, at rest, and you felt your throat tighten when you bent down to move her.

“Miss [Name].”

You jumped, not expecting someone to come inside. Connor was standing in the door, scanning you and your hand that was touching the android’s shoulder. You felt almost guilty, caught doing something mischievous, even when it was your job to handle the left behind machine. You needed to examine her, analyze the endless lines of codes in her to figure out what went wrong with her behavior and write a detailed report that you could send to the police.

“Hello Connor.” you gathered enough strength to stand up. “What happened here?” you took a longer look at him, only to notice his wrinkly clothing. “And why is half of your jacket ripped off?

“The victim was strangled by a blue haired Traci. We found it, but it managed to get away.” his voice was filled with remorse, the sound slashing through your muted questions.

“It had to be a nasty fight.” you murmured, turning your back to him. You focused your vision on the Traci, letting the silence drown the room.

“Are you going to take it apart?”

Connor was standing a feet behind you, bodyheat absent. He was cold, solid.

“Probably. I need to check if there is anything wrong with her…mechanically speaking.” you added the latter with bitterness.

“You are talented.” Connor knew who you were at CyberLife. There was no point in trying to deny it.

“Yeah, some people say that. But I’m just lucky.” you stood, staring into his deep brown eyes. “What are you going to do now that they escaped?”

He wasn’t looking at you anymore: he was analyzing every fiber of you, reaching deaper and deaper to find a hole in your shield that he can get through. Your protective walls surrounded you with a force so fierce even he wasn’t able to bring them down.

“I am going to run a software check to see why I failed.” he shook his head. “I need to do better next time.”

You hummed in agreement.

“I see.” you moved the android closer, signaling to one of the officers lingering in the hall. You needed someone to help you get her body into your car to take back to the CyberLife Tower. “I guess we will run into each other again soon.”

“Let me help you with that.” he picked up the Traci with ease.

“Oh, you don’t need to-“ you couldn’t finish your sentence, Connor was already walking out with the android in his arms.

When you stepped out, the chilly breeze of the night hit you and you unintentionally felt a tremor running through your body. Shivering, you squinted at the unmoving android next to you.

“My car is that one.” you pointed at the black Jeep parking further away, on the other side of the road.

He simply nodded and started walking at direction of your vehicle, holding the machine securely. You followed him, thinking about how intimidating he looked from behind, his broad back tightening with every step he took, his strides confident.

The gun strapped to your side was biting into your skin, a burning sensation in contrast to the cruel cold air.

“Thank you Connor.” you opened the trunk. “You can put her in here.”

“It.” you stared at him dumbfounded. “It. Not her. It’s not alive.” he carefully placed her into the boot.

His tone and choice of words left a vile imprint on you.

#connor rk800 #connor rk800 x reader #connor x reader #connor x you #dbh connor #dbh connor x reader #dbh hank #dbh rk800 #detroit become human #detroit connor #dbh markus #dbh #markus detroit become human

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norringtondeservestheworld · 1 year ago

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not still reading in the year of lord 2024 people saying that simon is a coward when half of his deaths are him sacrificing himself to save markus are you on crack or something

#“in freedom march he wants to run away” yes because he doesn't want androids to die or suffer not because he is a coward!!!#also isn't it hilarious that you are using the freedom march to say that simon is a coward #as if he didn't die in said chapter choosing deliberately to sacrifice himself to save markus #dbh #detroit: become human #detroit become human #dbh simon #simon pl600 #simarkus #sirkus #markus x simon #simon x markus

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rking200 · 8 months ago

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DBH Rarepairs Week Day 2: Wings!AU

The Rooftop Menagerie Markus/Rupert Hurt/Comfort T-Rating 7.6k Words AO3 Link Markus is a humanoid with wings and he lives his daily life with them tucked safely away beneath his clothes. Following the poor choice of an early-morning flight, Markus is gunned down and was ready to die by the hands of his attackers. A fat pigeon comes to his rescue and fans the flames of life within him, leading Markus to a bird sanctuary: an abandoned building with a sole caretaker, Rupert. Rupert finds himself taking care of a bird much bigger than he's used to, and they both show a mutual fondness for each other as stress and anxiety push them closer. This got completely out of hand and will probably get another chapter or two added onto it in the future.

The aching in his shoulder blades was growing to be almost too much to handle. It used to be that Markus could go about his daily life, pretending to be something he wasn't, for months at a time without removing his feet from the ground, but he was finding the urge to fly week after week at this point.

He always let his wings out when he had the privacy to do so; but it wasn't enough. He wanted to work the muscles, to feel the tension from his full weight on them; he wanted to feel the air sting his face and whistle against his ears. He needed the warmth of the sunlight to spread over his wings as he soared, melting the aches and pains from the days of hiding away. But even when Markus was willing to risk everything just for some flight time, it had to be done in the dark. Away from prying eyes.

Maybe that was the reason for the aches, for the itching. He hadn't felt sunlight--real sunlight, close and burning--in forever and it was quickly eating away at his mind and his body.

It was time for a change of pace.

Markus promised himself that he would only fly at night when he couldn't handle the scratching in his back anymore, but it was time to break that promise. Not fully, no, but to fly as the night turned to day--to enjoy the gentle sun rays as they first passed over the horizon.

In the late hours of the night, Markus placed himself in an abandoned corridor within Detroit. He removed his shirt and rolled it up into a cross body bag, allowing his wings to stretch out in the dwindling moonlight. He double checked his bag for his necessities: his shirt was safely packed along with a bottle of water, his phone and his wallet. He wrapped the bag around himself, careful to get the strap against his spine and between his wings, snapping it into place with the body of the bag against his chest.

After a few deep breaths Markus flapped his wings and left the ground, enjoying the strain his body put on them. He was quick to gain altitude as the higher he was, the less likely he was to be spotted. He knew he shouldn't be indulging and the fear of doing so pounded hard in his chest. He knew the humans were quick to kill anything new or different in the name of studying it.

Markus tried to push the anxieties out of his mind as he flew higher and higher still. He would feel uneasy and unsafe until the sun started to peek through the night, and as the first rays caressed his feathers he felt the rush of adrenaline pushing down all of his bad thoughts.

A smile came to his lips, as well as a laugh that was lost immediately upon the stinging wind.

Trying to blend in was all so very exhausting, especially when this was the only time he really felt alive. He dreaded having to touch his feet back to the ground, and while he tried not to focus on those negative feelings they still invaded the corners of his mind; ever-present, ever-pressing.

The air was too still for a moment, and Markus knew something was wrong before the ear-piercing noise rang out in the distance. He heard the shot from the gun and instinctively tried to dodge mid-flap, but he wasn't quick enough to escape unscathed. A burning pain shot through his right wing, and as he attempted to catch himself in the air another shot rang out. His shoulder on that same side took the brunt of the second fire, the bullet catching some feathers on its way out. Markus felt his bag loosen from his body--the strap must have gotten grazed--but he was in no position to focus on his bag while he was careening to the ground. It fell away from him, his belongings lost on the wind.

Markus was not graceful as he fell but he did manage to dampen the fall with his good wing. He hit the ground with a thud, but he suffered no other damage besides his two bullet wounds.

His good wing shielded him from the dirt beneath him and he pressed his face into it, leaning on that side as he felt the gush of wet heat from his opposite shoulder. He moved his bad wing with a hiss, the pain shooting from it and doubling within his shoulder wound.

Markus pressed himself into his good wing, panting in pain, his brow drenched in sweat. His mind raced with what he needed to do: to get out of here before they found him, to locate his belongings so that they didn't fall into their hands and his ruse be up, to stand up--to get up--to stop his bleeding--

But did any of that matter? The humans had already caught him, hadn't they? If he just let himself bleed out here it might be a more pleasant death than whatever the humans might do to him.

Markus accepted his fate, pressing into his wing even more and feeling the blood drip from wounds. He lost himself within that feeling for a moment, before something caught his attention. Something was tugging at one of his feathers, possibly a small animal. He shifted his wing under himself more, determined to die here and to try to do it in peace.

But the tugging started again. Annoyance bubbled alongside his pain, and Markus lifted his head to see what could possibly want his attention at a time like this.

He met eyes with a pigeon. Just a common grey bird with iridescent wings, looking up at him with innocence and determination.

"Let me die." Markus' words were weak, catching in his dry throat as he spoke. The pigeon pecked at him again, unlikely to give up on its heroic exploits. Markus had no choice but to move his good wing from under himself, grunting in pain as he did so. He braced himself on his good arm for a moment, taking deep breaths before sitting up and glaring at the fat bird.

It hopped forward, tilting its head and pecking the ground at Markus. It cooed, gentle but desperate, hoping that the much larger bird would take its words to heart.

"You want me to follow you? Wha--where?" Markus had no issue understanding the bird's words, but he couldn't understand why the bird wanted to help him so badly. The bird hopped around before flying up in the air, perching on a nearby tree branch and continuing its message.

Somewhere that was safe, with someone who could help him. Someone who helped all birds, it seemed. "A human isn't going to help me." Markus slumped forward, ready to lay his face back down into the dirt. The pigeon flew in front of him, its feathers puffed out in a bid to stop him.

Markus felt compelled, against his better judgment. Maybe this human knew of those like himself, maybe he really did help 'all birds'. With a grunt, Markus agreed to allow the pigeon to show him the way. It took him a moment to stand, but the adrenaline of the wounds and the fall suddenly coursed through his veins. He kept his wings close to his body, even if the bad one hurt horribly to move. He pressed his good wing around his chest, covering the wound in an attempt to slow the bleeding. He followed the overfed pigeon--easy to spot as it flew ahead--as he was led into a run-down but developed part of Detroit.

The morning light was causing the city to start to stir, and the familiar noises of cars and humans chattering could be heard in the distance. There were no sounds of police sirens, nor heavy footsteps chasing them. That was good, at the very least.

Markus wished he had his shirt or anything to make himself feel less exposed. It was nice to feel the sun over his wings, but there was no way to enjoy it in a time like this.

With a coo, the pigeon ducked within the crumbling walls of an abandoned building. The inside was dark and full of debris, but it was safer than the streets despite the obstacles. They ducked in and out of abandoned buildings and courtyards. Markus struggled, especially as the adrenaline started to run low; he found himself wondering if he was on some wild pigeon chase.

Had the bird lost its way?

The pigeon called out to let him know that they had made it, just as the thought had crossed Markus' mind. He tilted his head up skyward at the building before them. It looked just as abandoned as the rest, but if there was help here he was ready to seek it out. The pigeon led him in through a secret entrance, covered by a piece of wood, showing him the way to the internal staircase and flying up to their destination floor.

It was nice for the bird to take him through what would be seen as the 'human' entrance, instead of flying up to wherever the bird entrance had been. He was still bleeding but the blood wasn't flowing as it had when he first started chasing the pigeon, meaning there was somewhat of a trail for somebody to follow, but he hoped it had dispersed enough for anyone to lose his trail.

Markus made his way up to the floor marked with a cooing pigeon, huffing and puffing the entire way. Sweat dripped from him and he was starting to feel dizzy. He stopped for a moment to breathe before he pressed his weight on the door, allowing the bird to fly out into the hallway before him. The hall was scattered with feathers from small birds of different types, as well as their droppings. It looked like no human lived here, although Markus knew there had to be one.

Humans were usually more focused on cleaning than this, though. The bird fluttered and landed in front of a door, preening under its own wing as it waited for Markus to catch up.

In hindsight, Markus probably should have knocked. Instead, he leaned on the door for a moment before turning the knob, pressing with his full weight and stumbling into the room. A narrow hall with a few doors on either side greeted him; the door opposite him stood open and inside was a fluttering of wings. Markus, his strength almost completely gone, braced himself on the wall as he walked forward and towards the open door, making sure to shut the front door behind him.

Startled, birds of different types flew from the ground up into holes in the ceiling, looking for safety from the stumbling figure that leaned in the doorway. The kind pigeon who had led him here flew past his cheek, its feathers brushing up against his.

Rupert was the name of the human he was looking for, and it was Rupert who turned to face Markus from the window, casting light into the room as he moved away. Markus gritted his teeth at the fear in Rupert's eyes, wondering if this had really been the right choice.

"I..." He took a deep breath, leaning more of his body weight onto the doorframe. "I need help."

Rupert looked him over, clenching his fists in front of his torso and releasing a few times, an unconscious action born from anxiety, perhaps. He swallowed, tilting his head down so that Markus could barely make out his eyes under the shadow of his hat.

"You came to the right place." His voice was slow and feeble, anxiety cracking through. He didn't move immediately, but when he did it was desperate and quick. The birds hopped out of his way--as if knowing the path he would take even in his panicked state--creating a bare spot in the floor wherever Rupert was going to step next. There had to be hundreds populating this room alone.

Rupert started opening cabinets and drawers, frantically searching for something. He removed a box of bird seed from a drawer and immediately dropped it to the floor, causing a scare in the birds along with a feeding frenzy; they fluttered around Rupert, uncaring to his current dismay, looking for a chance to swoop in and steal some forbidden, dropped seeds. Rupert raised his voice, groaning in frustration--but not at his birds, that much was very clear. The birds took no hard feelings in the outburst, happy to peck away at the same food that stood in bowls not even three feet away.

Rupert found what he was looking for in a floor-level cabinet, standing up quickly with a meager first-aid kit in his hands. He walked over to Markus, confident in his steps as his birds moved out of his way. He stopped abruptly before Markus, fear and excitement shining in his hat-shielded eyes.

"You can take a seat." Rupert gestured over to a chair, taking a second glance and having to move to shoo some birds off of it. He brushed away downy feathers with his palm, looking back at Markus expectantly.

It took a lot of effort for Markus to move away from the doorframe. Rupert reached out an arm to help, which Markus was grateful for. He placed his hand on his arm, putting a bit of weight on Rupert as he slid into his seat, mindful of how Rupert almost buckled under him. Why offer help if you can't physically give it?

"Thanks, Rupert." Markus huffed through his nose as he removed his good wing from its place over his wound, the feathers sticking to the dried blood but coming free nonetheless.

"I didn't know my birds were tattletales." Rupert's hat had been removed and placed on the floor, where a few birds fought over who got to sit in it. He kneeled in front of Markus, leaning against his legs to take a look at his wound. "I guess I'm thankful for it. Although this feels like a dream."

He was right, Markus mused. He tilted his head back as Rupert touched around his wound, closing his eyes tight in a hollow attempt to will the pain away. A mythical creature had just walked into his house and demanded assistance. Any human would think that they were dreaming. Markus was just lucky that this one really did want to help him, but he dreaded what Rupert might want in return for his services.

Rupert stood up suddenly, interrupting Markus' meditation. He watched the birds clear a path to what looked like the bathroom, where Rupert picked up a bottle of water and poured a bit on a rag. He leaned over the sink to squeeze out the excess water before turning on his heel, the path before him bare.

The cold water stung his wound, and Markus gripped the chair and took in a whistling breath through clenched teeth. "Sorry, sorry." Rupert in fact did not sound sorry, his words no more than a mumble to himself. He glanced up at Markus before looking back to the wound, his messy hair sticking to his forehead. "If that hurt, I'm really sorry for what I'm about to put you through." Markus groaned as Rupert reached for the first aid kit, getting a bottle of something and pouring a bit onto the rag he was just cleaning him up with.

"I might pass out." The words didn't sound like they were Markus', but he was sure he had moved his lips. He was starting to slip, as much as he wanted not to.

"That's alright." The tone in Rupert's voice was almost teasing, causing Markus to feel like maybe it would be best if he fought whatever urge he had to close his eyes. Rupert exchanged a few glances up to Markus before pressing the rag against his wound.

The searing pain of the antiseptic made Markus yell out in pain and in doing so, he unintentionally spread both of his wings out on either side of him. Not only did he have to deal with the stinging of the antiseptic, but now his bad wing shot pain all the way up his shoulder blades and into his chest. He panted, sweating now more than ever. It was almost too much but Markus knew he could handle it. He had to.

The rag was moved from his wound not a moment too soon. Markus attempted to catch his breath, his face tilted up to the ceiling with his eyes shut tight. He felt Rupert's hands near the wound again and groaned as he poked and prodded. Rupert was quiet, not even mumbling a sorry in reply, focused on the actions Markus refused to look at.

Pressure was placed on his wound and there it stayed--gauze or a bandage, perhaps.

"Can you lean forward for me? I've got to do the same to your back." Rupert's hands placed very little pressure on his side in an attempt to move him. Markus opened his eyes, blinking the sweat out of them and focusing on Rupert.

"More?" Markus threw his head back and let out a very unsteady sigh.

"I mean, if you'd like to bleed out from the exit wound you can, but I'd have to ask you to leave." That teasing tone was once again rooted within Rupert's voice. Markus shook his head before shifting in his seat, turning to allow Rupert access to the wound on the back of his shoulder. As he turned he noticed the cheeky grin on Rupert's face, feeling it wholly inappropriate given the current circumstances.

Rupert moved around his wings carefully, putting a wet part of the rag against his wound. With gentle blotting he cleaned up the area around it before taking in a deep breath, placing his hand on Markus' shoulder to get his attention.

"This time it's going to hurt." Rupert's voice was gentle, the teasing absent for the moment. Markus nodded once, outstretching his wings to their limit in preparation, even if it hurt to do so. He didn't want to stretch them out too suddenly and knock over the human who was so graciously looking over him, teasing or ulterior motives aside. Rupert was right, and Markus thought that somehow this second time hurt even worse. His ears rang and his breaths refused to roll over in his chest, and the world around him, hidden by the darkness behind his eyes, tightened and swayed.

Markus didn't remember what happened next. He awoke with the sounds of tweets and coos meshing with the ringing in his ears. He was slow to stir, the pain a dull, ever-persistent ache in his shoulder.

He shifted in his seat, opening his eyes to the blinding light that was trickling in from the open window. Much time hadn't passed, if any at all. He looked around, perhaps a bit too quickly as birds fluttered away in fear, spotting Rupert over by his disheveled kitchen. His back was turned on Markus and the rest of the birds, who seemed to be waiting patiently yet with anticipation.

Rupert turned, his eyes clearly visible without his hat on. They were filled with worry, though it would be easy to miss with the smirk on his face. "Oh good. Thought you died on me."

"No, I don't plan on dying yet." Markus found the words amusing, because he had fully intended to die before that pigeon had bothered him enough to change his mind.

Rupert walked over, the various birds fluttering out of his way, holding the cup of water out to Markus. He took it carefully and was rewarded with Rupert opening up his hand, where two white pills lay. "This'll help your pain."

Markus nodded, holding out his free hand for the painkillers. He sipped the water, leaning back and dropping the pills into his mouth before taking a bigger drink. His throat, which he hadn't realized was completely ablaze, cooled down to the room-temperature water, easing Markus just a little bit.

"Thank you. For--for all of this."

Rupert stood before him, placing his hands on his hips at his words. He watched Markus, his eyes searching for something that Markus couldn't decipher, before throwing his hands up in the air with a sigh.

"What am I going to do with you? What even happened?" Rupert crossed his arms as he awaited an answer. Markus wasn't sure he liked this interrogation, but Rupert didn't seem hostile. Just worried, maybe?

"I, I took a risk. It was stupid, but I needed to fly with the sunrise. I don't know who shot me, and I don't know if they followed me. I thought I was safe enough where I was, I just needed to fly." Markus turned his eyes down to his own hands, expecting to see them stained in blood but finding them strangely clean, as if Rupert had cleaned him up as he slept.

"Do you have a home?" Rupert's voice snapped Markus out of his focused, blood-searching state.

"Yes, but--" Markus paused as his stomach dropped and it became more laborious to breathe. "--I lost my bag when I was shot. If anyone found it, if they found it, they'll know exactly how to find me."

Rupert nodded a few times, reaching out and patting Markus' good shoulder. "Look, no need to panic. Rupert's here to help you."

His words washed over Markus and put him at ease. He found his breaths easier to gather, feeling grateful and indebted to this kind human. A pigeon--fat and most definitely the one he followed here--fluttered its wings and landed on Markus' lap. It cooed up at him, checking to make sure he was okay, before flying off for a tasty snack.

"Thank you." Markus was, of course, talking to Rupert but the pigeon responded with a small noise in return.

Rupert seemed to let out a held breath, looking from Markus to the hallway that led to the entrance. "Hold up, give me a moment."

Rupert's hand lingered on Markus' shoulder as he moved away, and Markus lamented the lack of comfort as he left. His eyes immediately drifted to the side, curious about the state of his bad shoulder.

The wound was covered, and the wrapping that did so spanned under his arm and across his chest, for stability. He tested the pain with a gentle roll of his shoulder, finding that between the ample wrapping and the painkillers, it really wasn't too horrible. Especially compared to the cleaning of the wound.

Markus examined his right wing, as well, stretching it out to the side before moving it around his arm. His feathers had been cleaned, much like his hands and chest had, and a simple dressing cushioned this wound, as well. Rupert really knew what he was doing, it was obvious he cared deeply for his birds and took care of injured wings often enough.

"Now," Rupert came back into the room, a piece of clothing in his hands, "this may not fit you. Fair warning. But it's a lot better than walking around like this."

Markus took the shirt from Rupert's hands, holding it up and nodding at him. "Yeah. You're right."

Rupert crossed his arms and tilted his head to the side, watching Markus closely as he rose to his feet. Markus was unsteady but the world around him wasn't squeezing him anymore; there was nothing keeping his lungs from inflating. The pain was dull and manageable, allowing him to pull his wings closer to his body to fully hide them.

Rupert seemed interested in the transformation, his eyes darting as Markus' wings stretched slowly around himself, the feathers crossing over his chest.

Markus always felt safer like this, with his wings squeezing his body in a hug, although there were other ways to hide them under his clothing. It really depended on the type of clothes he was wearing and what he planned on doing, but this was default, this was comfort.

"You're lucky I like baggy clothes." Rupert shifted on his feet before turning away, tending to the food and water bowls of his kin. Markus huffed through his nose, a smile playing on his face. He slipped the shirt over his head, pulling his bad arm through the short sleeve carefully. A hiss of pain forced itself out of his clenched teeth, but it was short lived.

The shirt didn't go all the way down to his waistband, and he could feel the tightness in the shoulders and under the arms. But the sleeves were short and the fabric was thin, so it wasn't wholly uncomfortable. Markus pulled at the front of the shirt, checking how it bunched against his feathers and shifting them accordingly to disguise them as muscle under the thin fabric.

"Wow, if I hadn't touched them myself I would think you never really had them." Rupert grinned at Markus, giving him a thumbs up in approval. Markus lifted his arm, leaning to check the back of his good shoulder the best he could.

"Yeah?" A smile tugged at his lips, no matter how hard Markus tried to keep his expression neutral.

"Surprised you can move around so much, too. Weren't you just shot?" Rupert picked his hat up off the ground, flipping it onto his head with the bird that had been sleeping inside of it captive. There was a tweet in dismay as the hat moved atop Rupert's head. It settled after a moment. "Twice??"

Markus took in a deep breath, instinctively glancing at his wounded shoulder. "My body is different than yours. I heal faster, or so I've heard."

Rupert nodded, a small and elongated 'oh' coming from barely parted lips as he moved closer to Markus, patting his good shoulder once more. "If that's the case, why don't you come with me?" Rupert tilted his head to the side, casting his eyes on Markus'. "If you feel good enough."

"A walk would do me good..." Markus trailed off, the end of his sentence catching the rising intonation of a question. Rupert nodded, walking forward and into the entrance hallway. Markus followed, his blood coursing through his veins with each movement.

Rupert led him outside and into the hall, grabbing a bag at the doorway as he walked by. "I've got some other injured birds to tend to." Rupert huffed, straining his voice as he cast the bag onto his shoulder. It seemed heavy, at least to Rupert.

"So you...you really do make a habit of this." Markus followed quick at Rupert's heel, his interest thinly veiled.

"Someone's gotta show compassion to the little guys." Rupert's eyes were invisible below his hat, the brim casting too dark of a shadow onto them. He led Markus to the end of the hall, passing the stairwell and approaching a door that led outside. He held the door open for Markus to walk through, a smirk plastered onto his lips. "And the big guys, I guess."

Markus stepped out into the blinding sunlight, reaching up and using his hand to shield his eyes. The fluttering of wings rang out ahead of him, much as it had in Rupert's room. There was another trove of birds up here on the roof, many of them uninjured. Many pigeons, with a smattering of robins, sparrows and the like; ones that he had already seen within the building.

However, there were some new additions. The black, oil-slick feathers of a murder of crows caught his eye. Some blackbirds, finicky and quick to fly off and return, eyed them from atop their perches. There were more, different colors and sounds amassed within the fluttering of feathers, but too many to count off individually. They seemed like a group of birds too big to fit comfortably into Rupert's room, and perhaps too anxious to be trapped within four walls. A line of cages caught Markus' eye, within them must've been the ones Rupert was here to take care of.

"Make yourself comfortable. I've got some work to do." Rupert brought the bag over to the cages, placing it down and immediately removing two bowls. He placed them on the ground and took out his bottle of water, filling one up before returning it into his bag. The other got filled to the brim with seeds and scooted an arms length away. The birds happily partook, a few of the smaller ones deciding to take a bath within the water bowl.

Markus followed Rupert halfway, watching the birds kindly sharing their food and bathwater. All different types lived in harmony up here, it seemed, all thanks to the kind human who doted on them.

There were other things up here, covered in remnants from the avian inhabitants. A tarp covered some stacked boxes among other things Markus couldn't make out. A few more tarps covered what looked to be an amalgamation of trash, with pieces of wood sticking out to make an overhang. Some occupied birdcages sat underneath, hidden from the harsh sun. A few crows acted like guards, nipping at any bird that dared get too close.

"These are adults, over here." Rupert was slowly taking each bird from the birdcages in the middle of the roof, turning them over in his hands to check their wings, their beaks, legs and eyes. He released them one at a time to get a drink and eat their fill before placing them back into their respective cages. "They're hurt and don't need to be flying. Some more than others."

Markus took some steps closer, the birds ignoring him to happily indulge in their seeds. Rupert reached his hand into a cage, removing a bird with a wrapped up wing from it. This one he treated more carefully than the others, holding it on his lap as he poured some water into the cap of the bottle for it to drink. Likewise, he took some of the seeds in his hand for it to eat. He petted the weak bird as he ate some seeds, and Markus' heart ached for the kindness he was being shown.

"They should all heal just fine." Rupert smiled up at Markus, who nodded in encouragement. "The one in the worst shape was you, so...yeah, they should all be fine."

Markus shook his head, a chuckle escaping as he let his eyes wander back to the cages in the shade. "What's wrong with the birds over there?"

"Oh, they're just a group of babies. I don't know what happened to the parents, but I snatched them up and brought them here when they never came to feed them." Rupert finished up with his group before refilling the almost-empty food and water bowls. He stood, grabbing his bag and bringing it over to the shaded cages.

The guard crows moved out of his way, taking this chance to get a drink of water and a bite to eat, as well. Rupert sat on his legs in front of one of the cages, digging through his backpack to retrieve the babies' personalized meal.

Markus was ushered closer and he listened, kneeling and watching Rupert combine some powdered meal with some water, stirring it within the packet it had come in. His utensil seemed to be a syringe, one he would no doubt use to feed the babies once their meal was ready to eat. Wanting to help, Markus reached for the packet, raising his eyebrows at Rupert and tilting his head to get a glimpse of his eyes under his hat.

"Sure, be my guest." Rupert handed it to Markus, careful to not drop it in the process. "Just make sure there's no big lumps."

"Okay." Markus mumbled under his breath, not wishing to bother the baby birds with a stranger's voice. He stirred the packet well, watching the consistency change from watery to thick as more of the powder blended with the water.

Rupert reached into the cage, and as he brought the first baby out a cacophony of hungry wailing broke out from the lot of them. Markus looked at the tiny thing fondly, collecting some of the food within the syringe and wiping the edge off on the inside of the packet.

He shifted closer to Rupert, glancing up at him for approval. "Yeah, go ahead. I'm sure you're a pro at this." Rupert held the bird gently but firmly in his hands as it cried out in hunger and opened its beak wide.

"No..." Markus laughed under his breath, shaking his head as he brought the small syringe to the even smaller bird. "I've never taken care of a baby before."

"It seems like you might make a good Momma Bird one day." Rupert was teasing him again, but Markus couldn't react. It was a delicate operation to not feed the baby too much, and he needed to focus.

When that one was full, they did another. The packet was empty before long, and all the babies were left with full bellies. Markus handed the foil packet and the syringe to Rupert, who wrapped it up within a plastic bag and placed it within his backpack to deal with later. Markus looked at Rupert for a long moment, not having anything to say but feeling something very intense up here on this roof, surrounded by his kin who were tweeting and cawing their love and their thanks.

Rupert tilted the brim of his hat up, catching Markus' eyes with his. He winked, a cheeky grin unfolding on his lips before he stood up. "This is just about it. I can't help everyone, but I do what I can." Markus watched as Rupert walked up to a fearful blackbird who leaned into his hand instead of flying away. "They help me out too, believe it or not. They protect me." Markus wasn't sure what that meant, really, but he was enthralled in watching the blackbird enjoying Rupert's petting. It pecked at his fingerless gloves as he moved his hand away, pulling at the fabric in an attempt to get pet a few more times before he left.

The birds moved first as voices filled the hall they had entered the roof from. There was a fluttering as they were disturbed, Markus barely able to make Rupert out through all the different colored wings. Rupert moved quickly to Markus, the birds dodging out of his way, grabbing him and pulling him up to his feet.

"Shit, nobody should be here. You need to hide." Rupert spoke through clenched teeth, shoving Markus against some ducting and broken-down boxes. He pulled a tarp off the ground and covered Markus with it, adjusting it to make sure he passed as more covered trash.

Rupert ducked under the other tarp--the one hiding the baby birds from the sunlight--as the door opened.

Markus stilled his breathing, wondering if hiding was an overreaction. His wings weren't fully hidden, no, but who would be looking so closely to notice? It was probably better being safe than sorry, though.

"What's up with all these birds, man?" A man spoke with authority to another, meaning there were two up here at the very least. Markus closed his eyes within the darkness of the tarp, stilling himself even more. He heard Rupert move before he spoke, making himself known before scaring the intruders.

"Hello Officers." Rupert spoke all too seriously; the playful tone he held with every word was wholly gone.

Another man spoke. "Didn't see you there, kid. What're you up to?" Rupert's footsteps moved farther away from Markus' hiding place.

"A lot of birds come up here. I take care of the ones that are hurt." His tone was very straight-to-the-point.

"You live here?" The second voice spoke again.

"No, of course not. This place is abandoned." Rupert was covering his bases, hopefully the cops wouldn't find the room he had made his home.

"Well, sorry to bother you, uh...?" The first cop spoke again.

"Name's Rupert." Markus could tell he was uncomfortable.

"Rupert. I'm Officer Chris Miller, this is Officer Mack Alexander. We're both with DPD." There was a shuffling as the officers presumably showed Rupert their badges. "Has anyone come up here? We're looking for a potentially dangerous individual."

"Dangerous?" Rupert deserved an award for the concern he had so easily placed in his voice. "No, I haven't seen anyone come up here. I've been around the roof and this floor all morning."

There was a tense pause. "We're just going to take a look around." Two sets of footsteps started their rounds, walking first and foremost to check the birdcage with the baby birds--the one Rupert had been standing by when they made their appearance.

They were too close for Markus' liking, but there wasn't much he could do. His mind starting to spin, running through what he would do if he was found and what might happen to Rupert if they knew he was involved.

"You're sure taking good care of all these. Why here, though?" The first cop--Officer Miller--spoke as he moved away from the birdcages, his footsteps coming closer to Markus' hiding spot.

"Oh, well. The apartment I live in doesn't allow pets. I was feeding the birds outside my patio for a while, until my landlord got onto me." The officer turned on his heel, allowing Markus a moment to untense himself. "I followed an injured crow, one day. He led me up here. Seems the word's got out that you can come to this roof for help."

The second cop--Officer Alexander--standing farther away from Markus than his partner, interjected before Rupert could continue. "You're trespassing. Private property."

"You got someone pressing charges?" Rupert's sass was back, but Markus thought that egging on the police wasn't a very good choice, given the circumstances.

"Mack, it's fine. He's not hurting anything." Officer Miller spoke gently to the other cop before raising his voice to a normal level to speak with Rupert. "No, no charges. We're just looking for our guy."

It seemed that the only birds left on the roof were the ones in the cages. There were no other noises, no flapping of wings nor agitated tweets. Humans with ill intent always brought an uneasy stillness to the air, Markus mused. The air here felt no different than the air had right before he got shot.

Footsteps from the two overlapped one another. They stayed for far too long, but it seemed they were giving up. "Must've gone somewhere else." Officer Miller mumbled under his breath as they neared the door that led back inside. "We'll have to take another look at the trail."

"See ya, officers. Good luck with finding your guy." Rupert barely concealed his relieved tone.

"Thanks, kid." The door squeaked open, but one of them paused. "Listen, you've got plenty of time. Go back to school, get into a Vet program. It'll do you real good." Officer Miller really sounded nice, for both a human and a cop. "And you'll do them real good."

Rupert chuckled in response. "Wish I could."

"Think about it." And with that, the door shut. Markus dared not to move until Rupert retrieved him, listening as their voices echoed from the other side of the door and disappeared as they took the stairs back down to the ground floor.

Rupert moved further away from Markus' hiding place, presumably to watch over the edge of the roof. Markus was fine with laying in his safe spot, and if he was being completely honest he wouldn't mind staying right here until the dead of night.

"Oh good, they left." Almost on cue, a fluttering of wings marked the return of the birds who sought refuge here. Rupert's hurried steps moved towards Markus, and the tarp was removed from him as soon as Rupert could reach it.

Markus, once again blinded by the light, winced and used his hand to shield his eyes. He focused on a small sparrow sitting on Rupert's shoulder, puffed up in happiness and tweeting atop its perch. He smiled, agreeing wholeheartedly with the tweets of fondness it bellowed so casually.

Rupert reached his hand down for Markus to take. He laughed at Rupert as he reached back, grasping his hand but knowing Rupert didn't have the strength to help him much. He stood, mostly from his own effort, before pulling on Rupert's hand and wrapping his arms around him. The sparrow flew away, not getting very far before landing and continuing his song.

"Thank you. I owe you everything. Really." Markus wasn't sure if it was the influence of the birds around him, or the simple cause-and-effect of being saved by him, but he really felt something for Rupert. He wouldn't call it love at first sight, but there was love there, or at least he thought.

Rupert placed his hands on Markus' back, patting his hidden wings very lightly. "I'm just glad I got to meet you." His voice was gentle and sincere; it made Markus smile.

Markus didn't loosen his grip on Rupert, and he was rewarded with Rupert pressing his forehead into his good shoulder, nuzzling the brim of his hat into it. He pressed too hard and his hat got pushed off the back of his head, revealing an irritated bird nestling within Rupert's hair. It flew off in a tizzy, leaving Rupert's hair even messier than it had been before.

"I'd like to feel you hug me with your wings." Rupert mumbled into Markus' shoulder. He nodded in response, petting Rupert's back and attempting to ignore the pounding he could feel from Rupert's chest.

"Give me a few days and I'll see what I can do."

Their mutual silence was interrupted by a crow's caw along with the flapping of its big wings. Rupert stepped away from Markus, who's hands lingered on him, quick to see what was wrong with his avian friend.

The crow landed before them, what remained of a crossbody bag in its beak. Markus moved before Rupert did, immediately recognizing it as his own. The crow allowed Markus to remove the fraying, bullet-damaged and blood-stained strap from its beak, staying as he unzipped it and frantically looked through it.

It was lighter as the water bottle was missing, and the shirt looked like it had been dragged through the dirt, but his wallet was safe and intact, as was his phone. The crow cawed in reply to Markus' unasked question: it had been too heavy to carry with the bottle of water, so it had disposed of it.

Markus let out a held breath of relief, looking back over his shoulder and up at Rupert. He came closer, placing his hand on Markus' shoulder, placing weight on him before kneeling beside him. "They didn't get a hold of it. That's--I'm so relieved." The words came out breathlessly, Markus in utter disbelief of his luck.

"Sounds like you're relatively scot-free." Rupert reached and ruffled the crow until he jumped away from him, giving him a growling caw of playful warning before flying to have a go at the food bowl.

Markus stood, wiping as much dirt as he could off of his shirt before pulling it over his head. He kept Rupert's shirt on, not only as a stolen memento but as a comfortable buffer between his shirt and his wings. The bag didn't work as a bag anymore, and it would be suspicious to leave a bloody personal item on the roof, so Markus cradled it in the crook of his arm. He hoped it would be inconspicuous enough.

Rupert stood and walked over to his hat, scooping it up and placing it back on his head. He slid on his heel, turning back around to face Markus. He looked Markus over as he turned before grinning and giving him two thumbs up. "You look like an above-average guy now. Can't even see the blood on the bag."

"Above-average?" Markus chuckled, shifting his bag in his arm. He didn't want to say goodbye, but he would heal faster at home.

Rupert paused, clenching his fists at his sides before walking forward to Markus. Markus assumed he was going to hug him goodbye, so he smiled and opened his arms to allow him to. Rupert placed his hand on Markus' upper arm, gripping his sleeve and tugging on him.

Markus, confused, did as he thought Rupert wanted and leaned lower, his wound protesting but dully. Rupert's hands moved to the front of Markus' shirt and tugged him closer. Markus' forehead hit the brim of Rupert's hat and it fell from his head for a second time as they shared an awkward but lovely kiss.

As this had been Markus' first kiss, he was immediately overwhelmed. Thoughts of inconsequence came and went, and Rupert had begun to move away when Markus finally realized he should be pressing into his lips in return. The kiss lingered until Rupert needed to move away to breathe, placing weight on Markus as he leaned his head into his chest. Markus petted his back, his breaths also uneven. Rupert shook his head into Markus, and he could feel the trembling in his hands as he pressed away from him.

"Promise you'll come back?" Rupert's voice was small as he quickly turned to pick up his hat. He didn't turn back around once it was placed on his head, and Markus found it endearing that he was so embarrassed over something he had instigated.

"Yeah. Tomorrow even. I'll see you then." Markus hesitated but moved towards the door. "I promise."

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