#little bit of RK1K too

[connorboyyy]

One of the things that I really love to see is the vastly different ways people characterize Nines 👀

It’s no secret I’m not well versed in Nines or Sixty or even really Gavin that much—basically I’ve got Hankcon brainrot and it’s hard to focus on much else except a bit of Rk1k (cause the narrative themes of that relationship are always incredible) and Markus/Simon (it’s just sweet, I love it)

So all that being said, I don’t have a preferred way to see people make content/art for him. Which makes interacting with said content so much more fun ???

Like oh he’s a nervous wreck who would rather shutdown than break even a little rule? Love that. He’s a cold, stoic hard ass and vaguely intimidating? Love that too. He’s straight up evil? That’s fun. He’s secretly a big softie and is very curious about life? That makes my heart warm

I have the same feelings about Gavin and Sixty, but Nines is the one I see with definitely the most range.

I love you people who make Nines content, please keep doing it, and don’t let anyone tell you your interpretation of him is “wrong” because 1) he was in the game for like 3 seconds and 2) it’s literally just a video game—you can change a well established character’s personality if you want. What’re they gonna do, arrest you? It’s your content, make it how you want it and just have fun 🫶

[katlakitty]

RK1K prompt week - Day 1

Prompt: Failed revolution/"Leave him alone!"

North finished and looked at the others expectantly, but they were just staring at her like deer in a headlight. "Well?" She asked impatiently. "Not bad," Connor replied a little bit too fast. She knew him well enough by now to know this wasn't a good sign. "Nice," Markus added, giving her the same polite look. "You guys are full of shit," North huffed and placed a hand on her hip. "Go on then! Write your own 'ode to your love story'." "Technically, this wasn't even an-" Connor began but North interrupted him. "Write your own then!" Connor frowned, unsure of what he should do. North was about to gloat but then he began to speak.

Continue reading on my AO3:

[veilder]

G, M, P, Q and T? uwu

In answer to this post. Lol, thanks Berry. XD G - Do you remember your first OTP, if so who was in it - God, I don’t even know? Honestly, the concept of an “OTP” has never really been something I’d adhered to til recently. I was always a pretty big multishipper back in the day. I... don’t know how to answer this one, lol. Like, I guess it’s Convin but that’s only from two years ago. XD M - Say something genuinely nice about a ship that you don’t ship (or its shippers, or anything related to you) - Honestly, RK1K fans just seem very nice? I’ve never been able to get into the ship (even though it was the first one I checked out when getting into the fandom, omg. I thought it was gonna be a bigger thing than it is.) but the fans of it seem very genuine, they make some great content and they don’t really seem to cause any drama. So freaking kudos to y’all for adding to the fandom experience. Variety is good when it’s not enmired in bad takes and shipping wars, lol.  P - Invent a random AU for any fandom (we always need more ideas) - Oh lord. I have so many AU ideas for DBH? Uh... Let’s see, how about an oldy but a goody? That is, the heist fic that was one of my first ideas for a multi-chapter fic? Here’s my proposed summary, lol: 

Former police Lieutenant, Hank Anderson, has been in prison for a false-conviction for two years. When the time comes for his release, he finds his life in shambles: his wife, gone; his son, crippled; his accounts, sucked dry by medical debt. Having no other recourse, Hank finds himself turning to the criminals he used to put away in order to make ends meet. But when he is approached by a young man in a sharp suit looking to secure the biggest heist of the century, Hank might just find himself in over his head... Human!AU

Never managed to do much with this, but I still love the idea. And I had so much detail added to the world-building of it all including a full set of cast characters, some very strange rarepairs and a lot of research, lol.  Q - A ship you’ve abandoned and why - Hm, this is difficult... Because there have never been too many ships I’ve been invested enough in to classify as “abandoning” them imo? Maybe the closest I can get to this is me sliding over from Stucky to WinterFalcon in the MCU fandom? But like... I still like Stucky, too, lol. I just think canon did Steve dirty. XD Other than that, idk! T - Do you have any hard and fast headcanons that you will die defending, about anything at all (gender identity, sexual or romantic orientation, extended family, sexual preferences like top/bottom/switch, relationship with poetry, seriously anything) - Oh lord. Just... so many. I have a lot of headcanon about androids and asexuality that I really don’t budge on. I have a whole thing about Nines and him being an unfinished prototype and how that could limit him. Reed-Kamski Bros is a pretty hard and fast one for me, too. ...I think those are the main ones, lol. I, of course, have so many other headcanons for the characters, too, but I tend to be more malleable with those, lol. Even the Nines ones I can budge on. But yeah, at least in my own writing, I always go with asexual androids and Gavin and Eli being related. Thanks for all the questions! These were fun!

[aurora-nerin]

RK1K human au

Markus takes his father, Carl to physical therapy after he's been in the car crash, where he meets another father-son duo, but the difference is that the son, quiet, beautiful and sad young man with brown hair and chocolate colored eyes it the one in for therapy. 

Connor, who's been injured while saving a little girl on his first mission as a police officer and his father, lieutenant Hank Anderson, whom Carl befriends right away. 

Connor’s in a really dark place mentally, because, being a police officer was his dream (because his dad was saving people from bad guys and of course he wanted to do it too!) and now he won’t have that ever again and even though he does not regret sacrificing his health for saving someone, he thought he’d have more time to do it and he’d manage to save more lives than just one. He thinks that, maybe, if he’d been better, smarter, faster it would not have happened. 

Hank is also guilt-ridden that he could not protect his baby boy from the dangers of this shitty world. And now he’s double scared because his other sons, Connor’s twin, Chris and their younger brother, Richard are also training to work for the force. 

Markus wants to do everything he can to make Connor’s life even a bit better and it’s just an added bonus that Carl likes the two of them so much and invites them over a lot, him and Hank drinking (when Markus can’t see) and Markus showing Connor how to do art and plays piano for him.

Connor, who doesn’t even consider he has a chance with Markus, is just giving him sad puppy eyes 24/7 and it breaks both Carl and Hank’s hearts, because, they do see that Markus likes Connor a lot and that Connor is so consumed by self-hate that he is totally oblivious to it.

[rk1kheadcanons]

I have a prompt idea if you’re down, no rush at all! I just love the idea of rk1k meeting in college & it just being the first time either of them experience this real and deep love for someone. Like Connor is more on the reserved side & maybe was a lil sheltered, & while Markus is more outgoing he still approaches their relationship very carefully at the start. Both of their feelings for one another develop so strong so quickly, & maybe it scares them a bit and they don’t want to admit it to the other at first just how deeply they’ve fallen for each other because their relationship is still rather new, but it just ends up evolving into this really powerful/beautiful relationship. Can u tell I’m feeling soft rn lol

It's okay Anon, we'll be soft together.

When Connor first enters college, he's still awkward and feels like this is highschool 2.0 all over again. He has no high hopes of it being better than the good times (sharing anecdotes and movie quips with Kara and Chloe in Drama class) or worst than the bad times he experienced (bullying he experienced at the hands of Gavin Reed c/o the varsity football team and fighting with his own closeted feelings).

Connor expected his experiences to just...be.

Connor didn't come here for a good time; he didn't come here for any sort of time. All he intends to do is finish his criminology degree within these four years and dip.

Within a couple of months, he's more sure of himself. He's met some good friends like Simon and Daniel, and Simon's main squeeze, Josh. Daniel and he are best bitches 4 life at the start. He then meets North in English composition and the same happens all over again. The boss WLW and MLM solidarity were real.

He grows into himself with his friends. Now recognizes that he's a hot, gay bitch that has little time for messy people and likes to keep it that way.

He wears a camouflage of the 'shy, sweet type' so he can move around and be unseen easily even as he is constantly on the swivel, partly why he decided to become a detective: he was perfect for it.

His dad thought so too. Had said he would be so dangerous in their respective field because of how he was. He knew Connor was fucking manipulative and maniacal with the cutesy face and dangerous martial arts he'd learned-he'd raised him ofc. That adorable face was a damned front and Hank would guffaw when people fell for it.

Gavin Reed was the first to get his comeuppance senior year of high school and learn this. Connor had played the scared, shy guy- he'd then proceeded to beat the sounds and colors right out of Gavin's raggedy ass.

Now Connor had a damned fan. That bitch followed him to college he was so sprung n that ass whooping. Maybe he gave him brain damage?

Connor ignored him like he did everyone else on campus he wasn't trying to see. He remained reserved and clean-cut. Very few had seen the real him.

Connor had also vowed to not look for a relationship with anyone either in college. Bootycalls? Okay. Something to scratch that itch so he could remain focus on his studies, alright, but not a whole romantic situation.

Connor was just trying to get rid of Gavin for the umpteenth time since this year had started and of fucking course the rest of the football team was there. Gavin didn't know the meaning of "no" and "personal space" and was going to press the issue.

Here steps forward this God of a man. He checks Gavin and Connor's heart in a couple of words.

Gavin's threatened; Connor's titillated.

Markus Manfred enters stage left.

Stupid Markus Manfred and his stupid face, and his stupid heterochromia and stupid kissable mouth. Literally, fuck this dude.

No, literally, fuck him against some fucking lockers in the locker room after Markus winning game right now, get in him, because, because...

God, the way Markus chased his mouth with his own. The way he'd been stripped and lifted as he weighed next to nothing, the quick yet superb preparation on the fly and then the feeling of him quickly and effectively just getting inside... Connor's one leg shook with the stimulus, his other loosely hung around Markus waist for dear life.

Rip to his pants.

He can feel how he's being physically jostled by the other's larger hands, one on his side, the other under his thigh and it's just-

Connor's face is hot and flushed and he knows it. His damned eyes keep fluttering like he's seizing, mouth open and quite possibly drooling like he cannot control his facial muscles, control the noises pouring out of himself as every stroke inside of him touches that one sensitive spot just right.

His nails bite into Markus beautiful copper skin, flecked in freckles as Connor yells out his joyous release to everyone within a three-mile radius.

When it's said and done, they both had to recap how they even got into this scenario.

Neither were complaining, not really, just really taken aback that had happened out of the blue like that and felt so natural. Markus had been chiding Gavin about being a creep, to which Connor amended he was a stalking creep. It hadn't flown over we'll with Markus since he was the captain of the team.

Gav was hazed, he was pissed and retreated. They had stayed and talked to each other. Just talked. Markus invited him to that evening game to which Connor advised he'd already be at because he was a band member. It was early and they had parted but that whole day was filled with happenstance's of Markus appearance and talking to him. The pull had been strong.

The attraction was overwhelming and it was a bit terrifying for both parties to admit. They had just been talking to each other. Nothing significant or substantial.

Markus felt maybe he was riding a gaming win high along with his obvious attraction to Connor.

Connor felt like maybe it was mutual attraction and appreciation for him.

They both left it at that. Where Connor had not seen Markus before, he now began seeing him everywhere: in passing, in some classes, he acts as a student assistant for additional credit and functions.

Connor being in the college band and having a very beautiful jock show him this sort of attention was flattering he has to admit, and that he's a bit curious about him.

Markus asks him out on an official date.

Connor really wants to scoff at him because the scared, nerdy kid inside of him says this is a trap, he's doing this for an elaborate prank, that this is somehow tied to Gavin and you will regret this.

Connor has a hard time believing that someone that looks like Markus would genuinely be interested in a person like him. Then again, he had just blown his back out magnificently not that long ago.

Markus is all warm and fuzzy, bubbly and chipper and Connor gets drunk on the free serotonin every time they meet.

He takes the plunge and says yes to the date and has never regretted it.

The conversation is immaculate, the expectations realistic and superb, and Markus is not just a jock: he's down to earth, adopted into money but lives simply. He wants to be a painter like his dad...

His father is the Carl Manfred, the famous painter and Connor feels like he had an aneurysm.

Connor tells Markus about his Lieutenant Dad, Henry 'Hank' Anderson. How he was the youngest lieutenant on the Detroit police force and Markus stupidly and excitedly smiles and says "I know! I was such a fan of your dad. He helped my dad when art thieves were stealing one-of-a-kind art from the museum!"

Connor is so damned smitten with this lovely creature that it's insane. He thinks he really might lo..like Markus a lot.

Connor's thoughts derail at the word choice a scowl on his face. What was he, 10?

Markus would run away so damned fast if he said those words to him. Just because they'd been going out and now regularly intimate didn't make it love, right? Why, then, did it bother Connor that it felt so right only with this man?

Markus notices the sour disposition Connor has, tries to get him back into the conversation, and even though Connor says he's okay, Markus knows that he's withdrawn from the conversation fully.

Unbeknownst to Connor, Markus had his strong feelings as well over the matter.

He was feeling Connor hard. It blindsided him and he knew that he needed to talk about this with Connor, lest one or both of them get hurt.

They both had fallen hard, much harder than they thought they would.

Instead of that talk Markus promised himself he was mature and level-headed enough for them both to have or even Connor just acknowledging the truth of the matter, they left the relationship in a sort of limbo, as is, neither wanting to face that four-letter word headlong in such a brutally honest way, fear that maybe just maybe what each of them had been feeling wasn't that and neither wanted the hurt if it wasn't L O V E.

I have more ideas on this one but I'll cut it for now because it's huge for a Tumblr post, lol. If it gets some interest, I have no problem with continuing it in another post of my own. HMU if you do like like. 😘

[connorandersons-blog]

Kinktober day 17: Mirror sex, RK1K

Ok, this is VERY IMPORTANT!!! This has very heavy angst in it along with major self-hate. There is talks over dying or saying he should have died. Also there is established Markus/Simon with a hint of Markus/Simon/Connor at the very end. I just wanted to give a warning about the heavy angst. Also, this one was inspired by the song Creep so obviously that's a lot of not fun times akjsdhkal

Anyway, hope you enjoy!!

Everyone knew Markus was extraordinary, the whole world got to see that with his peaceful revolution. Connor had seen it when he first saw his speech. When he had lied to Hank about not noticing anything else. 

Markus had easily forgiven him without even knowing the full extent of what he's done and almost did. He couldn't meet his eyes, too ashamed of his past even as Markus pulled him into a comforting embrace. 

Markus seemed to know so much, he could do so much and he fit in. He stood out uniquely, but it wasn't like he wasn't supposed to be alive. Call it whatever you want, fate or destiny, he was meant to be alive. 

But Connor wasn't. He didn't belong with the humans, being an android and ultimately betraying them when he became deviant and freed those androids. 

He didn't belong with the androids, having done too much damage to even consider that possibility. He even felt guilty about staying with Hank. The man had enough on his plate.

Markus had his friends though, he didn't need Connor. He tried to be the best version of himself. He tried to be calm and stoic, posture perfect, and speaking only when spoken to. Yet he still faded into the shadows as Markus and his friends laughed together and fought together. 

He didn't tell anyone where he was staying, well he wasn't exactly staying anywhere. He would charge at the free stations, and wandered the streets the nights he didn't need to. 

He only did what was necessary and expected of him. He went to work once he was allowed, he was… he was cold. He could tell others were shocked, he acted more like a machine than he had before he deviated. Reed got even more aggressive, blatantly trying to start fights. He tried to end it peacefully but he often had to restrain him in some way, but he never pressed charges for assault. 

Hank tried to get him to open up but only met a cold wall. Eventually, he didn't try as hard. He wouldn't give up on him, not completely, but it was hard to keep trying when it seemed like Connor wanted nothing to do with him. 

Markus had tried the same thing, but again Connor only did what was necessary. Why would anyone actually want him around when he was a murderer? Keep your friends close and your enemies closer after all. 

It broke his heart. Maybe he just wasn't supposed to be friends or have anyone love him. Maybe this was his punishment. It was a fitting one, take away the thing he wanted the most. A life for a life. Or in this cause, a life for lives. Too many lives.

He tried, he really did. He didn't know why being perfect wasn't working. It only seemed to push everyone away from him. He wanted to hold Markus again, be in his warm arms. He had felt so safe there. He'd run to him but that wouldn't be fair. 

He had imagined being together, how wonderful it would be. But that would never happen. It would never happen especially when Markus and Simon started dating. They were perfect for each other. So god damn perfect. Everyone could see they were meant for one another.

Simon was sweet and caring and he never murdered anyone. He was so patient and even treated Connor just as kind as he treated everyone else. 

Connor couldn't hate him. He just couldn't. 

Connor wasn't meant for anyone. He wasn't meant for life or love or happiness. He knew that now and accepted it. 

But maybe he could find someplace that would at least tolerate him, and so he left. He never got to see how devastated Markus and Simon both were. He didn't see the heartbreak they went through when they couldn't find him. He didn't see Hank break down again but thankfully had enough strength to not end it all. 

He only ever saw his own self-hatred. It had clouded his mind so much he never saw how truly special and beautiful he was.

He didn't even leave Detroit, he simply kept to the shadows and his from anyone you may try to look for him. But he kept up with what they were doing after a few months. He knew Hank still went to work, but he decided not to contact him either. 

He knew the leaders of Jericho were doing as well as they could, and he tried to help the androids who had nowhere to go. The ones like Connor that were scared and couldn't go to anyone. 

He kept this up for years, two years, and six months to be exact. He had been out and about, going to charge up. He had been putting it off for far too long and couldn't wait till the night. 

"Connor?" The name had him quickly spinning, already knowing who it was. 

He had seen him from afar, he was always so careful to keep out of sight and never be caught. He had been so low he hadn't even noticed. "Markus," he greets politely with a small nod. 

"I've been looking for you, all this time I kept looking. Did you… did you even leave the city?" Markus asked, stepping closer. 

Connor swallowed and lowered his eyes to the ground. "I'm sorry to have troubled you, I know how busy you are."

Markus shook his head quickly. "No, Connor, hey. I don't care how busy I am, you disappeared. Connor, I miss you." He reached forward and before Connor could move away, pulled him into a hug. 

Like before. He's so warm and soft, yet still firm. Markus kept him close, squeezing hard enough that it would be uncomfortable for humans. But it was oddly comforting for Connor. He hadn't been touched…Hadn't been hugged for so long. He had imagined being in his arms at least one more time. 

He stiffened completely, he couldn't move his arms to hug back. He didn't deserve this. He didn't deserve Markus looking for him. 

"Come with me? We can go to, uh, there's a cafe opened by an android. I can treat you to some." Markus said, pulling back and gently cupping Connor's emotionless face. 

He knew the cafe, had helped the woman who made it. "I need to charge." He would, he'd promise to visit Markus but then he'd actually leave. Markus wouldn't need to look for him. 

"Ok, they have some at the cafe I think. One you can use without going into stasis." Markus seemed ready to pick Connor up and leave if necessary. 

He had to give in, just for a little bit. "Yeah, yeah I'll go with." 

Markus sighed and smiled so widely it almost hurt to see. Why was he so happy to see Connor? Connor had done so much wrong, he was made for evil so why did Markus even care? 

"Thank you, let's go, it's not a long walk." Markus hooked their arms together and Connor couldn't resist even if he wanted to. 

"Weren't you doing something?" Connor asked, and it's so odd to actually be talking to him after so long. 

Markus shook his head, keeping them close. "Nothing as important as you. Everything and everyone else can wait." 

Not as important as him? That was definitely impossible. Markus was the leader of the androids, literally, everything and everyone was more important. Why couldn't he see that? Why couldn't anyone fucking see that?!

He grits his teeth but didn't argue. No one wanted him to argue back, it made him even less likable than he already was.

"Connor, you can say what's on your mind," Markus says, interrupting his thoughts. 

He shook his head and tried to breathe normally. Did Markus always smell this good? He knew he did but it was still a shock to his systems. "No, it is not important." 

Markus sighed but didn't press, instead moving away to open the cafe door. Connor smiled just slightly as he saw how well it was still doing. Not only were there androids but there were humans too. He could also see an android and human couple probably on a date. What a cute idea. 

"Connor!" A voice boomed out and he shrunk back, trying to hide. He loves her but preferred not to be the center of attention. Which was going to happen anyway with Markus glued to his side. Heads turned and Connor moved back, Markus probably didn't even mean to, but he took a step in front of Connor, shielding him from the curious eyes. 

Connor held onto his arm, and Markus gave his hand a slight squeeze. "Hey, it's ok. Does she know you?" 

The woman in question quickly walked over, brushing off flour onto her apron. "Yes." He mumbled before squaring his shoulders and stepping forward. 

"Hey, baby! You should have visited months ago! You know you're always welcome here and whatever you want is on me." Her voice was loud just like the rest of her personality. But for some odd reason, she adored Connor. 

Markus watched the two, confusion clear on his face. How did they know each other? What was Connor even doing with his time? 

"I'm sorry, I've been busy. I was actually going to charge before I ran into Markus." He nodded towards Markus who gave a slight nod. 

Her eyes widened and she walked up, sticking out her hand. "Welcome! Any friend of Connor's is a friend of mine. Feel free to get anything, it'll be on me as well. Also, thanks for setting us free, that was cool as shit."

Connor bit his lip at the look of shock on Markus's face. He had to hold back the comment that they weren't friends, Connor had none, but knew it would make Markus look sad and he really didn't want that.

Markus took her hand and she practically shook it out of his body. Then she looked around and all but dragged them to a table, grabbing a charger. "There you boys go. Charge on up, you need it. Now, what do you want to eat and or drink?"

The people around them started going back to what they were doing and Connor relaxed just slightly. "I'm ok with whatever extra you have, and whatever drink." 

She raised an eyebrow but didn't seem all that shocked at Connor. "Alright kiddo, now what about you hun?" 

"Whatever you think is best, Ma'am." He smiled up at her and she nodded. 

"Very well! You two enjoy. Connor, I swear you better visit at least once a month or I'll find you and skin you alive." She glared down at Connor before grinning and winking. Connor nodded and watched as she walked off to the kitchen. 

"So, you know her?" Markus asks once Connor has himself hooked up to the charging port. 

Connor nodded and stared down at the table, even though he wanted to look up at Markus. See everything that had changed and stayed the same up close. See those absolutely beautiful eyes that had his wall he hid behind cracking. 

"Can I ask how?" Markus asks once he knows Connor isn't going to elaborate without prompting. 

"She needed to be fixed up, so I did. Then she needed money to start the business so I worked a few hard labor jobs and gave her the money." He didn't think it was anything special, he was just doing what he had to. 

Yet Markus seemed surprised. "That's amazing Connor! Have you been helping a lot of our people?" 

"Your people," Connor mumbled before shrugging. "I try to help those in need. The ones who had no one else to turn to." 

Markus reached out and took his hands in his own and placed a finger under Connor's chin and pushed up so he'll finally look up at him. "They are your people too, and you do know you can come to me. Or Anderson, North as well, and Josh and Simon. We all want you home, Connor. You're one of us." 

Connor yanked his hands away and placed them in his lap, not meeting his eyes. "They are your people. That isn't my home, I don't have one." He didn't deserve one either. He should be locked up, but the crimes androids committed before deviation were forgiven. But what about all those androids who died because he let the FBI follow him to Jericho? Their blood was on his hands. 

"Connor," Markus sighed and reached forward but Connor flinched away. "Please just promise me one thing. It's all I ask." 

Connor nodded, he'd at least think about whatever Markus wanted of him. If it was in his power he'd try to do it, but there were some things he could never do. 

"Don't leave Detroit. You don't have to come ho-back. But don't leave. You can keep hiding but I'd feel better knowing you were somewhere here." Markus pulled his own hands into his lap as Connor took in a shaky breath. 

Not leave Detroit? How did Markus know that's what he was planning? But he had to know that he had been found. He had been far too careless and now he had to leave the one city he knew. 

But Markus wanted him to stay. Why did he want him to stay? Was it because he was a liability? Connor had turned off his connections to Cyberlife, even limited his access to the internet in general. He had tried to make himself as harmless as possible, turning off some of his fighting programs as well. He kept a few defensive ones, he did live on the streets after all, but still. 

"Connor, please, I can't lose you again." Markus whispers and Connor finally meets his eyes. What he sees there stops his heart. Markus, strong confident Markus, is crying. 

"I promise!" He quickly says. He can't stand to see Markus cry, not over him. He can stay in Detroit, but he'll be more careful. He'll take back alleyways instead, he'd gotten far too comfortable to be walking around where anyone can see him. 

Connor's hands ache to reach forward and brush away those tears he's caused. But he can't, he just can't seem to move his arm. It's like he was a machine again and forced to follow his programming.  

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry." He mumbled, shame covering him like a familiar blanket. He had hurt Markus again and he hadn't meant to! 

"No! No, Connor it's ok. I just, we all miss you." Markus said, trying to brush away his own tears, blinking quickly. 

"No! No, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." He says quickly disconnecting from the charger, standing, and running out. He can hear Markus calling his name but he was faster. He knew the streets better, the ins and outs. So he disappears before Markus can even get out of his seat. 

Connor stays hidden for weeks, but he can see Markus looking for him. But it's not just that, Markus *talks* about him. He makes a point to mention the silent heroes and when someone asks if he's mentioning anyone specific, he says yes. Someone who didn't want to be named but someone Markus missed a lot and recently got to see. 

All signs pointed to that person being Connor, but he wasn't a hero. Far, far from it. 

He doesn't leave Detroit, he'll keep that promise. But it hurts so much. Just as much as it did the first month he had disappeared. He had missed Hank so much, he had missed Sumo, he missed North and Josh and Simon and Markus. But they were better off, safer, without him there. 

Then he takes a risk. It had been exactly a month since he saw Markus and the man had a series of paintings in a gallery. It wasn't the first time Markus had done this, his art was often used as a fundraiser to raise money for androids in need. 

This was a completely open one to the public. There was something that caught his attention. None of the original paintings would be on sale. They could get a signed copy, but not the original which generally would raise more money. 

His curiosity got the best of him. He dressed in plain clothes, hoping to hide in plain sight. Markus would no doubt be there, but Connor could manage to stay out of his radar. 

When he gets there it's incredibly crowded which helps but also caused a spike of anxiety. He wasn't fond of huge crowds but it helped hide him.

He looks at the first painting and brings a hand to cover his mouth, eyes wide. Each stroke had a smudging quality that rendered the image watery, like a reflection in a rippled puddle. But he knows what's painted. 

It's him. 

"Markus… Why?" He mumbled, looking around the room. It's, it's all him. Every single painting is somehow him.

He's beyond overwhelmed at the sight, all the paintings Markus has done. The time he put into each of these. But they aren't all within the last month. Connor can tell some are over a year old. Markus has been painting him for a very long time.

Markus had been painting him since the first time he left. 

He walked closer and reached down, running a hand across the dried paint.

"Sir, please don't touch the art." A voice called out and he snatched his hands back. Fuck, how had he forgotten he was at a gallery and others were here too. 

"I'm sorry." He mumbled to the security guard who just nodded. 

He could feel eyes on him and he quickly looked around, finding the mitch-matched eyes he knew so well. 

They stared at each other before Connor ducked his head and left the gallery, knowing Markus wasn't following. 

His days seemed to mold together, his mind still so focused on the memory of the paintings. They were all so beautiful, but why did Markus paint him like that? 

He wasn't worthy of being painted, especially not by Markus. But the paintings were also not on sale, so Markus didn't want anyone to have them. Maybe he just needed to do another gallery but had nothing else to show, so he found his least favorite works, not even worthy of being bought. Yes, that made more sense.

He was walking around, not exactly sure what to do when he heard a small bark. His head snapped up and he glanced around. He was in an almost completely abandoned parking lot, the pavement having too many holes and no one wanted to pay to have them fixed. There was one car left and he cautiously walked towards it. 

What he saw inside made his heart melt. A St Bernard puppy was inside and panting quickly. The weather was far too hot, and it was clear the puppy had been left here for too long. 

It was an older car, so he couldn't hack it to get in, but if he didn't somehow get in the puppy would almost certainly die. 

He could also see a closed water bottle with the puppy in the back seat, but that would do the dog little good without being able to open it. 

The car itself seemed to be barely operational. It could run but definitely not for much longer. 

He looked around one more time before elbowing the car window hard enough to crack it in one hit. Thankfully the puppy was smart enough to drag itself to the other side so Connor could break the glass enough to stick his hands in and grab the water and then the puppy. 

He sat down against the car, leaning on the tires as he looked over the puppy. How was Sumo doing? He hadn't gotten to see him except for the very few times he caught Hank taking him for a walk. 

He opened the bottle and poured a little into his hand, offering it to the puppy who was in his lap. The puppy leaned forward and took one slow lick before quickly lapping up all the water it could get. Connor let it drink the whole bottle before starting to pet the puppy. 

He'd need to get it to a vet soon, but for now, the puppy seemed content to nibble on Connor's fingers.

"What the fuck do you think you're doing?!" He flinched back at the loudness. "You can't just fucking do that! That's my fucking car you piece of shit!"

He ducks his head, shoulders coming up a little more as if it would protect himself. "I-I'm so-" he had just tried to help! He didn't know the owner would be back so soon, or even back at all! 

"No!" The person just waves their hands in an almost 'x' shape in front of them to back up their point "No you can't just fucking do that-" he jabbed a harsh finger at him then at the car "to my fucking property, jackass! What the fuck's wrong with you?!" 

He curls into himself more, his thirium pump beating harder and harder. It's like a building had fallen on him and he was struggling under the weight of it. A wave of...of something, something bad- he doesn't- he doesn't know, washes over him. 

'Please stop, please stop, please stop, please stop! Someone save me please!' The words repeat in his head as the man yells. He can't, he can't fucking breathe. 

He tries to suck in air but nothing is working! He covers his ears but he can still hear the man yelling at him. Shouting at him. He did wrong, he fucked up, he would be punished. They'd all be-she would be-so disappointed. 

The car had no AC! The puppy had been locked in there for hours, what the fuck was he supposed to do! "Please stop." He whimpered but it was drowned out by more yelling. So much yelling. 

His systems notify him that his message has been sent, but he didn't send one? Unless his pleads accidentally were sent out to someone. Fuck, fuck, fuck!

But then…. Then it stops? There's a sucking crunch and... He's shaking, he knows he is but he can't stop that. He can't look up, he can't uncurl himself. He has to protect the puppy, even if it meant taking whatever beating the man wanted to give out. Connor deserved it after all. 

"Leave." The one word pierces through to him and he knows that voice. But why? Why was he here? He wanted Connor to leave. He would, he would leave right now and never come back if he could just get his body to move! 

Someone, no, he knew it was Markus, crouched down in front of him. "Hey, Connor it's me, it's Markus, you're safe." His voice is so soft and he can finally look up. But even then he's a burr from the tears that threaten to spill over. 

"Markus?" It's so small and quiet, he sounds so broken. He could leave now, he could give the puppy to Markus and run. Run until he was far away from Detroit. 

But he doesn't do that. Instead, he falls into Markus' open arms and lets the sobs wrack his body. It was more than crying, it was the kind of desolate sobbing that comes from a person drained of all hope.

Even though they are almost the same height, Connor feels so small in his hold, the puppy still laying in Connor's lap between them. He clings onto him, hands gripping Markus's suit jacket as he buries his face in his neck. 

"I'm s-sorry," he chokes out and keeps repeating it hoping Markus knows he's telling the truth. His breathing was ragged, gasping and the strength left his whole body.

He pulled away, and Markus' had to hide his own tears, especially at the sight of Connor. It was the face of one who had suffered before and didn't know if he could do it again. Then, just when Markus thought the breakthrough would come and he would trust him with his vulnerability, his emotion walled off behind a mask, he didn't know any other way. 

He looked down at the puppy and gave it a few scratches before handing it to a shocked Markus. "I'm sorry, I'll leave now." 

Markus wanted him to leave, he didn't need to be told twice. He fucked up all over again, he had been trying to be good for so long. 

And then strong arms are wrapping around him again and he tried to push away. He's fighting to get out, to get away. 

He hit Markus' chest but barely had any strength behind it. He kept hitting and pushing, but it was doing nothing. "Let me go!" He cried out, trying to stand, but Markus pulled him back down and into his lap. Connor had no choice but to fall into him. 

"I'll never let you go. I don't want you to leave." Markus mumbled, pulling him so close their bodies were flush against each other. Connor still fights it but much less, the hits are more like lingering touches and Connor's LED is a solid red. Markus gently strokes his hair and Connor wants to melt into him, he really does. But he can't. He doesn't deserve Markus' comfort. 

"If you really want me to let go, I will... But...."

"Markus, Markus," he keeps saying his name like a prayer because he's so tired of fighting. He thought he wanted him to leave. He thought he fucked everything up again, caused such a huge scene. Just… he's just… tired.

His body goes into an involuntary stasis and falls limp in Markus' arms. He doesn't know what happens next as the soft nothingness consumes him. 

His systems slowly rebooted and he blinked his eyes open. His system had been down for 24 hours exactly, not all too surprising. If it was forced or involuntary it was either 12 or 24 hours until the android woke up. 

The room was large with two windows and a desk. It was mostly bare other than that except for the paintings on the wall and a canvas near one of the windows. 

Beside him in a chair was Markus, slumped to the side, head resting in his hand asleep. He even had the puppy sleeping in his lap. He looked so peaceful and so at home. 

Home. Markus had taken him to his home. Connor knew that when Carl had passed he had given the house to Markus, it was all over the news that Markus was in the man's will even before the revolution. 

Connor slowly sat up, making sure to not wake up Markus. He was kind enough to bring him here, but Connor didn't want to be a burden. 

Of course, Markus wouldn't leave anyone on the street if they did the equivalent of passing out, it was just something he wouldn't do. He'd even help a criminal if they passed out. 

He found a notepad and a pen easily, scribbling down a note and placing it on the bed. 

'Thank you for helping me.'

He did what he had been doing almost all his life. He ran once again. He kept in Detroit but he really needed to stop running into Markus so much. It was doing weird things to his head. Like making him imagine a life where the two can curl up together and drink coffee, Markus playing with Connor's hair and humming softly. The light from the sun would stream in and it would be so wonderful. 

But he couldn't have that. He could never have that. Someone like him deserved to be living the harshest life he could, but even now that wasn't true. He could be suffering more, the right amount, instead he lets himself get away with things like going to cafes or galleries. 

The next time he allowed himself to think of Markus was when he found new art up against the back of a building. It was similar to Markus' style but done in spray paint instead of acrylic or oil. 

But there seemed to be something about it. He scanned over it and his systems alerted him that he had a new image. He pulled it up on his hand and couldn't help the small chuckle. God, it felt weird to laugh even for a second. But it was just like the clues to find Jericho.  

So he followed it, curious as to what it could be leading him to. It was odd that many of the paintings seemed to show up on abandoned buildings where he would sometimes rest in, but dismissed it as a coincidence since there was more art on places he hasn't been in than ones he had. 

When he got close to the final destination he stopped dead in his tracks. It was leading to New Jericho. Of course, it was, Markus probably put these up himself as a way to honor the new Jericho. 

He glanced at the next art and his heart stopped just like at the gallery. Once again it was a painting of him, but this time he looked serene and at peace in a person's arms. He couldn't make out who the person was as their head was turned away and no skin or hair was showing. 

Markus had left this for him. Why did he want Connor back?! Did he plan on locking him up? If that was the case he could have just told Connor and he would have gone willingly. But this… it was so much like the old Jericho signs. 

It was like Markus was trying to show him to safety. That Connor would be safe there, with him. 

Connor would be safe with him, he knew that, but Markus wouldn't be safe with Connor. He had too much blood on his hands and would make a clear target if given the chance. 

So he turned around and left, not following the rest of the paintings even though he wanted to see what they'd look like. He couldn't risk Markus waiting for him at one of them. He knew it wouldn't take much more for Markus to be able to coax him back to New Jericho.

He honestly does try to stop reading every news article about Markus, and he quickly turns away when he walks past a television and sees him there. But when he goes into a convenience store and sees one magazine he buys it. 

He doesn't care about the rest of the articles, he just flips to the one on the front cover. 

'Markus's Secret Lover?'

There was no way he'd cheat on Simon, none. He wasn't the kind of guy to do that. This was why so many of Connor's hopes and fantasies burned at him because they were often romantic in nature. 

He scans over it and then goes over it again more slowly. 

''Simon and I have talked, and we are both open to having another partner. One, in particular, we've talked about, but I'm afraid it won't happen or at least not for a long time.' Markus had said, and everyone in the studio could see the adoration in his eyes.'

What? Who was Markus interested in? Why wouldn't it happen? Anyone would be lucky to have him, Markus was amazing! 

He made a scan and confirmed it was a real interview, one that had gained many people's attention. There, of course, was hate over the fact that the two were not monogamous, but Connor rolled his eyes at those. Honestly, after all this time you'd think people would stop caring if someone was gay, straight, or anything else if it didn't involve them. But no, there would always be the bigots.

''Could you maybe describe this special someone?' The interviewer had asked. 

'Oh, well I'd rather not give his name. He is a bit shy, and honestly, I think he's really scared currently. I tried to show him, you know? Left him clues but he's always running away from everything. Which is understandable, but I just want him to feel safe and loved like he really is. Because there are so many that really do love and miss him.' The whole room seemed to be shocked, filled-' he stopped reading and had to sit down. 

There was no way. This couldn't be real. He looked it up again and saw everyone speculating who it could be. No one guessed him outright, but many suggested whoever it was Markus had painted so much for the gallery. 

Everything seemed to be lining up, but it still made no sense. Why Connor? What had he ever done to make Markus like him? To make anyone like him? 

Or maybe this was just a ploy to get Connor to go to New Jericho. If it was, then it worked. 

He ran the whole way there, not caring who saw him. He had to know if this was real if Markus meant what he said. 

He had to know why, if it was real. How was Markus making him doubt everything he believed in? Connor knew he was a terrible person, but Markus made him feel almost good. 

He didn't stop running until he was standing in front of the large doors of what used to the Cyberlife tower. 

People moved around him, not even glancing his way. Other than the conspiracy theories a very small few people had come up with about his disappearance, no one seemed to remember him. It was like he never existed. Like he was a ghost. 

Then one person catches his eye in the building. "Hank." He mumbled. 

It's almost like the man hears him, but Connor knows that's impossible, but he turns and their eyes lock. Connor can see him mouth Connor's name just like he had and then Connor's pushing through the doors and Hank runs at him. 

Hank engulfs him in a hug and Connor can feel him shaking. "Son." He mumbled, and Connor knows he's crying. 

Connor doesn't hug back, but he doesn't try to pull away either. His eyes are wide, he hadn't ever seen Hank cry, not like this. 

Then Hank grabs his shoulders and pulls back, shaking him gently. "Don't you ever fucking leave again, I can't lose another son." His voice cracks at the last word and Connor doesn't know what to do. 

Lose another… Did Hank think of him as a son? But why? He'd only caused the man trouble and even made the man lose his job because he punched that FBI bitch. 

"I don't… What?" He asked, furrowing his brows. 

"You fucking heard me, don't you dare leave. Where the hell have you been?! You didn't leave a message, just off and disappeared, I thought you were dead but Markus said he could still try to contact you, some connection or whatever. I've been looking for you!" Hank is raising his voice and Connor starts to shake. But Hank thankfully noticed and his voice softened. "You scared me, kid."

"I'm sorry." He whispered, staring down at the ground. "I'm so sorry, I thought… I thought you–everyone–would be better off without me, be safer." He really did but now, fuck. Now he saw how upset everyone was even after all this time. He'd done so much damage without even being there, he had done the damage from not being there.

"No! No, I'm so sorry we made you, fuck, I'm sorry we made you feel that way. I never meant for that to happen, Connor, you have to know none of us wanted you to leave. We've been looking for you this whole time, kid." Hank sighed and pulled him back into a hug, much gentler this time. 

Connor felt him start to cry and he couldn't hold back his own tears. He had missed him so much, he had walked up to Hank's house so many times, hand raised to knock on the door but always backed down. 

He had heard Sumo barking at him and he wanted to just bury his face in his fur and stay there all day. 

Now he's wondering why he hadn't even left a message. Why hadn't he let anyone know he was alive? 

No, he knew why. Because he was better off dead, he wanted to disappear and thought everyone would forget him. But the ones he thought couldn't care less never forgot and always kept looking. 

"Hank, oh god I'm so sorry! I'm so sorry, I fucked it all up, I'm so sorry." He cried, clinging to the man. 

"Shhh, it's ok son, you're here now. I'm not gonna let you out of my sight. You'll either stay here or with me, no arguing ok? I'm sure Sumo misses you too." Hank pulls back and reaches up to wipe away Connor's tears. "You ok, kid?"

Connor nodded and hugged him again, not ready to let go, not again. He'd been gone for so long, he missed so much, and now… was he really going to stay? With how Hank was holding him, it didn't seem like he'd have much choice in the matter. Hank would probably start a manhunt himself if Connor disappeared again. 

"Yeah… I don't know. I came to see Markus? But, uh, I'm really happy I think to see you." Even now after so long he still struggled with them and identifying them.

But he was happy, he thinks, to finally see Hank again and talk. 

"Wait, holy shit!" He heard and pulled back, glancing at the voice he knows well too. "It is! You absolute motherfucker!" North shouts, stomping up to him. 

Connor shrinks back and hides slightly behind Hank. He isn't scared of her, but he hated the yelling. She keeps her eyes on him and seems to stall at the look on his face. 

Then tears well up in her own eyes and she breaks into a run, tackling him to the floor. She makes sure to put a hand behind Connor's head so he won't get hurt and wraps her whole body around him. 

Many people are now looking over. Some seem to look shocked once they recognize Connor, others seem just plain confused. It wasn't like many new Connor other than as the deviant hunter or the one who freed the androids from the very tower they were in. 

North held him tightly with her whole body, legs wrapped around him. "You motherfucker, why the hell haven't you come back?" She asked, pulling away, but still sitting on top of him. 

Connor swallowed and stared up at her. Out of everyone he expected North to miss him the least or not even care. She had every reason to hate him, and he thought she did. 

But maybe picking on him had been her way of showing affection. He thought she just was trying to tell him to get lost without outright saying it. "I'm sorry." He was starting to sound like a broken record, but he had no idea what else to say. 

She huffed and shook her head. "Yeah, well Markus is gonna shit bricks. I figured it was you he was talking about but no one wanted to get too hopeful. Now, I'm gonna get off you and we're gonna go see loverboy. Hank, you're coming too." 

"No need to tell me twice, I'm letting him out of my sight," Hank grumbled and Connor smiled just slightly. 

"Wait, Hank why are you here?" Not to mention the fact he still had a gun on him along with a taser and a new weapon that was used to take down androids without doing any extra damage.

"There's a lot to catch you up on, but I help head security here. Helped keep my head on, doing something." North got off and Hank offered a hand, which Connor took. 

He was beyond proud that Hank had found something to do instead of drinking all day. No doubt Jericho needed it, and Hank was especially qualified. Connor wouldn't trust anyone else with Markus's and their–Markus's people. 

North hooked her arm around Connor's and started walking towards the elevator. The whole place was redecorated enough that he could barely recognize it. He even saw a few child models drawing on the walls with what was probably washable markers. He had no doubt Markus encouraged them. 

It might have changed a lot but the moment he stepped in he remembered the feel of the gun going off in his hand and then the scent of fresh human blood being spilled.

He kept telling himself the bullet did it. The bullet killed them. But his brain knows that he pulled the trigger. He's the one that murdered them without even knowing their names. Did they have families they'd never go home to? Kids who waited for their dad to walk through that door one more time? 

He could remember the stench of blood that filled the elevator, how he didn't even pause. He had still been so very machine-like, deviation was a slow process after all. Just because he broke through the code didn't mean he didn't follow his basic programming. 

How long did it take them to clean up the blood? Would there be any traces of it left? He couldn't scan to find out, vision blurry from something. Who had to tell their families they had died. That the person responsible wouldn't go to jail, instead got to walk free. 

"Connor, come back to us." A voice said, and a hand gently took his own. He snatched it back and looked around. 

The blood and bodies were gone and all that was left was North and Hank looking at him worriedly. 

"I'm sorry." He mumbled and gladly left the elevator. He kept his head down as the other two filled out before the elevator was closing and moved back down. 

"Kid, it's ok. Maybe we can take the stairs next time." Hank offers and Connor can only nod. He had noticed Hank seemed to have lost some weight and gained more muscle back. Once again he was flooded with pride and he tried to smile but knew it didn't look right. 

"Ok, so his office is down here. He's talking with Simon and Josh but don't worry, it's not as important." North shrugs and quickly leads them to a pair of closed doors. At least Markus was smart enough not to leave his door opened. 

He had the urge to tell her exactly how unimportant he was but bit his tongue. He literally bit his tongue to keep himself from talking.

He stared at the doors, the other two seem to come to the same conclusion that he should be the one to knock. 

He raised his fist and went to knock, but instead just pressed his hand against the door. Fuck, why was he doing this? After all this time, he should know better. Yet he ached to go in there and kiss… no, not kiss. Simon was there. But hadn't the article said the two were open for this? Ugh! It was all so confusing!

He squeezed his eyes shut, taking in a few deep breaths before exhaling and breathing out. He could do this. He had to do this. 

He knocked twice, far timider than he meant to, but it still rang out in the deathly silence of the hall. 

"Who is it?" Markus called out and Connor's whole body jolted. This was happening. Markus was behind these doors he was going to walk through. He'd no doubt be sitting at a desk, and the room would most certainly have paintings hung up. 

He opened his mouth but no sound seemed to come out. He was gaping like a fish, fist still resting on the door. 

"Uh, is anyone there?" Markus called out again and Connor had to do this. 

"It's me." He tried calling out but his voice was so small and weak, he doubted Markus would hear him. 

Silence hung in the air like the suspended moment before a falling glass shatters on the ground. He could hear Hank's heartbeat and the soft whirl of North's thirium pump. The silence was the most terrifying part. 

Would Markus reject him? Had he read the situation all wrong? Fuck, he shouldn't have come here. 

Before his thoughts could drag him down again the doors were flung open and Markus stared at him with wide eyes. "Connor." That one word seemed to break Connor into tiny shards. Ones he knew, if pressed hard enough could cut deep. But he couldn't stop himself as he fell into Markus' hug, gasping for air. 

"Why me? Why? I don't, I don't deserve this!" Connor buried his face into Markus' neck. "I'm so sorry. I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry." He kept repeating, his whole body trembling. 

"Shhh, Connor. Hey, it's ok. You've done nothing wrong." Markus squeezed him, pressing a very gentle kiss to Connor's shoulder. 

"No! No, I killed people, Markus I murdered humans and androids, I'm disgusting. I shouldn't be allowed to live, I should be shut down and used for parts." 

He heard a gasp but he didn't know who it was from. The very people he ran away from, all in one room.

Markus pulled back so quickly it made his head spin. Then hands are cupping his face and Connor has to look at Markus. "Never say that. You did what you had to do. I, and everyone else here, missed you, worried about you constantly, want you here, and we love you. We love you, Connor." 

"I don't deserve your love, I never have." He whimpered, tears stinging his eyes. 

Markus frowns and completely pulls away. Good. He finally realized how fucked up Connor was, he realized how much of a bad idea it was to put any trust or affection into him. That he killed people. 

It breaks his heart even more, but that's ok. That's what he gets for everything he's done. Every time he even thought about pulling the trigger. What he had done he could never undo. The guilt was like gasoline in his body. His insides rusted and decayed slowly in the toxicity, needing no more than a spark to set it ablaze. The fire burnt him out so badly there was nothing left but a shell, an outline of a person. 

Markus held out his hand, his skin receding to expose his chassis. Connor stared at the hand. Why would Markus want to interface with him? How could he trust that he wouldn't infect Markus? 

Connor shook his head, holding his arms to his chest, trying to protect Markus. But he wanted to reach out and take the hand so badly. He wanted to know what an interface with Markus would be like. He wanted to touch Markus again and again, and he wanted to try to do it without his skin. He wanted to be so selfish. 

"Connor, it's ok. You won't hurt me. I just want to show you something that I don't know how to say in words." Markus kept his hand out, not moving closer but not moving away. 

Connor bit the inside of his cheek, his fingers itching to reach forward. Maybe he could do this. Markus wanted him to, he was the one that offered. It would be rude to turn him down, right? 

His hand shook as he slowly reached out and clasped his wrist, accepting the interface. 

He's flooded with memories, Markus' memories. Before the revolution ended, how Markus was intrigued by Connor. Then moments when Markus had managed to get a fleeting look at Connor. He always stopped to stare, but Connor never even glanced his way, always caught up in whatever mission he was on. 

Then it changed to the night they met. How worried Markus was for Connor, not for his own life. Connor could feel how absolutely stunned Markus was at the sight of Connor. How alive he seemed to Markus even then, holding a gun to him. 

The sadness of Jericho being blown up, but there was no anger towards Connor. There was worry when Connor hadn't come out of the water as quickly, then relief when his head popped out of the water. 

It was odd, feeling Markus' emotions. What was odder was all the positive ones directed towards Connor. Markus had thought Connor looked adorable soaking wet but also… Connor knew his face would be flushing blue. Markus was attracted to him. 

He had sought Connor out at the church, making sure he was ok. Connor could feel Markus's want to draw him into a hug and never let go. He wanted to take Connor and his friends and go, protect them at all costs, but he hadn't. He had stayed for his people. 

The absolute terror washing over Markus when Connor suggested his mission to the tower was overwhelming. There was hope, hope that Connor would make it back but also overwhelming grief. 

He wanted Connor to not feel like he had to risk his life to make up for the mistakes he thought he made, or to help his people. Markus didn't want to let him go but knew he had to. 

The memories skipped over until Markus saw Connor walking down the street leading all those androids. Pride bloomed in his chest so strong it knocked the air from Connor's artificial lungs. Pride and love. Markus adored Connor, wanted to keep him safe. He wanted to pull him into a kiss and show the world how much he trusted and cared for the man in front of him. But he didn't, worried Connor hadn't felt the same connection. 

But he had. He had and he showed Markus that in return. He felt it the moment he saw Markus' face on that huge screen. When he lied to Hank about not noticing anything. 

Markus moved on, showing his terror when they couldn't find Connor anywhere. These memories were faster, skimming over the time he was gone. There was so much guilt from Markus, so much yearning to have Connor at least somehow back in his life. It was like a part of his soul was missing. 

Then they found each other, completely on accident. And it clicked. His soul seemed to click back together when he saw Connor when he got to be close to him again. 

Connor couldn't watch anymore, it was just too much. He ended the connection but not the touch. A hand came up and gently cupped Connor's cheek, brushing away the tears there. 

"Do you understand now?" Markus whispered. Connor bit his lip but nodded his head. He hated himself. He really did, fully and completely, but Markus loves him. He loves him so much that he can't bare to lose Connor for good. 

He didn't deserve it, none of this, but he couldn't change Markus's feelings for him. He had tried to change his own but he failed completely. He was in love with Markus. 

"I don't know if I can do this." He whispered, leaning into the touch. God, it felt so good. Connor seemed to fit perfectly into his hand. 

Markus hummed and stepped closer, pressing their foreheads together. "It's ok, we'll be here for you. We'll take it as slow as you need. We'll get you help." 

Help. He knew there were now android therapists. But would it actually work? "I can try." 

"That's all I ask." 

Therapy was hard, as was living in the tower. When Connor had finally confessed to his discomfort there, Markus had invited him to Carl's old house, having left it to Markus. It was huge and Connor had plenty of time to wander around and explore it. 

He found he enjoyed reading and playing the piano. Painting wasn't his thing, but it was nice to watch Markus paint. 

Hank barely let Connor out of his sights, but neither did Josh, Simon, North, or Hank. They were always there for him, reminding him he was loved and wanted. 

It took a year and a half before Connor brought up him and Markus. Simon was there, of course, and Connor was beyond nervous. He still had plenty of self-hate but he also knew others loved him. He may not see himself a certain way but he would not deny that others did and their opinions were just as valid as his own. 

Simon was oddly charming about it all, explaining things that had Connor fumbling over his words to figure out how to ask. Simon would still date Markus, the two did love each other. He wouldn't date Connor unless Connor wanted to, but he also gave full consent and even encouraged the two to get together. 

Even after it was incredibly slow. Connor was touch-starved and didn't know how to initiate anything, but he also flinched away from unexpected touch. Connor hadn't kissed Markus and hadn't gone on any dates. 

It would take a long time until they got there, but eventually, they did. Hank had grown old, having to retire from security, but he was always welcome at New Jericho. The androids had mostly all taken a liking to him. The androids didn't age, not in the human sense. Connor liked still as young as ever, but his processors would eventually slow in the future. 

The first time they slept together, Connor had cried. Not from sadness, but just from everything. He felt so loved and wanted, Markus was so gentle with him too. He didn't know how to deal with all the emotions. But Markus helped him through it, only continuing after Connor gave the ok. 

They didn't sleep together much, but Connor had gotten more and more confident over time. 

It was still Markus who initiated it this time as well. Connor had had a long day, his anxiety and self-hate were strong and so Markus decided to show him just how beautiful he was. 

"Markus, are you sure?" Connor asked, hands going to Markus' exposed chest. His hands splayed there, gently smoothing over the skin. 

Markus pulled him closer, pressing a kiss to his forehead. "I am. If you don't like it, we can stop, ok?" 

Connor bit his lip but eventually nodded. Markus plopped onto the ground and Connor straddled him, letting Markus attack his neck with hot kisses. 

His skin burned and he let out a small whine, tilting his head even more. A hand runs through his hair, as the kisses become harder and more urgent. Another hand slides around his waist and pulls him close to Markus. "Fuck! Just like that, yes Markus!" Connor rocked his hips down, hissing at the pleasure that shot up through him. 

Markus groaned and bit down on Connor's shoulder, bucking his hips up in retaliation. "Love how beautiful you sound, baby. I love how you say my name." 

"Markus! Markus, please, I need more!" Connor felt his whole body shudder, his cunt dripping. His neck was so sensitive, and Markus knew exactly what to do to get him going. 

Long fingers danced across his taut abdomen, fingertips brushing lightly over his heated skin, making the hairs on his arms stand up. Connor rolled his hips down and bit his lip, trying to keep his sounds at bay. 

"So beautiful, I want you to see yourself. Is that ok now? Take off all your clothes and watch as I play with you?" Markus pulled Connor's shirt off and Connor nodded his head. He'd do whatever Markus wanted. "That's a good boy, you're so wonderful and amazing." 

Connor whimpered at the praise but let Markus turn him around, pulling off his pants and damp boxers. Markus kissed the bare shoulder, resting his chin atop of it as he traced the soft line of Connor’s artificial abs.��

"Do you see how beautiful you are?" Markus asks, sliding his hand up to circle around Connor's thirium pump. "I want you to say how beautiful you are." 

Connor could barely look at the mirror, if he did he could only look at Markus or his hands. Those beautiful hands that knew just what to do to work him up. He shook his head, closing his eyes. He didn't want to see himself, he didn't deserve to be in Markus's arms. No… no, he did deserve this. Markus loves him and wants this too. 

"Come on baby, open your eyes. Let me see those beautiful brown eyes, you know I love them." Markus purred and Connor's eyes slowly opened. "God, I love you. Do you want me to touch you now?" 

Markus's hand slowly trailed down then skipped over Connor's wet cunt, massaging Connor's open thighs. "Come on baby, talk to me." 

"I-yes, please touch me." He whispered, leaning back against Markus. He's so warm and strong, Connor can feel him taking all of Connor's weight. "Markus, I want you so bad." 

Markus' fingers slid down and slowly rubbed in a circle, putting just enough pressure on him. Connor lets out a choked moan, bucking his hips forward and opening his mouth as he tips his head upwards, giving Markus better access to his neck. 

"Yes! Fuck, yes just like that!" Connor groaned. He bit at his bottom lip, rolling his hips forward against Markus' clever hands. 

"Look at yourself, baby." Markus grins, feeling him twitching beneath his hand, keeping up the harsh movements until Connor looks at the mirror. 

He's spread open for Markus wet slick dripping out of him as Markus worked his fingers over his cunt. Markus was so hot and Connor's body felt like it was on fire. "You look so good, I love you so much, want to feel you inside me. Fuck, you fill me up so well." He babbled, gasping for breath. His toes curled and he grabbed Markus' hips, careful of the connection with his knee. 

"Thank you, but I want you to look at yourself. If you watch yourself then I'll fuck you real good, ok? I'll keep playing with your beautiful cunt while I fuck your little hole." Markus rolls his hips forward and Connor feels his hard leaking dick against his back. 

Connor whimpered and looked at himself. He was… really fucking hot. He looked so good pressed up against Markus, begging for his cock. 

"There we go, you ready for me? Or do you want to play a bit longer?" Markus always made sure Connor was sure, giving him every chance to back out, and now was no different. 

"Yes! Please fuck me, please I need your dick, I need you!" He rolled his hips forward one last time before Markus pulled him up quickly and smoothly sliding him all the way to the hilt. Connor gasped and his back arched as Markus freed a hand to rub his cunt. 

Markus hissed, pressing a kiss to Connor's neck. "You feel so good wrapped around my cock, like you're meant for it. So hot and tight." 

 “Fuck,” Connor breathes. He tries to look back at Markus but Markus turns his head back to the mirror, hand going back to his wet cunt. 

"Eyes front, keep watching yourself," Markus commanded. Connor whined but looked at himself again. 

He's bouncing on Markus' dick, taking him quickly and fully, filling himself up so well. "Ah! God, yes, just like that!" His hips jerked, trying to fuck Markus' hand as well. He was so damn close. So fucking close he just needed a little more. 

"You're such a good boy, so beautiful and panting. Fucking hell, god you make me feel so good, Connor." Markus reached up and flicked Connor's nipple. He matches Connor easily, losing himself in the pleasure of it.

Connor moaned, hips jerking wildly. Fuck, it felt so good. "Watch yourself come, baby, you look so damn pretty all spread out for me." Markus's hand rubbed quickly, and Connor shakes. He clenched around Markus, his back arching away from him. 

He keeps his eyes on the mirror, watching how his face flushed blue as he came. Shocks of pleasure jolted through his body as Markus worked him through it. He couldn't deny how hot they were together. He was pretty, just like Markus said. 

He whined as Markus took a hold of his hips and started pounding up into him. He keeps watching but his eyes stray to Markus's as he feels him tensing. "Connor, fuck!" Markus moaned and Connor clenched around him, taking it all. 

"There we go, baby, fuck yes!" Markus panted against Connor's skin. 

They both had to take a while to cool down before Connor pulled off and cuddled into Markus's lap. "You did so well, baby. I love you so much and you are a good boy." Markus pressed kisses all over Connor's face making him giggle. 

"I love you too. Markus… I do kind of want to talk about Simon? It's nothing bad, I think it's actually good." He hadn't before, but he was curious now. Simon was so sweet and cared about Connor just as much as Markus did. 

"Yeah? Well how about this, we all get some sleep and in the morning we can talk if you're feeling up to it. I want tonight to be all about you." Markus nuzzled into Connor's neck and pressed a gentle kiss there too. 

They often shared a bed altogether, with Markus in the middle. Tonight he knew they planned on putting Connor in the middle and showing as much love and affection as they could. "Yeah, ok. Going into stasis does sound pretty good." He let out a yawn, not even jolting when Markus picked him up. 

"God, I love you more than I know what to do with." Markus gently laid him down on the bed, no doubt letting Simon know he could come in. 

Connor snuggled closer, a small smile on his face. He did deserve a lot of things, a lot of really bad things, but he also deserved this.

[filthyjanuary]

For the ask game: RK1K

I WROTE A WHOLE THING HERE AND THEN TUMBLR ATE IT THE FIRST VERSION WAS MORE POETIC FML SORRY THIS TOOK A BIT

001 | send me a ship and I will tell you:

when I started shipping it if I did: i think 1-2 months ago? not long after i got into dbh tbh. i was immediately drawn to their hunter/hunted to allies dynamic and THE INHERENT EROTICISM OF TRYING TO KILL EACH OTHER.

What makes me happy about them: i think there’s just SO much potential like they are literally red string of fate tied to each other, their destined to kill each other but they unshackle themselves from that and choose their own futures. they’re the only RK models in existence!!!! they understand each other in a way no one else can. if they don’t trust and believe in each other it literally ends in their deaths, the deaths of their people, the destruction of everything but if they do take that leap of faith they free each other, their people, they save the world. they just compliment each other so well like they’re so similar and yet entirely different, and like i am ALWAYS thinking about the look on connor’s face when he hears markus speak for the first time in stratford tower... the look on his face!! the way markus can convince connor to deviant with a few short sentences... even tho connor has actively been fighting that all game. THERE’S JUST SO MUCH POTENTIAL THERE. IT’S SO INTERESTING. also they are both so pretty <3

What makes me sad about them: uh well a) any scenario where they do not choose to believe in each other and thus uh kill each other!! like it’s compelling and hurts in a juicy angst way but it IS sad wtf. also like just the incredible work they’d need to do post-canon to even be in a place where either of them would feel comfortable in a relationship. i also think there’s a lot of sadness potential in having to unpack connor deviating, being taken back over, and then fighting free and both he and markus having to reckon with that and if connor can be trusted in his own body :( SAD

things done in fanfic that annoys me: i feel like fic connor is often written incredibly ooc? like he becomes this like shell of the compelling and nuanced character that he is. like he just becomes either this like fragile, helpless thing that needs markus to save him all the time or just acts like??? idk just so ooc. what i love about markus and connor is that they’re both layered in the sense that they both have softer, domestic sides to them but they’re absolute stone cold badasses when they need to me. turning them one dimensional turns me off. 

things I look for in fanfic: nuanced characterization. not villainizing north. NOT ERASING JOSH. i’m still too early in my dbh fandom experience to chase after AUs yet, so i mostly read canon stuff that explores markus and connor realizing they have feelings for each other and what that means. how do you even unpack then when having feelings is like a newly unlocked experience for you? meanwhile this is all happening on a backdrop of the android revolution, and the political minefield that is advocating for legislation that gives them rights. i’ve always been a big lover of plot and character exploration supporting each other, so i enjoy fics the most when the actual plot has meat to it too. canon compliant/post-canon is the best. also am a big fan of outsider pov fics or fics where their relationship goes public and they gotta deal with that on top of all the political stuff.

Who I’d be comfortable them ending up with, if not each other: literally markus is incredibly shippable. i think the actual game could’ve handled him and north way better but in fanon people can make them so compelling! and i think both markus/josh on a pacifist backdrop and markus/north on a violent backdrop are rife with possibilities. i haven’t really explored simon/markus tbh and i don’t particularly feel compelled to YET but i do see the potentials in that i think they are very similar in a lot of ways: weighing multiple options, seeing both sides, but markus is more active and simon is more passive and i think that makes for interesting character exploration. tbhhhhhh i really struggle to see connor with anyone but markus, but i think connor/north could have a lot of potential in the sense that they are SO similar, but i also think after all the violence in connor’s life, connor/josh has the potential to be very sweet and heartwarming also.

My happily ever after for them: slowly coming to terms with what their feelings are, revealing them to each other, and taking a relationship slowwwww because they have a lot going on. leading the androids to freedom n equality and finally being able to just live in peace without being worried about another fight. supporting each other in figuring out after all this, what do they want out of life? and knowing they’re going to figure it out together. they get cats. 

who is the big spoon/little spoon: i don’t think they stick to strict designations like this. i bet they switch tbh depending on who needs to be held most that day, you know? connor has a lot of mental shit to work thru, markus is bearing an incredibly stressful responsibility on their shoulders. i think they both like being both the big n little spoon sometimes. [ariana grande voice] it’s equality.

what is their favorite non-sexual activity: i am a BIG SUCKER for markus teaching connor really mundane life things the way carl taught him so like playing piano or painting for fun and not off programming scripts, markus teaching connor to cook, really just spending quality time you know?

send me characters/ships

[bisexual-ashe]

How do you feel about hankcon and/or simarkus

im guessing this is for the ask meme, anon?? if it isnt imma dummy, but even so, i don’t think there’s much harm in doing this anyway!! 

001 | send me a ship and I will tell you: hankcon

when I started shipping it if I did: tbh. i don’t know if i consider myself a shipper or not?? i enjoy a fair bit of hankcon content to be truthful, i have quite a few hankcon fics under my bookmarks and love a lot of the art i’ve seen of it! but i also primarily view them as a father/son duo, rather than a couple?? so i suppose i’m neutral to the ship in a sense. i don’t go out of my way looking for content, but i do certainly see the appeal, and enjoy the ship at times ^^

my thoughts: okay. so i know this ship is kinda taboo to a lot of people. and a lot of people might hate me for saying this, but! hankcon is a valid ship. there is nothing wrong with shipping hank and connor. there is nothing incestuous about shipping hank and connor. both are consenting adults. both are capable of making there own choices. and! there is quite a bit of in game content that teases the ship as well, even if cabbage himself seems to support the father/son dynamic for them both. personally, i have nothing against the ship, or the shippers. i see the appeal! hank and connor have one hell of a dynamic, and that push-pull/opposites attract thing they got going on makes em fun to explore as lovers. and, yknow, its a twink and a bear. like.. THE dynamic lmao. i definitely prefer them as father/son myself, but hankcon is definitely a valid ship!

What makes me happy about them: they’re precious soft perfect friends who deserve to be together whether its in a shipping sense, or a family sense! and knowing that concon is the wholeass reason that hank is ALIVE is seriously bittersweet.

What makes me sad about them: their own problems and mental health issues would probably cause them to feed off one another negatively. similarly, they have a co-dependence on one another that while is really sweet, can also turn into a toxic dynamic very quickly. 

things done in fanfic that annoys me: infantising/babyfying connor?? thats spelt wrong but whatever. i see a lot of this in fics in general, but it seems to happen quite a lot in hankcon/hank connor fic??? where people just make connor kinda too childish. i get that he’s very young, he’s naive and he’s got this sense of innocence to him but like. he’s got the mentality of an adult, he’s seen more shit than your average person. he is a babey and i agree that he needs guidance, but he doesn’t need like.. a full blown parent lmao. he’s not a kid. he’s an emotionally immature robot.

things I look for in fanfic: hurt/comfort. hank is a good caretaker in connor whump uwu 

Who I’d be comfortable them ending up with, if not each other: rk1k for corn and hankrose for hank!!

My happily ever after for them: honestly just seeing them live together post game makes me happy sldkfjdsfkl

who is the big spoon/little spoon: concon is little spoon, obviously. sumo is the big spoon.

what is their favorite non-sexual activity: cuddling!

001 | send me a ship and I will tell you: simarkus

when I started shipping it if I did: i honestly don’t ship simarkus. again, it’s a valid ship, but i’m just not a fan. there’s not much appeal to me in all honesty!!

my thoughts: i get why people ship them! and i get that honestly it’s quite a cute ship, and simon and markus have a lot of cute moments together! but, i honestly find simon to be quite a boring character, and i just don’t enjoy seeing him with markus as much as i like connor with markus. it’s cute tho! a valid ship to have, and there’s very cute art of them!!

What makes me happy about them: if simon and markus got together that means both of them got a happy ending, and considering how hard it is to keep simon alive lmao it’s nice to see em both happy!

What makes me sad about them: tbh. simon’s love for markus seems kinda unrequited?? like. i can see the attraction from simon’s side, but i don’t think markus returns it :(( could lead to some spicy angst fics tho!!!

things done in fanfic that annoys me: MAKING NORTH A VILLAIN. so many simarkus fics do this. and i hate it. i genuinely hate it. you can have your ship without making north a bad person!! she could quite easily be a bro, or even a wingman!! use her character for good, not bad!!!

things I look for in fanfic: i don’t look at simarkus fics tbh heh. but if i did, i’d like to see domestic stuffs with them. just cute fluffy cuddling and shit lol

Who I’d be comfortable them ending up with, if not each other: rk1k!!! and i think simon could be cute with josh! josh deserves love too!!

My happily ever after for them: just.. them being happy! and alive! and no-one is dead!!

who is the big spoon/little spoon: simon would easily be the little spoon lol. markus is an all the way big spoon unless he needs comforting uwu then he’s happy to let his partner look after him hehe

what is their favorite non-sexual activity: late night talks in high places!! i feel like markus would enjoy markus’s company when he’s just chilling up on a roof somewhere, even if they didn’t speak ahaha

[lopithecusfanfiction]

Cats Rule, Dogs Drool

Author: Lopithecus Pairing: Markus/Connor Rating: General Audiences Word Count: 981 Alternate: AO3 Summary: Markus runs a cat channel on YouTube. One day, he watches a YouTube video that his subscribers linked to. Little did he know, it was by some cute annoying jerk. Warnings: N/A Author's Note: I’ve been meaning to post this fic on Tumblr ever since the Rk1k Week 2019 ended. If you haven’t read it on AO3 already, please enjoy! Prompt: Day 1 - YouTube

Markus sits at his desk with his cat purring on his lap, getting ready to start up his camera. Today, he’s going to be reviewing a video that some of his subscribers on YouTube have been begging him to watch. Apparently, some of his own YouTube videos have been mentioned in said video. It’s peaked Markus’ curiosity.

He clicks on one of the links a commenter gave him and immediately the video pops up and starts playing. Markus quickly pauses the video but reads the title; Cats Rule, Dogs Drool (Dogs Love and Stay, Cats Shove Away) . He’s instantly offended, being a cat lover and all, and scowls at the title. What does that even mean? Did the person who made this video just desperately come up with some kind of opposite saying to the age old cats rule, dogs drool? It doesn’t even sound good.

Rolling his eyes, Markus steels himself and starts up his camera, smiling. “Hello Jericrew! Welcome back to another video.” Markus holds up his cat. “Say hi Jericho.” He makes his cat wave with his paws and the cat makes a deep growling noise in his throat. Markus places the cat gently back on his lap.

He clears his throat, making a mental note to edit it out later. “Today, I’m going to be watching,” he pauses, takes an exasperated breath as he looks at the title of the video, then shifts his eyes back to his camera, “this video that you all have been pleading for me to watch. I got to say, I’m a little skeptical of the title but for all of you,” he beams one of his winning smiles, “I’ll do it.”

He clicks play on the video and a handsome man and his dog walks into frame. “Hello everyone!” The dog barks. “That’s right Sumo, today we are going to be talking about cats.” Markus clenches his jaw and then remembers he’s filming himself. Pausing the video, he takes a deep breath, licks his lips, and then continues watching. “This video for example.”

One of Markus’ videos pop up in the right hand corner of the video he is watching. It’s his latest one, the one he made about how to properly feed your cat and what foods to buy your beloved feline on a limited budget. He can’t imagine what this man might have to say about it but as he listens to it, he’s surprised to realize that there is actually quite a bit he can talk about.

So far, it hasn’t been too negative. Markus will give — Markus scrolls down to the username — Connor credit for still being concerned about feeding any animal healthy foods, but when another one of his videos is shown, the one he made about how to properly play with your cat, he finds out just how much Connor doesn’t like balls of teeth and claws. Markus is gaping at his computer screen, trying to comprehend what this man is saying to his audience — all of 100,000 subscribers (Markus is proud to say he has 100,010 subscribers) — and quickly shuts his mouth when he feels drool run down his chin. This man is unbelievable.

“How can you find any fun by playing with an animal like this?” The man — Connor, Markus corrects himself — says to the camera. “And this video.” Markus’ Cats Do Love Their Humans video comes up. “I don’t understand how this is proof that your cat loves you. With a dog,” Sumo barks again, “you see their tail wagging, they come up to you all excited, and you can play fetch with them. Dogs keep you company while cats show their affection by running away and hiding.”

Markus has to pause the video again. His hands are shaking with anger and doesn’t notice that Jericho has jumped off his lap at some point during his watch. With another deep breath, he gets up to go find him. In the end, Markus spots Jericho under the couch. With a grumble, he kneels down and coaches the cat out. “Please don’t prove this jerk right,” Markus mumbles. Jericho meows as Markus picks him up off the floor, carrying the agitated cat back to his desk and setting him down on his lap.

Markus looks at his camera to see how long he’s been recording for and to ground himself back into video making mode, then continues to play the video. “Now,” Connor continues. “Maybe I’ve got cats all wrong. I’m sure I’ll get a lot of comments on how great cats are but,” Connor shrugs, “this is a dog channel which you have to admit, is more interesting than a cat channel where the cat lays around all day.”

Markus is almost ready to turn the video off when suddenly Connor smirks. “But I’m willing to be proven wrong.” The man’s smirk grows, almost turning flirty. “So, tell me Deviant Leader ,” Markus’ cheeks turn a hint of red with Connor saying his YouTube username, “or should I say, Markus ,” Markus’ cheeks turn even darker and he glances at the camera, praying it doesn’t pick it up, “can you prove me wrong?” All of a sudden, the cheerful smile is back on Connor’s face as if that sultry grin was never there, aimed at Markus and Markus alone. Markus swallows thickly, shifting in his seat. “So until next time my wonderful Machines! This is Connor, sent by Dog Lover.”

The video ends there and Markus is left speechless for a few seconds until his brain decides to come back from the clouds and Connor’s last words to him finally register. A smile starts to grow on his face and Markus’ hand swipes down Jericho’s back, the cat purring loudly once more. His gaze lines up with the lense of the camera and he turns his grin into a confident smirk.

“Game on.”

—————————————————————————————————

A/N: Cats are actually my favorite animal and I really needed a fic in which Markus owns a cat so… here we are. XP

I hope you all enjoyed and thank you for reading!!

[tavecincertum]

Whumptober Day 9 (DBH style)

No.9 ‘FOR THE GREATER GOOD’

“Take Me Instead!” | “Run!” | Ritual Sacrifice

Pairing/Characters: RK1K/RK1000, Connor - RK800, Markus - RK200, “HUMAN!AU” (Detroit: Become human.)

Length: 1,414 Words

Trigger Warnings: Nsfw-ish, STABBING/IMPALEMENT, blood, grounded crucifixion, kidnapping, deadly cult. 

“Did you hear that?” Connor breathed, having frozen in his spot on top of Markus’ nearly bare form. His vision darted all around the windows of the car they were locked into, unable to see anything past the pitch-black surroundings. 

“I didn’t hear anything other than you moaning into my ear,” Markus assured, hands trying to gently corral his lover back into a soft kiss and succeeding at gaining his attention once again. 

The sound of rustling fabric filled the back-seat and panting, breathy gasps were abundant as they tried to not waste too much time pulled off on the side of the road. They had been en-route to a friend’s place for the weekend when they were abruptly informed they’d be sharing a room with another friend of theirs. Which meant they needed to be polite and keep the PDA at a minimum; neither of them were good with an audience. Thus the idea was formed for a little road-side scandal, a road trip quickie never hurt anyone. 

An ominous thump on what sounded like the back of the car jolted them both apart and even in the darkness, they could feel the others skeptical expression exude from their partner. 

“You heard that right?” Connor whispered as quietly as he could and he heard Markus swallow to clear his throat before speaking.

“Y-Yeah... I felt it too.” He muttered in response and they both tensed when the car rocked without their forms moving in the slightest. Something was dipping the trunk with enough weight to stress the suspension. 

“I wonder if it’s a bear or something...” Connor tried and Markus gave a breath in response.

“Think you can manage to press the brake without making too much of a rumble?” Markus questioned and he heard a tiny agreement before a steady, gentle movement had Connor rising over the center console and stretching out to press his foot to the pedal; craning back to see what they lit up.

Fear seized both of their chests when over half a dozen hooded figures were scattered behind the car; the closest settled on the trunk and pressing their face up to the windshield to look inside.

Within an instant, the windows shattered all around them from blunt force and hands were wrestling them out across glass and out of the car; their forms fighting as best they could against the strength that was outnumbering. 

The lights on the car had started to flash in a warning and it barely gave enough light to show what was going on. Hands held Markus back and in the corner of his vision, he saw Connor stumble to his feet and turn into a punch; his back already shimmering with blood from being pulled out of the driver's side. 

“Connor!” Markus shouted, lunging forward and being restrained by his arms getting curled behind his back, a balled-up punch being sailed into his abdomen to drop him to his knees. 

“Markus! Markus behind you!” Connor cried out, watching one of the weapons that had been used to break the glass, swing out and knock Markus unconscious to the ground. 

“Markus!” An adrenaline-fueled pull had him free from the grip that detained him however bodies were quick to pile onto him and shove his face down into the gravel. 

Once both males were unconscious the group stood silently for a few moments and assessed what their next steps would be, slowly taking to collecting the two men and throwing the car into neutral to be pushed. 

-

When consciousness finally came to Markus, it was in the form of pain ripping through his head from the back and warmth seeping like fire down his neck. His first instinct was to raise a hand to find out if he was bleeding but instead he found out he’d been hog-tied. Tension pulled his feet and he struggled through the fog in panic, the smell of mildew and water-damage being the main scent that surrounded him. 

“C-Connor?” A stripped call for his lover and when the sound finally returned from the stun of his injury, his blood turned to ice. 

“No! Please!” 

“You will be remembered as an honorable sacrifice, I assure you little lamb.” An estranged female voice and it only provoked more sobbing pleas from Connor in the near distance. 

Markus turned from his position on the ground and with a struggle of his shoulders, he cleared enough to see Connor spread-eagle on the ground, pinned by his hands and writhing. Two cloaked figures were holding down his wrists and two more were raising hammers to drive stakes through his palms and deeply into the ground with vicious, pounding hits. 

“Connor!” 

The brunette wailed in sheer agony as he stilled on the ground and stared up at the half-hidden face of his captor that lingered above him. He couldn’t tug and every time tension went into his arms, the nerves in his hands screamed in pain all the way up to his shoulders. 

“Shh, I promise, you’ll be serving such a better purpose than your mortal lives could ever imagine.” The leader assured, having crouched over the struggling figure that had been crucified in the center of a blood-drawn pentagram. 

“Please don’t do this..” Connor sobbed quietly, watery brown eyes locking with a shimmering knife as it was raised and hovered over the center of his chest. Blood dripped freely from the blade and landed as a perfect marker for where it intended to sink into. 

“You’ll learn to forgive me in the afterlife.” 

As Markus watched the knife sail down, he writhed in his spot, and with a guttural scream, he shot up in bed and the suddenly cooling sensation of a fan started to try to dry his sweaty skin. 

“Markus! Markus baby, you’re awake, Markus!” Despite the sudden startle awake, he was reaching over to comfort his lover without a second thought; arms finding the panting man and easing him into a tight hold. 

For the first few seconds, he merely darted all around the room with his eyes and then to Connor when he spoke. The only thing that calmed his panic was the sensation of touch that tilted him over and collected his troubled form; an arm holding his head while fingers petted his head and another set made a trail along his spine. 

“You’re awake, it’s okay, I’ve got you, Markus.” Connor felt the other male's features press into his bare chest and struggled to even their tension, finally forming fevered kisses to where the knife had been imagined to pierce. “Right here, that’s right, I’m right here.” 

Arms finally circled Connor and pushed him back into the mattress, hands gripping his thighs to wrap the male around himself. The needy hold wasn’t complained about, instead, his body merely adjusted to Markus’ position and wrapped around him with all of his limbs. 

“God that was awful...” Markus breathed, pulling the blankets around himself, and the male securely adhered to his body. 

“What was it?” Connor inquired, fingers soothing over the back of Markus’ neck and scratching into his hairline. 

“That stupid movie we watched infiltrated my dreams. We were stopped on the side of the road for a quickie and this cult... grabbed us-” 

“Let me stop you right there, we will never-EVER be stopping in the middle of the woods to fuck at 3 am.” Connor snorted, directing Markus’ face up to look at him for a soft peck on his lips, only pausing to speak and then return for more. “And I’m sure as hell not getting sacrificed to Satan.”

Markus couldn’t help the chuckle that interrupted their kiss and his arms gave a squeeze to his lover's form. “I mean seriously, who does that? Just be quiet if you’ve got roommates.” 

“People who want to get murdered.” Connor mused, feeling Markus adjust to make himself a bit more comfortable in preparation to go back to sleep. 

“Sorry to wake you, baby.” He mumbled in a quickly returning fatigue, earning a hum from Connor in refusal of his apology. 

“Don’t be. It was bound to give one of us nightmares.” The brunette continued his idle touch along Markus’ back and when he saw a sleepy smile spread across rosy lips, he caught the infectious gesture on his own. 

“Get some rest, we’ve got a long trip to see North and Chloe tomorrow.”

[bitch-markus-stan]

Blame the YK500s

this idea was the idea that made me ship rk1k enjoy...

"Please try, please, Mr. Manfred, pleeeeeeaaaaassssseeee."

And how could he say no to that? How could he say no to the 10 or so pairs of eyes looking up at him imploringly?

Not for the first time, Markus curses Cyberlife, but this time only because the YK500s are too cute to ignore. 

How could anyone? All they want is to play and he couldn’t say no that. 

They're truly too cute and North, Simon and Josh, who are watching him, don't seem to think it's a bad idea. North even looks amused. 

He needed this. Last week had been rough, and the week before that and the week before that one too. It was hours of emails and phone calls and being far away, being a shut-in. He didn’t want to seem unapproachable, like he was too busy for anyone in New Jericho. 

This was all for them. Everything he did was for them too, he never wanted anyone to forget that. 

The last thing he expected was to get accosted by a horde of YK500s and demanded to skateboard. 

“Alright, alright, let me see,” he pretended to be exasperated. 

Markus reaches out to it. He has half a mind to ask someone if the little ones had stolen, but he didn’t. He accepts it into his hands. It wasn’t new by any means, but it’s sturdy. The bottom had the design of the Great Wave Off Kanagawa, for a moment it reminds him of Carl. 

Markus smiles. 

“This is going to be fun,” Simon says with a light smile. 

If it were Josh or North who said it, he’d think it was sarcasm, but Simon is being genuine. This is going to be fun. 

“Hurry up!” One of them yells. The other children giggle excitedly, some of them laughing behind their hands.  

“Yeah, yeah, alright,” Markus chuckles. “You know patience is a virtue?” He places the skateboard on the ground. 

How hard was this going to be? They wanted him to what? Do a little flip? Skate around a little bit? He lead a whole goddamn revolution. 

Preconstruction is a thing not many androids have, but as an RK series Markus does. He could blame it on his own deviancy that he didn’t think to use it or days behind a desk, after all, the only time he’s had to use it during revolutions. 

He could also blame his deviancy on the fact that he wasn’t looking where he stepped...or rather, misstepped. It didn’t take a whole lot of processing to realize he stepped on the skateboard in a bad place, too much weight without anything to balance it. He was flung back and the skateboard went flying forward. 

Connor was distracted. He was distracted by a feeling he knew was called nervousness. In particular, fear of rejection. 

Hank said he looked like a kindergartener on their first day of school.

Connor wondered if Hank was thinking of Cole on his first day of school when he said that and then he wondered if that was overstepping his boundaries 

New Jericho was coming along nicely, for human standards it was a dump, but no human eyes had seen what it originally was. He wondered if he belonged, although Markus said he did with a kind smile and caring eyes. He said explicitly he was welcomed, all androids were welcomed. 

Unfortunately, Connor was going to be the one to put that to the test. 

He was thinking about this when he felt the ground underneath him shift. He was unbalanced, uprooted on one foot like a plant. A sudden blaring alert, the closest thing androids have to pain, crossed over his HUD and then the world went black. 

North is howling with laughter when Markus sits up. 

“Way to go, Markus!” Is all she can get out between genuine laughter. If there’s anything that can get all Josh, Simon and North to laugh at the same time it’s slapstick, he guesses. 

A few of the children giggle too, but the others look behind them with wary glances. Markus’s eyes went to the unconscious android. 

“Shit!” 

“Poor guy,” Josh says watching Connor lay in the infirmary. “He was right by the front gate, he must’ve just walked in.” 

Markus glowers at him. His stress level is at 79% 

“I didn’t mean to--” He is cut off by the sound of laughter. North and Simon are huddled together laughing shamelessly. “C’mon,” Markus sighs. “Stop playing that.”

“No,” North says with a grin. “It’s funny. Shows you’re human, you fall just like one of them would.” 

Androids fall, Markus thinks petulantly. 

Simon only keeps laughing, his cheeks are tinted blue. 

Markus turns to Connor. His LED a gentle, soft yellow, before it was a bright red. The technicians say he’s fine, that it was probably a good thing for him to be in stasis, he hasn’t updated for a long time and now he can. 

Markus hears North repeat the video again, the sound of wheels spinning and his ass against the grated floor. He squeezes his eyes shut and tries to be patient. 

“You don’t have to stay,” he says through clenched teeth. 

“I know,” North says, “I just wanna see you grovel.” 

He looks over at Josh and Simon who don’t say the same but they look guilty, it’s an answer without really being one. Markus pouts and shifts in his chair. He turns to look at Connor, he looks the same, still has his LED, hair still combed back except for that one piece that falls onto his forehead. His clothes are different though, somewhat. He’s wearing black jeans and a red sweater with a collared shirt underneath. 

The color looks good on him. 

If he saw him coming, he would have told him he looks great. 

He would know, he’s looked at countless works of art. 

“Stop it with the sad eyes,” Simon says. “I doubt he’ll take it personally. It was an accident.” 

It didn’t mean he didn’t still feel bad. 

North let out a frustrated noise. “I take it back, you’re depressing me. I’m going to see if I can get the Jerrys to choose a name besides Jerry.” 

Markus nearly smirks. That is an endeavor that takes more patience than North has, and besides, so far there are only 20 of them. There is Jerry A through T. 

Without North to keep him more or less entertained Simon follows her out shortly after with a gentle pat to his shoulder. 

Josh lingers after Simon. 

“I just don’t want him to wake up alone,” Markus finds himself saying when Josh’s eyes don’t leave him

Josh smirks. You’re transparent he says through their comms. 

“I’m not!” there’s static in his voice. “I’m just being nice, and I feel bad.” 

Josh’s grin turns easy, “suit yourself,” he says finally. He turns around to go through the thick plastic sheep separating them from the rest of New Jericho and leaves. 

Markus spends the time studying Connor over. He lives with a human now--his partner at the DPD, it was the last thing they talked about before Connor disappeared. His partner must have a dog because there are dog hairs on Connor’s clothes. 

His socks have dogs on them. 

He likes dogs.

Connor’s face shifts slight, that peaceful look turns into a hard blink and then his eyes open. 

“Hey...Connor,” Markus says gently. The caretaker in him can’t stop himself from helping him sit up even though he probably doesn’t need it.  “How do you feel?” 

“Markus,” he sounds surprised, like he didn’t expect to see him. “What happened?” He’s clearly in their infirmary, he’s just not sure why. A trickle of fear spears through him, did he try to hurt Markus again? 

“I...knocked you out by accident--” 

Markus stops at the way Connor turns to look at him so abruptly, eyes squinting, not narrowing Markus notes. “You did what?” 

“I knocked you out,” Markus repeats. “But it was an accident, Connor, I would never...I...It was an accident. The kids wanted to see me on a skateboard and I fell and then you, I don’t know, I guess it hit you or you tripped over it and hit your head pretty hard.”

“Oh,” Connor seems to be taking this all in carefully. He blinks and turns again to look away from Markus. 

“I’m sorry.” 

Connor swings his legs over the side of the table facing him. It shouldn’t surprise Markus when Connor gets straight to the point, but it does anyway. 

“I came to tell you I intend to be here more often, if the others will let me,” he says, rushing. “And since you attacked me with a skateboard, I think it’s only fair that you show me around.” He pauses. “Also I forgive you, it was an innocent accident.” 

“That’s…” Markus feels the rush of thirium coming to his cheeks and ears. “That’s more than fair, Connor, I--we’re happy to have you.” 

“Good, I think I’d like to stay.” 

[conneko]

Sneak peek at another rk1k hunger games AU

—

They find a cave, crouched low enough in the bushes that people might overlook them when visibility is low, if they're lucky enough. Connor helps Markus lie down, and Markus winces at every step. His movements are stuttered, stiff and staggered. The cut around his face crusts with a mix of dried blood and dirt, and his breathing has gone heavier than the humidity of the forest.

His wound bleeds a raging dark red, torn open like the mouth of the cave itself. Connor finds a broken piece of fabric in Markus's satchel and wraps it around his thigh, careful despite Markus's winces. 

"You should have focused on gaining more sponsors before this," Connor scolds. "Charming the public is good and all, but it doesn't help you in the arena."

Markus tries to lift himself up to sitting position and he flinches. "I doubt... ah, I doubt they'd let the sponsors hand out endless vats of medicine willy-nilly."

"Still," Connor says, pulling on his bandages a little too tightly. "You should have tried."

"Connor." Markus grasps his hands. "I can hear your nerves from here. I’ll be okay. I've had worse."

"That doesn't make it better, Markus."

"We'll figure something out," Markus says, rubbing his thumb back and forth. "We've gotten this far, haven't we?"

Markus is dangerous, Connor knows, Markus is unbelievably dangerous is how persuasive and damn bright he can be in the darkest situations. It’s his stupid resolve and charisma. Bludgeoned by the sheer hope in Markus's eyes, Connor slumps his shoulders, conceding into his touch.

Markus gives a small smile, a small quirk on his lips. He kisses Connor's hand and pull him to lie beside him, holding him close and burying soothing noises into his hair. 

Injured to the literal bone, and Markus is still trying to comfort him. Connor wishes they'd met outside the games. Although, realistically, outside the games, they would have probably never met at all. Here, they're restricted by the cameras; every movement kept under watch; every word filtered in hopes that the Capitol won't find them too offensive. 

Connor wants all of Markus's honesty; all of his thoughts and his memories. He doesn't want the diplomatic Markus that comes out when his eyes pass the brush around them. He wants the Markus that comes out in moment like these—where they can pretend that there's nothing in their bubble but the two of them. 

He won't ask about his family and friends, like Markus won't ask him about his either. Instead, Connor brushes his hands over Markus's chest, and bundles his head closer to where Connor can hear his heartbeat. 

"When did you start painting?" Connor asks. "Do you think you're good at it?"

“I like to think that I am,” Markus says. “Although, I don’t get to do it as often as I liked. And that’s a funny way of asking if I enjoyed it.”

Connor almost pinches him. “You know what I mean. If you’re good at it, then surely you’d enjoy it.”

“Spoken like a true Careers.”

Connor does pinch him this time. Softly, though, and Markus stifles his laughter.

"My adopted father taught me," Markus says. "He taught me how to play the piano too."

I love him very much, Markus doesn't say, but he does squeeze Connor's hand hard enough for the message to come through.

“What about you? What do you like to do in your spare time?”

“As in, hobbies?” Connor frowns. “My brother and I trained often.”

“Oh,” Markus says. “Your twin, right? Do you two get along?”

It’s like a switch has been flipped, and a dam spills open. A flood of despair crashes into him, at the thought that he might never see Nines and Amanda again. This is what he’s been preparing for all his life, and yet, it also isn’t. He loves them and he wants to see them again. Yet, that would mean wining the games, and Markus being dead.  That’s something he doesn’t want to delve any deeper.

Connor can tell that Markus already regrets asking his question, his hands running apologetically down Connor’s back. His silence said too much, but then, the Capitol had already held them for ransom. Connor rubs his hips in an attempt at comfort.

“Yes,” Connor says. “I miss him. And my mother.”

And so time passes, hidden in between silent whispers delivered between private touches. Then, Connor can hear it—the synthetic chirping of a parachute making itself known. 

"I'll get that," Connor says. "Stay here." 

The longer he takes, the more it will attract unwanted attention. Regretfully, he slips Markus's arms off himself and he heads crouches out the cave with his knives drawn. Once Connor has retrieved the parachute from a tree branch, Connor opens the gifts and finds a note tucked in. 

Tell lover boy I said 'hi' - Hank

Connor almost smiles. Markus's charm strikes again and his mentor's right; if they keep this up, they might get more sponsorship later on.

"What you've got there?" Markus says, pushing himself to sit up. 

"Soup," Connor says, twisting the container open and uncapping the spoon. "Stop moving so fast. I've got this."

"Connor." Markus sighs and reaches for the food. "I'm not going to let you feed me." 

Connor stops him with one hand on his chest. "That's exactly what you're going to do. It's the only reason I'm letting you sit up. It's better for digestion, this way."

Markus sighs again, but he does bundle his bag behind his back. The soup is a clear broth which chunks of carrots, chicken, and thin slices of sausages in it. It's on the simpler side in Connor's opinion. It takes Markus effort to chew the substantial bits of the soup down, but from the hunger that folds his face, Connor knows that this is one of the most decadent meal he's had in his life. 

"What are those red thing?" Markus asks between his chewing. 

“What thing?” Connor tilts his head. He spoons up a slice of sausage. "This one?"

"Yeah," Markus says. "They're... It tastes like wild turkey. But it doesn't as well. It’s so… salty."

"Oh," Connor says. "They're Frankfurt sausages. These ones are a little non-traditional and commercialized, since they're only a mixture of pork and beef."

"Amazing," Markus says. "My friends and I would've taken so many tesserae for a piece of those."

Connor hesitates. "Have you taken many of those?" Connor asks, angling the spoon so Markus could have a better bite. "Tesserae?"

Markus thinks on his reply which he chews. "You'd struggle to find anyone who hasn't done it at least twice a year," he says with food still in his mouth. 

Amanda would be appalled at his manners. For some reason, the observation only makes Markus more endearing to Connor. 

“And if you were alone?”

“Then you find people,” Markus says. “You find your family there.”

Markus says it like it’s easy. Like it’s the norm for people to be taking strangers in and treating them like family. 

"I would take one for Carl and Leo," Markus says. "Then when Josh, North and Simon came to live with us, we were fortunate enough to be considered a family. So we could take an extra Tessera for each person."

"That's... quite a lot of odds to be putting in."

"But if everyone's increasing the number of times they're entered, then the probability roughly stays the same. I think was at 39 at the last reaping."

A laugh escapes from Connor. "I'm not sure that's how it exactly works," Connor says. “But I guess you’re right, more or less.”

Markus shrugs. "Math was never my best subject."

Connor is about to ask about what other things they teach in District 12 when a booming voice cuts through their conversation. 

"Attention Tributes. Attention.” 

Markus almost chokes on his soup, and Connor rubs a hand on his back as he bends over coughing.

"Commencing at sunrise. There'll be a feast tomorrow at the Cornucopia."

Connor snaps into attention.

"However, this will be no ordinary occasion," the announcer says, a little slyly. "Each of you need something... desperately and we plan to be generous hosts."

Markus jolts forward catching his elbow before Connor could move. "You're not going," he says. 

"It's your medicine," Connor says. "Of course, I am."

Markus's hold tightens. "Connor, don't. You can't go alone."

"Markus, you can't even stand without flinching."

"Connor, I'm serious," Markus says, and his eyes are pleading. "You can't just--you can't just risk your life for me. I won't let you."

"There's nothing you can't do to stop me."

"I'm not letting you die for me!" 

"Markus—"

"No, Connor," Markus says, jerky and desperate as he’s never been before. "Listen to me. You go out there alone, and you'd get slaughtered. They've made it clear that the Cornucopia's a target, and you don't even have a ranged weapon."

"I can throw my knives."

"Faster than an archer with a bow?”

“If they can spot me. That’s why I need to scout the area and set up traps.”

“You won’t be the only one to think of that strategy.”

“I know,” Connor says. “It’s still the best chance for us to keep track of everyone in the area.”

“Connor, please,” Markus says. “Don’t risk yourself like that. It’s not worth it.”

Connor chews on his lip. "Markus. You haven't even finished your food." 

"And this!" Markus waves up and down. "You don't owe me anything. I saved your life, but you've already more or less saved mine. Why are you doing all this?"

They're locked in a standoff. Markus's eyes are brighter and more demanding in the darkness of their cave than they did in the daylight.

They're not even from the same district. There was already no way both of them could come out of this alive. Markus is wounded and if Connor was smart—if Connor was still playing the game as he should, as someone worthy of his District—he’d slit Markus's throat now and lay out a trap at the Cornucopia. Everyone there would do the same, if they're smart, but Connor can be smarter. He just needs the jumpstart time to plan ahead. 

But he doesn't do any of that. For once, he doesn't want to do what's expected of him. 

“We don’t have a lot of time left,” Connor says carefully.

Markus grimaces. “I know.”

“Why is it so bad, then, that I want to spend what little time I have left with you?”

That seems to stop Markus short.

Connor puts the soup aside, safe in its closed container, and leans over slowly. He hovers, just as his lips is about to touch Markus's. He looks up from Markus's lips, categorizing each freckle which dots his cheeks, and the slashes carved on his temple.

"Can I?" Connor asks quietly. 

Swallowing, Markus nods, and Connor leans in, pressing their lips together. 

Markus tastes like soup, Connor distantly notes, a wave of giddiness and warmth blasting through his bones like the recoil of a force field. He tilts his head, testing for a better angle before softly pulling away.

"Oh," Connor says quietly. He brushes Markus's bottom lip  with the tip of his index finger. "I've never done that before."

Markus laughs, and it's a soft puff of air fluttering on his skin. "Finally," he says. "Something I know more about than you do."

Connor sneaks a quick peck on his lips. "If you did," Connor says, brushing his thumb over Markus’s chin. "You didn't show it."

“That’s not fair,” Markus says. “I’m injured.”

Which reminds Connor all the more of current their situation. His dopey smile drips and he can see Markus mirror him. 

Markus tugs him by his elbow, closer until he can rest his forehead onto Connor’s. He closes his eyes and his presses in, and if Connor doesn’t want to fall back, he has to press in as well. For some reason, Connor finds the balance soothing.

“All the more reason I can’t let you go,” Markus mumbles. “Please stay here. Stay here with me. We’ll work something out. I promise you we will.”

Connor knows Markus isn’t the type to hand out empty promises as assurance. They’re not empty promises, of course, if he wills them into existence, and Markus is stubborn enough to make it a reality. It’s almost as potent as his kindness and courage. Yet he knows himself so well, knows the line tips into the ruthless and practical side of himself. Everything about Markus draws Connor in like a flame. Everything about Markus hits like a drop of dye unfolding in a bed of water.

But with a cut that deep, it’s only a matter of time before infection starts creeping away at his skin. And then Markus will be a sitting duck, shaky with his fever, while the whole arena sniffs at his trail. It’s not like Connor plans to leave Markus if they ever get to that point, but he’ll have to for brief periods of time. Food and water won’t fetch themselves, after all.

“Okay,” Connor lies, running his hands up Markus’s arms. “Okay, I’ll stay. Can you at least finish your food first?”

“I’ve already had a lot,” Markus says. “Have some with me.”

“It’s your food, Markus,” he says. “From a sponsor. Guess I spoke too quickly on that, huh?”

“No reason it can’t be shared. I’ll have some if you have some.”

Markus moves himself back, and even though they’re more colour on his face, the act of eating has taken a lot out of him.  Even still, he looks at Connor expectantly after he takes a spoonful, and he doesn’t stop until Connor sips at the broth himself and almost sighs from how his stomach curls in happiness. 

No sickness can keep Markus and his stubborn will of steel down, it seems. 

He stays awake long enough to tug Connor onto his chest. As soon as Connor arranges his limbs, so that he wouldn’t budge Markus’s wound, Markus’s breathing evens out into long, deep, soothing beats which lulls Connor on the edge as well. 

He’ll doze until just before sunrise, Connor decides. That will give him enough time to slip out, and plan what he’ll be doing at Cornucopia.

—

“Oh, Markus,” Carl says tiredly. “What have you done?”

They had watched in silence and bated breath like the rest of the world. Connor leaned in and Markus leaned in back, and the kiss was terrifying—the kiss was hesitant, and tender, and so unflinchingly real that Carl’s heart already aches for what lies ahead as the number of tributes dwindle down.

“Always said he had more heart than brains,” North says, thinning her lips.

“He’ll have somebody watching his back though,” Simon says. “A Careers, as well. That’s more than what we hoped for.”

“That’s just it, Simon. What’s going to happen when there’s only the two of them left?” Josh asks.

“Then Connor will probably kill himself,” Simon says bluntly. “If his feelings are true, that is. That’s our best bet for getting Markus back. If his feelings are faked then…”

“Markus would never let him do that,” Josh says.

Simon shrugs. “Markus doesn’t need to know.”

“Markus is smarter than you’re giving him credit for, Simon,” North says. “And I don’t think that Connor’s faking it. Else, he would’ve just killed Markus then and there while he’s incapacitated.”

“They’re not faking it,” Carl says, eyes still on the TV. “Trust the eye of an old artist, my child. Even seasoned actors would struggle to replicate what they have.”

Markus is starting to get feverish, shivering and turning in his sleep. Jolted, Connor blinks awake. Then, they watch as, half-asleep, Connor rearranges the jackets Markus kicked away, and falls back into his dozing.

Markus turns into him, seeking the warmth of his body.

“Oh, Markus,” North says, echoing his words from earlier. “What have you done?”

[lost-tanuki-tales]

DBH fics - TCV

Hey pumpkin! Chapter 6 “It’s embarrassing” of The Corset Vest is up. In this chapter...

Markus and Connor try their best not to make their first time too awkward. It is, a little bit, but that’s okay because they end up feeling quite good.

This fic is gay disasters RK1K way after the revolution, my attempt at humor and fluff that isn’t systematically partnered to angst, our gay boys being super sweet together, and have I mentioned that they’re really gay?

[spin-birdie]

It’s been a while since you reblogged this one but could you write “I want you to tie me up so I can’t get away.” with bottom Markus? Pretty please?

ask and you shall receive..............but i got like super carried away with this somehow whoops

word count: 2.2k

pairing: rk1k

additional tags: post-canon, lemon, improvised restraints, bottom markus, mild embarrassment kink ig, its midnight and i should be asleep but i was on a roll

They’ve barely started, but Markus already can’t stop his hands from wandering. He snakes one hand up beneath Connor’s shirt, gently raking his nails along his lover’s side, while his other hand grabs and squeezes at Connor’s ass. Markus pulls a sigh from Connor, muffled between their lips, as he bucks up to grind their hips together.

Though Connor isn’t quite there yet, Markus is already achingly hard. He’s usually more composed than this, but between Connor’s weight on top of him and the anticipation of trying something new, he’s almost completely lost and they haven’t even disrobed.

Connor breaks away from the kiss, his eyes dark and hooded as their gazes meet. “Now that we’re in a bed, what was it that you wanted to try?”

While Markus tries to remember how to talk, Connor moves lower to drag his lips across Markus’ jaw, along his neck. Markus swallows back a moan, lifting Connor’s shirt up as he runs both hands up his back.

“It’s hard to remember when you--” Connor rolls his hips at an almost perfect angle, forcing Markus to pause and involuntarily dig his nails into Connor’s back, “When you’re doing that,” he chuckles.

Connor sits up for just long enough to remove Markus’ shirt before continuing his work, nipping at the one overly sensitive spot on Markus’ collarbone.

“Connor,” Markus gasps, wrapping his legs around Connor’s waist and rocking against him. “Fuck me.”

Connor lifts his head back up. “You want to bottom again?”

Markus nods and hums affirmatively. “That’s, uh, not the only thing,” he adds, sliding his hands down to the waistband of Connor’s pants and trying to pull them off.

“I’m all ears, Markus.”

Despite being together for almost six months, Markus still feels embarrassment flaring up within him. Though it doesn’t diminish his arousal; rather, it amplifies it, which in turn embarrasses Markus more. It’s a self-fulfilling cycle that makes it that much harder to voice what he wants.

“I...want to be tied up,” he finally says, looking Connor in the eye as he continues: “I mean, seriously. I want you to tie me up so I can’t get away, no matter how much I move.”

His dick throbs at the mere thought. He’s been thinking about it for...well, far longer than he’d ever admit. What it would be like to surrender control, to be bound to the spot entirely at Connor’s mercy. Losing control like that is a little bit terrifying, but at the same time...strangely captivating.

Connor seems to like the idea, if his dilated pupils and hitched breath is any indication. He swallows thickly and focuses on getting them both naked. “Do you know if we keep rope anywhere?”

Surely they do, but Markus really doesn’t want to get up. Before he can say anything, though, Connor gasps to himself and removes his tie. He pulls on it from several angles, nods, and looks at Markus again. “Arms up.”

Markus shudders at the tone of Connor’s voice and follows the instruction, raising both arms over his head and crossing his wrists over each other. Connor sidles up and threads his tie between Markus’ wrists and around the middle beam of the headboard. Markus feels his biocomponents rumbling beneath his skin, nervous excitement thrumming through his body as the fabric around his wrists gets tighter and tighter.

Honestly, he expected he or Connor would be more apprehensive. But to be fair, Connor sometimes knows Markus better than he knows himself. If anything goes wrong, Connor will stop.

“Is that comfortable?” Connor asks, leaning back.

Markus cranes his neck to look back at the restraint. It’s some kind of sailing knot that Markus can’t be bothered to search his database for, but it looks sturdy. He pulls and struggles against the tie as hard as he can, but it doesn’t so much as loosen. If anything, it gets tighter.

“Oh, God.” He’s effectively held in place for the foreseeable future, and that probably shouldn’t turn him on so much, but it does.

Connor makes quick work of the rest of his clothes, and as soon as they’re naked, Connor leans back down to kiss Markus fervidly. Markus tries to bring his hands up to Connor’s shoulders, but the tie keeps them from going anywhere. He keens against Connor’s lips, rocking his hips up in search of friction.

When they break apart, Connor shushes him and begins to travel lower again, kissing and sucking at whatever skin he can reach as he goes. He stops at Markus’ chest to pay special attention to his nipples, and Markus arches his back with a particularly loud moan. Every lick and squeeze and gentle nip sends sparks rushing through him, directly to his cock.

It feels so unnatural not to touch Connor, or to be able to hide his face, but something about how alien the sensation is just adds to the thrill. He’s tugging at the restraint without thinking, trying to fight it, but it’s too strong, too well-tied.

An involuntary whine escapes him as Connor dips even lower, sucking temporary bruises onto Markus’ stomach, his hips, his thighs. Connor lets his hands roam all over Markus’ body, almost like he’s trying to taunt Markus, trying to rub in the fact that he’s so utterly trapped.

When Markus opens his eyes - he doesn’t know when he closed them - he sees Connor between his legs, kissing and biting his inner thighs while intently ignoring the places yearning for attention. If his hands were free, he would want nothing more than to grab Connor by the hair and fuck his pretty, perfect mouth. He groans at the idea, straining harder against the tie. It’s driving him absolutely crazy not being able to touch, in the best way possible.

“Connor...Connor, please,” he pants.

Connor sucks one more hickey onto Markus’ thigh and sits up. He looks entirely too happy with himself. “Please what, love?”

“You know what,” Markus insists, rolling his hips. “Touch me.”

“I already am,” Connor smirks, running his hands along Markus’ stomach for emphasis. “I’ve been doing nothing but touching you since we came to bed. You’ll need to be more specific.”

“God, you asshole--”

Connor pinches Markus’ thigh, hard, making him jump and pull on the restraints. “Watch your tone, there. You don’t want me to leave you like this, do you? Because I could.”

“You wouldn’t.”

“Are you sure you want to take that chance?” Even as he says that, however, Connor leans close enough for his breath to ghost over Markus’ cock. “Tell me what you want. Nicely.”

Markus is shaking with want, and this smug bastard is all too content to watch him squirm. He growls in the back of his throat, tries to compose himself, but it’s impossible when Connor is looking at him like that and the tie is so fucking tight and, and.

Fuck it, he’s not too proud to beg. “Goddammit... Connor, please fuck me. Please, I fucking need you inside me so bad it hurts, come on...”

The low, satisfied hum that Connor emits has no right to be so sexy. “Was that so hard?”

Connor barely has to nudge Markus to get him to spread his legs. It’s embarrassing, how wanton he’s become, but he can’t help himself. Connor is too good at pushing his buttons, and he fucking knows it. Markus lets Connor settle between his legs, lets him lift one over his elbow to spread Markus out even more. He wants to cover his face, hide from the embarrassment, but it’s all he can do to lie there and let Connor expose him.

“How much prep do you want?” Connor asks, petting Markus’ thighs. The marks are already gone, but Markus still feels them.

Markus shakes his head. “You know I love our foreplay, but seriously, if you don’t fuck me yesterday I just might have to k--”

But then Connor is inside him, and Markus is arching off the bed, and either the tie or the headboard is creaking in protest but he doesn’t care because finally, fucking finally he’s getting what he’s been after this whole time. When Connor bottoms out with a rough gasp, Markus immediately rocks back against him, trying to coax him to move. He doesn’t.

“Holy shit,” Connor sighs. “You look so good like this. All tied up and needy with a cock inside you.”

The way he says that drives Markus up the fucking wall. He swings his free leg around Connor’s waist and pulls him as close as he can manage.

“Honey, please just fucking move.”

“Touchy, touchy,” Connor chuckles, leaning down to kiss Markus properly as he pulls out and thrusts back in just so. He spends just a few moments at a gentle pace, allowing them both to adjust to the feeling before he gets rougher.

Markus cries out, throwing his head back. He’s only let Connor fuck him a few times, but christ he forgot how good it feels. The heat inside him, the intrusive pressure that feels so foreign, yet is all the better for it, the spot that brings Markus this close to shorting out with pleasure so intense it comes back around to painful. It fills him up, pulls him apart and the seams. Yet Connor kisses him gently, almost lazily despite the frantic energy between them.

There’s nothing he can do except hold on for dear life...only he can’t even do that. He wants to touch, wants to map Connor’s skin with his hands, wants to thread his fingers in Connor’s hair, wants to wrap a hand around himself and amplify the pleasure coursing through him. He wants it all, but he can’t have it.

His leg constricts around Connor’s waist, pulling him in as desperately as he kisses Connor. He arches into Connor’s touches, swallows down the nearly inaudible sounds that escape him. His head is swimming, he’s overheating, and it’s still not enough.

He can tell when Connor is getting close. His movements stutter, become more erratic, his breaths coming out in short, quiet moans. Markus whimpers into Connor’s mouth. He’s overwhelmed with sensation, but it’s just not enough for him. It’s easy for Connor to come untouched, but for Markus, it’s nigh impossible.

Connor breaks the kiss to gasp for air, his body overheating just as much as Markus’. “Co-Connor, baby, please...”

“Hmm-- What?” Connor sounds as wrecked as Markus feels. He privately considers it a victory; revenge for earlier.

Trying to break the restraint has proved futile, but Markus still can’t stop himself from pulling, writhing against it with all his might. The fabric is almost certainly warped or beginning to tear, but it’s resilient as hell, to be sure.

Markus tries to pour enough concentration into speaking to actually voice his needs before Connor finishes. “I...Con, I nee-- ah! Fuck, your-your hand-- my-- oh God, fucking just touch me please!”

Connor grants him mercy and reaches between them, giving Markus rough and fast strokes that drive him insane and have him almost screaming. His eyes roll back in his head, half-formed moans of ‘thank you’ and ‘I love you’ spilling out of his mouth uncontrollably. It can’t be long now before he falls over the edge. He won’t be able to handle it otherwise.

It doesn’t take long at all. Barely thirteen seconds after Connor touches him, ecstasy overwhelms every one of Markus’ processors for what feels like far too long and not enough time. He hears the telltale sound of fabric ripping and his hand flies to Connor’s back, dragging his nails down hard enough to tear the polymer skin and then Connor is coming too, seizing up and shuddering apart as he spills into Markus.

And then it’s over. Connor slumps over on top of Markus, their labored breaths mingling together along with the audible straining of their cooling fans. Silence and calm sweeps over them, replacing noise and desperation. Markus raises his hand to stroke Connor’s hair, basking in the afterglow.

Then he realizes what’s wrong with the picture and looks up at what remains of the tie. To its credit, Markus’ other hand is still trapped, but the tie itself has definitely seen better days.

“Oh shit,” Connor mumbles upon seeing the damage. “I think that was Hank’s tie.”

“Wha--?!”

“From years ago,” he clarifies. “He doesn’t care what happens to it, and I’ve got more.”

Markus laughs, still slightly breathless. “Can you untie me?”

Connor hums a yes and reaches up to unpick the knot. He struggles with it for a few minutes, but it comes loose with Connor’s persistence. “Jesus, how much were you pulling on it?”

Markus rubs his wrist, trying to get the polymer skin tone to return to it. “You’re the one holding a broken tie. You tell me.”

“It was a rhetorical question.”

Markus sighs and pulls Connor into an overdue hug. “That was good, though,” he says between languid kisses. “I mean it was torture not being able to hold you, but...I don’t know. I liked it.”

Connor breaks the kiss, but stays nose-to-nose with Markus. “Me too.”

“Clearly,” Markus scoffs. “You can be such a little shit sometimes, you know that?”

“You say that like it’s a bad thing,” Connor preens.

Markus pecks Connor on the corner of his lips. “I didn’t say it was a bad thing.”

Connor smiles down at him and kisses him once, twice more. “But yes, that was enjoyable. I’d be willing to try it again sometime, if you are.”

“Oh, I’m definitely willing,” Markus grins. He looks down and taps Connor on the hip. “Now pull out already. The faster we clean up, the faster we can go to sleep.”

[aurora-nerin]

Do you by any chance have a little bit of your RK1K human!au head cannon to spare?? I love oblivious Connor,,,,,

Im gonna assume the AU you’re referring to is Connor in a wheelchair AU?

I’m gonna drop already existing threads right here in case you missed any:

RK1K human au

Headcanons for Human AU Anderson siblings

I havent really thought about that au in a while, but guess I’ll do now. 

Connor and Markus, after Connor gets his dumb head out of his ass, have a really stable relationship. There’s some talk of marriage even, but they are not rushing: Connor is still settling and getting his life back together and Markus’ musical career is on the rise too: he gets asked to play at more and more events and some major studios contacted him for soundtracks too.

So, it’s very out of the left field, when, one day, Markus announces that he’s quitting playing the piano and applying to med school instead. Sure, he has some basic training (which he got after Carl was injured ) but, otherwise, was never interested. Carl, of course, sees through his son right away and knows where this all coming from. But, Connor, of course, doesn’t. 

They have their first major shouting match because of that: Connor insists that he’s fine with Markus having to travel a lot and Markus should have his own life and doesn’t have to babysit Connor 24/7. Markus tries his best to explain that, he just doesn’t want to be away from his boyfriend for long, but that doesn’t fly. Then he has to cave and admit that he’s doing it because he wants to know more and maybe find some research that would help Connor walk again.

Now, if he thought Connor would be happy or would understand, boy was he wrong: Connor is fuckin furious with him: How dare he suggest Connor needs fixing? He yells at Markus that he’s not a charity project or an injured pet and Markus can fuck right off with his greater good and shove his intentions up his ass. Then just ghosts him for a while. A long while. 

Markus doesn’t see where it all went so wrong: he just wanted to help, that’s all! How could that be bad? Then Carl sits him down and explains that patronizing and playing the savior is not a healthy way into a relationship and he should apologize to Connor. 

Connor, meanwhile, is havin a major identity crisis as well, because, in his POV, Markus all but confirmed that as he is, isn’t good enough and Markus only will like him and stay with him if he’s ‘normal.’ Hank understands where he’s coming from and even though he’s sure Markus didn’t mean it like that at all, he still thinks it was a wrong move. He tried his best to talk Connor into answering Markus’ calls or meeting him, but Connor absolutely refuses. So it’s up to him and Carl to somehow get the two idiots back together again.

Well, then and the Anderson Disaster Siblings, Chris and Richard, who also have couple plans of their own.

[rk1kheadcanons]

Ok so in one of his scenes Markus mentions he feels tempted to abuse his status and he doesn’t entirely trust himself to not go dictator or sth. Markus has to make some sketch calls for Jericho and is constantly afraid he’ll become a tyrant or power-hungry, so he asks Connor (someone unassociated w/ Jericho) that if he goes down that path Connor will stop/kill him as needed. Con says yes on the condition that Markus promises to neutralize him if Cyberlife ever gains control over him again (1/2)

Number One, thank you for your patience with me on your prompt!  Since it was advanced, I wanted to wait until I had a laptop to be able to put all the pieces of your ask together so that it would all make sense.

I LOVE this whole concept, truly.

Anything that makes Markus and Connor more real, more realistic people makes me unreasonably happy, honestly.

I could see them making a agreement of the sort as they started to become closer as friends, to keep each other true to themselves.  Markus never craved violence and power, this is brought out even when you play as Rev!Markus in D:BH, he will comment loosely that he didn't want to take that path.  So, if he ever did conscientiously choose that way to behave and lead,  I could see it wearing on his heart enough to make a pact of this caliber.

As for Connor,  if he goes deviant and is to live that way, he wants to do it all the way. Being around and living with most likely Hank Anderson for a bit beforehand, you bet your whole, entire ass Connor would be a colorful individual once that deviancy really took root.  I mean, lets be completely honest here, he’s absolutely hilarious and  fun when he’s having software instability and still pre-deviancy.  The only person that doesn’t think so is Gavin Reed (beat down AND crumpled up in the evidence room).

Oh well, it be like that.

The amount of snark these two would have and share among themselves would be amazing and I, for one, am here for it.

At first it would seem that the death pact is all ties the two for a while, making their relationship a strange thing to outsiders, even to the Jericrew. 

 North wouldn’t necessarily understand why Markus wouldn’t want to hold onto his rage like she does, not knowing that Markus’s is not quite as honed.  While her’s *makes* her overall, makes her shine as bright as any Phoenix, with Markus it eventually tears him down, makes him just bitter.  Simon would hate that either of them had made such a pact in the first place.  Josh would be the only one to get it, being a pacifist, even though he would definitely not agree with their brand of crazy.  

Their friends would say they are terrible for each other if they out here making promises of death for each other but at the same time, given both of their histories, they would also get it.  They would also see the blooming not quite friendship, not quite love too and totally ship it.

They would ultimately want what’s good for Markus and for Connor, since both have did so much for the movement of Android rights.  They’d see how natural the two acted with each other, how Connor just has come alive around him and Markus has opened up more around Connor. They are thick as thieves and even Hank is starting to move into Dad position for his idiot son’s honor.

Its no surprise when Markus and Connor do move into a relationship.  It’s with little fanfare but the the two of them are beaming.  Neither of them change as the persons they have been, unless you throw in laughing at old vines and memes to making out the next moment like its part of their android rights where anyone can see.  To be honest, their friends and family are just happy to see them acting like to halves of a whole.

Markus deserves the world and if Connor is his world, well, who are they to stop him from having it?

#rk1k #rk1000 #conkus #ask #anonymous #post-canon