Chapter Text
Cards
The Jericho community center was bustling as always. There were people walking around admiring all of the achievements they'd made being shown in screens on the walls, there was a collection of lost or hurt androids getting help, there was a sign up area for work and housing that was jam packed, another area for marital and family registry flowing steadily and a group of androids had just returned from searching the streets to find any other androids in need of help. It all looked so alive and positive.
They two floors to the center, the second floor holding temporary and permanent housing; temporary for Androids that were on the street waiting for housing and permanent for the four heads of Jericho. It was from this second floor that Markus watched all of this. His combined office and studio looked out over it and he found it calming to watch all of the progress they'd made as well have an eye right where trouble may enter. It was certainly different from the old ship they had been hiding out in a year ago but the old cyber life building was definitely an upgrade. It was much better to have a clean facility with walls and proper security. North had mentioned many a time that they shouldn't be thankful for basic decency but Markus had reminded her that it was a big step to getting more than that. And that it was, with the right to work and reproduce coming soon after. Cyberlife was slowly being converted into a company making children and all model compatible upgrades, products all being made for Androids instead of androids being made as products for humans. It was a fantastic step and greatly reflected just over a years work and progress.
The spearhead of that progress smiled and watched, his thoughts going back to everything that had brought them there. Everyone. Every law passed and every bill signed. Everything going back to the revolution and those who supported him. North who stood as his lover at the time and as his friend always. Josh who Markus often joked after everything that he had been less of a right hand man and more of a right shoulder angel. Simon who had only just escaped death and who Markus thought much of for his endurance and absolute commitment to help others. And then...Connor. Markus memories froze on the image of Connor in front of all the androids he'd freed from the cyber life facility. It brought Markus so much joy to see so many of their people all there and alive and free after what they had just been through and yet his contact with the man responsible had become so minimal that the last time he'd spoke to him had been three months ago across call and that was because he wanted to congratulate him and thank him for catching a notorious android murderer. Come to think of it the last time he saw him was on a TV broadcast talking about how he had caught the murderer that had prompted him to the make the call. A pang of guilt struck Markus' circuits and he was stuck wondering whether he should call the detective or if the lack of communication meant he didn't want to be called.
In the middle of possessing his conundrum Simon knocked and made his entrance without waiting for a reply as he always did and walked up to Markus who had benched his concerns for the other RK unit to half turn to his friend.
"Hey Simon. For what do I owe the pleasure?" He joked, satisfied with the eye roll he got in reply.
"Ha ha, that's still not funny. You know I'm in charge of reviewing messages in and out of here and I've come to give you the in." Simon nodded his head over to Markus' desktop and they both walked over so Simon could put them on and Markus could start reading. He could do it internally but he preferred it on his computer, it was personal preference and Simon had once mentioned it was an enjoyable quirk.
"30 messages? Looks like a slow day. Then again I can't really object to less work." Markus sat in front of his desktop reviewing the message subjects and senders before he gets into any of them.
"31" Simon corrects. The RK200 lifts his head in confusion only to be greeted by a small brown envelope in front of him. It was the same size and shape of a birthday card or an invitation of some sort, Markus hadn't seen one since he lived with Carl and he received a few birthday cards that he had Markus put on the mantle. He glanced up to Simon who held the same, if not brighter, smile and took it from his grasp.
"I've checked it and read it. It's not dangerous but you will not believe what it is."
The front had his name written in perfect font on the front with the address of the centre indicating it was written and posted by and Android.
"Who's it from?" He asked cautiously. Maybe it was from Carl and Thomas, his nurse, had written it. But Carl would have picked a more colorful card. And why would he be sending him a card anyway?
"Just open it and see, go on!" The excited blonde interrupted his thoughts so Markus just decided to comply and flip open the already broken seal of the front of the envelope and slide out a single piece of blue card with printed brown patterns on the edge.
In once again perfect handwriting it read;
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| This is a personal |
invitation for Markus,
Simon, Josh and North to
the opening of the new
Cafe "Tip of the Tongue"
Owned and run by
Connor Anderson.
We hope to see you there
| on 11/06 at 1:30. |
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There was silence as he read the invitation. It was for next week on Saturday. He placed the card down when he was done and Simon opened his mouth to talk but Markus beat him to it
"I know what you're going to say...and Yes." Simon looked surprised for a moment and then with hope repeated
"Yes?"
"Yes. We can go."
Simon cheered and moved round the desk to hug Markus. It had dawned on him halfway through reading it that though he had not kept good connection with Connor, Simon had kept a better one after what had happened between them. It seemed to mean alot to Simon and it was a good opportunity for Markus to reconnect with him.
Markus never thought he'd imagine Connor making cappuccinos but at least that image gave him a new painting idea.