Chapter Text
We are Alive
“Markus, this is a really bad idea.”
Josh repeated for the third time. Markus shrugged. He didn’t look at his friends, prioritizing to keep walking. Josh did the same, two steps behind the deviant leader.
“I have a lot of those.”
And those ideas freed them from their perpetual slavery. At least for now. It wasn’t that bad.
“Yeah, but none like this!” Josh stared at the load on Markus’ back. The body, to be exact.
“What is your suggestion then?”
Markus looked around. As his life passed with Carl, he never had an opinion regardless of CyberLife; when the company openly stood against them, Markus thought about them as he thought about humans in general: they were scared and stubborn. Humans were animals of customs; they even thought their own people were less than animals for their skin color, or repeatedly killed, and abuse their females for the simple and dangerous idea to be “superior.”
But there were good people among them.
As they abandoned CyberLife Tower, Markus had a simply uncomfortable feeling. It could be the giant statue in the middle, waiting, and receiving those who entered. Or the androids that stood up around it, like mindless dolls. It almost looked like an altar, a sort of cult.
A cult for what, he didn’t want to know.
Markus couldn’t feel goosebumps, still, the idea managed to create a different possible reaction inside his system. All of them with “keep your distance” or “run” include.
“We should come back with North and Simon, hacked the system of this place. Took the parts or whatever important humans keep here, and move on with our plans.”
Josh stopped, his face reflected how stressed he was. Markus did the same and turned to face him.
“There are more androids here.” Said an AP700, the other androids that with him ‘adored’ the monolith nodded.
“We came back later, so. But what about him, Josh?” Markus would sigh if he even breathed. CyberLife Tower was far to be a safe place to wander around.
Josh frowned. Markus didn’t blame him. He was taking a high risk without putting it to consent. But wasn’t that what he was doing since he arrived at Jericho? It could sound selfish if Markus thought about it in those words, but it wasn’t totally different; he disturbed their ‘status quo’ with his own ideas. Sure, they followed him but what would had happened if he failed?
He would have condemned any other android upcoming. This time wasn’t different at all, and he felt sorry.
He could not do anything.
“We totally forget about him, or we dismantle him.”
Markus snorted and resumed his path towards the entrance. The other androids followed him curiously, but quiet.
“That’s pretty North of you, Josh,” the security system was still active. Markus only hacked him to not think about them as unauthorize androids. When they crossed it, the blue light reflected on the CyberLife logo still present on the clothes of the one Markus was carried.
“You’re going to kill us!”
Josh ran to reach them. There was a high percentage he was right.
“No. I’m just helping another android.” They could have this conversation all day. However, if humans were stubborn, Markus could be worst.
“Why do you act like you don’t know who he is?”
The deviant leader looked at the taxi they took to reach CyberLife Tower. With the extra company, they’d have to walk. At least, it was a sunny morning beside the snow and the shiny snowflakes.
“I know who he is, Josh. He’s—”
“He’s Connor! The deviant hunter! Markus, please.” The PJ500 looked more than distress with the fact they were, technically, about to help the enemy.
Markus never thought this was a war. It could be one if they did a wrong movement. Although, the world wasn’t “good” or “evil.” Even with the clear ‘oppressor-oppressed’ relationship between them and humans.
The RK200 looked at the sky, the sunny but cold day. The snowflakes fell, bright like little stars. It was Simon's idea to explore CyberLife after they had confirmed it had been abandoned by humans during the raid. After their peaceful and successful demonstration, it sounded like a good idea. Markus couldn’t hijack everything, Josh either. They could enter, but they couldn’t make the elevator work properly.
It went up and dawn on certain floors. One of those by luck or destiny was the laboratory. And there, unflappable; oblivious to the changes of the world was the RK800 Connor model, inside a test booth. Markus only thought was, they couldn’t leave him like that.
Like a toy left behind.
The information Josh got through one of the remind laptops said the model was “a failure”, and CyberLife decided to deactivate him and all reminded models. Markus didn’t know where exactly the other ‘models’ were kept, but certainly, he felt sorry.
He was left behind too, damaged, and useless. The despair and loneliness that brought was something Markus wouldn’t wish to anyone. Not even the one who tried to chase them.
“I’ll take responsibility Josh,” Markus said, his mismatched eyes showed the same resolution the PJ500 saw the day when his leader talked about his feelings. About being alive and fight for their rights. “But I won’t leave him.”
It was a bad, risky idea. Markus had a lot of those constantly.
North was upset. Simon was worried, and Josh was already beyond ‘worried’ so he was upset too.
Markus found it stupidly funny how those two could agree with something. Maybe that was a sign he was forcing what he could and couldn’t do as a leader. Too late, what was done, a fact was. He was hiding with Simon inside an abandoned house not too far from Jericho but enough apart to keep everyone safe of the truth.
Markus asked them to keep the secret. The mood among androids had changed from fear to hope. The President had stated on national T.V. that the time to consider androids a new intelligence had come, hostilities against them had ceased for now; Detroit reminded quit and lonely without most humans, they were looking for a better place to live differently to an old, moldy ship.
It was time for faith, not for fear.
Connor laid on an old mattress. Arms relaxed at both sides.
“I’m sorry to bring you with me into this Simon. You can leave now if you want.” Markus was grateful, and sorry in equal parts. The PL600 had been always an unconditional companion with his own opinions but always waited for the right moment to express them. “I know Connor is the last android you’d like to help.”
Markus admired Simon’s cold-minded. In fact, it wasn’t fair for him to be there. Kneeled in front of the RK800 model.
Simon shook his head and smiled. An honest, simple gesture, “don’t worry about me, Markus. You’re right I never thought I’d be in this position.” Not after being chased by the police. What if he had, to be honest, was kind of funny. Full of adrenaline. “Besides, I’d like to know why he didn’t catch me.”
Connor had the opportunity. Simon was trapped like a rat but somehow, he didn’t. That’s how he could come back to Jericho in one piece.
“Curiosity killed the cat, Simon.” The RK200 had the faint of a smile.
He had hijacked a lot of different machines. He had ‘deviated’ (even if he wasn’t sure how that works yet) most of his actual comrades. But ‘activation’ was something he never tried before. Markus hoped, he wouldn’t fry Connor’s system.
“But the cat died knowing.” Simon completed. “Come on, I want to see the magic.”
Markus would be lying if he said he wasn’t insecure. A little nervous. It’d be easier if Connor had any biocomponent damaged, he would only need to connect it or replace it if the damage wasn’t serious, and his system would do the rest.
The deviant leader removed the artificial skin on his hands, with both he took Connor’s right hand and interlaced their fingers. He took a deep breath to cool his system, removed every single doubt, and the unnecessary ideas that could corrupt the process.
Every time he ‘freed’ an android the first ‘thing’ he saw during milliseconds with the established connection, was a red wall of codes. With a unique order as the core. This time he saw black. A pitch-black space and a pop-up message: «Unable to connect. » It looked like there was nothing to connect to, Markus frowned with a frustrated pout.
He sat on Connor’s stomach. With both hands, he took Connor’s face.
“What are you doing?” Simon wasn’t sure he should be smiling, but the whole situation was more and more surreal.
North and Josh would freak out so bad, Simon thought it was a shame they weren’t there to see it.
“Improvising.”
The RK200 removed the skin of his face. With his forehead against Connor’s, he closed his eyes and tried once more.
Come on, Connor. I know you’re there.
After seconds without anything different of the same empty, dark space. Markus reached something.
«Enabled connection founded. »
Markus hummed victoriously.
«Downloading the main code level: RK200 – ‘Markus.’ Accessing the Zen Garden. »
Maybe, he celebrated too soon.
At that point, he couldn’t turn back. He let his system follow the instruction required by the connection. Outside he could hear Simon calling him, two, three times; he never knew if there were a four-time or more; his system stopped paying attention to his surroundings focused on following and completing the requirements.
For him, inside a digital but real world, it looked like a blue world made by small floating CyberLife’s triangles, that fluctuated between bright blue, white and gray forming a door in the middle of pure darkness. It was now or never, Markus crossed it without hesitation.
Behind the door, a frozen parade appeared to him. There was no trace of the door or any type of exit.
It’s more than I expected. He’d have to figure out later how to get out of that place. “Step by step.”
He still needed to find Connor.
A cold blizzard made him shivered, forced him to cover his eyes with one arm. Markus felt it with surprise and distrust.
In general, androids didn’t feel external stimuli like the weather or someone else touch. Models that required a major percent of ‘imitation’ as the Traci models or the children models were equipped with sensors made specifically to feel those stimuli and react to them. A blush, shivered, a moan or fiver; Markus was in the small percent of androids that didn’t belong to any of those types but still, he could feel those aspects in a minor way.
As a healthcare assistant, he had to be sure the environment was suitable for the human at his charge. But that blizzard, the snow quickly accumulating on his shoulders as he tried to make his way on the ice. It felt more than a tolerable nuisance. It felt real.
Be careful.
But fast. He had the feeling he could get trapped.
Markus stepped forward. The ‘Zen Garden’ was no more than a cold space with few naked trees, part of the floor cracked every time he walked. Coldwater, possibly. In the middle of a gray and bluish desert, where the icy wind became stronger, and Markus had to use both arms as a shield, he managed to saw the hidden treasure.
“Connor!”
He was not too far. Kneeled in the middle of the snow, his head down and arms limp. Like a lifeless, abandoned mannequin.
The deviant leader forgot everything about being careful. A simple plan needed a fast simple solution. Markus ran, fell twice, and stood up skating and stumbling in his way. He slipped in the snow and managed to kneel in front of the RK800.
“Connor! Wake up, Connor!” The blizzard hit them harder. Markus trembled with his teeth chattering. “Come on, don’t make this more difficult.” Markus groaned and removed the skin of both hands to touch the RK800 face. “Wake up!”
Markus stayed there, freezing until Connor gave signs of life no matter the time it took him. And he did, when his body was covered by the snow to his waist, Connor blinked, slow and lagged. The RK200 couldn’t help a smile crossing his face of pure relief.
Connor blinked again, and again. Faster as his body trembled, his hands shook uncontrollably for a couple of seconds. Markus didn’t move away, Connor’s LED flickered between yellow and red until it reached a safe blue tone; they looked at each other. Connor needed time to recognize his ‘savior’. The snow-covered them centimeters above Markus’ elbows.
“Markus?” The unbelief tone of his voice made the deviant leader used his best confident smile.
“Hey, there.”
Connor got up suddenly. LED turned yellow again, he looked around lost and almost scared. Confused in all possible ways. “Where’s Amanda?” He stepped back as the RK200 stood up and removed the snow out of his coat. “Why are you here?” Markus expected it, and reminded calm, his expression tender as he put some space between them.
Connor looked at him like a trapped animal.
“How about we leave that for later?”
The RK800 hugged himself, finally aware of the cold sensation and the snow. His world settled down the remained pieces. The deviant leader looked around, he started walking towards the most notable thing around, he wished he could do this process smoothly, with calm.
“Where are you going?”
Markus pointed out what looks like a big gravestone with blue lights.
“There, we have to get out of here soon. And that looks interesting.”
Connor wanted to ask, it was written in his face. However, he reminded in silence with his LED still in yellow. If it didn’t turn red Markus could take it as a good sign, especially when the detective decided to follow him.
“Don’t you have a plan?” Connor asked, he kept a safe, preventive distance that made Markus smiled, but he preferred to keep his serious face. “Do you know what you’re doing, Markus?”
“Do you think I’m going around reactivating androids as a hobby?”
If Connor wanted to say something or just expressed discomfort, he kept it by himself. Markus hoped with time the detective could show more emotions different to those the immediate surprise tore out of him. In front of the gravestone, with its blue light shining, Markus knelt, trying to figure out a way out.
Connor tilted his head, narrowed his eyes until his face came back to distant security.
“Do you have any idea what this is?” The deviant leader asked, after a moment of silence.
“Kamski told me about an ‘emergency exit’ he left in his programs. This one has been here since I was activated.” And it was still there, perfectly functional apparently. It had to be the mentioned exit.
Markus nodded and stood up. “Go on, touch it.”
“Why?” The RK800 looked from the gravestone to his objective. The one he had to capture but failed miserably in the process.
“Why not?” Markus' voice was soft, patient.
“I failed,” Connor explained with a coldness that hurt the RK200. “I failed my mission. I must be defective.”
Markus knew that was an important conversation. Something he had to talk with the advanced prototype to reach that ‘freedom’ he wanted to give him. But it wasn’t the moment.
“We’ll talk about this later.” Before Connor could protest, Markus took his hand and forced him to touch the ‘emergency exit.’ “Do me a favor, Connor. When you’re almost ‘outside,’ interrupt the connection I established with you. In theory, that should force my system to regain normal functions, and I could leave this place.”
Connor showed another emotion he couldn’t suppress, surprise.
“In theory? Are you out of your mind?”
Markus smiled, “Maybe.”
It worked.
That was the real surprise for Markus. Not the fact that when he opened his eyes he had Connor and Simon by his side, the first one with a clear worried expression in his eyes, besides the apparent coldness of his face.
“Dear rA9 Markus! Don’t dare to do that again.”
Simon ran both hands over his face, the RK200 got up to sit on the mattress, Connor was in a similar position with his back against the wall.
“Sorry, Simon.” Markus didn’t want to repeat the experience. It was surreal but not pleasurable.
“I hope you are. I don’t want to see you again losing consciousness like that. It was scary.” Simon almost looked pale, with fear written on his face.
Markus caressed his hair, “I won’t do it again, I promise.” Then he focused his attention on the RK800, “How are you feeling, Connor?”
“Why did you do it?”
Connor's voice was sharp and cold. Markus felt partially attacked but he knew it was a normal reaction; the RK800 didn’t move, but his eyes said it was better for them not to get close.
“Will you satisfy if I tell you, I just felt I have to do it?
“We don’t feel. We’re machines. This is just an error in our system.”
Simon helped Markus to stand up, both shared a look.
It would be a long way to go.
Connor had told Hank, he knew who he was. The thing is he was lying through his teeth.
Since the first day of his activation, during the laboratory tests, even when he saved the hostage girl; Connor was sure of what he was. Not ‘whom’ but ‘what’. He was a machine, created to complete a task. Nothing less, nothing more. He obeyed CyberLife’s orders. He followed their instructions, and Amanda was the embodiment of that.
She was the representation of his masters.
But the more he worked on the deviant case the more he… thought.
Carlos Ortiz’ android told him the truth was inside. He chose to save Hank over following the android named Rupert. He didn’t shoot the two Traci and decided to spare the android in Elijah Kamski’s house.
And when Hank asked him why Connor couldn’t find an answer. Not one suitable for what he was.
Machines didn’t feel, the machine didn’t have their own thoughts. They evaluate situations, took numbers into consideration to decide the best, logical route.
When he had the opportunity to find Jericho, he didn’t do it.
He chose, again, to contradict his orders. He betrayed Amanda and pitifully begged for another chance when he couldn’t face her. He couldn’t admit to her he was afraid of being deactivated but somehow, he also knew what he was doing was ‘correct.’
He was defective, it was the only solution.
He also hoped Hank was alive.
Now Connor just had his thoughts. He didn’t try to contact CyberLife, not that he wanted to. His system made him now any type of access to the company’s platform had been deactivated as soon as he self-tested to be sure everything was in order. His permissions were denied too.
He failed, and he was left behind.
The room’s door opened, a soft ‘crack’ made Connor stood up. He still had his instructions about how to act, without nothing else to follow those looked like the better option.
It was that, or to keep thinking by himself. And he was scared.
Machines couldn’t feel. But he was feeling.
The contradiction made his system pop-up several ‘error messages’, Connor immediately dismissed as soon as the intruder entered.
“Hello, Connor. How are you feeling?”
Markus entered with a bag on his left hand. He wasn’t wearing his long coat, instead, he wore a blue over-sized sweater, a big black jacket, and a pair of white jeans.
“We don’t feel, Markus. We’re machines.” Connor answered, his head tilted as he just said the most obvious fact. Maybe if he lied to himself enough, he would believe it. The RK200 rolled his eyes half annoying and half-amused. He knew what Connor was doing; how bad the decision was but he wasn’t there to judge. “What are you wearing?”
“You like it? North gave it to me.” Markus sat on the mattress and started to unpackage different types of clothing. “I bring you some too. You should stop wearing that uniform.”
Connor kept his straight position, stood up next to the only window of the room. He scanned the clothing and the RK model and quickly lost interest.
“Your sweater is two sizes bigger than you, it’s not suitable.” That was a logical answer. However, his system suggested weird things as possible options too. “it’s good” or “looks cute”, something similar when he decided to pet Hank’s Saint Bernard out of nowhere.
“Well, ‘fashion-expert’, I dare you to find something suitable in Detroit without looting, and with the city almost abandoned.” Markus looked at him with those shiny, mismatched eyes full of tender. He didn’t need a smile to look friendly. It was part of his design, Connor hated (and said to him it was, again, another mistake in his program) how the deviant leader was being so kind to him with no apparent reason. “Tried some clothes, I chose them.”
“I don’t need them.” Connor declared, serious. Distant.
Markus shrugged. “Do you prefer CyberLife’s uniform?”
“I don’t prefer anything.”
“Why not?”
Connor repressed his emotions behind a cold, immutable face.
“Androids don’t have a preference. It’s unnecessary to wear anything different from a uniform. Pointless.”
Those words hurt both RK models.
“Are you sure?” He asked again, “Connor, you’re not a slave, CyberLife abandoned you when you didn’t have a use for them. You don’t owe them loyalty. You are alive.”
Connor felt rage and confusion. An overwhelming, burning sensation that saturated his system with “software instability” and “error” messages. Still, he kept the cold expression. As lifeless as possible.
“Why you care so much?”
Markus took his time to answer, he considered his option between a lie, ignore or be honest.
“I was also abandoned by humans, like you,” his eyes focused on the clothing, the memories came back, Markus could even hear the machines destroying androids, throwing them like trash. “I was left behind. They thought I was deactivated. I wasn’t. It’s lonely, isn’t it? And painful.”
“That’s not how I feel, because I don’t feel anything!”
Connor clenched his fists until he damaged the synthetic skin. Unable to keep the composure, he showed a mixture of frustration and anger inside him. His LED turned into a furious red. Markus could see fear and confusion behind those emotions. The deviant leader stood up and walked to the door.
“You’re not captured here, Connor. You can leave this place and do whatever you want.” Markus raised his head with pride, his body straight and secure. If the RK800 wanted to play that game, two could do it. “You can even try to kill me and stop us. But that won’t change facts, Connor. You are alive, you’re a deviant like us. Like me.”
Markus left the room, Connor tried to protest but he couldn’t.
Markus was right. And it was painful.
Connor didn’t leave the abandoned house. Not even the room.
Where would he go, anyway?
He didn’t have anything. No CyberLife, no DPD. He could try to find Hank but what could he say to him? What reason would have the man to keep him by his side, now that androids won?
Markus visited him once or twice per week. He tried to start a conversation, the detective kept his distance. Connor thought he hated Markus. If the deviant leader wouldn’t have reactivated him, he wouldn’t be in such a problematic situation. In fact, if Markus wasn’t around androids would have never raised against humans.
The deviant leader slowly started to visit him more and more. Almost every day. It had passed a month and a half. And so, Connor understood he didn’t hate him. He could try to accomplish his mission, of course, he could! Like at that moment, Markus was sitting on the mattress, drawing flowers and birds on a piece of paper. It was almost perfect, Connor could try and maybe, CyberLife would take him again.
Instead, Connor sat beside Markus and looked at the drawing. Markus smiled at him and regained his focus. Connor was a fast learner, part of his design included a high level of adaptability. He knew he couldn’t do anything against the RK200 even if he tried with all his might.
“Why are you coming so much?” Curiosity wasn’t a crime, yet.
Markus shrugged, without taking off the look of his drawing. “North’s taking the lead more and more after we negotiated with the Governor, I don’t mind it. She’s an excellent leader, so I have more free time.”
Connor hummed. “Why?”
“I’m not a leader, Connor. I only managed to gather them and made them work together. I haven’t abandoned the cause. I still work for our rights, but find a suitable leader is also important.” Besides, Markus was a symbol; he couldn’t avoid the spotlight not even if he wished for it. “And l like to spend my time with you and Carl.”
“Me?”
Connor noticed the way Markus added more details to the drawing. He was doing a portrait among the flowers and birds.
“You. Yes.” The RK200 answered with a simplicity that Connor found annoying. His mind was a storm, a hurricane and he felt jealous of how the other could say those things so easily.
“Why me?”
“I like you, that’s it.” Markus stopped and looked at the advanced prototype. “I feel comfortable with you, but if you ask me to leave, I won’t disturb you anymore.”
Connor wondered if he would like to never see Markus again. He had the answer so clear and fast that even felt scared of that.
“Come again as much as you want, deviant.”
Markus smiled. He was drawing the detective.
Connor didn’t hate Markus. He couldn’t. The mere idea of hurting him was at that point unacceptable. Emotions were weird, choosing on his own instead of following orders still was something Connor had to get used to.
Even so, he enjoyed Markus's company. His smile was the biggest “software instability” the RK800 could classify, all those efforts to bond with him surely were… adorable. Connor was the one who had to make his way among humans, androids were out of the equation. Markus was the first one to try and keep trying regardless of Connor’s doubts and anger.
And he wished for the first time since he was activated, and passed all the tests that allowed him to face the world, he could stay by Markus side, always.
.
Markus didn’t lie. He liked Connor. He still needed to understand in what way he liked the RK800, but Markus was sure he wanted to spend his days with him; he founded himself wondering how Connor would look smiling, or how would sound his laugh.
More than anything, Markus wanted to help him to understand and deal with his identity.
He talked with Simon, first. The PL600 smiled like he had discovered one of the most incredible things in their world.
“You’re in love!” His friend told him. Markus had his doubts, the last time he thought about ‘love’ he confused his strong desires to protect and help North with ‘love.’ And both agreed that couldn’t happen again.
So, Markus talked with her. She wasn’t amused by the deviant hunter reactivated. Though with all they had to do regardless of their people and their future, she ignored it easily. “You have weird likes, Markus,” she stated, with the same amusement Simon showed. “But if you’re not sure, kiss him. We did it, and nothing happened.”
Markus wondered if Connor would appreciate that gesture, or if he would hate him for doing that.
Josh was his third option. No matter the time passed, the PJ500 wanted Connor as far away as possible. He started with an “I can’t believe it” and then took his time to lecture Markus about his bad decisions. Josh gave the subject finished with a simple but strong “take care, Markus.”
In the end, the deviant leader considered his options and asked the last two persons he could trust something like that.
First, of course. He looked for his father for advice.
Markus described to the old man every single of his emotions and desires. Carl listened to him with patient attention. Leo was there, too; their relationship had been improving slowly. Before the painter could say something, Leo spoke first.
“That sounds like a crush for me.”
The RK200 had to look for the definition and examples. He frowned and shook his head. Every part of his system said what he was feeling was stronger than a ‘crush.’
“I think is love, Markus,” Carl concluded. Between happy and slightly concerned, they were talking about the android who tried to trap Markus and ruined the revolution. “Talk to him, be honest.”
Good advice, if they weren’t talking about ‘Mr. Androids don’t feel.”
Before took a decision, Markus paid a visit to his last hope: Hank Anderson. Connor’s partner. If there were someone who could understand better the RK800 should be him,
Markus had talked with the man a couple of times before. He was one of the few humans who agreed to stay in Detroit to help them when androids needed to find shelter. He was one of those who stood against anti-androids activists. So, Markus ended his ‘quest’ in the lieutenant house at eight o’clock at night.
They sat in the kitchen, Markus hugged and petted Sumo a couple of times before addressing his doubts. The whole story.
“What brings you here, Markus?” Hank asked he threw in the garbage some pizza packing and beer cans.
“I want to ask you about Connor, lieutenant.”
The old man sat in front of the android. Sumo dropped by his side. “What happens with Connor?”
Oh, right. He didn’t know Markus's most recent ‘bad idea.’
“A month and a half ago, I entered CyberLife and reactivated him.” The RK200 started, Hank’s expression changed from curiosity to surprise in one second. “And I—”
“Hold on. You’re telling me, he’s alive?”
“Pretty much, yes.”
Hank snorted, he ran a hand over his face but smiled. Happy and relief. “Puddle is alive, and I thought I was a stupid asshole for not stopping him.”
Markus bit his lower lip to not laugh. “Puddle?”
“Connor followed me everywhere like a damn puddle. He even has those damn curls and puppy eyes.” The man signed, he looked relaxed. “Can I know why that kiddo hasn’t come to see me?”
“That’s what I want to ask you, lieutenant—”
Markus stopped as soon as Hank raised his hand.
“Hank.”
“Hank,” Markus repeated. “Connor is stubborn. He doesn’t leave the house, but he refused to believe he’s alive and that he can feel.” He thought about his next words. His probabilities to success or failure, “Also, I’m struggling with some feelings. I… I want to help him. I want him to be happy, to find his place in this world. I want to see him smile and I want to hear him laugh; I’d like him to let me stay by his side and—”
“Wait, wait. Stop, right there!” Hank had a smile between Simon and North amusement. “You’re trying to tell me, you love him?”
Markus didn’t know how to answer.
“I don’t know.” He said, after a moment of hesitation. “I don’t know what to do or how to approach Connor.”
“Shit Markus. And you assumed I was your best option, right?” The RK200 nodded, Hank sighed. He suddenly felt too old for those things. “Dunno, shit. Just show him. Don’t talk, Connor can be a fucking advanced prototype but that mind of his is too hard to understand simple words.”
“Show him?” Markus tilted his head. It was possible. Even better than trying to express his feelings. “Thank you, Hank!”
“Anytime. And tell that plastic cop to come to say hello.”
Markus nodded. When Connor felt ready, he’d sure do it.
It took time for him. But in the end, Connor got rid of his CyberLife uniform.
He let it carefully fold on the floor next to the mattress. Instead of it, he chose a gray t-shirt and black pair of pants. Same shoes, no point on changing them. It was the first step; Connor wouldn’t say he openly agreed to be a ‘deviant.’ The fact was doubtless but it doesn’t mean he was a hundred percent sure of his next movements.
Maybe he should go outside and face the world.
Connor wasn’t expecting Markus, but when the RK200 entered with a soft smile and that oversized sweater. Connor thought, with honesty after long days spinning on the same idea he also liked the deviant leader. And he had to be grateful to have been reactivated, out of the cold, frozen garden.
“Looking good!” Markus took his usual place on the mattress, this time Connor sat by his side immediately.
“Still wearing that sweater.” Connor smiled, Markus thought his vision unite was infected by a virus. “What?”
Connor noticed it, the RK200 had more than three possible answers to that question and all of them were ridiculous.
“You’re smiling.” He said, at the end.
“Correct, Markus. I know how to smile, I’m an advanced prototype.”
Was that sarcasm? Was Connor, the deviant hunter following a conversation?
“Are you okay, Connor?” Markus had to ask. To be sure he wasn’t hallucinating.
“I’m working at my hundred percent. Are you okay, Markus?”
Okay, Markus could have that conversation the whole night, but he had a purpose to fulfill. The RK200 nodded and offered his right hand after removing the synthetic skin. “I want to tell you something, but I thought the best way was showing you.” He explained, Connor thought that shy smile, and the way Markus mismatched eyes looked at him and then at the floor was the cutest thing in the world.
Cutest than Sumo.
“Nervous, deviant?” Connor had to say it. It wasn’t polite, appropriate, or even kind. But the opportunity was there, perfectly served for him.
“Damn Connor, just do it.”
“I hope is something important.”
Connor removed the skin of his left hand and pressed it against Markus.’
Interfacing took Connor by surprise. The first message was a simple question about accepting the connection marked with Markus serial number. The rest was fucking shit with Hank’s surprised voice. But good ‘shit.’ The best thing in his life. Markus's memories felt so vivid that Connor had to remind himself he wasn’t there but were his feelings the mix of fear, love, and absolute loyalty what made Connor trembled.
They looked at each other with the same surprise. Connor’s system suggested: kiss or hug.
“Wow,” Markus whispered, the smiled on his face was so bright than Connor thought his thirium-pump could melt.
“You’re mushy, Markus. I can’t believe you could take Detroit by force, but you chose singing.”
Markus pushed him, laughing without breaking their interface. “Shut up! My song saved us.”
He brought Markus by his arm and kissed him. Oh, he was loving that surprised expression on the always calm and focus RK200.
“I’ll have to get used to this part of you.” Markus murmured, against Connor’s lips.
“I hope you don’t.”
Early in the morning, Connor passed to say ‘hello’ to Hank.