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Hank shut the trunk with a lot more force than needed, taking absolutely no effort in hiding his terrible mood. What was fowler thinking? Making him drive all the way up to Ohio for some kind of important meeting. He could have refused. If Connor hadn’t insisted on going.
Taking a plane with an android was way more complicated than needed and so the car was the only choice. He didn’t like it. He didn’t like the freeway. He didn’t like the weather.
“Fucking asshole.” He hissed under his breath when he ripped the driver’s door open and slumped into the seat.
Connor was already waiting. He didn’t really have anything to take along anyway. No food needed, no bathroom breaks either. And when Hank got tired, Connor could just drive the rest. Gas was already full. They would make a good chunk of the way until they had to refill.
Connor made a move to take the coin out of his pocket and Hank glared at him. “…If I hear any sound from you you’re walking.”
The android took his hand back down and rested them in his lap as Hank started the engine and pulled the car up onto the road. He did enjoy the silence for about three minutes before he turned on the radio, immediately selecting the cassette deck and letting a tape play he had had in there for possibly the past two decades.
Something he only played during long car rides like these. Connor eyed him with questioning eyes at the change in style, but said nothing.
Maybe that car ride would turn out to be a little better than horrible.
Half an hour down the road and several songs later, Hank finally turned to Connor who had been gazing out the window the whole time, apparently willing to drag the “no sound” rule to the next level.
“So… ever been to Ohio?” he tried.
Connor looked at him, shook his head and looked back outside to the passing landscape as if anything out there was more interesting than the interior of the car.
Hank snarled. But he could play that game too. “Not gonna talk, eh?” he as almost amused at this. “Open the glove compartment.”
Connor paused for a moment, but did as told. Not without needing a second to figure out how to open it. Hank laughed silently when a stack of twenty or so cassettes fell out, scattering over the floor of the car. Connor made a surprised sound as he tried to keep the rest inside and picked up what had fallen down.
“…Cassette tapes?” he questioned silently.
“Yup. Pick one.”
Connor eyes them for a while, undoubtedly trying to make sense of the writing on the tapes at ranged anywhere from “Mixtapes” to “70’s”. Hank knew nothing of that made sense to the android. That made it even more amusing.
“How about this one?” Connor muttered, utterly confused as he held up a cassette labeled “The lieutenants mixtape” written in careful capitals of a child.
Hank cringed. Why was that tape still in there?
“Really wanna listen to that one?”
“It says Lieutenant on it-“ Connor tried, still confused.
Hank sighed deeply, pressed a button on the radio and the music stopped at the current tape was ejected. Connor took a moment to study it before he took it out and placed the other one in there. Seconds a song that the android had never heard, echoed silently through the car. It started in the middle, as if it had been interrupted.
“….Cole recoded that for me.” Hank muttered after a while. “Was interesting to show him all these old songs and technology shit… he got really excited.”
Connor was silent for a moment longer than expected. “I apologize. I didn’t mean to-“
“It’s fine, kid.” Hank sighed. “It’s been a while since I’ve listened to this.”
Still, the song that played spiraled both of them into a heavy silence. Hank knew there were many other, happier songs on there. It just had to be this one, because Hank had thrown the tape out last time he had listened to it, during that song.
“The song…” Connor began, “It …makes me feel strange.”
Hank chuckled, eyes focused on the road. “Makes you wanna cry, eh?”
“That wasn’t what I was implying.”
Another chuckle from the older man. “But that’s good.”
“What is good, Lieutenant?” Connors frown was almost visible in his words.
“If it makes you feel something, it means you got the message.”
He let Connor ponder over that. Maybe the song had some underlying meaning for him too, now after everything.
“… Nothing can ever replace Cole.” Hank muttered then, didn’t really know why he shared all these thoughts. “….But you’re not so bad at this family thing, son.”
And Hank would have laughed at Connors dumbfounded expression, if his own feelings hadn’t gotten into a twist and made his eyes a little misty.
He stared back through the windshield, and hoped for the song to end.
This was enough of a feel-trip for one day.