Chapter Text
"Connor! What the hell are you doing?!"
"I'm not sure."
Connor looked to Hank, who was standing in the doorway of the bathroom, snapped from his drowsy stupor by the sight of Connor and Sumo in the bathtub with a mountain of bubbles.
Connor, who usually looked professional and proper at this hour, was very clearly dirty and was easily dwarfed by Sumo in the tub. His typically perfect hair was curling from the humidity and water, and was lathered in soap. He looked like a mess, and Sumo matched him pretty well, though Sumo didn't have any soap on his head.
Hank sighed, and Connor chuckled. "Sorry, Hank. Sumo got into Markus's trash while we were visiting this morning, and I was pretty messy myself after I got him out and cleaned up. So I figured we'd just...", Connor turned to the Saint Bernard, who softly barked from the bubble mountain, not much but his head sticking out, "Wash two dorks in one bath."
Hank smiled, shaking his head as he walked up to them, staring at the bubble beast of a dog. "So, how'd you get him in there? Sumo is always a pain in the ass to wash.", he asked, and Connor shrugged. "I got in and then Sumo joined. I looked up dog washing information and I think I am doing okay...", Connor's cheeks turned blue as he scratched the back of his head, "Except that I can barely see him, and I keep accidentally analyzing the bubble soap."
Hank laughed, "Alright then. Did you have a good walk anyway?", he asked, and Connor nodded happily as he rubbed Sumo down with a washcloth. "Markus was happy to see us, and Alice loved meeting Sumo.", Connor said, and Hank smiled. "I figured she would. Guess you're getting better at the whole 'Uncle Connor' business, huh?", Hank smiled as Connor's hair was messed up even more than it already was as Sumo rested his head on top of Connor's, enjoying the pampering he was getting.
Kara, Luther, and Alice, three androids who tried to cross the border to Canada and failed, now lived in the mansion where the revolution leader, Markus, lived. He lived there with Carl, who despite his old age was still kicking, and with his newly freed android back in the house, his mental and physical health improved significantly, no longer mourning over his lost friend.
Connor had apologized to Kara and Alice for chasing after them, and after a few weeks, Alice had begun to trust Connor, who would often bring her a candy bar from the nearest gas station when he visited. Usually, due to her extreme limitations in food consumption, she would just store them away or give them to Carl, but she would occasionally be able to eat a chocolate bar, which she enjoyed completely.
She now took to calling Connor "Uncle Connor" and Hank was given a similar title.
Connor had been fairly desperate to make amends with the mother-daughter pair, and he seemed to have done so.
Connor's LEDs swirled with yellow as he scanned Sumo, smiling. "Looks like you're clean!", Connor turned on the showerhead, and though Sumo squirmed, he allowed the soap to melt away when Connor hugged him. Hank quickly left and shut the door as he saw Connor about to let Sumo go, settling to grab a cup of coffee.
Connor chuckled as Hank rushed to leave, which grew to laughter as Sumo shook himself dry. Connor beckoned him closer, drying the dog as best as he could from within the tub. He finally quickly left the tub to free the dog before closing it and rerunning a new bath.
Hank chuckled as Connor emerged from the bathroom with pajamas on, sports shorts and a soft t-shirt that Markus had offered him.
He sighed as he watched Connor walk away into his bedroom to put his dirty clothes away, knowing that he would have to go to work soon.
And leave Connor behind.
Despite the advancements made in the name of rights of androids, such as freedom of speech and the right to go to court, workers' rights and the right to property were still shaky at best.
Captain Fowler wasn't against letting Connor work homicide, God knows he was fantastic at solving just about any case given to him, but the higher-ups wouldn't let him pay Connor much, if at all.
Luckily, Connor was smart enough not to accept that, and politely declined the offer, stating that he deserved more than petty change.
Connor was obviously upset that he couldn't find decent work, but he was probably more upset that he couldn't pay rent.
Hank wished that he hadn't known about rent, because he had to make a rule with Connor.
No job, no rent.
No income, no rent.
He wasn't just a roommate or something, Connor was... well, Connor.
Hank sighed as he looked at the picture on the table in front of him, showing Cole on his sixth birthday.
Connor was more than just a friend. Hank wasn't really ready to admit it, but Connor was like a son to him.
He wasn't Cole. He was nothing like Cole. Cole would've probably been completely different even when he grew up.
But Connor wasn't just a friend. Connor needed help learning about himself and how the world works, and he looked to Hank for that kind of guidance.
Whenever he felt a new emotion or felt his components acting in a deviant way in a response he wasn't familiar with, he turned to Hank.
Hank had to teach him how to cook, and while he wasn't the best at it and it needed support from Kara and Markus, Connor always turned to Hank first.
And Hank would help him.
Connor smiled as he entered his bedroom. It was what used to be the guest bedroom, and it used to be empty, but Hank and some of Connor's friends had helped fill the room with the necessities.
It was pretty bare, and Connor felt as if he should add more decor to the room eventually, but...
What would he even put in here?
Family photos?
Connor's components felt heavy and dizzying as he was reminded that he had no family.
Markus had North, Carl, and other members of the Jericho group.
Kara had Alice and Luther.
But Connor?
He looked down at his hands, the skin fading away, showing the white plastic underneath.
He had his friends... and he had Hank and Sumo... but Hank was his partner and friend.
He probably didn't see Connor as family. He was a good friend.
Personal belongings?
Connor felt the telltale feeling of sadness as he remembered that he didn't really have any personal belongings.
He had his quarter, but it wasn't much. There was his suit, but that was clothing and had more bad memories than good.
Markus had paints and chess and a piano...
Kara had drawings that Alice made for her, and Alice had lots of toys...
But all Connor really had was a single coin.
Connor didn't really have... anything.
What was he supposed to put in his room?
He had a dresser, a bed, a trashcan, and a desk, but that was it, aside from a rug Markus had found that reminded him of Connor.
The desk had a few stickers, like the symbol of the revolution and a drawing from Alice that she drew of him, but there wasn't much else other than a case Carl had given him for his quarter when he wasn't wearing his suit.
Connor sighed as he sat on the blue covers of his bed, staring at his bare hands. He allowed the skin to cover up the plastic, and sniffled as he held back tears.
He still didn't know who he was.
And he didn't know when he would find out.