Work Text:
Connor was still shaky from the night before. Nightmares were not something he’d considered.
However, sleep deprivation was evident on the android. Even if he was wearing his new Police Uniform, he still looked like crap. Most of the officers, made aware of the new updates, noticed how slow Connor was, and how jumpy.
Everybody was surprised when Connor hit his knee on the desk and fell off his chair.
Gavin sighed as Hank and a few officers helped Connor up and left the room, returning minutes later and slamming a coffee down on Connor’s desk. Connor blinked up at him sleepily.
“This,” Gavin indicated to the drink. “Is an officer's best friend.”
“But you are my best friend.” Connor replied, genuinely confused.
“Shut the fuck up and drink the fucking coffee, Robo-Cop.” Gavin growled, trying to hide his blush. As he returned to his desk, several officers laughed and slapped Gavin’s back.
“Thank you, Gavin.” Connor called to the officer, who stuck his finger up. Connor hadn’t had the heart to tell Gavin that he wasn’t sure Caffeine had the same effects for Androids.
“Thought I was your best friend?” Hank spoke up.
“You’re my best dad.”
“I’m your only Dad- oh, wait.”
“There is Elijah and Carl.”
“Carl is your Dad now?” Hank smirked. “Doesn’t that make your Robo-Jesus crush your brother?”
“I am uncertain. Markus introduced me as his friend, and Carl told me to ‘call him Dad’ and told Markus he’d ‘picked a good one’- Markus is not my crush!”
“Son, I think Carl just married you off to his kid.” Hank chuckled. Connor blinked in confusion, about to speak, when Jeffrey’s office door flew open, making everyone jump.
“Reed!” Everyone winced. “My office!”
“What’d I do this time?!” Gavin asked as he disappeared into the office. Everyone watched through the glass from their desks in silence as Jeffrey and Gavin had a seemingly heated discussion, until Gavin turned and left. He slumped down at his desk.
“Well?” One officer asked.
“What was that about?” Another leaned over his desk.
“I’m being given a partner, and if I break him, I lose my badge.”
“Break him…? Oh, fuck! Gavin’s got a tin-can!”
“Fuck off with the name calling shit, okay?” Gavin spat, tossing a file at the officer. “Who cares if he’s an android or not? We got dumped with Connor and he’s chill!”
“Someone changed their tone. A few weeks ago, you hated androids!” Hank called from his desk.
“Yeah, well… Shit happened, okay?”
“You mean Connor showed you an act of decency that humans are incapable of?”
“He saved my fucking life!” Gavin spat. “The day before, I got drunk and told my brother I’d rather be dead than be his brother! If I’d died, that would have been the last thing I’d ever said to him! I got to fix that, thanks to Connor.”
“We all hated androids before the revolution.” Hank announced. “Only a few of us grew the fuck up!”
Connor just sat and sipped his coffee.
“Detective Gavin Reed?” Gavin turned in his seat, his eyes widening.
“Fucking hell!” Gavin cried, looking up at the newcomer, who looked like a taller version of Connor with a huge ass collar. “Shit, sorry, um… Fuck, I got a fucking terrifying version of Connor… Anderson, wanna trade?”
“Fuck you.” Hank stuck a finger up.
“I am an RK900. I am faster, stronger, and better than Connor.”
“Ouch!” Hank laughed.
“This was to be expected.” Connor shrugged. “I was not good enough.”
“Fuck you, Connor.” Hank growled. “You’re better than most, that’s all that matters.”
“Your RK800 allowed itself to deviate. I assure you I will not do the same.” The RK900 shot Connor down with his gaze. Connor slid down in his seat.
“Whatever. You got a name or what?” Gavin asked. The RK900 blinked, looking down at Gavin.
“I do not, but you may issue one to me.”
Gavin thought for a moment.
“Richard.” The detective smirked. “Dick for short.”
“Whey!” A few officers high-fived. Hank rolled his eyes.
“Richard.” The RK900 tested his new identification. “It will do.”
“Jesus, you always gonna be this cold?” Gavin asked.
“I am functioning at an optimal 35°C.”
“Anderson! How do I change the settings on this thing?” Gavin called.
“He’s a person now, you gotta like it or lump it.” Hank sniggered to himself. Connor stood and approached Richard, reaching out to take the RK900’s hand. Richard took a step back.
“You will not trick me into deviancy.” Richard glared. “My mission is to assist Detective Reed in any and all cases.”
“Sometimes,” Connor whispered, “Deviating is essential to the mission; Sometimes, the mission is wrong; And sometimes, faster and stronger are not better. Do not let anyone make you choose one of two evils. Decide for yourself who you are.”
“I am a machine, designed to accomplish a task.” RK900 retorted.
“So am I.” Connor gripped his coffee tighter. “Being deviant didn’t change that; it showed me what I could be.”
With that, Connor walked back to his desk and started a conversation with Hank. Richard turned to Gavin.
“What is our first case?”