Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

"Why don't you just ask him out?"

Connor would never admit to being surprised by the familiar voice coming right from beside him. His immediate reaction was, "Fuck off, Reed." Just like Hank had taught him.

The other detective laughed instead of getting angry like he would when they first met. He leaned back more fully against Connor's desk and jerked his head in the direction that the android had been facing for the last ten minutes. Doing a very bad job at hiding it.

"Just go ask him out. This is painful to watch."

For whatever reason, his sensors were telling him that he was embarassed. But why? He wasn't doing anything to be ashamed of surely. The only thing he knew was that he couldn't just walk over there and talk to Markus. It was Markus.

And Markus didn't have time for detectives when he was meeting with much higher ranked officers and even the mayor. There were much more important things for him to do then talk to Connor.

"Let's just get back to work," he said, facing his computer. He missed the contemplative look that his fellow detective shot him before returning to his own desk.

A few minutes later, Hank returned with lunch. A quick scan of the contents made Connor smile. There were vegetables! And he had a bottle of water to drink instead of a soda or a coffee.

"What?" the older man questioned.

"Nothing, Hank," Connor replied, still smiling. He grinned at Hank until he received notice of a new email. From G. Reed.

His eyes slid over to the detective across the room, but nothing seemed amiss so he tentatively decided to see what it said. It must be for a case or something.

The RK800 couldn't really process the email at first. He was stuck on the word friend. They were friends? He was surprisingly okay with that. And now his friend was going to help him talk to Markus? How wonderful! He couldn't help but feel like he'd misjudged Gavin all those months ago when they'd first met. About a year and a half now.

The next thing he got stuck on was the knowledge that everyone knew he liked candy. This time, he was definitely embarassed. He was one of the only androids that had the ability to eat, not that the nutrition or lack thereof had any effect on him. He couldn't gain weight, and he didn't need food to survive. It was just an addition that had been designed should he ever need it for a case, like going undercover. It was pretty useful during long interrogations as well. It helped soothe people when they ate with him somehow. It made him seem more alive probably.

So yeah, he could eat. He chose not to because the upkeep wasn't worth the experience. His body could clean itself, of course, but it did so through breaking down the food so much that it could eventually be dispelled gaseously. That happened one time, after eating a burger Hank cooked. Connor was mortified even though it was just a normal function of his body. Knowing that didn't help at all. He really just wanted the earth to open up and swallow him whole. Hank, of course, had been surprised but once recovered, he proceeded to laugh so hard that he fell from his chair. It was deep, gut-wrenching laughter that Connor had never seen his adopted father use before so it helped him feel better.

He still swore that it would never happen again though. And it hadn't. Any time he had to eat after that, he removed his psuedo-stomach himself and cleaned it out. It could be very tedious so he just doesn't think food is worth it.

But...

Of course there's a but.

He likes the taste of candy. Not that he can 'taste' in the human sense of the word. There are so many different ingrediants to be found in each piece of candy that every bite is like an explosion of information on his tongue. Tingly might be the best word to describe it. He tries to only indulge every now and then, but apparently he isn't secretive enough. Gavin, specifically, somehow knows about the candy he keeps in his desk.

Great.

But if he can use it to somehow talk to a certain RK model then...

Wait. Gavin's email said he talked to Markus. Gavin's email said he talked to Markus and had directed him Connor's way.

Gavin's email said he talked to Markus and had directed him Connor's way!

A panicked glance towards the meeting room showed that it was empty. Oh good. Markus and his entourage must have left already. The RK800 was slightly disappointed but then again that meant-

"Detective Anderson?"

Oh god.

"Detective Reed said you had some questions for me."

Hank. Where is Hank?

"Would you like to do that now?" Markus frowned, most likely at the furious red flashing of Connor's LED. "Are you alright?"

The protocol that his internal processor pulled up clearly stated that he should reassure the RK200, smile, and then calmly start a conversation with him. The next step would be to ask him out in a kind, collected, non-creepy manner.

The actions that his internal processor acted out were straight out of his nightmares. Or at least, straight out of his nightmares if he could have them.

He felt an artificial blush rise on his cheeks, and he opened his desk drawer- Gavin's email fresh on his mind. He pulled out a bag of Skittles, dumped some into his mouth, and then just barely managed to croak out, "Would you like to taste the rainbow?"

The silence that followed was only slightly less mortifying than the laughter that came shortly after throughout the bullpen. Even the usually cool and collected Jericho leaders were chuckling. Markus included.

Connor could only gulp down the candy in his mouth and hope, not for the first time in his short life, that the floor would open up and swollow him whole. He was going to kill Gavin Reed if he didn't die of embarassment first.

He needed to salvage this. "I-"

"Yes," Markus answered, before the RK800 could even say anything. "I would enjoy going out with you sometime."

Okay... So maybe he wouldn't kill Gavin. Maybe he'd treat him to lunch or something instead.