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“Lieutenant, what are we doing for Halloween this year?”
Hank looked up from his computer monitor, still chewing on the large bite of sandwich he had taken 30 seconds ago. “Wha-?” His voice was muffled as he tried to maintain some semblance of manners and keep his mouth semi-closed.
Connor realized that he probably should have timed the question better.
“Halloween. The department throws a party every year and we are expected to attend.” Connor tilted his head slightly as he waited for an answer.
Hank swallowed his current bite, wincing as it went down dry. “I haven’t gone to those things in years, Connor. I doubt anyone is expecting me there.”
Connor shrugged, but continued. “Perhaps. But it is my first Halloween and I would find it quite...enjoyable if we could attend.”
Hank stared at Connor for a few moments before shaking his head. Connor could see him fighting a smile, the corners of his lips twitching. Success.
“Fine. But no costumes.”
Connor tilted his head, brows furrowing in a look that Hank would describe as “giving Sumo’s puppy eyes a run for his money.” Hank hated it. Well, he hated the way it made his stomach flutter like he was in fucking middle school again.
“What’s the point of attending a Halloween party if we aren’t going to dress up?”
Hank buried his face in his hands, swallowing a chuckle. He had to give it to the cheeky android. It was easy to give into the easy pleads. Were they easy? Maybe Hank was just getting too soft.
“Fine. You can get us costumes. But nothing too extra, okay?”
Connor got up, a subtly pleased look on his face. “Don’t worry Lieutenant, I’ll keep the sexy costumes for behind doors.” And then he winked, the fucking bastard.
Hank watched, face burning, as Connor walked away to do some more work.
“Do we have to go?”
Chloe looked at North through the mirror, noting how she hadn’t put her costume on yet. North was sitting on the bed, watching as Chloe applied make-up on her face. North wanted to point out how pretty she looked, that she didn’t need the make up but the dark eyeliner made her blue eyes stand out even more.
“Well Connor invited me, and suggested I could bring you as a date,”
North loved how that sounded, being Chloe’s date. It made her fingertips tingle. She wanted to pull Chloe closer, watch the other woman lean in closer as North kissed her. Instead, North sat there, watched as Chloe examined her handiwork before turning around to face North, her short black wig swishing around her jaw.
North realized that she hadn’t answered yet. “We could have a night in,” She suggested, lifting a shoulder up.
Chloe smiled softly, reaching a hand out to push a stray hair back behind North’s ear. North felt like her internal processing was overheating. “Then what would be the purpose of the costumes?” Chloe said.
North raised an eyebrow, gently grabbing Chloe’s out-stretched arm to pull her closer. Chloe came easily, a delighted smile on her face as she settled between North’s legs. “I’m sure we could have some fun with them.”
Chloe laughed, a sound that North loved so dearly. She wanted to tell Chloe just how much she loved it. “As much as I love the sound of that, I would love to show off our costumes at the party.”
North sighed, not because it was necessary, but because she was dramatic like that. “You know how I feel about the DPD.”
Chloe’s eyes softened and she leaned into North further. “North. We really don’t have to go, if it bothers you that much.”
North looked up at Chloe, noted how cute she looked in her costume, and set her chin in determination. “We can go. As long as that asshole isn’t there.”
North watched as Chloe’s LED blinked. She was likely sending a message.
“Connor says that Gavin is off on an undercover mission with RK900. He won’t be there.”
North’s shoulders relaxed under Chloe’s hands and she nodded. “Okay good, then we can go. I know how much you wanted to see Connor and his human.”
Chloe’s eyes lit up in delight. “Great! Get ready and I’ll go find my glasses!” She bent down to press a kiss to North’s forehead and left the room in a flurry of orange clothes.
North stared at herself in the mirror for a brief moment before sighing and going to find her purple dress.
“This fuckin’ wig is killing me…” Hank muttered as he reached up to rub at his scalp. How he had been convinced to put the blonde wig on was beyond him, he looked over at Connor in the passenger seat, where he was adjusting his pointed ears and making sure his green blush was just right. Hank had pointed out that Connor could probably just program his skin to display a green blush, but Connor seemed adamant to stay true to the holiday spirit by applying makeup to change his appearance. Hank thought it was cute.
“I had suggested you dye your hair, but that appeared to be off the table,” Connor teased, turning to look at Hank’s expression as he tugged at one of the few tribbles that had been sewn onto Hank’s yellow shirt.
Hank rolled his eyes, a reluctant smile tugging at his lips. “And look like I did twenty years ago, minus the added weight and wrinkles? No thanks.”
“I think you’d look handsome,” Connor muttered to himself as he exited the car.
And so they walked, from the parking lot and into the building, where they were greeted by ambient green lights and faux spider webs hanging from the doorways. Connor seemed excited, which was the main reason Hank was here in the first place.
Chris had come running up, a wide grin on his face. He was dressed as a dalmation, floppy ears on his head and a painted nose. “Spock and Kirk? I love it. The tribbles are a perfect touch,”
Connor grinned with pride. “Thank you. I made them myself.”
“Who came up with the idea for the costume?”
Hank nodded in Connor’s direction. “It was all this guy, I’m just along for the ride.”
Once Chris went off to mingle with other co-workers, Connor turned towards Hank.
“Thank you for agreeing to this,” He leaned closer to Hank even though the music playing wasn’t that loud. “I am already enjoying myself immensely.”
Hank smiled, eyes crinkling as he looked down at his boyfriend, who had slicked his hair down to perfectly imitate Spock’s haircut. “I’d dress up as a clown if it meant that you were having fun.”
Connor smiled, an odd sight for the casual observer, but a goddamn luxury to Hank. It was cute, in an awkward sort of way. Hank knew it was genuine, and it warmed his heart.
Connor seemed to spot something over Hank’s shoulder, because his eyes lit up. “Chloe!” He called out, walking past Hank.
Hank turned around and watched as Connor approached Chloe and North. Chloe was dressed as Velma, looking shocking differently yet recognizable with the glasses and black wig. The orange sweater and brown skirt suited her, and she seemed to be just as excited to see Connor. North seemed uncomfortable as Daphne, out of her element in the feminine purple dress, with her auburn hair pushed back by a headband and a green scarf tied around her throat. She was firmly grasping Chloe’s hand as Connor greeted the pair. Hank walked over to join Connor.
“Velma and Daphne,” Hank announced as he joined Connor’s side. “I love the costume, ladies.”
North seemed wary of Hank, but he wasn’t surprised. After the revolution had been successful, North was protective of Chloe, especially after having saved her from Elijah’s controlling grip. When Chloe befriended Connor, after he had made the choice not to shoot her in the head, North had been fine with Connor’s presence, albeit a little hesitant to just forget about his hunting deviants phase. When Hank came into the picture, North pulled back once more. She had denounced all humans, especially the men. She had a right to. Her anger was hers alone and Hank didn’t feel offended. It didn’t help that he was also a cop.
Seeing her here, obviously for Chloe’s sake, was heart-warming. He knew that she was in the same boat as he, having been roped into a costume shin-dig for their partner’s sake.
“How did Chloe convince you to get dressed up and come here?” He asked North, getting her attention. She looked over from where she was previously watching Chloe talk to Connor. Chloe must have heard the question as well, because she turned to look at Hank and smiled.
“All I had to do was flutter my eyes and she agreed to do it,” Chloe laughed, playing nudging at North. North rolled her eyes, a soft smile on her lips.
Connor laughed as well, turning to look at Hank. “Same here. I guess Hank is just a sucker for brown eyes.”
Hank tugged Connor closer, wrapping an arm around his waist. “No, just a sucker for you.” Connor’s eyes softened as he stared up at his human.
Connor and Chloe resumed their conversation from before soon after, leaving North and Hank to listen to the two babble enthusiastically about Sumo and how Chloe wanted a dog more than anything. Hank caught North’s eyes and nodded in her direction, acknowledging that he was happy she found someone who brought a little light into her world, just as Connor had done for him.
She nodded back, pulling Chloe closer to her as she softly smiled, something so quick and sweet that you’d miss it if you blinked.