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APPROACH
It takes about a week after the end of the demonstration for Markus to show up on Hank’s doorstep. The android takes in the way Hank is bundled up against the cold, leash in hand with Sumo attached to the end, and offers a small smile.
“I hope I’m not interrupting.”
Hank shakes his head. “Nah. Just about to take Sumo for a walk.” Before Markus can ask for clarification, Connor appears in the doorway, not quite as bundled up but wearing one of Hank’s old sweaters over his Cyberlife uniform. Hank sees the tension leave Markus’ shoulders even as Connor’s expression brightens a bit.
“May I join you?” the android leader says finally. “I just – I wanted to check in.”
Connor glances at Hank, maybe trying to judge how receptive he is to the idea, and Hank just smirks as he pushes past the newcomer and heads to the sidewalk.
“If you two are coming, you’d better hurry up!”
Connor grins. “I think that answers the question.” he says cheerfully. Markus nods. The two of them fall into step, Markus to Hank’s left, Connor to his right, Sumo leading the way with a wagging tail.
Hank lets the two talk, listening to Markus update Connor on the progress of android rights while Connor tells him how those new policies are going into effect regarding police involvement. Hank just lets the conversation wash over him, but he doesn’t ignore them entirely. He’d be a piss-poor cop if he didn’t know how to read body language, even a deviant’s.
He’s had plenty of experience with Connor. Markus is something new, but his expressions are close enough to what a cop would expect of someone that Hank can get a pretty good feel for it.
Whatever Markus came to talk about, it wasn’t policy. And it technically wasn’t with Connor. His gaze keeps flickering back to Hank, like he’s trying to determine something and not have to embarrass everyone by actually asking.
Hank waits until the conversation hits a lull before taking the tennis ball out of his pocket. “Hey, Connor – see if you can get Sumo to tire out a bit.” he says, handing the ball to the kid before taking Sumo off the leash. “I can’t keep up with him like I used to.”
Displeasure crosses Connor’s face, as it usually does when Hank makes self-deprecating remarks, but he takes the tennis ball and heads out into the park to play fetch with Sumo. Beside him, Markus chuckles.
“You are good, Lieutenant.”
“Connor’s not the only one trained in interrogation.” Hank replies dryly. “What’s actually on your mind?”
“That’s an interesting way to phrase it.” the other says in lieu of actually answering the question. “Trained instead of designed.”
Hank snorts. “You actually talked to him? Connor doesn’t have the heart to be a designed interrogator. I think even Cyberlife knew that.” Markus nods in agreement. “You gonna answer my question?”
Markus huffs a sigh. “I just wanted to check in on Connor.” he says quietly. “I’m not sure why, but I feel – responsible for him.”
Hank considers that for a moment. “Humor me – what’s your model number?”
Thankfully, Markus seems more confused than insulted by the question. “RK200.”
Hank has to bite back a laugh at that. “I think you just found the android equivalent of a little brother.” he says. “Connor’s the RK800.”
“Little brother.” Markus says softly, watching Connor play with Sumo in the snow. Slowly, he smiles. “I think I like that idea. I wonder if he wants an older brother.” Hank can only shrug at that.
“Honestly, aside from the fact that I know Connor likes Sumo, I don’t know how he feels about most of this.” he admits. “He came back home with me, and that’s about how far we’ve gotten.”
Markus can only nod. “Many of us are in the same position.” he says, something wistful and full of pain at the mention of home crossing his face. Hank knows better than to question it.
They don’t say much again until the end of the walk.
APPREHENSION
That isn’t the last time Markus shows up on their doorstep.
Hank sees it coming the minute Connor tells him, rather dryly, “Hank has a no-work-at-home policy.” Honestly, if his messed-up house is what it takes to keep the android leader even, he’ll let it happen. Deny it with his dying breath, but still let it happen. Kind of like Connor.
He’s not too sure when his home became a halfway house for wayward androids, but whatever. It’s not the worst turn his life has taken.
It is the weirdest, though.
Once the evacuation has been lifted, Hank gets called in to help keep reintegration running smoothly. He’d rather be home – or have Connor with him – but so far androids are not allowed on the work force. Hank goes in, and Connor does the next most useful thing.
He goes to help Markus.
By the time Hank makes it home, he’s not surprised to see Connor and Markus in his living room. Markus is sprawled across the couch, Sumo almost covering his entire body with the way he’s lying on top of the poor guy, and Connor just watches them with a vastly amused smile on his face.
Hank snorts. “Is he asleep like that?”
Connor doesn’t correct the assumption. “Yes. How, I have no idea.”
That earns him a chuckle out of the lieutenant, even as he tosses his coat over the back of the couch. Sumo barely reacts, and as a result, neither does Markus, eyes shut and breathing slow and even. If he had his LED, Hank imagines it would be glowing a dull yellow, like Connor’s does when he goes into stasis. Hank shakes his head. “His girl know he’s here?”
“Trust me, I’m pretty sure she’s linked to his GPS.” comes the rather dry response. “North won’t be a problem.” His gaze flickers from the rather hilarious sight on the couch to Hank, who looks rather amused with the entire thing himself. “You don’t mind? If he stays here?”
Hank waves the question away. “He’s your brother, Connor, I ain’t turning away family.”
He’d have to be blind to miss the way the kid’s face lights up at that – although he doesn’t think too hard on it.
Markus seems surprised when he wakes up the next morning. Hank sits in the kitchen, cup of coffee in his hand while he pets Sumo. Slowly, Markus sits up, probably a little disoriented from waking up in an unfamiliar place. Finally, he looks over at Hank and sighs.
“Thank you, for allowing me to stay.”
Hank snorts. “I’ll tell you the same thing I told Connor last night – I may be a bastard, but I’m not in the habit of turning away family.”
The word seems to freeze Markus. He simply stays there, even as Connor appears through the door from running errands and Hank starts busying himself with getting ready for work. Connor makes small talk with him, mostly about what time he might be able to expect Hank home and what he has planned to pass the time, but he doesn’t include Markus in the conversation.
Which makes more sense when Hank glances over to see Markus still staring at both of them like they’ve grown multiple heads.
Hank almost laughs at that. The expression keeps him amused for the rest of the day.
ACCEPTANCE
It’s snowing too damn hard, so Connor takes Sumo for a walk alone, insisting Hank stay inside. Markus joins him by the window, watching the snow fall.
“You called me family.”
Hank shrugs. “You’re Connor’s family.” he clarifies, but Markus only smiles at that. Somehow the man is just as good at reading what Hank refuses to say as Connor is, but that just makes it easier on Hank. Markus returns his gaze to the window.
“I haven’t had a family since Carl died.”
“Carl?”
Markus pauses for a moment, maybe trying to decide how much to say. Or just how to say it. “Calling him my owner seems – wrong, somehow. He was a painter. He’s the one who taught me to be human.” he says finally. “He died before all of this started.”
Hank nods, understanding. “Right when you became deviant.”
“Yeah. He’s the reason I am what I am.”
And suddenly a lot of Markus’ behavior makes sense.
Carl tried to make Markus family. When Markus was able to reciprocate, Carl wasn’t around anymore. And then, now that everything has settled down, in walks a little brother and his partner.
Ah, hell.
Before he can think of anything to say (always was better at dealing with suspects in interrogation than normal people) Connor shows back up with Sumo. The door opens and closes as quickly as the two can get inside, Sumo shaking the snow from his fur and making Connor swear under his breath.
Hank can’t help it. He laughs. “Kid, you need some practice swearing properly.”
“He does not.” Markus protests. “He already swears enough.”
Connor gives him a look. “I swear far less than Hank himself does.” he says primly. “At least 90% less.”
“That’s still far more than anyone should swear.”
That earns Markus a smirk. An honest-to-God smirk, and Hank can’t tell if he wants to laugh or groan. “Come up to the police station sometime. Or better yet, meet Reed.”
Definitely groan. “Don’t do that to Markus. That’s just mean.”
“Markus can practice being snarky.”
“I really don’t need the practice – I have to deal with North and Simon on a daily basis.” Markus says pointedly. Connor considers that for a moment, but before he can say anything, the other continues. “Who is Reed?”
“Pain in the ass.” Hank says dismissively.
“He has a great distaste of androids.” Connor clarifies. “I personally am looking forward to watching him go through updated sensitivity training when androids are allowed to seek jobs.” Hank almost chokes on his laughter – he hadn’t thought about that yet – and Connor looks back out the window. “The weather isn’t going to let up anytime soon. Would you be willing to stay?”
Markus glances at Hank, who just waves his hand in a dismissive gesture. “I know you don’t feel cold quite the same way we do, but there’s cold, and then there’s turn-into-a-damned-popsicle.” he says. “Let North know you’re staying.”
And once again, there’s that blinding smile from Connor, and Hank knows he can’t make any other choice.
(And that’s how Markus became a normal guest in Hank’s home, but if anyone asks, it was all Connor’s doing.)