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It was a normal day. Connor woke up the same time as usual, 6:03 exactly. He got up, changed, and started on Hank's coffee. Then, on breakfast. By the time he was serving it, Hank woke up around 8:07. After breakfast, they went to the station. Normal.
Until it wasn't.
"Connor! Reed! My office!" Fowler shouted, causing Connor to hear a groan from across the room. Of course, from the detective. Usually when the pair got called into the office at the same time, it wasn't good. The last time it was for Gavin punching him. And the time before that was.. Gavin punching him. But that hadn't been for months. He had even apologized, even if he was clearly flustered during it. So it was confusing on why exactly they both were getting called in. Connor sighed, before closing his thought and getting up and walking towards the office. Gavin had a clear scowl on his face, tapping his foot against the tile. The android just sat next to the detective, patiently waiting for whatever they were called into for.
"So why the hell are we here, Fowler??" Gavin questioned, raking a hand through his hand. His stress levels were at 31%, which made Connor frown.
"You both have a case. It's a simple murder, you should be fine. Address is on the file." Fowler stated, making Connor blink. He had a case? With Gavin of all people? He couldn't help but wonder why. They had never worked together, and when they were together they usually had conflict. It was only recently that it started to go okay, Connor coming back with his own banter. But that hadn't been going for very long at all. So why be trusted with a whole case? A whole murder case?
"No offense to you, Detective Reed, but I don't think that's a very smart idea." Connor spoke, ignoring the eye roll he got from Gavin.
"Look, I know it isn't. But you've been assigned it, so you're doing it. No other officer isn't busy."
"What about the old man?? Isn't he always going all over east bum-fuck with tin-can??" Gavin raised, getting more agitated.
"Yeah, but he needs a break. He's been getting cases almost everyday, alone or not." Connor slumped a bit, because Fowler was right. He had noticed that Hank had been more drained at the ends of each day, sometimes not even bothering to eat before passing out next to Sumo on the couch. Although he very much needed a break, Connor never liked doing cases without the older man. He was practically a father figure to the android, and he felt safe around him. But, he knew eventually he had to do a case without Hank. Even if it wasn't ideal. It was his job after all. Gavin scoffed and pushed out of his chair.
"Whatever. The case is on my desk?"
"Yup."
"Then I'm fucking leaving." Gavin grumbled, angrily making his way out of the office. Connor just stood respectfully, and gave a curt nod.
"I will not let you down, Captain Fowler."
"I trust you won't. Don't let the door hit you on the way out." And with that, Connor fled back to his desk.
"So, what'd he want?" Hank questioned looking up from the paperwork he was filling out. It was about a previous murder case, it was an android hate crime. A man, Alvin London, had abused his android, an RK200 model ironically. It was hard to look at the scene, seeing as it shared the same looks with Markus.
"I've been assigned a case." Connor said, his matter of fave voice not coming through.
"Is there something wrong with that? I mean, I'll be there so-"
"The case is with Detective Reed." He interrupted. Hank's mouth falling agape. Truly locking in the raritiy of Captain Fowler's words.
"What? Why?"
"He said you're.. overworked. And I can't help but agree." Connor sighed, beginning to toy with the coin in his pocket. Hank sighed as well.
"God damnnit Fowler." He grumbled to himself, making sure to add some extra insults at the end. A normal occurrence when Hank was mad. Although, he was clearly mad and a little flustered. People caring was never that common, which never failed to make Connor sad. "Do you think you'll be okay on your own?" He asked, now more focused on the android's feelings. Connor paused, before nodding.
"I believe so. Detective Reed has been nicer to me, and he takes pride in his job. So I don't think it will go bad."
"Do you think it will go good?"
"Well, that's a different question." Connor stated. The Liutenant tried to speak before being interrupted. "I should get going." He said, before walking off towards the direction of the detective. He was clearly focused, looking at the files of the new case. His eyebrows were knit together in thought, fingers picking at the dry skin of his lips. Connor soon realized he was staring, and shook his head a bit. "Hello Detective Reed." Gavin jumped a bit, startled, before realizing that it was just Connor.
"Jesus christ tin-can, you scared the shit out of me." He sighed, rubbing his face.
"Apologizes Detective, I didn't mean to. I just wanted to know when we should visit the case sight." Connor stated, offering an empathetic smile. Gavin just rolled his eyes.
"Whenever you're ready, princess."
"Then I would like to go soon."
"Alright. Guess we're off then." The detective sighed, before pulling himself out of his chair. He groaned a bit and stretched. "Jesus I'm old."
"Indeed you are. Maybe you should start planning retirement?" Connor quipped, smiling at his own joke. Gavin snorted.
"Wow, they programmed you with jokes?"
"Who said it was a joke?" That made Gavin just laugh a little harder.
"Oh fuck off, let's go." He waved his hand in the air, before walking out to the parking lot. It wasn't too late in the day, only around 1:54. The parking lot was still sparse though, some having later lunch breaks then others. Thankfully, it had already passed the pair's lunch break; even if Connor couldn't eat anything. Although he was happy when Hank bought him a thirium pouch for him to have. Drinking, at least partially, made Connor feel more human. More alive. They got into Gavin's car, and started on their way to the crime scene.
"Detective Reed?" Connor spoke up, breaking the silence.
"What?"
"Do you have any information on the case?" He asked, suddenly feeling a lot more awkward. Like he made tension, or thickened the air. Grabbing his coin, he began to fidgit with it.
"Yeah, the file's on the dashboard. Go for it, plastic." Gavin nodded towards in front of Connor, making him internally face plant. It had been right in front of him. Mumbling a thank you, he grabbed the file and started scanning it. The case was about an old CyberLife technician, Gabriel Johnson, who was found murdered CyberLife property. It was reported to be on some sort of garden, with a river flowing through it, and a small bridge. Connor's breath caught in his throat. It was oddly close to what the zen garden looked like, too close. But were the chances of it actually being the garden? The garden was from his mind. It wasn't actually real, it was just a place for Amanda to be programmed into. He shivered at the thought of her. "You good tin-can? You have a bug or somethin'"? Gavin asked, glancing over to the android. Connor took a breath.
"Yes, I'm fine Detective. Sorry for concerning you, I just, remembered something is all." He stated plainly, placing back down the file.
"What were you remembering? You have robo-PTSD or something?" Gavin snorted.
"I don't think that's any of your business." Connor snapped, his tone harsher than he intended.
"Jesus, touched a nerve there." The detective mumbled, before focusing back on the road. Connor just sighed, before making himself smaller and playing with the coin. The small noises it made were calming, the ping of it landing in his hand and when he flicked it; it was nice. Sometimes, it'd annoy the Liutenant. He wouldn't take it away, but he'd make a comment or two. But Gavin stayed surprisingly silent. The rest of the drive passed a little too slowly for liking, but finally they arrived. From the outside you could only see a gate. A familiar gate. Connor shook the thought out of his head. It wasn't the zen garden. The zen garden wasn't real. Amanda didn't even exist anymore, even the human one.
They stepped out of the car and went up to the scene. There was caution tape around the area, so they had to show their badges. They usually had to do that, especially because Connor was there. No matter what, he and Hank would get badge checked. It was very clearly because he was an android. While it was illegal to be racist to them, it wasn't illegal to be discrete. So people usually chose the latter, more legal option.
They got passed, and walked past the tape. Soon, they were at the gate. Connor froze in his steps, having to remind himself of the same things he's been saying in his mind for ten minutes. The garden isn't real, Amanda isn't real. He still couldn't help having a slight tremble. Of course, Gavin had to notice it.
"Holy fuck, you things can shake?" He questioned, staring in awe, and what looked like a hint of concern. Which was confusing, it was the detective.
"Yes, we can. But let's continue."
"Dude are you good? You were freaking out in the car too-"
"I was not freaking out. I'm fine, now may we carry on?" Connor interrupted, having a harder time telling himself the zen garden wasn't real. It was just a coincidence.
"Yeah, sure, whatever." Gavin sighed. He knew he wasn't gonna get anywhere with the android. He was as stubborn as his adoptive dad, and apparently with feelings too.
Gavin stopped looking at Connor, before going into the gate. Connor followed, before stopping again. This 'garden' was an exact replica of the zen garden. The same trees, the same bridge the same river the same everything. Connor felt frozen. Like his biocomponants were frozen. He felt cold. Suddenly he felt like he was back in the blizzard again, trying to fight against Amanda. Trying not to shoot Markus. Trying so hard to be free. The android felt like he couldn't breathe. His stress levels were dangerously close to 100, it flickering between 96 and 97%. His legs felt wobbly, just like they had during the blizzard. When he lost control. He felt his knees give out. The phrase "you are going to be replaced" played over and over like a broken record. Never stopping, just you're going to be replaced you're going to be replaced you're going to be replaced you're going to be replaced-
Suddenly, there was a voice. It was staticy but it was there.
"-nor? Connor wha--ppening?" He heard, the wind breaking up for a moment. The voice was familiar. Not Amanda, not Kamski, but another familiar. A calming familiar. Then, again.
"Connor? Con--with me?" Then, he knew who it was. It was Gavin. The memory started flickering on and off, Connor getting glances of real life. He tried to tell himself the memory wasn't real, but he was living it. His stress levels starting reaching 99%, causing him to start scratching at his arms. He could feel the thirium slowly leak from under his finger nails. He couldn't stop. Two pairs of hands grabbed his arms and held them apart, making him flinch.
"Hey hey don't do that, you--hurting yourself." Gavin said, once again breaking through the memory. Suddenly, the blizzard was over. He could see Gavin. His panicked expression locked onto Connor. Connor was finally out of the blizzard. Away from Amanda. But he still couldn't breathe. He felt awfully hot, his ventilation system was stuttering. "You with me?" Gavin asked, receiving a nod. "Okay, good. You gotta breath, Con. I- fuck you know I'm not good with emotions but you're gonna be okay." He soothed. Connor tried, but he couldn't. His breathing was too fast, it was too hard.
Gavin moved his hand to Connor's instead of the android's arm, and put it against his chest. "You feel that? You gotta copy it. Try to." And so Connor did. He focused on trying to breathe, trying to follow along. Soon, his breathing wasn't nearly as erratic. His ventilation was actually working.
"G-Gavin." Connor croaked, his voice cracking with static. The detective squeezed his hand, and brushed his thumb over his knuckles.
"You're okay, it's okay." He repeated, it was quiet, but it helped. A wave of comfort and sadness and panic and emotion flooded over the android, causing tears to pool and spill over. Connor hugged and grabbed onto Gavin without even thinking, the detective hesitantly hugging back, before returning it full force. Connor gripped his shirt, sobbing into his shoulder. A clear wet spot formed, but he couldn't stop if he tried. It was if the half a year of brutal manipulation just hit him like a train. Every horrible word, every down casting look, every time he was being told he was a let down to CyberLife, to the people around him. It made him sob harder. Harder until he physically couldn't, being reduced to hiccups.
Eventually, Connor calmed down, but he still kept his grip on the detective. Even if it was embarrassing. But, it was calming. Especially with the hand stroking his hair.
"You okay now?" Gavin asked, not daring to let up on his action. It became almost an unconscious effort to play with the android's hair. This would've never happened with the old Gavin. Connor gave a weak nod.
"I-I'm okay." He breathed. He breathed, he didn't realize how nice it was to breathe.
"That's good, now, what the hell happened??" Gavin questioned, pulling away from the hug, but still making sure to keep a solid grip on Connor's hand. He also made sure to keep his voice low. He was an asshole, but he wasn't an idiot.
"T-This place, it doesn't have good memories." The android mumbled.
"You've, been here?"
"K-Kinda. It's- it's a long story to explain."
"Well I've got time." Gavin said, a little harsher than he wanted. He quickly corrected himself. "If you want to explain, that is. You clearly have bad memories so you don't have to-"
"I-it's alright, Detective. I can explain." Gavin hesitantly accepted to listen. He didn't want Connor to panic again. Panic attacks were horrible, and judging by the android's, they were horrible for him too. "W-When I was created, they put a garden into my mind. A zen garden, that looked just like this. An exact replica. And inside, was someone- someone named Amanda." The android sighed, making it obvious that she was the reason he was so iffy about the place.
"You sure you wanna do this?" Gavin asked, his concern growing stronger.
"I-I'm sure." Connor stated, before taking a deep breath and continuing. "She was made to- remind me of my task. To- to keep me on schedule, if you will. Amanda was designed to prevent me from deviating and keeping on my mission. That didn't go well, I guess." He let out a sad laugh. "But, she didn't do it in a good way. S-She, would yell. She'd yell a lot. A-And blame me for deaths of people if they happened. She'd- She'd make sure their deaths would replay. S-So I wouldn't forget the people i-i killed-"
"Hey, remember, breath, yeah? You're crying, you don't have to continue." Gavin reassured. Connor nodded a bit, before taking another deep breath. He wiped away a stray tear that was made of thirium, which made him note to drink water later so he didn't bleed when he cried.
"I-I can continue. I'm okay." He took another deep breath, then he continued on. "Amanda then, after I deviated, tried to resume control. I-I almost shot Markus, but I won." He finished, holding onto Gavin's hand a little tighter.
"Jesus christ." The detective breathed out. "I'm, so sorry you had to go through that Connor." He spoke. It had just occurred to Connor what he said. He called him by his name. Not tin-can, or plastic, or some other dumb nickname he made up for the android. Connor. And, Con, which was a nickname Hank gave him. It was a comforting thought, that Reed thought of him as Connor or Con, and not just some stupid robot like he used to.
"It's- it's alright, Detective."
"Gavin."
"What?"
"Gavin." He repeated. "No more of that dumb detective bullshit, we're friends, so call me Gavin." Friends. He thought of them as friends.
"Okay, Gavin." Connor smiled.
"Now, let's get out of here. I can just do the case myself tomorrow."
"What? I can't let-"
"But you can. Connor, I don't want you here if you get this fucked up about it."
"But I-"
"I don't care if you were made for this stuff." Gavin said, cutting him off. "You need a different case. And that's fine. Now you drink that blue shit right?" Connor blinked for a second, trying to procress that Gavin Reed was really trying to care for him.
"Thirium." He finally corrected.
"Yeah yeah whatever, how about you get that, and I get food at the Cafe downtown. Sound good?"
"Are you-"
"Yes I'm sure. I got paid this week, so it's all good." Gavin reassured. Connor sighed.
"Alright, but I'd need to call Hank first. Is that okay?"
"Yeah yeah that's fine, just don't take a million years." He said, causing Connor to snort.
"A million years is usually how long it takes you to drink your coffee."
"Oh shut your mouth." Gavin scoffed, lacking any true malice behind it. Soon he snorted and stood up, holding out his hand. "Well, whatcha waiting for?" Connor laughed before taking his hand and getting up.
"Nothing."
"Good, now come on." Gavin said, before walking out to the car. Connor right behind them. Soon, they were on their way back to downtown Detroit. The car as silent as last time.
"Gavin?"
"Hm?"
"Thank you, for helping me." Connor spoke. Gavin paused for a minute, seemingly processing what had been said.
"Yeah, anytime. We're friends now right?"
"I hope so."