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When Connor woke up, his scans detected a drastic drop in outside temperatures. Whilst the weather didn’t affect him as severely as humans, he did shiver and pull the blankets up to his chin.
It seemed strange for things to have changed like this overnight, and he feared the worst as he pulled open his bedroom curtains—
And saw snow coating every surface outside.
Of course, it had snowed. He’d experienced it briefly during November, falling onto his shoulders as he stood by Detroit bridge, watching Hank drink. As things picked up with the androids’ fight for their rights, it began to settle. But then warmer temperatures had come back for a while, a short reprieve, making it easier for everyone to drive back into the city.
And now it seemed the snow had returned. Perhaps it might have bothered him, had it been falling in a raging blizzard, but it seemed almost peaceful outside, settled in a thick layer yet untreaded by footprints. He was determined to change that.
Hank wasn’t up, given it was fairly early on a Saturday morning, so he took Sumo out with him instead, walking around the front of the house and smiling as the big dog bounded off, diving headfirst into the snow.
“We’ll have to clean you up before taking you back in, or Hank’ll lose it.”
Sumo boofed, completely ignoring him as he rolled around in the snow.
Connor chuckled and walked to the other side of the front pathway, set on his own activity: making a snowman.
It seemed simple enough. Constructing it from two rolled balls of snow, the top one smaller than the other, for the head. This task was easily enough done, but only left him with a misshapen blob.
Gesturing for Sumo to follow behind him, he walked back into the house and searched around for what he needed. But it only took a moment before he was almost back out, and…
“Oh, shit.”
He’d forgotten to dry the dog off before briefly coming back inside. Wet footprints lay as evidence from the front door to their long pathways across the house.
“They’ll dry. Right?”
Sumo barked and ran back out the door.
“They’ll dry.”
Now, with the right materials in his arms, Connor got to work. Stuck in the carrot nose, a pair of rocks off the ground for eyes, and, more difficult, lots of twigs for a beard. Finally, he placed the jacket over its form and stepped back. It was complete.
“What do you think, boy? Will Hank like it?”
But he couldn’t get away from the fact that something was missing. In the end, he laboured to make another, slightly smaller snowman beside the finished one. One more journey back inside and out again, and he’d completed the second.
“There we go. Looks perfect. Now, we just need to wake Hank.”
As would be advised, he walked around the outside of the house, found his bedroom window and knocked loudly on it. With the front door open, he could hear the swearing and waited patiently until he saw the curtains swiped open.
“The fuck are you doing out there?”
“Good morning, Hank. I have something out here to show you.”
Hank gave him a look. “Outside?”
“Yes.”
“Right. It’s… not something dead, is it?”
“What?”
“Just, with how you lick shit all the time… Wouldn’t be surprised if you were like a fuckin’ cat and brought me dead shit to look at. You know?”
“I wouldn’t do that.”
Hank studied him closely, then sighed.
“Can I have my coffee first?”
“It will only be a minute. Then, I’ll make your coffee for you.”
“Fine. But I’ll make my own coffee, thanks. You almost killed me with the last cup.”
“I’m sorry, you said to make it ‘really strong’! I was just following instructions.”
Hank flipped him off and closed the window. Connor wasn’t sure whether he’d just got back into bed, but then, it was obvious he was making his way through the house—
“The fuck are all these pawprints all over my goddamn floor! God, I go to sleep and this is what happens… those two…”
Connor met him sheepishly at the doorway.
“Apologies for the mess inside. Sumo came in with me after going outside, and—”
“Whatever. You’re cleanin’ it up. Now, what are you showing me?”
Connor nodded, quickly moving to the snowmen.
“These! I have never made snowmen before. As it snowed last night, I gave it a go…”
Hank came to stand beside him, scratching his chin as he looked at the pair.
“Are they meant to be us?”
Connor beamed. “Yes! You’re the one with your jacket on, and the beard—”
“The pissed off looking one?”
“Exactly. And I’m the other one.”
“The one with blue blood all over his mouth…”
“That was a mistake. I cut my finger on the rocks for his eyes, so I accidentally contaminated the snow.”
“Lovely.”
“So…” Connor glanced briefly to him, trying to assess his expression. “Are they… adequate snowmen?”
“Sure. Look great. I like how mine is taller than yours, ‘cause it’s true.”
“They do?” He asked, ignoring the last part of what Hank said.
“Yeah, kid, they do. Now let’s get back inside. I’m freezin’ my ass off out here.”
Connor nodded, running back inside. “I’ll make your coffee!”
Hank groaned, took one last look at the snowy versions of themselves, chuckled, before stalking back inside after the android.