Work Text:
On Friday evening after work, Hank’s phone dinged with a text. He raised a brow, confused. Connor was sitting in front of him, and any other members of the DPD could simply walk over to him and talk if they needed to. And, well, those were all the people that ever texted him. So, unless Sumo had picked up a phone and learnt how to use it, he was at a loss…
But when he looked at the screen and checked the message, he could’ve slapped himself. Of course, it was Rose. Rose Chapman, who he’d given his number to after meeting at the Detroit Christmas fair.
ROSE: Hello, Hank. After I mentioned meeting you at the fair to my friend Kara and her daughter, they insisted on meeting you. If you’re free we’d love to have you over. But no worries if not, we are all the way in Canada after all.
He smiled, looking over to Connor.
HANK: Sure, I don’t see why not. Didn’t have any plans this weekend. Can I bring Connor?
ROSE: That’s half the reason I’m asking. The other half… It would be nice to do something festive together.
Hank rolled his eyes. Connor would get along well with them all, he expected, the android had been in the Christmas mood ever since the clock struck on 1st of December.
HANK: What did you have in mind?
ROSE: Something at my house. Some games, I’ll cook dinner. I was also thinking after seeing you, that you’d make a good Santa.
Hank scoffed at his phone.
HANK: Uh, what?
ROSE: We’ve been wanting to take Alice to see Santa at the mall, but with how things ended for her after the revolution, she hasn’t wanted to go out much. I thought maybe we could bring Santa to her.
HANK: You want me to come over dressed as Santa?
ROSE: If it wouldn’t be any trouble. You don’t have to drive all the way dressed up—I’ve already got an outfit here.
He stared down at the screen, reading the message over again. Surely… he wouldn’t dress up as Santa. Right? He had a reputation to uphold.
HANK: Sure. When do we come over?
Yeah, a reputation as a big softie.
Connor was in tears by the time Hank had finished telling him the story. Tears of laughter, that was.
“You’re—you—you’re dressing up as Santa? You? You, who complains about my Christmas music and tinsel?”
“Yep.”
“Wow. You and Rose… you really must get along.”
“Hey, shut the fuck up, alright, I’m… I’m doing it for her friend’s kid.”
“Who you’ve never met.”
“I’m a nice guy.”
“You just told me to shut the fuck up.”
“Yeah. And? I’m not gonna say that to the kid.”
Connor groaned, shaking his head. “And I thought Markus and I were oblivious…”
**************************************
Surprisingly, the trip to Canada didn’t take too long. Rose had given them good instructions and the border had become calm after the mass back and forth a few months past.
Connor, for all of his teasing about Hank’s fate as Santa Claus, grew quiet as they approached the house.
“You alright over there?”
“Oh? Yes. I’m fine. I just… have a bad feeling?”
“About meeting Rose? You met her before.”
“I know. It doesn’t make any sense.”
“Eh, don’t worry about it. Part’ve being human. Now, come on, let’s get inside.”
Hank pressed the buzzer before stepping back, hands idling awkwardly at his sides. He fixed his jacket, smoothed a hand over his hair, before stopping at Connor’s snickering, sending him a glare.
And then, the door opened.
“Hello—”
The woman’s voice cut off immediately. It wasn’t Rose: it was an android. More specifically, her friend, Kara. Her eyes flew from Hank to Connor, widening, pushing back somebody behind her.
“Who is it, Kara?” They asked. The voice was small, young. Probably her daughter.
Connor’s LED spun a frantic red. Shit. It was the android and the little girl. The ones they’d found at the motel and chased up the road. Luckily, Hank had stopped him from pursuing them further.
It seemed Kara remembered them too.
“I’m… sorry.” Connor was first to speak. “We—came to visit Hank’s friend. Rose. We must have the wrong house.”
“No. She’s, she lives here with us.”
“Ah. I…” he looked to Hank desperately, unsure of what to do.
At that moment, a tall man appeared behind them.
“Is there a problem, Kara?”
“No, Luther. These men, they’ve come to see Rose. You remember Hank… she was talking about him earlier?”
“Oh, yes.” Luther laughed, obviously not reading the tension. Then he stopped, looking between the two. “Are we going to let them inside?”
Kara stared at Connor, transmitting a message:
I’m going to go upstairs. You will come upstairs and talk with me.
He nodded, and Kara smiled.
“Of course. Be careful coming in, Rose just got the new litter of puppies to fall asleep.”
As soon as they got inside, Kara pulled him upstairs as she’d said she would.
“You’re the android that chased us. On the highway.”
“Yes. I’m… sorry.”
“We almost got killed going across there. Why are you here?”
“I’m with my friend, Hank. You saw him before with me. We’re… police officers.”
“Do you still hunt deviants?”
“No! We’re on the opposite side now. We focus on anti-android crimes. We… were before, however. Before I…”
“Deviated.”
“Yes.”
“Oh.” Kara looked him up and down, taking in his ugly Christmas sweater. “I thought something was different than the last time I saw you.”
“You mean I got rid of that ugly Cyberlife outfit?”
Kara smiled, small but less tense than before. “And exchanged it for an ugly sweater.” She took in a breath. “Look. I’m glad that you deviated… what’s your name?”
“Connor.”
“Alright, Connor. I’m Kara, by the way.”
He nodded.
“So, you’re not a threat to us anymore. I… understand the struggle of going against your orders. I was lucky to deviate not long after I was switched on. At least, the last time I was. Objectively, I don’t blame you for what you did…”
“But you don’t trust me.”
Kara nodded.
“I understand. If I saw someone who tried to catch me before like that, as a deviant, I wouldn’t trust them either. But—I hope I’ll be able to regain your trust. Or at least not have you so uncomfortable around me. Because Hank, well, Rose…”
“She talks about him a lot.” Kara chuckled.
“Hank does go on. And he has this fond look in his eyes when they text…”
Kara sighed. “Alright. Us getting on would be best. I don’t think you would try to hurt us anymore. Just like I’m not a house android anymore. And it’s a good thing that Alice doesn’t seem to recognise either of you. I’ll try my best to trust you.”
He smiled. “That’s all I ask. And I hope you know that I’m sorry. I hate what I did. I was wrong.”
She nodded, before stepping back, pulling open the door. Downstairs Connor could hear an exaggerated, rumbling laugh.
That… couldn’t be Hank, right?
But as he rounded the corner, he could see a Santa with a grey beard and blue eyes, chuckling along with Alice sitting beside him.
“Hello, H—Santa.” The smirk was thinly veiled in his tone, and the glare Hank sent him confirmed this.
“Hello. Who might, uh, you be?”
“I’m Connor. This is Kara.” He motioned to the woman behind him. “Care to tell me what I’ve got for Christmas this year, Santa?”
“Ho-ho-ho, no. You haven’t been a good boy this year.”
Beside him, Alice laughed. “I’ve been good. Santa told me.”
“Yes, ho-ho, Alice is on the good list.”
“I bet Rose is too.” Kara chipped in from beside Connor. He smirked.
“What’s this about me?” At that moment, Rose chose to come back into the room, holding a tray of hot cocoas and hot thiriums, steaming softly in their mugs.
“You’re on the good list, apparently.” Luther replied from where he was sat on the opposite couch to Hank. “Santa said so.”
“Well, how nice! Who else is?”
“Not me.” Connor chimed in.
“Am I?” Kara asked.
“Of course.”
“What about me?” Luther went next.
“Yeah.”
“Great.” Connor rolled his eyes, sitting on the other side of Hank. “So I’m the only one not on the good list.”
“What did you do, Connor?” Rose asked, tilting her head. “You were nice when I met you at the fair.”
“Ask Santa.”
Hank sighed. “He, uh, he… Look at his Christmas sweater!”
Everyone stared at Connor. Luther laughed after reading what it said.
“I don’t see what’s so bad about that. It’s a good joke.”
Kara groaned. “It’s terrible. It’s a dad joke.”
“Right?” Connor shook his head. “It’s awful.”
“I can’t think who would have picked that out in a store.” Rose laughed, “It’s pretty bad.”
Hank laughed loudly. “Ho-ho-ho maybe he just had really good taste that no one understands—”
“No-no-no.” Connor replied. “It’s awful. They’re right.”
The others in the room looked between themselves, sensing some context they were missing. Rose decided it was best to leave it be and not get involved, instead, she grabbed her camera off the sideboard.
“Talking about ugly sweaters. What about we take a Christmas photo together? I’ve always done one with Adam this time of the year, wearing our sweaters. We were going to do one once he gets back on Christmas Eve, but I don’t see why we can’t do one with you guys, Connor and H—Santa.”
“Okay. As long as you all don’t mind sharing a photo with my sweater.” Connor replied.
“It would be an honour to be near that exquisite joke.”
“Thank you, Luther! I mean… ho-ho. Thanks, kid.”
So, it was settled. They all sat around the couch, Rose set the camera to take a timed photo before she ran around and struck a pose. And so, it was sealed in ink, the first time they’d met the Chapman family, and it wouldn’t be the last.