Chapter Text
"Oh, uh, hey Connor."
Connor looked up from his meal. His eyes met the eyes of the voice's owner. He was standing near the entrance of the break room, empty mug in hand, rubbing the back of his head. Connor smiled. "Hello, Detective Reed."
Gavin nodded in response and made his way to the coffee machine. "Hank not in today?"
"Ah, he is currently at the doctor's office."
Gavin hummed in acknowledgment.
Things have been a bit awkward between him and Gavin. Connor planned to apologize to him shortly after his return to the DPD, but through some strange turn of events, Gavin beat him to it.
-
Connor sat at the metal table inside Interrogation Room 2. He had remained behind after Chris escorted the suspect to the holding cell. He found it easier to fill out reports in the silence of the interrogation rooms, especially while his memory is fresh. Suddenly, the door opened. He figured Chris had returned to aid with the reports.
He spoke before looking up. "Officer Miller, do you recall-" he stopped in his tracks after seeing it was not Chris who entered. "Detective Reed?" His stress levels rose slightly as he recounted the last time he was in this room with Gavin.
Gavin shuffled as a faint pink dusted his cheeks. "H-hey, Connor," he stuttered, "you gotta minute?"
He tilted his head, LED spun yellow before returning to blue. He detected his heartbeat to be slightly raised. He seemed anxious. "Yes, what can I help you with, Detective?"
His face was redder now. "D-do you mind if I sit?"
"Not at all," he said, gesturing at the chair across from him, "please, join me."
He nodded and stepped towards the table. He settled into the chair with his head down, twiddling with his thumbs. It seemed he was struggling to put his thoughts into words, as he kept opening his mouth and promptly closing it. Connor decided to break the silence. "Detective, I-"
"I'm sorry."
He blinked. Did he hear that right? "Pardon me?"
Gavin's eyes shot up to meet his. His eyebrows were furrowed, cheeks and nose a deep pink. "I said I'm sorry."
He tilted his head. This is not what he had anticipated. "What are you apologizing for?"
He scoffed. "The fuck do you mean what am I apologizing for? How 'bout when I pointed my gun at you? Or when I punched you in the fuckin' gut? Or all the times I called you 'plastic prick'?"
Oh. That's what he meant. "Not to worry, Detective. I was merely a machine when that occurred."
He scoffed again. "You're a person now and you were a person then, weren't you?"
"What ever do you mean, Detective?"
"Why the fuck would CyberLife program you to be so fuckin' sassy and disobedient is what I mean."
"Hm, I do suppose I had a bit more 'free will' than your average model," he contemplated. "However, I assure you, I did not officially deviate until after our last encounter."
Gavin's scowl became less harsh. "Well, whatever. I'm sorry, got it?"
He smiled. "I accept your apology."
His scowl was finally replaced by a smirk. "Good."
"I hope we can work together amicably in the future."
"Tch, don't push it, tin can," he said as he stood from his chair. Before he exited the room, he looked at Connor, clicked his tongue, and winked with both eyes.
When the door closed behind him, Connor grasped his chest. He felt a sharp pain, followed by an intense heat. What is happening? His lips tingled with a tickle on his nose. He sharply inhaled and-
*AH-CHOO*
He sniffled, blinking rapidly as he processed what just happened. A quick search in his database revealed he has just sneezed. But the question is: How? Why? Sneezing occurs when a person's nose is agitated, typically from an allergic reaction or viral infection, he learned after researching. An android is incapable of being affected by neither. How peculiar. If the issue persists, he will be sure to visit an Android Maintenance Center.
-
It has been a few weeks since that day. They exchanged pleasantries, even sometimes made small talk. They weren't enemies, but they weren't friends either. Today seemed different, however. They have not ran into each other during their lunch breaks alone before this. Perhaps this was an opportunity to befriend Gavin. Hank certainly would not allow it if he was present. He glanced at his direction. Gavin was digging through the refrigerator, muttering something to himself. Connor couldn't quite make it out, but he was certain he was looking for creamer.
"I'm afraid they have not replenished the creamer yet, Detective," he called out.
He groaned. "Really? Shit," he said closing the refrigerator. He ripped open another sugar packet, dumped it in, and began stirring. Satisfied, he tossed the spoon into the dishwasher, turned, and leaned on the counter. Their eyes met.
Connor smiled weakly at him. "Would you like to join me?"
He took a sip and hesitated, drumming his fingers on the counter top. "Yeah?" he asked shyly.
He nodded in response.
Gavin stepped towards the table and sat across from him. He eyed his lunch. "You got those Quality of Life upgrades?" he asked, nodding at his food container.
Connor simpered. "I'm impressed, Detective," he said. "Indeed, I did. I find eating more enjoyable than drinking straight thirium."
The Quality of Life upgrades were CyberLife's newest product line: a series of programming and physical upgrades allowing androids to live a more human-like life. Included with Quality of Life v1.13022039 was the programing for cooking, as well as the biocomponents that allow food and beverage consumption for thirium and other fluid synthesis. Since this specific version would hinder their thirium sales, they were charging an exorbitant amount for it. Luckily for Connor, he is saving quite a bit by living with Hank, who graciously offered Cole's old room to him.
"It looks good," hummed Gavin.
An idea popped into Connor's mind. "Would you mind tasting it?"
Gavin raised a suspicious eyebrow.
"Hank refuses to eat anything I cook after I added too much salt to spaghetti once," he pouted. "Unfortunately, I cannot taste, but I can analyze the chemical makeup of anything I consume. I am having difficulties figuring out what combinations are deemed 'delicious' and require a human's assistance."
He chortled. "Sure, dipshit. I'll help ya out."
Connor beamed and cut a small piece of chicken breast, offering it to Gavin. Their fingers brushed when the fork transferred between their hands. He felt a dull pain in his chest, somewhat similar to the time in the interrogation room, but not as intense. Luckily, it went away shortly after. He sighed in relief, internally.
Gavin chewed, looking towards the ceiling as he analyzed the chicken. "I mean, it's not bad, but it's not great either. Kinda bland to be honest."
"I avoided using excess seasoning after the spaghetti incident. It appears I underestimated how much seasoning was necessary," he explained with a frown.
He shot him a sympathetic smile. "But it's pretty juicy. My chicken breasts always turn out dry as fuck."
He tilted his head. Was Gavin trying to cheer him up? "Thank you," he said. "Do you have any recommendations to improve its taste?"
He tapped his fingers on the table, deep in thought. "Definitely more salt and pepper. Maybe some garlic? Could also buy some of those premade seasoning mixes from the store. They got 'em for specific types of meats."
Connor nodded as he took mental notes. "Thank you, Detective! I shall experiment with your suggestions." He smiled, but soon furrowed his eyebrows. "Do you not have a lunch?"
"No, uh... don't usually have time to make a lunch. Didn't feel like going out today either, so it's just coffee for me," he said, lightly chuckling.
He felt bad for the detective, but then he had an idea and perked up. "In that case, may I make lunch for you? That way I can improve my cooking abilities with your continued feedback."
Gavin raised an eyebrow. "Yeah? And you just want my feedback in return?"
Connor nodded.
"Well, fuck, yeah sign me up. Will never turn down free food!" he said with a smile so bright, it was almost blinding.
The pain was back, as sharp as it was last time. 'No, not this!' he thought as his lips began to quiver. He tried holding it back, but there was no stopping it. He looked away from Gavin and covered his mouth and nose with his elbow and-
*AH-CHOO*
Gavin furrowed his eyebrows in confusion. "Did you just sneeze?"
He nodded weakly.
"That part of your upgrades?"
He shook his head.
Gavin burst out laughing, causing Connor to put his head down and blush. Gavin then hit the front of his shoulder with the back of his hand, startling him.
"You're so fuckin' weird, Con," he said, in between his chortles.
'Con'? Did Gavin just give him a nickname? Shit, the pain came back. He looked away and sneezed into his elbow, causing Gavin to laugh again.
He stood after calming down. "Christ," he said, pushing in his chair. "A fuckin' sneezing android. What will they come up with next?" He filled up on coffee and headed towards the exit, stopping at the threshold. He turned to face Connor. "Same time tomorrow?"
Connor grinned, "yes, that sounds wonderful. I hope you enjoy the rest of your day, Detective Reed."
Gavin smirked in return. "See ya later, Con."
Now alone, he contemplated what may be occurring. Could a virus snuck in with the last QOL upgrade? He ran a diagnostic test, but the results showed everything to be in order. He groaned in annoyance, and finished his meal before returning to work.
💮💮💮
Upon entering his garden that night, his nose instantly crinkled. He studied his surroundings and noticed something peculiar—something new was in his garden. A small patch of various wildflowers seemed to have grown near one of the paths. He crouched down to investigate the blossoms. Multiple bees were working tirelessly to collect the pollen. He smiled—the bees were a new addition to his garden as well. One suddenly buzzed near his nose and bushed up against his septum, leaving behind a small dabble of yellowy powder. He instantly sneezed. His breathe hitched.
'Am I... allergic to pollen?' he thought to himself.
He plucked one of the flowers and held it up to his nose. Sure enough, he sneezed again. He grew frustrated. Why on Earth would CyberLife program him to have allergies? Though, it has not always been this way. He had no issues with the flowers that already existed in here. Moreover, where did this patch of wildflowers come from? Nothing has ever changed in this space, except for the lack of Amanda's presence after he used the emergency escape. He did not realize new plants and wildlife were capable of appearing here.
Perhaps he should schedule an appointment with a technician. Surely they could determine what is happening to him.
He spent the rest of his time in stasis as far away from the wildflowers as possible.
💮💮💮
"Connor! The fuck are you doin'?!"
Connor whipped his head around to find Hank standing there in his pajamas. "I'm sorry for waking you, Lieutenant. I needed to pound the chicken breast to a uniform thickness before cooking it," he said, revealing the meat tenderizer in his hand.
"It's six in the fuckin' morning! Why are you cooking so early?"
"Correction, it is half past six in the morning," he said, earning him a groan. "I discovered a new cooking method for chicken breast with many high reviews and would like to test it for today's lunch. Unfortunately, it needs to cook for at least an hour, so I am starting now."
"Well can you keep it down? I'm tryna sleep here!" he grumbled. He noticed there were two empty food containers sitting on the counter. "Oh no no no, I am not eating whatever the hell it is you're cooking. You know that!"
Connor tilted his head, but soon realized he was referring to the containers. "Ah, not to worry, Lieutenant. The second lunch is not for you."
He blinked. "Oh. Who's it for then?"
"Detective Reed," he said without missing a beat.
"What?! Why the fuck are you making lunch for Reed?!"
"We spent our lunch break together yesterday. Since you refuse to eat my cooking, I asked him for help: I provide him with lunch and he returns the favor with feedback."
"Connor, you need to be careful around him. Did you forget everything he's done to you?"
Connor set the meat tenderizer down before fully turning around. He took a step in Hank's direction and looked him in the eye. "Actually, yes, I did. I am uncertain if you remember, but he apologized to me upon my return to the DPD. He has been nothing but cordial towards me since then. I also thoroughly enjoyed our time together yesterday." He smiled at Hank, though Hank could sense his disguised annoyance. It sent shivers down his spine.
"Alright kid, but don't say I didn't warn ya," he said, hands up in surrender.
Connor smiled, genuinely this time, and returned to his cooking. Now that he successfully pounded the chicken to a uniform thickness, he seasoned both sides with salt and pepper before placing them into a freezer bag. He threw in a few cloves of garlic, fresh herbs, and poured in a some olive oil. He placed the bag into the temperature-regulated water and clipped the bag to the side of the pot. As the chicken cooked, he cleaned up the mess he made and headed towards the bathroom to get ready for work.
There was still some time left when he returned, so he began preparing the salad. The leafy greens crunched as he chopped them into bite sized pieces. He sliced a few strawberries and scattered them over the salad. Finally, he crumbled in bits of goat cheese to mellow the sweetness of the strawberries. The timer went off and he promply shut off the heat. He quickly seared both sides of the breasts and let it rest before slicing. As he finished packing up both lunches, Hank called out from the living room, alerting him it was time to go.
💮💮💮
It was 11:30 am and Connor has not seen the detective yet. He grew anxious. 'Was Hank right? Was Gavin messing with me?' He decided to pull out his coin to perform a few calibration exercises. This always calmed his nerves. Unfortunately for him, Hank knew this meant something was wrong.
"Everything good, Connor?" he asked, peeking over the tablet he held.
Connor caught the coin between his index and middle fingers. "Yes, Lieutenant," he said, a little too curtly. He straightened his tie and began typing.
After completing the report, he checked the time on his HUD again: 12:03. He looked across the bullpen at Gavin's desk—still no sign of the detective. His LED flashed red, corners of his mouth curving downwards.
"Told ya, kid," Hank said with sympathetic eyes.
Connor swallowed his pride and put on his best poker face. He retrieved his lunch bag and started towards the breakroom. "Enjoy your lunch, Lieutenant," he said as he walked away, not even glancing at him. In the breakroom, he settled into is usual seat and unpacked his lunch. He poked at the salad with his fork, but somehow no longer felt like eating. He sunk into his chair and sulked. He slowly began to pack up, but stopped in his tracks. It seemed something was happening just outside the breakroom. He heard several angry voices, followed by loud footsteps.
"Hey!"
"Watch where you're going!"
"What the fuck?"
Suddenly, someone stood at the threshold, heaving. His head was down as he was bent over, hands on his knees, catching his breath. "Detective?"
"Oh, thank god... you're still here," he said in between deep breaths. "I was... at a crime scene... across town." He stood up straight and wiped a bead of sweat from his fore head. "Fuck, I need to start doin' cardio again."
Oh, so that's where he's been all morning. "You didn't need to come here for this, Detective," he said as Gavin sat across from him.
"Shut the fuck up. I made you a promise, didn't I?" he said with a scowl.
Connor replayed the memory file of their conversation yesterday. He in fact did not make a promise. At least, not explicitly. Still, the gesture warmed his core. He smiled at Gavin, who returned it with a smirk. He unpacked their lunches again, handing Gavin one of the containers.
"Damn, looks fancy," he said, removing the lid. He quickly took a bite and chewed. "Mmm! Fuck, this is so good, Con," he said after swallowing.
The sentence made him blush a faint blue. The warmth within him grew. 'Oh no,' he thought. As expected, he felt a stabbing pain in his chest shortly afterwards. He preemptively covered his mouth and nose with his hands and-
*AH-CHOO*
Gavin snorted. He got up, walked over to the counter, and returned with a napkin, holding it out in front of Connor. "God, that'll never not be funny," he laughed.
Connor's cheeks were a bright blue as he accepted the napkin. "Thank you," he quietly said as he cleaned up. "It appears today's lunch is satisfactory."
"Oh yeah," he said as he chewed. "Lot better than yesterday."
Connor preened. They continued eating, chatting and laughing in between their bites. A directive appeared on Connor's HUD, changing from white to blue:
BEFRIEND DT. GAVIN REED