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Connor failed.
Connor, the deviant hunter. The prototype, stared over the edge where the android had fallen. He hadn’t been able to catch her. She stepped off. She tumbled down… down… down- “Connor?” Hanks voiced echoed next to him and he placed a hand against his ear.
Staring… he could see her blood, mingling with the cold snow on the ground. He’d killed another deviant. He was deviant himself, or was he? Maybe he was just a machine, maybe he was lying to himself because there she lay.
“Connor? Fucks sake, look at me!” Hank continued yelling, he was desperately shaking the android, stepping in front of him. When the android left his sight, Connors wide eyes snapped up to his partner. The LED he left on his head span and angry red.
Hank kept talking but Connor wasn’t really listening.
“I don’t want this! I want to be truly free!”
“You’re scared, lots of androids are. These are unprecedented times, but there are people out there who can help you!”
“I dont want help, I’m jumping either way! Turn around!”
She’d shrieked.
The android tipped backwards and despite his speed, her hand slipped away and her body crunched wetly against the snow.
“Shit.” Hank muttered from infront of him. Connor had a sickening distant stare, he should take him home, Hank thought. And that was what he chose to do. He walked with the distant android under his arm. Cops sent them weird looks, especially Connor. Some of rage, some of regret, some of understanding.. some of confusion.
The human slipped his son into the car, then sat in the drivers seat. He hated driving in the snow but now wasn’t the time to think about that.
The heater began blowing on the silent car ride. “Connor?” Hank tried again.
“Hank.” He replied, voice crackling with static as he spoke almost silently. Hank was surprised by the response and took a moment to thing of the right things to say. “We’re going home.. To Sumo.” He said, in a gentle voice, or as gentle as his went.
Connor nodded minutely before his face scrunched up slightly and he buried it in his hands. Hanks heart was broken. He took a hand off the wheel and stroked his sons back for awhile while keeping his eyes on the road. Soon enough they made it home. Hank quickly walked around to the androids side and helped him out, walking him in. Sumo sniffed at the two, but stood out of the way as Hank guided Connor to lay down on the couch. All the while his face was twisted, scrunchy, so he didn’t cry.
Once Hank pulled the blanket over him, the human lifted Connors head and shoulders, sitting on the couch with the android resting on his lap. Deciding he wasn’t probably ready to talk about today, Hank softly said “It’s Sumos birthday in a week. What do you want to get him?”
Connor shrugged, rolling onto his side so that Hanks thigh became his pillow. “I don’t know Hank.” The android said chokedly. Hank watched the LED cycle through red and yellow periodically. “Talk to me about it, I’m here.”
The android sniffed. “I just.. I should’ve been able to save her. I’ve stopped androids from far worse before, she just… she didn’t want- she- she died anyways and I couldn’t- I should’ve been able to- but I didn’t stop her… and now she’s dead because of me.” Connor tumbled over his words, halfway through choking as tears began to roll down his cheeks. Hank cursed under his breath, running his hand through Connors hair.
“Connor. You didn’t fail, not everyone can or even wants to be saved. Fuck, look at me.” The android looked up with teary eyes and Hank cupped his sons face. “Not like that kid, I meant.. how you’ve done so much for me.” Connor furrowed his eyebrows.
Yellow, blue, yellow, yellow, red.
“I should’ve done more.”
Hank pulled him up so Connors head rest on his chest. “You did everything you could, you did fine. Everyone has cases where it’s inevitable. It’s not your fault Connor.”
Connor buried his face in Hanks shirt, crying for the third time since the incident. The human lay there, soothing his son quietly. “I’m a prototype, I’m state of the art- I should’ve-“ Connor sobbed out. Hank shook his head “You’re also human- well not human but- being alive means feeling like shit when things out of our control go wrong.
Connor continued to cry into Hanks chest for a good while. His father would gently comfort him every so often, but generally let Connor cry his eyes out until he was done. The android sniffled and mumbled “Hank? Can.. you stay here? While I’m in stasis? I don’t want to be alone.”
Hank nodded and continued running his fingers through Connors hair. “Of course, son. I’m right here.” He watched the android nod with gratitude before he laid his head down and allowed himself sleep.
Blue, dull, blue, dull.