Chapter Text
At this point of the game; Hank didn’t surprise anyone anymore.
It didn’t surprise anyone when Hank wouldn’t show up for a shift.
Or that he was up all night the previous night getting drunk.
Or even the fact that his wife, unfortunately, left him shortly after the terrible accident involving their young son.
Hell, if they heard that Hank Anderson was found dead on his kitchen floor on the local news…well, no one would’ve been surprised at that either.
However, when rumors spread that Hank, the major anti-android protestor, had partnered and roomed with an android? Now, that had surprised many. Hank included.
It also wasn’t a rumor.
Shortly after the peaceful war against man and metal, the androids had won! They now had rights as any human. May it involve working, medical (or mechanical…in their case), or even just starting a family. They could do all. That included the RK800 model, Connor.
Though, Connor struggled more than the others when he deviated. All of the new emotions and feelings, they just confused and overwhelmed the young bot. It was almost like a baby learning to walk for the first time. It was hard.
Luckily, Connor didn’t go through it alone. He had Hank, who welcomed him back with opened arms, letting him know that he’ll help him as much as he could. Connor was extremely thankful. Though, he declined the offer. At first.
Connor wanted to explore more with his kind, to try and make up for the trouble that he caused with the androids when he was still labeled as a machine. Marcus was all for it, allowing him to stay at New Jericho! Some accepted him…many did not. Among the many was North. She despised the deviant hunter, the one who captured some of their kind, and even was the reason why their old home was destroyed. He lead them there. She didn’t care if he deviated last minute; he didn’t belong.
That’s why Hank suddenly got a hesitant knock on his front door late one night.
Hank grumbled and cursed as he turned the living room lamp on, rubbing the sleep from his eyes, muttering who could possible be visiting at this time of night? Unlocking and swinging the door open, he definitely wasn’t expecting to see a miserable looking Connor on his door step.
”Connor?” Hank yawned. “The hell? Everything okay?”
The young man smiled, though he couldn’t meet his friend’s gaze. Probably due to the fact that his face was flushed and the fake skin under his eyes seemed to be puffy; almost like he’s been crying. But androids didn’t cry.
Right?
”I am sorry for disturbing you this late at night, lieutenant, b-but I-“ he couldn’t finish his sentence, his small smile now replaced with a frown. The LED glowed a steady yellow on the side of his head.
Hank’s heart ached. The poor guy looked awful. Sad. Confused. Scared. Like a little kid who was completely lost.
Hank frowned himself, pinching the tip of Connor’s chin, making him look up. “Connor, what happened, son?”
The android’s eye became glossy as he turned away again, trying to hold back the silent sniffles. “I-I’m sorry, Hank. I didn’t know where else to go. I don’t have anywhere else…”
Hank remembered that night like it was yesterday.
That’s when the true rumors started. He took in the android and gave him a home, his own bedroom, and bought him HUMAN clothes so he wouldn’t have to keep wandering around in that android labeled suit. Connor was even allowed back at the DPD! After some convincing and threats from Hank, Connor went through human training and was officially and legally a Detroit detective. Hank was so proud…and even a little happy.
However…
It being a year later, Connor continued to struggle with human attributes. He could still feel emotion and later on discovered he could feel a simulation of pain. He found that out the hard way when Detective Reed ‘accidentally’ spelled boiling, hot coffee on Connor’s lap. After the discovery, Hank began to notice that Connor didn’t really take his own safety…seriously.
When they first met, Connor always put his mission first, no matter the risk, the mission was to be completed. Hank wondered if Connor still believed the same thing, even after deviating.
The older man didn’t think much into it, until Connor started putting himself purposely in danger! Running straight into house fires. Chasing after ARMED criminals. Even going through the extremely busy highway, to catch a petty thief…for the second time.
Hank has brought up the conversation many times before, the android acting like he hears him, but in reality, just shrugs him off. And that pisses Hank off.
Just like tonight, back at their home, Hank sat in his recliner, a can of soda unopened in his left hand. Watching down at the floor where Connor sat, playing and cooing at Hank’s big Saint Bernard, Sumo. As pissed off as Hank was, he couldn’t help but smile at the pair, ever since Connor moved in, the two were inseparable! He didn’t mind all of the fur on his clothes or the drool on his face like Hank did. He even swore his own dog loved the piece of plastic more than his owner! Freaking traitor.
”Hey Con,” Hank called out.
Connor laughed as Sumo placed one last slobbery kiss on his cheek. “Yes Hank?”
”Why don’t ya get yourself cleaned up and take a seat? I wanna talk to you about something?”
Connor’s smile faded, a frown replacing it as his LED flashed a quick yellow. “Sure. Everything okay?”
”Don’t worry about it, kid.” Hank gave him a small smile. “We just need a conversation, that’s all. You’re not in trouble.”
”Oh. Sure thing, lieutenant. I’ll only be a minute.” He gave one more pat to Sumo’s head before heading off to his bedroom. Hank sighed, leaning back into his chair as Sumo glared up at him, scolding him for interrupting their play time.
”Oh don’t give me that look. You’re suppose to love me more, ya’ know.”
The dog huffed before stalking away to his bed in the corner, sulking.
Connor came back out a second later, now supporting just a plain t shirt and a pair of sweat pants, his face slightly damp from washing all of Sumo’s affectionate kisses off. He sat down on the couch, his hands resting on his lap. “You wanted to speak with me, Hank?”
”Yeah,” Hank sat forward a bit. “I wanted to continue with our last couple conversations we had in the past.”
Connor tilted his head to the side. “I’m sorry, lieutenant. Which conversations?”
”The ones where you constantly keep putting yourself in unnecessary danger.” Hank placed his soda on the nearest side table, crossing his arms and giving the android a stern glare. Connor processed the information for a second before letting out, what sounded like a sigh with relief. It was just this talk again.
”Hank, like I said before; I am being careful. I was made to calculate every move bef-“
“Yeah yeah, before deciding on the right approach.” Hank interrupted. “Did your fancy scanning and calculating tell you to jump on the highway this morning? In front of speeding cars? With the possibility of becoming road kill?”
Connor looked down at his lap, fiddling with his fingers. “Not exactly.”
Hank scoffed, running a hand through his silver locks. “Yeah, that’s what I thought. Son, you can’t be doing this shit anymore. You do realize there’s only one of you now? If anything was to happen to you…” Hank cleared his throat, trying not to think about what exactly his last sentence would mean. “…you wouldn’t come back. No replacements to just take over like last time. No more second, third, fourth chances, kid.”
Connor was listening, he honestly was. But he started feeling an another emotion every single time Hank talked about this…and this was annoyance. Hank acted like Connor didn’t know what he was doing; he was programmed to be a detective for God’s sake! He also isn’t a clueless child that Hank could scold whenever he wanted. It was completely ridiculous.
”Connor!” Hank snapped. “Are you hearing me, kid?”
“Yes, Hank.” Connor looked up at him with annoyance. “Kind of hard NOT to hear you.”
Hank paused for second, processing the back talk that came from his charge’s mouth. Did he hear him correctly? ”Excuse me?” He raised a brow. “Wanna repeat that?”
Connor groaned, slumping more into the couch below him, running a hand through his curls. “I apologize, Lieutenant. I’m just getting so…” he clutched his hands. “Frustrated. As you would put it. I promise you; I know what I’m doing! We’re cops, we always put our lives on the line. It’s merely the job.”
”The job, Connor, is to protect the citizens of our city. And guess what, son? There’s a heeell lot more of ‘em now after the war; and YOU can’t do that if you’re dead because YOU won’t follow a simple order!”
This caused the android to stand up, towering over the sitting detective. “I was doing my job! He was a thief!”
”Oh don’t give me that horse shit!” Hank was now on his feet. “It was a punk teenager who stole, what, $20 out of a tip jar? That’s what you want to be remembered by at your funeral?”
Connor was blue at the face at this point. He just couldn’t understand why Hank wasn’t on his side, Connor did his absolute best to be apart of the team, going far and beyond! But he was getting reprimanded for doing so. Scolded like he was nothing but a foolish child. Though Connor knew when enough was enough, and decided to end the conversation before something was said that both of them would regret.
”Fine.” Connor said through gritted teeth. “I’ll be more…wary of my actions from here on out, Hank. You won’t have to worry anymore.” He then turned around, heading towards his room. “Good night.”
Hank growled. This conversation was not over. He stepped forward, grabbing ahold of the android’s arm, pulling him back. “I’m not through with you yet.” Standing Connor in front of him, he crossed his arms. “You’re not trustworthy, Connor, because I’ve heard those words many, many times before. So, starting tomorrow, me AND you, will be strictly on office duty.”
”W-What?” Connor stumbled on his words. “You can’t do that! You said I wasn’t in trouble!”
”That was before you started to be a smart ass and decided to be disrespectful! This is what it’s like being a human, kiddo.” Hank waved his arms in a sarcastic manor. “Mistakes can’t be made without consequences. So, consider yourself grounded.”
Connor’s eyes just about bugged out from their sockets. “Grounded? Lieutenant, that is a punishment for an adolescent; which I am far from if you haven’t noticed.”
”Heh,” Hank scoffed. “Coulda fooled me. Your behavior says otherwise.” Hank was now towering over his partner, putting a threatening finger in his face. “Connor, I do NOT want to have this conversation again; because if we do, I promise, it’ll be much worse than office duty. Am I understood?”
Still angry, and now embarrassed from being scolded and punished, Connor did a piss poor job composing himself before rolling his optics at his partner. “Loud and clear, Lieutenant Anderson.” With that, he turned and stormed to his bedroom, slamming the door shut. Leaving the older man with a gaped mouth and brows high.
Did he just ROLL his eyes at him.
That little shit.