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The late afternoon sun bathed the streets of Detroit in a golden hue as Hank strolled along the sidewalk, hands tucked into his coat pockets. Beside him, Connor, now fully deviant and free-willed, kept pace with a newfound ease. It had been a long day at the precinct, and Hank had decided they both needed a break.
"Alright, tin can, time to introduce you to one of life’s greatest pleasures," Hank grumbled, steering them toward a small ice cream stand nestled at the corner of the park.
Connor tilted his head slightly. "Pleasure is a concept I am still learning to appreciate, Lieutenant. But I am eager to experience it."
Hank rolled his eyes. "Yeah, yeah, whatever. Just pick a flavor. And what did I say about you callin' me Lieutenant?"
"Sorry, Hank," Connor stepped up to the counter, scanning the options with a focused gaze. "There are an overwhelming number of choices," he observed.
"Welcome to the human experience, bud." Hank leaned against the counter. "I’d go for something classic. Vanilla, chocolate, maybe strawberry."
Connor paused, then pointed at a pale blue scoop labeled "Blue Moon."
Hank chuckled. "Heh. Alright, bold choice."
Once they had their cones, they settled onto a park bench. Hank licked his own chocolate scoop with practiced ease while Connor examined his ice cream intently, running a scan. "High sugar content, dairy-based, cold temperature… consumption is not necessary for my functions, but—"
"For crying out loud, just take a bite," Hank interrupted, watching with amusement.
Connor hesitated before pressing the tip of his tongue to the ice cream. Almost immediately, his LED flickered yellow as his processing kicked into high gear. He blinked. Then, much to Hank’s surprise, his expression shifted into something close to wonder.
"The flavor is… complex. Sweet, with a mild citrus note and hints of vanilla. The texture is both firm and yielding. The cold temperature provides a stark contrast to my internal heat regulation systems. It is… fascinating."
Hank let out a bark of laughter. "Damn, Connor, you make eating ice cream sound like a damn science experiment. Just enjoy it."
Connor took another cautious lick, then another, his LED shifting back to a neutral blue. "I believe I understand why humans enjoy this."
"Told ya. Nothing like ice cream after a long day of work."
For a while, they simply sat, watching the people pass by, the sounds of laughter and chatter filling the air. Connor observed a child drop their ice cream and burst into tears. Before Hank could react, Connor had already stood, approached the vendor, and returned with a replacement cone, handing it to the child with a small, polite nod. The child beamed up at him, crisis averted.
Hank watched the exchange, a small smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth. "You got a good heart, Connor."
Connor glanced at him, expression unreadable but somehow warm. "Thank you."
Hank clapped him on the back. "Now hurry up and finish that thing before it melts all over you."
And for the first time, Connor found himself simply enjoying the moment.