Work Text:
Connor’s scheduled Jericho visit came up faster than he had anticipated, even with the plan being made only two days prior. He had hoped the two previous days would go by slowly, giving him time to prepare his systems for the influx of stress.
Before he knew it, the day had arrived, and he felt immensely unprepared, to his annoyance.
It was 8:35am, and he was in front of the mirror in Hank’s bathroom, fingers constantly flicking around his head, pushing pieces of hair into place that were already perfectly placed, his few wayward curls sitting across his forehead, LED flickering yellow as he looked himself over. He had his typical combination of clothes on, his white button up, his tie pulled up perfectly at his neck, black slacks, complete with his dress shoes.
Instead of his Cyberlife jacket ( which Hank was still keeping prisoner in his closet ) he was wearing the jacket Hank had gifted him, weighted and dark brown, a similar cut and style to his old jacket, but much warmer and comforting. He thinks he’s grown a little attached to the piece of fabric, in the few weeks he’s had it.
“ You gonna keep gawking at yourself in the mirror, or are we getting in the car, Con? “ the voice catches him by surprise, pulling the android out of his thoughts, and his head snaps over to the Lieutenant leaning against the doorframe, barely concealed amusement dancing in his eyes.
“ Apologies Lieutena–Hank, I just want to make sure I’m presentable, “ he explains as he brushes himself off, eyes drifting back to the mirror. Hank huffs, looking him up and down with dramatic tilts of his chin.
“ Kid, you look fine, great even, better than I’ve cleaned up in years, now get in the fucking car. “ he says with furrowed eyebrows, turning on his heel to walk down the hallway as Connor blinks, sighing and following him, hand already dipping into his pocket to grab his coin, thumb rubbing the rough ridges of metal.
Connor was anxious, one of few emotions he’s been able to understand and put a name to within the last few weeks, his stress levels a steady 32% in the corner of his HUD. Nowhere near dangerous levels, but enough for him to perceive the feeling.
It was an emotion he felt more often than he’d like to admit, to himself, Hank or Markus, though Markus probably had a good idea of how much of it he felt after their conversation a few days prior. It didn’t bother him as much as he thought it would, though, having someone be aware. Maybe he’d mention it to Hank, eventually, if the older man hadn’t already sniffed out his bullshit.
“ I’m assuming you’re good now right? Or do you need another round with the mirror? “ Hank asks with a raised eyebrow, tapping his fingers against his to-go coffee cup, and Connor shakes his head, moving to grab his winter coat, pulling it over his arms. He brushes his hand over Sumo’s head, who was laying by the front door, mumbling his goodbyes to the dog.
“ I’m ready, apologies for the delay. Let’s get going, I told Markus last night that I’d be there at 9:00am, “ Connor moves to open the door, Hank following behind him as they get into the oldsmobile, the cold leather seats seeping into their skin as they sit.
“ Didn’t he say anytime after 9:00am? I can smell the perfectionism, Con, “ Hank teases as he turns the key in the ignition, turning the heat on as Connor huffs in response, barely concealed annoyance settled between his eyebrows.
“ Yes, he did, but I’d like to make a good first impression, and part of that is being punctual. By saying sometime after 9:00am, Markus indirectly insinuated that would be the desired time for me to arrive, but he’s understanding of delays. He gave me wiggle room, I suppose you’d say. “
“ Connor, I think you’re overanalyzing things again, “ Hank says as he pulls out of the driveway, setting off for New Jericho. He subtly peeks out of the corner of his eye at the android, who was now turned away, looking out the window in silence. Hank can tell he’s nervous and trying to keep it under wraps, so he lets him have his silence, turning the music on, but keeping it low.
A few minutes into the short drive, stopped at a red light, Connor shifts, turning his body towards Hank, LED flickering an obnoxious yellow.
“ I only plan to be there for a few hours, at the most. Don’t want to overstay my welcome, especially since this’ll be my first time there, “ he explains, Hank humming in acknowledgement, though he doesn’t say anything, just enjoying the early morning. The two fall back into their comfortable silence, Connor subtly fidgeting with his coin as he takes in the sights they drive past, analyzing every building, gathering information to store in his memory files.
Aside from one brief stall in their drive from a mild accident, making their fifteen minute drive seventeen, the two pull up to the front of New Jericho at 8:57am, a tall old apartment complex, androids scattered throughout the area. It was exactly what Markus described, huge, but old, in desperate need of renovation, which it seemed there was already some progress on, new blots of paint on spots of the building.
“ I remember this place, closed a few decades ago, it’s in a…semi-decent area, at least, “ Hank comments with a scrutinizing gaze at the building. Connor nods in agreement, having already analyzed the building the second it came into view.
“ It’s not permanent, but they’re planning for the long term, for now. Markus hopes they’ll get a better area to set up Jericho in, eventually, “ Connor explains as he continues to stare, chest heavy. A moment passes, and Hank clears his throat, raising an eyebrow.
“ Well…are you going in or do I have to push you up the stairs? “ he asks the android, who blinks at the question, turning his head to look at the Lieutenant, unbuckling his seatbelt.
“ No…no I’m going. “ he says weakly–though he wouldn’t admit it–moving to open the car door when Hank puts a hand on his shoulder, holding him in place. The android doesn’t fight it, turning his head to look at the Lieutenant, the latter’s face mildly scrunched up in barely concealed discomfort.
“ Con, look, you haven’t exactly told me what’s kept you away from here for so long, but I can make my assumptions, “ he says gruffly, though there’s a caring undertone in his voice that Connor can’t ignore, “ just…call me when you want to leave, alright? If it’s earlier than you planned, or later, I don’t give a shit, I’ll be home all day anyway. Okay? “
Connor blinks in brief surprise, a comforting warmth settling against his biocomponents at the offer, and his stress levels tick down by a few percentiles.
“ Thank you, Hank. I will let you know. “ he smiles lightly, and Hank nods, letting him go with a pat on the shoulder.
Connor steps out of the vehicle, shutting the door behind him, and begins to take the steps up to the front of the building, already feeling a few eyes drift to him. He walks inside as quickly as possible, sending a quick message to Markus of his arrival, in which he gets an immediate ping of excitement from the other android.
The inside lobby was littered with androids, engrossed in their own groups and conversation, a few eyes darting to him as he walked in, flickering yellow LEDS entering his vision. He awkwardly fixes his tie, standing as close to the wall as possible, waiting for the deviant leader to come collect him.
A few painfully awkward moments pass, stares feeling as if they're burning into his chassis, and Markus appears in the lobby, the image of leadership radiating off of him. Eyes immediately drift to him, varying levels of adoration passing across the room as he takes long, confident strides to the detective, muttering good mornings and well wishes to the various androids in the room. He reaches Connor after a moment, smile wide as he clasps a hand on Connor’s shoulder. Connor’s stress levels tick down a bit at the motion.
“ Connor, I’m glad you made it, follow me, we’ll talk upstairs, “ he says to him quietly, keeping his hand on the younger android’s shoulder as he leads him to the elevator, eyes following the duo of RKs.
Connor keeps his head down until they reach it, the two stepping inside, Markus hitting the button for the 8th floor, the tallest floor of the building. As the doors close, Connor relaxes, head lightly hitting the back wall of the elevator as he sighs, eyes closed. Markus huffs in amusement, moving to stand next to him.
“ You alright? I imagine it might’ve been a bit awkward, I’m sorry I wasn’t downstairs faster, “ Markus says genuinely, eyes sympathetic, and Connor shakes his head, opening his own eyes to look over at the deviant leader with an awkward smile.
“ No, it’s alright Markus, I was already prepared for the high probability of tenseness following my arrival, “ he says in a blunt tone, fingers already fiddling with his coin again. Markus’ eyes drift down, gaze questioning. He seems to take a second to analyze it, blinking back up at the detective after a moment.
“ I noticed you fidget with that coin often, it’s the same exact coin from my visit a few days ago, is it a sort of comfort item? “ he asks innocently, free of judgement, yet Connor can’t help the brief pulse of embarrassment ( he thinks? ) that settles over his skin. His movements halt, holding onto it instead.
“ It’s my calibration coin, from my testing phase before I was put out on the field officially, “ he explains, eyes downcast on the shiny coin, “ its purpose was to test my reflexes and make sure my systems were at peak performance, though now I suppose it’s more of a…comfort item as you put it. “ he shrugs, and Markus nods in understanding, a calm smile on his face as the elevator door opens, and he puts a gentle hand on Connor’s back to direct him forward, Connor doesn’t protest the action.
Connor doesn’t mind the touch, doesn’t mind any touch majority of the time actually. Ever since Hank had hugged him back at the chicken feed, he has come to realize he craves it, though he doesn’t ask for it. Something about asking for it makes his chest seize in discomfort, though he’s not against making it clear he’s okay with it.
The few lingering touches he got from Hank, firm and comforting, and the various levels of touches he’s gotten from Markus, a mixture of firm and gentle, were nice. It’s a different feeling, Markus’ touch, compared to Hanks, more tingly compared to the warmth from Hank, and he finds he doesn’t mind, even though he doesn’t fully understand it.
The deviant leader was a tactile person with everyone, it was how he showed he cared, and Connor never complained about becoming one of those people also. He knows that if he were ever outwardly uncomfortable or brushed him off, he would stop immediately, which he appreciates.
Markus leads him down the hallway, door after door passing them, a few lingering androids in the hall as they reach their destination, and Markus pushes open the door and ushers the RK800 inside. Connor blinks in surprise at the other leaders of Jericho in the old spacious apartment, presumably Markus’ space.
Josh smiles gently at him, if not a bit awkward, though he seems relatively welcoming. Simon is similar, a gentle nod in his direction, and North seems to look him up and down, expression neutral, though thankfully not as hostile as he was expecting.
>STRESS LEVELS: DOWN 3% , STRESS AT 33%
“ Connor, it’s nice to see you again, I was glad to hear you’ve been staying somewhere safe, “ Simon greets as he walks up, offering a hand to shake, which Connor takes on instinct, the warmth of Simon’s palm comforting.
“ Simon, it’s good to see you doing well, and yes, I have, “ he says, eyes crinkling in a friendly display of a smile, though it definitely felt awkward. Simon didn’t seem to mind it though, patting his forearm gently before going to sit down.
He knew Simon had been injured at the Stratford Tower, though Connor had missed him, spending more time almost being shut down by a ripped out thirium pump, and he clearly had his priorities at that moment.
The android looked in as good of health as he had the night of the revolution, a dark grey jacket thrown over a simple white t-shirt and jeans, his shoes off in the corner of the room, as was everyone else’s. Connor follows suit, setting his shoes perfectly aligned near the door. He tries to ignore the burning on the back of his head, the feeling of eyes on him making him move faster back to the group.
“ Connor, you can take your jacket off, if you’d like? We actually just got the heating in the building set up yesterday, so it’s comfortable, “ Markus offers with a hand out, clearly offering to take Connor’s jacket from him.
Connor nods, silently pulling off the winter coat and gently handing it to the older android, who hangs it up. He leaves his brown jacket on, the weight comforting against the stress in his chest.
Markus guides him over to sit with the group, who take their own various spots in the living room space, the sofa, the desk across from it, and the floor. Connor positions himself closest to Markus unconsciously, being the one he’s the closest too relationship wise in the room after all, sitting on the floor in front of the sofa, while Markus perches on top of it.
The room is silent for a few seconds, awkward, and Connor resists every temptation in him to project all his pent up nerves into his quarter until Josh speaks up, voice warm.
“ How have you been, Connor? Markus told us you’ve been staying with a human? “ he asks, and Connor straightens, giving the android his full attention, grateful for the easy question. He was still learning how to do small talk correctly, after all.
“ That’s correct, I’ve been staying with Hank Anderson, he’s a Lieutenant at the DPD, he was the officer I got assigned too when I was working for them, “ he explains, though he gets quieter at the end of his sentence, hesitance hanging on his words, though no one in the room seems bothered at the admission.
They all knew what he was before he was a deviant, the whole android population did, actually, a cold reminder, “ he offered me a place in his home after the revolution, so I help out around the house. I’ve been learning how to cook for him, too. I take his dog, Sumo, on walks, it’s nice, “ he explains with a gentle smile adorning his face, and North’s face twists a little, bristling.
“ Not because he’s making you, correct? “ she asks with an accusatory tone, and Connor shakes his head, putting a hand up.
“ No, no not at all, he’s actually told me multiple times I don’t need to do anything, I just like to help, it’s truly become a home to me, “ he explains, and North seems to calm a bit, nodding, facial expression loosening. “ Good. “
“ I met him when I visited Connor on Sunday, he was very…welcoming, “ Markus says in an amused tone, and Connor smiles lightly, nodding. “ That is definitely a way to describe him, especially half asleep. “
“ Well, I’m glad to hear that you’ve been doing well, and that he treats you like a person, from what I’m hearing, “ Simon remarks with a nod, leaning back in Markus’ desk chair, “ it’s nice, hearing about humans that are on our side, supporting our cause, our people. “ he smiles, and the other three seem to agree to varying levels of enthusiasm, with North being the least enthusiastic.
Connor settles a little, looking over the group. Maybe this wasn’t so bad.
“ So…Markus mentioned to me that you may need my help with renovating the complex..? “ he asks, eager to please, to be useful. The three androids in front of him all seem to turn their gazes to Markus, who clears his throat.
“ Well, yes, if you’d like to do anything today you may, and we can set you up with that, but I did also say for you to come so everyone could get to know you a little better. Plus, it’ll get other androids around here more used to seeing you. We’ve been working hard these last few weeks, so today’s a slower day, for rest, “ he explains with a shrug, “ though there are still some androids choosing to do bits of work, we luckily have no meetings today. “
Connor mulls over his words, eyebrow furrowing, “ So that’s why you told me to come today, on the mandated rest day? So I couldn’t…be fully distracted by work and use it as an excuse to not speak to your friends? “ he questions, and Josh snorts. Markus huffs, leaning back on the sofa with a barely concealed smirk, “ Maybe. Besides, I’m not going to make you do anything you don’t want, if you want to do work, you can. “
“ Or you can just be around us today, we don’t have much planned, really, plus if you come by more there will be plenty of opportunities for working on the complex and socializing, “ Josh explains, leaning back on his hands casually, “ we have a plan this upcoming Friday to try and fully renovate the lobby, make it look less…abandoned, if you’d like that to be your first big project with us. “ he offers, a gentle coaxing to the detective to come by again.
Connor stares at the PJ500, processing. What, had Markus really only simply wanted to ‘ hang out ‘, as Hank had said yesterday? Wanted to get to know him better, and for his friends to get to know him better too?
Connor’s not sure what to do with this information, fingers twisting his coin in his pants pocket, movements littered with barely concealed anxiousness.
“ I see…so you simply wanted to just…hang out? That’s the main motivation of this meeting? “ he asks, and Markus leans over with an affirming nod, gesturing to his friends.
“ Yeah, plus I also wanted to help…clear the air, so to speak. They only really know about you from me and the uh, media, after all, “ he says in the detective’s ear, though totally audible to the other androids in the room. Connor nods, shifting in his spot.
“ Okay…so, what am I supposed to do exactly? “ he questions, gazing at the group. North shrugs, leaning forward on her knees, looking the younger android up and down with a mildly scrutinizing gaze.
“ Just need you to prove that you can be trusted, which I’ve heard plenty of from Markus. Just needed to actually see you, get to know you more. You seem nice, Connor, but after everything… “ she explains with a shrug, not aggressive, just honest, and Connor nods, the pang in his chest ignored.
> STRESS LEVELS AT 37%
“ I think you can be trusted, Connor, especially after what you did for us, breaking into Cyberlife Tower and all, it was brave, and terrifying, “ Josh says, a gentle smile adorning his face, “ I think North will come around soon, she’s just incredibly stubborn. “ he remarks, dodging the girl’s shove at his shoulder.
Simon seems to agree with his statement, standing up to walk over to the open kitchen placed in the corner of the suite, pulling out a bottle of sparkling seltzer from the relatively small fridge, strawberry flavored.
“ Does anyone want some? I fell in love with this stuff when Rufus brought some back a few days ago, “ he asks as he grabs a glass from Markus’ small kitchen, various noises of agreement coming from the group, aside from Connor, who analyzes the bottle with a scrutinizing gaze.
“ Connor? What about you? “ Simon asks as he grabs the extra glasses, and the younger android hesitates.
“ He hasn’t tried any human foods or drinks yet, we spoke about it the other day, “ Markus explains before Connor can open his mouth, the group acknowledging the statement with various noises of knowledge, and Connor averts his eyes to a nearby wall, a painting of Markus’ hung up, a casual showcase of his talents.
“ Would you like to try it, Connor? It’s alright if not, no hard feelings. “ Simon asks, and Connor blinks, looking back at the blonde, whose face is clear of judgement.
“ I…suppose, may as well start somewhere. “ he agrees, and Simon smiles, pouring the glasses, then walking them over with a tray. Connor supposes that he’ll have a potentially humorous moment to tell Hank about when he gets back home, at least, if it doesn’t go well.
“ Now, we haven’t all tried carbonated drinks yet, though Simon seems to love them, so this is new to a few of us, also, “ Markus explains as he grabs a cup, Connor copying his movements. North seems to look at the concoction in mild disgust.
“ I’ve tried them, had some of that orange soda that a human donated to us yesterday, I didn’t enjoy it. Though, for Simon, I’ll give these types of drinks one more try, “ she explains, and Simon huffs out a laugh.
It surprised Connor, how casual the whole experience has been so far, aside from the bouts of awkwardness. Getting included in these events that he had only heard of from Markus over text had settled something warm against his chest, lowering his stress by a few decibels again. Maybe he really could make friends here, with some effort.
Josh and Markus seem to take sips of the drink simultaneously, both making very different faces in reaction.
“ That’s…not bad? I enjoy the flavor, though the carbonation is..strange? I might just have to get used to it? “ Josh explains with a questioning look at the clear glass, Markus humming his agreement.
“ I don’t hate it, but I don’t think I’d drink this on purpose, strawberry might not be my thing, “ he says, shrugging, and North huffs, smiling in her own personal victory.
“ That information cannot leave this room, or else some more…influenced androids might decide they don’t like it either, just because our lovely deviant leader doesn’t. “ she laughs, and Markus huffs, a barely concealed blush settling across his nose.
Connor listens to the dialogue between the friends silently, bringing the glass to his own lips hesitantly. He tilts the glass just enough to allow the liquid to pour gently into his mouth, settling across his tongue with sparks of carbonation, making him blink in surprise, his analysis software flaring up and sending readings across his vision.
> carbonated spring water, cane sugar, natural flavor, citric acid
He swallows the small amount of liquid instinctually with a surprised cough, blinking the analysis away. Markus is immediately within his line of sight, a questioning gaze settled in his heterochromic eyes.
“ Are you alright? “ he asks simply, and Connor nods, catching the eye of Simon, who looks at him curiously.
“ You were blinking a lot, are you sure? A software malfunction? “ he asks, concerned, and North snorts.
“ I strongly assume his software is okay, don’t think the ex-deviant hunter would get taken out by sparkling water, of all things, “ she jokes, and Connor ignores the pang at the nickname, shaking his head.
“ No, no I’m alright. The liquid set off my analysis program, that’s all, “ at the android’s questioning gazes, he continues, “ I was built with analysis software on my tongue, made to sample evidence at crime scenes in real time. “
Josh blinks in surprise, leaning forward in curiosity, “ Convenience in crime scenes I’d assume, the faster the results, the faster the criminal could be caught and the case be closed? “
“ Yes, exactly, though now I guess I get to use it for…strawberry seltzer. “ he mutters, and Markus chuckles next to him, soft and warm.
“ That’s quite a unique ability for an android, do you also have a pre-construction program? “ the older android asks, and Connor blinks at him, nodding.
“ Yes, I do, though I mainly used my re-construction program in my work, I didn’t have much use for my pre-construction program until the Cyberlife tower, actually. Did they mention that in the news casts about me? “ he asks, and Markus shrugs in response, leaning back on the sofa as he takes another small sip of the drink, a simple grimace going across his face at the carbonation.
“ Not sure, didn’t get a chance to look at many of them, I just ask because I have the program myself, though not re-construction, that’s definitely just a you thing. “ he explains, and Connor feels brief surprise, though it makes sense after a moment. Must be an RK series thing, even with Markus being an older model in the line.
“ So you’re telling us you got a forensics lab in your mouth? That’s what you’re saying? “ North asks with a raised eyebrow over her glass, and Connor nods with a light smile. “ That would be the right way to describe it, yes. “
“ Heh, weird, “ she huffs, though not meanly, her tone light. Connor’s social relations program registers it like a playful jab, so he accepts it with a shrug. “ I won’t deny that. “
“ So was the analysis too distracting, Connor? You didn’t say whether or not you liked it. “ Simon points out to the younger android, and he blinks, looking down at the liquid in the glass. Raising it back up to his lips, he tries it again, minimizing the analysis into the corner of his HUD. He allows the carbonation to sit in his mouth for a moment, the static-like feeling fascinating, the strawberry flavor pleasing to his sensors, and he swallows it, eyebrow furrowing.
“ I…think I enjoy it, actually, “ he wonders out loud, and Simon smiles, tilting his glass at the detective, “ He gets it. “
Connor can’t help the smile pulling at his lips as the group falls into gentle banter with one another around him, taking another sip of the seltzer, settling against the sofa. This was going way better than he had anticipated and prepared for. He knew, logically, that there may be some lingering distrust and tenseness, but Markus had told him days prior to give other androids a chance to get to know him, to see who he really is. He wanted to prove that he wasn’t what they thought he was, not anymore at least.
“ Markus, did you tell Connor about the update you got this morning from Cyberlife? “ Josh asks, and Markus blinks, turning his head to look down at the detective on the floor.
“ No I haven’t, I was waiting to tell him in person, then it slipped my mind, apologies Connor, “ he says, and Connor tilts his head a bit, eyes locked onto the deviant leader above him, “ What happened? “
Markus smiles, hopeful, grasping Connor’s shoulder with a firm hand, artificial warmth seeping into Connor’s arm.
“ I have another meeting on Thursday with the Cyberlife executives, we’re going to be discussing more on the production of android parts, as you know, and they also agreed to go into further negotiations with our blueprints. So there’s a chance that we may have our hands on them sooner than we thought. “ he says, smiling wider at Connor’s expression shifting into a more positive expression, fingers twitching for his coin in his pocket.
He listens to the impulse, grabbing it and letting it slide across his fingers flawlessly as he smiles at Markus, nodding, “ That is great news! Though, I would still be prepared for it to take some time, “ he says honestly, and Markus nods with a hum, “ With them? I’m shocked they even reached out to schedule the meeting themselves, so I’ll take what I can get. “
Connor nods in agreement, turning back to the group in front of him, noticing Simon’s eyes locked on his hand, which is still doing small tricks with his coin.
“ How the hell are you doing that? “ he asks, dragging the other android’s attention to his hand, including Markus, who had already seen some of it before. Connor’s movements still, holding it in his palm.
“ Sorry, is it too distracting? “ he asks, and Josh shakes his head, gesturing his own hand at Connors. “ No, it’s not, but I agree with Simon, how are you doing that so flawlessly? “ he asks, and even North looks curious, subtly leaning forward.
Connor blinks in surprise, looking down at the coin in his palm, before picking up where he left off, rolling it across his knuckles, “ I wish I could tell you, I’ve been doing it as long as I can remember. It’s my calibration coin, from my beta testing phase, “ he explains as he flicks the coin upwards, allowing it to fall back down onto his knuckles, in between his fingers, and across to his other hand. “ I suppose it’s instinctual. “
Josh nods in understanding, watching the younger android perform the small tricks, and North snorts, looking at the detective, a barely present smile on her face.
“ That would be one hell of a party trick at the banquet in January, wouldn’t it Markus? “ she asks, and Markus seems to straighten, communicating something silently to her out of the corner of Connor’s eye. They seem to be speaking in their minds, neither looking angry, but Markus does look faintly surprised, before blinking, a light huff of air leaving his nose.
Connor hadn’t heard anything about an upcoming banquet, though if it was in January, it makes sense that they might be waiting a little longer to announce it to the public. Markus turns to the android, a question clearly hanging on his lips.
“ Connor, “ he starts, looking apprehensive, but Connor nods at him, pushing him to continue, “ how would you feel about going to a banquet at the end of January with us? We’re hosting it. “ he explains, and Connor stops flicking his coin back and forth.
“ You…want me to go to this? Last I checked, there’s still android’s who aren’t comfortable around me, I don’t know how well that would go over, “ he says quietly, and Simon leans forward.
“ While that is true, this is well over a month away, we’ve discussed bringing you with us, we just wanted to get to know you better first, “ the blonde explains with a shrug, a light smile dancing across his lips.
North continues, eyes on the android across from her, “ Look, Connor. I’m not going to say I trust you fully yet either, but you have time for people to get to know you better, plus you seem relatively kind, it’ll make it easier. “
“ You were one of the main reasons we succeeded in the revolution, Connor, even the ones who are more uneasy around you haven’t forgotten that. You earned your position as one of the higher ups of Jericho pretty easily, “ Josh explains, taking another sip of his drink as Connor processes the words of the androids around him. They actually considered him one of them?
“ I’m not going to force you to attend if you decide not to, “ Markus says, leaning his elbows on his knees, “ but I do want you to think it over, at least. “ he smiles, and Connor nods, rubbing his thumb over the edge of the coin. His chest feels warm, and he registers it as a nice feeling, a good one.
“ I will think it over, thank you for the offer, “ he says, and the group seems to settle at that, shifting into comfortable silence for a moment, before Josh blinks, standing up.
“ Didn’t we say we were gonna watch a movie today? We haven’t done so yet, with how busy we’ve been, “ he asks, gesturing to the small tv sitting across from them. It looks rather old, maybe from sometime in the 2010s, flatscreen. Next to it sits a dvd player and a small stack of movies, which Josh starts thumbing through.
“ Oh that’s right! I’m still down for that, “ Markus sits forward with a smile, and North and Simon join him and Connor around the couch, North sitting next to Markus and Simon settling next to the detective, the group watching as Josh chooses an option for them.
“ Hank has made me watch a few old films, “ Connor comments, eyes scanning the movies, all of which seem to be animated, “ though none of these are in my memory files. “
“ They were a gift from this nice human lady that lives down the block, “ Simon explains, seeming to smile at the memory, “ she offered us a huge container of older animated films because she had overheard some YK500s saying that they missed cartoons when she was taking a walk. She’s also the one who gave this television to us, and there’s two more downstairs in the lobby area. “
Connor nods along, a small smile adorning his face hearing about the kindness of the woman, and Markus chuckles from behind, “ She told us that she knew we could just watch things in our heads if we wanted, but thought that the children and us older androids would enjoy the simple act of putting a dvd on and watching television together. “
Connor couldn’t deny the logic in that, as he had plenty of enjoyment the last few weeks watching television with Hank, “ It is oddly enjoyable, I can agree with her on that. That was incredibly kind. “
Josh seems to settle on one, showing off his choice to the group, something called ‘ Shrek ‘, and Connor resists looking up the plot of the movie, having been berated by Hank multiple times for doing so early on in their shared movie time.
Hank had told Connor it was more enjoyable to go into a movie or show knowing little to nothing about it, made it more fun, and he couldn’t deny it after he had done so the first time, completely hooked onto the plots of ‘ Criminal Minds ‘ episodes very quickly, and they weren’t even finished season one yet.
“ I suggest not searching up any information on this movie, can take away from the experience, “ Connor suggests mildly, and the group seems to silently agree as Josh moves to put it into the dvd player, sliding the old, yet thankfully undamaged disc in. He moves to pull the curtains shut at the large window, then slides over the arm of the couch to sit at Markus’ other side.
North flicks the tv on with a blink, pressing play on the rather animated menu screen, and the group settles down as it begins, quickly being taken in by the bright colors and characters.
They discovered that they’re easily amused by animated character antics, and spoke about doing this again sometime soon, which Connor can’t help but look forward to.
>STRESS LEVELS AT 12%
–
As Connor moves to walk down the steps of the apartment complex a few hours later, Markus stops him with a gentle grip on his shoulder, and the younger android turns around in surprise. The other three are in the lobby, having already said their goodbyes to the RK800, mingling with a few other androids in the area.
Markus smiles at the detective, eyes genuine, “ I’m glad you came today, Connor. I think you made a really good impression on them, “ he says with a gentle look over at his friends, and Connor looks off to the side, a smile fighting against his lips.
“ I’m…pleased that I managed to get myself to come today, truthfully I was quite worried, though I’m sure you knew that already, “ he says with a shrug, and Markus nods, amusement dancing in his eyes, “ Yes, yes I did. That’s okay though, I’m glad you pushed through it, today was a great step forward. Are you still okay with coming by on Friday for the lobby renovation? “
“ Yes, I will check with Hank to make sure there’s nothing planned on our end, but I should be good to come by and assist, I will call you, “ he assures, and Markus nods, seeming to think something over as he looks the detective over quickly, eyes holding a sliver of hesitation.
Before Connor can ask, he’s pulled forward into a gentle hug by the deviant leader, and he blinks in surprise, thirium pump seeming to halt for a moment. Markus is clearly leaving it loose on purpose, giving Connor the space to back out if he wants. It takes him a beat, but he brings his arms up to hug him back, hands settling against his back, trying to relax.
“ It was nice today, Connor, getting to spend time with you and get to know you better, “ he says as he pulls back, hands holding onto the younger androids forearms, “ I’m looking forward to seeing you more. “ he says, genuine care seeping through his words so strongly that it takes Connor a moment to process, simply looking the android over, before he smiles lightly, nodding.
“ I look forward to it also. Now, I must be going, I’m sure Hank probably wants to stop somewhere for food after this, and he gets..impatient, “ he huffs, and Markus nods, letting him go, turning to walk back into the apartment with a wave over his shoulder, “ Goodbye, Connor! “
“ Goodbye, Markus. “ he says back as he walks down the stairs, keeping his eyes on the oldsmobile parked outside the complex, feeling eyes trailing after him once again.
When he reaches the car door, Hank unlocks it for him, letting the android get in and settle before saying anything, tapping his fingers against the wheel, expression curious.
“ So, how did it go? Did it fit your idea of the day, or was I right? “ he asks, turning the music low to be able to hear the android as he pulls out onto the street. Connor smiles lightly, leaning back in his seat, right hand fiddling with his coin absently as he thinks back.
“ It actually went really well, much better than I was expecting, so I suppose you get to take your win there, “ he says, taking in Hank’s subtly pleased look, “ I actually tried my first human beverage. “
“ No shit! What was it? “ that clearly caught Hank’s attention, and Connor can practically still taste the remnants of the beverage on his tongue, “ It was strawberry sparkling seltzer, courtesy of Simon, “
“ Damn, you tried a carbonated beverage? People have mixed opinions on those, I personally don’t mind them, though some are definitely better than others, “ Hank explains as he turns down another road, tapping his fingers in a made up rhythm against the wheel, “ did you like it at all? “
Connor nods, “ I did, I found the flavor and the experience of carbonation quite enjoyable, actually. Simon seemed pleased that I enjoyed it as much as he does. “
Hank seems to take the information in, nodding, “ Alright, I’ll keep that in mind next time we go grocery shopping, maybe you can try some more flavors? “ he offers, and Connor smiles at the offer, grateful for Hank’s kindness.
“ That would be nice, thank you Hank, “ Hank shakes his head in response, shrugging, “ No problem, kid, did anything else happen? “
“ We spent a few hours just talking and watching an animated film, “ he says, and Hank raises an eyebrow, curious, “ Which one? “
“ It was called ‘ Shrek ‘, quite a fascinating movie, I forgot how much humans enjoy fantasy worlds, though I definitely understand the appeal. “ he explains, and Hank snorts in surprise, shaking his head in disbelief at the information.
“ I never woulda thought that the leaders of Jericho would sit around and watch a movie like Shrek of all things, that’s fucking epic. There's a few movies after that one, you guys should binge the rest of them sometime. “ he responds, and Connor blinks in surprise, looking over, “ There is? The stack of movies we had only had one. “
Hank hums, stopping at a red light, “ I have all of them on disc, I could lend them over sometime, if you guys want, “ he offers, and Connor smiles, sending a message into the new group text he has with the leaders of Jericho about the offer, LED flickering blue as he does so.
“ I let them know, thank you for the offer. “ he says, and Hank shrugs, “ ‘Course, there’s plenty of animated classics for you guys to experience, Shrek is actually a good start. “
It’s silent for a few moments, Connor watching familiar buildings and streets pass on the way home, before Hank shifts, clearing his throat, and he turns his head back to the older man, who seems to be contemplating something in his head.
“ Is something the matter, Lieutenant? “ Connor asks with a raised eyebrow, and Hank shakes his head, “ No, nothing is wrong, but… “ he trails off, squinting a little, before turning his head subtly over to the android when he hits a stop sign.
“ What was that exchange you had with Markus about? “ he asks, seemingly innocent, but if Connor didn’t know any better, it sounded like his voice had a hint of a teasing tone to it, one he was only able to recognize due to how often Hank has used it in the last few weeks. Though he doesn’t know what would warrant the teasing, exactly.
“ We were simply saying goodbye, he told me he was glad I came today, and is excited to see me more often, “ he explains, slightly tilting his head to the side, “ Why? “
Hank’s facial expression twists, clearly holding back amusement, before he schools his expression, turning back to the road with a shrug, “ Nothin’, just curious. “
He continues to drive in silence, and Connor looks at him for a moment longer, LED flickering yellow, before he turns back to the window, a hint of a smile ghosting across his lips at his good mood. He’s suspicious of Hank’s motivations in this conversation, but he clearly wasn’t going to budge right now, so Connor’s content to leave it be, for now at least.
His mind wanders back to the events of the day, and he finds that he’s…excited, to see the group again, to form more bonds, and to hopefully start to clear up his reputation with the other androids in Jericho. He’s also excited to just go home, a bit drained from the stress he had earlier in the day. He can tell he’ll have a restful stasis cycle tonight, for sure.
Maybe he and Hank can watch a few more episodes of ‘ Criminal Minds ‘ first though. He doesn’t think he would mind, and Sumo surely wouldn’t mind either, simply enjoying laying across their laps while watching television, enjoying the attention from his two favorite people.
He’s looking forward to it.