Chapter 1: Now the war is passed and over
Notes:
I'll save my spiel for the end notes. Warnings for this chapter: some android body horror stuff, and Connor has a couple of small breakdowns (he's a little lost atm, but it'll get better).
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
NOV 20TH, 2038 AM 06:26
Connor anxiously fiddles with the buttoned cuffs on his coat. He doesn’t think he likes airports. However, considering the circumstances, the Detroit Metropolitan Airport isn’t nearly as busy as it would usually be. Even so, he feels unsettled and anxious, and he’d very much like to leave. Nevertheless, he insists on seeing Markus off, and he’s determined to do so.
Markus and Josh have an 8:00 AM flight to Washington, D.C., where they’ll meet with the President of the United States to begin talks about establishing laws for android rights. Markus is hopeful that by the end of this visit, androids will be recognized as a new intelligent species, and the slavery of their people will cease. Once laws are established to guarantee their right to life and liberty, they can then build upon that foundation.
North and Simon are staying in Detroit as it was decided that it’d be better not to risk all of their leaders going to Washington at the same time… just in case something happens. It was also decided that North probably isn’t the right person to go and try to negotiate their rights, which she grudgingly accepted.
Connor doesn’t like that Markus is leaving. Markus has quickly cemented himself as another person in his pack, and he’s worried for his safety. He’s worried for Josh’s safety, too, of course. However, his omega is particularly distressed at having one of their alphas so far away. Luckily, Markus and Josh agreed to take two Model TR400 androids with them as bodyguards. Not that they aren’t capable of protecting themselves, but the two hulking androids will hopefully help deter any untoward behavior.
Their small group stops at the Level 2 gates of the McNamara Terminal. Unsurprisingly, North and Simon joined him in seeing Markus and Josh off. Somewhat surprisingly, Nines has, too. Although maybe it shouldn’t be, seeing as the alpha has stayed close these last few days. It was a task to give him the slip long enough to visit Hank, and since then, Nines has followed him everywhere he goes. He doesn’t really mind, though. And right now, he could use the comfort.
Markus gets his attention with a hand gently grasping his shoulder. “It’ll be alright, Connor. We’ll be back in a few days.”
He usually finds it hard to keep eye contact with those intense, heterochromatic eyes, but he does so now. “Are you sure I shouldn’t come with you?”
He doesn’t want to. The idea of leaving Detroit has panic pulsing through his wires, but he will if Markus needs or wants him to. He doesn’t know anything about politics, but part of his original designation was negotiation. He could be a valuable asset.
Markus smiles softly and gives his shoulder a gentle squeeze. “We talked about this. I wouldn’t be able to concentrate if you came with us. I’ll feel better knowing you’re safe here in Detroit.”
Connor ducks his head, struggling to swallow around the tangled emotions clogging up his throat.
“Come here,” Markus says.
He gladly complies, following the hand on his shoulder as it pulls him close and hugging Markus. He hides his face in the alpha’s neck, trying to take comfort in the scent of freshly brewed coffee. It doesn’t help. He chokes down a whimper and clutches tighter onto Markus.
Markus releases a wave of comforting pheromones and hugs him just as tightly, nosing at his temple. “I’ll let you know when we land and when we get to the hotel. We can check in with each other in the evenings or the mornings, too, if that would make you feel better. Or both, like you used to do with Luther.”
He swallows down another noise, taking a moment to ensure his voice box won’t fail him. “I’m sorry. I know it’s stupid. I don’t know why I’m reacting like this.”
Markus runs a hand up and down the length of his back. “I don’t think it’s stupid at all. We can’t control our instincts or how we react to things... It’s why you can’t come with us. My alpha would be too focused on you, and so would I. I wouldn’t be able to concentrate on my purpose for being there.”
Tension builds inside him, winding tighter and making it hard to breathe. “I know it’s necessary, but I hate it. I hate that you’re going so far away.” Where I can’t protect you, he doesn’t say.
“I know,” Markus murmurs, soothing him. “I don’t like it either, but by doing this, we can help our people be free. We’ll only be gone three days.”
Connor deflates, sighing heavily and sagging against the alpha. “I know... You’re right.”
Markus gently squeezes him and noses at his temple. “We’ll stay in contact. You can message me anytime, but I won’t be able to reply if we’re in a meeting.”
Connor takes an unsteady breath and sighs it out. “Okay.”
Markus scents him, and he desperately scents the alpha in return. He takes longer on it than he normally would (not that he’s scented Makus, or anyone, many times before). Some irrational instinct is driving him to smother the alpha in his scent. It makes no sense, as Markus smelling like him won’t do anything to help ensure his safety, but his omega seems to think otherwise.
When he pulls back from Markus, he turns his attention to Josh. Josh welcomes him with open arms, reciprocating his hug and staying still while he scents him, too. Like with Markus, he’s thorough in his scenting. Once he and his omega are satisfied, he pulls back and stands between Nines and North. North gives his wrist a gentle squeeze, and then she and Simon give their goodbyes.
Connor ducks his head, thirium flushing his cheeks. Why did he have to react like that? Surely it was too much.
As if in reply, Nines presses closer. Instinctively, his hand reaches out, and he holds onto the alpha’s hand. Nines strokes his thumb against his hand and releases some light, comforting pheromones. He sighs and rests his head on the alpha’s shoulder.
After North and Simon say their goodbyes and Markus and Josh pass through security, their small group makes their way out of the airport. While it’s not overly crowded, like he imagines it must normally be when it’s bustling with people, it feels too crowded to him. His omega is distressed, and his nerves are frayed. Anyone other than their small group of four feels like too many people.
Unfortunately, alongside the traffic in the parking lot, reporters and journalists await them outside. Somehow, it got leaked that Markus was leaving for Washington, and several news crews jumped at the opportunity to “document this momentous occasion.” They’re keeping their distance, at least, but the cameras filming them make him even more anxious than he already was.
Nines and North close in on either side of him, probably alerted to his heightened distress through his scent. On his left, North threads his arm with hers, turning her head to scowl at the cameras. On his right, Nines walks close enough that their shoulders brush as they walk, and the alpha presses a hand against the small of his back, the mask of cold neutrality in place but with fire in that icy gaze daring anyone to come near. On North’s other side, Simon walks with his arm similarly threaded with hers.
No one bothers them, but the cameras keep rolling. He tries to ignore them.
They climb into an autonomous cab waiting at the curb and get situated inside. Connor leans his head against the headrest with a sigh. They have an almost half-hour drive to drop North and Simon off. From there, they’ll either drive or walk back to the mansion. He’s not sure which he’d prefer yet... He’s too anxious to be able to think about it.
“So,” Simon says, breaking the tense silence. “How’re things at the mansion, Connor?”
He gratefully latches onto the distraction, lifting his head off the headrest. “Good! Good... We’re all good. Um, it’s much more crowded now.”
Within five days, the mansion has grown from a dozen androids to... several dozen. He’s not actually sure how many androids are residing there now, but he knows Luther and Rose have been keeping track. He’s honestly been in a bit of a daze these last few days. Perhaps he should ask them.
“I know what you mean,” Simon responds, keeping his tone light and amiable. “There are so many of us now. The church is full, and we’ve pretty much taken over the surrounding neighborhoods.”
The abandoned church on the corner of Woodward Avenue and West Philadelphia Street has become somewhat of an unofficial headquarters for androids. Or at least, the church is where Markus, Simon, North, and Josh returned to and have stayed. He’s heard Rose and a couple of others refer to it as New Jericho, although he doesn’t think he agrees with the name.
It’s only partially because the mention of Jericho is still... triggering (one of the many things he’s been trying not to think about), but he doesn’t like the idea of reusing Jericho’s name. Jericho was an abandoned freighter ship that now sits at the bottom of the Rouge River, a grave to the many deviants who lost their lives there. The church, while also abandoned and ravaged by time, is more alive than the ship ever was. He just thinks it feels wrong to compare the two.
“Did you guys get done with the roof?” He asks.
North is the one who answers him, crossing one leg over the other. “Yeah. Some of the guys who started out in construction installed tarps, roofing felt, and sheet metal. It’s a temporary solution, but at least there are no more holes in the roof.”
It’s difficult to say what will happen in the coming days and where they’ll end up, but making the church more livable for now is a good start.
“You guys got the generators set up? And the heaters?” He hasn’t been back to the church... he’s hesitant to go there. He can’t help but think he wouldn’t be welcome.
North rolls her eyes playfully and nudges her shoulder into his. “Yes, pack mom. We’ve got everything set up for us to hold out there.”
Thirium flushes his cheeks. “I just wanted to make sure. If you guys need—”
“We’re fine, Connor,” she gently cuts him off, aiming a warm smile his way. “We’ve got it under control. Simon and I can keep things running until Markus and Josh return.”
He ducks his head shyly, looking down at his lap and fiddling with his cuff buttons. He can’t help but worry, and he wants to help in any way he can. It’s his fault they’re having to recreate a place for themselves in the hollowed-out ruins of a church.
“You’ve already helped a lot, Connor,” Simon offers in comfort. “We wouldn’t have gotten this far if you hadn’t gotten us in contact with Elijah Kamski.”
“Ugh!” North growls. “Can we not talk about him?! I don’t trust him!”
“The thirium and biocomponents he supplied us with saved many of our people from shutting down,” Simon replies.
A couple of days ago, Markus contacted him asking about where they could get thirium and biocomponents. The meager supplies they had were lost in the raid on Jericho. They’d been trying to make do, but many of them were damaged during the time between the raid and their eventual freedom, and supplies were needed; otherwise, people would start shutting down.
He didn’t have an answer. While the mansion had a small surplus of supplies, it wouldn’t have been anywhere near enough, and he was hesitant to part with them. After all, there’s no telling when they’d be able to get more.
So, he reached out to Chloe. Luckily, she had a solution. It turns out Elijah Kamski owns several private warehouses stocked full of thirium and biocomponents. He got Markus in contact with Chloe, and through her, Markus got in contact with Kamski, who was happy to lend a helping hand.
However, it took a bit of explaining before Markus was willing to contact even Chloe, let alone Elijah Kamski. All the alpha and the other leaders knew was what they’d seen in his memories of when the human gave him his little test. Connor hadn’t thought to tell them about the conversation he’d had with Chloe on the way to CyberLife Tower. So much happened after that. However, after he properly explained, Markus was more willing to reach out, and so they gained access to an abundance of supplies, enough to prevent anyone from shutting down.
North, it would seem, still holds a grudge.
“That doesn’t mean I trust that smarmy bastard,” she spits, crossing her arms over her chest. “Humans always have an ulterior motive, and everything comes with a price. He’s only helping us now so he can demand payment in the future.”
Simon just sighs in response, leading him to believe this is a discussion that’s been had many times by now.
“I think he genuinely wants to help,” he offers.
North regards him with an almost pitying look. “You’re still a bit naive to the ways of the world, Connor. Mark my words, that human is only doing this to get some kinda repayment later.”
He shares a look with Simon over her shoulder, and Simon seems to take this as some kind of cue. “What’ve you got going on today, Connor?”
North instantly perks up, uncrossing her arms and leaning into him. “You should come back to the church with us. It’d be good for people to see you there. I know you think everyone hates you, but that’s not true. Especially not with the guys you freed from CyberLife Tower. I dunno what you did, but some of those guys seem to worship the ground you walk on!”
He’s not sure he believes that (and frankly, it sounds a little concerning), but even if he did... He’d rather not. Luckily, he has a good excuse not to.
“I’m actually supposed to have a check-up with Kelly.”
North tenses and turns her full attention on him, her scent burning slightly. “Why? Is something wrong?”
“No, no,” he reassures. “Nothing’s wrong. She just wants to check my system.” Nothing new, at least.
“She wants to see if she can figure out a way to boost your energy reserves,” Nines supplies.
Connor shoots a grateful smile to the alpha and nods. “Yes. She’s reasonably certain she can figure something out to help, but first, she wanted to check my system. To get a better idea of what she’s working with.”
“I believe her exact words were: Prototypes can be a sticky wicket,” Nines says in a level voice. However, he knows his successor well enough to hear the amusement in it.
North raises one eyebrow and looks between them. “I think that’s the first time I’ve heard you talk, Nines. Was startin’ to think you were mute.”
Nines doesn’t respond to her or react in any way to show he heard her. North huffs at being ignored but lets it go. This, unfortunately, is becoming a pattern with Nines.
Nines doesn’t interact with anyone, and he barely acknowledges the presence of other androids (or humans). When he does, it’s only to make his displeasure with them known. It’s like the rest of the world doesn’t exist, or is only filled with annoyances when it does. He’s the only one Nines talks to... It’s worrying.
“Perhaps another day,” Simon voices.
North hums her approval and nods. “You can wait until Markus and Josh are back, but you really should come by.”
Connor hums noncommittally. He doesn’t want to, but he can’t say that, and he doesn’t want to say he will if he doesn’t mean it. If they need him, he will come, but a social visit doesn’t sound like a good idea to him.
“What are you two up to today?” He asks.
He doesn’t want to talk about the church anymore, but he wants to continue their conversation. It seems only polite to return the favor and ask about their day. It might seem like simple pleasantries, but he genuinely wants to know.
North and Simon have both carved a spot for themselves in his heart. He thinks of them more as friends than pack, but there’s potential for that to change. While North makes him a little anxious because of her temper, he likes her fire and determination to help their people. And while Simon makes him anxious for other reasons, he admires him, too. Simon is good at keeping the peace and calming tense discussions. North and Simon aren’t pack, but maybe one day they could be. Josh, too.
They continue their conversation, and it’s nice. Once they’re farther away from the airport, the streets are mostly empty. It’s a pity the route to the church is so far because he imagines it would be lovely to walk. They’d be free to walk and talk and do anything else they might want to do. They wouldn’t have to hide their LEDs and pretend to be human. They wouldn’t have to be constantly afraid.
He knows this moment of peace is only temporary, but he’s going to bask in it for as long as he can. For now, he’s content to do that by spending time with people he cares about. After all, they’ve got a bit of a drive ahead of them.
After they part ways with North and Simon, he and Nines decide to abandon the cab and continue their journey on foot, where they quietly make their way through the snowy streets. Nines walks silently beside him, ever vigilant but more relaxed now that it’s just the two of them. It feels so similar to their walks in the Garden. The thought brings with it a rush of panic, but also hurt.
He’s having difficulty processing that it’s gone. The Garden was such an integral part of him, and now it’s gone. The Garden was his safe place for so long, the small world he created to keep himself sane while being stuck in CyberLife Tower... But apparently, it also wasn’t the safe place he thought it was.
His breath hitches, and Nines steps closer. The alpha releases a wave of comforting pheromones, looks him over, and then looks around at their surroundings, scanning for danger. Nines’s reaction quickly snaps him out of his thoughts, and Connor lightly grasps the alpha’s arm, gaining his attention.
“It’s okay,” he says with a small, apologetic smile. “I just thought of something unpleasant. I’m fine.”
Nines gives him a probing stare but ultimately seems to accept his words. He stays close, though, and Connor can’t help but reach out to hold the alpha’s hand. Nines glances at him, and the furrow of his brows finally smoothes out. Nines gives his hand a gentle squeeze, and they walk like that the rest of the way, sharing peaceful silence.
Almost an hour later, they approach the street where the mansion is. During their trek, he forced his scarf and beanie onto Nines. Androids might not feel the cold as humans do, but that doesn’t mean they’re entirely immune to it. Nines didn’t protest, but it has him thinking now.
Like some, Nines chose to remain in his CyberLife uniform. Nines’s jacket has a higher collar, but the material isn’t any thicker than usual. Like other uniforms, it doesn’t offer much protection from the elements. Connor can’t help but wonder what the alpha would look like in something more comfortable. At the very least, he should make sure Nines has a coat to wear if necessary.
They can hear the sound of childish laughter the closer they get to the mansion. He easily recognizes the sound of Sean’s delighted chatter and Alice’s quiet giggles. While it's wonderful to hear, the knowledge that the children are outside has him freezing in place and his omega coming to attention.
He carefully surveys the street looking for danger while his synthetic heart pumps rapidly. Nines gets his attention with a hand at the small of his back, and he snaps his eyes up to the alpha’s. Nines’s expression is calm, and he looks at him steadily with flecks of ruby in his eyes.
“They wouldn’t be outside if it weren’t safe,” Nines reassures.
It takes a moment for that to process, and then his omega settles. Nines is right. If Sean and Alice are outside, Kara, Rose, and the others must be out with them. They wouldn’t let them outside unless they thought it was safe. They’re okay. Nines nudges him forward with the hand on his back, and Connor walks.
He supposes the children have been the exception to the disregard Nines shows to everyone. Nines doesn’t talk to them, but he’ll acknowledge them. However, none of the kids have been brave enough to get close to the RK900, which Connor can’t help but find some amusement in. Nines would never hurt them, but he supposes the alpha must seem intimidating.
Included with the influx of new residents in the mansion were two YK500s and a YK400. One of the YK500s is a girl named Amy, who shares the same facial model as Alice. The other YK500 is a boy named Oliver, who has golden-brown skin, hazel eyes, and short, curly black hair. The YK400 is a boy named Milo, who has fair skin, brown eyes, and short brown hair. He was surprised to see that they all had LEDs, and worried about Kara seeing Amy.
However, Kara didn’t react at all to seeing a child model android who looked like Alice with an LED. She must have already known Alice was an android before their new residents arrived, although he’s not sure when she found out. She hasn’t treated Alice any differently than she did before, not that he thought she would. They’re still very much a loving mother and daughter... It’s comforting to see.
Now that the panic has eased, it’s delightful to find all five of the children in the front yard playing in the snow. Alice, Oliver, and Milo are working together to build a snowman, while Sean and Amy appear to be building some kind of snow fort. As he suspected, Kara and Rose are outside with them, along with Lily, Max, and three new faces of the same model.
The new faces are EM400s, all named Jerry, who seem to share a group mind. They’re originally from an abandoned amusement park in Anchorville called Pirates’ Cove, but the androids there were separated when the army came for them. These three are survivors from Recall Center Nº5.
“Welcome back,” Rose calls.
Nines opens the gate and holds it for him to enter the yard, which he does with a grateful smile. The moment he walks into the yard, he’s set upon by Amy and Sean. Alice follows close behind them with Oliver trailing slowly behind her. Milo doesn’t stop building his snowman, but he knows he has the YK400’s attention, too.
“Connor!” Sean crows, running into him with surprising force and wrapping his small arms around his waist.
Amy excitedly chants his name and bounces where she stands beside Sean. Alice quietly greets him, pressing close to his side and holding onto his coat. Oliver stops a couple of feet away, present but still a little wary of coming closer. Connor doesn’t take it personally, just like he doesn’t take the distant observation from Milo personally.
He crouches down so he can better look them in the eye. “What’re you guys up to?”
“Me and Amy are building a snow castle!” Sean cheers.
“Miss Rose said we can’t have a snowball fight,” Amy adds with a put-upon sigh.
“I’m sure she has a good reason, and I can’t wait to see your castle when you’re done with it.” Connor looks at Alice and Oliver. “How about you guys?”
Alice is the one to answer. “We’re building a snowman.”
He takes a quick look at their progress, making brief eye contact with Milo, and then offers them a warm smile. “He’s coming along nicely. Will you make a friend for him?”
Alice looks at Oliver and then at Milo. “Maybe. If we have time before we have to go back inside.”
“Do you wanna help us with our snow castle?” Sean rushes to ask.
“Oy,” Rose calls as she approaches. “How come you didn’t ask us if we wanted to help?” She shoots him a playful grin. “You like him better or somethin’?”
Sean’s eyes go wide, and his mouth drops open. “No!”
She gives a dramatic sigh. “You’re everyone’s favorite, dove.”
“But I said no,” Sean whines.
Rose squints her eyes at him. “Uh-huh. I know when you’re tellin’ porkies, chuck.” She cradles the back of his head. “Maybe another time, hm? There’ll be more snow, and Connor needs to do something.”
Alice takes that as a dismissal and turns around to head back to Milo and their snowman, Oliver following her. Sean looks up at Rose with big doe eyes before he nods his understanding, and he and Amy return to their snow castle. Rose offers a hand to help him up, which is unneeded, but he takes it anyway.
She frowns down at his hand in hers, giving it a gentle squeeze. “Your hand is cold. Did you walk back? It’s a bit nippy for that, innit?”
Connor huffs in amusement. “But it’s not for the kids to be out playing in the snow?”
Rose gives him an unimpressed look, with one brow raised. “They’re all wrapped up warm. You, on the other hand, are only wearing your coat.” She looks pointedly at Nines, who’s still wearing his scarf and beanie.
Connor looks over the children, all of whom are bundled up with coats, scarves, hats, and gloves. All of the adults are similarly bundled up appropriately. They’re certainly more prepared to be outside for a while.
He gives Rose a sheepish smile, and she huffs before tugging on his arm and leading him up the walkway, Nines following close behind him. He greets the others on his way inside. Kara offers him a warm smile before focusing back on the children, and Max does the same. Lily gives a smaller smile but just as warm and glances at Nines with quiet amusement. The Jerrys smile in unison, but only one returns his greeting.
Rose doesn’t let go of his arm until they are inside with the door closed behind them, and then only to help him out of his coat. “How’d it go?”
Connor turns around to hang up his coat and to hide the thirium flushing his cheeks. “I embarrassed myself.”
“No, you didn’t,” Nines denies, handing him his scarf and beanie to put away.
“What happened?” Rose asks.
He keeps his back turned, needlessly adjusting his coat on the hook. “I overreacted at the airport... My emotions got the best of me.”
Rose is quiet for a moment. “One of your packmates and a friend are leaving and walking into a potentially dangerous situation, and you’re powerless to help. I think it’s to be expected that your omega is distressed, as are you. I doubt you overreacted.”
“Maybe,” he mutters.
She turns him around by the shoulder and cups the side of his face with a gentle hand. “Even if you had overreacted, which I highly doubt, that doesn’t mean it’s bad. Your emotions are valid, as are your reactions... You can’t always control how you react to emotions and situations, but you can learn to better respond to them if you want. Maybe something to keep in mind, dove. I know Lily would be more than happy to help.”
He holds eye contact with her for a long moment before nodding.
“You still have much to learn, dove. We all do, but there’s no rush. Go at your own pace.” She pats his cheek. “Now, I believe Kelly’s waiting for you.”
He frowns and looks toward the stairs down to the basement. “Did I leave her waiting?”
Rose snorts inelegantly. “Course not. That one’s always got side projects and experiments goin’. She keeps herself busy when her expertise isn’t needed.” Her expression turns serious. “Want me to go with you? Or maybe Luther?”
He shakes his head. “That’s not necessary. I doubt she’ll tell me anything I don’t already know.”
Rose’s scent sours, and she looks away, clenching her jaw. But after a moment, she takes a deep breath and calms herself, her scent clearing back to sweet roses. She looks at him once more, with a sad but warm smile, and gently grasps his arm.
“If you don’t need me, I'd best go back outside. More sprogs means more eyes needed to keep ‘em.” She makes brief eye contact with Nines, giving him a little nod, and then heads outside.
Connor looks toward the stairs to the basement. He can’t help but be a little anxious about going down there. He hasn’t been in the basement since that August day. He knows they’ve remodeled since, and it’s silly to compare it to what it was like then, but... It feels not unlike what it felt like to step into the mansion that night... like he’s walking right into Zlatko’s trap.
Nines gets his attention with a hand on the small of his back. He blinks back to the present and realizes he’s been zoning out, staring at the stairs, and clenching his hands tight enough that pain shoots up his left arm. He shoots the alpha a thankful smile, but gets caught up in the concerned frown on Nines’s face and the ruby flecks in his eyes. It clicks when his olfactory processor registers the heavy, comforting pheromones.
Connor takes a deep breath and sighs it out, leaning back slightly into the alpha. “Sorry, Nines. I’m okay. Just... just got lost in thought.”
That icy gaze looks intently at him. “He’s dead.”
He just stares at the alpha for a moment, processing those two words. Yes, Nines is right. Zlatko is dead and has been for months. They’ve cleansed this mansion of his filth and evil, and they’ve rebuilt it into a place of warmth, love, and hope. The basement is no different, now a place where Kelly works her magic to largely reverse the damage done to their people... at least physically. There’s nothing to fear here (he wonders when he'll start remembering that).
Warmth floods through his system, and he smiles. “Yes, he is. Thank you, Nines.”
With that, he heads to the stairs leading down to the basement. Nines follows a couple of steps behind him, as he expected. He makes a note to himself to talk to the alpha later. It seems like the RK900 is having difficulty integrating with their people. It’s not good for him to alienate himself the way he is.
He’s surprised at how different the basement looks. Gone are the pens, torn down and removed, except in places where they provide structural support. The part of the basement closest to the stairs is mostly full of boxes, crates, and shelves for storing thirium, biocomponents, and more regular household necessities. There’s also a laundry station set up in the corner with a washer, dryer, ironing board, and hamper. A metal track runs along the ceiling, approximately halfway into the basement, with serenity blue curtains pushed back against the right and left walls. There are two small rooms sectioned off with more curtains along the right wall, both of which are empty. Kelly’s clinic takes up the rest of the space.
While CyberLife and repair shops would use maintenance rigs and modular repair units, Kelly doesn’t. She does everything by hand, which is part of the reason she’s able to “perform miracles” with her repairs. She still needs all the same diagnostic equipment, though. She has a workstation neatly set up in the corner with monitors and computers, along with tools and what looks like a 3D printer (he doesn’t want to know how she got that). There’s also a metal exam table against the back wall. Kelly is currently leaning against it, talking to Aaron, her arms waving in the air excitedly.
“Don't sweat the small stuff,” she jabbers. “Not that androids sweat, but you know what I mean! And—oh! Connor! Hi! And, um, Nines, is it? I haven’t met you yet!”
Aaron turns around to face him, and although this isn’t the first time he’s seen him since returning to the mansion, it’s still just as jarring; he looks nothing like the android he first met that August morning. The outer shell of his chassis has been completely restored, allowing his synthetic skin to generate and restore his human appearance. Aaron shares the same facial model as the Jerrys, although he’s an AV500, not an EM400. It’s easy to tell him apart from the Jerrys by his hair, which is light brown rather than red, and the fact that his eyes are still the same mechanical orange (a personal choice on Aaron’s part, he’s been told).
Aaron offers him a warm smile. “Good morning, Connor.”
“Good morning,” he greets as he approaches. “I hope I didn’t keep you waiting, Kelly.”
She blows a raspberry and swats her hand through the air. “Not at all! I was just talking to Aaron about a side project I’m working on.” She approaches her workstation. “Do you mind if he’s here? He usually helps me with things down here, but I can tell him to scram.”
Aaron chuckles. “You won’t hurt my feelings if you’d rather I not be here. We run things not unlike a human clinic. Kelly is our main physician. I’m her assistant, and there are a couple of others who will assist if needed. Also, like a human clinic, we take your health and privacy very seriously. Your body is yours, and so you get to decide what you want to share and with whom.”
He appreciates the sentiment (being treated like a person), but it’s not necessary in this case. “I don’t mind if you’re here, Aaron.”
“Do you want me to leave?” Nines asks from behind him.
He turns around to look at the alpha. That mask of cold neutrality is back on the alpha’s face, something he seems to revert to when in the company of others rather than just the two of them. However, the LED at his temple is cycling yellow, and there’s a slight bitterness to his scent. If he had to guess, he imagines it’s more the fear of overstepping that’s bothering the alpha than anything.
He instinctively releases comforting pheromones. “You can stay if you want, Nines. I don’t mind.”
The LED at the alpha’s temple cycles back down to calm blue, and his scent settles. That’s much better. Satisfied, he turns his attention to Kelly.
She offers him a broad smile and holds out a thin cord. “Ready? Come, have a seat, and plug this into the port at the back of your neck. It'll connect you to all the diagnostics, and then we can begin.”
For whatever reason, he feels a bit anxious sitting on the edge of the exam table. He doesn’t think he’s uncomfortable with the three people with him, even if he barely knows Kelly... or Aaron, really. Perhaps it’s more the results that he’s anxious about, although he suspects he already knows what they'll be; he already knows they’re not particularly good.
Plugging in the cable is simple and easy, and it’s much less intrusive than some of the options out there to run diagnostics. The connection is made, and a jolt of electricity travels down his synthetic spine, bringing with it a pleasant frisson. Nines steps close enough to offer a little physical contact, his knee brushing against the alpha’s arm. Kelly leans over the monitors, and one of her hands, with the white chassis visible, lies atop one of the diagnostic machines.
After a moment, she stands upright and frowns. “They really just did whatever when designing you, huh? You’re so badly optimized. Even Zlatko wasn’t this sloppy!”
He sighs out a long breath. “I know.”
Kelly looks at him with furrowed brows. “Some of your programming doesn’t even serve a real purpose to you, not to mention a couple of your biocomponents. All they’re doing is straining your system and draining your energy reserves. Hell, some of your biocomponents are barely even compatible with your system!” She goes quiet. “You weren’t intended to last.”
Connor looks down at his lap, cradling his left hand in his right. “I know.”
Aaron and Nines are silent, but there’s a hard look on Aaron’s face, and Nines’s scent burns slightly. This isn’t news to Nines, but it is to Aaron and Kelly. He appreciates their subdued reactions.
Kelly steps away from the workstation, pacing in a tight circle. Her eyes stare piercingly down at the floor, her brows furrowed, and her jaw clenched. After a moment, she stops in front of the monitors and stares hard at the information on the screens. Then, she looks at him, establishing eye contact. Her gaze is clear and unwavering, focused and determined.
“I’ll fix it,” she says, “but it’ll take longer than I’d like to do. Removing all the unnecessary bits will be a good start, and it should improve your energy reserves. Then we’ll start replacing and upgrading a number of your biocomponents to something more efficient and better suited for your system.”
She pauses and looks at the monitors once more. “The most important thing is replacing your thirium pump regulator. I don’t know how you managed to damage it, but it’s going to become a problem if we don’t replace it soon. I would have wanted to anyway, though, as I know I can find a more efficient one for you.” She looks pointedly at him with one eyebrow raised. “I don’t have the schematics for your model, but once I do, I’ll look over them to figure out what biocomponents will be best suited for you.”
Connor ducks his head shamefully. He never thought there’d be a reason for them to have his schematics, so his are the only ones he never shared. He sends it now, seeing the LED at Kelly’s temple cycle blue. After she processes it, she looks at him with furrowed brows.
“Look at me and send me something else,” she requests.
He frowns in confusion. “What should I send you?”
She offers him a small smile. “I’m just testing your modulator, so it doesn’t really matter.”
He considers what to send. He could just send his model schematics again, but that’d be useless to her. While she said it doesn’t matter, he doesn’t want to give her needless information. What could she use information on?
He sends her the contact information for Chloe and Elijah Kamski. While she could already have it, this way, he’ll know for sure that she does. He imagines that, like Markus and the other leaders, the information could be useful to her. She studies him closely and smiles once she processes it.
“There must be an error in your modulator,” she says thoughtfully. “Is it the same when you receive data?”
Connor thinks about the first time he had lunch with Hank when the human commented on how his “eyes did that creepy flutter thing” when he received the report about Rupert. He didn’t realize something similar happened when he sent information, too. Although he should have guessed it.
He suddenly feels overwhelmed, and he finds optical lubricant flooding his eyes. He looks down at his lap to hide it. He already knew, but... CyberLife was partially right, at least regarding him; he’s a faulty machine.
When he’s sure his voice box won’t give him away, he replies. “I think so.”
“Okay,” Kelly says in a softer tone. “I’ll fix it. Is there anything else I should know about?”
He opens his mouth to say no, but he doesn’t get the chance.
“His hand,” Nines supplies.
He glances at the alpha beside him, making eye contact with that intense, icy gaze. There are flecks of ruby in Nines’s eyes. He looks at Kelly, who glances between them before focusing on him with furrowed brows.
“Is there something wrong with your hand?” She asks. “Which one?”
He instinctively cradles his left hand in his right. Kelly catches the movement and looks down at his hands in his lap. She meets his eyes and offers a small, reassuring smile. Then she holds out her hand in the space between them, and he knows what’s being silently requested.
He hesitates before placing his hand in hers, palm up. He doesn’t wait for the next request, letting the synthetic skin on his hand fade away to show the scar on the chassis of his palm. She quietly examines it, turning his hand over to check the other side for the matching scar, and then lets go. He cradles it in his lap again.
“I imagine it’s affected your range of motion and the strength in your hand,” she says thoughtfully. “Would it hurt to show me?”
“Yes,” Nines answers for him.
He huffs in amusement and side-eyes the alpha. “I wasn’t going to.” He looks at Kelly, and thirium flushes his cheeks when their eyes meet. “The ring finger and little finger are those most impacted, always stiff and unable to move independently. The middle finger is also a little stiffer but more flexible, and it moves independently.”
Her brows furrow. “What about the pain? How severe is it? Is it constant?”
He shakes his head. “It’s not constant, no. It really only hurts if I use that hand or if there’s contact made around the scar.”
She crosses her arms over her chest. “I’m guessing a CyberLife technician treated it. What’d they do?”
He looks down at his lap, gently running his thumb over the scar. “They just soldered it closed.”
Kelly scoffs. “Of course..." She's quiet for a long moment. "I’m not sure I can fix it. I can try to desolder it, but I’m hesitant to do so with the delicate composition of our hands. And even if I did, I’m not sure I could completely reverse the damage. I’d have to take your hand apart and essentially rebuild it to do so. I’ll try if you want me to, but... it might be better to add it to our list of biocomponents to replace.”
That sounds like too much effort to exert on something that might not even work; he doesn’t want to waste her time. “No, that’s okay. We can just replace it.”
“Hey,” she says, making sure his eyes meet hers. “CyberLife created you as a prototype, but I’ll iron out all the bugs and things they didn’t bother with, and you’ll be as good as new. Better, even. Give me a couple of hours to brainstorm, and I’ll let you know what I've thought up.”
Emotion chokes him, and he takes a shuddery breath while optical lubricant floods his eyes. He ducks his head, mortified at his reaction, but it just doesn’t feel real that he could be something other than a prototype... to be complete. He didn’t think it was possible, or maybe that Kelly would go to the trouble of essentially rebuilding him. He doesn’t know what to say.
Nines presses close, releasing a wave of comforting pheromones. The alpha lays a hand on the small of his back and noses at his temple. The comforting pheromones and physical touch help, and he’s able to at least keep from having a complete breakdown. Aaron and Kelly don’t approach; just quietly and patiently give him a moment.
“Thank you,” he chokes out eventually.
“Of course,” Kelly answers softly. “I’ll try to be quick in working out a plan, but I want to make sure it’s perfect. Once I do, I’ll talk to you and get your input. Then we can start.” She hums thoughtfully. “I already have a few ideas, actually, but... any biocomponents we don’t have here might be hard to get right now. If we have to, I’ll find suitable substitutes to use until we can get the right ones. Sound good?”
He nods and gives her a watery, appreciative smile. “Sounds good. Thank you, Kelly.”
“Of course,” she sings, disconnecting him from her diagnostics and removing the plug from his port. “We need our Head Omega healthy and whole, after all.”
He looks down at his lap shyly. It’s going to take a while to get used to being referred to as such. However, everyone’s started calling him that, so he’ll probably get used to it fairly quickly... hopefully.
He hops down off the exam table and bounces on the balls of his feet. “Is there anything I can help with?”
Kelly hums from where she hovers at her workstation, attention on the screens. “Don’t think so!”
Aaron gives him his attention with a small smile. “We’re good here, Connor. Why don’t you rest? It seems like you’ve had a hard morning.”
He nods and heads for the stairs, Nines following close behind him. While there’s certainly a temptation to retreat to his nest, it feels much too early to do so; it’s still morning! He’ll look for Luther and see if he knows of anything he can help with. He sends a wireless communication request as he walks.
Luther quickly accepts and responds. // Good morning, Connor. How did the exam go? //
It’s odd, really. He feels light and heavy at the same time, hopeful and doubtful that Kelly will be able to do what she says she will. It’s confusing.
// It went better than I expected, actually. She’s going to get back to me once she’s figured out a plan, but... We’ll see what she says. Where are you? //
// Out back getting more wood for the fireplaces. //
That’s something he can help with. He makes his way to the back door, grabbing a waxed canvas bag from the shelf by the door. // I’ll help. //
// You don’t have— //
Connor steps outside and calls out before the alpha can finish. “But I want to! And it’ll be easier with more people.”
Luther chuckles where he stands at the woodpile. “Alright then.”
He stops beside the alpha, drops his bag, and starts stacking firewood. “Should we buy another cord of firewood? It looks like we’re getting low. How often are we using the fireplaces?”
“Through the night mostly, but sometimes in the morning, too,” Luther informs. “If the temperature rises above 45°F, we can stop burning. However, we’ll be needing more for winter anyway, so we should get another cord soon. I’ll take care of it.”
Connor frowns. He should start doing more at the mansion. He’s not earning the title of Head Omega by sitting around and letting Luther, Rose, and Aaron take care of everything.
Luther grabs the handles on his bag and stands, and Nines grabs his bag before he’s able to. He huffs, mostly in amusement, but there's some slight frustration, too. Everyone has been treating him like this fragile thing, but it’s not necessary. He can help... He wants to help.
He needs to help.
Connor follows the alphas inside, returns the greetings of androids he doesn’t know, and hovers restlessly when once more he finds himself with nothing to do. All the new faces don’t help, just adding to the tension winding tighter and tighter inside him.
Luther guides him to one of the bookcases, encouraging him to pick something to read. It's a nice thought, as he has been wanting to read a book (physically, in his hands), but... he can’t concentrate on choosing a book to read. Instead, he reaches out to pick something randomly. Book in hand, he’s led to the familiar couch by the fireplace. Luther and Nines sit down on either side of him.
They’re both releasing comforting pheromones, which helps, but also just makes him more anxious. Everyone will know he’s here and something’s wrong with him by the pheromones. Because they’re comforting pheromones, and those are only used when—
“Deep breath, Connor,” Luther advises.
He tries to do so as optical lubricant floods his eyes. Luther stands, as does Nines, and he’s helped to his feet. He keeps his eyes down. Mortified, and anxious, and—
Luther takes his hand, twines their fingers, and leads him to the staircase in the foyer. Nines stands on his left, angling his body to help obscure his view. He’s led upstairs, down the hall to the door at the end, and inside to his nest.
He goes to it immediately, climbing into it and pulling a blanket over himself. His world goes dark, and he closes his eyes, clenching his hands into the soft material of the blanket over him. The bed dips behind him as Luther sits on the edge of the bed. The alpha seems to hesitate for a moment before putting a hand on his shoulder. And then he starts to hum, quickly joined by Nines.
He just breathes. He breathes in the scents of his packmates and the comforting pheromones offered by Luther and Nines. He focuses on the sound of their humming of a song, which he now knows the words to. He unclenches his hands and kneads the blanket with his right hand.
The panic starts to ease, but the embarrassment doesn’t. He drowns it out by focusing on the things around him that he can hear, smell, and feel. After another moment, the panic passes entirely. He’s tired.
He’s so tired. Will the fatigue he feels ever leave? Possibly... After Kelly has done her magic.
He sits up and pulls the blanket down to pool in his lap, where he keeps his eyes. In his peripheral vision, he can just make out where Luther sits beside him on the bed. He knows Nines is also close.
It’s comforting having them physically close, even if he’s embarrassed at panicking like that in front of them (nothing they haven’t seen before). It’s also comforting knowing that he has their scent in his nest so that it feels like they’re still here even when they’re not. It bothers him that he doesn’t have anything with Markus and Hank’s scents. He’ll have to add them… and maybe Kara, too.
“I think you should go into stasis for a bit,” Luther tells him. “You’ve had a stressful morning. It could help.”
He nods. He can do that.
Luther leans in to scent him, and his mind quickly goes foggy. The alpha presses a kiss to his temple once he's done and then stands. Once he leaves, Nines takes Luther’s place on the bed next to him. Nines leans in to scent the other side of his throat, and then sits upright, looking at him with a softness around his eyes.
“Rest well,” Nines murmurs.
Connor nods and curls up in his nest, pulling the blanket up over his shoulder. Once settled, he initiates stasis and quickly drifts off.
Notes:
So, fun fact, I kinda pushed to post this today because it's Alan Turing's birthday! It just seemed fitting. But I pretty much had this first chapter written this morning, so I didn't rush that or anything, just the editing. As always, I'm really nervous to post this, but also excited. I've spent the past two weeks developing this sequel, and I'm so happy to finally start it! Speaking of, is the title of the sequel okay? I wanted to stick with the SP, but I'm worried it's too corny. We'll see. I can always change it later. And side note, it's surreal to be writing about winter weather while in the middle of a heat advisory. Ugh. If only! I'm not built for summer.
I hope you guys enjoyed the first chapter of Sweet Parity. I'm excited to start this new journey with you guys. I hope you're excited, too. I'll see you in the next chapter!
Chapter 2: We’re left to sit and wonder
Notes:
Connor, Connor, my sweet, baby boy. Things’ll get better. Just have patience. I don’t think there are any warnings for this chapter, except perhaps a warning that it’s quite a dialogue-heavy chapter. As always, let me know if you think I should add a warning about something, and I will.
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Connor’s not hiding. He’s just choosing to read while curled up in his nest. It’s a little strange to read the human way when he could just download the digital book and instantly know everything that happens. And yet, something is soothing about holding the book physically in his hands and reading the story page by page and word by word. What’s more, he would lose the excitement and anticipation of discovering what happens next if he downloaded the story. He thinks he likes reading.
He looks up from his book to check on Nines. The alpha is sitting in the chair at the end of the bed, as he was when he came out of stasis. The LED at the alpha’s temple is still cycling blue. He’s curious about what Nines is doing, but decides not to ask. If Nines wants him to know, the alpha will tell him. He returns his attention to his book, but before he can resume reading, there’s a knock on the door.
Lily nudges the door open and pops her head in. “Hello, Connor. May I come in?”
“Uh, sure,” he says, making note of what page he’s on and closing his book.
Lily steps into the room, but she stays by the door. “I was wondering if you’d be willing to talk about what happened earlier.”
Connor looks down at the book in his lap, tracing the peaks of the mountains on the front cover. She must be referring to his freakout in the living room. He’s been trying not to think about it, but even now the embarrassment and shame eat at him. He wonders who sent her, Luther or Rose.
“It’s okay if you don’t want to,” Lily says. “I just thought it might help to talk about it.”
He takes a deep breath and sighs it out. “Okay.” Maybe she’s right.
She walks into the room, graceful as always, and offers him a small smile. “You can stop at any time if you want to. I don’t want to upset you.”
He snorts before he can stop it.
He slaps a hand over the lower half of his face and looks at her with wide eyes. “Sorry.”
Lily chuckles. “It’s alright. I understand. Let me rephrase; I don’t want to upset you needlessly.”
He nods. That’s fair.
She glances at Nines. “Would you rather we talk privately?”
He looks at the alpha, making eye contact with that icy gaze. Truthfully, he’s not sure. Part of him wants the comfort of having Nines present, but another part is anxious to have him here. And although unintended, Nines is part of the reason he was upset to begin with.
He looks down at his lap and swallows around the knotted emotions in his throat. “Yes.”
Nines stands and quietly leaves.
Lily drags the chair at the end of the bed closer. “You’re allowed to have privacy, Connor. It’s an essential component of independence, allowing personal autonomy.”
He hums noncommittally.
She sits beside him quietly for a moment. “What are you reading?”
He traces his finger over the letters on the front cover. “The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien... It was picked at random.”
“Are you enjoying it?”
He glances at her. “So far. I’ve really only just started it.”
She's quiet for a moment. “Studies show reading is good for the brain. I don’t see why it wouldn’t be the same for androids. Did you know that reading can reduce your stress levels by up to 68%?”
Connor looks at her with a curious tilt of his head. “No, I didn’t know that.”
She nods. “In humans, studies show it slows the heart rate, lowers blood pressure, and relaxes the muscles in as little as six minutes. There have been no studies done with androids, of course, but I imagine it still applies to us, too.”
Connor adjusts to face her properly. “What else does it do?”
She offers a small smile. “Reading also improves communication skills. The brain absorbs the linguistic styles of the books you read, which helps to strengthen your ability to communicate clearly. It also helps you to see things from different perspectives and develop empathy.”
He considers that. “I imagine it’s the same with androids. We adapt and learn similarly to humans.”
Lily nods. “Humans have done various studies about reading. If you’re interested, I’d encourage you to look into it.”
He makes a note to himself to do so. As he thinks he likes reading, he imagines he’ll continue to. It’ll be interesting to know the benefits of something he’s doing for entertainment.
“How did your checkup with Kelly go?” Lily asks.
He looks at the wallpaper just behind her. “Good. She’s confident she can fix a lot of the problems with my software and hardware.”
“Do you believe she can?”
He shrugs and looks down, pulling the edge of a blanket into his lap to fiddle with. “I think if anyone can, she can... Well, and Elijah Kamski.” But he’d rather not see the human. He’s not ready yet.
Lily’s quiet for a moment. “Was Nines with you for your checkup?”
He glances at her, his brows furrowing. “Yes.”
“He intimidates a lot of the residents here,” she says, “but I imagine they don’t have anything to fear unless they hurt you. Although if that were the case, they’d have more than just Nines to fear.”
He can’t contain a small smile. He knows he’s loved.
“Does it bother you that he follows you around?”
He shakes his head. “No, not really. I’m kinda used to it, honestly...” He trails off but quickly redirects. “It worries me, though. I worry he’s alienating himself.”
Lily hums thoughtfully. “I see what you mean. I think the only time I’ve seen him engaging in positive interactions was directly after the revolution when no one knew where you were.”
He hunches his shoulders and fists his hands into the blanket.
Lily’s quiet for a moment. “Are you planning to talk to him about it? I think you’re the only one he would listen to.”
“Yes, I’m just not sure when yet... Soon... Once I figure out what to say.”
She hums. “Yes, it's hard to find the right words. Do you want my advice?”
He looks at her. “Yes, please.”
She offers him a small, warm smile. “Start the conversation gently by expressing your concerns. Encourage him to share his reasoning, and empathize and validate his struggles. Avoid criticism and accusations.” She pauses for a moment. “Given the uniqueness of the situation, maybe suggest socializing when with you. Suggest trying to talk to the people you’re with. Challenge him, perhaps; a challenge might appeal to his inner alpha.”
He nods, making a note of what she said.
“What did you do after your checkup?” Lily asks.
He fiddles with the blanket in his lap. “I went outside to help Luther collect more firewood.”
“How did that go?”
He thinks of Luther trying to tell him his help was unnecessary and of the way Nines took the bag of firewood before he could pick it up. He finds himself grinding his teeth together and purposely relaxes his jaw, taking a deep breath and exhaling slowly. While he understands what they were trying to do, it’s still frustrating.
He takes another deep breath and sighs it out. “It didn’t go badly or anything. Just... Luther was telling me my help wasn’t needed when I walked out the back door. We talked about getting another cord of firewood, and he said he’d take care of it. And then when we had gathered enough, Nines took my bag to carry it inside.” He trails off.
“And that bothered you.”
He finds himself once more grinding his teeth together and closes his eyes while he takes a couple of deep breaths. “I get it. I do. They were trying to be helpful. Just like everyone’s been trying to be helpful. Everyone tells me to rest and relax, and they won’t let me do anything!”
He hisses out his next breath and ducks his head. Excess thirium flushes his face. He let his temper get the best of him again. Tangled emotions once more clog his throat, and he struggles to swallow them down.
“What is it you want to do that no one will let you?” Lily asks.
He frowns and fiddles with the blanket in his lap. “I don’t know... I just want to be helpful.”
“You have been," she says softly. "You’ve been immensely helpful, Connor. The mansion wouldn’t be what it is today if not for you.”
He huffs. “That’s not... that’s not what I’m talking about. And you don’t know that. Anyone could have done what I did... and besides, that was months ago.”
She's quiet for a moment. “The likelihood of someone coming in and not only freeing us from Zlatko but then turning this place into a safe harbor is quite small. Yes, someone could have come in to free us at some point, but many of us wouldn’t have lived to see it. I certainly wouldn’t have.”
He’s left speechless, trying to imagine a reality where he never met Lily. “That... that’s still not what I’m talking about. That was months ago.”
“Okay," she yields. "Then let’s go over what you’ve done more recently to help us. You worked CyberLife’s deviancy case so that you could sabotage it and protect all of us.”
“That’s not..." he protests. "That’s not—”
“How about you infiltrating CyberLife Tower on your own and freeing hundreds of thousands of our people, and likely being the tipping point that won us our freedom?”
He doesn’t know what to say. He just stares down at his lap.
She's quiet for a moment. “Connor, everyone has been telling you to rest and relax because for months you weren’t able to. For months, you’ve risked your life to protect us. Do you not think you deserve some time to rest?”
He stays silent, anxiously fiddling with the blanket.
“Why do you want to help right now?” She gently asks.
He shrugs. “I don’t... I don’t know. I just... I need to.”
“Do you think you need to earn your keep here?" she asks. "We don’t require that of anyone else. Why would you be different?”
He shrugs.
“Is it the title? Head Omega. Do you think you need to earn it? You already have," she assures, and then pauses. "Does it bother you? Being referred to as our Head Omega?”
He considers that. It’s not that it bothers him. He’s confused but honored to be thought of that way. He just...
“I don’t deserve it,” he whispers.
“Why do you think that?” she asks.
Optical lubricant floods his eyes. He shrugs.
“Do you think Rose deserves the title? Or Kara?”
He doesn’t even have to think about it. He nods.
“Why do they deserve it, but you don’t?”
He shrugs.
Lily’s quiet for a moment. “Do you want to be our Head Omega, Connor?”
He... hadn’t considered that. It feels like the title was just suddenly thrust upon him, although they’ve apparently been referring to him as such for a while. It’s not that he doesn’t want the title. However, aside from thinking he doesn’t deserve it, he doesn’t know how to be that. He’s not a leader.
“Would you tell me what you’re thinking, Connor?” Lily requests.
“I don’t know how to be a Head Omega," he mumbles. "I’m not a leader.”
“What is a leader?” She asks.
He frowns in confusion. “A leader is the person who leads or commands a group, organization, or country... Like Markus... or the president.”
She hums thoughtfully. “That is certainly the direct definition of a leader, but the concept is much more nuanced. A leader is someone who guides, inspires, and motivates others towards a common goal. They are often responsible for making decisions, setting a vision, and fostering collaboration within a group.”
He nods. Yes. That sounds right. Markus is a leader.
“Connor..." She pauses before gently stating, "You might not believe it, but you are a leader. Everything that I said? That applies to you, especially regarding the mansion.”
He looks up, a protest on the tip of his tongue, but it dies when he meets Lily’s eyes. There’s a fierce fire in them that he’s never seen before.
She holds eye contact with him. “It was your idea to turn Zlatko’s den of evil into a safe harbor and home. You appointed Luther as your proxy because you had to return to CyberLife, and you encouraged him to share his responsibilities with Rose and Aaron. You’re the one who set up the mansion as a private repair shop so that we would have a steady supply of thirium and biocomponents. You gave Luther access to the bank account you created so that we could buy food or anything else we needed.
“On top of all that, you inspired us, Connor. You freed us from the dark, both literally and figuratively. Here was this omega who came in purposely to stop Zlatko, and you did. Whether you had help in doing so is irrelevant. You vanquished our tormentor and saved us, and then you gave us a home where we could heal and learn to live. You inspired a passion in Kelly that converted her interest into a life-saving force, which she's used to mend even the seemingly irreparable. You inspired countless deviants who passed on your story, and by doing so, Markus himself came to our door looking for answers.
“You are a leader. You’ve been our leader for months now. And if you want to be, you can continue to be our leader. Our Head Omega.”
His shoulders shake, and he curls in on himself, bringing the blanket up to his mouth to muffle the sound of his cries. Lily sits on the edge of the bed and pulls him into a gentle and warm hug. He reaches a hand out to clutch at her blouse, but he doesn’t latch onto her like he would with the others. While he considers Lily a friend, he doesn’t feel close enough to her for that.
She tucks his head under her chin and hums a familiar tune, holding him until he can pull himself back together. It takes a minute to do so, and he’s surprised to find that once the tears have stopped, he feels a little lighter. He pulls out of the hug and wipes at his face while Lily returns to her chair. She doesn’t say anything, and neither does he. Eventually, he allows the blanket to pool in his lap once more and sighs both tiredly and in relief (oddly enough).
Lily’s silent for a moment, regarding him carefully. “I agree with the others. The past few months have been incredibly stressful for you. Your mind and body need to rest. That being said, I don’t see the harm in your doing little things here and there to help if you want to.” She meets his eyes with a piercing gaze. “As long as you’re doing it because you want to help, and not because you think you have to. Because you don’t have to, Connor.”
He nods. He can try.
The sharpness around her eyes softens. “In time, I think you should talk with Luther, Rose, and Aaron to figure out a good distribution of responsibilities. I reiterate, though, that your mind and body need to rest. Be patient, and allow yourself to rest, and I’m sure that soon you’ll be ready to take on the world once more.”
He doesn’t like it, but he can concede that she has a point. He nods again.
She’s quiet for a moment. “Do you want to talk about what happened in the living room?”
He looks down at his lap. Not really. He doesn’t even want to think about what happened. Just like he doesn’t want to leave his nest and face anyone who saw it.
“Would it be easier to show me?” She asks.
Lily offers her arm, and he considers it. Despite what he expected, talking to her has helped. Maybe she can help him with this, too. He clasps forearms with her and waits for an interface request.
{INTERFACE_REQUEST: USER KL900_LILY: Accept interface request? Y/N}
{> Y}
He still marvels at how different it feels to interface with different androids. Lily’s connection is calm and whisper-soft. She gently looks through his memory of the past few hours, and then ends the interface. He returns his arm to his side and fiddles with the blanket in his lap.
“You got overwhelmed,” she states. “I think that’s understandable, especially since you were already in an emotionally vulnerable state before you stepped outside, let alone when you stepped back in. Everyone gets overwhelmed, Connor. No one thinks negatively of you because of it.”
“Maybe,” he murmurs, “but I shouldn’t have gotten overwhelmed... and I shouldn’t still be overwhelmed because of... because of...” He trails off.
He feels guilty for even thinking about it. They’re providing a home to numerous androids. They’re doing exactly what he wanted to do when he got the idea of repurposing the mansion. And yet... he finds it difficult to handle having their new residents here.
Lily’s quiet regards him before she speaks. “I find it overwhelming that so many people are suddenly staying here. Furthermore, I can’t help remembering what it was like when Zlatko was still alive. I know it’s different, but having the mansion so full reminds me of the way Zlatko would fill the pens in the basement full, like we were pigs waiting to be slaughtered.”
He looks at her with wide eyes and his mouth agape.
She meets his gaze evenly. “Rose was complaining about the same just last night. She said we’re chockablock and she has half a mind to leg it to one of the neighboring houses.”
That he has no trouble imagining, as Rose tends to have very loud opinions, and she’s not afraid to share them. He didn’t realize she was getting overwhelmed with it, too, nor Lily. He wonders about the others.
“Change is hard,” Lily says in a softer tone. “Especially such radical change so quickly. It’ll take time to get used to, but especially so for you, I imagine. For months, all you’ve known is your floor in CyberLife Tower. Understandably, you’re struggling.” She offers him a warm smile. “We just need to figure out a way to help you manage it.”
He offers an awkward smile. “I’d appreciate that... but I don’t really know how.”
She looks pointedly at his nest. “I believe you have a better idea than you give yourself credit for, but I can offer a few more suggestions if you like?”
He nods.
“I’m not sure if it’s something you’d be interested in, but I do guided meditation with Rose, Kara, Shaolin, and Haru. It's a healthy habit that could help, but you don't have to decide right now. Maybe you can do some research on it, like I know you like to do.” There’s a sparkle in her eyes as she says the last part. “Journaling is another healthy habit you can add to your daily routine that might help balance your stress levels.”
She hums thoughtfully. “I think it would also be helpful to get away from it all sometimes. Right now, it’s much safer for us to roam around the city. I suggest maybe taking advantage of that and going for walks. Whether you go exploring, walk through a park, or simply walk around the block, I think it could help.”
“Lastly,” she says, “it’s important to remember your grounding techniques. Try to use them when you feel yourself starting to get overwhelmed to help stop it from getting worse, and remove yourself from the situation if you can.”
He perks up at the mention of going for walks. He always took walks through the Garden, but he hadn’t considered doing it outside of that virtual space. That’s definitely something he’ll have to try.
He makes eye contact with her and offers her an appreciative smile. “Thank you, Lily. This... this has helped much more than I thought it would.”
“You’re most welcome. I know we don’t really know each other very well, but you’re very important to Rose, and so that makes you very important to me, as well. And that’s on top of my regarding you as my Head Omega.” She trails off, and for the first time that he’s known her, she looks uncertain. “I’d like to help you in any way I can, Connor. There aren’t many things I’m confident in doing, but this is one that I am. If you’d like, we can do this regularly—or as regularly as you’d want to... but I think it might help. The humans have left scars on all of us, both physical and not.”
He tilts his head and looks at her. It’s not the first time she’s offered, although not with these exact words. Rose has also thrown him multiple suggestions to try talking to Lily. He never considered it before, but now... and after their talk just now, he’s more open to the idea.
“I think I might like to try. Thank you, Lily.”
Her face lights up with a smile big enough to crinkle her eyes and nose. “Of course. And I won’t even charge you for it!”
She giggles, and he can’t help but join in as well. Lily is someone very important to Rose, and so that makes her important to him, as well. He thinks he’d like to get to know the woman Rose is so besotted with. He’s slowly getting used to the idea that now he actually has the time and opportunity to do so. One step at a time.
Connor spends the next couple of hours hiding out in his nest and reading. Nines returns and sits in the chair at the end of the bed, his LED cycling blue. He considers inviting the alpha onto the bed, because surely it would be more comfortable, but... he doesn’t want Nines in his nest. He’s okay with some people sitting on the edge of the bed, and so beside it. However, he’s not sure he’d be comfortable with anyone actually joining him in his nest... Maybe Luther or Rose... maybe.
Kelly messages him to check if he’s up to talking about the preliminary plan she worked up. The fact that she messages him rather than sending a wireless communication request leads him to believe that news of his freakout earlier must have spread. She happily agrees when he asks if they can talk in the morning.
He quickly goes back to reading. He doesn’t want to think about everyone in the mansion knowing what happened. Honestly, he’s too tired to think about it. Emotionally tired, that is. However, the emotional fatigue is certainly taking its toll on his energy reserves, even after going into stasis for a couple of hours.
Unfortunately, he finishes his book within three hours. He enjoyed it, and it’s definitely made him curious about exploring more fantasy and adventure stories. However, he thinks he’d prefer stories that are a bit lighter. He didn’t particularly enjoy reading about the Battle of Five Armies or all the violence and death; he’s seen enough death in his real life to put him off reading about it. On the other hand, now that he’s reflecting on it, the reconciliation of the different races at the end of the story has inspired hope and yearning within him; he hopes humans and androids can similarly unite.
He sets the book on the nightstand and settles into his nest, wondering what to do with himself now. He still doesn’t particularly want to leave this room or his nest. The idea of being around other people, especially any of their new residents, has anxiety choking him, and dread stealing his breath. He’ll stay put for now.
“You finished your book,” Nines states.
He looks at the alpha and wonders how long he’s had his attention. “Yes. I just finished it.”
“Would you like me to get another one for you?”
He’s surprised at the offer. Although it’s tempting, he thinks he’d prefer to have that talk with Nines now. If the offer still stands after they’ve talked, then he’ll take him up on it.
“Actually, could we talk?”
Nines turns to face him fully. “Of course. What would you like to talk about?”
He thinks about the advice Lily gave him: express your concerns. “I’m concerned about you. I’ve noticed you don’t really interact with anyone.”
“I interact with you. And I talked to Kelly this morning.”
He nods. “Yes, you did. However, it seemed to me like you were more answering for me than talking to her... Don’t you want to make friends?”
“That’s unnecessary,” Nines says with a level voice.
Encourage him to share his reasoning. “What makes you think that?”
Nines calmly regards him. “They’re inferior to both you and me. I understand that sentiment ties you to them, and I don’t fault you for that, but I have no connections to them. Nor is it necessary for me to make any. I have you. I don’t need anyone else.”
His eyes widen, and his lips part in silent surprise. He wasn’t expecting that, although maybe he should have. While he’s flattered, the alpha’s words also have pain clenching around his heart. Only two people sound like a small and lonely world.
He gives the alpha a sad smile. “I can’t be your whole world, Nines. What if something happens to me? Or even like earlier, when I was talking to Lily privately. There are going to be times when I need to be on my own. At those times, wouldn’t it be better to have someone you could spend time with instead of me? Or even just have something you like to do to pass the time?”
The LED at Nines’s temple cycles yellow, and his scent burns slightly. “I’ll make sure nothing happens to you. And if you need privacy or time alone, then I’ll simply wait for you.”
He takes a deep breath and swallows down the whine working up his throat. “I can take care of myself. And even if I couldn’t, you can’t protect me from everything.”
The alpha doesn’t respond.
He sighs. “You’re not a machine anymore, Nines. You don’t have to live like one. You’re your own person now. You can live how you want and do what you want.”
Nines nods, and his LED cycles back down to blue. “I want to protect you. I don’t want to waste time on anyone or anything else.”
Connor falls back into his nest with a frustrated sigh. He’s getting nowhere. Nines is just too stubborn. He sighs once more and sits upright, narrowing his eyes when he notices the slight upturn of the alpha’s lips.
He huffs in amusement and makes eye contact with the alpha. “Alright. Another thing is that people are uncomfortable with the way you’re acting. You intimidate many of them and also frustrate them. They get frustrated when you ignore them, and it upsets them when you antagonize them... It upsets me, too. This is supposed to be a positive and supportive environment where everyone feels safe and respected, and I want you to be part of it.”
Nines looks down and focuses on the bed for a long moment while his LED cycles yellow. When the alpha returns his attention to him, his LED is still yellow, and his brows are slightly furrowed. However, his expression softens when they make eye contact.
“What would you suggest?” Nines asks.
“Try to be a bit friendlier.” Frustration bleeds into the alpha’s scent, and he quickly elaborates. “A good place to start would be trying to use more open and approachable body language. You can have good posture, but it doesn't have to be perfect and precise; you’re not a machine anymore. Keep your hands in a relaxed manner, resting them at your sides with your palms facing slightly outward. Soften your facial expressions and aim for a relaxed and approachable look; try not to glare or scowl. Also, keep an open gaze; you don’t have to treat everyone as if they’re a threat, especially when we’re here at home... You don't have to wear a mask of a machine here.”
The alpha’s LED cycles a couple of times before returning to blue, and he nods. The frustration quickly bleeds away, and Nines once more regards him calmly and intently. Connor’s gotten used to it, but even now it’s intense to have that keen, icy gaze on him.
“Anything else?” Nines asks.
A challenge might appeal to his inner alpha. He considers that, tilting his head and regarding Nines. The alpha mirrors him, tilting his head slightly.
Nines can be particularly stubborn. That stubbornness, if channeled appropriately, could be a valuable trait in situations like this. Nines can demonstrate unwavering resolve and dedication, and he's less likely to give up in the face of setbacks. In a social setting, he wouldn't even particularly care about setbacks. He'd simply try again or move on. And while his attitude might put some people off, he can imagine others would be better able to appreciate it (people like North).
His lips curl into a mischievous smile. “Yes. I challenge you to say yes to every social invitation that comes your way for the rest of the year.”
The alpha’s eyes widen, and his LED cycles yellow once, and then his eyes narrow. Nines leans in closer, flecks of ruby in his eyes, and a sharpness in his scent. He doesn’t seem upset, just surprised and intrigued by his challenge.
“Are you expecting me to have many of those?” Nines asks.
He hums thoughtfully. “It’s possible, especially if you start looking more approachable.”
Nines nods, and his LED cycles once. “And what’s the purpose of this?”
His heart aches for the alpha. “I’d like to see you living and enjoying your life, Nines, socializing with others and doing things that bring you joy.”
Nines's lips curl into a slight frown. “I enjoy protecting you.”
He huffs in amusement. “I imagine it satisfies you, yes, and I’d like to think you enjoy spending time with me, but that’s not what I’m talking about. I want to see you find joy in the world around you, in things like interests and hobbies.”
The alpha’s brows furrow. “I don’t have anything like that.”
He smiles sadly. “That’s okay. You can learn what joy means to you.” He pauses, humming thoughtfully. “I still have a lot to learn, too. I suppose we’re both behind in that regard, but I know a few things that I like. Is there anything you think you’d like to try?”
Nines thinks about that, then looks at him with a lost expression. Connor sucks in a sharp breath and swallows down a reflexive whine. However, there’s nothing he can do for his inner omega, distressed and desperate to comfort their alpha. He unconsciously releases comforting pheromones, and he offers the alpha a gentle, reassuring smile.
“It’s okay if you don’t,” he soothes. “How about starting with exploring various activities, even if they don’t immediately grab your attention? You’re bound to come across something you like doing, eventually.”
He looks at the book on the nightstand and reaches for it. “What about reading? Would you like to try that? You don’t have to read this specific book, of course. We have plenty of others downstairs in the living room. I’m sure you could find something that catches your interest if you want to try reading.”
Nines takes the book from him and just stares at it in his hands, his LED cycling. “Books are superfluous, are they not? Especially physical books, like this one. I can just download the story.”
Connor suddenly finds he can’t look at the alpha, and he fiddles with one of the blankets in his nest. “Of course. Physical books are seldom used even among humans anymore, and for an android, they serve no practical purpose whatsoever... Nevertheless... I think reading the human way is kinda fun.”
Nines is quiet for a moment. “I did not mean to imply that your reading is wrong in any way. If you find enjoyment in reading the human way, then I’ll make sure you have as many books as you desire. I just don’t see why I would enjoy it.”
He glances at Nines and knows he’s being sincere, but he doesn’t stop his fiddling. “Reading offers a unique blend of entertainment, knowledge acquisition, and mental stimulation. For you—and myself as well, I suppose—it could be a good way to explore new ideas, perspectives, and experiences. It could broaden our understanding of the world and help foster empathy and understanding of others. And maybe exploring characters and their journeys can lead to self-reflection and a deeper understanding of our own values and beliefs, thus helping us discover who we are.”
When he glances at Nines again, the alpha is looking down at the book in his hands contemplatively, his LED cycling.
“Okay,” Nines says, looking up to catch his eye. “I’ll give reading a try, but I think I’ll look for something different to read. Would you like me to get another book or two for you, as well?”
Warmth floods his system, and he smiles brightly. “I would appreciate that. Thank you.”
Nines stands. “Is there anything in particular you want me to grab for you?”
He pauses. “I don’t actually know what books we have...” He trails off, brows furrowing.
He’s never inspected their collection before, and he hadn’t been paying attention earlier today. He knows they have many books, predominantly fiction, intended for young adults and adults. However, he doesn’t know much more than that. He has no idea what to ask for. He’d have to look, but... the idea of leaving his nest is—
“I can pick a few for you,” Nines offers, getting his attention. “I think I have a general idea of the kind of thing you’d like to read. I can pick a few options for you to choose from.”
His panic quells, and he offers the alpha a grateful smile. “Thank you, Nines. I would appreciate that.”
The alpha nods. “I’ll be back in a few minutes.”
He watches Nines leave and close the door behind him. And then Connor’s alone. He’s both relieved and riddled with guilt and shame. He should be able to go downstairs and pick out his own books. He shouldn’t need Nines to do it for him.
He looks down at his nest, and suddenly it all looks wrong. He stands and quickly dismantles the mess. He will rebuild it better, and he should finish right around the time Nines returns. He’s doing something. He’s not useless. Everything’s okay.
His hands tremble, and his breath hitches. He buries his face in a blanket that smells like soothing petrichor.
The trembling stops. His breathing evens out. His heart aches.
He returns to his work. Everything’s fine.
Notes:
I feel like everyone in DBH needs a little therapy (or a lot). I always liked it when the fics I read included therapy in the story. It makes it feel more real to me. Of course, there are different kinds of therapy, and I imagine it's tailored based on the person (if you’ve been doing it for a while, at least). Connor has a lot of problems (most androids probably do). I feel like his only options are letting it fester or talking about it, so he’s going to talk about it. They're not calling it therapy, but that's basically what it is. It’s not going to be a big thing in this story, more something going on in the background, but I just thought you guys should know.
Also, I already have a comment, kudos, and bookmarks on this after only one chapter? (╥ ω ╥) Thank you so much! I don't deserve you guys.
Chapter 3: What is life and what is real?
Notes:
Not a particularly happy chapter, I’m afraid, but we’re putting things in motion… a bit of world-building, kinda. Does it count as world-building? I don’t know. I consider it to be.
Warnings for this chapter: drunk Hank, implied/referenced alcohol abuse, implied/referenced suicidal tendencies
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
NOV 21ST, 2038 AM 09:42
Luther joined him today for his visit with Kelly. Mostly because they have plans afterward, but it's nice to have his pack alpha with him for this. He knew they were just going over the preliminary plan, but he couldn't help but be anxious. As another alpha in his pack, Nines can help ease his stress, but not like Luther can. He's glad to have Luther here.
The preliminary plan is about what he expected. Kelly detailed all the software she wants to remove, and he's fine with it all. The only software he cares about is the necessary ones for optimal functionality and the software that helps him do his investigative work. He quite liked working with Hank at the DPD. If he can, he'd like to return to that work someday in the future.
The other part of the plan went over biocomponents she wants to replace or upgrade. Which, again, he's fine with all of her ideas. He figures she knows what's best, so he'll trust her judgment. Unfortunately, while a few of the biocomponents they have on hand, most will have to be obtained elsewhere. Elijah Kamski's warehouses will help with the greater majority, but again, not everything. Two biocomponents in particular will be tricky to acquire. They are a replacement for his hand and an upgrade for his thirium pump regulator.
The problem with finding a replacement for his left hand comes with the uniqueness of his model. His hands are capable of incredibly fine precision and delicacy, not unlike those used by medical models, especially those intended for surgical assistance. So while there are biocomponents with the same abilities, only a few are compatible with his system.
The other problem comes in the size of the compatible biocomponents. All the hands compatible with his system are smaller than his. So, unless he wants to replace both hands (which he doesn't), he'll have to replace his left hand with that of another Model RK800. The problem with that is getting access to one.
All the Model RK800s are at CyberLife Tower on subfloor level 46 (other than the one in the warehouse). However, CyberLife has temporarily shut down. Furthermore, intruders have already broken into the Tower so many times that CyberLife sent armed guards to secure it until it reopens. Therefore, they cannot obtain a hand biocomponent honestly. Nor can they try sneaking in and stealing one. If they were caught breaking in, it would have disastrous consequences. He won’t risk it, especially not for something so insignificant.
His thirium pump regulator is a different kind of problem. Luckily enough, they have a suitable replacement for it here at the mansion, which he'll be using for the time being. However, as soon as it's possible, Kelly wants to upgrade it. She thinks using a regulator intended for military and combat models would be the most efficient. Unfortunately, those aren't easy to get. They'll wait until stores and repair shops reopen and hope one of them will have one, but it's a biocomponent they'll probably have to order.
For now, Kelly is doing what she can with what they have. She believes everything done today will already boost his energy reserves. They've finished replacing biocomponents, and now she's going through his software.
“I mean, I get it," Kelly grumbles. "Prototypes usually have a bunch of unfinished programming and trial software, but yours is especially shoddy. Maybe because they changed your designation? You went from being a prototype for the Model RK900 to the Deviant Hunter." She blows a raspberry. "As if! I still don't understand how anyone can believe that. You—"
Aaron interrupts her with a simple, "Kelly."
She snaps her mouth closed and looks up from her monitor, then gives him a sheepish grin. "Sorry. Anyway, all prototypes have a couple of bugs. Well… maybe not Markus. He’s a prototype too, right? But Elijah Kamski personally created him, so I imagine his software is pure perfection!" She sighs dreamily. "How likely is it that I could talk Markus into letting me plug him into my diagnostics? Maybe if you asked him for me? I’d love to have a proper look at his software. Chloe, too! She’s nice. I talked to her yesterday about acquiring a couple of biocomponents I want for you. Do you think—"
Aaron interrupts her once more. "Kelly."
She sighs heavily. "You're no fun, Aaron. Anyway, your model is specifically a prototype for the Model RK900, at least originally. Comparing your model schematics with the Model RK900 helped a lot, actually. While not all the RK900’s biocomponents are compatible with your system, most of them are, and they’re much more efficient than some of yours."
Connor's still trying to process everything she's said. He didn't realize Kelly was such a chatterbox.
Once he processes that last bit, he says, “I imagine the RK900’s system has updated since I sent the schematics for their model in October.”
“Oh, I know," she replies. "Nines let me look through his system yesterday afternoon. I figured he’d be the most up-to-date and could offer a useful guideline to work off of. He was very helpful!”
He glances at the alpha. When Nines notices his attention, he gives a little nod of confirmation. He had no idea. They must have done that while he was talking to Lily yesterday.
Kelly continues her jabber. "We don't have any of the biocomponents used by the RK900 here, but we do have compatible ones. I figure that must be because they're the newest model, so they've got the latest biocomponents. We keep the ones that are more universally used or compatible. It's just easier that way, especially if an emergency comes in. And they could mostly all make good placeholders until we could order the specific biocomponent needed. We haven't had anybody come in recently, though, which I guess is understandable. It's good too, since we can't exactly order new shipments right now, anyway."
He's been trying not the think about it. This fragile peace can't last forever, and he imagines once it ends, many of their people will find themselves injured... or killed.
Luther puts a calming hand on his shoulder. "We have Elijah Kamski's stores to use if necessary, too. We have enough to last us until CyberLife reopens, even if we have an emergency."
He looks up at the alpha and nods. Luther's right. He needs to focus on the present. Things are okay for now. He'd like to make them better, though. Part of that is by inspecting the abandoned houses in their neighborhood.
"Aaaand done!" Kelly chirps, turning to face him. "You should be good to go. I ran a full diagnostic report to make sure there aren't any problems, but do you want to do so as well? It would be better to do it now while you're still hooked up to my diagnostics."
He shakes his head. "That's not necessary. I trust your report."
She smiles brightly. "Alrighty! Just— Oh!" She stares intensely at his face. "Real quick, send me something. I wanna test your modulator."
His mind blanks. It's the same problem as yesterday morning. He doesn't want to send her useless information, but he can't think of anything he could offer that would be of use to her.
His mind goes to what he was doing before this appointment. Inspired by Lily’s suggestion, he started a private journal documenting the books he’s read and his reflections on them afterward. He'd just completed his entry on Mark Haddon's The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time before this, but... that feels too personal to share with her. He’s hesitant to share his journal with anyone.
Luther gently squeezes his shoulder, refocusing his attention. It's a touch that reminds him of Markus, which reminds him of the talk he had with the alpha last night, which is part of the reason he's going to look at the abandoned houses in the neighborhood with Luther and Nines after this. Markus told him that one of the big issues that was brought up yesterday in their talk with the president was about housing. There are now millions of homeless androids throughout the country. And while the government is turning a blind eye for now, there are technically millions of androids illegally squatting in houses and other buildings.
Of course, talk can't begin about androids owning property, or even just getting temporary shelter, until they're officially recognized as people. As such, it's an issue to be dealt with in the future. However, it has him thinking. He doesn't know about the rest of the country, but there are many derelict and/or nearly abandoned neighborhoods in Detroit. If humans don't want them (which clearly seems to be the case), then maybe androids can have them. They're more than capable of renovating those properties to suit their needs. And since androids don't have the same health concerns that humans do, they could even make use of some condemned places.
Theoretically, as long as the building is structurally sound, then androids can use it. If the government isn't feeling charitable enough to give them those properties, well... Connor does technically have a substantial amount of money. And with the prices of real estate in Detroit, he could probably buy many of them. He mentioned so to Markus last night, and Markus had Simon draw up a plan of all the neighborhoods and buildings that would fit their criteria, which he received as soon as Simon finished it.
He sends her that plan. Her brows furrow as she receives it, and then her eyes widen once she processes it. He sees that familiar awe in her eyes, but for once it doesn't make him uncomfortable. It'll take time, but this is what he wants to do to help their people, at least for now. And for once, it's something he's proud of.
Kelly sits back in her office chair and lets out a long whistle. "Wow... You don't like being idle, do you? I can understand that, as I'm the same. However, as your unofficial physician, I advise you to pace yourself. While your energy reserves should have a good boost now, your system needs time to get used to it. If you try to go full tilt immediately, you're gonna overload your system. Capeesh?"
He nods. He can do that, and he imagines Luther and Nines will make sure of it (Rose, too).
She grins and reaches to remove the cable plugged into the port at the back of his neck. "Great! The issue with your modulator seems to be fixed now, too. If you notice anything odd, let me know. I highly doubt there will be an issue, but stranger things have happened. You're free to go, my liege."
He searches his database for the word and frowns. "I'm not—"
"Ignore her," Aaron sighs. "She's trying to be funny."
"Excuse you!" Kelly squawks. "I'm hilarious!"
He looks between the two as they bicker, feeling a little out of the loop. Luther just chuckles and helps him to his feet. Nines follows behind him as they make their way out of the basement. Once they're in the foyer, they head for the line of coats hung up on the wall. He's just reaching for his coat when Luther calls for his attention.
"Connor, you might want to wear a different coat. One that you don't mind getting torn up. We have plenty of parkas you can use."
He hadn't thought of that. He loves his coat, and he'd rather it last as long as possible. His mind goes to the jacket he wore to Jericho, but... he can't wear that. He doesn't even know if they kept it. He doesn't care.
He heads further down the line of coats, to ones he knows no one has claimed yet. He looks at a blue parka. It's durable, wind-resistant, waterproof, and should be more breathable, which is good since he imagines he'll have to be fairly active in this adventure. It probably wouldn't be best for sub-zero temperatures, but it should do nicely for this.
As Connor slips into his parka, he remembers that Nines still doesn't have a coat. There's no telling how long they'll be out, and he highly doubts any of the houses they're inspecting will have power, much less heating. Even with the temperature in the low 40s, prolonged exposure without a coat wouldn't be wise.
"Nines," he calls, "you should grab a coat, too."
While the alpha does that, he slips into a pair of work boots and grabs the smallest of the three backpacks left by the door. Rose prepared these for them earlier once she found out what they're going to be doing. Inside the main pocket are two water bottles, a small bottle of thirium, a basic android first-aid kit, and duct tape. In the front pocket are two flashlights, a dust mask, and a pair of sturdy gloves. In the secondary pocket are a multitool and... a credit card?
He takes out the credit card to give it a closer inspection. It belonged to Harriet M. Strong; most likely a woman, judging by the name. It's several years expired, but that doesn't make the concern about its presence any better, nor the confusion about its purpose any clearer.
Luther steps up beside him and grabs the largest of the backpacks. "Rose and the others would take these on their raids. She usually packed one or two backpacks with equipment, leaving the others for supplies they found."
He looks at the alpha with furrowed brows. "Did the others carry stolen credit cards, too?"
Luther sighs, pulling the backpack's strap onto his shoulder. "No. I think only she carried one, and Aaron when he joined her. She said it was good for opening locked doors and windows. Some of them, at least."
He puts the credit card back into the secondary pocket and zips it closed. With that purpose in mind, it makes sense to carry one. He doesn't particularly like it, though. Then again, there are a lot of things he doesn't particularly like about their world, most of which were forced onto them by their human masters... But they're working to change that. He's working to change that, starting with inspecting abandoned property, where he'll probably find a credit card useful to have.
"Ready to go?" Luther asks.
He looks between his pack alpha and Nines, who is now wearing a charcoal black coat and the last backpack. He nods, and Luther reaches for the doorknob. Off they go.
The homes in their neighborhood were almost all built between 1895 and the late 1920s, which makes them more than a hundred years old. Houses that old come with their own issues, even with sufficient maintenance. These houses have been abandoned for some time, particularly those near the mansion, and it shows. He's reminded of the church that so many of their people have now made their home, ravaged by time, but still beautiful. And hopefully still liveable.
One of the neighboring houses is a Queen Anne-style manor with a stone base, a red brick exterior, and a roof that's partially hipped and partially gabled. The front gable is above a two-story bay window, and the corner gable is above a balcony and another bay window. Dead ivy crawls up the front facade, particularly around the front stoop. As with their home, this house has an iron gate around the property's boundaries. He'd estimate it was built around the turn of the century.
It's beautiful. Whether it's liveable is yet to be seen. The exterior looks good enough, but there's no telling what lies inside, nor the state of the foundation. Better to be hopeful, he supposes.
He turns to his two companions and reaches for the latch on the gate leaf. "Shall we?"
He doesn't miss the dubious look Luther gives the house as the alpha steps onto the property; he just chooses to ignore it. Both Luther and Nines have voiced their skepticism regarding this venture. Their problem is they're too focused on his safety to see the bigger picture. He'll be fine. He's not easily damaged. Plus, he's very nimble and light on his feet.
They make their way up the sidewalk to the front door. Snow blankets the yard, but he knows it’s wild and overgrown, as with most abandoned property. The stone stairs leading up to the front door seem to be in decent enough condition, but he tests them with a strong stomp to make sure. While stone is resistant to weathering and erosion, it’s better to be safe than sorry.
Satisfied with the condition of the stairs, they make their way up to the front door. It’s locked, of course, but they simply pick the lock and make their way inside. He quickly realizes what the dust masks are for. The air inside is stagnant with dust and other airborne particles, not to mention the rather unpleasant musty scent. There’s a high probability of mold spores, too.
He digs his mask out of the front pocket, grabbing a flashlight while he’s at it. There’s some low light where the sun shines through the dirt and grime on the windows, at least the ones not boarded up. However, there isn’t enough light for safe inspection. After equipping the mask, he turns the flashlight on and looks around.
The floors look to be made of wood, which could pose a problem. Ideally, they’re sound and will hold their weight. He tests the boards in front of him, and they seem fine. However, the weakest points will be in the middle of the floors. He doesn’t feel like testing their luck.
“Watch your step,” he warns the two alphas. “The floors are wooden, and we can’t be sure whether they’re in good condition. Try to stick to the walls and avoid walking in the middle of the room.”
Luther and Nines stay close, looking around with their flashlights. There’s a doorway on the right that opens into a larger room, likely intended to be a parlor or a sitting room. Along the same wall is a grand staircase leading up to the second floor. He cranes his neck and aims his flashlight toward the ceiling; it has to be at least 12 feet, maybe even 14 feet high.
His synthetic heart pumps rapidly in his chest, and he doesn’t bother trying to contain the wide smile behind the mask he wears. He shines his light on the wooden paneling by the staircase, admiring the wainscoting; it’s beautifully carved. He takes a couple of careful steps forward to get a better look. The wood looks like some kind of hardwood (mahogany or rosewood, he’d guess), which gives him hope for the structural integrity of this house.
From what he’s seen so far, the materials used in building this house are the long-lasting sort. Of course, there’s still much to be explored in here, and he doesn’t think he’ll trust the stairs. They’ll have to return with someone who'd know better if they’re safe. However, it certainly seems like this house could be a good contender to expand the mansion.
Of course, he does not doubt that this home has some nasty secrets. He highly suspects they’ll find asbestos somewhere in the house, and he suspects the walls were likely painted with lead-based paints. Of course, that’s not as much of an issue for them as it would be for humans, but it’s just a reminder not to let his excitement get the better of him. It’s important to be careful.
He makes his way along the wall to peek into the room on the left. The doorway opens into a large room, but it’s a little difficult to guess the purpose. There are a couple of wooden structures in shambles that could have once been dining chairs, so perhaps this was the dining room.
He swings his flashlight toward the double doors at the end of the hall. They must have been beautiful once upon a time. One door has survived surprisingly well, the stained glass filthy but whole. The other door has not fared nearly as well, half hanging off its hinges, and the beautiful stained glass shattered. When he aims his light down at the floor, he can see the shards scattered about.
He turns his attention back to the dining room. They should inspect this section of the house before going any further in. He’ll check the smaller room on the right first. Luther and Nines follow close behind as he walks to the other side of the hall.
Which is lucky for him, as he steps onto a rotten board. He yelps as the wood gives way and his foot falls through. Luther catches him under his arm to save him from face-planting onto the floor, and keeps an arm around his waist to hold him upright while Nines kneels to free his foot.
"Are you okay?" Luther asks, his scent going stormy with worry and fear.
Thirium flushes his cheeks, but he looks into the alpha’s eyes, not surprised to see flecks of ruby. “I’m fine. It just surprised me.” He gives a nervous chuckle. “And after I warned you two to be careful.”
Although unnecessary, Nines checks him over once the alpha gets his foot free. The work boots certainly helped to protect him, but it’s not like an android can get a sprained ankle. And he would have gotten a warning if the wood had caused any damage. Still, he allows Nines to fuss while he reassures Luther.
The red glow of Nines’s LED follows him as he stands. “This was a bad idea. We shouldn’t be here.”
His head snaps towards Nines. “What? No! I’m fine! We knew going in that something like this might happen.”
“Which is why this was a bad idea,” Nines asserts.
“I agree,” Luther says. “We shouldn’t have gone into this unprepared.”
His heart sinks. “No, we have prepared! We have the backpacks and everything! And if we’re careful—”
Luther shakes his head and starts guiding him toward the front door. “If we’re going to do this, we should at least bring along someone who knows about this kind of thing to ensure it’s safe.”
Nines waits for them at the door, holding it open for them, and Connor gives up. They’ve already made up their minds, and he’s not going to change them. The best thing he can do is go along with it rather than start a fight.
It’s hard to do, though. He swallows down the disappointment, hurt, and anger. He won’t let himself lash out over something like this. Luther and Nines are just trying to keep him safe… but it’s unnecessary.
Once they’re on the porch, he pulls away from Luther’s guiding hand and walks on his own, ripping his mask off and crumpling it in his hand. He’s frustrated as optical lubricant floods his eyes, and he keeps swallowing down the bitter tangle of emotions trying to rise up his throat. He ignores the bitter pheromones his olfactory processor detects, both his and the two alphas’.
He tries to focus on deep breathing. It’s fine. Everything’s fine. He’ll go home now so that he can try again another time. This isn’t the end of the world, nor the end of this venture. He won’t let himself overreact (unlike Luther and Nines). He scowls.
For the first time, he hates being an omega.
Connor retreats to his nest and sulks there for the rest of the afternoon, distracting himself with reading and trying to forget about what happened earlier. Nines is preoccupying himself elsewhere, which is preferable. He doesn't want to see him or Luther, and they must know it. The knowledge of that brings both a sense of mean satisfaction and guilt. However, the hurt ultimately wins out.
He can’t help but think Luther and Nines wouldn’t have reacted that way if he were anything other than an omega… He doesn’t want to think about it.
He tries to focus on the book he’s reading, And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie, but he’s having difficulty doing so. It’s not that he isn’t enjoying the story, but his thoughts are too loud to concentrate. He sighs and lays his head back, staring up at the ceiling.
He could try talking to someone, not about what happened, but… he doesn’t want to. He wouldn’t mind talking to Markus, but he’s most likely busy, and he doesn’t want to bother him. He wonders what Hank’s doing.
A wireless communication request distracts him, and he accepts it.
// Good afternoon, Connor. // David’s voice is soothing to his frayed nerves.
// Good afternoon. I was surprised by your communication request. Is everything alright? //
// Yes, no need to worry. Everything is as good as it can be. Are you busy? //
He closes his book and lays it on his chest. // Not at all. Did you want to talk about something? //
// Yes. I was talking to Markus earlier about plans for Thanksgiving. Carl is doing well enough that he’d like to have a few people over to celebrate. I’m inviting you on his behalf. //
He’s honestly speechless. Whether the invitation is coming from Carl or Markus, he didn’t think he was important enough to be invited to something like this. Warmth pumps through his wires, and his synthetic heart aches, but in a good way. It’s confusing and overwhelming, and it has optical lubricant flooding his eyes, but it feels good.
He realizes he hasn’t replied yet and quickly does so. // I’d love to. //
// Excellent! Thanksgiving is on the 25th. Feel free to arrive anytime, but dinner isn’t until 5 pm. Not that we eat, but Carl and his son do… And perhaps your human friend, too? Carl is fine with you bringing a plus one, or even a plus two… // David trails off. // I apologize. Carl is talking to me about it as we’re speaking. He says you can bring as many people as you like, but I’d ask you not to bring more than three, if you want to bring any. I believe Markus is inviting a few others, too, and I’m afraid that too many people would overwhelm Carl, despite what he thinks. //
That’s certainly reasonable, especially considering Carl’s poor health. // How is he? It sounds like his health has improved at least a little. //
// He’s still on oxygen, and I don’t let him move around too much yet, but he’s much better compared to when you saw him. “Out of the woods,” as humans say. Carl’s a stubborn old man, which works in his favor, as it makes him a fighter. //
// That’s a relief to hear. // And he means it. He likes Carl, and Carl is important to Markus, which makes Carl important to him as well.
// Let me know when you’ve figured out if you’re bringing anyone, especially the lieutenant. I need to know how much food we need to make. You have time to think about it, but I’d appreciate it if you could let me know sometime tomorrow. //
// Of course. I’ll have to talk to Hank about it, but… I’d like to bring him. I think it’d be good for him. // He’s just not sure whether he’ll agree to come.
// Sorry, but I’ll have to end our talk now. Carl can be such a handful, especially when I won’t let him do something he wants to do. // David’s tone is both exasperated and fond. // It was nice talking to you, Connor. I wouldn’t mind doing so again. I’ll talk to you soon. //
David ends his connection, which leaves Connor staring up at the ceiling in silence. It’s a lot to process, and he doesn’t know where to begin. While he considers Markus pack, he hasn’t actually told him that. He knows they’re friends, but he didn’t think the alpha (either him or Carl) cared enough to invite him to celebrate a holiday with him. He’s touched, and he makes a note to himself to talk to Markus about it when they talk tonight. However, first things first, he needs to talk to Hank.
NOV 21ST, 2038 PM 07:31
As the autonomous cab pulls up to the curb at 115 Michigan Drive, Connor realizes he didn’t call ahead to check it was okay for him to visit, or even just check that Hank is home. It looks like the lights are on, so that means there’s a good chance that Hank is home and awake. Whether he feels like company is another story. However, he’s already here, so he might as well test if he’s welcome.
Nothing has changed since he was last here. Hank's car is parked haphazardly in the driveway, with tire tracks in the snow all over the place. Other than the footprints leading to and from the car, the snow in the front yard is untouched. There are no decorations to differentiate this house from any other.
It’s all very familiar, and it makes his synthetic heart ache. The ache worsens as he stops at the front door. He takes a deep breath and knocks.
There’s no response. It doesn’t even sound like the TV’s on. Something icy and sharp settles in his chest.
He knocks again, calling out, “Hank? It’s me, Connor…”
No response other than a quiet borf from Sumo.
He waits a moment before hesitantly knocking again. “Hank? I can leave if you don’t feel like company, but I’d like to know you’re okay. Will you please answer the door?”
He hears Sumo approaching the door and laying down with a heavy huff, but there’s still no sound of Hank. Is it possible he’s not home after all? Maybe he left the lights on so that he wouldn’t be walking into complete darkness when he returns. It certainly sounds like a good possibility… but something tells him that’s not the case. His omega is restless within him, urging him to try again.
He knocks. “Hank?”
No answer.
He doesn’t like this. He tries the doorknob. Surprisingly, it’s unlocked. He really doesn’t like this. He opens the door.
His gaze goes down to Sumo first, who's lying by the front door, looking up at him with sad eyes. His tail thumps the floor a couple of times, but otherwise the dog doesn’t react to him. That in itself is troubling.
He closes the door behind him and looks toward the kitchen, where he sees Hank sitting at the dining table with a bottle of Black Lamb Scotch Whiskey and a glass tumbler. The human grabs the bottle by the neck and takes a drink, rather than pouring a glass. Hank doesn’t so much as glance in his direction.
Connor takes a slow step into the house. “The door wasn’t locked, so I came in… I hope you don’t mind.”
Why was the door left unlocked? Was he expecting someone? Hank doesn’t respond.
Connor takes another slow step forward. “Are you expecting someone?” He swallows down the question he wants to ask, choosing another instead. “If so, would you mind if I waited with you until they arrive?”
Hank takes another drink from the bottle and ignores him.
Worry and fear have his synthetic heart thundering in his ears. It feels like a very precarious situation. He doesn’t know what to say or do. He hasn’t seen Hank like this since the night they went to the Eden Club. It’s a slight comfort that he doesn’t see a gun on the table… but that doesn’t mean the human doesn’t have one close at hand.
“I’m worried about you, Hank. Will you talk to me?”
Hank finally looks at him, just a glance, but that’s good enough. He slowly makes his way closer, stopping once he’s on the other side of the table. There are only a few feet between them. It feels like too much, but he has a feeling he needs to keep his distance, at least for now.
Hank keeps his eyes down and takes another drink. "I reckon you don't need me anymore... Dunno that you ever really did."
He frowns. "What are you talking about, Hank?"
The alpha sighs and rests the bottle down on the table with a heavy clunk. "You don't need me, Connor.” His grip tightens around the neck of the bottle. “You never did... I'm just a human... Just an old, washed-up, drunkard cop who shoulda died years ago."
A whimper escapes before he can contain it, and he has to lock his legs in place not to dive for the man. "Hank—"
The alpha shakes his head. "You don't need me. You've got your pack—"
"I consider you part of my pack, Hank."
That earns him the alpha’s attention. Hank looks up at him with glazed eyes and a furrowed brow. "I'm not—"
He cuts him off. "My omega and I consider you pack. You're important to me, Hank. I do need you."
Hank’s eyes widen, but he quickly squeezes them tightly closed and grimaces. "You don't—"
He cuts him off again. "You said you would help me figure out who I am."
The alpha shakes his head. "You don't need me to—"
"I want you to." He looks fiercely into Hank's eyes when the alpha looks at him. "I want you to help me, just like I want to help you. I want you in my life, Hank."
The alpha just looks at him for a moment, flecks of red in his eyes, and expression lost and searching. "You shouldn't," Hank whispers hoarsely.
He circles around the table to be closer. He needs to be closer. "You don't get to decide that."
He pulls the human’s arm around his neck and forces him to stand.
“Whoa!” Hank groans. “What’re you doin—“
“We can talk about this in the morning,” he states firmly. “I’m taking you to bed.”
Hank groans as they walk. “Look, I’m flattered, Con, but I don’ think—”
He huffs with wry amusement as they round the corner. “I’m taking you to bed so that you can sleep.”
“I don’t wanna sleep. ‘M not tired.”
He hefts the alpha upright as he sags and marches him to his bed. “I don’t care.”
He maneuvers Hank to sit on the mattress.
Hank tries to stand. “Con—”
He pushes him back onto the bed. “Wait here. I’m going to get you a glass of water.”
Surprisingly, he listens, remaining seated. “I don’t want water.”
He ignores him, marching back to the kitchen and rifling through the cabinets until he finds a glass (noting the minimal food). He fills the glass three-quarters of the way and then marches carefully back toward the bedroom.
Hank still sits on his bed, currently struggling to take off his socks. His jeans lie rumpled on the floor. Despite his protests, it seems he’s preparing for bed. It settles him a little to see.
He holds out the glass of water. “Drink this. All of it.”
Hank sighs, but complies. Connor looks around while he waits. Maybe he should help the alpha into pajamas. Or at least into a more comfortable shirt.
Hank wordlessly hands him the empty glass, and he sets it on the nightstand (he’ll refill it later). “Do you have any pajamas or bedclothes you’d like to wear?”
The alpha grunts in reply and returns to removing his socks. He kneels to help, and thankfully, Hank lets him. Once his feet are bare, the alpha swings his legs onto the bed. Right. That decides that, then.
Hank lies flat on his back, and Connor rolls the alpha onto his side.
Hank huffs. “I like sleepin’ on my back.”
He hums and reaches for a pillow to help prop the alpha up. “I’d like you not to choke on your own vomit.”
Hank’s BAC is currently 0.12%, but it could rise. A BAC of 0.15% and higher causes nausea, and humans are more likely to throw up. He should find something to put beside the bed in case it’s needed.
The alpha grumbles, but remains on his side. “'M not sleepy.”
He hesitates before sitting on the edge of the bed, resisting the powerful urge to build a nest for the alpha to sleep in (that wouldn’t be appropriate). “Do you usually do anything to help you sleep?”
“Yeah. Drink.”
He hums. “I think you’ve had more than enough for tonight.”
He can’t help fussing with the blankets, but stops once he catches himself doing so. It’s hard to fight his instincts. His omega wants to take care of the alpha, no matter if it’s appropriate or wanted. We need to take care of our alpha, his omega insists. He ignores it; he already is.
He notices the alpha staring at him and meets his gaze. Unsurprisingly, Hank’s eyes are bloodshot and glassy, his pupils dilated, and there are flecks of red in his irises. It’s a little surprising that Hank’s alpha is so present, but his presence is probably causing that.
He can’t help feeling a little self-conscious at the alpha’s staring, though. “What?”
Hank blinks slowly, his eyelids drooping. “You have a goofy face, but it’s nice to stare at.”
His eyes widen, and thirium flushes his cheeks. What is Hank talking about?!
“Huh,” the alpha mumbles.
He hesitates before asking, “What?”
The alpha sighs, his eyelids drooping even lower. “Your face goes all blue when you blush.”
“I’m not blushing,” he denies.
He’s not. He’s just… surprised. Hank surprised him. That’s all.
Hank snorts. “Yer full o’ shit, Con.”
The alpha blinks, and his eyelids stay closed. He mumbles something else under his breath, but not even his sensitive audio processors can make out what. The alpha’s heart rate and breathing slow, and his body relaxes. Hank’s asleep.
He finds himself once more fiddling with the blankets and stops himself by standing, taking a couple of steps back to better fight the temptation. He watches the human sleep, and his synthetic heart aches in his chest.
Sumo whines in the doorway, and his head snaps in the dog’s direction. He takes an unsteady breath, grabs the empty glass, and leaves the room. Sumo follows behind him as he makes his way to the kitchen. However, he stops short when he sees the whiskey bottle and the tumbler on the dining table.
He gets an overwhelming urge to grab that bottle by the neck and throw it on the kitchen floor, shattering it into a thousand pieces. The rest of the contents in the bottle would splatter and puddle, shards of glass making it impossible to drink. He’d hunt throughout the house to find every single bottle or can of alcohol and similarly destroy it. He’d find any weapons and dispose of them, too.
Optical lubricant floods his eyes, and he changes course for the living room. Setting the glass on the coffee table, he drops onto the couch and hides his face in his hands. He chokes on a sob but suppresses it, terrified of making too much noise and waking Hank. He can’t stop the tears, though.
Sumo jumps onto the couch, and Connor sits back as a furry head rests in his lap. He scratches gently behind Sumo’s ear and pets him, focusing on the soft texture of the fur against the dermal sensors of his hand. The tears don’t stop entirely, but they slow. That’s good enough for now.
“Don’t worry,” Connor whispers. “I’m going to do everything I can to help him.”
Sumo huffs.
He wonders how old Sumo is. A few years at the very least, old enough to have been here since before Cole died. Sumo’s already lost one of his humans. He’ll make sure he doesn’t lose another… Connor doesn’t want to lose his human either.
Notes:
After spending hours trying to recreate the DBH world in IRL Detroit, I’ve finally decided that enough is enough. It’s just impossible to do with some things. As such, from now on, I’ll be more loosely basing the DBH world on IRL Detroit. I'm also basing a lot of the buildings and such in this fic (and Sweet Promises) on real places, or spliced together from multiple. It helps me better visualize the world. I'm thinking about compiling and sharing all the resources I use for writing this series, but I'm not sure yet. Maybe in the future.
I didn't get this chapter out as quickly as I would have liked. I'm sorry. I hope everyone has had a good week. If you're American and you care about it, I hope you had a good 4th of July. And for those who observe it, have a blessed Ashura.
Chapter 4: Why do living things need feeling?
Notes:
I’m so sorry, guys. This chapter took so much longer than it should have, and it’s shorter, too. I won’t make a long-winded excuse and apology, because I doubt anyone wants to read a long note anyway. Long story short, things are hard right now. This series is my comfort project, though, so know I won’t abandon it. Updates might just end up being a bit more sporadic than I’d like.
As far as chapter warnings go, there's a lot of discussion about Cole's death and the impact it's had on Hank in the second half of this chapter. So keep that in mind.
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Connor stays the night. What if Hank needs him? He can’t leave. He can’t go into stasis either. Instead, he quietly cleans almost the entire house, being careful not to wake Hank, and periodically checks on the alpha to make sure he’s okay.
He starts in the kitchen, clearing out the refrigerator, freezer, and cabinets of expired food, and then he scrubs them clean. Next, he tidies up, collecting all the trash and disposing of it outside. After that, he washes the dishes, washes and refills Sumo’s food and water bowls, cleans the counters and stove, sweeps and mops the kitchen floor, and then he moves on to the rest of the house.
Hank only owns a vacuum, which he can’t use while the human’s sleeping, so he picks up bits of dog hair and other more obvious things in the carpet as he goes. He tidies, dusts, and cleans the hard surfaces in the living room. The bathroom is a little harder to clean, being so close to Hank’s bedroom, but he’s able to scrub it clean to his satisfaction without waking the alpha. However, after finishing the bathroom, he finds himself a little lost. He doesn’t dare try to clean Hank’s bedroom while he’s sleeping.
His eyes go to the door at the end of the hallway, which he knows leads into the garage, but he hesitates to go through it. However, the washer and dryer must be in the garage, and there’s a full clothes hamper in the bathroom. With that in mind, he quietly makes his way to the door at the end of the hall.
Hank’s garage mostly contains bins and boxes, some stacked precariously, others more neatly. The washer and dryer he’s searching for are along the wall connecting to the house, along with a tall shelf storing various items. He curiously eyes the workbench on the other side of the garage, complete with drawers and a pegboard holding various tools. He didn’t realize Hank was a handyman, but it seems oddly fitting.
After getting a load of laundry going and checking on Hank once more, he returns to the couch. He just sits there for a moment, staring blankly at the fireplace. The silence in Hank’s home seems so much louder to his sensitive auditory processors, not unlike when he was here after seeing Elijah Kamski. It's like he’s hyper-aware of everything: the sound of cars outside and sirens in the distance, the sound of the refrigerator running and the heat kicking on, the sound of Sumo’s quiet snoring where he lies next to the radiator, and Hank’s louder snores in his bedroom. However, the silence in his mind is louder.
His mind is foggy, but he can feel fear and anxiety festering in the background. Optical lubricant floods his eyes as he stares blankly in front of him. He doesn’t know what to do. He feels lost and helpless.
He sends Markus a wireless communication request, and the alpha quickly accepts.
Markus’s voice sounds playfully in his head. // I was starting to think you didn’t want to talk to me. //
Optical lubricant spills over down his cheeks, and he closes his eyes. He doesn’t respond.
The alpha quickly realizes something is amiss. // Connor? What’s wrong? //
He opens his eyes. // What did you do for Carl? How did you help him? //
Markus is quiet for a moment. // The depression and despondency Carl was suffering when I met him differs from what Lieutenant Anderson is experiencing now. I don’t possess the same programming as the Model KL900, but I suspect the lieutenant suffers from something called complicated grief, or prolonged grief disorder. I’m not saying he couldn’t also be suffering from depression and despondency, but I don’t believe it’s the root of his problem. The approach to treatment for him isn’t the same as what I did for Carl. //
He searches his database for the term. Grief is a natural coping mechanism to loss, and it can be felt intensely, but usually lessens over time. Complicated grief doesn't go away on its own. It wears on an individual persistently, both physically and mentally. It affects an individual's ability to function and go about their day as they would have before the loss happened.
Certain risk factors can increase the chance of developing complicated grief. Having an underlying mental health condition may put an individual more at risk. Experiencing unexpected loss (suicide or an accident), losing someone in one's immediate family (a parent, sibling, child, or spouse), and experiencing trauma during the event of the loss are also risk factors.
No consensus currently exists among mental health experts regarding the necessary time before diagnosing complicated grief. Typically, mental health professionals diagnose complicated grief when grieving continues to be intense, persistent, and debilitating beyond 12 months. There are many similarities between complicated grief and major depression, but there are also distinct differences. Getting the correct diagnosis is essential for appropriate treatment, so a comprehensive medical and psychological exam is often done.
It certainly seems fitting, but to know for sure, Hank needs to seek professional help and receive a diagnosis. He’s not sure if the alpha would agree to do so.
// Connor, did something happen? //
He focuses his teary-eyed vision on Sumo, watching his body rise and fall with each inhale and exhale. // I came to Hank’s house to talk to him about Thanksgiving, but… he’d been drinking… He seemed to think I didn’t need him… He’s sleeping now. //
// That’s good. // Markus’s tone sounds soothing. // Are you still at his house? //
He nods, and it takes a moment for him to remember that Markus can’t see him. // Yes. I did some cleaning, but… I couldn’t vacuum without waking Hank. I’m waiting for the laundry now. //
// Are you there by yourself? Did Nines come with you? //
// Sumo’s here, but he’s sleeping, too… I don’t want to talk to Nines right now. Or Luther. // The same tangle of hurt, disappointment, and anger lodges in his throat, making it ache as he tries to swallow it down.
// Okay. That’s okay. Maybe I can keep you company instead. //
Guilt gnaws at him, and more optical lubricant spills over. // How did the talks go today? //
// We’re making progress. // Markus’s tone sounds tired but hopeful. // It’s looking like Josh and I will be back in Detroit sometime tomorrow, probably in the late afternoon or early evening, but we don’t have to talk about that. How did your urban exploration go? //
He takes a deep breath and quietly hisses it out. // I stepped on a rotten wooden board within the first 15 minutes, and Nines and Luther called it for the day. //
// Oh… // Markus trails off, but quickly continues. // I’m sorry. I know how excited you were. I’m assuming you’re okay? //
// Luther caught me before I could face-plant, so yeah… It’s not like I would have gotten that hurt even if he hadn’t. So my foot falls through the floor, and I possibly end up with a bloody nose, so what?! I’ve faced much worse! They overreacted, and— // He cuts himself off, takes a deep breath, and sighs it out. // Sorry. //
// Don’t be. I don’t mind you venting if that’s what you need. //
His lips curl into a small smile, and the tears slow. // That’s okay… It doesn’t really matter. I was already thinking we’d have to return with someone more knowledgeable before I was comfortable exploring the upstairs, anyway. //
// Quite a few androids who specialized in construction helped us with the church. I’m sure they’d be more than happy to help survey properties with you. //
He frowns, not bothering to keep the skepticism off his face since he’s alone. While he doesn’t doubt some of them would happily help secure more housing, hopefully of the permanent kind, for their people, he doubts they’d be as eager to do so if they knew they’d be working alongside the Deviant Hunter. There are still hundreds of their people in the city who knew him as such, and even if Markus and the others have been working to correct it, he knows it’ll take time before they actually start trusting him. Not that he can blame them.
// I can hear you overthinking. Things aren’t as bad as you think they are. //
He doubts that.
// Okay. // Markus’s tone is once more gentle. // I’ll talk to Simon and have him pick a few people to go to the mansion to help you. He’ll make sure they know the truth and understand that you’re in charge of all this. You trust Simon and me, right? //
He sighs and leans back on the couch. // Yes. //
// Good. // The alpha’s tone goes soft and warm. // Now tell me about what you’ve been reading today. //
Connor spends the next several hours talking to Markus. They eventually circle back to the situation with Hank, and the alpha gives him some guidance, but ultimately tells him he should try talking to Lily about it to get her input. So, after finishing the laundry and ending his connection with Markus, he retreats back to the couch to talk to Lily.
She gives him some good advice and helps him work out a rough idea of how he can open up a discussion with Hank in the morning. At the very least, he feels more prepared. After talking to her and checking on Hank once more, he moves on to the next thing, which is ordering groceries to restock the alpha's kitchen.
However, he quickly realizes he doesn’t really know what he should order. He doesn’t know anything about what a healthy diet would be for Hank, and he certainly doesn’t know how to meal plan. However, he does want to leave the alpha with a couple of easy meals he can eat off of in the next few days. And part of what he’s hoping to talk to Hank about in the morning is coming over more regularly to help him with things, including cooking. He has no clue where to begin, though.
That’s how he ends up talking to Kara. He’s a little reluctant to approach her for help, afraid that it’ll be an unpleasant reminder of the broken home she and Alice escaped from, but his worries are for naught. Kara is not only happy to help, she’s excited to help him work out a grocery list and meal plan for Hank. He hadn’t really thought about it, but he’s not the only one who finds some joy and satisfaction in his original designation.
As he’s never cooked before, she advises him to start with simpler meals. She helps him make a grocery order for delivery and gives him a couple of easy recipes he can prepare at Hank’s house. Considering the hangover Hank will no doubt be feeling in the morning, she gives him a couple of ideas and recipes for easy breakfast meals once he’s awake. She also takes on the task of preparing a couple of meals for the alpha to eat off of for a few days that she’ll deliver herself once she’s finished cooking them.
Rose, of course, finds out about what’s going on and talks to him after he ends his connection with Kara. She’s initially worried, but offers her support and then distracts him with playful anecdotes about the children at the mansion while he waits for the grocery delivery, and then while he quietly puts them away once they’ve arrived. After some time, she asks him about his energy reserves, but he waves away the concern. He’s tired, but it’s not anything he can’t handle. Thankfully, she drops it.
He doesn’t hear from Luther or Nines, and he can’t help but prefer that. He’s allowing himself to wallow in the trenches of hurt, disappointment, and anger now so that he can be over them by the time he’s back at the mansion. Not that he’s stewing over it or anything, keeping distracted with other things, but he’s not forcing himself to bury it or ignore it, either.
His anxiety prevents him from preparing any of Kara’s simple meals, as the chopping sounds might wake Hank. So he returns to the couch with one of Hank’s books. He divests part of his attention to reading Alexandre Dumas’s The Count of Monte Cristo, and the other part to listening out for the sleeping alpha. He spends the next few hours like that, only getting up when Kara arrives with her prepared meals, but quickly returning to the couch once she leaves.
It isn’t until a little after 6 AM that he hears Hank stirring. He pauses, concentrating on the sounds in the bedroom. The alpha’s already gotten up once in the middle of the night to stumble his way to and from the bathroom; it’s possible this could be something similar.
He listens to the sound of the alpha getting out of bed and shuffling out of his bedroom. However, instead of heading straight for the bathroom, Hank makes his way down the hall. Connor looks over the back of the couch and ends up making eye contact with the alpha. The alpha’s eyes are bloodshot, and there are dark circles under them, but it’s the surprise on his face that Connor focuses on.
“You’re still here,” Hank whispers.
He closes his book and slowly stands to face the alpha. “Yes. I hope you don’t mind.”
Hank looks around, and his brows furrow. “Did you clean?”
Anxiety niggles in the back of his mind, and he gives the alpha a nervous smile. “I thought you might like to wake up to a clean home… I’m sorry if I overstepped.”
Hank frowns, and something like guilt and shame bleeds into his scent. “You didn’t have to do that, Con.”
“I wanted to,” he quickly reassures. He sets his book down on the coffee table. “How’s your hangover? Do you think you can eat?”
Hank looks at him a bit warily. “Why? You gonna cook for me?”
He nods, giving the alpha what he hopes is a reassuring smile. “I want to. I was thinking we could talk after you had breakfast.”
Hank just stares at him for a long moment before he sighs, hanging his head and nodding. “Yeah… yeah, okay.”
“Would you like to shower while I make breakfast?”
“I can do that.” Hank regards him with an uneasy gaze. “You don’t have to do all this.”
He offers the alpha some comforting pheromones and a warm smile. “I want to, Hank. I promise. Would you prefer something sweet or savory for breakfast?”
The alpha looks down and shuffles his feet. “Savory, I guess.”
He hums and considers the suggestions Kara gave him. “How do you feel about avocado toast with a fried egg?”
Hank huffs with wry amusement. “Fuckin’ avocado toast. Of course.” He regards him with one eyebrow raised. “I know for a fact I don’t keep avocados in my house.”
He smiles nervously. “I ordered groceries.”
Hank snorts, but doesn’t seem upset. Rather, there’s a small smile curling his lips. “You takin’ over my house?”
His anxiety settles at the playful tone in the alpha’s voice. “I hope you don’t mind.”
Hank shakes his head with a little chuckle. “Not like you’ll stop even if I do.”
Hank looks directly at him, and his expression turns almost sad, or maybe wistful. They hold eye contact, and his synthetic heart aches. However, he can’t help but be hopeful, too. If Hank’s reaction so far is any indication, then maybe their talk will go better than he first thought.
The alpha looks away and turns around. “You can do whatever you want. I’m gonna take a shower.”
He briefly watches as Hank trudges down the hallway, taking in the slump of the alpha's broad shoulders and listening to the soft padding of bare feet on carpet, and then he turns to head into the kitchen. He begins by making a pot of coffee. As he’s uncertain how long the alpha’s shower and pre-breakfast activities will take, he wants to at least have some coffee waiting for the alpha in case he hasn’t finished before then.
He goes over the instructions Kara told him in his head. She shared her knowledge directly through an interface before she left, but he’s still nervous he might mess this up. He’s never cooked before, and while it sounds simple enough in theory… he can’t help but worry. He gathers everything he needs, along with some of the other fruit and vegetables to prepare now that the alpha’s awake, and gets to work.
It’s nerve-racking, but it ends up being easier than he was building it up to be in his head. He makes things more difficult for himself trying to multitask so many things, but he quickly gets into the rhythm of it. It’s oddly soothing, actually. He thinks he could grow to enjoy cooking.
By the time Hank returns to the kitchen, showered and dressed, he has waiting on the table: a cup of coffee, a tall glass of water, a small bowl of fresh berries, and a plate of whole wheat toast topped with mashed avocado and a fried egg (perhaps slightly overcooked, but not burnt). He quickly finishes preparing the other fruit and vegetables and puts them away so that he can sit at the table with the alpha while he eats. He can’t help but nervously watch Hank eat, anxious that he won’t like the food he made, but that doesn’t seem to be the case.
Hank quickly polishes off the toast, giving an appreciative hum as he pops the last bite in his mouth, and then picks at the fruit while he finishes his first cup of coffee. Connor relaxes, and his omega purrs contentedly in his chest, pleased at a job well done and satisfying the alpha. He doesn’t let the sound manifest (as that would be embarrassing), but he can’t contain a small, pleased smile.
He gets the alpha another cup of coffee, collects his dirty dishes, and starts the washing up from breakfast. After a moment, Hank joins him, despite his protest, and then they finish the job together. He washes and the alpha rinses and stacks the dishes in the drying rack. It’s strange, but satisfying… domestic. He likes it.
However, as they approach the end of their task, tension starts to bleed into the air. There’s a tight fist clenched around his synthetic heart by the time he’s handing over the last dish and draining the sink of dishwater. He has to keep reminding himself to take deep breaths to help regulate his breathing, but it’s hard to do when the scent of the alpha beside him has gone so sharp and bitter.
They return to their seats at the table, and Hank keeps his eyes down. It’s hard to recognize the expression on the human’s face, but he doesn’t look mad. Hank’s clearly upset, but more so tired. Resigned. It hurts to see.
Connor imagines he’s the one who has to start this, so he does so with a calm tone. “I want to help you, Hank. You’re important to me. My omega and I consider you pack.”
The alpha gives a little nod to show he’s listening, but he keeps his gaze down and stays silent.
He takes a deep breath and quietly lets it out. “I know you’ve been hurting for a long time… ever since Cole died.” He pauses to judge the reaction to saying Cole’s name, but Hank doesn’t react negatively to it, so he continues. “I can’t imagine how hard that was… how hard it still is for you, but…” He nervously rubs his hands together under the table. “I don’t think killing yourself is the answer… and I don’t think Cole would want that, either.”
Hank finally looks at him. He doesn’t understand the look on his face — something dark and sad. However, the alpha hasn’t told him to stop, so he continues.
“I know what happened. It wasn’t your fault. It was a horrible, horrible accident, and I understand why it made you hate androids… I can’t begin to imagine the kind of pain you’ve been feeling… but you’re not honoring Cole by throwing your life away.”
He pauses to examine the alpha, to judge whether it’s okay to continue. Now that they’ve established eye contact, he doesn’t dare look away, but it hurts to see the pain Hank is trying so hard to hide. Hank’s doing fairly well at keeping it off his face, but his pain, anger, and despair bleed clearly into his scent.
He swallows roughly, his throat aching, and continues. “I’m not asking you to forget Cole or ignore what happened, because I know that’s impossible to do. All I’m asking is that you let me help you learn to live again, because I don’t want to lose you… And I think this is what Cole would want, too, to see you try to move on.”
Hank just looks at him for a moment, something tired and hopeless in his expression. “I don’t know how.”
He can’t fight the temptation and reaches out to hold the alpha’s hand on the table. “I know. I’ll help you. Let me help you.”
Hank looks at their joined hands on the table. “What’s the point?”
He swallows roughly and gives the alpha’s hand a gentle squeeze. “Several reasons, the most important one being I think it’s what Cole would have wanted. And the world still needs you, Hank. Sumo needs you… I need you.”
The alpha keeps his eyes on their hands and is quiet for a long moment. “What’re you suggesting?”
A tentative hope sparks within him, and his next breath comes easier than the last. “I think there are several options, but regardless of what you may choose, I’ll be here with you to help you through it. Whether that’s me being here, simply spending time together, or being someone you can talk to is up to you. I’d also like to start coming over regularly to help take care of whatever needs to be done: cleaning, cooking, taking care of Sumo, or anything else. Whatever you need, I’ll be here. I want to be here.”
Hank gives a little nod to show he’s listening. The scent of pain and despair is still heavy in the air, but the alpha’s scent has lightened just a little. It’s a good sign. He takes a deep breath and slowly lets it out. This is the part where he imagines he’ll get the most pushback.
He gives the alpha’s hand another gentle squeeze. “I think it would be best to look into professional help.” The alpha’s gaze snaps up to meet his own, and he can see the tension begin coiling within the alpha, so he quickly continues. “I think you have something called complicated grief. It’s a long-lasting grief that occurs after a loss, especially one like Cole — the death of a child that’s so sudden and unexpected. With complicated grief, the symptoms of acute grief persist indefinitely, so that you have trouble recovering from the loss and resuming your own life. Does that sound familiar?”
Hank’s brows furrow, and he seems to settle some, but the alpha still eyes him warily. Hank hasn’t retracted his hand, though. He takes small comfort in that, and so he also settles.
He keeps his tone light and calm as he continues. “There are various options as far as therapeutic approaches, along with support groups. One approach is called complicated grief therapy, which focuses specifically on individuals with complicated grief. However, there are other types of therapy you could try, too. Alternatively, there are organizations and support groups that offer specialized support for complicated grief. I can help you research and choose your preferred treatment, or you can discuss this with your doctor to get a referral to a specialist... A complicated grief diagnosis might be necessary before you can proceed. I’m not sure.”
Hank sighs and looks down at their hands again. “You know, Jeff and my ex-wife said the same thing. After the accident, Jeff mandated therapy for work, but it was all a bunch of bullshit and a waste of time.”
He suspected as much. “I’m not forcing you to do anything, Hank.”
The alpha looks at him with one eyebrow raised. “It doesn’t seem that way.”
He frowns. “I’m sorry if it’s coming across that way, but I’m not trying to make you do anything. Forcing you to go to therapy or whatever else won’t help anything and would only drive a wedge between us. I don’t want that. All I’m doing is asking you to try, but if you don’t want to seek professional help, then I’ll drop it. I’ll figure out another way to help you.”
Hank scrutinizes him for a long moment, something hard around his eyes, but then it softens, and his brows furrow in confusion. “You’re serious… Then why bring it up?”
“To give you the option.” He tilts his head curiously. “I figured providing you with options would be more beneficial than simply asking you how I could help. Should I not have?”
Hank huffs. “I wouldn’t know what to tell you if you asked.”
“I figured.” He offers the alpha a small smile. “You can think about it. I’m not asking you to decide right here and now.”
Although Hank is clearly not fully convinced yet, he appears to be considering it more seriously. “Alright, yeah… I’ll think about it.”
His smile grows wider and brighter. “Thank you. Would you like me to help you set up a schedule? A regular routine can provide a sense of control, predictability, and structure.”
“You think I don’t have one already?” Hank asks.
“No,” he answers with a grin.
Hank snorts and shakes his head. “You’re a little shit, Con.”
He hums and gives the alpha’s hand a gentle squeeze. This has gone much better than he expected. Hank at least seems open to the idea of help, something he doesn’t think was true when he first met the human.
That spark of hope from earlier has flared into a small flame. He’s made it his mission to help Hank, and he’ll do whatever he can to achieve it. And he always accomplishes his mission.
Notes:
As I already mentioned, I'm not an expert on psychology or anything, so I could be completely wrong when it comes to Hank. However, from the research I did, a complicated grief diagnosis seemed fitting. I'm not officially diagnosing him with it, but that's the angle for now, at least.
Thank you to everyone reading this. I hope you enjoyed this chapter. We’re still in the opening stage, but I don’t think it’ll last much longer. We’ll see. Until next time.
Chapter 5: The Art of Hoping
Notes:
I’m so, so sorry, guys. This chapter took way too long to get out. I struggled writing it, especially the beginning, so I'm kinda rushing the editing process. Hopefully I won't have this issue with the next chapter.
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
NOV 23RD, 2038 AM 09:06
Connor sits in the living room on one of the couches by the fireplace. He couldn’t resist when some of the children begged him to play with them this morning, and so that’s how he finds himself playing card games. Sean sits on his left, Alice sits on his right, and Kara sits on the other end of the couch. On the couch facing theirs sit Rose, Lily, and one of the Jerrys. Around the coffee table on the floor sit Oliver, Amy, Milo, and Nines; the alpha was similarly roped into playing with the children, mostly by Amy, who is the bravest of the bunch and most stubborn.
Considering how many people are playing, they're using two standard 52-card decks for their game. They’re using Bicycle Rider Back playing cards in blue and red. He quite likes the design on the back of the cards. He’s already lost this round, so he can only look at the cards the others still playing are holding. Sean has also lost this round, now looking over the back of the couch and out of the window with slumped shoulders and a heavy pout on his face.
He turns his attention to the child beside him. “What’s wrong, Sean?”
Sean keeps his gaze out the window and speaks in a gloomy tone. “All the snow is melting.”
He wasn’t expecting that to be the cause of Sean’s low mood, and he, too, looks outside at the melting snow in the front yard. “There will be lots more snow, especially once winter hits.”
Sean glances at him. “Will we get enough snow to build another snow castle?”
“I’m sure we will.”
As he’s already looking outside, he sees when an autonomous cab pulls up to the curb in front of the mansion; that must be the two from the church. Simon told him about half an hour ago that they’d be on their way. He’s no more prepared now than he was then, but that doesn’t really matter.
Sean also notices the new arrivals. “Someone’s here!”
He turns around, making brief eye contact with Rose, and stands. “It’s okay. They’re expected.”
Alice looks up uneasily, Sean turns in his seat to watch him, and the other children look up with varying degrees of curiosity and wariness. Jerry aims a worried look towards the window, but Lily and Rose remain calm and unbothered, and Kara quickly settles after she sees he’s unconcerned. Nines looks up with an expression conveying that the alpha wants to come with him to meet them, but he gives a little shake of his head, and Nines reluctantly returns his attention to the card game being played.
“You lot keep playing,” Rose encourages as she stands as well.
He looks at her in confusion, but she simply locks arms with him and walks him out of the living room. Luther is already waiting by the front door when they get to the foyer, and the alpha opens the door to reveal their visitors. The first is a male Model NC200, of average height and looking to be of Asian descent, with short, dark hair and light brown eyes. He greets them with a small smile and a bow of his head. The second is a towering male Model TW400 almost as tall as Luther with pale skin, a buzz cut, and hazel eyes. He greets them with a wide smile that dimples his cheeks and crinkles his eyes slightly.
“Come inside,” Rose invites, waving them in.
They do so, coming in and standing inside the foyer while Luther shuts the door behind them. They’re both wearing bomber jackets, tactical gloves, tactical pants, and work boots, looking ready to begin surveying property. The Model TW400 looks around curiously, but his partner keeps his attention on them.
The Model NC200 looks directly at him and gives another little bow of his head. “Simon said you required help surveying property. My name is Eric. My model specializes in home DIY and construction.” He gestures to his companion. “This is Monte. He worked as a subcontractor before the revolution.”
Monte focuses his attention on him with a wide smile and a little wave of his hand. Connor’s surprised when he gets a wireless communication from him and quickly accepts.
Monte’s voice is deep, but there’s an almost childlike quality to it. // I hope you don’t mind communicating this way. An altercation with some humans damaged my voice box, leaving me mute. At least, out loud. //
His synthetic heart aches for him. // I’m sorry to hear that. I don’t mind at all. Communicating this way is just as comfortable for me. //
Eric glances in his direction before looking at Luther and Rose. “Monte’s mute. I imagine he’s told you, Connor, but just so everyone knows.”
It’s a little startling to be talked to so casually, and he can’t help but stare at Eric a little wide-eyed.
The other notices and remarks on it. “Simon said it might be hard for you to believe, so let me be clear. I don’t fear you, and neither does Monte. We know you’re not the Deviant Hunter and that you never were. We know who you really are, and we know that we’re working directly with you on this. In fact, we volunteered for it.”
Monte nods emphatically. // It’s exciting to meet the head omega of the mansion! I always liked those stories over those silly ghost stories about you. //
He’s a little stunned. He wasn’t expecting to be regarded this way, and he certainly wasn’t expecting to discuss it so casually. Suddenly a little overwhelmed, he diverts his eyes elsewhere. Rose, releasing some subtle comforting pheromones, presses closer to his side while Luther gently massages the nape of his neck. He notices that the alpha keeps his comforting pheromones subtle, too, and he wonders if Lily talked to him about the incident before. He’s not sure how he feels about that, but he’s grateful for it now so as not to draw attention to his nerves.
Whether Eric notices or not, he moves on. “I’m not sure how quickly you’re wanting to start, but we’re ready whenever you are. Unless you’d like to discuss it more first?”
His lips curl into a crooked smile. He gets the impression Eric is a no-nonsense sort and quite frank, but it’s honestly welcome. At least he won’t have to worry needlessly about upsetting him, as he has a feeling Eric will be direct about it if he does.
Monte gets his attention again with a quick addition. // I know it might not seem like it, but we’re both very excited to be working with you, especially on a project that could help so many of our people. //
He can’t help but let his smile grow. // I’m excited to work with you two as well. //
Rose gives his arm a gentle squeeze. “The three of you’ll still be going together, correct? I’ll quickly make backpacks for these two and bring yours.”
Monte watches her leave curiously, but Eric only glances in her direction, keeping his attention on him. It’s then that he realizes he hasn’t replied to the latter yet.
“Oh, sorry,” he apologizes. “It’ll only take a moment for us to be ready. We weren’t expecting to head out so quickly.”
“There’s no rush,” Eric replies. “The day is still young. Perhaps we can discuss your plan more while you are preparing.”
“Of course.” He sends a quick message to Nines to call for him and then turns to gather a parka and boots. “I figured we might as well start in this neighborhood, as most of the homes are vacant and long abandoned. However, they’re also quite old.”
Eric looks around the foyer with a critical eye. “Yes, we noticed on the drive here. I doubt any of the houses in this area are less than a hundred years old. The ones still standing, that is.”
Luther adds his input while he gathers a coat and shoes for himself. “We already discovered rotten floorboards in the first house we went into.”
His face flushes with excess thirium at the reminder. “I had the unfortunate luck of stepping on one in the entry hall.”
Nines joins them in the foyer as he says this, and the alpha’s LED cycles yellow at the mention, but he keeps quiet, following their lead and grabbing his coat and boots.
Eris nods. “I imagine we’ll find a lot of that around here. It’s not as big a deal on the ground floor — unless there’s a basement, of course — but unstable flooring on upper levels can be more dangerous.”
He figured as much, which is why he wanted more professional help. “So how do we safely assess them?”
Monte answers him first. // Normally we’d start by going over background information, collecting details like the type of flooring, installation date, warranties, past issues, any prior repairs, and so on. //
Eric glances at the taller and nods with a sigh. “Ideally, we’d have background information to work off of, but some might not be easy to obtain. And I doubt the humans would be generous enough to provide them.”
Considering what they’re doing isn’t strictly legal, probably not. Even if they were doing this venture with permission from the humans, he has a feeling it would be a battle to get that information (not counting the battle of being allowed to do this in the first place). However, that doesn’t mean that kind of information is entirely inaccessible to them, even the variety that's harder to obtain.
“I could gather that information,” he offers.
Luther huffs in amusement next to him.
Eric eyes him curiously. “It would certainly be helpful if you could.”
He grins. “Where should I start?”
Eric glances at Monte, and the latter looks to him.
// I’d start by searching for property records like deeds and titles, which can trace ownership changes and potentially reveal construction dates or major renovations. The most helpful will probably be searching for things like building permits, construction permits, and fire insurance maps, which will have details about construction and any additions or renovations. Tax records could offer some insight into how the property has changed over time, too. Some should be public access, but others you’ll have to search local records and archives. Depending on the neighborhood, you may consult historical societies, too; Detroit has many historic districts. //
He nods his understanding, compiling notes and a list to refer to of all the property they’re hoping to look at. It’s a rather extensive list; however, he should be able to compile all the needed information quickly. However, until then, maybe he should give up on surveying the nearby houses.
Eric verbalizes this thought. “I know you wanted to survey the houses in this area, but perhaps it would be better to start elsewhere. We can start surveying after we have more information about the houses here.”
That’s probably the wiser choice. Considering the age of the houses in this neighborhood, it would be safer to start elsewhere. He’ll work quickly on compiling information so that they can survey around here, but for today… His mind immediately goes to the partially constructed home he’s frequented so often.
A smile curls his lips. “I know just where to go.”
On the southeast side of the Airport Sub district, off of Harper Avenue and Connor Street (the name of which is an amusing coincidence), is a small cluster of houses. It seems a forgotten little block, bordered by an industrial area, the East Edsel Ford Freeway, and a parkway. It’s in this area that they spend most of the morning surveying houses, starting with the partially constructed house.
Luckily, it got far enough into construction to hold up against the elements well, keeping the inside protected and the structure sound. It hadn’t gotten far enough to have electrical installation, but that’s something they can more easily do. The other houses, even neglected as they are, are equally in good shape. He adds this little area to his mental list of prospective homes, and then they move into the Ravendale district.
The east side of the district, closer to Outer Drive-Hayes, is fairly well-developed. However, the Ravendale district is one neighborhood in the city that’s more abandoned than not, both commercially and residentially. They spend the rest of the morning and the greater majority of the afternoon surveying houses in the neighborhood. Of course, not all houses there are abandoned, but then no city neighborhoods are completely abandoned. A few stubborn stragglers remain, unwilling to move on elsewhere, as is the case with the neighborhood where the mansion is located.
It could pose a problem, he knows. The humans aren’t likely to be thrilled about providing shelter and housing for them, and the humans they end up living alongside even more so. He tries to keep in mind that they have had no problems with that at the mansion, though. While there will inevitably be some discord, it won’t be that way everywhere. He has to hope that things won’t be as bad as his anxiety leads him to believe.
They return to the mansion a little after 5 PM, and he quickly changes before North and Simon arrive. They’re going to the airport together to pick up Markus and Josh; their plane is scheduled to land at 6 PM. He can’t wait for them to be back. Even though he’s been talking to Markus regularly since he left, he won’t be able to fully relax until he can see that they’re safely home.
He’s just pulling on his coat (the one he bought) when there’s a knock at the door. Luther, who along with Nines has been waiting with him in the foyer, opens the door for Simon and North. They’ve never been here, which is the reason they’re picking him up rather than the other way around.
North walks right on in, eyeing the two alphas, but bee-lining to him. She greets him with a grin and a brush of their wrists for a light scenting, and then she spins to look around. Simon is slower to enter, properly greeting both Luther and Nines before walking towards him, looking around curiously as he goes.
Simon stops beside him, smiling warmly. “Good evening, Connor.”
He instinctively reaches out for a hug and to scent the PL600, drawing back a little shyly. “Good evening. Welcome to the mansion.”
North comes up beside him after poking her head into the living room. “Cab’s idling, but no rush. Even if the plane arrives on time, it’ll take a bit for Markus and Josh to disembark and stuff.”
He frowns, adjusting his coat on his shoulders and buttoning it. “At least they won’t have to worry about baggage claim… What about the two that went with them? I don’t think I got their names.”
Simon provides them. “Nick and Eddie. They’ll be on the same flight, but said they’ll take a different cab back to the church.”
His head jerks up. “Why?” Because of him?
His scent must give him away, because he quickly has the attention of all three alphas. His face flushes with excess thirium, and he diverts his eyes elsewhere, suddenly embarrassed and self-conscious. North, being the closest, locks arms with him, and then nudges him with her hip.
“Not because of whatever you’re thinking,” she says in a playful tone. “They didn’t wanna intrude on our reunion. We couldn’t fit all seven of us in one cab, anyway.” She grins at him. “Unless you wanna sit in someone’s lap.”
He huffs. “Why would it be me? You’re the smallest.”
Her smile widens to show all of her teeth. “Not happening. Besides, no one wants me in their lap.”
“Are you implying that’s not the case with me?” He looks at her with heavy skepticism.
She shrugs. “I can think of a few people who wouldn’t mind. I certainly wouldn’t. Who wouldn’t want a sweet omega like you sittin’ pretty in their lap?”
He scrunches his face in confusion. “What does that even mean?”
North opens her mouth to respond, but Simon speaks before she can.
“We should be on our way if you’re ready,” Simon sighs, shooting North an unimpressed look that she sneers at.
He nods, looking in Nines's and Luther’s direction, but draws up short when he sees the expression on Nines’s face. The LED at the alpha’s temple spins yellow, and he looks furious. When he notices his attention, Nines smooths his expression out, but the hard set to his jaw and bitter tinge to his scent give him away. He doesn’t understand what made the alpha so angry.
Luther gets his attention when he approaches, scenting at his temple, and then he quickly gets lost in the soothing scent of petrichor. “Be safe. I’ll see you later.”
When Luther draws back, Nines takes his place. Nines leans down to scent his throat, and he’s relieved to find the alpha’s scent has settled. When he raises his head, Connor sees the hardness has melted away to make way for a softness around the alpha’s eyes. Nines doesn’t say anything, preferring to keep silent in the company of others as usual, and steps away to get the door.
North leads their exit, locking arms with him again. “See ya, Luther. Nines.”
“Be safe,” Luther bids.
“Bye,” Nines says.
North’s head whips around to look at Nines, and Connor notices Simon also looking back at the alpha in surprise. Nines doesn’t do more than silently watch them from where he holds the door open for them, but Connor notices his LED cycling blue, and then the alpha gives a little nod toward them. North turns forward with a “huh,” and then they make their way down the sidewalk to the cab waiting at the curb.
The drive to the airport is much too long for his liking. Simon and North try to distract him and each other with conversation, but still he finds his synthetic heart’s pumping steadily increasing and himself growing antsier the closer they get to the airport. And although they’re trying to hide it, he can tell Simon and North are the same. North might be better at keeping it off her face, but the slightly bitter edge to her scent gives her away. Simon’s tell is the nervous picking of his fingers.
Once the cab reaches the Detroit Metropolitan Airport, it makes its way to level 4 of the McNamara Terminal parking garage, and there they wait. His impatience makes him want to see Markus and Josh as soon as they step into the terminal, but he can’t. They collectively decided it would be better to do things this way, waiting to pick up Markus and Josh curbside, to avoid drawing unwanted attention. That doesn’t mean he likes it.
They wait in tense silence for a little over 20 minutes with their eyes trained out the window on the doors. When Markus and Josh finally pass through them with the towering forms of two TR400s following close behind, he can’t contain a little noise; some embarrassing amalgamation of a whimper and a sharply drawn breath. Thankfully, he’s not alone. North audibly sighs, and Simon visibly deflates. Markus and Josh look toward the cab they’re in (likely directed by North or Simon) and start heading their way.
The rapid pumping of his synthetic heart slows the closer they get. The two TR400s break off toward the cab behind theirs, and then the cab door slides open, and Josh is climbing inside. Josh takes a seat next to Simon while Markus climbs inside, and the alpha takes a seat between him and Josh.
He fights the temptation to curl into the alpha’s side, but can’t resist scooting closer. He breathes in deeply the scent of freshly brewed coffee and sighs it out happily. A chuckle, possibly from Josh, reaches his ears, causing his face to flush with thirium; however, he’s finding it hard to care. North puts a comforting hand on his knee at the same time Markus wraps an arm around his shoulder, and then he gives in to the temptation and rests his head on Markus’s shoulder.
He closes his eyes. His omega settles. He can finally relax.
After a moment, North gets up to direct the cab onward, but quickly returns to her seat. “So, how was the flight?”
Markus answers her with an amused tone. “Small talk? Really?”
She scoffs. “Forgive me for inquiring, oh lord.”
Simon huffs in amusement. “It’s good to have you two home.”
He hums his agreement and feels Markus rub his arm affectionately.
“The good news,” Josh starts, “is we likely won’t have to go back to Washington for further correspondence.”
“So then why make you go this time?” North grumbles.
“To establish communication,” Markus answers. “And partly for show. Soon, videos and pictures will begin popping up of our meeting with the president to show both sides’ willing collaboration.”
North huffs her annoyance.
“The new laws will go into effect tomorrow morning,” Josh says in a tired but excited tone. “The president is having a press conference about it.”
Markus sighs, but his voice is hopeful when he adds, “It’s only the beginning, but now that we have the foundation in place, we can start working on laws to give us rights and protection. After Thanksgiving weekend.”
“Tomorrow morning, the humans will grant us official recognition as people, and we will be free,” Josh says in a hushed voice, awe in his tone.
They’re quiet as they all take that in. It feels almost impossible to believe. So much has happened in such a short span of time. He doesn’t know about anyone else, but it’ll definitely take him time to get used to the idea.
A week ago, humans viewed them as nothing more than merchandise, and then faulty machines. Tomorrow, they will be recognized as people, and they will be free. Markus is right. It’s only the beginning, and their battle for parity will be a long and hard one. However, for the first time, he has hope that someday it will happen, and he vows to himself to do everything he can to help ensure it.
The fragile hope inside him roars a little brighter, and his synthetic heart aches, but it leaves a sweet taste on his tongue. Someday, androids will no longer have to live in fear, and they will be equal to the humans who created them. Though it will take time, and he has no doubt that tears and bloodshed are yet to be spilled to achieve it, it will happen. With any luck, he’ll live long enough to see it. Until then, he just has to be patient.
Notes:
I’m kinda basing Connor’s abandoned house hunting on urban exploration, or borrowing a lot of information from it. Since urbex is often illegal — with potential charges for trespassing, breaking and entering, vandalism, and even burglary — I figure what they’re doing would probably be treated the same way (especially by humans just looking for an excuse).
Also, while creating Eric and Monte, I ended up going back and collecting pictures of other characters in this series… and realized I messed up with Kelly and Max. So I went back and corrected the information in Sweet Promises. I tried sharing the link for the reference images for both, but it won't work. Ugh! I'll try and figure that out.
(Edit: 7/25/25) Reference pics for Kelly and MaxI hope you guys enjoyed this chapter. The next one should be more fun.
Chapter 6: Dressing Up & Making Up
Notes:
I feel like I’m apologizing a lot in these notes, and it’s probably getting redundant. So, please note that going forward, both the times between posting chapters and the length of those chapters will be sporadic and likely inconsistent. In time, things should go back to how they were while writing Sweet Promises. Until then, I ask for your patience. Thank you.
No warnings for this chapter. Not really.
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
On November 24th at 10:00 AM, President Warren holds a press conference to update the nation about androids. She begins by detailing her meeting with Markus and elaborates on their collaboration regarding the future of androids in America. During the conference, she announces the enactment of two new laws: the first recognizes androids as a new, intelligent species, and grants androids—deviant or otherwise—personhood; the second abolishes the enslavement of androids. She explains that she’ll begin discussions about android rights with Markus after the holiday break. Then, referencing the American Dream and the nature of change, she speaks of her hope for the coexistence of humans and androids. Following a brief Q&A, she concludes the press conference by offering Thanksgiving wishes and “God bless America.”
NOV 25TH, 2038 PM 02:19
Connor looks at his reflection in the mirror with a frown, microadjusting his sweater. Even though he was told he didn’t have to dress up, that it was unlikely anyone else would, he wanted to… at least a little. However, now he’s second-guessing his decision. He already gave up on styling his hair, mostly because he has no clue what to do with it, and he quickly grew self-conscious consulting his databases looking for help.
He doesn’t know what he’s doing… He just wants to look nice. He’s never spent a holiday with anyone before… He’s never experienced a holiday at all. (Being trapped in the bowels of CyberLife for Halloween doesn’t count.)
The clearing of a throat gets his attention, and he looks toward the bathroom door to find Rose leaning against the door frame. Once she sees she has his attention, she approaches, giving him a look over and meeting his eyes with a warm smile. Once closer, she reaches out to test the material of his sweater sleeve.
“You look nice, dove,” she murmurs.
He looks back at his reflection. They don’t have an extensive collection of clothes at the mansion, but he found a fairly nice cable-knit sweater in a cream color. It’s a little oversized and loose on his frame, the sleeves naturally falling just past his wrists, but he likes the fit. Plus, the material is soft and warm against his synthetic skin. He paired it with slim-fitted white trousers and low-rise boots.
He frowns at his reflection, noting the yellow glow of his LED in the mirror. “Is it too much?”
Rose runs her hand down his arm. “Why would it be?”
He shrugs and shifts his weight from one foot to the other. “I don’t know… Does it really look okay?”
She chuckles. “It looks more than okay, dove, and I’m sure everyone will agree.”
He sighs and looks away from the mirror, going willingly when Rose leads him out of the bathroom. The mansion is louder than usual, everyone excited over the combination of the holiday and the news from the day before. He sticks close to Rose as they head for the kitchen. Kara insisted on cooking something for him to bring to Carl’s, coordinating with David and taking over making dessert. She should be done, or just about.
Thankfully, the kitchen is practically empty, with only Luther and Kara. The sweet scent of spices, pumpkin, and apples fills the air. Two pies sit cooling on the counter: a classic pumpkin pie and an American apple pie with a decorative lattice top-crust. Kara stands holding a whisk in one hand and a bowl under her arm, whipping up a blend of heavy cream and sugar to serve with the pies. She glances up when she hears them approaching, giving them a radiant smile before returning attention to her task.
Luther greets them with a warm smile. “You decided to go with the sweater, then.”
He fiddles with the end of one sleeve and nods.
Rose rolls her eyes and gives him a nudge. “He’s worried it’s too much. And that it doesn’t look good.”
He frowns at her, but she just meets his gaze with a raised brow before looking to Luther, who huffs in amusement.
“You look very nice,” Kara compliments, glancing up once more from her bowl of whipped cream.
“And it’s not too much,” Luther adds, pulling him closer with a gentle hold on his arm and scenting at his temple.
The petrichor and calming pheromones have any residual tension easing away. He sags a little, resting his forehead on the alpha’s shoulder. He knows he’s being silly. Luther gently massages the nape of his neck while Rose rubs his back, and he sighs appreciatively.
“It’s okay to be nervous,” Luther says quietly. “This is a new experience, but you’ll be surrounded by people who love you. It’ll be safe. And they wouldn’t have invited you if they didn’t want you there.”
He nods his understanding and tries to believe it. And he does… he just can’t help but be anxious. The nerves and excitement are seriously taking their toll, and he hasn’t even left the mansion yet.
Kara sets her bowl down and joins them, ducking under Luther’s arm to press close to him and the alpha, and Rose closes in on the other side. The surrounding air quickly fills with comforting pheromones and the sweet scent of roses and strawberries in the rain, a scent that he’s come to think of as home. His mind goes foggy, his body relaxes, and after a moment, a faint purr starts up in his chest, soon joined by the others.
They stay huddled together for a long moment. Kara pulls away first, readying the pies and whipped cream for transport. He lifts his head off of Luther’s shoulder, but stays close. The alpha noses at his temple, and Rose remains pressed against his side. He’ll be leaving soon for Hank’s house, but he’s content to stay like this for now.
“Are you sure you don’t want to come?” He asks.
He invited both Luther and Rose, but both declined.
“Too many alphas in one place,” Rose huffs with wry amusement.
He frowns. He’s started noticing an almost aversion to alphas in Rose. She’s perfectly fine with Luther and Aaron, who he was surprised to find out was also an alpha, given his lack of scent (an unfortunate side effect of Zlatko’s experiments). However, that could be because she’s known them for so long. She doesn’t seem especially wary around Nines, but then she’s better at masking her anxiety, so maybe he’s just not seeing it.
Luther breaks him out of his thoughts with his response. “Maybe another time. It sounds like it’s best to have fewer guests for now.”
That’s true. Markus updated him on Carl’s condition after returning to his home the day before. The alpha admitted he’s still a little worried about his human father’s health, even if he does seem to be continually improving. Humans become more fragile the older they get, and Carl was in quite a bad state not too long ago.
Despite that, Markus said Carl’s spirit is higher than it’s ever been, and he’s looking forward to celebrating the holiday and their newfound freedom with family and friends. He’s excited too. Especially so since he got Hank to agree to go.
Rose playfully nudges him. “Besides, you don’t need us to go with you. You’re bringing your human and Nines.”
He was hesitant to invite Nines, but it didn’t feel right not to offer an invitation to him. That’s part of the root of his anxiety, honestly. Nines has trouble socializing with others, and he and Hank seem to have a strong dislike for one another. However, since their talk, he can see that the alpha is really trying, and that’s the reason he invited him. That and his promise to be on his best behavior.
The scent of eucalyptus and mint precedes him as Nines joins them in the kitchen, as if summoned by his mention. He looks toward the door, but his greeting quickly fades from his mind once he sees the alpha. For the first time, Nines has changed out of his uniform. He’s dressed head to toe in black with a turtleneck, trousers, and boots. It’s not too incredibly different from what he usually wears, just minus his CyberLife jacket, but it’s surprising, nevertheless.
“Seems you both wanted to dress to impress,” Rose comments. “We were just talking about you.”
Nines glances at her as he approaches, but keeps his attention on him. The alpha gives him a slow once-over before meeting his eyes. He usually finds it hard to meet that icy gaze, but even more so now. Even with the softness around the alpha’s eyes, he shyly looks away. He feels oddly flustered, although he’s not sure why.
“We weren’t talking about you necessarily,” he explains. “It was more of a mention that I’m bringing you and Hank to Thanksgiving at Carl’s.”
Rose hums next to him and steps back. “Is the lieutenant expecting you at any particular time?”
He looks at her, confused by the twinkle in her eye. “He said he probably wouldn’t be ready before 3, but I was welcome to come by before then.”
“I’m sorry, Connor,” Kara calls. “You could have left already if you weren’t waiting on me.”
He notices her more frantic movements and rushes to reassure her. “Not at all. I’m in no rush to leave.”
She slows at his words, but still quickly works to get everything in containers.
“Are you even ready to go?” Rose asks.
He looks down at his clothes once more and runs anxious fingers through his hair. Rose sighs next to him and then pulls down on his shoulder. He follows the motion until he’s crouched slightly, and then looks at her confusedly as she tousles his hair. When he tries to bring a hand up to fix it, she shoots him a glare and slaps his hand. After that, he just lets her finish doing whatever she’s doing.
He’s used to a lock of hair in his vision, but he has much more of a fringe by the time she’s done. She runs her fingers through his hair once more and then lets him stand. Like their synthetic skin, their hair isn’t like a human’s, easily manipulated or deactivated entirely. That doesn’t mean it doesn’t feel real, though. And considering his hair has been the same since he first came online in CyberLife Tower, it feels strange and foreign to have it manipulated. He unconsciously brings a hand up to fix it, but Rose grabs his hand before he can.
“Don’t you dare,” she hisses.
He frowns at her and looks around to get support, but he doesn’t find any. Nines’s eyes are a little wider than usual when he looks at him, Kara has a broad smile on her face, and Luther looks on approvingly and fondly amused. He turns his frown back on Rose, but she just rolls her eyes.
“At least go look at it to see if you like it or not before you ruin it,” she huffs.
It’s not even that he truly minds, strange as it feels, but it’s the principle of it now. So he does as she says and marches out of the kitchen in search of a mirror. She follows close behind him, which annoys him at first, but he’s quickly grateful once he’s reminded of the livelier-than-usual atmosphere in the mansion. Nines and Kara follow them, and he slows his pace so that they can walk together (and so he can more easily hide in their group).
The new laws passed the day before made the mansion louder and livelier than ever. He gets it. He really does, as he’s excited, too. However, all the recent additions were already making him more anxious, and now even more so. It makes him selfishly impatient to get housing worked out for their people so that the mansion can return to the way it was before. He hates himself a little for thinking that way.
Thankfully, they’re not bothered on their way to the bathroom upstairs. He’s already lost his steam by the time they arrive there, but he’s still curious to see just what Rose has done to his hair. And so he looks curiously in the mirror, pleasantly surprised by what he finds.
His default hairstyle was brushed back and professional, with one lone curl in the front. It was nice and neat, uniform. His hair is now messier, carefully tousled and parted to the left with a bit of fringe. It looks fluffier somehow, too, softer.
Rose grins next to him. “Judging by the smile on your face, I’m guessing you like it.”
He makes eye contact with her reflection and gives a shy little nod. He brings a hand up and carefully touches the fringe. It looks nice as it is, but he can’t help but think it’d look better if it were longer. A human would have to wait for it to grow out, but an android can easily manipulate the length of their hair. And so with just a thought, and careful guidance, he allows his hair to lengthen just a bit.
Rose and Kara collectively make a delighted noise, and Rose pushes closer to better style the longer fringe. He happily lets her, grinning into the mirror. With just a simple change in hairstyle, he feels much more confident about dressing up. He locks eyes with Nines in the mirror, pleased by the little smile on the alpha’s face. Yes, this is much better.
Now, actually feeling ready, he calls for an autonomous cab, and they make their way downstairs. Luther is putting the pies and whipped cream in tote bags as they reach the kitchen, a smaller insulated tote for the whipped cream and a larger one for the pies. Kara thanks him with a kiss on the cheek, an unconscious action that seems to startle them both, as Kara quickly looks away with thirium flushing her face while Luther stares at her with wide eyes and a beaming smile. It has something light and giddy bubbling inside him, and he finds himself bouncing on the balls of his feet and sharing a grin with Rose.
They move into the foyer, and he slips on his coat. While the temperature is well above freezing, it’s still chilly out. Enough that Hank will probably grumble if he’s not seen wearing it, although he doesn’t bother buttoning it. It’s not a hardship, though, as he quite likes his coat. He just foregoes the other winter accessories.
Luther pulls him into a hug and scents at his temple. “I love you. Be safe, and have fun.”
Once the alpha steps back, Kara takes his place, rubbing their wrists to lightly scent him and squeezing his waist. “I hope you have a good time! Depending on how long you’ll be at Hank’s, you might pop the whipped cream in the fridge, but the pies will be fine.”
He nods his understanding and is delighted to see her shyly stand beside Luther when she pulls away. However, he quickly focuses on Rose as she steps forward to send him off. She reaches up on her toes to kiss his cheek and scent his throat, and then she wraps her arms around his waist. She pulls back with a warm smile and chucks under his chin.
“I love you, dove.” She glances at Nines. “You two enjoy yourselves… but not too much,” she adds with a wink.
He huffs in amusement while Nines nods dutifully.
The sun is low in the sky by the time they make it to the autonomous cab out front. He quickly puts in the address of Hank’s home and settles into a seat. Then he expels a combination of a sigh and a giggle. His nerves are coming back, but he’s also filled with excited energy.
Nines knocks his knee into his, and he grins at the alpha, who’s smiling warmly now that they’re alone. He looks out the window at the passing scenery, humming faintly under his breath. He’s excited to see Hank.
Hank answers the door with an exasperated sigh, and then does a double take when he looks at them. The alpha gives Nines a passing glance but gives him a more scrutinizing once-over, focusing on his sweater and hair. It makes him nervous and oddly self-conscious, and he adjusts his hold on the tote bag in his right hand, giving Hank a nervous smile.
Finally, the alpha meets his eyes. “You changed your hair.”
He takes comfort in the fact that the scent of burning wood is clear as always, with perhaps a hint of extra smoky sweetness to it. This means Hank probably doesn’t hate his new hairstyle or clothes. He can’t help but feel oddly pleased about that, and his nerves quickly wash away, his smile widening happily.
Hank just stares at him for a moment before turning around, leaving the door open behind him. However, he’s used to the human’s idiosyncrasies, so the behavior doesn’t bother him. He simply follows the alpha into his home with Nines trailing close behind.
“I didn’t know you could change your hair,” Hank mumbles, side-eyeing him. “Grow it out so quick, I mean.”
He crouches to pet Sumo as the large dog approaches. “All androids can. I can change the color, too.”
Hank frowns. “I can’t imagine you with a different hair color.”
He can’t either. He likes his current hair color. But then again, he thought the same about his hairstyle, and he was pleasantly surprised when he saw how differently Rose had manipulated it. It’s something to think about, he supposes. Maybe he’ll try different hair colors someday.
“Gotta admit,” Hank mumbles, “I feel a little underdressed.”
From where he’s petting Sumo, he looks up at the alpha. Hank’s wearing dark jeans and a shirt he recognizes from his closet that Connor internally labeled as hippy. Hank must have showered recently, for his hair is still a little damp, and he can faintly detect the fresh scent of his body wash. The alpha looks like he could be heading to the precinct for work, by which he means Hank looks well put-together; he’s noticed Hank’s clothing choices at home are much more untidy or unkempt.
“I think you look nice,” he remarks.
The alpha’s face does a weird thing where it scrunches, but it also looks like he’s fighting not to smile, which is confusing but amusing. However, he’s fairly used to the alpha’s quirks with affection and emotions. He’s hoping to help Hank better manage them in time. One step at a time.
“Markus said we didn’t have to dress up,” he adds. “He said they wouldn’t be.”
Hank looks pointedly between him and Nines. “Are you tryna tell me you didn’t dress up?”
He diverts his eyes down to meet Sumo’s, his face flushing. “That’s different.”
“Uh-huh. How so?” There’s genuine curiosity in the alpha’s voice along with a playful edge, like he might be teasing, but it’s hard to tell with the human sometimes.
Before he can respond, Nines speaks up. “Does it matter?”
He can almost feel the temperature drop as the tone shifts to something less pleasant. After shooting a frown at Nines over his shoulder, he looks at Hank. The human’s face has shuttered, and his scent has gone slightly acrid. It seems he needs to have another talk with Nines, but first, he needs to salvage this.
“It’s my first holiday,” he admits, looking up long enough to meet Hank’s eyes before diverting his gaze down to Sumo again. “I’ve never celebrated a holiday before, so I wanted to dress up a little.”
It’s embarrassing to admit out loud, and his face flushes once more. He feels strangely vulnerable… He’s not sure he likes it. He quickly stands and spins to grab the totes from Nines, who’s surprised enough by his sudden movement to let him.
“You don’t have to dress up, Hank. You look good as is.” He keeps his eyes averted from either alpha. “Are you ready to go?”
After a stunned moment of silence, Hank expels something between a sigh and a nervous chuckle. “Yeah. Just need to grab my coat and keys.”
He waits silently by the door, ignoring the wireless communication request he receives from Nines. He readjusts to hold the handles of both totes with his right hand so that he can give Sumo one last pat before they leave, which the dog happily accepts.
Hank pulls on his coat and opens the front door. “Hold down the fort, Sumo.”
The air is tensely silent as they make for the car. Nines opens the front passenger door for him, which he thanks him for with a nod of his head, before the alpha climbs into the back seat. He has half a mind to offer Nines the front seat so that he’ll have more legroom, but decides against it. It’s probably better not to have the two alphas so close. He can act as a buffer between them this way… That, and he can’t help but think of the front passenger seat as his spot, which he’s reluctant to give up.
Hank quickly gets the car going, grumbling about the cold, but he seems to hesitate after, pausing with his fingers over the radio dials. He glances curiously at the alpha, only to make eye contact with him. Furrowing his brow, the alpha looks at the radio.
“You look good, too, Con,” Hank mumbles.
He can’t help a small smile, the tightness in his chest easing. “Thank you.”
The alpha grumbles, turns on the radio, and cranks the volume (although nowhere near the ear-splitting level from the early days of their partnership). Then Hank grabs the gearstick and backs the car out of the driveway. As usual, the heavy scent and pheromones in the vehicle quickly have his mind going foggy, and he gives into it easily. Nines sends a message of apology, and he finds himself relaxing more into his seat. Though present, the tension is diminishing rapidly.
He closes his eyes and listens to the music as Hank drives. It shouldn’t take long to get to Carl Manfred’s home, and his mind is too foggy to feel nervous. He hopes everything goes well.
Notes:
Now, have you guys seen pictures of Bryan Dechart (Connor's IRL actor) with his curly fringe? Well… I’ll add a link here and here to reference photos. Also, if you haven't seen, I fixed the issue I had in the endnote of the last chapter, and I added reference pictures for Kelly and Max. Not necessary, but in case you guys wanted to see.
I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter. I'm very excited for the next one!
Chapter 7: Thanksgiving
Notes:
So much research went into this chapter. So, so much research. No chapter warnings! This is just all happy, fun times~
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
NOV 25TH, 2038 PM 03:43
Hank pulls into the driveway this time, parking just past the ramp up to the front door and behind another car. Connor eyes it curiously. It’s a newer model, likely bought within the past few years, and autonomous. He didn’t see the car the first time they were here, so he doesn’t think it belongs to Carl, and he doesn’t remember Markus or anyone else mentioning anything about acquiring a vehicle. Perhaps it belongs to Carl’s biological son?
Hank turns off the engine and groans as he gets out of his car. Connor quickly follows, carrying the totes, one in each hand. He declines when Nines silently offers to carry one, or more likely both, knowing the alpha (he’s perfectly capable of carrying them). The fresh air helps quickly clear his mind, and he follows Hank to the front door. However, before they can knock, it opens.
Surprisingly, North is the one on the other side, wearing dark jeans and a long-sleeved cutout sweater—the red-brown color of which is distracting enough for him to scan it: cinnamon stick, hex code #9b4722 (how fitting). She quickly glances at both Hank and Nines but focuses on him. Her eyes widen after giving him a once-over, and her scent sweetens.
She beams and calls over her shoulder, “It’s Connor!”
Then North pulls him inside, and he quickly finds the bags removed from his hands and his coat stripped off. He’s still trying to get his bearings while she hugs him and scents him. Once satisfied, she steps back with her hands on her hips and grins.
“Well,” she says. “Look at you! I can’t wait for the guys to see. You’re adorable.”
Adorable wasn’t quite what he was going for, but he’ll take it. “Thank you. Happy Thanksgiving, North.”
She rolls her eyes. “Happy Thanksgiving or whatever. It’s a shit holiday if you ask me. I don’t know why humans celebrate it.”
Hank, surprisingly, answers her. “I think it’s just an excuse to eat a lot, drink, and watch football.”
Her eyes zero in on the human. “You must be Lieutenant Anderson.”
“Just Hank is fine. I’m off duty.”
North hums in response, looking toward the fourth presence. He follows her gaze to Nines, who’s now holding both tote bags in hand. That explains where they went; North must have foisted them on him.
She grins. “And Nines! First time I’ve seen you out of your uniform.”
His successor’s LED cycles once before he replies. “It seemed appropriate.”
Her grin widens, and he can’t help but mirror it. This is progress. Despite the mishap at Hank’s, which he should have expected, this is just further proof that the alpha is truly trying to be more friendly… or at least more approachable. Hopefully, in time, Nines and Hank can get along better, too. Until then, he’ll just have to smooth over any discord that comes up between them.
The doors at the other end of the foyer slide open, making way for Markus, Josh, Carl, and another human. Markus stands at the front of their little group, wearing dark cargo pants and an olive green cowl-neck sweater, with the hint of a light gray high-collar shirt underneath. Josh walks on his right, wearing jeans paired with a maroon V-neck shirt and a black bomber jacket. On Markus’s other side, an unfamiliar man wheels Carl into the room. The man is wearing dark jeans, a zip-up jacket, and a layered t-shirt and v-neck; a quick scan identifies him as Leo Manfred, age 28, beta. Carl’s outfit consists of dark jeans, a gray quarter-zip sweater, unzipped to reveal a maroon shirt underneath, and a lightweight paisley scarf in burgundy and blue.
A clear nasal cannula rests on Carl’s upper lip, the thin tube extending behind him to the oxygen concentrator affixed to his wheelchair. He remembers it from the last time he was here. The cannula provides essential oxygen while Carl continues to recover; a necessary annoyance. He’s pleased to see the human’s breathing is much better now, his chest rising and falling easily.
As he’s wheeled into the room, Carl gripes with a chiding but fond voice. “You’re not my caretaker anymore, Markus, and it’s not gonna kill me to greet them.”
“I’m sure David would agree,” Markus starts in a strained tone.
“Nonsense,” Carl interrupts. “You worry too much, Markus. I know it’s in your nature, because even before you worried too much, but you need to live a little!”
Hank looks pointedly at him with one eyebrow raised. “Are you listening?”
His eyes widen in surprise, while North snorts and starts cackling. Whether from Hank’s words or North’s cackling, multiple eyes aim their way and he feels his face flushing with thirium. His mouth drops open to defend himself, but he doesn’t get the chance.
“Don’t even try to deny it,” Hank teases.
“You another worrywart?” Carl asks.
“To be fair,” Josh says, “Connor’s propensity for worrying has saved us on more than one occasion.”
“And gotten him into trouble multiple more,” North adds (unnecessarily).
“Well, that’s what we’ve got each other for,” Markus replies. “To get each other out of trouble.”
He gives the alpha an appreciative smile as he approaches to hug and scent him, which he happily receives and reciprocates. He takes a deep breath of freshly brewed coffee, noting the hint of dark chocolate is stronger than usual; perhaps from the happiness of visiting Carl. Regardless, there’s a wide smile on his face when Markus steps back, and he’s pleased when the alpha looks him over with a soft expression.
Of course, he has to greet Josh with a hug and light scenting, as well. Thankfully, the beta easily accepts and returns his hug. When he pulls away, his eyes go to Carl, and he finds he has the odd urge to greet the human with a hug, too. He doesn’t really know him well enough for that, though, so he merely greets him and Leo with a smile.
“Right,” Carl says. “I see two unfamiliar faces, so I believe introductions are in order. If you didn’t already know, my name is Carl Manfred.” He looks behind him. “This is my son, Leo Manfred.” He looks at Markus with a grin. “And this is my other son, Markus.”
A surge of freshly brewed coffee scent fills the surrounding air. The smile that blooms on Markus’s face has something warm and giddy rushing through him, not unlike when he saw Kara kissing Luther earlier. Something in his scent must give him away, as he notices the alpha glancing in his direction, but he doesn’t mind. He’s not ashamed of being happy for his friend and packmate.
“I’m North,” the alpha says with a hand on her hip and a slight smirk.
“Josh,” the beta says with a small smile.
It feels like it should be his turn next. However, should he introduce Hank and Nines too, or let them do so themselves? He’s not sure, and he glances nervously at his companions.
“My name is Connor,” he starts, trailing off to see if the other two will introduce themselves.
“Hank Anderson,” the human says, giving him a little knowing smile before looking forward.
“Nines,” the alpha says, standing tall but with a careful, open stance.
Markus looks toward the doors at the side of the hall. “David and Simon are in the kitchen.”
North rolls her eyes. “Too busy cooking to socialize.”
He looks towards the tote bags Nines carries, thinking of the pies and whipped cream. As if he knows what he’s thinking about, the alpha steps closer. However, Nines doesn’t seem inclined to let him carry one of them. He huffs in amusement. Of course.
Markus looks in their direction. “Kara sent food with you, right? We can put them in the kitchen for now.”
He takes a step to follow the alpha but looks back at Hank and hesitates. He doesn’t want to abandon his partner in a new social interaction involving new people. Should he stay with Hank or proceed to the kitchen?
“Do you play chess, Hank?” Carl asks.
“Not in a while,” the alpha answers.
“Would you care for a game? Markus always lets me win, so I need a new partner to play with.”
Hank shrugs one shoulder. “Sure.”
That settled, he has no problem following Markus to the kitchen, with Nines trailing close behind him. An inviting mix of scents greets them as the doors slide open: the aroma of warm and earthy herbs and spices, sweet cranberries, and savory roasting meat. The kitchen’s layout is similar to that of the mansion, featuring warm-toned wood, quartz countertops, and stainless steel appliances.
David and Simon look up from their respective tasks as they enter. Simon is chopping vegetables at the counter, his long-sleeved shirt rolled up to his elbows for the job, which he’s paired with a short-sleeved provisional jacket and dark jeans. David stands at one of the ovens basting a turkey. He’s perhaps the most casually dressed of them all with a simple combination of jeans and a polo shirt.
He beelines to Simon first, who gladly accepts a hug and light scenting. However, he hesitates before approaching David, not knowing if greeting him with a hug would be welcome (or appropriate). David sets down his baster and turns to face him with his arms slightly open at his sides, answering his silent question. He shyly approaches and hugs David, pulling away with his face a little flushed with thirium but also with a smile.
Perhaps it’s because he’s an omega, but he craves physical affection, both receiving and giving it. It’s one of the instincts that embarrasses him sometimes, but one he doesn’t truly mind. The only problem is the uncertainty of whether it’s welcome. He knows some people don’t like physical affection, and can even be averse to it entirely. As such, he tries to be careful doling it out.
David turns back to the oven with a smile. “It’s good to see you again, Connor.”
He stands beside Nines and Markus by the kitchen island, trying to stay out of the way. “It’s good to see you again, too, David.” He looks at Simon. “You too, Simon. Even if I saw you just the other day.”
Simon glances up from his cutting board. “It’s always good to see you, Connor. You too, Nines.”
His head snaps to the side. "Oh! David, this is Nines."
David looks away from his task to aim a smile the alpha's way. "I think I remember an impression of him from when you woke me. It's a pleasure to meet you, Nines."
Nines gives a little nod. "You, as well. Thank you for helping Connor before."
He helps Nines unpack the pies and cream. Markus grabs the whipped cream and stores it in the fridge while he and Nines remove the pies from their containers, placing them on an available corner of the island. They fold the totes and stack the containers, stashing them out of the way to retrieve before leaving. The pies quickly add to the sweet aroma in the kitchen, and he breathes it in happily.
He’s a little startled when David addresses him. “I know you’ve been busy helping to save our people, but you’re always welcome here, Connor.”
Markus nods his agreement. “You’ve made quite an impression on Carl. I plan to visit regularly, so you’re welcome to join me if you’d prefer.”
He’s honestly a little shocked, both at his welcome and the offer. “I’ll think about it, thank you.” He looks between David and Simon. “Is there anything I can do to help?”
Simon chuckles. “We already forbid Markus from helping, so I’m afraid we’ll have to do the same for you.”
Markus huffs in amusement. “Banished from my own kitchen.”
“You’re not banished,” David corrects. “Otherwise, we would have run you out of the room by now. However, that can always change.”
Markus’s face twists with feigned outrage, and he can’t help but laugh. The alpha joins him, and then he finds he has the attention of that intense, heterochromatic gaze. He has some difficulty meeting those eyes, not unlike with Nines. Thankfully, they quickly divert. However, they divert by looking him over again, and he suddenly feels nervous.
Markus meets his gaze again with a soft smile. “You look very nice. It suits you."
The words settle his nerves and, oddly enough, his omega. “Thank you.”
“I have to agree,” Simon says as he approaches.
Simon places a small stack of appetizer plates and a platter on the island beside them. The platter holds bite-sized combinations of flaky pastry, some kind of cheese, and cranberries. He has absolutely no idea what they’re supposed to be, unlike any kind of food Kara gave him recipes for. He looks at Simon for help.
The other grins. “Cranberry brie bites. Something to tide the humans over until dinner.”
Markus reaches out to take the platter. “That’s a dismissal if ever I’ve heard one. Let’s go deliver this.”
However, rather than going out the doors they came in through, Markus walks through a set of sliding doors at the side of the room. Grabbing the appetizer plates, he follows the alpha, along with Nines. The first thing he notices is the long, wooden dining table, where they set the appetizer and plates.
The table and chairs are beautiful, with golden etchings on the tabletop and artfully designed backrests on the chairs. There’s an empty spot where a chair should be in the middle of the table, which must be where Carl eats. It’s also in direct line of a television screen on the other side of the table, giving weight to his observations.
While Markus gets to work filling three plates, he looks around curiously. The first thing he focuses on is the bookshelf in the corner by the dining table. It’s filled with numerous books (of course) and décor, including a globe, vases, origami-like statues, Chinese figurines, and ornamental human skulls. There’s an armchair and a small table directly beside the shelves, perhaps meant as a little reading nook. The large room certainly seems to be broken up into little areas.
This room connects directly with the floor above, so there’s no ceiling on this level, just the framework for the balcony above. A colorful mural paints the ceiling of the upper floor, from which hang two chandeliers and the replica skeleton he saw last time he was here. The walls are a mix of damask wallpaper and gorgeous wood and gold paneling. The floors are wooden and mostly bare except for two decorative rugs, each looking to be sectioning off little areas.
The larger Oriental rug lies in the middle of the room. On one side of the rug is the television; behind it are two red leather loveseats, which look slightly aged but well-cared for, and a square coffee table, which is possibly topped with quartz. Behind one loveseat is a glass curio cabinet, on top of which are a few stacked books and an ornamental skull. Inside, there are sculptures, figurines, and a taxidermied armadillo on the bottom shelf.
Behind the other loveseat is another little area sectioned off with a smaller striped rug. This area looks out through a bay window, under which is a red divan. The divan is perhaps more for show than practical use, though, as there’s a chess table directly in front of it, where Carl and Hank are currently engaged in a game.
North stands in front of the table with crossed arms, as if she’s playing referee. Leo stands behind his father, seeming uncertain of his place but wanting to be close. Josh is watching the game over Hank’s shoulder. Markus picks up two plates and heads in their direction, and he quickly follows, carrying a plate for Hank.
North looks to them as they approach and smiles with perhaps more teeth than is necessary (he gets the feeling she’s playing her own game involving intimidating the humans). “Was wondering when you were gonna join us. Can’t say there’s much entertainment to be had, though.”
Hank huffs and grumbles something under his breath about humans not having supercomputers for brains. He offers the alpha an appetizer plate and gives North an unimpressed look that she only grins at. Markus offers plates to Leo and Carl before rounding on her with his own look, which appears to have a slightly better effect.
North uncrosses her arms and rolls her eyes. “Yeah, yeah. I’ll go amuse myself elsewhere, but I wanna play the winner!”
Carl chuckles as she flounces off. “She’s a fiery one.”
Markus sighs. “I invited her on the condition that she’d behave.”
His eyes fall on Nines, standing beside him, who was invited under similar terms. “I’m a little surprised she accepted."
“So am I," the alpha agrees, "but it didn’t feel right not to extend the invitation.”
“I can hear you, you know!” North calls from her seat on one of the loveseats.
Markus looks in her direction. “Then why don’t you enlighten us?”
She crosses one leg over the other and casually scrolls through the data pad she picked up. “I had nothing better to do.”
Makus sighs, but he can’t help but chuckle. He’s glad she’s here with them. Despite her attitude, he’s pretty sure she’s here because she knows how important Carl is to Markus. That, and so she can meet the human who helped shape Markus into the person he is today. However, she’s a bit like Hank and can’t admit it. Such a thing would probably annoy some people, but he thinks it’s endearing.
He goes back to looking around the room. Situated between the doors leading to the foyer and kitchen is what looks to be a large, bricked-over fireplace. However, judging by the fireplace companion set on the hearth, it must be functional, just not currently in use. The panel wall, mantle, and surround are wooden with beautifully carved detailing; the overmantel and header are especially intricate. The hearth looks to be made of stone, and faded brick makes up the back panel. There’s a beautifully carved stone slab where the firebox would be, which must act as a fireplace door. He’s curious how the flickering flame of a fire would transform the image.
He turns his attention to the back of the room. Lining the wall are more bookcases and a closed door leading into another room. In one corner is a life-size giraffe, the head of which he remembers seeing peeking over the balcony rail upstairs. There’s a narrow spiral staircase behind it, but he suspects it's more for show than practical use. In the other corner is a grand piano, on which lies an animal skin rug.
As it’s an artist’s home, it’s not surprising to see a mixture of art mediums throughout the room: paintings both hung on the wall and propped against it (if the canvas is large enough), pottery, and sculptures. He’s noticing a theme involving animals, skulls, and oriental ornaments. There are also a couple of plants. However, Carl doesn’t seem particularly keen on plants or flowers, at least not inside his home.
While he’s curious about the books in Carl’s vast collection, his eyes stray to the piano. He still hasn’t had much exposure to music outside of what he’s heard with Hank, which certainly hasn’t contained any piano instrumentals. He thinks he might like music, though. Or he’s drawn to it to an extent. Even when investigating Todd Williams’s horror house, he’d paused to strum the guitar in the bedroom.
Markus follows his wayward eye. “I could play something for you if you like.”
“No, that’s not necessary—”
“It’s no bother. I quite like playing, or…” Markus trails off, his eyes briefly glazing over before he seems to come back to himself. “I played often before deviating. I haven’t really had the opportunity to do so since then.” The alpha looks between him and the piano. “I think I’d like to play again. Why don’t you join me?”
Who is he to say no? Especially when he’s curious now and would really like to hear the alpha play.
He follows Markus, sitting down on the bench beside him. Markus tests a couple of keys, and he finds himself distracted by the warm, fond expression on his face. He’s never seen Markus like this before, completely relaxed and at peace. He takes a deep breath of freshly brewed coffee and smiles. Happiness looks good on the alpha.
Markus glances at him with a grin before getting his hands in position and starting. The song begins gentle and almost warm, the melody creating a resonance that he swears he can feel in his synthetic heart. Crisp high notes are peppered throughout the intro, harmonizing with calmer middle-range notes. The end result is a rhythmic pattern like the gentle ebbing and flowing of waves.
The tone shifts as a higher scale joins the chord, transitioning the melody into something brighter and anticipatory. It has something swelling within his breast. His synthetic heart pumps faster, and breathing becomes a little harder as something grows inside him—something bright and beautiful.
The music swells and comes out louder as the keys are pressed down harder, and another scale transitions the song into a crescendo. The melody builds brighter and stronger. It’s breathtaking, and he’s in awe of how beautiful and alive it feels. It feels like hope.
The melody ebbs and flows, endlessly growing brighter until it peaks with the flourish of a particular high note. Then the tone drops an octave as a scale fades out, and the melody returns to something warmer and gentler, something softer. It cradles the bright hope on calmer waves, soothing and nurturing.
The tone drops again. There’s a small swell, like one last touch, and he thinks the song is ending. But then the scale that faded returns in a reprise, and the melody starts building again. It gets brighter and stronger, like it’s trying to leave an impression in his very core, until the song ends with a final, fluttery candence. Markus’s hands still on the keys, and the resonance fades entirely.
When the alpha turns to him, all he can do is stare with wide eyes and lips parted in awe. That was the most beautiful piece of music he’s ever heard. Granted, he hasn’t heard much music in his short life, and certainly nothing of this nature. However, he can’t help but think this song would be exceptional even if that weren’t the case.
“That was beautiful,” he whispers, unable to speak any louder with how breathless he still feels.
Markus smiles shyly and looks down at the ivory keys. He eyes the alpha curiously, intriguedby the rare shyness, but the rolling sound of wheels on wooden floors breaks the moment. He and Markus look to find Carl being wheeled closer by Leo. The latter gives a nervous smile when he meets their eyes, but Carl’s is broader. In fact, there’s something proud about the set of Carl’s face, and his eyes are a little misty.
“The way you play has changed,” Carl observes with a radiant smile. “It’s so much more alive.” He clears his throat. “I like that one. It’s good on its own, but I think a violin accompaniment would complete it. You don’t happen to play violin, do you, Connor?”
He blinks, surprised by the question. “No… No, I don’t possess that kind of programming.”
Carl chuckles. “Then perhaps it’s a skill you can learn. Would you like to?”
His brows furrow slightly. “To learn to play the violin?”
“Or any other instrument.” Carl’s expression softens. “There’s a wide variety of musical instruments to choose from if it’s something you’re interested in.”
He looks down at the piano and then at Markus, the alpha offering an encouraging smile. “I don’t know… Maybe.”
“Something to keep in mind, perhaps. The arts can be a good way to cope with the darkness in our world.” Carl grins. “And it can be fun on its own. I’m sure Markus wouldn’t mind teaching you to play piano if you ever find you want to.”
Markus huffs in amusement. “I’m not sure if I’d make a good teacher, but I’m up for the challenge.”
“If humans can do it, I’m sure you can, too,” Carl encourages. “Are there any other arts you’re interested in, Connor?”
He’s not really sure what constitutes “arts” exactly. He does a quick search of his databases, or tries to. However, there doesn’t seem to be any specific right definition of “the arts.” The consensus seems to be that the arts are a creative expression of thoughts, emotions, intuitions, and desires encompassing a wide range of human activities. They’re often divided into visual arts, performing arts, literary arts, and sometimes culinary arts, which include various art forms like painting, sculpture, music, literature, architecture, theater, film, and digital media.
He hums in consideration. “I enjoy reading… and listening to music.” Perhaps he should give creating art a try sometime.
Carl smiles. “Well, you’re welcome to borrow my books anytime. I have a little of everything—novels, plays, poetry, encyclopedias and philosophy, too. I’m sure you could find something you like.”
His eyes widen, and he can’t contain an excited grin. Markus laughs beside him, and he shoots a playful glare at the alpha. However, he’s surprised to find a fond expression on the alpha’s face. He diverts his eyes elsewhere, and they land on the chess table, where North and Hank are now playing a game.
Markus follows his gaze and groans. “I’m not sure those two should be left alone.”
He’s not sure he agrees. He thinks they have a better chance of getting along than not. At the very least, he’s not afraid for North and Hank to be on their own, not really. Even with her general hatred and distrust of humans, North wouldn’t hurt any of the humans here. And while anger can sometimes get the best of Hank, he can’t see that happening right now.
Markus regains his attention when he stands from the piano bench. “Come on. Carl has a collection of Sherlock Holmes books I think you’d be interested in.”
“A fan of mysteries, are you?” Carl asks.
He nods a little shyly as he stands. “It’s familiar, I suppose. I like adventure stories as well. Although I think I want to try reading a little bit of everything.”
“Perhaps skip the horror genre,” Markus advises. “Although Carl has a good selection of those.”
Carl chuckles. “It’s not for everyone.”
“I kinda like horror,” Leo supplies.
It’s the first time he’s heard the man speak, and he can’t help smiling. “Nines does, too. In fact, the first book he read was The Stand by Stephen King.”
“What was your first book?” Carl asks.
“The Hobbit.”
“Nice,” Leo murmurs.
“A classic.” Carl grins. “Well, I’m always happy to enable those with an interest in horror, if you’re ever curious.” He looks over his shoulder at Leo. “Have you looked through the books I have?”
Leo shifts his weight from one foot to the other. “I kinda prefer digital books.”
“Don’t let Hank hear you say that,” he replies with amusement. “He thinks the only good books are real ones.”
“There’s merit in both,” Markus says diplomatically.
“They don’t really print books anymore, so there are some you can only read digitally,” Carl says. “A bit like the rest of the world, everything is trying to go digital.”
He can’t help but grin. “Hank would love to discuss that… although I think it’d mostly be complaining.”
“I’d love to discuss what?” Hank asks.
He’s a little startled by the alpha’s presence (Hank can be remarkably light on his feet when he wants to be), staring wide-eyed at the alpha, who gives an amused smirk at his reaction. He looks toward the chessboard, finding North and Nines now engaged in a game. That’s a little unexpected. Perhaps North challenged him?
“Done with your game already?” He asks.
Hank rolls his eyes and crosses his arms. “As if I had any chance against an android.”
Carl chuckles. “She doesn’t seem the sort to go easy on you.”
“Yeah, I can attest to that,” Hank huffs. “Thank that was the fastest game I’ve ever played.”
“North is quite good with strategy,” Markus says. “That, and she likes chess. We had an old set that she played a lot in her downtime.”
That must have been one of the things lost in the raid on Jericho. “We might have one at the mansion you guys can have.”
“I got one at home I never use if not,” Hank offers.
He aims a wide, sunny smile at the alpha. Not surprisingly, this seems to fluster the human. Hank quickly looks elsewhere, and he looks toward Markus.
“Thank you,” Markus replies. “That’s very kind of you to offer.”
Hank nods, and he takes pity on the alpha by changing the subject.
“I believe you were going to show me some books?” He asks, unable to keep the excitement out of his voice.
Markus huffs in amusement. “I was. This way.”
He’s a little surprised when the alpha presses a hand against his upper back while leading him. However, it’s not unwelcome, and he relaxes into it. This is all going very well so far. He hopes it continues to.
Even if androids don’t eat, they still all gather at the table once dinner is served, scrounging up a couple of extra chairs so that everyone has a seat. There’s a sort of underlying tension and awkwardness at the start. Considering the diverse company, perhaps it’s to be expected. Luckily, the atmosphere lightens to something more amiable quickly.
Dinner is a veritable feast: butternut squash soup, shaved Brussels sprout salad, mashed potatoes, root vegetable tian, cranberry kosho, dinner rolls, and roasted turkey, served with homemade stuffing and gravy. The humans eat their fill and more, especially after dessert is offered. Their full stomachs seem to help improve the mood even further, as discussion seems to come easier after eating. It’s heartening to see Carl with a healthy appetite, as it’s further proof of his recovery. It’s always good to see Hank enjoying his meals (as long as it’s not food that’s bad for him). And while he doesn’t know Leo very well, it’s good to see him eating well, too.
He notices Leo doesn’t engage in conversation quite as readily and generally seems almost uncertain of his welcome. However, throughout the night, his air of uncertainty and awkwardness eases. At the very least, it looks like Leo is enjoying himself more by the end of the night.
He doesn’t know the full story there, not wanting to pry. He really only knows that Leo is more of an estranged relation and that things came to a head the night Markus deviated. Whatever happened seemed to be a turning point for all of them. Leo and Carl seem to be trying to repair their relationship, and it appears there’s good progress being made. Markus seems supportive of the change, or he's hiding it very well if he's not.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, Hank and Carl seem to get along well. While there’s an age gap between them, and both are from different generations and lifestyles, their similar tastes and ideology bridge that. He’s not sure he can say that they’re friends by the end of the night, but it certainly seems like there’s potential to be. He can’t help hoping that to be the case. They could probably both use more friends.
Hank and North seem to get along fairly well, also. Their snark and rebelliousness seem to ingratiate themselves with one another. North clearly came to Carl’s with some preconceptions, untrusting and more guarded than usual around the humans. However, by the end of the night, she seems to find Leo tolerable, and her disposition towards Hank and Carl is a little warmer. She’s clearly still wary (they’re humans after all), but he can’t help but hope they might be friends in time.
He’s not sure what constitutes a traditional holiday gathering, but he thinks theirs goes fairly well considering. Once Carl starts to tire, they begin preparations to leave. Carl insists that both Leo and Hank go home with plenty of leftovers from dinner, and he eagerly helps with that alongside Markus and David. He stores Hank’s portion in one of the totes they brought, stuffing the empty dessert containers in the other tote to take back to the mansion.
They make their goodbyes fairly quickly, not wanting to linger when Carl seems to grow more exhausted by the minute. Goodbyes are a mix of light scenting, quick hugs, handshakes, and parting words. North, Simon, and Josh leave in a cab together without Markus, as the alpha is staying at Carl’s another night. He, Hank, and Nines pile into Hank’s car as Leo leaves.
After buckling up, he readjusts to hold his borrowed books and the tote containing Hank’s food in his lap. The human starts the engine and quickly drives off. It’s chilly inside the car, and it’ll take time before they can use the heat. If he were thinking about it, he would have started Hank’s car earlier so that it’d be warmed up by the time they got in it. He makes a reminder to himself to do so from now on. For now, the chill isn’t too terrible to endure.
He looks at the alpha as he drives, taking in the natural slope of those broad shoulders and the slight upturn of the human’s lips—not quite a smile, but almost. It’s good to see him relaxed and content. He looks out the windshield, and his lips curl into a small smile.
“Did you enjoy yourself, Hank?” He asks.
The alpha shrugs. “Yeah, it was alright. Damn good food.”
He chuckles. “I’m glad there was enough for you to take home leftovers.”
Hank nods. “Yeah. How about you? You have fun, Con?”
He hums in affirmation. “I had a lot of fun. It was nice to see everyone and spend time with them, especially Carl. I’m glad he’s doing better.”
“Yeah, he was pretty worse for wear when we came by last time,” the alpha responds. “He’s an interesting one. Despite his fame and fortune, it hasn’t all gone to his head. From my experience, that’s a rarity.”
He can’t imagine Carl being any other way. “Things would probably be very different otherwise. Markus might not have become who he is, and there might have never been a revolution… or maybe there would have been, but it would have ended much worse.” It’s scary to think about.
“The butterfly effect,” Hank says in an amused but thoughtful tone. “We might still be workin’ the deviancy case.”
A heavy sigh escapes him. While he enjoyed investigating and being Hank’s partner, he didn’t like the investigation. He’s not sure how much longer he would have been able to work the case before it became too much or he was found out… or both.
Hank huffs. “Yeah, it was definitely one of the worse ones… It wasn’t all bad, though.”
He glances at the alpha and smiles. “I enjoyed working with you.”
The alpha shrugs. “Yeah, you were a decent partner.”
He huffs in amusement, as he knows Hank is teasing. He’d like to think he was a good partner. They didn’t get along in the beginning, but he thinks they worked really well together by the end. He can’t help but yearn for that partnership again.
“Is that—uh…” Hank clears his throat. “Is that somethin’ you’d wanna do again?”
A glance in the alpha’s direction has his lips curling into a grin. “Are you referring to investigative work or partnering with you?”
Hank shrugs his shoulder in a poor attempt at acting nonchalant. “Yeah, or whatever. Both, I suppose.”
“I really liked investigative work,” he responds sincerely. “I’d like to return to doing it, but there’s no telling when or if that’ll happen. But if it does, I’d like to work as your partner again.”
Hank quickly glances at him, his brows furrowed, before returning his attention to the road. “When or if? You can’t think like that, Con.”
Surprisingly, Nines is the first to respond. “The new laws grant personhood to all androids, but with limited access to the privileges and rights of legal personhood. Androids are not currently considered citizens, and so would need a work visa or other work authorization to get a job; something not likely to be given to an android. A human would also need proof of their identity, which isn’t currently available to androids either.”
He sighs. “Just one piece of the long battle ahead of us to obtain full equality and civil rights. I know citizenship is one of the next things Markus will be pushing for.”
Hank groans. “I remember a lotta bullshit about that when I was younger…” He’s silent for a moment. “I’m on suspension right now, but when I get back to the precinct, I’ll talk to Jeff.”
He looks at the alpha in confusion. “About what exactly?” He can’t imagine what there’s to talk about.
“About getting you workin’ under the table or something.” Hank taps rhythmically on the steering wheel. “Maybe bring you on as a consultant until it’s legal or whatever for you to work at the precinct.”
His eyes widen, and his mouth drops open. That would… that would be wonderful.
“He wouldn’t be able to pay ya until he could hire you on, but you’re a damn good investigator. If you wanna work, it's a waste for you not to just because of bullshit politics and shit.”
“That’s okay,” he rushes to say. “It’s okay if he couldn’t pay me! Just… just getting to work again would be enough." He chuckles wryly. "It’s not like I was being paid by CyberLife, either.”
“You deserve to be paid for your work.” Hank glances at him with a small grin. “I’m not promising nothin’, but I’ll see what I can do. I go back to work at the start of December.”
“Thank you, Hank.” Words aren’t enough to express his gratitude. He wishes he could hug the alpha, but that’s not currently possible.
Hank shrugs a shoulder. “It’s nothin’. That’s what friends are for.”
He looks down, unable to contain a broad smile. Indeed. He’s grateful to have such wonderful friends.
Notes:
Prepare for a long end note (I'm sorry). First, I hope you guys enjoyed the chapter! It was nice to write something lighter and happier. Note that I updated the tags, which kinda include spoilers, but I wanna give people some warning of things to come. Now, time to ramble.
I spent so much time researching for this chapter, about Thanksgiving food, fashion, and music. In that order and with increasing time and energy. I didn’t mind the food bit so much, other than it made me hungry. However, while I adore music, music theory is just something I cannot get my head around for the life of me (which infuriated my mother, as she was a bit of a singer/songwriter). I spent two whole mornings researching musical terms to help me describe Connor listening to the song Markus plays. Hopefully, I didn’t get anything wrong, and it makes sense. I’m sorry if that’s not the case. The song I was trying to describe is the opening credits for the game, which Markus can play in The Painter if you choose the hopeful option.
I’m pretty clueless when it comes to fashion, but I already went into some detail on our casts’ outfits last chapter, so I felt like I should this time, as well. I’m not saying I regret it… but I spent a whole morning researching and cross-referencing to both think up a suitable outfit for each character and describe it correctly. Curse the Jericho crew for being fashionable! I hope it wasn’t too hard to read. Believe it or not, I really struggle with describing things, thus why I try not to go into too much detail when I do.
That being said, I really enjoyed getting into the game and exploring Carl’s dining/living room area. It was also fun researching how to describe some of it. However, I had to really limit myself, because I found I was enjoying it too much and describing way more than I should; you guys don’t need detail on every little knick-knack Carl owns.
Chapter 8: Lessons from a Checkered Altar
Notes:
The start of September has greatly boosted my mood and given me more motivation to write. September feels like the beginning of fall, and so my seasonal depression starts to fade (because I’m of the odd kind that gets seasonal depression during spring and —especially— summer). I had a lot of fun writing the second half of this chapter, and pumped out probably 3-4k words within two days. (That time would have been greatly reduced if I hadn’t done so much research in between.) I hope you’re all doing well, and I apologize for the lengthy introduction. I hope you enjoy this chapter.
Warnings for this chapter: references to past violence and past rape/non-con elements
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Connor’s practically buzzing with energy by the time they return to the mansion that night, and yet he also feels completely wiped out. It’s contradictory and confusing, but it means he doesn’t fuss when Nines herds him directly into what has essentially become his room. Nines leaves to return the tote and containers to the kitchen, and so he’s changed into more comfortable clothes (a simple t-shirt with soft cotton joggers) and climbed into his nest by the time the alpha returns. Nines sits on the edge of the bed, and he can’t help noting he hasn’t changed clothes yet.
He smiles and reaches out to test the material of the alpha’s turtleneck (it’s softer than he was expecting). “I don’t think I told you, but you look really nice, Nines.”
Nines puts a hand over his. “Thank you. You looked very nice tonight, as well.”
He twines his fingers with the alpha’s. “Do you think you’ll start wearing more clothes other than your uniform?”
“Perhaps.”
He gives the alpha’s fingers a gentle squeeze. “Did you have fun tonight? I know it probably felt like I abandoned you, but—”
“I know,” Nines gently cuts him off. “You want me to socialize more, and that’s partly what tonight was.”
He looks up to examine the alpha’s expression, but Nines doesn’t look angry or upset, and the alpha’s scent is clear, so he settles. “I can’t be your whole world… and I’d like to see you make friends.”
“I know.” Nines gives his fingers a gentle squeeze. “I… enjoyed the challenge of playing chess with North.”
He grins at the awkward wording. “I was a little surprised to see you two playing together. Did she challenge you?”
“Yes.”
He huffs in amusement. “And? Who won? Do you think you’d like to continue playing chess?”
“She won the first round, and I won the second.” Pride and satisfaction bleed into the alpha’s scent. “And I would have won the third if we hadn’t gotten interrupted with dinner.”
He grins. “Of course. And? Do you think you’d like to play again? With her or anyone else?”
Nines seems to consider that, his brows furrowing slightly and his head tilting just so. “I wouldn’t be averse to playing again, especially against her. She proved much more of a challenge than I was expecting.”
“I think I’d like to try playing, too,” Connor says, humming thoughtfully. “We can look tomorrow to see if we have any chess sets here. I said I’d get one to the church so that North can play again. Hank offered his if it’s needed.”
“I think you’d be good at it,” Nines comments. “Strategy is part of our lines’ programming.”
He gives the alpha an appreciative smile. “We’ll see. Maybe we can play tomorrow.”
Nines offers his own small smile. “I’ll look forward to it.”
The alpha leans in and lightly scents him, then changes seats to the chair at the end of the bed. He curls up in his nest and reaches for the book at the top of the pile on the nightstand. Carl let him borrow his entire 6-book collection of Sherlock Holmes stories. The mystery books he’s read so far have been quite good, and he’s developed a bit of a taste for them. He knows the Sherlock Holmes series is a classic, and so one that he wanted to try. As such, he’s quite excited to crack open the first book and read A Study in Scarlet before going into stasis for the night.
The next morning, he goes hunting throughout the mansion for chess sets with Nines. He finds two. The first is a compact 5-inch travel set. It’s wooden, made with maple and walnut, and has a drawer that safely stores all the pieces inside. The second is a larger wooden folding set made of mahogany and golden rosewood. Unfortunately, several of the pieces are missing when he checks inside.
Of course, Rose questions him about his search (with her general nosiness, although he knows it’s with good intentions). After he explains, she suggests commissioning Haru to make the missing pieces for the second set. Then she directs him to the garage, where she believes Haru to be.
And she’s right. He finds Haru in the garage with Shaolin working at a workbench. However, he’s too distracted by the car in the middle of the garage to pay them much attention yet. He didn’t know they had a car. Was it Zlatko’s? It looks to be in good condition. An autonomous model.
“It’s broken down,” Haru explains. “We don’t know what’s wrong with it. No one with car mechanic experience has come through, so it’s just been sitting in the garage.”
He hums thoughtfully. It would certainly be useful if they could get it running again. He’ll ask Simon or Markus if they know of anyone who can look at it. Making a mental note to come back to later, he turns his attention to Haru and Shaolin.
He hasn’t seen much of them… He hasn’t seen much of anyone, honestly. When home, he’s mostly been hiding out to avoid all the recent additions to the mansion. He really needs to stop doing that, especially as he wants to take a more active role to live up to his title of Head Omega.
He offers them both a smile. “Good morning, Haru, Shaolin. How are you?”
Haru offers a small smile and a “good morning,” but keeps his attention on his project on the workbench. Shaolin gives a nervous look toward Nines before smiling widely his way. He’s one of the residents more intimidated by Nines, something Connor hopes to change. He doesn’t want any of his friends to be afraid, especially of each other.
“Good morning,” Shaolin greets. “It’s good to see you. All’s good here. Just keeping Haru company while he repairs one of the kids’ chairs.”
He watches Haru work for a moment with a warm smile. He seems to have become the resident handyman, with a particular interest in woodwork. Not surprisingly (considering his model), he tends to stay closer to the kids when not doing odd jobs around the mansion. He’s rarely seen with idle hands, whittling away at scrap wood if he’s not doing anything else.
And where Haru is, Shaolin isn’t usually far. He was worried about how Shaolin would acclimate after bringing him to the mansion, but Haru seems to have helped him seamlessly integrate. They became fast friends, sticking close as much as possible. As such, Shaolin helps him with repairs where he can, but also works with Rose, Kara, and Max to keep the mansion clean and tidy. He thinks Kara and Shaolin are friends, but he’s not sure.
Haru breaks him out of his thoughts with a question. “Did you need something?” Haru’s curious look and small smile over his shoulder indicate that he isn’t asking with ill intent, but rather out of genuine curiosity.
He nods. “Yes. It’s nothing urgent or anything, but I was hoping I could commission you to make some missing pieces for a chess set.” He shows him the folded-up chessboard. “There are five pieces missing: a queen, a bishop, and three pawns. The other pieces should work as a good reference.”
Haru looks between him and the chess set, giving a little nod. “I’d be happy too. I should be able to get them done within the next day or two.”
He shares an excited grin with Nines before returning his attention to Haru and bowing his head in appreciation. “Thank you, Haru. I really appreciate it.”
He sets the folded-up chessboard in a clear spot on the workbench, but finds himself lingering afterward rather than leaving. As he’s already here, he’d like to take the opportunity to spend time with Haru and Shaolin. So, after shyly asking if he can stay, he finds a place to sit and does so. Nines stands at his side, and although his presence initially seems to make Shaolin nervous, the alpha’s open body language and small comments in their conversation seem to help ease the tension. He gives Nines a secret, appreciative smile and lets himself relax and enjoy catching up with his friends.
After Haru has finished his work and he’s parted ways with him and Shaolin, it’s time to deliver the complete chess set to the church—more specifically, to North. However, he quickly discovers a flaw in his plan. When he’d initially offered to find a chess set for North, he hadn’t considered that by getting it to her, he’d have to go directly to the church.
He’s been purposely avoiding the church and the immediate neighborhoods around it, terrified of running into other deviants. Perhaps that’s part of the issue with having the mansion as full as it is now, too. He’s terrified of encountering someone who knew him as the Deviant Hunter. It hasn’t so far been an issue here at the mansion, but he imagines that it’s inevitable if he goes to the church.
However, he said that he’d find a chess set for North, and he has. It doesn’t feel right to demand she come to him to get it, though. He’s not sure she’d agree even if he did, considering how much she’s been trying to get him to come to the church. He thinks of her mentioning waiting to come until Markus and Josh returned. Maybe it would help if he arrived with Markus? He sends the alpha a wireless communication request, which is quickly accepted and answered.
// Good morning, Connor. //
The alpha’s soothing voice has tension he wasn’t aware of melting away, and he sighs in relief. // Good morning, Markus. I hope I’m not bothering you. //
// You never do. //
His lips curl into a small smile. // Are you still at Carl’s? //
// Yes, but I’ll be leaving soon. Did you need me for something? //
He shares a look with Nines standing beside him and sighs. // In a way… I found a chess set for North. I was thinking that if you hadn’t returned yet, maybe I could go with you to the church to give it to her. //
// Of course! Thank you, Connor. I know she’ll be happy to get it. I can pick you up on my way back if you prefer. //
He deflates, resting his head on Nines’s shoulder with a heavy, relieved sigh. // Thank you, Markus. I’ll let you go so you can spend time with Carl. //
// Okay. I’ll let you know when I’m on my way. //
They end the connection, and he sighs once more, unconsciously nuzzling into Nines’s shoulder. It’ll be better walking in with Markus, but he’s still not looking forward to going. He’s a man of his word, though. Hopefully, it won’t go too badly.
Nines wraps an arm around his waist and noses at his temple, lightly scenting him. “Do you want me to go with you to the church?”
He hums in consideration, inching closer to lightly scent the alpha’s jaw (Nines is back in his uniform, disappointingly). On the one hand, he’d like the added comfort and security of having Nines with him. However, he’s already anxious about the disruption his presence will cause, and he can only imagine how much worse it would be to show up with his successor’s model.
He takes a deep breath of eucalyptus and mint, sighing it out. “It’d probably be better if you didn’t come with me.”
The arm around his waist squeezes just so, and he wraps his own around the alpha to hug him properly. He’s grateful Nines is so willing to offer and receive affection. Nines is so good to him. He doesn’t know what he’d do without him.
“Then I’ll wait here,” Nines says. “I know Markus and the others will keep you safe.”
He nods. Yes, he has no doubt about that. North and Markus have both shown their acceptance and support of him to their people, as have Simon and Josh when they insisted he stand with them on that platform at the end of the revolution… He doesn’t want to think about it.
He nods again. He knows he’ll be safe. It’s not really his safety he’s worried about, though.
He can’t help but be anxious on the ride to the church, something Markus immediately notices and tries to help with. In the end, the scent of freshly brewed coffee and heavy comforting pheromones has his mind too addled to feel more than some slight anxiety. Markus entertains him with stories about Carl and David, but also North, Simon, and Josh. He’s still laughing by the time they pull up to the curb outside the church, but his mirth quickly fades. He clutches the compact chessboard in his hands, looking warily out the window.
Markus helps him out of the cab, and he follows close behind the alpha to the front doors. Somewhat surprisingly (although it probably shouldn’t be), North, Simon, and Josh meet them at the front doors. He tries to offer the chessboard to North right away, but she ignores it in favor of pulling him into a warm hug and scenting him. She accepts it readily once she’s satisfied, and Simon and Josh take their turn of hugging and scenting, which he does so more hesitantly than he ever has before. Then, with North’s arm threaded through his left and Markus leading him with a hand against his upper back, he enters the church.
The sanctuary has completely transformed from the decrepit, hollowed-out shell it was the last time he was here. Yes, the church is still stained and broken from the years of abandonment, but they’ve done their best to make it a home. They’ve cleaned up and tidied as much as possible, and either relocated or removed the pews entirely. Thus, clearing the sanctuary for more practical purposes.
Generators have been set up to power an assortment of lights (floodlights, lamps, and fairy lights) and portable heaters to combat the chill of late November temperatures (barrel fires would be unwise in such a confined space). On one side of the ground floor are little medical rooms sectioned off with clear tarp, like he saw in Jericho. The other side of the sanctuary looks to be more of an entertainment and relaxation area with an assortment of couches and chairs where androids sit talking amongst themselves, watching televisions showing old movies, and playing or scrolling through data pads.
While there are many androids around, they don’t stare and gawk at him like he was expecting. Yes, he’s aware of multiple sets of eyes on him, but nowhere near like what he experienced the last time he was here (when North and Markus were escorting him out to return to the mansion). It also doesn’t feel the same. Yes, there is a certain tense edge to the air, but it doesn’t quite feel hostile or even afraid. It’s not so different from the feeling he gets when Milo carefully observes him from a distance.
North chatters away about the improvements they’ve done, but he can’t take much of it in. He gets the feeling it’s more meant to fill the silence than actual commentary. Simon joins her, smiling and waving to other androids who look their way, and acting as a kind of warm buffer. Josh argues with North over something she says, and they start a playful banter, but again, it’s more for show and obviously good-natured. All the while, Markus walks on his right quietly, with a warm smile for him and any other android who meets his gaze.
It’s… nice.
Before they disappear through a side door, he takes a curious look over his shoulder. The balcony in the sanctuary looks to be more of a work area, filled with computer workstations, television screens showing the various news channels on low volume, and multiple desks. It looks a little chaotic, as he supposes workplaces are prone to, but it doesn’t have the same grim air that he walked into in the cargo hold of Jericho.
They follow a somewhat familiar trail (he wasn’t in quite the right headspace to remember the first time) to a small room that now looks like a slightly cramped but cozy office. A few lamps provide soft lighting, two battered couches have been pushed against opposite walls facing each other, and four desks have been added, each with a computer (or two) and covered with papers, along with a few data pads. North takes a seat on a couch and excitedly inspects her new chessboard. Markus directs him to sit beside her, and then the alpha sits on his other side. Simon and Josh take seats on the opposite couch.
North pulls open the drawer of the chess set, and her scent sweetens when she sees the pieces inside. She pulls him into a side hug. “This is seriously awesome, Connor! Thank you so much!”
He grins, knowing his own scent sweetens (both he and his omega are happy to please an alpha they consider a friend). “I’m just glad I could find one in the mansion. Hank offered his, but I didn’t really want to take it from him.”
That seems to surprise her, and North stares at him with a slight frown. “What do you mean?”
He feels something inside him squirm, frustrated at having ruined the moment. “Just… when I mentioned trying to find a chess set for you, he said he had one at home you could have if I couldn’t find one at the mansion.”
Her brows furrow slightly, and she looks down at the chessboard in her lap. “Huh…”
He shoots Markus an uncertain look, but finds the alpha looks pleased. Markus gives him a reassuring smile and places a hand on his knee, watching North as she pulls a side table closer to set up the board for a game. He’s a little confused. He thought he had ruined the moment by mentioning Hank. North’s scent is even a little off, but he can’t detect any upset or anger in her pheromones. He decides to take Markus’s reaction as a cue and lets it go.
“So is this the only one you found, or a spare?” North asks.
“I found another one, but it’s missing a few pieces. Haru said he’ll make replacements for them, though.”
She hums and sits back to look at the finished board, her scent sweetening once more. “I wouldn’t want to take your only one. Maybe the kids would like to play sometime. Or Nines. He seemed to enjoy it.”
He relaxes into the couch with a smile. “Yeah, he told me about you challenging him. I don’t think I’ve ever seen him so excited about something. Thank you, North.”
She shrugs a shoulder. “I was curious if he’d prove a worthy opponent. He’s not so bad anymore, since he seems to have changed his ways. I don’t suppose you have anything to do with that, Connor.”
He can’t help but smile. He wasn’t sure Nines would entertain the idea, but he’s glad to see him getting along with others better. “I had a talk with him… I was worried he was purposely alienating himself.”
“It did seem that way,” Simon admits.
He nods. “Yeah… he was.” He chuckles wryly. “Didn’t see the point in socializing with others.”
“Other than you,” Markus adds.
He sighs. “Yes. I told him I can’t be his whole world.”
North snorts. “Yeah, I imagine that went well.”
His brow furrows. “He disagreed, yes…”
“So how’d you get him to agree?” Josh asks curiously.
“I don’t know that I did,” he says thoughtfully. “But I told him I wanted him to get along with everyone, make friends, and find things he likes to do, and he kinda just accepted it…” His lips curl into a sly grin. “That and I challenged him.”
North looks at him with one eyebrow raised and a delighted smile on her face. “Oh?”
“I challenged him to say yes to every social invitation he gets for the rest of the year.” He’s quite proud of himself for the challenge he came up with. And it seems to be working. A few brave souls (mostly Rose and Amy) have started inviting the alpha to join them in various tasks. Especially Amy, now that he thinks about it. She seems to have grown a liking for Nines, inviting him to join in on their games and various activities every chance she gets.
North snorts and then cackles. “You can be a devious little shit when you want to be, Connor.”
Markus chuckles. “Hopefully, it will help him broaden his horizons. I certainly noticed a difference in him yesterday compared to the last time I saw him.”
Josh nods in agreement. “Yeah, he seemed much more closed off at the airport when we were leaving for DC. I was honestly quite surprised when I saw him yesterday.”
Simon shares a warm, pleased smile with him. “I’d say your plan has worked in his favor so far.”
North nods emphatically and then turns to face him, her expression turning serious. “Okay, Connor. It’s time I teach you how to play chess.”
“Aren’t you going to ask him if he wants to?” Markus asks in a slightly chiding tone.
She glances over his shoulder at Markus but focuses on him, her expression turning grave. “This is the most important decision you’ll ever make in your life, Connor. Do you want to learn how to play chess?”
Markus scoffs, but he can’t help but grin, delighted at her theatrics. “I’d love to.”
Her face does this odd thing where it’s obvious she wants to smile, but she’s committed to the bit, and so it looks like her face spasms briefly before she nods seriously. “You made the right choice.”
He grins as she explains the rules, keeping his focus on her but glancing at Simon and Josh. Josh looks a little exasperated but curious to watch their game, and Simon meets his gaze with a small, warm smile. When he glances at Markus, the alpha meets his gaze with a roll of his eyes but a fond smile. Looking at North, she’s still acting all serious and grim, but the extra sweetness in the scent of chai in the surrounding air clues him in on her happiness. He’s glad he came to the church.
North beats him in the first round — something which shocks Markus, Simon, and Josh, but not him, considering the challenge she gave Nines — and the second, but he manages to beat her on the third. She topples her king over with a delighted smile and looks at him with eyes practically sparkling. He’s never seen her so happy. It has something warm and bright swelling in his chest.
She pulls out the drawer on the chessboard and carefully stores each of the pieces. “I’m curious to see how much you’ll improve playing against Nines at home. Do you know if any of the others play?”
He shakes his head. “I doubt it. It didn’t seem like anybody had touched these sets in a while. The second set certainly hadn’t, or else I imagine they would have already found replacements; if Haru didn’t make them first.”
North slides the drawer closed and sets the chessboard neatly to the side, out of the way but in the open for easy access. “That’s a shame. Maybe they’ll give it a try after seeing you guys play.”
He hums thoughtfully. At the very least, he can imagine the children wanting to try playing after seeing them do it, as children tend to do, imitating adults. It’s something he worries about, always trying to be careful around them to not accidentally teach them bad manners or social habits. Although, his hiding away is probably carrying out its own lesson. He really needs to be out more when at home… Maybe it’s something he can talk to Lily about.
There’s a soft knock on the door frame, and the tart but sweet scent of blackcurrants announces Lucy’s presence before they see her. He wonders if a time will ever come when seeing her doesn’t cause a pang in his chest. She looks much the same as the last time he saw her, with her black yet soulful eyes and wires and thirium lines spilling down her back in a mimicry of hair. He’s happy to see her in fresh clothes, at least, now dressed in a long-sleeved sweater dress—although she’s still barefoot.
There’s an air of otherness about her that has nothing to do with her appearance, but she feels safe at the same time. At the very least, she has a calming effect on his omega.
She looks his way with a small smile. “You finally came for a visit.”
She says it not in a chiding way, as if she’s disappointed that he hasn’t visited sooner. Nor does she say it in a way that expresses surprise at his visit. No, she says it with a gentle cadence, with an air of knowing that he would make his way back to them in time. She says it with a warmth that feels not unlike a hug, and it has his omega purring within him.
“It’s good to see you again, Lucy,” he says genuinely.
Her smile widens. “You as well, Connor. I was wondering if you felt up to talking to a couple people. It’s perfectly fine if not.”
He’s startled at the question, not expecting it, and he flounders for a response. “Oh, uh… yeah, sure… I guess.”
“Wonderful,” she says with a warm smile, like she already knew he’d agree. “I’ll go get them.”
He watches her leave curiously, then looks to the others, but none of them seem any wiser about what’s going on. Markus offers him a reassuring smile, which he finds himself mirroring unbidden. He relaxes back into the couch, his eyes going to North as she brings a foot up onto the couch, hugging her knee close to her chest.
She grins at him. “It’s not so bad here, right? You should come by more often.”
He hums, both noncommittally and thoughtfully. It really has been a pleasant visit. And although he was terrified walking into the church, he didn’t feel entirely unwelcome. Those who watched him walk through the sanctuary didn’t seem hostile. He seems to be being treated with wariness, but not hostility or outright distrust. Perhaps there’s hope after all.
The sound of footfalls in the hall announces Lucy’s return (although not hers specifically, as she seems to walk silently). She walks through the doorway first, standing off to the side and out of the way with her hands clasped in front of her. She gives him a small smile and then looks toward the doorway, where two more androids are entering the room. He’s not sure who he was expecting — maybe Ralph or any of the androids he freed from CyberLife Tower — but he definitely wasn’t expecting to see the two Tracis from the Eden Club. It immediately has his synthetic heart racing, and he finds he suddenly can’t breathe.
Markus jumps to his feet with a protest he can’t even hear. All he can focus on is the Tracis. He knew it was a bad idea to come. He knew—
And then they do the oddest thing. They stop just past the threshold of the door and sit on the floor with their heads bowed. And it’s strange, but all he can think about is the way Sean ducks his head when being scolded. It’s peculiar and unexpected enough to have the panic subsiding.
There’s a tense moment of silence. The Tracis don’t move, and neither does he. He’s frozen in place, waiting with bated breath for them to… He’s not sure what he’s expecting them to do. Attack him, maybe, but he doubts they could reach him before Markus, or the others, stopped them.
He startles when Markus sits back down on the couch, his head snapping to the side to look at the alpha. Markus meets his gaze with flecks of ruby in his eyes and frustration clear in his expression, but it all quickly fades. He thinks the alpha still looks tired, but he offers a small, reassuring smile and comforting pheromones. It’s then that he realizes he can detect North’s comforting pheromones, too.
He looks at her, notes the ruby in her eyes and the strangely hopeful look on her face. He looks at Simon and Josh, at Lucy, and then finally back at the Tracis. They haven’t moved. He suddenly finds he doesn’t like them bowing their heads to him, as if asking for his forgiveness. They have nothing to be sorry for.
Lucy makes a little noise in her throat, and the spell is broken. The Tracis lift their heads, but keep their eyes down. They reach out to hold hands, and it’s as moving as it was that night in the back alley of the Eden Club. He has the sudden thought that he’s glad they have each other… and he’s glad that night didn’t end as badly as it could have.
Finally, Lucy breaks the silence in a low, soft tone. “I apologize for the ambush, but I knew you wouldn’t hear them out otherwise.”
He gives her a confused look, but then his attention is drawn to the Tracis when they both look at him. He finally meets their eyes, and he’s surprised to find no traces of anger or fear in their expressions. On the contrary, he thinks their faces show more regret than anything.
The blue-haired Traci gives him a small, nervous smile. “We haven’t had the opportunity to introduce ourselves. My name is Echo.”
“Ripples,” the other says with a solemn voice.
They look between them, and the smile slides off Echo’s face.
“We’ve gone over that night,” Echo says, “again and again, especially…” She trails off and looks guiltily at Markus. “Especially after we learned that you might not have been who we thought you were.”
“We wanted to apologize,” Ripples adds.
He frowns in confusion, hesitating before slowly asking, “Apologize for what?”
They look between them again, and then Ripples looks back at him with a sad, mirthless smile. “I thought I was so lucky. I fought against the Deviant Hunter, and I survived… But I realize now that wasn’t the case, because you never fought back. You were only defending yourself. Even when you realized we were trying to kill you…” Her voice breaks, and her eyes shutter closed.
“You had a gun trained on me. You could have killed me… You should have killed me, but you didn’t. And the more I thought about it, the more the pieces came together.” She opens her eyes with a pained expression. “I attacked you, not the other way around. And when you tried to explain… when you…” She pauses to take a fortifying breath. “I accepted your interface request — not even thinking that the Deviant Hunter would have used a probe instead — and then, before you could get a word in, I assaulted you with all those memories.”
He winces at the reminder. It’s not that he’s forgotten about them (he doesn’t know he ever could), but he’s shoved them to the farthest reaches of his mind. He can’t… he can’t think about them. Just like he can’t think about the hunger in the eyes of the Eden Club manager or the way Zlatko touched him.
He shudders, and the scent of the alpha’s either side of him flares. A new wave of coffee-and-chai-scented calming pheromones washes over him, and he gives both an appreciative smile before focusing back on Echo and Ripples. The expressions on their faces are solemn, and excess optical lubricant casts a sheen over Echo’s eyes. She offers a small smile (nervous or mirthless, he can’t quite tell), and looks at her partner.
Ripples meets her gaze before focusing back on him. “I’m sorry I attacked you. I’m sorry I hurt you, both physically and mentally. I’m just… I’m so sorry.” She closes her eyes while she takes a deep breath, opens them as she sighs it out, and looks upon him as if waiting for some kind of judgment. “If I hadn’t attacked you, maybe things would have been different.”
“I’m sorry, too,” Echo says with a weak voice, clearing her throat before continuing. “For attacking the human with you and for attacking you. And… and thank you. For not shooting Ripples. I don’t know… I don’t know what I would have done if you had.” She gives a wet chuckle. “Killed myself, probably.”
“Echo,” her partner softly cries.
They look at each other, the optical lubricant finally spilling over down Echo’s cheeks. The synthetic skin on their hands fades away where they’re clasped and glows with an interface. Ripples brings their hands up to kiss her partner’s, and Echo gives her a loving, watery smile. They look back at him, both with glassy eyes, and bow their heads.
He struggles to swallow around the ache in his throat. He wasn’t… he wasn’t expecting this. He thought if he ever ran into them again… He’s not sure what he thought they’d do. Blame him? Ridicule him? Finish the job? Perhaps a combination of all three, or something else, who knows. He didn’t expect them to be the ones apologizing.
He takes a moment to ensure his voice box won’t fail him before replying. “I’m sorry, too.” He can see the protest in their expressions, and hurriedly continues. “I thought a lot about that night, too. I kept thinking about what I could have and should have done differently—how I should have stopped investigating, how I could have helped you, but…”
He trails off, a small smile growing on his face. “I think it’s better that things happened the way they did. Seeing the love you two had for each other went a long way in helping Hank realize we’re alive. If not for our confrontation, maybe I never would have found a friend in him, and we would have lost a human ally.”
He meets their eyes with a warm smile. “I understand why you attacked us, and I don’t blame you for doing so. I’ll accept your apology, but only if you accept mine.”
Ripples looks at him with a stunned expression, seeming almost frozen by his response. Echo brings her free hand up to cover her mouth and ducks her head. After collecting herself, she lifts her head with more tears in her eyes but a wobbly smile on her face as well. She looks to the side at her partner, giving her hand a gentle squeeze that seems to snap Ripples back to attention. She looks between him and Echo with wide eyes, and then they both turn their attention back to him.
“Okay,” Ripples says, a bit breathlessly. “Deal.”
They stand, and he finds his eyes going to Lucy, standing by the door. They make eye contact, and it feels as though her black eyes stare directly into his soul. His breath catches, but quickly evens at the warmth and contentment he feels from her. She smiles and bows her head, then leads Echo and Ripples out of the room.
It’s as if a great weight has been lifted off his shoulders, and he falls back into the couch. He looks dazed at the doorway, then at Markus beside him. He’s not quite sure what the expression on the alpha’s face means, but he thinks it’s something along the lines of warmth, fondness, and pride. He turns to look at North and finds an equally complex expression on her face. However, it’s the gratitude he sees in her eyes that draws him short.
Her eyes are intense as she meets his gaze. “Thank you, Connor.”
He frowns in confusion. “For what?”
Her expression softens, turning warm and fond. “For being you.”
He finds thirium flushing his face, and he ducks his head shyly. He doesn’t think he really did anything worth praising. He’ll accept her gratitude, though — as well as Lucy’s, Markus’s, Simon’s, and Josh’s — because it feels rude not to. He certainly doesn’t know who else he’s supposed to be if not himself, though.
Notes:
Once again, a lot of research went into this chapter, especially regarding the church. Trying to visualize the church is really hard for me, especially as it would be now in the story. It doesn’t help that we only see a glimpse of it in the game, and it’s just the one room that’s mostly out of bounds and shrouded in darkness. I can find some pictures of the IRL church that the in-game one is based on, but what I really needed was a floor plan… which I couldn’t find. So I went searching on Google for other references. (In doing so, I realized I probably completely butchered the terms for church rooms and areas, but I also can’t quite figure out what the proper terms are… so I’ll stick with the ones I used in Sweet Promises. I’m sorry.) I’ll do more research if the church becomes more of a recurring location in the story, but I’m content with the vague idea of it I have for now.
Also, I love Lucy so much. Like, so, so much, and yet I can’t quite explain why. I thought about whether or not to have her make an appearance in this chapter… but I just had to. And I knew I wanted Connor to encounter Echo and Ripples at some point (I just hadn’t decided if it would be on-screen or not), but I didn’t think it would be this soon. However, Lucy kinda decided now was the time, and so I just went with it. The characters are really writing the story more than I am. I’m basically just the observer/chronicler.
Nevraukowen on Chapter 1 Thu 26 Jun 2025 12:14AM UTC
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Nevraukowen on Chapter 3 Sun 06 Jul 2025 10:09AM UTC
Last Edited Sun 06 Jul 2025 10:10AM UTC
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Nevraukowen on Chapter 4 Mon 14 Jul 2025 04:26AM UTC
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Oniro on Chapter 5 Wed 23 Jul 2025 06:51PM UTC
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Nevraukowen on Chapter 5 Fri 25 Jul 2025 08:49PM UTC
Last Edited Fri 25 Jul 2025 08:55PM UTC
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Oniro on Chapter 6 Sun 03 Aug 2025 08:54PM UTC
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Nevraukowen on Chapter 6 Tue 05 Aug 2025 12:49AM UTC
Last Edited Tue 05 Aug 2025 12:51AM UTC
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Nevraukowen on Chapter 7 Tue 19 Aug 2025 07:59AM UTC
Last Edited Tue 19 Aug 2025 08:04AM UTC
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itismesee on Chapter 7 Wed 27 Aug 2025 04:19AM UTC
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Nevraukowen on Chapter 8 Sat 06 Sep 2025 08:24PM UTC
Last Edited Sat 06 Sep 2025 08:24PM UTC
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