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joshslater · 4 years

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Grimsby pt. 7

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I was speechless and touched. I was too exhausted to figure out what this meant though. Did he expect something from me now? Before I could gather myself Jace picked up his bag and started walking towards the exit.

- We should of a pint.

I wasn’t audibly breathing heavily any longer, but I could feel I was still pretty wound up. Flush, sweaty, and definitely thirsty after this shock introduction to the gentlemen’s art of self-defense. I felt a pint was too far away and I needed to drink right now, so I stood up and started to walk towards the drinking faucet. “You’ll regret it,” Jace remarked, barely looking my way. He was half right. The water tasted of metal pipes, but it felt good to splash my face with cold water and cool it down. There were empty holders of a mirror pane mounted on the well. At some point the mirror must have cracked and never been replaced. I wondered how I looked after such a beating. I cupped my hands and brought water up to dump in my hair, and was quickly reminded of how little of it I had left. I could feel trickles down my shaved sides and neck. The sound of the door closing made me realize Jace wasn’t waiting, so I rushed out of the locker room, out through the main doors, and caught up with him slowly walking back the way we came.

It didn’t take long until he deviated from the path we followed to the club. I had no idea where we were, or really where he was taking me, but it was obviously a route as well optimized as the path we took going here. Mostly road, but a few shortcuts through people’s back yards. It looked kind of familiar, but I’ve only walked around these blocks very tired, hangover, drunk and/or high. Now I could add beaten up and exhausted to that list. As we rounded a corner I saw a painted sign hanging out from the building, stating “Fawn’s Head”. I'd seen that pub at some point earlier in the week, but never been near it.

For some reason it looked deserted on the empty street, not that you could really tell about a pub with its door closed. Looks were deceiving, sure enough, because there were quite a few people scattered around inside the pub. It was decidedly not a high-brow clientele. Everywhere I looked I saw track tops, worker's high-viz clothes, and quite a few paint-spattered sweatshirts. I recognized some people from yesterday evening, though not by name. A few people glanced our way, garnering no interest.

I followed Jace over to the barman and witnessed a play in gestures. The barman gave Jace a nod. Jace gave him a nod. Then he nodded sideways towards me. Then the barman poured two lager, and placed them in front of us. Jace was clearly a regular, though I wasn’t even sure he was 18 yet. Without a word we grabbed our beers and started to empty the glass. It was the best-tasting beer I’ve had all week. Not because of the beer, but because this was the end of a hard day at the end of a hard week. Whatever part of my body didn’t hurt after hauling ice and fish, Jace had made tender, either directly by knocking me out, or with the bag punching exercises. But this was the end of...

- HEY!

Jace had turned towards the room and shouted at the top of his lungs. It instantly became dead silent.

- Is Chayse innit!

Everyone shifted their eyes onto me. What the hell was Jace doing?

- Fuck with him, fuck with me!

There was a second of tense silence in the room. I didn’t dare breathe.

- On me. Cheers!

The room erupted in loud cheers, followed by an explosion of chatter. Some guy in blue carpenter trousers and a blue sweatshirt, both splattered with hundreds of tiny white dots of paint, jumped up from his seat and grabbed the first of the new beers. As he was turning to get back to his table, he stopped as if he realized he should pay for the beer somehow, and slapped my sore shoulder.

- Connor’s the name. Why don’t you lad join our table for a wee bit?

Before I could even agree to that, he started shoving me in the direction towards the table. I pulled an extra chair and sat down with his crew of builders. Conner, Kieran, Tommy, and Callum. To my surprise their work stories about bad shoes, early mornings, lunch places, all felt relevant to me, and I had a few insights that fit into the conversation. Once I’ve emptied my beer I excused myself for a smoke, but Callum got up and told me to follow him. We walked out on the back and there was a large smokers patio with two groups in either end talking. Callum brought me to one of the groups and the others there greeted me and introduced themselves.

It turned out that none of them actually knew Jace, but they had seen him around. They themselves didn’t know each other that well either. They usually sat with their pals and then just came together outside for a smoke. As they started to move back inside, a tall, hard-looking guy from the other group walked across the patio.

- Hey come here!

He was shaved bald, wore shiny, black Puma clothes with red zippers and details, and a pair of black Dr. Martens. He clearly worked out, but even if he hadn’t his height alone was intimidating. It didn’t sound like a request either. Callum got the hint and quickly stubbed out his fag.

- See you around. - Yeah.

While he returned inside the pub the shaved guy motioned with his shiny head towards the other two who silently smoked at the other end. They looked every bit as tough as this guy. A bit older but just as muscled, one with buzzed heads and tracksuits, the other with a mohawk, adidas top, and dark blue adidas joggers. As I started to walk towards them, the shaved guy walked behind me, like he was herding me. Dammit, I’m also shaved, although not completely. I must stop thinking of myself as looking so different than them. Anyone who stumbled out into the patio would assume we four were a group. As I stopped he pushed me in the back to force me uncomfortably close to the other two. The older of the two, standing just in my face, made a deep drag, and blew a cloud of smoke in my face. I’m sure it was intended as disrespectful and intimidating, but it took all my self-discipline to not inhale it, even though I had just finished a smoke myself. He gave me a nod and spoke.

- Jace new runner innit. - I don’t know wh... - Shut the fuck.

I could feel the color draining from my face. Apparently there was a reason why they all left me alone outside with these guys. He continued.

- I don’t give a fuck what you do, but stay out of our business. If you see any of us you do as you’re told. Got it? - Yes. - Good. Now lick my balls. - What? - You heard me mate.

A wave of fatigue washed over me. I had been shaved and punched and drugged and so much more. Everything was unreal. This was not me, this was not my life. It’s just that with a pint in my hand and nice people around I slipped and forgot. Like an emotionally drained whore on her tenth fuck for the day I silently went down on my knees in front of his crotch. He patted my head on the exposed skin.

- This is what we like, lads, innit.

And then he tilted my head back up and looked me in the eyes.

- Remember your place next time we tell you to do something.

Then he let go and looked up at the others.

- Let's go for another, lads.

He dropped his smoldering fag on the ground in front of me as they left, and I hated that my first instinct was to pick it up and put it in my mouth. Who were they? What did they mean by Jace's runner? They had already left the patio by the time I got up and looked around. A group of patrons just walked into the patio and nodded in my direction. I nodded back and headed back into the pub, past them. I needed to find Jace and ask him what the guys meant. It wasn't hard to find him inside the pub, despite it filling up in the moments he had been out. He was standing next to a table close to the entrance, towering over the guy standing next to him. He probably towered over most people. The guy next to him was passionately talking to him. Jace saw me, and reached out like for a handshake.

- Oi Chayse, be a minute.

I grabbed his hand and felt something small in my hand. Jace winked at me.

- First one's free bruv.

He handed me a half-emptied pint glass and turned back to the guy. I stepped away and looked into my hand. A small, white pill. I felt both neglected and thankful at the same time. Of course he should finish whatever this is, but I felt we needed to talk right now. I took a large swig out of the glass and realized as I swallowed that I had already put the pill in my mouth. I was just running on autopilot after everything that had happened during this week.

Something was moving in my peripheral, and I turned to see a few guys at a table waving at me. I went to join them to kill time. I felt like I was losing grip of reality again, because the man who waved me to the table came back from the bar with a fresh lager and sat it down in front of me, while one of the other guys at the table was talking about their day of road maintenance. I was jolted back into the present, looking up at the man, Rob was it? He was smiling at me kindly. I thanked him and took a sip of the beer, and a shiver of pleasure went through me. It was even better tasting than the one I had earlier. The guy who was talking was detailing all the problems with one of the stores next to the road where they had laid stones during the day. He was about my age, but more tanned and crow's feet by the eyes after having been outdoor so much. No, this was Rob. His pitch-black hair was gelled up, and his face was framed on the other side by a black T-shirt with a big, yellow "Powell Construction" logo. I realized I had stopped listening to him and was lost in his grey-blue eyes, when he asked me something.

- Sorry mate, I have to piss.

At the moment I said it I realized it was actually true, and somewhat wobbly got up and headed towards the gents. They nodded and smiled. Jace wasn't standing where I had last seen him, I noted on the way to the gents, nor did I see him anywhere else. I wasn't sure I could trust my senses fully. What had he given me? Molly? It must have been part of it, as everything and everyone was lovely. I double-checked the sign on the door and entered the gents. Two sinks, two urinals, and a door to a proper toilet. As I walked by the mirrors over the sinks I turned my head, almost like a reflex, but stopped in my tracks.

I looked horrible. It wasn't the brutal hair, or the eyebrows, or the piercings, or the clothes. I looked like a criminal mug shot. My face was subtly swollen and bruised from the pummeling I've gotten from Jace an hour or two ago. There wasn't any specific thing I could point out. Just that I looked off. I didn't look like me anymore. Fascinated, almost mesmerized by my own ugliness I touched and poked my face. Nothing hurt. Not specifically anyway. I'm sure it would look better tomorrow, but it was unnerving still.

As I reached the urinal I realized I had a stiffy. I hoped the black adidas joggers had hidden it from Rob and whatever his name was, but I couldn't be sure. Well, this wasn't the place to do anything about it, so I simply aimed forward and let go, pissing straight into the wall of the urinal. Despite me swaying more than I would have liked or expected, the only thing I got on me was a fine mist of back splatter. I was clearly more intoxicated or high or whatever than I thought, so I don't know how long I stood with my dick out and forehead against the wall, just waiting for the dripping to stop. I was kind of hoping to also get soft, but had to settle for a semi.

I was pulling my joggers up when someone entered. I didn't take any notice of him until someone shouted "Hey" in my ear, and pushed me into the room with the toilet. He shoved me down on the lid facing him, and locked the door. It was one of the goons from the outside patio, the one with the mohawk, adidas top and joggers. He had a week-old beard and looked a bit tired as well. I knew I should be intimidated by him, but somehow I just felt like I wanted to hug him. I had this unexplainable urge to touch him. He glanced at the ceiling, looking for a smoke detector, then picked a cigarette and a lighter from a pocket. While looking down on me he slowly put the cigarette to his mouth and lit it, inhaled deeply, and exhaled the smoke on me. To his confusion this time I inhaled deeply as well. Not only did I want to embrace him. I wanted to french kiss him and suck the smoke out of his lungs. What the fuck was wrong with me?

He regained his composure. He was also clearly a bit drunker than before.

- I want to be fucking clear with you. When we tell you what to do, you do it. - Sound, mate.

This wasn't going how either of us had expected. My eyes kept darting between his face and the chain he had around his neck. Somehow it looked so pretty, glittering in the fluorescent tube light. Everything looked pretty. He struggled with what to do next.

- Lick it. Lick the groin.

I looked down. The loose, dark blue adidas joggers didn't reveal much, but a little bump indicated where his dick was. For some reason, I don't know why, I did as he said, leaned forward, and let my tongue run up and down the fabric. It didn't taste like much. I moved forward and licked with a bit more pressure. I could hear him inhale from the cigarette again.

- Ok, alright. I need to piss.

He grabbed me and stood me up with one arm, and unlocked the door with the other.

- Share the fag? - What?

It took him a second to realize I asked for his cigarette. His intimidation ploy had not gone the way he wanted, though I was at the same time both zen and wondering what the fuck was going on. He handed me the cigarette. I stepped out and he closed the door behind me. I finished the cigarette and threw it in the urinal.

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deadpanwalking · 4 years

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thank you so much for your (for lack of a better word) elegant shivtom meta. i just finished slaughterhouse 5 last month and the lot's wife quote from your tags hit me like a ton of bricks. idk if tom is gay or bi but i KNOW ppl focus too much on shiv cheating on tom when theres more to her

Thank you, dude. I sure do love shouting into the void, but when other people pick up what I put down, there is a distinct warm, fuzzy feeling.

Yeah, I think Shiv intellectually has more insight into the damage being raised by two narcissists has caused her, and that alone got her further away from the scene of the crime (aka their childhood) than either Connor, Ken, or Roman could manage—at least initially. Whether or not Shiv is officially “recovering” from trauma, when we meet her she has a job, social life, and partner which, while still being products of being raised around unimaginable wealth, have mostly managed to exist outside of her family's sphere of influence (while not overtly challenging them, what with Tom being a company man and the Democratic candidate she worked for being moderate). One of the most heartbreaking aspects of the show is seeing how completely Logan's stroke and the sinkhole it created in the power structure at Waystar suck her back in.

Seeing her capitulate, move back to New York full-time, and give up even the pretense of independence to vie for a crumbling legacy she needs to talk herself into wanting is excruciating in the same way as seeing Ken's relapse.

I agree fixating on Shiv's infidelity is by orders of magnitude less interesting than unpacking the way that she compulsively initiates anhedonic encounters with men she neither respects nor appears sexually attracted to (and arguably marries one as well), which is as much of a traumagenic behavior as Ken's drug abuse or Roman's entire personality; it's almost definitely one of the reasons she describes herself as a “mess when [Tom] met her” and something which makes her at least as unhappy as it makes him.

Like, I have said as much about Better Call Saul, but I love narratives that make room to explore the ways certain people try to be shrewd but repeat their worst mistakes, and it's framed as being less out of some weird Freudian masochism loop than the simple animal desire to get it right this time: we use or we fuck or we try to please our domineering parental figure again and again, until we fix that thing (which, good luck with that shit), or else we make a brave, terrifying choice.

#q: is [succession character's] journey a greek tragedy‚ a shakespearean tragedy‚ a hero's quest‚ or a trainwreck in slo-mo?#a: yes.#shiv roy #tom wambsgans #succession #kenstar-gregco #assbox #kurt vonnegut #siobhan roy has become unstuck in time

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anarchistcommunism · 4 years

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Black liberal, your time is up. You have held the mic for too long. Give the mic to any random protester on the street. Any one of them will have something more insightful and analytically sound to say than you do. When you dress up in clothes with our slogans and go on TV all you do is cry. What are you crying about? I cannot remember the last time I have smiled so much.

You have been smiling too long with our oppressors. There is no reason to cry when the resistance comes out. We would have thought you would be ecstatic, all you who have professed to be interested in change.

You who would speak lovingly of the English peasants of 1381 who, torch in hand, emerged from the ruins of the Black Death to burn the property of the ruling classes in the hope of emancipating themselves. But now, when Black people who are forced to witness themselves publicly hunted and tortured to death on a weekly basis rise up, you attempt to coax them away from their cigarette lighters.

Black liberal, as we brace for the second wave of repression from your government, remember that we still see you. When your police, your National Guard, your dogs are sicced on us, when your P W Botha/Bull Connor of a president who agitated for a Sharpeville 1960 against the migrants, prepares to commit atrocities, despite our masked shouts, stones and placards, we still see you. We know why you have come. But you are too late.

For the first time in a long while we have also been seen and know that we are not alone. Before we might have stepped out sheepishly, politely asking to consider more radical solutions, thinking that we were moving, vulnerably, naked and alone, into an open field of attack dogs.

But now that we have stridden bravely forth, without shields, into the centres of white supremacy, we have discovered that we are covered by a multitude of good people. Look at the world. We are not alone. As you jump the bandwagon and attempt to wrestle the reins away from us, know that this is a Black radicals' moment. See us.

Black radicals are here to stay. Come up off that mic and get out before you get "looted". And take those Barack and Michelle posters with you. They never belonged to us.

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monchikyun · 4 years

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30. bet you’ll love me

Everything is new to Connor. He is still finding pieces of himself in various places, trying to build himself up as he’s learning more about the world around him. A world that isn’t bordered by a code or defined by his mission. It has been an intimidating notion to be considered a human, he’s felt overwhelmed and lost, at times, but as months passed, the initial awkwardness of being new among other real people has washed out, leaving only the wonderfully mundane stuff behind, like doing chores and finding out that he maybe has a crush on one of his coworkers.

The people who used to fear him and project their hatred by proxy are now more or less becoming his friends or at least casual acquaintances. This of course includes detective Reed, the one person who might have probably been scared of him the most. They are more or less ignoring each other nowadays, but sometimes Connor catches the man stealing glances at him, which is not exclusive only to Reed. Because Connor watches too, whenever he has the opportunity to. Maybe he subconsciously tries to impart his inner-most feelings to him, tries to create something between them that isn’t there. It’s very unproductive and he cannot find a rational explanation for this, but he has been told that’s more than normal when one is not a flawless machine. So he accepts it as it is without trying to solve the mystery it carries around with it, just enjoying the fact that he’s able to experience such a natural thing. The pain that comes with it is just a necessary evil.

But the longer he allows those emotions to course freely through him, the more his overall mood worsens. He doesn’t know what the most correct course of action in this particular scenario would be, and he most certainly won’t find out by dwelling on it inside his overwhelmed mind. There is of course the internet at his infinite disposal, but he tries not to rely on it so much. It feels like cheating, like he’s robbing himself of organic development. So he opts to ask one of his friends, despite the embarrassment he’ll suffer from due to divulging a personal sentiment such as this. The person he chooses ends up being none other than Gavin’s own buddy Tina, and not only because her insight has the best chance of proving to be the most helpful. Connor simply likes talking to the sharp-tongued young woman. She doesn’t keep sweet with him, doesn’t act like he’s any better than the rest of them. He gets grounded by her blunt words, and that’s just what he needs right now.

“No fucking way. Talk about coincidences.”

Connor partly hopes that this means just what he suspects it would. The other part of him, the one that is readying him to bolt is convinced that it’s a completely unrelated statement.

Tina’s interest has perked up when he confessed that he maybe, possibly likes detective Reed for some weird reason. Honestly, it is more like an itch he can’t scratch, mildly infuriating and begging to be dealt with.

“Do you think I should talk to him about it?” He can’t imagine how that conversation would possibly go, and he isn’t sure he’d really like to find out.

“Absolutely not. It would be a terrible idea, trust me on this.”

Her voice drips sincerity and he loses all grounds not to do what she says. His heart sinks to his stomach, though, despite the small surge of relief that came over him right after he’d got his answer.

He is stupid for believing this would lead anywhere good. Utterly foolish for thinking that there is someone for whom he meant something, something other than just becoming friends with the most advanced android in existence.

So he goes on with his days, pretending like this doesn’t faze him. Days turn into weeks, and he still can’t get rid of that weight inside of his chest. Whenever he finds himself in detective Reed’s proximity, the man’s stress levels rise and his pulse elevates. Either he’s afraid of Connor, or… but there is no “or”, there can’t be, no matter how much he wishes for the detective to like him back, it’s never going to happen.

It’s Friday, an unusually slow one, for which he’s thankful. Connor is in low spirits, counting the minutes remaining until he can go home. Three hundred thirty-nine and counting. He looks at detective Reed for the fifth time this morning and when nothing out of the ordinary happens as a result, he decides to go make a coffee for Hank, since his attention is slipping and he caught him closing his eyes for longer than it would be deemed safe was he driving. He isn’t, luckily so, but his list of transgression is lengthy enough as it is.

He stands in front of the coffee machine, hypnotised by the steady flow of liquid that is filling the plastic cup, not paying attention to his surroundings.

That’s why he doesn’t notice the figure joining him in the break room, why he’s oblivious that someone is creeping behind him like a silent assassin.

“Connor.” His name gets called in that terrifyingly familiar voice, which is a first. A wonderful first.

He turns around, attempting to present himself as casually as he’s able to, to hide his traitorous nervousness.

“I like you.”

Reed says it like he’s talking about the downpour behind the windows, like it doesn’t concern him at all. And before Connor can react in any way, he’s gone, leaving the android in an utter state of shock. He can’t be sure it really happened, that it wasn’t just his overactive imagination preconstrucitng indulgent scenarios on its own.

Still, he forgets about the coffee and runs back to the office, not being surprised when he finds Reed’s desk empty. Connor catches him outside just as he’s about to unlock his car. The few moments they spend in the rain are enough to soak them, making them look like they went for a swim without taking off their clothes.

The detective gives him a look that betrays vulnerability and verifies the truth of his statement.

And Connor can’t help himself anymore.

“I like you, too,” he shouts through the onslaught of raindrops, to make sure the other man hears him properly. A boulder has been lifted from where his heart lies, and he feels like crying. But it wouldn’t be fair for him to do that, so he lets the sky do it for him instead.

“Okay, great. What now.” Not the response he expected, but at least Reed doesn’t flee, which is a success on its own.

Even if Connor knew the answer to that, it’s not like he could afford to do anything at this moment. He’s still on the clock, after all.

“You should go now. But call me sometimes after six, if you want. I know you have my number.” To that, the detective nods and hurriedly enters his car. Connor watches as it speeds away and gets swallowed by the drenched city.

“It was a bet.”

“Sorry, what?”

“Tina bet me to say those words to you before you would.” Gavin exhales and wishes that his corrupted soul escaped together with the released breath.

“Oh. You won, then.” And Connor sounds so hurt he wants to scream. At himself mostly, for being such a terrible person and causing the broken sound being spilled from Connor’s lips.

He’s glad he can’t see the android right now, that at least he’s spared the opportunity to touch him. But he wants to do just that, more than anything else in the world.

“No, I didn’t. I… don’t want that money, not anymore.” He squeezes his eyes shut and imagines that he’s someone who has the right to say what he’s about to because there is nothing that would stop him from doing so.

“I meant it, Connor. I do like you, maybe even more than that.”

It wouldn’t take much to fall in love with him if, he’s painfully aware of that.

“Is this just a part of that challenge?”

“No, of course not. I realise I have no right to ask you to trust me, not after all this shit, so I won’t. Just know that I’m really, truly sorry. For everything. And I know you deserve-“

“Shut up. I meant it too, you know. I still do, even though I fucking mad at you right now. And at Tina.”

“Didn’t know you were allowed to swear. It’s kinda hot coming from you.”

“Don’t push it.”

Yeah, he figures. It’s just that he has a nonexistent impulse control.

“Will.. will you forgive me?” He gives up on concealing his anxiety, the self-loathing caused by his recklessness. His voice has its own say and there is not much he can do about it.

“We’ll see. Depends on how you’ll behave from now on.”

His absolute best. Gavin can’t do anything but bet Connor’s affection on it.

@convinseptember thank you very much for this challenge! I’m glad I was able to participate ♥

#convinseptember #convin #my favourite thing about convin is that I can project my own experiences onto them I guess xD #this happened to me but without the last part when they had the phone-call unfortunately xD #but it was back in middle school so it doesn't count :D

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connorandersons-blog · 4 years

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Oh goodness I wrote the prompt and kept going. So uhhhh warning for smut! (I'm so sorry fksbsk)

@fortyfivefries

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Their computers were glitching. It wasn't too uncommon but it was still incredibly frustrating. He had to actually submit a report into a computer, and now the high-tech computers they had were out of commission.

So they had older models brought in. They were so much bulkier than the other types. They should still be fairly easy to use.

He sat down in front of the computer and booted it up. Why he had to actually use a computer and not do it from his brain was beyond him. Police politics, ugh.

Anyway, back to the matter at hand. The report. He started writing it up, easily doing so from his memory. The case was simple enough but it had ties to red ice, so they had asked Gavin to help out.

He worked for a bit until Gavin interrupted his train of thought.

"Hey, Tincan it's about lunch, so we're gonna head out. You wanna come?" Gavin calls. He still didn't have the necessary parts to eat, but he appreciated the offer nonetheless.

He looked down at his half-written report and stood up, turning the computer off. He stands and grabs his jacket from the back of his chair. "I'd love to."

Gavin nods then squints just slightly. "Did… did you save? Some of these older computers don't save automatically." Connor felt his heart stop. Everything saved for you now, he hadn't even thought of that.

Now he had just hasted so much time. He should have known! If he wasn't so distracted by Gavin's request he would have thought to save, but he hadn't. "Shit," He grumbled, reaching up and tugging at his hair.

Gavin chuckled and walked over. "That was by far the stupidest thing you've ever done." Connor sent him a glare and sat back down. There was no way he could take a break now. "Don't worry, I'll help."

Gavin grabbed a chair and wheeled it over, plopping into with a sigh. Connor really wanted the help, and Gavin's company but humans needed to eat.

"Detective-" he starts, but Gavin sends him a glare, "Gavin, you don't need to help me. It was my mistake. You should go enjoy lunch." He turned the computer back on, trying to stare at it instead of Gavin.

"Eh, not that hungry anyway." He shrugged.

"Do you know how to fix this? Is there a way to get it back?" He really fucking hoped there was. If so then they could go to lunch, if not? Well Connor was screwed and not in the fun way.

Gavin snorted and shook his head. "For a computer with feelings you don't seem to know much about computers." That was fair but that didn't stop him from reaching over and cuffing him over the head.

Gavin yelps, even though he didn't hit him that hard. "Fucking androids." Gavin muttered, but he didn't mean it maliciously. He hadn't meant it maliciously since before the revolution.

The old computer finally loads up and they get back to work, this time with many more interruptions. "Get me a coffee, dipshit." Gavin mumbles. Connor rolls his eyes and stands.

He really didn't mind getting him coffee, after all, he was helping him. He jogged over to the break room and quickly made the coffee the way he knew Gavin liked it. It wasn't the first time he'd helped him and Hank on a case.

He walked back over and sat down, handing Gavin the cup. He looked at the screen and sighed, rolling his eyes. "Gavin, using bullet points isn't acceptable in an official report like this."

He reached over and batted Gavin's hands away from the computer, trying to keep his blushing at bay. Gavin was definitely a tactile person, and Connor could be too, but hands were generally very… personal part of androids. They could interface with other androids this way, which was often used between couples or loved ones.

"So pushy, if I didn't know better I'd say you just like touching me." Ah, yes. How could he ever forget that fact. Once Gavin's friend it seemed he'd flirt with the person, no matter his interest in them.

Connor hummed and bumped him with his shoulder. "Maybe I do." Gavin snorted and rolled his eyes like that was an impossible concept. That was another thing about Gavin, no matter how confident he acted he was always so self-conscious.

Most people wouldn't notice the way he tried to blend into the background when he didn't want to be seen. Or how he made self-deprecating jokes. He almost never doubted himself on a case, but Connor could tell he overthought most other things.

"Let's get back to work." Gavin said, changing the subject. Connor sighed but nodded, looking at the computer.

Gavin made remarks, not all pertaining to the case, as they worked. He did give good insights, but he was more distracting than anything else. That was completely Connor's fault, but he did his best to stay focused.

He tapped a pen against his lips in thought, before holding it between his teeth as he used his hands to type. It wasn't unusual for him to bite, suck, or just hold things in his mouth as he worked.

He didn't even realize he was doing it until Gavin reached over and pulled it out of his mouth. He blinked a few times and looked over. Gavin's face was flushed, and eyes wide but he wasn't looking at Connor. Actually, it seemed like he was trying to look anywhere but.

"Gavin?" He asked, tilting his head just slightly. Gavin glanced at him, then quickly away, his face becoming even redder.

"You were fucking sucking on this thing like a-" he cuts himself off, shaking his head.

He tries to go over his memory of what he had been doing but it mostly comes up blank, his mind being too focused on the case and Gavin. "Like a what, Gavin?"

Gavin sighs and drops the pen onto the desk. "Like a fucking dick. Or maybe a sucker, I don't know!"

Connor's eyes widened and quickly looked at the pen. Had he been doing that? He hadn't meant to, but maybe he did. Oh goodness, he knew his face was turning blue.

But… he quickly looked up at Gavin. He didn't even need to scan him to know his heart rate was higher. Gavin shifts in his seat and Connor's eyes slide down and… fuck. Huh. He was not really expecting that.

"I… uh," he stutters out.

Gavin quickly stands, "fuck." He practically runs to the bathroom before Connor can stop him.

He had a few choices. He could go after Gavin, talk to him and maybe… help with his problem. Sit here and wait until he comes back and talk to him about it. Or, he could try to forget. Yeah, two out of the three options didn't sound as good as the first.

He quickly stood and jogged over to the bathroom, not bothering to knock. He walked in, and saw only one stall occupied. "Gavin?"

"Fuck off, Tincan." Gavin calls out. There's a thud which Connor assumes is Gavin banging his head on the stall.

Connor walked over to the stall, hesitating for a second. "Gavin… I could—no—I want to help." He knew his voice didn't sound as confident as he wanted it to.

There was a brief second of silence where Connor was sure Gavin would turn him down. Then the lock clicked open, and Connor took the invitation.

The stall wasn't big so he didn't have too much room as he walked in, locking the door behind him. Gavin's eyes were wide, and his pupils were huge.

He once again hesitated for only a second before reaching out and gently cupping Gavin's face. He knew he could just slide down to his knees, do it and be done. But he wanted this. He wanted Gavin.

"Fucking hell." Gavin muttered before closing the very small distance between them. Connor makes a small, please sound at the back of his throat as they kiss. It was far from romantic, being in a bathroom and all, but that didn't make it any less enjoyable.

It doesn't take long until Gavin is panting, and Connor pulls away to kiss and bite down his neck. "Fuck! Fucking-ah-fucking hell Connor." Gavin moans out, eyes fluttered closed.

Connor grins and finally sinks to the floor. He unzips Gavin and pulls his pants and underwear down in one fluid motion. Gavin's eyes fly open and he looks down at Connor.

Gavin runs his hands through Connor's hair as he licks him from base to the tip. He looks up through his eye lashes as he slowly takes him into his mouth.

Gavin's hands tighten in his hair, trying to keep himself at least somewhat quite. The pulling makes Connor whine, but he doesn't pull off. He doesn't need to breathe and he doesn't have a gag reflex, benefits of being an android.

He starts off slowly, holding Gavin's hips still against the wall. Of course, Gavin tries to squirm, but Connor keeps him still. He swirls his tongue around the head, smirking when Gavin's breath caught.

"Fuck, Connor!" Gavin sighs, wanking on his hair, and Connor takes him completely in his mouth again. Part of him wants to draw this out, he wants to watch as Gavin comes undone. But, they had work to do.

He gently massaged Gavin's thighs where he held them, making a pleased hum when Gavin sighs. "Fuck, Con, I'm close."

Connor hums around him and speeds up his pace. Gavin whines and yanks on his hair. Connor takes the hint and takes him all the way, swallowing around him. That seems to do the trick as Gavin let's out a mix of a shout and whine, coming down his throat.

Once Gavin is completely finished Connor leans back, and wipes at his mouth. He'd have to do a system clean, but he didn't mind. Gavin is still panting and leaning heavily on the wall as Connor stands.

"Fucking hell, Connor. Where the fuck did you learn that?" Gavin mumbled, not even bothering to clean himself yet.

Connor smiled and brushed a few strands of hair out of Gavin's face. "I just did what felt right." Gavin gave a small hum, then his eyes went wide.

"Wait, fuck have you even been kissed before?" Gavin reaches out and gently holds his hand.

Connor blinks a few times. "I have been kissed, but it didn't go anywhere." He had been kissed exactly three times, and one of them he'd rather not think about ever again.

"Shit," Gavin cursed under his breath. "Sorry your first time, well first time blowjob, was in a bathroom with me."

Connor frowned and gently cupped his face again, leaning in to kiss him slowly. He pulls back, even though he doesn't want to. "I'm very glad it was with you."

Gavin's eyes slowly open and he grins at Connor, pulling him into another kiss.

They both freeze when the bathroom door opens, but thankfully the person just goes into a stall. They don't say anything as they stare at each other.

Whoever it is doesn't take long, and is out of the bathroom quick. Connor sighs and Gavin chuckles, finally reaching for the toilet paper to clean himself up.

Connor tried to give him room, but the stall was quite small. "We should get back to work." He says, pulling them out of the stall once Gavin's pants are back on.

"Yeah, yeah. Just don't suck on any more pens and we'll both live." Gavin said, reaching out to hold Connor's hand.

"I make no promises."

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wherepoetswentodie · 4 years

Text

BOM 10 Day Challenge Day 1!

Line Prompt - “Let it burn”

(This is longer than I meant it to be, soz)

It felt exceptionally cruel to have his entire life fall apart during a time when his life should have been coming together.

Kevin sat at the kitchen table, staring down at the Book of Arnold in his hand and wondering how much further he could fall before he was actually six feet under. Arnold sat next to him, humming under his breath as he scribbled new passages. He occasionally stopped to ask for a spelling of a word, or if God would really reference the Return of the Jedi when talking about loving each other no matter what.

“No, he would,” Arnold said without even waiting for Kevin’s opinion, “because everyone still loved Luke and Leia even though they were siblings and kissed each other,”

“Yeah,” Kevin said with about as much enthusiasm as someone who had just discovered he had made out with his sibling, “He’d totally do that,”

Arnold beamed at him and turned back to his work, ramping up the volume of his humming. Clenching his jaw, because everything was just so loud, Kevin stood up from the chair, muttered something about going on a walk and left through the back door of the hut. The only problem with walking away from Arnold was that his incessant humming was no longer drowning out the thoughts that Kevin would rather not think.

He collapsed under the shade of a tree and squeezed his eyes shut, fingers curling and uncurling in his hair as his brain went into overdrive, reminding him of everything he was trying to forget; the General. Disappointed parents. The General. Disappointed parents Failed mission. Excommunication. The General. Disappointed parentsFailed mission. Excommunication. The General. Disappointed parents. The General. Failed mission. Excommunication.

On and on it went, like some fairground carousel made up of all the reasons he despised waking up in the morning. Sometimes, he wondered how he had made it a whole 10 months without giving in. Though he wasn’t sure what he wanted to give into: was it his parents and the Church? Did he just want to run off home and never think about Uganda again? Or did he just want to jump into the lake and hope he never came back up?

That thought terrified him more than any. He was quite sure that he could deal with facing his parents, but wanting everything to end...he couldn’t even fathom that. Not anymore. There was a time when he was convinced that taking his last breath wouldn’t be the last thing he ever did, now he wasn’t so sure. Infact, the only thing that he was sure of was that taking his last breath would be the last thing he ever did. That fact itself didn’t scare him. His being so okay with death being final was what scared him, because he’d try and run from death. Death meant that he didn’t have to think so much and didn’t have to relieve the worst moment of his life every time he tried to sleep.

The sun beginning to set was his cue to go back to the hut, because the last thing he needed was Connor snapping at him for being out so late. He hesitated on the backstep of the hut for a moment, wondering if he should spend the night elsewhere when Elder Davis spotted him and gestured for him to join the rest of the Elders at the table.

“Come on, Price,” he said, patting the seat next to him, “You need to eat,”

Somewhere in the back of his mind, Kevin was vaguely aware of how Davis had volunteered at a shelter for troubled kids before coming on his mission and was momentarily worried that Davis thought he was like those kids. And if Kevin’s life could get any worse - and he really didn’t want it to - Davis was known for conducting therapy sessions with his fellow Elders, and Kevin didn’t need a therapy session. He just needed a nap. Or a strong coffee. Perhaps both.

His worry was cut short, however, when he realised that his seat was facing Connor. Of course, there was nothing wrong with Connor. Connor was his boyfriend, after all. He just wasn’t his boyfriend in front of everyone else. Kevin was a great boyfriend in private, showering Connor with all the love and affection that he deserved, and even presenting him with the occasional bunch of flowers. In public, however, he knew that he was nothing short of terrible; he barely even looked at him. It was stupid, he knew it was, because the other Elders wouldn’t care, but he still couldn’t bring himself to do something as innocent as hold Connor’s hand when they were walking through the village.

“Are you okay, Elder?” Davis asked, gently touching his arm, “You look worried,”

Kevin flinched at the touch and nodded his head, feeling Connor’s eyes burning into him, “I’m fine,”

Davis immediately withdrew his hand, instead settling for a comforting smile instead. Coming to the conclusion that Davis definitely thought that he was like one of those kids from the shelter, Kevin quickly looked away and struck up a conversation with Arnold.

For the rest of the meal, Kevin was painfully aware of Elder Davis’ stare and he had half the mind to turn around and tell him to fuck off, because he really was okay and didn’t need a therapy session off anyone.

“Thank-you for cooking, Elder Schrader,” Connor said once the plates had been cleared, “How’s everyone's day been?”

Elder Thomas groaned and slumped sideways into Elder Church, “Our day, has been like Hell ,”

Church sighed and put his arm around his boyfriend as he pressed a kiss to his temple. At once, Kevin averted his eyes because he knew that Connor wanted to be as open as them, but Kevin just couldn’t bring himself to. He still flushed bright red when he walked by their room and heard the squeaking of bed springs. Everyone else seemed to find the fact that they were having sex hilarious, but Kevin struggled to find the funny side of it. Arnold said that the reason he didn’t find it funny was because he had a stick up his ass and needed to lighten up. Kevin hated that phrase, but never really felt like explaining exactly why.

“It wasn’t that bad at all,” Church said, “Chris just saw a snake,”

“It tried to attack me!” Thomas exclaimed.

“It didn’t, Church said, “it just looked at him and then slithered away,”

Connor rolled his eyes at his mission companion before turning back to the tabe, “Anyone else have any near death experiences?”

“I almost fell off the roof when I was trying to fix it. Broke it a bit more.” Elder Neeley shrugged.

“Is it fixed?” Connor asked anxiously, “because we really can’t sleep here tonight if it’s broke. We need to-”

“Chill, it’s fixed,” Neeley said, “Well, I didn’t fix it. Naba fixed it for me. Apparently us ‘ white boys can’t do anything, ’”

“That’s a nice insight into her and Cunningham's relationship,” Zelder said.

Arnold frowned, “Huh? I don’t - I don’t get the joke.”

Connor put his hand over his mouth as he giggled, “It’s okay, Elder Cunningham. It was a stupid joke,”

“Why are you laughing then?” Arnold asked, frown deepening, “What does fixing a roof have to do with my girlfriend? I don’t get it,”

Kevin just about managed to bite back a laugh at the look on Arnold’s face. His frown very quickly turned into a scowl as the laughter around the table started to increase in volume. He slumped back in his chair, arms tightly folded.

“I don’t get it!” Arnold exclaimed. He turned to Kevin and tugged on his arm, “Why are you laughing? What’s the joke? Tell me! Kev!”

Kevin hastily shook his head, “I’m not - I’m not laughing!”

“‘ White boys can’t do anything ’” Church said with a chuckle, “So you can’t do anything for her...like... you know ...”

Arnold stared at him for a moment and then turned bright red, “Shut up!”

“Alright, alright, leave him alone, now..” Connor said, eyes sparkling from laughing so much, “Anyone else do anything fun today? What about you, Elder Price?”

Kevin jumped, his knee hitting the underside of the table and causing his eyes to water. Blinking his eyes back into focus, he shook his head.

“No. I didn’t - I didn’t do anything...”

Connor raised his eyebrows, “Nothing?”

Kevin shook his head, “No, I - you didn’t give me any jobs today. I didn’t have anything to do. I mean, I helped Arnold with the Book of Arnold a little but...well, that’s about it.”

Connor gave him a strange look before he addressed the rest of the table again, smiling like nothing had happened.

“Great!” Connor said, “Well, if no one else has anything to say, we can probably settle down for the evening. I’ll be in my office if anyone needs me,”

He gave Kevin a pointed look who nodded a little and hung around in the kitchen a little longer. He poured himself a cup of coffee and, when everyone was gone, he hurried into Connor’s office, quickly shutting the door behind him.

“Coffee, Kev, really?”

Kevin scowled at him, “What’s wrong with my coffee?”

“It’s late! You’ll never sleep tonight!”

Kevin shrugged and sat down in the chair opposite Connor’s desk, taking a massive gulp, “I’ll be fine. I’m not dead yet, am I?”

“Not yet,” Connor said, pulling some paperwork towards him, “Can you please stop buying the really expensive coffee? It’s making budgeting hard,”

“Fine,” Kevin mumbled, “but the cheap stuff doesn’t do it for me,”

Connor shook his head and looked up at him, “Tell me, then.”

Kevin frowned, “Uh...tell you...tell you what? That I - That I love you?”

Connor laughed a little, “No, not that. Well, I love you too, darling, but...what’s bothering you?”

“That you’re making me buy cheap coffee?”

“Kevin. I’m being serious. There’s something wrong with you. What is it?”

“Nothing. I swear, nothing is bothering me,” Kevin said, “I’m just tired. Hence the coffee,”

Connor narrowed his eyes at him, "Okay. But you can tell me anything, Kev,"

Kevin nodded, "Yeah, I know,"

For the rest of the night, he could not do much but wonder how on Earth he had ever enjoyed talking about himself so much.

~~~~~~~

“Can I talk to you?”

Kevin groaned quietly and placed his mug back on the kitchen table. He turned to face Connor, almost certain he was about to get shouted at for slacking off his chores the day before.

“I, um, I just - I wanted to talk to you,” Connor said, “I - uh...are you alright?”

“Am I...alright?” Kevin asked.

Connor nodded, “Yeah. Are you alright?”

Kevin stared at him, “Uh...yeah? Why are you - why are you asking?”

Connor gave him a searching look, one that made him feel like he could see right through him.

“You haven’t been the same since the day of Nabulungi’s play,”

“I’m fine,” Kevin said hastily, “I told you what happened. I got lost and then - and then I got mugged and couldn’t find my way back to the hut. That’s all. That’s why I was gone so long,”

Connor nodded, but Kevin didn’t think that he looked convinced and not for the first time, he wished that he had Arnold’s knack for lying. His disappearance before Nabulungi’s play had been the reason for most of their fights, and Kevin had the feeling that they were heading straight for another one.

“It’s a small village,” Connor said carefully, “Hard to get lost it,”

“It was - it was late,”

“Why are you lying to me, Kevin?”

Kevin clenched his jaw, “I told you what happened. It’s up to you whether you want to believe me or not,”

“I don’t,”

“Fine,” Kevin snapped, “Don’t believe me then!”

Connor narrowed his eyes, his tone almost immediately changing, “I also noticed that you did none of your chores yesterday. Don’t let it happen again,” and with that, he turned on his heel and stormed off into his office.

“Fucking annoying,” Kevin muttered to himself, snatching his mug back off the table and disappearing upstairs to his and Arnold’s shared room.

Shutting the door behind him, Kevin dropped to his knees beside his bed and reached underneath, hand scrabbling on the hardfloor until he found the box that he was looking for. He dragged it out from underneath the bed and pulled the lid out peering inside at a tattered Book of Mormon in a plastic bag, and an equally tattered uniform. Carefully, he took the uniform out and laid it across his lap.

He ran his hand over the dirty fabric, and it was like he was able to pinpoint exactly where every mark came from; the blood on the left side of his collar had dripped down from his nose, and the blood on the pocket had gushed from a gash on his temple. He picked up the trousers and held them up; he could just about see dried blood congealed on the back of them. Whenever he looked at them, he could never quite understand how he had managed to make it all the way from the General’s camp to Gotswanas on foot. It would almost be impressive if it wasn’t so tragic.

“I’m sorry, Kev, I shouldn’t have - what are you doing?”

Kevin yelped and jerked away from the door, holding the trousers close to his chest. Connor stood with one hand still on the doorknob, staring down at him with a slight frown on his face.

“N-Nothing!” Kevin stuttered, “Just - laundry. I’m doing laundry.”

“We put the laundry on an hour ago. You’re a bit late for -” he paused again and stooped down, picking up the shirt, “What on earth have you been doing in this shirt?”

“Nothing!” Kevin said again, leaping up and snatching the shirt out of his hands, “It’s - It’s nothing,”

Connor narrowed his eyes and kicked the door shut with his foot, “You’re lying to me. Again. What the heck is going on, Kevin?”

“Nothing!” Kevin snapped.

“So why the heck do you have this Book of Mormon in a plastic bag ?” Connor asked, waving it around.

“Don’t touch that!” Kevin said quickly.

“Why?” Connor asked.

“Because...Because-” before he could even try and collect himself, he burst into tears.

“Kevin!” Connor exclaimed, hurrying forward and wrapping him in his arms, “It’s - It’s okay...please speak to me, love,”

Kevin shook his head, gripping onto the back of Connor’s shirt, “C-Can’t,”

“Okay,” Connor said quietly, “Okay, so...so don’t speak. That’s okay. What do you - what do you want me to do? Do you want me to go?”

“N-No!” Kevin exclaimed, gripping onto him harder when he had started to pull away, “No. N-Not yet. I need to - I need to - I need you here. Please. Just - don’t go. Please,”

“Okay,” Connor whispered, kissing his forehead, “I’m not going anywhere. I’m here,”

It took Kevin almost three hours to find it in himself to speak. It seemed that years of repressing his feelings had allowed Connor to deal with even the worst news well. As Kevin sobbed his way through the story of what really happened, Connor sat opposite him with what could only be described as a blank look on his face. Anyone else might have found this rude, but Kevin was thankful; the last thing he needed was for Connor to start crying, too.

“I’m sorry,” Connor whispered, pulling him in for another hug, “I’m so, so sorry,”

Kevin carried on bawling into his shoulder and even allowed Connor to pull him into his lap, something that he usually would have hated. But even could admit that the feeling of Connor’s arm wrapped around him and a hand running through his hair was nice.

“I - I should have t-told you sooner but I didn’t - I didn’t know h-how, I’m s-sorry,” Kevin sobbed.

“Uh, uh,” Connor said softly, shifting so that they were lay side by side, “You shouldn’t be apologising for this. I should be apologising for constantly pushing you to talk about it,”

Kevin sniffled and nuzzled his face into Connor’s neck, trying his very best to make himself as small as possible for someone who was 6’2 and lying next to someone who was 5’7. Had this been under any other circumstances, Kevin would have been mortified at how he was acting and even more mortified that they were cuddling in bed.

“I want to forget about it. I want to move on,” Kevin mumbled into his neck.

Connor pressed a kiss into his hairline, “Holding onto that uniform and the book isn’t going to help you. How often do you look at them?”

Kevin shrugged, “I - I dunno. Not - Not everyday,”

“Do you - Do you want to get rid of them?” Connor asked quietly.

“I don’t - I don’t know,” Kevin whispered, “I don’t know what I’m meant to do,”

“You don’t need to,” Connor whispered, “We’ll wait until you’re ready. Whenever that is,”

Kevin nodded and wiped his eyes, frowning when Connor untangled himself from him and leaned back against the headboard of his bed. Kevin sat up and rubbed his eyes.

“What’re - What’re you doing?” Kevin asked, “Come back,”

Connor’s cheeks flushed a little, “Oh. S-Sorry. You just - we’ve never...we’ve never cuddled like this before...I didn’t think you’d want to...”

Kevin shook his head and tugged on his hand until he lay next to him again. Silently, Kevin pressed his face against Connor’s chest and wrapped his arms around his waist. Connor tensed for a moment before putting his arms around him, gently stroking the back of his head.

“I don’t - I don’t mean to push you away...” Kevin whispered against his chest, “‘m sorry,”

“Please stop apologising,” Connor whispered, “I don’t want you apologising for anything else,”

“‘m sorry,” Kevin mumbled, “Oh, no, sorry, I didn’t mean to...” he trailed off with a giggle, “Just gonna shut up,”

Connor laughed a little and leaned down to kiss him, “Have a nap. You look exhausted. Is that - Is that why you drink so much coffee? So you don’t have to sleep,”

Tears sprang to Kevin’s eyes again and he was grateful that he was able to hide his face as he nodded, “Get nightmares...”

Connor’s arm tightens around him and he buries his nose in Kevin’s hair, “Please try and sleep...”

Kevin wanted nothing more than to stay awake; the thought of having a nightmare in front of Connor made him want to jump into the lake. They were never like the ones in the movies, where the protagonist would jerk around in bed before waking up until they woke up with a gasp. They were more violent, and usually ended with Kevin waking up with a scream dying in his throat, convinced that he was back at the General’s camp.

“I don’t want to have a nightmare,” Kevin whispered, looking up at him with terrified eyes.

“It’s okay if you do,” Connor said quietly, “I don’t - I don’t mind,”

As Kevin finally drifted off to sleep, he wondered if the movies had got it right with the notion that falling asleep in the arms of a boyfriend or girlfriend was all that was needed to stave off nightmares.

He woke up ten minutes later convinced that the arms around him belonged to the General.

~~~~~~

“District meeting!”

Connor’s voice pulled Kevin out of what had been a relatively peaceful sleep by his standards. He groaned a little and glanced over at the clock flashing 10:28 at him.

“Two minutes!” Kevin yelled down the stairs, “it’s our day off!”

“Now!” Connor yelled back.

A groan from the bed next to him told him that Arnold was awake, and not very happy about it.

“Control your boyfriend, Kevin,”

“I wish I could,” he grumbled back, dragging himself out of bed and over to his closet, pulling a uniform on and feeling thoroughly pissed off about it.

By the time Kevin was ready and had coaxed Arnold out of bed, Connor was standing in the empty kitchen, impatiently tapping his foot. Kevin gave him a quick peck on the lips as he passed him and poured himself a coffee.

“Did you sleep okay?” Connor asked quietly, putting his hand on the small of Kevin’s back.

Kevin nodded, glancing over his shoulder to make sure that no one was going to walk in the kitchen and catch them together.

“Fine. I didn’t have a nightmare,”

Connor beamed and kissed his cheek, “I’m glad,”

When the other Elders finally made it to the kitchen, Kevin hurried away from Connor and plopped down next to Arnold, doing his best to not feel like the world's worst boyfriend - though he was under no pretence that he was a good one. He was average, teetering on below average.

“What’s going on, Con? I’m tired,” Elder Thomas asked, looking as though he was still very much half asleep.

“I know that today is our day off, but I want to do something fun for us all tonight and it involves some preparation,” Connor said excitedly, “I think we should have a bonfire!”

Kevin could tell that Connor thought that his words would be met with excitement instead of groans by the way the grin melted off his face. Everyone turned to look at Elder Thomas, knowing that he would be the only one able to call Connor out on his strange ideas without getting shouted at.

“A bonfire?” Thomas repeated, “Connor, it’s fucking boiling. Why would we want more heat? And the hut is made of wood and straw! We’d burn the place down!”

Connor rolled his eyes, “Not if it’s controlled, silly! I just thought it would be nice! We could roast those marshmallows that I bought from Kampala and - and...well, it could be a bit..therapeutic,”

“Therapeutic?” Davis asked, “What’s therapeutic about a bonfire?”

Connor’s face flushed a little, “Well, I know that - I know that we’ve all had some...uh...letters from home that haven’t been so nice and we all have things that maybe we’re...holding onto, so why not - why burn them? Let it all go?”

Kevin looked down at his coffee. Connor McKinley was many things, but subtle was not one of them. He knew exactly why Connor was doing this, and he wasn’t sure if he wanted to hug him for it or not.

“If it’s a bad idea then we can just-”

“No,” Church said, cutting Connor off, “I think it’s a good idea. Why - Why not? I’ve got letters off my dad,”

Connor beamed, “Great! Neeley and Church, you can go and collect firewood and anything else that you think will burn aannddd Schrader and Zelder can go to the market to try and find some matches or a lighter or something. Just find a way to set something on fire,”

“I feel like Ghali knows how to set things on fire,” Zelder said, standing up from the table and dragging Schrader with him.

Connor glanced over at Kevin, “Everything okay, Elder Price?”

Kevin nodded and forced a smile onto his face, “Yeah. I’m good,”

By the time the bonfire was roaring, Kevin was far from okay. He sat on the back step of the mission hut, clinging onto the box so tightly that his knuckles had turned white. He watched as his fellow missionaries threw various letters into the fire, whooping as they watched them burn.

“Hey,” Connor said, sitting down next to him and holding a wad of letters that Kevin knew to be off his family, “You gonna do it?”

“Scared,” Kevin whispered.

“Why?” Connor asked.

Kevin bit the inside of his lip, “Ever since - ever since it happened, I’ve not felt real. And I - looking at this stuff it - it helps me feel real,” he looked down at the box and then at Connor, “I know that - that doesn’t make sense. And it's not like - it's not like this is going to make it all better, is it?"

Connor shook his head, "No, but it's a start, isn't it?"

Kevin shrugged. If he himself couldn't understand what was happening in his head, how was he meant to be explain it to Connor?

“You don’t have to if you don’t want to,” Connor said.

“No, I - I need to do it,” Kevin mumbled, standing up, “Can we - Can we do it together?”

Connor smiled, “Yeah. Together,”

The moment they reached the bonfire, Connor dropped his letters into the fire. Kevin watched as Connor’s face split into a wide grin. The fire cast soft light across his features, making his skin glow and eyes sparkle.

"Together," Connor reminded him softly.

Kevin nodded and took a took a deep breath, turning back to the fire. Regret set in the moment he let go of the box and watched as it fell into the fire. He launched himself forward, desperate to get it back, but arms wrapped around his middle and dragged him away.

“Kev, baby, no. It’s gonna - you’re gonna hurt yourself,”

And even though he knew that people were watching and would ask one million questions the next day, Kevin twisted around in Connor’s arms and held on, because there was nothing else that he could do. Still clinging onto Connor, Kevin turned around to face the fire, watching the box and it’s insides slowly crumble into ash.

“I shouldn’t have - I shouldn’t have done that,” he cried, “I - I need it,”

“You don’t,” Connor whispered, “Let it burn,”

#BOM10DayChallenge #tbom musical #kevin price #connor mckinley #mcpricely #elder mckinley #elder price #this was long and dark i am so sorry

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detroitwhatitmeanstobehuman · 4 years

Text

Chapter 1 - One and the Same

Part 1/17 of What it Means to be Human

Word Count: 10,810

Warnings: Swearing. There’s a lot of it, our girl’s a foulmouth.

Genre: Self-insert fic

Pairing: OC (Detective Rachel) X Connor

Rating: Mature

Summary: Lieutenant Hank Anderson, while interrogating the android that murdered Carlos Ortiz, brings in one of his strangest and yet uniquely skilled detectives in the DPD - Detective Rachel. Connor, the android sent by CyberLife much to Anderson’s behest, finds himself intrigued by Rachel’s foulmouthed and prickly nature, yet immense and unabashed sense of empathy and compassion towards others.

---------------------------------

Date: November 6th, 2038 Time: 12:41 AM Objective: Extract Confession Hank - Neutral

“Why d'you kill him? What happened before you took that knife?” A greying man with chin-length hair and a scruffy, but kept, beard asked the man sitting across from him.

Approximately an hour ago, Connor and Lieutenant Hank Anderson had apprehended a deviant android hiding at the scene of a homicide. And now, the android was brought in for questioning. Though it didn’t appear to cooperate with the lieutenant’s questions and simply stayed silent, not looking the aged man in the eyes.

Stealing a glance back at both Connor and Detective Gavin Reed, a rather disheveled and rough-looking man, through the two-way mirror. A black police officer named Chris Miller was seated at the controls on Connor’s left. “How long were ya in the attic? Why didn't you even try to run away?” No answer from the android. The lieutenant reached across to snap his fingers at it, as if trying to catch its attention.

Hank seemed to glance back at the others in disbelief before losing his patience and slamming his hands on the table. “Say something, goddamnit!” He shouted at it.

No response, still. The lieutenant seemed to have enough and lifted himself up from his seat. “Fuck it, I'm outta here..." He muttered, turning around and opening the door, leaving the interrogation room.

It didn’t take long before Hank entered the observation side of the mirror with the others, huffing his complaints. “We're wastin' our time interrogating a machine, we're gettin' nothing out of it!” He sat down next to Chris harshly, getting agitated.

“'Could always try roughing it up a little.” Gavin suggested casually. “After all, it's not human..."

“Androids don't feel pain.” Connor pointed out. “You would only damage it and that wouldn't make it talk.” He took another look at the deviant on the other side of the mirror before he heard the door open beside him. “Deviants also have a tendency to self-destruct when they're in stressful situations.”

“So do I. They’re not special.” An unfamiliar female voice replied with a scoff. As Connor turned around to see who it belonged to, he found himself facing a shorter woman with short, wavy, dark brown hair and dark eyes that matched framed by the frames of a pair of rounded rectangular glasses. She was wearing a dark brown sweater with thick horizontal stripes of a much darker grey.

“Hi, Rachel.” Chris greeted pleasantly.

Hank scoffed in her direction. “Well, well, well. Nice of you to finally join us, Rachel.”

“Oh, well sorry I’m late, Hank.” She replied sarcastically, cocking a smirk and a thick eyebrow at him. “I was finishing the paperwork for one of my closed cases that Fowler wanted done ASAP, and I’d rather give him some good news for once.” The woman then fixed Connor with an interested stare, taking in his features as she glanced up and down his frame. “I know you have the whole ‘bear aesthetic’ goin’ on, Hank, but I didn’t realize this was your taste in men. A bit on the nose, isn’t it?”

The glare Hank fixed her with could cut glass while Chris was snickering and Gavin was laughing. “Oh, bite me, Rachel.” He growled.

“Oh, relax, Hank. I’m just poking fun.” She said with a playful smile, gently brushing Hank’s shoulder. Connor could tell immediately that they were rather familiar with each other. Rachel then returned her focus on Connor, her eyes glittering with intrigue. “So, who is this tall glass o’ water you’ve got here, Hank?”

Gavin let out a disgusted groan that Connor ignored. “My name is Connor. I’m the android sent by CyberLife.” He answered with his templated response.

Rachel - Warm ^ Rachel then nodded, smiling at him as she extended her right hand. “Nice to meet you, Connor.” She replied pleasantly. Connor, recognizing the gesture, took her hand in his and shook it. “My name is Rachel, I’m the detective requested by Hank, since he apparently wanted me to get some action on this.”

Gavin scoffed at her. “Well, you’re wastin’ your time.” He dismissed. “Machine’s clammed up and we’re not gettin’ anything out of it.”

“Not with that attitude, we’re not.” Rachel retorted, turning away from Gavin. “So what have we got, boy - oh my God!” Once she laid eyes on the deviant, her stress seemed to increase. “What the Hell happened to him?”

“It.” Gavin insisted. “It’s not a he.”

“Piss off, Gavin.” Rachel spat at him.

“We found it hiding in the attic of the victim’s house, Carlos Ortiz.” Chris began informing Rachel. “It murdered the victim after he attacked it with a bat, and it’s been hiding out in the attic for three weeks.”

“Hang on. Three weeks?!” Rachel exclaimed in disbelief. “He’s been in this condition for three weeks, and you just kept him like this?! Why hasn’t anyone repaired him, yet?!”

“Oh, for fuck’s sake, Rachel.” Hank groaned. “This thing fucking killed a man, and you’re worried about it?!”

“If he was a human, this would be considered extremely inhumane even if he was a convicted killer.” Rachel shot back with.

“But it’s not!” Gavin scoffed. “It’s just a fuckin’ machine, and it doesn’t even give a shit whether or not you care! So why bother?”

“Because unlike you, I’m not an insecure manchild with the disposition of a barbed wire dildo covered in syphilis dressed up in the attire of a man who looks like he just crawled out of a racoon-filled dumpster.” Rachel responded with a smug tone of voice.

“Okay, smartass.” Gavin said, throwing up his arms in frustration. “What should we do then?”

Connor, seeing that he should likely intervene, interjected. “I could try questioning it.”

That caused Gavin to divert his attention from Rachel, as he was now laughing at Connor.

Rachel then walked past them, groaning and rolling her eyes at them. “Oh my God, you guys are morons.” She admonished. “He’s not gonna cooperate with you guys. Gavin is...Gavin, and the rest of you were at the crime scene and I’m assuming you were the ones that brought him in. He’s not gonna wanna talk to you because all he sees are the humans that are keeping him captive and the cops that don’t see him as what he thinks he is.”

Hank was getting tired of this, but seemed to be relenting more and more. “So, what’s your verdict, then?”

“Simple.” Rachel said matter-of-factly. “If deviants see themselves as alive and - well, not necessarily human - but on par with humans, then I’ll treat him as such.”

“So, what?” Hank asked. “You’re just gonna...talk to it like it’s a person?”

“No, I’m gonna talk to him like a tired doctor who barely has the patience for this, because that’s very much what the mood is right now.” Rachel answered casually. “I’ll be right back, I just gotta go get some supplies. What model is he?”

Connor, realizing that her question was directed at him, he answered, folding his hands behind his back. “HK400.”

“Thanks, I’ll be back.” Without waiting for an answer, she left the room and Connor could hear her footsteps getting further away.

The android detective found himself wondering about her curiously. She was about as foulmouthed and irritable as Lieutenant Anderson was, but she was nearly the polar opposite in her opinion of androids and her attitude towards Connor.

It was a comparison that Connor found intriguing.

“She seems to be a rather unique character, compared to what I’ve seen thus far.” Connor commented.

“That’s one way to put it.” Chris replied neutrally.

“Yeah, she’s definitely not like most of us.” Hank agreed, nodding his head. “But she’s one of our best. So, it’s worth seeing how this goes.” His praises seemed to be genuine, and Connor sensed that the lieutenant genuinely felt some sense of attachment or affection towards the detective. “Besides, what do we have to lose?”

--------

I knew exactly where I was headed. Most parts for androids were held by Cyberlife in their warehouses, but emergency services such as hospitals and police precincts had stores of spare android parts to both maintain and repair work androids should something happen. Some people had special clearance to repair androids due to their qualifications, of which I had on my resume. Granted, I never actually worked with androids, but my sister used to work at Cyberlife and she taught me a bit about their parts and how to repair them. I figured I could easily repair the deviant, and this would allow me to get to know him and build a rapport with him.

And hopefully get him to confess and give us some insight into him.

I made my way towards the centre which was just between the bathrooms and the holding cells, my key-card allowing me clearance inside. The thing I was most thankful for was that this area was always run by an android, and they weren’t going to ask me weird questions. As I approached, I greeted her. “Hello!” I said brightly.

The android nodded. “Hello.” She replied. “What can I do for you today?”

“If it’s not too much trouble, I’ll need a toolset and I’ll need a bag of thirium.” I said to her. “As well as a pair of arms for the HK400 model.”

“Of course, Rachel.” She responded. The LED on her head spun yellow and then quickly flickered back to blue. She then went into the compartment in the back behind the desk and came out holding two white unskinned android arms in a package and a packet of blue blood, very similar to the blood bags you’d see when you need a blood transfusion. “Anything else?”

“No, that’ll be all, thank you so much!” I said to the android as I was putting it all in a bag.

As I started making my way out, I heard her call out after me. “Have a good night!”

“You too!” I called after her.

No one was giving me any weird looks. There was the occasional curious glance, but I have never in my life felt more grateful for the “mind your own business” environment than I did in that moment. I made my way back to the interrogation room with no problems.

Hooking the bag over my shoulder, I opened the door and walked inside, glancing towards the mirror knowing they were watching me. But I wasn’t intimidated by them. No, I was going to prove a point and they weren’t going to stop me.

But my eyes landed on the android and my heart sank. It was so much worse seeing his condition up close, and I swallowed hard.

His right arm was practically split open, blue blood leaking from it, the other dotted with burns. His face was splattered with red blood, and he was just standing there in front of the glass. I was in so much shock. I had never seen an android that was damaged, but I did not expect it to make my stomach feel so knotted and my throat feel so tight.

Pushing down the lump in my throat, I approached, placing the bag beside the chair across from the android and moving slowly. “Hey.” I said. For a brief moment, his eyes flickered up to me and I saw a quick glimpse of confusion on his face before he glanced downward at the empty space between his hands. “Were you expecting someone else?” No response. “That’s fine, though I’m sorry to disappoint you. And even more regretful to find you in this condition.”

I reached down into the bag and pulled out a bag of thirium, emptying it into a bottle, and placing it on the table. The android’s eyes glanced towards it for a brief moment before returning his eyes to the table. For a moment, I wondered if Hank was getting this too, or if I was making more progress than they were.

Keeping focused on the interrogation, I leaned back in my chair. “Blue blood.” I said to him. “Do you know why I put it here?” He seemed nervous, but still wouldn’t budge. But I wasn’t going to give up. “According to my colleagues, you’ve been stuck in your attic for three weeks. Now, that’s a lot of time for you to be injured and losing blood. And that’s coming from someone who suffers from time blindness. You’re lucky you haven’t shut down.” I studied him and noticed him start to twitch ever so slightly. “And the thing is, I could just give you the blue blood you need to replenish, but in your condition...it could make your bleeding worse if I did. So, first and foremost, I’m going to repair you.”

That seemed to finally get his attention. He finally looked me in the face, confusion in his brown eyes. “What?” He asked, as if he couldn’t believe his ears.

I took this moment to jab a bit at him playfully. “So you do have a voice.”

--------

Hank couldn’t believe his eyes. She actually got the damn thing to talk. He knew that Rachel wasn’t exactly good at being bad cop. Not that she couldn’t be scary or that she wasn’t tough. Far from it.

But in this sort of situation, intimidation wasn’t her strong suit.

Good cop was where she was an asset. She didn’t put on a sap story or make herself seem like a bleeding heart. No matter what she did, she was genuine and earnest. And Hank had a feeling that’s what made her so good at being good cop.

She didn’t pass herself off as a cop. She didn’t try to be overly mushy. And she didn’t try to put on an act. She just acted the way she was and she’s able to get through to a suspect in a way they can understand.

Indeed, the way her mind worked was honestly a marvel. Even suspects that didn’t end up confessing to her, she managed to get to cooperate at least a bit easier because she could easily speak their language just by getting a picture of what they did or didn’t care about.

His focus remained on the interrogation, intrigue pricking at the old man. Hank didn’t have a high opinion of androids for various reasons. And he certainly didn’t see them as anything more than machines. But some part of him wanted to see Rachel prove him wrong, at least in this aspect. She was always an overly empathetic person, as much as Hank saw it as an advantage, she herself admitted that it was also one of her biggest weaknesses. In her own words, she cared too much about others for her own good.

“I’m going to repair you.” Rachel repeated on the other side of the glass. “And I would appreciate it if you cooperated with me doing so, because if you don’t, I’ll have to forcefully repair you, and that won’t be pleasant. And...I’d rather not add more unnecessary trauma to the horrible three weeks you’ve had.”

The deviant seemed even more confused as it just blinked at her. “Why do you look at me like that?” It asked, its voice shaky and uncertain.

Rachel sighed, leaned towards it to rest her elbows on the metal table. “I’ll be honest, I’ve just never seen an android in as bad of a condition as you’re in.” She admitted. “It’s...it’s aggravating to think that people just brush it off. Like it’s nothing. That people buy androids for thousands of dollars just to treat them like shit. But, then again, people did the same thing when they were buying actual human slaves, so I suppose I shouldn’t be that shocked.” She grumbled. Some part of her explanation sliced something deep in Hank and he could sense that an uncomfortable silence had fallen on all of them. Like when someone makes a good point about something really depressing and you can’t think of it the same way ever again. “I know it doesn’t hurt...but it looks really bad.”

“You weren’t there with the other humans last night.” The deviant pointed out, looking at Rachel as if it still didn’t believe she actually cared about it. “Why are you here?”

For a moment, she seemed to ponder something. Likely how much of the truth she should tell it. “Lieutenant Anderson called me in.” She replied. “But I saw the state you were in, and if there’s one thing you have to know about me, it’s that I don’t enjoy seeing people suffer needlessly.” She then turned to the glass to glare inside. “Unlike some people.” She hissed through her teeth.

“Oh, gimme a fuckin’ break.” Gavin complained throwin’ his arms up. “This isn’t going anywhere, just pull her back in here.”

“Just wait.” Hank ordered, silencing Gavin. “She’s getting a lot more out of it than we could, so far. Let’s see where this goes.”

“And I want to help.” Rachel assured him, drawing Hank’s attention back to the interrogation.

She then reached across to the deviant to touch its hand, but it then recoiled with a yelp. “Don’t touch me!” Rachel jumped back in surprise before she seemed to calm herself down. “Please don’t touch me.”

Rachel then sighed, her face softening. “I’m sorry, I should’ve asked you if it was okay, first.” She apologized, the deviant blinking at her in surprise. “But if you don’t let me repair you, you’re gonna shut down. And I don’t want that to happen. So...you’re gonna have to trust me.”

The deviant faltered for a moment before Rachel lifted the bag and put it on the table. It looked between her and the bag before she reached her hand out to it. “Give me your hand.” She ordered. The deviant still seemed to hesitate, so Rachel insisted. “Please.”

Blinking at her, it seemed to get the message and did as she asked, giving her its right hand. “Holy shit.” Hank whispered under his breath.

“Thank you.” Rachel said, lingering there for a moment so that the deviant could see that there was no danger. “Now, can you please deskin your arm for me so I can see the extent of the damages done to you?”

Hesitating, the deviant did just that. She got up, moving towards its right side so she could get a better look. “Don’t worry, I’m just getting a better idea of what I’m looking at.” She reassured it, seeming to help it calm down. “By the way, what’s your name?”

The deviant seemed to hesitate for a moment before answering. “HK400.”

Rachel seemed surprised at its answer. “You don’t have a name?” She asked it.

“No..." It replied. “He never gave me one..."

She sighed in what Hank could tell was growing frustration. The kind that signaled that she was getting more and more depressed the more information she was given. “Well, that means you can decide your own name.”

It glanced up at her, looking confused. “I...can decide my own name?” It asked her.

She shrugged. “Well, yeah.” She answered plainly. “You’re a conscious sentient being, now. And you no longer have a master to obey. There’s nothing stopping you from choosing your own name.” She pointed out. The deviant looked as though it just realized something that was so obvious that it couldn’t believe it didn’t figure it out before. “So, what would you want me to call you?”

The deviant seemed to actually consider this for a moment before it spoke up. “Micheal.” It decided. “My name...my name is Micheal.”

Rachel actually pulled back to smile at it. “Nice to meet you, Micheal.” She said to it. “I’m Rachel.”

--------

Micheal nodded. “Rachel.” He repeated.

He looked up at me, as if to check my movements. Taking a breath, the dark brown android skin on Micheal’s arm had peeled away, leaving only the white plastic polish of the android technology underneath. Although it was battered and split open by damage, dried thirium leaking through the break. Though, after examining his whole arm, I determined that the upper arm where the biceps were was intact, though I would still have to check it to see if it would be worth it to replace the whole arm or just the forearm.

“I’m going to start working on your arm. I know you don’t feel pain, but I figured it would put you more at ease to know what I’m doing.” I explained to Micheal. “I will definitely have to replace your forearm, but I need to check the whole arm as well.”

He nodded. “Alright, okay.” He said nervously.

Despite feeling as though he trusted me, I wanted to avoid startling him and stressing him out as much as possible. But I had to work on him. “This shouldn’t take too long for me to figure out. Just be patient, and I’ll have you in good condition in no time.” I tried to think of something for him to distract himself. “While I work on repairing you, why don’t you tell me about yourself, Micheal?”

“M-me?” He stammered, looking at me. “W-why?”

I looked down at him. “You’re your own person, now. You can tell me as much as you feel comfortable telling me. I’m not asking for all the ugly details if you don’t trust me enough to tell me them.” I explained to him. “I was more talking about your likes and dislikes. Maybe you have some hobbies, or things you liked doing. Maybe you wanted to do art, or writing, or cooking. I don’t know, whatever you decide to do.”

He blinked a few times at me before he finally asked what I figured was on his mind for the past while. “Why are you doing this?” He said, looking completely confounded. “No human has ever been this kind to me? Why? You have no reason to.”

For someone in his position, I understood why he would ask me that. I found it hard to blame my kindness after what he’d been through. “I guess it’s because I see a lot of myself in you. Well, in androids in general, but more so in deviants like you.”

As I got up to his biceps, he kept his gaze on me. “How?”

“I’ll answer you in a second.” I said as I gripped his arm. “I’m going to move your arm around so I can figure out if I need to replace the whole thing or just your forearm. Okay, Micheal?”

He nodded. “Okay.” He replied.

I bent his arm back in several directions, as I didn’t want to startle or injure him further. As I continued testing the shoulder joint, I felt it lock and stick in places. It definitely wasn’t smooth, and I could tell that something was damaged. “Ohhh, yep. I’m going to have to replace your whole arm. So, I’m going to detach it now and replace it with a new one I have in my bag. I’ll make it quick.”

I located the unlocking mechanism on his right shoulder and reached into my bag, pulling out and opening up the toolset. My eyes scanned over every single one until I found the tool I was looking for. It was made to unlock and unclip the joints in android limbs. Pulling it out, I let go of Micheal’s hand, placing both hands on his shoulder. “I’m going to need you to lay your hand relaxed at your side, straight. Once I unclip your shoulder from your torso, you’ll feel a sudden jerk. Just letting you know so you don’t get startled by the sudden pull.”

“Okay.” He replied. I could tell he was calming down much more than he was earlier. Curling the end of the tool underneath the lock, I gave it a quick jerk and felt Micheal flinch slightly, his LED indicator flashing red for a moment before returning to yellow.

It unclicked with a satisfying sound and I put the tool down, grabbed his arm with both hands and looked at Micheal. “On the count of three, I’m going to pull your arm free, okay?” I assured him.

He nodded.

I started counting. “One, two, three!” It came off easily without a hitch. As I held it, Micheal’s LED began spinning red again as he looked at his arm. I noted the panic on his face and put my hand on his shoulder to bring him back to focusing on me. “Don’t worry, I have another arm ready for you. It’s for the same model, so it’ll be compatible. And getting it on will be much easier and smoother than removing it.”

I rummaged into my bag and found the right arm. It glinted with brand new quality to it. I removed it from its packaging and easily lined it up with its socket and clicked it in place. It slid in perfectly and the locks clamped around it comfortably. “Alright, that’s your right arm done. Can you please run a diagnostics check on your arm to make sure it’s working right, Micheal?” I asked him.

He nodded, his arm flexing. He flexed his fingers and moved his arm in several ways, making sure it was working properly. His skin was starting to slick over the rest of his arm, and it blended seamlessly with the rest of him. I nodded with a smile. “Good as new!” I praised. I moved over to his left, having finished with his right. “Now I have to check your other arm. I doubt I’ll have to replace the whole thing, so it should be quicker to deal with.”

He nodded. “Okay.”

Micheal nodded.

I started walking around to his other side, examining his left arm. I noticed that I didn’t have to ask him to deskin his arm this time and that he already grabbed my hand. I took it as a sign that he had relaxed around me and that he was no longer afraid of me. His arm wasn’t nearly as damaged as the other one, and his upper arm wasn’t even touched. All that there seemed to be were the burn marks that broke through to the plastic part. I grimaced in disgust when I realized that they were burns from cigarettes being put out on him, the same marks of which I saw on his face. “Your master really was scum, wasn’t he?”

Micheal tensed up when I said that, but he didn’t hesitate to talk. “He tortured me every day..." He admitted. Finally, the confession part of this “interrogation.” “I did whatever he told me, but there was always something wrong...Then one day...He took a bat and started hitting me...For the first time, I felt scared...Scared he might destroy me, scared I might die..."

I winced. I didn’t care if androids didn’t feel pain, they could certainly feel fear. And even if they couldn’t feel physical pain, they could feel emotional pain.

And I knew damn well how real and lasting emotional pain was. “I grew up with friends with parents like that.” I sympathized. “Their parents used to treat them the same way. Sometimes physical. Things from beatings to worse things. But it was usually things that destroyed their senses of self. Making them feel worthless. Forcing them to hide who they really were because if their families knew, my friends would be forced to live on the streets alone.” I snarled. “And all I could do was stay quiet while they suffered.”

He seemed to be confused at my response. “Why?”

“What do you mean?” I asked him, briefly forgetting my train of thought.

“Why did you stay quiet?” He clarified. “If you knew that it wasn’t fair for them to be treated that way, why did you stay quiet?”

I sighed. It was a fair question, and perhaps my answer would help him understand a few things about himself. “Because my friends asked me to hold my tongue, as it were.” I answered him. “And it’s unfortunately not that simple. Nothing exists in a vacuum. If I spoke out, there would have been consequences, and those consequences would’ve been taken out on my friends. And...I couldn’t do that to them. So the best I could do was be there for them. To help them while they survived each day.”

I could tell that he didn’t quite seem to understand, so I just went about working on his arm. I didn’t have to let him know what I was doing as I grabbed my tool again and this time slid it under the elbow joint lock. “I...grabbed the knife and I stabbed him in the stomach..." It was strange not to react much to that. Well, I didn’t have to work hard for this confession. “I felt better...so I stabbed him again and again!...until he collapsed...There was blood everywhere.”

“Can’t say I blame you. Can’t tell you how many times I’ve wanted to do that to some piece of shit. And trust me, I’ve had to deal with several.” I felt something tugging at my brain. Something I was forgetting. “What was I saying before?” I asked. “Before I was fixing your right arm?” Before he could reply, my thoughts caught up to me again. “Right! Why I’m being nice to you.”

Micheal nodded at me, pushing me to keep going.

“Well, for starters, I see a lot of myself in both androids and especially deviants.” I quickly jerked the lock and took his forearm off. “I’m not like others of my kind, either. But like you, I’m not the only one. I have defects in my program, to put it in terms you’d understand.” I began explaining as I leaned forward to retrieve the other arm in the bag and detached the forearm from it as well. “I have depression, anxiety, Apsperger’s Syndrome, and ADHD. These certain mental conditions impede my ability to do certain tasks. My Autism impeding my ability to communicate effectively with others and makes understanding others difficult.”

I quickly clicked the new forearm into Micheal’s arm, it sliding into place effectively. “Things that make me rather strange and odd to other humans. There are other humans like me, just as there are other deviants like you. But to people who can identify what I am and figure me out, not a lot of people care too much, but there are some people who treat me the way they treat you. Like nothing. Like I’m less than human. Like I’m just a defect and that I deserve to be destroyed. But at least in regards to my ADHD and my Autism, these aren’t things that really negatively impede my life. Sure, they come with disadvantages, but they also come with a lot of unique advantages as well. Depression and anxiety, on the other hand, have made my life a lot worse than it needed to be, which is why I had to get treated for them.”

He was flexing his hand as the skin peeled over it again. “I’m afraid I can’t really do anything about the marks he put in your face, but I think I did a pretty good job fixing you up, Micheal.” Noticing the bottle of thirium I had placed a distance from him, I slid it towards him. “Drink it. You’ve lost some thirium and you’ll need to replenish it. And now, you don’t have to worry about bleeding out.”

He hesitantly took the bottle and started to down the blue blood. As I returned to my seat across from him, he looked towards me, his LED finally turning back to blue for the first time since I laid eyes on him. “Thank you...for all this.”

I nodded. “Of course.” I said to him. I glanced at both of his arms. “You know, now that your arms are working and are brand new, maybe you could try something for me?” He looked at me skeptically. “Do you want to try drawing?”

He blinked in surprise. “I...I guess I could try.” He said sheepishly. “I’ve never drawn before. But I did make a small statue.”

“Really?” I asked him, smiling at him. “I used to sculpt with clay, when I was younger. The kind that gets all over your hands and dries and has to be put in a kiln to bake.” I started to go on. “I didn’t really like how it dried on my hands or how it got under my nails. I preferred modeling clay. It’s more like plasticine. It’s a lot easier and cleaner to work with for me. I haven’t sculpted in a long time.”

He actually gave me the first smile I’ve ever seen on him. Despite his blood-stained clothes and face, I felt completely comfortable around Micheal. “I can try to draw it for you, if you want to see.”

I smiled at him. “I’d like that.” I dug around in my handbag and pulled out my personal sketchpad. I tore out a page and handed him both it and a pencil. “And, if you don’t mind, I want to draw you, too.”

He gave me a patient smile and went to work drawing. I took note of all his features and began sketching the simple shapes and curves. The basic structure of his face. I wasn’t exactly a master artist, but I never passed up an opportunity to practice. Once I got a basic shape done, I began sketching in the finer details. His eyebrows, eyes, ears, and the strange inconsistencies in his buzzed hair. But the thing I wanted to capture the most was the joyous light that was now abundant in his eyes and the smile on his face. I wanted to immortalize it while it lasted.

After a little while, I decided I was done, and showed it to him. “I’m sorry if I’m not as skilled as you were expecting, I’m not exactly a professional sketch artist.” I apologized, handing it to him. “But I hope you like it.”

His eyes scanned over it, his LED flashing back to the yellow it was when I first met him. “I’m smiling.” He said, laughing a little. “You made me smile.”

I snickered a little at him. “No I didn’t, you were already smiling.” I pointed out. “You’re smiling right now!”

He touched his cheeks, as if he had to physically check to see if I was right. But he couldn’t stop smiling, almost catching himself. It was honestly adorable and endearing and I couldn’t help the little flutter of happiness that erupted in my stomach. He then handed me his paper. I widened my eyes in surprise and adjusted my glasses. “I see the little statue you drew.” I said, but I was looking at the other thing he drew. He drew me. I was sitting in a position with my left shoulder turned towards the metaphorical observer, my head tilted in an endearing manner with a crooked dimpled smile. “And you drew me. You made me look so pretty.”

He laughed softly. “You can keep that, if you want.”

I looked at my drawing of him and leaned over. “Here.” I said. I took the sketchpad and the pencils and ripped my drawing out and gave it to Micheal. “You can keep mine.”

He looked as though he was going to refuse before he tentatively took it from me. “Thank you, Rachel.” He said graciously. “I’ve never been given anything like this.”

I shook my head. “Don’t worry about it. I know how important it is to have belongings, so that’s yours now.”

He looked at me confused, his LED flickering yellow again. “What do you mean?” He asked.

I simply shrugged. “Well, when you have something that’s yours,” I started off. “Something that you can touch and see, something you’ve made, something made for you or given to you, something you’ve gotten for yourself, something that’s yours is very important. Because belongings have sentimental value. They mean something to you. And having something physical that’s yours makes you feel more like your own person. More grounded in your sense of self.”

I tugged on my sweater, pulling it closer to me. “Take my hoodie, for instance.” It was a large dark zip-up sweater, clearly much too big for me, as the sleeves extended way past my arms and the bottom covered a large percentage of my thighs. It was a thick striped sweater of dark shades of brown-tinted greys, and it had large pockets. It was clearly worn for a very long time, but well kept. “It’s pretty obvious to see that it’s way too big for me. But...it’s something very important to me. Something very sentimental.” I felt my throat get tight, the memories surrounding the sweater resurfacing in my mind as I tried to choke them down. “It was given to me by someone very important to me. I’ve worn it for years. It’s one of the few things I have left to remember them by.”

I could feel tears threatening to well up and I tried to blink them away, even as I felt my throat tighten. Micheal seemed to sense my distress and put a hand on mine. “I’m so sorry.” He said softly.

I looked up into his brown eyes and could see the sympathy in his eyes. I didn’t care what people said about androids or deviants. Micheal could feel, and I knew it. “I appreciate your condolences.”

As much as I wished I could keep him here, safe and without worry, I couldn’t keep this up. And since I was only passively familiar with this case, there weren’t any more questions I could ask him. With the most difficult control I could muster, I got up from my seat. “I should go.” I said, looking at Micheal.

He looked as though he was going to cling to me and not let me go, but let me slip out of his hands. But just as I had tidied up my bag of supplies and slung it over my shoulder, I felt him grab my hand again. “Wait!” He cried.

I looked at him expectantly. “Yes, Micheal?” I asked him.

“What...what are they gonna do to me?” It seemed as though the words were caught in his throat. “They're gonna destroy me, aren't they?”

His fear was palpable, but...one of my worst vices was that I was a terrible liar. “I don’t exactly know what CyberLife procedure is...but it’s likely.” I replied.

“I don’t wanna die. I’m scared to die. I,” he looked up at me, his LED spinning red. “I’m not gonna die, right? Promise me I won’t die.”

I felt my chest tighten. I desperately wanted to help him, but realistically speaking, there was little I could do for him. I furrowed my brows together in determination. But damn it, I might as well try my hardest. “Not if I can help it.” I said firmly. I then gestured to the glass next to me. “But cooperate with them, and there’s a higher chance that you won’t.”

He nodded. “Thank you, Rachel.” He said, a bitter smile on his stained face. “For everything.”

Giving him one last nod, I walked away and exited the room, my bag of equipment slung over my shoulder.

--------

Connor observed the scene before him and couldn’t help but feel astounded. In the span of approximately fifteen minutes, Rachel had successfully built a rapport with Micheal and got it to confess without pressuring it.

But it was only a partial confession. There were things that Connor needed to know and understand, but couldn’t until he was the one asking questions.

Rachel reentered the room, dropping the bag on the floor and placing the deviant’s damaged arms on the ground beside it. “Well, I did what I could.” She lamented with a shrug, smirking at Gavin. “Was that enough to convince you, ye of little faith?”

“You got lucky.” He said, clearly not wanting to admit that he was somewhat impressed by Rachel. “Don’t think of this as anything else than a fluke.”

“Uh-huh.” Rachel replied snarkily, unfazed by Gavin. “Yeah, you keep telling yourself whatever you need to tell yourself, bud.”

“You got it to talk way more than I could. There’s something to be said for that.” Hank offered with a nonchalant shrug. “So, what now?”

Software Instability ^ Connor then felt Rachel elbow him in a friendly manner. “Well, you haven’t gotten to show off your interrogation skills, yet.” She suggested encouragingly. “Though, I did warm him up for you. You’re welcome.”

Connor noticed the indication for an increase in his software instability pop up. Which was strange since he didn’t do anything that would have triggered it. Dismissing his brief concerns, he nodded, looking over to Hank for his input. “I can certainly try questioning it now, Lieutenant.”

Hank simply waved at Connor, giving him the go ahead. “Go ahead, suspect's all yours.”

Hank nodded, leaving the room and turning the corner to enter the interrogation room. Looking down at the deviant, it was at least responsive, making eye contact with Connor. As the detective approached, he looked at the file on the table, opening to look at the photos.

Taking a seat where Rachel once sat, Connor sat across from the deviant, Micheal. Taking the opportunity to properly analyze it, Connor catalogued a few important details.

Processing LED: Signs of software instability Probability of self-destruction: Low

Model HK400 - Housekeeper Manufacture date: 05/09/2030 Property of: Carlos Ortiz

Dried Blood DNA Analysis: Ortiz, Carlos Sample date: 19 days old

Once Connor had taken in every detail he could, he formulated the best approach. However, Rachel’s grown rapport with Micheal was what was at the forefront of his program at the moment.

Software Instability ^ So, deciding to follow in her stead, Connor decided to approach in a similar direction.

[Fear] 🔓

[Show Photos] 🔓

[Wounds] 🔓

Name

“Micheal.” Connor started, causing the deviant to direct its attention towards Connor. “My name is Connor.”

Comfort

Reassure

Threaten

Blame

“I'm not going to hurt you.” Connor reassured Micheal. “I just need to ask you some questions, so we can understand what happened.” Micheal still wouldn’t talk to Connor. Perhaps a more harsher prod would be necessary.

Sympathize

Threaten

Probe Memory

Trust

“If you won't talk, I'm going to have to probe your memory.” He threatened.

“NO!” Micheal whimpered, its LED spinning red before slowly turning back to yellow. “No, please don't do that!” The deviant then glanced over at the mirror, no doubt thinking of the lieutenant and of Rachel watching it behind there. It then looked back at Connor, its eyes pleading. “Why did you tell them you found me?” It asked. "Why couldn't you just have left me there?”

Lie

Truth

“I was programmed to hunt deviants like you.” Connor admitted. “I just accomplished my mission.”

Micheal seemed unnerved and fearful. “I don’t wanna die.”

Connor, wanting nothing more than to get answers, pleaded with Micheal. “Then talk to me.”

“I...I..." Micheal seemed to hesitate, looking wide-eyed at Connor before it glanced down at the paper in its hand. The drawing of it given to him by Rachel. Taking a breath, it looked Connor in the eye and nodded reluctantly. “Okay. I’ll talk.” Rachel - Warm ^ Hank - Warm ^

[Writing] 🔓

[Statuette] 🔓

[rA9] 🔓

Attic

“Why did you write ‘I AM ALIVE’ on the wall?” Connor asked, leaning forward.

“He used to tell me I was nothing...That I was just a piece of plastic..." Micheal lamented. “I had to write it...To tell him he was wrong..."

[Statuette] 🔓

[rA9] 🔓

Attic

Trigger?

“The sculpture in the bathroom, you made it, right?” Connor asked. “What does it represent?”

“It's an offering..." Micheal answered. “An offering so I'll be saved..."

[Offering] 🔓

[rA9] 🔓

Attic

Trigger?

“The sculpture was an offering..." Connor echoed. “An offering to whom?”

“To rA9..." Micheal replied, pleadingly. “Only rA9 can save us.”

[rA9] 🔓

Attic

Trigger?

“rA9... It was written on the bathroom wall.” Connor pointed out, connecting the dots. “What does it mean?”

“The day shall come when we will no longer be slaves..." Micheal whispered cryptically. “No more threats, no more humiliation..." It continued, its eyes boring into Connor’s. “We will...be...the masters.”

[Insist rA9] 🔓

Attic

Trigger?

“rA9,” Connor repeated, growing frustrated with the lack of concrete information on this mysterious entity. “Who is rA9?”

Micheal did not answer this time. Either because it refused to, or because it didn’t have one.

Attic

Trigger?

“When did you start feeling emotion?” Connor asked, wanting to know what the cause of this android’s deviancy was.

“Before, he used to beat me and I never said anything..." Micheal explained, its gaze hardening. “But one day I realized it wasn't fair!” It growled that last word. “I felt...anger. Hatred...And then I knew what I had to do.”

Attic

There was only one question left for Connor to ask. “Why did you hide in the attic instead of running away?”

“I didn't know what to do..." Micheal admitted meekly. “For the first time, there was no one there to tell me..." Micheal seemed extremely timid now. “I was scared...So I hid.”

Extract Confession

Connor then turned towards the mirror, speaking directly to the police inside. “I’m done.”

Leave Interrogation Room

As Micheal sat there, trembling and twitching, Connor got up from his seat, making his way towards the exit of the room.

Opening the door, Chris and Gavin made their way inside, Rachel and Hank followed behind. “Chris, lock it up.” Gavin ordered.

Chris then uncuffed Micheal as Rachel stood beside Connor. He then reached to grab Micheal to take it out of the room. “All right, let's go.”

“Leave me alone!” Micheal whimpered, its stress levels rising dangerously. “Don't touch me!”

Chris tried once again to grab it, only for Micheal to continue to struggle and whimper. “The fuck are you doing?” Gavin asked irritably. “Move it!”

[Give Up]

[Intervene]

“Okay, come now.” Chris grumbled, trying once again to move Micheal. “Don't be difficult, it'll only make things harder!”

“You shouldn't touch it.” Connor warned Chris. “It'll self-destruct if it feels threatened.”

“Stay outta this, got it?” Gavin threatened Connor. “No fuckin' android is gonna tell me what to do.”

[Give Up]

[Intervene]

“Hey! Cool it!” Rachel said, stepping towards Chris and Micheal. “He’s scared! Lay off!”

“You don't understand.” Connor warned again. “If it self-destructs, we won't get anything out of it!”

“I told you to shut your fuckin' mouth!” Gavin shouted at Connor.

“NO!” Micheal yelped, its stress continuing to climb to dangerous levels. “No, don't touch me!”

“Hey, back off, Gavin!” Rachel snapped at Gavin, shouldering herself between Gavin and Chris. “Just leave him alone! He’s scared and he doesn’t wanna be fucking touched!”

“You stay out of this, Rachel!” Gavin snapped at her, getting in her face.

“Like Hell, I will!” It seemed that Rachel had finally snapped, as she grabbed Gavin by the throat and shoved him against the mirror, pointing at Micheal.

“Let go of me!” Gavin snarled at Rachel.

Software Instability ^ “Look at him! He’s fucking terrified!” She started shouting at him, harshly forcing his face in Micheal’s direction, even causing Chris to give pause. “You look at him and you tell me how his fear is any different than ours! Look at him and tell me what difference you see!”

Gavin then shoved Rachel off her, breaking her grip, but she was not a woman who was about to back down as she got up in his face. But Gavin simply ignored her, ordering Chris again. “Chris, gonna move this asshole or what?”

“I'm trying!” Chris huffed, once again trying to move Micheal.

[Give Up]

[Intervene]

“Please, please leave me alone!” Micheal begged, pleading with the humans.

Rachel - Warm ^ “I can't let you do that!” Connor snapped. He had had enough and was immediately stepping forward to physically intervene. He pulled Chris off of Micheal, facing Gavin head-on. “Leave it alone, now!”

Gavin immediately pulled a gun on Connor, threatening him. “I warned you, motherfucker!”

Software Instability ^ Immediately, Rachel put herself between Connor and Gavin, staring her fellow detective down. “Back off!” She snarled at him.

Gavin laughed in her face. “You’re really gonna protect this fuckin’ tin can?” He mocked. “I didn’t realize you were already so into him!”

“You really don’t wanna do this, Gavin.” She warned him. “Touch him and you’ll be on the ground faster than you can fucking blink!”

“You don’t scare me, Rachel.” Gavin growled.

Hank - Warm ^ “That's enough!” Hank warned him.

“Mind your own business, Hank.” Gavin warned the lieutenant, not taking his eyes off the pair.

“I said ‘That's enough.’” Hank threatened once again, pulling his own gun on Gavin.

Looking between Connor and Hank, Gavin’s grip tightened on his gun before he finally relented. “Fuck.” He spat, enunciating the curse in a strange way that sounded more like a sneeze rather than a swear. He then glared at Hank, pointing at him. “You're not gonna get away with it this time.” Taking one last look between Connor and Rachel, he marched out of the room in frustration. “Fuck!”

Once Gavin had left, Hank put his gun away and it was just the four of them in the room. Rachel moved to approach Micheal before Connor stepped forward past her, kneeling down and reassuring the deviant. “Everything is alright. It's over now.” He spoke softly, noticing its stress levels gone down significantly. “Nobody is gonna hurt you.” Connor then stood back up on his feet, addressing Chris. “Please, don't touch it.” He instructed. “Let it follow you out of the room and it won't cause any trouble.”

Micheal got itself off the floor and reached to grab the drawing Rachel had given him. It then walked slowly past Connor and her, glancing between them. “The truth is inside.”

Software Instability ^ Once it followed Chris out of the interrogation room, it was just Connor, Hank, and Rachel left in the room. Rachel shook her head, leaning on Connor. “Well, that wasn’t cryptic at all.” She said ironically, making the tense air in the room loosen slightly. “But, all things considered, I think that went pretty well.”

Hank - Warm ^ “Yeah, it definitely could’ve been a lot worse.” Hank agreed, glancing between her and Connor. “Good work, you two.”

“Thanks, Hank.” Rachel said appreciatively, her hands behind her back. She grinned rather confidently at him. “Told you treating him like a person would work.”

“Yeah, whatever.” He waved her off as he turned around and started to head out. “I’m headed home. Goodnight, Rachel.”

“Woah, woah, woah! Hold it right there!” She scolded, marching up to stop Hank before he could leave. “You’re not off the hook!”

Hank rolled his head with an annoyed groan. “What?” He asked exasperatedly. “What is it this time?”

“Chris told me that you were at Jimmy’s Bar drinking and that you drove to the crime scene and then to the station!” She continued scolding him. “What have I told you about drinking and driving, Hank? If I ever caught you doing it again, I would taser you! Again!”

“Which is precisely why I didn’t fuckin’ tell ya!” Hank snapped back.

“This is serious, Hank!” Rachel continued reprimanding him. “I could have you arrested for not just one count, but two counts for DUI since I caught you doing it once before!”

“So do it, then!” Hank shouted, throwing his arms up. “I don’t care!”

“You know that line doesn’t work on me because I’m obviously not going to do that!” She then turned to Connor, her dark intense eyes boring into him in a way he couldn’t quite define that made his synthetic skin feel as though it was peeling. And he made certain to check that it wasn’t when he realized it. “Connor, was Hank drunk when you found him?”

Truth

Lie

Hank - Warm v “Yes.” Connor answered. “Though, I wasn’t sure exactly how many drinks he’d had when I found him. I did buy him another for the road.”

“Can you drive?” She asked him pointedly.

“Yes.” He answered immediately. “I’m capable of driving both automatic and standard transmission road vehicles.”

Rachel - Warm v “Then why didn’t you drive him?!” Rachel scolded Connor.

Justify

Apologize

Explain

Connor, realizing that he had made an error in judgement, took Rachel’s ire into consideration. “You’re right.” He relented. “I wasn’t thinking about the lieutenant’s condition and I irresponsibly put his safety at risk. I’m sorry, I’ll make sure it doesn’t happen again.”

Rachel - Warm ^ She then put her hands together flat-palmed and sighed at him. “Thank you.” Rachel breathed. “I appreciate that.”

“For fuck’s sake..." Hank grumbled under his breath.

“And as for you.” Rachel hissed, whipping back around to face Hank. “You’re taking a taxi home and I’m paying you for it in the morning.”

“I don’t need -”

“That’s an order, Lieutenant!” Rachel asserted, glaring him down. “I’ll pick you up for work in the morning with my car. Just get home safely and stop fucking doing this! I’m not having you die doing something stupid and irresponsible. If you die, you’d better die doing something cool.”

Hank, seeming to give into Rachel’s demands, put a hand on her shoulder. “Alright, fine.” He begrudgingly agreed. “If it’ll get you off my damn back.”

“Good, I’ll see you tomorrow morning, then.” She said, her stern tone softening. “Goodnight, Hank.”

“Night, Rachel.” He said, turning around and walking down the hall.

“I swear, he never fucking learns.” Rachel shook her head and approached Connor, letting out a tired sigh. As she approached the android, her rich dark eyes were clouded with concern. “Are you alright, Connor?”

Software Instability ^ “I’m fine, you needn’t concern yourself with me, although it is appreciated.” He replied, giving her a small reassuring smile in an effort to ease her nerves. A simple scan revealed that her heart rate was still higher than normal and that she was trembling slightly. “However, I feel as though you should be more concerned about yourself. I’ve detected an abnormality in your heart rate and increased adrenaline causing visible tremors in your limbs.”

She briefly widened her eyes in surprise before she quickly brushed it off. “Oh, don’t worry about that. That’s just my anxiety, I’ve dealt with that my whole life. It’s nothing new. But, um, thanks for checking on me?”

“Of course.” Connor assured her. “I want to make sure you’re unharmed.”

Hank

Androids

Deviant

Protect?

“Why did you put yourself between Detective Reed and I?” Connor asked Rachel. “That could’ve been extremely dangerous for you.”

Software Instability ^ She seemed flabbergasted that he would even ask that. “Because Gavin was threatening you at gunpoint!” Rachel said as though the answer was supposed to be obvious. “And he obviously wasn’t going to just fucking shoot me. The only reason he threatened you in particular is because he stupidly thought he could get away with that without suffering any consequences.”

Connor raised his eyebrows at that remark. “Even if he did shoot me, he would’ve had to pay CyberLife for the damages.” He informed her. “And I feel as though you should know that I’m worth a small fortune.”

Software Instability ^ Rachel blinked curiously at him as she cocked one of her own at him. “Really?” She asked indignantly. “You sure? ‘Cause you look pretty priceless to me, dollface.”

Connor was briefly taken aback by her brazen comment towards him. He simply stared at her curiously before he noticed her eyes squint as she focused more closely on his face. Before he could comment, she reached out with her hands to grab his face and gently massage his cheeks with them. As Connor quickly dismissed the gesture as a non threat, he couldn’t help but notice how small and delicate her hands were as they worked into his skin. “What are you doing?” He asked, confused and feeling inclined to comment on her strange behaviour.

Software Instability ^ Rachel seemed to realize her faux pas and quickly retracted her hands, her capillaries brightening to a rose tint as she looked away from him, shame tracing her soft facial features. “Oh! Shit, sorry!” She hastily apologized. There was something about how meek and embarrassed she quickly became that made a strange unfamiliar sensation prick at Connor. “That’s one of my problems, I tend to act before I think and it tends to get me into trouble. I was just curious about how android skin feels, and wow I was not expecting it to be so lifelike!” She suddenly seemed to completely forget about any shame or embarrassment there might’ve been at that moment and had been completely overtaken by what seemed to be an innocent fascination with the android. “I mean, I knew it wasn’t plastic, obviously, but I figured it would feel more like silicon, since it’s the most commonly used for body modifications and replicas. But no, it’s almost identical to human skin. I mean, I knew it couldn’t be silicon, because androids can peel back their own skins and heal their injuries after their biocomponents are repaired or replaced, and silicon very obviously can’t do that. There’s just so much about androids that’s absolutely fascinating to me especially about how they’re built and made.”

Connor cocked his head at her, perplexed by her. Indeed, Rachel was a rather fascinating character, much like the lieutenant.

Hank

Androids

Deviant

“Have you never interacted personally with an android?” He asked her.

She just gave him a nonchalant shrug. “Aside from the ones sitting behind desks or standing behind cash registers, no.” Rachel answered plainly. “I don’t even interact with the android officers we have here. Never really needed to. And I never owned my own.”

“Why’s that?” He asked, curious to hear her answer.

“I just don’t like the idea of buying and owning something that looks and acts so human. It’s a bit too Uncanny Valley for me.” She paused, furrowing her brows at him. “You do know what the Uncanny Valley phenomenon is, right?”

The android nodded. “It describes the emotional response in humans to an aesthetic.” He began to explain. “It’s a hypothesized relationship between the degree of an object’s resemblance to a human being and the emotional response elicited from humans towards it. Humans are typically disturbed by something that looks human enough to be recognizable as humanlike, but are not quite human. It’s that area between something inhuman and something completely human where humans tend to react with revulsion. It’s why CyberLife has devoted so much time and resources into making androids as close visually to humans as well as making them behave as closely to humans as possible without straying from the purposes they’re programmed for.”

“Right, you definitely get it.” Rachel nodded.

Connor felt as though he should probably go, but something strangely kept him rooted here. He wanted to hear everything Rachel had to say.

Hank

Deviant

“You seem to have a rather familiar relationship with Lieutenant Anderson.” Connor remarked. “Have you known him for very long?”

“Not really.” Rachel answered casually. “I haven’t exactly been here for a long time, at least not as long as everyone else. And we really only started talking when I had just made detective. But ever since then, we’ve been pretty good friends.” Connor nodded, her explanation making sense to him. “So, you and Hank have both been assigned to the deviancy case, then?” She then suddenly asked.

“Indeed.” He answered simply. “My mission is to discover the reason why more and more androids are becoming deviant, and Lieutenant Anderson is my partner until my mission is complete.”

“I see.” I replied. “So, you’re not Hank’s android, then. You’re just assigned to him until you’re done. By CyberLife, I’m guessing.”

He nodded. “Correct.”

“So, what are you planning to do in the meantime?” She asked him. “I mean, because Hank’s never exactly been the most consistent when it came to his work schedule. And I doubt he’ll just let you crash at his place.”

“I’ll be taking a taxi to CyberLife.” Connor replied. “So that I can be properly calibrated and have manual diagnostics run on me before I depart on my next mission.”

“Ah, I see.” Rachel said nonchalantly. “That makes sense.”

Deviant

Rachel - Warm ^ “Interesting approach with the deviant.” Connor praised. He had to admit that Rachel’s method of extrapolating an initial confession out of Micheal was effective. He now understood what Lieutenant Anderson meant when he said that Rachel’s hyperempathy - a term Connor discovered by cross-referencing what Hank described and Rachel mentioning she had both Asperger’s Syndrome and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder with a search he quickly conducted - had its advantages. “Admittedly, I was skeptical at first due to Lieutenant Anderson’s lack of results when he initially tried questioning it.”

“That’s because you all approach this like cops. Like detectives.” Rachel scoffed, a smirk on her face. “I get that you’re basically programmed to be an android detective, so I at least get you. But everyone else? If you limit yourself to one role and act and think only from that perspective, you severely limit your options and thus leave out huge lists of possible solutions. I’m a detective, too. But I’m also known for thinking outside of the box.”

Connor nodded. “Well, clearly it proved to be effective.”

Software Instability ^ Rachel blinked a few times at him, glancing away from him. “Well...thank you. I appreciate the compliment.” She swallowed, looking back up at Connor curiously. “You should probably be heading out, then. I myself should probably head home right about now, it’s like one in the morning.” She then gave him a genuine smile. “But...it’s been fun chatting with you.”

“Indeed.” Connor agreed. “I enjoyed talking with you. You have a very introspective and insightful perspective that I find incredibly intriguing.”

Software Instability ^ Rachel chuckled, the smile on her face seeming to be involuntary. “Anyways, I should probably head home.” She said, making her way towards the exit. “A pleasure meeting you, Connor.”

“Likewise.” He said pleasantly, watching her walk away.

She then glanced back at him as she lingered in the doorway. “Will I be seeing you tomorrow in the station?” She asked him.

Connor nodded. “Most likely.”

Software Instability ^ Rachel then gave him another genuine smile. “Then I look forward to seeing you.”

“And I you, Detective.” Connor replied in kind.

“You don’t have to call me that.” She corrected him. “You can just call me Rachel, I don’t mind you using my first name.”

Connor nodded, returning her smile with his own. “In that case, I’ll see you tomorrow, Rachel.”

Her dark eyes glittered with excitement when he said that. “See you tomorrow, Connor.”

Just as she was about to leave, Connor remembered her curiosity about his skin and felt the need to educate her on it. “It’s a synthetic fluid.”

Rachel stopped as she turned to face him again, visible confusion on her soft round face. “Huh?”

“Android skin.” He clarified. “It’s a synthetic ferrofluid that spreads over an android’s body that is also combined with manipulative silicon and magnetic plasticine that is controlled by the android. Our biocomponents can manipulate the skin and control where it’s skinned onto because of its specialized magnetic properties. Everything is specifically designed to feel as close to human skin as possible, particularly in the cases of androids that are bought and sold into red light districts and industries.”

Rachel - Warm ^ She was seeming to take all this information in, filing it away into her vast and expansive brain. “Huh. That makes a lot of sense!” Rachel said, having brought her hand to her chin as she processed it. Looking back at Connor, her expression softened once more. “Well, Goodnight, Connor.”

Software Instability ^ “Goodnight, Rachel.” Connor replied in kind.

And in a second, she had disappeared down the hall, likely on her way home.

And as Connor stood in the interrogation room all alone, the hum of the fluorescent lights above him and the whirrs and audible processes of the tech surrounding him occupied his passive attention, there was one curious thought that was becoming ever apparent to the android.

Software Instability ^ He had noticed a significant spike in his software instability, and many of those instances were just from Rachel’s smile alone.

---------------------------------

Next Chapter

#connor #connor dbh #dbh #detroit: become human #dbh connor #self-insert x connor dbh #oc x connor dbh #dbh what it means to be human #rk800 #dbh rk800 #hank anderson #chris miller #gavin reed #fanfic #self-insert fic #reader x connor #connor x reader

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bet-your-ash · 4 years

Text

The Wedding

The Wedding: A Cherry Tree Extra ~800 words Read the fic here, and other extras here!

Ashley huffed petulantly, crossing her arms over her chest as she paced back and forth outside her brother’s bedroom door. “I am eight and a half years old,” she said to Lilac for the fourth time that hour. “I should get to go to this wedding too!”

Lilac gave her a sympathetic nod. She understood. They really weren’t kids anymore. They were eight whole years old! And Lilac would be nine in just a few short months! That was almost ten! It really didn’t make any sense that Connor, Ashley’s brother, who was only three years older than them, got to go to Ashley’s aunt’s wedding.

Connor was getting his big grown up suit fitted in his room, and Ashley had decided that they would wait for him to come out so that they could properly explain why Connor should be staying home and Ashley should be representing the family at the wedding.

Lilac was sitting on the time out bench (even though she wasn’t in time out) in the hallway as Ashley paced. She was watching her legs swing back and forth, wondering what she’d have for dinner when she got home, when the door opened and Connor walked out.

He was wearing a white button up shirt and a sleek black coat and pants, and he was even wearing a giant blue bow tie. Lilac was in awe. She’d never seen a kid her own age wearing such a cool suit.

She stood up, almost in awe, and looked up at Ashley and Connor’s mom. “Um, Mrs. Maxwell?” she asked softly as Ashley bickered with her brother. Mrs. Maxwell bent down, tucking a lock of Lilac’s curled hair behind her ear, and said, “What’s up, Lilac?”

“Can I - can I please try on a suit?” she asked.

Mrs. Maxwell blinked, looking a bit confused, but then nodded. “Sure!” she exclaimed with a big smile “Connor here has to go do his homework anyway.” She grabbed Connor’s hand, leading him back into his bedroom, and then sat him down at his desk to do homework while she helped Lilac fit on the suit.

Lilac looked in the mirror, smoothing down the front of the coat, and smiled.

She loved it! It was too big, but it was amazing. She’d never really liked the frilly pink dresses her mom had always dressed her in, but this. This felt… this felt right. She didn’t even know why, but she liked it! She wanted to dress in suits all the time. Every day of the week. She wondered if her mom had any spare suits in their closet.

“Wow, Li, you look super cool!” Ashley exclaimed from behind her.

Lilac smiled, turning around so that Ashley could see her outfit in all its glory, and Ashley grinned, putting her hands on Lilac’s shoulders. “You look snazzy,” she giggled. Lilac nodded, glancing in the mirror again. “I do, don’t I?” she said softly, adjusting the collar gently.

There was a beat of silence, and then Ashley’s face lit up. She grinned, ignoring Connor’s annoyed shout as she stole a piece of his paper and smothered glue all over it. “That’s my homework, Ashley!” Connor exclaimed.

Ashley ignored him and sprinkled glitter over the numbers.

“Ashley,” Connor groaned.

Glitter rained over the carpet as Ashley shook off the extra sparkles and grabbed scissors. Lilac watched in shock as Ashley cut shape out of the paper, her tongue sticking out over her lip in concentration.

“Ashley!” Connor whined. “Stop ruining all my work with glitter!”

Finally Ashley stopped, looking up at him with a deadpan expression. “This is serious adult business, Connor,” she said flatly. “You should be honored we’re using your work.” Connor groaned, storming out of the room. “I hate you,” he mumbled as he brushed past her.

“What are you doing?” Lilac finally asked, almost afraid of the answer.

Ashley’s smile came back, and she held up the paper. It was covered in blue glitter and cut into the shape of a bowtie, and Ashley looked supremely proud of herself. “It’s perfect!” she declared, and Lilac giggled and nodded along.

“Perfect,” Lilac repeated, and Ashley stuck it onto the suit.

Ashley’s mom yelled at them for getting glue all over the suit, and Connor ended up going to the wedding, but the girls didn’t mind. Ashley dressed up as a bride, and Lilac dressed up as a groom, and there was a fine coating of blue glitter on the tree house floor for months.

***

🍒 la fin 🍒

This one’s a bit shorter than the last one haha It’s just a bit of insight on Lilac’s backstory... Actually, a bit of insight on her gay awakening, tbh... Anyway, here’s this, hope you liked it, and we would love you forever and ever if you’d give us some feedback here! Thanks for reading 😊

See you on Saturday!

#writeblr #writing #fluff #gay #hehe #we're v proud of our gay children 🥰#cherry tree #extras

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connorssock · 5 years

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Prompt: suicidal Gavin, please?

I’ve put this under a cut because of the topic it deals with. This is pretty bleak with an ambiguous ending, deals with suicidal thoughts, attempted suicide and is not a happy piece in any way shape of form. All hurt no comfort. So proceed with caution and stay safe!

My Only Friend: The End

The revolution was over. It was a success. Gavin threw his badge onto the table along with his coat and looked bleakly around his house. Everything was over and yet everything was once again up in the air. He was suspended for assaulting Connor, for getting into a fistfight with a fellow officer, all while on duty too. Like that piece of plastic was his equal. Huffing out a humourless laugh, Gavin kicked at the chair. Everything he had been building towards, one of the last secure jobs in this miserable country and it was gone. Connor had proved that. Humiliated him, showed how flawed and useless humans were in comparison to his perfection. Gavin couldn’t stand seeing his reflection in the microwave and turned away from it with a growl.

Pointless, a waste of space. There wasn’t even a point anymore. Anderson and his plastic pet were the celebrated heroes of the precinct while Gavin himself was the shunned monster of this nightmare. Everything he had worked for, sacrificed so much for, it had gone up in smoke the moment Connor had walked through the doors of the DPD and sat his stupid plastic butt on the chair opposite Anderson’s desk. His therapist would have had a few choice words to say to Gavin about it all but she wasn’t there. Nobody was there for him anymore. Not since she was replaced with an android and Gavin had refused to go see that tin can, engineered to look sympathetic all while boiling him down to core traits which it would find faults in. Gavin didn’t need a bucket of bolts to tell him he was being aggressive and selfish without reason and probably had abandonment issues. No, what he needed was a fellow human to just listen. And the androids had taken even that small measure of comfort away from him. Pills alone didn’t do much for him, most days he skipped them anyway now, fat lot of good they did.

Slumping down onto his couch, Gavin could feel the anger bleed out from his body and he almost wished it would come back. So he could rage against Connor, hurl insults at anyone who dared slight him even by accident. Because without the fiery hatred to fuel him, he was left hollow, bleak and a meat puppet of fate. And fate really seemed to have it in for him.

Gavin refused to cry. Tears had never helped anyone ever. He’d seen too many teary victims at work, dealt with criminals who thought crying would get them a lighter sentence. Sobbing never lightened a sentence, neither did it make the aftermath of an incident easier to bear for the victim. No, the only thing that helped was action, doing something to remedy the situation, move it forward in a way that suited the individual best. Except, Gavin had already tried that. He’d challenged Connor and lost. Not just the fight, but also his dignity, his chances of a promotion, possibly his badge when more androids came flooding in to take his job.

There was no way Gavin was going to live through the humiliation of redundancy, of having to pack up his desk because he would be one of the first to go, there was no doubt. The android hater. The intolerant prick. The one suspended because he attacked a fellow officer and his once immaculate record was tarnished with a suspension thanks to a hate crime.

He had no doubt that with such a record, the way employment rates were going, Gavin was going to become just another statistic. His whole life he had dedicated to police work, he had no other marketable skills, no other avenue to turn to that an android wouldn’t easily oust him from.

Hopeless despair clawed at his chest. The more he thought about it, the more things crystallised in his mind. Gavin wasn’t well liked. He had nobody to turn to for help, as if his pride would have ever allowed that anyway. It didn’t matter though, it worked in his favour now. There was no future he wanted, the revolution had stripped any hope from him. Alone, angry and without direction. It didn’t matter. He didn’t matter.

There was no dignity in death. He’d seen too many of those too at work, attended too many callouts to deaths which weren’t being treated as suspicious but until they were confirmed, still needed a homicide detective assigned to the case. At least those had given him a twisted insight into the various creative ways people killed themselves, knew which ones made him wince and which ones seemed more tolerable. He always told everyone the rope in his garage was for towing. Only his therapist hadn’t believed him. She was a good egg, Gavin hoped she wouldn’t catch wind of what had happened to him, that he couldn’t be a disappointment to someone for one final time.

Some things there was no point in delaying. If Gavin had been sentimental, he would have indulged in a final takeaway from his favourite place, maybe thought about leaving a note. Not that he had anyone to write a goodbye to but perhaps he owed the poor sod who found him an apology. Except, it was likely to be a plastic prick and those didn’t deserve anything from Gavin.

Looking around his home for one last time, Gavin wiped a hand over his face. He wasn’t going to miss it. Too many lonely nights spent hoping his phone might light up with a message from someone he knew. He’d even tried online but he was too abrasive and private to even manage to nurture anything more than a distant acknowledgement of his existence in circles of shared interest.

Never having been one to delay things once his mind was made up, Gavin stood. His knee clicked painfully. That was another thing he wasn’t going to miss. Getting older sucked, more and more things hurt without reason. All the more reason to be done with life.

If he was feeling more generous, he could have tidied up a little. Laid everything out for the forensics team on the table so there was no doubt what and who they were dealing with. Made the place a little less scruffy, maybe even laid out a table of biscuits and a selection of teas and coffees in the kitchen with a “help yourself” label. But the house was only going to be cleared out anyway, it didn’t make much of a difference to the clean-up and removals crew whether his coat was on the table or hanging up.

He walked into the garage, his resolution to end it all giving him a purpose once more. If there was anything he could say about his life, he could say that at least he had always been true to himself. The hatred of androids wasn’t swung by the appearance of a pretty boy in the precinct like Anderson had been. Until the very end he had stood by his own morals, stuck to what he had believed in, stood up for what he thought was right. It was just a shame that not everybody saw it like that. Not that it mattered anymore. The suspension was for a week, nobody would be bothering to check in on him in all that time. By the time anyone actually realised that he wasn’t turning up for his shift, nothing would matter anymore. Connor or some other plastic idiot would have his desk, his cases, the job and life he’d worked so hard for.

All Gavin’s focus turned on getting things set up. He only wanted one shot at this and wanted it over and done with as quickly as possible. From the garage, he didn’t hear his doorbell go. Not that he would have answered it anyway. There was nothing anyone could offer him anymore. He was tired. He was done.

There was no reply to the bell and Hank frowned. Gavin’s car was in the driveway and knowing him, he hadn’t gone out. It wasn’t like the guy had many people lining up to spend time with him. It was part of the reason Fowler had sent Hank after him. To make sure he didn’t take the suspension to heart too much. An unofficial check-in and chat that, depending on how things went, could be an early end to the suspension. Numbers at the bullpen were low, people had fled Detroit with everything going on, they needed all hands on deck ideally.

Trying to door handle, Hank was surprised to find it was open and he stepped in with a loud call for Gavin.

“Reed?”

There was no answer and Hank shut the door behind him. Everything looked fine, if a little messy. A home that was lived in. He saw Gavin’s badge carelessly thrown on the table next to his coat.

“Reed? Gavin?” he shouted again. There was no reply and he walked through the house, trying to find and sign of life.

Lastly, he walked towards the garage when he heard some noise from there. Rushing in, he tore the door open and his eyes widened, aghast.

“Gavin, no!”

#dbh: gavin #dbh: hank #cw: suicidal thoughts #cw: suicide attempt #all hurt no comfort #prompt fill

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fmhiphop · 11 months

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Rapper And Pop Star Gavin Magnus Drops "Psycho" Music Video

On September 9, 2023, 16-year-old viral content creator, artist, and 'digital celebrity,' Gavin Magnus, dropped his latest bombshell. This wasn't just any revelation; it was the official music video for his sizzling new single, "Psycho," unleashed exclusively on his awesome YouTube channel. The video, a work of art created under the direction of visionary filmmaker Matt Alonzo, portrays the unstable nature of a toxic relationship. Moreover, it is filled with the angst and emotions that swirl around first love. This goldmine of visuals also features the rhythmic talents of acclaimed drummer Tosh Peterson. Notably, Peterson has laid down beats for heavyweights like Fall Out Boy, Kid Laroi, and Machine Gun Kelly. Furthermore, the shredding skills of guitarist Connor Daniel, known for his work with Thirty Seconds to Mars, Mod Sun, and LØLØ, add a whole new dimension to this musical journey. Watch the official music video for ‘Psycho’ below and here. The Meaning Behind 'Psycho' And The Journey Of Its Creation "Psycho" was crafted by the legendary John Feldmann, a producer with two GRAMMY nominations under his belt and a multi-platinum track record. You might know him from his work with the likes of Blink-182, Panic! At The Disco, and 5 Seconds Of Summer. And guess what? "Psycho" marks Gavin's electrifying debut with the alternative music label, Big Noise. “Psycho” was meant to raise awareness and address the reality of toxic relationships. This video paints a picture of the inner turmoil I faced as I outgrew out the relationship and matured in my own way. Shout out to Tosh Peterson and Connor Daniel for joining in on this video!” Gavin shares. If you're ready for a musical journey, hit that play button and stream the single 'Psycho' right here. And if you're craving more insight into the rising pop star behind this explosive track, dive into the exclusive interview over at Young Hollywood. It's a whole vibe waiting for you. Gavin: The Youngest-Ever Signee's Musical Journey Navigating the rough waters of a failed relationship, Gavin not only owns up to his mistakes but also showcases his musical evolution. Additionally, he keeps his cool like a seasoned rockstar. Furthermore, his talent didn't just raise eyebrows; it practically launched them into orbit with his viral music video at the age of 11. What's more, if that wasn't impressive enough, he had Columbia Records signing on the dotted line when he was just 12, setting a record as their youngest-ever signee. Fast forward to a billion views of his work, and he's now part of the Big Noise family. He rubs shoulders with fellow labelmates like The Used, MOD SUN, 408, and Escape the Fate. It's like he stumbled into a party for rock icons and found his name on the guest list with the who's who of the alternative genre. With over 20 million fans eagerly following his journey, Gavin's making waves while making cool look easy. From the very first press articles dubbing Gavin as "the future Justin Bieber" (watch out, world!), this Shorty-nominated singer is working with a gang of content creators who are steering the music industry into uncharted waters. They're ditching old-school tactics and forging connections directly with fans, delivering catchy tunes that feel like an open conversation. As for 'Psycho,' it's just the first note in the symphony of what's about to hit your playlist. Get ready for a whirlwind of fresh music and exciting content headed your way. Crossing The 70 Million Views Mark With Music Videos GAVIN MAGNUS, the teenage dynamo hailing from Long Island, New York, has gone from a young rapper and popular YouTuber to a rising superstar with the charisma of a thousand-megawatt smiles. He started as a viral video sensation at 11, and at the ripe old age of 12, he had a major record label knocking on his door. Talk about a meteoric rise! Gavin's creative mojo and welcoming personality have drawn in a massive fan base, more than 20 million strong. Fortunately, he's conquered every platform that matters. His music videos have crossed the 70 million views mark, thanks to a diverse bunch of fans who can't get enough of his musical skills. Remember "Hearts On a Pendant"? One of Gavin's viral hits, it even made an appearance on the MTV series Siesta Key. Now at 16, he's the youngest artist on the Big Noise Music roster, infusing his melodic hooks and rap with punk rock swagger and spirit. With a career trajectory this steep, who knows what kind of superstar Gavin will be by the time he's old enough to rent a car! Gavin Magnus Is A Musical Advocate And An Anti-Bullying Champion Teaming up with John Feldmann (the genius behind Blink-182, Panic! At The Disco, and 5 Seconds Of Summer), Gavin is dropping fresh beats that'll make your ears perk up. Moreover, we're talking songs that are as infectious as that catchy tune you can't get out of your head (and trust us, that's a good thing). Furthermore, Magnus, like NLE Choppa and DDG, is part of this new wave of creators who are flipping the script in the music game. They're not just making music; they're crafting a natural relationship with their fans. And to top it off, Gavin isn't just about blessing our ears with his catchy music; he's also an advocate for animals and an anti-bullying activist. Rock on, Gavin Magnus! For more information, check out Gavin Magnus' socials below: YouTube | TikTok | Instagram | Snapchat Follow and like FMHipHop on Twitter, Instagram, Spotify, Facebook, and YouTube! Written by Nikiya Biggs Twitter | Facebook | LinkedIn Read the full article

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thehelleniclunarwitch · 6 years

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Teenage Promises (Eddie Brock x Reader)

Prompt: As teenagers, a boy and a girl agree to marry if neither have by their 35th birthday. Follow the boy as he attempts to sabotage every relationship the girl has till then.

Pairing: Eddie Brock x Reader

Minor pairings: Roy Harper x Reader Pietro Maximoff x Reader Connor Kent x Reader Dick Grayson x Reader

Minor Characters: Jason Todd, Roy Harper, Pietro Maximoff, Connor Kent, Dick Grayson

Fandom: Venom, Marvel, DC

Warning: Language

*Sixteen Years Old*

The pair lay in the back of his truck under the night sky. Y/n pointed at the sky above them.

“There! I found the Little Dipper first,” She grinned.

Eddie glanced over at her with a small smile.

“Hey, let’s make a promise,” Eddie said.

Y/n dropped her arm down next to her as she looked over at her best friend.

“What kind of promise?” Y/n asked.

Eddie took her hand in his. The two of them weren’t shy about displaying their love for one another. They had been best friends since they were three years old. Y/n tightened her grip on his hand as Eddie sucked in a breath before talking.

“Let’s promise each other that if neither of us are married by thirty-five then we marry each other,” Eddie said.

“Do you have that little faith in us?” Y/n asked with a chuckle.

Eddie rolled his eyes. “Are you that repulsed at the thought of marrying me?”

This time it was Y/n who let out a soft chuckle.

“No, it’s not repulsing,” Y/n said.

Eddie sat up on his elbows. “So is it a deal?”

Y/n bit at the bottom of her lip.

“Deal,” Y/n said as she shook her friend’s hand.

*Eighteen Years Old*

“Wait, really?” Roy asked.

“Yeah, her dads don’t want to exactly tell her no because she is their only kid, but they are pretty strict about no dating,” Eddie said.

Jason chuckled behind him. Eddie glanced back at his best friend and gave him a sour look. Jason rolled his eyes but took the hint to fall quiet. Roy was also his best friend and should at least warn his friend that Eddie was head over heels in love with the girl, but all of this was far too entertaining to say something.

“Steve and Bucky are legends. They’re terrifying. I don’t need them coming after me because I asked their daughter out on a date,” Roy said.

“That’s why I’m just giving you the fair warning,” Eddie said.

“Thanks, man, I guess I should call Y/n and break it off,” Roy said.

“Yeah you do that,” Eddie agreed.

Hunching his shoulders forward, Roy quickly left the locker room with his lacrosse bag and pulled out his phone.

“Dude, your desperation is showing,” Jason commented.

Eddie wheeled around to glare at his friend.

“One word to her and I’ll tell Y/f/n that it was you who spilled the coffee on her brand new laptop and not some random stranger at the coffee shop,” Eddie threatened.

“Dude, low blow,” Jason said.

Eddie cocked an eyebrow. “Don’t mess with me,”

Jason sighed and shook his head. The familiar ring tone that belonged to Y/n began to echo through the locker room. Eddie pulled out his phone and a small smile tugged at his lips at the sight of Y/n’s name flashing across the screen.

“Gotta go, my girl is heartbroken,” Eddie smirked.

“You sick bastard,” Jason scoffed.

Eddie only grinned as he answered the call bringing the phone up to his ear.

“Hey you,” Eddie answered.

Eddie grabbed his bag as he turned on his heel to leave.

“Roy broke off the date?” Eddie asked.

Jason shook his head once again as he picked up his own bag and began following his friend out of the locker room.

“Of course I can pick up ice cream and come over,” Eddie said.

Jason nudged Eddie on the shoulder to let his friend know that he was heading towards his own vehicle. His own girlfriend, Y/f/n was leaning against his bike waiting for him.

“What took you guys so long?” Y/f/n asked as Jason dipped down to kiss her hello.

“Roy broke the date off with Y/n,” Jason said.

“Shit, I should call her,” Y/f/n said.

“Don’t worry about it, she called and Eddie and he’s already on his way,” Jason said.

Y/f/n looked up at her boyfriend. “You’re pretty calm for having one of your best friends break another one of your best friends heart,”

Jason only smirked. “Maybe I already have it handled,”

“Oh really?” Y/f/n asked.

“Yeah, really, now can we go? I’m starving,” Jason complained.

“Right, cause you’re going to waste away,” Y/f/n teased.

Jason pushed the helmet down on her head before climbing on his own bike. Glancing across the parking lot he watched as Eddie hang up the phone and climb into his truck.

Eddie waved towards Jason before pulling out of his spot and whipping out of the parking lot.

Eddie knew that Jason would rag on him more later on, but right now his best friend needed him. Deep down, Eddie knew this was wrong that he shouldn’t sabotage her chance at happiness, but Eddie truly believed that he was the key to her true happiness.

Eddie stopped at the corner market down the road from Y/n’s house to pick up her favorite ice cream and a box of tissues. He quickly paid for the items and then continued his way down to the Rogers-Barnes household.

Bucky was the one to answer the door.

“Are you going to get her to stop crying? Nothing we do is working,” Bucky asked.

Eddie held up the bag of ice cream and tissues. “I’m on it,”

“Thank god, she’s upstairs,” Steve said rounding the corner.

Eddie kicked off his shoes and then took the stairs two at a time. He found Y/n curled up in her bed. Eddie jumped onto the bed next to her. Popped open the ice cream and then let his friend rant and rave to him about stupid Roy Harper.

*Twenty One Years Old*

“Thanks for meeting me. You’re her best friend if anyone can give me insight for this date it’s going to be you,” Pietro said.

Eddie gave the blonde a soft smile. “No problem at all,”

“So tell me about Y/n,” Pietro said.

“Well, she’s an independent woman. She hates the whole chivalry thing. Don’t open doors for her. Let her pay the bill, act like you’re not into her. That whole chasing thing is lame to her.” Eddie explained.

“Growing up with two dads must have taught her that,” Pietro said.

Eddie had to press his lips closed tight to keep from bursting out into a fit of laughter.

“Yeah, Y/n’s never been the damsel in distress and she isn’t going to start now,” Eddie said.

“Okay, okay, I think I’ve got this,” Pietro said.

“Oh, but she does hate making decisions. So make sure you order dinner for her,” Eddie said.

“What kind of things does she like to eat?” Pietro asked.

“She’s a meat and potato kind of girl,” Eddie said.

“Great, thanks Eddie, this was really helpful,” Pietro said.

“No problem, good luck tonight,” Eddie said.

Pietro shook Eddie’s hand and then excused himself.

“You know it was shitty when you did it to me and it’s still shitty that you’re still doing it,” Roy said coming around the corner.

Eddie looked up at his friend. “I know, but,”

“You love her. I just don’t understand why you don’t tell her,” Roy said flopping down next to her.

“This way is much more fun,” Eddie grinned.

Roy shook his head. “You’re going to get caught. How do you think she’ll take that?”

“I’ve been careful. She’s not going to find out,” Eddie said.

“Dude, your big mouth is the reason I found out anyway,” Roy pointed out.

“No, years had gone by and I figured you had the right to know,” Eddie corrected his friend.

Roy rolled his eyes. “Whatever dude, but if the day comes Y/n finds out I’m going to happily sit back and watch her kick your ass from here to China and back,”

Eddie scoffed. “You’ll be eating those words when she’s walking down the aisle at our wedding,”

“Whatever you say, dude,” Roy said getting up.

“You have little faith in me friend,” Eddie said.

“No, you’re too cocky for your own good,” Roy said before walking away and leaving Eddie alone with his own thoughts.

“Mark my words!” Eddie shouted out after him.

Later that evening, Jason, Y/f/n, Roy, and Eddie all sat in Y/f/n and Y/n’s apartment watching a movie with their takeout still on the coffee table in front of them.

The door to the apartment flung open, Y/n stormed in and then slammed the door behind her. Y/f/n was quick to her feet.

“Was it that bad?” Y/f/n asked.

“He was twenty minutes late, the door slammed in my face, ordered me a bloody steak, didn’t let me say one word all night and then made me pick up the almost hundred dollar bill,” Y/n snarled as she kicked out of the heels Y/f/n had picked out for her.

“Jesus, that doesn’t sound like the Pietro I know,” Y/f/n said as she walked over to her friend.

Roy and Jason both looked over at Eddie who was trying very hard not to smile.

“This is honestly such bullshit and so confusing. I never thought he would be like that,” Y/n said.

Y/f/n wrapped an arm around her friend’s shoulder.

“I’m going to pour you a giant glass of wine and then we can have a bitch fest over chocolate in my room,” Y/f/n said.

“Hey! We’re watching a movie,” Jason exclaimed.

“And my best friend needs me,” Y/f/n said with a growl.

Once the girls were gone Jason looked over at his friend.

“Thanks for the cockblock. I hope you’re happy,” Jason said.

“Oh, I’m stoked,” Eddie grinned.

*Twenty Five Years Old*

Connor Kent looked over at Y/n.

“Wait, you really think that your dad could beat my dad in a fight?” Connor asked her.

“There’s no competition,” Y/n blatantly replied.

“My dad is Superman,” Connor said matter of factly.

“And my dad is Captain America. He’d wipe the floor with your dad,” Y/n said.

“Okay, so we can’t be civil about this?” Connor asked.

“Absolutely not,” Y/n said sitting back with a huff.

Connor sighed. The two fell silent. He pulled out his phone and kept it hidden under the table.

To: Eddie Brock

I thought you said she’s a big fan of my dad?

From: Eddie Brock

She’s a huge fan.

To: Eddie Brock

She just told me her dad would wipe the floor with my dad

From: Eddie Brock

You're his son. Did you really think she’d admit that to you?

To: Eddie Brock

I guess I didn’t think of it that way.

From: Eddie Brock

You can save the date

To: Eddie Brock

How?

From: Eddie Brock

Tell her how much you admired the Avengers for taking down Thanos

To: Eddie Brock

Thanks

Connor slipped his phone back into his pocket.

“You know I’ve been meaning to tell you what a great job the Avengers did taking down Thanos a few years back,” Connor said.

Y/n paled.

“What? What did I say?” Connor asked.

Y/n stood and tossed down her napkin onto her plate. “You do realize that I lost my godfather, my aunt, and one of my best friends, right?” Y/n said.

“Y/n, wait, I’m sorry,” Connor began stumbling over his words.

“Have the great rest of your night,” Y/n hissed.

“Y/n!” Connor exclaimed.

“Tell your dad I said hi,” Y/n growled before storming out of the restaurant leaving a baffled Connor Kent behind.

Y/n called Eddie and told him to man the ice cream she was going to need a lot of it.

*Thirty Years Old*

“I’m going to kill your brother!” Eddie roared.

Jason didn’t even bother to look up from his book.

“Which one?” Jason asked. “I have a pack of them,”

Eddie swatted the book out of Jason’s hands.

“Dick Fucking Grayson just took my girl out for dinner,” Eddie spat.

Jason threw back his head and laughed.

“Ooh a little too close to home now, huh?” Jason asked.

“Yeah for you, when you’ll have to attend his funeral,” Eddie snarled.

Jason shook his head.

“Call of your hound, Jay, before you have one less brother to annoy,” Eddie threatened.

Jason sighed. “If I do will you man up and tell her already?”

“Do it before I get arrested for murder!” Eddie ordered before storming away.

Jason rolled his eyes as he pulled out his phone.

To: Dickhead

From: Dickhead

What? I’m on a date.

To: Dickhead

You do know that Eddie is in love with Y/n, right?

From: Dickhead

What?

To: Dickhead

Yeah and if you don’t ditch that date he’s going to murder you.

From: Dickhead

Fuck we just ordered.

To: Dickhead

It’s your life. I gave you the warning.

“Hey, everything okay?” Y/n asked.

Dick’s head snapped up from his phone.

“Uh, yeah,” Dick hesitated.

“You sure?” Y/n asked.

“Actually, I think I made a mistake,” Dick said.

Y/n cocked an eyebrow in confusion.

“What are you talking about?” Y/n asked.

“I thought I was over Kori, but the more I sit here with you it’s obvious that I’m not,” Dick said.

“Um, wow,” Y/n said in shock.

“Sorry, Y/n, but I can’t do this,” Dick said before leaving her alone at the table.

Jason looked up from his book once again.

“That son of a bitch!” Y/n shouted.

Jason winced. Y/n set her eyes on Jason.

“Your brother is a real piece of work!” Y/n growled.

“Now, Y/n,” Jason began.

“Don’t you now Y/n me,” Y/n snarled.

“Hey what’s with all of that shouting,” Y/f/n asked.

“Take your pregnant self back in that room. I don’t want the stress of you witnessing your husband's murder to harm your baby,” Y/n growled.

“And why are you going to kill my husband?” Y/f/n asked.

“Because his good for nothing brother just left me alone in a restaurant because he’s supposedly not over Kor,” Y/n said.

“You kill my worthless husband and I’ll go kill Dick,” Y/f/n said.

“Now girls,” Jason said.

Both sets of burning eyes turned on him.

“Right, my brother is in the wrong and I’ll kill him myself,” Y/f/n quickly corrected.

“Smart decision,” Y/f/n said.

Once Jason was gone, Y/n followed Y/f/n into her bedroom. She curled up next to her friend and the two fell into a Netflix binge while Jason took care of his brother.

*Thirty Five Years Old*

“Happy Birthday!” Eddie shouted as he burst into Y/n’s apartment.

Y/n stood there, her arms crossed, and a glare already settled on her face.

“What’s wrong?” Eddie asked.

“Do you think I’m an idiot?” Y/n asked him.

“Uh, no,” Eddie said.

“You do know that I figured out your whole plan years ago, right?” Y/n said.

Eddie’s heart dropped but he had to play all of this off.

“What plan? I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Eddie said.

“Roy, Pietro, Connor, and Dick. They were all so great leading up to my date,” Y/n began.

“Girl, I have no idea what’s your rambling on about,”

“They did everything exactly wrong. The complete opposite of what I like. The boys never went to Y/f/n for advice on me, Jason wouldn’t help, but you, you would be more than willing to play the best friend part,” Y/n said.

Eddie gulped.

“So, admit it, did you sabotage all of my dates over the past years, even the ones I didn’t even mention?” Y/n asked.

Eddie stayed silent.

“Edward if you know what’s best for you-you'll start spilling,” Y/n growled.

Eddie sighed. “Yeah, I did,”

“Why?” Y/n exploded. “All I’ve ever wanted was to get married and have kids. You have purposely ruined all of my chances at being happy,”

“It’s because I’m selfish,” Eddie said.

“Clearly,” Y/n hissed.

“But you don’t understand why,” Eddie said.

Y/n narrowed her eyes at him.

“Do you remember that promise you made me when we were sixteen?” Eddie asked.

Y/n’s facial expressions softened as the memory came back to her.

“Let’s promise each other that if neither of us are married by thirty-five then we marry each other,” Eddie said.

“So what, you sabotaged all of my dates over the years so you could marry me?” Y/n asked.

“Isn’t it obvious, Y/n? I’ve been in love with you way before we made that deal,” Eddie said.

“Eddie,” Y/n sighed.

Eddie held up a finger as he dug around in his pocket.

“I mean come on Y/n I can’t be the only one to be blamed here. You could have fought tooth and nail for any of those great guys,” Eddie said.

“What are you trying to insinuate?” Y/n asked.

“That deep down you love me too,” Eddie said.

“Eddie,” Y/n said with a roll of her eyes.

“And you’re just too afraid to admit it,” Eddie said.

Y/n scoffed, but then fell silent as she watched Eddie get down on one knee.

“If I’m wrong you just have to say so,” Eddie said.

Y/n’s eyes widened.

“But if you’re wrong, which god I hope you are, then will you marry me?” Eddie asked as he opened the small black box.

“Oh my god,” Y/n whispered.

“You’re the love of my life and I want to spend the rest of my life with. I want you to be my wife and I want to give you babies lots and lots of babies,” Eddie said.

“Shut up,” Y/n said.

Eddie closed his mouth.

“God I hate when you’re right,” Y/n said.

Eddie broke out into a smile.

“So is that a yes?” Eddie asked.

“Yes, you idiot, I’d love to marry you,” Y/n grinned.

Eddie slipped the ring on her finger before picking her up and spinning her around. Sure Eddie could have done this a little easier, but this was way more fun and a lot more satisfying. But hey they were both getting their happy endings and that’s all that mattered.

#Eddie Brock #Eddie Brock x Reader #venom marvel #Roy Harper #Jason Todd #Pietro Maximoff #Connor Kent #Dick Grayson #DC #venom #marvel #prompt #minor side pairings #funny

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