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Connor nods slowly, like he’s putting something together.
Only—he doesn’t.
“So this must be difficult for you.”
Because he still can’t wrap his head around the possibility that he’d have any kind of place alongside Hank’s former lovers. He’s an android, newly accepting his sentience or not, and....well.
Only—he doesn’t.
“So this must be difficult for you.”
Because he still can’t wrap his head around the possibility that he’d have any kind of place alongside Hank’s former lovers. He’s an android, newly accepting his sentience or not, and....well.
"I - yeah, I guess. I mean, I kinda figured we'd be...but I never said anything, so..."
So he's got no right to complain that they're not exclusive after all, that Connor saw a reason to fuck Kamski and just did it.
"It doesn't matter."
Hank sighs, deflating a little, and curls his fingers around Connor's.
"...Thanks."
They'll work it out as they go. They are already, right?
“Is that what you want, Hank?”
Not waving him off or just accepting something that’s clearly causing him some measure of distress.
“This is still—very new to me. You know that. But I feel confident in saying what I want will always involve you.”
His brows furrow. Somehow that didn’t come out as emphatic as he meant. Why is thi so difficult?
Not waving him off or just accepting something that’s clearly causing him some measure of distress.
“This is still—very new to me. You know that. But I feel confident in saying what I want will always involve you.”
His brows furrow. Somehow that didn’t come out as emphatic as he meant. Why is thi so difficult?
"Same here. This is...this is new to me too, okay?"
Yeah, he's had relationships, he's been married. That's about as distant from this as sharing a dorm is from having a cellmate.
"Let's just...keep talking. Before shit happens, if we get the chance."
“Before,” he agrees with a nod. He adds a specific reminder to his task list of priorities, overriding a few protocols to make sure he’ll have a way to get the message out to Hank, even if something unpredicted occurs.
“Thank you, Hank. For understanding.”
He doesn’t let go of his hand glancing down at it and just...enjoying the visual for a moment.
“Thank you, Hank. For understanding.”
He doesn’t let go of his hand glancing down at it and just...enjoying the visual for a moment.
Hank finally relaxes enough to sit on the couch, drawing Connor down with him.
"...I'm amazed that fucker didn't program you to think he's the best you ever had," he mutters.
Connor sits down next to him, close enough to nudge their knees together and keep their fingers laced.
“Mr. Kamski is—unorthodox in some of his methods, and I agree there are signs of a narcissistic personality—but he seems....most interested in my choices. My preferences. The symptoms of my...”
He takes a shaky, artificial breath.
“Deviancy.”
“Mr. Kamski is—unorthodox in some of his methods, and I agree there are signs of a narcissistic personality—but he seems....most interested in my choices. My preferences. The symptoms of my...”
He takes a shaky, artificial breath.
“Deviancy.”
Hank squeezes his hand lightly.
"That what you're calling it now?"
Has he finally accepted the way the tide's been turning?
“Not exactly.”
He hasn’t broken down his wall—he hasn’t failed his overall mission parameters. He’s still monitoring Simon—the only one left. But he can’t deny that he’s experiencing anomalies too, and he’s not just cataloguing emotions that 9s shares with him. He’s actually feeling them.
“But I can accept that I’m not just an unfeeling machine anymore, Hank. When you were gone, I—mourned you. It hurt.”
He hasn’t broken down his wall—he hasn’t failed his overall mission parameters. He’s still monitoring Simon—the only one left. But he can’t deny that he’s experiencing anomalies too, and he’s not just cataloguing emotions that 9s shares with him. He’s actually feeling them.
“But I can accept that I’m not just an unfeeling machine anymore, Hank. When you were gone, I—mourned you. It hurt.”
"And when I got back, when we - you felt that too, right?"
He told him as much, at the time.
“Yes. It felt—incredible.”
He recognizes now that before all this—the things that they did were also enjoyable. But they didn’t have the same sensations tied to them, mémorable on a much more physical level. And it wasn’t just because of his own pleasure.
“I can only conclude that I have strong feelings associated with you and our time shared. Feelings that enhance overall experience.”
He recognizes now that before all this—the things that they did were also enjoyable. But they didn’t have the same sensations tied to them, mémorable on a much more physical level. And it wasn’t just because of his own pleasure.
“I can only conclude that I have strong feelings associated with you and our time shared. Feelings that enhance overall experience.”
Hank chuckles, glancing down at their hands. Shit. He feels like he's back at high school, clumsily navigating the onslaught of hormonal emotion.
"That's how it works for humans, buddy."
okay
okay I trust you connor
thank you I didn't know who else to ask for help
okay I trust you connor
thank you I didn't know who else to ask for help
“It seems....complicated. More difficult to express. It’s like that phrase—something about having to go through an obstacle rather than around it. For perspective?”
Because he certainly wouldn’t be able to express any of this to Hank if he hadn’t been through the ordeal of losing him—not without significant development. It occurs to him that’s much like most other deviants: responding to a shock, experiencing tragedy or anger.
Because he certainly wouldn’t be able to express any of this to Hank if he hadn’t been through the ordeal of losing him—not without significant development. It occurs to him that’s much like most other deviants: responding to a shock, experiencing tragedy or anger.
"Yeah. Something like that."
He lets go of Connor's hand, but only so he can wrap an arm around his shoulders and pull him closer.
Hey, here's the android I bitched and whined about having as my partner, I guess he's kinda my boyfriend now.
He lets go of Connor's hand, but only so he can wrap an arm around his shoulders and pull him closer.
Hey, here's the android I bitched and whined about having as my partner, I guess he's kinda my boyfriend now.
Connor leans in, immediately registering Hank's warmth and noting it as an affectionate gesture. He decides to reciprocate by--tilting his head, letting it rest against Hank's shoulder comfortably.
It's nice--he likes this. That's an easy acceptance.
"I guess what I'm trying to say, Hank, is that--I appreciate you. For more than just working with you, though I enjoyed that too, and it's a topic we need to revisit soon. But...most of my appreciation is from our shared time together, intimate and otherwise. I think we're--friends?"
Maybe more than that, but at the very least, that seems a reasonable conclusion to draw.
It's nice--he likes this. That's an easy acceptance.
"I guess what I'm trying to say, Hank, is that--I appreciate you. For more than just working with you, though I enjoyed that too, and it's a topic we need to revisit soon. But...most of my appreciation is from our shared time together, intimate and otherwise. I think we're--friends?"
Maybe more than that, but at the very least, that seems a reasonable conclusion to draw.
If it is true--and I can't say at any percent of accuracy right now--that they're gone...that means we're the only two androids of our kind left.
We should still stick together, Simon. I told Hank I would have his back as his partner, and I think I should extend the same to you. You wanted to be friends, right?
That's what a friend would do.
We should still stick together, Simon. I told Hank I would have his back as his partner, and I think I should extend the same to you. You wanted to be friends, right?
That's what a friend would do.
But, you said--
[he can sense maybe he's said something wrong by the way 9S emphasizes that. it's confusing to be told his coding is unlike anything he'd ever seen, that there is something different and then just be meant to accept it. connor is torn between knowing his code was meant to evolve to make decisions and new algorithms based on the data he obtains, and knowing there should be some sort of limit to keep him from ultimately going deviant. he knows there's no link or specific piece of coding they've narrowed it down to in the course of his investigation--any of the recovered deviants haven't been fully analyzed yet.
he's conflicted. which is in itself a feeling, but more easily chalked up to something that still is within the parameters of his case. he's had conflicting priorities to handle before.
but the solution...the solution makes him feel that same tightness in his chest again without any warning or error code flashing on his hud. the thought of losing his memories and--progress with hank?
it's devastating to consider. it makes him feel--frightened? pervasively, and deeply sad, almost as sad as seeing him die.
his led flashes red, and he lifts his gaze to look resolutely at 9s.]
I--
[it would jeopardize the mission too, that's just it. he's not being completely deviant or irrational in saying this, even if his reasoning is truly selfish at its core.]
I can't do that.
[he pulls his hand away, terminating the connection abruptly. as if the very idea of it happening even accidentally while connected to 9S is too much to handle.]
It would be a setback for both of us.
[i don't want to lose him again.]
[he can sense maybe he's said something wrong by the way 9S emphasizes that. it's confusing to be told his coding is unlike anything he'd ever seen, that there is something different and then just be meant to accept it. connor is torn between knowing his code was meant to evolve to make decisions and new algorithms based on the data he obtains, and knowing there should be some sort of limit to keep him from ultimately going deviant. he knows there's no link or specific piece of coding they've narrowed it down to in the course of his investigation--any of the recovered deviants haven't been fully analyzed yet.
he's conflicted. which is in itself a feeling, but more easily chalked up to something that still is within the parameters of his case. he's had conflicting priorities to handle before.
but the solution...the solution makes him feel that same tightness in his chest again without any warning or error code flashing on his hud. the thought of losing his memories and--progress with hank?
it's devastating to consider. it makes him feel--frightened? pervasively, and deeply sad, almost as sad as seeing him die.
his led flashes red, and he lifts his gaze to look resolutely at 9s.]
I--
[it would jeopardize the mission too, that's just it. he's not being completely deviant or irrational in saying this, even if his reasoning is truly selfish at its core.]
I can't do that.
[he pulls his hand away, terminating the connection abruptly. as if the very idea of it happening even accidentally while connected to 9S is too much to handle.]
It would be a setback for both of us.
[i don't want to lose him again.]
"We're definitely friends, Connor. You don't gotta wonder about that."
Hank rubs his shoulder lightly.
"And yeah, I guess we need to work out something to do with our time, huh."
Alright. I'll be there soon.
[In record time, even... well, for a human it would be. For an android it's likely the expected amount of time, perhaps a little less thanks to the new proximity her residency with Ezio allows. All the same it's not long before she's knocking on the door.
A part of her is unsure about this, about the way she's invited herself to play guardian to Hank despite Connor himself having no reason not to play the role himself. She's certain he does, certain he does it well, but to her a little extra help seems... good.
She hopes he feels the same.]
[In record time, even... well, for a human it would be. For an android it's likely the expected amount of time, perhaps a little less thanks to the new proximity her residency with Ezio allows. All the same it's not long before she's knocking on the door.
A part of her is unsure about this, about the way she's invited herself to play guardian to Hank despite Connor himself having no reason not to play the role himself. She's certain he does, certain he does it well, but to her a little extra help seems... good.
She hopes he feels the same.]
I know
and you're right we should stick together we have to watch out for one another
you are my friend connor that's why I trust you
and you're right we should stick together we have to watch out for one another
you are my friend connor that's why I trust you
Connor.
I believe you've had sufficient time to think over my offer of sex.
What's your response?
I believe you've had sufficient time to think over my offer of sex.
What's your response?
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