Everybody hated Reed, it was uncommon for anybody to stand him. But with time and practice, he learned to hate them back. Sure, it stuck his attitude in a state of bitterness, and at some point he realized that he may never learn to love, but so what? Every wall he's built around him paid off, so what's the point in ever having them down? The world hated Gavin and threw hardships at every turn, so Gavin flipped out his middle finger and told the world it could go fuck itself. If nobody around him would ever care enough to spare a passing glance, he wouldn't do anything for them. If people threw mean comments at him on the daily, then he would throw some back. If he rotted away smoking and drowning himself in coffee, then nobody would care.

And he wouldn't either.

The day Markus freed the androids, he stood (Well, he had just gotten up from Connor knocking him out and was sitting on his ass) in front of a TV screen, watching the deviant leader and Connor, Connor, who tried to hunt Markus down, standing behind him. They were so alive and fiery but Gavin had enough bitterness to deny it for a while. Those assholes. They've taken everything away from him. Everything. So many sleepless nights, so many hellish mornings. And now they threatened his job; he was in the path of a hoard of perfect workers. The only thing he cared about, the reason he was such an asshole to everybody. They were taking it away. Emotionless beings supposed to as told, walking around with free will and jobs. Gavin laughed at the thought.

Despite his protests, nobody would hear him out as the office made changes. The android parking on the streets disappeared, the androids refused to obey him, and those assholes Hank and Connor had their arms around each other's shoulders like a high school couple being swept away by young love. Gavin couldn't be any more jealous disgusted and rushed into the break room many times a day for something, anything. A distracter. These last few days, these last hours, had already become hellish. He needed to see something familiar, something normal to him. He expected to greet the walls and assets of the break room. Instead, he faced the biggest change of all. A tall man with a white coat, facing away from him as he scrolled through a tablet. Judging by the neat hair on the back of his head and the lack of wrinkles on a pure, white coat, Gavin knew he was someone different.

But he turned around, only to reveal an LED spinning on his temple. Just another one of those assholes.

He looked like Connor, but with grey eyes and a cool demeanor instead of the goofy, "Good cop" one Connor carried around. If Connor's puppy eyes didn't work on him, then anything this guy said sure as hell wouldn't; Still trying to convince himself that he could handle anything the android had in store, Gavin froze as an LED spun yellow and faded into blue before a soft grin broke out onto the android's face. The detective's mouth opened to spit out something, a rude remark, an insult to his kind, an order to get out. Anything at all for fuck's sake, he should've punched him or something! Despite his inner turmoil, he stood there like an idiot as a warm, kind voice spoke to him with a gentleness usually reserved for lovers as he swam in pale grey eyes.

"Detective Reed, I assume?" A hand extended towards him. "I'm Connor, t… an android freed from Cyberlife. Jericho freed me, and since I am optimized for police work just as… another Connor is, I'm here. It's a pleasure to meet you, and I hope to work with you in the future. I also plan on finding a different name." This was his chance to make a good impression on somebody. Although he's unpleasant and condescending to his fellow policemen, he wasn't rude to new people. But… a police android who was new? If there was a protocol for this, Gavin didn't learn it, and humans being creatures of habit, he did what he'd been doing all these years.

"I don't give two shits. Stay. Out. Of. My. Way. Got it?" Gavin stood on his toes but didn't quite get onto eye-level. Why'd they make these guys so tall? "I don't want to deal with another plastic asshole."

"Detective Reed, I suggest you get rid of that sour attitude if we ever work together." A shiver flew up his spine at the thought of being assigned something together. But, it lessened when he convinced himself that it would never happen. He cared about his career, more so than his health, so Fowler didn't hate him enough to assign him with a plastic asshat. Albeit, this was a handsome asshat who would be very helpful on the field, but an asshat nonetheless. After what happened, how could he call them anything other than that?

"Bring me a coffee every morning and I'll think about it." He didn't realize he held onto the android's large collar, nor did he notice the perfect, smooth hands on top of his, warning him. It took all of his effort to rip them away and storm out of the break room, forgetting about his endeavor for coffee. The rush of pride from intimidating an android built to be perfect, as often reminded by others, wasn't enough to distract himself from the crushing guilt that came barreling towards him. And the confusion for feeling said guilt. To be truthful, that was his shot at maybe making friends again… sure, with an android, but wasn't it time for a change? It had been a while since Gavin could find someone who stood him. The world revolved around him, everything gone in an instant and changing in a flash. He had to keep up. But he couldn't let go.

"You're getting assigned with the RK900." Fowler didn't even turn his chair to look at Gavin, who's eyes dropped to the ground. Anger, disbelief, and an odd sense of betrayal coursed through him. The world just couldn't get enough from hating him, could it? First, the asshole comes in the first place, now he's assigned with him? Like so many times before, there was nothing he could do about it. God, he needed a coffee so badly. Or a smoke. Both. It was like someone stuck him in a sick story and the author was having too much fun torturing him. "The RK900 is still new to this and it's more of… him tagging along and watching. Don't get so worked up about it. He's advanced enough to be on his own, but since he's now a person, we're doing what we would for one." Gavin couldn't muster any energy to complain, bicker, or fight back at all, so with a heavy sigh and after rubbing his temples for a moment, he agreed. Not to mention, he was on the captain's good side, and he didn't intend that to change anything soon.

"Wait, but-!" He tried.

"But what." Fowler warned. "If Connor was the newest, smartest android out there and he was just a prototype, then imagine how this guy is. Don't complain, if anything he'll help."

"Nevermind." He shot back to his desk, angry at the world as usual, but yet again, he ran into the RK900. Unfeeling, cold, and staring down at him as if he didn't want to be working with him either. Annoyance growled in his stomach because how dare he. Or perhaps it was the breakfast he skipped. What stood in front of him was but a machine with no feelings or desires- that's what Gavin believed, and he would stick by that no matter what they to do. Still, that service representative smile broke out on the android's face and he continued to talk as if they were friends. "Oh my God, what the fuck do you want?"

"Captain Fowler assigned us together for your next few cases. I admit we got off to a rocky start, but I shouldn't leave it like that. I believe we can learn to like each other, or at least, tolerate each other. It is very important if we will cooperate in the future."

"Don't care right now. Who cares if we had a bad start? Nothing'll change. Hasn't everybody told you to avoid me yet?Just go already, would you? I'm not in the mood." Gavin tried threatening him again, but with the height difference and knowledge that Gavin was too tired to do anything, the android didn't budge. Didn't even blink.

"They have told me. And I don't care." Phrases such as I don't care, I can't form an opinion, and I am indifferent were common things to slip out of an android's mouth. But the way this one said it, with so much confidence and combining it with an intense gaze, Gavin couldn't help but surrender to the notion that Connor was being genuine when he spoke. "Well, I won't go down without a fight." The detective wasn't too sure what he meant, but he didn't expect a cup of coffee and a pack of cigarettes sliding towards him. They were even the brand he liked. That stupid Connor must've encouraged scanning his desk. It took a moment to register what was happening, but Gavin found the energy to look up at the android with his best dirty glare. The detective's efforts didn't wipe the smug face off other Connor's face. "A cup of coffee every morning, yes?"