"You don't understand, Connor," Hank said. "You can't taste what you're making."

"That's why I'm saying you can buy the canned tomato with added flavors-"

"Just let me get the spaghetti sauce!"

"But the budget-"

"You really think I can't afford spaghetti sauce?!"

Connor was wearing a black v-neck and black sweatpants. Like a disgruntled teenager, he often took to colors that reflected his mood.

The boy closed his eyes and paused for a moment. If he were human he might have taken a deep breath.

Hank debated whether or not to put a hand on his shoulder.

"Hank." Connor opened his eyes, in the dim light from the window they almost seemed to glow. They were shiny blue. "The last time you bought spaghetti sauce it collected mold before you could finish it."

"I told you we could've just scooped the moldy parts out," Hank said. "The rest of it was fine!"

"I will not let you eat contaminated foods!" Connor said. "And since this is a household of one-"

"Connor-"

"A household of one person who eats," Connor corrected. "It would be smarter to buy the canned foods which do not expire as quickly!"

Hank groaned. "It's my money!"

"You're going to live for a long time," Connor said. "And since you retired so early-"

It wasn't exactly my choice to retire early, Hank thought. But he didn't want to put on a bitter face in front of the kid.

"Alright, alright," Hank said. "The list?"

"It's already in your phone."

"Okay," Hank said. "I'll see you later."

Connor darted forward, blocking the door with his hands held out dramatically.

Hank knew what he was going to say before he said it. "No," Hank said.

"I know I've said this before-"

"No," Hank repeated.

"No one will recognize me!" Connor said.

"If Reed saw you he'd sure as shit recognize you," Hank said. "Just cause you're a little taller-"

"Then why are we still here?!" Connor put a hand over his mouth, as if surprised by the words that had escaped.

Hank swallowed around the lump in his throat.

"No," Connor said. "No, I like this house. And I know it's easier-"

"Don't," Hank said. "You don't have to justify my laziness."

"But I don't want to leave," Connor said.

Abruptly, he sat down. His back was against the door and he groaned, throwing his head back so hard the wood creaked.

"Connor-" Hank kneeled in front of him. "Hey, hey. It's okay."

Tentatively, Hank put his hand on Connor's head. From across the room, Sumo whined. The big dog shuffled over to them.

He was probably wondering what all this fuss was about.

Connor made a shushing noise and reached out for Sumo, who immediately plopped down and flipped over. Belly up.

Connor chuckled and gave the spoiled dog a thorough belly rub.

Hank pulled back, knees twinging painfully as he debated whether to sit down or stand up.

In the end he sat and put an arm around Connor's shoulder.

The android stiffened under his arm, but after a moment he relaxed and sat back.

Sumo whined and sat back up, pushing his nose insistently against Connor's leg.

"That dog has gotten too spoiled for his own good," Hank muttered.

Connor chuckled and gave Sumo exactly what he wanted. He cupped his hands around the dog's ears and cooed at him, rubbing the sensitive spots he'd discovered there.

Sumo salivated.

"It would be too expensive to move," Connor murmured. "But if you would let me work-"

"You don't have an identity, Connor."

"I can forge it-"

"Connor-"

"Please Hank-"

"Alright," Hank sighed.

Connor blinked, then stared at him with wide eyes. "What?"

"I said alright," Hank said. "But you can't get a job here. And you can't come with me to the store, for christ sake."

And they couldn't move to Canada. The borders had been locked tightly, after the whole… android murders. A bunch of bitter Americans had crossed over on "vacation" and, well.

Had destroyed all of Hank's plans, the bastards.

"So then when…?" Connor prompted. "Where?"

Even just living next to the Canadian border would he safer than staying in Detroit.

Hell, anywhere would be safer than Detroit.

"Why don't you run one of your algorithms?" Hank said. He reached up to ruffled Connor's hair.

Even with them both sitting on the floor, the boy was so friggin tall.

Connor grinned. "I started with cost of living," he said. "In South Texas-"

"Hey, hey, wrong direction," Hank said. "We gotta go north."

"But I want to live as a human," Connor said.

"You aren't human!"

The LED was gone now. It wouldn't flash red and tell Hank that Connor was upset.

But Hank didn't need it to know he'd fucked up.

Connor slowly stood up. With his face turned away, he calmly began walking towards the bathroom.

"Jesus, kid. Look I'm sorry, but-"

"You don't need to apologize," Connor said.

He stood with his hand on the doorknob, his back to Hank.

The kid didn't need to use bathrooms, but he'd taken to hiding in there whenever he was upset.

Which is annoying when there's only one bathroom in the house. Once or twice Hank had to drive to a freaking gas station just to take a piss.

"I gotta pee," Hank huffed. He tried to keep his tone light hearted as he stood up. "C'mon, just-"

Robotically, Connor turned 90 degrees. He marched towards the hallway closet.

"Not what I meant!" Hank said. "You don't fit in there!"

Without pausing Connor karate chopped all the shelves in the closet. Blankets, towels, and other junk crashed to the floor. Connor kicked it out of his way.

"I'm sorry!" Hank said. "Son-"

"I'm not your son," Connor said. "I'm not human."

"Connor-"

"I'll be on standby for a few hours." Connor was already standing in the closet, facing the wall. He reached back for the door and Hank ran forward, holding the door open and blocking the doorknob with his body.

"Don't go into standby," Hank said. "It's 2 p.m."

Connor didn't respond.

His hands, which had been reaching to close the door behind him, fell limply at his side.

Hank grabbed him by the shoulder and spun him around.

Connor's eyes were closed.

"It's automatic," Connor had said once. "Part of the design. Because owners found it creepy to come upon an android in standby with its eyes open."

"Son of a bitch!" Hank said. "Fine! I'll see you later!"

He tried to close the closet door himself, but it got snagged on a towel.

Cursing, Hank went about picking up all the stuff on the floor. Halfway through he got annoyed and started kicking at it.

"Fuck this," he said.

Sumo whined.

"F-fuck you," Hank said.

Sumo stared at him.

Hank laughed.

Then he threw the blankets and towels onto the table and tried to pick the splinters out.

He glanced at the closet. The door was still open.

"Uuugh," Hank said. "You creepy fuck."

He hated to see Connor standing in place with his eyes closed like that. It was the whole reason the kid had started hiding in the bathroom in the first place.

Hank closed the door.

"I'm going to the store!" He shouted.

He didn't know if Connor could hear anything while he was on standby.

He didn't know what, exactly, standby was like. It was one of those things Connor never wanted to explain.

"South Texas," Hank muttered. "Fucking South Texas."

Sumo barked.

"Waddaya want?" Hank grumbled.

Sumo pawed at the back door.

Still grumbling, Hank opened it for him. "You're gonna have to stay outside till I get back," he told the dog. "I'm not waiting for you."

Sumo ran out.

"Unless Connor changes his mind," Hank murmured. "And is back before me…"

What were the chances of that?

Slim to none. He'd probably be spending the day alone with Connor standing in that damn closet.

"You are my son," Hank said, glaring at the closed door. "Whether you like it or not, you stubborn little… ugh."

He kicked the door. "I just want you to be safe!"

Hank thought of the previous Connor, bleeding out in the snow…

"I'm going to keep you safe, Connor."

But first he had to go to the store.

He would put it off for longer stretches if Connor let him, but the boy was constantly fussing over his diet. Worried Hank would kill over if he ate a slice of pizza.

Hank smiled to himself as he drove away. Because he knew Connor wanted to keep him safe too. Keep him alive.

It was all they could do.