Chapter Seven:

:April 12th, 2039:

Hank is in his bedroom when Connor approaches him. He's putting on an old button-up shirt, getting ready for the day. They've been called into a meeting with Fowler, something Connor is not looking forward to doing. He's not in the mood to listen to Fowler degrade him and other androids along with siding with the humans. So he decides to stall for time by asking Hank a question that has been bugging him lately.

"Hank?" Hank eyes Connor from the corner of his eyes. He's at the last button and has yet to see the big hole on the side of the shirt. "What is it like to love someone?"

Hank hesitates over his shirt, hands about to smooth the fabric down. His eyes are now fully trained on Connor. "Is this about Markus? Has he done something?"

"No, he hasn't," Connor answers, going over to Hank's bed to sit down on the edge. "I… just want to know."

Hank's hands roam over the shirt, fingers catching on the rip. He frowns at it. "Well, love is wonderful but painful at the same time. It's when you look at someone and want to spend hours upon hours with that person. Love is when you want to wake up next to that person, maybe even start a family someday, and accept everything about them, even their flaws. Love is when that person dies, it feels like your whole world is falling apart, like your dying right along with them."

Connor watches as Hank starts to unbutton the shirt. "You loved your wife, right?" Hank pauses, looks over at Connor, then turns away to continue his ministrations. "You never talk about her."

Hank shrugs and pulls the shirt off, throwing it off to the side. He grabs another one off a hanger. "There's not much to say. Why revisit memories that are only going to end up being painful?"

"Painful?" Connor asks. "Did you two not get along?"

Hank scoffs. "Not get along?" He then chuckles. "Nah, we got along great. Best woman I had ever met. Loved her like you wouldn't believe. The memories would be painful because she's no longer here."

"She died?"

Hank is finished with getting the new shirt on. His lips are thin as he once again pivots to face Connor. "Yeah… she died."

Connor tilts his head. "How?"

It takes a long time for Hank to stop staring at him and answer. "Cancer."

"I'm sorry, Hank," Connor says.

Hank is still frowning, eyes now distant. "She died when Cole was three years old. By the time he was six, he had no memory of her." There's a long silence. "The world is cruel, Connor, so when it decides to give you something nice, you take it."

"Markus?"

Hank nods, walks over, and puts a hand on Connor's shoulder. "If you love him, don't let go of him, Connor. Make sure he knows every single day how much you care about him"

...

Connor is listening to Fowler in confusion and by the way Hank is looking, with his eyebrows furrowed and mouth partly parted, he's not doing any better. Fowler has just gotten done inviting Hank and Connor to work back in the office. Connor doesn't know why Fowler would change his mind all of a sudden. He had thought Fowler would keep him out of the office until he was forced to let him back in when Android rights laws were put in place. Apparently, he was wrong.

"I'm sorry, Captain Fowler, but may I ask what brought on this change of decision?" Connor asks him as soon as Fowler stops talking.

Fowler leans back in his chair, folding his hands together. "Your leader, Markus, stopped by yesterday and convinced me to let you come back."

"Markus did?" Connor asks, even more confused. Why would Markus do such a thing?

"I would like to say it was a peaceful conversation but he basically gave me an ultimatum," Fowler elaborates.

"Like what?" Hank questions.

Fowler is looking right at Connor and he doesn't look pleased. "I either let Connor come back to the office or New Jericho will sue me once laws are in place for android discrimination."

"I threatened you with the same fucking thing!" Hank yells.

"Yeah," Fowler leans forward, "except you're not a whole damn organization with a lot more power." He leans back again. "I hear laws are going to be put in place soon, too. They're in the works or something like that. The case soon to be closed."

Hank turns to Connor, brows furrowed. "Did you know that?" Connor shakes his head. "Markus didn't tell you?"

Fowler chuckles and gazes at Connor. "I'm surprised your fearless leader didn't tell you."

Connor is feeling an odd sensation in his chest. He recognizes the part that he can identify as anger but there's another, more painful, part too. As if he is feeling…

Feeling…

"Connor?" Hank startles him out of his thoughts. "You okay?"

He swallows then realizes he doesn't have to. "I'm fine, Hank. If you will please excuse me." He turns and exits the office without another word, leaving the building quickly. It's a cold April day and he wraps his arms around himself, feels the fabric of Markus' coat under his fingertips. He doesn't know why he is feeling this way, why he is feeling…

Left out?

Yes, left out seems like a good word for it.

"Connor!" Connor hadn't heard the footsteps hurrying up behind him. "Would you slow the fuck down? Jesus Christ!"

Connor slows his pace but doesn't stop walking. By now he has left the precinct behind. "I'm sorry, Hank. I hadn't realized how fast I was walking."

"What the fuck was that about back there?" Hank asks him, ignoring Connor's statement.

Connor stops suddenly and Hank runs into his back, tripping backward and falling to the ground. "Markus didn't tell me any of this!" he rants angrily. He holds out a hand and Hank takes it, letting himself be hauled up by Connor. "Sorry."

Hank brushes himself off. "And that offended you?"

"I'm his boy-" Connor stops himself. He doesn't want to say the word; he doesn't know if they are. "I'm his friend and he should have told me that the android rights were going to be implemented soon. I'm an android, Hank, I deserve to know!" He paces, fidgeting with Markus' jacket and he really wishes he had his coin. "And going behind my back by talking to Fowler?"

"You don't like the fact that Markus stood up for you and got your job back?" Connor rolls his eyes and begins walking away again. "Hey, hey, hey, I'm sorry, Kid."

"I'm not mad because he helped me," Connor starts. "I'm mad because he didn't talk to me about it first. Was this planned when I was over at his house? Was it planned when we sat in one room together for hours while he painted me?"

"Markus painted you?" Hank interrupts, sounding flabbergasted.

"Yes and that's not important."

Hank huffs a laugh. "I think it's more important than you think." Connor feels his joints stiffen with unease. Does Hank know about the marks on his arms? "Fuck, Kid, if Markus painting you doesn't show how much he loves and cares about you, then I don't know what does." He then sighs and stops Connor with a hand on his shoulder. "Listen, obviously Markus wanted to surprise you. He thought it would make you happy."

"But it doesn't make me happy, Hank," Connor explains. "I want to have conversations with him, not receive surprises."

"Then you need to tell him that." Hank pets his shoulder a few times and then starts walking back to the precinct where they left the car.

...

That night, Connor asks Markus through their telepathic communication whether or not the android can meet him. To get away from Hank and his prying ears, they agree to meet in the same park they had visited together before. Connor is the first to arrive and he sits there waiting, mulling over everything that Hank had told him that morning. He knows Hank is right, that he has to tell Markus what he wants out of this… this thing they are doing together, but he's afraid Markus will think Connor doesn't appreciate the fact that Markus was thinking about him.

He waits there for ten minutes before he starts to wonder if Markus bailed on him but then he hears footfalls coming his way. He looks over and sees Markus. He's absolutely beautiful with the lamplight shining down on him, casting long shadows across his face. Connor wants to kiss him.

Markus sits down close beside him, their shoulders brushing one another. "Hey, how are you?"

"We need to talk," Connor starts instead of answering.

Markus' warm smile is replaced with a worried frown. "Did I do something wrong?"

"What makes you think that?" Connor asks.

Markus shrugs. "I've read in books that whenever a human says, 'we need to talk', it's because the other person did something wrong. It's usually followed up with the two breaking up."

Connor latches onto that comment. "Are we dating?"

"I… is that what you wanted to talk to me about?" Markus sighs in relief. "You worried me."

"No," he says. "That isn't what I wanted to talk about but I need to know, Markus. Are we dating, are we boyfriends? What-what are we, Markus?"

Markus' lips pull down again. "I just assumed that we were dating, yes." He shrugs. "And dating is usually between boyfriends or girlfriends. So I guess that's what we are."

Connor tilts his head. "Boyfriends and girlfriends?"

Markus is chuckling. Connor wants to shut him up with his tongue. "No, just boyfriends. Unless… I mean…" A blue blush appears on Markus' cheeks. "You want to be female. I know you were made to look male but I don't have any preference of what gender you want to be."

Connor is shaking his head. "No, I… male is fine."

"Okay." Silence, then, "What did you want to talk to me about then?"

"Hank and I had a meeting with Captain Fowler today," he begins slowly. "And he told us we can work in the precinct again. He told us that you were behind that."

Markus is looking concerned, wrinkles showing on his forehead as he furrows his brows. "I was."

"Markus," Connor sighs.

"You're mad at me."

"I… was," Connor reassures him. "But I'm not anymore. I just want to talk about it."

Markus nods. "Okay."

Connor takes a deep breath before finally admitting to Markus what he is feeling. "Listen, Markus, I appreciate you getting me back into the precinct but I really would have preferred it if you had talked to me about it first."

"I wanted you to be surprised," Markus explains, grabbing at Connor's hand. "I thought it would make you happy."

"Surprises don't make me happy, Markus." Markus let's go. "Talking to you about big things like this makes me happy. You listening to me, like you have been doing for months now, makes me happy."

Markus is looking out into the dark playground. There's not another soul in sight. "I didn't realize that. I'm sorry, Connor."

"It's…" Connor starts carefully. "Not just that." Markus is silent, staring at the ground. Somehow, Connor feels the weight between them. "How come you didn't tell me that Android rights are almost finalized?"

Markus does something that Connor hadn't been expecting. He laughs. "Because they're not."

"What?"

"I just told Captain Fowler that to scare him." Markus peers at him, smile in place. "Laws, especially laws like these, take years to establish, Connor. There are a lot of back and forth negotiations going on. We are nowhere near to having rights yet."

"Oh…" They gaze into each other's eyes for a few more seconds, then Connor bursts into laughter. Markus' smile grows. "You lied to Fowler for me?"

Markus shrugs. "I know how much you love your job, Connor, programmed to do it or not. You, on your very own, decided to continue being a cop. CyberLife didn't." He grabs Connor's hand again. "I just really want you to be happy, Connor, and I thought being back in the police department would do that, but I understand where you are coming from and I promise to talk to you next time."

Connor squeezes Markus' hand. "Thank you, Markus."

Markus smiles at him. "Of course, Connor. Like I told you, anything for you."

Connor kisses him.

:April 14th, 2039:

Hank and Connor enter the DPD building bright and early in the morning. They were given the previous day off to rest but Connor, if he was being honest, was anxious to get back to sitting at his desk. He has missed it, being in the building, surrounded by all the cops and detectives. It feels just as much like home as Hank's house now, which comes as a bit of surprise to Connor, considering how nervous he had felt about it in the first place. It's a good feeling, being able to be comfortable in a familiar place.

As the two of them walk up to their desk, Connor finds something surprising on it. There's a bouquet of red roses and white tulips set in the middle of his desk, card sticking out from a long, clear stick. Gavin whistles from his place at his desk. Connor hadn't missed him.

"Look who just received a bunch of flowers. Got a new admirer, Tin Can?" Gavin snarks, smirk wide on his face.

Connor can already see Hank rising in his defense. He grabs the card, reads it, and lets a small smile grace his lips. "Actually, Detective Reed, the flowers are from my boyfriend."

Gavin splutters as he chokes on his coffee. "Boyfriend? You have a fucking boyfriend? Who in the hell would want to date you?"

Connor approaches the man, Hank's eyes burning into his back. "Do you remember the deviant leader?"

"The one we were hunting?"

"Yes, that one." Connor's smile grows. "He's my boyfriend."

Gavin is staring at him, expressionless. Then, as if in disbelief, "You stupid piece of plastic trash. You do realize that just because your deviant leader won the little stunt he pulled, that Fowler never closed the case of finding and apprehending him."

Connor's brows furrow. He's confused. "That can't be true. Markus has met with Captain Fowler more than once already."

Gavin shrugs. "Why don't you go ask him yourself."

Connor tries to not squirm but can't help tugging at the sleeve of his DPD sweatshirt. He turns and heads towards Fowler's office, his chest feeling tight with anxiety. Hank catches up to him, stopping him with a hand on his shoulder. "Now, wait up, Kiddo. That might not be a good idea right now."

"If Captain Fowler is still trying to find a way to arrest my boyfriend, then I need to know, especially if he ends up using me to get to him."

Hank is pursing his lips in thought. He still has Connor's shoulder. "Just choose your words carefully, Kid." He pets his shoulder. "Probably best to not call him your boyfriend while you are in there. Him being your friend is favoritism enough as it is. You don't need to add romantic interest on top of that."

"Thank you. Your advice is noted." Connor steps out of Hank's hold and continues his way to Fowler's office. He knocks and waits until he is allowed in. "May I talk to you, Captain?"

"About?" Fowler is focusing on the stack of papers on his desk.

"Markus."

Fowler stops fiddling with the papers and looks up to Connor, sighing heavily. "Not him again."

Connor takes a seat in the chair opposite Fowler. "Is the case against Markus still open?"

Fowler stares at him for a long while. "Yes, it is."

"Why?" Connor asks.

Fowler steeples his fingers, resting his elbows on the desk. "Because we haven't caught him yet."

Connor is still confused. "But I thought CyberLife was behind all that. Now that CyberLife has lost, shouldn't the case be closed?"

"It wasn't CyberLife, Connor, it's the government. Markus went against humankind on his own accord. CyberLife claims they had nothing to do with it, just a flaw in the programming. The government wants Markus in custody because of that," Fowler explains, keeping his voice calm.

Connor leans forward. "Then why haven't you or the government taken him in yet?"

Fowler shrugs, leaning back and crossing one leg over the other. "Well, I can only assume the government hasn't yet because Markus is too powerful now. He has all of the androids behind him. The government would rather make deals with him, preferably deals that favor the humans than to fight him and have all that bloodshed." He shrugs again. "At least for now."

"You mean they'll eventually try to arrest him."

"Connor," Fowler leans forward again. "I mean they will try to kill him and all the androids involved." He gestures to Connor with his head. "That includes you considering you stood by Markus in the end."

Connor can feel his Thirium pump increase in speed. "And you? Why haven't you arrested him yet? Or even me?"

Again, Fowler leans back in his chair. "Because, Connor, believe it or not, I care about you and I don't want to see you hurt." He chuckles. "The government doesn't need to know I've met with the deviant leader in this very precinct on more than one occasion and the matter of you working off the books… well, that's none of their concern either."

Connor feels his Thirium pump warm, as if in affection towards the Captain. "Thank you, Captain Fowler."

Connor stands and starts to leave the office when Fowler stops him with one last statement. "Just be careful, Connor. There really were legit reasons why I wanted you to work from home."

Connor nods. "I will, Captain." Connor leaves and heads to his desk, sitting down.

Hank is eyeing him. "So?"

"Captain Fowler hasn't brought Markus in yet because he doesn't want me to get hurt," Connor explains to the older man, purposely neglecting to tell Hank about his own wanted status. Hank isn't stupid, the older man probably already knows anyway.

"Fuck, really?" Hank sounds surprised. "And here I thought he hated both of us."

Connor huffs a small laugh and Hank raises an eyebrow at him. "Well, I can't exactly say he doesn't hate you."

Hank throws a pad of sticky notes at him, smiling gleefully. "Shut the fuck up, Connor!"

...

"Thank you," Connor begins. "For the flowers." He's sitting on the edge of his bed, running a hand over the scars on his arm lightly, as he telepathically talks to Markus. "They were beautiful."

"I'm glad you liked them," Markus says, sounding happy. "I had ordered them before I knew you didn't like surprises though."

"Markus, I… I didn't mean small surprises like that," Connor explains. "I meant big, life changing surprises. Those are the ones you need to talk to me about first."

Markus is silent for a few seconds before he speaks. "I understand, Connor. Thank you for telling me."

More silence descends on them and Connor's thoughts wander to what Fowler had told him. "Markus? Do you think we are safe from the humans?"

He can hear Markus' hesitance. "I don't think we will ever be safe from them."

"They're going to try and kill you, Markus," Connor informs him.

"I know."

Connor's worry increases. "You need to be careful."

"I will be."

"I won't let them destroy you." It slips out without Connor meaning to, the thought projecting itself across the link. He can feel his blush forming on his cheeks.

Markus chuckles. It's loud yet soothing in Connor's head. "They're never going to stop trying to, Connor."

"I'm…" Connor hesitates. "I'm worried about you."

Markus laughs more. "You are worrying about me now? I thought I was worrying about you."

"Are you not?"

Markus sighs and it sounds sad yet warm. "Of course, I'm still worrying, Connor. You're important to me."

Connor plays his bottom lip between his teeth and is grateful Markus can't see. "I don't want you to worry about me, Markus."

He hears Markus sigh. "That's the thing, Connor. I can't stop worrying about you, even if I tried."

Connor doesn't know what to say to this so he stays silent. Markus moves on to talking about how New Jericho is going and Connor tries to concentrate on listening. He's scratching at his arm, where the scars itch. Markus is there for him. He's not going anywhere.

Connor scratches until he bleeds.

:May 1st, 2039:

Markus is in the kitchen, cooking a large meal for Hank as Connor watches behind him, leaning back against the island. It's Hank's two month anniversary of being sober and Markus insisted on coming over to celebrate, even if he and Connor can't eat any of the food. By the looks of it, Hank will have plenty of leftovers.

Markus is wearing a t-shirt that clings to him, showing off all the muscles that Kamski indulged in sculpting. He doesn't know why Kamski would do such a thing but Connor isn't going to complain. The neckline of the shirt is rounded but still reveals part of what the humans call a collar bone and in the back, the shirt exposes part of what humans would perceive as the shoulder blades. Scapula. Connor's built in dictionary helpfully supplies him with the name of the bone and Connor wants to rub his hands over them.

"Thank you for letting me do this, Connor," Markus says as he stirs. Connor isn't sure what the other android is making but his sensors tell him it smells good. "I think it is important that I start spending more time with Lieutenant Anderson if I'm going to be dating you." The expanse of Markus' neck looks inviting and Connor wants to run his tongue over the artificial skin there. He's so distracted by it, he barely hears Markus chuckle. "I want him to like me after all."

Connor swallows and takes a step closer to Markus, wrapping his arms around the android's waist. Markus halts in his stirring and Connor buries his face where shoulder meets neck, closing his eyes. "I'm glad you are here."

Markus places a hand over Connor's. "I'm glad I'm here too. We haven't seen each other in a couple of weeks so it's nice to look at you while I'm talking for once instead of just listening to you in my head."

"Yes." Connor breathes in. Markus smells like paint. "I agree." The urge to taste Markus, to learn what he is made of, becomes unbearable at the close proximity. Connor opens his mouth and runs his tongue along Markus' neck. Markus stops stirring once more. Connor hadn't even realized he had started again.

The chemical compounds of methyl — one carbon and three hydrogen — and propene — three carbon and six hydrogen — along with titanium chloride and triethyl aluminium, pops into Connor's vision immediately. Those compounds can make up polypropylene. Polypropylene is the plastic that the androids are made of. Color code #c0805f reads under the plastic compounds, telling Connor exactly what the hue of brown Markus' skin is. That combination of letters and numbers will forever be his favorite color.

"Connor?" Markus asks, sounding hesitant. His hand comes to rest on top of Connor's yet again and Connor squeezes him closer.

Connor doesn't answer him, a new desire overtaking him. He swipes his tongue along Markus' skin one more time before opening his mouth and biting the other android's neck lightly. He feels Markus' hand tighten and Connor bites harder and harder until, finally, he breaks the skin. A rush of blue blood floods his mouth and Markus pushes him back hard, slamming Connor's back into the island.

"Connor!" Markus' hand goes to his neck, covering the wound. "What the hell?"

"I'm…" Connor feels like he is suffocating, his whole body overheating. Markus' profile is filling his vision; picture of the android, model RK200, serial number #684 842 971, android prototype and deviant leader, Markus—

Markus.

Markus.

Connor's mouth tastes like Markus.

He feels flushed and Markus has a blue tint to his skin, the other android obviously flustered. "I'm sorry. I…" He licks the front of his teeth, his lips. Connor doesn't know who moans but Markus is on him in a second, kissing his lips feverishly.

Connor kisses him back just as enthusiastically, grabbing a hold of Markus' shirt with both hands. Markus is pushing him back into the counter, one hand splayed on Connor's back and the other going to fist into Connor's hair. Connor moans when he feels Markus tug at the strands, tilting his head back to get a better angle. He hears something fall to the floor, shattering, but pays it no mind, too busy focusing on Markus' tongue in his mouth.

Warnings are going off in his head, an annoying ringing, alerting him to his systems overheating but he doesn't care. All he does care about right now is Markus and how the android runs his hand down Connor's back until he reaches the hem of the sweatshirt, burying his hand under the thick fabric. Connor jolts at the feeling of Markus' bare hand against his bare back, the heat radiating off Markus almost intolerable. Markus is nowhere near as overheated as Connor, seeing as Markus is wearing a t-shirt, but he's still running hot.

Markus pushes into him, bodies flush against each other and Connor goes to feel Markus' skin under his hands too when there is suddenly the sound of something else falling and a voice yelling out.

"Oh fuck!" The two break apart suddenly, Markus stepping back and knocking the pan off the stove. The soup crashes to the floor, splattering everywhere. "Fuck! Not in my fucking kitchen!" Connor spins, eyes wide in shock. Hank is standing in the doorway, a paper bag full of groceries lying at his feet. "The kitchen is not a place to fuck." He rubs his face, groaning. Hank lowers his hand, looks at the two. "If you two want to do that," the older man's eyes travel the length of Connor's body, "however the hell you even do that in the first place, then go to your room. Jesus Christ!"

Connor is stunned silent, plastered to his spot. It's not until Markus grabs his hand and drags him away that he snaps out of it, following quickly. Markus brings him to his room, shutting the door gently behind himself. Connor goes and sits down on the edge of the bed heavily, Markus continuing to stand near the door. The room fills with silence.

Markus is the first to break it. "I'm sorry."

Connor's eyebrows furrow in confusion. "For what?"

"Doing," Markus vaguely gestures towards him, "that in the kitchen. I should have known better. Especially knowing Lieutenant Anderson was coming home."

"It's… okay." Connor can see where he bit Markus' neck. "I'm sorry about your neck. I'm not sure what came over me."

"Yeah, that was…" Markus trails off and won't meet Connor's eyes.

Connor bites his lip. "Are you mad at me now?"

Markus' head snaps in Connor's direction, eyes wide. "No!" The android takes a step closer. "Of course, not. I'm just… surprised." He frowns. "Why… why did you bite me?"

Connor avoids eye contact. "I wanted to taste you." Markus' eyebrows slowly rise to his hairline. "I wanted to see your information." Markus is staring at him as if he's crazy. "I know it's weird but I couldn't… I couldn't stop myself. I just had this desperate need to know you."

Markus' expression has turned soft and he walks over to sit down next to Connor. "You know, there's a better, more intimate way of knowing each other."

"How?"

"By sharing our memories. Interfacing."

Connor's Thirium pump speeds up. He thinks about all the bad he's done, about Amanda, about Simon's suicide, about pointing a gun at Markus' head, at his own head. He… he can't! He can't let Markus see that! "I…"

"Connor?" Connor feels the panic rising in his chest. "Hey, we-we don't have to." Markus scoots closer and Connor scrunches into himself. "Not until you're ready." Markus is careful not to touch him, Connor notices. He focuses on calming down, letting his Thirium pump slow to a regular beat. "Better?"

Connor nods. "I'm not ready for you to see all that."

"I understand." Markus smiles at him. "As I said, it's a pretty intimate thing."

"What… what about what we were doing out in the kitchen? That's supposed to be intimate too, at least for humans." He remembers the Eden club. "And in my search for deviants, I gained a lot of information about sex."

Markus is chuckling. "I'm not built for that."

Realization comes over Connor. "Neither am I, but I was thinking we could still kiss. It was… nice earlier."

Markus is staring off in amusement. "It does beg the question, what would have happened if we had gone further?"

"Well," Connor rationalizes. "Just because we don't have the parts, doesn't mean we still can't be naked with each other. Explore each other physically, if you will."

Markus is looking at him, a small smile playing on his lips. "Only if you want to."

"I do but… maybe not here." Connor's eyes dart to the bedroom door. "It would be awkward with Hank in the other room."

Markus is laughing again and it warms Connor's chest. "Agreed." He gestures towards the door of the bedroom. "Come on," Markus holds out a hand. "We better get back out there."

With a smile, Connor grabs a hold of Markus' hand and lets the android lead the way.