Chapter Twenty-Nine
Connor propped up his feet on the coffee table. It wasn't often that Hank put on the news, but with the appointment for a new Supreme Court Justice coming up, Connor guessed that Hank wanted to be knowledgeable about the possible candidates. The news anchors debated back and forth about the two options—one pro android and one not—and discussed the polls. Connor only half-listened. He could refresh himself on the news in a blink, thanks to his superior processing unit.
Instead, he scrolled through the photo album on his phone. He only had a couple dozen pictures. He never really saw the need to take a lot of pictures, since he could recall everything in perfect detail. Still, his album seemed pathetic compared to someone like Tina. She had thousands of pictures. She'd showed him some nearly a year ago, when Wren had been taken back to Prometheus. The pictures showed Wren and North sitting cross-legged on the floor, their mouths open in mid-sentence. Wren's arms extended above her head, holding a curling iron, a lock of copper hair wrapped around the hot barrel. She looked like a ballerina.
"Jesus," groaned Hank.
Connor set his phone down. "What is it?"
"You didn't hear that?" Hank said incredulously.
Connor's lips twitched with a sheepish smile. "I tuned it out."
"Wish I could do that," Hank huffed. He gestured to the TV angrily. "There's a couple who brought their case to the Supreme Court, but because we're still waiting on a new Justice, their case has been postponed."
"An android-human couple?" Connor straightened up.
"Yeah," said Hank, not looking at Connor. In a higher octave than normal, Hank mocked the news anchor: "Birthrates are too low; it just doesn't seem practical to let them get married! What a bunch of fuckin' pricks."
Connor smiled softly in amusement, but his regulator seemed to sink in the cavity of his chest. Could this really come between him and a future with Wren? She was free from Prometheus now, but the fight seemed far from over.
Hank muted the TV. "Damn, politics makes me wanna jump into the river and hold my fuckin' breath."
Connor glowered at him. "Hank—"
"I know, I know… No suicide jokes," Hank sighed. "Wait a second, Wren makes dark jokes all the time—"
"And I get onto her about them, too," said Connor.
"You let her get away with more than me."
"Wren doesn't have a history of playing Russian roulette," Connor insisted, folding his arms.
"I think it's because I'm not as pretty as her," said Hank.
Connor gave Hank a look, which only caused the older man to burst into laughter. Rolling his eyes, Connor let out a soft chuckle. "You're right. She is prettier than you."
"Make sure you let her know. Have you taken that poor girl on a real date at all?"
"A real date?"
"Jesus, you know, dinner and a movie? Roller skating? Bowling? Amusement park? Anything like that?"
"We haven't had time."
"Well, what have you two been doin' the last week? You know what, never mind, I do not need to know what you two do in your alone time," Hank held up a hand when Connor opened his mouth to interject. "That poor kid needs a night out or something."
Connor tilted his head. A smirk toyed at the corners of his mouth, but he smoothed his expression over, adopting a neutral one akin to the look he usually had pre-deviancy. "Just so that you're aware, Wren and I want to participate in safe coital relations—"
"Connor, shut the fuck up!"
"—which we can't do while she's still recovering from her injuries."
Hank covered his ears. "Stop, stop!" After a moment, he removed his ears and glowered at Connor. "I don't want to hear you call sex coital relations ever again."
Connor chuckled. "Wren said something similar when I called it that."
"I'm surprised she didn't dump you on the spot."
"I'm glad she didn't." Connor furrowed his brow. "Have we gotten in contact with her mother lately? With all that's happened…"
"Yes, I've been talking to Shannon," Hank grunted, getting out of his armchair. He padded into the kitchen and poured food into Sumo's bowl. The big dog jumped to his heavy paws and trotted over, tracking drool from his pillow in the living room all the way to the kitchen. "Goddamn dog!" Hank grabbed a towel from the kitchen counter and wiped up Sumo's drool. When he finished, he straightened and huffed. "What were we talkin' about?"
"Wren's mother."
"Oh, right," said Hank. "Shannon and James wanna come to Detroit for a visit, but they want to surprise Wren."
Connor raised his eyebrows. "When?"
"In a few weeks."
"I'm sure Wren will be happy to see her family," Connor mused.
"Yeah, and they're really fuckin' excited to see her. James said he'll probably bring Izzy."
Connor brightened. "Really?"
Hank lifted a brow. "Really."
"Izzy's fun," Connor explained. "We could take her to the aquarium."
"I'm sure the kid's been to an aquarium before."
"Oh."
"But you could still ask. I'm sure the kid would enjoy it. Kids have an unending excitement for things they like, even if they've seen it millions of times."
"What should I do for a date?" Connor queried.
"Jesus, I don't know," Hank groaned, dragging a hand over his face. "Ask Tina. She probably has good ideas for that kind of shit."
"Good idea." Connor withdrew his phone.
Connor: I'd like to do something special for Wren now that she's free.
With a sigh, Connor sat back and waited for Tina to respond. She never took long, though letting each minute tick by seemed to erode at his senses.
[new message from Tina]
Tina: oooooo fuck yea! we should throw her a party!
Connor: I meant for Wren and I to enjoy alone.
Tina: ooooo like a date?
Connor: Yes. Hank said you'd be better at helping with "that kind of stuff."
Tina: yea girls are better at planning dates
Tina: still wanna throw Wren a party tho :((( she's been thru so much lately
Connor: Yes, she has. I think Wren would enjoy some downtime with all of her friends.
Tina: group text time!
Tina: also,,,,,, are u wanting to do fancy, romantic, spooky, silly, traditional….?
Connor: I'm not sure. I haven't taken Wren on a real date since before Prometheus took her away.
Tina: what did u guys do?
Connor: We went to the park and danced to a mixtape.
Tina: ahhhhh that is so fucking cute
Tina: you're the realest
Tina: hmmmmm Wren's hard to pinpoint sometimes
Tina: bc she's a homebody
Tina: but also loves going dancing and such
Tina: gimme a sec to think
Connor: Take your time.
With a huff, Connor leaned back his head. He could enter standby mode and recharge a bit, but he really wasn't all that tired—
His phone buzzed with a new message.
[new message from Wren]
Wren: hey wryd
Connor: Watching the news with Hank. What about you?
Wren: Fun…
Wren: I'm lying in bed listening to music
Wren: I've made 3 new playlists
Wren: on a roll
Connor: Don't those playlists take you a while to make?
Wren: yep
Connor: How are you doing?
Wren: I'm ok
Wren: I've been resting a lot but I'm so fricken bored I might jump in front of a semi
Connor: Wren…
Wren: oops
Wren: I meant that I'm so fricken bored that I might cry?
Connor: Better.
Wren: Can you come over? I feel like I haven't seen you in a few days
Connor: That's because you haven't.
Connor: And I'm on my way.
Connor stood up. "May I have the keys to the car? I'd like to go over to Wren's."
Hank waved a hand as if he were swatting a fly. "You can just take 'em. You're an adult; you don't have to fuckin' tell me every time you leave the house."
Before Connor grabbed the keys, he hurried to his room and pocketed a small jewelry box that had been sitting on his nightstand since Wren's birthday last year. After he left his room and grabbed the keys, he paused by the front door. A wry smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. "Technically, I'm only three years old."
"Get the fuck outta here." But a fond smile softened Hank's features.
Connor slipped out the front door with a light laugh and ducked his head as a rain drizzled upon him. Sliding into the driver's side, Connor started the car and backed out of the driveway. The drive to Tina and Wren's townhouse blurred past.
By the time he parked on the street outside the townhouse, his phone had seven unread texts from Tina.
Tina: okay so I was thinking that Wren's been thru it lately and it probably isn't a good idea to overwhelm her with really thrilling things for dates (amusement parks, haunted houses, etc.)
Tina: and since Wren thinks it's weird to go for dinner dates with an android (no offense, I do too… hey maybe we can do a double date sometime!)
Tina: I was thinking that it might be a good idea to go to the Ford Wyoming Drive-In Theatre! We can decorate the car with fairy lights and cozy blankets and such
Tina: u can either pick up food or she can eat beforehand
Tina: but I think that would be super cute
Tina: and afterward u guys can stargaze
Tina: also,,,, what's the special occasion? are u planning to pop the question?
Frowning Connor typed back a hasty response before getting out of the car.
Connor: Pop what question?
Tina: bruhhhh u kill me sometimes
Tina: are u asking Wren to marry u?
Connor widened his eyes and froze on the front doorstep.
[Warning: Increased Internal Temperature]
|Internal Fans Activated|
Connor: No, I wasn't planning to ask Wren to marry me. She and I just haven't spent a lot of time as a traditional couple yet.
Tina: yea that makes sense
Tina: sorry I just get excited
Connor: No problem. Are we still going to throw Wren a party?
Tina: o shit yea!
Connor: We should wait a few weeks.
Tina: Why?
Connor: Wren's family is coming in town. Don't tell her, though.
Tina: HELL YEA BOI SURPRISE PARTY
Tina: IM SO FUCKING EXCITED LETS GOOOOOOO
Tina: IMMA TEXT HANK
Connor: Don't blow up his phone. He hates it.
Tina: bitch why the fuck u think I do that
Tina: nothing is funnier than pissing off Hankie poo it's like kicking an ant pile
Connor: I didn't know how one could derive pleasure from kicking an ant pile.
Tina: dude are u on my porch?
Connor: Yes. Wren asked if I could come over. I hope that's all right.
Tina: ofc! But like come inside lol
Connor: The door's locked.
Tina: OH
Tina: lmfao omw
After a few short seconds, the bolt on the door clicked, and it swung open to reveal Tina in a pair of sweats. Her hair stuck up in spiky angles thanks to her messy bun. She grinned. "Sorry! Didn't realize you were coming over."
Connor stepped inside. "Wren didn't tell you?"
"To be honest, Wren hasn't come out of her hidey hole much," said Tina, locking the door behind Connor.
Hm. That wasn't a good sign. Leaving his shoes by the front door, Connor exchanged pleasantries with Chloe and Tina before heading upstairs to check on Wren. He tapped his knuckles on the door and waited for a response before entering. But no response sounded from behind the door. Frowning, Connor cracked the door open.
His eyes adjusted to the darkness immediately. Wren sprawled on the bed, her headphones covering her ears. Judging by her even breaths, she was asleep. Connor padded over to her and sank onto the edge of her bed carefully. Her music blared so loud that even without his audio sensitivity increased, Connor's sensors picked up on it.
«scanning»
[Artist: Starset]
[Track: Die for You]
Reaching over, Connor placed a gentle hand on Wren's shoulder. She jerked awake at the contact, her eyes frantically scanning the darkness for a split second before relaxing. She paused her music and slid her headphones off, letting them rest around her neck like a collar.
"Hey, sorry. I didn't mean to fall asleep."
"It's all right," Connor assured her. "Have you been tired a lot lately?"
"It's the pain medication," said Wren, gesturing to the pill cannister on her nightstand. "I usually only take half the dosage, but it still makes me woozy."
Connor furrowed his brow. "Are you experiencing a lot of pain?"
"Here and there," Wren muttered. "Mostly in my ribs since I cracked a few."
Connor tightened his jaw. Kamski repaired all the damages Connor suffered during their fight with Prometheus in an afternoon. Even a few weeks later, Wren was still healing. Humans were such fragile creatures. "Tina said you haven't come out of your room much lately."
Wren grimaced. "Yeah…"
"What's wrong?"
"This," Wren huffed, opening up her phone. She pulled up an article and handed it over.
Connor scanned it, and with each word, his jaw tightened a fraction more. By the time he finished reading, his metal heart felt like a shaken-up soda can. The arrest of Pauline Thomas, along with a few senators with connections to Prometheus, had been leaked to the public. The takedown of Prometheus, described as a covert operation underway for the past year, resulted in fifty-four arrests and over a hundred deaths. Some agents—such as one called CY006—escaped and were still at large. The article described Prometheus as a secret, formally government-sanctioned facility that experimented on human beings until they took it too far and created abominations known as cyborgs. He passed Wren's phone back to her.
"Wren…"
"The abomination part doesn't offend me," said Wren, setting her phone aside. She leaned back against the pillows on her bed. "I mean, it kind of does, but… 06 escaped. Lots of people escaped. Prometheus is still out there, and they can come back—"
"They won't," Connor assured her. "They're scattered and disorganized. They have no funding, and now they're on people's watchlists. They won't come for you, Wren."
"I know," Wren groaned. She stared up at the ceiling. Her eyes gleamed as they caught the light from the streetlamp outside. "They boiled down everything I went through—everything that all of those cyborgs went through—to a sentence and called us abominations. We didn't choose this—"
Connor crawled over Wren to sit beside her. Wrapping his arms around her, he caressed her arm with his thumb. "I know, sweetheart. It's not fair. People have always told me that humans often fear what they don't understand. In my experience, people who fear androids often react with disgust or hatred. I'm sorry that you're going through that. I wouldn't wish that upon anyone."
Wren gripped Connor's hoodie, and she trembled with a soft sob. "And I'm losing my mind staying home all day. But I'm not ready to jump back into policework. I don't think I'm ready for that yet."
"I think that's wise of you." Connor rested his chin on Wren's head. "Why don't you get in contact with North? The last time I spoke with her, she mentioned wanting to get back into dancing. Maybe the two of you could do that together."
"It's been so long since I've danced," Wren agreed. "That's a good idea."
"I have one every now and then."
Wren let out a watery chuckle. She pulled away from Connor's chest. "I'm sorry, I'm living like a vampire in here." She turned on her lamp.
Crying left her eyes and the tip of her nose red. Her hair hung in messy waves around her face. She wore no makeup, and a sweatshirt with a ghost stitched over the right breast hid her body. She looked lovely like this. Connor smiled softly and tucked her hair behind her ear. "I have something for you."
Wren's brow crinkled. "For me?"
Connor withdrew the jewelry box from his pocket. "I got this for your last birthday, before they took you away. Since your birthday is coming up, I figured I could go ahead and give it to you now."
Wren's eyes widened as Connor lifted open the box, revealing the dinosaur necklace with the tanzanite eye. She met his gaze. "Connor, it's beautiful…"
"I know you don't wear a lot of jewelry—"
"I'll never take it off!" Wren threw her arms around Connor's neck, and he let out a soft oof at the impact. He smiled and returned the hug.
"I'm glad you like it," he murmured. "Would you like me to put it on you?"
"Yeah!"
Wren let go of him and turned around. She pulled her hair—now considerably longer than when they first met—to the side, exposing her neck. Connor clasped the necklace around Wren's neck. She turned, and the dinosaur rested on her chest.
"You'll match my cufflinks."
"I know," Wren grinned. "Couple goals."
"Indeed."
Wren's face fell as she fingered the charm. "Oh, shit!"
"What?"
"I missed your birthday! I'm the worst girlfriend in the world. We can have a party—"
Connor chuckled quietly, silencing Wren's panicked ramble. "Wren, you were busy with Prometheus, and we were kind of saving the world. You get a pass. Plus, it's technically not even my birthday, since I wasn't born."
"You're such a smartass," Wren huffed. "August fifteenth is an important day, because you came into the world."
Connor brushed his lips against Wren's cheek. "I feel the same way about December twenty-seventh."
With Tina and Chloe's help, Connor decorated Tina's SUV with fairy lights, pillows, blankets, and snacks. Instead of going to the drive-in theatre, Connor opted for a secluded spot just outside of Detroit. He downloaded a movie to Hank's laptop. He and Wren had yet to finish the Star Wars movies, so that seemed like a proper choice.
Tina insisted on blindfolding Wren and leading her to the car. "Duck your head!"
Wren ducked inside the car and frowned, turning her head every which way. "Did you grab my bag?"
"It's right here," said Tina, placing a gift bag in Wren's lap. "And lemme buckle your seatbelt."
Wren snorted as Tina buckled her in. Connor leaned over Wren and smiled at Tina. "Thank you for letting me borrow your car."
"No problem," said Tina. "Have fun, guys!"
Connor backed out of the driveway and headed for the field outside of Detroit. It took them about forty-five minutes. Wren napped most of the way. Underneath her coat, she wore jeans and an emerald sweater that contrasted her hair nicely. Connor pulled off the main road and parked in a field.
"We're here," he announced softly.
Wren pulled off the blindfold. Mascara coated her eyes, making them pop even more. RA9, this woman was so beautiful. She tilted her head. "Well, I definitely wasn't expecting this."
Connor smirked. He turned on the fairy lights. "Behind you."
Wren twisted in her seat, cursing at the pain it no doubt caused for her still-healing ribs. "Oh my God. It's beautiful."
"We're going to watch movies, cuddle, and stargaze."
Wren looked back at him, and her eyes glimmered with tears. His thirium pump regulator jumped. Was this something Jonah used to do? Had he somehow triggered a bad memory? Was Wren hurting herself too much—
"What's wrong?"
"Happy tears, remember?"
"Right," Connor relaxed. "Happy tears."
"What movie are we watching?" Wren asked, jumping out of the passenger side. Connor got out and opened the trunk. The cold air hit his sensors, and Wren was already shivering. They crawled into the trunk bed, where Connor pulled the blankets up and around them. He set up the laptop.
"Star Wars."
"You didn't finish them while I was away?"
"No, I wanted to watch them with you."
"You're so sweet," Wren breathed, snuggling close to him.
Connor kissed her hairline. "As sweet as plastic can be."
Wren giggled and Connor started the movie. His processor wandered, playing back memories of movie nights with Wren. Her laugh echoed in his mind and beside him, slightly raspy and incredibly cute. Her body melted against his like it had dozens of times before. This time, though, there was no urgency. There was no sense that this could be the last time they held one another. They finally beat Prometheus, and now, they had the rest of their lives to spend nights like these.
When the movie ended, Wren stretched. "I almost forgot!"
She crawled over Connor and grabbed the giftbag from the front seat. She handed it to him. He lifted a brow and removed the tissue paper. At the bottom of the bag was a pair of headphones that matched Wren's, and a blue iPod. Connor's lips parted as he pulled the iPod out of the bag.
"They're outdated, I know," said Wren. "But mine brings me a lot of comfort, so… I thought maybe you could have one, too."
The screen illuminated with a picture of Connor and Wren. It was a selfie Wren had taken a long time ago. Her hair was shorter back then, and Connor looked stiff with her arm around him. She held up a peace sign. He unlocked the iPod and opened the music app. A few playlists already existed there.
"I downloaded a bunch of music and made the playlists," Wren explained. "I know you don't have as much trouble identifying and dealing with emotions as you used to, but… I think music really helps sort through emotions. It captures feelings better than a chat with Hank or me can."
For when you're feeling angry
Hello darkness my old friend…
This one's for the existential dread that'll hit you someday
Happy bops!
*anxiety*
E
"What's 'Electric Love?'" Connor's eyebrows gathered as he turned to Wren.
Pink dusted her cheeks. "Those are songs that remind me of us."
Connor's heart swelled. He opened the playlist. The first song on the list tugged at his metal heartstrings even more. Lord Huron, "Love Like Ghosts." He cleared his throat. "That's the first song we danced to."
"Yeah," Wren breathed.
"This is perfect," Connor murmured.
He got out of the car and held out a hand to Wren, who accepted it. He turned the volume on his iPod all the way up and played their song. Wren placed a hand on his shoulder, while he cradled her waist, tugging her close to him. They swayed together as the music played softly from Connor's back pocket.
"I love you so much," Wren whispered.
Connor nestled his cheek against the top of her head. "I love you so much, too."
Something cold and wet landed on the back of his hand. Tilting his head up, snowflakes descended upon him, dotting Connor's face. Wren looked up, too. The first snowfall of Detroit cascaded around them. Connor lowered his head, meeting Wren's gaze. Flakes caught thick and heavy on her eyelashes, making her appear like some sort of ice goddess.
"May I kiss you?"
Wren smiled. "You may."
Connor cupped Wren's neck and pressed his lips to hers. He pulled back, not wanting to push Wren any further, but she chased him with her lips. Connor deepened the kiss, and his tongue tasted the inside of Wren's mouth. Curling her fingers around the back of his neck, Wren pulled Connor even closer. She shivered against him, and Connor broke off the kiss. "You're cold."
"It's not that bad."
"We should get back in the car."
"Do you think it would be weird if we had sex in Tina's car?" Wren asked, looping her fingers through Connor's.
He nearly tripped. "Um, maybe a little bit."
"Then we should get home." Wren winked at him and hurried to the passenger side.
Connor quickly shut the trunk and fumbled for the keys. "Yeah, we should."
When Shannon, James, Izzy, and James's fiancée Anahy finally arrived in Detroit, Wren's injuries were nearly healed. Tina seemed ready to burst with the secret party planned for Wren, who used dancing as physical therapy. Connor insisted that North keep an eye on Wren during their dance routines—which North scoffed at (though Connor knew she was being her usual prickly self and would baby Wren). Meanwhile, Wren also attended psych evaluations prior to retraining to join the DPD. No more murders had been committed, and the trail had once again—to the frustration of the HAD—gone cold.
Wren's family stayed in a hotel while Tina and North planned the rest of the party. Statistically, the larger the group of people keeping a secret, the more likely the secret would get out. But the surprise party had remained secret from Wren. Connor had to admit, he was extremely impressed. Even he nearly slipped up a few times and could barely contain his smile as he drove Wren to the new Jericho. She picked songs on the drive there, insisting that she introduce Connor to the new music she'd discovered recently. Now that she was free from Prometheus, Wren spent a lot of her time listening to music. Relaxing. Dancing. Things she deserved.
Connor's chest warmed. A piece of Wren's hair hung in her face as she danced to the music, belting out the lyrics. She wasn't the best singer—in fact, her voice cracked a few times—but her eyes squinting shut and her wide smile made Connor's mouth upturn. His biocomponents felt gooey—Wren and Hank called that the "warm and fuzzies"—and he reached over to grasp Wren's hand. She grinned, stopping mid-song. She kissed the back of Connor's hand and intertwined their fingers.
Connor parked with one hand, and only released Wren's hand so that they could get out. Immediately, they intertwined their fingers again. The biting cold of November pinkened Wren's nose and cheeks. She squished closer to Connor, and he wrapped an arm around her. They entered Jericho and took the elevator up to the penthouse where Markus, North, and Josh lived. Inside the elevator, Connor's biocomponents squirmed. Wren had no idea her family was in Detroit—or that all of her friends were waiting to surprise her with a small party. She merely thought they were having a movie night with the Jericrew.
Connor's brow puckered and his giddy feelings stalled. Perhaps it was the light in the elevator casting odd shadows on Wren's face, but she looked tired, despite the soft smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. Her eyes unfocused as she stared ahead. Connor took her hand, and Wren blinked out of her daze. She graced him with a grin, but the shadows under her eyes seemed a bit more prominent. How had he not noticed? Was she not sleeping? Was she still in pain?
"What's wrong?" Wren queried, a frown creasing her brow.
Connor ran a thumb across Wren's cheek. His LED betrayed his thoughts to Wren every time. Though, at this point, he was certain that if he removed it, Wren would still pick up on his emotions. After all, Wren didn't have an LED, and Connor sensed whatever she felt. "You look tired. Have you not been sleeping?"
Wren kissed Connor's palm. "We can talk about it later, okay?"
"Right," Connor murmured. He kissed Wren's forehead. The elevator dinged, and the doors slid open.
"Come on, I'm ready to watch some scary movies," said Wren, dragging Connor out of the elevator.
"Haven't you experienced enough real horror?" Connor queried, grinning slightly.
Wren laughed as they walked down the hall. "My life is more like a Die Hard or Fast and Furious movie than a horror."
Connor and Wren rounded the corner to find the living room decorated with streamers and a "Welcome Home, Wren!" banner on the back wall. Tina, Chloe, Gavin, Chris, Hank, North, Markus, and Josh stood in a semicircle. James, Izzy, Shannon, and Anahy—Connor assumed the strange woman was James's fiancé, as he had never seen or met her—stood in the center.
"From the sounds of it, if your life was a movie franchise, it would be insanely better than those movies," said James with his arms folded.
Wren gasped and froze.
"I think we broke her," said Tina.
"Surprise, sweetie!" sang Shannon.
"Mom?" Wren whimpered, her eyes gleaming with tears. She looked at Connor, who smiled softly and nodded to her.
Shannon rushed forward, unable to take it anymore. She wrapped her arms around Wren with a choked sob. Wren returned the embrace and buried her face in the crook of her mom's neck. "Oh, my baby… We've been worried sick over you!"
"I know, I know, I'm sorry." Shannon's jacket muffled Wren's cries.
Tina sniffled in the background. Connor's eyes pricked, too. He cleared his throat and his chest hurt a little.
►He wasn't even sure Hank was going to be there. After the Liberation, after taking CyberLife Tower and freeing all those androids, Detroit was at a standstill. A ghost town. A lot of the human citizens had evacuated while the rest of the country held its breath, waiting for action from the President and from the freed androids. Most people didn't want to be around for the aftermath. All that cleanup, all those negotiations, all that tension… Most people would want to wait it out. Give Detroit some time to return to normal.
But Hank stood in front of the Chicken Feed, his arms folded. Puffs of air curled toward the sky, and his cheeks burned red with the cold. Connor's metal heart warmed at the sight of the older man waiting for him.
Hank turned and smiled at Connor, who returned it softly. And then Hank pulled Connor into a crushing hug. At first, Connor had been stiff, but he knew social protocol was to return the hug. So he did. But the longer Hank held him, the more Connor melted into it. He squeezed Hank in return.
When Hank withdrew, his eyes were misty. "I'm glad you're all right, m'boy."
Connor swallowed. "Thank you for meeting me. Are you not leaving Detroit?"
Hank shrugged. "Nowhere else to go."
"Oh."
Hank squinted at Connor. "Why don't you come stay with me? I assume there's no charging station for you at CyberLife anymore."
Connor's throat tightened. He scanned himself for injuries, but the scan returned clean. Deviancy had opened him to new sensations, it seemed. "Thank you."◄
"All right, you're making it awkward for everyone else," said James. "Let me get in there."
"Hi, Connor!" Izzy jumped forward and dodged her father, who wrapped his arms around Shannon and Wren. Anahy hung back, looking rather shy.
Connor smiled and bent down to look at Izzy properly. She'd grown a few inches since he last saw her. She had the same red hair as James and Wren. More freckles than both of them, though. Izzy grinned and tapped Connor's LED. "The blue means you're happy, right?"
"It means I'm content and not processing a lot of information."
"Same thing," said Izzy, rolling her eyes. She glanced over her shoulder, saw a space for her to squeeze in for a hug with Wren, and took it.
Connor straightened and then maneuvered over to Anahy. She was pretty, with long dark hair, a round face, and dark eyes. She wore a long skirt and sweater. Connor held out his hand. "Hello. I'm Connor."
"Anahy." She shook Connor's hand. "I'm James's fiancée."
"It's nice to meet you."
"And you, I've heard so much about you," said Anahy. "There aren't as many androids in Ellsworth. Izzy didn't stop talking about you and Wren for three weeks after you guys visited last time."
Connor smiled. "I'm sorry we didn't get to meet last time."
"Yeah, me too. James and I were keeping things on the down low, though." Anahy waved him off.
Hank sauntered over. "I'm Hank."
"Anahy!"
"Connor!" called Shannon, waving Connor over. He moved over to them while the rest of the group broke off into smaller groups to seem less awkward. Shannon threw her arms around Connor. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!"
Connor scrunched his brow. "For what?"
"Getting my baby out of there," said Shannon, withdrawing. She wiped her eyes, but more tears streamed down her cheeks as she took one of Wren's hands. "I had no idea what happened to her… And then I saw all that stuff on the news… You promised me that you would get her out and you did. So, thank you."
Connor met Wren's eyes for a moment before returning Shannon's tearful gaze. "You don't need to thank me. I'd do it again in a heartbeat."
Shannon beamed and patted Wren's hands. "I think you finally snagged a good one."
Wren held Connor's gaze and smiled softly. "Yeah, he's pretty great."
Connor felt as if he were floating into the clouds. Markus called Connor over, so he left Wren to catch up with her family some more while everyone else chatted with one another. Gavin argued with North about motorcycles of all things, Chris, Chloe, and Tina chatted about traveling for the upcoming holidays, and Hank introduced Anahy to Josh.
"Connor, how are you doing?"
"Great," Connor replied. He frowned. "Are you all right? You sound… tired."
"Stressed," said Markus, pinching the bridge of his nose. "There are still no androids represented in the Senate or the House, and with the new Justice upcoming… Shit's gonna hit the fan if this killer keeps going."
Connor's biocomponents lurched. "I'm sorry."
"It's not your fault," sighed Markus. He brightened, as if he flipped a switch and forgot the immense weight of all androids' faith and hope resting on his shoulders. "Sorry for not responding to your text earlier. I got Josh to look into it for me, and he found some android-friendly neighborhoods that are close to the DPD that fit your budget."
Connor raised his eyebrows. "Thank you. You could've told me that you were busy; I wouldn't have minded."
"Nah, don't worry about it. I was happy to do it." Markus handed Connor a file full of papers. "The realtors' numbers are there, too."
"Thank you, Markus," Connor said, flipping through the pages of available properties. Truthfully, he could've done the research for himself, but Jericho had all the right connections.
Tina scurried around, giving glasses of champagne to the humans. Connor gripped the file at his side and made his way over to Wren, who stood with her family. James moved aside to allow Connor space next to Wren.
Tina held up her glass and shouted to quiet everyone down. "I want to make a small toast. To Wren."
The humans held up their glasses. Wren's face reddened and she shrank back a little as everyone turned their eyes on her. Connor put his arm around her waist.
"You did it. You made it out. You know, around this time last year, you'd been taken back to Prometheus. And we were all moping around, missing you… And now, you're free. You were strong and fought to get back to us, and we fought to get you back home. I just wanted to say that we're all really glad you're home. We missed your birthday last year, so everyone brought the presents we'd gotten you last time. We all love you, happy birthday, and welcome home."
Wren's cheeks glistened when they caught the light. "I love you guys, too."
"Geeee-zus you are bad at speeches," said Gavin.
"I'd like to see you try and get up here and be all sentimental and shit—fuck, sorry, there's a kid—goddammit! You know what? I'm just gonna shut up now. Enjoy the food and drinks and mingling!" Tina bowed her head and scurried into Chloe's arms.
Wren giggled as James took Tina's place.
"Don't worry about it, Tina," James said. "It's not like Izzy hasn't heard those words before."
Izzy gasped obnoxiously. "Dad, I have never!"
"Mhm," James rolled his eyes. "My fiancée Anahy and I were talking, and we have an announcement to make, too. Originally, we were just gonna go to the courthouse to get married, but we decided we wanted to have a very small ceremony. You guys have been so important and influential to my sister, Wren. Connor and Hank told us everything you guys did for her, and more. It means a lot to me that you guys created this little family when Wren thought she had no one. So, we wanted to extend the invitation to all of you to come to our backyard wedding on December thirty-first. I understand with such short notice that you guys might not make it, but I wanted everyone to know that you guys are welcome there if you're able. And Wren?"
"Yeah?"
"Will you be my best man?"
"Hell yeah, I will," said Wren, leaving Connor's side for a moment to hug her brother.
Chris clapped, which started a chain reaction of everyone applauding.
North held up a remote. "All right, let's get this started!"
With the press of a button, the lights dimmed and music played. North, Chloe, Tina, and Wren danced. Anahy and Izzy joined them. Shannon and Hank hurried to the food, followed by Gavin and Chris. James, Markus, Josh, and Connor mingled, but Connor left them eventually to dance with Wren. In the flashing lights that North had set up, Wren looked beautiful. She grinned and twirled Izzy around. Connor chuckled as Izzy tried to do the worm but ended up flopping awkwardly on the floor. Connor hoped that he and Wren had the rest of their lives to be this carefree.
After an hour and a half of dancing and eating, Wren finally escaped showing Izzy her cybernetic limbs for the fifteenth time. Connor waved Wren over, and they stepped out on the balcony for some air. Wren gripped the railing and let out a deep breath.
"Thank you for this," she said. "I know you helped plan it."
"The only part I really had a hand in was your family. Tina and North should get all the credit."
"Definitely," Wren chuckled. She gestured to Connor's hand. "What's that? You've been guarding it all night."
"These are property listings in android-friendly neighborhoods," Connor explained.
"Property listings?" Wren frowned. "Are you and Hank moving?"
"Hank isn't," Connor muttered.
Wren's eyes widened. "You're buying a house?"
"Renting," said Connor. "And there are townhouses and apartments here, too. I haven't talked to Hank about it yet, but… I think I want a place of my own."
Wren puffed. "Wow."
"Do you think it's a bad idea?"
"Not at all!" Wren shook her head. "Why… Why now?"
Connor furrowed his brow and looked through the papers again. "I didn't think I'd live with Hank as long as I have. I know I'm welcome there, and we're family, but… I'd also like to experience living independently for a while. I'm the only android of our friend group who hasn't."
"Are you scared of telling Hank?"
Connor's throat tightened and he nodded. "Yeah. A little bit. I'm worried about leaving him alone, too."
"Connor, Hank's gonna be okay. I think this is a good idea, and I know Hank will support you no matter what." Wren rubbed Connor's arm.
"I know."
"From what you've told me about who Hank was prior to your deviancy, I'd say he's in a much better place. We left him alone for a few months when we were undercover. He was fine. Look at him. He's surrounded by people who love him. He's happy. You've helped him a lot, Connor. You deserve to do something for yourself."
Connor swallowed the lump in his throat. "Will you come with me to look at places?"
"Of course."
"I want you to like the place, too," Connor continued. He turned away from her, and his thirium pump regulator fluttered like the bell on an old alarm clock. "Because I'm hoping that one day… It'll be your place, too."
"Are you… Are you asking me to move in with you?" Wren whispered.
Connor turned toward her. "I'm preemptively asking. When we're both ready. I want to live independently first. But then… Yeah. When we're… When I'm ready, will you move in with me?"
Wren bit her lip and smiled. She nodded and threw her arms around Connor's neck. "Yes!"
Connor relaxed and kissed Wren deeply. She let out a small yelp at the suddenness, but melted into it. Connor broke off the kiss first and rested his head against Wren's. "I love you."
"I love you, too."
IT HAS BEEN SO LONG AND I AM SO SORRY. I've been really burnt out and my mental health has been super bad. This presidential election had me having panic attacks 24/7, my family has a lot of drama going on, I'm kind of in-between jobs right now… Yeah. My creative drive has just been through the fucking floor lately. I feel like I need to replay DBH to get back into the spirit of things when I have time.
Anyway, I have one more chapter for Of Red and Blue Blood, and then it will be done!
I am pleased to announce that there will be a Book 3! The title will be announced next chapter. Thank you guys for the overwhelming amount of support. It really has given me the encouragement to keep going when I've wanted to give up. I can't say thank you enough.
Anyway, I hope you guys enjoyed this super fluffy chapter (I decided no smut because I'm ace and wasn't in the mood to write smut lmao). Please leave some feedback, and I hope everyone is doing okay with all the craziness going on in the world right now! 3