August 15th, 2039
The warm August day started out like any other for Connor, the android who had been sent by CyberLife to assist Lieutenant Hank Anderson in handling deviant androids running amok in Detroit. In the nine months since Connor deviated himself and refused to obey CyberLife's orders to stop the peaceful deviant Revolution on the historic night of November 11th, 2038, he had become good friends with Hank in spite of their rocky initial introduction. In fact, Connor had been rooming with the senior detective in his small but loving home after he returned to the precinct to continue work alongside Hank as his partner. Within a few short weeks the two detectives were leading the city's first deviant division of investigation and making history yet again, and they had become fast friends.
While out walking Sumo, the massive Saint Bernard who had been Hank's sole companion for three years after tragedy took Hank's only son, Connor noted that he had been doing the same routine since he moved in with Hank and felt entirely at ease. On his rare days off he'd take Sumo for nice long walks around the city or to the dog park, and he found the very simple activity to be oddly fulfilling.
The basic routine made Connor feel content and even safe as he went about his life as a free deviant with a real heart and an open mind.
"Autumn will be here soon."
Connor was admiring the colorful changes in the leaves of the towering trees all through the park. He hadn't been able to witness his first autumn with his own eyes thanks to CyberLife keeping him locked away in what used to be CyberLife Tower. In fact, being able to see winter thaw into spring and seeing spring turn into summer had been a fascinating experience for him to enjoy without any bias.
The world was continuously changing, and the people were changing alongside it.
"The leaves are green, yellow, orange, red and brown. It's incredible how colorful nature can be without any outside influence from humans or deviants."
Sumo snuffled a little as he rolled around on the lush green grass at Connor's feet. The large dog loved being spoiled by Connor and had quickly taken a liking to the kindhearted deviant the moment Connor was welcomed into the house.
"I wonder how many more colors the leaves will turn before they fall to the ground and winter overtakes the city?"
A sneeze from Sumo drew Connor's attention back down to the grass. The sight of the large dog covered in little blades of grass, bits of dried leaves and pollen was enough to make the deviant lament the upcoming bath that would be necessary to get the dog's thick fur clean again. Crouching down Connor patted Sumo's back and was rewarded with a lick to his cheek as the lovable dog happily wagged his tail.
"You're going to need a thorough brushing and a bath once we're back at the house. I'd hate for you to endure fleas or ticks from rolling about the grass."
Sitting down on the grass for a moment Connor stretched his legs out before himself and soon had Sumo climbing onto his lap for more attention. It was hard to ignore Sumo whenever he wanted some affection, but it was a very easy request to fulfill.
"I also wonder if the changing weather has been a factor in Hank's recent emotional fluctuation. In the past two weeks he's become more reclusive and has been performing errands at longer than average intervals. He even requested that I spend more time taking you on walks so he can be by himself back at the house. I hope I'm not accidentally intruding or overstaying my welcome."
It seemed that Sumo didn't mind the extra long outings or extra attention from Connor. In the dog's mind every bonus second outdoors was something to be celebrated, not worried about.
"I worry that the impending winter is going to bring about another depression for Hank and that I won't be able to do anything to help him out of it."
Sumo let out a small whimper as he licked his nose and then rested his chin over Connor's shins.
"I've attempted on several occasions to get him to talk to me about whatever it is that's upsetting him, but he denies anything is wrong. I know that's untrue. I can tell by the way he speaks, the way he looks at me and the way he keeps deflecting my questions by changing the subject of discussion."
As he spoke out loud to Sumo on his lap Connor watched the leaves dancing about in the breeze as they clung to the overhead branches and threatened to fall at any moment. Being able to think out loud and confide in someone who couldn't betray his trust had proven to be therapeutic for Connor as he adapted to his deviancy and learned to trust other people as time went on.
"Hank exhibits numerous signs of stress whenever I notice him taking phone calls outside the house or whenever he leaves the bullpen to talk to someone on the phone in secret. I won't tap into his personal calls out of respect for his privacy, but I'm beginning to worry that he's speaking with a therapist and won't admit that he's still in pain after losing his family."
It was then a new theory popped into his head and gave Connor all the more reason to worry.
"Next month on the 23rd will be Cole's 10th birthday, and the month after that on the 11th will be the four year anniversary of his passing. Hank must still be struggling with the loss of his only son. I should've known that this was going to happen, and I should've taken steps to help Hank cope a little easier."
Sumo picked up on Connor's sudden and very unnecessary guilt and whimpered again as he looked up at the deviant. Thumping his tail a little harder Sumo sat more upright and nuzzled Connor's chin in an attempt to make him feel better.
"I need to do something to ensure Hank knows what happened wasn't his fault and that it's okay to still miss his son without needing to feel guilty at the same time."
Getting to his feet Connor reached for Sumo's leash tucked into his jean pocket and clipped the lead back onto the large dog's collar. Brushing loose grass from his jeans and then doing the same for Sumo's fur, Connor led the loyal dog out of the park and toward downtown to find something to help Hank with his depression and his guilt over the loss of Cole.
"I'm not sure if I'll be able to help much, but I have to at least try. Hank has done so much for me ever since the night of the Revolution."
It was still early enough on the warm day to checking through the shopping plaza without encroaching on any particular business's closing hours, and Connor would have adequate enough time to shop around and find inspiration to aid his best friend during one of the worst moments of his life.
"He's given me shelter, clothing and even purchased Thirium for me before I had the funds to do so for myself. In fact, Hank gave me my own bedroom and still gives me free reign of his entire house. He even trusts me with you, Sumo."
As soon as he heard his name Sumo looked up at Connor and wagged his tail even harder.
"Without Hank I'm not sure where I'd be at this moment. I suppose I could've accepted Markus's offer and gone out to New Jericho after he claimed CyberLife Tower for our people, but I doubt I would've been accepted. Even though I didn't actively harm our people and I had only obeyed my programming, I'm still seen as the infamous 'Deviant Hunter' in too many eyes."
All the days Connor had spent with Hank had been mostly positive. Being given his new and official title as a detective at the Central Precinct was a big day for everyone and Hank seemed genuinely proud of Connor. Then Connor being handed his new badge and being treated like an equal and not a tool had been a moment that he had learned to cherish. The start of the new year was spent with Hank rationing out the last of his alcohol to slowly ween himself off the booze without going through withdrawal, and Hank trusting Connor to help him get back in shape through healthy diets and exercise.
The progress with Hank's attempts to get back into shape had been notable and Hank was feeling better on a physical level within month. Connor had also taken steps to improve himself through Hank's guidance and Connor was beginning to feel more comfortable with his new found emotions and sense of freewill. Being giving out confidence and support and then receiving it in return was the foundation of the two detectives' entire friendship.
"I'm certain that by helping out around the house, splitting the bills and aiding with household maintenance that Hank knows I'm grateful for everything he's done for me, but I've never openly stated it. Maybe if I show him how much I appreciate all that he's done for me it'll help with his depression and spare him from heartache for at least one winter."
Entering the shopping plaza Connor glanced about the area and knew he had to choose carefully if he were to find the ideal way to show Hank how much he cared for the senior detective as his friend and how much he appreciated all of the generosity that Hank had shown toward him. At the moment he had the entire afternoon to make his decision, but even so Connor was worried it still wouldn't be enough to find the right way to convey his gratitude.
"Come on, Sumo." Rubbing Sumo's ears as he walked, Connor held his head and was confident that he'd succeed in his self imposed mission. "We'll need to be very careful with our selection if we're to help Hank through this upcoming winter."
The small house felt unusually tense as Hank found himself anxiously pacing about the livingroom with his hand running through his now much shorter hair as if he was expecting a visit from the F.B.I. Director themself. He had spent all day cleaning the house and rearranging a few things the moment Connor set foot out the door with Sumo at his side, and now he could only hope that his efforts weren't in vain. It had been years since Hank had tried to do anything out of his comfort zone or even daily routine, but with the new changes that he had been making all year long he wanted to keep up the progress and continue to move forward rather than risk falling back into his old bad habits.
Entering the kitchen for a moment he glanced down at his phone and made sure everything was exactly as he had planned. He didn't want any detail being overlooked by mistake since he knew the day was important in a way that seemed like no one else knew.
"Fuck me. Maybe I should just put everything back and do this later."
The eagerness to know how things would play out left Hank edgy and doubting his judgement on the situation. He didn't want to make any bold assumptions about androids or accidentally give the impression he was trying to force any behavior or traditions on someone else who wasn't interested, he just wanted to do something positive for a good friend.
"Maybe if I'm quick enough he'll-"
The front door 'creaked' open as Connor returned to the house with Sumo on the leash. Standing beside the door Connor slipped off his shoes while keeping something curiously wrapped up in dark red paper under his arm, and then released Sumo from the lead so the large dog could go and drink some water in the kitchen. It didn't take Connor long to notice Hank watching him from the kitchen and the deviant quickly stood up straight.
"Good timing." Hank tried to greet Connor in a casual manner as he patted Sumo passing by his leg. "How was your walk?"
"It was... fine." The senior detective's new hairstyle gave Connor pause as he had never seen Hank with short hair before. "I see you cut your hair while I was out."
"Uh, yeah." Returning his fingers to his short locks Hank ran his hand through his hair again in a nervous manner. "I wanted to try something new, but familiar. Does it look all right?"
"Yes, you look good." The new haircut was another positive change in Hank's overall behavior and appearance. "You appear more... professional and confident."
"Yeah fuckin' right."
"At any rate, while I was walking Sumo, I started to think back to the past year of living with you and realized something important."
"Oh, yeah?" A small chuckle escaped Hank's lips as he joined Connor in the livingroom to keep talking. "Me too."
"You have?"
"Yup. In the past year since you moved in my life got a Hell of a lot better, and I wanted to do something nice for you."
"...Really?"
"Well, yeah. I know I was a massive prick to you when we first met, but I-"
"No, no. I'm not referring to your past behavior or anything you've done to me or with me. I was referring to your life before I showed up and how much it had affected you in a way that I couldn't ever hope to aid you in overcoming. I wish to help you if it's appropriate to do so."
"Uh, you lost me, son." Crossing his arms over his chest Hank had the impression that the stealthy deviant had been doing something more than just walking Sumo or enjoying the park when he wasn't looking. "Why don't you go first and tell me what's on your mind, then I'll tell you what's on my mind. Deal?"
"Deal." Walking over to the couch Connor motioned for Hank to join him as he sat down on the cushion and presented the wrapped up object to the senior detective to take for himself. "You've done so much for me without asking for anything in return. I wanted to show you that I appreciate all that you've given to me and everything you've done for me."
"I don't ask for anything in return because you don't owe me anything in return." Joining Connor on the couch he eyed the wrapped up item with genuine intrigue about what it was that Connor had brought into the house. "Where did that idea even come from?"
"I've noticed that over the past fourteen days that you've been taking steps to avoid any prolonged conversations with me, and that you'd even take your phone calls outside of my hearing range to ensure I couldn't eavesdrop."
"Ah, son... You got it all wro-"
"And while I've always respected your privacy and your rules for the house," he continued on in a terse manner without giving Hank the chance to respond in advance or cut him off. "I now realized that I failed to properly convey my gratitude for everything that you've done for me."
"You've done plenty to-"
"As a symbol of our friendship and how much I appreciate everything you've done, I decided to gift you with something that helps to properly express the gratitude that I cannot put into words. I also hope this will help you find an inner peace after surviving so much tragedy that no one should ever have to experience."
Falling silent for a moment Hank just watched as Connor presented him with the wrapped item and placed it gently in his hands. Unsure of how to respond Hank looked down at the wrapped gift and gently peeled back the red paper covering the large rectangular box to reveal the contents within. As the top of the white colored box was gently opened Connor began speaking up as if needing to justify his actions.
"I know that you're not one who places anything ostensibly decorative around your house, so I won't be offended if you put this into storage. However, I want you to know why I selected this particular item to gift to you."
"Connor..." The gift he had been given made Hank's blue eyes brighten with disbelief. "This is amazing."
The item within the box was a custom designed statue that Connor had created while downtown at the local art and jewelry stores. The statue itself was that of an ancient papyrus scroll complete with wooden dowels at each end for authenticity's sake in its appearance. The statue was made of pewter and was two feet long and one foot across in size, while the dowels were made of polished oak.
At the top left of the scroll was an old nautical compass that was imprinted into the pewter with fine detail showcasing the artist's talent. The 'N' for North was most prominent while the 'E', 'W', and 'S' for East, West and South were less pronounced. In the top right corner of the scroll was a raised imprint of an old glass inkwell with a quill feather sticking out of the top. A label over the front of the inkwell read 'stabilitas' in perfect calligraphy.
"I chose a scroll since in many human cultures the scroll represents knowledge and wisdom. Those very traits are something that you've shared with me and helped me to grow as a person." Motioning to the compass Connor leaned over to indicate the second symbol included on the scroll. "The compass represents guidance, safety and protection. Again, things I experienced only after you took me into your home."
Hank was at a loss for words as he eyed the incredibly thoughtful gift in its full glory.
"The quill, as a feather, represents freedom, truth and ascension, while the quill with the inkwell represents learning. I've learned so much about life from you and through your examples, and with those lessons I've been able to embrace my new life without any fear as I make my own decisions. Also, 'stabilitas' is Latin for 'stability', which is something you've given me while I found myself and discovered who I want to be."
Despite the beautiful craftsmanship of the statue there was one other detail on the scroll that was holding Hank's attention. A beautiful quote that resonated deep within Hank's very heart.
"As for this," Connor motioned to the quote imprinted in flawless cursive near the center of the scroll. "I wanted to honor your relationship with Cole and try to offer you words of comfort. I hope the quote isn't out of line."
Taking in a deep breath Hank steadied his voice and read the quote out loud. "'It is not flesh and blood, but heart which makes us fathers and sons.', by Johann Friedrich Von Schiller."
Connor saw the tears in Hank's eyes and his shoulders slumped. "I'm... I'm sorry. My intentions were to help you, not-" Feeling suddenly guilty Connor looked away from Hank with misplaced shame in his own eyes. "I just wanted to remind you that Cole will always-"
Hank snaked his arm around Connor's neck and shoulders and brought the deviant up against his side for a quick hug. Putting the statue down on the coffee table the senior detective freed up both hands so he could turn his body and give Connor a full hug with all of his strength. He understood perfectly well what Connor was doing and he the gesture touched his heart.
"Connor, this is more than I could've hoped for from you."
"It... is?" Stunned by the admission Connor slowly raised his arms to return the hug and felt Hank's muscles tense up as he fought to keep himself from crying. "Then why are you so upset?"
"I'm not upset." Loosening the hug for a moment Hank leaned back and gave Connor a warm smirk as his fresh tears remained in his eyes. "I was surprised, that's all. And it was a good surprise at that. That quote..." Giving the scroll a discreet side-eye glance Hank felt his emotions welling up all over again and had to break eye contact to avoid crying altogether. "It just got me in a way I didn't expect."
"Oh."
"Son, listen to me. You don't owe me a damn thing, and while I really appreciate you going to such lengths to let me know how much you appreciate me, you didn't have to do anything. This is your home and you're welcome to stay with me for as long as you want, all right?"
"Y-Yes, okay."
"Good. Now..." Wiping his tears aside Hank cleared his throat and rose to his feet. "Before you gave me the ultimate symbol of me doing things right for a change, I was going to give you something special too. I feel like it's going pale in comparison to everything you just did for me, but a deal's a deal. My turn to tell you what's been on my mind all day."
"Which is what?" Standing up as well Connor trailed after Hank as the senior detective waved him down the hallway and toward his own bedroom. "And why would you feel the need to give me anything?"
Holding onto the knob of the door Hank gave Connor a curious glance. "Son, what's today's date?"
"August 15th, 2039." Connor relayed perfectly and accurately in a monotone voice. "Why do you ask?"
"And what's important about today?"
"According to historical records in 1945 the Japanese surrendered during World War II effectively bringing to war to end."
"No, not that kind of stuff." Another chuckle escaped as Hank flashed Connor an amused smile. "I meant, what's important about this day for you?"
"For me?" With his brow furrowed Connor checked through his personal files and memories within a single millisecond and deduced what Hank was referring to. "One year ago today, I was initially activated."
"That's right. Which means... what?"
"I've been active for three-hundred and sixty-five consecutive days."
"Yeah, yeah... Smartass." Turning the knob Hank spelled things out for Connor to fully understand. "For humans, a year's anniversary of one's life is called a 'birthday', and such a day is celebrated among friends and family."
"I... wasn't born. I cannot have a birthday."
"You're alive, aren't you?"
"I am, yes."
"And you have an official date confirming that you were activated and then you found your heart to recognize your life, right?"
"Correct."
"So, by all account your birthday, or 'activation day', deserve to be recognized and celebrated."
"I... suppose that's accurate."
"And since it's your first birthday, I wanted to do something special to commemorate it." Finally opening the bedroom door Hank entered the room and waved Connor over to join him inside the room. Stepping aside Hank then gestured with both hands to something set up in the corner of the otherwise under furnished bedroom for Connor to see for himself. "And here it is. Happy birthday!"
With his brow arched Connor stepped into his bedroom and looked over at the gift Hank had given him on that day. "Hank, this is... exquisite!"
Set up in the corner of the room was a perfectly cylindrical thirty-gallon fish tank sitting atop a black wooden pedestal to keep it off the ground and store items within its base. The water was crystal clear, had some soft sand at the bottom, a few green fake plants and a few live plants, as well as some decorative rocks, a simple temperature control gauge, a filter and most importantly of all, a bright blue betta fish happily swimming about his massive new home.
"I know you like fish." Hank stated casually as he watched Connor's soulful brown eyes light up and admire the new addition. "And you've taken really good care of Sumo, and me, and figured that an aquarium would thrive under your care."
"I assure you that I'll do my best to keep this aquarium as pristine as ever!"
"I know you will. Hope you don't mind your new roommate, by the way." Pointing to the fish swimming about gracefully Hank clapped his hand down on Connor's shoulder as he watched the deviant observing the fish already. "When I went to the pet store to get everything for you and set it up, I saw that little guy in one of those tiny plastic bowls and felt bad for him. So, I decided to give him a lot more room to swim about and help get the aquarium's little ecosystem up and going."
"I'm sure he's as grateful for this as I am!" Turning around Connor gave Hank a full smile as he let it be known how much he loved his new gift. "Thank you!"
"No problem. I'm happy to help you celebrate your birthday."
"If this is how birthdays play out then I'm happy to celebrate them too."
"Well, it's not over just yet."
"What else is there to do? I couldn't expect anything else."
"This." Reaching into the storage cabinet beneath the aquarium Hank presented Connor with an official envelope with a small red bow on the front. "I hope this isn't too bold, but I figured with everything that we've been through and the way things are going... Well, just open it!"
Too curious to not read the document Connor opened the envelope and was greeted with an already filled out and ready to be filed certificate. To be more precise, it was a legal certificate of adoption.
"Hank..." As he read over the details Connor saw that the only thing missing was own signature at the very bottom. Hank already filled everything else out to make it official. "You... want to adopt me?"
"I kinda' already did." Smirking nervously, he pulled a pen out of his pocket and presented it to Connor to take. "This will just make it official and make things way simpler for both of us in the long run if we have documentation."
"That's why the quote on the scroll affected you so much."
"You and Cole are both my sons."
An emotional tear rolled down Connor's cheek as he realized now why Hank had been so secretive for the past two weeks and why he had been keeping Connor in the dark. He had been planning a big celebration just for Connor's sake, and now knew that he saw Connor as his son just as he saw Cole as his son. "...I'll sign this only if I can have my badge altered to reflect my new family surname."
Honored by the request Hank just nodded as he restrained his own tears. "Consider it done, Detective Anderson."
With genuine pride Connor placed the document against the smooth wall and filled out the signature at the bottom in full: Connor Anderson. "It's official. I'm now an Anderson."
"And now when I call you 'son' it's not just a nickname." Taking back the document Hank returned it to the envelope to be filed later. "We'll get this sent off tomorrow and really make it official." Two knocks on the front door stole Hank's attention as another sly grin graced his lips and helped him break away from the emotional moment. "Hope you don't mind, but I asked some of your friends to help you celebrate your birthday in style tonight."
Wiping away his own tears Connor just pondered the suggestion curiously. "Friends?"
"Yup. Markus, North, Simon, Josh, Chris, Tina and even Ben all want to celebrate with you, and let you see how much your life has affected their own in the best possible way."
"Are you going to go with us?"
"Absolutely." Giving Connor's shoulder a gentle shake Hank encouraged Connor to join him in the livingroom to greet their guests. "We're all going to make sure you have at least one great birthday to remember and help give you the desire to keep celebrating them in the years to come. That's my job as your father, after all."
"I'm sure I will have plenty of great birthdays starting today." Looking back at the aquarium for a minute Connor eyed his new fish and decided to give him a name fitting before leaving. "And in the next few weeks you and I will get to know one another, and soon you'll have more acquaintances to swim with 'Calin'. A small but powerful warrior still needs a friend to rely on."
Exiting his bedroom Connor joined Hank in the livingroom and continued to smile as the door opened and his friends entered the livingroom together. Seeing Markus and North holding a colorful sign saying 'Happy Birthday Connor Anderson' made the deviant's eyes tear up yet again as being adopted really sank in. Everyone could see how much Hank cared about him even when he didn't.
"Perfect timing everyone. The birthday boy is ready to head out and have some fun." Standing beside his newly adopted son, Hank looked over at his new statue and smiled brightly as he gave Connor a side hug. That was something he was going to proudly display right over the fireplace mantle. "Happy birthday, son."
"For me, it truly is a very happy birthday... dad."
-End of Story-