The previous day's unexpected events and the close call with the very life of one of their own had prompted Markus and Simon into taking a big step forward together before anything else would potentially get in their way. After the storm had cleared and North had been cleared to leave the emergency repair bay to finish her swift recovery in the comfort of her own loft alongside Skye, Markus had taken the initiative and proposed to Simon up the arboretum under the massive bend of the shining rainbow overhead. It was an easy answer for Simon to give as he had been working up the courage to ask Markus himself the same exact question but had seemingly missed the mark by just a few precious days since he had been so preoccupied with helping North.
Not wanting to put it off for another day longer, the two deviants decided it was time to be bonded together as one and enter the android equivalent of marriage. They didn't want to have their ceremony in the tower to avoid any potential conflicts of interest, and they didn't want to have their ceremony in a public setting to avoid any potential bigots wanting to crash the wedding.
Fortunately, Markus had the perfect solution. Before the sun would set on that fine October day the couple would be bonded together in the creative sanctuary that had been Carl's art studio back in his warm and inviting mansion.
Sending out cybernetic messages the two engaged deviants began requesting their most trusted friends and allies to be in attendance at the bonding ceremony. They didn't want a large gathering and they didn't want to gain any unwanted attention by mistake.
Excited for their friends by day both Connor and Lucas readily went out and bought nice new dress shirts and slacks to look the part and changed into their brand new attire at the brownstone. It was a simple enough yet elegant look - Connor wearing a silk navy blue button down while Lucas wore a silk ruby red button down shirt - but the brothers looked sharp and presentable for any special occasion.
"All right, Bruno." Petting the loyal dog's ears Connor gave Bruno a rundown on what was going to happen that day. "Lucas and I are going to attend Markus and Simon's bonding ceremony today at Markus's mansion. We'll be back before nightfall."
'Bruno has to stay?'
"Sorry, boy. It's invitation only."
Snuffling a little Bruno lowered his ears but wagged his tail happily. 'Okay.'
"Lucas and I will be at the mansion in the event a client comes our way." Straightening his back tie around his collar Connor finished getting dressed and saw that Lucas had already done the same. "Otherwise, you'll be in charge. The aquarium has its auto feeder set up for the fish and I already watered my rose. All that's left is for you to patrol the brownstone. Understood?"
Bruno's L.E.D. cycled in yellow for a beat before he responded with a single bark. 'Bruno understands.'
"Good dog. Lucas?" Turning to look at his brother again as they strolled down the staircase side by side to get to the ground floor while Bruno followed right behind them to relax in the study. "Ready to go?"
"Yes. I've already hailed the taxi and have confirmed that Markus and Simon are ready to receive their guests."
"That's good. Gift?"
"Right here." The brothers weren't entirely sure what to get their friends as a bonding ceremony gift, but they figured that something as symbolic as an antique anniversary clock would be adequate enough. The clock was packed in a protective box and wrapped up in elegant white paper. "Hopefully no one else has gotten them a clock such as this."
"Hopefully we're not the only ones who will be bringing by a gift." Opening the front door Connor smelled the autumnal air and felt suddenly at ease. "No sign of rain and no severe wind gusts. I imagine today will be beautiful and calm, which is exactly what Markus and Simon deserve."
The bright and sunny October morning was leading in to an equally bright and warm afternoon. The bonding ceremony was going to remain indoors to avoid any and all potential weather related disruptions, but even so having the uninterrupted sunlight shining down over the mansion and through the glass walls of the gallery would ensure that the bonding couple would be bathed in warmth and natural light. The gallery itself had remained relatively normal save for shelves, tables and the untouched art supplies being put aside to make room for the wooden archway to be set up and covered with Markus and Simon's favorite flowers. The couple would stand beneath the arch and vow themselves to one another in the presence of their trusted friends and begin a new chapter of their lives together.
It wasn't long before the guests filled in one at a time to witness the couple's bonding ceremony. Connor, Lucas, North, Skye and even Josh were all invited as an act of good faith and trust. Lucy, who had resided strictly out in the forested deviant refugee camp had come to the mansion to not only officiate the ceremony but to give her insight and blessing on the occasion.
Everything was set inside the gallery and the guests had begun to arrive and stand within the gallery all together. It was a little tense for some deviants to be amongst one another, however, the group put aside their lingering personal grievances for the sake of Markus and Simon's big, important day.
Lucy was already standing beneath the flower filled archway with the two bonding rings safely in her hands as she awaited the cue to begin the ceremony. The insightful deviant's black eyes were always seeing what others could not. Watching the gathered guests keenly Lucy seemed to find their presence of the eccentric group to be fascinating enough to warrant deeper thought and consideration.
There was a small table filling with the gifts provided by the guests for the soon-to-be bonded couple. Fortunately, the other guests thought to buy gifts for their friends, and it didn't make Connor and Lucas's gift stand out or seem unusual.
The sight of everyone dressed up and looking their best was an aesthetically pleasing change compared to the usual professionalism behind uniforms while handling business. North and Skye were wearing matching purple dresses, North's dress was sleeveless with an open back while Skye's dress had long sleeves that reached down to her wrists. Their hems stopped at the knees and both women were wearing flattering pumps. Josh had found an amber brown dress shirt and black tie to compliment his black slacks and shining black shoes. Lucy herself was wearing a snow white ankle length gown that had ruffles at the hem that looked more life feathers than anything else. Her long sleeves came to a rest with more feathery ruffles around her wrists and she had a matching snow white cape stretching from her shoulders to the floor behind her. A white scarf was wrapped around her head and concealed the damage to her body that couldn't be repaired.
Everyone was in good spirits despite not being too chatty with one another. They were there to support Markus and Simon, not socialize. At least not yet.
Discreetly Connor ascended the staircase to the second floor and spotted Markus standing nervously his old bedroom staring out the window overlooking the world outside as if searching for any sign of a problem or intrusion. Markus was wearing a sharp tuxedo complete with a red tulip pinned to the lapel of his black blazer. The blazer matched his slacks and made his white button down look even brighter. He had black bowtie around his collar and red cummerbund wrapped around his waist that matched the tulip on his lapel.
"Markus, are you okay? You seem unnerved."
"Y-Yeah." The groom replied in a shaky voice as he turned to face Connor standing in the opened door to his bedroom. "It's just... emotional."
"Do you need a minute?"
"No. I'm ready, I just... I just want to make sure that this day is remembered for the right reason, you know?"
Connor forced an unsteady smile to his face as he spoke with the trembling groom and good friend. "You want people to remember the bonding as the day you and Simon joined your separate lives together as one; not as a milestone to be simply thrown into the history books as the first deviant wedding."
"Yeah." Markus turned to look at Connor as the deviant detective put all the pieces in place for him. "That's it exactly."
"Don't worry. Everyone here will remember what happened and the reason why it happened. This day is more than just an important date on a history exam for future students."
"Thanks for saying that."
"Come on." The empathetic deviant encouraged with a confident grin on his face. "It's time. Simon will be waiting for you."
Markus nodded with his own newly found confidence as he held his head high and began walking down the staircase and into the gallery to stand where Lucy was already waiting for his arrival. The guests began filing into the gallery one by one and stood in two rows to create their own version of an aisle for Simon to walk down when it was his time to meet his soon-to-be bondmate at the arch.
Connor gave Markus a subtle approving nod as music began to softly play and Simon began his walk down the staircase in his own matching tuxedo, save for the yellow carnation on his lapel to complement Markus's tulip. 'This is a good day, Markus.' He spoke to the groom cybernetically. 'I'm happy for both of you.'
Proud, confident and truly happy, Simon made his way to the gallery and readily joined Markus beneath the arch to begin the ceremony. Taking Markus's hands in his own Simon looked into his beloved's mismatched eyes with raw affection and true love gleaming from his gleeful gaze.
"Welcome." Lucy spoke in a loud, clear voice as she addressed all of those who were fortunate enough to bear witness to the wondrous ceremony. "We are ready to begin."
Everyone quietly stood before the arch and gave the young couple their full attention and respect in that moment. The sunlight shining through the tree branches created a beam of light that illuminated the couple as if nature itself had provided them with their own exclusive spotlight.
"We are here to celebrate the union of life between Markus and Simon." The words were reminiscent of the traditional human religious services but there was no tradition to be followed on that day as the deviant bonding would be the first of its kind. "This is a moment of love overcoming adversity and of light emerging from darkness."
Connor was intrigued by the mentioning of light overcoming the darkness. It felt like the metaphor was somehow connecting everyone together as one during that emotional and historical moment.
"As a symbol of their love Markus and Simon will now exchange rings and cybernetically connect to one another and speak their vows, solidifying their trust and love with one another before the eyes of their most trusted friends and family."
Silent admiration fell over the guests as they watched the two soon-to-be bonded deviants slip their respective rings over each other's left ring fingers before interlocking their exposed plastimetal left hands with one another into a single fist between their bodies, up near their hearts. Their eyes closed and their minds became as one. Slowly they bowed their heads forward until their foreheads were touching and they simply felt peace by being in close proximity to one another.
There was a calm silence as Markus and Simon connected to each other and spoke words that only they could hear. The sweet ambience of birds singing accompanied the silent exchange of loving words as the gathered guests patiently waited for the two deviants to open their eyes once more and finish their bonding ceremony together.
"I love you." Markus stated in a kind voice as he opened his mismatched eyes and locked onto Simon's blue eyes as he too awoke from their cybernetic bonds. "I don't have to say anything else. I love you more than I ever thought was possible."
"I love you, too." Simon opened his eyes and looked at Markus as he felt his hands tightening around Markus's hands with a grip of raw love and emotional depth that he didn't think was possible. "I love you with all of my heart."
Without another word the two deviants exchange a loving kiss that solidified their love and brought about a new era of deviant rights throughout the entire world.
Lucy nodded and resumed speaking in a respectful tone. "To our friends and loved ones in attendance, I present to you the newlybonded couple of: Mr. Markus and Simon Manfred."
As the guests applauded the now bonded couple Markus and Simon held hands tightly and walked back down their makeshift aisle to symbol taking their first steps into their new lives together. It was a short journey, but it was just the beginning of an even greater adventure.
Lucas was smiling brightly as he acknowledged the simple but important ceremony that had been honored to witness. "It's fascinating how two deviants can feel so strongly for one another. I have a feeling that their bonding will last longer than anything else that has ever been and ever will be a part of Detroit's history."
"I suspect that you're correct about that." Taking notice of the way North and Skye were whispering to one another while admiring the arch in the gallery, and the fact that both Josh and Leo were keeping their distance from everyone, Connor wondered how many other relationships would outlast the test of time. "We can only stand back and watch it happen for ourselves."
The gathered guests all shared their good energy and mood with the newlybonded couple and proceeded to engage in friendly conversation in the mansion's sitting room for a while. Markus and Simon wouldn't be heading out for a honeymoon until after the one year anniversary of the Revolution, and as such they were more than willing to have a small party in the mansion to celebrate their big day among trusted friends and allies.
Standing back a bit as he didn't want to be surrounded while in an enclosed space, a strange reflex Connor seemed to have gained as he ventured through his career as a detective and life as a free deviant, Connor stood in the doorway and listened in as Markus and Simon shared stories with their guests as they remained together in the sitting room. Everyone was smiling, laughing and engaging socially in a vibrant, encouraging manner while Connor hung back in the doorway.
The sitting room still had Carl's unique sense of personality and interests on every wall, and in a way it felt like Carl had never left. All of the books, the piano, the furniture, the chessboard, the decorative taxidermized animals and the overall atmosphere still reeked of Carl's unique sense of taste. There was even a hidden entrance to the mansion secured behind the far bookcase and Connor could only imagine how many times the eccentric artist used the hidden passageway to avoid people trying to interview him or stop by his mansion unannounced. Such a concept was one that Connor began to consider as a necessary emergency escape route in his own brownstone since his line of work could be quite unpredictable at times.
"You're still looking for something."
Turning around quickly at the voice who had suddenly addressed him Connor took notice of Lucy now standing right beside him as she stared into his very being with her pitch black eyes. The way she spoke and the way she was peering into his very soul made Connor wonder if the deviant was truly psychic or connected with RA9 as she had been rumored.
"You're no longer lost, but you are still wandering. What you seek may not be as elusive or enigmatic as you fear."
"What... am I looking for?" Lowering his voice Connor engaged in conversation with Lucy while the other deviants laughed and spoke loudly in the next room. "I feel as if I'm missing something in my life, and yet I don't know what that something could even be."
"You have the mind of a detective." Lucy recounted in a neutral tone as she held out her hand before Connor. "You are trying to think when you know you must feel. Let go of your theories and embrace your feelings instead."
"How do I do that?"
"Give me your hand and I will show you."
Lifting his hand slowly Connor allowed Lucy to take hold in a gentle and warm grip as she closed her eyes and connected her mind to Connor's heart. He could feel what he could only describe as a warm aura surrounding his heart as Lucy searched through his very being in a manner that no one else could do or even be explained by any deviant or technician. Lucy's insight, her gift, was one that seemed to have its own origin and essence that was unique to her own heart and could never be replicated.
"You've endured loneliness and isolation, now you covet companionship and security within the arms of those you love. You've come face to face with the Devil and trekked through Hell in search of your own paradise, now you fear that the Devil is still lurking in the shadows and plotting to destroy everything you've gained."
Connor felt himself tense up as a sense of dread fell upon his shoulders with a crushing, smothering weight.
"You feel guilt for the lives and the deaths of people you've never known and never will know. You carry the heart of an explorer with the soul of a poet. Your mind is one of logic and reason, but emotions, feelings, cannot be logical or reasoned with."
Curling his fingers around Lucy's hand Connor held tight as he felt her searching through his heart and uncovering the mysteries of his own life and existence that he couldn't seem to solve. He just needed one clue to begin his search for the answers of his own existence that have eluded him for so long.
"You appreciate the life you've been given and of the freedom you've fought for, but you do not know how to live or what's worth fighting for now that the battle has been won. You feel empty inside, a growing void within your very heart that pains you with every beat as the void remains open and hollow."
"What am I missing?" Keeping his voice strong and his emotions in check Connor pleaded for help from the insightful deviant as she searched through his very being to find every little thing that makes Connor his own person. "What do I need to look for?"
"Those are questions that can only be answered by yourself." As she opened her eyes Lucy gave Connor a kind smile and lessened her grip on his hand despite his grip remaining firm and relentless. "You know what you want in your life already. What is that you truly want, Connor? What is it that you feel will make you happy and give your life a true purpose and meaning?"
"What I want is..." Quiet for a moment Connor glanced about the sitting room where his brother and allies were gathered together and felt a strange sense of comfort and longing at the same time. Was it truly that simple after all? "...Family. I want a family. I just... feel that it'll bring me peace and happiness."
Lucy nodded once as she gave Connor a proud smile of utter approval as he began to search through his own heart. "Now what will you do?"
"I... I'm not sure." Lowering his hand to his side Connor felt the corner of his mouth tic with internal stress and conflict. "I have my brothers, even if Sydney and Ethan aren't with me, I have my dog and I have my friends. I'm not sure what I need to do next or where I need to look in order to find what's missing."
"You need to stop looking and start feeling. You'll find yourself." The insightful and empathetic deviant urged as she looked into Connor's very being. "Your eyes cannot see what only your heart can feel. Only then will you feel happiness and a sense of internal completion."
As he contemplated Lucy's cryptic advice regarding his own future and his happiness Connor watched her casually enter the sitting room and join the other deviants in their conversations. Everyone was smiling, warmly even Josh, as the group of allies seemed to finally let go of all their past grievances and reunite as the friends they had once been prior to poor decisions based in fear and mistrust had torn them apart.
"Stop looking and start feeling."
Repeating Lucy's words Connor looked down at his palm and slowly closed his empty hand into a weak fist before letting it fall limply to his side. Her touch had been so warm and comforting, and now his hand felt cold and empty without her compassionate touch.
"I know I can stop looking for the obvious, but I'm not sure that I'll be able to feel for what's not right in front of me."
-next chapter-
