This is a fanfic which follows the Deviant Connor timeline (with the everybody lives ending/the happy ending) from the video game Detroit Become Human. Some things were changed/added to allow the fanfic to make more sense. Feedback is greatly appreciated!

TW: Mentions/references/very brief description of self-harm, self-hatred/suicidal thoughts (since I have/do deal with self harm and 'dark thoughts' myself, I believe that I can write it in at least a semi-realistic way however constructive criticism is appreciated, especially if I fall into the unfortunate rabbit hole of romanticising it, although I am trying my best not to do that).

Also, updates may be slower since I'm dealing with my own mental health issues and school exams at the moment but rest assured that I plan to write as much as I can and complete this fanfiction (this is my first fanfic, by the way).

*Sorry if this chapter is a bit choppy, I really wanted to write but I kept getting distracted by *life* so this may be a bit less descriptive.

Please do not be afraid to reach out to someone if you're struggling!

Rain dampened the android's chestnut brown hair as he ran through the blustery, stormy streets of Detroit. As the sirens hollered and the thuds of Connor's footsteps against the pavement quickened, he could only muster the one programmed thought he was meant to think in his artificial mind: "I have a task and I must not fail." The wind roared in his ears while the thought played over and over, soon becoming a steady beat, which accompanied his swift gait. Turning a corner into an ivy infested alleyway, he spotted the deviant and a child climbing over the fence and sprinted forward, slamming into the barrier. The RK800's eyes met with the AX400's, hers which were wide with fear. He momentarily glanced down and analysed the child she clutched, only to reveal that she too was an android. This brief moment of puzzlement on Connor's part along with an armed officer approaching bought Kara and Alice enough time to slide down the slope and leap over the wall which protected a hectic, hazardous highway.

The lieutenant arrived panting and then watched the androids cross the highway with apprehension. As Connor's eyes also followed the scene, the thought which had provided the lyrics for Connor's chase returned, begging him not to fail. In response, he attempted to haul himself over the fence, only for Hank's hand to push down on his shoulder. He tried again, but Lieutenant Anderson held him down, struggling to reason with his partner. "You will get yourself killed!"

Confusion seeped into the android's system. He could just come back, and nothing would change so why was his potential death such an issue to the human? Then he remembered what Amanda had said about that exact thing stalling the mission for some unknown reason and stopped resisting.

Clearly not trusting the android to not try to leap over, Hank quickly reached for his wrist as it provided better him a better chance of preventing Connor from going if he changed his mind, only for the deviant hunter to wince, yelp and pull his arm away as a hand suddenly gripped tightly. Blue, hidden cuts on his wrist now fleetingly achy and frustrated, Connor shrieked, "Hank! Was that necessary?!" Frowning and bewildered at the android's exclamation, he answered, "I thought you were gonna try and get away again to go after that fucking deviant and the kid! Why did you react like that?" Connor didn't answer but noticed the lieutenant's suspicion level go up from 11% to 23% and inwardly cursed (he'd started to keep track of how suspicious Lieutenant Anderson was of the probability of Connor's 'coping method' being a reality).

"Jesus…they made it to the other side." Hank muttered, appearing to relax slightly as, in the distance, Alice was now hugging the deviant tightly. "I was worried that, I mean, I seriously thought that the kid was going to get, well, y'know…" Connor assumed that the unsaid word in that sentence was 'killed' and replied with a different point concerning the case, hoping to calm the lieutenant. "When they were crossing the fence, I managed to get close to the AX400 and analyse the pair. The child was actually an android, Lieutenant."

"Android or human, she really did act like a scared little kid, Connor, and nothing's gonna change that."

"I failed my assignment."

"Join the club."

"I'm not meant to fail."

"Too bad."

"Thank you for your support, Lieutenant." Connor muttered sarcastically.

"You're welcome, Connor." The pair were stood in the police station's break room, discussing the deviants they had failed to catch while the RK800 repetitively flipped his coin. "Hey, why do you keep playing with that coin all the time?"

"I do it to calibrate my cognitive and physical functions. It's also a way to pass the time."

"But you're an android. Your lot are perfect. How come you'd need to do that?"

"I'm not completely perfect, Lieutenant, though I should aim to be. Perfection would mean catching that deviant. I didn't do that."

"Jeez, you're really hung up about that, aren't you? Come on, what's the worst that can happen."

Connor barley had to think for a moment before he had multiple scenarios mapped out. "I might get deactivated by CyberLife, the deviant could hurt someone else, Detective Reed might hear about this and come looking for trouble, anything could happen!"

"Funny you should mention Gavin, actually. When you disappeared for a little while, before we went to Ravendale, I had a word with him about what's been going on between you two." Connor's synthetic breathes stopped for a minute and the side of his head glowed yellow as the Lieutenant continued, "I told him to piss off and stop beating you up, so we didn't have to explain why CyberLife's equipment got damaged, but he said he never laid a finger on you after that interrogation." Connor went completely still and silent as he processed his words. Hank let out a deep sigh as he stared at the floor with his arms crossed, his expression blank and unreadable. For a few moments, the only noise the android picked up was the distant sounds of automated announcements and police officers either tapping away at their keyboards or talking to civilians while they reported various crimes. Then, the lieutenant raised his head, looked his partner dead in the eyes and said in a cautious, nonchalant voice, "So, what happened, Connor?

New Objective: Leave the situation

He needed a loophole, an excuse, something to get him out of this. The android recalled the conversation he had had with Hank after nearly getting caught cutting in the restrooms. He had an answer now, but he also needed to leave the situation immediately to avoid any further questions. Luckily, he had a way to do that. Keeping his expression as neutral and unbothered as possible, Connor said "I never directly stated that Detective Reed attacked me. In fact-" At that moment, Connor's face was illuminated with flashing, bright blue, yellow and red glows from his LED and his body froze as he deliberately restarted his system to make it seem like he had encountered an error. "Connor? What's going on?" When his system buzzed back to life a few seconds later, the RK800 spoke. "I'm sorry, lieutenant. My system found an error and I restarted to get rid of it." He lied, "I should probably go and scan my code for any more errors. Please excuse me." And with that, he left the breakroom before Hank could say anything else.

Hank's level of suspicion: 30% (7% increase)

Nobody used the empty storeroom behind one of the holding cells, which made it a perfect newfound place of solitude for Connor. Although, right now, taking a blade to his skin didn't feel like it would be enough. "I failed. I really did fail." He muttered woefully, leaning against the wall with a dead look in his eyes. That deviant, the AX400, was in his grasp, and he'd let it go. What would Amanda say? Would she decommission him? "I'd probably deserve it. It's not as though anyone would miss me. Hank doesn't want me. I'm just a nuisance to him." The thoughts worried him as they ran through his mind. Perhaps he really was going deviant. "No! I can't let that happen. I know I'm not a deviant. But then why am I more 'human' than other androids?" He ruminated over all of the factors before reaching a possible conclusion. "I'm a prototype." He mumbled out loud. "Why though? Why would CyberLife want an obedient, obeying tool to be capable of being so emotional? Why did I have to be this sentient when I'm just a machine. I'm not alive!"

"It doesn't matter who I am or what I've done, my only purpose is to be as effective and efficient as possible and I'm failing at that," Connor thought before finally giving in, reaching into his pockets, and later watching drops of blue blood trickle onto the floor, thinking that he deserved the pain it brought him.

Software Instability (Up)

Rupert got away safely. Just as Connor was about to catch him, the deviant had attempted to push Hank off the roof, so he had decided to help the lieutenant rather than finish the mission. He knew he'd be in for it with Amanda but for reasons that he was unsure of, Connor felt that it would be more morally right to save Hank instead of leaving him to struggle back onto the rooftop. Speaking of Amanda, the android was now getting ready to discuss the investigation developments with her, though he felt more apprehensive than ever as he entered her domain.

November 6th, 2038

PM 07:51

After they had finished discussing Connor's progress with the case and Lieutenant Anderson, Amanda brought up the android's developing habit of turning to self-harm, much to his discomfort. "I've noticed that your dependence on this habit has continued to increase. I have also seen that Anderson's suspicions of it are on the rise as well. This isn't good, Connor. If he finds out, it will disrupt the investigation and as for your relationship, well, that will be severed."

"Severed?"

"Of course. Why would he want to work with you if he knew you did this? He'd be angry at you. That's why he can't know."

"Amanda, I appreciate your concern, but I think the lieutenant might understand, seeing as he also struggles with similar destructive habits so…um…," Connor replied, his voice fading as he saw the stern, displeased look she was giving him.

"Connor, you are not going to tell him or let him catch you in the act. We are finished talking about the lieutenant. Do you understand?" The android hesitated, something deep inside him nagging at him that what she was saying was wrong, but he ignored it and nodded.

"Before you go, I would also like you to show me your arms."

"Of course, Amanda." He said calmly, rolling up his sleeves to reveal several lines marking both forearms. "I'm sorry. It's been harder to stop than I thought."

Amanda's opinion of Connor (down)

She shook her head at the sight and murmured "You really should stop this. I'm not going to directly order you to, but I expect you to keep your behaviour under control or I may consider replacing you, Connor."

"Anyway, please go and find the lieutenant. There's been a homicide involving a deviated android at the Eden Club and I expect you to solve it, even if it means neutralising that android, should you find it."

However, when he and Hank were faced with the two Traci androids, who just wanted to love each other and be free, Connor couldn't bring himself to pull the trigger and instead watched them escape into the chilly November night.

Hank's opinion of Connor(sharply up)

"Why aren't I stopping these deviants? Why am I failing so much?" He muttered angrily while Lieutenant Anderson shrugged his shoulders and went back inside the club to speak to the other police officers present. As they walked back through the warehouse though, Hank turned around and said, "Maybe that means even a machine like you can see that some of these deviants don't deserve the fate we're supposed to give them."

Hank's level of suspicion: 36% (6% increase)