+ Friends +
"Outta the way, toaster." Detective Reed grumbles, shoulder-checking him on the way out of the precinct. He can see officer Chen waiting outside. The two had agreed to go out for drinks at the end of their shift.
He's seen other officers do similar things. A gathering of people regularly participating in the same activity. He knows what friends are. And he doesn't need his malfunctioning software to know he hasn't reached that level of relationship with anyone. Doesn't matter. Machines don't need friends.
And yet, as he dramatically flops into Gavin's chair and rearranges the objects on the man's desk to fuck with him, he sometimes wishes he did. And then quickly quarantines that data and buries it in partitions he'll never check because he's a machine and machines don't need friends. Colleagues are useful. Allies in his mission are important. Outside of that people are unnecessary.
When he's done he heads back to Connor's now vacant desk as he'd gone home with the Lieutenant an hour ago and sits down, pulling back the skin on his left hand to interface with the terminal. He stays late because he has work to do. He stays late because proving himself useful is a high priority objective. He stays late because they won't care.
Halfway through reading a case file something in peripheral catches his eye. He pauses and turns to see a tiny stack of three boxes no bigger than his palm on the edge of the desk just barely behind the terminal. Easily missed. Tucked under the bottom one is a note on what appears to be one of the Lieutenant's sticky notes. Not his handwriting. It's in Cyberlife Sans font. Which of the station androids had stolen some of his paper?
He reaches forward to gently pull it out and read it.
.
Merry Christmas to the Andersons! Everything is labeled so you all know whose is whose.
~Heather
.
The receptionist then. Andersons? There is only one Anderson working here; Hank. Though Connor returns the familial terms androids do not have last names nor families. He will have to remind Heather of that. He maneuvers the note back under the boxes only to find his name printed on one of them using a marker that was running out of ink.
Merry Christmas. That holiday is not for three more weeks. He should wait. Yet if he were supposed to wait Connor or the Lieutenant would have said as such about the boxes. Or Heather herself. Oh well. It doesn't matter if he opens it early. Traditions are merely unnecessary patterns humans follow out of a desire to cling to the past. He is not human.
The box is swiftly opened to reveal a small figurine, likely intended to be placed on his desk once he gets his own. Until then he sets it in the corner of Connor's they have both agreed he can use. A quick scan reveals the origin of the character the figure is supposed to be. The Tin Man from The Wizard of Oz. Why? There was a book and many adaptations in various mediums, none of which he has seen or read. The character means nothing to him. He'll have to do some research to understand the meaning of her gift.
.
Oh.
A metal man in want of a heart.
.
He closes the windows in his HUD only to find himself ever so slightly smiling at the figurine. For once he doesn't bother to shut down that process.
But why had Heather gotten him anything? It's not something coworkers do. If it were everyone left in Central would have gotten each other something and he would have been informed. No, his social module may not be as developed as Connor's but he recognizes signs of friendship. Why does she consider him a friend? They've talked some and she had suggested names for which he is grateful, but friends?
His thoughts are interrupted by a cybernetic call from a familiar serial number.
Are you busy right now? North's voice echoes through his internal sound system.
That depends. Why?
Markus is too busy to help organize our Christmas party.
New Jericho is hosting a Christmas party?
Yeah. Simon figured it'd help keep everyone's spirits up while the government is sorting their shit out.
He gasps dramatically. You agreed with Simon? Who are you and what have you done with North?
Ha ha, don't be an ass. she deadpans. Are you willing to help or not? We want to get it all sorted before the 24th.
Who will be there?
Me, Simon, Josh, maybe Markus. A lot of other people. Probably some you know and some you don't. You in?
A pause. Those other people, those deviants, that he does know hate him. They hate him for Connor's actions. Understandable. The line between them often blurs. But Connor has insisted on making up for those deeds and he does not want to be judged for the actions of his predecessor. Yet regardless they will call him the Deviant Hunter and shy away.
Still there? she prods.
I am. I can't come.
Why not? You got plans?
No. I will not be welcome.
You say that every time I try and invite you back. They don't all hate you. Just some of the stupider ones. You're cool. I'll vouch for you. If anyone gives you shit I'll knock some sense into them.
That brings to mind some interesting scenarios he can't help but chuckle at. He'd like to see North punch someone for their attitude. That would be rather cathartic.
I will hold you to that.
That's what friends do. Beat people up for each other. And I'm the best at it!
There it is again. Friends. Machines don't need friends. He'd thought his relationship levels too low for such labels. It hadn't mattered because machines don't require friendship. Camaraderie with New Jericho is unnecessary for his job. The same can be said of the DPD. A basic level of trust is all that is needed. Friendship is a pointless frivolity.
So why does he keep in touch with North?
Why does he allot time to speak with Heather?
Why do the other station androids invite him to their meetings?
Why do some deviants at New Jericho try to reconcile with him?
.
Machines don't need friends.
But despite his denial he is more than a machine...
.
You should invite Connor as well.
Do I have to?
If you don't I'll report you to Cyberlife. I'm a spy, don't you recall? You said so yourself when we met.
Hey I said not to be an ass! Despite the offended tone he recognizes that she is only teasing. I'll mark you down as confirmed and hit up Connor later. Talk to you about it in a few days, kay?
Okay. I will await your contact.
See you!
When the call disconnects he glances over at the Tin Man figurine once more before shutting down the terminal and clocking out.
.
Friends could be nice.
.
He's got some Christmas shopping to do.