Chapter Twenty-Six
"Are you sure you'll be alright by yourself?" Connor queried, raising his eyebrows at Hank.
Hank glowered. "I'm not a fuckin' child, Connor. I won't eat batteries or anything like that."
"I meant for the holiday. Sometimes holidays are an emotional event for you—"
"Yeah, I don't give two shits about Thanksgiving. I'll be fine, Connor. I appreciate your concern, but Wren needs you more than I do." Hank pursed his lips into a smile. Then, he huffed. "You or Wren is about to need your own car, though. Sick o' you two takin' mine."
Connor offered a sheepish smile. "Sorry."
"I'm just jerking your chain, son."
Connor's chest warmed. His smile softened. "I should go pick her up."
"Yeah, you'll be late if you don't leave soon." Hank stood from his armchair and hugged Connor. He patted the android on the back twice before releasing him. Connor squeezed Hank's shoulder before grabbing his suitcase and rolling it out to the driveway. He placed it into the trunk while Hank stood in the doorway of his house, arms folded. Sumo squeezed past Hank and padded up to Connor, who crouched before the large dog and scratched behind his ears.
"Be a good boy, Sumo," Connor murmured. Sumo licked Connor's chin and wagged his tail.
"C'mon, Sumo," Hank called, "you want a treat?"
Sumo's ears perked up and he bounded inside. Hank and Connor exchanged a wave before Connor closed the trunk and climbed into the driver's seat. The drive to Tina and Wren's did not take long due to the lack of traffic. The sun still had not risen. Connor pulled into the driveway of the townhouse and strode up to the front door. He rapped his knuckles on the door rather than ringing the doorbell, so as not to wake up Tina. Wren answered it a few moments later.
"Hey," she breathed, looking groggy but excited. She kissed Connor's cheek. He struggled not to smile. He hoped he didn't grin like an idiot every time she kissed him. Or maybe that wasn't such a bad thing. Connor rolled Wren's suitcase to the car and placed it in the trunk alongside his. Wren climbed into the car while Connor shut the trunk. He then slid into the driver's seat.
[Inputting address . . . Complete]
[Calculating route . . . Complete]
[Proceed?]
»Yes«
Connor backed out of the driveway and headed where the directions instructed. He glanced at Wren, who seemed nearly unable to keep her eyes open.
"You don't have to stay awake for my sake."
Wren widened her eyes before they drooped again. "You sure?"
"I'm sure."
Wren positioned herself to lean against the car door. "Thank you."
"Of course."
Connor glanced at her again a few seconds later. She slumbered with her mouth slightly open. Connor's lips twitched. He faced the road again.
He drove all day and into the evening. By the time they reached Wren's parents' house in Ellsworth, Maine, it was nearly eleven o'clock. Wren only required a few stops along the way, though she did insist on a few random spots to take pictures with Connor. He obliged, though part of him wanted to protest due to their long drive. Wren dozed on and off throughout the trip, though sometimes she read aloud from a book Josh loaned. Connor liked when she read to him, because she used different voices for each of the characters. Occasionally, Wren played some music. Whenever she dozed off, Connor listened to her music. He liked her music. It was soft, and the lyrics seemed poetic. It frustrated him, but he also enjoyed not fully understanding what the songs meant. Connor realized, from Hank's heavy metal and jazz to Wren's indie and alternative music that artists sang a lot about love. Before he deviated, Connor found music's appeal in its precision and instrumental ingenuity. Without the feeling, the meaning, music was just noise. Connor thanked rA9 that he could feel and enjoy music now.
Connor pulled up to the Blanchard house and parked the car. He glanced at Wren, who stared at the house with wide eyes. Connor reached for her hand and creased his brow as he looked at her. "I'll be right beside you."
Wren tore her gaze from the house and looked at him. Her mouth clamped shut and she nodded. She seemed to relax slightly. "Thank you."
Connor squeezed her hand before letting go. They got out of the car and removed their suitcases from the trunk. They walked up to the house. Wren rang the doorbell and Shannon answered it.
"Wren! I'm so happy to see you," said Shannon, embracing Wren. Shannon's eyes flicked to Connor. She blinked rapidly. "Connor! I… I wasn't expecting you!" Shannon released Wren and hugged Connor briefly.
Connor pinched his brow and glanced at Wren, who avoided looking at him. He smoothed his brow and offered Shannon a polite smile and dip of his head. "It's good to see you again, Mrs. Blanchard."
"You too, Connor," said Shannon. She glanced around. "You didn't bring Lieutenant Anderson? Just the android?"
"Just Connor," Wren replied. Connor glanced at her but returned his gaze to Shannon, who nodded.
"Alright. Well, come in out of the cold. You can get settled upstairs. I know you must be exhausted from the drive. We've already eaten dinner, but if you're hungry, there are some leftovers." Shannon led them through the foyer and into the living room. "Charles, Wren's here."
Charles looked over his shoulder from his place on the couch. His rough face softened at the sight of his daughter, but crinkled when he laid eyes on Connor. Charles stood and placed his beer bottle on the coffee table before approaching Wren. Charles narrowed his eyes at Connor before meeting Wren's gaze. "Didn't realize you were bringing an android with you."
"I brought Connor," Wren said, emphasizing Connor's name. "I… I didn't want to drive alone. Or at all."
"Oh, of course," said Shannon softly. "I should've realized that driving must be scary for you…"
"Could've taken a plane," said Charles.
"Well… plane tickets aren't really cheap. Neither are taxi rides," said Wren.
"I'm glad Connor was kind enough to drive you here. Go, get settled. We'll see you in the morning." Shannon smiled. Wren hugged her parents while Connor grabbed their bags.
They headed upstairs. Connor carried both suitcases, still feeling Charles's eyes on his back. Once upstairs, Connor relaxed slightly. Wren ducked inside her old room. Connor brought her suitcase to her.
Wren folded her arms and shook her head. "I'm sorry. They were kind of rude. Especially my dad. I was worried about this."
"Is that why you didn't tell them you invited me?" Connor queried.
Wren looked at him. "Yes…"
Connor lowered his gaze. His thirium pump clenched. He swallowed the lump in his throat. "Are you… Is it because you're… ashamed of me?"
Wren stepped toward him and placed a hand on his cheek. "Of course not, Connor. I love you. I didn't tell them for the same reason we're not really telling anyone that we're together. We don't know how people will react. I'm not ashamed of you at all. I will be ashamed of them if they treat you badly."
Connor's lips twitched. He cupped Wren's face as he gazed down at her. "I love you, too." He kissed her forehead.
"You can stay in here with me, if you want."
Connor froze. He wanted to stay with Wren. Of course he did. But his chest tightened. "What about your parents? Won't they be suspicious?"
Wren pursed her lips for a moment. "Not if you keep your stuff in the other room."
Connor nodded. He kissed Wren's cheek and moved his suitcase to the next room before returning back to her.
…
Around noon the next day, James came over with his daughter. James pulled Wren into a hug, a wide grin on his face. Connor smiled softly at the siblings. When James released Wren, he pulled Connor into a hug and patted the android's back.
"Good to see you, man," said James.
"It's good to see you, too," said Connor.
James placed a hand atop his daughter's head. "This is my daughter, Izzy. Izzy, this is your Aunt Wren and her…" James lifted a brow at Wren.
"F-friend," said Wren. Connor smiled awkwardly.
"Friend," said James, narrowing his eyes at Wren, "Connor."
"Are you an android?" asked Izzy.
"Yes," said Connor.
Izzy's eyes brightened. "Cool! Can you do math really fast?"
Connor widened his eyes and glanced at Wren, whose lips twisted with a smile. He looked back at the young girl. "I can calculate things quickly, yes."
"Man, I wish I could do that. Math's my worst subject," said Izzy, crinkling her nose.
"What subjects do you like?" Connor queried.
"Science," said Izzy, looking up at Connor with a toothy grin.
Connor's mouth slid into a crooked smile. "I like science, too."
Izzy hurried to greet her grandparents while Connor assisted James in carrying in food from his car. Wren carried a pie while Connor carried some sort of casserole.
"So, just friends, huh?" James taunted as he locked his car.
Connor exchanged a glance with Wren. Pink dusted her cheeks. Connor thought she looked like a sunset. She turned to her brother. "What makes you think we're more than that?"
"Uh, I dunno, those weird little looks you give each other. C'mon, Wren. I'm smarter than I look."
"Could've fooled me," Wren teased.
"Ha ha, very funny," said James, rolling his eyes. He stopped before the front door. "Seriously, though. There's nothing going on?"
Connor glanced at Wren. She held his gaze for a moment.
"See? That's the shit I'm talking about," James cried.
Wren turned to him. "We're… We're not publicly official, okay? So keep it down."
"Okay, okay, okay. But if you guys are trying to do the whole secret thing, you've gotta stop eye-fucking. Kinda gives it all away." James grinned as he entered the house.
Connor widened his eyes and froze. Eye-fucking? What in rA9 was that?
"Wha… We're not… That's… We're not doing that!" Wren hissed, stomping after James. Connor forced himself to move, still mulling the word over.
[Searching . . . Definition found]
[source: urbandictionary]
[eye-fucking: when you lock eyes with someone and stare at them for longer than 3 seconds, and picture wild sex with them. Basically undressing them with your eyes]
Connor's cheeks warmed. He closed the front door with his foot.
[Warning: Low sanitary oral fluid detected]
Connor swallowed. He couldn't say that he had pictured Wren naked… The back of his neck burned. Connor swallowed again. He had been built with the proper sexual organs, but CyberLife did not program him with all the correct actions needed for sex, as he was only a prototype and not a sex android. His investigation at the Eden Club showed him some rather risqué things. His blush deepened when he suddenly imagined Wren… He shook his head and cleared the lump from his throat.
Connor set the casserole dish on the counter. Shannon checked the potatoes in the oven. She glanced at Connor and James. "Will the two of you got out back and help chop firewood? Charles has to make sure the turkey doesn't burn."
Connor dipped his head. He avoided looking at Wren. He didn't want to risk eye-fucking in front of her mother. He followed James through the living room and to the back patio. Charles stood at a smoker, checking the turkey every so often. He gestured toward a pile of firewood.
"Second axe is on the patio behind you," he grunted.
"I'll get it," said James. He grabbed the axe off the wall and Connor stepped on the damp grass. The sky overhead cast grey light over them. Connor grabbed an axe. He observed James split a log.
Preconstruct
⁙ Compute
Connor raised the axe over his head and split the log cleanly in half. He moved on to the next one. They worked in silence for a few minutes. Connor felt Charles's gaze on him, but he focused on splitting logs.
"So, Connor," said Charles, "what is your function?"
Connor chopped another log in half. "I work as a detective with the Detroit Police."
"That's not what I asked," said Charles coolly. "What were you designed to do?"
Connor swallowed. James reached for a log, though he moved slower than usual. Connor glanced at Wren's brother. James looked away. Connor faced Charles again. "CyberLife designed me as a prototype to assist in police investigations."
"And you're still a detective?"
"Correct."
"So, you're getting paid to do a job that you were built to do?"
"I… Yes."
Charles huffed. "So, you were designed to be the perfect detective. And my daughter, who has actual talent, gets paid for the same job? She has to compete with you?"
Connor tightened his jaw before answering. "We don't compete. We're on a team."
"Oh, good," said Charles, though his tone failed to soften.
Connor flicked his gaze toward James, who narrowed his eyes at Charles.
Charles checked the turkey again before facing Connor. "So, why did my daughter bring you here? Doesn't she have other friends?"
"She does," Connor replied.
"But they probably had families to go to, huh? And you don't have one."
Connor clenched his hand around the axe handle. "I do. Wren didn't want to drive by herself. She hasn't driven since her accident."
"And you didn't want to stay in a hotel?"
"I…" Connor looked at James, who sighed.
"Dad, stop. He's Wren's friend."
"It's an android."
Connor's thirium pump stuttered. He lowered his gaze.
"Connor, will you do me a favor?" James said quickly. Connor looked up and nodded once. James smiled. "Will you remind Izzy to do the cocoa?"
"Yes," Connor managed. He set the axe down and entered the house.
As he neared the kitchen, Shannon said, "Izzy, will you run to my room and grab the remote for the music player?"
"Okay," said Izzy. She hurried down a hallway to her left. Connor moved to follow her, but decided against it. If Charles found out that Connor had entered his bedroom… Connor didn't want to upset Wren's father anymore than he already had. Concealed by a wall, Connor froze when he heard his name.
"You and Connor are still close, I see," said Shannon.
"Yeah…" Wren murmured.
"Closer, it seems," said Shannon.
"We're not what you think," said Wren quickly.
"I didn't say anything," replied Shannon.
"You didn't have to. I know what you're trying to imply."
"My, someone's awfully defensive. You know, when people get defensive, sometimes it means they're hiding something."
Connor contemplated running upstairs. He knew he shouldn't listen. But his feet refused to move.
"Mom…"
"Just be honest with me, honey. Are you two an item?"
"Jesus, Mom, who says that anymore?"
"Language! And I do. And you're avoiding the question."
Wren sighed. "You already know the answer."
"Mhm. And do you remember what I told you last time?"
"Yes, but… I love him, Mom."
"I'm sure you do. He seems very nice, but…"
"But what?"
"It's taboo. Androids and humans…"
"It's not illegal."
"It's not legal, either."
"Well, who cares? Our relationship doesn't affect you."
"It does when it means I don't get more grandkids."
"Mom…"
"I'm serious, Wrenley. I mean, can he even—"
"Mom—"
"—provide—"
"Please don't—"
"—sexually?"
"—finish that sentence…" Wren groaned. "Oh my God, I can't believe you just asked me that."
"Look, the last time you fell in love, it was with that trashy Red Ice dealer. Your taste in men isn't great."
There was a soft clatter. Connor reasoned that Wren set a plate down on the counter.
"Well, I lost my memory in that wreck, so it doesn't matter what my taste in men used to be. I don't know if Connor can provide sexually, and I don't care. I love him."
"What about growing old together?" Shannon persisted. "Having children?"
"I can't have children anyway," snapped Wren.
"You… You can't?"
"That wreck fucked me up a lot," Wren muttered.
"Oh."
"So, if I ever want kids, and can't have them, it won't be Connor's fault. It'll be mine." The softness of her voice betrayed her sadness. Connor's thirium pump squeezed for her.
"What about growing old together?" Shannon said after a moment.
Connor puckered his brow. He hadn't really thought of this aspect. He clenched his teeth, waiting for Wren's response.
"I…"
"One day, you'll look old enough to be his mother. Then his grandmother. Will he even want you then?" Shannon demanded.
"I… I don't know."
Connor's face tightened with a frown. His thirium pump ached. Of course he would still want to be with her.
"Do you see where my concerns are coming from?"
"I do," sighed Wren, "but I'm happy, Mom. I'm really happy. Can't that be enough for you?"
Wren left the kitchen. Connor flattened himself against the wall as Wren headed for the stairs. She failed to notice him, but Connor did not miss the distressed look on her face. He moved to follow her, but Izzy returned from the master bedroom, carrying a remote.
"Took me forever to find this!" She paused when she noticed Connor. "What does the yellow on your LED mean?"
Connor parted his lips, then closed his mouth and cleared his throat. "It means… I'm processing information."
"Well, I knew that's what it's supposed to do. But I heard with deviants, it's different."
Connor swallowed and nodded. "It can mean I'm processing slightly negative emotions."
Izzy's brow pinched. "Like what?"
"Like…" Connor glanced toward the stairs. "Mild anxiety. Or sadness."
"Oh," said Izzy. She frowned. "Are you sad?"
Connor's lips twitched with a weak smile. "N-no, I'm just processing this situation."
Izzy lifted a brow, then shrugged. "If you say so."
She skipped past Connor, but he widened his eyes. "Izzy, your dad said not to forget the cocoa."
"I won't!" Izzy sang as she entered the kitchen.
Connor blew out a breath and headed for the stairs. He stopped before Wren's door. His thirium pump clenched at the sound of a soft sob. He knocked on the door. After a few seconds, Wren answered it. Her eyes were puffy and the tip of her nose glowed red. Connor remembered Wren telling him about a reindeer called Rudolf. He still thought she looked like a sunset. He parted his lips to speak, but Wren interrupted him by hugging him tightly. He stilled for a moment but quickly returned the gesture.
"I heard what your mom said," he admitted.
Wren stiffened in his arms. "You heard?"
"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have eavesdropped, but I didn't know when to reveal myself—"
"It's okay." Wren pulled him into her room and closed the door. She sank on the bed, still gripping Connor's hand. He sat beside her. Wren rested her head on his shoulder. "I'm sorry you heard that."
Connor leaned his head against hers. "The answer's yes."
"What?" Wren lifted her head and looked at him. She gathered her eyebrows as she held his gaze.
Connor cupped her face in his hands. "I will want you when you're older. I will love you, no matter what. I promise."
Wren lowered her gaze and turned her head from his hands. "You might change your mind."
"I won't," Connor assured her. He pressed his lips together for a moment before adding, "Who knows? Maybe they'll develop aging technology for androids."
The corners of Wren's mouth quirked. "Maybe."
Connor smiled, his chest warming. He pulled Wren close to his chest and rested his chin upon her head.
…
At dinner, Connor sat beside Wren while Izzy insisted on sitting on her other side.
"So, Izzy," said Wren, scooping mashed potatoes on her plate, "your dad tells me you like gymnastics."
"Oh, yeah," said Izzy. Her face reddened.
"Can you do any cool tricks?"
"Um… the splits."
"Izzy, you should show her what you learned last week," said James.
Izzy's eyes lit up. "Oh, yeah. I can do a back handspring. Though it's kind of scary. I nearly sprained my wrist last time."
"Did you know I twisted my ankle one time?" Wren asked.
Izzy frowned. "Doing what?"
"Dancing," said Wren.
"Dad told me you were a dancer," said Izzy. "Are you still?"
"No," Wren murmured. "I'm a detective now."
"Whoa, cool," said Izzy. "Do you see a lot of dead bodies?"
"Izzy, that's not a good thing to talk about at the dinner table," cut in Shannon.
Connor's lips twitched while Izzy pouted. Wren shared an amused smile with Connor.
Izzy lifted her head. "Do you dust for fingerprints and all that stuff?"
"Well, we don't really dust for things anymore because we have technology. And detectives don't really do the CSI stuff."
Connor leaned over to look at her. "I can scan crime scenes to find fingerprints."
"Whoa," said Izzy. She looked between Wren and Connor. "Have you guys caught bad guys before?"
"Yeah," said Wren.
"Do you have to get in fights with them? Dad says that's only on TV…"
"Um, well, we've… gotten into some altercations before," said Wren with a side glance at Connor.
"Can you do parkour? I really wanna do parkour. That's why I'm in gymnastics."
"Well, I haven't really had to do a whole lot of parkour…" Wren trailed off.
"I've chased someone across rooftops before," Connor piped up, "and we even jumped on a train."
Izzy's eyes widened. "No way!"
Wren looked at him. "I didn't know you did that."
Connor winked at her. She pressed her lips into a bashful smile. She looked back at the enamored Izzy.
"Was it scary? Who were you chasing?"
"I was chasing a deviant," said Connor. He frowned. "I wasn't really scared… It's hard to explain. I hadn't deviated yet."
Charles snorted. Connor looked toward Wren's father. The ice in Charles's eyes struck Connor to his circuits.
"Do you have something to say, Dad?" Wren's voice matched the coldness of her father's stare.
Charles looked at her briefly before meeting Connor's gaze. "Deviating allowed you to feel?"
Connor furrowed his brow. "Not exactly… I already experienced emotions, but deviating allowed me to act beyond the bounds of my programming—"
"So, you're broken?" Charles interrupted.
Connor parted his lips, but no sound ushered forth. He glanced at Wren, who narrowed her eyes at her father.
"He's alive, not broken," she seethed.
"Charles, please," said Shannon.
Charles held up a hand and Shannon fell silent. Even Izzy lowered her head and pushed her food around her plate.
"If your programming isn't working, it means you're broken."
Connor swallowed. "I can… understand why you think that. But it's more complicated than that."
"Oh really?" Charles smirked. "Simplify it, then."
"He doesn't have to explain himself to you," Wren snapped.
"I just want to understand what your fascination with this thing is," said Charles, gesturing to Connor, whose thirium pump twisted sharply.
"Do not call him that."
"Dad, come on," James muttered.
"No, I wanna know. I want to know why my daughter looks at this glorified waffle iron like it's her entire goddamn world!"
"Because he is!" Wren yelled. Connor jerked his head away from Charles to look at her. His lips parted and his thirium pump seemed to malfunction, but a quick scan told him everything functioned properly. The air rang with Wren's yell.
Charles narrowed his eyes. "What?"
Wren huffed. "I love him, Dad." She met Connor's gaze. He sucked in a sharp breath and managed a soft twitch of his lips.
Charles jutted a finger toward Connor, who regarded the man calmly. "She may love you, but I know you don't really love her. You may think you do, but you don't. You're robbing my daughter of everything!"
"Dad, enough!" James snapped.
"Charles…" Shannon sighed.
"No, I'm not backing down!" Charles barked. He stood and circled the table. Connor pushed from the table. Wren jumped from her seat and stepped in between her father and Connor. "I'm not gonna let some filthy blueblood ruin my daughter's life!"
"I'm happy!" Wren yelled. Charles froze. "Why can't that be enough for you?"
"Wren, I just want what's best for you. You know that this thing's memory can be wiped? In an instant, he could completely forget he's a deviant and that he thinks he loves you. You wanna go through that heartbreak? Not to mention what people will say when they see you with an android…"
"I can't imagine it being any worse than what you've said so far," Wren breathed.
Charles blinked and drew back. He pointed at Connor. "I want you out of my house. Right now."
"He goes, I go," Wren snapped.
"Wren," Connor murmured, taking her hand. She glanced at him. He puckered his brow.
"We just got her back and you're going to push her away again!" Shannon hissed.
James stood up. "Connor, let's go."
Wren shielded Connor. "James—"
"Relax," said James. "We're just gonna cool down, okay? Everyone needs to cool down."
Connor dipped his head. He looked at Wren. "I don't want to upset your dad anymore."
"Damn right, you don't," barked Charles.
Wren's eyes filled with tears. "I…"
Connor squeezed her hand while James shrugged on his coat. Connor walked past Charles without looking at the man and followed James out the front door. James drove to a bar. Connor trembled as he sat upon a stool at the bar. James ordered a beer. Connor folded his hands on the counter and worked his jaw.
"Should we have left Wren there?" Connor asked.
"Wren can handle herself," said James, taking a swig from his beer. He set the bottle down. "Besides, she's got Mom and Izzy there. Dad'll probably huff and puff some more, but he's outnumbered. Besides, I think Wren will need a little space."
Connor's chest tightened. He lowered his head. "I expected some hesitation about our relationship, but… I didn't expect that."
"I don't think anyone did," said James. He took another sip from his beer. "I mean, Dad's always had a temper, but…"
Connor closed his eyes. His chest ached so much he felt as if he were choking. "I don't expect her to choose me over her family. I wouldn't ask her to do that."
"We wouldn't, either," said James. He turned toward Connor, who forced himself to meet James's gaze. "Look, I don't care that you're an android. All I care about is that you love my sister and take care of her. Not that she needs to be coddled or anything."
Connor's eyes pricked with tears. "I do love her. I would do anything for her."
James shrugged. "Then that's all that matters."
"But your father—"
"Forget about him."
Connor looked away. "Wren won't."
James sighed. "Look, my family's scared. Because I think that if Wren had to choose between you or us, she'd choose you. She doesn't really remember us. And you've been there for her when she didn't know who she was. Mom and Dad have had a rocky relationship for a long time. Dad's always been kind of a dick. He's stuck in his ways and he's got a bad temper. And I feel like he's a bit of a narcissist, but that's beside the point. I think the only reason Mom and Dad have stuck together is because they lost Wren. I don't think they could handle divorcing because that would've been too much. I trust you guys to figure out the obvious constraints on a relationship between a human and an android. I know Mom might butt in her concerns about it, but she really wants Wren to be happy. And she's happy with you. I think my dad's scared of losing Wren to you."
Connor swallowed the knot in his throat. "I… I don't want to take her away. I'm scared she'll leave me because of what your dad said."
"I think she'll be upset, but…" James gulped more beer and set the bottle down. "I mean, I don't know you very well, but… I think the two of you can work it out. Don't worry about my dad."
"Thank you," Connor murmured.
"I'm not gonna give you the speech on what'll happen if you break my sister's heart," said James. He took a quick sip. "I get the feeling that she'd fuck you up if you did."
Connor's lips twitched. "She definitely could. I don't plan on breaking her heart, though."
"Good," said James. He drained the rest of his beer and ordered another. "Yeah, I haven't introduced my dad to my girlfriend yet. Wren probably should've asked me if it was a good idea to bring you along."
Connor furrowed his brow. "Are you dating an android as well?"
"No," said James, "but my girlfriend's not white, so." He shrugged and sipped from his beer, though Connor caught the tightness around James's eyes.
Connor frowned. "That's an issue?"
"It's 2039, but yeah. To my dad, it is."
"Oh," Connor murmured. "I'm sorry."
"Me too," said James. "If my dad weren't such a bigot, I'd probably have already asked Anahi to marry me."
Connor looked at his clasped hands. "Well, maybe… Perhaps you should follow your own advice and forget your dad."
James chuckled. "Yeah, I probably should." He placed his half-empty beer bottle on the counter. "I gotta pee. Be right back." He hopped off the stool and headed for the back of the bar, toward the restroom. Connor retrieved his coin from his pocket and rolled it across his knuckles.
"Well, if it isn't Wren's plastic boyfriend."
Connor tensed and turned to see Jonah Cage. He looked even worse than the last time Connor saw him.
"Jonah," said the bartender, "come on, man. You don't work here anymore."
"I came for a drink," said Jonah. "And I'm not fuckin' talkin' to you, Nathan."
"Whatever," muttered the bartender. He stepped toward the other end of the bar to talk to those customers, leaving Connor to face Jonah alone.
"Surprised to see you here," Jonah said, sauntering forward. Connor conducted a quick scan and deduced Jonah was drunk. Connor stood slowly.
"Jonah, you should sit down."
"Don't tell me what to do," Jonah snapped. "And don't be all nice to me. I remember what happened last time. D'you remember? I threatened your little girlfriend, and you lost your shit." Jonah laughed dryly. "She used to be my girlfriend, you know."
"I know," Connor replied slowly. He narrowed his eyes and stepped away from the bar, watching as Jonah tried to circle him.
Jonah narrowed his eyes. Red rimmed them. "Does she miss me?"
Connor lifted his chin. "No."
Jonah grinned. "You're lying…"
"I'm not, Jonah. You should forget I'm here and go sit down. This won't end well for you."
The grin vanished from Jonah's face. He wrinkled his nose. "No, no, no, I know she misses me. You're just wires in a skin suit. Don't you think she'd prefer a real man?"
Connor stiffened. His jaw tightened as he stared Jonah down with narrowed eyes. "A real man like you?" Connor lifted his eyebrows and tilted his head, unafraid of Wren's ex-fiancé. "Do real men beat their significant others? If that's what it takes to be a real man, then I don't want to be one."
Jonah's eyes darted around the room. He rubbed his mouth and laughed weakly. "You son of a bitch. You're right. I used to beat her silly. But I can change, unlike you. You're just programmed to be a certain way. And I can give her things that you never can." Jonah sneered. "In fact, I used to give it to her all the time." Jonah stepped closer to Connor. "Can you say the same? Are you a fuckin' Ken doll down there? I know just how she likes it. I know she feels when I'm inside her. How it feels to have her pretty math around my co—"
Connor interrupted Jonah with a hard shove. Jonah stumbled back, his eyes wide. Connor parted his lips and widened his eyes. He didn't remember deciding to push Jonah. He just reacted to the rage boiling in his chest.
Jonah's face contorted when he recovered from his initial shock. "You plastic piece of shit!" He charged at Connor and shoved the android against the wall. Connor recovered from his own shock and pushed Jonah back. Without waiting for Jonah to recover, Connor punched Wren's ex. Jonah fell back. James caught Jonah and shoved him to the side.
"Hey, hey, out! Now! Take it out!" snapped the bartender.
James grabbed Connor by the arm and hurried him outside. Connor's thirium pump thrashed inside his chest. They clambered into James's car and peeled out of the parking lot. Connor buried his face in his hands.
"I… I didn't mean to do that…"
"You're having a really rough night, huh?" James huffed. "Look, it's okay. Jonah starts fights all the time. He's an asshole anyway. I probably would've knocked him on his ass, too."
Connor squeezed his eyes shut. He said nothing the rest of the drive. As soon as they arrived at the Blanchard household, Connor uttered a goodbye to James and rushed upstairs. He burst into Wren's room. She looked up from her iPod and paused her music.
"Hey," she greeted, taking out her headphones. Her brow crinkled. "Connor? Are you okay?"
"I'm okay," Connor said, shutting the door. He leaned against it. "I'm okay…"
"No, you're not," said Wren. "Your LED is red. Is it about my dad?" She stood and crossed the room to him. "What happened to your clothes? Did some anti-android asshole hurt you? Talk to me."
Connor met Wren's gaze. "I… I pushed Jonah."
Wren blinked. "What?"
Connor closed his eyes and shook his head. He opened his eyes but avoided Wren's gaze. "He was at the bar, and h-he started saying things about you… And I don't know what came over me, I just… I pushed him."
"Where was James?" Wren queried.
"He went to the bathroom," Connor breathed. He forced himself to look at Wren. She pinched her brow, though she did not seem angry. Connor drew in a shaky breath. "He pushed me back, and… I shoved him again. James took me outside…" Connor squeezed his eyes shut. "I… I couldn't control myself…"
"What the hell did he say to you?" Wren whispered.
Connor opened his eyes and stared at her with parted lips. He lifted a hand and the synthetic skin melted away. Wren placed her palm against his, connecting their electric bones. He showed her his memory of the bar, unable to speak the words Jonah said.
Wren disconnected from Connor. He blinked and jerked his head, trying to shake the ghost of the feelings from the memory. He looked at her, his heart thumping wildly. Her nose crinkled.
"I'm so sorry he said those things to you. Fuck, he's an asshole. He thinks he knows me? Fuck him. I wish you knocked his teeth out." She turned away, shaking her head. Connor watched her clench her fist. Then she flexed her hands.
[▲Stress Levels: 15%]
Connor swallowed. "You felt it, didn't you? That… That anger?"
Wren turned. She folded her arms. "Yeah. I did," she murmured. "Connor, you snapped. It's okay."
Connor pushed off the wall and strode away from her. "It's not okay. I've never… I've never felt that angry before. It was like I couldn't see anymore… I just… I reacted like a… a machine."
"No, you reacted like someone with feelings. Sometimes, people just snap. I'm surprised you haven't already. You and all other androids are experiencing emotions and autonomy, so it's got to be overwhelming. When presented with too many strong emotions or stressful situations, you just snap. You know this. You've seen it before. It drove androids to deviancy."
Connor curled his hands into fists. He gritted his teeth. He trembled as he tried to cling to Wren's reassurance. Logically, her reasoning made sense. He had experienced deviancy firsthand. He knew how strong emotions could be. Yet, he never expected such an outburst from himself. He always considered himself collected, even as a deviant. He closed his eyes.
"But what if Jonah and your dad are right?" Connor whimpered. He turned to face her, tears pricking his eyes.
Wren lowered her gaze. "I understand if you don't want to be with me after all this. They've treated you horribly—"
"I'm not talking about me," Connor interrupted. "What if… What if I am robbing you of a normal life?"
"Connor, what the fuck is normal?" Wren breathed. Tears welled in her eyes. Connor's heart ached. He wanted to reach for her, to hold her close to him. Wren tilted her head. "I thought you said you would still want me…"
"I do," Connor assured. "I will. I'm talking about you. A human could give you something I never could."
"What?" Wren demanded.
"A relationship without discrimination," Connor murmured.
"I don't care. No human can give me what I want, and that's you."
Connor felt everything stop for a split second. When it began again, it slammed into him like a car. "Wren…"
"Connor, listen to me. Things will be difficult. But we make a good team. We figure it out and we adapt. It's what we're good at. And you think I don't have insecurities? Maybe you should be with an android. I may age twice as slow as ordinary humans, but I still age. And you're going to look like this supermodel for the rest of your life. Maybe they'll come out with aging technology. Maybe they won't. No one will look twice at you if you were with an android. They'd understand deviancy far better than me. They'd understand your battle with emotions—"
"They wouldn't be you," Connor managed.
Wren smiled sadly. "You see what I mean? It'll be a fight to be together. But… I'm good at fighting."
Connor's lips twitched. "Me too."
Wren closed the gap between them and wrapped her arms around his waist. Connor folded his arms around her and rested his cheek against her head. His eyes slid shut. Yes, he was a fighter. CyberLife built a hunter. If someone tried to hurt Wren, he would let CyberLife's monster out. He would revert back to his cold and calculating ways (not that he had ever been truly cold). He resisted it, even before his deviancy. But if someone tried to hurt Wren, he wouldn't resist it. He would be ruthless.
…
Usually I switch between Connor's and Wren's POVs each chapter, so this should've been Wren's, but I felt it was important to do Connor's this chapter. I didn't update sooner because I was on a 10 day trip and wrote when I could, but it wasn't much. Also, I start school this week again. Not sure how I feel about it, tbh. Anyway, thank you guys so much for your comments and support for this story. I really love y'all!
Song for this chpater: NFWB by Hozier