Connor was fidgeting already. They'd agreed to wait until after dinner to open gifts, but he was anxious. What if Niles was upset? Logically, he knew he wouldn't be, but he couldn't help the undertone of nerves. Perhaps it wasn't a good idea, but it had been Hank's suggestion. Hank had never steered him wrong before. It wasn't Niles' only present, obviously. Connor had spoiled him rotten. At least that's what Hank had said as he'd helped him wrap the gifts. Niles also had gifts from various other people, too. Chloe and Elijah, Gavin, Nines, Colin, and the group at Jericho. Even Hank had bought gifts for him.
"Don't be so nervous. You know he'll love it. It's what he wants," Hank assured as he joined him at the kitchen counter. He watched as his LED slowed from yellow to blue at his arrival. It was touching how he could do that. He wasn't sure exactly when he'd started to notice, but whenever Connor was stressed or upset, he could calm him with just a few small words or a touch. Connor nodded his agreement as he continued stirring the thick gravy on the stove, going over what he had left to do. He was pretty much finished. The meat was resting safely on the counter, the roast potatoes, carrots and parsnips were done, sprouts and broccoli had been drained and the trays of stuffing were ready to be cut.
"I know-I know, but I can help worrying that he'll…change his mind." Connor was stiff and anxious as he took the pot from the stove and set it down, turning off the flaming hob. He smiled as an aged hand laced in his hair and ruffled the neat locks. It was a futile effort. They fell back into place with the smallest shake of his head. Hank nodded towards the living room, where he could hear Niles talking animatedly about his latest baseball game with his friends and how he'd managed to hit two home runs. Colin's softer voice was humouring him kindly, asking him various questions about the sport and offering him praise.
"You won't know until you ask, but I'm damned sure he'll say yes," Hank replied warmly, watching a small smile grace Connor's nervous features. Hank was right. He shouldn't worry about it. A big part of him was still wondering if this was even the right decision in the first place. Everyone he'd spoken to had assured him it was. They all seemed so sure that things would work out. That he was the perfect person for this particular job. They'd all laughed or scoffed when he'd brought up his lack of programming. Apparently, some things weren't supposed to be programmed. As an android, he failed to understand that logic.
Colin appeared a few moments later with Niles and Sumo on his heels. Over the past few weeks of staying in Hank's home, Niles and Sumo had become almost inseparable. Niles always said goodbye to Sumo when he left, and the large dog would sit by the door, patiently waiting for him to come back. It would be almost cruel to separate them at this point. Niles stood waiting in the hallway stroking the large dog's sloppy jowls as Colin offered to help with serving. Connor accepted warmly and directed him to wash his hands and grab some of the serving bowls from the cupboard.
"Niles, can you wash your hands and wait at the table?" Connor called as he handed Hank the carving knives. Hank was no stranger to this sort of thing, though it had been a few years. It felt good to be preparing a family dinner again. The last time he'd done this, his wife had been in Connor's place, bustling about a much larger kitchen while her parents had sat at the large table in the dining room with Cole. Sumo had been the same back then, though perhaps his coat had been a little softer, a little glossier, and he hadn't had the traces of silver in his whiskers that he had now. Niles eagerly hurried to the counter and stood on tiptoe to wash his hands. "Don't touch Sumo again, you just washed your hands!" Connor chided affectionately as he watched Sumo nosing Niles on their way to the table.
"Sumo isn't dirty!" Technically, Niles was correct. The weather was so wet that he was getting hosed down after every walk at this point. It was more an etiquette thing than anything else. You weren't supposed to touch food after touching an animal. It was one of those human social rules. Connor decided it could be bent this once though. Sumo was quite clean, and Niles had at least washed anything else off his hands. Not that he'd get sick anyway. Android children rarely got sick, and if they did, it was due to their programming. They would occasionally synthesise illness for authenticity.
Hank had made up the table earlier, setting out delicate drinking glasses and china plates that Connor hadn't seen before. They were likely items he'd kept after his marriage had ended. A simple scan of the ceramic had told him it was over a decade old, barely detectable scratches pointing to years of constant use. He'd even found some nicer silverware tucked away in the boxes in the garage that he'd cleaned up for the evening. As well as the plates there were crackers that Connor had bought out of curiosity. They were red with golden holly patterns, and each place had one set by the dessert spoon.
Connor and Colin worked seamlessly, darting around each other with ease. Colin had abandoned his stiff jacket by the door. The dress trousers, tie and waistcoat were the only things to tell the two apart. If you really examined their faces, it was slightly unsettling. Each fleck in their eyes was identical. Every freckle. Every mole. Each strand of hair on their heads. The way they moved was also similar, but each had developed their own mannerisms. While Connor moved with confidence and surety, Colin was still uncertain and timid, often lowering his head or averting his eyes. If one of them needed to move out of the way, then it would always be Colin who stepped aside.
They were soon seated at the table. Pulling crackers, putting on hats, reading jokes that Hank had to explain, playing with the small novelty toys, and making sure they didn't fall down near Sumo. Sumo had also been fed. He had a healthy chunk of turkey to go along with his usual solid kibble and meaty jelly mix. He snuffled his food loudly by the window before lounging down at Niles' feet, quite satisfied for the moment. Hank used a paperclip to make Niles' red hat smaller while Connor started dishing up a plate for him. Niles had been thrilled to find that Connor's hat matched his own. Hank had ended up with green, while Colin got gold. Gold sort of suited his dressed-up look. He seemed almost regal as he sat straight in his chair.
Hank helped Niles pour some gravy before helping himself. He gave Niles a long suffering look as Connor began to nag him about the lack of greens on his plate. Niles giggled as he watched Connor spoon unwanted broccoli onto Hank's plate, knowing Hank would eat it for no other reason than to please him. Colin also offered a small smile as he watched this small family he'd been invited into. It was nice. Homely. As their meal ended, Sumo regained his appetite. He followed Connor and Colin as they carried the mostly empty plates into the kitchen, whining and snuffling hopefully.
"Alright, but don't get used to this, and you'll be working it off later," Connor warned as he put some of the safe leftovers in Sumo's bowl, much to his delight. Colin started the sink for the dishes while Connor set the pudding on to boil. Hank and Niles were talked quietly at the table while they waited. Hank wanted to check in on the bullying situation. So far there had been no further incidents. Jimmy had been quite intimidated by Connor that time in the office, and he hadn't approached Niles again since. Connor smiled at that, feeling something between smugness and relief as he joined Colin. He dried as Colin washed, the two of them talking over the Hickory case on a private connection. Little progress had been made on the mysterious android yet, and the FBI had only just started taking apart the EMP device from the scene. They were actually considering asking Elijah Kamski to examine it.
They left the pudding bubbling and moved into the living room, where Niles sat by the tree excitedly with Sumo at his side. Connor settle on the floor with Niles, while Colin took a seat on the sofa and Hank sat in his usual armchair. Connor's LED was pulsing yellow again as he started to hand out the piles of gifts. He smiled warmly as Colin sent him a message of concern about his stress level. He assured him he was fine. Just nervous. Niles had the biggest pile by far and most of the biggest boxes, which seemed appropriate. The holiday was largely aimed at children, after all.
Colin took a few minutes to admire the tree that had been placed in the corner of the room. It was a real tree. Its branches were still green and prickly. Someone, likely Connor, had carefully threaded coloured lights and glittery gold and red tinsel around the branches. The branches themselves were covered with colourful baubles, candy canes, edible chocolates, and various Christmas themed items. A tree, a Santa, a teddy bear, an angel, and on top of the tree was a shiny golden star. Colin's gaze softened as he saw the small handmade ornaments, clearly Nile's work. They were simple flat shapes made with lolly sticks, paint, and sequins, but he'd put a lot of care into them. One was a tree for Hank, and the other two were painted silver stars for Connor and himself. There was even what appeared to be an oddly shaped bone for Sumo.
They started opening presents. Connor started with Sumo's pile. Sumo sat panting happily at his side as he peeled off the festive wrappings. Connor had bought him a new collar for when they went walking. It was a Cyberlife collar. Electronically attached with a safety catch so it couldn't get caught on anything. If Sumo got lost, it had both an electronic address and a voice interface option that would tell people Connor's number and the address of the precinct. It easily slotted around Sumo's neck, glowing with a dim blue light against his thick fur. Hank chuckled as he padded over and petted his head, telling him how smart he looked. Sumo also had multiple treats, a new chewing rope, a brush for his fur, and a large butcher's bone. Connor unwrapped the bone and allowed Sumo to take it, knowing it would take him a good few days to get through the whole thing.
Niles happily opened some of his own larger presents as Connor turned his attention to his own. So far Niles had a remote control car, handmade by Elijah and decorated by Chloe. Nines had bought him a new baseball helmet, which had gone well with Colin's gift of a metal bat. Hank's had been a leather mitt and ball, so he had the excuse of playing catch with him sometimes. Niles was especially pleased when he found Gavin's present. Gavin hadn't known what to get, so he'd settled on a book about drawing, a sketch pad, and a set of pencils. He'd even drawn the first sketch, which Niles excitedly showed to Connor and Hank. It was a small chibi styled scene of Connor, Niles, Hank, and Sumo looking happy outside a house. He'd left it for Niles to colour. When he'd had the time to do all of that, Hank had no idea. They'd left in quite a hurry, and they hadn't been expected back in time for Christmas either.
Connor was quietly pleased with his own gifts. It seemed everyone was determined to pry him out of his Cyberlife uniform. Gavin had bought him a new caramel tie and matching woollen sweater vest, which Hank encouraged him to put on so that he could see how it looked. Connor felt odd with the foreign material hugging his chest. He smiled as Hank took a photo to send to Nines. He also said how much it suited him, bringing out the warmth of his big brown eyes. Nines' gift was similar. A pastel blue woollen sweater he could wear in lieu of his jacket on warmer days or around the office on cooler ones. Colin had bought him a new jacket altogether. It was almost the same as his Cyberlife one, only it was solid charcoal grey with no insignia or markings. Connor slipped it on, already knowing it would be a perfect fit. Colin would have tried it on himself, to be sure.
"Much better," Hank grumbled in approval as Connor stroked his hands down the front. It was familiar but different. The material was similar, but of a much higher quality. It was expensive and durable. Since he was indoors, he took the jacket off and folded it carefully with thanks. Hank had bought him multiple gifts, spoiling him almost as much as he had Niles. Connor had new pants, socks, two sets of black jeans, and three comfortable looking long sleeved tops. One white, one striped black and white, and one soft caramel. Elijah and Chloe had bought him an expensive set of new shoes, strong and durable with plated heels that would click as he walked. He didn't even want to imagine the price.
Colin had been similarly spoiled with new underwear and expensive cufflinks. Hank had also bought him some more casual tops like Connor, settling on grey, navy, and black since Colin seemed to lean toward more muted colours. Colin was very grateful as he timidly accepted, unsure what he'd done to deserve such warmth. Connor had bought him some cosy looking pyjamas. They were a fleecy material with a red and white reindeer pattern. It was a kind gesture. He was amused to find a novelty mug with a happy, animated toaster and jumping toast from Detective Reed. Nines had bought him a pocket watch with a chain that he could pin to his waistcoats. He was quite delighted as he wound it and set the time. He slipped it in his small pocket and looked at the delicate chain that hooked onto the material. His LED flashed yellow as he found a small packet from Niles. There was a lollypop star inside with his name on it.
"Thank you…I don't have a tree, may I?" he asked uncertainly as he looked across at Hank, who warmly gave him permission. He was hesitant as he searched for an unassuming spot. Niles enthusiastically pointed to a branch just below where his star hung with Connor's. Colin smiled softly as he looked at the little star, quietly touched that he'd been thought of. Like Connor, he'd also gotten new shoes from Elijah and Chloe, in a similar style but different enough not to make it noticeable if they worked together.
Hank had received a few books, mostly detective stories. He read a little more these days now that he wasn't drinking all the time. He'd even taken to wearing reading glasses around the house. Jeffery had bought him the latest novel in a series he was reading, and Gavin had also bought him a similarly themed book. He'd likely been advised by Nines, since Nines had also bought him a book like that. Connor had bought him a smart Christmas sweater, quite tasteful. It was black with the white silhouette of a flying sleigh and reindeer. Elijah and Chloe had gifted him a new wallet and an expensive chain for his glasses. Connor had likely suggested items he needed. Colin had bought him a new coat, similar to his current one, only newer.
They returned to Niles, who had found new baseball clothes for practice, along with a proper sports bag for his supplies. He had a new video game and a handheld device to play it on. It was something Connor had heard was popular with human children his age. Something about collecting colourful monsters in balls. He didn't really understand it, but it had been popular for almost forty years now. Hank seemed delighted as he looked at the box, animatedly telling Niles all about the first version of the game and how long it had taken him to level up his creatures. Niles had one more present, though it could easily be mistaken for a card. Connor's LED blinked red as Niles small fingers caught the edge of the thick paper and lifted it.
"Go ahead and open it," Hank encouraged, knowing that Connor's voice would be stuck in his throat right about now. Colin shifted his foot to touch Connor's hip, a gentle assurance that he was there as he noted his stress level climbing into the low sixties. Connor leaned back in thanks, his LED stuttering back to yellow. Niles cheerfully agreed as he pried open the stiff envelope. It was a thick card one, so whatever was inside must be important. He frowned a little as he pulled out the papers and looked at the writing. It was all very official looking. He saw Connor's name signed in Cyberlife Sans at the bottom of the page, alongside Markus' more flourished signature, and a human's personal scrawl. There was a big blue stamp on it, too. He could see his own name there, alongside Connor's. It took him a while to realise what the papers meant.
"If you don't want to file them, then it's fine. You can think about it or stay at Jericho if-" Connor cut off abruptly, his stress levels climbing as he looked at the carpet. He only stopped speaking as a small weight barrelled into his chest and Niles' arms clung to his neck tightly. Connor felt his thirium pump stutter as he returned the embrace, swallowing as he felt a lump stick in his throat. He blinked a few times, unable to stop a little saline escaping. He tried to be subtle as he brushed it away and drew back to see Niles had not been so successful. Saline rivers were running down his plump cheeks as he clutched the paper in one hand.
"You want me? I can stay?" Niles was desperate for reassurance. Connor nodded, unable to find his voice just yet. Niles returned his head to Connor's shoulder as he held him close. Not understanding their distress, Sumo was soon on his feet. He padded over with his tail waving low as he worried about his two favourite androids. He nosed Niles' back with a snuffle and a whine. Niles drew back to show him his paper. "Look Sumo! Connor's adopting me! I'll get to stay here with you now!" Sumo didn't understand a word, but he knew that Niles looked happy now, and that was enough to set him panting with his tail wagging. Connor took the paper and returned it to the envelope, putting it in Hank's cabinet for safekeeping.
"I'm proud of you, son," Hank gruffed as he followed Connor through to the kitchen. He tearfully got the pudding ready, though he did a good job of hiding his sniffles. Pudding was an especially cheerful event. Niles was amazed by the blue flame as Connor set the fruity dome alight, and he enjoyed the soft currants, cherries, and nuts within the sponge. He ate it with warm custard, almost felt it clinging to his insides. Connor was almost worried about it clogging up their internal components, but after contacting Chloe, he felt reassured. They settled in the living room for a while and Niles eventually fell asleep, cuddled on the floor with Sumo. Connor was careful as he carried him off to bed, warmly seeing Colin out not long after.
"Hank…I like Christmas," Connor admitted softly as he sat beside him on the sofa, listening as the Hank chuckled and wrapped an arm around his shoulders. He leaned into Hank's side, grateful for the comfort and support he offered. He didn't know what he'd do without Hank looking out for him. It wasn't a pleasant thought to contemplate. He closed his eyes with a small, contented sigh as a large hand stroked through his hair affectionately.
"Merry Christmas, Connor," Hank murmured, watching the blinking lights of the tree as he enjoyed the silence that came after a busy evening. He huffed a little as he surveyed the wreckage of scattered paper and gifts, looking down as Sumo ambled over to sit at his feet. "And you," he added gruffly as he rested a hand on his large head. Big eyes looked up at him as Sumo rested his chin on his knee and lazily wagged his tail. When he looked again, Connor's eyes had closed, his LED glowing a gentle blue.