Don't Get Attached

Chapter Seven

"What the hell happened to your hand?" Hank asked his android when they were alone in the car together.

"When I was interrogating the station's androids, the deviant knew that I was onto him. So he stabbed a knife through my hand to hold me in place. He also removed my therium pump. I had to crawl my way to it." Connor explained calmly. There was something about his un

changing speech pattern that always seemed to unnerve Hank. It surprised the Lieutenant how often he forgot that Connor wasn't actually human; that he couldn't feel pain.

"Oh, I had just assumed all that blue blood was from the deviant. Are you...okay?" Hank felt ridiculous for tacking the question on. Of course the thing was okay. It was made of plastic. He didn't eve have real blood. "You didn't spring a leak or anything?"

"Are you worried that you will have to pay Cyberlife for the damages?" Connor asked with a slight tilt of his head. "Don't work Hank, any damages that occur in the line of duty will not be charged to you."

"What? I don't give a shit about that! I was just trying to ask if you were hurt. You know, non-repairable damage." Hank growled.

"I will be able to continue with our investigation." Connor assured.

"That's not what I...you know what, forget it." He decided as the car pulled into the driveway.

"Lieutenant, would it be alright for me to...spend the evening here in your home?" Connor questioned as his partner stepped out of the car.

"Yeah sure." Hank nodded. "I told you before you can always stay with me and [Y/N]."

"Yes, it is [Y/N] that I am concerned about." Connor told him. "When you talked with her earlier this afternoon, she seemed...upset about the android broadcast, afraid even. I would not want her to be afraid of me."

"[Y/N]'s not afraid of androids." Hank promised. "I agree she wasn't too happy about the broadcast this afternoon, but she's just afraid of violent androids. Anyone in their right mind would be. Think of the shit we've seen since we started working these deviant cases. I wouldn't want her seeing any of that."

"I suppose you are right." Connor said, following Hank into the house.

You were sitting on the couch reading a book when they came in. Not a digital book with a couple of preloaded stories either. It was a real musty scented, page turning book. That was how your father knew there was something wrong with you. You always made fun of him for clinging on to his old physical books.

"Did you eat yet?" Hank asked you casually, not mentioning the books right off the bat.

"No. Got caught up in this." You said, turning to the next page. "Thought I texted you. Hmm, I mustn't have sent it."

"You want take out?" He wanted to know.

"Sounds great, Dad." You mumbled.

"[Y/N], are you feeling well?" Connor asked, not moving from his spot near the front door.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Come sit with me Connor." You patted the cushion next to you. The android obliged, moving silently to sit next to you. "Do you read? Other than case files and stuff I mean."

"Not typically." Connor confessed. "As an android I have no need for entertainment. Romeo and Juliet?" He read the title off the spine of the book. "Technically you're reading a play."

"Yeah, I guess you're right." You placed a finger between the pages so that you didn't lose your place. Hank entered the room.

"Pizza will be here in twenty minutes." He explained. "They've only got android deliverers on this late at night. Connor, you answer the door when it rings?" It was phrase like a question, but the android understood it to be a direct order from the lieutenant. It was obvious between the two of them that you did not want to be around any unfamiliar androids.