Don't Get Attached

Chapter Eight

"What's going on with you two?" Hank questioned, taking a bite out of his slice of pizza. "Seriously, why are you both so fucking quiet?" You and Connor hadn't spoken much since the pizza arrived, and your father had definitely noticed. It wasn't like you to be quiet during meals. You were usually pretty chatty, keeping Connor engaged enough so that the android didn't mind sitting idly while you humans consumed your food.

"I'm just eating, Dad." You replied quietly. Your father narrowed his eyes at you from across the table. He could easily chalk your weird behavior up to the broadcast earlier in the day, but his detective mind was telling him that this was something else. He looked at Connor, who for the last few minutes, had been watching Sumo circle the kitchen table on the hunt for scraps. Hank had an idea.

"You take Sumo for a walk yet?" He casually changed the subject.

"No. It was raining earlier." You explained, biting into your own pizza slice.

"You should take him after dinner." He suggested as part of his genius plan. "Connor will go with you." He figured if you were acting strange because of the broadcast, you would protest being alone with the android. On the other hand, if there was something else bothering you and you wouldn't tell him maybe you'd tell Connor. The android pulled his attention away from Sumo at the mention of his name.

Looking into his eyes, you remembered what happened the last time that you and Connor went for a walk. How the first thing he did once it started pouring was insist on giving you his jacket. Then you thought about the almost kiss you'd shared a few minutes ago. You had to say something quickly. You'd been in your own head for too long.

"Yeah alright. If he wants to come with me." You shrugged at your father's suggestion.

"I like taking Sumo for walks." Connor confirmed. When you'd had your fill of pizza, you grabbed Sumo's leash and took the boys out for a walk. "You're certain you don't mind me accompanying you on your walk?"

"Yes of course!" You nodded. "Besides, we can talk out here without having to worry about my dad. But it'll have to be a short walk because it's getting dark."

"What do you want to talk about without the lieutenant around?" Connor took sumo's leash because the St. Bernard was pulling you along.

"Well...was it just my imagination or were you going to kiss me before we got interrupted?" You asked him. Connor waiting until Sumo finished dragging him across the street before answering you.

"Truthfully that had been my intention, [Y/N]." He confessed. "I conducted a thorough analysis and based on your body language I may have incorrectly assumed that would be what you wanted."

"I didn't say it was unwanted." You slipped one of your hands into his free one. Connor wrapped his fingers around yours. It seemed bizarre to you that you were walking down the street hand in hand with your favorite android. Not bizarre because he was an android, but because he was your father's partner and he was...well he was Connor.

"Am I correct in saying that with human relationships hand holding usually implies a romantic interest?" Connor lifted up your still joined hands and held them up at eye level like evidence.

"Well ah...generally yeah." You nodded. "Stuff like kissing, hand holding, wearing each other's clothes."

"Wearing each other's clothes?" He repeated. "Like when we walked Sumo before and you were wearing my jacket?"

"Yeah I guess." You chuckled to yourself. You'd never had to break dating down to such a basic level before, but you were having fun trying. "Usually when a girl wears her boyfriend's clothes, it's not just because of the weather."

"Is it for sentimental reasons?" Connor asked.

"That's exactly it." You crossed the street again, heading back towards the house.

"Androids are not designed with a capacity for sentiment." He told you. "I do not have emotions."

"I know, Connor." You smiled.

"You did not let me finish, [Y/N]." He scowled slightly at you. "I was trying to say that I do not have emotions, But I like this." Again, he indicated your joined hands. "And I like when you wear my jacket. That is as far as my programing will allow. I like holding your hand the exact same amount as I like dogs. I understand that if I were human these two things would be varying levels of enjoyment. I want to make sure that you understand that my lack of emotions means that our relationship could not ever escalate."

"Connor, I would never want you to be something that you're not." You promised. You gave his hand a squeeze, wondering if his sensors could feel it. "We can just be friends."

"Do friends do things like read book together?" He asked you. "And are they allowed to hold hands?"

"They can, yeah." The two of you began walking again. "There are no rules in friendship Connor."

"That's good." Connor smiled. "Thank you for letting me come for a walk with you."

"Anytime Connor." You told him, dropping his hand and reaching for the doorknob.