Accident Prone - Becoming Human

Sympathy

Three weeks after being discharged from the hospital Hank was required to return for a check-up regarding his still healing injuries and Connor took it upon himself to take care of Hank every step of the way. Although Hank was given a pair of crutches to walk on to support his weight as he recovered, he preferred to use only one crutch to balance on while keeping his free hand on Connor's shoulder and letting the deviant guide him about on the icy ground to and from the car. As soon as he was placed in the front passenger seat of the Pace, the newer car was still something he was getting used to, Hank cranked up the heat and watched with the mirrors as Connor stored the crutches in the backseat behind him before sitting down in the driver's seat beside him.

By all account Connor seemed to be on a mission despite there being no such need. It wasn't that strange to see Connor so focused on something important, but it usually meant the deviant was beginning to obsess over that same something.

"Damn doctors." Hank swore as he rubbed his right hand along his left bicep where he had his blood drawn and an unexpected vaccine administered. "They'll find any damn reason they can to poke you with a needle."

"The blood test was necessary." Connor replied as he sat down behind the steering wheel of the car and pulled away from the hospital's parking lot onto the street to return home. The snow was still falling but the roads were thankfully cleared. "You had endured major emergency abdominal surgery only twenty-three days ago. Infection is still very much a threat."

"Yeah, kid. I know. I was there." Grumbling a little to himself Hank dropped his hand from his arm and let out a tired sigh. "I'm not talking about her drawing blood, I'm talking about her sneaking in that little flu shot when I wasn't paying attention."

"All first responders and emergency personnel are required to receive a mandatory influenza vaccination every winter." The Christmas decorations lining the streets was a perfect reminder of the time of year. "Why do you show such great disdain toward an annual procedure?"

"Because every time I get one of those damn flu shots it works a little too well, and I end up with the damn flu! That's the last thing I need right now."

Confused by the statement Connor's blue L.E.D. temporarily flashed to yellow and his brow furrowed slightly as he pulled up to the red traffic light and stopped to wait for the signal to change. "I believe it'd be more apt to state that an internal infection would be the last thing you'd want to sustain, not an illness to which you've been given immunization."

"Connor." Hank turned his head to give the deviant a somewhat irritated looking. "I was being sarcastic."

"...Oh. Sorry. Sarcasm is a still somewhat foreign concept to me."

"Yup. I can tell."

The light turned green and Connor continued on their way home as he pulled through the intersection. "May I ask you something?"

"You don't have to ask if you can ask me something, kid. What's on your mind?"

"You claim that every time you receive a flu vaccination you become ill with the flu. Why didn't you become ill last year or the year before?"

"Because I didn't get one last year. Or the year before."

"How did you-"

"I told the doctor who was handling all of the precinct vaccinations what was going on and as a favor every year for the past twelve years he'd mark off my name without actually giving me the shot. Apparently this doctor didn't get the memo."

"...I see."

"Hey, don't act like I was doing anything illegal, all right? I just got so fuckin' tired of being sick as a dog every winter so I found a doctor who'd accommodate me instead of talking about procedure and protocol."