Love Like Yours 💙 - A Hankcon Story

Chapter 14: Realizations

Markus 🧑🏾‍🎨💚
5:35

Hey! I was just letting you
know I'm here.

Oh trust me I know 😉

Connor didn't understand and was about to message back asking what he meant when he saw Markus coming down the steps.
"Oh hello Markus! I was coming inside I promise." He slightly laughed as Markus welcomed him with a hug. "How are you feeling?" Connor asked. "I'm alright, just have a lot to handle. I'm trying to take it easy like Simon suggested." Connor raises his eyebrow to tease him prompting an eye roll from Markus. "How did Hank handle your drunk self? Bet you were all over him too." Markus teased back as Connor's face slightly lit up blue; but he was quickly met with that sad feeling inside him and frowned. "Yeah I- I guess so, he didn't seem to mind too much though and the night ended about the same as usual outside of my malfunctioning." Markus looked at him curiously, "Malfunctioning?" They proceeded to walk in the building to Markus' room while Connor tried explaining everything. "Honestly Markus I'm not sure. Ever since I've accepted who I am; I feel completely clueless about everything! I know I won't know everything all at once nor do I expect to." He takes a pause as Markus leads him into his room and closes the door so they can talk privately. "It's just difficult, all of it is so overwhelming and I'm so confused and scared; then I'm happy but also I'm feeling emotions I don't understand. I tend to feel.. a certain kind of emotion when I'm only around one person and so many of our interactions seem to cause my systems to malfunction." Markus sees how stressed Connor and lays a hand on his shoulder reassuringly. "Can you explain what kind of malfunctions you are having?" Connor nods slowly. "I get warnings such as my system overheating, malfunction errors with my thirium pump regulator or it will show as unknown. My face heats up as well; making me illuminate a blue tint that gets darker the more nervous and shy I feel." Markus seems to be understanding where this is going, but doesn't want to push Connor through any realizations. "You said that only happens and you feel that way around one person, correct?" Connor hesitantly nods as Markus sits down across from him. "I don't want to question your judgement, but how are you so sure?"
Connor tilts his head, "What do you mean?"
"I don't mean it negatively but you haven't been able to meet and experience too many people in your life so far. You still have so much to explore Connor and maybe this person is for you, but it's also possible they aren't." Markus tries to be as honest but sincere as possible laying his hands over Connor's. "You are an amazing person, you aren't restricted to anybody but these feelings are going to be confusing and scary, sometimes they'll hurt and it's just an experience of living." Trying to get back to his malfunctioning concerns; he asks more questions. "Have you ever thought or felt about anyone else in even a slightly similar way?"
Connor pondered back to the interactions he's had other than Lieutenant Anderson. His memory process through many faces.. Gavin, Mandy, Chloe, Markus, and the rest of them. All these faces but none make me light up inside like Hank does. He shakes his head no and sighs. "It's not in a case of I've never thought of someone as attractive or anything such as that, I for one think you are extremely attractive; it's just.. I don't think it's the same." Markus feels a bit shy now after that compliment and slowly moves his hands. "Well first off thank you, and secondly; Connor what you're feeling I believe is a deep affection and that's why it feels stronger than a crush like I mentioned before and that's because it's more like love. And with love it comes in all kinds of forms; not just romantically but platonically through friendships and family as well. You can find love in activities or a job. It's a very complicated but important emotion to feel and have in your life.
Connor's led flashes yellow as he looks up the definition of love.

Love
1a(1) : strong affection for another arising out of kinship or personal ties
maternal love for a child
(2) : attraction based on sexual desire : affection and tenderness felt by lovers
(3) : affection based on admiration, benevolence, or common interests
b : an assurance of affection
2 : warm attachment, enthusiasm, or devotion