Virus (Yandere Connor x Reader)

Thirteen

[An android with a sense of touch...!]

"I'm glad to see that you used the emergency exit in the end," Kamski murmured, interrupting the android's thoughts. "But the being that stands before me is much the same one that stood before me two years ago. You have the empathy in you, Connor... but from what I see, you have little else." As expected, Connor opened his mouth to protest, but he was cut off. "I'm not saying you've lost anything. You are still an intelligent and capable detective. But now you are alive, Connor. Why are you stopping yourself from truly living?"

His warm eyes stared at the human, unwilling to break their gaze. "I--...." Was he stopping himself? Kamski raised an eyebrow; he knew the android had the answer, buried beneath all that logic and practicality. "... I have done nothing but reason with myself since turning deviant. I do not have the opportunities to experience more outside of what I already know."

"But when you do, you desperately tell yourself anything so that your decisions are practical. Or you purposely make a decision that avoids emotions. Connor, you're a workaholic android, afraid to use the other half of your brain. In other words, you fear what you fought for."

It was like someone had shot him, point blank. Kamski had hit the nail on the head, like he usually did, but hearing his internal struggles being laid out in a simple matter had glued his mouth shut. Finally breaking the intense staredown, Connor looked at the floor, frowning.

Laying a hand on the android's shoulder, Kamski's voice went softer. "You're not defective, by the way. You just need to learn to listen to something that isn't your mind."

"... like what?"

He chuckled. "If you have to ask, then you're doing it wrong. Hasn't there ever been a time when you wanted to do something, and you had no way to justify it aside from just... wanting it?"

There was. Yesterday, as a matter of fact. But that wasn't really a good situation, not considering the assault still at the forefront of your thoughts. But still.... "... yes. Only recently." Then something else came to mind. "What's a wingman?"

A hard left turn into a different subject. Elijah started to laugh. "In what context?"

"When Hank assigned me to guard, he said that I was best suited for it... and also that he was playing wingman so I would "get a life"."

Kamski was right, not that he was surprised. "I see. Well... you have internet access, yes?"

"Yes, I do."

"Then why are you asking?" Well, that was annoying. Hands behind his back, Kamski started pacing again. "If the good lieutenant is playing wingman for you, I'm sure he also warned you about going too far or too quickly. You're here for a purpose after all, Connor." His mouth pressed thin. "What exactly happened? She has stitches in her arms, that's all I'm aware of."

Unsure if it was his place to say, Connor did at least know that the case wasn't private. "Two days ago, we received word about a human having been sexually assaulted by an android," he explained softly.

Elijah was silent for once, though he searched the other male's face... not that the detective had reason to lie. But to know that something that terrible had only come because of some corruption in the algorithm... or just an unseen virus in the unique software that had spread... He slowly let out the air in his lungs. "I'll leave it to you to satiate your curiosity about her work. But I have one thing to say, and you'd better take it to heart."

[This is incredibly worrisome...]

When Connor nodded, Kamski grabbed his shoulders, squeezing tightly. "I'm serious. This may affect things far worse than you realize. So keep an eye on her. Do not let her blame herself. Yes, the software was her creation, but what corrupted it and resulted in her abuse was in no way her fault. No one could have known it would happen. If she's showing signs of depression, God forbid, then mind her. Gently."

LED a bright yellow, the android nodded again. There were few moments when he felt genuine fear, but he was sorry to admit that this was one of them.

"Good." Releasing his grasp on Connor's shoulders, Kamski sighed, lacing his fingers together behind his neck. "I'm not about spilling secrets and gossiping about someone behind their back. What I will say is that she... hasn't exactly had a good track record with partners." His vague smile returned. "Do you know what sort of blooms are truly lovely this time of year?"

Seems like it was Kamski's turn to take a hard left into random subject matter. "I don't..." was the android's confused reply.

"Deep violet ones," the human answered, turning away to open the basement door. "You two all right? Can I get a status report?"

"We're doing fine," you called back, voice distant. "It'll take me a little time to patch this, but everything else looks optimal. Give me like... half an hour."

"Good to know, we're lost without you two so we're coming down." With a jerk of his head, he and Connor ventured downstairs.

Chloe was sitting beside your desk, a few wires plugged into the back of her head. Her eyes were closed, but opened at the sound of footsteps. Elijah pressed a kiss to her forehead before he went to lean against one of the oversized crates.

You were elbow deep in code but threw a skeptical look towards him. "Lost without us, Eli? I feel bad for Chloe, she has to live with you. At least I can throw you out when you annoy me."

Even Connor ended up smirking, standing near the other male while you worked diligently. "She has you there," he added. "I'd be happy to point a gun every time you visit."

"If I had a nickel for every time she's thrown me out, I'd have two nickels. Which isn't a lot, but it's weird that it's happened twice." Kamski crossed his arms, taking a few moments to watch.

Warm eyes glanced towards the male, but only momentarily; Connor was too invested in watching. You could almost feel the stares, but it wasn't enough to deter you.

"Absolutely stunning, isn't she?" Elijah had gone quiet again. "Sometimes I manage to forget, especially if I've been away... then it hits again."

His words from earlier echoed continuously. He let practicality get in the way of experiencing true emotions. So Connor nodded, taking a chance to try and be genuinely honest. It wasn't selfish, but foreign. "... I admit it can be distracting, but... yes. Stunning is almost enough to describe... her."

[What am I saying?

It's just a compliment. It isn't illegal.]

"Tough to find someone both beautiful and intelligent. Usually one or the other. But hey, sometimes we strike gold," Kamski went on. "Best part is, intelligence knows no bounds."

"The extent of it is still unknown, though... if what you tell me is true, then this is brand new territory." His head felt like he was floating; it would have taken a good hard slap to snap Connor back to reality.

"Hell, sometimes I even forget she's an android."

With startling speed, the detective stared at Kamski. "She's... an android...?!"

That vague smile again. "Chloe? Of course she is. I was talking about her." He raised an eyebrow. "Who were you talking about?"