Virus (Yandere Connor x Reader)

Thirty-Five

I can't fucking believe I called him Daddy. Of all the fucking things to come out of my mouth, it had to be something creepy.

Once you were certain Connor was gone for the time being, you let your eyes close. Getting a head start on things was the best option, but the cocktail napkin kept coming to the surface again.

... I don't see why I shouldn't go. It's not like I got any stranger danger vibes from Markus. I'll drop by, see what he needed to talk about, and leave within an hour.

You grabbed your purse once you were ready, locking up the house and driving towards the address you'd been given.

The lovely home looked like it hadn't been changed, at least from the outside. Parking your vehicle in the driveway, you knocked on the front door, trying to stop your pulse from showing in your throat.

The doors opened slowly, automatically. Hesitant, you didn't move, but a voice from within called out to you. "Come on in, I've got a bit of a mess here, sorry!"

Whoever spoke, the voice was unfamiliar. You knew you were at the right house, though, so you stepped inside cautiously. After another minute or two a figure emerged from the double doors down the entryway. He stared at you, and you him. You'd never seen him before, so... "I'm sorry, I... I think..."

He held up a finger, turning back towards the doors. "Markus you got a hottie at the door!" With an awkward grin he stepped forward, hand out to you. "Name's Leo. Sorry, I didn't know he invited someone, I figured he'd be busy with shit." There was a quiet moment, filled with your confusion, and he slapped his forehead. "Shit, right, um... Carl was my dad. I ended up moving in and staying with his caretaker once I got outta rehab..."

Leo seemed to have a fondness for rambling, but Markus finally came in to rescue him from himself. "Thanks, Leo, I had paint all over my hands."

"Again? Man, use the brushes. Finger painting's for toddlers." With a snicker he clapped the android on the shoulder before turning to leave. Before he was out of earshot, he added, "Let me know if she's available!"

You'd never seen an android roll their eyes, but Markus did a marvelous job of it. "Sorry about him, he... all right, I have no excuse for him." Smiling as you giggled, he stepped aside. "Come on in. Thank you for showing up in the first place. I wasn't sure if you'd be able to."

As you ventured deeper into the gorgeous house, you realized that most of the interior stayed the same; clean and kept well, but it was like stepping back in time. You carefully took a seat on one of the sofas, looking like how you felt: uncomfortable. "Markus, I... I mean, obviously I got your note. Er... napkin." You met his gaze and wished you hadn't; those fucking eyes could see your soul. "What's this about?"

The android sat on the sofa across from you, mouth set and hands laced together as he leaned forward a bit. "Two things, actually. And... I don't know which you want to hear first."

"Is this a "good news, bad news" scenario?"

"Something like that. But... I think I'll give you the "good news" first. It's not actually news, and I might be the only one that considers it good." Markus glanced up at you again, wholly unaware of how you froze. "... now that I think about it, this might come off as creepy. And if it does, I apologize."

"Shit, Markus, just say it."

"I painted you." When that sank in, he went on. "It's... not exactly you. You were a huge inspiration for me, and I did my best. It isn't a portrait, it's..." His eyes lowered, smiling in a peculiar way. "Yup. Creepy."

... he painted me?

"Can I see?" you asked softly. The question seemed to cheer him up a little, his eyes lifting again. "I mean... I'm flattered and honored, so I'd like to see."

Taking a moment to decide, he got to his feet again and helped you do the same. You were led to another set of doors between bookshelves; the designated studio. You'd been inside once, when Carl revealed the commission you'd asked for. And while the paintings and scrolls were different, the general mess felt the same.

Except now it's Markus doing the painting... it's almost scary.

As you gazed, you noted that the few scattered easels were empty. You remained in the center of the studio, still taking in your surroundings. Markus was off to the side again, beside a wall hidden behind curtains. There was a faint smile on his face as he waited. "If you're... looking for the painting, it's over here," he finally spoke up.

"What? --Oh, crap, sorry," you exclaimed, finally approaching him. ".... Markus?"

"Yeah?"

"... these curtains are huge. You didn't...?"

He gave no verbal reply. Instead he took the rope dangling nearby, pulling at it so the curtains would part.

A painting done on canvas was expected. Probably a decent sized one, maybe even unfinished. But the curtains drew back to expose his drive: he'd clearly gotten into some sort of frenzy as he worked. The newest work was bigger than you anticipated, and it was also completed, as far as you knew.

And it was definitely you. Not an exact portrait, his style was the expressive kind he'd been taught, with bold brush strokes and careful details combining to reveal something unusual. There was a figure, female of course, with what looked like android arms bursting from the back. In a twisted way, it looked like angel wings. But it couldn't be anyone else; it wasn't sharp, but you knew how your hair had been done for your date, and the color of the dress you'd worn.

I guess the backless dress made an impression on two androids.

Markus was silent, watching you react to his work. When you said nothing, he spoke quietly. "When you showed me your prosthetics, it... I can't explain it well, but it left an imprint on me. I don't think you realize how fascinating it is. A human with the intelligence and skills to create and use android parts." Gazing up at the painting, he gestured to it. "It's one of the few times I didn't stop painting until it felt finished."

"Hybrid." The android looked back towards you again, and you met his gaze. "I think that's what you wanted to show, right? A hybrid. Part human, part android. Mixing the aspects of both, and showing that they don't have to be separated."

"You're close," Markus replied, voice distant. "I like the hybrid explanation, but..." He looked to the side before stepping away. "It's not just the unique aspects of each side. It's that the union of both still have meaning."

Trying to ignore the heat growing in your face, you purposely avoided looking at him. "I wouldn't consider myself an angel, but... I'm flattered."

The doors to the studio opened, and the android paused in the threshold. "It's not what you see yourself as. It's what everyone around you sees. And what I see is a hybrid, who doesn't see what the androids do, nor how they're drawn to her."