Detroit: Become Human - The Outsider (Connor x OC fanfic)

Not What We Wanted

Rina clipped the yellow harness around Monson's chest, his pink tongue stark against the black crinkles of his fur. He looked suspiciously like a bumble bee. It almost made Rina smile, but the topic of conversation was enough to dwell any sudden use of happy muscles. 

"--but-" 

"No "buts", kitten," Earl spoke through their shared speakers, "keep your eyes on that detective. You know I don't like cops snooping around. Worse are droid cops. They might actually prove useful. Just use your charms, play coy... give him some information, after all you are my perfection. But not too much. I trust you, kitten." 

Rina sighed a deep, heavy breath. She slammed her palm into her head three times and force a smile on a clenched face. The gentle glide of the back doors whooshed through the hall. Great, he was back. "Alright. For you." 

"Of course," Earl purred, the noise cutting short. 

Rina glanced up at the ceiling, willing for the world to fall away. Trail walks with Monson were her escape-without-escaping. She never even understood what it was her body craved. Fresh air, sunlight, none of it technically made a difference to her yet the bulging silence of a day tucked beneath sparse rain clouds, watching her curling hair play with wind and hearing bugs, birds, and bees float around, drunk on their own existence, calmed her. Now, she would have to share it with Connor. Connor, who seemed just as intent on hating her as she did learning about him. She should have been pleased to have direction, something other than please Earl or flirt with the guests, but the feel of Connor's thumb on her wrist still tingled with power. 

His cold eyes had sliced through, a sense of play dissipating when she finally realised that Connor was not like the placid androids who usually followed her around.  

An anchor struck the base of her stomach and she decidedly pulled herself around to find Connor waiting at the end of the hall. If Earl wanted her to play happy hostess, she'd play the happiest fucking hostess ever. 

"I-" He began, but Rina's words cut him off. 

"Let's go for a walk," Rina smiled forcedly. 

Connor blinked in response, so she chucked a leash at his chest, causing him to catch it with the ease only a robot could muster. Monson followed the movement, running to Connor's feet and attempting to jump up his pant leg. 

"Unless you're literally made of cheese, he won't bite." 

"I'm not afraid," Connor asserted, sounding suspiciously like somebody who might be pretending not to be afraid. 

"Is that CyberLife's secret? The Androids are made of cheddar? Maybe that's why they're all turning deviant. They've started melting," Rina clicked on a fanny pack, tightening the zip and pushing through the door. "Come on! Monson does also have an appetite for investigators made of plastic and mother boards who stand woefully staring into space." She called over her shoulder. Connor hurried up behind her, Monson at their feet. "The leash is just a precaution." 

"Against what?" Connor ducked beneath a tree branch overhanging the path. 

"Bogs. Puddles. Bears." 

They walked in silence, the crunching of gravel and ground beneath their feet the only noise to guide them forward. The world was light blue tinged with streaks of grey. Cool. Easy. Rina would walk for hours today, if only Connor weren't here. Instead, she beelined for the main road where Connor and Hank had arrived and walked through to a overgrown marshland, a narrow walkway peeking through yellows and emeralds and reds. 

"Are there really bears?" 

Rina scoffed. "You could fight a bear." 

"I don't know that I could."