Forever His (Connor x Hank)

Chapter Eight

"I see her."

His therapist pushed their glasses back, something that was just for aesthetic purposes because androids usually had perfect vision. Behind their glasses was a long scar. Irreversible skin damage.

"Who do you see, Connor?"

The android detective licked his lips before answering and pulled his sleeves over his hands, a nervous habit he had recently developed.

"Amanda. She was used as a way to keep me connected to Cyberlife. I would see her during my investigations and she would try to pressure me into finding deviants. I stopped seeing her after my full deviancy, but after.. it.. happened, I saw her again. Is there something wrong with me?" Connor asked in a serious tone. He figured there may be something wrong with his software, a defect from the trauma.

His therapist sat and thought for a moment, their LED flashing yellow.

"It seems to me you are experiencing symptoms of PTSD, and it took a form of something from your past that still leaves you troubled. I trust you've run a self diagnostic."

Connor nodded. He had and even though all of his readings were coming back fine, he knew he wasn't. They leaned over and brought out their porcelain hand.

"If you don't feel like saying it out loud, you can show me. But only if you feel you need to." Their voice was soft and comforting, and it made Connor sigh. He was about to tell them things that he hadn't even told Hank. He eventually leaned forward and wrapped his hand around their wrist, both of their skin fading into white.

Their LED was yellow once again as they processed his memories, and he even accidentally saw theirs.

They were a sex worker.. they were assaulted numerous times before they were eventually thrown out.. It was why they became a sexual assault therapist..Their name was Robin but it used to be Traci.. They hated the name, reminded them of what they used to be,  so they changed it after their deviancy.. Then they finally came out as non binary after the liberation of androids..

He had already known about their preferred pronouns because of the small pin on their blazer. It had the non binary flag but with a thin dark blue stripe down the middle to signify non binary androids, with their pronoun"they" in a cute font. But he had no idea what happened to them, how horrific the assault was. It explained the scar.

It also made him feel a little better, less alone.

"A small part of you regrets becoming deviant. You feel as though it made you weak, and that it was why you were able to get assaulted." Their almond shaped eyes didn't show any sign of judgement but that stop the dread from filling Connor's chest.

"But your love for your human, your partner, is keeping you from reverting." They smiled at that. Connor looked down at the ground and nodded. Silence filled the room and Connor assumed it was because Robin was taking notes from their database.

"Hang on to that love for however long you have it. But remember, this is about you, Connor, and your well being. What brings you comfort, besides him?"

Connor pondered for a moment, and then that moment turned into a minute, and then three.

"I don't know." Connor muttered, not meeting the brown almond shaped eyes behind the rather large black glasses.

"That's perfectly fine. Next time we'll discuss self care, okay?" Robin suggested gently. Connor realized that he had already been there over an hour, his appointment was over.

Connor walked himself out, about to walk out the door when he was stopped by a familiar voice.

"Hey, Connor, wait." It was Markus, the one who saved them all. Connor turned and gave him a small smile.