the little things || Connor x Female!Reader [Detroit: Become Human]

chapter 15 || The Little Things . [1]

JAN 26TH, 2039

AM 01:01:09

third person pov ;

Connor tried to recall the memories that had made him feel happy and content. First of all, that shouldn't have been a problem. Despite the huge database that was stored in his system, he should have calculated the more significant parts in his synthetic brain and process that into words. But the moment he opened up all those recollections, he ran into an error.

"There's been a notable flaw in my system. I cannot seem to compute anything comprehensible."

(Name) giggled, "So basically there's so much to choose from?"

After a slight pause, he meekly bobbed his head. "Precisely," His LED flickered spontaneously, resisting the urge to resume back to its habitual state. "but I should assume that I must explain this to you through how I feel, correct?"

"That's correct." She grinned.

"Let's see.." He sighed and welcomed himself to a vacant seat. As he sat down, he furrowed his brows. His synthetic heart continued to beat as usual; there were no particular irregularities, but he had to feel something. It's a basic fundamental to human nature, wasn't it? 

The silence wasn't awkward. (Name) patiently expected for his response, but quietly appreciated the silent conversation that loomed over them. He didn't look into her eyes, occupied with thoughts that only seemed to stay with him. She blinked more than once as he abruptly shifted in his seat.

"Anything?" She was hesitant, and polite. Her eyes only seemed to encourage him to say what he felt with a loving stare, completely uncomplaining in her stance.

"Well, there was a time that I definitely appreciated. I'm not so sure if you can remember this, but.."

"It's alright." (Name) smiled. "I'll try to, at least."

Connor smiled back at this.

He began to speak, and (Name) slowly leaned forward to listen. 

— flashback ;

The rain wasn't so bad. 

(Name) walked along the busy streets to make it to her assigned location. She was running a bit late — but knowing Hank, she might be a bit early. Or, just early. He was probably drinking away again at some bar, so he might not even hear of the news until way later — maybe until the sun breaks dawn and this steady drizzle will go away. 

A crowd was beginning to form at the scene. She saw some policemen lining up behind the holographic tape, pushing away any reporters and journalist that began to push their way through. There wasn't much of a commotion — just hushed whispers and conversation that spread across the crowd. 

(Name) looked around to see if she recognized a certain car model. As expected, she didn't see what she was looking for. Hank was definitely not here.

She fiddled with the umbrella in her grasp, twirling the handle around and looked up to see the patterns on the canopy beginning to spin alongside her movements.  It was a solid black color with small white polka dots — nothing too grand — and she expected to keep this with her for as long as she could manage. It would be a shame for her to lose it somehow.

It didn't take long until a certain car pulled up by the house that she was at. She immediately spotted Hank, but furrowed her brows at the unfamiliar silhouette sitting besides him. Without thinking much of it, she rushed up to Hank and held out the umbrella over him as he stepped out.

"Good morning, Lieutenant." She politely smiled at him, to which he mumbled a 'Good morning' back to. And then he told her to not hold the umbrella over him so often, as she would do that all the time, even when he tells her not to. He almost felt uncomfortable under her unconditional kindness and selflessness. 

As she watched him leave, she heard the other door to the car open. 

Turning around, she spotted a man who didn't particularly give away any hints as to whether or not she knew him. He wore a grey suit, had neatly slicked black hair, and his back was turned so she couldn't see him so clearly. She rushed around the car to hold up her umbrella to the stranger. Since he arrived with Hank, surely he must be another colleague of hers.

"Hello, stranger." She looked up at him with a grin, and examined his features as he turned to her. He didn't seem to smile, but politely greeted her back. And that's when she spotted the LED. 

And her reaction to seeing it made her guilty — she had flinched, almost moving the umbrella away from him. Why did she do that? Did society really distort her perceptions? Her smile nearly faltered, but she pushed on.

"Hank must be waiting outside for us.. C'mon." (Name) gently ushered the two of them over to the house, but Connor was stopped by one of the policemen.

"No androids are permitted beyond this point—"

"Ah, he's with me. Sorry.." She nervously smiled at the policeman before he hesitantly let them through, and as Connor was ushered into the house before her, she continued to hold out the umbrella over him. He glanced at her in mere confusion before he presumed his mission.

He wasn't sure why, but ... he appreciated the small action that she did. And although he wasn't permitted to feel these emotions, it was involuntary. 

He wasn't allowed to sense this appreciation. He was supposed to push that away. His task was to complete his missions, he was only allowed to be an android, and nothing else. Right? Wasn't that the whole reason as to why he was made? His feelings were invalid, they were incorrect — they were too humane. This wasn't how androids should feel. 

Connor seemed to look alright on the outside, but internally, everything seemed to be off. This feeling of appreciating the act of kindness from a human wasn't ... okay. It wasn't okay. Why couldn't he just let it end there, assume that it wasn't okay and continue on with his work? Why couldn't he just forget what had just happened?

He did a self scan on himself, to assess whether or not his processors were somehow disoriented. 

Everything was ... alright. He frowned. No, it wasn't.

"Connor, can you look at this for a moment?" There it was. Her voice. 

He ... almost didn't like the sound of her voice. But she didn't do anything wrong — she just ... made him identify a sensation that he should have been programmed to not discern. Just from her voice, her tone, her actions.

But, in the end, he couldn't bring himself to dislike her.

=

technically this isn't the climax, but ig it's getting close to that. 
and woohoo, flashback time! this arc will have a lot of that concept. 

also, happy belated new years! <3