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Connor | RK800 & Hank Anderson

Connor | RK800, Hank Anderson

Autistic Connor | RK800, Post-Canon, Post Game

So much has changed for Connor and other Androids and that was good, but he wants things to go back to normal now.

I'm on the autistic spectrum and one the hardest things in life for me is moving on. Good change and bad change is still change and I'll always dig my heels in at both.

I really wish I didn't.

I highly suggest you read this on AO3 (Archive Of Our Own) (Under same name) instead since AO3 fully supports indents which this fic was written with, and blank lines, both of which makes the story much more visually appealing. But reading it there also makes it much easier to read in the long run, instead of it just being the wall of text it is here. Just looking at the story here makes me feel sad down to the core of my being.

I'll keep updating here because I know there are some people here that don't touch AO3 but just know that how you read it here isn't how it's supposed to read.

Thank you.

[Singular Chapter] It Should Be Unchanging

Everything was different now. Every Android was free, there were a lot of complications though. Where would all these Androids now stay if their previous owners disallowed them to remain? Would they stay in the same job they had before their Awakening?

'Connor? Are you actually watching the TV or should I turn it off?'

Connor hadn't had to think about these things, though. The lieutenant had instantly allowed him to move in with him, it was unlikely Conner had all the skills for a workable daily life by himself anyway.

They were sitting face to face at the kitchens coffee table, neither could be bothered to move to the sofa actually in front of the TV, opting to watch the subtitles from where they were instead.

'No, you may turn the TV off, Lieutenant.' The TV's muffled sounds cut off, the light that previously bathed them cut off with it leaving them both to the dwindling outside light.

He also didn't have to worry about a job since he'd instantly applied for the exact same job he had before, he'd been instantly accepted too. An Android designed specifically to be a detective wanting to become a detective? Nobody in their right mind would turn that down.

'Conner, you don't call me lieutenant in my own home, call me Hank like I've told you several times before.'

Connor looked back down at his hands on the table, still fiddling with his coin. 'Yes… Hank.'

Hank took a long drink of his coffee not quite putting it down whilst concentrating on his computer pad, not looking back at Connor. The silence that came after was a weird mix of uncomfortable and welcomed.

When Hank finally looked back up Connor did so too before he realised Hank wasn't making eye contact. His LED blinked yellow in confusion, the change clear in the dim light.

'Why haven't you removed your LED? You know… Android places can do that for free for you. I could even take you to one if you'd like.'

'No, no… I… I want to keep it.' His voice sounded uncertain even to himself.

His friend put the pad and coffee back down on the table with a thud.

'You fought for your freedom and now you… What? You don't want it? You've got that same stupid fucking Android uniform on,' He motioned to Connors clothes, the blue glowing armband and triangle were obvious, same as the printed ANDROID on the back. 'You won't take your LED out, you still introduce yourself with your model type, you follow behind people, you always ask for instructions when you could just do it yourself now, it's like nothing's even changed for you.'

Connor looked down and started to roll the coin back and forth between his hands faster. When Hank caught the coin, he expected something like before, telling him to stop, tell him that he was being irritating again.

Hank instead placed the coin back in his left hand but didn't remove his hand from his, dragging both their hands back to the middle of the table.

He didn't say anything but when Connor let his gaze flow back up, Hanks eyes were pleading.

'…I want things to go back as to how they were before.'

'Back to before… When you were still a machine, controlled by us?'

'No, not like that, just… To before, when I was with you.'

'I'm not gonna' just disappear because you've decided you want to wear normal clothes and take your LED out.'

'Yes, I know that, Hank. But I…'

It was so hard to put into words. He was happy to free, he could do and say anything he wanted now, if he wanted to walk to the park he just could. If he didn't like his job he could just leave, not that he would ever consider it but that fact that he could just…

There were so many choices he had to make on his own now, and he hated when he didn't know the answer. So, he'd always ask a human like he used to, they know what they're doing and you don't have a mission so ask for one.

….

He wasn't a machine or just an Android.

He didn't want to be just a machine, he didn't want others to talk to him like one.

But every time he went to remove his LED he always changed his mind and turned around. He didn't even know what changed his mind, he just didn't want it gone anymore.

Removing it and wearing normal clothes would mean…

The end.

The end of a chapter.

But why would that be bad? That's not bad. The chapter was awful anyway.

Connor drew his back from Hanks, but still refused eye contact. 'May I go to my charge point, lieutenant?'

He knew he didn't have to ask the lieutenant that anymore, he didn't have to ask like how he would in the police station after a long night of research and filing. He could just go to 'bed' now if he wanted to, he didn't have to ask permission or be told to go to his charge point like a child.

Like an Android.

His LED glowed a deep red.

There was an audible sigh and the lieutenant placed his coin back in hand, the weight of it comforted him. It always had, even on his first mission.

The lieutenant would always say the same thing to him once he started asking the same question in his house, always in the same disappointed tone. 'Yes, Connor, you may go to your charge station.'

And Connor would always say the same unchanging monotone thing back. 'Goodnight lieutenant, it has been a night of productive work.'

Even though they hadn't been to work today, or done filing, or research, or even been outside. He just said it because that's always what he'd say to him in the station, the familiarity of the words always comforted him.

'Night Connor, I'll… see you in the morning.'

And Conner smiled like he always did for the lieutenant.

...

This was going be a part of my other fic BSoD but I decided it didn't really fit anywhere so I made it its own story, it's part of the same 'universe' or whatever, though.