software instability- connor x fem reader

chapter three- aftermath

after the failed interrogation, y/n walked back into the office, intending to throw herself into her work. getting distracted due to her extreme lack of sleep, she instead stood in the lobby, looking outside at the downpour.

"kid, it wasn't your fault," hank said from behind her. the man must have also been shaken up by the gory sight

"you know, with the rain and the sound of the gunshots echoing in my ears, i didn't even notice your approach. some detective i am," y/n mused. hank touched her shoulder and she turned around to face him. only then did he see the redness of her eyes and the dried tear tracts on her skin.

"y/n, you were the only one to get any information from it. you aren't some detective machine. you aren't perfect," hank responded, trying to offer some form of comfort. 'i know. im not connor,' y/n thought to herself. self pity is not her usual go to strategy, but it had been a long day, and she was tired.

"thanks hank. i think i'm just gonna sleep in the break room for a few hours," y/n gave him a sad smile.

"hey... no. you look like you're going to die if you don't sleep for at least 10 hours. go home, ill drive you and cover for you on your day off tomorrow," hank insisted.

y/n mulled it over, before responding, "fine, you old codger."

...

after a day of rest and a good call to her therapist, y/n was ready to go back to work. she had the resolve of any good cop, and this was not the first horrifying scene shes encountered, and it will certainly not be her last. however, she couldn't shake the feeling that she had that night. she had been a cop for a while, but she had never held the hand of someone while they died. she wasn't a doctor, or a firefighter. she was a cop, supposed to be protecting the people, but was killing that android really the right thing to do? and what about connor? he had been killed his first day on the job, and it was her fault. she shouldn't have let her pride get in the way. sighing and shaking off the feeling of dread creeping down her spine, y/n dressed for her day back at work.

...

y/n walked into the building and gave a smile to the receptionist android. walking into the bullpen, y/n glanced at hank's desk and had to do a double take after seeing the thing that was shot dead yesterday.

she gasped, "connor?" the andriod smiled when he saw her. 'of course, he's an android,' y/n thought to herself, almost exasperated.

connor almost pounced on the girl, with a furrowed brow. he began to speak, "detective! your heartrate has increased 15% since you saw me. it seems your breathing has slightly increased as well. i hope i didn't frighten you with my presence." connor's brown eyes flickered with worry so genuine that one could mistake him for human in that moment.

"frightened? no... no not frightened, just startled is all. i saw you get killed yesterday. i was the reason you got shot!" the expression of guilt y/n announced made connor's led flicker red, and then yellow. this showing of sympathy was not recognized by y/n, who had her eyes to the floor in a demonstration of shame.

"detective l/n, you had no control over what happened to me. in fact, i am impressed by your ability to tap into human emotions so effortlessly. your manipulation was magnificent. you performed fantastically for a human." connor's compliments did not reach y/n's ears in the way that was intended. the detective furrowed her eyebrows for a moment, before meeting connor's eyes. the expression on her face a cross between incredulous and hurt, but the hurt was masked by a layer of anger.

   "what- manipulation- good for a human. what- what does this mean for you? any of this? do you know what it's like to watch someone die, get dragged out, and then have them ridicule you about emotions at work a day or two later? you have no right, no fucking right to talk to me about emotions. i know emotions, i know manipulation, i know humanity, and i know my goddamn job. incase you haven't figured it out yet, i felt awful after you got shot, after that deviant self destructed. so remember who you are and show some respect, android."
y/n scolded connor and he watched her like a toddler getting in trouble for sneaking a cookie after lunch. y/n finished reprimanding the robot, and curtly turned on her heel and walked to her desk.

    y/n sat at her desk and attempted to work for a half an hour. the echoing of the gun, the "life" leaving the deviant's eyes. she didn't even get to know his name. after being fed up with herself, she decided to take a caffeine break. heading to the kitchen, she saw resident asshole gavin reed. she decided that the reward outweighed the risk, and she trudged in, hoping that the lack of pep in her step would give the man a sign to piss off. she decided that maybe this would be hoping for too much.

  "y/n... i saw what you said to that android earlier. i respect your balls to put that prick in his place," gavin sneered at you. an eyeroll was shot at the asshole and y/n attempted to reach the mug cabinet behind him. a quick dirty look was enough for him to move with his hands up in surrender. then she saw it. someone, probably gavin, moved her goddamn mug. she stretched on her tippy toes to reach it, when she felt a hand on her hip and a presence behind her.

   "don't worry babe, ive got it!" gavin whispered in her ear, leaning his chest against her back while he grabbed the mug off of the highest shelf. the detective decided that it would just be easier to play nice, take the mug with a small smile, get her coffee, and leave.

   what y/n didn't see was that connor watched this whole interaction from hank's empty desk. the android's led flickered to yellow, and stayed there for a while. 'does detective l/n like reed? no, it doesn't matter. she is not my mission." connor's head was racing when his thoughts were interrupted by the perpetually late lieutenant anderson.

  y/n made her way back to her desk, pasing connor and hank with no response. she looked up, met hanks eyes and he shot her a look, to which she raised her eyebrows and made her way back to her desk. she continued working, but felt her ears burning with suspicion. trusting her gut, she shot a glance towards hank and connor, and her suspicions had proven correct when they had both already been looking at her. hank walked over and made her an offer she could not refuse.

  "y/n, do me a small favor and i'll buy you dinner. your pick."