SEQUENTIAL ━ Connor // RK800 ✔️

twenty-four ━ to understand

"I did bring you something to bite down on," he pulled over the rolled cloth he had procured from the infirmary section of the building. "The research I've consulted says there is a chance biting down on something while in extreme pain may help the brain focus away from the central unpleasant sensation and even release some chemicals that may alleviate the pain altogether. I read it has a lot to do with the human brain sharing in predatory instincts with animals that hunt prey which has a chance of fighting back." After his tone had faded off, Connor's lips flattened in a line and he tilted his head to the side ever so slightly, allowing his worry to return. Maybe his voice wasn't as calming as he thought he would be for her. "If you wish for silence, I can remain quiet—"

"No," Mia interrupted him, only then realizing that she had been watching speechless, eyebrows raised and lips slightly parted. "I've had my fill of silence. This is better." She took the rolled up cloth from him and though she wished to forget about the state she was in and that she was very much still bleeding, Mia couldn't help but hiss at the stinging pain her movements brought.

Much as it was a relief to know she found no difference in his brand new voice synthesiser, Connor couldn't linger on that while she was in pain. He reached his hands out, but hesitated with them hovering above her shoulders. "I'll...," he rummaged the best approach to what he was about to ask. "I'll need your permission to remove your shirt."

"How many times did I have to undress you exactly?" She retorted effortlessly, even with fatigue clinging to her own tender tone. "I know you keep count of everything."

She was right about his processing unit keeping count of everything and though he had a number at the ready to answer her rhetorical question, he shook his head instead. "This is different. I'm an android and you are human. Humans have customs of prudence that make being forced to remove clothes in front of others a highly uncomfortable situation."

Nice as it objectively was to have the confirmation that she had missed him, the warmth had doubled over once Connor realized he too had missed this. He missed the two of them talking, looking at each other, and even though this wasn't the most pleasant of ways to have their reunion, he was undeniably happy to be back by her side.

"I believe heavy bleeding cancels out that embarrassment you're talking about," Mia said, but after not even a full second, she sighed. "You have my permission, Connor."

"Thank you," he responded, instantly taking hold of her collar and undoing button after button with an efficiency that certainly startled Mia. He wasn't yanking on any of those buttons and she could barely even feel his grip on her shirt, but there he was anyway, in two blinks time, already tugging the material endings out from underneath the hem of her pants and already looking for the best approach to remove the sleeves, first from her right shoulder. Mia helped him out by lifting her back off of the surface she was leaning against and with only a bit of maneuvering around, aiding her in leaning her head down on his chest, Connor managed to remove her shirt altogether and end up easing her back against the shelves with his hand not being the one keeping the pressure over her wound.

"I'm sorry about the mess," she mumbled, looking down at the blood he was getting stained with.

"Don't be," Connor shook his head. If he were to admit that seeing the red of her blood on his hands upset him, he'd have to acknowledge and be fair to the fact that it wasn't because of the stain itself, but more so because of the only cause behind her bleeding on him would be that she was suffering and he couldn't prevent it all. To draw them both away from that topic, Connor nodded Mia to finally bite down on that cloth and once he was certain she was ready, he removed his hand and took hold of her arm instead to hold her still while he begun the meticulous process of first cleaning the place.