Predecessor (Connor x Reader)

13 - On The Run

You step closer to the wall, your fingers brushing lightly against the carvings in the plaster, drawn toward it as if the walls themselves are breathing secrets you've yet to remember. You can almost feel the weight of the symbol pressing against you, forcing something to surface from the depths of your mind. What is this? What does it mean? Your thoughts swirl. You try to tear your eyes away, but it feels like something is missing—like you're leaving something undone, something unresolved.

"Never mind," you murmur, finally forcing yourself to look away. "Let's keep moving."

You step back, but the pulse of the symbol lingers beneath your skin. It doesn't fade. It sits there, heavy, persistent, like an itch you can't scratch, and you feel a strange sense of inevitability.

Connor's gaze lingers on you for a moment, his brows drawn together, before he turns back to the door. A warmth spreads through you at the concern in his eyes. You hadn't really thought about it before, but it feels nice to know someone's worried about you... or maybe it's just because it's him. You follow behind him.

"There's blue blood on the fence," Connor continues interrogating Ralph as he enters the living room. "I know another android was here."

"Ralph scratched himself coming through... That's Ralph's blood..."

You glance at Connor, then at Ralph. You can't help but feel a sinking sensation in your chest. It's clear Ralph is far more fragile than he's letting on, and the unease in his eyes breaks something inside you.

"Ralph, why stay here?" You ask. "Why not leave? There's danger here, and you don't look like you're in a good state to run from it."

As the words leave your mouth, you know they aren't really about the investigation. You're not asking to further your case—you're asking because you genuinely care. You see the pain in Ralph's eyes, the tension in his movements. Connor glances at you, and there's something in his eyes that mirrors yours. All he ever seemed to care about is his mission, but as you ask Ralph these questions, you can see the way Connor's gaze softens, almost imperceptibly, like he's trying to process something beyond his programming.

He doesn't look at Ralph like a machine evaluating data. Instead, his focus lingers on him, his expression shifting, almost like he's seeing more than just the broken android standing in front of him. It's as if the walls between his duty and his growing sense of empathy are starting to crack.

His shoulders relax, just a fraction, and you catch a hint of genuine concern in his eyes. He's not just processing the facts; he's trying to understand the why.

"Ralph can't leave... Ralph is scared. Scared of them... scared of everything. Ralph's been bad... real bad. He can't leave... no place to go." His shoulders slump as he lowers his head, almost in shame.

His voice breaks, and it's like hearing the cries of someone who's been tortured, who doesn't know how to escape their own mind. You look at him, that same overwhelming sense of sympathy flooding you. He's not evil. He's just a broken piece, trying to survive in a world that only wants to tear him apart.

"Who are you hiding from? Is it the people that hurt you?"

Ralph looks up, opening his mouth to speak, but suddenly, his eyes dart behind you, wide with panic. Your heart skips a beat as you turn instinctively, your gaze snapping to the stairs where Connor is crouched, inspecting the space underneath them.

Without warning, Ralph bolts toward him, his movements frantic. You watch in shock as he grabs Connor by the shoulders, yanking him backward with surprising strength as Connor struggles to break free.

"RUN! QUICK! KARA!" Ralph's voice cracks as he shouts, his desperation clear.

Before you can react, Kara bursts from the shadows, pushing a box aside with frantic haste. Her movements are desperate, hurried, as she jumps out from behind the stairs, her hand reaching back to grab Alice's. The sight of them, clinging to each other in their desperation, stirs something fierce inside you.