Replacement [RK1700] -ENG-

Chapter 21

When he opened them again, he saw Niles' eyebrows raise in surprise.

'"We"?' he asked.

'Yes. If you didn't say anything then, I don't know if all of it ended as it did.'

He reached to Niles' face, creating circles on his skin with a thumb, then he kissed the other cheek and rested his head on a space between his neck and a shoulder. He kept a hand on his face, so Niles felt completely infatuated by Connor's behaviour, he took this very hand and pecked its inside, intertwining their fingers together

'I thought it was the right thing to do. It wouldn't be reasonable to tell you to handle it yourself in this situation.'

'Even so, thank you.'

Connor raised his head to look at Sumo, who was still taking care of himself. Niles did the same. Then the animal turned in their direction as if he felt their gaze, and ran happily to them so he could poke their intertwined hands - by the way, their artificial skin pulled away under one another's touch, showing the white metal - and lay his head on Connor's lap.

The android smiled at the gesture, unwillingly left the embrace, then he reached to Sumo to pet him.

'I think we can go back,' he said, grabbing the leash.

He pinned it to the dog's collar and stood up. Niles followed his actions, looking around to notice the darkness slowly surrounded the park, brightened only by the artificial light of lanterns. His eyes stopped on the trees which gained their liveness again after the snowy winter, a shade of green leaves was decorating branches once more. People who were outside at this hour to walk their dogs wore light spring coats or jackets, holding leashes so strongly to not let the dogs go. Rational action, logical.

But Sumo was attached enough to his friends, mature enough to return without a need to be angry with him or calling for him because he left somewhere. He held onto trusted people, didn't want to run away, chase after something interesting, despite his dog's instinct.

'Nines?'

Connor's voice stopped his train of thoughts he didn't even know he was lost in. He saw him standing a few steps further, turned sideway and waiting for him. Niles nodded apologizingly and quickly came over, letting him take his hand and intertwine their fingers again. He smiled to him in return, strengthening the grip.

These small although loving gestures were addicting and despite the lack of comparison, any knowledge, Niles thought he wouldn't want to share them with anyone else than Connor. He couldn't wait until the android returned his feelings, until he'd be sure enough what he felt, that he would desire their relationship to be official. Of course, it would've been entirely fine if he didn't feel the same way - no one could be forced to love and Niles even with so small experience was completely aware of that.

'Can we call it our second date?' He asked quietly unsure and glanced at Connor with a corner of his eye.

A moment of silence.

Then a wide, cheerful smile.

'Sure,' the answer sounded.

And Niles couldn't be more happier.

· · ·

The clear door to Fowler's office were opened when the man came out and scanned the room with his gaze. He was looking for the two androids, the mechanical workers treated equally to humans, at least by most of them. The rest who had toxic hostile thoughts of the new species, hid their opinions, for they didn't want to mess with the law. Sure, there were also people who showed their hatred or disgust for the androids openly.