detroit: become human oneshots

when somebody takes my hand - hank/connor

"Which is...?" Hank pressed on, managing to push the memory aside once more.

"I, um..." Connor sighed. "I don't know how to swim."

"Oh," Hank laughed, pinching the bridge of his nose. He didn't know what he'd been expecting, but he was relieved all the same when he found that it wasn't something bad. Well, not that bad. "That's okay, Connor, I can probably teach ya,"

"...Okay," Connor mumbled, and they set down a towel slightly away from all the other beach-goers. He slides out of the teal sandals he had gotten to match his trunks and padded over to the water, where the tide rushed over the sand. Connor watched for a moment, LED still on yellow. He looked mesmerized.

"You don't have to learn to swim to go in a little, Con," Hank chuckled when Connor jumped back at the tide reaching his toes. "Just follow me."

Hank had placed their belongings on the towel he'd set down and taken off his slides, walking across the hot sand to Connor's side. He grabbed Connor's hand, who gasped quietly as his skin instantly peeled back. It had been a reaction he developed in response to Hank's touch and one of the countless things Hank loved about Connor.

"I don't know how to explain it, but I'm... scared?" Connor looked away, squeezing Hank's hand tighter. "I know it isn't going to hurt me, but I still feel this... fear."

"Hey, that's alright," Hank said, squeezing his hand in return. "New things can be scary, even if there's no particular reason to fear them. We don't have to do this, we can just sit in the sun too. I know you like that at least." Hank fondly remembered coming home to Connor sun-bathing after taking Sumo outside to use the restroom.

"No, I want to," Connor sighed, running a hand through his hair. Since the revolution, Connor had started to care a little less about keeping his hair in the style he'd been designed to keep it in. If anything, sometimes he seemed to hate the way he was designed, but Hank was always there for him if that were to occur. Connor would get to a point where he'd just curl up, scrunch his eyes shut, and light up any room with his red LED, stuck in his own head. Hank was mostly able to comfort him, telling Connor that he was his own person now and his history doesn't define him, but it was hard sometimes. Hank blinked, brought back to the present when Connor's soft thumb rubbed at the back of his hand.

"Well, let's do that then, we'll take it easy," Hank said softly, kissing their conjoined hands. Connor looked away shyly and nodded, beginning to step forward into the wet sand. Connor gasped softly at the feel of it underneath him, taking a few steps in place and marveling at the way the water and sand felt. Hank let Connor set the pace, but he stopped the android when it came up to his waist.

"Easy, Connor," Hank said when Connor excitedly tried to keep going deeper into the water. "Not trying to have you get swept under by the tide."

"...Alright, you're right," Connor sighed, backing away slightly and giving a genuine squeal at the way the waves bounced him. Hank smiled at the android's amazement, grateful to be here for one of Connor's many firsts. Connor looked at him with a smile so wide that if he were human, it'd probably make his face sore. Hank felt his heart twist with love for the android and he couldn't help but smile back at him.

"I guess it's safe to assume you like it?" Hank asked, trying to play off the blush on his face and resolved to instead look down at the seaweed that drifted around their ankles.

"Definitely," Connor said, sounding genuinely thrilled. Hank huffed a laugh,

"Good. I'm glad," Hank failed to force down a smile. "So, did you, uh, actually wanna learn to swim today?"

"...Yes, I think so," Connor breathed, trudging a few paces towards the shore before turning back to Hank. "Can you show me?"

"Uh, I can try," Hank nodded. "Just- make sure you don't breathe any water in, first of all."