━━━━━━(●'ω｀●)━
"ARE YOU SURE YOU'RE ALRIGHT with me staying here?" your soft voice fills Connor's sleek black car alongside the barely-audible pop music playing on the radio. It's a song from that Android boy band━the one that, up until the revolution, everyone was going absolutely crazy for.
Briefly, it has you wondering if they've been disassembled or not. Markus couldn't save everyone, no matter how hard he tried. But would humans throw away such a valuable thing for money making?
"Of course," Connor says. His hands glide against the leather steering wheel and taps to the beat of the song as he turns down his snow-coated street. "Why would I mind, Y/N?"
Your lips curl into a soft smile. You don't answer his question. "One day, I'll have my own house," you say with certainty, "and then I'll be able to return the favor."
With a single, smooth movement of his hands, Connor turns down into his home's driveway and goes to pull up beneath the closed-in carport. His yard has been coated in snow, much like the rest of Detroit, and you can see a few thick icicles hanging from his roof. But that's not what catches your eye.
There's already another car parked beneath his carport, taking his usual place.
It's a sleek, fancy BMW convertible model the color of silver-streaked moonlight. It has a glass roof that glints beneath the faint, nearby streetlight━and you recognize that sort of roofing. It's unique only to this model. These sorts of cars have the ability to project interior holograms onto the ceiling to give their driver whatever ambiance they want, from sunsets to internet videos of cats slap-fighting each other.
A car like this...
It costs far more than just a pretty penny. You're almost certain there are only fifty models produced in the US.
Just as you're about to run a scan on the number plate to see who owns the car, you notice how quickly Connor's heart is beating. All of a sudden, it's beating concerningly fast, like it's trying to break out of his chest and run across the car's dashboard. Worriedly, you look over at him and give him a quick scan. A new sort of anxiety you haven't yet experienced grips your system.
It worries you how stressed he suddenly appears.
"You should stay here," Connor says, and his tone is dark.
You blink at him, surprised by his sudden shift in behavior. "Why?.. What's going on?"
Connor's eyes flicker toward you. They've gone cold like they had when you mentioned the scars on his back. A protection mechanism? Is this him shutting down his emotions to hide his vulnerabilities? Either way, you're not sure how to feel about his sudden change.
"It's my brother," Connor speaks lowly, his eyes stuck studying a half-dead pot plant far away in the distance. His eyebrows furrow together, creasing in the middle. "It's not going to be pretty. I don't know why he's here, but I can guess... He wants to stir up some trouble."
You recall the time in Cyberlife's headquarters when Connor's Android clone had taken Hank hostage.
If Richard Stern had the balls to do something like that━had the patience to perfectly clone and study every freckle and every mannerism of his own brother just out of spite━then it makes you wonder how bad it'd have to be for Connor to act so worried.
How could anything be worse than that?
"I want to come," you say, earnestly, as you stare into Connor's eyes.
He briefly looks toward you and takes in your sincere expression. Something tugs at the corner of his lips, pulling it down. Something like worry.
Somehow, that only makes you more determined. "I want to come," you speak with more intensity this time. "I'm not scared of him or anything he can say... And it'd make me feel better if I can see that you're alright with my own eyes."
Connor's frown loosens. He exhales softly through his nose and shook his head, "When you look at me like that, there's no way I can say no."
Heat rushes to your cheeks as Connor unlocks his side of the door and flashes you a grin. "Just... Whatever happens in there, try not to let him get to your head, okay? That's the most dangerous place for that assnose to be."
Assnose?
That's a new one.
WITH A QUIET GROAN, THE front door to Connor's house quakes on its hinges and slowly opens. The front hallway isn't lit up, but a nearby light coming from the lounge area peers in ominously━a reminder that you're not alone.
"How'd you get in without a key?" Connor calls, his voice slightly raised. His words echo throughout the hall, rebounding and lurking farther into the house.
All you get in response is a small giggle. It's distinctly feminine.
You step forward, your system on high alert as Connor quietly shuts and locks the front door behind both of you. You can tell he wants to be the first to walk forward, just in case something bad happens to you, but you'd rather put yourself in harm's way. You're an Android, made of plastic and silicone━if anything can handle a bit of danger, it'd be you.
"Richard, you ass, I know you're here," Connor adds, his voice growing sharper around the edges.
Someone clicks their tongue. They sound closer than the giggle. "Aw, you're no fun, Conman! Can't you at least pretend you don't know it's me? We came all this way just to see you, the least you could do is play along..."
We? Who's "we"?
You hesitate, your steps faltering as you reach the end of the hall. Directly in front of you is the lounge room and seated at the very couch you and Connor kissed on is the silhouette of a broad-shouldered man, his back facing you. He appears to have short brown hair━seemingly styled just like Connor's, but with more gel and fewer curls━and the same general physique as his brother.
You're not surprised to see Richard Stern here. Connor basically forewarned you about him, and that expensive BMW parked outside is under his name, after all.
But the person you are surprised to see is... An unfortunately familiar face. She stares right at you, mirth dancing across her eyes from where she stands, leaning on the side of the couch Richard is seated on.
Long, curly black hair dyed blue at the tips━blue instead of purple, which is what you'd been expecting based on her previous appearance. She has large, siren-like brown eyes curved at the ends, a petite yet straight nose, and heart-shaped, plump lips. And the bikini-style shirt she wears is small enough to pronounce her voluptuous build.
In every definition of the word, this woman is beautiful.
It makes you feel sick with jealousy... An emotion you haven't much felt before, but one easy to identify. Your system feels almost as though it's on the verge of overheating.
"Lorelai," from behind you, Connor's voice comes out breathless and choked. "It's been years... Why... are you here?"
Your thirium pump falters in the pits of your chest, pausing for a moment as if it's been struck down. But a mere millisecond later, it continues beating like nothing is wrong. But everything is and you know it.
Connor's first love is here with his elder brother and she's staring at him like some seductress trying to take him from you! It's entirely irrational to feel so upset by this because you trust Connor with your whole soul (or whatever Android equivalent Cyberlife installed), but your whole body burns and you're certain your LED has gone a dangerously bright red from its place, hidden behind your hair.
Surely this isn't happening? Connor isn't being taken from you right after you just got him?
Lorelai smirks and her eyes twinkle like crystals in the dim lighting of the lounge room. She pushes herself off the side of the couch and crosses her arms over her ample chest.
You're pretty sure you've seen A-list movie star bombshells less attractive than her.
Is it strange to feel so insecure when you're the Android? You're the one with the perfect, airbrushed features, with every dot and line put there perfectly intentionally. So why do you feel like this human is upstaging you?
"We thought we'd visit you, silly," Lorelai purrs, her voice velvety and warm. She tilts her head, seemingly studying Connor's expression. You're sure he must look shocked. "And I've been wanting to show you something! Look!"
As Richard stands from the couch and finally faces you, Lorelai skips right past you, one of her hands outstretched.
Richard Stern is almost identical to Connor Summers. They have the same cheekbones, high and sharp, yet Connor's seem a little rounder with youth, and the same straight nose paired with thin but pink-tinged lips. The only difference between them seems to be Richard's cold, analytical blue eyes.
The color reminds you of a neutral blue LED. They're very different to Connor's warm, Earthy tone which invites kindness and trust.
"Look!" Lorelai chirps.
She's standing behind you, you can feel her, likely much closer to Connor than you would like, yet you don't have it in you to turn around. Richard stares at you in intrigue, his light eyes intense and unforgiving. You almost feel as though he's assessing you.
"A... ring?"
The emotions in Connor's voice are too potent yet confusing for you to understand despite the few words he uses.
"Yes, we're engaged!" Lorelai responds brightly. "Richard proposed to me last week. Isn't this so exciting?"
Your thirium pump races and stutters in your chest like a confused, rabid hound, all whilst Richard stares at you curiously, one side of his lips curled into a cold smile. He has no dimple to his smile like Connor does. Just iciness.
Slowly, you disconnect your gaze from Richard Stern's and look over your shoulder to see the truth. Lorelai's back is facing you, but that doesn't bother you at all━you'd rather not stare at her any longer than necessary━and that also means you have full access to Connor's stunned expression.
His eyes are locked on the large diamond ring on Lorelai's slim finger. His lips are slightly parted like he wants to speak but can't find the words.
He's not seriously jealous of his brother, is he?! Your teeth grind together.
Suddenly, Lorelai flicks her long dark hair over her shoulder and turns to face you. Satisfaction laces her dark eyes like Thirium in red ice. She almost looks crazed━absolutely riding whatever high she's getting from this situation━yet she still seems so beautiful. It's unfair.
Lorelai nibbles on her lower lip and pouts as she blinks her doe eyes cluelessly, "Sorry, who are you? I didn't mean to ignore you, I just got sooo distracted and you're sorta just there. I'm sure you understand! I mean, you're used to it, right?"
The final part of her words went unspoken━You're used to it, right? Being over-looked?
At the side of your head, your LED burns like hot iron.
"Lorelai, don't," says Connor, his voice troubled. "This is Y/N. She's..." His words trail off, dying out like embers.
As Richard gives a dry chuckle, apparently finding the whole ordeal hilarious, Lorelai turns her head and faces Connor once again. "Oh! Is this, like, your little fling? That's so cute."
"Sit the fuck down," the words leave your mouth before you can even process them. Lorelai's whole posture changes━her shoulders have grown stiff and tight, as if she was so shocked because of you that she can't process how to respond.
Slowly, she turns her head and gapes at you. But she's not the only one. From behind her, Connor stares at you, his eyes wider than usual and a single eyebrow raised. At least he doesn't seem disapproving.
"You've broken multiple laws," you continue, your eyes flickering back to Lorelai's stunned face as you cross your arms across your chest, "unlawful enter-premise, trespassing, perhaps even breaking-and-entering if it's true that you don't have a key, and public nuisance. Oh."
You glance down at Lorelai's attire. You've now got a closer view of the skimpy bikini top she wears, one with a full show of her cleavage. It's the sort of shirt you usually wouldn't judge people for wearing because it's quite cute, but the way she keeps puffing her chest out over Connor's way is absolutely changing your mind on that fact.
Maybe it's alright to be nasty so long as it's toward her.
"And public indecency. If you don't cooperate immediately, we retain every right to call the police and press charges. In fact, as a detective, Connor could even stop you from leaving if you continue your refusal to cooperate."
You flash Lorelai a cold, robotic smile. It's one you haven't used in a while. "So sit your ass down and stop acting like you own the place."
With wide eyes and a slack jaw, Lorelai slowly turns her head to look over your shoulder━presumably to stare at Richard in shock, as if he's about to do anything to help her. After a few beats of silence, she quietly huffs and pushes past you, making her way over toward the spacious lounge.
Connor blinks at you, his brows furrowed with stress.
You quietly sigh through your nose before shooting him a soft smile. Whatever jealousy you're feeling is probably highly irrational. It's not Connor's fault he's conflicted━he just found out his first love is engaged to his brother-slash-nemesis, it's only natural for his brain to be lagging behind.
Still...
You turn your head and face Lorelai, who's seated with her arms crossed, and Richard, who hasn't moved an inch and is staring at you with strange, cold eyes.
...You hope, for their sake, they have a good reason to be here.
AUTHOR'S NOTE ━ oOOPS IM SORRY YALL, this chapter isn't the juicy one i promised, but expect the next one in a few days! also this was only loosely proofread so I'm sorry for my mistakes.
i wanted to post this so i could ask you guys a question: do you have any plot ideas for a new connor fic? I've got a couple rattling around in my mind (plus a suggestion i like the sound of), but i thought i'd ask all of yall just to make sure!
if you do have any ideas, please comment them here! (or above, if you'd prefer!)
thank you for reading :D!!