Cool air embraced Connor's face when he left the police department. He put his dark coat on, fixed its collar and put his hands in pockets. Niles stood beside him and watched the surroundings with his full attention. Hank patted Connor's back and said quiet "good luck", which gained constarnated look from the android, making the man laugh. Anderson got in his car and drove away, leaving Connor with Niles.
They walked the same way as last time, sunset complimented their faces, adding them warm shades. Niles enjoyed Connor's company, even if he could see this wasn't mutual.
The weather didn't matter to androids, but fresh, moist air was nice and made a specific climate.
"I know we didn't start things in a good way," Niles said, "but I'd like to fix that, just tell me how."
Connor looked up at him.
"I don't know, Nines. I don't know if I can be friends with you."
"I will try to change that."
Connor shook his head. He didn't know, if he even wanted a friendship with Niles. The android seemed to be honest though, and that guided Connor to a question, which was in his head for a few days. He just wasn't sure, if he could ask.
"Nines... Sorry I'm asking, but have you broken the red wall?"
They both stopped on an empty path in the park. They watched each other for a moment in silence. Niles shaked his head unsurely.
"Is that it? You want me to become a deviant?" He asked, tilting his head.
"It's not what I said."
Connor looked away, folding his arms. He didn't look at the other android, because he didn't want him to see his disappointed face. Yes, he wanted him to finally open his eyes, to actually feel something. But nobody said that he didn't feel anything yet, Connor since the beginning showed some emotions too, even if he had them programmed. The fact that they weren't only codes later, is a different thing. Niles was in a similar situation and his feelings that looked honest, weren't exactly real.
The android reached his hand towards Connor, showing a white metal underneath the artificial skin.
"In that case, help me break the wall, CyberLife can't threaten you anymore," he said, forcing him to look in his eyes.
The older one furrowed his brows, looking at his face, then uncertainly took his forearm, pulling the artificial skin off as well.
"Are you sure? Don't you want to do it yourself?"
Niles shook his head.
"I'll be glad, if you help me."
The cold grey eyes met those friendly brown ones.
And the height difference wasn't really so big, in reality it almost didn't exsist.
Connor glanced at their arms, feeling like looking in each other's eyes was too intimate.
He connected to him and it lasted maybe a few seconds, before he broke Niles' wall. Then he left his forearm, however, the other still held him and slided his hand higher, on his upperarm. Connor looked at the android's actions, momentarily panicking and not feeling safe. Niles pulled him gently closer, hugging him. With this gesture, he totally surprised Connor, who was looking forward blantly over his shoulder, standing stiffly. He didn't know what to do, in his head appeared a dilemma. Return the gesture or stay indifferent?
He blinked a few times, lying his hands on the android's chest and moving him away on the arms length. When he felt beating of biocomponent imitating a heart, he took his hands and hid them in the pockets.
"I'm sorry," Niles spoke. "I was treating you real badly, I said horrifying things to you. Damn, I'm not surprised why you hate me. I'm sorry, I shouldn't even invite you on this walk."
Niles was talking slowly, but in his voice were audible so many emotions. Guilt, remorse, sadness, anger. Connor couldn't stop himself as he pulled his hand out of pocket and a little hesitantly took Niles' hand. He wanted to comfort him, tell him that everything is alright. He wanted to forgive him, but no words left his mouth. He silently held his hand, looking at him when he watched the ground. He avoided eye contact with Connor like fire.
"If you don't forgive me, I'll understand. I spoiled your life."
Connor looked at him and took his hand away, just to take his chin and force him to look in his eyes. He smiled a little, as nice as he could at that moment, to show Niles that he had nothing to be afraid of.
The android glanced away, this time to watch the surroundings. He observed the park they stood in, sunset and emptiness that was there, caused by the time of the day.
His face showed joy and impression, when he raised his brows and corners of his lips curved into a small smile.
"The world is beautiful, when the barrier doesn't tell me what to do anymore," he whispered, glancing at Connor again and smiling.
"That's true," he agreed, looking around. He blinked fast, when some idea came to his mind. "Wait for a moment."
Connor moved away of Niles, turning his side to him. He created a connection with Hank's phone, calling him. The man picked up the phone after a second.
"What's going on, Connor? Are coming home soon?" His voice echoed in his head.
For a moment the android wondered, if he made a right decision.
"Will you mind, if Niles visits us?" He asked, knowing well that the other heard everything.
Silent fell for a while.
"I hope you know what you're doing," he spoke again, apparently amused.
"Hank! You know exactly that... ah, nevermind," he said, shaking his head in disbelief.
However, he couldn't stop a little blush finding its way to his face. It happened against his will.
"Okay, okay, is that all?"
"Yes, see you, Hank."
"Yeah, bye."
When Connor ended the call, he needed a while to calm and get rid of the pink shade on his cheeks. He walked over Niles again.
"You surely heard my conversation," he said and the younger one nodded.
"Are you certain, you want me to go with you?" He asked, raising his brows.
"Yes, and let's go before I change my mind."
Connor walked in direction of exit of the park, in the meantime calling a taxi.
· · ·
Connor closed the door behind Niles, then kicked his shoes off his feet and glanced at his guest, who did the same. He quickly hung his coat on a hanger and looked at CyberLife jacket that Niles was wearing. He tilted his head a bit, then with a hand gesture, invited him deeper in the house.
"Hank, we're here," he said, walking into the living room.
Anderson looked at them over his arm and momentarily his face showed grimace.
Connor went to some kind of locker, where he kept his clothes. He didn't have many of them, but he didn't really need them anyway. He grabbed one of the black plain shirts he had and threw it to Niles.
"Go change. I don't wanna look at CyberLife jacket, being at home."
Niles nodded, hung his jacket and went away to change his black shirt with a high collar. He looked really uncomfortable.
When Niles was in the bathroom, like a civil person, Connor sat next to Anderson and looked at Sumo, who lay on the couch.
"You think it was a good idea to invite him here?" Hank asked.
Even if he was joking earlier, he didn't like it. But Connor surely knew what he was doing, right?
"The last time he was here, he made you cry like a child," he stated quietly.
"I helped him break the red wall," he answered equally quiet.
Then they heard sound of opening a door and Connor leaned back to glance at the android, who had in his hands a neatly folded shirt and walked towards them.
"I'll take it," he offered, taking the clothing and put it quickly, but carefully, in the locker.
Hank got up, grabbed a bottle of whiskey from the table, and started to walk to his bedroom.
"Goodnight, kiddos," he said, disappearing behind the door of his room.
Connor smiled a little and rolled his eyes.
"You know, I don't really have my own room, so we'll stay here," Connor announced, sitting on the couch and letting Sumo lie his head on his knees.
He started to play with the dog's fur, after a moment feeling that Niles sat next to him. He was quiet for a while and looked as Connor petted the animal, smiling a bit. It was a peaceful and nice view.
"What's his name?" He asked eventually.
Connor looked up at him.
"Sumo. He's great," he stated, leaning down and hugging the St. Bernard.
The dog didn't mind, he was visibly enjoying attention that he got. He was wagging his tail and Connor moved away with a smile, continuing on petting him.
Niles leaned over and reached his hand to pet the dog too. A touch of the fur surprised him a bit, but it was somewhat nice feeling and he understood why Connor liked to do it so much. Sumo crawled on the android's knees, only to go past him and place himself between the two of them.
"Now I know why people like dogs," Niles stated, glancing at Connor. "However, it seems like some of them like cats as well," he added.
Connor looked at him.
"It's right, humans like to name themselves... "a dog person" or "a cat person", if I remember correctly," he announced, laughing quietly.
"Well, in that case detective Reed is a cat person," he said, not wondering over his words.
"Is he? I guess it suits his personality. An asshole, rude and a loner, not counting Tina and Chris who can stand him," Connor announced, smiling. "Though I think behind Gavin's behaviour is hidden something more."
Gavin's. Niles couldn't but notice how Connor used his first name, not his police range. The fact he called Hank by his first name wasn't strange for him, but Reed? They didn't seem close. And the detective lived in denial, treating Connor just bad.
"You're on first name terms with him?" He asked, taking his hand away of Sumo's fur.
Connor raised his brows, glancing at Niles, like he was wondering what he meant.
"Ah, this. I think we are, at least I didn't notice, if he minds me calling him by his first name."
He was looking at Niles for a moment, waiting for an answer. The younger one thought if he could take a risk or it would be better, if he let the topic go. Silence was getting longer and he didn't know if he would do a good thing by letting Connor know.
"Do you, maybe, know why is that?"
The android tilted his head, furrowing his brows. What did he has on his mind this time?
"We're working in one office, it shouldn't be weird."
"Maybe there's another reason," Niles stated seriously.
"How do you know?"
Connor was curious and irritated at once. He didn't know what was the android's point nor what was going on in his head.
"He told me."
It caused his quiet laugh. He saw seriousness in Niles' eyes, but he wouldn't expect detective to confess anything like that to the android.
Then he reached his hand towards Connor, for the second time this day, showing white metal under the artificial skin, encouraging him to connect. He knew exactly what he meant by that, but he hesitated. Did he really want to know the answer?
Eventually, he took his forearm with a bit of uncertainty, connecting to his memory.
A short record of conversation that Gavin and Niles had in his car, transferred to him. He listened carefully, seeing everything from the android's perspective, and after a moment letting his arm from the touch. He processed the received information in his head and flinched.
"Okay, firstly, damn, this conversation was at least strange," he stated, frowning. "Secondly... honestly? I can read signs sent by people, so I'm not really surprised. And I'm sorry about that."
"You're sorry?"
Connor glanced at him.
"It's sad he has feelings for someone who can't grow old with him. He's human, I'm an android. Don't you think it'd be selfish? To take away someone's peaceful life, which they could spend with another human and share with them human's life spheres. I'm glad he's not gonna tell me anything, after all, I don't want to break his heart," his voice was calm, low.
He closed his eyes, resting his head on the back of the couch. He didn't want to look at Niles face, he didn't know what he would see, if he decided to do so. He felt a hand on his own and that made him open his eyes and stare at the android.
"Nobody's mad at you for that, Connor. You don't have to trouble yourself," he told quietly, trying to comfort him.
"I know, Nines. I know."
Strangely, he didn't took his hand away from the touch. For him, it wasn't anything different, weird too. However, Sumo had other plans, because he started to poke their hands, demanding attention. Connor laughed, took the dog's head in his hands to pet him, and hugged into his fur after a second. Sumo lay his head on the android hair, enjoying his closeness.
Niles smiled and his android heart beated faster, when he watched the scene. He started to think of the question Gavin asked him. Did he feel something for Connor? He had no idea, he didn't know how he was supposed to check this as well, after all he gained his true emotions just today. He didn't have any experience with feelings, he was like a lost kid, who just started to learn about the world. He was aware that if he felt something for him, he certainly didn't feel the same, he was behaving horribly since the beginning, since they first met.
His gaze went to Connor's LED, which shined a calm blue, colouring the back of the couch. He reached to the android's temple and rubbed it gently. Then the circle changed to yellow and Connor left Sumo's fur to look at Niles questioningly.
"I noticed that most of us got rid of their LEDs, but you kept yours," he said, moving his hand away. "I'm sorry I'm asking, but why?"
Connor instead, looked at the shining circle on Niles' temple, before he made eye contact.
"I just didn't think I needed to get rid of it," he answered honestly. "Now, when we have our rights... I'll probably deactivate it. What about yours?"
"I'm not sure," he said, tilting his head. He looked around the room, then directed his gaze at the kitchen and noticed a knife that lay on a tabletop. "Maybe I'll help you?" He offered, looking at the other android again.
Connor looked at the knife that Niles noticed earlier. He got off the couch and quickly grabbed the knife, then he returned to his place. He glanced at the android's reached out hand and he hesitated before giving him the tool. When Niles noticed this hesitation, he took his hand away and averted his gaze. It was definitely unreasonable of him.
"I understand, you don't have to trust me," he stated.
The older one just closed his eyes to grab the knife by its blade and give it to Niles. He looked at him confidently, even if his hand was shaking.
"It's fine, I trust you."
Niles stared at the knife, then at Connor and carefully took the tool from him. Sumo sniffed the android's hand and jumped of the couch, like he was making a space. If the dog trusted him, Connor could do it too, right? It was fully enough for him to sit closer, and turn with his right profile to him, so he could slowly undermine the LED with the knife, and pull it gently enough to not harm the android but strong enough to cut the component off. Connor rubbed his temple and blinked, when his artificial skin returned on its place. He picked his LED up and watched it closer with a smile.
"Thank you," he said, glancing at Niles again.
"You're welcome," he responded, smiling.
They were silent for a while, Connor was observing his deactivated LED, Niles processed his own thoughts, looking at the knife he still held. Finally he brought it to his temple to do the same.
"Are you sure?" Connor spoke.
"Do you regret this?"
Connor went silent, looking him in his eyes. Did he regret?
"No," he eventually said.
Niles gave him a smile and carefully cut the component off as well. He put the knife on the table and reached for his LED to hide it in his jeans' pocket. Connor hid his LED too, after a moment. The only light, that brightened the room now, was a turned on tv and the moon outside of a window.