Human beings do not like being pushed about by gods. They may seem to, on the surface, but somewhere on the inside, underneath it all, they sense it, and they resent it.
-- Neil Gaiman, Anansi Boys
〇〇〇
The next day, as you wrapped up some paperwork, you thanked any listening deity that it was Friday. You needed the weekend to cool down and relax. It was the perfect opportunity to hole yourself up in your apartment and binge a new Netflix series.
Connor hadn't called you last night to practice social suggestions -- in fact, he hadn't even spoken to you since yesterday, when he'd stormed off.
You were so exhausted after the past couple of days that you couldn't find it in yourself to care. Well, maybe you did. Just a little bit. But you were ready to move on.
Your swollen lip was barely visible and you were ready to get home so you could take off your bra and stuff your face with ice cream. And cuddle with your cat, Princess. Of course. How could you forget?
You were smiling to yourself when someone approached your desk, and you did a double-take. Fowler was standing behind a young girl, a hand on her shoulder.
"Captain," you said, feeling the need to address him formally in front of a civilian. "What can I do for you?"
"This young girl came in and wants to make a statement," he said, grabbing a chair for her. He put it next to your desk, and the girl sat down. "She saw some suspicious activity in that new android district, Betrys."
"Okay, sir," you said, nodding. He walked away, and you organized your desk a bit. The girl who'd sat down couldn't have been older than twenty, and she was clutching three thick books in her arms. She was wearing a chunky sweater and a raincoat, and her glasses sat a little crooked on her round face.
"Hi, I'm Detective (Y/l/n)," you said, reaching out to shake her hand. The girl smiled softly, looking down, but she shook your hand.
"I'm Emmalee," she said. "But just Emma is fine."
"Okay, Emma," you said, logging into your computer, "what brings you here today? My captain said you saw suspicious activity in Betrys?" You pulled up the form to make a new statement. "Oh, if you could hand me your ID, I could have your personal information put in automatically. If that's okay with you."
"Of course," Emma said, handing you her ID. You inserted it into the side of the computer and her personal information on the form filled up in a few seconds. When it was done, you handed it back to her.
"So, can you describe what you saw? And where?" You asked, fingers hovering over the keyboard.
"Well, I was in Betrys because I wanted to take advantage of their night owl hours . . . I have trouble sleeping, and I didn't have a class today, so I went on a whim," she said, looking down. "I picked up some books to read because the androids there opened a bookstore. It was this whole thing."
You typed a few notes, keeping your eyes on her face.
"Anyway." Emma cleared her throat. "I -- I was trying to find my cab because it got a little lost, and I passed this alleyway. It didn't look sketchy, or weird, but I saw some people get out of a van on -- on the other side. Of the alleyway."
"On the other street?" You asked, typing away.
"Yes."
"Do you know which street?"
"I only know I was on Saffron Street," she said, her eyebrows knitting together. "Sorry. I didn't get the other street's name."
"Totally fine," you said, making a note of the street Emma was on. "Continue?"
"I-- Well, these men were getting out of a van. They looked fine, but they were ushering these girls and boys out of the back . . ." She trailed off, hugging her books tighter. "They didn't look like they were fighting back, but I got a bad feeling. I'm not even sure if coming here is gonna help anything."
"No, you coming here is very helpful," you said, typing up a few things on the form before you finished. "Thank you so much, Emma. I'll forward this statement to my boss. It'll take him a few minutes to look over it, and then he might ask to talk to you personally. Do you want some coffee while you wait?" You saved the form and sent it to Fowler.
"Oh, no, caffeine makes me jittery," Emma said, laughing nervously. "I'm good right here."
"Okay," you said, spreading your hands. You scooted your chair so you were facing her now. "So, what books did you get?"
"Oh, these? These are old," she said, putting them down on the side of your desk. "This book is my favorite," she said, holding said book up. "It's a bit old, but the Twilight series was always a favorite of mine. You ever read it?"
You felt like you'd been slapped.
You stared at the mostly black cover, at the white hands holding the red apple. "Uh . . . Yeah. I read Twilight, but that was a long, long time ago. Wow, what a throwback."
"I don't wanna jinx it, but I think it's making a comeback," Emma said.
You blinked a few times, simply staring at the cover.
It brought you back to a simpler time when you were young and optimistic and creative. When all you cared about were vampires and dystopian YA novels.
You scoffed quietly. "It's already made a few comebacks," you said, sitting back in your chair. "I wouldn't be surprised if it had another one."
"I know, right?" Emma said, becoming more and more excited by the second. "The premise of the story is so applicable to so many things, too. Like, vampires? Could easily be androids. There're already so many trashy romance novels about androids and humans, and they're just like Twilight, y'know?"
You felt like you'd just been slapped. Again.
Because fate was cruel, Connor walked up to his desk just then, holding a few files.
He was wearing dark blue jeans and a maroon flannel, the cuffs rolled up to his elbows. He'd never dressed casually for Fridays, so you let yourself be slightly surprised, let yourself stare at him for just a few seconds longer.
When he got closer to his desk, you looked away, trying not to pay him any attention.
Emma was still fangirling over Twilight when Connor sat down. "It's just such a good book. And after all these years, y'know? So, what was your favorite part? Of the book or the series?"
"Uh . . ." You trailed off, staring at her blankly. "I don't know."
"Aw, come on," Emma said, flipping through the book. "I have so many. I've dog-eared a few of them . . . Let's see . . ."
"No, no," you rushed to say. "That's fine. What about your other books?" You hated to admit it, but you didn't want Connor to know you'd read books like Twilight when you were younger. You didn't need him knowing you'd grown up on YA romance novels, obsessed with some stupid vampire boy who glittered in the sunlight.
And you certainly didn't need Connor making assumptions about your personality based off said books.
"Other books?" Emma put down Twilight. You could tell that she was a little put off by your sudden change in demeanor, and you felt bad. "Um . . . I mean, I have Wuthering Heights. It's dark and urgent--" she wiggled her eyebrows "--even if the writing is a bit stuffy."
You screamed internally. "Oh, another romance novel?"
Emma's smile froze, and you saw the immediate shame in her eyes.
"I love Wuthering Heights," you said quickly. You leaned forward to indicate your interest, and Emma clasped her hands, excitement returning to her eyes. "I, uh, had to read it in high school when we were studying Victorian literature. It's one hell of a romance story."
"The way Emily Brontë talks about souls is so deep," Emma said. "Sometimes I . . . I think about soulmates and stuff like that. Like, when will I meet my soulmate, y'know?"
You felt like the girl was oversharing, but you weren't about to discourage her.
What you liked less was the fact that she started to remind you of an old friend, from the shyness to the sudden eagerness. The innocence. You wiped a hand over your face and decided to indulge her.
"I, er, used to believe in soulmates. Twin flames," you said, sitting back in your chair. "But I . . . don't anymore." You knew Connor could hear your conversation, but you tried not to focus on that fact too much.
"Oh? Why?" Emma asked, her eyebrows knitting together. "Bad experience? Or did you meet someone at the wrong time?"
You refrained from rolling your eyes. Just barely. "I lost someone close to me. A friend."
"But . . . they weren't your soulmate?"
"Soulmates don't always have to be romantic . . . They were a close friend. And I loved them."
Emma's eyes widened. "Oh . . . I'm so sorry for your loss. I-- I'm sorry I asked."
You took a deep breath. "No. It's fine, really. Don't worry about it."
"(Y/n)!"
You looked up to see Fowler waving at you from his office.
"Send the girl in," he called out, closing his door.
"That's me, I guess," Emma said, standing up. She gathered her books, biting her lip. "And I'm, uh, really sorry for asking. I hope I didn't bring up any bad memories."
"No, you're good. Really, it's fine," you said softly, standing up as she walked away. You watched her walk into Fowler's office, and then you lowered your gaze, focusing on the floor. She'd reminded you so much of Ryan that you almost hadn't noticed. You wouldn't have noticed had she not brought up soulmates -- a stupid thing you and Ryan had always talked about.
You sat down slowly and then opened your desk drawer, slipping out an old photo of them. It was an electronic photo, so it would never look aged. You stared at their smile, at the way they'd tried to cover their face from the camera.
You exhaled and put the photo away, closing the drawer slowly. When it clicked shut, you noticed your hands were shaking.
Blinking slowly, you tried to rouse yourself from your thoughts. There was a time and place to feel bad about yourself, and it wasn't at work. You shook your head and reached for your phone, but you saw Connor staring at you, holding a few papers in his hands.
You would've said something to fill the silence, but you wanted to see if he'd say anything first. So you grabbed your phone and looked through your notifications. You were looking for a distraction, and when you saw that Nines had texted you, you opened his message.
⊖⊖⊖⊖⊖
⊖⊖⊖⊖⊖
Nines texted you back the fire emoji, and you chuckled softly.
"Oooh, who you texting? Got some hot date for tonight?"
You rolled your eyes, locking your phone. You spun around in your chair so you were facing forward, facing Gavin.
"No."
"Oh?"
"I was texting Nines, if you must know," you said, waving your phone before you put it down. "He just wants to catch up, and I do too. And today's Friday, so it's perfect timing."
"'Perfect timing,'" Gavin said sarcastically. "Right. Twenty bucks says you're gonna be smooshing booties by the end of next week."
You grimaced -- a visceral reaction you couldn't help. "There is so much wrong with you, Gavin Reed."
"Thank you."
"Not something to be proud of," you said as he walked back to his desk. You shook your head to yourself, trying not to smile. You and Nines were friends. You'd talked about a lot of stuff when you'd first started hanging out, and you were more than sure you could confide in him when it came to . . . talking about Connor.
You inwardly groaned, thinking back to Emma, the girl you'd just been talking to. You couldn't get something she'd said out of your head.
"The premise of the story is so applicable to so many things, too. Like, vampires? Could easily be androids. There're already so many trashy romance novels about androids and humans, and they're just like Twilight, y'know?"
Your life wasn't turning into a YA vampire series.
No, ma'am.
And -- And it just wouldn't. It couldn't. There was no happy ending in which Connor could magically turn you into a vampire -- an android. And you wouldn't live happily ever after. And-- Just . . . No. And you were both so immature. Mostly Connor right now, but that's none of my business. In what world would you two work out? Your mind was racing too fast for you to keep up with any fleeting thought.
You pinched at the bridge of your nose. I'm definitely talking to Nines about this.
Glancing at your phone again, you realized it was six -- time to go. You started packing up, putting a few things away in your purse, and then you stood. You shimmied into your dark brown peacoat and then wrapped a scarf around your neck.
"Night, (Y/n)," Gavin said from his desk. "Have fun tonight."
"Yeah, yeah," you said, nodding at him. "Happy Friday."
You glanced at Connor before you grabbed your purse, hoping he'd say something, but he didn't.
〇〇〇
Before 10 PM rolled around, you made yourself a few drinks and sat at your kitchen counter, scrolling through social media. You'd made yourself a few lemon drops and were throwing them back, trying to get your mind off of work, Twilight, sparkly vampires, certain androids named Connor, and your dismal future.
Your dismal future -- that was how it felt as you scrolled through some of your old friends' Instagrams, looking at posts of them getting engaged or married or even having children. If your mother were here, she'd probably say something incredibly unhelpful like, "Your biological clock is ticking, (Y/n)!"
"No shit," you grumbled to yourself, downing another lemon drop. You were four deep, and you were in the middle of your fifth when you got a notification from Snapchat.
Connor has added you as a friend!
You choked on the alcohol, feeling it burn up your nose.
You had to put down your phone as you walked over to the sink, coughing over it for a few more seconds. Once you were finished, you downed half a cup of water.
When you finally settled down, you walked back over to your counter and picked up your phone with both hands, staring at the notification.
"What . . . the fuck?" You unlocked your phone and opened Snapchat, adding this "Connor" back on a whim. Then you texted him, "Did you just add me on Snapchat? I thought you didn't own an actual phone."
You got a snap from him instead, and when you opened it, it was a picture of Sumo sitting on his lap on Hank's couch. There was text, and it read, "Yes. I finally got a phone. Also, here is a picture of Sumo."
You narrowed your eyes. Before you could let your racing thoughts get the best of you, you poured another lemon drop and downed it. And then another.
You wanted to snap him back, but you got a text from Nines saying he was outside in a cab. You put your phone down and had a few more lemon drops, and then you fixed your hair in a mirror in the hallway.
You'd decided on ripped black skinny jeans and a band T-shirt with a few holes in it. Your outfit made you feel a little . . . . young, so you put on a light blue denim jacket to cover the holes in the back of your T-shirt. Then, slipping into some two-inch booties, you grabbed your phone and headed out.
When you got to Nines's cab, you opened the door and took a picture of his face with the flash on. He started in surprise, and you laughed, even snorting a few times, as you got in.
"It's just going to Connor," you said, sending it to him. "He finally got a Snapchat."
"And you didn't have to convince him? How unusual," Nines said, making room for you. You hopped in and closed the door, and then the self-driving cab took off.
He pulled down a small table in front of you guys and set a small glass bottle of vodka and juice on it.
"Ugh, you're the best," you said, picking a radio channel to listen to. You turned it up and sat back as Nines made you a drink. "Do you have something for yourself? For your thirium?"
"Everything's all set," he said, giving you your drink.
You sniffed it and refrained from making a face. It was strong, but it was exactly what you needed. "What does that mean?"
"It means," Nines said, taking out a small vial of clear liquid, "that I'm all set." He smiled wide.
You rolled your eyes. "Jesus. What is that? Moonshine for androids?"
"It's this new drink that gets androids fucked up," Nines said. "Don't worry, it's legal. Just in small amounts. If I drank this whole vial right now, my systems would probably force a shutdown."
You raised your brow. "Wow. I'm a little jealous." You laughed together for a few seconds, and you then sipped on your drink that was clearly more vodka than juice. But as the drive went on, your tongue was starting to feel numb, and then your face was -- you were getting comfortably drunk.
"You good there?" Nines asked, turning to face you in the backseat. He brought a leg up on the seat and grabbed his shin. "You wanna stop drinking?"
"Nah," you said, waving a hand. "Besides, I wanna cheers to your new last name. Your legal name." You raised your clear plastic cup, and Nines smiled, looking down.
"It's nothing," he said, shrugging.
"Come on!" You exclaimed. "It's everything! Nines Drake, raise your nefarious vial right this second so we can have a toast!"
He laughed at you, but he raised his vial, and you clinked your drinks together. He took a very small sip while you finished yours off, sitting back with a sigh.
Nines guffawed at your empty plastic cup, but it turned into a whoop of laughter. "You're gonna be very, very drunk tonight. Maybe I'll hold off on this so I make sure you get back alive."
"Aw, how chivalrous of you," you said, putting your plastic cup down. You'd give drinking a break for a second -- it wasn't like there wouldn't be alcohol at the party. "So," you said, clearing your throat. "Connor."
Nines's eyebrows rose. "How bold of you to bring him up first. I thought I'd have to squeeze it out of you."
"The benefits of getting me drunk," you said, waving a hand. You jammed your fingers into the seat, but you didn't even bat an eye. "I'm very talkative when I'm drunk, and I wanna talk about Connor. Because, holy shit, he's been such a pain in my ass lately. One second he wants to be as human as possible, and then the next he's telling me to fuck off. Like, who knew androids could have mood swings? Not me."
"I'm sure he didn't say that," Nines said, taking another small sip from his vial. He furrowed his brow and then corked it, slipping it into one of the pockets of his black leather jacket.
"He basically did," you said, propping your head up with your left hand. "One second he wants to talk to me, the next he doesn't. And it all started because he said he downloaded that flirting update from Social."
"He what?"
You looked at Nines again and saw that he was staring at you with wide eyes, mouth parted in shock.
"Yeah, I know, right?" You nodded. "It's like, so what if it prompted flirty interactions with me? Ugh. Move on."
Nines's eyes widened even more. "He-- It doesn't sound like you want to."
"I do," you said, looking at Nines then. "At least, I told him we should move on from it. For the sake of our work and stuff. I mean, that was the right idea, right?"
"I don't know, but--"
"He literally stormed off yesterday and told me he wanted to put his Social updates on pause," you said, ignoring Nines. "So that's that. He doesn't want anything to do with me anymore. And I don't care."
"I think you're jumping to a few conclusions, and besides, Connor--"
"Can do whatever he wants now," you said, raising your voice. You weren't angry at Nines, you were just getting worked up. "I'm not his babysitter anymore. I've moved on! If he wants to apologize to me, then he can. Otherwise, the ball's in his court."
You wanted to continue, but Nines spoke up over you.
"So you're telling me he downloaded a Social update for flirting?" Nines asked, leaning closer to you. "And he willingly told you it suggested that he flirt with you? Based off of old memories?"
"Yes," you said, furrowing your brow. "He even said it went for a folder he'd named after me. A little weird, if I do say so myself. Who keeps folders of their coworkers?"
Nines threw his head back and started laughing, and you simply blinked, staring at him. You realized he was laughing at you, so you whacked his arm.
"Okay! Okay! Sorry!" Nines said, gasping for breath. "Sorry, it's just--" His words dissolved in more laughter, and you were getting fed up with him, feeling more and more embarrassed by the second.
"Come on, Nines," you said, covering your face so he couldn't see how red you were. "Fucking speak up!"
"I'm sorry," Nines said, waving his hands frantically. He pulled your hands down from your face so he could look at you. "It's just-- What you're talking about is so . . . It's obvious, isn't it?"
"Apparently not," you deadpanned.
"Connor likes you," Nines said. "And he was just surprised because, up until the update, he'd probably only thought of you as a friend."
Your heart rate sped up. You placed a hand on your chest to feel steady. "No. That . . . He said it was an accident. He said he was stopping the flirting update--"
"There's no way to stop an update once it's started," Nines said, cutting you off. "He . . . probably said that to make you feel better."
Though you were completely inebriated at that moment, you tried to sort through a few things. "Wait . . . So . . . But the flirting update just-- It just-- It only suggested--"
"When I got the flirting update, it was a little jarring," Nines said, shrugging. "It's coded differently than the other ones, in that it attaches to old memories and relationships and makes the android see them in a different light. A lot of androids describe it as, like, coming up for a breath of fresh air."
You closed your eyes, frozen in your seat. "Yeah, but Connor could always get rid of it?"
"He could probably try to delete it," Nines said, "but the program has already done its job. His perception of you was altered. If I didn't know any better, I'd say he's got a little crush on you. And is super conflicted. Isn't that hot? Wait, you look pale. Are you gonna throw up?"
You opened your eyes, and then you looked at the drinks. "I might need another one. Can you make me a light one?"
Nines shook his head, but he made you another one anyway. "Aren't you glad? Don't you like him?"
"It would never work out," you said as the cab slowed down. "In any universe. No matter what."
"A little depressing, no?" Nines asked, handing you a cup of juice with just a little vodka in it. "Why not let a good thing happen?"
"Because," you said, looking away. You took a few sips of your drink as the cab slowed to a crawl and then stopped in front of a highrise.
This section of the city was busy and buzzing with excitement, and neon signs across the street were lighting up the night. What caught your eye was the number of people waiting outside the high-rise, supposedly trying to get into a party.
"Are we going to a party in there?" You asked, glancing back at Nines. "What? Do you have connections or something?"
"Something . . . like that," he said, grabbing his juice and vodka. He got out of the cab and threw the juice away, tucking the vodka inside his jacket. He opened your door, helping you out.
Once the solid ground was under your feet, you almost fell over, but Nines caught you.
"Jesus, (Y/n)," he breathed. "Are you gonna be okay?"
"Someone's already blacked!"
You froze, looking at Nines. He smiled and laughed nervously, letting you stand up straight and turn around. You saw Gavin walking over to you, kind of staggering.
And behind him -- Connor.
You fisted a hand in Nines's jacket, yanking him down to your face. "You invited them? And you didn't tell me?"
"Surprise?" Nines asked, his voice pitching up a few octaves.
You pushed him away from you, facing Gavin and Connor. You looked over Connor quickly, taking in his beat-up black converse sneakers, light wash jeans, and a surprisingly fashionable silky polo shirt.
You swallowed thickly, your brain exploding in a word vomit -- and what Nines had just told you.
"Damn, how much have you had?" Gavin asked, slapping a hand on your shoulder. Connor looked at you from behind Gavin, his expression cooled over. "I took a few -- a few shots before we came! Feel great. Feeling great."
"Wonderful words," Nines said sarcastically, motioning for you and the boys to follow him as he walked over to the building.
You knew you had nothing else better to do that night, so you followed him, grumbling to yourself.
"Why didn't you tell us you were goin' out?" Gavin asked, walking next to you. "I know I'm a few years older than you, but--"
"Tonight was supposed to be about -- about forgetting," you said, trying not to slur your words together. "But fuck it. You're already here, aren't you?"
"Ouch, how icy," Gavin said, poking your shoulder repeatedly.
You were seconds away from biting his finger off when Nines got you and everyone else into the building, effectively skipping the line. You were all ushered into an elevator, zipping up to the top of the building.
You kept your back to Connor and glared at Nines. "This better be a good party."
"Hey, shouldn't you be thanking me?" Nines asked, pinching your cheek. You made to slap his hand away, but he'd already moved it.
"For?"
"For enlightening you," Nines said, raising a brow. "On more than a few things."
"It doesn't help me," you said. You looked away, refraining from pursing your lips. You didn't need Nines to think you were petulant when you were drunk.
So very drunk.
"Whatever you say," Nines said, throwing his hands up. "It's your life."
You tried to give him a withering look but knew you'd failed when he smiled. When you turned away from him, the elevator doors pinged open, and what was revealed was both alarming and exciting.
A huge party was being held in this penthouse, and the music was so loud you could feel it in your teeth. People, mostly older young adults, were jumping around, throwing shots back, playing pong, and dancing everywhere instead of walking.
You and the boys moved out of the elevator, gawking at, well, everything. A few girls danced by you, holding hands and getting their beer everywhere. Gavin stared after them, mouth open.
"I need another drink," you announced, and you felt Nines dragging you further into the penthouse.
You weaved through bodies, and he finally found a keg and got you a drink. You hated the smell of beer, but you quickly downed a few cups, receiving some applause and cheers.
The dance music playing was reaching a climax, so you and Nines quickly found the DJ and started dancing like dumbasses.
You were just sober enough to realize how stupid you looked, but you hadn't had this much fun in ages. You pretended to twerk, because you had no idea how to, and Nines threw his head back, laughing so hard he wasn't making any sound.
You flipped your hair, straightening, and you saw Connor and Gavin standing in front of you. You felt yourself turning red, but Gavin quickly turned the spotlight on himself.
"I bet I can twerk better than you," he said, making Connor take his beer. Gavin turned around and tried to twerk, and you laughed so hard you almost passed out. You leaned on Nines for support, and you watched as Connor finally cracked a smile and started laughing.
Connor caught you staring at him, and his laugh faded until it was just a smile, his eyes soft.
You felt your heart rate increase. You wanted to feel flattered, that he was finally looking at you and smiling, but it felt like such a mixed signal compared to everything he'd done over the past couple of days.
You wiped a hand over your face and furrowed your brow. "I -- I have to pee. I'll be back. Stay here, you guys."
You weaved through the crowd without another word, searching and asking around for the bathroom. There was one bathroom, and the line was long, so you did some sleuthing. You found a bedroom, and there was a sign on the door telling people not to enter it, but you ignored it. You had to pee so bad, and you wouldn't have your night ruined by pissing yourself.
You pushed into the bedroom, ignoring the sleek and expensive furniture, and then you found the bathroom. It was so minimalistic and expensive-looking. You almost felt bad for using it.
But you turned around to close the door and nearly screamed. Connor was standing there, Gavin's drink still in his hand.
"Jesus, Connor!" You said, pressing a hand over your heart. "You scared the shit out of me!" You paused, narrowing your eyes. "Why're you even here? I need to piss."
"So go," Connor said. "I'll wait outside."
You were about to object to even that, but you heard the bedroom door open. Connor's eyes widened slightly, and he quickly moved into the bathroom and shut the door, locking it. You were about to yell at him, but you really had to pee, so you simply ripped your jeans and panties down and went to the bathroom.
Connor kept his back to you, but you could the tips of his ears turning blue.
You blushed yourself, finishing up quickly.
When you were done, you flushed and started washing your hands quickly, trying to relax.
You thought you'd have some time to talk to Connor, but someone knocked on the bathroom door.
"Hey! Did you even read the sign?!"
You started in surprise, and then you felt guilty. You opened the door, about to apologize profusely, but when you saw who was standing there, your eyebrows shot up.
"Elijah Kamski," you said, hiccupping. "What're you doing here?"
"What?" Kamski asked, mouth pulling back in a grimace. "I own this penthouse. Now get--" Kamski stopped when he saw Connor standing behind you, a hand now on the bathroom door by your head. "Ah, Connor. What a surprise! Didn't think you'd be the type of android to have a little fun in bathrooms, but I guess times are changing."
"We--!"
"We weren't doing anything," Connor said, cutting you off. "And we were just leaving."
"Aw, come on," Kamski said, spreading his hands. "The party's just getting started. Come, hang out with me on the balcony. Tell me how you're adjusting to the Social updates. I'm curious! And," Kamski looked down at you, smirking, "introduce me to your friend."
You tried to come up with a witty comeback, but the alcohol was finally settling and fucking you up for good.
So instead -- you felt yourself turning red. And it wasn't just that -- you were trying to figure out why Connor and Kamski were talking like they knew each other.
"Uh . . ." You trailed off.
"Aw, you got her so drunk," Kamski said, lowering his voice. He reached out to touch your face, and you froze, unsure of what to do.
Connor roughly put Gavin's cup of beer in Kamski's open hand.
You yelped when Connor opened the bathroom door more and shoved you out, and you stumbled around Kamski. "I'm sure we'll see each other again," Connor said, keeping you moving. "Goodbye, Kamski."
Connor pulled you out of Kamski's room, and he didn't let go of your arm until you were by the living room. He stopped, looking behind you to make sure Kamski hadn't followed.
"Connor . . ." You trailed off as he looked down at you. "Th--Thanks. For that."
"Of course, detective."
"(Y/n)," you said. "Just call me by my first name."
You were about to quite literally run away if Connor didn't say anything, but he finally said, "Sure. I . . . think that's a good idea."
You smiled wide, knowing you probably looked like a downright fool. Connor's LED swirled yellow as he looked over your face, thinking.
Someone passed you with a tray of Jell-O shots, and you gasped, grabbing two and slurping them down. "Come on, Connor. The boys are probably wondering where we are. Besides, I wanna see Gavin try to twerk again."
Connor smiled, then, and shook his head at you, but he followed you as you made for Nines and Gavin.
You realized you were ever so close to blacking out, but that was a problem for Future You.
The moment was nice.
And you weren't going to let yourself fuck it up with overthinking.