QUOTE COMPENDIUM ⊳ connor x reader

Ch. V

"This is it." Connor announced as he drove into the parking lot.

"And it's been exactly 7 minutes, just like you predicted." (Y/n) added, taking a quick look at the time displayed right above the car radio. "Impressive."

"It's nothing." Connor just shook his head. Was (y/n) really impressed by his mere ability of predicting traffic and arrival times?

"Hey, Connor?" (Y/n) interrupted his thoughts, her voice low and groggy.

"Yes?"

"Could I wait in the car? I'm dead tired." She stretched out her arms as much as the cramped car allowed her to, her back emitting a soft crack. Her slow, groggy movements reminded him of Sumo—the Saint Bernard that was always tired, yet at the same time, inexplicably adorable. Oh, how much he had mourned Sumo after his death.

Connor shook his head. He shouldn't be thinking of the past. All that mattered was the present— and that included (y/n), too.

The Android had almost forgotten that, and felt a slight pang of shame in his chest. How careless of him! It was almost 5 AM, and after all (y/n) had been working on a night shift before offering to go with him. It obviously made sense that she was exhausted. Connor's quick scan of her face only confirmed it.

"Of course." He nodded. "Is there anything else you'd like me to buy? Other than a notebook and a pen?"

(Y/n) shrugged her shoulders and shook her head sideways.

"Alright. I won't take longer than 10 minutes."

"I know you won't." She smiled at him cheekily, then closed her eyes, sinking into the seat. She looked...peaceful and blissful at the same time.

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Connor was struggling to decide between a plain black notebook or a red one. They were both from the exact same brand, had the same price, same quality, and, yes, perfectly similar components.

There was no criteria other than the color.

Would (y/n) prefer black? Or red? Black was, as far as Connor knew, classier, and more serious. Red, on the other hand signified strong feelings, such as love, anger—

What was he doing, analyzing the symbolisms of colors?

It didn't only sound, but also probably was stupid of him to do so. Yet, at the same time, Connor couldn't help it.

"Sir, you've been staring at those notebooks for a solid 6 minutes now. Like, I don't wanna judge or anything, but it's 5 am." The cashier spoke up, causing Connor to almost drop both objects. Startled, the android glanced in the man's direction, realizing that he hadn't even acknowledged his presence up until then. The cashier was about 17 years old, Connor approximated, and looked, as an entirety, completely awry. "And most people don't come to gas stations at 5 AM to stare at notebooks."

"I can't decide between red and black." Connor explained out loud.

"Well, just pick one randomly." The cashier suggested, propping his elbow up on the counter and resting his head up as he watched Connor with a bored expression.

"Are there any other designs?"

"Nah, don't think so." He shrugged, brows furrowing as he seemed to be thinking. "Or maybe..."

He stepped out from behind the cash register, walking over to the Android groggily. Connor got the hint quickly and stepped away from the shelf, letting the cashier dig through it. After moving aside multiple rows of black and red notebooks, he finally picked out one.

"Here." He held it out for Connor, who took it from him, inspecting the cover. Red with black polka dots. How fitting.

"Thank you."

"Yup." The cashier nodded and returned to the register.

Following hin mechanically, Connor looked around himself, his eyes landing on an array neck pillows. That would be beneficial not only for (y/n)'s sleeping position, but her back as well.

He took one off the shelf, analyzing the components. It contained viscoelastic foam, covered in polyester. It was soft, yet dense enough to provide proper support for a human head.

Starting to get just a little carried away, Connor continued his search, going through the ingredients of multiple snacks and choosing the ones that seemed the most healthy while also dodging allergens. Not an easy task, but then again, he was an Android detective.

Tucking the pillow under his arm, holding the notebook and snacks in the other, Connor returned to the counter, grabbing a bottle of water on his way there as well.

"That all?" The cashier asked.

"Yes."

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Only a minute later, Connor was making his way towards the car with all items in his arms, struggling not to drop anything on his way there. He opened the back seat first, storing all the snacks there, then made his way to the front seat.

"(Y/n), I decided to buy you a-" He cut himself off upon realizing that she was fast asleep. Her neck was bent in an almost impossible way as she had cuddled against the old leather seat.

(Y/n) was breathing slowly and peacefully, her expression melted into blissful unawareness Connor found endearing to look at. Occasionally, her brows twitched, furrowing in the slightest.

The Android could only guess that she was dreaming something. Human minds never ceased working until their death—whether the body was resting or not, the brain was always active, and that was fascinating. Well, to Connor, at least. When he would go into standby mode, nothing happened in his processors other than his internal clock counting the seconds that passed by. Humans, on the other hand—they dreamed. When they were unconscious, their imagination would make up the wildest fantasies, and the best part was that they could experience them without even knowing it was just their own mental creation. During the time they spent in REM sleep, they thought it was real.

Connor wished he could experience some sort of similar unawareness, even if it would be only for a few hours.

Careful not to disturb her sleep, he brushed one hand under her chin, lifting (y/n)'s head just enough to place the other one on her cheek. Slowly, gently, he placed the pillow around her neck, and settled her back down onto the car seat. The young woman seemed to be sitting more comfortably now, he noted with a warm tingling in his chest.

Unaware of what he was doing, Connor reached to brush a strand of hair away from the young woman's forehead, smiling fondly before realizing what exactly he was doing. What was he doing?!

He pulled away immediately, placing both hands on the steering wheel and wrapping them around it tightly. As if he were afraid his body would disobey him again and act on free will.

His thoughts were interrupted by a shifting (y/n), who nuzzled her cheek into the travel pillow, small smile tugging on her lips.

It felt good to take care of someone, Connor concluded as something similar to a soft electric current coursed through his wires.