METAL GUARD DOG ⊳ connor x reader

Ch. IX

It smelled of bitter sewer water, and Connor could've sworn he heard rats squeaking, hissing and chattering around him. A shiver crawled down his spine at the sound of their tiny claws scratching over the dry concrete below his feet.

(Y/n) was confidently striding through the labyrinth-like underground corridors, not even bothering to get a light source of some sort. He was lucky to hear her shoes squeak when she suddenly ceased walking, stopping as soon as his chest bumped against her back. An iron door was right in front of them.

"Okay, this should be it. Remember, I-"

"Do all the talking, I know."

"Good."

(Y/n) nodded at him over her shoulder, then twisted the wheel positioned in the middle of the door, which caused it to creak loudly, then, after a few hearty pushes from (y/n), to slowly open.

"Velox, dear! I was expecting you, come on in!" The voice was male, deep, throaty, and somehow...raw, yet unusually dulcet. Like honey mixed with blood.

(Y/n) was quick to step inside, a certain jump in her step Connor hadn't noticed before. She was...nervous? That couldn't be it. He followed suit, a bit too eager to fulfill his mission as a protector. Connor had to admit that it felt good to have a purpose.

He hadn't expected to see a thin, gangly man with short white hair and a sharp, squared jaw sitting on a pulsh chair, left ankle hooked over his knee and hands carelessly thrown on the velvety armrests. Android components. By his side were standing a young woman with an assault rifle strapped to her back and what Connor identified as two doberman dogs sitting at her feet, all of them machines as well.

"Hello Odin. I brought a friend." (Y/n) spoke up, almost shakily, then cleared her throat. She gestured towards Connor, a slight twitch in her fingers as she did so. "Arkay."

"I didn't ask for extra men." The white-haired man growled, veiny muscles on his arms suddenly tensing, fingers clenching around the armrests.

"I-I know, Odin, I know, I...I just thought I'll be more efficient with his help. We'll share the profit, you don't have to pay him extra."

The man only sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose.

"What does your friend have to offer?" He said after a few seconds.

"He...used to be a human, got a Memotran body recently, and wanted to get into the business."

Connor's wires seemed to clench in displeasure at his entire situation: the man's purple eyes appeared to be piercing through him, and he hadn't even said anything yet.

Suddenly, all of (y/n)'s feelings seemed logical. All her fears, insecurities, everything. This man was straight up terrifying.

"And?"

She inhaled shakily, and a quick scan was enough for Connor to read her stress levels.

75%
Increased heartbeat
Sweating

He had to get them down, and he had to do it fast.

"I can fight. I...I'm very good at calculating probabilities and at...reading people." Connor spoke up, voice unusually calm, yet somewhat reluctant. (Y/n) could only stare at him, both surprise and thankfulness in her gaze.

"Prove it." The man said, almost smirking, then turned to look at the woman beside him and snap his fingers. "Freya, dearest?"

She only nodded and calmly made her way over to Connor, dark brown hair tied up in a tight ponytail swaying along with her sharp, fast steps.

"I-Is this necessary? I didn't have to fight to be accepted." (Y/n) chimed in, positioning herself to stand in front of Connor, between him and the approaching woman. "I mean, this is just...unnecessary if you ask me."

"Good thing I didn't ask you, then." Odin answered sweetly before his gaze snapped back to the woman steadily approaching Connor. He was waiting for an answer, the deviant realized.

"If he makes such ridiculous claims, he should at least be able to live up to them." The woman added with a nonchalant shrug of her shoulders. "Freya." She then added firmly, holding out her hand in front of Connor.

"C— Arkay." The deviant was quick to correct himself and respond to the handshake.

Her grip around his hand was as tight as a vice, and she accompanied it with a sweet smile. She did look rather eye-pleasing, Connor had to admit. Long, dark brown hair styled into a simplistic ponytail, no strands falling out of it whatsoever, a slim, well-defined nose, high cheekbones, eyes gleaming with golden yellow. Stern, strong, clean-cut, yet somehow feminine.

"I'm very pleased to meet you, Fr-"

Next thing he knew, she pulled his hand towards her, causing him to collapse forward. She rammed a knee straight into his Thirium pump. And a fist into his face.

Pain was stunning, Connor concluded only milliseconds after falling to his hands and knees. And it was certainly unpleasant.

She grabbed the nape of his neck— shit.

The injury from yesterday.

Her fingernails pierced through the bandage, and through his synthskin before she let a satisfied hum slip.

"Olesia, please! That's enough!" (Y/n) barked, but a sharp, unforgiving glance from Odin shut her up instantly.

The woman let go of Connor's nape, and the deviant exhaled shakily, glad that the pain was over.

Freya initiated a kick against the small of his back. Connor was faster, rolled to his side. He grabbed her foot, held it up, and placed a solid kick against the other. That was enough to knock her off her feet, and provide Connor with enough time to rise.

He charged at her with a strong kick against her back. All air was drawn out of her synthetic lungs, and Connor used the inflicted stun to place his foot on the back of her neck, pressing her face against the floor.

His system had overheated a bit, Connor noticed in slight wonder before looking up at the white-haired man, who was sitting on the velvety chair and looking at him with a playful grin.

"Very impressive!" Odin praised loudly and clapped his hands, then waved dismissively. "That's enough, thank you."

Connor smiled proudly and moved his foot from the back of the woman's neck, and extended a helping hand.

She only huffed and took it, rising to her feet mechanically, then returned to Odin's side. The man spoke up.

"I'll give you twice the amount of Axyfomodium." (Y/n) audibly inhaled shakily at her boss' words, her posture immediately straightening as soon as Odin's gaze connected with hers. "Teach him the ropes of dealing, sell it all out. I'll pay the both of you separately."

The man's grin was unfaltering, satisfied. "He'll be very useful, I know it."