More Than A Machine || Connor x Reader D:BH

14| Running Out Of Time

Connor's perspective

When Connor opened his eyes, he was back in the Zen garden. The greenery was a mere shadow cast against the overhead misty skies. As he made his way across the white path, he noticed a frame of silver. Making the transition between bright, clean shards of pathway to cold cobblestone, he approached it.

In the centre of it was a podium of a sort, a structure with veins that pulsed blue as if it were alive. A hand scanner remained in the middle.

Connor slowly removed his artificial skin to reveal the porcelain underneath his hand as he hovered it over the scanner. The ground beneath him shook for a brief moment before remaining still. The RK800 stood up, making his way back to where he started & turning to cross over the bridge to where Amanda was sitting in a boat.

"Hello Connor, I thought you might enjoy a little cruise."

He carefully manoeuvred himself into the boat to sit in front of her, pushing against the edge of the path to move them from their original place. He reached over to take hold of the oars that sat at either side of them & dragged them both through the water, moving the rowboat along.

As they floated on top of the peaceful waters, they passed underneath one of the many bridges in the garden.

"I love this place," Amanda stated out of the blue. "everything is so calm & peaceful... Far from the noise of the world."

This one sentence brought a memory back to Connor's mind, a moment that happened only hours before.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Connor was sitting with (Y/N) in Hank's living room. The time was exactly 6:45 AM & (Y/N) was running her hand through Sumo's coat as he lay next to her on the couch.

"Detective, can I ask you a question?"

"What type of question?"

"A question that may help me understand you better as my partner."

She cocked her head for a moment before nodding.

"Sure, hit me with your best shot."

"It would go against my programming to harm an innocent human."

"It's an expression Connor, it means go ahead."

The RK800 had read that asking humans about their interests could help him understand their personalities & characteristics.

"If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go?"

The human's eyes fell for a moment & her face screwed up as if she was concentrating. Connor wouldn't say it out loud but she looked adorable when she was trying to think.

"A garden," (Y/N)'s eyes moved to the ceiling as she daydreamed. "a place with ever rolling hills, trees & rivers. A place where I could get away from the hustle & bustle of the city, far away from the noise of the world. I'd have an entire area to myself, surrounded by the sounds of nature that I've craved to hear for so many years. A tree swing preferably, just like the one I had as a kid..." She trailed off before clearing her throat.

"A place I could escape to."

They locked eyes & she smiled.

"A place where I could be free."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

(Y/N) would like this place.

"Tell me," Connor was drifting back to reality as Amanda spoke. "what have you discovered?"

"My relationship with Lieutenant Anderson is problematic." His eyes were on the bottom of the boat as he went on. "He continues to struggle with psychological issues... I suspect it clouds his judgement regarding deviants. As for Detective (L/N)-"

He felt his thirium pump skip a beat. Was he experiencing malfunctions? What was wrong with him?

"Yes?" Amanda pushed.

"She's... adapted to the way I handle situations & respects them entirely, even though I am not humane in any ways possible. She seems comfortable around me, but, I still don't know much about her past & what mental issues she's facing."

"Nothing matters more than your investigation. What's happening is too important. Don't let Anderson, (L/N), or anyone else get in your way."

But (Y/N) wasn't in the way, she was exactly where she belonged. By Hank's side, laughing & joking as they talked over coffee that very morning, the smell of a warm breakfast making its way through the room.

She was snarky, sarcastic & overall a gun waiting to be fired, but when she was around only Connor & Hank, she was different. Softer. She still had her sarcasm & humour but she was hesitant about what she said when Lieutenant Anderson was having a rough time, needless to say she still somehow managed to bring a smirk or smile to the old officer's face no matter how dark his day was.

When she was around Connor, it was as if she was talking to an old friend. Explaining things that he didn't understand to him whilst still being herself...& when they locked eyes.

When they locked eyes, it was as if the walls of reality melted away, it was just the two of them for miles on end. Her (E/C) eyes would sparkle like the sun on shimmering oceans, they drank anyone who passed in. It was like staring into a crystal lake, you could feel the calming essence washing over you from such a sight. This was the effect (Y/N)'s eyes had on him, as if he were intoxicated.

"You seem......lost Connor. Lost & perturbed..."

He let out a sigh.

"I thought I knew what I had to do...But now I realise it's not that simple." He felt troubled, something only humans should be able to feel but he knew the feeling all too well.

"You had your gun trained on those deviants at the Eden Club..."

Flashes were flung across Connor's mind as he remembered the blue-haired Traci & its companion holding hands. Its words echoed through his data frame:

'I didn't mean to kill him, I just wanted to stay alive...Get back to the one I love.
I wanted her to hold me in her arms again...
Make me forget about the humans...
their smell of sweat
& their dirty words...'

"Why didn't you shoot?"

That, he did know the answer to.
Sympathy.

"We need the deviant's intact for analysis." He shook his head.
"Shooting them wouldn't have told us anything."

He shifted his hands to push the boat along once more.

'If your investigation doesn't make progress soon, I may have to replace you Connor."

"I know I will succeed, all I need is time."

A thunder-like noise rumbled through the garden.

"Something's happening. Something serious."

Amanda stared straight at him.

"Hurry Connor. Time is running out."