The Underground (Cyberpunk Au)

Home Sweet Home

Zane turned up with a dying fighter in his arms and covered in blood.

Given her role in everything, Sonia was quite quick to side with Zane, even acquiescing that Connor's treatment for all injuries arising from the case were to be footed by the agency. It was quite difficult to argue with one of the highest ranking fighters when he had all the evidence from Connor's gear to not only get Sonia fired but also dismantle the organization quite effectively.

Even with such haste it still took Zane four days to make it to the hospital. By that time Connor was out of critical care and in a room of his own. Zane stalked down the hallway towards his room, worried about what he was going to say. Turns out, he didn't have to say anything.

Connor was propped up in his bed, bandages and tubed all around him, a nasal cannula tracked along his cheeks and under his chin. But his eyes were closed. He looked softer, sallow with purpling bags under his eyes. As quietly as possible Zane sat down in the visitor's chair and waited. He continued to monitor Connor's vitals but now he could also scan him more thoroughly. With each now bruise, hairline fracture, and stitch he winced and silently apologized for failing him.

"Zane?"

He'd been so caught up in filing away every injury that he'd missed Connor's eyes fluttering open and warily watching him.

"Hey Connor. How are you feeling?"

"Peachy," the response was accompanied by a wry smile and Zane tried to keep a straight face and stared at Connor until the man looked away in discomfort.

"You were shot in the stomach; the bullet lodged against your spine and fractured a vertebra. You were lucky it didn't damage your spinal cord and cause neural complications. Not to mention the contusions, collection of fractures including cheek, collarbone, sternum. And yet you feel peachy," the last thing he'd meant to ask as a question but it came out as a flat statement too.

Connor shrugged and a blush colored his cheeks.

"They're giving me the good stuff?"

"Yes, antibiotics, anti-nausea to combat the side-effect so that, painkillers are quite a high order. And let us not forget the IV fluids and nutrients while your stomach heals."

Zane had read up on Connor's progress, searching the hospital database and scoured the notes, aghast at how close he came to losing him. To have almost lost Connor without really ever being able to claim him as his was unthinkable.

"Doctors say that if everything goes well I can be back home by the end of next week."

That gave Zane pause for thought.

"So I was thinking," Connor broke into his thoughts, "while I'm on the good stuff I can ask this. And it's totally cool if you say no. But. Anyway, so, I was wondering if you wanted to go hang out? It could be fun. So, what do you think?"

"I would love that," Zane replied and tried to smile. It set Connor off giggling until he gasped with a pained "ow" and held his stomach.

"If you caused me to pull a stitch, I'm kicking you out."

"Of course Connor," Zane replied fondly. It earned him another grin.

True to the doctor's promise the end of the following week the day Connor was allowed to return home. Zane had taken over his continued care, medicine schedule, exercise list, follow-up appointments and physio for his shoulder. A second opinion had revealed that the ligaments and tendons in his shoulder were thankfully only stretched and not torn.

They took the elevator up, Connor lost in memories of half crawling, half climbing up the four flights of stairs. Once the doors dinged open, Zane helped Connor walk down the wide hallway to his door. A fine layer of dirt had settled around his welcome mat. A clean was definitely in order but Connor didn't think Zane would allow him to lift a sponge, let alone get on his hands and knees to scrub something. In all honesty, he wasn't sure he'd be able to do it anyway.

"Home sweet home," Connor announced as he opened up his door. Everything was exactly as he'd left it, except for a fine layer of dust. Zane helped him sit on his couch before moving through the flat, taking inventory. He opened windows to let in some fresh air, pulled clean sheets over the bed and turned on the Roomba. When the bedroom was ready he returned for Connor who was already flagging, tired from the travel. They made it to the bedroom and Connor was fast asleep before Zane had pulled the blanket over him.

They spent a few days at home before Scarlett contacted Zane. She enquired about Connor's health and almost hesitantly asked if she and Cobalt could visit. They'd bring Connor's robo cat with them to save a trip. It was a welcome idea, one that Zane wanted to keep a surprise for Connor, wanted to selfishly see his face when his beloved pet was returned to him.

The nice thing about having high tech gear was that Zane and Scarlett could keep in touch even if they were further apart - which was how Zane knew they were coming up the elevator. He asked them not to knock but rather to wait patiently as Connor had just fallen asleep. Once extracted from Connor's embrace, Zane walked to the door and opened it. With a finger to his lips, he ushered Cobalt and Scarlett in, the carrier in Scarlett's hand. They tiptoed past the couch where the light of the TV bathed Connor in flickering blue. He looked exhausted even as he snuggled into the blanket that obviously took Zane's place.

"How is he?" Cobalt asked in a hushed tone as soon as the kitchen door closed behind them.

"Recovering slowly. They're weaning him off pain medication now. He'll say he's fine but he's in a lot of pain."

"I'm sorry," Scarlett blurted out, "I didn't mean to hurt him."

"You'll have to apologize to him not me. But the injuries you caused him were mostly superficial. You're not the villain of this story."

The sound of a body shifting and the shuffle of feet broke off any further conversation.

"Zane?" Connor's voice floated through, thick with sleep.

Without replying, Zane stepped out of the kitchen, leaving the door open a crack. Curiosity got the better of both Cobalt and Scarlett as they craned their necks to see. Connor was swaying on his feet, holding onto the back of the sofa for support. His clothes hung loosely around him, long gone were the muscles he'd once upon a time been so proud of. Without a word, Zane slipped an arm around his waist and gently pressed a kiss to his temple before leading him towards the kitchen.

"I have a surprise for you," he murmured into Connor's ear. It earned him a small, pleased smile.

"That sounds nice."

They stopped in the door and Connor stared wide eyed at Scarlett and Cobalt. When Scarlett sheepishly waved at him in greeting he flinched. It made Scarlett drop her arm and look away with shame.

"I'm sorry Connor,"

"It's fine," Conner was quick to reply. "How's the case?"

"After the attempted murder of a police detective, we had quite firm grounds to arrest him. I just wish you could have seen his look of indignation when Scarlett went full seduction mode only to pin him to his own desk," Cobalt tried to smile but didn't quite manage it. Her words brought home the reality of the situation; "attempted murder" could so easily have been a plain murder.

"Anyway, we brought you someone who has been missing you," Cobalt gestured to the cat carrier on the table.

"My little monster," Conner's whole face softened and lit up.

He struggled out of Zane's grip and hobbled towards the carrier. Nobody commented on how his hands shook as he opened the door and his Russian blue tabby bundled out with indignant meows. Despite his better judgment, Conner picked her up and buried his wet cheeks into her synthetic fur. She squirmed for a moment, resisting the idea of being cuddled but settled once he scratched her under the chin. Another moment later she began purring and Connor looked up at Cobalt and Scarlett.

"Thank you," his voice was hoarse, relief at getting his cat back, at being able to come back for his cat.

"I'm glad you're all okay," Scarlett didn't quite meet his eyes as she spoke.

It was going to take time to get back on his feet, walk back into the agency with his head held high. But there, in his kitchen with his cat and Zane one side and potential friends in Cobalt and Scarlett on the other side, Connor felt quite optimistic about the future.

The End.