Replacement [RK1700] -ENG-

Chapter 14

Connor almost like in routine, without thinking too much, walked away of his desk to go get coffee for Hank. He tried not to be concerned about Niles and Gavin who returned to the department painfully dejected. He couldn't help but be curious.

Standing in front of the coffee machine, he connected through interface with Niles sitting at his desk. Gavin stood at his favourite table in the break room, talking to officer Chen.

Did something happen? Since you and Gavin returned from a crime scene, you look really sad.

He got an answer after a moment.

Our case went in an unexpected direction. I can explain better, when you're done with lieutenant's coffee.

Connor turned immediately to see Niles, who had a perfect view at him from his desk. Just then he realised, did he observed him during every break, when he stood at the coffee machine?

He didn't care for Gavin's glare when he turned so quickly. He only shrugged, looking at the paper cup again. He reached for it when it was filled up and was going to go to his desk. Then mentioned earlier Reed called him.

"Ey, plastic cop."

Connor looked at him, just to feel his hand being slapped on his forehead, glueing a sticky note to it. At this unexpected action, he didn't know how to react for a second. He took the sticky note off his forehead after a moment of confusion, looking around for Gavin who apparently managed to get away.

He glanced at the note.

"It's good to see you alive.", visibly written in a hurry, the handwriting legible, but unaesthetic.

Nothing he wouldn't expect from the detective beside the note itself. It was the only surprising thing at all. But he smiled anyway. Gavin's behaviour was funny cute, like he couldn't approach him in a normal way and say what he was thinking.

He hid the piece of paper into his jacket and brought a coffee to Hank's desk. He turned around and walked towards Niles. Reed was nowhere to be seen so Connor thought he left to smoke.

He sat on Niles' desk, not wondering if he would tell him to get off it or not.

"So what happened?" He asked, raising his brows worryingly.

Niles looked up at him from his terminal, noticed where he was sitting and furrowed his brows, but didn't bring it up.

"We had to inform about somebody's death and it wasn't a pleasant experience," he announced, looking at Connor's face.

"Oh... I see. Experiencing someone's pain is always one of the worst things to do."

He placed his hand on Niles' shoulder.

"We're planning to go to the hospital and ask the girl whose family was murdered some question," he added.

Connor took his hand away.

"In that case, good luck. Just... don't let your emotions dominate your approach to this investigation," he warned, then watched Niles closer. Something was wrong, "Where's your jacket?"

The android forgot about this small thing and looked down at his black turtleneck he was wearing. The one he borrowed from Connor.

"Ah, that. When we found this girl she had nothing but shorts, so before Gavin brought her blankets I lent her my jacket, so she didn't freeze," he explained, glancing at Connor.

His expression became enigmatic at that moment. But he smiled a bit anyway. It was terribly dumb of him to feel jealousy because of so trivial thing. That girl just needed help what caused Connor to feel like an egoist.