old dog.

——- In Connor’s estimations on how likely it was Hank would take his advice, he figured there as only maybe a 35% chance the other wouldn’t blow him off. Connor had done a significant amount of research on the human psychology of loss and the mental stress that came with it.         Studies showed that improving ones outward appearance was a step in improving their mood. It was not going to fix everything, but feeling ones best is important, at least that’s what he read.

           ❝ Nothing, lieutenant. ❞ Connor replied quietly, although he could not stop the smile on his face, ❝ You look very nice, I’m glad you decided to go. ❞

              “tch,” it’s a quick huff of air through his teeth, his typical response when connor says something too honest for him to deal with. no one talks like connor does...it’s not really a bad thing, in fact hank appreciates the blunt honesty from time to time. but others times, it’s...it’s a lot. 

             when’s the last time someone complimented him? jesus, has he really turned into that much of an old fart? 

          the lieutenant’s words catch him entirely off guard, brows raising and amber hues widening as the android is left completely speechless while his partner gets out of the car. after a couple seconds of a swirling led and vacant blinking, connor is hopping out of the vehicle himself and standing upright to look at hank over the roof of the car.

          “really?” he questions, not unlike an excited child, rounding the car to stand at hank’s side as he turns to look at the building, “i’m getting a dog?”

                 hank does his best to play it cool while he watches connor come to terms with what they were doing here. the rk unit is far from a child and yet he responds like one would on christmas morning. genuinely excited at the prospect of getting a dog. and, come to think of it, why wouldn’t he? connor’s rather new to sentience compared to the rest of them. he’s never had a dog. but he’d taken to sumo so quickly, hank can’t imagine anything else that would make him happier.

                “really. i’m a lot of things connor but a liar ain’t one of ‘em. now c’mon,” he ushers the android closer, inside the building where they sign in. he called ahead, so they could set up a little meet and greet in one of the waiting rooms of potential dogs waiting to be adopted. even if they don’t find one to connor’s liking here, they’ll have spent a good few hours with a bunch of dogs. it’s a win win in his book. 

“Because I’m tiny is that why?”

niles just listens to hank, knowing that the other doesn’t necessarily like gavin. & honestly, gavin’s hard to work with. the RK900 unit would much rather have to work with themselves than with gavin, but the struggles are becoming… easier to deal with. it’s not as difficult.

glancing over at the lieutenant, the RK900 unit shrugs quietly.    “ he’s just a bump in the road. taking care of him is much like taking care of an adolescent child, however, i am up for the task. “   maybe that was….. harsh.    “ i’m sure he’s just as a lot as the RK800 unit is. “

              well, niles certainly does hold back in what he wants to say. hank will give him that. he gives a soft whistle in response to gavin being equated to a child - not like he was far off. gavin could be quite a handful when he wanted to be. 

          he can’t help smiling at hank’s teasing despite how he tries to pretend he’s annoyed, casting him a sidelong glance as he half-heartedly attempts to swat his hand away. though the rk unit keeps up the facade for a couple more minutes, before too long he’s sitting up in his seat again and peering at nearly every building they drive by, trying to identify without ‘cheating’ and using his software to guess where they might be going.

          when they inevitably reach their destination, connor looks somewhat confused for just a second–led flickers gold as he asks himself why they would be here, because the logical conclusion is that they’re going to adopt a dog, but why would they be doing that? his curiosity quickly gives way to excitement, however, and he’s looking over at hank with a wide smile and big, hopeful brown eyes.

          “are you getting another dog?”

                it’s been worth all the biting his tongue and the secrecy, he decides, the moment he sees realization cross the rk unit’s face. connor used to have a hard time expressing himself, especially right after deviating - felt like emotions were too readable or too much on his own face but now, he’s lite up like a fuckin’ christmas tree and hank’s old heart feels something that reminds him of cole’s fourth birthday. the one where he got his first bike. 

          if there’s anyone out there who is able to continually say no to connor even despite his best efforts at persuasion, it’s hank anderson. his stubbornness combats the rk unit’s persistence flawlessly, and though it’s relatively frustrating he can’t help but admire it just a little. defeated after several attempts at prying for their destination, the android huffs a short sigh and slumps back against the seat behind him, arms crossed defiantly over his chest. “fine,” he concedes, amber hues turning to look out the window, wind whipping the loose hair at his forehead gently back and forth, “how much longer until we get there?”

                 “nope,” hank just shakes his head, “a time frame gives you more chance to guess,” he’s not stupid, just old. and connor has a computer brain capable of being able to tell what’s ten minutes out and what’s twenty minutes out, “now what did i say? you’re an advanced crime bot, not a pouting kid,” here he lightly whaps the android on the arm with his free hand.

                    “I WOULD SAY, he’s not as bad as he seems, but i don’t like lying,” they both should know immediately who the lieutenant is talking about, without the detective in question having to be in direct eyesight of the break room. he can only imagine the bot is getting a cup of coffee if only to stave off reed’s petulant whining 

                “LOOK, connor,” god, he feels like he’s back to talk to his kid again, trying to prove a point without sounding scolding, “you can stay here. we’ve been over that. no expiration date, no terms and conditions. you don’t gotta...clean and cook me meals and shit to earn your keep.”

                 connor has, for the third night in a row, prepared him dinner and insisted it was ‘the least he could do.’ but also probably to keep the lieutenant from eating more salt and carbohydrates than he should. the meal on the table smells just fine, it’ll probably taste just fine, too. but it just feels...odd.