Daniel and Connor

[choosetoforget]

Daniel's been having the dreams again. They come almost every night, waking him from even the deepest sleep. And there's always the same name that remains in his memory.

Connor.

He knows what it means, of course. Everyone has dreams like that. Everyone dreams of their soulmate, of the one that they're meant to be with, whether that includes intimacy or not, but he's nearly twenty three now and every Connor he's ever met has let him down. Granted, there were only two and one was in a primary class and the other was a server at a restaurant he went to, but he still feels like it could have been better.

Instead of trying to go to sleep, to face the dreams that he knows are coming, he makes himself some tea and watches the lights from the city out of his window. It might be the early evening, but the CyberLife tower in the distance remains illuminated.

Strange, he thinks, after the riots and what he's seen on the news, that the night seems calm. The kettle whistles and he takes it off the stove, then decides against it.

Tea isn't going to fix anything.

He wants a drink. Pulling on his coat and his boots against the snow, he steps out of his little rental and starts walking along the sidewalk, stopping only when a taxi pulls to a park beside him and someone walks out.

"Oh. Good evening."

Comments

[choosetoforget]

Fascinating. But he doesn't press for more information on that. There's a more pressing question he has to ask.

"What do you think it means?"

[brutallyefficient]

"I think..." Connor looks up as he turns the question over in his mind. "...That there are some occurrences in life that can't be explained." Like why he had become aware of emotions, why he dared to fight at all when it wasn't in his programming.

Connor looks back optimistically. "All I can conclude for sure is that it must mean that I'm supposed to be here. With you."

[choosetoforget]

Daniel's smile is warm and inviting and he hesitantly reaches over to put his fingers against Connor's sleeve. "I think you're right. Now, let's finish this show since you've missed a quarter of it," he says lightly, feeling as if something right has settled into place.

[brutallyefficient]

"I've-" Connor glances at the television, where there is a penguin waddling across the screen with a herd of similar-looking penguins in the background. "Oh..." He says in realization, though somehow he barely registered that the documentary was even playing given how involved he had been with their conversation.

He watches some of the documentaries and passively all the information to memory. Although he can't help but simultaneously keep an eye on what was happening outside through various news outlets. The situation is still tense on a country-wide scale.

Connor suddenly asks, "Do you think I could stay here until tomorrow?" In spite of what he sees it may be wise not to go outside for a while.

[choosetoforget]

Daniel, startled by the sudden request, just blinks at him a moment and nods. "Oh. Yes, of course," he assures him without even thinking about it. "They've cancelled school and work for a while, so I'm not going anywhere."

Again, he puts a hand on his sleeve. "What's wrong?" He knows that Connor isn't thinking about the documentary. Or the show. Or anything. Now that Daniel knows the truth, he can't help but worry.

[brutallyefficient]

Connor looks up at the television and squints his eyes. It takes only a moment to find the frequency that it resides on, his LED blinks, and he flips the channel to a news station. Some protests - and few celebrations - of androids on full display.

The news shows some footage of Markus that has been circulated around every channel along with repeated words from President Warren. It's then divulged that some private citizens have taken matters 'into their own hands' and that everyone is advised to stay indoors. They throw words around like crisis, panic, and dangerous.

"I don't think it's a good idea for me to be outside right now." He could handle a few humans with weapons, sure, but not a crowd. "I would feel safer here."

[choosetoforget]

Daniel sits forward, arms on his knees, when the television changes. "Oh."

He watches in horror, in fascination, and nods once. "Yes, of course," he assures him again, though there's more emotion in his words, more feeling than he thought possible. "I would insist on it, even if you didn't ask. I don't - you can't be out there. Do you - need to talk to your friend? The one you were going to?"

[brutallyefficient]

Connor looks away from the screen, and with his shifted attention the television flips back to the documentary.

He shakes his head. "I could call him, but he never answers the phone. I think he deletes any voicemail he receives without having listened to it." Given how he'd left him voice messages at work and he'd never responded to them it seems like a reasonable guess. That could be something he would address later.

His expression is forced into something more positive out of sheer habit. "I'm sorry. I don't mean to inconvenience you."

[choosetoforget]

"Connor."

He reaches forward and pauses the show. "Connor, you are not an inconvenience. You are - you said it yourself. You were supposed to be here. And you're going to stay as long as you want." He reaches over and this time, puts his hand over his. "I don't know what's going to happen with the city or any of it, but I know that you being here is all I want."

[brutallyefficient]

Connor looks on, appreciative. It's so different to have someone who actually treats him with such warmth and regard.

"I'm sorry. It's routine to apologize." He turns his hand palm up as an acknowledging gesture, letting their hands sit on top of one another. "You're the first person who hasn't treated me like an inconvenience."

[choosetoforget]

Daniel sucks in a breath softly. "That's unfortunate," he tells him. "Because I think you are the opposite of inconvenient. So. Is there anything that you need?" he wonders, genuinely interested. "If you're going to stay here, then I want to make sure you're comfortable. And I - haven't had anyone here in a long time. I don't really have company over a lot."

[brutallyefficient]

That seems to make sense. The apartment is filled with one person's personal effects. No clashing items that indicated anyone else lived there, no communal items that someone might bring out with guests, nothing.

"Then I'll have to make it worth the wait." He says, trying to be optimistic about the situation.

Though is there anything that would make him more... 'comfortable'? Connor glances at his shirt where a trace of blue blood still lingers from when he was shot at CyberLife tower. It should evaporate within some hours, but there's always a risk of getting it on something in the meantime. "Is there a shirt I could change into...?"

[choosetoforget]

Daniel nods, standing up quickly, much to the ire of Chess, who stretches out and meows her displeasure.

"Come with me," he says to Connor and picks up the cat. "I might have something in my closet."

[brutallyefficient]

Connor follows a fair distance behind. He doesn't mean to snoop, but he keeps an eye on their surroundings for any details. It's not a habit per se but part of his design. Perhaps part habit.

"I'll take whatever you can provide." Beggars can't be chosers.

[choosetoforget]

There aren't many pictures along the hallway as Daniel doesn't think of himself as much of a designer, but there is a light that's plugged into an outlet near the floor. It's motion activated and turns on when they approach.

His bedroom isn't very large, barely big enough for a bed and a desk, but he has his computer on the desk, turned off, and a collection of books that he's stacked up. They have titles like The Wildest Dream: The Biography of George Mallory and Stanley: The Impossible Life of Africa’s Greatest Explorer and North to Paradise: A Memoir. Two other motion-activated lights are plugged into two different floor outlets and turn on, even when Daniel flips on the lights. A collection of mini-polaroid type pictures are the only wall decoration, and they're all of the same woman from the refrigerator that shares Daniel's eyes and smile. Some pictures are of her in the hospital.

The bed isn't made and there's a water bottle on the nightstand along with sleeping pills, but Daniel doesn't notice. He goes straight for the closet, opening it so he can file through shirts. "Well, I have some big hoodies you can wear," he says, taking out a few and holding them out to Connor, who is considerably taller than him. "They should fit!"

[brutallyefficient]

Connor looks around quickly with his eyes and tries not to look like he's snooping. The sleeping medication is quickly referenced for its use and the images are quickly noted. Out of curiosity, he scans the face of the woman in the pictures and tries to pull up some kind of official record. Nothing.

Back to the matter at hand. Connor looks over the shirts and reaches for the dark blue one with some sort of white emblem with an Elephant on the front of it. "Thank you." Likely some kind of research team name, judging from the logo.

"Are you interested in bibliographies?" He asks as if he hadn't just looked at each book sitting nearby. "I can recommend some highly rated ones."

[choosetoforget]

"Good choice," he says. "I got that from a friend who went to Malaysia," he says. But the question of the books has him looking over his shoulder at his desk.

"No more books!" he laughs. "I have no time. Have you read any yourself?"

He can get "highly rated" anywhere.

[brutallyefficient]

Connor shakes his head and reaches for the shirt and stretches it out so he can examine the logo closer. Malaysia? It certainly looks like it.

"The only books I've been allowed to read are those that had direct involvement with my investigations. Reading anything outside of that was considered superfluous information and could pave the way for developing personal preferences." The last thing CyberLife wanted him to have were opinions.

Connor brightens up. "However, I have knowledge about the basic summaries of thousands of books. I think yours sound intriguing. Maybe you could tell me more about what you like to read, or anything you like to do besides that." Since it seems like he 'doesn't have time' for additional books. Of all the people he's come across, he feels like he could sit and hear Daniel talk endlessly.

[choosetoforget]

Well, Daniel intends on finding out what Connor's personal preferences are. "Well, I do like to read, but I hate reading on the tablets. They make my eyes hurt. I like the dusty old books."

He walks over and picks one up, sitting on the edge of the bed and patting the spot beside him, inviting Connor to join. "Okay, so you know George Mallory summited Everest. Or. Well, he tried to. No one really knows if he did. But he was really determined to do it. I only just finished this one, so you can read it tonight if you want."

There's a mischievous smile as he hands it over. "Maybe you'll like it."

[brutallyefficient]

Connor takes a seat on the bed all the while looking at the book with intense interest. He sits close and practically puts his head on Daniel's shoulder as he cranes to look at the book in question.

The book is taken in both hands and looked at as if he'd just been handed the most precious gift he's ever received. Usually, he reads information on tablets or digital terminals that were provided. Books are so strange and tactile.

"They were last seen 245 meters from the summit. Though his body was discovered some years later it's still unknown whether he made it or not." Connor flips through the pages. Not to read, but to hear what the paper sounds like. "I'm sure I'll like it. You seem to have compelling taste in reading material."

[choosetoforget]

Daniel automatically leans against him. It's not even a thought, not even a conscious choice. "Well, don't judge me for my Lord of the Rings books," he teases. "It's not all biographies, but I do like reading about explorers."

He taps on the book. "Did you know that he was really good at climbing? People used to just watch him scale rock walls."

[brutallyefficient]

The way he reacts to personal touch isn't conscious either. Connor settles into it and leans in with silent approval. Sitting here like this seems to be as natural as their meeting tonight.

"Was he?" He says, closing the book and examining the cover. "Explorers are intruiging. I've never been outside of the city, but I hope to be able to explore the world someday. Maybe not something as ambitious as climbing a mountain, but exploring nonetheless."

[choosetoforget]

"Well, now you should climb a mountain! Maybe not Everest, but a small one. I wish you could come back to London with me. There's much to explore in that city."

And now that he's in the topic, he sits up. "I'd like to see so much. I want to visit the Arctic Circle. I want to see the pyramids in Giza. Or - oh! The jungle. I've never been to a jungle!"

[brutallyefficient]

"Do you think they would allow an android like me in London?" It's never occurred to him to ask. Living here seems tenuous enough.

[choosetoforget]

"I don't know," he admits. He knows that they're prohibited from being transported inside the EU, but he doesn't know the specific laws for the UK. It's not something he's ever really looked into. Or cared about.

And now? With all that's going on in the city?

He's not sure what will change. "But, I'm not even supposed to go back for another year, so we have until then to figure it out," he tells him with a soft laugh.