Malfunction (DBH Connor x Reader)

Chapter 13

(y/n) POV

Dad and I sat in silence at a park Cole used to love, looking out over the river. He held a beer bottle in his hand, occasionally taking a drink from it. I could tell something was bothering him but knowing Dad, he would refuse to talk about it. I heard Connor get out of the car and walk over to us. He'd been quiet since we left the club.

"Nice view huh?" Dad asked when he noticed Connor, "We used to come here a lot before..."

Connor finally spoke up, "Can I ask a personal question, Lieutenant?"

"Do all androids ask so many personal questions or is it just you?" Dad asked sarcastically.

Connor ignored him and went ahead with his question, "Why are you so determined to kill yourself?"

(A/N: I have Connor ask this one because he already knows Cole's name)

"Some things, I just can't forget... Whatever I do, they're always there... Eating away at me..." Dad admitted, "I don't have the guts to pull the trigger... So, I kill myself a little every day... That's probably difficult for you to understand, huh, Connor? Nothing very rational about it..."

"Before what?" Connor asked, "You said 'We used to come here a lot before'. Before what?"

I looked at Dad, knowing he wouldn't answer. "Before... Before nothing..."

That's what I had been expecting him to say. I decided to change the subject, "We're not making any progress on this investigation. The deviants have nothing in common. They're all different models, produced at different times, in different places..."

"Well there must be some link," Dad said. I took a glance at Connor. I thought I saw his LED flash yellow before returning to blue.

"What they have in common is this obsession with rA9," Connor pointed out, "It's almost like some kind of... myth. Something they invented that wasn't part of their original program..."

"Androids believing in God..." Dad shook his head in disbelief and took another swig of his beer, "Fuck, what's this world coming to?"

"You seem preoccupied, Dad," I noted, "Is it something to do with what happened back at the Eden Club?"

"Those two girls... They just wanted to be together... They really seemed in love," Dad said.

Connor's LED flashed yellow again, "You seem troubled, Lieutenant. I didn't think machines could have such an effect on you..."

"What about you, Connor?" Dad asked, "You look human, you sound human, but what are you really?"

Another flash of yellow, "I'm whatever you want me to be, Lieutenant. Your partner... Your buddy to drink with..." he looked at me before continuing, "A friend... Or just a machine... Designed to accomplish a task."

"You could have shot those two girls, but you didn't. Why didn't you shoot, Connor?" Dad gave him a shove, causing him to stumble back a little, "Hm? Some scruple suddenly enter into your program?"

Connor's LED flashed yellow once more. That was happening more frequently than it should have, "No... I just decided not to shoot, that's all..."

Dad pulled his gun out and pointed it at Connor's head. I tensed and my heart started to beat faster. Connor's LED turned red this time, an indicator of immediate danger. If he wasn't careful, he could get himself killed.

"I could kill you... But are you afraid to die, Connor?"

"I would certainly find it regrettable to be... interrupted... before I can finish this investigation, "Connor answered. Something felt off about it, like he was only telling half of the truth.

"What will happen if I pull this trigger? Hm? Nothing? Oblivion? Android heaven?"

"I doubt there's a heaven for androids."

"Having existential doubts, Connor? Sure you're not going deviant too?"

"I self-test regularly," Connor answered, "I know what I am, and what I am not."

I watched as Dad'd hand started to shake and he lowered his gun. I let out a sigh of relief. "Where are you going?" I asked as he began walking away.

"To get drunker," he replied.

I turned to look at Connor, his LED returning to its original blue. He'd been acting strange since we got back from the club, acting in ways an android shouldn't behave. He's beginning to show signs of deviancy. Maybe I can convince him to turn.

I gave him a relieved smile, "I think that's enough action for one night. Come on, Connie, let's go home."