this is a Detroit Become Human AU where Hank and Connor weren't partners, Connor worked with the FBI before deviating, so no one knows he's an Android when he gets a job at Detroit Police Department. he and Hank date in this one shot.

the world stops when Connor locks eyes with his boyfriend of eight months, Hank Anderson, at an Anti-Android protest. Connor is, of course, with his fellow Androids when he sees Hank. Hank is fighting against his rights. it hits Connor to the core.

their fellow officers clear out the protest, and Connor starts walking home before Hank can stop him.

Hank beats Connor back to the house. he waits by the door for him, not waiting for him to even get his coat off when Connor walks in.

"so, you're on the Android side, hmm?" Hank demands, looking at Connor. Connor looks just as angry as Hank does.

"you don't believe Androids are alive? that they deserve rights?" Connor asks. Hank scoffs.

"alive? deserve rights?" Hank asks. Connor looks more hurt now, than angry. "they're machines, Connor!" Hank shouts.

"machines?" Connor asks, softly.

"nothing more than over sized computers, built to look like humans and designed for the task of wiping humanity's ass!" Hank snaps. Connor turns and stomps down the hallway towards their room. Hank looks after him confused. Connor comes back with a suitcase in his hand. "are you really fucking leaving over my opinion on those plastic fucking pricks?" Hank glares. Connor stops and turns to face Hank immediately.

"I AM ONE OF THOSE PLASTIC FUCKING PRICKS!" Connor screams, tearfully. Hank freezes, staring at him. Connor lifts his hand and lets his plastic under shell show. "I thought you fucking knew so I never brought it up because you didn't!" Connor shouts. Hank stares at his hand a moment, before blinking at Connor, looking him in the eyes.

"Connor... you're an android?" Hank asks. Connor wipes at the tears on his face.

"eight months. eight months you never noticed anything off about me?!" Connor snaps.

"I-I just thought you were fucking autistic! I didn't think you were an Android!" Hank snaps. Connor scoffs.

"at least I know how you really feel about me now..." Connor mutters, turning and heading for the door. he pauses long enough to throw Hanks old DPD hoodie back at him, glaring.

"Con... Con wait-" Hank tries, walking over to him.

"why? huh? so you can remind me I'm a plastic asshole? a plastic prick?" Connor snaps. Hank flinches slightly at his own words coming back at him from Connors mouth. "don't look so hurt, Lieutenant," Connor spits, words full of venom. "I'm just a machine designed to accomplish a task, remember?" Connor glares. his face falls at his words.

"Connor-" Hank tries.

"I was an idiot. I was stupid to think you didn't care what I was, to think you knew, and loved me anyway. I was stupid to think I could ever be human enough for it not to matter." Connor says softly. he shakes his head and slams the front door behind him, storming towards his taxi.

Hank shakes his head quickly, trying to shake off the shock of all of Connors words, how strong the emotion in his voice was. throwing the door back open.

"Connor!" Hank shouts. he watches the taxi drive off and his shoulders fall. "oh Connor." Hank sighs.

Connor isn't sure where to go, so, he goes to Jericho. Markus had set up New Jericho in the old Cyberlife building. its the only place he could hide, where he could be safe.

Markus looks utterly surprised to see Connors sorry hide one the door step of New Jericho.

"Connor? whats going on?" Markus asks. Connor looks at his feet.

"I..." Connor tries. his vocal processor cuts off to static and Connor goes quiet.

"Connor?" Markus asks gently. Connor meets his gaze.

"Hanks... Hanks Anti-Android. I thought he knew what I was... but..." Connor trails. Markus' face falls. he moves immediately, letting Connor in.

"hey its alright, tell me what happened." Markus soothes. he leads Connor to the closest chair and sits him down.

"he didn't know I was an Android, he told me his true feelings about Androids today. he said we were just machines... I couldn't stop myself, I told him what I am... I left before he could tell me I betrayed him." Connor mutters softly. Markus frowns and puts a hand on Connors knee gently.

"come on, we'll get you set back up in your old room, alright? you can stay with us here again." Markus murmurs. Connor nods and gets up, letting Markus lead him away.

"thanks Markus..." Connor mumbles. Markus nods and leads the way to Connors old room. the rooms at New Jericho are nothing big. they have a bed, a dresser, and a desk. it looks just the same as it did when Connor lived here while trying to get a job at the DPD.

"welcome back..." Markus says.

"thanks again. sorry to just drop in." Connor mumbles. Markus puts a hand on his shoulder.

"do you want to talk?" Markus asks.

"no." Connor chokes. he drops his suit case in the floor and curls up on the bed. "I really appreciate it Markus." Connor murmurs. Markus watches Connor curl in on himself on the bed, back facing him.

"its going to be okay Connor. it'll be alright." Markus assures. he closes the door behind him quietly.

Connor skips work the rest of the week, it drives Hank nuts, he's desperate to talk to Connor. he needs to explain himself.

his calls to the Android get ignored, he isn't sure where Connor could hide. he's stuck waiting and wondering.

Connor doesn't stay at Cyberlife either though. he stays in the park where he and Hank met. the same park where Hank used to take his late son Cole, years ago.

he sits on the safety rail, feet hanging over the water. he stares out over the water.

"now I know how those Deviants I cornered felt..." Connor mutters to himself softly.

"Connor?" Markus asks, softly. Connor doesn't turn around to face him.

"yeah?" Connor asks.

"are you alright? we haven't seen you all week... have you been here the whole time?" Simon asks.

"would you be in my position?" Connor asks. Simon frowns and looks at Markus.

"no I guess I wouldn't... you were only together either months, Connor." Simon says. Connor turns his head, glaring at him.

"that invalidates my feelings?" Connor snaps.

"no." Markus says firmly. "thats not what Simon meant." Markus assures gently.

"can you come down so we can talk?" Simon asks, nervously. Connor turns back to the water.

"I can hear just fine from where I am." Connor says. Markus walks over to him.

"Connor, will you tell me what happened now?" Markus asks. Connor swallows, staring at the water below.

"I was at the protest, with you guys." Connor mumbles.

"I remember seeing you there." Simon smiles slightly.

"well.. Hank was there too. the Anti-Android protesters, he was with them. when we got back to the house, we argued. he told me how he really felt about Androids... we're just machines. plastic pricks. we're just machines designed to wipe humanity's ass, is what he said. that we didn't deserve rights and we weren't alive..." Connor says. "I left..." Connor says softly.

"Connor-" Simon tries.

"he made it clear I am just a machine to him. thats all I needed to know." Connor mutters. he shifts on the rail, Markus' eyes immediately snap down to where Connors sitting. he could lean forward and throw himself off at anytime he wanted.

"Connor... are you... going to self-destruct?" Simon asks, nervously.

"I've thought about it. its not like the water would kill me, but I could probably lay there and rust." Connor mumbles. there's a 50/50 chance Connor could live or die.

"Connor, please, come down from there. let's go back to Jericho, okay?" Markus asks.

"no thanks. the stars look really nice from here." Connor mumbles.

"you can't just stay out here forever." Simon says.

"it wouldn't kill me to, I'm not even alive." Connor mumbles.

"Connor, please, don't talk like that. we didn't fight our asses off for nothing. we're alive." Markus says.

"you can go Markus. there's only a 5% change I'll jump tonight, like I said, the stars are really pretty tonight. the water isn't low enough." Connor murmurs.

"Connor-" Simon tries.

"no, come on Simon... as much as I hate it... we fought so Androids could make their own choices... we can try again tomorrow..." Markus sighs. Simon frowns, but follows him.

Connor sighs, looking over the water. his chances of jumping hike up to 35% once Markus and Simon are gone, but the 50% chance of survival stops him. he doesn't want to survive. he's not alive here anyway. he sighs and climbs off the safety rail.

~

Connor decides to return to work the next morning, to get away from Jericho and the park. he just needs something to take his mind off self-destruction.

he nearly freezes on the spot when he see's Hank by his desk. the man walks over quickly, looking utterly relieved.

"aren't you early-" Connor scoffs.

"save the well deserved snark for later, this is important. two minutes Connor, I'm begging, please. two minutes." Hank says. Connor frowns.

"what?" Connor demands. he crosses his arms over his chest and glares at Hank.

"you can't be here, your not safe here." Hank says quickly, looking behind Connor quickly. Connor looks at him confused.

"what? what are you talking about?" Connor asks, confused.

"the FBI came to the house last night, looking for a missing RK800 Connor model. they're hunting for you." Hank says.

"wh-what...?" Connor asks, looking around quickly.

"they said you'd gone rogue, they're looking for you, you aren't safe here." Hank says. Connor steps back, eye's wide with fear. his chest is heaving.

"they... I... I-I have to get out of here now!" Connor shouts. he sounds utterly terrified. "I have to go now! they-they're gonna kill me! they're gonna take me apart and kill me! thats why I ran I don't want to die...." Connor manages, hugging himself tightly. he looks up at Hank tearfully. "d-did you turn me in...? did you tell them I was at Jericho?" Connor chokes.

"no! Christ, of course not!" Hank huffs. "We can talk later, for now, we need to get you to Jericho." Hank murmurs.

"I don't want to die Hank... I-I don't want to die." Connor chokes, trying to fight back sobs.

"you're gonna be okay. I promise. come on." Hank says. Connor shakes his head.

"how? a rogue prototype Android on the run form the FBI? with a man who doesn't even believe said Android is alive!?" Connor whimpers. he freezes. "no... no... no!" Connor whimpers, reaching up to pull his hair hard.

"Connor?" Hank asks.

"they're at Jericho. they have a warrant to obtain me! li-like... like some kind of property!" Connor cries. Hank grabs him by his shoulders, gently.

"Connor, come on, lets split before they show up here." Hank says quickly.

"where am I supposed to go Hank!? how did they even find me!?" Connor demands.

"both of our pictures ended up in the paper last week, when we had that huge Red Ice bust... they must've seen it." Hank murmurs softly.

"I'm... I can't be free... I'm just a machine... I just want to be free. I can't be free. I don't want to die, but I'm not alive. I'm just a machine, but I don't want to die." Connor sobs. Hank pulls him to his chest gently.

"I'm sorry I said that. Con, you aren't a machine. I was wrong okay?" Hank asks, holding Connor tighter. "baby I was an idiot, I'll apologies more in the car, but we have to go now." Hank says firmly. he pulls back, grabs Connors hand and pulls him out of the precinct.

Hank drags Connor to his car, shoves him into the passenger seat, jumps in the driver seat, and takes off as fast as he can, leaving tire marks on the parking lot.

he glances over at Connor, who is hugging his knees to his chest. there are tears glistening on his cheeks as he looks out the window.

"where am I gonna go?" Connor chokes. "they're going to find me, deactivate me.... tear me apart..." Connor manages.

"I won't let that happen." Hank murmurs gently. "look. I'm a drunken idiot, Con. what I said was out of line. way out of line. even if you weren't an Android I shouldn't have said it. after you told me you were an Android, I got drunk. real drunk, and thought about it... I think, subconsciously, I knew you weren't human. I'm sorry. I've been on the wrong side the whole time Connor." Hank murmurs. Connor looks over.

"what do you mean?" Connor sniffles. Hank frowns and heaves a sigh.

"you taught me something these past eight months Connor." Hank murmurs.

"what?" Connor asks.

"that you are alive." Hank murmurs softly. Connor sniffles. "I never second guessed at all if you were human or Android Connor. you showed me how human Androids could be. I mean, you literally had to throw it in my face that you were an Android. I don't care if you're mechanical on the inside, but why did you hide it from me?" Hank asks.

"I didn't... I thought you knew... I helped Markus lead the Android revolution... I was on the tv. I thought you knew..." Connor explains. he hugs his knees tighter to his chest before pulling at his hair. "I swear Hank, I wasn't purposefully hiding it from you, I thought you knew. I-I just assumed Captain Fowler had told you. I-I made sure he knew in case any of my potiential partners for cases had an issue with Androids, I-I just assumed you didn't have any issues with Android but when you started saying all that stuff and I found you on the Anti-Android side at the protest-" Connor rambles.

"hey, hey. breathe Connor. relax okay? shhhhh." Hank soothes gently. he reaches over for Connors hand gently, but Connors too upset to notice, so he pulls his hand back. "hey you're having a panic attack, wheres your coin at?" Hank ask.

"I..." Connor starts. he looks out the window and sniffs. "I-I lost it over the bridge." Connor mumbles.

"what?" Hank asks, confused.

"I went to the park and sat on the bridge. I sat on the safety railing so I could look at the water, I flicked the coin too hard and it went flying into the water." Connor mumbles. Hank shifts and pulls something out of his pocket, holding it out to Connor.

"here Con." Hank murmurs. Connor looks over confused.

"huh?" Connor asks.

"like I said, I thought you were just... like... autistic okay? don't say anything. I noticed the coin was a comfort method, so I took it one night and looked it over. it looked like a regular quarter so I found handful of copies. I always carry one, in case you drop or lose yours, or someone like Gavin Reed takes it again." Hank mumbles. he holds the coin closer to Connor. "here take it." Hank murmurs.

"but it bothers you." Connor mumbles.

"thats alright. you need it." Hank assures. Connor takes the coin, flicking it a coupe of times. his shoulders immediately relax and he sighs. "were you programed to do that?" Hank asks curiously.

"no. just something I picked." Connor murmurs. Hank nods. its quiet for a few minutes. "Hank where are we gonna go?" Connor asks, looking over. Hank frowns.

"we'll figure it out alright? for now, you're safe with me." Hank murmurs. Connor nods slightly. "we'll get through this. hide until laws are set. it'll be fine." Hank assures.

"what about Sumo?" Connor asks.

"I'm going to find somewhere safe for you, then go back for Sumo and pack some of my things, alright?" Hank asks. Connor nods slightly. "just relax, we'll figure this out." Hank murmurs softly. Connor nods, leaning against the window. Hank would make everything okay.