You're Not Alone in This World

Chapter ɩ

Andrea took in a deep breath as Hank and Poseidon left. Connor offered to stay and clean up after the ritual but they both knew better. She glanced at the android in question as he put the mason jars of water back in their place in the kitchen. He was only at her house twice before this and yet it seemed he lived there for years. He knew where everything went, he knew which mug was her favorite to use, and he knew which vinyl records she'd listen to most.

It was all so... domestic. Seeing Connor like this. A permanent fixture in her life.

Andrea never thought she could have anything like that. She's had... relationships in the past. None of them worked out. Partly because she knew they would die far earlier than she ever would. Connor was eternal. Almost. He could die but it most likely wasn't going to be from age. It was a wonderful feeling to realize that she wouldn't be as lonely as she thought she would.

"Lost in thought?" Connor asked, a light smile on the edges of his lips.

Andrea chuckled. "Just happy that this whole thing will be over soon." Not entirely untrue. This case was draining her, she knew it, and she was glad to put Gray behind bars.

Connor cocked an eyebrow, not believing her but he decided against saying anything. It wasn't his place to force Andrea to say what she was feeling. "Are you sure you want to tell Nines about... all this?"

Andrea did say she wanted to tell him before the case but he wanted to make sure. Connor knew Nines would be fine either way but... Andrea would be sharing a secret she'd kept for a millennium. At least Androids knew how it felt. To keep something about themselves hidden. To want to tell everyone but knowing it wouldn't work out in the end.

"Yeah." Andrea cupped Connor's cheek with a small smile, "I do. Plus, it's less people I have to lie to."

Connor took her hand and gently squeezed it. "That would make life easier. For you." He whispered, biting the inside of his cheek. "I just–" He cut himself off as he glanced away from Andrea.

Andrea tilted her head, a concerned look etching onto her features. His LED went yellow. "What, Connor? Is something wrong?"

"No. Nothing's ever wrong. Not with you." He said truthfully.

Andrea pulled Connor close and set a hand on his shoulder. "Then tell me what you're feeling. That might be easier."

"It's trivial. I might even get over it tomorrow." Connor deflected. Until he saw the look on Andrea's face. The doubt in her eyes with a sprinkle of some sort of divine knowing. "I don't know how to... describe this without also feeling... petty. I like that Hank and I are the only ones that know." He admitted with a sigh. "That this is something only we can talk about. I feel as if... that might be taken away."

Andrea's eyes saddened as she pulled Connor into a hug, running a hand through his hair. "This won't ever change. I can promise that." She pulled away only to cup his chin between her thumb and index finger. "I love you. I have loved you. Just because some more people might know what I am, that won't change." She pressed a kiss to his cheek.

The android's LED went pink before it swirled to blue and blinked a few times. "I... love you too." Connor smiled. "And... thank you."

Andrea nodded, returning the smile. She knew this wouldn't be their last problem but they'd work it out. Eventually. She took Connor's hands and led him into her bedroom. Then she went to her dresser and grabbed a pair of pajamas. A sleep shirt and shorts that matched.

"I realized... you staying over might happen a lot more so I bought them on a whim yesterday while I was looking through some files. I was a bit bored waiting for Markus." Andrea admitted with a shy smile. The first time Connor had ever seen her blush. He saved that image in his head for later.