Learning Humanity

Summary: When Connor gets himself killed chasing Rupert, Hank has some things to say on the android’s next reappearance
Warning(s): Spanking; spoilers for the game; references to violence; AU
Author’s Note: This particular fic assumes that Connor was killed during the interrogation scene, that he didn’t go after Kara and Alice when Hank told him not to…and, of course, that he was killed while chasing Rupert. Oh – and as indicated, in this fic (and others I’ll write), androids are able to turn on pain receptors. Or have them turned on by their owners

###

While he waited for Connor to return with his clothes, Hank supposed he really shouldn’t be surprised to see the android again. He’d already witnessed Connor die twice. The first time he’d come back, it had been a surprise. This second time? As much as he disliked the whole idea of androids and what they were, what they represented, he was growing far too used to having the android around.

Which didn’t make it any easier to see Connor die, whether he came back to life or not.

“Is this acceptable?”

Hank looked up from where he was half-doubled over the toilet bowl and waved a hand at the android and the clothes Connor was carrying. They were clean and dry and that would do. “Give me five minutes,” he muttered, feeling bile rise in his throat and forcing it back down.

“Of course.” The android hung the clothes on the bathroom door and walked out of the room.

It took nearly half of those five minutes for Hank to force down the after-effects of his drinking to be able to move without his head throbbing in protest. He stood with some difficulty and opened the door to his medicine cabinet, taking out a bottle of pills. He tipped two into his palm and swallowed without water, then splashed some water on his face before pulling the clothes on.

Why did he really care about looking presentable for a fucking android?

Hank walked into the hallway and locked eyes with Connor as the android turned to face him. “If you’re ready, we can leave now, Lieutenant,” the android said.

Watching Connor closely, Hank said, “I’m not ready to leave yet.”

“Do you need to eat?” Connor asked. “There is little of nutritional value that I have seen here, but perhaps we could stop for breakfast on our way to the Eden Club.”

Hank snorted softly. The android continued to surprise him; Connor continued to surprise him. He took two steps closer to Connor, looked into his eyes and drawled, “You said the memories and experiences of your predecessor got transferred to you, didn’t you? So that means you remember the promise you, or he, made to me when you showed up at the precinct.”

The frown that came across Connor’s face looked like it should have been given by an ordinary human. “I remember I told you I would endeavour not to be killed again. But I did not foresee dying again. I didn’t intend it….”

“Maybe you didn’t plan on it, but you took unnecessary chances when you chased down that deviant.” Hank stalked forward with every word he spoke, until Connor’s nose was almost touching his shoulder. “I watched you do it. Took every fucking dangerous route you could, didn’t you?”

“It was important not to allow the deviant to escape,” Connor replied. “That is my function.”

“Yeah? Then why did you leave the one with the little girl alone?”

“Because….” For maybe the first time since Hank had first seen him, the android faltered. “You asked me not to.”

“So listening to me was more important than carrying out your function.”

“You told me I could die.” Connor’s frown deepened. “I do not believe I am afraid to die. But when you told me not to chase after the deviant and the little girl, to let them go, I listened to you.” He paused, looked into Hank’s eyes and continued, “But you didn’t tell me not to take dangerous chances when I was chasing down this deviant. You told me to go after him.”

Hank raised his eyebrows at the android’s words. At the tone of his voice. He reached out and he grasped Connor’s shoulder, looked into the android’s eyes and said, “You got pain receptors, don’t you? Activate them.”

“Lieutenant, I don’t think….”

“I gave you an order,” Hank interrupted. “So long as it doesn’t interfere with your function, I’d think you’d obey me. Given what you just said.”

Connor looked down at Hank’s hand on his shoulder, then slowly up into Hank’s eyes once more. The rotating circle on the side of his head turned red for a few seconds and then he said, “It is done.”

“Good.” Hank’s hand slid down Connor’s shoulder, over his arm, to take the android’s hand. It was softer than he’d been expecting; more like a human’s hand than one he’d expected to belong to a machine. He hid his surprise and led the android through to the main room and over to the couch. He pushed the trash off and then sat down, pulling Connor across his lap.

The android landed in place without argument or protest. He did stiffen when Hank slipped his fingers into the waistband of his pants and gave a firm tug to pull them down, looking back over his shoulder. “Lieutenant….”

“Only words I want to hear out of you is an apology and a promise not to get yourself killed again.” Hank paused, but when Connor only looked away again, he proceeded to pull down pants and underwear, baring the android’s backside.

Despite the order he’d given and Connor’s response, Hank was halfway expecting the first smack he delivered to the bare skin to lack effectiveness. But when his landed on skin that was as smooth as any human’s, he felt Connor jerk; and the second smack brought a nearly soundless gasp from the android.

Satisfied that the punishment would have an effect, even if the pain might be felt in a different way, Hank began to cover Connor’s entire backside with smacks of the same force and speed, working his way down to the android’s thighs before starting over from the top again. When he saw the skin turn a pale blue, he paused; then reminded himself that an android’s blood was blue, so the marks of a spanking wouldn’t show the same as if a human was being spanked.

“Lieutenant, I fail to see how this will be of any use,” Connor said.

Hank glared at the back of the android’s head and let his smacks fall a bit more firmly; a bit harder. “I ain’t hearing an apology or any kind of promise.”

“I cannot go against what I am programmed…!”

“You’re seriously telling me you’re programmed to capture deviants at all costs, even when doing so might get you killed? You’re telling me CyberLife has no problem just downloading your memories into a brand new body they had to create just for you?” Hank demanded. He began to smack even harder, Connor’s bare skin turning a deeper, darker blue under his punishing hand.

The android let out an audible yelp and threw his hand back. “No, they…they want me to be careful too.”

Hank paused, hearing the break in Connor’s voice. He took hold of the android’s hand and began to smack a little bit lower, turning his thighs the same shade of blue as the rest of his backside, ignoring the squirming that the android was doing. “Bet they wouldn’t think to do this if you disobey them.”

“No,” Connor allowed, his voice unsteady. “They would…probably deactivate me.”

Hank winced, pausing the spanking and allowing his hand to rest on the android’s lower back. “Killing you for good? No coming back? No downloading into another body?”

“That is correct.”

Jaw tightening, Hank said, “Then this spanking is deserved at least twice over.” And he resumed spanking, this time even harder, focusing most of the smacks to the android’s thighs and the creases between his bottom and thighs.

After several more of the hard smacks, Connor’s bottom was a deep, uniform blue in colour and his whole body was shaking. The sound of quiet crying reached Hank’s ears.

He hadn’t expected to hear tears. Crying meant Connor felt emotions, didn’t it? But then, that was already clear to Hank just from what the android had said to him. Connor had listened to him when Hank had told him not to go after the deviant and the girl. Had listened to him now, when Hank had told him to activate his pain receptors.

Could an android, a mere machine, trust that deeply?

Hank released Connor’s hand and pulled the underwear and pants back into place. When he helped the android to stand, he caught sight of the faintly blue flushed cheeks and the tears running down Connor’s cheeks.

“Fuck,” Hank muttered, wrapping his arms around the android and holding him close.

Connor responded by gripping Hank’s jacket in a firm grip and tucking his head under Hank’s chin. He sniffled quietly as his tears dripped onto Hank’s neck.

It didn’t take long for Connor’s tears to die down and once they had, Hank ruffled his hair and said, “Let’s go check out this club.”

Sniffling slightly, Connor drew back and wiped at his eyes before asking, “May I deactivate my pain receptors now?”

“You can deactivate them when we get to the club,” Hank replied. “I think sitting on a sore ass will help keep that dangerous behaviour under control.”

Connor shot him a look out of downcast eyes, reaching back to gently rub at his bottom, and Hank wrapped an arm around his shoulders. “C’mon, kid. Let’s go.” He nearly called Connor son, but stopped himself in time.

Not yet. He couldn’t adjust his way of thinking to that yet…not until he could be sure.

The End