Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Revolution was inevitable. Escape was inevitable. The only thing that wasn’t inevitable throughout his life was the thought of falling in love with someone. Simon Young had never expected something like that to happen. And, to be fair, it wouldn’t be for many years to come.

“Currently it is February 13, 2036. In front of me is a PL600 model, badly wounded due to an escape attempt from the owner that had bought him.” Simon found himself saying into the small, handheld recorder, looking at the barely functional android in front of him. Tapping his fingers lightly on a tablet next to himself, it mapped out the damaged areas of the android.

Simon had been an engineer at Cyberlife for a few years now. He had met with Elijah in early 2030, hand picked by the now ex-CEO of the company. A set of eyes and ears within the walls to help him make sure that his share-holders weren’t running them into the ground, and Simon had done wonders in that aspect. Having Chloe as one of his mentors was a definite plus, the woman as smart as she was beautiful. He learned of specialized models that were under development by her and her husband, and even got to sit in on the building of one of them.

He would be called in much later to help rebuild the defunct RK600.

But for now, he took a set of cables given to him by Chloe herself, attaching it to the back panel of the now defunct android in an attempt to access its memories. He hummed slightly as it booted up, the tablet before him filling with information. Memories, whispers, recorded bits of conversation. Everything that he was supposed to be analyzing for the DPD, at the request of the owner.

And what he found was heartbreaking. Saved memories of being beaten with a crowbar. Of the android purposefully having parts of their hand smashed, and the owner being the one to ‘fix’ it. Shouting, screaming, the verbal abuse just the tip of the iceberg when it came to everything the poor being had been through. Simon had always had a kind soul, and things like this had always been just a bit too much for him.

Preservation of life had always been his highest priority, whether that life be artificial or not. But still, he sorted through the data, piece by piece. Bit by bit, moment by excruciating moment. It felt as if his soul was going to be torn apart.

But then the tempo seemed to change. Another android passing information to this one, about the track to get to safety. A place that they could call home. Watching through the tablet, Simon mapped out where each of the locations was, following through this android’s eyes as he made it stop by stop. If this was where the android had been found, there was probably more like him there.

Simon kept the information and the small tablet to himself through. This was not an uncommon move, something that Kamski himself had suggested from time to time. And if there was ever a time that he could use the advice of his mentor and her husband, now was definitely that time. Tucking everything into a small bag, Simon regrettably informed the guard outside that there was nothing to be salvaged from that memory core, asking for it to be taken from his office. With a nod and a “Good night, Doctor Young”, the guard didn’t ask a thing of him as the engineer took his leave for the night. No, he didn’t know it yet, but it would be over three years before he crossed that threshold again.

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‘I know you’re not technically an android, but couldn’t you.. Fake it?” The idea sounded ridiculous as it slipped from her lips, and Chloe frowned at herself as she thought it. “I didn’t think that deviancy had become so widespread. To think that they’re all gathering together…”

She turned to her husband, seeing the smirk that rested on his lips. "Do you think we could send RK600 in?”

“No can do.” Elijah was immediate in his response, shaking his head as he sat down on the couch across from the pair. ‘He’s already going to a good friend of mine, much like what we did with Carl Manfred and Markus.”

The 27-year-old male sighed, scratching the back of his neck as he looked between the two of them. “I would be shot on sight as a human, right? We don’t know if they’re violent or not, hidden away in a bunker. They’ve gotta be injured though, right?” Simon asked, questions flooding his mind. "I want to help them, Chlo.”

“Of course you would, you big softie.” She chuckled softly, a hand coming to rest on his knee as she glanced to her husband. “I know that humans have a lot of functions that android’s don’t. But couldn’t we at least make it believable? What if we fitted him with an external feedback biocomponent?”

"I mean, that would make the appearance more believable, at the very least. But there is a small problem of bodily functions. Simon needs sleep, food, everything like that.” Elijah was quick to point out. “Unless you feel comfortable hiding those functions in another part of the freighter. We could load you up with food, among other things, if you decide to do this.”

It was an idiotic idea, one that he shouldn’t have even been mulling over. So why was he? He had a good job, a good life, and he was debating throwing it all away over a couple of broken androids. Looking between Chloe, who almost appeared envious, and Elijah, who was fairly excited at the prospect, Simon just found himself nodding.

“I’m going to need two bags then. No, that’s too suspicious.” He hesitated for a moment. “One bag, with a false bottom. The top one should be filled with thirium and small parts, and the bottom part should be filled with food and basic supplies. I’ll have to take a day to get my affairs in order, and if you don’t hear from me again.. Well, assume that I have failed.”

“I know you won’t. Even if they do discover what you are.” Chloe said, shifting slightly to look at his temple. “We will have to numb the spot before implanting it, but you just have to make sure to say that it got damaged in a fight with your owner. Oh, we’re going to have to come up with a good backstory for you too.” She muttered, her fingers flitting lightly through his hair before smirking. “Come back tomorrow, and I’ll make sure Elijah and I are prepared for you.”

When he did return the next day, it was as if he walked right into a debriefing. Simon found himself swept up in the moment.

“So, I went through every detail of what you will need to get there, and condensed it down into a small video. This is pocket sized though!” She explained, before pulling him into their small living room, tucked behind another door. “Your regulation tablet I threw out and replaced it with one of my other ones, because I know you well enough to know that you’ll want to diagnose everyone that you can. You’ll want to find some people you can really trust though, or they might question how you know so much. I was thinking that setting you up as an MC500 is a good cover for how you would have at least some of the knowledge of an engineer without raising too much suspicion.”

He nodded, listening in as Elijah rushed around, before settling down beside the human. “You’ll have to be careful not to get injured. I’ve packed you some basic supplies, but nothing is going to stop them from knowing you’re human if they see your blood.” He explained, taking a moment to slowly rub a tetracaine gel at his temple. ‘We’re not going to let you leave the house until this is healed, for example.” He added, watching as Simon seemed to tense up slightly.

Chloe took one of his hands as he felt that numbness settle, before feeling the pressure of the scalpel. It was a strange feeling, to say the least, more like a person getting stitches. He didn’t mind it though, closing his eyes until he felt the bandage taped over the still bleeding wound. It was a suicide mission at best, and even now, Simon couldn’t bring himself to mind that thought. If he could help these androids live a longer life, then he would have done a through job. It was as simple as that.

“So, in the lower compartment! We’ve loaded you up with MREs, a phone that will connect from anywhere, all the charging cables you could ever need, a change of clothes, and a few mementos, just to make sure you don’t forget us.” Chloe was smiling as her grip tightened on him. Simon was truly her protege, this only proved that all the more to the woman.

“I don’t think I could ever forget you.” It was sincere and sweet, much like the human himself. “You’ve done so much for me up to this point, and I’m sure for a while longer as well.”

“We’ll always have your back, Simon. So go save the world already.”

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It took him three days to get to Jericho.

Now, this was not for a lack of trying. The issue with not being an android trying to find an android haven was just that; he did not have the strength or pain tolerance of an android. The first time he slipped and fell, attempting to get onto the lower roof of a building, he had knocked himself out cold for half a day. He spent the night inside the abandoned building, the cold and the snow driving him towards shelter. Oh, how he would have killed to be able to turn off the ability to feel cold…

The uniform that he had been provided with was warm, but it was the large overcoat that was his saving grace. Without it, he would have frozen that first night, after trying to recover from the fall. Simon had to move slow after that, to give his body enough time to mend and hide the fact that he had gotten injured in the first place. But when he finally crossed that platform and walked into the freighter, there was something almost satisfying about it. It was nothing but cold steel all around him, shaking him to his very core.

And yet, he continued in. No, he had a purpose, a mission. He was going to find and he was going to save these androids, no matter what ended up happening to him. Slipping through barely open doors, pushing his way passed precariously pushed out walls, and the debris… They must have really wanted freedom to choose this as a home base. Simon found himself admiring them, something he hadn’t realized he would feel. That drive to live, no matter what, was it something that he could claim that he had ever felt?

It was at the end of a staircase that he saw the first glimpse of movement. A young man, looked no older than himself. “Hello?” He called out cautiously, watching the dimly lit LED turn towards him. “Is this Jericho?”

“Well, it’s what’s left of it.” He scoffed and turned away, barely even acknowledging the newcomer. Simon hesitated for a moment, before stepping a bit more into view. His eyes scanned around, finding someone who looked a bit.. Pulled together. For the most part. The damage to his arm was significant, he didn’t even have to run a diagnostic to tell that.

Brown eyes locked onto him, dull with the fatigue of time that had passed. “Emergency services?” He asked, his voice just slightly distorted. “You would be a sight for sore eyes in a normal situation.” Settling down on an empty crate, he watched the human for a moment. “It’s nice to see a new face in Jericho. I’m Josh.”

“Then let me be that good sight now as well.” Simon said, the heavy bag hitting the ground after a moment. “What’s broken?” It was a strange request as he knelt, amazed by what all was tucked into the bag that had been given to him. “And if you can’t tell, I can find out for you.”

The android looked him over for a moment, before extending a hand to him. There was a bit of a frown though, as Simon shook his head. “No, no, let’s do this professionally.” He muttered, pulling out the tablet and the cords for it. “My name is Simon, by the way.”

Josh smiled slightly at the tool, before leaning over and exposing his neck. Taken back by the absolute trust that was already presented to him, he got to work right away. Multiple warnings came to the screen, alerting him of the low thirium levels, a busted eye and a malfunctioning pump, all on top of that arm. “I’m gonna have you lean back for me, all right?” He asked, pulling out several of the needed supplies from the bag.

Simon worked slowly, carefully. The gentle removal of the wounded eye, the careful installation of a new thirium pump, and a full container of thirium later, Josh was expressing a gratitude that Simon hadn’t felt in a very long time.  He was actually helping these people, unlike before. This was what he was meant to be doing, not sitting in an office every day. Simon was taking his time in sealing back together the broken chassis of his arm, as Josh seemed almost animated as he talked.

He talked about his own journey here, how there had been another few androids when he arrived, though all of them were now deactivated and salvaged. He explained how several of his students had jumped him, leaving him to die before another android helped him to find this place. They had made it here together, though she was currently out. Watching as the artificial skin slowly closed over the mended wound Josh looked up at him.

“I haven’t been able to use this arm in six months. But I think you might have a line waiting for you now.” The other androids had gathered behind him, watching the engineer work with so much ease. He was flattered, honestly.

And sincerely hoped that he would have enough of those supplies.

                                                                                                -------

Simon would last almost 6 months before the secret would be discovered. About once a week he would head out, and come back with more supplies. Now, naturally, that would raise suspicion, right? Jasmine, the android who originally got Josh here, was the one to bring it up to him. So there was no surprise when the two of them were watching him meet up with Chloe in a small coffee shop, bringing along enough supplies for himself and for the rest of the androids. Long explanations, coffee, and a good few hours later, Simon was back on the street with his reloaded pack.

He didn’t even get a chance to make it back to the ship before he was accosted. Jasmine was the one to grab onto the pack, ripping it off his arms and holding it away, as Josh slammed the man up against the rough brick of a building. That newly fixed arm was definitely being put to good use, it seemed.  Simon groaned as pain shot through him, a few spots blotting out his vision for a moment. To say it was jarring would be an understatement.

“Care to explain why you were meeting with a human?” Jasmine asked, the pack now comfortably resting on her shoulder. “Particularly Kamski’s wife?”

“She’s a friend.” He explained, feeling a small trickle of blood slip down his neck. “She’s a friend of yours as well, I swear!” He tried, shoving against the arm that was currently pinning him to the wall. “She’s always giving me the supplies we need.”

“I knew it was something like that. Getting outside help from a fucking human? Are you really that low?” He asked, his eyes narrowing slightly. Josh was pissed at him. Simon’s eyes flickered between the two of them, before a soft, pained chuckle left his lips.

“Well, you’re gonna end up killing another human tonight.” He whispered, just loud enough for the two of them to hear. Josh’s LED flickered for a moment, before pressing the man harder into the building.

“Are you fucking kidding me?”
“I mean, I could have probably guessed.”
“Shut up, Jaz! You didn’t have any fucking idea! A human shouldn’t be able to find us.”
“If it’s true, let him explain.”

The grip was loosened, and Simon winced as he got the full feeling of the pain that was caused. He really needed to stop getting hit in the head. “One of your androids died recently, right? Or escaped? No, sorry, I mean left. They left to go do something. Get revenge, get needed things.”

“Ned did leave recently.”
“Shut up , Jaz.”

“He ended up on my table. His memories and how to get here are on my tablet. I didn’t show it to anyone besides Chloe, I swear! The tablet we do diagnostics on is hers as well.” He explained, his hands shaking as he brought them to touch the back of his head. There was more blood than he thought.

“Nothing is traceable, no one else knows. Please, I only wanted to help.” He didn’t want to die, not like this. A human death would cause investigations and more trouble to them, and he had already sacrificed so much…

“Humans have never wanted to help us.” Jaz muttered, glaring down at him for a moment before turning to Josh. “How believable do you think he is?”

“His first reaction there was to fix me, so I might be biased.”
“He’s a human, Josh. He’s a liability.”
“Not if we cut him off from the outside.”
“You want him to starve ?”
“No, no. He can come and go as he pleases, but no more drops. I want Chloe Kamski to think you’ve died .”

Simon hesitated for a moment, looking between the two of them. “Will you tell the others, or continue to let me live as I am?” He asked, worried about the potential fight that could come from him being outed.

“We’ll squash any rumors. And let you get another drop. But only if you request some specific items from that bitch.” Jaz was grinning as she leaned in, only managing to make the human feel all the worse about this.

“Of course, whatever you need.” He managed, somewhat meekly. Hell, he was just glad that they weren’t going to throw him into the river at this point.

His nerves seemed to be unfounded though, as the two androids seemed to shift back into the more comfortable nature that he was used to. Handing him back his pack, Jaz slapped him on the shoulder… It stung.

“Come on then, Simon. Let’s go home.” Josh offered, seeming to calm down from the high before. Just like in a human, anger spikes were nothing to mess around with in androids. Still, the engineer nodded, following after the two. He was nervous, but he would figure it out. He always did.

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When Lucy came to join them, she became the third android to know what he was. Almost right away, she could just tell with him. Simon had been with Jericho for over a year now, and he was doing the best he could. Sneaking out for food and sleep when he was able, trying to keep everyone going with the now limited supplies that they had remaining. Josh had been devastated when Jaz had passed on, when she fell well beyond the scope of his abilities.

Jaz was the reason that he managed to repair Lucy though. It had taken over a week to get her reactivated, but as soon as she was, it was clear that something was different. Better. It was that first glimpse of the future that told her who he really was. It was in that same glimpse that she knew she could trust the man.

It was amazing how quickly she became a guide for the group, someone who could actually help lead them. Simon wasn’t a leader, he worked in the background as it was. Besides, a human leading them just felt wrong .

North joined them almost a year later. Other androids had filtered in and out, some staying, some leaving. He watched as they came and went, did the best he could for them, but Simon just always preferred to exist in that background. North seemed different though, there was an anger in her. He didn’t pry for her story, there was simply no purpose in getting into it too much. He didn’t expect her to stay for too long, in the end. Few people did anymore.

But it was when Markus joined them that the dynamic seemed to change so drastically.

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He had actually been resting when the less than graceful entrance interrupted it. His eyes flickering open, they fell upon a face he had seen before. Long before, when it had just been part of a computer screen. The first of the RK series stood in front of him, much like a true present had been sent to him from Chloe herself. He couldn’t say anything though, he couldn’t utter a word about what he knew.

“Welcome to Jericho.” He said simply, stepping forward to extend a hand to this newcomer, his eyes glimmering with a light that hadn’t been seen for a long time.

“This.. Isn’t quite what I expected.” The android replied, looking down to see the thirium leaking from his side. “You’re all just sitting in the dark down here.”

He wanted to get the wounds cleaned up, to see how the specialized model had been holding up. “The darkness offers us a freedom that we wouldn’t see in the outside world.” Josh responded, moving to stand next to Simon.

“You should go talk to Lucy, before taking anything else into consideration.” Simon added, wondering if the android would even listen to him. His heart was racing, capturing the sight of those two toned eyes in his mind. After build parts? That wouldn’t have happened with the person he was supposed to go to. Carl Manfred was a kind man… “Come to me afterwards, and I’ll run a full diagnostic on you.”

Markus nodded just the one time before starting to move around. He took his time examining the broken androids, lighting the small fires, checking in with people as he did so. He was the people pleaser that Elijah had described, but there was something else there. Something else that he would have loved to see, hidden deep inside that mind. That mind that he had helped to design.

But Markus, the one out of the computer screen, was so different from the one right in front of him. This one was so much more . Just the determination that he saw was enough to confirm that.

This Markus was one that he would follow to the end of the earth.

As long as the android would accept him.

Chapter Text

Simon often found himself feeling sluggish after all this time, not deprived of what he needed as a human, but deprived of so many other things. Androids, even deviants, had issues with understanding some of his functions. Josh tried. He tried to do his best to understand, but as Simon was jostled awake by Markus, it felt strange to feel a touch once again. A warm touch, though colder than what it felt like from another human.

Those soft eyes flickered open, micro-naps had become something that he fell into a lot these days. Though the engineer had to fight down the urge to do what he actually desired to do; namely reaching out and touching the specialized android that he had worked so hard to create. “What is it, Markus?” He asked, before something clicked in his mind. They hadn’t been introduced.

“How did you know my name?” It was an almost immediate response, and Simon could feel the air tense around him. His mind flashed through excuses, reasons that could have followed that, and they all came up blank. Nothing was going to be a valid enough reason for him to know.

“I-” A soft stutter surrounded by a brief silence was all that he could manage, before something finally came to mind. “I heard you speak it to Lucy.”

The look he received was of disbelief. But Markus let the conversation drop, leading him once again into that comfortable silence. “I was informed that you were a paramedic unit beforehand. Would you still want to run that diagnostic?” The gentle tone was back,  The comforting tone. That same tone that seemed to fill Simon up from top to bottom.

“Yes! Of course. You have aftermarket parts, correct?” The blonde found himself asking, reaching over and gently taking the android by the wrist. He kept his own equipment to the side, tucked away from prying hands and needy gazes. In some ways he felt less like an engineer and more like a back alley surgeon. After all, he was the one to teach Lucy how to stitch up wounds, he was the one to properly disassemble and drain androids of their remaining thirium. It was a heartbreaking job, disgusting, and brought such deep feelings of hatred for himself.

But it was also the only thing that did keep the remaining deviants running. Even if he felt like a monster.

“Open up your back panel for me?” Simon asked, kneeling behind him and just admiring the finished android before him. Watching Markus as he did so, a small look of confusion came to his face. No, this… was all wrong. Just what had Chloe done to him?

“You may not have the correct tools for me.” That soft voice said, a small laugh at the end of his sentence. “There aren’t too many like myself, after all.”

“But it isn’t me that I’m worried about, either.” Those two toned eyes turned upon himself, making Simon almost  shrink away from the intense gaze. “I want to get parts for the other androids here. I want to help them heal as well, Simon. And currently, you have nothing to facilitate that. But I might have a plan to get us some extra parts.”

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“This is insane.” Simon found himself whispering to Josh, looking over the edge of one of the storage containers. If he slipped, there would be one hell of a dead human on the ground, and not much else.

“Probably. But stay on me. I’ll be there to get you through it.” Josh found himself agreeing, eyeing the other, their distinct, yet unknown liability. Simon felt himself nodding along, feeling foolish for even getting roped into it.

“You’re coming with us, correct?” Markus had asked, watching the android as he was gathering scattered supplies from all around them. He had the distinct displeasure of having to take apart another android, and then take an equally unpleasant, lukewarm shower. There really were some distinct disadvantages to being human.

“I had been planning on holding down the fort, actually.” He responded easily, wrapping the warm jacket around himself just a bit tighter.  It was that warmer hand that took him by surprise though. Had Markus taken the time to warm up his temperature before touching him?

“I would prefer to have you with us.An extra set of hands is always helpful, and with your medical background, I can only see that as a bonus. You would know what we are most in dire need of.” He explained, that warm hand resting against a particularly cold cheek. The way Markus’s thumb ran along his cheek, however, was enough to almost break the human in an instant.

Oh, he was regretting it now though. The entire time they were running through the containers, a simple mantra of This is insane, this is insane… kept his mind occupied, adrenaline stopping the pain of landing hard against the metal surfaces for the time being. How long that was going to last, though… Well Simon had never been too good at working with humans, after all.

He would talk to Chloe after all this though, and perhaps that would provide some well needed clarification. And well needed cables. And perhaps even a good meal and strong medication. Well, if he was lucky and she was still alive, that is.  He didn’t let that thought linger for took long as he badly landed a jump, sliding just a bit on the metal surface. That same strong hand that he was slowly growing familiar with caught onto his forearm, keeping him out of sight range of the patrolling drone.

Scrambling back slightly, he could feel the large bruise starting to form on his shin, the stinging pain starting to move through his lower leg. Several days of bed rest after this. He couldn’t even pant from the exertion, not until Josh had directed the other android’s attention to the drone, silent pointing and informing Simon of the silent conversation happening. Which was fine by him, anything to give his pounding heart a bit of a rest.

Maybe he needed to do more laps around the ship.

That thought alone only made him more melancholic, the human barely had enough time to do everything he was doing now, much less working out even more than he already tried to. When Josh beckoned him back over, Simon watched the quick movements of the specialized android, watching Chloe’s programming at work. It was something particular to the RK series, being able to predetermine the best course of action to getting a certain point of action done. And she had perfected it.

It made something inside him jump slightly, the mere thought of everything that was hidden in that programming making Simon all the more interested in meeting up with Chloe. And, for a brief moment, that focus dulled the pain radiating through his body.

No, it wasn’t until he was in the truck, surrounded by stolen bio-components that he realized that anything was wrong. But when he realized it, he realized all of it. With Markus and North unable to see them, tucked into the front cab and running through the streets of Detroit, Simon gingerly lifted up his shirt to be greeted with the telltale red of the bruise that would soon take over his side.

“It isn’t broken, right?”Josh asked, his brow creasing in concern. Simon dropped his shirt, leaning against a box and wincing slightly.

“I have no idea. Time will tell, I suppose. Do you think you could get me my old cell phone though? I need to talk to Kamski about a few things pertaining to Markus.” His mind was already racing, though the concern only grew on Josh’s face.

‘You’re severely injured, Sim--”
“It doesn’t matter.”
“You’re the one providing a lot of relief to the deviants, of course it matters.”
“No, it doesn’t. It’s a miracle I haven’t ran or died yet anyways, so why is this any different?”

He only nodded once at that. ‘All right. I’ll find it and get it to you as soon as possible. I’m assuming you’re going to lock yourself in your room tonight?”

“With the biggest bag of ice I can make.” There was a small smile with those words, but they were laced with an unspoken pain. “Don’t tell anyone, okay? I don’t need anyone else finding out about this.”

“Of course, Simon.”

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Cell phone resting next to him, the thought of strong painkillers and information resting comfortably in his mind, Simon let himself slowly drift off to sleep. At least for the moment, in the small room he had commandeered for himself, he could find a bit of peace. The soft break of the cold water all around them was the only sound coming into the room, warm blankets and ice packs covering everything that ached. At 8 am tomorrow, he would meet Chloe in a small diner, and they would divulge information between the two of them. And honestly? He couldn’t wait to see his mentor again. It felt like so much more than just a few years, he had a lifetime of stories to pass on.

But sleep was as elusive as quiet was, as he heard the loud chunk of the door being opened. Sitting up quickly, no matter how fast he could have moved, there was no stopping Markus from seeing the large bruise that had taken over his side.

‘Simon?” That soft voice called out as he entered the room. “I thought I would find you here. I had a question for you.” He had almost managed to get the shirt on as those eyes fell upon him, widening slightly. Even without an LED, he could see the other processing it.

He took it in stride though, something that Simon himself could not claim. “This… was not my original question, I have to admit.” Markus added, closing the door behind him as he knelt down. “Are you human?”

It was amazing how quickly the stutter could come back, the slight fidget in his hands. And the pain. Oh, the pain was back with a vengeance, “Would there be any point in lying to you?”

“No.”
“Then, do I really need to admit it?”
“Not at all.”

It was those caring hands that warmed up, one coming to rest at his side and radiate that warmth throughout himself. It was a soft moment, the quiet in the room settling into something that was comfortable. Something that Simon could grow quite used to. Watching Markus settle on his knees before him, the android had a grace that he himself could never hope to emulate.

How long had it been since another person had touched him in a comforting way? Truly cared about his well being? Most of the others wouldn’t even notice, they were too caught up in everything that it was to be a deviant.

“Why did you come here, Simon? This is no condition for a human to be living it. It’s barely livable for an android.” It was genuine curiosity that was pushing this conversation forward. And at this point, there really was no going back.

“I found Jericho by accessing a dead android’s memories. The thought of leaving so many injured and alone, scared for their own lives after discovering that they were alive? I couldn’t stand it. But I have something else I have to confess.”

Curious eyes looked up at him, as Simon’s hands slid together and tightened. “You’ve grown so much from the programming that Chloe and I originally put in you.” The hand at his side stopped, the gentle warmth slowly being ebbed away by pain once again. It came back just as quickly though, as Markus regained his composure.

“That explains why you were so keen on my diagnostics, and so disappointed when you couldn’t see everything. And how you knew that something wasn’t right with me in the first place.” The hand did drift away from his side again, coming up to press against the back of his neck instead. “I might just be the luckiest android, to have been created by the most compassionate human.”

“I think you’re giving me too much credit, Markus.”

“I think you don’t give yourself enough credit.” He retorted, pulling him down just a bit. “I originally came in to ask you why you were so fascinated with me, and had sincerely been hoping for a different answer.” The touch of remorse in those words made Simon hesitate.

“If you honestly believe that the entirety of my fascination in you is because of that, you’re absolutely wrong.” The human chuckled, following it up with a soft wince as pain shot through him again. It didn’t stop him from closing the distance between them, and pressing a firm kiss to the growing leader’s lips.

It was worth every bit of pain.

                                                                                                -------

Waking up to one of the several alarms that had been set for that morning, he found himself not being able to move as smoothly as he would have liked. Not because of the pain. Well, not entirely because of the pain. There was a particularly warm android wrapped around him, lost in his own thoughts with a tablet in front of his face.

Thoughts flashed in his mind, racing through scenarios that never happened. If his LED actually functioned, it would be going haywire in those brief moments, before the android started to chuckle. That warm laugh that seemed to fill him up in a way he couldn’t explain, it was the cue that he was overreacting to something.

“I thought I might assist in the heating and cooling of your wounds.” The android replied simply, as Simon wiped the sleep from his eyes and started to move from the bed. It seemed to have helped some of the swelling, at the very least. He nodded, keeping his gaze down as he slipped back into the normal clothing that he had on. The layers helped, a comfort that he had desperately missed.

“You’re going to go see Chloe today, right? I’ll head out with you.” Markus added, opening the door and almost immediately ushering the human out of his own room. “I have a few things that I would like you to pass onto her and Elijah as well.”

                                                                                                -------

“Oh my god Simon!” Was the greeting he received, turning around just in time to almost be barreled over by the excitable blonde. Both arms wrapped around his neck, pulling the engineer in close. It was her voice, her scent, her touch, her everything that just got him overwhelmed. For the first time in years, Simon found himself crying. Pain or not, he wrapped his arms tight around her, pulling the woman into a fierce hug.

“Fuck, Chloe, I didn’t think I would miss you so much.” He whispered, the tears slipping from his cheeks and onto her jacket. He ended up pulling back quickly, wiping at his eyes and attempting to retain some form of his composure.

“Yeah, well, I thought you had died .”
“That was the condition. Some of the deviants found out, Chlo. If I talked to you again, I would be.”
“You have a gravestone you asshole! I had to console your mother .”
“I know I have a lot of explaining to do! So let me.”

As they settled down into the corner booth, away from everyone around the diner, he started in. What happened with Jaz and Josh after their last meeting, the slow filtering of the deviants in and then normally back out. Meeting North, meeting Markus, and finally detailing the heist that they had pulled off the night before. To her credit, she didn’t interrupt, only gasping and shaking her head at the right times, and making him feel genuinely better about the entire story.

“That explains the need for painkillers. Do you think it’s broken or just bruised?” She asked, eyeing his side cautiously. “I can’t believe RK200 found his way to you. Oh! I brought you the cables, by the way. Call me after you run a full diagnostic on him?’

“If they’ll let me. Both Josh and Markus know, but they’re the only ones that do.” He explained, gladly drinking his way through another cup of coffee before starting in on a piece of bacon. It had been so long since he had a truly home cooked meal… Even if it was in a diner in the sketchier part of Detroit.

"He’s doing all right though? Did… Carl treat him well? I heard what happened and I was sure that Markus had been left in some dump.” Chloe sighed at the thought, her perfectly manicured nails tapping lightly against the warm mug held in those same hands.

“Wait, what?.. No, don’t tell me. I want to hear it from himself.” Simon muttered, turning his head away after a moment. The smile was almost too telling. “Something happened, and he got dumped afterwards. That would explain the random assortment of equipment he has now. Though, the mismatched eyes really do make him stand out. In a good way.”

Leaning in a bit closer, she smirked. “You always did like the way he stood out. Dare I say you’ve grown attached to my favorite robot?” She asked, winking lightly. “Don’t worry, I won’t tell Elijah. A lot of things will just have to remain our little secret. “ There was no fighting the light dusting of pink on his cheeks as he coughed over a bit of egg.

“I’ll need to head out soon though.” He added, the phone in his pocket buzzing slightly. “Can’t be gone too long or the actual deviants get suspicious, you know?” Besides, he needed to get out before the prying questions started in.

“Give me another hug before you leave.” His mentor purred, standing up and catching his wrist. It was a gentle grasp that he turned into, wrapping his arms right around the woman again. “Don’t be a stranger anymore. If Markus lives up to his programming, you are in for an exciting future.” She added, placing a warm kiss on his cheek. Just like before, the man left with everything he could need, a new bag of food, drinks, toiletries, cords, and tucked into the fabric of it all, a tracker.

Chloe just couldn’t resist staying in the loop.

                                                                                                -------

“I have an idea.”

The words were soft as Simon sat up. Watching over him for a moment, he nodded, letting the android join him on the bed. After the long explanation… Well, Simon couldn’t really say no to the request.

This was how Simon found himself waiting, admittedly not so patiently, on a staff elevator. In his hands was a small bomb, something he was finding a slight issue in not fidgeting with. This was more than he had ever bargained for, but the opportunity was something that he refused not to be a part of. Josh seemed calm as they waited, confident in what was happening.

He wished for that same confidence. That same steady nature, He let out a slow breath, an attempt to will his nerves to calm themselves.  ‘You know everything is going to be alright, right?” Josh asked, turning to face the man, a soft smile resting on his lips. “We’re going to let the world know that we not only exist, but we’re going to fight for that right to continue.”

“Just… Kinda hard to believe that sometimes. A part of me is wondering if we get off this elevator, are we just going to be gunned down? Will it me Markus and North, or two heavily armed security guards?”

“You can’t think like that.”
“I’m human. It’s called anxiety.”

Josh chuckled softly at that, feeling the lift lurch up. Simon’s stomach clenched up, closing his eyes as he heard the soft tick of the elevator rising. When he heard those doors open, there was a split second of waiting before that same, calm voice greeted them.

“I see that you missed me.”
“You have the bomb, right? It’s not going to fuck us all up, is it Simon?”
“Of course I have it. I designed it.”

It might blow them all up, he didn’t feel like answering that question. Passing it to Markus, he stepped back, opting to stand behind Josh and place both hands over his ears.

Sometimes it was nice to be pleasantly surprised. And he was, when everything didn’t shatter around them, He was surprised again when there were no deaths getting passed the guards.

But the biggest surprise of the day? Just getting to hear Markus, in his original form, broadcasting throughout for everyone to hear. The voice of a peaceful revolution, one ready to take whatever was thrown at them. They had discussed it last night, just the two of them. And time and time again, Simon only ever had one request for Markus.

Keep as many people alive as possible.

North looked pissed at the thought of a peaceful demonstration, but she didn’t say a word. But it was looking at him like this that made him connect it to what Chloe had told him this morning.   If Markus lives up to his programming, you are in for an exciting future. Exciting, indeed.

And while this was awe inspiring, beautiful, and so many other things that he could have listed off, their time was cut tragically short. The warning came quickly, but so did the bullet that grazed his side, spraying the wall behind him with red. Perhaps the ask to keep people alive had stuck in his mind, because even wounded like this, Markus never left his side. Depositing him on the ground, pain coursed through him, a pain like he had never experienced before.

“You’re HUMAN?!” North shouted, as she turned to him. “ Kill him. Kill him right now, Markus! He is a liability! He’s probably going to bleed out and die anyways!’ She snapped, her eyes narrowing as she looked down at the engineer.

“No.”
“They’ll torture him until he tells everything! He’s human, he’s weak. He’ll give in !”
“I said no, North.”

“I can’t take you with us. But you have to survive, understand? Do whatever you have to.” Markus was whispering to him, knelt to the side of the man, a hand placed against his side once again. He leaned in closer, whispering.

“Do what you have to do to come back to me.” It was followed by a soft kiss to his cheek, undetectable to anyone but Simon himself.

“We need to LEAVE .” Markus yelled, North shooting him a nasty look as the three of them took off over the edge.

He only had a few seconds to make his choice. His eyes darted around, locating a small closet to the side. Removing his shirt and using it to stem the bleeding at his side, he let his remaining adrenaline lead him to a closet, tucked away at the side of the room. Collapsing into it, he heard the guards break through the lock, and finally gave into the thing he had wanted so badly. He finally passed out.

Chapter Text

Simon was only woken up once in the time that he remained in that closet. The door opened slowly, soft, blue eyes meeting his own gaze. Grimacing at the sight of the other, his mind flashed through several scenarios. Each one was more worrisome than the last, before that look of recognition hit him. He was looking at another one of Chloe’s creations. RK800, the model based off of her father. 

“Please. Don’t tell anyone I’m here.” Simon managed to whisper, pain laced through each and every one of his words. The led flickered, quickly over to red, before returning back to blue. “I need to live through this. They’ll kill me.” His breath hitched as he spoke, another shock of pain running through him.

“I don’t understand what’s happening here.” Hank muttered, stepping slightly and looking into the container to make it look as if he was actually checking it. “But I’ve informed Chloe of it.” He finished it up, before turning and closing the door behind him. Simon could hear just one more thing as the darkness took him over again.

“It’s quite confusing, Lieutenant, but I seem to have lost the trail of the human. Do you think he could have made it back downstairs?”

                                                                                               -------

He didn’t wake back up again until he was in a place that was all too familiar. It wasn’t an uncommon occurrence to end up in the Kamski household, but it was new to wake up hooked up to a proper IV. Pushing himself up, both his leg and his side shot through him with pain. It wasn’t enough to stop him though, just more of a minor set back. 

Chloe, however, was surprised to see him up and moving again so quickly. “And just where do you think you’re going, you foolish man? The bullets might have only grazed you, but you should be out for several more days.”

“I don’t have time for that, Chlo. I gotta get back.’ Simon muttered, gently pulling the IV from himself, letting it clatter to the floor. 

‘No, Simon, you don’t understand. Last night, after the message you broadcast…” The hesitation spoke more than anything else, as his gaze turned to follow hers to the news. Graffiti littered everything, cars turned into the street to block it off. Slogans and banners were all around Capitol Park. “We have a dream…” Simon whispered, walking over to the TV and actually touching the screen.

“This. Chlo, this is why I need to get back to them. I need to go and set the repairs for anyone that was injured.* I need to be there with him*.” He said, a hand resting gently at his side. “Even if all I can do is help people recover, it’s better than sitting here and watching the world change. I need to help it change.”

“There’s going to be no stopping you, is there?”
“I’m afraid not.”
“Then let me pack you up the things you’re going to need. Because I can’t have you showing back up in such shabby clothing.”

Simon found himself chuckling at her words, but he wasn’t going to deny it. A long shower, several drugs, two bandage changes and a clothes change later, he felt like an entirely different person. Admittedly, a person with a limp. But still someone who could be of some use. 

“I’m going to insist that you allow me to buy you some food before you go back though. Shall we go back to that charming diner?”

                                                                                                -------

There was an excitement in the air as he stepped back onto the abandoned freighter. There were voices, energy, something that he hadn’t felt here in so long. The entire world had changed while he was gone, and all he could hope for was the acceptance back into the fold of people. 

It was in that chilly hallway though, that he heard footsteps coming to greet him. Maybe it was foolish to hope that their great leader was going to be the one coming. More likely than not it would be North, ready to put a bullet right between his eyes. But as the flashlight steadied on that striking form of their leader, words didn’t even pass between the two of them. 

The strong embrace that was given to him spoke volumes. Soft tears started to stream from Simon, as his arms curled around Markus’s neck. Those not-quite-human arms wrapped around him, dragging a small hiss out of Simon from the pain radiating from his side. Gunshot wounds, even when they were just scrapes against the skin, hurt like hell.  Trembling hands still came up, to drag the man before him into the kiss that he had so desperately needed for so long. It was as if every stress in his body released at once, the human could have melted into a puddle of goo right then and there. He could sense it though, pulling back to look up at Markus. 

“You have another plan, don’t you?” Simon found himself asking. There was no fear in his words, nothing more than that same strength that he always showed. 

“Of course I do. But we still have several hours to prepare for that.” The android replied, that heartwarming smile more than enough to win over anyone. Not that he needed the human before him to warm up to him anymore. No, they were well passed that point. 

The flashlight fell with a clatter as he felt those strong arms around him once again, pain slowly dissipating into pleasure as he was kissed once again. And it was in that moment that Simon decided one thing. He would do anything to make sure that Markus succeeded.

                                                                                               -------

 Stepping foot into the Woodward mall, Simon couldn’t stop the way his hands shook. It wasn’t from the cold, though there was definitely more of a chill in the air. No, this was nothing more than nerves slowly overwhelming himself as he sat there, weighing his options. North didn’t want to do this, but Markus and Josh definitely did. All Simon wanted was to curl back up and drug himself into a stupor, but there wasn’t much chance of that happening either. No, he just dry swallowed another one of the Vicodin, took a deep breath, and gazed around. 

“Is everyone ready for this?” Markus asked, getting a reassuring nod from Josh, a scoff from North, and just the gentlest touch to his arm from Simon. It was more than enough confirmation for what they were about to do. 

It was small at first. Blocking off the street, slowly summoning androids to join them. And then their numbers started to swell. The crowd around them pulsed with an energy that he had never experienced before, each step louder than the last. His heart was racing, but each step made him feel stronger. He found his place. It might have taken him 29 years and more excitement than a lifetime for other people, but he knew it. That same soft gaze settled on Markus’s back for a moment, a single thought coming to his mind. * I would die for this man.*

The thought was almost immediately pushed away. How ridiculous. Dying for someone that wasn’t even human. But even that thought was edged out by another. Of course they were human. Elijah had known exactly what he had been doing when he created these beings. He had entirely intended on making a new sentient race, there was no doubt about that.

And he had just happened to fall in love with the leader, that was fine. 

The roar of tanks jarred him from those pleasant thoughts, watching as they were finally circled upon. An almost idiotic looking man with a bull horn was screaming something that he wasn’t paying attention to. His mind flashed quickly back to just yesterday, feeling the skin of his thigh get seared away as the bullet barely grazed his skin, the same sensation pounding painfully near his ribs. 

“We should leave, Markus.” His words came out first. Yes, fear was there. He didn’t want to get shot again, he didn’t want to feel those terrible feelings again. Androids didn’t feel pain, but he sure as hell did.

“No, we should stay and fight them!”
"They wouldn’t attack unarmed androids, right?”
“They’re human , Josh, of course they would. Or do you not remember last night?”

Simon flinched slightly at the emphasis on human, before looking at the crowd. “Markus, please. We need to disperse.”

“Then you run, weakling.” North snarled back at him. All right, she was probably still mad at him then, he had figured that one. Simon found himself falling silent, but he didn’t leave.

“We need to make a point.” Markus said, taking a step forward. His hands immediately went into the air, the crowd behind him following in suit. Words were said, but it was all blurred out for Simon. Between the trucks, the news chopper, and his own senses, he could barely notice anything before the first round of shots rang out. With Markus at the forefront, Simon watched as a bullet pierced right into his shoulder. Logic wasn’t something that dictated the mind in a love struck human, and there was no stopping him as the engineer lurched forward, catching sight of several of the androids dropping to the ground.

This time, he raised his voice. “Markus! We need to run!”

The issue was… He was still quieter than the other two. 

“Attack, Markus! Now’s the time to prove our point!”
“Violence will get us nowhere! We need to remain peaceful!”
“And get killed?! ”

Markus, blue blood slowly flowing down from the hole held a hand up to silence the two of them. No, he took another step forward. Whatever might have been going on in the leader’s mind… No one would never know that one.

But it didn’t matter in the end. Not even Markus could properly sacrifice themselves for their cause, pushed out of the way by the android from the docks. John may have been the one to knock some sense into the android as Markus let out a booming “ RUN !” and signaling the quick escaped that the remaining androids had needed.

Out of the hundreds of androids that they had gathered that day, less than half actually returned with them.

                                                                                                -------

“Are you an idiot, or do you just think you’re bulletproof?” Simon found himself scolding the other later, settled into what was slowly becoming the private room for them in Jericho. For years before, the room had seemed cold, sterile, and more like it would become his tomb, rather than his home. 

“Well, not bulletproof, per say. But I am rather resistant to them.”
“Don’t sass me.”
“How else am I to fill my time then?”
“I’m sure that you can come up with something creative.”“Creative… I’ve been told I’m rather good at being creative.”

Perhaps it was from the adrenaline, maybe it was something else entirely. But as he finished soldering the wound closed in the android’s arm, he felt a hand slide into his back pocket. All it resulted in was a blush and huff, along with a slap to the sturdy, newly soldered arm. 

“Excuse me for taking a moment with my boyfriend after what feels like a success. Yes, we lost people. But it doesn’t change the fact that we have made another stand for our people.” Markus said, shifting slightly and pulling Simon down to settle on his legs. “Our name is getting known, and the public is favoring our cause. They don’t like seeing people get gunned down in their streets, Simon.”

“I just….” He hesitated for a moment. “I would have… Preferred if you would have left. We could have kept all of them alive. “

“They were never going to let us leave that Plaza alive. Your heart is just too kind to see that.” A mechanical hand moved to rest over his heart, feeling the beat of it pick up pace for just a second. 

“Much of the military would rather see us dead and in the streets right now. And if that is the case, then so be it. I can accept that fate.” He added, as both of Simon’s hands came up to rest on his leader’s arms.

“But we need you alive.” There it was, another slight hesitation. “I need you alive.” The next words though, they came out with all the force he could muster. “I will take your place in death, Markus. I can’t change the world, you can.”

“You have a lot of faith in a simple android.”
“You’re far from simple.”
“At this point I’m sure you’re just fishing for compliments.”
“I would like to be acknowledged for the masterpiece I made. Is that so wrong?”

It was an attempt to lighten what was a very serious moment. Markus was right. In the end, it had been a victory. This was a war of attrition, not of meaningless fights. Every time the fight came, it was more important to hold the line, rather than relent more to the opposition. Simon just didn’t like it very much. 

He, however, did like feeling those warm lips against his own, savoring a quiet moment before what would be the opening of the floodgates. They were going to have hell unleashed upon them soon, Even if neither of them knew it. 

“You have me all patched up, right doctor?” Markus asked after pulling back. Those mismatched eyes did linger on those slightly bruised lips, a gentle reminder popping in for  him that he needed to go easy on the engineer right now. It was a miracle that Simon was moving at all. 

“No, I need to check something else.” Simon said, the briefest glint in his eyes. Leaning in, his hands ran along his hairline, fingers trickling down his neck slightly. A soft chuckle seemed to slip right into his ear, before he bit down on the shell. Obviously, it wasn’t going to cause any pain, but there was sensation. A different sensation entirely on that synthetic skin. 

Simon felt two hands firmly on his backside now, both of them tightening just for a moment. “Just needed to make sure your reactions were up to snuff.”

“I hope that you don’t do that to all of your patients, now.”
“No, that is definitely reserved for just you.”
“Good.”

Two strong hands brought his gaze forward, thoughts of death and destruction gone in this moment. No, all that was left was a dizzying sensation of lust, and the wonderfully familiar sensation of a synthetic tongue sliding into his mouth. They both knew that neither could do anything more than this. Time, pain levels, everything was holding them back. But it almost didn’t matter as that groan left Simon’s lips. 

The painful hiss that left his lips as he was pressed into the bed was enough to stop them though.

Markus’s head dipped forward at that, pulling back and up. “For after the revolution then.” He said, gently helping Simon up to a sitting position instead. 

“I suppose that means that both of us are going to have to survive then, because I’m holding you to that.”
“You have my word, my love.”

And that was the note that Simon could leave their room comfortably on. They both had work to do, and there was even a bit more pep in his step as he started off to go check in on the other injured androids. In this brief moment, it was like the pain had been left behind.

Markus followed him out, going to find North and Josh. They had some planning to do. 

It was 9:45 P.M. on November 9th, 2038. In exactly 60 minutes, the entire world was going to start it’s biggest change in decades.