sweethymns | ʜᴜᴍᴀɴ ᴀғᴛᴇʀ ᴀʟʟ

[Ai claps and cheers on the last shot and the booth manager can only stare mouth agape.]

"Holy shit... Well! You win! Congrats to you and the little lady"!

[+1 Giant Teddy Bear achieved. Path Unlocked: Sick Day.

The bear is handed over to Ai who spends a good minute hugging it and rubbing her face in its stomach.]

It's sooo cute!! I wanna take a nap on it!

[Connor just smiles and hands back the gun, muttering another thanks to the man before turning to look at Ai. The teddy bear seems almost as big as her, and he steps forward and places a hand on its head.]

I’m glad you like it. Though in retrospect, maybe we should’ve waited until later. Now we have to carry it around with us everywhere.

I don't mind! I love hugging it! Thank you so much Connor!

[And if they need to leave it behind for a ride, staff would look after it. Her face peeks behind the bear's head and she's just all smiles.]

I never got one of these before so you just made today extra special!

[(She wonders when was the last time she felt this happy?)]

Well, you won this for me, so you get to choose what we should do next.

[~~before the rain comes down anyways~~]

[She’s so happy about the bear, and the smile is really contagious. Connor finds that he’s glad to have been able to win it for her.]

If you change your mind and need me to carry it instead, just let me know.

[As for what he wants to do, he’s not sure. Connor glances around.]

There’s a face painting booth nearby.

Painting booth? We'll both get our faces painted then!

[She goes towards the booth where Connor glanced, easily parting the crowd with the giant bear. It's so useful!]

C'mon!

[He follows with ease, given how Ai seems to be parting the sea of people with her giant bear. Connor walks casually enough behind, but pacing his step so that he stays close.

When they reach the booth, there are several seats open, and they’re both met with the eager faces of people who have volunteered to help out at the fair. A middle aged, smiling woman asks Connor’s name, and he replies in kind. She then asks what he might want painted on his face, and he has to pause because... well the didn’t think of that.]

I think... a dog.

[Because of course a dog.

The woman chuckles and says that’s an easy enough request, and tells Connor to lean in a little and remain still. He does, and she paints a little dog face on his cheek.

In the interim, Connor glances over at Ai to see how she’s doing.]

[Ai has the bear sitting next to her as a volunteer works on her face. Her chosen design seems to be blue butterfly wings that frame her eyes like a mask. She sits quietly, eyes closed whenever it was needed, and within a few minutes, she's done.

Ai glances at Connor to see... The dog. That's so...]

... Cute.

[He’s done before she is, since his design was not all that large or complicated. And so when she turns to look at his face, he’s already turned his body towards her.]

The dog? She showed it to me in the mirror. I like it.

[Sometimes the simple pleasures are more than enough for Connor.]

I like the color of yours. It looks like you have some excess paint here, though—

[He reaches out with a finger to brush where there’s an extra blue dab of paint on her cheekbone.]

[That gesture startles her somewhat, making her eyes widen a bit but it's over just as fast. The painter who decorated her face whispers to Connor's painter "Now THAT was cute."]

Oh. Thanks for... Getting that.

[(When was the last time she felt this happy and then fluttery with light confusion all at once?) Ai slides off of her chair fanning her face (to dry the paint really) and then when it's less damp, she takes her bear.]

Wanna see if the Ferris Wheel is available now? Line should be smaller.

[The paint stains his “skin” a dark shade of blue, and Connor examines his fingertip for a brief moment.

He can’t help it. Out of instinct and habit and curiosity, it must be done.

So when Ai recovers from fanning her face and looks to Connor, he’s pressing that same finger to his tongue.

Starch. Animal fat. Cobalt oxide.

Oh, sorry, Ai — did you say something?]

[UHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH.

The volunteers look at Connor in horror.]

"Er, honey? I don't think that's edible...?"

"Ewwwww!"

[Ai is going to quickly use her bear to push Connor away from the painting booth and hiding his back from the two and when they're far enough away.]

I thought you didn't eat?!

[He has just finished interpreting the data when all of a sudden, he’s pushed away via big squishy bear. Connor looks confused for a second, then turns his head to look at Ai. At least he doesn’t have his finger in his mouth now.]

I don’t eat. You’re referring to the paint?

[He holds up his finger, still stained with a faint blue.]

I was taking a sample of it. I was curious of its composition. [This conversation seems familiar...] I’m sorry. I should’ve warned you.

[So much for being discreet... Maybe the people will just think Connor is a weirdo who eats paint.

Her brows furrow at him when he calls it "taking a sample."]

Your tongue can do that?

[I mean it’s not untrue]

Yes. I can test samples in real-time. But it’s not usually paint; it’s often times blood.

[Using the arm of the teddy bear, she reaches up to cover Connor's mouth.]

Say no more.

[Silenced by a teddy bear. He doesn’t say anything, but his eyes are alight with “???”]

...

How do I say this...?

[Ai puts the teddy arm down and is tapping one foot.]

That sounded disturbing.

[A beat, then slowly, carefully:]

That I can analyze blood samples in real-time...?

No, it's disturbing because you use your mouth to do that.

[This appears to be the same problem that Hank has with this.]

But you understand that I'm not actually eating it?

[SIGH... ]

Just. Try not to do that here? People will start to suspect that something is off about you.

[Lick whatever you want back where there are more androids tho]

[Idly, he pushes his glasses back up his nose again.]

...Right. Sorry.

[She has a point there. It'd be difficult to explain, other than proclaiming that Connor is just a strange dude who likes to eat weird things.]

I won't do it again.

[.....probably.]

[She looks at him thoughtfully and then reaches up to pat him on the shoulder.]

You DID clean off the extra paint off of my face so... Thanks!

[she's just trying to be positive... ]

Ah... you're welcome. I guess some habits are just hard to break.

[That paint was almost the same color as thirium, after all. It was hard to ignore the impulse.]

I didn't mean to derail us. You wanted to still ride the Ferris wheel?

Mm hm! Let's go before the line becomes long again.

[Thankfully they aren't that far away and after two groups ahead of them go inside their carts, Ai is able to steal one for the both of them. The bear even gets to come along! She pushes the teddy bear to the side so she can look outside the window from her right.]

Stay still okay? I'll admit, if I went on these with Lien, she'd try to make the cart move back and forth as we go up. It kind of makes me nervous.

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