POV: 313-248-317 - 51 "Connor"

04:32 December 24, 2039
The Reed Household, Toboggan Ontario, Canada

"Cade, what the fuck were you THINKING?!" Gavin's fierce growl pulled Cade through the door, almost leaving us outside. We followed quickly as Gavin's thumb traced the blood trickling down Cade's cheek. Blood that didn't belong to him. 

"This, this is human blood! What the FUCK happened?" He shouted, plopping Cade down on the couch - and stomping into the kitchen to gather first aide supplies. I examined Cade out of the corner of my eye. His steel blue eyes were rough, and stable. Staring at the emptiness before him - trying to find a speck of dust floating in the air. The corners of his lips were drawn down, and his cheeks gave away his grinding teeth. I turned to him face on. 

His chin lifted - and his blue eyes bled energy, anger, and a need. It was as if I were staring at a wounded zoo lion. I sucked on my teeth - and sat up a little straighter. His pupils shrunk a tiny bit - and the rest of him slumped a small bit - letting out the built up pressure. His eyes went from wild, to exhausted. 

"CADE! Are you even LISTINING?!" Gavin screamed for seemingly the second time - holding a few old bandages. Cade's eyes snapped back to his irritated husband. 

"I'm sorry, what did you say, honey?" He genuinely looked more afraid than he was concerned about his own injuries. 

"For fuck's SAKE Cade! Who's blood is this?" Gavin screamed, shooting up from the couch - towering over Cade. He looked up to him, eyes squinting, and fingers twitching. 

"It's mine!" Hank shouted, making him flinch. Gavin may have dominion over Cade until I can do something about it - but there's no way in hell he will ever talk that way to Hank. Both Sean and I looked over to Hank, slowly slipping a knife out of his pocket. My heart pounded a few extra seconds. 

"It's yours? Where are you bleeding?!" Gavin asked, knowing he didn't see a wound. With a quick slash, and his standing up to deny the whimper - Hank showed a brand new laceration, while quietly tossing the knife onto Sean's pants, who quickly tucked it in between his legs. 

"Oh Jesus Christ, Hank! Here, clean yourself up!" Gavin tossed the bandages at Hank. He caught them with his bloodied hand, wincing slightly. "I'm fucking going to bed. My husband can join me at any time, if he feels so inclined! The rest of you are wearing out your damn welcome!" He growled, whipping his tie on the ground, as he stamped to his room - slamming the door behind him. 

We stood in agony of Cade's embarrassment. His head slowly lowered, as he picked at an artificial mole on his thumb. 

"You didn't have to do that, Hank." Cade stood up from the couch, and walked over to us. I scooched over so he could sit by Hank. Cade grabbed the bandages from his hand, and started to wrap them tighter, and more accurately.

"He doesn't have to treat you like a guest in your own house, Cade." He said, meeting his unwanted gaze. He tilted his head to the side as he tucked, and wrapped the bandages around his bleeding hand. 

"He, doesn't. He kind of treats me like he doesn't even like me anymore." He said quietly aside. 

"And you just married him?" Sean asked, much louder than any of us were expecting. We all met his furling lenses - wanting to shush him - but knowing too damn well that he isn't speaking anything but the truth. 

"I'm hoping it's just his nerves." Cade dismissed, rolling his shoulder. I looked at the bullet wound. Although it had stopped bleeding automatically - it was still open, and susceptible to new injury. 

"Can I help your shoulder?" I asked, tapping the tips of my fingers together, as he finished wrapping Hank's hand. He took his hand back, and examined the hospital quality job - then quickly looked back to Cade's hurt shoulder. 

"Um, I think I'll be okay." He said, rolling it back. 

"Come on, son. Connor knows what he's doing. He'll fix it in no time." Hank said - not understanding why Cade was so uncomfortable. He looked to me with those wounded eyes, and slightly nodded. I stood up, over his shoulder - helping him take off his jacket, and shirt. The Thirium damp Thirium staining his skin, and making his brand new suit an embarrassment. 

His well built body was drenched with scars. I took a closer look

RK900 - 424-359-428 
THIRIUM PUMP OVERWORKING
DAMAGED SHOULDER ROTATOR #419
DAMAGED WRISTLET CUFF #192875
*Scars indicate non-self inflicted abuse*

"Okay Cade. I'm just - gonna close this." I fought to spit out the words that I know will comfort him - and give no indication to Sean or Hank. We don't need to deal with killing two humans tonight.

"Thank you, Connor." The relief in his voice was unmistakable. His eye lids fell heavy as the heat from my hands fused the shredded shoulder metal back together. Within a minuet - it turned into another scar - though less ugly than the others. Because someone else fused it. 

"Are you okay, son?" Hank asked Cade - holding out a cellophane wrapped Thirium pop for him. His eyes fluttered open. He looked at the pop in his hands, and smirked. 

"Yeah. Thank you Hank." He smiled, and took it from him. Hank smiled for the first time tonight. 

"You should consider going to bed soon, Hank. It's late." Sean said, resting his elbows on his knees. Hank let out a sigh. 

"Technically - it's early." Both of his knees, and ankles popped as he stood up from the couch - and started heading towards the guest bedroom. "Come on, buddy, we gotta pack. We're leaving tomorrow." Hank smiled. Sumo slowly rose to his feet at Hank's call, and trotted with him into the room. 

"Goodnight Hank. Goodnight Sumo." Sean called out for them both, a small smile gracing his cheeks. Hank smiled, and Sumo turned back - and lifted up his jowls - releasing a dam of drool before following Hank to bed. 

Once the door shut - we all let out a breath we didn't realize we were holding in. 

"Cade, I don't want to intrude, but-" Sean started. He saw the scars too. 

"I know. Their disgusting. " Cade huffed, pulling his wet shirt back over his back, while trying to avoid eye contact with either of us. Sean stood up, and took the jacket off of his back - and draped it over his shoulders.

"You three have become more of a family than Gavin at this point." Cade tried to joke through his pain - but the longing, and desperation in his eyes screamed over his attempt. 

"Cade-"

"No, I know. I know I shouldn't have done this. I know I should have never gotten married. I just - thought I loved him. I did  love him. Then, it just - hit me." 

"What hit you?"

"When I refused to take off my LED, when I said that I don't want to move farther away from you guys - when I said that I am not a human. Then he did." Tears traced the bottoms of his eyelids - and threatened to seep out. There were already dancing down my cheeks. 

"He hit you because you're an android?!" Sean was understandably fuming, daring to bounce into Gavin's room. 

"Because I'm not human." He whispered under the quiver of his voice.

1273 Words