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Making too much food, which is starting to become a usual thing.

[ He takes a couple of steps into the house, taking K's cue, then opens up the bag so K can see inside. There's two large jars and a loaf of something. ]

Figured you might want some soup- it's turkey. Think I did pretty well with it, if I do say so myself. And there's some banana bread in there for you.

[ He tilts his head to the side- it comes out looking like an acknowledgement. ]

It's sort of a peace offering, because I'm probably about to make you uncomfortable. How're you holding up?

That's kind of you, and thank you. I'd never turn down your cooking. [ K sounds both curious and a little confused — he can't even guess at what Gabriel's intentions are. Maybe he's been talking to Royce? Then there's the phrasing of the question, and he thinks maybe Gabriel knows now why he was so out of sorts during the meeting. ]

I'm... holding up. [ Is all he can come up with. Not well, but he's taking each day as it comes. It's all he can do, really.

He gestures toward where the sofa and armchairs are. Several books and miscellaneous photos are scattered across the coffee table, but there's also room for the food if Gabriel wants to set it there. ]

Do you want to—? [ Sit, stay, ~~good boy,~~ go for a walk since he's dressed for it? It's up to Gabriel. ]

[ Gabriel tends to do his research. And after K was so off at the meeting, that's exactly what he did. It didn't take long until he realized Connor was gone. He didn't know that android well, but it was clear Connor was important to K.

And Gabriel knows how it is, to lose someone here. He gives K a slight nod, in response to the question and sets the bag on the table. ]

Holding up is good. Like Alphonse always said, the best thing we can do is to keep moving forward. But I'm no good at that- sometimes the best I can do is just try and hold myself together, until things get a little easier.

Are you hungry, at all?

I imagine I will be eventually, so I appreciate you thinking of me. [ He can't outright lie because hashtag android problems, so he's trying to be polite about not having an appetite. He doesn't intend to waste the food, though; it's just a matter of forcing himself to eat. ]

You were close with Al. [ It's almost a question, his tone becoming sad. ] He always went out of his way to be kind to me, when he had no reason to. I would have liked a chance to know him better.

[ And now he's not sure that he'll ever see the kid again... though he has hope. And faith in Zephyr. For the same reasons, he believes he'll see Connor again, one day. He can't bear considering the alternatives. ]

[ He leaves the bag on the table, in that case, and sits down on the sofa. He sort of had a feeling K wouldn't want to eat, even though he reacts entirely oppositely to situations like this. ]

I'm sure he would've liked the same. He's always been that way. At first I thought it was something fake, to keep himself focused on other people's problems. But it's more of a determination, to not let life break him down, I guess. It's amazing.

[ And now he's off the topic he meant to be on, but he's tried not to think too much about Al when he could help it. ]

I miss him a lot. But he wasn't happy here. He had things he wanted to do, back home.

[ So it was probably good that he was probably getting back to doing them, even if Gabriel didn't like it. ]

Is that how it was for you and Connor? Did you leave anything unfinished back home?

We both wanted to stay here. [ K says quietly as he takes a seat in one of the chairs. ] In our homeworld Connor's hunted by the human corporation that made him, because, essentially, he stopped obeying them. He developed free will. That isn't "allowed". If they catch him... Outright killing him would be more humane than what they're likely to do. [ He explains with a grim expression, before scrubbing his face with his hands. He's been trying not to think about it, but there's no escaping the reality of the situation. He may never see Connor alive again. ]

And I was subjected to regular testing through my work with the LAPD, to ensure I hadn't been — compromised, like that. To ensure I'll obey without question. If my measured responses stray too far off my baseline, as they almost certainly would now, I'll be summarily retired for being defective. Retirement — that's their more palatable term for executing androids.

[ In other words, if he ever becomes Unlost too, he'll be facing certain death in his homeworld. ]

That's what I was designed for and ordered to do, myself. [ He admits after a long pause, looking down at his hands in his lap. ] Hunt down and retire rogue androids. They pose too great a threat to human officers; we're faster, stronger, more lethal by design. So humans created more androids specifically to eliminate the ones they can't control.

That's... that's what Connor was sent back to.

[ Gabriel starts frowning as he hears about Connor being hunted and is downright scowling at the end of it. None of that is fair, and it was worse than he expected. Hell, their world might be even worse than his, and that takes some doing. ]

Idiots. The humans on your world are idiots.

[ At least now he knows what the lie is that K was being told. ]

We ever get access to your world again? We'll go find Connor and get him out of there. And I'll gladly 'retire' any of the slave-drivers that get in our way.

[ Incredibly short sighted idiots at that. Because if their new fancy super advanced and badly mistreated rogue-hunting androids then become rogues themselves, as history suggests is pretty much inevitable, what do they expect to happen? Peace certainly won't be an option...

Gabriel's offer makes K look up, actually smiling slightly despite his otherwise grim expression. ]

I'd welcome any help I can get, but I hate to think what they'd do to you if they caught you. Someone like you... they'd probably try to make you a lab experiment, too.

[ Which he sort of suspects has already happened before. And maybe he shouldn't be encouraging Gabriel's homicidal tendencies, but honestly, just imagining the humans of his homeworld having to face the consequences of their mistreatment of androids makes him feel a bit better. And finding Connor in the process. It's a nice dream, at least. ]

[ Something about that brings a sparkle to Gabriel's eye and a smirk to his lips. ]

Been there, done that. And that ended with me burning down their facility, so-

[ He shrugs. ]

But I wouldn't let myself get caught. I do know how to be careful, sometimes. We could do it.

[ K glances between the food that Gabriel brought him and Gabriel himself, giving him a long look without saying anything. Just surprised and touched by his sincerity.

And as always wondering what he's done to deserve the kindness he's being shown. ]

I appreciate it. I really do. [ He says at length. ] It means... more than I can say, that you care this much. That you'd be willing to risk your own life. [ Even if the humans of K's homeworld wouldn't know what hit them and might not have a good defense against someone like Gabriel. It still wouldn't be without risk. And there's a part of him dreading that it might really have to come to this, if he's ever to see Connor again. There's no guarantee Zephyr can help. ]

[ Gabriel's mind is already awash with plans and outlines for plans, should they ever make it there. People used to being in charge like that get cocky, and that makes it easier to surprise them. It'd be a stealth mission, definitely, and he suspects K could fly under the radar just as well as he does, maybe better. He should find out more about this corporation--

And K is thanking him. It surprises Gabriel a little, but it feels good. He smiles a little. ]

Ha, I just like wrecking things that need to get wrecked. I know I'm good at that. And if it's to help out a friend? That's definitely worth it.

We'll keep our eyes and ears open for any opportunity to find Connor, okay? And keep helping with Zephyr.

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