Old Instinct: A Detroit: Become Human Story - Chapter Two: Happy Hour - Part Two

Natalie, Connor found himself repeating in his mind. It fit her. He liked the sound of it.

“It’s very nice to make your acquaintance, Miss Natalie.” He nodded slightly toward her, earning a soft giggle.

“Hank,” she chided. “You didn’t mention how polite he was!”

Hank huffed and rolled his eyes. “Ah, jeez, Nat, you gotta make it weird.”

She smiled, then shook herself out of her reverie. “Come on, let me get you boys some drinks.”

She stepped behind the counter again, walking toward the center of the counter.

The bar had mostly emptied out since the encounter began, with only a few of the stools still full and only a table or two that had occupants.

She gestured for them to sit down, reaching beneath the counter.

“For Hank,” she started, pulling bottles out from underneath the counter.

She poured shots into a larger glass over ice with expert precision, finishing it off with a slice of lemon that she twisted in her hands before adding it to the drink.

“Whiskey on the rocks with a twist.”

Hank smiled. “You remembered. I’m touched,” he said before nodding. “Thanks, sweetheart.”

Natalie smiled back at him, then turned to face Connor. “And now, for you.”

Connor shook his head. “Androids cannot -”

She held up a hand, effectively cutting him off. “You’ve just never seen an android drink, my friend.” She smirked, then reached beneath the counter again.

She pulled out a bag of Thirium and sliced it open near the top using a knife.

She poured this into a cocktail shaker, followed by two shots from a small bottle filled with a clear liquid and one shot from a slightly bigger bottle filled with a brown-tinted substance.

She closed the shaker, shaking it vigorously in her hands before opening it again.

She filled another glass with ice, then poured the solution over the ice. She held out the vibrant blue beverage to Connor.

He looked at it with confusion, then back at her.

She smiled. “Trust me, Connor. Try it.”

Connor looked at Hank, who just shrugged. Warily, he took the glass between his fingers and slowly raised it to his lips.

He was shocked at the taste. The central taste of Thirium was still present, though it was mixed with slightly different flavors. There was something he couldn’t quite identify. Was it...

fruity?

Whatever it was, he liked it.

He scanned the substance, and was surprised that the analysis came back saying that the Thirium was compatible with his system.

He set the glass down and looked at Natalie with surprise.

“Well?” Hank said. “You gonna say something?”

“It’s… I like it,” Connor said with surprise.

It was rare for him to find something that he actually liked. He liked Sumo. He liked Hank. He liked working for the DPD. And now, he liked this.

He liked her.

She smiled at him. “I’m glad you like it!”

“What is this? If I may ask,” Connor gestured to the glass in front of him.

She looked shocked, and placed her hands on her hips. “Connor, don’t you know? A bartender never reveals her secrets,” she chided with a wink.

He liked that too.

“I can’t tell you what I put in it, of course; only that I filtered it to take the harmful properties out so androids could enjoy it.

Once the laws were lifted, I figured it would only be fair that they get to enjoy a drink too,” she smiled, leaning toward him from across the counter.

“The only things left are the taste and the effects. You, my friend, can officially get drunk now.”

Hank laughed out loud, clapping his hand on Connor’s back. “Now you can finally be my real drinking buddy!” He raised his own glass in the air. “Cheers, pal.”

Connor looked at the glass for a moment, then mirrored the motion with his own. The glasses came together with a sharp clink.

A warning flashed in front of Connor’s vision.

WARNING: Intoxication at 4.72%. Avoid further consumption. Inebriation at risk.

What an odd warning, Connor thought to himself. It was one he never thought he’d see.

He dismissed it without a second thought.

After finishing the drink, he looked to her. “Could I trouble you for another…? What do you call these?”

She smiled, already mixing another one. “That, Connor, is what I like to call a ‘Short Circuit’.”

He laughed. He never laughed.

The night passed on in a similar fashion, with Natalie mixing drinks for the two officers in front of her.

They told her stories of wild pursuits and run-ins with red ice rings, and she retaliated with stories of customers who bit off far more than they could chew.

When it reached 2:00 in the morning, Natalie closed the bottles and put them back under the counter.

Everyone else had already stumbled out for the evening, leaving behind only the young bartender and two highly intoxicated officers of the law.

“Closing time, boys,” she said, to which Hank groaned.

“Ahhh c’mon, Natttt, jus’ one more?” he slurred, giving her what she could only guess was his inebriated attempt at being charming.

It didn’t work. She smiled nonetheless.

Even Connor had a relaxed smile spread across his face as he attempted to run another diagnostic.

W@RN1NG: InttoxXXic@@$%^ at 4$$@2%. InneEEE$##@ riSk.

He couldn’t be bothered to care.

He couldn’t be bothered at all.

Natalie shook her head, pulling out her cell phone to call a cab for the two as Hank tossed a few wadded up bills on the counter. There was no way either of them were driving home tonight.

When they finally reached the Anderson residence, the two leaned against one another for mutual support as they stumbled their way up the sidewalk.

After several futile attempts, Hank finally managed to get the door unlocked.

He tossed the keys in the vague direction of the table by the door - missing it entirely - and he and Connor both sat heavily on the couch.

Connor turned to face Hank, trying to get his optical units to focus but to no avail.

“Hhhank?” he started. Hank turned to look at him.

“Yeah?”

“Sshheee was really nicccce,” he slurred as his processors began shutting down for the night.

“Ssee? I told you you’d like hhher,” Hank grinned.

“Yyou were right, Lliutennt,” Connor said as he leaned back and began to shut down for the night. “I ddooo.”

Both were asleep - or, in Connor’s case, in stasis - within minutes.

Turns out it was a good thing they had the day off the next day.