Yeah, yeah. I heard you.

[Seventy-eight...? Hank doesn’t want to think about that, no sirree.]

Said you wanted to go see Sumo, yeah? And we can pick up some thirium on the way.

[Or Connor can just enjoy his time with Sumo while Hank stops by the store.

Regardless, Hank leads them away from the godforsaken library. Through the godforsaken tunnel.]

Could stop by Mr. Finch’s library sometime, maybe. [He’s not pressing for the whole friend thing again. Mostly.] He’s got a dog, too.

[Hank looks at Connor once they’re out of the tunnel and in the sunlight. Squinting at him.]

You’re sure you’re really you? [It’s supposed to be a joke, but it lands heavily, even for Hank.]

All right. We can do that. I just... You don’t gotta do everything, Connor. Let me do stuff for you sometimes.

[Hank wants to be able to offer Connor something, since he doesn’t have much. And that’s what friends do, anyway.]

Was less a question — [he says, as they finally arrive at the Kwik Trip, under Wavenport; Etraya appears deceptively large!] — and more me just being... I dunno. Just feel like I’m gonna...

[...wake up, and you’ll be gone.]

Yeah, that sure is fuckin’ you all right.

[Hank is about to pass by Connor in the store before he pauses to touch his shoulder.]

Just saying I’m gonna miss you if — would miss you. If you were gone.

[And he has been missing him this whole time, so goddamn much — all these weeks — but there’s nothing to be gained from saying that.

So, as Hank is heading down an aisle, he turns back to ask:]

They keep thirium cold, you think? Or no?

[Just like with most of Etraya, things seem to appear as people come. Leave as they go. And Connor’s needs should be no exception.]

Well, ain’t that handy. Thanks, Con.

[He grabs a shopping basket before heading toward the back. One of the first times he came here was when Hank was getting some first aid supplies for a guy punching the ground. Just normal Etraya things. Some food for the guy too, because he apparently sucks at feeding himself.

Still feels weird not paying, but it is what it is.

Hank shoves as much thirium as he can in the basket: sure, two units might get Connor all “optimal,“ but they’ll never know when he might need more.

As he returns to the front of the store, Hank sets the thirium on the conveyor.]

Kinda like to pretend, y’know. That shit’s all normal.

[It absolutely is not. But he sweeps around the conveyor, standing where a cashier would, to push the button to make the belt move.]

I got a favor to ask you.

[Packing the thirium back up in the basket again — he’ll return it later, he swears. He holds out one of the thirium packs to Connor, if he might like it now. There’s a bench by the exit.]

I’d like you to teach me more about — [gesturing vaguely toward the thirium Connor holds] — all that.

[Which is about as clear as mud, so:] Android first aid. That sort of thing. How much blood can you lose? The hell does “critical” mean if not a total shutdown? That sort of thing.

Doesn’t gotta necessarily be right now — I’m sure there’s a lot to learn — I just... don’t wanna fail you again. Could’ve really fucked you up if you hadn’t managed to tell me to screw off earlier — with the whole venom thing.

[Hank looks out toward the windows where it’s much brighter than it was in the library of horrors. And yet it’s not exactly comforting.]

Just wanna know how to take care of you, y’know? If something were to happen.

Yeah, well, could’ve got you killed with that whole venom thing. If you were human, I wouldn’t have thought to let you bleed out in my arms, either.

And you’re not replaceable, for fuck’s sake.

[Even if, technically, Connor had been back home. But it’s never been that easy, not for Hank.

And things are different here, anyway. They might come back when they die, but they’ll lose something. Maybe something important.

Something irreplaceable.]

I can look away if you want. Your choice whether I ogle you as you do your thing. [Hank’s brow furrows.] But I’d like to see. Maybe it’ll help if I ever need to... y’know. Not used to all this, but I should get there. Said I wanted to be able to help if you needed it, didn’t I?

You thought I was gonna be weirded out by that? Just looks like a blood transfusion, or something.

[And it is, in essence, right? Just without Connor’s skin.

Which also isn’t as strange to see as Hank thought it might be.]

So, in theory. Let’s say you’re all passed out — hit beyond critical levels of thirium loss, or whatever. There any way I can make your skin do that?

Well, that’s a fucking horrifying thought. [Hank doesn’t even want to think about what that might mean, but he has to ask:] Factory reset as in what, exactly? And how long would I have to hold the button to...?

[This is all very dangerous information for someone to have. Anyone other than Hank.]

Jesus Christ. [Hank rubs his forehead. Cursed knowledge, but again: he asked.] Don’t you go telling anyone else this, okay?

[Not that Hank can imagine anyone here wanting to hurt Connor, but if they did, they’d probably try to take advantage of something like that.]

It’s not a command, or anything, just... please.

[Hank holds the second pack of thirium out to Connor, if he might wish to partake.]

Good. All right. [Hank thinks they could trust Accelerator with this, but Connor didn’t seem amenable to the whole friendship thing.

But... later. Someday. Hell, maybe Accelerator might have some thoughts on deviation.]

Yeah. Blood loss. I figure... lose however much, something shuts off. Then too much — how much is too much? And how will I know before it gets to that point?

Should you have more thirium, then? To get to “optimal.” It’s not like anyone else here needs this stuff, so you’re not depriving anyone of anything.

[Hank grabbed a whole basketful!! And he’ll probably come back for another later, once Connor’s busy with other things.]

So, critical: shutting down non-essential stuff. Like... being able to talk? Is that what happened earlier?