Work Text:
Detective Reed bursts through the doors of the precinct like a thunderstorm, leaving confused stares at his wake as he makes his way towards the evidence room, not paying any fleeting glanced to the others. Just a short while after Niles makes his entrance, less whirlwind but still bothered. The android sits at his desk, shoulders slightly slumped and opens his terminal. The predecessor, Connor, spares him a worried glance before trying to connect with the android with down cast dementor.
//Niles, care to lighten the situation for me? Haven't seen detective so angry before. Should I say, I am slightly worried...//
//Case gone bad.//
No other communication. Connor sighes out of human habit he picked after devianting and dealing frustrating things. He rises from his seat and makes his way to the other side of the bullpen and sit on the vacant space on Niles' desk. Niles does not turn from his terminal and keeps typing the report he is working on.
"Please, care to enlighten as the report is not in yet, it seems," the android pushes. Niles stops typing and finally turns to Connor.
"We got a case of fratricide, a young boy, fifteen had murdered his own father and was missing. A neighbour had heard gunshots and reported to the police," Niles started to tell. "The father was under influence of both red ice and alcohol, both just freshly consumed. I tracked the boy to the attic and to the roof, where Gavin tried to talk him down and surrender without hassle. I didn't... Go well". Niles cast his eyes down. "Gavin tried reasoning with him, told he would be tried as a minor, the situation could even be filed as self defense as the boy had fresh, visible marks of violence on him, torn clothes and bloody face And bruised cheek, old and new." Connor listened tentatively as Niles continued his story until he paused, his LED flashing angry red, instead the yellow he had sported since entering the bullpen. Niles closes eyes and is seemingly very distraught. "Detective Reed is very frustrated and is letting out his anger. I am not pleased with his methods whatsoever as he tries to punch the glass doors in the evidence room..." Connor takes the cue and connects to the surveillance camera down the hall in the evidence room: the glass doors have small bloodied marks on them, and Reed's knuckles are covered in the said blood. "I agree..." Connor sides. They both stay quiet for a short moment until Niles brakes it.
"The child was terrified, no sign of surrender, no matter how convincingly detective tried his best to assure him that everything would turn out well... JUst to watch the boy shoot himself in the head. Not the outcome anyone of us would have wanted, but there was only a small chance to stop it from happening. My preconstrucions came out futile, as I would not have been quick enough to catch the boy from harming himself..." "This case has affected you as well, it seems. Losing a life so young. I'm sorry about how it turned out, brother," Connor says and made his way back to his desk, sitting a while before turning to his own work.
Niles keeps fleshing out his own report of the happened. His LED flashes red again and he digs a small first aid kit from his drawer and the collected evidence and makes his way to the evidence room, two missions in his mind. He descents to the hallway leading to the room containing Gavin slumped against the wall, knees drawn to his chest and head buried between his arms. Niles locks in the terminal and sets the evidence on the pedestals, marking it as another case closed until turning his attention to the heap of organic matter in the corner in his left, the first aid kit in his hand.
He lays the bag down and sits before the man and takes the cotton pads and rubbing alcohol and sme gauze ready before gently taking the detective's other hand in his and teds to his bloodies open knuckles in the silence. The detective does not fight back, just shifts in his place, knowing to brace himself for the stinging as Niles cleans his wounds and wraps them before switching to the other hand, repeating the same treatment to it. But this time Niles does not let his hand go.
"You should not blame yourself for the happened, Gavin. There was nothing you could have done better, none of us couldn't. Stop beating yourself over it..." Niles assures in hushed voice, gently gracing his thumb over the bandaged knuckles.
"I phucking could have... Shit. The kid got all the time in the world still ahead of him..." "I suggest you lock out and head home. I will finish the report," Niles shushed and laid the hand back on the knee, keeping his own hand on the arm, anchoring the other. Gavin sighs deeply and unwounds his arms, revealing red eyes and tears streaks on his face. Niles raises his other hand and wipes the remaining tears and stains off with his sleeve, not uttering any further words and stands up, gently tugging the man with him, who compiles without resistance. Niles hands leave his and is left to stare the retreating back to gather himself and follow suit.
Niles sets his small bag back to its proper place and types away on his terminal, adding the list of evic´dence gathered and the conclusion and the sad outcome, citing the almost one-sided conversation between the detective and the boy on the roof. The autopsy reports would be in later then they were done. As Niles is tying the rest of the report, Reed walks past his esk and out of the precinct. The evening had fallen and the bullpen almost empty, housing only Niles and Connor and now very confused lieutenant Anderson who has just arrived back from wherever he was, glancing behind him, double takes on the event that had passed him.
"Shit, did Reed beat up someone? Gavin's hands are bandaged up good and the guy is angry but damn, just got only whatevers and not the whole book of swear words," Anderson mused and sat at his desk, his brow furrowed.
"Detective and Niles' case didn't have happy ending. Homicides never do, but..." "Damn, let me guess. They got the murder addict one? Heard about that one, nasty stuff. Perp offing himself on the roof". "A CHILD, Hank. A fifteen year old CHILD, afraid of the consequences he might have had to face at such young age for a murder". Hank's eyes widen as the stares at the android across the bullpen. Niles voice was strained and hinted slight aggregation to it, having to correct the facts.
"Shit... Sorry, Reed's never been right after things like that. Takes them quiet hard. Like the rest of us, but sometimes, even worse." The lieutenant stays silent after that. Niles finishes the report and closes his terminal and makes his way to the exit, stopped by Connor's question.
"You are heading to Reed's place now?" "Certainly. Pick up something for him to stomach as the wont' do it without prompting. Also might hide his cigarettes, he's like a chimney when over stressed." Hank can only follow the very humane conversation between the two deviants. "He's is complicated. The whole situation is complicated. It is good you keep care of him," Connor smiles. "It is. And according my research and evidence, relationship usually are. Good night, Connor. Hank," Niles pleads and leaves the two. Hank finally catches the second to last part.
"Wait, what relationship? They are partnered and all but..." "Oh, Niles has kept it a little secret but he is in established relationship with Gavin, been for three months and eight days this far," Connor shrugs like it wasn't a big news to him. Well, it wasn't as he had known since the first month after observing their interactions and Reed's lessened hostility toward Connor. They even could hold a decent conversation as long it was work related. Small victories, but victories nonetheless. "A fucken established relationship... Who would have know..." "And I assure you, it should also stay that way, no one knowing other than the two of us until they are open about it themselves." Connor types little more and closes the terminal. "I am done, I also filled some of your work too. We should also head home, Sumo's bladder might not agree on these late evening shifts, Hank." Connor says, taking his jacket from his table and rounds it to poke Hank to make his move and leave. The older man grunts and closes his workstation and follows the android out of the building.
The cold winter wind blew the smoke away from the balcony, Gavin sitting there in his home clothes, worn out grey hoodie and black sweats, old loafers in his feet as he sat on the floor and blow out the chemicals. Small snowflakes descend the sky and started to cover the balcony railing where the window was opened to let the smoke out. Gavin has his eyes closed, cigarette nestled in his palm to protect it from the wind. Small creak of the doors makes him crack open his other eye to see the newcomer and takes another drag from his cancer stick. 2039 and still the cancer sticks were on the market, what a strange world.
"Gavin, You have been here about 43 minutes and you have already exhumed your weekly allowance of smokes. And it is only Tuesday," the smooth voice warns Gavin right next to him. "Hopefully I don't need the rest of this week's allowance then, been enough shitty day to last the whole week for sure… I’m out anyway," Gavin sighs and mashes the cig to the plate containing the six others, seven in total, a cig per day.
"I brought you some vegetable thai, I am sure the spicy food would give you too much heart burns," the android says, arms resting on the knees. "Always so considerate, babe" Gavin sighs and stands, steps in front of the android and pulls Niles to hi his feet. But he does not make a move to lead them inside, instead he keeps the android's hand in his and guides them around the back with his, pulling the other closer and plants his head on the crook of the android's neck.
"You smell awful, Gavin. Please, take quick shower before you eat and then to bed," Niles notes, getting a grunt as a response. Good enough for now.
They return to the warmth of the apartment, the munchkin cat weaving around their feet, begging for scratches that Niles is happy to provide while Gavin heads for the shover. Five minutes later the detective emerges from the bathroom with his sleeping set of clothing, shorts and plain grey t-shirt with couple holes in it. A well loved and kept gear. Also his bandaged around the knuckles were gone, the bleeding stopped a good while ago, leaving behind raw red skin and future scabs and scars. Gavin sits down on the sofa next to Niles, who is still petting the cat, and grabs the takeaway placed on a plate and eats his fill, downing it with glass of water reserved with it. The news are going over the latest trends and information about the android movement in the city and global scale, showing footage of the leader, Markus, talking to punch of humans with suits in a conference hall. New laws had passed regarding their free will and position in the world on humans. Gavin switches the channels but can not settle on one and shuts the machine. He reaches his hand towards the cat and strokes the fur under its chin, earning a loud purr and lick on his finger before hopping off the android’s lap and making its way to the food bowl that Niles had filled before joining Gavin in the balcony.
“Guess it’s sleepy time, but I doubt you will get any sleep for awhile...” Niles notes. Gavin leans back on the sofa and rubs his scalp, exhaling. The moment is broken when Niles leans onto Gavin and props his chin on his shoulder, lips close to the man’s ear.
“I might have something for you to do meanwhile...” Niles whispers, letting an artificial breath caress Gavin’s ear. Gavin has no doubt in his mind what that ‘something’ might be.
But how wrong he could have been on that thought. Niles leads them to the bedroom and strips Gavin’s shirt with smooth motion.
“Lay on your stomach. I’ll give you a little massage. You are tense as a bow string,” and pushed Gavin gently to sit on the edge of the bed to go retrieve a small bottle from the side table. Gavin does as asked, turning his head sideways towards the returning figure.
“It’s lavender oil. In the store they said it soothes muscles and mind. Just ideal for you love...” Niles states and climbs on the bed, sitting on the small of Gavin’s back, his legs on both sides of the hips. And just to tease the man underneath him a little, Niles purs the oil straight on the bared back, not warming it at all. Gavin squirms from the feeling of cold oil dripping on his back, making its way down his sides until Niles scoops the driftaways and starts spreading the oil on the skin with circling motion, warming up the muscles underneath. The hands glide smoothly, finding and kneading the muscles just right to get a satisfied moan out of Gavin. Gavin can only imagine the smirk on the android’s face as his eyes are screwed shut from pleasure. Niles drags his thumbs down the sides of the spine, adding pressure just right to work the knots, sliding gently his hands palms down back up to the nape and repeating the movements couple more times before working on the spot between the shoulders and neck, raking his finger along the back of the skull. Niles slides his hands down on the bed and leans down to place a kiss on the man’s cheek, supporting his upper body.
“Feeling better? The tension is getting lesser and lesser, so I deduce you are slowly drifting to sleep...” Niles whispers in Gavin’s ear, getting tired grunt as a response. Niles smiles in the crook of Gavin’s neck and places a kiss there and another to the middle of the man’s nape and pushes himself back up and off Gavin’s back to retrieve a towel to wipe off the excess oils. Pair of green hued eyes follow his every move and he is aware of it, enjoying the undivided attention he has from the detective while inside the walls of Gavin’s apartment, the only place where Gavin could lay bared, both literally and metaphorically. Letting someone take care of his well-being as he had neglected to do so in the past in similar cases. It had taken them long months to come in understanding of the nature of their first rocky partnership, slowly forming to caring of the other outside the work and finally to their three months old relationship as a couple, miraculously initiated by the human counterpart. The difficult deviation process Niles had gone through had its strain on their partnership in the start, having Niles, then Nines, in doubt of his capability as a detective android, the weird and unfamiliar emotions and feeling flooding his sensors time to time. Uncooperating partner had not helped in the beginning, but it had made Nines to fully deviate in no time, losing the hard edge and making him more vulnerable, just to Gavin see in close range how difficult it was to let everything you had ‘learned’ go and start afresh. The detective had learned something of himself too, as he had comforted the distraught android after the process was over, seeing how machine had turned to more human like creature. They had gotten closer after that and some weeks later Gavin had blurted out the name, saying it was better than some inanimate name like Nines. Just one letter different and he had felt more alive, getting a delighted smile and genuine laugh out of him. Enough alive for Gavin to capture the android’s lips with his, sealing the present part of their future.
Niles realises he had stood in one place in the bathroom, the towel in his hands, for some time as pair of arms sneak around his middle, pulling his back flush to the detective’s chest.
“Did you short-circuit or something? Can’t make a shit out of your moods without the LED yet,” Gavin snorts and leans his chin on the android’s shoulder. If Niles would have had his LED, it would have gone through yellows and hazy reds, but had picked a habit of removing it while within the walls of the apartment, made him feel more at home even though Gavin had told him it did not bother him if he kept it. Niles turns in the man’s arms and reaches to his back and wipes the oils off and throws the towel in the hamper. Gavin tugs him to follow and takes hold of his hand, leading them back to bed. Gavin is tired, Niles can see, but the man insists they just lay for moment just, be. Sharing few kisses here and there, feeling the other next to them as Gavin starts to fall asleep.
The alarm sounds in the dim bedroom, rousing the pair. But they are not in hurry, savoring the quiet moment before getting up. They lay on the bed, covers pulled half way up on their bodies, Gavin on his back and Niles’s chest pressed to his left side. The android’s hand is caressing the old bullet wound on his shoulder, just a palm’s length from his heart. Niles notices the familiar itch that Gavin has when he craves for a smoke, unfortunate effect of nicotine addiction he is trying to wean himself off of. And fortunately he was out of the smokes. Without a word Niles props his upper body up and lays on top of Gavin’s, indulging him with something better to do with his mouth.