Work Text:
“Fucking shit, where the fuck are they?” Connor grumbled to himself as he rifled through his drawers. It was nearly time for his next break and he desperately needed some fresh air, but he couldn’t find his cigarettes anywhere. He swore in frustration and plopped back into his chair, stretching his legs out under his desk as he pouted.
“Fucking android’s thrown them away again, I know it,” he grumbled again, bouncing his right knee restlessly. The fucking GR800 had taken it upon himself to get Connor into some healthier habits, and he fought him every step of the way. First it had been to cut back on his mindless snacking, which, OK, he could admit had certainly helped his general well-being. But then he tried to get him to stop drinking coffee, which he absolutely refused to do. They’d compromised on only three cups a day, but even then Connor often snuck in a couple more. It was bad enough he’d gotten him to stop drinking so much whiskey, but this was the last goddamn straw. He needed his vices, and the fucking android was killing him.
Speaking of…
He was walking around the corner, a file in his arms. He was rifling through the pages, not paying attention as he walked back to his desk. Connor grinned and stuck his leg out when the android walked past, snorting when the most advanced prototype tripped and fell to the floor, papers scattering everywhere. He growled and flipped over, glaring at Connor as he started gathering the papers.
“What the hell , Carl?” he spat, standing up after having scooped all the papers into a pile. He clutched them to his chest as if Connor would smack them back onto the floor. Connor would let himself be impressed at the android’s vine reference, but he was supposed to be angry God dammit!
“It’s Connor ,” the young detective growled, walking over and smacking the android upside the head. “And you know damn well what. Where are they, Gavin?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about, meatbag,” he growled, walking over to his desk to lay the file down and straighten out the papers.
“Bullshit,” he spat, stalking over to glare down at him. “Where. Are. They?”
“In the garbage,” he said nonchalantly.
“Why the fuck would you do that?!” Connor shouted, clenching his hands into fists at his side.
“You don’t need them, Detective,” Gavin said calmly.
“Yes, I do!”
“That’s just your nicotine addiction talking.” He turned around and glared up at him, crossing his arms over his chest. “You need to stop smoking. If you continue at this rate, you’ll develop lung cancer in a few–”
“Don’t tell me that crap,” Connor spat, pressing closer so he and Gavin were toe-to-toe. “Just let me die on my own terms, OK? I know I’m going to die someday, I know smoking and drinking and eating a bunch of shit is going to make that day come a lot sooner, but for fuck’s sake just let me live my fucking life!”
“Your life is killing you , dipshit!” Gavin spat, stabbing a finger into the human’s chest. “And I don’t want to just sit back and watch you die!”
“Why do you even care? ” Connor asked, slapping Gavin’s hand away.
“You’re my partner , Connor,” Gavin stated as if it should have been obvious. “It’s part of my job to watch out for you.”
“Well, I don’t need you controlling every little facet of my life, thank you very much.” He turned on his heel and walked over to his locker, grabbing his coat and another pack of cigarettes the android hadn’t known about. He tore the wrapper off as he made his way out to the lobby, ignoring Gavin’s cries of protest. That is until his arm was grabbed and he was forced to turn around, the android glaring at him and his LED a bright red.
“Let me go, Gavin,” he growled.
“I can’t do that,” Gavin growled back, his grip almost painful and sure to leave behind a bruise. “Why are you so determined to kill yourself?”
Connor stiffened and Gavin realized he’d made a huge mistake. His LED blinked rapidly but he didn’t back off. Connor straightened up and Gavin eased his grip but didn’t let go. Connor’s face was as red as Gavin’s LED, if not more so. Connor looked pissed . He looked beyond pissed. Gavin wondered if Connor would smack him again seeing as his left hand was clenched tight around the box of cigarettes. Instead, he yanked back his arm, pulling Gavin closer so he was looming over the android.
“I said ‘let go,’” he said stiffly, enunciating each word slowly and precisely. “That’s an order.” Gavin froze, his LED cycling as he processed what Connor had said. He swallowed before finally letting go, his LED still spinning red. Connor sniffed and pulled his coat on, his arm sore but he didn’t want to show Gavin he was in pain.
“Don’t follow me,” he ordered again as he turned away, pulling a cigarette out of the box before he’d even made it out the door. Gavin stood frozen to the spot, his LED swirling and the order Connor had given him flashing red on his HUD:
DON’T FOLLOW DETECTIVE STERLING
He was programmed to obey, to follow his human’s orders, but Connor had never given him an unreasonable order before. He’d been difficult when he’d started to get him into some healthier habits, but why was he fighting quitting smoking so viciously? Why wasn’t he listening to him? Why wouldn’t he let him help? What was he doing wrong?
He walked back over to his desk and sat down, staring at the pile of papers he’d haphazardly picked up after tripping over Connor’s foot. Why had Connor even done that? Was he that upset about the cigarettes? He had more stashed away, so why was he so upset about him throwing away the pack that was nearly empty?
“What’re you overthinking about now?”
He blinked and looked up, relieved to see his friend Tina standing next to him.
“Why the hell does Connor fight me so much on quitting smoking?” he asked the TC300.
“I don’t know. You hang out with him more than I do.”
Gavin huffed and crossed his arms, hunching his shoulders. “That’s not very helpful, TC.”
“It’s Tina ,” she corrected him. “And besides, you know him better than I do!” She scowled and placed her hands on her hips. “What’ve you been doing with him the past six months?”
“Getting him into healthier habits. We’ve improved his diet, his sleeping schedule, his personal hygiene, and now we’re working on quitting drinking so much and smoking. The drinking is going well, but the smoking…” He frowned and looked back out toward the lobby entrance, shoulders sagging.
“Maybe you’re trying to work on too much at once,” Tina suggested. “Maybe you just need to ease up.”
“But he’s going to kill himself in approximately ten years if he doesn’t stop,” Gavin whined, looking up at her with watery eyes. “I can’t let him slowly kill himself anymore.”
“Sounds like you really care about the guy, Gav. Maybe you even like him,” Tina teased gently, nudging his shoulder with her own.
“Of course I do. He’s my partner,” he stated matter-of-factly.
“No, I mean, you like the guy.” Tina winked, making Gavin blush blue.
“No I don’t,” he grumbled. He turned away and scowled, his LED cycling yellow as he processed what Tina had said. She laughed and ruffled his hair. He pawed at her hand, scowling at her as she trotted away. He needed to get back to work, but he couldn’t get Tina’s words out of his head.
Did he like Connor? He was his partner, so of course he cared about him. He considered him a friend, but did he like him as more than that? He sat back, LED swirling rapidly as he thought about all the little things Connor did that made his thirium pump stutter in his chest.
His smile whenever Gavin brought him coffee certainly made his system thrum. How he bounced in place when he was excited or had pieced something together for a case always brought a smile to his face. How he could go from 0 to 100 and back again never failed to make him laugh. The poor man would be dead on his feet, the next moment he’d be jogging around the precinct, and then he’d be back at his desk, much calmer after getting out his random burst of energy. The man was quite like a cat in many regards, so perhaps that was why Gavin was so fond of him.
And then there were the shoes .
He looked down at the sneakers Connor had bought him, a soft black and light grey combo with pops of dark blue on the toe, tongue, and sole. They matched his standard CyberLife issued outfit perfectly, and his personality even more so. He’d never been one for flashy outfits or even business casual wear, unlike Connor with his brightly colored and patterned button-downs and blazers. He was much more comfortable in jeans and a hoodie, and he appreciated that Connor knew that.
They had been at Connor’s apartment working late, a box of Chinese takeout in Connor’s lap and his chopsticks held behind his ears as they poured over photos and witness statements.
“I got you something,” Connor had said out-of-the-blue. Gavin blinked and looked down at him after pinning a photo to the crime board.
“Got me something?” he asked, turning around to look at the man sprawled out on the floor.
“Yeah.” He popped a bit of chow mein in his mouth before leaning back, reaching behind the sofa for something. Gavin tilted his head, purposely trying not to look at the small bit of Connor’s stomach that had been exposed as he stretched out. But it was something he could definitely focus on now as he replayed the memory. He gnawed on his bottom lip as he finally allowed himself to appreciate the sight. He added one more item to his mental list of things he liked about Connor before continuing with the memory.
Connor pulled a box out and held it out to him, a signature swoosh on the lid telling Gavin all he needed to know.
“You got me shoes?” he asked, tentatively reaching out to take the box.
“I saw them and thought of you,” Connor said nonchalantly, shrugging as he began to eat again. “Open it,” he said around a mouthful of noodles.
Gavin sat down on the floor across from Connor, crossing his legs in a way the human had called “criss-cross applesauce.” Logically it made no sense, but the memory of its ridiculousness now made him laugh. He grinned as he lifted the lid and peeled back the paper lining to reveal the soft charcoal black high-tops. He gasped and plucked one of the shoes out of the box, inspecting it with great care. He looked back over at Connor, his heart pumping faster in his chest as he held the shoe against it.
“Detective–”
“Connor,” he interjected. “Call me Connor.”
They’d always been warm toward one another, but Connor’s kind gesture and allowance of Gavin to call him by his first name boosted them right up to friends, though it kept flickering between FRIEND and another word he couldn’t quite make out. They smiled at each other, a strange feeling bubbling in Gavin’s gut. Something he’d never felt before and didn’t allow himself to dwell on at the time.
But now, in that moment, he realized he had felt something akin to affection, perhaps even adoration. Connor had bought him a gift, an expensive and custom gift he’d later found out. Connor hadn’t just seen the shoes in a store and picked them up. He’d customized them online and ordered them specifically for Gavin. He’d been so taken aback at the sheer amount of thought Connor had put into the gift that he hadn’t paid attention to what his reaction had been after putting them on for the first time:
He’d wanted to kiss him.
And he still did.
Suddenly, the word that had been fighting to take over FRIEND for nearly six months crashed forth, glaringly obvious as it took over nearly every pixel of his HUD:
DETECTIVE CONNOR STERLING – CRUSH
He sat frozen in his chair as he ripped through his protocols, tearing through Connor’s order not to follow him. He had to tell him. Had to let him know how he felt. Maybe it would be enough for him to realize someone out there actually cared about his health and safety. That someone wanted him to live. That someone loved him.
He leapt from his chair after what had been a mere ten seconds for anyone watching him, but felt like twenty minutes to him. He raced out the door and toward a side alley he knew Connor frequented when he smoked. He veered around the corner and froze momentarily when he saw Connor, leaning against the brick wall, an unlit cigarette held between his fingers.
“Connor!” he cried, running forward again. Connor’s head shot up, brow creasing as he pushed away from the wall.
“Gav–? Oof!” He stumbled back as the android wrapped him in a hug, burying his face in his chest. Connor tentatively wrapped his arms around Gavin as the android trembled against him. Was he… was he crying?
“Please, Con,” he choked out, fingers digging against the rough material of his coat. “Stop. Please.”
“Stop what? Stop smoking?”
“ Yes ,” he hissed. He sniffed and looked up at the ridiculously tall human, taking in his soft chocolate brown eyes and the rogue lock of hair that fell across his forehead. He was beautiful. How had he never noticed before?
“Why do you care so much, Gav?” Connor asked, a slight frown pulling at his lips. It broke Gavin’s heart. He never wanted to see Connor look so dejected or full of self-doubt or -hatred ever again.
“Because I love you, dipshit!” he spat. He glared at Connor as the man’s eyebrows rose in shock. His scowl fell as Connor’s lips pulled up in a joyous smile, his eyes softening as he stared into Gavin’s.
“Well, it’s about fucking time, asshole.”
They were kissing before Gavin could even react to Connor’s words. He stared at his rogue lock of hair as Connor pressed closer, one hand splayed along the small of his back while the other tangled in the curls at the nape of his neck. He moaned involuntarily when Connor’s tongue licked along his bottom lip, his eyes finally closing as he relaxed into the embrace. He tentatively opened his mouth and Connor’s tongue dove inside, sliding along his own.
Connor pulled away for air, Gavin following him to steal a quick kiss. Connor laughed and rested his forehead on Gavin’s, both of them panting slightly. He scraped his nails along Gavin’s scalp, making the android shudder and hum as he attempted to press kisses to Connor’s jaw. He tilted his head up and let him, hissing in pleasure as Gavin scraped his teeth along the skin below his ear.
“What took you so goddamn long?” he whispered as Gavin continued his exploration of his neck, mapping out his freckles.
“Hrm?” he hummed against his Adam’s apple, making Connor shudder.
“To figure out you love me?” he clarified.
“Fought it as long as I could,” he mumbled, trailing his lips back up to nip at Connor’s jaw. He let out a breathy little cry and tilted his head back until it rested against the brick. “Didn’t realize that’s what it was though until a few minutes ago.”
“When did it start for you?” Connor asked, raking his nails along Gavin’s scalp again.
“Looking back, it was when you gave me the sneakers,” he whispered, pulling away to stare into Connor's eyes. “Well, when I realized you’d bought me custom sneakers.” Connor blushed and looked down at their shoes, a warm smile on his face. “And you?”
“It was around the time you started looking after me,” he muttered. “It felt… nice. But I couldn’t let you know I actually enjoyed you looking out for me. I have a reputation to maintain after all.”
They both laughed and Gavin brought his hands up to toy with the collar of Connor’s jacket, rubbing his thumbs over the material. Gavin blushed and pressed his face against Connor’s chest, sighing as Connor’s arms wrapped around him. He relaxed completely when he felt Connor rest his chin on top of his head, sagging against him.
“I’ve been standing out here, just holding that fucking cigarette,” he mumbled. Gavin hummed to let him know he was listening, turning his head so his ear was pressed against Connor’s chest, listening to his beating heart. “I wanted to light it, but I couldn’t bring myself to. I was sick of it.”
“Then why were you so mad when I told you I’d thrown the other pack away? Why trip me?”
“I’m a schoolyard bully with a crush, Gav. How else was I supposed to clue you in that I liked you?”
“What the hell , Carl?” Connor snorted and shook his head. “Maybe you should have done it by, I don’t know, actually telling me like a normal person?” he shot back, pulling away to scowl at the taller man.
“When have I ever done anything the normal way?” Connor murmured, leaning in to run his nose along Gavin’s, a soft blue light emanating from the android’s scar. Gavin hummed and draped his arms over Connor’s shoulders, pulling him in a little closer.
“Mmm. Never,” he murmured in return, tilting his head to capture Connor’s lips in a tender kiss.
They kissed again just as it started to snow. They both giggled, snowflakes dotting their hair and eyelashes. Connor pulled Gavin up a bit further so he was standing on his tiptoes, their bodies flush against one another’s. Gavin smiled into the kiss as his relationship status changed with Connor once more, the words flashing across his HUD:
DETECTIVE CONNOR STERLING – LOVER