Work Text:
Needles of pain dug deep into Gavin’s flesh with every step he took. The crutch lodged against his right armpit made a constant annoying ‘clank’ each time it hit the damp pavement. He had only been out of his apartment for a mere 20 minutes and his body was already aching begging to lay back down in bed.
Now Gavin knew he wasn't supposed to be out of bed yet. The doctor's orders and a certain overgrown coffee maker that would promptly stop Gavin in his tracks before carrying him back to bed if the man strayed too far or for too long from his resting place, made that point obvious. But Gavin being Gavin had no problem giving a little mental ‘fuck you I'll do what I want’ to both his doctor and Colin and doing what he wanted anyways. Leaving him to do a mix of walking and limping down the sidewalk on a light rainy February evening. He shuffled his way along despite having more than 20 internal and external stitches on his thigh and abdomen from a rather deadly confrontation with an extremely hostile suspect. He only made it out alive because due to his partner taking a bullet for him, which was his motivation for doing this.
A soft bell chimed through the air when Gavin walked through the glass doors of a flower shop. The store was small and cozy with a couple other customers lingering around and browsing the different selections. Earthy tones and a wild mix of delicate fragrances had merged and filled the store. Gavin briefly looked around at the hanging signs until his eyes landed on the hanging banner labeled ‘Roses’. A little pool of relief settled on his chest, his task was practically done with. He would just need to grab a bouquet, pay for it and catch a taxi home so he could rest before his pain medication wore off entirely.
Gavin clenched his jaw and he hobbled over to the numerous flowers on display. The rainbow assortment of dewy petals stared back at him as if they knew he was lost. Gavin didn't even know this many shades or color combinations of the flower existed. But a simple red rose bouquet was nowhere to be found, a digital ‘out of stock’ sign with its picture was all he saw. Though extremely frustrating Gavin had to admit his plans where a little too ambitious. It was a late valentine’s day evening, red roses would have all been snatched up as last-minute gifts. He would have come earlier but frankly the mix of painkillers he was put on and the looming threat of having his skull cracked open like a ripe coconut by a certain android if he didn't rest, kept him bedridden. Now he had to figure out what the android's favorite color could be, if Colin even cared about something like that.
“Do you need any help, sir?” The sudden sweet voice of a store clerk startled him. Looking to the side he was met with a friendly smile and a short giggle “I’m sorry I didn't mean to startle you,” the young woman tucked a curly black lock of hair behind her ear that escaped the bun on top of her head “You seemed stomped.”
Clearing his throat and regaining his composure Gavin turned back to the flowers. “I’m just trying to pick out a bouquet for someone.” He let the words roll out of his mouth like they meant nothing before giving a casual shrug and scratching the back of his neck.
“May I ask who it’s for, I could help you pick a flower if I know the thought behind it.” The woman nodded and gestured toward the flowers “Each color has a different meaning behind it, the number of flowers you choose to give them also has a meaning.” Gavin gave a long sigh as he rubbed the side of his jaw, scratching at his facial hair. It was probably the dull ache of pain changing into a sharper and searing pain that was souring his mood, but why does a man have to go through this to buy an android some flowers?
Sucking on his teeth and taking in a shallow breath, Gavin finally spoke: “It’s for my work partner, they've been taking care of me for the past week so I wanted to thank them for everything he’s done.” The man’s usual boisterous tone had simmered down to a softer one “They mean a lot to me so I just wanted to give them something nice they could enjoy.” Saying those sappy words out loud was embarrassing and nauseating. Never in a million years did he think he would have to make those stomach-turning words come out of his mouth.
Gavin looked at the woman, trying to see if there was any judgment within her rounded features but she met his gaze with a soft smile.“What a nice reason,” She nodded before glancing over the display of flowers. Tapping her plump bottom lip for a moment before an ‘aha’ expression swept over her face. She side-stepped in front of a different cooler and slide the glass door open. After she grabbed the work gloves from her back pocket, she plucked out 9 lavender roses with tender hands from the vase they were settled in. She slid the glass back and gestured for Gavin to follow her up to the counter.
After the woman diligently wrapped the flowers in a white roll of paper and sealed it all with a ribbon that complimented the bouquet. Gavin paid and said a short but thankful goodbye to the woman before leaving to catch a cab home. He couldn't help but feel anxious jittery as he looked down at the stunning bouquet of flowers. He had never done anything like this for Colin before, he wasn't even sure if the android was going to like a gesture like this. Even after deviating, Colin was still very practical and logical, with a low tolerance for bullshit or games really. But it was done, the flowers were and bought and on their way home with Gavin.
~
Excited meows and mewls greeted Gavin when he walked through the front door of his apartment. A small circle of felines crowded and rubbed against the man’s legs, earning a warm chuckle from him as he gave a generous round of pets and chin scratches. The 3 cats surrounding him were being unusually affectionate with their welcome. They were only this needy after he spent a long shift at the precinct working over time. But in the moment Gavin didn't care too much about figuring out why the little fluff balls were being so friendly. Hearing the loud drumming of their purrs was an instant remedy to his frayed nerves.
But in a split second, the trio abandoned the man and shot into the kitchen after a series of tongue clicks called them. Looking up, Gavin saw Colin in the kitchen crouched down in front of the cats anxiously waiting for their next serving of fresh salmon. He watched Colin hand feed them little bite-sized chunks of the pink fish with a soft grin forming on his face.
Pumpkin, Pepper, and Snow were like Gavin's children. His attention seeking, moody, and downright spoiled children. He loved them to bits and pieces, even when sometimes they didn't even want to acknowledge his existence. They weren't the most accepting of cats. You had to earn their respect and love, so seeing Colin win them over and genuinely love spending time with his almost bipolar children made him melt inside a little. It was another reason Gavin came to care for the android.
“Where were you?” Colin asked, not lifting his gaze away from the cats. An almost piercing edge to his voice. “I messaged you, but you didn't respond. Then I called you but it went to voicemail. Twice.” The last word ran across Gavin skin like a knife.
Gavin looked down at bouquet was tucked carefully under his arm. “I…” Biting his lip, he reached into his pocket and fished out his phone “Shit, my phone was on silent.” He laughed.
Before the android had a chance to look at Gavin and scan the bullshit lie out of him, Gavin shuffled off to his room and closing the door behind him. His palms were clammy and his breath was thinning out. Gently placing the flowers on his bed beside him, Gavin slung off his jacket and threw it onto a nearby chair before focusing on taking deep breaths. He could already feel the anxiety bubbling up in his stomach. The pain that stretched out over his chest with each breath his took his mind off the worry for a bit, but there was only so much it could do in stopping an oncoming anxiety attack. With each passing second the thought of giving Colin, an android meant for crime-solving and ass-kicking, a frilly bouquet of pastel purple roses was silly and ridiculous. But he had already paid for them and he wasn't one for wasting money.
After a few minutes of anxious thinking and speculating, Gavin quickly slips the bouquet behind him and his comforter as he hears Colin approaching. The door swings open, revealing an obviously annoyed android sporting a sophisticated black turtleneck and a rather frilly cat themed apron that somehow fit him so well. Maybe the flowers weren't far off after all.
A giggle of sorts erupted from Gavin as he did a double take “Wha-what the hell are you wearing?”
“If you must know, you idiotic neanderthal, ” Colin stared at Gavin before placing the pain medication he brought in with him on the nightstand “I saw this apron on a show and wanted it because it reminded me of Pumpkin. The calico color themes are spot on.” He said.
“You look like an adorable little housewife.” Gavin teased, looking up Colin. Though admittedly nothing was ‘little' about the damn android, he was tall (had to be at least 6' 4) and built with broad shoulders and a lean but strong sturdy frame. But anyone wearing a pink apron adorned in fat cats and bows loses all intimidation points.
“Glad to know you think I'm adorable.”
A quick rush a heat came to Gavin's face as he stiffened up “W-wait I didn't mean it like tha-”
“Too late you already said it.” Colin cut Gavin off and he walked over to the man with medicine applicator in hand “I started making your dinner, I will finish it in 35 minutes.”
“What are you-” A quick and heavy wave of pain jolts through Gavin's side causing a sharp inhale from the man. The expression on Colin’s face doesn't shift while he keeps a iron grip on Gavin's arm and injects the medicine into Gavin's bicep “Jesus you fucking dirty toaster, don't grab my arm like that it hurts!”
Colin snaps the cap back on the applicator and threw it in the trash with an unnecessarily loud thud. “It wouldn't hurt so much if you would have come back on time and not ignored my messages and calls.”
“Oh my fuck,” Gavin rolled his eyes before rubbing his arm “You're being pissy because I didn’t respond to you?”
The LED circle planted on the side of Colin’s head flickered yellow as he snapped his head to the side “You were supposed to be back here by 9:30 pm for your second dose of pain medication. You're not even supposed to be out in your own. Yet you leave while I'm out picking up your medications and when I try to contact you I get nothing in return.” Colin turned back, the faint glow of his LED now red “How was I supposed to know if you were ok or not? How was I supposed to know if you had passed out on the street or something? The only thing that stopped me from looking for you is that I connected with the location on your phone and saw you on route back.”
The sight almost made Gavin’s heart sink. The soft tone of Colin’s voice was like a hushed whisper. He was gripping the edge of Gavin's desk with his head hung down and his shoulder tensed. Gavin sighed as he gripped the crutch that was propped up beside him and the bouquet of flowers “I’m… sorry. I didn't mean to make you worry.” Tucking and holding the flowers behind his back he walked up behind Colin, making sure to leave enough space between the two “I didn't even know I could make you this worried”
“Why wouldn't I be?!” Colin turned back to Gavin facing him “Do you think I would be playing nurse, making you dinner every night, if I didn't care about you?”
“I-I guess you wouldn’t.” At that moment Gavin wanted to kick his own ass, He went and made one of the very few people in his life that actually cared about him worried and upset. “I should have told you something, I just wanted these to be a surprise.”
“What ‘surprise’ are you talking about?”
Taking in one final deep breath, Gavin pulled the bouquet from behind him and nudged towards Colin “I bought these for you.” His stomach began to knot as he watched Colin’s face slowly fade into a blank expression while looking at the roses. Gavin couldn't see anything. Not even a single wrinkle forming in the android’s face. He had gotten pretty good at reading the subtle and not so subtle signs of Colin's face, the android wasn't very expressive but Gavin prided himself in being able to see when Colin was relaxed, stressed, mad, or upset. But for once in a while, he had no clue.
It was like the oxygen had been sucked out of Gavin's body as he started feeling light-headed. The whirlpool of anxiety was back in full swing. A faint tremble took over His body as he cleared his now dry throat.“I got these because I remember you talking to Connor about a zen garden or something and how you can't smell the roses and I know how you like flowers…” After what seemed like a painful decade, Colin slowly reached his hands out to the bouquet and grabbed it. He held it in his hands like it was a precious and delicate treasure that would break if handled with too much force.
“They’re beautiful… “
A heavy wave of relief flooded over Gavin when he saw the faint but familiar smile lines and softened brows capture Colin’s face while he deeply inhaled the aroma of the flowers. Gavin huffed out and sat down in his desk chair as he ran shaky hands over his face “Jesus you fucking made my heart stop you asshole! I thought you hated them!”
Colin quickly shot Gavin a confused and almost offended look “Why on earth would you think that!?”
“Oh, I don't know! Maybe it's you fucking blanking out on me for 5 fucking minutes.” Gavin leaned back and grabbed a loose piece of paper to fan his flushed face “I thought you were so disappointed and underwhelmed that your systems shut down or something!”
An amused laugh sounded from Colin as he sat down on Gavin’s desk. As much as Gavin hated being laughed at, he couldn't help but enjoy the noise coming from the android’s mouth. It was a rare and honestly slightly odd laugh, like it was never supposed to happen in the first place but it decides to be heard anyway, whatever it was, it was music to the man's ears.
“If disappointment could make me shut down, I would still be shut down from being assigned as your partner.”
Gavin gasped which only made Colin laugh more to the point of making a blue hue rise to his skin. Feeling a bit defeated Gavin pouted as he crossed his arms and mumbled under an aggravated breath “I swear if you weren't so phcking attractive.”
Once Colin was satisfied from laughing at Gavin for the day and gave a final joyous sigh he gently placed a hand on the man’s shoulder “Gavin.”
“What.”
“Look at me.”
Giving an exaggerated sigh, Gavin cocked his head up to only to be met with a soft pair of lips against his own. The unexpected kiss lasted for a few more beats before Colin pulled back. Even without a mirror Gavin could tell his face was close to making him look like a cherry tomato. He looked at Colin with a stunned look as the android gave a soft smile that made Gavin's stomach flutter.
“Thank you for these, I love them.”