Work Text:
Gavin felt more and more like shit the longer the week dragged on.
Nines and Connor had told him this morning to stay at home and get some rest, but of course he didn't listen.
He was pretty sure that he had developed a pretty high fever by now and for the last hour he did nothing but stare at the report in front of him. The brightness of the screen seared into his eyes, making them tear up every few minutes.
He let out a small curse, rubbing at his eyes to clear them up, blinking away the white hazy sheen that settled over his view a moment later.
It was no use... He was useless like this, not even able to do the easiest desk work...
He hated feeling like this.
Not to be up to par, letting his android partner take the brunt of today's work, even though the android assured him that he didn't mind at all.
Gavin let himself lean back, maybe he should call in sick for the rest of the day.
"Gavin?" Nines' low voice caught him of guard, causing him to almost jump out of his chair, and the detective would have fallen forward if the android's hands hadn't pressed gently against his torso.
He looked towards the android, who crouched beside him with a raised eyebrow.
"What do you want?" the detective snapped irritated, he hadn't meant to and regretted it the moment the words had left his mouth. Gavin started to mumble an apology right after.
Nines wasn't detered by Gavin's first reaction, he just kneeled in front of his human partner while his steely-blue eyes were filled was something akin to worry.
"Gavin, you have started to develop quite a high fever. Connor and I will take you home before you collapse. The captain has been notified and given us an all clear for the next two days."
Gavin let Nines' calm voice wash over him and the man could only nod in response, his head was swimming like crazy, it felt like he would slip from his seating position at any moment now, or was he already falling?
Everything turned into a blurry mess and even the ground under his feet seemed to move on its own.
Suddenly Connor was there too, and the cool, slim fingers of the brown eyed android cupped Gavin's overheated face, holding the man steady as he started to loose the fight to stay awake.
He could barely hear his two androids talking to each other, but was unable to perceive what it was about, and before he knew it, they maneuvered Gavin up from his seat.
The two androids carried him to the car without any protests and the detective was asleep before Connor and Nines even managed to sit the man into the backseat of their car.
Connor stayed beside the detective during the whole ride home, with his arms wrapped tightly around the feverish human, drawing Gavin's limp body as close to his chest as possible.
He could feel Gavin's heart pounding against his palms and the heat that seared into his synthetic skin. The worry he felt for the man against his chest made his led turn in a distressed red. Connor had never seen Gavin being so sick before, his detective was unresponsive to everything, and it scared him greatly.
Connor held his connection open towards Nines, who, every now and then kept gazing into the back mirror to watch them.
There were almost home when Connor felt Gavin's temperature rise yet again, which causes Connor's concern for his lover's well-being to increase even further.
"Nines, should we bring Gavin to the hospital?" he asked the younger android, dropping his head to rest on Gavin's shoulder. Even there he could feel Gavin's heart beat fast, too fast, against his forehead.
Nines shook his head slowly after looking back at them, "No, you know that Gavin would only be stressed out more. Let's try to cool him down at home first. Should he get worse we can still choose to bring him to a hospital."
The rest of their way was spend in silence, only Gavin's heavy breathing filled the car with noise, together with soft whispered words by Connor.
The older android had hoped that it would be enough to rouse Gavin from his unconscious state, it wasn't. Nevertheless, he kept talking to his human.
At home, both androids hurried inside, carrying Gavin between them until they could sit him down onto their bed, the heavy movements worked to wake Gavin up at least somewhat.
Grey, tired, eyes looked between Connor and Nines and the detective reached forward to grab each of the android's hands, squeezing them gently, "Thanks for bringing me home, " Gavin mumbled, his voice barely loud enough for the androids to hear.
"Of course, darling. C'mon, let Connor and me help you undress and then you can try to get some sleep." Nines said as he stepped forward to stroke his free hand gently over Gavin's damp hair, pushing away the fringes stuck to the man's forehead.
While Nines started to undress Gavin, Connor decided to leave to get the medication that was needed to bring the detective's fever down and before the detective knew it he was on the bed.
Gavin rested against Nines chest and felt the coolness of Nines skin against his own. He let out a sigh, exhaustion made his body slack with sleepiness. Approaching footsteps made him look up and he saw Connor walking towards them. The brown eyed android settled on the free side to Gavin's right and smiled at them both.
"Here Gavin, take these." Connor placed the fever reducers onto the man's palm, who took them immediately, together with the water the older android brought. The fresh, cool liquid felt ice cold as it made it way down Gavin's throat.
The detective felt like he was being burned alive and at the same time his body shook with tremors, his muscle contracting against his will, it had been a long time since he felt this way.
He glanced at Connor, who was now dressed in just a thin shirt and boxers, resting on the bed beside him and Nines.
Gavin's mind startet to drift for a moment and he wondered what would have happened if he had been alone now? Without Connor and Nines at his side.
What would have happened if Gavin hadn't worked to get better and to pull his head out of his ass.
He was certain that he would not have made it home, that he would have collapsed at work and would have woken up later, alone in the hospital.
Gavin would be alone now.
The man snuggled against Nines chest behind him and reached out to grab Connor, he pulled at his lover, until he was pressed against Gavin's front, never letting go from either of his lovers.
"I love you two, so much. I don't deserve you..." Gavin's voice cracked, the rest of his words were swallowed by a sob.
The androids were aware that it was mostly the fever talking, however, it didn't help to keep their LED's from turning yellow for a few moments.
Both androids acted simultaneously, wrapping themselves around the distressed human between them, pressing soft kisses against overheated skin.
"Don't ever think about not deserving this, Gavin. You do deserve this. To be held and protected. Connor and I love you deeply, don't ever think otherwise alright?" Nines whispered against Gavin's ear and pressed a soft kiss against it.
Gavin let out a small whine, too out of it to do anything else and suddenly he went lax between his two lovers as sleep finally took over.
Strained breaths escaped dry lips and his fever still hadn't lowered.
The two android gazed at each other in silence and worry before Connor moved to get up to get some wet towels from the adjoining bathroom.
They moved Gavin around gently, wrapping his legs in the cool towels.
Neiter of the androids would stop monitoring their human's vitals, ready to take action if needed.
Connor reached over to take Nines' hand in his, which had rested on Gavin's stomach, and gripped Nines' fingers between his own. Both of their synthetic skins receded and Connor was flooded with Nines thoughts and feelings.
Nines had always been short on words, like Gavin was, the younger android didn't always know how express his feelings.
Unlike Connor, who never had problems saying and showing what he wanted and felt.
The younger android was more worried than he had shown, the feeling of it all caused Connor's own stress levels to rise momentarily. Nines entwined his fingers with Connor's, rubbing his thumb over the backside of the older android's hand.
They shared their thoughts and feelings quietly, soothed each other's fear for their human lover and decided after a while to get some rest too. With on hand holding onto Gavin and one to each other.
Gavin came awake without realizing what had woken him, he blinked open his eyes.
Dim light from the street lamp outside illuminated the room, and his breath got stuck inside his lungs at the sight that greeted him.
Right in front of his face was Connor.
The android's brown eyes were blown wide open and the warm color they once had held seemed to be washed out as they gazed lifelessy back at him.
But what was even more disturbing was the blood.
Thirium, that seeped in rivulets all over Connor's face, painting the android's pale skin into a grotesque like painting. His lover's blood was everywhere, on the sheets and mattress, soaking through the blankets surrounding them.
Gavin opened his mouth to let out a scream, but nothing happened.
He couldn't move, frozen in fear and with his heart racing inside his chest, only his eyes were moving around in a frantic pace.
Again and again he tried to move, but nothing, not even his fingers were responding.
His heart started to beat out of his chest as panic took a hold of every clear thought of his mind.
Suddenly, something moved behind him, making the mattress dip down. Looming over his back, only a shadow was visible at the edge of the detective's vision.
Gavins fast breathing and almost too quiet whining noise filled the bedroom and the detective was sure he was going to die now.
Whoever was here with them and killed Connor beside him, was here, right behind his back.
Was Nines mutilated like Connor too?
Was he lying on the ground somewhere, dead and lifeless?
Sudden bright light filled the room and Gavin managed to close his eyes as hands reached over his shoulder to turn him onto his back.
As soon as his back came to contact with the cool linens underneath him, he was aware of his body again.
He could move. The realization that he was now able to do so again had the detective fighting against the hands that lingered on him.
He screamed at whoever was leaning over him incoherently.
"GAVIN!!! Gavin, look at me. It's me Nines, Gavin! Love, please it's okay. Shh, look Connor is here too. Open your eyes, love. Shhh. You are safe here." Nines had his arms wrapped firmly around Gavin's chest from behind. The humans heart was beating so frantically, Nines could feel it through Gavin's back.
He looked up to the older android in hope he was able to help Gavin calm down faster.
Connor sat up and cupped Gavin face between his cool fingers, "Gavin, open your eyes. C'mon, you can do it. Yes, that's it." He smiled down at the man before him, "Take a deep breath and let it out slowly."
".... fuck. I can't..Con? Connor...Nines!"
Connor let his thumbs glide over Gavin's cheeks as the man mumbled under his breath and it took almost ten minutes for the detective to calm down enough to get his bearings.
Meanwhile Nine had moved to let Gavin rest against his chest again and Connor sat right in front of them.
"What happened, Gavin? Did you have nightmare?" asked Connor quietly.
"I don't know - I... I just saw you, Con. You were lying right before me, but everything was smeared and soaked in thirium, and you were dead..." the detective took another deep breath.
"And I couldn't move, I was unable to see if Nines was alright...I - shit. You both are alright, yes?"
"Yes, Gavin. Everything is fine. You probably had a fever dream, no one is here other than us three." Connor answered, reaching up to push the hair away from Gavin's eyes. "At least your fever went down somewhat. How are you feeling besides the scare just now?"
"Fuck, better I guess. Damn, that was one fucked up dream." the man shakmoved to lie down again, taking Nines and Connor with him to have them near.
"Sleep Gavin, Nines and I will keep you safe. Nothing will happen."
Both android kissed Gavin softly on the lips before cuddling against each other.
Connor and Nines would keep their promises to protect their human. They would never let anything harm either him, or any of their small little family.
They settled down again, all three wrapped tightly around each other, and, with Gavin fever lower than before, a bit of worry eased inside the android's minds too.