Chapter Text
Gavin knew something was up. Yeah, he still found Connor hard as shit to read sometimes, even after deviating the android tended to be much more subdued in his display of emotions and didn’t talk about them if he didn’t deem them ‘relevant’, but to Gavin’s credit, he’d gotten to know him better. He could tell when something was up. He knew Connor's tells. The slightly longer pauses before responding, the more rigid manner of speech, the less direct answers, the more stilted humour.
He was itching for a chance to talk to him in private. He had been stuck sharing the open office space with him all day, unable to talk to him without being seen or heard by at least one other person. He wished Connor wasn't so fucking diligent and would just leave his desk and go to the break room or somewhere so that he could talk to him. He tried just waiting for Connor to look his way and he could try to somehow indicate he wanted to talk with him outside but so far Connor had glanced at him once and immediately looked away and fixed his hair in a flustered manner (that was admittedly fucking adorable).
Eventually he gave up on trying to somehow telepathically communicate and just texted him.
Evidence room.
You. Me. Now.
He got up and left his desk the moment the message sent. He knew Connor would come anyway, he didn’t need to wait and check. He’s pretty sure that they’d rendezvoused in the evidence room at least twelve times since they’ve been together, surprisingly never once having sex there. Not yet, at least. Though the idea did sound enticing.
He waited a few minutes before Connor came, walking down towards the back where they were less likely to be seen if someone did come through. He looked so perfect as always. Everything kept all neat and walking with the long even stride. Gavin couldn’t help but smile when he just saw him.
“I got your message. It was rather demanding.” Connor said as he closed the distance between them.
“If I said it nicely you wouldn’t have come.” Gavin smirked.
“We are at work, Gavin. We’re supposed to be working.”
“Work’s shit.”
Connor leaned against one of the tables and crossed his arms over his chest, “Have I been called here just to hear you bitch about work?”
“You almost sound like you don’t want me around.”
“Technically speaking, you are impeding my investigation right now.”
“Never remember work being such a cockblocker,” Gavin shook his head with a growing smirk, “The way I see it, your investigation is impeding our relationship.”
Connor paused for a moment too long before exhaling slowly, his tone shifting slightly into something more formal and spoken a little quieter, “If this is regarding me failing to respond to your calls last night, I meant to. It escaped my mind is all. I apologize. I was… preoccupied.”
Connor’s fingers curled around his jacket sleeve tighter, pulling on the fabric and curling in on himself ever so slightly. Gavin honestly hadn’t thought anything about his calls being neglected, he didn’t exactly expect Connor to always have free time for him. He knew how busy Connor was, he knew he wished he wasn’t so fucking busy and spent more time with him, but he understood. It wasn’t like he had a lot of free time either.
But Connor’s comment did give him the perfect segue to what he really wanted to talk about.
“Everything okay plastic?” He asked, using the nickname in a softer manner than he used to.
Connor hesitated for a moment before responding, “Of course.”
“Liar.”
Connor sighed but didn't dispute him, “It doesn't matter, I need to focus on my investigation and you on yours.”
“It does matter,” Gavin rolled his eyes, “tell me what's wrong. Come on, I wanna know, and I'm asking you so don't go and tell me it's irrelevant.”
“It’s irrelevant to the investigation. We’re at work, detective; we need to work.” Connor reminded him with an off attempt at humour he failed to quite make land and pulled himself away from the table and closer to Gavin. His tall lean frame tower over him. Gavin just frowned, dissatisfied Connor’s answer.
“What, I gotta wait until outside of office hours to care about you?”
“I thought that was how you preferred it.”
”Just because I don’t want the whole office to know about my personal life doesn’t mean I don’t care about you,” the words came out harsher than he'd intended, “Look, I just really want you to tell me what the hell is going on with you.”
“Nothing is ‘going on with me’. I promise. Now, as much as I'd like to stay here and talk with you, if we do stay here much longer someone else might come and our will be absence noted.” Connor pointed out.
Gavin swore under his breath knowing Connor was right. Of course he was right, he was always fucking right. He hated it. He fucking hated having to dance around like this with Connor. He wasn't ready to tell everyone he'd gone ahead and hooked up with an android but he hated it more than he could fucking describe sometimes. He hated that he knew Connor hated it just as much. He hated what a blatant excuse it was to avoid the conversation.
“Alright, fine.” He capitulated, “Back to shitty work I guess.”
“It's not that bad.”
“Yeah, it is. My place after work?” He asked as they started to walk towards the exit together.
Connor considered it for a moment before answering, “Perhaps, depending on how I fare on my case.”
“I’m sure you’ll have solved it in like an hour.”
“My turn over rate isn’t that fast.”
“You’re just damn modest.”
He caught the slight smile on Connor's face. “Fine, I’ll come over for the night, but I might come late. Or rather, later than usual.” He agreed, as he stopped near the exit to the room and fiddled with his hair.
“I'll keep you to that plastic,” Gavin smirked.
“You always do.”
Gavin shrugged and leaned in to kiss Connor on the lips before he finally left. Connor, of course, staying back a few minute to try and avoid any speculation they'd snuck off together. He quickly made his way to his desk, not bothering to look up when Connor did walk over to his desk and elegantly slipped into his chair. Neither able to share another word with each other until the day ended.
* * *
He didn't notice it until later. He isn't sure how but he doesn't even notice until later.
They were both at his apartment though neither had been bothered to get out of their uniform. Connor had discarded his jacket on the couch, relaxed at least a little and allowed Gavin to subject him to whatever cursed content he found online as they sat with their arms brushing against each other. Gavin scrolled through his feed, scrolling past anything that failed to capture his attention within seconds before stopping on a random post.
He watched half of it before smiling to himself, clucking his tongue and holding the phone between himself and Connor, “Heh, look at this one.”
Connor tilted his head to the side and peered at the phone as the video replayed. Gavin turned to him to see his reaction and that's when he noticed it.
On the side of Connor’s head, there was nothing. Where he had gotten so used to seeing a ring of soft blue light there was nothing, just a minor scratch that was barely even noticeable. He shifted in his seat to check that it was the correct side, but he already knew it was. How the fuck hadn't he noticed that earlier, or at least not paid enough attention to notice it before? How long had it been gone for? Why was it gone?
“Gav,” Connor said, gently nudging his forearm as the video ended. “Are you alright?”
“What happened to your LED?” He blurted out without thinking.
Connor shifted the moment the words came out, his fingers gently reaching up to slight scratch in his head as he hesitated to respond, as though only just recalling it was missing. He shifted a few strands of short hair nearby as though to try and make them cover it before dropping his hand and tersely responding, “I lost it.”
“You lost it?”
“Yes.”
“How the fuck did you lose it?”
“I don't know.”
“When did you lose it?”
“Gavin,” Connor sighed, seeming overwhelmed by the questions already, as he grabbed a cushion and held it to his stomach, “I just lost it. You're overthinking this.”
“I've asked you like two questions, neither of which you answered. It's attached to your head Con, how the fuck do you lose something that’s attached to your head?”
Connor opened his mouth to rebut, but then closed it before simply answering, “Maybe I got rid of it.”
“You got rid of it?” Gavin spat, unable to withhold his frustration with Connor’s evasion of any proper discussion substituted with what he was pretty sure were just lies, “Yeah, because you’re the one who told me you didn’t want to remove it when I brought it up.”
“I am allowed to change my mind, aren’t I?”
Gavin quelled himself slightly, biting down on his cheek. Yes. Yes of course he was allowed to change his mind, it wasn’t really the LED itself that he was upset about. Not really. He wouldn’t have even fucking cared, he would have been happy about it for fuck’s sake if it was just a missing piece of plastic. But he didn’t want to admit to any of that shit
He sighed, resigning from his stance as he fell into the back of the couch, “Just thought that would be something you’d talk about with me.”
“I didn’t think you’d care.” Connor responded flatly.
“Of course I fucking care. I mean, it’s your decision but I don’t know… don’t imagine you just did it. You’re too damn methodical for that.”
“Gavin, it’s only an indicator – nothing more.”
Connor spoke with some sort of faux assurance in his voice and Gavin wanted to believe him, God he wanted to believe him, but he couldn’t. He couldn’t and he didn’t. He looked at Connor as the android pulled at the edges of the cushion and rubbed it between his fingers. He images if the indicator were there, it would be yellow right now. Whatever it would be, he’s damn sure it wouldn’t be blue. Just like he’s pretty sure that it had something to do with why Connor had been acting off all day and how sure he was that Connor didn’t want to tell him about it.