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A loud knock at his door pulled Gavin out of his stuporous trance and he slowly looked around. He was standing in his kitchen, but he didn't remember going there. Judging by the ache in his knees, he's been standing there for a while. He tried to swallow, but a searing burn ripped down his throat, causing him to gasp in pain and make his eyes water. The knock sounded again, three raps, all perfectly spaced out. Even sick, Gavin was still a detective and it didn't take much guessing to know who was at the door. He shuffled over, the long legs on his sweats tangling with his feet. He stumbled, reaching out to catch himself, but two strong, pale hands steadied him. Blearily, he looked up at Nines, his mind moving sluggishly. Nines' eyebrows were pulled together in concern, his lips set in a thin line.
"Oh. Thanks, Nines," Gavin said, his voice scratchy.
"Gavin, your temperature is reading well above normal, and you sound and look terrible," Nines said, still gripping Gavin's upper arms.
"Geez, Nines. Don't hold any punches," Gavin muttered.
"You're sick," Nines finally let go.
"Yeah, no shit, Sherlock," Gavin said, wincing at the burn in his throat. Something tickled his throat and he screwed his eyes shut as he felt the instant dread.
They were horrible, hacking coughs. The kind that sound like you're drowning and feel like hellfire. Gavin's eyes watered and he felt a tear drip down his face. He reached out blindly for the back of the couch, but found Nines instead. He clung to his forearms and doubled over as his legs wobbled and finally gave out. Nines helped him kneel down and shooed Asshole away when the cat came to investigate. The coughing subsided and Gavin sucked in huge, gasping breaths of air. He felt hot all over and his head was full of cotton. His throat was raw and every breath he took hurt. Mustering all his energy, Gavin raised his head to look at Nines. Though he wasn't very outwardly expressive, Gavin could read the deep concern in his icy eyes. Nines' LED spun yellow.
"Gavin, you need to lie down. Can you walk?" he asked. Gavin assessed himself for a second and, to his embarrassment, found he was too weak to even stand. Reluctantly, he shook his head.
In one, quick motion, Nines scooped Gavin up and stood, making his way to the bedroom. The sudden movement made Gavin's head spin and he let out a small 'eep' of surprise. Nines' skin was cool and Gavin pressed his heated forehead against his neck, sighing at the relief. Nines' steps faltered for just a second and Gavin felt his whole body blush as he realized what he was doing. He felt a flutter in his chest and had an internal panic about if he should pull away or if that would make it more weird. Before he could get much farther down that train of thought, Nines was gently setting him down on his bed. As soon as his head touched the pillow, Asshole jumped up and snuggled in right above him.
"I will return shortly. Please do not leave the bed," Nines said, turning to leave. Gavin panicked slightly and grabbed his hand, hoping to convey his desire for the man to stay. He didn't really want to be alone.
Nines smiled down at their hands and intertwined their fingers.
"I apologize, Gavin. I did not mean to alarm you. I only meant that I am retrieving medicine from your bathroom. Knowing your aversion to doing what you are suppose to, you probably haven't taken any. Is that correct?" Nines asked, sitting on the edge of the bed. Gavin scowled at him, but nodded.
"Yes, I figured as much. I will get you some medicine." Nines reached out and smoothed Gavin's hair off his forehead, his hand lingering for just a second. Nines frowned, LED spinning yellow again.
"We will see about breaking your fever as well," he said, releasing Gavin's hand and standing up.
Gavin silently watched him leave the room until he couldn't see him down the hall anymore. Asshole began to purr and the sound lulled Gavin into a light doze.
He was roused from his sleep a short while later by something cool being pressed to his face. Nines was once again sat on the edge of the bed.
"What's this?" Gavin croaked.
"A cool washcloth. It will only minimally help your fever, but it should make you feel better," Nines said, dabbing the wet cloth against his neck.
"Hmm. Yeah. That feels nice. Thanks, Tin Can," Gavin hummed.
"I've brought you some medicine. You didn't have any fever reducer, but there are some throat drops to help the pain in your throat. I've also taken the liberty of using your kitchen to make you something to eat. I know it hurts to swallow too much and I'm sure the thought of eating doesn't appeal to you right now. I made a simple broth. You didn't have much in your kitchen, but it will help you keep your energy up. Plus, the warmth will soothe your throat."
Nines helped Gavin sit up, a gentle hand on his back that made Gavin blush. Nines handed him a small wrapped drop and a tall glass of water. He gulped down the water as fast as he could, wincing at the pain. Nines muttered quiet praises that had Gavin's stomach doing backflips.
Once the water was gone, Nines passed a steaming bowl to Gavin. It smelled heavenly, but Gavin was still a little wary. Nines couldn't eat, so why would he know how to cook? Carefully, he brought a spoonful of the amber liquid to his mouth and slurped it. To his surprise, it was actually quite good. The flavor was light, which Gavin was grateful for. Anything heavier, he's sure, would make him feel worse. And Nines was right. It was easy to swallow and the more he ate, the less it hurt to go down.
While Gavin ate, Nines pet Asshole, who had migrated down next to Gavin's hip.
"How did you learn to cook?" Gavin asked, setting his empty bowl on the bedside table and popping the cough drop in his mouth.
"I've been teaching myself mostly, however, Lieutenant Anderson had been kind enough to taste test many of my attempts. He is...rather blunt if the dish is not well done."
Gavin chuckled, enjoying the mental image of Hank tearing into Nines. Not many people have the balls to even talk to him, since he looks like the Terminator.
"Why did you want to learn to cook?" Gavin asked, stretching his arms above his head.
"For you," Nines said casually, eyes zeroing in on where Gavin's shirt rode up.
Gavin stared at Nines, unsure of what to say, but certain his face was red. Before he could even commend, a yawn pulled itself from his chest. Nines chuckled.
"Get some rest, Gavin. I will just be in the other room if you need me."
With that, Nines stood and left, leaving the door cracked. Gavin blinked after him, another yawn escaping. Almost against his will, his eyes closed and he was fast asleep.
~~
Nines stood in the living room, not quite sure what to do, now that Gavin was asleep. Taking in his surroundings, Nines noted that the apartment seemed a little messier than the other times he had been here. There was laundry strewn across the sofa, dishes in the sink, and a layer of dust on almost everything. Nines knew Gavin prided himself on a clean home, so to see the normally immaculate place dirty was a bit jarring. It looked like the only thing kept clean was Asshole's litterbox. Even sick, Gavin made sure she didn't suffer with him, and that warmed Nines' thiruim pump.
Having decided to clean up, Nines rolled up his sleeves and got to work. He started with the kitchen, washing the dishes, cleaning the counters, and mopping the floor. Moving to the living room, he picked up all the cat toys, dusted the shelves, and started a pile of laundry in the hall outside the laundry closet. The bathroom got a similar treatment and finally, Nines was back at the bedroom door. He was hesitant to enter, not wanting to disturb Gavin while he slept, but he also wanted to start a load of laundry and needed the dirty clothes from within. Quietly, he pushed the door open, thankful when it didn't squeak. With the curtains drawn, the dim light that filtered through was a deep red. Nines stepped into the room, eyes locked on the basket of clothes by the dresser. He had only taken a few steps when his HUD alerted him that something was wrong. Glancing at Gavin, he realized that his skin was shiny with sweat and his breathing was labored, almost gasping, and his chest seemed to rattle with every inhale. Nines hurried to the bed, reaching down to touch him. He could feel the heat radiating off Gavin and he gritted his teeth, laying a hand of his forehead. His fears were confirmed. Gavin's fever had risen and was approaching a dangerous high. Though Nines had some general medical knowledge, he did not know enough to know exactly what was wrong with Gavin.
Trying to keep from panicking, Nines dialed a number he never thought he'd ever have reason to call. It only rang a few times before the connection was established.
"RK900, how unusual to receive a call from you. To what do I owe the pleasure?" a soft, calming voice answered.
"Markus, I apologize for calling so unexpectedly, but I need your help. You were a medical caregiver model, right?" Nines asked.
Markus paused. "Well, I helped Carl with his medical needs, so I suppose I have a bit more medical knowledge than an average android, but I was not programmed for medicine. Why? Is everything alright?"
"It's my partner. He has a very high fever and I am only trained in first aid. I don't know what to do and he's getting to a dangerous temperature."
"RK900, if you are that concerned, why not take him to a hospital?" Markus asked gently.
"A hospital?" Nines said, feeling foolish for not doing that immediately.
On the bed, Gavin stirred.
"No... no hospital..." he said, his words slow and slurred. Nines rushed to his side.
"Gavin, we might have to. You're very ill and I don't know how to help," Nines said, brushing the sweat matted hair out of his face.
"Please...no..." Gavin trailed off. His eyes opened and his glassy gaze swept slowly back and forth across the room. Nines realized Gavin wasn't actually looking around and was probably hallucinating.
"RK900?" Markus' voice sounded in Nines' head. "I heard what he said. If he truly does not want to go to a hospital, you shouldn't make him. The stress might make him worse. However, and I want you to listen to this closely. If his fever does not start going down in the next two hours or so, or he starts getting worse, take him anyway. Now, there are a few things you can do to help bring the fever down. Mainly, keep him cool, and keep him dry. He's probably going to be sweating a lot, so make sure he's hydrated too. That's about as much as you can do for him. You understand?"
"Yes. Thank you, Markus," Mines said quietly.
"You're welcome, RK. Good luck."
The connection closed and Nines was left to think of his next move.
Keep him cool and keep him dry. Nines pulled back the blankets and saw Gavin had sweat through his clothes and soaked the sheets. With an objective in mind, Nines picked Gavin up and carried him to the bathroom, grabbing new, clean clothes on the way. He carefully propped Gavin up on the closed toilet, silently cursing the fact that his small apartment didn't have a tub. Instead, he resigned himself to helping Gavin through a cool shower. Turning the water on to a nice spray, he helped rouse Gavin.
"I'm sorry, but we need to get you out of these clothes," Nines said. He waited a moment to see if Gavin would respond, but he didn't seem to even be conscious anymore.
"Please forgive me," Nines muttered, gently removing Gavin's shirt. His fingers traced along the defined muscles in his chest and Nines' heart fluttered. Shaking his head to clear his impure thoughts, he continued to undress Gavin. Once the last sock was gone, Nines carried Gavin to the showers. Gavin's eyes opened again, but his gaze was still cloudy.
"Nines...?" he muttered, leaning heavily against the tiled shower walls.
"I'm here, Gavin. Can you keep yourself up while I wash the sweat off you?" Nines asked, trying to work quickly.
"The rain will make you brown," Gavin replied.
"What does that mean?" Nines asked. Gavin just mumbled something else incoherent, but managed to stay upright, though his breathing was labored.
Nines gritted his teeth, worried that Gavin was hallucinating again. He washed Gavin's body, uncaring that his own shirt was getting wet. Soon, all the soap and sweat was gone and Nines shut off the water, wrapping Gavin in a large, fluffy towel. He dried him off quickly, trying to be gentle and respectful.
During the shower, the cool water brought Gavin's temperature down slightly, but it began to rise again as Nines dressed him. He stripped out of his own, wet shirt and left it on the floor, carrying Gavin to the living room and placing him on the sofa.
"I'm just going to change your sheets. I'll be right back," Nines murmured gently, but Gavin was once again unconscious.
As fast as he could, Nines stripped the bed, setting the sheets to wash and putting down new ones.
Back in the living room, Gavin hadn't moved at all, his forehead pinched. Every breath he took made a rattling sound in his chest.
Nines scooped him up, subconsciously noting his slightly lower temperature, and swiftly deposited him back in the bed. He could see Gavin's eyes moving behind his eyelids while he dreamed. As quietly as he could, Nines crept towards the hall. Asshole meowed at him from the doorway, flicking her tail. Nines shushed her.
"I know. I'm worried too. But we have to let him rest," he whispered to the cat.
"Nines?" he heard Gavin croak from the bed. Cautiously, Nines turned, unsure if Gavin was just talking in his sleep or hallucinating, but Gavin was looking directly at Nines with the most clarity he'd seen since arriving.
"Go back to sleep, Gavin. Please," Nines told him, turning to leave again.
"Stay with me," Gavin said, mustering up enough energy to look annoyed.
Nines huffed out a chuckle, returning to Gavin's side. Gavin weakly held up the blanket for Nines to slide under. Gavin immediately clung to Nines, so he lowered his core temperature to keep Gavin cool. Gavin sighed into Nines' chest and was quickly asleep. With nothing much left to do, Nines let himself fall into a light stasis.
~~
The first thing Gavin thought when he woke up was how cold he felt.
Slowly, he opened his eyes, not quite seeing clearly just yet. The room gradually came into focus and Gavin lay still, staring at nothing in particular.
I was sick , he thought. Cautiously, he swallowed, bracing for that horrible burning, but it didn't come.
Oh yeah, Nines showed up at some point, his groggy brain reminded him. I wonder when he left.
Gavin rolled his head to the side, hoping to fall back asleep, but instead caught sight of the android laying next to him, his eyes closed. Gavin's brain was moving much too slowly to be startled, but he was certainly confused. When did Nines lay down here? Also, why?
Gavin watched Nines for a little while. He lay completely still, his chest barely moving. Gavin briefly wondered why he bothered to breathe at all since he technically didn't need to, but pushed that question aside for another day.
Dim moonlight shone through the window. Nines' alabaster skin almost appeared blue in the glow. His long lashed brushed his cheeks and Gavin's heart gave a squeeze, his face warming up.
God, he's so damn beautiful.
"Nines," Gavin whispered into the quiet dark.
Nines' eyes opened but he did not move, staring blankly at the ceiling with an empty expression. After a few seconds, he blinked and recognition appeared in his eyes. He looked over at Gavin quickly, relief apparent on his face.
"Gavin," Nines breathed, propping himself up on his elbow. "You're awake."
Nines reached over and lay his hand on Gavin's forehead. Gavin shivered.
"Why is your hand so cold?" he asked quietly, not wanting to break the peacefulness around them.
"I lowered my core temperature to help keep you cool and bring down your fever. But I can change that." Nines moved his hand down to Gavin's cheek, warmth soon spreading from his palm to his fingertips.
Subconsciously, Gavin leaned into the touch, sighing at the comfort it brought.
"How long was I asleep?" he asked. Nines removed his hand and the bedroom seemed a litter colder without it.
"I arrived here this morning when you failed to report to work, so at a guess, I'd say you've been in and out of consciousness for a little over sixteen hours. Although, for much of the time you were awake, you were not coherent."
"When did you get in my bed?"
Nines looked away sheepishly.
"I apologize, Gavin. I'll leave at once," Nines said, starting to get up.
"What? No! That's not what I meant, asshole. You can stay. I was just wondering how long you've had to lay here." Gavin reached out and grabbed Nines' arm, trying to pull him back.
Hesitantly, Nines lowered himself back into the bed and Gavin threw the discarded blanket over both of them.
"I have not been here the whole time. In your bed, I mean. I've been keeping a light stasis that wakes me if you make noise or move. Before your fever finally broke a few hours ago, I had to change your clothes and sheets every so often. So that has kept me busy."
"Changed my clothes?" Gavin muttered. He lifted the blanket to see that he was indeed wearing different clothes than he last remembers. He also noted that underneath his baggy grey seats, he was not wearing underwear. Face burning, Gavin clamped the blanket down, glancing at Nines. He was politely looking away, a soft blue blush high on his cheeks.
Gavin cleared his throat.
"Um, thanks, tin can. For taking care of me," Gavin muttered. Nines looked back at him, smiling.
"Of course, Gavin. I'm glad you're feeling better. I will leave, so you may go back to sleep," Nines said, once again sitting up to leave.
"Oh. Um...hmm. Actually, uh, if you wanted to stay, that'd be pretty cool, ya know?" Gavin said awkwardly, scratching the scar on his nose.
Nines observed him for a moment.
"Would you like me to stay, Gavin?"
"Yeah. I mean. Only if you want to. I know you've been here all day and you probably have better things to do, so if you want to leave, you can, I guess, but you don't have to. I'm not, like, trying to guilt you into staying or anything, I just thought since it was so late already, you might as well stay-" Nines cut off Gavin's rambling by taking his hand and quietly shushing him. Gavin swallowed thickly.
"I'd be happy to stay the night," Nines said, smiling softly.
Gavin nodded. "Good. Cool. Yeah, okay. Sleeping. Let's, uh, do...that..." Gavin mentally kicked himself for being so fucking awkward, but his thoughts were quickly chased away by Nines pulling Gavin close and tucking his head under his chin. Gavin froze for a minute before letting himself relax into the embrace. He rested his head on Nines' chest, hearing the fluttering of his thirium pump. Releasing a deep breath he didn't even realize he was holding, Gavin felt all his anxiety and tension flow out of him. He closed his eyes, already feeling sleep tugging at him. He was almost asleep when he felt Nines' lips on his forehead.
"Good night, Gavin," Nines whispered, and Gavin was gone.