Work Text:
Nines shifts a bit to the side, trying to fix the ache in his back. He’s been sitting on the floor of Gavin’s apartment for the last multiple hours, finding it easier to concentrate when on the floor for, lord knows why.
Gavin huffs, causing nines to look up at him. He’s pacing back and forth in front of Nines, the gears in his head seemingly moving slow yet fast as all hell at the same time.
He pinches the bridge of his nose right above his scar and shuts his eyes tightly.
“I don’t fucking get it!” Gavin opens his eyes, arms flailing desperately in the air.
“None of it makes sense. I can’t fucking figure anything out, mister tin can over here can’t figure anything out!” He shouts, gesturing to Nines as he remains seated on the floor.
Ever since the two were put on a recent case, which they didn’t expect to be so difficult, neither of them haven’t gotten much rest at all. Nines hasn’t allowed himself to go into stasis in atleast four or so days, he has no clue how he hasn’t just accidentally slipped into it yet. He’s been trying to get as much information on the case as he can in hopes of making it a atleast a bit easier for Gavin. But just as expected, Gavin is still barely getting any rest and it’s definitely taking it’s toll on him.
Not looking up from his work tablet, Nines attempts to calm Gavin’s nerve, even if just a bit.
“Maybe you should sit down and let yourself rest for a bit Gavin. You don’t have to try to sleep or anything, just let you mind rest for a second,” Nines explains, now looking up at Gavin before adding, “Your stress levels are getting worrying high.”
“I wouldn’t be so goddamn stressed if there wasn’t a fucking chunk of plastic following my every footstep and never leaving my house.” Gavin hisses, making eyes contact with the android across from him, not noticing the dark shade of red illuminating the side of his head.
“Gavin. I think you need to sit down and let yourself calm down before you start to say things you’ll regret later.” Nines exhales patiently, trying not to anger Gavin further.
and maybe also trying to let himself get offended.
And apparently this didn’t work. At all.
Stepping closer to Nines with a tense stance Gavin starts to speak in a hushed, angry tone. One that felt almost too loud to Nines.
“Oh you know what i regret? Huh? Being paired up with a useless android piece of shit that never holds up to its weight and always clings to me thinking we could be some kind of friends.” His tone is now one close to a shout and it’s all too much for Nines.
Nines stands up quickly, his tablet falling from his lap and onto the floor with a saddening thud.
“Do you not stop for a second to think about how I feel Gavin? I may be an ‘android piece of shit’ as you like to call me, but that doesn’t mean I don’t fucking feel things!” Nines has since lost himself to a blinding wall of anger and can’t see an exit anywhere in sight.
“I can’t believe I let myself get used to being happy and feeling like I actually mattered at all to you.”
Gavin finds himself stunned. His feet stuck in the same place, unable to move away. And before he even gets the chance to fight back, Nines starts up again.
“Maybe trying to be friends was a mistake! You just might be right with that one! Since it seems like all I am in your eyes is a useless goddamn android.”
He’s barely panting now, not used to talking so fast and loud before.
“Y’know. I really thought you changed, Reed. Maybe I was wrong.” Nines finishes of, turning towards the front door to make his exit.
Gavin realizes what the fuck just happened as he snaps back into reality and turns to follow nines, grabbing his hand in an attempt to stop him.
“Nines wait i-“ Gavin doesn’t get the chance to finish his sentence, as Nines slaps his hand away. Gavin pulls it back towards himself, running it softly as it starts to softly redden.
“Don’t fucking touch me. I thought you were disgusted by androids. Huh? Don’t think I didn’t see all those anti-android stickers you had when I first arrived.” Nines hisses defensively.
“Nines please,” Gavin chokes out, not willing to reach out his hand again.
“No. I’ve had it gavin! I’ve been working so goddamn hard for you and you just wanna discredit every second of work i’ve done? Do you know how many hours i’ve forced myself to stay out of stasis just so you can get a break so you don’t fucking kill yourself with sleep deprivation? Do you know how fucking worried I get about you? Well I’m sorry for caring since it’s seems like you obviously don’t feel the same care towards me.”
Nines opens the door and stops for a second, his whole body facing away from Gavin.
“Hope you’ll be glad to have me out of your house now.” The door slams and he’s gone.
Leaving Gavin alone, standing rock solid in the midpoint between his living room and kitchen. As one of his cats begin to make figure 8s around his legs, meowing curiously, before hopping away as it starts to feel small droplets hit its back.
Oh. He’s crying now.
The tears steadily roll down his cheeks and onto the floor as he lowers onto his knees, holding his face in his hands as sobs rock his body. He hasn’t cried in god knows how long and he doesn’t think he’ll be able to stop anytime soon. All his bottled up emotions pouring out at once.
He can’t tell when the tears eventually started to fade away, but he’s now left feeling like some empty shell of himself. There was a reason he hated crying, it always ended with him feeling ever worse than before.
It felt like a chunk of him was torn away, leaving a nasty gash inside of himself. The sheer emptiness of his apartment now making itself very present. He never realized how alone it felt without the androids presence till he found himself without him.
Looking around hesitantly, Gavin scans the room for any sign that his partner was back, and obviously being greeted with none. The only things that stood out was Nines soft white coat still draped over Gavin’s couch apparently forgotten, and his work tablet which generally stayed at Gavin’s place anyways.
Standing up slowly and with a now pounding headache. Gavin stumbled over to the couch and picks up the coat. Laying down of the couch, he curls up into himself, hugging the white coat like his life depended on it.
He could smell the soft traces of the cologne that Nines is always wearing. It was a gift from Chris to Nines as he was apparently “lacking any scent and it threw Chris off”.
Gavin internally thanked Chris for having the same thought Gavin did and took the initiative that he didn’t think he ever could, cause he found himself addicted to the gentle, warm scent that blesses Gavin’s nose anytime he was around the android.
He let himself be lulled to sleep by the soft scent and gentle pitter-patter of rain that began to hit against a window from somewhere in the living room, too tired to fight back against the pull of sleep.
Meanwhile Nines was walking back to his own place that he found himself never at.
The moment he’d stepped out of the door of Gavin’s apartment, he became increasingly regretful over their argument. Regretful over the way he let himself raise his voice. Slapping Gavin’s hand.
The newfound memories kept replaying over in his head. Displaying the emotions on Gavin’s face that he didn’t notice in the moment, blinded by pure hurt and anger.
Displaying the way Gavin seemed to appear threatening through his composure when he himself was going off on Nines. And the way he held that composure up to the start of Nines’ turn with going off on the other man, but instead Gavin seemed to curl more and more into himself the longer Nines had went on.
Nines didn’t even want to think about the look on Gavin’s face when he slapped his hand away.
He wanted to feel completely guilty, he he did, mostly, But a part of him still felt very hurt by Gavin’s words. The way he dumbed him down to just a ‘useless android piece of shit’ and other rude words.
Had Gavin actually changed from his old views? He seemed to be remorseful when he tried to stop Nines from leaving. He had to have changed, right?
Nines thinks back on the good memories he’s had with with Gavin since arriving at the DPD. There’s been countless times where Gavin has expressed pure kindness towards the android, granted it was usually presented in a way that an outsider would probably mistake them as rude comments made towards the android, but Nines knew Gavin better than any random outsider.
Did.. did Gavin actually regret any of that? Becoming friendly with Nines, telling him more about himself. There’s no way he actually meant anything he’d said, right? He was just.. tired and stressed, yeah. Yeah that’s it.
Finally letting himself settle on that conclusion, he found himself wanting to turn around immediately and apologize to Gavin for going off on him and raising his voice. Slapping his hand away..
At the same time he also desperately wants an apology back, seeing as it was Gavin who started to spew hate at the other, who was just trying to stay calm and avoid annoying Gavin.
Being an android, Nines has become essentially numb to the horrible shit people continuously say about him, but hearing it from Gavin’s mouth just stung like pure venom.
Would Gavin be mad if Nines came back? He’d said he hated how clingy Nines was, constantly staying over at Gavin’s place like it was his home just as much as Gavin’s. And sure, Nines would very much admit that he was there a lot, but if Gavin had just asked him to leave or even just gave a single hint for him to leave, he would’ve done so immediately, never wanting to overstep Gavin’s boundaries. It was his home after all.
By this point it had started to rain, and it was coming down pretty heavily, soaking Nines and his lack of an umbrella.
He honestly wouldn’t be surprised if he got struck by lightning, seeing as a mass majority of his body was made of metal. He chuckled grimly at the thought.
He realizes not only his lack of an umbrella, but also his coat, assumedly left at Gavin’s house.
Maybe that would be a good reason to show back up. Yeah.. yeah that makes sense.
Is it a good idea to go back? Possibly not, but he didn’t care at this point.
He hesitantly turned around and started walking the opposite direction than where he was originally going. Now starting to pick up his pace.
He really hoped he wouldn’t regret this.
If anything maybe it’ll actually confirm whether or not Gavin actually hates him. And if so, Nines can just go to the DPD and request to be moved away from Gavin and be replaced with someone new, somehow Gavin will hopefully like more than Nines.
Doing the work for Gavin, just like he always tried to do. He knows how tired he always is and how little he rests so Nines has always tried to do as much of the work by himself as he could just so Gavin could maybe for once let himself rest, but it never worked out that way.
Before he knew it, he was in front of Gavin’s front door once again. He hesitated one last time before knocking on the door. It a bit louder than he would’ve preferred, he grimaced at the sound.
Nines waits for a bit before thinking about knocking again, then impulsively deciding this made no sense and had started to turn around, guessing Gavin was probably ignoring him purposely. He couldn’t blame him, he guessed.
Just then he heard the door click open behind him. Whipping his body around, he sees Gavin looking disheveled, eyes red and puffy.
Shit he’d been crying.
Nines was immediately flooded with concern. He scanned his partner, results displaying revealing his usual ‘Sleep Deprivation’ but he now sported a ‘Dehydrated’ and a ‘Severe Mental and Physical Exhaustion’. This really amped up his worry towards the smaller man.
“Gavin I’m sorry I shouldn’t have-“ Gavin cut him off by wrapping his arms around Nines tightly, the rain now soaking them both. It had started to splash through the open doorway. Soaking the indoor welcome mat.
Nines didn’t know whether or not to hug him back.
He did.
He needed this. He didn’t hug him too tightly in fear of hurting the smaller man, his frame now seeming much more fragile than it ever had before.
He could hear Gavin muttering behind shaky breaths. “I’m so so sorry please don’t leave me again I- please I didn’t mean any of it Nines I’m sorry.” Yeah this completely broke Nines’ metaphorical heart.
He laid his head on Gavin’s shoulder, his eyes starting to betray him as tears began to fall from them and onto Gavin’s already soaked shirt.
Gavin lifted his head up to look at Nines again, Nines lifting his in return.
Nines scanned him again as they made eyes contact, noticing Gavin’s now very apparent shaking. There was now a ‘Very Low Temperature. Warmth Required Immediately’ added to his myriad of other warnings.
“You’re freezing Gavin. You need to go inside.” Nines expressed with a highly concerned tone.
“I don’t- I don’t want to leave you. Please don’t make me leave you Nines I swear I didn’t mean any of it.” Gavin whimpered.
Against Nines’ better judgment, he lifted up Gavin carefully and just moved him back a couple of steps, in through the doorway, then put him back on his feet. Nines turned around to close the door in an attempt to prevent any more water from coming inside.
“I don’t- I never wanted you to leave Gavin. I never want to leave you either. I- I really meant it when i said i care for you I- you’re the most important thing in my life.”
Gavin looks down at his hands, shaking and soaked.
“I- I really and truly didn’t mean any of it Nines, I- I can’t- can’t live without you. I love having you at my house constantly, I really do. And- and I really, really appreciate how much you work just so I can rest. I- I do notice it and I’m so sorry I said all of that I just- I’m so sorry Nines. I- I really love you.”
He definitely.. wasn’t expecting that last part.
Gavin was crying again, not daring to look up at nines.
“Gavin?”
He looks up at nines now, being greeted by Nines soft eyes.
“Huh?”
“Go get changed. You’re soaked, cold, and shaking”
Gavin looked down at himself, then at Nines clothes and realized just how much they were both absolutely soaked.
“I- I’m afraid you’re gonna..” He hesitated. “I’m scared you’re gonna leave.” He mutters, just above a whisper.
“I promise you I’m not going anywhere Gavin. I’ll be right here when you get back.”
“But.. but you’re soaked too?”
“Yeah, well the cold doesn’t affect me anywhere near the way it does you. I can deal with myself later, but for now I’m more concerned about you. Please go change into some dry clothes.”
Gavin hesitates then starts slowly walking down the short hall to his room.
Nines stands against the kitchen island for a few minutes as he waits for Gavin to return. And eventually he does, now in a new change of clothes, everything seemingly dry except for his hair.
He was wearing the graphic tee that Nines had gotten him as a Birthday gift not long after he first arrived at the DPD. It’d been a very simplistic gift, seeing as they weren’t really considered friends at that point, but Nines had still wanted to make a friendly gesture.
Lets just say that Gavin had started to treasure the tee ever since they started getting closer, with it now being his favorite shirt.
“I like your shirt.” Nines commented, displaying a soft smirk.
Gavin looked down and immediately become flustered, then shook his head, trying not to get distracted.
“Now I- I really want to properly apologize. I should’ve never spoken to you or about you like that, Nines. I’m really sorry.”
“I.. I forgive you Gavin. Thank you for apologizing, it means a lot to me. But I also feel like I should apologize too. I shouldn’t have raised my voice at you or.. hurt you, but I did and I’m sorry Gavin.”
“Don’t even bother apologizing Nines, I never even expected an apology from you. I was in the wrong and you were simply defending yourself, you can’t always keep a calm composure, you cracked because of me, i should’ve taken your advice and sat down and just.. let myself chill out for a minute.”
“Im still sorry though, Gavin”
“And I completely forgive you, okay?”
“..Alright.”
Nines looks around the room, noticing his coat now laying on the floor instead of it’s original spot on the couch and goes over to pick it up.
“Don’t tell me you’re about to try to leave.” Gavin huffs out.
“Well i can’t just stay here, I don’t want to intrude on your personal space anymore than I already have.” Nines replies as he hangs the coat over his arm, not daring to put it on while he’s still in soaked clothes.
“Nah nah nah. I’m always fine with you staying here, I.. I really enjoy your company Nines. So I’d.. really appreciate it if you stayed over, atleast for tonight. It’s still pouring out there anyways.”
Nines smiled as he sat his coat back down on the couch and turned towards Gavin. “Thank you Gavin, I really appreciate it. I definitely wasn’t looking forward to walking back out in that rain.” He chuckles, causing Gavin to start smiling softly.
“Speaking of which, would you uh, like to get into some dry clothes too? I could probably find something that’ll fit you, you tall man.” Gavin pats Nines shoulder a bit awkwardly.
“As long as you don’t mind it.” Nines replies, resting his hand atop Gavin’s.
Gavin’s gets visibly flustered and turns around, starting to walk back to his room. Gesturing for Nines to follow, which he does.
Once in the room, Gavin digs through his dresser for a minute before pulling out a pair of shorts and a shirt.
“These should fit you. You can get changed in the bathroom, go ahead and use a towel to dry yourself off if you feel like it. You can just leave your wet clothes hanging on the shower curtain rod and they should be mostly dry by tomorrow, hope you don’t mind.” Gavin explains while handing the clothes to Nines.
Nines takes them from Gavin’s hand with an appreciative smile on his face as he looked down at Gavin.
“Thank you Gavin. I’ll be right back.” He announces as he makes his way across the short hall to the bathroom and the door clicks shut.
It takes him a few minutes before he makes his way into the living room, to Gavin’s slight confusion, he sees the android laying there on the couch. But not before taking a good look at Nines in an unfamiliar outfit.
“What’re you doing on the couch?” Gavin questions the android.
“Well it’s where I usually end up sleeping when you let me stay over.” Nines responds.
“Oh.. well uh, i was actually just thinking to myself uh.. you’d said something about physical touch being good at making people tired or something right?”
“It’s.. definitely not phrased anywhere near that, but yeah, close enough I guess.” Nines grins as he responds to Gavin’s question. “Why do you ask?”
“Well I just thought maybe you could, sleep in my bed.. with me.. for tonight..?” Gavin had to push the last parts of his sentence out forcefully, the reserved part of him wanting to completely shut out the thought of sharing a bed with the android again.
Nines stands up from his spot on the couch and walk over to Gavin, who is still placed in the entrance of the hallway, then gently takes his hand in his own, looking down at Gavin.
“I’d very much appreciate it.” Nines smiles softly.
They don’t know how, but they eventually got situated in bed. Nines was sitting in an upright position, back straight against the headboard, meanwhile Gavin was placed in his lap, his back against Nines chest. Nines arms were wrapped protectively around Gavin, his head resting atop the others.
They decided that they can further discuss the prevention of this kind of outburst the next day, when they’re both atleast somewhat rested.
But for now, they get to enjoy the feeling of each other’s touch and body heat.
And the last thing Gavin heard before he drifted off to sleep and Nines fell into stasis?
“I really love you too, Gavin.”