#I didn't just forget it's and Belle Isles' existence while gushing over how this is the perfect location for romantic stuff to happen

[fandom-necromancer]

846. Continuation

Sorry this took me so long to write the continuation you requested @aurea-b! My brain just isn’t working unless I write everything down XD But here it is, enjoy!

Fandom: Detroit become human | Ship: Reed900

[part1]

A lot had changed since their accidental love confession and at the same time everything stayed the same. If anything, it was more awkward: They still worked together efficiently, Gavin was still standoffish to anyone coming close to their joint desks, his stance towards Hank and Connor had not changed and only a few new expletives were added. But with Nines, there now was a lot more touching and a lot of embarrassed eye contact. An accidental brush against each other would linger now and they went as far as to hold hands when they were alone. Basically, Gavin felt like a stupid teenager with his first crush and not knowing how to progress and Nines had problems keeping his software instability in check and his outer appearance disguised. It was stupid, they both knew it, but they wanted to forget about everything that had happened and tell each other at the right place at the right time on their own volition.

What happened to exactly be this Saturday at eight. Gavin had come home from work, showering and finally finding something nice to wear, all the time talking to his cat who was delighted to get that much attention. He had asked her how he looked and tried to use her unchanging face to make out her judgement. Mainly he talked to himself, staring at the mirror and changing over and over again, getting excited over nothing. He already knew Nines’ answer and he shouldn’t be that anxious over everything. But this was real and there was so much to think about and maybe he had changed his mind? He tried to bring order to his thoughts while he was driving to Hank’s house to pick up the android. Everything would be fine.

Nines had driven home from work with Hank and Connor and suffered through their teasing. How they had found out what they had planned for tonight, he didn’t know. Maybe it was just the fact of him going out with Gavin and the rest was their skills as police officers. Either way, Nines didn’t find peace until he had shoved Connor out of the door and locked it. Steeling himself for the next few hours until Gavin would arrive, he opened his wardrobe looking at the near identical clothe selection. Black turtleneck, dark pants, another pair of shoes. They were meant in case his normal clothes would get dirty, torn or shot through. It wasn’t until ten minutes before their agreed time that there was a knock on Nines door. He opened to find a set of clothes left most likely by Conor due to lack of fingerprints. It was a black shirt with high collar, dress pants and polished shoes to go with a white coat. It looked very similar to his usual attire, but still different and appropriate for the occasion. He would have to thank Connor sometime, but there was no time for that as a loud honk echoed through the neighbourhood. Of course.

Gavin saw Nines hurrying out of the house, likely fleeing the Andersons. He grinned as the android entered his car and sighed. ‘Looking good, tin-can’, he laughed, sorting them back into traffic. ‘Thanks. You too, meat-sack!’ He pushed his seatbelt into place and asked: ‘So, where will you bring me?’ ‘Hey, it’s a surprise, okay?’ ‘What, without a blindfold?’ ‘Do you want one?’ Nines chuckled. ‘Wouldn’t be of any use anyway. I have GPS.’ ‘Damn. Technology killing romance’, Gavin sighed mockingly. ‘You think so? You love me.’ ‘You are not supposed to know that yet!’ ‘Oh, right, sorry!’

Gavin drove them towards the river and parked his car near the West RiverWalk. The GM Renaissance Center towered in the distance, but they took to the east, walking up to the promenade. As promised, the sun was already hanging deep just over the horizon, colouring the clouds overhead in every shade from red to blue and shining on the water of Detroit river. They walked past an old carousel towards the water and Nines took his hand, squeezing it with a gentle smile, trying hard to keep his skin from retracting. He didn’t want to freak him out too much on their first official date.

They stood at the railing just enjoying the view for a bit, until Nines whispered: ‘This is where you wanted to take me?’ ‘Hm? You don’t like it?’ ‘No. It’s beautiful. I like it. Just never thought you to be the guy for romantic river walks.’ ‘Hey!’ Nines laughed at the clear indignation in his voice. ‘I really like it, Gavin’, he repeated then. ‘Thank you.’ ‘You haven’t even seen the best yet!’, Gavin grinned. ‘Come on! We have to hurry, if we want to see the full sunset!’

The sun had already passed the horizon half-way, as Gavin stopped further down the river at a lighthouse illuminated by warm lights. Nines had stopped to look up to the top, being surprised as Gavin pulled him further. ‘Quit staring, we’re not here for sight-seeing!’ Nines shook his head at the barely contained excitement and let himself be pulled around a bit more. They walked around the lighthouse and sat down in between two lights on the ground. ‘Best place to watch the sunset in Detroit’, he grinned. ‘Well, at least the best one I could come up with.’

‘I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else right now’, Nines spoke softly, making Gavin blush in an instant. ‘Oh, stop it’, Gavin snapped half-heartedly. ‘Also, you are supposed to look at the sun, dipshit!’ ‘Why would I?’, Nines chuckled. ‘I have you.’ ‘Okay, how should I find a good moment to admit my undying love to you when you keep out-sapping me?’, the man complained. ‘Could you please shut up for a bit?’ Nines huffed but complied. He didn’t fail to wrap his arm around the man and lean back against the lighthouse.

They stayed silent until the sun had set completely, and Gavin sighed deeply. ‘Nines? I wanted to tell you for quite some time now. I love you.’ The android swallowed at the gentle honesty that was so much different to the sentence uttered at the precinct’s breakroom. ‘I love you, too’, he answered and pulled Gavin close. ‘You can’t believe how much I love you.’ ‘At least as much as I do?’ ‘I guess.’

They stayed until the stars came out, at least the ones you could see over Detroit. Nines noticed, how Gavin huddled closer with every passing hour and sighed. ‘Did you leave your jacket in the car again?’, he teased ‘How dare you assume such things?’, Gavin exclaimed. ‘I didn’t even bring it in the first place.’ Nines laughed at that. ‘Yeah, that’s how I know my human.’ He quickly took off his coat and wrapped it around the protesting human. ‘Nines what are you- ‘Shut up, you are cold, you idiot. You lived for longer than I did, when will you learn?’ ‘I was excited, okay? I had bigger things to worry about than my jacket!’ ‘Good thing your love is an android, hmm?’ Nines said and let the human lean against his side. And if he deliberately overheated for a bit to keep Gavin warm, well, no one would notice. They stayed there, close to each other watching the stars until Gavin started to yawn and get sleepy. Only then they got up and walked back to their car to drive home.

After all, it had been good to be exposed by Hank and Connor, Nines thought. Otherwise it may have taken far too long until they would have done this.