#you bet your asses Nines keeps Gavin safe

[fandom-necromancer]

Turn a blind eye

This was prompted by an amazing anon! If you are distrubed by the warnings this time, keep in mind it will end on a good note! I hope you enjoy! 

Fandom: Detroit become human | Ship: Reed900 (Warnings: description of crime scenes (murder), serial killer, Gavin whump, paranoia, sleep deprivation, panic attack)

‘Put your phone away, Reed!’, Nines ordered, dropping new files on his desk.

Gavin flinched, looking up, then down on the pile. ‘No, not another one.’ ‘Yes, actually. Another one.’ Nines watched him and Gavin sighed, putting the phone away and rubbing his eyes. He opened the folder to another letter. He didn’t even have the energy to feel particularly distressed about it. He opened it with the android looking over his shoulder. You’d better turned a blind eye to my doings, Detectives. I proved before your actions against me have consequences.

Gavin just let the paper fall onto his desk and kneaded his forehead. ‘That’s all?’, Nines asked. ‘Well, we better keep going then. They know we are close.’ Gavin nodded numbly. Of course, they had to keep going. Of course, they had to stop whoever was behind all these murders. But… The threat was hitting home. Gavin couldn’t shake off the pictures of his bike catching fire right as he was about to start it, only Nines’ quick intervention saving him from being severely burned and hurt by the explosion of the tank only seconds later. The android had been able to brush it off and return to work, but Gavin couldn’t. He hadn’t slept properly for weeks and there had been little else but work for him.

It all had begun with a weirdly detailed murder scene. A woman killed by a cut throat in the bedroom covered in blue blood. The corresponding android was later found drenched in her blood in an alley behind a cyberlife workshop, but he hadn’t been killed there, the body was staged. Neither the murder weapon nor any trace of the murderer was found. Both android and human were connected by a growing relationship after the woman had divorced her husband. Jealousy was an easy motive, but the husband was earnestly shocked and said the feeling about the divorce was mutual and they ended everything on good terms. Not really evidence for his innocence, but he had a valid alibi, being on a work-related trip to Baltimore at the time the murder had taken place.

They hadn’t solved the case yet and were still waiting for the forensics’ report as they were called to another crime scene. Again, a human murdered by a cut throat, covered in the thirium of their partner and staged in the bedroom, while the blood-drenched android was found behind a Cyberlife store. The only new clue was that both cases had to be connected. Gavin had guessed the motive to be anti-android related and as the third murder was discovered it was more or less solidified by the message left behind. The wall over the bed was decorated with the internal wiring of the android spelling out Trash. The same word was found at the android, cut into his chest piece where his serial number would be.

This was the work of a serial killer. And the asshole was experimenting. Thankfully that meant he was slipping. The next scene held footprints of evaporated thirium for them. Nines was able to estimate height and weight from the size, the intensity of the thirium coating and the distance between each footprint. The message left behind was painted with their blood, allowing Nines to crop a partial fingerprint from where each letter ended. So, their murderer was a human of just a little below average size and weight. If the estimation was correct. It was little to go with, but what was even more unsettling were the words left behind this time: Gavin Reed over the bed of the human man and RK900 scratched into the chest of the android.

It had thrown them off guard and had caused Fowler to keep them under police protection. Their colleagues took turns guarding Gavin’s apartment complex, while Nines had agreed to stay at the precinct full time. It did little to help Gavin be comfortable with the fact a completely unknown serial killer knew their identities. He laid awake most nights jumping at every noise in the building and thought about how on earth the murderer had found out who was investigating their cases. Did they have connection to the police? Was one of his colleagues corrupt? Was the killer one of them? Had he just watched the crime scenes? Or had some newspaper simply printed their names while telling the story of Detroit’s newest serial killer?

Gavin was constantly on edge never feeling safe enough to sleep more than a few hours. Even at the precinct he started to feel watched. And it didn’t get better when more bodies turned up. Still haven’t found me? I’m right here. You look tired. Something keeping you up at night? Cyberlife’s best, huh? Watch your steps. What a dream team. I should kill you next. That had been when the bike had caught fire the next day. To say that Gavin was panicking was an understatement. Gavin was stressed beyond everything and it was hard to have a single rational thought when the killer somehow managed to send letters to the precinct without being caught.

At least Nines was unphased by all of this. Ever the analytical logical machine, the android worked away, reading reports from forensics and finding clue after clue. It were small hints, but they were making progress. They would get the killer in the long run, but they both knew the shorter that “long run” would be, the less people had to die. Gavin was so thankful for having Nines. The android had saved his life and was the only constant in this mess. At least when he was with the bot, he was safe. Unless he was… Unless he was the killer himself. Gavin frowned. This was his panic speaking. He shouldn’t think about that. But it made sense, didn’t it? He was finding all the little clues; he knew they were investigating the case and- No. No, Nines was safe. He had to be. There was no reason other than his sleep deprivation and stress getting to him.

‘Reed. Get your back into it!’ Gavin flinched at the sudden shout. Or had it been said at normal volume? He looked around and as everyone was quietly working around him, he guessed his senses had betrayed him. ‘W-what?’ ‘You have to pull your weight, too, Reed’, Nines reprimanded him. ‘Or do you want to let the killer murder more people?’ ‘No, of course not.’ ‘Then quit staring ahead and go over the forensics again. I think we might have missed something there.’ ‘Y-yeah.’

Gavin managed to read a few sentences in between as his eyes hurt from staring at the screen for too long and his mind betraying him to get caught up in paranoid thoughts again. ‘Reed, have you found anything yet?’ ‘Are you even reading the report?’ ‘You have to stop getting distracted all the time.’ He couldn’t work like this. He wouldn’t be any help. He wouldn’t stop the killer and they would murder more and more people. There was nothing he could do, nothing, nothing, nothing-

‘Detectives?’ ‘WHAT?!’, Gavin shouted, startling the ST300 from the reception as well as everyone else. ‘Err… You got another package. This time directed towards you, Detective Reed.’ Gavin sighed trying to relax or a least lessen the tension in his body. He took the package from her, noting that it had already been opened and searched. No surprise bombs. He looked inside and took the letter sitting on top of the Styrofoam filling. He absently noted that Nines was walking around the table to look over his shoulder again. Gavin opened the letter and read it.

You have a nice flat, Gavin. He was pretty sure his heart had stopped. A beautiful cat. She’s sweet, really. Though I must say you could have cleaned up before leaving the home. You know, I’m kind of bored. I thought I would meet you here but apparently you are at work. Always at work, huh? Guess I just have to come another day.

‘They are bluffing’, Nines commented, but Gavin had already reached back into the package and retrieved a frame. The picture showed him and Eli side by side on his boat on Lake Michigan during their vacation last summer. Gavin had the only existing copy as he had taken the picture himself. It was standing on his kitchen counter at home. ‘No’, Gavin simply uttered, feeling unbelievably sick. He put the frame down on the table. ‘No, they aren’t.’ Gavin rose up on shaky legs, holding onto the table. He was breathing heavily, bile rising in his throat. ‘I- I need to go. I need a break. A smoke. Phck. I have to-‘ He began stumbling out of his seat, past Nines and was already running to the back exit of the precinct, the go-to smoking spot of most officers. His excuse to Nines wasn’t too solid as he had forgotten his cigarettes in his drawer, but Gavin couldn’t care. Not when he barely made it out to throw up on the pavement. He heaved out what little he had had for breakfast and the smell alone kept him vomiting his guts out until there was nothing left to come. He was so done for.

-

Nines stood next to the detective’s desk, program in disarray. He hadn’t expected Reed’s reaction at all. The man had been slacking ever since the case got bad and now, he suddenly panicked and ran for a break? Just because the murderer was clearly bluffing? Or had he missed something? He revisited his memories of the past weeks and as realisation hit in, the stability of his software was near to non-existent. He had to make sure though. He had to see what Reed was up to and see for himself if he was right. If Gavin was truly that compromised by everything. It was hard to believe with the man always putting on a tough display. But he had made a decision: He would follow the Detective to his smoke break.

As he opened the door to the small outer platform, an awful smell hit his sensors. Then he saw Gavin sitting the farthest away from the puddle of vomit, face white and eyes wide. Immediately his stress levels were popping up to the android and that was the last evidence that tipped the scales to deviancy. Nines’ confines shattered around him, as he understood under how much pressure the man must have stood. The human everyone thought to be able to take on everything wasn’t as invincible as thought and Nines had failed to see the signs. Gavin hadn’t been slacking off, he had tried to conquer his panic by distraction. And he had taken all that away from him. He sighed, regret setting deep into his systems. He should have been there for his partner. He had always said he cared for the man, but how could he tell himself that now that he saw what he had done to Gavin? Well, he was free to do so now that he was deviant. He just hoped it wasn’t too late yet.

‘Gavin? Gavin, stand up. You need to get cleaned up and drink something. Come on.’ He took the man by the arm and helped him up. Reed was shivering and not only for the cold. Nines helped him back inside, sat him down on his chair again, putting the letter and the box away before fetching a bottle of water. He handed it wordlessly to the man and watched him drink most of it in one go. ‘I will tell Fowler to assign someone else to the case. It’s too much for only two people and you are in too much danger to continue. You almost died once already. Simple facts.’ He didn’t say what he really felt. He didn’t say he suddenly feared for his safety. What had been the concern of a machine now was true worry. He wouldn’t allow him to go back to this flat of his. A team of officers would get his cat, but Gavin would stay at the precinct. Or at a safehouse. Whatever was necessary. Nines wouldn’t say any of that to Gavin, it would be too much for now. But he would make sure Gavin was safe first. He had only just now realised how much he truly cared for the man. And he would be damned if he couldn’t help him through this.

He would make sure his partner was safe and sound. And then this serial killer would pay.

[spycethra]

Title: Unseen

Pairing: Gavin Reed x RK-900

Relationship Level: Secretly Dating

Rating: Fluff

Summary: Gavin meets an old colleague at a crime scene and they jokingly flirt with one another. Starting RK-900 Jealousy Timer in 3... 2...  

The serial murders occurring at the lakeside were starting to become a rather huge pain in the ass for the detective as he warily eyed his near-empty gas tank.

“I told you that we should have refilled at the gas station several miles back,” RK-900 scolded, already noticing the stress indicators littered across Gavin’s shoulders, neck, and back, “Now we will have to consult one of the other officers to see if they might be able to assist us.”

His partner’s gloved fingers curled tighter over the steering wheel, the leather scrunching threateningly as he did so.

“Just keep at it, Nines,” Gavin warned with a scowl though keeping his eyes on the road, “I might consider finding myself a new partner.”

“Hmph. Go ahead,” Richard responded coolly which caused the other a spike of alarm, “If you prefer a downgrade.”

The android took victory in hearing Gavin laugh through his nose, trying hard to keep his lips in a tight look of sternness but to no avail. He watched his partner quickly shake his head as the short breathy laugh came out anyway.

“You’re such a dick.”

“You wound me, Detective. I only speak the truth.”

“Uh huh.”    

The car rumbled against the snow covered path before inevitably hitting their destination. Four squad cars including an ambulance and a firetruck had all appeared at the scene. He slowed the vehicle to a crawl, parking near enough not to draw any attention. He really wasn’t in the mood to chat.  

Gavin sighed at the sight of all the sorry folks stuck out in the freezing cold at three in the morning thanks to a damn wannabe Zodiac killer that couldn’t hold off calling 911 at a more reasonable hour. Dark circles had already found their way beneath his eyes and no amount of caffeine was going to wash away the annoyance of examining yet another dead android.

“Are you ready, Reed?” RK-900 inquired, obviously noting his partner’s grim hesitance.

There was no question that the other was exhausted with these serial murders. They kept happening like clockwork on a Thursday night where the drop point was always just around the shoreline of St. Clair Lake.

The detective pressed his forehead deeply into the steering wheel while begging some higher power to provide him with the strength not to tear into some unlucky intern on account of his worn down state.

“I sense that you’re pushing yourself beyond your limits, Reed. Perhaps I could examine the crime scene while you take a brief rest in the car,” offered RK-900 gently yet he should have known better.

His human absolutely hated to be coddled… except when the situation demanded for it.   

“Shut up! I’m going! I’m going…” Gavin insisted angrily as he hit the steering wheel, causing the horn to accidentally go off.

He sat in silence while slowly closing his eyes. His aggravation seemed to rise with every tap of his fingers as he drummed them hatefully against the steering wheel. RK-900 merely sat idle, awaiting for his partner to calm down. Eventually Gavin would see reason.

He usually did, anyway.

But not right now, as with a deep breath, Gavin forced himself out of the car and into the cruel winter night that surrounded them.

Richard was quick to march to his side as his partner stumbled a bit in the snow during their walk towards the crime scene now illuminated by a slew of Nomad LED floodlights. Tarps were set up to cover the majority of the area to prevent any falling snow from burying any potential evidence.

“Got any Thirium 310 on scene, Rich?”

A tension filled the android’s chest at the sight of the calamity. First there was the horribly twisted body of the victim… but then there was what appeared to be a brutal draining of the deceased android’s blood. The culprit smeared it beneath the victim… like paint.

RK-900’s eyes narrowed.

“More than just a single android could hold…” he informed his partner, who dramatically hung in his head in reply as the snow billowed around them, “It was mixed with that of several other units…”

“...Fuck. Can you analyze any of it?”

“The thirium is compromised, Reed. I cannot.”

Richard stood calmly while his partner suddenly whirled around, violently kicking at a mound of snow just behind them.

“Fuuuuck!” he yelled in frustration to which everyone else was wise not to look up - at least not for too long - as the detective threw his expected conniption fit, “Fuck! Fucking fu-!”

“Well, if it isn’t fucking Gavin Reed!” came a thrilled shout just behind them.

The shorter man heatedly turned to see a silhouette of someone he hadn’t seen in months. She stepped forward with caramel hair wound tight in a low bun with a single green eye catching the detective in her sights while the other remained enshrouded in a decorative eye patch of engraved metal. Her white scrubs nearly blended her away into the snow blanketed shoreline, but her shivering frame was still a dead give away.

She bestowed the detective with a smile that spoke countless levels of mischief. Hugging her arms around herself, she gave him a proud chin lift in greeting.  

“Decanterrrr! And here I thought you went through with murdering everyone at the third precinct,” Gavin joked back with a softness that had RK-900 actually turning his head in amazement as his partner’s body language altered immediately, “What happened?”

Watching Gavin stuffing his hands into his coat pockets while seeming to fluff himself outwards more to seem bigger, RK-900 had no idea what was happening. Especially not when Gavin started to approach the female with a swagger typically reserved for the android. The sight made something in Richard’s biocomponents burn with something unseemly.

“Is she a criminal, Reed?” Richard interjected quickly while compiling an entire archive consisting of Dr. Decanter’s medical records, criminal history, social networking activity, occupational history, and educational background.

“Huh? What?” Gavin replied, turning to him as though surprised he was even there.

“I asked… if she is a criminal,” RK-900 repeated coldly, though not entirely sure why.  

Decanter eyed them both - though mostly the RK unit - with solid apprehension which the detective was quick to try and dissolve.

“Oh, yeah. I mean with curves like that and still single, I would presume so. Am I right?” Gavin teased with a grin her way before noting a frightening tension at his side.

Slowly his grey eyes traveled back to the silently seething android. To the untrained eye, anyone would think RK-900 was just standing there but not to Gavin… Richard looked ready to tear something apart.

It was all in the way his jaw would twitch just at the left corner. Just the left. If both moved, Gavin was still safe. ...But he felt too afraid to bother checking the other side and chose to just assume the worst.

He must just be dying to check the crime scene… The detective thought warily before shooting his old colleague a look of apology before staring back at his partner with a sigh.

“You and I both know you don’t have to ask me that. I bet you already scanned her, so you tell me.”

“...She’s... clean,” Richard answered gruffly, oddly disappointed that she didn’t even have anything as insignificant as a parking ticket.   

In fact… she was perfect. Highest grades. Summa cum laude. Impeccable case file record. The more he dared to delve into this Decanter’s life, the more Richard felt inclined to just forcefully drag his partner back to the car - abandoning the investigation.

It was a first for him… and completely unreasonable.

And very unlike him.

“Still hitting the gym, Gav?” the medical examiner asked cheerfully while nodding her head in the direction of the roped off area, proceeding making her way there.

Gav?

Richard bristled at the casual use of a nickname that he never even knew about.

He never had the chance to shorten Gavin’s first name before… Much less was even presented the privilege to.

“You bet your sweet ass,” Gavin replied cockily with a smirk as he followed her to the first body, leaving the RK unit behind as though he had come alone.

It felt almost deviant how repulsively entranced the detective became around this measly medical examiner. Gavin was completely relaxed compared to how he was just moments ago in the car. The android’s eyes narrowed while his face darkened considerably despite the blinding illumination surrounding him.

“What about you? How’s pilates been treating you?” Gavin asked her while kneeling down beside her to inspect the mangled android beneath the blue tarp.

RK-900 withheld the urge to join them, somehow feeling that doing so would feel like… an intrusion. He turned his head away from them yet his peripherals refused to let up as he heightened his hearing just to eavesdrop on them.  

“Oh shut uuup. You were right about that nonsense,” she admitted with a roll of her eyes as Gavin jokingly feigned a look of complete surprise, “Oh stop. You knew it would bore the hell out of me the entire time, didn’t you?”

“Well, I did warn you. But what have you been doing? Because those cheeks...” Gavin eyed her rear end playfully, allowing her mind to imagine the rest as he gave her a suggestive wink.

Her delighted laughter stung at the auditory receptors belonging to the eavesdropping investigator. It worsened as he heard Gavin laughing with her. The two leaned in, bumping into one another jokingly in an attempt to knock the other over.

Why am I even here?

Richard stilled as the sudden thought startled his natural processing. He turned his head to the duo again, watching them with their innocent smiles and weightless laughter despite being at a gruesome crime scene.

“Did you even get any stronger?”

“Pfft! Of course, I did. I could bench lift you if I felt like it."   

“Yeah right. Let me see.”

Without the slightest hesitation, Gavin outstretched his arm for her, curling it for her to exam the bicep through his coat.

“Mmmm. I can’t see anything. Guess it isn’t real.”

“Oh shut up and feel it already.”

It felt like slow motion for the android as he witnessed her hands getting ever so closer to his human’s bicep before finally squeezing for the truth. His insides felt as if the wiring tangled itself into unforgiving knots as a vile coldness swelled within him. One moment he felt ablaze with an energy without reason and the next he found himself in a void of nothingness.

It was almost as if his cognitive software couldn’t simply pick one method of misery for him to endure.

“Okay, okay! So you might have become a tee tad stronger than when I last saw you.”

“Damn straight. I’ve been really working on these babies sinc-Mmf!” A frozen hand clamped over the lower half of his face, sending jolts of confused sensations through his body as he was dragged roughly away from the examiner’s touch.

“Mmmnnngh!!”

“Hush now, Detective. You’re frightening your... colleague,” Richard remarked so frigidly that it could make an ice cube shiver.

Decanter’s eyes went wide seeing the oxen strength the android possessed, having scooped Gavin up as though he were just an oversized prize at a county fair. Only… people didn’t normally stifle any and all protest from the prize’s mouth. Nor did the prize wriggle and writhe against their owner in fussy dissent.

But that air of sudden superiority and determined success that exuded from the RK-900’s perfectly tempered expression were definitely part of it.

“I don’t apologize for the intrusion. In case you were wondering, doctor,” asserted the android frostily.

Her eyes drifted to Gavin still kicking in midair, his boots barely scraping the snow. It was then that she recognized that RK-900’s hand wasn’t wearing its skin.

“You see this,” Richard raised his struggling human just a little higher for emphasis, making sure to make his point burn like dry ice into her retinas, “This belongs to me.”

AN: Fun stuff, fun stuff. @judas-had-a-crown , I hope you enjoyed this drabble. XD It was fun to write though I felt so bad for RK-900. But in all fairness, Gavin wasn’t serious in his flirting. I promise. It’s mostly joking around. 

I mean, she’s wearing those big ol’ white SCRUBS. XD He can’t see anything physical about her anyway. So there you go in case it felt like Reed was cheating or something. He really wasn’t. He just expected RK-900 to get tunnel vision and start licking things - since that’s what he usually does.  

[criminalslovefiction]

The Mad Assasin

Chapter Two : Two Plans, Two Goals. : Fakes

Links : AO3 Wattpad 

Gavins Point of View

Well fuck my ass. Okay, okay. It’s gonna be okay. Just wait for Geoff to start explaining his plan and the fear will subside… bollocks no it won’t.

“Now, for those just joining us here’s the jist. We are trying to recruit The Vagabond, the only way we can do it is for The Cock Bites to put a price on Gavin's head and have him go after our Golden Boy. Top priority is safety over getting the Vagabond. Got it?” Geoff said in a quick burst, he seemed kind excited. Gavin looked around and saw a mix of emotions on everyone's faces as Geoff continued.

“I have a general plan or idea of what to do,” He held up a smaller folder to the entire group, “but as you know I need my whole crew's help to work out an entire plan. My ideas so far are pretty simple to follow.” He hands a paper to each one of us, Gavin started to skim mine as he starts explaining, “Of course, we will need Golden Fuck over here to screw around with The Cock Bites, ya know, blow up a few transports, hack into their accounts, fuck up a few heists. We need to make it look like you are completely pissing them off with your antics. Which shouldn’t be hard considering he’s done it enough times.” He turns his gaze pointedly at Gavin, slight annoyance and playful accusation in his stare.

“Alright, look here, I was just havin’ a laugh when I shot those fireworks at the truck. I had no idea that the truck would explode or that the truck had over a million bucks alright.” I could hear how defensive I sounded, but hey you know what it’s true. I was just having fun. At least Geoff was there after he hear the explosion and paid them back for what they lost...Okay maybe I shouldn’t have done that.

Geoff just rolled his eyes at Gavin, “Well, Gav, I’m gonna need you to do that again, and again and maybe like four other annoying tasks that could warrant a hit on you. This way the Vagabond just thinks that they’re annoyed of your shit, and take the hit for like...what? You think he’ll take about 6 Mil. for Gavin alive?” Gavin had felt a weird warmth in his chest. He thought I was worth 6 Million dollars. Aww, I was sure he would only go to one million.

Gain gave him a warm smile and he started to snicker because, never the less, he was putting a price on his head and all Gavin did was smile happily at him... Fuck it, I’m still god damn flattered.

“Geoffrey?” A random thought entered Gavin’s mind.

Should I really ask though? I mean I already called for him I suppose, and hey it’s important to me… I wonder if it’ll get me trouble? I mean this is a serious discussion. Though I should be able to ask whatever the bloody hell I want to ask since my heads on the line. I wonder how much someone would pay for my head on a literal line. Like would someone pay for a Golden boy head necklace thing or-

Though Gavin’s train of thought was interrupted by Geoff giving a few large and over dramatic coughs to catch attention back back to him. Gavin quirked his left eyebrow in question to see what he wants.

He gives an exasperated look, “Don’t give me that look, you called my name, the fuck do you want?”

Oh yea I forgot, “Haha sorry, I got lost thinking about how much someone would pay for a necklace of my head. Anyways, how much do I get to spend on blowing up The Cock Bites shit?” There were burst of laughter from around the table, Michaels was the loudest. “Wot? It’s a legitimate question.” Everyone except Gavin, Geoff and Jack were losing their shit.

Jack put a hand up to Geoff before he could either make an annoyed retort or answer the question. “Wait, how the fuck did spending money on blowing shit up turn into head necklaces?” Well…

“I mean it’s not that odd, we talked about how much I was worth and price of my head.”

“OKAY! Back onto the fucking topic at hand. Gavin. You will have one, all the explosives we have available in the building so use those first. Two, $5,000 spending cash for whatever extra trouble you want to cause. Finally, number three, you have Michael to cause havoc with.”

Gavin and Michael go out of both of our chairs and high-fives across the table, “Yeah! Got my boi!”

“Fuck yeah you got me boi, I AM the god damn explosions expert. I need to make sure you don’t blow yourself up again!” ...That was one bloody time.

“Yeah Vav, you kind of need to be alive so we can send a murder happy sociopath after your ass!” Gavin turned to Ray and saw a shit-eating grin on his face, you were the one who bet me to blow it up you bloke and thanks for the reminder about having to be bait for one of the most creatively fucked up people in all of Los Santos.

“Oh whatever X-Ray, you shithead. Alright, what happens after the hit Geoff?” Might as well get this show on the road. Get it all over with quickly and hope that I don’t get god damn killed.

“Well, you are already the only one of us who saunters through the city without care since your stupidly overconfident. So, continue with that. Apparently he likes to watch his targets for several weeks before he hits his targets. Hell sometimes he even interacts with them and gets to know them to ‘further his studies,’ but I just think that it’s to fuck with his target like a predator when it plays with it’s prey.”

‘So it’s basically a game of cat and mouse?’

“Yeah basically,” Bollocks, I said that out loud, well at least it wasn’t anything too embarrassing. “However, to make you more of an appealing target you will also have to start staying at your second safe house apartment in MourningWood. Some nights, like after a heist you can clock out here, but on regular nights you need to stay there. Don’t worry either, we’ll set up cameras around the area outside and inside the apartment. I’ll also pay to have a full computer set up there for you so you can still talk with us and practice ...hacking? Or whatever the shit you do without us there.”

...I do more then hacking you sausage, why the fuck does he think I spend so much on equipment if it were just for hacking into a bank, I mea- You know what fuck it. It’s whatever.

“Sounds doable. I mean, I’m shite at shooting, but I can hold my own in hand-to-hand combat though I might need someone nearby or somethin’ like that. While I’m there too I might as well use my time to collect some info on this bloke, I’m also assuming that you’ll want me to start stayin’ there by tomorrow?” Geoff had seemed startled for a moment, a small look of pride on his face at the fact that Gavin was really thinking this thing through and not just messing around like normal. Maybe the good parts of him were really rubbing off on the kid. Maybe.

“We will absolutely have either Michael, Jeremy or Trevor and Ray nearby. I will have Matt, Treyco, Mica and Larry head over to the house as soon as I get a list of supplies from you that you need for the setup of everything and have them put it together. Also, you and Jack need to go shopping for regular essentials to have because there isn’t shit there.”

Geoff gave Gavin a notepad and pen, Let’s see, I’ll need from four to nine monitors depending on room, surge protectors, it might take too much time to build it from scratch so I’ll have them simply buy the computers. Two keyboards, one mouse, cables, and xbox  and playstation to keep me busy, a new camera for “surveillance”, a fishing pole so he could ‘catch’ The Vagabond, mini fridge since that’s the room I’ll basically live in and what else…

After the list was complete he handed it over to Trevor who glanced at the list and gave him a roll of his eyes at some of the more ridiculous requests of his. He turned to his crew and motioned his head towards the door to indicate that it was time for them to leave and get everything. They all walked out the door with a small wave from Matt at the end.

When the door was closed off again Jack began to speak, “Alright, so that was pretty much what we had of the plan that we knew was most likely to work. However there is an in between from giving him the contract to capturing him and well, forcefully talking to him about our contract… Okay we are still working the whole capture talk thing out. For now though, you need to know that you will be on your own in the in between. We can run an interference if things get a little heated, but only Jeremy or Ray can since, besides you, no one really knows their true identities. Jeremy always wears shit to ridiculous for anyone to focus on his looks and Ray is always at his perch. So-”

“Ey, hold up, just so you know Vav. I’ve been fucking with you, but you are my best friend and if lays a hand on you that you aren’t comfortable with being there I will be there watching and will shoot him right in the goddamn face. Got it?”

Ray was looking at Gavin intensely as he finished speaking, his normal goofy and annoyed personality was gone. Only his concern for his lifelong friend was left.

Gavin gave a sincere smile to his best friend, they may have fucked around and gave hurtful comments that weren't meant to hurt. Now though, how much they cared for each other was truly shown.

‘Awww X-Ray. That’s so sweet’

Ray’s intense gaze became slightly more relaxed as a smile tugged at the corners of his lips, Gavin knew that he accidently spoke aloud and decided to just take it in stride.

“You are the best friend I could have ever gotten X-Ray, of course I’ll give you the normal sign of the shrug and two hands behind my back signal if I feel like he needs to go down alright?” Ray nods his head and his face completely softens at Gavin’s words.

Everyone at the table can’t help themselves from admiring the two best friends. Throughout their entire lives they managed to stay together, learn together, kill together, cry together and most importantly love together. Love themselves and each other, never leaving the other behind. Their friendship was what most criminals could only hope for one day.

Jack looked between the two and smiled as she began to talk, “Don’t worry Gav, we got you. Hell, if you really are in a predicament you can easily put on your facade and get yourself out. He may be a little hard to use it on since he’s...well The Vagabond, but your good. You’ve managed to salvage a lot of shit with The Golden Boy.”

Gavin visibly grimaced a bit, he didn’t really want to have to use The Golden Boy on a potential crew member. He liked being Gavin and Golden yes, but he just didn’t like using him on people he trusts. Well for this, on a person he may have to trust soon, someone who may not trust him after seeing how easily he can change and become someone else completely.

She was right though, his facade had helped out the crew a lot. He always put on his mask if he would be interacting with people outside the crew that he didn’t know during a mission. That mask become a poster for the crew, just like Geoff with his suit and mustache and Jack with her silly hawaiian shirts. Though only The Fakes and few others crew knew that he wasn’t as cruel and smooth as the world saw him.

“I know, I’m going to try going in as Gavin though. I’ve never met…” Gavin picked up the file in front of him looking for The Vagabonds real name, “Ryan. I’ve never met Ryan. He has also never met The Golden Boy, if he does much surveillance then he’ll simply think that those knobs we deal with are exaggerating or somthin’ like that about me being scary and shit. He’ll probably think it’s Geoff’s way of protecting me since everyone knows that I’m kind of like a son to you. A british son, who kills, that steals all your shit, and has two personalities I can control.”

Geoff had tried fighting off the grin that wanted to escape his lips. Though his efforts worked to no avail as he was smiling like an idiot at Gavin. His features soften than before, still hard in some places though since he was trying to be serious.

I wonder if I really am a true son to him. I mean I love him like a friend who acts like a father, a father who tries to stick random shite up my ass. Prick.

“Good thinking Gav. If he does try to come talk to you to get info or some shit. Just stay calm and be your dorky self. Maybe even try to get to know him a bit, we may know his real name, address and general fake like, but we don’t know him personally. Anything you can get about the real him, not just The Vagabond, but Ryan. That would be good, we could see how well he may fare here if he decides he wants to be more personal with everyone.” Geoff spoke with a confused admiration. The admiration aimed that Gavin was taking this all more seriously than he had originally thought. Of course this is why he was confused as well. It didn’t matter though, their plan was coming together.

“Haha, hey Gavin, he actually looks like your type. His picture without the creepy mask or scary face paint is on page 7. Who knows, maybe you’ll get to know him pretty ‘personally’” Michaels voices was laced with a challenging amusement.

Does this fucker actually want me, as regular Gavin and not Golden Boy, to try and seduce the bloody Vagabond? … The mask and war paint actually doesn’t look bad on him… ‘Holy fuck he’s actually really damn hot. How the hell is this bloke this cute’

Ray started to snicker as Gavin, for about the third time today, said his thoughts aloud. However Geoff wasn’t having any of it. He whipped his head around and glared at Ray to get him to shut the fuck up and then to Michael as if challenging him to keep talking.

“Oi Geoff, come off it. It’s alright, it’s just a joke. He would never actually want to bang me, he’s a sociopath and if he did I’m well hard to get.” This time Michael and Ray couldn’t keep in anything and burst out laughing, “What?!” Gavin squawked.

He heard Jeremy give a small chuckle from behind him, “Dude, you fucked, what, like three dudes last week?”

“So?! I was just feeling up to it last week!”

“Yea Vav, you felt up a lot.”

“OKAY THAT’S ALL I NEED TO HEAR! BACK TO THE TOPIC!” Geoff was red in the face, Gavin wasn’t sure if it was from embarrassment, anger or pure awkwardness from hear about his sexual activities. “God that didn’t last long, but it was as uncomfortable as dicks.”

“...Lasted longer then Gavin.”

“GOD DAMMIT RAY!” Geoff just put his head in his hands and spoke in an exasperated and tired tome as to indicated that he was done with all their shit, “Gavin. Jack. Please go to the store, I think we made enough progress for today.”

“Sure thing Geoffrey! C’mon Jack!” Gavin bounced up from his chair, hooked Jack by the arm and practically ran out of the room trying to avoid anymore jokes about his sexual activities.

Hopefully Jack won’t bring up anything about it or The Vagabo-er Ryan during this trip. I might as well get used to using his name now so I don’t flub it later on. Who knows, maybe we’ll even become friends...Ha, yea right.

[fandom-necromancer]

971. Hey, don’t cry. Everything is okay, see?

Shoutout to @sv926 for prompting this! I think this might be my most fluffy one yet, it is at least under the top 10 XD I had a blast writing this! The warnings are for the first paragraph, but you can skip to the hyphen without losing any plot in the story. Just so you know!

Fandom: Detroit become human | Ship: Reed900 (Warnings: graphic violence in the first paragraph, nightmares)

Nines was sitting at his desk working. It was a quiet day and people where walking around in the bullpen. Gavin wasn’t there, but weirdly enough that didn’t bother him. He was working. Hank and Connor weren’t there either, although they were always on time because they walked Sumo before work. But that didn’t bother Nines, too. Later he wouldn’t even know if he noticed it before Connor was entering the precinct. He came without Hank, instead members of New Jericho followed him. Nines watched them, standing up and greeting his brother with a hug. Connor was relaxed in his grip and hugged him, too. Nines felt himself smile, then grin, as suddenly his grip wasn’t gentle anymore, but a cage for the other android. He ripped Connors clothes in his back and dug his nails into his synthskin, shattering his hull and pulling it apart to get to the internal systems quickly and effectively. He reached in, closed his hand around his Thirium pump and pressed it close. The pump was crushed, blue viscous liquid bubbling over his fingers hot as blood. He saw Connor’s shocked face, as the dead android fell to the ground. Suddenly Nines had a gun in his hand and shot at the remaining members of New Jericho. One bullet for each. Tearing through Marcus’ central processor, right in between his bicoloured eyes. Shattering the regulator of Simon, leaving him to bleed out on the floor. Piercing North’s Thirium pump. Severing the main cable loom in Josh’s neck. As they had all fallen, Nines was wading through a see of blue blood, the precinct wasn’t there anymore. What was there was a person, face contorted in fear and terror. ‘Nines? Nines!’, Gavin screamed, as the android lifted his gun, red walls and mission parameters keeping him in a tight harness, allowing only the motions that would let him achieve his goal. And he pulled the trigger.

-

‘-nes! Nines, please, wake up! Wake up, you stupid plastic prick! Nines!’ Nines jolted out of Stasis, ready to fight, to defend himself from what unspoken terror had accompanied him to the waking world. He saw Gavin, alive and well, thank RA9, but an uncomfortably similar grimace of fear on his face. It was then that Nines realised it had been a nightmare and that this was the real world, but it was difficult to shake off the feeling he did something terrible, as his fingers were still coated in something wet. He stared at them, the intense blue piercing in his eyes and his hands began to tremble while his body went into lockdown. He felt his temperature rising together with his stress levels and this was too much, too much, he hadn’t really- ‘It’s yours Nines, it’s your own, listen to me! You hurt yourself in your stasis, that’s why I came to wake you! What happened? A nightmare? Nines, can you hear me?’ Nines heard him, but he couldn’t answer. The pictures from his dream where still too fresh in his mind, those shocked, pained expressions…

Until there were suddenly hands in his own, the slick thirium sticking to them too now. But they hid it from his eyes and they were intact, unhurt, unscathed. It gave him something to focus on. He scanned all those faded cat-bites and scratches, the scarred knuckles from countless fights, some due to his temper, some from his days on the force defending. This olive skin, so rough and still gentle, with so much more details than any Cyberlife designer could ever create. ‘Gavin’, Nines sighed then, impossibly quiet. That name was like a lifeline that pulled his head up, so he looked into his face. ‘Gavin.’ He pushed himself forwards on his knees - yes, they were kneeling, when had he fallen? He pushed himself forwards too meet the man, who had been crouching. His stance was instable and they both fell backwards Gavin planting his ass on the ground. But he held him, as Nines pressed the man close. Only then he remembered the way he “hugged” Connor in his nightmare and he was about to stumble back. But Gavin held him with equal strength and let his hands wander in soothing circles. ‘It’s alright, I am here. We both are. It was a nightmare, Nines. You are alright.’ And that did it. Nines lost all tension in his body and tears filled his eyes, quickly overflowing in deep, shaking sobs. ‘Nines? Hey, Nines? Shhhh it’s alright, buddy. Everything is fine, babe. Darling. Nines, you are crushing me. I’m just a human, I’m not made of steel.’ But Nines couldn’t move. He didn’t want to either. And Gavin answered by just wriggling himself into a better position. ‘Nines? Hey, don’t cry. Everything is okay, see? I’m here. I’m alive. You are too. We are fine. Everything is fine.’

‘Is Connor alive?’ ‘Is- Phck, Nines, yes, I think so? Nothing can kill that asshole.’ Gavin had thought this to help, but it only made the androids sobs worse. ‘Nines, I’m sure your brother is alive. Hank would never let anything happen to him, you know that. And as much as it hurts me to say it, he is a competent son of a bitch, he will survive the apocalypse, hell he already survived one, you hear me? I… I don’t have my phone on me at the moment, but if you let go for a sec, I could call him?’ ‘No!’, Nines grip got harder. ‘Stay.’ Gavin nodded, patting his shoulder. ‘Alright, I’ll stay. Do you want to tell me what happened in this dream? Can I do anything else to help?’ ‘Just stay.’ ‘Alright.’ Nines was slowly calming down and loosened his grip to sit down next to the man, back against their bed. Gavin groaned, stretching his legs. ‘Goddamn, my leg has fallen asleep, shit’, he cursed, then turned to Nines, laying an arm around his shoulders – well, his back as the size difference was a bit of a bitch. ‘Is everything alright, love?’

Nines stared at his hands, the blue blood long evaporated or smeared across Gavin’s back. ‘I… I dreamed about… About my programming returning.’ ‘Shit, babe, come here.’ He scooted closer to the android and leaned into his side. ‘I can only imagine how that feels.’ ‘You- I was in the precinct, but you weren’t there and Connor came and New Jericho too and… and I-I-I killed everyone. I ripped Connor apart and shot the others, I… I killed them all. It was so real.’ ‘But it was just a dream. A bad, a horrible dream. You would never do that!’

‘But what if my programming resurfaces? What if I become the machine again? What if I do wake up some time and start killing. I… How can anyone live with me or feel safe around me? How can you feel safe, I shot you too! I didn’t even hesitate, I-‘ ‘Nines. Look me in the eyes.’ Nines swallowed and obeyed. ‘Do you see any fear?’ ‘No.’ ‘What do you see?’ ‘Worry. Sadness… Love.’ ‘Exactly.’ ‘But I could-‘ ‘No you couldn’t. No one is worried about that Nines. Believe me. They would sooner think Connor would snap than you. And he never had that killing protocol. Hell, if anything they would bet on me starting the killing spree.’ ‘Why?’ ‘Because I’m an asshole’, Gavin joked, but got serious very quickly again. ‘Nines, your programming had been deleted. You spent three months with Connor, Markus, Chloe and my stick-up-his-ass brother in your mind, deleting and rewriting you, so you could too have a chance to live. Then you spent two months quarantined with the Andersons and if anyone has their psychopath programming written by an evil overlord-AI resurfacing, it would be in exactly that condition. You served at the force for six months now, the first half of that struggling with my anti-android ass. Believe me, when I say that nothing on this earth could let that programming resurface.’ He took a long breath and thankfully Nines kept silent, knowing there was more to come.

‘Why no one is afraid of you? Hell, only me and the dynamic duo knows of your intended use and your past. I mean everyone else might think you were designed as a soldier from the news or doing some research. Given, you look quite intimidating, alright, but let me tell you one thing: You are the biggest softie mankind ever seen, okay? You are the most gentle, empathic and cute person I know, and I know more than a few people who would immediately agree. Hell, I’m five feet nine and I’m more intimidating than you.’

Nines looked at him, still not convinced. ‘Okay, first of all, your first day, you came into the precinct with a coffee or tea for everyone. I mean, you even knew how they like it and I still don’t want to know what spy-shit you did to find it out. Then you like cats, everyone who likes cats are immediately one rank up for me. But when you said you liked cats, you thought of Sumo and spent half an hour explaining how dogs are also cool, but you just prefer cats. You like kids-movies and those ridiculously sappy girl-movies from the 80s. And you cry every damn time. If you tell jokes, you never tell offending ones and you can’t resist the thrall of shops selling plush toys. You phcking made me quit smoking because you wanted “the maximum amount of time with me”. You tried poetry. I mean they were bad, but honestly? Who writes poetry and isn’t just soft as hell? You never killed a spider or something else disgusting because they are living beings too.’ He took another deep breath, looking at the android. ‘Do I need to phcking continue?’

Nines shook his head, smiling ever so faintly, and Gavin was relieved to see it. If he couldn’t stand one thing then it was knowing Nines was feeling bad. To hell with not letting the people know he had a soft side. If his android was feeling bad, he would comfort the shit out of him, that’s for sure. ‘Also, if you ever did stuff like that, I would totally kick your ass and then you would be sorry!’ That did it and a low chuckle escaped Nines’ throat. ‘I have to give it to you, you’ve got a mad kick.’ ‘Exactly. Now, let’s get these scratches of yours patched up and then try to get some sleep again?’ ‘Yeah. Yeah, I think that would be a good idea.’

[fandom-necromancer]

Android tears

Thank you so much for prompting this! I loved writing this!

Fandom: Detroit become human | Ship: Reed900 (Warning: self-harm (character unhealthily denying their personality))

‘Don’t you patronise me! I can talk and decide for myself, dipshit!’ ‘I don’t need your phcking help, leave me alone!’ ‘Oh so suddenly you try befriend me? Phck off!’ ‘So, we started working together. No big deal. But I won’t be up for this partner bullshit, yeah? And no, I won’t go with you to some bar! Get your metal ass somewhere else, I’ll go with Tina. You are not invited.’

RK900 had learned very early that Detective Gavin Reed was a rather stubborn and proud individual. It was difficult to work with him to say the least. But he was just as determined himself. If he simply did all the man demanded of him he would certainly get more civil, right? If he had no reason to complain, maybe he would become nicer. RK900 was deviant, had been woken up after the revolution by Markus and Connor. He remembered how confusing the world had been. No orders, no purpose, no goals. He had to set them himself. His current mission was to get on Reed’s good side. Only then he could work effectively.

The only problem were his emotions. Without programming to hold them in check they were free to mingle with his logic and decision-making. He had learned to appreciate them very early on because they managed to give him a clear first impression and quick reactions. A detection device in social situation and an essential part of him he embraced with pride. He couldn’t understand how others shut them out as if they were some intruding virus, although he unfortunately knew their chaining properties too.

Every time the Detective scolded him, told him what to do and more importantly what not to do, he was swallowed by emotions. They kept him back from nodding his head and go on, letting him replay his decisions in his mind to find the error. He had tried to help, helping was a good thing. He had wanted to help the Detective because then things would be easier for the human. Humans liked when things were easy and appreciated the attention and care of others. It was the basic idea of friendship and other human social structures. Working together was an essential part of their identity starting in their organic origin and ending in their self-created societies. So why was this detective so averse to him offering his help or trying to form these social bonds? He seemed to like their initial purpose, the simple machines, more. And if RK900 had to cut his emotions short to try and convince this human he was worth getting to know if Reed just tried, he would do that. Even if it made him feel horrible and made him having trouble entering stasis thinking about the regret of having to become something he was not. But if he got the Detective to like him, to be more open, then maybe he could show him his true self again. Maybe this all was too much at once for the man.

 So he stripped away more and more personality with each and every scolding or complaint. He stopped offering to carry their files to and from the archive, he stopped asking how the detective’s weekend had been. He stopped trying to engage in after work activities with him. He stopped joking with him. He slowly became more of a machine than he would have been had he never deviated. But it started to work: the detective’s complaints were becoming rarer. RK900 was sure he could soon start trying to slowly build himself up again.

‘Toaster, you’ll go right, I’ll go left! Get that asshole!’ RK900 nodded and started speeding up. Their fugitive was running in front of the detective, but if he was fast enough he might be able to intercept him, allowing them a quick and easy arrest. Reed would like that. He exceeded human speeds as his feet drummed against the ground and calculated the possible path of the fugitive. His speed was ideal. He would turn around the corner and stand just in front of the man. Perfect.

It was the void he found when he actually turned around that disturbed his preconstructing programs. He just looked at the empty space for a few moments before distant curses reached his ears. In the distance, only half way between him and where they had split up before, Reed was held by the throat over a deep chasm where traintracks emerged from a tunnel. The Detective gasped for air, scratching at the arm of their fugitive trying to get out of his grip and at the same time hold onto him.

‘Gavin!’ RK900 felt his carefully buried emotions reemerge, recognised the fear in his voice as he screamed out the name he wasn’t allowed to use. Would the criminal let go of him, the detective’s chances at survival were minimal. The drop he could survive with serious injuries, but the current was a whole different thing. His mechanical heart dropped as the fugitive saw him, panicked and let go of his partner in favour of running off. He was already running, knowing well enough he wouldn’t make it in time, but was relieved to see the man managed to grab at the edge, now hanging down the wall. RK900 was confronted with a decision. Everything in him screamed to help the man, to grab his wrists and lift him up back to safe grounds. But there was also [Reed doesn’t need my phcking help, leave him alone!]. RK900 nearly gave in to the urge, but reminded himself the detective had valued the mission always higher than his own wellbeing. He wouldn’t like it would he let the fugitive get away. Although it hurt, RK900 ran past his struggling partner and followed the criminal, catching him two blocks away and calling in someone to take him away. It was as the car departed, he saw a figure walking towards him. A very angry figure.

‘What the phcking hell were you thinking leaving me alone there?’, the detective screamed at him, while RK900 just felt immense relief that the human was still alive and well. ‘What made yoou think this was a good idea, huh? You phcking tin-can! I could have died! Ah maybe you wanted that? Get rid of me finally? You phcking asshole. Guess finishing your mission is more important than a human life.’ ‘You!’ He sucked in more air before uttering the words that cut deep, too deep: ‘You are just a phcking machine after all! Why had I even imagined you care? You don’t have emotions, you don’t have anything. Just a stupid, worthless robot.’

RK900 couldn’t bear this any more. Everything the man had said to him until now had made him become this, he had had hope to finally be good, to finally be what the man wanted. But now… It suddenly wasn’t enough, it wasn’t at all pleasing. All these confines, all this effort – for nothing. The android felt his knees gave in underneath him and he fell together with his self-written confines. All the emotions he had locked away to please the human now came flooding back and over him, weighing him down with immense pressure. He felt it all. Hurt was the strongest, but beyond that laid an overwhelming sea of sadness with just a dash of despair. ‘Nines?’ It was carefully spoken and absent-mindedly he realised there were tears streaming down his face. Just too much emotion to handle. Everything was felt and flew down a drain just to emerge as fury and anger he tried to supress desperately, because even after all this, he still wanted to be good. To build up a friendship to this true asshole of a human being. But it wasn’t to be contained. It was like a barrel leaking water through holes and he tried to press his hands against them, only that the holes were bathtub-sized. ‘Nines, god, is everything okay?’ RK900 shook his head, the tears rolling down now of anger not of sadness. ‘You really think that? You really think that everything is okay?’ He laughed through the tears standing up and saw Gavin taking a step back from him - hand stretched out towards him before now back to his side. ‘How can you?!’ RK900 hadn’t realised his voice could be this loud, this booming. ‘I guess that’s too much for you, huh? A crying android. I bet you’ll make fun of that too! Hah, this damn tin-can invited me to drink. It can’t even drink. Hah, the toaster tried taking a box away from me. Like I couldn’t do it myself! Hah, the stupid machine can’t even take a hit, it’s crying now! I am just something you can hate on, isn’t that right? I did everything you wanted. I tried to be nice to you, who knows why, and every time you told me to stop. And I complied. I followed everything you told me. I became something I hated just to please you! And now. Now I followed it again, keeping the mission first priority as I should do according to you. And now that is wrong, too? I realise now there is no way to please you. There is no way for me becoming friends with you, because everything I do is wrong, no matter what I do or how hard I try. I realised everything I denied myself I denied without a reason, without something  to make it worth in the end. And still you have the audacity to ask if everything is okay?’

‘Nines, I.. I didn’t know-‘ ‘Oh you knew. You just didn’t care.’ RK900’s anger had subsided. It had felt good being angry, it gave him energy to say what he had wanted to push out for so long. But now… there was just the cold realisation and the sadness coming back. ‘Is that really how you felt all the time? I never realised what I said hurt you like that.’ ‘Oh no, why should it hurt, right? Because it’s just an android, right? No harm done then. Of course it hurts! I have feelings too!’ ‘You always seemed like that stoic robot to me, Nines. I didn’t even knew you heard what I’d said.’ ‘No, you just never looked past the robot. I was just another damn android to you! Like an oversized computer! I am a person, Gavin!’ There was silence as the android used his sleeve to wipe away the streaks of tears on his cheeks and Gavin looked to the ground.

As the human lifted his head again and looked into RK900’s eyes, despite logic and reason, hope rose up. ‘I am sorry, Nines.’ ‘That won’t change anything you’ve done’, RK900 hissed with venom. ‘I know.’ That caught him off-guard and maybe the detective deserved another chance. Yet another one after the uncontable number of chances RK900 had granted him already. So, he just sighed, blinking away the residue in his eyes.

‘It won’t erase your mistakes. But I guess it’s a start.’ ‘Start over then?’ Gavin held out his hand with his offer. ‘As partners?’ RK900 eyed him sceptically. ‘As partners’, Gavin agreed and Nines took the human’s hand with a firm nod.