"It's been three months since our promotions, Gavin," RK900 glanced at his counterpart who was focused on the road ahead. "You should be used to others referring to you as 'Sergeant Reed' by now," he crossed his arms over his chest.

"Ugh," the brunet cringed, "It sounds even worse comin' outta your mouth," he peered at his partner before quickly giving all attention back to driving. "I don't think I'll ever get used to that title, to be honest," Gavin chuckled, "I've been called 'Detective Reed' for like—" he paused to do the math in his head, "—eight years now."

"I understand," Richard said with a warm cadence. "I'm compelled to call you by that name more than half the time," the android admitted with a smirk.

The young sergeant furrowed his brows. "Hey, that reminds me," he adjusted himself in his seat in preparation for a right turn, "Why don't you ever go by 'Sergeant Ree—oh wait."

The machine brought a hand to his mouth as he giggled at his partner's sudden revelation. "It'd be silly to have two Sergeant Reeds at central station, wouldn't it?" Richard eyed his pink-cheeked fiancé.

"I only just realized that," Gavin let out a soft laugh before scratching the back of his neck.

"I don't mind going by Richard," the android placed a hand on the brunet's thigh before glancing out the window, "After all, I've always gone by that name."

A few minutes passed with only the radio providing background murmurs to an otherwise silent car ride.

Gavin cleared his throat, "I'm surprised you haven't asked where we're going," he pressed his elbow on the center console.

"Hm?" RK900 raised a brow, "Oh, I apologize," he blinked several times, "My mind was somewhere else."

"Somewhere else?" the brunet asked, slightly concerned, "You okay?"

"I was thinking about the wedding."

Gavin's eyes rounded, "Oh."

"We've been going back and forth, tossing out ideas but we've yet to settle on an actual date," Richard sunk further into his seat as he continued to contemplate.

"Easy peasy, babe," the sergeant said with a wave of his hand, "It's gonna be a Halloween wedding and it'll be a costume party for sure."

"Hm," the machine had a pensive look etched on his face, "A fall wedding does sound enticing, however it would have to be next year. Seeing as it's already July, we'd have little time to prepare if we wanted the ceremony to take place this October."

Gavin took a few seconds to think before nodding, "Yeah, you're totally right." He gazed at his fiancé with a smug smile, "So, does this mean you'll be the Dracula to my Wolfman then?"

RK900 sighed as he brought a hand to pinch the skin between his brows, "Must I be a vampire?"

"Oh, you were born for it, baby," the officer nudged his slightly irked counterpart. "Come on," Gavin coaxed, "I'm gonna be a werewolf! It'll be fuckin' rad!" he chuckled.

There was something about the young sergeant's genuine laughter that finally convinced the android to give up. "Alright, alright," Richard smiled, "So long as I get to sink my teeth into you on our wedding night."

The brunet's eyes snapped open as the machine's blatant comment caused a bright red hue to spread across his cheeks and nape. "Jeez," he grumbled, clearly embarrassed, "Sayin' things like that all of a sudden."

RK900 lowered his lids, "You're too cute, Gavin."

Another brief bout of silence slipped by, but this time, it was Richard who decided to speak. "I never did ask where we were going. I was under the impression you wanted something to eat, given it's your lunch hour," the machine watched passing cars.

"Nope," the brunet seemed excited, "We're going to a body piercing parlor," he gazed through his rearview mirror before changing lanes, "Called Black Lotus."

The android creased a brow, "For?"

"I—uh—wanna get my left ear re-pierced," Gavin shyly confessed, "I've been meaning to for a while now actually."

"Re-pierced?" Richard asked, evidently curious.

"I had a pretty weird grunge phase in my mid-twenties," the officer whispered under his breath, "Wore eyeliner, had piercings…uhm…even had fishnet shirts and all that crap."

"Very intriguing," RK900 licked his upper lip, "I'd love to see a photo—"

"Oh no, no, no," the sergeant interrupted, "All evidence of that time in my life has been disposed of," he stared at Richard, "Trust me, it's for the best it stays a relic of the past."

There was a momentary pause. Gavin's heart rate began to climb as he felt his counterpart's gaze trail up and down his body.

"I imagine eyeliner suits you well," the android's hand slid further up his partner's thigh, "Perhaps you should wear it for me some time."

Gavin let out a small, shaky breath before curling his mouth into a smirk, "I wonder if CyberLife programmed you to be a full-fledged perv or if I made you in to one."

"You know the answer to that question, my love. I'm weak for you, and only you."

The brunet pressed into his seat as blush spread to his ears, "Damn you and your cheesy two-liners."

It took about ten more minutes until the pair reached the parlor Gavin mentioned earlier. "Here it is," the sergeant leaned to the right to further examine the neon purple sign. "It's been a while since I last came here," he pulled into the curb, "But it looks pretty much the same as it did ten years ago."

"You do know we only have twenty more minutes until we're expected back at the station, right?" Richard watched as his fiancé shifted gears and parked the car.

"Eh," the brunet shrugged, "Even if we are late," he eagerly stepped out of the vehicle, "Who gives a shit? Not like the world's gonna end."

RK900's eyes followed Gavin as he walked in front of the car and over to the sidewalk. It wasn't long until the sergeant began signaling the android to get out. With a brief sigh, Richard opened the passenger's side door and caught up to his partner.

The officers walked into the dimly lit store with Gavin leading and Richard following closely behind. A welcoming tune played as the men stepped inside.

A young redhead glanced up from the counter. "Oh!" she perked up, "Hey guys," she closed the magazine she was looking at before approaching with a smile. "My name's Cynthia," the ginger brushed off her skirt, "Can I help y'all with anything?"

"Hi Cynthia," the sergeant began, "Name's Gavin and this is Richard," he pointed to his taller counterpart. "I'm actually interested in getting my left cartilage re-pierced" Gavin slid his hands in his jean pockets, "Can you help me out?"

"Sure thing!" the young lady expressed happily, "If I can have you two come with me to the back, we'll get that ear pierced in no time."

The sergeant peered at RK900 with a triumphant expression before both followed after the redhead.

"Alrighty," Cynthia placed her hands on her hips, "Take a seat for me here," she motioned to the black leather chair, "And I'll go get a needle."

Richard and Gavin watched as the redhead disappeared behind a set of curtains.

The brunet then stared at the seat for a second before planting himself on it with a groan.

"You look a bit nervous," the android lifted a brow, "Are you sure you'd like to do this?"

"Of course," the officer was quick to reply.

"Mh," Richard shot a doubtful look at his fiancé, "You're biting your lower lip."

"I ain't too keen on needles n' shit," Gavin averted his partner's stare, "That's all."

"You can hold on to me if you'd like," the machine extended his hand towards the brunet.

"Don't patronize me," he took in a deep breath, held it in momentarily, then exhaled. "I'm not a kid and I certainly ain't a sissy," his gaze drifted from the ground to Cynthia who was approaching with a sterile needle.

"Sorry about that. Forgot where I put the dang thing," the tattoo artist sat down on a stool near Gavin. She tucked hair behind her ear before a small giggle escaped her lips, "Looks like someone's a bit anxious."

"Ugh," the brunet rolled his eyes. "Why's everyone on my ass today?" he glared at the young lady, "I'm fine, got it?"

"Your leg's making it hard for me to take measurements," she tried keeping a straight face.

Gavin's eyes widened as he realized he was bouncing his leg up and down this entire time. He muttered something incoherent before surrendering to Cynthia.

"Alright," the redhead clapped her hands, "Let's get this party started," she smirked as she gingerly moved the officer's head to the side.

RK900 noted the sergeant's elevated heart rate and thus intertwined his fingers with that of his counterpart's despite Gavin's earlier protests.

The brunet flinched as he felt the android's fingers wrap around his. After a brief second, he lowered his lids—his fiancé's gentle touch allowing him to ease up.

Cynthia noticed the silent gestures between the men and felt her lips unintentionally curl into a smile. "This'll only hurt for a second," she reassured as she gripped Gavin's upper ear with a metal tool.

Still attempting to play the tough guy, the brunet chuckled, "Listen sweetheart, I've been shanked, shot, tased and beaten to a blooded fuckin' mess, I think I'll be fi—ah!"

RK900 felt the brunet squeeze his hand.

"There you go!" she stated as she ran the needle through the officer's cartilage. "Atta boy," Cynthia praised before clipping the needle and mending a stud to the piercing, "That wasn't so hard, now was it?"

Gavin hissed as the young lady helped him up. "That fuckin' stung like a bitch," he attempted to touch the earring but the redhead was quick to slap his hand.

"No touching please!" she quickly went to wash her hands, "You said you've had piercings before, yeah?"

Gavin slowly nodded as he got up from his seat.

"Alright, so I take it you remember how the healing process goes?"

"Yeah," the brunet confirmed.

"Excellent," Cynthia smiled, "Let me grab some ear care solution for you. Meet me up front, gentlemen." And just like that, the young lady once again rushed to the back to fetch the product she mentioned.

The men patiently waited near the register for the tattoo artist's return. RK900 peered over at his fiancé whose ear was a bit red, "How do you feel?"

"Like my ear has a heartbeat of its own," Gavin drew his brows together, "And it feels really hot."

"Any pain?" the android asked with a calm tone.

"Nah, not really," the sergeant shook his head.

Richard brought his hands behind his back, "Good." He remained quiet as he took a few seconds to examine the new addition to his fiancé's features. "As I thought," the machine's gaze was fixed on the shorter man, "It really does suit you."

Gavin felt his face heat up at the sudden compliment. Before he had a chance to reply, Cynthia emerged from the back.

"So sorry about the wait!" the ginger ran to the register, "Had to search all corners of the earth to find this," she placed the solution on the counter. Cynthia took a moment to catch her breath before smiling at the men, "That'll be fifty bucks flat."

Still a bit flustered by his partner, the brunet quickly took out his wallet, "R-right." He pulled out a crisp fifty dollar bill, "There you go."

"Lovely," the tattoo artist's face lit up, "Thanks for the business, gentlemen."

"Sure thing" the sergeant tucked his wallet back in his pants while eyeing the redhead. "You know," he began, "For someone workin' at a parlor, you got like no tatts or piercings on you."

Cynthia's eyes rounded before giggling at Gavin's statement. She then lifted her tongue to reveal a diamond stud, "Frenulum piercing, cowboy."

"Huh," the brunet rubbed his chin, "Impressi—" he was interrupted by his radio going off.

"Gavin!" an angry Captain Fowler shouted on the other end, "Where the hell're you and Richard? Y'all should've been back from lunch by now!"

The brunet's face grew dim. He stared at his counterpart who insisted he answer their superior. Gavin let out an exaggerated groan before taking the call, "Yeah," he began, "We're on our way back right now. Everything alright?"

"I need you two back here at the station," the captain expressed urgently, "There's a new case that's opened up and it looks like it could be pretty big."

The sergeant immediately turned to his fiancé with a stern look plastered on his face. He took a second to answer, "Fowler, we just started lookin' into a new case three days ago—"

"Just come to central," the Captain ended the transmission.

Gavin scoffed at the abrupt chat with his superior officer. He lifted his upper lip, "The fuck was that about?"

"Not entirely sure," RK900 knit his brows. "Regardless, we should head back and see what he has to say," the machine motioned his partner to follow as he made his way to the entrance.

The brunet looked to the redhead with a small smile. "Thanks for the piercing, hun. I'll be back to get some tatts soon," he tapped the counter and took the ear care solution before turning around to catch up to his counterpart.

Cynthia only had the chance to watch the two men disappear out the door and into the street.

The car ride back to the station from Downtown seemed shorter than usual. The traffic was lighter and the sunny weather, a breath of fresh air from the brutal winter and chilly spring Detroit faced not too long back.

This time, Richard was the one who took the wheel.

After several minutes of listening to radio music, Gavin peered at the android. "Ryan called earlier," he placed an elbow on the windowsill.

RK900 lifted a brow but kept his eyes on the road, "Did you answer?"

The brunet drew his upper lip between his teeth before sighing. "No," he brought a hand to pick at his stubble, "Didn't have the energy."

"Gavin," Richard expressed with disappointment, "We've been over this before. He's your father and he's trying to make amends for what he did in the pas—"

"It's not that fuckin' simple," the young sergeant barked, anger evident in his tone. "There are some days I feel more forgiving," he paused as his eyes darted from his knees to the window, "And others where I wanna rip his fucking head off his shoulders."

The android shot a sympathetic look at his fiancé. "I understand," he softly stated, "Though it may be difficult, you should give him a chance," RK900 explained with arched brows. "I know it's easier said than done but, perhaps he really is sorry for what he put you and your mother through. You've been handling his calls well for the last month or so" he turned to his partner with a smile, "You never know, maybe you, him and Elijah can reconcile in the end."

"Wishful thinking," Gavin whispered before dropping the conversation.

Richard remained silent for some minutes to allow his fiancé to return to a calmer state of mind. He checked the side mirror, then switched lanes. "I think it's charming that you decided to wear your ring around your neck," he tried changing topics.

"Huh?" the sergeant glanced at his counterpart.

The machine motioned to his partner's neck, "The ring I proposed with. It looks good on the chain you're wearing."

"Oh," Gavin looked at the necklace as he traced the ring crafted from the android's LED. "Thanks, babe, I thought it'd—OH!" he slapped his hands on his thighs, ultimately startling his fiancé. "Speakin' of rings! Our silver bands we ordered should be comin' in the mail this week."

"That's right," RK900 smirked, "We'll have a matching set," he glanced at his jubilant partner before a momentary pause slipped by. "I love you, Gavin," Richard stated with kind eyes.

The sergeant's expression changed to one of surprise as his fiancé's declaration caught him off guard. He felt blood rush to his cheeks and a spike in self-consciousness. "I…love you too, Richie," the cop murmured while actively avoiding the android's gaze.

"You're getting better at expressing yourself, I've noticed," RK900 teased with a smug look.

"Shut it," Gavin further sunk into his seat as he hid his face behind his jacket.

The pair reached central station within the next ten minutes. Richard effortlessly turned into the sergeant's usual parking spot and shifted gears.

"Alright," the brunet scratched his nose as he opened the passenger's side door, "Ready to get bitched at?" he peered across the car at his taller counterpart.

"I'm sure the captain has better things to do," RK900 fixed his collar before locking the vehicle and tossing Gavin the keys, "Judging by his cadence over the radio, whatever he has for us is important." Richard waited for his fiancé to catch up before both men walked over to the station doors.

Upon entering the station, Gavin noticed most of his colleagues at their terminals working intently on whatever case they had open.

Officer Chen realized the men walk in and gave a welcoming smile to both before resuming her work with a PM700 android variant.

Richard and Gavin made their way to Fowler's office. With a quick knock on the door, they walked inside.

The captain looked up from his workspace, "About time you two showed up," his gaze followed the pair as they sat down in the chairs opposite his desk.

The sergeant fought the urge to reply with a snarky comment and instead remained level-headed. "Caught in traffic," he attempted to make an excuse.

Fowler's eyes went from the stoic RK900 to the unamused brunet. "Nice piercing, Reed," he stated with a deadpan expression.

Gavin's eyes snapped open as embarrassment surfaced. The captain was quick to catch the sergeant's white lie.

"Don't get smart with me," Fowler warned, "Been doin' this job for a while now."

Richard heard his partner grumble in protest before letting it go. "Is there a reason you wanted us here?" Gavin asked, trying to mask his bitterness.

The superior officer cleared his throat as he pulled up a file on his computer. "We've received multiple calls within the last week from folks on Amber Avenue," the captain wiped the corners of his mouth before orienting the terminal screen towards the two officers. "Most of the people who called voiced concern about hearing noises from a Miss Felicia Drew's residence," he eyed the men.

"Amber Avenue?" the brunet whispered to himself, "Why does that sound so familiar?"

"Do we know anything about Miss Drew?" RK900 interlaced his fingers.

"She's a thirty five year old biochemist who worked for the Department of Neurology at Detroit University," Fowler clarified. "She'd been a researcher there for the last seven years; got laid off last spring."

Gavin placed his elbows on his knees, "We're already working on a new ca—"

"I'm asking you to set your current work aside," Fowler interjected, "This takes priority."

The shorter officer's brows drew together, "Is there a reason why this is so important?"

"People called in saying they've heard what sounds like screams comin' from this woman's home," the captain pressed his hands on his desk, "Neighbors are sayin' they've seen androids walk in but never walk out."

"With all due respect, sir," Richard intervened, "Why not hand this case to Lieutenant Anderson and Connor? They seem more than capable of working on it."

"Connor and Hank are busy working on their own files—each important and pressing. I'm assigning this one to you two." The captain glanced at Gavin, "I transferred a copy of Felicia's file to your terminal." Before either of the two had a chance to refute, the superior officer lifted a hand, "I want this looked in to immediately. End of discussion."

And just like that, the captain kicked the officers out.

"The fuck?" Gavin hissed while walking down the ramp. "What's his beef?" he shook his head.

"He seemed fairly troubled over this case," RK900 followed his grumpy counterpart to their workspace. He placed a hand on his fiancé's shoulder, "Let's have a more in-depth look at the file before anything else."

As the sergeant sat down in his seat, he pulled up a list of recent files that were sent his way. "Let's see, let's see," he mumbled as his eyes followed the scrolling cases. "Ah, here it is," he pulled up a file dating to last week.

Richard leaned over his partner, his eyes naturally squinting while scanning the open document. "Hm," he tilted his head a bit to the side, "It says here that Felicia's last publication was regarding whether or not androids experience chemical shifts in their brain similar to that of their human counterparts."

"Blah, blah," Gavin mimicked his partner's talking with his hand, "Who cares?"

RK900 stared at the officer with a lukewarm expression. "Recall what Captain Fowler said about androids never leaving Miss Drew's residence. I speculate she's experimenting on androids to determine if there is any truth behind her thesis."

The brunet's eyes rounded before peering over his shoulder at his colleague. He took a few seconds to collect his thoughts. "Shit," he brought a hand to his mouth as he traced the open document. "I think you're right," Gavin pulled up other missing android cases. "I remember why Amber Avenue seemed familiar to me now."

Richard observed his partner click on several cases assigned to them.

"Look at all these," the brunet pointed to the last known locations of some models. "You see this?" he tapped on the computer screen, "At least three other androids in our cases were reported to have gone missing around Amber Avenue."

RK900 straightened out his posture, "Then I believe the captain was right in worrying." He remained fixed on his shorter counterpart, "This case warrants further investigation."

"My afternoon's clear," the brunet smirked, "Wanna check it out?"

Richard returned the sly smile, "You read my mind."