It was fucking weird being in the apartment without Aaron there. From the untouched state of the place, he was pretty sure Aaron had been taken from somewhere else. Everything was exactly as it had been that Friday night. Almost everything, Gavin rectified as he noticed the sheets still sitting damp in the washing machine. He hit the cycle to run again. They'd probably smell of damp after just sitting there for a few weeks. The plate and glass from where Aaron had given him aftercare were clean and sitting on the drainer. Gavin put them away on autopilot. Aaron liked things to be tidy.

"Where would you like to start?" Nines asked as he hovered in the living room trying not to feel intrusive. This was someone else's space. Their home. He'd never felt this way on a crime scene, but then this wasn't a crime scene, and he'd known Mr Hughes…sort of. He examined the tidy space, taking in the neatness. There were a few personal items, including some photos. His brow furrowed as he took a closer look at them. One of them was of his office at work. It was a celebration of some kind with many staff members present. The other two were of Aaron and Gavin, likely images saved using his optical units directly. Both had involved mirrors. One had been taken in the bathroom and one in the bedroom. Gavin had likely been unaware of them being taken at the time, but they weren't hidden, so perhaps Gavin had noticed them afterwards. They both seemed content and at ease in the pictures.

A fine layer of dust had started to make an unwelcome home on the glass coffee table. With Aaron's immaculate nature, this is likely something he wouldn't have tolerated. Gavin seemed equally unsatisfied as he grabbed a cloth from beneath the sink and began wiping down the kitchen counters. Nines walked over quietly and stopped him. This wasn't what they had come for. He was sympathetic as he removed the cloth and put it aside before leading Gavin across to the large sofa. Gavin huffed a frustrated sigh as he rubbed his face. It was all wrong. The apartment shouldn't be like this. It shouldn't be so empty. So quiet. So cold.

"Would you like to look through the computer first, or the drawers?" Nines asked, giving Gavin simple choices rather than asking for complete thoughts. Gavin weighed the options. Aaron was an android, so he would have kept important things stored electronically where it was easily accessible, right? Then again, because he was an android and knew the risks with that, maybe he'd been more cautious and kept a hard copy of important documents tucked away out of sight. Which one do I feel like doing more? He sighed finally, not having the energy to move from his spot on the sofa.

"Laptop," Gavin replied simply, unsure where Aaron kept it. He knew he had one. He'd often had his laptop bag slung over his shoulder when he'd come to pick him up. Nines nodded obediently and scanned the room. It wasn't in the living room, so he went to scan the bedroom. He found it tucked away in its bag in a drawer beneath the bed. He carried it through to the living area and pulled it out. It was password protected, but Nines was the most advanced android in existence. Hacking it was a simple matter. He rested one white hand on the surface as he set it on Gavin's lap. Gavin almost seemed sour as Nines hacked it. Of course he does not approve. Computers hold private information.

"You should check his emails first," Nines guided as he sat beside Gavin and watched him open an internet tab. Aaron had his email stored as one of the main places he visited, and the password had been saved onto the browser. He'd clearly been confident that no one would get past his password. It had been encrypted to a high level, so that wasn't too cocky of him either. Gavin ran his eyes down the emails. There was a lot of back and forth to the publisher. He cursed under his breath as he opened the latest message. It was just a simple greeting, telling him how excited they were to let him know that the first copies of his book were in and had been posted to him.

"Did you see anything in the mail?" Gavin asked distractedly as he read it over again. Nines got to his feet and hurried to the small pile of letters he'd picked up from the mailbox. There was a small delivery card. A parcel had been left with the neighbour next door. Nines stepped out and knocked, returning with a modest sized box. Gavin waved for him to set it aside. He'd cross that bridge when he came to it. For now, he was supposed to be looking for official lawyer type emails. There were a few work ones, mostly questioning where he was. Gavin sighed as he replied to the most recent one from his boss, which was a simple dismissal for not turning up or calling in. Like fuck he was about to let Aaron's reputation go down the drain. He didn't give any details on the case, just that Aaron had been a victim in an ongoing investigation and that he could contact the DPD for further details.

A lot of the rest were junk messages. How the fuck could he have so few personal messages? With his charm and chatty personality, he should have had a whole bunch of friends. There should have been people tripping over each other to get his attention. He should have had a host of people wondering where he was, and why he hadn't turned up for over a week. How could someone so warm, so kind, so funny, just disappear, and no one but their employer notice? It's just…phcking sad…He coughed to break up the sob in his throat as Nines' hand rested on his elbow.

"Nothing here…" Gavin sighed as he put the computer on the table, leaving it on and open for now. Maybe there'd be something on there that Nines could find later. Gavin really didn't have the heart to look through the more private documents or photos, and especially not the memory storage Aaron likely had on there. Would it even be right to have someone look through them? Maybe I should just erase everything…but something about that felt horribly wrong, too. Erasing Aaron's memory files would be like erasing a part of him. At the same time, Aaron was already gone, so what good would it do to keep his memories around? What purpose would they serve? Who would look at them? Not Gavin. Not anyone.

"We don't have to go through everything today. You can take as long as you need," Nines assured as he watched Gavin close his eyes and lean back on the sofa with a forlorn expression. He ran his hands over his face with a groan and rubbed his tired eyes. They would have a lot to do, of course. Although Aaron had owned the apartment, it made little sense to hang onto it for too long. Gavin had already decided he wanted to get it packed up as soon as possible. He appeared to be treating it the way humans often did with unpleasant or painful things. Like ripping off a bandage. Get it over with quickly, so it doesn't hurt as much. Nines paused as there was a knock at the door. He already knew who it was.

"Did you start already?" Connor asked as he stepped inside, having come straight from work. Gavin was off-duty, and Nines was permanently assigned to protect him, so they didn't have to go to the precinct. Connor still had work though, so he'd agreed to meet them after his shift to help out. Nines shut the door and indicated Gavin's drained form sitting on the sofa, staring vacantly at the turned off television. "Hello Gavin…How are you?" Connor murmured as he approached the sofa and sat. Gavin shrugged silently, his expression still pensive. Connor's brow pinched sympathetically at the expression as his eyes strayed to the computer. "Did you look through everything here?"

"Just the emails…Didn't seem right to…" Gavin trailed off, glancing at Connor before looking at his knees as he leaned forward in his seat.

"That's alright; you don't have to look at everything in one go…Do you want me to look and see if there's anything important?" Connor suggested gently, picking up the laptop to interface as Gavin quietly agreed with a grateful expression. Nines watched as the skin of Connor's hand drew back and he immersed himself in the various files and personal items stored away. There were drafts of various articles, earlier forms of his book, small snippets of his thought processes. There were memory files, which he stored in the event Gavin wanted him to look through them later. He didn't want to look through them right at that moment.

"Perhaps we should start in the bedroom. He may have stored his documentation in a drawer somewhere," Nines suggested, watching as Gavin reluctantly pushed himself off the sofa. Nines let him lead the way into the room, giving him space to take in the large space. A large space that suddenly seemed so cold. It didn't feel right without Aaron there. Gavin took a breath as he stepped further inside. The intimate space he'd shared with Aaron. A space usually filled with heat, and passion, and gentle kisses, and lazy mornings.

It struck him suddenly as he stood there. Aaron would never stand in that room again. Aaron would never order him to his knees, and bite his lip while looking down as he worked his shaft. Aaron would never grip his hair and claim his lips. Aaron would never toss him down on the mattress and cage him in while purring in Nines' voice. Aaron would never use him up until he passed out or begged for mercy. Aaron would never tease him afterwards and carry him to the bath. Aaron would never bring him water and insist he drink down two glasses before being allowed to leave. Aaron would never bring him breakfast in bed. Arron would never read a book in gentle tones as he sulked or lay sleepily beside him. Aaron would never shuffle closer beneath the duvet and hold him when he thought he'd fallen asleep. Aaron's gone…He's never coming back…I'm never going to see him again…

"Gavin…" Nines murmured softly as he slowly edged in behind his quivering form. He eased the smaller body back against his chest and held him securely as he shook. Gavin was trying not to cry, the sobs choking in his chest and throat as he swallowed them down. He curled over gradually, Nines leaning forward to compensate. He could hear the wetness in Gavin's breaths as he sniffled, and the quiet drip of tears falling to the carpet. Nines guided him down to his knees, caging him against the floor as he curled into a ball of anguish, sobbing silently. Nines remained over him like a shroud in his vulnerability, a comforting warmth he could fall apart in.

"…Should look through the drawers…" Gavin hiccupped eventually, still sniffling and sobbing.

"That can wait if you need more time…" Nines replied quietly, remaining over his back and nuzzling the back of his head in comfort. Nines turned his head as he heard footsteps entering the room, but Connor said nothing. He moved across the room quietly and got started at the wardrobes, his presence slowly encouraging Gavin to push himself up. Nines remained as he was, letting Gavin push back against his chest. He slowly eased them both upright, keeping Gavin in his arms as he looked over his shoulder. Gavin wiped his face with a nod before finally shuffling his way across to the small set of drawers by the bed. Nines opted to remain close, looking over his shoulder as he opened the top one. It was socks, and the one underneath was boxers.

"We should bag these up…Stuff like this just goes in the trash anyway," Gavin murmured with a deep breath. Nines agreed quietly, and went to grab a binbag from the kitchen. He held it open as Gavin slowly gathered up the items and dropped them in. There were a few odds and ends left in the drawer when they'd finished. A small pocket knife, a few odd coins he'd picked up, and a ring that Gavin had never seen him wear. He wouldn't even be able to ask him about it now. Was it important? Had it belonged to someone he knew? A reminder of some sort? It was just a plain gold ring, sort of like a signet, but with no crest on it. He left the small items on top of the drawers to be dealt with later.

He moved to the large drawers beneath the bed, his mouth going dry as he looked up at Nines sharply. Since he'd opened the drawer he had little choice but to go through it. He licked his lips anxiously as he pulled out the leather restraints. Thick straps Aaron had used to bind him to the bed. Leather cuffs for his wrists, ankles, thighs and upper arms. A cross strap so that he could be bound in various positions. A body harness that he could be strapped down in. A leather pouch containing various cock rings, plugs, beads, and vibrators. Candles. A riding crop. More leather harnesses. A blindfold. Gavin frowned as he found another box, more like a jewellery box than anything else. He opened it, feeling his cheeks heat a little as he found the thick leather collar with his name on an engraved plate. He snapped it shut quickly, noting the yellow spin of Nines' LED as he examined the pieces. He was comforted by the fact that at least Aaron was obsessively clean and thoroughly washed and disinfected everything after use. He hadn't quite realised the amount of stuff Aaron had bought to use with him. They'd moved on quite a bit since that first time with just his silk tie.

"Would you like to…take these items home?" Nines suggested hesitantly, knowing Gavin was stressed at having revealed such intimate items to him. Gavin nodded quietly, allowing Nines to wordlessly put the items into another black bag and set it aside. There were more items in the drawers. Aftercare items. Scented candles, particularly lavender to help Gavin sleep. Massage oils to relax his abused muscles. Various creams to help clear up the marks on his skin. Burn gel in case wax dripping got out of hand. Relaxing music and ASMR, ambient sounds that could be played to help calm him down after a rough session or a nightmare. Soft blankets that would soothe him. A nightlight that made glittering constellations on the walls. "Don't worry, I've got them," Nines assured as he added these items to the bag to take home.

The next drawer had a few office binders inside, which Gavin pulled out and put on the bed before sitting up and opening one. Banking information…employment contracts…old bills…This looks like his official paperwork…Gavin thought as he pushed the first thick binder towards Nines to flick through. The next one was more personal. It was old articles he'd written, and the old research materials for said articles. It was like a sort of portfolio of his work with the paper. Another one contained similar things from a separate magazine, probably somewhere Aaron had worked before joining the Detroit Daily. He found two more binders filled with interview notes, including Gavin's. These were the research notes he'd used to compile his book.

He flicked through the notes, reading a lot of what he'd said copied down word for word. Aaron had made his own notes to go along with them. He'd noted how he felt Gavin seemed genuinely remorseful about his past behaviour. He talked a little about watching him during the press conference, and how impressed he'd been with the way he'd conducted himself. There was even a small sketched portrait of Gavin at the podium. I didn't even know he could draw…He flushed and shut the binder with a snap as he turned the page to find another sketch of him naked and sleeping. He'd at least been lying on his front, but it wasn't exactly something he'd want Nines or Connor to see.

"He does have contact information for a lawyer…It appears he handled the purchase of this property. I could reach out and see if he knows anything about a will or legal documentation to that effect," Nines suggested as he tugged a letter out and made the call. He left Gavin on the bed and went to the kitchen as he waited for an answer. Gavin put the binders aside with a heavy sigh, unsure what he should do with them just yet. It wasn't like they'd be of any use to him, or that anyone else would want them. He wasn't sure it was right to throw them away though. It feels too personal…too much like throwing Aaron away…

"Did you find anything interesting?" Connor asked as he sat beside him on the bed. He hadn't found anything besides neatly folded and ironed clothing in the drawers, and suits hanging in the wardrobe. Gavin held the binder of Aaron's work to his chest almost protectively. "It was just clothes in those drawers…We can look through them again another day if you like, and decide what to do with them," Connor added sensitively, knowing this was hard Gavin. He was usually rough-edged and abrasive. It wasn't like him to be vulnerable.

"Sure, sounds good…Phck, Connor, how do people do this? How do you pack someone's life into boxes and toss it in the trash?" Gavin asked, his brow furrowing in a way that made Connor unsure whether he wanted to lash out or cry. He leaned his chin on the thick binder as he looked across at the large window. There were net curtains that glowed orange with the streetlights from outside. It was dark now. They'd been in the apartment for quite a while. Connor was almost hesitant as he slipped an arm across Gavin's smaller shoulders, letting the weight slowly settle as he didn't shrug him off.

"I haven't had to do that yet…I've been lucky…I can't imagine how you feel, being trusted with all this. You don't have to do it alone though, Gavin. We'll help in any way we can," Connor assured gently, feeling Gavin's smaller body lean into him a little more at the reassurance. Connor squeezed his shoulder in a show of sympathy and support, slightly touched as Gavin nuzzled him almost affectionately in thanks.

"Thanks, Tin Can," he replied gruffly, his voice rough from his earlier crying. His throat was actually feeling a little sore from all the stress and tension. He huffed a breath as he sat up straight and looked around. There seemed so little, but also so much to sort out. He'd need to go through the clothes, sell or give away the furniture, throw out anything that the charity shops wouldn't accept. Decide which personal items to keep and which to toss, call all of the different companies and subscriptions to sort out the bills. Figure out what to do with the apartment, and there was the publisher, too. What was he supposed to do about that? Shit, will they still go ahead with the book? It's already in print, right? So they've got to, right?

"Don't stress yourself…We have time. We have friends who can help…I'll contact Chloe. She's a secretarial model, so planning and organisation like this is part of her software…She'll be happy to help us," Connor advised reasonably. Gavin knew he was making a good point. Chloe would be great at this sort of thing, but at the same time he didn't want to add to her workload. She already did a lot for Elijah and Cyberlife. "Would you like to stop for today? You can take these things back to your apartment and get something to eat? Or you could come to Hank's house? I could call Tina if you'd like?" Connor suggested questioningly, feeling the pressing need to please Gavin and make him feel secure.

"Yeah, you're right…Should get home and…something," Gavin replied with a tired huff. He was clearly worn and weary, emotionally if not physically. It was a positive sign that they'd at least made the first step in bagging up a few items. They didn't have to actually throw anything away just yet. The most urgent thing to sort out was the actual funeral and getting the remains transported, but Connor felt that that was likely something best organised by Chloe. She was sensitive and well organised. She'd surely know what to do with her various contacts.

"I contacted the lawyer successfully. Mr Banks said he would be pleased to assist us with any arrangements we need to make. He is fully versed in probate law, and Mr Hughes was a valued client," Nines reported as he entered, his blue gaze sharpening a little as he took in how close Connor and Gavin were sitting. That unpleasant feeling crept up through his chest again. The same feeling he used to get when watching Gavin and Hughes together. It was coiling, hot, and unpleasant. Almost dirty. It wasn't the sort of feeling he should be indulging right now. Gavin was vulnerable and required his support. "We can begin proceedings whenever you're ready…Perhaps it would be best to return home for today though. You need to eat something," he added in a gentler tone as he rounded the bed and looked down at Gavin's slouched form.

"Sure, let's get out of here," Gavin sighed as he got to his feet and gathered the thick files. They were quite weighty when stacked, and he swiftly found them removed from his arms by Nines. Connor grabbed the bag of personal items as if it weighed nothing, leaving Gavin's arms free to open doors on the way down. "You think I could have pizza?" Gavin asked as they reached his car and popped the trunk.

"Whatever you want," Nines agreed as he tucked the files inside safely, watching as Gavin made an order on his phone. Pepperoni again. He knew Nines liked it. After depositing the bag, Connor said his goodnights, checking to make sure that Gavin didn't want him to remain longer. Gavin gripped his hand in a friendly manner and gave him a small hug. It was a short friendly gesture he would occasionally perform with Miller and some of the other male staff. A show of thanks and camaraderie. Connor felt a small swirl of warmth. It was a comforting confirmation that their relationship had progressed beyond that of simple co-workers.

"Call if you need anything…either of you," Connor insisted as he drew back, hurrying off as he got a mumbled agreement and a slightly stiff but affectionate hug from Nines. He wasn't the most physical being. He'd had more physical interactions with Gavin than anyone else, and that was somewhat comforting to him. He looked away from Connor's retreating form as Gavin knocked his arm and offered him the keys. Nines' lips quirked a little as he accepted them.

"You really should get a set cut for me," he teased as he worked his way around to the other door and ducked inside.

"I'm still thinking of getting you a hat instead…Or maybe I should get you a pair of those cool secret agent sunglasses since you're like my own personal bodyguard now," Gavin retorted tiredly as he strapped in and leaned back in his seat, enjoying the slight look of indignation on Nines' face at the suggestion.