1. Belongs: The universe and characters of Detroit Become Human belong to Quantic Dreams and David Cage.
2. Rating: "T" in general, but might be "M" for cursed words, graphics contents such as violence, injuries, or sexual scenes.
3. Summary: Midnight decides to take Gavin to the top of the Hudson Tower to clear his mind, which is a success as the detective feels overwhelmed with a sudden euphoria due to the mixture of wonder and adrenaline.
WARNING: Description of great heights causing vertigo (feeling of being sucked by the void); Risky behavior (Gavin and Midnight sit on a low wall, their feet in the void more than 350 meters above the ground); Solo masturbation.
CHAPTER 12
"Impulse is part of the jump."
- May 04, 2039, 12:11 AM, The Hudson's Tower. -
Gavin got out of the elevator to the 98th floor and followed Midnight who walked up to the stairwell. The detective sighed, tired of going up and up again, but he followed him again. They only ascended the equivalent of two floors before opening the door onto a large paved terrace, empty and dark. The wind was blowing at that height but damn it, the view was breathtaking. Gavin stepped forward in the middle while spinning around, looking up. He had never climbed this high in his life. Midnight had told him that he had access rights to certain buildings in the city to facilitate remote surveillance. From here he could see the whole city and easily pick up radio frequencies thanks to the communications antenna on the apex.
Gavin walked over to the low wall, cautiously still feeling that knot in his guts preventing him from leaning too far, and rested his hands against the cold concrete to scan the horizon. The buildings looked like illuminated stained glass windows that shone in the night. Beyond, he could see the Detroit River, smooth and black. Even further away, he could see the city lights of Windsor floating in the dark and also reflected in the dark mass of the water.
Silence reigned above the great Hudson's Tower except for a few whistles of the wind. The view was breathtaking, and Gavin felt both the excitement and the calm wash over him. It was actually a sense of satisfaction taking hold of him, and a blissful smile began to gently stretch his lips.
He turned three quarters to Midnight who had stood back to let the detective discover the place by himself. Reed had that twinkle in his eyes that clearly didn't leave the vigilante unmoved. He looked like a child in wonder, discovering the most beautiful thing in the world.
"This is fucking crazy ..." Gavin said, looking around in awe. " Do you come here often ? "
"At least once a night," Midnight said, walking over to him, hands behind his back, and stopping at the wall. "I can see the central police station from here, and this point of view gives me ... a sense of freedom and control …"
"You don't say ..." Gavin said, scanning the horizon again. "I feel like I'm the king of the universe here and capable of anything ..! "
The vigilante smiled and leaned nonchalantly on the edge of the wall while facing the detective. That was exactly why Midnight had brought him up here.
"That feeling of power ..." Midnight resumed. "I wanted you to feel it …"
" Why ?" Gavin asked, looking at him again.
"To trust me… You have to trust yourself first." Gavin opened his mouth a crack but Midnight continued. "I know you don't doubt yourself. But it was important for me to see this part of you. This strength that is called self-esteem."
Gavin gently tightened his jaw, fully understanding where the vigilante was going. Having BPD doesn't always help daily, and as he confided in him earlier in the evening, he sometimes felt useless and worthless. Yet, self-esteem is a need number four on Maslow's pyramid, which is still something essential in life. Gavin was very doubtful actually, and what he'd felt as he came up here, what he was still feeling now, was… so intense he wanted to laugh and cry. It was euphoria, yeah, and hell, it was feeling so good.
He pursed his lips as he looked at Midnight, slowly stretching a smile as he felt his cheeks flush. It was the cold, not the embarrassment, of course. He looked down, not sure whether the vigilante was staring at him or not because of his sunglasses still on his nose.
"It was a good idea to bring me here ..." Gavin said calmly before striking the same pose as Midnight to face him. "You did well... Thank you…"
"My pleasure… Gavin." The vigilante smiled almost affectionately.
Gavin tried to suppress a smile, which only resulted in a sort of wave twisting his lips before he gently nibbled the lower part to keep control. Midnight put his bag down at his feet and jumped onto the wall to sit down, his legs hanging out. Gavin's heart suddenly leaped out of his chest with the movement and grabbed the vigilante by the shoulder by instinct.
"Are you fucking crazy! You could fall! Get off from here!"
"I'm used to it, don't worry." Midnight smiled. "If you want a little adrenaline rush, can you just sit next to me?"
"And fall ?"
"I'll hold you."
Sitting on the edge of the wall defied his instinct for survival, but the idea of an adrenaline rush seemed to tempt him. It was always way more effective than any drug or coffee, and if Midnight offered to hold him…
He pursed his lips, took a deep breath, and carefully hoisted himself onto the wall. Midnight reached out to grab his arm as Gavin swiveled his legs to the other side, into the void. For a few seconds, he felt like he was being absorbed into the void, strangely drawn to the little red and white lights of the cars below winding through the streets. But the fingers tightened on his arm, and he managed to lift his head. He turned it to the vigilante and focused all his attention on him. Midnight gently migrated his hand over his opposite shoulder through his upper back. He gently pulled him close so that their thighs could touch, and especially so that the vigilante could keep him close to him, his arm resting on his shoulders and his fingers well anchored in the top of his opposite arm.
Although the situation and the place screamed for him to come down and run away for himself, Gavin felt safe with Midnight. It might be 350 yards under his feet, but he could feel his stomach twist with the adrenaline, euphoria, and pleasure.
It was an explosive cocktail of hormones that began to deliciously numb the detective's mind.
"This is the craziest thing I've ever done ..!"
He didn't really understand what happened next, and yet it was he, himself, who had acted. Gavin had leaned over to Midnight and now had his lips pressed to his. His heart and soul had left his body at that precise moment, focusing only on the softness and warmth emanating from the vigilante's thin lips. And he stayed there, seated against him, his lips against his. He felt like that moment lasted forever when it must have lasted less than three seconds.
Midnight was surprised immediately, eyes widening slightly behind the tinted lenses of his sunglasses, and his pump suddenly fastened, sending hot thirium pulsing through his body. He raised his free hand and cupped the detective's face instinctively as he responded gently to the kiss as he pressed his mouth more to Gavins. He had absolutely no plans for it to turn out this way, but ... It was so much better than anything he had expected.
Gavin took a deep breath as he felt Midnight touch his face and respond to the kiss. He put his hand on the vigilante's thigh, gripping it gently while gently snapping his lips between his, stroking them, grabbing them again, and then sliding them down. His heart was racing. He was about to have a heart attack, he was convinced.
He was forced to break the kiss for lack of air and pulled his face back before turning his head to look completely the opposite. His face burned so much he was embarrassed. But what the fuck was he thinking about doing that ..?
Okay, he really did have a soft spot for Midnight, but that wasn't a reason to give in to him, especially not after they had to work together now.
"Sorry ..." Gavin said, his face still turned opposite. "It ... it was the euphoria …"
Midnight, who'd been watching him since they'd parted, looked down behind his sunglasses. He hadn't expected them to kiss, sure, but he really enjoyed the exchange. Detective Reed wasn't the first person he kissed, but he was the first human. And his lips were soft despite the slight scars from the repeated nibbles due to stress, they were warm and full of life.
Gavin was the only person that mattered to Midnight in the midst of all this chaos in Detroit. He had believed, for a second, that he meant something to him too.
"It's okay," Midnight smirked despite the tightness feeling in his chest. "I responded too, so we just have to say we're both at fault."
Gavin turned his head towards him again, finally daring to face him. He was, in a way, relieved that Midnight had his glasses on because it created a kind of distancing, but in another way, he couldn't read his gaze, nor therefore what he could feel. Even worse, he himself was exposed and observed.
"Let's forget what just happened, ok ..?" Gavin said hesitantly, not sure if he wanted to stop talking about it himself. "It's not very professional."
"Yes, of course, it was just the euphoria." Midnight replied to reassure the detective. "But now that the adrenaline is fading, I suggest you get off the wall."
Midnight swiveled first to rest his feet on the terrace floor while keeping his arm around Gavin's shoulders. He then helped him to turn around, still holding him to prevent him from tipping over, and brought him back safely.
"I hope that, despite this incident, you enjoyed the place ..?" Midnight asked, sliding his hands off his shoulders.
"Y-Yeah…" Gavin smirked as he thought about how he felt, including the kiss. "Yeah, that was awesome and ... super intense …"
"Glad you enjoyed …"
Midnight's smile was genuine, and Gavin's stomach twisted at the sight. He still wanted to kiss him. But it was unprofessional. He hadn't right to succumb. He had to focus.
"It's past half past midnight, Gavin… Your shift is over, you should be home…"
" And you.. ?" Gavin cleared his throat realizing he looked worried. "Don't tell me you're going to play vigilante tonight?"
"If your shift is done I can go back to my business, can't I?"
"What if we ever get called in about something when I'm not supposed to be working, hm?" Gavin tried.
"I'll be the one to call you." Midnight smiled suspiciously. "Remember that I always left before you got to the scene of the incidents…"
"Watch out smartass, I still have my handcuffs on my belt."
And I would really like to see them somewhere else than here… Thought Midnight. But he didn't answer and his smile widened. Gavin looked away, his cheeks flushed, as if he'd guessed what the vigilante might have been thinking.
"I… I'll be home then…" Gavin said, taking a deep breath, so much so that he started to cough. "H-Hmm. See you tomorrow at the precinct then? "
" Of course. "
Gavin nodded, pursed his lips, and stood there in front of him without moving. He cleared his throat, feeling the discomfort set in, and walked past the vigilante towards the front door.
"Good night, Gavin …"
Gavin paused for a few seconds, his hand on the doorknob, and ran his tongue between his lips as if trying to capture what was left of the kiss and the vigilante on his lips.
He smirked and turned his head slightly to Midnight, who was watching him, smiling.
"You too Night ..." He opened the door. "And watch yourself, please. "
" You too. "
Gavin didn't control the wink he gave the vigilante, at least the attempt because he still couldn't blink with one eye without closing the other as well, and made a little click with his mouth before entering the building and letting the door closing by itself.
He took a deep breath and began to get downstairs before he could reach the lift. Once in the latter, he let himself go against the back wall and began to stare at the ceiling, his mouth ajar.
"I ... kissed Midnight …"
He blinked slowly once, then twice, then put his face in his hands.
"I'm such a fucking prick ..." he moaned loudly in his hands, then pulled them up to grab his hair. "It wasn't a good idea." He started pacing in the elevator as it descended the floors. "Having a teammate is a responsibility and you inevitably get attached to them. First, that's a bad point. But now, I find myself partnered with the guy for whom I already fall! And I just- "
He paused as the elevator slowed down and opened to let in a young woman. She nodded to him and he replied in the same way. He continued to fumble silently in his mind the entire way down afterward, not having been alone until downstairs.
He returned to his car in the underground parking lot, and as he drove out into the street, he couldn't help but look up at the soaring tower. Midnight was certainly still up there.
Gavin refocused on his way while biting his lower lip nervously. Midnight had responded to his kiss. What if he was interested too ..?
He shook his head. He shouldn't be thinking about that. It was unprofessional, he had to stick to that reasoning. End of the story.
When he entered his house, it was a little over one in the morning and he went straight to his room to undress and fall on the bed. However, he still couldn't sleep. His mind was way too restless and he kept thinking about the kiss with Midnight over and over again.
He bit his lip, focusing on the sensations he remembered, and he closed his eyes, letting his hand slide from his stomach to under the sheets. It wouldn't be the first time it'd happened. It had even happened more than ten times, certainly. He was pathetic …
He tightened his fingers around his already tense member as he thought of the soft and thin lips of the vigilante. He slowly began to stroke himself as he imagined Midnight towering over him, naked but still with his mask on, and kissing him while touching him. Gavin bit his lip painfully and began to tremble, imagining more, his brain simulating the sensation of penetration, and the vigilante taking him there on his bed, pressed against his body. He quickened his pace, penetrating himself with his fingers even more intensely. He hadn't even realized doing it. He was completely lost in his fantasy, and imagining the pleasure Midnight could give him was all that mattered now.
It wasn't long before he came between his fingers and on his stomach, moaning loudly while biting his lip. He came to his senses despite this feeling of fullness and reluctantly stood up to go clean himself.
If ever, oh-ever, something should happen between the two of them, Gavin was afraid he wouldn't last long either. He let out a bitter little laugh before returning to his bed, sleep threatening to mow him down now.
As if this could happen one day ...
