Time ticked away as it normally would. The hours turned into days and the days into weeks. Before the pair knew it, eight more days had gone by. Fowler had returned from his trip and surprisingly, was getting along fairly well with Gavin thanks to Richard's advice. The android suggested that the detective strike a deal with the captain—the deal was for Gavin to work on his behavior in exchange for Fowler not shouting at him all the time. To RK900's delight, the compromise between the two officers seemed to be working. Unfortunately, the good news stopped there.
"Damn it," Gavin sighed, slouching against his chair, "Our guy's gone quiet and I don't like it one fucking bit."
Richard interlaced his fingers, "Well, it's only been a little over a week," he shrugged, "Perhaps he is taking some time to pick his new target."
The detective pinched the skin between his brows, "And we're just sittin' here doing nothing," he chuckled sarcastically, "Yeah, we're grade A cops."
"Gavin," RK900 crossed his arms over his chest, "It's four in the afternoon on New Year's Eve," he expressed, shifting his weight from one foot to the other.
"And?" the brunette shrugged.
"Don't you think you're overworking yourself?" the android raised a brow, "You spent Christmas Day at the station," he glanced at the detective with sympathy, "Please, allow yourself some time to rest."
The shorter of the two shook his head in frustration, "We need to find this guy," he stated with determination.
"And we will," Richard guaranteed, "But your health comes first," he placed a hand on the detective's shoulder.
Gavin jerked his shoulder away from his colleague, "You don't understand," he gnashed his teeth, "I won't be able to rest if I don't catch this asshole."
The machine drew his brows together; "Tell me," he placed a hand on the detective's desk, "What new information have you managed to obtain in the last eight days?"
The brunette paused for a moment, his gaze shifting from the terminal to the smug android, "You're a bastard," he expressed through narrowed eyes.
"Call me what you want but working yourself into the ground will get you nowhere," RK900 fiddled with his cufflink. "And when was the last time you've had a proper meal?" Richard tapped his shoe on the ground.
Gavin groaned, cradling his head. "If I agree to go home for the night, will you quit your bitching?" he asked with an annoyed cadence.
Richard drew the corners of his mouth into a smile, "Yes."
The detective shoved his hands in his pant pockets and sunk further into his chair with a hmph. After a few seconds of silent protest, he turned to look at RK900. "Um," the brunette bit at his lower lip, "Probably a stupid fuckin' question but," he paused, scratching at his chin, "Do androids celebrate New Year's?" he glanced at his feet to avoid eye contact with the machine.
RK900 let out a soft chuckle, "Why do you ask, detective?" he lowered his lids.
"Just answer the question, damn it!" Gavin raised his voice, self-consciousness made quite obvious.
The android leaned in closer to his partner, "Would you like to celebrate New Year's Eve together?" he whispered into Gavin's ear.
The proximity and guttural tone of Richard's voice sent a chill down the detective's spin. "I'm trying to get away from you," the brunette expressed with pink cheeks, "Why would I want you to spend the holiday with me?" he furrowed his brows.
"As I've said in the past," the android shook his head, "You're indeed a terrible liar."
"Fuck you," Gavin hissed, temperature going up as the android inched closer and closer.
"May I cook for you, detective?" Richard asked with a warm expression. "I can make you a proper meal," he continued, glancing at his reddened partner, "It could be any dish of your choosing," he grazed Gavin's hand.
The detective was suffocating in the android's affection. He wasn't used to this kind of compassion and warmth. "W-who'd want to have your cooking, dumbass?" he grit his teeth, vexed by how easily he melted for his counterpart.
"Gavin," Richard slid his hand over the detective's now splint-free forearm, "I find your reactions," he glanced at the aroused brunette, "absolutely enticing."
And just like that, Gavin found himself being driven back to his apartment complex by the suave android. The pair had stopped by the grocery store to pick up some ingredients for Richard to use to prepare dinner. The detective had a permanent frown etched on his face as he couldn't believe he agreed to have Richard over at the apartment. He didn't know why he even offered the android to come over—maybe out of pity? Or perhaps reciprocated feelings of fondness?
"You seem distraught, detective," Richard interrupted his colleague's train of thought.
"Hm?" the brunette flinched, "Oh, sorry," he exhaled, placing a hand on the passenger's side windowsill.
"Is something on your mind?" the android gazed at the detective before looking back at the road.
"No," Gavin dismissed, "It's nothing."
The android squinted his eyes, "Must we play this game every time I ask what you're thinking about?"
"What I'm thinking about is my business," the brunette cocked his head to leer at the machine.
"I can tell when you're feeling upset," Richard explained, "And I can discern that it is over a topic you consider serious."
"Enough," the brunette demanded in an angered tone; "That's enough," he repeated, trying to keep calm.
Several minutes passed as both men rebelled in silence, the muteness of the car driving Gavin mad. "You never did answer my question about why you hate your brother so much," Richard expressed as he prepared to make a left onto the next street.
The detective dragged his mouth into a frown, "Ever bother to think that maybe there was a reason for that?"
RK900 arched his brows, "While I understand it may be a sensitive subject," he tilted his head to examine the disgruntled brunette, "I'm growing tired of you shutting me out."
The shorter of the two crossed his arms over his chest as he looked to his feet, "Why do you care so much?" he asked, meeting the android's stare.
"You're my partner, Gavin," Richard stated with a softened expression, "Your problems are my problems," he smiled, "And I'd like to help given the opportunity."
The brunette slumped further into his seat, embarrassment eating at him as his face began to heat up. "Whatever I'm about to tell you stays between us," the officer eyed his colleague, "Do you understand?" he asked with a stern cadence.
The machine paused momentarily to process the seriousness of his partner's tone before nodding, "Of course, detective."
Gavin remained quiet for some time as he attempted to gather his thoughts. "I'm not good with words," the shorter of the two explained with an expression that Richard didn't recognize. "No matter how much I try to describe how I feel towards my brother or what he did, it won't come close to how much I truly wish it was him who had died," Gavin knit his brows.
The android's eyes rounded as he scanned his partner who seemed to be struggling with verbalizing emotions.
"Eli's a disgusting human being," the brunette tinkered with his jacket's aglets, "If I can even call him that."
"Detective," Richard began, "Tell me what happened," he pleaded, concern rattling his features.
The officer paused for a second before bringing a hand to the bridge of his nose and sighing. "Is it depressing that I haven't told anyone this?" he glanced at the machine. "Hell, I don't even know why I'm telling you," he laughed, "It's actually pretty fuckin' ironic."
"Don't change the subject," RK900 demanded, "I've studied your habits and I've grown to know you fairly well over the past eighteen days," he said in a solemn manner, "I know when you're trying to switch topics."
Again, the car filled with silence, the air growing thick with tension as Gavin finally cracked. "My mom was diagnosed with cancer when I was in high school," he stated with despondence; "Pancreatic cancer," he clarified.
The android's expression changed to one of shock and sadness.
"But of course, Eli didn't give a damn and neither did dad," the detective continued, bitterness evident in tone. "Fucking Elijah was too busy signing contracts and dealing with the spotlight to ever care."
"What about your father, Gavin?" Richard questioned, careful not to step on the detective's toes.
The brunette chuckled as he shook his head, "Dad was at Eli's mercy like a damn dog," he explained, "All he cared about was money," he smiled at the android, "So you can guess who he preferred between Eli and me."
"Where is your mother now?" RK900 hesitantly asked.
"Dead," the brunette stared at the road as if in a trance, "She's fucking dead," he swallowed, trying to suppress the immense grief he felt from within.
Richard shut his eyes momentarily as he somehow knew that was going to be his partner's answer.
"I had to test out of high school so I could get a job to afford paying her medical expenses. Eli or that fucking bastard I'm forced to call my father didn't bother helping." Gavin leaned forward, placing his elbows on his knees as he began rocking back and forth to remain in control. "They said it would be a fucking waste of money to pay for treatment for a terminally ill patient," he hissed through pressed teeth as his body began to quiver. "I watched my mom flatline at the hospital when I was sixteen years old," the detective's voice began to tremble, "She died in my arms alone in that fucking abysmal room."
Richard didn't know where to begin. Every fiber in his body wanted to pull over and comfort the distressed officer but he wanted to allow Gavin a chance to vent out his anger and resentment.
"I worked three part-time jobs and took out a loan to pay for her funeral," the officer continued with vacant eyes. "On my seventeenth birthday, I actually moved out of the house to rent out a flat of my own," he explained. "This," Gavin pointed to the scar on his nose, "Was a parting gift from my dad," he exhaled with a faded smile.
"Oh Gavin," Richard arched his brows, LED jumping from blue to red, "I don't know how to express my condolences," he shook his head, "I can't even imagine what you must have felt going through what you did alone."
The brunette remained still, his face lacking any kind of emotion, "He broke a bottle over my nose when he found out I wanted to move out," he continued to stare out the windshield, "ripped a nice big gash straight across," he traced the scar. "And Eli," Gavin squinted his eyes, "He just stood there behind dad with that shit-eating grin of his."
The android frowned, clearly saddened to hear what his partner had gone through as a teenager.
"You wanna know why I hate androids so much?" the detective stared at Richard. "There's your answer," he expressed with a dejected smile, "My fucking brother is their creator."
The machine remained still for a moment before opening his mouth, "And does that hatred also apply to me?" he asked, eyeing his partner.
"You're an android, aren't you?"
Richard's eyes widened as shock crossed his face. It would've been a lie to say the machine's feelings weren't hurt but part of him knew that the detective merely said that as a defense mechanism. RK900 spent the next fifteen minutes trying to comfort the detective through words but the brunette didn't reciprocate; his eyes were empty and his face, crestfallen. The android wished he had never brought up the detective's feelings towards his family. If he had known that the topic would cause the shorter of the two to spiral into depression, he would've waited for another time.
Richard parked the car beside the curb. He slowly turned to face a completely detached Gavin. "We're here, detective," the android articulated in a regretful manner. The officer opened the passenger's side door and walked out as the machine watched, LED stabilizing at a red hue. RK900 exhaled before exiting the vehicle and grabbing the groceries from the backseat. Gavin had already made it to the lobby and pressed the button that called the elevator.
"I didn't mean to elicit painful memories, detective," the android attempted to explain. The officer remained silent. "You said your favorite dish was chicken parmesan," Richard tried to brighten the mood, "How about I make that for you tonight?" he smiled at his colleague.
The elevator doors opened with a ping. The two men entered but Gavin was still unresponsive, as if trapped in his own world.
"Detective, I implore you to talk to me," Richard stated with a hint of desperation. "I can't help you unless you talk to me," he iterated with saddened eyes.
The detective's glance shifted from his worried partner to the elevator doors which opened to the third floor. "I'm going to take a shower," Gavin stated as he began walking down the hallway. Richard cocked his head to the side, confusion and frustration running rampant in his software. No matter what he said to his counterpart, it was as if a wall existed between the two and the android's words weren't reaching the officer.
RK900 followed the brunette to the apartment entrance. He remained quiet as he observed Gavin take out at set of keys and sift through them before finding the correct one.
"You're behavior is starting to concer—"
"I'm fine," the detective interjected as he placed the key in the lock and twisted to open the door. Cleopatra was lounging on the coffee table in the living room. She gracefully made her way to the pair, greeting them with a series of soft meows.
"You are not fine, Gavin," the android called out his partner's lie.
"Look," the brunette gestured, "I'm alright so please just," he paused, arching his brows, "Just drop it, Richard."
RK900 drew his brows together, obviously irked by the detective's cold attitude. He placed the groceries and car keys on the dinner table as he tilted his head to observe Gavin who started towards the stereo. The shorter of the two connected his phone to the speakers and took a while to pick a song. The apartment was dead quiet; the only audible noise being Richard sorting out the perishables he'd purchased from the supermarket.
After a few minutes, the detective finally chose to go with Kanye West's "I Thought About Killing You." The android paused as he listened to the track and watched his counterpart walk to the washroom. He slowly retracted his head as the song's vocals played, the lyrics causing the machine some discomfort.
"Gimme a while," Gavin expressed with a wave of his hand, "I'll be out for dinner."
Richard's gaze followed the distant brunette but remained mute as he took a moment to reflect on the situation. The android brought a hand to his eyes, rubbing at them before beginning his search for cookware to prepare the food.