Reed wasn't sure how long it had been and he didn't really measure how much time was left as Elijah's hands continued to work. It didn't seem that long before Elijah was stepping back with a sigh and snapping his gloves off. Reed didn't know what he'd pressed, but after reaching into Nines' open torso and touching something, the plastic cover slid shut and it seemed like Nines took a breath. Within seconds, his eyes had blinked open, and he was looking around the bright room, silvery eyes softening a little as they settled on Reed.
"Gavin, are you alright?" he asked in concern as he scanned him to find he was riding the tail end of a minor panic attack. Reed scoffed a little as he chugged the rest of his water. He's barely been conscious for two seconds and he's already scanning and babying me like a nanny-bot. Reed was fond as he put his empty glass aside, leaving it beside the bottle on the desk. He'd gone through two bottles while waiting.
"You just had major surgery and you're asking if I'm alright?" Reed teased, watching Nines' LED spin yellow as he sat up. He was already running an internal scan of his systems. He still seemed concerned as he looked Reed over carefully. "I'm fine! Don't get your circuits in a bunch…How are you doing?" Reed asked in return, trying not to seem as anxious as he felt. Just because he was an android didn't mean that things couldn't go wrong. Especially with new components that were largely untested. Nines stood and looked around for his clothing, not missing the way Reed's eyes automatically slid over his musculature in an almost pleasing manner.
"I am fully functional," Nines replied with an almost sultry wink, way more suggestive than the cheeky teasing one that Connor used. Reed shifted his eyes to the wall, cursing at the way his pants tightened. "The component has been successfully integrated and is performing at peak proficiency," Nines reported as he looked over his shoulder at Elijah, who was sorting out the tools he'd used to be cleaned before the next guest came down. Elijah nodded offhandedly, though he'd expected little else. He'd already performed the procedure multiple times, three of them that very day.
Nines wiped off his torso with a wet wipe just to make sure he'd gotten all the thirium off before tugging on his shirt. Chloe led them back to the living area, where things had settled into something almost homely. North was curled up on one of the sofas with Markus' arm around her waist and he was sitting back with his legs crossed. They were talking to Hank and Colin, who'd taken up a seat on the sofa across from them. They seemed to be deep in discussion about some happy topic. Markus was chuckling at something Hank had said while North smirked and Colin nodded along quietly. Hank had always been good at telling stories. Connor was sitting on a chair at the small table with Niles, who was still chattering happily as he coloured his pictures. Connor looked content as he helped, using a green pencil to fill in a section of the picture he was working on.
"Connor, it is your turn," Nines announced as he approached, not missing the way Connor's stress levels spiked at the news. He did his best not to let the apprehension show on his face, but he couldn't keep it from his soft hazel eyes. They'd always been a sort of window to his soul. "Would you like me to accompany you?" Nines asked softly, which seemed to get Niles' attention. Niles got to his feet almost proudly, his small hand resting on Connor's elbow in support.
"It's alright, the lieutenant and I are going to take really good care of him." Something warm settled over Connor's expression at the statement. Apparently hearing his title, Hank got to his feet and headed over. He gave Connor a questioning look. You ready, son? Connor's smile stiffened a little as he nodded and pushed himself to his feet. He seemed a little jittery as he tucked his chair under the table. This would be his first time getting real maintenance since his deviation. The first time he'd be helpless and in the hands of a technician. He wasn't sure how to feel, knowing Elijah Kamski was that technician.
"Come on, son. Let's get it done," Hank encouraged, watching Connor nod his agreement, though he was still reluctant to leave his place at the table. His LED flickered yellow as Nines sent him a short reassurance, along with all the data he had collected about his own procedure. It meant Connor was going in knowing exactly what to expect, with the added comfort of knowing that Nines had already gone through it successfully. He smiled softly in thanks before looking down at his hand, which had been grasped by Niles in a soft grip.
"Don't worry, Connor. I'm going to hold your hand the whole time!" he declared vehemently, his expression serious. Hank chuckled softly as he watched the pair, unsurprised as Connor's eyes took on a warm softness as he looked down at Niles. His larger hand closed around Niles', holding it securely. It was comforting to have Niles there as a distraction.
"Thank you. That makes me feel a lot better," Connor replied kindly, finally moving as Niles eagerly led the charge with a tug of his hand. Hank huffed fondly as he followed, ruffling Connor's perfect hair on the way by. Connor gave him a small frown at that, but the perfect locks had already fallen back into place as always. Reed laughed softly in amusement as he watched the trio leave the room and headed to the bar with Nines.
"Connor and that kid look damned cute together," he said as he hopped onto his stool, Nines nodding his agreement as he stood at his side. The child android added another dimension to Connor's already extensive personality. It was like he had a social program for everything. Interrogation, reassurance, socialisation, banter, and now parenting. Nines felt that unpleasant sensation in his chest again. He felt…resentful — Bitter? Sad? Frustrated? — that Cyberlife had limited his own social abilities. If they hadn't, then perhaps he'd be able to identify and respond to the emotions he was feeling. Perhaps he'd be able to get people to like him, rather than having them skirting around him as much as possible.
Having said that, Reed and Hank seemed to like him, and that was enough. He even had tenuous friendships with Tina and Miller since they frequently worked with Reed or visited his desk. Tina had even offered to draw on his plant pot when she'd seen that Nines had written Gavin's name on it. She'd laughed her head off when he'd explained that he'd named his plant, and that Gavin had seemed appropriate. She hadn't even needed to ask why. She'd understood instantly. She'd thought it was a cute idea. Since the doodle had appeared, he'd noticed more than one person pause on the way by to chuckle their appreciation.
"They do…It always amazes me that my predecessor can adapt so easily to different social requirements." Nines' reply was stiff. He tilted his head as Reed squeezed his arm in an almost comforting manner. Had he picked up on his feelings of inadequacy? Perhaps this is what humans would define as a sibling rivalry, but there was little conflict to be had in their situation. Nines was a prototype. Perhaps one that hadn't been fully completed. He certainly felt somewhat ill-equipped to perform in certain areas. Give him a physical confrontation and he'd end it in seconds, but ask him to perform a more social or emotional task and he was liable to fail.
"You're more than enough…You don't need to be Connor. That's his job," Reed retorted lightly, though the look in his eyes suggested that he'd meant the words to hold weight. I am more than enough…Warmth filled Nines' chest at the words. He felt…valued. — Reassured? Wanted? Understood? — Of all the humans he'd met, Reed had always been the one who seemed to understand him the most. He'd never acted or seemed disappointed in his abilities in any areas. "Everyone has different strengths. So you're not a social butterfly? Big deal! Could Connor take a bullet to the head and brush it off like it was nothing? Could Connor scare a man twice his size with a single look? Could Connor hack into a high security computer system without leaving a trace?" Reed continued in a haughty tone.
"How are you aware that I can do such things?" Nines asked curiously, unsure all of his abilities had come up during their previous cases. Reed had certainly never gone out of his way to ask about his various abilities. He generally relied on Nines to mention it if he had a skill relevant to their situation on the job. Reed shrugged almost evasively as he raised his glass.
"I read your manual…What? I was stuck at home for a week!" he added defensively as Nines' silvery eyes widened in surprise. "I just figured that, being your partner, I should probably at least know how to plug up your leaks in an emergency and shit." Amusing and unlikely as that scenario was, it made sense. Nines just hadn't expected Reed to actually read his manual, or even get hold of it. He'd probably gotten it from Elijah via email in secret. Nines' schematics were highly confidential, and it would be unwise to allow them to fall into the wrong hands. Nines made a small note to increase Reed's home security system on his computer to ensure no one could gain access to them.
It wasn't long before Connor returned, looking somewhat worn. Niles was pulling him along by the hand again as Hank steered him with a hand on his shoulder. Colin looked worried as he got to his feet and allowed him to flop down on the sofa tiredly. Reed raised an eyebrow and nodded across at the small group. He didn't want to crowd in, but something seemed off. Nines' LED span yellow as he communicated with his brothers. His expression softened somewhat as he turned to Reed and shook his head. It was nothing serious. Colin also seemed somewhat relieved, since it was his turn next.
"Connor managed to overexert his systems with his anxiety concerning the procedure. He'll be fine after a short stasis cycle," Nines explained, which was a feeling that Reed could sort of understand. He'd screwed himself over more than once with panic attacks and overworking. Reed watched with a stifled chuckle as Niles fussed over Connor's fatigued form. He tugged off his shoes and bundled a cushion under his head as he murmured assurances he'd be taken care of. Hank motioned for Colin to go with him. He had no intention of letting him to go alone. He seemed too shy and timid to be left alone in Kamski's hands.
"Hey, kiddo, you take good care of Connor for me," Hank gruffed affectionately as he ruffled Niles' brunette locks, which immediately fell back into place. Niles earnestly agreed as he neatly placed Connor's shoes beneath the glass coffee table and slipped off his own. It seemed Connor had already put himself into a stasis cycle as Niles' small form clambered up and settled on top of him. He settled down, using Connor's body like a giant cushion. Hank huffed in amusement before steering Colin to the door with a hand laced in his hair, already grumbling out assurances.
"I am so taking a picture of this!" Reed murmured mischievously as he pulled his phone out and crept over to the sofa, where Niles' LED was spinning the same lazy blue as Connor's as they napped. He snapped a couple of pictures, looking up as Nines appeared as his shoulder to examine the screen. They certainly looked peaceful. "I'm going to send these to him later. Not parenting material, my ass!" he huffed in amusement, not missing how Connor's arms had automatically risen to rest securely across Niles' back. It was what humans would call a natural instinct. Part of Connor's programming was aware of the risk of Niles falling.
"I've tried to convince him of that myself, but he's surprisingly stubborn," Markus piped from his place on the other sofa. North snorted her own agreement as she leaned her head on his shoulder. His affection for Niles had escaped no one's attention but his own, it seemed. "It's not like Connor's concerns are invalid. He does have a dangerous job, but many humans take that risk every day," Markus continued, Nines nodding in agreement. He knew for a fact that Fowler had two children, and Miller had one on the way. Hank had also been a father at one point. Technically, he still was since he'd adopted Connor, Nines, and Colin, though only Connor had been made official with the proper paperwork. Whether that would change in the future was uncertain, but Nines was content with things as they were.
The group settled down, leaving Connor to rest in peace as they shifted to yet another table. Reed was surprised to find that Elijah had a set of Uno cards sitting in a drawer, and the game was more than long enough to keep them occupied until Hank and Colin returned. Nines' brow furrowed in concern as Colin entered in a similarly distressed state to Connor. He laid his cards on the table as he hurried to assist Hank in guiding him to the sofa across from Connor. Perhaps it was a fault in the RK800 series that left them so anxious and worn after procedures. It was something he was sure wouldn't have happened pre-deviation. Androids were designed to be easily fitted with upgrades.
"Poor kid, he was doing fine, but he damn near fainted when he caught sight of that mechanical spider thing," Hank huffed sympathetically as he tugged Colin's shoes off and left them under the table. Colin had already entered stasis, his LED spinning yellow for a few turns before settling to blue. Nines nodded his understanding. The spider rig had caused him some small discomfort as well. However, as a non-deviant he didn't feel particularly threatened by it. They were uncomfortable, of course, and restrictive, but he'd never been harmed by one.
Elijah appeared a while later with a handheld scanner of some sort, which he used to check on both of the RK800s. Their stress had levelled out and the new components had integrated correctly. Since he was active, he asked Nines to run his own internal scan to be sure that everything was alright, which it was. Chloe was excited as she announced that dinner would be ready soon, and it would be served in her private conservatory. Nines woke his brothers gently. Niles automatically roused the moment Connor moved beneath him, blinking blearily.
"Niles?" Connor murmured sleepily as he opened his eyes to find the small unit huddled on his chest and staring up at him with big hazel eyes. He looked tired, rubbing one small hand over his eyes as he returned to awareness. It was slower for child androids. A programmed quirk to make them seem more authentic.
"You fell asleep," Niles stated as he hopped off and tugged on his shoes, setting out Connor's for him to slip into. Connor sat up and looked around, not really remembering how he'd gotten to the living area. He looked back through his memory files, suddenly able to recall with perfect clarity the dazed feeling he'd experienced as he'd seen the spider rig, and the vulnerability of having to strip and lie on the metal table. It would have been cold and hard to a human. He'd opened his chest port, thirium pump racing as he'd left himself exposed to Elijah Kamski's sharp eyes. He'd put himself into stasis with the sensation of Niles' small hand in his and Hank's reassuring presence standing beside him.
After the procedure, he'd felt disoriented. His body hadn't felt right when he'd reactivated. Alerts had filled his vision about a new component that was active and undergoing integration. He'd allowed Niles to lead him back to the living area, where he'd all but fallen down on the sofa into a short stasis cycle. The cycle had calmed his stressed systems and integrated the component into his mental faculties. It was usually an automatic process, but since deviation, he'd found himself having to consciously allow the upgrade to merge with his software.
"I feel strange…" Colin murmured from where he sat on the other sofa, a hand resting on his stomach almost vulnerably. Elijah was at his side in an instant. The scan had shown nothing wrong before, so he was a little concerned. He looked down again before huffing his amusement.
"You're hungry. That's a feature you can turn off if you'd prefer. Just open the menu and select it." He watched Colin's LED flicker yellow as he looked at the different options. He could turn his taste sensitivity up and down or turn it off completely. He had the ability to feel hunger, complete with the odd sounds he'd heard human stomachs make on occasion. He could also feel thirst if he chose. He decided not to alter anything just yet, besides turning off the hunger and thirst elements. Those were extra distractions he didn't want to interfere with his work.
"Come on, Connor! Chloe's really good at cooking!" Niles insisted as he tugged Connor to his feet and led the way. They walked through to Chloe's indoor garden, where the small table had been replaced by a much longer one with enough seats for everyone to gather round. Elijah took one end with Chloe and Reed on either side. Nines took the expected space next to Reed, while North slid in beside Chloe. Markus sat next to North, with Connor on his other side. Niles claimed the end of the table, which allowed Hank to sit opposite Connor, and Colin was seated between Hank and Nines. The food had already been laid out family style, letting everyone choose whatever they wanted.
Chloe and her counterparts had clearly been busy. There were chicken wings, ribs, steaks, chops, salad, potato salad, mash, fries, peas, carrots, an array of other mixed vegetables, and some sort of cold pasta dish. Elijah insisted they help themselves immediately, watching warmly as Chloe took his plate and began filling it for him. There were some parts of her old programming she hadn't switched off, and seeing to Elijah's needs was one of them. He thanked her softly as she handed him his meal, obligingly passing her the bowl of potato salad as she asked for it. He let his hand linger a little longer than necessary, slipping an extra baby tomato onto her plate from the large salad bowl. He knew those were now one of her favourite foods.
At the other end of the table, a similar thing was happening with Hank and Niles. Hank had the boy's plate in hand and was pointing at all the different foods he hadn't tried yet. Niles was eager to try every meat he could see, so Hank had compromised. He was slowly cutting a little of each one and splitting it between himself, Connor, and Niles. He didn't want to deprive Niles, but he also didn't want to overfeed him. Connor was a constant presence, insisting Hank include greens on the plate and not too many fatty foods. Niles giggled at Hank's constant eye rolls and pointed looks.
"You know, for someone who insists they're not a parent, you certainly nag like one," Hank teased quietly as Niles headed further up the table to investigate what was going on down near Reed and Elijah. Connor's brow furrowed at the accusation, almost pouting as Markus chuckled in agreement. "Hey, I'm just saying!" Hank added defensively as he spread his arms a little. Niles was talking quietly with Reed as Elijah watched, his lips curled in amusement as he sipped his wine.
"I'm just making sure you don't give him your bad habits," Connor retorted, Hank chuckling his agreement. His lifestyle before Connor wasn't exactly a secret, and if Connor didn't nag him and even lock his cards occasionally, then he'd be living on junk food and swimming in alcohol. He'd cut back a lot on the latter. He didn't see the need to go cold turkey. He wasn't that sort of addict. He'd never felt the need to drink alcohol because the booze called to him. Alcohol had just been a means to an end. It had given him the loss of faculties he'd needed to pull the trigger night after night. He'd come a long way since then. Him and Sumo both. The old dog looked like he'd lost about three years. He was slimmer, fitter, and his fur was much cleaner and well cared for. Connor spoiled them both.
"Kid's lucky to have you around," Hank gruffed as he spooned a little potato salad onto Niles' plate. Connor gave him that unimpressed frown again as Niles returned to the table with a delicate looking glass. Hank raised an eyebrow as he put the glass down and hopped up onto his seat excitedly. Connor's LED flashed red once as he shifted his glare to Reed, who was sipping his own red wine in amusement. Nines rolled his eyes as he watched them exchange looks. "What have you got there?" Hank asked curiously as Niles picked up the wine glass.
"Detective Reed said it's premium grape juice! He said it always tastes better in a glass like this," Niles replied, almost as if he were sharing a secret. Hank hummed his understanding, quietly amused as Niles kicked his feet backwards and forwards. Connor looked at Hank incredulously as he allowed Niles to drink from the glass. He shifted his gaze back to Reed in disbelief. Had he really given wine to a child? How had Chloe and Elijah allowed that? And Nines? He would even have expected North to put a stop to it. Androids couldn't get drunk, of course, but it was socially questionable at best.
"Are you sure you should be drinking that?" Connor asked seriously. Niles tilted his head curiously. Connor sighed lightly at his own foolishness. Niles was a child android. He didn't have a built in concept of right and wrong for things like this. He needed to be taught. Connor eyed the glass. Something was off about it. Niles blinked and offered it to Connor, thinking his stare meant that he wanted to try some.
"Detective Reed said this one was better. I tried his, but it tasted terrible," Niles whispered as he leaned closer to Connor. Connor almost sighed in relief as he raised the glass to his lips and confirmed that it was one hundred percent sweetened grape juice. It actually had a slightly lighter hue than the red wine that Gavin and Elijah were drinking. Connor had opted for water for now, though Markus had poured him a little white wine to try later.
"Detective Reed is right. This one is sweet," Connor replied, shooting another glare at Reed as he met his eyes. Got you! A small chuckle escaped him as Connor returned his stare with a look that plainly suggested he'd get him back later. Niles happily babbled his own agreement as he turned his attention to the food on his plate. Connor and Hank both happily obliged him as he told them about each of the foods he'd tried. He was continuously picking out a favourite before replacing it with another favourite. So far steak, chop, and potato salad were at the top of his list. He didn't seem so impressed as Connor spooned some more salad onto his plate, but he ate it with a little gentle encouragement. Especially as he pointed out that Chloe liked the little tomatoes, and Nines was partial to the cucumber slices.
Once the main meal was done, Connor, Nines, Colin, North, and Chloe cleared the table, though Chloe insisted they didn't need to help. There was a fair amount of chatter as the flurry of movement began. Fresh drinks were brought, bowls were handed out, and numerous desserts were placed on the table. Chocolate cake, a light sponge, warm apple pie, and vanilla ice cream, along with fresh cream and custard for any who wanted it. As with the main meal, Hank did his best to cater to Niles by letting him choose one thing for himself and then he and Connor both donated a small bite of their own desserts.
"Oh my…Hank, have you tried this?" Connor demanded as he tried his first bite of apple pie and custard. Hank chuckled at the bright expression on his face, which was mirrored by Colin. Colin had tried the chocolate cake and seemed more than pleased with his choice. Niles had also chosen the chocolate cake, though he gleefully tried both Hank and Connor's desserts, too. Reed didn't mind sweet things, but he was pretty full. He was content to just sit back with his drink and watch Nines try his first bite of apple pie. Unlike Connor, he'd tried it plain, and he was more than happy with his choice. The sugar glazed pastry didn't require any further sweetness. It was crisp and tart, with extra sweetness from the apple filling and glaze.
"Did you make all of these?" North asked conversationally as she sat beside Chloe, who nodded before launching into the various processes required for baking the perfect cake. North wasn't exactly domestically inclined, but Markus was more than happy to lean around her to appreciate a fellow domestic. Technically, Chloe was a secretarial model first and foremost, but she'd had so many upgrades and programs installed that she could do pretty much anything and excel at it, besides combat. Elijah generally considered his home secure enough that he didn't need Chloe to be combat proficient.
Things were slow to wind down. Everyone was more than happy to remain sitting around the table long into the evening. It was only the fact that Hank and Connor were on the early shift, and Hank was quite a bit older than everyone else, that brought an end to the evening. Connor was good at spotting when Hank was flagging, and he'd had quite a day. He'd stood by and watched two procedures on two people he cared about, and he'd been gleefully entertaining Niles for the past few hours at the table, too. Connor was certain that Hank had been a wonderful father as he watched him tease and talk to Niles. His warm blue eyes were watchful, even as Niles hopped to his feet and hurried off down to the other end to say a few words to Elijah and Reed. Probably the joke Hank had just taught him. Connor's suspicions were confirmed moments later as the two humans laughed their appreciation. Reed ruffled his hair before he came rushing back.
"Hank, I believe it's time for us to go. You need rest before our shift tomorrow," Connor excused gently, trying not to pay attention to the way Niles gaze dropped forlornly at the thought of them leaving. Hank lowered his glass to the table in shock before looking at his watch. He was surprised. He hadn't realised how much time had passed.
"Eleven-thirty? Is that really the time?" he thought out loud, Connor chuckling as he confirmed it. He used to think it strange how Hank could forget the time, but since deviating, he finally understood it. Occasionally, if he was really focused on something, he could forget or ignore the passage of time himself. It had been alarming the first time he'd experienced it. He'd been so worried that he'd run an internal systems analysis, and then he'd contacted Simon to ask him about it. Apparently, Simon was no stranger to the feeling himself, and he'd confirmed that many androids had reported such lapses. It was increasingly normal. "Sorry, kiddo, we've got to head out," Hank said apologetically as he petted Niles' lowered head.
"Aww, can't you stay a little longer?" Niles complained as he looked up at Hank with his big brown eyes. Hank had always been a sucker for kids, and if it hadn't been for Connor getting to his feet, he probably would have caved. Niles tried the look on Connor, but his concern for Hank's wellbeing came first in this instance.
"Sorry, but hey, why don't you set a date with Connor and come to the house sometime? I'm sure Sumo would love to meet you," Hank invited warmly, catching Connor's pinched expression as Niles' face lit up. Hank almost looked smug as he looked at Connor, who gave him a look that clearly said they'd be having a talk about this later. Niles was too excited to be distracted though, his eager gaze shifting to Connor hopefully. Connor was terrible at disappointing people. He looked evasive as he pushed down a sigh.
"We can talk about it later," he compromised, quietly hoping that Niles' child brain would forget about it after a few days. Niles nodded his enthusiasm as he hopped up to latch onto Connor's waist tightly. Connor gave Hank a helpless look over Niles' head. How was he supposed to avoid hurting Niles if Hank started encouraging him? He'd been planning on spending less time with him, not more. Despite that, Connor didn't seem to be in too much of a hurry to end the hug. Niles seemed so small in his arms, his cheek nuzzling against his power core as if listening to the hum. Connor ran his fingers through his hair a few times before drawing back.
"Thank you for everything, Lieutenant Anderson," Niles said politely as he turned to him with a smile. Hank got to his feet with a groan and tugged on his jacket. He huffed in amusement as he looked down at Niles. The kid even had Connor's inflection when he said Lieutenant. He wasn't sure whether it was programmed or something he'd picked up from listening to Connor speak. Hank rumbled out a small chuckle as he ruffled his hair. It was just as soft as Cole's had been. Just as thick, too. Brunette.
"Any time, kid…any time," Hank replied softly, suddenly feeling overly sentimental. It still hit him sometimes. The loss. It didn't happen as much these days, but looking down at Niles was hard. He looked about the age Cole would have been if not for the accident. The big difference was his eyes. Niles had Connor's eyes. Gentle hazel with tiny flecks of amber. Cole had had his own gentle ocean blues. It was one of the things his wife had said she loved. He grunted as Niles' weight knocked his stomach, small arms wrapping around his larger waist. His expression softened as he returned the hug. Connor's gaze laced with sympathy as he read Hank's mood. "See you soon, alright?" Hank added as he drew back with a final ruffle of Niles' hair.
"Would you like us to drive you home?" Connor offered quietly as he looked at Colin, who nodded his agreement gratefully. They'd brought him, after all. Nines got to his feet, his LED spinning yellow as he embraced Connor and Colin with his usual hint of stiffness. Since the first three had already started the process, Markus suggested it was time for him and North to take Niles home. Niles put up no fight. Since Connor was gone, he was content to leave as well. He even seemed tired. Child androids were generally programmed to go to bed at around nine or ten, so staying up like this was unusual. Niles no longer had the formal programming, but he still followed his old habits.
"You're welcome to stay the night, all of you," Elijah offered kindly, his eyes lingering hopefully on Reed. Markus politely declined, knowing he was needed quite early for various meetings. Chloe and Elijah headed to the door to see the others off after Niles had hugged both Reed and Nines goodbye and thanked them for his drawings. Reed sighed tiredly as he leaned back in his chair and looked up at the dark sky above. The garden was lit up with bright lamps that evening, so he couldn't actually see the stars with the reflection on the glass.
"You're tired," Nines observed softly, resisting the sudden urge to reach out and touch Gavin's hair. Gavin turned his head with a small yawn.
"You got me," he replied in a sleepy contented tone, green eyes lingering a little longer than they probably should have on Nines' lips. He pushed himself up in his seat and ran a hand over his face. He must be tired. He only let his thoughts wander like that when he was tired or caught off guard. "You want to drive back, or should we stay here?" he asked, not having any particular feelings either way. Home was nice. Pipsqueak was there. He could lie on his own bed and Nines could put him to sleep. Elijah's home was also nice. He had a room there now. Nines would share the bed with him since it was so big. They'd left enough thirium that Pipsqueak would be fine until the next day.
"I think having you sleep as soon as possible would be preferable." Gavin assumed that meant they should stay at the mansion. He shrugged lightly before standing up and stretching, groaning in contentment. Now that he was standing, the wine was going straight to his head. He must have drunk more than he'd thought. He felt Nines' hand on his bicep to steady him. Elijah was just coming back to them when Nines led Gavin into the hall. Gavin was stumbling a little with each step.
"I didn't realise you were such a lightweight," Elijah teased, chuckling at the light slap on his shoulder the jibe earned him.
"Only because it's wine," Gavin excused drowsily, knowing he was going to regret everything in the morning. "Think I'll stay, if that's alright?" The brothers embraced as Elijah assured him it was more than fine. After saying goodnight, Gavin let Nines guide him up the pretentious glass staircase to their room. For once, it was the good memories guiding him to sleep. Nines' grateful expression as they'd gone down to the lab. Niles' bright smile as he'd coloured in the picture of Connor. The peaceful look on Connor's face as he'd slept with Niles in his arms. Nines' wide eyes as he'd tried his first human foods with the program fully active. The way he'd rolled his eyes as Gavin had teased Connor across the table. Elijah and Chloe's laughter as they'd spoken to North and Markus. Niles gleefully telling Hank's old jokes. Nines and Colin looking at each other quietly, their hand gestures and yellow LEDs the only outward indication they were communicating. Gavin barely managed to shrug out of his shirt and jeans before falling face down on the bed and closing his eyes.