Reed's foot was tapping nervously the whole way there. He'd found something to wear, at least. Chloe had stocked the wardrobes with expensive Levi jeans, designer tops and shirts. He'd tugged on a set of dark jeans and a plain looking long sleeved top that still looked modestly expensive. He'd then slipped into his new dress shoes with the excuse of breaking them in and tugged on his old leather jacket for comfort. He was grateful to find that Chloe had cleaned it up the night before. It had arrived tucked safely in one of their bags, still coated in Sandy's thirium. He didn't know when Chloe had taken it, but she'd probably had one of her doppelgangers collect it and work on cleaning it up the night before. Nines had opted to dress similarly, though his expensive top was a turtleneck to match his usual preferences. Reed could feel him watching as he stared out of the window.
Elijah was driving. They were in the large jeep again. It seemed to be his brother's choice of car for trips into town. He could feel his heart speeding up the closer they got to the Plaza, where the hotel stood tall in its own space behind the large mall. It was a fancy-looking glass block, the tallest building in the immediate area. The car rolled down to the underground garage and into a private section with a heavy metal shutter that slid down behind it. It was a large space, probably big enough for three limousines. Reed swallowed his nerves as he stepped out and looked around.
"This is the parking space for the penthouse, and the private elevator is just over here…We'll take it up to the ground floor of the hotel first. I want to introduce you to Joanna before your tour. She runs the place for us," Elijah explained as he led them across to the shiny metal doors and pressed the call button. They opened moments later. The lift had seen little use without residents upstairs. Chloe looped her arm through Elijah's as usual, and he naturally rested his hand on top. Reed shoved his hands in his pockets with a sense of dread settling in the pit of his stomach. The knot loosened a little as Nines stepped close enough for their arms to brush, reassuring him with his presence.
Stepping out of the elevator almost gave him a heart attack. He'd never been in a place like it. He'd seen it on TV before and looked at photos on the internet, but it was different to actually be standing in the cavernous entrance hall. Everything was marble, buffed and shiny, without a speck of dirt anywhere. The spinning glass doors were manned by two men in tuxedos and smart hats. Bellboys wearing red pushed brass trolleys of luggage through the entryway as men and women wearing expensive clothing strutted around like they owned the place. Reed had never felt so out of place, not even at his father's will reading.
Elijah led the way across to the front desk. They barely got halfway before a young blonde woman was hurrying out. She was dressed in a neat suit with a nametag that read Susie. She was all smiles and humble greetings as she shook Elijah's hand and welcomed him back, already getting ready to apologise for whatever had brought him all the way there. It was rare for him to turn up unannounced. She also wished them a Merry Christmas, which Elijah returned with an easy smile and gentle assurances he wasn't there on business, though he did need to see Joanna. He knew she'd be there. She always was during important holidays.
While his brother spoke to Susie and waited for Joanna, Reed wandered a little further off to better look around. There were four shiny elevators besides the private one they'd entered from, as well as a huge red-carpeted staircase for those feeling a little more energetic. There were guest toilets on one side for the events that regularly took place in the huge boardrooms, the restaurant on the ground floor, and the adjoining bar. The bar and restaurant stretched along the front windows, making the most of the view out onto the Plaza. It looked busy. Businessmen sat on bar stools, couples and families huddled at white covered tables, and neatly dressed staff rushed around with pads and plates.
"Gavin! Come and meet your manager!" Elijah called, startling him somewhat as he turned away from the busy closed off rooms. As he approached, he noticed a short woman who was likely in her late fifties or early sixties. She was wearing large, round glasses over her soft hazel eyes. The softness in her eyes was evened out by the sharp cut of her grey streaked hair and the soft wrinkles in her skin. He wasn't sure whether they came from frowning or laughing. "This is Joanna Reynolds, manager of The Maple Hotel. This is Gavin Reed. He's my brother, and the new owner of the building." Reed waited for the inevitable reproach, for the sneer that was sure to follow as Joanna looked him over.
"So, the old coot finally admitted it. Idiot should have done it sooner. I told him he was missing out, and look at this! Al would have dropped dead at the sight of you, son. You're the spitting image of him when he was your age…Maybe a little rougher around the edges, but…" she added in a voice that Reed hadn't heard since the days he'd thundered around his grandmother's house. It wasn't the same voice, of course, but it held the same gruff fondness. Reed's anxiety almost melted away as the stout woman continued to peer up at him, saying how he had his father's eyes, too. This woman had been raised downtown. He could tell. She had that earthy gruffness that he and Tina had acquired, and yet she didn't seem a bit out of place in the grand entrance hall. Much like Reed at the police station, she'd carved her place there, and damned whatever anyone else thought about it.
"Uh, thanks Mrs Reynolds. I'm aware," Reed stammered in an almost bashful tone. He was surprised at how warmly he'd been greeted. Elijah seemed almost smug as he watched Joanna scoff, amused as Reed looked worried that he'd offended her. She was imposing even though she barely reached his chest, standing at around four foot five. She was dressed neatly in a pantsuit. Elijah had only seen her in a skirt once since he'd been there, and even then the skirt had reached below her knees and she'd worn thick black tights. She was wearing her usual low-heeled shoes. She didn't have any problem with her height. No one would dare mention it after all these years.
"Mrs Reynolds my ass, you call me Joanna, son." She seemed to enjoy the nervous energy that Reed was giving off. Chloe couldn't hide her mirth as Joanna caught sight of Nines standing stiffly behind Reed. "And who is this mountain of gorgeousness?" Chloe giggled loudly, especially when she saw Nines' silvery eyes widen a fraction. He seemed startled and somewhat flustered. He wasn't blushing, but his lips had twitched just a little at the attention. Reed smirked openly as he eyed Nines, thinking he'd just found his new favourite nickname. Joanna stepped closer, examining Nines carefully through her large glasses. The fact he was an android didn't seem to bother her one iota.
"My name is Nines," he introduced politely, accepting the small, fragile hand that was offered. He was surprised by the strength in her grip. His LED stuttered blue with the occasional blip of yellow as she looked him over with an impressed air. Reed was almost worried that Nines was about to short-circuit at the attention.
"But Mountain of Gorgeousness works, too," Reed insisted with mirth. Chloe couldn't hold back another giggle as Nines all but glared at him. Joanna decided that Nines would be just fine and launched into a speech about how she'd never come across such a strong-looking android before. Nines could list many models that had a larger body mass than his own, but since Joanna wasn't a construction worker, she had likely never come across such androids before. They were still quite rare to see, even after the revolution. Due to their strength and imposing size, they'd been among the first to be decommissioned during the revolution.
"Where's Roland today?" Chloe asked curiously as she looked around the entrance hall expectantly. It was unusual to see one without the other these days. She knew for a fact that they always worked the same shift. Elijah seemed somewhat surprised as well, though the hotel seemed quite busy. It was Christmas season, so quite a few tourists had flown in to make the most of it. Joanna hummed as she looked around briefly.
"Oh, I'm sure he's around here somewhere, dear. Could be up in The Sky Restaurant. They mentioned being a man down today." Reed found it odd that she didn't keep track of her employees. It made sense once Chloe piped up about how Roland was Joanna's husband and they more or less ran things together. Joanna was the one in charge, but Roland helped with her day-to-day duties these days. She didn't mention that it was due to her getting older. She knew that wouldn't go down well. "You're more than welcome to go looking for him, of course. He's always pleased to see you, dear," Joanna added gruffly, which sent Chloe off to the elevators with a skip in her step as Elijah chuckled.
"She doesn't get to see him often these days. We've been terribly busy with Cyberlife," Elijah excused, which Joanna understood. There was a little more polite conversation before he suggested that a tour for Reed and Nines was in order. Joanna saw to it, leaving them with Susie as a guide while she and Elijah went to talk business. It never hurt to get updated on things, and he needed to sort out the new paperwork anyway, making sure the shift of things into Reed's name went smoothly and such. They'd need him for signatures later, but for now, he was content to let him go exploring.
"As you can see, this is the reception. The ground floor bar and restaurant are just through there and, of course, you're free to use them at any time. No charge." Reed supposed that made sense since he owned the place. He doubted he'd use it much though. Getting stared at by a bunch of rich folks wasn't exactly his idea of a relaxing meal. Susie led them up the grand staircase, giving him the chance to look at things from a new vantage point at the top. The next floor was mostly shops, a gymnasium, and a pool, all overlooking the main entrance, where a chandelier hung down with warm golden lights. It was fancy as hell. The last place he'd ever expected himself to end up living. He couldn't believe he was even considering it.
The shops sold hotel branded items that guests could buy as gifts, though they were also free to remove the robes and towels from their rooms as desired. Phcking rich people! It probably made sense to throw free stuff like that at them. Free stuff meant free advertising. It would be of high quality too, no doubt. There was a toy shop, a bookstore, and luxury item stores that paid for space within the hotel for easy access to customers. A tailor, cobbler, and laundrette for those businessmen who needed emergency services. A hairdresser for the same reason, along with a day-care and spa. Up on the next few floors were rooms. Susie led them out onto the sixth floor to show them both a twin and a double room. They were the cheapest options, but still spacious and luxurious compared to anything Reed had ever seen before.
As they went higher, the rooms got larger and fancier. Family rooms with multiple bedrooms for children. Guest suites where more than one couple or family could stay with adjoining rooms and living spaces. Honeymoon suites with low lighting and romantic atmospheres. The views were also more and more breath-taking as they went up. More and more of the city became visible, sprawling out below them. They couldn't go any higher than the thirty-sixth floor, since that was where the hotel ended and the penthouse began. The thirty-sixth floor opened out into a bar with a garden terrace and a large restaurant, which Reed assumed was The Sky Restaurant Joanna had mentioned earlier. He caught sight of Chloe out on the terrace talking to a tall blonde man that Gavin assumed must have been Joanna and Roland's son. He didn't bother to disturb her, opting instead to accept Susie's offer to return to reception.
Back in reception Reed found himself ushered through to a large office, where Elijah and Joanna were sitting, drinking whiskey as they pored over various papers. They'd been waiting for his return so that they could get his signature and banking details. He felt his head spin as he realised that this was really happening. He was really being handed a business. A business he had no idea how to run, though that clearly wasn't a problem with Joanna on the case. He didn't want the responsibility of it, and he cared about the money even less. He'd never wanted anything from his father. He resented the man. Nines clearly saw no issue with it. He listed off Reed's banking details without missing a beat. Reed didn't even want to know how weak his bank's security was that Nines had gotten the details in less than a minute.
"I recorded the information many months ago while cleaning your apartment. You never secure your documentation without reminders," Nines replied in a chiding tone, enjoying the way Reed stammered his objections, and Joanna laughed out loud. She joked that they were like a married couple. Reed shoved his hands in his pockets and almost pouted at the comparison. Nines' gaze was warm as he looked across at him, offering no argument or correction to the comparison. Reed signed the papers reluctantly, his expression showing his uncertainty as Joanna made a copy and handed them to Elijah, who said he'd hold on to them for the time being. Reed nodded and Elijah handed the penthouse keys to Nines, opting to stay downstairs with Joanna to give them the space and privacy to look around.
"Phck, I can't live here! Look at this phcking place! It's the sort of place billionaires go to kick back and relax after a long day of doing sweet phck all! I shouldn't even be in this building!" Reed exclaimed as soon as they were alone in the elevator. Their elevator. It only stopped on four floors. B1, the private garage. 1, the reception and entrance hall. 36, The Sky Restaurant and Rooftop Bar, and 37, The Hamilton Penthouse. The ride up was a little slow, giving Nines ample opportunity to give him a small frown in response to his self-deprecating words.
"You are now a millionaire yourself, and brother to Elijah Kamski. You have also spent the majority of your adulthood protecting and serving this city…I believe you are fully deserving of everything on offer," Nines stated shamelessly, and Reed couldn't think of many comebacks to that. Not when Nines was looking down at him with such earnest sincerity. Not when his blue eyes were darting between his lips and his eyes like that. Not when he suddenly realised how alone they were in the elevator, which suddenly felt much smaller.
"Half-brother, and don't go saying shit like that! Phck, I don't know how to be one of those people!" He sighed anxiously as he looked away and ran a stressed hand through his hair. Nines didn't question him about who those people were. He'd observed the manners of the wealthy while residing in Elijah's home. He had noticed a certain entitlement in their manner that he was well aware Reed would never be able to replicate, not that he thought that he should. He liked the idea of Reed as a millionaire. His uncaring and humble nature when it came to wealth, suited the role. He would never hold it above anyone else because he'd been at the bottom of the chain. Without Elijah's management, Nines was quite certain that he would happily give away the majority of his newfound wealth and return to that small, shabby apartment, living on a detective's wage.
"No one said you have to be…I like you very much as Detective Gavin Reed." Nines smirked at the way Reed clammed up at the admission. Before he could retort, the doors slid open to reveal a small marble entrance hall. This was a security measure to allow cleaning staff, hotel staff, and mailmen entry to the level. There was a grand metal security door, which Nines unlocked with a press of his hand, and then a strong wooden door within that. Nines unlocked it with the key and led the way inside, where a beeping started. He deactivated the security system as Reed walked into the space, open-mouthed. Nines remained silent, allowing him to stumble into the large living area with a look of disbelief.
It almost reminded him of Elijah's place with its massive glass walls overlooking the city, but the modern colour scheme was white and cream with warm woods instead of steel, black, and charcoal grey. He almost hated the fact that he liked his father's choices better. The glass wall extended around the whole floor except the back wall. The floor above was hidden from view by a solid white ceiling, lit with scattered spotlights. There was a social seating area to the right with a curved cream sofa big enough for ten or eleven people, along with a couple of armchairs and a low glass table. There was a wooden bar, fully stocked, with white seated metal stools running along it in a neat row. A more intimate seating area was just ahead and to the left. One of the sofas had been set up to overlook the sprawling city. He could see Cyberlife Tower in the distance and wondered if his father had often sat in that space wondering what his son was up to over there.
There was an open kitchen along the back wall with white cupboards and counters in soft wooden hues. He watched Nines head over to explore and followed, leaning on the wooden breakfast bar, which sat overlooking the city at a different angle. A designer floating staircase made of wood ran up over the kitchen to another part of that house that Reed wasn't quite ready to face just yet. He was too stunned by all the space on the bottom floor. He almost groaned as he turned and saw the jacuzzi. A phcking jacuzzi! A big square one. Built right into the glass. You could sit there and look out over the city and lower patio. He heard Nines chuckle before appearing at his side.
"You are overwhelmed." Reed nodded his agreement. He was definitely floored. Hearing the word penthouse was a lot different to actually seeing it in person. There was a door in the bar that led out onto a veranda, and Reed decided he could use some air as he led the way across the room. Nines followed quietly behind, letting him take it all in. He helpfully unlocked the sliding door and Reed stepped out onto the beige tiled flooring, glad that there was a table and chairs helpfully sheltered by a large cream canopy umbrella. The chairs were strong wood with padded cream seating. Really comfortable. He sighed as he leaned back into one of them, closing his eyes for a few moments. This was too much. It was really too much. "It is a lovely home," Nines prompted as he took a seat beside him.
"Yeah, but…phck, Nines, it's so-it's just-it's really…It's a lot, alright?" Reed sighed as he rubbed his tired eyes and looked around the large tiled patio, which was almost as large as the indoor area. To their right was a pool, because of course there is…It had been covered with a weatherproof casing to protect it during the winter months, and the loungers were also stacked and covered. There were planters of usually leafy plants circling the edge of the patio. It was winter, so the plants were currently quite bare. Reed shivered in the fresh, wintery air. It was cold, though the sun had melted the snow that had once covered the tiled surface. The sky had been blue and clear that day, though it was rapidly beginning to darken as the sun lowered on the edge of the city.
"Shall we enjoy the sunset before exploring upstairs?" Nines suggested as he noted the tones of pink and gold filling the distant sky as the sun slowly sank. Reed nodded his agreement, turning his chair to face the city. The sun was bouncing off Cyberlife Tower, the glare a lot less blinding in the growing dimness. The sky above their heads was a deep blue, gradually fading as the large golden orb sank in the distance. It always surprised him how quickly it happened. The lower the sun sank, the faster it seemed to fade. He shifted his green eyes to Nines, who sat unblinking as if he'd never seen a sunset before. Perhaps he hadn't. He was young, even by android standards. It was entirely possible that he'd never watched one because it hadn't seemed important to do so.
Rather than watching the view of the city, Reed found himself entranced by the unblinking figure at his side. If Nines noticed his gaze, he didn't let on. He looked perfect in the dimming light. Mountain of Gorgeousness was a pretty apt description for Nines. His freckled skin was pale and flawless, without a single scrape or scar. He had a couple of beauty marks, the same as his brothers'. He also had the delicate dimple sitting in his cheek, but it wasn't too visible when his skin was lax. He had long eyelashes, elegantly formed eyebrows, and pale pink lips. Reed watched the light pass across his face. His dark brown hair seemed to get darker as the light faded and shadows chased across his pale skin.
"I have never observed a sunset…The light is aesthetically pleasing, and the colours are quite…beautiful," Nines murmured after a while, silvery eyes still chasing the last hints of gold on the sprawling horizon. Reed glanced at the sight himself, seeing a few clouds dyed pink and purple as the sky faded to a darker shade of blue. A few small stars had appeared as the lights of the city below began twinkling to life. Reed returned his gaze to Nines, who was still watching the changing colours.
"Yeah, it is." Nines' eyes finally blinked and shifted to regard him almost warmly. "Come on, let's finish looking around," Reed sighed in resignation as he returned the chair to the table, deciding to take a quick walk around the patio. Nines joined him in looking out over the city and pointed out a second smaller balcony up on the next floor, which had a staircase leading up to the rooftop. Reed assumed that was for the helipad his brother mentioned. The roof was certainly large enough for it. They re-entered the living area and Reed shivered as Nines shut the door.
"You will be pleased to hear that this penthouse makes use of the same underfloor heating installed in Elijah's home. The glass walls will not affect the inner temperature," Nines stated as they headed across to the fancy floating staircase. Reed knew it was some fancy architectural thing probably involving glass or clear plastic, but he didn't care. To him, it was the fancy floating staircase, and he didn't want to know how it worked. He almost felt like a kid in a VR game as he walked up. Each plank seemed to hover in place. There were metal rails installed on either side to prevent any accidents.
The floor above was more private and enclosed. The staircase opened up into a spacious hallway with multiple doors. They started on the left, heading to the end room on the corner overlooking the patio. Inside was a modest gymnasium with a few machines. There were weights, a running machine, a cycling machine, some mats for sparring, a punching bag, and a few other items he hadn't really used before. One wall was covered with mirrors while the other two were glass, overlooking the city and the lower patio. The back wall with the door was just plain white, with a few picture hooks left behind. It was a nice space. It would be useful if he ever had some steam to blow off during a tough case.
The room opposite was one of the bedrooms. It was big, though not as large as the one at Elijah's house. It lacked the living area since there was plenty of space downstairs, but it was still big for a bedroom. It came with one of the massive emperor sized beds that Elijah was so drawn to. One wall was made of glass, with long white curtains drawn across it. The other walls were a faded cream. It also had its own bathroom, complete with a walk-in shower and a luxury free standing bathtub with brass feet. The taps were ornate and matched the large marble sink and massive mirror. The tiles were white in this room, which kept things bright considering the obvious lack of windows.
Beside the gymnasium was a second bedroom, which was pretty much the same as the first, except there was a large balcony above the jacuzzi in the living room that overlooked the lower patio on the right. There was a small table and chairs where someone could sit and have breakfast looking out at the city, and a stone staircase leading up to the rooftop. Reed led the way out to look around the large space and took a brief look up top to confirm his suspicions about the helipad. Nines joined him and looked out at the gradually brightening city. More and more lights were blinking on as people got home.
"This will be your room…I can bring you breakfast during the warmer months and you can eat outside," Nines said as he rested a hand on the back of a wooden chair. Reed let out a small huff as he led the way back inside. It seemed that Nines had already decided that they would move in. Honestly, he wasn't sure he could turn him down if that's what he wanted. He didn't say anything as he drew the thick curtains across the glass wall and doors, hiding the city from view. They were blackout curtains, so they blocked the light almost completely.
There was a cosier living space across from that bedroom. Only the far wall was glass, with the same heavy white curtains. There was a large TV on one wall and a cosy sofa and chairs. This was clearly the main living area, while the lower floor was more for entertaining guests and having parties. This space was far cosier and more intimate. He could easily see himself curled up on the sofa with Pipsqueak on his chest. There was even a massive, open space where they could put the luxury cat tree that Nines had bought. The cream would fit right in with the cosy colour scheme.
"This room is nice." Reed crossed the room and tried out the sofa. It was as comfortable and luxurious as it looked. He felt pretty hesitant about trying it properly. He didn't want to ruin it or anything. The whole place felt way too grand for him to be in. The only time he'd usually get to see a place like this was on a case, and cases involving murder this high up were rare for the DPD. Generally, they'd skip the local police and go straight to the FBI.
"There is one more room," Nines stated as they headed out. Beside the living room was a large office, and only one of the walls here was made of glass. There were bookcases lining the side wall, a large desk and leather chair at the far end, and a small seating area where two people could sit for a lunch meeting. There was more than enough space to add in a second desk and chair so that they could both work together on a case. Phck, he's got me doing it now! I'm already making plans! Reed could picture the second desk set up on the side by the door so they could work separately, back to back, with the break space between them overlooking the city. "There is ample space for any case related files in this room," Nines observed as he looked at the wall of empty shelves. It would also fit all the books they owned between them.
"You're not wrong." Reed definitely liked the second floor more than the first. He could actually see himself living on the second floor with Nines and Pipsqueak, but does that justify us living here? We could find a smaller place without all the bells and whistles that would be just as comfortable…But he was pretty sure that Nines was pleased with the penthouse. He could probably get used to the first floor and the unnecessary space. The added security was nice, too. Both Nines and Elijah had said the security system was second to none. He wouldn't have to worry about his safety while sleeping. The Hickory Killer would have a hard time getting to him all the way up here. "What do you think though? Don't you think this place is a little…big?" he asked as he took a seat at the small table and gestured around the room.
"It is far smaller than Elijah's home, the precinct, and Cyberlife Tower…however you are correct that it is larger than Lieutenant Anderson's home and your shoebox." Nines' lips quirked as Reed let out a chuckle of agreement. The problem was that he'd always been perfectly happy in his shoebox. His apartment was small and cosy, with everything he needed. It wasn't practical now that he was going to be living with Nines, though. Not unless they shared his bed. But that hardly justifies the wasted space…
"Yeah, but when would we even use the space downstairs? We'd just eat there and spend all our time up here." From Nines expression, he could tell that he didn't have a problem with that. He pointed out that Elijah's home was even more spacious, and on every visit they'd only known Elijah and Chloe to use the smaller living area, conservatory, laboratory, and whatever bedroom they slept in upstairs. Most of the house was left empty. That's Eli though, I'm not the same type of person. I don't like just…having room.
"We could always redesign the space and create more usable areas…A DIY space of some sort, or a small mechanics laboratory for my use…Perhaps there are some human amusements you would like to install. The space doesn't have to be wasted." That was something Reed hadn't even considered. This would be Nines' home as much as his own. It made sense that he'd want some of the space for himself. What use would Nines have for a gymnasium besides helping him train? Did he really need an office, considering he was a walking computer? And where would he recharge? They hadn't seen a charging station. They'd need to install things like that.
"You're right…We could add an android spa or something. You and your brothers could get plastic facials and have your casing buffed or whatever it is you guys do to pretty yourselves up." Nines smirked appreciatively at the idea. He hummed thoughtfully, something almost predatory entering his silvery gaze as he fixed his eyes on Reed. Reed found himself swallowing as Nines stepped a little closer and raised his chin in an overly familiar manner.
"I like that idea…Perhaps we could have a scantily clad human slave serve us thirium cocktails and massage our synthetic flesh." He was tempted to reach around and squeeze Gavin's neck in a way he knew would make him melt. He enjoyed the way his pupils dilated at the suggestion, his vitals suggesting that he very much approved of the idea on some level. Nines quietly hoped that it was only his own synthetic flesh that Gavin was thinking about. The thought of sharing Gavin's affections with his brothers was unappealing. Gavin's bottom lip twitched as Nines' thumb brushed along it. The touch made him blink and cough awkwardly.
"Is that your secret android plan? Now you're free, you're going to overthrow humanity and put us in our place?" He knew by now that androids had no such plans. In his experience, they were a lot more reasonable than humans, likely because they'd been on that end of the chain and didn't wish it on anybody else. If anything, that made him think that androids were perhaps too good for them. Nines smirked as he leaned down to cage Gavin against his chair playfully.
"Now that you've uncovered our ultimate goal, I cannot allow you to leave this room alive…unless, of course, you agree to become my slave." He knew exactly what his words were doing to Gavin as he stared up at him. He didn't have to look to know his jeans had tightened at the idea. Gavin huffed and shoved his shoulders, covering his arousal with amusement and bravado as he got to his feet. "It's not a bad deal…I would take good care of you." Both of them knew that was absolutely true.
"You wouldn't want me as a slave. We both know I'm a disobedient little shit," Gavin joked lightly as he led the way to the door. Nines openly smirked at his back. He knew for a fact that was untrue. He'd been very obedient, even docile, in Aaron's memory file. He'd also proven his submissive nature on the numerous occasions he'd openly asked Nines to make decisions for him. That wasn't always true, of course. Their argument the day before had proven that, but it was largely a fact that Gavin was an excellent submissive. Nines had conducted extensive research on the subject.
"I would still accept you…I would simply need to give you extensive training." Nines enjoyed the shiver he noticed run down Gavin's spine as he led the way down the floating steps and into the living area. "We could design and install a training room in this area, overlooking the city." He enjoyed how Gavin's vitals continued to give him positive feedback even as he flustered. Nines was already searching through various sites for options for such a space. Connor had often told him it didn't hurt to fantasise. He'd never really understood it until now.
"If I didn't know better, I'd say you'd hit your horny teenage years!" Gavin huffed as they entered the elevator. Nines looked up the phrase to make sense of it. That may not be too inaccurate a description. Since he'd now experienced sexual pleasure, he found part of his programming dedicated to those sensations, preconstructing various methods to experience them again. Most of those preconstructions involved Gavin's participation, for which he would require his consent. Consent he would likely refuse. Perhaps Connor can assist in explaining my inability to deviate and how that might affect a romantic relationship…I do very much want to experience such an attachment.