This was my piece for the Xmas Exchange Quicky. (A 2023 seasonal event for the Detroit Become Human, Supernatural and Genshin Impact fandoms.)
I hope you enjoy reading! Please review!
Much love!
Gavin fiddled with the cuff of his shirt as he looked in the mirror wondering if it was the right choice. It was red. A dark crimson shade. Not his usual choice, and not something he wore very often, but it was one of the few dress shirts he owned. His scarred nose wrinkled as he turned this way and that, buttoning the collar to the top and tucking it in. He untucked it with a sigh before tucking it again and raising his arms to loosen the waist a little. Is it too much? This is only a pretend date to get him started...He wasn't sure where Nines was taking him, so it made sense to dress up just in case. He still wasn't sure as he ran a hand through his hair, which was already escaping the gel he'd put in earlier, as it always did.
Hearing a small trill and a thud, he looked across at the small vanity by the wall, smiling at the familiar sight of fluffy, golden fur and big green eyes. The small cat sat primly, back straight, front paws together, and fluffed tail coiled around its feet. For once, the tubes of moisturiser and bottles of cologne escaped its wrath and remained standing in a neat row along the back. Gavin clicked his tongue softly as he walked over and tickled its small head, prompting the fluffy menace to stand, meowing for attention.
"What do you think? Too much?" He wasn't sure if the next mewl was an argument or agreement. The cat padded back and forth, accepting long strokes along its back and tickles around its ears until the front door rang, prompting them both to stop and look. "Here we go..." His chest leapt again, sending nausea coiling through his insides. This isn't even a real date! He wasn't sure if that made it better or worse.
As he hurried through, he checked that everything was in order. He'd cleaned after getting home that afternoon, having worked a half day to cover Miller's vacation. The small kitchenette was clean and tidy, with all the usual plates and cutlery put away in the cupboard and drawers. In the living area, the usual books and magazines had been neatly stacked or returned to the small bookcase, the coffee table had been cleaned and dusted, and the floor had been vacuumed. His jackets were hung on the stand by the door and his shoes were lined up against the wall. He'd even cleaned his bedroom and bathroom, though he knew Nines wouldn't see those.
"Hey, come on in, I'm almost ready," Gavin greeted as he pulled the door open and did his best not to stare too much. Nines didn't look much different from a normal workday. His hair was in the same neat style, with that dumb little curl over his left eye, and he was dressed in black. The difference was he'd exchanged the usual high-collared shirt for a softer cashmere top with a rollneck. It clung to his body beneath his blazer, resting tight over his abs and pecs. Nines gave the smallest of smiles as he stepped inside and held out a bouquet of red roses, which Gavin took with surprise. "Oh, you already researched gifts! You usually don't bring flowers for guys, but girls love that shit."
"I'll keep that in mind. Here, I also brought these," Nines added in his usual smooth tone as he pulled a colourful little packet from his inner pocket. He barely needed to shake it once before the sound of pattering paws joined them. Gavin huffed fondly as he watched his cat approach with caution, green eyes thinning to assess the newcomer. Unlike humans, there was no scent to pick up to get a feel for this being. Still cradling the roses against his chest, Gavin led the way into the small kitchen. He didn't actually have a vase, which would probably be a problem.
"Smooth, very smooth," he chuckled as he set the flowers down and opened one of the higher cupboards to search through his glasses. He didn't have too many, but there was a heavy, two pint tankard somewhere. A novelty item he'd picked up somewhere in college. He never drank out of it, and had always considered it a bit of a waste.
"It's a commonly known fact that a way to a man's heart is through his feline." Gavin snorted as he grabbed the heavy glass down by the handle and filled it halfway. It was the only glass he thought would even come close to holding the roses without falling over. Glancing down at his cat, he was pleased to see that Nines had been accepted. The cat was currently resting its small paws on his knee, big eyes longingly gazing at the packet in his hand.
"I never even told you I have a cat!" He wasn't about to ask how he knew. It was probably more of that android mumbo-jumbo. Scanners, laser vision, spyware, stuff like that. The quirk of Nines' lips suggested he knew what he was thinking.
"The cat hair on your clothes gave it away." Well, at least that was better than spying on him through his computer. Unsure what he was supposed to do, Gavin tried to drop the whole bouquet in the tall glass before Nines finally chuckled and nudged him aside. Gavin went easily and watched as Nines set down the treats and opened the roses to remove them from the paper wrapping.
"You're already ahead of the last guy. Taffy hated him! She hissed and scarpered off beneath the sofa whenever he came within three feet of her...Turns out she's a good judge of character." Gavin watched with a far off look as Nines carefully arranged the roses in the glass. When he was done, they actually looked pretty good, like a florist had put them together. Unsatisfied with being ignored, Taffy hopped on the counter with an insistent meow and pawed the unopened treats.
"I take it your previous relationship was unsuccessful," Nines said questioningly as he stroked Taffy's long fur, finding it soft and silky against his sensors. It was a most pleasant sensation. He could understand why humans liked these furry felines. The low rumbling sound was also a delightful reward, showing the small creature's satisfaction as it butted his fingers.
"You could say that...Things were going fine for a month before the asshole hit me." Taffy's large eyes seemed to sharpen a little, tail swishing as if she understood the topic of conversation. Nines' silvery eyes were positively owlish, LED blinking red before settling to yellow. "Only happened once though. I showed him the door after that...I've seen too many domestic abuse cases come across my desk to deal with that." Nines nodded distractedly, searching his memory banks to figure out when it could have happened. There was a time barely three months ago when Gavin had come to work with a bruise at the corner of his jaw, just below his cheekbone. Scans had revealed it to have come from a fist, however Gavin had claimed he'd been in an altercation at a bar the night before. Such things were rare, but not unheard of, so he'd let the matter drop. "So, where are we going? Am I dressed right? I wasn't sure how formal to go..."
"You look lovely." Gavin snickered a little at that. Lovely wasn't usually a word associated with Gavin Reed. "Handsome?" Nines added, pleased as Gavin nodded his satisfaction.
"Handsome is better when dating a guy." Though it was a compliment he rarely received. It wasn't that his dates put him down, but discussing looks just wasn't something that came up. Not unless they were drilling him about his scars. "You could always pick out something you like, too. Hey, that turtleneck looks really good on you!" It was just an example, but it wasn't a lie. Nines did look good in the turtleneck. He also seemed pleased with the compliment, running a hand down his chest and tugging the waistline.
"Thank you...The red of your shirt was a truly festive choice." Gavin snorted again, wondering if that was good or bad. It wasn't even December yet.
"Needs a little work," he teased as he led the way to the coat rack. Taffy gave an indignant mewl at being forgotten, still pawing the sealed packet on the counter. "You literally just ate!" Gavin argued, prompting Taffy to hop down and scurry across to meow at his feet, brushing his legs and leaving long hair clinging to the black material. "I swear, your stomach is like a trashcan!" Nines watched from his place by the door as Gavin returned to the kitchen and put the sealed packet of treats away. Instead, he grabbed an open packet and a small plastic toy. Taffy mewled in anticipation as Gavin filled the small, swaying toy and put it on the wooden floor for her to bat around. "Don't break anything while I'm gone!" She had her treats, so hopefully that would placate her.
"I brought my car," Nines said as they headed to the elevator. Gavin lived in a surprisingly well-kept building. Upon first meeting him and seeing how he acted, Nines had expected him to live in a more rundown part of town, but he'd recently moved with his promotion to Sergeant. Things had shuffled around somewhat since the revolution and the loss of many android staff. Gavin had more than proven his worth over the years, holding things together and stepping in when Hank was giving less than his best. A promotion to Sergeant was the least he deserved.
"Chivalry, nice! Girls love that shit!" Gavin praised as Nines led the way out, holding the door for him as they went. He also opened the passenger door of his car when they got there. Gavin hadn't even realised Nines drove before. On cases, they always used his car, which was old and battered compared to this one. It was a black Mercedes, a practical choice, if a little showy. It wasn't the sort of car you could use on a stakeout, but it was a good company car. "So, where are we going?" Gavin asked as he buckled in, watching Nines do that same with his usual precision. He wasn't sure how he made clicking a seatbelt look hot, but he did.
"There is a new restaurant in the Plaza Mall I thought we could try." That was good. It sounded like Nines had put some thought into the date. Gavin was pretty sure whoever he used these skills on in the future would be pretty happy. He'd checked all the boxes so far. He'd arrived on time, brought gifts, opened doors, offered compliments, dressed right, and he was doing well with conversation so far, too. It was a little depressing that the best date he'd been on in months was with an android co-worker who'd tricked him.
Once they arrived, Nines parked and circled round to open his door before walking him into the elevator with a firm hand on the small of his back. They rode up seven floors, the highest in the mall, and Nines guided him out into the busy restaurant area. There were many establishments, with a mixture of price ranges and formality. The one Nines led him to looked like the fanciest of the lot. A suited man was waiting by the door to check their reservation and hand them off to a young server. The young lady saw them to a cosy table by the window, which had a view that went all the way to the river and across into Canada.
The lighting was low and intimate, the surrounding voices hushed. A small candle sat in a frosted holder on the heavy tablecloth, complete with place settings of silver cutlery, a side plate, and a cotton napkin rolled in a silver ring. It was the sort of place that made Gavin nervous. This wasn't his scene at all, but he could see why Nines would choose it. It was just the sort of place that would sweep a young lady off her feet. Expensive, classy, intimate. Everything one might dream of. The server arrived with iced water and menus, though her eyes rested hesitantly on Nines' LED.
"Um, I'm afraid the only thirium options we have are in the drinks section." From her hesitancy, Gavin assumed it was an apology she'd had to make a few times since opening. It wasn't exactly unheard of. Thirium food was still fairly new on the market and a lot of places either hadn't caught up or remained mostly human oriented. As long as they had at least one thirium item on the menu, there was no rule that said they had to provide more. Nines seemed unsurprised, which suggested he'd already seen the menu ahead of time.
"Why did you choose this place if there's nothing for you to eat?" Gavin asked as the server left, green eyes following to make sure she didn't hear them. Nines seemed less than concerned as he set the leather-bound book aside.
"My body doesn't require nourishment." Gavin could have slapped a hand over his face at Nines' cluelessness.
"Nines, you don't just go on a date to eat! It's about the experience of being together...How do you think most people would feel about sitting at a table eating while their date has no food?" Nines blinked curiously. He'd never considered it to be a problem. He often sat with nothing while Gavin ate lunch, so why was it an issue with dinner? Or was it that Gavin knew it would bother other people even though it didn't bother him? Perhaps this would be useful information to look into for future reference.
"I never considered it would be an issue...I can order something if that would make you feel better?" Gavin shook his head.
"That would just be wasting food." A good point. "It doesn't really bother me, but keep it in mind for an actual date, alright?" Nines nodded as he leaned his chin on his hand, lips quirking at the thought of an actual date. It was almost like Gavin didn't think he was taking this one seriously. It was sweet that he was going to so much effort to ensure his future success. Much of his advice was very useful, particularly this latest piece with the food.
He couldn't help but notice that Gavin seemed less than comfortable in this setting. Perhaps that was another oversight on his part. He'd chosen this restaurant because it was somewhere new he felt Gavin wouldn't have tried yet, but he'd never considered the setting might be one that Gavin would avoid. It verged on upper class, something Gavin avoided at all costs. His shoulders seemed a little stiff as he leaned his chin on his hand and scanned the menu with wary green eyes. The menu seemed to bring about another problem. He was having trouble settling on anything.
"Is everything alright?" Nines asked quietly, watching Gavin's stress level spike a little. He didn't want to say anything, but he knew he was taking a little time to choose.
"Y-yeah, I'm just not too big on seafood." Nines' silvery eyes widened a little at that. He certainly hadn't noticed any allergies in his file. That's one of the reasons he'd settled on this place. "I don't really like fish..." That didn't sound right. He often saw him order tuna sandwiches and pasta, and he'd eaten fish and chips at least once before. It was true he seemed more partial to dishes containing chicken or beef, but he'd thought that might be price related. Certain seafood items were on the expensive side.
"You eat tuna."
"Processed tuna doesn't count! It's basically cat food!" At least he admitted it was an insult to fish everywhere. "It tastes way different, and the texture is better." Nines would argue the texture was worse, but he understood Gavin had his preferences. Unfortunately, that meant he'd made a slight faux pas in bringing him to a primarily seafood based restaurant. "Don't worry though, I'm sure a lot of potential dates would love this place!" It was endearing how he immediately jumped to making him feel better rather than worrying about what he'd eat.
"My apologies. I checked your file for allergies, but overlooked your preferences..." What Gavin liked to eat simply hadn't come up in conversation before. They usually stuck to talking about work, which was one of the reasons he'd been so keen to lure him out on this date. The fact that Nines had looked at his file wasn't surprising; in fact, it was a little refreshing to know he wasn't perfect, and he'd made a mistake.
"Hey, don't worry about it! This is just practice, right? Now you know what to do with a proper date. If I plan a date, I usual throw out a few options or ask what type of food they like first." That did sound like a sensible option. Watching Gavin chew his lip, Nines couldn't help wondering what his preferences were. His gaze lingered somewhat over the steaks, but pinched at the price. He didn't usually like to be that guy and order the most expensive thing on the menu, but with almost everything else being seafood, he wasn't left with much choice.
"The filet mignon seems an appropriate choice," Nines suggested gently, almost like he was giving permission. That was great and all, but it was almost sixty dollars! He'd been on complete dates that costed that much! He hadn't even ordered a drink yet. The server returned before he could reply, at which point Nines took over the ordering. He ordered bread for the table, a bottle of red wine he'd read went well with steak, a glass of thirium for himself, and Gavin's steak, cooked medium rare. Gavin felt a lot better once he had a glass in his hand and something to keep his mouth busy. The view was nice at least, twinkling lights and the river. "Thank you for coming tonight."
"You won the bet, fair and square." If he didn't know better, he'd swear he'd cheated. No one else besides Cyberlife's finest could have hit six perfect headshots through the same hole within five seconds. Nines smirked at the memory. Gavin's face had been quite something. He'd even insisted on digging all the warped bullets out of the wall to prove they'd gone through.
"You could have refused to come."
"Sure, I could have done that, but I'm a man of my word...Besides, someone has to show you the ropes when it comes to dating." It was sweet that Gavin assumed he needed to be taught. Their date likely wasn't perfect, but he knew enough from research to know the basics of what he was supposed to do. The most challenging part was adapting those basics to apply to Gavin. For example, his dislike of seafood was something he really should have found out about beforehand. At least he seemed to have guessed his choice of wine correctly. He didn't drink wine often, but he didn't mind when it was paired with the right food.
Luckily, the rest of the dinner segment went off without a hitch. Gavin enjoyed his steak and wine without feeling too awkward about being the only one eating. Nines was an excellent conversationalist, which probably shouldn't have been surprising. He was an upgraded version of Connor, after all, and talking was one of Connor's favourite pastimes. At work, Nines was quite stoic and focused, sticking to work-related topics. Because of that, it was easy to assume he didn't have much of a personality, but he was really quite charming. He made jokes without coming off as corny, switched subjects without things getting stale, and always kept things relevant to Gavin. It was nice to feel like someone was genuinely interested in him for once.
After dinner, and more than a little tipsy with all the wine, Nines took him to a fancy bar that served both human and android cocktails. Luckily, they also made non-alcoholic cocktails, since Nines thought he'd had quite enough for one evening. The human cocktails also came with a healthy amount of fruit stuck on the side. A slice of orange, a wedge of watermelon, a sliver of kiwi, and a cherry. The cocktail and jug of water was enough to help Gavin sober up a little. It was quiet, with a romantic atmosphere. The lighting was kept low and intimate, much like the restaurant, and Nines had reserved a small booth by the window so they could watch the evening traffic outside.
"This is a nice place," Gavin said as he looked around. Most of the dim lighting came from warm, glowing strips along the edging and a few classic hanging bulbs. The walls and booths were all aged wood, and the seats were all padded black leather. The chairs were all cosy bucket seats, and the tables were a mixture of rectangular and round. Rectangles for the booths and circles for the wider floor. The dark wooden bar was lined with bottles along the back wall and hanging glasses above. Two bartenders were busily mixing cocktails and wiping down surfaces as servers walked from table to table, taking orders and removing empty glasses.
"It is. Sixty recommended it. He comes here often." Gavin looked around warily at the news, slipping a little lower in his seat. "Sixty and Allen are away on a mission right now." That was a relief. Sixty may share Connor's looks, but he was an utter menace. Luckily, he'd moved on to work for the FBI a few months ago, so they didn't see each other too often. Nines chuckled at the way Gavin visibly relaxed at the news. His brother was a handful, but he'd always felt he and Gavin held a certain level of affection for each other. As Connor would say, their love language was bickering.
"Maybe only bring your dates here on nights you know your brother's out of town. The last thing you want on a romantic date is one of your brothers hovering over your shoulder!" Especially if that brother was Sixty. Gavin did have a point in that regard. Curiosity may prompt Sixty to introduce himself and turn it into a double date, which wasn't exactly romantic when getting to know someone. His dates may also find it odd that he and Sixty shared so much of their facial structure. Gavin certainly used to find it unnerving. He used to take great pleasure in calling him a Connor with a palette change. It had been quite hurtful, though he'd noticed that after Sixty had yelled at him about it hurting his feelings, he'd stopped. He had other names, of course, but those had never hit home the same way.
They continued to talk, covering all sorts of topics. Nines was pleased to learn so much about his partner. He learned that Gavin had found Taffy in a box on the street about three years ago as a kitten left by the dumpsters. She clearly hadn't been out there long, because she took to him straight away and acted like a pampered house cat from the start. He had a brother he kept in casual contact with, though they weren't as close as they could be. They had very different lives and rarely had time for each other, which Nines translated as Gavin's brother has no time for him. He'd always wanted to travel, but never had the time or money, something that Nines hoped would be rectified with Hank's return and his recent promotion. He liked to read crime novels, mostly to point out the plot holes and think up ways the story could have worked around them. Although he couldn't play, he enjoyed music of many genres, though that of the late nineties and early two thousands held a special place in his heart as his mother's music of choice.
Nines did his best to focus on Gavin without giving too much of himself away, or rather, without exposing his lack of things to share. Compared to Gavin, he had very little he could say about himself. He'd been active for less than a year, and deviant for barely a month. He did very little besides working with Gavin and spending time with his brothers. His personal interests were few, though he could talk widely on any subject. He had no hobbies to speak of, except his current mission of getting to know Gavin. It was something he'd been trying to do for months, which had only become more important once he'd deviated.
There was something quite alluring about his work partner. He was handsome, in a worn and rugged way, with a little of his youthful boyish charm left. His hair was a little unruly, like his personality, and his dirty green eyes sparkled with mischief when he laughed. His laugh was something else he liked. It was rough and rich and rarely heard. He scoffed often, gave quiet chuckles sometimes, but a genuine laugh? That was rare. He managed to get one that evening, watching as Gavin threw his head back and leaned on the booth, green eyes glittering as he almost cried. He was breathless afterwards, eyes slowly lidding as he looked across lazily and sipped his water. Nines' LED span yellow as he watched, stunned and recording the incident for further analysis.
The evening eventually came to an end and Nines drove Gavin home and walked him to his apartment door. They lingered in the hall awhile. Gavin slipped his hands in his pockets and leaned against the closed door, jacket open in the warmth of the hall. It was a nice hall. Freshly painted, carpeted, and quiet. Their voices didn't carry as they stood and shared a few final words, which was good since an argument with neighbours would have been a poor end to such a pleasant evening. Nines steeled himself, LED spinning yellow as he worked up to his next request.
"If a date ends well, my research suggests it is acceptable to end the evening with a kiss." Gavin huffed softly, eyes still hazy as he gazed up at him.
"Well, sure. If your date gives you the right vibe and you feel like things are going well, it's usually alright to just-" He was silenced with a surprised hum as Nines leaned down and pressed their lips together. He paused as they touched, waiting to see if Gavin pulled back. Feeling no resistance or push on his chest, Nines pressed closer and tilted his head slightly. The pressure increased, and he was surprised to feel Gavin's lips move to respond, moulding with his own and parting to allow entry. He rested his hands on Gavin's hips, thumbs rubbing small circles as Gavin reached up to rest his hands on his shoulders. Nines hummed softly as those hands slipped higher to caress his neck and tease his hair. It made him bolder, prompting him to slip his arms around Gavin's waist to hold him properly, stroking a path up and down his clothed spine.
Gavin was breathless as they parted, skin nicely warmed by their closeness. His lips were wet, still parted as he panted for breath. He came back to himself a few moments later, releasing Nines' shoulders and wiping his mouth self-consciously. Nines' lips softened into something almost smug as he released Gavin and stepped back, leaving him resting stunned against the door. With a final polite goodnight, Nines turned to take his leave. Gavin watched him take the first few steps, stomach swirling as he looked at his feet and ran a hand through his hair.
"Hey, Nines! You know, if a date goes well, they might ask you to come inside after..." Nines paused at Gavin's coy suggestion, looking over his shoulder in mild surprise. Something about his demeanour suggested he wasn't used to doing this. He seemed almost vulnerable as he looked at his shoes and waited for his response.
"Is that right...Thank you for telling me." Nines hesitated as he tried to assess Gavin's current state of mind. His stress levels had risen with the confession, but he hadn't directly asked him to stay. Did that mean he was supposed to take it as advice and leave, or make the next move himself?
"So, how about it? You want to come in for a coffee?" Gavin did his best not to sound too hopeful or pathetic as he looked up. It was promising that they'd kissed, right? He hadn't forced him into it or asked him. Nines turned to face him, smiling warmly as he put his hands in his pockets.
"Unfortunately, I can't drink coffee."
"Oh, right..." Gavin balked internally at the reply. He was pretty sure that counted as a rejection. "I forgot about that." Unsure where to go from there, Gavin returned to looking at his shoes and quietly feeling humiliated as he waited for Nines to say goodnight again and leave. Green eyes snapped up in surprise at the sound of approaching footsteps, lips parting slightly as a crooked finger came to rest beneath his chin.
"However, I'd gladly come inside and make you coffee." Gavin's heart just about stopped as Nines bit his lip and gazed down at him with lidded silvery eyes.
"Oh, you smooth fucker!" Nines chuckled softly as Gavin pulled him down and closed the distance, keeping one arm around his neck as he reached back to fumble with the locked door. Nines held his waist with one arm and easily took over, unlocking the door and allowing Gavin to step back and pull him inside before kicking it shut behind them.