This is my piece for the RBB (Reverse Big Bang) 2024.
I worked on project 21, with art by Robot_Carl (AO3) - (Tumblr robot-carl).
I hope you enjoy reading this story! Let me know what you think in the reviews.
Thank you for reading, much love!
Gavin sighed beneath the spray, slowly working the shampoo out of his hair with his face turned up. The hot water felt good after the day he'd had; well, the day they'd had. Nines was in the shower next to him, shut in his own small stall. They'd been out in the freezing cold chasing up interviews all afternoon, and it really was freezing. Minus twenty or more; he'd tried not to look. He'd quietly hoped the local criminals might take a break between Christmas and New Year, but no such luck. It wasn't all bad though. Since he and Nines had worked the Christmas shift, they'd have New Year's Day off. That was generally the way he preferred it. He didn't have kids, so why would he want Christmas Day off? Sure, he could spend the day with Elijah and Chloe, but he could visit his brother after his shift or stop in on Boxing Day. He didn't need the whole day for that.
He much preferred it this way, where he worked Christmas Day and had New Year's Day off to recover from the horrific hangover he intended to give himself. It happened every year, which was a problem the times he had to work afterwards. If he were sensible, he might do what Hank and Fowler did and leave the celebrations early when he had work the next day, but where's the fun in that? The New Year's Eve party was always a blast. They hired out a fancy dinner hall somewhere for a five course meal, and afterwards there was an open bar and a huge dancefloor. He wasn't sure how much it cost, but it wasn't the sort of place he usually went unless Elijah was paying. In fact, if Elijah was paying, they'd go somewhere better. The places the DPD usually booked were sort of fancy, but not upper class. The type of fancy you bought on a budget. Fake fancy. Fake fancy or not, the food was usually better than anything he could make, and the drink was plentiful.
Leaving the shower, Gavin headed through to the locker room. Knowing they'd be going straight from work, he and Nines had brought their evening clothes and stored them in their lockers that morning. Gavin didn't really do fancy. They were lucky he even had anything besides his dress uniform. He probably wouldn't if not for Chloe and her insistence on dressing him up like a fucking doll. She was a menace, but she had good taste. She knew he didn't do formal, so the clothes she picked were always bordering on casual, but smart enough to slip across most dress codes. This event wasn't black-tie or anything like that, but jeans and sneakers were definitely out.
In true Chloe form, she'd come through for him at the last minute with a recommendation of black slacks, a simple navy blue top, and a dark brown cotton jacket with matching brown shoes. It was freezing outside, but no way did he want to risk losing his leather jacket by leaving it at the venue, so he left that tucked neatly on the rest of the clothes in his locker. If he was sober enough, he might stop by later to get it back. If not, he could grab it on his next shift. He'd barely dropped the towel to pull on some clean boxers when pattering feet signalled Nines' arrival. Gavin paid him no mind. They'd changed here enough times to get over any modesty issues, or inferiority in his case. Nines was a marvel, in and out of clothes. It was almost like he'd been sculpted by Michelangelo himself; he was so fucking perfect. Supple skin, toned muscles, minimal body fat, and he didn't even want to contemplate what hung between his legs. In fact, he put a lot of effort into not contemplating that on a daily basis.
"Is that what you're wearing?" Nines sounded surprised, prompting Gavin to look over as he opened the locker a few doors down from his own. Looking at his outfit, which he'd laid neatly on the bench behind him, Gavin raised an eyebrow. A few months ago, Nines' tone might have caused a fight. Gavin always expected to be judged by him. His work, his manners, clothes, habits, vices, and even where he lived. They'd had multiple disagreements, especially at the beginning of their working relationship. It had taken months for Gavin to figure out that Nines wasn't always judging him. Sometimes he was simply asking a question, but the formal tone of his voice made it sound judgemental. Even now, he needed to look and assess the question in Nines' silvery eyes before he knew it was a genuine query.
"Uh-yeah?" Gavin was unsurprised as Nines pulled out a whole suit bag and set it on the bench. Of course, Nines would have a suit bag. He wouldn't be surprised if he pulled out a tux. A tux would look good on him. A high-quality suit would hug him in all the right places, emphasising the width of his shoulders and slimness of his waist.
"I was under the impression that this was a formal event..." Nines seemed a little troubled as he grabbed his own boxers and unfastened the towel at his waist. Gavin politely turned his attention to his own clothes, starting with the slacks. They were fitted, so he didn't need a belt, but he had one anyway. It was brown to match the shoes and jacket. There was some rustling as Nines followed his lead and started getting dressed, carefully pulling out the hangers and hooking them over his door.
"It is, but it's not black-tie or anything like that. So long as you're not wearing street clothes, you're good." That wasn't something Nines would worry about. Gavin had seen his idea of casual dress before. A tight turtleneck and slacks. He'd never seen him wear jeans, and he only ever wore black dress shoes. Neat slip-ons that clicked when he walked. From the sound, Gavin assumed he'd had metal plates fitted to limit the wear on the heels. "I'll catch you back here in a bit." Now dressed in his slacks and long-sleeved top, Gavin had a little facial grooming to complete before he was finished.
Nines let him go with a nod, having just pulled on a crisp black shirt. Thankfully, he had better taste than whatever psycho designed his Cyberlife uniform. The collar was much lower, barely brushing his Adam's apple even when fully buttoned. His neck was long and slender, and looked way better with the lower collar. When he'd first given up his Cyberlife uniform, it had taken weeks for Gavin to get used to seeing it. He'd stared at him so much that Nines had regularly asked if there was something wrong. Flustered at being caught, Gavin had scoffed and turned the other cheek. It had taken time for Nines to get used to it, too. Long pale fingers had often teased and caressed the newly exposed skin, a subtle sign of self-consciousness he hadn't shown before. It was little tics like that which drew Gavin's eye and made him soften a little.
Gavin left Nines fiddling with his cuff buttons while he headed through to the sinks to clean up his scruff and sort out his hair. There wasn't much to do. He ran his electric trimmer over the stubble and brushed himself off before running a comb through his hair. Grabbing his spray, he coated his hair and combed again, but as usual, those stray strands soon escaped to curl over his brow again. After putting on some cologne, Gavin returned to find Nines dressed in a full four piece suit, complete with a golden pocket watch chain. The suit was Egyptian blue, just a few shades darker than Royal, with a silk tie that matched. Gavin snorted as he dropped his spongebag on the bench and walked over to where Nines was straightening his tie. He was like a peacock, preening as he looked down at himself and turned this way and that.
"What the phck are you wearing?" Nines seemed confused by the apparent amusement in his voice, staying still as those dirty green eyes roved up and down his body. Nines had a godly physique, even without clothes, so the way the suit sat on his frame was positively sinful. He had the perfect broad shoulders and slim waist most people would die for, and gently toned muscles to match. The darker blue of his suit really brought out the ethereal silvery hue of his eyes. They were unnaturally icy, a special pigment designed by Cyberlife for intimidation purposes. They even glowed in the dark like wolves' eyes. Come to think of it, that's probably where they got the idea.
"A suit." Gavin almost snorted at the simple response, lips pulling into a smirk.
"I can see that, Dipshit! Overdoing it a little, don't you think?" Nines tilted his head, apparently unsure. That explained why he was so confused about his clothes. "It's not a black-tie event!" Silvery eyes wavered slightly as Nines looked down at himself. He didn't see a problem with what he was wearing. It was within the specified dress code. If anything, he felt that Gavin was underdressed for such a formal event. Something stirred in his chest as he examined his rugged features. Having just showered, the pink scar across his nose seemed a little darker than usual. His stubble was neatly trimmed, short enough that it wasn't a beard, but long enough that it covered the small nicks littering his chin and cheeks. Although they hadn't discussed it in detail, the scars were consistent with shattered glass.
Just as he'd noticed many people drawn to his own ethereal eyes, he was drawn to Gavin's. They were nothing remarkable to most, just a dirty green shade, but Nines found them captivating. The longer he stared, the more colours he noticed. Though predominantly green, there was a soft inner layer of hazel with smaller flecks of blue and grey throughout the outer edges. This mixture made them seem dirty, but they were really more like fine marble. Fine marble that always seemed to shift and change depending on the level of lighting. Gavin seemed to feel his gaze as his skin temperature increased, bringing a slightly darker tone to his stubbled cheeks. He had a strong hairline, a few brunette strands escaping as always to tease his right eyebrow. He blinked as Nines reached out and ran his long, pale fingers through his hair to neaten the strands.
"My attire adheres to the dress code." Nines watched Gavin's eyelids flutter as he stroked his hair, though taming the unruly strands was a futile endeavour. His LED blinked yellow as he analysed the unpleasant stickiness on his fingers. Evidently, Gavin had used hairspray to keep it in place, but to no avail. Gel or wax would likely be a stronger option, but he knew how he hated the feel of it in his hair. It seemed Gavin remembered himself as he drew back, shaking off the lingering touch and reaching for Nines' tie instead. Not too long ago, having Gavin's hands so close to his throat would have made him nervous. However, now he was simply curious and allowed him to grip the blue silk with nimble fingers.
"It's above the dress code! Lose the tie, and the jacket!" It seemed he had little choice as Gavin slid the silk length free, letting it glide across his fingers as he pulled. Nines' lips softened slightly as he took the tie, letting his fingers brush Gavin's in the process and watching his vitals spike. It was a curious reaction, one that occurred in few others. The green of his eyes shrank as their eyes met, a physical reaction usually caused by a change in lighting. Gavin clicked his tongue as Nines' LED span yellow, probably checking his current outfit choice against the dress code again.
"Very well. It is still within regulations." Regulations my ass! Slipping the tie in his pocket, Nines looped the jacket over his arm. He looked way better without the jacket. The cut of the waistcoat was enough to keep the rigid line of his shoulders and the black shirt beneath gave more than a hint of the muscles beneath. The lack of tie also meant he could pop the first two buttons of his shirt and put his collarbone on display. Gavin couldn't help it as his eyes greedily traced the little notch, picking out a small mole along the ridge. That wasn't unusual. Like his brothers, Nines was covered in little freckles and beauty marks, including one that sat along his strong jawline.
"Alright. Tina and Chris are already there; you ready to go?" Gavin asked as he checked his phone to find an impatient message from Tina. She knew they'd finished their shift over an hour ago and was asking where they were. Nines voiced his agreement and waited patiently as Gavin checked his pockets and made sure he had his keys, wallet, and phone. Ready to go, he shut his locker and slipped on his jacket, which made his outfit look a lot smarter. Nines could see what he meant about smart-casual. The jacket truly added another dimension, instantly making him look smart. The jacket broadened his shoulders and hugged his stocky body. Being only average in height, his muscle distribution was broader, giving him a strong back and shoulders, defined hips, and sturdy legs. An upside of this was the generous curve of his ass, which Nines couldn't help watching as they walked down the hall. Where Gavin's ass was full and round, his own was much firmer, due in part to the strength in his thighs.
"Are there any customs I should observe at this event?" Gavin scoffed a little at the formal wording, but it made sense Nines would have to ask. It was his first New Year's Eve with the DPD. Maybe the first he'd ever celebrated. He wasn't sure when Connor had found and activated him, but he hadn't started at the DPD until midway through January. Having two of them around had been bad enough since Connor had returned with his creepy twin after the revolution, but at least they'd left him alone. Nines was different. Nines had been assigned as his partner as soon as he arrived, which had pissed him off to no end. He wasn't incompetent, and he didn't need to be babied, though of course Fowler had tried to frame it the other way. Since he was such a good detective, it made sense that Gavin should be Nines' supervisor and show him the ropes. He didn't buy it for a second.
Thinking Nines was there to spy on him and deliver feedback to Fowler, Gavin had tried everything to get rid of him. He'd tried being abrasive and unpleasant to make him transfer, but Nines had weathered it. Ignoring him had done nothing but cause issues in their cases with missed information and opportunities. Being curt but civil had worked for a while, and Nines had slowly managed to worm his way into his good graces. Gavin was pretty sure it was a trap. Much like Connor with Hank, Nines had somehow managed to wrap him around his little finger. He came out of his shell and actually asked him about things he didn't understand, mostly human behaviour. It was surprising how much he didn't know and how many failings he had in social areas. They became a team. Nines had the muscle, cool logic, and scientific information while Gavin had the street smarts and people skills. They became friends. Good friends. Close friends. At this point, they were pretty much inseparable on a workday.
"Not really. We go in, we eat, and we drink. There's dancing if you're up for that, and at some point there will be speeches and awards...Oh, I guess you should be ready to kiss someone at midnight." Nines' LED span red at that. Kiss someone? Who? Why? Anyone? "It's tradition, you know, seeing in the new year. Most people kiss their dates at twelve. I usually give Tina a peck on the cheek." That sounded a lot better. Having been active for less than a year, Nines wasn't entirely sure he knew what to do in that department. He'd never kissed anyone. He knew the process, of course. Gavin had watched many movies with him, and he'd conducted research in his own time. There was even software pre-installed in his model that would allow him to partake in physical intimacy with various partners, however, he'd never experimented with it. "If there's someone you like in the office, it's a good time to go all in."
"Go all in?" Nines tilted his head as they climbed into the autocar he'd called earlier.
"Yeah, you know, make a move." Looking up the phrases, Nines nodded. It seemed he meant if he had a potential romantic interest, it would be a good time to confess. That did seem romantic, however, he had no such interest in his co-workers. Having thought that, he settled in and watched Gavin from the corner of his eye as the car rolled along. It wasn't unusual for him to look handsome, but he looked especially trim that evening. He rarely saw him wearing anything besides his casual work clothes, so this was a pleasant change. The way Gavin's lips twitched let him know he'd noticed the subtle glances, prompting him to look out at the rolling streets instead.
"What will you do?" For some reason, the question left him a little more anxious than he would like. Why should it matter to him what Gavin did at midnight, or any other time for that matter? They were work partners. Colleagues. Friends. And yet, the thought of Gavin doing something so simple as sharing a kiss with someone made him feel unpleasant. It wasn't something he understood. Gavin seemed surprised by the question, which at least suggested he didn't have any set plans.
"Me? I don't know. Unless Tina has a date, I'll probably kiss her as usual...What about you? Any prospects?" Nines' LED span yellow, unsure how to answer that question. "Relax! It's not a big deal. You could even kiss one of your brothers." That was a good suggestion. Perhaps no one would notice and the time could simply pass him by. Kissing wasn't mandatory, after all. Connor and Sixty would likely be amenable to this idea, too.
"Perhaps." That seemed enough of a response to make Gavin shrug and turn his attention to the door as their autocar pulled up. Stepping out, they found themselves outside a hotel large. It was a midrange place. Somewhere fancy looking but without the high-end price tag. Comfortably above average. They moved around a lot, so this was the first time they'd rented this particular place. Stepping inside, they found a neat sign by the reception desk that pointed them up to the second floor, where their names were checked against the list and they were invited to enter the busy hall.