The Pain of Your Love

Chapter 3: The Pain of Your Love

-Present-

"Gavin, Breath..." The android's calm voice, spoke, there were, a hint, of static in it. Taking the hand, of Detective Reed, intertwining their fingers, the synthetic skin, retracted, showing the white, almost translucent skin underneath. The smell, of thirium, trickling up the nose, of the sleep deprived man. It almost made him, nauseous, throwing a wave, of memories at him. But he tried to focus, on his hand, being connected, to the other. Their eyes meet, and Nines' instantly knew, what Gavin, was thinking, but not daring to ask, as if he was afraid of knowing the truth. "Detective, I'm alright. It's a clean shot, nothing to be worried about." RK900 spoke, with a soft, gentle voice. Trying to reach, Gavin Reed, trying to keep him, from spiralling, into a storm, of panic, and dread. The wave, of anxiety, that where threatening, to crash, against, his chest, breaking, every single bone, in his body. The detective, only nodded his head, looking down. At his feet, seeing, even more of the blue thirium. Finding something else, to look at, anything else then wound, on his partner, the thirium on his shoes. Inhaling, a deep breath, holding it in, for a second, before letting it all out again. Clenching his hands, seeing the knuckles, turning white. Releasing them, letting them fall, to his side, before looking back, at the other man. Seeing the amber light, circling on the temple, of the android. The street lights, neon lights, creating shadows, glistening and dancing with the snow, the thirium. The hazel eyes of Gavin Reed, met the blue of RK900.

The mist was clearing, he was standing there, in the dark. Lurking, smirking, trying to light his own smoke, while sheltering it from the wind. He took a sharp inhale, holding it in, for a second before breathing out. The look on his face saying, that the rush from the nicotine was getting to him. Calming the nerves, the shakiness of his hands, making it easier to think and breath. "Detective." The android spoke, the sleep deprived man, turned his gaze to look at Nines. Gavin took another inhale, before throwing away the cigarette. Stomping on bud, hearing the sizzling sound, it made, as the snow smothered, the remaining part of the cigarette. It had only been, 24 hours since, RK900 was shot, and he was already, back at work. It didn't feel right, for the detective, that Nines had take a bullet, that was clearly aimed at Gavin himself. He let out a small sigh, before meeting the eyes, of the aesthetically pleasing man. They were standing close enough, to hold each other's hands, but they didn't dare, touch. But close enough, to know that the other was alive, and if, they where alive, then it all, was okey and going to be okey.

Gavin Reed, leaned against the brick wall, feeling, the cold air slithering its way, inside his jacket. He looked up, and down at the android, seeing that Nines was only, wearing the long sleeved shirt. The cold didn't bother him anyway, not at least, in these temperatures. The knuckles, of the detective turned white, again, as he tried to focus, trying to figure out, what he was going to say.

"I can't have you doing that... I- I just can't let you do that for me." Gavin's voice trembles, as he meets the other's eyes. The android's eyes, are close to tears, but he doesn't let them fall, down the cheeks of his aesthetically pleasing face. "Gav..." for once, Nines' voice, trembles, as his fingers, dance above the detective's hands, not daring to touch him, not knowing, if they are fighting or trying to discuss this, as adults. Nines shifts his eyes, breathing out, for a second, even though he has no purpose, before looking again, at the other detective. "Gavin, you put yourself at harms risk, every time. You can't be fixed, not like me. So let me keep you safe, I wanna protect you." The android speaks, looking, deeply into, the human's eyes. Trying to connect with him, on deep and emotional level, but the other, moved his gaze. Staring down, at the ground, thinking, of what he was going to say. Trying, not to lash out, or say something, that would be, regrettable. "Gavin, talk to me..." Nines pleaded, moving closer, into, the other's space. Touching his cheek, slighting with his hand, Gavin could see, how the android tried, to keep his skin from retracting. But Nines wasn't succeeding, that well, as his skin flashed from the white, almost alien like to the more human skin, all over, his hand. Gavin Reed, moved his gaze up to the LED, seeing it being circling on yellow, then shifting to crimson, for a quick second, then back, to amber. "Hey, asshole, don't blow a fuse. Relax." He said, taking the hand of Nines, in his grip, giving it a light squeeze. "I know that, this might sound dumb... But I don't care about what happens to me, I have never done that... But I can't have you bleeding out in the fuckin' snow, I just can't. You are more to me then..."

Distortion, malfunction and pure darkness, covering the eyes, of the android. Lights flashes, a loud sound, drowning out, everything in its surroundings. The glitch, cracking the event horizon. The point of no return.

Gavin woke up, with a cold sweat, on his chest, forehead, glistening in the shine of the neon lights. Panting hard, the pulse, beating quickly, creating, a loud noise, in the head, of the man. He looked up, at the ceiling. Seeing the cracks, stain and the damage, of the previous leak. He took a deep breath, shifting his gaze, as the detective pushed himself up, leaning against the headboard. Pushing his shoulders, spine into it as much, as he could. Feeling the cold wall, against the scalp, the coldness, slither its way up, the curls of his hair. His fingers, feeling the soft fabric, covering the bed. Feeling every groove, thread, and seam. Gavin Reed, let out, a silent curse under his breath, standing up, clenching his hands, releasing them, letting them fall to his side. He looked out, of the window, pushing the blinds aside, staring out of the window, through the lightly drawn blinds. Seeing the street lights, the neon lights shift as the rain was falling down, covering the city, with a fog, the source of light, being the neon lights, peaking trough. His warm breath, against the window, covering, with a light mist. Making his reflection, even more clear, for the man to see. Dark circles, under his eyes. Not hiding, the fact, that he is insomniac. Gavin curled his hands, turning them into fist. Making his knuckles white, then releasing them. Hoping, that it would make, the tremors go away, only calming them, so slightly. He was standing there, in the dark. Feeling the cold, condensations, of the glass against his finger tips.

"The simulation is no longer available."