"How much longer?" Gavin asked.
"We shall be arriving in exactly nine minutes and thirty two seconds. As long as there are no interferences." Niner replied, his eyes glued to the road.
Gavin looked back down at Connor. He looked so peaceful but he knew that the android was hurting inside.
"How long will he be sleepin' for?"
"Shouldn't be much longer now. Connor will be awake by the time we reach Mr Kamski's place."
With a nod, Gavin ran his hand through Connor's hair, causing the android to shift in his lap slightly. His other hand came to hold one of Connor's, he brushed his knuckles gently with his thumb.
Niner's LED flashed yellow, knowing full well about the interaction behind him.
Gavin noticed.
"Niner?" he started, "Are you a deviant?"
"No." he replied sternly, "I am just a machine. I am simply accomplishing cases in which I am set by the Captain."
"Are you sure about that?" Gavin questioned, glaring at him through the rear-view mirror, "Cuz you definitely showed anger back at the Eden Club. When you shot Fawkes... You musta felt somethin'."
"I was simply doing what was necessary. Taking Fawkes in. Androids are classed as equal so Fawkes deserves to be behind bars. Connor just got caught in the middle of it."
Gavin wanted to slap the obedience out of Niner.
It just reminded him of how Connor used to be.
It reminded him of how he used to treat Connor.
He pulled Connor tighter towards him, his arms wrapping protectively around the android.
He wasn't going to treat Connor like shit anymore. And he definitely wasn't going to let anyone else treat him wrong either. He was going to try and be by Connor's side as much as possible. He didn't want to appear as clingy but... he had to make sure people knew that he would kick their ass if he they were to mess with his man.
Gavin felt a hand clutch the front of his shirt. He looked down, "Hey, babe..." Gavin placed a hand on the android's cheek, "We're almost there."
Connor's eyes fluttered as he looked out of the window at the night sky, "I-" his voice cut off as the pain started to seep in once again.
"It's okay, dips- darlin'..." he wasn't going to call Connor 'dipshit' anymore. He had to make sure that Connor knew he respected him.
Connor gave him a weak smile but it soon faded as a groan esaped his mouth.
Gavin's eyes ran across Connor's neck with anger.
Fucking Jamison Fawkes.
He was gettin' out of this one.
There was no way he was going to let Fawkes go this time.
He would kill him if it was necessary.
Gavin calmly hushed him whilst his fingers grazed the android's cheek, "Fawkes will get what he deserves. Me 'n Hank will make sure of it."
Connor's hand then came to rest over his regulator which was still burning in pain, Thirium covered his fingers.
Connor couldn't stop the tears from filling his eyes, "G-Gavin...?"
"If it hurts to talk, then don't." Gavin quickly replied.
But he continued, "Why do humans hate androids?"
His words stung Gavin. His heart actually started to hurt for Connor.
Gavin brought his hand down to gently rest upon Connor's which was still on his regulator, "I don't know, Connor."
"D-Do you hate me anymore?"
"God, no, Con! I'll admit I fuckin' hated you so much... But that was before I knew that you actually had feelings. I don't hate androids anymore."
He did.
But not as much as he used to.
Connor nodded slightly, "O-Okay..." his arm twitched as more Thirium started to pour from the gunshot wound.
"Why hasn't your self-repair feature kicked in?"
"T-Too much damage." Connor said, his voice husky.
Gavin simply nodded before leaning down to kiss his forehead lightly.
He hated the sight of Connor hurting. There was Thirium coming from his neck, arm, LED and regulator. The blue blood started to seep through the jacket that was still tightly wrapped around Connor.
Gavin started to feel Connor tense up.
"A-Am I going to shut down?" Gavin could hear the fear in Connor's voice.
"No no no..." Gavin assured, wiping the android's tears from his cheeks, "You're going to be okay. Elijah will fix you."
"I don't want to shut down." his stress levels started to rise as he began to worry himself, "I-I don't want to shut down."
"I detect that your stress levels are increasing. They are currently at 89%. I would suggest that you calm yourself." Niner stated, taking a glance at them in the rear-view mirror.
Gavin swiftly leaned down to press his lips to Connor's, once he pulled away he quickly assured, "I promise. You won't shut down. I'm going to stay by your side all the way until you are fixed, okay?"
Connor's fingers twitched against his regulator, "Please don't let me shut down. I don't want to forget you." he didn't want to risk memory loss...
That sent another pang of pain through Gavin's heart. A few months, he would never have believed it if anyone told him he would fall in love with android...
"I will never let you shut down, Connor. Never again."
Elijah better fix him...
Otherwise Fawkes won't be the only one getting a bullet through the head...
-x-
"We have finally arrived." Niner said, pulling up outside of Kamski's place.
Nerves started to build up in Gavin. He hadn't seen his brother in such a long time he'd lost count of how many years it had been.
"Come on, babe." Gavin said, exiting the car with Connor in his arms.
Did he get heavier on the way over?
Gavin looked at the home. It was clearly expensive considering its location.
He wasted no time in heading towards the entrance.
"Hello. Mr Kamski is expecting you." an android smiled at them as they arrived at the door, "If you would like to follow me inside."
"R-Right." Gavin said, following the blonde-haired android.
"Connor." she said as they walked, looking at Connor in Gavin's arms, "Are you feeling okay?"
"Y-Yes. Thank you, Chloe." Connor breathed out.
"Mr Kamski will fix you." she assured, "Everything will be alright."
Niner dragged along behind them. His LED was still yellow.
He couldn't allow deviancy to overcome him.
Connor reached out a hand towards Chloe as they stopped walking, she gently took it, "H-Have you become deviant?" Connor asked.
She nodded, "A few weeks after you left, I came to my senses. And after Elijah's pleas... I decided to stay with him. He treats me as a friend. Not a machine."
"Th-That's good." Connor replied, his hand getting weak whilst retracting it from Chloe's. Another groan of pain escaped his lips as his temple started to ache.
"We have to get to Kamski. Quick." Chloe decided, her expression becoming more serious. She quickly opened a door, leading to a pool which was familiar to Connor, "Mr Kamski!" Chloe exclaimed, "They have arrived."
There he was.
The man that Gavin never wanted to see again.
Elijah Kamski.
He was looking out of the window before he soon turned to face the group, "Gavin." he smiled.
"Elijah." Gavin glared at him.
"We haven't got time for the hostility between you two!" Chloe exclaimed, "We have to help Connor."
"She is correct. We are on limited time." Niner nodded.
Kamski nodded, "But of course. Please. Follow me, brother." he headed towards a door, "Chloe. Keep our RK900 guest company, okay?"
"Of course, Elijah."
-x-
Upon entering the room, Gavin noticed that there were android parts scattered around.
There was an operating table in the centre of the room with a desk next to it, a single cup of Thirium was placed on top of it.
"Lets put our differences aside whilst I work, okay?" Kamski suggested.
Gavin grumbled, "Okay..." He carefully placed Connor onto the operating table.
Connor's hands quickly flew up to grab onto Gavin's arms, "N-No. Don't go."
"I'm not, sweetheart." he assured, escaping from Connor's hands before carefully grasping one of them, "I have to give Elijah room to fix you."
Kamski did not expect this...
A human and an android. Together.
His brother was the last person he thought he would ever see fall for an android. Fall for something he created.
"Connor." Kamski said, approaching the table, "Lets get a look at you." Gavin stepped back to allow Elijah to get a closer look. He went to remove the jacket which was still around Connor but stopped himself before asking the android, "May I?"
Connor nodded.
Kamski removed the jacket, now noticing the gunshot wound in his arm.
"You'll be able to fix him, yeah?"
"Of course. It won't be too hard." Elijah assured Gavin as he handed the jacket over to him.
Kamski then turned his attention back to Connor.
His fingers traced over the gunshot wound before moving towards the regulator. He had lost a significant amount of Thirium. His thumb grazed the wounds on his neck before brushing lightly over the LED.
Connor twitched as he felt pain wherever Kamski touched him.
Gavin wasn't liking this one bit. He clenched his fists as he watched Elijah work.
Kamski's hand then hovered over Connor's chest before he looked over his shoulder at Gavin, "Am I allowed to continue? Or are you going to be childish and get jealous over a harmless activity?" Kamski questioned, he could feel Gavin's eyes burning into him.
"Just... Hurry up." Gavin muttered, looking down at the floor.
Kamski sighed before he placed his hand on Connor's chest momentarily...
"You have definitely lost a lot of Thirium. Your heartbeat is slow." he removed his hand, "I am going to have to replace your regulator before I can give you some more Thirium."
Connor nodded as Kamski stepped away and walked towards a cabinet. He opened it and looked at all the different labels.
He searched until he found the 'RK800' label on. He reached into the container and pulled out a brand new regulator. He then closed the cabinet before returning to Connor's side, "I will be as quick as possible." he warned Connor as he placed a hand over his damaged regulator.
Gavin moved to stand on the other side of Connor, taking the android's hand in his and holding it tight.
Kamski carefully, but quickly, turned Connor's regulator and removed it. Tears pricked Connor's eyes once more as he gripped Gavin's hand tighter. Kamski soon put in the new regulator, sending a shiver throughout Connor's body. The old regulator was placed onto the desk.
"The good news is... The bullet went straight through." Kamski said, referring to the wound, "That should self-repair within the next few days. And so will the... wounds on your neck." he paused, "I will have to replace your LED though."
"Replace?" Gavin questioned, "Can't androids live without that shit?"
"I-I need it." Connor said, "Androids have to have LEDs in order to work at the DPD. They use them to keep tabs on us."
Kamski nodded, "Then it is settled. But first..." he picked up the cup of Thirium from the desk and brought it to Connor's lips, "Thirium." he stated as he carefully poured the contents.
"That's uhh..." Gavin started, clearly surprised by the way Connor was intaking the Thirium.
"Easy this way." Kamski replied with a smirk, placing the now empty cup back onto the desk.
Connor licked his lips to taste the final amount of fresh Thirium. He felt his systems getting stronger by the second.
A pair of scissor-like tools appeared in front of Connor's face, "This will hurt. But not for too long." Kamski's other hand possessed a clean and shiny new LED.
Gavin leaned down to kiss Connor's forehead, "You'll be alright." he assured.
A flicker of a smile appeared on Kamski's face as he watched the interaction. He then proceeded to remove the LED, carefully trying to detach it without damaging the artificial skin.
Connor couldn't hold back a whimper as another tear fell from his eye. The feeling of the LED being practically ripped from his head was extremely painful. Gavin brought Connor's hand up to his lips to kiss his knuckles reassuringly, "It's okay, babe. It's okay."
Finally.
It was out.
"Good, good..." Kamski said, placing the damaged LED onto the desk before proceeding to reaattach the new one. He cautiously connected the necessary wires before putting it fully into place, "Aaaand... Done. Give it few minutes for your heartbeat to return to normal and for the Thirium to flow correctly."
Connor nodded, "Th-Thank you, Kamski." the pain was still present but at least it was reduced.
"Thanks..." Gavin muttered.
A smirk then appeared on Kamski's face, "I left the pleasure feature on in the LED by the way. Just thought you might want to know that." he winked towards Connor and Gavin.
Gavin's face heated up. A blue blush also making its way onto Connor's face.
Gavin really hated his brother...
But at the same time... He was extremely grateful.