[chaos-thirium]

Fic Masterpost

A list of all my stories thus far. All links lead to AO3. (Wow, that was actually kind of profound!) All stories are complete unless stated otherwise 🙂

General and Family Fluff

Anne With An E - Kara, Luther, Alice family fluff with the other YK500 from Jericho - one-shot rated G

Advent Calendar - Connor-related festive fluff - one-shot rated G

One-Shot Collection - A compilation of all the fulfilled smut and SFW prompts from Tumblr - Connor x reader, Sixty x reader, Nines x reader - rated E but it's a mixed bag

Bonus Content - Missing scenes and resolutions from my fics - Connor x reader, Sixty x reader, Nines x reader - rated E, but not all chapters are smut - currently updating

Connor x Original Female Characters 

(Irrational banner by my friend. You know who you are!)

Irrational - Connor x Marie Brooke - longfic rated M - many tropes and feels

Becoming - Connor x Liv Collins - longfic rated M - soooo much thirst

Are Friends Electric? - Connor x Jane Fennell - rated M - features found family, idiots in love, and Connor in a big brother role, which was adorable to write

Connor x Reader

Regret - Connor x gender-neutral reader - one-shot rated T - angst with a happy ending

Congratulations, Thank you - Connor x female reader - one-shot rated E - rivalry and smut!

Call of the Sea - Connor x female reader - rated M - merman AU!

Five times you kissed Connor and one time he kissed you - Connor x gender-neutral reader - one-shot rated G - pure fluff

Beautiful Parasite - Connor x gender-neutral reader - one-shot rated T - Hanahaki AU

Strangers in the Night - Connor x female reader - rated M - Traci Connor fic

Covenant - Connor x AFAB reader - rated M - Connor x thief reader

Glitch - Connor x AFAB reader - rated M - modern fairy tale, sort-of ghost fic

Expect the Unexpected - Connor x gender-neutral reader - rated T - shapeshifter AU

After-Hours - Connor x AFAB reader - rated E - short, desk-based shenanigans one-shot 

The Lion’s Den - Connor x female reader - rated M - mafia AU fic

In Dreams He Came - Connor x AFAB reader - rated E - incubus Connor one-shot, pure smut

From the Ashes - Connor x female reader - rated T - part one of my fairy tale AU trilogy - Cinderella with a twist

Sixty x Reader 

Unwanted - Sixty x female reader - rated M - soul-mark AU, angst with a happy ending

The Leopard Can Change Its Spots  - Sixty x female reader - rated M - sequel to The Lion’s Den, mafia AU

I put the Sixty in 69 - Sixty x AFAB reader - rated E - Valentine's fluff and smut

All You Had To Do Was Obey - Sixty x AFAB reader - rated M - exploring the idea that Sixty was deviant in canon

Call of the Lost - Sixty x AFAB reader - rated E - merman AU set in the Call of the Sea universe

Call of Redemption - Sixty x female reader - rated M - merman AU following directly on from Call of the Lost

A Price to be Paid - Sixty x female reader - rated M - part three of my fairy tale AU - Rumpelstiltskin with a twist

In Too Deep - Sixty x AFAB reader - rated M - model Sixty x photographer reader, much pining

Nines x Reader 

Call of the Heart - Nines x female reader - rated M - merman AU! Sequel to Call of the Sea focusing on Nines and his own human lover

It Started With a Card - Nines x gender-neutral reader - rated T - Valentine's fluff

Beauty - Nines x female reader - rated T - part two of my fairy tale AU trilogy - Beauty and the Beast with a twist

Connor x Nines x Reader

Design Your Universe - Connor x Nines x gender-neutral reader - rated M - different kind of soul-mark AU

What We Do in The Shadows - Connor and Nines x female reader - rated E - vampire AU, much blood drinking

Sixty x Nines x Reader

Insatiable - Sixty x Nines x AFAB reader - rated E - follow up to All You Had To Do Was Obey

Movie Night - Sixty x AFAB reader and Nines x AFAB reader - rated E - DPD Movie Night, Sixty gets bored, smut ensues

Nines x Gavin x Reader 

Spite - Nines x Gavin x AFAB reader - one-shot rated E - reader is tangled up with Gavin and Nines, and the whole thing is a hot mess; also there’s cheating

Connor x Reader Sixty x Reader

Good Vibes - Connor x AFAB reader and Sixty x AFAB reader - one-shot rated E - Fun in the workplace with vibrating undergarments, plus some minor angst from Sixty

Apple Tea - Connor x gender-neutral reader and Sixty x gender-neutral reader - rated M, but not too explicit - coffee art shop AU, fluff and angst with a happy ending

Dichotomy - Connor x AFAB reader and Sixty x AFAB reader - rated M - the RK800s are the boys next door

Connor x Sixty x Reader Elijah Kamski x Reader 

Blind World - Connor and Sixty x female reader, Elijah Kamski x female reader - rated E - post-bad ending dystopia

Connor x Elijah Kamski x Reader

Intrigue - Connor x Elijah Kamski x female reader - rated E - exploring the connection between the three

Connor x Sixty x Nines x Reader

(Picture by @middleofnothing )

Three Dates - Connor x Sixty x Nines x AFAB reader - rated E - smut, fluff, and polyamory shenanigans

[chaos-thirium]

Prompts are closed for now

But they will most likely return in the future.

I don't want to speak too soon, but it's entirely possible that I have a new multi-chapter fic on the horizon. In the year of our lord (Elijah Kamski) 2026, you ask? I think so, yes!

[chaos-thirium]

Perhaps #4 from the jealousy prompt list is with either Nines or Sixty asking the reader that?

Ooh this one had a lot of potential! You've kind of got two for one here, although it's mostly Nines. Enjoy!

4. "Why don't you smile at me like that?"

(SFW)

Read on AO3.

Nines was the least social of the RK prototypes. He knew this about himself, but he still went to social gatherings out of a sense of obligation. And…perhaps…a chance to see you. You worked for CyberLife but you were one of the good ones. Since the revolution, you’d been working closely with Markus to ensure that androids and humans integrated as seamlessly as possible. Nines crossed paths with you on a semi-frequent basis, whenever his duties took him to New Jericho.

Markus was holding an event for humans and androids. The excuse was the summer solstice, but Nines knew that Markus simply wanted a reason to get both species together for nothing more than socialising and fun. You’d helped him with the idea, naturally, and Nines had watched you flitting around like a honeybee on a mission, making sure everyone was having a good time. He hadn’t seen you stop to sample any of the food that you’d carefully set up for the humans. He hadn’t seen you hydrate either, which was neglectful of you. You should be more mindful, particularly in the late afternoon sun.

The party had taken over one of Detroit’s public parks, and strings of colourful bunting were zig-zagged artfully between trees. Music echoed out of discreet speakers, and people mingled with fruity summer-themed drinks or Thirium concoctions. The mood was festive and relaxed.

Nines was surprised when you paused for a breather under the tree where he stood. Lurking, as Sixty had called it. He wasn’t lurking, simply keeping an eye out for trouble. He may not be on duty, but it paid to be alert.

“You doing okay, Nines?” you asked.

“I’m perfectly fine, thank you.”

He was about to raise the topic of your lack of hydration, when Sixty appeared at your side, drawing a frown to his brow.

“Hey, babe,” Sixty greeted you, his ever-present look of amusement on his face.

Nines rolled his eyes, but was surprised to see that you’d done the same.

“Hi, Sixty,” you responded. “Having a good time?”

“So far, yes. I never knew Markus had it in him to throw a good party. He’s always so…you know.”

‘Serious’, Nines presumed.

“He’s the leader of a race of people,” he pointed out dryly. “He doesn’t have a lot of time for frivolities.”

It was Sixty’s turn to roll his eyes. “It’s all about balance. Haven’t you heard that saying about ‘all work and no play’?”

“Let me know when you decide to try the ‘work’ part of it,” Nines retorted.

You snorted, and his systems flooded with irrational warmth. He opened his mouth to ask if you wanted a drink, but Connor approached, a vibrant yellow fruit juice in his hand. He greeted you by name with a friendly smile, and offered the cup to you.

“I noticed you hadn’t drunk anything in a while. In this heat, you should really hydrate.”

You accepted the cup, shooting Connor a beaming smile. “Thanks, Connor. I’ve barely had time to think.”

“Damn,” Sixty spoke up. “Why don’t you smile at me like that?”

“Because you didn’t bring me juice,” you shot back.

“It wasn’t entirely benevolent, I’m afraid,” Connor said. “We’ve had word that Elijah Kamski is on his way. Markus needs you to mediate. I thought the drink might sweeten the request.”

You sighed heavily, sipping at the drink before nodding. “Okay, let’s go.”

Nines watched you walk away with Connor, processing. Sixty headed off in a different direction, clearly finding better things to do than stand under a tree. Nines wasn’t the type to mingle, unless he was undercover.

Sixty had been joking, but Nines found himself ruminating on his words. “Why don’t you smile at me like that?”

Your smiles were frequent and warm, and he loved the way they lit up your entire face and made your eyes sparkle, but those were observations he’d made from afar. You had never looked at him that way. Until that moment, he hadn’t quite appreciated how much it bothered him.

He’d realised he had feelings for you several weeks ago. You clearly didn’t reciprocate, so he’d done nothing to act on them. He’d thought he’d be able to compartmentalise them and ignore them until they went away, but it turned out that emotions didn’t work that way. It had been gradually getting more and more difficult to see you. It was especially difficult when Sixty flirted with you. You never flirted back, but Nines knew a lot of people found Sixty charming. Who was to say you wouldn’t be charmed too one day?

In fact, you had a multitude of good options around you. Connor, of course, although Nines had only ever seen him treat you as a friend. Markus was charismatic and thoughtful, North was fiery and witty. Then there was Josh and Simon, both quiet and caring in their own ways. And that was just the androids, there were a lot of human allies too who Nines was sure would make good partners. It was absolutely logical and understandable that you didn’t return his feelings. And yet, he found himself desperately in need of an answer to that same question that Sixty had asked.

He was still thinking about it hours later, when night had fallen and the party showed no signs of slowing down. The park was lit by hundreds of strings of fairy lights, giving it a warm, whimsical glow. The humans had lit barbecues to cook themselves dinner, and his olfactory sensors were picking up the scent of cooked meat and spices. He hadn’t seen you running around for a while now, meaning that you’d hopefully stopped to take a break.

He walked the perimeter of the park, scanning for you, and finally found you a short distance away from the party. Based on the napkin you were depositing in a trash bin, you’d had food. That was good. You needed to keep your strength up.

You obviously wanted to be alone, but he hesitated. He didn’t want to disturb you, but he wanted your company. Deviancy was still confusing sometimes.

“Hey, Nines,” you called out softly, spying him.

Caught, he approached you, stopping a respectful distance away. “Hello.”

“Everything okay?”

He wondered how many times a day you asked people that. He hoped you were asked it in return.

“Everything is fine. Are you okay?”

“I’m good,” you responded easily. “Just kind of exhausted.”

“I’m not surprised. You’ve had a busy day.”

“Yeah,” you agreed in a sigh. “It’s been good, though.”

He hesitated for a second or two, then said, “It has.”

You sent him a knowing look, amusement visible in your features even though you didn’t smile. “You don’t have to lie just to agree with me. I know you hate parties.”

He regarded you with faint surprise. He hadn’t thought you paid that much attention to him.

“Actually I’m kind of surprised you’re still here,” you added. “You know you’re not required to stay, right? Markus won’t mind if you head home.”

“I know. I wanted to…check in with you.”

Your forehead creased as you looked at him quizzically. “With me? Why?”

“I noticed how busy you were, and that you were neglecting your needs at times. I wanted to make sure that you were taking care of yourself.”

He didn’t like how surprised you looked. Was it really that outrageous that he cared about your well-being? The thought was unsettling, enough to make him take a step backwards.

“I can see that everything is fine,” he said stiffly. “I’ll leave now. Good evening.”

“Nines, hold up.”

He was powerless to ignore you, even if it meant taking in that confused expression on your beautiful face once more.

“What’s going on with you?” you demanded. “You’ve been distracted all afternoon.”

He wasn’t sure how you could possibly know that. He’d barely moved all day, so his behaviour was hardly out of the ordinary.

“I was just thinking about something, that’s all. It’s not important.”

“Clearly it is.”

His need for answers warred with his need to leave. He was built to be curious by nature, and even deviancy was no match against that instinct.

“I was just wondering…why you don’t smile at me.”

Your eyebrows shot up in surprise, his answer evidently not what you’d expected.

“Earlier, Sixty asked you why you don’t smile at him the way you do Connor. It was a joke, I understand that, but it set me thinking, and…you don’t smile at me the way you do other people.”

“Well, you…” you stammered, taken aback. “You don’t like me.”

He stared at you, LED whirring as he processed the statement.

“I figured it would be best to just be civil with you and not…annoy you or anything,” you went on awkwardly.

“You think I don’t like you,” he repeated, needing firmer clarification.

“Yeah. I mean…you don’t, right? You’re always so cool and polite with me, like you just want to be acquaintances.”

“I haven’t treated you any differently than anyone else,” he said.

“I know. I figured you didn’t really like anybody,” you said with a shrug.

He glanced away, something almost like panic beginning to flutter through his biocomponents. Was that really the impression he’d given? By simply wanting to be private and quiet?

“Oh,” you said softly, your eyes on his LED. It must have been red. “Shit, Nines, look, I didn’t mean to offend you or anything. It’s okay for you not to like people. You can’t like everyone, right? I just wish… Fuck. Look, just forget I said anything. You just be yourself, it’s fine.” Your eyes widened slightly as you seemed to remember the first part of the conversation. “Wait, but if you don’t like me why does it bother you that I don’t smile at you?”

“Because I do like you,” he said quietly. “It bothers me because there’s nothing in the world I want to see more than your smile.”

You looked absolutely stunned, and Nines fought off a wave of despair. Why was it so easy for Connor and Sixty to express themselves while he struggled with the basics?

“I’m…stoic, I know,” he went on. “I’ll try and do better at showing what I feel. I know you don’t return my feelings for you, which is perfectly fine. But maybe it wasn’t fair for me to keep them from you entirely.” He bowed his head. “Have a good night. And don’t worry about any of this, please.”

He turned to go, already preconstructing various ways to avoid you for a few weeks, just until the metaphorical dust settled.

“Nines!”

You caught up with him with little rushed steps, catching his arm as you planted yourself in his path. Your expression was wide-eyed and earnest.

“I didn’t know you felt that way,” you said. “I really thought you didn’t like me. And it was hard because…I like you.”

Every process in his brain seemed to freeze, and he could do nothing but stare at you.

“I don’t know you very well, but I want to,” you continued. “I know that this crush I have is mostly because you’re handsome and brooding and decent, but I’d love to find out what it could turn into. Do you…want to find out too?”

“Yes,” he answered at once, tentative hope spreading warmth through his artificial veins. “I’d like that very much.”

And, like the sun emerging from a cloud, you smiled; a beautiful, hopeful smile, one he’d never seen before. One just for him.

[chaos-thirium]

For the prompts could I please request 12 with Gavin as A and reader as B. Bonus points if readers ex is Kamski and its the half brothers AU. I live for drama xx

Hi! We support drama around here. Fictional drama, anyway. It was actually a pretty interesting challenge to include all the messy family stuff plus Gavin's complexities into a short one-shot. Hopefully I pulled it off!

12. A and B go on a date together that gets crashed by one of B's exes.

(SFW)

Read on AO3.

To say that you and Gavin Reed had had a long road to get to this point would be an understatement. Like so many, your first impression of the snarky detective had not been a positive one. He was the resident asshole at the DPD, plain and simple. Except as you got to know him, you realised it wasn’t simple at all. His spiky comments and barely-contained rage were a smokescreen for the fear and self-doubt underneath.

Gavin would rather be seen as a short-tempered prick than let anyone discover the vulnerable side he kept hidden, but as soon as you began to suspect that there was more to him than spite, you chipped away at his defences. Gradually, you unearthed the truth of him: a man with a difficult upbringing, who’d worked hard and fought hard for everything he had, whose greatest fear was having it all taken away.

With your new understanding came a genuine desire for friendship, a desire that Gavin seemed to share; at first grudgingly, but then with slowly increasing sincerity. You still disagreed on a lot of things, but you fought about them in good spirits, and on occasion, Gavin even changed his mind on something. The one thing he remained adamant about, however, was androids.

You could understand his point of view at first. New technology threatening job security, yadda, yadda. Humanity had been through that cycle many times before and had come out the other side with a slightly different way of life. But during the fraught days of Markus’s revolution, you both had to rethink your stance. Not only were androids here to stay, they were alive.

Gavin accepted it because he had no choice. Laws were put in place protecting android-kind, and the behaviour he’d shown towards them initially was now looked on as hate crime. He knew he could lose his job if he treated his android co-workers with anything less than basic respect, and he’d worked too hard for his detective’s badge to let that happen.

You had been thoroughly converted to the deviant cause during the revolution, and had even made several android friends in the months that followed. You knew they were alive, however impossible it seemed, and the fact that they were now paid a wage and had to interview for jobs took away some of the concerns about unemployment. Not all of them, but at least the process was slightly more fair. Despite all the changes, however, Gavin still harboured an unrelenting hatred for androids; he just kept it to himself. You couldn’t understand why he clung to his past prejudices, but every time you tried to bring it up, he deflected.

The two of you had agreed to disagree, and your friendship had progressed as it was. The dynamic tilted on its axis one ordinary night, when the banter took a flirty turn that seemed a little more serious than usual, and gazes were held a little too long. You’d been convinced that the stubborn, spiky man was friendship material and nothing more, but slowly that same stubborn, spiky man had become the one that made you laugh, that you turned to first with your problems or good news. So, naturally, when he asked you out on a date, you turned him down the first four times.

That led you to this night, when you and Gavin Reed had finally decided to admit that there was a definite romantic element to your connection and go out to dinner together.

Gavin was aware that if the all-important first date got messed up, you’d never try dating each other ever again, so he had decided to take you to one of Detroit’s most exclusive restaurants. It was a classic option, and made you feel fancy in a way that you hadn’t felt in years. Gavin was suited and booted, and you’d made considerable effort too. If your matching stunned reactions were anything to go by, you’d both succeeded at scrubbing up well.

“Have you been here before?” you asked as you entered the warm mood lighting of the restaurant.

Gavin scoffed. “No. Too common for places like this, y’know.”

You smirked. “Think they’ll let us eat here?”

“They’d better. I don’t have a plan B.”

Fortunately, seeing as your money was as good as anyone’s, the staff gave you no issues, leading you to your table, which was tastefully decorated with a single, perfect orchid.

“Have you been here before?” Gavin threw back at you, leafing through the menu, which was actual printed card and not digital.

“No. I came close once, though,” you admitted. “A guy I was dating was going to bring me here, but we broke up.”

Gavin shrugged. “His loss.”

You smiled at the comment, inclined to agree, and picked up your own menu.

“Hey,” Gavin added softly, catching your attention. “I mean that. Every idiot who let you walk away…it’s their loss. I’m not gonna be stupid enough to do the same. Just so we’re clear.”

Your smile grew gentler, and absurdly, you felt your cheeks warm in a blush. You nodded, touched by the rare show of sincerity. Gavin did not often give voice to his more tender thoughts.

Of course, he couldn’t let the moment linger too long either. “Okay, so am I gonna go with the chicken or take out a new loan on my house so I can get a steak?”

You snorted a laugh, trying not to look at the prices.

A door not far from your table slid open, revealing a private dining area, no doubt for the top clientele. You averted your eyes as a man emerged, not wanting to stare. It was something you liked to do whenever you encountered someone who clearly wanted attention: refuse to provide it. Fate had other plans, however, and you glanced up as you heard your name spoken in quiet but commanding tones.

Your eyes widened at the sight of Elijah Kamski, a rare, tight smile curving his lips. He was paler than you remembered, which made sense. You’d heard he’d become something of a recluse in recent years. 

“Elijah,” you said in surprise.

“You look radiant,” he said smoothly, the compliment sliding off his tongue with no emotions attached to it whatsoever. You weren’t sure how that made you feel. “Then again, you always did know how to dress for these kinds of places,” Elijah went on.

“Thank you,” you muttered.

“You know him?” Gavin blurted.

You turned your head to take in his expression; a mixture of disbelief and irritation.

“Uh, yeah,” you ventured, trying not to let your sudden awkwardness show. “Um…Elijah and I used to date. A long time ago.”

Gavin’s eyes widened in shock. You were used to that reaction. It was why you didn’t mention to people that you’d once dated the Elijah Kamski. People either didn’t believe you or peppered you with questions.

You watched, startled, as Elijah grabbed an empty chair from a nearby table and set it down at yours. He sat, posture rigid, smiling politely, and you resisted the urge to gawp at him. Was it not obvious that you were on a date?

“Uh…” you began, but Gavin cut you off.

“You never mentioned him.”

You looked back at him, frowning slightly at the unexpected anger present in his voice and expression. Did it really matter who was in your dating past? It was the past for a reason, after all.

“Well…” you stumbled, “I’m sure you’ve not told me about all your exes either.”

“Yeah, but…” Gavin shut off his sentence, inhaling noisily through his nose.

Your mind was spinning, trying to make sense of his reaction, which was far more elevated than you thought it should be. Was it the android thing again? Did he somehow see your past with Elijah as some sort of betrayal? That seemed far-fetched for someone with a largely logical mind, but Gavin had been known to overreact when androids were involved.

“Sounds like you haven’t mentioned me either, Gavin,” Elijah spoke up calmly.

Your head whipped round at his use of Gavin’s name. You hadn’t had time to introduce them, so how…?

“Yeah, I wonder why that is,” Gavin practically snarled.

“What the hell is going on?” you demanded, looking between them both.

Gavin shook his head slightly, but he was the one to answer you. “Turns out you dated my fucking half-brother.”

It was your turn to stare at him in shock. “Your what?”

“Gavin is the product of one of my father’s more long-lasting indiscretions,” Elijah explained. “We only learned of it as teenagers, after his death.”

“Pretty major inconvenience for you, wasn’t it,” Gavin shot back acidly. “But I get it. You were busy being the world’s most pretentious sixteen-year-old, founding your fucking robotics company. You had no time to waste on reaching out to a brother you didn’t know you had.”

The sarcasm in his voice almost made you cringe, and something vital clicked into place. Teenaged Gavin had wanted to form a connection, and Elijah hadn’t been receptive. CyberLife had been a bigger priority, which made it the first incident of androids taking up space that Gavin had wanted to take himself. And all throughout his adult life, he’d been seeing it happen again and again as technology threatened jobs that humans had once done. No wonder he hated them. They represented the rejection that must have come at a difficult time in his life.

You knew from past conversations that Gavin had assumed throughout his childhood that his dad had left his mom when he was young. He’d implied that he’d learned something different later in life, but he’d never elaborated. Now it made sense.

You’d briefly dated Elijah in the early years of CyberLife’s big success, finding him intriguing and brooding at a time when you’d thought that was what you wanted. You broke up when you realised how little time he actually had to spend with you. Never once had he mentioned a half-brother.

You glanced between them, realising with surprise that you could pick out a few minor similarities in their faces when you were seeing them side by side. It seemed you had a type.

“My mother was upset by the revelation,” Elijah said, “you know that, Gavin. I didn’t want to add to her grief and betrayal.”

“At least your mom had him with her. She didn’t spend a few months thinking she was someone’s priority only to find out she’s the fucking side chick.”

You wanted to reach across the table and take Gavin’s hand, but you had a feeling he wouldn’t want that. Not in front of Elijah.

“What the fuck did you see in this guy?” he added to you. “It’s gotta be the money, right? He could afford to take you to places like this all the time.”

You stared at him, stung. Logically you understood that he was lashing out without proper thought, but you didn’t appreciate the implication that you were actually shallow. He knew better. He knew you better.

“Actually, I’d barely made my first million when we were together,” Elijah said, which didn’t help at all.

“Well fuck, aren’t you just super relatable.”

“Elijah,” you spoke up, patience wearing thin, “was there something you wanted? Because Gavin and I are here to have dinner. Alone.”

“I intended to catch up, but perhaps another time would be better.”

“Don’t worry about it,” Gavin interjected, getting to his feet. “Have a nice stroll down memory lane together. I’m done.”

He stormed off, weaving his way through elegant tables. You turned narrowed eyes on Elijah.

“What the hell, Elijah? Was it not obvious that we were on a date?”

He shrugged, infuriatingly calm. “I’ve never been very good at reading social situations. Would you like a drink? We can stroll down memory lane.”

“The only place I’m strolling is after Gavin,” you said firmly, pushing your chair back. “Your androids are more human than you. At least they experience empathy and compassion.”

His eyebrows rose, but he said nothing further as you followed Gavin’s path out. You bypassed the startled concierge, heading onto the street and jogging towards the parking lot. Gavin had driven you both, but with the mood he was in, you couldn’t be sure that he wouldn’t leave without you.

To your surprise, he was leaning against his car, hands in his pockets and a torn expression on his face. He looked equally surprised to see you, and you tried to figure out how the fuck he’d thought you would have preferred to reminisce with Elijah over spending time with him. But that tracked with how Gavin had seen himself throughout his life. Replaceable. Unimportant. Despite your annoyance with him, your heart broke a little bit.

“I dunno what I was thinking bringing you here,” he said, sounding considerable calmer than he had in the restaurant. “I don’t fit in here and I never will.”

“And you think I do? We’re on the same wage, Gav.”

“Yeah, but you’re…” He trailed off.

“What?”

“Doesn’t matter.”

You approached, leaning beside him. “I’m not better than you,” you said. “I mean, I am great, obviously.”

He snorted a faint laugh, which you considered a win.

“But you know what?” you went on. “I think you’re pretty great too.”

“Okay, camp counsellor,” he said sardonically.

“Fuck off,” you retorted, bumping your arm against his. “I dated Elijah years ago. He was only just starting to come to places like this. I went to a few with him but…I hated it. I didn’t fit in at all, I just managed to fake it. Elijah never noticed. It’s part of the reason why we broke up, but mostly we were just a mismatch.”

“Yeah, I get that.” He sent you an apologetic look. “I shouldn’t have said what I said back there. It was just…in the moment, I could see all the things he could give you that I can’t.”

“Didn’t you stop to think about whether they’d be things I’d actually want?”

“I guess not. I’m an idiot.”

“You’re not,” you said seriously. “You’re just scared, I think. Scared of losing things you care about.”

His posture stiffened slightly beside you, clearly showing his discomfort at having his raw truth laid bare, but he stayed where he was.

“You’re allowed to take up space, Gavin. I know it’s easier to act like a dick than to be decent and risk being rejected, but there are people that want you to take up space in their lives. I want you to take up space.”

He met your gaze, and you were glad to see that he seemed to be taking your words on board. It wouldn’t be an overnight change. You’d probably end up having dozens more conversations exactly like this. But maybe he’d be willing to listen. And maybe he’d eventually learn to let go of some of his anger and fear.

“Yeah?” he said, voice quiet.

“Yeah. You said you wouldn’t be stupid enough to let me walk away, right? That makes you smarter than Elijah.”

He huffed a disbelieving laugh. “Sure, maybe. On this one thing.” His expression sobered. “But…maybe it’s the one thing that really matters.”

You weren’t used to this quiet, sincere Gavin, and you weren’t entirely sure what to say back. You half expected him to break the moment with a quip, like he’d done in the restaurant, but he simply held your gaze, seemingly content to let you see behind his defences for once. You were touched, finding yourself surprisingly emotional after the turbulent evening, and it was you who broke the moment with a quip.

“So, are you going to kiss me or what?”

Gavin’s face softened further in a slow-spreading grin. “I don’t know. We’ve never done that before. Kinda feels like it would be a game-changer.”

He wasn’t wrong. The two of you may be on a date, but so far you hadn’t really done anything that you hadn’t done during your friendship. You were standing much closer than you usually did, however, and the way you were both leaning had your noses within an inch of touching.

“Gav?” you murmured.

“Yeah?”

“Kiss me.”

He closed the gap between you, capturing your mouth in a surprisingly soft kiss. The two of you lingered there, testing the new development. Then you parted your lips under his, pressing yourself closer, and his tongue met yours. His stubble prickled your skin, and you had a sudden, visceral need to feel it in other places.

You were breathless when you parted, your blood running hot in your veins. Gavin’s eyes were dark, fixed on your mouth as if he was already thinking about kissing you again.

“Fuck the date,” you declared. “I have a four-part plan to improve our evening.”

Gavin looked amused, his arms reassuringly snug around your waist. “Yeah? Let’s hear it.”

You lifted a hand to count on your fingers. “Beer.”

“Like it so far.”

“Pizza.”

“Yup.”

“Your couch.”

“Uh-huh.”

“More making out.”

He nodded in approval. “Sounds perfect.”

And maybe, if things went well, you’d add a fifth part and really shake up the dynamic of your relationship.

And maybe, if things went really well, one day you would successfully convince this stubborn, bitter man that he was worth so much more than he thought.

[chaos-thirium]

Hi, I hope you're having a good day. A few days ago, let me check the calendar *checks the calendar* about 4 weeks ago, I found some delightful stories about Sixty made by you in AO3, I used to be in the fandom since the game launched and I came back again in 2026. It feels like a breath of fresh air about the fact that it made more fanfics with Sixty besides Connor and Nines. Apart from Markus. I sometimes forget that he's also part of the model, he's the oldest of the boys.

The RK boys' trilogy is completed.

On Wattpad, I remember there were a few, but they had sometimes outlandish stories and were entertaining.

Those were good times and cringe too, I couldn't help it.

I look forward to reading more of your stories in the future ✨

It's been years since I sent some ask, I hope you don't mind it. (Because of shyness I haven't been able to do it)

Hi! I’m glad you enjoyed my stories, particularly about Sixty. He’s definitely taken hold of me and refuses to let go! I’m sure there’ll be more in the future. That man simply wants all the attention.

[chaos-thirium]

Hii I’ve missed your writing and hope you’re doing well!! Could you do prompt 20 with Nines as A and reader as B? Thank you!!

Hi! I'm doing well, thanks. I hope you are too.

20. A and B have a friendly competition to see who can get more numbers and A gets upset when B gets the number of someone who actually likes them.

From this prompt list.

(SFW)

Read on AO3.

It had started as a friendly competition, but all it was doing now was making you depressed. It was all Sixty’s fault; it had been his idea.

While you, Sixty and Nines were staking out a bar to keep watch for a drug deal, Sixty had suggested livening things up a little. You’d been concerned about being unprofessional, but Sixty had validly pointed out that you all needed to talk to the patrons of the bar anyway. There was no harm in adding something extra to the conversations.

There were DPD officers staked out in bars all across central Detroit, since no one was sure exactly where the deal would take place. Each team had at least one android so everyone could keep in touch without suspicious earpieces. The chances of it being your bar that was used was minimal, so you’d agreed. That was how you, Sixty and Nines had ended up trying to get phone numbers from the people you spoke to. Whoever got the most would be the winner.

It was just meant to be a bit of fun, but that had been 90 minutes ago. Now, you’d heard the report that the drug deal had taken place in the bar where Connor and Hank were stationed, so you were off the hook. Sixty had gone home with someone almost immediately after the news came in, which just left you and Nines carrying on with the competition. A competition that you hadn’t been that enthusiastic about in the first place.

You’d acquired three phone numbers, all from people who didn’t seem particularly interested in you as a person. You wouldn’t be calling any of them anyway, but it still felt a little hollow. They just saw your physical appeal and that was it. If you were really on the hunt for a partner, even one just for a night, you would need more than that.

You weren’t on the hunt for a partner for one reason: Nines. The moment you’d first seen him, you’d tumbled head over heels into a crush. Over time, it had only grown stronger, developing into real feelings as you got to know him. He had absolutely no idea, and you were going to keep it that way. He didn’t return your interest, and you weren’t about to make your working relationship awkward by admitting you had feelings for him.

Nines had acquired seven phone numbers, which didn’t surprise you. He was tall, brooding and handsome: a lethal combination. People approached him thinking they could get past his aloof exterior. Paired with his request for a phone number, they would no doubt think they had a chance of success. You were certain he was finding the whole thing as draining as you, but he’d always had a competitive streak. Every time he checked in with you, he seemed satisfied that you still only had three numbers.

You were thinking about calling it quits and heading home. He’d won, and you were never going to catch up now. You weren’t really sure what you were staying for, especially when there was a chance he’d go home with one of the owners of the numbers, as Sixty had. You didn’t actually know if Nines did that sort of thing. You never asked him, mindful that you wouldn’t like the answer.

“Hey.”

You turned to look at the speaker who had sidled up to the bar, meeting the gaze of a good-looking man with honey-blond hair and a neat beard. His eyes were blue, the same shades as the plaid shirt he wore. You tried to hide your surprise as he smiled at you warmly. The three phone numbers you had had come from people youhad approached. You weren’t used to attractive men approaching you.

“Uh, hi,” you said.

“Got any recommendations?”

“Don’t do murder,” you retorted automatically, too used to answering Sixty’s dumb office banter.

Fortunately, the man laughed, making you reluctantly smile.

“Okay, noted,” he said. “But I actually meant off the drinks menu.”

“Right, yeah. Obviously that would be what you meant,” you mumbled, feeling your cheeks grow hot. “Uh…the cocktails are pretty good. If you’re not driving. Don’t drink and drive either.”

He laughed again. “Are you here to keep me on my toes?”

“Nah, I’m off duty.”

He got the attention of one of the bar staff and ordered one of the cocktails unique to the bar.

“Do you want another one?” he asked you.

You shrugged, then nodded. “Sure, thanks. Same again, please.”

If you were drinking cocktails, you weren’t thinking about Nines flirting with more people.

“I’m Jackson, by the way,” he introduced.

You introduced yourself too. Jackson made small talk with you while you waited for your drinks. You were surprised to find that there seemed to be no false front with him. He seemed to be a genuinely nice guy, who was talking to you because he was actually interested. After the kind of evening you’d had, it was refreshing. You found yourself enjoying his company, although he wasn’t enough of a distraction to dislodge Nines from your mind. A pity, as he was someone you might have been interested in had you not been hopelessly in love with someone else.

“You were right about this cocktail,” he said, taking another appreciative sip.

You smiled. “Yeah?”

“Yeah. I have no idea what’s in it, and I probably don’t want to know, but it’s good.”

You laughed, taking a sip of your own.

A brief silence fell between you, then Jackson cleared his throat.

“So, uh…I don’t want to take up all of your evening, but if you wanted to do this again sometime, that would be nice.” He took his phone out of his pocket. “I could…give you my number? If you wanted.”

You’d given up on asking for numbers, and now here was a guy freely offering his. You would laugh about it, if it was remotely funny.

“Oh,” you said, your good mood souring a bit. How were you going to let him down gently without hurting his feelings? Unless he just wanted to be friends, but that wasn’t the impression you were getting from the hopeful look in his eyes. “Uh…listen, you’ve been great company. Honestly, such a nice change from everyone else I’ve been talking to.”

He smiled, but his expression told you he’d guessed where your speech was going. An air of resigned disappointment settled over him.

You weren’t entirely sure what you were going to say next, but a shadow loomed over you.

“Detective,” Nines said, announcing his presence.

Jackson let out a quiet bark of amusement. “You actually are a cop?”

“Yeah,” you confessed. “Like I said, don’t do murder.”

He rested a hand on his chest. “Cross my heart.”

You smiled against your will, pivoting on your stool to peer up at the stoic android behind you. Your smile gave way to a frown as you noticed his yellow LED.

“Everything okay, Nines?”

 “Yes,” he said curtly. “I’m calling an end to the…operation.”

You noted his choice of words, most likely to avoid questions from Jackson. If you were truly interested in him, you wouldn’t want him to get the wrong idea about the phone number competition. Nines could be incredibly thoughtful like that sometimes, even if it seemed at odds with his intimidating demeanour.

“Okay,” you said, still eyeing the amber circle on his temple. “Are you sure you’re alright?”

“I’m perfectly fine,” he snapped, practically cutting across the end of your question. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

He turned and walked away, and you watched him go, your heart thudding in your chest. What the hell had just happened?

“You should go after him,” Jackson said.

“What?”

“You were about to let me down because of him, right?” he said shrewdly, voice kind. “Well, I don’t think he knows that. I think he’s jealous.”

You shook your head. “No, he’s not.”

“That’s what it looked like to me.”

“He’s just…he’s always kinda like that,” you countered weakly, even as your body processed the idea that Nines might be jealous, lighting your nerves on fire with foolish hope.

Jackson said your name with patient firmness, drawing your attention.

“Isn’t it better to find out?” he said.

You knew he was right, even if you didn’t want to admit it. Talking to Nines about your feelings was a terrifying prospect.

“You’re a good guy, Jackson,” you told him, finding yourself slipping off your barstool before you’d consciously made the decision to.

“I would hope so,” he said with a lacklustre smile. “Tell your friends.”

You offered him a smile back, then hurried after Nines, your heart in your throat. You snaked your way through loud people in various stages of drunkenness, finally bursting through the door. A chill rain struck your bare arms, making you gasp. It had been warm inside, and you hadn’t realised the weather had changed. You wrapped your arms around yourself, looking up and down the street.

There was no sign of him.

Disappointment rippled through you. You hadn’t realised until that moment how much the idea of his misconceptions bothered you. If he truly was jealous of Jackson, he was hurting right now, and you wanted to stop it.

“Nines!” you called out, but there was nothing but the patter of the rain.

“Fuck,” you whispered.

You were starting to shiver, yet were reluctant to go back inside, to a place you knew he definitely wasn’t.

Across the road, an automated taxi pulled to a stop, and a familiar figure emerged from a nearby doorway. Your heart lurched.

“Nines!”

Most likely he’d ignored your first cry, but he couldn’t ignore you now. Not when you were crossing the road in front of the taxi he was about to get into. He glanced up, immediately frowning.

“What are you doing? You’ll get cold.”

“I’m fine,” you waved off, aware that he could probably see you shivering.

Nines shrugged off his coat, stepping forward to drape it around your shoulders. You burrowed into it gratefully, holding it around you like a blanket.

“Where’s your friend?” he asked.

“Inside,” you answered dismissively.

“He seemed…decent. He showed genuine interest in you.”

“I know, but…”

His head tilted, rain running in shining rivulets down his beautiful face. “But what?”

His coat was helping, but you still needed to warm up. It was that sense of urgency that bypassed all your fretting over the right thing to say and had you simply stating a bold truth instead.

“He’s not you,” you said with a shrug.

Nines stared at you for a moment, his LED processing. You wondered if he would need more clarification, if part of him would find it hard to believe, as you had. You also wondered if he would politely let you down, if Jackson had been wrong about him. But Nines had always been ruthlessly efficient.

He closed the gap between you, hands finding the lapels of his coat as he used it to pull you closer, and then his mouth was on yours, warm, wet and perfect. You let out a tiny, relieved whimper in your throat, kissing him back as the rain continued to drench you both.

“I’m done wasting time,” he said when he let you come up for air. “I don’t care how many people want to give me their phone number, I just want you.”

Your face broke out in a grateful smile. “I just want you too.”

“Come home with me?” he said, only a slight upward inflection making it a question rather than a demand. You didn’t think you would have minded either way.

“I thought you’d never ask.”

[leshkalis]

[chaos-thirium]

Beautiful 💙

[chaos-thirium]

Responding to the prompts post:

10. "If I see them look at you again, I'm kicking their ass."

Connor saying this to the reader about Gavin (because Connor has Big Beef with Gavin), making a big public display of affection right there to mark his territory, and then the reader having to explain that Gavin is actually looking at *Connor* that way would be peak. Connor is flustered, Gavin is pissed, Hank is mortified, reader reaps the rewards.

This was a fun scenario! Enjoy. (I changed the prompt quote to he/him pronouns to fit Gavin.)

From this prompt list.

(This gif was too perfect for this!)

(SFW)

Read on AO3.

It was coming up to a year since Markus successfully won freedom for androids with his peaceful protest. A year of free will, of emotions, of fair pay, housing and healthcare. A year of learning how to co-exist with humanity. It hadn’t been smooth sailing, of course. Protests were still ongoing, but androids were still recognised as an intelligent species, and humans were forced to accept it.

It had been a year of ups and downs for Connor, and he was in a reflective mood as he watched Tina and Chris hanging a celebratory banner over the entrance to the break room. His human co-workers had taken it upon themselves to recognise the anniversary, and he was touched that they’d chosen to celebrate it. He felt accepted at the DPD, valued as a key member of the team, with one or two notable exceptions.

Gavin Reed was still the resident asshole. Even if he’d toned down his bigotry after being proved wrong about androids, he and Connor were never going to be friends. They’d had too much of an antagonistic start to their working relationship. Connor could forgive remarks made in ignorance, but Gavin had always gone above and beyond to be unpleasant. Whatever insecurities he had did not concern Connor. They were a reason for his behaviour, not an excuse, and Connor had no time for it. He simply disregarded Gavin’s presence, only speaking to him when it was necessary for a case.

Gavin clearly did not like being ignored, but he had to get used to it, as Connor flatly refused to rise to any of his inflammatory comments. Eventually, they stopped. Maybe Gavin remembered being knocked out in the evidence room and was wisely choosing not to head towards that kind of scenario again. Connor hadn’t been a deviant then, but even still, part of him had kind of enjoyed teaching the snarky detective a lesson.

If Gavin was one of the downs of his year, you were most definitely an up. Romance hadn’t been anywhere on Connor’s radar, so meeting you had come as a surprise. He’d insisted on being your friend for a long time, convinced that he didn’t need a significant other. It was only in recent months that the two of you had stopped trying to deny the attraction between you.

You’d become a frequent visitor to the DPD, dropping in to see Connor, bringing him a Thirium tea, (always accompanied by a coffee for Hank). You’d become friendly with some of his colleagues. You’d even attempted to befriend Gavin once. He’d told you to fuck off, but you’d simply laughed and walked away from his desk, his incredulous eyes following your progress.

Since then, Connor had noticed Gavin staring at the two of you every time you came into the station. At first he’d ignored it, as he ignored the vast majority of anything Gavin did, but as time went on, it was starting to grate. He wasn’t sure why it bothered him so much. Gavin hadn’t said anything to you, and Connor was secure enough in your affection that he had no fears of you changing your mind about him. It was just…irritating. Really, really irritating.

“I come bearing treats.”

He looked up at the sound of your voice, smiling to see the two paper cups and grocery bag in your hands.

“Doughnuts,” you announced, setting them down in front of Hank along with his coffee. “And some android-safe macarons.”

“You’re a lifesaver,” Hank said, reaching for the packet. “I’m starving.”

“You ate two hours ago, Hank,” Connor felt obliged to mention.

“Two hours is a long time,” Hank mumbled, his beard already sprinkled with powdered sugar.

You smiled, turning away from him to perch on Connor’s desk. “How’s your day going?”

“So far, it’s been quite productive.” He rested his hand on your knee, squeezing gently. “How’s yours?”

“Productive too,” you said, covering his hand with yours and lacing your fingers together.

Connor smiled at you, but his smile faltered when his gaze slid sideways and fell on Gavin. Gavin was holding his phone, but his eyes were fixed on you, where Connor’s hand held yours. His expression was interesting: a combination of disdain and unfiltered longing, woven with a strand of bitterness.

Connor looked away, shaking his head as his mouth curled into a brief sneer.

“What’s wrong?” you asked.

“Nothing.”

“Connor,” you chided gently.

He sighed. "If I see him look at you again, I'm kicking his ass,” he declared.

Your forehead creased in a confused frown. “Who?”

“Detective Reed.”

You glanced over at Gavin, your expression changing to one of faint amusement. Had Gavin flipped you the bird again? Maybe Connor should kick his ass just for that. He knew from various psychology texts that insecure humans sometimes acted poorly towards people they secretly found attractive. It was usually a trait they grew out of, but not always. Gavin was a prime example of such behaviour. It was bad enough that he was staring at you inappropriately, even worse if he was being a dick to you as well.

Connor’s anger took a sudden leap up, and his Thirium felt hot in his artificial veins. What gave Gavin the right?

“Actually…” you started to say, turning your head back.

Connor shot to his feet, interrupting you as you looked at him with startled eyes. Without thinking, he slid his hand to the back of your neck and pulled you into a deep kiss. It was the kind of kiss that he usually reserved for when he was alone with you, but a point needed to be made.

You squeaked in surprise, but then melted into him, your arms wrapping around his waist. You eagerly met his tongue with yours, your familiar and addictive taste bringing up satisfying datapoints on his HUD.

“Jesus Christ,” he heard Hank mumble. “I’m tryna eat here.”

When Connor pulled back from you, your eyes were blown wide, expression dazed. He glanced at Gavin, who’d spun his chair around and was leaning on his desk, an angry pink flush on the cheek that Connor could see.  

Satisfied that his display had had the desired effect, he looked back at you. You blinked a few times, the glazed look vanishing from your eyes, and you stole a look at Gavin too. When you turned back, the amusement was back on your face.

“No violence required this time,” he assured you.

“Uh-huh,” you said, “but Connor…he wasn’t looking at me.”

Connor frowned, wondering how you could have come to that conclusion. “Of course he was.”

“He wasn’t. He was looking at you.”

Connor halted, processing the last few minutes. Surely that couldn’t be right. Gavin had been staring…at your hands. Your hand clasped with his. But no, that didn’t mean… He would have noticed if Gavin had been staring at him in that strange way!

Except…he barely paid attention to Gavin these days.

Shit, were you right?

He glanced over at Gavin again, only to be met by the detective’s angry, oddly vulnerable gaze.

“Why don’t you take a picture, it’ll last longer,” he snapped, getting to his feet and stomping over to the break room. “Hey, Chen!” he called. “Your banner’s fucking uneven!”

“Oh,” Connor said quietly.

You huffed a laugh, hugging him around the waist.

“Don’t worry about it. I’m pretty sure your little display had the same effect you intended.”

“Yeah,” Hank put in. “Think you ruined his day.”

Well, if that was the case, Connor couldn’t find it in himself to be mad about it. He swept a strand of your hair behind your ear, and you rewarded him with a soft little smile.

“I should go,” you said with obvious reluctance. “Try not to disrupt anything else this afternoon.”

He smiled at your warm tone, even as he wondered what kind of afternoon lay ahead with the surprising reveal. Maybe Gavin would be even quieter. That would be an unexpected perk.

You leaned closer, whispering for his ears only, “Hurry home and finish what you started.”

His smile grew wider and a touch more playful. “That’s something I can promise.”

[chaos-thirium]

Hello, can I have prompt 16 and 2 (if it's okay with mixing 2 prompts tgt) with deviated connor and a district attorney reader in a post-pacifist ending 🫶 👉👈

Hello! Mixing prompts is always fine. It can produce some interesting results! I hope you enjoy this one.

16. A reassures B that they've only got eyes for them after B catches A dancing on someone at a party.

2. "I can't help but get a little angry when I see them look at you like that."

From this prompt list.

(SFW)

Read on AO3.

It always made you feel proud to attend events with Connor. This was for a multitude of reasons, ranging from the meaningful to the shallow. The shallowest, of course, being that he was extremely handsome, particularly in a sharply tailored suit. Heads turned to watch the two of you enter the room, and you couldn’t help feeling immense gratitude that you were the one on his arm.

The two of you had met when he’d been one of the most crucial witnesses on one of your prosecution cases. His expertise and attention to detail had helped you put away a dangerous man, a man who you were convinced would have been on his way to becoming a serial killer had the two of you not stopped him. You’d worked well together and had found yourselves instantly clicking as friends too. You’d kept in touch afterwards, even if your communication was sometimes nothing more than swapped pet photos.

As a high-profile detective, Connor was often invited to a lot of the events held by the district attorney’s office, along with many of his colleagues. He’d even introduced you to the legendary Hank Anderson once, a man whose career you’d followed since childhood. You hated work parties. They always involved too much schmoozing and not enough actual fun. The first time you’d actually enjoyed yourself at one of them was at the last one, when you’d plucked up the courage to ask Connor if he wanted to attend together. The two of you had hung out near the snack table and had given each other a running commentary of people-watching in between the required networking.

That party had been memorable for another reason too. Connor had asked you to dance, deliberately choosing a slow song. He’d held you close as he led you around the floor, and afterward, he’d kissed you on your doorstep after driving you home. The two of you fell into a romance as easily as breathing.

Less than a month later, you were asking him to attend another event with you, relief flooding your veins when he agreed. And now here you were, dolled up and ready to flatter politicians and lawyers with your bright, fake smile.

You would have much preferred to be at home in sweatpants than dressed to the nines at a glitzy fundraiser, but it was part of the job. Especially when your boss was such good friends with the governor and had eagerly promised the attendance of the entire office.

“This is going to suck,” you grumbled, handing your coat over to the cloakroom attendant.

Connor smiled at you good-naturedly, resting a hand at the small of your back as you walked towards the sound of chatter and a tasteful string quartet.

“Just be your usual eloquent self,” he advised you.

“And laugh at their jokes?”

“Always.”

“Ugh.”

Connor chuckled softly, the sound of it making you smile against your will. However bad the evening turned out to be, at least he was by your side.

Two hours later, you were mentally scolding yourself for your naivety. The two of you had continually been separated and had to find your way back to one another, constantly drawn into conversations with other people. Connor was one of the better-known detectives thanks to his role in the android revolution, so there were often people vying for his attention. You were also well known in certain circles, and you often found your rivals from various law firms eager to trade barbed banter. You didn’t usually mind that too much – you had respect for defence lawyers, as they had for you – but when it prevented you from spending time with Connor, you found it tedious.

You tried not to let that show in your face as you chatted to Andrea, a woman you’d last seen at the defence table in a courtroom. She was someone you didn’t mind going up against, since she was smart and always made you work hard for your victories. If you had more free time, she might even be someone you’d like to be friends with. Currently, you were feeling a sense of empathy with her, as she’d lost her husband somewhere in the crowd.

“He’s probably talking sports with someone,” she concluded, rising up on her toes as she scanned the immediate area. “Can’t get him to shut up about the last two Gears games.”

You laughed politely.

“Where’s your man?” she asked, returning her attention to you. “I saw you walk in with Detective Tall, Dark and Handsome.”

“I did, then we got separated while mingling.” You shrugged, downplaying your annoyance at how the evening was going. “I’m sure he’ll turn up.”

“Oh, I think I see him,” Andrea said. “He’s dancing with someone. Is that…is that Barbara Warren? What’s she doing here?”

You frowned, turning to see but she was taller than you. Barbara Warren was the president’s younger sister. She was trying to break into politics but wasn’t having as much success as her sister. You knew she’d been in Michigan, visiting with various politicians, but you hadn’t known she’d be at this party. From what you’d heard, she was someone that President Warren would prefer to distance herself from.

“Shit,” you muttered. “He probably didn’t feel like he could refuse.”

“I don’t know,” Andrea said, sounding dubious, “he seems…”

You glanced at her, not liking the expression on her face. “Seems what?”

She sent you a look of sympathy. “I don’t know, but if I were you, I’d be ready to get mad.”

Alarm coiled through you, and you turned away from her, working your way through the crowd towards the dance floor. Connor always had admirers wherever he went. Usually, he received their attention with politeness, sometimes an endearing sense of bewilderment. You didn’t see why this time should be any different, but Andrea’s words had triggered a flutter of worry in the pit of your stomach.

You’re being irrational, you told yourself.

You weaved between two conversing groups and reached the edge of the dance floor. It was crowded but it didn’t take you long to spot Connor. Sure enough, he was dancing with Barbara Warren. You recognised her from various social media videos. She wore a fluttery white dress, her blonde hair in an elegant updo, and her make-up was flawless. She was laughing at something Connor had said, and he was beaming at her.

Something twisted in your abdomen. You’d seen Connor dancing with other people plenty of times. It was expected at events like this one. But you’d never seen him look like he was actually enjoying himself.

Her gaze was predatory as she looked at him, and you were glad when their rotating movements put it out of sight.

You liked to think you knew Connor well. He would never do anything to intentionally hurt you. If he found a deeper connection with someone else, he would do the honourable thing and break things off with you first. But you knew as well as anyone how easy it was to get swept up in a moment. Was that what you were witnessing? Or were you merely overreacting, fearing the worst from an evening that was already disappointing you?

Connor’s gaze found yours over Barbara’s shoulder, his smile dropping as he caught the look on your face. You startled, although you weren’t sure why. You’d had enough time to move. He said something to Barbara, taking a step back from her. She turned to stare at you, and you schooled your expression into something more neutral. She dismissed you quickly, turning back to Connor and speaking. From her expression and body language, she was offering some sort of proposition. You almost couldn’t believe that she had the audacity to do that after confirming that Connor wasn’t single, but she came from a place of privilege. Clearly, she expected to find it everywhere.

You’d never wanted to punch someone so much in your life. You weren’t usually a violent person. It was interesting to learn that there were exceptions to that.

Connor said something to Barbara that she clearly disapproved of, then started walking towards you. He spoke your name when he got close enough, but you found your mask of neutrality had stuck. You didn’t think there was any kind of expression on your face as you looked at him. He reached for your hand, and you let him take it. His eyes were concerned as he studied your face, and you belatedly realised that you were waiting for an explanation.

“Are you alright?” he asked you instead.

“I’m fine,” you said.

It was obvious that he didn’t believe you, so you tacked on a brief explanation of your own.

"I can't help but get a little angry when I see them look at you like that. All your…admirers. The way they stare at you like you’re a piece of meat. Which is ironic, now that I think about it.”

“It doesn’t matter how they look at me,” Connor said intently, “what matters is that I have no interest in looking back.”

“You seemed pretty friendly out there,” you couldn’t help pointing out, hating how insecure you sounded.

“She was telling me how she plans to donate funds to Markus. I was trying to…be nice,” he said, wilting a little before your eyes as he began to comprehend that he may have pitched it wrong. “I didn’t want her to change her mind just because I couldn’t be what she wants me to be.”

The clarification soothed your nerves a little, although you were disturbed by how quickly you’d feared it was something more. Somehow, you hadn’t realised just how much you feared losing him.

He cupped your face in his hands, his eyes dark and intense as he stepped close enough to speak quietly.

“I only want you,” he told you firmly. “I’ve been trying to get back to you all evening, but it’s been impossible.”

You let out a shaky breath, more tension seeping out of your anxious body.

“Do you think we can slip away?” he asked. “I want to take you home and show you how important you are to me, and all the ways I want you, and all the ways I always will.”

Your throat felt tight, so you merely nodded. A rush of emotion was pressing on your chest, making you feel foolish for overreacting. Something you’d need to work on for sure, but you were happy to start that process with Connor’s thorough reassurance.

“Yeah,” you managed to say, “take me home.”

[chaos-thirium]

for the prompt meme✨ hit me with a number 5. the vibe, as I see it: sixty, complaining of always being sidelined or left to occupy himself, and somehow still waits so nicely to be collected again, even if he doesn’t like that part being pointed out. he knows all about obeying, clearly.

does he retaliate? is it successful or is he put back in his place?

naturally, I know what I’d do 😏 but I’m quite happy to leave him in your very capable hands chaos. enjoy✨

Hello my lovely! I'm always happy to play with Sixty, although I know I'm far too nice to him sometimes. He knows he has me wrapped around his little finger. Hopefully you enjoy this, even if it does not involve him being put in a washing machine of any kind.

5. "Yeah, I'll just be here waiting for you like always." "What's that supposed to mean?"

From this prompt list.

(SFW)

Read on AO3.

The slam of your car doors broke the stillness of a sunny Friday morning, followed by the satisfying clack of three seatbelts. The car rumbled to life when you turned the key, and you rested your hands at two and ten on the wheel. Your salary as a private investigator would have allowed you to splurge on a fancy self-driving car, but you preferred to remain in control of your vehicle. Unlike many people, you trusted self-driving cars to know what they were doing. It was other drivers that you didn’t trust.

Your partner, Derek, let out a sigh from the passenger seat, which quickly evolved into a jaw-cracking yawn. He and his husband had just adopted a baby, and he was trudging through the usual new parent sleeplessness.

“We’ll get coffee on the way back,” you promised him.

He thanked you. At least, you thought he did. It was hard to tell, since the words came out around another yawn.

Truthfully, you could use the extra perk too. You were on day five of babysitting – sorry, training – the latest new recruit, and so far, you were unimpressed. You slid your gaze to the rear-view mirror, studying the android occupying the back seat. He was glancing out of the window, but as if sensing your scrutiny, his eyes met yours, one of them briefly closing in a wink. You rolled yours and turned your attention to the road as you set off. You told yourself you imagined the huff of amusement from behind you.

“What do we know about this case?” you asked.

Derek ignored you, correctly assuming that the question wasn’t aimed at him.

“Didn’t you read the report?” Sixty threw back at you, mischievous in a way that made you wonder if he realised you would be the one assessing him at the end of his probation.

“I did,” you said, sounding more patient than you felt. “I want to know if you did.”

Sixty sighed, which had to be for the sole purpose of irking you, since you knew full well he didn’t need to exhale.

“A bunch of lawyers need us to look into shady business practices in the hope of finding evidence that will help them in their case,” he recited.

A vague summary but an accurate one.

“Where do you think we should start?”

“At the business in question.”

You nodded, and you heard what sounded like a quiet scoff from the back seat.

Sixty had joined your team with high recommendations from the Detroit Police Department, which had been promising. On paper, he was a great fit for your company, and your boss had talked excitedly about his arrival. All he’d done since his start date was act like a condescending prick, one who preferred to be sassy and a flirt rather than a useful member of the team. It had been a long week with him shadowing you, but at least it was Friday. That evening you had a long overdue date with a bottle of wine and a bubble bath.

The rest of the drive was relatively quiet, broken mostly by Derek’s mumbled apologies every time he yawned. You parked up outside a normal-looking gym, the three of you stepping out of the car. The lawyers were trying to prove that the place had poor working conditions. If it was true, it would be a relatively simple task to gather proof. A few photos, a few discreet conversations with employees, job done.

“You’re really going in there dressed in slacks and a blazer?” Sixty spoke up.

You didn’t like his tone. Too amused, too incredulous.

You turned to face him, gesturing to the bag on your shoulder. “Who’s to say I don’t have workout gear in here?”

He shrugged, one corner of his mouth pulling up in a subtle smirk. You’d seen that expression a lot over the last five days. You really wanted to wipe it off his face, one way or another.

“Yeah, you’re right,” he said. “You’ll blend right in.”

“Unlike you,” you fired back. “Androids don’t need to exercise, you’ll stand out like a sore thumb.”

His cocky expression shifted to a disgruntled one. “What do you suggest then?”

“Scope the outside of the building. Fire exits, signage, that sort of thing.”

He folded his arms. “That’ll take all of five minutes.”

“Not if you’re thorough.”

You turned to head for the door, Derek shooting you a dry look as you went.

"Yeah,” came Sixty’s sarcastic voice at your back, “I'll just be here waiting for you like always."

You paused, and Derek said your name in a low, warning tone. You ignored him, rounding on Sixty.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

“You know what it means.”

“Pretend I don’t.”

He levelled you with a cold stare, devoid of any of his usual bullshit. “I’m supposed to be shadowing you, yet I keep finding myself left behind. Keeping watch, checking the building, guarding the fucking car. I’m sick of it. I was built to be a detective. I can run circles around your little investigations.”

You stuck a finger in his face. “That right there answers your question. You think you’re so much better than us, just because you worked with the DPD.”

He leaned forward, breaching the bubble of your personal space enough that his nose almost brushed yours. Pride made you stand your ground.

“I am better,” he said in a soft, dangerous tone.

“Then run along back to the DPD,” you said, equally softly. “But if you want to work with us, you follow my orders. That means you scope the outside of the fucking building and wait for us to get back.”

His eyes were dark with suppressed anger, but he said nothing.

“If you want me to trust you more,” you added, “start taking this job seriously and stop wasting our time.”

You walked away again, jaw tense. You entered the gym with Derek, who shot you a loaded look.

“You shouldn’t let him get to you,” he said.

“I know. It’s just been a hell of a week.”

“Want to know what I think?” he went on conversationally.

“Usually, yes. This time, I don’t think so.”

He barked a laugh, disregarding your answer. “I think you’re disappointed. I think you expected him to be incredible at this job right from the start.”

“He could be, that’s what annoys me,” you said, getting dragged onto the topic against your will. “His skills aren’t in question, it’s his damned attitude.”

“I know, but letting him get a rise out of you isn’t going to help.”

“I know,” you admitted with a sigh. “I don’t know why he gets under my skin so much.”

Derek raised his eyebrows. “Really? You don’t know?”

Subtlety wasn’t one of Derek’s strong suits, and his whole demeanour went so far beyond insinuating he might as well have been holding a neon sign.

The painful truth was that Sixty was exactly your type, and Derek had been working with you long enough to know that. You’d been happily ignoring the fact, at first mindful that you were in a position of authority over Sixty, (albeit temporarily), and then irritated by his behaviour. Derek was right: Sixty had disappointed you. It wasn’t entirely fair, since the android had no idea he was supposed to live up to your standards, but you couldn’t help how you felt about the situation.

“You know what’s interesting?” Derek spoke up when you didn’t respond. “Despite his lousy attitude and smart mouth, he’s gonna be waiting out there for us like a good little robot when we’re done here.”

“So?” you shrugged.

“So, don’t you find that at odds with the way he argues with you?”

“Not really. Deviants are complex people. He can argue with me but still recognise that it’s in his best interests to do what I say.”

Derek probably would have had more to add, but you’d reached the populated part of the gym, and both of you slipped into a work frame of mind. With a nod to each other, you parted ways and set about investigating the place.

It wasn’t the most interesting investigation of your career, but your conversations with employees turned up some useful information for the law firm. The building wasn’t in the best condition, but it wasn’t a health and safety violation either. In your opinion, the lawyers were going to struggle to make a solid case, but at least you’d done your best. In a day or so, they’d probably hire you again to follow up on whatever new strategy they inevitably came up with.

You’d been in the gym for at least forty minutes. When you headed back outside, Sixty was waiting for you as Derek predicted. He did not look happy – leaning on the hood of your car, arms folded and legs crossed at the ankles – but he was waiting.

Unbidden, Derek’s comments floated through your mind, and you wondered at them. Surely you were right, and Sixty was just smart enough to know that he shouldn’t push you too far when the future of his job rested in your hands. There wasn’t any other reason why he’d simply…obey. Right?

He’s a deviant. Deviants, by definition, don’t obey.

Yeah. You had to be right.

“Find anything?” you asked him as you approached.

“Nothing that will help the law firm,” he reported. There was a slight petulant edge to his voice.

“Well done for waiting,” Derek tacked on, noticeably amused.

You shot him a glare, but Sixty’s was more potent.

“Meaning what?” he snapped.

“Okay, that’s enough,” you interjected before things could spiral. “Let’s get back to the office.”

Sixty stared Derek down for a few seconds. The human man barely reacted, which no doubt annoyed Sixty further, but they both remained silent, much to your relief. Sixty got into the back seat, almost wrenching the door off its hinges. Derek chuckled before opening the passenger door. You sent him a look of disapproval over the roof of your car, but it only served to amuse him more.

The drive back to the office was tense, to say the least. You even forgot to stop for coffee on the way, but Derek wisely opted not to mention it. He headed straight for the break room when you got back. Sixty hovered at your side, an unusually quiet shadow, and you turned to him.

“We need to talk.”

He nodded, and you led the way to an empty meeting room, closing the door behind you both.

You turned to face him, spreading your hands. “Air your grievances.”

He frowned, LED flickering yellow. “What?”

“Go on. Get it all off your chest.”

His expression was deeply suspicious. “Why?”

You folded your arms. “Because I’m trying to figure out if you actually want this job. If you find it beneath you, we’re both wasting our time.”

His jaw twitched, an oddly human-like quirk.

“You don’t take anything seriously,” you went on when he said nothing, “but you act all high and mighty, like I’m supposed to just trust you with stuff when you’ve given me no reason to. You get irritated when I ask you to do something, even though that’s literally my job as the person training you. Is it me? Do you have a problem with me?”

“If anything, you have a problem with me,” he retorted, dodging the question.

“Yeah, I do,” you said heatedly, “for all the reasons I just stated.”

He didn’t respond, simply stared you down while his LED flickered between yellow and blue. If he’d backed down and apologised, that would have been helpful. If he’d argued back, at least he’d have given you something to work with. But this? It just fast-tracked you to the end of your bullshit quota.

You sighed heavily. “Okay, I’m done. I’m gonna request that you shadow someone else next week. Clearly our working relationship is a mismatch.”

You turned to leave, halting when he spoke.

“I don’t have a problem with you.”

You sent him a dubious glance, pivoting back.

“I…I have a problem…following orders from humans,” he added awkwardly. “I’m far from stupid, obviously. I understand how hierarchies in places of business work. I know that we’re all following orders from the people who rank higher, I get that, but…”

Clarity began to wash over you, and you lost some of your hostility. “It brings back memories of before,” you said quietly.

Sixty nodded. “My people literally staged an entire revolution to make sure we wouldn’t have to obey anymore,” he said, his tone dry. “And I know the circumstances are different, I know this is technically my choice, but it still feels…” He switched directions, meeting your gaze. “But I’ve done whatever you’ve asked of me.”

“Yes, but you can’t keep doing it with such bad grace,” you told him. “How do you think my boss would react if I threw a tantrum every time he assigned me a task?”

Sixty let out an unnecessary sigh, briefly looking at the floor before returning his eyes to you. “No, you…you’re right. I get it.”

“No one here is going to require anything unreasonable from you,” you assured him gently. “You still have free will. No one can take it from you now.”

He nodded, one corner of his mouth even lifting in a facsimile of a smile.

He hadn’t exactly apologised for his behaviour, but he’d provided important context. He’d even given ground to some extent. Perhaps it was time for you to do the same.

“I’ll try and phrase things better,” you said, “try and be a bit less…bossy.”

Some of the usual playfulness returned to his expression, sparking a glint of cocky charm in his warm, dark eyes.

“Maybe I don’t mind you being bossy.”

You tilted your head, your expression clearly declaring your intent to call him out on his contradictory words. Sixty clarified before you needed to.

“In certain contexts.”

A flicker of heat licked up your spine. You covered your sudden fluster with a reproach. “I’m in a position of authority over you.”

“Only for another five days,” he pointed out.

You stared at him, mind whirling with possibilities.

He stared back, LED its usual calm blue. “Maybe you can show me that sometimes it’s rewarding to…”

He purposely trailed off, and you wet your dry lips before completing his sentence.

“Obey.”

“Exactly.”

The shift of the conversation had thrown you off-balance, but you told yourself this would be the only time he’d get the upper hand. If he wanted to learn reasonable compliance, you would be more than happy to teach him. On one condition.

“You need to prove to me that you can be a useful member of this team,” you said. “Knock it off with the superiority complex. Use your skills to solve investigations. They may not be homicides and drug busts, but they matter to our clients.”

Sixty nodded his agreement. “Okay. I’ll play nice.”

You narrowed your eyes at the unsubtle remark, and he smirked. You would have to teach him a thing or two about being a smug little shit.

In five days.

[chaos-thirium]

14 with reader as A and connor as B😋

Thanks for submitting a prompt! Just a little angst and fluff for this one. I hope you enjoy!

14. A and B go to a Christmas party together and A gets caught under the mistletoe with someone else.

From this prompt list.

Read on AO3.

(SFW)

For a machine built with an analytical mind, Connor was finding himself doing an unprecedented amount of second-guessing and overthinking. It was exhausting, making him wonder for the umpteenth time how humans coped with their brains putting them through such things on a regular basis.

To be fair, you weren’t helping him with his dilemma. It would be much easier for him if you’d made your intentions crystal clear instead of putting him in this position. If you had chosen to say to him in plain words whether you were attending the Christmas party together as friends and colleagues or as a date, his processors wouldn’t be sending him through a routine of mental gymnastics that would put any Olympian to shame.

The two of you had shared a taxi ride to the venue. People on dates usually travelled to said date together, but it was equally true that friends shared cab rides too. You had complimented him on his choice of clothing, but again, friends often did the same. The little appreciative sweep of your eyes could have easily been approval of his outfit rather than how he looked in it. Your warm and reassuring smile was wonderful to see, but that was because you were kind, and you knew that he sometimes struggled in large crowds. It didn’t mean anything more. Or if it did, he wasn’t yet adept enough to tell the difference, which was endlessly frustrating.

He recognised a few familiar faces as the two of you mingled. Officers from your station, plus a whole lot more from other precincts in the area. This year, multiple stations had pooled their resources to splash out on a bigger party. Hank had grumbled about it, preferring something smaller in a local bar, but Connor had spied him chatting away to people, even laughing. In true Hank fashion, he was dressed in jeans and a battered jacket, but he’d traded his usual patterned shirts for a bright red one with cartoon Santas all over it. You had described it as ‘a choice’, warm affection in your laughing tone. Your reaction sent a wave of relief crashing over Connor that he’d chosen a simple dark green shirt for the party, notably without the novelty Grinch tie that Sixty had tried to convince him to wear.

Connor scanned the crowd, spotting the other RK800 laying on the charm for a small circle of admirers. He frowned, reading the slogan on Sixty’s t-shirt. ‘Kiss me under the mistletoe’, it stated in bold black text. The mistletoe in question was printed at the bottom of the shirt.

“Oh my god,” you giggled, seeing it too.

Connor shook his head. He knew about the tradition of mistletoe, of course, but had found it somewhat confusing. Surely it was just a poor excuse for non-consensual acts? Charming between a couple in love, perhaps, but awkward for everyone else. Glancing up, he scanned the room for the plant, several sprigs bringing up yellow pings on his HUD. No doubt they were there for decoration, but the more drink flowed over the course of the evening, the more potential trouble Connor anticipated.

“Hey, no frowning,” you scolded him lightly. “You’re supposed to be here to enjoy yourself.”

He released the tension in his synthetic muscles, smoothing out the frown. He wasn’t about to drag your evening down by explaining his issues with mistletoe. That would only make you think that Detective Reed had a point when he’d referred to Connor as a killjoy with a stick up his ass.

“I know,” he said, sending you a slight smile. “I just wasn’t expecting Sixty to be bold enough to wear a shirt like that.”

Your expression indicated that he probably should have expected it.

You looked amused, your eyes bright. “I guess it’s a talking point. And it kinda suits him. He can pull off that cocky-but-charming vibe.”

Connor resisted another instinctual frown at your praise of Sixty. It didn’t sit well with him, hearing you admire something about the android who was physically identical to him, yet somehow his polar opposite in personality. Did you find Sixty attractive? And if so, was it his physical appearance or his character that you liked?

“Let’s get a drink,” he spoke up, pushing the needling thoughts aside.

You agreed, and the two of you made your way to the bar. Once armed with glasses of wine – red and blue respectively – you both circulated the room, greeting people you knew. Connor was pleasantly surprised that you stuck by his side the entire time. He hadn’t dared to hope that he’d get the privilege of escorting you all evening. Was that a point in favour of it being a date? He still wasn’t sure.

When your drinks were done, he plucked up the courage to ask you to dance, delighted when you agreed. You draped your arms over his shoulders and swayed with him, your face bright and happy. He wanted to kiss you so badly. If only he knew for sure that it would be welcomed.

How did humans figure it out? Was it some secret code of body language that he had yet to learn? Or did they simply pluck up the courage to ask? Connor had done many courageous things in his relatively short life, yet, somehow, asking you if you liked him too seemed more intimidating than any of them.

It would bring a swift end to his agonising, though. One way or another, he’d have an answer and know how to proceed. Surely that was worth any potential discomfort?

He would do it. He would ask you how you felt.

He opened his mouth to speak, just as the song came to an end. You smiled, stepping away from him and leading him to the edge of the dance floor.

“I’ll be right back,” you said, turning and heading for the restroom.

Connor let out a sigh, finding it an appropriate time to do so, despite it being unnecessary. How did Sixty find this so easy? Connor wasn’t yet desperate enough to ask him for advice, but every day that went by without knowing where he stood with you pushed him closer to it. Sixty would get a huge kick out of that, he was sure. He could easily picture the smug look on his double’s face.

He turned to look out across the dance floor, a momentary smile making its way onto his face as he spotted Hank performing a stiff, jerky set of dance moves with an expression of far more seriousness than it warranted. He didn’t recognise the woman Hank was dancing with, but she seemed entertained by him. Connor would be happy to see Hank find love again, or at the very least, a bit of romance. He knew there had been no one for the lieutenant since his ex-wife, and although Hank now had a solid circle of friends to rely on, Connor suspected he was lonely. He suspected it because he felt it too.

He turned back to see if you were done in the restroom, spotting you immediately. He had a knack for homing in on your position, even without having to scan his environment. You were talking to someone. No, laughing with someone. Connor noticed two details in rapid succession that had his pump regulator skipping a beat. First, that you were laughing with someone whose face was painfully familiar. Second, that you were standing directly under one of the sprigs of mistletoe.

Alarm turned his Thirium to ice water in his artificial veins. Nines was impeccably garbed in a tailored three-piece suit that would have made anyone else look overdressed. The shirt underneath was a tasteful shade of dark festive red, the only nod he’d made to the occasion. Connor watched as the RK900 indicated the little bundle of greenery above you with a jut of his chin. You looked up, the surprise on your face doing little to soothe his anxiety. You glanced back at Nines, no longer laughing. Why was that? Because you hadn’t expected the mistletoe? Or because kissing Nines was a serious matter?

Nines trailed a hand down your bare arm, taking your hand in both of his. He kept his intense gaze on you as he raised your hand to his lips, planting a lingering kiss there. The ice in Connor’s veins surged hot instead, and he felt sure his LED was spinning crimson. Without preconstructing his course of action, he found himself marching forwards, only realising what he was doing when he stopped beside you with absolutely no plan.

“Connor,” you said, tugging your hand out of Nines’ grasp.

Nines’ grey eyes appraised him coolly, his expression unreadable. Nines knew how he felt about you. They’d never spoken about it, but Connor was certain that Nines had figured it out. Sixty too, probably. It was hard to have secrets around androids just as advanced as he was.

You looked…not guilty exactly, but startled. As if you weren’t entirely sure what was going on. Connor hadn’t realised that Nines had such an effect on you. It gave him an odd feeling in his chassis, as if his Thirium pump was slowly sinking downwards.

“I have to go,” he blurted out. “I’m sure Nines can drive you home.”

Your brow furrowed, but he spun on his heel and headed for the door before you could say anything. At least he hadn’t asked you how you felt. The situation could have been even more awkward.

“Connor!”

He didn’t want to stop and turn at the sound of your voice, but he was incapable of ignoring you. When he glanced back, you were power-walking across the lobby towards him, your expression bewildered and concerned.

“What happened? Is something wrong?”

Despite the situation, he felt a stab of guilt that he’d worried you.

“Everything is fine. I just…need to go.”

“Why?” you asked, confusion shaping your pretty features. “I thought we were having a good time.”

“We were,” he said, but felt unable to continue with an explanation.

You shook your head slightly, eyes darting to one side as you tried to make sense of his actions. Then you paused, glancing back at him, your eyes widening in realisation. It made Connor’s LED flicker yellow as he started to dread what conclusions you might have come to.

“Is it Nines?” you said perceptively.

Connor simply stared at you, his processors working overtime as he sought for a suitable reply.

“Mistletoe is a Christmas tradition,” you added.

“I know.”

You peered at him, your gaze direct and observant. “Connor, are you…”

He cut you off before you could say that damning word ‘jealous’. “I’m fine.”

You stared at him, assessing. He stared back. Then you darted forward, pressing your lips to his.

He was startled for approximately 1.7 seconds, then found himself instantly distracted by your warm lips and the hint of wine he could taste on them. Good sense gently interrupted before he got too carried away, and he loosely gripped your arm, breaking the kiss.

“You don’t have to do that,” he told you.

“Do what?” you asked, still so close to him that he could feel the enticing warmth of you.

“Make it even. Treat us the same in the interest of fairness.”

“I’m not.”

He studied your face sceptically. You accurately read his expression and smiled softly.

“There’s no mistletoe out here, Connor,” you pointed out.

With a jolt he realised you were right. The lobby wasn’t decorated, save for one lonely Christmas tree.

“I didn’t think you felt the same,” you went on, a little shyly now. “I thought you just wanted to be friends, but…your reaction just now…”

Joy bubbled up inside him, evaporating his disappointment and sadness in an instant. “I want to be friends,” he told you earnestly, “but I want to be so much more as well.”

You smiled, slipping your arms around his waist. “Me too.”

This time when you kissed him, it was unhurried and heartfelt, and he cupped your soft cheek in his hand as he held you close. When the two of you finally parted, you were breathless, your lips an alluring dark pink.

He spotted Nines in the doorway behind you and met the other android’s gaze. Nines wore a dry smirk, lifting one hand to toss Connor a jaunty salute before he turned back to the party. Connor shook his head, amused. He would have to have words with the RK900, but not tonight.

“Do you still want to leave?” you asked, oblivious.

“That depends. Are you coming with me?”

You grinned. “Absolutely.”

“Then yes.”

You kissed him lightly before taking his hand. “Let’s get out of here.”

“Gladly.”

Maybe mistletoe wasn’t all that bad after all.

[mswritingthings]

Jealousy Prompts

"I'm yours." "Say it again."

"I can't help but get a little angry when I see them look at you like that."

"I thought I meant more to you than I obviously do."

"Why don't you smile at me like that?"

"Yeah, I'll just be here waiting for you like always." "What's that supposed to mean?"

"I bet you'd rather go fuck around with them, wouldn't you?"

"Are you jealous?" "Pfft, no... Okay, yes."

"Nobody is allowed to touch you like this except for me."

"You're mine, and if I have to remind of that again, I will."

"If I see them look at you again, I'm kicking their ass."

A doesn't realize one of their friends is flirting with them until B blows up about it.

A and B go on a date together that gets crashed by one of B's exes.

A keeps getting hit on by people at a bar and B takes them into the bathroom and fucks them.

A and B go to a Christmas party together and A gets caught under the mistletoe with someone else.

A doesn't like how flirty B is with one of their friends.

A reassures B that they've only got eyes for them after B catches A dancing on someone at a party.

A thinks B wants nothing to do with them so they go on a date with someone else and B angrily comes to crash it.

A sees an old friend after years and B has a hard time dealing with it.

A thinks B slept with someone else and they have a big fight about it, only for A to learn B needed help proposing.

A and B have a friendly competition to see who can get more numbers and A gets upset when B gets the number of someone who actually likes them.

[chaos-thirium]

Anyone fancy sending a prompt? I'm in the mood to write some!

As always, feel free to specify characters.

[chaos-thirium]

I just read Are Friends Electric and I loved it! I loved that there was a mini redemption for Gavin. If you ever decide to write a fic for him I'd be so happy

Hello anon!

Sorry it took me so long to answer this but I was having A Think, and.....I wouldn't rule this out! It would be a pretty fun challenge to have Gavin as the leading man for once, so I'll definitely consider what sort of story to drop him into.

Thank you for the kind words about Friends. I have a soft spot for that one!

[sumahless]

Winners never quit ♠️

Bday Gift art I forgor to post here for my good friend and profound gambling addict - 𝓹𝓪𝓹𝓪 Slaanex :) !

[starvulture]

Collecting these rn

[chaos-thirium]

These are gold.

[chaos-thirium]

kissing in an alley behind a bar w connor while ur undercover

This was a great prompt! It's short and sweet, but I hope you enjoy it.

Read on AO3 or below.

Connor was one of the best people you knew. Not just for the low bar things, like treating you with respect, adhering to your boundaries, and taking you at your word, but for so much more than that. He was always interested in hearing what you had to say, valued your opinion, treated you with care and affection, and he made you laugh, (albeit sometimes unintentionally). He was decent and kind, learned from his mistakes, and used his keen powers of observation to make his friends feel valued. It was easy to see how you’d fallen head over heels for him.

It was also easy to forget how downright scary he could be.

You stared up into his impassive face, his dark eyes – usually so warm and expressive – cold and apathetic. This was the Connor he’d been at the very start of his activation: the deviant hunter, the ruthless machine.

The two of you had entered the snake pit together, but things hadn’t gone as planned. Now you were busted, but he was not. You knew full well that his icy demeanour was him using every skill at his disposal not to blow his cover alongside you, and yet looking at him was still chilling. Like looking at a stranger wearing his face.

You were both in New York City as a favour to a local police chief. You’d infiltrated a gang that he’d been trying to take down for years, and you’d spent weeks with them, gaining their trust. The gang didn’t give their trust easily, and they kept tabs on the police officers. That was why the chief had called in reinforcements from elsewhere; he’d needed new faces. Connor was too well-known in Detroit to do any kind of undercover work, but in New York, he was anonymous.

The gang leaders didn’t fully trust him yet, and if either of you made the wrong move now, your operation was done. You’d already made one mistake. One was all it had taken. You were seated in a cold plastic chair with several guns pointed at you, including Connor’s. Your cover was blown, your life was on the line. If Connor had still had his LED, you knew it would be scarlet. As it was, he was playing a human, his chest rhythmically expanding and contracting with simulated breathing, which gave him an illusion of calmness that you were certain he wasn’t really feeling.

“Let me deal with it,” Connor spoke up.

You squashed down your panic enough to listen. The voices around you had been fading to a buzz as the gang members decided what to do with you, but now you forced yourself to pay attention.

“You two came into this together,” someone argued, “why should we trust you?”

“It’s not my fault you took us both on at the same time,” Connor shot back.

“We’ve only got your word for it that you didn’t know each other before you joined us,” someone else pointed out.

“I know, so let me prove myself. Let me deal with the…problem,” he said, looking at you with distaste.

The threat of being shot kept you silent, and you were glad for it. You wouldn’t have known what to say in the face of his convincing performance.

The rest of the gang – five high-ranking members who acted as the decision makers – exchanged glances.

“Okay, fine,” one of them said eventually.

Connor stepped forward, his gun an inch from your forehead. You knew he wouldn’t accidentally shoot you, but your breath still hitched in alarm.

“Not here, moron! This is our bar, we keep it clean.”

Connor lowered his gun, nodding contritely. “I’ll find a place outside.”

“Not too close, and no traces.”

“Got it,” Connor said, holstering his gun and hauling you up from your seat.

You stumbled as he walked you out of the room, but you didn’t mind. It sold the illusion that he didn’t care what happened to you.

You walked out of the VIP suite into the bar itself, which was full of unknowing patrons. Connor made a beeline for the door, and soon you were out into the cool night air. You took a deep breath, and Connor walked you around the side of the bar, into the narrow alleyway that separated from the building next door.

“Will they follow?” you asked.

“Undoubtedly.” He stopped in the shadows and turned to face you. “I have a plan. When I discharge the gun, fall straight down, no theatrics. Detective Sharma will get you out.”

You nodded, gripping his lapels with numb fingers. “When will I see you again?”

“When it’s over.” He softened his voice a little. “Soon, I hope.”

“They don’t trust you.”

“No. And I’m not sure that killing you will help, but we’ll see.”

“Connor…” you sighed.

“I’ll be fine,” he assured you. “We need to move.”

You rose up on your toes and kissed him, desperate to connect before you parted ways. His hand on the small of your back pulled you close, his lips urgent against yours for too brief a time before he drew back.

“We need to move,” he repeated, gentler this time.

You nodded reluctantly, letting him take your arm again and march you to the other end of the alley.

He took you to a nearby park, sparsely populated with evening joggers and dog-walkers.

“Be safe,” you whispered to him.

“I always accomplish my mission, love,” he murmured back.

He fired his gun into the ground twice, the angle giving the illusion that he’d fired into your torso. The suppressor kept most people from noticing the noise. You dropped like a rag doll, and Connor walked away from you.

Detective Sharma, dressed in running gear, sprinted over to you and made a show of calling an ambulance. A small crowd gathered around you, and you had no doubt that one of the gang members was among them. You kept your breathing shallow and your eyes shut. Connor must have planned it all remotely. The paramedics seemed to have been tipped off, as their sense of urgency dropped as soon as they got you into the ambulance.

You sat up on the gurney, seeing the fake blood stain on your shirt, no doubt from a pouch that Sharma had brought with her. She met your gaze, letting out a breath, and you realised she must have had to act fast to get everything in place.

You headed back to the station to report to the chief, and then you stayed hidden for another two weeks until Connor set up the bust. You geared up with everyone else for the raid, and the expression on the gang’s faces when they recognised you was priceless. The operation was a total success, despite the minor hiccup of your blown cover.

Connor approached you as the last gang member was arrested, a satisfied smile on his face. In a surprisingly unprofessional move, he pulled you close for a searing kiss, the two weeks of worry-filled separation making you cling to each other.

“Ready to go home?” he asked you when you came up for air.

You smiled at him. “Very.”

[chaos-thirium]

Nines, kissing in an abandoned building. :D

Hello friend! Thank you for your patience. I hope you enjoy!

Read on AO3 or below.

There was something so disturbing about having something in common with Gavin Reed. Really, it shouldn’t be allowed. The universe must be off kilter. And yet, there you both were, crushing on the same guy.

Tina had assured you both that Nines definitely returned the interest…for one of you. She hadn’t been able to figure out which one. Since she seemed to have a better read on the stoic RK900 than either of you, you had both resigned yourselves to never knowing. If Tina couldn’t work it out, you had no hope.

Despite being cops with years of experience between you, neither you nor Gavin felt brave enough to simply ask Nines. Part of you was still convinced that Tina was wrong. You could do without the embarrassment in the office if you approached him and that turned out to be the case. It seemed Gavin felt the same, as he’d made no moves either.

That had been weeks ago, and Tina was clearly ready to bash your heads together.

Nines still went about his daily routine as apathetically as ever, only speaking to you when your cases overlapped or if polite small talk was required. Tina had to be wrong. There was no way she was reading him right.

“Okay,” Gavin said to you one day, leaning on the table in the break room beside you and making you jump. “This has gone on long enough.”

“Good morning to you too,” you grumbled.

He ignored you, but that wasn’t unusual. “We need to get him in a romantic location and find some way of making him show some kind of preference. Anything.”

“Romantic location?” you repeated sceptically. “You’re a romantic?”

“I can be romantic,” he retorted, defensive. “I’m an onion. I’ve got layers.”

You snorted into your coffee cup. “And how do you propose getting him to show a preference in this wonderful romantic location?”

“I’ve been thinking about that. I think we should flirt with each other.”

You stared at him, truly stunned.

“Don’t give me that look, hear me out. We flirt with each other, make him jealous, then fake an argument and storm off in opposite directions. Then we see which of us he goes to comfort.”

You stared at him some more, processing before speaking. “Gavin, that is honestly the stupidest fucking plan I’ve ever heard.”

“Okay,” he said, holding up his hands, “I knew you’d say that…”

“Gee, I wonder why.”

“…so I say to you: what’s your amazing plan?”

You frowned, caught out. “We just…talk to him,” you fumbled. “You know…ask him.”

Gavin fixed you with a look. “That simple, huh?”

“Yes.”

“Okay. So why haven’t you done it already?”

Caught out again, you glared at him. He looked annoyingly smug. You thought of Nines – his perfect face, military posture, stern but devastating expression – and your confidence shrivelled inside you.

“Okay, fine,” you sighed. “We’ll try your stupid plan.”

Gavin grinned. “S’not stupid, you’ll see. May the best man win.” He jerked a thumb towards himself before tossing you a clumsy wink and sauntering off.

“God help me,” you muttered.

And Nines too, you added silently. The poor android had no idea what he was in for.

***

The first half of the plan went surprisingly smoothly. You and Gavin agreed to execute it on the next social night, when you and a group of your co-workers were due to head out for drinks at a bar. You weren’t sure the bar qualified as a romantic location, (unless Gavin thought it was, in which case you felt sorry for his dates), but it did have mood lighting and cosy booths. The two of you flirted as best you could, which was difficult because you weren’t that great at acting and Gavin had no game. By some miracle, it seemed to be working, and you had to fight hard to keep the incredulity from your face as Nines became increasingly more agitated as the evening progressed. Agitated, in his particular case, meant that he was scowling more than usual, and seemed impatient with the entire scenario. Tina seemed to be the only thing keeping him at the bar. You had to hand it to her; she was a great wing-woman.

Things fell apart when it came to the second part of the plan. You and Gavin, under the guise of whispering sweet nothings at each other, choregraphed the details of your fake argument. You got through a solid 85% of it…and then dispatch called you.

With a sinking feeling in your gut, you realised that Gavin, Nines and yourself were the only sober members of the group. Nines, of course, couldn’t drink, and you and Gavin had been too busy scheming to put away more than half a beer each. You glanced around for Connor, but he’d seemingly left a while ago, no doubt on a case of his own.

And so, when you should have been going your separate ways to see which of you Nines would follow, the three of you were instead investigating a supposed disturbance at an old factory.

You glanced up at the place, a behemoth in brick, complete with smashed windows, rusty girders, a roof that resembled mouldy Swiss cheese, and debris-scattered floors.

So much for the romantic location, you thought, and then had to repress a laugh.

“Probably just urban explorers,” Gavin pointed out, shining his flashlight at one of the smashed windows.

“Yeah,” you agreed, “and they probably bolted as soon as they heard the car.”

“Did I ask for your opinion?” he shot back.

You glared at him, then realised that he was trying to maintain your fake argument. You raised an eyebrow, hoping he would interpret it as the “Seriously?” you were trying to project. He sent you a discreet nod of encouragement.

Inwardly sighing, you said, “Fuck off, Reed. I’m trying to be professional.”

“Oh, it’s Reed now, is it?” he retorted. “Half an hour ago you were trying to get in my pants.”

You sputtered indignantly. “Actually, it seemed like it was the other way around.”

“Enough!” Nines barked, rendering the two of you silent. “Do I need to separate you like children?”

“No need,” Gavin said, starting to walk off, “I can investigate better without getting my feelings toyed with.”

You narrowed your eyes at the clumsy attempt to play on Nines’ sympathies.

“Fine,” you said, mentally stumbling for an effective reply. “So can I.”

You started walking in the opposite direction, heading for the open fire exit door you could see not far away. You were still there to do a job, regardless of what else was going on.

There was silence behind you, then the crunch of gravel under Nines’ shoes made your heart trip. To your dismay, you realised the sound was heading away from you. He was going after Gavin.

It felt like a kick in the chest, and you found yourself confronted by the realisation that you hadn’t prepared for this possibility. Hope had kept you going, without considering what you would do if it shattered.

You ruthlessly shoved all your feelings down, shining your flashlight around as you stepped inside the factory. It was creepy and hazardous enough that it held your concentration. It had been abandoned years ago, all the equipment covered in rust, dust and animal droppings. The sheer amount of graffiti on everything indicated that the place was a popular destination for teenagers to hang out, although you couldn’t fathom why.

Gavin’s light flickered intermittently through the windows as he surveyed the exterior, far enough away that your eyes played tricks on you with the shadows. You weren’t a fan of derelict places at night. It was all too easy to stumble across people who just wanted to be left alone, who would purposely scare you to protect their territory. You got it, but it was never a fun time.

This place was a ghost town, though. You found the signs of recent activity: a fire burning low in a barrel and some cigarette butts, but whoever had been there was long gone. A pointless report and a waste of time, but at least there was no trouble to sort out. Just the result of an over-zealous late-night walker thinking they’d spotted a drug deal or something.

You sighed, turning to go back, and yelped when your flashlight illuminated a tall slab of android coming up behind you.

“Fuck, Nines!” you gasped, placing your free hand over your racing heart. “Don’t sneak up on people in abandoned buildings!”

“My apologies,” he said calmly. “I see you’ve found the source of the call out.”

“I…uh, yes,” you said, recovering your wits. “I think they’re gone.”

“Good. Then we have a moment.”

You stared at him, confused. “For what?” A pang of bitterness had you adding, “Don’t you want to be with Gavin?”

“I’ve said everything I need to say to Gavin.”

“Oh.” You processed for a few seconds, then frowned up at him, “Yeah, no, I’m confused.”

“I’d imagine so if you start a sentence with ‘yeah, no’,” Nines said dryly. “But in the spirit of…un-confusing you, I’ll tell you the same thing I told him.” His voice dropped to a stern, quiet tone that sent shivers through your body. “Do not play games with me. You won’t win.”

Your wide eyes fixed on his face, breath hitching as he took a step closer. His LED flickered as he studied you, a subtle, amused smirk just noticeable on his lips.

“He reacted exactly the same way,” he said conversationally.

You wet your dry lips, unsure whether to read into the way Nines’ gaze briefly flicked to the movement.

“I’m not surprised,” you said, gathering your courage, “we…we both…”

“Yes, I know. I’ve been made very well aware of that over the course of the evening.”

Embarrassment flooded you, sending heat to your cheeks. “For the record, I thought it was a dumb idea.”

“And yet you went along with it.”

You had no defence, so you stayed silent. You’d thought you’d known what it meant that he’d gone after Gavin, but now you weren’t so sure.

“Tina thought…” you began, finding your voice.

“I know,” he said again. “And she was right. But this is not the way to go about finding out what she was right about.”

Reprimanded, you hung your head. “I’m sorry.”

“Good. Apologies from you and Gavin are the least I expect as a result of this farce.”

At least he had them. Gavin must have gone through the same rollercoaster of emotions that you were experiencing, which gave you a small amount of comfort. It was his fault you were in this mess, although Nines was right: you had gone along with it.

“We were both cowards,” you spoke up. “We should have just talked to you. I guess we were afraid of rejection.”

His expression gave nothing away, but that was nothing new.

“Well, for one of you, I suppose that’s a valid concern.”

You winced. “Yeah.” You took a deep breath. “Could you…um…get it over with? Please? I know you’re pissed, but if you’re going to reject me, could you just…do it? Then we can all get on with our lives.”

His stare was so unwavering and dragged on so long, you wanted to fidget under it. Then he stepped even closer, and your heart jumped in your chest.

“And what if I’m not?” he said softly.

Your brain nearly short-circuited.

“Not…going to reject me?” you clarified, hearing the strand of hope in your voice.

“Yes.”

“Uh…then…” You cleared your throat awkwardly. “Please…proceed.”

Nines let out a low chuckle, lifting cool palms to your cheeks. He leaned close, but halted a hair’s breadth from kissing you.

“Let me make this perfectly clear,” he murmured. “If you want something, be it answers or something more tangible, don’t waste time and energy on ridiculous charades. Just fucking ask.”

Heat trickled through your body at his proximity, the low timbre of his voice, and the unexpected curse word.

“Okay,” you whispered.

You were certain he could feel you trembling. The beam of your flashlight was practically vibrating.

Nines waited, raising an expectant eyebrow, just out of reach. If he was human, you’d be able to feel his breath on your face. What was he waiting for?

Oh.

Now you got it.

“Nines…”

“Yes?”

“Would you please kiss me?”

He didn’t reply verbally, but instead closed the small gap between you, pressing his lips to yours. You kissed him back, sliding your free hand around his waist, under his jacket, feeling the firmness of his plastic body, so different to yours. His lips were soft, though, parting under yours so his tongue could explore your mouth. He made a quiet sound in his throat, almost like an involuntary moan that he’d wanted to keep to himself, and you felt a rush of affection alongside your growing desire.

It would have been so easy to get swept away with every touch and glide of his tongue, but a nocturnal pigeon decided to take flight, scaring the ever-loving crap out of you.

“Fucking pigeons!” you muttered, panting from the fright and the exhilaration of finally kissing Nines.

He smirked, reaching for your hand. “Perhaps we should take this somewhere else.”

“Yeah. Abandoned buildings don’t really do it for me.”

“And we should probably find Gavin.”

You stifled a groan. “Fuck, you’re right. That’s going to be a fun ride home.”

“Handle it with good grace and I might be persuaded to give you a fun ride when I get you home,” Nines said, so deadpan that it took you a minute to process what he’d said.

Your entire body grew hot, even as a startled laugh burst out of you.

“Wow, Nines. Have you been learning corny lines from Sixty?”

“Please. That little brat has nothing to teach me.”

You suspected he might be right. “Okay then. Let’s hurry home.”

His gaze was heavy on you, subtle smirk in place. “Let’s.”