Gavin needed a new place. His landlord had informed him that he’s increasing the rent when his contract expires. Like hell he’s gonna pay more for that shithole, and he has about 2 weeks until he has to move out.
He started to hunt apartments that are approximately close to the precinct and are pet friendly. Nothing pops up that would suit his wallet or his liking. He tried online and offline at agencies, he asked friends and even colleagues.
There was fucking nothing, and he had only two days left.
He thumped his head on the desk and groaned. Loudly.
“Is everything alright detective?” a very concerned Connor appeared next to him.
“...no.” the human grumbled back at him, his face still pressed into the desk.
“He is looking for an apartment, preferably pet friendly,” continued Nines.
At the word ‘pet’ Connor perked up “You have a pet, detective?”
Gavin glanced at a very giddy Connor “...yes?”
The android got even more excited and shoved his palm into Gavin’s face “This is Sumo! Hank’s dog! He’s so sweet, he’s like a friendly giant! He also hates pigeons! What is your pet like? Do you have a photo of him? May I see???”
‘What the actual fucking fuck,’ Gavin thought to himself, eyes like saucers as he stared at the droid in confusion. “I have a cat, and it’s a she.”
“Oh! May I see her, please?”
Gavin thought about pressing his face back into the desk, but what the hell. He fumbled for his phone in his pocket and opened the folder named ‘Bean’. He opened one of the photos and handed it over to Connor. The android beamed at him as he took the device and promptly started asking questions: ‘How old is she? Is she a good cat? Does she like Nines? Do you take her for walks? What is she doing all day? Does she like to play? What is her favourite food? Is she a good hunter?’ Gavin wanted to strangle him.
But then Connor asked him why he needed to move. Gavin answered with a grumble.
Then came a question he didn’t anticipate. “Why don’t you move in with Nines? You have been together for 9 months now.”
Gavin was taken completely by surprise. Not because he has not thought about that possibility, but because Connor has. And of course, he had to ask it in front of Nines…
In all honesty, Gavin has thought about living with Nines more times than he cared to admit. But how could he ask his state of the art, statue of perfection of a boyfriend to move in with a loser like him. An asshole detective and an even bigger asshole of a cat; that’s what Nines needed in his day-to-day life…yeah, right.
Nines’ calm voice interrupted the awkward silence. “He didn’t ask, and I did not think it appropriate to ask.” Gavin gulped then looked at his partner as the android continued, “But he and Beanie are always welcome to stay with me.”
Connor must have seen it as a personal mission to needle Reed about moving in together with his ‘little brother’, coming over in every free minute of his, spouting out reasons and statistics why he should say yes.
He barked at Hank to ‘reign his boyfriend in’, but the Lieutenant only flipped him off with a laugh without looking up from his terminal.
Gavin also looked at Nines with a helpless expression and a complicated eyebrow-sign, but the android’s only response was, that he would not want to get involved, as this was entirely up to Gavin. The offer still stood.
At the end of their shift Gavin all but shouted “Yes alright! I’m gonna move in with him are you fucking happy?” into Connor’s face. The droid beamed at him.
He could hear Anderson trying to stifle a laugh at that. Tina wasn’t so subtle, her chortle and “Pay up, Chris!” ringin’ through the bullpen.
He finally looked at Nines, trying to assess the damage his outburst might have caused. Nines might be hard to read for some, but Gavin never really had a problem deciphering him. He looked…relieved, as if he had been afraid that Gavin wouldn’t want to be with him.
“More than,” Nines smiled.
So, the next day found them packing Gavin’s life into boxes. Not that there was much of it; mostly clothes, some knick-knacks and obviously, all the cat stuff.
By evening the boxes have been all emptied. Gavin went to put the last of his jackets in the wardrobe. He was barely standing straight at that point, but just shoving his shit in between Nines’ neatly organized turtlenecks and suit jackets would have been rude. So, he took a deep breath and put everything on hangers. He could hear Nines mutter something and putter away in the kitchen. Why the android decided to move into a flat with a kitchen and everything else, Gavin would never know, but he wouldn’t question it either.
This all felt too good, he couldn’t help but wait for something horrible to happen.
But stepping out of the bedroom, and then seeing Nines crouched next to that asshole cat of his – or maybe that asshole cat of theirs – made some little spark of hope come alive in his chest. The smile Nines sent his way a moment later made it ablaze.
Yes, he thought; this might just work out.
**~special thanks to my sister @nightxshade for the second paragraph!~**
