"I told you to bring a jacket." Gavin grumbled under his breath at the smug sounding reminder, folding his arms and hugging himself as they walked. The day had been fine; warm and sunny with the last hints of summer. Unfortunately, that hadn't continued into the evening. As the sun went down, the air cooled, bringing with it the first hints of Autumn. The only good thing about the sun going down was that he could finally take off the sunglasses Nines had foisted on him. He hadn't been allowed to take them off all day to limit the risk of eyestrain. Gavin considered himself lucky he'd at least worn long sleeves. Tucking his hands under his arms, he shivered and tried not to glare at Nines. Smug asshole! He had reason to be smug. Androids couldn't feel the cold.

The sun had disappeared, but it wasn't quite dark yet, even beneath the trees. They should have just enough time to make it back to Elijah's lodge before nightfall. The sky above was a deep shade of blue, the first twinkle of stars creeping in. The clouds, few as they were, had turned a dark shade of purplish-grey, though a little pink remained in those furthest away, still catching the last dying rays of the sun. Overhead, the tree branches were still thick with leaves, though the green was fading to yellow here and there. It would be a few weeks before they fell to litter the forest floor, at which time it would be too cold to venture into the forest all day.

"Don't be so phcking smug about it!" Gavin grumbled as he caught sight of Nines' smirk. His toes were getting cold in his walking boots, probably from where they'd crossed a small stream earlier. Though they'd managed to get most of the way across on the rocks, Gavin had stumbled in the shallows, hopping off the other side and getting his feet wet in the process. He'd thought his boots were waterproof, but the protective coating must have worn off. It was a little inconvenient, but easily fixed.

"Perhaps next time you'll listen to me." Gavin gave him a small half-glare and kept walking. If they didn't get back soon, his teeth would start chattering. Rubbing his arms, he picked up the pace, listening as Nines sped up beside him. "Come here." He warmed a little as Nines' arm looped around his shoulders. One arm was pulled snug against Nines' side, while a large hand rubbed the other as they walked.

"Thanks." The only sign that Nines had heard was the light bump on his temple as he rested their heads together for a moment. Flutters filled Gavin's stomach, warmth rising to his cheeks as a kiss nestled in his hair. Their closeness helped keep the cold at bay, though it didn't stop him from shivering. Luckily, they were only walking another ten minutes before the lodge appeared through the thinning trees.

The lodge sat on the edge of the forest in its own clearing, complete with a garden and patio. In the middle of the lawn was a raised stone circle, where Nines had already left wood for a fire. Gavin could hardly wait. Fire meant warmth. He could go inside the lodge, of course, but the quiet of the forest was peaceful, and he wanted to enjoy it. He would, however, go in and change his sodden shoes. Maybe even take a shower. They'd been walking for hours, enjoying the peace and watching any small animals they came across as they scurried about their business. Nines had saved pictures of all of them, and even looked up information to tell him more about them.

The lodge itself was homely, nowhere near as grand as most of the other places Elijah owned. It was picturesque, made to house no more than four people. There were two floors in the wooden house. Two large bedrooms and bathrooms on the top floor, and a living room, study, and kitchen on the bottom. The study was more like a reading nook. There was a desk below the window, but the walls were lined with books of all genres, and there were two plush chairs that reclined, and a small wood burner. The main living room was larger, with a sofa and two more chairs. There was no television downstairs, but there was one in each bedroom. Instead of a television, the sofa and chairs were set around the stone fireplace, and a Manfred painting hung above it. Gavin wasn't entirely sure what it was supposed to be, but it sort of looked like a creepy, dark forest if you squinted.

"I'll start the fire," Nines said as they entered the lodge through the sliding patio door, which led into the kitchen. Gavin barely had a chance to answer as Nines wrapped his arms around him and drew him into a lingering kiss. Not one to complain, Gavin hummed and leaned into it, resting his hands on Nines' shoulders for as long as he allowed it. "You should change." Nines enjoyed the soft, heady look in Gavin's dirty green eyes as he drew back and stroked his cheek. His tactile sensors prickled on contact. Gavin's stubble caused a curious sensation, one he very much enjoyed. Making the most of it, Nines cupped both cheeks and stroked the rough whiskers, taking the time to scan his eyes. Vivid green with a soft inner ring of hazel and flecks of blue met his silvery gaze. The colourful irises shrank as his pupils grew, which was a positive sign. It meant his eyes were reading the change in lighting.

"Yeah, I might shower too." There was no need to ask if Nines would shower. Androids didn't sweat and get dirty the same way humans did, so he was as clean now as he had been that morning. If he wasn't set on starting the fire outside, Nines might have joined him. He didn't need to bathe, but that didn't mean he couldn't enjoy the feeling of hot water on his artificial skin, or Gavin's naked body in his arms. The thought of Nines in the shower was something Gavin would have been happy to dwell on, but with a final kiss, Nines drew back.

"I'll see you when you come down, then." Gavin pulled off his wet boots with a nod and hurried up to the master suite. It was only slightly bigger than the other bedroom, decked out in soft creams with rich wooden furnishings. The bedding was soft and fleecy, made to keep them warm in the growing chill. Sitting on the thick duvet, Gavin peeled off his sodden socks and tossed them at the linen basket, which he missed. Careless of the stray socks, he continued shedding clothes and dropping them on the floor all the way to the bathroom.

He couldn't fucking wait to get in the shower! Turning on the water, he stepped straight in and avoided the cold spray while waiting for it to heat. His feet were so cold that even the first touch of cold water felt warm on his toes. It didn't take long for the spray to warm, and he stepped beneath it with a contented sigh. It was heaven. Hot water gushed over his head and down his back, loosening his shoulders and warming him through. Much as he would have enjoyed taking his time, he knew Nines was waiting for him. He wasn't really dirty, having showered properly the night before. That meant he didn't need to bother with his hair. Grabbing the gel, he rubbed in a thick lather where it mattered most and rinsed off. Not wanting to keep Nines waiting, Gavin hurriedly dried off and pulled on some pyjamas. The bottoms were a soft, fleecy tartan material, and the top was white cotton, with a large Scotty dog on the front. Gavin wasn't sure where Chloe got them, but they were one of his favourite sets. He completed the look with some matching red socks, which slipped on the wooden floorboards in the hall.

"Nines?" Downstairs was deserted when Gavin got there, but he didn't need to look far. Peering through the patio doors, he could see him standing by the fire outside. There was a pile of neatly chopped logs beside the roaring fire, and a wooden bench with thick cushions. It looked like Nines was pretty busy as he stoked the fire and fiddled with something over the licking flames. Curious, and worried about Nines' bare fingers, Gavin looked around for his spare shoes. His wet boots had disappeared, probably whisked away somewhere by Nines so they could dry. Slipping into his trainers, he hurried out into the yard, which was lit by the warm glow of the fire. "Hey."

Nines looked up as he approached, which revealed what he was fiddling with. Over the raised fire pit, he'd fitted a grill rack. The smell of cooking meat reached Gavin's nose, making his mouth water. Nines had made kebobs. Long metal rods with skewered steak, peppers, onion, mushrooms, tomato, and zucchini were currently lying across the grill, and Nines was slowly turning them so they didn't char too much in the flames. Gavin huffed fondly as he watched. There were three skewers, which would be more than enough for him.

"You didn't have to do that!" Gavin said as he hurried over and leaned on Nines' shoulder, looping his arms around his waist. Nines leaned into the contact and rested their heads together for a moment. Though he'd never been much of a talker, he was a very tactile person. Cuddles, kisses, light touches, and holding hands were part of his love language, and who was Gavin to deny him what he craved?

"I wanted to...You didn't even have lunch today." That was true. They'd headed out late that morning after breakfast and traipsed across what felt like half the damned forest! They'd only turned back because Nines had calculated that they'd get lost in the dark if they didn't. Lost was probably an exaggeration considering Nines' internal mapping skills, but Gavin didn't want to be out in the woods at night. It was creepy in there. There was nothing to worry about, of course. The larger animals that used to live in the forests were long extinct, and the smaller ones were unlikely to cross their paths.

"Thank you," Gavin murmured, pressing a kiss against Nines' neck before drawing back. Nines looked over his shoulder and smiled as he crouched by the fire and turned the skewers with his bare hands. "Jesus phcking Christ! Are you okay? Should you be doing that?" Nines chuckled as he continued turning the kebobs. The flames didn't even seem to touch his artificial skin, and the hot metal didn't burn him at all.

"My synthetic skin layer is heat resistant. I can register the temperature of the fire, but it can't damage my hardware." He held up his hand for inspection, smiling as Gavin shuffled closer and ran his fingers over it. The pads of his fingers were hot where he'd been turning the skewers, but the heat hadn't even changed the colour of his skin. It was just as soft and smooth as ever. Nines watched as Gavin pulled his hand against his mouth and left a series of prickly kisses along his fingertips.

"Take care of yourself." Nines huffed softly as Gavin continued to nibble his fingers. That was rich, coming from him! It had barely been a week since he'd undergone Elijah's experimental procedure to cure his eyesight. An issue that had only arisen due to his own reckless nature. "I'm going to get some water. Do you want anything?" Androids didn't need to eat and drink like humans, but they did refuel on thirium. Although he had plenty in reserve, Nines nodded. He often topped up his thirium while Gavin had dinner so he wouldn't feel lonely.

"A bottle of thirium...and bring a blanket!" Nines called after him as he went. The temperature wouldn't fall much further, especially where they sat, protected by the forest, but Gavin didn't have a particularly robust constitution. It wasn't that he got sick all the time, but he did tend to feel the cold more than others, especially when he was tired. Not that Gavin would ever admit it. It was just a coincidence that whenever he forgot his jacket, he ended up swaddled in someone else's coat. Hank, Connor, Nines, it didn't matter. Nines was always ready with a hearty I told you so whenever it happened.

It didn't take long for Gavin to return, swaddled in a thick cream blanket and carrying two bottles. He handed Nines the blue one before uncapping his water and sitting on the bench. Nines watched from the corner of his eye as Gavin kicked his trainers off and crossed his legs on the thick cushions, his feet quickly disappearing inside the fleecy blanket. The kebobs were done, so Nines put the skewers on a plate and joined Gavin on the bench. The metal rods were too hot for Gavin to handle, so Nines pulled the piping hot food off the skewers and onto the plate.

"Thanks, it looks great!" It tasted great, too. Gavin wasn't sure how Nines knew, but he always seemed to get the amount of seasoning just right. There was also a nice smoky char to the onions and peppers as he slowly forked them into his mouth. The mushrooms and zucchini had survived the flames without shrivelling too much, and the tomatoes almost turned to mush as he scooped them up. The steak was still juicy and pink on the inside, but nicely marked on the outside. Gavin had never cooked over a fire like this himself, but he trusted Nines to know what he was doing. Nines had never done it either, but being an android came with certain advantages, such as being able to scan food to ensure it was heated all the way through before serving.

"How are your eyes?" It was a subject Nines had been careful to avoid since their arrival, but it was part of the reason they'd come. To get away from the bright lights of the city. Have a break from technology. Gavin paused, paying particular attention to his plate as he turned his fork this way and that. He managed a small smile as he looked across at Nines, well able to read his anxiety. It was a feeling he'd shared for the first couple of days. Being blinded by a rogue smoke grenade was one of the toughest things he'd ever experienced. It was a miracle Elijah had managed to save his eyes at all, but he needed to recover properly to ensure the procedure wasn't undone.

"They're fine...Coming out here was a good call." To take away the temptation of checking his emails, playing on his phone, and lounging in front of the television, Elijah had offered this retreat as a getaway. Gavin could let his eyes recover, and he and Nines could spend some quality time together.

"The fire's not too much?" Gavin shook his head.

"I'm not looking directly at it." It was the same with the fireplaces inside. He could enjoy the flickering flames on his skin while directing his eyes elsewhere. The treeline was dark and ominous, something that might have creeped him out without Nines at his side. As it was, he knew Nines would notice any hidden dangers. Above their heads, the sky had darkened to a deep shade of blue, stars now glittering brightly above their heads. It was amazing how many you could see this far outside the city. There were hundreds, if not thousands. In Detroit, you'd be lucky to see more than a handful from the brightly lit streets.

"Beautiful, aren't they?" Nines had joined him in looking up. Gavin hummed his agreement and stole a glance at him from the corner of his eye. Nines' pale skin was dancing with shadows from the flickering flames, silvery eyes soft and unblinking. His pale skin was dotted with freckles like his brothers. Identical, in fact. That had really bothered Gavin at first. It was weird, looking at someone so much like Connor. He'd already had to go through that once with Sixty, the creepy identical twin, but Nines was supposed to be different. He was a more advanced version of the RK800, but they hadn't even bothered to give him his own face! His body was slightly larger, with more defined muscles, but it was like Connor had been put through Photoshop, stretched, pulled, and re-coloured. A beefed-up Connor with a palette change. That's what he'd called Nines when they first met.

"Yeah...How many can you see?" With his advanced optical thingies, Gavin was pretty sure he could see thousands!

"One thousand four hundred and fifty-three." Gavin snorted. He should have known Nines would give him an exact number. "Conditions are not yet optimal, and I haven't used any magnification so far."

"So you could see more?"

"Oh, yes. When night truly falls, more will come into focus, and if I magnify enough, I will be able to see many hundreds more...However, my optical units are no substitute for a telescope. I can't zoom in with that level of detail." It was sort of nice to be reassured that Nines wasn't superhuman in the extreme. It stood to reason he'd have relatively good eyesight since he was built for the military. Being able to zoom in across long distances was bound to come in handy on the front lines. It had helped them out at the DPD, too. They could tail a suspect at a much further distance with Nines on the case.

"So you can't see Saturn then?"

"No, I can..." Gavin's mouth fell open as Nines' silvery eyes searched the mosaic above and a slender hand reached up to point at a distant silvery spot. "There...I can't see it in any detail though. It looks no different to any other star besides the slightly sandy colour." That was more than Gavin could make out. It just looked like a star to him, if he was even looking at the right one. Setting his now empty plate aside, Gavin scooted closer to nestle against Nines' side.

"What else can you see?" Nines' lips quirked as he felt the warmth against his arm, instantly lifting to make room for Gavin against his chest. Not content to be held outside the blanket, Gavin tossed the end of the fleecy material over Nines' shoulder. Nines chuckled softly, unsurprised as Gavin's legs snaked over his thighs. Lifting him, Nines settled him on his lap, keeping one arm around his waist while the other tucked the blanket over his legs. Returning his gaze to the distant sky, Nines leaned against the back of the bench.

"Venus is over there...The sort of yellow one." Gavin would take his word for it on the colour. They all looked silver to him. The only one he could usually pick out was Mars, and that was notably absent tonight. Despite not being able to see the colours, he did follow Nines' hand as he pointed. "There is a satellite there, and another over there...That cluster of stars is Andromeda...And if you follow the trail here, you can see Pisces...Here, this might be easier." Holding up his hand, Nines made a holographic display that showed the lines of the constellations, making it easier for Gavin to look up and find them. "Don't worry, the holographic display it specifically designed to be gentle on human eyes." That's a relief...

"There's a house!"

"Cepheus." Gavin didn't know what that meant, but it looked like a house drawn by a kindergartener. As he looked up, he could just about find the right stars. He also found a skillet, which Nines said was Ursa Minor. Next to that was Draco, which looked like a snake to Gavin. Nines chuckled softly, enjoying the way Gavin's human mind worked. Gavin even started making up shapes himself, which Nines drew on the overlay.

"See? I told you it was a rabbit!" He had, indeed, drawn what looked like a rabbit. Not an anatomically correct one, of course, but it did have two long ears and a vaguely round body. Once Gavin's kebobs had settled in his stomach and he needed more water, Nines got to his feet and brought both water and dessert. Gavin was delighted to be given a thin wooden stick and a packet of fat white marshmallows. "Phck, I haven't done this in years!" Not since high school when he'd gone on school trips. Leaving the city had never appealed to him since then. He'd been too busy causing trouble, then busy at the academy, and then working.

"Perhaps we should do this more often..." It wasn't good for humans to work as much as Gavin. Even Hank and Fowler took paid vacations. Looking at Gavin's record, he found he hadn't taken a vacation for eight years.

"Yeah, I sort of forgot what it's like to just...stop." Since Gavin was currently looking upwards, Nines dutifully rescued his marshmallow from the flames before it melted. Gavin smiled as he raised the stick and blew on it. It was sweet and toasty when he finally bit into it, the insides oozing. Tastes like Autumn...There was only one thing that would make this night better.

"I started the coffeemaker before I came out...I thought you might like a pumpkin spice latte before bed."