The next hour was an endless stream of awkward small talk and long silences. Luckily, Nines figured out fairly quickly that giving Gavin something to put in his mouth was a sure way to ease the tension. He kindly offered Gavin the menu and reminded him that everything was already paid for in his ticket, so he didn't have to hold back. He also highly recommended the Cosmopolitans, which set Gavin off to a rocky start already as he ordered one and downed it almost immediately. That was a mistake. They were pretty small, but they packed a definite punch. Gavin wouldn't accuse Nines of trying to get him drunk, but he didn't hesitate to order a second round once Gavin had finished his first.

Nines ensured he ate as well. He wanted to actually enjoy their encounter later. He ordered a light chicken curry for both of them, and a bottle of water to ensure they remained hydrated for the flight. The curry came with rice and naan bread, and Gavin almost wolfed it down. He hadn't even realised he was so hungry. He was ravenous. He hadn't exactly eaten breakfast earlier, and he'd been busy with meetings, seeing a few final sights, and getting to the airport before that. The water was desperately needed as well. Nines didn't hesitate to order him dessert and more water to go with it. Gavin scarfed the cheesecake that arrived as well. He was just chugging the last of his water as Nines pointed out their gate was up on the board already.

The three of them walked over, with Nines being considerate enough to stop and check whether Gavin needed the bathroom on the way out. With that done, they headed to the gate and Nines walked straight up to the clerks. Within two minutes, Nines had returned to say they needed to wait a few minutes for the final checks to be completed. That was fine by Gavin, though he did feel a little out-of-place waiting in the queue for first and business class. Sure, there was something a little special about it, the feeling that he was being envied for once, but there was also the feeling of being fake and pretentious. Nines had no such reservations. He seemed perfectly at ease as he waited, waving away the clerk's offers of taking a seat in a slightly nicer seating area.

They were the first to board, and three of the only guests in first class at all. Nines took Gavin's ticket and shared a few quiet words with one of the clerks, holding up both of their tickets and putting on his most amicable smile. It seemed Nines was used to having things go his way, and with a nod of understanding, Gavin was handed a new ticket. It wasn't a big deal. They'd just moved their seats closer together, so they were neighbours. As they stepped on board, a new lady in a pale blue uniform showed them to their seats. They were led up to the second floor and into the front section of the plane. They passed a small bar with tall stools, the bathrooms, and a seating area before stepping into a section with only sixteen seats. Nines was on the left and Gavin was by the window on the right. They were right at the front, with only a small room for cabin crew in front, so only staff would pass by during their rounds. Each large chair was in their own booth that even had a closing door.

"You already saw the bar on the way through...Perhaps after take-off you'd like to look around and get a drink." The offer took Gavin by surprise. He wasn't exactly sterling company. Their interactions so far had been awkward as fuck, and Gavin himself had said very little. Maybe that's why he wants to meet up. So he's not just banging some weird as phck guy he picked up in a queue...He may even have been being polite after realising he was Elijah's brother. Not going to stop him fucking me though...He wasn't sure whether or not to take that as a compliment. "Just sit down and strap in for now. We need to go through the same safety announcements and procedures as everyone else...Here, let me." Nines easily took Gavin's backpack and put it up in the locker, allowing Gavin to sit down awkwardly in his booth. There were the same little complimentary headphones and things as economy, only way better quality. "Having fun?" Nines almost teased as he leaned on Gavin's booth and looked over the top.

"Uh-I..." Gavin really didn't have an excuse or defence. He'd been flicking through the screen channels like a kid, playing with the volume to get it just right. He felt his cheeks heat at the look he was getting. Nines' silvery eyes were soft and half lidded as he watched him flounder. There was something almost affectionate in his lingering gaze. That just made Gavin clam up even more, which somehow made the stare feel even warmer. The booth was high. High enough that it reached Nines' chest. It really gave the small section a private feel.

"I'll leave you to it. I'm just across from you. If you need anything, or get lonely, just call A2 and it'll put you through to me," Nines said as he pointed at the remote, which doubled as a phone service. "You don't need to hold it like a phone. There's a mic built into the chair, and the speakers are in your headphones," he added before he disappeared from sight. Gavin found himself sort of tempted to try it right off the bat. He pressed a button, and the door slid shut, leaving him in his own small room. His chair was wide, like a proper armchair, and there was some real leg space before a large screen sat above a shelf. Beside him, along the window, was a neat shelf for drinks. There was a pad stored there that controlled the main screen, along with a remote. He had a little space beside his chair to stand, about a foot before the door. It was roomy, like a little personal capsule room. There was a step by the door for his shoes, or anything else he wanted to set down.

There was a button to recline the chair, which Gavin pressed. It slowly leaned back and stretched out with a low mechanical whirr. It was so comfortable. He'd never been in a plane seat this comfortable before. Hell, it's better than the heap of crap I have in my living room! He closed his eyes with a small sigh, only to snap them open a moment later as his door was opened from the outside. An attractive young woman stood in the doorway with one of those amicable service smiles firmly in place.

"Good evening, Mr Reed. My name is Hajda, and I'll be taking care of you today. We're just about to prepare for take-off. Would you like a drink? Champagne?" she offered as she gestured to her tray. Gavin stammered out a small agreement and accepted the delicate glass he was handed. He carefully set it on the shelf as the young woman ran through her spiel. "Please return the seat to the upright position for take-off. I'll be around shortly to take your dinner order and make up your bed. Would you like to dine in here or in the lounge?" Hajda asked as she gestured to the menus that had been neatly stowed on the small shelf by the screen.

"Oh, uh...Can I get back to you on that? I'm here with someone..." Gavin was unsure of Nines' dinner plans. He'd said they'd get a drink in the lounge, but maybe he'd meant for them to eat there, too. Hajda was more than understanding and wished him a pleasant flight before leaving. She left the door open, which may have been procedure. Gavin decided to leave the door just in case as he grabbed the remote and dialled Nines' seat.

"I wondered how long it would take you to try it out. You lasted longer than I expected," Nines' voice teased as he answered. His voice came from the speakers in the side of his chair since he hadn't plugged in the headphones. Gavin was quietly impressed as he sat back and picked up his glass, feeling somewhat awkward but special at the same time. He'd never gotten this sort of treatment before. It was nice, but it was the kind of nice he couldn't get used to long term. He almost pouted as he returned his attention to Nines and the call.

"Actually, I called for a reason. My host wanted to know if I'm eating in the lounge or my room, so?" Gavin left the question hanging. He figured Nines was smart enough to cotton on. There was silence on the other end for a moment, as if he were contemplating.

"That depends...would you like to dine with me in the lounge?" Gavin couldn't quite figure out whether Nines' tone was neutral or hopeful. Did Nines want to eat with him? Or was he secretly hoping he'd choose his room? It was promising that he'd invited him for drinks, so maybe it made sense to eat in the lounge. What if he'd only invited him out of politeness? He'd paid for his ticket and said he wanted to enjoy his ass for the flight, which sort of suggested he wanted to spend time with him. He doesn't have to socialise to make use of my ass though...

"What do you want to do? I mean, I'm good either way," Gavin settled on eventually. He could have sworn he heard a please little hum on the other end in response to his words. Did that mean Nines was pleased with the idea?

"If you have no preference, then we'll enjoy dinner together after our drinks...That will give the hosts time to prepare our rooms for the evening." That sounded pretty reasonable to Gavin. Anything to make Hajda's life a little easier. He was pretty sure she had some real assholes to deal with usually, so he was determined to be gracious. Hopefully she won't be too pissed at Nines when he messes up the bed later...There was probably a rule about sex in the booths. It was pretty much a public space. Then again, rich people get a lot of privileges, so it wouldn't surprise me if this was a regular thing...Somehow, that made Gavin feel even more dirty. A chill ran through him at the realisation. It was a regular thing. Of course it was. Nines had approached him with complete confidence as he'd waited in line. He'd paid for his ticket like it was nothing. Just another transaction. He'd already had the hygiene supplies ready, so if Gavin had turned him down, he probably would have approached someone else. How many times has he done this?

He was distracted from his negative thoughts as the announcements went through. Looking out the window, he could see the plane was rolling down the runway already. His heart jumped as they slowly turned and got ready to fly. He gripped the thick armrests on reflex, barely listening as the hosts were told to take their seats and the safety videos played. He gripped harder as the plane picked up speed. He had a great view, which sort of turned his stomach once the plane actually left the ground. It was always disorienting when you first took off and the plane tilted to get on the right route. He relaxed more once he felt the plane levelling out. His ears did that annoying popping thing, but there wasn't much he could do about that. He always lost his hearing on flights. It was really annoying.

"Are you ready?" Nines asked as he appeared in the open doorway. Gavin looked up in surprise and almost lost his voice. He hadn't seen Nines out of his neat jacket yet. He was wearing a waistcoat that hugged his waist and emphasised his wide shoulders, and he'd loosened his silk tie. Gavin knew he was severely underdressed in comparison, and was tempted to slide off his sneakers and leave them behind. He would have, only there was no way he was going to set foot in the bathroom in just his socks. It wasn't just water that would be on those floors.

"Yeah, sure." He let Nines lead the way back between the rows. Most people, the few who were on the flight, were still in their booths. The lounge was empty besides the lone crew member responsible for mixing drinks. Nines gave him a charming smile as he pulled up a stool and ordered two Cosmopolitans. Gavin accepted hesitantly, quietly worried he'd get too drunk. He'd already been drinking before take-off in the lounge, and he'd had a small champagne in his booth. Drinking, especially mixing drinks, rarely ended well. Maybe just this one, and then I'll swap to orange juice or something...

"How are you enjoying things so far?" Nines asked as they waited for their drinks. The crewman was working quickly on their order, and more were coming in from other passengers. Gavin watched as he poured the cranberry juice into the shaker and added a generous amount of ice. He was clearly skilled. He didn't even use measures for the alcohol.

"It sure as hell beats economy," Gavin retorted as he turned his attention to Nines, who huffed appreciatively. Not that he'd know anything about that. Maybe that's not quite true...Most of his money probably came from Cyberlife, so before that he was probably a pretty regular guy, like Eli.

"I'm sure, but...I must admit, I'm surprised you don't fly like this more often...Elijah talks about you so much I assumed he'd fund your travel." Nines had a point. It was what a lot of people would think if they knew. Elijah had also brought it up more than once. Until Gavin had labelled it as a banned topic. He nodded along, but was sure to clear Elijah's name.

"He's offered, but that's...not what I want. That's his money, that he earned. I don't want to be a burden or a leech. I like to earn my money and pay my own way." Gavin paused to murmur a quiet thank you as the host dropped off their drinks and hurried about his business. Nines' lips softened again in that overly affectionate way. Gavin watched as he raised his wide cocktail glass and sipped the sweet red liquid. He made it look so elegant.

"That's certainly fortuitous from my point of view...Had you not been waiting in line, I may never have seen you." That was flattering, but Gavin wasn't sure how serious he was. He wasn't a great talker, he wasn't smart like Elijah, and he didn't have an elegant bone in his body. He'd never match up to Nines in social etiquette. Sure, he knew he had a great ass, but that didn't make up for his obvious shortcomings. He didn't even know whether Nines was really enjoying his company, or if he was just being polite until he could get his hands on his ass. If he hadn't seen me, he would have just asked someone else...

"You might have found someone better...I'm not exactly great conversation," Gavin huffed as he sipped his drink. Nines frowned as if surprised. They hadn't spoken much. They'd only just met, and Chloe and Elijah had been with them before, but Nines had enjoyed talking to Gavin so far. The topics had been simple, but Gavin was attentive, and a good listener. He was perhaps a little shy, but even that was endearing. He liked the little stammers that fled his lips when he was flustered, and the way his eyes would dart around uncertainly when he was hesitant.

"I've very much enjoyed your company so far." Gavin very much doubted that. At least, he doubted Nines really knew enough to form a proper opinion. "Perhaps you could tell me more about your work...Elijah always makes it sound so fantastical," Nines added with a small smirk. Gavin chuckled at that. It certainly sounded like something Elijah would do. Brotherly pride often led to exaggerations that verged on misinformation. His job would probably seem quite boring if Elijah broke it down properly. Over half his work was paperwork and chasing down leads. Slow and somewhat boring work. The action's pretty sweet though...

"It can be, sometimes...What do you want to know? Obviously, I can't give you exact details for legal reasons, but..." Gavin left the statement hang. He'd happily tell him a story or two. As long as he didn't use real names and stuff, it was fine. This wasn't exactly a formal setting. What he said wouldn't be used and recorded, but he still wasn't one for breaking confidentiality rules. It wouldn't be fair to the victims or their families if he fucked up.

"How about here..." Nines murmured as he reached out. Gavin stayed still as Nines' hand cupped his stubbled cheek, and his thumb traced a gentle path across his nose. "How did you get these scars?" Gavin knew what he meant. He had multiple scars on his face, all from the same incident. You wouldn't know it unless you looked closely. Besides the one on his nose, they were quite small and faded. Gavin reached up and stroked his nose scar in reflex. He'd had it for years. Ten or eleven at this point. Phck, over a decade...

"I was chasing down a guy...Nasty piece of work. He was wanted for multiple assaults, damn near killed his wife, and beat the shit out of his kid. I chased him three blocks, and he ducked into a side street. I followed...Fucker was waiting with a full-length mirror. Hit me square in the face. After it broke, he picked up a piece and tried to stab me with it. That's how I got the long one. I didn't quite back off far enough. I managed to disarm him, but we ended up on the ground and he shoved my face into the broken shards. It hurt like a bitch, but I managed to fight him off and cuff him by the time my partner caught up with the car." The memory was still fresh, even after all these years. He remembered the pounding of his heart as the jagged shard had jerked towards his face. He'd turned enough to take the blow on his nose rather than his eye, but it had just caught his eyebrow on the way up. He remembered the burning sting as his face had been pressed into the dirty concrete, his lip and chin throbbing as he'd pushed up. Red smears had coated the ground, dripping in a flood from the split on his nose. He'd elbowed that fucker in the ribs and flipped him to the ground, dazing him enough to pin him down and work on the cuffs. He'd struggled to keep the guy down even after that. Gavin had been the smaller of the two.

"You were alone? I thought it was procedure for officers to work in pairs." Nines was clearly surprised and fully invested. His silvery eyes barely even blinked as he sat forward and leaned on the bar.

"Yeah, we do, but you know...Shit happens, and sometimes people split up. When the perp ran, I took off after him. My partner at the time wasn't exactly the picture of health. No way would he have been able to haul his chunky ass all that way. He hightailed it back to the car, and I chased the guy down." It didn't seem like a big deal to Gavin. That was the job, and sometimes you got the short end of the stick. Nines looked somewhat shocked at the notion. It seemed so strange that Gavin had such a low sense of self-preservation. He should have stayed with his partner and given chase in the car, or called for assistance during pursuit.

"If your partner was in such poor health, perhaps he was unsuited to the role." It hardly sounded appropriate for someone unable to give chase to be on the force. Had the perp been faster, or Gavin less skilled, he could well have died. Gavin shrugged in the sort of non-committal way that suggested he didn't entirely disagree. His partner had felt terrible once he'd caught up. After the perp was in the back of the car, he'd hauled him up and taken him to hospital. Most of the cuts had eventually healed by themselves, but the one across his nose had needed stitches. The threading holes weren't visible anymore, but the gash itself had never faded. Luckily, the one in his eyebrow was barely noticeable, and the nick by his lip and the scar on his chin were covered by his stubble.

"Well, he retired not long after, so I guess he agreed with you." It hadn't been long after that case. He'd probably been thinking about it for a while, but the incident with his nose had likely played a sizable part. His aged eyes had always been drawn to the scar after that. Gavin didn't even know what had happened to him. He'd said he was going to retire in the country. Somewhere with a lake, so he could go fishing. "The real cases started after I got promoted to detective though. You wouldn't believe some of the psychos you come across in homicide," Gavin continued as he leaned forward on the bar.

"Sounds like you'll be keeping me entertained for quite a while," Nines huffed as he sipped his drink. It wasn't long after that, as Gavin was regaling him with the story of a serial killer, that Hajda appeared to inform them they'd be bringing out their starters. They moved across to one of the smaller lounge tables, one in a cosy corner just a little way off from the bathrooms. Gavin took the seat against the bulkhead while Nines slipped into the chair opposite. It was a comfortable-looking leather chair that was bolted to the floor, as were all the chairs and stools.

Gavin was blown away as the table was laid with a tablecloth and real cutlery. The food arrived on white china plates and bowls. They were each given a side salad and bread roll with their soup. Gavin was surprised to find they'd chosen the same starter of carrot and ginger soup. Gavin buttered his roll and watched as Nines added a small knob of butter to his soup and stirred it in. He chuckled softly as he noticed Gavin staring before opening the small bottle of basil oil and tipping it over his salad.

"You should try it. The butter helps to thicken the soup...It makes it smoother." Gavin was hesitant as he tried it, though he wasn't sure it made any real difference. He was hardly an expert, though, so he wasn't about to argue. It still tasted good either way. Really good. He'd never had such nice food on a plane before. Hell, I'm not sure I've had food like this anywhere...He wasn't exactly the romantic restaurant, eating out type. His idea of eating fancy was going to a steakhouse. The only other place he'd ever eaten food like this was at Elijah's house, or one of those fancy events he sometimes tried to drag him to.

They continued to talk between eating and changing courses. Nines had found Gavin's niche. He could talk endlessly about his job and the cases he'd worked, and he'd enthusiastically give his opinion on any rules or laws he disagreed with. From there, it was easier to draw him into other conversations. His earlier life, and why he'd become a detective. His relationship with Elijah, and how he felt about his creations. The current difficulties with android integration. It was comfortable. Gavin started to relax and enjoy Nines' company. He even started asking him questions. How he'd met Elijah. Why he'd agreed to let Cyberlife use his likeness for the RK series. Did he regret it? It had certainly disturbed him enough to make him move away from America, but he still did plenty of business back home. He was technically still working with Cyberlife, providing hardware for component creation. It was actually his company that Elijah had been in negotiations with over the new technology. It was still experimental, but Elijah was so impressed he wanted in on it early.

For the main course, Gavin had chosen the veal steak while Nines has chosen the roast chicken. Gavin really couldn't get over how fresh everything looked. It looked like it had been cooked in a restaurant and walked straight out to them. It tasted like it, too. It was real food. The steak was so tender, and the vegetables were really fresh. For dessert, Nines had chosen the fresh fruit while Gavin had chosen the chocolate cake. They even brought him a small pot of tea after he mentioned to Nines how cake was always best with tea. He hadn't wanted to cause trouble, but Nines had insisted that if he wanted tea, he'd have tea. The cake had been a neat rectangle with dark chocolate frosting and filling, and a sliced strawberry for decoration.

After dessert, they got a small set of chocolates and coffee. Not just any coffee. They had a whole list of coffees they could order, so Gavin had a large cappuccino while Nines had a latte. They'd probably been sitting in the lounge for two hours by the time they finished and Hajda appeared with a smile to let them know their beds had been prepared. Gavin clammed up slightly at that. He'd almost forgotten about the real purpose of this journey. That's right...I'm not here on a date, I'm here as a...He was hesitant to finish that thought. He felt nervous as they walked back to their booths, unsure how to proceed from there. Luckily, Nines had plenty of experience in this department.

"I'll leave you to relax and get ready...You'll have some complimentary pyjamas, and here...This is something else." Nines' tone was positively sultry as he pulled a small packet from his pocket and handed it over. Gavin took it hesitantly and watched Nines step into his booth and slide the door shut. Gavin took a breath as he closed his door and looked at his made-up bed. It was just a little smaller than a single, so it would be a little tight, but not uncomfortable, if they chose the right positions. His mouth felt dry as he noticed the fake rose petals strewn on the white bedding and the black cotton pyjamas. Really neat ones. The shirt was a proper button up. He hadn't worn one of those in years.

He turned his attention to the small packet in his hand. It was carefully wrapped in dark blue tissue paper. It was also light. Really light. It didn't have a solid shape, so it was probably something material. He was careful as he opened it, balking as he picked it up on one finger. Phcking seriously? He wasn't sure whether he was repulsed or offended as he looked at the item. Gavin sighed and closed his eyes, almost regretting his decision as he regarded the delicate thong. He considered himself lucky it was one that had definitely been designed for males. Am I really phcking doing this? He cringed internally as he thought of what he'd look like wearing it, and how uncomfortable it would feel with the string between his ass cheeks. It's what he wants. He's paid for it...It'll probably only be on for like...five minutes. He sighed as he dropped his jeans.