"Gavin! You came!" Connor greeted brightly as he opened the faded front door of Hank's home. Oh, phck, just kill me now! Gavin put on his best forced smile, which was actually more of a grimace, and allowed Nines to nudge him over the threshold. "I didn't believe you'd actually get him to come," Connor continued, talking to Nines as he shut the door like the good host he was. Nines tugged Gavin's jacket from his shoulders, as if its removal would somehow force him to stay. It was weird, seeing Connor so dressed down. He was wearing a set of faded jeans, a grey flannel shirt that was open at the collar, and some Christmas socks with puddings on the toes.

"I had incentive to," Nines replied with the hint of a smirk, which didn't go unnoticed by Gavin. What the phck does he mean incentive? He continued to eye Nines with distrust as he looked around the small entryway. It opened out into a spacious living area, which was connected to the kitchen. It was a single room, but the shape offered a little separation from the kitchen. Despite being a large, open space, the house was warm. "Where is he?" Nines demanded as he tugged off his coat and hung it with the others. Connor chuckled as he headed back into the kitchen, where Gavin could see Hank bustling about.

"He's in the living room with Sumo." Gavin turned his head and looked round into the modest living area to see Sixty sitting on a small two-seater with Sumo between his legs. The large dog was huffing happily as Sixty teased the fur around his neck. He let out a low bark as he caught sight of Gavin. Gavin gasped and stumbled back as Sumo lumbered his way over to sniff and butt him. Gavin continued to back off, his heart pounding as he finally backed into Nines' waiting chest. That almost made him tremble more as he felt Nines' low chuckle rumble through his spine.

"Down, Sumo...Good boy," Nines encouraged as he rested a hand on Gavin's hip and leaned over his shoulder to pet Sumo with the other. Apparently, the commotion was enough to draw Sixty from the living room, too. Gavin stiffened as Sixty folded his arms and leaned against the wall with a smug smirk. He was a little less tidy than Connor. His jeans were tastefully worn and ripped, and the T-shirt he wore was an off the shoulder number with a colourful cartoon print on the front. Unlike Connor, Sixty had chosen plain black socks like Nines.

"Well-well-well...You actually managed it." His smug hazel eyes were looking at Nines as he spoke, so Gavin could only assume they had some sort of bet going on. He was proven right as Nines returned with a smirk of his own and held his hand out expectantly. Gavin wasn't sure how to feel as Sixty scoffed and slapped twenty dollars into Nines' waiting hand. Had they invited him as a joke, expecting him not to turn up? Had Connor made the invitation, expecting he'd refuse? He felt the hand on his hip tighten and soothe the nerves that swept through the pit of his stomach. They were all distracted as Sumo let out another low woof and Gavin jerked further back into Nines' waiting arms. Sixty snickered as he watched.

"Christ, Sumo! Hey! Down boy! Come on, go to bed!" Hank's voice rumbled as he stepped out of the kitchen. Hearing his master's voice, Sumo turned his head with a wag of his fluffy tail and padded over to greet him. "Good boy, come on. You come in here with us," Hank continued to soothe as he ruffled Sumo's head and ushered him into the small tiled room. Hank was looking a lot better these days. He'd lost a little weight since Connor and Sixty had moved in. Nines was a more independent type of son. The type who lived across town and turned up occasionally when summoned. Gavin shivered as he felt Nines' warm breath on his ear.

"Sumo won't hurt you. Hank has him well trained," he assured in a gentle tone. Gavin turned his head with a jerk as prickles ran down his neck. He rubbed the area self-consciously, feeling his cheeks heat at the attention. Sixty cackled out loud as he retreated into the living room again to reclaim his place on the two-seater. It was a low, brown sofa with a soft grey throw tossed over the top. It was something well-worn that Hank had kept for years. It was still barely serviceable, but worn and dipping in places.

"Yeah, I know, I just...I have a thing about dogs." That was an understatement. He hadn't been able to handle the things for years. Not since he'd been run down by a stray as a kid. Luckily, his mum had been there to get it off. He'd had to go to the hospital to get the wound cleaned up, and he'd had all sorts of shots. It had been hell, and left permanent scars on his arm. Few people knew about that. He always wore long sleeves to hide the ugly marks.

"I wouldn't worry. Sumo would take one bite and spit it out again...Too bitter!" Sixty piped up.

"Sixty, best behaviour!" Connor chided from the kitchen, where he was busy stirring something on top of the stove. It seemed like he was doing a good job. It smelled great. It was a familiar smell. One he'd enjoyed when he was really little and living with his mum. The few years he'd spent living with his half-brother's family had been much colder. The dinners had been prepared in a separate area and brought to them in a grand dining hall. Cold and open. It had been awkward as hell. Gavin still cringed as he remembered staring around at everyone else to figure out which fork or spoon he was supposed to be using. Luckily, one of the maids had developed a soft spot for him after the first week or so. She'd always nudged the utensil he needed as she'd placed his plate. It hadn't taken him long to figure out that you went from outside to inside. This smell was better. This was home. The scent of cooking turkey, parsnips, and potatoes wafting into a small, warm space.

"Come and sit," Nines invited gently as he slowly encouraged Gavin to move away from the hall. "Sumo won't come in unless Hank tells him," he assured as he rested a hand on the small of Gavin's back. The intimacy of the light touch didn't even occur to Gavin until the hand was gone. He sort of missed it, which was weird because it was an android hand. His partner's hand. Nines' hand. Gavin hesitated on the edge of the small, cosy living area. There was a lounge chair, which he assumed was Hank's, the small two-seater, a wooden rocking chair by the window, and a couple of foldout chairs. Gavin sure as hell wasn't sitting next to Sixty.

"Huh, Connor's chair...Interesting choice," Sixty teased with a smirk as Gavin eased himself into the rocking chair. There was a thick padded cushion on the bottom to make it more comfortable, and a colourful Christmas throw over the back. It rocked back gently as Gavin sat, but he almost stood again at Sixty's words. He stilled as Nines waved a hand to tell him to sit.

"I don't mind. Nines often sits there himself," Connor replied without even looking their way. He was too busy minding the three pots he had bubbling and timing the oven for the parsnips. The turkey was already out and resting under Hank's watchful eye. Connor had scanned the meat to ensure it was cooked through, but Hank insisted he still needed to baste and prod it himself. He couldn't carve until later, so it was foiled over and waiting now. Connor was distracted as Hank reminded him about putting in the stuffing trays.

Gavin sat back at the reassurance and gazed out the window. It overlooked the driveway, but Connor had hung a small bird feeder on the tree at the corner of the drive. Gavin's green eyes blinked, following the path of a fat, red robin as it pecked the metal cage. It chirped away happily, and was soon joined by another brown bird. They shared the small cage, flitting and hopping around the metal. Gavin couldn't help following their movements. They soon dropped to the drive, chirping and hopping through the snow.

"Look at him, he's like a cat!" Gavin shot a small glare Sixty's way at the jibe, but he didn't really feel offended. He liked cats.

"I like cats..." Nines supplied from his place on one of the folded chairs. He had his back to Gavin, so he couldn't see his face. He wasn't sure how to feel about that. Was it just an honest statement? Or was Nines trying to reassure him he actually did like him? Why am I overthinking shit now? Who gives a phck! Gavin huffed quietly as he returned his attention to the birds outside. They were hopping around in the snow, pecking at the patch beneath their feet where they'd dropped nut shards. Sixty was mercifully silent after that, though Gavin could have sworn he felt eyes staring at him.

"Alright! Dinner's ready," Hank called from the small kitchen. How he'd managed to fit five places at the round table, Gavin had no idea. It looked like it was really only meant for three. It helped that Nines, Sixty, and Connor weren't actually eating. They had large mugs of warm thirium waiting while Hank and Gavin both had full turkey dinners with all the trimmings. It looked amazing. He hadn't had a home cooked roast like this since he was a kid. The ones with Elijah's family had been fine, but nowhere near as homely as this. "Don't just stand there. Take a seat!"

"Right, thanks..." Gavin replied awkwardly as he shuffled into the kitchen. He stalled as he noticed Sumo raising his large head and almost stepped into Connor as he backed away from the bed. Hank's low voice soon settled Sumo in his place as Connor's gentle hands steadied Gavin and swiftly ushered him into the seat between him and Nines. Sixty sat on Nines' free side next to Hank, snickering quietly at Gavin's discomfort. Gavin hesitated as they were all seated. He didn't want to be the one to start, but it seemed that saying grace was a tradition Hank didn't follow. Gavin didn't either. His mother never had, but Elijah's family had insisted on it. Especially around the holidays.

"Go ahead...I hope it turned out alright," Connor murmured as he waited patiently for Gavin to try the food he'd prepared. Hank had helped, of course, but cooking was Connor's hobby. Gavin nodded meekly as he started cutting up the food on his plate. Turkey, sausage meat, stuffing, pigs in blankets, roast potatoes, parsnips, carrots, Brussel sprouts, and broccoli, with thick gravy poured over the top. He gingerly reached out and took a couple spoons of cranberry sauce after Hank had finished. It felt a little weird, sitting at Hank's table with Connor quietly staring at him. His insides just about melted at the first mouthful. It tasted like home.

"Not bad, Tin Can," he gruffed softly as he took a second mouthful. He felt his cheeks heat slightly as Connor beamed and Sixty rolled his eyes. Nines seemed at ease as he sat back with his mug in one hand and crossed his legs. It didn't take long for his free arm to rest across the back of Gavin's chair. Not that he noticed. He was far too busy quietly shovelling Connor's food into his eager mouth. Hank wore a small smirk as he ate his own food, and outright guffawed as Sixty clicked his tongue.

"Do you have to eat like an animal? Chew your food, jeez!" Gavin paused self-consciously and chewed a little slower. It wasn't his fault that Connor had somehow managed to cook the best meal he'd eaten in years. He probably wouldn't eat like this again for months. He was going to make the most of it. Nines shot his brother a glare to silence him.

"It's a shame Captain Allen couldn't join us. Have you heard from him?" Connor asked as he looked across at Sixty. Sixty huffed and folded his arms. His LED span yellow as his brothers looked at him expectantly.

"He's away on a job. It couldn't be helped. We spoke earlier before the raid...He'll probably finish up soon." Sixty did his best to hide the anxiousness in his voice, but Connor heard it loud and clear. His brow creased in sympathy. He knew how hard it was to watch someone you cared about go into danger alone. He did it with Hank every day, and he knew Nines understood with Gavin as well. It wasn't quite the same. It was likely even harder when your partner worked in an even more dangerous career. He couldn't imagine letting Hank go into danger and not being by his side.

"Dave will be fine. He'll probably be in and out in an hour, tops!" Gavin paused as he realised he'd outed himself. To his knowledge, no one at the DPD knew that he knew Captain Allen, though it really shouldn't be surprising. SWAT were often in and out of the precinct. He cleared his throat awkwardly as he noticed Connor and Nines looking at him in surprise while Sixty raised an eyebrow.

"You know David?" Sixty prompted expectantly.

"Yeah..." He wasn't sure how much he was supposed to say. It's not like it was against any protocols for them to hook up. They didn't work together. They hadn't been together for over a year, so he was pretty sure it wasn't an issue. But then, no one likes meeting the ex...

"Do tell..." Sixty prodded in a low, grumbling tone. Gavin shrugged awkwardly as he moved things around his plate with his fork, trying to avoid Sixty's piercing hazel eyes.

"We were a thing for a while...Nothing too serious, just, you know...a thing...We haven't been like that for over a year," he added hastily, hoping that Sixty would drop the subject. From the expression on Sixty's face, he was pretty sure Allen would be hearing about this later. Sorry Cap...Hopefully it wouldn't become an issue. It's not like he planned on seeing him again. Not in that way, at least. They hadn't parted on bad terms or anything. They just hadn't meshed that well outside the bedroom. He carried on eating his food, keeping his mouth full to avoid more questions.

He froze as he felt something brush his leg beneath the table. Something big. He stiffened. He didn't even move his mouth to chew. He trembled as he felt something large and warm settle on his thigh. He swallowed nervously as he lowered his gaze. His breaths quickened slightly as he saw Sumo's big brown eyes staring up at him. His chin was resting on his thigh as he patiently waited for attention. Gavin slowly replaced his knife and fork on the table and laid one hand on the edge, gripping and wood like a vice as he slowly reached the other across to Nines. Nines raised an eyebrow as he looked down to find Gavin's hand resting on his thigh. He gripped tightly, digging his nails into his slacks. His fingers were trembling.

Nines was subtle as he laid his own larger hand over Gavin's and soothed him with gentle strokes. It didn't take long to assess Gavin's emotional state. Increased heart rate. Quickened breathing. Trembling. Sweat. He was afraid. There were few things that scared Gavin. Even fewer that were within Hank's home. Seeing the direction of Gavin's gaze, Nines immediately noticed the wet, black nose poking out from beneath the tablecloth. His LED span yellow as he called Connor internally and alerted him to the unwelcome table guest.

"Sumo! You know you're not allowed to beg! Come on! Out now! Out!" Connor chided in a tone that was sharp but still gentle. He tugged Sumo's collar and guided him away from Gavin. Hank chuckled as Connor dragged him around the table, voicing his agreement that Sumo should return to bed like a good boy. In order to keep him there, and away from Gavin, Connor fetched a few turkey trimmings from the kitchen. Nines was both surprised and impressed by Gavin's composure. He was usually so extroverted and passionate, but it seemed he was the silent type when he was afraid. Perhaps it was a defence mechanism. If he didn't let anyone know he was afraid, they wouldn't find out his weakness. Nines removed his hand as Gavin relaxed and returned to eating. He watched him quietly. In his time of need, Gavin had reached out to him. The thought made his thirium pump stutter a little. Sixty smirked as he eyed Nines, who raised a questioning eyebrow.

After dinner, there was pudding. Hank and Gavin both had a small individual pudding to enjoy with custard. The puddings were store bought, but Gavin wasn't about to complain. They were clearly some expensive brand. They were packed with dried fruits and nuts, and he could taste the brandy that had been soaked in and burned before serving. They all returned to the living area after that, where Hank took his usual chair. Connor sat with Sixty on the sofa, showing no hesitation about lounging against his chest. Sixty grumbled about him being heavy, but he still hooked an arm around his shoulders. Nines seemed peaceful as he took up his foldable chair once again and patted the one beside him invitingly for Gavin.

Gavin took the seat awkwardly. He had no idea what he was supposed to do now. Nines had insisted he come for dinner, but how long after did he have to stay? Was it rude to leave? Was it intrusive to stay? He was pretty sure he was a last-minute pity invite. Either that, or he was just the subject of a bet. He was grateful for Hank being there, at least. Hank asked him about his latest cases to fill the time, giving him a few pointers on what to do next. Not that he needed it. While Hank had been MIA for all those years, Gavin had pretty much done his job for him, as well as his own. He probably knew Hank's job better than he did at this point. If it had been anyone else, Gavin was pretty sure he would have been promoted and Hank would have been fired. It paid to be friends with Captain Fowler.

Gavin quietly excused himself to use the bathroom, which meant he had to walk alone past the kitchen and into the small hallway beyond. Nines watched from the corner of his eye as Gavin hesitated near the edge of the kitchen and almost seemed to peek around the corner to make sure Sumo was still in his bed. Sixty snickered quietly from his place on the sofa as he watched, grunting as Connor elbowed him in the power core. It wasn't nice to make fun of someone for being scared. Even if that someone was Gavin Reed. Gavin had actually been a little nicer lately. Pretty much since he'd gotten used to working with Nines. It seemed his little brother was rubbing off on him somewhat.

Seeing Sumo was still in his basket, Gavin quietly padded across to the hall. He did his best to avoid looking back. Like cats, dogs were likely to follow you if you made eye contact. He hurried into the bathroom and locked the door with a relieved sigh. Once he'd taken care of business and cleaned up a little, he left the safety of the bathroom and returned to the living room to see Sixty snickering and waving a little clipping of a plant. His stomach tightened as he realised it was mistletoe. Oh, phck no! Connor giggled as he pressed a small kiss to Nines' lips.

"This seems an odd game to play with siblings," Nines said as he drew back. Sixty shrugged. He'd originally bought it with the intention of embarrassing Allen, but since he was busy, he couldn't put it to its intended use. His eyes thinned in anticipation as he saw Gavin leaving the hallway. Gavin seemed to know what he was thinking as soon as he saw him.

"No...don't even think about it." Gavin held up his finger as if giving Sixty a telling off. Sixty had never been one for listening to orders. Especially those that came from Gavin and ruined his fun. Connor smiled amicably as he returned to his seat.

"It's just a little Christmas fun, Detective," Connor assured as he sat back and crossed his legs.

"It's forced sexual harassment!" Gavin retorted as he returned to his chair. He shot Sixty a glare as he gleefully held the sprig between him and Nines. There was no way he was going to kiss Gavin, but inflicting him on his brother? Priceless! He was curious to note the way both of them stiffened in their seats as the sprig appeared. Oh? Interesting...

"Go ahead, Detective...You know the rules," Sixty pressed as he shook the artificial sprig. Gavin glared up at him at the same time as Nines. How much trouble he was in very much depended on how the next few minutes went. Connor watched cautiously, ready to put a stop to it if it went too far. Gavin was right. No one should be forced into anything.

"No phcking way!" Gavin replied as he folded his arms.

"Kiss, or you have to do a forfeit." Sixty smirked as Gavin eyed him warily. He didn't know what the forfeit would be, but he wasn't about to make an idiot of himself and kiss his work partner. He wasn't even drunk.

"Fine! Forfeit it is! What's the forfeit?" Gavin's stomach swirled as Sixty smirked. He felt like he'd fallen into a trap as Sixty folded his arms and stepped back. Nines side-eyed his brother as he jerked his thumb towards the kitchen.

"You have to take Sumo for a walk." Gavin's chest clenched at the very thought of going within two feet of that thing, especially by himself. Connor opened his mouth to object. Forfeits were often unpleasant, but it felt wrong to manipulate someone through fear like that. "What's the matter? Too scared?" Sixty goaded, with a smug expression. Phck! Gavin was trapped. He couldn't refute that without admitting he was terrified of Sumo, and going back on his word and kissing Nines was out of the question. It would look even worse than outright saying he was shit scared of dogs.

"Fine! I'll take the dog for a walk!" Gavin snapped on impulse. He regretted it as soon as he'd said it. His heart was already pounding at the very thought of it. He fisted his hands to stop them trembling as Sixty snickered with glee.

"I'll go with you," Nines decided in a gentle tone as he got to his feet. Sixty seemed even more pleased with that as he watched Nines head off to fetch Sumo's leash. It didn't take long for Sumo to realise what was happening and jump up from his bed. Gavin's flinch as he barked wasn't missed by anyone.