Gavin sighed as he slumped on his worn sofa and turned on the TV. He scowled as he flicked through the channels. Christmas movie. Christmas movie. Christmas concert. Some religious bullshit. News. A TV Christmas special. Christmas cooking ideas. Christmas shopping. More Christmas movies. Ho-Ho-phcking-Ho! He tossed the remote aside, leaving it on the news. If it was a choice between mind-numbing cheer and depressing news, he may as well stick with what he was more familiar with. Facts were better than fairy tales, and nothing good ever happened at Christmas. He'd learned that early. First when his dad left, and then when his mum disappeared and he had to live with his insufferable half-brother. He hadn't spoken to him for years. Not since he went off to that fancy university, and he was packed off to the academy. Since then, he'd worked most Christmases. Murder didn't take a day off, and nothing killed the holiday spirit quite like a dead kid at Christmas. Phck, that's depressing. He shut the TV off with a sigh.

Usually, he worked the holiday. Every year he volunteered for it. Every. Single. Year. He'd had his application in months ago, volunteering to cover the shift despite it being his year off. He'd been all set. Ready to step in and work as usual so that Miller could be with his kid, or Tina could visit her relatives in China Town, or Ben could visit his grandchildren. Hell, he'd even cover Hank so he could teach Connor the meaning of Christmas, as if that would turn him into a real boy. Unfortunately, he had a problem. A six-foot-something, tiger-eyed, snarky, sarcastic asshole of a problem. Why Fowler had thought it would be a good idea to pair him with an android, he had no idea, but when Connor's creepy not-quite-twin had turned up, he'd drawn the short straw.

That wasn't exactly fair. It wasn't all bad. He had to grudgingly admit they got on quite well. Quite well was probably an understatement. The only person he got on with better these days was Tina. Nines, as Gavin called him, had a sharp wit that softened his snark. He always seemed to know his limits. They could be arguing passionately one minute, and all Nines had to do was crack a joke or reference an old meme to have Gavin in stitches the next. Nines would give him that little smirk as he watched him gasping for breath as he laughed. One that was filled with far more affection than he deserved. They were hard on each other, but also fair. If he was honest, Nines did most of the telling off in their partnership, but it was generally justified. He would often push himself too far, or throw himself into danger without thinking, and it was Nines who always swooped in to save him.

Despite liking Nines well enough, he'd caused him a big problem concerning Christmas. He wanted to work, but Nines had wanted the day off. Unfortunately, Fowler had sided with Nines. It was Nines' first Christmas. It was Gavin's turn to have Christmas off. Gavin had worked every single Christmas since graduation. Gavin was well overdue a holiday. The end result? He'd been signed off against his wishes. Fowler wouldn't hear of him working with anyone else, mainly because he didn't work as well with anyone else. That had led to his current predicament. He had the day off, but nothing to do. He sighed as he got to his feet and headed into the kitchen to grab a beer. He was barely a foot from the fridge when the doorbell rang. He grumbled all the way to the door. Who the phck goes around knocking on doors on Christmas Day?

"What the phck are you doing here?" He frowned in a mixture of confusion and resentment as he looked up at Nines. He was dressed differently. A soft black rollneck hugged his sculpted chest. A long woollen coat swept down to his calves. He topped off the look with charcoal grey slacks and shiny shoes. Nines seemed surprised to find him so under dressed. He looked like he'd just rolled out of bed, which he had. It was Christmas Day. What else was he supposed to do when he had no one to visit? His brunette locks were still fluffed and ruffled from sleep. He had the heater on, so he wasn't too cold in his T-shirt and sweats. At least, he hadn't been until Nines had turned up and forced him to open the door. He lived in an old apartment block, so the hallways were always breezy and cold.

"I came to get you." Nines didn't miss a beat. It was like it was the most natural thing in the world, turning up on your work partner's doorstep without notice on Christmas Day. Gavin snorted and stepped away from the door, leaving it open as a silent invitation. He returned to his original path to the fridge and grabbed a can of beer. "Connor is preparing dinner for five o'clock, so I thought I should get here early to ensure you're ready to leave on time."

"What the phck are you talking about?" Gavin asked as he cracked the beer and took a few gulps while leaning against the counter. Nines joined him in the kitchen, doing his best not to stare too much at his sleepy form. There was something almost cute about him as his body sagged and he looked up with sleepy eyes. Gavin leaned further back and moved his hand as Nines stepped in front and reached out to take the can. He frowned as Gavin took another gulp and stepped around him.

"Dinner...Did you not read the invitation?" Nines asked as he followed him to the sofa and watched him flop down and turn the TV on. Turning it on reminded him why he'd turned it off in the first place. He flipped through the channels as he thought back. Invitation? He vaguely remembered something like that. The card had been left on his desk sometime in the week. He wasn't sure he'd even read it before shoving it in his pocket and forgetting about it. That was a step up for him. Usually, he'd put things from Connor straight in the trash. I'm getting soft in my old age...

"Hold up a sec." Gavin left the TV running one of those insufferable seasonal movies as he crossed to his jacket. He rummaged in the pockets before pulling out the crumpled card. Detective Reed, Hank and I would like to invite you to join us for Christmas dinner this year. I know you usually work the holiday, so I appreciate you allowing Nines to take the day off. Dinner will be served at five o'clock, so turn up any time before then. Connor. Gavin almost snorted at the formality of the little card. It was the sort of invitation he used to get at school for birthday parties, only Christmas themed. "Who the phck sends out invitations anymore?"

"Many people...As you can see, five o'clock is the final deadline," Nines replied from his place by the sofa. Gavin shrugged as he screwed the card up again and tossed it towards Nines. He was unsurprised as Nines' hand shot up to catch the ball. He seemed unimpressed as he examined the carelessly screwed up card. He knew Connor had put a lot of time into arrangements this year, since it was the first time they'd be celebrating as a family. "You should shower," he encouraged as Gavin returned to the sofa and hopped over the back. He frowned as he swigged his beer.

"I never said I'd go..." Gavin almost scoffed at the thought. He was pretty sure Connor had invited him as a courtesy. Surely, he didn't really expect him to turn up. Nines' lips thinned in response. It clearly got to Nines that he wasn't going. "Why do you even care? It's not like we even spend time together outside of work! Just go to Hank's and enjoy your robot family Christmas," Gavin encouraged as he lounged sideways along the sofa.

"I am not averse to spending time with you, Gavin..." Nines murmured, suppressing a small smile as he noted the jump in Gavin's heart rate at the use of his first name. At work, he was Detective Reed. Gavin didn't reprimand him for being familiar, so he assumed the use of Gavin was acceptable in an informal setting. "Besides, Hank says that no one should be alone at Christmas."

"Who said I was alone?" Gavin huffed defensively, though he knew it had been a poor point as Nines raised an eyebrow and looked around the cramped apartment. "I could have had plans..." He knew he'd been rumbled for sure as Nines' lips curled into a smirk. He felt his skin heat at the thought that he was the one who'd put it there. "Come on, Nines! Your brothers don't even like me!" He was perfectly happy staying alone in his drafty little apartment with a micro meal for dinner. This was just another day of the week.

"They do like you...most of the time..." That was a lie, and they both knew it. Alright, maybe he was getting on better with Connor these days. He'd managed to have a whole two minute conversation with him last week without a single android slur. Sixty was a little more challenging. His personality was less simpering than Connor's, so that was a plus. The only problem was, he had a penchant for pranks. Pranks that usually involved him. He'd sat on a broken chair, been locked in the evidence locker, had his clothes stolen from the gym showers, and that was just the start. He still cringed when he remembered the way Nines' silvery eyes had widened at his state of undress once he'd come looking. "You haven't eaten a proper meal for over two weeks." That had Gavin's eyebrows shooting up. How the phck does he know that?

"Have you been analysing me again?" They'd talked about that shit during week one. He'd made it absolutely clear that he didn't go for any of that android bullshit. If he wanted to analyse evidence, fine, but no way in hell did he want some machine breaking down his DNA. Nines' silvery eyes shifted evasively. He has! Phcking-

"It is...second nature to us...It's hard to resist the urge to monitor those we care about." Gavin just about spurted his beer at that. His wide green eyes darted up to look at Nines, only to find him avoiding his gaze. Yeah...He definitely said it...He wasn't sure how to feel about that. He was sort of flattered. It's not like it really meant anything. People could care about a lot of things, in a lot of ways. He huffed as he sipped his beer. Maybe it's Stockholm Syndrome. "Come to dinner with me." Gavin almost groaned as he realised Nines was copying Connor's puppy eyed look. It was slightly more murderous with the luminous blues, but apparently no less effective.

"Phck! Don't make it sound weird!" Gavin huffed as he got to his feet and chugged the rest of his beer. Nines watched with a look of mild distaste. He didn't understand the allure of alcohol, besides the fact that it was addictive.

"Would it be weird? If we went for dinner?" Nines asked curiously as he followed Gavin to his bedroom and hovered uncertainly in the doorway. His apartment was small and cramped, nowhere more so than the bedroom. It had enough space for a built-in wardrobe, a rickety chest of drawers, and a single bed pushed right up against the window. Even then, there wasn't much walking space. Gavin grabbed a change of clothes and returned to the living area. The bathroom was in a separate room beside his bedroom.

"Well...I mean, I guess not, but why would you want to?" Gavin huffed as he paused in the doorway to the tiny bathroom. Nines frowned slightly at the lack of ventilation and the dark mould growing between the tiles. It was in dire need of cleaning. Industrial level cleaning. Thankfully, the toilet, sink, and shower were at least kept serviceable. Nines watched as Gavin tugged a ratty looking grey towel from a small cupboard that looked like it was about to fall apart. Much like the apartment itself.

"I find your company...stimulating." It was an odd choice of words, but he'd take it. Few people found him stimulating. Most would probably say intolerable was more apt. He even felt a little flattered as he left Nines in the hall and shut himself inside the bathroom without another word. What part of him was stimulating? His bratty attitude? His confrontational nature? Or something more carnal? Gavin shrugged out of his sweats and looked himself over. He had to admit, he was pretty hot. Not the best looking maybe, but he at least had a great ass. It was the one thing people seemed to agree on.

He huffed as he stepped into the shower, almost yelping as he started the water. He forgot it would be freezing cold to begin with. It was usually cold for most of his shower. By the time the water heated properly, he'd be done. He didn't like to waste water by heating it up first. His teeth chattered as he grabbed the shampoo and lathered his hair. The sooner he got out, the better. He scrubbed his skin with a shower scrunchie, hurriedly soaping and rinsing each limb. He was done within ten minutes. The water was barely lukewarm as he stepped out and towelled off. He checked his stubble in the mirror, turning his head this way and that. It seemed okay. He'd only trimmed it the day before. He dressed and fingered a little gel through his hair before opening the door.

"Alright, we go in, we eat, we get out. Deal?" Gavin grumbled as he stepped out and paused. He looked down at himself as he noticed Nines staring at him. "What?" He was pretty sure he didn't have anything on his jeans. This was his good pair. They were black with faded grey creeping up the thighs, and he was wearing a dark green top. It wasn't cashmere like Nines', but it was still soft against his skin, and it was sure to keep him warm in the December chill. Once he'd slipped into his worn black shoes, he'd be all set.

"Nothing. You look...quite agreeable." Nines didn't stop eyeing him. His silvery gaze slid up and down his body, almost caressing him. It was a look that sent heat creeping across his skin. Gavin huffed and did a slow turn to give Nines a full view. He smirked as he looked over his shoulder to see those silvery eyes slide down to his ass. Nines blinked as he raised his head to meet Gavin's smug stare. Yep. Always the ass. "Shall we go?"

"Sure, I hope you realise I didn't buy presents though. I wasn't expecting to get dragged out for dinner," Gavin warned as he tugged on his jacket and slipped into his shoes. Nines nodded his agreement as he opened the door and stepped out. The hallway was horribly cold. Gavin shivered as he checked for his keys and tugged the door shut.

"I already bought them for you." Gavin raised an eyebrow at that, but let it slide. He could pay him back for it whenever, and Nines probably knew what his family wanted better than he did. But what would Nines want?