Hickory

Pandora's Box

The session started off better than he'd expected. Dr Marr was obviously very interested to hear what had caused his sudden slipup. She almost seemed pleased when he admitted he'd overslept because of a date. Sort of. She didn't pry out any specifics about the more intimate details, but she marked it down as progress that he'd had a mindless night of passion with an android. He'd stressed that was all it was. Sex...Great sex. They went over how it had come about, touching on the subject of consent. Or lack thereof.

"But you'd said during the course of your evening that you would never have sex with an android." Marr looked over her notes, levelling her dark eyes at him almost meaningfully. Reed shifted in his seat, crossing his legs defensively. Phck, I wish she wasn't so damn perceptive. "What made you change your mind?" It was unusual for people like Reed to change their minds so quickly, and they often never did.

"I guess I didn't...not consciously, at least. I told you, I was drinking...I'd had more than a bottle of wine by then, so I was pretty out of it when we left. I don't even remember getting to the apartment!" He watched defensively as she levelled him with a scrutinising gaze, a look that almost made him roll his eyes. "Don't even think about it! It wasn't rape," he added firmly, watching Marr scribble away on her pad. Just as I thought this session was going well...

"I didn't bring it up." Don't pretend you weren't thinking it, lady!

"I was drunk, sure, but it's not the first time I've gotten laid like that...I wasn't joking when I said it was good, either. I don't regret it." Marr relented with the smallest of nods. It was something she might raise again at a later date. She pressed a little more about the man he'd been with. It was out of character for him to just go off with someone like that. What had drawn him to the android? Reed replied that it had been part of an agreed exchange. Witness details for an interview. Sure, the interview had turned into more of a date, but it had still been their agreement. Had he felt anything? An initial attraction to the android? He'd noticed he was hot, sure. Most androids were. He didn't sleep with most androids. Touché. How had the interview made him feel? A little nervous. A little uncomfortable. Flirty. Confused. Maybe a little guilty.

"How would you describe Aaron Hughes as a person?" Marr asked curiously, looking up from her notes with an analytical air. Reed sat back thoughtfully, unsure what to say. He didn't know the guy that well. They'd only had their first proper conversation the night before, and even then, it had been work related. Mostly. That morning, Aaron had almost seemed like a different person. Soft, affectionate, and somewhat unguarded. He also had that underlying confidence. A dominant streak that made him seem sure he'd get what he wanted. It's certainly worked for him so far...

"Charming, cocky, full of himself...I guess I like his sense of humour." They were all positive things, as far as Marr could tell. All reasonable things to feel about someone you'd just met. "We just sort of clicked...We made some mutually beneficial exchanges." It was true. He'd wanted footage. Aaron had wanted an interview. Aaron had wanted some downright dirty sex that made him feel powerful. Reed had wanted rough, domineering treatment. Both mutually beneficial exchanges.

"Do you think you'll see him again?" Reed's lips quirked at the question.

"It wouldn't surprise me." They hadn't made an appointment or anything, but something about the way they'd parted in the car earlier just made him sure they'd meet again. They'd exchanged a little small talk on the way and Aaron had agreed that if they needed anything else for the case, he'd do what he could to help them out. Pulling over at the precinct, he'd thanked him for taking part in the interview and waited for him to leave. It had been a normal parting besides the fact that Aaron had dragged him in for a searing mess of a kiss before telling him he'd see him later. Cocky fucker...