𝐒𝐘𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐌 𝐄𝐑𝐑𝐎𝐑𝐒

10

Y/n's POV

"Who gave you permission to leave Lieutenant?" Nines asks me, he has spotted me putting on my jacket and helmet feverishly.
"I have to see Megan." I tell him, I zip up my jacket, "No you don't." He says, Nines walks in front of me, I tilt my chin up to face, "Let me leave. I have to see her." I say blankly.
He doesn't respond, his icy gaze fixated on me eerily, "Aren't I the human here?" I ask, pointing to myself, a scowl plastered onto my stone cold face.

"You can't order me to do anything. What does that make you?" I growl, still no answer from him, but I see his eyes go a shade darker, and I decide to use this time to kill the feelings I have for him. "You are a machine. You do not feel anything, I am a human. You are a machine. Got it? I order you to do things. Now, step aside." I say, making sure to put as much harshness into my tone, as I walk past him, I can feel a single tear sting my eye, I blink it away quickly. Not glancing back to him, but I was sure that as I brushed shoulders with him, I saw his face soften, his jawline relax, his eyes going back to their lighter shade.

When I walk out of the department, I have trouble tying in my strap, I half expected Nines to be there and tie it for me, firm so the helmet wouldn't come off my head, but gentle enough to where it didn't irritate my skin.

Time Skip- At The Local Orphanage

When I arrive, there are kids playing outside, one was holding a jump rope in her tiny, dry hands, a group of small boys play soccer, two little girls playing at a doll house.
I decide to stop being a creep, and go inside. Once I'm inside, I get the sense of security I had when I was little, is it because of the smell of food, new books and oddly... cinnamon? Or was it because this is where so many children were abandoned, and brought into this place of security? To, eventually, be loved again.

I inhale deeply and walk up to the front desk, where I'm met by an old lady, she gives me a vibe of that of a sweet grandma that makes cookies. I can practically smell the sugar from her breath once I'm up at the desk.
"Hello deary. Are you here for-" she begins, in a raspy tone, "Actually," I laugh, "I'm just here to give Megan Smith a visit. The department dropped her off here earlier?"

The woman smiles and nods, flipping through pages of names and markings. "Oh, you're too late missy, Megan had an bad outburst today, she was sent to a psychiatrist... for her behavior."
"Why? What could an eleven year old possibly have done?" I ask, slightly annoyed, "Oh, well, she was called to lunch, but she didn't come, so a staff member went to go see her, she threw a chair at him, screaming about murder, blood and evil men, she broke toys and threw objects. It was crazy." The old lady tells me.

My heart sinks deeply into my stomach, can her sanity be saved? Or is the child destined to falls into the void of madness? Didn't she witness the murder? She saw it all, the blood, the bodies, the broken glass and furniture. Is there a way to erase that?
I thank the woman for the information and leave, not after she says "bye" like, three times though.

I get onto my bike and drive to my dad's place, deciding that I wasn't going back to the department. I didn't care if Nines was still there.
When I arrived at my dad's, he wasn't drunk. Or, at least I didn't think he was. He sat on the couch, he had a bottle of whiskey in his hands, and when he saw me come through the door, he nodded in my direction.
I closed the door behind me, "It's a bit early for you to be here..." he says, slurring a bit. I sit beside him, giving Sumo a pat on the head.

"How's it been sweetheart?" He asks, staring down at his feet, "Good." I lie, "Nah," says Dad, "I've been listening to the voicemails... uhh... got the position as lieutenant... I'm proud." He hiccups mid-sentence. "And a new partner."

"I did."

"Who is it? Hope you didn't get paired with that prick Gavin." He says, "Actually... Dad... I got... I got an android."

He doesn't even seem surprised, he shakes his head, "Does it look like..." he stops.
"Dad stop, it's been a year. You have to let Connor go." I say, he chuckles dryly, "I have. I just can't stop thinking... about Cole, Connor, you're in danger every day at work... I'm just waiting for the day I'm told you died in the field." He turns the bottle around in his hand, and then shakes it towards me. "Wanna sip?" He asks with a hiccup.

Megan, the murder, we'll never find the guy Alex hired, Dad, Nines, stupid emotions, might as well right? I think to myself, one half at my brain forcing me to grab the bottle, another side trying to be reasonable, but I don't let it stop me from pressing the bottle to my lips and tossing my head back.
"Woah there..." Dad says, "Guess the week has been fucked up." He says, I nod, taking another large sip, it tasted disgusting and bitter, but I knew the sweet relief I'd soon feel. I've never been drunk, but if it's what keeping my dad alive now, then I guess I can do it to.

Time Skip-

I took the rest of the bottle with me and went home, when I arrived, Buddy jumped off the couch, but I didn't bend over to pick him up and pet him, instead, I just shoved him aside with my foot and lay down on the couch, taking another sip of the whiskey.
I began to feel tipsy, the alcohol finally taking effect. Finally.

Nines' POV

She never came back, to no one's surprise. Fowler was boiling mad, and since she never came back to the department, I knew I'd have to walk to her apartment.
When I finally arrived at the apartment lobby after an hour walk, I asked the front desk if I could get an extra key to her floor.
The man shook his head, "Technically, I was never supposed to let you in here first of all. I'm certainly not letting you anywhere near our residents. Not without that woman's permission."

I lay my hand on the desk, leaning closer, "She needs my help. She's going through something. I have to get up there." I say. "So I ask you, human, to please give me a spare keycard. And if you don't give me one, I'll just stay here, creeping out your visitors."
The man, grudgingly hands me a card and I thank him, before getting into the elevator and swiping up on the scanner, which took me to the floor.

The doors open and I put my card into my pocket, Buddy bounces towards me, his paws pattered on the ground, "Hey Buddy," I say, I lean down to pet him, "Where is Y/n?" I ask. And realize I didn't say "Lieutenant" which was odd.
The puppy just answers in soft barks and continues to prance at my feet. I hum and walk to her room, and she isn't there.
I walk past the couch and see her laying there, curled up like a small animal, and in her hand, is an empty whiskey bottle.

"Oh, Y/n." I speak softly, I walk over to her and take the bottle out of her limp  hand, sitting it on the coffee table. I kneel down beside her, feeling her sweaty forehead.
"I'm so sorry Nines..." she mumbles, her eyes still closed. "Shh," I hush her, I pick her up bridal style and carry her to her room, "it's not your fault." I sit her down on the bed and remove her jacket for her, tossing it onto the floor carelessly, she lays down and snuggles under the blankets.

Alright, you've done enough, leave. I order myself, but I don't listen. My LED flashes yellow as I lay down gently next to her, Y/n feels me get into bed and she turns over to face me, but her eyes are still closed, she wraps her arms around my torso, bringing herself close.
She's just drunk, she wouldn't do this if she was sober, I think to myself, but I find myself putting my arm around her back, no red walls appears, probably because she is the one who made the first move.

She moves her head up, her forehead pressed against mine, she's definitely drunk. She would never be this close voluntarily. I lean forward, but only a little, then, a red wall finally appears.

Kiss?

I see myself, I step out of my physical body, I push on the walls with all my might, tearing down all five of them.
I'm back into my physical self with a jolt, I blink rapidly. Before I realize what I had just done, I feel like smacking myself. Instead though, I smile genuinely and press my lips onto her's softly.

I close my eyes and sigh softly, I can feel her weakly returning the kiss, I know she won't remember this, I take that as an advantage, and deepen the contact.
She sighs contently and follows through, after a moment, I press my forehead against her's.
"I think I love you." I mumble, she sighs and rests her head on my chest. Knowing that she won't remember any of this, kind of kills me.