"Fuck you."
By, Lucky Green.
Gavin’s POV
Somehow the basement managed to be colder down than it was outside. It was nearly pitch black, everything coated in shadows. I press more into my jacket in a desperate attempt to keep warm, my nails digging into the leather. I grit my teeth and absentmindedly take a few steps back. The dark brought back memories I would rather keep away. My breath was even more visible down here than outside.
“This cold is going to be the fucking death of me…” I grumble. My voice echoed throughout the room, bouncing off the stone walls and floor.
A pressure falls onto my shoulder as arms wrap around my body. I instinctively begin thrashing around and fighting against the hold.
“Who the phck are you!? Let me go!”
“It’s just me, Gavin.”
I pause long enough to look over my shoulder at the android. The way he holds his head slightly tilted to the side makes my face burn red despite the basement being freezing cold. My heart drops when we lock eyes. His burned a crimson red instead of being their cold, icy blue. His pupils noticeably narrowed much like a cat’s as he focused on me and seemed to scan my body.
“Your heart rate has increased drastically in only a few seconds. Are you ok?”
“WHAT THE PHCK!?” I screech, spinning around and pushing his face away. “WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOUR EYES!? LET ME THE PHCK GO!”
“This is simply my scotopic vision. It’s how I see under low-light conditions,” Nines replies. He snaps his jaws toward my hands in annoyance, baring his sharp, white teeth.
I pull my hands away and look him up and down. Of course, they would make his eyes red. It had to be some type of imitation thingy to make him appear scarier. Damn it was working. He blinked a few times and his eyes glowed brighter. They turned into red flashlights, the light washing over my face and nearly blinding me. I turned away, bringing my hands up to block the bright beam.
“Phck, turn that off! I can’t see!”
Through the cracks between my fingers, the light softened before dying down to a soft glow like before. I face Nines again and only then become aware of how Nines’s arms had lowered down to my waist. I coughed, bringing a hand up to cover my burning cheeks. A shiver runs down my face and I can’t tell if it’s from the cold or Nines. There’s an awkward silence as I stumble over what to say. Nines stares at me all the while, his gaze constantly fighting to meet mine and making everything even more awkward.
“Why the phck are you touching me?” I finally manage to blurt out.
“You mentioned being cold. I have the ability to adjust my body temperature based on what fits my circuits best.”
Nines pulls me into an embrace, hugging me against his body. Warmth floods through my own and I sink into the touch embarrassingly quick. The warmth felt nice for a change after being cold for some time. I bury my face into the crease of his neck for a few seconds before realization finally hits me.
“Just so you know, I’m only letting you hug me because I’m phcking freezing. Don’t get the wrong idea,” I hiss, pulling back. I glared at him before having to avoid making eye contact again.
“I’ll remember that.”
For some reason, those words cause a pang in my chest. It quickly disappears when I press against Nines again and take in his heat. I find myself feeling comforted by his touch.
A whistle from behind draws our attention away from each other. Hank stood by the basement steps with a smug look on his face and a glowing flashlight in his hand. Connor had his head poked into a doorway in the room. He turned his head both ways before stepping back and turning toward everyone.
