Work Text:
Nines often struggled with his identity. Figuring out who he was beyond his programming. Past his designated purpose.
Finding a job was easy enough since he was designed for the same thing as Connor. Captain Fowler had partnered him with Detective Gavin Reed, who actually wasn’t as bad as Connor had warned him he was.
At first, yes, Gavin was difficult and hardly cooperated with Nines. He was closed off, hardly listened. At the least, he wasn’t against Androids as Connor had warned him he would be and he actually seemed to show remorse for the way he’d acted towards Connor. Connor took it with a grain of salt but Nines didn’t find Gavin to be that bad after the first few weeks of working with him. Under all of that bitterness, though, was a good detective and, Nines believed, a good person.
And getting to know Connor was genuinely one of the best parts of Nines’ life thus far. Nines was much different from Connor, who was more emotional and patient, but he enjoyed the contrast between him and Connor. It felt more real. He was more than happy when he and Connor had gotten together and Connor was very understanding about his struggles with who he was and what he wanted in life. They were both in the break room one day when it came up.
“I’m just not sure what other purposes I serve than working here,” Nines had said, looking up at Connor with his head in his hands.
“You don’t have to know that right away, you know. I don’t really know myself, yet. I know that I enjoy being friends with Hank,” Connor murmured, eyes on the table. “And lovers with you,” he added more quietly.
“And I enjoy those things too, with Gavin and you, respectively.” Nines put his hand over Connor’s. “I suppose I just wish things made more sense. Humans- well, no, Gavin is confusing, and trying to help him can get stressful.”
“You know you don’t have to help him, right?” Connor asked, a worried look on his face.
“I know that, yes,” Nines answered, hoping to ease some of Connor’s worries. “It’s just that he’s trying and I want to support him, but he doesn’t know how to accept the support.”
“That does sound complicated,” Connor murmured, rubbing his thumb against the back of Nines’ hand. “Though I’ve seen that with time he’s been opening himself up to you. I’m sure it’ll be okay, it’ll just take time.”
“I hate that,” Nines hissed, immediately regretting his aggression. “I’m sorry, that was unnecessarily aggressive. I just don’t like that everything takes so much time. It’s frustrating.”
“Tsk tsk. You have to have patience, Nines,” Connor said playfully. Nines rolled his eyes but the smile forming on Connor’s face also formed on his.
“I know. You’re right.” Nines felt any anger dissipate.
“I know I am,” Connor said proudly. Nines raised his eyebrows at the cockiness.
“Smartass,” Nines huffed. “I guess we’ll figure the rest out together, hm?”
“I guess so,” Connor said and smiled up at Nines. “Don’t forget, with time .”
“Oh, trust me, I couldn’t forget if I tried,” Nines replied dryly, smiling back down at him. He glanced around before stealing a quick kiss. Connor made a surprised ‘eep!’ before laughing quietly at his reaction.
“I love you,” Nines whispered, his synthskin receding to black plastic.
“I love you too,” Connor replied just as quietly, allowing the interface. Between them, there was solely the warmth of their love that they couldn’t express any other way in the workplace, but it was more than enough for both of them.