Life is a game, where you can't tell if you're winning or losing

Never before was his flat so cold as when he finally returned home after walking for an hour and half. He was pissed at himself, he was pissed at Nines and at this whole world. But most importantly, he was tired. Not because of the walk he was forced to take, but because he was tired of pretending he didn't care. It was foolish of him to try anything with Nines, he should've known better. There were no androids with feelings. Just pieces of plastic, not even trying to imitate humans anymore. He sighed and locked the door behind himself, throwing his jacket at the coat holders, only for it to fall off. He thought he saw something in him. As it turns out though, that was just his wishful thinking.

He dropped to the couch, covering his face with his hands. All the looks, furrowed brow, small smirks. He must have imagined everything. And tonight was all fake too. He made him behave like a human, to speak like one and then he got fooled by the very illusion he created.

He groaned and grabbed his laptop, looking for all the news and reports from year and half ago. Peaceful android protests, messages, people in TV talking about having a good relationship with their androids, TV reporters making up sensationalistic stories about how we could live together in peace with them and then nothing. Apart from a few news reports about the attack on City of Deotroit, no more stories about nice androids, no more pro-android activists. There were two or three stories, but were met with very negative response and were stumped.

He's read through these perhaps a dozen times, but the idealistic stories hit him harder this time. He imagined they must have had some sort of emotions if they went through all this, just to fight for their rights. Even if it was just a simulation, who is to say it didn't feel real to them? Nines came to his mind like he does since they first met. Would he be able to feel too? And was that even a good thing anymore? He glanced again at a news report about finding and eliminating deviants. He would certainly like it to be. But his opinions were not shared amongst many. He shut down the laptop.

Next day in work was something he was fearing. Fallouts always suck, especially when it's with coworkers and you have to stay professional, so no throwing things at each other. He took a cab to work, because he really didn't feel like waking up early to make it work on time, but he really hoped Nines brought his motorcycle, because he didn'tknow if he had enough money or patience for another cab. Or he could just get Tina to drive him, so he wouldn't have to even see Nines' face today. That, unfortunately, didn't work out, because as soon as he approached Tina, Nines tapped her on the shoulder and started rambling something about work.

Gavin decided to just pass them and act as if nothing happened, while still watching Nines out of the corner of his eye. He didn't flinch, he didn't even acknowledge his existence, even though he could definitely see him from the corner of his peripheral vision. Gavin slumped forward a bit as he kept on walking to his desk. Maybe Nines really didn't care afterall, or he was just much better at playing this game of not caring than him. He even looked much more machine-like now, maybe it really all was a fidget of his imagination. He sat down and immediatly reached for his still hot cup of coffee, but only after taking a sip, did he realise, he didn't actually go get himself coffee yet.

He inspected the paper cup and saw something written with a marked on the outside. He put it in his other hand, so he could read it. 'I' m sorry.' said the perfectly written text. Could it be.. Nines? No way. He looked at Nines who he just passed, but he was still not making any eye contact, not trying to find out if he figured out the coffee was from him. "Good morning, detective Reed."

Gavin whipped around in his chair, to see another Nines standing behind him. Confused, he looks back at the Nines talking to Tina and remembers, that the DPD recieved multiple RK900 models. Nines followed his look and understanding seemed to flash across his face, his shoulders sagging a tiny bit. Gavin shook his head, scolding himself for imagining things again. He lifted the paper cup. "This from you?"

Nines scanned the cup with his look and put his hands behind his back. "Yes, I thought I'd apologise for my rash behaviour from last night. It is not my place to tell you what to think or do."

Gavin sighed and slowly set down the cup. His words stung him more, than if he was angry with him, because they were giving him pointless hope. He slumped back in his chair and pinched his nose." Just.. Fuck off. I don't have the patience, nor the energy to deal with your shit right now." he swatted his hand, as if to shoo away an annoying insect.

Nines looked a bit shocked and hurt, which made Gavin's chest tighten. But he still just nodded. "I will be in my boot in stasis if you need me." And with that, he walked away towards the android boots lining one of the walls of the precinct. He looked at him one last time, before lowering his eyes and closing them. He almost looked like he was just sleeping while standing and Gavin just wanted to look at him for a while longer, but he couldn't. He had to focus on work.

He turned back to his desk and saw the coffee sitting there. Sudden anger washed over him and he grabbed the cup, fully inteding on throwing its contents down the drain, but once he actually got to the sink, he stopped himself. He didn't want his pity, but it was also wasteful to throw away perfectly good coffee. He told himself he'll taste it at least. It was perfect. Just as he always made it.

He went over to the tall table and slowly drank his coffee alone, in silence, until Tina came over. "What's up Gav? Why do you look like your dog just died?" she asked as she made her own cup of coffee.

"Just your imagination, this is my normal face." He swirled the contents of the cup around, peeking over to where Nines was standing in stasis.

Tina turned around and propped herself on the counter as she waited for her water to boil. "So how did the investigation go yesterday?" Her voice lost the happy tone it just had and instead, dipped into a more sinister one. "Did you find anything?" Sha asked in a way that made it seem, she already knew the answer.

"Nope." He popped the sound loudly and put the paper cup on the table. "We found something, but nothing that would really help us. We'll either have to wait for the only survivor to be in shape to answer more questions  or find some other leads somewhere else."

"Well, that's how some cases go and you already know it, so I don't get why you're still sulking over it." she turned around and started paying attention to her coffee again. Gavin was watching her as he mulled a question over in his mind. Tina finished up her coffee and joined him at the table, before noticing the stare. "What?"

"I was wondering, what is it like for you, working with the RK900?" he inclined his head to the side.

Tina frowned an straightened up a bit, wary. "Why do you ask?"

He shrugged, trying to appear non-chalant. "Just wondering."

She scrutinized him, before answering flatly. "RK900 is a good tool, that is helping handle a lot of things, that would otherwise be a burden. It allows us to be more efficient, although its presence is somewhat unsettling sometimes."

"Are you referring to last year's deviant situation?"

"Yeah, that as well, but it's just creepy having something that looks human, but isn't, around." She made a slightly disgusted face.

"Right.." This made him feel worse, but got him wondering. Tina's android did seem more... android-like. But he felt like Nines... was different? No, he said it himself yesterday, that he wasn't a defective deviant and Gavin really shouldn't be hoping for him to be. Bu then again, there's the coffee.. He looked at the words on his cup, that he was covering with his hand. It can't be sincere...

"What do you have there?" asked Tina curiously and craned herneck to see underneath his hand too, but he quickly moved his hand again.

"Nothing, I was just testing my marker." he quickly finished his coffee and threw out the paper cup.

When he turned around, Tina was right there, watching him. "Gavin, what are you not telling me?"

"What should I not be telling you?" he rose his eyebrow hoping, he was a good actor.

"That's exactly what I'm asking." she circled around the table and stood firmly before him. "You've been acting strange around your android, considering you are not really fond of those things. I already told you to get a hold of yourself. I really hope it has nothing to do with it." she put her hands on her hips.

He shook his head. "You're reading too much into it Tina. Maybe you should get your eyes checked, I'm fine." he patted her shoulder, as he slided past her.

"I never said you weren't!" she shouted after him, but he just waved his hand.

He sat down at his desk, determined, to get some work done or at least to find a lead. However, in the end, he only got some work done, but no such luck with finding leads to support his theory. He glanced at the android in stasis, contemplating how much more efficient he would be with his help. He harshly looked away, his aching chest reminding him why he had been working alone today.

He looked around the precinct and his eyes stopped at the holding cells and he remembered the perp they were still keeping there. He said something to Nines. 'You deserve so much better.' It was as if he had been trying to tell him he's more than just a machine... As if he was supportive of androids gaining freedom.

But if he was, that meant, there were probably others who were as well. He stood up. Finally knowing what to do and made his way to the holding cells. He stopped in front of the one with the perp. He was sitting on the cell's bench reading a magazine, until he noticed Gavin. He looked up at him, annoyed. "What do you want?" he asked harshly.

"Do you have an organization?" He got straight to the point.

The guy put down his magazine and stood up. "The fuck are you talking about?"

"I'm asking if there's more of you with the same opinions about tin cans." he stepped closer to the glass.

The perp lifted a brow. "You know nothing."

"Oh I do know." he put his hand on the glass. "I know your little club was behind the murders of some previous Cyberlife employees and people, who wronged their androids. You feel pity for those things." He was pulling things out of his ass and hoping, he'll hit the mark.

The guy went slightly pale, but the he smirked weakly. "You don't even know how wrong you are. Protectors of justice? Don't make me laugh." He stepped closer to Gavin, the glass being the only thing separating them. "You're not protectors of anything, but your own asses and the buearocrats, that want to keep their power and money!" he started shouting at the end of the sentence.

Gavin shoved his hands in his pockets, keeping a poker face. "You know, I could get you out of here. But I want something in return."

The guy backed away from the glass with a smirk. "If you think I'm telling you anything, you're wrong."

Gavin calmed his rising temper. "I need you to tell me their location."

The perp made a surprised face. "Oh? Could you have misheard me? I said fuck off."

Gavin angrily pointed a finger at him. "Fuck. I will make you talk!" he turned around and stormed off.

"Good luck with that!" the guy shouted after him, pissing him off more. He sat down at his desk, fuming. He ran a hand through his hair, thinking, how could he get the information he needs out of the perp. He looked back at Nines. He could probably get some info out of him, by making him trust the android.

Gavin shook his head. No, he would figure this out on his own. There was no other way around it. He decided to start working on the case, that came yesterday evening hoping, it would lead to something.