By the time the three of you returned to Kamski's home, you'd gotten thoroughly uncomfortable with the idea of having to choose your own clothing. Androids rarely got dirty enough to require bathing, and they certainly didn't sweat, so having options felt alien to you. You knew that your directive was trying to treat you as any other living being, and his efforts were appreciated, but the entire situation only grew more awkward.

It was when he and the RK800 were discussing the pool Elijah had that made you nearly shut down. You were flat-out asked if you wanted to swim when you returned, and your indicator had gone a solid red, the wiring inside your shell sending currents hard enough that you were shaking.

Gavin had to sit you down but could get no information other than a repeated refusal. At that point, the other prototype advised that you be taken back. The entire drive, the human kept glancing at you in the rearview mirror.

I have no fuckin' clue what that was about. It was like an android panic attack. That... I don't wanna see that again.

Even Connor tried to talk to you internally but was met with radio silence. He and Reed shared a look and still kept quiet.

The moment you walked into the house you made a beeline for the guest room you'd been given, shutting the door behind you. It was one small benefit of deviance: even though your directive was trying to get you to stop, you ignored him.

[What is wrong with me? It was an innocuous question, and I could not answer. Was I merely overwhelmed and needing solitude?]

You weren't sure. The urge to test it came to the surface, but your body was trying to go haywire again, and you slumped into a sitting position against the door, LED yellow and probably staying that way for awhile.

[I'm afraid. I have no reason to be, but I am afraid regardless. Do deviants develop these things? I have noticed my ability to feel things now, but that felt natural. The idea of a machine enjoying the water--]

Unable to sit still, you scrambled to your feet again, throwing the bedroom door open to escape the space. You had every intention in calling out for the human detective, but you ended up colliding with, and clinging to, the first figure you came across.

"Whoa, whoa, what happened?!" Having been grabbed from behind, Hank was in no position to react appropriately. But the sobbing muffled against his back was more concerning than being snuck up on. "Sweetheart, what happened?" His rough voice had softened a hefty amount, slowly maneuvering the two of you around so he was at least facing you. As expected, you clung nonetheless, and the older male could do little else besides support you, rubbing your back.

Hurried footsteps approached, but Reed skidded to a stop close by, trying to give you space, while also staying present. When given a look, he ran a hand down his face. "I didn't do anything, Hank."

"I never said you did. I just wanna know what happened and why she's freaking out. Girl practically ran from her room."

Watching you sob as best you could with air compressors in place of lungs, Gavin had an agonizing wave of dejá vu slap him hard. "... I think deviant androids can develop phobias."

Trying not to show his alarm, the lieutenant just pulled you a little closer. "... phobia of what? You guys went shopping, right? Fear of crowds, maybe?"

"I asked her if she wanted to try the pool when we came back." Your directive frowned deep. "She basically had a panic attack right then and there," he added, barely heard. He felt guilty, though he had no idea you'd have reacted so poorly to the question.

Hank winced and kept his mouth shut hard, shifting his weight and keeping you close. There was a painful layer of recognition in his features, something that the RK800 saw immediately when he followed the noises. Connor turned towards Reed, desperate for an explanation, which was given in a whisper. "..... Hank, do you need space," his partner asked. "We can leave."

"No, no, it's... it's fine. Just wasn't expecting...... this specific shit." Seeing Gavin still wholly confused, Hank sighed heavily. "...... my son was afraid of the water, too."

◇___#$&!___◇

Your directive was quiet, putting away the only thing you'd liked enough to buy into his overnight bag. Then he sat down right where he was, eyes closed against an oncoming headache. The knock at the open door made him flinch, swearing under his breath. "...... what's up?"

"I was advised to examine your partner," Elijah explained. "Something about being afraid of the water." His volume went low. "Is that true? If they can develop fears, that's a huge step."

"Man, she had a fucking panic attack when we were out. I don't know why she's freaked out, but I'm not gonna push her about it." Standing up, the shorter male grumbled about this, that and the other, seeing Eli still leaning in the doorway. "... what?"

"How bad was it seeing your partner, and prototype, have what is likely their version of a panic attack?"

Shoulders slouching with his sigh, Reed looked away again. "How would you feel if Chloé had one? Cause if you tell me you'd feel anything less than fucking helpless and terrified, you're a goddamn liar."

In the quiet that followed, Kamski's vague smile turned genuine. "Well, you're not wrong. I'll inform the others that I am turning the cameras off. If they want to supervise, that is their decision. I, for one, see no need to."

By the time his words hit home, Reed was staring at the empty threshold.

◇___#$&!___◇

You remained in the kitchen for the remainder of the afternoon, assisting Chloé with preparing food. She asked quietly about what had happened, but instead of responding, you merely held a hand out, sleeve pulled up to expose your forearm. It was grasped firmly, both indicators blinking yellow before you were released. She took your hand with both of hers, her soft, pretty face lined with concern. "Please don't linger on trying to reason with yourself, Miss Nove. Fears do not need explanations."

"Do you yourself have any?" Your question was asked in a dull, quiet tone.

Her smile faltered before she nodded. "Yes. Several. Elijah knows of them, but he believed they were a singular case. Now that he sees you have one, it may be an evolution as we deviate further."

Your LED went yellow again for two seconds. "Are there ways of getting rid of them? I do not want to experience my hardware going haywire again."

Luckily, Chloé nodded. "Yes, there are ways. Some fears are more challenging to deal with, but... you must learn to be brave, Miss Nove. Ask Detective Reed to assist." Her hands squeezed the one she held onto. "If this visit is for him to prove his remorse, assisting you with this new development will benefit the both of you."

◇___#$&!___◇

But you lay in bed much later, long after the sun had disappeared beneath the horizon, unsure of how to even ask for help.

[I am the one built to assist. And asking for it in return only makes sense in the line of duty; that is expected. I am uncomfortable asking him to help me remove this awful fear.]

A new sound caught your attention, your system taking the moment to process it. It was fluid and loud, so it had to have come from the pool. Not the ideal scenario, but perhaps it was a reminder. So you quietly slid out of the bed, no longer concerned with the cameras watching as you emerged and padded silently down the hallway towards Gavin's room.

Knocking four times, you paused. "... sir? Are you awake...?" With no answer you chose to scan the room instead; there was no temperature reading. You could have returned to bed, but things still felt as though they were lined up too well; bare feet carried you through the house until you stood near one end of the room, watching the waves splash and ripple in the unusually-colored pool.

It still took a few minutes for him to notice someone else was there but your directive frowned, eyebrows forming a knot between them as he swam to the end closest to you. "Cara mia, you okay? ... do you have issues sleeping? Wait, do androids even have that issue...?"

Hands behind your back, they clenched together in your effort to stay calm. "May I ask... why you are here so late...?"

Folding his arms, Gavin rested them on the edge to stay afloat, one eyebrow lifting. "I asked you first. Seriously. What's up?"

Head lowered, nothing in your code seemed to allow you to meet his gaze. "...... I am requesting assistance in overcoming this irrational fear, sir."

"Irrational?" Doubt laced the single word. "Fears aren't irrational. They make you human. Hang on," he mumbled, hands flat on the stone to push himself up and out. Pushing the wet hair from his forehead he carefully approached you. "... Cara mia, look at me. Come on." Thankfully, it was relatively dark, so he couldn't see your cheeks heating up when you managed to raise your head. "Listen. Don't call something that gives you a panic attack irrational. All right? I'll be happy to help you with this, on one condition."

"Y-yes, sir?"

Fuck, she's cute.

Reed's mouth pulled to one side. "Don't be ashamed of it. Fear of water, especially open water, is a common one. That doesn't mean it's limited to us meat bags." Like yesterday he held his hands out, which you took despite his being soaking wet. "You wanna know one of my fears?" As expected, you nodded, and he grinned ruefully. "Emetophobia. Fear of vomit. Even just hearing someone say they're sick to their stomach freaks me out. No idea why it affects me so bad, but I've always had it. Needless to say, I'm scared shitless of being sick."

Something deep shifted. It wasn't just that your fuel pump regulator began to beat harder once more, or that you were more acutely aware of your hands in his. Gavin was opening up willingly, wanting to hold your hands or just wanting physical contact. Explaining one of his own fears while agreeing to help you with your own. Your hands squeezed his out of reflex before you released them, going closer to rest your head against his shoulder. The human was soaked and incredibly surprised, but embraced you all the same. "...... Gavin?"

Goddamnit don't say it like that.

"Yeah?"

"I am thankful you offered to name me yourself, but I admit that I've gotten used to Nove. But......." It could have been his imagination, but Reed swore you sank into him a bit further. Like he was comfortable to you. "... I am also quite happy with cara mia."

"And I am quite happy when the two of you are separated," hissed the RK800, suddenly dragging a protesting human by the ear and shoving him back into the pool.

Coming to the surface in a wild display of splashing and cursing, your directive called Connor every name in the book and a few extra ones in Italian. "Tu succhiacazzi! The fuck was that for?!"

"While I am aware that Elijah has turned his surveillance cameras off and is no longer going to watch you, it is our decision if we still choose to." The male prototype's face was dark, watching the human splash about in his anger. "And I am not letting--"

With an abrupt hip check, you sent the RK800 in for a dip, as well. Needless to say, you were glared at with incredible annoyance when his head came to the surface. And Gavin was no help: he had to hang onto the ladder so he didn't drown from laughing too hard. "Have we learned our lesson?" Your voice was innocent, watching Connor just glare at you.

"Was this necessary?"

"Not at all. But it shut you up."