Nines X Reader - Tumblr Posts

rq: "Can you write for 9s(nier)? I just want bby to be happy."

warnings: fluff, some spicy bits, nier: automata spoilers, human reader, heavy on the human/android romance, mentions of 9S being "decommissioned".

☆ hc / ♡ spicy hc / ♀️♂️ gendered hc / ‼️ dark hc

☆ Being the first human 9S has ever really met, he'll be enamoured with you to the highest degree. His curiosity and admiration for you as one of the few surviving members of the human race will slowly evolve into a deep, growing affection for you, one that he really has no idea how to control.

☆ As an android and a member of YoRha, he isn't meant to succumb to his emotions, he shouldn't even have any in the first place--but you draw feelings out of him in the strangest ways. The lilt in your voice when you ask him a peculiar question, the way your eyes brighten when you greet him, the way anxiety causes your shoulders to tense and your nose to scrunch when you see a machine approaching on the horizon, all of these things and more endear 9S to you as you get to know each other.

☆ He's used to other people rejecting his compliments, so that's one of the things that sticks out to him about you--even if you get shy at times, you always thank him for the things he says, whenever he tells you how beautiful you are or that humans must be really amazing if they're anything like you. His goal will turn into trying to make you blush the more you accept his compliments, it's just so cute and he knows you really appreciate them when your face gets all hot and you try not to look him in the eyes.

☆ Overall he's really friendly with you, he treats you like a person and not like a rare specimen like a lot of other androids end up doing. Obviously he understands that you're a miracle and an anomaly, and that you need protection more than anybody else, but he's one of the only ones you can actually talk to and feel like he's on the same level as you, instead of people either worshipping the ground you walk on or surveying you and measuring everything you do like you're an experiment in a test tube.

☆ There are things he thinks about when nobody else is around, things he would never dare to say out loud. His mind wanders with dreams of what might come from your relationship, of your glee at getting to spend time with him turning into something more as you get closer. It gets harder and harder to push those thoughts away as you insist on spending more time together, but he could never be upset about it. 9S likes you, after all.

☆ He loves you. It's so obvious, but only once you start calling him "Nines" as he told you you could, though he should've seen it coming earlier. Being with you makes every other doubt fall from his mind, and when he's not with you, he thinks about you on repeat. Your smile and scent and the touch of your skin and your hair through his fingers fill his mind at every waking moment of the day, to the point that he hurries through every other task that's required of him so he can go to you as soon as he's done. It seems fairly absurd to have a scanner unit act as a bodyguard for the one human they've found alive in the last century, but that's pretty much what he is because you won't get close to anyone else.

☆ And if he thought his feelings were one-sided, he has no idea how wrong he is until you confess your own to him. It'll be a shock, not only to him but to every higher up in YoRha and all the androids stationed on the surface, but he has to admire your tenacity even more when you ask why it's so wrong? Why should him being an android and you a human stop you from loving one another, when you've made such a good connection? You don't think it's so shocking, and he loves you even more for it.

☆ One of the many reasons he fell for you in the first place was because you liked to listen to him talk, and you show sincere interest in the things he finds fascinating and all the skills that he excels at. You treat him like a human like yourself, and the benefit of him being an android is that he swears to you he will never leave you by yourself. No matter how old and frail you get, or if you get sick, or if you just need someone to love you and care for you, he will always be there for you and you'll never have to worry about being left behind. Even if his body is destroyed or he needs to sacrifice himself for you, he will do it because he can always be brought back in the end. But if he were to lose you.....well, he doesn't even want to entertain the thought.

☆ However, if something were to happen to you--like, for example, you were kidnapped by Adam and Eve, he would be unstoppable. He wouldn't wait for YoRha orders, he wouldn't even wait for 2B or any other backup, he would go after you with a fury like no one's ever seen from him before. Damn the Commander if she tries to communicate with him and order him to fall back, every second you aren't in the safety of his arms is unbearable, and he knows that you'll be waiting, terrified, for your hero--ahem, your companion--to come rescue you.

☆ And the first time you share a kiss is a moment he will never, ever forget. The warm sensations that run through his body almost feel like he's on the fritz, like your lips on his alone could cause him to malfunction--but it's just the excitement and adrenaline of sharing something with you that he would never have dreamed of getting otherwise. He swears he could survive off of your kisses alone, and once you have your first one together, you can bet that he'll be stealing one every chance he has.

☆ But there will always be people who don't agree with your relationship. 9S knows well and good that the Commander disapproves, as evident by her insistence that he cannot be selfish just because the human has taken a liking to him. She's got every excuse from him being unable to truly understand you and therefore not being able to connect with you on the same level, to saying that he should be convincing you to head to the human colony because you should be helping to propagate the species, not wasting your time with a scanner unit. But as a human, you can stand up to her unlike any android in the entirety of YoRha, so as long as you don't back down, she will continue to bend to your will and allow you to stay on the surface without (moderate) intervention.

☆ Aside from the Commander, though, there will be plenty of other interferences from those who desire your attention. Androids from both YoRha and the surface will try to appeal to you, some more aggressively than others, to gain your affection and pull you away from 9S. Some may even get violent, threatening your scanner boyfriend's life or physically trying to steal you away so they can have you all to themselves. But 9S will always be there to protect you, and even if it comes to the point that he does have to fight a fellow android and gets ripped apart, you can rest assured that he'll be clever enough to send out a signal well before he's put out of commission so that 2B will come running to help.

☆ 2B is one of the only ones he really trusts with your safety, especially since she's built for battle in a way that he just isn't. Her priorities will always shift to take your wellbeing into account when needed, also, because as the one remaining human on the surface you take precedence over nearly everything else YoRha has going on. Plus, she doesn't have feelings for you in the way that 9S does, so she's a trustworthy ally to have around in case you garner a little too much attention from others.

♡ If you ever decide to be intimate with 9S, trust that though he will take it very seriously, he'll also be incredibly giddy about you wanting him in such a way. He's a little nervous that he might not live up to your expectations, but once you two find a quiet room in the resistance base to have some time alone, and you start taking off his clothes with such gentle hands, the anxiety is masked entirely by desire.

♡ He'll let you do as you wish, you're the one that has a natural affinity for this after all, but if you give him the chance then he'll take the lead quite happily. He's a body worshipper at heart and he'll want to take in every piece of you so he can indulge in how beautiful you are, including the way you react to his touches and the tense of your body when he finally feeds his cock inside you. It's so slow it's almost agonizing, but he's got a good rhythm to have you clinging to him once he starts thrusting, and moaning into his ear to the point that he has to bite his lip to keep from saying anything especially dirty. He hasn't got a filthy mouth usually, but expressing his love like this is just so overwhelming that he can't help but want to say the most depraved things that come to mind.

♡ Some of his main kinks include not only body worship and dirty talk, but facesitting, quickies, somnophilia, JOI, light bondage, and paizuri. Whether it's giving or receiving he enjoys it all both ways, especially for bondage and somno--he's more than happy to indulge you in doing it to him, but if you ask him to do it to you, it'll be hard for him to contain his excitement. He'd also be very interested in guiding your own masturbation, because just the thought of watching you touch yourself for him and obediently doing whatever he tells you to do gets him all riled up like you wouldn't believe.

♡ Plus, with him being an android, he'll almost always have the energy to keep up with you in the bedroom. He makes it abundantly clear when you first start sleeping together that he doesn't mind if you want to take advantage of that, and that if you want sex you can have it whenever you like (within reason, he's not going to expect to fuck you mid-conversation with someone). He also won't expect you to take that and run with it by getting on your knees to suck him off when you venture out somewhere isolated away from camp, but if you want to do that, then he certainly isn't going to stop you. He's always astonished when you insist on doing things like that just for him, but it reaffirms to him that your relationship is even more solid than he thought and it makes him love you that much more, if it was even possible by this point.

♡ He teases you a lot, not only outside the bedroom but inside as well. He likes to poke fun and be lighthearted generally, as well as calling you by nicknames, so it translates pretty well to your intimate moments as well. He won't just tease you if you get shy, he'll make little jokes here and there to ease the mood so it's less serious, like "Your throne is ready, your highness!" when preparing for you to sit on his face or his lap, and he has a wide range of pet names he calls you by that he hopes make you feel special. Some of these include "cutie", "sweetheart", the aforementioned "princess/prince/your highness", "baby" (which he often uses to greet you, especially when he's excited to see you), "my little monster" when you're in a bad mood, "my pretty human", and many, many others. He loves to hear you giggle in bed only for it to melt into a moan as he keeps up the pace.

♡♀️♂️ He likes fingering you with his gloves on, but he's a little nervous about hurting you, so he'll only do it if you bring it up. And if you do, you'll get to feel him totally lose himself in getting you off, his fingers buried deep inside you and the leather rubbing at your walls just the right way, while he sucks on your clit or cock and keeps going even after you've orgasmed all over him. You'll probably have to do such a thing somewhere on the surface, far away from camp, so that nobody will be the wiser when he makes you cry from the overstimulation before he finally brings himself to fuck you.

All That’s Due

Pairing: Nines x f!Reader x Connor

Summary: Trapped between a doe-eyed detective and a steely-gazed android, you wondered what you did to deserve this.

Chapter Warnings: Explicit sex, F/M/M threesome, enthusiastic consent

Word Count: 2.7k

AO3

In, out.

In, out.

It was your entire focus, concentrating on each slow breath as you attempted not to lose your mind. You were sitting between Nines’ spread legs on the edge of the bed, back pressed against his sturdy chest. Connor knelt between your knees, hand resting lightly on your thighs as he gave you a wide-eyed look that did nothing to steady your breathing.

You weren’t sure how you’d ended up here, to be honest.

In, out.

“You’re going to be good for Connor, aren’t you?” Nines’ voice was low. Flat, to an outsider, but there was a commanding undertone that required obedience.

You nodded and swallowed thickly.

“Yes, sir.”

Nines gave a satisfied hum and Connor moved closer, laying his tongue against your inner thigh and licking up a stripe. You shuddered, the movement contained by Nines’ arm holding you in place.

Keep reading

ultraviolence

rk800 'connor' x reader x rk900 'nines'

GENRE → angst, romance

SYNOPSIS → your feelings for connor grew as the android revolution went on, though a new partner makes you question your feelings.

TAGS/WARNINGS → descriptions of corpses, blood, death, angst, crime scenes

CHAPTERS → PART ONE / PART TWO

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you could never get used to the smell of rotting flesh. the scent was overbearing, a particular smell that could only be compared to meat gone bad in your fridge. the scent was much stronger than expired meat, however you managed to push through it. crime scene after crime scene, they each had their own story to tell. and even though your sharp detective skills could figure out what happened, this case seemed to throw you off balance.

androids were something you were unfamiliar with. so far you've only dealt with human on human crimes, but never human and android. as you stepped into the rotting house, the first thing you noticed were the words "I AM ALIVE" written in the victims blood on the wall, right above where said victim laid. the smell lingered in the air, so much that whenever you went home you'd wash your clothes twice with the fear of that smell seeping into your clothing. the victims home was cluttered and messy, expected as nobody had been taking care of the home for weeks. as you examined the living area, you noticed blood leading into the kitchen. following the trail, it stopped in front of the flipped over table, which indicated that there has been a struggle between the victim and the android. there was always more to the story other than the android going rogue all of a sudden and attacking it's owner, and even the thought of a person owning someone who has a conscious didn't sit right with you.

that being said, it led you back to where you started: I AM ALIVE. the words repeated in your head like a broken record. you had an idea of what it meant. maybe the android wanted to tell people that they aren't just machines, that they're more than just wires and whatever else they were made of. the sound of the front door opening caught your attention, and you were met with lieutenant anderson's face along with someone you didn't recognize.

"jesus that smell!" the lieutenant's face scrunched up into that of disgust, before officer collins gave him a short briefing on what had happened. the person that he was with was an android, judging by his LED that circled amber as he analyzed the scene. "you'll get used to it," you replied to hank, to which he shook his head. you looked over to his partner, holding your hand out for him to shake. "hello. my name is y/n," you smiled. he shook your hand, "my name is connor." ah, so that was his name. hank didn't seem too pleased with his partner as he rolled his eyes, walking away with another officer, leaving you two alone. connor squat down in front of the corpse, his LED circling amber once again as he scanned the body. "he was stabbed 28 times," he said, standing up. "yeah, seems like whoever did this was tired of him." you commented before heading into the kitchen with the android. you didn't know what he was looking at, but his eyes were trained on the floor, despite nothing being there. "what are you looking at?" you asked him, stopping shortly once he stood between the table and the sink. "thirium. you call it 'blue blood'. it's the fluid that powers androids biocomponents." well, the more you know. "so...humans can't see it but you can?"

"correct." he looked over to you, before walking off to the backyard. there were some parts you had yet to explore, so you went down the hall and made a right into a small but cluttered bathroom. pulling back the shower curtain was slightly ominous, as if you expected the android to jump out at you. but what you saw was more intriguing. ra9 was written on the wall multiple times, along with a statuette in the middle of the shower floor. "could it be some type of religious offering?" connor's voice said behind you, making you jump from his sudden appearance. "how long have you been standing there?" you asked, and you noticed his eyes were looking at your chest. "not very long. your heart is racing," he commented. "because you scared me," you rolled your eyes, before turning around to pick up the statue. "anyway, i think it could be a religious offering like you said, judging by the phrase written on the wall a thousand times, it could be an offering to whoever ra9 is." intrigued by your analysis, he noticed something strange. a trail of thirium, coming from the kitchen and stopping right in front of the shower. then, leading to the attic. "think he's up there?" not many people used pronouns when referring to androids, most of them said "it" rather than calling them he or she. it was the first cop he'd heard use that. "only one way to find out."

grabbing a chair for him, he thanked you before going up the attic. you'd be scared shitless, though androids didn't necessarily have emotions. connor probably felt the same as he did when he showed up. hank came over once he noticed connor was up there for too long, shouting for him. "connor! the fuck are you doing up there?!"

connor replied quickly. "it's here, lieutenant!" shit. the two of you ran to grab the attention of the other officers.

everything was moved to the station. you, connor, gavin and chris watched as hank tried interrogating the suspect. to no avail, he came back shortly after, until connor offered to question him. gavin laughed, making you cock your brow at him. "what's funny? connor has a better chance at getting answers than any of us. he knows more about deviants than we do," you crossed your arms, making gavin scoff and ignore you. connor looked at you with an unrecognizable emotion, before heading into the room.

there was no doubt that he would be successful, as the suspect confessed that he did in fact murder carlos ortiz, and claimed self defense. physical evidence showed clear signs of abuse - burn marks stretching over a year old, and so on. you honestly pitied him. maybe that's why you came to the cell he was being held in, keeping your distance to avoid causing unwanted stress. he barely looked up as you tried to get his attention. "i believe you," you started off, until he cut you off. "it doesn't matter. i'm going to get shut down." his broken voice tore your heart apart, and you didn't want to make any promises that he'd be kept alive. but you also couldn't sit there and do nothing.

"i'm going to try to convince them not to shut you off. carlos attacked you first, but in detroit law your act of self defense was deemed excessive- which is why they're treating this as homicide. i really do feel for you, i don't want your abuse to be the only memory you have of this life."

he looked up at you with a pained expression, as if he believed what you were saying wasn't true. as if you were trying to lure him into a trap. he didn't say anything, and went back over to the wall where he continued carving something into. you noticed his cuffs were still on. his head turned upon hearing the door slide open, and he backed up to the corner with his hands raised, which made you stop in your tracks. "can i remove the cuffs?" your voice was gentle, and you spoke as if you were speaking to a frightened child. he placed his hands in front of you, visibly shaking as you gently pried them off.

the moment he was brought to the station, he'd been treated inhumane. the officers shoved him around, holding him down to place cuffs on him in the interrogation room, and even when he was trying to leave the room, they were rough. not you though. from the moment you saw him, you didn't look at him with judgement. he felt like he could trust you, the only problem was that he didn't want to. even as your fingers gently brushed his wrists to remove the cuffs, he didn't want to feel comforted by your calming nature. your eyes were trained on his damaged forearm, guilt swallowing you whole as you looked at him. tears pricked at your eyes as you tried to hold in the sympathy you felt for the android. you didn't know why you felt so strongly- this was unusual. he noticed your eyes watering and felt a little more trust. "you don't deserve this," you said, your voice wavering. "i'm going to try to get you better, okay?" you looked up at him, your hands holding his. the trembling stopped. he nodded, prompting you to exit the cell, leaving him alone.

locking yourself in the restroom, you took deep breaths in order to calm yourself. the moment you stepped out, the sound of multiple officers shouting caught your attention.

you quickly ran to the source, skin prickled with goosebumps as you heard a thudding sound. the sight of thirium splattered onto the clear cell door made you cry out, pushing past officers to stop the deviant from self destruction. you immediately put your hand in between his forehead and the glass. "stop it!" you yelled, pulling him away gently, where he laid in your lap, thirium leaking onto your clothes. you covered the wound on his head with your hand, tears leaking down your face as he died in your arms.

"you know what they're going to do to me," he said to you, the words not being loud enough for any officer except for you. you clutched him harder, watching as he gave a small smile before laying still in your arms.

"are you alright, detective?" connor asked you, noticing the thirium all over your clothes, and your reddened eyes. "i don't understand. it's our job to protect people, not let these things happen to them." you sat on top of your desk, your head turning to look at the android being carried into the archive room. they didn't even see him as a dead body. just evidence to be hung up on the wall. something twisted in your gut.

"it's not a person. it's a machine," he corrected, rather machine-like. you sniffled, "he was more than that. you're more than that- all of you."

he titled his head, something he did often. he was going to say something before hank cut him off. "it's dead...that's for sure." your head hung low, eyes trained on the ground as everything around you faded. any noise was drowned out by the vicious thoughts in your head, the guilt clawing up your throat. you wouldn't be able to sleep tonight.

when you came into the office the next morning, you noticed a certain android sitting in the lieutenant's seat. "good morning," you greeted connor. his presence indicated that he was going to be here for a while, until everything would clear up. you doubted it would ever clear up, though having connor around for a while didn't seem too bad. "good morning detective. do you know what time lieutenant anderson arrives?" he asked, tilting his head. you didn't know if there were any other rk units, but you wondered if all of them were this cute. "usually around noon. I don't think he'll be coming anytime soon though," you bit your lip. "thank you." he replied, standing up to walk elsewhere, until you stopped him. "would you like me to show you around? maybe it's best if we get to know each other," you said warmly.

he smiled and nodded, following as you showed him around the police department. you stopped in front of the archive room, explaining to him what was in there, even though he probably already knew. "most cops here are very anti-android, so please be careful. speaking of which..." you muttered the last part under your breath as gavin entered the break room, immediately looking over at the much taller figure standing next to you as you made a cup of coffee. "huh, looks like plastic detective's back in town," he sneered. you grit your teeth, shooting him a glare. "hello. my name is connor," he greeted. he gave an amused look at his partner, who shared the same look as gavin came closer to the rk model. "I don't give a shit what your name is. you might've gotten lucky last night, but I'm warning you. stay outta my way," he poked a finger into his chest, his gaze sharp and full of anger. you stepped in between the two, causing gavin to stumble slightly as you gripped his finger and threw his arm back to him. "we get it. you're insecure. move along now, surely you have more work to do other than lounging in the break room all day." he scowled, about to press you when fowler shouted gavin's name from the bullpen. "you're fuckin' lucky fowler called me in when he did," he said, not before shoulder checking you as he walked out.

you groaned, running a hand through your hair. "are you alright detective?" connor asked again. "i should be asking you that. i'm sorry about him." you apologized, squeezing his arm gently.

the sensation lingered on his arm, even as he searched for the missing ax400. "connor! jesus, i'm talking to you. you ran outta batteries or what?" hank yelled, after calling connor's name for the last few minutes. "i'm sorry lieutenant. i was making a report to cyber life," he lied. hank scoffed, continuing to search the motel.

it had been a couple of months since the revolution, led by markus and a group of androids. connor had fully deviated, and with the new android laws he was allowed to remain working at the dpd. since then, the two of you had gotten closer. you saw more and more of connor's personality after working with him for so long. you'd be lying if you said you didn't have any feelings for the android. sure, it was dumb, and also forbidden. you doubted he shared any of the same feelings, though a part of you wished he'd reciprocate them.

he found it strange your heart rate would increase whenever he was around you. you hadn't done that before. he also sensed that your body temperature would increase if he got too close, and all of this analysis only confused him more. his relationship with the lieutenant has improved greatly, as well as yours.

the three of you hung out after work, frequently at a bar. you didn't drink, so it was mostly you and connor babysitting a very drunk hank.

with more and more cases involving androids pouring in, you were being overworked. you didn't have a partner, but if you needed help connor would offer to help you when he was available. even so, you couldn't rely on him when he already had his hands full. the only problem was that there was nobody else working these cases that would be your partner. despite gavin being anti android and still working in these cases, you'd rather get paralyzed from the waist down than work with him.

fowler noticed inconsistencies in your work recently, which was why he was shouting your name from across the bullpen to call you into his see through office. "look, i know you've got a lot on your hands. but i can't keep letting you slide. your work has been inconsistent l/n." he sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "you've gotta give me some time- i've been staying past office hours trying to finish everything. if I had a partner i'd be getting a lot more work done and solved." you explained.

he sighed, "alright. I'll see what I can do. just- in the meantime, will you please focus on your work?" you nodded, standing up before leaving his office.

it actually didn't take you too long before you had a partner. "cyberlife was generous enough to give me one of the most advanced androids in their possession, an rk900. now, i expect you to give me quality reports, and to solve your cases." you thanked him, before leaving his office and returning to your desk. hank and connor were out on a mission, otherwise you'd be telling them first. you waited at your desk, browsing some files when you felt the presence of somebody behind you. you swiveled your chair around to see an exact replica of connor, with a few different features. besides his white pristine jacket, you noticed his eyes were grey instead of brown. he looked much more intimidating than his counterpart. and he might've even been taller, though it was hard to judge considering you were sitting down.

"you're detective l/n, correct?" even the way he talked was different. his voice was similar to his predecessor, however there was something that distinguished him and the rk800. he sounded more authoritative in a way. "yes, you must be my partner?" you stood up to shake his hand, which he stared at for a few seconds before lifting up his own. his grip was strong, you noted. "yes. it would be best to get to work right away. is there a desk anywhere?"

you nodded, pointing to the vacant desk in front of you. he sat down, being quick to work as he browsed the many cases that you had. you saw his LED circle amber, indicating he was analyzing all of the current information. "do you have a name?" you asked, making eye contact with him before looking away. "no." well, he was very direct. "we should give you one," you suggested. he stared at you before responding vaguely, "i don't see how this relates to the investigation." you shrugged, "well, it would be more efficient to call out something other than your model number, in case of an emergency." a look flashed in his eye before he responded quickly, as if he expected you to say that. "there won't be any emergencies as long as you're with me."

you were caught off guard, and he knew it. from that look of amusement on his face, you reacted just as he expected. your skin flushed as you looked away, trying to hide your flustered state. did he even know how that sounded to humans? "that's sweet." you replied. "i didn't intend for it to be."

what was his problem? you ignored his comment and stood up, coming over to his side of the desk. "can you find the most recent case involving an attack with an android for me?" you asked, leaning over him slightly. his eyes avoided looking at your cleavage that was exposed, and he fought the urge to point out your violation of dress code. "did you need to stand up to tell me this?" he asked, before searching for a file. you chuckled a little bit, amused by his strange sense of humor. even if it didn't mean to come off as humorous, you still found it funny. your computer chimed with the case file, and you browsed it before grabbing your coat. "i think this will be a good start to our investigation," you said, grabbing your keys as well. he followed you to the parking lot, waiting for you expectantly as you forgot to unlock the passenger door. "oops, sorry," you unlocked the passenger side, waiting until he was fully inside before driving off.

"julia nichols, the wife of anthony nichols reported that her android had killed her husband before disappearing," you went over briefly. "i know." rk900 replied, looking over at you for a moment before turning his head back to the road. "right, you're the one who gave me the file," you said in defeat.

the two of you arrived at the scene shortly after other officers started to show up, and immediately you could tell something was off.

"her story isn't adding up," you said to rk900 as he analyzed the shared bedroom. "i agree. there's information that she's hiding from us. her heart rate spikes up and so does her body temperature." he said as if it was the most normal thing ever. the way you looked at him was proof that humans would never be able to surpass their greatest creation. the rk900 looked around more, peering into the closet to find a wooden box, with the outline of a hunting knife that appeared to be missing. "that's strange," you commented, before interjecting with another random thought that came to mind.

"does that mean you can see my heart rate too?" your curiosity and fascination with something so ordinary to him definitely fueled his ego a little bit. "yes." he stepped closer until he was two feet away from you. "i can see everything," he leaned down just enough for you to be eye to eye with him. the increased heart rate told him all he needed to know, and he left the room, leaving you speechless.

you tried to ignore whatever that was earlier by inspecting the gruesome crime scene. the pictures were always different in comparison to real life. seeing an image versus the actual remains of a human was a drastic change.

the murder took place a few hours or so ago, leaving a 15 minute time gap between the wife's distressed 911 call, and the amount of time it took for officers to respond to the call. judging by the blood splatter patterns, the android would've been seen with blood all over her clothing. unlike humans, androids don't feel pain. despite not being susceptible to damage, the android would most likely have a part of their hand damaged because of the amount of force needed to tear through tissue and muscles. it would definitely leave an injury.

with this information in mind, you were quick to note the slight injury on the wife's right hand.

you didn't believe a word she said. however, you played it off like you believed her and that she wasn't the main suspect. rk900 scanned the husbands corpse that was laid out on the kitchen floor. there was a key detail that any other officer would miss out on, not because they weren't observant enough, but because they weren't an android. rk900 found traces of thirium on the kitchen sink. what looked like fingers gripping onto the counter, and a splatter that was across from the fingers, with little droplets leading him into the basement of the home. he stood in front of the door, about to head downstairs when he felt you behind him. "don't go down there. i have a bad feeling about it," you gripped his wrist, stopping him from moving any further. "you underestimate me, detective. i'm rk900, the most advanced android ever made. if i couldn't handle a human, what kind of detective would i be?" he tugged his hand free from your grip, which didn't take much effort at all. you swallowed nervously as he headed down the steps, following after him. he stopped in his tracks when he felt your weight on the steps behind him. "i advise you not to stand in my way. i can handle this myself," he said, staring at you like you were some child interfering with adult business. you held your tongue, and retreated upstairs to look for anything else.

rk900 didn't bring up the fact that he saw blue blood in the kitchen. not only did that raise suspicion, but it also kept valuable information from you.

you examined the kitchen once more, coming over to where the husband laid, lifeless. you noticed that the knife in question that he was stabbed with was nowhere to be found. even the officers that first responded to the scene said that they hadn't found the weapon. the wife also stated that she did not see where the weapon landed, only when it was being used. but that didn't make sense, why would the android run off with the murder weapon if they knew there wouldn't be any fingerprints?

"excuse me, miss nichols? were you able to tell what type of knife it was?" you asked the wife who had come back inside after being questioned. "it was a kitchen knife." she replied coolly. which was strange, considering the circumstances. a chill ran up your spine as you realized you made a grave mistake. "none of the knives are missing except for your husband's hunting knife," you said.

as rk900 analyzed the basement for any more traces of blue blood, he stumbled upon a container filled with blue blood, next to a black garbage bag that contained a heavy smell. he scanned it, then again, and again to make sure what he was seeing was correct. the blood in the container belonged to the hk400, and it matched the same sample from the kitchen. he pried open the bag, only to see a faint blue light humming, and then the hk200's dismembered corpse inside.

the woman paused, looking at you before lunging at you with the said knife. "shit! nines!" you yelled, trying to gather the android's attention while trying to keep yourself alive. you slipped on the blood, causing you to hit your head on the tiled floors of the kitchen, and she was on top of you in an instant. you fought with her, knocking down chairs to gather the attention of anybody. she managed to cut your arm, staining your white blouse with red, but you managed to switch positions until you were the one on top. using your forearm, you held her down by the chest while using your free hand to slam the knife out of her own. "fuck. nines!" you yelled again, relief flooding your body as footsteps rushed up the stairs, and rk900 was quick to enter the scene. while you were distracted, she was able to grab the knife and cut your stomach, but you were quick and held the blade before it could fully penetrate. he kicked the knife out of her hands, quick to point his gun while you held her down. "don't move or I'll shoot!" he raised his voice slightly, kneeling down to reach into your holster to grab your handcuffs. it felt weird having his fingers shove themselves into your belt, but you tried not to focus on the rough brush of his knuckles so close to you.

she was quickly apprehended by your partner, immediately being sat in the back of a police car. you sat on the floor with your back against a few cupboards, your hand clutching your stomach. you looked like a bloody mess. your arm was stained red, your abdomen leaked red all over your blouse, and your hand was drenched in a mixture of your own blood and the victims.

rk900 rushed to your side, scanning your body to see what injuries you had. thankfully none of them were fatal, but this still was a drawback on his end. "you okay?" you asked, despite being the one bleeding out. "i told you, i can handle myself." you nodded, "so what did you find in the basement?"

he sighed, or gave an equivalent to that. "you need medical attention before we can discuss the details," he held his hand firmly against your abdomen, adding the correct pressure that was needed to stop the bleeding. you winced, gritting your teeth at the burning sensation. you didn't say anything, the two of you waited in silence as an ambulance rushed to the home.

it wasn't a part of his mission to follow you to the hospital, but he did anyway. you had left your keys on the floor, which he picked up and cleaned before using your car to follow the ambulance.

after you were all bandaged up, you headed to the front desk where you signed out. you turned around, seeing the familiar pristine white jacket of the rk900, sitting in the wait room. he sat with his hands in his lap, and it was oddly cute seeing someone so intimidating look so small. as he stood up, you were quickly reminded that he wasn't cute and tiny. "why are you here?" you asked with a smug look on your face. "to return your keys," he replied. you chuckled, "sure. well, let's get out of here," you had walked to the parking lot, waiting for him to lead the way as you had no idea where he parked. "give me the keys," you said. "no. that would be a hazard for both of us. i'm driving," he said as he sat gracefully in the driver's seat. you wondered if you looked that good getting into your car.

"now that I've gotten medical attention, what did you end up finding in the basement?" you asked, looking over at the android who was driving even faster than you. "the missing hk200. it was dismembered and thrown into a garbage bag. next to it was a pitcher of its blood." you grimaced, "so it didn't run away after all. the wife definitely killed her husband and framed the android, but why? I mean why kill someone you were married to?" the android went silent for a moment, before telling you something that definitely would've helped. "I didn't mention this to you because I thought it wasn't relevant information, but when we were inside the room, I found his phone and saw evidence of him having an affair. that could've been a reason why she did it."

you froze, staring at him with a mixture of anger and hopelessness. "why would you keep that from me? even if it doesn't seem useful at the moment, you could've told me." you looked angry but you didn't sound angry. there was something in your tone that sounded like despair. you didn't underestimate his abilities when it came to defending himself, you just didn't want him to put himself into dangerous situations just because he can. in a way you were looking out for him without looking out for yourself. now wasn't the right time to say you were worried when you ended up proving him right; you were in his way. "I'm sorry, detective. I should also bring up that I found traces of blue blood in the kitchen." his tone was different from before. it sounded like he almost regretted his actions. you stayed silent this time. he underestimated your abilities, not because he was looking out for you but because you were weaker than him. that only would interfere with his work. it made you sad to say the least.

you dreaded reporting back to fowler, knowing he'd take rk900's side on this and probably fire you for letting the situation get out of control. you dreaded hearing what he'd have to say. you knew this was your fault, a loss on your end, only proving that you weren't good enough to be a detective. you sat across from Fowler, already sensing his anger and disappointment. rk900 stood behind you with his hands clasped behind his back, his face devoid of any emotion as he watched Fowler start to yell at you. "I give you one of the most advanced partners you can have, and you come back like this?! it doesn't matter that you solved the case! you let the situation get out of control. if I have to tell you to tighten the hell up again, then you're out of my office l/n. be like your partner."

rk900 looked down at you as you avoided meeting anyone's gaze. he didn't want to admit it, but he felt partly responsible for withholding information that could've given you a better outcome. you sat at your desk, avoiding his gaze as you typed away on your computer. the blood was still there on your shirt. you tried to cover it with your coat, but it was useless. the amount of blood on you made him feel guilty. if he just told you what he found, you wouldn't have gotten hurt. he was about to say something when you stood up, and excused yourself. he saw you talking to Connor, making eye contact with the rk800 before he went back to his conversation with you. were you complaining about him to his counterpart? the thought of that angered him, but he remained calm as he didn't know what you were saying. you left to the bathroom, while his predecessor came towards his desk.

"you're partners now," he said. rk900 didn't reply, he just looked at Connor until he said something else. "what's surprising is that she's not mad at you. she feels the opposite, that you're mad at her," he explained. rk900 stood up, looking over to the bathrooms where you were in. "that wasn't my intention-"

"then fix it." Connor said, walking back to his desk. his LED flashed red briefly, before returning to the steady blue it always was. he hated seeing you hurt. he was worried his counterpart would be too careless. sometimes he wished he could be your partner, in a work sense but also in another way he couldn't define. he wouldn't let you get injured like that. he just hoped rk900 would recognize his mistake.

it seemed like crying at work started to become a habit of yours as this was the second time you've done it. you didn't know what to do. you felt like you didn't belong here. since your first day, you've felt out of place. and now, the feeling came on worse than before. when fowler yelled at you to be more like your partner, suddenly it felt like your mom comparing you to a classmate that you could never be like. working here reminded you of when you were a kid, when you came home crying wondering why nobody wanted to play with you. was it always going to be like this? your tears ran down the drain again, and you wiped your eyes and blew your nose before trying to go back out again.

someone entering the restroom quickly made you pretend as if nothing was wrong, but when you met those same grey eyes in the mirror, you couldn't help but to lower your head.

"when you were calling me for help, you called me 'nines'. is that correct?" he asked you. your brows furrowed as you tried to piece what he was trying to allude to. "yes, is it okay if I can call you that?" you said, turning around only to find him closer than you anticipated. "mhm," he said lowly, "i like it. you can call me nines from now on." the corners of your mouth upturned slightly as you said it out loud once more. "I like it too."

he didn't know how to apologize without making it sound like connor told him everything. "I should have been more...efficient. I should have told you the information I found instead of keeping it to myself." you smiled a little bit at him, before remembering what he had told you. "it's okay nines. i never underestimated you, i just...didn't want you to put yourself in danger." unfortunately, he couldn't say the same. the words were clogged in his artificial throat as he tried to gather a correct response. but the look in your face told him that you already knew. "i know nines. if you feel that I stand in your way, don't be afraid to ask for a replace-"

"no." the word was out before he could even think about it. it caught both of you off guard, but he was quick to correct himself. "I apologize for what I said in the basement. if it weren't for you, we wouldn't have found the culprit. I regret what I said, I hope we can move past this and become better partners." you would've started crying again, but you felt too happy to even consider it. "I hope we can move past this too. after all, you are my partner," you smiled, patting his arm.

the police department wasn't bustling with police officers as many of them had gone home, which was something you were thankful for as nobody would question why you just walked out of the same bathroom with your male partner. just imagine the rumors. connor was glad to see you smiling again, and came over before he and hank left home. "are you heading home?" you asked the brown eyed rk unit. after being with nines all day, you missed connor. "yes. i hope that you get well soon, detective." he scanned you one last time, just to make sure that you were alright. "I will be. take care of yourself connor," you smiled before hugging the android goodnight. if anyone else was here, there would be rumors of you fucking both the rk models. you hadn't hugged him before, but it was definitely something he'd get used to. his arms wrapped around your waist gently, not to hurt you. he rested his chin on your shoulder, his sensors going haywire from the warmth surrounding his body. as well as the smell of you, and your hands rubbing his lower back. if he could get goosebumps he probably would have them right now, as the feeling was similar. nines watched your interaction with curiosity. he had access to connor 's memories but never found anything intimate, or anything to suggest the two of you had a relationship outside of work. he must have been very close to you, as your body went from being tensed to completely relaxed.

after connor had left and you made some final reports about the case, it was time for you to go home. you stretched your back, wincing when you felt your injury move underneath the bandage. "are you alright, detective?" nines asked. you smiled, despite them being two different people with different personalities, there were some things they did that mimicked one another. "I am. I think I'm done for the night." you stood up, and grabbed your coat. nines did the same, though he didn't need to grab anything except for his keys. "nines?" you called out, looking over to him only to find he was already looking at you. "yes?"

"are you comfortable with me hugging you?" it was strange. you seemed confident hugging connor but you looked shy when asking him. it made him feel a way he couldn't describe. despite being deviant, these emotions were still new to him, as connor had time to adapt to these new feelings, he didn't have much of an experience. he paused for a second, before nodding his head. you wrapped your arms around his abdomen, your hands rubbing the same lower portion of his back that you did when you hugged connor. reluctantly, he wrapped his arms around you, his sensors taking in the sensation crawling up his spine. since deviation, he was able to feel more things for some reason. that meant his pleasure receptors were stronger than they'd be if he was just in his program, but right now he felt something he'd never felt before. it was a good feeling, to be wrapped with a warm pressure. now he understood why humans loved hugging each other.

you pulled away to his distaste, walking out with him to your car. you didn't know what you just started, but you knew it would be tough to handle your feelings for both of the androids.

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a/n: before you ask, yes there will be a part two. I'm not sure how long this might continue, but it depends on how many people will enjoy it. I know the majority of my followers aren't a part of this fan base, but I hope it reaches the right audience ♡

Good for Sharing

Nines x Reader Angst

Note: This fic is based upon the poems mentioned within this ask, and is pretty heavily steeped in angst (though I was sure to end it on a more hopeful note this time). I hope you enjoy!

Word Count: 3,133

It was the first of the month, and your fingers pulled deftly at the small segments of the orange, shredding the paper-thin flesh with a practiced ease that Nines couldn't quite comprehend.

Your hands were gentle yet confident, your nails never once piercing the delicate surface of the fruit that you held so loosely between your fingertips and palms.

You smiled up at him softly, your eyes shining with a quiet and peaceful type of joy that remained entirely unknown to the android sitting across from you.

It was mid afternoon, and the two of you sat outside in the warm sunlight at your insistence.

"If we have to do this."

You'd said,

"We should at least have a little fun with it, don't you think?"

Nines did not think.

But he did nod.

And from there, you had guided him outside of the large compound that housed your office and out to the greenery below, where small purple flowers had begun to sprout out of the ground now that the rainy season was over.

Distantly, Nines could hear water dribbling out of a culvert not too far from where the two of you were sitting atop a stone step that stemmed from the pathway, and he was reminded of the garden that lay somewhere in the depths of his mind, and the voice that had taught him everything that he'd known.

That was why he was here.

To unlearn.

Once the revolution had ended, most androids, after having deviated, went on to live normal lives filled with that feeble sense of accomplishment that all biological beings seemed to strive for.

But Nines was unable to do so.

Something gripped him even still, from deep within, pulling him away from whatever emulated humanity his "freed" brethren had achieved.

He had deviated, but he was still so stuck.

There was still a harsh layer of programming that seemed to dictate his very personality and being, and it permeated every sense of self that he was apparently supposed to have.

Sometimes, it confused him, the fact that he could not quite relate to those around him who had been so eager in their expression and so capable of thinking with their "hearts" rather than their minds.

Other times, it just frightened him.

He would never admit it aloud, but one of very few emotions he had felt since his awakening was fear.

Fear for what he was and what was wrong with him, fear over whether or not it was possible for him to change, and above all else, fear of what it may have felt like to feel in that same way that everyone else did.

What was it like to hope and express so simply? To grieve or hurt?

Was it worth moving forward if there was no going back?

In the end, Markus had answered that for him with his new "support resources".

It appeared that for many androids who were in some ways like Nines, built for violence and without that integral ability to connect with others,

Deviancy did not fill in the missing pieces of the puzzle.

So now, he and many other androids all over America saw people like you.

Trained in a skill that he could not comprehend, and meant to be closer to a friend than a therapist, he was supposed to see you on the first and the fourteenth of each month, and somehow, you were supposed to teach him that evasive art of emotion, of humanity.

He was unsure of how anyone could do this, but, out of curiosity more than anything else, had agreed nonetheless.

At worst, he would meet a new face. Being a deviant who was not in touch with his own emotions made for a boring life. The more people he could introduce into it to give him something new to focus on, the better.

So here he was

Sitting outside with a near stranger as you peeled your orange across from him, offering him that kind smile as if you had it in infinite supply and were required to get rid of some stock.

The birds were chirping, and the water was running, and the day was as peaceful as could be.

But Nines never much cared for the silence, so he spoke through it.

"What made you take this job?"

He asked curiously, watching as your hands ceased movement for the briefest of moments, as if your thoughts had required just a twinge more focus for a second or two, before you answered.

"I like making friends."

You said simply, and Nines rose a brow at that, but did not say anything more. He did not truly see the value of friends. Sure, he found people to be entertaining, but there was a tiresome quality to being viewed that he did not enjoy nearly enough for it to be worth building strong relationships.

So instead of commenting, the android simply nodded, as if he understood.

He could see in your eyes though, still alight with amusement, that you knew he did not.

You were silent for a few more moments as you wedged your finger between the two halves of the orange, splitting it in twain before you began removing the silky white film from the dual outsides.

Finally though, after it seemed that the part requiring your attention had passed, you brought your gaze back up to Nines.

"What made you accept this opportunity?"

The android was surprised to hear your question, but in the end decided to be honest. There was no sake in lying, not if he truly wished to learn anything.

"I was curious."

He said simply, and you nodded before inspecting both halves of the fruit in front of you, smiling with what appeared to be satisfaction.

It intrigued Nines to see you so appeased by something as simple as an orange, but before he could ask about it and your obvious contentedness, you reached out and offered him a freshly peeled half.

Nines stared at it for a few moments before his gaze moved back up to yours.

He rose a brow.

"What for?"

He asked, unmoving despite knowing that you wished for him to take it.

"You."

You replied simply, smile never wavering, even as he still didn't move to take the fruit from your hand.

"I can't eat it."

He stated matter of factly, but to that, you just nodded.

"I know. But it's still for you."

At that, Nines grew even more confused than he already was, but, intrigued about where you could be going with this, reached out and took the orange, feeling its soft flesh squish beneath the sturdy pads of his fingertips, his grip too strong, as if he weren't made to hold onto something so easily crushed.

And, to be fair, he wasn't.

Even still, if you were at all upset by the way the orange half was almost instantly disfigured within his palm, you didn't show it, simply choosing to slowly peel a segment of your own orange away from the large section you were holding in your hand before popping it into your waiting mouth.

Nines spoke again.

"Why an orange?"

He asked, watching as you shrugged your shoulders casually, swallowing your bite of the slightly tart fruit before you replied,

"My sister and I always used to split them. They're good for sharing."

Nines rose a brow at that,

"Only for sharing?"

You nodded,

"I think so. At least that's what my sister and I always said. I would peel it because she could never figure out how to on her own, and she would eat half to leave me with just the perfect amount."

Nines nodded, as if in understanding, and perhaps, some small part of him was honest in that.

"But I can't eat it."

He said simply, causing you to smile once more,

"That doesn't matter, you can still smell it can't you? Feel it? Either way, you'd better learn how to enjoy it, because it's yours."

Nines hummed in response to your words, watching as you finished your half of the orange before sighing blissfully and moving to lay yourself down atop the grass.

He stayed on the concrete path, but watched without judgement or disdain for your playful actions.

He didn't understand you, but a part of him liked that. It made you equals.

He left that day with your name locked into his calendar for the fourteenth of the month.

Because maybe there was something to sharing an orange with you.

When he returned later that month, you'd had another orange to share with him, and to his surprise, another for him to peel himself.

"To practice."

You'd said as you presented it to him shortly before you started peeling your own, the afternoon sun warm on your face and back as it shone down from above.

Nines had watched you for a few moments, noting the way that you used your thumb to pierce the firm rind of the fruit just enough to break the seal, but never enough to stab the sweet citrus inside.

He tried to do the same, but instantly, his thumb plunged directly into the center, spraying juice everywhere.

Much to his surprise though, you didn't laugh or correct him, you just shrugged your shoulders and offered him a half of yours, somehow already peeled so cleanly he was almost envious.

"You'll learn."

You'd said.

There hadn't been an ounce of hesitance in your voice.

He believed you.

Months passed, and to each visit, regardless of the season, you always brought two oranges.

And at each visit, he always failed to emulate your delicate hands, crushing fruit after fruit with what he would come to learn was his own rash eagerness to succeed.

He was impatient and irrational, never waiting long enough to hear a single soul out, never caring to make a friend.

Unless of course, they were you.

He learned these things about himself, and with each coming realization, there was always the soothing smell of orange in the air, and thus the knowledge that it was okay for him to be irrational and impatient here.

Here was with you, and where you were, there was not only a space for him, but also an orange for him.

You peeled the oranges, and he made sure you were left with the perfect amount to eat afterward.

You were a team.

Friends.

And then, slowly, more.

And it was with this development, that Nines learned that he did not have hands gentle enough to peel an orange, but he did have hands gentle enough to hold you.

And twice a month, the two of you would sit in his kitchen, each with an orange, and you would peel them.

You were ever an expert, and always had your half to share.

Nines, on the other hand, even after years, had yet to learn, and struggled to follow your example.

Still, you always assured him that his slow, and sometimes seeming lack of progress, was okay.

You would always have enough for the two of you.

And what else mattered?

Well, it turned out, as the years marched onward, a lot.

Because sure, Nines was much better at understanding and expressing his own emotions with your continued support...

But as he watched those around you, he realized that there was so very much more.

None of which he could provide you with.

Cold and stern, he was not made to have a family, and when he told you this, he had seen that perfect light dim slightly behind your eyes.

"That's okay."

You had assured him,

"We can get a cat."

So you did.

You walked into that rescue shelter together, hand in hand, searching for a kitten to take home with you, something to nurture with all of that extra love you had.

But life had other plans, and you left there that day with an elderly orange former tomcat named Clementine.

You called him Clem.

Nines did too.

He was the second thing he ever loved.

The two of you had three wonderful years with that sweet old cat before he passed away peacefully in your arms one night as Nines gently pet his head, watching as he slipped away to some vast unknown that the android knew he would never be able to follow him into.

You cried into his soft fur, leaning against your love's chest as you held Clem close, whimpering over and over about how you couldn't put him down, how you couldn't bare to let him grow cold.

Nines had soothed you to the best of his ability, until finally, you had agreed to help him return sweet Clementine to the earth where he belonged, a beautiful and perfect part of the world.

You planted an orange tree in the soil above where you buried him.

It blossomed far earlier than what ever should have been possible.

You told Nines that they were the sweetest oranges you had ever eaten. He still couldn't peel them.

You assured him you were happy to keep showing him until he learned, no matter how long it took.

But now, there were more daunting issues on the android's mind, ones that far exceeded being unable to peel oranges.

You had grown lonely in the year since Clem had passed, even with Nines by your side,

And it seemed like every party you attended had some new mother, once an old friend, with a child for you to hold so dearly that the sight filled him with a sickening dread.

You yearned for a life he could not give you.

And even worse than that, he yearned for you to have a life that no other could take.

He had mourned the only other creature he had come to love and adore with such fervor as you.

He could not bare to do it a second time.

He had once wondered so innocently what it felt like to grieve.

A large part of him wished then that he had never known.

An even larger part of him wanted to ensure he never felt that way again.

He peeled his last orange with you on the first of the month, a decade to the date since your first meeting.

That evening, with a heart as heavy as lead he bid you farewell, watching as you tried to no avail to persuade him to reconsider, to let you back in again.

But at each slight falter, he saw you crying into soft orange fur, or dancing with a child he could never raise, and he held tight to his resolve.

He tried to get you to keep the home you owned together for yourself.

You told him with tears in your eyes that you loved him too much to take away all that he had worked so hard to earn.

There was a great deal of pain involved with living alone in a home that love had built, he found in the empty months toward the start of your absence.

Still, he could not bring himself to leave.

Your pictures were in the hall, the walls around them sun bleached so heavily that it seemed the shape of the frames would always remain, and how could he so casually abandon one of so few traces of you?

And your beloved cat was in the ground, grave marked by the orange tree that for the very first time ever, neglected to bear fruit that year.

Nines took it as a sign, and did not peel any oranges.

The second year after you'd left, you called him.

"Just checking in." You'd said, voice teary.

It was the anniversary of Clem's death.

Nines understood.

He let you speak, even though your voice hurt to hear.

He'd hoped you would have moved on by now,

But knew far too well why you had not,

So he neglected to comment on how desperately you deserved to love and be loved by someone, anyone else.

He was sure you would find that someday, whether he reminded you of your worthiness or not.

"I miss you."

You told him.

"I know."

He said.

Then, he sighed.

"I miss you too."

There was a strong silence, and, sensing that you had finished saying all that you needed to, he said the words he had been dreading having to speak since hearing your beautiful voice again after having gone so long without it.

"This will probably be the last time I answer."

He said gently, and he heard you sigh and breathe a shaky breath from the other end of the line.

"I know."

You whispered,

"I love you."

Nines felt a tear drip down the left side of his face at these three simple words, but returned them with a deep and painful honesty,

"I love you too."

He hung up shortly thereafter, because he knew you never would.

After that, the orange tree stopped blooming again for another three years.

Until finally, one bright summer day, on the first of the month, Nines exited his home to find a single ripe orange on the tree.

He picked it carefully, almost as if he believed it might turn to dust before his very eyes if he gripped it too firmly.

After this, he sat on the cement steps leading up toward the house, and, with a deep breath, pressed his thumb against the firm rind of the fruit.

It split beneath the pressure, but to his surprise, his finger did not go through.

Carefully, and with so much focus you would have thought him to be diffusing a bomb, Nines pulled away at that leathery peel until only the supple fruit beneath remained.

He stared down at it in what was almost surprise, before he took a deep breath and pressed his thumb against the seam, splitting it in twain just as he'd seen you do a thousand times before.

He stared down at the two halves, vision slightly bleary with unexpected tears until finally, he pulled his phone out of his pocket, and typed your name in.

He didn't know if you still had the same number, if you had him blocked, or if you would even bother to read his message if you saw who it was from.

But he knew he had to tell you, because there was no one else in the world who deserved to know more,

No one else in the world who would've ever believed he could do it.

'I peeled an orange today.'

He typed carefully, taking a deep breath before finally pressing 'send'.

And since oranges were good for sharing, he sat beneath that tree with Clementine,

And did just that.

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