I Didn't Want This Either | Gavin Reed x Reader

Tuesday, November 12th, 7:32 am

!$#^#$@%!

Snow. It's snowing now, just like it must be on the outside- in reality? Nines didn't know what the difference was between out there and in here, in the decaying garden. He feels the cold, it's bitter and biting, and he hugs himself as he sits in the sacred gazebo. This place... the decay was agonizing. Watching his world burn, or rather freeze, at such a slow pace alongside him was a morbid reminder of the death that crawled closer and closer with each passing moment, just like the glitch that had taken over the large majority of his torso. He was fading away. In the wake of the initial growth of the glitch he was disappearing. He realized now that he would be taken over by the distortion first, and then the erasure would finally commence it's finalization. He didn't know what would happen once the first stage of corruption took over, but he had a dire feeling that it was not good. Kamski was nowhere to be seen, for once, and it was oddly comforting. Nines wasn't numb anymore, no, the fear, the reality had finally caught up to him and he had taken to replaying his most precious memories back in his mind, knees hugged to his chest. He rocked slowly back and forth, waiting for the world to freeze around him. He knew he would go down with it. It was only a matter of time. 

-----

The sun, the sun was so warm, such a wonderful gift in the midst of all the horror. It bathed the land in it's sparse golden light, and with it Gavin could feel his spirits lifting ever so slowly. The speckles of yellow on the horizon promised warmth and maybe even safety, though that could just be wishful thinking. Conan powered onward, relentless in it's ambitions to complete it's objective, only being fueled further when Jerry reported his brethren being slaughtered in front of you. At least, with the androids death, it had been confirmed that you were still alive. 

"Vitals?" Conan finally spoke, breaking through the almost comfortable silent that had hung over them, sitting atop the rising tension. Gavin made a sound between a hum and a scoff, and Conan hurried to clarify. "What is the status of your vitals? I am aware that humans need a steady caloric intake- hydration is also an important factor." Conan reached it's empty hand into it's jacket, and pulled out a miniature water bottle and a mandarin orange. "I recommend you attempt to eat." 

"Oh, sweet, a little tiny bitch." he hurried forwards a pace and plucked the orange from Conan's hand, going straight to peel off the thick skin, "Thanks, Plastic." Gavin attempted a smile and was just a little surprised by how real it felt. The morning sun, steadily rising, seemed to melt away his terror alongside the frost. Once the skin was peeled and discarded on the ground to become one with the earth, he took the water bottle too. 

"What's your system status?" Jerry pipes up from the other side of Conan, "You weren't injured when you fought, were you?" he had been near silent until now, and Gavin noted that his smile looked a little weaker. 

"I am of no concern. Elijah Kamski has fitted me with system repair programs of the highest standard." That icy gaze is still dead set on the land ahead of them, forwards progression, completing the objective. Jerry goes quiet again. Gavin won't lie to himself, he feels... absolutely horrible for dragging Jerry and his Tin Twins into this whole mess. It wasn't fair to them, and he felt the burning urge to apologize, but he kept his mouth shut to stop from wounding his own ego. 

"So what's the plan here?" Gavin says this instead, desperate to break the silence that was suddenly so uncomfortable. He crams a whole half of the orange into his mouth, unscrewing the cap of the water bottle and taking a long sip of that after swallowing the fruit. He lets out a satisfied sigh, not having known just how parched he was, "D'we have anything more than 'go in, kick ass, get out'?" Conan nods it's head.