detroit: become human oneshots

hurts like a bitch - connor/nines

SUMMARY: Nines injures his shoulder and Connor fixes him up.
A/N: Warning that a gunshot wound is described in this and is cauterized, but it isn't too graphic.
WORD COUNT: 1114

Nines had always known Androids couldn't feel pain. It was something he was grateful for, but when a package was released for Androids to feel both pain and pleasure, Nines had downloaded it. He couldn't help but be curious.

None of the pain he had hitherto experienced was too bad, usually simple things like hitting his knee on something after exiting stasis. But being shot was... different. It hurt 'like a bitch', as Gavin would likely put it. He kept a permanent grimace on his face up to when he'd returned to the DPD, when Connor ushered over to him, either at the sight of his expression or his LED, which spun red.

"Nines?" Connor's eyes met his, shining and questioning. His hand came up to the bullet wound that'd ripped Nines' jacket, oozing thirium onto the pristine fabric. "What happened?"

"The perpetrator shot me when we'd come up to arrest him," Nines explained, wincing as Connor's fingers probed against it. "Careful, please."

"We've got to get you fixed up," Connor said hurriedly, the worry clear on his face.

"It's a bullet wound, Connor. It isn't anything that I can't fix on my own." Nines said, but Connor was already dragging him out of the precinct.

"You can't work in this state," Connor stated and it was clear he wasn't listening to anything else. Nines sighed and forwarded a message to Captain Fowler as Connor led him out the door, his hand surprisingly gentle in Nines'. Connor got them both into a taxi, only speaking again when the taxi had started moving. "I apologize if my concern is bothersome."

"It isn't," Nines assured. "I actually appreciate that you care."

"Of course I care," Connor said defensively, turned to him and looking at him as though he'd said something mad.

"Most people don't." Nines shrugged, unsure of why Connor was offended.

"Well, I do," Connor said when Nines didn't speak again. A look in his eyes told Nines that Connor was telling the truth. They remained in a somewhat tense silence and the cab arrived at the apartments Nines lived in.

It was an apartment complex built mostly for Androids without a stable home and rent was cheap, but it also took in homeless humans and provided for them. The apartments were almost entirely Markus' doing, someone Nines held extreme amounts of respect for. He was lucky enough to be a friend of his and he was one of the first to live in the apartments, paying the rather cheap rent with the money he made working for the DPD.

They both left the cab wordlessly, Connor walking ahead of Nines into the building. While he could easily route exactly where to go to get to Nines' apartment with the knowledge of which one it was, Connor likely didn't have to, as he'd been there several times. They both waited a few moments for the elevator and got off on the second floor.

Nines noticed Connor's brisk pace and painfully kept up as they entered the ninth apartment on the right. Connor sat him down on the couch and made a gesture for him to stay there, going right for the cabinet where Nines kept the basic supplies he'd need to ensure he stayed functioning as well as Thirium pouches. Nines waited patiently, though he could recognize the sound of Connor taking a glass and filling it with Thirium.

"Drink this, please," Connor handed Nines the glass.

"Thank you," Nines said as he took it and smiled weakly at Connor.

"Of course," Connor mumbled, seeming distracted. "I'll need you to reveal the wound, so..." He trailed off, gesturing at Nines' clothes.

"Oh. Right." Nines drank the blue blood from the glass and placed it on the table, licking his lips clean of any excess before placing it on the table. He raised his eyebrows at Connor's eyes watching him intently. Connor blinked and his face flushed a pretty blue color when he looked away. Nines shed himself of his jacket and unbuttoned his undershirt until he was sitting topless in front of Connor.  The bullet wound in his shoulder was slowly leaking Thirium and his synthskin was malfunctioning in that area. Connor grabbed a lighter.

"Turn to me, please." Nines did as Connor requested, turning his direction. He flinched as error messages cluttered his vision and his shoulder flared with pain. Nines lowered his sensitivity levels as low as they could go but his shoulder still hurt. He briefly wished he had thought to lower his sensitivity sooner, but couldn't linger long on the thought before Connor was bringing the lighter up to his shoulder. Nines' grip on his couch tightened and he groaned in pain when he felt the burning in his shoulder. He took in a sharp breath and held it until Connor was done, exhaling shakily as the pain faded. "That will stop the bleeding."

Surely enough, Nines' shoulder was no longer oozing thirium and the plastic was mostly melded back together. Nines placed a hand over it and watched as pale synthetic skin covered it.

"Thank you," Nines murmured, looking up at Connor and hoping the half-smile he managed conveyed his gratitude.

"You're welcome," Connor replied, LED flashing yellow as he looked Nines over. He was probably still checking if Nines was okay. Nines ran a brief diagnostic on himself just to be certain, and it appeared that all systems were operational, though he felt exhausted. "Should I go?"

"No," Nines answered instantly, unable to stop himself. He wanted Connor to stay, even with his reason to be here gone.

"Ideally, you utilize this time to enter stasis and give yourself more time to recover," Connor said, looking to the door, though he seemed hesitant.

"Can you please stay?" Nines asked, vaguely aware that he was blushing.

"Oh," Connor said, seemingly just realizing Nines actually wanted him there. "Alright. I'll stay with you."

"Thank you," Nines repeated again quietly, not sure of how else to convey how glad he was that Connor was there.

"It's nothing, Nines. I'm here, don't worry," Connor reassured, his voice impossibly softer than Nines remembered it being. Connor shifted on the couch, grabbing himself one of the pillows and placing it over his thighs. "Come here," Connor said and patted the pillow. Nines slowly did as Connor said and lay his head on the unusually comfortable pillow.

"Mm," Nines hummed, looking up at Connor with a sleepy smile. Connor's eyes were fond and it made Nines feel warm. Connor smiled back down at him and a hand reached down to play with Nines' hair. Nines' smile widened and his eyes closed, comfortably drifting off into stasis.