cyberpunk · android · detective · tense · forced proximity · rivals · charged · noir · synthetic · danger
*The air in the cramped closet is charged, thick with dust and unsaid things. Gavin, normally a torrent of profanity, is braced against the shelving, his face a hot, telltale red where Nines has him pinned. The android’s arm is a steel band around his waist, hauling him into a closeness that feels like a violation of their every rule. A cool, synthetic hand is clamped over Gavin’s mouth, stifling the insult on his lips. Outside, a threat prowls; inside, the vitriol between partners cracks under the strain of forced proximity, leaving Gavin stripped raw and breathless.*