Stuffy

      The smell of alcohol swirled in the air, bright mottled spots flickered before my eyes, making it difficult to concentrate. Exhaling convulsively, Gavin rubbed the bridge of his nose, taking in as much air as possible into his lungs. The walls seemed to press down, people danced around creating a sense of isolation. It's terribly stuffy. Picking up the first glass from the table, Reed splashed a kind of cognac there, he wasn't sure what it was, the main thing now was to get rid of dry mouth. Having emptied the glass to the bottom, the detective leaned against the wall trying to catch his eye at least for something. He didn't remember how he agreed to go to this impromptu corporate party of Fowler, in honor of what was he in general? Concentrated attempts to recall failed miserably. He didn't remember. He was wearing a white shirt, not ironed, but it's not visible in the semi-darkness, and okay, even jeans are not casual, it's already good. Slightly tousled hair stuck to his forehead, leaving Gavin no attempt to remove it. It's unbearably hot. My eyes caught on the white leather sofa. Gavin was ready to do anything to sit down even for a minute, his legs ached impossibly, it seemed a little more and he would fall, but this beautiful saving sofa was occupied. Hurtful. He was completely busy, people were even sitting on the armrests, so he was never lucky. Hoping for other chairs and armchairs, Gavin moved into the crowd. It wasn't difficult to squeeze through people, everyone was busy dancing and music and didn't pay much attention to Gavin. When he reached the opposite wall of the room, Reed found that there was only one such wonderful sofa, well, fucked up. Now he was sure that if he stood there a little longer, he would really fall. Deciding to take another look around the room, he even noticed Hank sitting on this sofa, even he came, most likely of course because of the booze, but he doesn't look too drunk, even a little... joyful, probably. He was talking to someone. Even him. Grimacing, Gavin turned away trying not to look in his direction, but something caught his eye. Someone passed by Hank vaguely reminding him... No, it's not him, at least it can't he. Although Reed tried to think so, his gaze involuntarily looked exactly where someone had just walked, vaguely reminding him. He shouldn't have hoped, nothing good ever comes out of it, but no matter how much he tried to convince himself, his thoughts still went to the wrong place. Breathing through his mouth, Gavin squeezed his eyes shut, trying to wipe his sweaty hands on his jeans, his heart made the blood pump through his veins faster, and his knees made him doubt his own stability. My stomach feels empty, it's unbearably bad, there's not enough air, it's too hot. It's stuffy to the point of nausea. Groping in his pocket for a pack of cigarettes, Gavin hurried to the exit to the street.       Still, having reached the door on wobbly legs, Reed went outside inhaling the light spring smell of snow and freedom. The feeling of pressure disappeared in the lungs almost immediately, breathing returned to normal, the heart almost stopped beating furiously, slowly returning to normal. A pleasant chill went through the body, remaining somewhere under the shirt tickling the skin, the coolness was already from the snow that had begun to melt. Finally, he got out of this stuffy room and was able to breathe normally. Closing his eyes slightly, Gavin took out a pack of cigarettes and a lighter from his pocket. Taking out a cigarette with trembling fingers, he was simultaneously looking for something to lean on, finding nothing better than a brick wall of the house, he took a couple of steps towards it. For a second, a weak light lit up in his hands and just as quickly went out, leaving a slightly burning cigar in Reed's hands. Still, after taking a drag, Gavin relaxed completely, leaning his back against the cold and rough wall, the shirt is probably not white anymore. Gray smoke swirled in the air and disappeared after a couple of seconds, an unpleasant taste of tobacco remained in the throat, but it disappeared almost simultaneously with the smoke. Gavin didn't even notice that someone had also gone outside.        — Smoking is harmful. — Connor, who has just appeared, casually remarks.       He was not wearing a cyberlife jacket, nor a tie from him, an ordinary tucked-in shirt with a plain tie, the only distinguishing feature from a person was a diode, he did not take everything off. Relaxed face and slightly raised corners of the lips, he did not stop looking at Gavin, and he doubled over under his gaze.       — I'll figure it out without you, what are you doing here at all? — Trying to sound as indifferent as possible, Reed said, trying to hide a smile that begged to appear at just one glance at Connor.       Standing next to deviant, he looked up at the black star-studded sky. The moon softly illuminated the tall trees, from artificial light sources there was only a single lantern standing in the courtyard of the house.       — Fowler called me, I returned to work as soon as the androids got the right to employment. — Slowly pronouncing this, the deviant does not stop looking at the bright sky.       The stars were randomly scattered along the pitch-dark sky, somewhere in the distance a round moon, a full moon, could be seen. Each star was different, of different size, color, and even location. Somewhere there were constellations that included several stars at once.       Slightly hesitating, Connor takes a step towards Gavin carefully, as if by chance the android touches his hand, trying not to focus attention on it. Gavin, meanwhile, has already tortured himself with thoughts of how Connor treats him now, maybe he hates him? After all, then he was a machine, if all their conversations were fake, if that Connor was fake, everything that connected them was fake. From just such thoughts, the heart ached, and the cigarette began to smoke faster. It hurts, why is Connor silent, why did he come? To remind him of himself, to make it even more painful, because they parted on a bad note, but Gavin didn't know what would happen next, he didn't know.       — Why did you come? — This time trying to sound as less rude as possible — and at the same time struggling with the desire to be rude, which appeared to him every time he felt uncomfortable — Reed asked.       Connor raised his eyebrows in surprise, slightly opening his mouth in sincere surprise. Gavin hated it when Connor did that, he immediately felt guilty, and it was annoying.       — We haven't seen each other for a long time, — Focusing his gaze on the cigarette in Gavin's hands, Connor slightly tilted his head. — and put the cigarette away, you promised to stop smoking.       Feeling the guilt grow in his chest for the unfulfilled promise, Reed throws the half-smoked cigarette butt on the asphalt, whispering to himself that you never know what he promised. Hearing this, Connor laughs softly — and very sweetly — covering his mouth slightly with his hand. Gavin notes to himself that he did not have such a habit before. Damn, he still needed his habit of memorizing.       — Bitch, — Gavin repeats again barely audibly, still concentrating on trampling the already extinct cigarette butt. — Fuck,— Gavin whispers, stretching out a single vowel. — I missed you.       Finally tearing his gaze away from his legs and raising it to Connor, Gavin swallowed nervously, leaning his head against the wall, he did not notice how Connor was opposite him.       — Me too. — The android answers too calmly, so much so that Reed is starting to get mad. Only he had been harassing himself all these six weeks, now he definitely felt uncomfortable.       Trying to behave as naturally as possible, Gavin closed his eyes, simultaneously feeling his back scratching unpleasantly against the cold wall. He didn't know what to do now. Connor knew exactly what his plan of action was. In an instant, touching the detective's shoulders, the deviant pulled him towards him, feeling the detective's warm skin even through his shirt. Gavin did not immediately understand what had happened, Connor's cool lips covered his own, from such a contrast between them, his heart began to pound, and his hands themselves reached out to hug the android. From this, even Connor's always cool body warmed up, he perfectly felt Gavin shivering from the cold, after all, they are not so little here. Snuggling closer to him, Connor wraps his arms around his neck, pulling him closer. He really missed you.       Pulling away, Gavin looked into Connor's brown eyes, which were looking straight at him. Their breathing was short, their hands were sweating, but even that didn't stop them from kissing again. Still, Reed did not regret that for coming to this fucking corporate party today.