Title: Dressing Up
Fandom: Almost Human
Rating: G
Length: ~960
Content notes: Rudy & Dorian.
Author notes: Spoilerish for something that's revealed in episode 12.
Summary: Rudy's got something to celebrate, maybe.



Rudy looks at himself in the mirror and adjusts his tie for the tenth time this morning. It's not as if he doesn't appreciate nice clothes - he's always loved a waistcoat - but for work it's just not practical, and, well, there just isn't that much call for it. He's not twenty anymore, a fact that his body has clocked but his brain is still having trouble with.

However, there are occasions in his life these days that call for a nicer outfit than the usual.

He puts on a hat and glances at himself in the mirror,thinking it suits him but is it too much of a statement? He takes it off again and cocks his head. Maybe he'll be in a better state to decide these things once he gets to the lab. He puts it in his bag, careful not to dent it, and makes his way to work.

He nods casually at the MX in the hall as he makes his way down to the lab.

"You are not on duty today, Dr Lom."

Rudy fishes a strand of hair out of his face and nods quickly a couple of times.

"That's right. Just here for a couple of hours, like the place so much I can't stop."

The MX gives him a scan and lets him pass. He breathes a sigh of relief and makes his way down to the lab.

His heart is beating fast by the time he gets there. A few years ago, he'd have told himself it was just the speed he was walking at, but he's honest enough with himself to admit that he's more excited than he probably should be about waking up the DRN, about waking up Dorian.

He adjusts his waistcoat and tries the hat again. After a long hard look at himself in the mirror, he decides against it after all and puts it down with a sigh. If he - if they were going outside, he'd be able to justify it, but indoors it throws too much shade across his face.

He straightens up and  drags a comb across his hair, looks at himself one final time. It's not perfect, it never is, but it's the best he can manage and it will have to do. He walks over to the storage unit, starts unlocking and unwrapping until he's face to face with Dorian and can touch the activator this left ear.

It's always his favourite moment, seeing Dorian open his eyes and waking up, booting up. For a split second, they are unfocused before they recognize him, just like someone waking up next to you in the morning.

He shakes the thought as the wires under Dorian's skin come to electric life and the green light pulses across his cheeks. Dorian takes a breath and sits up, looking at him. Rudy bites his lip. Dorian blinks twice, then smiles.

"Good morning, Rudy. You look nice today."

Rudy stops worrying his lower lip and smiles back.

"And you." He draws a small object out of his pocket and puts it into Dorian's palm. He presses a small button on its side and it starts unfurling, exposing wings, feelers, a slender body in between. Dorian opens his mouth in delight as the butterfly starts flapping its wings, making a circle around his head once, twice. It descends and Rudy catches it safely, puts it back into Dorian's hand.

"Beautiful," Dorian says, and then, "is it a gift?"

Rudy swallows and nods. "Suppose it is, yes." He starts turning his back.

"What's the occasion?" 

"Nothing special, I make them all the time, it's just I don't think I ever showed you one, so."

Dorian nods with a slow smile. "So the fact that it's three years to the day since you woke me up for the first time is just a coincidence."

"Didn't even notice. You know how I am with dates. And it's not a gift as such, really, I thought you might have some input into the design, they're far from perfect, I've got the blueprints if you wouldn't mind helping -"

"Rudy."

He stops talking, notices Dorian's hand around his wrist and looks back at him.

"Thank you."

Rudy clears his throat.

"And that waistcoat really suits you. Brings out your eyes."

Rudy shakes his hand free gently and blinks a couple of times. "I think you need some colour recalibration, my friend."

Dorian looks at his feet, then back up at Rudy.

"All I meant to say is, I appreciate the gift. And your fancy clothes."

"I dress like this all the time." 

Dorian can't hide his smile and Rudy, not for the first time, wonders if synthetic souls really were such a good idea.

He clears his throat.

"Now, as I was saying, those blueprints..."

He turns around and starts bringing plans up on a screen. Dorian gets up and follows him into the lab. Rudy imagines he saw him roll his eyes, but tries not to think about it.

The fact that Dorian starts touching his waistcoat some minutes after, allegedly to feel the texture, is a bit harder to ignore.

He puts Dorian back to sleep with a sigh at the end of the day. He's never sure if erasing their conversations would make things better or worse, but today has made thinking about that decision harder than any other occasion before this.

In the end, he goes home and decides to defer the decision to the next time. Maybe his head will be clearer by then.