(Untitled)

[wishesandsmoke]

Eden had a penchant for taking in strays: the kitten who'd appeared in her home one day, the show dog who'd been left behind, the cheerleader she'd lied to for so long and a somewhat alarming number of hapless scientists. These last, at least, had been spread out over several years and she'd never actually brought them home to live with her

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[nerdinacape]

Grigg puttered. That was the only word that could be used to describe what he spent his time doing. Puttering. He would fiddle with gadgets, help with a bit of building, do some reading and some writing. More often than he would admit to, a nap would be taken and he would often go off to find someone to speak to. He had a list of those he preferred, but anyone would do.

Eden was never just anyone. Grinning when he saw her, he did his best to sneak up on her. Splashing into the water, he came to stand just behind her. "Guess who."

[wishesandsmoke]

Eden bit her lip and closed her eyes, pretending deep concentration. "Hmm," she said, "Rupert?" There was never much need for guessing with Grigg, at least not when it came to this. She leaned back against him just a little before she turned to him, grinning even as she clucked her tongue. "Ah, it's you. Well, I guess you'll do." There was no sign of anything like disappointment in her expression.

[nerdinacape]

Making an exaggerated face of pain he let out a long, low whistle. Grigg knew that she was only teasing and it was the fair sort of joking payback for his failed attempt at being stealthy.

"Oh, ouch," he shook his head slightly, the smile on his face betraying him. He had no hard feelings and he enjoyed simply having her near. "I'm glad that I could be of some service. Though if you want I could just go."

[wishesandsmoke]

"Oh, no, don't do that," said Eden, earnest even as she laughed, slipping her arms up over his shoulders. "Stay. What are you up to?" Her own afternoon was clear, and she couldn't help hoping his was, too, that he'd just stick around and give her another reason to be glad she was here. All her previous relationships having been such a failure, it still surprised her sometimes that things were going so well between them, but then, she'd never really dated someone like Grigg before.

[nerdinacape]

His intention had never been to go very far. Laughing slightly, he nodded as an indication that he would stay. There was nothing wrong with being asked to do something he had planned on.

"Nothing," Grigg said almost instinctively. There were some habits that age couldn't stamp out of a man and that answer was one of them. "Well not nothing, just nothing much. Puttering I think is the word for it."

[wishesandsmoke]

"Puttering," echoed Eden with a laugh, brow raising a little. "Sounds... incredibly dull. It's a good thing you found me." He found ways to keep himself occupied that still didn't look like much to her, but as long as they entertained him, she didn't question it. Either way, he still wound up here with her, and that was good enough for her.

[nerdinacape]

"Well it kind of is." It felt like a confession of sorts. As boring as puttering almost always was, Grigg found it to be strangely comforting. There was always something that could be toyed with, thought upon, fiddled with. It made the more hyperactive parts of him feel at ease.

"Very good. I could have gotten myself into tons of trouble if I hadn't."

[wishesandsmoke]

The idea almost made her laugh. It was true, but it didn't feel true; it was difficult to imagine Grigg getting into trouble, but it wasn't as if he hadn't before. Instead she pushed up on her toes to kiss him. "Is that what I'm for?" she asked. "To keep you out of trouble?" He should have picked a different girl, then, she thought, and then it passed. She hadn't been trouble in a long, long time.

[nerdinacape]

"No." He said grinning broadly and kissing both of her cheeks. He hadn't been a problem child let alone a problem adult. He made decisions impulsively but there was always a safety net that kept him from ruining things entirely.

"It is just a benefit. I don't want to misbehave around you unless you're on board. Then it is definitely okay."

[wishesandsmoke]

"Oh, then it's totally okay," teased Eden, pushing up on her toes again with a laugh to tap her finger against his nose. "I'm partial to a little misbehaving myself." Maybe it had been ages since she'd actually caused any, but she liked to think she still knew how to have fun, anyway, even here.

[nerdinacape]

"I bet you are." Grigg meant it and he also meant no harm by it. Eden might know how to get up to no good but he trusted her to not ruin everything when she did so.

"We could always misbehave together. Two is better than one and everything. Though I'll be honest, I'm kind of terrible at it."

[wishesandsmoke]

"You're good enough at the parts that count," Eden said, lashes fluttering suggestively. She'd had bad boys enough, however briefly, back in L.A. Those days were long past, and she didn't feel she'd lost much when she'd left it all behind, more as if she were becoming herself instead.

[nerdinacape]

Fortunately for his dignity, Grigg managed to not blush but rather felt just a little pleased at the complement. "At least that's something. Together, we'll be unstoppable, huh?"

He could work with that. In fact with Eden joining it might just be a great time.