ic Cohabitation

[Gizmo]

Trevor Hunter was very good at doing things for very good reasons. A personal moral code that allowed for no compromise and a keen, analytical mind meant that very few of his actions were left to chance, the end result always kept in mind. As such he had a number of excellent arguments for asking Erin White to move into the mansion to which he was heir.

She'd stayed at the manor for a time after they'd moved out of the Claremont dormitories and the arrangement had proved agreeable. Even one of the bedrooms would very nearly afford more room than the entire apartment she was staying in currently, to say nothing of the other facilities. Being closer to the hidden headquarters secreted under the foundation would likely prove useful in their shared work as members of the Liberty League.

Ultimately, however, honestly compelled him to admit privately that the core reason was that he really wanted to.

That note of emotion over logic had the young, dark-haried man pacing nervously across the lobby in a most uncharacteristic display as he waited for Erin to arrive.

[Electra]

Even with as much satisfaction as Erin got from her job at HAX, it was always nice to come to the end of a work day and have a day off ahead of her. She'd had to do a lot of catch-up play in the weeks since her return from the Curator's ringworld, but it seemed as though things were settling back into place. And sure maybe the weekend would be disrupted by some supervillain attack or crazy happening, but she was used to that, too. Getting thrown into space had made her appreciate the time she had with Trevor more, whether it was just relaxing, or tinkering with machines, or fighting evil. 

 

She'd taken the time to stop at home after work, shower and change her clothes, then pick up a few things for the weekend. Unless he had a big project going, Erin figured she could probably wangle an invitation to spend the night. She took the cat too, since the guilt trip over her long absence didn't look likely to stop anytime soon.

 

The sun was just starting to go down when Erin walked into the manor, Charlie on her shoulder and a bag of takeout food in her hand. "Hey," she said, smiling to see Trevor waiting just behind the door. She gave him a quick kiss, then set Charlie on the floor to go play. "I brought supper," she told Trevor with a quick humorous grin. "Wasn't sure what you guys had on hand. It's Chinese." 

[Gizmo]

Trevor had decided it best not to mention that the kitchen nearest the lobby had actually been restocked near to bursting in the aftermath of the explosive outburst from what had turned out to be Erin's robotic doppelganger. He'd intended the gesture to be a peace-offering of sorts but when all was revealed it had turned out to be more than a little uncomfortable. He had gotten the name of a reliable and discreet grocery delivery service from a new acquaintance, however, and arranged for a steady supply of fresh fruit to be brought to the manor as a more balanced token.

Forcing himself not to dwell on the parallels between that visit and this one, Trevor kissed Erin back and took first the bag and then her coat. "Perfect, thank you. Work went well?"

[Electra]

"Yeah, pretty well," she answered, shrugging out of her light windbreaker and handing it over. "I've had a lot of catching up to do, but it could've been worse .Evil Robot me had a lot of faults, but she was hell on wheels when it came to doing the paperwork at the office. Guess she thought making mistakes or falling behind would draw attention. I've been meaning to ask," she added as he headed towards the coat closet, "have you seen my winter coat and hat anywhere? I haven't been able to find them since I came back, and I think the robot must have left them somewhere." Erin wore the coat mostly for show since the cold didn't bother her, but it was important that she keep track of her clothes. "It's not at HAX, and I know she wasn't wearing it when she got blown up, since she ruined my best uniform doing that." 

[Gizmo]

Making a soft sound of recollection, Trevor gestured as he hung Erin's windbreaker up in the nearby closet, indicating the heavier coat already hanging there and the hat resting of the shelf above it. "Forgot that was there. Distracted," he admitted, leading the way further into the mansion, stepping carefully as Charlie darted out in front of his feet. It wasn't like he hadn't had more pressing concerns on his mind than misplaced winterwear recently but he still felt a pang of guilt like he did about most things surrounding Erin's temporary replacement.

Reaching a relatively smaller dining room adjacent to the larger sitting room by the entrance, Trevor unpacked the takeout and began fishing about the bag for chopsticks. "Plenty of room for it," he noted off-handedly, the small flick of his wrist considerably more body language than he usually employed.

[Electra]

"Oh, good! Now watch me forget it there again," Erin admitted with a wry chuckle. Part of her wondered if the robot had been programmed to forget her coat because it was something Erin herself would've done. "But it's true, the only thing you have more of around this place than kitchens is closets." Dropping into a seat, she took a pair of chopsticks as well and began digging into a box of palace chicken. Charlie began miaowing piteously from the floor, but she was unmoved. "You get your kibble later," she reminded him. Go catch a mouse or something." As Charlie sulked, Erin dumped another packet of sweet and sour sauce on her chicken. "How was school?" she asked Trevor. "Got any cool projects going?" 

[Gizmo]

Trevor made a flat sound with his tongue as he found a container of spring rolls and took a seat. "Tch. Theory, lately. Dull." It wasn't that brushing up on the planning side of engineering wasn't still useful, but considering some of the things the young gadgeteer had already built, even under pressure, it was difficult to back to writing out formulae over and over. "Redbird expressed interest in synthoids." The autonomic machine intelligence wasn't particularly interested in being any more human or even organic in general but on Earth her nature made it much more difficult to interact with other beings than she was accustomed to on the Silver Tree. "Debating wisdom there."

[Electra]

"Redbird wants a robot body?" Erin blinked at the idea. "I sort of thought she was more a vehicle-minded AI. It seems like if you put her in a robot body, the first thing she'd do is try to take it to eighty on the freeway." Unable to harden her heart to Charlie's mournful creeling, she stripped the breading off a bit of chicken and tossed it to the floor. Charlie pounced the meat as though he hadn't eaten in days, batting it between his paws and going in for the kill. "I mean, it might be useful, but... I dunno." She shook her head and picked up a crab rangoon. "Would she like stay in it when she was at the Manor and walk around in the house and stuff?" 

[Gizmo]

"Ha, doubtful," Trevor snorted softly, briefly imaging a robotic Redbird wandering aimlessly about like a statuesque roomba. "You're right, she's not interested in being bipedal full time. Get the impression she finds legs as a means of propulsion vaguely hilarious." The AI was polite enough about it but she had a strong competitive streak when it came to speed.

That social nature was part of the issue. "More an extension of her hologram, for interaction. Furion riders rarely leave their vehicles. Even then, other autonomic machine intelligences about. Here, she gets... bored." The secrecy of her existence on Earth meant that Redbird spent a lot of time at loose ends. Unlike the spaceways of the Terminus, the crowded city streets of Freedom were not always practical places for a motorcycle, in or out of battle. "Nothing she's set on. Just an idea. Interesting challenge, at least."

[Electra]

Erin considered that, tapping her chopsticks thoughtfully against the side of the carton. "Yeah, I guess that's a good point. I hadn't really thought about how much time she spends in the garage, or I guess I hadn't thought that it might bother her. If she wants to get out more, a robot body would probably be what she needs. Though she'd also need people to hang out with, or a hobby group or something like that." She grinned mischievously. "Or you could get her a hack license and drop her into one of the bigger cars, let her be the Night Taxi. I hear taxi drivers get all the best stories, and woe betide the idiot who tries to mug her." 

 

She took another bite of her chicken, then gestured to the bag. "I got shrimp fried rice and dumplings for your grandpa. You think he's ready for dinner? We could invite him down." 

[Gizmo]

With chopsticks raised partway out of a paper carton, Trevor paused. "That... is a very good idea," he judged, blinking ruby and onyx eyes once as he considered. "Brilliant. Ha." Erin's suggestion addressed the actual problem head on and much more neatly than any of the complex engineering solutions he'd been considering. Letting his utensils rest in the food container he stood up enough to lean over and kiss Erin briefly on the forehead in a gesture equally affectionate and appreciative.

"Downstairs," he answered her question as he sat down again. Given that they were already at ground level, his meaning was clear; his grandfather, the original Midnight, had sequestered himself in the headquarters below the mansion for the time being. "Chemist journal came today. Intent on proving one of the papers 'idiot child rantings'." Retired though he may have been, Travis was still a sharply keen mind with little tolerance for anything short of perfection.

After a moment of hesitation, he continued, "If Redbird starts going out, Gramps rarely feeling social, mansion feels empty." He gestured around them vaguely with one hand and Erin recognized the tone he unconsciously took when he was reciting a practiced argument. "Lots of space."

[Electra]

Erin grinned, surprised and gratified that her off-the-cuff suggestion had gone over so well. But it did make a lot of sense, Redbird was more comfortable as a vehicle than she'd probably be in a biped body, and taxiing would let her meet lots of interesting people. Rather pleased with herself, she doused an egg roll in sweet and sour sauce and ate it while listening to Trevor. "That should keep him busy awhile," she agreed. "I'll just toss his stuff in the fridge." 

 

She sat back in her chair and cocked her head when he started talking about the house, clued in by the tone that this was something he'd been thinking about. "It's a lot of space," she agreed. Trevor and Travis didn't use a lot of it, and though they were both neat people, a general air of musty neglect pervaded a lot of the areas they didn't use everyday. "A lot to keep up for two people, but it's worth it for the furnished basement. You ever thought of getting a team in here to really go over the place, do all the carpets, steam the curtains, touch up paint and all that? You know, spring cleaning sort of deal. Maybe it would feel less empty." 

[Gizmo]

"Privacy outweighs convenience of a service, but, ah..." Trevor forced himself to continue with his original aim despite the convenient excuse of a potential digression. "Had another solution in mind. If you're interested." He let the momentum carry him along before that had a chance to sink in, one hand brushing over his forehead into his dark hair. "You know I loose track of time. Working on a project, a stakeout, don't realize it's morning... When the Curator's robot was evading detection, when I thought you were avoiding me... can recount every hour. When we realized you'd been taken, before I knew how to get you back... every second." It was a considerably more complex sentiment than he was accustomed to vocalizing and his expression subtly showed the difficulty he was having. "Would prefer to avoid that, going forward."

[Electra]

Abandoning her food for the moment, Erin scooted her char around to bring it up next to Trevor. She put her hand over his and squeezed lightly. "Hey, I would too," she agreed wholeheartedly. "When we were on the ringworld, I was hardly worried for myself most of the time, because it was just urban survival and I know how to do that. With Steve and Jill and Blue Jay there too, it was practically a camping excursion. But I couldn't stop thinking about what was happening on Earth, whether I'd been taken out of the way so something could get to you, or if my doppelganger was wearing my face and trying to hurt you. But I don't know how we stop it from happening again," she admitted. "All of us took precautions with our own safety, except maybe Dorothy, who had them taken on her behalf. I wouldn't call any of us easy marks, and we still all got pulled right from our beds." 

 

She sighed for that, then lifted his hand and pressed the backs of his fingers to her own cheek. "Sometimes you've got to roll with what happens. But we did a pretty damn good job there. I still remember watching you send those Grue ships packing." Her lips curved. "I don't know if Grue can wet their pants, but if they can, I bet they did." 

[Gizmo]

"Don't think they have clothing," Trevor deadpanned, turning his hand over on Erin's cheek and lightly tracing the curve of her cheek with his fingertips. Even with that bit of levity thinking about her being abducted in her sleep forced him to close his eyes briefly and let out a slow, steadying breath, quiet enough that Erin might have missed it if they hadn't been so close together. "Thinking was... Option, if you're interested..." he began again, his voice level but with the cadence of someone trying to phrase something in the best possible manner and finally opting for directness. "Like you to move in. Here. Into the manor."

[Electra]

"Move into the manor?" Erin blinked, her brow furrowing as she thought about that suggestion. It wasn't an entirely novel idea, she'd lived in the manor for a little while after graduation, while she was still getting on her feet and putting away money for her apartment. She'd had a guest bedroom with plenty of room for her few possessions, and it had worked out all right, for all it hadn't really been a place of her own. It was hard to tell whether Trevor was suggesting that as a higher-security living arrangement for her, or if he meant the offer as something more. 

 

"Do you mean like we did after graduation?" she asked tentatively, "sort of a housemates kind of thing? I mean I guess it would be more secure..."

[Gizmo]

"Not... exactly," Trevor answered, mentally backpedaling and trying to figure out how best to make himself clear. He was surprisingly adept at communicating with only a handful of words, conveying instructions and information in the most succinct terms possible. Expressing emotion verbally, on the other hand, was virtually alien territory for him and difficult terrain at that. "Not 'living in the same building' so much as 'living together'," he attempted, his free hand absently finding its way into his hair again. He wasn't actually sure if that had made any sense aloud. "Understand need for space. Doesn't need to be immediate or even soon. But... Have a list of convincing benefits, if you like."

[Electra]

That got a grin from Erin, the corners of her eyes crinkling as she pretended to consider that. "A list of benefits, hmm?" She rested her face on her palm, neatly keeping his fingers pressed against her cheek as she did so. Maybe it was a little mean to enjoy seeing Trevor so discombobulated, but it was a rare thing in someone so organized and decisive. And it meant that what he was saying was especially important, and that was good to know. "I'm willing to be persuaded," she decided, settling in to listen to his pitch. 

[Gizmo]

Trevor gave Erin a wounded, almost mournful look of betrayal as she sentenced him to further fumbling for words. Still, this was worth a little struggle. "Convenience goes without saying," he began matter-of-factly, an attitude belied by the tender touch of his fingers on her cheek. "Ready access to facilities, reduced commuting, emergency response time. Financially sound. Closets larger than your current kitchen." The young detective's thin lips parted slightly as he paused to frame his thoughts. "I am better around you. Happier. Ideas are better, smarter, quicker." He allowed one corner of his mouth turn subtly upward. "Potential benefit to humanity incalculable."

[Electra]

That drew a snicker from her. "So you're saying moving in with you is the heroic thing to do, then?" She wrapped her fingers around his, bringing them to her lips and kissing the knuckles as she thought about the... well, it wasn't a proposal, and she wasn't going to call it a proposition. The plan, then, that he'd laid out. "It would be easier to go on missions," she agreed, "and I wouldn't have to worry about Charlie if I ended up away from home for awhile. Plus, you know, all the intangible benefits..." She smiled, but then was quiet for a minute. 

 

"I think," she finally said, "that if I were to move in, it would have to be with a few conditions. One is that I help pay for things. Yeah, I know, I know," she went on waving a hand to forestall any objections. "But if I'm not contributing, I'm really just a guest, right? I have money now, and even if it's just like groceries and the water bill, I want to do something. And the other is that you've gotta get that cleaning crew in, at least once. Your house is so pretty, but there's dust in it that's older than I am." She met his eyes levelly, still holding his hand. 

[Gizmo]

"Easily done," Trevor agreed readily, shifting the fingers of the hand Erin held to thread the them through her own fingers. Money might not have been much an issue to the wealthy heir but he was hardly about to begrudge Erin the right to spend what she earned how she liked, particularly since it was still likely to be considerably less than the rent she paid currently. The cleaning crew would take a little preparation but was probably a good idea regardless.

Letting his faint smile turn more serious, he clarified, "Don't mean to pressure. Know making your own place is important to you." Selfish reasons aside, he only wanted this to happen if it was something Erin wanted as well. "Just want you to know you've made a place for yourself here, too."

[Electra]

"I needed to know I could do it, and I did," she told him, relaxing a little more. "I got my own job, my own place, paid my bills, sort-of filed my own taxes." The taxes bit was a stretch, she'd sent her W-2s to Trevor's father when he asked for them, since he was much less likely than she to accidentally commit tax fraud while trying to account for her investment income. In any case, she'd paid taxes, and that counted as a very independent and adult responsibility. "And my apartment was okay, but it was lonely," she admitted, then grinned ruefully. "And small." 

 

She hesitated for a moment, struggling with the words. Apparently that was a thing for both of them tonight, when the words were important. "A place of my own was important," she finally said, "but I think now I'm ready to work on a place of our own." She ducked her head, unaccountably nervous for a moment, then made herself look up and meet the strange eyes  that were now so familiar and special.

[Gizmo]

Trevor looked back into Erin's brown eyes, glossy black orbs marked by luminous ruby irises unblinking for several long moments. Ultimately, the dark haired young man decided that struggling for words was overrated when actions could better convey his meaning. Takeout cartons forgotten, he rose from his seat, pulling Erin up along with him with their linked hands while drawing her closer with the other. The kiss he tilted his chin to give her was slow but deepened steadily, taking its time to fully make his feelings about her decision crystal clear.

[Electra]

Just as glad to leave the difficult business of words behind, Erin closed her eyes and wrapped her arms around him, sliding one hand behind his neck and up into his hair to keep him exactly where she wanted him. The kiss was an excellent reminder of the benefits of moving in, and helped to stifle the small but annoying voice of worry in her head. They loved each other and worked well together and wanted to be together, but what about the times when something random would set her off and bring all the old memories scratching at the door till all she wanted was to get away somewhere safe and private to pull herself together? And was it really a good thing to let him see how many nights, even after four years of careful therapy, she still woke crying out from nightmares of a place that didn't even exist anymore? 

 

Ruthlessly, she gathered up the worries and shoved them into a far corner of her mind, even as she eased back from the kiss to just hold onto Trevor for a moment. It was silly, she reminded herself, to think she wouldn't be able to find moments of solitude in a house this size. Once the place was cleaned up and all usable space again, three occupants would rattle around like dice in a cup. And though she might hate displaying the weakness in herself, it helped not to wake alone. They'd figure it out.

 

"Mrrr?" came a trill from near her feet. Looking down, Erin was just in time to see Charlie untie and pounce on one of her shoelaces. He looked up at her, regarding her with an expression that was undoubtedly satisfaction. "You don't get a vote," she told the cat, "but you know you like it here. They have mice and floor-length curtains." 

[Gizmo]

Bending accommodating into Erin's insistent embrace, a low, soft rumble came from the back of Trevor's throat as the kiss was returned. He could feel the auburn haired young woman force the tension in her shoulders away and was content to simply be a silent, reassuring presence until Charlie's interruption drew a quiet chuckle. As her knelt enough to scratch the cat behind his ears, light footfalls and the louder tap of a cane approaching announced his grandfather's arrival from the caverns below.
 
"Mere two hours to prove Hale incompetent. Peer reviewed journal my--" Entering the dining room, Travis took in the younger couple's body language with a glance and stopped in the doorway, tapping his cane one against the hardwood floor. "Agreed, did she?" Reflexively looking first to Erin for confirmation, Trevor gave the elder Hunter a succinct nod. Travis grunted in approval, returning the nod. "Good. Long past time this was more home than mausoleum. Glad to have you, Erin." Nodding absently to himself a few time, the retired hero stroked his carefully trimmed goatee with one hand and tapped his care again with the other. "Well. Just came to retrieve some dinner to take back downstairs. Some people still know what the scientific method means, hmph."