Title: Accidentally on Purpose?

Rating: G

Category: Challenge fic, as set by Kate over at Amorous Intent

Challenge: Have Eames call Goren 'cuddle monkey.'

~x~

"Don't say it," he warned, his eyes flashing dangerously.

"Don't make me," Eames retorted, and they went back to glaring at each other across the desk.

~x~

Earlier that day...

It had happened by accident. Truly. She had sworn up and down, back and forth, until her throat was parched and she was blue in the face that it was an honest to goodness accident. He had taken one look at her barely concealed smirk and hadn't believed her.

~x~

Goren made a show of ruffling papers and picking up and throwing down folders. "Where's my notebook?" he demanded.

"In your drawer," she replied, not even bothering to look up.

"Been snooping in there too, have you?"

"Give it a rest, Goren. I saw you put it in there earlier."

"Convenient."

She just allowed her lips to curl into a mocking sneer, and won the battle.

~x~

Earlier...

She'd flipped open her laptop and had been surprised to find that someone had logged on before her. Someone had been checking their mail. Someone had received a rather large and rather startling attachment. At this point, she still hadn't known who that someone was. But being of a curious nature, she'd scrolled up the page to check out the address. She'd blinked, scrolled back down the page, and blinked again. Then she'd laughed. It was at that point that Goren had appeared.

~x~

He couldn't take it anymore. "Okay!" he exploded, "Just get it over and done with!"

"What?" she asked sweetly, making sure to bat her lashes.

"You know what," he growled.

"I'm sure I don't know what you mean."

"Eames -"

"Ye-es?" More eyelash motion, and he threw his hands up in defeat and stormed across the room to grab some coffee.

~x~

Earlier...

He'd completely misread her laughter, of course. Then he'd completely overreacted. She'd tried to placate him, tried to explain that it wasn't that bad; that it was just an accident and anyway, she really hadn't seen that much, but he wasn't buying it. He knew exactly how bad it was, and since she couldn't stop grinning he knew that she'd seen everything. So he'd ranted some more, and then he accused her of going through his mail on purpose. That had really set her temper off. He'd been on her computer, for crying out loud. He hadn't asked, he hadn't logged out, and somewhere along the way he'd even changed her screensaver. It was completely his fault, and she was done with apologising. She'd seen what she'd seen, and that was that.

~x~

He waited all day for her to say something. She kept silent, knowing that she was driving him crazy. She wanted to make him sweat a little for the way he'd accused her – actually, she wanted to make him sweat a lot. Because she had no doubt at all that if the situation were reversed he would set about making her life a living hell.

Their eyes met and she couldn't help herself. She grinned and he grimaced, and they both remembered the picture of a little Goren in a lime-green t-shirt emblazoned with bright yellow letters and nothing else, grinning happily at an unseen camera.

~x~

"I'm going."

"Uh huh," she nodded.

"See you tomorrow?"

"Yup."

He relaxed. Maybe he could ride this thing out after all. "'Night then," he said, and walked to the elevator.

She waited until he was inside and the doors were almost closed before answering. "'Night...Cuddle Monkey." Then the elevator 'pinged' and she doubled over and laughed until her stomach hurt and tears rolled down her cheeks.

As he drove home he fancied that he could hear her laughter following him all the way across the city, and made a mental note to have his cousin pulled over and body searched for ever sending him that stupid photo.

End