2020-05-02 - Welcome Home

Technically they were supposed to have their first night in last night but work happened and Easton had to cancel. The fact that he was still reeling from the Dream with Lilith and Ruiz and his temper felt wildly out of control. But with a little more time, he's rallied and the night has come. He's had time to setup the cabin, including getting a fire going and lighting a candle or two in each of the rooms.

He swings by to pick her up directly from work in the Jeep and take her up to the cabin. He pulls up and puts the Jeep in park and pauses looking over at her with a glint in his eye, "You ready?" He doesn't get out just yet, waiting, building anticipation (as if that were needed).

The warm glow of the fire and the candles flicker in the windows in the last light of the day, looking cozy af.

The notion of having proper luggage is foreign to Bennie, so she's brought along a big black trash bag full of clothes and her purse is stuffed with the smaller items. Sure, they're not completely moving in tonight, but why waste the trip.

She spent the drive over nearly vibrating with excitement. This isn't like moving into his place. This is going to be their first home that's decidedly theirs, and she simply can't sit still.

As Easton stalls, Bennie squirms in her seat. "You're killing me, Smalls!" She already has her unicorn keyfob gripped in her tight fist, aching to put the key in the lock before she goes mad. Finally she's had enough of this nonsense! "Last one in has to call for pizza!"

Easton has the advantage that he's already seen the place. He laughs and says, "Alright, go! I'll grab the bags." He just has his rucksack in the back of the Jeep. He pulls the bags and follows after her, not at a run.

"But doctor pizza always gives you that 'rocked my world' discount.." It's not true, but it's kind of funny.

The cabin is mostly bare. There's a candle on the kitchen counter flickering and a bottle of champagne sitting in a bowl of ice with two glasses. Easton was obviously not fucking around when it comes to getting the place setup. The fire is burning in the fireplace has the place nice and toasty.

Dropping the bags Easton asks, "Can I pour you a glass or do you want the tour first?"

Bennie's still sort of standing in the doorway, shuffling aside only as Easton comes up with the bags. As he speaks, she just holds up her hand with a quick, "Shush." She wants to let it all sink in.

Slowly her head swivels, sweeping left to right and trying to absorb every little detail and the care that Easton took in making this moment ridiculously perfect. Finally one shoulder slumps if only to let her purse slip off its hitch before she turns back to Easton with a wide smile and teary eyes. Without a word of warning or even a murmur of appreciation, she full on goes to jump and tackle him with a squeal of utter Bennie joy.

Easton shuts up when told to shush and is content to let her take it all in. It's a house. Their house. Not a trailer, not a drawer in his apartment. He knows it's a big deal, that's why he took the time to do candles and champagne. It's why he didn't let her come pick out a place because he didn't trust that she wouldn't get weirded out by picking out a house. And so he stands there quietly.

Then she turns and goes to kiss him and say how perf- .. wait what? No? Just tackles. He oomphs and manages to stay on his feet.

"So I take it you hate it?"

"It's completely awful." Bennie states with her arms wrapped around him and half on top of him, lowering her weight back down to the ground so they don't eventually topple. "I don't know how you could think I'd love so something so absolutely perfect." She'd pull off the sarcasm better if she could wipe that full thousand watt smile off her face. But the farce ends quickly. "I love it. It already feels like...home." Ugh, she nearly chokes out the last word because her voice is breaking with emotion, so rather than try to say anything else, now comes the kiss but she can't sit still long enough for it to really warm up to anything more than happy affection.

"Champagne. No! Tour. Wait. Champagne while on the tour!"

Stiffling a smile when she tells him how terrible it is and completely unlovable Easton just nods along, like that is of course the response. But when she says it feels like home he beams, he can't help it. It does. Home. Their home. He kisses her back but lightly, knowing there are far more important things to do right now besides christen as many surfaces as they can find.

"Champagne on the tour it is." He pops the cork and lets it bubble out into the sink, not on the floor or anything too lavish, he still likes order too much for that, but it's something. He pours two glasses and says, "I'd say we should save the bedroom for last but there's no bed so I don't think it's any more or less dangerous."

Bennie prances over to him - yes, prances - an excited little dance of joy that's bubbling over like the bottle of champagne. "Weren't we supposed to break the bottle on the side of the house. No, that's a ship. And a waste. Yay, champagne! I feel so amazingly posh right now. I think I've only had the bubbly," Said in her best snobby voice she can muster, and worst British accent ever, "On New Year's Eve." She takes her glass gingerly, like it's Waterford Crystal. "To us. And home. And bedrooms currently without beds like that'd actually stop us."

"Yea, pretty sure that's a ship." But he squints, not sure if it's also houses for Navy people? He grins and clinks glasses, "It's not my favorite but it's the right drink for a special occasion." Pouring himself three fingers of bourbon would be preferable but probably not quite as classy or well received on Bennie's part. He agrees. "To home!"

After a sip he shakes his head and says, "Beds are for amateurs. I'm wondering how we're going to handle the ladder in the loft." And he starts the tour downstairs, the main area is obvious, but the guest bedroom and bath are shown, each with a flickering candle. Turning on lights would just ruin the 'camping out' effect. "I figure we can maybe have Geoff and Harper crash? I don't think I can do a full blown house warming ..." He tries not to shudder thinking about being trapped in a suburban life of housewarming parties and baby showers and .. is it hot in here? Oooh champagne. Catching himself he says, "Anyway, upstairs?"

"Easy! We'll get some repelling gear..." Because clearly, the ladder needs to be Christened too. Seeing the house by candlelight brings up another little giddy sound from Bennie as she follows behind him, peering into the shadowed closet space and then doing a lap around the guest bedroom while sipping her champagne and scrunching up nose as the bubbles tickle it. "I'm a bit partied out anyways, after my birthday extravaganza. Heck, I think I'm still hungover. Can we put off guests for just a little bit? I want to revel in this being 'Just Ours' for a little while." She hooks an arm around him for a squeeze and agrees, "Upstairs."

Easton nods and narrows his eyes considering how that would work. He nods and goes through a couple practice movements as if picturing exactly before agreeing, "Yea. Yea, that would work." He links arms with her happily and continues the tour upstairs, "There's a little room here, maybe for Gunner? I don't really need an office.." And look he's a sweet guy but he's not perfect so he doesn't say sewing room or crafting space because he doesn't think like that. But then he's moving on to the master which isn't huge, but has tall vaulted ceiling up to a loft and big windows. "It's actually not a ton more space than the apartment.." because the apartment is huge. And he waits outside the master bathroom, trying to hide his excitement at showing her something.

"Your desk at the bar would get jealous..." Bennie says as they survey the little side room and he rules out an office. She pauses, biting her lip, and then dares to venture because this is Their house and she wants to feel comfortable enough about carving out her own imprint on the space. "Maybe I could keep all my sewing crap in here, so then it wouldn't be underfoot and you wouldn't be cussing at my creative chaos. Gunner and I can share!"

She follows him upstairs, navigating with her glass of champagne instead of leaving it behind. Perish the thought. "It'll feel like tons more space because we're not sharing walls with other people, or having to take an elevator from the parking garage just to get home..." Tons of perks! She pauses when he does, head tilted with suspicion. "Whaaaaat?"

"Sure." Easton readily agrees to sewing space, maybe too readily when he considers what a 'creative chaos' space might look like. But to his credit his eye doesn't start twitching, at least yet.

/Whaaat/

Easton can't help but break out a grin and slide the barn door back to show her the master bathroom. It's nice, nothing crazy, but tucked in under a skylight is a free standing bathtub, little candles floating in the water. Across the bathtub is a simple wooden plank meant for holding a drink or a book, but in this case has one nice little joint rolled up and waiting on it. He's very proud of this particular little bit of housewarming business. He motions her into the bathroom but doesn't follow, letting her see for herself.

At first it's as if Bennie is afraid someone's going to leap out and yell, 'Surprise' or maybe stab her. She half scrunches up one eye as he starts to slide the door open but when nothing jump-scares her or makes her a pin cushion, she ventures in to see what that grin is all about.

"Oh." She says softly, but it's word of wonder, softly spoken before it's quickly followed up by, "Oh. Em. Gee. Oh, babe. Babe. BABE." She reaches to put her glass on the counter lest it fall from her trembling fingers. Hands go to tent over her mouth. Because? She's crying. At least they're happy tears!

Easton lets her walk in and see the space and react before doing anything. He sets his glass down as well, and then slips his arms around her waist from behind at the series of babes. "Yea. So this is our place." He leans his chin on her shoulder, only having to lift it a little bit. "Welcome home."