Cameron's house

[ripoffthebandge]

Cameron's house has been decorated for the holidays. There are strings of lights hung tastefully around the front door and over the shrubs. Inside there is a small tree with a few ornaments, lights and tinsel and several wrapped gifts beneath it

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[ineedavicodin]

Christmas isn't his thing. Not at all. But he's come to her door, bearing a small gift bag. He uses his cane to punch the door bell. He really just wants to turn around and go home.

[ripoffthebandge]

She answers the door, smiling and dressed in a simple white dress that's probably better suited for summer, but she's got so many things going on inside that she's rather warm. Her eyes tip down and catch a glimpse of the gift bag and, even if it's not for her, she's happy he put forth the effort.

"Hi!" she chirps and waves for him to step inside. "I don't know if you're hungry or not, but what I've been cooking for dinner's almost ready."

[ineedavicodin]

"I'm always hungry." He steps in to what feels like a gingerbread cottage for all the warmth and Christmasy smells.

[walnutgingertea]

Still smiling. "That's what I like to hear." She pushes the door closed and refrains from hugging him - at least for now.

"Can I take your coat?" she asks and feels almost ridiculous asking, though she's not sure why. "And, would you like a drink?" she points to the four or five bottles she has lined up on the counter - her makeshift bar.

[ineedavicodin]

"Where are you taking it?" He hasn't let go of the gift bag, shifts it from hand to hand along with his cane, to slip his coat off.

[ripoffthebandge]

"Oh, I was just going to drive it around, show it the pretty Christmas lights. I'll be back in about an hour."

She helps him get out of his coat and even pretends to walk toward the door. Points to her for coming up with that off the top of her head.

[ineedavicodin]

"You do that." It's when he turns around, s if he doesn't care, that he sees the piano. His piano. In the little nook he'd assessed to be perfect for it, when Cameron first moved in.

"I don't remember the red bow." He glides over to it, his steps effortless when he's not thinking about it.

[ripoffthebandge]

She's smiling so brightly it's possibly canceling out the candles. "It came that way," she comments innocently. There's a small box under the tree with his name on it that contains a spare key to the front door - so he can come play.

[ineedavicodin]

"I bet it did." He set the gift bag he'd carried on top of the piano and sits down to play. His fingers dance over the keys, and he winces at the poorly tuned sound. He'd expected as much, the piano had been in storage for months. Without comment he went about tuning, so that he could play.

[ripoffthebandge]

Cameron leans in the doorway between the living room and the kitchen, watching him. It's a lot like watching a kid at Christmas who got the exact toy he wanted - the one he plays with the rest of the day.

A smile curves her lips and she's suddenly got chills. "Merry Christmas, House," she whispers, not wanting to disturb him. Her holiday is perfect already. She doesn't need anything else.

[ineedavicodin]

It's been several months since he's had his piano. He heard her, but he didn't acknowledge her. The piano has his full attention, at the moment. Let him get it tuned, so he can play, and he might be more attentive.

[ripoffthebandge]

She tugs her bottom lip between her teeth, watching him. It's perfect. She could stand here and watch him all night.

She slips back into the kitchen just long enough to get some hot cider and put his coat over the back of one of the chairs. When she returns to the living room, she's got two mugs steaming with the hot liquid. One she places on a ceramic coaster on top of the piano, the other she cups in her hands and takes a seat on the couch, legs tugged beneath her, still watching him.

[ineedavicodin]

He works through a song, before blinking back to reality and looking at her. She might notice he's a lot less tense.

He nods his chin toward the bag. "For you." Inside, she will find a bottle of the finest white wine available, and this necklace which is a 1.40 Handmade Diamond Journeys necklace in 18K white gold, retailing for $8,450. But there's no price tag in the bag so she doesn't need to know that.

[ripoffthebandge]

"Yeah?" she asks, smiling (has she stopped doing that since he came in?).

She's still sitting on the couch for the moment. "Did you want me to open it now or to wait until tomorrow morning?"

[ineedavicodin]

"Open it now, if you want." Doesn't mean he'll stop playing. That might make it seem like less of a big deal.

[walnutgingertea]

"Doesn't that ruin the Christmas part of it?"

She grins and gets up from the couch, but not to open the gift. She sets her mug of cider on the table and steps back into the kitchen to check on dinner while he's playing. She'll be back in a minute or two.