10534/Log 10534 Bobby and Caitlin

Log 10534 Bobby and Caitlin
Date of Scene:	24 December 2019
Location:	Caitlin's Apartment
Synopsis:	Caitlin gives Bobby an early Christmas gift.
Cast of Characters:	Fairchild, Burnout

---

Fairchild has posed:
It's Christmas in Caitlin's condo. The condo was quite spacious at one point for a single professional in the city-- but with not just one, but TWO guests more-or-less now living there, it's gotten a little cramped.

Caitlin walks around with a laundry basket on her hip and a sour expression on her face. Roxy is ... not terribly tidy, and she's even got a bedroom that's supposed to contain the carnage. Instead there's a line of socks and hoodies stretched out from the bedroom to the common area, a mark of the path Roxy takes between the front door and her bedroom and shedding her things along the way.

Bobby at least doesn't have much stuff, but Caitlin's insistence on washing his bedding daily doesn't do much to lighten her workoad. With some rearrangement his situation was a *bit* cozier, tucking the futon into a corner and giving him a sense of personal space.

"Bobby, I'm doing a load of laundry," she calls over to him. "Got anything besides your sheets and blanket?" She's in relaxed-fit brown yoga pants and a well-loved grey hoodie with an official 'Justice League' logo on it, and her hair bound back behind her neck by a pink barrete clip.

Burnout has posed:
"Nah!" he replies to Caitlin quickly in the same volume. " I got all my stuff done last night as you both slept." Its hard for him to get any sleep lately. Sure the futon is comfy, but nightmares are enough to make the night short. "And don't worry about my stuff, Kat. I'll get it later." he adds looking over in the redheads direction. Yeah the 'Mouse' nickname definitely doesnt fit her anymore.

Fairchild has posed:
"Okay. Well if you need help with the machines, let me know," Caitlin offers. She flashes a smile and opens the converted closet door. It's just big enough for a washer/dryer combo and a little countertop space, and storage for mundane supplies.

"Did you decide on plans for tonight?" she inquires. "Roxy said she'd go with me to midnight Mass-- you're invited to come along too," she offers, kindly. "But if you just want to sit here and watch Netflix or something, you're welcome to also," she suggests.

Caitlin's done a little Christmas decorating herself. There's a plastic tree on a corner table with a handful of presents tucked under it. Most of them are from Caitlin to the other two residents of the condo, and wrapped with a painful amount of precision and care. They all sport pretty handbound ribbons and a little To:/From: tag with Cait's immaculate penmanship on it.

"It's a lot of fun," she adds, a beat later. "All the Christmas carols... Father Pat does a great homily, and people usually go a-wassailing beforehand. You don't need to wear the bonnet and tails, of course, but it's still fun. And I could use help delivering snacks," she adds.

There are stacks and stacks and boxes upon boxes of baked goods in the kitchen. Caitlin's been a baking fiend for the last 72 hours.

Burnout has posed:
As he peers in her direction from over the paleteria of cookie boxes, on his tiptoes mind you. He gives a sideways smirk. "Yeah..." he says as he goes back to making some toast (bread on a fork with him heating it himself). "Ya know as much as I could rock tails and a top hat, I think I'm just going to sit here on the couch and catch up with the 'A Christmas Story' marathon. I'm still eager to see if kooky lil Ralphie will shoot his eye out this year." he says jokingly with a quick 'I'm spunky' uppercut jab.

Fairchild has posed:
"I'm... a marathon? It's ... just the one movie," Caitlin says. She looks a little confused, like she's missing a joke or something. It happens a lot.

There's a little movement and then Caitlin walks out of the closet with a tall box in her hands. It's wrapped like all the others, with a lot of care.

"I know Christmas isn't until tomorrow, but ..." She eyes the box, then walks over to Bobby and sets it up next to him propped against the counter. "I guess some people like to open something on Christmas Eve, and I'm gonna be gone most of the evening. Maybe this will cheer you up a bit," she suggests.

Burnout has posed:
As she places the the box beside him, Bobby can only stare. A little too long in fact, as his bread goes from bread to toast to briquette quicky. "Oh crap!" he says with surprise as he tosses the now smoking piece of charcoaled bread into the sink. However it doesnt stop him from looking from the present to her again. "What is this?" he asks her unsure what to say or do, aside from being amazed by her generosity. Now he feels bad he didnt get her anything.

Fairchild has posed:
Caitlin just wriggles her shoulders in a shrug at Bobby. "Open it and see," she suggests. A thumb points over her shoulder, then an index finger follows. "I figured it might cheer you up. I'm gonna go get the laundry going," she remarks-- it gives her an excuse to give Bobby a little privacy. Caitlin's not the sort to stand there impatiently and wait for people to acknowledge her presents, it seems.

It doesn't take long to tear it open. It's a guitar. A well-used one, granted, with the musty smell of something that's been in a pawn shop for a while. Amber colored wood, a peach-shaped body, and iconic black where the tuning pegs attach. At the very top, in faded white letters: 'Gibson'.

It's a Gibson SG, and a musician's eye would see that it's been carefully restored by someone who knows how to repair them. Even the strings look new.

Burnout has posed:
Bobby's eyes go wide. Are you shitting me? As he looks it over the scent of the guitar hits him. He so does love the smell of an old guitar. Its like that of an old book that's been enjoyed by a fan. Bobby quickly goes through the motions. From pickups to the machine heads, he looks over the work of art in his hands. He?s speechless as he starts to tune it. No need for an amp or an electronic tuner. He just turns his head and listens. Once satisfied he looks back to her with 'sweat' in his eyes. Now he's got to do something for her. Something as meaningful as this. What though? "I'll go with you." he finally says to her. And that's the tip of what he's going to do to repay her.

Fairchild has posed:
Caitlin sticks her head back out of the laundry room when hailed. A smile crosses her face-- but she shakes her head. "I'm not trying to bribe you into going to church," Caitlin assures him. "That's not how it's supposed to work. I figured you might enjoy getting out of the house and singing and eating some baked goods. Sometimes the grammas even bring lasagna," she suggests.

Machines clunk and thunk and Caitlin steps out of the laundry room and shuts the door behind her. "I know how sad you were about losing your guitar and I felt super bad about it. A friend of mine I was in engineering school with has a side gig with musical instruments. He found it at a pawn shop a while back, said it just needed a new fretboard and strings, and he was able to patch it up. Does it sound good? I don't know how guitars are supposed to sound," she says, apprehensively.

Burnout has posed:
As soon as Caitlin leaves Bobby goes into action. Even she?s talking to him, Bobby is ransacking his little spot in search for something. "There you are." he energetically whispers to himself as he returns to the guitar. "Okay plug you in.. now." he says still whispering as he thinks aloud. Moving across the room with the guitar in hand he continues. "Stereo on, bluetooth hookup linked and... this is for you Mouse." and before she can return, the sweet sounds of a guitar is heard throughout the condo. He isnt much for the holiday, but this calls for it. Bobby starts off by playing an oldie he remembers from long ago. -Elvis?s Blue Christmas.

Fairchild has posed:
Caitlin smiles, happy to see Bobby's enthusiasm for his music returning. He's a nice guy who deserves a lot more than the raw hand he got dealt by the return of the CADMUS program. She looks doubly pleased that the guitar was a good idea, and that he's responding to it so well.

She goes back to the kitchen to finish the final touches for baking and cooking. A little humming happiness can be heard. It's a good song with a great beat.

It's just a shame it's a song she's never actually heard him play before.