9228/Early Holiday Gift for Cael

Early Holiday Gift for Cael
Date of Scene:	22 December 2021
Location:	Sara and Cael's apartment
Synopsis:	Sara gets Cael a certified therapy service dog named Bear. A Great Pyrenees of only ten months, he's already HUGE and loveable.
Cast of Characters:	Sara Pezzini, Cael Becker

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Sara Pezzini has posed:
Sara was rarely up early, even on days she works she usually doesn't get out of bed until seven. Today was different. When Cael was up to head to training, Sara was also up, showered, dressed and ready to head out. She wasn't joining the training, but while Cael was busy with Sam, she did have some place to be.

Noon. Sara returned to the apartment, knowing she was just barely making it back before Cael would return but that gave her just enough time to set up for what came next. She was grinning the whole time.

"Thank you for your assistance today Alis," she says to the ghostly teen who came in with her. "I wasn't certain, but you made it easier."

Alis bounces down the hall to the living room, then pauses to offer Sara a smile. "Oh you bet! I'm glad I could help. I'll stay in your room for now and wait for the cue."

Cael Becker has posed:
    Training had been draining today - not physically, emotionally. There had been multiple points where Cael had nearly walked on - where only her respect for Sam and Sims had forced her to stay where she was, in her chair, to try to talk things out. After that? Sparring with Sam, and running laps, and practicing with the wings? That was all easy.
    She'd done the best she could to recharge her depleted reserves. She'd visited with Redfox, and gone for a long side on her motorcycle - but she was still feeling drained when she returns, and she opens the door with the sort of tired, downcast look that implies she might spend the rest of the day curled up in her bed, with a blanket pulled over her head. She drops her things by the door, and kicks off her shoes, starting towards her bedroom.

Sara Pezzini has posed:
Sara was waiting in the living room, ready to pounce really, but not physically of course.

"Hey Cael," she says as the woman appears, and immediately notes the condition her roommate seems to be in. "Uh... I can see your tired, but could I get a minute before you crawl to bed?"

With everything that had been going on, she figured Cael would be tired, but she didn't expect that level of exhaustion in the way she appeared. Sara would just have to do this quickly.

Cael Becker has posed:
    Cael's gaze shifts towards Sara as the woman speaks, and a small smile slips across here features. There's that, at least. She may be tired - but she doesn't look to be despairing, or emotionally numbed. "Sure," she answers. "What do you need?" she asks simply - hands going into the pockets of her fluffy, down-stuffed jacket.

Sara Pezzini has posed:
Stepping over by her own bedroom door, Sara lingers there as she offers Cael a smile.

"I've been doing a lot of reading," she says first, like that really mattered. "Anyway, the research I've done indicated something I think... well, let's just say I got you something."

Her bedroom door opens at that moment and an ten month old Great Pyrenees puppy comes bounding out, tail wagging with excitement. He's wearing a 'Certified Service Dog' vest, and the leash attached to his collar leads to Alis. Alis is not walking him, he is dragging Alis.

"He's a rescue who needed a home. He just finished his first course of training, and still has two months of training you'll need to take him to."

Cael Becker has posed:
    "...what?" is the first response Cael give.
    It's a reasonable response when something that large come bounding unexpectedly out of either of their bedrooms. Perhaps the more telling response, however, is that she immediately sinks down to her knees to greet the dog, confusion warring with the small smile that begins to tug at the corners of her exhausted features.
    "Hey..." she greets the dog quietly. "Hey, boy..."

Sara Pezzini has posed:
Alis let's go of the leash before she's drug too far and looks over to Cael.

"They've been calling him Bear all this time but you can rename him, it'll be part of the training if you decide to change it," she offers excitedly.

Sara chuckles, then leans against the wall by her door. "Alis helped me find just the right dog, and apparently Bear here was the right one."

Alis nods before walking over to Cael, she doesn't touch her or the dog, she just looks at them. "Bear is fun, lovable, protective, and he doesn't mind being left alone so long as he has..." and then there is a squeaky sound behind Alis. Both of the dogs ears flip up, though they are floppy so they do this flapping motion. Alis squeaks again, the ears do it again, and then Alis offers the large squeaky rabbit to Cael. "He loves it."

Cael Becker has posed:
    "Bear, huh?" Cael asks. There's a moment of hesitation before she reaches out to scratch at the dog's ears, and run her fingers through his fur. "Hi, Bear. You, uh - you want to stay here with us?" she asks the dog, as she continues to stroke the creature, her gaze locked onto his good-natured features, a quiet ache in her chest that somehow, isn't born of pain. "Yeah? That okay with you? I'm a real mess, you know."
    As the pup's gaze goes towards the toy Alis holds, so does Cael's, and she smiles briefly as she accepts it, only to offer it over to the pup.

Sara Pezzini has posed:
Once the squeaky toy of love is passed off, Alis moves back to stand by Sara, a goofy grin on her face the whole time. Sara's got a smile on her face as well, mostly because she can see in Cael the same emotions that had been there with Lily. Had she been able to kidnap Lily, she would have, but she's hoping Bear is acceptable.

Bear's training shows. He wants the toy, his ears flap every time he hears it, but he waits until it is offered. Once it is, he very carefully takes it and chomps it a couple of times before looking back to Cael's face. He seems to know that Cael needs him, which is what made him the perfect choice to begin the service dog training. He knew Cael needed him, so the toy is chomped one more time before he takes one step closer to her and sits down, wagging his tail and then lightly licks her hand.

Cael Becker has posed:
    That ache in her heart breaks, and tears start streaking down her cheeks as Cael puts her arms around the dog's neck. He's a //beast// of dog - not that she seems to mind in the least. "Yeah," she finally murmurs in a quiet voice. "You stay here with us. I don't think Alis'll mind."
    She seems content to remain that way for a long while, her face buried against the dog's neck, and to all appearances oblivious to Alis and Sara's presence in the room with her.

Sara Pezzini has posed:
Sara glances to Alis for a moment, and the ghost teen nods. This is exactly what they had talked about, the silent warmth that could listen to Cael, be there for hugs, offer affection and loyalty in a way that humans just weren't programmed to do. The two had discussed what kind of dog for nearly four hours, and had at first considered a Golden Retriever, but Bear had been right there, ready, as if his calling had been to be chosen.

Sara looks back to Cael, remaining silent. It was the right thing to do, even if she had to bribe the super of the apartment building to allow a larger dog.

Alis inches a little closer to Cael, watching how Bear just remained still then laid his head on Cael's shoulder. He was trained to 'hug', to lay on or by the person he was working for.

Cael Becker has posed:
    It's a while before Cael starts to pull herself away from the dog - rubbing at her eyes with the back of one hand first, and taking a slow, deep breath in, and then out before she looks up towards the two silent observers. She remains on the floor next to the dog as she studies the pair of them, looking back and forth between both before the finally offers a simple, "Thanks." It doesn't say enough, but it says a lot.
    "So, uh, which of you am I supposed to blame for this?" she asks - a small smile tugging at her lips.

Sara Pezzini has posed:
Alis immediately points at Sara, "She did it!" As if the blame for this were something dangerous.

Sara chuckles and nods. "Guilty as charged," she says softly with a smile. "To be honest, I love dogs myself and thought it might be a good addition to the apartment, but the truth it... I thought he night be what you needed right now. I made some calls, made sure he's had first part of his training, but the rest of his training had to be with his person, and that's you."

Cael Becker has posed:
    "...might be nice to have around," Cael agrees, one arm resting casually over the dog's shoulder now as she watches her two friends. "I, umm... I picked you up something in Hawaii, actually, but I was holding onto it for Christmas. But, uh, since you went and got me something..."

Sara Pezzini has posed:
Sara blinks a few times in surprise. She hadn't really expected anything from Cael for the holidays, as neither of them seemed all that interested in celebrating.

"Oh... I wa... okay," she just accepts after a moment of arguing with herself. "You didn't have to though."

Alis snerks and gives Bear a light pet on the head. "Told you she wouldn't suspect anything Cael."

Cael Becker has posed:
    Cael gives a shrug of her shoulders, and pushes herself to her feet. "Sure I did." She starts towards her bedroom, glancing down and to the side as the sound of a dragging leash - only to find Bear following her with his towel held in his mouth. She smirks with amusement and keeps walking.
    When she returns, she has the protective cardboard tube she'd been carrying when she was done with her hair-dying excursion. She hands this over saying simply, "I didn't wrap. I, uh- I'm not even sure if you'll like it - but I thought- well, anyways. Thanks for worrying about." Seeming to realize this might be an odd sentiment she adds, "And happy holidays."
    Inside is a piece of kapa bark cloth - a traditional textile made in Hawaii and on many other Pacific Islands. It's been dyed with natural dyes to make a design - with a sea turtle at the center.
    "It's probably just tourist kitche but- well. It was made with, umm, authentic materials, I was told. I dunno."

Sara Pezzini has posed:
Opening the tube and unrolling the bark, Sara's eyes go wide. It might be touristy, it might be a simple thing, but it was the first gift she had gotten in over five years. On top of that, the way it was made and the material made it a really cool item that has a significant meaning.

"This is really nice!" she finally exclaims. "This was all hand done, did you know that?" Of course Cael knew that, she's the one who bought it. "Thank you, Cael... I feel the protection and good luck from the 'honu' already."

She actually steps over to hug Cael, one arm lightly around her and only for a moment. She's not one to crowd Cael out, even if she really would like to hug her more tightly and longer.

Cael Becker has posed:
    For once - Cael doesn't stiffen at the hug. Something about recent events seems to have eased things - in that regards. She'd shared several hugs with Jon.
    Before things went wrong. Before she'd started shutting him out.
    "I'm glad you like it," she replies, a smile ghosting across her features. "'cuz I, uhh... I know things haven't been easy, and I appreciate you trying to help. You know?" She gives a shrug of her shoulders, her gaze flicking down towards the floor. A huff of amused air escapes her lips as Bear suddenly nudges her hand with his head, and she smiles, slipping her hand over to rest atop his massive skull. "Good boy."

Sara Pezzini has posed:
For now Sara rolls the picture back up and slides it back into the tube. It will get framed and hung on a wall in her room, probably just in time for the apartment to be destroyed by the angelic host, but in the mean time...

"You're welcome," she says as she stand the tube up by her bedroom door. "Family does for family," she then adds and looks to Alis.

Alis freezes in place, an ice cube in her hand. She had just been about to put it down Cael's shirt but she was caught. Getting a huge grin on her face, she wiggles her brows, and does it anyway. Quick pull out of the collar, drop the ice cube down the back of the shirt.

Cael Becker has posed:
    Cael also freezes in place - as soon as the word 'family' is spoken. The look she gives Sara is almost frightened - and Bear responds by letting out a quiet whine, nudging Cael's hand with his head and siddling in closer to her.
    But it's the icecube down her shirt that unfreezes her. "Fuck! Alis!" She squirms, and has to shuck her down jacket to get the icecube out, shooting a glare at her sister that doesn't have much ire in it.
    "Look, I uh... I appreciate... this," she remarks, gesturing towards Bear. "...but I think I'm going to go lie down for a bit. Training was rough today."

Sara Pezzini has posed:
Sara bites the inside of her bottom lip rather hard. She hadn't meant to say that, it sort of slipped out and Cael's reaction was exactly why she had meant to never say it. Alis' antics may have changed the mood quickly, but Sara realized too late that the words were out there.

"Yeah, you should rest," she offers quickly, giving Alis a look. "Bear won't need to be walked for at least another hour, but if you need me or Alis to do it, just let us know."

Cael Becker has posed:
    "I'll leave my door cracked so he can get out if he needs to," Cael decides. Because she plans on genuinely sleeping - and she's unsure how long she'll be out.
    "Com'on, Bear. I'll show you our room, huh? And we'll get that vest off you so you can get cozy."
    With that she disappears back into her room, the dog trailing after. In short order, she'd be curled up on her bed, with the dog scretched out beside her - one hand resting on his shoulder as if to make sure he's really there.
    She has a dog. Her //own// dog.
    That'll take some getting used to.