Hannibal's house in Baltimore, Sunday evening

[sharp_as_knives]

The FBI and the local press were scampering about like ants whose hill had been disturbed. Hannibal supposed one presumed-dead agent returned to life, a convicted murderer gone missing, and a nearly convicted insane man proved innocent would do that.

For the moment, though, he'd taken a break from watching the amusing chaos in order to ready one of his guest rooms, stock his beer, and make a hearty and relatively simple - for him - dinner. He was rather looking forward to hearing what Sparkle had thought of the drama workshops.


[OOC: for one, but open for phone or whatnot; NFB due to distance!]

Comments

[myownface]

"The only instrument I can play is the tin whistle," Sparkle replied. "Fashion... maybe. But I'm pretty sure you need more than crappy elementary school math to be a doctor or a nurse, and... oh god."

He was setting down his fork for a moment to kind of just gape at Hannibal, because maybe he was the crazy one!?

"Why would you even say that?! That's practically sadistic!"

[sharp_as_knives]

Hannibal smirked. "You're saying you wouldn't enjoy the chance to throw the law back in the face of people who try to use it for their own ends? Or argue in public and get paid a lot of money for it?"

Yes, he knew there was more to it. He also felt he knew what the draw might be.

[myownface]

Oh, that was playing dirty, Hannibal. You were getting a good-natured stinkeye for that one.

"Well, when you put it like that, sure. That sounds like a great time. You know, if that was all there was to it. It's not all, like, those lawyer shows on television, and I'd probably stay the hell away from criminal law anyhow. If I wanted a life full of whodunnits, I'd just stick around the island for those 'everyone's gone weird again' weekends."

He reached for his fork again, kind of nudging at the meat pie with it before skewering some. It would make it to his mouth eventually, too.

"Real estate law would be boring as shit, I'm not going to chase ambulances, and family law..."

See, eating that bite of pie meant that his mouth would be full, therefore he wouldn't have to elaborate.

[sharp_as_knives]

"Hm. Well, if you aren't into the 'whodunnits', then perhaps not. Fashion, then. Or design of some sort? Or I can highly recommend cooking."

[myownface]

Oh, shit, the meat pie really was good. Sparkle had taken that first bite just so that he'd have a full mouth. He was taking a second while he mulled over those options just because it had tasted so damn good.

"People will always need food," he replied. "It's like the one industry where you know for a fact you'll always have a market. And, I mean, fashion, too. Especially up in freaking Canada where you go nuts looking at snow for so much of the year. Kind of a shame I can't combine all of those things somehow."

Unless he went into business designing edible underwear or something, maybe.

[sharp_as_knives]

...well, it wouldn't be anything Hannibal would do.

"You could go into a business that works with them all. Hospitality, party planning. You would need a bit of business schooling for that, but quite a bit of it is down to a good eye and good instincts."

[myownface]

"God, party planning would actually be fun," Sparkle admitted, blinking. "Now I'm half wondering if I've been missing out on important career training, not taking every possible class with, you know... the pink pony."

Okay, when he put it like that, it didn't sound like he was missing out too much.

[sharp_as_knives]

"From what I've heard of her classes, they may be somewhat more useful for other ponies than for humans," Hannibal answered tactfully.

He thought for a moment. "If you think you might be interested, I can enlist you the next time I throw a party. And you could speak to Mr. Wayne; charity galas would be good experience."

[myownface]

"They would be," Sparkle answered, though he was sounding a little dubious again. While Hannibal and Mr. Wayne both practically exuded 'wealth,' Sparkle still wasn't hugely inclined to want to get any closer to rich men who were a relative unknown than he absolutely had to. "Maybe I'll stick with helping you with yours once or twice first, um, just to see if it's my thing."

You know, before leaping into charity galas all willy-nilly.

[sharp_as_knives]

"Of course." Privately, Hannibal was amused at being the trustworthy one, but outwardly he just nodded solemnly.

"Although this does mean I may have to have some more parties."

[myownface]

Hey, nobody had ever accused Sparkle of having sound judgment.

"Put me through my paces?" He smiled faintly, ducking his head. "I mean, I guess I can figure out what fancy parties involve. You'd let me know if I was seriously fucking up, right?"

[sharp_as_knives]

"Have I ever struck you as the type to not speak up?" Hannibal asked. "You did fine at your final last session; I have faith you can become even better." He picked up his beer and toasted him.

[myownface]

Whatever else people could say about the mentor-student relationship between Hannibal and Sparkle, nobody could deny that the man was good for Sparks' self-esteem. He grinned a little, reaching for his own beer and lifting it right back.

"Well," he replied, "I had a good teacher."

There was no way he could have pulled that off otherwise.

[sharp_as_knives]

And because Hannibal was modest and self-effacing...AHAHAHAHAHA.

Hannibal grinned, nodded, and drank.