Hannibal's House: After-BDE Trauma Party

[sharp_as_knives]

Yet another island oddity had come and gone, and yet again it seemed to have taken a mental and physical toll on several people Hannibal rather liked. So tonight he was cooking comfort foods and low-snobbery (but still gourmet) snacks, tea, and hot chocolate, and his bar was very well stocked.

He'd talked to the other researchers and sent messages to his friends welcoming them to join him if they wanted (except for Jono's, which had been more of a politely worded demand for his presence), but the lights in the house were on and the door was open, if anyone else felt they needed company.

Or just to sit in the corner and cry. Hannibal wouldn't judge. He might take notes, though.

There was food:
Mini grilled-cheese sandwiches (artisan cheese, home-baked bread, probably some with moddable! things like capers or veggies or ham)
Tiny meat pies
Roasted potatoes with salt and rosemary
French fries which tried for greasy and didn't quite have the heart to make it, sorry Jono!
Tiny pies of moddable fruit
Ice cream of several flavors (lavender and honey! vanilla bean! dark chocolate! moddable!)
Chocolate truffles of various moddable! flavors
Other assorted moddable, go to town! things

And drink - if it's a high-end liquor, it's here. Also home-brewed people beer and good wine, both dry and sweet.

[OOC: Open post is open! NM; just put it all here, no OCD.]

Comments

[sharp_as_knives]

"Yes, well, our research," such as it had been, thank you library, "would have been useless had nobody put it into action. Did he offer any explanation or insight into what they were doing here?" So sue him, he was curious.

[vdistinctive]

"Not so much. Mostly seemed to think it was fun." Eliot shrugged. "Gathered he was an acquaintance of the Dean up at the school."

An acquaintance of the "nemesis" sort.

[sharp_as_knives]

Well, there was a surprise. Hannibal tried not to let too much of his disgust show. And what did...well, surely anyone would be disgusted at someone doing this for fun, wouldn't they?

"Maybe I'll ask him then. Later." He waved it off. "Can I get you beer? Or wine?"

[vdistinctive]

It was pretty gross. Eliot noted the disgust, but didn't think too much of it.

"Beer," he said. "And some tweezers if you've got 'em." He held up his hand, showing the split knuckles liberally spattered with splinters. "Sent freaking wooden big cats after me."

[sharp_as_knives]

"Ah." Well, that was a new one. "Here." Hannibal poured a glass of beer and set it next to Eliot. "You can start on that, and I'll get a first-aid kit."

[vdistinctive]

Was a new one on Eliot, too. Barring the one he fought on Friday. "Appreciate it. I'd get at them myself, but I tweeze with the same hand I punch with."

[sharp_as_knives]

"That would make it more difficult." Hannibal nodded and headed to the kitchen, then returned a few minutes later carrying his nearest medical kit, a bowl of warm water, and a towel.

"Let's clean off the blood first. And you will probably want..." he opened the kit and found what he was looking for, "antibiotics. I shudder to think what might be in this wood. You're up to date on immunizations, I hope, particularly for tetanus?"

This was why you didn't punch the evil things, Eliot. Weapons were your friend!

[vdistinctive]

"Always," Eliot said. "Get cut up too much to let that lapse."

Eliot didn't carry weapons. Eliot took weapons from other people. That was just slightly harder when the other people were vicious predators made of wood.

[sharp_as_knives]

"Good." Hannibal nodded. "Then you should be familiar with the drill for these as well; no skipping a dose, take them until they're gone." He held out his hand over the bowl, gesturing for Eliot's.

[vdistinctive]

"Yeah, I gotcha." Eliot held out his hand. "Didn't get the hard end of the carnival, did you, Doc?"

[sharp_as_knives]

Hannibal shook his head. "I was in Baltimore when it arrived, and off of the island for most of Friday. By the time I could have gone, the news about it had already begun leaking out." He carefully started rinsing the blood off. "And I'm not much of a carnival sort," he added, probably unnecessarily. "You didn't either?"

[vdistinctive]

"Took a look on Friday," Eliot said. "Ended up fighting off a wooden tiger. Went down a little easier than the manager guy's ones today, though."

[sharp_as_knives]

"I can't help but wonder why some people were drawn in, and other managed to escape." Hannibal finished rinsing the blood and started in on the splinters. "There doesn't seem to be much of a pattern to it."

[vdistinctive]

Eliot shrugged, a slight twitch of his lip the only sign that he was in any pain. "Dunno. Sounds from the radio that at least some of it involved transformation or death."

[sharp_as_knives]

"Mm. Well, with any luck it's gone for good. Although I doubt many people would fall for that a second time." There were always a few idiots, or there would be new people, but mostly not.

He pulled another and turned Eliot's hand back and forth. "I don't see any others. Do you feel any more?"

[vdistinctive]

Eliot flexed his hands and nodded. "Feels alright. Thanks." There were more in his leg, but he figured he could take care of those once he got through a beer or two. "Fall for it, probably not. But there'll be a few who go in anyway, trying to prove something."

[sharp_as_knives]

Hannibal couldn't actually argue with that, so he just shook his head in reluctant agreement and took out antibiotic ointment and some gauze. "Let me wrap that for you, and then I'll let you get to the food and drink."

[vdistinctive]

"Much obliged, Doc. I can get out of your hair, let you get back to your friends."

[sharp_as_knives]

"Not at all." Hannibal went to work coating every puncture with the gel and wrapping Eliot's hand lightly. "There are few people I would turn away tonight," Anakin "and you're not one of them. Stay as long as you like."

[vdistinctive]

Eliot tipped his head. "Well thanks again, anyway." He didn't really do polished edges, but his momma certainly taught him how to be properly appreciative. "Hope you've got yourself a good back stock. I get the feeling this one was almost tame for some folks who've been here awhile."

[sharp_as_knives]

"I always do," Hannibal answered, smiling as he put away his things. "I wouldn't say this was mild, but certainly the level of trauma seems to have varied greatly from person to person."

[vdistinctive]

"That's generally how trauma works, in my experience."

[sharp_as_knives]

"True," Hannibal allowed. "But in this case it seems some - like yourself - were barely touched by it, while others were under its influence for days."

[vdistinctive]

Admittedly, Eliot wasn't super clear on that part. He hadn't even really rescued anyone in particular, going up against the big boss the way he had. "Fair enough." He sipped his beer. "Suppose I lucked out; most I've really got to do is work out a better way to fight off wooden cats."

Because apparently you never knew.

[sharp_as_knives]

"This place makes you say all sorts of things you never thought you'd have to, doesn't it?" Hannibal noted, amused.