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]

"Guests are not supposed to entertain the host," Hannibal answered as he started wrapping the bandages around Jono firmly but carefully, "but the other way around. Perhaps when I'm done, you'd like to share a beer with me, or a brandy? And I've even made greasy fries."

He had not. He'd tried. He couldn't quite bring himself to make them properly pub-greasy, but they were significantly greasier than his usual.

[furnaceface]

Jono almost countered that he really didn't have an appetite, but stopped himself upon remembering that of course he didn't. It was hard to work one up when you didn't have a digestive system.

So he nodded a little, lifting his arms up a bit to make the bandaging process easier.

//At this point, I'll take whatever alcohol falls closest to hand. And we'll see about those fries, mate... Thank you.//

[sharp_as_knives]

"You're very welcome." Hannibal finished wrapping his chest and moved up, sparing a slight moment of amusement at being invited to wrap someone's neck. "Do you want to talk about any of it yet, or would you rather ignore it for a time?"

[furnaceface]

//Not sure,// Jono admitted, after a moment, leaning his head back, exposing the ragged mess that was his neck. //There's a lot going on in my head right now. Not the least of which being that apparently I'm up to two, three times a year having somebody re-wire the contents of my skull, these days.//

[sharp_as_knives]

"Is it any consolation that it wasn't personal this time?" Hannibal asked. "Or that you know which is the truth?"

[furnaceface]

//Wasn't really personal the last time, either,// Jono replied, shrugging. //Still left me with an extra lifetime in my head, with less of a face than most scarecrows get. The real bonus is that I know who I'm not, coming out of this one.//

That wording was chosen very deliberately. It had been a long, long time since Jono could say with any certainty that he knew who he was.

[sharp_as_knives]

"There is something to be said for that." Hannibal steadied Jono's head carefully as he wrapped his chin. "And this time you don't have a whole new lifetime, only a couple of days." He smiled serenely. "And I can give you one very good piece of news," he offered.

Because he was an evil, evil man.

[furnaceface]

Jono stayed still while Hannibal wrapped his face, but he did cock one eyebrow upward in question.

//And that would be?//

[sharp_as_knives]

Hannibal tugged the bandages into place and patted Jono's shoulder. "I haven't called Karla."

[furnaceface]

Jono blinked, and then glanced at Hannibal's hand, and then shook his head eyes closed, the faintest hint of a smile showing up right around their edges.

//That's probably the best thing anyone's said to me all day,// he decided. //I'm not up for explaining this one to her just yet.//

Oh, Jon.

[sharp_as_knives]

"I promised no undue fretting," Hannibal reminded him. "I think we can count calling others to fret at you under that same umbrella." He would probably catch hell from Karla for it, but at the moment he seemed much better able to face it.

Besides, she was rather stunning when she was angry.

What?

"I'll get a brandy and be right back."

[furnaceface]

//Thank you, mate. I'll be... right here.//

Right where he was. Being a lump. A sad lump.

... At least he was a slightly functional sad lump? This was a step up from where it could have been.

[sharp_as_knives]

Just so long as Jono continued being a functional lump - and a social lump until then - Hannibal would take what he could get. And that the moment that was a bit of very good brandy. He wasn't the type to get roaring drunk himself, but at least Jono would be able to enjoy the drink.

[furnaceface]

//S'nice,// Jono intoned, the moment he could taste the drink. //Wouldn't be my first go-to, but you know that...//

Yes, Jonothon. The entire world knew you were a sucker for a lager.

//... Not complaining, though. S'good brandy.//

He'd take anything at this point, so long as it had the potential to fuzz his mind around the edges.

[sharp_as_knives]

"It is." Hannibal smiled. "We can save the beer for later, with the fries."

[furnaceface]

All in all, that sounded like a good plan. Jono gave a little nod, and then leaned sideways a bit, toward Hannibal.

//You're going to spoil me, at this rate,// he mused. //Not going to complain about that, either.//

[sharp_as_knives]

"It's my pleasure to spoil my friends," Hannibal answered with a smile, gripping Jono's shoulder. "However I fully expect you to do the same should something similar happen to me."

[furnaceface]

//Of course,// Jono replied, shrugging his shoulders a little. //Next time you get brainwashed into doing something against your will, I'll pull out some of the more unique instruments we stock at Groovy Tunes and let you experiment with them, if you like.//

... Jono knew better than to think he could even begin to make food that would suit Hannibal's tastes. His attempts would probably just make the man sad.

[sharp_as_knives]

His attempts would probably spur Hannibal into the kitchen and out of any funk, so that would work, too!

"That sounds perfect," he answered. "May it be a very long time in the future."