Hannibal's house, Sunday afternoon

[sharp_as_knives]

The time difference between Fandom and Glacia was occasionally very convenient. It meant that he could pop out for a few hours and get plenty of things done, and still be home in time for lunch.

After taking the time to savor that, he sat in his study to work on class outlines for the following semester. A quiet, pleasant day.



[OOC: Open post!]

Comments

[sharp_as_knives]

Hannibal gave him a look that said as clearly as he could that no, Jono hadn't promised yet.

[furnaceface]

...

//You're a pushy one, aren't you?// Jono gave Hannibal a tired, vaguely amused look, and then shrugged his shoulders. //Fine, fine. Since you insist, I'll rest, I promise.//

Meanie.

[sharp_as_knives]

Hannibal was horrible, wasn't he?

He nodded and sighed. "After we found those children in the orphanage, I sent word to the local authorities about what had been going on. They should have known." Should have found any remaining children first, so that his work would only be the cleanup of the animals responsible.

[furnaceface]

//They... they knew?// Jono's brow furrowed a little more deeply at that. It was sheer force of will keeping him from sitting up again, though his shoulders got a lot more tense all of a sudden. //The local police knew, and this is still an issue? Did they lose the trail? Did they just not imagine that it could have extended beyond Hintergrove, or--//

He winced, looking for all the world like he'd been slapped across the face.

//Or,// he said, more quietly, his eyes shifting and glowing a deep red, //did they simply not care?//

When it was a matter for taking affluent members of the Blood to task for hurting orphaned, landen children, did they simply not bother to find the time?

[sharp_as_knives]

"I don't know," Hannibal answered. He rubbed Jono's shoulders. "But if the Blood authorities whose job it is haven't been looking into it, you can hardly blame yourself. And perhaps it explains why someone else has taken an interest as well."

[furnaceface]

//Vigilante justice,// Jono murmured, closing his eyes again and trying to relax. //Because if the police won't take care of it, somebody has to. They've got one hell of a way of going about it... but it's certainly sending a message.//

And that message was apparently that some people were so ugly in life that only death could make them anything approaching beautiful.

[sharp_as_knives]

It was! How clever of Jono to get it!

"Whatever message it is, leave it to others for the evening," Hannibal advised. "You've enough on your plate as it is. Should anything happen, they know where to find you."

[furnaceface]

//They know where to find me,// Jono agreed, rolling over a little so he could kind of ball himself up on the sofa, still mostly propped against Hannibal. //I've got them prodding the delivery man for names and addresses, and... he'll be cooperative.//

Because, yes, Jono had already compromised his morals enough, flipping a switch in that asshole's brain so that he would be compliant and honest hadn't hurt his ethical code all that much from there.

//Who knows? Maybe they'll have found some survivors and there'll be good news for me when I head back.//

[sharp_as_knives]

"We can hope," Hannibal said. He pulled a throw from over the couch and draped it and his arm over Jono. "And maybe with you looking into things, your mysterious helper will let things lie long enough that you can use more conventional methods and not break your brain."

Hannibal might have to make sure of it, even.

[furnaceface]

//'M using that brain,// Jono agreed. //Need it for other things, like... other things. Breaking it more wouldn't do anybody any good. I'm not in any mood to have Emma yell at me again.//

Look, you have your reasons for not breaking your brain, and Jono would have his. Emma could be very persuasive, that way.

//Few more weeks. Few more weeks, and Karla will be able to keep her own bloody self safer than she has been, and I'll have the capacity to really focus on this.//

[sharp_as_knives]

"A few more weeks," Hannibal agreed. "Focus on Karla until then. And don't forget to allow yourself to rest."

[furnaceface]

//I'm garbage at that last bit,// Jono muttered, //but I'll work on that. Delegate, relax, sleep. All straightforward enough...//

For anyone who wasn't Jono.

//Might appoint somebody specifically in charge of pestering me until I catch at least a couple of hours of sleep a day.//

[sharp_as_knives]

"I'm certain Karla would be pleased to do so." Hannibal smirked a little. "And she can consider it practice for once her daughter is born."

[furnaceface]

Jono squirmed the tiniest bit at that idea.

//I was thinking perhaps somebody who I'm not keeping secrets from at the moment,// he muttered. //Though I don't doubt Karla's commitment to kicking my shins until I agree to go to bed.//

[sharp_as_knives]

"She would be very good at that, yes." Hannibal was still smirking. "But, someone who's familiar with your current activities. So, that would leave Morton, myself, and Emma."

He patted Jono's shoulder. "I'll make sure Emma knows to call you every day."

Because you weren't the only brat in the room, Jono.

[furnaceface]

//... Starting to make me wonder why it is I tell people anything,// Jono replied, though at least he had the good grace to look amused, this time. //Masochism, probably. I'm one hell of a masochist.//

That much, at least, was true.

[sharp_as_knives]

"I'll call when I can," Hannibal promised. "Difficult to promise when, given the time difference. And if you don't sleep, I will inform Raven."

Hannibal didn't often threaten, but when he did, he made it count.

[furnaceface]

//But...// Jono wrinkled his nose a little. He knew when he'd been beaten. //Fine. I am the one who brought it up, after all. Few more weeks, and then I'll have half the trouble to worry about, and I'll be able to get more sleep, still.//

He closed his eyes again and wriggled in close.

//In the meantime, you've been promoted to pillow.//

S'what you get, Hannibal.

[sharp_as_knives]

Hannibal laughed. "I'm not certain what it's a promotion from, but thank you." He didn't have his syllabus here, but there was a book on the table next to them, so he would survive.

[furnaceface]

//It's a promotion from... from not-a-pillow,// Jono murmured. //Of course.//

He was probably not much longer for the waking world, here. Dammit, Hannibal, you had to be warm and comfortable directly after Jono had pulled a three-day stint without sleep, didn't you?

[sharp_as_knives]

Well, since Jono's being stupid about Hannibal's work was what had kept him up, it really was only fair.

"Of course."

Hannibal pulled his book over and propped it on the arm of the sofa, settling in.

And if he also picked up the remote long enough to turn the stereo on low, and started gently rubbing Jono's shoulder, that was not at all playing dirty.

[furnaceface]

That was absolutely playing dirty, Hannibal. And Jono would tell you as much, too, just as soon as he could focus enough to send you words.

Yep. Any minute now. Aaany minute. He would just... say...

That...

No, no, he was asleep. False alarm.