Hannibal's house, Friday before prom

[sharp_as_knives]

Prom was no doubt very serious business for the students involved; for Hannibal, it meant he'd had an excuse to do a bit of clothes shopping, freshen his haircut and manicure, and so forth. Not that he actually needed one.

He had a bit of classical playing as he got ready; he was going with a classic grey tuxedo with a somewhat more flamboyant vest. The light color and hint of brocade should go very nicely with the other formalwear he'd purchased. Jono didn't seem to have found it yet, but he would when he came in the bedroom - the garment bag was hung prominently on the bedpost with a bow and his name on it.

Hannibal was trying not to smirk too widely.

Comments

[furnaceface]

Today hadn't been a bad day so far, really. There had been pets in class, which hadn't been Jono's idea, but it wasn't as though he was going to argue with Rinoa if she wanted to talk to students about cuddly things. Or scaly things or feathery things or... whatever. Pets were pets.

And prom was in an hour or so, which meant that he was going to have to collect Joni and go and get ready. Which was what was bringing him up to the bedroom, now. A step through the door to see if the cat was on the bed, and...

//Uh?//

A beat.

//You didn't.//

He had.

[sharp_as_knives]

Hannibal gave him a mildly surprised look. "Didn't I?"

He did.

[furnaceface]

//You did,// Jono replied, raising an eyebrow and making his way over to the bag. //Still have no faith in my ability to clothe myself, mate?//

... It was a legitimate concern.

[sharp_as_knives]

"It isn't as though you have a wealth of formalwear," Hannibal pointed out. "And this way I know we won't clash."

[furnaceface]

//We're dressing to match, then?// Jono projected a little chuckle as he made his way over to the bag to investigate. //I suppose there are worse fates. You just saved me from having to decide if I wanted to wear the black suit, or the other black suit.//

Or maybe that nice grey number. He was kind of fond of that, even if it was more Homecoming than Prom.

... Since when did he care about that, anyway?

[sharp_as_knives]

"Not precisely to match, but to go together," Hannibal corrected. "I thought identical corsages might be a bit much."

[furnaceface]

//Little bit,// Jono agreed, shrugging his shoulders as he liberated the bag from the footboard and slid it off to reveal...

//... Christ, man. You really don't half-ass anything, do you?//

There was so much brocade. So much.

[sharp_as_knives]

"No." Hannibal eyed him. "You don't like it?" He was genuinely curious, but he was fairly certain he knew the answer."

[furnaceface]

//It's not what I'd normally choose for myself,// Jono admitted, //but I don't think I don't like it.//

A beat.

//I'll give it a try, at least. It's liable to look different once I've got it all on.//

This was true! Because right now he was trying to process how that many patterns were supposed to all work with one another.

[sharp_as_knives]

"Since you aren't built like a hanger, yes," Hannibal agreed. He buttoned up his own shirt as he watched Jono navigate his.

[furnaceface]

//Really, I'm not that far off,// Jono mused, starting to work his way out of the clothing he was currently wearing. Shuck the leather, with the exception of his wrappings, and then start pulling on those trousers.

They were quite the trousers.

//It's been a long while since I've worn this much red,// he mused.

[sharp_as_knives]

"The room is likely to be dim; the red will show more as glints than as a complete pattern," Hannibal said. He eyed them approvingly. "Don't worry; the overall effect will still be very black." Because he knew you, Jono.

[furnaceface]

Jono took a moment to zip and button, and then kind of twisted himself around a little so he could get a better look.

He really didn't hate these. Huh.

//Good to know. I would hate for people to think I've taken a shine to anything besides black, after all.//

He had plenty of clothes that weren't black. He just rarely wore them. Red was a safe bet, though.

[sharp_as_knives]

Hannibal had thought so.

"I assure you, your reputation is safe." He smoothed his shirt down and put on his own vest.

[furnaceface]

Jono started working his way into his own dress shirt, next. Ah, buttons.

//Excellent. If people got the wrong idea, I was going to have to blame it on you, after all.//

[sharp_as_knives]

"I fully acknowledge any blame for your sartorial glory," Hannibal said with a smirk and a bow.

[furnaceface]

//And as modest as ever,// Jono intoned, amused, as he reached for the waistcoat. Which actually had even more red than the trousers. Huh. //You know, I think I can count on one hand the number of these things that people have successfully weaseled me into?//

[sharp_as_knives]

"Have any of the others been as well-suited to you as this one? Apart from the one from New York, of course."

Always go for the pun.

[furnaceface]

Jono was really only not groaning by virtue of the fact that actually groaning took real effort. But the sentiment was there as he rolled his eyes toward the ceiling. That had been terrible, Hannibal.

//A couple of the ones from Kaeleer have, yes,// he replied, //but we are talking about tailors worthy of the First Circle of the Territory Queen of Glacia making clothing for one of the most highly celebrated so-called heroes of the Glacian war, so that probably isn't a surprise.//

He got stuck with needles a lot in Kaeleer. This was at least a great deal less uncomfortable.

[sharp_as_knives]

If the tailors stuck him, they were doing it wrong!

Hannibal's puns, however, were always wonderful.

"And yet you still detest them." Hannibal came over to tug on Jono's vest and straighten his shirt - mostly unnecessarily.

[furnaceface]

//Waistcoats or tailors?//

Jono was half-joking, but the answer was really, 'yes.' He did look down for a moment as Hannibal straightened his attire.

//I suppose mostly I just end up wondering who it is I'm trying to impress,// he admitted, after a pause. //If the answer is 'you,' though, I think I can live with that.//

[sharp_as_knives]

"You don't have to dress up to impress me," Hannibal said, mildly surprised. "Any buffoon can dress up, as I'm sure Karla's aristos have proven. To indulge me, perhaps, though I do hope you take to it at least a little. I enjoy seeing you dressed stylishly, and I enjoy the challenge of finding a style that lets you be yourself."

[furnaceface]

Jono smiled a little at that, leaning forward for a moment so that he could nuzzle his face into Hannibal's. He hadn't even realized that he kind of needed to hear that.

//It's more impressive if I put the effort forth myself anyway,// he decided. //I have to say, I never would've thought of coattails, though. That's fancy.//

[sharp_as_knives]

Hannibal kissed Jono's ear and smiled. "I liked the pattern, and it seemed to suit you."

[furnaceface]

//Oh yeah?// Jono nuzzled for a moment more before glancing back toward the coat. //You know, it might even be fun to wear? Hell, I didn't get that dressed up for my own prom.//

[sharp_as_knives]

"In that case, it's past time," Hannibal declared. He patted Jono's waist and went for his own coat. "And I hope it's very fun."

[furnaceface]

Jono was still mostly convinced that he was a bit overdressed for making certain the students didn't spike the punch too badly, but hey, if it made Hannibal happy...

//I think you've got me actually looking forward to this,// he mused as reached over to get his coat as well. //Weird.//

[sharp_as_knives]

"I find the best way to deal with bad memories of experiences is to replace them with good ones." Hannibal smirked. "How many formal events will I need to take you to?"

[furnaceface]

//... Roughly a thousand,// Jono replied, squinting thoughtfully. //Glacia's aristos are bloody insufferable.//

[sharp_as_knives]

"You've many more of these to look forward to, then." Hannibal grinned. "I'll have to start actively looking for opportunities to make it that many."

[furnaceface]

//Keep that up, and the people throwing these things will come to dread them more than I currently do,// Jono teased. //Which might be hilarious. Carry on, then.//

[sharp_as_knives]

Hannibal laughed. "Plan for it." He slipped on his shoes, which were in the same grey as his jacket and same brocade as his vest. "And once your ready, we can document this. I'll get the camera."

[furnaceface]

//You're taking a photo for posterity? I didn't know chaperoning the prom was so noteworthy,// Jono teased. //Though I suppose we don't usually come this close to matching, do we?//

And again, coattails. Very well tailored coattails.

[sharp_as_knives]

"If I don't take a picture, nobody will believe it happened," Hannibal called back. And then, too far to politely yell, thought loudly back, And Karla would pout and frown.

[furnaceface]

//Yes, well, it's Karla's own fault for not coming to the prom,// Jono decided, seeking out a mirror so that he could look at himself in this getup. He still hated mirrors. But he needed to know.

...

//I'm looking at it right now myself, and even I can hardly believe it's happening. How in the world did you manage to match all of these?//

[sharp_as_knives]

Talent and an eye for fashion, Hannibal thought back, clearly amused. There were black brocade shoes as well, but I thought you might prefer to wear one of your pairs of boots.

Or that he'd have another heart attack over the price of them; Hannibal was already getting heated flooring and a sauna out of him, so he might as well forego new footwear.

[furnaceface]

For the time being, at least. Get him really sold on the idea of dressing up nice, and maybe Jono would embrace his inner fashion aficionado.

//I appreciate that. A few hours on my feet at a school dance doesn't seem like the best time to start breaking in a new pair.//

[sharp_as_knives]

"Also true," Hannibal allowed. He fiddled with the camera, setting the delay, then aimed it so it could sit on the dresser. "Are you ready?" He'd have said Jono needed to do his hair, but this was Jono - it was entirely possible he already had.

[furnaceface]

Hey, now! Jono's hair was a work of art! He didn't have much head left, he had to appreciate what was left.

Which he did mostly by vowing to never, ever again wear his hair in a mullet. The nineties were one of his strongest fashion regrets, as a catch-all.

//Ready as I'm going to get, I think,// he agreed. //Let's get this over with.//

[sharp_as_knives]

It was definitely art. Very abstract art.

Hannibal gave him a look, then set the camera and came to join him. "I won't even ask you to say 'cheese', he promised."

[furnaceface]

//Well, good,// Jono replied. //Never was the sort to smile for photos anyway.//

A beat.

//Cheese.//

It literally made zero difference on his face. He could be a brat if he wanted to. Maybe it was endearing or something!

[sharp_as_knives]

Fortunately, it rather was. So at least one of them was smiling - or rather smirking - when the camera went off. "Thank you for that," Hannibal said, going to retrieve it and make sure the photo had come out. "Are you ready to go?"

[furnaceface]

//About as ready as I'm going to be, I suspect. Joni'll be fine here while we're out?//

She wasn't hurting anything. Except maybe Beethoven's dignity, anyway. And he'd recover from that.

[sharp_as_knives]

"Of course," Hannibal answered. "Although she may up sat upon." Or Beethoven would. It depended upon how much of a pushover he was feeling.