Hannibal's house, Saturday morning

[sharp_as_knives]

Hannibal hadn't slept last night. Not through any sudden bout of insomnia, but because of staying up to listen to a five-year-old's chatter. Memory played tricks on you; Hannibal knew that better than most. But his memories of Mischa couldn't have painted her as any more sunny or wonderful than she was.

She'd spent the evening exploring his house and pulling him along with her. He'd told her the history of himself and their family, albeit somewhat edited.

Now they were sitting in the library, Hannibal on the sofa and Mischa in his lap as he read to her from a book of French poetry. She only understood one word in five, but she'd always enjoyed just listening to his voice. In her lap was a purring Joni, who had unsurprisingly taken to her. On the other end of the sofa was Beethoven, equally unsurprisingly eyeing her suspiciously.

He could manage for a weekend. Hannibal had Mischa back, however temporarily, and he wasn't giving her up until he had to.



[OOC: Expecting one or two, but open!]

Comments

[furnaceface]

There was probably a long list of people who hadn't slept well last night roaming the island today. Jono was most certainly one of them. Not that he had any complaints. He'd had Didi over, and they'd meant to do some catching up, but in their usual way, the conversation hand branched off in ridiculous directions, and they hadn't really done much in the way of serious talking at all.

But now it was the next day, and it seemed, to Jono at least, like maybe it would be important to at least introduce Didi to Hannibal. Because... because? Because. There were most certainly words for the why, but Jono was still a bit to overwhelmed to pick any of them out, apart from how it seemed like it was an important thing to do.

//He has some company this weekend, too,// he noted, walking up the walkway and kind of skirting around a few flamingos who were happily planted right there on the lawn. //If we're any trouble, I'm certain he'll tell us, though.//

[living_endless]

"But it's fun to be trouble with you," Didi protested lightly, and squeezed his upper arm. "Don't worry, I'll be good. How do you know him, anyhow?"

Not that it really mattered, but she couldn't help being a little curious.

[furnaceface]

//We met back when I was... er... larger. And more blue,// Jono replied, shrugging a little. //I hadn't been teaching for a while, I had taken some time off for Glacia's war, and when I came back, he was in my office. I sort of walked in on him without thinking.//

A beat.

//I remember being very impressed by his curtains.//

[living_endless]

"Curtains," Didi echoed. "Literal, hang-on-windows curtains,or is that some cool slang the kids are using these days?"

She hadn't missed the part about the war. She'd ask later.

Idly, she added, "I remember you being larger and more blue. That was a nice weekend." In the naked way.

[furnaceface]

//Literal curtains. On the windows. He had the place decorated. 'Hiring an interior decorator' decorated. Looks way better than it did with my band posters all up on the wall.// A beat. //And... it was, wasn't it?//

A very nice, naked weekend. He remembered it fondly.

He hadn't been terrified to touch her. Something that had been new for the both of them.

[living_endless]

"Wow. Curtains impress you now? You have grown up," Didi said, amused.

Then, before she lost her nerve: "So, y'know, I'm up for a repeat of that weekend if you are."

Really, worrying about being burned seemed silly when she was only around for a few days anyhow. Besides, Jono seemed older now. More solid. Less terrified of breaking her than he'd been at 17.

[furnaceface]

Oh lord. If he was that sort of person who went around being super impressed by curtains all the time, he wasn't completely certain he could live with himself.

And so help him, he was giving his foot an almost bashful kind of scuff against the ground, now.

//Yeah...? Because I would have to, er, run it past Hannibal first,// which was an interesting phrase he hadn't pictured himself ever using, honestly, mostly in that he didn't think there was anybody left alive that he'd consider asking that question about, usually, //but I would like that.//

A lot. Oh, god, a lot. He still felt as though he'd cheated the both of them out of so much, back when he was a teenager afraid of breaking anybody he touched.

[living_endless]

"Why would he care?" Didi asked. "It's not like we're going to do it in front of -- oh."

It didn't take her long to put together why Hannibal might need to give permission. Which -- she hadn't known Jono liked boys, but really, good for him.

"It's funny," she said, tilting her chin up a tiny bit out of pride. "It didn't occur to me you might be seeing someone. I ... kind of forget your life's gone on."

Without her. Always without her. Her mouth tasted bitter.

[furnaceface]

//And on, and on,// Jono agreed, lowering his own head a little, in turn. //Hannibal's not so much a whirlwind romance as... steady footing. He's someplace safe, and that's something I haven't had much of since you left. It's... been long. I've got three minds dancing around in my head these days.//

And only one of them knew who she was. But that one had loved her enough for all three.

//That said...// He reached into his pocket. Pulled out a little, time-worn green slip of paper. //There's a saying, about what absence does to the heart.//

[living_endless]

"Three minds?" Didi echoed, surprised yet again. "Jeepers, you're keeping it together pretty well. But I bet you have a whole new understanding of Del."

And if he was already that unsteady, how could she deny him the safe harbor Hannibal seemed to represent? She couldn't.

She smiled over at him, reaching to trace her fingers over the note. "The truth is, I don't even remember what exactly I wrote," she admitted. "I was just sad to go, and sad to say goodbye, and ... I'm glad it meant something to you. And I'm glad that you've never been angry with me."

[furnaceface]

//It's been a touchstone,// he admitted softly. //To who I am, who I was. Even when I wasn't sure, there was that, and us, and there you were, if only in my head, helping me to ground myself when I felt like nothing else in the world could.//

He shrugged one shoulder a little, and then reached to pocket the little piece of paper again.

//I have what it says memorized, word for word. But what it says doesn't matter so much as that it came from you.// A beat. //And it's far easier to carry around than animatronic parrots.//

What? It was true.

//Not that I haven't considered trying.// Also true. //Shall we, knock, though? I think the flamingos are starting to give us the eye, and I would like for you to meet him. For him to meet you. For, er... meeting. To happen.//

He could only be eloquent for so long, here.

[living_endless]

"True, but the parrot would let you look like a pirate," Didi pointed out, grinning like an idiot that he'd kept it. "So really,you should give it more consideration."

There was more in her heart, but it was hard to put into words. She glanced from Jono to the door, then back to Jono.

"And yeah, we should probably knock before we get too involved talking and decide to camp on his doorstep instead." She raised her fist and knocked three times, soft and quick.

[sharp_as_knives]

Hannibal smiled down at Mischa and smoothed his hand over her hair. "We should get the door, I think. Up you go." He set the book aside and swung her down to the floor.

[furnaceface]

It took a while, but eventually Jono was able to sort of herd Hannibal off for a few minutes of conversation alone.

//So... how's the weekend going for you so far?//

Yes, this was one of several topics that Jono actually wanted to talk about. Incidentally, it was the most casual of the lot of them. So.

[sharp_as_knives]

Hannibal smiled and rubbed his face tiredly. "She would be in her forties now. It's difficult, thinking of that. But at the same time," he shook his head and his smile grew warmer, "how could I possibly be upset about having more time with her?" She was still his sunny little Mischa.

"And yours?" he asked. "This can't be easy."

[furnaceface]

//She's a beautiful little girl,// Jono replied, offering him a sympathetic sort of near-smile and reaching for his hand. //The world is a bloody cruel place, to have taken her from you so young.//

He paused a moment, and then he shrugged a little.

//Mine has been... good. Though it's a bit jarring from time to time, noticing the ways I've changed and all the ways she's stayed exactly the same. She's Endless. The time we've been apart might as well have been a single heartbeat, to her. And here I am, bloody asshole, with life going on regardless. It was easier when it was Granddad.//

Jack Starsmore had been a mentor figure. A very different situation than what he and Didi had lost.

[sharp_as_knives]

"People are bloody cruel," Hannibal said. He sighed and squeezed Jono's hand. "I'd like to hear about your Granddad some time." He smiled and stroked Jono's face with his free hand. "I would be worried if you hadn't changed. We only stop when we die, meaning no disrespect to our guests. Do you think she would prefer it if you hadn't gone on with your life?" You could even ask her now, Jono.

[furnaceface]

Jono shook his head a little.

//No, I don't think she would have preferred that at all,// he decided, leaning his face into Hannibal's hand. //It'd be a damn waste of this life of mine, to spend the rest of it pining away and never letting myself move forward. She would've thumped me right upside the bloody head if she caught me doing that. Still, it can't be easy to accept, either. That life goes on, with or without the people who've died.//

... And who have gone on to be Death again, themselves. As one does.

[sharp_as_knives]

"No, it can't," Hannibal agreed. "Knowing and wanting it intellectually is very different from experiencing it emotionally."

[furnaceface]

//Exactly,// Jono agreed. And then hesitated a little, before adding, //Which I've seen on her face a couple of times. She's noticed that I've changed. A lot. And I really have, I can't even begin to pretend otherwise. But it wasn't a hurt sort of look until she realized that 'going on with life' means moving on romantically, as well.//

[sharp_as_knives]

"Should I not have asked you to bring her to meet me?" Hannibal asked. "Please don't feel you have to stay if it's overly awkward."

He could always solve the problem by killing her, but that probably wouldn't go over well, and she was a polite girl.

[furnaceface]

Yeaaaaaaaaaah, Jono would have to take serious exception to killing Didi. He liked you, Hannibal, but there would be no coming back from that one.

//No, it's fine. I wanted you both to meet anyway, I think. You both mean a great deal to me, helped me build something better of myself. It just seemed... right?//

Jono probably could have thought it through a little better, admittedly.

[sharp_as_knives]

"She had a very great impact on your life; I wanted to meet her for that if for nothing else," Hannibal said. "And I'll admit, I was intrigued by what the personification of Death might be like. I think she suits a younger version of you."

[furnaceface]

//True enough, that,// Jono said, a little wistfully. //She taught me to be reckless again, in a time when I was terrified I'd break anything I touched. Was always more afraid for me than of me. And I was the bloody berk who would quietly sulk while she ate, or panic when she kissed me.//

God, he'd been such a stupid kid.

//She was never really Death, to me. Death was somebody bigger and a bit overwhelming. Separate, but the same. I met Death, once or twice. So familiar it hurt. But not quite Didi. Or maybe more Didi than I ever really knew. It's complicated.//

There was another long pause, there, a sort of silence that was awkward and full of purpose, before he added, //What do you think of her?//

[sharp_as_knives]

Hannibal glanced over to where Didi and Mischa had gone. "I think she's a charming young girl who thinks highly of you and that I'm not seeing her at her best." He hesitated for a moment, then shrugged. "I think she doesn't care for me, but she's determined to be polite about it. I can respect the former as much as the latter."