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]

//Maybe they just have an excellent sense for who puts up with the least amount of nonsense,// Jono speculated.

He glanced back across the room, looked at Mischa, and then nodded back to Hannibal.

//I shouldn't keep you from her for longer than need be,// he noted. //Weekends like this one don't happen terribly often, and there's no guarantee that you'll get to see the same person twice.//

There had been something else that he'd been tempted to ask, but considering the direction the conversation had gone, he didn't feel as though it would be a comfortable question for either of them. Fair enough.

[sharp_as_knives]

Hannibal nodded. He looked over at Mischa and smiled before turning back to Jono. "Which begs the question what was so important that you had to speak to me now," he said pointedly. He could make a few guesses.

[furnaceface]

Aw, bugger.

//It's... erm.// Jono scratched awkwardly at one of his elbows. //On our way over, Didi had asked for a... sort of for old time's sake, not knowing about you and I yet...//

Wow. Talking about sex was hard when it came to things like 'so my dead ex asked if I was interested, and I told her I would have to talk to you about it first.'

//And I said I wouldn't until I talked to you about it, is all.//

Eloquence personified.

[sharp_as_knives]

Yes, that had been one of his guesses. Hannibal nodded. He didn't ask if Jono was interested; if he weren't, he wouldn't be asking. Or trying not to ask.

He took Jono's hands, partly to stop him fidgeting. "And if I were to say that I'd rather you didn't, what would you do?"

[furnaceface]

//If you were to say that you'd rather I didn't, I wouldn't,// Jono replied, shrugging and looking down at their hands. //That's not even a question. She's been... gone. For years. And it's you and I, now, and has been for some time. If you'd rather I not, I won't.//

[sharp_as_knives]

Hannibal smiled and pulled Jono close. "Then I don't mind. You love her, and it would be unseemly of me to be jealous of the dead. Let her have her weekend."

[furnaceface]

Jono let Hannibal pull him close, nodded, and kind of buried his face in his shoulder, wrapping his arms around him in turn.

//Thank you, then.//

And how bloody cruel was this place, that now was the time it chose to give them another chance?

[sharp_as_knives]

Hannibal preferred to think of it as a momentary nostalgic flashback. What was he, chopped liver?

"You're welcome." Hannibal breathed in Jono's scent and kissed his ear. "Go. I have a little sister to spoil."

[furnaceface]

//And you had better spoil her well,// Jono decreed, leaning back a little and smiling again. //Little sisters that adorable require at least all of the chocolate, I'm pretty certain. It's a rule. Would you like me to leave Joni here for her? They seem to get along.//

Joni got along with everybody, in fairness. And leaving Beethoven as the only cat around a tiny child would likely just end in tears.

[sharp_as_knives]

"Please," Hannibal said. "And I intend to spoil her as much as I possibly can. I have decades to make up for."

[furnaceface]

//One borrowed kitten and the rest of the weekend to catch up with your little sister it is, then. And if there's anything I can get for either of you while she's here, just let me know.//

Jono would figure something out. Around all of the catching up with Didi that he'd be doing, and all.

[sharp_as_knives]

"I will; thank you. And you must do the same," Hannibal answered.