Hannibal's house, Saturday morning

[sharp_as_knives]

Jono had been a bit twitchy for several days now; anticipatory and a little on edge. Not enough that Hannibal was concerned, but enough that he noticed. So today he'd set aside a bit of extra time and a large and disposable blanket. The back yard was sheltered by enough trees to give them privacy, and if there should be any...mishaps...it would be less messy.

Now he just needed to herd Jono out there.

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[furnaceface]

See, herding Jono outside would probably be the easy part. He was busying himself around the house at the moment, cleaning.

Let that one sink in for a moment. Jono. Cleaning.

Never mind that there was somebody being paid to do just that, and all. He was antsy, and there was nobody who needed immediate punching or anything of the sort. So, there was a rag in one hand, and a spray bottle in the other, and apparently that spotless tabletop needed some more dusting, there.

Jono really needed to join another hero team or something.

[sharp_as_knives]

Hannibal watched him for a moment, then leaned in the doorway. "I'm not about to say I mind the cleanliness, but may I offer a different outlet for all that energy?"

And if Jono could possibly find a hobby that did not involve being shot at, that would be lovely.

[furnaceface]

Jono handled being shot at much better than stagnation, though!

//Hm?// One more spritz from the bottle, and then Jono was glancing at the man in the doorway. //Had something in mind, did you?//

Probably, yes. Considering Jono had been so absorbed in his cleaning that he didn't notice Hannibal head outside in the first place, though, he wouldn't have had a single clue.

[sharp_as_knives]

Hannibal shook his head. Yes, Jono was definitely distracted. "I do. Wipe that last bit up and come with me."

[furnaceface]

Jono looked sheepishly down at the liquid on the table at the shake of Hannibal's head. Okay, so he was a bit more out of it today than usual. Antsy. He nodded and wiped up the last of the spray, and then slung the rag over his shoulder and made his way outside.

//Alright, you've got my attention, then.//

[sharp_as_knives]

Hannibal nudged Jono to sit and took up position behind him, one arm around his waist. "Today, we are working on your healing. Of the physical kind," he clarified.

[furnaceface]

Jono blinked back at him, one eyebrow raised a little. Well, he couldn't say it wasn't timely, what with the sudden whomp of Nanika's aura he'd sensed again on Monday.

//Hence the outside,// he noted, nodding faintly. //Right, then. Can't hurt to give it another go, so long as you stay back there, I suppose...//

He'd rebuilt himself from scratch. A few times. Unconsciously. This had to be easy, right? Just, maybe there was some sort of mental hang-up that was keeping him from it. Or... something.

[sharp_as_knives]

"I don't plan on going anywhere," Hannibal assured him. "Working together, we managed a little before, when you weren't at your best or in your own body. I'm optimistic we can do it again." Not easy, no, but attainable. "Would it help to connect with me, or shall I talk you through it?"

[furnaceface]

//Not sure,// Jono admitted. //We've only ever tried it the once, after all.//

He looked down at himself, eyes travelling along the length of leather bound around his chest. And then he reached up to start unwinding his bandages.

//All the better for watching for progress,// he explained as he did so. //And I think perhaps it'd be better for you to talk me through. That way if something does go pear-shaped, at least you won't be linked to me when it does.//

[sharp_as_knives]

Hannibal reached up to help with the bandages from the back. "Or you'll have added incentive for it not to go pear-shaped," he pointed out. Since Jono was more likely to protect Hannibal than himself.

[furnaceface]

Jono's shoulders bunched up a little at that.

//I can't make any promises that 'added incentive' will work here,// he admitted. //Much as I'd like to be able to say definitively that it would, this is an aspect of my powers I've never really explored. In any set of memories I've got. Always just sort of figured it wasn't something I had any control over. It isn't as though anybody else can just decide to heal better, after all.//

[sharp_as_knives]

"Most other people wouldn't live through exploding," Hannibal pointed out. He thumped one of Jono's shoulders gently, a 'none of that'. "What would be the worst that happened if things went wrong?" he asked matter-of-factly.

[furnaceface]

Jono just met Hannibal with a deadpan look at that.

//I'd level the island.//

Hey, he'd asked for the worst.

[myownface]

Okay, so the newspaper said it was 2015, and Sparkle wasn't one to deny that the island was prone to, you know, pulling stupid shit like randomly dragging people here for a few days, or making people into their older selves for the weekend, and he kind of wanted to know which it was.

And sure, maybe Hannibal was twenty years older as well and none of his questions would get answered anyway, but it wasn't like he had a huge list of people to check in with around here, and what harm would it really do, right?

So yeah. There he went, knocking on the door, after throwing the requisite handful of distracting shrimp at the flamingos. Sparkle was in no mood to throw down with large pink birds today.

[sharp_as_knives]

Hannibal set his book down, checked that Jono was still asleep, and headed for the door. He opened it with a pleasant but distant expression for the stranger - then noted the bone structure and underlying scent of the man. "Sparkle?" He opened the door wider. "You'd best come in."

What had the island done this time?

[myownface]

"... Yeah, apparently so," Sparkle agreed, blinking as he took in and processed the sight of Hannibal looking so-- well, not young, really, but so much younger than he had been expecting. "Damn, it really is 2015, then?"

This was still not the weirdest thing that had ever happened to him, at least, so he shrugged it off and stepped inside.

[sharp_as_knives]

"The last time I checked," Hannibal agreed. "Although around here, perhaps I shouldn't assume. Can I get you anything?"

[myownface]

"Beer, please, if you have any on hand," Sparkle tried, with a little smile. "And thanks. I, uh, was half expecting to find out that the date in the newspaper was a misprint. I've already run into a bunch of people I remember from here, all from about twenty years from now. But this is looking more and more like an island thing, now."

[sharp_as_knives]

"There was meant to be a reunion this weekend, but I had assumed it was simply for those who've left to visit. In the same time period." Hannibal shook his head as he went to get that beer. "This one seems to have passed by some of us."

He led Sparkle to the kitchen and took down a glass, heading for the refrigerator. "Only beer?"

[myownface]

"Well, now that you mention it, I could eat," Sparkle mused, as if the thought of having Hannibal cook for him had only just crossed his mind. It was even a pretty believable act, if you didn't actually know Sparkle already. "This isn't a bad time?"

[sharp_as_knives]

Hannibal chuckled at the act. "I must be very different in twenty years if you've ever known it to be a bad time for me to cook." He poured Sparkle a glass of his homemade beer as he made a mental inventory of things he could cook quickly.

"If you're hungry now, I could make a quick risotto or fry some scallops. If you'd like to stay longer, I can do something more involved."

[myownface]

Sparkle's smile became a little more sincere at that. Okay, so Hannibal was Hannibal, whatever era he came knocking. Naturally.

"Scallops sound amazing," he admitted. "I had a sandwich earlier today, but it wasn't much. Coffee shop fare, really."

Which he hadn't paid a cent for, but still.

"How've you been? I mean, how... are you? It's technically old news to me, but..." He waved a hand, vaguely. "Hi, what's up?"

Thanks for making this awkward, Fandom.

[sharp_as_knives]

Hannibal nodded. "Scallops it is." He tied on an apron to start as he answered the question. "I'm doing well." He thought about what he could say that would help Sparkle place where he was at this time.

"You've recently left the island to return to Toronto, so I've no TA this term." He took out the bacon and set about preparing it. "We're visiting different restaurants around the world. This is the first oddity since the new students arrived. Jono Starsmore and I recently took a vacation to London and returned with motorbikes - a Triumph for me and a Norton for him."

[myownface]

Sparkle gave a little grin at that.

"I vaguely remember that you got bikes," he replied. "And wow... it's that soon after I graduated? Jeeze, we were probably just getting settled into the house on Mapleview right around now."

And fuck that house and the neighbourhood it was built in.

[sharp_as_knives]

"You mentioned a new house, but I haven't heard when it is; you plan on writing me once you're settled," Hannibal said. He gave Sparkle a stern look, though his eyes were anything but. "You had best not forget."