Hannibal's house, Friday evening

[sharp_as_knives]

The bouquet was lovely - dark red roses, glossy dark leaves. Classy, yet sedate. He rather thought Bella would have appreciated them.

He wasn't entirely certain if Jack would, but his duty as a friend hardly ceased simply because they'd had an altercation.

He pulled out a sheet of good cream stationery and pondered what to say. To be eloquent, or simple?



[OOC: For the one who TOTALLY DOESN'T REALLY LIVE HERE, HONEST. And open to phone calls, texts, etc.]

Comments

[furnaceface]

Oh, even Jono noticed those who weren't happy. He was half expecting to see signs complaining about the blight that was the dirty mutie scattered in and around the crowd.

Right. Wrong brand of bigot. Though there was almost certainly some crossover between the two.

In any case, compared to the rest, they were just background noise. Jono wasn't here to pay attention to their ilk, and if they did become a problem, he was more than equipped to make them stop.

//It is that way, isn't it?// He didn't just bounce on his toes in anticipation, no. You were almost certainly completely mistaken. //That's a good sign, right? Happy people. White House?//

[sharp_as_knives]

"Certainly a good sign for the government in charge," Hannibal answered. "And for the happy people." And for the vendors of anything rainbow.

[furnaceface]

Which Jono was already starting to notice coming out in spades. He didn't even know half of the things being sold even came in rainbow.

//... Very happy people,// he agreed, side-eyeing one such vendor. //I think I might give the celebratory rainbow suspenders a pass, though.//

[sharp_as_knives]

"Thank you," Hannibal answered, dry but serious. "And I'm fairly certain the island has more than enough glitter."

[furnaceface]

//Suppose I could pick up a flag, though,// Jono added, deciding to bypass the glitter completely, himself. //Seems a bit like the thing to do right now, doesn't it?//

Most people were wearing rainbows. Jonothon was in head-to-toe black. He felt weirdly more conspicuous than usual.

[sharp_as_knives]

"You could," Hannibal agreed. They seemed tacky in the extreme, but if Jono felt he needed one... "What would you do with it?"

[furnaceface]

//Probably just wave it around a lot,// Jono decided, his tone a little brighter than it had been even a few minutes ago. //I'm not going to resort to wearing it like a cape or anything, but showing support's always good, right?//

Said the guy who still hadn't really paused to consider that those rainbow stripes kind of applied to him these days, too. Jono maybe hadn't spent much time trying to put his sexuality into boxes, lately.

It was kind of a fluid thing, admittedly.

[sharp_as_knives]

Boxes were dull and limiting. Sexuality, art, morals - Hannibal loathed boxing things in.

So, if this were going to make Jono happy and not interfere with any plans of his... He waved a hand. "Why not?"

You weren't flying it at home, Jono. There wasn't a flagpole, and Hannibal wasn't installing one.

[furnaceface]

That was fine. He'd pin it up inside Groovy Tunes instead. Or the Boards. Jonothon was not actually hurting for places to fly a pride flag.

//Why not,// Jono agreed, wearing one of those silly happy faces that he wore only occasionally. Was he just flat-out letting the ambient mood get to him? Absolutely. And was he a little bit joy-drunk already?

Maybe a touch.

... Was he reaching to take Hannibal's hand on his way to the nearest vendor?

Well, yes. There was also that, too.

[sharp_as_knives]

Well, Hannibal had wanted to see this. So he was letting his hand be held and smirking a little as they headed over. If nothing else, maybe this would teach Jono how much more fun it was to be happy.

[furnaceface]

Fortunately, Jono understood that happy was fun! He was just... also stubborn, and admitting that he understood as much was a difficult proposition.

At least the happy-drunk didn't push him so far that he forgot that his voice would probably go over poorly in most versions of the world. And the necessary miming and gesturing to indicate that he wanted a flag wasn't frustrating in the least, for once.

It really was a pleasant change of pace. But good luck getting him to admit to that.

//See, flag!//

... Yes, Jono. Yes it was.

[sharp_as_knives]

"So I see." Hannibal nodded gravely at the flag. "Very gaudy festive."

[furnaceface]

Jono was just smirking at you now, Hannibal. He knew you well enough, at least, to know just what you were probably thinking, after all.

//Oh, c'mon. Rainbows are lovely,// he decided, leaning sideways to bump his shoulder against Hannibal's before picking up the pace somewhat to see what was going on at the White House.

This was what you got when you encouraged a happiness high. Remember this.

[sharp_as_knives]

Oh, Hannibal was! Mostly for blackmail potential. Which didn't mean he wouldn't catch up the fabric of the flag when it started dragging on the ground; there was no sense in tripping themselves with it.

"Rainbows can be," he agreed. "Rainbow fabric everywhere is...not entirely to my taste."

[furnaceface]

//Well, to your taste or not, it means something to the people here, and I think it's something that deserves to be celebrated,// Jono decided, still sounding playful. //Unless you had a better way...?//

He was open to suggestions, Hannibal!

[sharp_as_knives]

"It does," Hannibal agreed. "And I think you've already chosen a better way," he added, grinning as he held up their joined hands.

[furnaceface]

Jono blinked at their hands, and then blinked at Hannibal as though it was maybe just dawning on him that he'd taken his hand in the first place.

It had just seemed like the thing to do at the time! It was nice!

//Huh.// He blinked again, and then settled into one of those more-or-less-a-smiles of his. //So I have.//

[sharp_as_knives]

Hannibal grinned and kissed Jono's neck below his ear.

[furnaceface]

And Jono was quite happy to lean his head to the side a little to better accommodate any kissing that Hannibal might want to do, there. He even let his (somewhat) free hand sneak up Hannibal's back, flag and all.

It must've made for a lovely backdrop for the photo that went along with that camera flash, there.

Jono blinked.

[sharp_as_knives]

Hannibal blinked. Then looked over at the photographer. The woman gave him a thumbs-up and a grin. "Too good to pass up! Mind if I use it?" She handed him a business card. "I'm selling mostly to blogs and online papers."

Hannibal took the card and shook his head, a bit bemused. "So long as we get a copy." He pulled out one of his own cards and passed it to her. This was...interesting. Although likely to be more flattering than his appearances in the news back home.

[furnaceface]

Jono blinked a few more times, and then shrugged and nodded his agreement. He wasn't about to speak to the woman, but he'd absolutely allow for his photo to be used in a good way, for once. Sure.

//It'll beat every time my face has appeared in the tabloids,// he noted in an aside to Hannibal alone. //Nice change of pace, there.//

[sharp_as_knives]

Jono just got an eyebrow for that. How did he imagine Hannibal was faring in the papers in his home world?

[furnaceface]

//... Well, I didn't say it wouldn't be good for you, too,// Jono amended, shrugging, though at least having the good grace to sound somewhat sheepish about it.

He, er, wasn't going to add that Hannibal had probably earned whatever reputation the papers were giving him, while his own was mostly a case of having the wrong genetics in the wrong place at the wrong time.

He cared for you, Hannibal, but he still didn't have much sympathy about the whole 'eating people' thing.

[sharp_as_knives]

Oh, Hannibal didn't mind the actual coverage, lurid as some of it was. It was the mostly the prurient glee and unoriginality that annoyed him. "Hannibal the Cannibal"? Honestly, Frederick?

Hannibal shrugged. "The media are often idiots. A multi-universal constant, apparently." He wrapped his arm around Jono and smiled. "Shall we continue?"

To the White House, making out in the street - he'd let Jono do the interpretation.

[furnaceface]

Well, it was kind of low-hanging fruit...

//Let's,// Jono agreed, nuzzling into the crook of Hannibal's shoulder for a moment before leaning back and falling back into a gleeful expression. //I want to see what all of this fuss is about.//