Denver...somewhere

[sharp_as_knives]

"I told them we had an unexpected emergency," Hannibal said as they approached the library. "I thought the details might prove a bit much." It hadn't been until Tuesday that Hannibal had gotten to the point in his list that included 'make excuses to library'. While he'd wanted to assure them that only a very serious problem would have kept them away, 'we were kidnapped by aliens' hadn't seemed a good idea.



[OOC: NFB due to distance, for the partner guy!]

Comments

[furnaceface]

//Utterly delighted,// Jono agreed, sounding... well... utterly delighted, yes. //We'll just keep coming back week after week as usual, then?//

He could so, so handle that.

[sharp_as_knives]

"Please," Maria said, smiling at them. "And thank you. It means a lot to the kids and to us."

"You're very welcome," Hannibal said.

[furnaceface]

Jono nodded his own thanks as Maria wished them a better week than the one they'd apparently had, and then returned to her usual duties.

And then he turned a smile back to Hannibal, reaching for his hand.

//Thank you for humouring me some more, mate. I've been enjoying this to a surprising degree.//

It was nice being out and involved in the community without having to play the hero or worry about people pointing and screaming.

[sharp_as_knives]

Hannibal took his hand with a slightly rueful smile. "I suspected this was a hazard when I suggested it," he confided. "I'm pleased to have found something you enjoy. Truth be told, I don't mind it myself, in limited doses."

[furnaceface]

//Not anxious to have a pack of children underfoot at all times, then?//

Jono was teasing, himself. He had a very limited amount of energy for most children, though boundless patience for certain ones in particular. He figured that was probably a good indication that he didn't need to have about twenty of them surrounding him on a more constant basis.

[sharp_as_knives]

"Not at all times, no," Hannibal agreed. "And not so many. But from time to time, it's a tolerable diversion, and as you enjoy it so much, it would be terrible of me not to help."

[furnaceface]

//Well, if they drove you barmy, I'd be the terrible one for expecting it of you,// Jono pointed out. //It's good to know where we both stand on the matter, at any rate.//

[sharp_as_knives]

"It is." Hannibal squeezed Jono's hand. "Shall we browse a bit, then?"

[furnaceface]

//Let's,// Jono replied. //Maybe I'll pick up something utterly ridiculous this week and then spend the rest of my time wondering what in the world I was thinking when I did so.//

[sharp_as_knives]

"In which case I'll remind you," Hannibal said, "you were giddy at the thought of more weekends reading to children."

[furnaceface]

//I do not get 'giddy,'// Jono protested. //... Though if I did, I suppose this would be the thing to do it.//

He'd been giddy.

[sharp_as_knives]

"No?" Hannibal asked. "Hm. It must be my mistake, then. Not even if I were to mention how pleased they were to see you?"

[furnaceface]

//... Maybe if you mentioned that,// Jono allowed. //How pleased they were to see us, even.//

They'd been too bloody adorable for words, hadn't they?

[sharp_as_knives]

They had been, yes.

"There, you see? I'll remind you of that." Hannibal grinned; Jono was nearly that adorable himself.

[furnaceface]

//And that'll explain bloody near everything,// Jono agreed.

... Giddily.

[sharp_as_knives]

"It will." Really, the giddier Jono got, the more amused Hannibal got.

And he'd simply have to pull out his phone and get a picture. Purely for his own sake, and not at all so that he could send it to Karla or Jubilee.