Post-Parents' Weekend destresser, Monday evening

[sharp_as_knives]

Hannibal and Jono had both sent out e-mail to everyone they knew on the island, as well as posted in the school's boards, and everybody was invited. After this weekend, some of them seemed like they would need it.

Hannibal had a very well-stocked bar and wine cellar, there were darts and billiards and a card table downstairs as well as a media room, a music room and library on the first floor, outside decks on both if you didn't mind the flamingos, and of course, food.

Pork tenderloin crostini with cranberry pepper jelly
Pumpkin carrot soup shooters with coconut cream
Prosciutto, mango, and parmesan salad
Sweet potato ravioli with lemon sage brown butter
Mini beef wellingtons
Beef tenderloin with garlic and merlot jam
Chocolate and peanut ganache tartelettes
Chocolate orange mousse, spiced fruit brioche and yoghurt sorbet
Raspberry sorbet



[Open post! Everybody invited.]

Comments

Re: Arrive! [cw: just in case]

[furnaceface]

Jono looked quietly at the bracer. It wasn't the first time he'd seen it, of course. She'd taken it off to heal his hand, once, and he'd gotten some idea of its function then, too.

He nodded.

//If you really want to,// he agreed. //But you don't. You understand the consequences of your actions. And there's no excuse for those people doing those things. Not to children. Not to anybody. I've got little forgiveness in my heart for those who hurt children, too. They're children.//

He hesitated, and then added, //I've hurt people who were hurting children before, too. I've done things that I'm not proud of, but I don't necessarily regret. Things I can't take back, now. I don't think the people here would be inclined to judge you as harshly as you're judging yourself, Kaylin, for the things you've done. You're hardly the most terrible person to set foot on this island.//

Hell, she wasn't even the most terrible person to set foot in this room.

Re: Arrive! [cw: just in case]

[notamascot]

"You shouldn't be so nice to me," she said quietly. "I never understand when people are. But, I think... I hope you're right. And in a way... well, Teela and Tain said those people would have been executed anyhow. I just... once I start... it's hard to stop. All those kids? They were more scared of me than they'd been of the bad men. I'll never ever forget the way they looked at me and screamed in terror."

She'd been all of 13 then - just arrived in Elantra, just after her failed assassination attempt on the Hawklord, and against all common sense taken in by the Hawks.

Re: Arrive! [cw: just in case]

[furnaceface]

//I've had that happen,// Jono offered. //I've been called a monster by the same child I rescued from a pair of men who would've killed him for looking different than they do. It's never easy to take. Especially for people like you and I... people who are already afraid of ourselves.//

He reached forward, to scratch a purring Joni behind her ear.

//You've got so much potential, Kaylin. And so much passion, such a fire inside of you. You want to do right. You want to do more than right. You want to do good. I have no doubt in my mind that you can, and that you will.//

Re: Arrive! [cw: just in case]

[notamascot]

"Thanks," she said, sniffling a little more. "I do want to. I'm going to do everything that I can to do right and to help people. I don't understand why people like you and the Hawklord and Hannibal and other people believe in me, but I appreciate it and I'll try not to let you down."

Unless it involved having to like school. At least the stupid parts of it.

Re: Arrive! [cw: just in case]

[furnaceface]

//Well, I can't speak for anybody else,// Jono noted, //but I can see your potential. And I know a lot of what you're feeling first-hand. I've spent a lot of time fighting away my own doubt about things like that. I know there's still so much hope for you yet.//

He sincerely doubted she'd ever helped murder prisoners in a concentration camp by the score and then dispose of the bodies. Which meant she was doing leaps and bounds better than him.

So.

Re: Arrive! [cw: just in case]

[notamascot]

No, she just worked as an assassin. And left the bodies where they lay as a lesson for the rest. She wasn't nearly as bad a person as she thought. Dangerous, yes. There were still those back home who argued that she should be killed for everyone's safety, but so far the Hawklord had won the battle to keep her alive.

For all her worry about breaking Joni, she had been incredibly careful with the cat even through all the upset. And was so grateful to be holding a warm purring cat. Something about that just always made you feel better.

"I hope you're right," Kaylin said quietly. "I'll remember you said that during the bad times."

Re: Arrive! [cw: just in case]

[furnaceface]

Maybe sometime they could exchange assassin stories!

... That would probably be a terrible idea, actually. Scratch that.

But she was welcome to come and cuddle the cat any time she wanted. Joni certainly seemed to be appreciating the attention, at any rate.

//I hope with time you come to do more than remember,// Jono replied. //I hope someday, you come to believe it yourself.//

Re: Arrive! [cw: just in case]

[notamascot]

"Well, that's a lot to ask," Kaylin said dryly, a little bit more pulled together into her usual self. "But... it would be nice... to believe it's true."

How odd that the person who would most help to heal her was the person she hated most right now.

And yes, sharing assassin stories would be a terrible idea, Jono. The cat snuggling offer she might just take him up on. Because Joni liked the attention, of course. No other reason. Not that she'd be quick to admit, anyway.