Hannibal's house (which Jono seems to think is his), Friday night

[sharp_as_knives]

Jono had been absorbed most of the week in hammering, tinkering, and generally fussing with his collar. He'd declared early on that he would be done with it by the weekend, Hannibal would see!

What precisely "being done with it" meant, Hannibal was curious to see. And perhaps a bit wary of.

So, now that it was almost the weekend, he was heading down to the media room, which Jono had currently claimed as a workroom, to see what progress he had made.

"I'm feeling a bit of deja vu," he noted.


[For that guy!]

Comments

[furnaceface]

//Tear in the meta for Matrix,// Jono quipped, still somewhat absorbed in his work for a few moments more. If Hannibal didn't get the reference... well, it would hardly be the first thing Jonothon said that didn't make a hell of a lot of sense to the uninitiated. He made a reach for a screwdriver. //You're just in time, by the way. I was going to need to ask you something before getting any further along, here.//

[sharp_as_knives]

"Oh?" Hannibal sat in one of the plush chairs not far from him. "What was that?"

[furnaceface]

//Red pill or the blue pill?//

Jono held up two small mechanical components, one in either hand.

//Or maybe the left mushroom or the right one? You get one to play with, I'll train you with one. But I haven't quite decided which one, yet.//

He'd deliberately reworked the interior of the collar over the course of the week. It was much smaller now than it had been before, though it was adjustable around the shoulders. And, for safety's sake if nothing else, it could only fit one of the tech components that it used to carry before. He'd already safely hidden away most of that part that let him manipulate hard-light objects, and the one that let him emit deadly sonic screams. What that left behind was either flight, in his left hand, or enough of his hard-light tech in his right hand to create a simple shield around himself or one other person for a limited period of time, nothing more.

Jono was a gambling man, but he wasn't stupid.

[sharp_as_knives]

Hannibal continued not to get the reference, but eyed the two components curiously. "What does each of them do?"

[furnaceface]

Jono gave his head a shake, clearly amused, but at least he relented somewhat.

//This one's flight,// he said, holding up ol' Lefty. //And this one,// he held up the reduced tech in his right, //is shielding. Minor force-shields. It'll keep blunt force trauma and sharp things from getting through to you. It can be re-calibrated to keep air from passing through as well, but since the shields you can create with it are fairly small, I figured you might enjoy breathing.//

Yes, his life had been saved by a shield that hadn't let air pass through, once upon a time. But that had been a very deliberate result of the tech as a whole, and these particular shields wouldn't be nearly so large.

//So... flight or increased durability, basically.//

[sharp_as_knives]

"The shields are probably more practical," Hannibal noted. He chuckled. "So, flight it is." He was fairly durable already; flying was much more spectacular.

[furnaceface]

That was an amused snort being projected right into Hannibal's head, there. Jono made a show of rolling his eyes toward the ceiling, and then set the shield component to the side.

//Good lord. You, flying. What the hell am I about to unleash upon the world?//

Notice how this wasn't stopping him from setting to work clicking the last component into place.

[sharp_as_knives]

"Elegance and creativity," Hannibal proclaimed. He smirked. "I'm willing to go with the other, if you'd prefer," he said innocently.

[furnaceface]

//Nah, that's quite alright. I would've picked the flying too, I think, if somebody gave me the same choice.//

Fortunately, he hadn't needed to make that decision back when the collar had been made for him. He could have it all, and he'd wanted to create, too.

The component clicked easily into place, and Jono put a screw in to make certain it stayed there before snapping the whole collar shut and, after a moment's pause, standing up and walking over to Hannibal with it.

//Nobody touches this but you and I. The power packs shouldn't run out of charge nearly as quickly as I ran them down back in th'day, but be careful to check them often just to be on the safe side. A sudden fall would be a shite ending to all those elegant, creative flights you're planning.//

[sharp_as_knives]

"It would be," Hannibal agreed. He reached out to take the collar, eyeing its new configuration with interest. "It's adjustable now?"

[furnaceface]

//To some extent, yes. We're hardly going to be able to slap this thing on and fly around town as children, but it should fit either of us should the island play fast and loose with our genders for a weekend, and it can be let out to account for at least as much shoulder as I had before.//

Jonothon shrugged as he handed it over. There was a little bit of reluctance in the gesture, but it was more about the collar and less about the person he was handing it to, as though he was saying farewell to an old friend.

[sharp_as_knives]

Hannibal smiled. "I'll take good care of it, and it isn't going far." He reached out to run a hand through Jono's hair.

[furnaceface]

//I know,// Jono replied, a hint of a sigh in his voice as he leaned into Hannibal's touch. //I know you will, and I know it isn't. I've just been into the mouth of hell with this bloody thing more times than I can count. Kept a good many good soldiers alive with this through certain death. This was the rest of me when fate tore the fire away. It's... complicated, handing it over to anybody else.//

[sharp_as_knives]

Hannibal kept his hand in Jono's hair, stroking affectionately, and gave him an indulgent look. "You've already put yourself in my hands any number of time. Your body, your mind and thoughts. Is this more frightening?" He was asking rather than judging, though he thought he knew the answer already.

[furnaceface]

//Of course not,// Jono murmured, looking down again at the collar, and then turning his gaze back toward Hannibal's face. //Of course it isn't. It's just... a process, I suppose. Each of those things presented their own hangups too. I'm excellent at those. The Jono who needed this... thing... in order to feel whole... he's a fading memory. He's a scar I don't want to ever revisit, the kind that tore itself open again and again and again and is only now really beginning to heal. But so much of my survival has been wrapped up in bandages, I suppose it's difficult to let go.//

[sharp_as_knives]

"I would be surprised if it weren't," Hannibal said. "I don't mean to suggest that your attachment is unfounded, only to remind you how these things have gone for us in the past." He stroked one hand down Jono's face. "I'm extremely proud of you for the progress you've made in healing those scars, you know."

[furnaceface]

//Some days are better than others,// Jonothon noted, leaning his cheek into Hannibal's hand. //But this... I can't even use this. It's a keepsake, it's a reminder. At least you can get some use out of it.//

An extremely limited sort of use, because even Jono knew how insane he would have to be to trust Hannibal with a weapon that had all the capabilities that his collar used to have. And Jono trusted Hannibal with a good many things.

... Some with varying degrees of logic involved, granted.

//Strange thinking back on all of that. I can still see shades of me in those memories, but so much has changed in such a short amount of time. It's a little surreal.//

[sharp_as_knives]

"You will use it again in the future," Hannibal assured him. "Until then, perhaps I can take you flying." He chuckled. "After quite a few lessons, I imagine."

[furnaceface]

//Quite a few,// Jon agreed, giving Hannibal an amused look. //There'll be mats underneath you until you've mastered landing, and don't even think we'll be going outside until I'm certain you know how to steer. Just because I was a reckless git doesn't mean you need to be. Anyway, I had a training room. So'll you.//

Because he was not equipped for an emergency catch, should Hannibal fall.

[sharp_as_knives]

"I am many things," Hannibal said, similarly amused. "Reckless is rarely one of them. Where do you plan on training, though? There are a few too many breakable things in the house."

[furnaceface]

//Good question, innit? There isn't exactly a wealth of training space on the island for somebody looking to cut his teeth on flying for the first time. We could just train you when we hit Westchester, but if you want to be any good at it, you're going to need to play around with that thing more than the one time a week we can potentially get you into the training room.//

He shrugged his shoulders.

//You picked flight, mate. What're you willing to compromise on in order to learn it? I'm running out of rooms to snatch out from under your nose, but this one is for your benefit, not mine.//

[sharp_as_knives]

"Not at all to yours," Hannibal agreed, straight-faced. Because naturally he'd never dream of taking Jono flying.

"Outside would probably be best, but with winter on its way, perhaps not. Do you think we could use the Danger Shop outside of school hours?"

[furnaceface]

//I can tell you from experience that you don't want to fly in the winter, unless you enjoy chapped... everything.//

Everything. The wind cut right through most clothes at those speeds. Yet another reason why Jono swore by leather, especially when he was in the company of the X-types.

//We might be able to use the Danger Shop. It would have safety protocols in place, after all. Or, hell, I could even talk to Drac about making use of the Boards, make certain we're not tripping over anything he might have planned. It isn't lacking in room, and there are plenty of mattresses we could pull out from the back...//

Those were set pieces, Jono.

//... I used to use them for training, myself.//

[sharp_as_knives]

"The shop would be more configurable," Hannibal pointed out. "If we can get the time in it."

[furnaceface]

//True enough, but it doesn't hurt to have a back-up plan. The shop is almost always in use during the daytime through the week, unless you had a mind to start training through supper?//

Jono even quirked an eyebrow up, as though doing so illustrated his point somehow.

[sharp_as_knives]

Touché, Jono. And weekends they generally had plans.

Hannibal sighed. "I'm not giving up the salon. Perhaps my office? There were plans for an extension in the house blueprints, and it wouldn't be bad having it further out."

[furnaceface]

//Flying lessons in your office, hm? It would save us the trip to the Boards or wherever on days the weather is being... willful.//

Jono wasn't going to gloat over his victory, really. After all, the only thing he was missing out on if they trained through supper was the second-hand sensation of eating. And he was still a little sad about handing the collar over at all.

He'd get over that part, at least.

//It should work. Have you got the plans handy?//

[sharp_as_knives]

"As busy as I am these days," Hannibal answered dryly, "I'm certain I'll have time to find them. For now, we only need to move the furniture aside and store the fragile parts."

[furnaceface]

Jono nodded, musing to himself that moving the furniture would have been easier if he'd kept his collar together, and allowing himself a moment of wry amusement at the thought. It was his own fault anyway, and it wasn't like Hannibal would want to give the collar a first spin doing something that could potentially damage the furniture, even if he hadn't taken it apart.

//More than enough room for the basics,// he agreed, thoughtfully. //We'll probably just work on hovering for the time being, anyway. Holding a steady position midair is more difficult than you might think.//

[sharp_as_knives]

"We should probably get some mats, in that case." In case Hannibal wasn't bruised enough after sessions with Logan...

[furnaceface]

//I do have some of those I can haul in,// Jono noted. //I wouldn't ask you to do anything like this without them. Haven't needed them much myself these days, but then, I don't exactly do much flying, either.//

He shrugged.

//And I've got extras in storage back at the Boards for once you're doing more than trying to stay in one place. Probably enough to cover most of the floor in there, at least. Sound good?//

[sharp_as_knives]

"From an office to a padded room," Hannibal said wryly. "Why not?"

[furnaceface]

//It's definitely a step in... a direction, anyway,// Jono mused. //At least the mats can be put away easily enough. And the alternative is not flying, so I'm not seeing much downside, really.//

[sharp_as_knives]

"Why put them away?" Hannibal asked, resigned. "You've been wanting more room to work out in. We could make the room a gym."

[furnaceface]

//A gym...?// Oh, you'd gotten Jono's attention, now. //You wouldn't mind that? I mean, it'd be bloody convenient too, going into winter and all...//

But what? He didn't want to impose?

//I'd like that.//

[sharp_as_knives]

"It seems pointless to refurbish it and use it only as an empty room," Hannibal pointed out. "Or to make you run to the Boards each time you want a larger indoor space to work out in."

But Jono would be paying for it, right?

[furnaceface]

It was probably a given by now, really, yes.

//... True enough,// Jono replied, nodding thoughtfully. //I don't even need much, really. I wouldn't be hauling Shi'ar tech over here from my world and rigging the toilets up to attack or anything ridiculous like the school's got back there. The room would have to stay off-limits to th'cats, though. Wouldn't want them knocking something heavy over and getting hurt or anything like that.//

They weren't going to like that.

[sharp_as_knives]

"Please no alien technology in the toilets," Hannibal agreed firmly. "With the mud room between here and the...gym," he said with a barely detectable sigh, "it shouldn't be too difficult to keep the cats out."

They really wouldn't like it, but they would simply have to deal with it.

[furnaceface]

//Well, then I think we've got a plan.// And there was a bit of easily detectable glee, there. //A training room, for th'both of us. And you better believe I'll be putting you through your paces once we've got it set up, too.//

Jono didn't ask for much. Just in-floor heating and a sauna and a gym of his very own and enough space to keep his records and...

[sharp_as_knives]

Hannibal would make a hedonist of you yet, Jono!

The fact it meant someone else was paying for Hannibal's luxuries was only an added bonus.

"You'll also be paying for the stocks of salve we'll be laying in," he answered wryly.

[furnaceface]

//Speak for yourself, there,// Jono countered, more or less merrily. He was still British, after all. He had to hold some of that joy in. //I've been training for decades. But I'll happily provide salve for you, should you need it.//

He'd probably need it.

[sharp_as_knives]

"I'm certain I will; otherwise something is going wrong," Hannibal answered.