Hannibal's house and elsewhere, Sunday afternoon

[sharp_as_knives]

Hannibal was checking his e-mail on his tablet as Jono read. He followed a few links, checked something else, raised an eyebrow, and excused himself, taking his tablet and phone with him. He had a glint in his eyes.

He came back a few minutes later smiling.

Comments

[furnaceface]

See Jono. See Jono look up from his book at that smile and raise an eyebrow of his own.

//Get an interesting e-mail, did you?//

Jono knew better than to think that the conversation to follow would be anything resembling boring.

[sharp_as_knives]

"Not precisely." Hannibal set the tablet down. "It did, however, lead me to some interesting links." He headed for the coat closet and got out his and Jono's. "Your calendar is free this afternoon, isn't it?"

There was always the possibility he had plans he hadn't written down, but Hannibal doubted it.

[furnaceface]

Jono was tilting his head a little as he set his book down, shrugging. Well, now Hannibal had piqued his curiosity, and there was nothing for that but to pull himself to his feet and make his way over to take his coat.

//I didn't have anything particular in mind, really. You do, hm?//

[sharp_as_knives]

"I've just booked a portal," Hannibal confirmed. "I think you'll enjoy it." It sounded interesting to him, and what was the point of living somewhere with a place like Portalocity if you couldn't take off for a date on a whim?

[furnaceface]

//And no better time than the present to find out, I suppose.// Jono shrugged into his jacket, looking faintly amused. //Do I get any hints? Is there anything I should be bringing along for this outing?//

[sharp_as_knives]

"It may be windy; you could probably get away with a scarf if you'd like one," Hannibal said. "Apart from that, only yourself."

[furnaceface]

Jono took a moment to contemplate whether a scarf was actually worth the effort for the amount of actual face it would end up covering, and ultimately decided that he was more curious than he was concerned about the weather.

//Well, myself, I happen to have all gathered up and ready to go,// he shared, pulling on his boots. So... mostly ready to go. //So that's convenient, there. And a little wind never bothered me.//

[sharp_as_knives]

"Shall we, then?" Hannibal pulled on his own overcoat, but didn't bother with a scarf or gloves himself; it wasn't likely to be that cold.

[furnaceface]

//Lead on,// Jono replied, giving Hannibal another amused look for good measure. Because why not? //My afternoon is in your hands. I reserve the right to duck and run if this turns out to be some sort of new-age outdoor spa nonsense or something of the sort, though.//

He'd been doing so well lately! He was pretty sure this wasn't going to be another fashion and self-care intervention, but sometimes it was hard to tell.

[sharp_as_knives]

"There will be outdoors, and you can always swim if you're so inclined," Hannibal said, "although it might be somewhat chilly. And you'll have to hurry to get your suit or we might miss our portal." If Jono really was dying to swim.

[furnaceface]

Which he wasn't, really.

//I think I'll pass on the polar bear dip,// he decided, giving his head a shake. //I'm not taking the time to grab a scarf, making a mad dash for my swimming gear seems a bit much when I don't even know where we're headed. And if I regret not coming prepared to swim all that much, we can always come back another time. Perhaps when it's less... November out.//

[sharp_as_knives]

"All of this is true." Hannibal smiled and led the way out the door and down to Portalocity and their portal. They exited somewhere slightly warmer than Fandom and a bit less damp, in the late afternoon. "Zadar, Croatia," Hannibal explained. It seemed to be a good-sized city, with a park a little way from where they'd come out.

[furnaceface]

//Croatia?// Well, there Hannibal went, piquing Jono's curiosity just that much more. //Long way to go for a...// He glanced around. //... walk in the park?//

That couldn't be right.

[sharp_as_knives]

"Is it?" Hannibal smiled a touch secretively and reached for Jono's hand. "Walk with me."

[furnaceface]

Jono's eyebrow wasn't going back down any time soon, but there was a smile around the corners of his eyes as he shrugged and took the hand that was reaching for his own.

//Why the hell not? We've come all this way, after all.//

Through a portal. Details.

[sharp_as_knives]

"it would be a shame to miss this." Hannibal led the way toward the park; it was pleasant enough, with a bit of grass and neatly-planted trees, but he was heading through it. The sound of the waves could be heard before they reached the shore, along with...other sounds.

[furnaceface]

Jono craned his head a little as the other sounds began to catch his ears. Low, harmonious piping noises, not creating any particular sort of melody, but with a definite rhythm all the same. Like some great instrument come to life, breathing with the rhythm of the ocean.

Jono looked toward Hannibal in question.

[sharp_as_knives]

Hannibal grinned and kept walking - there was a wide expanse of marble at the other side of the park, with steps leading down and into the ocean. The aimless, rhythmic music continued, reverberating through the air and coming up through the ground at them.

[furnaceface]

If Jono hadn't been suddenly and well-and-truly captivated by the strange music playing around them, he probably would've made some sort of comment about how their walk wasn't going to end well if they were planning on following that staircase. As it stood, though...

//Is the ground singing at us?//

He looked maybe a touch bewildered.

[sharp_as_knives]

"The ground, the sea, and the air," Hannibal answered. "It's an organ played by the waves, amplified by the architecture." He stopped a few steps shy of the water, just far enough that the ground was mostly dry, and pulled Jono to sit with him. "The music of the world."

[furnaceface]

//It's... it's lovely,// Jono decided, sitting down and leaning a little to rest his shoulder against Hannibal's. //It's like it has a pulse. Like it's breathing all around us.//

He glanced Hannibal's way.

//Worth putting my book down for, I'd say.//

[sharp_as_knives]

Hannibal smiled, listening to it. "I read about this place, and I had to come and see it. Hear it. I hoped you might enjoy it, too. La musique souvent me prend comme une mer," he quoted.

[furnaceface]

//Hm?// Jono's eyes closed as he let himself get swept away in the sound of the waves, and the music, and of Hannibal himself. //Sorry, my French is probably something I'm going to need to work on next...//

Hey, he had German under his belt and a smattering of Lithuanian and American Sign Language, and he was even beginning to pick up bits and pieces of Spanish from their sessions reading to kids at the library. French wasn't exactly on his radar yet.

//Caught 'music,' though.//

The important bit.

[sharp_as_knives]

In lieu of translating out loud, Hannibal pressed closer to Jono, thinking it at him - shades of meaning coming through more clearly and not interrupting the sound. Music often transports me like the seas.

[furnaceface]

Jono gave a small nod of his head in comprehension, giving a reply in shades that were much like the ones Hannibal had sent to him. It was... apt. If it was a poem, because lord, that sounded like a poetic statement right there, he might have to hear the rest of it at some point.

For now... this was... it was good.

//Thank you,// he murmured, a more put-together thought than the rest of it. //I don't think I realized how much I needed this outing. Can we stay awhile?//