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

[sharp_as_knives]

"No?" Hannibal's smirk widened a bit. "In that case, should I apologize for bringing you to a place that inspires it?"

[furnaceface]

//Well, that really depends on how you intend to apologize,// Jono teased, raising an eyebrow and reaching for Hannibal's hand. //For all I know, it might involve more poetry, and then where'll I be, hm?//

[sharp_as_knives]

"Listening to poetry," Hannibal answered. "Probably in several languages." Or possibly only in your mind, he thought. He cocked his head for a moment, then took in the lights and sounds and recalled them in detail, rearranging them into more structured music in his thoughts.

[furnaceface]

//Only you, Hannibal...// There was warmth in that statement, a sort of mild tingle of approval as the lights and the noises danced around in Jonothon's mind. He contemplated the arrangement, and then, in a shared mindscape, held out his hand to Hannibal, a smile toying at his lips. //Had to take something poetic and make it into a masterpiece, didn't you?//

[sharp_as_knives]

One of my favorite pastimes. Music, life, food - he did his best to make the poetic masterful. Or the banal poetic. Care to join me? He threaded some remembered notes into the ones currently playing, ending mid-phrase and drawing it out as he waited.

[furnaceface]

//Of course,// Jono replied, taking a step forward in that mindscape they were threading together, a light and a note to punctuate that step rising up and sweeping around them both. In the distance, the music that was rising up all around them played a quiet harmony to Hannibal's melody.

Jono smiled some more, flames flickering up over blue-tinted skin.

//Always wanted my own light show.//

A line of green. A swirl of blue. A breath, a heartbeat, a splash of red.

[sharp_as_knives]

A raised mental eyebrow was Hannibal's answer to that. Along with a swirl of light that resembled flame and a low rumble of harmonics.

[furnaceface]

And Jono met all of that with an easy laugh, one that called up shades of violet that rose and fell with his laughter, that pulsed in and away with the ocean's breath.

//Showoff,// he accused, licking his lips and tilting his head back a little as he took in the sound of the music again. //And here I thought flame was my territory.//

[sharp_as_knives]

That being my point, Hannibal said, amused. Your own light show?

[furnaceface]

//You're not going to tell me that I'm meant to be my own light show, are you?// There was only wry amusement in Jonothon's tone at that, fire ghosting across his face, over his chest, which was, for the moment, whole in their minds' eyes. //Since when was that how it worked, Hannibal?//

[sharp_as_knives]

Hannibal shrugged. Why not? Your flames are under your control, and have a range of colors. I'm certain you could be a light show if you wanted to. The only question is if you do want to.

He wasn't judging either way; there were probably more important or interesting things Jono could focus on, but art was a worthy goal in itself.

[furnaceface]

Pale skin, glowing eyes. A flash of a hollow torso, as Jono tilted his head thoughtfully.

//I did use my fire to perform for somebody's entertainment once,// he mused, that wry note still not quite leaving his voice. //She told every tabloid in the UK some nonsense story about how she was going to be the mother of my freak mutie spawn and left me in a gutter in a back alley, thanking me for furthering her career. Never really thought of my powers as having a potential for art before then. Never really bothered, since. Seemed more trouble than it was worth, being half superstar, half freak show curiosity turned publicity stunt.//

A beat.

//Didn't even really like her music all that much.//

Ugh, bubblegum.

[sharp_as_knives]

Hannibal didn't bother to suppress the flash of cold anger and fierce protectiveness at that. Regardless of her, or of anybody else - did you enjoy it for itself?

[furnaceface]

//Some, I suppose,// Jono allowed. //There's a certain sort of freedom in just letting go, especially with powers like mine. Even now, I put more focus into holding them in than I let on.//

A wave of flame, scarlet, then yellow, then blue, twisting around the both of them as the music coalesced into something louder.

//It's bloody exhausting, sometimes. It felt good to light up the sky, to not bloody care, for once.//

[sharp_as_knives]

Hannibal watched the flames, then let just a bit of the outside light show join them, along with the sounds of the sea and the organ. I would like to see that sometime. Would you be up for a private performance?

[furnaceface]

//Not terribly certain how private it could possibly be, if I were to go and light up the entire sky,// Jono pointed out, amused again. Still. //But... I'll consider it. It would be safe enough t'do on the island, perhaps. Out on the beach, over the water...//

Where there wasn't exactly a great risk of, say, knocking down a building or accidentally flattening the town or something of the like.

[sharp_as_knives]

On the island, or we could take a boat, or visit somewhere distant, perhaps in the desert, Hannibal suggested. He smiled and kissed Jono while his lips were visible. But for now, the sea organ and the lights? he suggested.

Spending time in Jono's head was welcome, but they could, after all, do that anywhere.

[furnaceface]

//For now, the sea organ and the lights,// Jono agreed, leaning in to kiss Hannibal one more time before stepping back out of his own head, opening his eyes to look down at the art installation that surrounded them. He was silent for a moment, considering it. And then he squeezed Hannibal's hand. //Dance with me?//

It wasn't a waltz by any means, but it had a rhythm of its own. Jono was confident they'd find a way.

[sharp_as_knives]

Hannibal smiled and turned to wrap his arms around Jono. "Whenever you like." He listened to the waves and their music and started a slow dance to them. Leading, naturally.

[furnaceface]

Naturally. Jono didn't seem to mind all that much, though. He was used to it, and when it came to an evening like this, a bit of following didn't seem all that terrible anyway.

//Fandom needs one of these things,// he murmured as they danced. //Either that, or we'll need to strike up some sort of deal with Portalocity on tickets to Croatia.//

This was a nice interlude to the rest of life rushing by. Jono could live with more of this.

[sharp_as_knives]

"We could come back for class," Hannibal suggested. "There's also a similar place in San Francisco, though it's not as musical, and one in Blackpool I haven't yet heard." He smiled. "Or we could simply return here again."

[furnaceface]

//I'd be interested in hearing them all myself,// Jono mused. //Not that I don't think the students will appreciate them. I'm just that greedy.//

For a bit of calm by the sea. Oh, the humanity.

[sharp_as_knives]

"We'll travel to all of them, then; why not?" Hannibal smiled. "I'm curious myself how each one compares." They'd moved as they danced, and one last adjustment shifted them onto the lights, a sort of slow-whirling disco floor.

[furnaceface]

//They've got quite the competition, if we're starting with the one with the dancing solar light panels.// Jono followed Hannibal's lead easily, the glow from underfoot lighting their way now as they danced. The lights lit their faces from below, a sort of dim, colour-shifting parody of the way Jono's fire lit his face when his wrappings were set aside. //But maybe they'll surprise us yet.//

[sharp_as_knives]

"The world is full of surprises. That's part of its fascination," Hannibal said. "At the risk of sounding cliché, I could never have predicted you."