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]

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."

[furnaceface]

//It's the roguish good looks, isn't it?// There was a teasing glint in Jono's eye. //Nobody ever predicts that part. I know, it can be a touch overwhelming...//

Never let it be said that Jonothon could take a compliment gracefully. Though he did relent a moment later, leaning forward to rest his forehead against Hannibal's.

//Then again... you caught me by surprise, too.//

[sharp_as_knives]

"Was it the fashion sense or the impeccable taste?" Hannibal teased back.

Or the hobbies - had it been the hobbies?

[furnaceface]

Jono was most certainly not referring to the hobbies.

... Though they had caught him by surprise, too.

//Probably the way you wield plaid like it's a superpower,// Jono decided. //That must be it.//

[sharp_as_knives]

"It's just another pattern," Hannibal observed, amused.

[furnaceface]

//Yes, well, most people can't pull off one type of it at a time,// Jono pointed out.

He knew from experience.

Shut up.

[sharp_as_knives]

"Sheer talent," Hannibal said. He spun them to another section of the light-floor when the section they were in got crowded.

[furnaceface]

//Superpower,// Jono countered. //And you'll never convince me otherwise.//

So far as powers went, at least it was more useful than 'being blue.'

[sharp_as_knives]

At worst, it brought him unflattering comments in the society pages, so yes, Hannibal probably had the better end on that one.

"My world hasn't got mutants," Hannibal pointed out. Nor had he been bitten by radioactive plaid as a teen.

[furnaceface]

//Just makes you that much more uncanny, then, doesn't it?//

Jono. Jono. No, Jono.

//You'll have to do a hell of a lot more convincing before I'll buy that there's anything less than supernatural about your ability to mix and match patterns, anyway.//

[sharp_as_knives]

"My world has no supernatural forces, either." Hannibal was definitely looking a bit smug now. "It's purely natural talent."

And all the x jokes in the world weren't getting him in a uniform hitting bad guys, Jono.

[furnaceface]

Bah, as if Jono wanted Hannibal in a uniform. He'd probably try to make certain it had a plaid X and a fancy necktie or something.

//You think you can convince me you didn't make some devil's pact to be able to pull off three completely different types of plaid at the same time?// Jono squinted for a moment, and then another smile was showing around the corners of his eyes and he was stepping a little closer to Hannibal, laughter somewhere in the tone of his voice. //I'll take your word for it... for now. But I have it on good authority that it's not a bad talent to go with flying, at any rate.//

Look, his first New Warriors uniform had been horrible, but you get in enough fights while wearing it, and see if you didn't get a little protective of the stupid thing, either.

[sharp_as_knives]

"You pulled off three different brocades at once," Hannibal pointed out. "But if you think it wise, I'm happy to wear plaid for my flying lessons."