Jukkasjärvi, Sweden

[sharp_as_knives]

After the party was over on Monday, Hannibal went home, did a bit of research, threw a lot of money around, and booked them a portal for the morning. Then he slept.

The next day, he smiled at Jono as they stepped through the portal. It was bright and cold and very, very far from Fandom. "I hope this will do."


[OOC: For the partner! NFB for distance unless the squirrels followed them.]

Comments

[furnaceface]

//You'd be surprised what you can accomplish with some shared body heat and a few extra layers,// Jono pointed out, though his attention was already shifting to the walk that Hannibal had indicated. He changed directions, curious, and always a sucker for a good view. //Lord, it's lovely here. I could get used to a place like this. At least until it melts.//

[sharp_as_knives]

"We'll have to find out later," Hannibal said, smiling.

He looked out over the scenery, squinting into the distance. "I imagine it's quite beautiful then, too. And in the summer."

[furnaceface]

//True enough. But then we wouldn't be waking up to ice wolves, would we?//

Very important, those ice wolves.

[sharp_as_knives]

"Not ice wolves, no." Hannibal smirked. "I imagine the other sort depends upon the local wildlife."

[furnaceface]

//You know, I think I rather prefer them made out of ice?//

Waking up to regular, flesh-and-blood wolves seemed as though it had a lot of potential to end very poorly, very fast.

[sharp_as_knives]

"They're definitely easier to sleep near," Hannibal said. He turned in a slow circle, taking in the ice, snow, trees, frozen river, and scattering of buildings but not much else nearby.

"Very peaceful."

[furnaceface]

//Peaceful,// Jono agreed. //Quiet. Not that 'too quiet' sort of quiet that chews at the mind, either. Just... secluded. There are people, but it isn't a screaming cacophony of them, and the ones that are here aren't... overwhelmed.//

It helped that most of the minds here were either artists, hotel employees, or people on vacation, probably.

[sharp_as_knives]

"A good place to relax." Hannibal stood patiently, enjoying the view and letting Jono take in as much of that quiet as he needed.

[furnaceface]

//Gonna be hard to drag me back to the island if I relax too much,// Jono decided. //Though I suppose that'll get easier once spring rolls around.//

Once their room melted around them.

Of course, it would just get quieter out here in the spring, wouldn't it?

[sharp_as_knives]

"If you're sufficiently relaxed, I'll just have to drape you over my shoulder and walk out," Hannibal teased.

[furnaceface]

Jono blinked his eyes open and cast an amused look Hannibal's way.

//Probably wouldn't even be th'first time that's happened, either. Doubt it'd be th'last.//

[sharp_as_knives]

"I will have to leave to teach my class, though," Hannibal pointed out. "You would be all on your own with the wolves."

[furnaceface]

//And we wouldn't want that, now would we?// Who knew what might happen? Howling at the moon? Hunting deer in packs? Scratching in public? Jono could teach those wolves all kinds of bad habits. //Suppose you'll have to cart me back to the island eventually, after all.//

[sharp_as_knives]

"Eventually," Hannibal agreed. "But not until our vacation is finished." He smiled over at Jono. "Shall we investigate the warm buildings? I would like to see what the restaurant is like. And there are other things there, as well."

[furnaceface]

//Let's,// Jono agreed. //I'm not terribly hungry at present,// har har, //but I have to admit I'm curious to see what other amenities this place has to offer. Heat is an exciting prospect all on its own, actually.//

Said Mister 'I can handle sleeping in the cold, it's no big deal, honest.'

[sharp_as_knives]

Hannibal chuckled. "That way, then." From here he could see the door. He led the way, half sliding down the slope and hurrying just a bit in an effort to stay warm.

[furnaceface]

Jono wasn't in quite as much of a hurry, but he was still just a step behind Hannibal all the same. If Hannibal was actually feeling the cold, he hardly wanted to hold him back, after all.

//Feeling cold, hm? Gonna need a hand thawing out once we get inside?//

... Probably with hot chocolate, but Jono was in a playful mood now that his brain had gotten a bit of a rest. They were sleeping in a room surrounded by forest creatures made of ice and sliding down the sides of giant swanky igloos, after all.

[sharp_as_knives]

Hannibal smiled back at Jono - since he couldn't see it through the balaclava, he sent an amused thought to him, too. "Not too cold, but movement helps. Still, feel free to help warm me."

Probably some of the hot lingonberry drink they served here, and maybe the sauna later. But company was always an option, too.

[furnaceface]

Private sauna? Absolutely Jono would join Hannibal there.

//I did mention I'm good at that, didn't I? Plenty of experience keeping people from feeling the cold for too long. Movement absolutely does help, yes.//

Jono was helpful.

[sharp_as_knives]

That got him a laugh as Hannibal opened the door to the warm building and started stomping and brushing the snow off. "Some motion more than others?"

[furnaceface]

//Hey now,// Jono replied, a laugh somewhere in that voice of his in turn as he gave his boots a thump against the front step, one after the other. //I'm not going to get into specifics unless you want me to, but I can say with some authority that I do know what works.//

For the record, no, he didn't have experience with that particular sort of 'some movement' when it came to how good a job it did at keeping people warm. But Jono could shit-talk with the best of them if he felt so inclined. He was gonna roll with it.

[sharp_as_knives]

For that matter, Hannibal hadn't used that particular method for warmth, either, but he was perfectly capable of extrapolating from other experiences. "We can save those specifics for our room, I think," he answered with a smile. Enough snow removed, he headed for the inner door.

[furnaceface]

//The warm room, I hope,// Jono was only half joking. //There are some things I could probably do without the audience for. Even if they are only made of ice.//

Sorry, wolves. No peep show for you. Unless Hannibal managed to get Jono's mind off of you, in which case…

[sharp_as_knives]

Hannibal raised an eyebrow. "You're intimidated by the sculptures?"

[furnaceface]

//I'm not sure 'intimidated' is quite the word I'd use,// Jono countered. And then squinted one eye, trying to come up with a better one. //I suppose it's no stranger than having the cats wandering around.//

Less strange, Jono. The lynx wasn't going to jump on the bed to investigate. Or to attack anybody's toes.