Hannibal's house (where Jono isn't even around today), Sunday

[sharp_as_knives]

Jono was out ferrying announcements around, and Hannibal was posting the information to their friends who used social media. Somehow it seemed that in the time since last night, Jono had miraculously once more forgotten how to use the internet.

So, Hannibal posted things - which took all of half an hour - and then set about having a quiet day indoors.

For values of "quiet" that included Beethoven growling at Joni every time she wanted to play with his tail.



[OOC: Open post!]

Comments

[vdistinctive]

Eliot wasn't generally the sort to go visiting, but he happened past Hannibal's place while taking Val out on a run and, well. There was news.

He knocked on the door while Val eyed the flamingos. "No chasin' 'em unless Hannibal says it's okay," Eliot told her. She huffed a doggy sigh and rested her chin on her paws.

[sharp_as_knives]

Hannibal opened the door and smiled. "Mr. Spencer; hello." He paused at the sight of Val. "Does she know well enough not to chase the cats?"

[vdistinctive]

Eliot shrugged. "If she doesn't, she'll learn quick." Val perked her ears and looked up at him curiously. "She's a little more interested in chasin' your flamingos just now, though."

[sharp_as_knives]

"They're hardly mine." Hannibal waved toward them. "She's welcome to, but I imagine they're prone to defending themselves."

[vdistinctive]

Val yipped, her tail wagging, and Eliot nodded to her. She leaped into action, dodging a swipe with a beak and running circles around the yard.

"So's Val," Eliot said, smiling a little. "'Least you don't have to worry about her goin' after your cats."

[sharp_as_knives]

Hannibal chuckled. "So are the cats - or at least, Beethoven. But they're somewhat louder about it."

Not that the flamingos were quiet, exactly, but they were outside. He waved Eliot in. "Can I get you some tea or coffee?"

[vdistinctive]

"Coffee, sure," Eliot said. Hannibal knew his coffee; Eliot wasn't going to turn it down. "So how ya been doin'?"

[sharp_as_knives]

Hannibal started the coffee and got out the cups and service as he spoke. "Well, thank you. One or two overambitious students in my class, but nobody's set fire to anything yet. And I imagine you've seen or heard the news from Jono. You?"

[vdistinctive]

"Pony hasn't gotten any students arrested yet, but it's early days, yet." Eliot tilted his head. "Congrats, by the way. Gotta say, I really saw either of you as the marryin' type."

[sharp_as_knives]

Hannibal shook his head. "That would make three of us. But the question arose on our vacation, and we thought, why not? It isn't as though it will make much practical difference."

Except for the whole "immunity from testifying against each other" bit. Maybe that one was just Hannibal, though. Then again, you never knew!

[vdistinctive]

Eliot raised an eyebrow. "Now if that were true, there'd be no point in goin' through the whole song and dance. Not unless you've got a hankerin' for bad DJs and stressing about flower arrangements."

He was such a romantic.

[sharp_as_knives]

Hannibal smiled. "No practical difference. There are still a number of reasons to formalize it. And we've already foresworn bad DJs; Jono won't be handling it himself, but he'll be hiring someone competent. We haven't decided upon flowers yet."

Except for almond flowers, which had apparently become their theme.

[vdistinctive]

"Looks like you got time, seein' as you ain't set the date yet," Eliot said. "How long you two been together?"

[sharp_as_knives]

"That depends upon how you define it, I suppose." Hannibal poured the coffee and offered Eliot cream and sugar. "We had been thrown together by the island several times, and were already close friends, before we decided upon exclusivity. That would have been," he took a moment to recall it, "last February."

[vdistinctive]

Ah yes, Eliot had some very distinctive memories of some of the things that had happened last February.

"Notice you two've been pretty much livin' together awhile now, too."

[sharp_as_knives]

"The billiards table and extra shelving in my basement can attest to that," Hannibal answered wryly. "Not to mention the plans for renovating my larger office into a workout room. But it seems to work well for us."

[vdistinctive]

"Ain't like you don't have the room, in this place," Eliot noted. He smiled again. The whole idea of marriage still made him feel vaguely nauseous, but that didn't stop him from being happy for other people doing it. "That's great. Congrats, again. Guessin' by the spread of the posters and things, you're thinkin' a big ceremony?"

[sharp_as_knives]

"I certainly am." Hannibal grinned. "It remains to be seen what plans Jono can be convinced of. We haven't made many definite decisions yet, but since there isn't a paper to announce it in, nor will we be wearing rings, this seemed the easiest way to inform people of our engagement."

[vdistinctive]

"Pretty sure you could have just told the squirrels," Eliot noted. "Not sure I've seen engagement posters before."

Though, to be honest, he'd never seen mailed announcements, either. And only rarely the newspaper announcements.

[sharp_as_knives]

"The posters are perhaps a bit much," Hannibal agreed. "But Jono liked them. We're mailing announcements for the most part, because a good deal of our friends live outside the island."

[vdistinctive]

"Bit of an old fashioned touch either way," Eliot said. "Can't quite picture Jono as a traditionalist, so I'm guessin' that was your thing."

[sharp_as_knives]

"Jono would be just as happy to run off to the nearest courthouse, despite the fact that our friends would never forgive us, so yes," Hannibal answered.

[vdistinctive]

"Nice of him to put up with all this stuff. Couple good friends of mine have been engaged for a few years now, and Sophie's still tryin' to talk Nate into more'n the five of us and a justice of the peace."

[sharp_as_knives]

"Does he truly hate the idea?" Hannibal asked.

[vdistinctive]

Eliot shook his head and waved his hand. "He's done the whole big wedding thing before. Mostly he just ain't into any ideas he didn't come up with himself."

[sharp_as_knives]

Hannibal smirked. "So the trick would be to make him believe he thought it up himself."

[vdistinctive]

"And if anyone can manage that, it'll be Sophie," Eliot agreed. "Though I think he made her promise not to use NLP on him on purpose anymore."

[sharp_as_knives]

Hannibal laughed. "Your friend Sophie sounds fascinating. I wish her the best of luck."

[vdistinctive]

Why did a shiver run down Eliot's back at the idea of Sophie and Hannibal meeting?

"She'll do alright. So what other ideas you got for this shindig?"

[sharp_as_knives]

With Sophie and Hannibal together, Nate would never stand a chance. The rest of the world might not, either.

"Not many so far," Hannibal answered. "Although I had thought to ask if you might be willing to cater; I've a feeling I'll be rather busy myself."

[vdistinctive]

"You kidding? You can't cater your own wedding, man! Not a big fancy one." As to whether Eliot would. . . . He'd have a hell of a lot more notice than he'd had the last time he'd tried to cater a wedding. And there was a much lower likelihood that he'd end up in a fight for his life in the kitchen, too. "What kind of menu, d'you think?"

[sharp_as_knives]

Well, there was no accounting for the island, but at least he'd have enough warning to lay in plenty of knives?

"Something that speaks to both of us," Hannibal said. "Perhaps a sort of upscale fusion of pub food and more European fare?"

[vdistinctive]

Eliot chose not to point out that, too an American, pub food was European fare.

"Yeah, I could see somethin' like that. 'Course it'll depend on when you set the date. You two are great and all, but if Nate and Sophie got their thing goin' . . . they win."

[sharp_as_knives]

"Understood." Hannibal nodded. "I'll give you as much advance notice as I can."