Hannibal's house (which Jono makes free with), Sunday evening

[sharp_as_knives]

Invitations had gone out handwavily on the school and town's bulletin boards, both electronic and physical, that a belated post-pollen relaxation and last-day-of-break dinner party was being held at Hannibal's house and everybody was invited.

Of course, that meant Hannibal had had to come home and go immediately into a frenzy of cooking and preparing, but honestly - you relax your way, and he'd relax his.


[OOC: Dinner party! Everybody's invited, but wait for the OCD, please. OCD up!]

Comments

Re: Eat!

[sharp_as_knives]

He could make a reach for one to feed it to Hannibal; that would help.

Hannibal grinned. "Just for you. Although these are a bit more upscale than simply mushy peas." Because Hannibal.

Re: Eat!

[furnaceface]

//Somehow, I'm not terribly surprised,// Jono replied, amused. //Most things you cook are on the upscale end of the spectrum, after all.//

Re: Eat!

[sharp_as_knives]

"That sounds as though I'm becoming predictable," Hannibal mused. "One of these days, I'll have to surprise you. Make...a peanut butter sandwich, or something."

Re: Eat!

[furnaceface]

//On bread you baked yourself? Will there be gold leaf in the peanut butter?// Jono was smiling fairly obviously now, if one knew what to look for, as he leaned forward to give Hannibal a teasing nudge. //I might take a heart attack if you manage it. I didn't think you would allow a jar of peanut butter into the house.//

Re: Eat!

[sharp_as_knives]

"Oh, I would definitely make it someplace else," Hannibal teased back.

Re: Eat!

[furnaceface]

//In the park, I'm guessing, so that you can feed the rest to the ducks if it doesn't live up to your standards,// Jono replied. //Or else you'll make your way into my apartment,// the one he really just used for extra storage for the Groovy Tunes these days, yes, //and use the kitchen there.//

Re: Eat!

[sharp_as_knives]

"That sounds like an excellent idea." Hannibal quirked an eyebrow at him. "Do you have a plate there?"

Re: Eat!

[furnaceface]

//Of course not,// Jono replied, amused. //Unless Squall and Rinoa left some dishes behind, which is entirely possible. I haven't exactly gone in there for anything more than filling Joni's water dish, anyway.//

What good was a kitchen to a bachelor who couldn't eat, otherwise?

Re: Eat!

[sharp_as_knives]

"It might even be a challenge, then," Hannibal said. He smiled. "But for now, shall I eat some of this?"

Re: Eat!

[furnaceface]

//I thought you would never offer,// said the one who really only needed to ask. //I'm curious, you know. How in the world do you fancy up some mashed peas?//

Re: Eat!

[sharp_as_knives]

"With garlic, chives, lemon, peppers, and some very good bread," Hannibal answered. He picked up a piece, smelled it, and bit carefully in, savoring the taste.

Re: Eat!

[furnaceface]

//Oh,// Jono replied as he let that sink in. It wasn't until he tapped into Hannibal's sense of taste that it all really did hit him. The lemon, especially. //Oh. Lord, Hannibal, that's lovely.//

Lovely peas. Mushy ones. Jono was very much a fan.

Re: Eat!

[sharp_as_knives]

"I thought you might approve." Hannibal squeezed Jono's shoulder and went back to eating, enjoying the rest of the toast.

Re: Eat!

[furnaceface]

And Jono... Jono was going to go right back to standing there with a dopey look on his face. He was never going to get tired of Hannibal's cooking. Ever.

... Occasionally wary of it, perhaps. But never tired.

//You spoil me,// he managed, at least, once he realized he'd been silent for a while. //I know I tell you that all the time. But you do.//

It was not a complaint.

Re: Eat!

[sharp_as_knives]

"And as I tell you in turn, it's my pleasure." Hannibal rubbed Jono's shoulder. "Would you like to try anything else in particular, or only the mushy peas?"

Your tastebuds were weird, Jono.

Re: Eat!

[furnaceface]

His tastebuds were gone! That helped the weirdness along a little.

//... Can't lie, the lamb's gone and caught my eye,// he replied, after a moment's pause. What is that sauce on them?//

Mint went with lamb, so that was his first guess, but what was all that orange paste?

Re: Eat!

[sharp_as_knives]

"Mint and mango," Hannibal answered, "with lime and chiles. The lamb itself has a number of spices on it as well." Even Jono had probably smelled some of the cinnamon, clove, and other spices as it cooked.

He picked up one of the little plates and smelled it carefully, letting Jono take in that before he ate it.

Re: Eat!

[furnaceface]

Jono actually needed to sort of prop himself up against the table for this one. The peas had been good, but at the end of the day, they were still peas. This? This was lamb. The smell of it alone was enough to make Jono wish he had a mouth that was capable of watering, let alone actually eating. And, as usual, it was cooked to perfection.

Hannibal wouldn't have put it on the table to share with the guests if it wasn't.

//... I maintain that you're probably actually some kind of mutant,// he noted, idly. //If you won't cop to your sense of smell being a power, then at the very least admit that you've got some kind of supernatural sway over taste.//

Re: Eat!

[sharp_as_knives]

"My world has no mutants or supernatural elements," Hannibal reiterated, but he was smiling. "I'm just very good at what I do." He took a bite of the lamb, tasting the meat and the spices and sauce.

Re: Eat!

[furnaceface]

//You,// Jono accused, //are the best at what you do.//

Sorry, Logan.

//Christ, this is superb...//

Re: Eat!

[sharp_as_knives]

Hannibal believed in being the best at everything he did, but it was always gratifying to be appreciated.

"Thank you." He smirked and set the plate aside when he was done. "Should I get you a chair?"

Re: Eat!

[furnaceface]

//... I can probably get my own chair. I think. I can probably make it that far without resorting to needing a princess-carry, at the very least.//

Probably. A definite maybe.

Re: Eat!

[sharp_as_knives]

Hannibal laughed. "Should I wait before trying anything else?"

Re: Eat!

[furnaceface]

//... Yes.//

Hush. Jono was still bad at this. Or very good at it? It probably depended on who you were talking to.

Either way, he was going to kind of shimmy off to get a chair. He wouldn't be long.