Hannibal's house (where Jono still has scales), Friday night

[sharp_as_knives]

Hannibal cleaned up after his dinner and went back up to the sauna, shooing the cats away. Again.

He leaned against the wall inside and gave the tiny bright snake a look. He was stretched out and looked indecently happy. He was also still a snake. "I don't suppose you're planning on turning back in time to wear a ring, are you?"

Comments

[furnaceface]

Jono, for his part, looked up at Hannibal just long enough to - pbbth - stick out his tongue at him. Whether that was meant to convey, 'It's hard to be late for a wedding we still haven't chosen a date for,' or 'my, this air smells like air' was really anybody's best guess.

That said, he was going to slither his way over to say hi. Because hi!

[sharp_as_knives]

Hannibal sighed and sat on the bench, then reached out to gently rub between Jono's eyes. "I'm tempted to let Joni in to play with you, you know."

Except for the fact that if he did anything to her, Jono would be inconsolable.

[furnaceface]

Yeah, that would end poorly. And it would really just be a matter of time before Jono paused long enough in his blaming himself to think about just who let the cat into the sauna to play with a venomous snake.

That said, right at that moment? Hannibal's finger on his head like that felt really nice. Like, lean up a little bit so that he could have more of that contact good. Sure, snakes didn't generally crave affection, but there was just enough Jono in there for him to approve.

[sharp_as_knives]

Hannibal just shook his head and yes, rubbed his head a bit more. For all his exasperating habits, this was still Jono.

And he was somewhat less grumpy this way, at least.

[furnaceface]

True! And that said a lot, considering Jono was often grumpy no matter what shape he was. He leaned up a little bit more, tongue flicking in contentment, and then sighed and wriggled up to rest his head in Hannibal's lap.

//Oh, that's nice...//

...

Just give him a moment, Hannibal. He was enjoying this.

[sharp_as_knives]

Hannibal raised an eyebrow, then smirked and kept going, rubbing Jono's scalp. "If you say so."

[furnaceface]

Oh, hey, this was much better than having his scales rubbed as a snake. Jono should've turned back days ago. He wasn't even going to open his eyes yet as he asked the very important question, //So, ah, how insufferable was I this week?//

Apparently not so terrible that Hannibal was withholding scalp massages, so that was good.

[sharp_as_knives]

"You've been unbearably smug, and the cats may not forgive you for keeping them out of here all week," Hannibal answered. That was the worst of it, really.

[furnaceface]

//Well, smug seems to be the default state of being for a snake, besides outright pissed off,// Jono mused. //At least I was smug and relatively easy to carry around?//

Hannibal.

[sharp_as_knives]

It was hardly Hannibal's fault he was large and majestic! Even as a snake.

"When I wasn't having to watch you didn't wander off," Hannibal answered. "There was apparently an invasion last weekend, not to mention the everyday distractions. I should have hated to step on you."

Jono.

[furnaceface]

//... That would've been unpleasant, true,// Jono allowed. //You know, ah, I wouldn't be terribly opposed to being put into a tank or something, just so long as there's that heat lamp. Might be easier on everyone involved, at least if there are invasions and the like.//

[sharp_as_knives]

In lieu of a shrug, Hannibal tugged lightly at Jono's hair. "Consider this room a very large tank."

[furnaceface]

//Right, well, you won't get any complaints from me about that, then,// Jono decided, giving Hannibal one of his around-the-eyes smiles. //As I am now or as a snake. Good to see the room's got a practical function so far as living here is concerned, really.//

[sharp_as_knives]

"Apart from its usual functions, yes," Hannibal agreed.

He shifted around and moved his hand to Jono's side, his fingers playing through his fire. "How are you feeling, apart from not knowing if your legs still work?"

[furnaceface]

Jono paused for a moment, kind of taking stock of his assorted parts.

//... Better, actually,// he replied, blinking. //I suppose I can't fault the island for turning me into a snake after a little bit of back pain if that pain is gone when I turn back, hm?//

The island worked in mysterious ways.

Also, Jon, a little back pain?

[sharp_as_knives]

"You mean your broken and cracked ribs?" Hannibal asked dryly. "Are they entirely better now?"

[furnaceface]

//... I mean those,// Jono allowed. Look, he could pretend this was just a case of British understatement if he wanted to. He could pretend that like a champ. //And I don't know about entirely. They don't hurt, though.//

He still had a gaping hole where his chest was meant to be. 'Entirely' was sort of something that had to be graded on a curve, with him.

[sharp_as_knives]

"That's a good sign, anyway." So long as that wasn't more British understatement. But he didn't feel anything untoward. "Perhaps that's why the island left you as a snake for so long."

[furnaceface]

//Might be. Sounds like it had quite the timing, though.//

He probably didn't want to know the particulars of the invasion he'd missed. There was a good chance he'd throw things.

//Everything's fine now...?//

[sharp_as_knives]

"More or less," Hannibal confirmed. "Although it is graduation, so there's no telling how long it will last."

[furnaceface]

//... I guess I did have decent timing, then. I know at least a few of the graduates. Employed one of them, even. I wonder what'll attack this year?//

There really should be a betting pool for this sort of thing.

[sharp_as_knives]

There should. Except that there were so many possibilities, a pool would be far too large.

"There's really no telling, is there? Until we attend."

[furnaceface]

Maybe some sort of system could be worked out, though. For categories. Something dividing up animal, vegetable, or mineral, for example. A kind of twenty-questions system...

//True enough. Maybe I'll remember to pull out my camera...//

Which was his phone. He actually did use his phone for that purpose, at least.

[sharp_as_knives]

"Going by past years, there will be little else to do but watch," Hannibal pointed out.

[furnaceface]

//True enough. The island throws up that shield to keep everyone out, after all. I suppose it's like one last test before our graduates get sent on their merry way.//

Or... something like that? Jono didn't pretend to understand this place at the best of times, really.

[sharp_as_knives]

It was as good a theory as any, on this island.

"While their families and friends look on and wonder what they got their children into?"

[furnaceface]

//Just in case they were still under some misguided impression that the island was in any way normal,// Jono agreed, amusement in his voice.

[sharp_as_knives]

"As unlikely as that is?" Hannibal chuckled. "I often wonder how long it takes them to realize." It had taken him a matter of minutes; meeting alien students had a way of doing that.

[furnaceface]

//I suspect there are some students who leave here never realizing at all,// Jono mused. //'Normal' is relative, after all. I mean... look at me.//

In fairness, Jono was even fairly unusual where he was from.

[sharp_as_knives]

"That only means it is normal for them; there's nothing more to be aware of." Hannibal cocked his head thoughtfully. "I imagine my world would be very strange in comparison."

[furnaceface]

//You have a nose that might rival Logan's and you think that's relatively normal,// Jono groused. //I think your world is more confusing than mine.//

He meant that lovingly.

And with not much actual experience with Hannibal's world, granted.

[sharp_as_knives]

"I never claimed it was normal," Hannibal said, grinning, "merely within the bounds of standard human biology, albeit at the upper end." Like so much of him.

[furnaceface]

//Okay, then your definition of standard human biology is weird,// Jono countered, with a wrinkled nose that suggested that he'd be sticking out his tongue if he was able. //Either way.//

[sharp_as_knives]

Hannibal chuckled again and ruffled Jono's hair. "Well, it begins with something more or less like you, but with less fire and more skin."

[furnaceface]

//And that's an odd starting point,// Jono decreed. //I'm anything but standard.//

Now he was just being a brat.

[sharp_as_knives]

"You are, of course, exceptional," Hannibal teased back.

[furnaceface]

//And that's one of the reasons we make such a good pair,// Jono decided. //I don't imagine you'd settle for less, either.//

[sharp_as_knives]

Hannibal grinned. "Perish the thought."