Hannibal's house (where Jono's around somewhere), Sunday evening

[sharp_as_knives]

Hannibal could have gone all-out with a gourmet dinner for Sparkle's birthday. But this was Sparkle's birthday, so he'd opted for something else - his own touch on food that Sparkle would be more familiar with.

So, when Sparkle arrived for dinner, he'd find the house smelling of poutine with pork confit and foie-gras sauce, steamed fiddleheads with wild leek greens, and butter tarts with caramel sauce. There was also a very good homemade beer to go with it all.

Happy birthday, Sparkle!

Comments

[myownface]

"Yeah," Sparkle confirmed with a sigh. "He had a thing to do back in his own galaxy. That happens, you know? It's not usually a big deal. But he's been weird about this one. He did get them to send me Thai at lunch, though, so at least he's not dead or something."

Unless he had ordered that Thai weeks ago, to be delivered on Sparkle's birthday to his workplace. But Sparkle wasn't going to let himself think of that one.

[sharp_as_knives]

"Weird?" Hannibal asked. "How so?"

[myownface]

Sparkle hesitated for a moment, deciding to maybe not lead in with 'he disobeyed a direct order to not get involved,' and instead settling on a sigh and a shrug and, "He isn't answering his comm. For anyone. But he did send me a text that just said 'not dead' a while back."

[sharp_as_knives]

Hannibal hummed in thought. "Perhaps he's simply in a position where he's unable to speak. Or perhaps he's decided he needs time to himself."

[myownface]

"Knowing Atton and the kind of shit he gets himself into, I'm guessing it's a little bit of both," Sparkle sighed. "That doesn't actually make me feel better, though."

[sharp_as_knives]

Hannibal nodded. "My apologies. However, I assure you I am here to listen should you wish to speak of it. For now, perhaps a lighter topic. Have you been keeping up with your cooking?"

[myownface]

"Thanks," Sparkle replied, giving a little, grateful smile. "And... kind of, yeah. I mean, it's hard to cook for one and do anything fancy with it, but I try. And I've been showing up to Eliot's cooking class, too. I think I'm a bit ahead of everyone else," understatement, "but there are some slightly more complicated recipes to pick from, so I've been working with those."

[sharp_as_knives]

"I'm very pleased to hear it." Hannibal smiled. "And as to cooking for one, you can always cook for more and share it, or save it for later."

[myownface]

"Well, I usually share with Atton when he's home. Otherwise... I don't know. Not many people I knew before going back to Toronto left on the island. I need to get out and meet more people."

Would it be weird to invite Tony over for dinner? Or Dante?

Maybe weird. Maybe.

[sharp_as_knives]

Either of them would probably tease, although at least Tony might appreciate it.

"Personally, I find food itself is an excellent way to meat meet people," Hannibal said, grinning. "Feed them, and you've made a friend."

[myownface]

"I just have to get them to come into my apartment first?"

Sparkle was creative, he could probably find a way.

"I guess if the weather was nice enough, I could do, like, a picnic or something, though."

[sharp_as_knives]

"We got to know each other at the park, if you recall," Hannibal reminded him. "I was cooking."

Shark.

[myownface]

Sparkle remembered. He was grinning a little at the reminder, at that.

"So basically, whatever the next thing is that tries to kill us all, I should make friends by serving it up to people to eat in public?"

...

It was too easy, Sparkle.

[sharp_as_knives]

"Providing it's edible," Hannibal said with a laugh. "Poisoning people generally doesn't help."

[myownface]

"Right, right, no poison," Sparkle chuckled, shaking his head. "If we're attacked by sentient bleach bottles or something, I'll refrain from trying to put it into a gravy."

[sharp_as_knives]

"And it's probably best to test any alien beings." Hannibal shrugged. "So far, the only invasions I've made food of have been the sharks, the eels, and the dinosaur."

And a Pinkie clone. But that hadn't really counted as food, as it was inedible to all but flamingos, apparently.

[myownface]

Hence the glittery lawn ornaments!

"And, I mean, let's be real. The eel was awesome." Somehow made better by how it had been trying to kill everyone! "I'm sure there'll be other edible invasions in the future. It keeps things interesting that way."

[sharp_as_knives]

"This island is many things, but rarely boring," Hannibal said. "I'm certain it will throw something at us sooner or later."

[myownface]

"Hopefully something that isn't too dangerous." Sparkle grinned a little, and then went for a mouthful of fiddleheads. He even gave a little hum of approval as he chewed. God, that was good. "I want delicious, not deadly."

[sharp_as_knives]

"We'll have to put in a request to the island," Hannibal said, well aware how likely that was to work.

[myownface]

"Nah, what we really need to do is to talk loudly about how we really hope something doesn't happen," Sparkle laughed. "Fandom is contrary. That's more likely to work than a friendly request."

[sharp_as_knives]

Hannibal chuckled. "That's true enough."

Looking toward the ceiling and then innocently scanning the room, he proclaimed, "I should hate to be invaded by giant snails."

[myownface]

"Right," Sparkle chuckled, shaking his head. "That would be the worst. Or frogs. Giant frogs, who wants that?"

[sharp_as_knives]

"Giant cows," Hannibal said. "Or sheep. That would be terrible."

[myownface]

"Chickens," Sparkle laughed. "Oh my god what would we do if there were giant chickens?"