Hannibal's house (that Jono now remembers), Monday evening

[sharp_as_knives]

Today had been a mix of overcoming a hangover, finishing the preparations for class, class itself, cooking a proper breakfast and lunch, and trying to find time in between to reconnect with both himself and Jono.

Now, home from class and with nothing else to do (before they had to start planning a third wedding), Hannibal had fallen back on an assortment of berries with chocolate sauce, and coffee with brandy.

He was eating it in bed, and to hell with it. If the sheets got sauce on them, they could be washed. Or thrown out.

This was as close as Hannibal got to a Mood without being actively homicidal.

Comments

[furnaceface]

Jono... hadn't left bed today.

Jono didn't often let himself slip into 'simply nonfunctional' mode, these days, but in the wake of the weekend, which wasn't so terrible on its own, he was absolutely reserving the right to. There were a lot of issues wrapped up in not knowing who he was for any length of time. That, coupled with another missed wedding...

He didn't have his head under the covers by the time Hannibal made his way into the room, but he was something of a semi-responsive lump all the same. He did give a little psionic tingle of acknowledgment that Hannibal was in the room, at least. And a little telepathic mumble, besides.

//We still aren't married.//

Yep.

[sharp_as_knives]

"No," Hannibal agreed, "we're still living in sin." He slid into bed and stretched out, his legs pressed against Jono's. "But I have berries."

[furnaceface]

//Berries are cheating,// Jono muttered, though he did sort of roll over a bit to peer at the berries in question. //I was going to be an unresponsive lump. I can't be a lump when there are berries.//

Which, he supposed, was a point that Hannibal had come to rely on, by now.

[sharp_as_knives]

It was very much that point, yes.

"Also coffee and chocolate," he added. He picked up a raspberry and demonstrated before dipping it in the chocolate and slowly eating it.

[furnaceface]

//Nrrgh.// Yes, that was absolutely cheating. Jono attempted to resist for all of two seconds before giving in and sneaking a taste, piggybacking psionically on Hannibal's senses. Yes. Yes it was amazing. Blast it. //Cheater.//

Oh, such cruel words, Jon. The way you were grudgingly wriggling over for the sake of a better view was truly scathing.

[sharp_as_knives]

Hannibal smirked. "All is fair." He set the coffee carefully down on the nightstand. "You know, you'd need even less effort if you weren't so covered up." He tugged at a place where Jono's wrappings had become askew.

[furnaceface]

Jono winced, mostly just because of the sudden light that was spilling into his vision. His eyes adjusted a moment later, and he gave a little, almost grudging nod of agreement.

//True enough,// he murmured. //Just never really got around to them, is all.//

That had required effort, and he was not super good at effort today at all.

[sharp_as_knives]

"Would you like some help with them?" Hannibal asked. He dipped a blueberry in the chocolate and ate it as incentive.

[furnaceface]

Jono squirmed a bit, mostly because of that blueberry and what it was doing to his senses, but also because the reminder that he was wearing his wrappings made him realize how uncomfortable they actually were, as well. He resisted the urge to nuzzle into Hannibal's side and become an even more useless lump than before, at least.

//Gon' need it, if y'keep eatin'...//

But yes, yes he did want help.

[sharp_as_knives]

Hannibal smiled and set his tray aside to help. "Where is the end? They've become a bit tangled."

[furnaceface]

//It's...// Jono paused and fumbled around for a moment, himself. //One's down here, anyway?//

Yeah, the tangles were half the reason he hadn't exactly bothered, yet. He wasn't about to cut himself out, but that took more effort than he had at the ready.

[sharp_as_knives]

Hannibal started where Jono pointed and felt around until he found it. "Ah, here." After that, it wasn't too bad. There weren't any knots, after all; he simply had to unwind and unfold it.

[furnaceface]

The relief was visible on Jono's face as Hannibal unwound him, though it was a tired sort of relief. The sort that really didn't want to come back to the land of the living just yet, despite having been in bed for the entire day thus far.

//Thank you,// he murmured. //I... wasn't really going to bother.//

Hannibal had probably figured that part out, yes.

[sharp_as_knives]

"I had noticed," Hannibal agreed. He set the roll of leather aside and picked his tray back up, settling his free arm around Jono with a hand on his cheek, fingers playing through his fire. "But I prefer this."

[furnaceface]

Okay, that was soothing, at least. Jono's eyes were closing again, and he was leaning his head to the side, flames winding between Hannibal's fingers.

//You do?//

Honestly, he did, too. With Hannibal, he always felt as though his fire was a part of him, not just a freakish feature for people to single out and fear. Hannibal's tendency to play in it helped that somewhat, as well.

//Well, then it's lucky for me that you want to marry me, mm?//

[sharp_as_knives]

"I thought it was lucky for both of us," Hannibal answered, swirling a strawberry through the chocolate before nibbling on it.

"Albeit not so lucky in the execution lately," he admitted, "but we will get there."

[furnaceface]

//Our third try had better be the charm, or I'm going to be very upset,// Jono decided, making himself comfortable and letting himself savour the taste of the strawberry along with Hannibal. //Not even surprised, at this point. Just upset.//

As if he wasn't already.

[sharp_as_knives]

"Mm. As will I," Hannibal agreed. He shook his head. "I wonder if people are taking bets yet."

[furnaceface]

//Honestly, I'd be surprised if they weren't.// Jono wrinkled his nose, and then ventured, //I wonder what the betting pool itself is looking like.//

And how to get in on that.

[sharp_as_knives]

"We'll have to find out." And get in on it, yes. Hannibal sighed. "Though I'm not certain I want to know what the odds are set at."

Have a raspberry with chocolate instead. And some coffee with brandy to follow.

[furnaceface]

Oh, that was lovely. Jono was silent for a moment as he paused to relish the flavours some more.

//We could go in blind,// he suggested. //Just ask them to put some money on whatever odds have the best payout and not tell us what they figure the chances are.//

[sharp_as_knives]

"We could bet against ourselves, and sabotage the next attempt," Hannibal suggested. "That ought to finance the following one."

[furnaceface]

//Think we could figure out a way to do it without being too obvious about the whole thing?//

Because throwing failed wedding after failed wedding wasn't exactly cheap, and it was a tempting prospect.

[sharp_as_knives]

"Throw it as usual, and dare the island before we start," Hannibal suggested.

[furnaceface]

//Double-dare it, even,// Jono agreed, a little amused by the suggestion. //And then insist there's no way anything could possibly go wrong.//

[sharp_as_knives]

"Perfect." The island could hardly resist, could it?

Hannibal smiled at Jono. "One way or another, it will happen. I'm incredibly stubborn, and so are you."