Hannibal's house (which Jono won't be in for long), Friday evening

[sharp_as_knives]

Hannibal marched into the music room to where Jono was playing guitar and held out a bouquet of strawberries. "Happy birthday." With his other hand, he held out Jono's voucher from Portalocity. "I've booked us a portal to Sweden; the standard hotel next to the icehotel is open in summer now."

And it didn't smell overpoweringly of cheese.

Comments

[furnaceface]

//You know I'll try to cram in two cats and a frog if you give me that much time,// Jono teased, though he was already making his way out of the room to go and check his luggage. //You've arranged for somebody to take care of them?//

He didn't even mind that this vacation was because of cheese. That was love.

[sharp_as_knives]

"Sparkle," Hannibal confirmed. "I've left him instructions for the frog. We can stay all week, barring classes." At least until the island moved again.

Hannibal was so lucky Jono put up with his little quirks.

[furnaceface]

//Well, I probably ought to also open shop tomorrow,// Jono mused, //since I haven't done that in bloody near a month.//

A beat.

//Less time here, granted. And it's my birthday. Maybe the shop isn't so important.//

He was allowed to shirk on his birthday, right? He owned the place, he could do what he wanted.

[sharp_as_knives]

"Weren't you just there, helping Dante?" Hannibal asked. That was enough working for one week.

[furnaceface]

//I was there shamelessly enabling Dante into picking a guitar under the guise of working,// Jono replied, shrugging his shoulders. //Which is almost the same thing if you don't look too closely, I suppose.//

[sharp_as_knives]

"I promise not to," Hannibal assured him. He stood by the door, his own luggage packed and ready, and waited for Jono to see if he'd missed anything he might want for the trip. "I would much rather spend a week in a calm, distant, and beautiful land, exploring with you." Without the smell of cheese.

[furnaceface]

You were getting such a look, Hannibal. An amused one, but Jono was still giving it. Because honestly, now.

//Well, you didn't pack my toothbrush, but I think I can get by without.//

Now he was just being a brat. Possibly he was encouraged by the sniffing.

[sharp_as_knives]

"I couldn't find it; you may need a new one," Hannibal answered. "And you can borrow my mouthwash."

He met that look with one of his own. "They have hiking expeditions, riding, and other things. And we'll have plenty of sunlight."

[furnaceface]

//I'm all for hiking,// Jono decided, //but you'll have to offer me one hell of a bribe to get me on the back of any horse I can't carry on a conversation with. And... I'll reserve judgement on the sunlight until I see it I suppose.//

He and the sun didn't get along. As evidenced by that sunburn he was still healing (and peeling) from.

[sharp_as_knives]

"I've already packed the sunscreen," Hannibal said. "They also have a sauna, bikes, and rafting. Or we can stay in the room or out on the grass. I've also packed books."

[furnaceface]

//Lord, we're all set, aren't we?// Jono's voice was edging into 'impressed,' now. He dusted off his hands, and then closed his bag again. //Well, then I'm ready to go whenever you are. Let's go do outdoor activities. I like those.//

Which wasn't to say that he wouldn't be just as happy staying inside and playing guitar, mind.

[sharp_as_knives]

A guitar was something Hannibal hadn't packed.

He picked up his own bag and waved Jono toward the door. "Shall we?"

[furnaceface]

It was okay. They probably had guitars in Sweden.

//Lead on,// Jono replied, lifting his own bag and nodding. //I'll be right behind you. I don't trust those portals to behave themselves if I step through one first.//

For reasons.

[sharp_as_knives]

"If it takes us anywhere but our intended location, I'm coming back for the employee that booked it," Hannibal promised calmly. Jono had had quite enough of that this month.

[furnaceface]

//At this point, I think you'd have to race me to him,// Jono decided. //I'm all out of patience for that sort of thing, myself.//

[sharp_as_knives]

Hannibal nodded. "I don't blame you. But this one should take us directly to the hotel."

[furnaceface]

//Ah, direct portals. My favourite kind.//

He actually was impressed. Once again, all it took was for Hannibal to make a phone call or two, and everything fell into place. He knew he couldn't pull that one off.

[sharp_as_knives]

In this case, it had been helped by a very over-reasonable voice and a litany of what Jono had been through and what Hannibal expected not to go through.

"It was the least they could do."

[furnaceface]

//Maybe I will take your last name,// Jono mused, a little smile in his voice. //I don't think they've figured out yet that you have a bit of a vested interest in my safe travels, and for whatever reason, they seem to have a healthy respect of you.//

He was not going to ask Hannibal if he'd eaten any gnomes. He was not. No matter how tempting it was.

[sharp_as_knives]

"I have yet to figure out precisely why," Hannibal confessed. "I would say perhaps they read the news from my world, but I never had problems prior to my leaving there, either."

No, he hadn't eaten any gnomes.

[furnaceface]

//Maybe they just don't like the British,// Jono settled on. Because it was a more lighthearted speculation than any of the more obvious things about him they might be prejudiced against. //I'm hardly the only one with horror stories about them, though. Their customer service as a whole is utterly appalling.//

[sharp_as_knives]

"Whatever reason they have for accommodating me, I'm not above taking advantage of it," Hannibal said. He locked the door behind them and headed past the flamingos.

[furnaceface]

//And I'm not above taking advantage of your good fortune so that I don't spend three days walking through a forest infested by giant butterflies again,// Jono agreed cheerfully, following along. //Not that I don't like butterflies, but there's a line, really.//

[sharp_as_knives]

"How big were they?" Hannibal asked. 'Giant' could mean one foot or five for a butterfly. Or twenty.

[furnaceface]

//About three feet tall. Big enough that you can look them in the eyes from across a forest clearing and be well aware that they're looking back,// Jono replied, shrugging. //Just be happy I came home with Hendrix and not one of those. Though there was very nearly a fire-breathing fox, a large rat, and a giant snake along for the ride.//

He'd thought better of that one. And the young trainer he'd passed them along to seemed to get along with them well enough. They'd be a good fit for each other.