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

[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.

[sharp_as_knives]

"We have enough snakes in the house," Hannibal said. "Though you've definitely had some interesting experiences."

[furnaceface]

//It wasn't all bad,// Jono replied, shrugging. //I would've preferred being home, but now that I'm back, I can appreciate the better parts.//

[sharp_as_knives]

"And you have a new pet to show for it," Hannibal pointed out. "We should get him a better tank, with some landscaping."

Yes, he was going to interior decorate the frog tank. This was what Jono was marrying; he'd better get used to it.

"And you missed our soap streets and chocolate rain."

[furnaceface]

//I'm still trying to figure out if being taken in by pirates is better or worse than chocolate rain,// Jono admitted. //A little salt air in the clothes is definitely less damaging, at least.//

He glanced at Hannibal, amused.

//What sort of landscaping were you going to do, anyway? Lay down grass seed and set him up with a little sprinkler?//

[sharp_as_knives]

Hannibal gave him a look. "Grown grass, with moss and branches. A proper vivarium, with land and water. It will be more stimulating for him, and better looking for the house."

[furnaceface]

//... That's much fancier than I was ever thinking I'd put together for a frog, but if it'll make him happier, I won't complain,// Jono decided. //Frog habitat. I approve.//

[sharp_as_knives]

"Pleased to hear it." Hannibal grinned and bowed him in to Portalocity. "We can look at plans when we return."

[furnaceface]

//Plans,// Jono echoed, bemused, as he walked into the Portalocity station. //Frog habitat plans.//

Did they get, like, frog habitat architects or landscapers or something?

//Something else to look forward to. Add it to the list.//

[sharp_as_knives]

"There's a list?" Hannibal asked.

He gave the receptionist a pleasant smile, and they were quickly ushered to their portal.

[furnaceface]

//Mostly the actually getting married finally one,// Jono admitted. //Ah, it's a short list.//

He paused at the portal, hesitated for a moment, and then, with a fidget, he stepped through. He wasn't wrapped, but that was what telepathy was for.

[sharp_as_knives]

He'd mostly gone unwrapped over Christmas, too; why bother now?

Hannibal stepped through after him and breathed deeply of the crisp air on the other side.

"So it's a list of things to do soon?" he asked.

[furnaceface]

//Get married, make a frog house,// Jono agreed, he didn't breathe deeply on the other side so much as he squared his shoulders and started giving off 'nothing unusual to see here, don't bother staring' vibes. //Have anything else you'd like on that list?//

[sharp_as_knives]

"Finish putting you together," Hannibal answered. "Finish a manuscript or two."

He smiled. "But for now, a bit of peace and quiet without the overpowering smell of cheese sounds lovely."

[furnaceface]

//I'm aware that my birthday was an excuse to escape the cheese, and that we used the voucher they gave me after the trip from hell,// Jono noted, //but I'll let it slide, just this once. It really is lovely here this time of year, isn't it?//

[sharp_as_knives]

Hannibal raised an eyebrow. "I hadn't thought I was being subtle. But yes, it was serendipitous. The location I chose entirely for your birthday, however."