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]

"The best ones generally don't," Hannibal agreed. He folded the shirt to one side and went back to rubbing Jono's back, kneading his spine.

[furnaceface]

//Fireworks are acceptable,// Jono decided, and now he was kind of listing forward as Hannibal's fingers worked at his back. //But I don't suppose they have those around here this time of year. So, no explosions...//

A pause.

//Your hands continue to be deliciously distracting.//

In case Hannibal wasn't aware.

[sharp_as_knives]

"Thank you," Hannibal said, smirking. He was aware, but he never turned down praise.

"No fireworks, but there should still be the aurora. And we could probably manage candles for your birthday, if you like."

[furnaceface]

//... How many would we even get?//

There was an upper limit on candles, Hannibal. Sooner or later they stopped being birthday candles and started simply being an open fire.

[sharp_as_knives]

"As many as you like, or as many as will fit," Hannibal suggested. He nodded to the strawberry bouquet on the dresser. "One in each berry?"

[furnaceface]

//Please don't put candles in the berries,// Jono replied, wrinkling his nose. //That'd get messy quickly. And we might burn the hotel down.//

He had no interest in burning the hotel down. That would be a bad end to a birthday.

[sharp_as_knives]

Hannibal chuckled. "No candles, then. We'll make our own fireworks. Or not." Relaxing was good, too. He massaged Jono's spine, working his way up.

[furnaceface]

//Mmm, you talk about fireworks while you're touching me like that, I'm liable to get ideas, Hannibal,// Jono teased, becoming just a little bit more pliant under Hannibal's hands. //Wouldn't want that, would you?//

They couldn't get into anything that would ruin the hotel room, but Jono knew a few interesting tricks with his powers...

[sharp_as_knives]

"Of course not," Hannibal answered seriously, though he was smirking. "Ideas are terrible." He stroked Jono's neck, working at the tension there. "What sorts of ideas?"

[furnaceface]

//The sorts of ideas that make me wonder if you thought to pack any handcuffs,// Jono admitted, leaning his head a little to give Hannibal better access to his neck, there. //It's my birthday, you know.//

And Hannibal's hands were terribly distracting.

[sharp_as_knives]

"I did not," Hannibal answered. He leaned close to murmur in Jono's ear. "But I did pack a new rope. Much more versatile."

[furnaceface]

... Pardon Jono for a moment. He needed to just... just shiver. In approval. Jono was approving very much.

//I'd like very much to be introduced to this new rope of yours.//

[sharp_as_knives]

"Would you?" Hannibal smiled against the skin behind Jono's ear, then nipped his earlobe. "Right now?"

[furnaceface]

//Oh, god, yes,// Jono purred. //Right now, I would like to see this rope...//

As it turned out, Hannibal was also excellent at encouraging impatience in Jonothon.

[sharp_as_knives]

Hannibal nuzzled Jono's neck, breathing in his scent again, then slid from the bed. He took his time, setting his shoes in the closet and hanging up his jacket and vest before he retrieved the rope from the drawer he'd put it in earlier.

[furnaceface]

Jono was going to take this opportunity to work his way out of his own boots, barely paying attention to what he was doing. His eyes were locked on Hannibal, following him hungrily around the room as he went. Building the suspense, leaving him wanting more.

//Tease,// he murmured, managing by some miracle to make his way out of both boots without so much as glancing. He was good with his hands, what could he say? He sent a little wave of his anticipation Hannibal's way, sharing the want that was building in him now.

[sharp_as_knives]

Hannibal smirked back at him. "Naturally. Are you complaining?"

He was good with his hands, too. Right now he was using them to unwrap the rope and let it out into loops that coiled loosely on the bed.

[furnaceface]

//Not unless complaining gets me something good,// Jono replied, watching Hannibal coil the rope on the bed with a keen interest, now. //It rarely does, so I suppose I'll have to admit that I enjoy it when you tease, instead.//

[sharp_as_knives]

"And I tease because you enjoy it," Hannibal said, grinning. And because he did, to be honest, but that went without saying.

He held out his hand for Jono's.

[furnaceface]

Jono gave Hannibal another soft psionic purr of approval, holding his hand out readily for Hannibal to take.

//That works out nicely for me, then, doesn't it?//

Lucky, lucky birthday boy.