Hannibal's home (in which Jono is not having a good day), later Thursday

[sharp_as_knives]

Between his cracked ribs, wrenched leg, and bruised...everything...it took a while longer for Hannibal to get home than usual, even with Jono helping.

Well, at least they had dinner already made, thanks to Eliot. And the time spent wrapped so close to Jono did give him time to soak in Hannibal's calm, which would hopefully help. Along with the aches and pains he was feeling, unfortunately; Hannibal had considered attempting to hide them, but he rather thought Jono wouldn't thank him for that.

Luckily, there was a full bath on the lower level, since that seemed to be where Hannibal was grounded to.

He wasn't bothering to hide his amusement at being grounded, either. Even if he suspected it rather defeated the purpose.

"Am I entitled to towels after my soak?"

Comments

[furnaceface]

//Haven't decided yet,// Jono replied, helping Hannibal toward the bath. //At the rate we're going, I'll be the one toweling you off, anyway.//

Really, all things considered, it was probably for the best that Hannibal wasn't going to be taking the stairs. Because grounded.

//I had a gun pulled on me today by one of your guests. I ought to be boxing you about the ears right now. It was you who invited him, wasn't it?//

[sharp_as_knives]

Hannibal grimaced in acknowledgement of the first statement. To the second, he answered, "It seemed polite to invite my friend. And he had never attended before."

[furnaceface]

Jono damn near stepped away and just let go of Hannibal right there. If he dropped like a sack of hammers, he would've had it coming to him.

//Well, wonderful. He showed up.// There was a bite in his voice, then. Something a few shades more livid than anything he'd ever directed toward Hannibal before. //And now he knows where to find you. Well done.//

Okay, the bite was practically a snarl. Jono was not a happy man, no matter how much calm Hannibal had been exuding on the way here.

[sharp_as_knives]

Hannibal rubbed Jono's shoulder soothingly. "I will speak to Portalocity, and ensure nobody from my original world comes here again. I know they've quarantined worlds before; I'll find a reason for them to do it again."

He sighed. "The last we fought, I defeated him myself. I hadn't anticipated the level of animosity he demonstrated today; his wife's loss, and perhaps other things, have severely affected him."

[furnaceface]

//There were kids in the room,// Jono replied, in no mood to be soothed. //Hannibal, your politeness put Lucille and Sparkle's lives in danger. Had he come an hour later, who else would it have been? Dante? Alluka?//

His fire had gone hotter by a few degrees, and redder. He was throwing sparks here and there, the heat actively eating away at some of the progress they'd made before in rebuilding him.

//You. Put. Students. In Danger. You don't bait a bloody tiger and then act surprised when it tries to bite you! And you sure as hell don't set that tiger loose in your goddamned home! Where you've also invited children!//

[sharp_as_knives]

Hannibal sighed again. "I never thought he would endanger children." Then, more quietly, "He was my friend."

[furnaceface]

Jono would have sighed himself, if he could have. As it stood, he just closed his eyes for a moment, reached a hand up, and pinched the bridge of his nose.

Damn it, Hannibal.

//Was.// Jono's reply sounded tired, now. Gentler. But tired. //This is his second time trying to kill you, Hannibal. I think that might be his way of telling you that you're off his holiday card list.//

[sharp_as_knives]

"Apparently so." Hannibal nodded. "I won't write him anymore." He'd stick to Will and Alana, who had the good sense not to come and find him.

[furnaceface]

//If he comes back to the island, I'll have more than words with you about this,// Jono said, firmly. //If you put students at risk like that again, I swear to god, Hannibal, the people coming to get you will have to get in line behind me.//

... Their relationship was complicated, sometimes.

[sharp_as_knives]

"He will not," Hannibal said firmly but calmly. "Nor will any other. Or if they do, it will be against my best efforts." He made no promises for the island. "I would never intentionally endanger my students."

To be fair, they were both complicated on their own to start with.

[furnaceface]

Jono narrowed his eyes for a moment, and then shook his head and pushed the bathroom door open with his free hand.

//Then I suggest you start more seriously considering the consequences of things like that,// he said, his voice hard, a look in his eye to match. The Weapon X in him hadn't been completely edged back, yet. He was willing to deal with all manner of bullshit right then, but he wasn't going to bite back what came to mind, either. //You don't want me to start considering those consequences for you.//

Really, that wasn't a threat. It was just the facts as he saw them.

All delivered calmly and rationally, while reaching to run the water in the bath.

[sharp_as_knives]

"Of course not," Hannibal answered, equally calmly. "It would end poorly for both of us, particularly me." He lowered himself to the edge of the tub. "You know I rarely make such lapses in judgement. It is not something I intend to repeat."

[furnaceface]

Jono turned that cool, almost sleepy gaze toward Hannibal, regarding him in silence for a moment.

And then he shook his head and looked back at the water as it ran.

//Why did you invite him?//

'Because he was a friend,' and 'it was polite' weren't sitting well with him, didn't strike him as the whole story. He needed better than that, thought he knew Hannibal better than to accept it was so simple. After that, he rather thought he was owed it.

[sharp_as_knives]

"For the reasons I've stated," Hannibal said. "And also," he confessed, "the last time I ordered the invitations was on that day we were forced to speak the truth. This time, I simply ordered the same as last time. It occurred to me afterward, but - I was curious."

[furnaceface]

//Curious,// Jono echoed, eyes still on the running water. There was an added glow behind them, white-hot and crackling with barely restrained energy. //About what?//

Exactly how Jack would go about trying to kill him?

[sharp_as_knives]

"If he would come," Hannibal said. "What he would say to me if he did."

Attempting to murder him hadn't been a strong possibility, though he'd known there was of course a chance of it.

[furnaceface]

//I don't think there was ever a chance of him congratulating you on your nuptials, Hannibal,// Jono remarked, dryly. And then he tilted his head the faintest bit. //What were you hoping for?//

What were you playing at?

[sharp_as_knives]

"Hoping for?" Hannibal smiled a bit ruefully. "That he might arrive and have a conversation with me. Albeit it likely a rather loud one."

[furnaceface]

Jono closed his eyes again, clenched his hands into fists, and then, after what could only have been his best attempt at a steadying breath even without the benefit of lungs, he spoke again.

//And what were you expecting?//

[sharp_as_knives]

"That he wouldn't attend at all," Hannibal answered. He hadn't before, after all. And how he'd found out about portals, Hannibal still wasn't certain.

[furnaceface]

//I ought to shove you in the bloody tub and let you sort yourself out from there,// Jono muttered, scrubbing at his face with his hand. //Christ, Hannibal. He could've killed you. He was bloody well going to. And much as I'm not about to let that happen, I can't say I entirely blame the man, either.//

Baiting tigers.

//You're lucky I'm a monster, too.//

[sharp_as_knives]

Hannibal reached out to cradle Jono's face in his hand. "I am. And I don't entirely blame him, either, though I was not about to lie down and let him kill me. Nor would I blame you for shoving me into the tub, although I sincerely hope that you won't."

Leaning forward would be difficult, so instead he coaxed Jono's hand toward him and kissed his fingers. "I am very lucky to have you, and both grateful for and proud of you today."

[furnaceface]

//Proud of me?//

That, too, came out curiously dull. He didn't pull his hand away from Hannibal's. He didn't even think to try. But lord, was he tired. Bone tired. And far too much of that was on his own head, too.

//What the hell for?//

[sharp_as_knives]

Hannibal raised his eyebrows. "For defending me against Jack. For using all of the parts of yourself, but staying true to the one that you wish to be. For standing up to me as well."

Because you were you, Jono.

[furnaceface]

Jono nodded, and then slumped forward, the aches of body and mind both catching up to him and leaving him feeling... hollow.

'Chamber' was more apt a name at some moments than others.

//Next time you invite this to happen, I won't step in,// he said, slowly. //Don't be too proud of that.//