Hannibal's house (where Jono has been spoiling children all weekend), Monday

[sharp_as_knives]

With all the extra guests in the house this weekend, it was a good thing they had so many bedrooms. And this morning, most of them would undoubtedly be taken up by disgruntled and/or embarrassed teens and adults. There was only one thing to do for it, really.

Make breakfast again.

Fortunately, Hannibal tended not to sleep much.


[Open to anyone who wants to say they stayed over, and anyone who wants to drop by!]

Comments

[crimson_sister]

It was, and Lucille was relieved that they seemed to silently agree on that.

"Of course I would. You were younger." Sparkle could probably figure out himself that she wouldn't have looked after any younger child. There had been an understanding of how the world worked.

[myownface]

Sparkle knew perfectly well, yeah. He was inclined to do the same thing, himself.

"Was I ever," he sighed, shaking his head. "I want to think I'm a bit better at fending off strangers these days, at least."

Not much better. His life was still in danger on a regular basis. But at least a little.

[crimson_sister]

Lucille was yet unaware how often Sparkle managed to get himself into danger.

She was about to say something sarcastic about this island, but stopped herself. There was no point, it was too obvious. Instead she asked Sparkle something neutral:

"Does red tape exist or was that only something you had made up?"

[myownface]

Sparkle blinked, and then laughed a little.

"It's a bureaucratic thing," he explained. "It's like... all the paperwork and stupid pointless-looking stuff that people in government or business or whatever have to do before they can get anything worthwhile done."

There was a lot of it in the foster care system, surprise, surprise.

"As a kid, I didn't get that it wasn't literal. I guess at some point or another, it probably was."

[crimson_sister]

The corner of Lucille's mouth curved. "Hardly a red ribbon, then."

[myownface]

"Hardly a red ribbon," Sparkle agreed, smiling wryly. "Just a turn of phrase."

Though there had been plenty of times through his life where he could have used a red ribbon that was capable of scaring off the bad guys.

[crimson_sister]

Lucille thought about how they would have had to resort to drugs, had their enemy actually existed. She had been resourceful as a child, not one to hold back from what was necessary.

"It was good to have your company." To have someone to protect had been familiar.

[myownface]

"It was good to have yours," Sparkle replied, nodding a little. "I mean... I felt safe, this weekend. It was pretty cool of you to take me under your wing like that."

It left his heart aching for his siblings, Carla especially. But even just for the sake of the weekend, it was... had been... something familiar. His friendship with Atton hit similar beats, with him clearly playing the younger sibling role more often than not. But he was less scared, these days.

Generally.

It had been a bad year.

[crimson_sister]

"I think... you reminded me of my brother. It was so strange to be alone. At that age I wasn't used to it."

Lucille looked down. "Saying something about how it's good to be my usual self is rather unnecessary, is it."

[myownface]

"Completely unnecessary," Sparkle promised. "I'm not exactly too keen on re-living childhood experiences, either."

Or the traumas that came with them.

"You reminded me a bit of my sister," he added with a tired sigh. "She used to stick her neck out for us the same way."

[crimson_sister]

Lucille felt silent. Anything she could say seemed silly, as if words could make those past events less painful.

"I would like some breakfast."

That would at least make things better in the present, especially when prepared by Dr Lecter.

[myownface]

"Yeah, me too," Sparkle replied, latching on to the change of subject. He used to be much, much better at grabbing on to those himself. Funny that he couldn't quite muster it these days. "But it looks like Dr. Lecter has that part covered."

[crimson_sister]

Lucille almost smiled. "I would be more surprised if he hadn't. I wonder if there are waffles or if those are only for children."

The waffles had been delicious.