Hannibal's house (where he and Jono are getting tired of not being married), Friday morning

[sharp_as_knives]

Jono had been handling the latest of the island's whims fairly well, but it was obvious that he'd needed a bit of time regardless. Not that Hannibal minded the massages and the food-sharing.

Eventually, however, they were going to have to discuss the yet another wedding plan, this one as minimalist as possible, that had gotten, to use his (still) fiancé's parlance, totally buggered.

And as Jono had made it to class Wednesday, Hannibal thought that the time might be now.

Comments

[furnaceface]

"Ready as I've ever been," Jono replied, grinning as he tucked in his shirt. "I mean, I've done this enough times by now, I think the nervous bit was taken care of back during the first few tries."

Okay, no, that was probably what that twisty butterfly feeling was about in the pit of his stomach. It had been a while since he'd had a stomach to be sure.

[sharp_as_knives]

"Should anything attempt to stop us again," Hannibal said, getting out their coats and handing Jono his, "I grant you full permission to explode the entire building."

[furnaceface]

"I will at the very least give you ample opportunity to leave the building first," Jono offered, taking his coat and shrugging into it. "Have we got everything we need?"

To elope with?

[sharp_as_knives]

"Wallets and identification, keys, and -" Hannibal paused to get them from his pocket and pass one to Jono, "rings."

[furnaceface]

"Rings," Jono echoed, and that goofy little smile was back again as he took the one he'd been handed. "... Shite, we're doing this."

Provided he didn't explode on the way or something, anyway.

[sharp_as_knives]

"We are," Hannibal agreed. No island shenanigans, interruptions, memory issues, or anything else. And if Portalocity didn't get them there promptly and correctly, heads would roll, even if Hannibal had to remove ears and noses to make them rounder.

He squeezed Jono's hand and strode quickly for the door. "After you."

[furnaceface]

Alright. After him. Jono squeezed Hannibal's hand, pulled in a deep breath (so help him, he needed it, this was an excellent time to be able to pull in a deep breath), and opened the door. The portal was already waiting for them outside.

"Here goes, then."

And through the portal he strode.

[sharp_as_knives]

Hannibal followed, and after no more than the usual portal disorientation, they were standing in front of the courthouse. He took Jono's hand again and smiled. "Shall we?"

[furnaceface]

Jono grinned, leaned over, and solicited one more kiss before squeezing Hannibal's hand.

"Let's."

Try getting in the way of this one, Fandom Island.

[sharp_as_knives]

Please, Jono, don't tempt the island.

They walked in together and found the right room, Hannibal pulled out the license he'd kept current (several times), and then they were there with a bit of paper in front of them just waiting for their signatures. Hannibal took the ring box from his pocket and set it on the desk.

[furnaceface]

And Jono did the same thing, pulling out the ring from his pocket and setting it beside Hannibal's. Another deep breath, another stupid smile, and then he was looking up fondly at Hannibal.

"Are we going to say anything, or do we want to make this official before getting all sentimental?"

He wasn't feeling inclined to give fate another chance to screw this up on them.

[sharp_as_knives]

"Official first," Hannibal agreed a touch grimly. He took a fountain pen from his pocket, uncapped it, and signed the paper before anything else could come in the way of it.

[furnaceface]

"Official first," Jono echoed, breathlessly watching as Hannibal signed the paper. A moment later, he was holding out his hand so that he could do the same.

...

And then looking up for a moment, as if expecting something to break down the door and start shooting or something. Another few seconds later, and he was looking at Hannibal, awed and bewildered.

"We're married."

[sharp_as_knives]

"We are." Honestly, even Hannibal was finding it a little difficult to believe. He put the pen away again and opened the ring box, holding his hand out for Jono's.

[furnaceface]

Okay. Alright. Rings. They were actually at the point where they were putting rings on each other's fingers. Still, nothing had exploded, with the exception of Jono himself a bit earlier in the day.

He held out his hand, gave Hannibal a grin that was actually slightly nervous, and tried not to be terribly obvious about the fact that he was holding his breath.

[sharp_as_knives]

Hannibal knew Jono very well. However, he also was mostly used to Jono not breathing, so it took him a moment to notice. Then he chuckled and leaned forward to kiss him as he slid the ring on. You don't have to breathe, he thought, but you can if you want to.

[furnaceface]

//Holding the breathing in reserve for after you're wearing yours, too,// Jono thought back, smiling sheepishly into that kiss. //Not about to take any chances.//

He straightened up and grinned, reaching for the next ring, and then for Hannibal's hand.

//Your turn.//

[sharp_as_knives]

"It's already official," Hannibal said as he put his hand in Jono's. "The very worst that happens if this goes wrong is that we'll need to buy new rings. We will still be married."

[furnaceface]

"We'll still be married," Jono echoed, laughing an almost giddy little laugh as he said it, slipping the ring onto Hannibal's finger. "Oh, hell, Hannibal. We're married. We've gotten married. You are my husband."

Jono had been envisioning a far more romantic speech after the rings and papers and all. But after so many attempts, this was going to work just as well.

[sharp_as_knives]

"For hopefully only richer and in health and all of the rest of it, but for better or for worse," Hannibal said. He was smiling, too. "There's no getting rid of each other now."

Well, unless they killed each other. That was always a possibility. But it would still be theirs, that act.

[furnaceface]

"We're stuck with one another," Jono agreed, and then he leaned forward. "Now get that face over here and kiss me, damn you."

He'd even put on his best face for the occasion.

[sharp_as_knives]

"Greedy," Hannibal teased. He stroked Jono's face as they kissed, standing close. Kissed his husband, at last.