sharp_as_knives | Hannibal's house, Wednesday

Hannibal rolled down his sleeves and nodded at the table. Everything looked to be in order for his little dinner. He'd made a slight variation on steak and kidney pie, with Yorkshire puddings, horseradish potatoes, and roast winter vegetables. And, since Jono would likely be far too busy to visit on Christmas day (Winsol no doubt meant a security nightmare above what it already was), Christmas pudding, one week early. It had been sitting for around a month, which should have been long enough, anyway.

Hopefully it would be a welcome break from the excessive work Jono was no doubt putting himself through, and they would have a chance to talk and share music again.

He had no doubts of Jono showing up - he'd sent a beautifully calligraphed invitation.

[OOC: For the one mentioned, though I suppose if anyone wants to drop by beforehand, why not?]

Current Mood: mellow
Current Location: 22 Phoenix Place

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

From:

sharp_as_knives

Hannibal was not going to laugh. He was going to drink some more beer as he thought. And maybe take a bite of potato.

"It is an expression of the trust and regard she holds for you," he pointed out to Jono. "Do you think she truly wants a child and all that entails, or is this merely passing fancy, envy that her closest friend will be giving birth soon?"

From:

furnaceface

Jono's shoulders hitched up a little, and he was staring back at the floor.

//Both, possibly,// he admitted. //Lord knows, I would love to be a father someday. I just... don't think I'd be cruel enough to pass my genetics on to somebody else. But the timing has me second-guessing it. We haven't been a dedicated couple in... a long while. There's no stability in either of our lives at the moment, and it would be bloody cruel to bring a baby into the world, no matter how stupid Karla and Warren are being about this. Don't get me wrong -- I already care about that child and I'll protect her with my life -- but she was an accident. Making the conscious decision to bring another baby into this situation right now, it seems... ill-thought out. Like a desperate whim. And there shouldn't be any hurry. Raven's still young. There's no timer nearing its end or anything of the sort...//

From:

sharp_as_knives

"This seems to me an easy problem to fix, then," Hannibal answered. "Tell her these things - there is no rush, and now is not the time. Ask her to reconsider you in a year, or whatever space of time you feel you need. It isn't a refusal, and it should eliminate the aspect of desperation."

Hannibal rubbed Jono's back. "Don't make your own poor decision for fear of disappointing a friend."

From:

furnaceface

Jono gave a little nod, leaning closer to Hannibal. Back-rubbing was good. It was doing wonders to get him to relax, at least.

//If I were to make a choice like that, it certainly wouldn't be for fear of disappointing. If she wants a baby of her own, there are plenty of ways to go about having one that don't involve my buggered up genes getting into the mix. It just... I don't even know if she's aware, just what sort of salt she rubbed into it by asking.//

He'd decided a long time ago that he wasn't going to be so cruel as to pass his genes on to a baby. It had been a hard decision to make. This hurt in ways he couldn't quite put words to.

From:

sharp_as_knives

Fortunately, Hannibal was good at reading between the lines.

"It gives you hope you can't believe in." Hannibal rubbed Jono's back some more, since he seemed to enjoy it, and ate a bit more pie. "Why can't you? Other versions of you seem to have had children that haven't suffered from your parentage."

From:

furnaceface

//Other versions of me that aren't ever going to exist?// Jono glanced sidelong at Hannibal, and then shrugged his shoulders. //It's a wildcard, every time. Every. Bloody. Time. And fire... it runs in the family.//

From:

sharp_as_knives

"And yet, perhaps knowing what you do, having your experience, would make you better equipped to deal with a child that might have similar abilities. Having seen the mistakes that your own parents made, you may be less likely to repeat them. Don't discount the possibility out of fear, any more than rush into it out of desperation."

Which was almost exactly what he'd told Raven, and yes, he was aware of the consequences, but Jono didn't strike him as the broody type. Well, not that sort of broody.

From:

furnaceface

Very broody, but a very different sort, yes.

//I'm not desperate,// he mumbled. //I'm going to be around a long time, if the way my body works is any indication. I'm in no hurry to rush into any sort of parenthood, and there'll never be a shortage of children needing a home, if once I've got my head on straight again, I decide to adopt.//

He shook his head a little.

//I just don't think the island would show me any child that was a certain tragedy. And... so far as powers went, I was a late bloomer. Most mutants manifest at the onset of puberty. My family was still calling me a flatscan until I was eighteen, when I blew my face off.//

From:

sharp_as_knives

"Which you wouldn't do," Hannibal pointed out. Honestly, he was going to thump you, Jono. "And while I've no doubt there are tragic possibilities, there are also good ones. As there are for anyone contemplating parenthood."

From:

furnaceface

In this one particular circumstance, Jono would be just as likely to thump Hannibal back.

//It's not what I would do that I'm afraid of,// he replied, furrowing his eyebrows at him. //It would be disgustingly irresponsible for me to parent a child that might end up sharing my mutation, or as a target of the bloody cult that my family was a part of for thousands of years. Yes, there are good possibilities, there's Angela and JJ, there's Kathe and Elizabeth and so on, but most of them were children. There's good odds that the youngest of them still haven't manifested as mutants. But then there are the ones I haven't been shown. Out of countless possibilities, you mean to tell me that it wouldn't be cruel to any potential son or daughter to bring them into the world knowing there are high odds they'll go through the same hell that I did, or worse given Raven's parentage? Based on a half-dozen examples hand-picked by the island out of infinite possibilities?//

He narrowed his eyes a little and got right back to glowering at the floor.

//If you have a genetic condition that you're guaranteed to pass along to your offspring, something that could potentially cause them years of suffering, and you choose to pass those genes on regardless...//

From:

sharp_as_knives

"It makes you optimistic," Hannibal said. "I'm not saying that I think it is or isn't a good idea, only that you shouldn't let fear drive your decisions." He petted Jono's hair for a moment. "Maybe a year or so to think about it would be a good idea for you both."

There was a slight shift in the bed, and when Hannibal looked down, there was a grey cat looking up at him and giving him a mostly silent meow. He debated trying to insist it stay on the floor, then just gave it another piece of meat. It was, after all, a cat.

From:

furnaceface

'Optimistic' certainly wasn't the word Jono was going to use. He shook his head a little, slumping at the shoulders, and then decided, maybe for the time being, it would be for the best to let the topic drop.

Hannibal was right, at least, in that there was no hurry to make a decision about this just yet. And Jono knew perfectly well just how paranoid he could be.

//You're encouraging him now,// he noted, nodding at the cat. //At this rate, he'll be sleeping in your lap in no time.//

From:

sharp_as_knives

"He's a cat; I've no doubt he'll sleep wherever he likes, with little encouragement from me or anybody," Hannibal answered. "But for now, my lap is available." He wrapped an arm around Jono to encourage him to lie down. "And you aren't yet resting."

From:

furnaceface

//Thought we've established that I'm terrible at resting,// Jono countered, though he was leaning against Hannibal all the same before finally relenting and shifting his weight to lay down. //But I suppose I'd be a terrible guest if I refused out of hand.//

Especially after putting on Hannibal's pajamas.

//You, er, really don't mind the cat, then?//

From:

sharp_as_knives

"Since you seem to have brought him here in search of a home, it would be rude of me to throw him out onto the streets. Particularly in this cold." He put the little dish down in front of the cat, in favor of turning to his own food. "But I do trust you don't believe I'm fooled by this." You'd only been hinting ever since you'd arrived, Jono.

Hannibal was eating pie at you for that. With a lot of attention and enthusiasm.

From:

furnaceface

//No, I didn't think you were fooled for a mmm-nnghh...//

Please excuse Jonothon for just a second, because he needed to sort of writhe about on the bed while he processed that. A quality meat pie eaten with the sort of attention that Hannibal could devote to it apparently had that effect on him.

//... S'just, I was maybe working up to the actually asking part...//

Hnngh.

//He's old, and I can't leave him alone in my apartment here with Angelo and Joni, and he doesn't travel well. Hates the carrier, doesn't know what's going on outside of it. Not to mention... he was th'butcher's cat. I'm not planning on bringing home every animal I find when I set out to kill a man. There usually aren't any. But...//

From:

sharp_as_knives

"But this man shouldn't have to suffer for his owner's crimes. Yet seeing him around the estate would be suspicious, if anybody knew him." There were very good reasons for this; it didn't mean Hannibal was that soft a touch.

That was more potatoes and beer, to prove it!

From:

furnaceface

That was only mild distress that Jono was sending back to Hannibal. He was very much enjoying the food, but wasn't entirely certain he was up for this much sensory overload, and was too damn tired to put up a proper wall.

//Any number of... of staff... used to go t'that butcher for... for food... Ermengarde would've recognized him, or... or anyone...//

He was trying to piece together words, Hannibal. Mean.

From:

sharp_as_knives

That was what you got for bringing him a surprise cat. So there.

You also got Yorkshire pudding, though more calmly.

"Of course he can stay." Hannibal rubbed the cat's head. "Although if you find a better home for him, please let me know." He wasn't really much of a pet person, but this cat didn't seem too much of a challenge. At least he wasn't a kitten. And Hannibal could keep him in the meat he was probably accustomed to, even!

And that was more beer, savored just enough.

From:

furnaceface

Jono had absolutely learned his lesson about surprise cats! Not that he thought another one would get along with this one, anyway. He handled Joni well enough, but that was grudgingly, and only because Joni tended to travel around in Jono's too-deep pockets.

//I'll... keep a lookout,// Jono promised, nodding a little and reaching up to rub at his temple again. //Not many people are in the market for an old cat, nevermind a deaf one, but if you'd rather him gone, I'll try to make your time with him as quick and painless as possible.//

From:

sharp_as_knives

"You're giving me a cat, not an incurable disease," Hannibal said drolly. "I can tell the difference." You were getting a bit more beer for that, though he did back off on the overloading.

"Headache still?"

From:

furnaceface

//Headache forever,// Jono mumbled. //Or at least the foreseeable future. It hasn't really let up for months, now. But then, neither have I, really.//

Yes, he was aware what sort of idiot that made him.

//Haven't had a nosebleed yet today. I'll consider that progress.//

From:

sharp_as_knives

Hannibal sighed and gave Jono a look, then took a small jar out of his pocket. He opened it and dug out a bit of cream, then replaced Jono's fingers with his own.

From:

furnaceface

//I know, I know, I'm a bloody... stupid...// He closed his eyes and leaned his face into Hannibal's touch a little. //Stupid... son of a... what is that?//

It smelled... minty? And after a moment, it felt quite nice. Tingly. Hot and cold at the same time. Between the cream itself and Hannibal's hands, that was good.

From:

sharp_as_knives

"A topical pain reliever," Hannibal said. "Courtesy of both proven medicine and semi-proven herbs." He'd basically thrown everything at it to see what would stick. He moved his hands to the base of Jono's skull, then to his neck, then back up to his temples, working the cream in.