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Groovy Tunes, Saturday

Jono's percent was still not feeling terribly one-hundred this morning when he'd rolled out of bed, but hey, at least he had rolled out of bed. There was a sort of energy around the island today that had made it hard to not, and while all the usual minds still seemed present and accounted for with not much in the way of extras, he had his suspicions that there were a few more children running around than usual.

So he'd come to work today, and he'd brought Joni.

He was also listening to the soundtrack of that Broadway musical about all those historical American figures for... the first time. He was a stubborn Brit at the best of times, but last night he'd been made aware of them doing something worthy of some respect, so he'd put the money into the album and was finally giving it a listen. He was still not exactly the musical sort of music fan, but this, he was liking.

Good, good.

[OOC: Open!]

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If Jono was actually getting out of bed on his own, Hannibal was going to reward the effort.

He had no idea about the extra children yet, but he was making his way to the music store with a large thermos of coffee. He was even dressed casually (for Hannibal) in slacks and a sweater.

He smiled at Jono (and sighed at the fact he was still wrapped up) and toasted him with the thermos. "Good morning."

//Morning,// Jono said, giving a pleasant nod of his head from where he was standing, one foot tapping against the floor in time to the music. It was catchy, he couldn't help it. //Not an entirely terrible one thus far, either. Felt like a walk?//

"Why not?" Hannibal came to stand near him. "I brought you coffee. Not your usual sort of music," he noted with a nod toward the speakers.

//Nah, not my usual,// Jono agreed, leaning in a little, possibly to better say hello. Possibly because it made it easier to smell the coffee. //But I'm enjoying it all the same. You know the cast said a few words to the future Vice President yesterday when he showed up to watch them perform? Asked for equality. I can't not support people who'll make such a public plea like that.//

"Even if it is quintessentially American?" Hannibal teased. He took a sip of the coffee. "We could go see the play, if you like."

He wasn't above any excuse to dress Jono up.

//It's so bloody American,// Jono replied, rolling his eyes toward the ceiling as if terribly put out by that fact. Honestly, these days, he sort of was all over again. He'd been getting better about his stubbornness, too. //But it's also sold out for at least th'next year, so that isn't likely to happen any time soon, either way.//

Hannibal raised an eyebrow at him. "I'm certain I can get tickets, if you like."

There were any number of ways. Most didn't even involve blood.

//... Hannibal, you tempt me.//

Twist his rubber arm. Go on, Lecter.

Hannibal smirked; he was very good at temptation.

"Do you have any particular dates in mind?"

//What, offhand? Not really,// Jono replied, blinking and shrugging his shoulders. //It's difficult enough to get tickets, I'd be happy with whenever.//

Seriously. Getting to see it live would, all on its own, be one hell of an experience.

"Very well, then; I'll see what I can do." Hannibal smiled and drank some more coffee.

Jono leaned against the counter a little as he let the flavour of the coffee wash over him.

//I look forward to you managing that miracle,// he decided, sounding pleased, overall. //This weekend I'd be impressed if you found the time to go looking, though.//

"Oh?" Hannibal looked Jono over. "You've got plans for me, have you?"

That could mean any number of things, but most of them were fun.

Jono allowed himself a moment of secret amusement before shaking his head and letting himself burst Hannibal's bubble.

//I might've before,// he allowed. //I need winter clothes, was thinking New York before all that Black Friday nonsense hits. Looks like we might need to take a raincheck, though. The population of the island is significantly younger than usual, so whether shopping is on the docket or not mostly depends on who is younger, and how much they matter to us.//

"Ah." Hannibal made a moue in disappointment. "Don't think I won't hold you to the shopping later. Still, at least this particular bout of whimsy has passed us both by. The island seems to be stepping up its schedule of oddness."

//Apparently so,// Jono agreed, wrinkling his nose a little. //I don't trust it one bit.//

It didn't help that this time of year they were usually digging their heels in to fight for their lives. Or the weirdness that came before that whole thing with the weird new statue in the park. Jono had danced this dance too many times. He was getting genre savvy.

"Nor do I," Hannibal answered, "but we'll take our reprieve while we can."

Hannibal wasn't quite as attuned to the island's oddities as Jono, but he never quite trusted it anyway.

He finished his coffee and rubbed Jono's shoulder as he turned to go. "I'll leave you the thermos to smell or to share. Is there anybody in particular I should look for or steer here?"

Jono considered that one for a moment, head tilted slightly.

//There are a few kids at the park that seem familiar,// he offered. //Might not be a bad starting point. And if anybody seems especially lost and your hands are full, feel free to drop them off here. I'll let them smash at one of the cheap drum sets for a while or something.//

Hannibal chuckled. "You may regret that if I find Dante."

Too late.

"I'll see you later, then." He kissed Jono's temple and headed out.

The boy had woken up that morning and immediately fled the room. No, he wasn't surprised to be here - but he wasn't used to an open door and no oversight, and he was going to take advantage of it while he could.

Of course, that just left him wandering around the streets for an hour - until he heard music.

He crept up to the door. Jammed his head up against it so he could hear better, curious.

It took a few moments of... well, actually kind of shamelessly dancing to the music, before Jono was aware that there was somebody on the other side of the door. It took him a few moments more to figure out who that someone might be. There was a feel to Dante, after all, one that was difficult to place but easy enough to recognize.

//You know, you can hear th'music better from this side of th'door, mate?//

That was actually said fairly gently, and Jono made a point to hang back against the counter, not in any sort of threatening vicinity to the door. Spooking Dante wasn't exactly the intention here, after all.

And yet it still earned him a deeply distrustful... something. The boy could hear the voice in his head, but he couldn't see anyone speak.

He opened the door only because he didn't want to admit to being afraid. He pulled a face at the man inside. "You're loud."

//Terribly loud,// Jono agreed, shrugging his shoulders. //Can't much help it, it's how I'm wired. Or did you mean the music?//

Because that, at least, could be helped. Jono just didn't want to.

The boy considered it.

"Both," he spat.

He didn't trust people being nice to him.

"Your talking. Whatever."

//Well, I suppose I could dial it back a little,// Jono mused, leaning back against the counter. The next time he spoke, his voice was a little more subdued. Less solid words and phrases and more the faint suggestion of them, still coherent, but not quite so immediate. //How's this?//

Adults could go fuck themselves, but for kids, Jono actually made the effort.

"Weird," said the boy, but he had a curiosity about the music he couldn't quite repress. It was the entire reason he even went two steps inside, wary and careful, his eyes never slipping away from Jono.

//Best I can do without talking at all,// Jono replied, shrugging his shoulders as he hiked himself up to sit on the counter, then reached to scratch Joni behind the ears once she jumped up to join him. //Which suits me perfectly fine as well. I hate talking over good music.//

"What is it?" the boy asked.

A moment later, "...And who are you?"

//The music is Hamilton. Broadway... hip hop... R&B... so far as I can tell.// It was difficult to slot an entire musical into one musical genre. //Catchy. Catchier than I figured it would be from the reviews.//

And he'd figured that it would be very catchy from the reviews.

//And I'm Jonothon. Jono, if you'd rather. I run this shop.//

"I don't know what any of that is."

The boy left the door sitting open behind him, in case he had to bolt. "What's with your face?"

Edited 2016-11-20 12:54 (UTC)

//Well, listen and you'll find out,// Jono offered, still scratching Joni behind one ear, making no move to approach the boy. Dante needed space, that much was clear. //And I've got the face covered because I hurt myself once, badly, a long time ago. People get uncomfortable looking at what I've got left.//

This was even true! And far less condescending than his usual snide 'I'm cold,' or terrifying than the occasional pulling down his wrappings to show off a void full of fire.

Edited 2016-11-20 12:58 (UTC)

"Did you hurt yourself or did somebody hurt you?"

Even the boy wasn't sure if it was an accusation or concern.

Jono shifted his weight a little, less because he was actually looking to move, and more because he was slightly uncomfortable with the topic, even now.

//It was an accident,// he said, finally. //It was nobody's fault, it couldn't have been prevented, but at the end of the day, I did it to myself. Nobody attacked me or anything like that.//

That part had come after.

"Right," the boy said. Cautious, watching. "That happens sometimes, I guess."

//More often than I'd care for,// Jono replied, shrugging his shoulders and settling back again. //Could've lived without the scars.//

At least there were scars, etched up across his face over the top of his bandages. Something to show for all the hell he'd been through. Or... something.

//But life goes on.//

The boy snorted softly. "Sure," he said, "Life goes on."

He didn't sound convinced.

Well, it went on until it didn't, anyway. But some people were more stuck with it than others, so...

//Have you got any interest in music, mate?//

This was a much better topic than his face, at any rate.

The boy shrugged one shoulder. "'s okay," he said. "The nuns play the organ, it's boring and creepy."

//Eugh,// Jono replied, wrinkling his nose. //There's much better out there than that, mate, I promise.//

Like Hamilton on the stereo just then, singing about how he cheated on his wife in order to save his career, oops.

"Like your hiphop thing?" The boy looked... not completely skeptical.

But he wasn't sold yet.

//The hip hop thing is not my usual thing,// Jono replied, glancing up at the stereo and shrugging. //It's popular. It's catchy, but my usual is typically a bit louder. And it has more guitar.//

Ah, grunge.

"What's a guitar?" the boy asked, his fingertips trailing against the wall as he walked along it.

Oh, Jono's heart could not take a line like that.

//Those instruments along the back wall,// he said, pointing that way. //The stringed ones. Much more fun than an organ. I can play, if you're curious.//

"Why do they have strings?" the boy asked. "What're you gonna do with rope?"

There weren't a whole lot of guitars in the orphanage, go figure. It didn't help his memory tapered off into a black hole just a few months ago.

//Plenty,// Jono replied, slipping down off the counter and nodding toward the wall. //Here, I'll show you. They make sounds.//

He made a point to give the boy room as he moved toward the back wall, pulling an acoustic down and pulling the strap over his head.

The boy trailed towards him, but didn't do much to close the distance between them.

Instead he stood a few feet away now, watching with wary eyes. "That thing looks weird," he said, "Like someone put wires on a pan."

//Doesn't it, though?// The corners of Jono's eyes crinkled in a little smile. //But when you do this-//

He gave it a strum.

//-it really doesn't sound much like a pan at all.//

The boy's head tilted to the side. "... No, it doesn't," he had to admit. "... That's cool."

//It is a little bit, isn't it?// Jono nodded his agreement, and then settled in to play... what music did Dante like? Metallica? Everyone liked Metallica, anyway, and Jono was a bit of a showoff, so fingerpicking some of Unforgiven as a demonstration of what guitars were capable of was going to be the thing to do, here.

Jono was a little shit that way.

//Takes a bit of work to figure out, but once you get th'hang of it, it's fun.//

Edited 2016-11-21 22:50 (UTC)

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Groovy Tunes, Saturday

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