fandomhigh | Music Appreciation, Monday, Period 1

Today, at the front of the classroom, Jono and Hannibal's students would be met with a television set, not a stereo system, and their two teachers standing not far from it.

At least TVs were lighter these days.

//So, you might've noticed the weekend was a little off,// Jono noted from his usual spot leaning back against the desk. //We were going to put together a lesson on sequential music telling a story, from opera to concept albums, but, er...//

They'd spent their entire weekend celebrating the fact that there were no children in the house. They did about as much lesson planning as one might expect.

"Our twenty-year-older selves had other priorities," Hannibal finished smoothly. "So instead, we have an example of sequential music telling a story."

//Those of you who mentioned an interest in musical theatre might be familiar with ~~meta for~~ Cabaret,// Jono said, holding up a DVD case for all to see. //In fact, we touched on it briefly last week in our discussions. We figured it would be an excellent example of musical storytelling.//

And they hadn't been able to find ~~meta for~~ Chicago on such short notice.

"Any of you that have objections to sexual subjects -"

//For any reason starting with 'age,' moving into 'general discomfort,' and ending at 'American prudishness,'// Jono helpfully supplied.

"- may feel free to leave at any time," Hannibal finished with an amused look at him. "Also, there is a good deal of treatment of racism, fascism, and other subjects that you may find objectionable. I hope we may discuss them after. Should you feel the need to leave, it will in no way affect your grade."

So, at least there was that. Jono waited for a moment, in case anybody wanted to take off to actually make use of that long weekend that most of the rest of America had, and then he lifted the remote and hit 'play.'

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It was a good thing, then, that she wasn't trying to fix him, wasn't it?

She'd just thought he'd needed a friend. Maybe she'd ask Mabel to make him one later.

Alluka bobbed her head a little to the tune of her own internal soundtrack as she drew and asked nothing else of him.

Dante appreciated her all the more for it.

He didn't look at her again until class was almost over. He took in the drawings, but said nothing about them.

He held the elephant back out for her to take. It was hers, after all.

And Alluka took it back, and hugged it tightly.

"Thank you," she said, and rummaged around in her bag for a moment. She pulled out another toy, this one a doll with round, blue eyes and white hair, and offered it to him. "This one wants to go with you though," she said earnestly. "It looks like my brother, Killua."

"You really got a lot of these," Dante muttered, more for form's sake than anything. "Maybe your brother should stick with you, though."

Brother-the-doll. Whatever.

"It's okay," Alluka said simply. "He never does."

Alluka was... pretty resigned to that particular fact.

"And, and I got my whole family as toys, so it's okay if he goes with you."

Dante sighed.

He wasn't really in the mood to fight. Especially not when it involved her family. "Okay," he said, reaching for the doll. "Thanks."

She beamed at him as she handed Killua over.

"You're welcome!"

"I like your drawings," Dante said.

A little awkward, maybe, but he was trying to tough through it.

(The blood gave them character.)

"Oh," she said, looking down at them. "Thanks. I, I'm not very good yet, but I like drawing, I guess?"

It was soothing and fun and there were so many colours.

"Well, keep it up," Dante said, dropping the doll back in his lap. "It's cool."

"Thank you," she said again, and fidgeted. "Do, do you draw?"

Alluka had no idea what to say. It was probably obvious.

Dante shrugged. "A little for Starsmore and Lecter's class last year," he said vaguely.

He'd destroyed the vast majority of the work; the only reason any of his fire-blood-and-brimstone crap was still around was because Lecter had sabotaged him at one point.

"We should draw together sometime," Alluka said happily, since... she really didn't have an opinion other than that. "It'd be fun, don't you think?"

"Maybe," he said, because that was most of what he felt about everything right now. "I'll think about it."

"Okay," she said, her smile dimming slightly. "I, I have to go to work now. But my brother will look after you."

Alluka's faith in Killua was huge and not entirely justified.

"Thanks for lending me your brother," Dante said, which was supposed to come out joking, but didn't. "Can always use one of those."

~~Be careful what you wish for.~~

Music Appreciation, Monday, Period 1

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