Hannibal stretched out on the couch, watching as the others put away the gear. He'd taken a bad clout to the head and was still dizzy when they got back to the apartment. One by one the guys checked on him before heading out for their own pursuits - BA, heading down to the gym; Murdock, off to check on the little plane he'd just bought. Face had just grinned when Hannibal asked what his plans were. Five minutes later, the apartment was empty.
Nice. Quiet.
He opened his eyes.
Too quiet.
He sighed. He'd gotten too used to having them around. Langley had spoiled them all, in that sense. As much as they'd gotten on each other's nerves, they'd also - slowly - gotten used to always having at least one of the team close by. This place was only supposed to be a stopgap. A place to stay until, one by one, they each found their own places again.
Seven months later and no one had.
He slowly moved off the couch and headed for the bathroom. A hot shower and a good night's sleep - that's what he needed.
Turning on the shower, he turned away and started undressing. He smiled at the small groups of bottles and jars on the counter. He could tell which ones belonged to each just at a glance. BA's the smallest group - bare necessities. Salon grade stuff - Face. The bottles with animal heads - Murdock's. As much to relive the cut-short childhood as to annoy BA.
His own supplies were a combination of old standbys - Old Spice, for instance - and a less expensive version of Face's salon selections. He still had an image to maintain, after all. Not a lot, but a few more movie offers had come his way since the pardons.
He looked in the mirror, smiling wryly. What Face had on him in years, Hannibal made up for with Show Biz. Lots of young ladies wanting an in. And why shouldn't he oblige? As long as everyone knew where they stood from the git-go.
He looked a little more critically in the mirror, tilting his head and frowning. Might not be a bad idea to get some roadwork in. But overall - not bad.
He stepped into the shower, letting the hot pellets massage his body. The dizziness was gone, the headache on its way out. He thought about that good night's sleep. And his own little black book.
And grinned.