Sparkle, meanwhile, was mostly just sporting, 'a tight tank top under a unisex leather bomber jacket and nice jeans.' The jacket hid their knives better than most, which was important when you were making concessions to the likely destination and leaving your well-used backpack at home.

... There was a new canvas messenger bag slung over their shoulder instead. It helped quiet the twitches some, and had significantly fewer questionable stains on it.

"What better day for it, right? Hey, I can use my French!"

... The Parisians were going to hate Canadian French so much.

"The novelty kind of never wears off," Sparkle said, grinning. "You think a car is wild? You should see what it's like to go up into space, first. Holy shit, babe."

A beat.

"Unless you have? Maybe you have, didn't Kaidan take you to meet the babies once?"

"Apparently," Sparkle agreed, smiling lopsidedly. "It's funny. When Atton and I go up in the Hawk, there isn't any of that. But I guess the trade-off is that Kaidan and Jack's world seem to have getting from place to place ironed right the fuck out, none of the sitting in hyperspace for hours and hours, you know? Not if there are relays."

They shrugged a bit.

"I swear someday they'll exchange notes and then nobody will ever have an uncomfortable flight again, just so long as they're not in the seat next to the bathroom or whatever."

"And it's a really nice car, too," Sparkle said, and then kind of paused, considering that car, considering present company, and then glancing between Hannibal and Hernando. "It wouldn't be rude of me to sit in the back? With her?" They glanced at Hernando. "Unless you want shotgun, babe? Not much travel compares to riding shotgun in a Bentley."

"Maybe we'll get you a hat in Paris," Sparkle offered, settling into the back with a little grin. "Maybe."

Maybe not. Sparkle had seen the hats that Hannibal figured were stylish, after all.

"Me, I have a really long list." A beat. A moment to consider present company. "Can we hit some museums while we're there, too?"

Sparkle didn't even have to look to Hernando for confirmation of the first thing to go through their head.

"The Louvre," they said, immediately, going a little wide-eyed. "Can we go to the Louvre?"

Look.

Look.

Art museum.

The art museum.

Sparkle gave Hernando a cheeky grin and stuck their tongue out at that.

"Then during fall break," they declared. "When everybody is off the island and business is going to be slow anyway. If I'm not in Toronto yet, if things haven't gotten started, we're making a day of it, and I do not intend to lose you in there."

That was a very shameless promise.

Still grinning, they leaned forward to stick their head between the two front seats and ask Hannibal, "Where did you have in mind first? Is today going to be fashion and then food and then more fashion?"

"Well, I can tell you that they have the most annoying multimedia on their website and the ugliest thousand-dollar sneakers I've seen in my life," Sparkle offered, smiling wryly. "...But their boots are hot. And they've got great accessories."