RP: With Hannibal

[mrmoneypenny]

A Villiers, at a bar, cradling a cup of coffee.

He's been restless, these past three days. The coffee probably won't help.

But it's warm, and smells nice, and although Hannibal left, he'll be coming back.

Villiers knows.

Hannibal Lecter keeps his promises.

Sip.

Comments

[mrmoneypenny]

Time passes.

Enough time to get up. Get food. Shower.

Step out of the shower, still dripping slightly, towel around your waist, to stare at the mirror.

Clean, sharp lines, down your chest. Vivid. Not like last time, when you couldn't see. The ring of bruises around your neck like a collar. Dark flesh, like a shadow.

Sliced apart, again and again, and carefully put back together.

Why do you let him do this to you?

[reactstonothing]

Why don't you ask him?

He's right there, silent as a ghost.

[mrmoneypenny]

Refrain from jumping, because it's Hannibal. Can't expect any less.

Reach a hand up. Touch. Trace the ring of bruises, looking to Hannibal through the mirror.

"It's..."

Can't quite say it. Can't quite manage it. Beautiful. Because it is.

Fascinating.

The gentle fade of it.

[reactstonothing]

"I know."

He rests a hand on Villiers' shoulder, casually possessive, and smiles.

[mrmoneypenny]

He turns his head, enough so that he can press lips against Hannibal's hand.

"I...didn't know I could do this."

One fingertip, tracing a healing cut. The line of it.

Not like this. On a smaller scale, certainly -- been there, done that. But this...

[reactstonothing]

Hannibal chuckles.

"I did."

And there you have it, don't you?

[mrmoneypenny]

Another kiss, and an affectionate nuzzle. Another line to trace.

"How?"

[reactstonothing]

Because he's just that good. Duh.

But no.

"The same way you knew I was a murderer, I imagine."

Some people can just tell.

[mrmoneypenny]

Not quite the same.

But close enough.

"I'm glad, you know," he says. Another kiss, another line, almost absent. "For everything."

Because despite breaking, despite falling apart on his own bed, despite the stains and the secrets, he feels at peace. Settled.

[reactstonothing]

"I know."

He smiles his cold and beautiful smile, and kisses Villiers' shoulder lightly.

[mrmoneypenny]

A smile, warm and tender.

And he turns, this time to catch Hannibal's lips with his own in a kiss.

He always knows. Always.

It's kind of creepy.

But also deeply comforting.

[reactstonothing]

When his arms wrap around Villiers and squeeze, the contrast between comfort and pain is intentional.

[mrmoneypenny]

A firm hold is always comforting.

Except that it also presses against his fresh cuts.

But it's always like this.

He merely smiles.

[reactstonothing]

Hannibal laughs, low and soft and quiet.

And kisses Villiers' cheek again.

[mrmoneypenny]

So Villiers grins.

And kisses Hannibal's forehead in return.

"Figures I'd be taller."

Smirk.

Amusedly.

[reactstonothing]

Hannibal smirks back.

"And older. And absolutely powerless."

It's the truth.