Hannibal (Age Plot)

[will_you_see]

Alcuin woke feeling a little strange, but then he realized that he must have climbed into Hannibal's bed in the middle of the night again. A bit embarrassed, he scooted away from Hannibal's sleeping form before climbing out of the covers. He pushed his hair out of his eyes. It was getting a little too long again, enough so that people would be

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[anamusebouche]

"That's all right," Hannibal said, quietly, reassuringly. "You are never obligated to talk of anything here, you know that." He put a hand on the boy's arm, then turned back to his breakfast.

"What do you want to do today? I have the day off - we can do whatever you'd like to do."

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"Really? I can pick?" Alcuin considered this for a moment, wanting to choose something that was both what he would enjoy but also that Hannibal would approve of. "How about the science museum?" he suggested. There were a lot of hands-on, fun exhibits with simple explanations of scientific concepts designed with kids in mind. "And maybe the park near there, the one where everyone takes their dogs." He liked dogs, but he'd never had one.

[anamusebouche]

"I'd love to take you there," Hannibal said. "There's an exhibit on space and time, I believe. It'll be very interesting. And we can have lunch in the park."

Life could be so simple these days. It was all superficial, of course. The young boy was severly traumatized and nightmares and dark days lurked around every corner. But sometimes they could just pretend there was nothing wrong and be cheerful for cheer's sake.

It was nurtured, of course, Alcuin's closeness and his trust in the doctor. Hannibal wanted what was best for Alcuin and he knew that he was best for him.

[will_you_see]

"That sounds so nice. Thank you, Hannibal. Oh, shall I do the dishes?" It seems as if they had both finished their breakfast.

[anamusebouche]

"We'll do them together," Hannibal said with a little nod.

[will_you_see]

"Hannibal..."

Alcuin hesitated, having suddenly a thought that seemed important, almost too important to actually say. Finally, he just blurted it out.

"Hannibal, do you think you'll adopt me?"

[anamusebouche]

Hannibal had contemplated this, but he had concluded that there were still too many locked doors in his house and in his mind for anyone to come live with him. He didn't know if he could manage to keep those locks in place until Alcuin understood him and could be shown who Hannibal was.

"I want what's best for you. I don't know if adopting you would be best. Why do you ask? Have you been thinking about it?"

[will_you_see]

Alcuin looked down at his plate. "I just... don't want to have to leave you." He liked it here, with Hannibal. And he was terrified that Hannibal wouldn't want him anymore.

[anamusebouche]

Hannibal nodded carefully. "You understand my hestiation, I hope," he said quietly. "It's not that I don't want you here. It's that I'm not sure if my life is compatible with taking care of you. We've managed so far, and you're very independent, but I don't want to be the factor to hold you back in your development."

He thought on his next words for a moment, but decided to speak them. He wanted to be truthful to this child. There was a purity to him that he wanted to respect and truth was respectful. "It scares me a little," he said. While he wouldn't exactly use the term 'scare' to himself (someone who doesn't fear life's end can't factually be scared), he found it was as close to the truth he could utter. "The thought of this being permanent."

[will_you_see]

"Oh," said Alcuin, because he didn't really know what else to say. He knew that he couldn't expect Hannibal to drop everything in his life to take care of a kid no matter what circumstances had brought them together. Though he really didn't understand the whole holding back your development thing. Except he did appreciate that Hannibal always talked to him like he was a grown-up.

[anamusebouche]

"You need to be allowed to be a child," Hannibal continued, sensing the boy didn't quite understand his meaning. "You deserve it. Our arrangement isn't that."

[will_you_see]

"I don't," Alcuin argued. "I'm fine. I had to grow up a little so I did. And besides..." His voice went a little smaller. "It's not as if anyone else wants me."

[anamusebouche]

"No one else knows you," Hannibal said, supportively.

[will_you_see]

Alcuin nodded, and then finally said, "Maybe we could... not talk about this, right now, after all? I'm looking forward to our day."

[anamusebouche]

Hannibal would respect his wish, but only after assuring him one thing. "I will always be there for you. Whatever may come. Please know that."

[will_you_see]

Alcuin bit his lip for a moment, and then got up from his seat and threw his arms around Hannibal, hugging him tightly in a childlike way.

It was going to be a good day.