#manhuntertm

In his arms is his favorite place to have Will Graham. Their fingers intertwine and as he often is when it comes to Will, Hannibal is filled with warmth. Even after all these years, Will is adored. There are times when just looking at him causes Hannibal’s chest to ache.

“I believe you will find you’re rather stuck with me,” he responds, gracefully moving on from the topic Will clearly is not in the mood to discuss. ‘Stuck’ indeed. They have been unable to stay outside of one another’s orbits, despite the best efforts of the world around them. Despite even their own efforts.  

He turns his face so he can press his lips to the crown of Will’s head, lingering to breathe in the scent of soft curls. It is good to have him here; safe, alive, and ready to begin healing.

“Do you have any idea how precious you are to me?”

“Does it make you feel better or worse that I never intended to?”

“I’m often in the same boat.” She replied. “Got a pretty good hot toddy recipe, but the most it does is keep you from waking up from your night terrors so you sleep through to morning.” Clarice looked through her bag to find a notepad. “I can write down the recipe, if you like.” She tracked down the notepad and pen. “Things get a little calmer just after I solve a case, but they come back. They always come back.”

Starling checked to make sure she had everything she needed before closing the trunk of the car she’d been loaned by the Miami field office. A four hour flight and nearly eight hours in traffic, not to mention the ferry, to get to the Keys had left her a little ragged. At least she’d been able to sleep on the flight for a bit, she thought. At least she had come prepared, including her outfit, altered for the hot, humid weather. 

She had done these sorts of interviews before. In fact, she’d been doing them for more than a month now. For the most part, it was boring, but not boring enough that she didn’t feel the need to carry her sidearm. Two of the people she was supposed to interview, she’d found dead. Suicides, or at least it looked like it. Apparently they thought it a better option than whatever Dr. Lecter had in store for them now that he was on the lam. One of them had attacked her.

It was only his wide scope and experience that allowed him to recognize Hannibal Lecter for what he was. And even then, it was a string of accidents and slight slippings of the mask that had allowed him to be almost certain of what he was dealing with. Another consulting psychiatrist, hiding behind the title like a monster behind a paper mask.

The penny had dropped one afternoon when a small slight had causes a series of micro expressions that didn't belong. The rest of the pieces fell into place. It wasn't that the man was a narcissist. The traits were so easily confused with psychopathy markers that is was easy to simply assign garden variety narcissism and move on.

But that, it was not.

@manhuntertm

All at once, the smile Beverly wore faded. She glanced at Graham sidelong -- cautiously, but not intrusive -- before venturing a question. “You don’t know?” 

Of course he didn’t.

She knew she shouldn’t be surprised, what with Graham’s erratic behavior at Greenwood, but she had been under the impression that sessions with Lecter had aided in his lapses of time.

                camera shutter flickers closed, pictures taken in rapid succession. delicate finger glides across dile, adjusting focus. camera is carefully tucked back in bag at her side as empath approaches, a precaution. a way to keep him from breaking the damn thing : it’s happened before, and knowing will graham she wouldn’t put it past him.

                azure gaze flickers over him, dance across form with what could be seen as interest. “ — mister graham. ” smile is not quite fragile, it could be more easily described as a mask of porcelain placed across her features, a lie easily told and even easier to display. “ i would say i’m suprised to see you here, but we both know that i’d be lying. ” if she didn’t know better she would ask for information, of course she has connections, she’ll get her answers eventually.