From the ashes

Another week passed, not much eventful happened other than Hannibal wanted to have a therapy session with her every day. She didn’t know if he was also doing this with Will because mostly she was resting and still on pain medication for her leg. He had offered her psilocybin for the therapy sessions, which sometimes she agreed to take. He had said that it wasn’t necessary anymore, and he had definitely stopped spiking her food with it, but she didn’t really mind taking it for therapy. Especially not while under hypnosis, since it made everything seem so real. Even if all that was really happening was her telling him what she was seeing and experiencing. He seemed to enjoy it enough, so she didn’t care, but she wondered what he was really getting out of it. There had to be a catch. 

That morning, he brought her breakfast as usual, but he had a laptop with him, which he set near her and opened up. She looked at him but didn’t say anything as she started to eat. He’d made an omelette, which wasn’t unusual for him to do, but she recognized the meat in this wasn’t exactly an animal. Unless humans could be considered animals. 

“There is something I wish to show you and I apologize it took so long. I needed Will’s consent.” Hannibal said. 

“Why? You’re obviously the dominant here.” She said and kept eating. It took almost biting her tongue not to ask why he wasn’t doing anything with her yet. Maybe it was because of her leg, or maybe that had just been a fantasy all along. Most of that had happened when she was drugged on something, right? 

“Yes, that is correct, but when it comes to certain matters we have agreed they will be mutual decisions. This is one of them.” He said and opened a video file on the laptop. She arched a brow, then took another bite of her food. She wanted to ask who he was feeding her, but decided against that for the moment. “I want to show you one of his kills since he has seen yours.” 

“Please tell me it’s actual footage of what you did to Dolarhyde.” 

“Regrettably no, but even if I had I do not think Will would agree to let you view it. This one was done here on this island shortly before you arrived. You are enjoying the benefits of it currently.” He said and motioned to her food. She was going to ask how, but then she realized freezers were a thing and he certainly wasn’t a man to waste any part of a body, especially when it had to be far more scarce on the island. 

“Well, whoever it is, it’s very good so thank you.” She nodded and kept eating. Her squeamish attitude towards cannibalism had drastically changed since eating her own leg and also that guy she had killed. He had even let her watch him cook and explained things to her. It had been fascinating from a journalistic standpoint. Getting into the mind of such a prolific killer. “Is there a reason you aren’t being direct? Do I know them or something?” 

“Watch.” He said and started the video. She knew that he wasn’t going to answer any more questions, so she just continued to eat and watch. The scene opened in the room she had been in before, where she had killed that random guy, but the person sitting in there wasn’t random. Nor tied up. It was Bedelia Du Maurier. Freddie wasn’t quite sure if Hannibal knew that she knew about that woman. Not that they’d had much personal contact, but in her research trying to figure out who the ripper was and all about Hannibal, she’d learned about the woman. Tried to talk to her once and almost got punched. 

Both Will and Hannibal were in the room, though Hannibal was hanging back more than he looked like an active participant here. Will was holding what looked like the famed linoleum knife that had nearly gutted him years before. Oddly, there was something about him that was different. Almost like his eyes had gone dark. Maybe not literally, it was more of a vibe. An intense evil and dominant vibe she’d never seen in him before. 

“You are not going to do this to me, Will.” Bedelia said, sounding more confident than she should, given the situation she was in. 

“And what makes you think that?” Will asked with a dark chuckle in his voice. 

“I will fight you.” 

“Oh, I welcome it.” Will said. She arched her brow but didn’t say anything. She really didn’t know what kind of history Will had with Bedelia, but it seemed bad enough that he very obviously wanted to kill her. Bedelia glanced over at Hannibal, who wasn’t saying anything; he was just there looming menacingly with the very obvious intent to watch while doing absolutely nothing to help. 

“This is what you want, Hannibal?” 

“It is what we both want.” He replied and glanced towards Will, who lunged at her without warning next. She let out a scream of surprise and put her arm up in defense, only to get it slashed with the knife. Her other hand came up to claw at Will’s face, grabbing it with her nails. One of them landed just under his eye and tore downwards, opening up a deep cut. Will snarled like an animal and grabbed her by the hair to throw her to the floor. This was enough to knock the air out of her, and he took the moment to get down and pin her to the floor. 

“Nice try, but not nice enough.” Will whispered, then licked his lips. 

“You’re no better than him.” She panted weakly. 

“And you think you are?” He laughed, a far more devious sound than usual, before drawing the knife over her throat. It wasn’t nearly deep enough to instantly kill her. Though there was a lot of blood, most of which sprayed out over him, Bedelia was only able to lie there struggling as she essentially drowned. It was similar to what she had done in her own killing, though her cut had been a lot deeper and much more vicious. She hated that she was getting aroused by this. It was a side of him which she’d never seen before. Hadn’t even really thought it existed. Will stared intently into her eyes, watching the life drain out of them, not moving an inch until she had completely expired. He then grinned and lowered his head to her shoulder, where he ripped out a chunk of flesh and pulled back, like a feral dog tearing meat off of a bone. He started to chew. That is where Hannibal stopped the video. 

“I don’t get to see more than that?” She complained. 

“Count yourself lucky you have seen anything at all.” He said and shut the laptop. She wanted to say something back to him but thought better of it and finished her last few bites of food. It was delicious and even better now knowing that Will had been the one to essentially provide it for her meal. 

“I know who she is, well…was.” She said after another moment, as Hannibal was getting up to move the laptop. He paused and turned to look at her. “It isn’t as if I had much contact with her, more knowledge that she was your therapist and then doing something with Will. I don’t think it was helping him.” 

“That is quite the understatement.” Hannibal chuckled and set the laptop on a table a few feet away from the bed before coming back and sitting down next to her. “You are aroused.” 

“Since I assume you can smell it like you did before I won’t deny it but I also don’t see how it’s relevant.” She shrugged and then finished up the last of her coffee. At least he hadn’t drugged anything. Yes, he had said he wouldn’t, but she knew better than to trust that to be entirely true. “Which reminds me Will said something about eating his own foot?” 

“You know that was an exaggeration.” 

“But it’s only fair, I can cut it off for him if you’d like.” 

“Though I would have to assume you know better I will remind you that if Will should come to harm by your hand in any sort of non-consensual manner you will deeply regret it.” He said firmly, which only made her more aroused, even if she couldn’t explain why. Maybe it was the tone of his voice or the murderous look in his eyes. “Now, what should we do about your other problem?” 

“Problem?” 

“The arousal.” 

“I can take care of that myself I’m sure. Did it last time.” 

He picked up the empty tray where her breakfast once was and headed out of there. He didn’t say anything else, so she assumed he wasn’t coming back. She sighed and closed her eyes, alone again, it would seem. Something she was frustrated with because she didn’t believe she had made it unclear that she was willing to be with him if he wanted. He had even implied to some extent that he may have wanted that as well, but now she was starting to second-guess herself. Was it her leg? It had to be. Just as she was about to talk herself out of doing anything at all, Hannibal came back into the room and shut the door behind him. 

“Can I help you?” She asked. 

“I am here to help you.” 

“Hannibal, I appreciate it but I really don’t need a pity fuck or whatever this is going to turn into. So thank you but no.” 

“Pity?” He asked with a hint of laughter in his voice, “I am sorry but I really do not have the first clue what you are talking about.” He sat down on the bed next to her again, and she looked at him, feeling like he thought she had to be stupid or something. 

“My leg, I realize it’s not exactly a turn on for basically anyone. Least of all me.” She sighed, “As such you don’t need to come in here acting as if you are interested to make me feel better or whatever this is. I get it.” 

He looked at her for a moment as if he were trying to understand what she was talking about. Though she wasn’t really grasping what was confusing him here. Missing a chunk of her body should have been the biggest indicator. He knew what she looked like. He’d seen it as much as she had, if not more. Why in the world would he not consider her feelings on that, and how in the world did he not see it the exact same way? She had been mutilated, first by her own hand and then by his. Though she would not have personally classified this as broken since she truly believed she’d rather be alive with one and a half legs instead of dead with both of them, she wasn’t him. This was a man all about aesthetics, beauty, art, whatever the fuck else. Which, she would have to assume, in his eyes, made her deformed. Why wouldn’t he think that way? 

“I still do not understand what you are talking about.” He insisted, then went to pull the blanket away to uncover the lower half of her body. She did lean forward, trying to snatch it back before he could do it; she wasn’t fast enough. Even if she had been, it wasn’t like he wasn’t strong enough to pull it away from her anyway. She folded her arms over her chest and looked away from him. “You mean this leg? Here?” He placed his hand above her thigh 

“No, I'm talking about some other leg somewhere else.” 

“I do not appreciate the sarcasm.” He said as he continued to run his hand over her thigh down towards the covering that protected the bandages over the stump. Now she was the one who was confused about the situation. “You see this as a problem?” “Me? An obstacle sure, a problem maybe, but I wouldn’t see it how you see it.” 

“How I see it?” 

“Hannibal, I’m…” She tried to think of the best way to put it into words. “Look at you, look at this house, look at your life. You choose beauty, and aesthetics, and you’re so good at it I’m kind of surprised you are even into women.” 

“Men can be-” 

“Yes I know that doesn’t necessarily mean a man is gay that’s not the point, sorry. What I am saying is, look at the paintings on your walls. Look at the statues you have around. Look at that garden you’ve cultivated outside. Is anything there deformed? Mutilated? Anything less than perfect?” She asked. 

“I have commented before on your powers of observation, which I do believe to be quite astute, still you see all of this and do not realize the one thing that matters?” 

“Which is what?” 

“This is my art. You are what I created. What could be more beautiful than that?” He asked, leaning in closer to her. She blinked a few times, wondering if he was serious, but she couldn’t imagine he had any reason to joke about this. “You have seen Will with his scars, numerous ones, the type he’d have called a mutilation before he understood but do you think that repels me? Does it repel you?” 

“His personality is what repels me, the scars are hardly an issue. I supposed to you they would be…art.” 

“He is as much my canvas as you are now, this is my design, and you have been molded into it more perfectly than I could have possibly anticipated before now.” He moved a hand to her cheek and pulled her into a kiss. A real one. Well, at least one where she could feel that it wasn’t mechanical or routine. He definitely hungered for her in some capacity. She was aware that he couldn’t possibly feel love in the way that normal people expressed it, but then again, she wasn’t sure she ever had either. It wasn’t as if her life had been some romantic dream with that. Sex had always been a means to an end, but now. This was different. Not love entirely, but something she deeply desired. Especially after hearing something like that. Something which really had no right to turn her on or make him want him even slightly, yet it did. 

“So what you are saying is, you see me as a work of art?” She whispered against his lips as the kiss briefly parted. 

“Yes, more than you could possibly understand.” 

She looked up at him; in his eyes, his gaze wasn’t loving as much as it was some level of possessiveness, but also as if he were truly looking at some inspiring painting that was hanging in a museum or a statue carved out of marble. He wasn’t lying. She had to start to consider that what was supposed to be normal was pretty much the opposite here, and then learn to accept it. He moved back and started to undress. She watched him, always having appreciated his body. Especially after she saw him fucking around with Will. God, that had been hot. She licked her lips and started to undress as well. Not that she was wearing much since all she’d had on to sleep in was a nightgown and some panties. 

When he was completely naked, he moved over her, pulling her into another kiss. His hand went back to her thigh, the same leg that was missing half of its original piece, and started to run his hand over it. This seemed to only work him up more as he moved forward and slipped his cock into her. She moaned, never having felt pleasure like that before. It was almost as if he was made for her. It wasn’t as if sex had never been enjoyable before that moment, but it wasn’t like this. It didn’t feel like a connection, even if it was also probably the most toxic and fucked up connection in the universe. 

She wrapped her arms around his neck as he started to thrust, moving her other leg back to allow him deeper access as she wrapped it around his waist. He held eye contact with her, moaning himself as she arched up towards him. Though her injured leg throbbed with pain, as she hadn’t been given her dose of usual medication yet, this only seemed to enhance the pleasure she was feeling. He pulled her into another kiss, which she eagerly returned, his hand gripping the thigh of her half leg as his mouth slipped to her neck to bite at the skin there, hard enough to make it sting. 

“Hannibal,” She panted, “Fuck….I could never imagine…” 

“I know.” He growled in her ear. 

“I’m close…” She warned, trying to pull him in even more with the one leg she was still able to use for such a thing. He started to speed up, moaning even louder. It seemed like he was close as well. It was only confirmation of how attractive he found her, his hand all over her wounded leg as if it were completely setting him on fire, though it was doing the same to her. “Bite me…make it hurt.” For whatever reason, she thought he might hesitate on that, but he didn’t; he immediately bit into her shoulder and not lightly either. It was hard enough to break the skin, draw blood, and cause her to scream out in pleasure and pain as it triggered her climax. Her body writhed against his as he orgasmed shortly after. Maybe due to her reaction, maybe due to her blood, or just a combination of both. 

When it was over, he collapsed on top of her for a moment, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her close to him in an odd manner that she hadn’t expected. It wasn’t unwelcome, just completely alien. She allowed it, though, pressing her head against his chest as he moved her closer and started to stroke her hair. He muttered something in a language that she didn’t understand before kissing the top of her head and gently moving back so he could lay her down on the bed. She looked up at him and noticed blood dripping down his chin. Her blood. It made her smile. 

“I will need to get you cleaned up, take care of that wound and your leg. Give me a moment to get what I need.” He said. 

“Of course.” She nodded. He grabbed his clothes and hastily got dressed before heading out of there. She grabbed the blankets and pulled them back up around her, closing her eyes to bask in the warm afterglow of her pleasure as her shoulder bled and throbbed and endorphins flooded her body. 

“He’s not wrong.” 

Her eyes opened when she heard Will’s voice. Her head turned quickly to look at him, wondering when he’d come in, though he really could have been somewhere in the room the whole time, and she would have never noticed it with how focused she was on Hannibal. She swallowed hard, her heart pounding in her chest. Fear gripped her, and she thought that there was no way he wouldn’t fly into a jealous fit of rage over this. 

“I’m sorry, what?” She asked.

“You are beautiful, and now you’re his. You’ll be mine too.” He smirked, and that intangible dark shift that she could barely define seemed to sweep over his eyes. The same one that she’d seen in the video just before her and Hannibal had fucked. 

“Are you-”