Author's Note:
I wanted to let everyone know that I did not write the Hannibal in this. This is a roleplay, it amused me and I felt like sharing. However, as some have mentioned, if you find the Hannibal OOC, could you please drop me a line explaining why that is? My friend would love to learn how to better showcase Hannibal.
Lucas had put the obviously human body parts he had seen out of his mind. He assumed Hannibal needed them for his job, maybe. Or maybe he was going to step up Lucas's anatomy learning to include actual humans. When they never showed up, Lucas found himself confused, but decided to ignore the idea.
He started up High School, after Hannibal told him there was nothing to fret over. Lucas was fine for the first week, though he did in get a brawl thanks to some seniors bullying a female freshman, but Lucas was not bothered by his few scrapes before teachers showed up to break everything apart. In fact, Lucas seemed almost proud.
His marks of the fight were nearly gone almost 2 weeks later, and he was heading home from school. He had told Hannibal he actually enjoyed the walk, it gave him time to exercise and go over his day, so he was quite used to walking by now. He was on their street when he paused and glanced over his shoulder as a car turned the corner a little fast. It was 5 seniors and Lucas knew he was out powered and out numbered.
He bolted, feeling stupid the second he started running. He doubted he could make it and get his key in the front door before they caught up with him, and he knew better than to run across Hannibal's front lawn. He also knew, his luck, he'd end up falling into Hannibal's rose bushes and not only anger his guardian but get scratched up quite well in the process.
He made it to the steps when they caught up with him, three of them having jumped out of the car as it came to a stop in front of the house. Lucas rolled as they tackled him, and happily went into the fight, kicking and punching, he even headbutted one of the boys. He knocked out a few teeth from one of them, and was about to go for another when he caught a bat to the side of his face. It got close to his temple and he slumped back in pain, snarling and trying to regain himself quickly enough to not get hit with that bat again.
Hannibal had been enjoying his afternoon tea when he heard the screeching of tires out front of his house. He set the cup down carefully, pulled his harpie from his pocket and made his way out the back door. His heart began to race, but only for a moment. His eyes deadened as did his nerves. As he rounded the corner, knife drawn and shoulders hunkered like a cat stalking it's prey, he drew the blade and slunk toward the boys that were going for Lucas. "Good afternoon."
The boy with the bat dropped it instantly, the others backing off a bit as well. Except for the boy who lost a few teeth, he was still stunned and bleeding next to Lucas. They looked to each other, down at Lucas, and awkwardly stood there, children with their hands caught in the cookie jar. Only one of them had the presence of mind to say "You too." His voice was weak as he spoke, and he looked like he might attempt to pick up Lucas and dust him off, though Lucas was still in the process of figuring out exactly where he was.
Hannibal took a step forward and put himself between Lucas and the boys, his knife still in hand and his pupils now pinpricks in a sea of blood red. "I'll only tell you once. Leave my son alone." He was baring his teeth angrily, but his voice was sweet as honey, as if he were trying to lull them into a false sense of security.
The boys backed up when he got closer, even the poor bastard attempting to gather his teeth. One boy, seemingly the eldest and the one with the drivers license as he had the car keys in one hand, took charge and tried to usher everyone back. He plucked up the bat, holding it as gingerly as possible to avoid looking like he would take a swing, and backed off. Some of Lucas's blood was on one end of the bat. The boy who had responded to Hannibal originally answered with a "Sure thing" before getting in the car and sinking down so far he was almost invisible. The driver made sure he obeyed every rule of the road, up until the corner where he punched it and zipped around and away,as if Hannibal could some how catch up with the car.
Lucas rolled himself a bit, groaning in pain and pushing himself up to sit. His head throbbed worse and he clutched at his temples, cringing. He couldn't speak yet, he couldn't even focus on anything more than simple body movements.
Hannibal folded his knife and knelt down beside Lucas. "Take your time." He brushed his fingers through the grass in search of the boy's missing teeth. Once they were all gathered, he patted Lucas on the shoulder and smiled down at him. "Dare I ask why they were chasing you this time? It's been quite a while since you've been hurt this badly."
It took Lucas a moment or so, but then he let out a quiet laugh. "Probably because I shamed this first week of school." He gritted his teeth at the more intense throbbing and tried to do anything and everything he could to clear his head. He glanced over at Hannibal, looking at the teeth in his hand. "At least they aren't mine this time." He was whispering now, as if that would some how help with the knife like feeling that he felt every time he spoke.
Hannibal smiled in amusement, pocketed his knife and stood up with his hand extended to Lucas. "Let's get you inside." He didn't bother to ask why or how he had shamed him, as he knew Lucas always had good reason to fight. He slipped the teeth into his empty pocket and glanced around to make sure there was no one who had been watching while he waited for Lucas to take his hand.
It again took Lucas a moment, and once he had stood he leaned into Hannibal a bit, trying to not get blood on him but it was hard for him to balance. "I could have gotten them, you know," he comments, his voice slurring slightly.
Hannibal chuckled softly as he wrapped his arm around Lucas to support his weight a bit better, taking no notice of the blood that was smearing on him. "I don't doubt it for a moment, but all good things to those who wait. Even if you had beaten them all at once, they would have brought twice as many the next time." He set Lucas against the wall while he unlocked the front door. "They understand fear, you see? You must make the monster beneath their bed, the shadow cast from around the corner become you, just as they have done to their victims." He bared his teeth as he spoke, making him even more feral in appearance than he already was.
Lucas seemed to cling onto this idea, and his eyes sharpened a bit as he tried to make sense of what Hannibal was saying. The eye on the side he had taken the bat to was blood shot and bruising was already flaring over his face. "How?" he asked, and quite obviously wanted a real answer. He wanted to know how to be like that. He wanted to have that power.
Hannibal sighed as he opened the door and turned to face Lucas. "You have to make them feel vulnerable. However you do it is your choice. It should be something that gives you satisfaction. There's nothing more frightening to a person than looking into the eyes of a man who is enjoying their suffering." A grim smile cracked across his lips, barely exposing his canines.
Lucas nodded and then grumbled in pain. "That really hurt," he whispered, touching the side of his face gingerly. Lucas had never really shown pain, as if he had mastered the art of dealing with it or covering it long before he met Hannibal. He does look dazed still, but far less than most people who had taken a wooden bat to the side of the face.
Hannibal let out a brief laugh. "As it should. You were hit on the side of your skull with solid oak." He was surprised to see Lucas wince. Even during the times he had set his nose for him he had barely made a sound.
Lucas shot Hannibal a look that said 'Yeah, thanks', and then he slowly sat down on a stool so he was at a better level for Hannibal to do what he could. The toilet lid had worked for a while, but then Lucas was just too big for Hannibal to kneel and work, but too small for Hannibal to stand. The stool had become their new place to tend to Lucas's wounds.
Lucas sat in silence for a few moments, and then he asked, "How did you know what was going on?"
Hannibal replied absentmindedly as he pulled what he needed from the first aid kit. "When tires screech out front of my home, nothing good ever comes of it." He brushed a bit of Lucas' hair back with his thumb and clipped it in place before he tended to the cuts. "We'll have to take you to the hospital to check for both fractures and concussions. I don't know about you, but I'd much prefer you were to wake up tomorrow morning."
Lucas couldn't help but smile gently. "Grown attached to me, huh?" he asked, his smile turning into a bit of a smirk. He was always patient and careful while Hannibal tended to him. He had joked that it was good practice for Hannibal, in case he ever decided to return to medical instead of psychological.
Hannibal didn't answer, but his fatherly smile was more than enough. He secured the last butterfly bandage and made his way to the kitchen to grab his car keys. He returned with a glass of warm water mixed with salt and an empty cup for him to spit in. "Here. Rinse with this, then it's off to the hospital."
Lucas made a face, and he hadn't even realized he had bitten his cheek until Hannibal offered him the water. He did as told, like always, and carefully rinsed his hands and cheek. He followed after Hannibal, walking slow and keeping near the wall. He didn't want to fall and cause more damage.
"It won't take long. I used to work as an MD there you know." Hannibal made sure to keep close to him until he was seated in the car, and checked on him ever 30 seconds or so to make sure he wasn't nodding off. It didn't take long for them to finish the x-rays and the CAT scan, as he knew most of the hospital staff personally. As soon as they were home he pulled back the covers of his bed for him and handed him an icepack for his head. "You're lucky to have gotten away without a fracture or any concussions young man. Let's not tempt fate any further."
"But I have homework." Lucas was quite an odd boy, and was always so focused on his work. He couldn't do a thing with himself if his homework wasn't finished. When he was given assignments he did them as soon as he got home, and wouldn't stop until he was done. He didn't sit down, even though most of him was saying 'Hannibal is telling you to sit, so sit.' the other half was too focused on his uncompleted homework.
Hannibal waved his hand dismissively and made his way to the door. "You can worry about that later. I'll explain the situation to your teachers if they have any issues with the matter." He grinned at him in a smug way and turned off the bedroom light. "Now, get some sleep."
Lucas felt like a bad kid for the first time in quite some time. He nodded sheepishly to Hannibal and slowly sat down on the edge of his bed, working on his shoe laces. No dinner, no chance to finish his homework, sent to bed early. Lucas didn't know what to make of it. It wasn't his fault the kids had followed him home. Lucas got himself set up in his pajamas and laid down, staring up at his ceiling with strained eyes. He simply couldn't sleep, knowing his homework was downstairs, unfinished. His stomach wasn't letting him sleep either. He'd wait, wait until Hannibal was asleep, and then he would sneak downstairs, get some crackers, and do his homework.
Hannibal laid awake, staring blankly at the ceiling in contemplation of his life. Until Lucas had shown up, there had really been no end goal, nothing in particular driving him except the will to run far away from his past. Even during his marriage he had remained completely detached, so it was odd to have such a personal connection after living his life alone. Lecter couldn't help but feel like he was being irresponsible with his approach to raising Lucas, but at this point it was useless to change his parenting method.
Two hours went by as if they had been mere minutes, and still he found himself staring at the same spot on the ceiling. His eyes had adjusted so well to the dark that the point of his focus was a bright white, almost taking the appearance of tunnel vision, and when he closed his eyes he could hear even the slightest disturbance made by the soft summer breeze outside.
Lucas had heard Hannibal go to bed, and when he heard nothing for two hours, he slowly got up. With Hannibal as his father, for lack of a better word, Lucas had gotten pretty good at sneaking. Some times he wasn't even caught. He knew which stairs creaked, and he made sure to not touch the railing. He undid the zipper on his backpack one set of teeth at a time, breath held. He didn't want to risk pulling out a chair or settling his work on the table, so he remained on the ground inside the kitchen. He slowly, slowly, opened the oven to give himself some light, and he ate the left over crackers from his lunch because he was very hungry. He had to squint, and it just hurt his head worse, but he was determined to do his home work, come hell or high water.
Hannibal's eyes perked up at the sound of quieted footsteps and slowly unfolded his harpy as he sat up in bed. As he moved down the hallway, he glanced in Lucas' room, and when he saw that he wasn't there he folded his knife and smirked playfully. He made his way down the stairs carefully, and spotted Lucas settled on the floor. Lecter cleared his throat as he settled against the wall and stared down at him, and a smug grin stretched across his lips. "Burning the midnight oil I see."
Lucas jolted, dropped his pencil and was standing quite quickly. He nearly fell into the oven, but he caught himself against the wall. He gripped at his sternum. "Jesus. Don't do that," he begged, closing his eyes and relaxing his body, smoothing back his hair. He opened his eyes and brushed the crumbs away from his mouth. He twisted his lips to one side, looking down at his homework and then back up at Hannibal. "Sorry, but please let me finish my work? I won't be able to sleep if I don't."
Hannibal laughed heartily and flipped on the kitchen light before taking his usual seat. "You're a peculiar boy. Though I should expect this sort of thing from you." He smirked as he got up and walked over to the fridge. "Heat up whatever you'd like to eat, and be sure to wash your dish when you're finished down here. Breakfast at seven." He stopped midway to the kitchen entry and turned to face Lucas while he waited for a response."
Lucas gave him an odd look, and glanced at the fridge as if it was some type of lie or trap. After a moment he ventured, "You're not mad?"
Hannibal let out a grunt of a laugh. "Well, all things considered I have no reason to be upset. You snuck out of bed to finish your schoolwork. My only request is that next time you ask." He pulled his knife from his pocket and wiggled it back and forth between his thumb and index finger to hint at his original intent. "Had you bumped me in the dark, we'd have quite a mess on our hands and I would never forgive myself."
Lucas slowly closed the oven, glancing at the knife. "Well, how do I ask if I can't bump you in the dark?" he teased, smirking that little smirk he had started using with Hannibal a few years ago.
Hannibal shot him an unamused look and made his way back up to his room. He breathed a sigh of relief once he was back to his bed and let his body relax for the first time that day. Surprisingly it didn't take him long to fall asleep, though he would be waking up in just four short hours.
Lucas had to take it a little slow, he was still suffering from pain thanks to the bat to his head, but he managed his work. In what would be some mirror of his life in the future, though Lucas didn't know it yet, he fell asleep on top of his work, the reheated leftovers at his elbow, only half eaten because he was so focused on his work. It was late and Lucas wasn't used to it, so he some how managed to fall asleep on the breakfast table.
Hannibal took his usual morning shower, dressed and headed downstairs to get started on breakfast. When he spotted Lucas asleep on the counter, he shook his head and pinched the bridge of his nose in irritation. Still, he couldn't help but crack a smile at the image. "Good morning, sunshine. I see you pulled an all nighter. I do hope you managed to finish your schoolwork."
Lucas sat up quickly, looking around in surprise. He locked his eyes onto Hannibal and glared at him a bit. He yawned and glanced down at his work. "Yeah. I think so." He squinted down at his math, the subject he left for last, and quietly did the last two problems easily. "Okay, now I am done." he nodded, shifting through everything and putting it away. He glanced down at the left overs and shrugged his shoulders to himself. This way Hannibal wouldn't have to make him something for breakfast, he figured.
Hannibal chuckled to himself as he got to work on preparing the coffee. "I'll put in another cup of grounds, just for you." He smirked over his shoulder at him and settled against the counter. "I'd try and talk you into taking a day of rest but I'm certain you'll have none of it."
"Just cause I'm hurt doesn't mean life stops." He shrugged his shoulders lightly as he carefully sorted everything in their correct areas of his backpack. The bruising was quite bad, but the swelling wasn't too terrible. He took out the remains of his lunch from the day before and crumpled up the paper bag. He ate a few more bites of his left overs and pushed his hand through his hair. "Or do you rest when you're hurt?" He knew Hannibal had been hurt, he could tell, some how.
"Well, yes. Of course life doesn't stop, but you're allowed to slow down." Hannibal gave him a concerned look as he prepared their coffee. "If you don't learn that now you'll pay for it later in life."
Lucas nipped at his bottom lip. "Do you say that as a doctor or a dad?" He hadn't ever referenced Hannibal as his father, and he was being quite indirect with it now, but the sentiment was there, clear as day.
Hannibal perked his brow at Lucas. A dad? He knew Lucas looked up to him, but to hear it said by him was far more uplifting, and in some ways frightening. Lecter didn't enjoy others having any sort of expectations of him. "Both, actually. I may be strong, but I am not what I was thirty years ago. I've had to develop alternative methods to rushing in blade drawn, so to speak." He offered Lucas a soft smile as he set his coffee down in front of him and took a seat beside him.
Lucas wrapped his hands around his coffee mug in order to enjoy the warmth for the moment. With the days being so hot, the nights and mornings felt that much colder. Lucas studied him for a few moments and then sighed. "Alright. Besides, it's probably for the best. Focusing still hurts a bit." He gestured to the bruises on his face. "Do I have to lay in bed and only drink soup if I stay home?"
Hannibal laughed heartily as he sipped his coffee. "No, but I'll have to pick up your schoolwork for the day. I'll ask them to give you until the end of the week." He settled back in his chair and took a deep breath. "What would you like for breakfast?"
Lucas smiled, he liked that Hannibal would get him his schoolwork instead of making him relax completely. Lucas tapped the now cold edge of his left overs from last night. "I'm covered." Despite being with Hannibal as long as he had, he still was able to revert to his old manner. To his saving some bits of his food on the off chance he didn't eat the next day, to being fine with possibly bad food or something cold that was supposed to be warm. If nothing else, it was clear Lucas could be content with little food and little luxury, though he much preferred his soft bed and good food that Hannibal provided for him.
"If you insist." Lecter cooked himself a simple omelette with peppers, mushrooms and cheese. He was in no mood for extravagant food, which was rare for him. "I'll have to shorten my day at work, though I must admit I'm not too upset about that." He let out a sigh and let his back hunch as he sniffed at his coffee.
Lucas smiled. "I think I'm a decent excuse." He said it with the air of vanity, but he was a rather humble boy. Lucas took a moment to just enjoy the fact he was able to be so happy. That he was picked up by Hannibal and allowed to live with him. He wondered how his mother was, if his father had ever changed. He grew a tad pensive looking, and just held his coffee, not quite to his lips.
Hannibal didn't bother to gratify Lucas' words with a response. He finished his breakfast quickly, polished off the remainder of his coffee and grabbed his coat and hat out of the hall closet, then headed off to work. He had no issue letting Lucas have free reign over the house while he was out, as he knew he was a good boy and had yet to do anything irresponsible, at least by Hannibal's standards.
Lucas said his goodbyes to Hannibal, and then did what he considered free reign; he ate cheese and crackers for lunch and listened to records. With his feet up. By the time Hannibal got home Lucas was laying down in the middle of the study with Bach playing and reading up on the philosophy books that Hannibal seemed to enjoy so much. A plate of crackers and cheese still at his side. The volume was up just one click past where Hannibal generally had it. As if that was Lucas's way of partying hard.
Hannibal made it through the day with ease. He was used to being awake for up to three days straight while on the run. He had an unpleasant time dealing with his teachers, however, and had to use his viper's tongue to scare them into submission. It wasn't long before he was home, a thin folder of what he considered remedial academic content at best tucked under his arm. He walked slowly to the study in step to the music, humming the tune quietly to himself as he went.
"To think they consider this a quality education. Educational standards are at an all time low, it would seem." He smirked down at Lucas, though there was an air of pride. He was such an intelligent boy, and a well behaved one at that. The house was just as he had left it 6 hours ago, and he had walked in to find that he was merely studying a different subject matter while listening to cultured music. At a glance, he seemed like a perfect child to Hannibal, but he well knew that rage lurked beneath it all. He only hoped it would never come out.
Lucas sat up and stretched, smiling up at Hannibal. He laughed a little at Hannibal's words. "Yeah. I keep trying to get them to give me higher grade math, but they won't let me." Lucas was quite an odd boy to be wanting harder math, but he finally quieted himself when they offered to give him harder work in all of his subjects, as Lucas was not so sharp with history and social studies.
Hannibal's eyes narrowed and an indignant expression swept across his face. "They would refuse a student the opportunity to further their education in a subject in which they excel? I'll have none of this." His voice was stern and sharp, though it wasn't directed at Lucas. It was the first time he could remember becoming angry around Lucas. He quieted his frustration quickly and softened his voice and expression. "I'm sorry if I startled you. I don't often lose my temper."
Lucas just perked a brow at Hannibal, and he didn't seem scared at all. His heart had sped up, just a tad, remembering his former home and the father who lost his temper there. But one deep breath and he was shrugging his shoulders. "I am crap at history. And English, kinda. They said I had to bump up all my studies, and I couldn't do just one," he explained, closing the book he had been reading slowly, and walking to it's place, putting it back on the shelf. He carefully turned off the record player and replaced the record in it's case. "So, yeah. It didn't go over when I tried. Knowing you, you'll have better luck."
Hannibal spoke softly, which made his anger seem all the more startling. "Trust me when I say your troubles with your teachers are nearing an end. I'll sort them out tomorrow. As much as I detest the idea, you should get to work on that pathetic pile they refer to as curriculum."
Lucas smiled at Hannibal and gathered up his work for the day. "Won't take long. It was difficult last night because of my head and the hour." He gathered his plate and glanced all around to ensure the study was just as it had been, and then he walked at a steady pace, the type he always used with Hannibal, on his way to the kitchen. Lucas always made sure Hannibal was at his side if they were speaking. Though he hadn't seen Hannibal often like this, Lucas had too much confidence in him to be too worried.
"You're not going to beat them up or something, are you?" Lucas asked, settling down where he always did for his work. It was childish to think that Hannibal would for some reason punch any of his teachers, but Lucas was in many ways still a child. Despite his intelligence and the way he held himself, he was still just 14 years old. And he was without a lot of life lessons until he met Hannibal. He was still learning.
Hannibal let out a grim laugh. "Quite the contrary, I only plan to give them a feeling equivalent to your own. Bullied and cheated, with a complete lack of control over the situation. Not to worry, however, I'm not planning anything illegal if that is what you're implying."
"You? Something illegal? Never crossed my mind." Lucas couldn't help but laugh softly as he bent his head to his work. While most of the time, Hannibal was quite law abiding, Lucas couldn't forget the forged documents that claimed him as Hannibal's son, nor the wine he is at times offered, or the body parts he has seen. Hannibal was a good man to Lucas, but Lucas well knew that it did not mean Hannibal was a good man in general.
Hannibal gave him a curious look and remained in the doorway. "Shall I start on dinner?" He wondered if Lucas had caught on to something, the body parts, why he carried the knife, and why he chose the harpie in particular. Regardless, if he planned to tell someone about it, he would have by now, at least that's what Hannibal told himself.
Lucas perked a brow at the look on Hannibal's face. "The fake papers... The wine." Lucas said, rolling his hand in the air to signify 'things of that nature'. Lucas glanced back at his papers. "You think I don't know how documents work or the legal drinking age?" He smiled over at Hannibal and settled back in his chair. "What were you thinking for dinner?"
"A bit of a blunt segue wouldn't you say?" Hannibal made his way to the fridge as he spoke, and a playful sneer crept across his lips. "Regarding dinner, I haven't yet decided. Possibly filets, fresh cut from a young bull." He looked over his shoulder at Lucas with in a mock-malicious stare and chuckled darkly.
Lucas seemed to catch the 'young bull' crack, and he pointedly returned to his homework. "Oh, I trust you with dinner," he promised, turning to his math in order to resettle his mind so he could focus. He only did a few problems before switching to the harder for him subjects
Hannibal grunted out an amused laugh and went about his business. As promised, he produced steaks from the fridge, however they were not filets. New York strips, his usual salad side, sourdough bread and pan cooked garlic potatoes. "I was thinking something a bit more hearty would do you well. Not among my favorites, but growing boys need their nutrition." He spoke with the air of a proud farmer boasting his prized cow, explaining the simple method he used to plump his livestock.
Lucas put away his work once dinner was ready, and he settled into his chair. "So, what are you going to say?" he asked, looking at Hannibal. He wondered how Hannibal was going to manage getting him harder math. He was, as always, very happy with his dinner.
Hannibal sighed in defeat when he realized his attempts to shock Lucas were failing. "I didn't have anything in particular planned. I'd rather improvise, have it appear more natural. A well rehearsed line rarely has the impact of one said in the moment." He smirked at Lucas and got to work on preparing dinner without another word.
He picked up on the defeated sigh and laughed. "Hannibal, how long have I been here? You swear I'm still unused to you. I don't think you could even surprise me by this point. Except for sneaking. You are very good at sneaking." He wiggled his pencil at him.
Hannibal kept his focus on preparing dinner, but did allow a single, "Ah," to escape him. He'd sooner stray from the subject for fear that Lucas would at some point mention his peculiar habits. As much as he had grown to enjoy the taste of human flesh, he resented himself for doing so, and his reasoning as to why he devoured human beings never left him. He maintained his composure, but not without gripping the kitchen knife hard enough that his knuckles turned white. Every work Lucas spoke ended with a flash of Mischa's face, though he valiantly pushed it back.
Lucas noticed the way Hannibal gripped at the knife, and he returned his focus to his work, going quiet. He didn't want to upset or bother Hannibal, and he realized he had some how upset him. He waited for Hannibal to finish with readying dinner, and managed to regain his focus on his work.
Hannibal quickly settled once their conversation ceased. He had no desire to startle Lucas, and was usually on top of his emotions. "Dinner should be ready in about an hour." He had already tenderized the meat the day before, rubbed it in his personal blend of seasonings, and had marinated it in it's own blood. He washed his hands, headed to his study and returned at Lucas' side with a copy of Hamlet. "This would be good for you to read if you haven't already. It tells of a man, blinded by rage and revenge who loses everything, including himself in pursuit of what he perceives to be justice." He pushed his glasses up his nose a bit and licked his thumb to turn the page.
Lucas gave Hannibal his full attention when he appeared at his side, though he tried to always give Hannibal his full attention. Lucas was always as respectful as possible. He tilted his head to glance at the pages, still readying himself to listen to Hannibal. Lucas noticed something about the way Hannibal explained the book, but instead of seeing it as a window into Hannibal, he saw it as a warning.
Lecter immersed himself in the book, already lost in the story and just past the opening paragraph. The hard cover was only slightly frayed around the edges, and while the pages had a well used look about them, they were immaculate aside from the discoloration of aging. It was obvious the book was old, likely older than him what with the suede covering over the canvas lining, and the spine of the book securing the pages to it with thread strong enough to hold the seams of a miner's trousers. He was completely aware of his surroundings, though still managed to enjoy the story. Half an hour later the kitchen was filled with the smell of the steak seasoning, and that was when Hannibal knew to start on the potatoes. He dressed them with minced garlic, olive oil, chives, parsley and added red bell peppers to the mix for an extra kick of flavor. Once the pan was set and the temperature was steady, he rinsed his hands once again and took his seat beside Lucas.
Lucas was, some how, able to keep up with Hannibal as he read, so once he went to continue with dinner, Lucas continued with his work. He managed to finish off his science before Hannibal returned, and he resettled so they could continue to share the experience of Hamlet. He doubted he could convince Hannibal to read it to him, but he had a feeling that Hannibal was very good at reading stories.
Hannibal had taken notice of Lucas reading over his shoulder, and had slowed his reading speed for him, glancing slightly to make sure he had finished the page as well. "You know, if you'd like to read this now you may. I've lost count of how many times I've thumbed through this book, so it would be no great loss to me."
"Nah, I have homework," he said, as if he hadn't been ignoring it the entire time Hannibal was there. He squeaked over to his work again, remembering the page number he was on in order to return to it, his head bent a little more than normal to stop himself from the temptation. He hated the subject he was currently on, and it was a struggle to remain focused.
Hannibal chuckled in amusement, shrugged and returned to reading. It was finally time to eat, and he couldn't be happier. Simple, hearty food on occasion was more pleasing to him than the finest meal. Despite all his education, all his culturing, he couldn't seem to escape his roots no matter how hard he tried. He set out their plates and returned to Lucas' side, pouring himself a glass of wine and Lucas water and juice. "I hope you enjoy it." He placed his napkin in his lap and got to work on sectioning his steak, only pausing to savor the aromas of each dish.
"I don't think I've ever not enjoyed your food," he told him before taking a bite. He relaxed visibly and put his attention into eating, and not bothering Hannibal like he often found himself doing during the day.
"You can take a break while we eat you know. If you don't slow down you'll burn yourself out before the end of high school." Lecter set his bookmark in the seem of the spine and shuffled it to the side, then returned to his meal. He found it rude to entertain himself while in the company of another, at least during a ceremonious event such as dinner.
"I know, it's just difficult for me to ignore my work." But he put it to one side for Hannibal, setting his pencil so far away he would really have to lean to get to it again. "Besides, didn't you get like, three crazy degrees at once? How did you not burn out with all that?" he asked, taking a bite to show he would be silent while Hannibal replied.
Hannibal gave him a blank stare for a moment, and replied with a hesitance and curiosity. "I did. For me, however, there was nothing else. My work was my life." His voice faded off as he came to the realization that Lucas was now his priority. It was an odd thought. "It was for years."
Lucas tilted his head at Hannibal, nipping at the end of the handle of his fork. "Alright, I'll slow down," he tried to reassure him, not wanting Hannibal to worry about him too much.
"Good. I'm happy to hear it." Dinner went by without much more conversation which was much to Hannibal's liking. Before he knew it he was in bed finishing up the second act of Hamlet and drifting off rather quickly, thoughts of his conversations with Lucas passing in and out of his mind.
It didn't take long for Lucas to finish his homework, his meal, and his evening. He went to bed with Hamlet buzzing in his mind like an angry bee. What if he would give into his, already strong, desire for revenge? Would he turn into Hannibal? Lucas figured he wouldn't mind, but he had only a shadow of a clue as to what all Hannibal did that might be seen as illegal.