To my fellow readers!
I was originally going to post this chapter up during Spring Break. Then I went back to re-read it and noticed how Hannibal and Phoenix responded to each other was less than satisfactory…so I rewrote their meeting!...THREE TIMES! I think its wayyyyyy better than the other ones that I had planned.
Princess LaLaBlue: Phew. I dodged a bullet with the whole Mary-Sue thing. Answer to your question about Clarice's and Phoenix's relationship? I can't tell you. As for Tobias? You have to keep on reading to find out. ;)
Azera-v: Thank you, my good reader *tips hat*
RasalasQuinn221: That's me all the time. If it were up to me, Lounds would have been dead when she tried recording Will's conversation with Hannibal from the beginning! Unfortunately, I need her for my plot—she is lucky that I need her in order to progress through the story.
: MORE HANNIBAL-CLARICEPHOENIX moments!
Xxyangxx2006: Ya don't know how much it means that she isn't a Mary-Sue. I try to make characters realistic but sometimes I feel that people don't grasp them because of how poorly developed I think they are.
JigokuShoujosRevenge: It's true though. Possum's are annoying.
OoNakuoO: Be curious no more.
Guest#1 Guest#2: Thank you
Hanna: yes, as I have put on my story, this is a Hannibal/OC story. I just don't like it when characters fall in love out of nowhere. I like the tension to build up. Tee-Hee.
Lyla: Oh my *Blushes* Thank you. I feel a little embarrassed. I never thought I would even make it this far and the fact that you admitted to reading it two times! Thank you. It tells me that I'm doing something right. As for a schedule, I try to update twice a month and if I feel like that isn't possible, then I try to update at least once a month. After my AP Art History exam in May, I will be more available. Though I will also get ready to go into college…on the other side of the country in Florida. I am a bit scared….okay I admit it! I am scared shitless!
Chapter Twelve: HaDEs aNd PerSEPhOnE
"Cl-Clarice…I-I'm cold."
"I know Sarah. I am too." Clarice whispered to her trembling sister as they huddled closer. They were walking in the cold snow of their less than welcoming neighborhood. Of what was left of it anyway. Word had gotten out about Clarice's mother being a druggie. Obviously no one wants to have any kind of relationship with a crazy drugged up person, but they didn't do anything about the daughters, believing that they too were influenced by their mother. The two little girls' were worse off. The mother didn't feed them, clothe them, they had no home—it burned down due to the mother's love of weed and cigarettes. Didn't bother to put out the small embers.
"Mommy, I'm hungry." The mother said nothing, she kept walking ahead of them and turned into a dark alleyway. The children followed her, not knowing what else to do. They knew it was hopeless, but where else could they go? Clarice kept fingering her locket in small nervous ticks. She knew that something was wrong, unfortunately they didn't seem to know what. Clarice's hand squeezed Sarah's in a tighter grip. "Don't let go of me." Sarah nodded in agreement, not wanting to be alone. Walking for a few miles made their small legs ache, not getting any food but finding scraps of nourishment from the trash bins. Bones jutting out from their skin, gaunt pale faces stood from their small raggedy old coat hood that they were able to grab before the fire took their home. That was weeks ago, yet it seemed like only yesterday.
Clarice bumped into the back of their mother and slowly looked up. A black SUV was parked in the alley with strange men in black and white suits. One looked really weird with a hat and cane in his hand. They gave mom a really big package wrapped in white paper. She opened it and revealed the same green smelly stuff she usually liked to smoke. She began walking away from them into the direction that we just came from. Both of the daughters were about to follow her lead, until the men grabbed them from behind.
"AHHHHH!"
"MOMMY!"
Clarice saw the men put in her sister Sarah into the back of the SUV. Clarice kept kicking and screaming. She even drew blood at some point when scratching at her captor. She had her feet against the side of the car to push away. She made eye contact with her mother. Mother didn't care. Not one bit. Tears sprung out as their mother, the one who was supposed to protect them and care, didn't react to the calls of her children being kidnapped. Clarice was pushed into the back of the SUV. Her small dainty hands knocked on the glass, trying to get her mother's attention. The last thing she saw, that would forever be ingrained in her young brain, was the satisfaction her mother had with the first puff of drug she didn't have in a long time as the car drove away.
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"Ughhhhhhh." I groaned under the covers of Phoenix's bed and sat up as my eyes were kept shut. "Why is it so bright at—"I looked at the alarm clock, "eight in the morning?"
I stretched and cracked my back while being mindful of my injuries from two weeks ago. My eyes blinked open trying to adjust to the brightness and got out of bed. My hair was somewhat damp from my shower last night and Phoenix had yet to make an appearance. "That's not good." I stood in front of the full body mirror and actually got a chance to look at myself. I turned my body to the side, then took off my shirt and shorts, leaving me in my sports bra, underwear and fuzzy warm socks. I never did get a chance to look at my body after getting out of the hospital, only getting small glimpses through Phoenix's eyes. Scars on my back were still visible from my old days, bruises barely fading from two weeks ago, and my temple from the gunshot was still tender.
I kept staring into the mirror as my hand touched my neck making its way down my body through the valley of my breasts until I came to the scar on my stomach from Sara. I could feel the rugged scar and let my mind wander. My other hand touched my scar on my face that reached from my eye to part of my cheek. It felt weird and relieving to be in control of my body again. All the other times I was in control I had no time to ponder as to how I changed. Having one blue eye brighter than the other didn't bother me as much as everyone else. My head went forward into my hand with fingers spread apart to peek through them to stare into the mirror. At the unknown entity hiding in this skin.
Knock.
Knock.
I turned to my bedside to open the drawer to pull out a knife, then grabbed a thin white robe and made my way out to the front door, reaching it within seconds. I opened it with the knife hidden behind my back as I looked up. My eyes met brownish red ones.
"I hope I am not waking you up." There stood my doctor in his suit and tie with his hair slicked back. A larger coat making him look taller and gloved hands holding what seemed like a cooler.
No, I just got up. Had you come an hour earlier, you can bet your sweet Lithuanian ass I would have killed you…slowly. "No, I just got up. Come in." During the two weeks, Hannibal had been inviting me to his place to have dinner, but I always claimed that I would be busy and made up excuses to leave. Looks like he decided to change it up a bit and decided on breakfast.
I twirled the knife to maneuver it away from Hannibal's eyes as I turned to the kitchen away from the cannibal to let him into my domain and put the weapon into the sink. "Do you want anything?" I asked with my back towards him. I heard his footsteps following behind me.
"I'm quite fine thank you. Although aren't you a bit cold?"
"Hm?" I turned to face him with a glass of water in my hand as his sentence drifted. His eyes traveled up my body slowly as I drank water. "No, I'm good." Really I was used to the cold. He's lucky I even bothered to grab something to cover myself, or he'd be staring at my half-naked body. Then again, the cannibal would probably be thinking as to what dish he could make out of me. "Did you need anything Dr. Lecter? It doesn't seem like you to make house calls."
His accent was very thick as he spoke. "I am a bit surprised that you are even talking to me in your home at the moment." He glanced around his surroundings of my kitchen and proceeded to take off his gloves and coat. "Agent Crawford would like for you to be analyzed for a period of time until he feels that you are stable enough to go without weekly monitoring."
My brow arched. "Monitoring? Feels more like a rubber stamp to me if I can go back into society or into the Criminally Insane Hospital." There was a breaking of glass. Both of us whipped our heads to my living room as I rushed into it. A rock with a paper attached to it. "Oh look, more threatening letters from my neighbors. The fifth one in two weeks. Yayyyyyy." I deadpanned as I lifted up the rock and got the letter and threw it in one of my drawers that held the other four. I closed it with my hip and turned to face Hannibal again. "You know, sometimes I think my neighbors don't like me." I commented nonchalantly and went back inside my kitchen to begin the tea.
"The fifth one, and you've not yet alerted the authorities?"
"Not unless the authorities read and believe everything Lounds writes about me. Which they do." I sat in my chair and motioned for Hannibal to take a seat.
"Then they are just as foolish as your neighbors if they believe everything that is on the internet."
"I don't know Doctor, usually every story has some type of truth. What do you think I should do? Go into a murdering frenzy and prove them right so they'll stay quiet. Or do nothing and wait until they burn me at the stake like a witch." My chin rested on the palm of my hand as I stared at the man with a God complex. "It's almost funny how the American human race likes to gossip as people die every day and they decide to zone in on to Kim Kardashian's life. I wouldn't even be surprised if people didn't even know their two Senators of their state, but can name a celebrity's new boyfriend or girlfriend."
"That is unfortunate." He stood in a regal posture and made no movement. It was like staring at a statue. "Burning at the stake? It is a possibility that it can happen. Though you seem too much of a fascinating creature for that to happen should that dilemma happen."
"Fascinating creature, am I? So you're one of those types of Psychiatrists. The ones who like to poke and prod at my mind."
"Not poke and prod, Ms. Starling. Just observe and admire from afar."
I sighed and closed my eyes. I opened them when I saw Hannibal take out a cooler and gracefully placed it on top of my kitchen table. "Oh?"
"I thought it would be a good idea to get to get comfortable with each other since we are going to be talking to each other more than once a week."
"Dr. Lecter, I don't think that will be necessary. You are crossing the doctor-patient boundary."
"You are not my patient. I am not being paid, really we are acquaintances merely having conversations."
"Like Will Graham?" I questioned him and his eyes flickered to me.
"It can be anything that you want it to be."
His movements were graceful as he proceeded to take out contents in plastic containers and even his own set of silverware. I stood up and leaned over him as he took out what seemed to be pork. Of course I already know it wasn't.
"I have here scrambled eggs with bacon bits, along with some fruit and freshly squeezed orange juice. I did not know what your preference was so I packed lightly."
"You sure do seem to know what you like."
"I like to know what goes into my body."
"I'm sure you do, based on this small feast. It smells delectable. I will have to decline on your eggs and bacon unfortunately. I will settle for the fruit however."
"Pardon me, are you a vegetarian?"
"No, I just can't eat pork. I am allergic."
"Ah, no worries then. It is turkey bacon."
Yay me. I get to eat human organs…oh well, looks like I get to try something new today. "Hm. Well in that case." Hannibal held out a plate of his "scrambled eggs" and "turkey bacon" for me with a glass of orange juice. I took them and headed back to my seat. I waited until he was also ready to dig in.
"Eat." He motioned with his hand.
It was silent for the first few minutes as we feasted on the organs of the rude. "This is good."
He hid a smirk as he finished his bite. "Thank you. I enjoy cooking, it's a way to pass the time."
I finished the light breakfast as he took out a knife and a pomegranate. He cut it in half and offered me one side. Just as I was about to eat one of the seeds I got a phone call. "Excuse me." I put the fruit down and left to my room and grab my cell phone. "Hello?"
"Oh finally! Sugah! I need your assistance at the moment."
"Mama Piper? How the hell did you get my—never mind. You're an ex-assassin." I mumbled. "What do ya need?"
"There's been a last minute gallery. This person requested you here in the next three hours."
CRASH!
"You alright sug? I heard a crash in the background."
"Yes." No I wasn't. I can't be there! Phoenix knows all of the artists! How the fuck am I going to do this shit?! "Ahem, totally fine." Hopefully Hannibal didn't hear that. "Listen, I need to go and prepare. I have a guest over at the moment—"
"Ms. Starling, are you alright?"
Crap.
"Who is that Sug? Sounded like a man. Ya didn't tell me ya was dating!"
"What? No I am not dating anyone."
"Ms. Starling?" Damn it Hannibal, not now.
I put the phone down. "I'm alright Dr. Lecter." I put the phone back at my ear.
"OHHHHHH girl! He's a docta? Damn, ya sure know how to pick'em good. Molly! Get over here! Clarice bagged herself a doctor! Not just any doctor, he has an accent too! Sounds European!"
"I'll get there as soon as I can!" I hung up the phone not wanting to deal with any more of their gossiping. Don't know how Phoenix can even stand this. "Crap! My tea!" I ran out of my room, passing Hannibal on the way to turn off the stove, grab the kettle and poured it into my Joker mug and placed green tea leaves into the water. "I'm sorry, but you're going to have to show yourself out. I got called in last minute to my job and I have to get ready." I told Hannibal as I went to the other side of my house to get changed. Hannibal had other plans. I felt someone grab my wrist and I turned back to see Hannibal approaching me. I started to back up against the wall. No matter how much I wanted to be rude, I didn't want Phoenix to deal with it later. She technically can't always rely on me, I want to see how she reacts and what she does.
"I never did apologize for being rude and showed up unannounced, Ms. Starling." His voice gave shivers down my spine, luckily I hid it well enough that he did not notice.
"You might as well call me Clarice, you've seen me bleeding out and I am practically naked with your body keeping me against my wallpaper." I am such a bad girl.
He didn't say anything, his lips twitched almost as if he wanted to smirk, his arm came up to trap me. He wanted a reaction from me, but I wasn't going to give him the satisfaction. We both had a bit of a staring contest until Hannibal slowly leaned away from me and allowed for me to go to my room. He left to the kitchen and could hear him packing as I stood in the hallway.
You want to do a power play, Hannibal? In my own house? I'll give you a fucking power play.
"Come on Phoenix, wake up. Wake up." I said more forcefully as I was on my way to work with only ten minutes left to arrive as I turned into my parking space and changed into my attire for today in the car.
"Clarice!"
"I'm going!" I yelled as Mama Piper actually came into the parking structure to get me and lead me into the Museum. I'm pretty sure I knew how to get in there in the first place.
"First thing you need to know is that this man in one of the Museum's benefactor. He is the only reason why you and I have a job. You must—and I hate saying this—kiss his ass in order to survive. Don't bother with the young hussies he has hanging off his arm. More than likely, he'll just dump them later, so treat them however you feel is necessary in order to stay on his good side."
"I got it. Don't screw up, and everyone leaves happy with a job."
"Exactly sug. Don't think you're leaving this place without telling me who your doctor is. We are talking later."
Phoenix! Wake. The. Fuck. Up! I can't access this information!
I blinked in confusion, almost falling in a haze as I tripped over carpet. "Mama Piper?"
"He's here! Whatever you do, don't lie! He can smell it." Mama Piper walked away as she left me in a daze. Why wasn't I in a hospital? Clarice?
"Long story short, you need to do your thing, but you need to kiss this guy's ass in order not to get fired. Okay? Okay. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to go and relax, because this entire two weeks has tired me out."
I feel like I just got punched in the stomach. I breathed in and out as I tried to remember what Clarice had done in my steed. Okay, so apparently she has been avoiding Hannibal until this morning. One does not simply have a conversation with a cannibal and expect to live.
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"Hello sweetie."
"…"
"Don't be like that now. I'm helping you."
That's the same thing that little Clarice would hear out of the woman's mouth every day. The woman who kept training her in how to fight. She promised little Clarice of how she would get her sister when she was strong enough to beat everyone in the cage matches, Sarah would come back. Killing other children her age would bring back Sarah to her. She would do anything to have her back. Clarice went through the beatings, starvation, anything for her sister. Anything.
"Let's do this again sweetie. Until you get this right."
"…"
Her own personal hell for the rest of her life. At least, what's left of it.
121212121212121212
I sat on the bench in front of the art museum. I was on break, giving me a small breather as my hands were folded on my face blocking everything from view and leaving me in darkness. I went back into my purse and looked at the message that Hannibal had left me. He wanted me over for dinner, he felt bad that I wasn't able to finish breakfast and came to my home unannounced. I sat up straight and sighed, letting my fingers respond to the text.
Yes.
I kept the phone in my hand and let the sun's rays hit me. "Might as well get it over with." Truly, I did not want to see him, let alone speak with him. How Clarice is able to even have a conversation with Hannibal without running to get out of the room is beyond me. Maybe it's a psychopath thing. They naturally either just hate each other or they like each other enough to be friends. Sometimes I feel like she just ends up making things worse than they already are.
"CLARICE!"
"!"
I almost dropped my phone in fright as I turned my head to face Mama Piper.
"Ya didn't think I would forget about a conversation regarding a certain doctor, would ya?"
I felt a cloud of despair hand over my head as it started to pour out sadness onto me. If there is a God out there, why is this happening to me?
A tug of my arm brought me out of my despair and saw Mama Piper's smirk. "Come on Sug! The others are waiting to hear you."
Thus, my decent into hell began with the questioning of many ladies and a few of my gay men. Just my luck.
"What's his full name?"
"Hannibal Lecter."
"…" A hush fell over the crowd. The cookers stopped what they were doing and stared at me with wide eyes. The girls and few males questioning me looked at me with a 'Are you kidding me?' look. "You got the hots…for a cannibal?"
"WHAT?! NO?! Wait, how the hell do you guys know he's a cannibal?"
"Oh thank the lord Jesus Christ!" Mama Piper cried in relief.
"I think he is interested in my brain though." I commented after.
"Oh lord have mercy on your soul." Mama Piper nodded her head as her hands held her face in shame. Molly patted her shoulder trying to console her before answering my question.
"We pretty much still have contact in the underground and with the intelligent psychopaths or sociopaths. We know everything about everyone. We know who was killed, when, how, what the person used to kill, and why. The only flaw we have is Hannibal." The whole entire kitchen staff including the waiters all nodded in agreement with Molly. "He came to the United States when he was in his teens or early twenties. We don't know what his past is, but we know that whatever happened when he was younger, helped to create who he is today."
"Clarice, we do not want you to die. You have an incredible talent of the mind, and if you want to live and work in this area of life, you have to promise to be careful. You get a second chance here, don't throw it away because a psychopath was charming to you and wants to poke at your brain for his own boredom."
"I don't know, it may already be too late." I remembered Budge and Stammets, how their eyes wanted what I could not give them.
"We already know what happened with Stammets, and we're glad that you took him down. You can't die, we won't allow it—especially Mama Piper." Everyone shuddered. You do not mess with Mama Piper. It's an unwritten law that doesn't need to be spoken. If you didn't know. Learn to.
"So basically, you want me to 'break up' with my not boyfriend Hannibal." Everyone looked at each other and shrugged.
"Point is, if you like him, go for it. Just be careful." Molly commented as the cooks went back to work.
"I don't like him though." I mumbled looking at the ground. He is handsome though.
"You is blind. Have you seen his fine ass?" Whoa, is she having mood swings?
"Mmmm. Yes I have checked out his fine ass, even if I do want to kill him."
"I try not to." I ignored Clarice for the rest of the day. How the hell does she check someone out and then say they're going to kill them?
"Easy, you look, but don't touch until you get bored. That's when you kill them."
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I ringed the doorbell to a very fancy house in Baltimore. Seriously, I think it's like a small mansion. I was in my uniform from what I usually wear for the fancier people. I wore a white buttoned up shirt with a black tie and a long pencil skirt that reached just above my knees. It was the only thing that I had that was nice. Don't judge me. I wasn't wearing three inch heels, I went with flats with a comfortable extremely small heel. Oh no honey. If I'm going into a cannibal's home, you bet I'm going to have shoes that will let me run.
Unfortunately, I was freezing my butt off. I didn't think to bring a jacket, so here I was in front of the home of a cannibal, shivering like crazy. I hugged myself and turned back to my car. I could still leave and just go back home and eat pizza, or maybe a brownie and drink some hot choc-.
The door opened and felt warmth envelop me. I turned and saw Hannibal in a white buttoned up shirt with an apron on him. "Good evening, Clarice. You must be cold, please come in." He made space for me to come inside and god damn it! I took it! I walked quickly inside trying not to stare into the killer's eyes. I didn't want to know what he was thinking, I wanted to stay oblivious to it. I took my anxiety pills, but it didn't seem to work when I needed them the most.
I heard crackling to the right of me and saw a fireplace, I went closer to it and tried to get warm by rubbing my hands and extending my arms towards the warmth. I looked behind and saw Hannibal staring at me. "S-sorry. I was freezing and forgot to bring a jacket."
"It's fine. I forget that you live quite far and the climate there is warmer." He made his way to me and gently grabbed my shoulders to lead me to the couch. "Please. Sit." I squirmed away from his touch and sat far away from Hannibal as possible. "I was not expecting you so early. Dinner will be ready in about twenty-five minutes. Would you like something to drink while you're waiting?"
"Umm. No, I'm fine." I didn't make eye contact, though I could feel his stare burning through me.
"Very well, though I'm glad that Clarice let you out now, Phoenix." My head snapped to him, but I stared at his chin. "Not fond of eye contact I see."
"It's not that I am not fond of eye contact. I just don't want to see what people are thinking. Too much information all at once." I mumbled under my breath, but there was no reply as Hannibal made his way back into the kitchen. I looked into the burning fire as I waited for dinner to be ready.
"Hannibal really needs to get a new hobby besides staring at women younger than him."
At least he doesn't do it in a perverted way.
"Of course not, because he's too busy trying to find out which part of us will be juicy."
I shook my head and let out a shaky sigh.
"Stay calm. Tell me about your day. What did you show to your person in the museum today?"
I talked about van Gogh.
"Okay, what about van Gogh?"
I thought you didn't like art.
"I'm willing to listen if it keeps you calm."
Well, van Gogh is considered to be part of different movements even though he's identified as Post-Impressionist. He loved blue and yellow, those were his happy colors. When he used red, it gave off a sense of nervousness, a not so happy color. His brushstrokes were given meaning, it wasn't just brushing to get it finished. He interpreted how he saw things, not just realistically. Though it was sad when he committed suicide, his last painting was angry. It depicted crows and it was the site where he pulled the trigger. If you compare his early works with his last painting, you can see the angry brushwork. It gives me the chills.
"What else?"
Well, he didn't chop off his whole ear. Just a portion of it and sent it to his love who rejected him before the mutilating.
"Huh. He literally gave her a piece of him. Reminds me of Hannibal. He would give Will a piece of Abigail…though it was also the ear…probably turn to the liver instead if Hannibal wants to invite Will over for dinner."
Clarice! Stop mentioning Abigail! You're already making me feel bad for her death. Just by me being here changed what parental feelings they were to have towards Abigail! You're supposed to help me get over my nerves, not make it worse.
"Sorry." No she's not. I could hear her smirk in that voice.
"Phoenix."
I turned to see Hannibal in his usual attire, not in an apron. He was waiting for me to get up. "Dinner is served. Please follow me." I followed him into the dining room and decided that I would sit at the far end of the rectangular table, Hannibal had other plans though. I tried sitting away from where he usually sat at the head of the table, he disappeared into the kitchen to grab the plates, and two glasses of wine, then proceeded to place one in front of me. Another was placed across from me. He was going to sit in front of me. I couldn't move now, I sat down already and it would seem rude of me to move away from Hannibal. "Here we have Pan-Fried Sea Bass with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce and Broccoli Puree." It smells so good.
"I know right? Don't worry about the meat. It tastes wonderful! As long as you don't think about it. It tastes quite tender."
"It looks delicious. Thank you." I said looking up at Hannibal and making eye contact. It was a weird feeling and creeped me out—I could not read anything from him. At least until I stared a little bit more, and I could see his OCD. I turned to look around the dining room. Everything had its place, not one speck of dust. It was too clean, like the home wasn't ever in use. Just cleaned up.
"You're welcome." He meant it too. There was no malice aura, no discomfort. I actually felt a bit more relaxed, well as relaxed as one felt about eating human meat. He left and brought out a smaller plate with pomegranate seeds on them. "You didn't get the chance to eat your fruit, so I thought you would like a fresh portion."
I nodded to him in thanks and observed my food for a bit as Hannibal made his way around the table to sit down and start to eat. There was an eerie silent atmosphere. It wasn't as bad as when Hannibal was with Clarice, but it still made me paranoid. I took a bite and couldn't help but think how well seasoned it was. Shit. I'm going to hell. I thought as I swallowed, then I looked back down to the food. I'm already on the way, might as well enjoy the ride. I started to eat more of what Hannibal prepared and tried not to think of who it could be.
"So, Ms. Phoenix, tell me a bit about yourself."
"Like what?"
"Any dislikes, favorite food, music. Anything really."
"This isn't a session, right?" I hesitated in eating more food until I decided to shove it in my mouth and began chewing.
"Of course not, I just want to know you better. Not diagnose you."
"You're not going to diagnose me because you already know what I have."
"If that's what you would like to think, then go ahead."
Alright, I'll bite. "I don't like people in general." I said before taking another bite from my fork. "They annoy me." I said as I swallowed the piece.
"Yet, you seem to get along with Alana and Will."
"Tch. I was Alana's ticket to get a head start to her Master's degree. We just had an understanding and she grew on me."
"And Will?"
Are you kidding me? Hannibal, have you seen his eyes? They're so blue! Besides, he likes animals too. "I like animals and he likes animals. Common thing to talk about."
I saw Hannibal smile slightly. "Looks like you're not as stiff as before in your chair."
I stopped mid bite with my mouth wide open about to put a large piece of meat into my mouth as my attention turned to my host. "Huh?"
"You're getting too comfortable with him. I think it's the anxiety medicine. It's finally kicking in."
Yeah, it looks like the medicine is working. A little too well for my taste. "You seem to be fond of animals."
"Yes, I have a dog named Loki and a bunny named Thor."
"After the Norse Gods, the Trickster and God of Thunder."
"I have a thing for the Gods. I'm interested in them." I shrugged. Craaaaap. Why the hell am I telling him this?
"Because he's handsome and a SEX GOD!"
I wanted to face palm so badly.
"…You're not denying it."
Shut up Clarice!
I ate some pomegranate seeds as I kept conversing with Hannibal with just about anything really. Apparently he was as big of an art fanatic as I am. We talked about everything from Greek art, until the Dada movement and we started to go into Futurism.
I stopped talking when I noticed the time. "I have to go." I stood up and accidentally hit my knee on the table. "Okay. That's going to hurt in the morning." I mumbled trying to get the heck out of there. "Thank you for the dinner! Sorry to dine and dash, but I really need to be on my way!" I practically ran out the door, leaving a stumped Hannibal behind. I put the keys into the ignition and turned on the headlights of my car. I drove out of the street and made my way onto the empty streets and on the empty freeway. I kept looking in my rear view mirror for any suspicious activity. Basically if Hannibal was following me or not.
"Oh god!" I pulled over and ran out of my car to the side of the freeway. I threw up the food. "I ate people." More came out onto the floor from my mouth as I finished that statement. "What the hell made me think it was okay for me to eat people?" I spit out what was left in my mouth and went to open the back of my car for a bottle of water to rinse out my mouth. "I should have just told him I was a vegetarian." It wouldn't have worked though. Clarice already ate breakfast with him.
My head started hurting. "Why does it hurt?" I moaned. "I didn't even drink that much wine." I sat in my car again staring at the rear view mirror and surprise. It was the other me.
"He drugged you."
"What?"
"Didn't you see the discoloration in the wine?"
"Yeah, but I thought it was the wine."
"The anxiety medicine was supposed to be okay with alcohol. Obviously the extra something that Hannibal spiked your drink with isn't meant to be consumed together. He read our profile that Alana gave him. Hannibal knew that we were consuming a specific type of prescription medicine." Her eyes narrowed. "He definitely doesn't like us."
"You mean 'you', Clarice?"
She ignored me and continued, "You're lucky that you have such a weak stomach and you brought the food back up."
I closed my eyes to rest my head on the steering wheel. I feel like I have a hangover. I am never touching anything that Hannibal offers ever again…no matter how delicious and heavenly it smells.
I took down this chapter, edited and reposted again.
Shout out to Singular Poisonous Ashes!
Thank you again for those mistakes I missed.