The older man reached out, placing his hand on Peck's knee, shaken himself to feel the slight
tremor run through his friend. "It's okay kid, you're doing great." Tipping his head to gain his
protege's wandering eyes. "Look at me."
Face tore his gaze from the burning cig in his hand, pulled in by the incredible blue of Hannibal's
eyes. "There is nothing you can tell me that is going to change our friendship. What happened to
you then is all part of the person in front of me now. The man who's my best friend. We're
alright. You understand me?"
Amazed, Face nodded his head.
Smirking, "You believe me?"
A quiet snort of laughter accompanied the, "Yeah," Face grabbed the hand that was resting on his
knee, like they were going to arm wrestle, squeezing it in acknowledgment. Releasing the grip, he
took a small sip of scotch, more to moisten his suddenly dry mouth, than to imbibe more alcohol.
"Despite the fact that I was making money, juvie was a shitty place. There was this one guard
who didn't like me at all. He knew there was an underground barter system. All the stuff that
ended up in our cells had to come from somewhere and he knew that I had something to do with
it, he could just never prove it. He worked the night shift on our block, nothing went on while the
cells were locked down for the night. That didn't stop him though. He had keys to the whole cell
block. Back then juvie wasn't all that full. Half the guys on my block didn't have cell mates. I
didn't either. Some nights nothing happened. Some nights it did. I don't know why. For years I
wondered if it was something I did or..."
Dropping the still burning cigarette on the ground at his feet Face dug the heels of his palms into
his eyes. "The first time it happened he dragged me out of the bunk from a dead sleep. One
second I'm beneath the covers the next I feel his fist smash into my kidney. He was a fat bastard,
who dwarfed me. I didn't have a chance. He turned me around landing a blow to my midsection
driving all the air from my lungs. I fell to the ground gasping for breath. Then he smacked my
head against the concrete floor. Not enough force to crack my skull or split the skin but definitely
enough to make me dizzy and unable to defend myself. Next thing I know my shorts are down
around my knees and his finger's inside me."
Choking back tears and graphic memories Face lifted his bloodshot eyes from his hands to
Hannibal. "I oh god...I can't...Hannibal...I can't..." His voice raw and cracking.
Hannibal appears pasty white in the moonlight. He can feel the acid churn in his stomach and the
bile rise in the back of his throat. The idea that someone could do that to a boy, this boy made
him nauseous. Wanting to reach out, but not sure if physical contact would be welcome at this
point, he struggled for words. He doesn't want to hear the graphic details anymore than Face
wants to share them. "Easy kid. You don't have to say anymore, I understand." Slowly and so
Face could see the action he reached out placing his hand back on that same left knee, trying to
convey that Peck wasn't alone in this. "He...raped you?" Hannibal flinched at uttering that vile
word.
Face could only manage to nod at that point. All energy seemed to be focus on blocking the
memories from his mind's eye and not throwing up all over the balcony.
Horrified at the prospect, "This...this went on for six months?"
Shaking his head, "No. After my fourth month there one of the new kids got ripped up. It
became infected and he got ill. Couple of the other kids dragged him to the infirmary. The state
appointed physician eventually figured it out. One night he just never came back. Everyone knew
what happened. The warden hushed it up, but our whole block was stigmatized. Only good thing
that meant was that everyone left us alone. Intellectually I know that nothing would happen to
me in a military prison. There's far more supervision, structure, and a moral code, but cells dreg
up memories and cause nightmares. I can't do twenty years. I'd get shot trying to escape before
I lived like that again."
Hannibal grabbed his hand, expressing his support in a more overt way. "I'm sorry. God
kid...I...I wish that was enough. I wish I could fix this for you and make it all go away. If that
son of a bitch was in front of me right now I'd kill him with my bare hands." Sighing, "The only
thing I can do is be here to help in any way you'll let me." He's silent for a minute before
continuing on in a hushed tone. "I want to say nothing's changed but that would be a lie."
Face gets this stricken look across his visage.
With a deadly serious gaze in his burning blue eyes. "I've always respected you Face, but quite
frankly I'm amazed you're not some serial killer or street thug. You're an exceptional young man
and I'm more honored than ever to call you my friend. Thank you for your trust. It means more
than I can express." Face sagged back into his chair the stress and fear of this destroying
everything finally evaporating. "And Face I promise...I swear to you that I will never allow you
to rot in jail for the rest of your life. Regardless of what is required, as long as I'm alive, know
that I will be there for you and get you out. No matter the cost."
His grip remained steadfast as Face shuddered out some shaky breaths. Not sure if he was
capable of anything other than being dragged to bed, Hannibal decided it was well past time to
call it a night. They could talk more in the morning if necessary, but the kid appeared exhausted
and sleep was the only viable option for now.
"Come mere." Hannibal gruffly called, tugging on that same hand he had yet to release.
Face opened bleary eyes, reluctantly allowing himself to be hoisted out of his chair, only to be
pulled into a bear hug of warmth and affection. The last of the tension draining from his limbs,
Face buried his head into Hannibal's shoulder. "I gotcha kid, and I'm not letting go." Ruffling
his hair, Hannibal kept one arm around Face as he led him into the condo, pushing him toward the
master bedroom. Minutes later Face was passed out in the bed and John was getting comfortable
on the couch nearby, in case he was needed during the night.
It wasn't perfect. Hannibal didn't know when he'd be able to close his eyes and not see some
younger version of the kid being assaulted, but their bond was even stronger now and that would
last far longer than the nightmares.
The End
tremor run through his friend. "It's okay kid, you're doing great." Tipping his head to gain his
protege's wandering eyes. "Look at me."
Face tore his gaze from the burning cig in his hand, pulled in by the incredible blue of Hannibal's
eyes. "There is nothing you can tell me that is going to change our friendship. What happened to
you then is all part of the person in front of me now. The man who's my best friend. We're
alright. You understand me?"
Amazed, Face nodded his head.
Smirking, "You believe me?"
A quiet snort of laughter accompanied the, "Yeah," Face grabbed the hand that was resting on his
knee, like they were going to arm wrestle, squeezing it in acknowledgment. Releasing the grip, he
took a small sip of scotch, more to moisten his suddenly dry mouth, than to imbibe more alcohol.
"Despite the fact that I was making money, juvie was a shitty place. There was this one guard
who didn't like me at all. He knew there was an underground barter system. All the stuff that
ended up in our cells had to come from somewhere and he knew that I had something to do with
it, he could just never prove it. He worked the night shift on our block, nothing went on while the
cells were locked down for the night. That didn't stop him though. He had keys to the whole cell
block. Back then juvie wasn't all that full. Half the guys on my block didn't have cell mates. I
didn't either. Some nights nothing happened. Some nights it did. I don't know why. For years I
wondered if it was something I did or..."
Dropping the still burning cigarette on the ground at his feet Face dug the heels of his palms into
his eyes. "The first time it happened he dragged me out of the bunk from a dead sleep. One
second I'm beneath the covers the next I feel his fist smash into my kidney. He was a fat bastard,
who dwarfed me. I didn't have a chance. He turned me around landing a blow to my midsection
driving all the air from my lungs. I fell to the ground gasping for breath. Then he smacked my
head against the concrete floor. Not enough force to crack my skull or split the skin but definitely
enough to make me dizzy and unable to defend myself. Next thing I know my shorts are down
around my knees and his finger's inside me."
Choking back tears and graphic memories Face lifted his bloodshot eyes from his hands to
Hannibal. "I oh god...I can't...Hannibal...I can't..." His voice raw and cracking.
Hannibal appears pasty white in the moonlight. He can feel the acid churn in his stomach and the
bile rise in the back of his throat. The idea that someone could do that to a boy, this boy made
him nauseous. Wanting to reach out, but not sure if physical contact would be welcome at this
point, he struggled for words. He doesn't want to hear the graphic details anymore than Face
wants to share them. "Easy kid. You don't have to say anymore, I understand." Slowly and so
Face could see the action he reached out placing his hand back on that same left knee, trying to
convey that Peck wasn't alone in this. "He...raped you?" Hannibal flinched at uttering that vile
word.
Face could only manage to nod at that point. All energy seemed to be focus on blocking the
memories from his mind's eye and not throwing up all over the balcony.
Horrified at the prospect, "This...this went on for six months?"
Shaking his head, "No. After my fourth month there one of the new kids got ripped up. It
became infected and he got ill. Couple of the other kids dragged him to the infirmary. The state
appointed physician eventually figured it out. One night he just never came back. Everyone knew
what happened. The warden hushed it up, but our whole block was stigmatized. Only good thing
that meant was that everyone left us alone. Intellectually I know that nothing would happen to
me in a military prison. There's far more supervision, structure, and a moral code, but cells dreg
up memories and cause nightmares. I can't do twenty years. I'd get shot trying to escape before
I lived like that again."
Hannibal grabbed his hand, expressing his support in a more overt way. "I'm sorry. God
kid...I...I wish that was enough. I wish I could fix this for you and make it all go away. If that
son of a bitch was in front of me right now I'd kill him with my bare hands." Sighing, "The only
thing I can do is be here to help in any way you'll let me." He's silent for a minute before
continuing on in a hushed tone. "I want to say nothing's changed but that would be a lie."
Face gets this stricken look across his visage.
With a deadly serious gaze in his burning blue eyes. "I've always respected you Face, but quite
frankly I'm amazed you're not some serial killer or street thug. You're an exceptional young man
and I'm more honored than ever to call you my friend. Thank you for your trust. It means more
than I can express." Face sagged back into his chair the stress and fear of this destroying
everything finally evaporating. "And Face I promise...I swear to you that I will never allow you
to rot in jail for the rest of your life. Regardless of what is required, as long as I'm alive, know
that I will be there for you and get you out. No matter the cost."
His grip remained steadfast as Face shuddered out some shaky breaths. Not sure if he was
capable of anything other than being dragged to bed, Hannibal decided it was well past time to
call it a night. They could talk more in the morning if necessary, but the kid appeared exhausted
and sleep was the only viable option for now.
"Come mere." Hannibal gruffly called, tugging on that same hand he had yet to release.
Face opened bleary eyes, reluctantly allowing himself to be hoisted out of his chair, only to be
pulled into a bear hug of warmth and affection. The last of the tension draining from his limbs,
Face buried his head into Hannibal's shoulder. "I gotcha kid, and I'm not letting go." Ruffling
his hair, Hannibal kept one arm around Face as he led him into the condo, pushing him toward the
master bedroom. Minutes later Face was passed out in the bed and John was getting comfortable
on the couch nearby, in case he was needed during the night.
It wasn't perfect. Hannibal didn't know when he'd be able to close his eyes and not see some
younger version of the kid being assaulted, but their bond was even stronger now and that would
last far longer than the nightmares.
The End
