Trust // Hannibal Lecter (1)

christmas

'Merry christmas!' Esme said jumping up and down on top of hannibal and katrina. 'Its christmas its christmas!' She yelled.

'did you hear that Hannibal its christmas.' Katrina told him.

'I completely forgot.' Hannibal joked.

'Get up you lazy butts! Its 6 and its time for presents!'

'Esme the rule was 7' katrina reminded rolling deeper under the covers

'But hannibals here I thought the rules didnt apply?' Esme said sweetly. Katrina pulled the covers back from her head.

'You little miss are lucky i love you! Go wake harvey up and when you get back we will be ready for all the Christmas festivities?!'

'Yeah!' She kissed both katrina and hannibals cheek before bounding off

'Take his key and jump on his head!' Katrina shouted. 'Cant break tradition!' She rolled into hannibals chest wrapping her arm around him. He breathed her in. She always seemed like vanilla and warm sugar cookies.

'Merry christmas hannibal' she said sleepily

'Merry christmas my dear' she looked up at him before scooting up so her face hovered above his.

'The christmas fairy got you some matching christmas pajamas to put on this morning' katrina informed him as she kissed him. He gently tugged the back of her neck pulling her down to him balancing on her, her hips in the air his hand moved down her stomach keeping his lips on hers he was pulling at her shirt when the door slammed shut and the sound of christmas music blasted through the apartment. Katrina slowly pulled away and sat on his legs.

'Christmas' she whispered with jazz hands before jumping up and throwing his pjs to him. She stripped into her own flannel red outfit with little black reindeer taking space for the black blocks of flannel. She wore matching flannel shorts while hannibal got pants. When they emerged harvey was sporting the same look as hannibal and esme the same at katrina.

'Rina' harvey said hugging his sister. 'Merry christmas'

'Merry christmas harv' she hugged him tight.

'Hannibal' he said sticking out a hand.

'Harvey merry christmas. Thank you for letting me join in today. '

'Yeah well-'

'Stockings! Esme can you pass out the stockings? She ran to the fake fireplace and started pulling them down. Coffee harvey? Hannibal?' Harvey didn't hate Hannibal but he wasn't thrilled when he found out the older man was dating his baby sister. But he saw how good hanibal treated katrina and how much they loved each other so for the most part of tolerated Hannibal.

'Ill help' hannibal said moving to the kitchen. Harvey nodded and moved to help esme.

'Harvey is not a morning person. And he loves tradition. Dont take it personal if hes a grinch to you for a bit. I want you here and so does esme.' Katrina told him.

'Then thats all i care about' he said kissing her again. She could melt at his touch.

'Kitty stockings!' Esme yelled as the pot brewed.

'You want hot cocoa?' katrina asked getting out the milk.

'Yes yes yes!' esme was bouncing with christmas energy.

'Start to oven for the cinnamon rolls too please' she asked hannibal as she prepared black tea for herself and heated the milk for esme. 'Marshmallows?'

'Like you even have to ask' esme called back

'Right stupid question. Of course marshmallows.' Katrina said getting the bag from the cabinet.

Once stocking were done and cinnamon rolls glazed they all sat around watching the snow fall as they ate. Esme was bouncing with excitement at the idea of all her gifts.

A wicked witch cackle went off and ruined the jolly mood

Mommy dearest remembering Christmas? Katrina wondered answering her phone

'Did you see my red thong in the wash?'

'Merry christmas mrs de luca. No i didnt see-'

'Check again' she barked

'Alright...' katrina didnt get up she waited opened and closed the side tables drawer. 'Nope no thong. Did you want to talk to-' esme looked up from the gift she was opening and shook her head no.

'Damnit i will just need to go shopping. ' mrs de luca spat as if it was katrinas fault that she had lost her own thong.

'I will send you some pictures of esme opening her presents. She is really grateful for everything- hello?' She pulled the phone back. Mommy dearest had hung up. 'She says merry christmas'

'No she didn't' esme said with a smirk

'Can we just pretend shes a good mom?' Both girls started laughing. 'Alright open your next one.' katrina insturcted.

'Once all gifts were opened and all cinnamon rolls consumed they made their way to the tv to pick the first movie of the day.

'I have another gift for you esme but its rather large and couldnt fit in the apartment. Perhaps this weekend you and katrina could come over to open it?'

'Yes!' Esme said immediately 'thank you what it is? Is a puppy!?'

'No no animals im afraid but i do hope you like it. '

'You didnt have to-' katrina began hannibal had already gotten esme and herself a plethora of gifts.

'I wanted to plus it will get you over more im sure of it. It was a selfish gift really.'

'what is it?'

'you will have to come over and find out...' hannibal kissed her cheek and harveys smile dropped. He watched his sister smile sweetly, her legs in hannibals lap, hannibals hand running along her back. He was happy for his sister but she had been his responsibility and he didn't know if could just take a step back and let someone else, trust someone else to protect her.

************

'What does mommy dearest do, that she seems to have endless money?' Hannibal question

'She does nothing. Her grandfather was a millionaire he only had one son who he disowned and mommy dearest is an only child. She got everything when grandpa died at the ripe age of 82.'

'82?'

'Yeah i wouldnt rule out murder but everyone else did so mommy dearest got everything she ever wanted just in time to get pregnant with everything she never wanted.'