The Season of Antlers

7

"It's mandatory to draw a sketch of the body and the wounds on it, so you and other criminal analysts can look at this and use it to understand the unsub better." Beverley explains as she scribbles down little notes down beside the diagram of the body that sits about a foot or two away from the table. 

I nod, spacing out. I try to listen to her, but every time I follow her voice my head just drowns it out again. "I have a feeling you're not listening to me, ( y/n )." At this I look up from the paper and to her, brown eyes on mine. 

"I'm sorry, I'm just tired." I mutter, scratching my jaw. My mind is back on the paper, and so is Beverley's. I should go home, it's late. But it would be rude to leave her after pretending to be interested all this time. I'm sure she can tell I'm pretending, but still hasn't mentioned it.

Noticing the shine of the thin necklace around her neck, I stare, picking out the patterns of metal. It glimmers in the light from above, it must feel cold. 

"Have you two seen Will Graham?" I keep my eyes on Beverley's necklace as her attention is put behind me, on what I assume is the crossed arm body of Dr. Lecter. 

I hear her drop her pen onto the desk below me, and look around. "Um, no. He hasn't been down here today." She keeps it nice and short, wanting her lab clean of whatever lurks behind Hannibal. 

"Hm," I turn to see Dr. Lecter in a dark grey suit, his black dress shoes clean, hair neatly combed to the side. "( y/n ), would you mind taking me to your office to go through some of the files Will wants me to look over?" My chest aches painfully at his slanted eyes down on me. 

It is cold, but something else makes the hairs on my neck stand. "Of course." I nod, looking back at Beverley giving an uncomfortable smile. She gives a sympathetic one back, and once again goes back to the diagram below. 

I come to Hannibal's side, where he stands just out of the lab. He smiles, and turns to follow me down the hall towards the elevator. My ( your choice of outfit ) fits right today, but now that I walk side to side with someone with rich smelling cologne that goes against my usual perfume, my bra begins to suffocate me and my socks rub weird against my toes. Crossing my hands behind my back, I walk with my back straight and my head high. I will and cannot show weakness to this man, to any man for that matter.

"Did Jack confirm that you are aloud to view these folders that you want?" I ask, glancing to my right at Hannibal who without shame observes me. It being late, only a few people are left in the separate labs and offices on this level of the building. 

"Why yes, (y/n ). Jack was the one who wanted Will to give me the folders in the first place." I don't understand why he holds his lips in a small smile, the corners of his curved lips pointed up. His usual look is standing silent and listening, no actual acknowledgment. Can he feel my negativity against him? Is that what feeds him? 

"Are vampires real?" I sat on the carpet in between my mothers knees while she braided my hair, trying her best not to tug to hard on my young strands. My hands were crossed in my lap as my eyes were stuck on the television, a newswoman talking about the time of year and the impacts of bats. And of course at the mention of bats, I thought of vampires.