desire OC X HANNIBAL LECTER

- 12 -

Will sat down on his cot, the weight of the realisation sinking in. He had trusted Hannibal, relied on him for guidance during his darkest moments, and now it seemed that trust had been manipulated. He knew Hannibal's capabilities, his penchant for control and deceit. The idea gnawed at him, growing stronger with each passing second. Hannibal had always been there, whispering suggestions, planting doubts.

The silence of the cell amplified his racing thoughts. As fragments of memories began to surface, he recalled the night he supposedly committed the murders. The scenes were disjointed, like a jigsaw puzzle with pieces forcibly fit together.

And than he remembered the way Hannibal drugged him. Planted the ear into his stomach and made him believe it was him who ate it, ate them.

He needed to act, and he needed to act fast. If Hannibal had orchestrated this, then the evidence to prove his innocence and expose Hannibal's true nature was out there. He had to find it, and he needed help. He needed Litai.

-

Meanwhile, Litai drove back home, her mind racing with conflicting emotions. The prison visit had left her more confused than ever. She parked her car and sat behind the wheel for a moment, taking deep breaths.

Her phone buzzed, startling her out of her reverie. It was a message from Will.

"Litai, we need to talk. I think I know what's going on. Please, trust me. Come back."

Litai hesitated, her thumb hovering over the screen. Could she trust him? But something in Will's plea, in his desperation, resonated with her. She remembered the pain in his eyes, the confusion. Taking a deep breath, she started the car again and headed back to the prison.

Once inside, she found Will waiting, his eyes intense with urgency.

They went to a room where no one could listen to their conversation. The atmosphere was uneasy as Litai was beginning to think that coming back was a bad idea.

"Litai, Hannibal framed me," Will said urgently, his voice pleading for her understanding.

"Will, how could he set you up?" she asked, shaking her head in disbelief. "Out of everyone, why did you choose him?"

"You need to trust me, Tai. That night, I remember it all now. He—" Will began, but she cut him off.

"I was with him that night. The whole night," she said, standing up and shaking her head. How could she believe him?

As Will heard those words, his world crashed to the ground. He felt betrayed not just by Hannibal, but now even by her.

"You slept with him, Tai?" His voice was barely audible, filled with disbelief and pain.

"If it will make you feel better knowing it, I did," she said, turning and walking away from him, leaving Will sitting there, feeling more isolated than ever.

The drive to her house was silent, her mind racing with conflicting thoughts and emotions. She wanted to believe Will, but the evidence, and her feelings for Hannibal, created a storm of doubt and confusion within her.

-

Once again, she found herself sitting in Hannibal's home, seeking solace and clarity. She needed to talk to someone, and he was the only one she felt she could turn to.

"What's wrong?" Hannibal asked, his gaze piercing yet gentle.

"I—" she began, struggling to find the right words. "I went to visit him today. I needed to know if he was really responsible for those murders," she said, her eyes darting everywhere but meeting his.

"And what did you find out?" he asked, watching her intently.

"He said it wasn't him, and..." She hesitated, stopping short. A single "what if" flitted through her mind, casting a shadow of doubt.

"And what, Litai?" Hannibal leaned closer, his voice smooth and reassuring. "You know it's not good to leave things unsaid. It can make the other person feel like you don't trust them."

Litai looked up at him. "No, sorry, I didn't mean it that way. It's just... he said that he was framed by someone. And he can't remember who it was," she lied, uncertain why she was doing so. Maybe it was because she couldn't fully believe Will was capable of such things.

"Are you sure he didn't remember?" Hannibal's demeanour shifted subtly, a flicker of skepticism in his eyes.

"I'm sure," she said, looking up at him with a forced smile. She could be a good liar sometimes, and it seemed to pay off as Hannibal appeared to dismiss his doubts, telling himself he was just being overly suspicious.

"Very well," Hannibal said, his tone softening as he reached out to take her hand. "He is sick and you need to remember that. I know it is hard and hurtful " he said titling his head to the side examining her moves.

"This is it. You always tell me he is sick and things like that. But what if he is telling the truth? Don't you believe him at least a little??"

Hannibal's expression remained calm, but a flicker of something darker flashed in his eyes before he quickly masked it. "Litai, I understand your confusion. It's natural to want to believe in the goodness of those you care about. But Will has a history of delusions. His mind plays tricks on him."

"But what if this time it's not a delusion?" she insisted, her voice trembling. "What if someone really is framing him?"

Hannibal sighed, gently squeezing her hand. "I want to believe him, truly. But his condition makes it difficult to discern reality from fiction. We must trust the evidence and the professionals who have examined him."

Litai pulled her hand away, feeling a mix of anger and helplessness. "I can't just stand by and watch him suffer if there's even a chance he's innocent."

Hannibal's gaze hardened imperceptibly, though his voice remained soothing. "I admire your loyalty and compassion, Litai. But you must also protect yourself. Sometimes the kindest thing we can do is accept the painful truth, even when it goes against our heart's desires."