Devils in the Details

Chapter Nine // The Degrees of Consanguinity

INSIDE OF APPLEDORE

The Magnussen brothers sat across from one another once again. Hannibal had just made his way back to Appledore after his retreat to London. But his older brother's spectacled eyes had hardly left him for more than a few hours.

At least back in America Hannibal didn't have to feel that chilling prickle at the back of his neck that told him that Charles was looking down on him once again. Whenever he crossed the Atlantic Ocean, however, he found that he could not the feeling to go away.

It wasn't something Hannibal feared as much as it was something that he found to be excessively irritating. It was very impolite to be staring at one singular person for such a long time to begin with, and the methods that Charles was using were not to his liking. He didn't even attempt to hide the cameras all that much - they were just out of the way.

Hannibal was starting to become weary from staying in the area for so long - but he made a deal with his brother in order to continue living there. But despite this, he had been able to get himself out of Appledore for about a week. It had taken a lot of dealing around with Charles, but in the end it was worth it just to be out of his brother's direct control.

Now, however, he was forced to return to his Charles' home. His older brother always seemed to have the final say, no matter what the situation might've been. This had been the case, even when they were children.

When the brothers were children, however, it would make more sense that an older sibling would be able to excercise greater control over a younger one. Now that the Magnussen brothers proceeded to grow up, it seemed to Hannibal to be a somewhat childish move on Charles' part, if not quite rude.

He didn't invite his brother back into his home, he demanded that he come. It simply was not the polite way to do things. Had it been the other way around, Hannibal would have invited Charles to a proper dinner at his house. Besides, he had fresh meat to serve regardless.

Hannibal remained silent as these thoughts, among others, drifted throughout his mind,.

"I'm surprised you actually came back," Charles said, striking up conversation. "I mean, I shouldn't be. I specifically asked you to do, and you couldn't refuse. Did you have a good time in London, Hannibal? A vacation from your vacation."

"I wouldn't call it that," Hannibal admitted. "But yes, I did have a good time. I could've sworn you already knew of that, however. I mean, you were watching me the whole time, yes?"

"I knew it was rude of me to pry into what you were doing, but I couldn't help myself. In all sincerity, I wasn't sure if you were actually enjoying yourself at all. That dinner party of yours may have began well, but it seemed to go amiss because of...what's her name, again?"

Hannibal nearly rolled his eyes at this - he knew that Charles must know precisely what her name was. He was one of the many people who he liked to blackmail and torment in various ways.

"Mary, yes. Mary Watson, that's her name. Your little friend Mary stopped by my offices the other day. She goes by the name of Mary now, of course, but I remember when she was far different."

"Mary visited me that same day," Hannibal said, deciding to just come clean. Even if Charles hadn't known it already, he would've been bound to find out anyways. "She claimed to have just murdered a man, shot him through the chest. Knowing her, I could not be very surprised by those actions, but..."

"Ah yes, Sherlock Holmes," Charles replied, nodding. "No need to worry, Hannibal. He is still very much alive as far as I'm aware...which means I can get to his brother through it all."