Pretty Pretty Dreams

Scelerophobia

As we drove, I kept glancing at Hannibal, trying to figure him out. I watched him, examining all of his movements, trying to connect this mild mannered gentleman with his violent thoughts.

"Hannibal..." I started. He looked over at me, smiling ruefully.

"Am I not as violent and feral as you expected, Alyssa?" He asked. I shifted uncomfortably and looked down.

"No...you're more mild mannered and polite, kind and gentle. And while you were like that in the dreams, you're missing your....wild element, I suppose. I almost miss it," I explained. He smiled and looked back at the road.

"Unfortunately, my dear, society isn't exactly suited for my feral side. They prefer my elegant person suit. Perhaps when we get to my office I'll discard it for you. Would you like that?" He asked, winking at me. I blushed, thinking about the last time he did that in the dreams. He had been so tender and sweet, but free with his thoughts and feelings, bold with his actions. And....seductive. As if he regarded me as a lover, a....mate.

I'd never allowed myself to have feelings for Will and Hannibal, because the only thing crazier than talking to imaginary people was loving them. But now I knew they were real. And they were carefully tearing down my defenses, brick my brick. Dare I let them? Dare I let Hannibal?

"Yes," I said truthfully. I wanted him to discard his perfectly crafted person suit. I wanted to see him again.

He smiled wider.

We walked into his office together, and I looked around curiously. It fit him perfectly. I walked around, running my hand over his books, down the side of the ladder, over the table. My fingers stopped on a pile of drawings. I picked one up. It...it was Will.

He was smiling affectionately down at something, or someone. He was dressed nicely, in a tux, with a bow tie. I recognized the expression. It was the way he looked at me. I saw it often in his dreams, as well as our shared ones. I looked up at Hannibal, who had taken off his jacket, unbuttoned the first few buttons of his shirt, and loosened his tie. He gestured for me to sit down in a chair as he got a bottle of amber liquid from his cabinet.

He walked over and handed me a glass. I sniffed it curiously, before taking a sip. It burned my throat, making me cough. Hannibal chuckled, and replaced my scotch with water.

"Hannibal...you said you were going to let go of your person suit when we came to your office..." I said cautiously. The corner of his mouth tilted up.

"I did indeed," he murmured, walking over to my chair. He placed his hands on the arms of the chair and leaned close, lips only millimeters from my skin. He moved up and sniffed my hair, humming with satisfaction at the scent. "Mandarin, vanilla and sandalwood. It suits you, my dear."

He ghosted his lips over my forehead, trailing his nose down my cheek before brushing his lips against mine. I decided to just let go of my inhibitions for once, and kissed him back.

He growled, and picked me up before slamming me hard against the bookshelves. A few books rained down around us as he pressed himself to me. His hands grabbed, kneaded, and caressed any skin they could reach. When I pulled away to breathe, he attacked my neck, biting hard enough to draw blood. I bit my lip, groaning at the conflicting feelings of want and pain. His hands never strayed anywhere uncomfortable, same as last time, perfectly content to remain on my waist, back, face, and thighs (to hold me up).

Eventually we slowed down, placing gentle kisses on each other's skin. He carried me back to his chair and held me in his lap, cradling me, murmuring in my ear, running his fingers through my hair, practically purring in contentment at our current situation. I let him hold me, curled up in his lap and resting my head on his shoulder, tiny compared to him. It was...nice, being held. Being treated with care and affection. I wasn't used to it, but it was definitely nice.

A knock sounded on the door, and I had to remove myself from Hannibal's lap so he could answer it. He tightened his tie, buttoned his shirt, smoothed his hair, and put on his jacket before he opened the door to admit Will. I smiled at him shyly, smoothing my hair as well. He walked over and kissed me on the forehead, making me smile. I saw a flash of something in Hannibal's eyes, the same expression I saw in Will's eyes that morning. It, again, disappeared before I could identify it.

"What happened out there, Alyssa?" He asked gently, turning my face towards him. His eyes flicked down to the bite mark on my neck, and his jaw tensed. He walked to a cabinet and pulled out a gauze pad and some dressing tape. I blushed, ashamed, letting my eyes drop towards the floor. He walked back, turning my head to the side again so he could put on the bandage. "Well. Go on."

"I had this....urge to touch the ring. When I did, I had a vision of what I think was the past. I saw the woman and a man, pleading with her to stay. I couldn't tell if the man was the killer, I need more information," I said. Will nodded.

"You need the killer's weapon. Unfortunately, we don't have it. I told jack the information you gave me. He wasn't thrilled, but he's following the lead. Why doesn't he like you?" Will asked me, finishing the bandaging.

"Jack is simply worried about how our relationship might affect our behavior. For example, Miss Lane is the first woman we've ever taken to an active crime scene outside of our colleges," Hannibal said calmly, logic painting his words.

Suddenly, a bell rang. Hannibal looked up curiously.

"Who could that be? No one has a session right now."

He walked out of his office and opened the front door. "Hello. May I help you?"

"Yes, actually," a smooth, dreadfully familiar voice said. "You have something of mine. I would like her back, please."

My knees shook, threatening to give out. He couldn't be here. How had I been found so fast?!

"May I have your name?" Hannibal asked. I could hear the smirk in the answering voice.

"Victor. Victor De Arcy, the fiancé of the girl you are hiding in your office."

Victor:

(Actor: Gaspard Ulliel (Hannibal Rising anyone?))