Aaron

[alcuin]

When Alcuin had gotten a second phone, aware now that Hannibal was using his to track his location, he'd given Aaron the number. And it was on that one that Aaron had texted him to check in on him, and suggested he come to tea.

Alcuin left his other phone in his room at the brothel, and quietly slipped out one evening, and went to the chapel. He felt anxious, still. Guilty. But he did feel better than the last time he'd been here.

Comments

[alcuin]

It was such a strange thing, to compare Hannibal to the Church, but Alcuin understood it.

"Perhaps... I wonder if we might talk about something else?" Alcuin suggested with a weak smile.

[quitollis]

"Sure," Aaron said with a little smile, then decided to start rather than let a silence fall.

"God, these sweets are good, aren't they? I'm not supposed to, of course, but when I have company I allow myself to indulge a bit. It's probably good that I don't have company that often."

[alcuin]

"Why aren't you supposed to?" Alcuin asked curiously. "Perhaps I don't know much about your beliefs, but surely sugar isn't a sin?"

[quitollis]

"Indulgence is a sin," Aaron provided. "But more practically, what I earn is supposed to go to the building of the chapel. Everything that isn't devoted to that, should be weighed carefully."

He smiled a bit. "I did say I was a shit priest. And I'm resigned to that. But it still... well, it feels wrong sometimes. Hard to disentangle myself from that. Anyway, these are too good to pass up on. Do you have a sweet-tooth?"

[alcuin]

"I do," Alcuin said. "I quite enjoy baking, actually..." And Hannibal enjoyed watching him enjoy food. "And wine. I'm really terribly indulgent."

[quitollis]

"You bake?" Aaron asked, curiously.

[alcuin]

"I do," Alcuin said. "And I cook... I'm quite good actually, I think."

[quitollis]

Aaron was genuinely pleased that he was getting to know Alcuin. "Well, I would love to taste it. I can't cook if my life depended on it. I mean, I can boil and I can fry, but... it's never been a priority."

[alcuin]

"I don't get to cook for other people really," Alcuin said, "so I'd enjoy that."

[quitollis]

"Excellent," Aaron said, smiling more broadly now. "I'll bring the wine."

[alcuin]

Well Alcuin most certainly couldn't invite Aaron to his own kitchen, but it was a nice fantasy. He smiled. "How about wine now? Or is it too early?"

[quitollis]

The smile stayed on Aaron's face. "Probably," he said, but got up. "Fortunately, I do always have wine. I have a really nice one, actually. Red. Pinot Grigio. Good?"

[alcuin]

Pinot Grigio was white wine, which made Alcuin smile, but it didn't really matter in what way Aaron had misspoke, he was fine with anything.

"Perfect," he said.

[quitollis]

Aaron got up to the cabinet where he had quite a lot of wine. He found the bottle. "Oh, it's a white," he realized and chuckled. "Well, that's me caught out. And I've spent quite some time in Italy."

He turned and came back with the bottle and two plain glasses and poured them both a generous amount. "Cheers."

[alcuin]

"Cheers," Alcuin said, and then somewhat sheepishly admitted, "I'm afraid I know quite a lot about wine," before going on to excitedly explain the relationship between Pinot Grigio and Pinot Noir and the different processes involved in red versus white wine.

[quitollis]

Aaron listened intently. He was always interested in learning things and all too aware that his own knowledge was quite limited. There just wasn't much time between his work as a hunter, exorcist and priest. The finer things in life went unappreciated.

But he did enjoy learning and asked where things were unclear to him.

"I had a few lessons as a cooper for a while, while I was in Italy. I loved it. I can't say I remember much of it, but I remember the artistry and the skill that went into it."

[alcuin]

"Do you make other things?" Alcuin asked, and picked up the bottle to refill their glasses.

[quitollis]

Aaron offered his glass to be filled. "You're sitting on it. The whole set, really. I enjoy working with my hands and... creating something."

[alcuin]

"Really?" Alcuin looked genuinely impressed as he glanced around. "The bed, too?"

[quitollis]

Aaron did feel some pride now. "Yes."

The headboard was quite elaborate, as was the end, with quite complex patterns. "Took me quite some months."

[alcuin]

"It's beautiful," said Alcuin, remembering admiring it before.

And then remembering time spent in that bed.

[quitollis]

Aaron was genuinely pleased to have made something that someone thought beautiful. "I er.... I'd begun making you a picture frame. When we still... I wanted to surprise you."

[alcuin]

"Oh," said Alcuin softly. "That was very kind of you."

[quitollis]

"I'll pick it up and finish it... if you'd like," Aaron said, somehow hopeful.

He refilled both their glasses again.

[alcuin]

"I would like that very much, yes," Alcuin said, and smiled sweetly at him. He was feeling a bit tipsy already, which perhaps was unwise, but it did feel nice to relax.