Aaron

[alcuin]

Alcuin left the WSS building in a daze. His vision even seemed a little blurry.

He started walking, quickly, not even sure where he was going, and then realized it was in the direction of home - and he stopped in his tracks. He couldn't. What would he say? What would he... oh, god.

He walked a bit farther, until he got to a bench, and sat down on it, dropping his head down between his knees. His heart was pounding out of his chest. He realized he was probably having a panic attack.

He shouldn't. He really shouldn't. But...

With shaking hands, he got his phone out of his coat and sent a text to Aaron: I need you, can you come get me? Please. And then shared his location from google maps.

As soon as he sent the text he felt even more panicked. Why had he done that?

Comments

[quitollis]

Eliot would call it his Knight in shining armour syndrome, but when the text came, Aaron immediately dropped what he was doing to rush to the location Alcuin had shared. He'd armed himself just in case.

Bug when he got there, there was no fight. Just a very anxious looking young man. "Alcuin?" He rushed and sat down beside him.

[alcuin]

Alcuin was shaking. “I’m sorry. I think… I think I’m having a panic attack.” His breath was erratic too, and if he was acting it was an exceptionally good performance.

[quitollis]

Aaron produced a hip flask and offered it. Probably not the best solution, but the only one he had. "Or if you prefer, we can go to my place."

[alcuin]

Alcuin took it with a shaking hand and took a generous swallow.

He didn’t even mean to, he just blurted it out. “I think - I think Hannibal murdered my parents.”

And then a peal of hysterical laughter escaped him, and he clapped a hand over his mouth.

[quitollis]

"What?" Aaron asked, shocked.

[alcuin]

Alcuin just looked at him for a moment... and then tears began to streak down his face.

[quitollis]

Aaron scooted over and wrapped his arms around him and held him in a close embrace. He wasn't sure he understood what Alcuin had said. Lecter killed his parents?

[alcuin]

Alcuin wiped his face with the back of his sleeve. “We shouldn’t talk about this here,” he said in a whisper. “I’m better now, I can walk. Thank you for coming.”

[quitollis]

Sod the white Kknight references that kept coming up (thank you, Eliot). Alcuin just needed his help. He got up and offered his arm so they could walk to the chapel. It wasn't far.

[alcuin]

Now that Alcuin had calmed down a bit he was feeling quite foolish. They walked in silence, and once they were at the chapel he said, “I’m so sorry. I - I think I did have a panic attack, I didn’t know what else to do.”

[quitollis]

"You did the right thing," Aaron replied. "Have a seat. Do you want some tea?"

He was sure he'd misunderstood what Alcuin had said about Lecter.

[alcuin]

“Yes thank you,” Alcuin said, and sat, folding his hands in his lap.

“If… if I tell you everything you have to swear to me you won’t… do anything to act on this information.”

[quitollis]

That stopped Aaron in his tracks. Had he not misheard?

He put the kettle on and sat down beside Alcuin. "I promise," he said, serious, concerned.

[alcuin]

“I took the job at WSS,” Alcuin said. “They have databases, and my boss said as long as I didn’t try to go beyond the access I had, it was all right if I did… personal research. Eventually I found references to a married couple whose teenage son went missing after their deaths. And the wife was part fae.”

[quitollis]

"Your parents? Are you sure?" Aaron asked.

[alcuin]

Alcuin nodded. “Everything fit. The details, the timing…” He swallowed hard. “But also, the way they were killed. Murdered. Not only drained of blood, but also cut down the torso with a very specific type of knife.”

Alcuin took a deep breath. “I recently saw Hannibal kill someone in the exact same way.”

[quitollis]

Aaron tried very hard to keep his calm. "You saw him?"

[alcuin]

“Yes. Yes, I…” Alcuin’s hands were shaking visibly again. “I was still processing. He told me… it doesn’t matter, I shouldn’t have believed him, I don’t even think that I did.”

[quitollis]

"... But you didn't confront him?" Aaron asked, very worried for Alcuin's health and life.

[alcuin]

“He knows I saw him, but he… offered an explanation and I believe he believes that I just accepted it. But I never thought…” Alcuin’s voice trailed off.

[quitollis]

"He killed your parents and then adopted you," Aaron voiced. "And... he may have had a hand in wiping your memory?"

[alcuin]

Hearing someone else say it... it seemed so utterly ludicrous, unbelievable, and at the same time, it made so much sense.

Alcuin buried his face in his hands, unable to hold it in anymore, and began to sob.

[quitollis]

Aaron watched him for a moment, and put a hand on his back. "You can't go back there." It would be dangerous.

[alcuin]

Alcuin finally managed to calm himself enough to say breathlessly, “If I’m right, do you really think I’d be safe anywhere?”

[quitollis]

"Let me help you," Aaron said. Kill him, he meant.