Hannibal

[alcuin]

The last time Alcuin had spotted Hannibal he was speaking with Eliot, and Alcuin had wanted to give him that space. So he'd slipped to the side for a moment, checking his phone, when a familiar voice caught at the edge of his spine.

"Alcuin," the man said, with the slow drawl of someone who always expects to be welcomed.

Alcuin froze. Then slowly turned.

Roger Carrick. Still bronzed, still smiling like the world owed him forgiveness for the things he never admitted.

Alcuin didn’t speak. Just looked at him.

"You look good," Roger said. “Didn’t recognize you at first. You’ve really grown into your own.”

Alcuin’s mouth curled, faintly. “I wasn’t a child when we met.”

Roger chuckled, as if it were a joke. “No. No, I suppose you weren’t.”

A beat. Just long enough for discomfort to settle.

“I’ve been meaning to reach out,” Roger added, voice going a little quieter, as if afraid they'd be overheard. “There’s a new project I think you’d be perfect for.”

Alcuin’s eyes didn’t waver. “I’m not interested.”

"You don’t even want to hear about it?"

“I don’t take meetings in hotel rooms anymore,” Alcuin said calmly.

The words landed with precision—gentle in tone, surgical in intent.

There was a flash of anger across Roger's face, and then he reached out and grabbed Alcuin's arm. "I don't know what you're getting at, but if you're thinking of dragging me into some me too bullshit - "

Comments

[anamusebouche]

"No," Hannibal replied gently. "The only man guilty of his crimes is he himself. You are not obliged to sacrifice yourself."

[alcuin]

"I know that, intellectually," Alcuin said, looking out the window. "And I know that it wasn't my fault exactly, but it still... I mean, it's not like I ever said no, Hannibal."

[anamusebouche]

"Hindsight is taxing on our souls," Hannibal provided.

[alcuin]

"I just don't like remembering. It makes me feel foolish. And... and dirty."

[anamusebouche]

Hannibal leaned in and kissed him sweetly. "A reminder," he said gently. "That you are not."

[alcuin]

“Thank you,”‘Alcuin said, and offered a little smile. “I do know that, truly.”

[anamusebouche]

"Perhaps one day you'll find a way to expose him," Hannibal suggested as if he wasn't planning on murdering g him soon.

[alcuin]

“Maybe,” Alcuin said quietly, and looked out the window as they neared Hannibals’s home. “I am glad at least that I made him uncomfortable tonight.”

[anamusebouche]

"You did touch a nerve, yes," Hannibal agreed.

[alcuin]

Alcuin’s mouth quirked into a smile. “Good. I hope it made him think back to all the young men he’s fucked and made him try to remember if he verified they were all legal.”

[anamusebouche]

"Do you know any of them?" Hannibal asked.

[alcuin]

"Other men? I... no," Alcuin said.

He looked a touch uncomfortable again. "Honestly I don't have many actor acquaintances." And in hindsight, he suspected that Anafiel was trying to keep him isolated.

[anamusebouche]

"May be helpful, to find kindred spirits," Hannibal suggested.

[alcuin]

"Maybe," said Alcuin. "Maybe I need to figure out how."

[anamusebouche]

"It may give you back some agency," Hannibal said.

[alcuin]

Alcuin considered this for a moment and then said, “Perhaps so.” Though he wasn’t sure what that might look like. Still… he imagined that if he poked at the whisper network he could identify others in his same position fairly easily.

[anamusebouche]

It was deflection on Hannibal's part. So that when they found the man's dismembered body, Alcuin wouldn't even think to look in his direction for guilt.

They pulled up to Hannibal's place and got out of the car.

"Would you like a drink?" he asked when the got into the house.

[alcuin]

“Sure,” Alcuin said as he followed him in. He was feeling better now, with some distance between them. “I’m sorry I made us leave… maybe I overreacted.”

[anamusebouche]

"Your trauma spans quite a few years," Hannibal explained. "An overreaction is not so to your mind - and quite frankly I don't see why we should have prolonged your suffering for a party." A little smile to indicate he truly hadn't minded leaving.

[alcuin]

“I oiling help but think how that would have gone if Anafiel were still alive,” Alcuin said. “If I’d been there with him.”

[anamusebouche]

"Want to talk about that?" Hannibal offered. "What do you fear would have happened?" Hannibal knew, but he loved seeing Alcuin voice his pain. It was beautiful to him.

[alcuin]

Alcuin sighed. "I mean, I do think that I'd already gotten to a point where I... wouldn't..." After all, that was what precipitated the fight that resulted in Anafiel's death. "But I certainly wouldn't have dared pushed back against Carrick like I did."

[anamusebouche]

"It's a good step you've taken," Hannibal praised gently.

[alcuin]

Alcuin smiled at him. "You make me feel braver," he said.

[anamusebouche]

"I'm glad for that," Hannibal said. "And I hope you continue to grow."