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Ernst Ludwig Kirchner
(1910 - 1920)
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IT WAS 15 minutes past the time of the appointment. The clock on the wall continued insistently, constantly bothering, reminding him of the time.

He had walked in circles, bothered, unquiet, irritated, wondering about the possibility of what could have happened.

It was the uncertainty that annoyed him, that stuck on his head like a poison. The toxic poison of her image in his brain that refused to leave.

Just 15 minutes, and yet torturous, long ones. He had never disturbed himself with time so much as now.

Traffic, could've been traffic. Or maybe oversleeping. Or someone, yes, someone approached her at the street, it would be likely for her to stop and keep up with a conversation, loosing track of time.

No, she was pontual. She was responsible. Couldn't have been it. She would've informed, avoided, rushed instead.

Not delayed 15 minutes of agony.

The situation was as worse as Freddie Lounds' new article about the Chesapeak Ripper informing the theory of Dr.Gideon to be the blamed one. It was simply irritating.

Held the phone in his hands, couldn't help himself. Stared at the screen for solid 10 seconds, thinking if it would be wise to call her. But something inside him screamed, ignoring any doubts.

Once it started to ring, each sound of waiting turned into an anxious heartbeat. What was taking her so long?

The constant sound of the line stopped. She picked up. He stopped breathing.

"Hello?" A masculine voice asked at the other side of the line.

He furrowed his eyebrows, wondering if the number he dialed was correct. "Hello, is this Alice Mallory's phone number?"

"Who is it?" The voice asked sharply. Didn't seem pleased to hear him.

"I could ask you the same question. Is this from Alice Mallory's home?" He didn't introduce himself.

"Why do you want to know about my sister?" The voice finally revealed itself with an offended tone.

"You're Alice's brother, Colin, isn't it?" He suddenly felt a bit more relieved. Another man picking up her phone felt just...wrong to him. "It's Hannibal Lecter, h-"

"Her therapist. Yeah, she told me. Look, Alice's not going today." He talked back.

"Is something wrong? Is she alright?" The lack of response from that teenager was annoying him.

"My sister's fine, just isn't going to the session. Don't you have other patients to check?" He sourly replied "have a good day, doctor."

"Wait. Hello? Hello?" He stared at the phone in his hands, the beeping sound of the hung up call started. The boy had just turned off the phone while he wss speaking. that nuisance. How was it possible that Alice was related to him?

In the end Hannibal still didn't know what happened, and wouldn't satisfy himself over that answer.

He certainly wouldn't.

▫️

"And the teacher gave me a B on my essay." He told her, Alice rolled her eyes.

"Ah come on, we put glitter on it. Does she know how hard it is to take glitter from clothes?" She complained with her head resting comfortably on the pillow, her hair scattered around in dark brown strands in contrast with the light colored sheets.

"Yeah...oh, you know that guy, I think Eric's father, Eric from the Cavaliers?"

Alice tried to recall it on her mind, the image of the rude man she almost fought at the footballcame over. "Yeah, yeah I remember. What about him?"

"He disappeared, like, vanished just days after the game.m. No one knows what happened to him." Colin said with a suspenseful tone, like he was telling a horror story. "Eric is-"

"Rea...Achoo!" Her sneeze cut his sentence in half. "Sorry..." she grabbed a napkin.

"You sure you don't want to go to the hospital? Looks pretty bad." Colin retorted, landing his hand on her forehead searching for any fever signs.

"I am fine! I shouldn't even be here lied on this bed, I've got stuff to do!" She shaked her arms in the air agitated. "My boss is going to kill me."

"You are sick Alice, he needs to understand. That's the law." Her brother retorted.

"Aw, look at my brilliant future lawyer!" She squeezed his cheek, Colin complained with a groan. "But let's be honest, I can't stay here, there's stuff to do and- achoo!" She sneezed again.

Alice tried to get up from the bed but Colin pulled her back into place. He was stronger than she thought now.

"Sit down, okay? You gotta rest."

"Who's going to cook? And take care of the house? And you need to go to school!"

"Chill, I'll find a way."

"You don't even know how to fry an egg-"

The doorbell suddenly rang. Alice looked at her brother, both of them confused, since they didn't expect anyone. Believing it could be something related to Bree's investigation, she tried to get up to abd reach the door first, but Colin was faster.

Alice could only hear a muffled noise followed by Colin closing the door fastly again.

"Who was it?" She asked as she reached the living room in her pink dotted pajamas.

"Wrong address." He muttered.

But the doorbell continued to ring again, and the expression on Colin's face gave him away instantly.

He tried to stop his sister but she was faster this time, opening the door at once, immediatly revealing the tall structure in front of her. The deep dark eyes staring into hers, as her mouth formed a gap between her lips by the surprise.

"Hanni- ACHOO!" She sneezed grandiously, making yhe doctor take a step back for a moment, surprised by the sudden action. Alice looked back at him feeling embarrassed, her face turned into a bright red. "What are you doing here?"

"We had a session today." He explained, biting his lips at the sudden view of her in those pajamas. Adorable. "Since you didn't appear, I've decided to come personally and verify how you were." He attempted to be as professional as possible, without showing that he was in fact unquiet and concerned after her the whole morning.

Alice furrowed her eyebrows confused, her lips glued like a duck's as she started to think for a moment.

"But didn't Colin call to your office?" She muttered."I asked him to tell you I wasn't coming today because I'm sick."

"I was the one who called and received only an answer that you simply weren't coming" he told her in full details.

Alice turned around fast as an owl's neck completely furious. Colin's face turned into stone. He was caught and that doctor reported him, great, he hated him even more now. Alice threw the flip flop she wore at him but he successfully avoided it, running back to his room and locking the foor.

Hannibal only watched the whole scene in silence, realizing the boy did have sabotaged him. He was an obstacle between him and Alice.

"Can't believe he did this...God, I swear when I catch him...!" She closed her fist and shaked it in the air. Just then she realized that Hannibal still standed there by her door. "Sorry that you had to see that."

"It is completely fine." He spoke calmly, finding funny her reaction towards her annoying brother.

"Also so sorry for Colin, can't believe he did that. He can be very childish." She complained. "Made you have the trouble to come all the way here."

"It is no issue, my office is pretty close to your address." And to his delight it really was. "Anyway, you've mentioned you are sick. Shouldn't you go to a hospital?" He suggested. "I can drive you there if that is-"

"Oh, no, It's just a cold." She refused promptly. "I caught some rain while delivering food these days, that's why." She said holding the wish to sneeze at that moment. "Thank you for the concern, but I'm gonna be alright."

"If you insist..."he spike a bit reluctant.

"Now if you excuse me, I have plenty of stuff to do! And ...ACHOO" this time Hannibal avoided just in time. "Ugh, sorry..."

"You shouldn't be making any physical effort now." He recommended as the great professional he was.

"Someone needs to take care of the house." She tilted her head to the side. "It's just me in here."

"In that case..." he suddenly took of the coat suit and the sage green scarf he wore, walked into the apartment and put his stuff on a corner, while pulling the sleeves of his shirt up.

"What are you-"

He had already reached the kitchen at this point. Alice closed the door and hushed to follow him, still confused over the situation.

Hannibal Lecter analyzed Alice's apartment and compared it to a small doll's one. She didn't have much belongings, the decoration wasn't exaggerated, but each piece had her signature in it. Like some happy yellow face stickers on the refrigerator and daisies that hanged on the windows.

"Pardon me if this sounds intrusive, but may I open this drawer and the fridge?" He asked politelt even though he had already invaded the residence.

"Okay...I guess?" She was still clueless. "What are you doing?"

"Preparing you some soup." He said calmly. "It will take 25 minutes, you may lie down in your bedroom meanwhile." He said, already taking the pans and ingredients he needed.

"What? No, no, no!" She waved in the air desperate, hurrying to take the pan from him. Her hands touched him once she attempred to. Their glances met. "I don't need help, you can just go home."

"You evidently need help." He said unbothered. "Please lie down and rest."

"What about your patients?" She would use any excuse at this point, while trying to pull the pan towards her.

"My schedule is free for today." Frank could wait another week.

"Um...no, wait..." Alice tried to come up with something.

Hannibal finally took the pan away from her and put on the counter. He looked into her eyes and told her fiercely. "As your doctor I am concerned about your health, so please let me help you in your recovery."

He knew it was hard for Alice to receive help from someone, she didn't like to, she wasn't used to.

"But..." she paused and sighed. Passed her fingers through her hair admitting defeat. "I don't want to be a burden, Hannibal."

"You'd never be one." He confessed. He didn't know, but that sentence made her heart speed for a magical second. "Now, please rest. I'll take the soup to your room soon."

"Alright, thank you." She said kindly, smiling briefly before she walked away.

If there was one thing Hannibal enjoyed was to cook, but sometimes, he allowed himself the guilty pleasure to enjoy cooking for Alice. It was something about the anxiety of waiting to see her reaction or her opinion, or maybe just the fact of proportioning her satisfaction through his food. Whatever the reaspn was, it would be usually normal now to see him in a good mood while preparing anything for her, chop vegetables fastly, mix ingredients with skill and even walk gracefully, almost as dancing.

That kitchen was way smaller and inferior to his but that still didn't stop him from making a fantastic meal to her. Even if it was just a soup.

"You've been staring for quite a moment now." Hannibal said while doing the dishes. "Would you like some soup as well?"

"You might fool Alice but you can't fool me." Colin's voice ressounded as he walked to stay face to face with the unwelcomed guest. "I know feel there's something off about you and I will find out what it is."

Hannibal smiled in mockery, holding a large knife to chop meat in his hands while cleaning.

"Is that a threat?" He asked.

"You know it is." He spoke between his teeth.

"I also know you are just a young boy who is too scared to sleep with the lights off and is jealous about any men who comes near your sister." Hannibal said without even looking at him.

Colin attempted not to be affected by his words even though it was hard task to him. "Who do you think you are?"

"You know who I am." His eyes slowly met his. "The question is, who are you?" Colin suspended his breath. "Alice's brother who she praises and loves so much, who understands and supports her...or an immature boy who is scared of his sister starting to date someone and leave him?"

Colin's jaw dropped involuntairily. He closed hus mouth fastly, his cheeks flushed and walked away, stepping hard on the floor. He was no match to Hannibal Lecter's level...for now.

Once the soup was ready, Hannibal took it and went straight to Alice's room.

She didn't sleep of course, was too anxious for that. And once the doctor entered the room, she sat on the bed, already agitated.

His eyes scanned fastly the room before delivering the dish. Painted in a pastel blue, Alice's room displayed its' wall full of paintings of her own, some portraits of people other landscapes and even recreations of famous ones.

Her clothes were organized on a brown wardrobe at the corner, her desk was covered with papers, sketches, pens, pencils, and a red laptop. Some other items incuded were lipsticks of different colors, candy perfumes and small plants in colored vases.

It was the room of a dreamer, a creative soul full of life and excitement. A room could tell much about a person's life, anf he was quite satisfied to finally see hers.

"I know, it's a mess." She told him as he gave her the soup in her hands.

"It isn't." He told her. "Resembles a lot your personality "

"So, it's a mess." She chuckled, the mess didn't seem to bother her after all. She smelled the food for a second. "Wow, what kind of miracle did you do with so few ingredients?" She joked.

"Butternut squash soup with chilli and crème fraîche" he told in an impeccable accent.

"I have no idea of what that is but sounds delicious" she retorted, then finally tasted the food. "Hum...bloody heaven!" She exclaimed.

"Is it good?" Hannibal asked.

"Good?" She scoffed "beyond good, sir."

"I'm glad you like it." He smiled softly, admiring her eating so eagerly. "How do you feel?"

"A bit better, I guess."

"You still need to rest for the whole day." He insisted.

"But I've got so much to do!" She groaned, triying to adjust herself at the bed.

Hannibal noticed her struggle and walked towards her, leaning foward so he could adjust the pillow behind her back. His breath at her nape was hotter than the soup, and the blood in her veins pumped. His chocolate eyes me her sapphire ones, their faces so close that they mixed each other's air, that if one of them leaned further just a centimeter...he insatiably wondered what her lips tasted like.

"Alice." A voice cut through the air. Alice imemediatlt looked at the door, Hannibal got back to his previous spot internally frustrated.

"Oh, hey Colin." Alice said, trying not to appear affected by whatever had just happened between her and the doctor.

"I was off to Stacy's house but maybe I should stay..."he glanced suspiciously at the doctor.

"What? No! You promised her you'd be there to meet her family. You can't just skip it." Alice refused. If there was one thing she hated was for people to break their promises. "I am fine! Doctor Lecter is helping me. Go."

"He is a therapist."

"I went to med school." Hannibal came in. You could feel the pleasure in his voice to finally get rid of that boy. "I have a degree."

"Still, Ali-"

"Colin, go." Alice demanded.

The teen sighed irritated. He hated the idea of leaving her with that man. And the way Lecter stared back at him victoriously made him even more furious. But that was nothing compared to how Stacy would feel if he skipped the meeting with her parents.

"Call me if anything happens. Anything." He spoke loud and clear for her to listen.

"Got it. Now go." Alice told him.

"Okay.." he walked towards the door. Stopped. "Really, if something happens-"

"Colin."

"Fine. I'm going."

Once they could listen to the front door finally close Alice sighed relieved, resting her head on the pillow. "Why does he have to be like this..."

"Maybe he is just being protective." Hannibal tried to comfort her, sitting at the edge of the bed. "Did you tell hin anything else?"

"Besides the fact that you're my therapist? No, I just told him the truth because he kept questioning and saying that you were my boyfriend or something." She chuckled. "Imagine if I told him that I started talking with Will again like..." she rolled her eyes. "A disaster."

"Why?" Hannibal questioned curious. "Would Colin feel jealous because of Will?"

"The opposite." She smiled. "Colin wanted Will to marry me when he was around at the time. He loves him as a brother, well, at least when he was a kid." She shaked her head. "So I don't know how he would take if I told him I met Will again after all these years..."

So Colin had nothing against Will Graham with his sister but was completely against Hannibal? The doctor tried not to feel slightly bothered by the fact.

Hannibal cleared his throat, looked around at the walls. "Incredible paintings."

"Oh, thanks." She smiled. "Some are very old though. Like that one" she pointed to a small bridge painting on the wall. "I was only 10 when I painted that still in London."

The painting was quite detailed, not sophisticated but certainly something that required skills. It was hard to believe a child could make such an beautiful work. "10?" He questioned looking at her, she nodded confirming. "That is impressive, Alice."

"Thank you." She blushed feeling shy. "I might not be good at much stuff but at least in painting I can guarantee myself..."

"You really do." He spoke in a serene voice looking back at her.

Their eyes sinked into each other again. Alice didn't know why but there was this effect in the atmosphere, the way he stared back at her, how she'd distract herself by watching his grey hair strands falling in front of his face, or observe his strong veiny hands above the mattress...it just tooo control over her and she couldn't help it.

"Are you alright?" He asked suddenly.

"Um?" She woke up. "Yeah, why?"

"Your face is very red." He noticed.

"Oh...must be nothing"

"Please, excuse me." He sat by her side and led his hand towards her face. His skin touched against hers, verifying any signs of fever. She observed him closely, wondering what did she do to deserve someone so concerned about her. But again, maybe he was just worrying about her professionally. "Do you feel anything?" He asked, now with his hand at her cheek. He didn't admit, but he adored to touch her face. It was so soft, so delicate, and the way Alice stared at him...it was like she was melting over his touch, if he didn't know better, he'd dare to think she was falling for him. Touched the other cheek, she felt the uncontrollable wish to just close her eyes and let him touch her. "Alice." He called her name smoothly.

"Yes?" She asked anxious.

His cheek carressed her face until he stop at her cheek, his finger stroking lightly the right side. His touch was warm, comfortable, it felt like...home. and for someone who lacked attention for so long like her, was like poison that intoxicated her veins more and more.

"Next time if you don't feel alright or if anything happens, let me be the first person you reach to." He almost commanded her. "Did you understand?" Alice nodded slowly, completely immersed into his caring. "I was worried about you."

"Were you?" Her eyes sinked into his completely hepless. "I mean, as a doctor-"

"I was worried. That's what matters." He assured her.

She could feel her stomach fill with a joyful coldness filled with flying butterflies. Whatever he was doing with her right now she didn't want him to stop.

She touched his hand that was still holding her face, his touch was so sublime, so desired, so addicting. And he knew that. He knew she started to ache for it, that she enjoyed that silence as much as he did, that boiling feeling in their veins that corrupted them little by little. If only she knew all the things he could, that he wished to do with her while watching those shiny, hepless and crystallic eyes of hers staring back at him...

"I need you to rest now. It'll help you feel better." He explained to her softly.

"Alright..." she accepted still high by the moment and his hand on her cheek.

"Good girl." He let it slip away, then got up from the bed and for her surprise, delivered a gentle kiss on her head.

Once she realized what he had just said and done, he had already left the room.

And she had no courage to go after him either.