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Suzuki Harunobu
1764 - 1772

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"OH good afternoon Doctor Lecter. Is Alice Mallory here?" Jack Crawford popped up in front of his door, trying to watch over his shoulder with those chocolate deep eyes for the person he looked for. "I tried to knock at her house but nobody picked up."

"She is no longer living in that address." Hannibal informed him calmly, but also wishing for him to leave at once.

"Didn't know that. Um...Can you tell me where did she move to? I gotta talk to her. It's important." The agent noticed that Lecter was slightly tired, the sleeves of his shirt pulled up exposing his large arms, the silky hair a bit messed up and sweaty... Seemed like he was doing some great effort.

Before any of them could reply, another voice appeared in the background. "Hannibal can you help me with this box??" Both the men exchanged glances by the familiar feminine sound that invaded their ears.

The cannibal now had no other choice but to call her. "Alice, someone's here to see you."

Fast and excited steps approached the doorsteps where Jack Crawford could spot her wearing comfortable slack pants and a messy ponytail with an easy smile on her face. "Agent Crawford?" She asked curious. "What are you doing here?"

"Good afternoon too." Jack replied in that grumpy tone of his. "Can we talk for a moment?" He glanced at Hannibal. "Privately."

"Uh...sure." She replied frowning her eyebrows confused.

"I'll prepare you both something." Hannibal promptly said. "Agent Crawford, did you have lunch already?"

"I'm good thanks. Just here to speak with Miss Mallory."

"Please come in, make yourself comfortable and don't mind the mess please. We had just started to set Alice's belongings in." He informed with great satisfaction as he walked towards the kitchen, grabbing his apron and starting to cook.

Hannibal wasn't in the same place as them, but still attentive to their conversation as Alice and Jack talked in the fancy living room sitting on opposite armchairs.

Jack Crawford observed his surroundings, the house was still clean but filled with boxes at a certain corner. Alice Mallory seemed to be unpacking her things with Hannibal, the agent didn't notice they reached such a far point in that relationship.

"So...moving in?" Jack commented, trying to sound frienfly and casual.

"Yeah." Alice nodded, not willing to give much information.

"Well, wish you two the best." He tried to be nice and Alice thanked him. Their relationship was quite complicated. Jack didn't like Alice at first but now could understand her reasons, he empathized with her since the Minnesota episode and admired her character, but they weren't close, their only subject in common was Will Graham, who was also the motive of his visit. "Anyway, you must be wondering why I'm here."

"I was about to ask that."

"Well..." He tilted his head to the side. "I think you know about what, or better, who I'm talking about."

"Will." She didn't need to think twice. "Did something happen?"

"Nothing bad at least, he's still at Baltimore State Hospital for the Criminally Insane." He informed her, even though Alice already knew about that. "But his judgement is approaching, and the FBI council would like for you to give your testimony at the trial."

Hannibal stopped at his words, still holding the muffins he had prepared on the silver tray he held on his hands. He tried to push Alice away from that madness and yet they pulled her back in again, no, he just wanted that life with her, a pacific, domestic, sweet life by her side...he had to make sure no one would get in the way of his plans. He changed his expression and put on a polite smile, directing himself towards them.

"My testimony? But what would I say to them?" She blinked confused.

"Muffins?" Hannibal suggested, positioning the dishes at the coffee table.

"Thanks Dr.Lecter." Jack tried not to sistract himself, still looking at Alice. "They'd like for you to talk about your relationship with Will, and specially about that night in Minnesota."

She uncomfortably looked down, crossing her arms in a way to defend herself from those memories. She hated the fact that her testimony could make Will's situation worse, or, in some aspect, better, since she was still confused about what she felt about him.

A delicate touch brought her back to reality, it was Hannibal's hand above her shoulder as he standed by her side. "Is it necessary for Alice to testimony? Did the FBI objectively request her?" He questioned.

"They didn't explicitly request her, but there is no way to deny that your testimony, Miss Mallory, can change Will's future in that trial." His words added more pressure on Alice's back.

"Did...." She tried to speak. "...Did Will ask for me to testimony?"

There was a monentaneous pause in silence. Hannibal tried to give her some discrete comfort witg his eyes, while Jack Crawford tried to find the right words. "No, he didn't." The agent finally replied. Alice tried not to feel bothered. "He didn't ask much for now. He seems to be thinking about...something else."

"What could he be thinking about instead of proving his innocence?" Alice furrowed her eyebrows.

"Alice, darling." Hannibal called her in that sweet tone of his. "Will is in a difficult and questionable state, his conscience is conflitced with many thoughts since that episode in Minnesota. It is reasonable that he is not thinking about the current situation, his mind is somewhere else, which is why he needs help to recover it."

Taking away any suspicions, both Alice and Jack approved his speech. The first one was still conflicted though. "So should I testimony? ...But I don't want to make his situation worse." Alice refused.

"But you can also make it better, depends on how you tell your story." Jack said.

Alice glanced at Hannibal once again seeking for help, advice, deendent to his opinion on the subject. "I am not sure if that is a good idea. To have Alice facing Will Graham so soon."

"He won't talk to her." Jack tried to convince them.

"He won't, but his mind will certainly drift towards her. It can be a troubling reminisce for both of them." Hannibal insisted. "Again, that is just my opinion, of course."

"I appreciate your advice doc, I really do." Jack said unbothered. "But I do think that Miss Mallory should reconsider my offer. If she decides to help or not Will Graham, this is also a huge and important step on her sister's case."

The sentence finally affected her, and Hannibal hated how Jack managed to strike one of her nerves. Family. That was Alice's weakness. A chance to honor, help her sister was all she ever wanted. And she would never refuse an opportunity as that one.

"I will testimony." She declared. Hannibal lifted his eyebrows, about to protest against it. "I need to do this for Bree and Abigail." She locked sad glances with her lover. "I also own this to Will."

Hannibal hated the idea but didn't say anything else. He knew he couldn't change her mind...well, not at the moment.

"So, is this your veredictum? Can I count on you at the trial?" Jack questioned. Alice nodded shy. "Thanks Miss Mallory. Really." He got up from his seat, fixing the large coat around his body and shaking both the hosts hands. "I should not interrupt you both anymore. I'll get in touch with more details until the trial." He nodded with his hat. "Good afternoon to you both."

As Jack Crawford left, Hannibal Lecter took the tray with muffins back to the kitchen, noticing Alice's apprehension with her new decision. He couldn't simply force her not to testimony, but he couldn't deny that this wasn't a good idea.

"Nervous?" He asked, as he helped her lift one of the brown boxes on the floor.

"No, I'm just...thinking." She shaked her head. "It's just there's...so much happening right now." She explained. "Colin going to college, Will in trial, moving in with you..." Her heart speeded at the last statement, it still felt a bit surreal to do that. "I just hope I'm not being impulsive again."

They laid the box on the floor again as he stepped foward, pettinh her hair with caring. "You aren't. It is perfectly natural, life changes. You know that." He comforted her.

Alice's mind vanished to 2 days ago, when he purposed that new change.

"I what??" She exclaimed, almost jumping from her seat.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you." He apologized right away.

"It is not that, I'm just...surprised." she tried to calm herself.

"I mean, we don't have any sort of problems, and this would be much more convenient to both of us, instead of locating ourselves all the time." He tried to appear reasonable. "You already live alone in this apartment, Colin's part time jobs can't help you paying rent anymore, if you moved in with me-"

"Hannibal, I can't accept that..." Alice felt embarrassed at his proposal. He didn't wish to do that, but ended up doing it anyway. After all, he indirectely just called her poor, and Alice's pride was big enough to refuse his offer many, many times if he needed to."I can take care of myself."

"And I know that. I do." No, he didn't. "I'm just saying that...with me, you wouldn't need to worry as you do now. You'd be free from this job you've been wanting to quit for months and follow your friend's advice on painting again." Katia was actually pretty useful in that situation, he wouldn't deny that, but of course, he used her speech in his favor, not as an encouraging independent one to Alice.

She thought deeply in his proposal for a second. He was right, living with Hannibal would give her much more free time and no worries about finances, she would be free to express herself and immerse her mind into art once again. But at the same time her pride, her independency craved to be set free.

"I...I'm not sure, Hannibal, I...maybe it's too soon-"

"Alice." He set his hand above hers, his eyes stared deeply, intensely into hers. "I know it might appear that way. I'm not one to rush things either." He explained himself. "But you...you are the most right, certain thing I am sure about. I want to be with you." He confessed. "I want to be with you when it's morning, when you wake up, or at night when you go to sleep. Or spent the whole afternoon with you, all day just watching you smile." She felt something blossom inside her chest with those words. "I don't care about money or what others will think. I want you." Alice almost stopped breathing "And, if this tiny possibily may help you reach your dreams, help you have a better life, with me included in it, I'll do anything I can to guarantee it."

"Hannibal..."

"I know this is too soon. I know it might appear imprudent. I am a meticulous person, you know that." He affirmed. "But after I've met you, I am willing to take any and all risks. For you."

Alice might have found that helpelessly romantic, something that made her sigh and kiss him instantly, giving the "yes" he craved for against his lips.

But what she didn't know the fate she signed for in that cursed deal. She didn't know the lives she would be risking including hers, by the love she adored and soon would regret, feeling a bullet across her heart.

Alice Mallory agreed, unwillingly at first, devoted in the end. And soon, would regret that decision for the rest of her days.

"You are right" she agreed in a shy smile. "Maybe I'm thinking way too much into this." She looked at him with a short smile. "Hug?"

He chortled unable to resist, as he embraced her tenderly into his arms, her ears stuck to the sound of his heartbeat towards her, it had a therapeutical way to calm her so easily...

▫️

Hannibal Lecter received the opportunity to help the FBI in their new case as a consultant. His job? Will Graham's substitute. Now, if you ask me, is it safe to let a killer circle around even more death and patterns of colleagues everyday? No, definetely not, but, for Hannibal's luck, his secret was pretty well confined, and no one suspected him. He was a trustful ally in the FBI, a considered friend of Jack Crawford and Alana Bloom, a noble professional who tried to help Will Graham, and now, a goofy man in love.

So, when he walked around that scene with that colorful "interesting tie" as Jack called it, investigating the sudden found bodies into a river, he could feel that deep connection with Will Graham again, as if he was stuck into his shoes, making suppositions and pretending to think as he would. This time they found half decomposed bodies injected with silicone, imperfect human models.

"I have news." He announced to the blonde therapist dressed in a dark turquoise shade that afternoon.

"What is it?" She asked, trying not to scare herself by his upcoming answer.

"Alice is living with me now." He announced.

"You seem very happy about it."

"That's because I am. I enjoy her company." He said as a shy boy in love. "I can see her whenever I want now. I don't need to fear or wonder where she might be because I already know. And I'm also aware she will be waiting for me once I get home." He explained with great enthusiasm.

"You have complete control of the situation now..." Bedelia worried.

"She agreed by her free will."

"And what would you have done if she refused it?"

A pause in silence.

"Try to convince her otherwise." Was his excuse.

"I wonder what would be your methods to do it..."

Definetely kidnap Alice. But he'd let his therapist reach that conclusion by herself.

"I also have another thing to tell." He added.

"Go ahead."

"I got to be Will Graham today." He declared, Bedelia tried to think he wasn't a lunatic...too late. "I consulted at an FBI crime scene. I stood in Will's shoes. I looked through his eyes. And I saw death how I imagined he would see it."

Bedelia narrowed her eyes at him. "What are you up to?"

"I'm being as open and honest as I know how. As a reasonable person." He admitted with no worries.

"As a reasonable person, why are you
inviting the FBI's scrutiny?"

"It would seem Jack Crawford is less
suspicious of me than you are."

"Agent Crawford doesn't know what
you're capable of."

"Neither do you." Her body shivered by his sentence, leading to a momentary supicious pause.

"I only wonder what you seek into this unhealthy journey through Will Graham's eyes." She commented. "Consulting in his place, thinking like him, establishing a relationship with Alice Mallory."

"Do you think I'm trying to take Will Graham's life?" He asked genuily curious.

"You are certainly intrigued by it."

"Alice is not with me because of Will Graham. She chose me as who I am." He spoke serious. "I am not living in his shoes. I am just expanding my perspectives with his sight."

Bedelia nodded agreeing with his point, but not less worried about the situation.

"And how far is this going to go?" She asked him."Your flirtation with the FBI?"

He looked through the window, where the rain poured delicately until reaching the ground. "I'm curious about that myself."

▫️

"You're back!" Alice shouted from the kitchen in a blue dress tied with an apron above. A delicious smell came from the kitchen as he opened the door and she hushed into his arms like a child. "How was your day? Tell me everything!"

It was great, actually, marvelous even, to arrive home and have someone there, promptly waiting excited to see him, with a smile across their face and enthusiastic to hear each detail of his day while preparing dinner.

Alice hurried and took his coat from his back, as Hanninal delivered a gentle kiss on her cheek, thankful for her act.

"It is quite late, why didn't you have dinner already?" He asked her as she set the table in front of him, delightning himself to see that he prepared some meat just for him.

"I wanted to wait for you." She muttered as his heart fluttered over the sentence, willing to eat with much satisfication as she sat by his side. "Is it good?"

He didn't care about ingredients or fancy methods as he usually did. That day, her caring and efforts paid off, and as a true cliché, the food was delicious due to to her love put into it. "It is great." He complimented.

"So, are we going to talk about the elephant in the room?" She broke the silence. "Your work today."

"I'd rather not disturb you with the brutalities involving my work, darling." He spoke as a true concerned gentleman.

"But it's not good to keep those things to yourself. It's okay, you can talk to me."

He loved how understanding she was even in an unnecessary situation. "Six bodies dumped into a river." At the same time he explained that, Beverly Katz also informed Will Graham about the case. "Caught in beaver dam."

"And what does he do to them?" Both Alice and Will questioned.

"He targets them, follows them home,
abducts them and preserves them." Hannibal and Katz informed them.

The scene shifts only towards Hannibal and his lover. Alice tried to understand the barbarie he explained. "That's horrible."

"I agree." He lied.

"You must be so stressed." She caressed his hand. He let her spoil him. "Why don't we talk in bed?"

He nodded, following her inside as she opened his bedroom's door, helping him take off the shoes and lie down. She lied  by his side, putting on some blankets above him, so he wouldn't catch a cold.

She cuddled herself with him, her head resting on his chest as his finger ran down her hair into slow spirals. "How was your day?" He whispered in a low tone.

"Nothing much. I just stood here trying to busy myself." She muttered softly. "Promise you won't find this clingy?"

He chuckled softly. "I promise."

"I missed you."

His stomach was filled with butterflies. He grinned and kissed her forehead sweetly. "I missed you even more." She smiled uncontrollably. "What do you want to do tomorrow? We could visit an exhibition or..." He yawned tired. Alice noticed how exhausted he was. "...my apologies, as I was saying..."

"You need to sleep, Hannibal." She looked up at him, into his hazel, incandescent but also tired eyes. "You can tell me everything tomorrow. I will be here to listen to you."

She didn't know how much those words meant to him, but he'd rather not show it. Alice kissed the tip of his nose as Hannibal squinted his eyes adorably. "Good-night, darling" He muttered to her.

"Good-night, love" She replied, relaxing herself into his body and, falling asleep as well.

▫️

"And is she nice?" Alice asked as she walked, speaking through the phone at the busy sidealks.

"She's really cool and studies journalism." Colin informed her sister. "She's very fierce, and sarcastic too." He chuckled. "But a nice person."

"So is she...just a friend?" Alice teased.

"Ah, come on! Stop that!" He replied annoyed.

"Okay, okay, don't be upset!" She laughed. "It's great to know that you're making friends. Really."

"What about you? How are you doing?"

"Um..." She didn't tell him yet. And how could she? Colin was impulsive just like her, if he knew she was living with Hannibal, he wouldn't think twice before taking a plane back to Maryland to get her off that house. She did miss her brother, but wouldn't search for such extreme attitudes just to see him. "Good, nothing much happens."

"Is that creepy doctor still after you? If he upsets you-"

"He's an awesome guy and my boyfriend, Colin." She sighed "His name is Hannibal in case you've forgotten it."

"Hard to forget a name that rhymes with cannibal "

"You and your imagination." Alice rolled her eyes at his stupid assumption. "Anyway, I gotta go, see you later?"

"Fine. Careful."

"You too."

"Hey, dummy." He said before hanging up. "I love you."

Alice chuckled. "I love you too. Promise you'll visit me at your break, okay?"

"Of course, counting the days already. See ya sis."

"See you."

Alice Mallory had a good reception, no troubles to enter the BAU, and continued carrying the small package she had on her hands with a smile across her face.

At a private area, the FBI investigated a dead man found with multiple cracks on his dark skin and a huge dose of drugs inside his veins. Hannibal Lecter, Jack, Katz, Jimmy and Brian were all gathered around, examinating the victim's body lied on the center.

"His name is Roland Umber; same
profile as the other victims. " Jimmy Price informed, wandering around in his white lab coat "Lived alone, disappeared from home, and a large dose of heroin in his system."

"This victim wasn't unstrung; he was ripped from his moorings." Jack added, observing the injuries across the man's preserved body.

"Whatever his imperfection, it was enough to aggravate the killer into tearing him down." Hannibal concluded, his beautiful eyes admiring the dead man lied in front of them.

"He was discarded in a tributary over 400 miles away from anything that feeds into the dam where the first victims were found." Beverly Katz informed the team, crossing her arms in front of her chest.

"Like dandelion seeds" Another voice invaded the room, all the eyes turned towards the exit, where a shy figure standed. "Oh, hi!" Alice Mallory waved with an awkward smile towards them.

"...Casting bodies in every direction but his own." Hannibal completed her thoughts with a half charming smile, her presence lightned the mournful environment.

"Very poetic." Brian affirmed.

"Miss Mallory." Jack walked towards her with a serious expression. "Who authorized you to come here? This is a restrict area."

"Oh, so she is Alice Mallory." Brian gossiped to Jimmy. "We finally met her."

"You know about me?" She asked surprised.

"Will asked a lot about your case. I'm Beverly Katz." An asian dark haired agent introduced herself.

"Oh, right Katz! Will said so much about you, thanks for all the help." Alice retributed with a smile, even Katz couldn't help but do the same, her happiness, as Hannibal used to say, was contagious. "I'm really sorry for interrupting, I just wanted to bring Hannibal's lunch."

The agents exchanged confused glances, Jack rolled his eyes. The doctor instead, walked towards her, with such a soft and adorable expression that surprised all of the other people inside the room. Next to her he simply...changed. Became less rigid, relaxed, and even happier.

"Thank you, darling." He charmingly grinned, squeezing her left cheek on her face, as Alice squinted her eyes and scrunched her nose adorably.

"They're so cute. What the hell..." Jimmy whispered to Brian.

"I'm still rooting for Will." The other replied.

"She literally shot him"

"Who cares? It's true love!"

Jack cleared his throat serious so they could get back to work.

"Anyway..." Jimmy cleared his throat "The buffeting in the current causes so many post-mortem injuries, it's impossible to tell them from the ones they got, uh, when they were alive."

"Um...what if there is trace evidence preserved in the craquelure?" Alice suddenly asked before she left the room.

"What?" Both Jimmy and Brian asked curious.

"Craquelure. It's French" Hannibal admired his lover's knowledge.

"For the cracks that appear on an oil painting as it dries and it becomes rigid with age." Alice pointed to the body filled with cracks.

"Cracks are not always weaknesses. A life lived accrues in the cracks." Hannibal added, almost sighing over her intelligence. My God, he fell more in love with her by each second.

The agents exchanged looks surprised, specially Jack, ,they couldn't deny it, that was actually a pretty good clue.

"Could be something in there, fiber, debris. Might help track where the bodies were before they got dumped." Katz analyzed the body with her dilligent eyes.

"What do the victims have in common?" Jack asked, trying to solve that puzzle.

The other agents talked as Alice glanced over a pile of pictures in a desk. They were all from people, with different skin colors and shades that also resembled yet distinguished from one another. Hannibal standed by her side, curious about her next step, remaining in silence.

"Are those victins from the same killer?" She whispered to him.

"Yes, all of them were found in a similar state to this young man." He informed. His eyes stuck at her figure. "Why?"

"What if it isn't what they have in common?" She questioned. "What if it's what makes them different?"

Beverly Katz overheard what she said across the room and paid attention to her speech, along with the other agents.

"What do you mean Miss Mallory?" Jack asked impatient. "As I've said, this is restrict-"

"Wait. Let her speak." Katz interrupted him.

Alice took a deep breath, feeling slightly nervous, as she looked with the corner of her eye at Hannibal's face, who supported her even in silence. "Each of these people has a slightly different flesh tone." She showed the pictures. "Um, excuse me please..." She adjusted the pictures' positions, creating a pattern. Both Katz and Jack got closer, watching over her shoulder as Alice's mind worked fastly like an engine. "It could be like a color palette." She concluded.

"The color of our skin is so often politicized." Hannibal commented. "It would almost be refreshing to see someone revel in the aesthetic for aesthetics' sake - if it weren't so horrific." He glanced at the superior agent in the room, who also considered Alice's suggestion quite reasonable. "We're supposed to see color, Jack. That may be all this killer has ever seen in his fellow man, which is why it is so easy for him to do what he does to his victims. Which is why..."

"...there'll be a lot more bodies
on his color palette." Alice completed his thoughts with a somber and scared tone. She was completely terrfied yet amused at that idea.

Beverly Katz on the other way was impressed by her supposition, almost the same as Will Graham's when she asked him about it.

"What do you work in again?" Brian asked amused.

"I'm a painter." She smiled adorably.

"Miss Mallory." Jack suddenly called her. "My office. Now."

She looked at the agents confused. "Um...should I know where that is?"

"Take the hallway, second door by the left, sweetie." Jimmy informed kindly.

"Thank you." She smiled at the friendly team and then squeezed Hannibal's hand. "See you later?"

"Of course." He smiled softly as the team observed surprised that goofy side of his.

As Jack Crawford closed the door behind her, he offered her a seat, but didn't sit down as well, instead, olace his hands on his waist, in a complaining stance.

"I told Will Graham you'd stay away from the FBI." He said to her. "After what happened in Minnesota he was concerned about your health."

"I'm not trying to take the FBI's work. It was a coincidence!" She exclaimed in defense. "Will should take care of his own health instead of mine."

"I know that. I'm perfectly aware of that, but I can't let a citizen simply watch a bodies in here and take her own conclusions." He called her out, furrowing his eyebrows. "You are not an agent, Miss Mallory."

"No, I'm an artist." She spoke proudly, her chin lifted up. "Which is why I saw what you didn't."

Jack didn't know how to reply at first, just clenched his teeth angry, as a father who lost an arguement with his daughter. "Stay away from the cases, Miss Mallory."

"I don't want to get close to them either." She got up from her seat and walked towards the door. "I just came here to bring my boyfriend's lunch. Now, if you excuse me, Agent Crawford. I must be going." And, with those last words, she fearlessly left and closed the door behind her.

▫️

"You are living with him?! Already?!" Katia exclaimed hystherically.

"Shh, can you be quiet?!" Alice called her out, watching their surroundings. "Yes, I am."

"Don't you think that's too soon?"

The people around the park they were sometimes stared back at the pair, specially when Katia was loud (which happened multiple times.) The sun shined above and the sky was miraculously clear that day. Children ran around happy, and mothers watched them as owls with 360° necks. Katia and Alice were at a bench, enjoying the sun and chatting their worries away when that confession came on.

"You said it yourself that he should help me." Alice tried to defend herself.

"I said with money, not marrying the dude." Katia teased.

"We are not married, just living together. And you know what? I like it, a lot." She told her.

"That's because it's the beginning." Katia shaked her head. "Living together is not a simple decision, Ali, multiple couples break up after realizing it doesn't work."

"In which side are you in?"

"Yours, obviously." He friend rolled her eyes. "I'm just saying to take it slow, don't jump into this romance and forget about everything else."

"I'm not doing that."

"Did you get out of your job?"

"Yes. I'm focusing on my paintings for now."

"So he pays the bills."

"I help with the housecleaning...when he allows me." She tilted her head, remembering how organized and neat Hannibal was. Things needed to be the way he wanted them to be, or she wouldn't even touch the cleaning supplies. "I try to cook too."

"What do you mean by 'try'?"

"He insists on cooking." Alice giggled. "But, I mean, if he likes it, then why not, isn't it? He cooks much better than me after all."

"So let me get this straight, you live in a rich man's house, barely does housework, and paints whenever you want. All you need to do is to sit still and be pretty until he gets home?"

Alice blinked twice, surprised by her affirmations, which were also incredibly true. "Um..yes?"

"He seems toio good to be true." Katia suspected. "Are you sure he's not married or something?"

"He is a perfectly common person and unproblematic person, Katia. He loves and cares about me." Alice said confidently. "Which is why I have nothing to fear by taking this step in my relationship."

"If you say so...just...keep an eye open, okay?" Katia spoke a bit concerned about her friend.

"Fine." Alice agreed with her just so they wouldn't argue.

▫️

"What is that?" Warm arms wrapped around her waist, as a voice whispered by her ear.

"Hello" She chuckled. "Just...something I'm working on." She held the brush on her hands, staring at the canvas.

"Looks very...abstract." He commented while hugging her from behind, resting his head on his shoulder, his hair bangs were down today, giving that soft, sweet boy aspect that just made her smile.

"That's because I'm not sure about what it's supposed to be yet." She declared, almost laughing at her own confusion. "Maybe a landscape. Or a cat."

"Interesting." He chuckled, kissing her cheek. "Do you need help?"

"What could you help me with?"

"Emotional support?" He joked. Alice made a face. "How's the room?"

"I like it, very comfy." She looked around the extra room where she was stablished in.

"Feel free to decorate it the way you want to. As I've said, this house is yours as well." He defended, but Alice felt slightly embarrassed whenever he said that, reminding herself of Katia's words.

"I might need another bookshelf, but otherwise everything's perfect." She tried not to bother. "Oh, I know what you can help me with."

"Do you?"

"Mhm." She nodded, forming a smirk on her lips. "Want to help me get inspired?"

Hannibal delightned himself over the idea, creating a devilish smile across his lips. "What type of inspiration?"

"Anything." She kissed his chin, teasing him.

"You are tempting me, Alice Mallory..."

"I know." She whispered back. "What do you say? Want to be my muse?" Alice turned around, set the brush aside, and delicately unbottoned his shirt. His breath became unstable, his eyes stuck at her, watching his prey.

"What pose should I start with?"

"I have a few ideas..."