Chapter Text
“Are you feeling alright, darling?” Hannibal, your psychiatrist, asked as he sat across from you.
You had been going to his sessions for a year now, but you could never seem to open up.
It was just… hard. After the things you had gone through, telling others your struggles just seemed impossible. You couldn’t even remember a lot of what happened to you. Your brain wouldn’t let you recall.
“Yes, I’m fine,” you answer politely. “I’m sorry, I just don’t know what to say Dr. Lector.”
“It’s quite okay, dearest,” Hannibal soothes you gently. His voice always seemed to calm you down. Something about him was unsettling, but he had this vibe that made you put your guard down.
“You know, I think we should try something new next time,” he starts kindly, coming to sit down beside you, taking your hands in his. “I have a husband. You would both get along very well.”
You heard of his partner before, but you never met him before.
“Your husband sounds very nice,” you mutter quietly.
“He’s lovely,” Hannibal smiles, “He loves you-”
“He would love you,” he corrects himself.
You don’t think much of it, lost in thought. You found yourself dissociating more often than not nowadays. Your mental health was spiraling, and psychiatry wasn’t helping as much as the doctors said it would.
Hannibal clicks his tongue softly, not to scold you but to help you drift out of that state.
“You there sweetness?” he asks gently. “Look at me darling.”
You look up at him, blinking out of your trance.
“Sorry,” you murmur.
“That’s okay love,” he assures you, calm and collected as always. “Are you free for dinner tonight? I actually think that it’d be beneficial for you to meet Will as soon as possible.”
You didn’t have any plans, honestly, but you also didn’t want to third wheel at a dinner with your psychiatrist and his husband.
But then again… life had been really hard, and you had no one else to turn to.
If you didn’t eat dinner with them, you’d probably just end up skipping it again.
“Yeah, I think I’m free,” you nod.
“Perfect,” Hannibal smiles, “Why don’t you wait for me for just a minute? I’ll cancel my appointments for the rest of today, and we can go home.”
“Home?” you question.
“I mean my home,” Hannibal clarifies. “However, my home is your home, darling.”
You shake off the uneasiness. He was just friendly. He was like this with all his patients.
“Would you like Mr. Bear as you wait?” he asks from his desk.
Mr. Bear was the “emotional support” stuffed animal he had introduced to you early on in your sessions.
You would be lying if you said he didn’t help with your anxiety.
“Sure,” you accept graciously. “Thank you Dr. Lector.”
The bear stays in your arms as you wait. Thankfully, it’s less than 10 minutes before he’s done, hands guiding you over to his parked car.
Mr. Bear comes along, sitting neatly in your lap as Hannibal buckles you into the backseat.
“I can do it myself,” you say.
“Nonsense,” Hannibal assures you, “This car is a classic. You wouldn’t know how to.”
The ride to his house is quiet. Between the gentle buzzing of the engine and the soothing swaying of the car, you fall asleep.
You wake up on a couch, Mr. Bear still tucked between your arms.
Did Hannibal carry you here?
Speaking of Hannibal… it smelled phenomenal.
“Hello little one,” a strange man speaks from beside you.
You nearly jump out of your skin.
“Ah please don’t be scared…” he comforts you awkwardly. “I’m WIll, Hannibal’s husband. It’s great to finally talk to you.”
“Oh, hi,” you smile sheepishly. “I’m [Name], Dr, Lector’s patient… I’m sorry to intrude, he invited me over for dinner.”
“Oh I know, I know,” Will smiles back. “We’ve been planning this for far too long.”
You hold a tense smile.
“Um, does Dr. Lector need help with dinner?” you ask politely.
“Oh no, he’s quite the chef,” Will says. “He actually gets quite upset if you were to help him with cooking. Besides, he should be just about finished right now.”
Will is right, because Hannibal is calling the both of you to dinner a minute later.
You sit at your seat, placed right across from Hannibal and Will.
“It smells wonderful. Thank you so much Dr. Lector and Mr. Will,” you say gratefully.
“It is our pleasure to care for you,” Hannibal merely smiles. “Please enjoy.”
You happily dig in. The meat… it’s so different than anything you’ve ever had. It’s like a burst of flavor!
Maybe Hannibal should have been a chef instead of a psychiatrist.
Will and Hannibal chuckle at that.
Oops, did you say that outloud?
“S-sorry,” you stammer, embarrassed. “It’s very delicious.”
“It makes me ecstatic you think so highly of my cooking,” Hannibal merely says. “You can have it every night.”
“Every night?” you laugh nervously. “I can’t come over every night, that’d be far too imposing.”
Huh… you felt kind of off now.
“What ever do you mean darling?” Will chimes in, “You live with us. We’re your parents.”
You’re starting to feel lightheaded now.
What was going on? Your mind was racing. What was real and what was not?
“Pa-parents?” you question.
“Well, of course little one. I’m your father,” Hannibal nods. “Are you alright dear? You’ve been forgetting a lot lately…”
“Oh love, they must just be tired,” Will sighs, “My poor baby. Papa will make everything better. You just have to stop thinking. Let all those bad thoughts go. We’ll take care of everything else…”
You feel so tired after eating. You don’t know why.
You’re so confused. Your head is spinning.
Who are they?
Who are you?
You collapse.
Hannibal and Will are there, ready to catch you.