Alcuin

[poison_isley]

Ivy had been out, on her best behaviour, and she'd come across the grand opening of a bakery. They had a few vegan things and upon trying them decided they were good enough to share. She bought a box and headed straight for Hannibal's office, sure he deserved a treat.

"Hey!" she called as she stepped into the office, then cringed. Oh, right. The boyfriend. He had an office, too.

"Sorry," she whispered loudly.

Comments

[alcuin]

Alcuin was in between patients, and was just about to settle in to catch up on his notes.

He got up from his chair and smiled at her. He knew immediately who she must be. Hannibal's gardener. How many women with green skin might there possibly be in London? And well, odd things like that didn't exactly faze him anymore.

"It's quite all right," he said. "I'm in between patients. Though I'm afraid if you're here to see Hannibal, he's run out on an errand. He may be back, though."

[poison_isley]

"Aw, man," she sighed, then thrust the box at him. "I brought him cupcakes. They're lavender and lemon."

The boyfriend. The boyfriend that made Hannibal go a little stupid. For as stupid as he might ever get.

"I'm Ivy."

[alcuin]

"Oh how kind of you," Alcuin said pleasantly. "I'll see that he gets them. Or you can stay, if you like." He took the box from her. "I'm Alcuin. It's a pleasure to meet you, Hannibal has spoken highly of you."

[poison_isley]

"Yeah? He doesn't talk about you much at all," she said. "Which is cool. We're not there yet."

She laughed softly and wandered into his office and sat right down.

"Eat a cupcake," she said. "Someone needs to appreciate them now."

[alcuin]

"Oh... but he has mentioned me?" Alcuin asked. "And thank you, how lovely." He set the box on his desk and opened it. "Would you have one as well?"

[poison_isley]

"I already ate four, but thanks," she laughed. "Of course he's mentioned you. It'd be weird if he didn't."

[alcuin]

Alcuin gingerly plucked one of the cupcakes out of the box, and then sat down in the other chair. "I suppose it would be rather strange if he were ah, hiding me."

[poison_isley]

"Y'think?" she asked, tucking a leg underneath herself. "So you're a shrink, too?"

[alcuin]

"Yes," said Alcuin. "Well. I'm a psychologist. I didn't go to medical school, like Hannibal did."

[poison_isley]

"I hate therapists," Ivy replied. "Nothing personal. I've just had some...bad experiences."

[alcuin]

"Hannibal has been a therapist much longer than me," Alcuin said pleasantly, and took a bite of the cupcake.

[poison_isley]

"I don't hold his job against him," she shrugged. "You've got some frosting. Right there."

[alcuin]

"Oh. Thank you." Alcuin's tongue darted out to catch it. "It's very good. This was thoughtful of you, I'm sure Hannibal will appreciate it."

[poison_isley]

"I thought he might. The flavour seems his speed," she smiled fondly. She clearly liked him.

[alcuin]

"I think he'll like it very much," said Alcuin, and took the last bite. How fond she seemed of Hannibal made him immediately like her.

[poison_isley]

"So...what's your deal?" Ivy asked bluntly.

[alcuin]

"Ah, well... I just moved back here after five years in the States," said Alcuin. "For graduate school."

[poison_isley]

"Where at?" Ivy asked.

[alcuin]

"Brown," said Alcuin. "In Boston. It's a nice city, but... I missed London. I didn't grow up here, but it feels like home."

[poison_isley]

"I'm from Gotham," she said. "My doctorate is in botany, which kind of comes in handy since the accident."

[alcuin]

"Oh, you're a scientist!" Alcuin said. "That's wonderful.

The accident. He was curious, of course, but it seemed awfully rude to ask.

[poison_isley]

Ivy smiled at his enthusiasm, then narrowed her eyes slightly.

"You really don't know who I am, do you?" she asked.

[alcuin]

Alcuin hadn't lied; Hannibal had spoken highly of her. Of course, he'd also said she was mentally unstable. But Acuin hadn't pressed for details.

"I imagine Hannibal is polite enough not to detail the personal lives of his friends," he said pleasantly.

[poison_isley]

"You really don't know," she laughed lightly. "That's cool."

She fell a little in love with Hannibal for keeping his yap shut.

[alcuin]

"And I take it you don't know about me either," Alcuin said mildly. "It can be nice to have a blank slate."

Hannibal had implied there was a lot more to her story - his mentioning her instability was enough, and something about a personal moral compass - and Alcuin suspected he would tell him if he asked. But they just hadn't talked about her at length.