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]

"I moved to London when I was eleven," said Alcuin. He didn't really mind her bluntness. "And I studied a lot of languages, so my accent slipped away a bit. Still a bit of a mishmash though, Americans tend to find it confusing."

[poison_isley]

"Yeah, it's a little weird, " she shrugged.

"How'd you meet Hannibal?"

[alcuin]

He for some reason decided to step in and rescue me as reporters screamed at me about murder and prostitution and incest.

"He very gallantly stepped in when I was being hassled," Alcuin said. "He happened into my life at a very difficult time."

[poison_isley]

"I assume shit got better?" she asked. She failed at resisting and finally took a cupcake.

[alcuin]

"Yes," said Alcuin. "And he was a big part of that. I fell in love with him. And when he was gone I missed him so much." He asumed that Hannibal had told her about his time away.

[poison_isley]

"Did he just ghost you or what?" Ivy asked, licking frosting from the treat.

[alcuin]

"Oh, he didn't mention... " Well, too late. Alcuin didn't think it was a secret, though; news of Hannibal's death had been in the papers. "I thought he was dead, for years."

[poison_isley]

"Dead? He was in Europe. Dude, that sounds like he ghosted you," she laughed What a bastard. She could respect that.

[alcuin]

Alcuin sighed. "Google it," he said. "He faked his death. And not to get away from me, believe it or not."

[poison_isley]

"Huh. He didn't tell me that part," she replied. It hadn't come up, though, and it wasn't the sort of thing she'd volunteer about herself...

"But now he's back and everything's hunky-dory, huh?"

[alcuin]

"I am happier with him in my life than out of it," Alcuin said. "And I was , um, dating someone, but he left shortly before Hannibal arrived, so... the timing was good."

[poison_isley]

It took her a second. Ivy was smart and observant, but if she didn't care, sometimes it took her a minute.

"Oh my God, you're the preacher's boyfriend. I saw you at the church!"

[alcuin]

Alcuin was not expecting that. Surprise showed on his face for a moment, but then he just nodded. Before adding, "Well. Not anymore. He left. You knew Aaron?"

[poison_isley]

At the mention of his name, the fainted petal pink blush touched her cheeks.

"Uh, yeah, I now Aaron," she replied awkwardly.

[alcuin]

Alcuin could interpret that well enough. But he was polite enough not to comment on it.

"I was very fond of Aaron," he said. "It just... didn't work out."

[poison_isley]

"Well, he's a preacher," she said, as if it would have been obvious it wasn't' going to work out.

[alcuin]

"Yes..." Alcuin said, not understanding. "But not celibate. He'd been married before."

[poison_isley]

"Iknow," she said. "It's still a level of kinky that's a little weird, don't you think?"

[alcuin]

Alcuin frowned. "I'm not sure I understand. Aaron isn't particularly um, kinky..."

[poison_isley]

"Fuckin' a priest is weird, man," she insisted as he blush deepened.

[alcuin]

"He's not a priest," Alcuin said mildly. "But I don't think there's anything wrong with it, or... fantasies about it. Or fantasies about priests for that matter." He shrugged.

[poison_isley]

"Can we stop talking about the people you bang?" she asked, beginning to squirm a little.

[alcuin]

Alcuin blinked at her. "Of... course," he said. He certainly wouldn't have brought up Aaron if she hadn't asked.

[poison_isley]

"See, this is why I fucking hate therapists. You just know how to get under people's skin."

She petulantly sipped her tea.

"Thank god Hannibal isn't like all of you."

[alcuin]

"I wasn't attempting to therapist you," Alcuin said. He shrugged and teased, "You can tell me about someone you've boned, if you like."