If we know the way we're gonna die, through everything else we will survive [W4, Sat, Post-Trial]

[hydrokinetics]

[Perhaps it's for the best that Percy left the trial shortly after casting his vote for the execution. If he hadn't, it may have been too entirely possible for someone to notice he felt a little satisfied.

Granted, he's also pretty annoyed, but what else is new? With everything that's happened, he feels that there are two men he needs to visit tonight. His mother's always taught him that it's polite to bring gifts to people whose homes you're invading, and though he's not always good at it, he does find himself stopping at the saloon on his way.

It's not like anyone will stop him. Who would?

And so he returns to the hotel with a new bottle of whiskey in his hand, stopping at the door to the room Hannibal and Will are staying in. He knows he's probably intruding, but whatever. They can tell him to fuck off if they wish, but he has things to discuss and things to ask. So, he knocks and he waits. He doesn't suspect this visit to be long, but one can never tell with these things.]

Comments

[hydrokinetics]

[Listen, at this rate Percy wouldn't care what Hannibal's reasons are. Well, no, he might. As it stands though he simply thinks that Hannibal is someone he can trust and it's enough that his shoulders droop a little, more relaxed even if his eyes are critical and sharp. He's petting Winston's ears as a distraction, quietly working out a plan in his head.]

...thank you. [That's first. He looks at Will again, unsure of how to process that before there's something of a sage nod.] Sometimes I'm not sure if I can blame him. Hearing people in your head and seeing and feeling what they can feel is pretty hard. [It's spoken like he has some experience, but he doesn't stay on the topic for long.] Will's the one who got Ezio to crumble. I don't know if people will take me seriously just because of my age.

[...yeah, he assumes Ezio cracked because Will's older and better at this. Sue him.] I'd ask for his accidental help again, but not if it does this to him.

[sating]

[ Hannibal cants his head lightly at that implication of experience, since it's not what he expected Percy to say. Will's disorder has always been incredibly unique by Hannibal's guess, so the idea that anyone else might have something similar both surprises him and intrigues him. But. That's neither here nor there, and he knows it, so the only response is that small gesture. ]

It could be age. Or it may not be. That's a bias that's very difficult to prove. Though, true, Ezio might have been spurned into confessing by another adult. Or it may have only been Will's particular insistence.

[ which is Hannibal speak for "being an asshole" ]

—But even if you asked, he probably wouldn't give it. In fact, I would even hope Will wouldn't. [ He pauses, thoughtful, then decides to explain further: ] It usually doesn't affect him quite this badly. But I think the Sheriff preferred that he not interfere. His help hurts him more now than it would normally.

[hydrokinetics]

[Percy is incredibly grateful not to be Will in this case. He's also incredibly grateful he doesn't have his thoughts interrupted with the thoughts of enchiladas, so that's something. But now isn't the time to be thinking of Grover. Instead, Percy listens to Hannibal before a troubled look crosses his features again.]

If I have to be an asshole, I can be an asshole. Probably. [Maybe? He tried and that got him nowhere.] But...I think that makes sense. The Sheriff probably wants us to do things ourselves and if he knows about us and what we're really like, he knows Will can see everything. [So okay, one point to Hal.]

I'm guessing this sort of thing isn't something you can teach me before next week either.

[sating]

He does. I asked him about it, considering how ill Will is feeling very nearly all the time. That extent is unusual. [ He shrugs lightly, not dismissive, but simply knowing that it's a losing battle to try and convince the Sheriff to ease that, whatever it is. ] All the more reason to end this, at least for our own selfish reasons.

[ Also, if Will is asleep, Hannibal is very carefully going to try and take his whisky bottle from him and put it on a bedside table, since he really doesn't need to cuddle a bottle of alcohol like it's a teddy bear. ]

But no, I'm afraid not. If it were, I would teach everyone, and we would be better for it. It's simply a natural talent. It can be learned, to an extent, though even that takes years. But for Will and I both, we're just a bit more naturally attuned to the small gestures of people. We speak with a language that is far beyond words, and we do not even realize we speak it, often times.

[ Though since that might be a disappoint answer, he at least offers: ]

I don't have Will's talent. But if you trust my judgement, then I may be able to provide some guidance during the trial, with any luck.

[ which I'm required to have hannibal offer because he would but I, christy, actually cannot so don't listen LMAO ]

[hydrokinetics]

I don't think Will's health is really a selfish reason for wanting to end the game. It's a pretty selfish move to bring him here in the first place.

[This...is weirdly sweet and he's just going to leave it alone. Regardless, he seems to be thinking on that again.]

So really that's the fancy way of saying you know how to read between the lines. I get it. I'm trying to get better but we're in a town full of liars. [But, that offer is acceptable, even though that's rude Christy, what do you mean you can't help me cheat??? God.] ...I've trusted your judgment so far, haven't I? I want to see if I can do this on my own, but I'll just need back-up. I don't expect you or me to really know who's telling the truth in that room but people listen to you, Dr. Lecter. People listen to you the way I sometimes wish they'd listen to me.

[...the words are out of his mouth before he can bother thinking it through. He doesn't think to correct it either.] I have a week to look around, see if I can learn to read people. I hope maybe I'll find something.

[sating]

[ Hannibal nods in agreement, since, yeah, he has to agree that bringing them here is pretty selfish. Why can't a pair of murderous assholes commit lover's suicide in peace? ugh ]

...Essentially, yes.

[ He nods to agree that it's probably a fancy way to say it, but there's a slight reluctance to it. It's solely just Hannibal being slightly awkward at it being pointed out, since it's so normal for him to speak in an erudite way that it's difficult to tone down. Otherwise, he listens, and though the one comment gets a brief look of sympathy, Hannibal ends up commenting on the rest instead. ]

Then I can at least support you. Reading people isn't easy, but... The first step tends to be doubt. It's rather cynical, but if you assume that everyone is lying, it can sometimes help you cut through to truth.

[ He shrugs lightly, but elaborates on what he means: ]

Russell's usage of incapacitating drugs may have been innocuous, for example. But it also may have not been. That was the case for Nisha's injuries, after all. [ He shakes his head at this point ] Not to particularly implicate him as being guilty, but those are the sorts of doubts that I cast. Is it what someone says, or is it more?

[hydrokinetics]

[It's a problem when you're a 16 year old boy who can be obtuse as shit. Regardless, that answer seems to put him at ease as well.]

That should be easy, since we know of at least five people that're lying as it is. I don't want to start distrusting everyone I know, but...more critical thinking can't hurt. It's just about asking all of the right questions. That, I think, we can do well enough and hope for the best.

[He's not optimistic really, but he has to try.] Actions speak louder than words and all that. ...but we're not going to have to strip again next week, are we?

[sating]

And macabre as it is, as our numbers diminish, finding those people will statistically become easier. It is... Not ideal. But it may benefit us, I suppose.

[ He laughs slightly and shakes his head at the question. ]

I hope not, but at the same time, I feel that it's become such tradition that someone is likely to suggest it. [ And he was right... ] It hasn't been very useful before, but who knows. Perhaps someone will be careless, for once.

[hydrokinetics]

If we do find these people, then what are we supposed to do with them? That's the real question I have here.

[There's an upturn of a smile.] We can only dream that somebody puts up a fight this week or something. That's what condemned Nisha, wasn't it? It's something to think about. [But the conversation's unsettling since it's still people dying.] ...I hope you're right. Just to make things easier for once.

[sating]

[ He nods, though he does give the thought serious consideration, even if it's brief. The rest of the conversation Hannibal lets slip away, since the concern that Percy brings up first is a fair one. ]

That depends entirely on what they're meant to do, I suppose. Some of those roles are innocuous enough that I would say nothing needs to be done. The Doctor, for example, or even the Madame and Bartender. But others... They do not have such a convenient answer. [ He makes a thoughtful noise, then shakes his head lightly. ] It's difficult to say. At least as a hypothetical. In general terms, I would say that whatever it takes to stop all of this should be weighed in as the primary priority. I'm not sure what that would look like or if it would even matter. But I'd like to hope that there's more reason for the roles beyond entertaining the Sheriff.

[ like, please... that would be so dumb ]

[hydrokinetics]

[While all of that sounds great:]

Have you met Sheriff Hal? The guy's kind of a huge jerk half the time. He's admitted that the wanted posters are based on what he finds funny. I don't know what other reason he'd have.

[sating]

[ See the logic is all there, but it still makes Hannibal sigh rather tiredly all the same. He can't disagree, though... ]

Hence the "hope," I suppose.

[ The sigh is followed by a very light shrug. ]

They may only exist to provide conflict and intrigue, in which case I would say that was a successful venture.

[hydrokinetics]

Given that not everyone knows what the roles do, it's definitely a point of contention, Dr. Lecter. People are paranoid that the roles might do something or they're going to start asking for information hoping to get ahead. If that's the case, I'd call it successful, too.

[He tilts his head.] Does that mean you're intrigued by all of this?