Hannibal just turns his mouth into something like a cold simper, mocking and unconcerned, when the boy asks if he's here to 'do something about it'. Not only does this boy have no idea who he's speaking to in the form of Hannibal himself, as Neph's realization rises up, it's clear he actually had known who he was speaking to in Neph...and made the play anyway.
Because he was relying on being more secretive than her. He actively knew that they're both in on the same secret they'd die rather than reveal, and that Neph would...somehow be put in a tighter spot by those constraints. And he was relying on the idea that Neph would be too intimidated to fight back properly and realize that.
That...doesn't sound like the Neph Hannibal has come to know. She's got her fair bundle of negative traits - so does Hannibal, so does Will - but cowardice isn't even on the list. So what made this kid think he could shout her down to doing whatever he apparently came here to demand (since that's what this is sounding like, from what Neph is implying)?
It doesn't make sense, which means Hannibal is missing a key piece. What happened before, how do these two know each other?
*
It hits Will with a clarity, while he watches and waits. An ice-water certainty that there is something unusual about this boy, this girl - perhaps even Hannibal as well - and the boy thought they were alone in the secret. Will sees how that's what causes the boy to momentarily hold his ground instead of charge ahead. So Will doesn't ask, doesn't guess, doesn't do anything to stupidly spoil the illusion and ruin some of their element of surprise.
'Who're they?
He knows well enough to just play along. And so he does, face gradually flattening out from confusion into an injured anger. The nasty welted-skin embarrassment and rage fuming off of Neph twists his own stomach, makes him almost sick with it, but it only fuels Will's certainty that this kid's up to no fucking good. Has already been up to something awful.
He'll stand his ground with them, because fuck this guy.
*
'What happened to 'I don't want anybody'?'
Hannibal actually hadn't thought he could get angrier about this. He assumed that he'd reached the end of his ability to be offended on another person's behalf.
He was wrong. The implications in that-- Neph told him that she wasn't interested in anyone-- there's a sudden jarring image of her yelling at him in that Air BnB apartment, of the hurt feelings that congealed later into a more reasonable discussion about their mutual lack of interest in people-- Is this boy with broad shoulders and the scent of entitlement roiling off of him actually implying offense that Neph might've--
Hannibal is already pulling forward, clearing some space between him and Will. It's slow and casual except for the way his eyes don't ever shift from the boy's. "If secrecy was going to be your tool, don't assume that you're alone in it working to your advantage." His breathing deepens. Which way is the wind blowing now? "What had you said, again? You were going to 'rip her goddamn arms off'?" Swallowed largely by another burst of wind, Hannibal keeps speaking, soft and gentle and hopefully not carrying back to where Will waits behind him. "No one would ever even see me touch you."
Which is, for right now, just a warning. Neph knows his powers, but Neph isn't immune to his powers, either. They'd discussed just as much, how her abilities only work on magic, not mutations. If she's alright with him making use of what he's been given, then now she has the ability to take a few steps back, or hold her breath, or do whatever it is she'd rather.
For all that Hannibal wants to rip this boy to pieces and deliver his head to Neph later, he doesn't want to risk hurting Neph while he does it, so he'll wait.
"You've already failed at not making a scene." Will speaks up from behind Hannibal. It sounds like he's circled around a little bit, like he's positioning himself to be closer to Neph instead. "I wouldn't stay to see what happens next, if I were you." His voice is uglier than Hannibal has ever heard it, knotted and unexpectedly strong.
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timeasmymeasure
no subject
Date: 2017-01-18 05:43 pm (UTC)Because he was relying on being more secretive than her. He actively knew that they're both in on the same secret they'd die rather than reveal, and that Neph would...somehow be put in a tighter spot by those constraints. And he was relying on the idea that Neph would be too intimidated to fight back properly and realize that.
That...doesn't sound like the Neph Hannibal has come to know. She's got her fair bundle of negative traits - so does Hannibal, so does Will - but cowardice isn't even on the list. So what made this kid think he could shout her down to doing whatever he apparently came here to demand (since that's what this is sounding like, from what Neph is implying)?
It doesn't make sense, which means Hannibal is missing a key piece. What happened before, how do these two know each other?
*
It hits Will with a clarity, while he watches and waits. An ice-water certainty that there is something unusual about this boy, this girl - perhaps even Hannibal as well - and the boy thought they were alone in the secret. Will sees how that's what causes the boy to momentarily hold his ground instead of charge ahead. So Will doesn't ask, doesn't guess, doesn't do anything to stupidly spoil the illusion and ruin some of their element of surprise.
'Who're they?
He knows well enough to just play along. And so he does, face gradually flattening out from confusion into an injured anger. The nasty welted-skin embarrassment and rage fuming off of Neph twists his own stomach, makes him almost sick with it, but it only fuels Will's certainty that this kid's up to no fucking good. Has already been up to something awful.
He'll stand his ground with them, because fuck this guy.
*
'What happened to 'I don't want anybody'?'
Hannibal actually hadn't thought he could get angrier about this. He assumed that he'd reached the end of his ability to be offended on another person's behalf.
He was wrong. The implications in that-- Neph told him that she wasn't interested in anyone-- there's a sudden jarring image of her yelling at him in that Air BnB apartment, of the hurt feelings that congealed later into a more reasonable discussion about their mutual lack of interest in people-- Is this boy with broad shoulders and the scent of entitlement roiling off of him actually implying offense that Neph might've--
Hannibal is already pulling forward, clearing some space between him and Will. It's slow and casual except for the way his eyes don't ever shift from the boy's. "If secrecy was going to be your tool, don't assume that you're alone in it working to your advantage." His breathing deepens. Which way is the wind blowing now? "What had you said, again? You were going to 'rip her goddamn arms off'?" Swallowed largely by another burst of wind, Hannibal keeps speaking, soft and gentle and hopefully not carrying back to where Will waits behind him. "No one would ever even see me touch you."
Which is, for right now, just a warning. Neph knows his powers, but Neph isn't immune to his powers, either. They'd discussed just as much, how her abilities only work on magic, not mutations. If she's alright with him making use of what he's been given, then now she has the ability to take a few steps back, or hold her breath, or do whatever it is she'd rather.
For all that Hannibal wants to rip this boy to pieces and deliver his head to Neph later, he doesn't want to risk hurting Neph while he does it, so he'll wait.
"You've already failed at not making a scene." Will speaks up from behind Hannibal. It sounds like he's circled around a little bit, like he's positioning himself to be closer to Neph instead. "I wouldn't stay to see what happens next, if I were you." His voice is uglier than Hannibal has ever heard it, knotted and unexpectedly strong.