"That he gives a shit, mostly," Neph says with her widest, bluest eyes, an effect she's pretty sure pajamas only underscore. And, like, that right there is a blatant lie all its own, 'cuz Hannibal either cares about something or dismisses it (or them - she's literally seen him walk away from an uninteresting person mid-syllable) out of hand. That trait took some getting used to, after Lecter's aggressively pleasant civility, but Neph prefers it now; she never has to wonder where she stands with Hannibal, worry that she's reading too much or not enough into his cold or warm spells.
So yeah, she lies through her teeth, but the same way Will's fishing: without any real bait. She doesn't think he's actually trying to slip anything out of them while they're all half-slack with relief, hot water and crashing adrenaline. He's just batting lazily at a secret Neph's holding over her head, a metaphor that'd never work in real life for obvious height-related reasons.
It's a game. A little bit of a challenge, maybe, for Will to try and tease something out of them, for them to test out excuses or hone conversational reflexes. Neph can see the board unfolding already, colored squares and stacks of penalty cards and six-sided dice, and feels a grin bloom behind her mug. Secrets have always been currency and burdens before, never tokens to move around for fun.
Is this how Hannibal sees things all the time?
Yes. Yes it is, and he's just rolled snakeyes. Will spits coffee and Neph has to bend over hers, folding in half til she's giggling at her knees. A little coffee sloshes over her fingers, but it's the sound of her phone buzzing on the counter that pulls her back upright. She'd left it plugged in on the 'insert device here to use for recipes and cooking music' charger on her way to the shower, and now she leans awkwardly behind Hannibal to grab for it. "Hang on, just'a sec--"
There's been just the one text since she came back inside. The contact name is A.N.S. and it reads:
Are you sure about Baltimore?
Neph sips at her coffee and lists into Hannibal as she pecks out a reply.
yes who told you?
The response is instant, but then why wouldn't it be? Anansi just messaged her, after all. He thought appealing to a higher power would help his case.
Her grin returns, a little meaner than before. Samson tried to tattle. And Anansi, who's been established here for longer than Neph's been alive, whose approval was uncertain and kind of key, just showed him the door. Out of the city.
It's not as easy as that. She's still gonna have to have a sit down with Anansi about territory and first rights of refusal and a whole lot of other stuff Neph's only vaguely aware of. But it's a good start, and she quickly sends a thank you before sliding her phone back down the counter.
"Work stuff," she says, reaching for a celebratory fourth scoop of sugar, "I am not fired for getting into it with a coworker at a fancy museum. More coffee please."
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timeasmymeasure
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Date: 2017-02-17 07:53 am (UTC)So yeah, she lies through her teeth, but the same way Will's fishing: without any real bait. She doesn't think he's actually trying to slip anything out of them while they're all half-slack with relief, hot water and crashing adrenaline. He's just batting lazily at a secret Neph's holding over her head, a metaphor that'd never work in real life for obvious height-related reasons.
It's a game. A little bit of a challenge, maybe, for Will to try and tease something out of them, for them to test out excuses or hone conversational reflexes. Neph can see the board unfolding already, colored squares and stacks of penalty cards and six-sided dice, and feels a grin bloom behind her mug. Secrets have always been currency and burdens before, never tokens to move around for fun.
Is this how Hannibal sees things all the time?
Yes. Yes it is, and he's just rolled snakeyes. Will spits coffee and Neph has to bend over hers, folding in half til she's giggling at her knees. A little coffee sloshes over her fingers, but it's the sound of her phone buzzing on the counter that pulls her back upright. She'd left it plugged in on the 'insert device here to use for recipes and cooking music' charger on her way to the shower, and now she leans awkwardly behind Hannibal to grab for it. "Hang on, just'a sec--"
There's been just the one text since she came back inside. The contact name is A.N.S. and it reads:
Are you sure about Baltimore?
Neph sips at her coffee and lists into Hannibal as she pecks out a reply.
yes
who told you?
The response is instant, but then why wouldn't it be? Anansi just messaged her, after all. He thought appealing to a higher power would help his case.
Her grin returns, a little meaner than before. Samson tried to tattle. And Anansi, who's been established here for longer than Neph's been alive, whose approval was uncertain and kind of key, just showed him the door. Out of the city.
It's not as easy as that. She's still gonna have to have a sit down with Anansi about territory and first rights of refusal and a whole lot of other stuff Neph's only vaguely aware of. But it's a good start, and she quickly sends a thank you before sliding her phone back down the counter.
"Work stuff," she says, reaching for a celebratory fourth scoop of sugar, "I am not fired for getting into it with a coworker at a fancy museum. More coffee please."