il_mostro | IC - INBOX/VOICEMAIL/TEXT/THREATENING LETTER

[Hannibal arched a single eyebrow at her, with a faint smirk following.]

Naturally. I rather prefer them that way.

[she arches an eyebrow back and gives a small, catlike grin]

Then it sounds as though you're all well-matched. Such should be the norm here, not the exception.

I ... certainly wish it was. For all of us.

[He chuckled softly, running his fingers over his sweater.]

Yeah. I mean, I love Anya, don't get me wrong. She gave me a permanent contract and free reign on decorating. But it's a strictly hands-off contract because she's in her thirties and I'm...me. I get it. I understand. I just wish I was a little bit older.

Well, if things continue as they are ... you will be.

[He arches an eyebrow at her, with a faintly ironic tilt to his eyebrow.]

Surely though, you understand her concerns about taking advantage of you.

Yeah...I've been here, what? Six months now? But my birthday isn't until April.

[she gives him a knowing smile]

Of course I do and I wouldn't presume of thinking otherwise. It's simply...I think I'm the youngest non-native here and that gets weird sometimes.

I do not think that is necessarily true ... I believe Yuri is around your age. A year or more older.

[He hummed at the smile, before shaking his head.]

Of course, he is ... very different than you. I worry about him more.

...Yuri. The name isn't familiar. I don't think I've met him before.

[she looks on expectantly]

Oh? I...probably shouldn't ask why, should I?

I shall have to introduce you, on one of your visits.

[Hannibal smiled then, into his teacup, before he looked at her with a knowing smirk.]

You should most definitely not.

I'd love to meet him, given the chance.

[and she occupies herself with taking a sip of tea in the meantime before she looks at him with a faintly, ever-so-faintly, arched eyebrow]

I look forward to it. Any friend of yours is at least considering becoming one of mine.

He is very dear to me, my fierce brat.

[Hannibal smiles at his cup, turning that smile to her.]

Well, if I find any other friends I think you should meet ... I will have another party.

I'd never say no to another party, for any reason. Can you believe I actually miss all of those old diplomatic receptions?

I am having a hard time believing that, yes. Considering how little you seem to enjoy politics.

It...wasn't exactly politics. It was mother's kind of politics, where there were winners and losers only and mother was determined to be the winner by any means necessary.

I suppose the kind of politics, then, are just important to the company than anything else. Although I usually like to choose my conversational partners by those who have something interesting to say.

So do I. I usually talked to the other attaches. We'd trade horror stories about things our bosses made us do.

... dare I ask what they ask attaches to do in these situations?

Most of the time it was the usual bad-boss stuff. Get this, fetch that, what do you mean you can't get insert-impossible-thing-here done immediately. But you know, most of us...we were picked for our looks as much as our connections and the age of adulthood was fourteen, so. I'm sure you get the general idea.

...I am hoping it does not having anything to do with child molestation?

No, no. Not by our worlds' standards, anyway.

I see ... I am fascinated to hear of these things, as they arise.

Well...personally, I never went any further than what the Terrans call "second base." [she shrugs lightly] I'm picky.

Besides, I always found it easier to keep fetching drinks and apply a little charm and flattery. If the drink didn't get to them, the appeals to their egos would.

[Hannibal's dark eyes flicked with amusement, and then a touch of sorrow that he added.] This place must have been a terrible shock to you, with all of the restrictions.

[His mouth twisted.]

Inflating egos is often the way to get what you want out of older people.

[she sighs and looks down for a moment] It was. One minute, I was an adult, free to do as I pleased. The next? Back to being a kid again and not being taken seriously. I had to--had to go to locals the first few months. That was often. Unpleasant.

[hers, too, into a wry smile]

Mmm-hmm. Talk about how strong and powerful they are, follow it up with another glass of fifteen-year-old scotch, and they're eating out of the palm of your hand.

IC - INBOX/VOICEMAIL/TEXT/THREATENING LETTER

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