Fandom Counseling, Friday

[sharp_man]

Hannibal had taught class (more or less), and he was in town for the weekend, so he opened his practice an extra day. He didn't know if anybody would show up, but if they did, he might get to hear some interesting stories, and if they didn't...well, he had a letter to write for Sparkle.

So he would be here regardless, ignoring the sparkly flamingos outside the window, listening to music, and drinking coffee. It wasn't a bad way to spend the day.


Fandom Counseling was open!

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[exasperangel]

There was a polite knock on the door.

Was Linda steeling herself for an upcoming conversation with Lucifer by... speaking to people Lucifer had mentioned in passing on the phone, first?

... Yes. Unequivocally, yes.

[sharp_man]

Hannibal walked over to the door and opened it. Ah, someone new; that was a pleasant surprise.

"Hello, Ms...?"

[exasperangel]

"Doctor," Linda corrected him smoothly, as she'd done many times before. "Doctor Linda Martin." She stuck her hand out. "Doctor Hannibal Lecter, I presume?"

Also known as 'one of the two names Lucifer had mentioned in between insisting very loudly that he was doing absolutely wonderfully this far away from... LA'.

[sharp_man]

Hannibal took her hand with a smile. "My apologies, Doctor Martin. Please, come in." He held the door. "May I offer you some coffee or tea? Or perhaps wine?"

[exasperangel]

Wine. Linda tried not to grimace. "Tea will do, but thank you," she said, stepping inside. "I'm here because a friend of mine moved here recently, and I... wanted to make sure he's settling in."

[sharp_man]

Hannibal got the tea ready and poured the water over it to steep.

"Your friend would be Lucifer Morningstar?" It was an educated guess.

[exasperangel]

"I suppose it'd be more accurate to call him my patient, but... yes," Linda allowed. "May I sit?"

[sharp_man]

"Please." Hannibal brought a tray with the tea, lemon, milk, and sugar over to her and set it on a table.

"He mentioned that he had a therapist. I wasn't certain if he acknowledged needing one, or if it were de rigueur for living in Los Angeles."

[exasperangel]

"Oh, he singled me out," Linda said wryly, as she sank into a chair behind the table. "I think Lucifer understands that therapy can be valuable."

[sharp_man]

"That is a beginning," Hannibal said. He sat in a chair a little distance away. "What does he believe is important in a therapist, then? I've offered him my services for his stay here, but I'm unsure if he plans to take me up on that."

[exasperangel]

"Honestly, sometimes I wonder about that," Linda said wryly, reaching for her tea. "He appreciates an opportunity to vent. He... tends to be quite clear about whatever he's looking for in any session."

Or, you know, took from the session what he wanted to no matter what your original point was.

"It might be good for him to attend sessions here, however." She sipped her tea casually. "...Might cut down on the phone calls."

[sharp_man]

"Oh, dear." Hannibal gave her a rueful smile. "He is one of those patients, isn't he?"

[exasperangel]

"He's... thrown the occasional patient out of my office because he felt he needed to have a sit-down with me..."

[sharp_man]

Hannibal shook his head. "Narcissism isn't a surprising diagnosis for him, I suppose." Pride was, after all, the first sin.

[exasperangel]

Linda coughed into her drink. "Doctor-patient confidentiality."

[sharp_man]

Hannibal smiled. "Of course. However, he is not my patient, so I may speak freely. What would you like to know?"

[exasperangel]

"How is he doing?" Linda asked quietly.

[sharp_man]

"Exasperated at dealing with children, I believe," Hannibal said. "Enjoying bothering one of the local bar owners - the bar is called the Devil's Nest. And generally bemoaning the lack of civilization in a small town, though he seems only a little to be actually annoyed by it, and more to enjoy the chance to complain."

[exasperangel]

"It's always hard to tell," Linda sighed. "I was a little... surprised... to hear he was coming here and not, say... New York City."

[sharp_man]

"I did point that out," Hannibal said. "Or rather, I suggested Paris. Apparently he finds it too European. Perhaps he felt a small town would be less likely to remind him of whatever it is that he's fleeing in Los Angeles."

[exasperangel]

Linda blinked. Then let out a rueful laugh. "He's not subtle."

[sharp_man]

"That he definitely is not," Hannibal agreed, chuckling in turn.

[exasperangel]

"Well, maybe you can actually convince him that it might be... good... to have another listening ear that's a little closer to home," Linda said wryly.

[sharp_man]

"To help a colleague, I will see what I can do," Hannibal promised. "Do you know what it is that made him choose you? What he looks for in a therapist?"