doctor-bedelia:

“You’re implying that mere curiosity is something deplorable.”

Bedelia shifted her head, allowing her chin to dip inward towards her collarbone. A subtle change in body language, one that is meant to give the impression of contemplation, that she is perhaps considering what Will Graham is saying. In truth, she is far more interested in what he wants to say but is instead swallowing down.

“Curiosity is a tool creatures use to explore, to survive…,” she allowed her words to die down. Bedelia spoke in generic terms along enough to allow the guards behind the two-way mirror to slowly tune the two inside of the cell out. Her bright eyes shot upward to catch Will’s dark gaze. Something sparked behind her irises. 

“To understand.”

It was like watching the genesis of feelings – not hers, clearly, and certainly not his. But the tangible suggestions formed in the well of her elbow, turned elegantly into her side; swelled insidious and compelling in the soft twist of hair as it relaxed (finally; on cue) against the delicate crest of her collarbone. It was a wholly misleading subtext, wrapped up around cold science and designed to pacify an unwitting audience. 

Dr Du Maurier was a subtle performance being carefully executed, and Will could feel her voice seeping all too easily into the handholds Lecter had left behind. His hands tightened on the table, stacked one on top of the other like caged animals, but he let her talk. 

Listened with a new appreciation as to just how well he’d been manipulated all this time. It was why he was ready and waiting when she snapped her gaze up. It was why the catecholamine spike still lifted the short hair along the back of his neck, and defensive humor twisted his face into something boyish and mocking.

“As an empirical sum of that tool, I’ve seen how it’s applied to the so-called exploration of survival.

"Are you saying you understand me, doctor?" 

Jun 25th   15 notes