the coffee : a mixture of blood orange , apricot and chocolate syrup . the notes fill her senses , mouth hovering over the rim of the ceramic mug — CLARICE READS THE NEWSPAPER . it’s a morning ritual , done so many times in the comfort of her home . here , with hannibal . but today is one of those special days , or as special as businesses want you to believe . she never really participated in valentine’s day for that reason ( it was a get rich gimmick for the candy and flower business . ) why celebrate your partner on one day , when you should be celebrating them every day . but alas … things have changed . LIKE THE BUTTERFLY THAT ESCAPES ITS COCOON . spreading its wings and flying away to somewhere warmer , so did starling . she was mid - sip when an object came from behind her and settled on top of the counter . her green eyes shift , noticing first the envelope that had her name in perfect calligraphy . A SMILE IS INSTANTANEOUS , as she puts down both the folded newspaper and coffee . chin lifting over her shoulder to capture hannibal’s eyes . “ what’s this ? ” she asks before taking the envelope first and glancing at the box . the letter to her was simple , but behind each word was an impactful meaning . the meaning of love , of adoration … OF LOYALTY .
the beautiful drawing of the moth widened her smile just so . another glance up at hannibal , before she gently nudged his side for such a beautiful letter . ( a letter she’ll surely keep forever . ) now her attention goes to the box in front of her . her hands wrap around it for a moment , thumbs ghosting along the edges of the square top . [ ‘ HOPE IT’S NOT SOMEONE’S FINGER ’ ] she thinks to herself , it wouldn’t be the fist valentine’s gift he gave her that included someone else’s body part . when clarice finally does open the box , her eyes widen and her mouth falls open a little . THE PEARLS , the pearls she immediately knew belonged to his mother . she lets out a single laugh , just out of surprise and that smile turns into a grin . “ oh hannibal , ” she says while a hand reaches up and finds his cheek . she knew how important these were to him , and on top of that the meaning of what it meant to give it to her . “ these are beautiful , ” she adds and before she knows it she’s on her feet . toes lifting as she loops her arms around his neck , “ thank you , ” HER EMBRACE GROWS TIGHTER . a moment or two and she begins pepepring kisses against his cheek , making a path to his jaw and lips . where lips connect , she linger’s and gives him a few more before pulling away . clarice finds his eyes and grins , thumbs tracing small circles against his cheek bones . “ thank you . ”
in chara ask : @mivendico , ...
Valentine's day had importance to them, in his mind the first gift he ever was able to give her was in this specific date. Klaus' head, a gesture of good humor towards their little game, with a token inside of it that now came to mean more to them: A MOTH. When came to the more common type of gift, Clarice was not the fussy type, even after the morphing of her taste into something more fitting of the woman she had became after all those years, and he admired that. It had been a while since they been together, and he thought this would be a fitting gift. He sneaked behind her, putting down the thin, square box, partially covered by the envelope over it ( and the realistic drawing of a cecropia moth made by him inside of it ), in front of her. "Happy Valentine's day, Clarice." A string of pearls, unlike his usual choice of emeralds... And once again it belonged to someone special.
