RICHARD HALLORANN: KISS + SOFT. CLARICE PULLING DICK IN FOR A TENDER KISS.
agent starling had been through a lot lately. the hunt for buffalo bill had taken its toll on her, both physically and emotionally. the only person who seemed to help with that these days was dick, and that had been a surprise for clarice. when he was first brought on as a consultant, she was skeptical. all she'd been told about him was that he had a unique set of abilities, and having a mind so wired with logic, clarice had a hard time wrapping her head around what he thought he could do. but the weeks went by, and she found herself growing more comfortable with his presence, putting more trust in him, and ultimately believing that he was special, in some way. he had a calming effect on her, a way of making her feel safe and understood. she couldn't say that about any of the men back at the academy.
as the two of them sat together in the quiet corner of her office, clarice couldn't help but feel drawn to the man beside her. dick was everything she wasn't - empathetic, warm, and with a knack for getting to the heart of things. and when she looked into his eyes, she felt a sudden urge to pull him close, to feel his lips on hers. so she did.
there wasn't much thought put into the way clarice leaned in, her hands comping to cup dick's face as she pressed her lips to his tenderly. for a moment, the world around them seemed to fall away, and all that existed was the warmth of his body against hers, the softness of his lips, and the gentle pressure of his hands. they parted after an eternal moment, clarice feeling her heart race in her chest. she had never acted on impulse like that before, never allowed herself to be so vulnerable with a man. she looked at dick, hoping she'd see no judgement or distain for her, in that moment. 'i have no idea what came over me,' clarice murmured, cheeks flushing some. 'm'sorry, i shouldn't . . . that was unprofessional, i apologize,' @amatorial.
