IC contact [Mask or Menace]

[infomodder]

"Gone fishing."

[ so don't leave messages to ruin the after fishing glow !!!

your one stop shop for not leaving him alone ]

Comments

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[And then Will Graham goes on an extended sailing trip to sit by himself on an island for two weeks because fuck this shit he's out. He's done. He is a grilled steak that is so well done it's almost on fire. Fuck everything. Fuck Crane in particular. Fuck the world! Time to murder fish in mass and grow a distress beard.

But really, fuck Crane.]

Are you trying to shine a light or something or reminding me that darkness exists, Dr. Crane?

[restingstitchface]

That depends on you.

Would you like share how this makes you feel?

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How what makes me feel? Sasha leaving or your fake concern? The answers are, understandably, quite different depending on which one you're asking after.

[restingstitchface]

The former, of course.

[Your opinion of him is irrelevant. He doesn't care.]

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I have a time limit before I consider them truly gone, and that is the same with Sasha. After that? The same sense of loss that I feel when anyone I care about leaves. No difference.

[restingstitchface]

[The same sense of loss. The same fear. The same emotion. He doesn't feel any of those all.]

I see.

You think of Sasha as family, then?

[infomodder]

I've never fully connected with the concept of family, so I wouldn't say that. That would be inaccurate.

I'm sure you know how it feels to be aware of an idea without being able to relate to it.

[restingstitchface]

Of course. Understanding is central to my field.

[That, and the scarecrow planted on the pole if you want to take this in another direction.]

[infomodder]

Not always. Pretending to understand can get you through if you're good at putting up a front and maintaining it.

Look at you, for example. You've done well so far.

[Covered in crow poop and used by the old farm dog as a pissing spot, hopefully.]

[restingstitchface]

You're looking deeply into the psychology of masks, Will.

But I prefer the concept of water. The malleability is stunning.

[And what's another thing it can be? Deep. The word he used just before. Fancy that.

Oh, and he loves the psychology of masks. How can he not?]

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I profile the criminally insane for a living, Dr. Crane. If I didn't look deeply into the psychological elements of any given situation, what good would I be in my chosen field?

[Is there enough room here for two folks to be outstanding? Mysteries. Ignoring the malleable part, though...that has arguably been helpful to him. It's also been just as harmful. What does Crane know about water, anyway? He prefers to be up there with his books and stuff. Has he ever seen the sun? Ever?]

[restingstitchface]

[Funny thing, water.

One doesn't need to be in the ocean to appreciate it. They can stand over it watching, as others wade in too deep. Dinner and a cliffside show. The truth is water's also the purest thing one can drink; at a restaurant, or in their ivory tower with their books and stuff. The sun also reflects off its surface. It's quite beautiful.]

I suppose that makes sense. Of course, madness by definition cannot make sense at all. But then how can we give it a definition? Food for thought.

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[But one can't appreciate it properly without sailing from Virginia to Italy. Or being capable of that.]

One could argue that madness is having beautiful women take naps in your office as though no one will notice. Perhaps you shouldn't go for a repeat performance of that? It's concerning.

[For more than Crane. Blonde pigtail lady, please love yourself.]

[restingstitchface]

Concerning for who? Do tell.

[Who in the office has been gossiping? Who is afraid of their advancing age? Who's terrified of him creating surprises from nothing? Who lives in fear? Do paint targets on their backs, Will.]

[infomodder]

Concerning for you. I wouldn't have mentioned it otherwise.

[restingstitchface]

Well. I thank you for for your concern, Will.

But personally I've never felt better.

[No, he won't stop gaslighting yooooou.]

[infomodder]

It's not about how you feel, Dr. Crane. It's about how you look. That's what I meant by concerning.

[Never felt better, though. That's about the time the dam starts break, for some. Please no.]

[restingstitchface]

I already know I look to others, Will. And I am aware of how that looks.

But what other people think of me is irrelevant.

[He is a free range bird. Screw your social standards.]

[infomodder]

How do you think it will look if you get reprimanded or fired from your job? Who wants a psychiatrist with that on their record? That doesn't instill faith.

If you truly believe what other people think of you is irrelevant, we're getting back into the territory of words we can't adequately define. Without other people, you don't have any patients. You don't have anyone to be interested in. You don't have fears you would never claim as your own to unravel. Without them, you're every bit as irrelevant as you continually want them to be.

[Free range birds are super delicious.]

Food for thought, Jonathan.

[restingstitchface]

... That's a lot of words for someone I've enlightened regarding my standards.

[Your thought-food is just as irrelevant and unfit for shitbird consumption, Will. Stop wasting his time.]

[infomodder]

Someone who's seen the amount of books in your office and knows you're fully capable of reading a lot of words. Don't act like I use a lot of words on you often enough for it to be an actual issue.

[Jung is also unfit for consumption FYI.]

[restingstitchface]

[So are people, most would argue.]

If words about this mundane insight into my behavior are all you have for me, then this conversation has come to an end. You'd better go.

[He is 100% done.]

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[What? He'd better go? Crane came to him! How rude. Rude! Which brings him to an abrupt:]

One question first.

How did you make him see Hannibal?

[Him, not them. He's tried to think of ways to approach this before, even. But it wasn't until Matthew that he gave it more than a few seconds before dismissal. Matthew's walk down memory lane was nice. It truly, truly was. Unfortunately, it was just that: a memory. Nothing new was created or experienced. Without Hannibal here...where else does he have to turn, hmm?

Don't ask about Sasha. Eyes on Will, Scarecrow. Focus on the empathetic sponge and any implications woven in if Crane chooses to squint.]

[restingstitchface]

[Will's question instantly makes him the focus of Scarecrow's attention. Who cares about Sasha? Hannibal's fearsome image terrifies everyone from Baltimore. Fortunately for Will, that draws Crane like a shark sensing blood in water. Oh, he knows Will deliberately cut himself as bait - he knows! But he's going to bite his arm and swim off with his new, tasty morsel anyway.]

Why ask that ridiculous question? You know the answer. Like I know Frederick has informed you of my gift. I know what you want.

[Cut to the chase or clear off.]

[infomodder]

[Good. He's still got it, without the haircut and salmon shirt. But no, Will doesn't have any idea how it works. He knows that Crane made Chilton see Hannibal and Chilton did not enjoy the experience at all. Which is enough, in its own way. Will has long since learned that going into any experience with Hannibal Lecter involved will only ever be enjoyable for Hannibal. While he might delight in his "creations" blossoming, they must always fall in line with what he wants for them.

The only pleasure and joy, if such things can be experienced by Hannibal at all, that matters to him is his own. He does not expect happiness between him and Hannibal Lecter. So Crane using some weird torture that isn't enjoyable to get the image of Hannibal, new and vivid, in Will's mind? That's not torture. That's not horror. That's his best friend. And for what Will has seen of Crane, in public and private? He must be a very good choice. Not a substitute, but the visage of Hannibal Lecter being somehow put forth by someone who values control and knowledge and does not see other people as worth true concern? Or simply can't feel that? It's a match made in hell. Will? He's bait, yes. Bait with predator qualities. He can comfortably slide into this den and if it gets to be too much...no need to tell anyone else that Will Graham fucked up. Again. Boring story, that.]

I don't know how you do it, actually. Never got those details.

But I believe I would like to see him again.