Hmm...Perhaps if you just grabbed something to eat and got a comforting drink...Yeah...All you really needed was a— "(Y-Y/n)...! You...You came back...! Y-You...You didn't l-leave us...!" A familiar voice cried happily, a dark-haired male sprinting towards you whilst they flung their arms around your waist and snuggled into you entirely.

"It's good to see you too, Norman." You dryly responded, giving him an amused smile before hugging him back. "Sorry I took so long. I...I had something I needed to do."

"Oh...? And would you mind sharing that specific piece of information with us...?" Your head looked up at the second familiar tone, your gaze recognising them immediately. Hannibal.

"Well, I...um..." Fumbling with your words, you suddenly grew flustered; wondering how on Earth you were going to explain your earlier shenanigans. "It's sort of difficult to explain..."

"Only if it's not too much trouble, of course." The psychiatrist pleasantly commented, the smartly-dressed male making his way over to you in a more professional manner than Norman had done.

"Let's just say that I was busy taking care of a couple of friends, over at the University." You told them as best you could; glossing over the truth but not quite lying. "They needed my help, and I couldn't just leave them to suffer. That was beyond me."

"I see. How...considerate of you." He complimented respectfully, standing in front of you before sending you an incredibly polite smile. "They must've been extremely grateful."

"Well...I don't know about that, but—" You cut yourself off and hesitated, thinking back to what you'd literally just dealt with.

Agreeing to another phone number with them both...How could you do such a thing...!? That was a crazy idea...! "But I'm going to need a new phone, stat. So does anyone mind if I borrow their laptop...?" You decided seriously, brushing past everyone and entering the house by yourself.

"Well, well, well, look who finally decided to show up~" A third voice drawled down the hallway, greeting you in their same flirtatious fashion. "Welcome home, Princess~"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, what's up...?" Acting dismissive, you raised your hand as a wave before moving past him; waiting for an answer from the others about a laptop or PC.

"Oh, oh, oh, I do...!" Norman called from behind, rushing upstairs with you while gripping your hand. "Y-You can borrow my laptop w-whenever you want, (Y/n)...!"

"Thank you, Norman." Genuine sincerity flooded through your voice once you'd thanked him, true gratitude shining from your eyes after you sent him another affectionate smile. "Honestly. Getting a new phone and catching up with my old friends will definitely help me unwind."

"O...Oh, n-no problem...!" Norman shyly stuttered, keeping his head low whilst he went to retrieve his laptop from his room.

"There isn't any other reason that you're purchasing a brand new phone, now is there (Y/n)...?" Hannibal asked from behind you charmingly, walking into Norman's room with the two of you and sounding somewhat curious.

"Any other reason...?" You echoed in bewilderment, flashing him a frown and becoming embarrassed yourself. "What do you mean...? I simply want a new phone. You guys did break my old one after all."

"Mm...True. That we did." He chuckled in amusement, leaning against the wall as he watched Norman hand you his laptop. "I guess I was just...quizzical, I suppose you could say. It wouldn't be because of two other guys, now would it...?" You froze; fright flickering across your eyes while you almost dropped Norman's laptop. H-How...? How did Hannibal know about—

"It...It doesn't matter. You...You don't know the full story at all, so..." You muttered under your breath awkwardly, hugging Norman's laptop against your chest before your cheeks glowed a bright pink.

"Don't worry, mia amata." Hannibal spoke with a charming tone of voice, shooting you a sweet smile while behaving gentlemanlike as usual. "I probably know a lot more than you think. About how you literally just helped the unwanted admirers, how you snuck them both back to their present place of residence, and how this new phone is probably most likely to pacify them. Am I wrong...?"

"Well...No. You're not wrong." You uneasily replied, narrowing your eyes at him and backing out of Norman's bedroom altogether. "But I have other reasons for wanting a new phone too, y'know. So just...just—"

"I understand. You wish to reconnect with your current group of friends and dear mother, correct...?" The psychiatrist summarised politely; following you into the hallway before going into your bedroom and sitting on your bed next to you. "That's the real reason, isn't it...?"

"Yes, yes...!" You exclaimed passionately, relaxing and breathing out from his rather inquisitive inquiries. "I just...miss my Mom...and my friends...So yeah...Messaging my friends from time-to-time would be nice...Not to mention calling my Mom..."

"Well how about this," Hannibal suggested lightly, pausing for a moment to take your hands in his. "You can decide on whatever phone you want, and - seeing as how we broke your last one - the least we can do is pay for your new one. Then, when your new one arrives, Myers will give you the piece of paper that contains your previous phone's contacts. Will that make you happy, (Y/n)...?"

"Y-You'd all do that for me...?" You stammered in surprise, your eyes wide due to being taken aback by Hannibal's generous offer. "Seriously...?"

"Of course we would." He lovingly responded, giving your hands a gentle squeeze while he made his kind proposal. "I'll also offer something else as well."

"Something else...? You needn't go that far..." You mumbled with embarrassment, knowing that you never seemed to do very good with accepting gifts.

"While explaining your past situation, Pennywise couldn't help but show how both of your unwanted admirers had acted towards you. Forgive me, but I couldn't help noticing how one of them had treated you in particular." Hannibal brought up tactfully, causing you to stiffen up for a moment and think back to last night.

—

"Get BACK here, (Y/n)...! Get back here RIGHT. Fucking. NOW...!" "Otherwise, I'll...I'll RIP you RIGHT up...! And I'll RIP up your slut whore mother TOO...!"
"Billy, wait..." "She's not going to appreciate it if you take out her mother, remember...? You can't scare her like the other psychos did. We have to be gentler...We have to be...We have to be—"

—

"Don't worry...about it..." You quietly answered, shifting your gaze to your bedroom floor and growing increasingly more stressed-out. "Billy just lost his temper, that's all. I...I'm sure he didn't mean what he said to me...And I'm sure he wouldn't actually hurt my Mom..."

"Be that as it may, threatening someone like that can cause major amounts of trauma to that specific person, whether they think they can handle it or not." Hannibal stated soothingly, squeezing your hands a second time before continuing. "That's what got me thinking..."

"It...did...?" You wondered with curious eyes, confusion clouding your expression whilst you tried to make sense of what he was saying. "How so...?"

"That it would probably do you good to visit your mother from time-to-time." The psychiatrist thought aloud in his usual gentle voice. "Instead of merely just messaging her."

"What brought this up all of a sudden...?" You questioned suspiciously, feeling puzzled and slightly surprised. "Just a few weeks ago, you and the others were adamant about me keeping my distance from her—"

—

"H...Honey, don't...don't agree to...to this..."
"But you could die otherwise!"
"You can...You can go...to the police..." "They...They'll help...you..."
"I hate to interrupt, but I doubt that. You see, we've blackmailed and bribed most of the police officers in this small town." "My apologies on breaking your silly little delusion, Ms (L/n)."

"NO! DON'T!" "Fine, FINE! DON'T hurt her! I'll do it, okay!? I'll...I'll do it..."
"Now, was that so hard?"
"Mom? Mom? Are you going to be alright?" "Please tell me you're going to be okay."
"Oh she'll be fine." "Her injuries aren't that fatal. They'll heal in no time at all." "So don't worry your pretty little head."
"I-I'm so happy." "Y-You're actually going to be staying with us. I...I can't b-believe it."

"You...You shouldn't have...agreed to it, (Y/n). I should've—"
"I didn't have a choice, Mom." "There wasn't any alternative. I wasn't going to just let you die, and we can't go to the police. I'm sorry."
"But...But..."
"So then," "Why do you want me to move in with you guys? And when, exactly?"
"L-Like I said before, (Y/n)," "I-It's because we l-love you."
"How can you...How can you all be in love with me? I don't understand."

"I wish I fucking knew why." "It's like these assholes are trying to pick a fucking fight with me."
"I-I love you, (Y-Y/n)." "F-From the moment y-you stepped through t-the door. Even M-Mother accepts you now!"
"I must confess, you've seduced me also." "However, it's a mystery to myself as well. I'm not sure why all five of us are so enticed by you. I'm still trying to decipher the details and reason behind all of this."

—

"Well...in the end, none of us thought it was very fair. You know, that we never seemed to let you go and actually visit your mother...?" Hannibal delicately reminded, his words jogging your memory about your last promise to keep your Mom safe.

"Well, if I can visit my Mom from time-to-time, and interact with her more often, then I'd definitely accept." You agreed with a sweet smile of your own; placing the laptop down onto the bed before wrapping your arms around his body appreciatively. "I think visiting my Mom would be wonderful...!"