Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

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Will was exhausted. 

He honestly couldn’t remember what it felt like to not be exhausted.  Between therapy with Hannibal, working with Jack, and the nightmares, Will felt like he was falling apart... He felt like his life was rapidly slipping through his fingers. 

Hannibal was the only thing keeping him together.  He was supposed to have an appointment with Hannibal today but... 

Currently, Will was standing outside Hannibal’s office, waiting for the man to answer the door. Hannibal always seemed to anticipate Will’s arrival and opened the door promptly. Will very seldom got the chance to knock. After standing there for a minute, Will decided to call, wondering if maybe Hannibal had become distracted by something. The phone rang in his hand with no answer, Will's curiosity started to transform into the first prickles of panic. 

What if something had happened to Hannibal? He tried the office door, finding it open.  That was weird - Hannibal didn’t seem like the type of person who would either ignore him, or leave his door unlocked. Will released his gun from its holster and silently pushed the door wide open. He looked around the room. The lights were on, and everything looked normal, but the chair at Hannibal’s desk was askew. 

Will continued to survey the  room before he felt something small jump onto his back. Will dropped his gun in shock, cursing softly under his breath. He was thrown off-balance, landing shoulder first on the ground. 

Will grabbed the thing and pushed it away. The small boy comes into view, when he does, baring his teeth at him. The boy was thin, an overly large button-up shirt hanging from his thin shoulders. The shirt looked expensive, and Will subconsciously thought ‘it must be Hannibal’s shirt’ before the boy launched himself at Will again, his fingers digging into Will’s shirt like claws. 

Will grabbed him, his hands easily surrounding the boy’s thin wrists, holding on tightly. The boy stared up at him, no fear to be found in his eyes. He didn’t look human for a second, with his thin face and large dark eyes he looked otherworldly. The boy growled and struggled in his grip, but was too weak to really do anything to get away. 

“Who are you, and where is Dr. Lecter?” Will shook him, his voice low and irritated. “Where is Hannibal, and who are you?” The boy paused for a second and blinked up at him, confused. Then he shook his head and continued to fight. Will let him go hoping that he would not try to attack again. He was going to have to call the police, maybe even Jack to tell him that their mutual friend had gone missing. 

The boy stared up at him like he was sizing him up, then seemed to decide for himself that a further attack would be futile. He walked back to Hannibal’s desk and pushed the chair aside so that he could crawl into the footwell. 

As the boy disappeared under the desk, Will stood there blinking in confusion. What the hell was going on? Did this kid kill Hannibal and steal his clothes? Why the fuck did he attack Will?

Will moved around the desk to kneel in front of where the kid was hiding. Underneath was dark, but when his eyes adjusted Will could see the kid curled up in a pile of clothes. Will frowned at him and reached out his hand. 

“C’mon, are you hungry? Maybe if you can tell me your name we can go get something to eat. You look like a chicken nugget kind of kid.” The kid shook his head, his eyes trained on Will. Will sighed. “Alright, you can have whatever you want as long as you leave this desk. It can’t be a good place.” The boy didn’t move, just watched him with his overly large dark eyes. Will huffed and crawled in next to the kid. The boy was so small, or Hannibal’s desk was so big that Will fit easily next to him. “If you tell me your name, I can find your parents and get you home.” 

The boy shook his head and pulled his knees up to his chest. He trembled like he was crying, and with a thick accent replied, “They are dead.” Will felt his chest ache for the boy. He didn’t understand why he was here, and what had happened to Hannibal but he was sure going to try to help anyway. The boy’s eyes watched carefully as Will moved away and stood up. 

“C’mon, let’s get you out from there.” It took a few more minutes until the boy reluctantly emerged from under the desk. 

Chapter Text

“Jack, if you scare him...” Will warned, his voice low, and blocked the door to prevent  Jack from entering. The boy had refused to leave Hannibal’s office but had accepted Will’s jacket. It covered his thin shoulders, engulfing his body. Jack raised both eyebrows at Will, he looked like a bull getting ready to attack. “He’s just a kid. He has no idea where Hannibal is. He barely speaks English.” 

“Something is going on here. I don’t like it, Will.” Jack pushed past him anyway, and Will wasn't super shocked when the boy bared his teeth as Jack approached. Will walked around Jack, to put his hand on the boy’s shoulder. The boy calmed a little but still stared at Jack like he was picturing the best way to tear his throat out. “I have some questions for you. Can you tell me your name, and how you know Hannibal Lecter?” The boy glared up at him before he caught Will’s eyes. When Will nodded, the boy looked up at Jack and pointed to himself. “With words please.” 

“I’m Hannibal.” The boy’s voice was quiet and accented, but his words were pronounced very clearly. Behind them, the crime scene team was walking in. Jack coughed and looked at WIll. Will pressed his lips together, trying to choke down the nervous laugh he could feel coming up his throat. This was the weirdest situation he had ever had to deal with. 

Jack pulled out his phone and waved them away. “I’m calling Alana. Will, take him out to the car.”. Feeling agitated, Will turned to the boy who looked at the ground with a frown on his face.

“Why doesn’t he believe me? I am Hannibal. I’m Hannibal Lecter.” The boy stared up at Will with frustrated eyes and Will was surprised to see how much the boy reminded him of Hannibal at that moment. He looked so grown up, even as a child.  Will wondered if maybe this was a kid he didn’t know about, though he felt like Hannibal wasn’t the type to secretly have a child on the side. 

“It’s probably because the Hannibal Lecter I know is almost fifty. You look like you just turned eight. C’mon, let’s go outside.” The boy followed behind him, and Will walked them outside. There were police around, and the boy’s eyes darted around nervously. Will was surprised when he felt a small hand suddenly grab his. He squeezed the boy’s hand and walked him out to Jack's car. After securing the boy in the backseat and sitting in the front, Will rubbed his temple. What has happened to his therapist (therapist? Is that right? friend? Will decided not to put too much thought into it.) And where had this strange child come from? And why was he calling himself Hannibal? 

“Am I getting sent back to the orphanage?” Will was shocked how grown up the boy sounded, and when Will looked back at him he was silently fidgeting with the seat belt that had him tucked into the car. 

“What orphanage? Did they treat you badly?” The boy shook his head. 

“Everybody was treated badly. I am no different. I just don’t want to go back. I don’t know how I got to America, but…” the boy sniffed slightly and put a hand over his face trying to hide the fact that he was crying. Will froze, he wished he knew how to make the boy feel better. Will turned so he could look the boy in the eye, realizing for the first time just how young the child was. He was hunched over and frightened-looking. 

“I won’t let them send you back.” Will didn’t know why he promised something that he couldn’t deliver. The boy seemed to relax at his words though, and he looked up at Will with an intense look on his face. He trusted him. Will didn’t know what to do with that. 

Will was about to do something stupid and he knew it. 

~~ 

“Sorry, there's nowhere else for you to sleep. I can go look for something better tomorrow, but you can sleep in my bed until then. Jack said there are a few things that we have to do tomorrow anyway. So you can pick out a bed…” Will had grabbed a few extra pillows and blankets so he could set himself up to where the dogs usually slept. The boy was wearing a large shirt and a pair of shorts that Will found in the back of a closet. He was pretty sure they were from college. The kid looked too thin in them and reminded Will that he had to try to feed him. 

“What do you like to eat? I’m sure I have some mac and cheese or something?”Will walked to the kitchen, the kid fast on his heels. Will started digging in his cabinets, muttering under his breath about the fact that he forgot to go to the grocery store. 

Will turned around and was surprised to see the boy had set out some of the fish he had found in the fridge and had started to score the skin. Will frowned, walking over to him. The kid had serious knife skills. Will watched him quietly prepare a marinade with the limited offerings in Will’s pantry - maybe he could believe that this kid is Hannibal. But there was no possible explanation for that. Nothing that could make sense to Will anyway. But at this point, Will sat himself down at his table and watched the kid cook. Of course, Hannibal would be a talented cook from childhood. He was annoying that way. 

Will sighed and put his face in his hands. Tomorrow was going to be a long day if this boy was Hannibal. Will would have to figure something out. 

Chapter Text

Going to Walmart the next day at 3 am was probably the most suspicious thing he could have done. But, he almost had a plan and he needed supplies if he was going to run away with the young Hannibal until he could figure out how to turn him back into older Hannibal. 

Running away might not have been his best idea. Though honestly, when did Will ever say he had good ideas. 

Hannibal sat in the car next to him, a large stuffed animal in his lap that Will had found in Walmart when he had gone for supplies. He had worn his hood up and sunglasses, which got him weird looks but hopefully would stop Jack from finding them quickly. He probably still would, Jack was surprisingly good at his job. 

Hannibal had quickly attached himself to the stuffed animal, sitting in silence in the car. Will thought he seemed nervous even though his expression gave nothing away. Just like the older Hannibal. Will wasn’t sure if he was better at reading him as a kid or not. 

“Are you hungry? There are granola bars in the bag in front of you.” Hannibal silently nodded, a serious expression on his face as he started going through the bag at his feet. He was so small. Will was hoping after waking up that maybe he would age up or something, but he hadn’t. He was the same small serious child he had been the night before. Hannibal hadn’t slept at all the previous night, even though Will had put him in his bed and went to sleep on the couch. He had been wide awake when Will woke up from his nightmare. 

Will had left in him the car when he had gone into Walmart. The kid seemed to trust him, although Will had half expected him to run out of the car at the first opportunity. Will had left Alana a voicemail begging her to take care of his dogs while he was away. He trusted her. 

“You should eat one too.” Hannibal held out a granola bar, his huge eyes focused intensely on Will. Will sighed and reached for it. Will had to start learning to say no, but maybe saying no to your therapist-slash-newly turned 8 years old wasn’t the best way to start. Will ate as he focused back on the road.  They were driving down a quiet country road, deliberately avoiding any highways. Will didn’t know what Jack thought he was doing kidnapping a kid, but he knew that Jack would start searching for them as soon as he found out. 

“Thanks. You are surprisingly calm about this.” Hannibal shrugged at him and curled up closer to the stuffed animal in his lap. 

“I don’t understand a lot of what is happening, but this is better than being alone.” Hannibal's voice was quiet, and Will didn’t know what to say to him. They sat in comfortable silence. The next time that Will looked over at him he was fast asleep. Will didn’t know what had happened to Hannibal, how he had turned into this skinny child, and he was half scared to find out. 

~~~ 

Will’s father's house had been abandoned since he died. Pulling up to the small house was a weird feeling, Will still remembered his father’s funeral like it had just happened. It was dark outside now though, the drive had taken them a few hours. Will was sure that Jack would find out about this place, but he needed some sleep before he kept driving. Hannibal had been asleep for a while, but he woke up as they drove down the gravelly road that made up his father’s driveway. 

“Where are we?” Hannibal's voice was quiet and Will wondered if he was nervous. Will had just driven all day, taking him out to the middle of nowhere. Hannibal hadn’t asked for an explanation yet. 

“Just... the old shack my dad used to live in.” Will cut the car off and sat silently. 

“It’s kind of dark and creepy.” 

Will laughed. “There won’t be any electricity or anything, but I need to sleep before we keep driving. C’mon, I need to grab the sleeping bags and stuff out of the back.” Hannibal nodded and climbed out of the car. Will rubbed his hand over his face and followed him. 

If this was the right thing to do, he still had no idea. But he felt like he was running out of options. 

~~ 

Hannibal settled down in his sleeping bag easily, still and quiet like he was asleep. Will struggled to find sleep, the day going around in his head. The lantern he had bought at Walmart was shining between them. The house had been emptied since his father died.

Hannibal shifted and looked at Will, his eyes shining in the dark. The look reminded Will a lot of the older Hannibal. 

“I wish older Hannibal was here. I bet he would know what to do.” Will’s voice was soft, and he didn’t want to admit to himself that he had no idea what he was doing. He felt the back of his throat burn like he wanted to cry. 

Hannibal’s hand touched his face, his hand soft and warm. “I’m sorry I’m not him.” Will covered his hand with his and squeezed it. 

“It’s okay, we’ll figure this all out in the morning. Get some rest.” Hannibal smiled at him shyly, before he moved his hand away and rolled over. Will half wished that he hadn’t, Hannibal had been his only comfort for a long time. 

“Goodnight Will.” 

“Goodnight Hannibal.” 

Chapter Text

When he woke up early the next morning, Will found himself face to face with the adult version of Hannibal. The man was sitting up, the child’s clothing he was wearing laid out beside him. He had a blanket over his crotch, and his hair was messy. Will had never been so happy to see somebody naked next to him in his life. 

He sat up quickly, feeling instantly awake and alert. Hannibal smiled at him and looked shy - an expression that Will had never seen on his face before. In reality, they hadn’t known each other for that long, but Will realized he depended on this man more than he had ever depended on anybody else. 

“You’re back to normal!” Will felt himself grin, and Hannibal grinned back before quickly looking away. If Will was reading him right at all, the man was embarrassed. Hannibal didn’t seem like the kind of person to ever feel embarrassment, but turning into a child just might do that to you. 

“I’m sorry you had to deal with that.” 

“You’re acting like this is a normal thing. Do you turn into a child very often?” Hannibal’s eyes met his, and Will looked back easily. He was so comfortable around Hannibal, especially now that the older version was back in front of him. He had never taken the time to think about it before, but yesterday’s events made him acknowledge how protective he felt - when Hannibal was in danger Will had done everything to keep him safe. It felt like the darkness that Will knew in himself was echoed in the man opposite him.

“Not very often. Sometimes when I am upset.” Hannibal looked down at his hands, and Will frowned, watching him carefully. “I am sorry you had to take care of me. I chose a very unfortunate time to get upset.” 

“What made you so upset?”  Will leaned forward and took Hannibal’s hands into his own. The man looked up at him in shock, but then a small smile played on the corner of his lips. Their eyes stayed connected, unable to look away from one another. 

“I was worried about losing you.” 

Will frowned, and Hannibal again looked down at his hands. Will felt something in his chest clench up. 

“You’re the Chesapeake Ripper.” 

“Yes.” Will squeezed his hand as tightly as his heart squeezed in his chest. He wasn't angry, he wasn’t shocked. This was a completely unfamiliar feeling. 

“You are the Copycat as well, aren’t you.” It wasn’t worded as a question. Will already knew the answer. 

“Yes. You aren’t upset.” Hannibal stared at their hands like his mind was trying to catch up with everything that was happening around them. 

“I’m not upset. No.” Will felt his tension release, and he leaned closer until their noses pressed together. Hannibal took a deep breath in and out. Will pushed closer, their lips brushing. But Hannibal didn’t kiss back. 

“This isn’t what I expected when you found out.” Hannibal’s voice was barely above a whisper. “I expected anger. Maybe betrayal. You seem…” 

“I think I would have been angry before. Before… younger you. I would have been angry that you lied to me. But honestly, I missed you while you were gone. I don’t think I could deal with being angry with you for very long. Though, I do feel betrayed. What was your plan before…” Will gestures at Hannibal. Before he changed. Before he was honest.

“I had a few in mind. I wasn’t sure how long I could hide it from you. You are the only person able to see me.” Hannibal looked up at him through his eyelashes, and Will wasn’t sure what the answering thud in his chest meant. He wanted to kiss him again, but he knew he should be angry. Should be disgusted, even though Will had decided a long time ago that he would always be part of the darker spectrum of society. 

He and Hannibal both fit that description perfectly well. 

“What do we do now?” Will squeezed his hand before standing up. “We could disappear. Alana has my dogs, you are officially a missing person.” He almost felt excited at the thought of vanishing. Leaving forever and never again having to deal with the disgusted looks from the people in his day to day life. 

“It’s almost polite.” Hannibal’s voice was soft and he smiled at Will. He stood up, not shy in his nudity. “I’m ready if you are.” Will smiled back at him and leaned in to press another kiss to his lips. This time, Hannibal's hand curled in his hair in response. His lips were soft, and Hannibal kissed back with so much emotion that Will moaned into his mouth. 

His future with this man was uncertain, but Will was excited for whatever may eventuate. He pulled back to stare into Hannibal’s eyes. 

“I’m ready.” 

Hannibal smiled at him, all teeth. Will returned his grin easily.