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Will shoved his hands inside his jacket. Ever since he'd arrived in Venice, he'd been colder than he usually was. Only this cold wasn't like when he spent all day fishing. This was the kind of cold that came when you went to bed with your lover and woke alone.
Coming to Venice in search of answers made the ache of not seeing Hannibal practically knock the breath out of him. Will saw him in the architecture and smelled him in the fresh coffee and perfumes in the air. Logic told him missing Hannibal wouldn’t solve anything, but he was having a hard time getting his heart to listen to logic.
He placed his hands deeper in his pockets as he stared out at the water. Had the events of that night not taken place as they had, he couldn't help but think this is how it should have been. The three of them here; a family.
Rocks went flying across the water when he kicked them with a grumble.
"Well, here we are, Hannibal, you fool. You and your perfect hair, crisp suits. Who’ve you found to bother with your tiring banter?”
He looked around him, almost expecting the man to jump out of the shadows, before fisting his hands in his hair.
Abigail would have loved this. They could have been a family, a real family, but that dream had been diminished to ashes.
This had officially become the worst idea he'd ever had, which was saying a lot.
No, this wasn't the worst idea ever. The worst idea was him being outside when he should be using this time to prepare.
Every night, Hannibal and a man he didn't know would walk hand in hand, acting as if what happened between them was insignificant. However, if he was honest with himself, despite the two of them having a shared love for Abigail, he wasn't sure they had anything strong enough to sustain them.
Familiar words echoed in the foreground of his mind.
‘You can make it all go away. Put your head back. Close your eyes. Wade into the quiet of the stream.’
He could, indeed, make it all go away, for Hannibal if not for himself. He could turn tail and leave without disturbing him, could go back to life as it was, broken but content in knowing he’d made his decision.
If only he could force himself to do what he knew he should. Both of their lives, broken as they may be, could begin to form something close to normality if he left. He’d resume his usual routine of nightmares, of buying more dog food than anything else, of isolation. But he knew that, even in that familiarity, there would be a rift that could only be mended by one person.
Watching Hannibal over the past month, Will began to convince himself that Hannibal could be happy without him. He had moved on and made room for another in his memory palace.
"What am I doing here?" Will muttered.
If he was smart, he would go back to his room, pack his stuff and leave, wiping away any trace of his presence with him with each new mile between him and the man he’d come to feel so close too.
Hannibal would be passing in exactly ten minutes and 25 seconds. He was always consistent. Him standing where he knew he'd pass wasn't going to change anything.
"I should go. I really must go."
It would finally be over if he left. Distance would once again separate them.
He looked down at his feet. They moved fine all day, but in this moment, it felt as though they’d melded with the floor beneath him. He could barely feel them.
"Don't do this to me. Please don't do this. Fuck, I have to go."
He placed his hand around his watch in order to hide the beeping.
Bergamot and vanilla, sweetly filling his head like cotton, took hold of his rational sense of self and refused to release its grip.
"Hannibal," he whispered without question of who stood so close.
He slowly closed his eyes with a gulp when he felt the man come closer. Wonderful. Hannibal was very clearly aware of his presence. Maybe he could get away with it if he started walking. Fuck his stuff, fuck the hotel room. He could still leave. He should leave.
"Will," Hannibal whispered, dangerously close to his ear.
Will gasped when Hannibal inhaled.
He really needed to leave.
"Hello, Will."
Very slowly and painfully, Will turned to face him.
"Hello, Doctor Lecter," Will forced himself to say. Maybe if he stayed on professional terms with the man who knew him better than he knew himself, it would be easier. Easier than what, he wasn't quite sure.
He moaned softly when Hannibal caressed his cheek with the palm of his hand.
Will wasn't sure if there was a word to describe the way Hannibal made his knees buckle, but if there was, he definitely had that.
He braced himself by placing his hands on Hannibal's shoulders, fingers tight in the fine cloth of another expensive suit.
"I really need to go," Will said when Hannibal placed his hands around his waist. There was no human way he could stay in such conditions. He needed to leave while he was still coherent.
Will's mouth twisted when the man he didn't know placed his hand on Hannibal's lower back. He had to know he was standing right there.
"You must be Will. It’s a pleasure to meet you. Hannibal never fails to brew a tale of you."
Will met his eyes. He slid his hands into his pockets once more, hands balled into fists as he sized him up and down.
"I’m sure you know less than you believe."
Hannibal stepped back a few paces with a smile. Will's gaze locked on his, confusion etching across his expression for a small moment. It shouldn't surprise him that he’d been led into a situation such as this, but he always found new ways to surprise him.
"You'd be surprised." He glanced at Hannibal with a smile. A silent dance played out before his eyes, an inarticulate language shared between the two men before him. Leaving would be easier than witnessing whatever this was. He’d barely begun to shift his footing when the third party spoke up.
"Would you care to join us for dinner?"
"Dinner?" Will said, all too shocked at the invitation, sucking in a hiss of air.
"Of course, if you have no pending plans."
His smile made Will roll his eyes. Not many men could pull off the charm that Hannibal seemed to adopt effortlessly, but this one was close.
"We'd love to have you," Hannibal added with a crooked grin.
Will looked at him with a slight nod. He extended his hand, firm. "I suppose I should formally introduce myself. Hello, my name is Will Graham."
The other smiled and clasped his hand with a kind smile. "Hello Will, I'm Antony Dimmond. It's nice to officially meet you."