Chapter Text
Will looked out over the water, taking in the sight of the infinite horizon and dappled surface of the ocean.
After all the years he had spent out there, Will had never grown used to the immensity of the thing. It made him feel minute the first time he had set out, but having conquered it many times over now, he felt powerful.
It was a godlike feeling, having conquered the ocean.
Will loved being on the water, and everything that came with it. His mind could settle in the vast isolation, and the sounds of the ever shifting water lulled his thoughts into much friendlier realms than he used to suffer.
Will knew there were people back on shore that thought he must be insane, or be on his way, because he spent so much time by himself out on the water. He knew other fishermen, all having at least one other person on their boat at all times. He was the only one in the area who set sail all on his own, and preferred it that way.
The ocean didn’t judge you, and it was the only friend Will needed.
Now, despite not being insane, at least not certifiably, Will was not an ordinary fisherman.
Will caught fish for himself, and a few that he sold to some of his friends, but he mostly monitored the populations of creatures in the water off the coast.
Will had taken to cleaning the water as well, dragging out trash that had made its way into the currents. He also ended up being something of a marine veterinarian, treating injured turtles and sharks if he came across them. He had untangled hundreds of nets and discarded fishing lines from the creatures.
Will took a deep breath in.
“Just you and me,” Will said, looking down into the water, “a man and the sea.”
Will huffed a laugh at himself, leaning on the railing at the bow.
“Hopefully someday you’ll be healthy again,” Will told the water, “without pollution and garbage choking you. Able to breathe again. I’ll do everything I can to help you get there.”
It was a promise Will had made the ocean about a hundred times before, and one he intended to make a hundred times more. He loved the ocean, and he protected the things he loved as well as he could.
The water patted along the side of the boat, as if telling him to get to work, and Will smiled.
“Alright,” he said, heaving himself up off the rail and heading to the helm and starting off, “let’s see what you’ve got for me today.”
Will’s relationship with the ocean was usually pleasant. He did his best not to make it angry, and it provided him with good wind and plenty to find and do. Occasionally, the winds would change and he would have to fight tooth and nail to keep his boat from going under, but the ocean was always there on the other side, offering up the food and comfort he asked of it.
Will was no stranger in the ocean. He knew the water as well as himself, and he understood it. He had not been a stranger on the water since he was twelve years old, and the ocean was his oldest friend.
---
“How’s Nola?”
Will smiled, watching as Martha weighed the fish she was buying from him this time.
“She’s handling as well as ever,” Will replied, “saw a turtle swimming in her wake this time, and I didn’t even have to pull it up. Nothing wrong with her.”
Martha smiled up at Will, handing him the cash for the fish.
Will had done a lot of work on the Nola. She was entirely unique, modified specifically for what Will did. He had added platforms and ladders for when he needed to get down to the surface of the water in order to pull a turtle, shark or dolphin out and take care of them. It happened often enough that he had decided it was a good investment of his time and resources, and it worked like a charm.
No sea creature had ever shown fear in Will’s presence. He wasn’t sure why exactly that was, but he was glad of it when he needed to remove hooks or nets from them.
“If it were anyone else doing all that to their ship, I’d bet money they go down within a day,” Martha told him solemnly, “but you have a way about you, Cielo, don’t you? I wouldn’t even bat an eye if you told me you’re secretly a sea god.”
Will laughed.
All the locals had nicknames for him, and they spanned across just about every language. The population of the town was a patchwork of ethnicities, but they all respected Will. After only a few years of him living there, they had adopted him as one of their own, and rarely ever called him by his actual name.
“As far as I know, I’m just a man, but I’ll let you know if I learn different,” Will promised, “anything you want me to be on the lookout for next time I head off?”
Martha considered that for a moment, but shook her head.
“You’re too good to all of us, Guapo. I can’t think of anything to ask of you. Just be safe out there. The sea is a temperamental mistress.”
Will smiled and nodded.
“Only to those that don’t understand her,” he teased, “But I’ll be sure to stay safe. I’ll tell Nola you say hi.”
Martha laughed as Will walked out of her little shop and headed to his next stop. He always made the rounds when he came back to shore, and the pattern was familiar to the other locals, so he was probably already expected at his next stop.
“Etoile!” Leon called from the back of his shop when Will entered, “It’s been a minute! Wait a second and I’ll come around!”
Will laughed and turned to look at the stuff on Leon’s shelves as he waited. Leon had some of the best fishing equipment in the state, and Will didn’t trust anyone else to give him his money’s worth. They were friendly enough that Will could even borrow things on occasion, promising to return them the next time he was on land. Leon trusted Will.
“Perle,” Leon said, clasping Will’s hand in a warm shake, “how have you been?”
Will smiled warmly.
“I’m great, and Nola is more seaworthy than ever. Anything exciting happen while I was out on the blue?”
Leon grinned and waved for Will to follow him into the back of the shop. That was where he spent a lot of time, and Will was one of the only people he ever allowed back there as well. Leon kept his own favorite things back there, only bringing them out for those smart enough to ask for them specifically, and he had it set up with coffee and snacks at all times for his own comfort.
Leon handed Will a mug of coffee, tossing a plate of cookies onto the table and sitting down.
Will sat down as well, taking a careful sip of the hot liquid.
“There’s some dressy guy who came into town just yesterday. He’s been asking around about fishermen. No one can get out of him why he’s so curious, but he’s polite enough. Sounds like some sort of Viking as well, the way he talks,” Leon confided, always the easiest source of local gossip.
Will raised an eyebrow.
“A well-dressed Viking has been asking about fishermen,” he surmised, “sounds a bit like you’ve been out in the sun too long.”
Leon shook his head, huffing a laugh.
“You’re one to talk,” he said pointedly, nodding at Will’s dark tan, “but you’ll see. You can’t miss him. Says he’s some sort of doctor, but no one’s asked him what kind. One look, and you’ll know who I’m talking about.”
The bell at the front of the shop rang, and Leon stood up sharply. He headed out to the shop to take care of whatever customer it might be.
“Ah! Speak of the devil!” Will heard Leon say, “What can I do for you today, Doctor Lecter?”
Will was too curious to stay out of sight the whole time. He knew he was going to go out there and try to catch a glimpse of this guy. He took a long drink of his coffee as he tried to wait for the right moment.
“You were speaking of me?” another voice answered, “I do hope I have not done anything to make you say anything unpleasant.”
Now Will understood why Leon had called him a Viking. He hadn’t been referring to his speech patterns or word choice. It was his accent. Something from one of a handful of small countries, exotic but pleasant as it curled over the words.
The man sounded amused more than truly concerned, which Will was glad for. He didn’t want to get Leon in trouble with anyone.
“Oh, of course not, Monsieur,” Leon promised, “I was only telling one of my good friends about you, as he just came back to shore. I try to keep him updated on all the local happenings.”
“Is my arrival seen as a significant occurrence?”
Will stood up and stretched before he walked out.
“It’s just a tight knit community,” Will replied, drawing the new man’s gaze, “so anything or anyone new is a topic of conversation. You also happen to make quite the first impression.”
Will looked over the man, taking note of his expensively tailored suit and leather shoes. His hair was combed harshly back away from his face, and he certainly looked European enough with his high cheekbones and severe browline.
“I do hope it is a good first impression,” the man replied, tipping his head curiously, “I am Doctor Hannibal Lecter. I presume you are Mister Rawlins’ good friend he referred to just now.”
Will nodded curtly, running a hand through his hair.
“That would be me,” he agreed, “as for your first impression, you mostly come across as odd in these parts. You don’t exactly look like a tourist, nor do you look like a fishmonger. That makes you stand out in a place like this. We don’t get a lot of old money nobles around here.”
Lecter smiled, seeming amused.
“I don’t suppose you happen to be a fisherman, do you?” he asked, his words flowing smoothly over his tongue like sweet venom.
Will raised an eyebrow and risked glancing up to meet the man’s eyes.
Lecter had dark brown eyes, looking almost red in the light of the shop. His eyes sparkled with mischief, as if he were playing some sort of game with them and found it terribly amusing.
“I’m a bit of everything,” Will said, choosing not to make anything too easy for the man, “I don’t ascribe to any title specifically, at least not one I’ve heard yet. What are you a doctor of?”
The man seemed pleased with Will’s pushing back.
“A fair few things, as it happens, I would love to discuss it further if you would allow me to buy you lunch.”
Will frowned, but didn’t see any reason to say no. It wasn’t as if the man could do anything to him while Will was on familiar turf and he wasn’t.
“Fair enough,” Will said, “the best food in the area is at Sofia’s. Ask anyone for directions if you can’t find it. I’ll let you get back to your shopping.”
Will caught the suggestive expression Leon shot in his direction as he waved to the pair, but he ignored it. He wasn’t good with people, he didn’t want to get into anything, and he wasn’t exactly relationship material either. He didn’t have time for anything like that.