Work Text:
Will had never thought that it would come to this. They had been so careful. They had never gotten too cocky, even in the heat of the moment. How this all started, no one really knows. At the start of their relationship, they had decided to keep it a secret. If Will was being honest it was mostly Hannibal’s doing, although it hadn’t taken much to convince him that keeping it a secret would be most beneficial. Hannibal hadn’t been exactly careful about the things he did, but in anyone’s mind who hasn’t tasted human flesh would have never been able to tell what Hannibal typically cooked with (even for other people).
Hannibal had been extremely surprised after Will had taken those first few bites of the egg scramble, the other asked what it was. Hannibal knew that he had to lie in that moment, because he was so sure that if he had told the truth, he would have had a hell of a time covering up what would then obviously transpire. One thing that Hannibal could have never expected, though he was typically a man surprised by few things, Will though... Will was a true enigma, one that Hannibal was sure he’d never be able to solve, but he was truly intent on trying; no matter how long it would take.
Will simply smirked at the answer, rising from the table and looking like a lion stalking its prey... But little did this lion know, he was in the presence of a lion like himself. Stalking closer to Hannibal, he simply stated “It’s been a while since I have tasted such delicacy as...” he paused for dramatic effect, closely watching the other to see if he was getting a reaction out of the other. And based on what Will was seeing, Hannibal quite enjoyed what was going on. coming to a stop beside Hannibal, he leaned down. his lips hovered over the others ear “...human flesh.” before quickly pulling away. A shrill ringing echoed through the room, Will reached into his pocket and let out a soft growl as Jack Crawford flashed across the screen.", sighing he answered the phone. As they both left the building it began to rain, because as heaven grieved the loss of Will’s soul, it brought about the falling of hell’s rain.
When asked years later the couple would cite this as the moment. They knew that they would be bound together and not even death itself could dare attempt to tear them apart. In the end, it would only make it grow stronger. This was the start of their deadly pact.
One thing that they had never planned on was Abigail. She had been nearly killed by her father, which in turn caused Will to turn to Hannibal once they were completely alone, speaking in a dark tone he spoke “Oh, I want to teach you a lesson in the worst kind of way” quickly turning on his heel he walked to his separate hotel room, leaving Hannibal both amused and aroused at the situation.
Protecting Abigail had become one of their main priorities. There was only one person Will felt as though he could trust with her recovery and well-being. Along with being the only way to keep the other close; and that person was Alana Bloom. So once Abigail was released from the Hospital, she was transferred from her home in Minnesota to Baltimore. Both Will and Hannibal visited her nearly every day, both giving her advice and helping her through her troubles. It was clear that she wasn’t telling them everything, but they both knew that that would come with time. With how clever she was they knew that she would eventually figure it out, but that would come sooner than anyone could guess. It would all be thanks to Jack.
Will had hoped to never have to bring Abigail back to the place where it had all begun, but not before causing the scar on her neck. Will was afraid that it would break whatever trust she had given him. To Will it was almost like dealing with one of his dogs, when he first finds them, after earning their trust it takes a while for them to not have lapses of trust and one thing can break everything apart. Jack decided to break that all apart and it wasn’t long before they were back at the house, which had been in the process of being sold to cover the cost of the civil suits brought against Abigail’s father by the families of the victims. Jack had hoped to get Abigail to confess to helping her father, but both Will and Hannibal wouldn’t let that happen over their cold dead bodies.
In bringing her back to Minnesota, one of many things seemed to happen. First a friend of Abigail’s, Marissa, came to defend her against both her own mother and Nicholas Boyle. Will saw the spark in Hannibal’s eyes as he looked back and forth between Marissa and the shrinking form of Nicholas, Will watched the wheels in Hannibal’s head turning, lightly slammed his elbow into his side with a shake of his head.
Luck had been on Hannibal’s side. Marissa went missing and through some slight manipulating on Hannibal’s side to local police, made Nicholas the prime suspect. The day passed quickly. By letting the police look for Marissa and while waiting for any news about her, but as night was falling nothing came, Will decided to leave Hannibal and Alana with Abigail, while he went to the hotel, while they finished up with whatever psychological things that they were going to do. After an hour or so Will got a call from Hannibal simply saying, “get over here” Will immediately began the quick drive from the hotel, making his way inside the house he found Alana knocked out cold, but still breathing, making his way into the living room he found Hannibal leaning over Nicholas’s dead body, Abigail holding the knife. Without many problems he was able to figure out what happened since he was gone. With both making quick work they cleaned the room so no traces or evidence could be found, and then finally Hannibal set out to hide the body. Will looked over to Abigail and knew that he couldn’t leave her alone, at least not in her current state. After Hannibal had gotten back, Abigail let everything come to light, and it was that moment that they swore to protect her from Jack and everyone who wished to do her harm.
After they had gotten back, both Hannibal and Will’s relationship only seemed to grow, along with their relationship with Abigail. It hadn’t taken much convincing for Hannibal to gain custody over her and quickly after that he officially adopted her, it had been easy for him, since he was a respected psychiatrist and wealthy enough that she would never be wanting for anything. One thing that they couldn’t do anything about was the fact that she was in Alana’s care, but for all intents and purposes it was probably the best place for her, to help come to terms with everything that has happened. Will and Hannibal made sure to visit her every day, along with making sure that she would go out and engage with society.
In Abigail’s extended time with them, it hadn’t taken her long to figure out that there was something more between them. Although, they hadn’t been trying to hide it from her. She wasn’t going to say anything to anyone, because since Hannibal adopted her, they made a promise not to hide or lie to her, according to Hannibal, it would make her unlikely to go to the police, citing the fact that she had never said anything to anyone about her father, for fear of being alone in the world.
It had taken months, but soon Abigail was deemed well enough to be taken from Port Haven Psychiatric facility and finally placed in Hannibal’s care, in the time it had taken her to be released a lot had happened. The first being a case that had in a way messed with Will, a bit more than normal. Well…. as normal as getting into the mind of killers can be.
It had been a generally routine case, the man intent on punishing those who have done wrong in their lives, by turning them into angels, hadn't been able to catch the man before he was able to make his final angel. Will stood looking at the man who had ended his life and many others in what had to have been extremely painful. Looking at his corpse Will could have sworn that he saw the body move and looking ahead he was assaulted by a burning body of the man who had just been hanging in the rafters. Slowly the man raised his hand looking at Will as if staring into his soul and opened his mouth saying in a raspy voice “The majesty of true becoming”
Will blinked when he opened his eyes. The hallucination was gone. He was slightly startled and knew that he should talk to Hannibal about this but didn’t think that it was too big of a problem, and he didn’t wish to worry the other man. Will left the barn, his work there done. He had an ‘appointment’ with Hannibal, he knew that they weren’t going to talk very much. ‘Office sex is amazing’ Will thinks to himself.
After the ‘therapy’ session both Hannibal and Will made their way to Will’s house, the dogs were all excited to see Hannibal again, Winston was still slightly wary of the other man’s domineering presence and was especially wary of those he thought could pose a threat to his human. The dog tends to keep himself plastered to the man’s side when others are there.
Will set about the kitchen going to fix them up for a light dinner, it was a rare occurrence for Hannibal to let Will cook, and he was going to take full advantage of that. Hannibal enjoyed making culinary masterpieces, whereas Will tended to enjoy a more simplistic meal. Will stood at the stove watching his pans as the food cooked, he had decided to make just a simple pasta dish. Will felt Hannibal behind him, suddenly arms wrapped around his waist, nuzzling his nose in Will's soft curly hair. Hannibal took a deep breath smelling a slightly odd scent, it smelt like burning. Hannibal hummed as he racked his mind trying to figure out the cause could be of this smell. Hannibal felt Will moving around, continuing to focus on the meal, so that he wouldn’t burn it (a specialty of his when cooking). A few moments later Hannibal let go of Will, knowing that he shouldn’t distract the other from cooking.
The more Hannibal thought of it the more he was sure that the burning smell was encephalitis. He hadn’t smelt something like that in a long time, not since he had been a medical doctor. He knew if left untreated problems could become severe and, well Hannibal wouldn’t have normally left it alone to see how it would affect Will, but things have so obviously changed. He had to tell Will that he should go see a doctor about it, but Hannibal also knew that Will has an aversion to doctors; along with knowing that he may have to take time off would make him unlikely to seek treatment… unless he was tricked or forced to go. Lost in his thoughts, he was brough out of it by Will telling him that Dinner was done. Making his way over to the set table, he sat across from will, they ate dinner in relative silence, basking in each other’s presence. After dinner while they were cleaning the dishes, Hannibal figured he should bring up what he suspected.
“William?” Hannibal said, knowing that with the use of the others' full name he would know that Hannibal was being serious.
“Yeah, what’s up?” Will asked slightly off kilter using his full first name.
“Have you been experiencing things like nightmares, hallucinations, severe headaches, or sleep walking?” Hannibal asked knowing that the answer to this would confirm what he already knew.
Will paused, he knew that he had to answer the other, he also knew that he couldn’t lie to the other, as he would catch him nearly right away. Will also knew that if Hannibal knew about what was happening, he would make him get it checked out. Thinking over his options, he realized that lying to Hannibal was the worse of the two options (especially if he found out). Will sighed before answering “Yes, but I have had nightmares for a while… The sleepwalking, headaches and hallucinations are all relatively new”
Hannibal thought about it for a moment before speaking “William I think that you are suffering from something called encephalitis, which is caused by inflammation of the brain, from what you said it is probably a severe case of it, although if these things have just started then we have perhaps caught it early enough. In my professional opinion you should get an MRI to confirm it”
Will knew that Hannibal was right, he sighed out a simple “fiiine” as quick as he had gotten it out, Hannibal was on the phone making him an appointment. After a few calls he had an appointment to go to the doctors the next day.
*****
By the time that Abigail had been released, Will had been better and was back at work. He was happy to be back in the field, while he had kept teaching during the time, he was getting his encephalitis treated. Will hadn’t been allowed to go back into the field at least until both Hannibal and his doctor. Jack had been livid that he wouldn’t be able to use will while he was recovering, but there had been nothing he could do about it. But now he was back and felt better than before, he had never realized how much he would miss the presence of Beverly, Zeller, and Peirce.
Both Will and Hannibal were happy to spend time with Abigail, but she was to be starting school soon. It had taken some long conversations, but they figured it would be best for her to go to school nearby, but an all-girl boarding school (it had been Alana’s idea, feeling that because of her past that it would be best for her). She would be able to come to Hannibal’s house whenever she wants if she didn’t skip school to do it. They spent as much time with her as possible, becoming closer and closer, until Abigail couldn’t help but view them as her fathers. Abigail realized that well you can’t pick the family you are born into, you can find yourself an even better family.
Sooner than anyone wanted they were saying goodbye to Abigail, making her promise to visit and to do good in school. But as Will and Hannibal soon learned it was probably a good thing that she had gone to boarding school when she did, since things began to heat up.
It had caused Will to panic, when Jack cornered him in his classroom, although having Beverly there made Will feel slightly better, Jack stood by the door, after letting Zeller and pierce in he investigated the hall making sure that no one was eavesdropping then shut the door. What happened next could barely be believed. Jack was onto Hannibal, but luckily for them Jack was unaware that he did in fact not work alone. Jack couldn’t confirm it yet, but they had some proof. He wanted them to continue as normal, but to be wary of him along with trying to find proof. After they had left, Will knew that he had to tell Hannibal, but he also couldn’t rush out of the building, because it could raise suspicions. Will decided to grade some of his students’ assignments, after a couple of hours passed, he made his way out of the building and to his weekly ‘appointment’ with Hannibal.
Knowing that they had to talk will burst into Hannibal’s office, talking at a mile a minute, telling the other everything that Jack had told him. Will watched as Hannibal leaned back in his chair clearly deep in thought. He had let Will know that he would take care of it, and while he couldn’t stop them from figuring at least some things out, he had a plan, one where they would be able to be together without worry.
It had been a wild couple of weeks, Hannibal had tied up a few loose ends before Jack could connect him to anything. When it finally came too, Will knew that he and Jack would be the ones arresting Hannibal. Will wasn’t excited for it, but knew it was inevitable
It had been weeks since Will had last seen Hannibal, he had never spent so much time away from the other, not since they had first started dating. The more Will thought about it, it was honestly a wonder that they haven’t been found out yet. And those who usually found out, didn’t get very far, simply being extras in the grand story of their lives.
Hannibal looks up from where he was sitting on his bed reading, it was a book that he had read a thousand times before a classic, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde; many wouldn’t figure out that he had based some of his career on the aspect of having two separate personas, mainly he took being a respected person in his field (choosing psychology), who also has a tendency to meddle with the darker side of his field. Hannibal watched as Will surveyed the room finding the two cameras, one that was high in Hannibal’s room, it was more comfortable than a cell. And the one that was in the room that Wills was in, Hannibal figured it was there in case Hannibal got to the one in his room. Hannibal got up from his bed, setting the book down, not even bothering to put a bookmark in it due to how many times he has read it before. Hannibal made his way over to the large clear window that had an area to receive things from the outside world that Frederick brought in each time he wanted something out of Hannibal, one thing he doesn’t know is that most of the time he is being played by Hannibal. And then small holes in the thick clear plexiglass to make talking easier.
Both Will and Hannibal stood staring at each other for a long moment. Neither of them moving. They were just basking in each other’s presence; it had taken Will a long time to be able to see the other. Jack had been one of the hardest to convince, but through a bit of manipulation of Chilton and then in turn Jack to maybe get more information out of Hannibal.
Will put his hand on the glass where Hannibal’s also sat, even though they wouldn’t be able to feel the warmth of each other’s touch, but they only let their hands be this close for a moment, at the very least they were blocking the cameras views on their hands, but they couldn’t let themselves linger for fear of being caught.
“Will look at me” Hannibal said looking at the other concerned for what is going through Will’s mind in that moment. Hannibal wished that he could caress the others face, but the clear wall in between them stops any chance of that.
Will couldn’t help but look at Hannibal, he was almost powerless to stop his eyes from meeting his. It was like an electric shock running though his body. With the eye contact Will could practically feel the love, affection, and sorrow through his eyes. Both knew that there was a chance that they were being filmed, so they couldn’t really voice their true feelings mainly for fear of getting caught in the well told, but numerous lies and falsities.
Hannibal smiled at will, one that to other people would seem menacing, but to Will it meant the world. It also conveyed the truth that one day Hannibal would escape, and that they would finally be reunited and nothing else would be able to tear them apart. It had been by a narrow margin that Hannibal hadn’t been given the death sentence, mainly due to Will’s help in finding scapegoats for the other crimes and helping to ‘clean up’ the very minor loose ends to give Hannibal a clear and impenetrable alibi.
Will was knocked out of his trance by someone knocking on the door signaling that their time was ending and that it was time for Will to leave. As Will grabbed the door to leave, Hannibal cleared his throat causing Will to turn and look at him.
Hannibal smiles at Will before speaking “just remember still, I'd trade all my tomorrows for just one yesterday”
Will feels slight tears well up in his eyes, understanding the deeper message before quickly responding to Hannibal “I saved it all for you, for just one yesterday” Will just took a deep breath before opening the door and walking out of the room feeling slightly lighter. Knowing that they would meet again, and soon they would be together again and take the world by storm.