Work Text:
Will slumped down onto his bed, letting his dogs cuddle up to him. Abigail had just gone into hospital and he knew it was getting to him. Will couldn’t get Garret Jacob Hobs’ face out of his brain, he saw him take his last breath again and again every time he closed his eyes. Will knew he needed a distraction, he originally thought he could go fishing but thought that going straight to killing animals after killing a human wasn’t the best idea.
Then Will remembered his old hobby and climbed up to his old attic to find his old violin. He shoved a few boxes aside and found the instrument tucked into the corner. It wasn’t in its box, most of its strings were broken and the wood was rotting. With a sigh Will realised he would have to go out and buy a new one. He looked online and found a good looking shop that was close enough and drove out to it.
Will inspected the violins in the window, they were all made out of a gorgeous dark wood that was perfectly carved. The strings glistened in the sunlight and next to them lay a matching bow. As Will opens the door a small bell rang and someone shouted from the back “be with you in a minute.”
Will looked around the shop, more violins lined the walls along with other string instruments. There was a large wooded counter sitting in the centre, it had sheet music scattered all over it and a half made violin laying on its side.
A man came into the shop from the back “I’m Tobias Budge,” he said as he shook Will’s hand. He immediately noticed something different about Will but couldn’t put his finger on it.
“Will Graham,” he said “I’m just here to buy a violin,”
“I've got loads of them here,” Tobias stated “have you ever played before?”
“Yeah, but I stopped for a while” Will said as Tobias picked up a certain violin “I’m trying to get back into it,”
“Any special reason?” Tobias asked “a girl maybe?”
“Work,” Will said as Tobias handed him the violin “I’m trying to take my mind of it,”
“The strings are made with pig's gut,” he said “some people find it slightly harder to play but it sounds more authentic,” Will placed the violin to his neck and tried to play it. Instead of making a melody the violin screeched and Will pulled the bow away quickly.
“How long has it been since you played?” Tobias asked.
“Over three years I think,” Will replied.
Tobias nodded and said “try again,” as Will placed the bow against the strings Tobias carefully gripped onto Will’s wrists and pulled his hands into position. A slighter nicer sounding screech echoed around the shop.
“I could give you some lessons while your trying to get back into it,” Tobias offered as Will slowly put the violin back into its case “I have an easy schedule so whatever works with you,”
“Thanks, that would help a lot,” Will said as he clicked the case closed “I do travel sometimes for work so I might not always be here,”
“No worries,” Tobias said, “so you work in the travel industry?”
“I work with murders actually,” Will stated as he got out his wallet. Tobias couldn’t stop a smile from crossing his face at the realisation that Will had no idea what he was.
“I’m sure I can make you into a great violinist”
***
“The violin,” Hannibal said as he and Will sat in his office, “it’s a beautiful instrument and a great way to take your mind off things. I would love to hear you play sometime.”
“At the moment it sounds like a cat dying every time I try to play,” Will stated as he slouched into his chair “it’s been a few years since I picked up a violin.”
“Your muscle memory will come back with practice,”Hannibal said.
“Actually I’m getting someone to teach me how to play it,” Will stated and Hannibal couldn’t help but feel a twinge of jealousy run through him.