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Hannibal walked across the deck, pausing in front of Will. He turned. “Would you like to play Questions?”
“Had we stopped?” Will replied. That was probably fair.
“Do you still think we’re dead?” That was probably not.
“Yes or no?”
“Is there a choice?”
“Is there a god?”
“Foul, no rhetoric.”
Will somehow glared and rolled his eyes at the same time, then began undoing a button on his shirt.
“What are you doing?”
“Do I not take a forfeit?”
Hannibal stared, at a loss.
“Foul, no pausing.” Will flopped back against the mast with a pirate grin.
Hannibal laughed, honest-to-goodness laughed, which would have been the most surreal moment in Will’s recent life, if he weren’t already on a Dream Ship to Nowhere.
Hannibal hugged his arms around his chest, still grinning. He looked at Will’s undone buttons. “Aren’t you going to get cold?”
“Are you concerned about my well-being, Dr. Lecter?”
“Is that surprising?”
“What changed?”
“Have you not changed too?”
Will paused, looking strangely teetery. Hannibal opened his mouth to call him on his delay, so Will jumped – “Do you love me?”
Hannibal did not pause. “Yes.”
The sea seemed suddenly very quiet.
“Statement,” Will said softly. “One-two."
Hannibal took off his jacket, and tossed it to Will. He put it on.
“What will you do if you win?” Hannibal asked.
“Does one of us have to?”
“You prefer the zero-sum game?”
Will squinted up one of his eyes, already rueing the pun. “Aren’t we fit to be tied?” Hannibal beamed.
“Would you take a forfeit in order to even the score?”
“What do you have in mind?”
Hannibal pivoted a little, pleased with the neatness of it: "Truth or dare?”
“Dare.”
“Two-two.”
Hannibal held out his hand, and pulled Will to his feet.