Chapter Text
Hannibal was sinking, in mind and body. He couldn’t stop thinking about Will, because Will had chosen, and that meant everything. They are in his memory palace now, waiting to survive or, not.
“May I…” Hannibal started.
“No, not yet. Because I’m not sure.”
The question hung in the air for a short time and then Hannibal started listening to his name, being spoken by Will, in the deep.
He could breath again without feeling agony and that meant a rebirth, he started to cough and opened his eyes, trying to fix his vision on Will. He looked at him, observing intently.
Since we're feeling so anaesthetised
In our comfort zone
Reminds me of the second time
That I followed you home
We're running out of alibis
From the second of May
Reminds me of the summer time
On this winter's day
They’re losing blood, they had to take care of their wounds soon or there would not be an “after death”. Hannibal rose and made a bandage for himself, then looked towards Will and striped his own shirt, making another one for him.
“We should be dead...” Will’s voice sounded far and weak.
Hannibal knew his love for Will saved his life. It had been a huge effort and, considering their wounds, he can’t explain how it was done. He helped Will to get up and they started to walk together, supporting each other. They walked a short path to a little depot. They approached it and Hannibal removed a floorboard to reveal a bunch of keys.
“Is this yours?” said Will in a low voice.
“Yes.” Hannibal opened the door. Inside a black dusty car was awaiting them. Hannibal cleaned the mirror and windows, then got in the car, waiting for Will. Will walked slowly and when he got inside he almost fell, clearly dizzy and suffering from his wounds.
See you at the bitter end
Every step we take that's synchronized
Every broken bone
Reminds me of the second time
That I followed you home
Hannibal drove for an hour, stopping in a small town, near a medical center while he thought about what they were going to do. Maybe Canada? Europe? No, he couldn’t go to Europe, but they had the entire world at their feet, or at least this is how he feels about them. Because now there is a them . It is night and the medical centre is quiet. Hannibal easily finds a room full of surgical items - they break a glass and entered without being discovered. There is no alarm, it is so easy to do what they need to.
From the time we intercepted
Feels a lot like suicide
Slow and sad, grown inside us
Arouse and see you're mine
(See you at the bitter end)
Love has seen your run-around
Who wanna seek you now?
I want a peace
I'd whine out
(See you at the bitter end)
A Few Weeks Later
Finally, they are in Canada, maybe it wasn’t the best option but it was a start. The first few days were to recover from their wounds, and they hardly speak, only what is necessary to be said in order to move on and survive. The cold weather helps them to go unnoticed. Hannibal, of course, has a lot of resources and money he has secreted around the world so they don’t need to work. They don’t have to wait to continue this new life. Together - the thought made the breath catch in Will’s chest increase.
“How do you feel?” Hannibal asks him. They lay close but not touching on a hotel bed.
“Fine...How about you?” Will says completely sincere, he was worried because Hannibal had said almost nothing in the past weeks. Will knows that he hasn’t been very receptive but now that he feels better and his head has stopped spinning so much, it feels like things are going to be fine again.
“I am fine. I...was a worried about of you, Will.”
“Uh?” Suddenly a thought comes from a memory, but he denies it to himself. “You know. I have to ask.” he says looking at Hannibal, as the memory resurfaces once more. “Do you love me Hannibal?”
The question hung in the air for a few moments and Hannibal moves closer to Will on the hotel bed, as he considers Will’s words.
“You need to hear it I suppose? Yes. Did Bedelia tell you?” He watches Will’s eyes open wide, and Hannibal knows that it is from hearing the words from his own lips - as though, for Will, a veil was falling away .
“Did you know that she…?”
“Now I’m sure.” Hannibal smiles for a second and focuses on the conversation. “What are your feelings on this? On how I feel?”
“I...I never thought about...loving a man but it doesn’t feel... bad. Maybe because it’s you” Will looked at him and for the very first time touched his face, gently. Hannibal closes his eyes and savours the feeling of Will’s hands. “I mean, i’m not gay and I don’t know if I can satisfy your needs” His hand still on Hannibal’s cheek, as if memorizing Hannibal’s face.
“Will, you don’t have to do anything. I’m happy with this.” He took Will’s hand and kissed it gently. Will withdrew it suddenly, as if he had been burned by Hannibal’s lips.
“Fuck.” Will rises abruptly and goes to the bathroom, closing the door. He can feel that his cheeks are flushed. He feels upset, strange. But at the same time his heart is pounding in his chest with force. He feels like a teenager. Will takes a breath, and tries to calm himself - he’s had too many years managing control just to throw it away now. After another steadying breath, Will leaves the bathroom and looks at Hannibal.
“Don’t touch me like that again.” Will breaths out the words with confusion but no anger.
“All right-” Hannibal starts, just to be interrupted.
“Unless I ask you to.” Will adds carefully.
Hannibal accepts Will’s words and nods as he looks into Will’s eyes. He can read perfectly the emotions behind that expression Will can’t play hide and seek as well as he does, not least because he is still panting softly and his pupils are dilated.
“Are you okay?”
“Fuck Hannibal, don’t ask obvious things!” Will practically barks out the words. Rude.
Will immediately changes his expression and approaches him, breaking his own personal space, and grabbing his gray jacket.
“I’m sorry, too much for today.” Will drops to his knees in front of Hannibal and covers his face with hands, trying to focus again. “Are you upset?” he asks behind his hands.
“No, Will. I understand how do you feel.” Hannibal answers softly. Hannibal inhales deeply and he knows. He feels the fear, the anxiety, but also the blood and... the lust. Will is considering it, for the first time considering a physical relationship and all Hannibal can do is close his hands tightly so as to not touch him.
Will lifts his head from his hands and looks at him intensely. “I want you to touch me. Only my face, no kissing.” The last all but a whisper.
We all have a weakness
But some of ours are easy to identify.
Look me in the eyes
And ask for forgiveness;
We'll make a pact to never speak that word again
Yes you are my friend.
We all have something that digs at us,
At least we dig each other
So when weakness turns my ego up
I know you'll count on the me from yesterday
If I turn into another
Dig me up from under what is covering
The better part of me
Sing this song
Remind me that we'll always have each other
When everything else is gone.
Hannibal opens his hands and slowly reaches for Will’s temples. His first touch is soft, he doesn’t want to scare Will and already feels his heart beating hard. He focuses on Will and is lost in those big blue eyes, already starting to come undone at being able to touch him in this way.
“Will…?” He starts, but Will closes his eyes in answer and enjoys Hannibal’s hands touching him.
Will swallows hard and opens his mouth a little, because those hands feel powerful in their skin and he knows what’s happening. He knows how he is unfurling.
Will takes Hannibal’s hand in his own, opening his eyes again.
“I need time.” He mutters, trying not to be overwhelmed.
“I know” Hannibal replies smiling. “Time is something we have now.”
“I would never have thought I might need this...I mean...from…”
“From another man?”
Will doesn’t answer, he simply takes Hannibal’s other hand and keeps them between his.
Hannibal gets lost again without saying a word, he feels unstoppable with Will at his side.