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The combination of blood and saltwater in Will’s mouth made his stomach churn. Darkness engulfed the sea, allowing eyes to perceive only faint silhouettes of the sharp rocks that surrounded them. Will feared that the current of the vast and bitter ocean would drag him under with no intent of letting him back up.
“Will?” Hannibal called out, his voice strained and filled with panic. He scanned the area around him, but the shadows of the night blinded him from seeing properly. He surmised that Will had the strength to stay afloat and hoped that his voice would carry over the water to guide Will towards him. Fortunately, Will heard him.
He began swimming towards the voice that yelled for him. The strong waves debilitated him, but Will continued to use the last of his strength to swim closer to Hannibal. As Hannibal’s voice grew louder, Will was infused with confidence that they would survive this together.
Mercifully, he laid his eyes on the man who was desperately searching the dark waters for him once more before his limbs gave out, and the ocean, just as planned, dragged him into the deep. His lungs burned for oxygen, but he was without the vigor to resist the relentless current.
Relief washed over him as he felt a hand clasp his forearm, unaware of how far he had sunk. He coveted air but worried that his last breath was already taken. In that moment, his only desire was for Hannibal to successfully save the two of them. Will attempted to use his free arm to paddle upwards and be of some help, but it fell limp against his side. It wouldn’t be long until Hannibal was enervated as well.
As Will’s head went above the surface, he gasped for air and choked up the water that nearly took his life. His vision was blurred, but he could see a subdued light in the distance that expanded in size and brightness as the seconds passed. Hannibal’s arm was now propped underneath both of Will’s, squeezing the man tightly against him with no forethought of letting him go. He was immensely grateful of Hannibal’s ability to be impressively buoyant.
Time slowed, and so did he. He felt lightheaded, and the pain only grew more intense and showed no signs of remorse. He struggled to keep his eyes open, seeing only blurs of motions. The saltwater mixed into his wounds and felt like a thousand tiny knives stabbing him simultaneously.
Will couldn’t make out what Hannibal was shouting. His voice was muffled, and Will only saw the blur of his mouth opening and closing as gibberish escaped it. But as he yelled, the light grew closer.
He suddenly had the sensation of being lifted up, but it wasn’t Hannibal who was doing the lifting. The hands felt bony and delicate but full of potent, and Will’s deduction led him to believe that the hands belonged to a woman.
He heard a thud but was unaware of who or what made the sound. As time began to freeze and the world around him grew darker than the night, he collapsed onto another person he could only imagine to be Hannibal. Though his limbs throbbed and his wounds caused him to feel pangs, the warmth of Hannibal against him offered him slight comfort.
With his head resting on Hannibal’s chest and a handful of his sweater in his hand, Will succumbed to his mind slipping into unconsciousness.
***
Will woke up on a soft surface, only which he could assume to be a bed. He was buried under warm covers with a strange sense of tranquility surrounding him. The lack of last night’s coldness and anxiety was solacing. As his ears picked up the sound of soft voices speaking among themselves, he slowly opened his eyes to reveal Hannibal sitting on the edge of the bed next to him, conversing with a woman and man.
Will averted their eyes as the unfamiliar pair regarded his awakening. Hannibal, noticing their gaze, turned around to face him as well.
“Hello, Will.” Hannibal greeted with a smile. He gestured to the man and woman standing behind him. “This is Gregory and his wife, Peggy. They discovered us stranded out in the water and brought us back to their lovely cabin.”
Will nodded and gave them a small wave, not feeling apt to open his mouth and speak. It was at this moment when Will finally noticed that Hannibal was shirtless and his bullet wound was patched up. Will felt sutures and a twinge where Francis had stabbed his cheek as he brushed his fingers against the wound. He supposed that touching it wasn’t such a great idea.
“We were out boating last night and noticed you two struggling out there. Thank God your husband was able to keep afloat and signal us, or else we wouldn’t have been able to see you guys.” Will almost laughed as Gregory considered them to be husbands. Hannibal had no reason to tell them so, but now Will had no other choice than to play along.
“I can’t believe you two survived that fall.” Peggy remarked. “You were both in such bad shape when we found you; we were afraid that you wouldn’t make it back to the cabin alive!”
“I hope we didn’t burden you with our presence. A ruined romantic night-out never fails to disappoint.” Hannibal said.
“No, not at all! We’re just glad you’re okay. It was really convenient that we were out pretty late.” Peggy’s cheerfulness made Will feel a bit petulant.
“You’re free to stay a few more days until you feel well enough to get back on your feet, if you’d like.”
“Thank you, Gregory, for the generous offer. But if we may, I believe my husband and I would prefer to have a discussion by ourselves.”
“Oh, that’s not a problem. We’ll leave you alone for a while. Just shout if you need us.”
As Greg and Peggy left the room and closed the door behind them, Hannibal adjusted himself so he was resting against the backboard. There was minimal space between them now, their bodies almost touching.
“Husband?” Will asked jocundly.
“I felt it was only appropriate if I said we were married. Those who are not in love do not usually plummet off a cliff together, Will.”
“Those who are in love tend to stay away from plunging into the ocean.”
“If you do recall, it was not my intention of falling off that cliff.”
“And I did not intend that we survive.”
“Then what do you propose will happen now, Will?”
Will hesitated, unsure of what he wanted to say. “We live together as we were always meant to.”
Hannibal flashed a charming smile towards Will. It was undoubtedly his original plan that the fall would end both of their lives. But if they could not die as one, then they would live and kill as one. It was something that Will always denied he would want until they slayed the Dragon together.
“What do you think of Paris, Will?”
Of course . They’d have to run away and escape the country or face imprisonment. Hopefully, they’d have a better chance to explore freely this time around. “I think it’d be nice to have some sort of a ‘romantic getaway’ before Jack and Alana find us.”
“You’ll have to leave your dogs. Your wife and stepson will be without a husband and father. Are you willing to give that up?”
Will hadn’t even thought of Molly or Walter ever since he was reunited with Hannibal without a glass wall separating them. Killing with Hannibal gave him a rush of adrenaline that he would be unable to achieve with anyone else. He’d miss his dogs especially, but he could no longer imagine living without Hannibal.
“The dogs will be with a loving family who will take care of them. They...they don’t need me anymore.” Will paused for a moment before speaking again. “How would we even to get to Paris without being caught?”
“We’ll sail across the Atlantic, just as you did for me once before.”
In a brief moment of silence, Hannibal and Will were able to hear the faint but clear sound of a news reporter speaking. With the TV set to the news, Greg and Peggy’s family were bound to soon discover who they had helped. Hannibal mused at the thought of this.
“Recently, Hannibal ‘The Cannibal’ Lecter escaped from Baltimore State Hospital for the Criminally Insane, where he had been institutionalized for three years. He is believed to have fled with ‘Special Agent’ Will Graham, who may have played a part in helping him. They were assumed to be hiding at one of Lecter’s homes, where the body of Francis Dolarhyde was found. Dolarhyde, more popularly known as the ‘Tooth Fairy’, was found dead from several wounds in his torso, limbs, and throat. There was no sign of Lecter and Graham at the scene, and both are presumed to be missing. More news as this story develops.”
“I believe that is our cue to leave.” Hannibal pronounced, standing up from the bed. He headed over to Will’s side and graciously offered his hand. “Come, Will. Paris awaits our arrival.”
Will took his hand and Hannibal helped him off the bed. He politely held the door open for Will and allowed him to leave the room first, closing it behind him as they both exited.
As they headed for the front door of the cabin, they walked past the family who had saved their lives. They stood there with wobbling knees and an amusing amount of fear in their eyes. Greg and Peggy were positioned in front of their three children, guarding them with their bodies. Despite the family outnumbering them, Hannibal’s confidence did not falter. If he and Will were forced to fight, he understood that they would win.
“Thank you for aiding us, Gregory and Peggy,” Hannibal said, expressing his genuine gratitude. “In return for your silence, we will spare you. Hannibal Lecter and Will Graham are dead, and you have never crossed paths with them.”
“Yes, yes. We swear we’ll keep quiet.” Gregory promised, the words rapidly flying out of his mouth. Hannibal imagined the things he’d do to the man if that promise was broken.
“Please don’t hurt us.” Will was entertained by the lack of joy in Peggy’s voice. He indulged in the shakiness of her words, feeling the rush of adrenaline once again. Hannibal changed him in a way that nobody has ever affected him, and he felt amazing .
Without saying another word, Hannibal and Will left the cabin, elated by the feeling of the sun on their skin. Will looked down as Hannibal brushed their hands together, gently lacing his fingers through Will’s. The serenity of the outdoors made up for the physical pain they sustained.
As they ambled further from the secluded cabin, they prepared to leave their old lives behind them. They stepped in synchronization with their fingers intertwined and entered their new life together.
***
Three weeks ago, Hannibal and Will had jointly slaughtered the Great Red Dragon and tumbled off a cliff. Now, Will sat on their king-size bed and stared at the ring on his finger as he felt Hannibal press soft kisses on his bare shoulder. The ring’s very presence imbued Will with comfort and rapture.
Though the marriage license belonged to Victor and David Colley, Will and Hannibal had married each other. They were living their new life in Paris as husbands, and Will was not bothered by the absence of penitence for leaving everything he grew up with behind. He was untroubled and jubilant.
Will grabbed the bandage that laid on the bed beside him. Hannibal adjusted himself so that he could still be close to Will without getting in his way as he removed the dressing. When Will was finished, Hannibal delicately wrapped his arms around his waist and planted his lips against the nape of his neck.
Although he was pleased by Hannibal’s tender kisses, Will beamed as he saw the golden retriever trot towards him. Hannibal reflected his expression and shifted to Will’s side. He was never quite fond of dogs, but this certain pooch was able to earn his affection. While searching for apartments, Will ordered for it to be pet-friendly, and Hannibal was willing to pay that price for Will’s happiness. He no longer regretted that decision, for it brought him joy as well.
“C’mere, Maggie.” Will vocalized, opening his arms in a welcoming manner. Maggie placed herself in the small gap between Will’s legs with her tail wagging excitedly. Will pet her on the back of her neck, enjoying the feel of his fingers running through her soft fur. The corners of Hannibal’s lips curved upwards from the euphoric sight of Will and Maggie’s shared bliss.
After a few moments passed, Maggie left Will and sat in front of Hannibal. “Do you mind letting her out, Will?” Hannibal requested as he stroked her under her chin.
“Not at all.” Will replied. He put his shirt back on and left their bed, walking to the dresser where her leash laid immaculately. He grabbed it and called for Maggie, who approached him immediately. He attached it to her collar and brought her outside, leaving Hannibal by himself.
Will returned minutes later to find Hannibal sitting against the backboard with a book in one of his hands. It was his instinct to settle next to him, sighing as he adjusted himself to be in a comfortable position. He looked beside him, Hannibal meeting his eyes. They both grinned, and Hannibal guided his hand towards Will’s and tightened his fingers around it. Will squeezed, and Hannibal squeezed back.
“Do you ever miss your life before all of…” Will gestured to the space around them, “this?”
“There is nothing for me to miss, Will. This is all I ever wanted.” Hannibal recalled the moment they shared at the cliff’s edge.
“God, do you really have to be so tacky?” Will chuckled.
“I’m afraid so. Nothing is preventing me from being banal, so I will continue to do so.” Will snorted, but he did not reply, for he had no remarks that he wished to voice. In their silence, Will checked his phone, and Hannibal went back to reading. Some may consider this boring, but the couple found enjoyment in its placidity.
“Have Molly and Walter crossed your mind since we arrived in Paris?” Hannibal asked, his question tearing through the silence.
Will pondered what he would say. Of course he thought of them; they were once his wife and son. He couldn’t forget about them easily. “Yes, they have.”
“Do you wish to return to them?”
“No,” Will replied, this time without hesitation. “I miss them, but I can’t leave after everything that has happened these past weeks. I can’t leave you. I... ache for you, Hannibal.”
Bedelia echoed in his mind. He wondered what she was up to, assuming that she was planning on fleeing to somewhere supposedly safe, just as he anticipated.
“We should pay Dr. Du Maurier a visit.” Will finally suggested.
“When we regain our strength and heal fully, that will be first on our agenda. I’m certain Bedelia would love to see us appear at her doorstep.”
Will found amusement at the hint of sarcasm hidden in Hannibal’s voice. Both men relished at the thought of Bedelia being their second victim. Hannibal had killed on his own ever since they arrived at Paris, but Will felt too infirm, thus making him unable to aid his husband in the hunt for their dinner.
The two slowly drifted back into silence, but there was a question on Will’s mind that was itching to be asked.
“Are you in love with me?” Will blurted. Hannibal hadn’t said anything of the sort since they fell, proving nothing of what Bedelia established before they absconded. In the weeks they were married, they touched, kissed, had wonderful sex; but for whatever reason, they never once mentioned love. Will’s curiosity finally reached its acme, and he now desired confirmation.
“You caught my eye from the very first instance we met. That infatuation happened to only grow into something much more substantial than I intended.” Hannibal paused, but only for a moment. “I love you, Will.”
A smile crept onto Will’s mouth as he leaned in towards his husband. Their lips met in the middle, noses brushing against each other. Will melted into the warmth of the soft lips that pressed against his. Hannibal’s hand ran through Will’s hair, pulling at it with enough force that it would not harm him. A small moan escaped Will’s mouth as Hannibal gently bit and tugged at his bottom lip.
They separated, leaning back to put some space between them. Will twinkled at his husband, his breathing short and rapid. Hannibal reached out to caress Will’s face, savoring the kiss just as he did with every moment they shared. Will placed his hand on top of Hannibal’s, causing his skin to prickle at Will’s touch.
When Will spoke, his voice was quiet and soft, yet content.
“I love you too.”