Chapter Text
Will was a bit nervous tonight as he parked before Dr Lecter’s house.
It was a beautiful spring evening, with a chilly breeze from the ocean. The kind he usually enjoyed. He breathed in that aire deeply while thinking about the text he had received from Hannibal, asking him to come and see him…Something happened last time they met. His therapist had let him understand clearly that he had feelings for him. He could remember the way Hannibal had approached his hand from his while telling him he couldn’t see him as a patient anymore.
Will had tried to be kind while rejecting Hannibal’s advances but he had been…Confused to say the least. He had just left, only saying ‘sorry but I can’t’. He had thought over it again and again. Hannibal was…He couldn’t deny he was an attractive man and truth to be told, they got along really well and he had wondered what it would be like but…He couldn’t, he just couldn’t. Being with a man, something about it was scaring him, even though he knew there was nothing wrong about it.
Now, he wondered if Hannibal would renew his advances but maybe he just wanted to talk about them remaining friends? Anyway, Will didn’t want to ignore him. He smiled awkwardly when the man opened the door and let him enter his cabinet.
“How are Margot and Abigail?” Hannibal asked once they were both sitting in his cabinet, face to face.
“They’re doing good. Abby is starting to make more and more sounds; I can’t believe she is one-year old already. It will be my turn to take her tomorrow.”
They had shared custody of their little girl. Margot, a friend from his teenage years, had reappeared in his life and after a brief affair, she had gotten pregnant. People couldn’t understand why they wouldn’t try to be together for the little girl’s well-being since they were good friends.
“Good. You and Margot are still getting along?”
“Yeah, of course…But, did you call me to talk about them?”
“No. I wouldn’t have asked you to come over for a mundane talk, even though I enjoy having you around for small talks. Actually, I would like to talk about something we never spoke about: Mason Verger.”
That stunned him, froze him in place, even. Mason Verger? What? Why would he want to talk about that?! They spoke of Margot already, but never of her brother!
“Why?”
“I know what you did to him.”
“What do you mean, you know what I did?!”
He perfectly knew what Lecter meant. The real question was how?
“Very simple. Mason Verger allowed me to record many of our interviews. He told me about what he did to his sister growing up, his intention to stop Margot from giving birth to the baby she was expecting. I also have a record of him saying he will never allow her or any female to inherit his company. That record was made the day of his death. If I recall, the will which designated Margot and any of her descendants as the legal owner of his property was supposedly done days prior to his death? Just with that, police will have a motive for you and Margot and also proof of you falsifying a will.”
The agent was completely dumbfounded and he was also starting to panic. The police believed mafia had killed Mason Verger, although the case was considered stinky, neither he nor Margot were suspected. But now…
“I must admit,” Hannibal continued, “I got lucky. Had you killed Mason sooner, I wouldn’t have recorded such a precious statement.”
Will clenched his fist and recollected himself and stood up, mimicked by Hannibal.
“Let’s say you’re right and the will is false, fine, you could indeed deprive us of a fortune, but to prove Mason’s murder, you would need physical evidences.”
“I have one.”
Baffled once again, Will didn’t even react when the man took a step toward him. Hannibal smirked to his lovely prey, to that man who rejected him and who would soon have to bend to his will. He went on:
“Mason never thought Margot would try to kill him. But I had the three of you as my patients, remember? I knew you and Margot were planning something. I followed you, Will, more than once, to be sure of it.”
This time, Will stepped away from him, approaching the ladder. He was trembling both from anger and fear
“You followed me?!”
“I didn’t see what you did to Mason exactly, but I saw you and Margot carrying Mason’s body to your car. I was hiding and I got time to record it.”
“No, that’s impossible!”
“Don’t be worried. I showed the video to no one. I made copies however. Some are well hidden, but be sure it will get revealed after my death, I took disposition for that. If you kill me, you will go to jail for sure, along with your ex-lover, as for your daughter, well…,”
Will was completely silent but Hannibal showed him a copy of said video, where he and Margot could be seen carrying a body into Will’s car. They had been so focused on Mason, so persuaded no one was around because his house was so isolated…If Hannibal was to show this to the cops…But why was he telling him instead of reporting him? Will breathed in deeply. Blackmail, of course. If there was someone he would have never imagined as a blackmailer, it was Hannibal! How could he do that?
“What do you want? You’re telling me this because you want something! Money?”
“Will, It seems like this vivid imagination of yours abandoned you there,” Hannibal replied, sounding offended and also amused. “That would be very ordinary and a bit vulgar. No, Will. Does it look like I’m desperate for money? It’s something else that I want. I invite you to figure it out.”
But he was already starting to guess. Hannibal’s advances last week, those eyes over him… Will’s breathing accelerated, making his blackmailer smile. He had the sudden sensation of being caged, of being a condemned prey as if the room was suddenly locked and he had no way out. Predatory eyes trailed over him like an invasive touch…
“How do you… Want me?”
Hannibal advanced toward him and put a hand over his hair, caressing fondly. Will involuntarily took a step back to find himself against the ladder. Hannibal let his hand fell slowly.
“I have always been impressed by this sharp mind of yours, you can’t imagine what a pleasure our sessions were to me.”
“How. Do you. Want me?”
“I hate being this straightforward but you’ll forgive me if I am for once. This needs to be very clear between us. I don’t want to force you in my bed, if that’s what you fear. I want you to be with me, I want us to spend time together, to go out, to have a relationship.”
The psychiatrist approached him, taking a step almost involuntarily. He ached for this, for his presence, for his proximity.
“What kind of sick game is this?”Will barked while stepping away from the ladder and away from him. Hannibal didn’t move.
“You call that a game? I guess you could, I would rather call it a deal.”
“A deal with the devil.”
“And I have a fallen Angel before me. Didn’t you know? Fallen angels belong with the Devil. Will…” He let his name trail and a cruel light came into his eyes. “Either you accept this deal or your life will be hell indeed. You will take Margot and your newborn daughter with you in your fall.”
Will almost cracked and put a hand over his mouth as if he was going to puke. He shook his head convulsively.
“That’s ludicrous, completely crazy!”
“Is it? In our world, Will, the line between sanity and insanity is very blurry.” His voice was almost a purr now.
“Stop talking like that!”
“Take some time to think of it. You have until tomorrow to give me the answer. After that, I will not spare you, I can guarantee, you and the people you love will lose everything.”
O
Eighteen months later
O
“Daddy!”
The high-pitched, childish voice greeted him and made him smile before he could even reach the big house Margot and Abigail lived in. Will Graham immediately grabbed the running child and swirled with her in his arms, getting an elated laugh from little Abigail. He kept her in his arms as Margot came toward them.
“I’m so happy to see you!” He laughed.
“Look my dress!”
He knew nothing about kid’s clothing, but obviously the dark blue and white dress wasn’t just beautiful, it was good quality. He had seen that dress already, it had been one of the numerous gifts from her mother for her birthday. She had turned two six months ago. Will had loved celebrating it, even if he couldn’t afford has many gifts as his mom. It was in those moments he remembered why accepting Hannibal’s deal had been worth it.
“It’s lovely, you’re very pretty! But now Mom always had a lot of tastes with clothes.”
“Thank you,” Margot said with a grin. “She kept asking for you!”
“Alana isn’t here?”
“She had to see a patient. It’s just the three of us today,” Margot explained.
They would go for a walk. It was a beautiful autumn morning and Will was glad to visit them today. He was also happy when four dogs came and greeted him as happily as his daughter did. The dogs which used to be his…At least, they were in a good home and he knew Margot liked them. Abigail was walking while holding her dad’s hand while the dogs were running ahead.
“How are you doing?” He asked Margot.
“Better. I still have nightmares but it’s getting better.”
“Your company is doing well?”
She nodded and explained how she even expanded her business, she kept it short but Will knew she was thriving. She had actually sold the Verger Company, everything, in order to make her own. She was now at the head of a construction company, making or renovating homes and buildings. He could understand why she didn’t want to keep her family’s business. Same with the house, she had sold it as well after getting ride of a lot of Mason's stuff, not wanting to live in that place anymore. Instead she had built that one with her stable for her horses.
“Also, I don’t know if she told you, but Alana is planning to come and live with us,” Margot announced.
“Really? That’s great!”
He still couldn’t believe those two were dating! But he was glad of it, if someone could be trusted around a child, it was Alana.
“Yeah…She should be moving with us soon.”
“I’m happy for you, Margot, really. You’ve never looked so happy.”
She smiled, out of words for a short moment. She looked at her daughter who was running too, along with the dogs. He remembered the first time he met her: they were only fourteen and his father was repairing the boat her father earned. They had immediately felt friendly, Will even had a little crush over her. Of course, neither her brother nor her father wanted her to spend time with a boy like Will, son of a poor man who was going from town to town to find jobs. But Margot and he would still hang out secretly until he moved away.
“How can you be pregnant?”
Will’s heart wasn’t beating anymore, it was racing as Margot showed him the echography scans. Their fling was over and there she knocked on his door with such news!
“Well, do I have to explain you the birds and bees?”
She tried to joke but she was as nervous as he was. He gave her an annoyed look and she looked down.
“We did it once without condom and I thought it would be fine, but it seems my pill was defective. Look, if you don’t want this baby, fine…”
“I didn’t say that! I…It’s just…”
He couldn’t say anything else. She took his hand.
“Will, there will be a problem, though.”
“And you, Will? How are you?” Margot asked, interrupting his thoughts.
“Well…It’s still a bit complicated for me. That job isn’t easy at all.”
“You know, we can resume shared custody anytime. I will miss not having her everyday but of it allows you two to bond. Unless Hannibal is against it.”
“He is not against it at all. But, instability can be really difficult. There will be better times, I hope.”
“Is moving out what caused this?”
Will shrugged. He couldn’t tell her the truth, he couldn’t burden her with that. She was happier than ever. He couldn’t tell her he didn’t want share custody anymore because he was living with a monster.
“It’s not that I don’t want to see her…”
“I know, Will, I know you love her as much as I do. Just, don’t hesitate when you feel ready.”
Oh, he was ready, it was difficult to be away from her like this…He could see her growing up far from it. She came back to them with a bouquet of fallen leaves, her blue eyes so much like Will’s brimming with light.
“Look! For daddy!”
Will smiled while taking the bouquet and Abigail asked him to take her in his arms which he did. She babbled to him and he listened gleefully. Once their walk ended, they went back to Margot’s house where Alana was waiting for them. They enjoyed some times together, discussing and playing with little Abigail who showed her father some of her toys, even though he had already seen those.
He only left them after lunch, he had a class and…Well, he would have to come home at one point.
O o O
The next day, he was called for a new case. That one was…Peculiar, to say the least. A man had been discovered in a concert room, throat opened with a cello head inserted inside it. He was a musician.
Once again, Will Lecter Graham had been called to investigate. This day at work was pretty tiring, establishing the profile completely took his mind and he lost track of time. He was only reminded of it when he received a text from his husband. He had to go home, now.
He took the files he needed, walked away and saw Beverly taking her stuff to leave as well.
“See you tomorrow,” he told her. She was one of the few people he bothered to say goodbye to at work.
“See you and have a good time with your husband!” She teased with a wink.
Will just gave her a slightly tight smile, which, to everyone’s eyes, passed for a bashful smile. After all, everyone knew Will was far from being an extrovert, very far from it. Also, they all knew coming out had been a difficult thing for him and he still felt a bit uneasy about that. At least, that’s what they thought.
He arrived in their street, a rather calm street but a street nonetheless. He ached for his farm, living in the city had never been his thing. He ached for his pack of dogs, he only got to keep Winston. Margot had taken four of his dogs, another one was with Beverly, another with Jack and Winston with him. He greeted the dog with affection when he ran toward him. He was the last important thing he kept from his old home.
He had moved in Hannibal’s house six months ago and he did feel some guilt about it but while he missed his old house and didn’t like the city, this place was getting familiar. He couldn’t exactly call it home but he was finding his feet here. He was getting used hanging out in Hannibal’s cabinet when he had no patients, or cook something in the kitchen. He had asked Hannibal to show him how to cook.
He settled his stuff in the small room which was his new desk room. Hannibal had apologized for not having anything bigger, but Will was fine with it. He descended to see whether or not his husband was in his cabinet which was on the first floor of the house. He descended the stairs and listened for a short time. Nothing. He opened the door and saw nobody in. He wasn’t even here. Typical of his ‘dear’ husband: he didn’t want the house to be empty when he came back.
He looked around. This room…He had rummaged through it more than once to try and find the proof Hannibal had hidden. He had searched but never found. Wherever were the copies of the video he made, those weren’t in the house.
As he was slowly strolling, he spotted something on his husband’s desk. It was a will. He took it to read it and rolled his eyes when he saw its content. Suddenly, he heard a noise behind him and before he could turn round, a hand seized his wrist roughly and brought it up. He was startled and saw his husband there, holding his wrist.
“Good evening, my dear. What are you doing?”
“Just admiring the result of your work, Dr Lecter.”
Hannibal smirked, took the paper from him with his free hand while keeping his tight grip on Will. He put the will back on the desk.
“Nothing wrong with wanting to put your shrink on your last will and nothing illegal to it either,” Lecter pointed out with fake innocence
“Oh no, and you know something about it, after all it’s not the first one of your patient to do that. How do you manipulate them into it, I wonder!”
“This vivid imagination might figure out the solution again, it should be easy, you’re no stranger to manipulation after all, my dear.”
“Let go of me,” Will demanded, as Lecter was still holding him.
His husband smiled, brought Will’s hand to his mouth and kissed his fingers tenderly before letting go of him. Will shivered at this but didn’t bother resisting. Hannibal had never forced him into his bed as promised, but he would sometimes do little things like this. Will wasn’t sure himself why he allowed him. Hannibal took off his elegant dark blue jacket.
“I heard of this new murder. Pretty theatrical, you must admit that,” Hannibal declared.
“Reporters will throw themselves at it.”
“Their opinion doesn’t interest me, it’s your perspective I want to hear.”
“Do you mind if we talk about that after dinner? I’m hungry.”
Hannibal nodded, it was time to cook indeed and he enjoyed doing it with his lovely husband.
“It’s strange that you want to help me catch killers,” Will admitted as they were entering the kitchen.
“Why is it so strange to you?”
“You’re a killer. Why wanting to catch your peers? Is it a territorial thing, wanting to be the only one around?”
“Not every killers are on the same level, I would like you not to refer them as my peers anymore,” Hannibal objected, clearly offended. “And if I wanted every killer to disappear from Baltimore, I would have to take you out, too. We’re both killers, and that’s why we’re so good at catching them.”
“I was good at catching them before killing,” Will pointed out and Hannibal couldn’t say the contrary. “And I killed only one person and with a good reason. You’re the Chesapeake Ripper.”
“Will, if you’re so sure of it, you should be able to prove it.”
That was the problem: his husband could prove his guilt but Will couldn’t prove anything about the cannibal he lived with.
Rule 1: Be mine and I’ll keep your secret.