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Will Graham was not a morning person, despite the fact that every week day he got up and drove an hour to work. Though at this point with the lack of sleep, nightmares and waking hallucinations, he might not be much of an anytime person. All in all, extra coffee was a necessary tax to pay and he often stopped by any shop that didn't look busy to get one to go. He just tipped extra for the lack of eye contact and way he mumbled his order disconnectedly every time.
It worked most mornings and Will really hadn't pictured today being any different. Until of course, he received a small tap on the shoulder from a warm and slightly looming presence.
Will looked over at the man who was smiling sweetly and dared to meet his eyes. He claimed that his name was Isaac and loudly that he found Will attractive. That was surprising for a first thing in the morning coffee shop when Will was just trying to get a second cup of coffee into his day to feel more alive. Not unwanted, just a surprise.
It was so ridiculous that Will snorted and even smiled back. Sleepy and yet charmed eyes let the older man pay for his coffee. Not something that Will would regularly let happen, but this was so strange that he could just go with the flow of things. Dr. Lector would be proud to hear that Will wasn't rude to someone this morning. Like the older man was rubbing off good manners onto Will's feral skin. Who really knows, maybe he was.
Isaac had that graying silver fox kind of look. Handsome and probably to good to be flirting with the mess that Will Graham was. Will could also see it all already; this man had been married to a woman and had multiple children who were now grown. They'd split upon having an empty nest, but were friend now instead. Isaac would have realized very late that he was gay but had still been good and faithful to his bride. They might've even gotten married for something like family duty or a strange agreement to begin with. It had been a few years passed the divorce now and Isaac wanted someone to hold close and chat to, maybe even a bit of sex.
All in all, Will thought the man was nice and charming. A thought that he really didn't have about many men or even women. He'd given his number and sat at a table to chat for far longer then he usually would have. Did he mention that he though Isaac was handsome? The whole thing felt like a first date without much awkwardness, and Will even spoke about how the FBI liked to bother him to go find murders. Isaac worked in a bookshop and liked canoeing.
Will spent his morning minutes there with Isaac, reluctant to leave the older man's attention. There had been no voices screaming for help, no hallucinations being for death or for him to think about why they died. A good morning by most, but excellent by Will's standards.
He'd left the coffee shop already late for his office hours and had no regrets of it. Will was hardly a popular professor with most of his course being readings or papers as he had murders to solve. The only days students visited or lecture days and that was only because they wished to hear more about the people caught. A little unprofessional, but these students wanted more then hard facts and the ability to read a room as upcoming FBI. Will could never fault them for it, even if he didn't prefer it.
His day went by fast and without incident which was very strange for him. Isaac had text him twice and Will had answered both times right away, eager for more soft communication with a man who was definitely interested. He wondered if it would be to much to call the man tonight, after he'd finished his not therapy hour and was back at home. It had been quite some time since he'd given serious thought to dating or even having a fling, and he didn't want to come off as desperate.
For the first time since the not therapy had started, Will eagerly showed up a full 20 minutes early and bounced happily around the waiting room. He was never one for taking a seat and because Hannibal still didn't have a secretary, Will was all alone to do as he pleased. He might've hummed and twirled in the middle of the room, closing his eyes and tilting his head up happily. The motion might seem weird to another, but to Will it was common. That was the way he situated himself into the middle of his stream when fly fishing. In the summer he liked to just close his eyes and feel the warmth of the air and the cold waist deep water. A heavenly picture that he'd barely thought about for going on months now.
Though, it was surprising when Hannibal had opened his door after a few minutes. He most likely had some sort of video feed to show when someone was in the main part of his office, but it still threw Will a bit off. He been too happy just having his moment of summer sunshine that it was almost shocking to come back to reality.
"Good evening Will, I don't believe you've ever shown up this early before. Is something the matter?" Hannibal looks worried and yet still professional. Will smiles at him which must only make things worse. Will hardly ever smiles. It's just that he hardly ever has a good day like he has had today.
There a moment when Will isn't sure what's going on with Hannibal's emotions. Which is very impressive as the empath is nearly never in that position. It's nearly an inhuman look and twitch that would make more careful men backpedal. Will would never back away from someone he considered a friend though. Not even if they held a dagger to his neck. Luckily, there was no immediate danger that Will could see.
"Was just excited, sorry I didn't mean to disturb." Will says feeling a bit like a child. Lots of people showed up early to appointments, just because Will never did didn't mean something awful had to have happened! Does Hannibal not expect Will capable of having a good day? Does his very presence invoke that injustice or insanity has been laid upon the good Doctor's office?
Hannibal just smiles softly and it makes a small movement closer to Will. "This is wonderful dear William. It's a very good thing that you are having good days like this; come into my office and we shall talk about what the circumstances were to make it happen." Hannibal offer generously even though it wasn't time for Will's actually appointment yet.
He speaks as though his office is some kind of sanctuary to protect Will from the rest of the world. Perhaps proud of his work and the madness he can either create or dissipate from his clientele. It wasn't something that Will could hold against him, as he'd found most psychiatrists to be that way.
Will nodded sharply and took a deep breath. He truly hated when Hannibal said clinical things like that and it always put him on edge, but today it would be fine. Today, instead of his disastrous life being the subject he could talk about flirting with a man over a cup of coffee. Over giving his number bravely and being rewarded by texts from said man.
They sat for once, Hannibal staying behind his desk as he nearly always did and Will choosing the chair in front of it for the day. He usually wondered but had done enough bouncing movements in the waiting room that he felt he could sit still for at least a few moments. He still wiggles in place, a habit formed in childhood that he'd never been able to break.
"I went to get a cup of coffee this morning." Will started, and then bit at his own lip. It was mostly to stop the smile he felt coming over just the stupid memory of it.
"You get extra coffee at least once a week, and it's never effected your mood such as this." Hannibal points out and his tone is noticeably off. It's Will who usually sounds gruff between the two of them and today it's Hannibal. Very strange.
"Yes well... I stumbled into this rather nice man." Will finds his words tumbling of his tongue a bit carefully. He is now unsure what Hannibal is thinking.
Hannibal's entire demeanor seemed to change with that sentence. Like he went on full alert. Will wondered if he didn't like the prospect of someone being gay for a moment but quickly pushed the fear away. No Hannibal was always accepting to him, it was probably something else. Perhaps something that Will had done wrong without realizing?
"Tell me about this man." Hannibal demanded when Will's thoughts distracted him into forgetting to speak.
Will's eyes narrowed and he looked Hannibal in the eye bravely for a single moment. Something about Hannibal seemed off, was the man having a bad day himself or was Will the actual problem? His heart quickened and he felt the weird flighty response start up that he sometimes got when cornered. Maybe the chair had been a bad idea.
He stood up and walked over to the wall of books, settling next to the latter just in case he felt the need to disappear farther. "He was kind and chatty. Divorced, couple of grown children and had a good relationship with all of them. Paid for my coffee and provided friend conversation."
Hannibal seems to twitch at the small amount of information that Will offered and stood up as well. "And have you always felt an attraction to well put together older men?"
"Only the friendly, handsome ones who flirt when I look like shit it the morning." Will answers with a short laugh and then smiled to himself. What had possibly made Isaac talk to him? He looked less of a hot mess and more of a fallen apart disaster. Will hadn't felt attractive in years. Isaac made him feel wantable though, and it was a nice change. All his insanity and mind problems just shelved themselves for another day at this rare happiness.
Hannibal paced a few steps closer to Will and then went back to lean against the front of his desk. Will glanced over to see the display to made. Hannibal's suit pants were professionally tailored for him and therefore tight around certain bits when he leaned a certain way, but Hannibal would already know that. Perhaps he either liked the fact that while half leaning, half sitting everyone could see the outline of his dick. Will certainly found he didn't mind.
"And this handsome fellows name Will? I wouldn't want to be ignorant should I meet him in the coming weeks." Hannibal asked light, but it was a forced calm. The air around him still felt very angry, like he might start sparking and ignite fire if Will kept making wrong choices.
"It's- I don't think I'll be introducing him to my therapist Hannibal. Not while we're just texting anyways."
Hannibal's face scrunched up for a single moment. "Are we not friends Will? I wouldn't introduce myself as a professional, just as a comrade." He argued. Will paused for a moment, Hannibal never really insisted on things like this especially during the hour sessions. Though, he had insisted they be friends in the past, rather then professional and client.
It wouldn't be a bad thing to tell Hannibal a name anyways right? "His name is Isaac." Will felt like he was giving in to just say it. Like he was endangering the man who'd kindly showed him a little bit of attention?
Hannibal blinked once slowly and then a second time. "Is there no last name for your Isaac?" He finally asked.
Will snorted a bit and looked up at the ceiling with a sigh. "We didn't give last names or really full introductions, it was just a flirty cup of coffee and the switch of telephone numbers. Having the ability to look someone up always kind of ruins the first few dates anyways, I want him to tell me things about himself and not just already know them." Will tried to explain. Maybe it was a little weird that Will hadn't asked for a last name, as the guy could have known him from the stupid tattlecrime articles. It seemed unlikely, but also could have been true.
Hannibal looked a bit distraught at those words and Will wondered (again) if he'd done something wrong. Was it slutty of him to not ask for a last name even though they'd only been flirting? It had been a while since something like this had happened to him that he easily could have missed steps he should have. Unless...
"He's not dangerous." Will bristled, suddenly on edge.
"You don't know that Will. And now if you agree to meet him somewhere and don't come back, all I'll be able to tell police is he said his name was Isaac." Hannibal counters, though he look particularly perturbed.
"I'm not some maiden whose just going to go missing after not getting enough information on her date!" Will cries and then he recoils from the sexism of the statement. It can happen to anyone, he's very aware of that. He just feels stupid for having to defend his little bit of happiness.
"It happens quite frequently even today Will, one of things I'm sure you were aware of while being a cop." The sentence is patronizing and Hannibal aims to upset him clearly, instead of help as he usually does. Rude.
"Hannibal, just because he's interested in me doesn't mean he has to have bad intentions." Will aggressively argued, while taking a step towards the door. The minutes were ticking by anyways, and he could technically leave whenever he wished. This therapy was voluntary, but also beginning to feel more and more like an argument he might've had with his father when he was younger.
"Will, I do not mean to upset you." Hannibal said softly and the tension in Will's shoulders lessened a tiny bit. "With the Ripper aware of your hunting of him though, it would be wise to be extra cautious. He's most likely an older man by now who would be well put together and probably charming."
"Yeah well, you fit that description too Hannibal!" Will shouted feeling a spark of anger. Just because someone was interested didn't mean they had to be dangerous! Poor Isaac shouldn't have to be accused of being the Chesapeake Ripper. Will could just be fucking happy about something or someone for once.
"Ah." Hannibal said and then seemed to consider something. "So you would admit that I fit into being your type."
Will mind seemed to stutter to a halt. Hannibal fit into his type? Hannibal fit into being the Chesapeake Ripper? Wait a moment... Will's stomach churned unpleasantly. "You fit the description too."
Hannibal was up and in Will's space in a single moment. Breathing in deeply and cradling Will's semi out of it, limp body close to his chest. "That's right Will, I fit the description. I even have the medical background, did you never notice because of how close I stood or was it because you didn't want to really look in case it was true?" He whispered and seemed to like the fact that Will shivered in his arms.
Hannibal took Will's phone from his back pocket and glanced at it for a single moment. With a click of a few buttons, Will just knew that he'd blocked Isaac's number. "The only man you should be excited about talking to, is me dear William. I will take you out for coffee and treat you to extravagant breakfasts from now on. Opera's and dinner parties, with you hanging onto my arm. Won't that be nice? Dear sweet William."
Hannibal was possessive and crazed, strange to Will's weak. He knew what he wanted and it was Will. It had probably been Will for quite a long time. The Chesapeake Ripper.
Those proposal seemed to wake Will's mind back up a bit. "You must be joking Hannibal! If you're really the Ripper then I'll have to turn you in. I can't- Hannibal please." Will whimpered seeming to not be able to make up his mind. He knew that he needed to turn the Ripper in, but also the thought of losing both Hannibal and the Ripper from his life seemed impossible. That without either it would be impossible to go on. When had such a mentality happened?
This was- this was Hannibal's design. It had all been Hannibal's plan, since maybe the moment he had met Will. Psychological warfare that Will hadn't even been aware of happening. The breeding of dependency and of want. Without another trying to interfere in the Ripper's territory it would have gone completely unnoticed to the point of either insanity or death. Will wonders if that's changed now, given how jealous Hannibal is.
"Shh, William. You won't be turning me in, will you? Just like you have no need to talk to this Isaac ever again." Hannibal explained with a low hum present in his voice. His hand stroked over Will's hair as he held the other man steady. Much less angry now that Isaac's number was gone.
"I..."
"For today you must come home with me and then we can set about getting you some medical attention. I believe you have need of it." Hannibal offered, though it was more of an order. Will wouldn't be acting out for this.
"I'm- not healthy?" He asked tentatively, slightly worried that Hannibal was about to announce that one of his limbs just had to go.
"No, but nothing is yet unfixable Dear One. And everyone would believe that you'd want to move on with your life after a serious recovery. Going back to teaching and moving in with the man that noticed the problem would barely be blinked at."
"Hannibal!" Will finally snapped and tried to push away. The man had already deleted Isaac's contact and now all the sudden Will is actually sick and would move in with him. It was too much. It was too fast. It was- Will needed more time to breath. Seconds to think.
"No Will, don't fight it. Just give in. All those happy thoughts you were having about another man, I'll forgive them. If only you think of only me from now on. If you wear a ring so next time someone gets to close you can point to your ring instead of talking." Hannibal growled, suddenly looking both feral and delighted. An extremely weird combination that only a man like Hannibal could have pulled off.
Every time Will seemed to protest Hannibal's demands got worse. Now they included rings! "No one will believe we have rings Hannibal, we've barely known each other for 6 months!" He chose to protest, but slightly worried that Hannibal suggest a tattoo of devotion next.
Hannibal sniffed the top of Will's head for reasons unknown, seeming to enjoy whatever he was getting from it. Will slumped fully against the cannibal in the next moment, completely giving up. What point was there to deny anything? Clearly Hannibal could kill Will if he so wanted, but he could do other things too. Things like as a psychiatrist it would be easy to submit that Will was the Ripper and have him blamed for things. Yet, Hannibal only seemed interested in Will's attention. Will couldn't decide if that was a good thing or not, but time would probably tell.
"Don't disagree with me William, I know what is best for you." Hannibal insists, grip tightening to be painful. He has Will trapped in that embrace without hope of everything being free. It just- Will doesn't think that things sound that bad.
"Isaac made me happy today, gave me attention and talked to me freely. He texted just because he didn't want me to stop thinking about him. Will you do the same? Hannibal, can you devote yourself to thinking about me all day?" Where these questions come from, Will isn't exactly sure. What he does know is that if Hannibal can't be devoted then Will would rather die.
"Sweet William, I have a rather hard time these days thinking about things other then you." Hannibal easily answered and then sealed what he was saying with a kiss.