Little Ship on the Bottle (Hannibal Ficlet - M)

[Garnet]

Hey guys, I haven't posted for a while, but I've been watching the new NBC series Hannibal, and surprisingly enjoying it so far. The books were pretty important to me in high school/college but I'm enjoying this slightly different take on the character. I recommend anyone who has a strong stomach to check it out.

I drabbled out this little thing based on Mads Mikkelsen's portrayal, but you can probably sub in the actor of your choice if you really want to. Also, tried to write him and Will as tentative bros, but if you wear your shipping goggles, it can probably work for that too?

I don't know. They were kind of fun to write, anyway. I may do more. Enjoy!

***

Will is late for his appointment, but not so late that Hannibal comes looking for him, or even offers him more than a steady look when he raps at the office door, and is permitted inside. The doctor usually answers the door in person, though, so either he's silently miffed at Will's tardiness, or they've reached a new level of comfort in their...whatever it is. Their professional and personal relationship. Will hesitates to use the word friends, because he's not sure he wants to be friendly with Hannibal Lecter any more than he wants to be comfortable with him.

But he also doesn't shy nervously away from Hannibal's gaze when he enters, and begins to casually orbit the doctor's bookshelves. He rarely sits unless Hannibal asks him to.

"Four people found burned alive in their homes," Will initiates the conversation without meaning to, the words just tumble out as he browses over volumes both surgical and gastronomical. It's not one of his better icebreakers. "But just their bodies, and the area immediately surrounding, maybe three feet or less in every direction. Apart from some minimal smoke damage, no other signs of an uncontrolled blaze."

Hannibal folds his hands together and rests his chin on the knot of fingers. "You think someone set them purposefully alight?"

"I think they did it to themselves," Will corrects, tracing a fingertip gently down the spine of a modern La Cuisinière Bourgeoise reprinting. "But somebody else was present, someone who was watching. Maybe someone who coerced them into it. Yet there aren't any signs of forced entry."

"Someone they knew, then?"

"Maybe," Will sighs, finally completing his run of the bookshelf and making his gravitational pass back towards Lecter's desk.

In an uncharacteristic display of abruptness, Hannibal sits back from his desk, puts the side of one fist under his nose, and sneezes.

"--hr'rrsshoo!"

It's an impossibly bottled sneeze. Quiet, but still sounding as if it takes all of his strength to render it so neatly. There's no groggy and snivelling aftermath, though, just a thin sigh as the doctor relaxes and blinks once in recovery.

"Forgive me."

Will stares until he realizes that he's staring, and quickly shakes it off. "Uh... bless you."

He's not really a blesser, by nature. That invites more casual, friendly human interaction and eye contact than he's really comfortable with, but he's never seen his psychiatrist so much as smile in a way that doesn't seem precisely calculated. It should be creepier than it actually is, but a sneeze certainly earns some kind of response, like a tiny celebration of his humanity.

Jesus, he's really been working too late and sleeping too little.

Hannibal nods his polite reply, and gestures to one of the leather-padded chairs in front of his desk. Will sits, because he suddenly wants to, but it's all sloppy angles and loose, dangling limbs, a direct contradiction to the artful poise with which Hannibal occupies his spaces. Will flicks his gaze back to his hands, and begins picking at a little spot of... what is that, motor oil? Blood? God, he hopes it's motor oil.

"Sorry, I keep bringing cases to our sessions. I'm supposed to be talking about myself, right?"

Hannibal offers a minute shrug and sits back in his chair again. He's blinking more steadily now, and it's only this normal repetition that makes Will realize the absence of it before. "The two aren't so unrelated. We can talk about whatever you like, or nothing at all."

Will smirks lopsidedly. "You get paid either way, right?"

"It isn't about that. Although, yes, and not out of your pocket."

This time he chuckles. "Are you suggesting that I can go nap on the chaise lounge over there and you won't tell Jack Crawford?"

Hannibal starts to reply, but Will doesn't have time to determine whether he's amused or not, because halfway through the first quavering syllable, a sneeze sneaks up on him so quickly that he lets it out fiercely into the crook of an arm.

"--hh'RRSHoo!"

It would be an unabashedly masculine-sounding sneeze, if he didn't restrain it. Will isn't sure why this suddenly amuses him, because for all that Hannibal seems to appreciate the finer tastes and pleasures in life, he's never struck him as effeminate, either. More like something neutral in-between, maybe, or something Other. He gives him a tip of his jaw and a raise of both brows.

"Bless."

Hannibal doesn't respond this time, he's busy snapping the linen handkerchief free of its breast pocket. For a single, surreal moment, his unusual features are caught in a grimace of helpless, sneezy dismay, mouth open and brow creased. And then he's nodding sharply into the cup of fabric, with a decisive, "Hh-RHFFSH!"

The recovery is considerably less graceful this time. Hannibal blinks, punch-drunk, and furls the handkerchief to a discreet blotting motion, once to either nostril. Not so discreet that Will doesn't notice.

"Excuse me, please."

Will has completely forgotten what they were talking about, but he suspects that Lecter might have too. Instead, taking his freeform suggestion literally, he tilts his head to one side and prompts, "Everything okay, doctor?" He's feeling borderline smug, and he's not sure why. He should be able to tell these things, to feel them without asking, but he's never been able to get a clear read on Hannibal, and it's more curious to him than it is frustrating. "Not catching a cold, are you?"

Hannibal gives his nose a final, cautious touch, then lowers the handkerchief to his lap. One corner of his mouth is just slightly curled, suggesting that he's entertaining some private joke of his own.

"You changed your aftershave."

Will is thrown for a moment, then slowly, reluctantly raises a palm to his cheek, chasing the smoothness of a recent shave. "No more ship on the bottle," he agrees, with a vague idea of where this is heading. "... this one isn't any better, is it?"

Hannibal gestures to him with one hand, brows raised. "May I?"

Will hesitates, because he's a grown and very heterosexual man, and it was weird enough when he noticed Hannibal bending slightly to catch his scent the first time. But he nods like he's been trained, and shrugs like he doesn't care. "Why not."

Hannibal palms the handkerchief and rises from the desk in a creak of leather. He moves unhurried and deliberately as always, circling like a shark past Will's field of vision. He starts to turn his head to follow the doctor, then thinks the better of it and just sits up and forward, silently inclining his head to one side to bare his cheek and neck.

He feels rather than sees Lecter lean in. Even then, it's more like a premonition than an actual, physical perception. He does hear the slightly wet, undignified edge to an inhale, however, a sound that seems to surprise them both. Will's neck prickles as he senses him reel back again. Hannibal's nose must be prickling as well.

"Hhr-RFFSH!" And there he goes. This time Will does turn his head to watch, although he doesn't need to bother. Hannibal has taken a long step away and turned a broad shoulder and most of his back to him. His sleek head bobs in a serious of clenching, ferociously contained sneezes all sounding similar in their throated grate. He finishes off four with a final "Heh'RRSSCHoo!" that necessitates both hands on the handkerchief.

Will doesn't know what to make of any of that, except to have a stammering, "Um... bless you," prepared for when Hannibal finally gives his head a quick, snapping shake and straightens back up. He doesn't turn right away, but seems to be composing himself with a series of little dabbing gestures.

Finally, Hannibal turns to favor him with one eye. Will is accustomed to watching his thin, arch-cornered mouth when they have these not-really-appointments. He has a decidedly different relationship with the doctor than anyone else he can think of, even if he can't put a finger on what it is, but his gaze is no easier or harder to meet.

"Thank you. My apologies, again."

Will lifts and drops a hand dismissively. "No, no. I'll try again, guess I didn't realize how uh...sensitive your nose is." Hannibal looks neither flattered nor insulted, merely cautiously curious. "Maybe you should..." He makes an illustrative gesture with one forefinger. "Write down some suggestions for me, this time?"

Hannibal looks strangely, almost hilariously relieved. "With pleasure."

Edited May 21, 2013 by Garnet

[SpookyScarySkeleton]

This is so interesting >.< damn.

[Anonymouse]

I have not, nor do I intent to in the near future, watch this series, but you're such a great author that I read it anyway. I still found it incredibly fascinating.

I was copying and pasting every part I liked and I almost ended up reposting the entire story, so I had to narrow it down. But I loved this beautiful description of the sneeze itself and the aftermath/recovery.

It's an impossibly bottled sneeze. Quiet but still sounding as if it takes all of his strength to render it so neatly. There's no groggy and snivelling aftermath, though, just a thin sigh as the doctor relaxes and blinks once in recovery.

I love the contrasts between Will and Hannibal. This made me lol:

Will sits, because he suddenly wants to, but it's all sloppy angles and loose, dangling limbs, a direct contradiction to the artful poise with which Hannibal occupies his spaces.

Hannibal doesn't respond this time, he's busy snapping the linen handkerchief free of its breast pocket.

Something about a handkerchief in a breast pocket...

"You changed your aftershave."

Mmm that part gave me butterflies. It was Will's aftershave making him sneeze.

He does hear the slightly wet, undignified edge to an inhale, however, a sound that seems to surprise them both.

Edited May 21, 2013 by AnonyMouse

[VoOs]

Dear lord, woman. I think I forgot to close my mouth for the entire duration of reading this.

Ffff'ck, you are good. So, so good. You captured the atmosphere of the series perfectly, and don't even get me started on the characters...

I have been in this classy/disturbing fandom for less than a week, and there's already quality fetish fanfic to read? Damn, I feel spoiled.

Thank you.

[iety]

I thought that this show was my new favorite thing but I think this fic is my actual favorite thing ever. Quality writing befitting of the show and hot hot hot sneezes owo you're amazing <3

[Tarkus]

Oh goddddd, ohhhhhhhhhhhh GAWD!!!!

I read this story like 20 minutes ago, but I am just now typing my comment because it took me that long to compose myself. I...I just... DAYUMM!!!

This fic hit alllll the buttons and everyone is just so IN CHARACTER. It is so atmospheric and I can see every precise, little detail and just...GAH. I have been watching this show to death over the past few weeks and maaaaan, is it awesome. I am so glad you wrote this. I seriously needed some sneezy Hannibal in my life. Needed.

In fact, if you are thinking of writing more Hannibal fic, I am writing one (well, technically, I have two on the table right now) and if you would like a partner, like you write Hannibal and I write Will or vice versa, I am totally down with that.

Actually, I am already working out a fic with Mercury and stephab13, if you wanna check out this thread: http://www.sneezefetishforum.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=50817 to see our ideas at work

I LOVE THISSSSSSS

[count tiszula]

Fascinating and engaging story; I only know the book and films, but the characters are brilliantly recreated. Of course my own preference would be for a very naughty Clarice Starling story [anyone think of one?]. Oddly against character, Lecter reveals several signs of vulnerability in the books......

However, the point of the little ship on the bottle in the book at least is that it means that Lecter by pure sense of smell can detect the existence of Will's new stepson and consequently pose a threat to him.....all many years after their initial collaborations.....................

[Garnet]

DeathNoteOwner - Thank you! They were interesting characters already haha, I just had fun with them.

AnonyMouse - Aww, thank you for the readthrough even if the source material isn't your cup of tea! Nnnh Hannibal always wears these flipping handkerchiefs in his suits, in the show. Not even pocket squares, straight up handkerchiefs. And with conversations about how keen his sense of smell is, it leaves many open doors for a fetishist's mind 8D

VoOs - YAAAY I'm so glad you like! I am super glad to see that there is already a solid fetish fanbase here. I'm so glad the atmosphere read okay. Hannibal's a tricky character to write, so I try to just do a minimalistic portrayal and let the reader fill in the details. So sneaky.

iety - OMG you are too sweet, thank you! I am definitely contemplating writing some more, glad it's well-received.

catmuffinz - I already spazzed at you somewhat but aaahhh thank you so much. I love that we unintentionally shared some of the same ideas. I am definitely down for some collaborative writing.

count de tisza - Thank you! I have this weird recollection of there mmmaybe being a Clarice one I've seen before? But I could have made that up in my head.

[stephab13]

Oh. My. God.

Yes. Just, yes. This is absolutely stunning. Everything.

... I actually have no words...

Can you write another? Please?

[MusicaDiabolos]

Oh my GOD!!!! This is good! I've been watching this show for weeks and wishing for someone to post some Will h/c or allergyfic, but this is almost as good Mads and Hugh Dancy are redunkulously beautiful, hope you feel inspired to write more

[TheCakeIsAlive]

Ooh, this real is rather lovely. Your descriptions are beautiful and I love how he tests his theory at the end of the story.

[AngelEyes]

Omg! I've been watching this show and have been strangely fascinated with it. You have portrayed these characters absolutely dead on perfect!!! Love it!!!!!

[LeapYearKisses]

2013 was a billion years ago, it seems, but I've only recently watched Hannibal and I just have to comment on this.  Ever since Hannibal remarked on Will's aftershave in the show I've been slowly dying inside trying to formulate a good way to write this exact scenario, and now I don't have to, because this is perfect in every way.  I'm going to go read it again.  And then also again, maybe.

[mystic-chibi]

Hannibal is such an under-celebrated fandom. I remember reading this back when I was more of a lurker than a poster, and I love it just as much now as I did then.  

[AntheaHolmes]

Yes, Yes, Yes. Allergic Hannibal is Canon! With his super sensitive nose... it's amazing! His sneezes are so strong, yet adorable and gorgeous. Really like the idea of Will having a cheap perfume or aftershave, that is aggressively triggering Hannibal's Allergies.