A Most Unusual Session (Hannibal, Hannibal)

[Wolfwings22]

I’ve been going back and forth recently between Top Gun and Hannibal, and since I had some more time on my hands recently, I’m going to try to be posting a lot more here of the fandoms that I am in. This one is just a sneeze filled fluff piece with minor Will/Hannibal if you squint, but you can also read it as merely friendship as well. I mainly tried to focus on the sickness with Hannibal instead of Will and Hannibal’s relationship, as I can’t get over a vulnerable Hannibal since he is not that way in the show. I know I’m a bit late to jump into the Hannibal fandom, but I hope this fic finds its audience. Thank you all for reading!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Prompt—Will arrives to his session to find a sick Hannibal waiting for him, trying to push through and pretend that everything is normal. Unfortunately for him, things are anything but.

 

 

 

 

 

    Will walked briskly up to the side entrance of Hannibal’s house that doubled as his waiting room. The thought had crossed his mind more than once how Hannibal was able to separate his home life from work, only to quickly come to the conclusion that Hannibal had the same tendencies that he did to let work take over. Will would never judge him for it, though he would be lying if he said that he wasn’t interested in knowing how Hannibal could still keep up with select hobbies while also having a rigorous schedule, which concluded with these late night sessions that left Will with more questions than answers. 

    He wasn’t given long to think as he came onto the porch and knocked on the door. 

    There was an echoing of footsteps from the other side of the door until the door opened to reveal a sight that Will wasn’t exactly expecting. 

    It was still Hannibal; that much was clear. He was still wearing one of his expensive suits and appeared as put together as ever, though there was something about him that Will wasn’t able to fully follow. His eyes were ever full of mystery, giving away nothing, and the slight smile he gave was the same one that Will was used to seeing. No matter how hard he tried, Will couldn’t shake the feeling from his mind. 

    “Good evening,” Hannibal offered as he stepped to the side.

    Will dipped his head in greeting and walked inside, shoulders drawn back as he shed his coat. He hooked the collar onto the coatrack before following Hannibal into his office and taking his familiar seat in the room. Hannibal took his usual seat across from Will, left leg lifting over his right so he’s sitting with legs crossed, gaze ever firmly locked on Will.  

    “How are you,” Hannibal questioned. 

    “You just saw me yesterday, Doctor. I don’t believe that much could’ve changed in that timeframe.”

    “I disagree. You out of all people knows how things can change without warning.” Hannibal’s left temple gave a slight twitch, which was not lost on Will. He said nothing about it, attention rapidly coming back to himself to give an answer that would be acceptable to Hannibal.  

    Will didn’t think that much time went past, but when he opened his mouth to give an answer, Hannibal held up his hand and ducked to the side so that his head was pressed against his slightly raised shoulder. A soft sigh barely shook his frame, though it was still more of a human response than Will had ever seen the man exhibit before. 

    Hannibal glanced back at Will with a small nod. “I will ask against: how are you?” 

    “Um...okay I guess. Jack’s on my back about a new killer. I think he’s going to ask me to consult in Minnesota or something. Sounds too cold to me,” Will continued as though nothing happened, head slightly shaking.

    “And are you looking forward to being back in the field?”

    “I’m not suer if ‘looking forward’ is the right sentiment. I mean—“

    Despite his best attempts, Hannibal was forced to lift one hand and press his face into it, which looked like from the outside that he was merely deep in thought. His head hardly moved, and he felt a twinge of satisfaction that Will was still speaking, seemingly unaware that Hannibal’s concentration had slipped for a moment. 

    “—Right?”

    Hannibal froze for a moment when he realized that perhaps his concentration had slipped more than he thought. He gave a firm swallow before stating, “It may come down to personal preference. However, I can assure that your instincts are usually correct in matters such as this.” 

    “My instincts have led me astray plenty of times.” Will’s hands began to shake in front of hm as he worked them together, pressing his palms together to give himself that pressure that he was clearly craving. 

    “On the contrary, that is the receptors in your brain that allow such thoughts. Biological instinct is meant to keep us alive and well.” Suddenly, the words caught in Hannibal’s throat and he started to cough into the crook of his elbow politely. His teeth clenched as he fought the rising feeling, head ducking forward as he suppressed the coughs as much as possible with his mouth closed.  

    “Dr. Lecter, are you alright?”

    Frustration sparked through Hannibal as he let out a harsh exhale, the itch momentarily chased away. He lifted his head and gave a small brush of the back of his hand against his brow. “Apologies, continue.” 

    Will swallowed thickly, his mind practically racing. “I think that Jack Crawford would say that my instincts aren’t always good ones.” 

    “I see things a little differently.” Hannibal’s voice caught in his throat, and when he spoke next, the sound was anything but controlled the way that he always prided himself in answering. “Jack Crawford may....” Hannibal cleared his throat thickly. “Not see the—“ With a small huff, Hannibal was forced to cough harshly into the crook of his left elbow to dislodge the frog he felt in the back of his throat. “Apologies, Will. Keep going as you see fit.”

    Ignoring it once was something that Will had forced his mind to do, but to do it twice? Against all instincts to listen to Hannibal and continue on, he couldn’t separate the conversation from what was happening to the man in front of him. 

    “I-I’m sorry, but are you okay,” Will repeated. 

    “I’m fine,” Hannibal replied in a clipped tone. 

    All instinct (which was just a coincidence that was what they were talking about) told him to do as Hannibal said. Unfortunately, he wasn’t one to listen to caution, which was arguably something that he was working with Hannibal to deal with. Caution left him as he looked past Hannibal to avoid making eye contact with the sometimes intimidating man. “Are you sure, because it doesn’t sound like you are.”  

    “Will,” Hannibal continued firmly. “This is your hour. We are here to discuss you, not me. Now, this does not have to be work related, but it does have to relate to you.”

    That was as much of an answer as Will was expecting. Best not to push his luck too much. “The rituals are getting worse, I guess.”

    “Rituals?” 

    “Or I guess routines may be a better word. Like the other night I usually feed my dogs and then do my nightly checks, but a tree fell and I had to feed the dogs after I dealt with it.” Will suppressed a shiver at the thought, forcing himself not to immediately dig his nails into his open palm.    

    “You routine was broken and therefore you found it difficult to continue?”

    “I don’t know if difficult is the word.” Will lifted a hand and scratched the back of his neck subconsciously. “It’s like I couldn’t move on. I don’t know if...”

    Hannibal fought the building itch as much as possible, staying engaged for as long as he he could while pressing his tongue to the roof of his mouth to stave off the feeling. His hand came up give his nose a slight rub, eyes squinting. Desperation was quickly building when he realized that the feeling wasn’t going to go away. His best attempts at fighting the itch was met with resistance until the feeling could no longer be stopped and he was forced to lift his elbow to his face. 

    His head ducked down into his elbow as he did before, sharply three times in pure silence. He gave a brief pause and raised his head, eyes blinking, only to duck his head back down without much preparation, a rush of air forced itself free with a soft, “hcshsh!”

    Will had watched the entire scene unfold and hardly knew how to react as Hannibal lifted his head from the crook of his arm, nostrils briefly flaring, calmness passing over him as he sat back. “Pardon me.” 

    “Did you just sneeze?”

    Hannibal hardly reacted to Will’s question, merely tipped his chin down slightly. “It was nothing. Now, you were saying that you are not aware if this was a mental or a physical block that did not permit you from continuing on with the tasks you needed to accomplish later in the evening?” 

    It took a minute for Will to separate what he was talking to Hannibal about, and what he was witnessing in front of him. Part of him told him to just answer Hannibal’s questions and ignore the rest until his session was over. Another part of him suggested he do the complete opposite.

    “I guess it’s more mental like—“

    “Hrcsh’tsh!” This time the burning itch snuck up on Hannibal. He ducked his head down to his knees just in time as his breath started to hitch dangerously close to another release. A long, silk handkerchief was pulled from his pocket and was brought up to his nose and mouth as he turned to the side, as far away from Will’s piercing gaze as possible. “Hrchs’tsh! Hrcs’chsh! Hcsrsh’shtsh!”

    The sounds were surprisingly harsh and swift, well restrained and put together. It was certainly something that Will could expect that would come from Hannibal, while also not expecting to ever hear it come from him. 

    Stunned, it took Will longer than he expected after watching Hannibal gingerly tend to his nose through the folds of the handkerchief before he could even think of speaking.  

    “Uh....bless you?”

    Hannibal eyed him curiously. “Excuse me.”

    “I mean I thought you just sneezed and that’s polite to say to somewhere when they sneeze,” Will answered.

    Hannibal managed a small smile only for it to vanish just as quickly as it appeared. “It is not something we need to acknowledge.”

    “Dr. Lecter, are you sure you’re okay.” He gave a brief pause, swallowed, and continued. “Because I’ve never seen you so much as sniffle before and now you’ve sneezed a good many times. Are you sure everything is alright?” 

    “It is nothing that you need to concern yourself with. It is merely....hih....” There it was again; the desperate tickle that started at the back of his throat and traveled all the way through his ears and burned past his sinuses. Damn, was he tired of sneezing, or more like tired of constantly holding that feeling back and stifling it into extinction. The unsatisfied response would always plague him for it to happen again rather quickly, which was infuriating to feel happen when he was at the mercy of it. 

    Hannibal lifted his handkerchief again, the soft material cupped over the lower half of his face. “Hcsh’shs! Htcsh’shch!” Hannibal pressed his tongue against the roof of his mouth, eyes fluttering closed once again. “Hrcsh’shtch! Hrcsh’shsh!” He was forced to give a light blow into the square thoroughly, nose dripping unceremoniously thanks to the force of the fit.

    “Geez, bless you,” Will exclaimed. “That sounded like it hurt.”

    The handkerchief was lowered from his nose quickly, nostrils left a pinkish tinge from the treatment they had received. “It was nothing. Please—“ Hannibal broke off to cough harshly, still into the handkerchief he refused to put down. “Continue.”

    Any earlier resignation that Will had about not embarrassing the doctor disappeared. He rose to his feet from his chair and came closer, watching as Hannibal stiffened after every hack into the cloth.  

    Will was the last person that had any experience dealing with sick people. Hell, he hardly was able to deal with himself when he was sick. Liquid cough syrup and nighttime cold meds were the only things that kept him going, for he preferred to sleep through any illness so not to focus on how shitty it made him feel. He had a feeling, though, that Hannibal may not be the same way.

    “Doctor?” Will rested a hand on Hannibal’s shoulder, surprised when the man didn’t pull back, but may have even leaned into his touch. Will didn’t say anything about it, mind processing just how much warmth he could feel wafting from the doctor’s body. “You’re warm.”

    Hannibal managed to regain his breath and tended to his slightly drippy nose before tucking the handkerchief back into his pocket and facing Will with a stern look. “Apologizes. If you would still like to continue with our session, I may need to grab a cup of tea first.”  

    Will stayed firmly where he was, hand rested still on Hannibal’s shoulder. He applied slightly more pressure before lifting his hand and trailing his fingers up the side of Hannibal’s neck. Goosebumps spouted along the doctor’s skin as Will raised his hand all the higher, brushing strands of hair from his forehead to steal a fleeting touch with the back of his fingers against his brow.

    “Will,” Hannibal started, eyes roving to meet Will’s gaze. “This is a highly inappropriate waste of both of our times.”

    Will ignored Hannibal’s clipped tone as he pressed his lips into a fine line. “You’re pretty warm. Do you have a thermometer in here?” 

    Hannibal remained quiet as he pulled his head to the side, brow tented in reluctance.  

    “You can either tell me or I’ll start looking around myself. Which would you prefer?”

    Albeit reluctantly, Hannibal lifted his right hand timidly and pointed to the corner of the room where his black doctor’s bag was rested against the wall. 

    Will dipped his head. “Thank you.” With that he left Hannibal’s side and crouched in front of Hannibal’s bag, opening it and trying not to allow curiosity to get the best of him as he rummaged quickly. It didn’t take long for him to find what Hannibal was talking about and picked up an old mercury thermometer, the weight of it tipping dangerously in his palm. “This is ancient.”

    Hannibal raised an eyebrow. “I prefer the accuracy to which it provides.”

    It was such a Hanniballike answer that Will didn’t press further. He merely brought the thermometer over and handed it over to Hannibal expectantly. 

    Hannibal held the thermometer in his hand for a fleeting moment before slipping the tip under his tongue and held it there, well aware that Will was watching him intently, fingers drumming on his opposite arm as he crossed his arms over his chest.

    Silence stretched on between them until Hannibal removed the thermometer from his mouth while Will swooped in and snatched it from Hannibal’s grasp. 

    “103.5,” Will whistled in alarm. “That’s high.” 

    Hannibal waved his hand dismissively. “The phenomenon that a fever above 104 causing brain damage is a farce. It’s the symptoms one must look out for, not merely the temperature. You needn’t be worried about the number.”

    “Still, that’s high. It can’t be comfortable,” Will protested.

    Before Hannibal could answer, he lifted one finger and brandished his handkerchief once more, seemingly out of thin air as he curled his body forward, face disappearing downwards. He managed four sharp bobs of his head until it seemed Hannibal was unable to continue on that way and he was forced to take in an involuntary, breathy gasp. “Hrtcsh’shsh! Htcsh’shsh! Htrcsh’tsh!”

    Will frowned and looked around the room when he saw a box of tissues on his desk, usually reserved for patients. He snagged the box with two fingers and extended it towards Hannibal. “Bless.”  

    Hannibal gave his nose a tender blow before lowering his handkerchief with a look of distain at the tissues. “I refrain from using those insufficient items at all costs.” 

    “Tissues? They’re much more sanitary than a handkerchief. I thought you’d actually prefer them,” Will pointed out as he tapped the box against his thigh as he leaned back on the armrest of his chair, concentration never leaving the doctor in front of him.

    Hannibal wrinkled his nose. “I much prefer these.” He dabbed at the curves of his nostrils and under his nose, brief agitation showing on his features at the very human position that he found himself in. Just when he was about to fold his handkerchief and put it away, his head snapped down into the back of his wrist desperately. “Hrchs’Tcsh!”

    The sound alone caused Will to jump in surprise, despite the fact that he had been watching Hannibal and should’ve been prepared for it. 

    The sneeze took Hannibal by as much surprise as it did Will. The sound was much harsher than he usually allowed himself to have, especially in front of anyone else. He gave another soft blow into the cloth, the added pressure already seeping into his sinuses and making his face ache. 

    “Bless you. You good?”

    “I appreciate your concern, though you do not have to ask me that question every time.”

    “Sorry, I thought it was polite.” Will continued to tap the tissue box against his leg until Hannibal shot him a look and he set them back neatly on Hannibal’s desk. “I really don’t think you are well, Doctor.” 

    “Will, if you are going to continue to insist we have this conversation, I would prefer if you use my name instead of my title. It seems we have gotten away from the usual doctor and patient conversation at the moment.” Hannibal’s brow gave a small twitch as he pressed his palm against it, the remaining strength that he possessed fighting the urge to truly tell Will how he felt.

    Embarrassment passed over Will’s face as he shook his head. “Sure, sure, I can do that.” He rubbed his hands together before placing them over his knees. “If you want I can make that tea you talked about earlier. I’m not near the chef that you are, but I think I can handle that.” 

    Every instinct in Hannibal told him to refuse, to keep up with the facade that whatever he was dealing with wasn’t that bothersome. However, his lungs chose for him as he doubled over into a coughing fit, shoulders lifting in an effort to conceal Will from seeing it as much as possible.

    Mercifully, Will backed out of the room quickly, skirting from the door that connected Hannibal’s office to the rest of his house. He closed the door and headed into the kitchen, eager to make the tea before Hannibal could risk coming after him.

    It was only when Hannibal gave a very uncomfortable hack that nearly turned into a gag that he was able to finally clam the fire in his lungs. Tears pricked in the corners of his eyes as he looked around to find that Will was no longer in the room. He sniffled hard and made a show to stand only to feel a wave of dizziness crash into him. He was forced to slump back down in his seat, the back of his hand coming to his forehead as he fought through the dizziness to breathe, the prickling along his skin not helping matters. 

    Hannibal wasn’t sure how long he laid there with his head inclined forward when he heard footsteps approaching. A body slumped down in front of him with hands rested on his knees.  

    It took all of his strength to peel his eyes open to see Will crouched in front of him, worry clearly defined in ever wrinkle on his face.

    “You still with me,” Will fretted.

    Hannibal made a sound of affirmation in the back of his throat as he raised his head, shifting back in his chair. “My equilibrium just needed a moment to recalibrate. Must be a minor problem with the mechanoreceptors.”

    “I don’t really know what that means, but maybe this will help.” He lifted the mug filled of tea, the bag hanging over the side.

    Hannibal’s heart ached momentarily as he took the mug from Will. “I doubt it will do anything for my equilibrium, but I appreciate the gesture nonetheless.”

    That was enough for Will, though he didn’t shy away from kneeling at Hannibal’s side. He removed his hands from Hannibal’s knees as the sick man brought up the mug to his lips and took in a timid sip, but he still gazed at him in steadfast.

    Hannibal set the mug down on his knee, looking at Will gratefully. “Thank you.”

    “No problem, Doct—“ Hannibal cut him off with a look and Will chuckled awkwardly with a shake of his head to clear it. “Hannibal.”

    Hannibal dipped his head in appreciation for Will using his first name. He never would’ve thought that he would feel the giddy schoolboy excitement that he felt when Will said his name, yet here he was. All of his desires told him to lean into this as much as possible, yet logic, once more, dictated how much he should express just how hearing Will said his name did to his soul.

    “Have you taken anything?” Hannibal opened his mouth to respond only for Will to roll his eyes in exasperation. “I know, I know, it’s the symptoms not the fever. But, I think you’d feel better if you at least took a decongestant.” 

    “Never have enjoyed those so called ‘modern’ medicines that have engrossed themselves onto the market. I prefer to go about illnesses such as this naturally,” Hannibal replied as he gripped the warm mug tightly in two hands, muffling a hoarse cough towards his chest. 

    “Are you sure? Because whatever it is sounds like it’s settling in your sinuses pretty well.”

    “It’s noth—hih.....hih.....Hrcsh’sthc! Hrcsht’rsch! Hrtsch’shsh!”

    Miraculously before the fit, Will noticed the faraway look plaguing Hannibal and swept in to take the mug from him in favor of pulling his now soggy handkerchief free and sneezing into it, embarrassed when each resulting sneeze burned its way through his sinuses and left a catch of phlegm in the back of his throat. Swallowing convulsively to rid himself of it only did so much, and the resulting coughing fit was painfully embarrassing.

    Slightly winded, Hannibal hardly reacted when Will handed him back the mug of tea and urged him to drink. He took a few delicate sips only to stretch out his hand in a grabbing motion as Will took his used handkerchief from him.

    “It’s a wonder this does anything,” Will assessed with a roll of his eyes. “I know what you said about tissues, but they gotta be better than this, right?”

    When Hannibal finally surfaced from the tea, he grumbled softly. “I have bore in by roob.”

    The congested tone that Hannibal now held was so unnerving for Will that it took him a moment to process what the older man had said. Not wanting to embarrass him further, he set the handkerchief on his desk and motioned toward the door leading to the rest of Hannibal’s house. “Alright, then how about we get you set up there and then I’ll leave you to rest?”

    “Will, dis is.....” He trailed off, his nose giving a harsh prickle at the back of his throat, spreading through to the roof of his mouth and sinuses. He was forced to rub the back of his wrist against his sore appendage, frustration clear in the fierceness of his actions. “You dond’t hab to feel obligaded to help be.”

    Hurt momentarily flashed on Will’s face. “Oh, I can go if you would rather.”

    That wasn’t what Hannibal wanted. In fact, that was the absolute furthest thing from what he wanted.  

    “I dond’t wandt you to cadtch this frob be.”

    “Contrary to popular belief and despite what my lifestyle would suggest, I actually have a fairly decent immune system.” He gave a brief pause and couldn’t help but smile bashfully. “I’m not worried about catching your cold, Hannibal, so long as you don’t mind me being here.”

    Hannibal managed a productive filled snuffle, a blush threatening to show on his features. “I never mind you being here, Will, professional or otherwise.”

    It was now Will’s turn to clear his throat before he could become overwhelmed with Hannibal’s response. “Likewise. Now, will you please let me help?” Will stood and extended his elbow towards Hannibal with an eager look on his face that he was desperately trying to hide.

    Whatever dignity Hannibal was still trying to salvage, disappeared when he looked into Will’s eyes. It was quite rare for Will to make eye contact with him, so when he did, he always made sure to stare deeply into those emotion filled irises as long as possible.

    An inkling of strength pulsed through him as he set his tea aside and braced both his hands on the armrests of his chair and leveraged himself into standing. 

    Suddenly, his left knee gave out and he stumbled forward almost into Will, who reached out both hands to steady him. One hand was rested on his chest, and the other around on the small of his back, Hannibal well aware of Will’s scent engulfed around him, or at least as much as he could detect through his clogged nose. The heat coming from Will was unlike his own, though he still felt the urge to press into him and feel the strength of his arms around him to hold him steady.  

    The need of feeling Will close couldn’t override his sudden shame, and Hannibal was quick to draw back, even as Will tried to pull him back.

    “You okay,” Will questioned worriedly.

    Hannibal swallowed thickly and pulled down on his vest. “I’m fine. Just the—“

    “Equilibrium,” Will interrupted goodnaturally. “I know.”

    Hannibal’s head hung. “Perhaps I am not as well as I had hoped.” 

    Will frowned as he looped his arm around Hannibal’s and used his free hand to clutched at Hannibal’s elbow to give that second point of contact. “Lean on me as much as you need. I’m not as weak as I look.”

    “You’ve never been weak to me,” Hannibal corrected firmly, his sickness not making his voice sound any softer. 

    Will smiled bashfully and looked away before taking a step forward, Hannibal’s heavy footsteps following. 

    They took it almost painstakingly slow with Will ever aware of Hannibal’s every move, worried that he may be more fatigued than he realized or would say. Will wasn’t weak by any means, though he was unsure whether or not he could pull Hannibal up if he would fall.

    As though reading his thoughts, Hannibal inclined his head slightly forward, breath warm on Will’s ear. “I’m not as unsteady as I seem. You don’t need to look at me as though I’m an old man.”

    “I would never.” Will gave Hannibal’s arm a tight squeeze. Hannibal reached his other hand around to rest it over Will’s, relieved when Will didn’t push him off. Skin to skin contact wasn’t something that Hannibal indulged in often, at least not with the living. But Will was different; Will was always different. 

    The two carried on in silence, Will making sure that every step Hannibal took was steady and didn’t allow him to lean away even when a round of coughing seared through his all ready aching lungs. However, it was his nose gave a knowing prickle that gripped his entire face, and no amount of blinking of his eyes or pressing his tongue to the roof of his mouth was chasing that feeling away. He even tried to lift his hand from around Will’s and brought it up to his face to clutch his nose between his thumb and pointer finger, nails digging into the bridge of his nose firmly.

    “Hannibal,” Will inquired.

    Embarrassment rushed through him as he stopped dead, well aware that Will was holding him tightly in alarm.

    Hannibal ducked into his fingers five times in rapid succession, which was very unusual considering the usual patterns that he had when sick. Two or three sneezes was to be expected, maybe four and five if it was a sinus infection. Although, having five in a rapid fit and still feeling the need to sneeze building was very unusual and infuriating. 

    His breath continued to hitch from behind his fingers, nose feeling hopelessly full and buzzing with a tickle that he was desperately trying to fight back. Tears threatened to spill from the corners of his eyes. He wasn’t sure what was worse: the continual need to sneeze, or the fact that Will was witness to it.

    “Hannibal, stop. You’re making it worse.” Despite his instincts telling him not to, Will reached out and took Hannibal’s wrist in his hands and pulled it from Hannibal’s nose, briefly catching sight of Hannibal’s flared nostrils and pinched quality to his features.

    Hannibal wretched away from Will at the last possible moment into the elbow farthest from Will. “Hrcsh’tsh! HrcSh’tcsh! Hrcsh’shtch! Hrctsh’tcsh! Hrtcsh’tsch!”

    “Jesus! You good?”

    Hannibal gave a sniffle, shame and agitation milling together inside of him at how inconsiderable he had been to Will and how that may look. He was forced to give his nose a small rub, disguised as pushing his forearm upwards against his forehead. After a thick swallow, Hannibal lifted his head, well aware of how moist his nostrils were and how close his nose was to running.

    “Do pardon me,” Hannibal apologized softly, unable to meet Will’s gaze. “I don’t know where that came from.” 

    “You’re sick. You can’t help it.” 

    Hannibal huffed and kept walking forward, forcing Will to do the same to keep up with him. “It was quite insensitive of me to put you in this situation by coming this close into contact with me when I am visibly unwell.”

    Will shrugged. “Been in worse situations. Besides, it’s not like I had anything else to do tonight. Helping out a friend is.....comforting.”

    “Comforting you say?”

    “Yeah—like it feels right or something.”

    The therapist in Hannibal wanted to decipher exactly what Will had told him, but the fatigue that plagued his mind wouldn’t allow it. There would be plenty of time later to contemplate what Will meant and lament over it.

    When they finally made it to Hannibal’s spacious bedroom with the intricate artwork on the walls and pristinely kept furniture, Will felt his eyes roving the room, both impressed and surprised to see such an intimate space. While Will couldn’t have cared less if Hannibal saw his home and where he slept with his dogs, somehow seeing this was different and almost overwhelming.
    
    Will helped Hannibal over to sit on the edge of his bed, muscles roaring in protest. He wasn’t getting any younger, that much was obvious.

    “Are you sure you won’t take something? Even Tylenol or NyQuil or something?” Will worked his hands back together in front of him, willing them not to rise any higher.

    Sighing, Hannibal’s face turned neutral as he sighed heavily. “Guest bedroom down the hall in the medicine cabinet behind the mirror in a orange prescription bottle.”  

    Will didn’t hesitate to turn on his heels and head out of the room, relief washing over him that he had convinced the doctor to take something. 

    Hannibal took the opportunity when Will left to quickly change into silk pants and a nightshirt while also pulling a stack of fresh handkerchieves from his dresser and setting it on his nightstand for easier access. He then swung his legs onto the bed outstretched, sitting upright with a pillow tucked behind him to help him breathe easier. His eyes drifted closed while he allowed his hearing to roam, attentive to when Will would return.

    He didn’t have to wait long for Will’s return. 

    “What are these,” Will asked as he came over to Hannibal’s side with the pill bottle and a glass of water. “They’re not labeled.”

    Hannibal opened his eyes slowly and stretched out his hand to take the offered bottle from Will. The cap was easily twisted off and he tapped two white pills onto his palm before bringing them up to his mouth and tipped his head back. He chased the pills with a sip of water before handing it back to Will, who set it in the center of his nightstand on a coaster. 

    “Not something I indulge in often, but in times of great need.”

    Sensing that he wasn’t meant to ask more, Will looked around the room with his hands tucked into his pockets. “Can I do anything else?”

    “I believe that you have done more than enough than I could ever ask of you,” Hannibal replied with a relieved smile. “And I thank you for that.” 

    “It was really nothing. I know you’d do the same for me if things were reversed.”

    Hannibal picked one of the handkerchiefs off of the stack and dabbed under his nose delicately. He was wholeheartedly expecting Will to excuse himself to head out as it was growing late, but to his surprise, Will stayed where he was appearing conflicted.

    “Is there something else you require?”
    
    “Oh, no!” Will gave his head a much needed shake as he turned his head upwards to look at the ceiling, attention anywhere besides on Hannibal.

    Hannibal waited a moment before asking, “Will?”

    “If it’s all the same to you, I’d prefer to wait until you fall asleep. Just to make sure that you’re okay and whatever pills those were aren’t dangerous for you,” Will requested, still keeping his gaze away from Hannibal. 

    “I can assure you that they are not, though I will certainly not object to you staying if you would prefer.”

    Will glanced around at a bookshelf in the corner of his room and nodded to them. He found himself heading over, fingers brushing delicately against each spine of every book in an almost ritualistic sense, a low hum rolling in the back of his throat at the feel of each one.

    One in particular caught Will’s attention as he grabbed the spine gingerly, hand rocking the book back and forth ever so slightly until it was able to be dislodged from it’s place. He flipped it over and smiled. “The Iliad. I haven’t read this in forever.” He looked back over his shoulder to see if Hannibal was looking at him. Sure enough, Hannibal was staring back at him through fever glazed eyes, a look that Will had never seen from him before. 

    Will lifted the book in clear view and padded closer. “Is this one alright? I remember reading it in college.”

    Hannibal’s eyes glowed. “That is one of my favorites as well.” He muffled a cough into his pillow, breath catching until he grabbed the glass of water on the nightstand and drank it down steadily. “It has a certain allure to it.”

    The corner of Will’s mouth twisted into a wiry smile as he came closer, eyes flickering around to the room for where he could sit.

    Hannibal noticed and stretched out a hand to gingerly brush the space beside him. “If you wouldn’t feel too awkward, you may sit here beside me. I will also try to keep my contagion to myself as much as possible, though you have already been rather close to me today, so I am unsure how successful that will be.”

    “If you’re sure,” Will replied as he came over to Hannibal’s impressively spacious bed and slid onto the side, enough space left between himself and Hannibal that Will didn’t feel he was encroaching on Hannibal’s space.

    Hannibal twisted slightly so that he was laying on his side facing Will. It was then that Will could see how flushed Hannibal was, and the catch in his breath every time he took in a deep breath. He was trying to be as quiet as possible as though any sound may scare Will away.

    Will cleared his throat mightily before opening the leather bound book, the creak of the spine sending shivers down his body. “Skepticism is as much the result of knowledge, as knowledge is of skepticism. To be content with what we at present know, is, for the most part, to shut our ears against conviction; since, from the very gradual character of our education, we must continually forget, and emancipate ourselves from, knowledge previously acquired; we must set aside old notions and embrace fresh ones; and, as we learn, we must be daily unlearning something which it has cost us no small labor and anxiety to acquire.”

    Will wasn’t quite sure how long he had been reading, but when he looked over, Hannibal was snoring softly, mouth gaped open as he seemed unable to breathe through his nose. It was so unlike Hannibal to snore, at least that’s what Will believed, though Will couldn’t find himself unable to look away.

    A sudden urge had Will lifting his hand and brushing the backs of his fingers against Hannibal’s cheek. His face was as smooth as Will expected, though there was a small amount of friction where stubble could be coming in if Hannibal allowed it.

    Will’s fingers continued to dance across Hannibal’s cheek as he curled to face him, drawing so close that their foreheads were almost touching. Heat pooled in Will’s stomach as he looked to Hannibal’s fever flushed lips, which were chapped dry. Still, all Will wanted was to close the distance between them.

    ‘What the hell am I doing?!’

    Will immediately pulled away much more abruptly than he anticipated. The book shook and Hannibal drowsily lifted a hand to rub at the side of his face where Will’s fingers had been a mere minute ago before finally drifting off once again. 

    ‘Shit, shit, shit!’ 

    Will sprang up from Hannibal’s bed, hands shaking out at his sides as the tips of his fingers tingled and ran down his arms. Heart beating rapidly in his chest, Will backed out of the room quickly, blood roaring in his ears. He closed the door lightly behind him and sagged against the nearest wall with a hand over his chest.

    “No, no, no,” he whispered against his chest. “No fucking way. No!”
    
    Knowing how this would go if he stayed, Will peeled himself off the wall and started forward, worried he may be making the biggest mistake of his life.

 

The End

[Not Telling]

I do so love indulging in a good Will/Hannibal fanfic. There is something so appealing about such a composed, refined, eloquent, man like Hannibal (culinary preferences aside haha) catching cold. This was lovely, you really captured both Hannibal's and Will's essence marvelously. Thank you for posting this! 

[Reader]

Whoa this was sooooo great! Audience found! 

[AntheaHolmes]

Oh this was good. Hannibal is such an amazing character. His sneezes are adorable (I know he would kill me for saying that, but I don't care). He's so gentle as are his sneezes in a way while at the same time being manly. 

[AntheaHolmes]

I'm always coming back to this amazing story. I re-read it like 6 times just today. It's so incredibly good! Really love the dynamic and characteristics. I just love sneezy Hannibal. Would love some allergy sneezes from him, if you decide to continue this amazing story! 

[Wolfwings22]

On 1/22/2024 at 1:47 PM, AntheaHolmes said:

I'm always coming back to this amazing story. I re-read it like 6 times just today. It's so incredibly good! Really love the dynamic and characteristics. I just love sneezy Hannibal. Would love some allergy sneezes from him, if you decide to continue this amazing story! 

Awe thank you so much! I wasn’t sure how many people were still in the Hannibal fandom and it warms my heart to know that you liked it so much! I do have a few other Hannibal stories that I’m working on and your comment gave me the confidence to post them here when they’re finished. I also should be able to include some allergy sneezing from Hannibal too in one of them

[AntheaHolmes]

2 hours ago, Wolfwings22 said:

Awe thank you so much! I wasn’t sure how many people were still in the Hannibal fandom and it warms my heart to know that you liked it so much! I do have a few other Hannibal stories that I’m working on and your comment gave me the confidence to post them here when they’re finished. I also should be able to include some allergy sneezing from Hannibal too in one of them

Oh wow, thanks so much! Really appreciate it. Actually I'm re-watching the series too at the moment. It's so so good and Hannibal is just so handsome! I would have loved to see a sneeze from Mads as Hannibal. 

[Guessagain]

Agreed. I love an intelligent, well-dressed, stoic (and dare i say, vicious) man being unraveled by a cold.

[plantqueen]

This is very well done! I haven’t watched the show, but I love the way you write the characters regardless.