Chapter Text
The Wendigo's antlers were menacing, yet luring its victim with its elegance and mystery. The dreamer carefully approached the entity, aware that this being is intelligent and cunning, extremely dangerous.
He looked so tall and intimidating, and yet the dreamer is captivated. The Wendigo held out his human-like hands towards his beloved.
Will Graham took the offered hand and let himself be pulled by the mysterious being into his cave. The forest was dark and lush that Will was careful in his steps, holding on to the being's hand firmly.
Will trusts him, sees him, understands him.
The creature sees him, too.
Will has been hunting the Ripper for a while now, studying him, understanding him, and Will felt like they've known each other so intimately.
The Heart stood in the middle of the cave, which has suddenly transformed into a well-lit, beautiful church as soon as Will walked in. Will cannot recall this place, but he wondered why his subconscious mind has conjured such beautiful place, fitting more for a grand wedding than a grotesque artwork. He touched the large heart, realising it was made from a human body, bloodied and still warm, folded like paper to imitate the organ's anatomical shape.
Will find it so beautiful.
The antlered artist now stood behind Will, sensing his beloved's appreciation of his present. His arms snaked around the Dreamer's waist, slowly hugging him. His head rested on Will's nape, making his antlers looked as if it was Will's own, rising from his skull and turning into a crown.
The Ripper's exquisite gift made him ache for the said creature. Will turned around, held the monster's obscured face and kissed his lips fiercely. He let himself be devoured whole, the thought of being fully entwined with a loved one giving him pleasure.
----
Will Graham woke up breathing heavily, his whole body gleaming with a layer of sweat, his heart beating loudly against his chest and his muscles heavy with weariness. He felt a strong tug of longing and pining.
He berated himself, blinking off the tears starting to form in his eyes and stood up to begin his day. Luckily, he was on a rest day today. He planned to call Jack and ask him for a month long vacation after he submits his report on the latest Chesapeake Ripper murder.
Just a few minutes after his shower, a knock on his door lightly startled Will's musings. He frowned - he was not in the mood to talk to Jack or anyone in the fbi right now. He doesn't want to talk about the Ripper's new artwork again, which was displayed by the said killer just a few kilometres away from his house.
He doesn't want to see the identified victim's face ever again in the pictures which Jack showed him yesterday. They were photos of the guy when he was still alive, vibrant and smiling.
The man's appearance bearing a familiarity which he doesn't want to dwell on, with his wavy, dark brown curls; strong jaw, and his striking blue eyes. His handsome face stared daringly at Will.
Will thought back to his dream, back to the creature giving him the gift he painstakingly made for him, offering Will his heart, his devotion, his love. A pang of yearning hit him once more like huge waves.
Another knock startled him and Will was suddenly thankful for the interruption.
He was not surprised, but he didn't expect that it would be Hannibal, and not Jack Crawford, who visited him. He smiled widely for the first time that morning, glad of the doctor's company.
"Hello Will, how are you?" Hannibal was wearing a simpler outfit than his regular expensive suits, opting for a plain, grey coloured sweater and a pair of denim pants that Will guessed were expensive. Despite the simple outfit, Hannibal Lecter still looked as pristine as ever, Will thought as he studied Hannibal’s handsome face.
"You brought us breakfast, Doctor Lecter? I'm hungry." Will said while grinning, taking a peak at Hannibal’s bag.
"Yes, I also brought coffee." The smell was incredible.
"I smell ham. You're a lifesaver."
"Hardly." Will chuckled lightly at that.
"Now that you've got a glimpse of the breakfast, am I finally allowed to come in?" Will laughed for the first time in days.
---
"You're more pensive than usual, is this because of yesterday's crime scene?"
Hannibal asked, breaking their companionable silence. Will wanted to ignore him, but he couldn't. He shook his head, taking a bite of the omelette that Hannibal served him and of course, tasted like the best omelette he ever had in his life.
He doesn't want to be rude to Hannibal who made and brought him breakfast, Hannibal who brought him the best home brewed coffee he ever tasted in his life. It was now his favourite drink.
They have been friends for a year now. Hannibal knew him more than anyone else and has never judged him, despite Will revealing his deepest and sometimes dark thoughts to the man. His strong empathy sensed that Hannibal has never once felt disgusted, or even scared of him. But his empathy also noticed an emptiness, a darkness - so carefully concealed within Hannibal’s well-tailored person suit, but he doesn't bother prying.
Perhaps, Will thought, he could share one more dark secret to Hannibal before the doctor finally decided that his friend is too crazy. One more secret to share before Hannibal leave him. Maybe, he won't totally abandon Will, but he hated the thought of the doctor distancing from him, and worse, be disgusted with him.
"I've been struggling with something lately and while I don't want to bother you, I do not have anyone else I could talk to. Honestly, I really don't wanna talk about it but, I don't know. I just need to tell it to you. I guess I've been trusting you and relying on you too much. I'm sorry."
"Never apologise for relying on me. You may have forgotten that while I am your friend, I am also a doctor. Perhaps my expertise could be of help. Will, the last thing I want is to see you get destroyed by whatever it is you're having trouble with. Let me help you." Hannibal stared at Will, yet Will refused to glance back.
"You know how I don't want anyone tinkering with my brain, Hannibal, and like I said, I also do not want to bother you."
"Will, never think that you are a bother. I'm just worried ab--"
"I'm in love with the Chesapeake Ripper."
Will quickly lifted his head and stared wide eyes at Hannibal, unable to believe that he finally said it out loud. He saw his own shocked expression mirrored in the doctor's face.
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