After that very confusing conversation with Hannibal, Will hadn't spoken a word. He didn't how to continue after that. The profiler simply watched as the doctor's disappointment hid behind a neutral expression. They stayed that way before Hannibal excused himself. He hadn't bid Will a good night meaning that Hannibal was going to come back.
Just as the door closed, Will grabbed one of the pillows and slammed his face into it. He let out a scream of frustration- the pillow doing a great job of muffling his screams- before he flopped awkwardly on the bed. Everything was so confusing. Sure, because Will was considered to be on the spectrum, human emotion always puzzled him but his empathy usually helped. Now, he was stuck with a serial killer who was ridiculously skilled at hiding his emotions.
It was in times of confusion and frustration that Will would go fishing with Winston. He would usually take the other dogs but Winston was the most behaved, opting to sleep on the river bank as Will waded into the quiet. Calming his breathing, Will stared at the ceiling, counting the wooden tiles that decorated it. Even the ceilings were intricately designed. Within no time, sleep threatened to overtake Will but he persisted to retain his consciousness. Will hummed mindlessly as he continued to count the ceiling tiles.
While Will kept himself busy with his moral dilemma in his room, Hannibal was doing the dishes downstairs. The doctor used this time to let his thoughts roam freely. Will was making so much progress but unfortunately, the need to conform to society's standards keeps the profiler's desires at bay. How much easier would it be if Will let his carnal instincts take over? Hannibal could then shed his person suit but alas, life is unfair. All Hannibal can do is whisper from outside the chrysalis. Hannibal had often found himself fighting the urge to rip through the chrysalis and mould Will into the perfect being. A perfect fit for Hannibal. A matching puzzle block.
Hannibal had perfect plans that needed to be executed soon. It is without a doubt that Hannibal's face would be plastered on the news alongside Will's. The FBI must be looking for them across the entire country but they wouldn't think to look in Virginia. With the headstart that Hannibal had gotten, Jack must presume that he would have to extend his search onto international borders but Hannibal was smarter. He used this presumption to his own advantage by going to one of his safe houses in Virginia. It is quite far away from Wolf Trap but still within the state.
As much as Hannibal would prefer not to, he knew he would have to venture out from the safety of the house to get supplies and ensure that the next step of the plan is ready. His plan was to take Will to Florence. He knew that Will would be happy there. All Hannibal had to do was collect a favour from one of his old contacts. Money wasn't an issue. He would spend all of the riches in the world if it ensured that Will would be with him.
Once all the dishes were dried and placed on the rack, Hannibal made his way upstairs. He had taken the room next to Will's just so he can be close if the profiler has any nightmares. Once Hannibal had made his way to Will's room, there was hesitation lingering in the air. The doctor had no reason to go into the room; the only thing Hannibal wanted to do was to bid Will a good night. With his hand on the doorknob, Hannibal hesitated for a few seconds before softly knocking on the door. When he didn't receive any reply, he slowly opened the door to find Will asleep. He was sleeping on the wrong side with his chained leg hanging limply from the side of the bed.
He must have been waiting for Hannibal. With his heart softly aching at the sight, Hannibal walked in before placing the blanket on top of the profiler. There wasn't much Hannibal could do at the moment. Moving Will would wake him up so Hannibal decided to just let him be.
Staring at the sleeping profiler, Hannibal sighed heavily, letting all the tension show on his shoulders. Lingering just a little longer, Hannibal turned around, switching off the light before walking out of the room. Although he wished not to, Hannibal locked the door before walking into his room.
Instead of going straight to sleep, Hannibal sat on his bed before scrolling through the contacts on his phone. He had to ditch his old phone in case dear old Jack decided to trace it- it would have been their first move- but as always, Hannibal was prepared. He kept a separate phone with the needed numbers.
Once he reached the right name, he clicked the call button, waiting patiently as the ringing sound was heard. After two rings, a click was heard.
"Ivan's Bakery. How may I help you?" A thick Russian accent was heard from the phone.
"Yes, my name is Roman Fell," Hannibal spoke, his voice calm and calculating. "I would like to collect two baskets for me and my partner, Aleksander."
"And when will you be ready to collect them?"
"As soon as possible," Hannibal replied before hanging up. This wasn't his first time but Hannibal would prefer it was his last. They couldn't leave the country without fake identities... it was more that they couldn't enter another country without fake ids. All Hannibal had to do was wait till the new identities were created so that they could just slip out of America, opening the doors to the rest of the world. By then, maybe, Will would succumb to the darkness in him. Becoming who Hannibal wanted.
Opening the drawer on his nightstand, Hannibal placed the phone in before heading to the bathroom. It was 10.30. Hannibal usually stayed up late but there was no reason to and he had plans for the next day so the doctor decided to change into his pyjamas and call it a day. Amidst buttoning his silk shirt, a blood-curdling scream caught Hannibal's attention.
It was Will.
Running out of the bathroom, Hannibal quickly made his way towards Will's room. Just as he reached the door, he remembered the key before rushing back into his room. The screams were getting louder, a loud thud accompanying the screams.
"Will?" Hannibal called out the profiler's name as he unlocked the door. Rushing towards Will, Hannibal found him writhing on the floor; sheets tangled around his body. Before Hannibal could do anything, Will's head slammed hard against the corner of the bed causing the doctor to lunge towards Will. Grabbing the struggling body, Hannibal stopped Will from moving too harshly.
"Will, I need you to wake up," Hannibal tried as he attempted to get Will to wake up. Will had now gone still, his breathing heavy as his eyes slowly fluttered open. They were the eyes of a man who had seen a lot of things. "There we go," Hannibal muttered as he cradled the face of the profiler.
"Hannibal?" Will spoke, attempting to move but he winced when he felt a throbbing pain on the back of his head. "What the hell?"
Hand moving from his cheek, Hannibal quickly cupped the back of Will's head, feeling for any blood or bump. It was too dark to see anything but there was a slight moisture and Hannibal could smell the metallic smell of blood. With no difficulty, Hannibal quickly lifted Will and placed him on the bed.
"You had a nightmare," Hannibal said, pushing Will back down when he tried to sit up. "You hit your head. Let me treat it."
Will simply stayed quiet. He was still processing everything. The last Will remembers was lying in bed, waiting for Hannibal and the next thing knows, he's in Hannibal's arms with a sharp pain coursing through his head. Mind still groggy, he didn't realise that Hannibal was talking to him until he felt a sharp sting. The lights were now on and there was a first aid kit next to him. He has been seeing those things a lot now. The pain caused the profiler to hiss out.
"It is a small wound," Hannibal muttered, making sure the wound was completely covered in rubbing alcohol. "There is no need for a plaster as long as you don't touch it." Hannibal advised as he closed the first aid kit.
Once the first aid kit was stored away, Hannibal turned to a still-dazed Will. His face softened when he saw how Will seemed to be lost in his mind. "Do you want to talk about it?" Hannibal asked, snapping Will out of his trance and eliciting an angered response.
"Why? Are you going to be my therapist again?" Will questioned, his eyebrows narrowing in anger and frustration. Taking a deep breath, Will carefully laid on his side. He made sure not to put pressure on his wound. The last thing he needed was additional pain.
"Not your therapist, but rather your friend," Hannibal replied before walking to the door. "Get some rest. Call me if you need anything." With that, Hannibal flipped the light off before walking out.
"Wait," Will called out causing the doctor to pause in his step. Will instantly regretted his decision but there was a part of him that didn't want Hannibal to leave. "I don't want to sleep alone..." Will spoke, his voice trailing off at the end but Hannibal heard him.
"Of course," Hannibal replied, a small smile on his face. "Let me get dressed properly and I will come back."
With that, Hannibal switched the light back on before disappearing into his room.
Will sighed in exhaustion. He was nowhere close to gaining his trust. He could never do it if he keeps angering Hannibal and snapping back. Will couldn't help it. He found cooperating absurd, regardless of the promise he had made earlier. Unfortunately, Will was a person who kept his promises and if he wanted to get out, he would have to comply with whatever Hannibal said. He would do this even if it means losing the last bit of integrity left in his body. As long as it ensured his escape.
Lost in his thoughts, Will snapped out of his reverie when he heard the door close. Looking at the door, he found Hannibal walking towards him with a blanket in his hand. Scooting to the side, Will turned to his left side, Hannibal naturally assuming the right side of the bed.
Within no time, the two of them were settled on the bed, the only sound audible was their breathing. Neither of them said a word. Will was too embarrassed to and Hannibal preferred silence over arguments. To Will, this was painfully awkward but he didn't want to go to sleep alone. The demons in his mind were inching ever too close to the surface and as they always say, better the known devil than the unknown.
"Have a good night, my dear Will," Hannibal spoke softly as he shifted on the bed, his voice riddled with hints of exhaustion. The soft click of the light echoed in the room before the room was engulfed in darkness.
"Good night," Will muttered back, his heart racing when he felt Hannibal's breath on the back of his neck. He had to fight the urge to move closer to the doctor. While it would have been easier to just give in to his urges, Will had just sworn to get out and cosying up to his captor wasn't going to help him there. Grabbing onto his pillow tightly, Will shut his eyes, desperate for sleep to take over
The last thing Will felt was the hand on his waist before he drifted off in a dreamless, and perfectly calm sleep.