Chapter Text
This is it. You are here. It is now.
This is it. You are here. It is now.
This is it. You are here. It is now.
You repeated this to yourself once again, leaning against the side of Dr. Lecter’s office building. You were regaining composure, wondering exactly what had happened to you back there. You knew you were sometimes a distracted sort of person, but the likes of which had happened in Dr. Lecter’s office had never happened before.
Holy shit, did Dr. Lecter have an effect on you! And it wasn’t a very nice effect either, it was however an interesting feeling knowing that someone was in complete control of what you felt, that he could control what he projected and what you read from him.
Will Graham on the other hand, felt like the eye in the center of a storm when you looked at him.
That was mostly okay.
“(Name).” You heard someone say softly. You jumped up, knowing it was Will. You sighed audibly, relaxing a bit when Will leaned on the wall next to you.
“Mr. Graham.” You greeted him.
It was quiet for a few moments, but Will was the kind of person you didn’t have to constantly speak verbally with to have a conversation, especially not with you.
“Just ‘Will’ is fine.” He said, starting walking down the sidewalk, it clearly being a silent invitation for you to follow. You went with him without much hesitation.
“He sure is... something I’ve never encountered before.” You said with a bitter laugh, referring to Dr. Lecter.
“He’s probably watching us right now.” Will said wistfully, a small, bleak smile appearing on his face. You resisted the urge to look up at the window to see if Will was being literal. You laughed a bit, but not too much.
“I’ve also got this feeling that Dr. Lecter is playing some sort of weird match-making game with us.” You said with another small laugh, not sure if the conversation was coquettish or not. It could very well be.
“If he is, he’s doing a good job at it.” Will said, a bit breathlessly with. He looked at your scuffed sneakers, wondering if he’d crossed the line. There was no doubt, however, that there was a clear attraction between the two of you.
He thought you were attractive, among other things.
With his suddenly direct suggestion, you knew that your opinion of Will was set, and that you liked him and generally enjoyed his company. With your gift, it meant that you could quickly form opinions about a person by being around them. You didn’t know how much you could open up to him though, and the circumstances of your meeting were certainly odd...
“I don’t want to meet you at his office again.” Will said, looking up at the sky. You knew he wasn’t telling you off, or referring to work. Will just wanted to see you on his own accord. He was the kind of man that liked to leave work out of his home, and he needed to establish something with you outside of work and without the astute observation of Hannibal.
To anybody else, his words would have sounded like they were clearly telling you to back off, but you knew better, and saw the intentions behind his words. He was basically asking you on a date the next time he’d see you.
You lived in Frederick MD, about an hour away from Dr. Lecter’s office in Baltimore. Will told you he lived in Wolf Trap, Virginia. That was about forty-five minutes away from your apartment.
You told him little snippets of your life, and he reciprocated in return. Books, his land, pretty fishing lures, boat motors...
After fifteen minutes or so of walking and easy conversation, a young girl walking a dog passed by, and Will’s demeanor changed almost imperceptibly. Of course, you noticed it though. The flash of happiness that momentarily graced his features did not go unnoticed. It was the dog that had caused this.
“What are their names?” You asked. Will stopped and laughed, knowing you were referring to his family of mutts. He liked your perceptiveness, and how you didn’t try to psychoanalyze him like some of his other acquaintances.
‘Uh, I’ve got more than five. Seven to be exact.” He admitted. One could even go as far to call him a dog collector. He listed their names, and the recently found Winston, the newest member. All of the dogs were strays, lost and wandering, before he had taken them in. It said quite a lot about him.
Walking back towards Dr. Lecter’s office, Will stopped at his car. You had taken the MARC train from Frederick to Baltimore that day instead of your car, just for a change. It was cheaper than gas, but it took a couple hours. You liked to see the Capital fly by, and you liked watching the people board and get off, and carry on with their lives. It was a good time to think.
“I, uh... I’m taking the MARC back to Frederick.” You said, checking your watch. If you wanted to get to the station on time, you’d have to start heading for it now.
“I don’t want to impose on your privacy, but can I drive you back to Frederick?” He asked, shifting a bit nervously. It was out of his way, but he wanted a bit more time with you. Being on the same criminal profiling team meant that it would be a good idea to know where you lived. Not to mention that it was just a considerate thing to offer, to gain your trust.
“Well, it’s pretty far... I’ve already payed for my tickets, so I’m gonna just take the train this time. Thanks for offering, though.” You said, hoping he wasn’t feeling too dejected.
“Maybe I’ll see you next week then, (name). At the Academy, Jack’s office.” Will said, saying goodbye. He had a sudden realization before speaking again. “Can I at least drive you to the station? It’s a only couple blocks from here.”
“Sure.” You said smiling, getting into his Volvo. It would make him happier than before, which was okay on your part.
The train ride was calm and not as long as it usually took.
You walked home quickly from the Frederick station, keeping your head low. The city was relatively safe, but in the the long shadows cast by the setting sun, you couldn’t help but want to get from the station to the quiet house that your apartment was in. Crime was medium-high there, but you never witnessed anything.
It was chillier than usual, and you pulled your hoodie tighter against your body. Dusk was your least favorite time of day, and you had always felt a little disoriented by the unusual light. It bothered you that it looked as though it could be either daybreak or nightfall, and you generally preferred it when it was dawn. Darkness was ominous, and you couldn’t see people properly, you couldn’t read them...
You opened the door of your apartment, locking it behind you and switching on the lights. Your apartment was sparsely furnished, but the decor you had all about was quirky and colorful. It was the perfect mix of the macabre and radiant, a bit like yourself.
You thought of Will, going home to his family of dogs in the farmhouse on the land he owned.
When you put a kettle on to make ramen noodles, your thoughts were brought to Dr. Hannibal Lecter’s pursuit of the culinary arts, cooking his own food in a beautiful kitchen in a perfectly decorated house. You looked at your package of ramen and let out a small laugh.