Work Text:
…hmm…I need a screen name…
Hugh tapped his fingers on his computer desk.
They had just finished filming the first half of the third season of Hannibal. Hugh had a little bit of time freed up from filming, so he thought it would be a great idea to tease his fans and fuel speculation about the show.
Hugh enjoyed reading the Hannibal fanfiction writings when he first discovered them while filming the show"s second season; he didn’t realize that he and Mads had so many creative and obsessed fans. But it made sense that their fans wanted Will and Hannibal to be together, Bryan had basically written them that way.
Hugh thought it would be cute to write a Christmas themed fanfic about Will and Hannibal for their fans. He chuckled about sharing it with Mads later. The two men had formed a great bond from working together over the years and the fan speculation amused them both.
…hmm…something related to dogs, perhaps?
Hugh had stumbled upon a fanfiction site while reading social media comments posted about the show. The phrase ‘Hannigram’ wasn’t anything new to him, he had seen fans use that along with "Fannibal", and whatever "shipping" was…
Shipping is when fans want two characters to be in a sexual/romantic relationship. Hugh remembered Mads telling him. Hugh was shocked that Mads knew the term.
I’m actually hip, contrary to popular belief.
But you can barely operate your iPhone, Mads.
Well…that’s beside the point.
Hugh chuckled at Mads’ insistence on being "in the know" about fandom, and thought silently to himself about his username.
Oh wait…apparently, they call them ‘pseuds’...
Hugh was looking at the FAQ page of the Archive of Our Own fanfic page. This seemed like the best site to post his one piece of work.
...mutt…puppy…sadmutt?
Hugh was pleased with himself. He remembered reading a comment a fan had made about his character Will Graham resembling a sad puppy.
Sadmutt is perfect. But what should I write about?
He scrolled through the stories in the Hannibal TV fandom section. There were so many different types of stories. Most of the work focused on Will and Hannibal’s relationship, but there was also tags referencing Bedelia and Hannibal, Hannibal and Chilton, Matthew Brown and Will…
Wow, people are very imaginative, I don’t think I’ll be able to compete...
Hugh scrolled down the fandom feed till he found a fanfiction prompt for a…ficlet? It said: "Hannibal and Will have a holiday party, but must pretend to be a couple to lure a suspect out of hiding".
…Okay…that one sounds easy enough to handle.
Hugh opened up Word on his PC and started typing.
“I don’t think I can do this.” Will said nervously as Hannibal adjusted his tie in the mirror. Both men were standing in Hannibal’s bedroom, getting ready for a Holiday party the older man was hosting. Will had been convinced to pretend to be Hannibal’s husband for the night to lure a suspect out of hiding. Everyone agreed it was a good idea considering their relationship. Even Jack was on board.
“You’ll do just fine, Will.” Hannibal finished adjusting Will’s tie and step aside for him to look at himself in the mirror. At least he looked great.
“I guess I can stand around and look pretty all night.”
Hugh stopped writing.
Oh God…Will is so snarky…
He remembered a fan making a comment about who would be a snarkiest in the relationship: Hannibal or Will. Hugh thought Will took the cake.
He continued to write.
“You could also make yourself useful and converse with my associates.” Hannibal said playfully.
“Whatever you say, Dr. Lecter.”
“Don’t you think we should be on a first name basis? We are married after all.” Hannibal remarked with a slight smile on his face.
Will looked thoughtfully at Hannibal. “I guess that would be alright. It’s just the for the night.”
I can’t believe I signed up for this and everyone was okay with it. Will thought silently to himself.
Even though he could do without the forced social interaction, Will was intrigued by Hannibal. It seemed as if his psychiatrist had taken an interest in him as well. It felt a little alarming, but Will could handle himself…well that’s what he thought anyway.
Hugh’s phone vibrated with a text message alert. It was Mads.
Mads: hey! what r u up to? :p
Mads: my kids just gave me a lesson about emogis
Mads: *emojis
Hugh chuckled to himself.
Hugh: well ur doing great so far.
Mads: cant tell if that’s sarcasm…:p
Hugh: lol ur a fan of the smiley face sticking its tongue out.
Mads: oh is that what that is ?
Mads: also what is ‘lol’?
Jesus, Mads. You are so un-hip. Hugh smiled to himself.
Okay, back to this story…
Hannibal smiled and put his hand on Will’s shoulder.
“Let’s go downstairs and make sure the sous chefs I hired are doing their jobs properly.”
Will followed Hannibal downstairs and into the kitchen. Hannibal had hired two chefs to assist him this evening and they were busy prepping the hors d"oeuvres. The whole house smelled delicious. Will made his way to the bottom of the stairs while he mouthed the words to "The Christmas Song", which was playing pianissimo in the parlor room. He followed Hannibal from the parlor into the kitchen and winced at the memory of having to help Hannibal put up all of the older man"s Christmas decorations.
Why don"t you hire someone to do this for you?
Because that would take the joy of out it, Will.
The doorbell rang.
Hannibal left Will in the kitchen to go greet guests.
Jack had set up a wire on both Will and Hannibal to catch every word of every conversation in case they miss the suspect. Jack was in a van down the street listening to the dinner party. It was the first time Will had been used to lure a suspect to the FBI. It was a little exciting, as well as irritating, however, since Jack arm-twisted him into being social all night with a bunch of strangers. He was glad he had Hannibal though.
Hannibal had invited over two couples, a single friend and her date. Hannibal brought into the kitchen one of the couples to meet Will before dragging him out to meet everyone else.
“And this is my husband, Will Graham.”
Hugh stopped writing. Would the people at the party be confused that Hannibal had a husband all of a sudden?
Maybe he would write it as Hannibal keeping his personal life to himself and had mentioned Will on occasion, enough for people to know about Will, not be surprised to see him.
Hugh’s phone buzzed again. It was still Mads.
Mads: >_<
Hugh: y are you squinting?
Mads: i found this website with emoji icons and I’m tryin them out.
Mads: 8===== >
Hugh: wuts that??
Mads: it’s a sword! doesn’t it look like one?
Hugh: no, it does not lol
Mads: oh shit wait a sec
Mads: [===]======== >
Hugh: okay that looks more like a sword i guess…
Mads: lal !
Mads: *lol
Omg Mads. I can’t believe this is happening. He’s unbelieving hilarious without even trying.
Hugh went back to typing.
“And this is my husband, Will Graham.” Hannibal walked over to Will and wrapped an outstretched arm around Will’s waist. The younger man blushed slightly at the gesture.
The woman who was part of the couple, stretched out her hand, grabbed Will’s hand and arm at the same time, and shook his whole body vigorously.
“Oh my goodness ! Will, it is so nice to finally meet you. Hannibal talks about you every time we see him, right honey?” The woman looked at her partner and he acknowledged her with a smile. It was a strange smile, almost sinister in a sense. Will couldn’t quite place it.
Will came back to the conversation. "So you talk about me all the time, Hannibal? That"s a first." Will managed to say playfully; he was impressed with himself. Everyone chuckled.
“Laurie and Robert, Will.” Hannibal identified the couple for Will. Hannibal seemed to be in full control of the situation even with the slight disturbing smile from Robert.
“We should join the rest in the parlor.” Hannibal moved his hand, which was still on Will"s waist, toward the small of the younger man’s back.
Whoa, things are getting a little touchy touchy. Hugh thought to himself.
Hannibal led Will, Laurie, and Robert into the parlor with the rest of the dinner guest. Will was introduced to the everyone else.
All of the party guests gushed over Hannibal’s main squeeze.
Ugh main squeeze sounds lame.
Hugh: i need a better phrase than ‘main squeeze’.
Mads: how bout love muffin?
Hugh: ugh that’s worst! lol
Hugh: i thought it would be fun to write a hannigram fanfic for our fans :p
Mads: hannigram ! do i kill anyone?
Hugh: not sure yet :p
Mads: are you going to randomly thro in sex ? :p
Mads: that seems to be a fannibal favorite
Hugh: i might. we’re pretending to be a couple hosting a holiday party to catch a suspect
Hugh: y? you seem interested :p
Mads: oh well you know i only have eyes for you will :D
Everyone gushed over Hannibal’s new partner. Will managed to sound as interesting as possible and not annoyed/bored when people dribbled on about nothing compelling outside their own lives. He felt sorry for everyone having to listen to this in the van; at least he had access to snacks and alcohol.
Robert walked over to Will as he finished a conversation with the single friend who brought a date.
“So where did you and Hannibal meet?” Robert asked, with an unsettling piercing gaze.
“Through work. We both consult for the FBI.” Will answered cautiously. Something about Robert bothered him. He fit the profile of the suspect. He wondered if Hannibal thought the same.
“How long have you and Laurie known Hannibal?” Will asked taking a sip of his wine.
“About three years. The both of us use to be patients of his.”
It took Will all of his sensibilities to not raise an eyebrow. He thought it would have been awkward to go to a dinner party hosted by your shrink, but then again, he was pretending to be married to his to catch a possible killer. Will excused himself and pried Hannibal away from Mrs. Blake who was talking about her pure bred pink poodle named Sniffles. He was named as such because the dog was wheezy.
Hannibal looked a little taken aback by Will leading him into the kitchen so abruptly.
“Dinner hasn’t even started and you’re already trying to find a way to leave early?” Hannibal said playfully and unfazed.
“I think that Robert guy has something to hid. He bothers me.” Will moved close to Hannibal, close enough to brush his lips on the older man"s skin.
Hugh stopped typing.
…hmmm I’ll throw them a bone…
I think that Robert guy has something to hid. He bothers me.” Will moved close to Hannibal, close enough to brush his lips on the older man"s skin.
“I’ve kept my eye on him, but I’m not sure he’s the one we need to worry about-” Hannibal was cut off by a shriek and audible scuffling emanating from the dinner party in the parlor.
“We didn’t even have time to serve the oysters with the rosé mignonette.” Hannibal sighed with irritation in his voice.
Mads: hows it going so far?
Hugh: getting to the good part
Mads: send me it !
Hugh: its not ready yet mads :p
Hugh: ill send it to you when im done I promise :)
Mads: you should write about us becoming murder husbands :D
Hugh: maybe for the next one :p im going somewhere with this first one
Mads: :p :p :D :D
Hugh: mads you need to cool it with the emojis :p
Mads: what?? im hip. remember ? :pp
Hugh: ur kids must love having you as a dad :p
Mads: i think they said something about wanting to trade me in once…
“Okay that’s it, I’m sending agents in!” Jack screamed into Hannibal’s and Will’s wires.
“Jack, hold on for a moment. The guest causing the commotion is very fragile and any further action might cause more harm than good. Let me talk to her.” Hannibal calmly said into his wire.
Her?
“Just follow my lead, Will.” Hannibal walked slowly into the parlor with his hands visible and Will did the same.
When both men entered the parlor, Will could barely control his face from registering as shocked. Mrs. Blake was screaming on the floor near her husband whose throat had been slit. The elderly man laid gasping on the floor. Laurie was holding onto Robert with a knife to his throat. The two other guests were standing aside, visibly upset by the state of events.
Hannibal started to talk to Will without removing his gaze off Laurie. “Will? Can you please look after Mr. Blake’s wound, please ?”
“No ! Stay back or I’ll kill Robert too!” Laurie shouted. Robert was taller than Laurie, but she must had apprehended him when he had least expected it. He also looked like he didn’t want to agitate her any further so he kept still with the knife to his throat.
“Laurie, Mr. Blake is not dead…yet. We need to look after him so he doesn’t die. If he does, you’ll go away for murder.” Hannibal responded back to Laurie as calmly as possible. He gestured for Will to see to Mr. Blake’s neck. Mrs. Blake was still shrieking, not entirely sure what she should do.
“And Mrs. Blake, I’m going to need you to stay calm, please. Will?” Hannibal kept his gaze on Laurie the whole time while trying to control the situation.
Will slowly walked toward the Blakes, never taking his eye off Laurie and Robert till he reached his destination.
“Mrs. Blake, please?” Will squatted down next to the elderly couple, took off his jacket, and wrapped it around Mr. Blake’s neck. He applied enough pressure to the wound to stop most of the blood flow before the paramedics would arrived. Will looked back at Hannibal to signal that he was doing the best that he could, given Mr. Blake"s condition.
Hannibal kept his eyes on Laurie.
“Now Laurie, I’m going to need you to give me the knife.” Hannibal requested slowly as he approached her and Robert. Laurie was shaking, which made the knife in her hand shake as well.
“No, Dr. Lecter ! He fucked up…so he’s going to have to pay!” Laurie screamed. She was referring to Robert.
Perry Como"s "It"s Beginning to Look a Lot like Christmas" looped in the background.
“As you are fully aware, I’ve had the pleasure of talking to your husband, Laurie, so I am cognizant of what he is capable of.”
“He told everyone we met at your office! Now everyone thinks we’re both crazy. They’ll know it was him.”
“What will they know, Laurie?” Hannibal asked calmly, never looking away from the woman.
Hugh"s phone buzzed and it almost scared the shit out of him. He was so engrossed with his story.
Of course, it was Mads again.
Mads: there is a hannigram thing about the two of us getting together :p
Hugh: the real life two of us? lol yah i saw that
Mads: the fannibals are thirsty!
Mads: maybe we should give them what they want ;)
Hugh knew Mads was teasing. Both men were comfortable enough with their sexuality to tease one another about their fans wanting them to fuck or fall in love, or both as it seems.
Hugh: only if u promise never to use the word thirsty ever again ;)
“Robert was the one who killed all of those people!” Laurie shouted.
Will looked up at the announcement. He knew there was something off about Robert, but he didn’t expect that his wife Laurie would react so violently to people possibly thinking that her husband was a serial killer. He wondered why Laurie tried to kill Mr. Blake.
“Yes, I’m aware that he has.” Hannibal said slowly. “…why did you try to kill Mr. Blake, Laurie?”
“I-I don’t know, Dr. Lecter…he was in the way…I was trying to kill her!” Laurie pointed toward the other two dinner guest in the room who had been silent the entire time.
“She’s been helping Robert. Laurie seethed in anger at a younger looking woman, whose name was Clarice. Clarice had been the fifth person invited to the party and brought along a coworker as her dinner date. Her coworker was standing behind her, frozen in the terror.
“Clarice?” Hannibal asked, keeping his eyes on Laurie.
“…I don’t know what she’s talking about, Hannibal.” Clarice lied.
“Now, now, Clarice. I think we all owe everyone a bit of honesty.” Hannibal admonished.
“What is going on?!” Jack shouted into the wires.
“I think we found our suspect…hold on for a little longer, Jack.” Hannibal said back.
Hannibal moved a foot closer toward Laurie and Robert. Laurie forced Robert to move back a little with her. Suddenly, realizing the gravity of the situation and coming to terms with no other possible outcomes, Robert flung an elbow back into Laurie’s face. Laurie crumpled to the floor as Robert tried to run out of the parlor room. Hannibal grabbed Robert and they entangled themselves into a scuffle. Clarice and Mrs. Blake screamed.
“We need paramedics, Jack! As well as backup.” Will looked over at Mrs. Blake. “Mrs. Blake, I need you to keep applying pressure to your husband’s wounds.”
She stared blankly at him. Will could hear Hannibal and Robert fighting each other in the background.
“Now, please!” Will took her hands and placed them were they needed to be. He jumped up and ran over to help Hannibal subdue Robert.
Robert had Hannibal in a choke hold. Will came up from behind and hit Robert in the back of the head with a heavy bust depicting Hannibal (the general who fought Rome during the Punic Wars) that Hannibal (Lecter) kept on his mantle. The force wasn’t enough to knock the man out, however. Robert grabbed the knife that Laurie had been holding, then grabbed Clarice.
“I’ll kill her!” Robert shouted holding the knife close to Clarice’s throat. He started to cut into the younger woman’s skin, when suddenly there was a loud bang and blood spurted from the back of Robert’s skull. Jack, gun still smoking from the shot, came into the room with three other agents. One of the agents took a hold of Clarice and the other two helped the Blakes and Laurie.
“What the hell happened, here?” Jack demanded as he put his gun away after clearing the situation.
Hannibal had a cut on his brow and blood stained his shirt. Will handed him a napkin and Hannibal smiled at the gesture.
“Robert is…was your Nighttime Stalker, Jack.” Hannibal said as he applied the napkin to his forehead.
“Why did his wife snap?” Jack asked, confused.
Hannibal sat down on a chair. He was breathing heavily from the skirmish with Robert. Will had never seen Hannibal so ruffled up before.
The older man looked...kind of...adorable...that way. Will averted his eyes quickly after Hannibal caught his lingering gaze.
“Laurie had suspected Robert was cheating on her…I knew this from their individual sessions and then their couple sessions.” Hannibal told Jack.
The paramedics had arrived and were caring for Mr. Blake and Laurie. Mrs. Blake started to sob as they carried her husband away. One of the paramedics assured her, however, that her husband would miraculously survive the wound.
“Robert confessed to me that he fantasized about killing people in their sleep, but I never suspected that he would carry out his fantasies. And you know, doctor-patient confidentiality…”
“And Robert managed to manipulate Clarice into being his willing accomplice, which ultimately made Laurie snap, correct?” Will observed.
“Exactly.” Hannibal said through a smile at the deduction.
“So, what did Mr. Blake have to do with the situation?” Jack inquired.
“I really think he just got in the way. Laurie is not a killer; she couldn’t control her movements and Mr. Blake must had been too close to Clarice when she tried to stab her. She possibly could have had her eyes closed at the time.” Hannibal concluded.
“Well, good job you two. Despite almost getting an innocent murdered.” Jack was appreciative that the Nighttime Stalker was taken out, but annoyed that one of the guests were harmed.
“We should get you to the hospital, Hannibal.” Will put his hand on Hannibal’s shoulder. The touch felt nice.
Hannibal put his hand on Will’s hand. “No, I’m alright. I’ll just get patched up here.”
“Well...would you like to come over to my place while they clean up this mess?” Will asked, not realizing what he might have implied.
Hannibal looked at Will. Will wasn"t sure if the older man was confused or intrigued by the offer.
"That sounds lovely." Hannibal finally responded after a moment.
Later that night…
Will handed Hannibal a bag of ice. Hannibal was wearing comfortable clothes brought from his home and was propped up on Will’s bed. The younger man sat down on the edge of the bed and looked at Hannibal.
“You know before the commotion started, for a very brief period of time, I had a pleasant night.”
Hannibal chuckled. He was holding the ice to his head and looked relaxed. “Well, we make a great team.”
“We make a great pair.” Will, in a knee jerk reaction, leaned over and kissed Hannibal on the lips. Hannibal seemed a little startled when Will pulled away.
“You don’t have to pretend to me married to me anymore, Will.” Hannibal said slowly.
“I know. I truly did have a nice night and it felt great handling the situation with you.” Will smiled.
Hannibal smiled back at him and cupped the younger man’s face. “I’m glad, Will.”
Although the gesture felt nice, the act was too much movement after the struggle with Robert. Hannibal winced in pain and leaned back against the headboard.
“More pillows?” Will asked getting up from the bed.
“That would be nice, dear.” Hannibal said playfully.
…hmm…that turned out more romantic than I intended it to be…
Hugh texted Mads.
Hugh: u know i never say it but I think we make a great pair :)
Mads: i think so too hugh :p
Mads: i need u to keep me in check !
Hugh: oh I’ll def keep u in check, especially now that u know how to text :p
Hugh: well kind of anyway
Mads: :D :D :D