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Will’s eyes scan the crime scene when he gets there and he notices Hannibal standing with a small group of well-dressed individuals. A middle-aged woman has her hand resting lightly on his forearm as she talks to him, and Will watches as Hannibal moves his arm to lightly touch her shoulder in what can only be a comforting manner. The victim must have been someone close to her.
Will hadn’t read the case file yet, he only knew that a body was found at the Baltimore Symphony office early this morning. He assumed it was someone related to a board member, and Hannibal had close ties with all of them through his ‘fancy dinners’ and presumably ample patronage.
‘Are you ready?’
Jack Crawford silently appeared at his side, not looking at him but keeping his eyes on the small crowd. Will only nodded once and Jack gave the order for everyone to clear out. He watched as Hannibal turned to briefly acknowledge his presence before gesturing to the small group to please exit the room. He watched as Hannibal gracefully guided another woman out, his hand gently pressed to her lower back.
Once everyone was gone, he closed his eyes and watched the pendulum swing.
- - -
The case ended up being fairly simple. Will didn’t understand why Jack called him in but then he realized that it involved Hannibal’s group of people, all of whom were wealthy and well-connected, and Will was technically just a lowly individual brought forth to do their bidding. Jack wanted to impress them, and Hannibal probably did too. Their little pet. Except he wasn’t cute and wouldn’t jump at the opportunity for a treat. They kept him out of sight until someone’s curiosity was piqued, afraid he might bite someone that got too close.
He saw how easily Hannibal interacted with people that weren’t him. It was a dance Will would never be apart of because he could not handle close proximity to people. Sometimes he thought Hannibal was trying to teach him, but ultimately gave up because Will couldn’t catch on. That’s what was happening now; Hannibal sat silently across from Will in his armchair, waiting for Will to speak.
‘So, you knew the victim?’ Will didn’t look up as he spoke. He didn’t want to look up. He didn’t want Hannibal to judge him for being an incompetent human being.
He swore he could hear boredom in Hannibal’s tone. ‘Not directly. She was the niece of one of the board members.’ Something lingered under the surface of his response Will couldn’t quite put his finger on.
‘The woman who kept touching you, I presume.’ Way to sound needy and petulant. Will winced at his words, knowing full well Hannibal probably saw it. He was going to apologize for his lack of finesse when he glanced up and saw the other man’s mouth quirk up in an amused grin.
‘You sound jealous, Will.’
Will froze. Shit. ‘I’m not-‘
‘No,’ Hannibal unfolded his hands and stood up, walking over to his bourbon cabinet and removing an expensive looking bottle and two glasses. ‘Jealous perhaps was not the right word. But you do sometimes wish physical contact with others was not so difficult.’
He didn’t say anything until Hannibal handed him a glass of amber liquid.
Will chose his next words carefully. Too many social blunders might be considered a tipping point. ‘I just…wish I wasn’t so awkward sometimes,’ he whispered into the quiet calm around him. He should already know Hannibal wouldn’t judge him. He knew when people judged him because of his ‘inadequacies’; the air got thick and charged with what Will can only describe as negative energy. Their eyes roamed over his form as if he had a physical defect that might explain his ‘condition’ but would fail to find one, and then treat him like the embodiment of being politically correct.
When Hannibal didn’t speak, he continued, trying to articulate his emotions.
‘People treat me differently because I am different, but its not the different reserved for people like you. You’re…cultured. You blend well and people are drawn to you. I don’t have that. I naturally repel people.’
He heard Hannibal set his glass down on the small table next to his chair. ‘I do not find you to be a repellent, Will. You have a gift, one that you might not see as a gift, but it is a gift nonetheless. When people are born with such gifts, some other part of them must be given up. In your case, your inability to socialize with the people you encounter. And people naturally fear what they cannot understand.’
The way Hannibal said it made everything in Will’s head sound trivial, like it didn’t matter nobody understood him because that meant they weren’t worthy. And those who did understand him made their friendship all the more valuable. At least, that’s what he got from it. It made him feel a little better.
‘What’s your exchange then? You have a gift for drawing people toward you, making them feel safe, being able to read them.’
Hannibal chuckled. ‘I would not call what I have a gift, dear Will. I am a product of my upbringing, and not all of it was ‘sunshine and daisies’ as the saying goes.’
It was Will’s turn to laugh now. ‘You never struck me as the ‘sunshine and daisies’ type, Dr. Lecter.’
‘Is that so?’ Hannibal said, picking up his glass and finishing his bourbon, eyes locked on Will’s face. They both stood at the same time, Will consciously aware he still maintained eye contact but afraid to break it.
Hannibal stepped forward to take his empty glass. ‘One day, you will have to tell me how you see me. I am curious to know.’
Will felt a small smile creep across his face as he held out his glass, pretending not to notice how Hannibal’s thumb brushed his knuckles and fingers lingered across his palm.