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Will looked terrible. Still beautiful, but clearly exhausted, his skin almost grey with dark circles under his eyes.
“Would I be correct in assuming your sleep is still suffering?” Hannibal asked calmly, handing Will a glass of wine.
“Yes,” Will snapped, his temper short from sleep-deprivation. “That’s why I asked to see you this late.”
“You are always welcome in my home, for whatever reason,” Hannibal said warmly. “I assume you are in need of help?”
“Yes,” Will answered. “Please prescribe me something?” He pleaded. “I’ve tried baths, lavender, drinking, herbal pills, just give me something that will knock me out.”
“Will, I do not like prescribing sleeping pills. They are highly addictive and the sleep is poor quality,” Hannibal said, Will groaned with his head in his hands.
Hannibal came closer, placing a hand on the back of Will’s neck, his finger slipping under his collar. The moan that came from Will’s lips was almost silent but Hannibal's ears picked up on it. He felt Will’s tense muscles flex under his touch. Touch starvation, so obvious. He’d considered it before but with Will feeling so weak it was even more clear to Hannibal that Will’s body was crying out for contact.
“I don’t care about the quality, Doctor,” Will said weakly. “I need sleep.”
“Then let me try some other therapies, if they do not work I will prescribe you anything you want,” Hannibal suggested.
“What do you suggest?” Will asked. Hannibal removed his hands and saw Will tense up again as he turned to face him.
“Your muscles are very tense,” Hannibal said gently.
“I get stressed,” Will bit out.
“Not without due cause,” Hannibal acknowledged. “However, your tense muscles are probably keeping you from resting. Although your mind desires sleep, your body is wired, expecting an attack,” he explained.
“I’ve tried relaxation techniques, it does not work,” Will argued.
“Have any of the techniques truly left your muscles relaxed?” Hannibal asked.
“No,” Will admitted.
“You mentioned trying baths and essential oils,” Hannibal said.
“Yes,” Will said. “It barely made a difference.”
“Have you tried a massage?” Hannibal asked.
“No,” Will responded. “I don’t want strangers touching me.”
“Understandable,” Hannibal said. “I am not a stranger.”
Will was silent for a moment, eyeing him suspiciously. “Are you serious, Doctor Lecter?” He asked.
“Absolutely,” Hannibal answered. “When it comes to therapy I have found that one-size certainly does not fit all. Many of the things you have tried would work very well on others but were useless to you. I have studied various alternate therapies and am trained in massage. I believe that I may be able to convince your body that it is safe to switch off and allow you to rest,” Will took a deep gulp of his wine, his adams apple bobbing as he swallowed. “If it is too uncomfortable we can stop, whenever you say.”
They regarded each other in silence for a moment. Will looked wary, eager to bolt but also desperate for help. Hannibal had been coaxing Will into trusting him for months, this was the perfect opportunity to test how strong that trust was. He did genuinely want to help Will now, if he fell apart now it would all be for nothing. When they met, Will was so very close to breaking, cracks were spreading in his mind and every time Jack Crawford pushed him too far a few more appeared. Hannibal monitored him carefully and poured himself into those cracks, healing Will but also tying him to Hannibal. Will needed him, more and more everyday and that need was what brought him here now. Desperate for sleep and human touch.
“It’s worth a try,” Will replied, eventually, finishing his glass.
“I think that is a wise choice, please follow me,” he said with a polite smile before leading Will upstairs. He was tempted to take Will to his room but to see Will spread out on his dark bedding… Hannibal didn’t know if he could resist. Instead he took Will to his guest room, decorated in light greens and creams, a carefully painted picture of a dog above the fireplace.
“It’s a Winston,” Will said with a smile when he saw the painting.
“He was most welcoming when I fed your dogs while you were away. It has been a while since I painted an animal, I prefer figures and locations,” Hannibal said.
“You did this?” Will asked, admiring the painting. “It’s amazing.”
“Thank you,” Hannibal said politely, withdrawing a sheet from the wardrobe and spreading it out over the neatly made bed. Will watched him with his brow furrowed. “I would rather not get oil on the clean bedding,” Hannibal answered. He handed Will a towel he had retrieved along with the sheet. “Here, strip down and cover yourself with this while I prepare the oils. I’ll knock before coming back in,” with a final reassuring smile he left Will alone.
Will awkwardly stripped out of his clothes, folding them neatly on a chair but leaving his boxers on. He lay face down on the bed with the towel covering his bottom and waited for Hannibal.
Hannibal kept oils from his master bathroom. He had a great many mixes for different purposes. After a few minutes of contemplation he selected a mix of ylang ylang and sandalwood. Both relaxing scents blended together in a pleasing way and ylang ylang was believed to be an aphrodisiac, most likely due to its high price tag. Hannibal took a deep inhale of the blend, smiling. If he could convince Will to accept his suggestion of a better aftershave it would definitely have a sandalwood base. The woodsy scent would suit Will beautifully.
Hannibal removed his jacket, waistcoat and tie and rolled his sleeves up to his elbows while kicking off his shoes. He filled a bowl with warm water and placed the bottle inside to warm the thick creamy liquid. He undid his top two buttons before making his way back to the spare room and softly knocking on the door. “Come in,” he heard from inside. He opened the door to find Will almost nude and face down on the bed, the tension was obvious, his state of undress making him vulnerable.
“Try to relax Will, I understand that is difficult for you but hopefully you will feel much better once we are done. Trust me,” he urged, voice soft.
“Yes Doctor,” Will said, face mostly hidden.
Hannibal poured oil into his hand, the scent flooding out as soon as the bottle was open. He started on Will’s arm, spreading the oil along the muscles, pressing against his biceps with his fingers, squeezing gently, testing for tough spots. His wide hands moved down Will’s arms, paying special attention to the soft areas on his inner elbow and wrists, the skin there was thin, hardly anything separating Hannibal from the sensitive nerves beneath. Will let out a quiet moan when Hannibal stroked over the veins at the base of his hand. Hannibal gently took Will’s hand in his, cradling it in one hand as the other stroked over his fingers one by one and carrassed the palm, fingertips tracing over the lines in his hand. His movements were so slow that he was almost holding Will’s hand and he could sense his breathing change at the sensation.
Reluctantly, Hannibal let go of Will’s hand and moved to the other side of the bed. He could not hold back the smile when Will let out a small whimper of disappointment. Hannibal repeated his motions on Will’s other arm, digging his fingers into the flesh around the scar tissue on his shoulder, the sore muscles responding to the pressure. There was a small scar on Will’s thumb and Hannibal paid special attention to it as he massaged Will’s hand, suppressing the urge to press a light kiss to the blemish.
Hannibal quickly moved down to Will’s feet. He added extra oil to his hand, not wanting to be hindered by ticklish feet. He cupped the heel in one hand and wiggled his finger between Will’s toes, making him moan before his entire body flushed red and he buried his face deeper in the pillow. “You do not need to hold back Will,” Hannibal said. “People make all types of sound as a response to sensations. Most massage therapists can use those sounds to find out what is helpful,” he said, gently squeezing Will’s foot. Will did not answer but his gentle moans became more frequent, the sounds soft and musical. Hannibal pressed his thumb into Will’s instep, circling the tough skin before dragging it along the length. He worked his long fingers around the bones of his ankle, rotating his foot carefully before rolling his palm around and over the rough skin of his heel before repeating each movement on the other foot.
Moving on, Hannibal drizzled oil on Will’s left calf before massaging the muscles there. He was so lean but the muscles were firm with very little fat over them, not a gym body but the result of hard work and a lack of good food. Hannibal located a small knot below Will’s knee. He pressed two fingers into the wound muscles, causing Will to wince slightly. Hannibal moved his hands to work at the muscles surrounding the knot, warning them up before firmly palming over the knot then returning to the muscles around. After repeating this several times Hannibal dug his digits back in the knot which was much smaller and felt it unravel easily. He massaged that spot to ease the soreness he had caused and saw Will’s entire body undulate in pleasure, toes curling.
His other lower leg was as well-defined as the other but absent of knots. Hannibal rubbed the muscles firmly, warming them up and encouraging blood flow, taking his time to stroke over every inch of skin while enjoying Will’s heavy breathing. “Are you feeling better?” He asked innocently.
“Yes,” Will answered.
“Shall I continue?”
“Please.”
Hannibal smiled and poured the liquid onto his palms before moving them up his thighs, sweeping his hands along the flesh in circular motions, increasing the pressure with each stroke. He located several aching spots and soothed them out one by one, letting his hand creep higher until they brushed the hem of Will’s boxers before retreating. The muscles were sore and Will’s frequent sighs showed how good Hannibal’s hands felt, soothing the pain away. He moved onto the second leg, meticulously repeating his actions until Will’s legs were limp and bowed. Hannibal let his fingertips dip under the hem of Will’s boxers, letting them linger before splaying his hands on the thick limb and dragging them down.
“Most tension is held in the back and shoulders, so you get any pain there?” Hannibal asked.
“Only in my lower back,” Will answered. “My shoulders just feel… sort of tight and hard.”
“Then I will help to remedy that,” Hannibal said, his voice a soft eager purr.
Will tensed and gasped when Hannibal joined him on the bed. Hannibal swung one leg over Will’s hips and settled himself above Will’s ass, lowering a limited amount of weight onto him. Hannibal gave Will several seconds to steady his breath and, when he did not protest, began to work on the tightened muscles he felt in Will’s neck. Will hummed sweetly as his whole body gently unwound, his neck did not need much work, it loosened almost instantly for Hannibal, as though they had been given permission to relax at last. They did so gratefully and Will felt his persistent headache fade until he no longer wanted to drill a hole in his head to relieve pressure.
Hannibal dug his thumbs into the place where Will’s neck met his shoulders, testing the tough muscles that supported his heavy head. Hannibal sealed his hands over Will’s shoulders, gripping and releasing the muscles and stroking along the length. It took several minutes to loosen those muscles before Hannibal’s hands slid down to Will’s shoulder blades.
The area was littered with knots, running along the corded muscles, one large cluster perched on the edge of his left shoulder blade. Hannibal carefully worked on each knot, as gently as he could until they disappeared under his expert touch. When the rest of his back was healed and warmed Hannibal moved on to the cluster, it was like a block of solid rock beneath Will’s skin. Hannibal placed the heel of his hand against the centre and moved the cluster over his shoulder blades, back and forth. Will clenched his teeth, breathing carefully through the pain and the knot gradually loosened, Hannibal cupped his hand over it, holding it tightly before using his finger tips to manipulate and probe at the strained muscles until with a firm twist of his hand it finally unravelled. Hannibal added more liquid to Will’s back and stroked his hands over his back, soothing away every second of pain he had caused until Will was almost panting. He was finally fully relaxed.
Hannibal shifted down so he was straddling Will’s thighs while he worked on Will’s lower back. “You may need to invest in a better chair for your office, Will,” Hannibal suggested. “Pain localised here is most likely from poor posture more than stress,” Will gave a sleepy hum and yawned. As Hannibal continued the massage long after Will’s muscles were unravelled as his moans turned to yawns. Hannibal could tell sleep was taking over Will’s mind, eager to pull him under and give him the oblivion he craved. Hannibal brushed back Will’s hair, bending forward to peek at Will’s sleepy face.
He slid off the bed, a hand resting on the centre of Will’s back. “I think you should sleep here rather than risk the car ride home,” Hannibal told him. “You are clearly on the verge already.”
“Yeah,” Will said faintly.
“Good boy,” Hannibal said warmly. “Slip under the duvet and I will remove the dampened sheet.”
Will nodded and Hannibal observed his barely covered body as Will moved under the duvet, his eyes half closed. Hannibal folded the sheet and placed it in the dirty laundry hamper along with the towel to be washed at a later point. “Will you stay with me, Doctor?” Will asked in a small voice.
“If you wish,” Hannibal answered.
“Yes please,” Will said, eyes closed, smelling like an angel. The room was dimly lit by the bedside lamp and Hannibal stripped off quickly before joining Will in bed in only his boxers before turning off the lamp, leaving them in darkness.
Hannibal lay on his side and wrapped his arms around Will’s waist, dragging him back until his back was pressed to Hannibal’s chest under the soft blanket of darkness. On instinct Will tried to squirm away but Hannibal placed a large hand over Will’s heart, holding him in place. “Hush,” he whispered soothingly. “Give yourself a moment. Human beings need touch,” he told Will. “Consider that before you bolt,” Slowly, Hannibal loosened his grip on Will. After a moment, Will relaxed against Hannibal, breathing calmly. Hannibal let his hands drift over Will’s chest, drawing nonsensical patterns on the skin. “Skin to skin touch, we need it like we need oxygen. You need it, if for nothing else than driving away all the awful things you are forced to witness. It is okay to ask for what you need, to take it when it is offered,” he breathed in Will’s scent. He let his hands dip lower, moving over the firm pane of Will’s stomach coming to rest with the fingertips of one hand. “Do you want more?” He asked, feeling Will nod. “Answer me, I need your consent.”
“Yes,” Will said, voice almost silent. “Yes please.”
Hannibal freed Will’s penis from his boxers, finding him already half-hard and hot. Hand still damp from oil Hannibal took Will’s member is hand, stroking the length until he was fully hard and breathing heavily. Hannibal pressed his face into Will’s silky curls and pressed a kiss to the base of Will’s neck, smirking at the strangled gasp that came from Will. He continued pumping Will’s length, spreading the precum leaking from his tip with his thumb. “Good Will,” Hannibal cooed sweetly. “You can always come to me when you need another body pressed against yours,” Will moaned gently when Hannibal’s hot breath brushed his ear. “I am always here to care for you, in any way you will allow,” he promised. Will arched his back and moaned Hannibal’s name as he came over Hannibal’s hand and his stomach.
Hannibal stroked him through his climax, littering soft kisses along Will’s shoulder. As Will’s breathing began to slow down, Hannibal gathered soft tissues from the bedside table and carefully cleaned Will’s stomach before tucking his spent dick back into his boxers. He tasted the leftover seed on his fingers before wiping them clean.
Once he had tossed the tissue settled on his back, Will rolled over and reached for Hannibal boxers. Hannibal took his hand and raised it to his lips, brushing the knuckles with his lips. “Sleep now,” he urged softly.
“You don’t want me?” Will asked, whispering in the dark.
“Of course I do,” Hannibal answered with a yearning quality. “But tonight is for you. Your need to be touched and held,” he answered, wrapping an arm around Will and drawing him close to rest his head on his chest, stroking his hair. “All I want is to give you what you need, you deserve it, everything.” He promised.
“Can I ask you for one thing?” Will asked quietly. “If it doesn’t cross a line?”
“Anything, dear boy,” Hannibal said with devotion.
“A kiss?” Will lifted his head, gazing up at Hannibal with wide stormy eyes that seemed to gleam in the darkness, a sliver of moonlight reflected in them. It almost took Hannibal’s breath away. Nodding mutely he bent his head and softly kissed Will’s parted lips. It was chaste, but lingered for several seconds, Hannibal let out his own soft moan, his tongue gently brushing against the place where their lips met before drawing back with a pleased hum. “Thank you, Doctor.”
“You are very welcome,” Hannibal answered, enjoying the feeling of Will’s limp, boneless form wrapped around him. “Sweet dreams, my Will.”
“Goodnight, Hannibal.”