Preface

My Ripper
Posted originally on the Archive of Our Own at http://archiveofourown.org/works/28823703.

Rating:
General Audiences
Archive Warning:
Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Category:
M/M
Fandom:
Hannibal (TV)
Relationship:
Will Graham/Hannibal Lecter
Characters:
Hannibal Lecter, Will Graham
Additional Tags:
Post-Episode: s03e13 The Wrath of the Lamb, Established Will Graham/Hannibal Lecter, Fluff, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, Domestic Fluff, fluff without plot this is the fluffiest thing ive ever wrote, Domestic Will Graham/Hannibal Lecter, Marriage Proposal, Hannibal Lecter Loves Will Graham, Will Graham Loves Hannibal Lecter, Pet Names, Endearments, Idiots in Love, Everything is Beautiful and Nothing Hurts, Will Graham is a Tease
Language:
English
Collections:
HannibalFanFicsToReReadOften, HanniGrahams, How Many Is Too Many?
Stats:
Published: 2021-01-18 Words: 3,419 Chapters: 1/1

My Ripper

Summary

Hannibal made the use of endearments look natural, almost easy.  Darling. Cunning boy. Beloved. Hannibal called him all types of sweet names that never failed to make Will's cheeks flush, and Will... Well, Will called Hannibal 'Hannibal.'

Tired of it, Will started to look for the perfect endearment.

And if he teased Hannibal with the most ridiculous petnames that existed until he found it, well, that was a bonus.

Notes

I wrote this high on caffeine, without sleeping and I have no beta, but I love this two idiots and their happinnes makes me happy.

Translation to Russian | Русский available on ficbook: Мой Потрошитель

Special thanks to Linaceae for pointing up the correct french endearment 💞

 

 

Spell Check: 11/11/22

My Ripper

Hannibal made the use of endearments look natural, almost easy. 

My darling boy. Dearest. Mylimasis. Love. Cunning boy. Gorgeous creature. Precious boy. Darling. Mongoose. Beloved. Mano Meile.

Fuck, even when he called Will by his name it sounded like an endearment. The way his voice tilted at the consonants, the low purring, the velvet heat of his voice. Will, my darling Will.

It could have been adorable for Will if it wasn't so damn infuriating that he couldn't do the same. 

Hannibal called him all types of sweet names that never failed to make his cheeks flush, and Will... Well, Will called Hannibal 'Hannibal.'

It was silly, really. A problem that wasn't exactly a problem. It wasn't something they needed and Hannibal didn't seem to mind the lack of endearments from Will. After all, Hannibal had spent the whole five years prior of relationship with Will calling him 'Dr. Lecter'. Being called by his name was a honestly a huge upgrade. 

And anyway, what do you call a man like Hannibal Lecter? 

'Sweetheart' was too juvenile. 'My love' was too pedestrian. And Will was sure that Hannibal would cut Will's tongue and make him eat it before he allowed Will to call him 'baby'.

Hannibal managed to call Will 'darling', 'dear' and 'dearest' and make it sound natural and loving. In Will's mouth it sounded foreign and forced. 

It was complicated, to say something. Hannibal was too elegant, too masculine and imposing; in contrast to Will, with his thin frame, bright puppy eyes and morning messy and bouncing curls. Hannibal had described him as 'Pretty' once.

 

"The prettiest." Hannibal had said.

Will had grinned still in bed, lifting a brow in mocking question. "The prettiest what? Boy? Man? Thing? Teacup?" he had teased.

"Just the prettiest," Hannibal had answered unapologetically, dragging Will's hand to his lips and kissing softly every knuckle. His eyes had sparkled with the morning sun, and Hannibal had looked at him utterly besotted as every time his eyes rested on Will.

 

How could Will top that?

Will had no idea what to call him. He had no clue of how to return the affection but damn sure he wanted to.

So, he decided to look for the perfect endearment, already knowing he was going to loss his dignity along the way.

 

 

Will started easy, trying to pull the word 'darling'. 

"Darling, do you want more wine?" Will said to his reflection on the bathroom mirror, sounding too forced and bitter-sweet to his own ears. "Darling, what do you prefer, lungs or liver? Darlin', the dog pucked all over the carpet again. I told you not to give Encephalitis your Panna Cotta again. Darlin', is that my favorite flannel shirt the one that you're setting on fire?"

There was something to be said about repeating one word over and over. After the third time you did it, it started to lose its meaning. What was even more funny and more annoying was that the more Will tried to pronounce it, the more his southern accent appeared. 

Hannibal made 'darling' sound like as he had come out of a children's book about princes with swords and white horses. Will made another attempt and groaned, feeling like he butchered the word. 

Still, he tried.

 

 

"Will, my dear, have you seen my blue sweater?" Hannibal said entering the bedroom, giving Will the perfect chance. It was now or never.

"Yes darlin', third drawer on the right," Will said as nonchalantly as possible that for the sake of honesty, he didn't accomplish much nonchalance in the end.

Hannibal stopped in his tracks, still as statue. During the time the silence stretched Will could only fidget nervously with his fingers. Maybe he could hide behind a curtain.

"I'm..." Will began, trying to advert looking at Hannibal in the eyes, refusing to let his nerves get him. He scratched the back of his head, eyes focused on the horrible rug that Hannibal had bought last month. "I'm trying to find a suitable petname for you. If you don't like it I can drop it off."

"No, in fact," Hannibal's voice softened, sounding as close as bashful as Will had ever heard him. The pause on his speech gave Will the courage to look at him, and when he did, Hannibal was positively beaming. Funny thing how just that look made butterflies take flight inside his stomach. "I look forward to hear more." 

Will grinned with that sensation of joy bubbling inside him. "I'm going to find the perfect one," he promised. Hannibal smiled making wrinkles appear in the corner of his eyes.

"I know you will."

 

 

And so it started.

 

 


Will's second attempt wasn't a total disaster. 

Will breathed deeply in and out a couple of times before he sat at Hannibal's side on the couch.

"Hello gorgeous," Will said and cringed as soon as the word left his lips. Definitely no. 'Gorgeous' was something that you could hear on a Friday night inside of an overcrowded bar with trashy pop music. It was nowhere close to how sweet Hannibal's names for Will were. Will discarded it on the spot.

Hannibal didn't seem to mind though. He looked more amused than anything. He greeted Will with a peek on the cheek before answering with a smile of own and said, "Hello beautiful."

 

 

 

Third, Will tried with something sweeter. 

He discovered that 'Hanni' and 'Honey' could sound very similar if he accented it enough. 

And, damn it, there was no way Will would pass up on the opportunity to waltz into the house and say, "Honey, I'm home!" and hear Hannibal's laugh from the kitchen.

 

 

 

It was nice. The kind of nice that makes you giggle and leaves you breathless. With every new petname the next one came easier, and Will discovered his new favorite past time: Tease Hannibal Lecter with the most cheesy and/or ridiculous petnames imaginable.

 

Will would say things like "What are you reading, baby?" and Hannibal would lace his fingers into Will's hair and tug playfully while explaining how he would cook Will's tongue.

Will would say "looking good babe" and slap playfully Hannibal's ass on the hallway, just to get grabbed by the waist and laugh into a kiss while Hannibal pinned him against the wall. 

At night, while Hannibal nuzzled at his throat and Hannibal's cold feet played with his ones at the end of the bed, Will would say things like "Oh, does my cannibae want to cuddle?" just to find himself shoved out of the bed and laughing hysterically on the floor until Hannibal admitted that he did, in fact, want to cuddle.

 

Around the mark of two months looking for a suitable endearment Will decided to have some more fun with it. Thinking about of how much Hannibal called him 'boy' he started to consider a new one.

Will practiced on the bathroom mirror, weighting the word in his tongue until he could say it without laughing or getting his ears blossoming pink.

"What's for breakfast, daddy?" he said nonchalantly, succeeding much more than he did with his first try. Kudos to him. Will sat on the kitchen counter next to where Hannibal was cooking scrambled eggs because he was nothing short of a horror.

Hannibal straightened his back before speaking.

"I'm sorry Will, what did you just say?"

Hannibal's face, that one had only three expressions (1, Curiosity. 2, The "You're dinner" expression every time they encountered someone rude. 3, The 'smitten cannibal' expression everytime he looked on Will's direction.) was suddenly showing a new one: confussion. In matter of seconds Will lost all the courage he had gathered and turned five shades darker of red.

"I-I – uhm, I said, uh wh-what's for breakfast, daddy?"

"Sorry my love, could you..." Hannibal stopped, tilting his head to the side with eyes closed. "Repeat it one more time darling, please, if you don't mind."

Will lifted a brow, trying to read his dorky cannibal. "What's for breakfast," a pause, and Will teased, "daddy?"

In one swift movement Hannibal did the unimaginable. He turned off the stove forgoing all plans to cook breakfast, pinned Will against the counter and he stole all the air from Will's lungs. Only when Will's lips were as red as his cheeks and adorably swollen Hannibal dragged him to their bedroom. 

"Hannibal the breakfast!" Will laughed as Hannibal threw him on top of their bed successfully making him bounce on it.

"Forget the breakfast."

 

'Daddy'  was used frequently in the bed after that, but Will still needed something he could call Hannibal outside the confines of their bedroom.

(Well, to be fair, he did call Hannibal "Daddy" in public once or twice. Sometimes to mess with people, sometimes just to mess with Hannibal. And other times, when he just wanted something. Hannibal never stood a chance against those soft pouty lips, bright puppy eyes and the words daddy. Not that Will needed to use it frequently, because Hannibal would never miss a chance to spoil Will, but it was reserved just for when both of them felt playful enough. Still, that was Will's secret weapon and he won't allow to use it too much less Hannibal would soon catch on and learn to resist it.)

 


Will's favorite so far was 'Mon cher' with his New Orleans accent and sometimes with a comically forced upper-class accent to annoy Hannibal. It also seemed to be Hannibal's favorite too, always granting him a warm smile and a kiss. 

Or it was Will's favorite until he did try to use it in a public setting. 

The french endearment seemed fitting for the opera night. 'Chéri was sober enough to fit Hannibal's self and not too refined to be uncomfortable in Will's tongue. It seemed dignified and sweet enough to fit between flutes of champagne and Hannibal's acquaintances.

Hannibal looked at Will curled at his side as enamored as always, and so much more when Will spoke, "Do you want me to bring you something to drink, mon cher?" 

At their side, Hannibal's acquaintance snorted. Hannibal's eyebrow twitched.

"Is there something wrong, Samantha?" Hannibal asked, his hand gripping more possessively at Will's waist.

Samantha, a woman with a round face and long black hair pursed his lips behind her champagne flute. She tried to compose her face, understanding the sudden change on Hannibal's demeanor. "I'm sorry it's just..." but she didn't seem to care enough if Hannibal took offence, because she snorted again. "That accent Patrick, dear, where did you learn French?" 

Patrick Kore, Will's alias

 

("Oh my god Hannibal, really? Patrick? You're unbelievable. Please tell me yours isn't something stupid like..."

"...Aquiles?"

"If you excuse me I'm going for a walk. Hopefully I will find a cliff near the house from where I can push you again.")

 

hadn't lived in the U.S. But Will was so taken aback from the sudden rudeness of this woman that he didn't even tried to recall his fake backstory.

"New Orleans," he answered and Samantha had the audacity to snort. Again.

"It's something wrong Mrs. Segovia?" Uh-oh, Hannibal changed 'Samantha' for 'Mrs. Segovia' and had that 'You're dinner' expression on his face. Will hid his face behind his own flute. He would have hidden his face on Hannibal's neck, drape one arm around his husband's waist, trying to convey 'hey, don't kill her' but he didn't, because Will was just as petty as Hannibal sometimes.

"I'm sorry Aquiles," Mrs. Segovia said, not feeling sorry and not even trying to act sorry. "Is that well, one would think that the partner of someone like you would at least try to learn some proper french instead of... that,"  There it was, the wrinkles on her nose as if she was smelling rotten fruit, eyeing Will as he didn't deserve being called Hannibal's partner. Will felt the sudden desire to look at Hannibal and nod, to say 'go ahead'.

"There is nothing improper about Cajun, Mrs. Segovia," Hannibal said, pulling Will closer as if sensing Will's approval. Then he turned to look at Will, flashing a soft smile at him. "And I think that Patrick's accent is rather charming," He said before turning his head back to Samantha with a stern gaze. "I also think that how my partner calls me is none of your business."

Luckily for her, she had the decency to look mildly ashamed now. 

"My apologies Aquiles, it's only that I didn't thought that you would find charming something so ordinary," Mrs. Segovia muttered, sending a side reprobatory glance to Will.

Will lifted both a brow and took a long sip of his champagne. After many parties he had learn to keep his mouth shut and behave like a decent-not-cannibal member of society. Will knew he only needed to be pretty arm-candy and let Hannibal manage this with grace.

Except that instead of managing it with grace, Hannibal deadpanned and said, "Samantha, have you ever considered to shut the fuck up?" 

Did Hannibal Lecter just say the word 'fuck'?

It caught Will by surprise and he ended blowing his drink from his nose. He ended up splashing it over Mrs. Segovia dress by sheer luck. A woman in their same conversation circle clutched at her pearls. A man almost dropped his denture on the floor. Mrs. Segovia gasped and nearly dropped her flute of champagne on the floor along with everybody's jaw. 

"Was that ordinary enough for you Samantha?" Hannibal asked with his head held high. "Now, if you excuse us," he continued before he turned to Will and winked, holding Will's chin to help him close his mouth. "Now baby, let's get to the parking lot so I can blow your fucking brains out and suck your lovely cock." 

Will followed Hannibal (more like Hannibal dragged Will away) outside the Opera House and their dismayed crowd. Will only snapped back to reality when they were walking down the stairs and Hannibal said in perfect nonchalance, "Vitel tonne."

Will stopped them on the middle of the stairs. "I'm sorry, what?"

Hannibal wasn't even faced when he began explaining. "Vitel tonne is a dish of Piedmontese origin. It is served today as an appetizer, although it was originally a unique dish. It's made with cow's tongue."

Will shook his head, holding a hand on the air as to ask for a time out. Just a moment to recover before Hannibal kept explaining how he was going to cook Mrs. Segovia's tongue.

"You did that," Will said completely mesmerized, throwing his head back. "I can't believe you said that." 

Hannibal would swear that he didn't pout. But for the sake of honesty, he did.

"She was being rude to you Will, and I couldn't kill her in front of so many witnesses. I thought a drastic measure would seem acceptable." 

"You said 'fuck' Hannibal," Will almost shouted with a grin. "I wasn't aware you could speak the language of us, mere mortals. I thought you made some kind of deal with the devil and the price to pay was that you would only be capable of speaking in metaphors." 

Hannibal huffed, and looked up to the sky as if begging some higher power to grant him patience. It the closest thing to roll his eyes that Hannibal Lecter would do. "I did not such thing, darling, and I'm very capable of cursing. Now, shall we go home?"

"Oh, no! No, no, no. You stop right there. Don't think I didn't listen to you. We are going to the parking lot because mon chéri, after that, I think you deserve... How did you say? Oh, yes, getting your cock sucked up until I blow your fucking brains out. What do you think?"

Hannibal obliged Will. He threw all the social grace as he buried one of his hands in Will's hair pulling him in a hungry kiss. With the other hand he grabbed Will's ass. Will laughed breaking the kiss.

"And Hannibal, if you want to call me 'baby' again and curse, I'm totally in." 

Hannibal gave him a toothy grin before pushing Will against the wall. 

 

 

 

Will was still looking for more endearments when it finally clicked. And of fucking course because how else could it be, the idea came to him four weeks later when Hannibal was soaked in blood and elbows deep in Samantha Segovia's ribcage. 

"My love, would you be so kind to pass me the cooler?" 

This man that could break open a ribcage with his own bare hands was the same that caressed reverently Will's back every night until he fell asleep. 

This dangerous creature soaked in blood who made art out of death, considered Will his equal. This beast with teeth that could tear skin and monstrous hunger looked at Will as if he hold all the answers of the universe inside his eyes.

This monster, in all his glory, loved him.

This monster was his. 

"Hannibal..." 

His monster, his killer. His.

Hannibal smiled at him as if nothing else mattered in the whole world when Will was close. 

"Yes, my dear?"

I want to marry you.

Will grabbed Hannibal by the cheeks and pulled him into a kiss. 

"I love you," Will breathed out, eyes closed and shaking with the revelation. Hannibal pressed Will against his chest, holding him in a tight hug between strong arms.

"And I love you too, mylimasis," Hannibal whispered, showering Will's hair with little kisses. "Now my love, go and fetch me the cooler while I finish putting the cherries on Samantha's mouth, please." 

"Yes, honey." He answered giving Hannibal one last peck on the lips. Will turned around and stopped, then turned again towards Hannibal and opened his mouth with a soft hmm.

Hannibal looked at him with fond amusement. Will made a needy noise, rushing Hannibal to oblige and Hannibal sighed fondly as he selected one of the shiniest cherries and feed it to Will directly in the mouth.

Will ate it closing his lips around Hannibal's fingers, "Merci, chéri."

"Go get me the cooler, you wicked creature."

 

 

 

Outside the house the snow fell mercilessly. 

"You know baby, I think I finally found the perfect petname," Will said, looking up. He was far too comfortable on the sofa, cuddling with Hannibal, resting his chin on his lover's chest to look at the other in the eyes. Dark brown glowed with red under the firelight of their living room. "Aren't you gonna ask me what hideous new name I thought for you?" 

"I have faith that nothing can be worse than the time you decided to call me 'Hannibunny'."

"That was a good one."

Hannibal only made a non-commited noise. The room was warm with flames and the heavy blankets they were under. The study was a bubble of intimacy in the middle of the dark night, both of them illuminated only by the fire.

"Tell me Will, which horrendous new name have you thought of?" 

Will smiled and sat over Hannibal's lap to nibble more comfortably at his monster's throat.

"Hannibal..." he whispered and Hannibal hummed pleased as he bared his neck, giving Will more space to kiss. "Hannibal, my darling, my love," Will continued teasing, tracing soft kisses, biting gently at the jaw. "Il mio il mostro" Will whispered at Hannibal's ear and the man under him let out a shaken breath.

Will continued his trail of kisses; jaw, cheeks, a peek on the nose. A languid kiss on the mouth as he ate another of Hannibal's moans. "My Ripper," he said grinning, lips brushing lips, and he could feel as Hannibal melted like lava under his attention. 

"Will..." he moaned. 

"Shhh darling, I was thinking," Will said placing another wet kiss behind Hannibal's ear. "I want to call you my Ripper, but I shouldn't do that in public, you know, being on the run and all that," he teased. "So, Hannibal," Will said swallowing another of Hannibal's moans and letting it get lost inside his throat. Carefully Will pulled out a ring from his pocket and hold it for Hannibal to see, letting it rest on top his monster's heartbeat.

"How do you feel about 'my husband'?" 

It took Hannibal a moment to come out from his stupor and seconds later they were on the floor, tangled between legs, arms, blankets and kisses. 

 

 

 

When Hannibal finally let go Will's mouth after hours, Will broke the Guinness World Record of how many times a person can say "My husband" in one hour.

Afterword

End Notes

May I offer you more domestic fluff of them in which Will adopts a cappybara? Cappybara

If you're interested in more Hannigram (+others) content or reading my original work, check my link three and take a look at my coffee where I always upload extra content for free! ☕ LinkTree

Thank you for reading. Lots of love, Angel ♡

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