RP: With Hannibal

[mrmoneypenny]

Villiers is worried

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[reactstonothing]

A Milliways week; two months outside. Time is strange around this place.

And the instant the door shuts, the ice cracks and he's leaning on Villiers hard, palms pressed flat to his chest, eyes still damp from hysterical tears.

It's not that he was hiding it, out there. Hannibal can't feel this strongly in public.

But now there's no one here-- only himself and his lover, Villiers, wonderful Villiers with his ready hands and ready kindness, and if Hannibal could ever cry it would be on this man's shoulder.

So he does, silently, half joy and all pain.

[mrmoneypenny]

Arms wrap around Hannibal's slight form without hesitation, easily, warm and steady.

They can stay here as long as he needs.

Hands, soothing at his back, nose buried against hair, offering this small comfort. Hannibal needs to cry it out. For some reason, Villiers suspects it's been pent up for far too long.

[reactstonothing]

"Thank you," he murmurs, in a voice choked with anguish. "Villiers-- thank you."

For being there. For helping.

For all of it, in the end.

For... love.

Because that's what they have, isn't it?

[mrmoneypenny]

Love.

It's there, glowing brightly, burning softly, in the way that Villiers hushes Hannibal with murmured nothings and a tighter hug.

Maybe, just maybe, those nightmares will fade.

He hopes they do, for Hannibal's sake.

[reactstonothing]

He forgets time, standing still and silent and weeping in his lover's arms.

Eventually, however, he lets go. Kisses Villiers' cheek. Blinks away the last few tears, and--

"I'm all right."

--is astonished to find words coming out of his mouth and more astonished to find they're true ones.

[mrmoneypenny]

And Villiers smiles. Kisses his cheek in return. More smiling.

"That's good."

And, because he's been worried and concerned?

"So, how have you been? It's been a week, Milliways time," he says, planting another kiss on a cheek, and starting to whisk them both off to more comfortable destinations.

[reactstonothing]

"Two months."

He smiles, just a little.

Disentangles himself from Villiers.

Walks to the corkboard on the wall.

And starts taking down the pictures, one by one.

[mrmoneypenny]

Villiers watches.

And smiles.

That confirms it -- something has finally settled into place, something concluded.

And even if it means more people died, they're still the type that deserved it.

So Villiers comes forward to wrap his arms around Hannibal's waist, chin on his shoulder, watching those pictures come down.

[reactstonothing]

"It's finished," he says simply, with that faint and brittle smile.

But faint and brittle though it may be, it is very, very genuine.

[mrmoneypenny]

A kiss on the neck, soft and simple.

"Always good."

A deep breath.

"Will you stay, a while?"

[reactstonothing]

"Yes."

The sketches are piled neatly on his desk and he turns to wrap Villiers up in his arms, those strong and steady arms that never tremble or shake.

"I missed you," says Hannibal, in his cold and quiet voice.

[mrmoneypenny]

Back to normal, then.

Although it should be disturbing, it's comforting instead.

"As did I," he says, lips brushing against Hannibal's. "Seven days without the grace of your presence, after all."

More smiling.

[reactstonothing]

"It must have been terrible," he murmurs, smirking. "I'd go mad after a week without me."

[mrmoneypenny]

"Indeed it was," Villiers answers playfully, this time kissing the tip of his nose. Silly Hannibal.

"But now, I have you back!"

♥

[reactstonothing]

And all is right with the world!

...Or something.

♥.

[mrmoneypenny]

And watch, as Villiers is amazingly silly and disgustingly romantic, pulling Hannibal down and back in his arms so he can lean over and plant a solid kiss on those lips.