Chapter Text
You can't go home again.
Or, at least, you shouldn't.
Will knew that now for a fact after spending less than twenty four hours taking care of his father who'd unexpectedly fallen in the shower just a week prior. He hadn't been back to Wolf Trap for almost a decade between work and his own....issues.
The very same issues that had him leave his position consulting to retire just three months ago.
The very same issues that gave him nightmares every night.
His father had been adamant that he needed no help from Will until Will showed up at the hospital and saw just how bad he'd hurt himself.
"Dad, you need me. You can barely use those things."
'Those things' were the crutches the hospital insisted he shouldn't use in favor of a wheelchair but leave it to ol' John Graham to say otherwise.
"I'm seventy two years old, Willie! I can..."
Will caught him then, a shared look followed, and now here he was back home again from "the city life."
Home again meant he could finally go to one of his favorite places where he had some of the only good memories of his childhood - The Coffee Spot. He'd spent so much time there as one of the weird kids with no friends, and as he drove up he couldn't wait to say hello to Mr. Smith behind the counter.
Except it wasn't the Coffee Spot sign that greeted him.
There was a new elaborate drawn sign.
Caffè Paradiso
"What the---?"
He got out of the car fuming and saw a very full place inside that almost made him leave.
Dad was asleep for a few hours, the good meds kicking in this morning, and he'd finally gotten a chance to do something just for him.
And now it was ruined.
Will walked up and the smell of Pumpkin Spice hit him in the face.
"Ergh," he made a face and walked inside to a semi-long line filled with mostly twenty somethings.
The old coffee shop with chalk signs and the smell of burnt coffee was gone and in its place was a fancy hoity toity room filled with signs that looked hand painted. The coffees themselves had names like Caffè Americano, Macchiato, and of course, Pumpkin damn Spice.
Will just wanted a plain black coffee with five sugars. It had been his go to since he was old enough to even want to drink coffee, and if this place didn't have it he might have to complain.
Or maybe he'd just complain because they drove poor Mr. Smith out of his spot.
He sat there, fuming, and heard so many people talking he wanted to plug his ears but snippets of the conversation in front of him were hard to miss.
"....and I think Adam really is hard to handle, but you know, he's great in bed and all the other issues he has I don't have to worry about because Nigel deals with that."
"Nigel?"
"Oh, that's his friend. He's....I mean he's good looking but a bit of an asshole, though he does take Adam to museums and all that boring stuff."
"What are they, eight?"
Both women laughed.
"Your boyfriend is in love with Nigel," Will mumbled, unable to stop himself as they turned to look at him, "And Nigel probably is in love with Adam. Nobody goes to museums as 'friends,' and if they are in some kind of denial they...."
"Who asked you?" the woman spat, her eyes wide, "Stop listening into other people's---"
Will glared at her. "You're fucking poor Adam but don't like anything else about him," he continued, unable to stop, "If Nigel likes everything you don't, why wouldn't he eventually start to like having sex with him too?"
The woman raised her hand up to slap him and suddenly someone grabbed it, making Will turn to see the most handsome man he'd ever seen in his entire life.
He froze, blushing, and the man glared at the woman.
"You are permanently banned from my cafe," he said, his accented voice doing things to Will, "I abhor rudeness and you..."
The woman pointed at Will. "He's the one telling me my boyfriend is gonna fuck his best friend! He..."
The handsome man looked at Will, eyes roaming up and down, and he smiled.
"Yes, I know. He's....very observant, and obviously correct," he let go of her arm, "Please leave before I call the authorities!"
The two women made indignant noises and glared at the both of them making Will almost laugh, and he realized then that he was at the front of the line. "Um, sorry about---"
The handsome man, who wore no nametag, shook his head. "I have been looking for a reason to ban her, truth be told. Please, let me get you a coffee. It's on me."
"No, you don't have to do that."
The handsome man ignored him and walked up to the counter where a blonde girl smirked at them both before she moved aside at the register. "What will you be having?"
"Um," Will blushed, scratching his chin, and suddenly felt self-conscious about his plain order, "Wh...what do you recommend?"
"Do you have a sweet tooth?"
"Um...."
"What is your regular order?"
"Black coffee with five sugars."
He smiled and pressed some buttons. "Well, I do believe we should expand your palette. No allergies? Do you not like milk?"
"I can...handle milk."
"Alright then, allow me to introduce you to something new, Mister..."
"Graham," he said, pushing his glasses up on his nose, "Will Graham."
The handsome man held out his hand and Will took it, the warmth of him making Will blush harder. "Hannibal Lecter."
"Um, thanks for the coffee."
"You're welcome. It will be at the counter."
He let go of him and Will walked down to the pickup area where more broke college kids were roaming as they waited, and he stepped back to take a peek. Hannibal was in the midst of making something, probably his drink he was sure, and as he watched Will could see how much he enjoyed it.
Maybe this place wasn't so bad after all.
Five minutes passed before Hannibal looked up and he winked at him, making Will blush even harder as he looked away.
Oh god.
He had a crush.
What was he fifteen?
Will pulled out his phone to try to look busy and heard, "Will," looking up to see Hannibal waiting with a travel cup.
"Thanks, what..."
"Try it, please."
He put the cup to his mouth and almost laughed.
Pumpkin Spice.
Will had never been a big fan of pumpkin. Maybe it was years of going to Grandma's house where she used the insides of jack o'lanterns to make pumpkin pie every year, then pumpkin cookies, pumpkin bread, etc, but as the taste hit his tongue all thoughts of grandma's forced pumpkins were gone.
"It's great," he said, and meant it.
Hannibal smiled. "I'm glad to give you a new favorite, Will. I hope to see you again?"
Will looked down. "Um, you....you might."
"Excellent."
He had planned to go home with his coffee but something made him stay, sitting as far from the crowd as he could, and with the few glances he got of Hannibal somehow their gazes always met for the next hour as he finished his free drink.
It felt intimate.
Or maybe he was just delusional.
Will finally took his last sip and tossed the cup, taking another look, and nodded once to Hannibal before he walked out the door.
He knew he'd be back.
And suddenly he had a craving for pumpkin pie.
Apparently, you could go home again, or at least maybe you should, because suddenly his caretaker duties felt a little more exciting.