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Title: Prince Charming
By: angstytimelord
Pairing: Will Graham/Everett Hobbs (Original Character)
Fandom: Hannibal
Rating: PG-13
Table: Quotables, Part 2, tv_universe
Prompt: "You're a real Prince Charming."
Author's Note: Everett's face is Benedict Cumberbatch.
Disclaimer: This is entirely a product of my own imagination, and I make no profit from it. I do not own the lovely Will Graham or Lee Fallon, unfortunately, just borrowing them for a while. Please do not sue.

***


What could he do to prove Hannibal's guilt? What was he missing?

Everett scowled as he pushed open the front door of the library, where he'd been for the past several hours. He had wanted to do some research, and it had seemed like the right place.

But in spite of scouring everything he could find about the Chesapeake Ripper, he hadn't been able to find one shred of proof that could lead back to Hannibal Lecter.

He should have expected that, though, shouldn't he? he asked himself with a soft sigh as he made his way out to his car in the parking lot. He knew from experience that Hannibal didn't leave clues behind at his killings. He was far too careful for that. He knew how to cover his tracks well.

He and Will weren't going to find any clues out in the open. He should know that by now. No, they would have to dig deep for them, search for anything that Hannibal might have left behind.

Sooner or later, the bastard was going to slip up, Everett thought, his lip curling in disdain. And then they would have him right where they wanted him. Behind bars.

"Hello, Everett. Fancy meeting you here."

His head jerked up, his eyes widening at the sound of that smooth, accented voice, the syllables dripping with ice. Or was that venom he heard behind the innocuous greeting?

Hannibal was standing there, not five feet away from him, his own car keys in his hand. Everett knew that he hadn't been in the library, so what was he doing here? There was plenty of parking around; he hadn't had to park here in the library lot and go somewhere else.

For just a moment, his throat closed, his mouth went dry. Was Hannibal following him? Stalking him? Was he more a victim than a predator, yet again?

No, he wasn't going to give in to that fear. Not this time.

"Hello, Hannibal." Everett kept his voice calm, not betraying the rapid beating of his heart. "I was just doing a bit of .... research. I needed to make use of the library."

"I can't help but wonder what you would have to research. After all, Will has been cleared of all charges. It has been proven conclusively that he did not commit those murders. He isn't the Chesapeake Ripper," Hannibal said, shrugging as though the subject didn't interest him.

Everett squared his shoulders, baring his teeth in a smile that didn't reach the icy depths of his pale eyes. "There are a few things about the case that I'm still looking into."

He wanted Hannibal to leave it at that, to bid him a good day, get into his car, and drive away. But he knew that wasn't going to happen.

He had the odd feeling that Hannibal was following him, trying to find out what he was doing, attempting to suss out what he knew about the Chesapeake Ripper case, if he had found out anything new. He hadn't, but he wasn't about to let this monster know that. He wanted to keep Hannibal guessing.

It flashed into his mind that doing that might be dangerous, but he was committed to stopping this man in any way he could. If that meant taking some risks, then so be it.

Hannibal stepped closer to him, his voice a low, sibilant hiss when he spoke.

"Leave it alone, Hobbs." The words were barely a whisper, but Everett heard them loud and clear in the silence around them. "You may not like what you could find."

Taking a deep breath, Everett forced himself to meet Hannibal's eyes, startled at the anger he saw there. He was sure that he and Will were getting close to something, even if they didn't yet know just what it was. The proof was there, in Hannibal's gaze, in the fact that he was here at all.

If he and Will weren't on the right track, if they weren't making some headway into finding some mistake that Hannibal had made, then he wouldn't be here, making oblique threats.

"I won't stop until I find the real killer," he said, his voice strong and steady.

Hannibal took another step nearer to him, his expression stormy. "Stay out of what you don't have any need to interfere with," he said, his voice almost a sneer. "Or you could get hurt."

"You're a real Prince Charming, aren't you, Hannibal?" Everett returned, his own voice calm, despite the rapid beating of his heart. "Threats don't serve you well."

He stared into the other man's eyes, willing Hannibal to say something, anything, that would point towards his guilt. Instead, the other man merely smiled, stepping back and raising an eyebrow. "I don't believe that was a threat, Everett. Merely a warning that you shouldn't poke hornets' nests."

"I have ample protection against stings," Everett told him, shrugging as he opened his car door. "And so does Will. We plan to move very carefully."

"You should do that," Hannibal told him, his tone almost conversational now. "But be sure that you don't take any wrong turns, They could be more dangerous than you know."

With that, he turned and walked away with rapid strides.

Everett was left to stare after him, wondering just what Hannibal had up his sleeve. Those words had been a threat; there was no doubt in his mind of that fact.

Hannibal wasn't the type of man to issue threats unless he fully intended to follow up on them. Everett knew that he wand Will would have to be more careful than ever, watching their backs, and moving forward cautiously. Hannibal now knew that they were on his trial.

He definitely wasn't a Prince Charming, Everett thought as he started his car and pulled out of the parking space. He was more like a Prince Nightmare.

That thought almost made him laugh. Hannibal was indeed the stuff of nightmares.

He'd been Everett's worst nightmare for years, and now that he was closer than ever to proving that Hannibal was one of the most horrific monsters the world had ever known, he wasn't going to stop.

Yes, it might be dangerous. But he was willing to face that danger if it meant bringing Hannibal to justice, and finding some measure of closure for the past so he could move into his own future with Will.

***