Updated 10/30/2024 with seven new additions.
Updated 10/30/2024 with six new additions located at the bottom of the page. A few of these fics are mine, but the rest are some of my favorite fics I’ve ever read that feature vulnerable Hannibal in various seasons, AUs, and post-canon.
The Ache Against The Wind (Rewritten):
He’d sustained a substantial amount of brain damage throughout the last eleven days, Will had been told. Resulting in Post-Traumatic Amnesia.
Content Warning: Hannibal is tortured in the BSHCI via beatings, laxatives, enemas, starvation and the “water curing” method after his toilet is removed. Will saves him.
Pareidolia:
Six weeks post-fall, Hannibal suffers from a seizure during dinner.
Je Te Laisserai Des Mots:
Six months have passed since Will pulled them over the cliff. Even in light of their progressing relationship, much of Hannibal still remains a mystery to Will. For reasons unknown, he’s begun to pull away. (A sequel to Shrike--my housewife Hannibal fic!)
Between The Hour Of Reprieve:
At the cliff house, Hannibal receives a much-needed-hug.
Shrike (To Your Sharp And Glorious Thorn):
After the fall, Will begins to notice Hannibal’s behavior is becoming akin to a fretting housewife.
A Cabin In The Woods by KoolJack1:
Hannibal is thirteen and runs away from the orphanage when he feels that a fate of the elements will be better than the fate of abuse. He finds a small cabin in the woods, thinking warmth will be all he finds. He also finds Will. But who changes who?
Recipricol Alchemy by Scifibabe:
In the silent echoes of his dreams, Will Graham treads a line blurred between control and chaos, each step drawing him inexorably towards claiming Hannibal as his own. It's a perilous dance on the edge of darkness, where the thrill of possession whispers of a transformation too profound to resist.
Hold Me, Don’t Let Me Go by sourweather:
It's a few months after the Fall when it finally hits him. Hannibal has barely been touched in 3 years. And Will won't let it go on for another moment.
Hosanna In The Highest by sainthannibal:
During the fall, Hannibal receives the brunt of the injuries, which leaves him unable to care for himself. Will discovers how much he enjoys taking care of him.
You Made Me Soup by itsybitsylemonsqueezy:
Hannibal comes down with pneumonia while incarcerated. Will decides to make him some soup. Absolutely no one thinks it's strange that Will comes to give his ex soup when he finds out he's sick. No one at all finds this suspicious. At. All.
The Boy Under The Monster’s Bed by Wr4tttttthh:
There were deep wounds that needed healing, new and old, physical and otherwise.
Delicate Ghost by hannigramcracker & TimmyJayBird:
She was different- not the ghost of his memories, but something about this bloodied child ripped right at Hannibal's chest, and left him drowning in a cold snow he thought he had left in his childhood, that he had locked away within his skull. Drowning, with only one hand to grasp at, one body to cling to. One man to work him through the trauma and remind him what life was.
You With Those Nails, Me With This Cross by TheBitterKitten:
Will goes too far.
The Distance Is Quite Simply Much Too Far For Me To Row by softhan:
Hannibal is having a rough time recovering from his injuries post-fall, and retreats into himself to avoid confrontation with Will while he's still weak and ill. Having to play happy husbands hardly helps.
Silk and Lace by jonnimir:
Bedelia leaves Hannibal and Will a gift at the house on the cliff.
Not So Fast by scifibabe:
Hannibal wakes from a heated dream with a need that can’t be ignored—and Will, half-asleep but all too eager, is more than happy to help. What begins as a midnight indulgence quickly spirals into an overwhelming game of push and pull, as Will’s relentless appetite pushes Hannibal to the edge and beyond. Kinktober Day 10: Overstimulation + Face-Sitting
Hush Now by scifibabe:
What starts as Will stitching up Hannibal's latest hunting injury turns into something else entirely when a teasing "let Daddy take care of you" slips out. It's meant to be a joke--until Hannibal's reaction tells a different story. One playful push leads to another, and soon enough, they're both realizing they might be into this a little more than they expected. Kinktober Day 19: Fisting.
I truly cannot recommend Hush Now enough! It'll live rent free in my mind and heart for the rest of my life ♡
The Antidote To Grief by incidentsofunkownorigins
On Will's idea, they visit Mischa's grave. What Will had hoped to be a healing moment of closure breaks something in Hannibal and he is the only one who can put the pieces back together.
btw i haven't finished this one by incidentsofunkownorigins yet. but i know it's gonna make me wail and sniffle into my sleeve. the cry i fucking crowed in the 3rd paragraph 😭
Pulse Point:
Post-Fall, an injured Hannibal awakes from an erotic dream, desperate and needy, aching for Will's touch.
Marveling at a Spoon by scifibabe:
After a gourmet dinner, Will Graham and Hannibal Lecter decide to indulge in something a little more... pedestrian—a joint. As the smoke settles and their usual control begins to loosen, Hannibal finds himself experiencing a sensation he never expected: a heightened sensitivity that unravels him under Will’s teasing touch. What starts as a curious experiment in relaxation quickly turns into a surprising discovery, one that leaves even the meticulous Hannibal completely undone. Will is all too eager to take advantage of his newfound knowledge, and Hannibal, for once, is too overwhelmed to resist.
We Are Now Among The Ruins by ADeedWithoutAName:
Hannibal survived the fall, but not unchanged. He intends to give Will the only gift he now can, and Will intends to honor him in the only way that matters.
A Pinch Of Salt In The Wound
Renderered mute and bedbound post-fall, Hannibal begins to spiral.
Crystalline:
Hannibal becomes blind post-episode 3x13.
me every time i read y'all's fics ♡ @incidentsofunknownorigins @graciereadshannigram @cervviidae
ILY ILY
Hannibal being excited to experience a gas station hot dog with Will would be so cute??!! like omg imagine the excited little thrill pulsing through Hannibal's veins 😭🩵 and Will is shocked when Hannibal eats without a single complaint. imagine if Hannibal wanted the exact same toppings as Will too. i'm wailing
also omg what about injured Hannibal (delirious on pain meds because he's come down with an infection) when they're driving in search of their safe house and there's only a gas station nearby. Will buys two hot dogs, eats one in a hurry and brings the other one out to the hearse (which would be perfect for allowing Hannibal to rest and not be seen lmao). imagine Will sliding in the back where Hannibal is resting. He wakes Hannibal and breaks the hot dog into small pieces. He expects Hannibal to grimace or refuse to eat or complain. Then, Will remembers Hannibal is mute and hasn't spoken a word in weeks. He slowly feeds Hannibal bite by bite. Will asks "Is that gonna be enough for you, darlin'?" and Hannibal's half-lidded eyes widen because Will's never used a pet name before. Hannibal nods, cheeks flushing and straining with a mouthful of food. Imagine Will's heart absolutely melting as he watches Hannibal eat little bites of a hot dog. 😭
***btw sorry for this ramble. I'm pmsing and the thought of Will watching Hannibal eat little bites of food is so cute at the moment it's about to make me weep lol.***
Will kisses Hannibal's forehead in silent praise and relief. He makes a move to leave to toss out the trash. But Hannibal's fingers curl into the sleeve of his sweater. He sees a crease of apprehension between Hannibal's brows and smooths it over with a thumb, gentle pressure, and kisses right over it. He knows Hannibal's anxiety spikes at night. That Hannibal is afraid of waking without Will. That Hannibal is afraid of Will being taken. That Hannibal is afraid of Will choosing to leave. Even now. He crumples the trash into the corner of the trunk and settles in next to Hannibal. He coaxes Hannibal closer, until Hannibal's cheek is resting flush against Will's neck. His fingers stroke through Hannibal's greasy hair, slow and gentle. He knows it's not what Hannibal is surrounded with which matters. He knows it's who Hannibal is surrounded by which matters.
sorry my brain just vomited that up and i couldn't stop typing because vulnerable Hannibal always has me in a chokehold. even when it's the prospect of Hannibal eating a hotdog
"hannibal HATES wills plaids" "hannibal would never let will wear plaid after the fall" hannibal gently dressed will in his softest plaid shirt and tucked him into bed before turning himself in to the fbi when will awoke and rejected him. i dont think he gives a fuck to be honest
"self-indulgent this" "self-indulgent that" bitch this aint a master's dissertation, indulging in all the lil tropes and quirks that make you tick is the point
vulnerable Hannibal fanfic idea rambles:
Post-Fall Hannibal and Will on a getaway boat. One day, Will coaxes Hannibal up deck to sunbathe because he's been deprived of the natural outside air and the sun's rays for so long. Hannibal curls up on the sofa and rests his head in Will's lap. He hasn't felt the touch of another in years and gasps when Will's fingers begin stroking through his hair. He doesn't know what to do in wake of the sudden onslaught of affection. Will's fingers trace over his temple, his clenched eyelids to wipe away the moisture, his dampening cheek. He doesn't anticipate the next moment: Will leaning down to kiss away a stray tear on his temple and whispering reassurance in his ear.
Hannibal being self-conscious when he first starts speaking again after becoming mute for a few weeks/months because his accent is thicker.
Hannibal getting an infection post-fall because his immune system is weak from being isolated for so long. When he has a fever and Will puts him into a cold bath to bring it down, he panics and Will has to reassure him and hold him down the entire time.
Hannibal's food issues resurfacing when he gets an infection and can't keep food down for nearly a week.
Hannibal and Will at a party (sometime post-fall when they're recovered) because Will's coworker invited them and Will agrees because it'll help them blend in. there's a little girl who made homemade ice cream and asks them to try it. Hannibal refuses because the temperature and texture of ice cream is too similar to snow. imagine if it's already angsty because they're in a small argument and Will says something like "open your mouth and eat the damn ice cream" (because the girl is watching to see if they like it) and Will shoves a spoonful of it into Hannibal's mouth. triggering Hannibal's cryophobia.
Hannibal being overwhelmed when Will asks if he wants a second helping of food for the first time when they're finally recovered from the fall. He's only ever been given three helpings of food and an occasional snack throughout the last 3 years. (turning into a bit of a ramble) but imagine if Hannibal is struck with a sudden familiar urge that he hasn't felt since living at his uncle's home: the urge to eat as much as he can now that there is unlimited access. Hannibal waits too long to answer and Will takes his silence as confirmation that he doesn't want seconds. He does. But it feels too late to answer; a missed opportunity. Cue Will's empathy kicking in and he's hit with every emotion Hannibal is feeling and sits back down at the table (right next to Hannibal instead of across the table) with a second serving, coaxing Hannibal to eat; that it's okay to still be hungry.
Hannibal forgetting certain English words when he's exhausted (or because of brain damage) post-fall. Will asks what he wants for breakfast and Hannibal mumbles "blynas" or "le crêpe" instead of pancake.
Hannibal being nervous to say "i love you" for the first time to Will because it's unpracticed; something he's not yet said in the English language.
Hannibal freezing up when Will asks what's the last thing he ever said in his native language.
Hannibal's gunshot wound becomes infected sometime post-fall. He regresses (involuntarily) because it's too much stress for his body to handle at the moment. It comes time for Will to lance the boil and normally, Hannibal's pain tolerance is very high (most things don't phase him), but right now, he's restless: writhing and sobbing as Will proceeds to drain the puss from the infected area.
Will gets a job post-fall to maintain appearances. He comes home one afternoon to an empty house until he reaches the backyard and finds Hannibal curled up on the outdoor sofa, napping beneath the sun.
this next one is a very old idea (from 2023) that i never explored: Hannibal and Will are at a restaurant for a dinner with a coworker, etc to blend in. Someone is a relative of one of the men who killed Hannibal's family. Hannibal makes the connection and doesn't want to cause a scene, but speaking becomes impossible. His speech starts to slur and he stumbles over every other word. He excuses himself and retreats into the bathroom and throws up. Will finds Hannibal hunched over the toilet and all Hannibal can do is cling to Will, begging to be taken home.
another old idea (i don't think i'll ever write it myself, but i would love to read it if anyone ever wrote it): Hannibal and Will are staying with Lady Murasaki while they recover. One night, Will asks Lady Murasaki what Hannibal was like when he came to live with her and his Uncle Robertos. Will learns of Hannibal's muteness, nightmares, issues with wetting the bed during night terrors, and his issues with food: how he was very malnourished and hesitant to eat in front of other people, how he would either gaurd his plate and eat as fast as he could or refuse to eat at all depending on the meal, how he panicked the first time they tried to serve him a bowl of soup, how he would sometimes raid the pantry or the fridge in the middle of the night when he thought everyone was asleep, how they would find food hidden in his room for safekeeping, how he cried the first time they gave him a birthday cake (because he hadn't experienced that in so long), how he refused to eat most cold foods (like ice cream, etc). Will also learns of Hannibal's progression from muteness leading to the ability to speak again. How Lady Murasaki and his Uncle Robertos noticed Hannibal was self-conscious during that first year (because vocal fatigue would often set in, making it even harder to pronounce words without it being hindered by his accent, while learning a new language. Especially because other children would tease Hannibal for having such a thick accent which he eventually trained himself to tone down). Cue Will's heart breaking because he wonders if Hannibal still does it: tones down his accent out of worry people would struggle to understand what he said. Then Will goes back upstairs, where Hannibal is asleep and writhing in bed because of a nightmare. He recognizes the stench of urine and wakes Hannibal (who's in distress), providing comfort and helping Hannibal get cleaned up and changed into a new set of pajamas. Will comforts Hannibal (knowing he's ashamed for wetting the bed) and calls him "sweetheart" for the first time.
Hannibal having lupophobia (fear of wolves) ever since he was a child and watched a pack of wolves eat the bodies of his tutor and parents and scratch at the cabin windows and door to get in. Also, imagine young Hannibal being chased by a rabid wolf when he finally escaped the cabin. He and Will are living in Canada post-fall and one day, they're either walking around town or in their backyard when a wolf appears, leading to Hannibal's distress.
Hannibal getting sick sometime after episode 2x10. Will finds Hannibal asleep on the chaise lounge in his office (or in the middle of retching in the bathroom). Vomiting always reminds Hannibal of the time he puked after realizing he'd eaten his sister or the time he'd eaten so fast (because of past starvation) that he ended up vomiting. Hannibal regresses (involuntarily) and Will decides he can't be left alone. They make it to Will's house and he cares for Hannibal the entire night. During dinner, Hannibal's food issues resurface (reluctance to eat something unknown) and in a regressed state, he mistakenly believes Will is taking the bowl of food away (though Will is only grasping it to hand feed Hannibal).
omega Hannibal being shy about building his first nest post-fall because he hasn't been able to make one in three years. imagine Hannibal getting emotional (burrowed underneath a mountain of blankets and one of Will's shirts cradled against his chest) because it's the first time in years that he's had a moment of privacy; a place to seek comfort.
omega Hannibal falling ill post-episode 2x10. Will comes over to check on him, and sees Hannibal curled up in his nest, shivering with a fever and whimpering in discomfort. it's the first time Will's ever heard Hannibal make such a distressed sound.
omg i’m speechless (/positive). i never expected my housewife hannibal fic to receive all the love it has which still blows me away nearly one year later. i’m so happy to hear it resonated with you and i hope one day you get your happy ending. i also love any of sourweather’s fics too btw <3
i love sourweather fics coz i read one where hannibal in his injured state forces himself to become useful for will. even in pain he cooks, bakes, cleans, and does all the chores out of regret and fear that everything he did to will would finally urge him to leave him forever. which was understandable so its realizing that he couldnt undo the hurt he did to will and he finally succumbs to it by serving will anyway he can and when will realizes this he tells him its okay and he chose this and he doesnt have to prove anything so they both become vulnerable and they pledge heartfelt promises of forever and not hurting each other again and i think i deserve this kind of ending
edit: oh my god i think what i read was actually shrike by coffeeintherain not from sourweather lolll
Hey I know this isn’t exactly along the guidelines but… Hannibal realizing he’s transfem after the fall. He and will could both have their becomings together!
omg that is so sweet "having both of their becomings together" 😭🩵 curling up in a ball and wailing (/positive). tysm for submitting a prompt!! i'm tucking it into my future fic folder <3
to anyone reading this: *begging on my hands and knees and batting my lashes at you*
please please please send me Hannigram prompts if you have any ideas you want written!!! vulnerable Hannibal is my niche at this point, but i'm also trying to branch out into more casual pwp or domestic bliss themes as well if those are of interest to you. btw there are no guidelines you have to stick to for submitting a prompt. i'm open to writing anything! smut prompts are perfectly fine too (and something i really, really want to practice writing more of as an ace author).
Post-Fall. Hannibal wakes up in the Republic of Ireland with amnesia, and is mentally 18 years-old. He finds himself stowed away in a cottage bordered by farmland with a man who knows him intimately—a man by the name of Will. Falling in love and losing one's virginity beneath the scorching sun is not at all intentional, but it feels akin to being revived and bared and bound into new skin—a rebirth.
Here is chapter one of my newest fic (a two parter)!
Vulnerable Hannibal in any form is my bread and butter. But traumatized Hannibal is my precious little pumpkin and I can never cease to ramble and theorize about how that would impact Will and Hannibal's relationship. I think it would be monumental if Hannibal wasn't even able to make it to the gates of the Lecter estate at all during a post-fall visit to Lithuania.
Imagine all the trauma that the simple act of walking through those woods would unearth for Hannibal. How it would revive his fear of succumbing to the elements.
My headcanon is Hannibal was in fact traumatized by everything he went through as a child. He just lives in denial and repression until it's brought to the forefront of his mind while in a situation he can't escape. I know it might seem ooc to many people, but Hannibal losing composure is my fave thing ever; epecially when it's in relation to his childhood trauma.
Will takes Hannibal to Lithuania. Before the next step of their relationship can develop any further, Will wants to learn every part of Hannibal. Both past and present. He's aware of Hannibal's persisting reluctance on the matter. He's aware Hannibal is doing this for him; but also for himself.
Hannibal's words have dwindled into monosyllabic responses the moment they stepped foot in Lithuania. It's late spring; so the weather shouldn't be a problem. He knows. It's only the slightest bit chilly; a bite laced in the wind that seeps into his bones and leaves his mouth and throat dry; parched with apprehension. He's one step behind Will. Two Steps. Three steps. Four...
Will's heart plummets the moment he turns around to glance at Hannibal. He's been periodically checking in throughout their journey toward the estate. Not rushing Hannibal along is imperative.
This isn't at all how Will envisioned it would turn out: Hannibal frozen in place, both eyes clenched shut against an onslaught of unspeakable memories, arms wrapped around his own torso in the form of a subconscious, self-soothing hug, while one hand creeps higher and higher towards his throat. He's sucking in shallow, whistling breaths and clawing at his neck with trembling fingers; skin itching and tingling from the phantom sensation of a chain-link collar he remembers all too well.
Will calls out his name, soft and cautious, because Hannibal is somewhere else entirely. Lost inside his mind. Will's hand clutches and stills Hannibal's frantic moving fingertips; the pressure gentle yet insistent. "Stop that," is what Will intends to say, but Hannibal's reaction leaves him speechless.
Hannibal flinches, releasing a frail, tearful whimper (the closest sound to a sob Will's ever heard Hannibal utter), and soon enough there's a visible wet patch staining the front of his pants. Will pulls Hannibal into an embrace, uncaring of the putrid stench of urine.
Imagine poor Will being blindsided by it all. Especially the act of Hannibal soiling himself in response to his re-emerging PTSD. Imagine if Hannibal clung to Will with the desperation of a scared child, head tucked underneath Will's chin so he wouldn't have to catch a glimpse of the woods that have haunted his dreams since he was eight years old. Imagine if he could only muster a rasped whisper of one word ("home" in his native tongue), begging for Will to take him far away from here.
Imagine if this moment was the first time Will ever used a term of endearment (darlin', sweetheart, or baby) in reference to Hannibal + the first time Will pressed a grounding kiss into Hannibal's hair + the first time Hannibal experienced any semblance of Will's affection post-fall.
hannibal lecter apologists rise up
when the objectively bad person has traumatic and honestly reasonable reasons for why theyre like that but it doesnt excuse their actions and only serves to make them more tragic as a character
AO3: coffeeinrain. adult. they/he. 18+ only. minors DNI. pfp & header by @cedarxwing
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