Hannibal Fic Recs
hiddenembers07: I’m new to the hannibal fandom so any recs for fics I would love to hear? 😊
Oh boy, do I ever. Firstly, let me point you to this list of “iconic hannibal recs” for a list format of the prominent fics in the fandom. I have not included any fics that are already on that list. Most of the fics listed here I’ve found by tag mining and creeping on people’s bookmark lists and they’re in no particular order. All are complete. So, enjoy!
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A Great and Gruesome Height by mokuyoubi (E | 115k) Post s3e13. Murder Husbands. This is a masterpiece. The writing is beautiful and entrancing. The plot is engaging and respectably tense without overshadowing the enthralling character and relationship development. The growth and malleability of both Will and Hannibal are shown in such a lovely way. Definitely a must read.
Morphology (series) by Finely Honed (E | 93k) s1 AU. “Hannibal's fascination with Will prompts him to attempt the impossible—giving up killing in order to better explore the possibility of a relationship with Will. Easier said than done.“ This is beautifully written and wonderfully angsty while not being TOO much. Seriously can’t believe I haven’t read this before. Contains: murder family feels, excellent and unique characterizations, and lots of uhhh... smut. That's really good too.
On Through the Shallows by MajorEnglishEsquire (E | 33k) Post s3e13. “Hannibal has decided to want dog hair and mechanic's grease and damp sheets. Or, rather, he's decided he doesn't much mind cleaning those up. He needed someone to fuck him up. He fucked Will up and he wants to get fucked up right back.” Will works through the limbo between the moral man he was before and the free one he is becoming. Hannibal works on sucking colorful bruises onto Will’s neck.
Odalisque (series) by drinkbloodlikewine & whiskeyandspite (E | 231k) Murderous Rent Boy!Will & uhhh... normal Hannibal. Underage warning. “There’s something deeply decadent about it, defiling such a luminous vehicle with something so cheap as smoke. The irony isn’t lost on Will as he slides across the velvet-soft lambskin leather seat. As far as could be from anyone who regularly visits this place, for these reasons. Slumming it. Not quite your typical rentboy situation.” What is there to say? Will is an underage serial killer with a rent-boy cover. Hannibal is Hannibal. They pick each other out as marks but they can’t quite kill each other. Kink ensues. Also, the development across this series is the most memorable thing about it, all kink aside (and there is a lot of it).
Faded Fantasy (and sequel) by Phenobarbital (E | 232k) Post s3e13. Slow Burn. “Hannibal navigates his way through Will's heterosexuality...” Okay. This is AWESOME. I feel like this was written specifically for me. It’s long as FUCK, but it’s ALL relationship development. It’s literally just >200k of pining and romancing and sexual tension and Hannibal being so incredibly smitten with Will that it’s painful for him. This deserves so much more clout. Literally, cannot recommend this journey of a fic enough. When their trust develops, it’s very rewarding.
As soft, as wide as air by BlackKnightSatellite (E | 191k) Post s3e13. Murder Husbands. Dark. Slow burn. A story of becoming in three acts. Beautifully written - poetic even. Plot driven without neglecting the necessary and heavy character development. This is a tragedy, not for Hannibal and Will, but for every mere mortal who has touched them. Will and Hannibal here burn bright and hot like a dying star, suspended in time. My descriptions aren’t usually this florid, but this epic truly deserves it. Will here is an avenging angel of hell, and Hannibal is as manipulating and devoted as he’s ever been. The pacing and plot are reminiscent of the show, and it’s lovely. Well worth reading. MCD warning does NOT apply to Hannibal or Will.
Daydreamer and the Shadow Man (series) by HigherMagic (E | 169k) “After Garrett Jacob Hobbs, Will can't reconcile Abigail's death. He's done - with all of it. He needs to escape, to return to the only place he has ever felt safe and wanted. That place ends up being a sleepy town on the other side of the Chesapeake Bay, where he spent one summer as a child, exchanging riddles and letters with his dearest friend: the Shadow Man.” This is BEAUTIFUL!! There’s identity porn, Dark/Semi-Dark Will, extremely devoted Hannibal, and so so so much love in this story. Please note there are strong themes of stalking/grooming in case that’s a trigger for you.
The First Condition of Immortality is Death by OneHandedBooks (E | 92k) Hannibal’s heart stopped for the first time after he’d dragged himself and Will out of the frigid ocean onto the rocky shore at the bottom of the bluff. Slow Burn. Lovely, poignant, emotional! Very atmospheric. Will and Hannibal heal from their fall. They take a boat to the Caribbean. <-- That’s all I have in my AO3 notes, but I actually find myself thinking about this fic all the time. I’ve read so many fics that are post 3x13, but this one and it’s little details still stand out to me.
Two Solitudes by emungere (E | 54k) Wonderful, intimate, and tender. Beautifully written and honest. Will cares for Hannibal after the cliff. They escape to Canada together, and they learn to trust and fit together. I’m always a bitch for survival/wilderness fics, and this scratches that itch.
The Infinitives Series by InfiniteCrisis (E | 93k) Post s3e13. Dark AF. An incredible take on Sub!Hannibal and Dom!Will. Will makes a cruel, cruel Dom here and some of this feels pretty fucked up, even for me. It works out though and I've read this through multiple times. PLEASE read the warnings though.
Veins As Fine As Rabbit Hair by lovetincture (E | 42k) “He also knows what Hannibal’s offering, and it’s not just anything. It's love and murder, pain and comfort, all of it mixed together in equal quantities and no way to have one without the other.” A slow burn and slow story (in such a good way). Will and Hannibal, after the fall. Very beautifully written, and their relationship growth is wonderful.
Authors that I love everything I’ve read by: HigherMagic // Whiskeyandspite // stratumgermanitivum // drinkbloodlikewine // everybreathagift
Fics that I’ve loved enough to read aloud: “A Gentler Ending” by @damnslippyplanet // “daylight savings” by thebeespatella (@the-bees-patella) // “Pochée” by ElloPoppet (@lizabethl)
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Find more fic recommendations lists by myself and others on my fanfiction blog here! Also check out my bookmarks on AO3!
I have SO many more fics that I love, so feel free to drop by my inbox if you need more reccomendations! This is just a very very very small sampling.
