A tinge of hope
It was over, just like that. Hugh was staring blankly into space, unable to define the feeling clawing him from the inside. The ending scene had been the culmination of an endless amount of emotions, both mesmerizing, cruelly painful, and surreal. In a way, he felt stupid for being so moved by this, but he told himself that it was understandable, considering the effort that he and Mads put into this show. "It was our design," they would jokingly say to each other in between scenes. He was far from saying that the rest of the crew hadn't had their part in the general success of the series, however, he also knew that since the first day on set, the chemistry between him and Mads was more than clear. This had never been the case with any other actor, and Hugh was glad he'd had the chance to experience something that so few were able to grasp and feel. This was partly the reason he felt this unsettling emotion growing since they had finished the last scene; his mind was coming to terms with the fact that he may never feel that type of connection with anyone else. And frankly, he had no idea what that meant for him, nor how to process it.
Today's final shooting was over, and they were both officially free, as well as everyone else. Evidently, there was going to be a big wrap party the day after, but for tonight Hugh and Mads had made plans to go out and have a quiet evening, all the more needed considering they weren't sure when they'd have the time to spend some time together again, in between upcoming movies, TV shows and other projects that each of them had. They headed towards Hugh's hotel room, all the while trying to decide where they should go after that. Mads was unusually quiet, which surprised Hugh seeing as they were so used to each other that they would speak their mind freely, almost as if they were thinking out loud. He might still be shaken from the last scene. It suddenly occurred to Will that he may not be alone in the way he'd been feeling since the end of shooting. Somehow, it comforted him to know it wasn't just him.
They arrived in the hotel room and Hugh decided it was still quite early, so he could take a shower. He let Mads know he'd quickly go through the bathroom, and that he could just wait for him in the other room. He threw his shirt aside, and walked into the bathroom, while closing the door halfway.
Mads had been unusually pensive, although he tried to hide it. This day had been emotionally exhausting enough, without the added sadness which currently accompanied him. Filming such deeply emotional scenes were a strain on any actor, and the tension could be felt even now between him and Hugh, as it always did after a difficult day at work, especially when comprising a particularly dramatic scene. He lit a cigarette, and slowly sat down on one of the big armchairs that could only be found in that type of high-class hotels. Instead of relieving him, the nicotine seemed to have the opposite effect, making him tense up and become even more nervous. What is wrong with me? He wasn't used to feeling that way, and he sensed that something was gnawing at his unconscious.
In an attempt to take his mind off his current mood, he decided to take one of Hugh's cigarettes which were slightly stronger, and could, therefore, possibly help. He wandered off into the bathroom, forgetting that Hugh was still there, and paused at the door as he found himself face to face with a slightly startled Hugh without a shirt or pants on. "Oh God, I'm sorry, I completely forgot you were in here!" he said, while still standing in the doorway. "Don't worry about it, it's not like we haven't seen each other less clothed on set," answered Hugh in a relaxed composure. He actually seems more relaxed than he did 10 minutes ago. This thought crossed Mads' mind, and he found himself wondering why he was beginning to feel relief as well. Only then did the thought he'd been trying to suppress for so long emerge; having realized what his mind and body wanted him to do, he sauntered towards Hugh, who stood without moving, somewhat as a wild animal circles around its prey, and moved beside him so they were nearly touching. At this point, they were both facing the mirror and looking at each other, their glance betraying a mixture of confusion, and unrelenting desire. A few seconds passed, and Mads could resist no longer. He lowered his head, his lips slightly parted and brushing up against Hugh's neck. The tension from that day was too much for both of them, and as Hugh turned around their glances betrayed what they had unconsciously been trying to hide. Mads cupped Hugh's face gently, and pulled him towards himself; their lips found each other, and what had been so tangible on set, on this day in particular, was finally complete.
It was there and then, that all the build-up of emotions came to the surface, and the walls between characters and acting crumbled. In this moment, both of them perfectly understood what they'd spent the whole day portraying – just like Hannibal and Will, they did not need to wonder what the other person felt, they knew.