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Chapter Text

Will Graham fidgeted as he stood close to the hall entrance, trying and failing to smooth down the ugly creases in his coat. He should have ironed the damn thing last night but Buster had been acting up and by the time Will had gotten him to calm down and snooze in his lap, it had been close to midnight and he was just too lazy to get up again.

“Tell me why am I doing this again?” He mumbled, exasperated.

“Because the Baltimore Hospital is trying to raise money for a new children’s ward so more kids can obtain proper inpatient treatment… and you, Will Graham, are a good man.” Beverly Katz smiled cheerfully as she reached out to adjust Will’s left collar.

“I could have just donated my own cash. However little that may be.”

“Trust me, Mister Stud, you are going to bring in much more this way.” Beverly smirked.

Will snorted dryly. “Yep, in all my wrinkled-suit-dog-hair glory.”

A happy woof cut through his words and both Will and Beverly looked down at the brown dog obediently sitting by Will’s left foot, collar connected to the lead in Will’s hand.

“Think your dog disagrees.” Beverly grinned.

Will smiled as he ran his hand over Winston’s head, the dog nudging closer to the touch. “I still can’t believe that you managed to talk me into this, auctioning myself off for a date at a fundraising event. And that Jack didn’t say anything about it.”

Beverly smiled. “It's called positive persuasion tactics and yes, Jack agrees, actually. He thinks this will give you some social time, some fresh air…” Will snorted at her words. “… away from the dreary fluorescent lights of the BAU.”

“Yeah, so he can pull me right back in afterward.”

Beverly gave him an understanding smile. “I don’t think you would have been able to stay away even without him hounding you.” She smoothed the other collar into place, her expression soft. Finally satisfied, she looked up and smiled brightly. “And now, we are going to have some fun at this charity event. Who knows, you might end up finding a compatible date!”

“Or I am just going to be standing onstage like an idiot, nobody ends up raising a bid and I get booed off the stage. And then become the subject of small-talk jokes at dinner parties for the next five years.”

Beverly snorted. “You think too much.”

“Kind of what I do to earn my monthly paycheck, you know.”

Beverly laughed. “Oh, stop it, you are going to do great! And if you are worried about the worst-case scenario, I got myself an auction paddle.” The crime-scene investigator, and one of Will’s closest friend in the FBI, cheekily waved a black-and-gold paddle in her hand.

“What, you going to bid on me now?” Will was unable to stop the grin from his face.

“Of course not, I am bidding for Winston.”

Laughing, the two friends headed toward the hall, the dog trotting along at their side.

‘This is a mistake’, Will found himself thinking for the sixty-seventh time as he stood to one side of the enormous hall.

The venue chosen had been the city amphitheater, which was a large grand building situated at the heart of Baltimore. The amphitheater itself had a capacity of seven hundred, including VIP suites and box seats. Will had not truly appreciate the grandiosity of the place until he had stepped into the impressive amphitheater and seen the red plush seats, the wooden paneling along the walls and the golden chandeliers overhead.

He stared at the main stage, now illuminated by bright lights and began to feel sick.

It seemed that every important person in the city had been invited to the charity event, from what Will could see of the expensive suits, dresses, and shiny shoes that were sure to cost more than three months of his salary.

Beverly had disappeared to find her seat, and Will sorely missed her presence by his side now. He did not do well with crowds, or any amount of people, for that matter.

A young voluptuous woman standing next to him was dressed in a glittering silver dinner gown with a high slit up one thigh. “Nervous?” She smiled at Will, showcasing perfect white teeth. The teeth and silver dress reminded Will of a mackerel shark.

He nodded silently.

“Katarina.” She offered a perfectly manicured hand and Will took it.

“Will Graham.”

“Your first charity date auction?”

Again, Will nodded.

“It is my fifth. I hope it will top my last one.” The woman flipped her glossy curled hair over one shoulder. “My agent says it will be good for my résumé.”

“You mean, good for the children.”

“What?”

“The pediatric patients you must be doing this for?” The edge of sarcasm crept into Will’s tone.

“Yes, of course, that too.”

Will shook his head and took off his glasses to wipe them on his coat sleeve, effectively ending the conversation.

This is a mistake.

He should be in his home in Wolf Trap now, maybe fishing or just relaxing with a beer and his dogs on the couch. Instead of standing here in an excessively extravagant environment filled with pretentious people and-

“Will?”

Will looked up, struggling to put his glasses back on. Even without proper vision, he would recognize that deep rich accented voice anywhere.

“Uh, hi.” Will managed a weak smile, as he finally got his glasses on.

Of course Dr. Hannibal Lecter would be here, to complete Will’s humiliation. Blinking his eyes once, Will realized he should have anticipated this. The current social environment was one where Hannibal would thrive perfectly in - a natural territory for the rich well-mannered psychiatrist and his perfect three-piece suit.

Despite their social differences and Will’s aversion to eye contact, he had always found interactions with Hannibal to be easy, comfortable even. There was never any need to navigate with caution in their conversations and Hannibal never tried to repress any of Will’s thoughts or opinions. Hannibal, like Beverly, was one of the few who did not look at Will with pity or as if he was anything less than normal.

Hannibal’s quick eyes now flitted from Will’s face to his outfit and then he smiled. Will steeled himself, waiting for a remark similar to one made about his less-than-fine aftershave months ago.  

Instead, Hannibal turned to an older woman standing next to him, and gestured to Will with one hand. “Allow me to introduce my very dear friend here, Agent Will Graham, who is with the FBI. And Will, this is the utmost lovely Madame LaLaurie, one of the patrons for the Baltimore Hospital.”

“And ex-patient of Dr. Lecter.” The woman laughed as Will shook her hand.

“Are you involved in the fundraising event, Will?” Hannibal asked curiously but before Will could answer, Madame LaLaurie spoke, “I believe I saw your photo in the charity handbook, Mister Graham. You are one of the participants in the date auctions, are you not?”

Hannibal turned to Will, his refined features lit up in subtle surprise.

Will gave a shrug, resigned to admit the truth even as his cheeks flushed. “Yes, my team thought it would be fun. Though I am beginning to suspect that this is more for their entertainment than mine.”

Hannibal chuckled softly. “Still, it was very kind of you to do so.”

“Oh, they are going to eat you up at the auctions, you dashing man.” Madame LaLaurie reached out and grabbed Will’s bicep. From Will’s view, her red painted fingernails looked like bloodied talons.

Hannibal was smiling at him, a twinkle almost in his eyes.

“Welcome, ladies and gentlemen to this beautiful charity auction for Hospital Baltimore’s new pediatric wing, which will also be housing a new oncology ward!” A thunderous applause greeted the words as the auctioneer, a lean man wearing a black suit, smiled. “My name is Bryan, just Bryan.” The audience laughed. “And I will be your host and auctioneer for this evening. We have a very interesting program today, and there are several precious antique pieces up for auction, donated to us by several patrons who have requested to remain anonymous…”

Will tuned the auctioneer out, shifting his gaze silently between the audience and his own feet, and trying to catch a sight of Beverly in between.

“… and then we have, what I believe, will be the most rousing and active part of the auction, which will be the date auctions! They are very kind individuals who have agreed to be sacrificed - oh, my bad -” The audience greeted his joke with a bout of laughter. “- who have agreed to give their time to the auction, to you actually, should you have the winning bid, in the name of charity for the hospital. They are all beautiful people and very sought-after, mind you! And now, I think we shall..."

Will looked down at Winston, who was looking curiously out at the crowd. A fundraiser staff had removed Winston earlier before the start of the event for some silly protocol that Will did not understand, and Will had relinquished the lead very reluctantly after a thorough reassurance that nothing was going to be done or administered to his dog.

“Hey, you doing okay?” Will whispered to Winston. The dog only tilted his head and looked up at Will with adorable puppy eyes.

Will chuckled. Yeah, I think you are more comfortable than I am.

The auction passed painfully slow, giving Will plenty of time to regret his life choices. The amphitheater seats were shrouded in shadow as the lights had been dimmed following the start of the auction, Will could see neither Beverly nor Hannibal. Only Winston seemed to be having fun, ears perked and constantly sniffing the air as if catching scent of something interesting.

Will watched as Katarina was next to take the stage for the date auctions in her entirely too-shiny dress. The auctioneer began the introductions, Katarina hailed from Sweden, she was a part-time model and aspiring actress and had won multiple beauty pageants, was a regular charity volunteer (‘Really?’ Will thought) and had her own Youtube yoga channel. He watched, unsurprised, as the bidding war began. He wondered if Hannibal was bidding, if her artificial persona was something the psychiatrist would find appealing. The auction was over in fifteen minutes, and Will wondered if five hundred dollars topped Katarina’s last résumé achievement.

This is a mistake.

“And next, we have Mister William Graham!”

Will jerked as he heard his name. He had not expected to be called so soon. The staff near the stage gestured to the steps and Will moved stiffly toward them.

The trip to the stage seemed to be taking forever, even as Will gripped Winston’s lead to ground himself. He avoided any eye contact, knowing full well that every pair of eyes would be looking at him now. The audience seemed to be clapping, judging from the movement of hands that he was able to detect from the corners of his eyes. But Will heard nothing, only a distant buzzing in his ears.

Then he looked up and realized he was now right in the center of the stage, facing the auctioneer who gave him a toothy grin.

“A little stage fright, friend?” Bryan smiled and tapped his shoulder amiably. Will only managed a weak smile in response.

“Now ladies… and of course, gentlemen,” Bryan waggled his eyebrows in a way that Will considered wholly inappropriate for a charity auction. “… we have a handsome and very capable man to grace our auction today. Mister Will here… is a special agent currently working for the FBI!”

‘Oohs’ and ‘ahhs’ came from the crowd. Will felt a blush colour his cheeks.

“He grew up in Louisiana. He enjoys fishing in his spare time and one interesting point about him, ladies…” The host winked. “… Agent Graham apparently has a very loving and compassionate nature… he owns seven dogs, all of which are adopted from the streets!” Eager clapping greeted the revelation, surprising Will. “Is that right, Agent Graham?”

“Ah… yes.” Will shifted uncomfortably on his feet.

“And it has not escaped our notice that you have brought one of your handsome pack member here this evening!”

“Yes, I have. I didn’t want to, but the event organizer told me to do so.”

The audience laughed and Will frowned, bemused.

“And what is his or her name, Agent Graham?”

“He’s Winston.” At the mention of his name, Winston looked upward at Will, his tongue lolling out. Will was unable to keep the smile from his face as he petted his dog.

“And we sure can’t decide if the man or his furry friend is more adorable, can we, ladies?”

Obviously Winston was the more adorable, but Will was not going to argue the point and prolong his time on the stage. The bright lights shining at him were causing his anxiety to spike close to the surface.

Winston gave a bark, thumping his tail excitedly on the floor.

“And looks like Winston here cannot wait for his daddy to find a good date! Shall we get right down to it, folks? I can feel those paddles raring to go!”

The crowd cheered their assent.

“We are going to start off the bidding at one hundred dollars. Do I have a bidder?”

Will involuntarily hung his head. Yep, joke of dinner parties, here I come.

“One hundred dollars to the gorgeous lady in the middle row!” Will’s head shot up, meeting the happy eyes of Beverly, with her paddle in the air. Will could not help smiling. “Do I have one fifty?”

A paddle moved up to the right of the hall, and Bryan gestured to it with a flourish. “And yes, we have our one fifty now. Do I perhaps hear two hundred?”

Will’s eyes widened, as paddles began to move up consistently.

“Three hundred and fifty dollars? Ah, the gentleman in the front row!”…

Wait... gentleman?

“Five hundred dollars to number four-six-eight. Something tells me we are going to hit a new record!”…

The bid shot past Katarina’s final amount, and Will felt his panic increase in proportion to the money.

“Nine hundred dollars, my, my! Everyone seems to want their private time with Agent Graham here!” Bryan whistled. “One thousand, anybody?”

Will caught Beverly’s eyes and her expression was a mix of awe and amusement. She shook her head and mouthed ‘Sorry, broke.’

Will prayed for it to stop, to just stop. Bryan, ever pompous and chatty, was quite the opposite.

“Do we have ONE THOUSAND dollars? Oh, we DO… and it is to number six-six-six!”

Will started to feel lightheaded. Who in their right mind would bid one thousand dollars for an evening with him?

“How about one thousand and five hundred dollars? Oh yes, to the lady in the second row, and is that our very own Madame LaLaurie?”

Yes, it was indeed Madame LaLaurie and Will suddenly had a vision of a mongoose helplessly wrapped in the bloody red talons of a vulture.

“Three thousand, do I hear three thousand? Oh, a lovely lady in the back”...

“Five thousand, Madame LaLaurie has decided to up her bid!”…

Will sees Katarina gaping at him from the corner of the stage.

“And oh… up goes number six-six-six again for SEVEN THOUSAND dollars!”

Six-six-six. ‘Just what I need… a date with the Devil,’ Will thought wryly. He had been trying to identify the owner of the unfortunate paddle number but the person was seated in one of the higher box seats and appeared to be leaning back so the shadows rendered him or her not even the slightest bit visible. Something told Will that this was done on purpose.

“Eight thousand and five hundred dollars, Madame LaLaurie! Do I perhaps hear the greatest record so far for all charity auctions this year… TEN THOUSAND DOLLARS?”

Will held in his breath. It is over.

“OHHH, AND TEN THOUSAND DOLLARS TO NUMBER SIX-SIX-SIX!” Will’s eyes widened and he once again stared into the unknown darkness of the box one level above the stage. Madame LaLaurie smiled and shook her head.

“GOING ONCE, GOING TWICE, and… SOLD, a precious evening date with Agent Graham and the honour of being the greatest benefactor so far to the Baltimore Hospital charity auction… to number SIX-SIX-SIX!” Bryan shouted, as the audience began to clap. “If we could have the lights to see our esteemed bidder, please... thank you, and oh... we see him now... and it is none other than… Dr. Hannibal Lecter!!”

Will’s head shot up, and there standing in the luxurious theater box and illuminated by white light  was Hannibal, holding a clear glass of champagne which he subtly lifted in a toast to Will. The glass was brought to his lips and Hannibal drank, never once looking away from Will as thunderous applause filled the hall.

“You know I have always wondered…” Beverly whispered urgently to Will as she stood by his side after the end of the auction. “… if there is… anything going on between you and Dr. Lecter?”

“What do you mean?”

“Anything romantic, Will!” Beverly whispered.

“No!” Will furiously shook his head. “Never.”

“Okay well, this is just my behavioral analysis… and considering I am part of the BAU, I can be quite accurate most of the time. I think he likes you.”

“Beverly, I belong to the BAU too and no, he does not!”

“As a friend, I wouldn’t spend ten thousand dollars to save you from the advances of an old woman, to be quite honest.”

“Thanks,” Will commented dryly, even though his heart was still beating fast from the aftermath of the auction.

Beverly laughed. “Enjoy your date with Dr. Lecter.”

“I am in fact going to look for him right now, and set this straight.”

“What, you going to pay him back?” Beverly snorted. “Hand Winston over, I think he would prefer to not be privy to this.”

It was not difficult to find Hannibal, his beige plaid suit a purposeful standout amongst the attendees. He was conversing with an old couple when he noticed Will, and exchanged a courteous smile and several words before he moved to the younger man.

“Hello again, Will.” Hannibal seemed to look rather pleased with himself.

“Hi. Um, yeah, about the auction just now… I wanted to say thank you. I mean, for rescuing me. You really didn’t have to do that, and ten thousand is really too much.” Will winced slightly even as he mentioned the price. “I will pay you back in installments, if you don't mind?” Will did not have ten thousand dollars in hand, he would have to take a bank loan if he wanted such money in a short time. He chanced a look at Hannibal, only to find the psychiatrist looking at him with a frown.

“Will, I do not understand.”

“You just spent ten freakin’ thousand dollars for a… a date with me! Just so I wouldn’t have to spend time with Madame LaLaurie.” 

Hannibal smiled. “You seem to be under the wrong impression, Will. While it is fortunate that I could be of some assistance to you in avoiding a certain Madame’s company, I am afraid my true intention does not run along the lines of altruism. You see, I bid only and purely to secure the pleasure of your company for one evening, Will.”

Will’s eyes widened in shock. Ten thousand dollars… “The pleasure of my company…” He almost laughed disbelievingly. “Don’t you get that at seven in the evenings, once or twice a week?”

Hannibal smiled. “Perhaps I prefer a different approach for a change. More space for leisure, and pleasure.” The last word was spoken a tone lower, and Will felt his heartbeat unexpectedly quicken. “That being said, I do not wish to force you to do anything that you do not want to partake in, Will. You are free to refuse our date, of course, there is no obligation whatsoever. The last thing I would want you to be is uncomfortable.”

Our date.

Will could hardly remember the last time he had been on a proper date. Did Hannibal truly outbid everyone just to have a date with him? And why? Did he really want to spend time with Will for reasons other than their unofficial sharing sessions and discussions on crime cases? What sort of date was this going to be?

Will took a deep breath. “I am not very experienced in planning dates and this sort of stuff, you know. I don't go out very often, or socialize at all. Can you give me a few days to work out what we can do?”

“I already have it planned out, if you are agreeable.”

“Oh?” Will looked at him in surprise. Of course he had it planned out.

“Shall we have dinner at my house? I have a new recipe I would like to try out. After dinner, we can have dessert in the study. A simple evening, nothing too strenuous.”

Will had to laugh. “You are not supposed to do anything. I am the one who's supposed to go all out for the evening.” But the dinner sounded good, it sounded like something Will could do, could even see himself enjoying. 

“And you are aware I derive a certain amount of pride and happiness from cooking my own meals. Would you deny me that comfort?”

“No, I don’t think I would.” Will smiled.

Hannibal returned the smile. “Will you be amenable then to six-thirty, this Saturday?”

I hope you enjoyed reading the first chapter of my Hannigram fic. There are a few things I would like to say:

1) I am actually a VERY new fan of the Hannibal TV series (yes I am, as disbelieving as that may be), I just finished Season 1 yesterday. Better late than never, though. I only started watching the series after catching the newest Fantastic Beasts movie. Mads Mikkelsen played the Grindelwald I had always wanted to see on the screen so I was intrigued and Googled his filmography and of course, Hannibal was there at the top of them and I decided to start watching the series. Was hooked immediately and normally I will offset my fangirl urges (if present) by writing fics after I have finished watching any show. The urges are too strong even after only the first season XD XD This show is a great work of art and I am excited to begin Season 2 and then finally 3. I think the two leads have an incredibly strong grasp of their characters and explosive chemistry with each other. I am thinking of making this fic a three-chaptered one - one chapter after finishing one season each. I hope you will enjoy this fic tribute from a new Fannibal :) 

2) Madame LaLaurie in history was a serial killer in New Orleans. The Madame in this story is not, but merely functions as a side character.

3) Comments/opinions are very much welcomed, but not so the rude ones. Because... whenever feasible, one should always try to eat the rude .

Chapter Text

Will Graham jumped when his mobile phone rang, jolted back to the reality of standing before his bed with a jumble of shirts on the mattress, mostly of dark and muted tones. The phone was buried right under that very mess, and Will hurriedly fished through the fabrics to retrieve the device.

“Hello, Will!”

“Hi, Beverly.”

“The boys wanted to try out the new bar that’s not too far from where you live. Would you like to join us?”

“Uh…”

“Bad time?” Beverly immediately sensed his hesitancy.

“Yeah, kind of. I am meeting Dr. Lecter for dinner later.”

“Oh my God, your date’s today!?”

The news that Dr. Hannibal Lecter had donated ten thousand dollars to the Baltimore Hospital for a date with Special Agent Will Graham had spread like wildfire, especially through BAU headquarters in Quantico.

Will had received sincere congratulations, a few sneering comments, knowing smirks - and he had hated each gesture more than the last. Will was almost certain that the next person to give him a hearty thump on the back with a “Dr. Lecter, eh?” would find himself shot dead by an irritable FBI profiler.

The most honest response that Will received regarding the outcome of the date auction came from Jack Crawford. “Really? Ten thousand dollars for you?”

Will would have found the statement highly offensive, had he not also shared the same sentiment. His nastier side was almost tempted to counter that Jack himself would have given double the amount with fifteen dogs thrown in if it would ensure Will continuing to come on to crime scenes and do the dirty work of fishing around the minds of depraved killers.

A whopping ten thousand dollars… his not-psychiatrist had paid for a date with him.

Will felt uncomfortable, to say the least. Was this how all charity dates felt like? He rather felt like he was being pimped out, his company in exchange for money.

It’s for a good cause, Will reminded himself for the forty-sixth time.

And to be honest, he could not have asked for a better person to spend it with. He knew Hannibal and in spite of the short time he had gotten to know the psychiatrist, Will found that conversation and time spent with the older man came effortless and authentic in spite of his natural social aversion.

But what was Hannibal’s expectation for this expensive date?

Was this going to change the dynamics of their current interaction? Will had really liked their evening meetings in Hannibal’s office, it was almost a form of comfort to go to him after work and just lay out his thoughts and hear Hannibal’s in return. In a way, it felt similar to coming home to his pack of dogs. 

The word ‘date’ confuses everything. Was he reading too much into it? Will found it almost ludicrous that he was even considering the possibility that Hannibal, respected Baltimore psychiatrist and established social darling, had the slightest romantic interest toward Will to bid on a date with him.

It was far likelier to see Jack doing a jig in the FBI first-floor ladies’ bathroom.

Hannibal probably just wanted to spend a leisure evening and meal with a friend, and here Will was, letting his overactive imagination run away with him.

“Oh my God, that’s today? I totally forgot!” The excitement now filled Beverly’s voice over the line, and Will was brought back from his thoughts for the second time this evening. “What are you wearing?”

“Good question.” Will sighed, turning to stare at the mess of shirts strewn across his bed. Throughout his musings, Buster had even happily made a nest in the middle of it all.

“If you have not had a new wardrobe purchase in more than a year, and I am going to make a weighted guess that you have not, I would suggest the salmon-coloured shirt. You wore it before to the lab, the colour goes well with your features. Even Jimmy said so.”

“You are a lifesaver, Bev.”

“So they tell me. Pair it with dark slacks.” He heard her chuckle on the line. “Good luck and have fun!”

“Definitely needing the former more.”

“I call dibs on a detailed sharing of your date tomorrow. And don’t forget protection!”

Will winced. “Bye, Beverly.”

Will took a deep breath as he stood on the doorstep of Hannibal’s grand house, trying to stave off an oncoming panic attack and the simultaneous urge to jump into his car and drive away into the night.

Then he reminded himself that the dogs have been fed and their toilet needs attended, that he had made sure to properly iron the clothes he was now wearing, and had even taken the time to gel his unruly curly hair from his forehead.

That Hannibal had been kind enough to save him from a potentially awkward date with an older woman.

That Hannibal had probably performed far more elaborate preparations than Will had to ensure an enjoyable dinner today.

And that Hannibal definitely deserved much more courtesy and respect than a shitty date chickening out.

His resolve strengthened, Will’s hand reached out and steadily pressed the doorbell button.

He heard the footsteps before the wooden paneled door opened to reveal the host, looking very handsome and pleased.

“Good evening, Will.” Hannibal greeted him with a smile.

“Hi.”

“Please, come in.” Hannibal opened the door wider and stepped easily to the side to allow Will across the threshold. Hannibal’s careful eyes travelled down Will’s figure as the younger man walked past him, unaware.

“You look wonderful today, Will.”

“I thought I should dress a bit neater this time even though it’s just dinner at home. I mean, your home. This was the best I could put together.” Will laughed awkwardly. “But…” Will gestured at Hannibal. “… you look great, as always.”

“Thank you.” Hannibal smiled. The psychiatrist was dressed impeccably in a bold red-and-black windowpane suit with a refined white silk pocket square and a matching waistcoat underneath. His hair was combed back, and a neatly pressed white formal shirt and silver-and-red paisley tie finished the look. Will thought Hannibal looked even dressier than usual. “I hope you will not mind that there are several small preparations left before dinner is to be served.”

Will nodded unnecessarily. “I brought wine.” He lifted a dark bottle in his right hand and a bouquet wrapped in brown paper in his left. “And uh, flowers. I thought you might like some, I have seen the arrangements you have in the dining room.”

“Thank you, that is very kind of you.” Hannibal smiled, stepping forward promptly to relieve Will from his awkward hold of the two items. “Now this really feels like a date, Will.”

Will chuckled, ignoring the way his heartbeat picked up slightly in speed at the word ‘date’. He shook his head when Hannibal started to move toward him. “I can get my own coat, you have your hands full now.” Will smiled, dropping his eyes as he turned away. In doing so, he missed Hannibal’s own eyes appreciatively raking him from head to toe as he removed his coat and hung it up on the rack. He had decided to go with Beverly’s choice, wearing his trusty but worn salmon-coloured shirt with the long sleeves, tucked in for a more formal appearance.

“You brought me gardenias.” Bouquet and wine in hand, Hannibal moved to his kitchen station and immediately produced a beautiful glass vase from one of the cabinets. He looked up, meeting Will’s eyes. “Most commonly used to symbolize a secret love.”

Will felt his cheeks unexpectedly colour. He had not known the meaning of the flower, he had merely stopped by the florist and asked for a bouquet suitable for a “first date”. It was no wonder now why the young girl had been looking all cheeky as she wrapped up the white-and-blue bouquet.

Hannibal broke their eye contact and moved to the stove, after he had swiftly and effortlessly settled the gardenias into an artful presentation in the vase. “The flower was originally grown in East Asia, before they were first brought to Europe. In France, gardenias were commonly worn as boutonnière by men as the equivalent of a wedding bouquet.”

Will’s mouth almost fell open, though it was harder to decide if it was more shock at Hannibal’s botanical knowledge or the multiple implications of romance that his flower bouquet had brought about. He had to laugh. “Is there anything in the world you don’t know?”

“There are many. The inner workings of your mind would be one.”

“You would be better off learning other, far more interesting things.”

Hannibal looked up, his lips quirked in a small smile. “I disagree.”

Will sheepishly moved toward the kitchen work station, keeping one hand in his pocket. He was uncertain if the doctor would allow him in the kitchen, some people could get territorial when they were cooking. “So, um, shall I assist you? I am not particularly kitchen-savvy but I can do the usual dicing… food preparing.”

“That is hardly necessary. You are my guest, Will.” Hannibal started delicately arranging what looked like scallop shells on a white dinner plate.

“No, I am your date. And you should get your ten thousand dollars’ worth whenever you can.”

“Please, do dispense with that obligation. It is nonexistent and I do not wish for it to cloud our dinner tonight, Will.” Hannibal’s lips curled into a smile as he worked. “The ten thousand dollars was for charity. Your presence here tonight is the gift that came with it.”

Hannibal’s words soothed Will’s discomfort, as they had always found a way to do. “I was just joking about the money’s worth part anyway.”

“Were you?”’

“Not really, no.” Will chuckled softly. “But I appreciate the reassurance.” He took his hand out of the pocket as he came to stand beside Hannibal. “I really want to help, though.”

“If you insist… the greens for the salad will require one final rinse, and the avocados some slicing, and that will be it. I will personally add the dressing and final touches.”

“I can do that.” Will rolled up his sleeves and moved to the sink.

“Thank you, Will.”

They worked in comfortable silence for a bit, as Hannibal finished whatever intense attention he had been lavishing on the fancy scallop plates and moved to take over the salad bowl.

Will silently marveled at the content domesticity of it all – washing vegetables and cooking alongside Hannibal in his kitchen. It was comfortable in its routine and simplicity, almost a haven untouched from the outside troubles of the world of madmen and killers. Will found it unsettling how much he wanted to simply stay and revel in the warmth and safety.

“A penny for your thoughts?” The deep accented voice cut through Will’s peaceful reverie. Will turned to see the psychiatrist smiling at him.

“I thought there wouldn’t be any psychoanalyzing this evening… Dr. Lecter.”

“Hence the question. For I have left that particular skill in my office in honor of this dinner.”

Will laughed, and then gestured at the kitchen station. “I was just thinking… about how normal this all is.”

“And is that a good thing?”

Will shrugged, as he started to slice the avocados. “I don’t know, I don’t do normal very often. But I think I quite like this.”

Hannibal caught Will’s eyes, and smiled. “I am glad.” He moved the salad dressing mixture closer across the counter. “Most struggle to fill silence in their lives with noise, dreadfully futile attempts to inject meaning in the form of distraction and empty cacophony.” He took the chopping board once Will had finished with slicing the fruit. “Very few realize that precious meaning can be easily found in the comfort of silence with another person. And it is believed that the level of comfort in silence is most powerful when one is in the company of the person most compatible with… a kindred spirit of sorts.”

A conflicting mix of warmth and awkwardness washed over Will at these words, and he had to look away.

Thankfully, Hannibal did not seem to notice Will’s flustered state as he went to set the table.

“I believe dinner is ready, Will. I apologize for the delay.”    

“The appetizer is… sea scallops seared with brown butter, served with a black truffle champagne vinaigrette.”

“It looks fantastic.” Will observed, seated at the dining table as Hannibal placed one plate before him.

“It is all about the taste. Bon appétit, Will.” Hannibal settled elegantly into his seat opposite Will.

Will had never tasted anything as exquisite, unconsciously letting out a soft groan of pleasure at his buttery mouthful of scallop. His gaze snapped back in embarrassment to Hannibal opposite him, but the psychiatrist only wore a very pleased, almost indulgent expression as he watched Will.

“It tastes really good.” Will tried not to talk with his mouth full, but Hannibal’s smile only increased.

“Please, do not stop on my account. There is nothing greater for a chef than to have his work appreciated.”

Will grinned and dug into the glorious food. They passed the appetizer course with small talk, updates on Hannibal’s work and Jack’s progress on the recent murder cases.

The Ripper was a topic they never strayed too far from.

“The entrée is heart of lamb, marinated with my personal selection of Italian herbs and then grilled - served with roasted potatoes, summer vegetables and fresh salad with a light citrus dressing.”

“It all looks wonderful.” Will took up his knife and fork. The meat was rich in his mouth as he chewed, his eyes involuntarily closing as he tried not to let any inappropriate sound escape him again. He opened his eyes to see Hannibal watching him across the table, a strange look on his face. Will ducked his head to look down at his plate, unsure if this was acceptable dinner behaviour.

He heard a soft chuckle from across the table. “It makes me very happy to know you enjoy the food tonight, Will.”

Will cut another portion of meat. “You are a perfect cook. Perfect host. And definitely a perfect date.” He could not resist from adding.

“I worked especially hard to ensure that I would measure better against the potential of one Madame LaLaurie.”

The laughter burst out of Will, loud and unrestrained and he looked up grinning, meeting Hannibal’s eyes shining with subtle mischief.

“Then I assure you that you definitely did, and by a long stretch.”

“Thank you, Will.”

Will chuckled. “Can I ask why?”

Hannibal looked up, drink in hand. “Why…?”

“Why you continued to bid on my date, even when the auction climbed to terrible prices.”

“My answer remains the same as the one I gave you after the auction. I merely desired to spend time with you, Will, outside of your FBI work and our unofficial meetings at my office.” Hannibal elegantly placed his glass down on the table. “You have always apologized whenever you came to me for personal reasons, almost as if you consider your presence a burden to others. My bidding for the auction was one way to show you that your company is precious, and I would have bid as high a price as it took to win.”

Will’s eyes widened, before he chuckled. “You must have been blown away by my stellar auction stage performance. Because I wouldn’t pay ten thousand dollars for my own company.”

An indulgent smile curled Hannibal’s lips. “I would disagree, on my end. I find your company absolutely delightful, Will. And I was apparently not the only one who thought so at the auction, your bidding price was pushed up by multiple bidders. You looked dashing onstage in your coat, Winston at your side – as you do now, if not more.”

Will fought the heat threatening to rise in his cheeks. “I never pegged you as one for flattery, Dr. Lecter.”

Hannibal leaned back in his seat, smiling. He watched as Will easily polished the last of the meat and potatoes from his plate. “Now… what did you think about the last two Chesapeake Ripper murders?”

Will scoffed. “Those were not the work of the Chesapeake Ripper.”

Hannibal raised a perfect eyebrow. “You do not think so?”

“I don’t think, I know.” Will looked up. “The Ripper is far more elaborate, and the last two murders were… messy. Unthoughtful. Amateur at best, bland attempts at bootleg crimes in order to try and gain attention. No, the Ripper is a theatrical artist. Every murder he commits is a performance, an opportunity he takes to display his unique elegance to the world.” He took a deep breath. “The last girl was butchered and left in a ditch, her limbs arranged around her in a haphazard pattern. The one before her was strung up unceremoniously, even though her chest cavity was laid open. There was no semblance of design whatsoever.”

“You sound very certain.” Hannibal observed. “Is it your empathy for the Ripper at work?”

Will nodded very slowly. “When I look at his work, I can… feel him. And while on the last two crime scenes, I didn’t feel him at all. Even looking at the victims, I know.”

“How interesting.” Hannibal had put his fingers together, his eyes intensely fixed on Will across the table.

“I told Jack, but I don’t know if he believes me.”

“I believe you.”

Will looked up in surprise, but Hannibal only smiled at him. “Your confidence in discerning the Ripper is admirable.”

Will nodded unnecessarily. “Beauty… is a prerequisite in the way he displays his kills. The victim will be rooted in deep symbolism and art, he will take the time to be elaborate in thought and execution. I…” Will took a deep breath. “… I sometimes see his kills in nightmares… and I see them… as almost breathtaking. He is an artist that paints in the blood of others.” Will looked down, avoiding Hannibal’s eyes, afraid of what he would find there. He noticed that his own hands were now balled into fists on the dinner table in plain sight, an unconscious response to his macabre confession. “You must think me ill.” The words left his lips in a whisper.

“I do not.” Hannibal’s deep voice was soft, soft enough to make Will look up at him. “You are able to tell me that you appreciate the Ripper’s murders somehow…” Will shivered at the words. “… and yet, you describe it with significant unease and discomfort. You are not becoming the Ripper, Will, if that is what you are afraid of.”

“Isn’t this about the time you kick your date out because he is a creepy man who sees the artistry in murders? Instead of consoling him?”

“I have heard worse.” Hannibal smiled. “What other leads do you have on our killer?”

“I don’t have a clear physical profile yet. But he would look just like you or me, with a stable job and a routine to display normalcy to the public. Physically strong. He would be intelligent, calculated and he revels in it because he is arrogant like that. Taunting the people who wants to catch him.”

“And you want to catch him?”           

The question caught Will off guard. “He will not be so easily caught.”

Whether his failure to answer the question was noticed, Hannibal made no move to pursue the subject.

“Home made black forest gateau. It will go particularly well with the red wine you brought us today.”

“Thank you.” Will accepted the glass and the plate as he stood in Hannibal’s spacious study. After dinner, Hannibal had whisked the plates back to the kitchen before ushering Will into the study to wait for dessert.

The study was another impressive space of Hannibal’s, heavily carpeted with tall glass windows covered by heavy expensive drapes. There were shelves upon shelves filled with bound ledgers and a ladder leading to a mezzanine of more shelves, much like his office.

“My office was fashioned in likeness to my study.” Hannibal offered in explanation as he took up his own plate and glass of wine. “Come.” He gestured to two comfortable dark lounge chairs close to the fireplace.

The chocolate cake melted sweetly in Will’s mouth and the wine was a delicious complement to the decadent taste. He was feeling full and warm, and very at ease. So at ease, in fact, that the words loosened from his lips before he could stop them. “Sometimes I wonder, with your great career and cooking and all the fancy stuff, that you do not have a partner to share it with.”

Hannibal looked up, and Will instantly regretted the words that had come out of his mouth.

“Sorry, that was rude, I shouldn't have-

But Hannibal only smiled. “You are right, Will. No, I do not yet have a partner to share all that life has to offer. I was never married, I never had children. Over the years, I have had brief encounters but none lasting in nature. I attribute it to a combination of work and having never found anyone significant or intriguing enough to want to have stay indefinitely.”

Will nodded, and took a sip more of red wine.

“And what about you, Will?”

“M-Me?” Will almost choked.

Hannibal nodded, his gaze fixed steadily on him.

“I thought you would have gotten a pretty accurate impression of my love life when I barged into your home to tell you I kissed Alana and got rejected.” Will let out a bitter laugh at the memory.

Hannibal smiled indulgently. “Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder, Will.”

“Beauty can be difficult to behold in dog hair, sweaty night clothes, and walking around in the minds of murderers all day.”

Hannibal softly chuckled. “You may be surprised.” The fond look he gave Will warmed the younger man far more effectively than the wine or fire did, and Will had to look away and pretend to concentrate on his cake for a bit.

It was a very strange night. He was feeling appreciated, treasured, seen. And he sensed no artificiality coming from Hannibal. Will could hear the alarms in the forts of his mind blaring, and he did not know what to do.

Hannibal continued talking. “I find that a fear of commitment also makes many shy away from potential romantic relationships.”

“Are you afraid of commitment?” Will dared to challenge.

Hannibal’s lips quirked upward in amusement. “Never. But finding one worthy of commitment is another matter entirely.”

Will chuckled. “It is hard for me to be afraid of commitment, when I am more afraid if I will be tipping off the roof the next time I sleepwalk… or whichever twisted killer’s mind I would be swimming in next, if… I would eventually be stuck in my own head and… the killings I see in my nightmares eventually blur into reality.” He quieted, realizing that once again he had said too much.

“I have told you this before, Will… you need never fear yourself. Your ability is not a burden, but a gift. A very powerful one, and you or anyone else should never consider yourself lesser for it. Once you finally learn to wield it properly, I promise you your becoming will be… most beautiful.” Hannibal’s gaze was level, burning with something Will could not identify but the intensity of it took Will’s breath away.

His hand slipped and the glass tumbled to the carpet, soaking the wine into the expensive fabric. 

“No matter.” Hannibal cut in before Will could even apologize, moving out of his chair to pick up the glass. “Let me get you another one. And allow me to return our plates to the kitchen, unless you would fancy another cut of dessert?” He smiled when Will shook his head and moved out of the study, leaving the younger man to calm his thoughts.

Will got out of his chair and moved toward the bookshelves, looking at the titles in a mixture of curiosity and legitimate attempt to distract himself. Hannibal unsurprisingly appeared to be well-read across a wide range of topics. There were countless medical and anatomical ledgers, autobiographies, historical annexes, books of poetry, literature and art history. Intrigued, Will moved slowly across the shelves, finally settling on a middle shelf in particular. Many of the books on this shelf appeared to be encased in protective coverings. Will’s eyes moved down the titles – more anatomical references, a study history on opera, old poetry books and-

Will’s eyes widened as he caught sight of an unlikely tome in the shelf. He re-read the title just to be certain he was not hallucinating. The precious book was also housed in a transparent book cover and Will was unable to resist as he slowly and carefully slid the book along with its cover to hold it in both hands. Will ran his fingers over the plastic almost reverently.

The Compleat Angler, an extremely rare second edition preserved in good form, sitting right on a shelf in Hannibal’s study. What was a famous book on fishing doing here?

“I was going to give it to you when occasion calls.” Hannibal’s soft voice jolted Will out of his thoughts. He turned dumbly, watching the older man walk into the study with two fresh glasses of wine which he deposited on the side table.

Hannibal walked up to Will, who stood frozen by the shelf as he held the precious book in his hands. “I was thinking perhaps a birthday, or Christmas. But now that you have found it, tonight is as good a time as any.”

“I… no, I cannot- this is very expensive!” Will was no fool. The only place where such an old edition of the book could have been purchased was through an auction house, and acquiring it would have required an astounding price. He was in enough awe that he could hold the second edition in his lifetime.

“It pleases me to give it to you, Will.”

“No.” Will shook his head and held out the book.

“Will, please. I insist. It would waste away on my shelf.”

“Then why did you even get it?” Will shot back. “You don’t fish, I doubt someone gave it to you.”

“You know why. The answer is much simpler than those of other questions you seek to answer by profiling.” Hannibal smiled as he stepped closer to Will, and gently pushed the book back toward the younger man. “It is yours now.”

Will stared down at the priceless book in his hands. “I… Thank you." He looked up at Hannibal. "This is a poor exchange on your end for the gardenias I got you earlier.”

Hannibal chuckled.

“May I open it?”

“You may do whatever you wish with it.” Hannibal moved closer, beside him.

“The second edition is a very rare copy, I am not even going to ask you how much you spent on it.” Will took a deep breath and slid the book out of its protective cover. He carefully opened the old book, almost holding his breath as he touched the pages. “I never thought I would ever touch this book in its original edition.” Will looked up at Hannibal, holding the book in his hands. “Thank you. You chose to keep it in the shelf of your favorite works.”

Hannibal raised an eyebrow. “Did I now?”

“A passing guest may not notice but the brown paint of this particular shelf is different from the rest, it is subtly redder in tone. Absence of a dust layer compared to the others. This one has seen more regular dustings than the rest of your shelves, and most of the books on it, like this one, is protected.” Will slid the precious book back into its plastic casing.

Hannibal’s smile widened, making the crinkles at the edges of his eyes more obvious. “Extraordinary.” He seemed to murmur to himself, and the warm tone of his voice sent an odd tingle down Will’s spine. Hannibal moved closer still beside Will, his breath now barely grazing Will’s ear. “It is amazing how you found the book. How you keep finding… all the secrets I keep away.”

“Is that a bad thing?” Will turned to look at Hannibal, realizing their proximity as soon as their eyes locked. His heart picked up pace immediately, a roaring like distant thunder in his ears. He had never stood this close to the doctor before. 

“It depends on what secrets you find.”

“What other secrets do you keep away?” Will had to ask. His own eyes unconsciously flicked to Hannibal’s full lips.

The alarms in his mind blared louder.

“My more dangerous secrets come with prices… dear Will.” Hannibal’s voice was a pitch lower now. "Are you willing to pay them?"

“I…” Will almost gasped as he felt Hannibal’s warm fingers touch his cheek, lingering there.

The question was a soft whisper from Hannibal’s lips, his eyes almost glittering in the dim light of the study. “May I… kiss you, Will?”

Will's wide blue eyes met Hannibal's dark ones. In those irises ringed with red, he saw bottomless depths, a most fiery desire, and an intense promise.

May I kiss you, Will?

An intense promise of endless pleasure... and of happiness and completion beckoning from a precipice, if Will would only step forward and take the fall.

May I kiss you, Will?

Yes.

Will had hardly given a small nod then Hannibal’s lips were on his, warm, chaste, then seeking. His hand remained in its fleeting touch on Will’s face, and Will distantly recognized that Hannibal was giving him enough space and opportunity to pull away should he choose to.

But Will’s hands instead found purchase on the front of Hannibal’s coat, pulling him closer, the book dropping forgotten to the floor. He heard the doctor’s faint hum of approval, and then the kiss turned bolder, Hannibal starting to suck on Will’s lower lip. Will’s lips parted in a soft moan and Hannibal’s tongue slid in, brushing against Will’s own in a teasing sensual stroke. Hannibal tasted of expensive chocolate, wine and rich sinful pleasure.

It was getting hot, Will wondered if it was due to the alcohol, the fireplace, or his own lust blown wide from the kiss, and he found himself silently cursing the coat Hannibal wore. He wanted to feel skin, bare skin under his fingers and belatedly, he now realized he had one hand in Hannibal’s silky hair while his other hand still laid on Hannibal’s chest, pawing at the thick fabric. Hannibal’s hand was on his waist, pulling their bodies flush against one another, so Will could easily feel the strong frame of Hannibal’s body against his front and what was unmistakably the wooden structure of the ladder at his back. In the midst of kissing, Hannibal had somehow moved Will against the ladder. Hannibal’s other hand cupped Will’s face, tiliting it so he could deepen the kiss. They broke apart for air after what felt like an eternity, but Hannibal simply moved his lips to suck on Will’s neck as Will lay against the ladder, gasping for breath.

“Is this… something European?” Will breathed hard.

“That a man likes his date enough to initiate physical intimacy? I believe that is universal, Will.” Hannibal’s voice was husky.

Will’s eyes widened. “You… like…”

“I do.” The two words, whispered sultry into Will’s left ear followed by a bite on the earlobe, almost leisurely. “Very much so.” Will felt, rather than heard, the older man take a deep appreciative inhale of his scent. He stopped mouthing at Will’s neck, and Will found himself almost unconsciously whining in protest. “I must ask however… are you opposed to this?”

“I… Hannibal…” Will swallowed as he addressed Hannibal by first name for the very first time. “… I have told you before.” Will looked up, steeling himself before he spoke the words. “The last time I kissed someone, I was told we could not go further… because I was unstable.”

I am unstable. You can do far better… even for a one-night stand.

Hannibal remained still, listening to Will talk even as he continued to keep the younger man in his arms. He simply kept silent, watching Will intensely.

Now he moved.

“The audacity.” Hannibal’s voice was a whisper murmured into Will’s skin as he pressed a soft kiss at Will’s jaw. “Or perhaps I should merely be thankful…” Another feathery kiss just below Will’s ear, causing him to shiver. “… that Alana failed to see you as you truly are, and gave you up…” Hannibal bit lightly on Will’s earlobe. “… One man’s meat is another man’s poison… and you are no poison to me, Will.”

Hannibal kissed Will again, openmouthed and fiercely passionate. Their tongues entwined again, Will moaned, Hannibal let out an almost feral growl of pleasure. The doctor gently lifted up Will’s thighs to straddle his hips, slotting his body closer between Will’s legs as he pushed him further up along the ladder. Will was already hard but as Hannibal ground their hips together, he felt the older man’s arousal and it mirrored his own.

Will writhed slightly in Hannibal’s arms as they broke the kiss, panting. “Did you… plan this?”

“Only the dinner.” Hannibal looked up at Will with a heated gaze, his hair deliciously mussed from Will’s hands, his lips slightly swollen and tempting Will to surrender to them all over again. “This… escalation was spontaneous. But then again, you always had the propensity to surprise me.”

“I surprised you? This is my fault now?”

Hannibal smiled, almost indulgently. “No, the fault lies with me. I should have better restraint against urges of the flesh. But when you are near like this, Will…” His hand tightened on Will’s waist. “… I find myself hardly able to hold back.” He ran a slender finger down Will’s cheek. “Dressed the way you are, speaking the words you did, you have made it very difficult for me tonight.”

Will’s eyes widened.

“The thing with you, Will… is I cannot quite decide how I want to consume you.” Hannibal seemed to pause in his thoughts, despite the heated moment and their position against the ladder.

Will took a deep breath and tugged Hannibal’s hair so the psychiatrist was looking at him. “Decide now.”

“I think I already have.” Hannibal licked his lips as he drew the younger man close. “May I take you to bed… Will?”

Do you hate cliffhangers? :P

The outfit Hannibal is wearing for the date is one he wore in Season 2, I believe. And Will's outfit and appearance is also based on one in Season 2 - where he is out of jail and comes to Hannibal's office to request to resume their therapy sessions - I thought Will Graham had never looked more delicious than in that scene ;)

I have already finished Hannibal Seasons 2 and 3 and the series really blew me away. I was however delayed to continue the fic as planned due to my busy work. I am very grateful for the wonderful comments, support and kudos received for the first chapter, and I hope this second chapter remain as enjoyable as well (I felt some pressure writing this chapter, as I had previously received kind comments on good characterization in the first chapter so I hope I managed to maintain it here in the second). Always open to constructive criticism.

Chapter Text

Will violently jerked awake as the sharp ring of the alarm cut through the still silence. He rubbed his eyes blearily, fighting through the fogginess to get a hold of his bearings. Had he sleepwalk again? Was he on the roof? Outdoors?

It was warm. The familiar mattress beneath him and the soft fur of Winston at his legs alerted him to his present location.

Will glanced at the bedside clock.

03:00.

Yes, it was time.

Will slowly got up in bed, rubbed the lingering nightmares from his eyes and picked up the half-full glass from his bedside table. He took a quick gulp of water and reached for his phone. 

His fingers dialed the number and he leaned back, his heart pounding a little faster.

There was a click on the line, and then the deep voice greeted him with crisp professionalism. "Good evening, this is Dr. Hannibal Lecter. Your current time of call unfortunately falls outside of my office hours. Do kindly leave a message and I shall get back to you soonest. Thank you." There was a sharp beep and Will knew that the recording had commenced.

"Um, hi... it's Will." Will had gone through his personal brand of monologue multiple times but now found himself fumbling terribly as he spoke to the recording machine. "I, uh, I won't be able to attend our session this week. Sorry for missing them two weeks in a row now, but... well, work and all that." Will tried to laugh but his voice came out horribly strained. "Thanks. I will... see you around." He heard the automatic beep following his silence, and put his phone down.

Will collapsed against his pillow, rubbing his eyes as he let out a long breath.

Hannibal would see through the lie, as always.

Will had now canceled two of their meetings, and did so by making calls to Hannibal's office in the wee hours of the morning to effectively avoid the possibility of directly speaking to the psychiatrist.

It was cowardly, detestable of him… and so very rude.

Will wouldn’t be surprised if Hannibal was furious and wanted nothing to do with him anymore. It certainly seemed so, as the older man had made no move to contact him. Will had felt the conflicting mix of relief and disappointment, as the days passed without any communication between them.

It was better this way, for the both of them.

But there was a gaping hole in Will's daily life now, as he passed the first week without sharing his thoughts with Hannibal, or experiencing the sessions where he did not have to pretend or hide behind a fort in his mind.

No. It was better this way, for the both of them.

Will sighed deeply and put his hand to his face as he lay down in his bed.

How had one night turned everything so complicated?

“May I take you to bed?”

“Please.”

They were locked in yet another passionate embrace, one of many, long before they reached the bedroom door. Will's shirt was completely unbuttoned and Hannibal's coat had been shed somewhere on the stairs.

Hannibal stopped kissing Will to reach for the doorknob, a smile bordering on flirtatious curling his lips. "Welcome to my bedroom, Will."

It was a very beautiful space with paneled walls and windows covered with red drapes, tastefully decorated with antique furniture and multiple yellow lamps. A bright fire crackled in the fireplace.  

Will swallowed as he saw the white king bed opposite the fireplace, laid with dark green covers with a headboard flanked by twin rows of Japanese paintings. A dark green bed bench sat at the foot of the bed.

It was the first time he was in Hannibal's bedroom, and Will distantly wondered if it would be the last as well.

"Do you like it?" Hannibal whispered behind him, his breath fanning Will's ear.

"I don't care."

Hannibal chuckled as he moved in front of Will. He reached out and gently pulled Will's shirt down from his shoulders. The fabric slid down his arms at a sensual teasing pace, and Will knew instinctively that Hannibal was doing it on purpose.

When the shirt was finally shed, Will stood barechested before Hannibal, trying not to shiver under his inspection. The room was very warm, but the gaze Hannibal had on him was near primal, almost predator-like as his dark eyes roamed Will's naked torso. The intensity of the attention made strange little things dance under Will's skin. 

Will had never been intimate with a man before, but the magnetism he felt toward Hannibal was near unbearable. So he pushed the insecurities aside and bravely met the older man's eyes.

Hannibal leaned forward, kissing lightly on Will's bare shoulder. "Beautiful boy," he murmured, his voice low, warm lips brushing Will's skin as he spoke. His mouth trailed upward to the juncture of Will's neck, hot tongue licking at fevered skin. Will was unable to stop the moan escaping his lips when Hannibal brushed a thumb over Will's nipple at the same time.

"Damn it, why are you still dressed?" Will spoke gruffly.

"Please." Hannibal only smirked and took one step back, allowing the younger man to reach out and unbutton his expensive shirt. Hannibal's undressing was done with much less finesse and a lot more force, Will fumbling and cursing under the doctor's relentless staring. 

And then Will was touching Hannibal for the very first time, his fingers splayed over the older man's chest. The elaborate suits did little to hide Hannibal’s build, but here, properly bared of cloth, Hannibal was extremely muscular for a psychiatrist. Will's fingers ran over the muscles and hairs on Hannibal's chest, his palms moving in butterfly motions over the warm skin. A light shudder of pleasure and the tightening grip of Hannibal’s hands on his hips did not go unnoticed by Will, and he looked up. The psychiatrist’s pupils were dilated but there was a soft fond smile on Hannibal's face as he held Will's gaze.

Precious.

Cherish.

Mine.

Will read the emotions quickly, just as Hannibal ducked his head down to fiercely claim his lips once more.

They fell into bed, belts laying forgotten on the floor and their pants half undone.

Will breathed heavily as Hannibal climbed on top of him, trailing kisses over his chest. He groaned as Hannibal's mouth closed around one nipple, hot and wet.

"Hannibal!" Will gasped as the doctor ran his tongue along the nub and began earnestly sucking it to a hard peak. Will’s hands reached up to reflexively tangle into Hannibal’s hair, jerking the strands whenever he felt a flash of pleasure.

The psychiatrist hummed in approval, before effortlessly switching to the other nipple as Will writhed underneath him.

It was getting hot and Will was gasping for breath, there was the unbearable need to move, touch, taste as the pressure grew heavy in his hips. But Hannibal refused him all of that, caging him in with his body and driving him insane with his mouth and fingers.

When he was finally satisfied with his ministrations on Will’s chest, Hannibal’s mouth moved lower still, leaving a string of burning kisses over skin. Will breathed heavily, trying to stay afloat of the waves of pleasure from the multiple physical stimulations being administered on him. Hannibal dipped his tongue into Will’s navel and then kissed along his waist, almost growling when he reached the fabric of Will’s loosened pants. They exchanged a look and Will reflexively lifted his hips, Hannibal swiftly sliding the pants along with the underwear off in a single movement.

He was fully naked now, here in the doctor’s bed. Hannibal leaned back, slowly taking in the full sight of Will’s bare body with intense dark eyes. Will cursed himself for the fear and insecurity that had suddenly sprung up, impeding the passion previously coursing through him. Hannibal had probably had countless of beautiful women and men in his bed and next to that history, Will felt like an inadequate high-school virgin. But as he watched nervously, there was no judgement nor any indication in Hannibal's eyes that he was found lacking. On the contrary, the older man looked near ravenous, as if Will was an elaborate feast laid out before him that he had put off for too long.

As if Will was something he terribly craved.

It was foreign, this feeling that he was seemingly wanted, desired so much by another.

The prior insecurities vanished.

Hannibal dove down, fiercely kissing Will on the lips as his hand moved down to boldly palm Will’s erection. Will gasped, and Hannibal sucked up the sound on his tongue, his hand moving in firm, tantalizing strokes.

They broke apart for air, both panting. Hannibal pressed his forehead against Will’s, his voice murmuring huskily. “You are exquisite.” Will felt his cheeks flush warm.

Hannibal swiftly moved down Will’s body once more, resuming his interrupted possession of the younger man's flesh. He licked a strip up Will’s shaft before kissing the tip.

“Does it feel good, Will?” Hannibal’s voice was the deepest Will had ever heard it.

“Y… Yes.”

Their eyes met.

“Then allow me to make you feel even better.” Without breaking their gaze, Hannibal swallowed Will, the heat of his mouth and the intensity in his dark eyes almost causing the younger man to unravel in that instant. Will moaned loudly, his back arching off the bed as Hannibal started to bob his head up and down.

Will moved frantically under Hannibal, his hand now yanking through the doctor's hair. Hannibal held the younger man’s hips down, torturing him with the friction of his mouth.

It was hot, lewd… and pleasure like Will had never known before.

“Ha… ah… Hannibal, I…” Will felt as if he was spewing gibberish, as he soon felt the telltale clench oncoming. “Hannibal… you need to… stop… no…” He tried to yank the older man’s head back.

But Hannibal only worked his mouth faster, holding him down and Will was forced into his climax not less than a minute later as he shuddered, releasing into Hannibal’s mouth with a shout.

Only then did Hannibal withdraw with a handsome smirk on his wet lips.

“Sorry, I-” Will was cut short as Hannibal kissed him in a mixture of salt, bitterness and release.

“Never apologize to me for this.” Hannibal smiled, smoothing Will’s sweaty hair from his forehead. “I love giving you pleasure, and hearing you say my name while at it.”

Will blushed.

Hannibal only smiled and moved to roll out a bedside drawer as Will closed his eyes, trying to recover from his climax. The younger man did not need to look to know what it was Hannibal was taking out from the drawer.

“May I, Will?”

Will only nodded.

He heard the unscrewing of a lid and then the sound of glass on wood as Hannibal replaced the bottle of lubricant back on the bedside table. Of course he wouldn’t use plastic bottles.

A warm slick finger teased at Will's rim, before cautiously sliding in. Will kept his eyes closed as he felt the intrusion, not flinching or resisting. Hannibal moved his digit slowly in and out, allowing Will to adjust before adding another finger. Will slowly began to shift restlessly on the bed, feeling shots of growing pleasure whenever Hannibal purposely brushed his prostate.

He bucked his hips once, to display his impatience.

Hannibal chuckled. “Patience, Will. I can hardly hold myself back, do not make it any more difficult. I do not want to cause you any more pain than necessary.”

Will huffed in response and a fond smile curled Hannibal’s lips.

Three fingers later, Will was panting hard and reflexively spreading his legs a little more farther apart. Hannibal reached out again to the drawer but Will caught his arm.

“I am... clean, did my annual testing at headquarters last month. I haven’t had a lover… for several years now.”

Hannibal paused. “So am I, my tests were done last week. I have used protection with all my past partners.”

Will faltered and he released Hannibal’s arm. “Of course you can do the same here-”

“I do not wish to, if you do not wish so as well.”

Will’s eyes widened as they locked on to Hannibal’s, and then he opened his mouth. “I want to… feel you.”

Hannibal moved back over Will, leaning back just slightly to completely remove his own pants. “Then your wish is my command.”

Hannibal’s hard cock was revealed, proud and heavy as the naked older man loomed over him. Will reached out to grasp him, thick in his hand, as Hannibal hissed in pleasure.

“All of this… for you, Will.”

Will leaned back into the pillows as Hannibal moved closer and positioned himself, his hands on either side of Will caging him in. Their eyes met, in a silent whirl of passion, lust and the acknowledgement that neither could wait any longer. And then Hannibal pushed in, fully sheathing himself into Will.

Will gasped, but Hannibal soothed him with gentle kisses over the neck and slow murmurings of a foreign language that could only be Lithuanian. One hand moved to Will's thigh, opening him up further as Hannibal began to move in shallow slow movements, rocking into Will.

Soon enough, the pleasure overwhelmed the discomfort and Will began to impatiently move his hips back against Hannibal’s, groaning softly. Sensing his change, the older man grabbed Will's thighs, wrapping them around his waist. He then intensified his thrusts, moving faster and harder.

The bedroom began to fill with loud sounds of skin slapping against skin and the rhythmic creaking of Hannibal’s king bed. Will was moaning loudly now, his hands coming up to grasp Hannibal’s shoulders like an anchor, as the doctor thrust in and out of his body.

“Hannibal!”

Hannibal pulled out, causing a reflexive whine to rip from Will’s lips and then he was guiding the younger man to lie on his stomach. He gripped Will’s hips, rubbing almost reverently along the swell of his bottom and then penetrated him again in one swift motion. Will cried out in pleasure, gripping the sheets, as Hannibal resumed his powerful thrusts once more.

Will's body lurched back and forth on the bed, his mind almost frantic from the erotic rapture. He felt one of Hannibal's hand grip his curls from behind, that irresistible mouth biting and kissing along his spine. 

Hannibal pulled Will toward him, one hand holding the younger man up across the chest and the other turning his face so they could kiss, even as his hips continued moving rapidly. Hannibal was growling now, a far contrast from his usual polite demeanour, and Will decided he would have this Hannibal any day over the restrained public persona.

A particularly brutal thrust sent Will tumbling to the mattress, his thighs shuddering from being held up. When Hannibal withdrew a second time, Will started to turn around in confusion but the older man beat him to it, his hands moving to lay Will supine on the bed.

“I want to see your face.” Hannibal breathed hard.

And then he was moving once more at the punishing pace, stroking Will in tandem, causing the waves of pleasure to wash over Will, threatening to drown him. Will moaned without restraint now, his fingers scratching so viciously at Hannibal’s back that he might have drawn blood. The doctor did not seem to mind in the slightest, his own head thrown back in ecstasy.

“That’s it, Will,” Hannibal panted, still pounding that area near Will’s prostate that rendered him near delirious with pleasure.

“Hanni…bal... I am going to…”

“You are beautiful.” Hannibal ran a gentle hand down Will’s cheek, so contradictory to his vicious movements in and out of Will. “Come for me, Will. Come… with me.”

Come.

Will cried out as he climaxed, bright hot pleasure deliciously numbing his body and painting white between their stomachs. Hannibal’s thrusts turned erratic before he shuddered mightily, releasing into Will with a muffled roar against his shoulder.

They took their time to disengage from the orgasmic haze, Hannibal lying on top Will, letting their breaths mingle together in a tender kiss. 

Will lifted a palm against the doctor’s cheek as he drew back, as if to reassure himself that Hannibal was corporeal and not a figment of his overactive imagination. The older man nuzzled into the touch, turning his head to press a kiss into Will’s hand. “Stay here.” He then got up and moved to the bathroom without another word.

Will looked up at the dark ceiling, feeling more contented than he had ever been in a long time. But underneath all that postcoital bliss, lurked the uneasy thoughts of the implications between them following what they had just shared.

Hannibal soon returned to the bed with a warm scented damp cloth, and Will winced slightly as the older man touched his inner thigh to clean the fluids sticking to his body. “I… I can-“

“Allow me. Please.”

Will kept still as Hannibal cleaned him. His touch was gentle as he worked, despite the clinical efficiency. When the doctor was satisfied with his work, he returned to the bathroom for a wash before joining Will under the covers.

Will was unable to bring himself to think about the implications for now, especially with how warm the room and the body next to him was. “I… thanks.”

Hannibal smiled as he wound his arms around Will. “Rest now, my dear Will.”

Will slept deeply that night, after a few more heated rounds with Hannibal, the last of which found him passionately riding the older man. That night, the black stag still appeared in his dream, but this time it sat elegantly next to him by the river and constantly nuzzled his side, a deep sound rumbling from within as if of contentment. Will roused a few times in the night but ever so slightly, and he could feel the stag nuzzling him even in bed, or perhaps it was a tender hand caressing his hair, or a fleeting soft kiss laid over his nose. He effortlessly drifted off to sleep each time.

Will was the first to wake the next morning. Or so he thought.

As the sleepy haze dissipated and the events of last night came back to him, Will slowly turned to look at his dozing companion in bed. To anyone else, Hannibal would appear to be blissfully sleeping. But Will noted the subtle stillness in Hannibal’s back despite his relaxed slow breathing, and instantly knew that the older man was feigning sleep.

He also knew that this was probably Hannibal’s way to allow him to freely respond to the situation at hand. The doctor could be so polite sometimes, to the point of aggravation.

Will had no idea if Hannibal had enjoyed their one-night stand, or regretted it. The older man was clearly an experienced and fantastic lover, but it was Will’s first time being intimate with a man. Hannibal had seemed to be in the same throes of passion as Will had been last night, but he had no way of knowing if the doctor’s feelings persisted into a new day.

Will made his decision in a split second.

He quietly rose in bed and moved around to pick up pieces of his outfit. The ones he found of Hannibal’s, he carefully placed on the bench at the foot of the bed. When he was decently dressed, Will took one last look at the back of the handsome man pretending to be asleep, and then silently let himself out the bedroom door.

Hannibal did not come after him.

It had been two weeks since their charity date, and the night with Hannibal.

Will knew he had made the right choice… because there was only one choice. It was a one-night stand, and would remain so.

And now he had to avoid Hannibal, because things would only get awkward if they saw each other. Will was a born talent at making uncomfortable things even more uncomfortable, and he did not wish to do that to the doctor.

Will could not return to his late-evening meetings with Hannibal any longer. How could he? Sit opposite the doctor, and not imagine his arms around him, their bodies doing ungodly things to each other? His wet dreams were torture enough, without the real specimen sitting in front of him.

So he had moved to cancel his first appointment since their date and because he knew how attentive the doctor would be, Will called his office in the middle of the night to make the cancellation. With more than twenty-four hours to spare, of course.

He had experienced a twinge of bitterness when several days passed after the cancellation and Hannibal did not call or text him. But then Will understood, that this truly was the best thing for the both of them and the doctor clearly felt the same way too.

So Will threw himself into work, into the gruesome crimes scenes, trying to find a shaky anchor amid his nightmares and the fact that he had had sex with the man he had now realized he had fostered a genuine attraction for.

The story he had told Beverly the next morning after the date was an innocent version, and pretty much true up till dessert time, in which the story Will did what the real Will should have done and left Hannibal’s home that night, content and warm. He was certain Beverly did not buy it either, because she frowned and said, “Well, that’s good. But you seem, I don’t know, distracted somehow? You… he didn’t, like, hurt you or something, right?”

Will shook his head and laughed, his heart bleeding.

Jack, for all his ignorance, also sensed the change in Will. He made a superficial comment on Will’s lack of concentration and then asked him how his sessions with Hannibal were going. ‘Great’ was the typical Will Graham answer he received and when he tried to invite Will to a dinner with the good doctor, Will cited an appointment at the vet. Never mind that vets typically do not keep appointments close to nightfall. But Jack was Jack, and he had done enough pushing on his profiler to feel guilty enough to back off from a closed door.

"Good evening, this is Dr. Hannibal Lecter. Your current time of call unfortunately falls outside of my office hours. Do kindly leave a message and I shall get back to you soonest. Thank you." 

It was the third week now, and Will wondered if he should just come clean and make the cancellations permanent.

The standard beep went off, he was now being recorded.

Will sat up a little straighter, ready to reel off the standard words. "Hi, it's Will. I-

A sudden click interrupted his words.

"Hello, Will." 

Will's eyes widened, as he heard the deep voice on the line. That voice did funny things to his mind, conjuring images of sweaty skin and wanton moaning. This was definitely not a recording.

Will's eyes immediately flashed to the clock at his bedside, had he gotten the time wrong? 

03:03.

Had he called Hannibal's personal line by mistake? He took the phone from his ear to look at the screen but no, there it was, Hannibal's office number.

In that moment, Will wanted nothing more than to hang up and to also keep the phone right where it was, listening to the deep familiar voice that had whispered tantalizing things into his ear many nights ago.

"Will?" Hannibal's voice was soft.

"Oh... sorry I, I thought I heard one of the dogs. Yeah, I am here." Will swallowed, but he could not resist the question. "What are you doing at your office at this hour?"

"I am working late, same as you." He could almost hear the smile curling Hannibal's lips. A lie for a lie. 

Will almost chuckled in spite of himself. Here we are, at three in the morning, playing a game with each other.

"You seem to have been caught busy these past two weeks." ‘Ever since that night’ was the unspoken continuation.

"I have." 

"I hope you are eating well."

Will chuckled softly this time. "As well as takeouts go."

“That does not sound very good, Will.” Hannibal paused momentarily. "Are you calling to cancel another session?"

"I am. I cannot make the trip this time as well."

A soft hum greeted his words. Will realized he had twisted three knots into the blanket. 

A beat and then "May I come to see you, Will?"

Now that was unexpected. "What?"

"May I come to see you? Perhaps after one of your classes this week."

"I... I don't have a set teaching timetable for the week.” Will grasped at straws, pulling at the first lie that came to mind. “Jack has been making me cancel classes abruptly to go out into the field. My timetable is uncertain, at best."

"So is mine this week." Lies. Will knew Hannibal kept an embossed book of appointments in his first drawer and had a twenty-four hour cancellation policy in place. "All I require is your permission. I would not impose on you without it." 

Will hated how polite Hannibal absolutely had to be in all situations. Even in conversation with a past one-night stand.

The profiler sighed, trying to release some of the tension from his body. The confrontation would be painful, and he still intended to hide if he could… but he was tired of running. "Yeah, okay, whatever. If we happen to meet, so be it." 

"Excellent." Hannibal's voice was almost a purr. "Now you need to sleep, Will. It must have been difficult staying up."

The next morning, the first thing Will did was reshuffle his lecture schedule for the whole week, much to the irritation of his students. He knew it would be near impossible for Hannibal to obtain the official lecture timetable of FBI trainees, but Will did not want to take any chances.

Satisfied, he walked into class that evening, one that was originally listed in the morning slot. The trainees greeted him and he apologized for the inconvenience before promptly beginning the lecture on victim selection methods of serial killers.

Will was soon lost in his explanation of personality traits and demographics, and the class lapped it all up. Teaching, while not top of Will’s passion, gave him comfort in a way that allowed him control of things. And his students, surprisingly enough, paid much attention to his lessons.

The class ended on a good note, several of the trainees coming up to Will to thank him for the information. He nodded, keeping his eyes trained just slightly above their noses. As most of the class dispersed from the hall, he took up his bag and started to pack up his papers. He noticed a figure approaching him, perhaps a more quiet student, and looked up. “Was there something you need-"

The words died on his lips.

Hannibal Lecter, dressed in a smart blue suit, smiled slightly at him as he walked up. “Yes. Some of your time, if you would.” His polished shoes were soundless against the carpet. “Good evening, Will.”

Will let out the breath that he had unknowingly held upon seeing the doctor. “Hey.” He moved his attention back to the papers in his hand, avoiding the doctor's gaze entirely. “Did you ambush one of the trainees for their timetable?”

“Or perhaps it was fate.”

Will snorted.

“I thought it would be good for us to talk.” Hannibal spoke.

Of course. Will braced himself internally. There is no need to be polite about it, Hannibal. It hurts more if you try to spare my feelings.

“What about?” Will kept his head down, shuffling papers around unnecessarily. Thankfully, the hall was already empty save for the two of them.

“I would like to apologize if I had caused you offence during our last encounter, Will. It may be presumptuous of me to assume so, but I believe you are avoiding me. You have cancelled all your appointments with me, and these cancellations were strategically made out of office hours.”

“I told you, work hasn’t been easy.” Will glanced up and then continued the act of packing up. “And you don’t have to apologize for a… We are grown-ups, there is no need to follow-up after a one-night stand.”

“Was that what it was to you?”

Will inhaled and then looked up to meet Hannibal’s eyes. “It was just supposed to be a date, Hannibal. Nothing more, nothing less.”

“That was not what I asked. What was it to you, Will?”

Will felt the anger stir in his body, heard it seep into his voice. “Don’t.” Will bit off. “Stop. Stop doing that.” Here he was, running and avoiding this man for both their sakes. And now, said man just stands nonchalantly before him, twisting his words for all the purpose of befuddling his already tired mind.

“May I inquire as to why?” Hannibal suddenly asked.

“Why what?”

“Why you decided to leave before breakfast, that morning.”

How direct.

Will shrugged. “I wanted to spare us the awkward morning after, like most morning afters go.”

“Were you thoroughly convinced that our morning after would have been like most awkward morning afters?”

And suddenly in Will’s mind, he sees tangled sheets and urgent movements bathed in morning sunlight. Another flash and they are in the shower moaning, sliding together against the bathroom wall as the water pattered down.

“Guess we will never know now.” Will tried to smile.

“Will we not?”

Will looked up in surprise, this time meeting Hannibal’s eyes.

“I came here this evening to see you, to ask if we could extend the charity auction arrangement, but without any financial or contractual obligation. I would like to ask you out on a second date.”

For a moment, Will thought his auditory hallucination was acting up in broad daylight. A second date? “What in the hell are you doing?”

“It is exactly as I have said. I would like to get to know you better, Will, not as an unofficial psychiatrist nor as your friend. But as a potential partner." The last bit left Hannibal’s lips in a sensual whisper. “A lover.”

Will let out the breath he had been holding. “You must be joking.”

“I am afraid I am not, Will.”

“I don’t get it. I mean… why me? You are, what, Baltimore’s elite, patron of arts, the good doctor! For God’s sake, more than half the time you cook these fancy meals, and I don’t even know their names! You probably hate dogs with all their fur… and I have seven of them, Hannibal! Seven!”

There was now a light fond smile dancing on Hannibal’s lips. “You sound very much like protesting a proposal of marriage.”

Will cut short, his cheeks warming in spite of himself. Hannibal only smiled.

Will tried again. “I mean, you. You could take your pick of beautiful people for company…”

“You are right, and I of course chose the most beautiful one.”

Will’s head snapped up so fast, he heard his neck creak. Hannibal’s gaze was soft, as soft now as it had been during that night and Will realized, at all the times when they were alone together.

A gaze filled with pure, unadulterated affection.

“I confess I have found you exquisite from the first moment I laid eyes on you, Will. You told me your thoughts were not tasty then but I would have to disagree… I find you… very much to my taste.”

Will was unable to look away.

“When I see you, I see… someone who understands, who meets, who challenges who I am. An equal.”           

For I see who you truly are. And you take my breath away. 

And you… you see me. Perhaps not fully yet, but I am patient.

Alana, or anybody else will never be worthy of you.

I am worthy of you, and you of me.

“We fit each other so well, Will. And I do not mean mere physical compatibility, though that night has brought me very pleasant revelations in that aspect as well.”

Will’s cheeks threatened to burst into flame.

Hannibal stepped closer, bringing a hand to the younger man's face. “And so I simply refuse to allow the opportunity to explore this potential waste away.” The warm touch of his fingers was tentative. “Though I would not take anything without consent. I would have you, only if you would want me.”

The kiss was rough, fierce, spontaneous, Will throwing caution to the winds and his body to Hannibal’s. He saw Hannibal’s eyes widen in surprise but then strong arms lifted swiftly to encase him in an embrace as the doctor eagerly returned the kiss.

How you surprise me so...

The stress, the worry, the resignation of being left all alone once more after having come so close to a true partner evaporated, leaving Will’s shoulders lighter than it had ever been in months. What was left in its place was only happy warmth, relief and contentment to be in the arms of one Hannibal Lecter.

“You will be the death of me… Will,” Hannibal whispered softly when they parted, slightly breathless from the passionate kiss.

“Then you will, at the very least, die happy.” Will deadpanned at Hannibal, his cheeks tinted a slight shade of pink.

Hannibal’s fair brow raised. “Oh, I do not intend to die just yet. Not when there is so much to live for now.”

Will laughed and moved to disentangle himself from their embrace. Hannibal allowed him, fingers lingering just shy of Will’s hips as he moved away to truly pack up the teaching material.

“If it would not be too forward to ask... would you consider coming to my place tonight?” Hannibal asked as he stood close to Will, watchful but not interfering.

“That is very forward… Dr. Lecter.”

“My apologies. It is a selfish request, I have not seen you for fourteen days.”

Will looked up. “I am sorry about that… avoiding thing. Yes, I can come over. You can then, um… look your fill.”

Hannibal’s lips curled upward, almost playfully. His brow quirked up, and Will realized how suggestive he had sounded.

“That was a poor choice of words, but yes.” Will chuckled, as he paused in his work of tidying up the desk. “I have to say, I am still in disbelief.”

“Why is that?”

“That you would truly want to date a person like me, who also has dates with the Chesapeake Ripper.”

Hannibal smiled fondly at Will, his eyes crinkling at the corners.

“I believe we can share.”

And so ends my very first Hannigram fanfic, my first tribute (and hopefully not the last) to the Hannibal TV series I discovered so very late this year. I hope you enjoyed the story as much as I did writing it. I found it really fun to write Hannibal's clever pursuit of Will. I am a bit rusty writing smut, and my first time writing one between two male characters - so apologies if it may appear awkward XD

Comments are always welcomed :)

Some of my thoughts on the series:

I thought the S3 ending was absolutely perfect. A kiss would have been the cherry on top as a Hannigram shipper – but I still really like the original way that it was kept, a kiss would have been way too fanservice-y in the (supposed) middle of the story and I don’t want Hannibal to be a series to veer off toward what its fans want rather than its own course of story.

I love all three seasons but if I were to rank them in order of liking, I would say I liked Season 2 best (Will Graham was played so effectively by Hugh Dancy that it was absolutely glorious to watch him turn 180 degrees when he was no longer debilitated by encephalitis and completely in control of his own mind. It was beautiful to watch the character development of Will Graham and the cat-and-mouse interaction between Will and Hannibal and how the roles switched back and forth. And also because Season 2 had Mizumono, which was what I consider one of the best finales to a TV series season that I had ever watched.

A close second to me would be Season 1 and then finally Season 3. I personally found that certain parts of Season 3 felt disjointed and rather rushed at times. The potential of a great interaction between Will and Bedelia came up short, after a nice moment given in the second season. Even the fight between Hannibal and Jack in S3 seemed lackluster and pointless, as opposed to the fantastic one in S2. That being said, I thoroughly enjoyed all three seasons.

There’s a bittersweet feeling as I finished the show – it is one of the best TV series I have watched in my lifetime yet. If they ever successfully do manage to bring a new season in with the cast intact, I would be very much intrigued to catch the continuation. In the meantime, I am happy enough to indulge in the art (of all forms) of this fandom.

Cheers, fellow Fannibals and thank you for the welcome :)