Will, stood alone on the beach, gazing over the turquoise water with his bright sapphire eyes. His dark hair rustled lightly in the ocean breeze. He tried to deny the stirrings in his heart, resting his cheek against one hand as he adjusted his glasses.
He wore an alabaster shirt that left his pearly arms bare and a pair of loose raven jeans. .
His thoughts wandered to his days in Hannibal Lecter's company. It must have been fate in mortal form that brought them together. He knew from the moment he laid eyes on him that they were meant to be. From then on, Will was sometimes needy and close, but then suddenly cold and fearful. He didn't deserve Hannibal. He was nothing compared to him.
.
"Will," Hannibal said simply with a glance at his outfit caught between disapproval and admiration and a smile on his face.
"Hannibal. I feared you might not come," Will whispered.
"Of course I came," he replied.
Will shook his head. "Everyone else abandoned me."
"I won't leave you," Hannibal said firmly.
Hannibal held his hand out to him, and hesitantly Will took it. With that, they began to walk along the beach.
Will's mind was flooded by painful thoughts. He clung tightly to Hannibal's firm hand as if it could save Will. Hannibal, strong as he was, wouldn't possibly stoop down to help someone like Will.
.
"What is it, Will?" Hannibal suddenly asked.
"N-nothing," Will whispered. "Why do you ask...?"
"Your hand is really tense." Will let his head droop and let go. "If something's bothering you, you should tell me."
Hannibal looked at Will long and hard. Hannibal was trying to understand what it was that plagued Will, but to Will, it seemed like he was glaring at him.
"I-I'm sorry, I'm just..."
"You're... what?"
"..."
.
Hannibal gave Will a long and measured look. "You'll tell me when you're ready, won't you?"
.
Will gave the faintest of nods. But of course he could not imagine ever feeling ready to tell him his secrets. In truth, Will hardly even deserved him. Will was ... Always falling short.
Will was unworthy of his time. The very thought of that brought tears to his eyes, and he looked away from Hannibal to hide them. But he couldn't hide the sobs that shook him.
"Will." Will rubbed the tears from his eyes. "Will, look, you need to tell me. You're so upset..."
"I can barely put it into words. You've treated me so well, and I never want this to change."
"It won't change. Never."
"It's... I'm..." Will's shoulders shook, and he buried his face in his hands. "Forget it! Let's just..."
Hannibal Lecter put an assuring arm around Will's shoulders and brought him toward himself. "It will be all right. It's all right... I'm here. I'm here."
.
Will's eyes began to burn, and he abruptly pulled Hannibal Lecter into a fierce embrace. Hannibal Lecter's orbs widened at first, but then he succumbed to the warmth of Will's touch.
"You," Will whispered, his breath hot on Hannibal's ear. "As long as you're here, I... I can make it." They held each other as Will's tears trickled down his cheeks and dripped onto the shifting sands to be carried away into the sea. With time and soothing embraces, the pain dissipated into a mist swept out by the ocean breeze and into the setting sun.
.
"Look... it's the sunset."
Will lifted his head at Hannibal's words to behold the dying sun's terra radiance. "Mm."
After a moment of silence, Hannibal asked, "Do you think we'll be together forever?"
"Please... let it be forever," Will murmured in response.
Hannibal kissed his head. "Then as long as you and I will it to be, it will be. Even forever."
Will sighed with contentment and brought Hannibal closer. He gazed at the beautiful lemon-colored rays of the falling sun, thinking about everything that had transpired on this day and all that would pass between them.
"You'll hurt your eyes doing that," Hannibal whispered.
Will looked at him instead. "I love you, Hannibal."
"I love you too, Will."
Their lips met, and brunet strands met blond ones, aflame in the dying light. The sand was their witness and the rumbling ocean their approving audience, and Hannibal, his eternally faithful lover. Will thought to himself that nothing had ever been so perfect for him as this.