Hannibal could see a very different William of the future. A William that would be very like Hannibal. With little imagination, Hannibal could imagine the killer's gleam in William's eye. Not the accidental murder of Hobbs, but the intentional, conscious murder of another human being, maybe a stranger. The "who" would be irrelevant. What did it matter who? It was about William. William's maturation.

Of course, it would help to start small. Start with a mass murderer – somebody to soften the culpability. Then a scumbag – maybe a child predator then a bank robber. Then, somebody of a passing annoyance. Then, the guilt would ease until there is no guilt. All that would be left would be an emptiness that could be filled by murder.

Perhaps 'emptiness' is inapt. Hannibal did not feel empty. He simply did not feel often enough to feel empty. Occasionally, there were small pangs of joy and grief (hormones in the brain made it so) and more and more occasionally, it was Will – William who brought out those feelings.

No, the murder was a part of who Hannibal was. Like breathing. It did not "complete him" or make him feel elevated above the rest of humanity – his intelligence alone already did that.

Killing and eating was what he did, what he was, what he will continue to be.

Until William catches him.

Or until William succumbs to his not-so-subtle manipulations.

To think, William with Hannibal. What an odd couple. Both outstanding citizens of the world, helping, and yet one was cracking and one, a cannibal. Both orphaned and both killers. Both condemned. William had so much potential, yet he cowered under his potential. Understandable especially because William conformed to society's standards, but society and Jack Crawford could never accept William as Hannibal would accept him. With Hannibal at William's side, William could flourish. They could be the perfect match. Everything lacking in Hannibal, i.e. those damnable feelings, William could provide. Everything lacking in William, i.e. a solid foundation, Hannibal could provide.

Hannibal never would have believed in kinship if not for William. They could be brothers in blood, in murder.

And if not, Hannibal would be honored for William to be the one to apprehend him. It would destroy William, Hannibal was sure, but William was already destroyed. Besides, William would not be the only one who would be wounded by the loss of their relationship.

If only the game could continue forever.


A/N: Big hug to my first reviewer: Miracle of an angel (hope I translated right)

And who said this story wasn't slash?