oweling off his hair, Will was feeling rather pleased with himself, even while dressed in another set of gifts given to him by Hannibal. Having been left out on the bed for him by said Alpha, this outfit consisted of soft cream colored fitted slacks and a silk button up in a dark blue that proved to be far warmer than it looked.

All the material hugged his lithe frame and ran smooth as water over his flesh, softer than anything he'd ever owned before. It felt as though the sleek fabric sliding over his skin with every shift of his shoulders and arms were the cool hands of the twins ghosting over his flesh.

Pushing those thoughts to the back of his mind, Will shivered in memory of his Heat. If he wasn't careful, he was going to make the flaccid flesh between his legs harden into something awkward, especially with Nigel still being the only Alpha here.

Ignoring the recollection of strong bodies and broad hands lingering over him, Will chose instead to search out the kitchen in favor of something to eat for lunch.

That being said, Will still wanted both Alphas to see him in the outfit, but for very different reasons. Without saying anything, Will would encourage Hannibal's company by wearing what was chosen for him by the Alpha, all the while reinforcing what he told Nigel earlier.

Padding barefoot over the cold hardwood toward his destination, Will contemplated retreating back to his room for some socks, the winter chilled wood leaving his toes numb. Just as comfort started to win out over hunger, Will noted his other mate's return from the slopes, Hannibal setting his ski boots by the hearth to dry.

"Hello Will." Hannibal greeted, turning to his mate now that his task was completed. "How was your afternoon?"

Though Hannibal was smiling at him, the Alpha's expression still held an indiscernible quality about it. Will could tell from the light pull of lips that didn't quite reach his eyes, like Hannibal was trying not to upset or frighten the Omega. Even their connection was muted to an extent. Will's end was flush with warm feelings to be met a void, like Will was a stream and Hannibal was a rock in that stream, just letting the water pass over him. It was the first time Hannibal had left Will feeling unsettled.

Wondering what he had done wrong, Will tried not to push too much of his discomfort onto Hannibal, fighting to smother the feeling. He had already intentionally alienated one mate. Of course it would be his lot in life to do so accidentally with the other. Attempting not to shuffle from one foot to the other in some nervous trait of his gender, Will watched the slow calculated approach of his Alpha.

Because Will lived with great amounts of fear, he didn't know what to expect. The rational part of his brain reminded Will that he knew Hannibal and there was nothing to be afraid of. The Omega part was upset that his Alpha was displeased about something, wanting Will to bare his throat to Hannibal to placate him. The other part he didn't like to talk about, the wendigo within Will kept hidden cause it understood killers too well, was telling him he should have already been running.

The warmth of a hand placed to the small of his back almost startled Will, Hannibal giving him as odd look as he guiding Will into the kitchen he had been seeking out before the distraction of his return. It took a moment for Will to remember that Hannibal had asked him a question and was still expecting his answer. The Alpha had a very distinct feeling about manners.

"It's been okay." Will said stiltedly, unable to shake his feelings of unease. He tried to ignore the mess of his stomach, positive now that he had done something wrong to upset his mate. His growing hunger soured it further, but that was a sensation Will was used to. Growing up poor, Will had gone without enough times. Through a lifetime of practice, the Omega had gotten good at ignoring his body's wants and complaints.

"I spent most of it soaking in the hot tub." Will admitted, letting Hannibal direct him to a chair. The Alpha only left his side when he was sure Will was comfortably situated into it, though the Omega would have preferred now to hide in his room. Well, someone's room.

"I'm glad you took my suggestion seriously enough to do so. I want you to keep doing that though. It will alleviate your body pain exponentially." Hannibal said as he openly studied Will. The Omega resisted the urge to hunch in his chair. "You have a detrimental habit of denying yourself pleasure. Life is more than just pain, Will."

"Could have fooled me." Will said, making up his mind to leave. He decided that he would stay out of Hannibal's way, and make himself scarce for a while. Firm hands placed to his shoulders kept Will in his seat, the Omega looking up at his Alpha with a questioning look.

"Will, are you hungry?" Hannibal asked not unkindly. If anything, it felt sad to Will, for so many different reasons. The Omega nodded in answer, not trusting himself to voice one.

There was a slow cooker on the kitchen counter. Hannibal left him finally to attend to it, getting out plates and other ingredients that Will could only assume were for the dish. He hadn't noticed the appliance during his earlier explorations of the house, the mouth-watering aromas of Hannibal's latest creation trapped beneath the lid.

Heady aromas filled the kitchen though as the glass top was lifted and a spoon dipped inside so that its creator could sample the thick broth of whatever lay within. To Will's relief, it was found to be satisfactory which meant no further waiting on their part. Will could almost taste the succulent cuts of beef stewing in sauce as he scented the air. His stomach sounded its impatience and displeasure with a noisy rumble, reminding the Omega of just how hungry he really was.

Ladling what look like some sort of stew into a bowl, Hannibal garnished the humble fare with a spring of something green and leafy to float uselessly on top. If Will had to guess he would have put his money on some kind of parsley, but he couldn't be sure without asking.

"What you are about to dine upon is called boeuf bourguignon, a traditional French stew of beef and vegetables in a red wine reduction. It began its origin as a peasant's dish, and was usually made with toughest cuts of meat that would be boiled in wine to help soften the beef as it marinade. Today, it has become a rather haute cuisine being prepared with better cuts." Hannibal explained the dish as he set it down in front of Will.

Unhappily, Will noticed that Hannibal was not dining with him, preparing no bowl for himself, though he was filling two wine glasses from a bottle that had been left open to breath. "I have selected a lovely 2006 Chateau ste Michelle meritage to pair with it. Its subtle flavors of cherries and fruit should contrast nicely with the stew." Setting the glass before his mate, Hannibal took a seat of his own. "Bon appétit."

"Merci." Will matched the French with some of his own, appreciating the offered dish despite the still lingering feeling of discomfort coming from his mate. He refused to tilt his head, offering up his throat or whine and purr in submission despite his biology. Smothering the urge to placate his Alpha and too hungry not to eat with food right in front of him, Will tasted the hot broth, letting the rich subtle flavors of root vegetables, wine, and tender meat wash over his tongue. He almost moaned out loud as a cut of beef melted on his tongue, so tender it practically disintegrated in his mouth.

"This is delicious." Will sighed out when he regained the capability for speech.

"I am pleased that you like it." Hannibal watched his mate as he devoured the stew, seemingly content enough to just witness the act of providing.

Despite the obvious irritation still coming from his mate, Will felt a tickle of mirth and joy that flitted through the back of his mind as he ate, one that could only come from the Alpha beside him. Will hadn't realized before just how much pride Hannibal took in his cooking.

The man was held in high regard for his culinary skill, and clearly enjoyed sharing that gift with people. Will had never realized though to what extent it pleasured Hannibal to witness people enjoying his cooking, or the sense of peace it brought with it.

"It applies to you in particular." Hannibal supplied, letting Will know he had been read through the link. "You are not one to give empty compliments. Hearing praise from you, providing for my mate, it all gives me a sense of joy."

"How do I block this...this thing we have between us?" Will asked as he pushed his empty bowl away. "I have no secrets anymore. I want, no, I need some privacy. I feel like I've been completely laid out bare to you, vulnerable and violated. How do I find balance in this?"

"We have a deal, Will. I'm afraid you still need to earn that knowledge." Hannibal said in a flat tone, reinforcing the impression of displeasure. The Alpha scented the complex aromas of the meritage with a swirl to watch the red cling to the glass before taking an appreciative sip.

Will furrowed his brow at the dismissive answer. "What do you mean 'earn it'? I just spent the last fifteen minutes playing 'get to know you' with Nigel in a hot tub." He challenged, no longer giving a damn about the irate mood his mate was in.

"Did you?" Hannibal didn't seem convinced, setting his glass off to the side. "Would you care to explain to me why you were feeling so smug earlier today while Nigel was lost somewhere between unruly jealousy and indignation?"

OoOoO

That was a severe understatement to his brother's thriving rage, the Alpha's mercurial temper harboured deep within, and still raging like a tempest made of flame and a heat that drove lesser men to acts of cruel violence.

While Nigel and Will were having their exchange in the hot tub, Hannibal had been visiting the resort's communal skiing lodge to give his twin an opportunity to have some time alone with their temperamental Omega.

Enjoying a rather robust merlot, Hannibal had almost choked on the vintage when he'd felt Nigel's anger spike like a blow to the back of his head, a comet landing within the center of their shared mind space. The Alpha had been forced to excuse himself from a lovely couple with whom he had been discussing the latest rendition of the French opera 'Faust' to settle himself in a chair by the fire.

Feigning exhaustion from a day of skiing, Hannibal closed his eyes and focused inward to visit the grounds of their shared mind space to survey the damage there caused by his twin's innate violent nature.

The mind palace had been created decades ago, an almost physical realm that was as complex and detailed as a labyrinth. Originally, it had been a place to simply store memories within the bone cage of his mind. Over time, it had grown into something wondrous, a land with no borders in which Hannibal ruled over.

Within his self made kingdom, Hannibal could wander the halls with ease to re-live or view events and places of his past, navigating the endless halls and wings of the castle he had created with ease, vast by even medieval standards. The Alpha picked and chose only the best the world had to offer to fresco the walls of his mind with. Severe, beautiful, and timeless, the foyer for his palace alone was the Norman Chapel in Palermo.

One the most unique things about having a twin though was that the bond they shared tripled that space, if the infinite could be folded in upon itself.

Hannibal's mind shared space with Nigel's own so that the two kingdoms overlapped. More organic and far less disciplined in organization, Nigel didn't have one grand building per say like Hannibal did, a maze of light and dark rooms. Instead, Nigel was a scrawling collection of colorful buildings connected together by swinging bridges made of rope and carved archways. Hannibal would often study the skeleton of its ever changing streets from the balconies of his castle.

The shared space in the bond reminded Hannibal of the back alleys and twisting side streets of Bucharest that was all purely Nigel with a dash of Rome from Hannibal. The walls of this self made maze was created from mutual emotions and memories shared by the twins. Decades of separation had caused it to degrade into a slum to a certain extent, though their shared vacation helped to maintain its existence.

With Will in the mix now, there had been a shift in influence, Nigel's grown and groomed part of the bond catching up with Hannibal's own in complexity if not strength. The twin had claimed a portion of the grand castle all for his own several days ago, just as Hannibal found he could venture out into the city outside of it. Hannibal was certainly enjoying the coffee shops he found hidden in enclaves and dead ends. It was there drinking rich dark coffee he had no recollection of ever having before that Hannibal found it easier than expected to accept this transition from his to theirs. Since Will's Heat, they had been sharing the impossible on so many different, new levels.

Still, it had been disconcerting for Hannibal to stumble across an inelegant, almost gauche wing in his castle, something obviously not of his making. It was intriguing though to feel something change in his head after so many years.

It was there he found Nigel, standing within that crass space and relieving some of his anger. In pools of water with intricate mosaics inlayed at their bottoms, the volatile Alpha watched the replay of the latest outcome of his jealousy. The brutal murder of Charlie Countryman and Nigel's former mate, the beautiful beta Gabi, was something that he was seeking to avoid this time around.

"What has Will said to upset you so, Nigel?" Hannibal asked. It didn't take a genius to figure out the reasoning behind Nigel dwelling upon a past bout of jealousy, one that had ended badly for other people.

"Just a fucking declaration of preference. He's all yours." Nigel sneered, his jealous resentment a tangible thing. Before Hannibal could say anything though, Nigel disappeared behind a new door of his own making to lock himself away in privacy. The flow of emotion and information from him was blocked off as well with an almost audible snap, like the sound of a door slamming in the stunned Alpha's face.

Hannibal hated time and opportunities wasted. Leaving the skiing lodge earlier than he had excepted to, Hannibal thought very quietly and carefully about how he could fix this mess his mates had made for themselves in his absence.

OoOoO

"He sees me as a piece of meat Hannibal," Will argued, bringing Hannibal back to the here and now. "He's possessive and cocky. I was just pointing out that he's not my only option." Will admitted, because he wasn't and Nigel should know that. If Nigel wanted to build anything between them, he was going to have to learn a little fucking respect first.

"Under what childish pretense did you believe that making him jealous was going to fix any of that, or help lay down the foundation for a healthy relationship? Nigel is as much a part of this as you or I. By trying to exclude him and punish him for the trespasses against you, you harm us all. You resent him so strongly for being a creature of passion and instinct that you refuse to allow yourself to see past the indignities that he has inflicted upon you by your Heat's scent. They are the same indignities that I have inflicted upon you, and yet you have found it in your heart to forgive me." Hannibal said, keeping his tone even but his features stern. "I know the wounds are still fresh, Will, but we agreed to move beyond that, all of us."

Will felt a push of disappointment through their link, Hannibal opening up just enough to let Will feels his disapproval about the Omega's behavior toward his twin. That Will should have known better, Nigel being Hannibal's only living family and here he was, treating him like shit. Will didn't appreciate the bond being used against him like this, tried to express as much back through their connection.

"I apologize for being so crass about my methods, but we need to move forward, Will, whether you agree with the bond that has come to pass or not. Continuing to reject Nigel will be detrimental and only upset the bond between us all. What we have created is beautiful and rare. It is also extremely fragile. It needs to be tended to with care and acceptance from all parties involved." Hannibal allowed some warmth to return to his voice, face, and their bond. Now that Will was properly admonished, he needed to be brought back in close with a kind hand and soft words.

"I never asked for this, Hannibal." Will reminded the Alpha tightly, even as he leaned in as Hannibal drew near.

"I never asked to be placed in a sexual relationship with my brother either, to be mated by him, yet I find that is exactly what has come to pass." Hannibal was under no illusion that Nigel would be refraining himself from a repeat performance of their bonding moment. It had been suppressed to an extent, but there had been pleasure leaking through their link from Nigel about their moment tied together. The other Alpha had discovered something new about himself while within Hannibal, had enjoyed the strangling grip of too tight flesh around his swollen knot. It was nearly painful in its choking tightness around his girth, but Nigel had found himself enjoying it, perhaps a bit too much.

Guilt flooded in Hannibal from all sides, drowning out the memory of it. The source of that immense remorse had let himself forget what had happened with the twins. Instead of hurting him by forcing the Omega to take two knots, Hannibal had taken the second knot for him, the Alpha's own secured in Will at the time. Belated, Will realized that he had been so focused on himself, he hadn't spared much thought to his mates or their discomfort about the unusual situation at hand. His empathy only made Will feel worse for his behaviour towards the twins. "I hadn't considered…"

"And you were never supposed to. Nigel and I have already accepted our places in this bond. There was no need to push such thoughts of incest upon you." Will felt sick to the point of nauseous with guilt as Hannibal continued. "We have become lovers, and nothing in this world will ever change that back to what it once was."

For dramatic effect, Hannibal took another sip of wine to feign an emotional pause. It was a more blunt approach than he preferred, but Hannibal was satisfied to have at last made headway with the stubborn Omega. For all their sakes, he needed Will to warm up to Nigel. Not only their survival but their sanity would depend on making this bond work, and that would only happen if they could live in peace with one another.

While Hannibal manipulated the bond between them unnoticed, much like a spider winding silk around a dying fly, Will tried to wrap his mind around the sacrifice made by the pair. His damn empathy all too easily placed himself on their side of the bond, their perspectives.

Growing up alone with no one but your other half as company and family…to have that bond of a birth changed to something more by a lover who would only accept one over the other, the rejection of your other face and body in one sense while acceptance in another. The division of family by jealousy caused by a mutual mate, and soured by a one sided love. All that and the twins had, as much as Will, valued their freedom. Nigel and Hannibal had not wanted this either, and Will had let himself forget that. They were just better at adapting.

Feeling suddenly ill from self loathing, Will pushed back from the table, almost falling out of his chair in haste to get away from his friend and mate. What made it all worse was that Will knew Hannibal could feel his guilt.

To his credit, Hannibal didn't stop him as Will left, or hinder him with questions. Probably because he already knew where the Omega was going.

OoOoO

As extravagant as it was, the cabin wasn't that big, having only the two bedrooms, and Hannibal and Will would have noticed if Nigel had left to brave the elements. It didn't take Will long to find his other mate, though it was somewhat of a surprise to find Nigel asleep. The Alpha hadn't struck Will as the type to take naps, but as he entered the room that had been originally picked out for Hannibal, there he was.

The Alpha was curled up on his side upon the bed, completely still but for the slow movement of his easy breaths. What struck Will as odd in that moment was that Nigel's feet were bare like his own. Though he doubted Hannibal wore shoes to bed, Will couldn't remember a time when he had ever seen the Alpha's feet uncovered, and his memories from Heat were a blur.

They were long, fine boned things, those feet, looking like they belonged to a dancer or gymnast. Before he realized what he was doing, Will found himself touching the soles of them, the dry skin feeling chilled beneath his fingertips.

A growl made Will look up, the Alpha awake now though just barely. Tired maroon eyes glared at Will as Nigel pulled his feet away from the Omega and curled up tighter. Despite the warning, Nigel closed his eyes to fall back asleep, much to Will's ire and relief. If the Alpha really perceived him as a threat, Nigel would have been well awake and in his face. The fact the alpha had fallen back asleep so quickly meant he truly viewed Will as his mate.

Climbing into the bed before he could change his mind, Will crept to Nigel's side. Never one for subtlety, Will pressed himself into Nigel's arms and rearranged the Alpha where he wanted him, all while being watched by a pair of very confused sanguine eyes.

The bond between them was more like macrame than the swath of silk it should have been. Close contact made that all the more clear to Will as he pressed himself up against his other Alpha, stormy blue eyes meeting bloody ones. Will was apologizing with his body the best he could because words failed him too often to be relied upon.

For a moment, the Alpha and Omega both held still, it being Nigel's turn to make a move. He could either accept or deny his Omega's quiet acknowledgment of regret. As more silence passed between them Will fought the urge to get up and leave, denying his more socially awkward nature to push himself closer to the other man.

"I'm not good with people." Will tried to explain, feeling at a total loss for words as he tried to sort himself out and explain what he could, while he could. "You may have noticed."

That got a snort of amusement, but Nigel gave Will the time to finish whatever it was he needed to say. "I'm still not happy with what has happened. To be honest, I probably won't be for a while, and I'm going to fuck up, but it was unfair of me to blame you for it. I was trying to punish you and only you for something that's not entirely your fault."

Another moment of silence passed between them as Nigel studied him in quiet contemplation, those clever maroon eyes taking Will in before the Alpha slid a strong arm around Will's back to pull his soft curved form tighter against him with slow, almost lazy movements. Will took it as a sort of 'apology accepted' and let himself relax into that hold.

Warmed by the late afternoon's glow filtering through the window and the touch of a body only slightly broader than his own, Will made himself look at the man he had been so desperate to push away.

As he took Nigel in with all the anger and resentment finally pushed aside, it was as though Will was seeing the Alpha in a whole new light. For starters, Nigel had more laugh lines than Hannibal. Even lying here half asleep on the bed as he was, there was still more expression in Nigel's still face than Will generally saw in Hannibal's own on a good day.

Will noted that Nigel's skin was also slightly darker than Hannibal's, tanned more golden from time spent out in the sun. His ashen hair was a little longer and lighter than his twin's as well, the style of it unkempt half the time as he let the strands fall where they may instead of slicking them back much as his brother preferred. With the added stubble Will found there, more often than not Nigel held the appearance of looking rough around the edges.

It was that appearance that helped Will relax a little more into that warm body. The usual unease he felt around Hannibal for being underdressed or unkept was nonexistent with Nigel. If he gave this man a chance, Will could see the possibility of what might lie between them. Nigel would be someone he could shoot the shit with while having a beer. He might even go fishing with Will if he asked. Nigel's physical presence would be in direct contrast to the emotional support he gained from Hannibal, but a welcomed change in structure. There was a true possibility for something beautiful between them, and Will found that it was something he wanted to experience.

A soothing sort of warmth eased itself into Will's being, momentarily confusing the Omega before he recognized the sensation of Nigel's bond. He realized that at some point the Alpha must have cut him off, blocking Will from his feed completely and all without his notice.

At last understanding the extent of the damage he had done, another bloom of guilt settled deep inside him. In response, those strong arms moved tighter around him, Nigel rolling Will to settle beneath him and meet stormy blue eyes.

"We'll make it work darling." Nigel offered in his own sort of comfort, brushing a stray curl from his lover's eyes. "We have the rest of our lives to get it right."

Tentatively, Will leaned a little closer to the man atop of him, seeking out familiar lips to take a hesitant kiss from him. He was almost surprised when Nigel met him halfway, letting him lead. He was giving Will the control he so desperately needed in their blooming relationship, and Will was more than thankful for the effort.

Each gentle movement of lips was met with equal pressure and affection, the invitation of tongue initiated by Will, and ultimately controlled by the younger man as he explored the cavern of his lover's mouth with a conscious mind. He found himself growing slightly more bold as the bad man from Bucharest let him lead.

Shifting to run his hands up the Alpha's back Will felt up the hard planes of toned muscles shift under his palms as the man moved above him. Slipping an arm under his shoulders to hold Will tight against him, the Alpha moved to slide his palm along the Omega's hip, thumb running the curve of bone with a conscious affection.

Nigel was an Alpha of violence, control, and above all, passion. Be it in the evidence of their time shared in the hot tub or curled up with his mate in bed, this man poured his everything into that which he loved. The idea of becoming the focus of such a force was unimaginable to Will.

After being alone for so long, Will couldn't begin to comprehend such a thing ever being directed at him and yet knew that one day it would, that it was beginning to dawn for him. During his heat, Will had tasted it and he knew in the very near future, he would witness that focus upon him again. The thought of it left the Omega both terrified and thrilled.

Nipping at the older man's lip with blunt Omega teeth meant for eating and not cutting through flesh or forming bonds, Will coaxed a lazy smile from his sleepy Alpha.

"I think we can make this work." Will admitted, stealing another kiss. "Yeah, we'll be okay." He could already feel a few of the snarls in their bond smoothing out.

OoOoO

As the electrical storm of raging guilt that threatened to swallow Will turned into static and the blazing fires of Nigel's jealousy cooled to a flickering flame, Hannibal knew a certain amount of peace had at last been found between the bickering pair.

With a sigh of relief, Hannibal reveled in his victory. The calm that came from it finally allowed Hannibal's appetite to return. He had found himself suffering from Will's disinterest in food bleeding through their bond, the Omega's contribution of overwhelming guilt and fear terribly harsh on the stomach.

While Hannibal was no stranger to fear and hunger, it bothered him Will clung to aspects of his childhood. He had felt Will's hunger in the living room, and knew if he had not physically led the Omega to the kitchen, Will would have gone without and not thought anything about it.

The Omega's acceptance of that hunger did not sit well with Hannibal, especially when it affected his own. It was embedded in an Alpha's nature to protect and provide for their Omega. As displeased as Hannibal had been with Will in that moment, he could not let his mate suffer a second longer.

Simply speaking, Will was no longer a game or a toy to be wound up and let go to see where he ended up. The Omega had been raised above all others. He needed to be cared for. It was not what Hannibal had originally planned, but he was versatile. The addition of his twin in the bond was another matter entirely, but Hannibal was confident they could come to an agreement.

With the return of his appetite Hannibal had finally been able to sit down to enjoy his own bowl of boeuf bourguignon and a rather generous glass of meritage. Taking his time to enjoy the hearty dish, Hannibal allowed the bonding couple to focus upon each other in private before he deemed enough time had passed for him to safely check in them. He didn't want to disturb at what might be a delicate moment, but he also didn't want Nigel alone with Will for too long either.

Pleasantly full now, Hannibal padded down the hall on silent feet aided by the shadows of early evening. Entering his room through the door that had been left ajar from Will's earlier intrusion, Hannibal was quite pleased with what he found there.

Will lay in one of the more traditional resting positions of an Omega, the fairest sex finding safety and protection in slumber beneath the heavy weight of their Alpha. The fruits of his labor had taken to such a position with Will tucked securely beneath Nigel, bodies aligned to form a flush seam.

Silently preening, Hannibal approached the bed, pride swelling in recollection of his tactful manipulation as he further examined his bonded mates. Will looked much the way he had the night he appeared at his house sleep walking. With the soft curves of his cheeks and parting of pink lips, the Omega had the visage of a fallen angle, one lost among devils. The harsh lines of stress and anxiety were wiped away by the comforting safety found in sleep. It was a face meant to be captured by the old masters in oil and marble in pieces that would be considered a timeless beauty.

A peace Will had found in Nigel.

It wasn't often that Hannibal experienced the emotion of jealousy towards his brother. The number of occasions could to be recalled on the fingers of one hand, but as he stood there witnessing the blooming connection between the mate he had been chasing, the man he had been wanting to keep for nearly a year with office visits and late night dinners, Hannibal felt exactly that. A cold slide of ice sheathing itself beneath his skin as a wave of jealousy wrapped around him.

"Then join us you, fucking idiot. Don't you dare wake him up with your bullshit." Tired maroon eyes slit open to find their identical match. "He's our mate, not mine. Not yours. Ours."

The Lecter's stared at each other in silence, one brother contemplating the other as more feelings were settled between them, a discussion of vagaries passing through their bond rather than words alone.

Relenting, Hannibal joined the pair, ignoring Nigel's grunt as he found a place atop the pile, letting his fingers slid through silken curls as he buried his nose in ashen locks so much like his own. Closing his eyes to the blended scents of brother and mates, Nigel and Will, Hannibal fell asleep.

The peace that had been found between two was now kept among three.

OoOoO

TBC