"I want your most expensive bottle of wine." Will told their server before the man could even breath out a word about their special creations for that evening. "You know what? It's been a hell of a day. Make it two."

The server looked back at him like a deer in headlights. "Would you like to hear about the wine first, sir, or entertain any other menu recommendations?"

"Nope."

"Doctor Lecter?" The server was good, keeping the distress out of his voice as he next addressed Hannibal.

"It is perfectly all right, Richard. Do as Will bids." Hannibal soothed, the server running off to do just that. "Do you even know what you just ordered?"

"Not a clue." Will bared his teeth that could have been laughingly mistaken for a smile. The profiler's response got a rare laugh from Hannibal though.

They had been given their own private dining area. Will had no idea where they were. They had entered a historical looking building somewhere in downtown Baltimore, taken a private elevator only accessible by a code, and traveled downward to some nameless fine dining eatery that if you had to ask the name of it, you couldn't afford it.

'Not a clue' turned out to be two bottle of red wine, Romanée-Conti, Grand Cru, Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Burgandy from France aged from 2009 to be exact. The pair of bottles came with their very own sommelier as well who did the elaborate dog and pony show of serving wine. Hannibal seemed to appreciate it. In Will's opinion, it was just hindered the immediate appreciation of alcohol.

"Why did she pour out of the bottle into another container that we're just staring at now?" Will felt compelled to ask. He knew sweet fuck all about wine, and he doubted Arbor Mist was actually considered to be good wine.

"You ordered what is referred to as a 'big red'. It needs to be decanted for at least an hour to start opening up properly."

"Of course it does." Will said flatly, turning his attention back the server. "Bring me your most expensive bottle that I can drink now, like 'pour it in a glass and drink it' right now."

"Red or white, sir?"

"Surprise me."

"Very good, sir." The server taking off again.

This next bottle turned out to be a bubbly this time, a Krug "Clos d'Ambonnay Brut Champagne, also from France, to be exact.

"You're certainly making Richard's night enjoyable." Hannibal smelling and tasting the wine before enjoying it. Will was already on his second glass.

"Yeah? How so?" Will asked, frowning down at his flute. The champagne was too dry for him to enjoy, but he drank it anyway because it had alcoholic content, and Hannibal was paying. At least with whiskey, you roughly knew what you were about to get into. Whisky was whisky.

"The bill is already up to around 35,000 dollars, and we haven't even considered the food yet." Hannibal said casually as Will tried not to spit out his very expensive champagne in shock. "Excellent choices though."

"Oh! Is that all?" Will said hoarsely, clearing his throat. "Whatever. You can afford it."

"I find it intriguing that your preferred method of punishIng me is by spending my money, or more accurately, Brian's money." Hannibal looked amused about something. Will wondered why he was bringing up the suicidal pedophile Stammets had shot in his office.

"I don't follow."

"I am the sole benefactor of his will."

"All things considered, I'm actually all right with that." Will said after giving it some thought, "But I don't know why that's fascinating to you. We've already established that I grew up poor. That how the poor punish one another. I don't know how to punish rich."

"You're not destitute anymore." Hannibal pointed out.

"No, I'm not, but some things you just don't shake from childhood."

"That's understandable."

"l bet it is. You've had a quite a few things that took hold of you back then."

"More than you would ever care to know."

"That's debatable. I think I care to know quite a bit about you."

"I'm flattered." Said the narcissist.

"Don't be. I'm just trying to survive you." Will shrugged, turning his attention back to the server. "Don't bother. He'll order for the both of us."

"Please forgive my companion's lack of manners. He works in law enforcement, and it's been a very trying day." Hannibal said as he gave Will a look. The profiler resisted the urge to kick the cannibal under the table as Hannibal placed their lengthy food order.

"I thought I recognized him." Richard nodded, "You're Will Graham."

"Lemme guess. TattleCrime, amirite?" Will asked to get another nod. "Yippee. Lounds is a woman of her word."

"I could have told you that." Hannibal said as he produced a small bag containing ear plugs. "Richard, we'll require privacy for the rest of the evening."

"I will be a ghost then from this point on." Richard said, accepting the accessory and doing a little bow before he left.

"Why don't you do that?" Will challenged. He was personally sick of being everyone's oracle. "Tell me something about myself."

"You won't like it." Hannibal looked pleased about something. It was cause for worry, Will immediately regretting his request.

"Gee, I wonder what that's like."

"Do you know what you fear the most?"

"This oughta be good. What am I frightened of? Enlighten me." Will said, slugging back some very expensive champagne like it was cheap whiskey to make Hannibal wince.

"You fear that there will eventually be a man so bad that killing him will feel good to you."

"I've already met him." Will muttered, but looked away. He hated it when Hannibal was right.

"How would killing me make you feel?"

"Just. It would make me feel just." Will told himself and the part of the table he was staring at.

"I don't believe that." Hannibal "Which is why you are here with me. To prove the sprig of zest you feel is from saving others such as Alana and Abigail from me."

"I didn't feel a sprig of zest when I shot Elton Stammets to save you."

"You never intended on killing Elton Stammets?"

"No, of course not." Will said in exasperation, wondering if Hannibal was intentionally needling him about it. He decided, yeah, that was most likely the case.

"Pity. If your intention had been, it would be because you fully understood why Stammets did the things he did." Hannibal said, "It's beautiful in its own way, how you think. You give voice to the unmentionable."

The admiration set Will back on his ass, the profiler looking up to stare back at his dining companion with a blend of confusion and fear.

"I should have stuck to fixing boat motors in Louisiana." Will muttered as a plate was set down in front of him and his flute refilled, Richard taking it upon himself to just bring another bottle of champagne, getting it silently approved by Lecter with a glance and a nod before opening.

The Amuse-bouche was a single beautiful scallop, seared to perfection with a drizzle of a white wine beurre blanc sauce and a spritz of citrus.

"A boat engine is a machine, a predictable problem, easy to solve. You fail, there's a paddle." Hannibal dismissed, "You would be wasted on something like that."

"Better that than floating around paddle-less and rudderless."

"You're not adrift, Will. I am your paddle." Hannibal said, getting surprised bark of laughter from Will.

"Oh, this is going to be good." Will snorted into his refreshed glass of champagne. "How so?"

"It's not the act of killing that brings you down. What you worry about most is that one day it will feel good." Hannibal said, "And I believe that's already beginning to happen."

"...yes."

"Killing must feel good to God too. He does it all the time, and are we not created in his image?"

"That depends on who you ask."

"God's terrific. He dropped a church roof on thirty four of his worshippers last Wednesday night in Texas while they sang a hymn."

"And did God feel good about that?"

"He felt powerful."