Losing You Terrifies Me

by A. David

Gentle. That was the word the monster had used. Will would hold onto that word as if it were the only thing in the universe. Because it was gentle. Each skim of lips and trace of tongue, each brush of fingers and dip of hips were nothing but gently maddening, sending Will so far into himself that he thought he would never be found again.

35. Chapter 35

"We aren't stealing a fucking car, Hannibal," Will hissed through his teeth, pulling his coat around him in the cold that was bone numbing. He had a bag slung over his back and one in his hand with Hannibal beside him with his own pack of things.

"We aren't walking all the way to Louisiana," Hannibal shot back tensely through a tight jaw.

"No fucking shit, Sherlock," Will snapped back, adjusting one of his bags. "We'll get a rental. The police will be on us in no time if a car went missing around here." Hannibal came to a stop and Will sighed, pausing to turn back to Hannibal who stood still for a moment longer before starting to walk again. "I didn't mean-"

"A car has been circling the block," Hannibal said softly. "It's passed us three times. You haven't noticed."

"I was trying to think of some other reason for a car to be circling this block," Will admitted with a huff. "Maybe they're lost."

"They aren't lost," Hannibal argued.

Will gave a small nod. "Do we see what they want or do we need to jump a fence or two?" Will glanced over Hannibal worriedly, their pace still steady. "Are you up for that kind of physical-"

"I can jump a fence Will," Hannibal assured, tone a little softer now. "Just because..." Hannibal trailed off and Will glanced cautiously over his shoulder to the car that had been circling them. A dark Nissan that reminded Will of Eli's car. But this one was newer and more of a grey than a back, though the only way Will could be sure was from the street lamp that the car passed under.

The car finally pulled up beside them and both Will and Hannibal stopped to face the car as the passenger side window rolled down. Will glanced once more over to Hannibal, waiting for his direction, but none came. Hannibal simply stared at the car in front of them.

"Hello boys," a voice said. One that Will recognized only far too well. "You've been hard to track down."

"Price?" Will asked, eyes wide and breath stolen from him.

"It's a shame that it's too dark for sunglasses," Price said with a smile, tapping his left temple as if they were sitting there for him to take. "Would have been awesome to just pull them off right then. You know like they do in-"

"CSI," another voice called from further in the car.

"Mr. Zeller," Hannibal muttered with a huff. He adjusted the bag over his shoulder and glanced around the night carefully. "A pleasure to see you both again."

"No it's not," Zeller replied and Price gave a small laugh.

"Where do you two think you're headed at this time of night?" Price asked again. "You look a little suspicious if I do say so myself."

"There's nothing suspicious about two men walking around in the middle of the night, in twenty degrees with only what they can carry on their backs," Zeller teased back sarcastically.

"How silly of me." Price bumped his palm against his forehead. "Of course they aren't suspicious at all."

"Where's your car boys?"

Hannibal licked at his lips and looked up at the sky and Will quickly stepped forward to block the space between the car and Hannibal. Will was doing it more for the sake of Hannibal than of the FBI agents. Hannibal wouldn't hurt them, but Will could stop the FBI from hurting his Hannibal. Even if Hannibal was an insufferable dick who Will wanted to hit right now.

"Junk yard," Will answered, leaning over, an arm resting on the hood of the car. "Had to ditch it. Haven't had the chance to get a new one yet."

"It's been three weeks," Price pointed out, his brows furrowed in confusion. "You haven't been able to find a car."

"This dipshit," Will grumbled, jabbing his thumb over his shoulder and to Hannibal, "got sick. Been at his bedside for weeks."

"I can hear you, I hope you know," Hannibal said in annoyance.

"That's the point, asshole," Will hissed, throwing a glare over his shoulder.

"Is there trouble in paradise?" Zeller asked smugly and Will's glare turned to the driver of the car. Zeller's hands went up defensively and he shook his head. "Was just wondering how long you went without a fight. Price and I are up to about two hours."

"Three, if you count-"

"It's going to be back down to one if you don't stop right now," Zeller warned and Will's glare softened at Price's dramatic huff and roll of his eyes. "Stop being such a prima donna."

"Stop being a dick," Price shot back, though his tone was more happy than naught. He gave Will an apologetic smile. "So where are you boys staying? We have a motel room, but it's a bit out of the way."

"How long have you been looking for us?" Hannibal questioned, stepping a little closer to the car. Close enough that Will could feel the heat from Hannibal's body against his back, though there was no touch.

"We've been in Vermont for what?" Price asked, turning in his seat to look to Zeller for help."

"About a week. Since Alana and Jack came up with this ridiculous plan." Zeller waved his hand boredly. "But we've been driving around looking for you for about-"

"Fifteen minutes." Price turned back to Will. "You weren't hard to spot if we're being honest."

"What plan?" Hannibal asked, hand resting against the small of Will's back. Will's eyes widened in surprise and he stole a glance at Hannibal, but the killer seemed a little more focused on the men in the car.

"Do you have a house nearby we can talk in?" Price gave a small shrug. "We can get you out of the cold and maybe we could have a drink."

"Oh, some bourbon sounds nice," Zeller agreed with a grin.

"Who else knows that we're here?" Will asked carefully, risking a moment to let himself lean into Hannibal's grip. Hannibal hand tightened around Will's hip and there was a relief that washed through the empath at the gentleness he found there. They could apologize with words a little later.

"Just Jack. He should be here in-"

"A few hours," Zeller interrupted. "His flight got delayed though. We have time."

"Our house is a few blocks back that way," Hannibal explained, pointing the way that Will and Hannibal had been coming from. Will straightened up and glanced over Hannibal curiously, but he only received a fleeting kiss against his cold lips. "Let's get you home and warm."

"You trust them?" Will asked softly.

"Not in the slightest," Hannibal answered back with a shake of his head. "But we aren't in handcuffs yet. We play this out by ear, love."

"If you two are done flirting," Price called and Will felt a blush heat up his frozen cheeks. "Perhaps we can roll the windows back up to keep the heat from escaping into the night."

"You sound like my dad," Zeller commented with a snort. "Are we heating the whole neighborhood?"

"I am nowhere near as old as your dad," Price argued. "Just because I am ten years-"

"And we are back to an hour," Zeller grumbled with a frown. "New record."

Will chuckled and shook his head. It felt nice to have something so familiar back, even if it was these two screwballs. A bluff to hold onto in the raging storm and ocean waves.

Hannibal opened the door to the back seat and guided Will into it. Will pulled his bags from over his head and set them in the seat to his right. Hannibal slid in beside him and Will was swift to push himself into Hannibal's warmth. Hannibal adjusted slightly and closed the door before his arm wrapped around Will's shoulder to hold the empath close.

The ride back was quite save for Hannibal giving directions here and there until they were back in front of the house that they had left abandoned and smelling like sweets. Will stepped back into the house and inhaled deeply of the baking that still clung to the air, a feeling of home filling his body.

"What on earth?" Price whispered as he got a glimpse of the kitchen that they had left a mess. "Were you trying to beat the girl scout cookie sales?"

"Good God," Zeller exclaimed breathlessly.

"Help yourselves," Hannibal offered softly. "I will fetch us something to drink." Hannibal let his bags drop to the floor and he made his way over to the bar. Will followed after the man while both Zeller and Price began to stock up and the different goods that were there.

"Hannibal?" Will asked in a low voice so that it didn't carry over to the agents in the kitchen. Hannibal didn't acknowledge Will's presence, simply went about finding glasses and then poured out several fingers of amber liquid into each. "Hannibal," Will tried once more.

"What is it?"

"I love you."

That captured Hannibal's attention. He looked up with a crooked kind of smile and held out a glass for Will who stepped a little closer and took the offering. He took a small sip, letting the smoothness trail over his tongue.

"I love you too." Hannibal placed a kiss on Will's head and took the two other glasses back towards the kitchen, passing them out like any good host would and offering plates for them to put all of their cookies and everything else they had grabbed on. With plates handed out, Hannibal returned to Will's side, a hand taking his waist to lead him to the kitchen.

"I want-"

"Me too," Hannibal assured softly, a kiss going to Will's hair. "When Jack and the agents here are gone. But first, let's try to see what kind of plan they were talking about."

"Thank you," Price said and Hannibal took a seat in front of them at the dining table as Will mirrored him, helping clean some of the table so they had room to sit more comfortably. "These look amazing."

"All of his cooking is always amazing," Zeller corrected through a mouthful of cinnamon roll, looking absolutely delighted by the sweets. Will would have to try one before they were arrested.

"A week then?" Will started, a hand taking Hannibal's under the table. Hannibal's thumb rubbed soothing circles into the back of his hand.

"Tomorrow will be a week," Zeller said.

"What took you so long?" Will asked, hoping to understand how their minds worked outside the labs. He rarely could see the two of them working as he and Jack used too, Beverly was different. Beverly was easier to deal with. One mind instead of two and a mind much more accepting of him than Zeller's ever had been.

"We don't have you anymore… If we ever did," Zeller said bitterly and Will blinked at the sharp change in tone. But Zeller had never really liked him. Will was sure that Zeller would still willingly believe that he was the Ripper instead of Hannibal if the option was available, apology accepted or not.

"Don't take it so hard Will," Price quickly said as if to excuse Zeller's behavior. "Brian sometimes doesn't know when-"

"No, please, do. It's not about acceptance, it's about principle." Zeller gave a shrug and bit into a chocolate chip cookie, receiving an annoyed look from Price.

"I am not following then, I am afraid," Hannibal said kindly, not at all put off but the sharp curtness that the situation had taken. His grip stayed soft on Will's hand and his jaw remained unclenched, much to Will's surprise.

"Let's say that because of the lesser evil, we all believe that it is better for you to be dead." Zeller wiped his hands on his pants and took a drink of the bourbon that had been given to him.

Hannibal's face relaxed completely and Will found himself trying to connect everything to find the meaning behind what very well could have been a threat.

"Whose idea was this?" Hannibal asked, pulling Will's half-finished glass from Will's hand to take his own drink.

"Alana," Price said.

"Jack," Zeller added, mouth turned down in a frown.

"Of course." Will grumbled, the pieces slowly coming together. He looked between the three men and bit his bottom lip between his teeth. "So Jack looped you into this?"

"Yes," Zeller hissed, sitting back into his chair, arms folded over his chest.

"I volunteered," Price said with a kind smile.

"Un-volunteer," Hannibal said shortly, finishing off Will's glass and setting it aside.

"There's a little too much jeopardy if I un-volunteer," Price explained with a small shrug. "We've gone too far into this to back out. You should know that Jack, Alana and both of us," -there was a sharp enunciation at both of us and Zeller rolled his eyes- "want to help put an end to all of this."

"Whatever you are planning to do isn't safe," Will said, hand tightening on Hannibal's. "If you are planning on doing what I think you're doing then we are all going to be fucked."

"It depends more on you," Zeller sighed. "Are you ready to be an Abigail Hobbs?"

Will's jaw tightened at the name as he let the intention to wound enter his body. Zeller's eyes shined smugly, though his face stayed vacant. Will wanted nothing more than to tear at Zeller's head, rip it from his neck. He had always tried so hard to be nice to the man, but was there really a need anymore? Will had sold his soul away to be with his devil, what was one more body along the way?

"Relax," Hannibal whispered softly against Will's temple before placing a kiss there. "No blood tonight."

"That's quite generous of you," Price said with a happy smile on his mouth. "I think Brian would appreciate not dying tonight as well, if he could learn to keep his mouth shut."

"There's no reason I should be quiet. We have the upper hand here and it's a necessity to the plan. I'm not sorry about the implications and yes they are all implied." Zeller sat forward in his chair, arms folded on the table as he swirled his nearly empty glass. "Let's be honest. The only way you two are going to get out of this is to follow this plan and which is the more realistic path to take? Sure you could kill the two of us, but what would it benefit? It would only make it harder for the two of you to get away. Pick your poison boys. I have a coin if a flip might be better."

"Brian," Price hissed, elbowing the dark haired man at Will's clenched jaw. "Shut the fuck up, will you?" Price gave a nervous sort of laugh before turning back to Will and Hannibal. "Look, we've been working day and night to set this up. We've updated your DNA and prints in all of the data bases and have two bodies on standby. We set up some big thing that brings the police raining down on you and you both jump off a bridge or something. The police find your bodies, all factors match, you're dead and with new identities you two can be on your way."

"You still don't have all of the details figured out," Hannibal pointed out, not at all in question. He pulled Will's hand a little closer into his body and held it tightly.

"We were waiting to find you. We can't do everything ourselves without a willing party," Zeller pressed on. "Now, we've all put our asses on the line for you two so I suggest you take your out while it's still freely given and I never have to see either of you again."

"Nothing is freely given," Will sighed, his free hand going to his hair and ruffling through his curls. "You know we can't trust you, at all. We have no reason to believe that this won't go belly up and I personally am not going to risk-"

"Will," Hannibal scolded with a small click of his tongue that made Will fall silent and look at Hannibal with an arched brow in disbelief.

"You can't seriously be contemplating this," Will argued, voice higher pitched than he wanted it and sounding weak. "No." Will shook his head and rose to his feet. "The best thing for us to do now would be to get rid of both of them and take their car and go, Hannibal. We don't need them." Hannibal gently pulled on Will's hand, but Will shook his hand free, going to pace the room. "Can't you see that the more of us that are involved with this, the less of a chance we have of it working. It's statistics. There's too many variables to accurately determine the many outcomes. This isn't some display or art work. This is our lives."

"Will." Hannibal got to his own feet and stepped past the curious eyes that were on them from the other side of the table, waiting for their own fate to be decided. "We need to consider all possibilities."

"And if they're lying?" Will demanded, feet going to run divots in the hardwood from his pacing.

"We'd be arrested if they were lying," Hannibal offered, trying to stop Will in his pacing, but Will pushed his hands away. "Will, can I get you another drink?" Hannibal watched over Will's features carefully. He had been on edge the last few days. When Hannibal was awake to see it, Will was fretting over everything now that Eli wasn't there to assist him. It was like the world was crushing him and Hannibal hadn't had a chance to help Will sort it out. "Who's there, Will?" Hannibal could feel the surprised eyes of the agents on his back, but he ignored them. "Who wants your attention right now?"

"Molly," Will muttered, a hand fluttering to dismiss the situation. "She wants to know why I abandoned Wally."

"He's fine," Price threw out and Hannibal glanced over his shoulder with a slight glare that made Price quickly look away.

"Jack's seen him more than us though," Zeller replied, a hint of taunting in his tone.

Hannibal's jaw ticked and a snarl curled at his lip. "I would advise against speaking the rest of the night, Agent Zeller, if you so wish to keep that chatty tongue of yours in your mouth," Hannibal warned. "I would rather think that it would be more burdensome for Agent Price if I mutilated your mouth than it would be for you. I would hate to take away the only pleasure that you can give him with that tongue of yours."

There was a red heat that blossomed over the younger agent's cheeks and he licked at his lips as if he were trying to memorize how it felt in case he did lose his tongue.

"For that I am grateful, doctor," Price said, not at all disturbed by the comment as Zeller seemed to be. "But he is right. Jack is the only one who has seen Walter." Hannibal glanced over to Will as Price did his best to steer the conversation to a much safer harbor for Brian. "He said that Walter seems to be content with where he is. He gets along with Margot, but not much with Alana. Their kid seems to keep Walter company. Was Morgan his name?" Jimmy asked, his eyes going over to Brian in question.

"I just remember him being very young," Zeller answered cautiously, eyes tight on Hannibal whose lips were still curled and waiting for any reason to pounce. "But Jack said Walter was very attached to the kid. Chained at the waist is what Jack said, if I remember correctly." There was a lightness from the empath at the mention, but he did not stop his worried pacing. "We try not to associate with Alana very often. She's not quite the same person since you, Doctor. None of us really are."

"We're going back for him," Will voice said behind Hannibal and both agents watched in interest as the killer's features immediately softened.

"Of course we are," Hannibal assured, reaching out once more to stop Will's hurried movements. He took Will's shoulders and pulled the empath into his arms in a tight hug. "We will go back for him. How about we sit and clear up some more details and we'll go from there?"

"Do you want to speak with him?" Jimmy offered kindly and Hannibal could feel Will tense in his hold.

"What?" Will asked from Hannibal's chest, pushing just slightly from Hannibal's hold to look at the agents.

"We've been in contact with Margot for a while," Jimmy continued as he pulled his phone from his pocket. "It wouldn't be out of place if we were to call her."

"We are being completely serious," Zeller pushed with a firm look at both of the killers in front of him. "We want all of this to come to an end. We're all tired, all of our nerves are frayed and tempers high. I honestly think it would do you some good to speak to the kid. Maybe it would be good for him too."

Will slowly pulled himself fully from Hannibal's grip and shook his head. "Don't be ridiculous." He turned his attention to Hannibal with a worried look. "What if-"

"They can't find us much more than we have been found," Hannibal assured with a slight sigh. "Go on." He nodded his approval and a small and hesitant smile pulled at Will's lips, a hopefulness in his eyes.

Will stepped over to the table and took the outheld phone from Jimmy that was already dialing. Will put it to his ear and stepped away from the table, listening to it ring for a moment or two before it was answered with a laughing tone.

"Hello?" Margot's sweet tone asked in Will's ear and Will let out a breath that had been aching at his lungs.

"Margot," he whispered, a hand going to his head as the smile across his lips grew.

"Will?" The laugh had fallen away and was replaced with surprise. "They found you, I guess."

"They are eating cookies and drinking bourbon in my dining room at the moment," Will answered, voice low as he stepped a little further from the group, honestly not caring if Hannibal were to just handle them himself. Molly had quieted beside him, though her eyes were firmly set on his face as if she were waiting to hear her son's voice on the other side of the line. And she was. She was Will after all. "Can I speak to Wally please?"

"It's been quite an interesting night, I must warn you," Margot admitted and Will could hear laughing grow a little louder. "Had to introduce Morgan to chicken nuggets."

Will gave a small chuckle. "I will be forever sorry for ruining your son's taste buds."

"No you won't," Margot shot back, the hint of a smile in her voice. The next words were slightly muffled. "Wally, your dad is on the phone for you." There was a shuffling and Will waited as patiently as he could, trying to ignore all of the eyes that were on him.

"Dad?" the young voice asked on the other side of the line and Will nearly felt like he would be knocked over at the weight that lifted from his chest.

"Wally," he breathed out. "You're ok? You're alright?"

"I'm so sorry dad!" Walter said quickly in apology. "It was my fault they found you, wasn't it? I wasn't trying to-"

"No," Will interrupted with a bright smile. "No, you didn't do anything wrong Wally. I'm sorry I was so curt with you earlier. There's been a lot of-"

"Emotions," Walter agreed. "Dad, Margot told me what Alana and Jack were planning. Are you coming back?"

"Soon," Will assured. "I promise, soon. We're discussing it now."

"Do you trust them?"

Will's smile fell at that and he glanced back to the table where Hannibal was frowning while Price spoke, though Will couldn't exactly make out what they were saying. "I don't know yet, but it's an option that I need to consider. Just promise to be good for Alana and Margot in the meantime. I'm sure what they're dealing with is not any less stressful than what you are. They're good friends. Please don't give them any trouble."

"I'll behave. I promise."

"Good." Will nodded though he knew that Walter couldn't see him. "I love you, son. I'll see you soon. Don't doubt me, Wally."

"I don't, dad," Walter said quickly. "Dad, can I ask you something?"

"Of course," Will answered, pacing slowly in a small space to make sure that the others still couldn't hear his conversation.

"Do you love Hannibal?"

Will's footsteps paused and he turned back to the table, catching Hannibal's tired gaze. One that said he needed more rest and wasn't ready to be out of bed quite yet. Hannibal's lips tipped up into a side smile as if to reassure Will that everything was alright.

"Would it bother you if I did?" Will asked back, unsure of what else to exactly say. He stared at the man in front of him, the one he had given up so much for. The man that had done everything wrong in every sense of the world and had still somehow swept Will off his feet.

"I haven't come to a valid conclusion yet," Walter said after a moment's silence.

"I love Hannibal," Will said softly. "I love him very much."

"Is he going to be my dad?"

"Not if you don't want him to. I don't think that Hannibal would mind if you didn't think of him in such a way."

"You really want this to work, don't you?"

"What to work?" Will asked, running a hand nervously through his curls, eyes still stuck on maroon.

"A family with Hannibal," Wally supplied, voice light as he spoke.

"I-"

"I know that I'm not an adequate substitute for your daughter, but I can try dad."

Will felt the heat leave his body at the words. He had never once breathed out the name Abigail in front of Walter and he would never have admitted to thinking of the girl as his daughter. Not to Molly. Not to his new son. So how could he possibly know?

"Who told you that?" Will asked breathlessly.

"Hannibal."

Will bit his bottom lip, a spike of anger flooding him that he quickly put out. This wasn't the time or the place for this conversation. They had other things to deal with. Bigger things to deal with. Will could work on patching up his child once he was able to be with his child again.

"You do not have to try anything." Will closed his eyes with a sigh. "You do not get to compare yourself with her. She is nothing to either of us now, I assure you. Just a bad memory. You do not have to replace a girl who was never really there and it was wrong for Hannibal to say something like that to you."

"I can show you that I'm good enough for you. I have to."

"Why, Wally?" Will asked in desperation, body shivering with cold from Hannibal's supposed words.

"Why else would you come back for me?"

"Wally, I need you to understand that I chose you after I met Hannibal and I will continue to choose you every day. I'm not going to leave you behind, even with Hannibal. Listen to me very closely, you two are the most important people in my life and I will do whatever I need to to keep both of you." Will gave a half smile. "Once we're together, you are never going to be out of my sight again. Not until you go to college."

There was a sound of dislike across the line that made Will smile more. "I don't want to go to college, dad."

," Will said. "Now, make sure you stay right where you are and wait patiently for as long as it takes for me to come get you. I promise I am working every day to figure it out, it's just a matter of time. You need to trust me."

"Alright," Walter agreed. "Do try to hurry though."

"Are you bored?"

"No. Morgan won't let me be. He bugs me to play with him all the time. He's annoying."

"I'm glad you have a friend."

"He is not my friend," Walter grumbled. "He acts like some kind of royalty. He's a pain. And he's always well dressed and never gets dirty, even when he eats."

Will chuckled, feeling light. "Sounds like someone I know."

"And he's so nice, it's nauseating. I can't stand him."

"Be kind to him. He might just be lonely. Could you imagine growing up in that big house all by yourself?"

"Surprised Alana isn't dead."

"Wally," Will warned sternly, though he couldn't let the smile drop from his lips. "Didn't you want to have a brother at his age?"

"Dad, he could never be my brother." There was a frown in Walter's answer.

"Just be kind to him. Be kind to all of them."

"Alright, dad."

"I need to go. I promise you won't have to wait much longer."

"Love you dad."

"I love you too, Wally."

There was an off twist of amusement and anger in Will's chest as he made his way back to the table. He passed back the phone with a thankful look, before his eyes fell to Hannibal who met his gaze in silent question.

"We need to talk," Will muttered, his fingers tapping on the tabletop impatiently. "In private." Will ignored the odd looks that both Price and Zeller traded, obviously on edge. Hannibal gave a small nod and rose from the table, following Will into the kitchen where Hannibal grabbed a cookie and snapped a part of it off to eat. He stayed silent, watching as Will ran a hand through his hair with a deep breath. "What did you tell Wally about Abigail?"

"I didn't tell him anything about Abigail. He already knew," Hannibal replied easily and Will frowned as he took another bite of cookie, anger welling up in his chest.

"Can't you act human for two seconds?" Will demanded, knocking the cookie from Hannibal's hand. The cookie dropped to the floor and both Zeller and Price looked back at the noise.

Hannibal straightened up with a raised brow, a look that Will knew well. A therapist waiting for their patient to explode before calmly talking them through the problems that were darkening their minds.

"I'm not your fucking patient Hannibal," Will hissed. "Don't give me that look, damn it. You know damn well what you said to my son."

"Your son and I spoke of many things, Will. Did you know he learned Lithuanian just for me? Quite a charming boy you have," Hannibal muttered, folding his arms over his chest.

Will's train of thought stuttered to a stop for a single moment as he recalled that Walter had spoken to Hannibal in Lithuanian when they had left the boy behind. Will had nearly forgotten the conversation and his brows furrowed as it came back to him.

"What did he say to you? That night?" Will asked softly.

"He asked me to take care of you," Hannibal answered in just as quiet a voice. "I suppose you're asking about him being a replacement for Abigail. The words that I said were meant to hurt Molly, not the boy. I didn't think the boy would take it personally. I'm sorry."

"No, you're not," Will grumbled, folding his arms over his chest. "You're not fucking sorry."

"Will," Hannibal scolded. "It pains me that you don't believe me after we promised no more lies."

Will's person softened at the words and he sighed, a hand going to pinch the bridge of his nose. "You're sorry?"

"I'm sorry," Hannibal agreed.

"You will apologize to my son."

"I will apologize to your son." Hannibal gave a nod.

Will's index finger pushed painfully into Hannibal's chest. "I mean it Hannibal. This isn't going to be an easy transition and I don't need you making it any harder."

"Of course."

"Should we talk about details or should we call it a night?" Jimmy called over and Will sighed with a roll of his eyes.

"Do you need to sleep? You're looking pale." Will asked softly.

"I'm fine," Hannibal assured. "Let's get this all figured out."

---

"I..." Will trailed off, flipping through the multitudes of papers that were stern over the table, most written in Hannibal's cursive that was a joy to look at from an art perspective but murder to try to read. "How do you have this many safe houses?"

"Should I not have safe houses?" Hannibal asked back in mock curiosity, head resting in his hand that was propped up on the table top.

"And your accounts are a bottomless pit," Will muttered, dropping the papers in his hands before picking several others and scanning over them. "I know you come from royalty, but I didn't think that-"

"The money I live on in my daily life was from my medical practice. I try not to touch my reserves."

Will closed his eyes with a deep breath. "You lived that way off of your medical practice? Fuck, was I in the wrong field." Will opened his eyes again and gave a nod, setting everything aside. "Alright. I know all of your assets, all of your account information, all of your estates and their locations. Can we please get married and run away now?"

Hannibal's lips pulled into a slight smile. "You looked at the papers for a matter of moments each, how could you possibly know everything already?"

"I'm starting to think you don't want to marry me, Hannibal," Will teased with a small smile. "I have a very good memory." Hannibal's smile dropped at that and Will frowned with a small nod. "I... I still don't remember everything, do I?"

"Not even close, though I am very happy with how quickly you came back to me this time."

"What will you do if I forget you after we're married?"

Hannibal was quiet for a long moment and Will bit his lip as the unspoken truth of the silence clawed its way into his bones. Hannibal didn't need to say a single word for Will to understand. The emotions radiating off of the man were loud and choked the air from Will's lungs, making his chest feel like it was going to cave in on itself.

"Do you want to get married?" Will asked softly, reaching out across the table to take Hannibal's free hand. Hannibal returned the grip, thumb gently caressing over the back of Will's hand. "If it bothers you that much, we don't-"

"I wouldn't have asked you if I didn't want it."

"It wasn't just the gun in your face?"

"The safety was on," Hannibal pointed it out with a smirk. "You wouldn't have shot me."

"I was seriously contemplating it," Will grumbled with a small smile of his own.

"Were you?" Hannibal questioned, eyebrows raised.

"Yeah." Will pulled his hand free and rested back in his chair with his arms folded over his chest. He gave a shrug. "But then I remembered that I kinda liked you."

"How utterly charming," Hannibal snorted as he got to his feet, coming around the table and to Will's side.

"Yeah, I don't know," Will continued in his teasing tone, looking up as Hannibal turned his chair so that he was facing the killer. "I mean, he's kind of handsome, I suppose."

Hannibal's smile was bright and all teeth as he placed a knee to one side of Will's legs and leaned over the chair. "Only kind of?" he asked back, hands taking the back of Will's chair to anchor him as he leaned in a little closer to Will.

"He's a bit of an arrogant narcissist." Will's nose scrunched up and he shook his head. "But his cheekbones are dangerous and his eyes make me melt."

Hannibal hummed and nuzzled at Will's ear with his nose. Will gave a chuckle and shifted out of Hannibal's grip as his hair tickled his ear. "What else do you like about him?"

"Fishing for compliments, are we? I thought I was the fisherman, Dr. Lecter," Will taunted, pushing his curls behind his ear. Hannibal only took the opportunity to press a kiss to Will's ear. One of Will's hands reached out and slid up and over Hannibal's thigh, taking in the strong muscle there that was used for chasing down prey. "He has this voice that is like a lullaby. It's sweet and powerful and relaxes me. His accent isn't half bad either. Much more proper than my southern drawl."

"I can find appeal in such twang," Hannibal whispered, kissing at Will's cheek.

"Those two are very different." Will gave a small chuckle and Hannibal rolled his eyes. "For someone who cares about the specifics in everything, you don't seem to think that different accents in the states means a lot."

"You stopped being cute when you corrected me," Hannibal grumbled, though he didn't leave Will, he moved closer and Will turned his face to steal a kiss from Hannibal with a light moan. His hand snatched out and grabbed the fabric of Hannibal's sweater and pulled him closer until Hannibal was straddling Will's lap at the kitchen table.

"I was cute?"

"Maybe at one time," Hannibal answered between the frantic kisses that Will was placing to his lips. "What's the difference?"

"Between a twang and a drawl?" Will asked, letting his voice slip into that silky sound, his vowels lengthened and the rest of the words relaxed in their pronunciation. "Now, Dr. Lecter. Do you really need someone such as me to educate you?" Hannibal closed his eyes at the words and nodded, feeling a little dizzy as the sound graced his ears. A sound that Hannibal was certain only Will let him hear after how long he had been trying to stave off the accent his whole life. "A drawl is from the deep south. It drops the harsh R sounds and is more fluid and drawn out, it's much slower. Like a lazy summer afternoon with sweet iced tea after a long day of fishing in the bayou. A twang belongs to more of the western south." Will's nails scraped over Hannibal's thighs through his slacks and Hannibal's body grew weak against him. Will smiled, doing his best to keep the accent bright in his voice as he continued to speak. "Think Oklahoma and Texas. A twang is harsher and nasally, you break the vowels up and monophthongs turn into diphthongs. Country music is usually more of a twang than a drawl."

"Don't stop," Hannibal whispered, kissing at Will's neck. Hannibal sighed. "Please don't stop talking."

"You like my gross accent that much?" Will asked with a chuckle, leaning his head back to let Hannibal have better access to his throat. Hannibal hummed in answer with a light nip at Will's collar. "What should I talk about?"

"Where is my safe house in Amsterdam?" Hannibal asked softly.

"In the country, outside of Monnickendam," Will answered in his accent, letting Hannibal's fingers pull at the buttons on his shirt. "We are a married couple, tired of city life. You are a pastry chef and I am a boat mechanic. We both own small shops in town."

"And in Argentina?"

"We have a place in La Plata outside of Buenos Aires. You are a stay at home dad and I am a dog walker. That one actually sounds rather pleasant."

"Does it? I did try to come up with things that you would enjoy doing."

"Because you know me so well," Will whispered with a sigh as Hannibal's tongue traced back up his neck and to the dip below his ear. Hannibal sucked on the sensitive skin and Will let out an involuntary groan.

"Intimately," Hannibal whispered, breath hot against Will's skin. "Last one, Will. What about my house in Japan?"

"You don't have a house in Japan, though I wouldn't be opposed to seeing it at some time. Maybe pay respects to your aunt."

"My aunt?" Hannibal asked curiously, a smile in his voice.

"She was from Japan, wasn't she?"

"Of all of the things you can remember," Hannibal muttered with an almost sad sort of sigh. Will was about to ask what Hannibal wished he remembered, but before he could get a word out, Hannibal continued on. "I'll marry you now, Will. We'll get your son the next day and head to Europe. Where would you like to go first?"

"I would love to see Germany," Will answered. "That gothic home sounds lovely."

"The one in Monschau, North Rhine-Westphalia?" Hannibal pulled back with a small smirk. "I thought for sure you would have said the villa in Venice."

"After," Will said with a bright smile. "I've already been to Italy, though I don't have much memory of it. We'll see it again after I see something new with you. Something that I won't forget."

"As you wish, mano meilė."

---

"They're going through with it?" Jack asked, looking up from where his head had been hidden in his hands. His eyes were wide as he looked between Jimmy and Brian who stood in front of his desk for the first time in about a week.

"Absolutely," Price answered with a smile.

"Good riddance," Zeller grumbled under his breath, receiving a sharp elbow to the ribs from the older man beside him. "What? The sooner they're gone, the sooner we can focus on other cases that are far more important than some murder freaks who love each other."

"You really hate them that much?"

"They were in on it the whole time. Will knew the entire time and did nothing," Zeller answered.

"He told us, and we ignored him," Jack pointed out.

"Not that. He was helping Lecter the entire time. You can't begin to think that he was innocent through all of this. You saw the way he strung up that Tier guy. He didn't have any issues with the crime scene like he normally did. He was getting off on it. It was all a game to him. A play."

"You can't be serious," Price said back harshly. "You know exactly why he did that."

"He was flirting with the cannibal!" Zeller shot back.

"Boys, please," Jack muttered with a deep sigh, a pain filling his shoulders at the weight of the conversation. "When are we going to finish all preparations?"

"They said that they had something important to do first before we set everything in motion," Price replied.

Zeller gave a huff and folded his arms over his chest. "They promised it had nothing to do with killing someone, but who the hell could possibly know with them?"

"And when is this event supposed to take place?" Jack asked softly.

"This Friday, supposedly. They want to pick up the boy on Saturday," Price answered. "Do you think that they will have more cookies left over from-"

"They were really good cookies," Zeller admitted softly.

"Cookies?" Jack looked between both men again and waved his hand, dismissing the question. He wasn't sure if he could deal with the idea that they had once more partook in Hannibal's cooking when they knew exactly what he did to the bodies he mutilated. "So we aim for Saturday."

---

"One of the other benefits of getting married is that you can't testify against me in court."

Will gave a loud laugh as he buttoned up his dress shirt. Nothing too nice, just something to look presentable. "And here I thought you were marrying me because you loved me."

"I do love you," Hannibal assured, straightening his tie in the mirror. "This is just a bonus."

Will laughed again. "Or is it because you don't want me to have the option to run off on you again for another three years."

"That could be another contributing factor," Hannibal admitted, looking at Will in the mirror who was straightening his shirt collar, though he left the tie untouched.

Will pulled on his suit coat and turned with curls tamed and brushed back, causing Hannibal's gut to twist with fingers dying to mess them up. Hannibal grabbed his vest and pulled it on, buttoning it up with a deep breath.

"Is something upsetting you?" Will asked curiously, stepping closer to Hannibal who shook his head and grabbed his own suit coat.

"No, no," he said quickly, pulling on the coat.

"Just nervous," Will agreed without Hannibal needing to say the words. There was a lot riding on this. Will would be a fool to think that there was not. This was a step that he was ready to make, but one that he had seen Hannibal slowly struggling with and how could Will blame the man? After everything that they had done to each other over the years, he was surprised that Hannibal had even asked for his hand in the first place. Will could disappear in a moment's notice. Mentally or physically. He had done it before, why should Hannibal expect the future to be any different?

"Are you ready?" Hannibal asked as he buttoned up the front of the coat, eyes looking over Will once more, dressed far more casually than Hannibal, but nothing that Hannibal would change. Black slacks that hugged Will just right. White dress shirt unbuttoned and open at the top and suit coat open, but still clinging to Will like he had been poured into it.

"Ready as I'll ever be," Will answered with a nod, taking Hannibal's outstretched hand.

Hannibal pulled Will close, giving the empath a quick kiss. "For better or worse?" he asked in a whisper, arm wrapping around Will's waist. "In life and death?"

Will snorted a laugh. "Probably death."

Hannibal nodded. "Death, for sure."

Will gave another laugh and bit his bottom lip. "'Till death do us part then."

"Death could never separate us," Hannibal whispered, pressing another kiss to Will's lips. He could feel Will's hand reach into his coat and slip under his vest, pressing just over his heart that was racing in his chest. "Still only for you," Hannibal assured softly, resting his forehead against Will's. "It never does this for anyone else."

"I hope it never stops doing this. I don't know what I would do." Will licked at his lips and pulled back with a deep breath. "You're sure this is what you want? We can just say we did."

"Darling boy," Hannibal chastised gently, fighting the desperate urge to run his fingers through Will's curls. There would be time for that later. "I would not be standing here with you if my intentions were not clear cut."

Will gave a small nod, but Hannibal could see the same nervousness in Will's features that had been there the last few days. The same fear that had been in Hannibal's own veins. The uncertainty of the future and with Will, it would be absolutely uncertain. Will had always been unpredictable. Hannibal could determine the outcome of any other aspect of his life with absolute certainty, but Will was an entirely different beast.

Hannibal released the boy, save for one of Will's well worked, calloused hands and pulled Will with him from the small dressing room in the church. It wouldn't be anything big. No one but them and the priest that Hannibal had paid off quite handsomely.

The chapel of the church was nothing too elaborate, something small just for Will because Hannibal knew that Will wouldn't like the fuss. Knew that the more private the better it would be. It would calm the empath's anxieties long enough that they could get through the act. It was all formalities anyways. Some ritual that didn't need to be done for Hannibal to show how much he worshiped Will, but one that he knew meant the absolute world to Will.

The ceremony was short, sweet and very to the point, surprising Will as much as the size of the church had. He had thought that they would have been in for some elaborate ornate thing from one of Hannibal's artistic whims, but was pleasantly taken aback by the simplicity. The thought was touching and made Will choke up in a way he hadn't with Molly.

"Please exchange the rings," the priest said, motioning between the two of them. "I believe you said you had your own vows?"

Hannibal gave a small nod and reached into his pocket, pulling a silver band with a white inlay in it free from his pocket. Will looked over it carefully. Of course the ring would be something unusual. A slight smile pulled at his lips and he tried to keep from rolling his eyes as he tried to guess what was the inlay in the ring. It wouldn't be anything simple. It never was with Hannibal.

Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue.

That ridiculous poem was something Hannibal would pull from, Will had no doubt. So what was something old made to something new? It would no doubt be something borrowed, though Will wasn't sure where the blue came in.

Will looked a little closer as the ring was slowly slid onto his finger, something so familiar about the color and the material there. Something that he had seen multitudes of times. Something that he had touched and tasted before as well. Bone.

But it wouldn't be just any one person's bone. Hannibal was a sentimental bastard as it was. Maybe it belonged to Dollarhyde. Their first kill together would always be momentous, but unless Hannibal had gone back to collect, Will doubted it. It could have been Teir's, Will's first official kill under Hannibal's careful hand. But he had been there the entire time with Hannibal while he displayed the man, once more under Hannibal's careful instruction. Hannibal hadn't touched the man.

Will was nearly at a loss for whose it belonged to before it finally came to him. It was his own bones. Ones that had once belonged to Hannibal, ones that he would have kept due to some sick perversion, though there was no use to hold onto such a thing. His own finger was in this ring, his nearly almost husband forever to be close to his skin, forever with him even if they were apart and Will couldn't stop the endearing that welled up in his chest.

"I commit myself," Hannibal whispered so low that Will knew he was the only one who could hear his words, "to spend the rest of my days making yours as beautiful and complete as you have made mine since the day I met you, for you are the reflection of my very soul. A reflection of a part that I had lost many years ago and was gone until you gave it back to me. No lies, no secrets, no laws and not even death will keep me apart from you for you and I are one."

Will smiled with a small huff of air. He cleared his throat to try to keep his mouth from going dry as Hannibal's simple but powerful words shook him to his very core. Words that didn't need to be flowery and large to hold a world of meaning within them.

With a trembling in his hands that he couldn't stop, Will reached into his own pocket and cursed the simple silver band that he had picked out, unsure if anything else would have fit Hannibal quite like the gentleness of sterling against tanned skin.

Will licked at his lips as his mind struggled to try to pull together some semblance of language for him to speak. He stared at the back of Hannibal's hand, eyes following the lines in his skin before he slid the ring onto Hannibal's finger, something sharp and stabbing in his chest at how real this felt all of a sudden.

"From this moment I give my whole self to you," Will whispered, grateful that his voice wasn't cracking with the way that it felt like it would, "to respect you, honor you and cherish all of the life that you and I are about to create for ourselves and the family we are going to be. I promise you that I will always do my best to find my way to you," -Will hoped that Hannibal knew exactly what Will meant and the small tip of Hannibal's lips told Will he did. Will would always find him, whether his mind was on fire, being carved out with a saw or being wiped clean again and again. He would find Hannibal- "for I cannot be myself without you because you are the most beautiful and truest part of myself. I cannot live without you because I know that I can be more with you than I have ever been apart from you."

"I pronounce you husbands. You may kiss," the priest said, the book he had been holding, closing with a slight snap.

"I love you," Hannibal whispered.

"I love you too." Will pulled Hannibal close to him and was greeted with lips against his, something so much more powerful about this kiss with the weight of everything that had happened between them in it. The priest's footsteps echoed away, but neither of them cared much, happily tangled up in each other.

Will wasn't sure how long they were there, but sirens were what brought him back to himself. He broke the kiss, breathing hard. Both he and Hannibal glanced towards the closed doors of the church, reds and blues pouring through the ornate stained glass windows and Will sighed.

"Paid him enough, did you?" Will teased, pulling himself from Hannibal and reaching into the back of his waistline to pull his gun free. "Will he be your next display?"

"Only if you deem it a worthy cause," Hannibal answered, a smile on his lips as Will checked to make sure his gun was loaded before switching off the safety and pulling back the hammer on it with a click. "You're going to kill officers, Mr. Lecter?"

"It's self-defense," Will muttered, eyes darting up as the locked door at the back of the church was kicked, no warning given out, not that one needed to be given for Will and Hannibal to know exactly who they were. "How do we get out of here, Dr. Lecter?"

"Come with me," Hannibal said, taking Will's hand and pulling him up and behind the pews. There was another kick and a cracking sound as the wood finally splintered and gave way for the officers to enter the room. There were at least a dozen men that spilled into the church and a gun went off. Some of the rock wall by Will's head shattered into dust and Will came to a stop, his own gun going off. There was a groan from one of the officers and one dropped to the ground, a hand clutching his shoulder. "Will," Hannibal called, holding a door open and Will raced after Hannibal.

The door was closed behind them and Will grabbed a chair from around a rectangular table and used it to shove under the door handle. Will's arm was snatched up and he was wheeled around for a quick kiss from Hannibal before he was pulled along and to where a window was, glass sparkling with the picture of Mary, one of many throughout the church.

"Gun," Hannibal instructed, holding out his hand. There was a loud smash at the door and the chair behind them creaked and groaned at the pressure that was put on it. Will passed Hannibal the gun, who went for the window and used the butt of the gun to smash at the glass. Will stared as the carefully made art was turned to nothing more than colored shards.

"You-You just-"

"We don't have time to contemplate the artistry that was put into this building, Will. Another time, maybe." Hannibal gave a chuckle and passed the gun back into Will's empty hand while he stripped himself of his suit coat. Will glanced over his shoulder at another loud smash at the door, the wood cracking at the brute force. Hannibal draped his coat over the edge of the window and turned back. "Will, come along."

Will moved over to the window and glanced out at the drop. Nothing too high. He threw a leg over the edge and then the other before letting himself fall the few feet to the ground, ducking behind the bush that was there and waiting for Hannibal to join him.

Hannibal was quickly by his side and he snatched up Will's hand once more, pulling him from the bush and through the small graveyard that was on the property, headstones tripping Will up once or twice as he tried to keep up with Hannibal's impressive pace.

"They didn't surround the church?" Will questioned curiously as they hit the sidewalk and raced down it, pushing through people. "Seems like an under sight."

"Cocky?" Hannibal asked.

"Possibly."

Will gave a small laugh as Hannibal tugged him around a corner of the street and they continued on. If this was going to be their life, Will knew it absolutely wouldn't be boring. There was no way it would be boring if they were on the run from the police and there were corrupt people ready to turn them in with a new fat wad of cash in their wallets.

There were more lights up ahead and Will quickly pulled Hannibal across the street and through oncoming traffic. "This way," he called over his shoulder, dropping Hannibal's hand so they could run easier as they dashed between two buildings that were huddled closely together. "We just had to come back to Baltimore, didn't we?"

"You weren't complaining earlier. We are closer to your son."

Will just laughed, coming to a halt as another police cruiser with lights and sirens blaring sped down the street. Hannibal led the way in the opposite direction and Will followed after him, their pace a little slower now. Somewhere much closer to a natural walk than a sprint.

"Where to now?" Will questioned, glancing at the street behind them before he followed Hannibal across the road. "You know this city better than I do." Hannibal just shot Will a knowing look and Will gave a heavy sigh as they faded back behind another building. "You knew he was going to tell, didn't you?"

"I had my suspicions," Hannibal admitted with a grin. "You have to admit that it made everything a bit more exciting."

"Yeah, exciting isn't the word I would have used." Will rolled his eyes and stopped as he was pressed up against one of the buildings, Hannibal's body tight against his. One of Hannibal's hands took Will's wrist and slipped under the cuff of his dress shirt, taking his pulse.

"Rather steady for a man who just shot an officer," Hannibal teased, nuzzling his nose against Will's.

"He almost hit me. I was just returning the favor," Will whispered, pushing forward to kiss his husband. "We're married, Hannibal."

Hannibal laughed at the dreamy way the words were uttered. "I think we are, Mr. Lecter."

"God," Will groaned, hands tight on Hannibal's hips, tugging the man somehow closer. "That sounds so much better than Graham. Graham ruins too many marriages."

Will received another kiss, but it didn't last quite as long as he wanted it to before the sound of sirens brought the two of them back to themselves.

"Come along, darling husband," Hannibal muttered with a kiss to Will's cheek. "We're not far from our room."

"You got us a room?" Will asked curiously, following the man once he was released.

"Maybe more than a room. I was not about to spend our wedding night hiding out under some bridge while the cops look for us," Hannibal explained, offended in his tone at the indignity of what he had just mentioned.

Will snorted his laughter. "Fucking me under a bridge wouldn't be your idea of fun?"

"I'm not a heathen, Will."

Will only shook his head and broke into a sprint after Hannibal when a hey you was shouted from an officer across the street.

Hannibal stopped Will at the edge of a street where the tall office buildings had started to give way to smaller houses. Quaint little things that were cookie cutter and simple, but nonetheless pretty to look at.

Hannibal glanced around to double check no one saw them before he headed up the front steps of one, Will's hand in his. Will quickly tucked the gun back into his waistline and dress pants as Hannibal unlocked the front door, guiding Will inside.

Will glanced around the modest estate in curiosity. Yet again, something far more simple than Will had been expecting. Something that reminded him of a farmhouse in the middle of the large city, a small escape from the sirens that were still ever prominent outside and would be the rest of the night. But Will could get used to the sound, used to the way his blood raced each time a police cruiser passed this house.

Will pulled his suit coat from his shoulders and tossed it over the back of a couch, stepping into the small living room that had a cozy sort of feel to it. There was a fireplace with wood beside it and Will gave a small smile.

"Was dinner part of the plan?" Will asked softly.

"I'm sure that it could be arranged," Hannibal stated, voice just as soft though Will wasn't sure if both of them just didn't want to break the mood they had set or if they spoke any louder then all of the Baltimore police department would know exactly where they were. "What are you in the mood for, my love?"

Will snickered as a hand was slid around his back until it found the gun and pulled it free from the back of his pants with a disapproving look. "You knew they were going to come after us and you're upset with me because I had the good sense to bring a weapon to our wedding?"

Hannibal's look turned from one of disapproval to something a bit more relaxed with a roll of his eyes. "It's not very classy, Will."

"There was nothing classy about what we just did, Hannibal." Will gave another laugh and pulled the gun from Hannibal's hand, placing it aside on the table by the couch. "Though, it is something that I won't be forgetting anytime soon."

"Tikiuosi, kad taip, mano meile." Hannibal's hand slid over Will's cheek and Will pressed a kiss into Hannibal's palm. "How about you make a fire and I'll get some drinks and make something to eat?"

"Alright," Will answered, nuzzling his face into Hannibal's hand, his own hands circling around Hannibal's wrist to keep the man right there where he was. He placed another deep kiss to Hannibal's palm and inhaled deeply, eyes closing as he stepped closer to Hannibal. "Thank you."

"Whatever for, love?" Hannibal questioned, arm circling Will's waist to pull his body flush against his own, something so utterly intimate about the closeness of the moment.

"For just being so perfectly you."

"And I'm the one who's the romantic sap?" Hannibal teased, voice barely above a whisper as he pressed a soft kiss to Will's lips. Will returned the kiss eagerly, throwing his arms around Hannibal's neck, soft and needy sounds coming from his throat as another round of sirens rang through the house.

"Hannibal," Will groaned against the man's mouth. "I want you."

"I'm right here."

"More."

Hannibal broke the kiss with a small chuckle and Will frowned, trying to pull Hannibal back. "Let's have dinner first, silly boy. Rest for a moment from the run. I promise the adrenaline won't leave you that quickly." Will groaned in protest, but Hannibal simply detangled the empath from himself. "Make a fire my love. I promise something simple tonight that won't take too long to make."

With fire made and wine drank, probably more than what should have been, and a lovely beef stew eaten that reminded Will of a very cold night in front of a hurried fire and wrapped in numerous blankets with a shivering Hannibal, though he wasn't truly certain where the image came from, but it must have been real because he recognized the cabin, Will rested himself against Hannibal on the couch.

A hand played with his curls while Hannibal finished off his glass of wine. As soon as the glass was empty, Will was swift to pull the glass from Hannibal's hand and straddled the man, glass discarded to the coffee table.

Will tangled his hands into Hannibal's silky hair and kissed at Hannibal's sharp cheekbones. "I've played your game, Hannibal. We had dinner and wine and there's a fire. I want my husband now," Will whispered as he continued to kiss every inch of Hannibal's face he could. "I want him to rip me to pieces and leave me begging. Please."

Hannibal inhaled deeply and frowned as he put thought into Will's scent, something so awfully familiar in the aftershave he wore. Something from when they had first met. Something that he had used to distract from the painful realization that his friend was suffering with an illness, before the idea to watch everything play out took hold. Something with a ship on the bottle.

"I waited three years for you and you came to me smelling like horrendous aftershave, that house and her. You still smell like one of those things, even now," Hannibal grumbled in disgust.

"Then fix it, Dr. Lecter. I can't do everything myself," Will teased, pressing a heated kiss to Hannibal's neck. "In my defense, I was trying to catch a murderer, not reading your love letters. Don't be too hard on me." He wasn't exactly sure where he pulled the words from, but they were the truth. Hannibal had written him love letters while they were apart, though Will couldn't be sure exactly where Hannibal had gone, just that Will was with Molly when he received the letters.

"You read all of my letters, didn't you?" Hannibal asked curiously before snatching up Will's lips hungrily. "Even if you didn't answer."

"When I couldn't sleep," Will admitted through bruised and busy lips. "I hid them in my dresser and at night when I couldn't sleep I would sneak away to read them before burning them so Molly wouldn't know."

But she knew. She had always known. Sometimes after nightmares she would ask if he needed to go and read those letters. He wouldn't come back to bed after that. He couldn't sleep after pouring over the drawings that Will had received from Hannibal, reading and rereading Hannibal's words before the words were turned to ash. Though the drawings were always kept. Treasured and saved away in his drawer in his dresser, under his socks.

"Naughty boy."

"You have no idea what your words do to me, Hannibal."

"What were your favorite?" Hannibal asked softly, voice barely there, lost in the air between their lips, being eaten up by Will's kiss.

"You're so delicious as a concept, but as a person I worry about you," Will replied. "And let's not forget that you fucked Alana. And you married Bedelia."

"An alibi in both cases, I assure you. But you kissed Alana, lest we forget." Hannibal pulled back with a lazy smile and a sigh. "And I can't have that."

"You're being possessive, Dr. Lecter."

"You belong to me, Will. No one else."

"My mind has always been yours," Will whispered, nuzzling his forehead against Hannibal's, arms locked around the man's neck. "You still have no idea what your words did to me. After every letter I would dream of you if I could put the letter down and sleep. Sometimes I would read them over and over for hours on end."

"What about?"

Will licked at his lips and crawled a little closer to Hannibal from where he straddled his lap. "You and me in compromising positions. Calling your name, Dr. Lecter."

"I hope you didn't use such formal terms," Hannibal teased, stealing a quick kiss. "Compromising positions?"

Will sighed exasperatedly, eyes dark with lust as he stared at Hannibal from under his lashes. "You know damn well what I mean."

"I'm afraid I don't."

It was bait and Will rose to it so readily. "Sex dreams, Dr. Lecter. You and me in cars and bar bathrooms and hotel rooms. Filthy, dirty, hot, sweaty sex." Will could feel the way that Hannibal shifted under him embarrassedly and it made Will smile. Maybe Hannibal hadn't expected for the fish to fight against the hook that he had so lazily cast. "Me shoved up against the wall of a bathroom stall, your tie shoved into my mouth to keep me quiet as you pound into me."

Hannibal looked away, a blush on his cheeks and cleared his throat. "Does that bother you, Dr. Lecter?" Will teased smugly. Hannibal gave a minute shake of his head. "Me giving you a blowjob while you drive until you have to pull over, unable to focus and I ride you until you come undone under me." There was a strangled sort of sound that came from Hannibal's lips and Will laughed. "Desperate kissing in the elevator, obscene noises that make others uncomfortable as you shove me to our room, undressing me in the hall while I struggle to get the door unlocked. You pick me up and carry me into the room, trapping me to the bed. The room is destroyed by the time we're done. People are upset from the headboard hitting the wall because I have to cling to it so I don't fall over. There's dents in the wall now."

"Mano geras berniukas," Hannibal breathed out. "Ar visada buvote tokia purvina?"

"English, Dr. Lecter," Will ordered, nipping at Hannibal's lips as his hips ground down on Hannibal's. Hannibal bit his lips with a groan and Will only smiled. "Come on, what did you say, Dr. Lecter? Focus for me."

"Lascivious boy," Hannibal scolded, though his voice lacked the commitment.

"Please, doctor. Proceed."

Hannibal simply smiled, a hand brushing a curl from Will's face. Hannibal had never believed that the day of his wedding would come, having grown absolutely content with the idea of being alone, of having to live life among the mundane and the tediousness of normal people. He had come to the conclusion that there would never be another person out there that understood him, saw him, accepted him for what he was and then this stuttering, socially inept man stumbled ungracefully into his life.

The world was immediately brighter with the empath in it. Someone just as weird, unstable and pained as he was. Someone just as trapped in his own skin and mind. Then came that one person who understood, who no longer judged, accepted him for what he really was, and didn't run from the darkness inside of his heart, but stood firm just like God among mortals.

Finally there was someone who gave Hannibal a sense of comfort, who calmed the storm raging inside of his mind too often, someone who was able to look beneath his eyes and see the vastness of his bare soul. Just trusting that person wouldn't be enough, it would be too simple. Had been far too simple.

That trust turned to a love so fierce that it forgave even the most gruesome betrayal from that person, just as long as there was still love for him in those cold actions. A love so consuming, so intimate, so powerful, so dangerous. A love that transformed his whole being in a way he didn't even expect to ever happen, not in his wildest dreams.

But it was real and he could see in those Botticelli blue eyes of Will's just how real all of it was. He wasn't sure if there was any other moment in his life that he wanted to hold onto quite like this moment. A moment where he felt so completely connected to another person that not even the threat of being found and separated worried him. He had to hold onto this moment. He had to remember this moment forever, so he burned it into his memory, seared it into his mind palace, and branded it into his very being to enjoy this moment he had committed to for the rest of his life and into death.

He cupped Will's cheek and kissed the boy, soft and slowly, knowing it wouldn't last. This moment would be over just as quickly as it had begun, just as they always were. Moments left as precious indents in his head. He just hoped that Will understood exactly what was swirling through his chest, but Hannibal wasn't quite sure he could put a name to it. It was just real and he was entirely terrified that Will would disappear as he had before and all that Hannibal would be left with were these memories, these small, precious and stolen moments.

"I'm here," Will assured as he broke the kiss, hands tangling into Hannibal's hair. The emotions coming off the man were screaming through Will's being, an avalanche that was stronger than anything else Will had ever felt roll off the man before, though it was similar to something else that Will had felt, but he couldn't place where. A cliff side, possibly with an ocean view. "I'm right here, Hannibal."

"I will make you stay, I promise," Hannibal assured softly.

"Dr. Lecter?"

"Yes, Will?"

"Make it rude."

Will could feel the air shift immediately and all of the tenderness was gone, the fear of being ripped open and found unsightly dissipating as Hannibal's dark strength enveloped him completely, making him dizzy. Will supposed he could have felt fear, but the drumming from his heart was excitement at the need to feel his beast and Hannibal giving into the want so completely as he kissed Will in a punishing manner.

Hannibal was his monster now until the end of the earth and Will realized that it hadn't started that day. It had started long ago, but now Will could see it, finally feel it as he had dreamt of it even when he couldn't remember the man or his face or his name. The feeling had always been there though. That first time so utterly gentle in the love making and again when his back was left with teeth marks down it for weeks. What was Hannibal going to leave him with this time? Whatever it was, he hoped that it stayed tattooed into his skin.

There was a devastatingly strong bite to Will's bottom lip and he cried as copper filled his mouth only to be licked away by Hannibal's smoldering tongue that was paradise. Fingers scrambled to remove clothes, buttons being ignored and torn open, expensive suits turned to nothing but rags until they were skin against skin, finally together in every way that they could be and it brought a peace to Will's mind.

Will sighed as Hannibal sucked on his bottom lip and licked once more at the broken skin before releasing it. "Hannibal," Will gasped out, voice gravelly.

"Hush," Hannibal shushed harshly, a thumb reaching up to brush away the crimson that dripped down Will's chin. He brought his thumb to his mouth and licked the salt from his finger as he had so long ago when he had left his blood on Will's lure.

"No," Will argued weakly, pulling at Hannibal's belt. "I need-I want..." Will trailed off as the leather was pulled free and tossed aside.

"What is it?" Hannibal demanded impatiently and Will jumped as he was picked up, legs wrapped tightly around Hannibal's hips as Hannibal stepped from the living room, kissing Will once more, lips swollen and bloodied. A door was opened and then kicked closed with Hannibal's foot, but Will was too wrapped up in his husband too much to care where he had been taken. It could be Hannibal's murder room and he could be placed on the surgical table and that would be just fine.

"You are..." Will couldn't help the whine that left him as his back was shoved up against a wall and his hands were trapped over his head with a single strong hand. The other wrapped around his neck with a brutal grasp and Will could feel his airway constrict until white danced across his vision. The grip around him loosened and Will inhaled deeply, mind coming back online as his ear was snatched up with teeth. A moan filled the room and Will's eyes rolled back. "You're going to eat me, aren't you?" Will finally got out, his train of thought finally back on its track, though he was sure he would be losing it again shortly as Hannibal's threatening grip around his throat once more began to tighten. "You said..." Will inhaled deeply once more before the air was lost to him again. "You won't kill me, but you'll eat me."

"Does that bother you?" Hannibal asked, breath fire against Will's ear. There was no answer though, just the exhale that Will couldn't hold onto as his breathing stopped again. Hannibal watched Will's face carefully, giving Will a moment or two to live in the breathlessness before he let the empath have air once more. There was something gorgeous in the way the color returned to Will's cheeks and the light to those blue eyes as his blood rushed beneath Hannibal's palm.

"I think-" Will was cut off by a savage kiss, hips grinding up against him and Will couldn't escape as his body was pressed further into the wall. His mind swam with the words he was trying to say, unashamed in what they entailed, unafraid in the permission that he was about to give to Hannibal. "I want it too, but..." Will bit his bottom lip that thudded dully with pain and still tasted of copper. Hannibal stopped, breathing just as hard as Will, eyes scanning the empath's face for any chance that the words were a lie. "I want a taste of you too if you are going to do that to me."

Hannibal's lips broke into a smile, some semblance of a person slipping back into his eyes, though the hunger of the beast lied directly beneath them. "Are you sure?"

"Only if we do it together," Will insisted with a nod of his head that was still very much trapped in Hannibal's unforgiving grip. "Otherwise I wouldn't."

"You would go that far for me?"

"Only with you would it be beautiful," Will whispered.

Will watched the hunger retake Hannibal's maroon gaze and the grip around his neck returned once more, something far more forceful than it had been. Will choked on nothing and even when the white faded across his vision, air didn't return to him.

Hannibal watched as Will's face paled, his pulse quickening beneath Hannibal's palm as it struggled to move absent oxygen through Will's body. Will's body quickly went limp and Hannibal released his hold, carrying Will over to the bed, laying the empath down on the duvet.

It wasn't often that Hannibal gave into his baser needs. It wasn't often that Hannibal let his full restraint be lost to him, but he couldn't seem to fight the chemical's that were spreading through his veins like liquid fire. He only saw what he needed, what he wanted without regard to anyone else.

He stripped Will the rest of the way only to take note of the boy's breathing, to make sure that he was alright underneath the rings of blue and purple that were already beginning to form from Hannibal's unkind hold.

With enough wherewithal to not destroy his meal, Hannibal found the lube he had placed there earlier that day when he had readied the small rented house. He slicked two fingers and waited until Will's wild blue eyes flickered open before he pressed both into Will.

Will's back arched off the bed, knees bending to make room for Hannibal's fingers. Will groaned at the stretch that burned up his spine and to the back of his head and down into his toes that were curled into the blanket. A heat was in his muscles as they all contracted to stop whatever it was that Hannibal was doing to him.

"Hurts so good," Will got out through his teeth. A free hand snatched up his leg and teeth ripped into the sensitive skin behind his knee as the fingers worked him over desperately in an attempt to stretch him out as quickly as they could. "Use me, Hannibal. Don't think about me."

Hannibal's eyes jumped to Will's face at the permission. Permission that he didn't need, but was not about to turn down. He pulled his fingers from Will and pulled the empath closer, forcing Will to his knees before lining himself up and pushing himself inside.

Will's face scrunched up at the intrusion, pain making his breath catch as immediately as it had with Hannibal's hand around his throat. Hannibal didn't wait, didn't allow Will a chance to collect himself. He set a ruthless pace with a dry movement that left Will feeling each and every inch that was sunk into him.

Will didn't fight as he was shoved down into the mattress with a hand tangled in his curls. Will's spine curved into a ridiculous position that made his mind spin as each thrust in hit his prostate at the most delicious angle. He could take it, take everything his beast was giving him, everything that Hannibal was finally letting him fully see.

The buildup was swift and made Will's gut clench as try to suck down air as every push and pull from Hannibal made obscene noises leave his lips. His knuckles ached from where they had tangled themselves into the duvet and his spine was beginning to burn from the curve it was forced into. His knees trembled as they attempted to stay upright with each destructive push in that nearly toppled him.

"Please," Will begged, unseeing as he blinked. He hid his face into the blanket with a cry, biting the fabric into his mouth. Nails dug into his hip, a stickiness coating his skin at the contact. "I'm going to come if you keep doing this."

Hannibal wasn't even sure he heard Will's begging. It took a moment for the words to register in his mind, his person so deeply hidden away. But even as the words sunk in, he found himself not caring. Those were Will's wants and he wasn't anywhere near finished Even if Will came, he wasn't about to stop. Will would be pinned down like this all night long if it would finally sate the beast inside of him, a beast that was always hungry, always clawing for release. A beast that wasn't about to return to its cage any time soon. His beast was lost in Will and only Will.

"No, you won't," Hannibal countered, leaning over to bite at the base of Will's spine. There was a whimper from the body beneath him. "You will be good and let me come first."

"Han-Hannibal," Will pleaded, struggling against Hannibal's grip for the first time. "I-I can't last that long."

"Yes, you will. Won't you?"

It wasn't gentle encouragement, it wasn't a kind pep talk. It was an order and Will found himself nodding in agreement. "Yes, Hannibal." A choked sob left Will at a harsher thrust that sent him scrambling to stay on his knees, hands anchoring him the best that they could. Pain shifted to pleasure as it so often did when he was wrapped in the scent of forest, wine and books.

His neglected length was angry and hot between his legs, but he wasn't sure if he would survive Hannibal if he or his husband tried to reach for it. He was barely keeping himself from snapping with a sharp bite to his bottom lip that reopened the markings that Hannibal had left there.

Salty copper coated his tongue once more and he sighed into the flavor, the words spilling from him before he could stop them. "What are you going to make from me?"

"I'm going to cut you open right here," Hannibal growled out, the hand at Will's hip circling around to his stomach, His index finger trailed from Will's sternum, over the right side of his body, following the curve of his ribs, the touch bright and hot. Will moaned as his mind attempted to place exactly what was there worth taking. "We could come back to this spot over and over again, Will."

"Liver," Will gasped out as the organ finally came to mind. "Can't they do that micro-" Will couldn't stop a cry that left his throat as Hannibal's nails dragged down his front and caught on the scarring over his stomach. "You want me scarred," Will decided.

"Marked by me," Hannibal agreed. "I want you to remember."

As if Will could forget. He could never forget again. Never again. He wouldn't let himself. He would be here for Hannibal for the rest of his days just as he had promised. Just as he had said as soon as that ring graced his finger. A ring that matched so beautifully with Hannibal's own as Hannibal leaned over, hand clutching at Will's, the silver band catching the red and blue flashing outside of the window. Will couldn't hear the sirens though. All sound was drowned out with Hannibal's entire presence that was on Will deeply in obsidian darkness.

"Fuck," Will whispered as teeth honored his flesh with a sharpness that made him weak. Blood dripped down his arm and Will's eyes rolled back as his hair was tugged so harshly it gave him an immediate headache, arms pushing himself from his elbows. "I want a taste of you too Hannibal. I want to be the only one who knows you inside and out."

"You don't know what you're asking, berniukas."

"Like hell I do, Hannibal." Will's breath caught in his throat as the heat grew overwhelming. His legs trembled and his arms ached under the assault that Hannibal continued to bruise into his body. The room was lit up like the Fourth of July with dancing reds and blues, a faint idea in Will's mind, shoved far away by the dirty sounds of skin against skin and the bed creaking as it moved with Hannibal's thrusts. "I will taste you and you will taste me and there is no way that I would forget-forget that. God, Hannibal." Will's arms gave out, his elbow buckling and he was once more pressed into the mattress. "Hannibal, I-I can't last like this," the broken warning came again.

"Yes, you will."

"You'll keep me forever, won't you, my beast?"

There was another sharp bite to Will's shoulder and nails clawed into his skin once more, pain twisting in the most beautifully dark void around Will. Somewhere safe to keep him with his beast, with Hannibal's complete vileness to keep him company.

"Just to please me," Hannibal answered against Will's shoulder before licking at the marking across Will's neck that Will was certain would scar.

The buzzing up Will's spine was on the edge of unbearable and Will moaned as he forced himself to hold on a little longer through the constant thrusts against his prostate, the jello of his legs and the brokenness of his arms. His lungs begged for air, throat on fire from where he had been clasped earlier. Everything ached, used and abused.

"Never lose me again."

"Never."

"Hurry Doctor," Will whispered, voice nearly lost to him. "Get your fill. I need mine."

"Not tonight."

Will gave a whimper at the unfairness of the words, watching once more passing red and blue cover his skin and reflect against their wedding bands.

---

mano meilė: my love

Tikiuosi, kad taip, mano meile: I hope so, my love

Mano geras berniukas. Ar visada buvote tokia purvina?: My good boy. Have you always been so dirty?

berniukas: boy