"You're playing a dangerous game, Hannibal."
The older man looked up from where he was prepping that evening's meal, one silver blond brow raised. "Oh?"
"You have so many people fooled, blinded to who - what – you really are. You prance in the face of the FBI. Giving them all the answers that that could want in a damn hand delivered gift basket. The elite of Baltimore fawn over you; begging for your attention like dogs." Standing, Will rounded the island. "You even have Alana wrapped around your little finger."
Will placed a hand over Hannibal's heart. "You have them all fooled, Hannibal. But you cannot fool me." He shoved Hannibal back slightly. "I've seen the darkness in you that you hold so tightly closed behind that person suit of yours. I've seen it from the moment I laid eyes on you. No matter how tightly you sew those seems closed, I can still see between them. I can see deep into your darkest parts, Hannibal. You know this. It is why you hide so much harder from me than the others. Your scared that I won't stay if I know the truth. Scared that I will stay anyways. You see me as an equal, that isn't what scares you though. No, it's the way you feel for me. The way your heart pumps just that bit faster when you see me, think of me. The fear that slides down your spine when the thought of my coming to some form of harm. That is what truly scares you.
"I know not what happened in your past to make you the way that you are – or if you were simply born as is and have never been any other way." Will frowned. "No. It is the mix of the two, isn't it?" Will caressed the side of Hannibal's face. "You have been greatly angered recently; I saw it at the morgue. Your darkness had risen to the surface, exposing you to anyone that dared to look. And I was looking, Hannibal.
"You wanted the world to know they had made a grave error, so you took a calculated risk. Made a display for the first time in many years. However, showing them the error of their ways was not the only thing you wanted to say." Will slid his hands over Hannibal's chest. "It was beautiful Hannibal. Oh, so beautiful." Will's hands slid up over Hannibal's shoulders. The younger man moved closer to his lover, brushing his body against the older man's. Will's hands locked behind Hannibal's neck. "I love you, Hannibal. Every single part of you. I will not run from you nor will I turn my back on you."
Hannibal's hands settled about Will's hips. "Do you see me, Will? Truly see me?"
"I do, Hannibal."
"Then come with me." Hannibal took Will's hand in his own. Hannibal led Will over to his pantry. Excitement coursed through Will as he followed behind his lover. Hannibal entered the pantry and moved over to the back wall. Moving a few items aside, he revealed a part of the wall. Hannibal pressed his hand flat against the wall. A soft 'snick' was heard before a tiny panel in the wall moved aside, revealing a blue button. Hannibal took a step back and nodded toward the button. "Go ahead and press it, Will."
Will didn't hesitate. Button pressed, the sound of a lock unlocking. Will turned to see a section of the pantry floor slide away from the rest of the floor. Blackness stared up at him. Will's heart beat faster. Hannibal led him to the gaping blackness. He stepped into the blackness. A light clicked on, revealing a steep set of stairs. Will followed his lover down beneath his home. Rows upon rows of wine and champagne bottles glinted at Will. Will's eyes scanned the room; but there was nothing other than the alcohol. Hannibal came to a stop at one of the rows of wine, turning to look down at Will. "What do you think, Will?"
Will frowned. "Hannibal?"
"Is this not what you expected to find down here Will?"
Will pulled his hand free of Hannibal's. He spun on his heal to stare at the older man. "You know damn well that this is not what I wanted to see, Hannibal."
"Just what were you expecting to find down here then?"
"Don't fuck with me Hannibal. I know that you are the Chesapeake Ripper. You damn near shouted it right in my ear with that display of yours."
"You believe me to be the Ripper? You truly believe that I could do such despicable things to people?"
"Art. It's art, Hannibal. What the Ripper does is art."
Hannibal seemed to soften, his body relaxing. A soft smile touched Hannibal's lips. Will growled. "Fuck you, Hannibal and your fucking mind games." Without warning, Will launched himself at Hannibal. Will's body shifted from full human to full on werewolf mid launch. Though surprised by the attack, Hannibal managed to sidestep the attack. He caught Will from behind and slammed the wolf against one stony wall. Will grunted as he met the hard, unforgiving surface. Will caught his breath then shoved back against Hannibal with all his strength. Hannibal stumbled backwards, keeping his hold on Will. Annoyed, Will growled. He lashed out with one large, clawed hand. Hannibal hissed as Will's claws caught him on the jaw, digging in deep.
Hannible wrenched his face away from Will's claws and shoved the younger man to the basement floor. Will was up in an instant and aiming a punch at Hannibal's center. Hannibal blocked the blow, kicking out in retaliation. The kick landed against Will's knee. The wolf grunted and stumbled, managing to keep his footing. Hannibal took advantage of Will's distraction. He leapt on the werewolf's back, wrapping his arm around the wolf's throat, cutting off Will's air supply. Will thrashed, attempting to get Hannibal off of him, but the older man kept his hold until Will collapsed, unconscious.
*NOT LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT*
Hannibal watched as Will's body slowly changed from werewolf to human. The fur went first, slowly shrinking and returning to human hair. Next to fade was the ears and muzzle, both shrinking and reshaping until they were once again human. The last to go is the large, muscular build that came with the Will's werewolf form. The sudden shift had rendered Will's clothes torn to pieces on the basement floor, leaving Will completely nude post shift.
Hannibal took advantage of Will's state to admire his love. Will was the most beautiful creature he had ever had the pleasure of laying eyes. The art masters of old would have envied Will his beauty, knowing that none of their creations could compare, knowing that they would never be able to capture his beauty in any of the mediums they used. Will's beauty was beyond this world.
All too soon, Will was awake and staring up at Hannibal with frown. "Hannibal."
"I am right here, Will."
"Get off of me." Will shoved at his lover. Hannibal moved away from Will without protest.
Will stood. He glared at Hannibal. "You are the world's biggest asshole, Hannibal." Tears traced a path down Will's cheeks. Will brushed them away angrily.
To Hannibal's great surprise, he felt his heart clench within his chest. Hannibal reached for Will but the younger man backed away and turned his back on Hannibal. Acting quickly, Hannibal moved to the back of the wine cellar. He pressed one of the stones inward. Next to the pressed stone, a part of the wall swung inward. "Will." He called out softly.
Will stilled, one bare foot on the first step. Will inhaled deeply before turning to look at Hannibal once more. The young man's eyes widened as he caught sight of the opening in the back wall. Will growled, a scowl on his face. "Why the fuck do I put up with you?!" Will stomped his way over to Hannibal's side.
"I always wanted you to see my true self, Will. You are the first person I have ever met that is my equal in every way. Yet; when the time came, I let my fear get the better of me. I do not regret my actions, Will; for they allowed your righteous anger to grace me. I do regret, however, that I caused you to feel sadness and doubts regarding my feelings for you."
Hannibal moved closer to Will, wrapping his arms around Will's waist. "I love you, Will Graham. With everything that I am. I want you by my side at all times. I want to hunt with you by my side. I want to watch you eat our prey. I want you." Hannibal pressed his lips to Will's in a chaste kiss.
Will's hands came up to cup Hannibal's jaw. Will pulled from the kiss to look Hannibal in the eye. "I love you as well, Hannibal. I want to be by your side always and forever. I want to laze by your side in the evenings, hunt with you in the dark of the night, wake by your side in the morning. I want to eat our prey and watch you feed it to all those unknowing fools that flock to worship your feet." Will pressed a soft kiss to Hannibal's lips.
"Show me your darkness."