Your Heart in my Hands

by slayer of destiny

What if Hannibal had told Will about his encephalitis in season one? How would things have gone for them? This is the pathway that they could have walked together if Hannibal had helped Will, and Will had given into his darkness and embraced his life with Hannibal. Slash

"Some of these books are amazing," Will said, though Hannibal wasn't sure that the other man meant to speak out loud as he pulled another book from Hannibal's bookshelf and carefully flicked it open. Hannibal looked up from his paperwork and smiled at him.

"Only some of them?" Hannibal answered and a blue eye peaked at him over the book glaring faintly at him. Hannibal just chuckled and watched as Will went back to the book, his eyes scanning over it as Hannibal watched him.

His eyes caught on the bandages still around Will's wrist and he felt a stab of possessiveness go through him, followed swiftly by a feeling that he had not had since the day he saw Mischa's dead body, fear. Fear of losing someone that he cared about, fear of losing someone important in his life.

He had known that Will was different from everyone else in his life, he had known that he didn't want to play with him as a game the way that he had with others, and he also knew that he didn't want to eat him or kill him. He had been trying to work out what Will Graham was, why he was different, and what the emotions were in Hannibal's chest that the other man caused, as well as trying to figure out…

"Sorry!" Will grimaced bending quickly to pick up the book that he had dropped.

"Your wrist?" Hannibal asked concerned sitting up in his chair.

"Yes, I twisted it awkwardly on the stitch," Will said, "your book is fine I promise,"

"I am not worried about the book," Hannibal waved him off, "you have not opened a stitch?"

"Erm, no, just twisted awkwardly," Will blinked at him from over the balcony.

"Good, you should look at the green book on the bookcase to your left," Hannibal motioned and Will after a few more beats of looking at him moved to take the book.

Everything had been shaken up with the appearance of Budge in his life. He had made Hannibal look at things that he had been ignoring, and look closely at his relationship with Will. Budge was like him, and he was someone that could understand Hannibal, his desires, and his urges, he was someone who would be able to accept Hannibal for who he was, and the more that he thought about it Hannibal wanted Will more. He wanted Will in his life, and he wanted Will to be the person that he spent time with and spoke to.

Sending Will to Budge had been him saying that, and he had nearly lost Will because of it, for an hour and 43 minutes he had thought that he had lost Will, and the thought had been…intolerable. Seeing Will walking through the door of his office, clearly injured but alive had had Hannibal's heart beating furiously in his chest, and it was as though a plug had been pulled from a wine bottle, allowing the liquid to pour out and spread through his veins, and he had understood what Will was to him, he had understood what he wanted from Will.

It had been a shock, and realising it in front of Jack Crawford and a hoard of FBI agents combing through his office hadn't been ideal, neither had the fact that he had had to be shipped off to the hospital to get treated for his injuries, mainly because Will asked him to when he found out Hannibal had been refusing treatment.

They had spent a few days healing, and then Will had shown up at his office for one of their sessions, he had found Hannibal glaring at the ladder in his office, and reluctantly Hannibal had had to admit that he was using the time he was taking from seeing patients to catch up on some research he had, but he couldn't climb the ladder to the bookshelves on the second floor without risking opening his stitches.

Will had been up the ladder before he could say anything and was trundling down with the books Hannibal needed. That had been two days ago, and Will had shown up with some of his lesson plans and had settled into Hannibal's office in a way that had it been anyone else he would be been furious and biting back the urge to strangle them, but it was Will and he was enjoying having the other in his office, getting to spend time with him, getting to just be with him without having a time limit on it the way that they normally did with their sessions.

Will said that he was here so that he could help Hannibal if he needed something that he could not get because of his leg, but Hannibal hoped that it was partially because he wanted to be with Hannibal after coming so close to losing him, the same reason that Hannibal wished that he could spend 24 hours with Will after coming so close to never getting to see him again, to hear his voice again, to look into those amazing blue eyes again.

He had been enjoying their time together, and if anything it proved to him that he was correct in the belief of his feelings for Will despite never having felt them in this way for someone else before, he did not tire of his company, if anything when they were walking to their cars Hannibal wished that Will was coming home with him, that they would be getting into the same vehicle and he would drive them home where he would be able to cook them supper while Will spent time with the dogs, before they settled down for the evening together.

"Hmm," Hannibal sat forward as his eyes caught something that he had been looking for and he pulled the book closer to himself.

"Hannibal?" Will asked concerned looking over the balcony at the sound.

"Will, could you come down here please," Hannibal requested, standing and hurrying over to his desk to grab what he needed, slowed only by his slight limp.

"Hannibal is everything ok?" Will asked hurrying down the ladder and then over to him.

"I want you to draw me a clock, the hands, and the numbers please," Hannibal said pressing the paper and pen he had collected into Will's hands.

"Hannibal? What…" Will blinked up at him confused.

"Please Will," Hannibal asked, and Will looked at him confused at his tone before he started drawing.

"Here, why have you asked me to do this?" Will handed the paper over, and Hannibal scanned over the image, his heart catching in his chest.

"I think I know what has been going on with your health recently," Hannibal said, turning and heading back to his desk.

"What?" Will's breath caught in his throat at the words, "I thought…"

"You're not losing your mind, or just going mad, I have been trying to figure out what it is, I couldn't put my finger on it,"

"You have been trying to figure it out?" Will looked at him shocked.

"Of course, I am going to call a colleague of mine to get you booked in for an appointment as soon as possible, will you go to the earliest appointment I can get you? Today preferably," Hannibal asked picking up his phone.

"What is it? I…I can't go today, my dogs…" Will stammered looking a little lost.

"I will look after your dogs and make sure that they are ok. I believe that you have encephalitis Will, and it is important that we get you into the hospital and start treatment," Hannibal explained.

"The drawing what…" Will frowned looking down at the picture.

"It is all on the left-hand side of the paper, it is all completely off but you are seeing it as it should be correct?" Hannibal asked.

"Yes," Will nodded, shuddering as he looked at the image.

"That mixed with the audio and visual hallucinations that you have been having, the headaches, the fevers, the tiredness, confusion, and sleepwalking I believe that it is definitely going to be encephalitis. May I make an appointment for you, please?" Hannibal asked calmly, though there was a strong tone of concern in his voice.

"Yes, yes ok," Will nodded, and he listened absently as Hannibal called through to his friend, the greeting was short before Hannibal was talking, and clearly pulling strings that he had, Will was fairly sure that he was also calling in a few favours.

"He will see you right away, I will drive you there, you are likely going to have to stay in for a little while, treatment is normally antibiotics, antiviral meds, steroids, painkillers, and a mixture to help your immune system fight off the encephalitis, they will want to keep an eye on you," Hannibal explained as he hurried them out his office and over to his car.

"Hannibal…thank you, I thought that I was…" Will said when they were halfway to the hospital.

"I know, and I knew that even if I reassured you that you weren't that there was something else going on you would not believe me, I have been trying to figure out what it was," Hannibal glanced at him before focussing back on the road.

"How could you be so sure that I wasn't mad though, unhinged and unstable, everyone else does," Will snorted.

"I have spoken to many who are mentally unstable and you are not one of them. As to how I could be completely sure I…" Hannibal stopped talking and looked hesitant for a second when Will turned to him confused. "I am worried that if I tell you, you will not believe me,"

"I will always listen to you, and I don't believe that you are the type to make things up," Will said, confused and concerned.

"I have an ability that is quite unusual, I have enhanced senses, taste, hearing, sight, smell. I discovered when I started working in the hospital that I had the ability to smell illnesses on people. I can smell when there is something wrong with someone for lack of a better word. The only problem is I have to have smelt the illness before to be able to say what it is, I know the scent of cancer for example. I have not smelt encephalitis before, and so even though I could smell that you were ill, I could only rule out illnesses that I have come across before, and then start trying to narrow it down," Hannibal explained.

"That day, when I asked if you had just smelled me?" Will remembered.

"Yes, I had been able to scent that there was something wrong, but that was the first chance I got to be so close to you, and I was frustrated that I did not recognise the illness,"

"And you have been trying to work it out since?" Will asked.

"Yes," Hannibal turned to him as they stopped at some traffic lights, his maroon brown eyes more open and honest than Will had seen them since he had first met the other man. "I am sorry that I did not tell you, but I was aware of how poked and prodded you have been through life, and I was worried that if I said it you would either think that I was mad, or that I was just trying to find something 'wrong' with you to explain your gift,"

"I…probably would have not spoken to you again, at least not willingly," Will admitted.

"That is what I was afraid of," Hannibal nodded.

The rest of the car journey was silent between them except for the sound of a soft thump thump thump as Will twitched his leg nervously, his mind scanning over everything that he had just been told, and everything that might possibly happen over the next who knew how many days.

Finally, they pulled into the hospital, and Hannibal got out with him. Relieved that he was not being left to go up by himself Will didn't say anything as he followed behind Hannibal, keeping his eyes on his limping gait and trying to ignore the feeling that he was hiding behind Hannibal's larger form.

"Hannibal," the doctor smiled as they approached him where he seemed to be waiting for them by the nurses' station. "And you must be William Graham," the doctor offered his hand.

"He is indeed, Will prefers to limit contact," Hannibal smiled.

"Of course, right Hannibal told me everything over the phone that has led him to his diagnosis, I will have to run some tests to ensure that it is correct, though with Hannibal's credentials, I have no doubt that he is correct, I will talk you through all the tests before we perform them, and then we will sit down to talk through the treatment before we start. I presume Hannibal will have informed you that you are likely to be in the hospital for a little while?" The doctor was friendly but professional, and as he was someone that Hannibal clearly respected going by his body language around the other, Will felt himself relaxing.

"Yes he did," Will nodded.

"Ok, do you have the picture, Hannibal?" The doctor asked.

"Here," Hannibal handed it over.

"I definitely think Hannibal is right, encephalitis can be dangerous, but caught and treated in time you will be able to go back to living a completely normal life,"

Will glanced at Hannibal and couldn't stop himself from snorting in amusement, to his delight Hannibal's lips twitched up into a smile. "Normal is not something that I could ever have been called, but I appreciate the sentiment," Will explained seeing the doctor's concerned expression.

"You are definitely in good company with Hannibal then," The doctor smiled, "come, let us get this started so that you can get out of here quicker,"

"I will see you soon Will," Hannibal's larger hand caught his, the warm skin seeming to heat him through and break through the slight fog of fear that had filled him.

"See you soon," Will nodded looking into Hannibal's maroon eyes for a moment longer than he would normally allow himself before he turned and followed after the doctor, bracing himself as much as he could for the barrage of tests that he was about to walk into.

---

Will lay on the bed, in a private room that he had protested strongly about knowing that there was no way his insurance would cover this only to be informed that Hannibal had arranged it for him, he was staring up at the ceiling of the room, listening to the soft beep beep of the machines around him, trying to catch up with everything that had happened over the last hours.

The doctor who had been professional and friendly thought the whole thing and not left Will's side had confirmed that Hannibal had been correct in his diagnosis, and he had explained that the treatments would all be medicine, with no need for surgical intervention. Then he had been hooked up to IVs and the medicine that would hopefully cure him of the illness that he had been sure was just him going mad, was being pumped into him.

He was feeling a little feverish but the headache that had been plaguing him had finally relented thanks to the painkillers that he was on. He couldn't believe that all of this had happened, that Hannibal had believed that he was ill and not just unstable the way everyone else did and that he had worked hard to try and figure out what was going on with Will. He was a little baffled by Hannibal's explanation about his enhanced senses, but then it wasn't something new, Will had definitely heard of people being born with naturally enhanced senses able to hear, see, smell, and taste things that others couldn't, and considering his own unusual gift he definitely wasn't one to doubt others.

There was a soft knock at his door and Will called out to whoever it was that they could come in, figuring that it was likely to be a staff member with his supper considering it was around that time.

He was not expecting Hannibal to walk into the room, dressed more casually than Will had ever seen him in dark slacks and a long-sleeved shirt only. He was also carrying a good few bags that seemed filled to the brim.

"I apologise for being a little longer than I planned, I am frustrated to admit that I was slower walking the pack than I normally am and had not fractured that in when I took them out for a walk, by the time I gathered things for you and then got home to cook something for us it was much later than I thought it would be and I was informed that you were already being treated and in your room," Hannibal explained as he placed the bags down and then started placing bowls onto Will's table.

"I wasn't expecting you to come back," Will said out loud, and then grimaced when Hannibal turned to look at him.

"You are going to be in here for a little while, as long as you are happy with my presence I would like to keep you company while you are in here," Hannibal said straightening up.

"I…why?" Will asked confused.

"When was the last time that someone cared for you when you were ill?" Hannibal frowned, abandoning his bags and stepping closer to Will.

Normally Will would become prickly and angry at the insinuation, but Hannibal said it in such a way that he could not get angry with, he did not mean it in a patronisingly sympathetic way. "Probably since my mom passed,"

"But the other month, when you were injured in the field, did none of the team assist you?" Hannibal scowled, already knowing the answer clearly.

"I…no one really…" Will started to say but cut himself off, not wanting to sound pathetic.

"I want to, I would like to be here for you while you are stuck in here, I know that hospitals are not your favourite places, but there is also a chance that you will need to be with someone to convalesce once you are discharged, I would like for you to do so at my house if you would be comfortable with that," Hannibal said going back to unpacking what looked like a three-course meal.

"I will be putting you out too much, you have already done so much for me," Will waved his hand around the room.

"I want to be with you during this, you are not putting me out, and I would only be worrying about you if I were not here to keep you company, and if you were at home alone healing," Hannibal said pouring an amazing smelling soup into two bowls.

"My dogs…" Will felt as though he was hallucinating all of this, and he was half tempted to call for the doctor.

"If you are happy I will move them to my house tomorrow so that it will be easier for me to care for them and they will be there for when you get out of the hospital," Hannibal asked.

"I don't understand, why are you…" Will pushed himself up into a fully seated position, feeling utterly baffled.

"This is a conversation to have properly when you are better, but I care for you Will, you are dear to me and important in my life, nearly losing you made me realise how much. I want to be here with you, I want to help you heal after, and I want to be in your life once you are released, I like having you and the pack in my life," Hannibal sat on the edge of the bed and looked seriously at Will, daring to reach out and take his hand.

"You like my pack?" Will asked.

"I do, I do not like unruly dogs, but yours are very well trained and behaved, I enjoy their company, and I enjoy watching them," Hannibal smiled.

"I…ok…thank you," Will nodded, feeling like his head was spinning.

Hannibal moved to finish unpacking their meal, everything that would be easy for Will to eat considering the amount of medication he was on, and then once they were finished they talked over a research topic that Will had known that Hannibal was working on as the taller man walked around the room unpacking the books, notepads and fishing equipment that he had brought for Will, and then started unpacking pyjamas and loungewear.

"They're not all mine," Will frowned.

"No, I bought you some lounge sets for while you are in here," Hannibal nodded.

"Hannibal…"

"You will have to let me know what is best to bring immediately for the pack to keep them comfortable in the house, I will be making sure that the garden is completely secure for them," Hannibal said, carrying on unpacking things.

Will narrowed his eyes on him, watching him move around, his mind spinning as he tried to piece together the puzzle in front of him.

---

"You are looking much better," Hannibal said happily when he walked into the room and saw Will sitting up in bed reading. He made his way to the end of Will's bed and picked up Will's records, scanning through them, giving a couple of satisfied nods before he looked up at Will, "they have taken you off of the majority of the medications, that is a good sign!"

"Doctor Gates said that they will run a couple of tests tomorrow and monitor me and if there is nothing to be worried about I will be able to be discharged," Will smiled placing his book down.

He had been in the hospital for a week now and at first, Hannibal had asked his permission to check his records, but after Will had told him that as much as he trusted the doctor that Hannibal had recommended he felt better with Hannibal looking it over for him since then Hannibal had checked his records for him every day. And he had been here every day, he had spent hours here with Will, the first couple of days he had been there with him for most of the day, the last couple of days he had started taking clients again and so had not been able to spend as much time with him, but he had been here as much as he could be.

Will had expected Hannibal to stop coming, or not come as much after a couple of days, but sure enough day after day he walked through the door with food for Will and stayed to keep him company, even if it was just the two of them sitting together reading with music playing in the background.

Hannibal checked over the records once more before with a smile he sat down and started unpacking their supper, laying out the amazing meal that he had put together for them.

"Are you feeling clearer?" Hannibal asked.

"Much better, I didn't realise how long I have been having bad headaches and how long they have been building until they're suddenly not there anymore," Will admitted as he started eating his meal, he let out a soft moan of appreciation as the pasta flavours exploded across his tongue.

"I have always had a passion for Italian cooking and recipes," Hannibal smiled.

"I have always wanted to see Italy, and France," Will smiled.

"Florence is my favourite city in Italy," Hannibal hummed.

"I would love to go there," Will sighed.

"Perhaps once things settle down I could take you there and show you around, there are a few of my favourite restaurants that I think you would like," Hannibal said softly, and met wide blue eyes when they looked up at him.

"I…"

"Something to consider for the future," Hannibal smiled before carrying on speaking, "I will have a word with Doctor Gates and see what they are expecting you to be discharged, looking at your notes I would predict tomorrow as long as there are no concerns through the night. Then we can get you back to my home and your pack,"

"Are you sure that you are ok with me staying at yours, I can go back to mine and look after myself," Will asked, and even though he was saying it he had to admit to himself that he wanted to go to Hannibal's, he wanted to spend more time with the doctor, and he wanted Hannibal to help him recover.

Over the last few days, he had found himself eagerly waiting to see Hannibal, waiting for him to walk through the door with a greeting in his deep, accented voice always managing to get Will's heart rate racing and him perking up. He was enjoying Hannibal's company and his care, the easy conversation that he had with him even though they talked about random things sometimes. The feelings that had been brewing in his chest for the other man before had only increased since he had driven him to the hospital…no since he had nearly lost him to Budge.

The fear of not having the other in his life had stunned him with how inconceivable that thought had been. Will had never been one to get close to people, it had been a long time since he had tried to be friends with others, it was a long time since he had needed someone in his life since he wanted someone to be in his life. He had thought that person was going to be Alana, but he got tired of her company quickly, and he got tired of the way she looked at him and treated him, he never felt her equal, he never felt as though he could relax and be himself with her, he always felt judged and watched when he was with her.

It wasn't like that with Hannibal, it wasn't like that at all, he felt comfortable and as though he wasn't being treated as though he was a bomb that was about to go off. Instead of just watching him fall apart as though it were something that was inevitable Hannibal had realised that there was something wrong with Will, that he was sick, and not only had he spent hours of his own time trying to figure out what it was, but he had done everything that he could to ensure that while Will was being treated he was as comfortable as he could be, and that he was being treated by someone who would maintain their professionalism and not try and poke at his brain the way so many people had, he appreciated it even more considering he was vulnerable considering how ill he had been.

Hannibal made him feel things that he hadn't felt before, that he hadn't been sure with his Aspergers and gift he would be able to feel, and the better he got, the more clear his mind became, and the more clear his thoughts and feelings for the other became.

"Will," Hannibal said slightly scoldingly, the other saying his name with that accent making his heart flutter and thank any deity that might be out there that he wasn't hooked up to the heart monitor anymore. "I would not have offered if I was not sure, and did not want you there. I have no wish for you to go home while you are still recovering and have to look after yourself. I would worry about you," Hannibal said softly.

"If you are sure," Will worried his lip.

"Do you not wish to stay with me? If you do not feel comfortable with it we can arrange for something else," Hannibal frowned a little.

"No! No, it isn't that, it is just…" Will worried his lip harder until Hannibal reached out and covered his hand with his own slightly larger, warm hand.

"It is just what Will?" Hannibal asked.

"I don't want to be putting you out, you have already done so much for me, and I don't want you to feel as though this is something that you need to do," Will sighed lowering his eyes to look intently at the blanket, at least until Hannibal squeezed his hand making him look into those unusual eyes.

"I am someone who puts a lot of importance into manners and being socially polite, but I am not someone who will do something that I do not want to do, I find it too easy to think another way around something that I do not want to do. I would not have asked if I did not want you to come to stay with me so that I can help you, I would not have taken in the pack if I did not enjoy their company, I would not be coming here every day if I did not want to," Hannibal said intently.

Will desperately wanted to ask why, why would Hannibal want to spend time with him, why would he want to spend so many hours with him, they were so different, and he did not think that they matched at all. Instead, all he said was, "Thank you,"

Hannibal nodded and then started telling him about his research paper and the advancement that he had made in it, and then to Will's amusement he started telling him about some of the Pack's antics while they had been staying in Hannibal's house.

"I am sorry, I should have warned you, I didn't even think!" Will managed to say through his laughter as he placed down his bowl that had held the delicious creme brulee that Hannibal had brought them for dessert.

"Yes, you should have! I am surprised that my neighbours didn't call the police with the shout that I let out, honestly, from everything that I have heard and seen of dogs they do not like the water, and hate getting bathed, the last thing I was expecting was to have to share a bath with a Jack Russell when she suddenly jumped into my bath with me!" Hannibal grumbled, but his lips were turned up, and his eyes were sparkling.

"I nearly had a heart attack the first time I had a shower after rescuing her. I had my eyes closed rinsing my hair, and then the next thing I felt something brushing my leg, I nearly threw myself out the bathroom window in shock," Will chuckled.

"They have settled in well, Winston likes…" Hannibal started to say and then closed his mouth quickly, actually looking sheepish if Will had to put a word to the expression on his face, not one that he had thought he would see on the other's face.

"Winston likes what?" Will asked partially suspiciously and partially baffled.

"I may have treated them to some beds," Hannibal coughed.

"But…you said you got all their beds from my house," Will blinked.

"Yes I did, and they are in their bedroom," Hannibal nodded.

"Their…bedroom…" Will repeated.

"But I was shopping for some food for them when I saw some beds that are, well they look like sofas and chaise lounge, and I thought that they were a good idea to get because the dogs have to lie on the floor when they are downstairs," Hannibal carried on, and then narrowed his eyes when he caught Will's expression, "Do not laugh at me,"

"I am sorry," Will started laughing. "I was worried that you would be annoyed having them in the house, and now I am hearing you are buying beds for them because you feel bad for them lying on the floor. I will pay you back for the beds,"

"You will not I chose to buy them, and if it makes you feel better they can stay in my house for when you come over to visit if you bring any of them with you," Hannibal shook his head.

Will felt himself flushing a little at Hannibal's words, but thankfully the other had turned to pour them some more coffee from his thermos that he had brought with him with his fantastic coffee from home that Will was forming a terrible addiction to.

---

"Are you ready?" Hannibal smiled as he walked into Will's room and found him already all packed up and sitting on the edge of the bed reading. The younger man looked up with a bright smile of his own.

"All ready," Will nodded. It had been two days since they had had their meal, though Will had hoped to be home yesterday Doctor Gates hadn't been happy to discharge him, but he had ok'd it for today, and Will couldn't wait to get out of the hospital, to see his dogs and…well staying with Hannibal was a plus as well.

"Come, let us break you out of here then," Hannibal smiled grabbing a couple of Will's bags while he was putting away his book. The look on Hannibal's face stopped Will from arguing with him and just grabbed the remaining bags himself.

They said goodbye to Doctor Gates and the nurses who had been looking after him and allowing Hannibal to spend so much time with Will, though the food that Hannibal had brought in for them had helped a lot with that, and then they were walking out the hospital and Will was climbing into Hannibal's Bentley.

He sighed contently as he settled into the seat, though he did huff a little to himself once he had done up his belt.

"Everything ok?" Hannibal asked as he started the car.

"I am a little disgruntled with how tired the walk from the room to here has left me," Will admitted.

"You have been seriously ill for a good while, you are recovering from that now, and have had a lot of medicine pumped through you, it is to be expected. Not long and you will be back on your feet and probably will be feeling better than you have for a long time," Hannibal comforted him. "It is why I am glad that you have agreed to come back to stay with me, though you are better, you are still recovering,"

"Thank you," Will said softly.

"There is no need for thanks, none at all," Hannibal assured him.

Will dozed for most of the journey back to Hannibal's house, only jerking awake when he felt the car pulling to a stop. He tiredly clambered out of the car along with Hannibal and collected a few of his bags before closing up the car so Hannibal could lock it, and they started walking through the garage and into the house.

He smiled happily when the sound of his dogs barking reached his ears, and as soon as Hannibal unlocked the door from the garage into the house and opened it, Will could see his dogs. They became even more enthusiastic when they realised that Will was with Hannibal, their tails going absolutely mad and their barking getting even more excited.

Will dropped down to his knees once he was out of the way of the door and fussed them all happily, breathing in the scents of his pets and glad to finally be back with them. Hannibal stepped around him after squeezing his shoulder and picking up the bags that Will had dropped and walked out of the room, leaving him to enjoy being reunited with his dogs.

"I have run a bath for you and placed your bags in your room," Hannibal explained when he walked into the living room and saw Will standing at the door letting the dogs back into the house after letting them out to go to the toilet.

"Oh, that sounds amazing," Will sighed.

"Hospital smell is difficult to get off of you, being able to bathe and relax will be good for you as well as being able to get the scent off of you,"

"Do I smell strongly of it? I mean I can smell it, but to you is it terrible?" Will asked concerned sniffing himself.

"No, you do not smell terrible, you smell of you, though I am getting used to your scent without the smell of the sickness in the background, I just know that it is not nice to smell it on yourself when you have finally been discharged from the hospital,"

"I definitely want to wash the smell off of me,"

"I will show you your room, I will make our supper while you are bathing, don't rush yourself though, I will call up to let you know when there is half an hour to go," Hannibal led the way out the living room and upstairs.

As Will had been expecting the upstairs of his house was as luxurious and stylish as the rest downstairs of the house, and Will felt a little excited at the thought that he was seeing another part of Hannibal, it felt as though their friendship was shifting again as he was allowed into a part of Hannibal's life that he had not seen before. Hannibal had a downstairs bathroom and Will was aware that he didn't like people coming upstairs in his house, for him to be invited to see it, to be in it felt like Hannibal was allowing Will to know another part of him.

"This looks wonderful, thank you," Will blinked around the bedroom that Hannibal led him to, the room down in soft blues and greys, making him feel relaxed already. The furniture was ornate, and the bed looked luxuriously comfortable, the duvet perfect to snuggle into.

"The bathroom is through here," Hannibal led him passed where his bags were sitting waiting for him on the bed and into the en suite bathroom, the large clawfoot bath already full of steaming water that had a scent of cinnamon and vanilla which filled his senses.

"This is amazing," Will wanted nothing more than to get into the bath and just relax.

"Enjoy it, relax and I will get cooking, I am making a Florentine-themed meal for us, it is not quite being there, but I thought for your first day out of the hospital and on the way to recovery it would be a nice way to start it," Hannibal explained.

"It sounds perfect," Will admitted.

"Wonderful, I will see you soon," Hannibal hesitated for a moment before he turned and walked out of the room, leaving Will looking after him wondering what he wanted to say or do but seemed to have reconsidered it.

He stood there for a moment while his head spun catching up with everything until finally the desire to bathe caught up with him. He stripped off and placed his clothes into the wash basket that seemed to be sitting waiting for him, and then climbed into the bath. As he sank down into the perfectly hot water until it was up to his nose he hummed softly to himself, closing his eyes and going over the expression that had been on Hannibal's face again and again and again trying to work out what it was that he had wanted to do.

---

"Now Helena you have had a few bits already, Will will not be happy with me if you turn into a little barrel!" Will grinned when he heard Hannibal talking to his dog, he walked into the kitchen in time to see Hannibal handing Helena another piece of meat despite his words.

"Giving it to her anyway won't help," Will laughed walking fully into the room.

"I will walk it off of her," Hannibal smiled. "You look much more relaxed,"

"I am, the bath was exactly what I needed, I feel much more human," Will admitted bending to pat Harley and Nico when they twined around his legs…and then he spotted it. "Hannibal?" He asked slowly.

"Yes?" Hannibal asked with his back turned to him as he plated up the amazing smelling pasta dish he had cooked.

"They aren't mine, and as far as I was aware they were not here before I went into the hospital," Will said pointing in the direction he was looking at. Hannibal turned and then to Will's amusement he looked sheepish.

"I found them a few days ago, they were in a box and had been left outside. I couldn't just leave them," Hannibal told him as Will turned back to look at the two kittens who were blinking back at him.

"They are adorable," Will grinned walking over to them and carefully holding out his hand for them to inspect, they sniffed his hand curiously, and then when he wiggled his fingers for them they started playing right away.

"I decided to name them Achilles and Patroclus," Hannibal said, and the hair stood up on Will's arms.

"They're perfect," He said softly, rubbing the soft belly that Achilles, going by the A on his collar, revealed to him.

"Supper is ready," Hannibal said a few moments later drawing Will away from playing with the kittens while Nico looked on in fascination. "This way," Hannibal shook his head when Will went to move towards the dining room where he had eaten with Hannibal the few times he had had supper here before.

Turning curiously he followed Hannibal to the other side of the house, to a room that Will hadn't been aware was here, stepping into it when Hannibal easily pushed open the door despite their meals in his hands, Will's breath caught in his throat just a little.

The room was done in forest green with lots of grey accents to it, including the carpet, furniture, and curtains. The room looked over the back of Hannibal's house and into the forest behind it, and the room seemed to be a little mixture of everything for Hannibal, it had dozens and dozens and dozens of books on the bookshelves lining the walls, and there was a comfortable looking silver sofa with green swirling embroidery on it, a luxuriously soft-looking green rug in front of an already crackling fireplace, and in front of one of the massive sash windows was a small round glass table with 2 comfortable green dining chairs at it, and the table was already set with a few other dishes steaming and scenting the room deliciously, there were two glasses sitting with red wine in them.

"I prefer eating here when wanting to relax," Hannibal explained as he placed their bowls down on the table and turned to watch Will take the room in.

"I can see why, this is wonderful, it is beautiful," Will said looking around the room again.

"Thank you. Would you choose something to put on the record player," Hannibal asked before stepping out of the room. Will made his way to the corner where the record player was sitting, a big collection of vinyl records sitting on the shelf above of it.

He perused through the collection before selecting a record and placing it on the player, the music just starting to fill the room as Hannibal walked in with a basket of bread that was steaming letting Will know that it was freshly baked.

"Ah Vide Cor Meum, this is one of my favourite pieces," Hannibal hummed as he placed the bread down on the table.

"Mine too," Will smiled making his way over. "This looks wonderful,"

"I wanted to do something special for your first day out of the hospital and being on the mend," Hannibal admitted holding a chair out and it took Will a second to realise that he was holding the chair out for him.

Blushing, and blushing even more knowing that he was blushing, Will allowed him to seat him at the table before he made his way around to the other side of the table and sat opposite Will.

"To your health, and whatever now happens in your future," Hannibal held up his glass.

"And to good friends," Will added hesitantly, but he saw that Hannibal understood what saying that meant to him, and the smile that he received had his heart fluttering in his chest as they clinked glasses.

They chatted as they ate their meal, Will's dogs making their way into the room and settling down comfortably around it, the kittens trotted in halfway through the meal and after batting around at their feet for a few moments decided that they would curl up on top of Winston where he was laying on the rug in front of the fire.

"I have a book that I think you will enjoy," Hannibal said as they stood and made their way over to the sofa, detouring to change the record and pick up a book that was sitting on the side before making his way over to join Will on the sofa, which was indeed incredibly comfortable.

"Oh, this looks wonderful!" Will hummed as he took the book and read the synopsis. The two of them settled with their glasses of wine and a book each, and aside from Winston snoring on the rug and the music playing in the background, the two of them sat there just enjoying each other's company.

"Will…William," Hannibal's amused voice had him fluttering his eyes open who knew how long later to find that he had nodded off on the sofa without even being aware of having been getting tired. He had a grey fur blanket draped over him and his book had been taken out of his hands and placed on the table in front of them.

"I'm sorry I…" Will started saying before he started yawning.

"You are still recovering, and I am happy to know that you are relaxed here," Hannibal smiled, "though I believe that you would be more comfortable in bed. I will take the dogs out for the toilet, get to bed,"

"I can…" Will started to protest feeling awful that he had not only fallen asleep on Hannibal but that he was leaving him to look after his dogs.

"Bed Will," Hannibal said firmly, reaching out and gently pulling him to his feet.

"I…" Will started but Hannibal gave him a look. "Thank you,"

"I will see you in the morning Will," Hannibal smiled leading him down the corridor to the staircase.

"I will see you in the morning, goodnight Hannibal," Will said, and then because he couldn't stop himself he reached out and caught Hannibal's hand. "Thank you, for everything,"

"You are most welcome Will, I just want you to be well," Hannibal squeezed his hand unexpectedly before Will could let go.

"See you in the morning," Will smiled.

"See you in the morning," Hannibal nodded.

Will wearily pulled himself up the stairs and made his way into the room that was temporarily his. He quickly brushed his teeth and went to the toilet before he made his way into the bedroom and changed into one of the pyjama sets that Hannibal had bought for him.

He groaned softly as he climbed under the duvet cover and relaxed into the bed, the mattress was perfectly firm under his back, and the duvet warmed him where he had been getting a little chilly with the evening air. His head rested back against the pillow and he just relaxed down into the bed with a content sigh, it was as though he was staying in a fancy hotel that would have cost him an arm and a leg. He was so glad that he was not having the nightmares and night sweats that he had been having since his encephalitis probably started just under a year ago, he would have been mortified to have soaked through this expensive bedding.

He was awake long enough to hear the back door shutting downstairs, and the low rumble of Hannibal's voice drifting up to him before his eyes became too heavy to keep them open and he sank back into the warmth of sleep.

---

The air around him was warm, a gentle breeze blowing passed his face as he walked through the forest, his bare feet crunching the leaves under them but nothing hurt his feet as he stepped over branches and roots.

He left as though he was searching for something as he walked, but his steps were aimless as well, just enjoying the evening air and the relaxing sounds of the forest around him. He was aware of all of the sounds of the forest, but then a particular sound caught his ears and he knew that it was what he had been waiting for. He carried on walking as the sound came closer and closer to him, and then finally he saw it.

In his peripheral vision, he saw the black stag walking alongside him, its step slowing down as it fell into step with him, and the two of them walked together a little further until they stepped into a clearing. Will turned to look at the stag in the moonlight shining down on them, the silvery light highlighting the raven black feathers as maroon eyes stared back at him, the stag standing there looking tall and proud as it allowed Will to just look it over.

He took one step towards the stag, and then he heard some movement from the tree line around them, turning he watched Jack step out of the tree line and just into the clearing before stopping and standing there staring at him, Beverley was next just a little further away from Jack, then Jimmy stepped out further down, then Kevin, then Alana, his father stepped out a little further down, and then more and more familiar faces stepped out one after the other until they were standing in a circle around the clearing, all of them just standing staring at Will making the relaxed feeling he had had disappeared as he stood there.

The stag stamped his foot in front of him, getting Will's attention back onto him, and as he watched the stag stepped closer to him until he could feel the heat coming off of the animal. He watched as the dark antlers that were reaching for the starlit night sky above them already started to grow bigger and bigger.

He stood there, suddenly unable to move as the antlers spread upwards and towards him as well, the dark web enclosing him in a cage, a jail, he started to panic a little as the antlers closed around him, sealing him inside of the web of antler until the others around them were no longer in view and Will was unable to feel their piercing stares.

As the antler sealed together completely Will let out a breath, suddenly able to move as he stepped forward and touched his hand to the stag's warm neck with the realisation that the antlers weren't trapping him, they were protecting him, he was no longer subject to the stares of the people around him, he was being guarded against them and their stares and their judgment and their demands of him, and instead he could breathe again, he could feel himself relaxing and able to enjoy the gentle night air again, the stars and moonlight shining down on them and through the gaps in the antlers to give him enough light to be able to see the stag in front of him.

The stag suddenly started lowering itself down and Will watched as it carefully lowered itself onto the floor before looking pointedly at Will, going with it he knelt down next to the stag before shuffling forward and placing himself against the side of the stag, leaning carefully against its feathery side, and he found himself sighing in content as a warm spicy scent filled his senses as the heat from its body soaked into him and made him feel sleepy and content again.

He didn't feel trapped or jailed, he felt warm and safe, he felt protected and comfortable, he felt as though he could let all his guards and walls down, and just relax trusting the stag to guard him against the people outside of their safe spot.

Before he drifted into sleep he met the eyes of the stag, the maroon shining as it looked down on him, guarding over him.

---

"Good morning," Hannibal smiled as Will's eyes opened and met his maroon eyes.

"Morning," Will yawned.

"I am sorry for waking you, but you need to take your medication, and I will be getting ready to leave for my office soon,"

"I did not mean to sleep in!" Will blinked going to sit up quickly until Hannibal's hand rested against his chest.

"You need it, I just want to make sure that you are ok before I leave," Hannibal smiled.

"Have you had breakfast?" Will asked sitting up a little straight, looking into Hannibal's marron eyes, a jolt going through him for just a second, his heart speeding up before it settled again as Hannibal smiled at him.

"Not yet," Hannibal shook his head.

"I would like to have breakfast with you," Will allowed himself to admit, and he was glad when he saw a smile, small but honest crossing Hannibal's face.

"I have the perfect thing for us, I will go and get it ready if you make your way into the room we were in last night," Hannibal said standing already.

As soon as Hannibal shut his door Will hurried out of bed and into the bathroom to have a quick shower and brush his teeth before dressing in somewhat neat though comfortable clothes.

He was a little disgruntled at how tired he was when he made it down the stairs, though it was eased a little when Achilles twined himself around Will's legs letting out adorable little mews. Will bent down and lifted the little kitten into his arms, scratching his tiny head, and listened to the adorable purr coming from him as he walked down the hallway into the soothing room that was no less relaxing in the morning.

He was greeted by his dogs getting to their feet and hurrying over to him for a fuss, he could tell by looking at them they were fed and walked already. He bent down and fussed each of them happily, glad to be back with them, and only a few seconds later Hannibal walked into the room behind him.

"I am sorry that you had to feed and walk them," Will said as Hannibal made his way over to the table.

"Please stop apologising, I quite enjoy the routine of it, I can definitely see the appeal to having them," Hannibal shook his head. "Now, breakfast,"

Will walked over to the table still feeling a little guilty, as Hannibal pulled the chair out for him he glanced down into the bowl and let out a small startled laugh when he realised what Hannibal had made for them, "protein scramble,"

"It is still one of my favourite breakfasts, and it brings back good memories," Hannibal smiled tucking Will's chair in for him and making his way around the table to his own seat.

"A lot has happened since then," Will hummed, "it is a good memory for me too,"

"I thought it would not be so much of a good memory for you as for myself, I believe you were still deeply suspicious of my intentions," Hannibal said as he tucked into his breakfast.

"It was the first time someone had told me that they did not believe that I was going to break apart and shatter at any moment, the first time that someone had seen I was not just an accident waiting to happen," Will said softly, but Hannibal's eyes turned quickly to him. "It was refreshing,"

"I found you incredibly refreshing as well, that was while I poked at you, and it is why I continued to poke," Hannibal admitted.

"I am glad that you did,"

"Me too," Hannibal smiled, and then smiled a little more mischievously, "after all, who would have fed your dogs fillet steaks,"

Will blinked, and then blinked again, "Hannibal! You had better not have been feeding my dogs steaks! They will be as snobbish as you about food!" Will protested, and Hannibal started laughing.

---

"If you need anything at all help yourself to it, please, do not feel as though you are intruding," Hannibal said sternly, giving Will a sharp look as he pulled on his jacket. "And if you need me please call right away!"

"I will be fine," Will shook his head.

"But if you are not, please call, you are one day out of the hospital and have been seriously ill," Hannibal said firmly.

"If I need help, I will call," Will said sensing that Hannibal would take his jacket back off and not leave if he did not.

"Promise," Hannibal narrowed his maroon eyes.

"I promise," Will sighed realising that Hannibal wouldn't leave without the promise. Hannibal nodded and turned to pick up his car keys, and when he turned around Will was already holding out his briefcase to him.

"Thank you," Hannibal said softly taking the briefcase. They stood there for a few moments looking at each other, and Will felt his heartbeat speeding up in his chest as Hannibal looked at him with something in his face and eyes that had Will's breath catching in his throat.

"Woof," the both of them started a little and looked down at their feet where Bella was looking at them curiously.

"I had better be off," Hannibal said bending to pat Bella, "I will see you tonight,"

"I will see you tonight," Will nodded, mentally wondering what the hell that had been about and what was wrong with him.

"Please try and rest as much as you can," Hannibal requested opening the door.

"I will be fine," Will laughed.

"Ok, ok," Hannibal held his hands up and made his way out of the door.

Will stood at the door and watched Hannibal climb into his car, get settled, and then started the car up. He turned to look at Will and raised his hand, Will mirroring him, and stayed at the door until Hannibal's car drove out of the garage and the door started shutting.

"Stop judging me," Will said sternly to Penny who was sitting behind him, staring at him with her big spaniel eyes.

---

"Will?" Hannibal called through the house as he opened the door from the garage into the house and fussed the dogs that came running.

"Through here," Will's voice called from the direction of the kitchen. Curiously Hannibal straightened and made his way through the house to the kitchen, he stopped in the doorway to watch Will moving around the kitchen, making his way over to place down the large baking pan in his hands onto the side before he turned to look cautiously at Hannibal, clearly not sure what his reaction would be to Will cooking in his precious kitchen. Hannibal couldn't have that.

"Whatever you have cooked smells absolutely amazing," Hannibal took in a deep breath as he walked across the room, "I am smelling salmon, lemongrass, butter, garlic…saffron, and…cumin?"

"Impressive nose Doctor Lector," Will smiled.

"Ah, I missed out the banana leaves," Hannibal said looking into the baking tray and seeing the two pieces of fish wrapped tightly in the green, now slightly charred leaves.

"I hope you do not mind, I wanted to do something for you," Will said nervously.

"It is a very pleasant surprise, I do not mind at all as long as you are feeling well enough," Hannibal smiled.

"It has been five days since I have been released from the hospital, I am feeling much better," Will assured him.

"Good, then this is an incredibly pleasant surprise, and I can not wait to taste it. Have you made roast potatoes to go with it?" Hannibal asked sniffing the air.

"I have, there is still a little time, why don't you change and head through, I will bring it through," Will suggested shyly.

"That sounds perfect. Thank you, Will," Hannibal smiled, turning and making his way out of the kitchen.

"Here we are," Will walked into the room with two full plates, placing them down onto what had become their regular places, when he turned around he found Hannibal holding out his chair for him, as he had done every night.

"I am very much looking forward to this," Hannibal said making his way to his own seat and breathing in the scents of the food deeply.

"It will not taste as good as anything you could cook, but I wanted to make something to say thank you for taking care of me," Will flushed a little.

"Please Will, I dislike it when you talk like that about yourself and your skills, your cooking is different from mine, but that does not mean that it will be any less impressive," Hannibal scolded gently.

"I…thank you," Will felt his cheeks heating up again.

"I truly appreciate the thought behind it as well Will, it has been a long time since I have come home to a meal cooked for me," Hannibal smiled before he eagerly picked up his knife and fork and dug in.

By the time they were done, Will was sure that his cheeks were going to be permanently red, though he was sure that none of it was false compliments.

"This wine was the perfect accompaniment," Hannibal sighed contently as they settled down onto the sofa, he glanced at Will before settling his glass down onto the table and reached into the ottoman nearby pulling out the sinfully soft cashmere blanket in emerald green. He draped it over Will before turning slightly and smiling at him.

"You will be horrified probably to know that I googled what wine you had to figure out what would go best with fish," Will admitted.

"Everyone has to start learning somewhere, it was a lovely surprise to come home to. Have you been reading more through the history books you selected today?" Hannibal asked.

"I have been, I fear that I have a new obsession," Will admitted with a laugh.

"Will you tell me a little of what you have learned?" Hannibal requested. The first time that Hannibal had requested this Will had kept his response short and sharp, sure that Hannibal did not want him to go into the ins and outs of everything, but Hannibal had pressed and pressed and asked questions until Will was babbling about everything that he had read, and Hannibal joined in with facts and pieces of information that he knew, he had also taken a few of the books that Will had read and he had not gotten around to reading from his library yet and had started reading them himself.

"...apparently King Edward died having a red hot poker shoved up his bum," Will said an hour later.

"Not the most pleasant of ways to die," Hannibal agreed.

"Quite a humiliating way to die," Will glanced at Hannibal as he said it.

"He was a terrible King, and he caused a lot of deaths all because of laziness and his inability to not shower his favourites with gifts and allowed them to do and say whatever they wanted. Having a favourite is all very well for normal people, but for a King to show unproportionate favour is dangerous,"

"You think he got what he deserved?" Will asked.

"Do you?"

"He caused a lot of pain and grief, and he hurt those that he should have protected," Will said softly.

"He caused a lot of blood to flow, but hurting those that he claimed to love and who had been loyal to him and given him everything that they could was one of the worst things he could do,"

"I hope the Queen did have a relationship with Roger Mortimer," Will huffed.

"I have a very interesting book on him I believe," Hannibal chuckled.

---

That night, as he lay in bed, Will went over the conversation between them again and again, the words that they had spoken, the expression that had been on Hannibal's face. It went around and around in his head, along with the thought that he was well enough to go home.

He had been since last night really, he could have realistically gone home today, but he didn't want to. He had been shocked to realise that he didn't want to go home, he had been shocked to realise how much he was enjoying the time here with Hannibal, their evenings together, their breakfast together, Hannibal had come home a couple of times for lunch, and he did not want to give up their time together, he wasn't ready to go back to his house where he would feel lonely for the first time, he wasn't ready to give up the safety of Hannibal's house, of Hannibal.

---

Will looked up curiously when he heard the front door opening, pausing in playing with Patroclus on the floor, standing he had only made it a few steps across the living room when Alana stepped into the doorway. Out of everything that he was expecting her to say, what came out of her mouth was not it.

"Why are you still here Will?!"

"Pardon?" Will asked utterly confused by the words and the venom with which she said it.

"Why are you still here? You are looking perfectly well, why are you still bothering Hannibal?"

"I am not bothering Hannibal, he asked me to stay," Will stuttered, feeling out of kilter.

"Of course, you are bothering him! He asked for you to stay because he felt responsible for you, and now you are not leaving," Alana flicked her hair over her shoulder.

"I…"

"He has been talking to me, what did you think that he wanted you to stay here? Do you think that your hanging around is making him happy? He felt responsible for you because you had no one else that would look after you and that is why he looked after you, he is your doctor, not your friend and you have mistaken that and crossed boundaries again Will!"

"I…Hannibal is…"

"What did you think, that he was your friend? What do you two have in common? Hannibal is cultured, educated, charming, sophisticated, and stylish, what do you have in common with him Will? Do you imagine that you are going to be able to attend his meals with how socially awkward you are? That he will ask you to go to the opera with him? That you would look right being seen attending parties with him? You don't even look as though you fit into his house Will!" Alana waved her hand around the living room, and suddenly Will felt like a sore thumb in the classy and stylish house.

"Alana, I don't know why you are saying this…I didn't mean to outstay my welcome," Will managed to say, feeling as though there was a vice around his chest, and as though he didn't fit into his own skin standing here in Hannibal's beautiful house.

"Well you have, and Hannibal is becoming frustrated. You attach yourself to people and do not think how draining it is to have to put up with you and your issues and your needs and your rudeness!" Alana was flushed with anger now, her hands balled at her sides and her pretty face scrunched up.

"A…Alana I don't know…where is this coming from? I am just here recovering, that is all, I do not want to be…to be a burden on Hannibal, especially not with how much he has been here for me and helped me…I didn't know that I was bothering him…I didn't think…"

Will took a step backward as something crossed her face, a chill going through him as she tilted her head slightly.

"Did you think that Hannibal was doing this because he cares? I am sorry Will you have mistaken pity for caring. Hannibal did this because he feels responsible for you, and he feels sorry for you. You don't fit in his world Will, you don't fit in his life. You would embarrass him, you would humiliate him, who could he introduce you to? Where could he take you?"

"I…he does care," Will argued quietly but he felt as though he had a vice around his chest.

"Does he? Do you know why I refused to kiss you, it wasn't because of you, it was because Hannibal and I have been building something between us, I have been spending a lot of time here until you have been staying here and getting in the way! He made me my own beer, we cook together, and we spend hours talking together and just enjoying each other's company. Does he do that with you? Has he made you something that is just for you?" Alana smirked, and then her smirk deepened when he clearly did not want to answer the question.

She straightened up and brushed down her coat as though it had become covered in the poison that she had just spewed.

"I am sorry that it had to be said this way Will, but you have been taking none of the hints that Hannibal has given you, and he is becoming more and more frustrated. You are getting in the way of our relationship as well," Alana said before she spun on her heel and walked out of the room.

Will stood there staring at where she had been standing for a long time after he heard the door slamming shut behind her. He felt as though he was struggling to get a breath, and his mind was scanning over everything that had happened between him and Hannibal, trying to see where he had gone wrong, where he had mistaken what was happening.

He had thought that Hannibal liked him, that he wanted a relationship with him, he had thought that that was why he was here, why Hannibal had been so insistent on him staying here. He had thought that though they were different they matched together well and that Hannibal enjoyed and respected his company for their differences. He had been falling in love with Hannibal while he was here, he had been falling in love with him every moment that they spent together. He had been allowing himself to feel it, he had been allowing the feeling to spread through his heart, and…he had been an idiot.

He had spent his time relaxing in Hannibal's house feeling as though it were a safe haven for him, feeling as though he fit in here instead of standing out like a sore thumb, like a dirty thumbprint on a perfectly white page.

He jumped when he heard the phone suddenly start to ring and after a second he automatically walked towards it, his hand reaching out, but then his hand froze with his fingers touching the phone. He didn't want to embarrass Hannibal by answering the phone to someone that he knew, he didn't want to get even more in the way of the man that he cared for, to be even more of a problem for him.

He jumped again when there was a loud beep through the room as the phone stopped ringing and changed over to voicemail.

"Will? It is me, are you sleeping?" Hannibal's voice sounded annoyed and frustrated as he talked. "I need to go somewhere after work, I will be back in the next few hours, I am afraid that you will have to arrange your own supper," the call ended with a click and Will blinked at the blinking light on the phone.

Had Hannibal sounded this annoyed the whole time and he had not been hearing it? Had he been so oblivious? He was wanting time away from Will because as Alana had said he was frustrated and fed up of Will being in his house and not taking the hint that he didn't want Will to still be in the house.

He suddenly spun around on his heel, reaching up to dash away the stinging hot tears that had formed in his eyes and he raced up the stairs and into his room…no not his room, Hannibal's guest room that he had been squatting in. He quickly bundled together all of his things from inside the room, tying them up in the blanket that Hannibal had brought from his home for him, he grabbed the pile of books that he had taken from Hannibal's library in his other arm and made his way to the room in which they had spent so much time, and he carefully replaced the books on the shelves, the gaps in the shelves suddenly looking like gaping holes, untidy and not fitting like him.

It took him more time than he would like, and more tries than he would like to pen a quick letter of apology to Hannibal for having not realised how much of a bother he had been to the Doctor and how sorry he was for taking advantage of his kindness.

He was thankful that Hannibal had had his car brought to Hannibal's home, though he felt guilty for having put Hannibal out in just another way, and it didn't take long to round up his pack and get them into the vehicle. It was a little bit of a crush and it took a little while for him to get them settled and calm enough for him to safely drive, but as soon as he did he pulled down the driveway and raced for his home as quickly as he could, wanting to be long gone by the time Hannibal got home.

---

"Will?" Hannibal called as he walked into the house and was greeted with only Achilles and Patroclus carrying across the floor towards him. "Will? Will? William?!" Hannibal called even more concerned when there was no sound of barking or sign of any of the dogs running to greet him as they had every single night since he had brought them home.

He hurried through the house not even bothering to take off his coat, running up the stairs and into Will's room. It was obvious immediately that Will had taken his things from the room and left, it was just empty of the other man even though he had left it tidy.

Then his eyes found the letter sitting in the middle of the bed. As soon as he read the letter he scrunched it up in his hand in fury, his veil slipping away as pure, burning anger washed through his body. He threw the letter across the room as he turned and made his way out of the house and to his car, slamming the doors behind himself before he sped off down the driveway.

---

"Hannibal…what…what happened…are you hurt?" Will gasped staring at Hannibal as he pushed his way passed him and into the house, the blood that he was covered in easy to see even in the moonlight given the sheer amount of blood that he was covered in.

"You left the house! You left without saying anything! Without even…" Hannibal growled out and Will couldn't listen to anything more.

"I am…I am sorry! I did not mean to be in the way! I didn't realise that you and she were together and I was taking advantage of your care for me as a doctor and got confused with friendship and more and…"

Will gasped when Hannibal suddenly grasped his shoulders and pressed him back against the wall, and then Hannibal pressed against him, his body holding Will to the wall as much as the hands on his shoulders were. His face was inches from Will's and the metal scent of blood filled Will's senses, reminding him that Hannibal was covered in it, before he could ask about it again, however, Hannibal was already talking.

"You listened to the poison and vitriol that came from her instead of asking me William? You mistook nothing! You are…there is no one like you, there is no one else that I want, certainly not her!" Hannibal grit out.

"But…but she is right, I don't fit in your world, we are so different…" Will shook his head trying not to focus on the feeling of Hannibal's warm body pressed against his own.

"Do you feel that I do not fit into your world if we are so different? That I can not possibly exist in your world?" Hannibal asked softly.

"It is different," Will shook his head fervently. Hannibal slipped his fingers into Will's curls, holding onto the back of his head, clenching his curls slightly tightly, and leaning a little closer so that they were almost nose to nose.

"Why is it different Will?" Hannibal's voice rumbled through Will as he spoke.

"I…I…because your world is different to mine, it is distinguished and ordered, sophisticated and…I am none of those things," Will was embarrassed when his voice caught in his throat with saying out loud what had gone through his head since he had realised his feelings for Hannibal months ago, thoughts that had been quietened while he had been staying with Hannibal only to come roaring back with Alana's words.

Just as he was remembering those worlds again, just as he was remembering everything that she had reaffirmed he found all thoughts in his head disappearing as lips pressed against his own. His breath caught in his throat and he froze for a second but Hannibal would have that and he demanded a reaction from Will, tightening his fingers in his hair as he wrapped his arm around Will's waist and pulled him that last couple of inches between them so that they were plastered together.

Will couldn't help himself, the temptation was too much for him and he wrapped his arms up Hannibal's strong back to grip his shoulders and pressed back into the kiss, absorbing the rumble that Hannibal seemed to inadvertently make before he was kissing Will with more heat, devouring him as he skillfully took Will apart with every move he made. Will gripped onto Hannibal even tighter as the other licked his bottom lip in request and dove in when Will welcomed the request, heat, and lust burning through his body.

Hannibal pulled away reluctantly so that they could catch their breath, panting against each other's mouths as Hannibal pressed their foreheads together, maroon eyes staring into his.

"I want you Will, I want you in my life, it has been fuller with you in it, having you in my house, seeing you every day, coming home to you, sharing my evening with you has been all I have wanted for months now since I met you. You not fitting into my world or me not fitting into yours is nothing but rubbish. I want you in my life William,"

"But Alana said you and her…" Will said so quietly that had Hannibal not been pressed right against him he wouldn't have heard him.

"She was lying, she was spiteful and jealous of you," Hannibal shook his head.

"What has she to be jealous of, you and her do match more, she is beautiful, she wouldn't embarrass you like…"

"She said that you would embarrass me?" Hannibal growled pulling Will tightly against him again.

"I…"

"I would be proud to be with you, I would be proud to take you to some of the places in 'my world' that I believe you would enjoy, and the ones that you would not would be fine, in the same way, that I would enjoy joining you in 'your world' for certain things but would definitely not be joining you for your fishing, but even in the places that we do not match we still thread together, you enjoy your fishing, I can enjoy cooking the results of it," Hannibal's tone was honeyed and smokey, temptation itself and Will wanted to give in and believe him.

"But…"

"Do you want me, Will?" Hannibal asked.

"I…I…yes," Will finally admitted it out loud for the first time.

"And I want you, so what does it matter what people do or don't think of us? All that matters is what we think and want," Hannibal said gently.

"Why are you covered in blood?" Will asked breathlessly, and watched the sharp smirk on Hannibal's face form.

"You know that William, you know whose blood it is and what happened to them, that they are not alive,"

"Why?" Will asked looking into maroon eyes that were suddenly like deep pools that he could stare into for hours and hours and hours and still not find their full depth.

"Because she hurt you, and she came between us, I will tolerate neither," Hannibal said honestly.

"I…" Will looked down at the floor and licked his lips before looking back up at Hannibal's handsome, chiseled face. "I have known for a few weeks, no I have guessed for a few weeks," Will admitted.

"And yet you still feel for me. You still care for me, you trust me. It is one of the reasons that I love you as I do, you are the first and only person that I can be myself with, I can show my darkness and unveil myself," Hannibal gently stroked Will's cheek.

"Love me? But…"

"We are both aware of what my psychological diagnosis says that I am incapable of doing and feeling, we both are aware that I am not meant to be a creature that knows or understands love, and I thought it was correct. Aside from my sister when I was a boy I have not truly loved anyone, until you. I knew there was something different about you from the start, but then I came to realise how special you were. I should not be able to love, and yet I love you. The human mind is a wonderful thing that does not obey one set of rules, I am not programmed like a computer, as you are not with your gift," Hannibal smiled gently at him.

"No, everyone is different and everyone has different abilities to love," Will agreed.

"Do you think that you could love me as I am?" Hannibal asked.

"I believe that I already do," Will admitted looking back into those eyes that he could lose himself in.

"I could curb myself, to keep you," Hannibal offered, and Will's heart fluttered in his chest when he realised that the Doctor was completely serious.

Will cupped Hannibal's face between his hands and leaned up to cover the distance between them, pressing their lips together sweetly and exploring, Hannibal seemingly unable to do anything but respond to him.

"I want you as you are," Will breathed against his mouth and Hannibal shuddered in his arms, pressing their foreheads girly together again as his eyes fluttered shut.

"That is something that I believed I would never hear," Hannibal spoke a moment later after visibly collecting himself.

"Me either," Will laughed lightly, something uncurling and loosening in his chest that he had not been aware was even there until right this moment when it finally released. "I never expected to be accepted for who and what I am, for my mind and the way I see things, for the turmoil inside of me,"

"But I do, I want you as you are. I do not see a turmoil, my sweet Will, I see a storm, wild and bursting through the air, fierce and powerful, awe-inspiring and beautiful in its chaos and destruction, base and elemental, primitive at its base. You are stunning to me Will, and you are to me what no one else has ever been,"

" Hannibal…" Will managed to breathe out through the thundering in his heart and the breathlessness that came with Hannibal's confession.

"Come home, let us get the pack together and come home Will, please," Hannibal requested but there was a pleading note to his voice that Will had never expected to hear.

And in the end, it was an easy answer. He liked Wolf Trap because it was somewhere he could hide from the world, it was somewhere that he felt safe. But the last few months he had felt trapped and lonely here even with his pack, he had felt as though he were locked in and climbing the walls. Being back here after being in Hannibal's house had made him realise that this was not his home anymore, that he felt safer, happier, and more content than he ever had before in one place, at Hannibal's home.

But it wasn't the building, the feeling of safety and comfort, of home and contentedness, had nothing to do with the bricks and mortar and everything to do with the man holding him as though he were his most treasured person, who looked at him and saw him, who would allow him to be himself.

"Take me home, please," Will asked softly, and Hannibal leaned down to kiss him right away, his joy clear through the kiss.

---

Will stood opposite Hannibal in Hannibal's bedroom. The room was gorgeous silver and green, and while Will's heart was fluttering in his chest at being in there and the implications of what that meant, there was also a real sense of relaxation and safety to being in this room with Hannibal. It was as though the last barrier between the two of them had been broken away, that last wall had been taken down and Will was here with Hannibal, understanding completely what he was and who he was, and accepting him, in return he was within the safety of Hannibal's care, his love, which was clear from the look that he was giving Will as they stood on opposite sides of the bed just looking at each other.

Hannibal had come in and had a shower while Will had let the dogs out and fed Achilles and Patroclus before heading up when he heard the shower turn off. Hannibal had emerged from the bathroom just as Will had stepped onto the top step, and when a long-fingered, warm hand was offered to him he linked their fingers together and followed Hannibal down the hallway to his bedroom while his dogs happily made their way into the bedroom that they had been sleeping in.

Almost at the same time the two of them moved to pull back the covers and then Hannibal slid gracefully onto the bed, Will's mouth going dry as he watched the movement and pull of muscles in Hannibal's chest, stomach, and shoulders considering he was only wearing a pair of sleep pants. Then Hannibal was reaching out for him again, and Will took his hand and allowed him to pull him onto the bed, the two of them meeting in the middle of the large mahogany sleigh bed that curved around them as though they were in their own little world.

Will went with Hannibal as the other pulled him gently down to lie on his chest, Will curling up onto the warm skin of Hannibal's chest, his fingers brushing gently through the blond and grey hair on his chest as Hannibal settled the covers over the soft thump of Hannibal's heartbeat under Will's ear soothing as they settled down into the bed. Will sighed contently when Hannibal's arms wrapped firmly around him, holding him as though he were something precious to Hannibal. Will slowly allowed his fingers to drift down Hannibal's side, stroking the vulnerable flesh there gently with just the tips of his fingers, and Hannibal relaxed even more under him, a small hum of contentment rumbling through him.

Will should feel horrified, he was wrapped in the arms of a man who could do terrible things, a man who people would call a monster, he had seen with his own eyes the things that Hannibal had done, and he had felt the disdain that Hannibal felt for certain people, he had seen the games that he liked playing and how he enjoyed mentally playing with people. He had killed Alana, someone that Will had thought of as a friend, someone that he had cared for. Had she not done what she had he wasn't sure that he could have accepted what and who Hannibal was, when he confirmed it to him despite at the back of his mind had already known, despite having been so close to the truth that he could have touched it. But Alana had done it, she had used what she knew were Will's weaknesses and fears, his concerns and she had used them to stab him, she had used them to hurt him and rip into him.

He could use the excuse that she had driven him into Hannibal's arms to forgive himself for accepting Hannibal and choosing whatever life with him would bring, but he wasn't going to, she had proven what he had known for a while, people used you, they feared you and became jealous and spiteful when they didn't understand you. Hannibal was different, the thing that made him a monster made him unique, and though Will knew that it wasn't going to be easy between them, though he knew that they were going to argue and bang heads, though he knew that there were certain things Hannibal did that he wasn't going to agree with, for the chance to be with the man that he loved, the man that understood him, understood his mind and accepted him, he was willing to drop that last line of defense that he had built up, he was willing to knock down the wall that Hannibal had been pulling on himself and allow his darkness to be free, allow that part of himself to take over and put the morals he had clung so tightly to drift away on the wind while he wrapped his arms around Hannibal and held onto him instead.

"Thank you," Hannibal breathed pressing his face into Will's curls.

"For what?" Will murmured sleepily, his fingers still brushing gently up and down Hannibal's side.

"For choosing me, for giving me a chance,"

"We chose each other, and I don't want to be anywhere else. I am sorry that I believe Alana and what she said,"

"She knew how to get to you and she did, I do not blame you only her," Hannibal shook his head.

"I will not doubt you like that again,"

"It is not me that you should not doubt but yourself. Why would I want anyone else, when I have you?"

"I think it will take me a little while to get used to that thought," Will admitted.

"I shall make sure that I remind you every day until you do get used to it, and then I will remind you after as well, just to be sure," Hannibal had a smile in his voice as he spoke.

"I love you, Hannibal," Will said softly. The arms around him tightened briefly before gentling as Hannibal slid his hand into Will's curls again.

"I love you too my sweet Will," Hannibal sighed happily.

---

"I thought that we might take a little time off, go away for a weekend and just spend some time together," Hannibal said as they walked hand in hand back up to the house, the dogs running around them happily.

"I would…"

"WILL!" Jack's voice broke through the calm and peace that they had had around them. The two of them turned to see Jack storming down the garden towards them looking absolutely furious. "Why don't you have your phone on? I have been trying to get in touch with you!"

"Because I am on sick leave Jack, I am recovering from being seriously ill," Will said sharply. Jack pulled up short in front of the two of them, actually looking shocked, Hannibal squeezed his hand gently in response and even though his face did not move Will could tell he was smiling internally.

"I needed to get in touch with you!" Jack tried to step into Will's personal space but Harley was suddenly standing between the two of them.

"And I nearly died, I am entitled to recover in peace, besides you haven't even messaged to see how I was recovering," Will shrugged.

"I…" it was then that Jack realized that Will and Hannibal's hands were joined, his eyebrow raising up his face. "This is not very ethical is it!"

"I am not Will's doctor Jack, we merely have conversations, something that you agreed with so that Will would be able to stay in the field," Hannibal said pleasantly.

"I…"

"What is it that you so desperately needed Will for?" Hannibal asked before Jack could wind himself any tighter. Will tilted his head when Jack's face crumpled a little.

"I have bad news, about Alana," He sighed.

"What has happened? Is she ok?" Will asked panicked, the only indication of Hannibal being anything but mock-shocked himself was the squeeze Will received to his hand again.

"No, she…I…she…she has been murdered," Jack managed to say thickly.

"I don't…murdered but…what…what happened? How? Who? When did this happen?" Will stammered.

"We think last night, but until the…the autopsy is performed we won't be sure,"

"You want me at the crime scene?" Will asked, making sure it looked as though he were visibly pulling himself together.

"If you are well enough," Jack said tightly, clearly wanting to demand Will go but the conversation from earlier had made him feel guilty.

"No I need to be there, I will do everything I can to help," Will said earnestly, mentally thinking that he was going to do everything that he could to help Hannibal and himself.

"Thank you Will," Jack sighed relieved, "I am sorry for how I was, seeing her like…like that was just…my apologies Will, Doctor Lector,"

"I am quite…I completely understand Jack," Hannibal shook his head sadly, his face pinched in grief. "Are you sure that you will be ok?" There was a real hint of concern there when Hannibal turned to Will, unable to smile in reassurance Will stepped forward and hugged him tightly.

"I want to see this…to help in every way that I can," The words were said for Jack's presence, their true meaning was for Hannibal.

"I will cancel the appointments that I had for this afternoon, I do not think that I can bare to…I will be here when you get back," Hannibal nodded. When he leaned down and pulled Will into a hug he made sure that his head was on the side that Jack could not see, and it took everything that Will had not to gasp when he felt the warm heat of Hannibal's mouth against his neck, sucking gently for a moment before teeth scratched sensuously over the skin.

"I will see you when I get back," Will said shakily.

"Are you sure that you are up to this?" Jack asked concerned.

"Not really, but I need to be," Will put as much tiredness and sudden grief as he could into the words as he stepped away from Hannibal and towards Jack in a clear indication of being ready to leave.

The walk to the car and the car ride to Alana's house was a long one, Jack kept trying to make conversation with him, asking about his health, asking about his time in the hospital, asking about him and Hannibal, talking about Alana. Will worked hard to keep a mask of grief over his face as he absently, and shortly, answered the questions, but inside he was mixed between going over everything that Alana had said to him the last time they had seen each other, and all the disparaging, dismissive and disdainful comments that she had made over the years that they had known each other, he was also fighting down the excitement building in him the closer they got to see what Hannibal had done for him.

"Are you ready for this?" Jack asked Will.

"I think so," Will said, the tremble in his voice making Jack furrow his brows a little in concern, and Will almost wanted to laugh at the misunderstanding, he was excited to be here, not sad. But as ever Jack wouldn't allow his concern and belief that Will wasn't healthy enough to be here to get in the way of getting his answers.

"Will, how are you doing?" Beverly asked as he walked up to the front door with Jack.

"I have been a lot better, but ok," Will answered.

"We heard you were ill and…"

"I would prefer to have the house to myself," Will interrupted Jimmy and turned to Jack.

"Of course," Jack nodded.

I mean properly alone, I want to be clear about what happened, I don't want to lose the thread because someone interrupts me," Will said softly, feeling a flash of triumph when Beverly flushed and flinched back. "It is for Alana," Will managed to add a break in his voice as he spoke, looking down at the ground sadly.

"I will make sure you have all the time that you need," Jack nodded firmly.

"Will this even still work now that you aren't mad?" Brian sniffed disdainfully.

"Afraid that you might have to do some work, Zeller?" Jack barked before Will thankfully said what was on his own mind, "Will, go on in. If you need anything, a break, some help whatever let us know," Jack said earnestly, and Will might once have been fooled into believing that a part of him was worried about Will, and not just about getting a result and fixing what he saw as a personal affront.

"I will, I think I am ready," Will took an obvious deep breath before turning toward the house he had only been inside of once, eagerness building in the pit of his stomach. The part of him that had been clinging to his morals and not letting his darker side out was a little worried as to whether what he would find there would make him change his mind about Hannibal and their relationship, but the other part, and he had to admit it was the larger part was looking forward to seeing what Hannibal had done, what punishment he had doles out for hurting Will and trying to come between the two of them because he was sure that it was going to be spectacular.

He reached out slowly, aware of the eyes burning into his back as he stood on the welcome mat sitting on Alana's porch, and grasped the door handle before pushing the door open in front of him, the scent of iron and death filling his nose as he stepped forward and into the house, his mind flashing as his eyes took everything in, and then he was there, in that night with Hannibal and Alana…

---

The night before

Hannibal stepped into Alana's house and slowly shut the door behind himself, ensuring that it did not make any sound before he stepped into the house, aiming towards the kitchen where he could hear Alana moving around in the kitchen. He padded down the hallway, that boiling anger he had felt building and building filling him as his fingers brushed the paper in his pocket, the letter that Will had left.

"Hannibal!" Alana squeaked in shock as she turned around from where she was making tea and found Hannibal standing in the doorway, she dropped the cup onto the floor and the two of them looked down as the teacup cracked and the tea spilled everywhere. "How…how did you get in?" She asked, pressing her hand to her chest.

"Your front door was open when I arrived," Hannibal lied.

"Was it?" Alana asked concerned looking towards the door, "I guess I was a little upset when I came in, I may have left it open. Thank you for coming by and noticing, who knows who may have walked in,"

"Yes, anyone could have walked in," Hannibal nodded, stepping further into the room.

"Why are you here anyway, besides ensuring that I am not robbed," Alana shuffled in place a little, rearranging herself so that she was leaning against the counter a lot more provocatively, thrusting her chest out and fluttering her eyelashes a little.

"I have just gone home and Will has left my house," Hannibal said neutrally.

"Oh? He has left?" Alana tried not to be too eager but Hannibal could easily see the flash across her face, triumph.

"Yes he has, he left me a note saying that he did not feel like he belonged at my house, and he did not realise that he was in my way," Hannibal hummed, stepping further into the room and leaning against the opposite counter from Alana.

"Oh, that isn't good. It sounds like he doesn't want to take up any of your time after staying with you for so long," Alana offered.

"Hmm, I am worried about it, he is still recovering and I am unsure as to what made him think that he was no longer welcome at my house," Hannibal feigned concern even as the anger boiled inside of him as he watched Alana plaster a look of concern over her face.

"You have been very good to him, it has been a good few weeks that you have been caring for him, perhaps it was time that he went back to his house," Alana said gently, reaching out to touch Hannibal's arm and it was all that he could do not to reach out and break her wrist.

"Why would you think that he should go back to his house, I was happy for him to stay and for me to look after him?" Hannibal asked looking down at her.

"Because you are a good person and I am not saying that Will is taking advantage of you, but he can't become too reliant on you, it is not healthy for him, you are there for him with his troubles and his psychological traumas, being there for him physically as well could be easily misleading for him because of how vulnerable he is," Alana said gently, sugaring her tone and looking up at him with big doe eyes.

"You are concerned about me?" Hannibal asked, leaning forward just a little.

"And Will, but yes I am concerned, I do not wish for any lines to be blurred. We used to spend a good amount of time together but since you have been helping Will, I have barely seen you," Alana reached out and touched his other arm.

"I have been very busy caring for Will," Hannibal nodded, leaning down just a little more, in response Alana went up further onto her toes and leaned even closer to him, "could I have a drink?" Hannibal requested pulling back a little and glancing to the side as though he were being shy.

"Of course!" Alana giggled, stepping back.

"I will get the teacup, it was my fault after all," Hannibal smiled when she went to pick it up.

"Thank you," Alana smiled, turning to the kettle. "I hope you did not feel that I was overstepping my boundaries with what I have just said about Will, I have been very concerned about you," Alana said as she grabbed two more mugs.

"I thought you were worried about Will?" Hannibal said lowly, stepping closer to Alana, watching as her back tensed.

"I…I was…I am," Alana stammered, confused by the change. The gurgle she then let out was one of the most satisfying sounds that any of his prey had ever made as he plunged a knife into her back.

"You got in the way, you have been irritating and annoying me for many years now, but you were amusing to me which weighed out the annoyance, you have overstepped this time though and you have gotten in between myself and Will," Hannibal growled out, withdrawing the knife, spinning her around and plunged it into her stomach.

"Hannibal?" Alana stammered, choking out a groan when Hannibal twisted the knife in her stomach. He watched satisfied as a trickle of blood slipped from between her lips and spilled down her pale chin, staining the white skin red as the liquid flowed down it.

He tilted his head and watched the confusion in her eyes, the horror, and the confusion.

"I love Will, and I want him. I was playing a game with you, dangling you like a puppet and you danced for my entertainment, clambering for my attention and doing everything that I wanted you to do. But now you have overstepped, Will left my house when I was winning him over, he believes that we do not belong in each other's worlds, something that I believe came straight from you, I am going to be going to get him once I am done with you," Hannibal lazily withdrew the knife as he talked and plunged it into stomach another few times.

"N…no…Hannibal…no," Alana struggled to try and pull away from him suddenly, but he gripped her and plunged the knife into her again.

"I am going to get him, I am going to pull him back into my life, I am going to coax the darkness out of him and I am going to love him utterly. You had better hope that you have not undone everything that I have managed to achieve so far because for every week that he is not in my life the way I have become accustomed to I am going to kill one of your friends, a member of your family, your neighbours because of it," Hannibal hissed.

"How…how did you know I…" Alana choked out.

"Will left me a letter, apologising for being in the way of our relationship, and I could smell the stink of your perfume all over my house, polluting the smell of Will and me filling it, pathetic!"

He pushed her away from himself and allowed her to drop onto the floor, she looked up at him with a growing understanding of what was happening, and growing horror on her face.

"Will is everything to me, and you are just a bitter and jealous little shrew who has overstepped yourself," Hannibal stepped forward and loomed over her, watching as everything clicked into place in her mind before he pounced on her.

An hour later Hannibal stepped back and looked down with satisfaction on his face at the picture that he had painted, he was still angry, but he had been able to bank it down with what he had done, enough to go to Will now and not do more harm than Alana had caused because of his anger, this was not Will's fault.

He stepped back and turned to leave the room ready to head out to Wolf Trap to get Will to come back, it was time to lay all his cards on the table and finally allow Will to really see him.

---

Now

Will looked down at the image in front of him, looking down at the image that it created in front of his eyes. Instead of the disgust and the horror that he had been worried about feeling at seeing this, his heart fluttered in his chest as he took in what Hannibal had done for him, as he took in what he had created for him.

It was a flower.

A rose.

Hannibal had flayed and carved Alana, taking pieces of her skin and laying it out until the piece made a rose shape, he had left her legs in one piece to mimic the stem of the rose, and her arms were detached and twisted around to make the shape of leaves. Will's partner had used the blood that had poured from Alana to paint the floor in between the flesh that he had carefully placed down and he had used the blood to add to the effect of the flower.

Hannibal had created a rose for him. If he had doubted Hannibal's feelings for him seeing this would truly have clarified this for him, showing him exactly how he felt him. It was as though he had laid out his soul for Will to see, laying it there on the kitchen floor for him, painted in letters and images with the woman who had hurt Will.

He allowed himself the fleeting smile that crossed his face unable to hide the excitement inside of him before he had to pull himself away from the scene in front of him. He would be making sure that he got pictures of the crime scene however, even though he would never forget this image for the rest of his life.

"Well, were you able to get anything?" Jack demanded as soon as Will stepped out of the house, his face carefully arranged into a mask of horror and grief.

"It was the Ripper Jack," Will muttered, sitting down heavily on the front garden wall.

"What?!" Jack roared. "Because of me?" He gasped stepping back.

"Yes," Will nodded sadly.

"But…I…damn it!" Jack roared storming off.

Will waited a few moments as the others talked around him, giving it a few beats as he also listened to Jack roaring and shouting his orders at the junior agents before coming back to clearly start ordering Beverly, Jimmy, and Brian around, and likely Will.

He felt a little foolish but he seemed to be quite convincing as he let out a small groan and pretended to feel faint.

"Will?" Jack barked.

"Sorry, I feel…Alana and…I am not feeling well," Will groaned.

"He is recovering from a serious illness, the shock of this could have set him back," Jimmy frowned.

"I can't take you home, I need to stay here, I will have one of the agents take you back," Jack said already turning away.

"Jack, I did see something in there," Will said faintly covering his eyes.

"What is it?" Jack spun around so fast that Will was surprised that he didn't give himself whiplash.

"The Ripper, he is likely to be an art professor, dealer, or curator, the different scenes that he leaves, and the artistry in his eyes behind says that he is someone who appreciates and works with art, but there is a frustration there as well, likely his art was dark and very few people appreciated it, in that frustration he takes it out on others, he takes it out on people that remind him of those who mocked and blocked his artistry, and he wants to have his art out on display for everyone to see and appreciate," Will explained, watching with delight as Jack soaked it all up, nodding to himself.

"It makes sense, so much sense, thank you Will, we're a step closer to him, we're a step closer to catching him and getting him for what he did to Alana!" Jack gripped Will's shoulder and looked deep into his eyes.

"That is all I care about," Will lied, and it was all too easy to lie, all too easy to make his face project what he wanted it to.

"Get home, I will let you know as soon as we find anything," Jack promised.

"I really appreciate that Jack, Hannibal will as well," Will said truthfully this time before turning and walking over to the agent Jack indicated to and ordered to take Will back to Hannibal's…back home.

---

"Will?" Hannibal stood when Will walked into the living room and Will could see that he was worried about Will's reaction, to actually seeing the scene, to seeing Alana, and acknowledging what Hannibal was. It was the same worry that Will had had before he walked into the house, and he couldn't have that, besides, the excitement and the desire pooling low in his stomach since he had seen Alana he could finally allow loose.

He kept walking forward, straight to Hannibal, and as soon as he was close enough he threw his arms around those strong shoulders and slammed their lips together. Hannibal let out a surprised noise, clearly not having been expecting this reaction, but he clicked on very quickly and wrapped his arms around Will's waist, holding him firmly against himself as they kissed with all the fire and heat of a volcano, the pull between them, the desire, the passion and the fire that they both had no doubt would stay in their relationship exploded and they were frantic to express it all in their kiss to each other, desperate to be closer to the other, desperate to be as close as they could be, to share their passion.

"Are you sure you are well enough?" Hannibal panted against Will's lips as the dark-haired man tugged Hannibal's shirt off of him, having already undone the buttons as they kissed.

"More than, I need you, Hannibal, please!" Will groaned.

"You never need to plead with me to pleasure you Will," Hannibal groaned, burying his hand into Will's hair to kiss him furiously again before he released him and yanked Will's jumper off of him, belatedly realising it was actually his own jumper.

Will groaned when Hannibal threw the jumper over his shoulder, not caring where it landed, not caring about tidiness for once as he sealed their lips together again, his hands ran up Will's sides, his fingers digging in just enough to not tickle him and instead had goosebumps raising on his skin as a shudder went through him, summoning a groan to his lips that seemed to come from his toes as Hannibal pulled them tightly together heightening to sensation going through Will as their chests pressed together, their sensitive skin running together, the heat raising through them with their passion burning through each other.

"Will?" Hannibal mumbled against his lips when as he eased Will down onto the chaise lounge in his living room Will let out a sound that had to be classed as utterly sinful having the Doctor harder than he had ever been in his life, he could not stop himself from pressing himself down against the younger man and thrusting against his stomach.

"I have been thinking about you fucking me on the chaise lounge in your office for months," Will admitted through his panting as he slid his thighs apart, his breath catching when Hannibal slipped between them and thrust against him again, this time their erections pressing together getting the friction that both of them had been desiring. He pulled Hannibal down and pressed their lips together hungrily, kissing him deeply as he thrust their hips together in a desperate rhythm, groaning again as he felt the hard, thick length of Hannibal's erection pressing against his own.

"Perhaps at some point soon we can indulge that, I can say that I have had that fantasy as well…and having you against the ladder, making you hold onto it to keep your feet while I fuck into you from behind," Hannibal mumbled against Will's lips as he reached down and stripped himself of his trousers and boxer shorts in one move, his hands going to Will's jeans and making quick work of stripping them off as well.

Will whined loudly when Hannibal descended down straight away and nipped up his bare thigh making a pathway of gentle nips up Will's leg until he reached the soft skin where Will's thigh met his hip and he sank his teeth into the flesh, soaking in the moan that Will let out into the room, releasing the flesh he licked over it to ease the sting from it before sucking over the mark, leaning back he was delighted to see the mark that was already coming up, the possessiveness that flared through him urging him up Will's body and pressing their lips together again, tasting his sweet Will.

"Hannibal!" Will breathed out partially in pleasure and partially in pleading when slick fingers pressed into his entrance and sank deeply into his body. "The lube?" He frowned a little confused after a second of just enjoying the feeling of Hannibal's fingers inside of him as his brain clicked on, looking up he found the doctor looking a little sheepish.

"I hoped that we might make our way to this soon, I have a few bottles stashed around the house," Hannibal admitted, his maroon eyes burning into Will with his desire, and Will realised with a rush of desire through his body that this man wanted him so much that he had made preparations on the hope that they would have sex, he wanted Will that much!

"Make love to me," Will groaned tugging Hannibal down to kiss him again, thrusting his hips down so Hannibal's fingers went deeper inside of him. The doctor groaned and kissed him back furiously and slid another finger inside of Will, thrusting his fingers, and within seconds his clever fingers managed to find Will's prostate. He leaned back and looked down at his curly-haired love who was flushed with pleasure, his blue eyes practically black with how blown his pupils were.

"I love you," Hannibal sighed as he withdrew his fingers and slicked himself up, pressing himself to Will's entrance he looked down at him and watched an emotion that he could only describe as love spreading over Will's face as he looked at him, something that he had hoped that he would see but part of him had thought that he would never be allowed, especially once the reality of his true nature sank into Will.

Pressing inside Hannibal groaned at the feeling of Will's hot, tight entrance clenching around him as he slowly slid into him, groaning even louder when his hips pressed against Will's arse as he sank into the root and Will clenched even tighter around him as he arched his back, his eyes slamming shut as he tilted his head back, and Hannibal watched with ravenous eyes as pleasure washed over that beloved face.

"Move!" Will groaned out as he dug his fingers into Hannibal's muscled shoulders, thrusting himself onto the thick, long erection inside of him, and how could Hannibal resist such a sweet request?

The two of them rocked together, their hands alternating between clinging to and stroking each other as they rocked together, exchanging kisses and nips, unable to stop touching each other as much as they could during their lovemaking as they chased their pleasure from and for each other until they finally came together, almost simultaneously as Hannibal's hand wrapped around Will's hot, hard erection between their stomachs and stroked him firmly to the rhythm of his thrusts as he felt himself getting closer and closer to the edge.

Will sighed in happiness and exhausted pleasure as Hannibal mouthed lightly down his throat while their hips still jerked with after pleasure before his dark love settled his mouth over Will's chest right above his heart and sucked a loving kiss into the pale skin there while his hands stroked Will's sides.

"I love you," Hannibal breathed against his skin, "more than anything in this world, I love you my darling, William,"

"I love you too, more than anything, I love you," Will pulled Hannibal up for another kiss.

"Come, let us go to bed for a nap, I want nothing more than to hold you in my arms right now and sleep together," Hannibal smiled pulling away from the kiss and pulling himself to his feet, reaching down to pull the younger man to his feet, leaning him up the stairs holding his hand until they settled down together on the bed, Hannibal curling around Will and holding him within the safety of his arms.

---

"Will?" Hannibal hummed walking into the bedroom holding two bowls of steaming pasta.

"Yes?" Will looked up from where he was reading and blinked at the peculiar expression on his lover's face, "is everything ok?" he asked concerned.

"Is there a reason that Jack was just on the phone to me interrogating me about art dealers and professors?" he asked bemused, and Will fell to the side laughing.

---

The two of them settled into a nice routine together swiftly, so swiftly that sometimes Will found himself looking around at his life a little in awe as the next two weeks passed and they found themselves existing together and creating their life together. Will had gone back to work teaching and though Jack was trying to call him back into helping him Will wasn't doing as much as he had been, able to claim that the loss of Alana at the university had meant that it was all hands-on deck and that he was still recovering from his illness.

Will would have liked to have cut ties completely with Jack and not have to work with him anymore, however, it was for the best for the two of them that Will stayed within Jack's orbit for the moment, able to sound him out on where he was with the investigation and lead him down the wrong pathway when needed.

Hannibal and he had fallen into a pleasant life together already, one that Will could see forming around them, and one that he was already enjoying as the days went on, one that he could see spinning around them, and for the first time in a long time, he felt happy. He felt accepted and he felt happy with the life that he had.

He was just coming back from walking the dogs when he heard a car pulling up to the front of the house. He shut the dogs in the utility room, quickly pulling off his boots and making his way to the front of the house to see who was visiting them, partially expecting it to be Jack again with some more information about art historians, honestly, Will hadn't known that there was this much information, or art historians, in the area.

"Hannibal! I can't believe that you did it! I can't believe that you killed her, I have…I haven't said anything about… I believed that you were killing people but this!" The woman's voice had Will pausing at the sound of the front door slamming open and he tilted his head with a small frown.

Looking to the side he saw that there was the knife block sitting near to him, he thought about it for only a second before he grabbed one of the knives and stepped forward, inching quietly towards the door.

"Hannibal! I know you're here! Your car is outside! I know what you did!"

"May I help you?" Will asked, stepping into the hallway to find a blonde woman standing there.

"I…who are you?" The woman said, shocked spinning on her heel to look at him wide-eyed.

"I am Will Graham, is there something that I can help you with?" Will asked pleasantly.

"You are Will…where is Hannibal? His car is here," the woman looked completely lost, and Will took advantage of that to walk slowly further into the hallway, standing between her and the front door as he put a concerned expression on his face.

"I drove his car this morning," Will hummed. "May I ask who you are?"

"I am Bedelia his…"

"...Therapist," Will nodded.

"He told you about me?" Bedelia looked stunned as she stared at him.

"Yes, he did, all about you," Will smiled pleasantly.

"I…"

"Who is it that you believe Hannibal killed?" Will asked suddenly, and Bedelia paled.

"I was…I just…I heard about Alana Bloom," Bedelia finally said looking around the hallway and seeming to realise that she was alone with him.

"Ah, that is dangerous, to come to the house of the person that you think murdered someone," Will said pleasantly and he could see that he was throwing her off with his behaviour and his words.

"Hannibal…I know that Hannibal wouldn't hurt me, we have a…an understanding…" Bedelia stammered, her blue eyes looking around the entrance.

"Ah well, it is probably a good thing that it is me who is home and not Hannibal in that case," Will smiled moving closer to her.

"You are an FBI Agent," Bedelia's vice broke as she tried to back away from him, only to catch her heel on the tile and collapse to the floor.

"I am true," Will nodded bringing the knife around from where he had stashed it in his belt.

"You can't do this…I…"

"You were going to reveal what happened to Alana, or at least get Jack to be looking in the right direction, I am afraid that I can not have that, I can not have the life that I am building with Hannibal threatened," Will explained.

"This isn't you, he has manipulated you into…into thinking that this is you," Bedelia tried, before flinching back when Will laughed.

"I am afraid that you are quite wrong, and there isn't anything that I wouldn't do to protect Hannibal and our life together," Will smiled sweetly at her.

"Please…" Bedelia held her hand up.

"No," Will said firmly and then swung back his hand and thrust down with the knife, Bedelia threw up her hands and tried to grab him to stop him but Will refused to give and he had the momentum behind him as well as the strength he had from his FBI training as well as caring for his dogs and fishing.

The first bite of the knife into Bedelia shocked Will a little as to the pleasure that he felt with the feeling of the knife plunging into her chest, the sound of the knife sliding home filled his ears and filled him with a sense of power. He drew the knife out of her and stabbed her again repeatedly, losing track of how many times he stabbed her as he descended upon her, all the fury that he was feeling at what she risked taking everything away from him.

Standing eventually Will looked down at her, the mess that he had made on the white tiled floor, though when he tilted his head it was actually quite beautiful. Stepping back he tilted his head a little more and pulled out his phone and took a picture before reaching down and stripping her of all her clothing and jewelry and placing it to the side in a neat pile, before turning and making his way back through the house he went to the room where he could hear the dogs sniffing and growling at the door.

He reached out and opened the door, whistling lowly, and watched as his dogs came out and gathered around his feet as he had trained them to do, once they were all gathered around him he led his pack through the house and to the hallway, Nico yipping and growling lowly as the scent of blood reached their noses. Will let out a noise that his dogs knew well and they all sat down though there was an agitation to them as they looked between Will and the body lying on the floor.

"Get," Will gave the commend gently, and watched calmly as his dogs lunged forward onto Bedelia's body and started ripping it apart.

---

"Will?" Hannibal called out concerned as he walked into the house and smelled blood overpowering all the other scents in the house. "Will! William!" He shouted increasingly frantically when there was no response.

"Here Hannibal, I am ok," Will stepped out from the kitchen and Hannibal would not have been able to prevent himself from hurrying forward and wrapping his arms around Will even if he had wanted to.

"I smell blood, I thought something had happened to you! Why do you smell of smoke?" Hannibal asked when they parted.

"I was destroying the evidence," Will explained, and Hannibal leaned back to blink at him.

"Not what I was expecting to hear when I came home. What evidence?" Hannibal asked feeling more than a little wrong-footed, and then even more so when Will took out his phone and started going through it, just as he was about to ask what was going on he found the phone held out to him, and the image that was on it had his breath catching in his throat.

"She came here accusing you of murdering Alana, saying that she knew what you were and that she was going to go to the police to inform them. She seemed very certain that you would not kill her," Will crossed his arms and raised his eyebrow, though it was a little wasted considering Hannibal couldn't seem to take his eyes off of the picture.

"Once upon a time I probably would not have, I was enjoying playing my game with her too much, that changed however with you in my life, I would not have risked what we have, what we are building, for the sake of that game, I would have killed her. It seems that is something that I do not have to worry about though," Hannibal finally looked away from the picture and fixed Will with glowing maroon eyes.

"No you do not," Will nodded uncrossing his arms and stepping closer to Hannibal to take his phone, only to find it held out of his reach.

"What did you do Will?" Hannibal asked, and the hunger in his voice had the younger man shivering.

"I stabbed her, and then I fed her to my dogs," Will admitted.

"Of course you did, that is perfection for you," Hannibal nodded a little breathlessly.

"I then made sure that it looked as though she has left the state and intends on moving somewhere anonymously because she can not bear to remain here any longer with everyone knowing what happened. I made it look as though she had been planning this for months," Will explained, his heart starting to thunder in his chest at the look that he was being given.

"There is nothing that will give away that it is not true, or that you were involved?" Hannibal asked, and Will would have been offended if it were not for the look that he was being given.

"No, I am FBI. I know how to make someone disappear and where to make sure that there are no holes that will give me away. No one will know what happened to her," Will said firmly, and then teasingly he took a step back, something that Hannibal automatically mimicked stepping forward himself.

"Will," Hannibal said in warning. He watched Will's lips tick up in an even more teasing expression before without warning he spun on his heel and raced up the stairs, Hannibal taking off right behind him, chasing after him, hot on his heels, and Will could feel the arousal soaking through him, it was almost as though his arousal was feeding Hannibal and Hannibal's was feeding his.

He made it to the top of the stairs and started running towards the bedroom where he would be able to lock the door and truly drive Hannibal wild, but Hannibal seemed to pick up an impossible speed and the younger man found an arm wrapped around his waist and he was partially thrown, partially dragged into the bathroom, finding himself thrown onto the counter, his head bouncing slightly off of them mirror behind him but the twinge of pain was quickly forgotten when he found his lips seized by Hannibal's, the hunger and passion feeding them both as they grabbed onto each other and nipped and bit at each other's lips as much as they kissed. Will let out a low noise when Hannibal gripped onto his shirt and ripped it open, clearly having no patience for undoing the buttons, the shirt being yanked off of his arms and thrown uncaringly over Hannibal's shoulder, the doctor already reaching for Will's belt, impatiently yanking it open and then without sliding it free he yanked open Will's jeans the button popping free but thankfully not breaking.

Will's hands had not been idle, and as Hannibal was tugging open his belt Will made quick work of yanking Hannibal's jacket off, his fingers nimbly undoing the buttons to his waistcoat and slid that free as well, carefully running his hand down Hannibal's back as he drew the waistcoat off, feeling the play of muscles and strength in his partner, digging his fingers in just the right way that he had found his lover enjoyed, and sure enough he got an aroused sound that he had never heard from anyone else before Hannibal yanked his jeans and his boxers down Will's legs in almost one smooth move, also throwing them over his shoulder, before his own clothing was stripped off as quickly as he could manage. Will had never seen Hannibal treat his clothing with so little care, but there was something utterly animalistic on his face now as the FBI Agent watched Hannibal throwing his clothing away before he descended onto Will again.

Will opened his arms and his legs, surrounding himself around the man that he had tried not to love, but had not been able to resist loving, the man that made him feel more alive and more himself than he ever had.

"William," Hannibal murmured against his mouth as he kissed him again.

"I love it when you call me that, when it is every now and then, in certain circumstances, I love it," Will admitted between their kisses, his fingers finding Hannibal's hair and mussed it out of the styled design and instead had it fall loosely around his face in the way that he preferred, to him it made Hannibal even more attractive and sexy.

"William," Hannibal managed to partially whine, partially growl his name and the shudder that it caused to go through Will also made him absolutely hard and absolutely desperate for Hannibal.

"Please, need you in me," Will growled wrapping his legs tightly around Hannibal's waist and tilting his hips, lining Hannibal up with his entrance as he pressed the bottle of lube that they stored in the bathroom after deciding shower sex would be a good idea with only Hannibal's expensive conditioner available.

"I have not stretched you," Hannibal shook his head as he poured lube into his hand and tried to step back to be able to reach Will's arse, but he found the younger man shaking his curly head, his legs locked around his waist refusing to allow him to be able to step back.

"I'm still stretched enough from this morning, and I want to be able to feel it," Will said firmly, and he was sure Hannibal's knees nearly gave out under him before he reached down and slicked himself with the lube in his hands.

The noise that Will let out when Hannibal slammed home into him in one swift move was something straight out of a porn film, and the noise that Hannibal made in response to it Will was sure should be illegal.

"Yes! Move!" Will ordered and begged Hannibal, a thrill going through him that was so wrong, but so right, knowing that should anyone else speak to Hannibal like this they would have their necks snapped, but knowing Hannibal wouldn't do that to him, not with what they were building together. It was a powerful rush that made him moan all the louder when Hannibal gripped his hips and pounded into him.

They both knew that there would be bruises by the end of this, and it pushed the two of them even further against each other, Hannibal's face set into a snarl as he pounded himself into Will, watching hungrily as his head tilted back against the mirror and small 'ah ah ah' noises were punched out of him as pleasure wracked over his face and started consuming him, a passion and pleasure that only Hannibal could give him, freedom and an ability to let go of all the walls that he had clenched to, allowing him to just be himself, to be completely in the moment.

Hannibal kept his grip on Will's hip with one hand and pressed the other against the mirror behind Will's shoulder as he sped up his thrusts as much as he could, his muscles straining as he thrust himself harder and harder into Will's body, listening to the sounds of their lovemaking echoing around the bathroom only working to enhance the pleasure that they were taking from each other.

The cry that spilled from Will's lips was enough to push Hannibal over the edge himself considering he had been holding off for the last few minutes determined that he would not cum before Will, the feeling of Will's hot walls tightening around him was the closest that he knew he was ever going to get to heaven, and worshipping Will in this was the only way he wanted to reach it. Leaning forward he pressed their lips together again, kissing Will through the pleasure washing through both their bodies as his lover held tightly onto him and kissed back with equal passion that tapered into the love that they felt for each other as the passion faded away and the love-filled them.

"You are my perfection, William,"

---

"Did you know that the wearing of a wedding band on the ring finger is Pagan in origin?" Hannibal asked softly as he linked their fingers together, though his tone was calm and unconcerned, the words themselves felt as though they weighed a ton, and Will's breath caught in his chest.

"I didn't actually," Will hummed after needing to lick his lips, he turned to look at Hannibal where he was sprawled out behind him on the bed. "I thought it was a Christian practice, but then a lot of Christian customs have their origins in Paganism,"

"Indeed, there is a belief that it is tied with Roman and Greek origin that the ring finger was the medicated finger and that it had a vein that led directly to the heart. Wearing someone else's ring on that finger became a demonstration of unending commitment and love,"

"Are you proposing to me, Hannibal?" Will asked as maroon eyes burned into him.

"If I was to say let us go to Florence and get married, would you come with me?" Hannibal asked.

"I would probably be able to book a holiday for a week's time," Will said as an answer.

"Is that a yes?" Hannibal started to smile.

"Would I get a ring?" Will smiled.

"I have the perfect place for our wedding,"

"I love you," Will climbed on top of Hannibal pressing him down into their bed, and leaned down to kiss him, Hannibal wrapping his arms around him, both of them smiling into the kiss as Will fully lowered himself on top of Hannibal.

"I love you too my sweet William, more than anything else in this world I love you," Hannibal whispered into the dark of their bedroom as they curled up together to go to sleep, tomorrow they would have a lot of planning.