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Seconds away from walking out of his office and into the freedom of the weekend, Will was stopped in his tracks by his brand-new boss, Jack Crawford. It took every ounce of energy not to scoff and roll his eyes at the man’s timing – it was like Jack waited for Will to finish packing up every time he wanted something; like a trap waiting to spring. Pulling in a deep breath before turning around, he made sure to plaster a smile onto his face; Will didn’t need the head of the Behavioral Science Unit looking more closely at him than he already did.

“What can I do for you, Jack?” Will said in leu of a greeting. He shouldered his bag before jamming his hands in his pockets, as if reminding the man of his imminent departure might hurry whatever was coming along.

Jack shot him a knowing grin, his boss more than aware that he was delaying Will with each second that passed. He tried to catch Will’s eye for a moment before ditching the idea – in the three months he’d been there, Will hadn’t once looked him directly in the eye, or anyone else for that matter. With a sigh, Jack rolled his shoulders before finally speaking. “There’s a staff party next weekend and I wanted to make sure you got the invite.”

Still working hard to keep himself in check, Will bit down on his tongue to stop his immediate retort from dripping from his mouth. One of the very last things Will wanted to be doing with his free time was mingling in the workplace after hours with peers he wasn’t all that fond of. Shaking his head of the thought, Will shifted on his feet until he was fully facing Jack – his quick retreat all but out the window now. “I heard Beverly and Price talking about it in the break room a couple days ago. I’m not really one for social stuff, Jack – you guys will have a much better time without me there.”

A scoff cut through the last of Will’s words. Jack waved his hand in the air like the things coming out of Will’s mouth were preposterous and not completely accurate and truthful. “Nonsense. You’ve been here for half the semester and no one knows a thing about you,” Jack started, looking eager, “and there’s someone special I’d like you to meet.”

Not able to stop the grimace, Will put both hands up, using the gesture to stop whatever else the man in front of him had to say. “Wait, someone you’d like me to meet. Jack, that’s – “

“A perfect idea, I know,” Jack finished for him with a wide smile. “Her name is Alana Bloom, she’s a transfer from Georgetown. When I first met her, I thought you two would be perfect for each other.”

“Perfect for each other? Did you even stop to think that I might already be taken?” Will questioned, thinking quickly on his feet. He didn’t like having to interact with his coworkers, let alone a random stranger with warped expectations. And while he wasn’t actively seeing anyone at the time, Will hadn’t ever let anyone else control his love life; Jack Crawford certainly wasn’t going to change that.

Having the decency to at least look taken aback, Jack gaped at him for a moment. “Already taken? The thought honestly never crossed my mind. You seem like such a lone wolf, Will.” He stopped for a second, collecting himself. “Are you, then? Already taken?”

At the question, thoughts of Hannibal ran through Will’s mind. Though they weren’t technically together, Will felt completely taken by the curious psychiatrist – had since the very first time they met each other. He was relatively sure Hannibal felt the same way about him, and yet, they’d never spoken about it in their time together; despite the fact that they conversed on a near constant basis, like broaching the topic might change things between them. Would it be so bad to project his wishes upon the man without his consent?

“Yeah, Jack. I am. I met someone at the National Forensic Psychology conference I attended a few weeks before officially moving to Baltimore. We’ve been together ever since,” Will stated calmly. His words were as close to the truth as a lie could possibly be – he did meet Hannibal at a conference, and they had been together ever since. As friends, of course; though, Jack really didn’t need to know that tiny, miniscule, unimportant detail.

After he had a quick conversation with the man, Will knew Hannibal would be on board, anyway – he’d yet to deny Will anything throughout their friendship so far.

Jack seemed to be satisfied with his answer, though he never lost the curious look in his eye. “Great, bring them with you, then.” Jack smiled at him, the look as much of a challenge as the words that came so easily out of his mouth. “We’ll start pouring drinks at 8.”

Will nodded in answer – even with his terrible people skills and social know-how, he understood then that there was no getting out of attending Jack’s little soiree. Knowing the most successful path was that of least resistance, Will watched the man leave his room silently. The absolute last thing he wanted to do was give Jack anymore ideas or fodder for future invites to pointless social gatherings within the workplace.

He waited a couple extra minutes to leave after the door closed behind Jack – aside from himself, no one else bothered to stay in the office late, but he couldn’t risk it. With Jack completely gone, Will had a clear exit. After such an interaction, Will was well passed his tolerance for stupid conversations (and people, in general). He simply wanted to start his weekend in peace.

Luckily, he got out of the building and into his car without any interruptions. Sitting in his seat, Will attempted to clear his mind and set his sights on his standing Friday plans. Since meeting the good doctor in New Orleans, and later finding him after moving to Baltimore, Will had dinner and drinks with Hannibal at the end of every week. It was a chance for Will to unwind with a human being similar to himself – Hannibal didn’t demand inane conversation about shit that didn’t matter. He understood Will at a baser level; that sort of connection didn’t need words to cement it. Merely being in each other’s presence felt like enough.

It was second nature to take the route to Hannibal’s office now – his hands turned the wheel in the right direction without having to think about it. Much like the man himself, having Hannibal occupying his mind made everything seem a little easier. Before he knew it, Will was turning into the parking lot of the doctor’s office, a rare smile gracing his features. The mere thought of seeing Hannibal was more than enough to erase the weird mood Jack’s cornering created within him.

Will didn’t bother to knock when he entered the front door to Hannibal’s office – the doctor met him in the waiting room with a smile and a brief handshake like he did every week. And like every week, Will had to force himself not to beam widely at the gesture. It was a delightful reminder that Hannibal wanted to see Will just as much as Will wanted to see him.

“Hello, Doctor Lecter,” Will said, greeting him with a warmth reserved strictly for the elegant man standing in front of him. “Sorry I’m a couple minutes late. I got stopped by Jack Crawford as I was leaving my office.”

As he led him into the main room of his office, Hannibal waved Will’s comment away with a shake of his head. “You’re right on time, my friend. I just pulled the cork on this week’s bottle – you’ve given the wine a few minutes to breath,” Hannibal replied. “What did Agent Crawford want from you this time?”

Buying himself some time by watching Hannibal collect a couple of glasses and pour a hearty helping for them both, Will waited until the drink was in his hand before speaking. “Oh, just another power play,” Will mumbled before taking a sip of the dark red wine. “There’s a social gathering next week that I’m now obligated to attend.”

“That doesn’t sound too bad. I thought he might’ve tried to recruit you for your imagination again.”

Chuckling at the thought, Will shook his head. Though Jack accosted him at least once a week about it, he hadn’t managed to crack Will yet. “No, not this time. Actually, it seemed like he was trying to set me up with someone.”

That caught Hannibal’s full attention – without hesitating, Hannibal crossed the room, his long legs making the trip in a couple of glorious strides. He stopped by the arm of Will’s chair, the air around him tense all of the sudden. “Is that so? Why would he do such a thing?”

An unnamed excitement ran through Will’s vein at the change in atmosphere. They’d been dancing around each other for ages now – Will could actually feel himself actively pining for the man at all times of the day, not just when they were in the same room. Small reminders of the off chance that Hannibal might feel the same – they were what Will lived for.

“Supposedly I give off a lone wolf vibe. It never occurred to him that I portray myself that way for a reason, but – “ Will trailed off then, looking up to catch Hannibal’s eye in a long stare.

Without breaking eye contact, Hannibal shifted closer, sitting on the arm of Will’s chair so there was little space between them. “And what did you say to dear old Jack? Did the matchmaker make you a match?”

Will had the good sense to blush then, both Hannibal’s words and his previous actions making his heart pound hard in his chest. “Actually, uh – “ Will started, his hand reaching back to rub along his suddenly stiff neck. “I told him I was seeing someone.” Blue eyes looked up slowly, Will more than curious as to what Hannibal’s reaction would be.

“Well, that’s – “ Hannibal tried to say but was cut off by Will speaking again.

“I said it was you. Or implied it, at least.”

There was a moment of silence where Hannibal didn’t blink or look away or even breath. Maroon eyes took Will in with shocking efficiency – he felt like Hannibal was everywhere in that moment, surrounding him in all ways possible. “You told Jack Crawford that you were seeing me.”

Though it wasn’t a question, Will nodded in Hannibal’s direction, anyway. Taking a big gulp of the wine in his hand, Will steeled himself for whatever fall out might come. “That’s right. I said I’ve been seeing someone for the last six months. He then proceeded to tell me to bring that person along.” Will grinned then, tilting his head. “So, what do you say? Will you be my pretend boyfriend?”

The words sat in the air for a long moment while Hannibal threw back the wine in his glass in one uncharacteristic go. From the many conversations they had about Hannibal’s affinity for exclusive and expensive wine, Will knew whatever they were drinking was worth more than his paycheck for the week in the one glass. The mere fact that Hannibal treated it like the cheap whiskey Will preferred made nerves sit low in his stomach. Maybe the older man didn’t feel the same way after all.

Before Will could get too far into his own head, Hannibal gripped his shoulder tightly, squeezing once. “Don’t fret – I’ll gladly be your boyfriend. Your pretend boyfriend,” Hannibal said reassuringly. “It would be my pleasure.”

A huge breath Will didn’t know he was holding rushed from his lungs, releasing the tightness in his chest. A lot more leaned against Hannibal’s answer than he first imagined – when he initially used the man as his excuse, Will didn’t realize just how much he wanted the farce to be true. In the same room as the man now, Will knew in the depths of his gut that he’d use the opportunity in front of him to get what he wanted since the very first time they met.

Six months earlier…

Standing on stage at a prestigious conference felt nice, Will thought to himself – like the best thing to happen to him since losing his job at the New Orleans Police Department. Without much experience outside of the police force, he was forced to step back into the one realm that Will always succeeded in – academics. After a couple weeks where he kept himself in a drunken coma, Will pulled his shit together, got his transcripts in order, and applied to the Forensic Psychology doctorate program at Tulane. He never thought knowledge acquisition and teaching would be his thing, and yet, Will fit into that world so very nicely.

So nicely, in fact, that he’d been chosen to speak at the National Forensic Psychology conference – his advisor wanted him to present his dissertation on forensic profiling to the rest of the world now that he’d been published in a couple notable journals. When he finished his Ph. D and took a teaching job at the university, Will never imagined he’d be standing in front of thousands of professionals in his field of choice – for a while, the jack ass college students seemed like too much to handle. Standing up there that first time, however, Will learned just how right it felt to talk about something that came so naturally to him (in several more ways than one). The sudden rush of adrenaline that coursed through him as he spoke passionately and held everyone’s attention was worth the extra years of late-night study sessions, excessive research, and fine tuning his innate gift.

Throughout his second speech of the day, Will caught eyes with the most attractive person he’d ever seen. The man was fancy – the unique three-piece suit and expensive wristwatch said as much. On top of his fine clothes and accessories, the man seemed to be genuinely interested in what Will had to say. Aside from the many times they locked glances, Will caught the man nodding along with several of the field examples Will provided during his talk. Though Will wasn’t sure if the man was merely playing along to make him feel better or truly enjoying himself, he was confident in one thing – his handsome stranger was interesting, there was no denying that.

Allowing himself to look at the man every few lines, Will got through the end of his talk without a single hitch. For some reason, the dark maroon eyes staring back at him gave Will a huge boost of distracting confidence. The sound of applause didn’t hit his ears until Will forced himself to look at the rest of the room – suddenly, the roar caught up with him, taking him completely off guard. With a blush and a couple of answered questions, Will stumbled off the stage in a haze. His students never reacted so excitedly; the feeling in that moment was incredibly novel (and slightly odd).

Will waited backstage until the next speaker started to prepare for their talk – there was only one way to enter and exit the room and he wanted to do so without too much of a crowd in the space. Though he was now considered an expert in the field, Will had no intentions of sharing his knowledge with the masses. The mere fact that Will got up and spoke so freely was a big step – conversing one on one with his peers seemed like too much to ask.

Of course, Will wasn’t aware of Hannibal Lecter’s tenacity, yet.

When he heard nothing other than the next speaker’s attempt to practice, Will quickly collected his things and strode towards the door; he kept his head down, feeling bound and determined to run into absolutely no one. He was a couple feet from the door when an accented voice stopped him in his tracks.

“Doctor Graham, that was quite the presentation.”

Turning to quickly shut down the person trying to speak with him, Will was taken aback by the beautiful (and familiar) maroon eyes staring back at him. He wasn’t prepared for the man he’d been staring at throughout his talk to be standing there, looking so expectantly at him. It took a second to clear his mind of the witty insults that were brewing there, and replace them with civilized conversation skills, instead.

“Thank you. I did all of my dissertation research on criminal profiling – I know the topic well,” Will replied easily. For once, he was glad for his ability to grab onto the emotions in the room; the man standing in front of him radiated calm in an eerily easy manner.

“Most of the information you presented was directly from your dissertation, was it not? I read through the bulk of it before walking into your lecture. I’m curious to know why you’re here presenting at a conference and not on a CIA task force catching criminals, however,” the accented voice said. The plain way he spoke made Will’s heart beat distressingly fast – the man seemed to know him so well already.

“About 90% of it, actually. Doctor Murphy was adamant I use the information I gathered in my studies to introduce myself to the field.” Will reached up then, running a hand through his stress tousled curls. “As for that CIA task force you mentioned, I declined all the offers sent my way. There’s a certain toll I pay to read criminals the way I do – that juice just isn’t worth the squeeze. I did recently accept a teaching position with the FBI Academy, though, so your idea isn’t too farfetched.”  

Something in the words that came out of Will’s mouth had the accented man smiling widely – the look was obviously a rare one, though stunning all the same. Without waiting another second, a hand was thrust in the space between them. Maroon eyes that Will actually wanted to meet propelled him to take the stranger’s hand – like if he didn’t, the world might not spin the same as a result. “I’m Doctor Hannibal Lecter.”

Swallowing his nervousness, Will reached out. The hand he grabbed was surprisingly soft and warm – the ring and pinky finger were the only digits that shouted some sort of hands-on work that the rest of his skin didn’t. Will kept up the eye contact as he squeezed Hannibal’s hand, a sort of challenge in the look. “Ph. D doctor or MD doctor?” Will asked after a couple more moments of held eye contact.

“MD – I’m a psychiatrist,” Hannibal said, his hand gripping Will’s once more before he finally pulled back with an unreadable grin.

Will had to stop himself from rolling his eyes – of course a psychiatrist would flock towards him. In his many years of living, Will was the interest of many in Hannibal’s field. Pure empathy, or whatever the field decided to deem it, was a rarity that every professional wanted to get their hands on. After many attempts to connect with psychologists and psychiatrists that failed miserably, Will kept himself away from those that merely wanted to probe his brain for the sake of their career. Though the man in front of him didn’t shout user, Will couldn’t be too careful.

“That’s too bad,” Will eventually replied, smirking in Hannibal’s direction. “I tend to stay away from your kind.”

Despite the somewhat unkind words, Hannibal’s grin didn’t waver; in fact, the doctor seemed to lean into Will’s space even more, his sense of intrigue magnifying. “Fear not, I’m here from a professional development standpoint only. I simply wanted to pick your brain about that last crime scene photo you showed in your presentation – there were so many details to be missed at first glance.”

With a goofy smile on his face, Will found himself sitting at the bar with Hannibal a couple hours later, a few drinks into the best conversation he’d ever had. As the time passed (and the good whiskey flowed), Will found himself leaning closer to Hannibal, the space between them narrowing down to very little. He would’ve been happy to slip into the other man’s lap if it weren’t for a very big, and very belligerent man running into their table.

Before either man could say anything, the drunk stranger was pointing at them with an unseeing glare. “Fucking faggots.” The words were vile, immediately speaking to the darkness Will tried to hide within himself. Without much effort, Will read the man and his drunken intentions – though they weren’t his original target, ease and opportunity made Will and Hannibal good prey for foul words and terrible misdeeds.

Too bad said stranger had no idea who he was dealing with.

Will backed up from the table calmly, keeping a steadying hand on the surface to make himself seem more drunk than he actually was. Taking a step forward, Will got into the man’s space without hesitation. “That’s a rude thing to say,” Will practically growled, his nostrils flaring. “Jealousy and drunkenness aren’t that great of a combination. Say you’re sorry and keep walking.”

The tone of his voice was menacing, even Will thought so as he listened to the words drip out of his mouth. His drunken stranger seemed to agree – he looked between them with panicked eyes and muttered an unintelligible sorry through gritted teeth. Will watched him walk away before turning back towards their table, ready to give Hannibal his full attention again.

Though he didn’t often allow his darkness to leave its confines so easily, Will was just drunk enough to loosen the reins of his control – he liked Hannibal and didn’t want the careless words of a stranger to run him off. Of course, he didn’t stop to think about how his words and behavior might look to his new friend, either.

Suddenly filled with nerves and apprehension, Will was genuinely surprised to catch a gleam of pride in Hannibal’s eyes when maroon met blue. The doctor’s cheeks were stained red with blush and for a second, Will thought Hannibal might be aroused. It’d been a long time since Will wanted to see that sort of look on someone’s face – the signs and symptoms were shockingly hard to recognize.

“That was well handled,” Hannibal finally said, breaking the silence with his deep tone and breathy words. “I can’t stand the rude.”

Ducking his head at the compliment, Will took a drink of his whiskey to stop the bodily reaction that threatened to overtake him. His trousers were all the sudden a little tighter, his skin prickling with flush. It took a couple deep breaths and long sips of his drink to look up and catch Hannibal’s eyes again. “Me either. Especially that sort. It’s 2012 – we don’t have to hide in the closet, anymore.”

Despite Hannibal not saying anything then, Will knew he understood – one didn’t wear fancy suits and thousand-dollar loafers without feeling the pain of society’s prejudice. Even if the man wasn’t that way inclined (which was hard to believe after their one conversation and an abundance of flirting), the foreign man in front of him hadn’t escaped the tough grip of uniqueness – difference of any sort felt the wrath of the ignorant.

It wasn’t difficult to find their way back to the conversation they were partaking in before the drunk’s rude interruption. Though Hannibal merely watched him with dark, unblinking eyes, Will talked on; glad for once that someone wanted to listen to him outside of the obligation of an advisor meeting or a classroom setting. For the first time in his life, Will liked the attention. A part of him (a big, big, big part of him) felt like Hannibal understood all of him, not just the socially awkward professor persona. He saw through the mask during that confrontation and didn’t immediately turn tail and run. In fact, the altercation seemed to enamor the man to him even more.

They talked until the bartender started to side eye them from his perch at the bar – their empty drink glasses and the late hour not even close to slowing them down. It wasn’t until Will looked at his phone through drunk-hazy eyes that he realized just how long they’d been there. Running a hand across his face in an attempt to blink the blur away, Will sighed deeply; he had one more talk in the morning and a couple hours of sleep was mandatory, despite how great of a time he was having.

He briefly entertained the idea of inviting Hannibal back to his room but thought better of it – anything that happened with the doctor was worth more than a quick, drunken fumble in a foreign hotel room. Looking up to see maroon eyes watching him, Will felt himself grin. “This has been great, Hannibal. Really, really great,” Will babbled, the words coming out of his mouth easily without the filter in his brain intact. “I’ve got to hit the hay, but I’d love to get your number. Maybe we can meet up one more time before the conference ends tomorrow.”

For the first time in their conversation, Hannibal looked regrettable – the feel of the atmosphere surrounding them changed swiftly. “Unfortunately, I fly out in a few hours. The fact that I managed to get this time away was more than a new practice can truly afford. I would be more than happy to give you my number, however. We can sync up when you arrive in the Baltimore area.”

Feeling only the slightest bit of disappointment, Will bit down on his lip to stop himself from showing it. They were practically strangers, and yet, Will didn’t want to see the man go. He shook himself of the thought – they were grown adults with lives to live. Will unlocked his phone then, pushing it across the table for his consolation prize. “I’m happy you got away – its been a pleasure sharing your company this evening,” Will said, watching as Hannibal input his number with nimble fingers. A second later, the phone by Hannibal’s hand lit up, Will’s number flashing across the top.

“The pleasure is all mine, Doctor Graham,” Hannibal replied without hesitation. The small, eye-crinkle Will came to recognize as Hannibal’s smile radiated across the table, making it hard to want to get up. Knowing that he’d have to wait to see it again was terrible motivation.

The bartender, however, he made it clear that their continued presence was no longer wanted; their glasses were taken without a single word exchanged.

They took the hint, helping each other off of the small stools and out into the lobby. For a few, serene moments, they merely stood side by side, soaking up the other’s presence. Will would’ve stayed there all night if it wasn’t for the sleepiness that set in with a vengeance. A hand on his shoulder brought him out of his hazy slump – the touch felt good, so he leaned into it.

“Will, we should head to bed,” Hannibal’s accented voice said, the sound of it seemingly just out of reach.

Blinking a few times, Will nodded, allowing himself to tip into the touch for another second before straightening up and nodding again. “You’re right. I’ll be asleep on my feet like a horse in a minute or two.”

Hannibal’s chuckle made a warmth settle in Will’s chest, the feeling following him all the way into the elevator and up to his room. He fell asleep with a rare grin on his face – his sleep was peaceful and when he woke up, Will felt more rested than he had in years.

And though they didn’t see each other in passing the next morning, Will satisfied his itch with exchanged text messages that continued through the end of the conference and well into the following weeks. Hannibal kept him company as he packed up his life in preparation for moving across the country. Aside from the fact that they couldn’t see each other face to face, it was like Hannibal was there with him – the man’s commentary about his patients and the meals he cooked made the hours of packing fly by.

Yet, after tons of text messages exchanged and phone calls answered, the one thing that truly affixed their friendship came a couple days after Will settled into his new home in Wolf Trap, Virginia. Before leaving New Orleans, Will satisfied his darkness’s itch with one final hurrah in the city. The drunk at the bar was surprisingly easy to find – even without the police department’s resources. He let himself forget about it until the body was found and the story broke out across several media platforms. The very next day, Will woke up to a Tattle Crime screenshot in a text message from Hannibal, the words “I love your work” cementing the feelings Will tried so hard to keep at bay.

Hannibal, when all was said and done, truly understood him like no other.

----

From that point on, Will and Hannibal settled into a routine – Friday evenings were spent together with fine wine, good food, and impeccable company. Feelings (in both men) grew each opportunity they enjoyed time together – Will felt seen for the first time in his life. Hannibal listened without judgement and seemed to share the same perspective (though Will didn’t quite know for sure). With every Friday night that passed, Will felt himself drawn to the doctor more and more.

It would’ve been easy to act on his feelings, too – drunkenly bonding that first night made breaking through the walls of intimacy feel simple and right. The only thing holding Will back was his inability to read Hannibal the way he could others. In the depths of his chest, Will knew Hannibal felt something for him – the mere fact that they continued to see each other spoke volumes. Hannibal Lecter was as solitary of a creature as Will was. Fostering their friendship was a point of pride for Will and the last thing he wanted to do was ruin it with ill-timed actions on feelings that may or may not be reciprocated.

Which made asking Hannibal to fake date him feel like a double-edged sword. On the one hand, it got his boss off his back, and hopefully waylaid all the future setups his coworkers might want to thrust upon him. On the other hand, Will was taunted by the one thing he wanted more than anything else – the truth of Hannibal’s affection.

In preparation for their “date”, Hannibal convinced Will that touching, hugging, and the slightest brush of lips against cheek was necessary the entire week leading up to the evening. Instead of their standing Friday plans, Will made his way to Hannibal’s home after work every day. Hannibal shared his knowledge in the kitchen as they cooked meals together, while Will regaled Hannibal with stories of his lazy students and the comings and goings of his coworkers in the breakroom. The easy comradery they kept to one day a week easily transferred to the everyday comfortability that most couples enjoyed. 

And enjoy it Will did – there were many moments when Will had to remind himself that they weren’t an actual couple. The way Hannibal showed him simple intimacy was an experience Will couldn’t remember sharing with another person. More often times than not, Hannibal’s hand found his lower back while they were standing in the study or rested lightly on his forearm as they ate dinner at Hannibal’s fancy dining room table. It was as if they’d been living like that for years – the easy way they sort of fell into each other made Will’s already confusing feelings become even more complex.

If Hannibal didn’t feel the same way about him, the man was most certainly an amazing actor.

After what felt like both a minute and a lifetime, Will’s work party was finally upon them. They decided earlier in the week to leave from Hannibal’s house – Will secretly enjoyed riding in Hannibal’s Bentley more than he cared to admit. Meeting at the doctor’s house gave Will the opportunity to leave his office a few hours earlier than usual; he gave his classes an exam and put them in a folder to be graded later that weekend – all of his energy needed to go towards that evening. Though they were so good together on their own, Will wondered if the natural way they seemed to fit translated to a public setting.

About an hour before they had to leave, Will closed the guest bathroom door behind himself to step into the suit Hannibal set out for him. Leaving the dog hair covered clothes back at his place was the least he could do, and Hannibal’s taste had always been impeccable. Pulling the blue suit coat over his shoulders, Will wondered for the first time whether the clothes he was putting on were made for him specifically – every piece of the outfit fit him impeccably. He wouldn’t put it passed Hannibal, either; in their short foray into pretending to be a couple, the man showered him with little gifts simply because he could.

With one last brush down the front of his jacket, Will walked down the stairs to join Hannibal in the kitchen for a preemptive glass of wine. Standing in the doorway, Will stopped in his tracks – the vision before him made his mouth dry. Hannibal was decked out in a solid color suit for once, the pattern coming from his tie, instead. The plain black suit hugged Hannibal’s long limbs in the best way – until that moment, Will honestly wasn’t aware of how tall the doctor actually was.

Completely overwhelmed already, Will was surprised to find his heart beating a little faster at the sight of the black suit coat stretched beautifully across Hannibal’s trim shoulders. Will understood the fact that Hannibal was gorgeous, there was no denying the truth of that. Yet, he found himself falling a little harder for the man standing in front of him – Hannibal obviously put in a little extra effort for him and Will couldn’t help but beam at the thought. Whatever happened that evening, Will had the knowledge of his worth to the other man saved securely in the confines of his already full mind.

Breaking the silence felt necessary after several quiet minutes of staring. Will cleared his throat, taking the last couple of steps into the kitchen to grab the wine glass waiting on the counter for him. He waited until a sip of the fruity red wine touched his tongue before even thinking to speak. Alcohol always loosened his tongue. “Hannibal, you look amazing.”

A different kind of glint shone from Hannibal’s eyes – the look one that Will recognized as a new addition to their time spent together. Though his maroon stare was usually dark and mysterious, Hannibal’s eyes looked bright for once; happiness (or whatever unreadable emotion that barely brushed against Will in his perusal) looked good on the already gorgeous doctor. Hannibal seemed to think so, too – his cheeks quirked in that recognizable eye wrinkle as he lifted his wine glass up in a silent toast. “Thank you – though, I can guarantee I do not look half as good as you,” Hannibal replied after a long sip. “Are you ready to go?”

With a nod, Will put back the rest of his wine and placed the glass in the left side of Hannibal’s sink. After a week’s worth of dinners with his anal-retentive friend, Will knew the inner workings of Hannibal’s kitchen better than his own. The smile he got in return was worth the extra effort, anyway – the wrinkle by Hannibal’s eyes was always a joy to have directed at him. He’d do anything to have Hannibal beam at him that way all the time.

The drive to Quantico was quiet, Hannibal tapped lightly on the steering wheel to the beat of the classical music playing over the radio, yet no words were exchanged between them. Will let himself settle back into the comfortable passenger seat with his eyes closed. He wanted to clear his mind before they got there – being around that many people, even if they were those he saw on a pretty constant basis, was going to take a lot out of him. Walking into the room with some blank space at least gave him a bit of confidence – that way, every social interaction he found himself in wouldn’t feel like a heavy weight on his shoulders. With a bit of wiggle room, Will could merely dump the stuff that wasn’t important.

Halfway through the drive, Hannibal’s hand took up a spot on Will’s knee – the warmth of the touch pulled him out of his thoughts, his eyes blinking open to catch the maroon ones trained upon him. “You must find a way to be more comfortable with yourself, Will. You and I are great together – we only need to continue to act naturally around each other to find ourselves successful.”

Shifting his leg up into the touch, simply because he could, Will nodded at Hannibal’s words – he wasn’t nervous about anything with Hannibal at all; out of all the things that could happen that night, standing next to Hannibal’s side was the best of them. He had to stop himself from reaching up to run his hands through his curls that were currently gelled within an inch of their lives. Taking a couple deep breaths instead, Will shot a hesitant smile in Hannibal’s direction. “I’m just terrible in social situations. No matter what happens this evening, being with you is the only thing I’m confident in. Thanks, by the way. For doing this.”

Hannibal’s hand on his leg squeezed lightly, “you don’t need to thank me, Will – I’m proud to be with you tonight.”

Those words rang in Will’s ears as they pulled into Quantico’s parking lot – the warmth that resided in his chest whenever Hannibal was around pulsed a little hotter as their meaning sunk in. Hannibal was proud to be around him. In the 37 years of his life, Will couldn’t remember anyone, even a friend, making that statement. Knowing Hannibal actually meant it made acting the part even harder – when all was said and done, Will didn’t want to pretend anymore. The sneak peeks into what a relationship with Hannibal Lecter was like gave way to a very real, very desperate craving.

It took effort to shake the thought away, especially after Hannibal slid his hand into Will’s – their fingers interlocked so easily, the fit perfect. Sighing at the tangle between feeling good and wanting more, Will gave Hannibal’s hand a squeeze before leading them inside.

The building was oddly creepy without the hustle and bustle of classes in session and workers working. When Will left, he usually went right for the door, ignoring all the surrounding emptiness. He kept his grip on Hannibal’s hand tight until the light of the break room beckoned them into the commotion of a party in full swing.

Like everyone was waiting with bated breath for him to arrive, the noise died down the second Will walked in with Hannibal. Beverley’s eyes caught him first – though shock was the prominent emotion rolling off of her, Will felt her approval, too. She shot him a smile before falling back into conversation with Price who stood beside her. Ducking his head in an attempt to stop anyone else from looking at him too closely, Will used the tangle of his and Hannibal’s hands to lead them to the drink table. A little whiskey might soothe whatever was coming next.

It didn’t take long for Jack to make his way over to them. A surprised look resided on his face – like Will’s presence and the man next to him were both things Jack wasn’t expecting. Hannibal gave his hand a tight squeeze before Jack was upon them. “Will Graham, as I live and breathe. I’m shocked to see you here.”

Trying his hardest not to roll his eyes, Will used his free hand to shrug. “I try not to offend those that so nicely extend invitations my way.” Will replied dully. “It wasn’t as if you bullied me into coming.”

Jack ignored his sarcastic quip in favor of reaching out to shake Hannibal’s hand. “And this must be the significant other you were talking about. I’m Jack Crawford, it’s a pleasure.”

Hannibal was forced to drop Will’s hand to return Jack’s handshake. Will tried not to grimace at the loss of contact. Clearing his throat, Will nodded his head in Hannibal’s direction. “Jack, this is my boyfriend Hannibal Lecter. Hannibal, this is Jack.”

“I’ve heard a lot about you, Agent Crawford – it’s nice to finally put a face to the name.” Their handshake was brief, like Hannibal was just as eager to have Will’s skin pressed against him again. “Thank you for inviting me this evening.”

“You’re very welcome. In all honesty, I thought you were someone Will made up to get out of meeting our newest addition,” Jack admitted sheepishly. “You two enjoy yourselves.”

With a wink tossed in Will’s direction, Jack turned and headed back to the group he’d been mingling with when they first walked in the door. Will was seconds away from letting out a sigh of relief when a new person entered the room. He felt Hannibal stiffen next to him – the ease and comfortability of the man all of the sudden out the window. Looking up, Will was confused to see a relatively attractive woman standing there, glaring in their direction. Before he could turn to ask Hannibal what was going on, the woman was striding towards them, the click of her heels slightly ominous.

“Doctor Bloom, it’s always a pleasure,” Hannibal said, breaking the odd silence surrounding them. “I wasn’t aware you left Georgetown.”

“Hannibal – this is quite the surprise.” Doctor Bloom, who must’ve been the notorious Alana, looked between Will and Hannibal, a quirk in her brow. “I transferred here last week. The research world was starting to feel a little suffocating.”

Turning to catch Hannibal’s eye, Will tilted his head in question. Out of all the things that might’ve happened, an odd altercation with his would-be date was not one of them. Hannibal seemed to understand, anyway – he directed his next statement towards Will. “Alana was a student of mine during my Johns Hopkins’ days. I advised much of her dissertation.”

Alana looked smugly at him before noticing their hands still laced tightly together. “I wasn’t aware you were dating, Hannibal – the gossip mill has been relatively quiet recently. I’m sure Baltimore’s elite will be sad to know their most eligible bachelor is finally settling down.”

“Yes, I’m sure the masses are weeping,” Hannibal retorted, pulling Will closer to him as he spoke. “Things between Will and I are still new – I thought I might ease him into my social strata.”

Glad to not have the focus on him for once, Will simply leaned into Hannibal’s side – if social gatherings with Hannibal were like this, he wouldn’t have a problem standing straight, looking good, and half paying attention to the conversation in front of him. Social interactions where he was the center of attention made him uncomfortable, but with Hannibal by his side, Will knew he’d never shine as bright as the man beside him.

Will allowed himself to drift until the clicking of Alana’s heels pulled his attention back to the crowded room. He watched her walk away before looking over at Hannibal, who still felt a little stiff beside him. “You okay?”

“I’m fine, dear Will. It merely seems as if our rouse has become a little more complex. I wasn’t expecting to see anyone from my personal life here. Alana is still slightly peeved at me – a couple months before she graduated, she expressed an interest in me that I did not reciprocate. News of our relationship will be out in the world by the end of the evening.” Hannibal’s facial expression made the situation seem dire, but Will wasn’t worried.

Giving Hannibal’s hand a tight squeeze, his lips quirking in a reassuring smile. “I don’t mind, Hannibal. I know you’ve been subtly trying to invite me to one of your dinner parties.”

“You don’t understand. I’ve never introduced a significant other to my social circle. The fact that I am at all is a big deal, Will. You’ll be expected at all the social events I attend,” Hannibal retorted, his shoulders tensing even more.

Despite the obvious tension Will felt radiating off of Hannibal, he wasn’t panicked, or even put off by the situation. He turned then, gripping both of Hannibal’s shoulders in his hands. “It’s okay, Hannibal. I don’t mind,” Will reiterated, his fingers squeezing lightly. Getting up on his toes, Will drove his words home with a quick kiss on the lips. “It would be my pleasure.”

When he pulled back, Will didn’t expect to see a confused look on Hannibal’s face – his eyes were shut tightly, that kissable mouth flattened in a straight, emotionless line. Though he didn’t expect Hannibal to grab him and throw him against the wall, Will wasn’t ready for the indifference reflecting back at him. It felt like a striking blow, like all of the feelings he built up throughout the week were all in his head. He took a giant step back then, Will’s chest all the sudden tight and cold.

“Sorry, I – “ Will tried to get out before backing away even further. If he didn’t need to save face, he would’ve run straight out the door – feeling silly around so many people just wasn’t what Will had in mind.

Instead, he made his way to the door with as much stealth as he could. For the first time in a while, Will wanted to strike out – his emotions were everywhere, his entire being caught between wanting to cry and needing to hit something. The bathroom mirror seemed like as good a target as any. With that in mind, he strode quickly to the men’s room – like if he walked fast enough, he might be able to outrun the embarrassment threatening to engulf him.

He was so caught up in his turmoil that Will didn’t realize Hannibal followed him until the door shut for a second time. Turning with hot words on the edge of his tongue, ready to lash out, Will stopped short – Hannibal was inches away from him, his hands suddenly gripping Will’s upper arms tightly.

“You’ve had no idea this entire time, have you?” Hannibal asked with heaving breath.

“Hannibal, what – “ Will started to say before warm lips were pressing against his in a hot kiss. Without thinking or worrying, Will simply reacted – he raised his hands to cup Hannibal’s cheeks, using his grip to pull the doctor closer and deepen the kiss. Though a wide range of emotions were making his head spin, Will wasn’t going to miss his chance to experience the press of Hannibal against him.

They kissed with passion until the need for air became necessary. With a heaving chest, Will leaned his forehead against Hannibal’s, their breath mingling. “Real or not real?” Will questioned, rubbing his nose along Hannibal’s to stop himself from moving back to kiss the doctor again.

Hannibal didn’t hesitate, however – Will was suddenly drawn back into a mind melting kiss. His legs might’ve given out from under him if it weren’t for Hannibal holding him so tightly. Will’s head was spinning, his and Hannibal’s wants were mingling in the air, making it hard to think passed the shift of stubble on his cheek and the rich taste of red wine on Hannibal’s tongue. When the older man broke away again, Will clung to him, unwilling to let go.

“I want you, Will. The relationship, the friendship we’ve cultivated, everything. When you presented me with the opportunity to fill the role I’ve craved so deeply, I thought you might finally see. My feelings have been real since the day we met.” Hannibal capped his words off with a soft kiss.

“Thank god,” Will muttered, returning the kiss with one of his own. “I’ve been trying to convince myself that friendship was enough, all while wanting you more and more as the days passed. This week has been torture – knowing what it’s like to be with you without actually being with you.”

A soft chuckle brushed across Will’s cheek – the sound bringing the heat back in Will’s chest with a vengeance. Planting one more kiss on Hannibal’s lips, Will pulled back enough to catch maroon eyes. “Do you want to get out of here? It seems like we’ve got a bit of time to make up for.”

Without saying a word, Hannibal grabbed Will’s hand, leading him silently out the bathroom and passed the party that continued to rage on without them.

----

The ride back to Hannibal’s place was a delicate torture – it took every ounce of Will’s focus to stop his hands from wandering all over the parts of Hannibal he could reach. Finding a happy medium, Will gripped Hannibal’s upper thigh, barely resisting the urge to trail his fingers across the well-stitched inseam leading to a noticeable bulge. Will didn’t need to touch to know just how much fun they’d be getting into when a flat surface became available.

Will managed to keep his hands to himself until they were safely ensconced in the comfort of Hannibal’s bedroom. He knew, the second the passion between them was able to run free, there’d be no going back – Will wanted their first time to be spent between Hannibal’s comfortable sheets, not against the marble counters he imagined getting fucked over time and time again. With their feelings settled for the time being, Will knew there’d be plenty of time for that.

Hannibal’s large hands starting to work at Will’s buttons brought him out of his hazy thoughts – Will’s skin caught fire the second the doctor touched bare skin. Needing to reach out and reciprocate, Will pushed passed the want threatening to overtake him and started to work quickly at Hannibal’s clothes. He got his suit jacket and shirt off before impatient lips were pressing against Will’s neck, derailing his focus completely.

They slowly made their way back to the bed, Will landing on the mattress with an oomph as Hannibal settled into the v of his splayed thighs. With a bit of space between them, Will was able to undo the button on Hannibal’s pants and slip his hand inside, finally getting his fingers around the hardness he’d pictured since he first caught sight of the doctor in his outlandish suits.

And the wait – it was absolutely worth it. Hannibal’s cock was long and girthy, fitting in Will’s hand perfectly. Like most European men, he wasn’t cut; his thick foreskin pulled back to reveal a wet, purpling cock head. Will eagerly ran his finger around it, spreading the pre-cum that was already beading there. A moan had him looking up – the sound was melodious and made so much better because it was coming from the depths of Hannibal’s chest as a result of Will’s touch.

“If you continue down that path, this may be over quicker than either of us want,” Hannibal whispered through another moan as Will fisted him from root to tip again. Will watched him throw his head back before loosening his grip and tugging at Hannibal’s waistband, instead.

“We wouldn’t want that,” Will replied, grinning up at Hannibal with kiss swollen lips. “I think we’re wearing too many clothes.” He tugged at Hannibal’s pants again to reiterate his point.

Hannibal’s grin was wolfish as he moved out of Will’s reach. Ever so slowly, the doctor kicked out of his shoes and pulled off his socks without breaking eye contact. His pants came next – the black fabric clung to Hannibal’s legs enticingly. Will desperately wanted to reach out and touch, but the show was too good to interrupt. Hannibal wanted to be seen – the least Will could do was watch unblinkingly.

When Hannibal was completely naked, Will moved quickly – he got out of his pants and boxer briefs faster than ever before. The sight must’ve been enticing for Hannibal, he reclaimed his place between Will’s thighs before the cold air brushed Will’s skin. This time Will groaned at the contact – Hannibal fit him so perfectly, as if they were meant to be in that exact position.

For a while, they exchanged messy kisses while Hannibal rolled his hips and thrust against Will below him. Their cocks were lined up deliciously, the constant climbing of their arousal making the slide easy – pre-cum dripped down Will’s length with every move Hannibal made. It’d been so long; Will might’ve let nature run its course if it weren’t for the overarching need to finally feel the full body connection with Hannibal he craved so desperately for so long.

Pulling out of the kiss took effort, but Will was rewarded with the blissed out look on Hannibal’s face – seeing the other man’s enjoyment made the brief break in their touch all the more worth it. “I want you,” Will mumbled. His hands moved everywhere, making it hard for either man to focus.

“You have me, Will. However you want me,” Hannibal said breathily, his hips still moving restlessly against Will’s. “However you want me.”

Without saying anything else, Will used the grip of his thighs around Hannibal’s hips to flip their position. He straddled Hannibal’s thighs, taking his time to look his fill. Long limbs were covered in muscle, each one clenching and pulling as Hannibal moved under him. Where Will was practically smooth chested, Hannibal was covered in hair. The collage of blonde and gray drew Will in – his fingers dug into the hair with an appreciative moan. “I knew you were sexy, Hannibal. Fit and toned like a man half your age. Seeing you now – I couldn’t have possibly imagined just how gorgeous you truly are.”

A red flush spread across Hannibal’s chest – Will felt Hannibal’s cock harden against his own as the words registered. Will didn’t give Hannibal any time to be embarrassed, either – he slithered down the length of the doctor’s body, only stopping when he was close enough to run his tongue down Hannibal’s needy length. The groan he got in return was like music, spurring Will on with every hitch of breath. Though his cock remained untouched against the soft sheets, Will felt his arousal climbing, as if Hannibal’s pleasure was his own.

Before Will was ready to stop enjoying himself, long fingers dug into Will’s curls – the gel was long gone now that he’d been sweating and rolling around messing up his meticulously styled hair. Hannibal gripped him tightly, tugging until Will took the hint and pulled away. Looking up, Will’s breath caught at the lust blown look in Hannibal’s eyes. The doctor was usually so composed, seeing him broken apart and undone was everything Will wanted out of the encounter.

Greedy hands tugged at Will until he shifted to climb back up Hannibal’s body. Eager lips pressed against his, Hannibal’s tongue slipped into Will’s surprised mouth, thrusting deeply. It took Will a second to catch up, but once he did, he tangled his tongue with Hannibal’s, sharing the man’s taste with him as they kissed.

More than ready to move things along, Will blindly fumbled with Hannibal’s bedside drawer, sighing triumphantly when his fingers wrapped around a large bottle of lube. Breaking away, Will handed the lube over, grabbing a condom before shutting the drawer excitedly.

“Any preference?” Will asked as he settled against Hannibal’s thighs once again. He felt Hannibal’s cock pulse against the cleft of his ass, the question obviously turning the older man on.

Without saying anything, Hannibal handed the bottle of lube back to Will, his eyebrow raising. “This won’t be the only time we’re in this position – I’ll get my fill,” Hannibal said, his voice lust riddled and gravelly from moan after moan. “Please, Will.”

Will didn’t need any more convincing; he slithered back down Hannibal’s body, pressing kisses and sucking marks to whatever expanse of skin he could reach. Goose flesh overtook Hannibal’s limbs – the man groaned as Will traced his fingers over the raised skin. Will’s fingers continued the path until they were between Hannibal’s thighs – the older man spread his legs a little wider to give Will better access.

Uncapping the lube, Will poured a good amount over two of his fingers, letting the slick warm up as he traced lazy circles on Hannibal’s hip with is clean hand. Hannibal spread his legs further then, beckoning Will with the sight of drawn up balls and a pink, puckered hole. Impatient fingers settled in the gap of Hannibal’s ass cheeks, the tips pressing teasingly against the tight rim. With just the slightest bit of pressure, Will traced Hannibal’s hole, only pressing inside when the muscle easily gave way.

Little by little, Will eased his fingers into Hannibal’s tight heat until there was no more room for him to move. Giving Hannibal a second to adjust, Will rotated his wrist, letting his fingers stretch and push against the rim that was slowly but surely loosening. When Hannibal lifted his hips to get more of him, Will pressed his hand forward, seeking out the one spot that would surely help Hannibal relax.

A loud gasp sounded in the room when Will found Hannibal’s prostate – in fact, Hannibal’s entire body reacted to the stimulus. Glad to finally get the reaction he wanted, Will started to thrust his fingers steadily. As Hannibal loosened around him, Will added another finger to the mix. He skirted passed Hannibal’s prostate teasingly with each thrust, the doctor’s moans driving him forward with a difficult to manage impatience.

Fingers gripping his wrist a few minutes later stopped Will in his tracks – his hand came to a screeching halt as he looked up to catch Hannibal’s eyes. “Okay?” Will asked with a tilt of his head.

Hannibal nodded furiously, his cheeks, neck, and chest completely covered in a dark red flush. The doctor took a couple of deep breaths before running his hand up Will’s arm to dig his fingers into the length of Will’s messy curls. “I need you inside of me.” As he spoke, he tightened his grip in Will’s hair. “Now.”

Unable to do anything other than comply, Will felt around for the condom, ripping the wrapper with his teeth when he eventually found it. Rolling the rubber down his length, Will forced himself to take a deep breath – he was already so on edge, the feeling of his hand around his own length was divine. He clenched his eyes tightly as he drizzled lube over his cock, spreading the slick with one pump of his hand – anymore and things would be over before they got started.

Lining the head of his cock against Hannibal’s entrance, Will looked up, catching Hannibal’s eyes. Hannibal nodded at him, silently urging him on. Will couldn’t wait any longer, anyway – the teasing feel of Hannibal’s rim was exquisite – too much and not enough all at once.

Will bit down into his bottom lip as he thrust forward, the head of his cock popping through the muscle with little effort. Gripping Hannibal’s hips tightly, Will continued his forward thrust until his cock was as deep as it would go in the position they were in. With the slightest shift of Hannibal’s upper body, Will slipped in a little more, the tip of his cock resting neatly against Hannibal’s prostate. Rolling his hips pulled a loud moan from them both.

“Fuck!” Will groaned, tossing his head back from the pleasure of it all.

Giving them both a second to adjust to the intrusion, Will leaned forward, claiming Hannibal’s lips in a desperate kiss. Hannibal wrapped his legs around Will’s hips, using his incredible strength to pull Will closer and keep him there. For a few long minutes, they sipped from each other’s mouths as Will rolled his hips, pressing incessantly against Hannibal’s prostate.

Like a bubble popping, Hannibal’s hole suddenly relaxed around Will’s length – the shift of his hips was easier, the move more than pleasurable for them both. Without hesitating, Will pulled out slowly, only to thrust forward with a hard snap of his hips. He kept up that pace for a while, grinding into Hannibal with long, deep rolls of his hips.

Sweat broke out across his brow as Will’s control started to diminish. With every thrust against his prostate, Hannibal tightened around him – the doctor’s mouth hanging open with a silent moan. Hannibal’s cock was leaking heavily between their stomachs, the length pulsing with every back-and-forth rub of Will’s abs brushing over it with every thrust. The tangible evidence of Hannibal’s pleasure was too much – Will’s hips started to move faster on their own accord.

For a while, the only sounds in the room were grunts, moans, the slap of skin against skin, and the bounce and creak of the mattress moving under their joint effort. Will was so taken apart and focused on the man below him, nothing else mattered. Hannibal was beautiful this way – strung out and overcome with want and lust; Will wanted to memorize every moment and detail.

As the end approach, Hannibal became more desperate – his hands clenched at Will’s biceps, his fingers digging into the skin of Will’s back. Between the babble in Lithuanian and the marks the man left, Will wasn’t sure he’d be able to get Hannibal there first. Until, of course, Hannibal gripped his face hard, forcing his attention away from the edge. “I’m so close. Make me come, Will. Let go.”

The band around Will’s control snapped then, his hips shoved forward at a brutal pace, each thrust making the headboard of the bed slap loudly against the wall. It took a handful of thrusts and a sharp bite to Hannibal’s neck to pull the doctor over the edge. Will followed a second later with a deep thrust and a garbled version of Hannibal’s name. Pleasure, bliss, ecstasy, nirvana – Will never knew them until that very moment.

Completely exhausted and overwhelmed from all that happened throughout the night, Will collapsed onto Hannibal’s chest – the mess between them be damned. Hannibal wrapped his arms around Will’s shoulders, keeping him close. For a while, they simply laid together, their breaths syncing as their bodies came down from the magnificent high. Will laid in fatigued bliss until he softened and slipped out of Hannibal’s still clenching heat. With a groan and more effort than it was worth, Will turned onto his side, resting his head on Hannibal’s shoulder.

“I love you, Hannibal,” Will muttered into Hannibal’s sweaty skin, placing light kisses there.

Hannibal turned towards him then, slinging a strong arm across Will’s hip. “And I you,” Hannibal whispered back. They snuggled into each other, happy to revel in the warmth of simply being together.

----

A year later, Will took a large step back from the fresh stag head, admiring their work. Once they came to the conclusion that nothing would separate them, things in their relationship happened pretty quickly. They became inseparable within a couple weeks of admitting their feelings to one another. Dating turned to commitment which turned to cohabitating without thought.

It took Will a few weeks of living in Hannibal’s house to realize just how alike they were in all the ways that mattered. Though Hannibal liked to show his work off, and Will liked to hoard his kills like the avid collector he was, they worked incredibly well together. The parts Will always felt were missing were easily filled by Hannibal and the clever skills he possessed.

When Garrett Jacob Hobbs and his odd obsession with his teenage daughter came across his desk, Will knew it was finally time to step that part of their partnership up a notch.

After all, one of his favorite parts of killing with Hannibal was the innocent and taken aback attitude he got to adopt every time he was called to one of their crime scenes. Jack Crawford wanted direct access to his imagination – the least he could do was give the man a front row seat to some of his very best work.