Chapter Text
Will’s eyes glimmer opened, taking the sight of the tidy interior, unusual from the regular disorder. He felt in a daze at first, thinking how—an angel must of finally came down to save him—or that perhaps Alana finally was fed up with her missed calls— but instead, his disheveled tussles tilted up to meet the face of the person that made this dilapidation of a home.
Will’s hazed already dreams diminished back to reality, straightening up against the couch. It took him a grand pause—a minute at least— to react to the sight. He ran a hair through his curls with a laugh that could’ve been taken as sarcasm, or complete surrender.
“Should have guessed— you picked the perfect time to slither your way back, Dr. Lector. Isn’t that right?”
He quipped, his cadence having a glint of rasp from the sleep he was oh-so enjoying a few minutes before.
“It wasn’t my intention to come back to seeing you like this, Will, no.”
Lector began, keeping eye contact with the unkept man as he was busy putting a new trash bag into the trash bin. (Something that should’ve been done months ago.)
“But I wouldn’t say I didn’t mind it. I’m glad you got your well needed rest.”
Will obviously grunted at that comment, not wanting to admit the presence of a person there—no him to be exact— actually had let himself rest. He gulped down the odd feeling that began churning in his stomach as he stood.
“If you would have been patient, I was planning to find you.”
He admitted, the truth of it leaving a sour taste in his own mouth. He quickly brought his one hand to fidget at his jawline as he spoke. He felt naked at that thought, but perhaps Hannibal knowing part of him inside craved him was better than none at all. He’ll keep denying this fact out loud.
“You were?”
He asked then, seemingly surprised by the admittance. He finished the trashcan, now moving to dust off the tables. Will did so enjoy the normalcy of all.
With a pause, Will nodded. He tilted his eyes away to stare long at his coat that laid on one of the other arm chairs in his living room. It felt so natural, he hated it.
“They’re going to come looking for you.”
He cleared his throat as he spoke , fidgeting with his hands as he deterred between his two moralities.
“Are you a Judas, Will?”
Hannibal asked, now, looking at him at a clear view. Will stood still with his arms at his side, taking in his words as he was trying to process the entire scene.
He bit at his tongue, his eyes were now locked on to Hannibal’s. He could count the patterns of the dilation of his pupils. They were big, blown and honest, something raw and real, could he possibly betray a person giving all of him to him?
“Would you have the ability to forgive me?”
Hannibal asked then, which only made Wills mind race more.
“I—“
He felt conflicted and constricted in this place now, but would they ever be truly safe with what crimes follow the two of them? If it was just the two of them, would there ever be a place they could reside in.
“I want to. I want to try.”
Will mumbles in finality. The soft-spoke tone was barely even murmured, but he knew Hannibal heard him loud and clear. He felt shaken, much like how he felt when Hannibal held the knife in his stomach, but now the knife was in his hands. All there needed was a simple call, and his half would be arrested.
“I want you to stay.”
His eyes glinted, eyebrows contorting into a plea as he inches closer. They’re an arms length apart now, close enough to inhale one another’s breath.
He hated how he made him feel, because deep inside, he was so lost at this point and he knew Hannibal was one of the only open sanctuaries he could cling to. If only it was that easy to live with the older man.
Hannibal’s eyes glinted under the obedient morning lights, he truly wasn’t expecting that, and oh how much he loved the way Will looked at him at that moment. He always loved seeing the inner workings of his mind through his eyes, how he was still conflicted whether to speak truthfully.
“Of course I’ll stay, Will.”
He concluded matter-of-factly, placing a hand on the smaller man’s shoulder. Will returns this gesture, leaning his forehead against the man’s chest.
“And..”
He whispers, as he takes in the scent of him.
“to hold from killing for a while.”
He expects a rebuttal, or a long pause from the man, a calculating one as always, but instead, there was a simple nod.
Really, Will had forgiven him, in his soul, of the crude things he’s done. He couldn’t help the way he felt about him, nor the way he made him feel while. So, the least they could do for a little while, was stay put, and let the commotion quiet into a simple stream.
And then just be.