Chapter Text
Hannibal was alone.
Will was gone and Hannibal had been left alone. Their shared bed still held the warmth of Will’s once sleeping body. The knowledge that he hadn’t gone far slightly soothed his racing mind. It didn’t go unnoticed that the man had taken the blanket along with him on his journey.
Recently, Will had picked up a habit of sleep walking his way through their home in Florence, by the Arno River. Though no harm had ever come from Will’s habit, it always left him a little disoriented and panicked when he would wake up in a place he hadn’t fallen asleep. Hannibal sighed, he would have to gently guide Will back to bed and hope that he found sleep easily. There had been many nights where Hannibal had stayed up, trying his best to help sleep come to his poor Will. Though most nights, it never did.
Slowly willing his limbs to move, Hannibal lifted himself until he sat at the edge of his side of their bed. He could only hope that Will was conscious enough to come back to bed without too much of a struggle as he stood and began his slow venture into the hallway. A slight glow down the hall indicated Will’s location.
In the dim light of the refrigerator, Hannibal found Will sitting down, tightly wrapped in their blanket and eating a thick slice of bologna at the kitchen island, looking like he could fall asleep any moment. It was such an endearing sight. Hannibal savored the view, memorizing the fine details so as to never forget. He made a mental note to sketch the memory when he had time. It was moments like these that left Hannibal wondering how he had ever existed without this man by his side. It doesn’t slip by him that at some point Will had bought the cheap slices of meat without Hannibal noticing. He made a mental note to later throw out the pack of distasteful meat, swearing silently that he would replace it with something better for his Will.
No longer able to stay away, he finished observing and began to approach. Much like how a wild animal might stalk its prey before pouncing. When close enough, he snaked his arms around Will’s waist, placing his head on his beloved’s shoulder. Will let out a small yelp at the sudden presence of another human but relaxed when he felt the rumble of Hannibal chuckle against his neck.
“Can’t sleep?” Will heard from behind him. It was a whisper, barely audible over the buzz of the refrigerator.
“Was just a little hungry,” Will muttered. “Seems you’ve found out about my not-so-secret stash”
Hannibal hummed in response, not having the energy to lift his head from the crook of Will’s neck. Having calmed over the slight scare, Will relaxed and the slight tension left his limbs as he leaned further into Hannibal’s front.
He savored the last bite of his bologna, fully aware that it would be gone by morning as Hannibal would scavenge the house to purge it of his secret stash. Will didn’t mind this, he knew that once the bologna was gone, it would be quickly replaced by the finest meat Hannibal could get his hands on. The only reason he had bought the bologna was more for nostalgia. All of the nights he had spent alone, eating bologna while working on his lectures.
“Join me back in bed, love.” Hannibal whispered delicately. The air of the words landed on Will’s neck, sending shivers down his spine.
Carefully, Will lifted himself from the bench he had been sitting on, fixing the blanket around his shoulders. Fatigue consumed his whole being as Hannibal loosened his grip and Will turned to face the man. Slowly, he let himself be enveloped within Hannibal’s arms once again. Slowly so as to not startle Will, Hannibal lifted up the lighter man. Will realized Hannibal’s intentions and wrapped his legs around his waist so tightly that Hannibal felt as though he were being hugged. It was no surprise to either of them that Will had been lifted so easily. Beginning the venture back to their bed, Will rested his head gently on Hannibal’s shoulder letting his body be consumed by the sleep that creped its way into him as his breathing evened out. Each breath a puff of warmth leaving bumps on Hannibal’s skin. Hannibal had a feeling that there would be no struggle for sleep tonight as he laid his Will to rest.
“Ilsėkis gerai, mano meile” he muttered into the top of Will’s head. Pulling the man’s warm body to his chest, he let himself be taken by the same peaceful sleep that took his mylimasis.